January 24, 2012

SCRIPTURE

Job 33:23-30 - Yet if there is an angel at their side, a messenger, one out of a thousand,
sent to tell them how to be upright, and he is gracious to that person and says to God,
‘Spare them from going down to the pit; I have found a ransom for them—let their flesh be renewed like a child’s; let them be restored as in the days of their youth’— then that person can pray to God and find favor with him, they will see God’s face and shout for joy; he will restore them to full well-being.  And they will go to others and say, ‘I have sinned, I have perverted what is right, but I did not get what I deserved. God has delivered me from going down to the pit,
and I shall live to enjoy the light of life.’  “God does all these things to a person—twice, even three times— to turn them back from the pit, that the light of life may shine on them.

OBSERVATION

Job had been tormented, having his wealth, health, family, friends and stature in the community taken from him by Satan.  He was having a pity party for himself, crying out to God, 'Why me?  I'm a good guy!', and his three friends had countered with arguments against him until they finally got tired of the argument and had nothing left to say.  At that point  Elihu steps in to speak out, angry that Job's friends had given up and angry that Job was convinced he was righteous.  He lashes out and says, (essentially) 'Job, listen, I'm young, you're old, I let you go on and on out of respect for your age, but let me tell you - you have it all wrong.  You deserve everything you got and more, we all do, it's only God's mercy for us that saves us from the same fate.'  This whole passage that I am writing on really clarifies the Gospel for me.  It's a true indicator of the message of Jesus - the messenger sent to tell us how to be upright, the person who intercedes on our behalf and prevents the consequences we all deserve.

APPLICATION 
We have to get rid of our sense of entitlement to a "good life".  What we deserve is exactly what happened to Job.  Any bit of health, wealth, happiness we have is given to us by God and gratitude is the only appropriate response.  Follow our leader, Jesus...but always remember that God can and will intercede in our lives to offer us correction when necessary, even twice or three times.  Job never blamed God directly for his troubles, but he did spend a lot of time defending himself - we have absolutely no defense.  When in God's presence, we need to immediately own up to our faults, failures, and supply the only evidence we have - Jesus died for us, in spite of our inadequacies.  He loves us, and that is all that can save us.

PRAYER
Father, grow in me a sense of gratitude.  Let me be ever watchful of my thoughts and actions, grasping them when I can and making sure that they are in obedience to you, and mindful of your grace and mercy and love.  Help me to be aware of the enormity of what you have done to save me and everyone else who would believe.  God, be with me, Jesus, be my intercessor.  In your name I ask this, amen.

For much more information and history on the book of Job, look here:

http://biblica.com/niv/study-bible/job/

January 18, 2012

SCRIPTURE
Genesis 3:6 - When the woman saw that the fruit of the tree was good for food and pleasing to the eye, and also desirable for gaining wisdom, she took some and ate it. She also gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it.

OBSERVATION
Eve had just fallen for, literally, the oldest trick in the book - listening to the insinuations of the enemy, saying that God is "holding out" on us, and believing that all-consuming lie: that we deserve equality with God.  It got me thinking, how often do I go through life, especially with my insatiable curiosity, wishing that I had the key to all knowledge?  Even in reading through these 36 chapters in Genesis, I found myself wishing I had all the "missing" data, the detailed information for each individual, so that I could study further and draw my own conclusions.

APPLICATION
Instead of finding the living Word of God fulfilling, and understanding that He was showing us everything we really needed to know, I was spending my time wishing He'd give ME the information I think I need.  What arrogance!  And I know that I too can infect the people around me, just as Eve did with Adam, by stirring dissatisfaction.  I do this when I look at my life and find it wanting, or when I encourage others to look beyond their own boundaries.  Not that curiosity is inherently bad, or that striving to improve one's life is negative, but if my motive is impure in any way, I'm causing them to stumble, just as Eve did for Adam. 

PRAYER
Father, help me to realize that you are El-Shaddai, God Almighty, and I am NOT.  I need to examine my own thoughts, desires and motives always.  Rein in my sense of entitlement to understanding and accept that You are God, and I am a mortal, and I should be grateful for the fact that I have life at all, not keep searching for what I don't have.  The consequences can be enormous, for me and everyone else I am in contact with!  Please keep my arrogance in check and help me to be satisfied with all that you have given me, because I deserve none of it.  In Jesus' name - Amen.

January 3, 2012

SCRIPTURE
Psalm 97:2a - Clouds and thick darkness surround Him;

OBSERVATION
The Book of Psalms is a collection of prayers and songs, separated into sections based on themes.  This passage falls into a group celebrating God's reign over the universe, and this in particular is describing God and how he relates to the earth He's created.  The thing that strikes me in this short phrase is it's saying that God is veiled, and we see Him only by the power of the Holy Spirit, which in turn means that to everyone else, God is invisible, or even appears dark.  I think of all the people out there who mock God, or doubt his existence, or even think of Him as a negative thing, and it suddenly makes more sense.  He is veiled from them completely.  Imagine the loneliness, the purposelessness, the sense of futility!

APPLICATION
God is revealed to all through the Word and through His creation, but without the Spirit we see only a glimmer of hope, a glint of light, and that is often seen only by those seeking it.  We must keep our eyes open at all times in order to highlight that brief glance for those looking for it and we must sympathize with those who cannot see the light at all.  The only way we can know our God better is to study His word and internalize it, and pray.  Keep a constant line of communication open in order to know Him more.

PRAYER
God, please help me to see through the clouds and darkness that surround you.  Help me to see the light that you shine, the beauty that is there. When I am in darkness, help me to know that I shouldn't be afraid.  In Jesus' name, Amen.

More about the Book of Psalms:
http://www.biblica.com/niv/study-bible/psalms/

January 2, 2012

SCRIPTURE
Hebrews 11:8 - By faith Abraham, when called to go to a place he would later receive as his inheritance, obeyed and went, even though he did not know where he was going.

OBSERVATION
Assumed to be written by either Barnabas or Apollos, both Jews converted to Christianity, to a group of Christian converts who may have been trying to Judaicize the Gospel of Christ.  The writer consistently appeals to Jewish tradition to illustrate the sovereignty of God in Jesus.  This passage takes the example of Abraham leaving his homeland to go to the promised land, even though he had no idea where he was going.  What a scary thought, in those times - you are not just leaving a house, you're leaving any crops you had to sustain your family, you are leaving the area where you know where the water sources are, where the dangers lie, where the refuges are.  Going to a place that may hold hostile natives, that may be unfarmable and unable to support the livestock you bring along.  To obey under those circumstances took faith indeed.  The example still applies today.  As Oswald Chambers states in My Utmost for His Highest, "God does not tell you what He is going to do; he reveals to you who He is." 

APPLICATION
Each day, as we walk out the door, we should do so under the understanding that we do not know where we are going.  Obviously, we have some destination in mind, but we really don't know what God is going to do with our day.  The surroundings could be mundane, but the people we meet are not, and God alone knows what He is bringing to the table each day.  Crisis or blessing?  Either is an opportunity to glorify God, if we obey and go where He leads us.

PRAYER
Father, grant me humility in obedience.  Remind me that my destinations are not yours, my plans are nothing compared to yours; make my path straight so that I follow you wherever you lead.  Give me courage to continue on the road when I can't see what lies ahead. In Jesus' name - Amen.

About the book of Hebrews:
http://www.biblica.com/niv/study-bible/hebrews/

January 1, 2012

SCRIPTURE
Philippians 1:20 - I eagerly expect and hope that I will in no way be ashamed, but will have sufficient courage so that now as always Christ will be exalted in my body, whether by life or by death.

OBSERVATION
Written by Paul, under house arrest in Rome, fearing for his death.  I sense a tiny bit of doubt in these words, a hint of understanding that while the spirit is willing, the flesh is weak, so he is saying that he hopes he can be strong enough to stand up for Christ, even facing death for that principle.  We are all weak - and we all face persecution for our faith, albeit in a much less dangerous form here in the modern Western world.  I fear humiliation, being despised, being ridiculed for my beliefs.  I fear confrontation with people who believe differently.  I don't like being treated with kid gloves by acquaintances who aren't sure how to act around me, just because they know I am a Christ follower.  I also fear my own weakness...the temptation to deny Christ in order to avoid that confrontation.  I fear that I am not an adequate ambassador.  That I don't love enough, that I am unwilling to inconvenience myself for others, that through my words or my deeds I might not accurately represent Christ to others.

APPLICATION
When times of crisis come, when I am forced into corners, I need to retain perspective and always show the love of God to others.  I cannot be ashamed or fearful, but need to rely on God to supply courage so that I can exalt God, not grieve him.  God will bring these crises to me in order to grow my faith, and build my courage.

PRAYER
Father, please have mercy on me, your inadequate servant.  Help me to transform myself to better please you and serve you, open my heart to others, grant me courage in times of strain, make me live as the immortal soul you see, not the flawed and failed mortal that others see. In Jesus' name - Amen.

Information on Philippians:
http://www.biblica.com/niv/study-bible/philippians/