In the last post we discussed Job’s friends and their judgmental opinions and lack of compassion. Job was a righteous man, but as with the rest of us, God needed to do some work in him. He had one calamity after another and it is no wonder he had some complaints and it is not surprising he would be angry. Considering all of this, he kept his cool to the most part when he was encountered with his friends. But he did defend himself and he did have issues with his friends, with this world and with God. Sometimes when we get a little off track, God may bring someone into our life to lead us back and set us straight, and hopefully we listen. Enter Elihu. We are not sure where Elihu came from, but he stood back and listened to the debate between Job and his three friends, and when they were finished, he spoke up. Again, I urge you to read through Job to get the context and the whole story.
Continue reading “Job’s Complaint and Elihu’s Response”Category: Character of God
Job and His “Friends”
Many know the story of Job, how Satan inflicted great pain and suffering on Him to try to show God that He only praised Him for His blessings. It was a test. This is a hard read, and I am sure I will not do it justice, but I will try.
As with all of us, He didn’t pass all of the test, but He kept his integrity and faith, even through his doubt and questioning. Job lost his children, his house, his wealth, his friends and family more or less abandoned him, even his wife told him to curse God and die. He was inflicted with disease, pain, and great suffering, but in the end, He stayed strong in his faith in God and eventually repented of his pride. But he had some so-called friends that came to him to explain why he was suffering based on their own experience and short-sighted knowledge. From the end of chapter 1 through chapter 31, the author writes of the debate between Job and his friends, Eliphaz, Bildad, and Zophar, as well as Job’s complaints against God. You should read through this on your own, but I will give some of the highlights. In another post I will write about God’s reply and the encounter between God and Job, and God and Job’s 3 friends. Between these events, another person comes into the scene, Elihu, and reveals some flaws in the arguments of both Job and his friends. So this younger man, after listening and respecting his elders, gave his opinion which contradicted the other men, explaining the character of God and the shortcomings of their argument. God does not rebuke Elihu as He does his 3 , but reminds everyone who He is and His power and righteousness, and sets them straight.
Continue reading “Job and His “Friends””With God All Things are Possible
Jesus had a few encounters with rich people. In this example, He puts the rich man to the test to reveal where his priorities lie. Our priority should be with God and His will, not our own. Is it a sin to be rich? I don’t think that is what Jesus is saying. But what we do with them may be. Who or what do you put your trust in? It is hard to let go. It is hard to live for Christ. But with God, all things are possible. No matter what we have done, no matter who we think we are, we can be saved because of what Christ has done. God can use us to do great things. There is nothing God can’t do and there is nobody He can’t save.
Continue reading “With God All Things are Possible”We Are All Prodigals
Most of us know the story of the Prodigal Son. I think there were two parts to the story, Jesus had two lessons in mind. First, God loves us all like sons and daughters. And, no matter what we have done in life, He still loves us and wants us to come back to Him. As it says in 2 Peter 3:9, He is “not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.” Second, we should not be jealous of others and we need to be humble and not self-righteous, because we all fall short. As Paul says in Romans 3:23, “for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.”
Continue reading “We Are All Prodigals”Worship with Psalms
As you spend time with God and as you worship Him, it is good to look through the Psalms and remember what a great God He is. Take time each day to pray and read some of these (maybe even out loud) to give God praise as your act of worship. As we discussed in the previous post, this is not the only way to worship God. Also as we discussed, worship is more than singing in church. It is your daily devotion to Him. Let us start each day with an attitude of worship to the God who loves us beyond measure and has given us so much to be thankful for.
Continue reading “Worship with Psalms”
My Daily Scriptures 