Job: Is heaven enough?

I’ve been really inspired by “You Hold Me Now” by Hillsong from their new cd Faith+Hope+Love album (free advertisement, maybe I can get something from them..haha…just joke)

In the song, it talks about heaven (rev 21) and I got to thinking, is heaven enough for me?

Look at the story of Job for a moment. This is a man blessed by God for his righteousness. He was wealthy and everything and Satan comes in and says, “Dude, the only reason why he loves you so much is because of the gifts you give him. Get rid of them and I’ll show you that he’ll curse you.” Job, in one day, loses his livestock, his servants, his wealth and his children. The next day, he loses his health and his wife tells him to “curse God and die!” However, Job perseveres without the gifts that were given to him.

Is this how we’re willing to live? I was thinking to myself, “everything given to me besides salvation is a gift that God doesn’t need to give me (well, this goes along side with the salvation, but you know what I mean, hopefully…). The family, the car, the friends, the church, the electronics I have, the life I have…..everything is a gift from God. With this in mind, what if God took it all away? Would I still be as responsive to who He is with my life?

How about this, is heaven enough for you? The salvation you gain here is for the life we will live with Christ after we depart. Is that enough for us? I was referenced to Matt 6:33 where God will give us what the pagans run after if we seek first His kingdom and His righteousness. What do you hear non-christians saying when they talk about after death? “Oh, I’ll be in heaven.” “Oh I know he’s in heaven.” etc…. You see, even they think of heaven and want it. What if God tells you that everything you do will be rewarded to you in heaven, not on earth…would you still follow?

Look at the example of Christ. Phil 2:6-8. He humbled Himself, making Himself nothing, becoming a servant….for what? To be killed….on a cross…His reward? Heaven…

Overall, are you willing to work for the Lord with everything you had EVEN if God gives you nothing on Earth?

1 Cor 9:26a

1 Cor 9:26a Therefore I do not run like a man running aimlessly;

Million dollar question: Do you run like you’re running aimlessly? Why would you run aimlessly? Because you have no idea where the goal is. I would go even as far to say that you think you know where your goal is. So according to verse 24-25, which prize are you going for? The crown that will last or wont last? God or the worldly things? Pick one and “Run in such a way as to get the prize.” It shouldn’t be both. You should be either hot or cold, “So, because you are lukewarm—neither hot nor cold—I am about to spit you out of my mouth” Rev 3:16 You can’t have both, as Jesus says “No one can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and Money (the world)” Matt 6:24

For the runners running towards the crown that lasts forever (heaven): When we run, our minds, our eyes and all of our efforts (running means you give it your all. If you don’t give it your all, you’re jogging or walking) on the goal. Where is our goal? “Heb 12:2a Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith,” Jesus is the goal. So if we know our goal and our destination, how do we get there? Jesus tells us that “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me” John 14:6 so the obvious idea is to live by His word and his teachings. Simply put, the Word is our guider. 2nd Tim 3:16 says “All scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness.” Do you submit to God’s words? Or more importantly, do you read God’s word in a way to change your life? To change your week?

In reference to following to Jesus’ example, Phil 2:6-7

6)Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, (did not refer to his rights; selfless) 7) But made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant being made in human likeness. (Became a servant)

He became a selfless servant. Apply it.