Please Don't Skip Over the Long Biblical Passage

"Then Job replied to the Lord: 'I know that you can do all things; no purpose of yours can be thwarted.  You asked, "Who is this that obscures my plans without knowledge?"  Surely I spoke of things I did not understand, things too wonderful for me to know.  You said, "Listen now, and I will speak; I will question you, and you shall answer me."  My ears had heard of you but now my eyes have seen you.  Therefore I despised myself and repent in dust and ashes.'" (Job 42:1-6, NIV)

Good reaction, Job.  We all need to learn from you.  I'm in our local Starbucks today, because we arrived home last night to a blown router; hence, no wifi.  Life goes on.

Today is the last-chapter-of-Job day.  The Book concludes by telling us that our Lord Jesus, "blessed the latter part of Job's life more than the former part."  But that's no guarantee that your income is going to double in your "latter days."  If it does so, great.  If it does not, Jesus is still Lord.  We are in Jesus and He in us.  We have our names in, "the Book of Life."  Jesus is preparing, "a place for you."  The Bible says, "....Godliness with contentment is great gain."  If some man-thought-up teaching is our "contentment," we are in deep trouble.  Remember: "Faith...is what the ancients were commended for," viz., obedience to, "The Word of God."  If anyone believes, or anyone listens to those who propagate a you-are-s0mething-special-and-hence-won't-experience-what-everyone-else-does "gospel," then those persons are perfectly set up for huge disappointment/disillusionment. 

This does not challenge the reality of the goodness, the faithfulness, the grace, of our Lord Jesus Christ.  It does teach, however, that those who believe and, hence, create a wrong life style based on favorite texts out of context, or favorite preachers/teachers/prophets are destined to live a life of Dorothy or Alice, as in "wonderland."  It is pure fiction.  If people do not read the Bible and allow the Bible to "read" them, to teach them, to rule their life and life styles, there is nothing but a life full of falsehoods ahead.  I know it seems to many that I pluck that one string too many times.  But the longer I live, the more I observe life, the more I observe humanity and the Church, the more convinced am I that if we are not "people of the Book," we will be people of the whim of every charlatan and our own sin-prone hearts.  We are like little children, and we always need Our Father to keep us in Him and, "my Path."  We never "out grow" this.  And I am so thankful that the Blessed Trinity never leaves me without His Words, which are, "a lamp for my feet, and a light on my path."  May His, "lamp," enlighten your feet, and His, "light," enlighten your "path," today.

Father, in Jesus' Name, please keep me in You and Your ways.  Amen
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* Good prophetic articles at:   jhs58.blogspot.com
* Will really appreciate your prayers for the mission in DC, October 8-12, 2015
* Thanks to all for your prayers for our family.  Any ongoing such we greatly appreciate

When Peter, an 18 year old Norwegian, "heard the call to evangelize China, on that day he not only emptied his wallet into the collection plate, but included a small note with the words, 'and my life.'"

"Looking unto Jesus"
Hebrews 12:2

"I Have Spoken Once, But I Have No Answer" (Job)

"Then Job answered the Lord: 'I am unworthy-- how can I reply to you?  I put my hand over my mouth.  I spoke once, but I have no answer-- twice, but I will say no more.'" (Job 40:3-5, NIV)

I am near the end of Job for this quarter.  I always see something new, something which blesses, and some things which help me in my pursuit of "reality living."  Sadly, there is a "christian" culture which has for decades deceived people in the reality of life.  If we would only read the Words of Jesus, listening, meditating, receiving, we would not walk in deception and become slaves to the likes of Job's "three friends," and his oft-overlooked wife.  Jesus never spoke words to promote ministry.  Jesus spoke/speaks Words which take the Follower, "through the valley of the shadow,"------------- victoriously.  

I woke up this morning with a case of sheer exhaustion, have done nothing but this devotional, and been fasting since last evening around 19:00.  Symptoms were coming upon me which no one wants, but I have found so many times over the years that an immediate fast does exactly one of the things the Bible says, "....Your healing shall spring forth speedily...."  Hoping to go to our house tomorrow.  I say "house," because if "home is where the heart is," then my heart is in several places.

A whole lot of people believe that if a lot of things "go wrong" or badly in your life, you must have done or are doing something wrong.  This goes back millennia.  While we cannot read the Bible and exclude judgment and consequences for sin and bad choices, we still need to deal with Job, and not only Job, but the millions of Followers of Jesus throughout the centuries who have suffered untold pain, starvation, rejection, sickness, imprisonment, persecutions, and all the maladies which face all humanity.  Some people, when confronted with and, hence, accept the realities of life, basically say, "What's the use?"  This is what Job's wife said.  In effect, "All those wonderful promises you were told and accepted, all the TV and radio and senior pastor hype that if you just live right, apply the Bible principles rightly, no problem; your life is trouble free.  What planet is that?!?

If this is the Gospel of Jesus Christ, then I have been reading the wrong Gospels, indeed the wrong Bible, and, I might add, looking at life with those proverbial "rose-colored glasses."  We have had a lot happen in just the past several weeks, as well as the worst "happen" which one can face in a life time, the death of those whom we so dearly love.  The Word of God teaches you and me, as He did Job, that reasoning, wondering, suspiciousness is worthless.  If you and I are to "walk this lonesome valley," then we need the heart of Job, "I put my hand over my mouth.  I spoke once, but I have no answer-- twice, but I will say no more."

Father, in Jesus' Name, though I say with Job, "I am unworthy," I so thank You that in Jesus I am now worthy with His Worthiness.  Amen.

When Peter, an 18 year old Norwegian, "heard the call to evangelize China, on that day he not only emptied his wallet into the collection plate, but included a small note with the words, 'and my life.'"

"Looking unto Jesus"
Hebrews 12:2