Job Chapter 21

Read Job chapter 21.

Though there are exceptions, the rule seems to be that the wicked prosper in this life and the righteous don't.  One reaches this conclusion through the narrow lens of human observation.  The other guidepost is that this life is not all there is.  The Lord knows how to compensate both the wicked and the righteous.  At God's time, and only then, perfect justice will be served.  Don't keep your hope built on goods or a status that you don't have.  Instead, keep your hope built on the realization that you will see your Redeemer one day.  Don't wish that the wicked get what they deserve.  Labor for their rescue from self-dependence.  Pray for their salvation.  Remember how gracious the Lord has been to you.  (You certainly deserved none of that.)

What Satisfies You? (Psa. 17:13-15)

Read Psalm 17:13-15.

1.  Group 1 is satisfied with wealth, comfort, family, inheritance.
2.  Group 2 might or might not enjoy some of those things, but this group lives for something higher:  they live to see God's face and be fully formed into His likeness.

Observations:

• There is nothing wrong with blessing, prosperity, family, leaving an inheritance, etc.  These are not inherently evil.  Enjoy God's blessings.  Say thank You often.  Live beyond the temporary, however.
• If you have the above-mentioned blessings, then share them with others.  Don't hoard.
• If you don't have (at all or regularly) the above-mentioned blessings, then don't feel second class.  Know that God will take care of you .
• Beware the idolatry of "enough."  You will never have "enough", at least not according to your flesh.  It craves more and more.  Man's eyes are never satisfied.
• Always keep before you the ultimate purpose for living.  Don't substitute a good, yet secondary, purpose for the ultimate.
• These verses help you get to the heart of "What is successful living?"

Grumbling (Mt. 20:11)

Read Matthew 20:11.

The grumbling was against the landowner, not the other workers.  Grumbling, then, is your suggesting that your perspective is better than God's, that your sense of fairness is superior to God's sense of generosity.  Grumbling is a verbal cue that there is a severe heart problem due to ignorance, pride or selfishness.

"Your Paths" (Psa. 17:5)

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Read Psalm 17:5.

"Your paths" = lit. "your wagon tracks."  God's paths are . . .

• deep enough to be observed.
• clear enough to be followed.
• tried enough to be trusted.
• exciting enough to invite lifelong travel and loyalty.
• good enough to make you never have regrets.
• straight enough to eliminate chaos or duplicity.
• traveled enough to inspire you (from previous giants in the faith).
• mysterious enough that you'll never be bored.
• risky enough that you'll always have to trust Him.
• proven enough that they will safely guide you to the right destination.

Are you on the world's paths or are you gracefully stuck in God's rut?  Are you being lured by the world?  Glamorous and exciting as the world spins its ways to be, they will end up at death.  Stay, my friend, deep in God's wagon tracks.  There you will find life and peace.

Intimacy With Jesus (Mt. 17:1-13)

Read Matthew 17:1-13.

1.  Proximity.  The disciples were with Jesus.  Alone.  Away from their usual, distracting routines.

2.  Conversation.  They talked to and with Jesus, but weren't expecting God to answer back.  Tell Jesus whatever is on your heart, but then wait for Him to respond (He wants to!).

3.  Awe.  Intimacy is more than talking, listening, waiting, enjoying.  Include a sense of healthy overwhelm.  Worship is a good place to start.

Benjamin Came (Gen. 43:3-5)

Read Genesis 43:3-5.

There would be no relief from the famine and hunger unless Benjamin came.

"Benjamin" means "son of my right hand."  For mankind to be delivered from the ravages of sin, Jesus Christ (God's Son Who sits at the right hand) had to come.  Now, your soul hunger is met and you do not have to be consumed by sin.  Jesus satisfies!  He is the Bread of Life.

"All These Things Are Against Me" (Gen. 42:36)

Read Genesis 42:36.

How one-sided life can easily become! 

Though there was much hardship, Jacob seems to have forgotten how blessed he was in spite of the pressure. 

That's what pressure does:  it puts your focus on what's wrong not on what's right; it puts your focus on the sacrifice, not the opportunity; it causes you to assume the worst (re: Benjamin, Simeon) about open-ended situations.

You are more blessed than you realize right now.

Born In Time For Famine (Gen. 41:50)

Read Genesis 41:50.

If you knew that seven years of horrific, unprecedented famine were coming soon, might you put off having children until after?  Such responsible adults would reason this way:  "Why put my children through that?  Why not give them every advantage?"

Joseph doesn't think that way.  He doesn't and won't live in fear because he knows Who God is, what He is like and what He has said.  When you know these things, there is a confidence.  You can rest in the One who knows every detail.  You don't have to bear the weight of accounting for every contingency.

Your "House" (Prov. 24:3-4)

Your house -- build it.  It won't build itself correctly.  Effort, investment, consistency, details.
Your house -- establish it.  Durability, strength, continual reinforcement, habits.
Your house -- fill it.  Delayed gratification, occupation, training, teachable, etc.

Christmas Dreams (Mt. 1:18-2:23)

Read Matthew 1:18-2:23.

Five dreams are mentioned.  We're not given every detail of each dream, but we are given the gist.

Since God never changes, He is still a Communicator.  He wants to administrate the affairs of your life, and He wants to communicate direction.  In His own time He will speak to you about the what, how, who, when, where, and why.  He might or might not use a dream, but He will communicate.

When He speaks, obey quickly.  Obedience leaves the communication channel open and clear.

Haggai 2:1-5

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Read Haggai 2:1-5.

Circumstance can't cancel covenant.  

You look around (Why are you doing that, anyway?) and conclude that things were better yesteryear. From that conclusion, you self-determine that God's intent toward you is different now.  That's a sure way to welcome fear into your life!

In spite of the circumstances you're in right now, God says, "My covenant is still in effect; I'm still with you."  Then comes a sigh of relief.  Panic begins to fade.  Fear loses its grip.  The work at hand begins to prosper.  At least  a little.

It is one thing to read an encouraging word such as this.  Do you believe it?  Unless you believe it, you'll never escape from that doubt, that black cloud that lingers.

My Prayer (08/30/17)

Read Habakkuk 3:17-18.

Lord, I can rejoice, even when circumstances taunt me that there is no reason.  My joy doesn't depend on circumstances or in understanding why some of my prayers aren't answered (at least not the way I thought they should be).  My joy is linked to my worshipful confession about You. Thank you, Joy-Giver!

Intent And Effect (Nah. 1:2-6)

Read Nahum 1:2-6.

Don't confuse God's intent with the effects of His actions.  When God, in a self-controlled manner, releases a judgment or a remedial discomfort, people do suffer.  That is the effect, but watching people suffer is not God's intent -- that is, if you believe "The Lord is good" (Nah. 1:7).

What is God's intent?  That mankind should repent (2 Pet. 3:9)), that they would return to Him. God's taking pleasure in the negative effects of His intent is ruled out (Ezek. 18:23 - The question demands a "no" answer.).  See also Ezek. 18:32.

God -- "Jealous And Avenging"? (Nah. 1:3a)

Read Nahum 1:3.

When God introduces or describes Himself in the Old Testament, we're accustomed to this formula: "The Lord is compassionate and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in lovingkindness" (Ex. 34:6; Neh. 9:17; Psa. 103:8; Joel 2:13).  How grateful we are for that!

Nahum includes this "softer side" (re: "slow to anger") but doesn't open with it.  He opens (Nah. 1:2) with "The Lord is a jealous and avenging God."  It is problematic that men get God all one-sided. They camp out at hyper-grace or extreme wrath.  As revealed in Scripture, God is a perfect blend of opposites. Neither description cancels out or diminishes the other.  Jesus was "full of grace and truth" (Jn. 1:14).

If you had to describe God to someone, what is the first adjective you would use?  God is _____. What does that first descriptor say about you?  What does it say about how you view God?  Is your view of God balanced?

Immanuel (Isa. 7:14)

Read Isaiah 7:14.

We're rightfully intimidated by "God against us."  He is the One waiting to dispense justice because He caught us doing wrong.  Again.  (Thankfully, God made a Way so that we wouldn't stay opposed to Him.)

"God beyond us" is a step in the right direction.  He is bigger, better and stronger.  Capital 'G' God is "up there" in a class by Himself.  He has no equal.

Our hearts roar appreciatively to "God for us."  We appreciate His being on our side!

Then there is also "God without us."  He is God whether we are in the picture or not.  His sovereignty doesn't hinge on our recognition or cooperation.

Immanuel, "God with us" -- perhaps this messes with us the most.  God -- the Almighty, sovereign, powerful, triune, Creator -- wants to be with us?  Measly, insignificant us?  Though we don't understand the rationale for God's love, we're glad that He lives up to His name.  Immanuel -- that shows God wants relationship with us. What comfort that brings!

Whatever you face today, remember God is with you.  "He Himself has said, 'I will never desert you, nor will I ever forsake you'" (Heb. 13:5).

Hosea 13:5-6

Read Hosea 13:5-6.

God's not responding to your desperation (at least not when you think He should) could be a blessing. Silence or delay might be His merciful way of keeping you from falling away from Him.  So long as you are desperate, you will keep on looking to Him.  Indeed, His ways are higher than ours.

Psalm 136:23-25

Read Psalm 136:23-25.

1.  God remembers you in your low place (v. 23).  "Remember" doesn't mean He forgets and then must recall.  It means He keeps you and your situation in the forefront of His mind, knowing what He intends to do.

2.  God redeems you from the enemy (v. 24).  He paid the price and bought you back, seeing value.  (He had to redeem you.  You couldn't redeem yourself.)

3.  God releases for you what you need to stay alive (v. 25).  He provides food for body, soul and spirit.  Feed on His provision!

Oh, Look! (Psa. 121)

Read Psalm 121.

1.  You must look to the Lord.  How easily you can look to someone else or something else!  It might be a person, experience or obstacle you're distracted by.  Others might inspire, but only the Lord can deliver.  To whom or what are you looking?

2.  The Lord looks at you.  He can't fulfill the promises in this psalm without surveying everything.  He not only sees your circumstance, but He sees you.  When He sees you, will He see you looking to Him?

cf. Psa. 123:1.

Whatever It Takes (Jam. 5:16)

Read James 5:16.

Elijah prayed earnestly.  There is an obvious difference between saying prayers and praying earnestly. To pray earnestly is to pray with purpose, passion and surrender.  To pray earnestly is to be 100% set on what you want.  It is the posture of "whatever it takes."

Vep Ellis wrote a song that said this:  "Whatever it takes to draw closer to You, Lord, that's what I'd be willing to do."  Powerful!  Many are willing to do "whatever" unless it severely limits or inconveniences them.  Elijah decided that he was all-in when it came to "whatever it takes."  That's why he prayed earnestly for God to send a drought.

1.  When you get to the point of "whatever it takes", you should be prepared for loss, suffering or inconvenience.  The drought Elijah prayed for affected him too.

2.  When you get to the point of "whatever it takes", you should be prepared for provocation. When God answers your prayer, you will be held responsible for disrupting people's comforts, eliminating status quo.  Get ready for verbal vomit to be spewed your way.  Elijah was called "Troubler of Israel." I can hear the people:  "It's him.  He is the one to blame!  We're in this drought because he thinks he's better than we.  Seize him!"

3.  What will it take to stir you out of spiritual apathy?  The Church fights it because each believer fights it Monday through Saturday.  Perhaps even on Sunday.  Apathy is why many worship times never get off the ground.  Apathy is why no one is getting saved.  It is why many spectate instead of participate during the altar time.  Apathy is why you don't come to prayer meeting.

There are some for whom status quo is not enough and they have been praying, "Lord, whatever it takes!"  It is only a matter of time before God's answer arrives.

The Works of The Lord Sought Out (Psa. 111:2)

Read Psalm 111:2.

1.  Seek out demonstrations of His work.  What does it look like?  What are the dominant patterns?

2.  Seek out descriptions of His work.  Based on the evidence or the patterns, the work of the Lord is _____.

3.  Seek out duplication of His work.  It is refreshing to study His works in the past.  What about His works today and tomorrow?  He isn't done working!  He still does what He's always done.  Hab. 3:2.