A BIG QUESTION
Suggested Reading: Job 14-15
Click scripture link to read online or HERE to listen online (then click the symbol of the audio speaker above the scripture portion).
As you enter the Church of the Holy Sepulcher you can climb a set of stone stairs on the right. This stairway, according to the Orthodox tradition, leads to Calvary (Golgotha), regarded as the site of Jesus' crucifixion. It is the most lavishly decorated part of the church. The main altar belongs to the Greek Orthodox, which contains The Rock of Calvary (12th Station of the Cross). The rock can be seen under glass on both sides of the altar, and beneath the altar there is a hole believed to be the place where the Cross was raised.
GOOGLE MAPS – To see where the photo was taken, click HERE.
Key Verses: Job 14:14a
If a man dies, shall he live again?
The answer to that question is “YES!” Job was a man of great faith. Although he did not understand all that was happening to him and had a lot of questions for God about his troubles, his overall trust in God never wavered.
Job did not have the advantage of a completed Bible as we have. He did not know the Words of Jesus promising eternal life to all who believe in Him (John 3:16) or the assurance Jesus gave to Martha, as recorded in John 11:25-44. But Job did know that God is a just God. He knew that someday he would stand before God. Praise God that the truth of which Job had a partial revelation is now revealed in completeness by Jesus!
PRAYER FOR TODAY:
Lord God, I have questions about the timing of the resurrection which You promised. I have questions about my time here on earth. However, You have chosen to ask me to simply trust You for my future. I pray for grace and patience as my daily portion. In Jesus’ Name, Amen!!!
100 PERSONAL WORDS:
In past blogs I’ve used pictures of what is known as “The Garden Tomb.” God willing, in our trip this November, we will visit both the Garden Tomb and the great church building (pictured above), which is believed by many to cover the places of Jesus’ crucifixion, burial and resurrection. I am not dogmatic about the exact place where these events took place, but I am dogmatic that they did take place!!! Throughout the years, I’ve stood beside many graves, watched as the body was lowered into the ground, and quoted the Words of Jesus to Martha about the resurrection to come.
There’s a story in my new book about Win Johnson’s funeral. This was my very first time conducting a funeral, and it was a life-changer for me. I invite everyone to read it in “This Far By Faith.” Here’s how to get your copy and order copies for others.
Yours for complete confidence in the “YES” answer to Job’s question,
David
Just inside the entrance of the Church of the Holy Sepulchre is The Stone of Anointing, also known as The Stone of Unction, which tradition claims to be the spot where Jesus' body was prepared for burial by Joseph of Arimathea. However, this tradition is only attested since the Crusader Era, and the present stone was only added in the 1810 reconstruction.
Job struggles with life and death, as so many do. Even so, it is inspiring to read how intimately he prays to God, knowing his footsteps, days and months are all but counted here on earth. Our days are fleeting and it can be easy to be caught up with the “busyness” of life and neglect what truly matters. Such matters as taking time to carefully listen to a loved one and pray at the beginning and end of each day. Reading scripture and this blog have been a wonderful beginning to the start of the day! The photographs continue to amaze! May our Lords peace, help and blessings be upon each of you this day!
Your daily devotions are like no other. They are very informative, interesting and spiritual food. Thank you for your sharing your wisdom, knowledge and your special gems tucked in your expressions of affections for those who have left a mark on your life. God bless you David Mainse and I pray He will supply all your need in Christ Jesus the Lord.
Amen, David. Thank you Lord for each new day. You are still in our prayers for health and strength. Have a good day of worship and prayers, everyone.
Good morning fellow saints, and thank you once again Pastor David for your faithfulness in rising so early to prepare for us our blog. God bless you.
We are so blessed to have the scriptures and to be able to read them each day, pray and apply what The Lord is speaking to us about that day.
God already knows our hearts and desires and it is okay to ask our questions, knowing He hears and will answer according to His will.
It is inspiring to read Job knowing what he went through and came through makes me feel my trials cannot compare.
May you all be blessed as you worship inThe House of The Lord today.
Job is my favorite book because Job was faithful to God God restored all he had lost and multiplied it and He was very wealthy in his health his livestock his farms his family and He gave Job double for his trouble just like God doesfor all his children for He is no respecter of person He loves all his children equal .thank you David for your faithfulness to writing Gods word every morning and God will give you double for your trouble too we love you so much and God holds us all in the palm of His hand and has everything in control and oh how He loves us we praise you father for giving David a long life on this earth and we thank you for your soon return in Jesus name Amen
David, Thank you for your consistent Blogs and for your explanations
of scriptures that are sometimes difficult to understand.
I especially appreciate the Reynold’s fine photography. I have been
to the Holy Land and have seen many of the places he photographs
and it brings it all back to me.
I pray for your continued strength and dedication in preparing these Blogs.
Oh Thankyou for your faith David!!!!!!
“As water wears away stones and as torrents wash away the soil, so you destroy a person’s hope” Job 14:19. After contemplating Job over these past days I have to wonder where God wants us to place our hope. It seems that it is not in our posessions, our attributes, our talents, our status, our children, our circumstances, our body, our strength, our works, or our mind. Perhaps these lead only to Idolatry, it seems our only hope is not in this fallen world, and fallen people, but in Christ alone. This is easy to say but far more difficult to accept. However there is no Option “B”. Eventually all that we have worked for, saved for in a wordly sense will be dust, the only things of eternal value will remain and those are the things we have done in love of the Lord, but even these can’t save us. Oh Lord, where can I put my hope but in you alone.
Thank You David you are in my prayers
Lianne Hogg
Dear David: I love your blog. Looking forward to receiving your book. I know from being with you and Norma-Jean how great you are at story telling. Sorry I missed you at church today. Keep up your wonderful blog. We learn something new in every lesson. God bless you my friend. Love and prayers, Billy & Mina
I don’t know how Job went through that. To be so miserable with boils and the loss of everything is way too much. What a witness to us though and to his second family – to see the rewards that came to him after. Praying for you David and for Heike. May you be strengthened and blessed today.
how good it is to know, that our hope is in Jesus and our live is in Him…and that He has opened the door to eternity where we will be with Him forever…Thank you Jesus!!! you did it all!!!
I think that blog-buddy David (first comment above) really hit the nail on the head for us today. God wants us all to be positiveBut mor influencers in the lives of others, including relatives, friends and those whom we may meet from day to day. But more than this, we need to enter into the lives of others, to not miss out on life … live, love, laugh, weep, don’t miss the opportunity to ‘feel’ the reality of fleeting time and count as precious each special moment that we have with others in this our brief time here on earth. Job put God first in his life, he was wise, much wiser than his so-called comforters. Likewise, we too would do well in accepting Jesus as Lord in our lives, and all of life will take on a new hue of importance as we see life from an eternal perspective rather than simply living for the moment. Job has much to teach us about wisdom, pain, submission and life. I pray that we might all come into a knowledge and love of God and His ways, even though we might not fully understand it all this side of heaven. Trust and obey … it’s really all about the walk of faith, living in Jesus from moment to moment. God bless my friends.
I so enjoy your daily blog and photos as well as your sharing family photos. A true inspiration of all your blessings. Thank you so very much and I pray for your complete healing and many more blessings.
Jesus said that not even the Son knows when the Son of Man returns. Only the Father knows the hour and the day. However, He said, we can know the time is close when we see things happening that he described will happen near the end. Things from the book of Daniel and the book of Revelations and other epistles in the New Testament, like the beast (more spirit than flesh)/the vile one(?) being the eighth king, also will show the times. That vile one seems to be here. After the abomination that causes desolation is placed in the Holy place, the resurrection will be very near as you probably know: great troubles and then the resurrection. Those who are watching for the master to return will be trying to do what he said we should be doing.