THIS LIFE IS NOT YOURS

Job 1:21-22 (New American Standard)

21 He said, "Naked I came from my mother's womb, And naked I shall return there. The LORD gave and the LORD has taken away. Blessed be the name of the LORD." 22 Through all this Job did not sin nor did he blame God.

Philippians 1:6 (New American Standard)

6 For I am confident of this very thing, that He who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus.

  I encourage everyone who reads this blog to go back & read the book of Job.  What a horrific spell of events.  God knew that Job was his most faithful possession on earth, and so the divine wager was made.  Satan jumped on the chance to destroy one of God's prized people.  The wager was made, and the onslaught began.  All this was done without Job knowing a thing about it.  I thought about that for a while, and concluded that knowing what God was doing would have made it a lot easier.  Yes, it would still be hard going through all that Job had to endure, but knowing God's plan for it all would have softened the blow.

  Reading this book makes me question if I could have faith like that.  I am in a similar place in my life, as Job was. (all tough not nearly as severe)  I have all kinds of question like: How God? or Why God? or statements like...... show me God.  After reading this book, I realized that God was showing me something.  

  No matter how bad our situation is........God is always working behind the scenes.  Now look at the first verse at the top.  After all the Devil stripped from Job, he still praised God knowing that none of this was his in the first place.  Everything we have is on loan from God!  Think about that for a minute.  Your job...on loan, your kids.....on loan, your house......on loan.  Now I see why Job was still praising God after all of that.  He realized that everything he lost wasn't his in the first place.  No matter what the situation, God is always at work in your life.  Now I understand that I don't have to have all the answers.....I just have to have faith.  I don't know what God's divine plan is for my job is right now, but I will have faith like Job did. 

   I know that God has called me, and He has a divine purpose for me.  I will wait on God, is timing is perfect.  He has never failed me, and He's not going to start now.  Whether God is closing this job's door to open another job's door, or whether He is just testing me, I will stand firm on his word.  Remember..... this life is not yours!  It belongs to God.  He has entrusted you with the things that He has given you.  Its up to you if you will give Him praise for it all, or take all the credit yourself. Don't forget that God can take what He has blessed you with whenever He wants.  

  Be thankful for what you have. Honor God with your possession's. And when you come to a situation that you don't understand.........Rest in knowing, God is in control.  Everyone will have to go through the valley, in order to reach the mountain top of life.

James 1:3-10 (New American Standard)

3 knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance. 4 And let endurance have its perfect result, so that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing. 5 But if any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all generously and without reproach, and it will be given to him. 6 But he must ask in faith without any doubting, for the one who doubts is like the surf of the sea, driven and tossed by the wind. 7 For that man ought not to expect that he will receive anything from the Lord, 8 being a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways. 9 But the brother of humble circumstances is to glory in his high position ; 10 and the rich man is to glory in his humiliation, because like flowering grass he will pass away.