#10 - You are Involved in a Vital Issue, Luke 4;8.

How you live your life affects Jehovah God. Why? Because of a vital issue in which you are involved. It is an issue that the true God and Jesus both would like your help with. (Much of the following information is taken from the publication, You Can Live Forever in a Paradise on Earth. From J.W.s)

The issue was raised in the Garden of Eden, when Satan was able to get Adam and Eve to break Gods laws. Genesis 3: 6. By both eating the fruit they knew not to.

This gave Satan the grounds to challenge Gods authority, claiming; "People only serve you for what they can get from you." These words do not appear in the Bible, though by the challenge in the book of Job it is clear, Satan would have said something like that.

Job lived a long time after Adam, though the way he lived his life mattered to Satan and God. He was a righteous and faithful servant of God. Job 1: 8 says, “Jehovah said to Satan; ‘have you set your heart upon my servant Job, that there is no one like him in the earth, a man blameless and upright, fearing God and turning aside from bad?’” Clearly an issue had been raised as to whether Job was faithful or not.

Satan had been “roving about in the earth” Job 1:7.

“At that Satan answered Jehovah; ‘Is it for nothing that Job has feared God? Have not you yourself put up a hedge around him and his house and about everything he has all around? The work of his hands you have blessed, and his livestock itself has spread abroad in the earth. But, for a change, thrust out your hand and see whether he will not curse you to your face.’” Job 1: 9-11.

Satan was saying that, the only reason Job serves you, is due to what he gets out of the relationship.

If you take everything from him he will curse or hate you, he doesn’t really love you.

Also, insinuating that Jehovah was showing favouritism by blessing him. Effectively saying; It’s unfair, you always have protected him!

Jehovah ALLOWED Satan to test him, Job 1: 12. “Look! Everything he has is in your hand. Only against him do not thrust out your hand!”

What a sad situation, because of Satan trying to undermine and challenge Gods authority; everything Job had, was now in Satan’s sights.

Right away Satan began causing trouble for Job. He had all his livestock either stolen or killed.

Then he saw to it that his 10 children were killed. Job 1:2, 13-22. What a horrible, wicked thing to do. Was Satan right? No! He did not curse God!

Satan challenged God further recorded at Job 2:1-5, Stating “Everything a man has he will give in behalf of his soul.” “Touch as far as his bone and his flesh and see whether he will not curse you to your very face.” Jehovah ALLOWED Satan to Touch Job but said ‘You are not to kill him’.

Why would Jehovah allow this to happen? Not because he wanted to test Job as well, no!

Jehovah knows how all things turn out, Satan Doesn’t. Jehovah knew Job would be ok, despite Satan’s efforts to destroy his faith, his relationship with his God and friend.

Satan struck Job with a terrible disease. Job’s suffering was so bad that he prayed to die, Job 2:7. 14:13,14. He had his own wife turn against him saying, “curse God and die”, Job 2:9. But he refused; “Until I expire I shall not take away my integrity from myself!” he said.

What did Satan’s testing Job demonstrate: whether the challenge about Gods favouritism or even Jehovah’s right to rule and Jobs relationship with his God?

Satan failed, Job remained faithful and Satan could not get him to turn against his God no matter what he tried.

Satan was also saying by his challenge that he could manipulate all men and get to stop serving God.

Including you. He said, "Everything a man has he will give", to protect himself. Satan was saying he could get anyone to turn against God or to do wrong.

God’s word urges; “be wise, my son, that I may make a reply to him that is taunting me.” Proverbs 27:11. Satan is still taunting Jehovah. Job though made Jehovah’s heart rejoice.

This gave a definitive answer to Satan’s boastful taunts that no man would serve him under test.

Many have likewise proved Satan a “Liar”.

None more than Jehovah’s own son, Jesus, who proved that the perfect man Adam, could have resisted Satan’s test in the Garden of Eden, if he wanted to. And that God was not unrighteous in requiring full obedience from man.

And what did Adam have to do to prove his loyalty and obedience? Not eat the fruit from 1 solitary tree. Not a big requirement, though important nonetheless.

If he chose not to eat, even after Eve did, things would have been so much different for all.

How you live your life matters also. Whether we realise it or not, our decisions show whose side of the issue of universal sovereignty we stand. Jehovah wants us to live, not like this, as we do today.

But in the world that Adam threw away, far from our reach.

WE were meant to be enjoying life, the real life, in a paradise earth and everlasting, and we still can.

John 3:16 tells us “everyone exercising faith in him might not be destroyed but have everlasting life.” Think of the things you could see and do if you had “everlasting life” there certainly wouldn’t be any rush like today.

Things improved for Job.

We can be like Job and make God smile, or on the other hand, we could be like Israel when they rebelled Psalm 78: 40, 41, “They pained even the Holy one of Israel.”

Still, for the moment, Satan is ruler of this world, trying to get all to lose hope and their relationship with the true God by getting all to “curse God” and stop trusting him.

The truth is though, that all the problems and things that make life so difficult, are not Jehovah’s doing. This is not his world. This is not what a loving father would choose for his children, is it? Satan has! He offers all the glitz and glamour his world has to offer, but it's all an illusion.

It’s all on his account that we grow old and die, that mankind are egged on to a life of violence and greed and that peace and security is now only a dream for billions. We try to take all we can, thinking it will lead to a few moments of happiness. Only to grow old, and die. Whereas, God has "Put eternity into our hearts". A presently unfulfilled need.

What can we do? Learn what “God “approves of and stick to it. Reject wrong desires and fight for righteousness. There is a big difference between a good man and a righteous one.

In his letter to the congregation in Rome, Paul writes, Ro 5: 7, “hardly will anyone die for a righteous man; indeed, for a good man, perhaps someone even dares to die.”

People applaud “good people” and rightly so, to some extent. But if someone tries to do what’s right, they are often frowned upon, abused and ridiculed.

For example; if you endeavour to follow the road rules of not speeding. People drive up behind close and abuse you even aggressively, “road rage”, simply for following rules, that hinder them from doing whatever they want.

Just recently, a man was driving, doing the speed limit. A man behind was far from impressed, after some time, an opportunity to overtake came. The man behind sped up the inside lane and as he got past, he swerved over in front of the man following the rules. The car who cut him off had a trailer on the rear of his vehicle, damaging the side of his car.

Now here’s the point, following the road rules may be the right thing to do, and is wise considering the heartache if someone doesn’t follow the road rules and causing injury or death. Likewise rules or guidelines are important to follow for many reasons.

But the righteous one would never deliberately hit someone’s car for not driving the way he does.

Similarly with the more recent Covid restriction’s. Sometimes people who follow public health requirements are frowned upon or in extreme instances, abused and assaulted. (some may feel they have legitimate reasons for going against such health directives). Even more so for those in this world who try to follow Bible principles.

Wisdom however is closely linked to righteousness, The Lord Jesus made a statement Matthew 11:19 says this “wisdom is proved righteous by its works. When under test himself, Jesus said; "It is Jehovah your God you must worship, and it is to Him alone that You should render sacred service", when answering the Devil. Shouldn't we pay attention to his words, Luke 4;8.

How we react under pressure or trying circumstances, like the ones just mentioned, reveals how strong our sense of right is. Like metal being refined by heat to remove impurities, we can grow in wisdom and righteousness, so that inherited and learnt tendencies might be, over time, corrected.

If we develop the same mental attitude as was found in the Christ. Developing this Christlike quality of faith develops wisdom and in turn, righteousness. However, imitating Jesus' example doesn't mean loosing yourself. He wants you to be you. Just like Peter, wow he was an individual. He made mistakes, didn't he? Yet he was appointed to lead the congregations.

Does that mean we should imitate him? No!

We all need to grow into a mature individual. Not into Jesus, or peter, do we? You do you.

Romans 15:5, 6. “Now may the God who supplies endurance and comfort grant you the same mental attitude that Christ Jesus had, that with one accord you may with one mouthy glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.” Also Philippians 3:13b,15, “Forgetting the things behind and stretching ahead, let us, then, as many of us as are mature, be of this mental attitude; and if you are mentally inclined otherwise in any respect, God will reveal the above attitude to you.”

Does being righteous matter?

To illustrate; just today I was preparing a meal, I remembered an important point to add to these articles, and so, leaving the meal, I quickly started writing. The result; I was side tracked!

I allowed, although important things, to distract me from the task at hand. But that’s not the learning point! The meal started to burn on the bottom. “It look’s alright” I thought. Though if you have ever eaten a meal from a pan that is burnt on the bottom, even if you just select the appetising section, what happens? Yuk! It’s gotten the burnt taste right through it.

It’s exactly the same with serving the living God with righteousness.

We can’t give Jehovah half-hearted devotion. If we, pick and choose which of Gods requirements we are comfortable with, as many current faiths do, focusing on gifts, or charity or tradition etc. We miss the mark of being a well-rounded disciple of Jesus and are living a double life. We should be happy with our course of life.

If we are not of conviction, having one foot in Satan’s camp and one in Jehovah’s is that loving or mature? Jehovah wants to love all of you, and you him.

Your whole mind, your whole heart, your whole soul and strength. If you were married and only loved your mate occasionally, how well do you think that would go? Loving one minute, then disrespectful the next.

Our worship “must” be free from false doctrine or idolatry of any kind. Or, we simply cannot, and will not, have the relationship God deserves, and we need.

Ask yourself, if God is real, what am I doing about it?

Are you still unsure if God exists? Simplify your thinking, work it out for yourself.

If your not sure, do yourself a favour. Look up the Frog Fish. Is it by chance, or design??

If you have the tools to do a search of the words righteous and righteousness in God’s word, you will see the large reward for any efforts you put forth to stand on Gods side of the issue, on the road to developing your righteousness and faith. Worshiping God as HE expects, is vital.

For example Psalms 37: 29, “The righteous themselves will possess the earth, and they will reside forever upon it.” Of course; we do not love or serve God for what we can get out of it. That would add weight to Satan’s charge. If we though; develop a righteous standing before God, according to our personal ability and knowledge, we can then be like Job, proving Satan a liar and in turn “making Jehovah’s heart rejoice”.

There is always a danger when adopting a righteous course. Satan tried to use Job’s helping others and trying hard to do what’s right as a weapon against him, using his companions to question him, casting doubt.

Others too have become “righteous overmuch”. Jesus said they strain out the Gnat but gulp down the camel. Ecclesiastes 7: 16. And it seems the J.W.s have done something similar.

Simply put; Jehovah wants you to be safe, and happy. Work out for yourself “what’s right, and stick to it.”

Are you allowing God to mould you? Isaiah 64;8, "We are the clay, You are the potter".

For example; what will be your attitude to your mate? Will you endeavour to look at their good qualities or focus on negative points? Will you work together as a team, or demand to be in control? Will you decide to look for the good in others, or notice their differences? Or what will be your attitude towards work or a person in need? Even a strangers? How will you react to things that happen to you or around you? Do you react first, think later? These are personal reactions, choices and decisions you will need to make. Many you will make without realising it, so re-assessing occasionally is useful.

It can, and will take time, the effort is worth it. Doing these things and developing a righteous attitude, you will be proving Satan a liar and showing who's side of the issue you want to stand.

The Holy Bible encourages us to put on the "new personality". It means your way of life, not a set of rules. Your heart and your head.

With one very real benefit Proverbs 15:29, “Jehovah is far away from the wicked ones, but the prayer of the righteous one he hears.”

Being righteous does not mean you will not make mistakes, sometimes big ones can happen, and bad things can happen. But a righteous person develops the attitudes as found at Proverbs 24:16, if we "fall" we will dust ourselves off, learn and keep going. Hebrews 10:39.

All our effort is noticed and will be rewarded. And we all receive the added benefit of contributing to the solution, not the problem. In the process, bringing honour and dignity and respect for self and each other. In addition to Glory and Praise to our God and the entire Kingdom arrangement.

And You will hear from God "well done, Good and faithful son or daughter".

Till next time, man in expectation. :)

The mash-up! "You must love Jehovah your God, with your whole Heart, Mind, Soul and Strength and keep His Commandments. If you do, you will be wise enough to bypass any trial with ease, and have an indefinitely lasting name with The Living One. Those who fail to take these things to heart, will suffer shame and fall short in a large way, all that is his, will be destroyed and cease to exist.

You who love Him, however, will flourish with joy, under the tent cloths of Jehovah, always." Ecc 12:13, Mark 12:30 and Ps 37:18-20.