The key to a successful life is seeing things the way that God sees them and then following his way. Why is it important to see as God sees? There are two reasons. First, the “whole world lieth in the power of the evil one” (I John 5:19). Christ tells us this evil one, Satan, “does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks out of his own character, for he is a liar and the father of lies” (John 8:44). He is “the deceiver of the whole world” (Revelation 12:9).

Secondly, man’s heart is “deceitful above all things, and desperately sick” (Jeremiah 17:9). Our sin nature has blinded us to the truth, and we cannot know it apart from the grace of God. Paul characterized deceived individuals walking “in the futility of their minds…darkened in their understanding, alienated from the life of God because of the ignorance in them, due to the hardness of their heart” (Ephesians 4:17-18).

Reflect on the tragic condition that afflicts men without Christ. The world itself is dark and full of falsehood because of the evil one. Man’s own heart provides no relief for the blindness caused by his own sin. Mankind apart from Christ is blind and walks in darkness. Yet he thinks he sees. This is the tragedy of sin. Man thinks that he sees, but he is spiritually blind! Solomon testified to the futility of man’s own thinking when he observed, “There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way to death” (Proverbs 14:12).

Men need light to guide their steps and point the way. The Psalmist prayed “Send out your light and your truth; let them lead me; let them bring me to your holy hill and to your dwelling” (Psalm 43:3). Christ gives light! He said “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life” (John 8:12).

It is through the word of Christ that we have light. The Psalmist wrote “Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path. The unfolding of your word gives light” (Psalm 119:105,130). It is through his word that we learn of our sin. The world will tell us there is no such thing as sin and that we are fine, but Jesus’ words teach us that we are thoroughly sinful, wretched in the eyes of a holy God, and needing salvation (Romans 6:23). Our darkened understanding will tell us that hell is not real or that a loving God would not send anyone there if it were real. But Christ teaches that hell is a real place “prepared for the devil and his angels” (Matthew 25:41) and warns of its inevitability for those who reject him (John 3:36). Finally, the world will tell us there are many ways to heaven, but Jesus declares “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me” (John 14:6; emphasis added).

Yes, true success in life comes from seeing things the way God sees them and submitting to his view. This requires that, as the Psalmist did, we “consider all your [God’s] precepts to be right” (Psalm 119:128). In the words of Solomon, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths” (Proverbs 3:5-6). Do you value God’s view above your own?

We are familiar with the character Job in the Bible. God permitted Satan to persecute Job with the loss of family, possessions, and health in order to move Job to sin against God. Yet Job would not charge God with wrong doing. Even so, God used this trial to teach Job to rest in his care and trust the wisdom of his purposes even when our understanding fails.

There a quite a few spiritual lessons to learn from the record of Job. One that is especially encouraging to me is that of God’s unfailing oversight, orchestration, and execution of all the events in our lives consistent with his unalterable purpose. In one of Job’s dialogues with his friend Eliphaz, Job makes this observation. “Behold, I go forward, but he [God] is not there; and backward, but I cannot perceive him: on the left hand, where he doth work, but I cannot behold him: he hideth himself on the right hand, that I cannot see him: But he knoweth the way that I take: when he hath tried me, I shall come forth as gold” (Job 23:8-10). Job declared that he could not discern the working of God in the midst of his suffering. He acknowledged God’s activity, but maintained he could not perceive, behold, or see him. In fact, as far as Job could tell God was not there.

Note, however, Job’s true testimony of faith. Though human senses could not confirm the presence and performance of God, Job testified to three significant spiritual realities. First, God was intimately aware of the circumstances prevailing upon Job. He asserted “he knoweth the way that I take.” For the child of God there is no difficulty, hardship, or suffering in this life that our heavenly Father does not completely know.

The Psalmist found such knowledge a cause of rejoicing. He testified “I will be glad and rejoice in thy mercy: for thou hast considered my trouble: thou hast known my soul in adversities” (Psalm 31:7). God is aware both of the difficulty (“considered my trouble”), and its impact on my being (“hast known my soul”).

The second spiritual reality is that God controls the circumstances and features of the adversity (e.g., duration, extent, etc.). Job was unequivocal about the source of his suffering as he declared “when he [God] hath tried me.” It was Satan who took the lives of his children, provoked thieves to steal all of his possessions, and afflict him with a painful disease. But all of this was done under God’s permission. He set the boundaries.

The third spiritual reality is the suffering was purposeful. Job understood that God would refine his faith, and he would come forth “as gold.” This marvel of Job’s life is true for every child of God. Suffering is dispensed in meticulous specificity from the loving hand of our heavenly Father with infinite wisdom to accomplish his purpose. God uses such things to make the image of his dear Son increasingly manifest in our lives unto his glory and ultimately ours. Paul reminded the Corinthians “For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory: while we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things that are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal” (2 Corinthians 4:17-18).

Early in the week of Jesus’ crucifixion, the gospel writer Luke records an incident that merits our attention today. “And he [Jesus] went into the temple, and began to cast out them that sold therein, and them that bought; saying unto them, It is written, My house is the house of prayer; but ye have made it a den of thieves” (Luke 19:45-46).

Those who sold are those that marketed approved sacrificial animals as well as currencies to those visiting Jerusalem for use in worship. In particular all males were required to come to Jerusalem three times a year to sacrifice. At the occasion of this event it was the Feast of Passover. There would be many Jews from outside of Jerusalem in the city to worship. It would have been difficult to travel large distances with sacrificial animals, so they were marketed in the city. Furthermore, the foreign currencies used to purchase the animals first had to be exchanged for acceptable temple currencies. These vendors charged unduly high prices for the animals and exorbitant exchange rates for the currencies. In essence they turned the temple into a commercial enterprise.

Our Lord not only addressed those that sold but also those that bought. They were just as guilty in profaning the Lord’s house by seeking and accommodating these merchants in the temple precincts instead of making these purchases elsewhere.

There was no kindness in our Lord’s words for these ungodly merchants. Mark tells us in his account of this event that Jesus “overthrew the tables of the moneychangers, and the seats of them that sold doves; and would not suffer [allow] that any man should carry any vessel through the temple” (Mark 11:15-16).

How many churches and “preachers” have turned the Lord’s house into a commercial scheme in order to enrich themselves at the expense of naïve and simple souls? These have tainted the minds of genuine worshipers to look with skepticism at any form of organized religion. The Apostle Paul obviously had to deal with this as well throughout his church-planting travels. In one instance comparing himself to these false messengers, he reminded the Thessalonian believers “for our exhortation was not of deceit, nor of uncleanness, nor in guile…neither at any time used we flattering words, as ye know, nor a cloke of covetousness” (1 Thessalonians 2:3-5). The word “guile” comes from a Greek word that means “bait” and using “flattering words” means to deliberately work to lull into a false sense of security.

Is it any wonder that so many in our society have grown wary toward the true gospel messenger? And Satan would have it just this way. Sometimes people seeking to justify themselves use these phony con artists to say that all religion is alike. How dangerous to make such an extrapolation! We are all accountable for what we hear and to color all gospel ministries with the same brush is indeed risky. How then can we know what is true? Isaiah had to deal with false prophets even in his day. His answer still applies today. “To the law and to the testimony: if they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them” (Isaiah 8:20).

The Psalmist had this testimony pertaining to God. “He that is our God is the God of salvation; and unto GOD the Lord belong the issues from death” (Psalm 68:20). In this brief statement he addresses a singular distinction about God compared to the false gods of the world. He testifies that our God is the God of salvation. The world has its gods, and they are many. But none of them can save. They are deaf and dumb, unresponsive to prayer, and unable to deliver. They have no power for they are no gods. Only our God can save and deliver from death.

Believer, have you ever considered the great privilege and blessing it is to know the one and only God, the living God. Our God created all things. “Thou are worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honor and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created” (Revelation 4:11). By his great power, all things consist (Colossians 1:17) and he upholds all things by the word of his power (Hebrews 1:3). God is the Creator and Sustainer of this universe, our planet, and all those that live on it. Our God alone can make this claim.

Not only is our God the God of creation, but he is also the only God who can deliver from death. Death is the inevitable result of sin. The prophet Ezekiel testified of both God’s ownership of mankind and mankind’s accountability to him as Creator. “Behold, all souls are mine; as the soul of the father, so also the soul of the son is mine: the soul that sinneth, it shall die” (Ezekiel 18:4). The apostle Paul affirms “the wages of sin is death” (Romans 3:21) holding forth death as the just compensation for our sin. But our God delivers from death. No other god can make this claim. And so he declares “Look unto me, and be ye saved, all the ends of the earth: for I am God, and there is none else” (Isaiah 45:22).

Our God became flesh and suffered death for us “that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil; and deliver them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage” (Hebrews 2:14). With his shed blood he paid sin’s penalty, death, that we might not see death, but have eternal life. This is the very promise of our Savior, Jesus Christ. Speaking to one of his disciples, Jesus said “I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live: and whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die” (John 11:25-26).

Believer, “this God is our God for ever and ever: He will be our guide even unto death” (Psalm 48:14). He is our God not just until we die, but beyond death, even for ever and ever! Death for the believer just brings us into the eternal presence of our God “for we are confident…and willing to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord” (2 Corinthians 5:8).

Friend, do you know this God? There is only one God as John instructs, “and this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent” (John 17:3). “He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life” (I John 5:12).

As Jesus was nearing Jerusalem prior to the week of his crucifixion, our Lord spoke a parable “because they [his disciples] thought that the kingdom of God should immediately appear” (Luke 19:11). The disciples eagerly anticipated that Jesus, their Messiah, would deliver them from Rome and establish his kingdom. They did not figure on Jesus being crucified though he had told them on more than one occasion. He indicated he would leave and return at a time appointed of the Father having received the kingdom. It was to this point, his departure and return, that he spoke a parable.

“He [Jesus] said therefore, A certain nobleman went into a far country to receive for himself a kingdom, and to return. And he called his ten servants, and delivered them ten pounds, and said unto them, Occupy till I come….And it came to pass, that when he was returned, having received the kingdom, then he commanded these servants to be called unto him, to whom he had given the money, that he might know how much every man had gained by trading.

“Then came the first, saying, Lord, thy pound hath gained ten pounds. And he said unto him, Well, thou good servant: because thou hast been faithful in a very little, have thou authority over ten cities. And the second came, saying, Lord, thy pound hath gained five pounds. And he said likewise to him, Be thou over five cities.

“And another came, saying, Lord, behold, here is thy pound, which I have kept laid up in a napkin: for I feared thee, because thou art an austere man…And he saith unto him…wherefore then gavest not thou my money into the bank, that at my coming I might have required mine own with usury? And he said unto them that stood by, Take from him the pound, and give it to him that hath ten pounds” (Luke 19:12-24).

There are a number of things that we should take to heart from this parable. First, there is an expectation of children of the kingdom to fruitful service. Our Lord endows to each one talents and abilities, as well as opportunities, and he expects us to use each and all of them for his glory while we wait for his return.

Second, there will be an honest and factual accounting of how each one has “profited” with that which was given to him. We should also note in this context that this reckoning is done on an individual basis. Each of the servants “came” before their Lord to testify of their labors. And, furthermore, as we saw in this parable, it will not be a time for offering excuses, just a plain setting forth of what was accomplished.

Third, note importantly that there will be reward or loss as each one stands before their Lord and gives account of their service. John seems to have had this in mind when he wrote to his audience “Look to yourselves, that we lose not those things which we have wrought, but that we receive a full reward” (2 John 8).

Perhaps, the most significant teaching in this parable is that Christ is indeed coming back! Child of God, are you ready for his return?

God sent the prophet Samuel to the house of Jesse to anoint Saul’s replacement when he determined to remove Saul from his kingship over Israel. At the time Samuel did not know who the new king would be. When Samuel saw Eliab, Jesse’s son, he said “Surely the LORD’s anointed is before him” (I Samuel 16:6). Evidently, Eliab had a very impressive appearance, and Samuel was convinced that he was God’s choice. However, God saw things differently.

“But the LORD said unto Samuel, Look not on his countenance, or on the height of his stature: because I have refused him: for the LORD seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the LORD looketh on the heart” (I Samuel 16:7). Did you catch that? God’s viewpoint is different than man’s viewpoint. The LORD “seeth not as man seeth.” Man sees the outside, but God knows the heart. That is what matters to God and what should matter to us!

Man categorizes people along lines that he can see and openly discern. He separates people, for example, by skin color (yellow, black, white, etc.), ethnicity (Italian, Spanish, Jewish, etc.), gender (male, female) and other visible features (hair color, height, etc.). God is certainly mindful of these distinctions. After all, he created each of them and gave to every individual his or her own unique characteristics. But what matters to God is the heart.

The Psalmist asked this question, “LORD, who shall abide in thy tabernacle? Who shall dwell in thy holy hill?” (Psalm 15:1). In other words, who will abide with God in his presence? We might even put it this way since God dwells in heaven. Who will dwell in heaven with God? The LORD’s answer is in keeping with what he told Samuel. “He that walketh uprightly, and worketh righteousness, and speaketh the truth in his heart” (Psalm 15:2).

Solomon wrote “Eat thou not the bread of him that hath an evil eye, neither desire thou his dainty meats: for as he thinketh in his heart, so is he” (Proverbs 23:6-7). Solomon through the inspiration of the Holy Spirit recognized that a man’s heart determines his behavior. Consequently, to walk uprightly and to work righteousness begins in the heart. Jesus himself taught “A good man out of the good treasure of the heart bringeth forth good things: and an evil man out of the evil treasure bringeth forth evil things” (Matthew 12:35).

The Psalmist adds “He that speaketh the truth in his heart.” To speak the truth in one’s heart is to agree with God concerning Jesus Chris, his Son. Jesus declared “I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me” (John 14:6). One cannot deny Christ as Savior and Lord and still speak the truth in his heart. John wrote “Whosoever denieth the Son, the same hath not the Father: but he that acknowledgeth the Son hath the Father also” (I John 2:23).

God does not see as man sees. He looks on the heart. “He that hath the Son hath life: and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life” (I John 5:12). Christ is the dividing line in God’s eyes, not skin color, ethnicity, or gender. Do you speak the truth in your heart?

Have you ever tried to contemplate what can be known of God? An acquaintance of Job, Elihu, while rebuking him made this statement about God: “Touching the Almighty, we cannot find him out” (Job 37:23). His point was that God is far beyond our limited human comprehension and no amount of searching on our part can bring an understanding of him within our grasp.

The Apostle Paul went even further by testifying that it was God’s arrangement that man might not find God out through man’s own wisdom, but rather by the preaching of the cross. He wrote to the church in Corinth, “For after that in the wisdom of God the world by wisdom knew not God, it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe” (I Corinthians 1:21). Simply stated, man cannot find out God by his own wisdom, but he can know him through simple faith.

The approach to God through faith is accessible to all men by God’s design. Paul declared it is both “to the wise and to the unwise” (Romans 1:14). Man cannot find him out otherwise. “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the LORD. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts” (Isaiah 55:8-9). Yet this God who inhabits eternity has chosen to make himself known through his Son to those who will receive him. “No man hath seen God at any time; the only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him” (John 1:18).

Mankind can look as long and as hard as he can for God, but he will not find him and know him unless he looks to the Son. Jesus told Philip, one of his disciples, “he that hath seen me hath seen the Father” (John 14:9). (He has revealed him!) John wrote to his audience “Whosoever denieth the Son, the same hath not the Father: but he that acknowledgeth the Son hath the Father also” (I John 2:23). Jesus rebuked the Pharisees, “Ye neither know me, nor my Father: if ye had known me, ye should have known my Father also” (John 8:19).

The Scriptures reveal plainly that the path to knowing God is through Jesus Christ. Christ declared unequivocally “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No man cometh unto the Father but by me” (John 14:6). Yes, God the Father is beyond our comprehension and beyond our reach, but we can know him through his Son, Jesus.

Perhaps, what is just as remarkable as the opportunity to know God through Christ is that God the Father wants to be known by us! “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved” (John 3:16-17). “And this is life eternal that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent” (John 17:3).

God, who is beyond our comprehension, has made a way for us to know him and that way is Jesus Christ. To know Christ is to know God. Have you received the Savior?

Many think that Jesus died as some kind of martyr. Others think that he was the unfortunate victim of a miscarriage of justice. But we can be assured from the Scriptures that Christ was no martyr though he did die purposefully. Nor was his death merely the result of injustice on the part of the Jews or the Romans though they were indeed guilty of such.

Jesus’ death was no surprise to him but was actually his very reason for coming to earth. Speaking of himself, he said, “For even the Son of man [Christ] came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many” (Mark 10:45; emphasis added). As he told Nicodemus, a religious leader of the Jews, “God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved” (John 3:17).

The world needed a Savior. Every man, woman, and child stands condemned for their sins before a holy God and the penalty for sin is eternal death. The Scriptures teach “There is none righteous, no, not one…for all have sinned and come short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:10, 23). “The wages of sin is death” (Romans 6:23) and Jesus bore this death in our place for each and every one of us. This is the ransom of which he spoke. He paid the price for our sins.

Jesus was mindful of the necessity of his death as part of God’s plan of salvation. As the time approached he told his disciples expressly of his impending demise. “Behold, we go up to Jerusalem, and all things that are written by the prophets concerning the Son of man shall be accomplished. For he shall be delivered unto the Gentiles, and shall be mocked, and spitefully entreated, and spitted upon: and they shall scourge him, and put him to death: and the third day he shall rise again” (Luke 18:31-33). All of this came to pass just as he told them. What is just as remarkable is that he didn’t draw back from what God had planned. He endured it all for us!

Yes, Jesus Christ paid the debt for our sins on the cross of Calvary, was buried in a tomb, and rose again the third day. Let that last phrase resonate in your mind. He rose again. Jesus did not die for his own sin, but for ours. That being so, God raised him from the dead “who was delivered for our offenses, and was raised again for our justification” (Romans 4:25). Justification means that God declares those righteous who believe on Jesus as their Savior. Christ died for our sins that we might have his righteousness. “For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him” (2 Corinthians 5:17).

The gospel is really quite simple. Christ died for our sins that we might not have to die for them ourselves. Why do we sinners struggle to believe that? If our Lord could speak with prophetic authority about his death, burial, and resurrection, then why do we not listen when he speaks of the consequences of unbelief and the promise of eternal life? “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved” (Acts 16:31).