Today a good friend sent me a text teasing me a ‘bit about it being “Job” reading day. She’s been reading my blog and knows I’ve been struggling through this book of the Bible, and today’s reading was no different.
I said to her that at one point the book of Job ministered to me so I don’t know why I am struggling through it so much now, and I teased, “My life just may be too chipper at the moment.” And when I texted that, though it was in a ‘bit of jest I realized I’ve been sorta down on this book, but there was a time when I was younger and battling some depression that the angst of Job ministered to my heart.
At that point in my life I could relate better to what Job was communicating through his words. Often times when I am going through hard times even though I know better…or at least I know better when I am not going through the hard times I still ask…”God why are You doing this to me?” It is not God it is the devil, but sometimes I like Job lay it at the feet of God.
Here is a whole book that speaks to people going through those moments. Having those questions and doubts and misunderstandings of the character and actions of God. A misunderstanding of the Great Controversy.
With that realization I reminded of something important, The Bible is not written for one type of person, dealing with just one area of life, or one challenging topic. The Bible is written to minister to all people, to all of us at all the various phases of our lives.
Job is not speaking to me now…
But Job has ministered to me in the past…
And maybe someday this book will again…
If Job is ministering to you right now, where you are at in your life. Know that that is a sign of God’s love for you. He inspired this book to be written for you at this point in your life, so that you would know He understands and though you may feel like Job like this is God’s punishment even if it is not, He does love you and He doesn’t forsake those who doubt that love in moments or even those who may blame Him.
Job is a reminder that God is big enough for every situation of our lives.
Thanks to my friend, you know who you are, for in your little teasing text God used you to remind me of His great love for all of us in all situations!
Tomorrow’s Reading: Isaiah 51-55
Psalm 27 I desire to be the consistent prayer of my heart.
May this be the psalm of my heart!
Boaz in the book of Ruth in Hebrew is referred to as the “go’el” which means Kinsman-Redeemer. This is significant because I believe Boaz is type for Christ. Foreshadowing what Jesus would do for all mankind through His death on the cross.
Boaz in this book shows great concern for the widow Naomi through his kindness towards Ruth who is now without her family (father), just as Jesus is the “go’el” of the widows and fatherless (Proverbs 23:10, 11).
Boaz pleads the case of Ruth and Naomi at the city gate. Just as Jesus will plead for His people (Jeremiah 50:34)
“As Boaz had the right of redemption and yet clearly was under no obligation to intervene on Ruth’s behalf, so it is with Christ. As Boaz, seeing the plight of the poor widows, came to their rescue because his life was governed by Yahweh and his laws, so also of the Messiah it is prophesied that his life would be governed by the law of God and that he would deal justly and equitably with the poor and with those who were oppressed (Ps. 72:2, 4, 12, 13; Isa. 11:4)” (The Levirate and Goel Institutions in the Old Testament With Special Attention to the Book of Ruth,Mack Publishing, 1974, p. 298).
Boaz illustrates the character of the one who would be he is descendant but also His Savior, as Jesus came from the line of Ruth and Boaz, Obed, Jesse, and David.
After the book of Judges where Godly character was hard to find, in the book of Ruth the illustrations of integrity are rich and full!
Tomorrow’s Reading: Psalms 27-29
Much has been written about all the various aspects of Joseph’s life so I will allow you to read many of those other accounts gain lessons from his life. Of course those lessons caught my attention as they always do, but beyond that what caught my attention in this reading is the various portraits of Judah.
Judah one of Joseph’s older brothers. It was he that recommended and convinced his brothers to sell their little brother Joseph into slavery,
Judah said to his brothers, “What profit is it for us to kill our brother and cover up his blood? 27 Come and let us sell him to the Ishmaelites and not lay our hands on him, for he is our brother, our own flesh.” And his brothers listened to him. 28 Then some Midianite traders passed by, so they pulled him up and lifted Joseph out of the pit, and sold him to the Ishmaelites for twenty shekels of silver. Thus they brought Joseph into Egypt.” Genesis 37:26-28
Then all of chapter 38 is a sordid tale of Judah’s misdeeds. I will list the ones I observe:
I point all this out because of this very simple point. Jesus inspired Matthew in his gospel to reference not only Judah but to remind the people of the sin of Judah by referencing Tamar and the sons born to her in His genealogical record,
“The record of the genealogy of Jesus the Messiah, the son of David, the son of Abraham: 2 Abraham was the father of Isaac, Isaac the father of Jacob, and Jacob the father of Judah and his brothers. 3 Judah was the father of Perez and Zerah by Tamar,” Matthew 1:1-3a
Jesus didn’t choose Reuben who tried to protect Joseph. He didn’t choose Benjamin who it seems didn’t ever really do anything personally wrong. He didn’t choose Joseph with all his integrity.
He chose to come through the line of Judah and Jesus didn’t reference the part of Judah’s life when he actually stood before Joseph showing a new level of integrity in Egypt. No Jesus chose to reference the lowest part of his life.
Folk if Jesus can work through Judah and his line He can work through you and me!
Praise Jesus for grace!
Tomorrow’s Reading: The book of Ruth (don’t worry it is a quick read)
In the first four verses of today’s reading Paul sends out a warning all of us should take heed to. Paul in these verses is basically saying those that depend on others or in this case more directly those that led them to Jesus rather than actually Jesus Himself are but still immature Christians. We have a problem with this in our modern day world, how many would fall if some of the great luminaries of the church fell? How many would be so discouraged by the tragedy of another humans stumbling that they themselves would stumble. Paul tells the church in Corinth, you’re not ready to really eat “solid” spiritual food because you are still dependent on Paul or Apollos.
A few years ago I wrote a blog about what I perceived to be the dangers of the ONE Project and GYC conferences. Many took great offense to this blog post and because it came so near to the time of one of those events happening I didn’t want it to be perceived as being biased for or against one or the other. But I feel I should restate the danger I perceive here. My question and concern was, are these the best use of our resources to create what I have heard Rick Warren refer to as “conference Christians” people that attend a Christian conference, have a great experience, get all excited and then basically live off of that ’till the next conference, but there is no real long term change in their lives. The backlash I received from this blog actually affirmed I think my point and also what Paul wrote to the Corinthians about. Many private messaged me and some did so publicly as well saying, “I know people that live for the one project, that without this event they would feel spiritually lost.” Or Iike one young person said, “Every year I go to GYC so it can get me excited again.” I believe both such sentiments are what Paul is speaking of in regards to himself and Apollos. If we need events or people to to sustain us then we are still drinking spiritual milk, not solid spiritual food. And that is my concern with events such as the above I listed, or we could throw in Catalyst or Exponential, not that anything is wrong in and of themselves, but they may be a facilitator of the very thing Paul is speaking against, creating immature man dependent Christians.
With that in mind Paul points out that the work of him or Apollos or we could say the events I listed above or any of us individuals as Pastors or Spiritual leaders whether we have truly built upon Jesus, or our own personalities, or the entertainment and flair of an event will eventually be revealed,
“Now if any man builds on the foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw, 13 each man’s work will become evident; for the day will show it because it is to be revealed with fire, and the fire itself will test the quality of each man’s work. 14 If any man’s work which he has built on it remains, he will receive a reward. 15 If any man’s work is burned up, he will suffer loss; but he himself will be saved, yet so as through fire.” 1 Cor. 3:12-15
Without intent or purpose I am sure that I have “lead” some to Jesus but maybe it was at times more about me and I’ve been more of their foundation than Jesus, therefore I love that after such a scripture as that above that The Holy Spirit inspired Paul to extend a word of grace at the end of it,
“If any man’s work is burned up, he will suffer loss; but he himself will be saved, yet so as through fire.”
I don’t think, maybe I am just to idealistic but I don’t believe the majority of us in ministry ever try to make it about us, but I know we can. The “yet as through fire” I believe will be the realization some have been lost because of what we did or did not do and I know even now the thought of that breaks my heart. Some that I have loved that have passed away and I wonder what more I could have done to reach them with Jesus’ love, and this thought eats at me…
I think of HMS Richards who related the story of a lady he visited in one of his first evangelistic campaigns, she had company over so he didn’t stay and he said he also didn’t pray with her, that night she killed herself. He said he’s never failed to pray with an interest again, and even though it was 50 years later that he was relating this story you could still hear the pain and regret in his voice.
Again I thank Jesus for grace!
So those are my thoughts for today’s reading. I have a few more, but maybe you’ll hear them in a sermon some day down the road 🙂
Have a great preparation day and a wonderful Sabbath tomorrow!
Tomorrow’s Reading: Genesis 36-39
In today’s devotional reading there was so much great stuff I am going to list the verses that caught my attention and some quick thoughts I wrote down related to these verses.
Matthew 23:1-3–There are many in the world today that use faulty Christians as a reason for denying truth or not obeying God. I think one of the greatest areas this occurs is with regards to the attendance of church. Ever since I started to appreciate church and wonder why others didn’t appreciate it much I’ve heard, “I don’t go there because the people are so…” “cold” “unfriendly” “fake” “hypocrites.” Etc! Jesus clearly within these verses acknowledges the hypocrisy of some claiming to be followers of God, but He does not then let off those who observe this hypocrisy,
“The scribes and the Pharisees have seated themselves in the chair of Moses; 3 therefore all that they tell you, do and observe.” -Mt. 23:2, 3a
Matthew 23:15–This verse struck me because I remember the old adage that a mentor of mine once shared, “The way you bring them in is often the way they stay and even more so.” His point was that if you bring someone in through a system of legalism, rules, control, that is often who they will stay only more so. But if you bring someone in with love, grace, heart transformation, then that is who they will be. I believe this text affirms that adage.
Matthew 23:23–Too many are embracing justice, mercy, and faithfulness as Jesus instructed but forgetting the other point He made in this text, “the are the things you should have done without neglecting the others.” What are “the others” some things that folk in our modern world would see as the more legalistic aspects of religion…like obedience to certain rules, dictates, etc.
Matthew 23:14–We are preaching for the salvation of others, but also for the fulfillment of end-time prophecy.
Matthew 24:20–I’ve never understood how folk who fully acknowledge these scriptures are about the end of times…or even if they don’t they at least acknowledge they reference the time of the destruction of Jerusalem which took place 40 years after Jesus’ death, why they would give no credence to Jesus saying pray you don’t have to flee on the Sabbath? If Jesus got rid of the Sabbath at His death, why would He care if the people flee on the Sabbath? Jesus knew the Sabbath would be just as holy 40 years after His death or even thousands of years after His death, thus the encouragement for prayer. By the way also on this text why would Jesus say pray it is not at winter or on the Sabbath? Doesn’t Jesus know when it will be? Answer,
“But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but the Father alone.” -Mt. 24:36
Matthew 24:22–No life would have been saved? I am assuming this is talking about physical life, yet it seems to maybe also be referencing Spiritual life.
Matthew 24:33, 42–We can’t know the day or the hour, but the general time period will not be a surprise…
Matthew 24:44–of course then we counter balance that with, “the Son of Man is coming at an hour when you DO NOT THINK HE WILL.”
Matthew 24:48–Jesus refers to those who say, “Jesus is not coming for a long time” as evil. Strong language and scary since I’ve heard others and yes I believe even I have said it in my life, “I don’t Jesus is coming for a long time.” Even if that were true to believe such a thing breeds a lackadaisical life. And the truth is Jesus’ coming is always near because I only have these 70-90 years of my life to live which every day is seeming shorter and shorter and once my life is complete I’ll sleep and then just like that boom Jesus is here! Let us not be evil believing or speaking such an evil lie of satan!
Matthew 25:14-30–To me this is a parable about those who had access to truth, to relationship, to connection to the body of Christ and did nothing with it. In this sense I believe this parable is for those born into Christian homes but they do nothing with that “advantage” or people that have received a Christian education, but do nothing with that “advantage.”
Lots of good stuff in these chapters. I am sure even more than what I stated here. What moved on your heart?
See y’all tomorrow with our reading of 1st Corinthians 3 & 4.