Job 32-35

Job declared the innocence of his life and God essentially verified it in His dialogue with the devil. His friends couldn’t believe he was that pure a man because they were well acquainted with the trials of humanity. Indeed, he was a rare man.

Life defiles us. Influences attack from all sides, and only a rare person who has been very guarded or secluded has a chance to survive unscathed.

The answer for a Christian? … the indwelling, sanctifying life of Christ, the leading of the Holy Spirit, and God’s Word that purifies our hearts if we’ll let it. His Holy Spirit will guide us away from temptation and Christ’s blood cleanses our hearts when they’re stained by sin. “All have sinned and come short of the Glory of God.” “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”

Job 28-31

Because of his age and his suffering, Job did nothing but complain to his friends and God. He lamented that he had lost the health of his youth. He felt he incurred unwarranted tragedy, undeserved because of what a good, moral person he had been. He gave voice to his grievance.

We are encouraged to consider Job’s end rather than his beginning and middle life. God repaid to him for all the suffering he experienced. Nevertheless, we should live our lives without the complaining because we read in God’s Word about our eternal reward. Even if our personal life never gets rewarded for our hardship, we have an eternal reward awaiting us. God will not be our debtor.

Where would you rather have your paycheck … here in this life or in our heavenly life? (Actually, we will probably get rewarded in both!)

Job 23-27

We are told the intelligence community is recording and logging much about our daily lives. Google and Alexa listen to our conversations. Our emails are being recorded. Facial recognition software can hauntingly follow us throughout our day. Satellites watch our movements.

How much more does the God of heaven exercise his intelligence capabilities which exponentially exceed that of man. Job declares that God observes the ways of every person. He is keeping book. Some in their ignorance vainly attempt to conceal their evil ways.

Only by the blood and sacrificial death of Christ can all our misdeeds be deleted. God then only sees that we have been made clean by the salvation made possible by His Son’s death.

Job 18-22

Today we remember Dr. Martin Luther King. Albeit he had some moral flaws, he impacted our nation with his non-violent protesting. He and his followers would march and speak out against the unjustified persecution of people of color. Famous for his “I Have A Dream” speech at the nation’s Capitol, he had an impact on the lives of many.

Paul warns us against physical violence when he says, “The weapons of our warfare are NOT CARNAL.” Rather, we rely upon the mighty weapons of prayer and praise. Initially, we praise God for His greatness and we thank Him for His help. Then we present our specific requests to Him through our prayer and intercession. This is the fruitful activity we can and should participate in rather than any message we can send through physical violence or conflict.

Sadly, MLK’s life was ended by the bullet of a violent man.

Job 15-17

Job did not deserve the afflictions and challenges he experienced. God did not send them, but He allowed them. His friends thought he was guilty of something that brought the suffering upon him. He knew he was without fault, yet he suffered and maintained his integrity.

What got him through? He mentioned his Advocate, his Witness in chapter 16. This is, no doubt, a Messianic reference. Christ was getting him through.

We go through things that we don’t understand. Our relief is that Christ is going through it with us. He feels the pain. He mediates and moderates. In our weakness, His strength is revealed and made complete. What good is this relief if we don’t use it or need it.

In heaven, we will have stories of what we went through on earth and how Christ gave us the victory over our challenges. I’m glad I will have a few stories to share.

Job 11-14

In the midst of his trial, Job commented (complained) about the briefness of life. As a rich man, he perused the energy he expended to acquire his wealth and found himself unable to enjoy it because of his affliction. We know that God will eventually reward him for his faithfulness in his earthly life, but in the trial he lamented.

We are foolish if we put all our energy in acquiring wealth and earthly pleasures. It can all be gone in an instant. Job is close to learning that all that matters is your relationship with God … and who do you love and who loves you.

Make your investments in the lives of people.

Job 6-10

In Job’s misery, he voiced the plea, “If only there was someone” who could be a mediator, someone to remove God’s rod from me. Little did he know at the time that there was Someone Who would be his Redeemer. Actually, the whole book of Job points to Christ and exposes the pain of a life without Him. His comforters didn’t have the answers. In faith he declared “I know that my Redeemer lives.”

In all of life’s challenges God is prescribing an existence that reveals to us our need of a Savior. Every pitfall and pain just points to the relief that can be found in Christ. For one thing, Christ KNOWS how we feel. He was tempted in every point. He experienced every pain, because the Heavenly Father laid upon Him all the sin and affliction of the world. He carried it to Golgotha and let the entire world watch as He suffered for us.

Hallelujah, what a Savior.

Colossians 1-4

The book of Colossians establishes the centrality, identity, vitality, and preeminence of Christ Jesus. Paul corrects misconceptions in the early church about what place Christ held in the ongoing life of the believer. He makes it clear that the law won’t do it, what you eat or the rules you observe won’t merit salvation, and that the life in Christ is the critical component to pleasing god.

This book also emphasizes the perspective that the believer is to look ahead to the afterlife rather than being focused on the benefits of the present life. Chapter three, quite possibly my favorite chapter in the entire Bible, encourages us to be in love with the afterlife rather than this present life. This probably needs to be a daily refocusing in our life.

Job 1-5

From the book of Job we receive much insight on the behind-the-scenes spiritual world. Satan’s activity and parameters of influence are revealed. Angelic accountability to God is clarified. The impact of human suffering is addressed and God’s faithfulness to His People is reinforced.

Humans can rarely see the future. God always sees it. Because He knows the beginning from the end, His perspective is much different than ours. As in the life of Job, our sufferings and discouragement are completely seen and felt by God. He filters what we experience, but always has a view to its eternal impact upon us. The key for Christians is to press in to God and receive His strength as we go through trying times. We can always be assured that God will pull us through … if we can stand the pull.

There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it. [1 Cor. 10:13]

Esther 9, 10

When King Xerxes (Ahasuarus) finally saw how he had been deceived into employing Haman’s plot to exterminate the Jews, he openly supported the extinction of Haman and his sons and cohorts. They were all impaled on poles, a Persian form of punishment which could be used as torture and death. The Jews in turn received the king’s blessing to round up all accomplices in Haman’s scheme and likewise execute them.

New Testament Christians are exhorted rather to defer all vengeance to God alone. He makes it clear; Do not take revenge, my dear friends, but leave room for God’s wrath, for it is written: “It is mine to avenge; I will repay,” says the Lord. [Romans 12:19]

For one thing, we can’t see the entire story, only God can. Also, we selfishly see only our suffering in the matter. God can use our suffering for our good, and use the offense to more fully reveal Himself to our oppressor and bring them to repentance and salvation.