by Suellen | Project 2013: Read The Bible
Job 38-40
I love it when God shows up, don’t you? If there is anything which will shut up a bunch of silly speculation, it’s God’s own voice permeating the atmosphere!
“Then the Lord answered Job out of the whirlwind…”(38:1). Get ready: this is going to be good.
“Where were you when I laid the foundation of the earth?”(38:4). That’s a good question, isn’t it? Then what about this one? “Have you ever in your life commanded the morning, and caused the dawn to know its place?”(38:12)
Then He goes on to ask question after question. “Do you know the time the mountain goats give birth?”(39:1).” Who sent out the wild donkey free?”(39:5). “Do you give the horse his might?”(39:19). “Is it by your understanding that the hawk soars?”(39:26).
There is but one God, Creator of heaven and earth. He is the designer of the universe and all that is in it. It was His idea to create man in His image.
So when God shows up and starts asking questions, there is nothing to do but agree.
So Job responds appropriately, “Behold, I am insignificant; what can I do to reply to Thee? I lay my hand on my mouth.”(40:1). Good going, Job. that’s the right answer. Be quiet and listen.
God continues a little further. He compares Job’s power with that of a hippopotamus.
I think that Job is getting the point. (And we aren’t hearing a peep out of all of the friends).
We’ll wind up this encounter tomorrow. Are you ready?
Acts 15:36-41
Paul is such a zealous man for the gospel. He’s unstoppable and unwavering. When someone has character traits like that, they can truly be annoyed with those who are wishy-washy. We see some of that here.
In Acts 13:13 there’s a seemingly inconsequential verse, but now we see its significance. John Mark, a young Christian, had chosen to go with Paul and Barnabas as they sailed on their first missionary journey. I’m sure that he got caught up in the excitement of a journey, without thinking about the hardships of the travel or the toughness of the mission. But when they were in the middle of their trip, Mark decides he has had enough, and sails back to Jerusalem.
There is no mention of Paul being annoyed at the time, but we see his reaction in this current passage.
After the council meets in Jerusalem, Paul wants to go back to the areas they had visited and strengthen the churches. That’s fine with Barnabas, and he wants to take Mark.
Paul will have none of it, and the two apostles have such a “sharp disagreement” that they separate. (V. 39). That’s heavy. These two men who have worked so well together for the cause of the gospel get into a fight with each other over John Mark and what to do with him.
So Barnabas takes Mark with him and goes to Cyprus. Paul takes Silas and fulfills his mission to Syria and Cilicia.
I have seen several attempts to characterize Paul and Barnabas as to their gifts or personality types. Paul is a true apostle, with only one mission, and that is to fulfill God’s purpose. He is tough and unbending in his approach to this purpose, and has no time for the weak or vacillating character who might hinder the goal.
Barnabas, on the other hand, has been characterized as a true pastor, or shepherd in his nature. He knows that John Mark has fallen short, but he wants to give him a second chance. He is more interested in the person than the mission.
Both gifts are essential for God’s mission to be complete. There are those called to show patience and support for people as they grow. Then there are those who are so focused on the mission that they don’t have time for the weak. It’s interesting to see these two as they conflict in this passage.
As these men mature in their growth with God, each of them will come more toward the center. I think that Barnabas will get tougher. I know that Paul increases in his patience with others. In II Timothy 4:11, Paul tells Timothy to “Pick up mark and bring him with you, for he is useful to me for service.”
There is a mellowing of the pointed, unwavering character he once had. Paul now appreciates Mark, and he and Barnabas are probably good friends again.
This is typical. As we grow with God, the edges of our personalities will be sanded down. The harsh will get softer and the soft will get tougher. Even though the original traits are still quite obvious, the life spent with God will reduce the rough edges and cause more of His purposes to be manifest.
God’s purposes always include all of the gifts, because all are needed. After all, He is the one who designed it that way.
by Suellen | Project 2013: Read The Bible
Job 34-37
Our young friend, Elihu, is on a roll and he continues to let everybody in on what he thinks. He is getting a little cocky, as he says, “For truly my words are not false; one who is perfect in knowledge is with you.” (36:4) So Elihu thinks his reasoning surpasses them all.
Certainly this young man hits upon some truth as he exclaims the magnificence of our God. Our Creator is truly mighty and above reproach.
However, the big missing piece in all of the dissertations is evident to us on this side of the cross. God is credited or blamed with everything. There is no knowledge of the devil and his workings in the earth.
The full disclosing of Satan and his work wouldn’t be given until man would be able to deal with him. (And that would not come until man could be born again – after the resurrection of Jesus).
So Elihu is like his neighbors in that he thinks God is controlling everything, good or bad, that happens on the earth.
It’s time we hear from our Creator, Himself. We will tomorrow.
Acts 15
Today we encounter one of the greatest controversies in all of Christianity. The difference between the law and grace.
Until Jesus came and man could be born again, the Jewish law reigned supreme. The Jews were cultivated all of those years to protect the law and live by it. Not only the ten commandments, but the law of circumcision, and sundry laws which affected every area of life were given by God to protect His special people and keep them cognizant of His nature and His holiness.
Now all of a sudden, the rules change in a dramatic way. This is a difficult time for the Pharisees who have prided themselves on keeping the law. These Jewish leaders agree that the gentiles now have the benefit of the covenant with God, but they think that the new believers have to be circumcised.
When the council of elders meet, the men share their testimonies. Peter reminds everyone of how the Holy Spirit fell on the centurion and his family, with no mention of circumcision. The others share also, and the decision is made. Circumcision will no longer be a requirement. There will be very few requirements of the law for the Gentiles who believe.
The argument concerning the law versus grace is still troubling people today. Through the blood of Jesus we now have a righteousness based on grace and not works. Many misunderstand this. There are some who believe that outward dress and appearance are necessary to live a holy life. That’s not true. Others believe that grace means you can live a totally ungodly life and still be “okay” because of the blood of Jesus. That’s certainly not true either.
Because of the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus, we now have the opportunity to be born again. Our spirits can now come alive, a condition that was not available to people since the fall of God’s first man. Through this miracle of rebirth, we now have the very nature of our God living on the inside of us – leading us, guiding us, and empowering us to do His will.
This is the life of grace. So what does it mean? It means that we are not bound by the law, but our standard is higher than the law. Under the law, we shouldn’t commit adultery. Under grace, we won’t even lust after another’s wife or husband (Matthew 5:28). Under the law, we were not to kill. Under grace, we won’t even hate others. (Matthew 5:21)
Our lives under grace are such that we are walking as one with our God, our lives totally committed to Him and His will. Now we can live as we couldn’t before. Now we can understand mysteries as we couldn’t before. Now we can benefit from His love and mercy – and extend it to others, as never before.
by Suellen | Project 2013: Read The Bible
Job 32-33
Elihu speaks up. He is younger than Job and all of the other friends, so he has waited to speak. He wants to hear what the others would say, and besides that, he’s shy. However, he can refrain himself no longer. With the zeal of a teenager, he lets them all “have it.”
Elihu is angry with Job because he justifies himself before God, and he is angry with the friends because they are condemning Job. Nobody is pleasing him.
To Job, he says, “I have heard the sound of your words: ‘I am pure; without transgression.'” And he continues, “Behold let me tell you, you are not right in this, for God is greater than man.”
It’s refreshing when you see young people spout their zeal. Sometimes there is some confusion, and not the wisdom which will come later, but when the young have pure hearts, they always take up for God.
There is an idealism in devout young men that you often don’t see in older ones. They are ready to believe that God is really who He says He is. Nothing is impossible with Him.
I like that! I pray that we will keep that attitude – or recover it – all the days of our lives.
Acts 14
Faithful and unstoppable! Those are two words which describe Paul.
As Paul and Barnabas are introducing the gospel to the Jews and Gentiles who live in Asia, they encounter a man who has been lame from his mother’s womb. Seeing his faith, Paul commands him to rise and walk, and of course, he does. Paul is acting with his faithfulness to the Lord.
It’s amazing to see what happens after such notable miracles take place. At first the crowds think the apostles are gods, and start bringing sacrifices. But a short time later, they get stirred up by the Jews, and stone Paul, dragging him out of the city (supposing him to be dead). “But while the disciples stood around him, he arose and entered the city.”(V.20). Truly unstoppable.
Paul is a powerful man of God. He gets stoned or beaten and gets right back up and goes again. If he had been stoned enough to be supposed dead, he had to be badly beaten, but his condition didn’t stop him. (Actually, I’m quite sure that some divine healing was taking place there also).
As is usual for him, instead of soliciting pity, Paul is busy thinking about strengthening the souls who had just committed to the Lord. He wants to leave them in a strong state, so he appoints elders and gives them encouraging words before leaving the territory.
Finally, as the disciples arrive back at Antioch, they gather the church together and share “all things that God had done with them and how He had opened a door of faith to the Gentiles.”(V.27)
As we study the life of Paul in the New Testament, we see this trait many times. He emphasizes what God is doing – not what the enemy is doing. Many of us would have gathered the church together to whine about the stoning or the hard days of travel. Not Paul. He always emphasizes God and not man or the devil.
I want to emulate that characteristic in my life. Every day we have the opportunity to focus on what God is doing – or focus on what the devil is doing. I want to focus on the former. When we keep our eyes on our God – and not the problems we face, our faith stays high – and so does our morale.
Paul is such an excellent example for all of us. I want to be more like him. For that matter, I want to be more like Jesus! I know that you do, too.
by Suellen | Project 2013: Read The Bible
Job 28-29
Wow! Job is getting somewhere. After all of the babbling he and his friends have undertaken, he is lighting on some truth here.
Where does wisdom come from? You can’t mine for it as you would gold, silver, or precious stones. You can’t find it in the ocean or rivers. You can’t buy it. It’s value is higher than anything you might encounter.
Wisdom is only with God. He sees everything that goes on. And he understands all that He has set in order.
“And to man He said, ‘Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom; and to depart from evil is understanding.'”(28:28).
Job has had endurance and patience. Now he is showing humility. This man is realizing that it is God who had blessed his life before, and not himself. He is also realizing that there has to be a fear, or reverence, of the Lord for any wisdom to come at all.
Today this is true, just as it was then. There are many who are trying to find wisdom in their own pursuits and with their own minds. They shoot to this thought and that, bouncing about in their reasoning. Very often their basic premises are wrong, so all the precepts they build on the premises are wrong also.
The only true foundation for building our belief system is the fear of the Lord. And today, that foundation is found in God’s Word.
Acts 13:1-43
Have you noticed that when the Jews are introducing Jesus to new people they start with history?
It’s interesting to me that Peter, Stephen, and Paul use the same method. They recite all of the Jewish history from the time of Abraham – through Egypt, the wilderness, the kings, and all the way up to Jesus. It’s because the Jewish people were taught their history with God from the time they were young. When Jesus was put into context of their history, the Jews began to see how He was the true Messiah they had been awaiting.
I think that in our own lives, we would encourage each other and ourselves if we could keep our history in the forefront of our thoughts. It’s good to remember the history of the Word, of course, but also our personal history.
In each of our lives, we have a history with Jesus. There have been times when He has protected us from danger. Or supplied our needs supernaturally. Or healed us. Or given us a dream or vision. Or spoken a word of direction deep within our spirits.
There are many ways that our God has interacted with our lives, and it’s important to remember them.
I have a journal. It’s rather random in what it contains. Sometimes a Word he has spoken to me personally. Sometimes a prayer that he has answered. Or maybe a scripture he has given me when I needed encouragement.
Those special moments of interaction, when kept in high regard, can keep us bold in our faith and encourage us toward our vision. That’s one of the ways our God uses to propel us toward the mark, even when circumstances look difficult.
Our God is a faithful God and He is a God who reacts to our faith. So when we continually build ourselves up on our faith, we are moving closer to our goal all the time.
So let’s be “story keepers.” That is, keepers of our own stories with Him. Story keepers are faith keepers!
by Suellen | Project 2013: Read The Bible
Job 25-27
Bildad expresses his opinion that no man is “right ” before God, and greatly offends Job. Our protagonist wants to feel that he is right before God. He has lived his life trying to accomplish his own righteousness, and he can’t understand anyone suggesting that he hasn’t succeeded.
The Holy Spirit, through Paul, addresses this concept in Romans 10:2-3. “For I bear them witness that they had a zeal for God, but not in accordance with knowledge. For not knowing about God’s righteousness, and seeking to establish their own, they did not subject themselves to the righteousness of God.” In this passage, He is speaking of the Jews. Yet the same could be applied to Job.
Job wanted to feel that he was righteous, yet no man is righteous based on his own works. Not then; not now. Our righteousness is a gift from God, which can only come through Jesus, so before that time a man couldn’t claim to be so.
Of course, Job didn’t know that, so he continues to try to prove that he is a “good” man.
Acts 12
Peter has a surreal experience. Locked up securely in jail – sleeping between two soldiers and bound with two chains – the angels wake him up, loose the chains and lead him out of prison. The moment is so surreal he thinks he is dreaming…right up until the moment the iron gate into the city opens by itself.
When he “comes to his senses,” Peter realizes that this is not a dream, but reality. Wow.
Now let’s take a look at the next part of this and see if you can identify. He goes to the house where his friends are praying (for him to get out). Yet when the girl, Rhoda, opens the door and announces his presence, the prayer warriors say, “You’re out of your mind!” It must be his angel.
I have had God answer prayers in such a dramatic way that it was hard to believe. Have you? Well, we’d better get ready. He is in the prayer-answering business, and if we really believe Him, we will even see more than what we have seen so far.
It’s time for us to take our limits off of what our God can do. After all, He is the Creator of the universe, and He can accomplish whatever needs to be accomplished.
It’s time for us to believe for miracles. Just because we haven’t seen it done before, doesn’t mean that He won’t do it.
I am convinced that if we can truly believe him and trust Him, we will see mighty acts of mercy showering down.
Are you ready?
