January 31 - Job 40:6-42:17

Year Through the Bible

Good morning everyone,

Well here we are, the final chapters of Job. Yesterday we read a series of startling questions God put to Job. Today as we begin in chapter 40, the first phase being ended, God’s speech continues. Verse 7 God says to Job, “Brace yourself like a man; I will question you, and you shall answer me.”

 You know what, that sounds pretty scary and exciting at the same time, at least to me anyway. But one day my friends, each and every one of us will stand before and be questioned by the Lord God Almighty. In 2 Corinthians and in Romans we are told, “So then every one of us shall give account of himself to God.” Did you get that? Every one of us! He will ask “Child, why did you do this? Why did you not do that?” And we will have to answer. What you do today, is what you will answer to God for when you meet Him face to face. This is important stuff so I am going to repeat that; What you do today is what you will answer to God for when you meet him face to face. Every move you make, every breath you take, God is watching you. (sounds like it should be a song) Seriously though, I think about that every time God says to me, “Honey, please go ask that person over there if they know about my love for them, tell them about my truth.” Honestly that is W A Y out of my comfort zone, so too many times I have cringed as I pretend I didn’t hear that request, like that is even possible, knowing I will be asked about it some day. To my credit, lately, no matter how uncomfortable it may cause me to be, I do make it a point to say, “Yes Lord and I just go for it,” because  I don’t know about you but I totally want to hear Him say to me, “Well done, good and faithful servant” when it is my turn to answer questions from God.

As Christians, our responsibility to God is to obey Him, to trust Him, and to submit to His will, whether we understand it or not. When we do, we will feel God’s strength and courage. We will know, without a doubt, God is right there in the midst of what ever season we are living. 

In chapter 42 Job says to God, “I know that you can do all things; no purpose of yours can be thwarted. You asked, ‘Who is this that obscures my plans without knowledge?’ Surely I spoke of things I did not understand, things too wonderful for me to know. “You said, ‘Listen now, and I will speak; I will question you, and you shall answer me.’ My ears had heard of you but now my eyes have seen you. Therefore I despise myself and repent in dust and ashes.” After which, Job’s life was restored. The Lord blessed the latter part of Job’s life more than the former part. Beautiful! Right?

I would encourage you and remind myself, to not keep God in a box. Let your eyes see what your ears have heard, let your mind try to wrap around how big, how great, how mighty our God is.  Amen?

Have a great day and to God be the glory.

God bless you all…

January 30 - Job 38:1-40:5

Good morning everyone,

Awesome reading today!! I absolutely love, love, love it when God is actually doing the speaking. It resounds with power, it makes me feel so special and I just sit up and pay special attention and say, “Yes sir.” :-) You know? Don’t get me wrong, all of God’s inspired Word is super special, but when God himself takes time to speak directly to us; to you and to me, well I am so blessed by it. There use to be an ad on television (and I will be dating myself) that said, “When E. F. Hutton talks, people listen.” May I suggest that when God speaks, that is exactly what we should do; Listen up! 

We’re told that God rolls in with a storm, that out of a whirlwind He spoke. Now keep in mind, there is still a crowd of people hanging around to see how this exchange of dialog will end. Also, there is still Eliphaz, Bildad, Zophar and Job who are now done talking just sitting there, pondering along with Elihu who has most likely taken his seat again in the crowd, as he too is finished talking.  Now, we’re not told that everyone heard God addressing Job, but we’re not told they didn’t either. So imagine, if you will, standing there, everybody’s done talking and you’re wondering what will happen next. You’re looking at that storm that is getting closer and closer. Perhaps you’re thinking, “it’s all over now, I should go home, the wife probably has dinner ready.” When what appears to be out of nowhere, God’s voice booms, you can feel it reverberating through your body it is so powerful, He says, “Who is it that questions my wisdom with such ignorant words?” Oh my word! How long would it take you to throw Job under the bus? Right? Be honest here. I’m talking immediately, trembling, “It was Job, he’s right there!” Okay I’m a coward :-/

Well God asks Job a series of huge questions. “Where were you when I laid the earth’s foundation?” “Who marked off its dimensions?” “Have you ever given orders to the morning, or shown the dawn its place, that it might take the earth by the edges and shake the wicked out of it?” Imagine yourself taking the earth by its edges, like you would a throw rug and shaking the wicked out of it. What?! 

“Have you entered the storehouses of the snow or seen the storehouses of the hail, which I reserve for times of trouble, for days of war and battle?” Remember when God helped Joshua fight his battle? We’re told, “The Lord hurled large hailstones down on them, and more of them died from the hail than were killed by the swords of the Israelites.” Awesome!

So many  great questions God puts to Job. One I really liked today was, “Where does light come from, and where does darkness go?” It begs the question, “Where, indeed, does the dark go when you turn on the light?” Hmmm ….

Question after question, rhetorical of course, but then God said, “Will the one who contends with the Almighty correct him? Let him who accuses God answer him!” Job answered the Lord: “I am unworthy—how can I reply to you? I will cover my mouth with my hand.  I have said too much already, I have nothing more to say.” God’s Word totally humbled Job. I love that. Oh that I could be more humble more of the time.

I asked myself, what can we take from this Scripture today? Well I see that Job had been sitting there, in his pain and suffering, questioning God. Wondering why is he going through all of this, longing for God to answer him. However, when God comes, He doesn’t come “to answer” Job but more to the point God as “The answer.” He is the peace that transcends all understanding. His mere presence, His power, His love immediately calmed Job. 

We are not unlike Job. We too have a tendency to ask God, “Why?” to experiences we will never get an answer to, this side of heaven. But if we allow Him, God himself, will be our Answer. Make sense? God created it all, and it is all perfect, we need to know that. If we would just trust in God, live His plan, our lives, even with heartache, will know and feel an unbelievable peace and love not to be matched in this life time. So, “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” This peace is so blissful, it’s euphoric, let go friends, and let God. Amen?

Have a great day ad to God be the glory.

God bless you all …..

January 29 - Job 35:1-37:24

Good morning everyone,

Today, in our reading, Elihu continues to express his opinion about the awesome power of God. Once again I encourage you to use your mind’s eye to see this scene. Job is in miserable condition. He has lost an unhealthy amount of weight, he is probably just a skeleton of a man, he has also lost most of his hair. His entire body is covered with these totally gross, oozing sores which he is scraping with a broken piece of pottery while he sits, probably criss-cross applesauce, on a heap of ashes. His three “friends” are sitting there with him in their fine clothing, satisfied with the “encouragement?” and  “advise” they have bestowed upon him. Meanwhile, this entire exchange of dialog has, in all probability, drawn an audience. People, passers by, curious of what’s going. 

Elihu, you’ll remember, was there in the crowd from the beginning and witnessed all that had been said back and forth, by Job and Eliphaz, Bildad and Zophar, holding his tongue until they had finished. Now Elihu, in his conclusion, alludes to the rain, the clouds and the thunder. Keep in mind, God is just about ready to speak, and so there was probably a real storm a brewing off in the distance. The sky was darkening, the wind was beginning to pick up bringing with an air of excitement, of anticipation while swirling the sand about in tiny dust devils that dance in and out of the crowd. Can you see all this? Elihu points to this storm, he draws attention to it as he stresses God’s sovereignty over all nature, reminding us God is in control. Amazing picture, very cool!

Elihu says, “How great is God—beyond our understanding!” Indeed! How great is our God! Each and every day, as Christians we read our Bibles, anxious to know more and more about our Abba who loves us. Longing to be closer to our strength, our protector, our friend. And while we can certainly have some, and a growing, knowledge of Him and have an eternal relationship with Him, we can never know all God knows, or even come close to answering all life’s questions. He is much too big. That’s one aspect I really love, no matter how many times you read the Bible, how well you think you know it, if you will allow God, he will show you something new each time. Reveal new truths as you grow in Him, depend on Him.

Friends, our God is so amazing! Lean on Him. Ask him to strengthen you through all that He has you experiencing this season and every season in your life. We need those experiences, don’t pray them away. Instead, fall to you knees and look to the sky and pray He will make your back stronger to carry the load He has allotted you. Isaiah 41:10 promises us, “fear not, for I am with you;  be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.” God wants to be your strength. Surrender to Him in your weakness and let Him show Himself strong. Remember if God brings you to it, He will bring you through it! Amen?

Have a great day and to God be the glory.

God bless you all …..

January 28 - Job 32:1-34:37

Good morning everyone, 

Today as we continue through Job, I would encourage you to use your mind’s eye to get a vision for what this scene looks like. Job and his friends have all been sitting in a fairly public place and their dialog, which undoubtedly included the raising of voices in emphasis was impossible to not notice. Curious bystanders have stopped, perhaps propping themselves up on a wall or copping a squat on a nearby rock to listen in. 

Now, Eliphaz, Bildad and Zophar are done speaking, they have nothing more to say. Job himself is sitting there in silence at this point, however, amongst the crowd sat Elihu, who was just about ready to burst for want to speak. Elihu was a younger lad, apparently unknown to the others as he listed his bloodline to be the son of Barakel the Buzite, of the family of Ram, making him a descendant of Abraham. Elihu is pretty annoyed with what he has heard. Four times he talks about his wrath being kindled however to his credit, he was most respectful in allowing the “older” gentlemen to finish what they had to say before he jumped right in.

Elihu introduces a new point of view, stating that Job’s suffering would not go away until he  realized his present sin.  He maintained that Job wasn’t suffering because of sin rather he was sinning because of his suffering. Make sense? He pointed out that Job’s attitude had become arrogant as he tried to defend his innocence and that suffering is not meant to punish us as much as it is meant to correct and restore us. 

At the end of chapter 33 Elihu says to Job, “If you have anything to say, answer me; speak up, for I want to vindicate you. But if not, then listen to me; be silent, and I will teach you wisdom.” Hmmm, I say. Since Job did not speak up when Elihu offered him the opportunity, this young whipper snapper continued on. The primary point of his speech in chapter 34 is to defend God’s righteousness against Job’s complaint. Elihu especially emphasizes the fact that God does not show partiality in judgment. He seems to fear that Job would or perhaps had already rejected God’s discipline of suffering. If so, Job would face God’s final punishment of death, an end Elihu hoped could be avoided. 

You know, aside from his arrogance and a little bit of false witness, Elihu spoke well. It for sure was a learning experience for the boy. Agreed? I think what we can take from this is, pain has a purpose and none of us are immune. Every hero in the Bible suffered at one point, and who suffered more than Jesus? If Jesus suffered, which he did voluntarily, God surely suffered, as well. But, again, that is the process of redemption. The question is; How will you cope with it? Will you turn away from God in anger or will you allow the experience to draw you closer to our God, our Abba?

Psalm 73:28 says, “But for me it is good to be near God; I have made the Lord GOD my refuge, that I may tell of all your works.” Friends, keep God close, make Him your hearts desire. Believe in His unfailing love and His perfect, though sometimes painful, plan. “But blessed is the one who trusts in the Lord, whose confidence is in him. They will be like a tree planted by the water that sends out its roots by the stream. It does not fear when heat comes; its leaves are always green. It has no worries in a year of drought and never fails to bear fruit.” Amen?

Have a great day and to God be the glory.

God bless you all …..

January 27 - Job 30:1-31:40

Good morning everyone,

Today in our reading we come to the final two chapters of Job’s speech before he speaks with God. He is weary and confused. A man who was once wealthy and respected by all is now being taunted by even the young folks. In 30:9-15 we read that they mock him with vulgar songs. They provoke him, and they spit in his face. They spit in his face!! Who gets to do that? It makes me so angry to read those words. Why do some people feel like they are so much better than others? It is incredibly pathetic and sad when one person has to bring another down in an effort to make themselves look better, bigger or stronger. The bully does not realize that their youth, strength and perceived power are shore lived, one day all too soon, they too will be old and weak and one day they, like everyone else, will bow a knee to God and they will “have some splainin’ to do Lucy”. At any rate, Job is humiliated, beyond exhaustion, you can just feel how done with it all he is. In chapter 31 Job basically gives his closing argument, wagering his future standing pleading, “If I have done certain things then I ought to be punished greatly.”  Job won’t speak again until he is met by the Lord.

Job had declared that he did not try to hide his sin, as people often do. The fear that our sins, whether today’s or those of our youth, will be discovered leads us to be deceptive. To skirt around the truth or down right lie so that we will appear good to others. President Lincoln once said, “You can fool all the people some of the time, and some of the people all the time, but you cannot fool all the people all the time.”  The Bible tells us, God can never, as in not ever, be fooled either. God sees your heart.

1 Samuel 16:7 says, “But the LORD said to Samuel, "Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. The LORD does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart.” and 

Luke 16:15 tells us, “He said to them, "You are the ones who justify yourselves in the eyes of others, but God knows your hearts. What people value highly is detestable in God's sight.”

Since it is our hearts God is examining, it begs the question; Shouldn’t we be more concerned with our souls than anything else? Of course we should! If we would give as much care to our hearts as we do our hair, teeth, makeup; if we would give as much time to our God as we do sports, TV, our screens, I dare say that we would be much more like Christ! We prepare our bodies and our surroundings to make the best possible impression upon those who see us, but are we forgetting to prepare our hearts for the One who sees and knows our every thought? When as Christians we become more interested in our bodies, toys and teams than in our souls, well, priorities have been misplaced.

I live in a state where right now, and even for most of last year, every other car and house is flying the number 12 flag big and proud. Where, cars are painted and fences are etched with the Seahawks logo. Where, seriously 9 out of every 10 people are wearing blue and green from painted fingernails, to colored hair, to stenciled on faces, even tattooed on their bodies, and all of them wearing Seahawks clothing. I have heard them shouting with joy to one another down the streets of their neighborhood with every score, crazy with jubilance over a win. Now, don’t get me wrong, while I am not an avid football fan, it is fun to see the home town team do so well, to go all the way, but . . . but what I long for, what I would really love to see is a day when we as Christians would rally up and share the joy of the Lord that is in our hearts and have it look as exuberant as that. You know what I mean? “John 3:16” and the fans go WILD!!! I know I am not alone out there. A day when it is “Praise God!” banners flying from the rooftops, and the entire state wearing “Jesus is King” jerseys and t-shirts. A day when His name is freely and joyfully shouted from our hearts to any and all who can hear and then echoed back by another. That makes sense … right? 

Where is you're heart today? If you are masking any sin, replacing God with any sort of idol, I would encourage you to cry out, “Change my heart, O God. Make it ever true. Change my heart, O God. Let me be like You.” He will honor that and release the chains that bind you. He loves you, every minute of every day, unconditionally. Amen?

Have a very good day and to God be the glory.

God bless you all …

January 26 - Job 26:1-29:25

Good morning everyone,

This morning as we begin reading, Job is once more shaking his head with a rebuttal to Bildad, telling him he’s got it all wrong. Job maintains he has not compromised his integrity and with the longest speech in this book of Job, six chapters, Job will share a few more of his thoughts.

I love in chapter 28:12-28 where Job speaks to wisdom and understanding. He queries, “But where can wisdom be found? Where does understanding dwell? No mortal comprehends its worth; it cannot be found in the land of the living. The deep says, “It is not in me”; the sea says, “It is not with me.” It cannot be bought with the finest gold, nor can its price be weighed out in silver.” Then he goes on to say, “God understands the way to it and he alone knows where it dwells ….. The fear of the Lord—that is wisdom, and to shun evil is understanding.”

The word “fear” can mean many different things. It can refer to the terror one feels in a frightening situation, it can mean respect, in the way a servant fears his master and serves him faithfully. Fear can also look like the admiration or awe a person feels in the presence of greatness. Probably for most, the fear of the Lord is a combination of all of these but having said that, I truly believe the fear of the Lord is loving God so much you just want to please Him. It is a fear of hurting Him or making Him sad when our behavior is less than Christlike. Make sense?

It begs the question; Do you fear the Lord? Do you humbly trust God? Do you lay your life before Him and say, “Not my will Abba but Yours be done.”? Some of you may think you do, you even say the words but what you really mean is, “Your will can be done Lord as long as it follows my plan.” But I suggest to you, a better life, a peace that surpasses all understanding awaits those who will surrender their will to God. Who will take the time to know God, who will have a relationship with Him, who will get quiet and listen to His still quiet voice.

1 Kings 19, “Then a great and powerful wind tore the mountains apart and shattered the rocks before the Lord, but the Lord was not in the wind. After the wind there was an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake. After the earthquake came a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire. And after the fire came a gentle whisper.” 

Friends, listen for the whisper. You want to hear the whisper, it’s amazing . . . it is beyond amazing! It is like a whiff of of heaven or at least what I believe heaven will be like. It leaves you hungry, starving, searching for more it leaves you fearing the Lord. But don’t take my word for it. Draw close to Jesus and experience it for yourself, and know, really, really know, how great is our God. Amen?

Have a great day and to God be the glory.

God bless you all …..

January 25 - Job 22:1-25:6

Good morning everyone,

Today we begin our reading with Eliphaz giving his third and final speech to Job. While he says nothing new in this speech, he does get more specific. He can not accept Job at his word and get past his belief that Job’s suffering is God’s punishment for some secret evil deed Job has committed, suggesting several possible scenarios. 

Job’s response to that is, that if there was sin for which he could repent he would, declaring his confidence in his integrity and God’s justice. However, may I suggest to you that, as mere humans, we are always likely to have sin in our lives; sin we can not control because of thought, sin we don’t even know about because God’s bar is set so high and our performance level so imperfect. Make sense? But as Christians and sincere believers in God’s truth, all of our sins are forgiven. Not because of anything we can do. Oh no! God knew we could’t pay the price so He sent His one and only son to dwell among us, teach us, and ultimately die for us.

Jesus obediently paid the price, which by the way was death, for our sins. He was humiliated then tortured and then hung on a cross to die so that we can live. Jesus, secured with nails through his hands and feet to a wooden cross, spoke to the Father and said, “Tetelestai, meaning "It is finished”. A word of triumph, a cry of victory, He had completed what He had come to do. Offering …. friends, did you get that?, He offered, He was not forced to, but He offered himself fully to God as a sacrifice on behalf of humanity. I believe Him, Christ Jesus, to be the noblest person who ever walked the face of this earth. I bow down to Him. I get tears in my eyes when I think about all He gave for me, all He went through for you. Thank you Jesus!

And then Luke 23:46, “speaking in a loud voice, Jesus said, "Father, into your hands I commit my spirit.” These last words of Jesus from the cross show his absolute trust in God. It was an announcement, not a request, He was headed home. When darkness consumes our lives, it takes faith even to talk to God, even if it is to complain to him, Job knew that.

We all know that life can get really hard and/or hurtful but it is so important to stay in communication with God. Let Him be your strength. Hmmm, here is a little “inside Pam’s private world”  I’ll share with you today. When I was growing up I went to a parochial school for a few years and of course it was mandatory we memorize Scripture. To this day when the Lord has me traveling, for a season, through a dark valley. A time when doubt and fear try to creep in and I can feel the enemy shoving me around as he whispers lies in my head, there are many verses from God’s holy Word that I draw on for strength. I also like to go to my hymnal and pray some of my favorite old hymns. I do love the new music in church but there is nothing like the heartfelt experience that was written down and put to music so many years ago. They are so rich, so poignant, I love them. I also love to The Apostles Creed. I feel grounded when I read it. Like a small child standing next to their strong, protective father who is ready and willing to see me through all life’s challenges. I know most of you already know it, but for those of you who don’t, this is The Apostles Creed:

I believe in God, the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth.

And in Jesus Christ, His only Son, our Lord, who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the virgin Mary. 

He suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died and was buried. He descended into hell. 

On the third day He rose again from the dead. He ascended into heaven and sits at the right hand of God the Father Almighty. 

From thence He will come to judge the living and the dead. 

I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy Christian Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting.  Amen

It doesn’t matter what you say to God when you are frightened, angry, confused, sad or anything else. It just matters that you do talk to Him. Call on Him. He waits to hear from you. Amen?

Have a great day and to God be the glory.

God bless you all …..

January 24 - Job 19:1-21:34

Good morning everyone,

In the Scripture this morning we read, Job 19:25 that said, “I know that my redeemer lives, and that in the end he will stand on the earth.” I stopped for a moment and thought about that. A “redeemer”, according to Webster, is someone who makes something bad or unpleasant better or acceptable. Someone who can set free or purchase back something that has been lost. In all of Job’s pain and suffering he does not say, “I wish I had a redeemer.” Nor does he say, “It would be awesome if someone could be my redeemer.” No! He says, “I KNOW that my redeemer lives.” He Knows! I love that.

As Job’s troubles increased, as his burden got heavier and heavier we see the refining fire revealing to him, until it is abundantly clear, who God really is. His Redeemer. You see, he couldn’t buy any help. He could not work to improve his situation. He could only let go and let God. Oh sure, he did a lot of complaining and whining but He knew which way to turn and who would see Him through.

I find that most people I know, are the very same way. That is to say, God’s not their first “go to”.  I don’t care what the problem is, typically the first response is to handle it ourselves. We want it taken care of and quickly because we have a football game to watch or a lawn to mow or a job to go to or something else we feel is equally as important and we’re confident we can handle it much faster or more efficiently than God. How laughable! Right? We forget about our redeemer, that He lives and how great and mighty is He.  So God will send us challenges, trials and difficulties that will strip us down, bring us so low that the only place we have to look is up. He loves us that much.

I am going to end with the lyrics of an old hymn written by Samuel Medley that has been playing over and over in my head since I first read the word “redeemer” this morning. It is so beautiful, I love it, it is one of my faves. I hope you like the reminder of it too.

I Know That My Redeemer Lives 

I know that my Redeemer lives! What comfort this sweet sentence gives!

He lives, he lives, who once was dead; He lives, my ever living head!

He lives triumphant from the grave; He lives eternally to save;

He lives exalted, throned above; He lives to rule his Church in love.

He lives to grant me rich supply; He lives to guide me with his eye;

He lives to comfort me when faint; He lives to hear my soul’s complaint.

He lives to silence all my fears; He lives to wipe away my tears;

He lives to calm my troubled heart; He lives all blessings to impart.

He lives to bless me with his love; He lives to plead for me above;

He lives my hungry soul to feed; He lives to help in time of need.

He lives, my kind, wise, heavenly friend; He lives and loves me to the end;

He lives, and while he lives, I’ll sing; He lives, my Prophet, Priest, and King!

He lives and grants me daily breath; He lives, and I shall conquer death;

He lives my mansion to prepare; He lives to bring me safely there.

He lives, all glory to his name! He lives, my savior, still the same;

What joy this blest assurance gives: I know that my Redeemer lives!

Friends, He is our Prophet, Priest, and King! Our Redeemer! And He lives! 

Then all God’s people said . . . Amen!

Have a great day and to God be the glory.

God bless you all.

January 23 - Job 15:1-18:21

Good morning everyone,

Psalm 23 

The Lord is my shepherd;

I shall not want.

He makes me to lie down in green pastures;

He leads me beside the still waters.

He restores my soul;

He leads me in the paths of righteousness

For His name’s sake.

Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,

I will fear no evil;

For You are with me;

Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.

You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies;

You anoint my head with oil;

My cup runs over.

Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me

All the days of my life;

And I will dwell in the house of the Lord

Forever.

As we continue our story in Job, he is experiencing some pretty dark times, for sure. His friends have lost their patience with him and his situation; compassion is nonexistent. That hurts my heart. With the first round of accusations concluded, Eliphaz, Bildad,  and Zophar will all, in turn, go round two, pressing their arguments further. This time more rude, more intense and more threatening . . . but they say nothing new.

There is an old saying that goes, “You can’t really understand another person’s experience until you’ve walked a mile in their shoes.” Job’s friends had no idea what he was going through, but that didn’t stop them from giving their “expert” opinions, heaping more hurt on him adding to what he already had. Lesson 1: Unless you have first hand experience with what a person is suffering, do not give expert advise. Make sense?

Ephesians 4:32 says. “Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.” 1 Peter 3 says, “Finally, all of you be of one mind, having compassion for one another; love as brothers, be tenderhearted, be courteous.”

Job’s friends were unkind, hostile even, in their attempt to get him to “buck up.” Lesson 2: Have a little mercy, sympathy and pity for that person who is going through a rough time. Love them!! When Jesus was asked what the greatest commandment was, He said, “To love God with all our heart, mind and strength.” But He added that the second commandment “is like it: Love your neighbor as yourself. Friends, we need to remember that, always, with all people. Right?

In chapter 17 Job is down for the count. His despair is reaching an all time low “but God,” ( you all know that is one of my favorite phrases … yeah?) but God is right there with him in his valley of darkness, where our loving Father’s goodness and mercy will follow him all the days of his life. 

Friends, keep your eyes on the prize because, our hope in in the Lord, and someday . . . someday, we too will dwell in the house of the Lord forever. Come, Lord Jesus, come! Amen?

Have a great day and to our Abba, our Father in heaven, be all glory honor and praise.

God bless you all …

January 22 - Job 12:1- 14:22

Good morning everyone,

This morning we begin with Job’s reply to all the observations, counseling and advise his three friends have given him. Again, I urge you to remember the condition Job is in. Let your mind’s eye wander for just a moment and see this man first as a healthy, vibrant, wealthy husband and father. He is a rancher, and a good one, with regular routines of praying and presenting sacrifices to his God. He loves gathering with his family over meals, laughing it up, kind of like the Ben Cartwright of the Old Testament. (Umm, that just dated me ..) Life was great for Job. 

And then …. Now, see this same man, broken. He has lost his family, all his worldly possessions, instead of long hair his head is shaved, instead of tanned healthy, he has sores all over his body, painful open wounds in fact, oozing with puss. His bowels are boiling, he has diarrhea, his skin is black, his breath is so foul it is said to be like death, he is depressed, desperate and more than a little bewildered by all that is happening to him. This man is miserable!

Job has been sitting there, with his entire body throbbing, feeling like it is going to burn out or blow up, listening to his friends give their take on why he is going through this valley in his life. Anybody who has ever been that miserably ill knows that the last thing in the world you want is someone’s accusing words pounding against your head, right?, besides they are not telling him anything he has not already thought of. So finally Job has heard enough and gets a bit snippety with them and says, “I have a mind as well as you; I am not inferior to you. Who does not know all these things?” Job also recognizes that he, a once well respected man in the area, has become a laughing stock, people were pointing their fingers at him because of his misfortune. 

So Job, while sitting on the heaps of ash, reaches his breaking point, the proverbial last straw has been placed in the camel’s back. He looks up, and in the greatest form of sarcasm rips into his friends. Is this godly behavior? Absolutely not, but it serves to show us how utterly confused and disorientated with life Job really is. He says to them, (and say this with attitude) “ I’m sure you think you are the only wise people left. You think that when you die, wisdom will be gone with you.”

I loved Job’s reminder to them in 12:13-25 of the true wisdom and power are found in God. “If he holds back the waters, there is drought; if he lets them loose, they devastate the land. To him belong strength and insight; both deceived and deceiver are his. He leads rulers away stripped and makes fools of judges.” And so on …

In chapter 13:20 that Job breaks from speaking to his friends and turns to speak to God. The solid Rock, though he can no longer feel God, it the one place that has always been a constant, the one place he knows to turn. He asks two things; first, that his suffering will stop. He is feeling abandoned and lonely I am sure he totally misses being with God, don’t you when you are away from His word? Second, that God would show him his sins if he’s committed any. He feels adrift, like a boat with no port in a storm. You see, even in Job’s despair he knows that God will be his salvation. When all else failed, Job relied on his basic foundation of truth of God’s Word.

If you are feeling distant from God, I would encourage you to dig deeper into His Word and then pray. Ask God to reveal to you if there be any sin in your heart, creating a divider between Him and yourself. He will honor that. God loves you, He loves us all with a love that is unconditional. He will never leave you or forsake you. He is the same yesterday, today and tomorrow. Amen?

Have a great day and to God be the glory.

God bless you all …

January 21 - Job 8:1-11:20

Good morning everyone,

Well, as we continue, Job has just prayed to God basically asking Him, “If I have sinned, what do you want from me? What’s going on here?” He was respectful and sincere as he approached the Lord. I can see it all, Job took a moment to to just be quiet. To perhaps pray silently and … boom! Bildad just could not keep quiet anymore. Basically he calls Job a windbag and proceeds to tell him that it isn’t only his sin that is the problem but his children’s sin as well and that Job continues to sin by denying he is in sin. 

While I feel Bildad could have shown a bit more compassion for his friend, however, I really liked the analogy he made in 8:11-13 “Can papyrus grow tall where there is no marsh? Can reeds thrive without water? While still growing and uncut, they wither more quickly than grass. Such is the destiny of all who forget God; so perishes the hope of the godless.” We all need God’s word to keep us going, the daily nourishment, encouragement, water to help us grow. You know as well as I do what a struggle it can be out in the world, how it can drain us of all our strength. I saw this passage and immediately thought of Jesus telling the woman at the well “Everyone who drinks of this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks of the water that I give him will never be thirsty again. The water that I  will give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life.” Eternal life! Oh, such a great promise.

Zophar, was the last to speak, probably making him the youngest and as young people can be a little more “matter-of-fact-ish”, if you know what I mean. Again, these three guys obviously loved Job, they traveled a great distance to be with him so however crass or “cowboy up” their words sounded, I am confident their hearts were in the right place.

While reading these chapters where Job is having dialog with Eliphaz, Bildad and Zophar it is important for us to remember that it was not God who inflicted any of this mayhem on Job. It was Satan, but God believed in Job. God knew Job to be the man He claimed him to be and because Job never once cursed God, he was able to silence the voice of the enemy.

We too have the ability to silence the voice of the enemy when we choose to be righteous, when we choose God. You see, Job didn't have the opportunity, like we do, to read the book of Job. He wasn’t privy to how the enemy can work in us and on us. How he messes with our minds polluting them, twisting the truth until we just throw up our hands and say “Why!?” Job didn’t get a heads up on what can come our way, the chance to be aware and prepare, he was a pioneer, he didn’t know the rewards he would receive for being faithful to his God, our God. We, on the other hand, have the Bible and resource after resource to help us know God’s voice and prepare for attacks from the enemy. They allow us the ability to see what can be lurking around the corner ready to pounce on us. 

In Ephesians 6:10-18 we are encouraged with, “Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.”

Friends, we will all be tested, put through the fire it is not a matter of “if” but rather “when.” The question is; “How will we handle it?” Let me tell you. You’ll pick up your shield of faith and believe in God’s bigger plan. Right?  Job sits in heaven today not thinking “Why did I have to go through all that?” No, no, no, he sits there, probably front row center, now able to see the big picture, praising the God who loves him. The God that saw him through. That’s where I want to be! And that’s where I hope to see you too. Amen?

Just as a side note, this has nothing to do with anything, but it was so hard for me, while writing today, to not say something to the effect of “Zo phar (so far) we have been reading” …. (you know that’s kind of funny) :-) Just thought I’d share.

Have a great day you guys and to God our father be all glory, honor and praise!

God bless you all …..

January 20 - Job 5:1-7:21

Good morning everyone,

Oh buddy, as we begin this morning Job is a hurtin’ unit. Let us not even take into consideration all of the tragedy he has suffered in the loss of his family, his children, the mourning process he would be going through and just take a look at his health issues. His body is swollen, he has weeping lesions and boils all from head to toe. Without a doubt, he is in considerable physical pain. He is distraught and emotionally distressed, the man is suffering severely on so many levels, is it any wonder he is experiencing depression over it. It hurts my heart to read it. Just sayn'

In chapter 2 we read that three of Job’s friends, Eliphaz, Bildad and Zophar had heard of his misfortune and to their credit they traveled a great distance simply to be with him, to quietly sit with him, their mere presence comforting him. If only they had just remained quiet.

Eliphaz must have been the most prominent of the three friends as he was the first to speak. He claimed to be given a secret knowledge through a special revelation from God, claiming too that he had learned much in personal experience. He argued that suffering is a direct result of sin, so that if Job would but confess his sin it would all end. Eliphaz saw suffering as a punishment from God and just to set the record straight friends ….. don’t let this get past you, God does not punish us for anything. Please hear that! God does NOT punish us for anything. He is not in the punishing business, however, He does in fact allow us to experience pain and suffering as a way of growing us and sharpening us to make us better people, to equip us to serve Him better for His kingdom.If you know nothing else, you need to know God loves us and wants only what is best for us. 

In chapter six Job addresses Eliphaz’s advice calling it tasteless. In his grief, Job expresses his desire to just be done with it all, believing he did not have the strength to go on. He takes a look at how he has been living and tells Eliphaz he is innocent of what he is charging him with. Oh! My! Word!  Take a moment in your mind’s eye to see his face, to feel his desperation, his world is upside down. Job was experiencing such deep anguish and in his agony he cries out to God. He stopped the tit-for-tat with Eliphaz and talked directly to his Abba. He spoke freely about his feelings. There was no blaspheme going on, oh no, Job, in his suffering he was just desperately laying it all out there for God. Talking to the only one who could actually help but most importantly, the one constant in his life he could look to who would simply love him through this most miserable season of his life. 

I have just got to say, I know and have lived that “beyond desperate” season Job is going through and it is just that desperate and quite frankly the thought of ever having to experience it again scares the bejesus out of me. Nonetheless, I am a living testimony that even if you get lost in that time, God is right there by your side and He will put you on His back and get you through, if need be. Seriously, you’ve seen the picture on the poster of single footprints in the sand. Right? God carrying the hurting individual? He is there and will carry you through the worst season of your life! That’s our God. It may not feel like it, you may not feel Him, you most probably will feel all alone while frantically like a scared rabbit, blindly darting this way then the other through the treacherous alleys of an endless, terrifying, black orifice of hopelessness and despair. Totally disoriented not knowing which way to turn when all the while all you simply need to do is look up, quiet yourself, then hold on to the hand of our Savior and believe He sill see you through. Right on?

Psalm 84:1-7 says, “How lovely is your dwelling place, Lord Almighty! My soul yearns, even faints, for the courts of the Lord my heart and my flesh cry out for the living God. Even the sparrow has found a home, and the swallow a nest for herself, where she may have her young - a place near your altar, Lord Almighty, my King and my God. Blessed are those who dwell in your house; they are ever praising you. Blessed are those whose strength is in you.” Blessed are those whose strength in in the Lord! Amen?

Have a great day ad to God be the glory.

God bless you all …..

January 19 - Job 1:1-4:21

Good morning everyone,

Today we come to the book of Job. Now, the Old Testament is divided into 5 parts; the Pentateuch, History, Poetry or Writings, Major Prophets, and Minor Prophets, we will find Job in the third part with poetry. You’re saying what? Poetry? It’s true. The book of Job is the oldest book in the Bible being penned somewhere around 2000 BC, quite possibly making it one of, if not THE, oldest book ever. The author, though unknown, is believed to be an Israelite since the covenant name Yahweh is used for God. 

Job doesn’t seem to be a member of God’s chosen family line but he was a very godly man. He spent time with God, he knew God and totally believed in God’s plan for his life, which is grossly understated. Job had faith in God’s decisions, the ways of God and that ultimately everything was God’s, gifted to us and able to be taken back at will. He knew right from wrong and showed deep concern for the spiritual welfare of his children, spending a lot of time burning sacrifices to God on behalf of his children whom he feared may curse God at their family gatherings. Parents, one of the greatest gifts we can give our children is time on our knees in prayer for them. Sacrificing a portion of each day to ask God to guide them and protect them as they grow. 

So Job, a very wealthy man with outstanding morals, in the course of an afternoon lost his herds, his flocks, his possessions and all his children. Think for a moment, how devastating that would be. Seriously. One messenger after another is running up to you with reports of mass loss and what does Job do? He tore his robe, shaved his head, then he fell to the ground in worship. Amazing! 

Then, we’re told, on another day, Job lost his health as well. Indeed a bummer. His wife said to him, “Are you still maintaining your integrity? Curse God and die!” Job replied, “You are talking like a foolish woman. Shall we accept good from God, and not trouble?”

Often people will say “Why do bad things happen to good people?” Recently I heard a reply to that, that quite honestly I plan to use a lot, it was, “That’s easy, there are no good people. Romans 3:10 tells us ‘There is no one righteous, not one.’ So the better question would be, why do good things happen to us, we are all sinners?” The answer of course is Jesus. When He died His blood covered our sins. We will see that though Job was indeed a righteous man, in the end he was a sinner just like you and me. He will repent before the Lord and all his riches will be restored.

One more thing I do want to point out is that Satan, though God tossed him from heaven, still has to, along with all the angels living in heaven, make an account to God of what he has been up to, and …. this is a VERY big “AND”, he does not get to do anything to us unless he has God’s permission.  1Corinthians 10:13 tells us “We will not be tempted beyond what we can bear.” Why? Because it is all in God’s control. God made us, He loves us and He knows us so well, so very, very well, so more than we could ever fathom. So while He will allow us to be tempted to strengthen us, to give us confidence ourselves and in Christ Jesus, He will also gives us the power to succeed. Make sense? 

Like Job, we too must trust God when we face hard times, bad days, cranky people, financial difficulties, health issues, you name it;  staying strong in our faith even when someone may say to you, like Job’s wife said to him, “are you still trying to maintain your integrity? Curse God and die.”  Now in all fairness, maybe she was just wishing him to die to put him out of his misery, I don’t know, but given the fact that Job would make regular sacrifices to God for his kids I am thinking that maybe her faith was not as strong as Jobs. What I do know is God loves me, He loves you very much, and like I’ve said before, He’s got a plan, and His plan is perfect. Amen?

Have a really good day and to God be the glory.

God bless you all …..