Job 22:23-25 – “If you return to the Almighty, you will be built up; if you remove wicked behavior far from your tent, ²⁴ and throw your  gold in the dust—your gold of Ophir among the rocks in the ravines—²⁵ then the Almighty himself will be your gold, and the choicest silver for you.”

As I read, prayed, and meditated on the Word of God today, the process of growing into the promise, filled my heart.   

In Job 22, Eliphaz was attempting to correct Job and point out Job’s sins.  He offered a truth that was rooted in a misguided premise, yet it was still a truth.  In vv.  23-30, he declares that if we turn back to God, we will be restored.  That is the truth!  If we reject unrighteousness and put our confidence in God, He becomes our sustainer.  He made an interesting statement in v.25 that God will become our gold.  God will become priceless!

In John’s Gospel, during the encounter with the woman at the well, Jesus said in John 4:34, “My food is to do the will of Him who sent Me and to finish His work.” I see the connection to Job’s statement.  If our passion becomes pursuing His purpose, God satisfies us completely and becomes our source (like gold).

John the Baptist used a Law of Physics to explain this truth: “He must increase, but I must decrease.”  Until we empty ourselves of self, we cannot be filled with Him.  As we are filled with Him, He becomes our gold!  Our lives become a testimony of Him, and the kingdom is manifested.

As we become the sons and daughters of God, sin is defeated, disease is destroyed, and lack is blocked.  We are being transformed, and if we proceed in the process, we will possess the promise!  If we possess the promise, we will see the power flow out of purity and reach our potential.

He must increase in importance to us for us to decrease and empty ourselves of all that hinders.  The emptier we become, the more full we are!  The question is, what is our passion?  Whatever we treasure holds our hearts.  What holds our hearts determines our destiny.

Lord, help us to empty out of ourselves so we can be filled with You!

Job 14:1 – “Man, who is born of woman, is short-lived and full of turmoil.”

As I read, prayed, and mused on the Word of God today, the thought of the revelation of Christ filled my consciousness.    The Revelation of Christ?  Yes, when we see Him in His fullness, we are liberated and empowered.

Job made a declaration that seemed fatalistic in Job 14:1 – “Man, who is born of woman, is short-lived and full of turmoil.”   His view of life, in the midst of unimaginable difficulty, was – “Life is short and hard.”  There is not much wiggle room there.   It sounds fatalistic, but upon reading the entirety of Job’s discourse, we see something inspiring.

Life is hard, but in Job 13:15, we see a commitment and understanding that surpasses his comforters and fleshly thinking.   I will trust God and refuse to buy into the fleshly philosophy that all bad things that happen to us are punishment.

Later, Job declared, “I know my Redeemer lives (The Living God) AND in my flesh (Resurrected Body).  I will see God!”   A Revelation of Christ enables us to endure all storms.  It inspires Hope.  It gives Peace.  It Empowers.

If we SEE the fullness of the Cross, life in the flesh (though difficult) is livable.  As I muse on the Revelation of Jesus, eternity fills my heart, and the reality that He is ALL I NEED!

I believe it would be better said, “Having Him enables me to tap into all that is needed to be all He said I am.  I can love, believe, receive, give, and live His life while in the flesh!  Love unconditionally and forgive without reservation, just as He does!”   Why?   Christ, the Living LORD, lives in me and through me.  Because He lives, I live!

Lord, help us to live every moment of every hour of every day to the fullest!

Luke 19:24-26 – “And he said to his attendants, ‘Take the mina from him, and give it to the one who has ten.’ ²⁵ But they said to him, ‘Sir, he has ten minas already!’ ²⁶ ‘I tell you that everyone who has will be given more, but from the one who does not have, even what he has will be taken away.”

As I read, prayed, and pondered the Word of God today, I heard an old saying connected to a passage in Luke’s Gospel – “Use it or lose it.”  That comes from Luke 19 in the story of the ten minas.

Faith unused is theory and produces man-made doctrines and lifestyles that are form, not substance.

In Job 1, the devil accused God of placing a Hedge about Job to protect him.  God did not deny it.   Then, in Job 3:23, Job referred to God’s hedge as a restraint.  How we progress is contingent upon our vantage point.  If we see things as restrictions, we won’t use our gifts, and if we don’t use what we have, we go backward (lose it because we don’t use it).

The older brother in Luke 15 is an example.  He was in the house.  He was the rightful heir of all his father possessed, but he failed to access what was available.  He lost out on blessings because he failed to use them.  Use it or lose it.

Authority is ours by decree of Jesus and through the New Birth.  If we fail to use it, the demonic hordes run rampant.  In that sense, we lose our authority.  Use it or lose it.

Luke 19:26 – “I tell you that to everyone who has, more shall be given, but from the one who does not have, even what he has shall be taken away.” USE IT OR LOSE IT!

Consider the natural aspect, regarding proficiency.  We gain more proficiency by regular use and practice.  We lose proficiency by not using it.  In everything, USE IT OR LOSE IT!   Let us utilize what God has provided and bring the past into the present!   The kingdom, according to Luke 18:21, is in our midst because it is IN us.   Kingdom Authority must be exercised to be maintained.  Use it or lose it!

Lord, help us to use what You have given us and become better equipped and more proficient!

Esther 4:12-14  – “When Esther’s reply was conveyed to Mordecai, ¹³ he said to take back this answer to Esther: ‘Don’t imagine that because you are part of the king’s household you will be the one Jew who will escape.  ¹⁴ If you keep quiet at this time, liberation and protection for the Jews will appear from another source, while you and your father’s household perish.  It may very well be that you have achieved royal status for such a time as this!”

As I read, prayed, and meditated on the Word of God today, something captured my thoughts and brought deep conviction.  I began reading in Esther, and the words of Mordecai to Esther stopped me in my tracks.

He told her, “You can’t presume to be safe even in the palace.”  Those in command may accept us, but if we are believers, we are targets because He is their target.  He told her, “Silence in a time of danger produces death.”   

We can’t be silent about God or life when souls are perishing, and the world is going to hell in pursuit of debauchery.   If we are, God will bypass us, and we will not only not be a part of His purpose but suffer loss.  This moment may be the moment for which we were born!   One word, one deed, one prayer could change the course of history and be a matter of life or death for others.  This moment!

That was expanded in Luke 10:2.  There is a harvest.  The harvest is plentiful.  There are not enough harvesters to gather it in.  There are many promoters but few harvesters.  Harvesters gather and prepare for usage.  Promoters count the size of the crop.

Jesus was questioned about the greatest commandment.  He said it was to love God with all our heart and to love our neighbor as ourselves.   Are we loving God by being silent about Him and warning of danger?  Are we loving others by being silent, ignoring sin and danger?

• Love acts!  

If we love God, will we not pursue His purposes?  Maybe this moment is the moment for which we were born! Perhaps this one witness is the prime reason we were born!  Maybe this one soul we touch is the reason we were born!  It may seem small, but in God’s hands, nothing is small.

• Love acts! 

Do our lives testify of love?  Have we come to the place of love and commitment, we say, “If I perish, I perish.”  Where our treasure is, there our heart is.  Our lives testify of our true treasure and reveal its value to us.

Lord, help me to treasure You more than anything!

Luke 6:31-38  – “Do to others as you would have them do to you.  ³² “If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you?  Even sinners love those who love them.  ³³ And if you do good to those who are good to you, what credit is that to you?  Even sinners do that.  ³⁴ And if you lend to those from whom you expect repayment, what credit is that to you?  Even sinners lend to sinners, expecting to be repaid in full.  ³⁵ But love your enemies, do good to them, and lend to them without expecting to get anything back.  Then your reward will be great, and you will be children of the Most High, because he is kind to the ungrateful and wicked.  ³⁶ Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful.  ³⁷ “Do not judge, and you will not be judged.  Do not condemn, and you will not be condemned.  Forgive, and you will be forgiven.  ³⁸ Give, and it will be given to you.  A good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over, will be poured into your lap.  For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.”

As I read, prayed, and mused on the Word of God today, numerous things challenged me.  We know what we call ‘The Golden Rule,’ but do we connect it in the context of Luke 6?

In Luke 6:31, we have the Golden Edict.  In verses 35-36, we find the directive on how to relate to and respond to others, especially those who dislike us and have wronged us.  We see those but seem to miss the context and connection of verses 37-38.

The Law of Harvest or Sowing and Reaping is powerfully revealed in these verses.  Judging provides the platform for our own judgment.  Forgiveness offers the doorway to our own forgiveness.  Then we come to verse 38.  We make it an isolated, stand-alone promise, but it is connected to the Golden Rule and God’s Law of Life!

One word outshines all the others in verse 38.   That is the two-letter word “IT.”   Yes, IT.   The IT is the object.   Whatever IT is, or no matter what IT is, it is returned to us multiplied.

If we live by the Golden Rule, we also enjoy the Law of Harvest.   If we live the Golden Rule, God is always first, and we always focus on others, which opens heaven for us.  It opens the hearts of people and opens heaven to bless us.

The Law of Life is found in Luke 6.  Our objective should be total surrender, which brings total transformation, which enables us to live the Golden Rule, which produces the Law of Harvest in us.

That Harvest is not only our blessing but brings others into the kingdom.  It is a perpetual cycle of love and mercy!  It comes to us, then through us, then to us so that it can go out through us.   We will reap what we sow, so choose your seed wisely.

Father, help each of us to become linkers, linking the Scripture into the Full Message!