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As I reflect back on 2010, I’m amazed at how quickly it went by. I looked at my New Year’s post from last year and just as He did in 2009, God has once again brought us through a difficult year.

As I wrote in that post, we did see some blessing this year but overall, I’d say there were more trials. Well, maybe the blessings had trials in them. I don’t want to say too much about the trials–and have it come back to haunt me–rather I’d like to press on and focus on the new blessings God has bestowed on us for 2011 already.

Some of you may be aware already, but I’d like to formally announce it here that I will once again be working from my home office full time! I’m so excited. I’m returning to work for the team I worked with in 2007-2009, but we are all with a different company now. It’s so exciting to be working with a group of folks that I admire, respect and trust deeply. God truly has answered our prayers and those of family and friends that have been praying for my specific “deliverance” from a difficult situation I found myself in work-wise this past year.

I’m reminded of what it says in Proverbs:

The mind of man plans his way, but the LORD directs his steps. –Proverbs 16:9.

I saw a Tweet recently by Carlos Whittaker:

“Do not ask the Lord to guide your steps, if you are not willing to move your feet.”

Same idea, I think, as Proverbs 16:9. I don’t know if that’s the verse Carlos had it mind but it’s something that truly resonated with me. You see, as much of a blessing it is that I’m returning to working from home and to a great team, I’m taking a large cut in pay. We haven’t run the numbers that much, but I finally got to the point to where I realized that I care less about the money and more about being there for my family (and sanity). Most importantly this is going to allow me to be more available to God.

It’s a step of faith. Truly. This whole thing is less about me (my decreasing) and more about what God is going to do (may He increase)!

Listen, the bottom line is if there is something in your life that is taking away from your relationship to God, remove it! If it’s career, change it! Don’t operate out of your strengths all the time. God’s strength is perfected in your weakness.

Paul said:

And He has said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness.” Most gladly, therefore, I will rather boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may dwell in me. –2 Corinthians 12:9.

I know that 2011 will be marked by my complete reliance on God’s care and provision for our family. I’ve been asking Him to direct my steps as I move my feet for Him.

Wishing you all the best for 2011! Place your faith and trust in the One that knows you better than you know yourself: your Creator, your loving Father, the King of Kings and Lord of Lords.

May He Increase!

Or maybe it’s just the Holy Spirit speaking to me.

The main, overall goal of this blog is to lead people to Christ. For those that are in Christ, it’s to provide studies from the Word of God that will edify, correct, encourage, or strengthen the believer.

Right now, I want to focus on those that are reading this that don’t know who Jesus is. Or those that, if they died in the next 5 minutes or Jesus came back in the next 5, they would be unprepared.

Is that you, friend? Are you certain about your salvation? Are you certain about where you are spending your eternity?

Don’t dismiss this casually. Don’t think for even a second that once you close your eyes, that’s it, game over. That is exactly what Satan would have you believe.

My job as a disciple of Christ is to be His ambassador here on earth.

Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were making an appeal through us; we beg you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God. –2 Corinthians 5:20.

I’ve missed this verse before. But I’m thrilled that the Holy Spirit directed me to it because this is exactly how I’ve been feeling. I’m begging you, friend, be reconciled to God … now!

Why? Because:

He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him. –2 Corinthians 5:21.

God took your sin and my sin and put it on His only Son, Jesus!

Do you realized that God paid a costly ransom for you? Do you realize that?

What is a ransom? If someone kidnaps a loved one, you pay a ransom to get them back. Right? It assumes that the person being bought has value. Right?

Well, if Jesus was that ransom that was paid, and you were bought for that price, what kind of value do you think that God places on you?

Don’t you see? God loves you so much that He was willing to die in order to free you from your sin!

Can’t fathom that kind of love? Neither can I. I don’t think any of us can and none of us will probably understand it until we see Him face-to-face.

I’m begging you, be reconciled to God!

May He Increase!

God really hates pride.

Why? Have you ever wondered why God hates pride so much? The answer may surprise you.

When we are prideful, we become like Satan. In fact, it was pride that was Satan’s downfall.

“How you have fallen from heaven, O star of the morning, son of the dawn! You have been cut down to the earth, you who have weakened that nations! But you said in your heart, ‘I will ascend to heaven; I will raise my throne above the stars of God, and I will sit on the mount of assembly in the recesses of the north.’” –Isaiah 14:12-13.

These verses are speaking directly about Satan. Don’t let the title “star of the morning” confuse you and make you think it’s talking about Jesus. As you may recall, one of Satan’s names is “Lucifer” which means “light-bearer.” In fact, in the King James, verse 12 is rendered as:

“How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning!” –Isaiah 14:12 (KJV).

Paul warns us:

No wonder, for even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light. –2 Corinthians 11:13.

Getting back to Isaiah, we we see the ultimate goal of pride, in Satan’s own words!

“‘I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will make myself like the Most High.’” –Isaiah 14:14 (Emphasis mine).

God will not share His glory. God has no equal. He is Lord and creator of all.

Do you struggle with pride? How do you deal with it in your life? Are you quick to recognize it? Quick to repent of it?

May He Increase!

We ended the last study by asking the question: do you see your sins as scarlet?

But God isn’t finished speaking to Job. We will now look at God’s second speech to Job.

(Editor’s Note: This post will conclude the study of the book of Job.)

The Book of Job – Part XI: God’s second speech to Job – His power

Then the Lord answered Job out of the storm and said, “Now gird up your loins like a man; I will ask you, and you instruct Me. Will you really annual My judgment? Will you condemn Me that you may be justified?” –Job 40:6-8.

Just before God started His second speech to Job, Job was humbled by God’s first speech. However, he was not yet repentant. It took until this point for Job to see that he was insignificant or vile (Job 40:3). He has come quite a way from his insistence on his own righteousness, but God still has more layers to peel back.

How many people today “condemn [God] that [they] may be justified?”

“Or do you have an arm like God, and can you thunder with a voice like His?” –Job 40:9.

God asks Job if he has the strength of God.

“Adorn yourself with eminence and dignity, and clothe yourself with honor and majesty. Pour out the overflowings of your anger, and look on everyone who is proud, and make him low.” –Job 40:10-11.

As Lord of all, God here speaks of His majesty. The Psalmist said:

The Lord reigns, He is clothed with majesty; the Lord has clothed and girded Himself with strength; Indeed, the world is established, it will not be moved. Your throne is established from of old; You are from everlasting. –Psalm 93:1-2.

God does have anger. Don’t be mistaken.

Who can stand before His indignation? Who can endure the burning of His anger? His wrath is poured out like fire and the rocks are broken up by Him. But with an overflowing flood He will make a complete end of its site, and will pursue His enemies into darkness. –Nahum 1:6,8.

God hates a prideful heart. We looked at Nebuchadnezzar before and how God brought him low because of his pride. He would remark about this judgment by saying:

“Now I, Nebuchadnezzar, praise, exalt and honor the King of heaven, for all His works are true and His ways are just, and He is able to humble those who walk in pride.” –Daniel 4:37.

Back to Job:

“Look on everyone who is proud, and humble him, and tread down the wicked where they stand. Hide them in the dust together; bind them in the hidden place. Then I will also confess to you, that your own right hand can save you.” –Job 40:12-14.

Powerful passages. God is basically telling Job that if he has the strength, the majesty, and power to humble the proud, then God will confess that Job can save himself. I think that’s a question everyone should answer for himself. I think you’ll find that your own answer is lacking and that you cannot save yourself.

“Behold now, Behemoth, which I made as well as you; He eats grass like an ox. Behold now, his strength in his loins and his power in the muscles of his belly. He bends his tail like a cedar; the sinews of his thighs are knit together. His bones are tubes of bronze; his limbs are like bars of iron.” –Job 40:15-18.

Here, and the next few verses to follow, are frequently used to make a case for the mention of dinosaurs in the Bible. I don’t want to turn this post into an argument against evolutionary theory–since evolutionists will say that dinosaurs and humans never lived together at the same time–but if you read these verses carefully, you’ll be hard-pressed to come up with any other explanation given the description of “behemoth.”

“He is the first of the ways of God; let his maker bring near his sword. Surely the mountains bring him food, and all the beasts of the field play there. Under the lotus plants he lies down, in the covert of the reeds and the marsh. The lotus plants cover him with shade; the willows of the brook surround him. If a river rages, he is not alarmed; he is confident, though the Jordan rushes to his mouth. Can anyone capture him when he is on watch, with barbs can anyone pierce his nose?” –Job 40:19-24.

This creature–”the first of the ways of God”–is mighty in description and deeds. God explains to Job that not only did He make this great animal, but God also made him (Job). God points out that since Job cannot even control this great animal, how dare he think he could control God!

“Can you draw out Leviathan with a fishhook? Or press down his tongue with a cord?” –Job 41:1.

God will now use a creature called “Leviathan” to argue His position. Leviathan is sometimes thought to be a crocodile.

“Can you put a rope in his nose or pierce his jaw with a hook? Will he make many supplications to you, or will he speak to you soft words? Will he make a covenant with you? Will you take him for a servant forever? Will you play with him as with a bird, or will you bind him for your maidens? Will the traders bargain over him? Will they divide him among the merchants? Can you fill his skin with harpoons, or his head with fishing spears? Lay your hand on him; remember the battle; you will not do it again!” –Job 41:2-8.

God uses this series of questions to demonstrate that Job has no power over this creature. He uses sharp humor by saying something to the effect “you better remember your battle with him, because it won’t happen a second time!”

The rest of the verses–from Job 41:9-32–are all further descriptions of this great sea creature called “Leviathan.” God ends the description and his second speech by saying:

“Nothing on earth is like him, one made without fear. He looks on everything that is high; he is king over all the sons of pride.” –Job 41:33-34.

God calls this creature a “king over all the sons of pride.” The “sons” here is referring to animals. God alone can tame this great creature. The point is well-taken with Job, as we will see.

Job Repents!

Then Job answered the Lord and said, “I know that You can do all things, and that no purpose of Yours can be thwarted.” –Job 42:1-2.

Here is the great climax of the book of Job. Here is the grand statement, the one that God has been waiting to hear from Job’s lips.

“‘Who is this that hides counsel without knowledge?’ “Therefore I have declared that which I did not understand, things too wonderful for me, which I did not know.” ‘Hear, now, and I will speak; I will ask You, and You will instruct me.’ “I have heard of You by the hearing of the ear; but now my eye sees You; therefore I retract, and I repent in dust and ashes.” –Job 42:3-6.

If we truly know who God is, then none of us needs to know why He allows us to suffer or experience trials and hardship. The question, then, isn’t “why” at all. God is either in control of everything or He isn’t. If God is Lord of your life, then He is in control of you and your circumstances. God is all-powerful and Almighty. He is the Creator of the Universe. If He has that much power, then certainly He can take care of His own children.

God is sovereign. No one tells Him what to do. We may never know, this side of heaven, why we go through the things we do. In spite of that, we must always use caution to never criticize Him for His dealings with us.

Job’s Restoration

It came about after the Lord had spoken these words to Job, that the Lord said to Eliphaz the Temanite, “My wrath is kindled against you and against your two friends, because you have not spoken of Me what is right as My servant Job has.” –Job 42:7.

I’ve been known around my family to use the phrase “a day of reckoning.” Well, here we see that God has ordained a day of reckoning for Eliphaz and his two friends (Bildad and Zophar). It’s interesting that God doesn’t even use the latters’ names!

It’s one of those passages where I read it and then say, “Wow.” I start to think to myself: “Have I misrepresented God? Have I misspoken the things of God?” God doesn’t take these things lightly. In fact, His wrath is kindled!

“Now therefore, take for yourselves seven bulls and seven rams, and go to My servant Job, and offer up a burnt offering for yourselves, and My servant Job will pray for you. For I will accept him so that I may not do with you according to your folly, because you have not spoken of Me what is right, as My servant Job has.” –Job 42:8.

Four times in verses 7 and 8 does God call use the phrase: “My servant Job.” It’s a wonderful word-picture of God’s vindication of Job after Satan’s accusations of him back in Job 1:8.

Also, God repeats Himself here to Eliphaz about what he and Bildad and Zophar had done wrong. I read these verses and I can really feel God’s anger towards these three. But it’s a wonderful picture that the one doing the offering on their behalf is the one they brought accusations against!

“So Eliphaz the Temanite and Bildad the Shuhite and Zophar the Naamathite went and did as the Lord told them; and the Lord accepted Job.” –Job 42:9.

Another example of God’s restoration of Job.

The Lord restored the fortunes of Job when he prayed for his friends, and the Lord increased all that Job had twofold. –Job 42:10.

Job prayed for his friends before any mention that he even prayed for himself!

Then all his brothers and all his sisters and all who had known him before came to him, and they ate bread with him in his house; and they consoled him and comforted him for all the adversities that the Lord had brought on him. And each one gave him one piece of money, and each a ring of gold. –Job 42:11.

This was the custom of the day. We see an example of this in 2 Chronicles:

And many were bringing gifts to the Lord at Jerusalem and choice presents to Hezekiah king of Judah, so that he was exalted in the sight of all nations thereafter. –2 Chronicles 32:23.

The Lord blessed the latter days of Job more than his beginning; and he had 14,000 sheep and 6,000 camels and 1,000 yoke of oxen and 1,000 female donkeys. He had seven sons and three daughters. He named the first Jemimah, and the second Keziah, and the third Keren-happuch. –Job 42:12-14.

God doubled all of Job’s former possessions except for his children. God gave him back one child for each child lost. It’s interesting that the Bible does not list the names of the seven sons that were given to Job, only the three daughters. Here are the meanings of their names:

• “Jemimah” means “day by day” or “a dove.”
• “Keziah” means “cassia.” Cassia is a bark similar to cinnamon but less aromatic, so called from its being peeled off.
• “Keren-happuch” means “horn of antimony” or “horn of paint.” Antimony is a brittle silvery-white metalloid.

In all the land no women were found so fair as Job’s daughters; and their father gave them inheritance among their brothers. –Job 42:15.

This was an unusual practice. Later, once the law was given, daughters would only get an inheritance if there were no sons (Numbers 27:8).

After this, Job lived 140 years, and saw his sons and his grandsons, four generations. And Job died, an old man and full of days. –Job 42:16-17.

Remember, the 140 year figure is after all these things had happened. The text does not give Job’s age prior to this. Either way, this life-span was completely normal for the time period. It’s also worth noting that if Job lived that much longer after the events in the book, then his health must have been completely restored to him as well.

Job is a wonderful book to study for so many reasons, not just to ask the question of “why do we suffer?” I encourage you to spend some time in the book and explore it more fully. God has something for each of us in it.

May He Increase!

We learned that God had high praise for Job’s righteousness, but Satan countered with questioning Job’s motives. With God’s permission, Satan then sent calamity upon Job’s possessions and even killed all of his children. In spite of the horror of all that was happening around him, “Job did not sin nor did he blame God.”

The Book of Job – Part II: Satan Isn’t Finished With Job

After Satan sends the first salvo of suffering Job’s way, you get the feeling that Satan was sure it would be enough for Job to “curse [God] to [His] face.” But that’s not what Job did.

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. –Job 2:1.

Here, as in Job 1:6, the angels are meeting with God to give an account of their activities. Satan is a created, angelic being. That doesn’t make him “good.” In fact, the Word says that Satan disguises himself as an angel of light (2 Corinthians 11:14). It’s really one of the reasons so many follow him, falsely believing his lies and deceptions.

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.” –Job 2:2.

God’s question to Satan was more rhetorical than inquisitive. God certainly knows where Satan has been. Just as in Job 1:7, there is the familiar response “roaming about on the earth and walking around on it.” The earth is Satan’s domain. You might be surprised to learn that Satan isn’t in hell … yet. In fact, no one is in hell at this time. Satan and the dead whose names are not written in the Book of Life will be cast into hell at the White Throne Judgment (Revelation 20:13-14).

Everything in this world is Satan’s to give. We see this confirmed in Matthew when Satan offers all the worldly wealth to Jesus.

Again the devil took Him to a very high mountain and showed Him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory; and he said to Him, “All these things I will give You, if You fall down and worship me.” Then Jesus said to him, “Go, Satan! For it is written, ‘You shall worship the Lord Your God, and serve Him only.’” –Matthew 4:8-10.

Look at Jesus’ response to Satan’s offer. Jesus did not reply that Satan had no authority to make such an offer. His response confirms that all the worldly wealth is Satan’s to give.

Getting back to the dialog between God and Satan:

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.” –Job 2:3.

This is an amazing verse. First, I can’t help but get this image in my head of God as a proud Father. He simply grins at Satan and says: “See! I told you so!”

More importantly, this verse explains why sometimes the righteous suffer. God is explaining to all that He is not always in heaven looking down and trying to figure out how to destroy our lives and make us suffer! So often, God wants to draw us closer to Him and sometimes it takes pain and suffering to do so.

C.S. Lewis wrote:

God whispers to us in our pleasures, speaks to us in our conscience, but shouts in our pains: It is His megaphone to rouse a deaf world.

As believers, we must always remember that our pain, suffering, and trials are all “Father-filtered.” We need to be asking: “What can I learn from this, Lord?”

Satan answered the Lord and said, “Skin for skin! Yes, all that a man has he will give for his life. However, put forth Your hand now, and touch his bone and his flesh; he will curse You to Your face.” So the Lord said to Satan, “Behold, he is in your power, only spare his life.” –Job 2:4-6.

So Satan hasn’t given up in trying to destroy Job. But in spite of this, Satan is still under God’s control. Even though God puts Job in Satan’s power, God still commands Satan to spare Job’s life. It’s subtle, but powerful. No matter how much Satan may buffet you, remember that God always in control and Satan cannot act outside of God’s will.

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. And he took a potsherd to scrape himself while he was sitting among the ashes. –Job 2:7-8.

There are many speculations as to Job’s medical condition. Some say he had cancer. Some say it was some type of dermatological disease or elephantiasis or leukemia of the skin. Whatever it was, it was painful, itching, and later oozed serum and attracted worms. Pretty nasty stuff. The “potsherd” mentioned was simply a piece of broken pottery.

Then his wife said to him, “Do you still hold fast your integrity? Curse God and die!” –Job 2:9.

Here is the only mention of Job’s wife, and it’s none too flattering. Satan destroyed all of Job’s wealthy and livelihood and killed all of his children. In my opinion, it’s sort of a sick joke on Satan’s part to leave Job’s wife alive to now mock him in his time of crisis.

Yet, in spite of this physical torment and the additional humiliation brought about by his wife, Job says:

“You speak as one of the foolish woman speaks. Shall we indeed accept good from God and not accept adversity?” In all this Job did not sin with his lips. –Job 2:10.

We have to remember something at this point, as readers, we are privy to the conversations between God and Satan. We know why all this was happening to Job but he–at this point–has no clue why this is happening to him.

Not only does Job not know why this is happening, but he has a few friends come by who also don’t really know but they’ll have plenty of opinions why.

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. –Job 2:11.

J. Vernon McGee says this of this verse:

Now we are introduced to the three friends, and we need to get to know them. Eliphaz was a Temanite. Teman was a grandson of Esau according to Genesis 36:10-11. Bildad was a Shuhite. Shuah was a son of Abraham according to Genesis 25:2. Zophar was a Naamathite. Naamah was in northern Arabia. These facts lead us to place the time of Job at the time of the patriarchs and it also gives to us the general location where Job lived, although we do not know the specific spot. –J. Vernon McGee, “Thru the Bible with J. Vernon McGee.”

Back to Job:

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. 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. –Job 2:12-13.

So far, so good. What I mean is, at this point, Job’s friends are doing what is right and proper: they are grieving with Job and empathizing with him. A key phrase: “with no one speaking a word to him, for they saw that his pain was very great.” That is exactly what they should have remained doing.

We all need to walk softly around a broken heart. We need to be listening and not speaking. Unfortunately, they can’t seem to keep their mouths shut so we’ll soon see them beginning to analyze why Job has experienced all the awful things that have happened to him.

But first, we’ll hear from Job, crying out in his pain and agony.

May He Increase!