"There was a man in the land of Uz,
whose name was Job;
and that man was perfect and upright,
and one that feared God, and eschewed evil."
(Job 1:1)

Many scholars agree that Job is probably the oldest book of the Bible. It seems appropriate, then, that the oldest portion of Scripture immediately addresses the age-old question, "Why do bad things happen to good people?"

Job is introduced to us as a very wealthy man (1:3), and one that God Himself regarded as "perfect and upright." His net worth in modern currency could have exceeded $5,000,000, which makes his morality all the more remarkable. After all, how many present-day millionaires "hold fast their integrity" (2:3) as Job did? And yet even when he lost everything, Job's heart-cry seemed to be very much in line with Paul's in Acts 20:24, "None of these things move me, neither count I my life dear unto myself, so that I might finish my course with joy . . .to testify . . . of the grace of God."

Most of us have been encouraged by Job's story at some point in our lives. Here was a man who had what many people spend their entire lives striving for: money, friends, family, and plenty of possessions. He achieved his culture's version of the American Dream, and yet his first priority was never keeping up with the Joneses; it was walking with his God.

Of course we all know the story of what happened next. In a matter of moments, nearly everything Job claimed as his own was stripped away. The most tragic loss was that of his children:

"...there came also another, and said,
Thy sons and thy daughters were eating
and drinking wine in their eldest brother's house:
And, behold, there came a great wind from the wilderness,
and smote the four corners of the house,
and it fell upon the young men, and they are dead."
(Job 1:18-19)

That's when Job realized this was more than just a bad day. The Lord Himself had indeed "put forth His hand, and touched all that he had" (1:11). In what had quickly become the darkest moment of his life, Job was understandably overwhelmed with grief. He tore his clothes, shaved his head, and collapsed to the ground. And yet even as he faced circumstances that would no doubt be unbearable for many of us, Job looked to heaven and cried out, "the Lord gave, and the Lord hath taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord" (1:21).

In the days that followed Job lost his health, the support of his wife, and eventually that of his closest friends. But as he sat among the ashes scraping his boils with a piece of broken pottery, he asked rhetorically, "What? Shall we receive good at the hand of God, and shall we not receive evil?" (2:10).

What astounds me about Job's spiritual strength is that it doesn't seem to be something he acquired during his trial like most of us. His acceptance of God's sovereignty was immediate, not eventual. Here was someone who had figured out during the good times what many of us are forced to learn in the bad times: that God is all we really need. He held everything loosely, except for his relationship with God.

You may never face a valley as dark as Job's. You may always (or never) be blessed with good health, financial security, and supportive family and friends. Either way, remember that Job's story is not about a man who lost everything, but about a man who found everything he needed in God. When everything and everyone else in his life proved unreliable, he found his strength in the everlasting arms of the Lord (Deut. 33:27).

“What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us?”

               -Romans 8:31

The moment you choose to follow Jesus is the moment you choose to head down a path of persecution and worldly opposition (2 Tim. 3:12). Of all the promises afforded us by the Scriptures, none guarantee our life will be easy or comfortable but instead assure of just the opposite: “If they have persecuted Me, they will also persecute you,” was the warning of Christ to His disciples, yet they counted the sufferings of this present time unworthy to be compared with what they knew their Lord could offer (John 15:20; Rom. 8:18). We are told from the beginning exactly what we’re getting ourselves into by becoming a Christian and it should be anything but surprising when trouble comes our way.

It’s helpful when we understand that, just as no man can serve two masters (Matt. 6:24), it is impossible for a person to feed their soul while indulging their flesh. How many of us actually faced persecution when our soul was being starved of truth? In most cases it’s not until a person embraces things of eternal importance that they begin to encounter opposition, and so rather than despairing when rejected for your faith, learn to “rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you.” (Matt 5:12)

“Yet if any man suffer as a Christian, let him not be ashamed; but let him glorify God on this behalf.”

               -1 Peter 4:16

Not only should we expect persecution, but should follow the example of the apostles by learning to rejoice in them (Acts 5:41). Certainly the trial itself gives us no reason whatsoever to be joyful, but the knowledge that we are living in obedience to the Scriptures and their Author in a noticeable way is reason enough to leap for joy (Luke 6:23). For each hardship, consider both the physical and mental sufferings of Christ which far surpassed what any of us are able to experience or imagine. Did He agonize and weep? Of course! That’s never the problem, as long as we can pray the same prayer He did in the garden of Gethsemane: “Father, if Thou be willing, remove this cup from Me: nevertheless not My will, but Thine, be done.” (Luke 22:42) Nobody ever having prayed these words from their heart was given a heavier load than they were able to bare (1 Cor. 10:13).

 

Perhaps no story has been of more comfort to those enduring hardship than that of Job. He faced trials beyond most of our imaginations, and yet continued to serve the Lord despite his nearly crippling circumstances. What this story teaches us, though, is not just how to persevere when everybody else insists on giving up; it also provides us with a wonderful depiction of one who  truly “held fast their profession of faith.” (Hebrews 10:23)

Prior to his affliction, Scripture reveals that God had actually protected Job from much of what others faced (1:10). He didn’t struggle to make ends meet; he didn’t have problems at home; and all that which he put his hand to was obviously made prosperous by God. Satan, on the other hand, interjected with the idea that Job would “curse the Lord to his face” (1:11) the moment things began to fall apart and so obtained permission to put this idea to the test – and he made no little use of it, as we all know.

In the course of a single day, Job lost nearly everything. His children, servants, and much of his livestock were all killed with the news of these events coming all at once. His wife discouraged him (2:9); his friends betrayed him (chapter 4); and from the way things looked, his God had forsaken him. Talk about having a bad day!

What amazes me so much about this story? The fact that Job still loved the Lord. While he certainly made some mistakes along the way, I’m confident he handled himself in a much godlier manner than I would would have been able to and am sure we can all learn from his example. He taught us that in life you can, and possibly will, lose everything you hold dear but that the most important thing of all (i.e. your faith) can never be stolen. Hold it fast.

 

 

 

One of the biggest misconceptions people of our culture have about Christianity is that, once you’re saved, you will never again face trials or heartache here on earth. Perhaps this is partially due to the wishful thinking of those who believe it, but the fact of the matter is that we live in a society where this false message has gained the favor of many television ministers and pastors which are able to draw people into their so-called gospel by the thousands. Most of the time, these “converts” fall by the wayside only a short time later when they realize that the bed of roses they were promised has its fair share of thorns, and are thus turned against the true Gospel of salvation without ever having heard it.

You see, God doesn’t promise us care-free living or always-perfect circumstances. He never said that the Narrow Way would be easily traveled, or that the troubles of this life would suddenly vanish the moment we trust Him (John 16:33). No, but instead He offers us a place of refuge for those moments when we have hardly the strength to keep on going, and a place of grace and forgiveness and love wherein to find comfort even when all is well. Where can we find all these wonderful treasures? In the shadow the Almighty.

“How excellent is Thy lovingkindness, O God! therefore the children of men put their trust under the shadow of Thy wings.”

               -Psalm 36:7

It is only when we find ourselves covered in the shadow the Almighty, fully arrayed and skilled in the whole armor of  God (Ephesians 6:13-17), that we have found true refuge and protection for our souls. This doesn’t mean that we’ll never pass through the valley, but that God will be right there with us when we do. His shadow is our light.

 

 

“And there arose a great storm of wind, and the waves beat into the ship, so that it was now full.
And He was in the hinder part of the ship, asleep on a pillow: and they awake Him, and say unto Him, Master, carest Thou not that we perish?
And He arose, and rebuked the wind, and said unto the sea, Peace, be still. And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm.
And He said unto them, Why are ye so fearful? how is it that ye have no faith?”

                                                      -Mark 4:37-40

For someone who writes as much as I do, if I’m going to be honest I must admit that it doesn’t come easily to me at all. Sometimes I can sit down at this desk and pour my heart out to you guys in a matter of only 30 minutes or so, while there’s other times – like this one – when God lays something so heavily on my heart that I just can’t find any words to express it. I don’t know why, but I feel more so than ever before that this post is meant for somebody who really needs to be reminded of God’s faithfulness.

With more than 300 followers, I think it’s safe to assume there’s at least a few of you going through the worst moments of your life. Some of you just lost your best friend to death, or your parent to divorce. Maybe faith has been close to your heart, and yet peace far from your mind as you wonder if that loved one will ever be saved, that prayer ever answered, or that need ever met. The promises of God are there for you in big, red letters, but perhaps it seems more as if they are mere words on a page than something written to bring you the individual blessing you so desperately need.

“I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.”

                                                  -Philippians 4:13

Wherever you are in life, know that it’s the same Jesus Who walked on water that offers His everlasting presence and protection to you today. It’s the very same Lord Who turned water into wine that can turn your curse into a blessing (Deuteronomy 23:5), and the One who raised Lazarus from the grave longs to resurrect the shattered pieces of your broken heart (Psalm 34:18). His grace is sufficient to supply all your needs, and it is only through our own weakness that His strength is made perfect (Philippians 4:19; 2 Corinthians 12:9-10).

 

 

 

In Psalm 46:1, God is described as “our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.” Like a modern-day storm shelter built to protect us from the physical elements of nature, our God is One Who provides us with a spiritual shelter when trials come even though the storms themself often continue to rage around us. He doesn’t speak peace to every wind that blows our way, but offers His continued presence and protection even during the most difficult of circumstances (Matthew 28:20).

"Blessed is the man that endureth temptation: for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love Him."

                                                       -James 1:12

Trials, believe it or not, are some of the most important moments of our life according to Scripture. If our faith was never tested, how would it grow? If our hope remained unchallenged, how would we ever know it to be real? Even the crown of life promised to those who love the Lord is, as James wrote, something that only trials allow us to obtain. Of course we shouldn’t go around looking for valleys to walk through, but, when we do find ourselves in one, we should realize that it was sent our way to bring about patience and completeness in our walk with God, and continue to praise Him for Who He is (James 1:2-4). After all, God wouldn’t have reminded us through His Word to praise Him as many times as He did if it were always an easy thing to do (I Thessalonians 5:18).

Perhaps lately it seems as if the “valley of the shadow of death” has become your permanent home (Psalm 23:4). The rain won’t stop pouring, and it feels as though this trial will never end. Don’t worry; it will. God will one day wipe away all tears from the eyes of His children, and there will be no more death, sorrow, pain, or crying (Revelation 21:4). In the meantime, though, let us learn to cast all of our cares upon Him (1 Peter 5:7); He cares for us more than we’ll ever know.

 

 

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“And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to the which also ye are called in one body; and be ye thankful.”

                                                   -Colossians 3:15

   

“Who comforteth us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble, by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God.”

               -II Corinthians 1:4

Over the past several months, this has become one of my absolute favorite passages of Scripture. I quote it to myself when I’m going through a trial, to others I know who might be experiencing hardship, and even to those who simply have  friends that are discouraged. Though it’s not a verse you’ll find printed on many T-shirts, it does answer possibly the most common question among Christian’s today: why does God allow His people to suffer? While the trials we face do have a purpose in our own life, it’s just as Biblical to say that God sends these things our way in order that we may comfort others in similar situations. After all, how could we comfort those in pain if we never experienced it ourselves?

You see, God never promised us a life free of heartache. In fact, He promised us just the opposite in Matthew 5:11 when He said, “Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you…” It’s never been a question of if hardship will come; it’s simply been a matter of when. The amazing thing is that we can face each and every one of these valleys with the knowledge that we are not alone, for Christ has promised never to leave nor forsake His children regardless of the circumstances (Hebrews 13:5). As the old song beautifully reminds us, “He never promised that the cross would not get heavy, or that the hill would not be hard to climb. He never offered our victories without fighting, but He said help would always come in time.”*

Maybe the mountain you’re facing seems too high to climb, and the valley to wide to cross. Maybe logic is screaming at you to throw your hands up and give in, and you don’t know how much longer you can ignore its voice. If this is you, know today that God is on His way. He hasn’t forgotten you, and has promised never to burden us with more than we’re able to bear (1 Corinthians 10:13). If He brought you to it, He’s certainly able to take you through it.

 

*The Crabb Family in their song, “Through the Fire”

NOTE: The below devotion is based on 1 Kings chapter 20. I didn't cite individual references throughout the text as usual, but instead I encourage you to read the entire chapter. It's a great story with a great meaning.

“…Thus saith the LORD, Because the Syrians have said, The LORD is God of the hills, but he is not God of the valleys, therefore will I deliver all this great multitude into thine hand, and ye shall know that I am the LORD.”

                                                               -1 Kings 20:28

During the reign of King Ahab, the nation of Israel came under great attack from Ben-Hadad, the king of Syria. His goal was to rob them of anything valuable, whether it was silver, gold, or even their wives and children. He wanted it all, and was willing to do whatever was necessary to obtain it.

At first, Ahab seemed surprisingly submissive. Not at all known for his valor or good character, we have no record that he even prayed about what to do. He simply told them they could have it, and nearly gave up without a fight. Obviously no less outraged than we would be if our government told a foreign nation to come and take everything we own, the Israelites began to cry out for armed resistance. From their perspective, dying in battle was better than living in shame.

Apparently the pleas of the people were too much for Ahab to ignore, and so He gathered together an army of about 7,000 and went to war instead. With God on their side, they easily defeated their adversaries without the slightest trouble. Yet instead of realizing their fate, Ben-Hadad’s servants came and told him,”…Their gods are gods of the hills; therefore they were stronger than we; but let us fight against them in the plain, and surely we shall be stronger than they.” (v. 23)

God’s response in verse 28 (top of the page) was fulfilled, and Israel triumphed over their Assyrian enemies despite the valley they had to go through in order to win. On that day, God proved once and for all that He is not only the God of the mountains, but also God of the valleys.

Like Ben-Hadad, the devil wants to rob you. He wants to steal your joy, your peace, and your salvation – no matter the cost. With this in mind, he gathers together his host of demons and goes to war against the Christian expecting easy victory.

Perhaps his first attempt is unsuccessful. The zeal in your heart is too much for him to conquer, and so he gives up after only a short time and waits until later to strike again. He tells himself that the only reason you won is because you were on a mountain. He reasons further that once you come down into the valley, where it’s dark and lonely, you won’t stand a chance. On this note, he patiently waits for your descent when he will attack again, with even more ferocity than at the first.

The lesson God has for us in these Scriptures is twofold. (1) Valleys are inevitable, and (2) when we get there, we’re going to have to fight some serious battles. But let us remember that the same God who gave His people victory in the midst of unfavorable odds and bleak circumstances, is the very same God Who will be with us through our valleys just as He has been with us on the mountaintops. His grace reaches to the highest mountain, and it flows to the lowest valley. He will never leave us nor forsake us.

“Now Jephthah the Gileadite was a mighty man of valour, and he was the son of an harlot: and Gilead begat Jephthah.
And Gilead's wife bare him sons; and his wife's sons grew up, and they thrust out Jephthah, and said unto him, Thou shalt not inherit in our father's house; for thou art the son of a strange woman.
Then Jephthah fled from his brethren, and dwelt in the land of Tob...”

                               -Judges 11:1-3

“Did not ye hate me, and expel me out of my father's house? and why are ye come unto me now when ye are in distress?”

                                         


Last week we went to the park with my family, and one of my cousins pointed this tree out to me. At the time I just thought it was a pretty cool tree, and so I took a few pictures of it. But last night the Lord began to minister to me and show me the spiritual principles to be learned here.

Just like this tree, "the man that trusteth in the LORD, and whose hope the LORD is" shall be as a tree "planted by the waters, and that spreadeth out her roots by the river, and shall not see when heat cometh, but her leaf shall be green; and shall not be careful in the year of drought, neither shall cease from yielding fruit." (Jeremiah 17:7, 8) Because Christians have a constant supply of spiritual nourishment, we should be able to bring forth fruit in our lives continually. When hardships fill our life, and at times when anybody else would throw in the towel, we can continue to press on.

While everybody else is looking for the meaning of life in sinful things, we have found are own little oasis from which we may drink continually. While the world around us perishes with thirst, we can not only survive, but we can thrive!

"Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness' sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake.
Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you."

                            -Matthew 5:10, 11 

In the past, I've spend a lot of time focusing on how privileged American Christians are. But the fact is, even American Christian will face a degree of persecution (II Tim. 3:12), and we need to be prepared for when it comes.

If you have been serving the Lord very long, then you've probably faced persecution for it. No, I'm not talking about going to jail; I'm talking about being made fun of, criticized, and mistreated because of your faith. If you have ever experienced any of these things then, rest assured, great is your reward in heaven. By enduring persecution, you are taking part in Christ's suffering (I Pet 4:13), and we should rejoice when we face such trials (Acts 5:41). After all, if we're being mistreated because of our faith, that is an indication we are doing our job right: living out our faith for all the world to see.


In my life, I've heard many people say that they don't think America will ever become like other nations, and take away our Bibles, and our right to worship. Admittedly, I've probably said that a few times myself. But the truth is, we can't be sure. Who knows? It could be that next year being a Christian will be against the law. But what about today? If you were arrested on the charge of being a Christian, would there be enough evidence to convict you? If they looked at the visited websites on your browser, would they conclude you are a Christian? If they looked at your DVD collection, your CD collection, and even the clothes in your closet, would they say, "Never mind. We see now that you are not a follower of Christ. You are just like everybody else."? If so, then be aware that God will probably say the same words to you on Judgment Day.


As a final thought, I heard once that life is like a never-ending downward escalator. Being a Christian requires turning around, and running full speed in the opposite direction. Naturally, you'll get a few awkward glances as you march your way up, but what else do you expect? If you don't bump any shoulders, it's probably because you're heading in the same direction as everybody else.

"Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted."

                            -Matthew 5:4 

As we saw in yesterday's devotion, the word "blessed" generally means "happy" when found in Scripture. To some, then, this beatitude may seem paradoxical. After all, if you are mourning, that is an indication that you are not happy, right? In some ways this may be true; but a child of God can retain their joy even in the midst of life's darkest nights. How? Because we are not alone. As Christ says in this verse, "we shall be comforted."

The depths of this promise are nearly indescribable. Those who mourn for sin can be comforted in confession. Those who mourn because of life's various hardships can be comforted by the sweet peace of God that passes all understanding (Philippians 4:7). No matter the reason for our sorrow, or the magnitude of our sorrow, we have it in writing that God will be there every step of the way, comforting us and helping us through.

"Who comforteth us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble, by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God." 

                                -II Corinthians 1:4

Christian or not, we will all go through difficult times in life. But the child of God has the promise of comfort in those times - not only for our benefit, but for the benefit of others. When we understand what it means to be comforted, we will be able to comfort others as well, and hopefully lead them to the ultimate Comforter in the process (John 15:26). (And just to clear up any confusion, I'm not referring to a nice bed.)

God comforts those who are cast down (II Corinthians 7:6). If you fit that description, cast all your care upon Him. He cares for you (I Peter 5:7).

"Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness' sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven."

                            -Matthew 5:10 

In a country where persecution is almost unheard of, it is hard for many of us to imagine the dangers that our brothers and sisters face in foreign lands. We think we have it rough when our friends make fun of us for going to church, when they go to jail for attending Sunday services. We feel tempted to give up on Christ after we get our feelings hurt, but they persevere despite physical torture. So why is it that they endure this type of treatment so willingly? It's because they accept it as part of the package when they become a Christian.

"...If they have persecuted Me, they will also persecute you..."

                            -John 15:20

Notice hear that Jesus didn't say, "...they will also persecute middle-easterners." He made an all-inclusive statement that every Christian will at some point face persecution. If we expect to be ridiculed, then we won't be surprised when we are. People in China, India, Columbia, etc., know that if they become a Christian they will most likely lose life or limb because of it. Thus, when trouble comes knocking, they are prepared to answer the door. Likewise, if we aren't expecting to face hardship, then when we do we won't be prepared to face it.

"Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ's sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong." 

                            -II Corinthians 12:10

Though persecution isn't something any of us have a desire to experience, we should remember that it is during those times of affliction that we are drawn closer to God and His glory is displayed most brightly in our lives. In light of these things, we should welcome any persecution God allows us to endure, knowing that He has a purpose behind everything that He does.

"But the more they afflicted them, the more they multiplied and grew..."

                            -Exodus 1:12

"My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations;
Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience."

                            -James 1:2 

When James wrote this epistle, the first thing he did was encourage his fellow brothers and sisters in the faith to withstand temptation (meaning trials, in this context). He spoke of when they encountered hardship - not if they encountered it. This is because  he realized that all Christians will go through their fair share of difficult times, no matter how Godly they are. In fact, the Godlier we are, the more trials we will go through. But instead of discouraging us, these times should cause us to be all the more joyful, knowing that it is through these times that we will be brought closer to the Lord.

Look through the 1,000+ pages of the Bible, and you will not find a single verse where we are promised that the cross will not get heavy from time to time. On the contrary, we have promises assuring us that it will at times become difficult to bear (see II Timothy 3:12). But during those trials, we can hold on to the promise that, not matter what we go through, we will never go alone (Matthew 28:20). As has often been said, God wouldn't lead you to it if He couldn't bring you through it.

"There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it."

                            -I Corinthians 10:13

Whatever you may be going through right now, remember that you aren't on your own. Not only is God with you, but He has brought many other Christians through this same valley safely to the other side. As it says in this verse, when the cross become heavy, God will enable us to bear it.

"Be strong and courageous, be not afraid nor dismayed for the king of Assyria, nor for all the multitude that is with him: for there be more with us than with him:
With him is an arm of flesh; but with us is the LORD our God to help us, and to fight our battles. And the people rested themselves upon the words of Hezekiah king of Judah."

                            -II Chronicles 32:7-8

If I had a dollar for every time I quoted from this passage, I would be rich. To me, it perfectly illustrates the fact that if we have God on our side, then we have nothing to fear. Though they were surrounded by the Assyrian army to the point that they could not so much as leave the city, Hezekiah and his men put their trust in God and knew that they would not be forsaken. King Hezekiah understood what many of us have yet to learn: when God is fighting our battles, we will always win.

"What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us?"

                            -Romans 8:31

The problem we often face is that when trials and tribulations come our way, we look at our own weakness and conclude we are doomed to failure. Convinced that we aren't strong enough to gain the victory, we throw our hands in the air and give up. But the Biblical way of handling such situations is to remember that "greater is He that is in us, than he that is in the world." (I John 4:4) If we depended upon our own strength, we would lose every time. We've got to let the Lord fight our battles if we want to be victorious.

"Or what king, going to make war against another king, sitteth not down first, and consulteth whether he be able with ten thousand to meet him that cometh against him with twenty thousand?"

                            -Luke 14:31

 As Christians, we will always be outnumbered. But by trusting in the Lord, we can be victorious despite our often discouraging circumstances.

"And whosoever doth not bear his cross, and come after Me, cannot be My disciple."

                           -Luke 14:27

Verses such as this completely defy what the world would have us believe as the true Gospel. Rather than teaching us to take up our cross, modern "Christianity" encourages us to take up our easy-chair and follow Christ. It portrays the Christian life as a bed of roses, completely ignoring the fact that even a bed of roses has thorns. They skim over such verses as, "Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution." (II Timothy 3:12). Instead, they preach that all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall enjoy relaxation. While I'm sure we all wish that were the case, it simply is not. Being a Christian will not always be easy, and we are lying if we try to convince people (or ourselves) otherwise.

"Blessed are ye, when men shall hate you, and when they shall separate you from their company, and shall reproach you, and cast out your name as evil, for the Son of man's sake.Rejoice ye in that day, and leap for joy: for, behold, your reward is great in heaven: for in the like manner did their fathers unto the prophets."

                            -Luke 6:22-23

Jesus didn't try to hide the fact that following Him would bring persecution upon those who choose to do so. He said that we will be hated, rejected, and reproached just like He was (Isaiah 53:3), and that we must count the cost to see if we are willing to endure these things (see Luke 14:28). Of course the persecution and hardship is more than worth it, but we shouldn't pretend like it doesn't exist.

"But he that received the seed into stony places, the same is he that heareth the word, and anon with joy receiveth it;
Yet hath he not root in himself, but dureth for a while: for when tribulation or persecution ariseth because of the word, by and by he is offended."

                            -Matthew 13:20-21 

The Scriptures concerning persecution aren't in fine print; they're in big red letters. Will we read them? Or better yet, will we heed them?

"Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness' sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven."

                            -Matthew 5:10

"And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and he that sat upon him was called Faithful and True..."

                            -Revelation 19:11

My Bible reading this week has found me in Genesis 37-50: the story of Joseph. Ironically, my post on God's faithfulness falls right in the middle of my study of a man who experienced this faithfulness like few others ever have.

At age 17 it looked as if all was going well.  He was frequently receiving visions from God, and his father loved him more than any of his brothers. Obviously this made Jacob's other sons very jealous, and in turn they sold him to a band of Ishmaelites who then proceeded to sell him to the Egyptians. One minute all is going well, the next he is being sold from person to person like a piece of merchandise.

Once established in Egypt,  he once again had a very good and prosperous life. But this also was short-lived and he was thrown in jail due to the lies of a deceitful woman. Yet even through this, "the LORD was with Joseph" (Gen. 39:21), and "that which he did, the LORD made it to prosper", despite his uncertain future and circumstances (Gen. 39:23)(see also Psalm 1:3). After a time in prison, the Lord delivered him and made him one of the most powerful officials in all the land of Egypt, and eventually reunited him and his family.

My point behind all of this is that Joseph experienced his fair share of hardships. He knew what it was like to stand on a mountaintop, but he also knew what it was like to look up at one from the lowest of valleys. Yet through all of these things, the Lord never left his side. In fact,  chapter 39 says four times that God was with him. When he was loved and when he was hated, he was never abandoned by his heavenly Father.

God will never leave us and He will never forsake us (Hebrews 13:5). When the sun is shining, but also when the rain is pouring, He is there. We may not always feel Him, but we can always trust Him.

"And Abraham rose up early in the morning, and took bread, and a bottle of water, and gave it unto Hagar, putting it on her shoulder, and the child, and sent her away: and she departed, and wandered in the wilderness of Beer-sheba.
And the water was spent in the bottle, and she cast the child under one of the shrubs.
And she went, and sat her down over against him a good way off, as it were a bowshot: for she said, Let me not see the death of the child. And she sat over against him, and lift up her voice, and wept.
And God heard the voice of the lad; and the angel of God called Hagar out of heaven, and said unto her, What aileth thee, Hagar? fear not; for God hath heard the voice of the lad where he is.
Arise, lift up the lad, and hold him in thine hand; for I will make him a great nation.
And God opened her eyes, and she saw a well of water; and she went, and filled the bottle with water, and gave the lad drink."

                            -Genesis 21:14-19 

I know this passage is somewhat lengthy, but I have something I really want to share with you out of it that has been on my heart the past two or three days. First, though, let's take a quick look at what has just taken place:

Earlier in this same chapter, Abraham had hosted a feast for his new son, Isaac. Whether it was out of jealousy, or just plain hatred, Ishmael (Abraham's other son by Hagar) began to mock and make fun (v. 9). Of course this offended Isaac's mother, Sarah, and she requested that Abraham send them away. So he did. The next morning he gave Hagar some food and water and sent them out, "...and she departed, and wandered in the wilderness of Beer-sheba." (v. 14) After wandering about for quite some time, their water supply ran dry and Hagar placed Ishmael under a shrub and went to cry, afraid that her son was going to die of dehydration. The angel of God then appeared to her and promised that Ishmael would not only survive, but that he would become the father of a great nation (the Ishmaelites). The Bible says that after these things, "...God opened her eyes, and she saw a well of water..." (V.19), and she and Ishmael were thus saved from death.

What I find so intriguing about this story is that the Bible doesn't say God miraculously created a well; He simply showed her one that was already there. It's quite possible that this well was only a short distance - perhaps even within eyesight - from where she was crying, certain that they would both die. She just didn't see it.

How often do we do the same thing? We go through difficult situations in life, and we feel as if all hope is lost and that we aren't going to make it through, while all the time the answer is right there in front of our faces; we just aren't seeing it.

If you are going through a hard time, and you don't feel like you have the strength to keep going, remember Jesus' words in John 4:14: "...whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life." The well of salvation never runs dry.

"And Jesus said unto them, I am the bread of life: he that cometh to Me shall never hunger; and he that believeth on Me shall never thirst."

                            -John 6:35

"Call unto me, and I will answer thee, and shew thee great and mighty things, which thou knowest not."

                            -Jeremiah 33:3

Prayer is an extremely powerful thing. In fact, I don't think there is anything that strikes more fear into the devil than when he sees a saint of God on his knees before the Lord. Why? Because "the effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much." (James 5:16) There is no mountain so high, and no valley so low, that cannot be conquered through prayer.

"I have called upon thee, for thou wilt hear me, O God..."

       -Psalm 17:6

When we call on the name of the Lord, we can be absolutely confident that He is listening. Not only can we be confident that He is listening, but we can also be confident that an answer is on its way. Granted, the answer may not always be what we want it to be, but we will get an answer nonetheless. How amazing it is to think that the Creator of the universe listens to the cry of our hearts, no matter how great or small the need may be! Oftentimes it is hard to get even family and friends to pay attention to what we have to say, and yet Almighty God takes the time to listen to every request, every burden, and every care that we bring before Him!

"But verily God hath heard me; he hath attended to the voice of my prayer.
Blessed be God, which hath not turned away my prayer, nor his mercy from me."

                            -Psalm 66:19, 20

Prayer is more than a weapon; it is a gift. What a comfort it is to know that Jesus Christ Himself is always nigh, ready and waiting for us to call upon His name! Let us not disappoint Him.

"O thou that hearest prayer, unto thee shall all flesh come."

                            -Psalm 65:2