READ: Joshua 1:1-7

As I was with Moses, so I will be with you. —Joshua 1:5

When some employers were asked what makes a good apprentice, they responded that they seek to hire “someone who wants to learn.”

In the Bible, a good example of an apprentice is Joshua. We remember Joshua for marching around the wall of Jericho. He also had some important responsibilities as a spy (Num. 13:16) and as a warrior (Ex. 17:10). But he was often in the shadow of someone else—Moses. For 40 years, Joshua served as Moses’ assistant, aide, and apprentice (Ex. 24:13).

God takes His own time to prepare us for service.

Sometimes that period of waiting is as valuable as learning all the needed strategies and goals.

Joshua observed Moses’ faith in God.

He learned what it meant to be humble (Num. 12:3), how to take instruction (Ex. 17:10), and how to be a true servant of God (Josh. 1:1; 24:29). Even a display of Moses’ temper (Num. 20:7-12) was an opportunity to watch and learn.

By spending time with Moses, Joshua learned things that couldn’t be learned from a book.

Joshua’s own time to lead was coming.

And when it came, he was able to trust God’s promise to him:

“As I was with Moses, so I will be with you. I will not leave you nor forsake you” (Josh. 1:5). — Cindy Hess Kasper

People who become great leaders
Sometimes need to learn
How to serve and follow others—
Then they’ll get their turn. —Sper

A person who is not willing to follow is not prepared to lead.

READ: Ephesians 6:1-4

Fathers, . . . bring them up in the training and admonition of the Lord. --Ephesians 6:4

I was browsing in a used book shop when an irate customer stormed in and loudly demanded a refund.

When the man couldn't get what he wanted, he began swearing at the clerk.

He continued the tirade for several minutes as a girl of 7 or 8 stood passively at his side.

Eventually he stomped out of the store, cursing as he went, with the little girl following close behind.

I wondered if the girl was his daughter. If so, what did she learn from her dad that afternoon?

More important, the event caused me to ask, "What does my daughter learn from me at home and all the places we go together?" She learns a lot more from watching my behavior than from all my little talks about life and God.

"Fathers," the Bible says, "do not provoke your children to wrath, but bring them up in the training and admonition of the Lord" (Eph. 6:4). This speaks to me of my own relationship with Christ and the example I live before my children. Only as I submit to God's training and instruction can I bring up my children in His way.

There are children watching us today, deciding what to believe about life and God. What are they learning from us? — David C. McCasland

No written word nor spoken plea
Can teach young hearts what they should be,
Nor all the books upon the shelves,
But what the teachers are themselves. --Bennett

Actions speak louder than words.

READ: Ephesians 6:10-18

Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. --Ephesians 6:11

My married daughter called from her home in another state to report some "bad news." She had two cavities in her previously flawless teeth.

I asked Lisa, "Does your city fluoridate its water?"

A couple of days later, she called me to say that it did not.

As a result, her teeth were more vulnerable to decay than when she grew up drinking fluoridated water.

Admittedly, this was not a great tragedy. Worse things can happen, but Lisa's dental problems can point us to a vital truth in our Christian lives.

We would be wise to do all we can to prevent tooth decay, but it's even more important that we do all we can to prevent Satan from harming us spiritually (1 Peter 5:8-9). To ignore the prescribed protection that God has made available to us is to ask for trouble much worse than holes in our teeth.

In Ephesians 6, Paul said that to be protected from Satan's attacks we need to "put on the whole armor of God" (v.11).

Verses 14-18 tell us we must put on the belt of "truth," "the breastplate of righteousness," the shoes of "the gospel of peace," "the shield of faith," "the helmet of salvation," and "the sword of the Spirit," along with "all prayer."

With God's armor we can stand and stay protected! —JDB — Dave Branon

And though this world, with devils filled,
Should threaten to undo us,
We will not fear, for God hath willed,
His truth to triumph through us. —Luther

God's truth is the best protection against Satan's lies.

Bible in One Year: Ecclesiastes 4–6; Proverbs 18:1-12

READ: 2 Timothy 4:9-18

At my first defense no one stood with me, but all forsook me. May it not be charged against them. —2 Timothy 4:16

Just days before his death, Gandhi wrote, “All about me is darkness; I am praying for light.”

By contrast, evangelist D. L. Moody’s last recorded words were, “This is my triumph; this my coronation day! It is glorious!”

In both cases, their last words were significant expressions of their perspectives on life, death, and everything in between.

Aside from some personal greetings, Paul’s last recorded words dealt not with what he had done in life and ministry but rather with how he viewed people. What makes it even more significant is that some of those words were about people who had disappointed him.

Regarding an individual who had harmed him by opposing his ministry, Paul trusted the Lord to deal with him.

And when considering those who had abandoned him when imprisoned, he asked others to handle them graciously:

“At my first defense no one stood with me, but all forsook me. May it not be charged against them” (2 Tim. 4:16).

His last words were those of compassion and kindness instead of harshness and retaliation.

Will our last words show the grace of Christ or the bitterness of a wounded heart?

Our answer should impact the words we use today. — Bill Crowder

What have you written on memory’s page?

Deeds that were done in the Master’s name?

Words that were spoken to spread His fame?

What have you written today? —Anon.

What words will be your legacy?

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Bible in One Year: 2 Timothy 1–4; Proverbs 31:1-9

En cada vida hay tiempos difíciles. Debemos prepararnos.

por Charles F. Stanley

La vida duele. Usted lo sabe. Yo también lo sé.

Todos los que nos rodean lo saben. Todos los seres humanos –incluidos los que estamos en la iglesia– sabemos lo que es tener pruebas en la vida. Y no es divertido. Lo cierto es que las pruebas no son ningún motivo de gozo… ¿verdad?

Entonces, ¿cómo debemos entender la casi incomprensible declaración que está al comienzo del libro de Santiago? En Santiago 1:2, el apóstol nos dice "tened por sumo gozo" cuando experimentemos pruebas. Usted dirá: "Para Santiago es fácil decirlo, porque él, al menos, pudo hablar cara a cara con Jesús durante cierto tiempo".

La verdad es que nadie ha vivido una vida totalmente libre de dolor, incertidumbre, estrés y pruebas. La Biblia hace este punto muy claro. Jesús, Moisés, Job, Pedro, Pablo y todos los héroes de la Biblia son descritos como hombres y mujeres que, en un momento u otro, pasaron por angustiosos momentos de dificultades y sufrimientos. Ahora, miles de años después, los servidores de Dios siguen teniendo tiempos difíciles. Por lo tanto, es importante que aprendamos cómo enfrentar estos duros momentos de la vida.

Los problemas llegarán

Santiago 1:2 contiene una enorme perspectiva en cuanto a las pruebas de la vida. La frase "cuando os halléis en diversas pruebas" incluye tres palabras clave que ponen de manifiesto la universalidad de los problemas de los seres humanos.

En primer lugar, es significativo que Santiago utilice la palabra "cuando". Esto define la cuestión: tener pruebas es un asunto de cuando, no de si. En segundo lugar, la forma verbal "halléis" implica que las dificultades y las desgracias surgirán de forma inesperada, sin que haya tiempo de prepararse para ellas. En tercer lugar, el uso del adjetivo "diversas" denota las formas siempre cambiantes y a menudo sorprendentes de presentarse las pruebas.

¿Conclusión? Las pruebas llegarán, y por eso debemos estar preparados.

El origen de nuestras pruebas

Es perfectamente razonable preguntarse cuál es el origen de las pruebas. Puedo pensar en varias causas.

En primer lugar, una de las causas principales es nuestras malas decisiones. Dios nos ha bendecido con libre albedrío para que podamos tomar nuestras propias decisiones. Pero cuando las que tomamos son incorrectas vienen los problemas.

En segundo lugar, nuestras dificultades pueden deberse a los ataques de otras personas. Este fue, sin duda, un obstáculo con el que estuvo familiarizada la iglesia primitiva. Al escribir a los sufrientes cristianos dispersos en el mundo antiguo, Pedro les dice. "Mas también si alguna cosa padecéis por causa de la justicia, bienaventurados sois. Por tanto, no os amedrentéis por temor de ellos, ni os conturbéis" (1 P. 3:14).

En tercer lugar, nuestro sufrimiento es muchas veces el resultado de vivir en un mundo caído. Los tornados, los terremotos, las inundaciones, las enfermedades y las guerras, son todos resultados del efecto del pecado sobre el mundo. Es evidente que no hay forma de escapar de las pruebas.

En cuarto lugar, mucha prueban vienen directamente del diablo. El propósito de Satanás es alejarnos cada vez más de Dios, sea como sea.

Por último, hay una causa de las pruebas que no nos gusta reconocer: el Señor mismo. Muchas personas se resisten a esta idea, creyendo que Dios sólo desea su felicidad. Sin embargo, una verdad difícil es que Dios está más interesado en nuestra madurez y en nuestro crecimiento que en nuestra felicidad. Hay lecciones que, muchas veces, sólo se pueden aprender por medio de las dificultades; por tanto, nuestro Padre celestial permitirá que vengan problemas a nuestra vida, para cumplir Sus propósitos en nosotros.

Descubrir el propósito del Señor para nuestro sufrimiento puede resultar difícil, pero tenemos que pensar en cuál podría ser la razón. El mejor punto de partida para entender la lógica para nuestras pruebas, es meditar honestamente en su origen. Cuanto mejor entendemos cuál es el origen de estos problemas, mejor podremos superarlos.

Una nueva perspectiva

Desde el punto de vista humano, pruebas y gozo simplemente no armonizan. Al parecer, Dios debe saber algo sobre el sufrimiento humano que nuestra mente no puede captar por naturaleza; debe haber una explicación más allá de lo que podemos concebir. Por esta razón, Santiago cambia de conversación en el versículo 5 del capitulo 1, pasando de las pruebas a la sabiduría. Sin sabiduría es imposible discernir los propósitos de Dios para nuestras pruebas.

Muchas personas tienen ideas falsas en cuanto a las pruebas. Creen que no es correcto preguntarle a Dios por qué suceden ciertas cosas. Sin embargo, no hay absolutamente nada de malo en decirle: "Señor, ¿por qué permitiste que sucediera esto? ¿Cuál fue su propósito para ello?" Después de todo, Dios es omnipotente, por lo que Él pudo haber evitado todas las dificultades en nuestras vidas. El hecho de que Él decidió no hacerlo es importante, y podremos acercarnos más a Él al comprender Sus razones.

La fe se afina en las dificultades

Tal vez el propósito más evidente para nuestras dificultades, es poner a prueba nuestra fe, sin que se confunda esto con tentación. La Biblia es clara cuando dice que Dios no puede tentar a nadie a hacer el mal, pero que sí mandará pruebas para probar nuestra fe (Stg. 1:13).

Dios no prueba nuestra fe esperando que fallemos. Por el contrario, nos pruebas para que podamos aprender a depender más de Él, y también para que tengamos más confianza en su constante presencia y poder sobre el mundo. ¿Cómo saber lo que seremos capaces de enfrentar en la vida si nuestra fe no ha sido probada?

Primera de Pedro 1:6, 7 hace la audaz afirmación de que las pruebas nos ofrecen la oportunidad de demostrar nuestra fe. La fidelidad de Dios durante nuestros tiempos de tensión le glorifica a Él, y eso es más valioso que el oro o la plata.

Hay muchas personas en el mundo que tienen una enorme riqueza material, pero nada de valor eterno. ¿Qué podrán hacer estas personas cuando experimenten pruebas que el dinero no es capaz de solucionar? Cuando su dinero se les vuelve inservible, por las aflicciones de este mundo, o por la muerte, quienes carecen de fe no tienen nada.

Por consiguiente, una fe fuerte, vibrante y creciente es una fe que ha sido afinada sobre la roca del sufrimiento. Dios nunca nos ha prometido una vida fácil; de hecho, nos ha asegurado que todos enfrentaremos pruebas difíciles en este mundo (Jn. 16:33). Es a través de ellas que descubrimos la verdadera medida de nuestra fe.

Pureza bajo la presión

También Dios permite las pruebas en nuestras vidas para purificarnos. Las pruebas nos presionan en lo mas íntimo de nuestro ser, donde a menudo tratamos de ocultar pecados, hábitos vergonzosos y áreas descuidadas. El Señor sabe que estas cosas tienen que ser sacadas a la superficie y enfrentadas honestamente si queremos convertirnos en creyentes maduros.

La respuesta correcta

Discernir la respuesta correcta a las pruebas es imposible sin la guía del Señor. Hacer nuestras propias conjeturas para explicar las dificultades, no sirve de nada. Sólo bajo la dirección de la sabiduría divina podremos comprender el propósito de la tragedia, descubrir los propósitos de Dios y discernir la respuesta adecuada.

Hay varias respuestas correctas para los tiempos de prueba:

1. Tenemos que estar convencidos de que Dios tiene el control del tiempo y de la intensidad de la prueba. Puede durar un día, una semana, un año o una década. Primera de Pedro 5:6, 7 promete que si nos ponemos bajo la autoridad del Señor, Él será fiel para resolver nuestras dificultades en Su tiempo. Es posible que Dios quiera actuar con prontitud, pero sólo Él conoce el tiempo perfecto para llevar a cabo Sus propósitos.
2. Debemos reconocer que Dios tiene un propósito específico para cada prueba en nuestras vidas. Porque Él es un Padre amoroso, no nos evitará todos los problemas, sin embargo, siempre dará a Sus hijos el poder para vencer los obstáculos mientras que los transforma en los cristianos que quiere que sean.
3. Debemos reconocer que cada prueba está hecha para suplir una necesidad específica que Dios ve en nuestras vidas. Muchas veces, no veremos o entenderemos esa necesidad hasta que termine la prueba y hayamos logrado cierta distancia y cierta perspectiva. Entonces, podremos mirar hacia atrás y comprender que hubo una tremenda lección que aprender o un error que había que corregir. .
4. Tenemos que estar convencidos de que Dios estará con nosotros a cada paso de nuestros tormentosos tiempos de la vida. Nunca habrá un momento en que Él esté ausente. Hebreos 13:5 dice esto claramente: "No te desampararé, ni te dejaré". La presencia de Cristo ofrece un continuo reabastecimiento de ánimo y paciencia en nosotros. Con Jesús a nuestro lado, ¿qué puede vencernos?

Para vencer en las pruebas

Aunque todas estas son maneras positivas de hacer frente a las dificultades, hay una respuesta que jamás debemos olvidar: reconocer que por la gracia y el poder de Dios no sólo sobreviviremos, sino que realmente venceremos en las pruebas de la vida. Eso es tener verdadera sabiduría.

Comprender las causas, los propósitos y las respuestas correctas a la adversidad, es de vital importancia para nosotros, pero no debe en modo alguno ocultar el dolor que sentimos verdaderamente en esos momentos. Por eso, el gozo se tiene cuando confesamos honestamente la terrible condición de una mala situación y, sin embargo, alabamos a Dios por el bien que Él puede hacer, y que con seguridad hará, a través de ella.

Sí, la vida duele. Pero quienes estamos en Cristo jamás enfrentaremos los problemas solos. Cuando nos apoyamos mutuamente y nos sometemos al Señor, sabemos que Jesús está con nosotros en nuestras pruebas. Además, Él tomará nuestras tristes cenizas para pintar una imagen gloriosa para la gloria de Dios. ¡Gracias, Jesús!

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Recurso Relacionado

* Cómo la gracia transforma todo
En esta nueva serie de 4 mensajes, el Dr. Stanley aborad el tema: sobra la incomparable gracia de Dios. Usted verá la salvación bajo una nueva luz, una luz que reactivará su fe y que le ayudará a echar mano, en cualquier momento, del triunfante poder dador de vida del Señor. Ordénelo aquí

El abuelo del Dr. Stanley influenció profundamente la vida espiritual de Charles. Por ejemplo, su abuelo le enseñó el concepto detrás de "Obedezca a Dios y deje en Sus manos las consecuencias", uno de los treinta principios presentados en esta sección.
Vea los 30 principios.

READ: Psalm 34

Oh, taste and see that the Lord is good; blessed is the man who trusts in Him! —Psalm 34:8



In 1948, Life magazine brought together a group of labor-union representatives, industrial leaders, university scholars, and clergy to discuss what the framers of the United States Constitution had in mind when they referred to“the pursuit of happiness.”They agreed that steady work under good conditions at a living wage was absolutely essential. Some included the values of racial fairness, unselfishness, and integrity.

This led one participant, a brilliant young woman who had been crippled by polio, to say,“It is my experience that suffering and pain are, unfortunately, great character builders—not that suffering is good in itself, but because it often helps to shift our expectation of happiness from without to a search for it from within.” True, but we can find inner happiness only by knowing God personally and walking the path of trust and obedience.

Happiness isn’t found by pursuing it. It’s a by-product of seeking an ever-closer walk with God. When we do, we will find a depth of happiness no person or thing can give. That’s what David referred to when he said,“Oh, taste and see that the Lord is good, blessed is the man who trusts in Him!” (Psalm 34:8).

— Herbert Vander Lugt

Happiness is never found
When happiness is sought;
It’s found instead in Jesus
And what His blood has bought. —D. De Haan

To know happiness, know God.



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Christian Life > Emotions > Happiness/Joy
Bible in One Year: 2 Corinthians 6–9; Proverbs 10:1-11

READ: Proverbs 4:5-13

I saw that wisdom excels folly as light excels darkness. —Ecclesiastes 2:13

Brewster Kahle has a vision for the Internet. He dreams of universal access to all human knowledge.

As Digital Librarian and Director and co-founder of Internet Archive, Kahle believes we have only begun to tap the vast potential of the Internet to change and improve our world. “My interest,” he says, “is to build the great library. . . . It is now technically possible to live up to the dream of the Library of Alexandria.” He’s referring to a huge vault of writings in ancient Egypt that was said to house all the world’s knowledge.

But knowledge is not the same as wisdom. King Solomon was a man of vast knowledge (1 Kings 4:29-34). In his better moments, he used his God-given capacity to collect information and insight from every corner of life. In unguarded moments, however, he showed that all the knowledge in the world does not keep a person from missing the purpose of life (Eccl. 1:16-18). In spite of his knowledge, Solomon married many women, and when he was old he built altars to their gods (1 Kings 11:1-11). His foolishness eventually led to his downfall.

Wisdom is the application of knowledge. Don’t get caught in a web of knowledge without true wisdom that comes from the fear of the Lord (Prov. 1:7; 9:10). — Mart De Haan

True wisdom is in living
Near Jesus every day;
True wisdom is in walking
Where He shall lead the way. —Anon.


Wisdom gives wings to knowledge.


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Bible in One Year: 1 Samuel 22–24; Proverbs 11:12-21

“Houston, we’ve had a problem.”

Two days into the Apollo 13 moon landing mission, and almost 200,000 miles from earth, a spacecraft oxygen tank exploded. Cabin air, water, and power supply were suddenly in danger. Mission Control had to overcome enormous challenges to get the crew home.

Since that crisis in space, the expression “Houston, we have a problem” has taken on a life of its own. Usually we say it with a smile, but always with the echo of a life-threatening moment.

Is heaven our Houston?

The Apollo astronauts’ words come to mind while thinking about this question: What if we see heaven as the mission control whose instructions will get us safely home if we follow directions? Here’s my reaction: If getting “home” safely depends on our ability to do what we are told to do, then “Houston, we really do have a problem.”

I can’t think of one law of Moses, Christ, or Paul that I have not, in principle, broken or left undone.

There’s no way I can respond, “Patience? Done. Don’t worry? Done. Love enemy? Done.”

If the checklist is important, mine is a mess.

How can we get home safely?

For these reasons and more, I have a hard time understanding those who—for either salvation or spiritual growth—seem so focused on obeying the commandments of Moses, Jesus, or Paul. It seems to me that the people who are really honoring the spirit of the law are those who have been overwhelmed by God’s grace, forgiveness, and patience despite our unwillingness and inability to faithfully and fully obey Him (Luke 18:10-13).

So what then is our part in the mission? It’s important to understand the spirit behind the commandments of the Bible. When the Old and New Testaments urge us to “obey” God, the first meaning of the original Hebrew and Greek words is often “to listen” or “to give attention to.” For instance, the Hebrew word that frequently shows up as “obey” in English Bibles is translated “hear” in the famous, “Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one!” (Deuteronomy 6:4).

In the New Testament, the Greek word translated “obey” means to be persuaded. According to Vine’s Dictionary, the emphasis is not on submission to authority, but on action resulting from being convinced by reason and truth. Letting ourselves be persuaded by the truth is the idea the author of Hebrews is communicating when he says, “Obey those who rule over you, and be submissive, for they watch out for your souls” (Hebrews 13:17).

How could the shift from authority-based thinking affect our response to God? Would it make a difference if, instead of saying, “Obey Me,” Jesus said, “Listen to Me. For your sake, I want your attention. I don’t just want your dutiful compliance. I want you to love Me because I love you.”

For example, picture the husband and wife who keep talking past each other. With growing frustration, one says, “Look, just tell me what you want me to do, and I’ll do it. Be specific. Don’t make me guess what you are looking for.” The other responds, “No, I’m not going to tell you what to do. I don’t just want your grudging compliance. I want your heart.”

That’s the kind of talk that drives some of us crazy. But it’s what we need. Even God Himself doesn’t tell us exactly how to show our patience, self-control, and love for Him in the specific moments of our lives. He shows us how much He loves us, gives us general principles, and then asks us to respond to His heart from our own.

What would a life and theology of listening look like?

To hear more rather than less of God, what if we asked Him to help us hear more than our moral obligation to Him?

What if we stopped talking long enough to hear Him whisper, “Be still, and know that I am God” (Psalm 46:10).

What if, while trying to get His help and favor, we began to listen, really listen, to one another, to our spiritual and political enemies, and even to our own hearts?

Would we be more likely to hear Jesus say, “My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me” (John 10:27)?

This kind of following is so different from proud or self-righteous rule keeping. When I listen carefully to His voice in Scripture, I don’t hear someone consumed by authority and control. Instead, I hear a love that says, “Come to Me, all you who labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light” (Matthew 11:28-30).

Even though Jesus has every right to demand our immediate and unqualified obedience, He approaches us gently, appealing not only to our will but to our minds and hearts. In the last chapters of the Bible, He is still saying to His stubborn and distracted family, “Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me” (Revelation 3:20).

Father in heaven, we need You so much more than our astronauts needed Mission Control.

You understand our problems infinitely better than we do.

You have every right to demand our obedience and submission to Your authority.

Your commandments are perfect.

Your laws are right.

Yet You see far better than we do how unable we are to keep even one of Your laws, let alone all of them.

Thank You for giving us Your Son instead of demanding something we couldn’t give You.

Thank You for asking us to listen to Your heart—and for giving us reason to trust You—instead of just telling us to blindly obey. —Mart De Haan

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Relationships > Relating to God > Discipleship
Relationships > Relating to God > Obedience
Relationships > Relating to God > Submission

Is it right to consider not only whether a law was broken, but why?

I’ve been wondering about this after reading how a German court handled the ticketing of a motorist caught speeding by a traffic control camera. When the court learned why the driver had broken the speed limit, charges were waived. Instead, officials sent the driver a doll of a policeman holding a traffic camera. It mattered to someone in the system that the man was speeding to get his wife to the hospital for the birth of their first child.

Motives and the courts

The “police doll verdict” touches on an issue of law discussed by defense lawyer and author Melvin Belli. In Everybody’s Guide to the Law, he writes, “Two things must be present for a crime to be committed: an act. . . and a particular state of mind.” Belli goes on to say, “In law, it is frequently said that an act is not a crime if done without a guilty mind.”

But what is a guilty mind? Legal scholars have an ongoing debate about whether courts should weigh motive in considering guilt. Should a traffic court really be interested in why a speeding driver is breaking the law?

Motives and everyday life

Outside of court, motives are easier to consider even if they remain difficult to prove. If a wife sees red when her husband brings home yellow roses, her reaction is more likely to be about her suspicion of his motives than the color of the flowers. When large corporations give big money to a political campaign, we suspect an ulterior motive. In so many areas, we naturally look for the hidden agenda behind gifts, personal endorsements, and even good manners.

Motives and faith

Jesus talked a lot about motives. His approach, however, was to help us focus on our own hearts before going after the faults of others. Because of our inclination to do the right things for the wrong reasons, He told His disciples not to let their left hand know when their right hand was giving to the poor (Matthew 6:3-4). He also said that when they prayed they should do so in secret rather than making a self-serving public display of their spirituality (vv.6, 18).

What difference do motives make?

If we are not careful, we can do some of the best things for the worst reasons. Our purposes combine with what we believe and do to shape the character of our faith, our love, and our laughter. They fuel blind ambition and feed bitter envy. They determine whether we use the knowledge of the Bible to help others, or to control, condemn, and con them out of their money.

Bad motives can put honorable actions to shame just as good motives can turn even the most menial task into something noble.

Where do good motives come from?

The wonderful thing about good motives is that their source and story is not limited to a conscience or commandment that says, “You should, you ought, or you must.” According to Jesus and the Bible, if we love well, it is because God first loved us (1 John 4:19). If we have the right kind of faith in the darkest night, it is because our God has shown Himself to be more trustworthy than our circumstances.

But thinking about where good motives come from raises another important question.

What happens when the music stops?

This was the question Job faced. According to the Bible, he was one of the wealthiest men in the world until his reasons for serving God were challenged.

As the story unfolds, Job’s name comes up in a conversation between God and the devil. The King of heaven points to Job as an example of someone who has remained loyal to Him. Satan, however, responds by attacking Job’s motives. He argues that Job sees God as a meal ticket and says that if Job weren’t getting what he wanted, the King’s model citizen would be cursing rather than praying.

So God allows Satan to test Job’s heart. In waves of terrible misfortune, Job finds himself destitute and confused by pain and grief. Why? Why was God allowing this to happen? The harder Job tried to find answers, the more bitter and angry he became.

While much of his earlier life had been spent trying to help others (Job 29), Job now finds himself in a desperate struggle to defend his own reputation. Even his friends are accusing him of hiding the scandal they believe would explain his suffering.

Only when God intervenes does Job’s terrible ordeal come to an end (38–42). Only when God opens Job’s eyes and enables him to see the wonder and wisdom of his Creator as he has never seen Him before does Job’s cloud of despair lift. Only then does Job declare, “I have heard of You by the hearing of the ear, but now my eye sees You. Therefore I abhor myself, and repent in dust and ashes” (42:5-6).

Job’s motives for remaining loyal to God had been tested. His reasons for fearing God and hating evil (1:8) had been refined in the fires of loss. Now in stark nakedness of soul, he worshiped God because he had come to see that God alone deserves to be trusted in the dark night of our soul.

Thousands of years later, Job’s story is still helping us to see that, in a sense, Satan had a point. In the courts of heaven and on earth, motives count. If we are not careful, why we seek God can say more about our desires than about our confidence in His eternal power, wisdom, and honor (James 4:1-3).

And so we pray: Father in heaven, we are so inclined to be concerned about the motives of others, while overlooking our own. Search us, O God, and know our hearts; try us, and know our thoughts; and see if there is any wicked way in us, and lead us in the way everlasting (Psalm 139:23-24). —Mart De Haan

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Basics Of Faith > Spirit World > Satan/Devil
Relationships > Relating to God > Obedience