Through all of this Job did not sin nor did he blame God.

How thankful are you for the Lord’s provision? Do you take the life He has given you for granted or do you thank Him daily for your many blessings?

The manner by which you live your life and the light in which you see it will have a great affect on how you work through difficult situations you encounter. You and I could learn much from the story of Job. This man lost all that he had yet continued to express his faith and never stop praising the Lord.

Because He did not allow Himself to believe that He deserved the blessings He possessed, his response to God was not in anger or hatred, but rather in submission. Job 1:21 records his response. “Naked I came from my mother’s womb, and naked I shall return there. The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away. Blessed be the name of the Lord.” Great sorrow and morning were not feelings to be placed aside after losing his possessions and family, nonetheless Job recognized that to allow his emotions to drift into bitterness and hatred would be sinful. It was on account of this that he was able to avoid the selfish mindset of, “Why me?”

Are you prepared to lose your most cherished provisions from the Lord, yet continue to praise God for who He is? Could you say within your heart that you would not curse God if He took from you your closest friends or family members? The key to ensuring that this will never happen can be found in Exodus 20:3, “You shall have no other God’s before me.” Job was able remain faithful to the Lord because he never allowed even his family to become more important than his God.

The person or thing you seek to please the most will always be the first god that you serve. Whether that is family, friends, or a career, I challenge you to lay them aside and keep the Lord as number one on your list. It is only by doing this that you will be prepared to continue serving Him if should He take from you what you love the most.

Never forget that life and its blessings are gifts from God and not privileges that you possess. 

If then you have been raised up with Christ, keep seeking the things above, where Christ is, seated at the right had of God.

The extent to which I take my new life with Christ for granted is disgusting. Not to me, mind you, but to my Lord. At some distant level I am aware that Christ died to give me life. And yet, my day-to-day activities and thoughts show no proof that I guard this knowledge close to my heart. It is this severe lack of gratification that leads to such rebukes from Christ: “I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot; I would that you were cold or hot. So because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of My mouth…” (Revelation 3:14-22).

I would be foolish to assume that I am alone in my sinful tendencies. Although we who are called by His name rest in the eternal security of our Heavenly Father, the flesh (sinful nature) continually tugs on us, urging us not to let go of our earthly lusts. If this were not so, Paul would have no need to remind the Colossians to “keep seeking” the things above (3:1). But he did have to remind them. And he has to remind me. And he has to remind you.

He says, “Listen! Stop dwelling on the things around you! (Galatians 5:19-21) Set your minds on the things above (Galatians 5:22, 23; Philippians 4:8). Never forget that your old self is dead! You have died with Christ – and because of this – your life is now hidden with Christ, in God. Make it your goal to dwell on what Christ has done for you today. Put a rubber band around your wrist and thank Jesus for his death every time you see it.

The more you thank Jesus for His death, the more you will appreciate it. The more you appreciate it, the less your life will need rebuking by the Lord. 

But the fruit of the Spirit…

Does your life bear fruit? I am not talking about apples and pears, but rather the evidence of God. Scripture teaches us that the fruit of the Spirit must be present in your life if you confess to be a child of God. John 15:5 quotes Jesus saying, “I am the vine, you are the branches; he who abides in Me, and I in him, he bears much fruit; for apart from Me you can do nothing.” I wonder how much of this “fruit” can be tasted by those who spend time with you?

Have you ever thought about what this fruit might look like? What is Paul talking about when He says the “fruit of the Spirit?” Is the fruit of the Spirit attending church or feeding the poor? What about going on a mission trip or helping an elderly person around the house? While I would agree that these are all products of the fruit we are to bear, I would not say that this is the actual fruit Paul is speaking of. When we examine our lives to uncover the fruit of the Spirit we must not mistake it for works or deeds. Hebrews 9:14 says that our old self (our non-Christ like habits) are “dead works.” We used to labor in vain. Now, however, we have been made new creations in Christ. While I must work to go to church or spend time with those that need help, the fruit of the Spirit occurs naturally in my life as an apple might grow on a tree. It is by the fruit of the Spirit (love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control) that others know of your commitment to Christ. John 15:8 says, “By this is My Father glorified, that you bear much fruit, and so prove to be My disciples.” When those around you look at your life, they are not going to count you a Christian by the number of times you go to church each week, but by the fruit your spirit yields.

Too many Christians are unknowingly discouraging non-believers from coming to a personal relationship with Christ. Your witness as a follower of the Lord will not be evaluated by the way you work your life out. No amount of church attendances, mission trips, Christian t-shirts, or non-secular CD’s will convince your friend that he or she needs to give their life to Christ. Only the fruit of the Spirit will prove you to be a follower of Christ to those around you. I challenge you to evaluate your life in light of God’s word. Are you a positive reflection of the Spirit of God to those around you, or are you daily allowing your best friends to take one step closer to eternity in hell?

“The greatest single cause of atheism in the world today is Christians, who profess Christ with their lips, yet walk out the door and deny it by their lifestyle. This is what an unbelieving world simply finds unbelievable.” - DC Talk

If godly women and excellent wives are to be valued far greater than the most precious jewel, it is extremely important that we understand the difference between a gem and a piece of broken glass.

When I was a kid my parents once took our family to an old fashion mining facility. It was a tourist attraction somewhere in the Smokey Mountains. The claim was that if we sifted for long enough we would be able to find rubies, sapphires and possibly even a diamond. I remember my first attempt at sifting through the dirt. I thought I had struck the jackpot when several colorful objects remained at the bottom of my sifter. You can imagine my disappointment when my parents explained that they were only broken pieces of glass. I took one home anyway; it looked like a jewel to me.

Chapter 31 of Proverbs is a description of what a godly woman should look like. After so eloquently defining her worth and character for 20 verses, the author warns us that, “Charm is deceitful and beauty is vain, but a woman who fears the Lord, she shall be praised.” I am concerned that society as a whole, and especially the Christian community, has placed so much emphasis on the outward appearance of a woman that we are producing nothing more than broken pieces of glass. The difference between a ruby and an old broken bottle may not always be clear in its outward appearance but is more than obvious in the chemical makeup of its existence. In the same manner, it is important for both young men and young women to remember that a godly woman is not defined by her outward appearance but by her inward existence. She must be more concerned with fearing the Lord than with walking the walk or looking the look.

Are you a young man in search of true love? I caution you as the author of Proverbs does to look further than her outward appearance. I know it is extremely difficult for young men to see anything else once a beautiful face is in front of them but I can’t express enough the importance of taking the time to be sure she fears the Lord. If a girl has no place in her heart for the fear of the Lord, there should be no place in your heart for her love. Be careful that you don’t ever trade in your heart for an expensive piece of beautiful glass, continue to sift until you find your jewel.

If you are a young woman, I challenge you to grasp firmly the truth of this verse. It’s going to be hard to follow the Lord in this area of your life. Glass is created much easer and more quickly than a genuine jewel. There are broken pieces of glass walking down every hallway of every high school. Their sparkle and beauty catch the eye of every guy who passes them by. I encourage you to not sell out. Remember that broken pieces of glass are just that… broken. Allow yourself not to be broken, but beautifully cut by the perfect hand of our Lord. This process will take much more time and effort, but is worth it in the long run. There is no better quality than the fear of the Lord. Make this your utmost goal and allow God to do the rest.

An excellent wife, who can find? For her worth is far above jewels (Proverbs 31:10).

The ants, the badgers, the locusts and the lizards: all are small comparatively, yet great in their “wisdom” (verses 25-28). If these small creatures were to make up the members of a sports team I can guarantee you that my mom would be rooting for them. She’s always possessed an overwhelming weakness for the underdog. Whether it had anything to do with me being such a runt while growing up, I’ll never know. One thing’s for sure though, she isn’t the only one I know who roots for the underdog. Our God has consistently chosen out for His work those who the rest of society labels as “weak.”

Do you ever experience serious doubts as to the extent that God could use you to change the world? Whether you are hesitant to count yourself as valuable to the Lord because of your age, popularity or knowledge of the Bible, be encouraged to know that God is not interested in any of those stipulations. He is only interested in your faithfulness to Him. Someone once told me, “God doesn’t call the qualified, He qualifies the called.” As cliche as this statement may be, it has always remained close to my heart. Once we realize that God is interested in our faithfulness more than our abilities, even the world is not too large to overcome.

I challenge you to ask the Lord where He could use you the most; don’t wait any longer to begin His work. The misconception that we will begin our service to the Lord tomorrow is one of Satan’s best tactics in slowing down this vast army of God (James 4:13-14). The youth of this generation are as numerous as the locusts mentioned in Proverbs. If we would only unite in prayer and service, the world would be shaken off its foundation. We are God’s hands and feet to a dying world, yet we point a searching generation in no direction and fail to lead them anywhere, much less in the right direction. You are never too young to become an active member of the Lord’s army. 1 Timothy 4:12 says, “Let no one look down on your youthfulness, but rather in speech, conduct, love, faith and purity, show yourself an example of those who believe.” Your age is of no consequence to the Lord, He only requires that you would live the life you have been called to pursue.

Finally, I challenge you to remember the example of Paul. He was the “chief of sinners” yet God developed Him into the greatest evangelist and missionary the world has ever known. Through his unwavering faithfulness and obedience to Christ, Paul was used by God to spread the Gospel from Asia Minor to Rome. The book of Acts paints what should be an inspiring picture to us all. Paul was abused physically, emotionally and spiritually yet pressed on in His faithfulness to God. Nothing could separate Him from the Lord’s call on his life, not acceptance, hatred, physical injury, shipwreck or age hindered Him from delivering the Gospel to the “ends of the earth.” You may be the only Gospel of Christ that your friends and family will ever have the opportunity to see. May I ask you what’s stopping you from being used by the Lord today? I imagine you will find neither physical nor social barricades, but only the condition of your heart in the way.

For God sees not as man sees, for man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart (1 Samuel 16:7b). 

I’m a blabbering idiot. Seriously. I’m one of those people who can’t control their own words when they get excited about something. My wife thinks it’s funny when I start to tell her a story about my day. The point could be as simple as, “I ran into an old friend,” but before I’m done, the story’s ten minutes long at about 400 words per second with spit flying everywhere. It’s the worst when I’m tired. Sentences like, “Let’s rent a movie” come out, “Let’s ment a rovie,” or, “Let’s root a mentvie.” I can’t really explain it.

As funny as this problem may appear on surface issues such as old friends or movies, I have to really be careful when it comes to life in general. Unfortunately, I don’t think I’m alone in this issue either. While you may not find it difficult to tell a story your excited about or to give a simple suggestion, no one has avoided the mistake of speaking before you think at least once in their lives. Proverbs 29:20 warns us against allowing “hasty words” to become a habit. It says that even a fool has more hope than this type of person.

I wonder how often this habit manifests itself as a part of your life? Have you ever said something to a friend or family member that cuts like a knife? Was it on purpose or did it slip out on accident? Did you know it was wrong before you even finished your sentence or did it take some time to sink in? While we may desperately try to justify our words or apologize with promises such as, “I didn’t mean it,” or, “It was a mistake,” the Bible makes it very clear that our “mistake” was a sin. A sin? That’s a hard cup of tea to swallow, isn’t it?

The Bible says that we will one day be judged for every unrighteous thing we do, even things we “didn’t mean to do.” Having a quick tongue will not be an excuse on the Day of Judgment either; in fact, it will most likely be a charge against us. The Bible has offered us many ways to defeat this sin. I find though, that not many of us have given it much thought. That’s a shame too; I believe God takes great concern in the way we speak to those around us.

James 1:21 instructs us that if we truly desire to be “slow to anger,” than we must first, be “quick to hear and slow to speak.” I find it no coincidence that the following verses speak of the importance in laying aside all filthiness and all remains of wickedness. When we allow ourselves to be surrounded and embraced by seemingly harmless sins, it will become much more difficult to control our tongue. Many times the sins that plague us the most in life are the ones that we don’t give enough attention to. I pray that you would be aware of the conversation you surround yourself with today. Know that it will be much more difficult to control your tongue if you allow yourself to be around others who can’t. Also, don’t forget that you will one day be judged for every ill-spoken word that comes out of your mouth. In Matthew 25:35-40, Jesus tells us that He takes personally the actions we take against others. We say that we can’t control our tongue, but I imagine we could if we were speaking directly to the Lord. I ask you, are we not?

“Truly I say to you, to the extent that you did it to one of these brothers of Mine, even the least of them, you did it to Me” (Matthew 25:40). 

The sacrifice of the wicked (Proverbs 21:27), lying lips (Proverbs 12:22), and those who justify themselves in the sight of men (Luke 16:15) are all despised by the Lord. This makes sense, but Proverbs 28:9 reminds us that anyone who prays while living a life of disobedience is just as despised. Those who foolishly believe that they can live their lives in whatever manner they see fit, and then come to the Lord when they are in trouble, have the wrong impression of our God and Father. Does that scare you? It should.

God longs to hear from us when we are in need, He wants us to come to Him for wisdom, protection, blessings and comfort. Nonetheless, we are to never assume that He acts as some heavenly Santa Clause pouring out gifts upon our every request. He is a just God and requires that we are pure and spotless before approaching His throne. He sent His only Son to earth to die as a penalty for our sins. Through our acceptance of Christ’s sacrifice, we are accepted into God’s family and inherit eternal life with Him. Unfortunately, many of us have forgotten that Christ’s main purpose was to free us from the bondage of sin. When we allow this to happen we foolishly live our lives in disobedience to His word, approaching Him only when we are in need. It is no wonder that we so often ask, “Why does it seem like God never listens to my prayers?” His Son has offered up His life so that we may be free from sin, yet we selfishly hold on to it, using Christ, our only avenue to the Lord, as a last minute escape in times of need.

When we accept Christ as the Lord of our lives, we do much more than simply ask God to forgive us of our sins; we express a true desire for repentance. To repent of your sins means that you will make a 180-degree turnaround and vow to never commit them again. To be sorry for your sins and to repent of them are two different actions. Our God requires us to totally repent of our sins when we accept Him as Lord of our lives. To only be sorry, yet to continue in our sin, is to give up the purest form of communication with our Father. Never forget that He is faithful and just to forgive us of our sins if we would just bring them before Him. He does not take joy in the individual that continues to sin while knowing it is wrong. This only hinders our relationship with God and negatively affects our prayer life.

How is your communication with the Lord? Do you find it difficult to come to Him with your wants and your needs? Do you sometimes feel as if He is nowhere to be found and cannot hear your requests? Be encouraged in knowing that our Lord will never leave you. While He hears all of your prayers, remember that He is more concerned with the state of your relationship than with your needs. If there consistent sins in your life or areas that you have not totally given over to the Lord I suggest that you do so. He who comes to the Lord in prayer must come with a pure heart. If you have sins in your life that you have not yet repented of, all other prayers will be of secondary concern to our Father. I pray that you first approach the Lord in repentance, and then in supplication. Only then will you find your prayers being answered.

But seek first His righteousness; and all these things shall be added to you (Mat. 6:33). 

He was a constant source of love, comfort and laughter. I count it a blessing to have known my great grandfather Robinson so closely during my childhood years. Very few children have great grandparents still alive and kicking while growing up. Well into his late 80′s, my “great granddaddy” came to live with us while he single-handedly built my grandmother’s house four blocks away from ours.

I was in high school when my family finally had to make the tough decision to place him in a local nursing home. Over the several months that he was there I made a number of visits to see him. Although his mind was quickly leaving us, his encouraging spirit and godly character never seemed to part from his presence. I am reminded of one of those visits when I read Proverbs 27:19.

Walking through the bright, florescent-lighted hallways close to his room, I encountered an elderly woman wearing a hospital gown and slowly wheeling her chair along the wall. From the distance I could hear her shouting obscenities at other residents and nurses. She placed her head inside each doorway and freely spoke her mind before moving on. When I passed her she reached out her hand and grabbed my arm. Following some choice words she let me go and was on her way. I didn’t think much about it until I had spent some time with my grandfather. I couldn’t help but to notice the stark contrast between him and the lady in the hallway. “As in water face reflects face, so the heart of man reflects man.”

I am fully aware that this lady’s mind was slipping away as her life came near to its end. I have to wonder, though, if her actions were not a reflection of the state of her heart. My grandfather’s life was a constant example of what it meant to be a godly individual. Even far beyond a time where he could control what he said or did, his heart still reflected the example of Christ. Although he may not have known what he was singing, the words to How Great Thou Art passionately filled his small room as we sang them together. I cannot not be certain from one encounter with an elderly woman that I had never met before, but I can imagine that the life she lived was quite different then that of my great grandfather’s.

Leaving the nursing home that day I had a better understanding of who I am. My lifestyle is not a result of the friends I surround myself with or the habits I am enslaved to; my life is a reflection of my heart’s condition. If my desire to serve the Lord is sincere, the place where change must start is not in my surroundings, but in my heart. May I ask you how your life measures up to the will of God? Are you discouraged by failed attempts to change your friends or your lifestyle? Let me encourage you to stop attempting to alter your friends or your habits without first evaluating the status of your heart. It is only then that you will have the strength to resist such returning temptations.

Your life is not reflected by those around you but by the state of your heart. 

“The semester is almost over and I can’t wait for Christmas break. Over break I intend to catch up on the many things that have been putting off during the semester. Among them include, spending more time with my wife, obtaining a firm understanding of all my Greek vocabulary, fixing little ends and odds around the apartment, doing some leisure reading, and studying a book of the Bible.” This is how my mind works; it’s a dangerous state of being. Good intentions never lead to a disciplined life… especially if those intentions always point to the future.

Proverbs 27 is a constant reminder that my thought process is not only bad for me, but against the will of God. I so often forget that God is not concerned about what I will do for Him tomorrow, but rather, about what I am doing for Him today. Knowing this, I now am able to grasp a better understanding of why Satan tempts me with the “I’ll do it tomorrow” mentality. The further away I am from God’s will, the larger the influence Satan will hold over my life.

What areas of your life need improvement? Have you been avoiding church, your devotions, or prayer? When was the last time you sat down to study the Bible, or met with a friend to talk about your relationship with God? If you’re anything like me, the Holy Spirit continually prompts you to become engaged in these activities. I challenge you to set aside the notion of starting them tomorrow, “for you do not know what a day may bring forth.” Instead, do it today. Pick up your Bible and read a couple of verses, pick up the phone and call a friend who needs encouragement; whatever you need to do, just pick up and do it.

Subjecting yourself to the will of God today and promising to do so tomorrow are two different things. On the day that you stand before God, He will not consider what you had planned to do, but only that which you have actually done.

Just do it. (James 4:13-17) 

It severs our being like the surgeon’s knife; cutting through our flesh and slowly navigating it’s blade into our deepest parts, the words of a gossip make their path to our heart in a damaging and oftentimes irreversible manner. A whisper against you is like poison in your veins, an arrow in the back, and the smallest pieces of food consumed and distributed to the deepest parts of your body.

The gentle, whispering wind of a gossip can be felt within any time, place or circumstance. Seldom unaware and always justifiable, we spread hurtful words like a wildfire through our network of friends and companions. As with most rumors, that which began as a fire of comfort for one or two quickly outgrows its boundary and becomes an all-consuming wall of flames, devouring everyone in its path.

Proverbs 26:20 reminds us that fire can only exist with the presence of flammable materials. In the same manner, a vicious rumor can only exist where it finds those who will feed it. “For lack of wood the fire goes out, and where there is no whisperer, contention quiets down.” Verse 21 says, “Like charcoal to hot embers and wood to fire, so is a contentious man to kindle strife.”

It’s easy to play the victim and acknowledge the pain of gossip when you are on the receiving end. I challenge you to evaluate your own habits though. I wonder if you are more often found under the knife of gossip or firmly grasping its painful handle. As children of God we are commanded to preserve unity and peace with all people (Ephesians 4:3). We are called to be ambassadors of the Lord, sharing and representing the goodness of Him who sent us to everyone we meet. When we participate in spreading whispers and rumors, our witness is hindered along with the message of Christ.

As painful as the knife that enters your own body and as deep reaching as the morsel of a whisper travels into your innermost being, I pray that you would never forget the hurtful damage of a whisper done to those around you. Jesus commands us to do to others only what we would like done to us. He teaches us in Matthew 23:39 to love our neighbors as ourselves. How often we forget our Master’s words when it comes to whispering rumors. The next time flames of gossip come in your direction, I pray that you would not be just another log in the fire, but instead, a quenching shot of water to a potentially devastating action.

If anyone thinks himself to be religious, and yet does not bridle his tongue but deceives his own heart, this man’s religion is worthless (James 1:26).