Daily Devotionals by Ardith Keef

       There is a teaching out there that leads Christians to believe that if they do everything as they should, "bad" things will not happen.
     There is an equally heretical teaching that "the Cross" is when hard, hard things happen, and it is "just our cross to bear."  
     Both of these ideas have root in labeling things "good" and "bad", when in fact, the Bible teaches us that we humans have everything upside down
     The purpose of the book of Job is many fold. It is not just about a patient man - in fact, I don't find Job patient at all. I find him faithful in refusing to find fault with God, and he is a beautiful example. But God seems to think it was good to say to Satan, "see my servant Job..."
     And then, all hell broke loose.
     And it was in the Plan!
     If we take each thing that happens as being in the plan of God, then we are able to obey His Word and look for Him - hope for Him - wait for Him. Even with the fiery furnace, Satan intended it for evil, but the Lord used it for good.
     Nothing just slides by the Lord.
     We must learn to live in humble gratitude for all that God allows, and we must tell Him constantly that we want things His way and not ours.
     That is the Cross - the place where the flesh is crucified. We must be eager to say (outloud) in the hardest times that we want His way more than we want out.
     That is the meaning of the verse that says "if any man will be my disciple, he must take up his cross and follow me..."
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