Desire

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Job 23:12 Treasure His Words

I have not departed from the commandment of His lips; I have treasured the words of His mouth more than my necessary food. Job 23:12

Going through life people will treasure different things and often differently during various times in their life. Some will treasure non-material things such as their family and friends, while others treasure physical things such as their money, house, car and more.

The things that people treasure they will spend their most time, effort and money on to have and keep. Other things will often get forsaken or left aside in order to have what they treasure.

Job said that he did not turn away from God’s commands but treasured the words of God even more than needed food.

One thing that every person needs to survive is food. Without food, one will get weak very quickly and be susceptible to sickness. Given enough time without any food at all, one will die.

Yet as important as food is, there is one thing that is even more important. That one thing is obeying God’s commands. In order to obey God’s commands, one has to first treasure them.

The commands of God have to become extremely important or else one will not be able to even begin to really obey them. As soon as a person does not choose to treasure the commands and word of God, that person will choose to step into sin against God.

Choosing to obey God’s commands must take such a priority in the believer’s life that the believer would be willing to go without the needed food for survival rather than disobeying God. One would rather die, than disobey God’s commands. This is what Jesus was saying when one must take up his cross and follow Him.

You most likely have many different things in your life that you treasure. Many of those things may be good to have and desire. And most likely you enjoy eating food, or at least some types of food.

Although these things may be good and acceptable, what is your greatest treasure in your life? Allow yourself to treasure God’s word and obeying God’s word above everything and anything in your life. Without God and His word, you really have nothing of value. Most everything else will fade away, but God and His word will never depart or fade.

What do you treasure today?

Today I pray that you will know Jesus as your Lord and Savior; that you will know God’s word and commands to you; that you will treasure God’s word in your heart; that you will live by God’s commands; and that you will seek to obey God’s word over anything else in your life.

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Job 19:27 Who Do You Long To See?

Whom I shall see for myself, and my eyes shall behold, and not another. How my heart yearns within me! Job 19:27

Nearly everyone has someone who they really want to see but are unable to see at the moment. Very often it is someone that one loved who has died, such as a parent, grandparent, child or spouse. Other’s it is a loved one who lives far away, and they can only see each other on rare occasions. One’s heart aches and yearns to see that person and will look forward to the time in which that person can be seen again.

Job holds onto his belief in God and says that he is looking forward to seeing God again and his heart is yearning for that day.

Yearning to see a person is a deep desire in the heart to see that person. It is something that affects the person’s thinking and focus. During times of deep yearning, it becomes very difficult to think of anything else.

The majority of people around the world have a yearning to see someone that they know or knew. While this is acceptable, the people that they know are only temporarily in their lives or in this world. There will come a time when their lives will end.

Believers, however, (should) have a yearning to see God. Unlike other people, God is there at all times and will never leave. His time will never end. He will never die.

Being in the presence of God will make all the troubles and difficulties of this life appear as nothing. Everything that one has gone through will be made worth it for the sake of knowing Jesus and the power of His resurrection. That is something worth yearning for and desiring with all of one’s heart and soul.

Being honest with yourself, ask yourself what is one thing you strongly desire or yearn for. If you are honest, most likely it is to see someone you love.

Take a moment to realize what God has done for you–take away your sins and given you life. No one could do as much for you as what God has already done. Put your heart on seeing God in your life. He is ready to be seen and known by you, if you desire and are willing to seek Him with all of your heart.

Today I pray that you will know Jesus as your Lord and Savior; that you will know what God has done for you; that you will desire to see and know God with all of your heart; that your first focus will be on seeing God; and that you will know God’s presence in your life.

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Hebrews 11:16 What Are You Longing For?

Instead, they were longing for a better country–a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared a city for them. Hebrews 11:16

Nearly every person desires for something to be better than what it is. People can always find ways or things that could be improved in their own lives or around them. No matter how great a nation is, a person can find something that could be better and they wish it could happen.

While most have these desires, most also do not know how to make it happen or even expect things to change.

As the author of Hebrews lists people of the bible and how they lived by faith, he points out that they were looking for a country that is in heaven. With this longing in their hearts, God calls them His people and prepared for them a city.

Although most people have desires for something to happen, most also do not expect those things to actually occur. Often people lose faith in what could possibly make it happen. This occurs when the change takes too long to become a reality.

True believers will have to live by faith in God. He has promised something 2,000 and more years ago that still has not occurred. God promised life for eternity in heaven, in a place He has prepared for them, but it has yet to happen.

Instead of being like the world, longing for things here on this earth, the believer will have his heart set on things of God. His desire and focus will be on building a greater kingdom that is yet to come. It is focused upon eternity in heaven, rather than the temporary things of this earth.

Living in this way is living by faith in God and what He promised.

You may have many different desires for things in your day-to-day living. There may be many things that you want to see changed or made better. While all of these things may be good, they are not always what is best and many may be just temporary changes.

Allow your focus and trust be upon God and His eternal kingdom. Keep working in faith to build His kingdom greater and greater until it is fulfilled for all eternity.

Do not lose heart in the failures of this world, but trust God in His promises and long for what He has for you.

Today I pray that you will know Jesus as your Lord and Savior; that you will have faith in all of God’s promises; that you will desire what God has for you; that you will focus on building God’s eternal kingdom; and that you will live by faith in God.