Perspective is awfully important in life, isn't it? In the case of Job, God decided to give him a new perspective. Instead of being consumed with the issues he was facing and the trials that were plaguing him, God gave job a different perspective. Where was Job when God created the earth? Did Job ever command the sun to rise and set? ... [Continue Reading]
The Wheat from the Chaff (Job 35-37)
Despite my efforts yesterday to shoot down what Job’s friend, Elihu, gave Job in the way of advice, today’s reading carries an important reminder that even ill-intentioned advice can carry nuggets of truth. Though he was arrogant in his approach, Elihu did say some things about God that were worth considering. For instance, God is majestic. Who else is like ... [Continue Reading]
When Someone Has a Message from God… for You (Job 32-34)
One of my personal pet peeves is when one person goes up to another and says, "God told me to tell you..." Job's friend, Elihu was guilty of doing this, and just like most people who use the phrase, Elihu definitely did not actually have a message from God for Job. The problem is that people mask their own opinions with this phrase, and ... [Continue Reading]
The Difference of 24 Hours (Job 29-31)
I remember the morning I heard about the terrorists crashing planes in the World Trade Center. A lot changed in a mere 24 hours. We went from being a nation at peace to a nation at war. The deaths of loved ones, loss of jobs, the birth of a child - so much changes in so little time. The same was true with Job. He had so much. He ... [Continue Reading]
The Beginning of Wisdom (Job 24-28)
I have to be honest in admitting that Job is probably not my favorite book of the Bible. I had a conversation about it with a friend yesterday, and we both agreed that it is sometimes challenging to wade through. That being said, I really enjoyed this particular reading, and I appreciate the hidden gems, so to speak, throughout it. It seems like Job ... [Continue Reading]
It Isn’t Fair (Job 21-23)
Working with teenagers for a long time, I often heard "that isn't fair." It's amazing, though, how one-sided fairness is. We look at people who are wealthier than we are, and we think, "that's not fair." At the same time, we forget how wealthy we are as Americans and that 95% of the rest of the world is poorer. If we really wanted fair, then we would all lose quite a ... [Continue Reading]
Israel ‘ s sin (Malachi)
Malachi is a really fascinating book to me because it is God's final words to Israel before 400 years of silence. What was God's frustration with His people this time? One thing was their offerings to him at the temple. Apparently the Israelites began offering God animals that were lame or sick rather than animals that were healthy. ... [Continue Reading]
Almost doing what God wants (Nehemiah 10:28-39; 11:1-2; 12:27-47; 13
It strikes me as strange that, after re-reading the Law and repenting of their sin, the Israelites went back to some of their old habits. Nehemiah stepped back in to remind them that almost doing what God wants is the same as not doing what God wants. This is something that scares me in our modern culture because we live in a day and age where we can pick ... [Continue Reading]
Restarting the foundation (Nehemiah 7:1-5, 66-73; 8-9)
When the rebuilding of the walls was complete, Nehemiah started the Israelites back on the path that they had veered from. With the reading of the Law by Ezra, the people were reminded where they came from, how they got off track, and how God had faithfully been there through it all. It was time, however, to do things differently and to recommit to living the ... [Continue Reading]
There ‘ s always a critic (Nehemiah 4-6)
I have really come to believe that leaders who do what God wants them to do will face opposition from someone. Even more, I believe that if a leader doesn't face opposition, then he should ask himself if he's really leading the way God wants. Nehemiah faced critics in the wall rebuilding process, and they were pretty harsh opponents. He had a ... [Continue Reading]
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