From: August 24, 2023
“Can the dead live again? If so, this would give me hope through all my years of struggle” (Job 14:14 NLT).
The grief-stricken Job asked, “Is there life after death?” Or more specifically, “Is there a resurrection of the dead?” Those facing the grief of death have joined Job throughout the centuries asking the same question. “Is this all there is?”
Yet, no definitive answer to this question was given until the coming of Jesus Christ, who answered, “I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live” (John 11:25). Jesus not only answered the question, but proved His claim by being raised from the dead after three days in the tomb.
Job’s question has been answered. Yes, the one who dies in Christ Jesus, will live again! And yes, a change will come over the body, so that the mortal becomes immortal, the corruptible, incorruptible (See 1 Cor. 15:52-54). Believers will receive a glorified body like Jesus, fit for living eternally with God.
PRAYER: Dear Father, our hope is in Jesus, who died and was raised to life. He has defeated sin, death and the grave. In this world, we have trouble and suffering. But we know that Christ has overcome the world. Therefore we do not fear what tomorrow holds. We put our faith and hope in Jesus. In His name we pray, amen.
From: August 24, 2022
DON’T DIG UP IN DOUBT WHAT YOU PLANTED BY FAITH
Be strong, immovable, always work with enthusiasm for the Lord. Why? Because of the resurrection and because whatever you plant in faith will grow and produce a harvest. The promise of eternal life should make us fearless in our focus. It should make us immovable (persistently firm and unswerving) in our commitment. Do you ever feel that your work for God is insignificant? That your faith is useless? Remember what Christ gave for you and that when He returns, you will rise to His trumpet’s call. Nothing you do for Him is useless, even the giving of your very life. No good thing is forgotten or wasted that we do in His Name.
All who labor for the Lord will at some point say as the prophet Isaiah did, “‘I have labored in vain, I have spent my strength for nothing and in vain” (Isa.49:4a). Yet by faith we can also join him in concluding: “Yet surely my just reward is with the LORD, And my work with my God” (Isa. 49:4b).
Remember the apostle Paul’s encouragement to the Galatians: “And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up” (Gal. 6:9). Never give up! Don’t dig up in doubt what you planted by faith!
PRAYER: Dear Father, as we grow older it seems life goes by more quickly with each year. We confess that we often despair that nothing we do matters. For everything passes away. Yet we labor according to Your strength and we trust that our reward is in Your hands. Fill us afresh with Your zeal and make us strong and immovable in our conviction. By faith we lay up treasure in heaven with You. Help us to pull our eyes off of results and success here and to set them on You and eternal things. In Jesus’ name, amen.
From: August 24, 2017
After considering the brevity and emptiness of human life, David puts his hope in the Lord. David observed that the length of his life was as a “vapor,” and the accumulation of wealth as “vanity,” for another inherits the fruit of one’s labor. Yet, David cried out to the Lord, recognizing Him as the only way to know eternal life and purpose and depending on Him for tomorrow.
From: August 24, 2016
Job, the man of sorrow, asked, “Is there life after death?” Or more specifically, “Is there a resurrection of the dead?” Those suffering grief have joined Job throughout the centuries asking the same question. Yet, no definitive answer to this question was given until the coming of the Man of Sorrow, Jesus, who answered, “I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live” (John 11:25). Job’s question has been answered.
From: August 24, 2015
As Job maintained his righteousness, his friends continued to disagree with him. Job, who had lost his children, most of his possessions and whose body was covered in sores, now had to contend with the accusing advice of his three “friends.” While there is much to learn about the problem of evil and human suffering in the book of Job, there is also something to be learned about how to be a friend to one in grief. Job’s three friends did a couple of things right at first. They showed up. They sat quietly with Job for the first seven days. These are good things. But then, they began with the advice and the accusations. When we seek to comfort a friend in grief, be present and listen, grieve with them. But stop telling them you know how they feel, or how they should feel, or what they did wrong, or what they should do next. If you don’t know what to say, don’t say anything. Just pray for them, hug them, bring them food, clean their house, offer to run errands. If they want your advice, they will ask. Don’t be like Job’s friends.
From: August 24, 2014
Be strong, immovable, always work with enthusiasm for the Lord. Why? Because of the resurrection and because whatever you plant in faith will grow and produce a harvest. The promise of eternal life should make us fearless in our focus. It should make us immovable (persistently firm and unswerving) in our commitment. Do you ever feel that your work for God is insignificant? That your faith is useless? Remember what Christ gave for you and that when He returns, you will rise to His trumpet’s call. Nothing you do for Him is useless, even the giving of your very life. No good thing is forgotten or wasted that we do in His Name.