The Simple Life

While he was yet speaking, there came another and said, "Your sons and daughters were eating and drinking wine in their oldest brother's house, and behold, a great wind came across the wilderness and struck the four corners of the house, and it fell upon the young people, and they are dead, and I alone have escaped to tell you." Then Job arose and tore his robe and shaved his head and fell on the ground and worshiped. And he said, "Naked I came from my mother's womb, and naked shall I return. The Lord gave, and the Lord has taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord." In all this Job did not sin or charge God with wrong. Job  1:18-22 What? There is no "Where is God when I am in pain?" routine. There are no questions such as "How could a good God allow the universe not to revolve around my comfort?" Where was Job's head at? Perhaps it was where it should have been. While Satan and Job's family and friends focused on things, Job wa...

Then Satan answered the Lord and said, "Does Job fear God for no reason? Have you not put a hedge around him and his house and all that he has, on every side? You have blessed the work of his hands, and his possessions have increased in the land. 11 But stretch out your hand and touch all that he has, and he will curse you to your face." Job 1:9 -10 There is a war, a real war, between God and Satan, and we are the prize. Satan schemes and deceives, whereas God informs and gives us a chance to decide honestly. This war is about the very concept of love. Satan was counting on Job to believe that God's love was demonstrated by the "blessings" he received. Satan was counting on Job, thinking that if he behaved properly, God would love and continue providing him with material blessings. Satan equated "stuff," "power," and "money" with love. How silly. Love has never been about stuff, and those in horrible situations today are still loved...

There was a man in the land of Uz whose name was Job, and that man was blameless and upright, one who feared God and turned away from evil. Job 1:1 It is possible. One can be wealthy, have many children and responsibilities, and be blameless and upright. It is not money, possessions, or power that are corrupt. It is sin that corrupts. In the Gospel of Matthew, Jesus tells us that you cannot serve God and money. Job was serving God. Jesus tells us that you can summarize Christianity in the idea of loving God and loving man. Job loved God and loved man. Things do not cause problems. We cause problems with the things that we have. If we have come to trust anything other than God, we are not blameless and upright or fearing God. God did not create you to enjoy this earth, but to enjoy Himself; then you can enjoy this earth. The order matters immensely. https://www.podbean.com/relate365

Now in the twelfth month, which is the month of Adar, on the thirteenth day of the same, when the king's command and edict were about to be carried out, on the very day when the enemies of the Jews hoped to gain the mastery over them, the reverse occurred: the Jews gained mastery over those who hated them. Esther 9:1 (ESV)   What many thought was impossible became a reality. Because of one man's obedience, many were rescued. This seems to be a common occurrence in the Scriptures.   Because of Adam's sin, all have sinned. Because of Jesus' obedience, many are made righteous. Because of Mordecai's obedience, many were able to experience gladness, joy, and honor. Because of Noah's obedience, his family, mankind, and animals were rescued, and we can enjoy a rainbow of promise today.   Joseph did what was right and was able to be in a position to rescue his family, and, ultimately, rescue the whole nation. Daniel and his buddies decided to do what was right, and they...

Then Mordecai went out from the presence of the king in royal robes of blue and white, with a great golden crown and a robe of fine linen and purple, and the city of Susa shouted and rejoiced. The Jews had light and gladness and joy and honor. And in every province and in every city, wherever the king's command and his edict reached, there was gladness and joy among the Jews, a feast and a holiday. And many from the peoples of the country declared themselves Jews, for fear of the Jews had fallen on them. Esther  8:15-17  (ESV)   Fidelity is rewarded in the future and often in the here and now. Mordecai went through some tough moments, but was ultimately rewarded in the here and now with a position, and trusted with power and authority.   Power and authority are only valid if they are used for the good of others; it is an abuse to use them for oneself. We were made to love, and love is defined as obedience to God and the constant desire to make those around us success...

Then King Ahasuerus said to Queen Esther and to Mordecai the Jew, "Behold, I have given Esther the house of Haman, and they have hanged him on the gallows, because he intended to lay hands on the Jews. But you may write as you please with regard to the Jews, in the name of the king, and seal it with the king's ring, for an edict written in the name of the king and sealed with the king's ring cannot be revoked."  Esther 8:7-8 (ESV) Fidelity is rare and rewarded. Fidelity to God is rewarded, fidelity to one's spouse yields rewards, and fidelity to one's work is rewarded. A problem arises when we want the rewards apart from the fidelity or faithfulness required to earn them. Rewards are not gifts; they are rewards and require some kind of unusual action to obtain. We often reward people who have worked hard. We reward faithful people. We reward people for extraordinary effort. When we started rewarding people for doing nothing extraordinary, we destroyed the conc...