Ecclesiastes 1:1–3:22

The book of Ecclesiastes is a fascinating book, written by King Solomon in his latter years when he had drifted away from the LORD. The book drives home his point that “all is vanity” when we consider life “under the sun.”

I would agree with Solomon, that all is vanity IF all there was to life is life under the sun…but as Christians we know, there’s more to life. We know there’s also life “under the Son” (Jesus).  Because of our Savior, nothing is futile, everything we do and and all that we are has purpose…so our New Testament light will correct any misconceptions Solomon has.

Still, it’s fascinating to me when I read Ecclesiastes and consider the mindset of millions of people who share Solomon’s vacillating values.

Solomon considers man’s toil and labor to be in vain. Solomon had it all, intelligence, wisdom, money, gold, silver, flocks, singers, servants, Solomon had everything that this world had to offer – but it did not satisfy him.

Ecclesiastes 2:7 (NKJV) “I acquired male and female servants, and had servants born in my house. Yes, I had greater possessions of herds and flocks than all who were in Jerusalem before me.”

Ecclesiastes 2:10a (NKJV) “Whatever my eyes desired I did not keep from them. I did not withhold my heart from any pleasure…”

Ecclesiastes 1:17 (NKJV) “And I set my heart to know wisdom and to know madness and folly. I perceived that this also is grasping for the wind.”

Solomon was the richest man in the world, he was also the wisest, and he learned first-hand that the things this world has to offer, everything under the sun can never truly satisfy, it’s like grasping for the wind.

Ecclesiastes 2:11 (NKJV) “Then I looked on all the works that my hands had done and on the labor in which I had toiled; and indeed all was vanity and grasping for the wind. There was no profit under the sun.”

Solomon looked at life and thought to himself, that all we do is live and die, but the world carries on its merry way…it’s all in vanity. Solomon thought to himself, I work so hard and leave everything to someone behind me who hasn’t earned any of it, what if they squander it? He felt this was a waste.

Solomon DID enjoy meals and times of fellowship with others, he saw this as a gift from God (and I would agree with him on this). Clearly times of breaking bread with family and friends is one of the highlights of life, wouldn’t you say?

Ecclesiastes 3:1-8 teaches us that there is a “season” a time for every purpose under heaven. Wise is the person who knows what “time it is.”

Solomon is not all fatalistic or materialistic, he does have his moments where he gets theistic.

He sees the goods things in life as gifts from God (Ecclesiastes 3:12). He acknowledges the fact that what God does is eternal (Ecclesiastes 3:14). He touches on the truth that one day everyone will give an account of himself/herself to God (Ecclesiastes 3:15), and that our soul and spirit does live on after we die (Ecclesiastes 3:21) (another sense in which we’re different than animals)

When I read the book of Ecclesiastes, I’m reminded that life “under this sun” is indeed vanity. If I only live for this world, I will be empty inside. But life “under the Son” (Jesus) is life lived abundantly, He give purpose to everything, even the pain, and my Savior is the ONLY One who satisfies my soul.

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2 Corinthians 6:1-13

I have a hunch that this first part of chapter 6 should have been included in chapter 5, where Paul elaborates on such a beautiful salvation we have as Christians – that ministry of reconciliation. God help us not receive this grace in vain, not to take it lightly, not to think that we can turn it on and turn it off – this is the day of salvation – God determines the acceptable time, if someone plays games or puts it off till “tomorrow” it just might be too late.

Paul goes on to describe true Christian ministry. We discover that it’s much different than what we may have envisioned. Allow me to simply highlight some of his words. I encourage you to read these lists slowly.

IN – much patience, tribulations, needs, distresses, beatings, imprisonments, riots, working to the point of exhaustion, sleepless nights, fasting…

BY – purity, knowledge, longsuffering, kindness, the Holy Spirit, sincere love, the Word of truth, the power of God, the armor of righteousness on both arms…

And then Paul lists how certain things go hand-in-hand, even though they seem to be anomalies – honor and dishonor, evil and good report, as deceivers and yet true, unknown and yet well known, as dying and yet living, chastened but not killed, sorrowful and yet rejoicing, as poor and yet making many rich, as having nothing and yet possessing all things.

This is true ministry. We shouldn’t be in it only to the point of convenience, or ease, or to see what I can get out of it. It’s war, it’s the fight of our lives, it’s not for the faint-hearted. Tragically men had crept into the church who were wolves in sheep’s clothing, claiming to be someone special, spreading lies that Paul wasn’t an Apostle. Part of the reason was because Paul didn’t throw his weight around as a leader, he didn’t demand that people serve him…some of the Corinthians misinterpreted this as a weakness.

It’s too bad he had to defend himself as an Apostle…but that’s what the book of 2 Corinthians is all about – it’s a defense of his ministry.

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Psalm 46:1-11

What an absolutely beautiful Psalm! Did you notice the personal application?

Psalm 46:1–2 (NKJV) “God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. 2 THEREFORE WE WILL NOT FEAR…”

It matters not if the whole wide world was moved and removed, it matters not if the waters of every ocean rose up to roar and threatened to swallow us alive, God Himself is in the middle of it all, and He will help us (Psalm 46:5).

Psalm 46:6 is interesting for first of all, it refers to God as the “LORD of Hosts” which means the LORD of Heaven’s Army – He fights for us.

Secondly, it refers to the God of Jacob as our refuge. Jacob was that man who struggled and schemed. Jacob was a man who found God’s grace…just like us. Not that I’m making light of sin in any way, but we all need God’s grace as Jacob did, for we all fall short every day of our lives. If our confidence is only in a God who helps us when we’re good, we will live in constant fear, for we will never know if we’re “good enough.” But if we understand that God helps us even when we fail and fall – He even fights for us this LORD of Hosts, this God of Jacob – it really does bring me to that place as God’s child… where, “I will not fear.”

As the earth moves to the end of the world right in front of our eyes, the King of kings will one day end all wars by winning the War of wars…so he concludes our Psalm for today:

Psalm 46:10 (NKJV) “Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth!”

What does that passage mean to you?

Don’t be afraid. Don’t panic. Don’t fret. Don’t act hastily. Don’t do too much to try and “fix” your situation. Trust Him, relax, and rest firmly in Him.

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Proverbs 22:15

Proverbs 22:15 (NKJV) “Foolishness is bound up in the heart of a child; the rod of correction will drive it far from him.”

You don’t have to teach a two-year-old how to lie, it’s in him. We’re all born into the “Adam’s family” with a sin nature (1 Corinthians 15:22) “foolishness is bound up in the heart of a child…”

You DO have to teach a two-year-old how to share, because usually they don’t want to.

We were all born with “original sin.” 

Psalms 51:5 (NKJV) “Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity, and in sin my mother conceived me.”

We were born broken, with an inclination to sin. It’s for that reason we need the loving discipline of our parents. Never abuse, never in anger, never leave a mark, maybe a sting when they’re younger – take that rod of correction to the “seat of understanding” and that’s about it. Explain to them what they’ve done wrong and pray for them.

Much of the problems we have in society today are due to the fact that parents have neglected to lovingly discipline their children.

If you have any questions or comments on today’s reading, or you’d like to share something the Lord showed you, feel free to leave a reply below. I’d love to hear from you as we grow forward in 2021.

Job 40:1–42:17

All along Job wanted to meet God in “court,” to present his case. Job will soon discover it would have been better if he met Him at the throne of grace – God is about to put Job in his place!

Job 40:6–7 (NKJV) “Then the LORD answered Job out of the whirlwind, and said: 7 ‘Now prepare yourself like a man; I will question you, and you shall answer Me:’”

God asks Job, “Job, can you run the world? Are your arms as strong as Mine? Does your voice have My power? What’s your wrath like Job? Are you able to humble the proud as I do? Can you bring justice to the wicked ultimately laying them low in hidden darkness? I didn’t think so.” Job isn’t even able to handle two of God’s base creations – Behemoth and Leviathan. There are those who believe these to be the hippopotamus and the crocodile respectively. Others believe differently, myself included.

The Behemoth actually sounds like a dinosaur – a tail like a cedar – the first of the ways of God.

The Leviathan almost sounds like a fire breathing dragon/sea creature (Job 41:18-21). Yes, it is possible.

Whatever they are, Job is aware of them and he knows he can’t handle them.

Warren Wiersbe, “Job certainly would be afraid to fight these two creatures, but he was not afraid to challenge God, their Creator! Job could not control them, but he wanted to tell God what to do!”

At this point Job taps out.

Job 42:5–6 (NKJV) “I have heard of You by the hearing of the ear, but now my eye sees You. 6 Therefore I abhor myself, and repent in dust and ashes.”

This man, who before all this happened, was blameless…had now grown in his relationship with the Lord. He saw himself in the awesome light of the LORD and was overwhelmed with awe and conviction.

For some reason I don’t think Job’s friends felt the same way. We don’t read their response to God. Perhaps they were shaking their heads at Job while God was talking, when they should have joined Job in the realm of repentance. So God turned to them and informed them of His wrath towards them (Job 42:7). Unless Job interceded for his “friends” they would have been judged.  The Lord vindicated Job:

Job 42:8b (NKJV) “…My servant Job shall pray for you. For I will accept him, lest I deal with you according to your folly; because you have not spoken of Me what is right, as My servant Job has.”

In the end, God blessed Job with twice as much as he had before. 

On a personal note, when my dad came to the LORD in his latter years, he held to this verse as one of his favorite passages:

Job 42:12a (NKJV) “Now the LORD blessed the latter days of Job more than his beginning…”

God blessed the latter days of my dad…in fellowship with God.

In reading the account of Job we mustn’t conclude that God always heals and/or that God will double our riches if we just have faith. No, the primary lesson is that the righteous will suffer and it’s okay to pour your heart out to God. But – we must never lose faith, knowing that God is in the midst of it all – in complete control…somehow He will work it out for good.

Another important lessons to glean is to never give up on life. Job wanted to “check out,” but he didn’t. He held on to the Lord and God blessed him with another one hundred and forty years…he was able to see his children and grandchildren for another four generations.

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2 Corinthians 5:12-21

In 2 Corinthians 5:12 Paul is hoping the Corinthians would back them up, that they would defend Paul and his ministry. There were other so called “leaders” who boasted about themselves superficially, but Paul’s ministry was genuine, it was from the heart. Maybe some thought he was crazy because of the way he served relentlessly and passionately, but it was the love of Christ that compelled him (the Greek word translated “compelled” means that God’s love cornered him and gave him no other option). That’s what happens when the love of God gets a hold of us.

Paul’s reasoning was simple – if Christ died for all, then all (in one sense) died with Him. The old man (the old Manny) should be dead, nailed to the cross, and the new man should rise. I should no longer live for myself, but for Christ who loves me…the Bible is clear:

2 Corinthians 5:15 (NKJV) “…and He died for all, that those who live should live no longer for themselves, but for Him who died for them and rose again.”

So, Paul concludes by saying he will no longer look at anyone apart from the eternal perspective (2 Corinthians 5:16). If people get saved they are a new creation (how awesome is that?). The old has passed away, and everything is brand new.

This is now Paul’s mission in life, he prays for God to use him to save souls. As a matter of fact, he believes he’s been given the “Ministry of Reconciliation.” (2 Corinthians 5:18)

This is one of my favorite verses in the Bible:

2 Corinthians 5:21 (NKJV) “For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.”

God the Father treated Jesus as He lived our life (let that sink in for a moment…) He made Him who knew no sin (Jesus) to be sin for us (that’s when Jesus bore our sins on the cross).

God now treats us as if we lived Jesus’ life!

Wow – – – what an exchange!

Paul would therefore spend his life doing all that He could – pleading, preaching, and even begging people to be reconciled to God.

He’s not crazy, it’s perfect sanity to serve God and the people, with this type of reckless abandon.

Friend,  I pray, I plead, I ask and even beg…that you’d return to God today, if in any way, you find yourself at a distance.

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Psalm 45:1-17

This Psalm was most likely written for a royal wedding and is clearly Messianic in nature, referring to the Lord Jesus Christ.

Jesus is gracious (Psalm 45:2), He is the Mighty One (Psalm 45:3), He is majestic in battle, He is the King of kings (Psalm 45:5), and He is God (Psalm 45:7).

Psalm 45:6-7 is quoted in Hebrews 1:8-9 in reference to Jesus being greater than the angels (notice that Jesus is referred to as God).

The rest of this section points to the beauty of the bride desired by the King and the glory she will enjoy forever and ever. May she never look back with longing eyes towards her former family.

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Proverbs 22:14

Proverbs 22:14 (NKJV) “The mouth of an immoral woman is a deep pit; he who is abhorred by the Lord will fall there.”

Charles Bridges, “Adultery is indeed a deep pit. It is easy to fall into but hard, next to impossible, to get out of. For this sin overwhelms the body, the mind, and the conscience. There is no more humbling proof of the total depravity of human nature than the fact that those affections that were originally given for the purest enjoyments of life can become the corrupt spring of such a defilement.”

If I kick against the goads, ignore all red-flags, and despise the Lord, He very well may lift His shield of protection…and there I will fall.

If you have any questions or comments on today’s reading, or you’d like to share something the Lord showed you, feel free to leave a reply below. I’d love to hear from you as we grow forward in 2021.

Job 37:1–39:30

Elihu closes his argument against Job in a decent place. Elihu speaks of God’s wisdom – His creation. His lightning, thunder, snow, rain, winds, clouds, sometimes used for correction, other times for mercy. He may have been on to something here.

God in His wisdom, was allowing all this to happen to Job…He had an intended end. This is God’s heart in all His creation. In the things our Maker and Maintainer allows in OUR lives…He has a plan. We don’t know the details…but we must trust Him.

Elihu didn’t think that Job could ask to even speak to God, but he was wrong in this.

Job 37:20 (NKJV) “Should He be told that I wish to speak? If a man were to speak, surely he would be swallowed up.”

I believe the LORD loves it when we speak to Him, when we open up and pour out our hearts to Him…as long as we don’t lose faith. He knows how we feel – so let’s give it to Him, let’s share it with the One whose shoulders can bear the burden (1 Peter 5:7).

Finally, God speaks out of the whirlwind.

Job had questioned God – fine. Now God would question him.

Job 38:4 (NKJV) “Where were you when I laid the foundations of the earth? Tell Me, if you have understanding.”

The premise is that God’s done a perfectly amazing job of making and maintaining the universe up to this point, hasn’t He? We weren’t there in the beginning, He didn’t need our help along the way, so why don’t we trust Him?

Consider the awesome and amazing things God has made – the angels, the sea (its limits), the rising and setting of the sun – treasuries of snow and hail that God has reserved for the Day of Judgment. The book of Revelation speaks of hail during the Tribulation Period that will weigh up to seventy-five pounds (Revelation 8:7; 11:19; 16:21).

Job 38:22–23 (NKJV) “Have you entered the treasury of snow, or have you seen the treasury of hail, 23 Which I have reserved for the time of trouble, for the day of battle and war?”

Consider all the details of all that God has made and maintains, throughout history of all that God does each and every day – not just the rain, but the drops of dew, the ice, the frost of heaven, the clusters of stars!

Who has given human beings such wisdom and intelligence?

Job 38:36 (NKJV) “Who has put wisdom in the mind? Or who has given understanding to the heart?”

God has equipped every creature as He sees fit, and He feeds them – the lions, the ravens – God’s there when these creatures give birth. He sets the time, determines their days. God even has His hand upon the wild donkey, the wild ox, and the wild beasts.

If we look closer, we see the beauty of God’s wisdom in all that He’s made – the ostrich, the stork, and how about the courage of the horse and the vision of the eagle?

Warren Wiersbe, “The problems of life are solved not by reasons but by relationships. Job wanted to reason with God, but what he really needed was to rest in God.”

Me too…

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2 Corinthians 4:13–5:11

Paul quoted Psalm 116:10, “I believed and therefore I spoke.” This is a good summary of his ministry. Paul believed in the cross and resurrection, he believed in life, and life after death, so he wasn’t afraid to die, and he wasn’t afraid to speak.

Therefore, again Paul says in 2 Corinthians 4:16, “…we do not lose heart.” The outward man was getting beat up, whipped, “thorns,” shipwrecks, you name it – didn’t matter, because the inner man was being renewed day by day.

In comparison to the glory that will be revealed one day, our sufferings in this life are merely a “light-affliction” (see also Romans 8:18).

Friend, please remember this…and please, “do not lose heart.” Look to eternity. Keeping that eternal perspective is of utmost importance. As Christians we realize that if this “tent” is destroyed (our body), we have a building from God, a home in heaven. We know that death is not the end, it’s simply our departure from mortality to immortality. God has saved us in Christ and given us the Spirit as a guarantee (down-payment) that He will finish what He’s started.

So, we walk with confidence as Christians, we walk by faith, and not by sight meaning that even though we don’t see these things physically, we thoroughly trust the truth of God’s Word spiritually.

I’m pretty sure if you’re reading these words – you know there’s life after death, and that when we die we will stand before God and give an account of our lives (Paul mentions that in 2 Corinthians 5:10). Therefore, we should make it our ambition, our goal, our aim to always please God. As Christians this will be the Bema Seat Judgment…which determines our rewards.

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Psalm 44:9-26

Have you ever felt like you’re losing the battle? That God doesn’t seem to be working things out the way He should, even though you’ve been doing your best to follow Him?

That’s exactly how the Psalmist felt. He tells God all about it – – and he continues to pray.

Psalm 44:23–26 (NKJV) “Awake! Why do You sleep, O Lord? Arise! Do not cast us off forever. 24 Why do You hide Your face, and forget our affliction and our oppression? 25 For our soul is bowed down to the dust; our body clings to the ground. 26 Arise for our help, and redeem us for Your mercies’ sake.”

Paul the Apostle quoted Psalm 44:22 in Romans 8:36 and revealed the fact that Christians follow Christ in this way, that we are led as sheep to the slaughter, we WILL suffer painfully in life, but even in that, we are more than conquerors, and nothing can separate us from the love of God…nothing (Romans 8:35-39).

Let’s trust His purposes and promises even in the pain…and let’s do our best to keep on praying.

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Proverbs 22:13

Proverbs 22:13 (NKJV) “The lazy man says, ‘There is a lion outside! I shall be slain in the streets!’”

The excuses a lazy man comes up with for not working are outlandish and very creative.

It’s for that reason Benjamin Franklin said, “He that is good for making excuses is seldom good for anything else.”

If you have any questions or comments on today’s reading, or you’d like to share something the Lord showed you, feel free to leave a reply below. I’d love to hear from you as we grow forward in 2021.

Job 34:1–36:33

Elihu, Job’s “friend,” continues his argument in which he slams Job for his wickedness, explaining to Job that if he had not sinned, he would have prospered. He errantly tells Job that since he’s been so bad and walks with workers of iniquity, God is punishing him. This is terrible theology.

Granted, God does discipline His children, but because of the fact that we live in a broken world – often times the righteous suffer innocently. The fallen world and fallen Devil and his demons will oppose the righteous every step of the way. Paul the Apostle wrote these words to his young protege Timothy:

2 Timothy 3:12 (NKJV) “Yes, and all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution.”

Elihu was ignorant of this truth, he told Job that God was repaying him:

Job 34:11 (NKJV) “For He repays man according to his work, and makes man to find a reward according to his way.”

He tells Job that God sees all his secret sins:

Job 34:21–22 (NKJV) “For His eyes are on the ways of man, and He sees all his steps. 22 There is no darkness nor shadow of death where the workers of iniquity may hide themselves.”

It’s true, God DOES see everything, but Job was blameless. Elihu’s words were not applicable to Job’s situation. Jesus warned us not to judge situations superficially:

John 7:24 (NKJV) “Do not judge according to appearance, but judge with righteous judgment.”

Can you believe Elihu considered himself to be a man “perfect in knowledge?” Elihu has in himself the roots of heresy that continues today, the health, wealth, and prosperity teachings:

Job 36:11–14 (NKJV) “If they obey and serve Him, they shall spend their days in prosperity, and their years in pleasures. 12 But if they do not obey, they shall perish by the sword, and they shall die without knowledge. 13 “But the hypocrites in heart store up wrath; they do not cry for help when He binds them. 14 They die in youth, and their life ends among the perverted persons.”

Elihu ultimately told Job that if he didn’t repent, God would kill him (Job 36:18).

Elihu was wrong – all of Job’s friends were wrong. Job was suffering because he loved the Lord and he loved his family. God help us to be careful not to play God in the lives of others. He alone knows all the “whys” in life and motives of the heart. Let’s let God be God, let’s comfort people with words of kindness, even give them room to vent and pour out their heart – especially if they’re suffering. God does, He’s not insecure, He is able to heal their broken hearts…and bring them around with cords of kindess.

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2 Corinthians 4:1-12

Do you ever feel like giving up? Please don’t do it!

In this chapter Paul talks about the ministry he’s received in the Lord. He lives to glorify God and to serve the people, so he has it in his heart to never give up.

You may not be an Apostle, but you do have a ministry given to you by God. Do you believe that? I hope so. May that encourage you also to never give up. Even though it is extremely difficult at times. Our emotions and feelings fluctuate greatly, but may our convictions and faith, “steady-on.”

Maybe some were accusing Paul of being insincere. He explains in 1 Corinthians 4:2 that he has no secret sin, no hidden agenda, he does the best he can to live truthfully with every man.

Maybe he was dealing with discouragement because not everyone was receiving the Gospel, but he explains in 1 Corinthians 4:3 that the reason some rejected the Gospel is because they were blind and perishing – if they did believe, the light of the Lord Jesus would shine in their hearts. Paul explains in 1 Corinthians 4:5 that he preached Jesus to them, and that’s all we’re called to do as preachers…we leave the results in God’s hands.

I love the way Paul connects God’s command in Genesis 1 (“let there be light,”) – to the way He speaks light into our hearts, revealing and bringing us face to face with the glory of God, who is none other than Jesus Christ.

We have this treasure (Jesus and His glorious gospel) in us! This should be an encouragement through all the crazy and difficult times we will experience in life.

What was true for Paul is true for us (see Jesus’ promise in John 16:33). We’re hard pressed on every side, yet not crushed; we’re perplexed, but not in despair; we’re persecuted but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed. Paul was given a ton of trials and tribulations, but never too much for him to bear (1 Corinthians 10:13). As a matter of fact, Paul goes on to say that all these things were doing a good work in-and-through him. Basically, what was going on, is he was taking up his cross, he was dying…dying to self, so that the life of Christ would be manifested through Him. It was death for him (Paul) that would lead to life for others – this is the life of a true minister.

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Psalm 44:1-8

It’s a blessing to look back, to see what God has done in generations past, and then to look forward, pray, and ask that God would do it for us as well; that He would once again move in our generation.

This contemplation of the sons of Korah is that type of Psalm, knowing that it wasn’t the people who gave Israel the land, it wasn’t their own arm, or their own sword, it was God’s favor, it was God’s right arm! So they pray:

Psalm 44:4–5 (NKJV) “You are my King, O God; Command victories for Jacob. 5 Through You we will push down our enemies; through Your name we will trample those who rise up against us.”

It doesn’t mean we do nothing, we do – but we fight from victory (not for victory) – through God we push down our enemies and trample those demons who rise against us.

God help us to believe and to behave with that wisdom from above as we wage war here below.

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Proverbs 22:10-12

Proverbs 22:10 (NKJV) “Cast out the scoffer, and contention will leave; yes, strife and reproach will cease.”

Here we see a scoffer who’s contentious, divisive, a generator of strife. Some people have it in ‘em. Solomon simply advises us to cast out the scoffer.

Proverbs 22:11 (NKJV) “He who loves purity of heart and has grace on his lips, the king will be his friend.”

What wonderful characteristics – to have purity of heart and have gracious lips! It’s no wonder the king himself is his or her friend (couldn’t help but think of King Jesus). These are some great goals to set in our crosshairs.

Proverbs 22:12 (NKJV) “The eyes of the Lord preserve knowledge, but He overthrows the words of the faithless.”

The eyes of the Lord, refer to God’s omniscience, His oversight. In the end, truth will be preserved, it will prevail; God will “preserve” it, especially His Word.

Bridges, “The Scriptures, as the words of knowledge, have been preserved in a far more accurate state than any other book of comparable age.”

If you have any questions or comments on today’s reading, or you’d like to share something the Lord showed you, feel free to leave a reply below. I’d love to hear from you as we grow forward in 2021.

Job 31:1–33:33

As we read the final defense of Job, he ends with a series of “Ifs…”  If Job was guilty of lust, or adultery, or injustice then he would be worthy of judgment. If Job was guilty of mistreating his employees, orphans, or widows then he’d be worthy of judgment. If he made gold his hope, or wealth, or the world his god…

Job 31:28a (NKJV) “This also would be an iniquity deserving of judgment.”

If Job had rejoiced at the pain of others, if he’d cursed his enemies or had any secret sins he held on to, then he’d be worthy of judgment.

Now, I do need to say this, that in one sense we all deserve judgment, no matter how “good” we are. But Job’s case is unique in that here were people indicting him for his sin, when that was NOT the case for Job. Job was going through these trials due to his obedience, not his disobedience.

I don’t want to miss the chance to highlight Job 31:1 – a verse I’ve memorized and used over the years:

Job 31:1 (NKJV) “I have made a covenant with my eyes; why then should I look upon a young woman?”

They say it’s “Every man’s battle.” It’s good to make a covenant with our eyes – with our God, that we will not look upon a woman with lustful eyes. When we’re tempted in this area, let’s swing this Sword of the Spirit, let’s quote this passage, and live this truth. I’m sure this can be applied to the sisters as well.

In the end, Job’s wish would come to pass…God would share with Job some heavy words he needed to hear.

But before God speaks, we have one last “friend,” named Elihu who has waited to speak. Elihu is the youngest, which is the reason he waited. He was upset at Job for not taking the fall, and he’s upset with Job’s friends for not winning the argument. It’s a bit amusing how Elihu spends the majority of time telling Job that he has something to say. When Elihu’s argument finally kicks in, it’s not any different.

He heard Job declare his innocence (Job 33:9) but he simply says that Job is being chastened (Job 33:19).

For a young guy, Elihu probably thought too highly of himself…notice what he says to Job:

Job 33:33 (NKJV) “If not, listen to me; hold your peace, and I will teach you wisdom.”

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2 Corinthians 3:1-18

Paul didn’t need letters of commendation (recommendations). The people in Corinth were his “letters,” they were his credentials, they were the evidence that God had done a supernatural work in Corinth – and indeed Paul was an Apostle. The letters were written on their hearts, not on tables of stone. Everyone could see, just look at the fruit!

Paul explains in 2 Corinthians 3:5, that it’s not that there’s anything special about him, in-and-of himself, but his sufficiency comes from God (and God gets all the glory). Indeed, Paul had been chosen to be a minister of the New Covenant…and what a glorious covenant that was!

Paul goes on to list some of the contrasts between the Old and New Covenant.

Old Covenant/New Covenant

Of the Letter/Of the Spirit

The Letter Kills/The Spirit gives Life

Ministry of Death/Ministry of the Spirit

Engraved on Stones/Written in our Hearts

Ministry of Condemnation/Ministry of Righteousness

Passing away/Remaining always

No Glory (in comparison)/Excelling Glory

Paul truly wanted the Corinthians to realize the glory of the New Covenant, in comparison to the Old. He brings up the fact that Moses wore a veil to cover his face, so that the people wouldn’t see the way the glory faded – and here’s where it gets super interesting – for our glory never, ever has to fade. We can be like Jesus, we can shine with His love and truth, and it never has to fade away.

The reason the Jews (and all unbelievers) aren’t saved is because they’re blind. A veil lies over their eyes and heart when they read (or hear) the Bible. But when one turns to Christ the veil is taken away. I still remember reading the Bible before I was saved, and I didn’t understand it – it was just a bunch of stories to me. But when I was born-again, the veil was lifted, and the Word came alive. I understood it, endeavored to live it, and it (God and His Word) changed me, He set me free.

So, now when we read the Bible, we can see Jesus, and Paul closes with that truth in 1 Corinthians 3:18, how we see Christ, and are being changed into His image, transformed, from glory to glory, little by little, more and more like Him. That’s my prayer.

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Psalm 43:1-5

It’s one thing to have a man against you, but it’s another thing to have a nation against you (Psalm 43:1).

The Psalmist was in the middle of a war and he felt that God was far from him.

Pastor Chuck Smith said, “Today when we feel stressed or overwhelmed, we might say, ‘Why am I so depressed or anxious?’ Usually we feel that way because we’ve lost sight of God, or we’ve removed Him from the equation. We’re trying to figure out a solution apart from him. But David has the answer, ‘Hope in God…the help of my countenance.’”

It’s okay to talk to yourself, to ask those questions, to search your heart, but make sure to end the conversation by encouraging or strengthening yourself in the LORD (1 Samuel 30:6).

Psalm 43:2a (NKJV) “For You are the God of my strength…”

Psalm 43:5 (NKJV) “Why are you cast down, O my soul? And why are you disquieted within me? Hope in God; for I shall yet praise Him, the help of my countenance and my God.”

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Proverbs 22:8-9

Proverbs 22:8 (NKJV) “He who sows iniquity will reap sorrow, and the rod of his anger will fail.”

Because of the fact that sin’s consequence don’t come immediately, we have a tendency to sin carelessly and frequently. 

We forget this Proverb…but we can’t say we weren’t warned.

Our sin will find us out (Numbers 32:23).

If we sow iniquity we will reap sorrow.

It takes time, but it’s God’s universal law, for us all, we reap what we’ve sown. *Galatians 6:7-9

All of us are the product of a lifetime of decisions. I’ve probably mentioned a million times that in many ways, “We make our decisions, and then our decisions make us.”

Proverbs 22:9 (NKJV) “He who has a generous eye will be blessed, for he gives of his bread to the poor.”

A generous EYE? Looking with open eyes, an open heart, open hands…who can I give to? We usually wait for people to ask, or help if we stumble on a need, but here’s someone searching for the hungry to help.

I’m reminded of Cornelius:

Acts 10:1-2 (NKJV) “There was a certain man in Caesarea called Cornelius, a centurion of what was called the Italian Regiment, a devout man and one who feared God with all his household, who gave alms generously to the people, and prayed to God always.”

If you have any questions or comments on today’s reading, or you’d like to share something the Lord showed you, feel free to leave a reply below. I’d love to hear from you as we grow forward in 2021.

Job 28:1–30:31

We now draw near to Job’s closing “argument.” He mentions the mysteries of the deep things of creation as it pertains to the wisdom of God. 

Can you imagine the wisdom required to make the universe? How awesome it would be to know the details on how life “works.” That’s wisdom. But where can wisdom be found? It doesn’t originate with men, and it cannot be bought (Job 28:18).

The truth is, wisdom can only be given to us from God (Job 28:23). If we want to get a good start on this, we should begin with a healthy fear of the Lord.

Job 28:28 (NKJV) “And to man He said, ‘Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom, and to depart from evil is understanding.’”

Job reminisces on how it was just months ago (Job 29:2) when he was well respected in the community, how he used to help the orphan, and the widow, and the poor. Job was someone people listened to, he was like a chief, even a king (Job 29:25).

But now, the people mocked him, they taunted him, they hated him, they didn’t hesitate to spit in his face (Job 30:10). Job blamed it on God.

Job 30:11 (NKJV) “Because He has loosed my bowstring and afflicted me, they have cast off restraint before me.”

Job poured out his heart – he just didn’t understand the depth of the affliction and pain. It seemed to him that Go was not only silent, but absent.

Job 30:20 (NLT) “I cry to You, O God, but You don’t answer. I stand before You, but You don’t even look.”

Job felt that God didn’t care, that He wasn’t even there, or aware – but He was…every step of the way. The same is true for us. The Devil does his thing, but he can only go as far as God allows Him. Friend, if God allows the pain and heartache, just know that somehow, someway He will work it all together for good. We will see this beautifully illustrated for us in the life of Job.

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2 Corinthians 2:12-17

Paul cared for the Corinthian church – he loved them with God’s love. He sent a corrective letter with Titus and he was anxious for their response. Paul was so concerned about this, that when there was an open door for him to preach in Troas, he didn’t preach. He left with that longing to meet up with Titus and find out what happened in Corinth. We’re not going to read that too often – Paul the Apostle passing up an opportunity to preach? That’s how pressing it was for him to find out the response of the Corinthians…that’s how much he loved them!

In the midst of this, Paul reminds u sof the fact that God always leads us in Triumph (isn’t that a great promise?). Paul used the practice of the day to illustrate a Spiritual truth. When the Roman General and his army returned to Rome after victories in war, the official parade would emanate the incense of the priest. For the Romans it was the smell of victory, for the prisoners it was an aroma of death. When we share the Gospel – for those who believe it promises life, for those who reject it promises death.

As a Christian I hope you have that healthy sensitivity and can smell the sent of victory in Christ…this is the hope of Paul’s correspondence. We care, we’re concerned, we love, we might even borderline worry, but I hope we know – in Christ, we are being led in triumph!

Paul knew he was being led victoriously, largely because the accusations against him weren’t true. He wasn’t a peddler of the Word, he preached it out of sincerity…he really did love the people.

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Psalm 42:1-11

This Psalm was probably written when David was distant from the tabernacle. We know David was away and on the run from King Saul for close to 10 years. It may have been written during this time. He longed for the day when he could return to God’s prescribed presence and time at the tabernacle.

It had been tough for David – he was desperately thirsty of God.

Psalm 42:1–3 (NKJV) “As the deer pants for the water brooks, so pants my soul for You, O God. 2 My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. When shall I come and appear before God? 3 My tears have been my food day and night, while they continually say to me, “Where is your God?”

David was down, depressed, and disquieted (Psalm 42:5, 11) but he encouraged himself with the rope of hope and clung tightly in prayer, believing that he would return one day to the tabernacle. David was confident about God’s love.

Psalm 42:8 (NKJV) “The LORD will command His lovingkindness in the daytime, and in the night His song shall be with me—a prayer to the God of my life.”

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Proverbs 22:7

Proverbs 22:7 (NKJV) “The rich rules over the poor, and the borrower is servant to the lender.”

The Proverb is advising us to be careful with our finances, in taking out large loans. We may end up like a slave, in bondage to all those high interest bills and bill collectors.

I love what Matthew Henry said, “Sell not your liberty to gratify your luxury.”

Romans 13:8a (NKJV) “Owe no one anything except to love one another…”

If you have any questions or comments on today’s reading, or you’d like to share something the Lord showed you, feel free to leave a reply below. I’d love to hear from you as we grow forward in 2021.

Job 23:1–27:23

Do you ever wish you could just have a heart-to-heart conversation with God? Audibly? You could ask Him a million questions, or maybe it’s just handful of things that are heavy on your heart. Why God? Why not God? What’s going on Lord? Am I in sin? Job wanted that with God.

Job 23:3–5 (NKJV) “Oh, that I knew where I might find Him, that I might come to His seat! 4 I would present my case before Him, and fill my mouth with arguments. 5 I would know the words which He would answer me, and understand what He would say to me.”

There was a lot that Job didn’t know or understand…but in the midst of it all Job makes this awesome declaration:

Job 23:10 (NKJV) “But He knows the way that I take; when He has tested me, I shall come forth as gold.”

Job didn’t know what was going on, but somehow he knew that God knew. Job knew he was being tested, he was being refined by God, and that when it’s all said and done, he would come forth as gold – stronger, deeper, more and more like the Lord (we all have plenty of room to grow – even Job did). 

In the midst of his pain, Job gives us another epic passage:

Job 23:12 (NKJV) “I have not departed from the commandment of His lips; I have treasured the words of His mouth more than my necessary food.”

May we do the same. Never wander from the Word of God. Treasure it more than the food we need to live on. That’s a huge statement isn’t it? We love food! We should love God’s Word even more.

Job goes on to vent – (understandably he’s going in different directions). One moment he’s questioning God, the next moment he’s indicting his friends, or the wicked. He usually ends up landing in a good place, for example, concerning the deeds of the wicked:

Job 24:23 (NKJV) “Yet His (God’s) eyes are on their ways.”

For the third time Bildad speaks up, briefly. He implies that Job is NOT righteous, or pure, he’s a maggot, a worm.

Technically this was true (we all are), but this was NOT why Job was going through the hard times.

Job asks his “friend” how have you helped me? How have you counseled me? (Job 26:2-3). Why do you behave with complete nonsense? (Job 27:12)

In the middle of a discourse that darts in many different directions, Job mentions in passing that God, “…hangs the earth on nothing.” This is a profound statement in the scientific realm, something not yet discovered up that point, how did Job know the earth was suspended in space? No civilization has this type of revelation in their “holy books!” Job was able to make this declaration, under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit.

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2 Corinthians 1:12–2:11

False teachers had crept into the church at Corinth in an attempt to undermine and discredit Paul, they said that he had a hidden agenda of some sort. I love what Paul says in 2 Corinthians 1:12, that they had conducted themselves “in simplicity and godly sincerity.” Those are things we should aspire to be as ministers, people who mean what we say, and say what we mean. It’s not necessary to read between the lines of our lectures. We serve as servants who are sincere – who truly love the Lord and His people.

They criticized Paul for saying he would come, and then changing his plans. Due to their critical spirit, Paul had to explain himself. Paul didn’t make his plans lightly – he wasn’t flaky, Paul was faithful. His every intention was yes and amen to the glory of God. In one sense I believe Paul was saying that as an anointed Apostle of God, with the Holy Spirit in his heart, these were the plans of God for him and them, but God had to change those plans because of their sin. Paul writes in 2 Corinthians 1:23 that the reason he had to change those plans is because he didn’t want to go to Corinth with a heavy hand of discipline – he would first attempt to iron things out through correspondence. He even called God as his witness.

Have you ever been there? Someone wronged you and rather than going into it with a full head of steam, you ask God for wisdom on how to deal with it? You wait and bathe it in prayer? That’s what Paul had to do, and they criticized him for it.

Paul didn’t want his next visit to Corinth to be a harsh visit, he didn’t want to make them sorrowful, because in one sense, they were a source of joy for him. He was hoping that the letters he wrote would soften hearts and make things better before he actually visited them in person. He no doubt wrote his letters prayerfully, and honestly; he wrote his first letter, and especially the second letter (which we don’t have a copy of) out of anguish of heart, with many tears – he wanted them to know how much he truly loved them (2 Corinthians 2:4).

One of the issues Paul dealt with can be traced back to his first letter to the Corinthians, when a man in the congregation was sexually involved with his step-mother (1 Corinthians 5). Rather than deal with the sin, or even mourn over the sin, the Corinthians were proud of the sin – that they allowed it in their church. I suppose they thought it was a good expression of God’s grace, but it wasn’t. Paul told them to deal with the sin. If the man didn’t want to repent, he needed to be excommunicated. They followed Paul’s lead and excommunicated the man. Thankfully he repented. In light of that repentance, Paul thought that the punishment inflicted was long enough, but somehow there was a resistance to restoring the man. Paul urged them to forgive, and comfort, and reaffirm their love to him (2 Corinthians 2:8) lest Satan, who is the accuser of the brethren (Revelation 12:10) condemn the man.

2 Corinthians 12:10 doesn’t teach forgiveness, as the Catholic church teaches the Sacrament of Penance – forgiveness through a priest or person. It simply teaches us that someone like Paul knew the Word of God, and he knew the promise and process of restoration. Since Paul was the one who planted the church with Apostolic authority, they could follow his lead and hold to 1 John 1:9. Would they obey him in this, or would the drama continue? Pastor Chuck mentioned the tragic fact that “…unfortunately there will always be those harsh few who want to cut that person off forever…” even if they have a heart of repentance.

Many lessons for us to glean – as ministers may we be sincere and simple. We do our best to make our plans prayerfully – in the Spirit – but there will be those times when modification need to be made, a change of plans. God help us to be flexible, to show grace and understanding. As Christians we should be sources of joy for each other, let’s do our best to maintain that heart, a heart of unity, submission, and grace. Satan will do everything he can to divide and conquer, but we should know better and do better (2 Corinthians 12:11).

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Psalm 41:1-13

David was once again, going through hard times. Isn’t it amazing how many of these Psalms were songs in the “night” (Job 35:10)? I’ve noticed that when we go through spiritual, emotional, and physical suffering, these are opportunities to sing by faith, in order to deepen our walks and strengthen our witness (here we are…studying David’s writings 3,000 years later).

The enemy was trying to take David down, tempting him to lose heart, and forsake his faith. 

One of the hardest hits to handle is when a family member or friend betrays us. This happened with David when his son Absalom turned against him along with his good friend Ahithophel (2 Samuel 15-18). This was also a prophecy of how Judas would betray Jesus (John 13:18).

David gave himself to prayer; that God would grant him victory over the enemy…and He did. God will do the same for us.

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Proverbs 22:5-6

Proverbs 22:5 (NKJV) “Thorns and snares are in the way of the perverse; He who guards his soul will be far from them.”

Can you visualize the thorns bleeding a person’s body? Snares trapping their souls? Such is the picture, the path of perversity.

The NLT says, “The deceitful walk a thorny, treacherous road…”

So, the counsel here given to avoid that treacherous road is to guard your soul. Protect yourself from anything harmful.

That’s why prayer is so important; Jesus told us to watch and pray. This is one of the ways we keep our guard up, just like a boxer, if he’s in the ring and fighting to win, he always has his guard up.

Proverbs 22:6 (NKJV) “Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not depart from it.”

This is a monumental message in the Bible, so that our kids would stay the course. When our children are young they’re more compliant, but when they get older and grow up, their faith is tested…and sad to say – many fall away.

So, they need to be trained appropriately.

The NLT says, “Teach your children to choose the right path, and when they are older, they will remain upon it.”

Without a doubt the training parents are called to do does consist in teaching our children God’s word, revelation, interpretation, and application. But the Hebrew word translated training, means a lot more than just teaching. As a matter of fact, the Hebrew word is found only three other times in the Bible and in all the other texts it speaks of dedication.

In that same sense we are to dedicate our children to the Lord. I can’t help but think of Hannah who dedicated Samuel. We read in:

1 Samuel 1:11 (NKJV) “Then she made a vow and said, ‘O Lord of hosts, if You will indeed look on the affliction of Your maidservant and remember me, and not forget Your maidservant, but will give Your maidservant a male child, then I will give him to the Lord all the days of his life, and no razor shall come upon his head.’” 

Teaching, Dedicating, Transferring ownership, Training. We read in: 

Ephesians 6:4 (NKJV) “And you, fathers, do not provoke your children to wrath, but bring them up in the TRAINING and admonition of the Lord.” 

The Greek word used by Paul is also translated “instruction” and “chastening” – it speaks of the entire outlook and life of raising children. (hands on)

Webster’s definition was helpful to me, “To form by instruction, discipline, or drill. To teach as to make fit, qualified or proficient. To direct the growth of a plant, usually bending, pruning, and tying.” Wouldn’t it be cool to bend, prune, and tie our children up?

Something I found interesting – the Talmud, which is a collection of Jewish writings and commentary, said this word “child” would be applicable to someone up to 24 years of age.

Parenting is the heaviest of all responsibilities! John Locke said, “Parents wonder why the streams are bitter, when they themselves have poisoned the fountains.” Ouch – may that not be true of us!

NET Notes, “The expected consequence of such training is that it will last throughout life. The sages were confident of the character-forming quality of their training. However, proverbs are not universal truths. One can anticipate positive results from careful child-training—but there may be an occasional exception.”

If you have any questions or comments on today’s reading, or you’d like to share something the Lord showed you, feel free to leave a reply below. I’d love to hear from you as we grow forward in 2021.

Job 20:1–22:30

Zophar the Naamathite speaks for the second time and not much has changed in his “approach.” He refers to Job as wicked (Job 20:5), as a hypocrite, and he tells Job that such people will perish forever (Job 20:7). Not only is Zophar gravely mistaken in his health, wealth, and prosperity doctrine, but he begins to make accusations against Job that have no merit whatsoever. He accuses Job of oppressing the poor – and yet God saw Job as blameless (Job 1:1, 8; 2:3).

Zophar is convinced that Job is on his way to the fiery flames of hell:

Job 20:26–27 (NKJV) “Total darkness is reserved for his treasures. An unfanned fire will consume him; it shall go ill with him who is left in his tent. 27 The heavens will reveal his iniquity, and the earth will rise up against him.”

Job corrects Zophar’s errant theology, pointing to the fact that often times the wicked seem to prosper on earth. They live long, they rise to power, their descendants are established, their houses are safe, the animals multiply, their children dance and sing, they spend their days in wealth and die a peaceful death. 

Job 21:14–15 (NKJV) “Yet they say to God, ‘Depart from us, for we do not desire the knowledge of Your ways. 15 Who is the Almighty, that we should serve Him? And what profit do we have if we pray to Him?’”

Job was speaking truth. We all know of people who are atheists, or immoral, and yet it seems as if they have a “wonderful” life! Many celebrities, politicians, innumerable wealthy have no fear of God and all seems to be well. Psalm 73 touches on this point. Asaph the author of that Psalm saw how the wicked prospered and the righteous suffered and he almost fell away.

Psalms 73:2-3, 17 (NKJV) “But as for me, my feet had almost stumbled; my steps had nearly slipped. For I was envious of the boastful, when I saw the prosperity of the wicked…until I went into the sanctuary of God; then I understood their end.”

Job’s friends were convinced that the wicked get punished now, here on earth, and that Job was being punished by God. But Job speaks biblically.

We cannot concede to a doctrine that says a person who goes through hard times is being judged by God, for sometimes the righteous suffer, and the wicked prosper on planet earth. Oftentimes it’s not until after we die, that God settles accounts.

Job concludes his words to Zophar:

Job 21:34 (NKJV) “How then can you comfort me with empty words, since falsehood remains in your answers?”

Eliphaz speaks up for the third time. Notice his indictment of Job:

Job 22:5 (NKJV) “Is not your wickedness great, and your iniquity without end?”

Eliphaz goes on to offer accusations that are unsubstantiated – that Job stripped the poor of their clothing, that he didn’t give water to the weary, that he withheld bread from the hungry, sent widows away empty, even crushing the orphans. How could any of this be true if Job was blameless before God? These men were assuming – and they apparently were under the influence of the Devil, who no doubt was pulling strings all along, trying to win his “bet” against God and make Job curse God and die. Satan is an accuser of the brethren – he accuses us day and night (Revelation 12:10).

Eliphaz calls Job to repent, to return to God…and promises that if he did, God would build him up, make him wealthy, and every prayer would be answered; he could name it and claim it, blab it and grab it (Job 22:22-28).

Friends, beware of the enemy and the Word-Faith teaching. Yes, we must have faith in God and believe He is able to bless and heal – but He is not bound to make us healthy, wealthy, and prosperous. We will have tribulation, even as Christians (John 16:33; Acts 14:22) and even if we’re right-on with God. Job is the poster child to this profound truth.

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2 Corinthians 1:1-11

2 Corinthians – Introduction

You can bypass this introductory material if you’d like, but I thought I would include it, just in case any of you are interested in getting the background to this book.

Paul the Apostle planted this church in Corinth during his second missionary journey (you can read the account in Acts 18:1-17). Unlike his previous church plants, where he would typically spend brief periods of time in each city, Paul ministered there in Corinth for 18 months, a whole year and ½ – he poured his heart into the congregation.

It was a miracle simply to have a church in Corinth, because it was a wicked city in that day. Not to demean any city, but it was like the Las Vegas of the day, or Los Angeles, or New York, basically a big city with big problems. God did a great work.

After Paul left Corinth, because of the fact that he was a moving missionary, a lot of the worldliness of the city crept into the congregation. It became a very carnal church with divisions, sexual immorality, Christians were going to court against Christians, without first trying to work it out as Christians. There was confusion in their services, no order – tongues seemed to be the priority, rather than prophecy, and by that I mean the clear teaching of the Word of God, so much so that Paul wrote in: 

1 Corinthians 14:19 (NKJV) “Yet in the church I would rather speak five words with my understanding, that I may teach others also, than ten thousand words in a tongue.”

They were a very gifted church, but they were abusing those gifts, they were exercising them without the Biblical parameters, without discernment and without love. Even the church potlucks, which in those days were called “love feasts,” lacked love, the rich looking down on the poor, not really wanting to share their food.

The Corinthian church digressed; so Paul had to make a painful visit to Corinth to confront the people causing the problems (2 Cor. 2:1; 13:1). He then wrote a severe letter of correction and sent it with Titus to the church at Corinth (2 Corinthians 2:4–9; 7:8–12). Paul was pacing back and forth, wondering how they would respond to the letter. We’ll see later he even had open doors to preach the Gospel in Troas, but he just couldn’t, he was worried and wondering how the Corinthian church received his letter – so he traveled over to Macedonia and waited for Titus.

Eventually Titus returned to Paul with good news from Corinth, that the majority had repented, but there was still a minority in rebellion.

Undoubtedly these problem people were those in the church who wanted to continue in their divisions, false doctrines, and their emphasis on the gifts over and above the teaching of the Word. But the only way they could accomplish their agenda is if they attacked the leader.

And that’s exactly what they did, they attacked Paul, and his Apostolic authority. They slandered him, talked smack about him, in their attempt to diminish his influence in the church, even though Paul was the one who planted the church commissioned by Christ. They even tried spreading a lie, that Paul didn’t really love them.

Now again, most of the church had come around, but there were still some who hadn’t – and Paul, in this letter appeals to them, for a couple of reasons:

#1 Paul loves them (the unrepentant minority)

#2 Paul loves the entire congregation. When people in the church get divisive, unruly and disorderly, rejecting the God-given authority, then they can infect the other sheep.

It’s like a cancer that spreads throughout the congregation.

And so, we will see that 2 Corinthians is probably Paul’s most personal letter to any church. He wears his heart on his sleeve and makes himself very vulnerable, because sadly he was “cornered” and forced to make his case in order to prove his calling as a pastor, as a pastor’s pastor, and as an Apostle of Jesus Christ.

2 Corinthians 1:1-11

Paul identifies himself as an Apostle of Jesus Christ, and he makes it clear that it’s “by the will of God.” In part, this letter would be a defense of his calling as an Apostle.

We will go through extremely hard times in life, because we live in a fallen world, in fallen bodies, and we fight fallen angels. But God will go through it with us, and He will comfort us – not simply for our own comfort, but that we can comfort others. I think of my friends Carlos and Christina, whose 21-year-old daughter, Nadine, passed away of cancer. She went home to be with the Lord before her parents and the rest of her family. For the rest of their lives, they will be able to comfort others who experience the passing of a loved one, especially a child, because they’ve gone through it themselves. They can do this much more effectively than me, because I haven’t experienced this. My heart aches for them, but God is using them mightily.

Paul had gone through many, many trials, and he knew part of the reason was because God wanted him to be able to minister to others. In 1 Corinthians 1:8-11 Paul reveals the fact that there were times they felt crushed and overwhelmed beyond their ability to endure, they thought they would never live through it, but God graciously delivered them. He will always do that, until it’s our time (Hebrews 9:27). I thought it was interesting that Paul, in part, credits their prayers that brought them through it all (see 1 Corinthians 1:11).

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Psalm 40:11-17

We continue in this Psalm which reveals that David had sinned (Psalm 40:12). The enemy is trying to capitalize on it and take David down…while God is disciplining him, perhaps allowing the opposition.

So David repents and David prays:

Psalm 40:13 (NKJV) “Be pleased, O LORD, to deliver me; O LORD, make haste to help me!”

Psalm 40:14 (NKJV) “Let them be ashamed and brought to mutual confusion who seek to destroy my life; let them be driven backward and brought to dishonor who wish me evil.”

No matter what, let’s keep seeking the Lord (Psalm 40:16) and loving the Lord (Psalm 40:16) that we might bring Him glory and magnify His name (Psalm 40:16). Let’s make it our goal, our heart – not to sin, but if we have sinned, let’s not give up, let’s get up, look up, and lift up our voice to God…He is merciful and ready to pardon, if we are genuinely repentant.

1 John 2:1 (NKJV) “My little children, these things I write to you, so that you may not sin. And if anyone sins, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous.”

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Proverbs 22:2-4

Proverbs 22:2 The rich and the poor have this in common, the Lord is the Maker of them all.

God mentions this truth so we that we won’t show partiality to the rich; neither are we to think any less of ourselves if we’re more poor than the guy next door.

The Bible clearly teaches that everyone is equal, because of the fact that we are all made by the Lord in His image. No one is to be treated with contempt.

Red and yellow, black and white, rich and poor, in the core, no one’s less, and no one’s more…may we never forget!

Proverbs 22:3 (NKJV) “A prudent man foresees evil and hides himself, but the simple pass on and are punished.”

The prudent person looks ahead to see if there any potential dangers or pitfalls on the road he’s on, in order to avoid them. But the naive person just plows through all the red flags of warning, falls into the enemies’ evil trap, and suffers the consequences.

This is illustrated in Proverbs 7:7-23 (heed the warnings).

One person said, “Scripture gives blind optimism its right name: not faith, but folly.”

I’m a God’s child, I’m good, I got this, I’ll be okay…Samson said, and the spiritual giant was reduced to a crust of bread.

Proverbs 22:4 (NKJV) “By humility and the fear of the Lord are riches and honor and life.”

These are definitely a couple of twin towers when it comes to Christian character wouldn’t you say? – humility and a healthy fear of God.

As we learn to cultivate this type of heart, what inevitably follows is spiritual riches, heavenly honor, and an abundant life (John 10:10).

If you have any questions or comments on today’s reading, or you’d like to share something the Lord showed you, feel free to leave a reply below. I’d love to hear from you as we grow forward in 2021.

Job 16:1–19:29

Have you ever visited a friend in the hospital, or perhaps gone to their home when they were sick? I’m sure if you have, you had a heart to comfort them.

What if YOU were sick and a friend came to you and told you the reason you were sick is because you were wicked? What if they told you the reason your loved ones died is because they were horrible sinners? Believe it or not, there are some people out there who have that kind of theology (beliefs). Job’s friends were such people. They were convinced that everything that happened to Job and his family was because they deserved it.

Job called them “miserable comforters.” (Job 16:2)

Job said, if I were visiting you it would be a lot different.

Job 16:5 (NKJV) “But I would strengthen you with my mouth, and the comfort of my lips would relieve your grief.”

If I had to guess, I would say that not only did Job’s friends have an errant theology, but they questioned the way job questioned God. They didn’t appreciate Job’s transparency. They didn’t have the book of Psalms, another poetic book in the Bible where David and other Psalmists wear their hearts on their sleeves.

Job wonders how God would deliver him to the ungodly, how God had turned him over to the hands of the wicked (Job 16:11).  Listen to some of the complaints of Job against God:

Job 16:12–14 (NKJV) “I was at ease, but He has shattered me; He also has taken me by my neck, and shaken me to pieces; He has set me up for His target, 13 His archers surround me. He pierces my heart and does not pity; He pours out my gall on the ground. 14 He breaks me with wound upon wound; He runs at me like a warrior.”

Job was hurting with a pain most of us will never have to experience. He couldn’t understand how God would allow this. He felt his friends were mocking him – none of them were wise (Job 17:2, 10).

It’s encouraging that in the middle of all this, however, Job gave himself a boost of confidence – he KNEW he was innocent:

Job 17:9 (NKJV) “Yet the righteous will hold to his way, and he who has clean hands will be stronger and stronger.”

What a beautiful verse for those of us who know the Lord. Even if we’re in the middle of a fiery trial, we must hold to God’s way. Don’t be swayed away Let’s keep our hearts and hands clean, if we do, we will grow to be stronger and stronger.

Job’s “friend” Bildad responds by accusing him of being wicked (Job 18:5). He tells Job that the wicked are forgotten – his memory perishes from the earth (Job 18:17), that his children will die (Job 18:19). Bildad even accuses Job of not knowing the Lord, reiterating his opinion that Job was wicked. Wow…how wrong he was!

Job 18:21 (NKJV) “Surely such are the dwellings of the wicked, and this is the place of him who does not know God.”

Job’s friends were only making things worse. Notice Job’s response:

Job 19:2 (NKJV) “How long will you torment my soul, and break me in pieces with words?”

Job’s not backing down to some sort of superficial relationship with God, he continues to pour our his heart, it’s just how he feels.

He felt as if God had wronged him (Job 19:6) that God was breaking him down on every side – that he had no hope (Job 19:10). It seemed as if everyone abandoned him, his brothers, his acquaintances, his relatives, his close friends, his family, even his servants saw him as a stranger – an alien.

Job was in excruciating pain, in every way possible. Put yourself in his shoes for a moment:

Job 19:19–20 (NKJV) “All my close friends abhor me, and those whom I love have turned against me. 20 My bone clings to my skin and to my flesh, and I have escaped by the skin of my teeth.”

He cries out:

Job 19:21 (NKJV) “Have pity on me, have pity on me, O you my friends, for the hand of God has struck me!”

Now, you and I know the whole story. We know that it’s the devil who administered this pain upon Job, but it WAS God who allowed it. We also know that sometimes people say things they don’t mean, at least not the “good” side of us. When our children were young they said things that they didn’t really mean, and we showed them grace…right? This is the approach God takes with Job. God knows that deep inside, his son had faith. Let’s close this section with those beautiful words of Job.

Job 19:25–26 (NKJV) “For I know that my Redeemer lives, and He shall stand at last on the earth; 26 And after my skin is destroyed, this I know, that in my flesh I shall see God.”

Do you know this? Jesus our Redeemer will rule on earth, from Jerusalem. Do you know that the worst thing that can happen to us is death – but that’s not a bad thing, it only opens the door for us to see God face-to-face.

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1 Corinthians 16:1-24

As Paul closes the letter he completes his request regarding the collection for Christians in Jerusalem. The Christians in Jerusalem had been hit with a famine and had suffered financially for they were persecuted by the Jews. Paul asks the Corinthians to set aside a little something on the first day of the week, which is another indication that the early church gathered together on Sundays (see also Acts 20:7). I thought it was interesting how Paul didn’t want a collection when he arrived. We’re not sure why, but it may simply be that he didn’t want to be the one to personally ask for funds as a form of manipulation. His principles for giving still apply as we are to give periodically, proportionately, and willingly. The funds were to be handled with accountability (they would send “bearers” with their gifts).

We see in 1 Corinthians 16:5-7 that Paul had his travel plans, but it was all according to the will and permission of the Lord. At the time of writing, Paul said he would stay in Ephesus because of the open doors of ministry he had there, even though there were many adversaries (1 Corinthians 16:8). It’s a lesson for us that often times rough waters of opposition are actually a good sign – that you’re right where God wants you to be. Don’t run away from the devil, resist him, and he will eventually run away from you. 

Pastor Chuck said this, “Paul would never run from a fight. When he saw the enemies, he took it as evidence that God was about to do something exciting. I wonder how many great opportunities we miss and how many open doors we walk away from, because we get scared away by adversity. Our attitude should be, ‘Resist the devil and HE will flee from YOU!’” (James 4:7)

Timothy had the same heart and mindset as Paul, so he asks that the Corinthian church receive him well, that they not despise him (Timothy was relatively young). They were to send him on his journey with peace.

Paul wanted Apollos to come to the Corinthians, but Apollos was not willing to at the time. This didn’t upset Paul, he respected everyone’s personal walk and calling from Christ (1 Corinthians 16:12).

And then comes one of my favorite verses of all: 

1 Corinthians 16:13-14 (NKJV) “Watch, stand fast in the faith, be brave, be strong. Let all that you do be done with love.”

Those are great passages to memorize and to put into practice every day of our lives. The enemy is constantly coming against us, he wants to sift us as wheat (Luke 22:31). We therefore need to watch and pray (Matthew 26:41), we mustn’t back down. God help us to be brave, to be strong…and let ALL that we do, be done with love! Wow, those are great marching orders!

Paul closes with some general instructions on esteeming the leadership there in Corinth (1 Corinthians 16:15-16), how he was blessed by their ministry (1 Corinthians 16:17-18).

Paul includes greetings from Asia; and there’s Aquila and Priscilla again, with the church meeting in their house (1 Corinthians 16:19). They were such a faithful couple.

What a heavy warning we have in  1 Corinthians 16:22, along with a beautiful prayer for Christ to come. We have that prayer for grace (1 Corinthians 16:23 – how we need that), and Paul’s genuine expression of love for the people (1 Corinthians 16:24) a great way to end the letter. God help us to love one another (John 13:34-35).

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Psalm 40:1-10

We seem to find ourselves in this place frequently. You would think after all these years (for some of us) we’d of “arrived” by now…but no, not on this side of time. We will struggle. We sometimes feel as if we’re in a pit and need the Lord to pull us up and out. When He does (every time) we often have a new song of praise (Psalm 40:3) and are reminded of His wonderful works and innumerable thoughts towards us (Yes, God always has you on His mind).

Psalm 40:5 (NKJV) “Many, O LORD my God, are Your wonderful works which You have done; and Your thoughts toward us cannot be recounted to You in order; if I would declare and speak of them, they are more than can be numbered.”

Psalm 40:6-8 is a prophecy of Jesus (Hebrews 10:5-9) how in this “scroll of the book, it is written of Him.” The Bible is all about Jesus (John 5:39). You can open the Bible anywhere and preach Jesus Christ and Him crucified. In the Old Testament it’s Jesus predicted. In the Gospels it’s Jesus manifested. In the book of Acts it’s Jesus preached. In the Epistles it’s Jesus explained, and in the book of Revelation, it’s Jesus Returned.

Psalm 40:9-10 elaborates on how Jesus has given us the final formal Word from His Father (Hebrews 1:1-2). It’s also a good source of inspiration for all those who seek to speak His Word to the people He loves.

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Proverbs 22:1

Proverbs 22:1 (NKJV) “A good name is to be chosen rather than great riches, loving favor rather than silver and gold.”

A good name is not necessarily the choice our parents made for us when they named us. No, “a good name” is a choice we make for ourselves. For you see, a good name is in reference to the reputation we’ve earned by the life we’ve lived, which results in the association assigned to our name.

For example, there’s an infinite difference between the names Billy Graham and Adolf Hitler. Parents might call their boys Billy, but not Adolf.

When people hear your name…my name…what comes to mind?

You see a good name is chosen, by choosing to love God and others. Ultimately, that good name goes hand-in-hand with Christian character; we should want it more than riches, and if we had to choose, I pray we’d rather have a good name and loving favor – than any amount of silver and gold.

If you have any questions or comments on today’s reading, or you’d like to share something the Lord showed you, feel free to leave a reply below. I’d love to hear from you as we grow forward in 2021.

Job 12:1–15:35

Job is beyond disappointed at the counsel of his “friends.” Job sarcastically tells them, “Wisdom will die with you!” (Job 12:2). They thought they were so smart, convinced they were right, when in all reality they were so far off, that in the end God would command Job to pray for his friends in order for them to be forgiven.

Job was hurting, and yes he was venting, but he actually had a healthy concept of God. He knew he could pour out his heart to the LORD, to tell Him how he really felt, deep, deep down inside. It’s good for us to be honest with God. Job also knew that God was completely sovereign. He determines the mountains and valleys, permits the good and the “bad,” not only for people, even for countries! We read in:

Job 12:23 (NKJV) “He makes nations great, and destroys them; He enlarges nations, and guides them.”

I pray our nation would take this passage to heart. It’s not us, it’s God, may we return to Him.

Job desperately wanted to have an audience with the LORD. He was tired of the conversation with his “friends.”

Job 13:4 (NKJV) “But you forgers of lies, you are all worthless physicians.”

Job’s words do seem to vacillate, but his faith was rooted and real. One of my favorite passages in all the Bible is:

Job 13:15a (NKJV) “Though He slay me, yet will I trust Him.”

No matter what happens in life, I know God is good, loving, and on the throne…we can trust Him through everything!

Going back to Job’s desire to talk to God…have you ever been there? I know I have. “Lord, if only You would speak audibly, guide me, show me.” Job wanted to have that heart-to-heart with God (Job 13:22). What sin had he committed? (Job 13:23). Job knew his life was in God’s hands, that God determines how many years, months, and days we will live (Job 14:5). 

One of the things you’ll find is that life-after-death is not as clearly articulated in the Old Testament as it is in the New. It’s not as clear to Job as it was to Paul the Apostle who knew that the moment we die we are in the presence of the Lord, and that death’s door leads to a far better place than anywhere on earth (2 Corinthians 5:8; Philippians 1:21). At times, Job asks those questions, “If a man dies, shall he live again?” But then later he makes a bold and beautiful statement:

Job 19:26 (NKJV) “And after my skin is destroyed, this I know, that in my flesh I shall see God,”

Unfortunately Eliphaz and the rest of the guys did not really hear the heart and wisdom of Job. He tells his friends:

Job 13:5 (NKJV) “Oh, that you would be silent, and it would be your wisdom!”

Eliphaz speaks for the second time, accusing Job of unreasonable and unprofitable talk. He tells Job there is no way that he’s pure (Job 15:14) and accuses Job of defiance and stubbornness against God. He tells Job that his riches, wealth, and possessions could not continue, that he would remain in darkness, and flames, and be banished by God, because he was a hypocrite.

Wow! Those words are harsh and completely untrue.

God help us to be so careful not to judge unjustly – beware of the heart of “frenemies.”

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1 Corinthians 15:29-58

Paul alludes to the pagan practice they had in Corinth of baptism for the dead (1 Corinthians 15:29). He didn’t validate their practice, he simply pointed out the fact that even they know that life does go on; the Bible says that God has placed eternity in our hearts (Ecclesiastes 3:11).

This is why Paul labored so hard, it’s why his life was in jeopardy, it’s why he fought with beasts (most likely a reference to demons), because there is a heaven and there is a hell, there is a resurrection. One day we will receive our new bodies, incorruptible, powerful, and spiritual. One day we will bear the image of the heavenly Man (1 Corinthians 15:49). But first the seed must die – UNLESS – we are that generation that is raptured. 1 Corinthians 15:51 speaks of the fact that not all will sleep (die), but there will be those who are raptured, and transformed in the twinkling of any eye (1/11 of a second – see also 1 Thessalonians 4:13-17). So, let’s thank God for our victory in Christ (1 Corinthians 15:57) in light of the certainty of eternity and reality of the resurrection, let’s be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord (1 Corinthians 15:58)

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Psalm 39:1-13

David was once again in a very life-threatening situation. Was it a result of his sin? We read his prayer in:

Psalm 39:8 (NKJV) “Deliver me from all my transgressions; do not make me the reproach of the foolish.”

David disciplined himself (he actually talked to himself) to be EXTREMELY careful with his ways and his words (good advice for all of us):

Psalm 39:1 (NKJV) “I said, ‘I will guard my ways, lest I sin with my tongue; I will restrain my mouth with a muzzle, while the wicked are before me.”

David was asking God to protect him, to spare his life; he prayed, he wept, he went through a season when it seemed God was silent, even absent…but he never gave up. I have a hunch that part of the reason David was allowed to go through all the valleys he went through, was for us – that we might learn to keep praying, and never lose heart (Luke 18:1). When you’re there, you can offer up this prayer of David and make it your own.

Psalm 39:12–13 (NKJV) “Hear my prayer, O LORD, and give ear to my cry; do not be silent at my tears; for I am a stranger with You, a sojourner, as all my fathers were. 13 Remove Your gaze from me, that I may regain strength, before I go away and am no more.”

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Proverbs 21:30-31

Proverbs 21:30 (NKJV) “There is no wisdom or understanding or counsel against the Lord.”

It doesn’t matter how many there are how or how “wise” they may be, no one will ever win in their opposition to God.

Isaiah says something similar.

Isaiah 8:9-10 (NKJV) “Be shattered, O you peoples, and be broken in pieces! Give ear, all you from far countries. Gird yourselves, but be broken in pieces; gird yourselves, but be broken in pieces. Take counsel together, but it will come to nothing; speak the word, but it will not stand, for God is with us.”

(This is the promise to the church – Matthew 16:18; 28:18-20; Acts 5:39; Romans 8:31)

Proverbs 21:31 (NKJV) “The horse is prepared for the day of battle, but deliverance is of the Lord.”

This is one of my favorite verses in the Bible. We get the horse ready, we care for it, feed it, ride it, train it…but in that day of battle (there will be those days, seasons, and even years) just know that deliverance is of the Lord.

Preparation is our job; Salvation is God’s job.

We do the possible, and God does the impossible.

D.L. Moody once said, “Pray as if it all depends on God, and work as if it all depends on you.”

If you have any questions or comments on today’s reading, or you’d like to share something the Lord showed you, feel free to leave a reply below. I’d love to hear from you as we grow forward in 2021.