Colossians 1:12 Giving thanks unto the Father, which hath made us meet to be partakers of inheritance of the saints in light:

In this chapter, we are told that Paul prayed for the church at Colosse. However, not only are we told that Paul prayed for the church, we are taught what Paul was praying. Paul first prayed that the church would be willed with knowledge of the will of God. Paul desired that this church would gain the wisdom and spiritual understanding that is necessary for them to understand the direction that God had for the church.

Paul then prayed that the church would not only know the will of God but that they would be doers of the will of God. Paul prayed that in doing the will of God that this church would be fruitful and that they would increase in their knowledge of who God was.

Paul then prayed that the church would strengthen itself in the power of God by learning to be patient and long suffering in the joy of the Lord. Paul understood that in our own strength we can be patient or we can be forgiving of others, but that it takes the strength of the Lord to do so with the joy of the Lord.

In this verse, we are taught that Paul prayed that the church in Colosse would learn to give thanks to God for the things that HE has done for them. Paul understood that many believers are so entangled with the things of the world that they do not become heavenly minded enough and quickly lose sight of all the things that God has done.

It is hard to see big houses and nice cars and fat wallets and remember that God desires us to be focused upon the wonderful things that are in store for us in heaven. Christ told us about heaven and all the wonderful things that God has in store for us, but many of us allow the treasures of this world to cloud our judgment. Rather than being focused on storing up for ourselves spiritual treasures that will last a lifetime, we find ourselves hoarding the earthly treasures which can quickly be destroyed.

Do you really understand the spiritual treasure that God has given unto us? Do you understand what it means to live forever in heaven? Do you understand what price Christ paid so that we might enjoy that which sin tried to destroy?

If you understood what heaven was, the things of this earth would have no control over your life. If you understood the glory of God, the glory of man would almost be sickening. If you understood the beauty of heaven, you would almost be depressed living in this sinful world.

God has done so much for us that we do not deserve. Rather than focusing our attention upon the things of this earth, we need to learn to thank God for heaven and the fact that by HIS grace we are saved. By focusing our attention upon things above, our attitude towards God should be an attitude of praise. No more should be impatient with God over the trials of this life because we know that He works all things together for good.

This earth is our ministry field that God has granted to us to reflect HIS light to a dark world. Do not let the things of this world diminish your light for God. Instead, thank God for the good things HE is doing through you. It is time that your attitude change. It is time that you start living your life for the glory of God.

Romans 15:6 That ye may with one mind and one mouth glorify God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.

God desires that the church be unified. However, rather than be unified, we find hundreds of denominations. Rather than looking for ways that we are similar, we see where we are different and we focus upon those differences. In this chapter, we learn that God had HIS words written down so that we might share the same hope. Nonetheless, the church today is not uniting around this same hope.

When the nation of Israel was traveling from Egypt to the Promise Land, they all were seeing the exact same miracles. They all saw the stone tablets that gave them the new law. They all saw the ten plagues God used to deliver them from the Egyptians. They all saw the parting of the Red Sea. They all saw God bring water from a rock. Nonetheless, when it came time to enter into the Promise Land, only Moses, Joshua, and Caleb were ready to accept the promise of the hope that God had for them, the rest of the nation chose to fill their hearts with doubt and they lost the opportunity to receive the promises of God during their generation.

As you read the book of Acts, you find that the New Testament church was able to work with one accord. This meant that the individual Christians were more concerned about doing what was right in the eyes of God then they were about their own personal egos. These early Christians were not perfect and they did have their disputes. Once there arose a dispute as to whether the Gentiles had to be circumcised. Some had one opinion and others had a contrary opinion. These early church leaders came together understanding the importance of being in one accord and they worked on the problem until they understood what God desired them to do.

Have you ever wondered why the church does not have much influence today? Have you ever wondered why the world seems to care less about the things of God? Have you ever wondered why we do not see miracles like the nation of Israel saw as they left the land of Egypt or were seen by the early Christians during the book of Acts?

One answer is that the church is now divided. Because the church is divided and so many denominations are working against each other, there is not a one accord. Because there is not one accord, the church lacks the focus so that the power of God can properly be demonstrated. Because there is no power, the world is not attracted to God and the world chooses to do that which is right in their own eyes.

If the church desires to be a light set on top of a hill, then a whole lot of people need to be willing to start putting aside their doctrine and start focusing upon their relationship with God and what God is telling them to do. Many times, our doctrine is no different than the rules that the religious leaders were following during the time of Jesus. The religious leaders had become so focused upon their rules that they missed the Messiah. Those who were touched by the Messiah were those who were not tangled up by the doctrine of the religious leaders.

God gave us the Bible so that we might through patience have the same hope. God demonstrated patience so that we might follow HIS example and demonstrate the same patience towards one another. However, rather than follow the example of God, we have chosen to go our own way and put our doctrine ahead of our relationship with God.

Romans 5:5 And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us.

Are you ashamed of the gospel of Christ? Are you ashamed that you have chosen to be a follower of Christ? Do you feel like you have to make excuses as to why you must be in Church on Sunday morning? Do you feel like you have to make excuses as to why you do not go drinking with the boys on the weekend? Are you ashamed that the power of God is not in you so that when others look at you, they know that there is a living God?

In this chapter, we learn that we are to glory in our trials because when we understand that God uses our trials to work patience in us. We are instructed that it is our patience that proves to us that God is real, and it is that experience that gives us the faith that we need to be not ashamed of the gospel of Christ.

Did you ever wonder how the early Christians could stand in the coliseum and sing the praises of God as the lions destroyed them? Did you ever wonder how Peter had the boldness to ask to be crucified upside-down? Did you ever wonder how the Christians were able to withstand such cruel torture without wavering in their faith?

The answer is that they had experienced the power of God in their life and they could not imagine living without that power. They had seen God prove HIMSELF time after time and rather than doubt the power of God, they trusted HIM. They understood that they were living for something that was far greater than anything this world had to offer them.

Scriptures are full of examples of those who saw God work in their life and as such, they trusted HIM with all of their heart. Joshua and Caleb were two men who saw the miracles of God and they trusted HIM that HE was going to do as HE promised. However, while Joshua and Caleb believed, the rest of the nation of Israel chose to ignore what God had done in the past and instead focus upon the present and as such, they did not have the faith to enter the Promise Land.

What was the difference between Joshua and Caleb and the rest of the nation of Israel? Joshua and Caleb were not looking for what God could give them next, instead, they were looking how they could be used of God. If your focus is upon what God owes you, you will never be able to thank God for the trials HE allows to enter into your life. However, when your focus turns to being used of God each day, you will soon learn to give thanks for your trials and as you experience God’s blessing upon your life, you will have the faith to not be ashamed of your relationship with Christ.

What is the most important thing to you; your relationship with those who are in this world, or your relationship with the One who created this world? If you desire to not be ashamed of your relationship with God, then you need to start changing your focus from being self-centered to being focused upon the things of God. If you desire to have the confidence in knowing that you have the power of God in your life, then you need to start praising God for your trials.

The power of God comes when you learn to accept your trials as a gift from God. The power of God fills your life when you are able to share testimonies of how things became very difficult in your life and you watched as God provided, protected, and directed you. As long as you are self-centered and treating God as Santa Clause, you will never have complete confidence in HIM.

Job 42:5 I have heard of thee by the hearing of the ear: but now mine eye seeth thee.

There is a difference between serving the God of your fathers and serving God because you desire to have a personal relationship with HIM. Jacob was a man who served the God of Abraham and Isaac. When Jacob went to his uncle’s house to find himself a wife and to stay one step ahead of his brother Esau, Jacob made a promise with God that if God brought him back safe and sound, then he would serve HIM.

Jacob had heard all the wonderful stories about how God had showed HIMSELF real to both Abraham and Isaac, but Jacob was not ready to believe what his eyes had seen. Jacob was willing to allow his business life and his faith to be two different things. Jacob did not desire to be held accountable by God for what he did.

Nonetheless, there came a day when Jacob finally saw all the ways that God had been blessing him and keeping him from harm. Jacob decided that he was willing to trust in God because he was beginning to understand who God was.

When God was giving the law to the nation of Israel, one of the requirements was that the families were to write the laws of God upon the doors of their house. Furthermore, God was constantly telling the nation to teach the things that they had saw to their children. However, God understood that hearing the stories of God’s work was not going to be enough so that is one reason why after the nation of Israel crossed the Jordan that Joshua had a monument built to remind the nation where God had parted the Jordan and they had crossed on dry ground.

Job was a righteous man who had a great relationship with God. Job had heard of God with his ear and he had chosen to obey God and follow him. However, Job is now making a proclamation that there is something different about his relationship with God because of this interaction he has had with God.

We like to make fun of the lack of faith of doubting Thomas. Thomas refused to believe what he heard with his ears regarding the resurrection of Jesus until he saw Jesus with his own eyes. As much as we can comment about the lack of faith of Thomas, we understand that Jesus did not hold Thomas in scorn but answered the requests of Thomas and made HIMSELF known unto Thomas.

Thomas understood his own lack of faith and made it clear what needed to happen in order for his faith to grow. Thomas asked and God answered Thomas’ request. How many times was God willing to answer a prayer so as to give us the faith to continue but we never asked. Because we never ask, God never gives us the direction that we desire. Because we do not learn to see God, we live by the faith of others and our relationship with God is very shallow. Your faith should not be built upon what God has done for others, it should be built upon your testimony of what you have seen God do in your own life.

It is not easy to see God. Nonetheless, if you are patient and you spend time asking God what HE desires you to do, God will open up HIS words to you so that you can hear HIM and fulfill HIS perfect will for your life. If you have not seen God work in your life in a while, that means you really need to set aside time to seek HIM so that you can enable your relationship with God to grow to the next level.

Job 40:4 Behold, I am vile; what shall I answer thee? I will lay mine hand upon my mouth.

Job has just heard the voice of the Lord speaking to him out of a whirlwind. Job may have been able to give an answer to his friends when they spoke to HIM, but as soon as HE heard the voice of God, Job humbled himself before God. Job immediately recognized his own inadequacy before a Holy God.

It is easy to shoot off your mouth when you are among friends. Most of us have no problem speaking more highly of ourselves then we ought. Most of us have not had an encounter with God like Job had just experienced. Job was talking with God and Job’s focus quickly changed from himself to the Most High God.

When God touches your life, it is going to change you. When Moses saw the burning bush, God renewed a vision in him to help the nation of Israel. When Moses saw the backside of God, his face shined so brightly the people could not look at Moses’ face. When Moses’ brother and sister tried to usurp his authority, God struck Miriam with leprosy. When Korah rose up in rebellion, the ground opened up and swallowed him and his followers.

When God touches your life, it is going to change you. Samuel was special in the eyes of God before he was even born. Samuel was a miracle of God given to a woman who understood what the desires of her heart were and she spent many hours in prayer seeking God to give her a son. Hannah gave Samuel to the Lord and God blessed Hannah and her husband, but more importantly, God blessed little Samuel. God spoke to Samuel at a very early age and before long, Samuel was the prophet of Israel.

When God touches your life, it is going to change you. Jacob was the grandson of Abraham and the son of Isaac. Jacob had a rich spiritual tradition but Jacob simply served the God of his fathers. Jacob did not have a personal relationship with God. Yes, Jacob knew who God was, but it was not until Jacob was about to be reunited with his brother that he encountered God in a whole new way. As a result of Jacob wrestling with God, Jacob received a blessing, his name was changed, and he now had a personal relationship with the Almighty.

In this passage, Job is experiencing God in a whole new way. Remember Job had a close relationship with God. Remember that God was bragging to Satan about Job and how Job diligently served HIM. Job had a good relationship with God, but Job was quickly being stretched by God and was learning that God was so much more than Job ever understood.

Job could have opened his mouth and tried to justify the works that he had done. However, once Job experienced God in this new way, Job understood just how unholy he was and just how unworthy all his good works really were. As long as Job thought more highly of himself then he ought, Job would justify himself. Talking to God was all that it took for Job to humble himself.

When God makes HIMSELF known unto you, you are the one who needs to change. Stop what you are doing, do not make an excuse for yourself and simply follow the example of Job by humbling yourself before God. Job had the ability to speak, but he had the wisdom to keep his mouth shut. Job understood that he needed to be patient with God and that it was no longer about him and what he had done for God but it was about God and what God had done for him. Job was about to see a change in his life and it started as Job looked to God and humbled himself.

Job 23:6 Will he plead against me with his great power? No; but he would put strength in me.

In this passage, Job reminds us that God has great power. Job is assuring himself that God does not use his great power to make his life miserable. Instead, Job is focused upon the fact that it is that great power from God that gives him the strength to endure the trial that he is in.

Wait a minute you say. You agree that God has great power, but God could have used that power to stop Satan from taking away everything that Job held onto dearly. You might try to argue that by not using his power to stop Satan, God basically used his power to cause Job great misery.

We must understand that God works everything together for good for those who love him and are called according to HIS purpose. What we often see as a trial and a bad thing, God often is using to draw us closer to HIM and make us in HIS own image.

We understand that a diamond in its natural state is not worth very much. However, with a careful hand and much chipping away, a diamond can become very valuable. If the diamond had its way, do you think it would allow someone to chip away at it? The diamond must suffer the trials of having its faults cut away so that it can be valuable to the owner.

In the same way that a diamond must go through the trials so also, the loving hand of God is working on us so that we might be valuable in HIS sight. No one likes the trials of God, but that does not mean that God is out to get you. God is using HIS strength to make you better by removing from your life those things that diminish your effectiveness for HIM.

Remember Peter, the man who denied Jesus three times. Peter had been faithful to Jesus for three years. Jesus knew that Peter was vulnerable and could deny HIM. Jesus could have arranged circumstances so Peter did not find himself in a position where he felt his life was threatened if he acknowledged that he was a follower of Jesus. However, Jesus allowed Peter to face his trial and then later, Jesus used HIS love to restore Peter. Peter later had great boldness for the cause of Christ to the point that he was not afraid to die.

Remember Daniel, when he first arrived in Babylon, they put food in front of him that he was taught was not proper to eat. Daniel did not need this trial right from the very beginning. However, Daniel remained true to God during this trial and we later see that God used Daniel in a mighty way.

Bad things will happen to you during your lifetime. During your life, you will face trials that will seem to big for you. Rather than focus your attention upon the problem, learn to turn your eyes to God and learn to rely upon HIM to direct your paths. God’s strength is sufficient for you. Christ had given Peter the opportunity to pray with HIM in the Garden so as to increase his strength, but Peter chose to sleep and he yielded to temptation.

The strength of God can give you the victory over any temptation. Be patient with God and when you feel tired and desire to yield to sin, stop and learn to lean on the everlasting arms of God. God will never leave you nor forsake you. God is with you during your greatest trials. God does not allow you to face a trial that you are not able to endure. Remember that if you focus upon GOD, HE will direct your paths and enable you to do great things for HIM. Do not blame God for your problems, instead, use the strength of God to overcome your problems.

Job 23:3 Oh that I knew where I might find him! that I might come even to his seat!

There will be times in your life where you feel like you are in the valley of the shadow of death. It is at these times where you may feel that God is not with you. Often when you are reading your Bible, the words that you are reading seem dry and you are simply reading the Bible as if you are going through the motions.

Not every moment of our spiritual life will be like Peter’s experience on the mount of transfiguration. During this mountain top experience, Peter felt very close to God. However, just because Peter was close to God, it did not mean that he had perfect understanding of the ways of God. Peter learned about the perfect will of God for his life after Jesus had ascended to heaven and he was patiently waiting with all the other followers for the Holy Spirit.

Just because you are in a period of your life that causes you to feel like nothing is going your way, that does not mean that God is not with you. In this passage, Job had been suffering so long that he desired to find God. Job knew that something was not right and even though he was going through so many trials, his desire was to return to a close relationship with God.

Job did not understand that God had never left him. God was there all along, God had just chosen not to make HIS presence known during certain portions of Job’s trials so that Job could prove his faith in God.

Have you ever seen a parent hide themselves from their toddler? The parent may be able to see the toddler the entire time, but the toddler does not know that. Some toddlers will play for a while before they realize that their parent is gone. Other toddlers will see that their parent is gone right away and start to cry in hopes that momma will come running.

We need to understand that just because we are not in the midst of a mountain top experience, that does not mean that God is not with us. Instead, we must learn to trust God when HE told us that HE will never leave us nor forsake us. These times in our life where it appears that God has forsaken us are times of testing to see how we will react. Will we realize that something has changed in our relationship with God and will we diligently seek to restore that communication?

When you are in a trial and it appears that God has forsaken you, that is the time that you need to seek HIS face diligently to learn the purpose of your trial. Too often, when the reading of the word of God seems dry unto us, that is the time that we put our Bible’s down and go do something else. That is the opposite reaction to what we should do. When it appears to us that God has forsaken us, that is when we should be most diligent in looking for HIM.

The next time you are reading your Bible and it seems dry, rather than shutting the Bible, stop and pray and ask God to open HIS word to you. God may not answer your prayer the first day, but if you are patient with God and daily request that HE speak to you, you will soon experience that wonderful feeling when God reveals HIMSELF to you in a new and exciting way.

You do not need to look at the map nearly as often when you are on the right road as you need to look at the map when you are not on the right road. When you are off the spiritual path or when you are in the midst of the storm, you may not find your life returning to normal right away, but if you remain patient with God and diligently seek HIS face, it will soon be over.

Job 22:21 Acquaint now thyself with him, and be at peace: thereby good shall come unto thee.

Eliphaz is speaking in this passage to Job. Eliphaz has recently stated that Job had taken a pledge for his brother, took clothes from people, did not give water to those who needed it and withheld food from the hungry. Eliphaz thinks he knows what Job did wrong and he is accusing Job of sinning against God by cheating and taking advantage of those who were needy.

Eliphaz tells Job that he needs to get to know God better. If Job made his peace with God, then God would reward him with good. Solomon once said that there is nothing new under the sun. What Eliphaz is doing in this passage is no different then what we see being preached in thousands of churches around the world each week. Many people preach a gospel of prosperity. If you want to be rich and you want to be blessed with wealth, then you need to get to know God better.

Granted, there is nothing wrong with getting to know God better, but that does not mean that God is automatically going to bless you because you now spend five hours a day in prayer. Daniel was a man of righteousness yet he spent most of his life in captivity. Daniel had a close relationship with God and while Daniel would have probably told you he needed to spend more time drawing closer to God, he had a relationship with God that we would do well to aspire to.

The problem with most Christians today is that they do not understand what a blessing really is. When Solomon had the opportunity to ask for anything, he asked for wisdom to guide the people that God had entrusted unto him. Solomon did not ask for health or wealth, but God gave it to him. Solomon knew what God had called him to do and God blessed Solomon because Solomon sought to fulfill God’s purpose.

Jabez prayed a prayer asking God to bless him. When most of us read that passage, we think of financial blessings. However, that is not what Jabez was asking for. When Jacob stole the blessing from his brother Esau, he was not stealing the inheritance. No, Jacob received from his father Isaac a prophesy regarding what God was going to do through him in the future. Just because Jacob was blessed, it did not mean his life was changed forever. In fact, Jacob soon found himself running for his life and he discovered that there was a man who was even better than he was at deceiving others.

There is nothing wrong with you taking the time to draw closer to God. In fact, this should be a goal for each of us. However, we cannot have a goal of drawing closer to God if the only reason why we are doing that is so that HE gives us what we want. Yes, there are examples of those in scripture who were persistent in their prayers and they received the desires of their heart. However, you also need to remember all those who had to patiently wait for God to give them the desires of their heart. Joshua and Caleb did nothing wrong but they wondered in the wilderness for 40 years. All the persistent prayers in the world would not get them into the Promised Land before God was ready to let them enter.

Be patient and allow God to direct your steps. Do not pursue spiritual things to get ahead in this world. Instead, you should pursue spiritual things to get ahead in the life to come. You should patiently spend time drawing closer to God so that you sow on this earth spiritual seed which bears spiritual fruit. Do not mix the things of this world with the things of God.

Job 10:12 Thou hast granted me life and favor, and thy visitation hath preserved my spirit.

Do you understand what it means to have a personal relationship with God? There are many Christians who claim to have a relationship with God but in reality, all they really have is a personal fire insurance policy to keep them out of hell. In their minds, they have made a reservation for heaven, but they have not taken the time to really allow God to get a hold of their lives.

If you were faced with a serious problem, how would you seek God? Would you run to your pastor and ask them to show you the will of God for your life? While that is one way that you can seek God, it is not the best way. How much better would it be if you personally sought the Lord and you heard HIS still small voice in your life?

In this passage, Job reveals to us the importance to HIM of his relationship with God. Job understood that the times that God appeared unto HIM were very important times. Not only were they important in that these times would give him direction for his life, but also they were important because the presence of God revitalized his spirit.

The things of this world have a way of discouraging us. The longer we are in this world, the easier it is for us lose sight of the things of God. That is why we need to regularly set aside times to renew our relationship with God. Just as it is important to refuel your car with gas before you run out, so also it is important that you revitalize your spirit with constant contact with God.

Our life is made up of our body, our soul, and our spirit. In the same way we preserve the life in our body by food, so also we must preserve our spirit with constant contact with God. You may be one who reads the Bible every day, but if all you do is read the Bible out of requirement, you will never learn to hear the voice of God while you read HIS word.

You would laugh at a person who told you in the grocery store that they could not find anything to eat. If you could not find anything to eat in a grocery store, you really are not looking. Too many Christians allow their spirit to wither away because they are afraid of what would happen if God really got a hold of their lives. God is all around us, you really do not need to go very far in order to find HIM. Nonetheless, if you do not seek for God, you will not find HIM.

It is important that you learn to have a personal relationship with God. One of these days you are going to have a difficult decision to make and it will be much better if you have the ability to turn to God and allow HIM to direct your paths. You should not need to go to others to hear the voice of God. While it is good to confirm the voice of God through those who God has put in your life, it is always best when you can turn to God and know that HE hears you.

God desires to have a personal relationship with you, will you let HIM. You must take the time out of your busy day to put the things of God first in your life. Until you stop and make your relationship with God a priority, you will never fully understand the ways of God.

God is ready to protect, provide, and direct you in the way you are to go. God is not going to appear just because you ask HIM to appear. Instead, you need to put your house in order and live your life in a way that is pleasing to HIM. Be diligent in seeking HIM and patiently wait for HIM to appear in your life. When HE appears, use that experience to continue to grow closer to HIM.

Job 8:6 If thou wert pure and upright; surely now he would awake for thee, and make the habitation of thy righteousness prosperous.

Bildad was a friend of Job. Bildad had heard about the trials of Job and he had come to comfort Job. Bildad was patient and waited for a period of time before he opened his mouth and spoke to Job. When Bildad spoke, he assumed things about God and his nature that were not true. Bildad assumed that if Job were really pure and upright like he claimed to be, that God would awaken from his sleep and come to the rescue of Job and make sure that Job was prosperous again.

Bildad made this assumption because of his understanding of human nature. Bildad understood that if there was a powerful king and you were a friend of that king, the king would not let you suffer very long before he came to your rescue. The earthly king would not let his trusted friend who had shown his loyalty be taken advantage by the enemies of the king. The earthly king would use his power and authority to take out his enemies who attempted to get to him through his friend.

While we are made after the image of God, that does not mean that the way we would act as humans is the way that God interacts with us. Bildad did not understand who God was and as such, when he opened his mouth to speak with Job, he demonstrated his ignorance. Bildad assumed that if it were in his power to rescue a friend from trouble, so likewise the God of Job would run to his aid and rescue him from a trial if Job really was as loyal as he proclaimed.

What Bildad did not understand is that God sometimes allows us to suffer so that HE receives the glory. God does not immediately run to our aid the second we face a trial but instead he allows these trials to test our faith in HIM. God desires to see if we will remain faithful to HIM regardless of what is going on around us. God desires to see if we will trust HIM when HE allows the things that we hold dearest to be taken away from us.

Your faith in God is not proved when you are faithful when you are on top of the world. If everything is going your way, you will tend to slide away from God rather than draw closer to HIM. God is not asleep when you are in the midst of your trial. Instead, God is watching out for you and if you look close enough, you will find ways to praise HIM even when you are in the midst of the storm.

There will be times in your life where you wonder if God is real. Maybe God has allowed something terrible to happen and Satan has tempted you with a little bitterness. It is easy to think like Bildad and assume that if everything is not going your way, then God must not be paying attention to your life.

Do not try to understand God with your own understanding. If you desire to understand the nature of God, then you need to start meditating upon HIS words. The more time you spend reading HIS words and applying them to your life, the easier it will be to trust HIM while you are in the midst of the storm.

It is not easy being patient when your world comes crashing down around you. Nonetheless, if you keep your eyes upon HIM regardless of what is going on around you, you will soon learn to take your relationship with HIM to a new level. Be patient with God and soon HE will bring you out of the valley of the shadow of death and bring you up unto HIS glorious mountaintop.

Job 8:2 How long wilt thou speak these things? and how long shall the words of thy mouth be like a strong wind?

Bildad had traveled to come and comfort Job. Bildad had patiently waited for seven days and kept silent until Job started bemoaning how bad things were and how he wished he would die. Bildad heard the response of Eliphaz and then heard Job’s counter. Now Bildad speaks.

Bildad makes the same mistake that Eliphaz made. Bildad is quick to judge the situation he sees Job in and assumes that Job must have sinned against God. Bildad is of the mistaken belief that the way life works is that you start out with nothing and you end your life with great blessing. If you are not living in a world where your life is just getting better and better, then there must be something wrong with you.

Bildad did not understand the dangers of being quick to judge someone. Bildad saw Job’s problems from his own misconceptions of how the world works. Because Bildad was not understanding how God works, he misjudged Job and he misjudged the situation.

Bildad may have kept his mouth shut for a long time, but that did not mean that when he opened his mouth, his mouth was bringing forth wisdom. Bildad may have patiently waited his turn to speak but that did not mean that the words of God were flowing from his tongue.

Bildad comes out and tells Job that his words are meaningless. Bildad has reached a conclusion and he is tired of hearing Job go on and on about how there is no purpose left and how he wishes to die. Bildad seems to have lost patience with Job and rather than reason with Job to understand what God is doing, Bildad instead focuses on lecturing Job on the ways of God. Unfortunately, Bildad did not really know what he was talking about.

As we walk our Christian life, we are going to at times encounter people who are going through great trials. As you are well aware, everyone has an opinion about what is going on in the world and how to fix the world’s problems. The question for you is whether you will use your mouth to draw others closer to God or whether your speech will actually discourage others?

If you want to be an encouragement to others, then you must first work on your own life and learn to understand who God is. How can you expect to encourage others to draw closer to God if you do not first take the time to understand who God is? If you do not understand who God is, then when you open your mouth, you will be spreading misrepresentations of who God is and how people are to interact with him.

Before a diamond can reflect the light, that diamond must first be cut and prepared. Before we can start working with others to help them and counsel them in their problems, we must allow God to work on us and learn to grow in our relationship with HIM. God does not make us a super Christian on the very first day. God is going to constantly be working on us through our life. As we mature, then we can be tools that God can use to help others.

Bildad may have been a good friend of Job, but he had never taken the time to really learn who God was and because he had not gone through God’s trials, he was not ready to help others. There is great joy in helping others who are going through difficult times to learn and grow in their relationship with God. However, you must first be willing to be tried yourself.

Job 6:9 Even that it would please God to destroy me; that he would let loose his hand, and cut me off!

Job is a man who has faced much sorrow. Job had seven sons and three daughters who were all taken away from him in the same day. Job had lost his wealth and later on, his health was attacked. While Job understood that he had to accept both good and evil from the Lord, this did not stop him from asking God to end his suffering by taking his life. Job was not going to commit suicide, but he had lost his will to live.

Most of us at some time in our life have faced huge discouragement. Job was no different, he was living during a time of great trial and he was asking for something that God was not going to give him because it was not a part of God’s perfect will for his life.

If you have been around little kids, you have probably seen them ask for something that is not in their best interest. Maybe they ask for cake five minutes before they go to bed. Whatever it is, the child does not understand what is best for them and it is up to their parent to draw careful boundaries so as to protect their children from their own desires until they are old enough to understand how to take care of themselves.

If you were to think about your own life, you could probably think of a time that you asked God for something that you are now glad that he did not give you. You may have spent hours in prayer asking God to give you the desire of your heart. You were very heartbroken when God did not answer your prayers. However, now that you have matured, you look back on the situation and you are now grateful that God loved you so much that HE did not give you what you wanted when you wanted it.

Job is no different than us, he sees his suffering and he just wants it to be over. Had he been more focused upon what God was doing in his trial and had he been aware that God would restore his health, restore his wealth, and give him seven more sons and three more daughters, Job may not have asked God for his foolish request to die.

Job was smart enough to know not to take matters into his own hands. Job was smart enough not to curse God for bringing the trial into his life. However, Job was human and he did allow his focus to get on the wrong thing. Job focused his attention upon his suffering and not in drawing closer to God and understanding who God was. It was not until Job was able to speak with God that we see his situation turn.

We must learn to be patient while we suffer through God’s trials for our life. Do not focus upon pain and the suffering but instead learn to trust in God and that HE knows what is best for you. When God allows you to go through trials, learn to thank him and keep your eyes upon HIM. Rather than request that your trial be removed, learn to ask God to teach you the lesson that HE has for you during this trial.

As long as you are focused upon your suffering, you will never fully understand what God is doing in your life. However, when you start focusing upon God’s purpose for your life in the midst of your trials, you will soon experience what it really means to draw closer to God. Job was a great man who was able to acknowledge that God could take everything away from him, how much greater would Job have been had he not allowed his trials to distract him.

Job 3:1 After this opened Job his mouth, and cursed his day.

Job has lost his wealth, his health, and his family. Three of Job’s friends heard about the trials of Job and they came and visited him. So great was the misery of Job that Eliphaz, Biuldad, and Zophar did not speak for seven days. These three friends patiently waited and they allowed Job to speak first. These friends understood that they would be able to speak to Job when Job was ready, but until he was ready to speak, it was best for them to keep their mouth shut.

While Job’s friends had to wait seven days, Job finally did open up. The words that came out of the mouth of Job were not words of praise and joy. While Job was not praising God for his trials, Job was wise enough not to curse God for his trials. Instead, Job chose to dig himself further into depression by saying how worthless his entire life was.

Job was in depression. He had just lost so much. For this entire chapter, Job is asking others to forget the joy that they had when he was alive. Job sees his misery as so great that no one should remember the joy that his life brought. Job even goes so far as to wish that he had simply not been born. Job did not desire to live and he asks a question why the blessing of light is given to those who desire death.

Job had just experienced great trials and the more he thought about his trials, the more he wished for his life to be over. However, as much as Job desired his life to be over, he was not going to curse God and die. Job understood that God gave him the life that he had and it was up to God to take it away. This chapter in Job is more of a prayer to God to simply end his life. Job does not see how his life can ever be improved.

Job knew that God gave him much and that God was allowed to take it all away. What Job was not seeing right this minute was how God could turn his entire situation around in such a way so that God would receive the glory. Because Job was focusing upon his problems rather than God’s protection for his life, Job was asking God for something that God was not going to give to him. Job did not understand the will of God for his life and thus his prayer was in vain.

How often do we find ourselves in the same position as Job? We become so focused upon what we do not have that we start asking for the wrong things. God understood that one day HE would restore everything to Job and as such, Job needed to be looking towards the future rather than bemoaning the past. So likewise, if we are always focusing upon the bad things that have happened to us, we may miss what God has in store for us. If we do not understand what God’s will is for our life, we need to be careful what we pray for because we might just be wasting both God’s and our time.

Job was not going to curse God or go and commit suicide, but he sure would not have been upset if God allowed him to die. God desired Job to focus upon HIM and understand who God was. As soon as Job was able to take his eyes off the problem and focus upon God, Job’s situation was able to change.

Bad things may have happened in your life. You have two choices, you can be like Job in this chapter and focus upon the bad things, or you can be like Job who later in this book started to understand who God was. We all need to learn to draw closer to God regardless of our circumstances. When we allow God to be God, then God can have HIS way with our life.

Acts 27:30 And as the shipmen were about to flee out of the ship, when they had let down the boat into the sea, under color as though they would have cast anchors out of the foreship,

Have you ever been in a difficult situation where you did everything in your own power to change your circumstances? The shipmen had reached that point, they knew that the ship was lost and while they heard that Paul foretold that everyone was going to be saved, these men thought that the best way to save themselves was to sneak away using their own strength.

Maybe you have not been in a life altering situation as the sailors on board this ship were, but most likely, at some point in your life, there has been something you desired to do and no matter how hard you tried, it just was not going to be done. In this case, the sailors were only going to be saved by trusting God and letting the boats go. The sailors were only going to be saved by not relying upon their own strength.

It does not matter what it is in your life, there is most likely something that you have been struggling with God over. You just do not trust God to be able to work everything together for good. Instead, you insist that you must help God out by using your wisdom and your strength.

The only way the sailors were going to be saved was complete trust in the God of Paul. There will be many times in our life where the only way we are going to see the desires of our heart is if we learn to let go of our own boat and stay in the boat that God has put us in. We have to learn to be patient and trust that God really knows what is best for our life.

In this passage, it was not the sailors who cut the ropes to the small ships but it was the soldiers. The soldiers evidently had learned to trust Paul and they saw that Paul had a special relationship with God. They were willing to cut the ties to rescuing themselves by their own strength so that they could see how God could save them.

We must understand that there will be storms in our life. It does not matter what the storm is, we must understand that God is strong enough to get us through the storm. During the midst of the storm is not the time to be getting into smaller boats and trying in your own strength to save yourself. Instead, when we are in the storm, we need to stay in the boat that God has put us in and learn to trust HIM with all our heart so that HE can give us the desires of our heart.

One of the hardest things in the world to do is to stop fighting with your own strength. Human nature is that we have to do it with our own strength. How many people have toiled many an hour in prayer with the mindset that the only way they are going to get the desire of their heart is by being so persistent in their prayers that God will have to give them what they want.

This is not the way God works. God desires that we develop a relationship with HIM. A prisoner does not love his prison guard just because they spend 8 hours a day with each other. So also, just because you pray 5 hours a week does not mean that God is going to give you what you desire. You cannot just force yourself upon God and expect that HE becomes your personal Santa Clause.

We must learn to be patient with God. God puts us in the boat and God is in control over the storm so if we stay in the boat, God will bring us out of the storm and to our destination in HIS perfect timing. Learn to trust God with all your heart and stop doing it by your own strength.

Hebrews 10:36 For ye have need of patience, that, after ye have done the will of God, ye might receive the promise.

I am sure that this is not what you wanted to hear from God, that you have need of patience. Nonetheless, God knows us better than we know ourselves. Just as a parent knows the needs of their child better than the child knows their own needs. A child may think they know what they need, but they will very often confuse their needs with their desires. The same is true in our Christian walk, we often know what we want, and we confuse that with need.

God knows that patience is a hard thing for most of us. As we go about living our lives, we often pray to God for the things that we want. We spend so much time praying for our needs and desires that we fail to seek the will of God for our life. In the Sermon on the Mount, Christ teaches us how to pray. Christ teaches us that our prayers need to be balanced with praise, seeking the direction of God, asking for our needs to be taken care of, confessing our sins, asking HIM to keep us from temptation, and praise.

In this passage, we see that doing the will of God is not always going to be quick and easy. One of the reasons God will show us HIS perfect will and then allow us to wait is so that we develop patience and grow closer in our relationship with HIM. In the same way a father does not buy his daughter everything she wants when she wants it, so also, God will allow us to spend some time in prayer seeking the will of God so that we learn to completely trust in HIM.

God desires to develop a testimony in you. When you face a trial, you have two choices, either you can try to escape the trial or you can diligently seek the lessons that God is trying to teach you through the ordeal. Patience is developed as you learn to trust God and learn to rely upon HIM to see you through the trial that you face.

We all admire the attitude of Joseph in how he always seemed to rise to the top regardless of what others did to him. Joseph understood that he was accountable to God for what HE did and Joseph made sure that that HE did that which was pleasing in the sight of God. Because Joseph pursued the perfect will of God, he eventually received the promise of God and he became a great ruler. Joseph had to add patience to his life because he did not receive the promises of God immediately.

Has God promised you something that you have not yet received? If your answer to this question is no, one would have to wonder how much time you are spending with God. God desires to speak with you and draw you into a closer relationship with HIM. However, if you are not listening to HIM, how can HE direct you in the way you are to go so that you can be a part of HIS perfect will? If you have received a promise and have not received the promise, you need to diligently seek the Lord and see if there are any lessons that HE is trying to teach you during this time of waiting. Learn those lessons so that HE can lead you where HE wants you to go.

When the nation of Israel left Egypt to go to the Promise Land, they probably assumed that it was going to be a very short trip. However, because of their stubbornness and their refusal to trust God, their short trip ended up being a 40 year wondering in the wilderness. If we are not careful, we too can find ourselves not seeing the fulfillment of HIS promises to us because we fail to trust HIM to fulfill HIS promises to us.

Matthew 7:13 Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat:

Have you ever heard someone justify their sin by saying something to the effect that surely God would not send them to hell for doing such and such? All around us there are those who want to go to heaven, but they want to make the fewest changes possible in order to get there. They would like to live as close to the world without being considered worldly.

However, this is not the mindset that God desires you to have. If the difference between sin and righteousness was a line in the sand, rather than thinking how close to the line you could get and still get to heaven, the real question should be how close to God can you get. God does not want you living your life on the edge of sin, instead, HE desires you to be as far away from that line as is practicable.

In this passage, Christ is teaching us that the way to eternal life is not by going with the crowd but it is living the higher standard. The Sermon on the Mount is chalked full of instructions of how we are to live to a higher standard, a standard that is not chosen by most people. Rather than kicking back and trying to live for God and live for the world, we are to make a choice.

When Daniel was taken captive to Babylon, he was instructed to eat the king’s meat. Daniel could have been bitter at God and since God had taken him from his home, then Daniel was not going to honor God with his food selection. It would have been easy to compromise and eat the king’s meat. Nonetheless, this is not what Daniel did; Daniel made a wise appeal and God blessed Daniel even though he was not in Jerusalem were he desired to be.

Have you ever wondered how you would have responded if you were instructed not to pray to God for 30 days or else you would die? Daniel had not been toying with his relationship with God and as such, he knew what he would do. When Daniel had a choice to die or to stop praying, Daniel had so much faith in God that he continued to pray. Daniel had such a close relationship with God because he was not trying to get to heaven as everyone else was, instead, he chose the narrow path that few have chosen.

We admire Daniel because of all that God was able to do through him but we fail to appreciate the steps that Daniel went through in order to be a trusted servant of God. We love to see the testimony of Daniel but few of us would be willing to experience the trials of Daniel in order to be used of God in such a dynamic way. Instead, we are comfortable with how close to the line of sin we can get without sinning.

You have been instructed to take the path less trod. You have been instructed to put the things of God first. Are you living up to that standard? Rather than asking can you do something and it not be considered sin in the eyes of God, you need to be thinking that if you do something, is it pleasing to God and will you cause someone else to stumble.

You need to change your thinking. You will not be able to change your thinking as long as you are trying to live as close to the line as possible. Instead you need to add temperance to your life so that God can give you the strength to be like Daniel and make those difficult choices that are pleasing to God. As you turn your back to the things of this world and focus your attention upon God, you will be amazed at what God can do through your life.

Matthew 7:3 And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother’s eye, but considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye?

It is very easy to see the problems in others. Maybe the person is overweight. Maybe they do not smell nice. Maybe they have an obnoxious personality. Whatever other people’s problems are, it is easy for us to spot their problems and to find solutions to their problems. However, when it comes to our own problems, it does not matter how big our problem may be, we will simply not recognize our problem as something that is big enough to warrant our attention.

If you had gone to Samson and told him he had a problem with women that was eventually going to destroy him, he probably would have denied that he had a problem with lust. Samson would have naturally focused upon his strength that God had given him and would think that he is good with God because of how God had been blessing him.

Nonetheless, Samson had a huge beam in his eye that one day was going to take away his strength. Because Samson never took care of his problem, it eventually led to his untimely death. While Samson killed more Philistine in his death then he did during his entire life, this does not mean that if he had not allowed lust to control his life that he would have lived to an old age and killed many more Philistines.

Ahab is another man who was trying to pick the mote out of the eye of the prophet and forgetting about the beam in his own eye. Ahab did not like the prophet Micaiah because he never prophesied anything good concerning him. Rather than change his life, he simply chose to blame others for his problems. What Micaiah said was the truth but Ahab’s way of getting out of the truth was to attack the messenger.

Zacchaeus was a man who understood the importance of removing the beam that was in his own eye. When Zacchaeus met Jesus and understood what God desired him to do, he immediately went out and made restitution to all those whom he had wronged. Zacchaeus was not going to allow the bitterness of others to destroy his relationship with God. How could Zacchaeus tell others of the love of God if there were those around him who were thinking about the time that Zacchaeus had taken more taxes from them then they really owed?

We do not make it to heaven based upon how many motes we pull out of our brother’s eyes. We make it to heaven based upon our relationship with God. The closer we get to God, the more clear it becomes that we need to remove the beams out of our own eye which distorts our ability to properly see God for who HE is.

We all have blind spots in our lives. A blind spot is something in our life that demonstrates that we are sinners and have fallen short of the glory of God. These blind spots not only separate us from God, but they also are seen by others and can damage the credibility of our testimony. We need to ask God to reveal to us the areas of our life where we are weak so that HE can make us strong.

As long as we are focused upon ourselves and the things of this world, we will never be ready to serve God as HE desires. However, when we add temperance to our life and start focusing upon our relationship with God, then HE can show us the beams in our own lives and we can work on removing those from our life so that HE can receive the glory.

Matthew 6:33 But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.

In this passage, Christ gives us the answer to what we need to do to overcome our desire to worry. Instead of worrying, we are supposed to fill our time with seeking first the kingdom of God. If every time a thought comes into our mind about how something is going to happen, we turn the problem over to God and seek to draw closer to HIM, eventually Satan is going to figure it out that your relationship with God is growing.

Why would Satan want to bring temptation into your life if every time you turned worry into great faith? Satan is not stupid, if he cannot get you to sin by taking your focus off of God, he will try different means. Satan knows just how susceptible we all are to worry. Satan uses worry to take our eyes off of our relationship with God and cause us to demonstrate little faith.

The plan to overcome the temptation of worry is very simple, draw closer to God. Daniel was told that he could not pray to God for 30 days. We do not see Daniel running around wondering what HE should do. Instead, Daniel understood how important his relationship with God was so we see that he went straight to prayer and allowed God to take care of his enemies.

Scripture shows us the response of Joshua after the defeat at Ai. Most of us after a defeat, we would not be turning to God, instead we would allow worry to come into our heart as we try to figure out what God is doing. We would sit there and start second guessing what we thought God had told us to do. However, this is not what Joshua did, instead, Joshua cried out to God and he allowed God to reveal to him why the troops were defeated at Ai.

It does not matter who you are, at some time in your life, things are not going to go according to your plan and you will be wondering what to do. You have two choices, you can either fill your mind with thoughts of worry or you can seek first the kingdom of God and allow HIM to direct your paths.

We may not have a choice about which trials we face, but we do have a choice in how we respond. No one is forcing you to worry. No one is making you spend your time trying to figure out what you are to do next. Instead, if you learn to focus on God and the things of God, you allow HIM to open the doors and to direct your steps. As you turn your problems over to HIM, you soon discover that HE is more than able to take care of you.

King Ahab is a classic example of one who put his attention in the wrong place. God had used Elijah to pronounce a curse on the land of Israel and to proclaim a drought. Ahab did not cry out to God but instead sent his soldiers to all the neighboring countries trying to find Elijah. Ahab did not seek the Lord and see what he needed to do in order to provide water for the land. Ahab wasted several years of worry when the solution was simple, cry out to God and repent of his sins. Ahab did not seek first the kingdom of God and his agony was prolonged.

You need to change your focus. Take your problems to God and use your problems to draw closer to HIM. Focus your attention upon HIM and what HE desires you to do. By adding temperance to your life, you can overcome the temptation to start worrying about those things that God already knows about. Focus your attention upon HIM and rather than spending your time worrying about what will happen next, seek first the kingdom of God.

Matthew 6:5 And when thou prayest, thou shalt not be as the hypocrites are: for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and in the corners of the streets, that they may be seen of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward.

Prayer should be a part of your daily walk with God. However, if you desire that your prayers have the maximum impact, then you need to pray to God and not pray so that the focus of others is upon yourself. This does not mean that when you are in a group setting and someone asks you to pray that you refuse because you do not want to have others hear you pray. Instead, you do not want to volunteer to pray in the group because you desire that others hear how spiritual you are.

When you pray in public, you need to be careful what your attitude is. If it is your desire that others hear how spiritual you are because you can pray a long prayer – Christ is revealing in this passage that you have your reward. Instead of being focused upon what others think of you, instead you need to focus upon God and your relationship with HIM.

Prayer is the method in which you talk with God. You can pray to God without closing your eyes or moving your lips. You can pray to God as you are driving your car, going up an elevator, or while having a conversation with a friend. God does not require that every time you pray that you do so in such a manner that everyone knows that you are praying. Nonetheless, there are times where it is necessary to pray in public and it is during these times that you need to make sure that you have a right attitude towards God.

When you start praying in public, the focus of your prayers needs to be to draw other’s attention to God. If your focus is on yourself, God is not glorified. When you pray in public, make sure that your words are not changing because you have an audience. Do not put in flowery words just because that is what you hear the preacher do every Sunday morning. Instead, ignore that you have an audience listening to your prayers and remember that you are talking to God and that HE has the power to answer your prayers.

If your focus is on the praises of men, that is the extent of the praise that you will receive. However, if your focus is upon communicating with God, people who are listening to your prayers should hear the difference and their hearts should be turned towards focusing upon God rather than the actual words that you are praying.

There is great power in prayer. God tells us that where 2 or three are gathered in HIS name HE is present. Our focus needs to be upon HIM and not the praises of others. Our focus needs to be in giving God praise rather than receiving praise for how spiritual we are.

The natural man desires the praises of his fellow man. This is just a part of who we are – we desire to hear praise from others. It takes great self-control to restrain your desire for praise in order to draw attention to God during your opportunities for public prayer. In order to have the right attitude towards God when you pray, you need to take the time to ensure that you have a good relationship with God.

Your relationship with God should be more important to you then all the praises man can give you. By adding temperance to your life, rather than focus upon the praise that you so desire, you can focus upon what God desires and what HE is telling you to do. Learn to focus upon God and allow HIM to reward you in ways that you never imagined.

Matthew 5:48 Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heave in perfect.

Do you really understand the standard that God desires you to live by? Too many Christians are willing to live by grace where God will forgive them when they sin and fall short of HIS glory. However, this is not the standard that God has for you. Instead, God desires that you live your life perfectly. God desires that you rely upon the power of God to live without sin.

In order to be perfect and sin not, you are going to have to change your mind set. No longer are you going to be able to rely upon the blood of Jesus to forgive you but instead you are going to have to spend hours in prayer that God will keep you from temptation. Rather than simply get along with your relationship with God, your relationship with God needs to become real deep.

When Satan came to God, God asked Satan if he had seen HIS servant Job. God remarked that Job was perfect. Job had a great relationship with God but he did not take it for granted. Job was proactive and was constantly offering sacrifices on behalf of those under him least any of them should sin and the wrath of God would be upon the family.

God did not consider Job perfect because he never sinned; God considered Job perfect because Job had spent the time to have a proper relationship with God and to ensure that HE lived his life in a manner that is pleasing to God. Job was proactive; he made a covenant with his eyes not to look upon a maid. Job understood how sin began in the heart so rather than lust in his mind for something he could not have; Job chose to abstain from allowing lust to build in his heart by guarding his eyes.

David was a man after God’s own heart. David was not perfect and he sinned many grievous sins. God is perfect so how could God say that David had a heart after God’s own heart if David was such a sinner? The reason is, David had a focus upon God. David was not focused upon himself. However, David is human just like the rest of us so that when he did sin, David was quick to return to God. David did not want to live apart from his relationship with God. David understood how sin separated him from God and when David sin, David’s focus was returning to God as soon as possible.

God knows that you cannot live a perfect life; nonetheless, this is the standard you are called to keep. We have a choice to make; we can choose to do that which is right in our own eyes because we know that God will forgive us if we ask, or we can chose to do that which is right in the eyes of God because we understand that sin separates us from God and we do not want to do anything to harm our relationship with God.

If you desire to obey God and live a life pleasing to HIM, you have to first remove from your mind the concept that you can simply rely upon the forgiveness of God. Instead, you must fill your mind with the concept that God is everything to you and you do not want to do anything that damages that relationship. Just as a young man who loves a young woman will not go out and flirt with other young ladies because he does not want to do anything that damages his relationship with his girl, so likewise we need to have the same mind set towards God.

We must exercise temperance in our life to restrain ourselves from thinking as the world. We must exercise self-control so that when the temptation comes to do what we want when we want we resist that temptation and instead put our relationship with God first.

Ephesians 6:18 Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints;

Today you had a problem – What was your response? Did you mumble and complain about your problem or did you give your problem over to God and ask God to direct your path?

Too often we fail to see how God is directing us through our trials and temptations. It is easy for us to say that God does not make a mistake but do you really believe it and do your actions really back up your words.

It does not matter what is going on in your life, you need to learn to take it to the Lord in prayer. If the Lord is blessing you, you should constantly be thanking the Lord for HIS blessings upon your life. Furthermore, if you are hearing the still small voice of God, you should be thanking HIM for making HIS voice so clear.

Even when things are not going the way you would like them to go; you should be talking to God to try to understand what HE is trying to do in your life. God does not make a mistake and there is some lesson HE is trying to get you to learn.

Do you understand the power of prayer? Do you understand the full power of God and what HE can do through you if you will only spend the time talking with HIM? Christ taught us that our Father loves to give us the good things that we ask HIM for. We are taught that if we ask anything according to HIS will, we know that HE hears us and we know that if HE hears us we shall receive our petition.

Hannah had a problem. Hannah desired to have a child but the Lord had closed her womb. Hannah could have been content with simply the love of her husband. Hannah chose instead to get alone by herself with the Lord and to pray to HIM that HE would give her the desires of her heart. The Lord heard the prayer of Hannah and HE not only gave her the child Samuel, but HE also gave Hannah additional children.

Too often we are proud that we are men of action. We do not wait around for the Lord to answer our prayers but go out and help the Lord out. Rachel was a woman who the Lord had closed her womb. Unlike Hannah, Rachel helped the Lord out by bringing her servant to the bed of Jacob and instructed Jacob to give her children through her servant girl.

God’s timing is not always our timing. It takes great self-control to ensure that you do not rush off and try to help the Lord fulfill the good things that you request of HIM. We need to be patient and learn to take the time to speak with the Lord and learn to hear HIM talking with us. As we learn to be in constant communication with God, our relationship with God will grow and we will never be the same.

Adam and Eve had a perfect relationship with God in that they had daily communication with HIM. Because Christ died on the cross, we also can have daily conversation with God and that is why Paul is constantly exhorting us to always be praying. We must learn to add temperance to our life so that we can shut off the demands of the world so that we can learn to focus upon God. The world will try to drown out our relationship with God and we must diligently guard against the attacks of the enemy upon our prayer life.

Ephesians 5:15-16 See then that ye walk circumspectly, not as fools but as wise, Redeeming the time, because the days are evil.

You look around you and you see great wickedness being committed. The world does that which seemeth right in its own eyes and rather than be ashamed of its wickedness, it flaunts its wickedness so that all can see.

As long as there is no fear of the Lord, wickedness will prevail. When people see that the Lord is real and that HE will hold them accountable for every word, action, and thought, it has a way of changing one’s behavior. However, when one does not fully understand the power of God, they are more likely to yield to temptation and do that which seemeth right in their own eyes.

Solomon once wrote that there is nothing new under the sun. While we sit here today and we see such great wickedness, we must understand that this is not new or unusual. Paul also saw great wickedness during his days. Today we see parents killing their children in the name of choice; during the time of Paul, parents killed their children to make the gods pleased with them.

There is nothing new under the sun; just as Paul had to warn the New Testament church about living in a wicked society, so also, the warnings of Paul are just as appropriate today. In this passage, Paul instructs us that we are to walk circumspectly and to redeem the time. According to Thayers Greek definitions, the Greek word transcribed as circumspectly means exactly, accurately, diligently. Webster 1828 dictionary defines circumspectly as cautiously, with watchfulness every way, with attention to guard against surprise or danger.

Paul is warning us to be wise individuals and not fools when it comes to living in a wicked world. You need to be careful what you do to ensure that your actions will be pleasing to God. We live in a day and time where entertainment is worshiped. People spend great portions of their day watching television, playing games, and listening to their music. While some of these items are outright wicked, even with the stuff that is not wicked one still needs to be careful to ensure that they are not wasting time that God would have them spend elsewhere.

The things of this world can quickly suck your time. Very quickly you will find that you no longer have time to read the Bible because you spent 30 minutes reading the news on your favorite website. No longer do you have the time to pray because you spent 2 hours watching your favorite television show. No longer do you have the time to memorize scripture because you spent the time in your car listening to music.

We all have only 24 hours each day. One day we will stand before God and we will be held accountable for how we spent that time. We live in a day where there are a lot of options of what we do with our time. We must be careful in guarding our time so that we do not let the things of this world take away our time and prevent us from doing that which is right in the eyes of God.

By diligently attending to the things of God, our relationship with God will grow. As a result of a closer relationship with God, God will give us the fruit of the Spirit which includes temperance which gives us the strength to say no to the things of the world and yes to the things of God. The more we allow God to abide in us, the more we understand HIS will for our life and the easier it will be for us to see the fulfillment of the desires of our heart. You may not have the desires of your heart because you are not redeeming the time that God has given you properly.

Ephesians 5:11 And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them.

You claim to be a Christian, yet do you live your life separated from the unfruitful works of darkness. Christ commanded us that we cannot serve two masters, either we serve God or we serve the world. Today, many Christians are busy proclaiming that they serve God, but if you examine the fruits of their lives, you will quickly see that they are pursuing the things of this world.

The nation of Israel is God’s chosen people. However, just because someone was of the nation of Israel, it does not mean that they were serving God. The Bible is full of examples of Israelites who did that which was right in their own eyes. They knew that they had a special relationship with God, but that did not stop them from doing what they wanted when they wanted.

Many Christians, especially second or third generation Christians are just like the nation of Israel when they decided to do that which is right in their own eyes. They understand that they have proclaimed to be called by the name of Christ, but they do not allow the changing power of Christ to have any influence upon their life. Rather than seek fellowship with God, they seek the unfruitful works of darkness.

Being called a Christian is not like being called an American, a Canadian, or a German. Just because your parents were a Christian, this does not mean you have an automatic spiritual home in Heaven. Instead, you must make a decision whom you serve, either you serve God or you serve the things of this world. However, just because you proclaim to serve God, it does not mean that automatically, the fruit of the Spirit is evident in your life. You must put aside the things of this world and pursue the things of God so that the light of God can be magnified in your life.

If you are pursuing the things of this world, the fruit from your life will be unfruitful? How effective will your life be for God if you are secretly enjoying the lusts of the flesh? If you desire to be used mightily of God, then you must reprove the things of this world and pursue the things of God.

Imagine being a world class athlete. You have a goal to be the best that you can be. However, rather than train diligent and eat a balanced diet so that you can be at peak performance, you instead sit in front of the television all day and you eat all the food that is not appropriate for your diet. How long do you think that you would continue being a world class athlete able to perform at a very high standard?

The same is true in your spiritual life. Because you have chosen to be a follower of Christ, you have a power that can move mountains. However, if you do not exercise the strength that God gives you, it will not be very long before you find yourself spiritually weak.

It is important to put the things of God first in your life. Put away from you the unfruitful works of darkness. By diligently adding temperance to your life, you will have the strength to live in the fullness of the promises of God. By allowing God to be the center of your life, the fruit of your life will be an abundance of the fruit of the Spirit. You cannot partake of the works of darkness and the works of light, you must choose which master you will serve today.

Ephesians 3:16 that he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man;

Paul is praying that a change occur in the hearts of the Christians at Ephesus. Paul understood that each of us not only has an outer man that all can see, but also an inner man that God sees. It is one thing for an individual to proclaim to be a Christian and pretend to act like one, but it is a whole different matter when the inner man is totally dedicated to God and the heart and mind are filled with the Spirit.

Jesus taught that if a man is angry with his brother he is guilty of murder. HE also taught that if a man looks at a woman and lusts for her, he is guilty of adultery. Christ made clear to us that God looks at the inner man and that HE judges our thoughts and feelings. This is one reason why Paul is praying for a total transformation of those whom HE was called to serve.

One can pretend to be a Christian by talking the talk. However, you must understand that your walk will be much more telling of your relationship with God then your mouth will ever be. If you go to the bar on Friday night but to church on Sunday, it does not matter what you say with your mouth, those who see you at the bar on Friday will know that the transforming power of God has not had any effect upon your life.

Have you ever seen or experienced where a husband and wife get into a fight? After the fight is over, one party decides that they need to make up to their spouse. However, they are still bitter about what their partner has done so they are simply trying to go through the motions as they seek forgiveness. However, their attempts to reconcile are quickly rejected because their spouse knows that their heart is not in it.

In the same way that a spouse understands the difference between your walk and your talk, so also God understands the difference between us praising HIM because we have to and praising HIM because we want to. Too many Christians simply take on the name of Christ and pretend that HE has done something in their lives. However, they are so entrenched with the things of this world that they refuse to allow Christ to totally transform their lives.

Christ did not die on the cross to give us the ability to talk about how HE has changed our lives, Christ died on the cross to offer us a chance to be cleansed of all our unrighteousness so that we can experience a total transformation. It is up to us to allow the cleansing power of the blood of Christ to have its full affect upon our lives. However, until we allow Christ to totally transform our lives, the world will never proclaim that we are a true follower of Christ because all they will see is our hypocrisy.

God desires that you see a total transformation of your life. This means that HIS Spirit touch your inner man and that you be a changed creature. When God has touched your inner man, no longer are the works of the flesh dominating your life, instead, your life will be filled with the fruit of the Spirit.

God desires that you add temperance to your life. No longer do you yield to the temptations to do the works of the flesh but instead you exercise control over your earthly body so that your heart, mind, and soul in unison pursue the things of God. Pray that the Spirit of God strengthen your inner man to be all that you can be through Christ.

Ephesians 2:1 And you did he make alive, when ye were dead through your trespasses and sins,

Before Adam and Eve sinned, God told them that if they ate of the tree of the forbidden fruit, they would surely die. While Adam and Eve did not physically die that day, their relationship with God died. No longer were they able to walk with God the way that they had walked with him in the past. No longer were they permitted to live forever on the earth, their earthly bodies started to die and grow old.

All have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God. Sin kills your soul and separates you from a holy God. There is nothing you can do to resurrect your soul in the newness of life. While there is nothing you can do, there is something that Christ has already done to enable us to experience the newness of life. By the blood of Christ, we are made alive.

Most of us do not think of our sinful past as a time when we were dead. Instead, we remember all the good things that we did and in our minds, at that time, we were alive and enjoying life. However, just because you were doing what you wanted when you wanted to do it and just because you were doing a lot of good deeds, it does not mean that you were really living.

God is your Creator; HE made you in HIS own image. When we sin, we are destroying the individual whom God created. God cannot sin and HE can have no part with those who do. When you sin, you are choosing to do what you want rather than pursue the perfect plan that God has for your life. Adam and Eve had the choice whether or not they were going to sin and they chose to pursue their own wishes rather than pursue the perfect plan of God.

It does not matter how many good deeds you have done, you are still dead in the eyes of God and you will be unable to enter the kingdom of Heaven. Instead, you need to allow the blood of Christ to cover the multitude of your sins. By the blood of Christ, you are made alive in the eyes of God and you can have a renewed relationship with HIM.

Just as the blood is the life to an earthly body, so also the blood of Christ is the life of a Christian. The death of Jesus is not an insurance policy to pursue the things of this world and still enjoy the heavenly rewards. The death of Jesus is what took you from death into life; by the blood, when you sin and fall short of the glory of God, you can return to the relationship with God.

Every time you sin, you are pursuing the lusts of this world rather than the things of God. Because God is Holy and can have no part of sin, every time you sin, your relationship with God dies. Rather than having to go to a priest and make a sacrifice to atone for your sins, God now tells us that if we confess our sins, HE is faithful and just to forgive our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

Your life is not your own, you belong to your Creator; either you are living for your God or you are dead in your relationship with God. You have a choice, you pursue a closer relationship with God and experience the fruits of the spirit or else you pursue the things of this world and the works of the flesh are evident for all to see. When you chose to be alive and pursue the things of God, God will add temperance to your life so that you can say no to the temptations that this world has to offer. Temperance will not make you do what is right, temperance is simply a tool that you have to enable you to do that which is right in the eyes of God.

Galatians 4:9 But now, after that ye have known God, or rather are known of God, how turn ye again to the weak and beggarly elements whereunto ye desire again to be in bondage?

Many Christians do not fully understand the power of God. They claim to be Christians, but they really do not know God and the full gift of salvation that was given unto them. Because of their lack of desire to really understand who God is, they do not have a true fear of the Lord in their lives and as such, they quickly find themselves in bondage to sin.

It is not the perfect will of God for those who are called by HIS name to be in bondage to sin. Nonetheless, God does not make you live a perfect life. God gave Adam and Eve the opportunity to live in a perfect world. Adam and Eve chose to sin even though they had been told the consequences of their actions. Adam and Eve had a relationship with God that we could only dream about. Daily they walked in the garden with God and talked with him. Even though they had such a close relationship with God, they allowed themselves to slip into bondage to sin.

If Adam and Eve lived in a perfect world and had a perfect relationship with God could sin, what makes you think that you are not a prime target to also slip into bondage? The good news is that God has promised you that HE will not allow you to face any temptation that you are not able to overcome. You need to learn to fully comprehend that greater is HE that is in you then HE that is of this world.

While sin is prevalent all around you, it does not mean that you are doomed to live in bondage. Jesus Christ died on the cross so that you can be free from the things of this world. In this passage, Paul was commenting on the fact that there were those who knew God and were called by HIS name, yet they allowed themselves to be drug back into the bondage of the world.

What fellowship can God have with the things of this world? We are told that we cannot serve two masters, thus when we choose to follow the things of this world, we are turning our back on God and a solid relationship with HIM.

Today we look back on the actions of Adam and Eve and we chide them for being so stupid and listening to Satan. We cannot understand how anyone could live in a perfect world and would thumb their nose at God. Nonetheless, we demonstrate the same stupidity as Adam and Eve when we accept the transforming power of God in our lives and then continue to allow the things of this world to distract us from a perfect relationship with God.

We do not find a prisoner who has been released from prison standing by the gate of the prison knocking on the door requesting to be let back in because they like their bondage better than their freedom. However, we do find prisoners who have not truly repented from their bad actions that result in their being in bondage and as such, because they have not changed, they find themselves back in prison. The bondage of sin can be released if you learn to totally rely upon the power of God.

Just as a prisoner needs to reform his old ways in order to stay out of prison, so also as a Christian, you need to add temperance to your life and not allow the things of this world to control your life. By changing your focus to the things of God and relying upon HIS power, God is able to give you the strength so that you no longer remain enslaved to the things of this world. You do not have to go back to the ways of the world to have satisfaction in this life.

Galatians 2:4 And that because of false brethren unawares brought in, who came in privily to spy out our liberty which we have in Christ Jesus, that they might bring us into bondage:

Paul had gone to Jerusalem with Titus. Titus was a Greek who had not been circumcised. Trouble arose because some of the Jews insisted that circumcision was necessary in order for an individual to be a follower of Christ.

Since the resurrection of Christ, one thing has not changed; there are people who desire to create standards that are not God’s standards. They think that they are more spiritual because they follow a certain line of doctrine.

Not only has the church had to deal with the issue of people adding works to the gospel of Jesus Christ, but Jesus HIMSELF had to deal with the traditions of the religious leaders. The religious leaders where so caught up in their traditions that they failed to see their sinful heart and their need for a Savior. The religious leaders substituted their need for a relationship with God for the works and traditions of men.

Once when Jesus was visiting Martha and Mary, Martha was busy serving Jesus while Mary was found sitting listening to Jesus. When Martha tried to chide her sister, Jesus pointed out to Martha that Mary had done the right thing in pursuing a relationship with Jesus.

It is not our works that will save us; it is our faith. Because of the sin nature of man, we feel that we must do something to earn our salvation. The Jewish believers had seen how God had made them be circumcised as a result of their covenant with God. They naturally assumed that all must be circumcised in order to be a Christian and as such, they started adding to the commands of Christ. They started adding traditions that God had never intended the gentiles to follow.

Are you guilty of adding to the gospel of Christ? Have you ever told someone that they must abide by a certain standard in order to be a Christian? It is really easy to get caught up in the individual doctrines that men preach. However, you need to be careful that you do not fall to the temptation to put works above faith.

You need to take the time to diligently study the word of God. Keep your focus upon the things that God has commanded you to do. The sin nature of man causes you to naturally desire to earn your salvation. As such, you need to diligently add temperance to your life so that you can remain free to serve God the way God desires you to serve HIM. You do not have to add additional requirements to your life in order to serve HIM. So also, you do not need to put a millstone around your neighbor’s neck with the additional requirements to the gift of salvation.

The temptation to have a works based religion is very hard to overcome. Just look at all the religions in the world and you will see a strong works component to the religion. It is not your works that will save you and it is not your works that will cause God to be pleased with your life. Instead, it is your faith that God desires to see in action in your life.

Jesus paid the ultimate price when HE died on the cross. Jesus paid it all, there is nothing more that you can do that will seal the deal on your salvation. Stop running around like the Jews trying to find something that you have to do in order to be “really saved”. Instead, learn to develop a relationship with God so that you learn to understand what God desires you to do.

Galatians 1:6 I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel:

Have you ever said that it would be easier to believe in the miracle working power of Christ if you lived during the time of Christ and you were watching HIS miracles on a daily basis? However, despite seeing many of the miracles of Christ, the disciples had little faith when they were confronted with a huge storm. The disciples knew that they were in the center of the will of God since it was HIS Son who told them to get in the boat. Nonetheless, even though they had seen the Lord do so much for them, when a trial occurred in their own lives, they lost sight of God and HIS power and were overcome by their present distress.

The nation of Israel saw the Lord part the Red Sea and utterly destroy their enemies. The nation of Israel saw the Lord bring water out of a rock. The nation of Israel saw the Lord daily provide for their needs by giving them daily bread. Nonetheless, when they ran out of water, they complained and desired to go back to Egypt. They had received so much from God, yet they had very little faith in God.

In this passage, Paul is commenting on the fact that the Galatians seemed to have allowed their relationship with God to diminish. Paul is reminding the believers that they had answered the call of God upon their lives and that God had given them so much. However, something had occurred which resulted in the Galatians choosing to pursue the things of the world over the things of God. The Galatians had not completely abandoned God, but they were not as careful to nourish their relationship with God.

It is not very uncommon to see young siblings fight amongst themselves. However, as the siblings mature, their relationship will often grow and develop. A young couple will have many struggles as they learn to dwell together in unity. However, if both the husband and the wife commit to putting the needs of their spouse above their own needs and desires, within a short period of time, their relationship with one another will grow and flourish.

So likewise, we need to concentrate our time and our energy to developing a closer relationship with God. A closer relationship with God does not happen by accident. In the same way that a young couple can quickly divorce if they do not learn how to work together, so also, you have an immature attitude of thinking of God as your personal Santa Clause, you will soon become disillusioned with God and you will be like the Israelites who had received so much from God yet were unable to trust HIM with all of their heart.

Do you desire to avoid a spiritual divorce with God? God has promised never to leave you nor forsake you; as such, if your relationship with God has suffered, it is because you are at fault. The Galatians were not diligent to nourish their relationship with God and thus, at some time, the apostle Paul was able to examine their lives and their testimony and point out to them how they had abandoned their first love.

Be diligent to add temperance to your life. Be slow to add those things that distract you from pursuing your first love. In the same way a husband who desires to draw closer to his wife would not go on a date with another woman, so also should you avoid those things from your life that will detract from your relationship with God.

Genesis 48:9 and Joseph said unto his father, They are my sons, whom God hath given me in this place. And he said, Bring them, I pray thee, unto me, and I will bless them.

Jacob is on his death bed and Joseph comes to see his father. Jacob ask Joseph who Ephraim and Manasseh were and Joseph replied that these were the sons that God had given unto him.

How would you have responded to this question? Would you say that these are your children or would you say that these are the children that God has blessed you with? There is a difference. One response takes all the credit while the other response gives God the credit.

Joseph was a man who understood that it was God who gave him the children that he had. Joseph did not take the blessings of God for granted. Joseph was a son who took many years to conceive. Joseph understood that he was a gift from God and that the sons that God had given him were a gift.

How careless we are with the words of our mouth. We often miss the opportunity to give God the credit for the good things that HE has done for us. The reason we often fail to give God the praise for the good things that HE has given unto us is because we first fail to have a grateful heart. We see the things that we have as stuff that we have heard or stuff that we deserve.

Joseph had spent many years as a slave and a prisoner; it would be very easy for him to have the attitude that God owed him sons so that he could be happy since God had made him suffer so much. However, this was not the attitude that Joseph had. Joseph understood that it was God who raised him to a position of leadership and that it was God who gave him a wife and sons. Joseph was very quick to remind everyone that his sons were a gift from God.

Do you introduce your spouse as a gift from God? Do you introduce your children as a gift from God? Do you tell others when they ask about your job that your job is a gift from God? No good thing could you possess absent God first giving it unto you. The breath that you just breathed is a gift from God. The last beat of your heart is a gift from God. The water that you drink that refreshes your body is a gift from God.

Joseph was quick to recognize that his children were a gift from God. Joseph had probably heard the story of Great-grandfather Abraham who had taken Grandfather Isaac up the mountain in order to sacrifice his son to demonstrate to God that Abraham loved God. Joseph loved his children but he loved his God even more. By understanding that his children were a gift from God, Joseph put himself into a position that he could accept the perfect will of God regarding his children.

It is very easy to put a relationship before God. An earthly relationship with a spouse, a family member, or a close friend is easy to focus upon because you can see them and easily converse with them. However, God is alive and HE desires to be first in your life. God desires that learn to have a real and lasting relationship with HIM.

Christ commanded us that we are to love the Lord with all our heart. Joseph could love his sons but he loved God even more. Joseph added temperance to his life to make sure nothing came between his relationship with God. Joseph was careful about his speech so that no one doubted that God was number one in his life.

Genesis 48:3 And Jacob said unto Joseph, God Almighty appeared unto me at Luz in the land of Canaan, and blessed me,

Jacob is 147 years old and is about to die. Joseph hears that his father is on his death bed and Joseph brings his two sons and comes to see his father. When Jacob hears that Joseph has arrived with his sons, Jacob gathers up all his strength to sit up and speak with Joseph. Jacob starts off by telling Joseph about his relationship with God and how God had appeared unto him and blessed him.

It had been many years since the Lord had appeared to Jacob in Luz, yet Jacob still talked about God making his presence known unto him. That day when the Lord first appeared unto Jacob, God changed his life and it was an important part of who he was and what he was about to do. Jacob had fought for the blessing of God all his life and now he was going to bless the sons of Joseph and call them his own. The sons of Joseph had the right to become a tribe just like Judah and Simeon. There is no tribe called Joseph, instead we see the tribes of Ephraim and Manasseh.

God had made himself real in the life of Jacob and Jacob was sure to share this with his sons and his grandsons. Jacob wanted to make sure that even though his family was living in the land of Egypt, they understood that they served the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Jacob desired that his family understood that God had chosen them to be a special people, set apart for HIS glory.

What is your experience with God? Are you quick to share with others the good things that God has done for you? Do you share with your family the things that HE has done and how HE has blessed your life? Yes, you will face many trials just like Jacob was no longer in the Promise Land but in the land of Egypt. However, in the midst of the storm, not only do you need to remember the promises of God, but also you need to share with others the good things that God has done.

The blessings of God are not something that you should hoard. If you go to a prayer service, you should have more praises then requests. Unfortunately, people naturally tend to focus on what they do not have rather than upon what God has already done. They are quick to share their sob stories and fail to praise God for the things that HE has done for them.

Jacob recognized that God was with him and that God had blessed him. Jacob may no longer be in the Promise Land, but God was with him and God was still worthy to be praised. Jacob may be about to die, but he saw God working throughout his life.

If your focus is upon what you do not have, you will fail to see all the things God has already done for you. We complain that the media is constantly focusing upon the bad news, yet this is what we do in our own lives. We focus upon the things that God has not yet done rather than focus upon what HE has already done for us.

When you add temperance to your life, your focus changes. Your life is changed for the better when you understand that God has a purpose for your life and you start saying no to those things that will distract you from doing HIS perfect will. Start spending more time focusing upon the things that God has done for you. Start spreading the word about how God has made HIMSELF real in your life.