Proverbs 10:25 - When the Going Gets Tough

Proverbs 10:25

When the whirlwind passes, the wicked is no more,
But the righteous has an everlasting foundation.

Message: When the Going Gets Tough

Time: Proverbs records multiple individuals as its author with Solomon as the principal author. Solomon died in 931 BC though most think the book was likely in its final form sometime before the end of Hezekiah’s reign in 686 BC. It is a book that instructs people on the path of wisdom. It speaks to all of life and living our lives under the authority and direction of God. 

What the Lord is Saying: NASB - When the whirlwind passes; NLT - when the storms of life come.  

This is the idea that when the going gets tough, hopefully the tough get going, meaning they step up to work through the challenge. Or they have enough of a solid foundation to handle the difficult situation. As has been done through many verses of this chapter, the comparison is between the wicked and the righteous. 

This reminds me that the comparisons that occur here are based upon how a person is wired - are they wicked or righteous. Thus, the proverb shares often the result and so is encouraging a framework. To which we look at again at what makes a person wicked versus what makes a person righteous. 

And here the righteous person is one with a sure foundation. Their foundation is living their life according to standards. 

I spend time daily in the Word, reading the Bible, gleaning from it, learning from it. I memorize scripture. I am encouraged by those of similar faith I am with. I listen to positive music. All of these inputs into my life are hopefully helping my outputs. Right now, for instance, I feel like I am going through a tough period of my life. My mood is different. It is a little down. I am staring at life and maybe feel a detour taking place or not handling things like I have in the past. And so right now, "the going gets tough." And how I am responding? At times, it feels like I am kicking and screaming. But I need to rest more on my foundation. 

And that foundation is good counsel. And might result in having difficult conversations with people in my life. That's what I am thinking about right, making sure I am having conversations with the people that matter most in my life. 

I don't need to look like I respond like a wicked person. I need to show that I am responding based upon my good training. 

Prayer: O God, life is hard. It continues this way. I know it is harder it feels like for so many others, and yet I have my mood challenges. Help me rest in the foundations I have - in Christ, with a great wife, great friends and good inputs into my life You make happen. And yet those foundations don't always mean all works out smoothly. Things may still be hard and tough. God I can trust you through those moments. Help me to persevere and endure. I give you praise. In Jesus name I can pray. Amen. 

Note: If you are interested in other studies/devotions, check out my index of Bible Study's.

Judges 1 - Trouble In Canaan

Judges 1

And it came about when Israel became strong, that they put the Canaanites to forced labor, but they did not drive them out completely (verse 28). 

Message: Trouble in Canaan

Time: Judges covers about 250 years from death of Joshua to birth of Samuel (1360-1110 BC). The people of Israel largely divided with different local triable judges. It was a period of stirring interventions by the Lord and also great disobedience on the part of the Israelites. Without a king, everyone did right in their own eyes (Judges 21:25). 

What the Lord is Saying: After Joshua has died, the question comes up in verse 1 of Judges about who will now fight the Canaanites and in verse 2 it is mentioned Judah (a fulfillment of prophecy from Genesis 49:8-12; about 400 years prior). It seems they are still going to the areas that are allotted them.  Verse 4 - "The Lord gave the Canaanites and the Perizzites into their hands and they defeated ten thousand men at Bezek." 

Verse 8 mention how the sons of Judah then fought against Jerusalem, capturing it and then setting it on fire. And Judah continued to fight against other Canaanites in other cities. Caleb then offers up his daughter as wife to the one who attacks Kiriath-sepher (verse 12). Caleb's younger brother, Othniel, is that one. The daughter received a gift of the upper and lower springs of the Negev at her request. 

Other cities are captured, like those living in Zephath (v 17), Gaza, Ashkelon, Ekron (v. 18). The Jebusites did not leave Jerusalem and stayed with the sons of Benjamin (v.21). 

In Bethel, family requests to be treated kindly and they are allowed to go free. Manasseh lived alongside people in Beth-shean as those people did not leave (v. 27-28), nor Ephraim in Gezer (v. 29), Zebulun in Kitron and Nahaloi (v. 30) or Asher in Acco or Sidon (v. 31-32) or Naphtali in Beth-shemesh (v.33) and sons of Dan with Amorites in the hill country, though they became forced labor (v. 34-36). 

And that's the chapter. So a 2nd leader is provided in Judah. Jerusalem is seized. And many other lands as well, some with their captors remaining and some being killed. Perhaps it seems kind that people did not die, but another way to look at this is probably the antithesis of what we will continue to see in this chapter and that is the people in these lands were supposed to be driven out. And they were not. perhaps because the people became frightened and let the people remain. They did not trust the words and promises given in Joshua earlier that people would be driven out if there were obstacles. But instead, they gave into the obstacles. 

Summary: Judah takes over now after the death of Joshua and lands continue to be inhabited. The goal was taking over these lands but often people remained as Israel let obstacles stay rather than trusting in God for their conquest. 

Promise: Outward success occurs, but often at the expense of spiritual failure. Our success comes only from the Lord. 

Prayer: O God, let my world be defined by You and only You. You give me the power and strength, but I must trust in You. Show me each day the ways in which I need to trust in You and not give in to the things around me. I pray for your power in my life. 

 

Note: If you are interested in other studies/devotions, check out my index of Bible Study's.

John 6:16-21 - Walking on the Sea of Galilee

John 6:16-21

16 Now when evening came, His disciples went down to the sea, 17 and after getting into a boat, they started to cross the sea to Capernaum. And it had already become dark, and Jesus had not yet come to them. 18 And the sea began to be stirred up because a strong wind was blowing. 19 When therefore they had rowed about three or four miles, they [beheld] Jesus walking on the sea and drawing near to the boat; and they were frightened. 20 But He said to them, "It is I; do not be afraid." 21 They were willing therefore to receive Him into the boat; and immediately the boat was at the land to which they were going. 

Message: Walking on the Sea of Galilee

Time: John most likely wrote between A.D. 85 and 90. John's purpose in writing was, "that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing you may have life in His name (John 20:31)."

What the Lord is Saying: So in the previous verse Jesus had retired to the mountain after the people were thinking that he was their prophet, their long awaited one who will change the tide of everything politically, but Jesus instead retreats, back to where he and the disciples were at, in the mountains. 

But here now, evening comes and the disciples go down to the sea, get into a boat in order to cross the sea. They were in the boat, but Jesus was not yet with them, though it was dark. A strong wind started blowing and headed 3 or 4 miles and then here comes Jesus, walking on the sea and coming to the boat. They are frightened, but He tells them to not be afraid. He got into the boat and then at that point the boat was at land. 

Hmm. Interesting interlude of Jesus walking on water. This event is referenced also in Matthew 14:22-33 and Mark 6:45-52. Interesting at how relatively high level is this version in John. There is definitely more detail in Matthew and Mark. Matthew mentions Peter and getting out to attempt to walk as well. Mark mentions more of the disciples response, being terrified at what had occurred, but John doesn't have either Peter or any mention of disciples feelings of faith. Rather it is a straight forward - they were traveling and Jesus showed up. Now John does mention disciples being frightened and so the story mirrors fairly closely what is in Mark. John also mentions strong winds blowing, maybe to express that despite the strong winds and that possibly having an impact on the disciples, what instead they were impacted by was Jesus walking on the water. 

One thing to notice, maybe the only thing is Jesus telling the disciples to not be afraid. Why? Because it is Him. Did they think that it wasn't Jesus and maybe it was a ghost as Matthew mentions. Jesus confirms it is Him. He confirms what He can do and that is a miracle different from what He has done previously - healing someone or making something out of little, but walking on the water is different, for no one can do this on their own accord. This is the 5th miracle in the Gospel of John. 

Joseph MacLaren comments that "the emblem of the sea as the symbol of trouble, unrest, rebellious power, is very familiar to the writers of the Old Testament." 71 percent of the world is water. I can't swim so water has always bugged me a little from that perspective, but it is also captivating in another way. And yet in our day, our weather or storms spring often from water. Hurricane season has somewhat ended but every year it seems to cause issues. This year it was strong winds off the coast of Maui that impacted fires on that land. And then also hurricane's around Florida that caused a lot of damages. So water effects us and in life, we are often affected by what we can't really control. 

We want to know that there is someone there in our life, to comfort us. Yesterday, I started speaking to an atheist. Well, I replied to the person after it was reassigned to me. I read the previous conversation and at first, saw that because of the pain of religion and what it said, how people acted, she left it. And now is happier doing life without it. And yet there is still the reality that so many believe in it. 

In this parable or lesson or miracle, we have a tension - the storms of the sea and the absence of Jesus. Storms are happening. Where is he? He shows up finally. When, at the end as we hit land. So we go through all of this time of storms without him. But he says, "It is me. Do not fear." He lets us know that He won't always be right by us physically, but that doesn't matter, we don't need to fear, "It is I." And yet it doesn't matter, we will walk through difficult times. The storms will happen. Difficult times will occur. We may not like it and we may try to protect ourselves from those things happening. And in a way, we have. But they will happen. God is there but sometimes he doesn't show up till the very end. In this story, he shows up. When? Right as they are getting to the land. 

And so this parable seems to be the constant tension - Absent Lord. Toiling Church. But He is not absent. He is interceding for us. "The Bible shows us that Jesus speaks to the Father on our behalf. Romans 8:34 says that Jesus “is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us.” In 1 John 2:1 we read that Jesus is our “advocate with the Father,” and from Hebrews 7:25 we learn that Jesus “always lives to intercede” for us." Though we may think He is absent and feel like it at times, He isn't. He is there. 

And yet as we are fighting against the storm, struggling with the toil, the challenges, at times feeling like we can't take any more broken appliances, unhappy supervisors, bodily aches - we might see Jesus and not immediately have the comfort of Him but instead fear. I mean, this is often what people are thinking about trials that come our way, that God is angry with us. We think of Him only because we think we are being punished or have done something wrong. Not to say that sometimes there are consequences, but He maybe simply wants us to behold Him and be comforted to know that He is near. 

Earlier I said Jesus showed up at the end, and yet maybe he didn't show up at the very end, but maybe He showed up and with Him on board, the trek went by fast. When we have God near, and can rest with Him - time doesn't move so slowly. We can trust that everything will work out. 

Summary: The disciples go out onto the sea, get hit by a storm and Jesus shows up, walking on the water saying, "Fear not."

Promise: Amidst trials, He is not silent. He is there. He is interceding for us. 

Prayer: Lord, you amaze me. I started off with this passage, not really thinking there was much to it, but as I studied further and broke it down, I saw a lot of richness in the passage and you have encouraged me with it. You are there. I am not too fear. Even with trails come and they will, you are near. I do not need to fear. The key is to stay close to You and continue to trust that You are there. Help me to do this Lord. Trials are coming, I know. I pray and ask that You will be my trust throughout those trials and I can rest in You. 

Note: If you are interested in other studies/devotions, check out my index of Bible Study's. 

My Utmost for His Highest - May 19th - "Out of the Wreck I Rise"

Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? - Romans 8:35

    God does not keep a man immune from trouble; He says--I will be with him in trouble. (Psalm 91:15)" It does not matter what actual troubles in the most extreme form get hold of a man's life, not one of them can separate him from his relationship to God. We are "More than conquerors in all these things. (Romans 8:37)" Paul is not talking of imaginary things, but of things that are desperately actual; and he says we are super-victors in the midst of them, not by our ingenuity, or by our courage, or by anything other than the fact that not one of them affects our relationship to God in Jesus Christ. Rightly or wrongly, we are where we are, exactly in the condition we are in. I am sorry for the Christian who has not something in his circumstances he wishes was not there.

    "Shall tribulation . . . ?" Tribulation is never a noble thing; but let tribulation be what it may--exhausting, galling, fatiguing, it is not able to separate us from the love of God. Never let cares or tribulations separate you from the fact that God loves you (Matthew 13:22).

    "Shall anguish. . .?"--can God's love hold when everything says that His love is a lie, and that there is no such thing as justice?

    "Shall famine. . .?"--can we not only believe in the love of God but be more than conquerors, even while we are being starved?

    Either Jesus Christ is a deceiver and Paul is deluded, or some extraordinary thing happens to a man who holds on to the love of God when the odds are all against God's character. Logic is silenced in the face of every one of these things. Only one thing can account for it--the love of God in Christ Jesus. "Out of the wreck I rise" every time.

- From Oswald Chambers, "My Utmost for His Highest" - Classic Edition

Highlights and Underlines are courtesy of Mom from her print edition.

My thoughts

Trouble - expect it. But it won't separate us from the love of God. Don't let those cares separate you from the love of God. They will try. God's love. Accept the trouble. Accept His love.  

 

My Utmost for His Highest - May 16th - The Habit of Wealth

Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust. - 2 Peter 1:4

    We are made partakers of the Divine nature through the promises; then we have to "manipulate" the Divine nature in our heaven nature by habits, and the first habit to form is the habit of realizing the provision God has made. "Oh, I can't afford it," we say--one of the worst lies is tucked up in that phrase. It is ungovernably bad taste to talk about money in the natural domain, and so it is spiritually, and yet we talk as if our Heavenly Father had cut us off with a shilling! We think it a sign of real modesty to say at the end of a day--"Oh, well, I have just got through, but it has been a severe tussle." And all the Almighty God is ours in the Lord Jesus! And He will tax the last grain of sand and the remotest star to bless us if we will obey Him. What does it matter if external circumstances are hard? Why should they not be! If we give way to self-pity and indulge in the luxury of misery, we banish God's riches from our own lives and hinder others from entering His provision. No sin is worse than the sin of self-pity, because it obliterates God and puts self-interest upon the throne. It opens our mouths to spit out murmurings and our lives become craving spiritual sponges, there is nothing lovely or generous about them.

    When God is beginning to be satisfied with us He will impoverish everything in the nature of fictitious wealth, until we learn that all our fresh springs are in Him (Psalm 87:7). If the majesty and grace and power of God are not being manifested in us (not to our consciousness), God holds us responsible. "God is able to make all grace abound, (2 Corinthians 9:8)" then learn to lavish the grace of God on others. Be stamped with God's nature, and His blessing will come through you all the time.

- From Oswald Chambers, "My Utmost for His Highest" - Classic Edition

Highlights and Underlines are courtesy of Mom from her print edition.

Mom's Notes

Deanna's birthday

My thoughts

The danger in life is to think that we are going at it alone, like when we say at the end of a day, "I barely made it through the day." Again we act like trials shouldn't happen and yet God promises them. Instead we should approach each day seeking to better understand what God wants to teach us through the circumstances of our life. Guard against self-pity or "woe is me." This is self-absorbed thinking rather than being completely satisfied with Him, no matter the circumstance. Remember grace should be a constant in our life. We experience it and we pass it onto others.  

 

James 1:16-17 - Sovereign Over Good

James 1:16-17
16 Do not be deceived, my beloved brethren. 17 Every good thing given and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shifting shadow.

Message: Sovereign Over Good

Time: James is thought to be the brother of Jesus. He did not follow Jesus while he was on the earth, but became a follower and leader of the church at Jerusalem after Jesus' resurrection. It is written about AD 45-48. It is practical application of living a holy life. Faith produces a real change in a person.

What the Lord is Saying:

I have definitely slowed down this month in doing these devotionals on a daily basis. I think it is partly the subject matter: the sovereignty of God which says that God controls everything in life. While I have studied about man having free will it still remains difficult to see at times how they fit together. My conclusion is that man chooses and God works everything out for His good purpose based upon those choices. Yet there are physical laws that make things fall into place based upon those laws. And at times God has used miracles as well. Thus, to expand on this idea, God is first cause and He works through secondary causes. But, even as a sit here and describe this, it is hard to put it all together.

As I use this study and read these words from Tabletalk it continues to catch me off guard. Today's lesson starts with, "In affirming God's sovereign providence, we are careful to not that He is in full control of all that happens." Those words continue to make me stumble with the idea that there is free will. It says, "directing everything according to His purposes." Thus, is he directing our free will? This is supported from this verse in Ephesians 1:11 - we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to His purpose who works all things after the counsel of His will which I commented on in the previous study. My conclusion was this idea that "he is in full control of all that happens" means he has created man's position, namely the will of man to choose.

This is further clarified by asking the question - Can God do what is evil? Since he is in control of all things, does he then do what is evil which seems to be what people often think of God in statements such as - Why does God allow so much evil to occur in this world? My sense is that question can be further clarified to mean - Why does God allow so much human suffering if He is Love and He is Good? It seems that the world has concluded then that there is no God and also there is no good and evil. Good is only present because we have the contrast between good and evil. If there was no evil, then there would be no good.

I've never really struggled with this issue of good and evil because they must most be present in life. You can't have one without the other. The Bible supports continually the idea that God is good. It also supports that man is a sinner. Sinners are in need of God because sin separates man from God. This is supported by today's passage from James 1 - Every good thing given and every perfect gift is from above. 

Now I am always amazed at how the Bible speaks often to present day issues. James 1:16 starts with Do not be deceived. Deception is the crux of the differences that people hold. Most people fall victim to this deceit, believing to be defined by human will rather than seeing that God designed human will and is the first cause. We read the words of God and sometimes they make sense to us, but when they do not we look to other solutions from man and in so doing, if we believe those words, we then can be deceived.

James 1 provides us warnings about the events that occur in life. He starts with trials and reminds us that those trials can be approached with joy because our faith is often tested in those trials. As we have faith through those trials it produces a good in us and every good thing is from above.

Contrary to the sun and the way it moves throughout the earth produces sunlight at times and shadows at others, thus variation and shifting shadow, the Father of lights has no variation or shifting shadow. John 3:19 records This is the judgment, that the Light has come into the world, and men loved the darkness rather than the Light, for their deeds were evil. Darkness is evil. Men gravitate towards what is dark, our selfishness, our pleasing of self. Therefore, God is not evil and evil is not done by God. But our testing, our trials, our sufferings God can still use for good outcomes.

Promise: God only does what is good. He is the author only of good.

Prayer: Lord, forgive me for thinking that you author evil and that evil comes from you. Thank you for reminding me and showing me that you are only the author of good. Yes, evil exists but it is the outcome of man's free will choices to please self. We are sinners and imperfect and sin results from this as does suffering. Keep reminding me that you are good and only good.


Note: I follow the readings from the Tabletalk Magazine devotional, though I am a little behind and working through 2017 devotionals. 2017 is a study of key biblical doctrines with March being about the sovereign providence of God and looking at how the Bible reveals His control over all things.

James 1:12-18 - The Goodness of God

James 1:12-18
12 Blessed is a man who perseveres under trial; for once he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life which the Lord has promised to those who love Him. 13 Let no one say when he is tempted, “I am being tempted by God”; for God cannot be tempted by evil, and He Himself does not tempt anyone. 14 But each one is tempted when he is carried away and enticed by his own lust. 15 Then when lust has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and when sin is accomplished, it brings forth death. 16 Do not be deceived, my beloved brethren. 17 Every good thing given and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shifting shadow.18 In the exercise of His will He brought us forth by the word of truth, so that we would be a kind of first fruits among His creatures.

Message: The Goodness of God

Time: James is thought to be the brother of Jesus. He did not follow Jesus while he was on the earth, but became a follower and leader of the church at Jerusalem after Jesus' resurrection. It is written about AD 45-48. It is practical application of living a holy life. Faith produces a real change in a person.

What the Lord is Saying:

Our creator is incapable of doing evil. Instead God can only do good. Trials or difficult times are a part of the live that we live on earth. James points out that Blessed is a man who perseveres under trial; for once he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life which the Lord has promised to those who love Him. So the person who perseveres under a trial is blessed. I've often personally said that trials are times of being mad, sad, and then glad. The calling card though of being human is experiencing trials. Jesus after being baptized immediately experienced trials for 40 days.

In the realm of trials James wants to clarify that God is not tempting us. God is never the agent in moving us away from righteousness.  Let no one say when he is tempted, “I am being tempted by God”; for God cannot be tempted by evil, and He Himself does not tempt anyone. While God doesn't tempt us from righteousness He is a God that carries out His justice. He is good and just. Divine justice serves God's goodness to his creation.

Every good thing given and every perfect gift is from above. James is remarking that people were often putting God's goodness to trial.

God is good toward his people, working out all things for the good of His people (Romans 8:28). He manifests goodness in punishing our sins. God still loves what is good but as a judge of evil His believers are judged in Christ. God disciplines us for our own good. He has mercy toward us.

While God is good and he never has anything to do with tempting us, He does discipline us. Discipline may produces a trial in our lives. But, trials that are a result of sin are nothing that God directly does to us.

Promise: Let us proclaim all aspects of God's goodness and call people to repent so that they will receive God's goodness and mercy.

Prayer: Lord, there are a lot of truths here that you are expressing to me. You are a good God and yet you discipline me because you do not want to see your people stray from truth. You don't tempt people an cause them in any way to do evil. Thank you for the trials in my life that are there for you teaching me and thank you for using all things in my life to work together for good. Help me to keep my focus on You at all times and lean on You and trust You. I thank you for mornings for when I am sharp and focused on You.

Note: I follow the readings from the Tabletalk Magazine devotional, though I am a little behind and working through 2017 devotionals. 2017 is a study of key biblical doctrines with January being about the doctrine of God.

Mark 14:53-60 - Jesus on Trial

Mark 14:53-60
53 They led Jesus away to the high priest; and all the chief priests and the elders and the scribes *gathered together. 54 Peter had followed Him at a distance, right into the courtyard of the high priest; and he was sitting with the officers and warming himself at the fire. 55 Now the chief priests and the whole Council kept trying to obtain testimony against Jesus to put Him to death, and they were not finding any. 56 For many were giving false testimony against Him, but their testimony was not consistent. 57 Some stood up and began to give false testimony against Him, saying, 58 “We heard Him say, ‘I will destroy this temple made with hands, and in three days I will build another made without hands.’” 59 Not even in this respect was their testimony consistent. 60 The high priest stood up and came forward and questioned Jesus, saying, “Do You not answer? What is it that these men are testifying against You?”

Message: Jesus on Trial

Time: Mark's personal connection with Peter gave him the source material for this book. This book was composed probably between AD 57 and AD 59. It's a book that is on the move, leading to the cross. 39 times is the word 'immediately' used. Mark reveals Jesus as God's servant, reaching into the lives of people and effecting physical and circumstantial change.

What the Lord is Saying:

Preface - The high priests, scribes and elders have seized Jesus after he had finished praying in the Garden of Gethsemane, under the cloud of darkness. After he is taken away everyone around him flee's; they do not go with him. Even another man who was thought to be part of Jesus was seized but he got away. Jesus willingly went. It is now still late Thursday night.

They led Jesus away to the high priest; and all the chief priests and the elders and the scribes *gathered together.  The high priest was Caiaphas, though first probably taken before Annas, in his palace. Peter had followed Him at a distance, right into the courtyard of the high priest; and he was sitting with the officers and warming himself at the fire. Though at first, Peter and all the others had fled from Jesus and his seizure, but later they would follow after him, he and John, to see what would happen to him. It was a chilly night and Peter was warming himself by the fire that was made in the center of the court.

Now the chief priests and the whole Council kept trying to obtain testimony against Jesus to put Him to death, and they were not finding any. The chief priests and Council had an objective already and that was to put him to death. They had already decided this (Mark 12:12) as they wanted to simply shut him up for good. But they still were looking for a reason so they didn't appear to be unfair. For many were giving false testimony against Him, but their testimony was not consistent. They are eager to find witnesses against Jesus. Yet Mark records the words that even in so doing, it was false testimony for there was no witness that was viable or true. And therefore it was all not consistent. 

Some stood up and began to give false testimony against Him, saying,“We heard Him say, ‘I will destroy this temple made with hands, and in three days I will build another made without hands.’” Not even in this respect was their testimony consistent. Mark seems to be showing the inconsistency in the testimonies and that the normal requirement of two or three witnesses needed to land a conviction had not complied. It is interesting that his accusers go back to 3 years ago to accuse Jesus of something he said then. It is recorded in John 2:18-21 - The Jews then said to Him, “What sign do You show us as your authority for doing these things?” Jesus answered them, “Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.” The Jews then said, “It took forty-six years to build this temple, and will You raise it up in three days?” But He was speaking of the temple of His body. So even in the witnesses trying to speak of an event to condemn him as they were misunderstanding its application for he wasn't even speaking of the temple, but his own body. Jesus never said that he would build another temple without hands.

The high priest stood up and came forward and questioned Jesus, saying, “Do You not answer? What is it that these men are testifying against You?” There was no reason for Jesus to respond for all that was said was false nor is it necessary for him to respond when he knows his words would not be received. I discovered this as well when I speak to people that are confronting the claims of Jesus. It is not like they are trying to figure out an answer, but they already have the answer and are just looking for ways to beat it down and show that it is illogical.

Summary - Jesus begins to be on trial but the way he is accused is not done very well. The testimonies of people conflict. His accusers bring up an event from 3 years ago and then misquote Jesus. Jesus remains silent. There is nothing to respond to as nothing is said in any truth, but also there is no reason because the leaders have already decided his fate and are simply going through this process as a formality.

Promise: Jesus suffered injustice from evil men and this helps us to better understand His mercy.

Prayer: O Lord how majestic is your name. You endured unjust accusations and yet you had a mission to forgive sin through your death in spite of the backwards ways of your accusers and unjust claims they were making. Thank You for saving my soul. Thank You lord for making me whole. Than you Lord for thy great salvation so wonderful and free.

Mark 4:35-40 - Jesus Ceases a Storm

Mark 4:35-40
35 On that day, when evening came, He said to them, “Let us go over to the other side.” 36 Leaving the crowd, they took Him along with them in the boat, just as He was; and other boats were with Him. 37 And there arose a fierce gale of wind, and the waves were breaking over the boat so much that the boat was already filling up. 38 Jesus Himself was in the stern, asleep on the cushion; and they woke Him and said to Him, “Teacher, do You not care that we are perishing?” 39 And He got up and rebuked the wind and said to the sea, “Hush, be still.” And the wind died down and it became perfectly calm. 40 And He said to them, “Why are you afraid? Do you still have no faith?”

Message: Jesus Ceases a Storm

Time: Mark's personal connection with Peter gave him the source material for this book. This book was composed probably between AD 57 and AD 59. It's a book that is on the move, leading to the cross. 39 times is the word 'immediately' used. Mark reveals Jesus as God's servant, reaching into the lives of people and effecting physical and circumstantial change.

What the Lord is Saying: 

This has been a comprehensive chapter, Mark 4, on the subjects of parables and their importance and significance in Jesus' ministry as he uses these stories to provide us with lessons he wants us to communicate. The most basic of which, the parable of the sower, leads off the chapter and is explained further, about the type of people or soil and surfaces that will receive the Word from God and how those people respond or not. Then there is a clear responsibility that the good soil recipients have to this planting and receiving of the Word, to live it out all the time realizing that God is in control and He takes care of the outcomes. We focus on the presentation, he takes care of the outcome. Our growth in the body is often slow and gradual but He is always working. Eventually, there will be huge dividends, far greater than anything we could ever realize or see. He is in control and He is working through His people.

Mark now in these verses - 35-40 -- retells an account he has heard from an eyewitness. (1) Peter was there and this is conveyed by the detail given (other boats were with Him, a fierce gale of wind, Jesus in the stern, asleep on the cushion).  (2) The storm itself was violent and significant. At least 4 of the disciples were fishermen by trade and had spent considerable time at sea, on the water and yet were nervous for their life (do you not care that we are perishing?). (3) Despite what they have seen by Christ thus far, overcoming demon possession and caring for the sick, they wonder still of his power, witnessed by their words (Why are you afraid?). Yet, I am no different. Despite what he has done in my life, I stare too often at my life, others, circumstances, and new situations and think, somehow that he isn't in control.

This is more about simply calming a storm. This is about our lives, that we bring before the Lord continually. We come to him and he rescues us from our eventual death, sealing us with Him for all time, giving us the assurance that we will live for eternity with Him (I John 5:11-12). He succeeds in our eternity, so we can now also see that he will succeed in our live on earth. He has already tried to comfort us with the knowledge that He is in control and will take care of the outcomes of our lives: the harvest will come (v. 29), the mustard seed will grow beyond our wildest dreams (v. 32), so however violent storms occur in our lives, He is there. He calms the storms. He rescues us from the perils of life. He brings peace to us.

This doesn't always mean that we win the game. In sports we consider the outcome of the game and that the winner walks off with complete peace, God does not work in this way. There is peace no matter the outcome, because He is in control of it. We can submit and surrender to Him and then He will give us strength through the outcome. Yes Jesus calms the storm, but He also makes a point that we need to have faith through the storms. Storms of life will continue. Things will happen in life we don't like and don't always understand, but Jesus tells us to continue to have faith. Faith needs to be present in our life no matter what comes our way. 

Promise: Our salvation is not based on the power of our faith but on the power of our omnipotent Savior. In this message, the power of the storm being calmed did not wait for the disciples to respond correctly. God resulted in His outcome no matter what. He isn't waiting for me, but Oh, how I want to walk with him in obedience.

Prayer: Lord, I do not want people around me to see unbelief in my eyes or worry or panic. Situations of life are unfortunate at times and uncertain, but I can still remain confident that you are working and teaching me. I want to roll with the punches and trust that You are calming the storm. Help me not to define what the outcome should be. You have grown me this far and you will continue to grow me. I want to be greater than these responses by the disciples. You have given me the Holy Spirit and so I do have the means to be greater in my response. Walk with me today Lord. I need your strength. I need Your power. I need You. Oh Lord, I need you.

Proverbs 24:16 - The Fall and Rise of the Righteous

Proverbs 24:16
For a righteous man falls seven times, and rises again, but the wicked stumble in time of calamity.
Message: The Fall and Rise of the Righteous

Time: King Solomon is the principal writer of Proverbs. Solomon's proverbs were penned around 900 B.C. In the Book of Proverbs, Solomon reveals the mind of God in matters high and lofty and in common, ordinary, everyday situations, too. It appears that no topic escaped King Solomon's attention. Matters pertaining to personal conduct, sexual relations, business, wealth, charity, ambition, discipline, debt, child-rearing, character, alcohol, politics, revenge, and godliness are among the many topics covered in this rich collection of wise sayings.

What the Lord is Saying: 

The righteous people in Proverbs are those that will enjoy great success. Righteous are contrasted with the wicked. So, now that I think about it, I'm not sure if the word usage is the same as I think about in the New Testament. Meaning, is it an absolute statement signifying someone that is without sin in the way that the righteousness of Christ, his perfect life, is placed on the believer in Christ upon his surrender and we are then forever seen from God as without sin, upon judgment.

In this verse, is the reality that the righteous someones fall. The righteous, as depicted by Solomon, are not those free of trouble. They do experience letdowns. For the scripture to say that a righteous man falls seven times does not necessarily mean only the number seven. Seven is a number of completeness and so it would mean that man may experience a complete falling or complete suffering in his life. But, as the verse states, even big setbacks in life or not permanent and the righteous rises again. 

Ultimately, in Christ this signifies the reward we will receive beyond the grave, resurrecting and living for eternity with God in heaven. Like Christ, it may appear that all has been lost in the death and we are gone in oblivion but we will rise again.

In contrast, the wicked stumble. And they do not rise again. As they stumble, they are weak. The wicked have no final victory to look forward to. I often see this reply from the wicked. They will often even mock the righteous and holding onto a brighter day because the wicked have no future victory to look forward to. They never recover.

Promise: The righteous do not simply suffer through pain, but they look forward to victory from pain. As James states, there is joy even in trials.

Prayer: Lord, thank you for the promise of rescuing us and delivering us, no matter what occurs. Thank you that this present life isn't all there is and that you have a future glory waiting for those who are in Christ. Draw more to yourself. And help those in you to not get too focused on the hurts and pains that they forget that you will rescue them. Help us to not listen to the words of the wicked.

Psalm 116:10-19 - Great Faith in God

Psalm 116:10-19

¹⁰ I believed when I said, “I am greatly afflicted.”
¹¹ I said in my alarm, “All men are liars.”

¹² What shall I render to the Lord For all His benefits toward me?
¹³ I shall lift up the cup of salvation And call upon the name of the Lord.
¹⁴ I shall pay my vows to the Lord, Oh in the presence of all His people.
¹⁵ Precious in the sight of the Lord Is the death of His godly ones.
¹⁶ O Lord, surely I am Your servant, I am Your servant, the son of Your handmaid,
You have loosed my bonds.
¹⁷ To You I shall offer a sacrifice of thanksgiving, And call upon the name of the Lord.
¹⁸ I shall pay my vows to the Lord, Oh in the presence of all His people,
¹⁹ In the courts of the Lord’s house, In the midst of you, O Jerusalem.

Praise the Lord!

Message:  Great Faith in God

Time: Based upon authorship and subject matter, Psalms cover a range of centuries. David is mentioned 73 times, Solomon 2, Moses 1, and 50 designate no specific person. It is believed they were compiled around 537 BC. The psalms deal with such subjects as God and His creation, war, worship, wisdom, sin and evil, judgment, justice, and the coming of the Messiah.

What the Lord is Saying: The Greek Old Testament is also called the Septuagint or LXX. 

Often in life, it is going through a difficult circumstance, a distressing situation, when we are most affected by the love and grace of God. And in this Psalm is that recognition. It is also through the recognition that we are a sinner that we understand how wonderful it is to have our Savior. We find the Lord just and good. We find rest in Him. God has been merciful toward us. We have been rescued today and we are rescued for all tomorrow's. In heaven, we will be completely at rest and able to walk with our Savior. That is the message of the first 9 verses. In those verses there is the sweet recognition of being low, of the mercy and grace of God and our permanent state with God in heaven.

Then in verses 10-19 is living life. How then do we now live?

I am hurting and no man is helping
Verse 10,11 - "I believed when I said, I am greatly afflicted."  I said in my alarm, "all men are liars."

I have stared at these verses for some time. For some reason, as I read them, I struggle with their understanding. What I see in this Psalm is his recognition that God is real through our circumstances. In and of himself, man does not bring the answer to life. 


The Psalmist declares that I said in my alarm so these words were voiced, not in somber reflection, but in boisterous alarm that all men are liars. I think the Psalmist is experiencing a quite revelation that man does not hold the answers to living and the problems of life should move us to him. In his hurt, in his affliction, he turns to believing in God. Men, themselves, are liars. There attempts to unravel and solve life are in vain. He believes God, he is hurting, and his hurt is great, and people are not the answer. I suppose at the moment I can relate.

I think of people I speak to, like Delphina, who had her boyfriend just walk out on her after several years together. She had yielded to this man her body, through sexual intimacy, against her better judgment, and then he had gone after another woman. And in that distress she was deeply afflicted and hurt, feeling like no one will really want her if she does things God's way. And just like the Psalmist, is the reflection that man cannot fix problems of pain. I continue to watch my 16 year old son ignore our direction, our instruction, our rules, and continue to go his own way. Our role as parents seems utterly useless. We don't feel like trying any longer. Lord, we are hurt, afflicted. We believe you O God, but we hurt. It's people that hurt us. People disappoint us. You have created us to be people that value relationships; we need each other, but not to solve life but to live it together, in growing dependence on God.

Paul adapts this statement in 2 Corinthians 4:13 with the words, "But having the same spirit of faith, according to what is written, “I believed, therefore I spoke,” we also believe, therefore we also speak." I believe when I said is the idea that I can speak, now, because I believe I can speak and my words are that I am greatly afflicted. He cried out to God because of a real need.

No one like you
What shall I render to the Lord? How could I begin to pay back the Lord for his mercies toward me? For all his benefits toward me? The Psalmist is focused on God, not man. It's not that man is useless here and offers nothing, but it is God that he is focused on, in thanking him for his mercies and love. It is unlike anything that he could receive from man or his fellow men. 

Thankful heart
The Psalmist then references a cup of salvation. It is not clear what this cup is as it is not the Lord's supper but more likely a cup at the end of the meal that he holds and thanks God for his bounty and his love. I shall lift up the cup of salvation and call upon the name of the Lord. There is a simple and profound acknowledgement to God that even in the meal that he has provided we can be thankful. His mercies are new, not just every morning, but with every meal that we can take. He uses the meal, at the end, then as a time to thank His God for his mercies. 

There is such a danger in life to always be in want. In these verses, I am seeing the Psalmist turn his attention toward God and seeing God as the answer to his life, his comfort, refuge, and the one that deserves his praise. 

I commit everything to the Lord
In verse 14, he says, I shall pay my vows to the Lord, Oh in the presence of all His people. A vow is a promise someone makes, generally when they are in dire straits, like experience a sickness which they think at the time they will not come out of. It is at this time when we see what matters most -- life. All the fluff of life and all that we think is important, suddenly disappears and for that moment, life is what is most important. We desire to simply continue with life. 

As it says in the verse, a vow is a debt, thus there is a payment that is made. And here in the verse is a willingness to pay, in I shall.  Thus far, in these verses is the assertion that God is all that there is and so he worships God and is giving himself to God. He is doing this in his prayer. Thus, in the presence of all God's people he makes the promise to live his life for God. Isn't this what the baptism is in a person's life? It is testifying of a changed life, but it is doing in, preferably in front of people. It needs to be in front of people. 

Precious to the Lord is death of the His chosen
And just as verse 14 speaks of life, verse 15 speaks of death. Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of His godly ones. It speaks here of the high value the Lord places on the death of those that have been called by Him, His godly ones. Our life is sealed by Him and our death is no different. He takes care of His. As we walk with God in the land of the living (v. 9) we can also walk with Him at the time of death. We can trust him in both circumstances. 

God is there. He is with us in life and in death. He is our God. Verse 16 takes a moment to acknowledge that he is indeed God's servant. O Lord, surely I am Your servant, I am Your servant, the son of Your handmaid,
You have loosed my bonds.

Promise: I can have faith in God. I can. He continues to show me over and over his faithfulness. He is a God to be praised. 

Prayer:
I believe in You God. I get hurt, but you God are the answer, not man. In You are so many benefits, so I turn to You. I pause, at the dinner table, to call upon Your name. 

I shall pay my vows to the Lord, in the presence of all His people. Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of His godly ones.

O Lord, surely I am They servant, I am Thy servant, the son of Thy handmaid, thou hast loosed my bonds. To Thee I shall offer a sacrifice of thankgiving, and call upon the name of the Lord. 

I shall pay my vows to the Lord in the presence of all His people. In the courts of the Lord's house, in the midst of you, O Jerusalem, 'Praise the Lord.'

Hebrews 11:13-16 - Suffering and Death

Hebrews 11:13-16
¹³ All these died in faith, without receiving the promises, but having seen them and having welcomed them from a distance, and having confessed that they were strangers and exiles on the earth. ¹⁴ For those who say such things make it clear that they are seeking a country of their own. ¹⁵ And indeed if they had been thinking of that country from which they went out, they would have had opportunity to return. ¹⁶ But as it is, they desire a better country, that is, a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God; for He has prepared a city for them.


Message: Suffering and Death

Time: Hebrews was written to a group of Christians who had suffered in the past and were now threatened with even more suffering. They'd done well years ago, but the author of Hebrews feared that they might now turn away from Christ to avoid further persecution.The opinions on the author of Hebrews has varied.

What the Lord is Saying: Suffering and death, it seems, remains a mystery in my life. Sickness, suffering and death continually assault people at different stages of life. The reality is the odds are the same for everyone: 1 out of 1 person will die.  As followers of Jesus, it is told to us that we will have eternal life (I John 5:11-12). Even Jesus died at an early age in an unfair manner (though he rose again). Jesus, however, conquered death. He rose again. We will rise, but non on this earth.

Something I've been realizing more and more is that sicknesses in the present are evidence of the fallenness of creation. I am not simply to think that my illness is the result of my sin, but rather it is the result of humanities sin. To me, that is one key principle. The other major thing I've learned over the years is we are not to come to God with the "why me" or "why them" question, but instead we come to God requesting healing and for prayer. What is most important is the condition of my soul when I die. But, I think it is hard because us American are so focused on comfort and safety and ease the sickness and suffering assault this and therefore there seems to be a tendency in thinking that it is always unjustified. My conclusion is "don't go there."

Instead, my focus in life is more on the condition of my soul when I die and encouraging people to think about this in general. For Jesus, what he mentioned was the key to this can be found in being born again in this life. This is the way we see the kingdom of God (John 3) or the kingdom of heaven. There is peace then in this life, no matter what may occur. This I believe is our focus.

This is the key of these verses in Hebrews. To begin with, I look first at the preceding verses in chapter 11 of Hebrews as their is a common idea expressed and this is "by faith." By Faith is the common theme thus far in this chapter and while that phrase isn't used, I think i need to remember it in as I read these verses. The people that were mentioned in the preceding verses were Old Testament saints, like Abraham and Sarah.

To me, what is spoken here in verse 13 is these people, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Sarah -- they all lived there lives by faith. Faith was their calling card. They had the promise of the Messiah and removing the sin of the world, but they had not yet see it. God requested they believe in Him. This is the key of the entire Bible: Believe; having faith. Our faith in God supersedes everything else, so I can navigate life because of this faith. I can have peace about anything and everything because of this faith. In verse 14 is the what those by faith are seeking: a country of their own. This is a country that is beyond the constraints of this present life. Again, we have faith in this life and the life to come. And then in verse 15 and 16 it is mentioned that these people were not caught up in living simply in this present life, but they were more focused on the future and the heavenly home in which God has set up for them. If I know that I will live for eternity with God in heaven, then it should make living on earth easier. Yes, suffering will continue to occur, but I can walk through those times because I know God cares for me and I know he cares for me because he has provided what I need to spend eternity with him in heaven: thus I can have faith in this life because my eternal home is set in stone.  

Promise: Continue to hold onto the promises of God and continue to take my needs to him, trusting that He is walking with us always.

Prayer: Thank you God for providing salvation to me and that my future is in your hands. Help me to live each day by faith. Yes, there are trying times, uncomfortable ones, and times that lack security for through it all I can trust You because you are a God that can be trusted because the future, my future home is in place and is waiting for me.

Jesus Calling: December 10

Make Me the focal point of your search for security. In your private thoughts, you are still trying to order your world so that it is predictable and feels safe. Not only is this an impossible goal, but it is also counterproductive to spiritual growth. When your private world feels unsteady and you grip My hand for support, you are living in conscious dependence on Me.
     Instead of yearning for a problem-free life, rejoice that trouble can highlight your awareness of My Presence. In the darkness of adversity, you are able to see more clearly the radiance of My Face. Accept the value of problems in this life, considering them pure joy. Remember that you have an eternity of trouble-free living awaiting you in heaven. 

Isaiah 41:10
English Standard Version
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.
 
Psalm 139:10
English Standard Version
even there your hand shall lead me,
    and your right hand shall hold me.
 
James 1:2
English Standard Version
Count it all joy, my brothers,when you meet trials of various kinds. 

My Prayer
Lord, continue to take hold of my captive thoughts and retrain me throughout my day and life to allow you to work through me. I get too trained by the media of this world, impregnated to be a friend of the world and its ways. Help me to be trained by you God and accept whatever comes my way, even if it seems difficult to me. Keep eternity in my heart. You are my God. I do not need to fear. You will strengthen me and uphold my righteous right hand. Your right hand shall hold me.


-------------------------------------------------------------------------

Note: The devotion and scriptures are from author Sarah Young. If you haven't already, please purchase the book and support the author.

Also, bookmark https://bibletags.blogspot.com/2019/06/jesus-calling-366-days.html to have an easy link to the entire year of these entries.

Jesus Calling: December 1

I love you with an everlasting Love, which flows out from the depth of eternity. Before you were born, I knew you. Ponder the awesome mystery of a Love that encompasses you from before birth to beyond the grave.
     Modern man has lost the perspective of eternity. To distract himself from the gaping jaws of death, he engages in ceaseless activity and amusement. The practice of being still in My Presence is almost a lost art, yet it is this very stillness that enables you to experience My eternal Love. You need the certainty of My loving Presence in order to weather the storms of life. During times of severe testing, even the best theology can fail you if it isn't accompanied by experiential knowledge of Me. The ultimate protection against sinking during life's storms is devoting time to develop your friendship with Me. 

Jeremiah 31:3
English Standard Version
    the Lord appeared to him from far away.
I have loved you with an everlasting love;
    therefore I have continued my faithfulness to you.

Lamentations 3:22-26
English Standard Version

²² The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases;
    his mercies never come to an end;
²³ they are new every morning;
    great is your faithfulness.
²⁴ “The Lord is my portion,” says my soul,
    “therefore I will hope in him.”

²⁵ The Lord is good to those who wait for him,
    to the soul who seeks him.
²⁶ It is good that one should wait quietly
    for the salvation of the Lord.

My Prayer

Lord, I need to experience God. I don't want my relationship with You to be one about duty where you are the Teacher, I am the pupil and my life is spent doing assignments with the hopes then of making a good grade so that I can stay in the class. Lord, I want a friendship with You. I want a relationship. I want to be still in your Presence. I want to walk with you in a daily relationship. You are my friend; you are my God. I want to be more into the love you have for me and the care you have for me. Forgive me for the way I structure my life around ceaseless activity and amusement. I read your truths in your word, but sometimes struggle to know what they actually mean because I don't really experience You. I want that to change. Thank you for your steadfast love. Thank you that your mercies never end. Great is your faithfulness. My hope is not in doctors, athletes, my family, but my hope is in you. I will wait for you and seek You.


Note: The devotion and scriptures are from author Sarah Young. If you haven't already, please purchase the book and support the author.

Also, bookmark https://bibletags.blogspot.com/2019/06/jesus-calling-366-days.html to have an easy link to the entire year of these entries.

Jesus Calling: November 8

Learn to appreciate difficult days. Be stimulated by the challenges you encounter along your way. As you journey through rough terrain with Me, gain confidence from your knowledge that together we can handle anything. This knowledge is comprised of three parts: your relationship with Me, promises in the Bible and past experiences of coping successfully during hard times.
     Look back on your life, and see how I have helped you through difficult days. If you are tempted to think, "Yes, but that was then, and this is now," remember who I AM! Although you and your circumstances may change dramatically, I remain the same throughout time and eternity. This is the basis of your confidence. In My Presence you live and move and have your being. 

Isaiah 41:10

English Standard Version

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.

Psalm 102:27
English Standard Version
but you are the same, and your years have no end.

Acts 17:28
English Standard Version
for ‘In him we live and move and have our being’; as even some of your own poets have said, 'For we are indeed his offspring.’

My Prayer
I am so accustomed to thinking that good days are the only type of days I should have. Yes, it is what I want, but Lord, help me to appreciate difficult days and what I can learn from them. Granted, I know that I'm able to accept 1 or 2 in the midst of many good days, but it could be there is a tough journey you would like me to be on. Help me take my refuge in You always. I don't need to fear. You will help me. Give me strength Lord for I can be weak.


Note: The devotion and scriptures are from author Sarah Young. If you haven't already, please purchase the book and support the author.

Also, bookmark https://bibletags.blogspot.com/2019/06/jesus-calling-366-days.html to have an easy link to the entire year of these entries.

Psalm 119:81-88 - God's Sustaining Word

Psalm 119:81-88

⁸¹ My soul languishes for Your salvation; I wait for Your word.
⁸² My eyes fail with longing for Your word, While I say, “When will You comfort me?”
⁸³ Though I have become like a wineskin in the smoke, I do not forget Your statutes.
⁸⁴ How many are the days of Your servant? When will You execute judgment on those who persecute me?
⁸⁵ The arrogant have dug pits for me, Men who are not in accord with Your law.
⁸⁶ All Your commandments are faithful; they have persecuted me with a lie; help me!
⁸⁷ They almost destroyed me on earth, but as for me, I did not forsake Your precepts.
⁸⁸ Revive me according to Your lovingkindness, so that I may keep the testimony of Your mouth.

Message: God's Sustaining Word

Time: The psalms were written by many different people across a period of a thousand years in Israel's history. They are thought to have been compiled and put together in their present form by some unknown editor shortly after the captivity ended about 537 B.C.

What the Lord is Saying:
 
The outcry of Psalm 119 is looking to God's word and in that Word we have comfort (v.82). My hope is the Word of God (v. 81). We have safety. When we are feeling forgotten or alone due to the evil that we see in our world, we can remember that God will execute judgment (v. 84). The word of God is on the highest plane in our life and those that reject it will eventually be thrown down (v. 85). We need God's word to show us that our lives are more about ourselves. It is his word that confronts us and reveals who we really are (v. 86). And we see that God can restore us, so that our lives are marked by doing God's word (v. 88).

My eyes fail with longing for Your word, While I say, “When will You comfort me?” (v.82)
The Psalmist knows the word of God will bring him comfort and yet he waits for this comfort. It is as when we look for a ship long expected, or for a friend long absent, or for help when in danger. Our eyes are ever on the lookout. How often in the life of the believer now are similar expressions appropriate! God often seems greatly to try the faith and patience of his people by mere delay; and the strength of faith and the power of religion are shown in such circumstances by persevering faith in the divine promises, even when there seems to be no evidence that he will interpose. As children, we often do not understand what our parents are doing when they speak to us and it takes time to figure it out and then we see that there strong words were valid. Verse 84 echoes the same idea - How many are the days of Your servant?

Though I have become like a wineskin in the smoke (v. 83)
As I am being afflicted, I can persevere. A wineskin that is dried out and covered with soot is useless for storing wine. Yet this condition will not last forever. 

The bottom line is we all struggle. We all lose our patience and we don't understand the waiting. I struggle. I struggle with God who often wants me to wait. But even in that waiting I can trust Him. 

Promise: To believe in God's word and hold fast to it and find comfort in it, we must know what it says. Lord, keep me anchored in Your Word so that I do not lose sight of all that you have provided for me. You are near.

Job 2 - Job's Trials Intensify

Job 2
Again there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the Lord, and Satan also came among them to present himself before the Lord. ² The Lord said to Satan, “Where have you come from?” Then Satan answered the Lord and said, “From roaming about on the earth and walking around on it.” ³ The Lord said to Satan, “Have you considered My servant Job? For there is no one like him on the earth, a blameless and upright man fearing God and turning away from evil. And he still holds fast his integrity, although you incited Me against him to ruin him without cause.” ⁴ Satan answered the Lord and said, “Skin for skin! Yes, all that a man has he will give for his life. ⁵ However, put forth Your hand now, and touch his bone and his flesh; he will curse You to Your face.” ⁶ So the Lord said to Satan, “Behold, he is in your power, only spare his life.”
⁷ Then Satan went out from the presence of the Lord and smote Job with sore boils from the sole of his foot to the crown of his head. ⁸ And he took a potsherd to scrape himself while he was sitting among the ashes.
⁹ Then his wife said to him, “Do you still hold fast your integrity? Curse God and die!” ¹⁰ But he said to her, “You speak as one of the foolish women speaks. Shall we indeed accept good from God and not accept adversity?” In all this Job did not sin with his lips.
¹¹ Now when Job’s three friends heard of all this adversity that had come upon him, they came each one from his own place, Eliphaz the Temanite, Bildad the Shuhite and Zophar the Naamathite; and they made an appointment together to come to sympathize with him and comfort him. ¹² When they lifted up their eyes at a distance and did not recognize him, they raised their voices and wept. And each of them tore his robe and they threw dust over their heads toward the sky. ¹³ Then they sat down on the ground with him for seven days and seven nights with no one speaking a word to him, for they saw that his pain was very great.


Message: Job's Trials Intensify

Time: The time of Job is unclear and commonly debated. Often the language of the book can give clues. It seems to be that Job had a lifespan of close to 200 years as Job 42:16 says he lived 140 years after the events in the book.

What the Lord is Saying:

You would think the last chapter's events were enough, losing your children and all your possessions, but now once again, Satan is roaming around and the Lord trusts his children. The big line in this passage is "Shall we indeed accept good from God and not accept adversity." This verse is a great reminder and one that I just don't think we really comprehend. I was thinking about this yesterday as I was praying for my kids and adversities I see them going through. I know Megan is dealing with a thorn in the flesh in her life, but I am thankful that she is wanting to follow God all her days. 

I also read through and receive prayer request after prayer request and every request is really "get me out of the tough life and get me into the good life." It is obviously normal to request this in life because there is always something we feel like we need in order to make better. As I read through the Psalms the overriding message is for a clean heart, to be free from the grip of enemies in our lives, and to live a life of obedience with God our father. God is more concerned about our heart than our wallet. 

Even with Job here is the reality that all of his comforts and possessions and even his health can be taken away, but he still has his relationship with God. His strength is still in the Lord. My friend always reminds me of this. I've watched him go through bad cancer this past year and through it all he remains committed to God. 

Job had integrity. He was whole and undivided. His allegiance was to God. He had strong moral principles. Those attributes didn't change despite his circumstances. 

I need to work on this in my life. There is just a general desire to think that everything in life should be good and adversities should be minimized.

Promise: Suffering is a part of life and we need to use that time to think about what God is teaching us.

Psalm 22:16-31 - The Messiah Restored

Psalm 22:16-31
¹⁶ For dogs have surrounded me; a band of evildoers has encompassed me; they pierced my hands and my feet. ¹⁷ I can count all my bones. They look, they stare at me; ¹⁸ They divide my garments among them, and for my clothing they cast lots. ¹⁹ But You, O Lord, be not far off; O You my help, hasten to my assistance. ²⁰ Deliver my soul from the sword, my only life from the power of the dog. ²¹ Save me from the lion’s mouth; from the horns of the wild oxen You answer me. ²² I will tell of Your name to my brethren; in the midst of the assembly I will praise You. ²³ You who fear the Lord, praise Him; All you descendants of Jacob, glorify Him, and stand in awe of Him, all you descendants of Israel. ²⁴ For He has not despised nor abhorred the affliction of the afflicted; nor has He hidden His face from him; But when he cried to Him for help, He heard. ²⁵ From You comes my praise in the great assembly; I shall pay my vows before those who fear Him. ²⁶ The afflicted will eat and be satisfied; Those who seek Him will praise the Lord. Let your heart live forever! ²⁷ All the ends of the earth will remember and turn to the Lord, And all the families of the nations will worship before You.

²⁸ For the kingdom is the Lord’s and He rules over the nations. ²⁹ All the prosperous of the earth will eat and worship, all those who go down to the dust will bow before Him, Even he who cannot keep his soul alive. ³⁰ Posterity will serve Him; It will be told of the Lord to the coming generation.  ³¹ They will come and will declare His righteousness to a people who will be born, that He has performed it.

Message: The Messiah Restored

Time: The psalms were written by many different people across a period of a thousand years in Israel's history. They are thought to have been compiled and put together in their present form by some unknown editor shortly after the captivity ended about 537 B.C.

What the Lord is Saying:

Initial Observations
In my first reading of the first 15 verses, I have remarked the following: The Psalmist is not only feeling hurt, but sort of abandoned by God. He mentions that God is faithful and he knows this because of those that have come before him assure him of this; he also knows this because he was born into love; but he still hurts and he still feels pain. And being a man of faith often brings him ridicule from others as they mock his faith and trust in God.

We come to God open and honestly. In this passage, I feel alone. God is Holy. God has delivered people in the past. I feel like a worm. But I know God sees value in me. God, be not far from me.   

I am surrounded by death
Verse 16 is a continuation in thought from verse 11. At this point in this passage, the Psalmist is feeling surrounded by outside sources. And these words continue through verse 18. In reading these verses it does seems to point clearly to the cross that Jesus was on later: ¹⁶ For dogs have surrounded me; a band of evildoers has encompassed me; they pierced my hands and my feet. ¹⁷ I can count all my bones. They look, they stare at me; ¹⁸ They divide my garments among them, and for my clothing they cast lots. It was a horrific scene; the dogs are waiting for a corpse to occur so they can eat the remains; evildoers are rejoicing in the prize they have brought down; his hands are pierced and his feet. He can even count his own bones because he has had so little and he his whole body is trying to just keep himself alive. He has no use to his clothing anymore so they are taking all that is his. 

Response: Call on God to intervene
Again, as had been said previously, despite the condition of the Psalmist or the Savior, in this time of need, our response is to turn to God. ¹⁹ But You, O Lord, be not far off; O You my help, hasten to my assistance. ²⁰ Deliver my soul from the sword, my only life from the power of the dog. ²¹ Save me from the lion’s mouth; from the horns of the wild oxen You answer me. Basically, the Lord is near. We are not abandoned by God. Lord, do not be far from you. God, you are my help in my time of need so come to my assistance. Deliver me from that which chooses to take my life and take me away from the dogs that encircle me and from the lion's mouth. You answer me God. He pleads to God; he begs not to man during this time but he begs to God.

When I am in a time of great need, I need to call on God to intervene, not man. I tend to think that the people that will rescue me will be my fellow men/women. I think of that guy in Africa that was asking me for money because in his eyes, if he is going to get money, he is going to get it from a man. Sure, it makes sense, but for him to make it, God is going to have to intervene in someone's life. So, his focus should not be on man, but on God. He should be pleading with God. This is our focus as a Christian. Our confidence and our hope is always in God, not on man. God is the one that changes lives. So take our concerns before Him. I think that is the meaning of Philippians 4:6-7 reminding us to not worry, but pray about everything.

Testify of the Lord's work in my life
The rest of the verses in this chapter, 22-31, is the Psalmist testifying of the Lord before people, before everyone. Is God really on my lips? Is He someone that I give credit to regarding life?

²² I will tell of Your name to my brethren; in the midst of the assembly I will praise You. I will speak your name to my brothers; I will praise you in the assembly. It's not, "Look what I have done" but instead "look what He has done."  

²³ You who fear the Lord, praise Him; All you descendants of Jacob, glorify Him, and stand in awe of Him, all you descendants of Israel. ²⁴ For He has not despised nor abhorred the affliction of the afflicted; nor has He hidden His face from him; But when he cried to Him for help, He heard. God does not let us down. God hears. Keep reminding people of this.

 ²⁵ From You comes my praise in the great assembly; I shall pay my vows before those who fear Him. ²⁶ The afflicted will eat and be satisfied; Those who seek Him will praise the Lord. Let your heart live forever! ²⁷ All the ends of the earth will remember and turn to the Lord, And all the families of the nations will worship before You. ²⁸ For the kingdom is the Lord’s and He rules over the nations. ²⁹ All the prosperous of the earth will eat and worship, all those who go down to the dust will bow before Him, Even he who cannot keep his soul alive. ³⁰ Posterity will serve Him; It will be told of the Lord to the coming generation.  ³¹ They will come and will declare His righteousness to a people who will be born, that He has performed it.

Promise: In those moments when all seems against us, in those times, I am to call on God to intervene and testify of His greatness.