Job 38
LORD asks who is questioning HIS wisdom verse 1- 3
Then the LORD answered Job out of the whirlwind
and said
Who is this that darkened counsel by words
without knowledge?
Gird up now your loins like a man
for I will demand of you and answer you ME
LORD states that HE created the world verse 4- 7
Where were you when I laid the foundations of the earth?
declare – IF you have understanding
Who has laid the measures thereof – IF you know?
Or who has stretched the line upon it?
Whereupon are the foundations thereof fastened?
Or who laid the cornerstone thereof
when the morning stars sang together
and all the sons of God shouted for joy
LORD states that HE limited the seas verse 8- 11
Or who shut up the sea with doors – when it brake forth
as if it had issued out of the womb?
When I made the cloud the garment thereof
and thick darkness a swaddling band for it
and brake up for it MY decreed place
and set bars and doors
and said
Hitherto shall you come – but no further
and here shall your proud waves be stayed?
LORD states that HE created the Sun verse 12- 15
Have you commanded the morning since your days
and caused the dayspring to know his place
that it might take hold of the ends of the earth
that the wicked might be shaken out of it?
It is turned as clay to the seal – and they stand as a garment
and from the wicked their light is withheld
and the high arm shall be broken
LORD asks Job regarding the gates of death verse 16- 18
Have you entered into the springs of the seas?
Or have you walked in the search of the depth?
Have the gates of death been opened to you?
Or have you seen the doors of the shadow of death?
Have you perceived the breadth of the earth?
declare if you know it all
LORD asks Job regarding his age verse 19- 21
Where is the way where light dwells?
and as for darkness – where is the place thereof
that you should take it to the bound thereof
that you should know the path
to the house thereof?
Know you it – BECAUSE you were then born?
or BECAUSE the number of days is great?
LORD asks Job regarding snow, hail and wind verse 22- 24
Have you entered into the treasure of the snow?
or have you seen the treasures of the hail
which I have reserved against the time of trouble
against the day of battle and war?
By what way is the light parted
which scatters the east wind upon the earth?
LORD asks Job who controls the rain verse 25- 27
Who has divided a water course for the overflowing of waters
or a way for the lightning of thunder
to cause it to rain on the earth – where no man is
on the wilderness – wherein there is no man
to satisfy the desolate and waste ground
to cause the bud of the tender herb to spring forth?
LORD asks Job who controls the ice verse 28- 30
Has the rain a father? or who has begotten the drops of dew?
out of whose womb came the ice?
and the hoary frost of heaven – who has gendered it?
The waters are hid as with a stone – and the face of the deep is frozen
LORD asks Job who controls the stars verse 31- 33
Can you bind the sweet influences of Pleiades
or loose the bands of Orion?
Can you bring forth Mazaroth in his season?
or can you guide Arcturus with his sons?
Know you the ordinances of heaven?
can you set the dominion thereof in the earth?
LORD asks Job regarding giving instructions to hearts verse 34- 38
Can you lift up your voice to the clouds
that abundance of waters may cover you?
Can you send lightnings – that may go and say to you
Here we are?
Who has put wisdom in the inward parts?
or who has given understanding to the heart?
Who can number the clouds in wisdom?
or who can stay the bottles of heaven
when the dust grows into hardness
and the clods cleave fast together?
LORD asks Job who controls the giving of food verse 39- 41
Will you hunt the prey for the lion?
or fill the appetite of the young lions
when they couch in their dens
and abide in the covert to lie in wait?
Who provides for the raven his food?
when his young ones cry unto God
they wander for lack of meat
COMMENTARY:
DAILY SPIRITUAL BREAKFAST: Young Believers
: 1 Then the LORD answered Job out of the whirlwind and said (6030 “answered” [anah] means to reply, testify, speak, respond as witness, to react verbally, shout, or announce)
DEVOTION: In the book of Job we have many individuals answering Job regarding what he was going through and why. The three “friends” commented on what they thought was happening and why. Then we have Elihu, a younger man, answer why things were happening to Job. Now we have the LORD answering Job’s questions with questions of HIS own.
The answer the LORD gives is the most important for our understanding of why God allows HIS servants to go through difficult times in their lifetime while they are trying to serve HIM to the best of their ability.
All believers have questions. This happens from Genesis to Revelation. Human beings don’t completely understand why God does in their lifetime. It seems to those who are followers of the LORD that once they make a commitment to HIM that everything should go smoothly in their lives.
This has never happened throughout the Bible but we still seem to think that it should be different for us. God wants us to go through these times of testing to strengthen us for future tests that HE allows in our lives.
Most of us are glad that we don’t have to go through what Job went through with the loss of all his possessions and his children and finally his wife telling him to curse God and die.
We also would like the LORD to speak with us verbally at times like HE did to Job starting here. HE has HIS reasons for why HE does things differently with each of HIS children. We have to trust HIM to do what is necessary in our lives to cause us to grow in our relationship with HIM.
God is still answering our questions but not necessarily in a verbal way as HE is about to do with Job. We need to trust HIM to give us enough to help us understand that HE loves and wants what is best for us to grow in our knowledge of HIM and our service to HIM.
CHALLENGE: We need to be sure that we are listening to the LORD when HE answers our questions and learn to trust HIM even when we don’t seem to be getting the answers we want.
DAILY SPIRITUAL LUNCH: Transitional Believers
: 18 Have you perceived the breadth of the earth? Declare if you know it all. (5046 “Declare” [nagad] means to let something be known, to propose, (announce, inform, to give evidence, put forward, report, expound, publish, or proclaim.)
DEVOTION: The LORD is telling Job to proclaim all that he knows regarding the foundation of the world. HE wants him to express not just his opinion but to state the truth of the matter.
We have many people in our world who think they are know it alls! They think they have the answer to all the questions that are presented to them. They think that they can instruct not only humans but God.
Here we find God challenging Job to answer HIS questions regarding creation and all that is going on in his life as well as the purpose for all that is going on in his life. It is a challenge that can’t be answered because no human fully understands the reason God is doing what HE is doing in our lives. We just know that the Bible tells us that it is for our good.
HE wants Job to realize that he doesn’t have all the answers to what is going on in the world. Not now or even what happened in the past or what is going to happen in the future. That is in God’s hands alone.
Too often we think we know enough to answer God’s questions but we don’t. We have to trust HIM to do what is best for us at any given time period in our lives. HE knows what we can handle and when.
The key word for Job and for us is that we need to TRUST the LORD to know what HE is doing and not worry about the why but continue to seek HIS wisdom through our study of HIS Word the Bible and pray for wisdom that only HE can give us in any given situation.
It is not easy to just allow HIM to do as HE pleases with us but we have to realize that it is always for our GOOD>
CHALLENGE: If we act like Job we will receive the same answers he received from the LORD. We need to trust the LORD to know that HE is always doing what is best for us.
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: 23 Which I have reserved against the time of trouble, against the day of battle and war? (2820 “reserved” [chasak] means to restrain, preserve, hold back, keep back, refrain, keep for oneself or spare.
DEVOTION: Have you ever been questioned regarding your knowledge of a subject? How many tests have you taken in school or college? How many papers have you researched? Do you think that you are pretty knowledgeable in a given subject? How about your knowledge of the Bible? Can you list all the attributes of God recorded in the Bible?
Here we find the LORD confronting Job regarding his actions since the LORD allowed Satan to take away his possessions, family, and health. HE asked Job a number of questions regarding his knowledge and control over creation.
This chapter begins the LORD commenting to Job. HE asked Job if he was there when the LORD created the universe. HE asked how much influence Job had on the stars in the sky. HE asked Job if he had control over the weather.
This verse informs us that the LORD has weather in a special place for times of battle or war. If the LORD has kept back hail for a future time, then does HE know the future? The answer is YES!!
The LORD has used hail in times past to help the children of Israel. One example was in the plagues of Egypt. Another was when the children of Israel were conquering the land of promise.
HE will use hail at the end of the ages to judge those who are not HIS followers. We live in a time when people are questioning God’s knowledge of the future. They are questioning God’s power. Man seems to think that he is in control of his environment.
Just in this chapter we find out that HE is in control of the stars in the sky. HE is in control of the weather. HE can use our weather to win battles. HE can use weather to get our attention. Too often we forget that God is trying to communicate with us through our circumstances and through our world. HE is trying to communicate with nations about HIS power. Are we listening? Could HE be using weather to get our attention today?
All the questions that the LORD asked Job would receive a negative answer. Man is not in control of any of the examples God gave to Job. We are not in control of any of the examples the LORD gave Job. HE is in control.
If the LORD is in control of our world – should we be taking notice of what is happening around us? Are we going to our knees to ask HIM what we are to do in this time period that we are living in today?
CHALLENGE: HE wants to communicate with HIS children. Be still and wait for an answer.
DAILY SPIRITUAL SUPPER: Mature Believers
: 33 Know you the ordinances of heaven? Can you set the dominion thereof in the earth? (2708 “ordinances” [chuqqah] means statutes, an authoritative rule, something prescribed, statute, regulations, custom, decree, or a clear communicated prescription of what one should do.)
DEVOTION: And since Job knew nothing of the laws of the heavens, the principles y which God regulates the stars, planets, and moon, how could he begin to criticize God’s laws in His dealings with mankind? Dominion over the earth is God’s, not Job’s. (Zuck, R. B. (1985). Job. In J. F. Walvoord & R. B. Zuck (Eds.), The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures (Vol. 1, p. 768). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.)This quote helps us understand the question that the LORD proposed to Job regarding all the questions he was asking. We have the same questions and the answer above gives us the reason we don’t have all the answers. We are not God and we have to trust HIM to do what is best for us. It is hard to realize that we will never have all the answers to our questions. We have to learn to trust the LORD more each day. It is not in our human nature to trust anyone let alone God in all the matters that we have questions.It would be easier, we think, for God to give us the answers we want so we can believe in HIM more. That is not HIS thinking but ours. Our thinking is wrong most of the time.We think that if we knew more we would serve HIM better but that is not always the case. Many people are smarter than us and most of them are not followers of the LORD because they think they don’t need anyone especially a God they can’t see or understand fully.There are many humans that what to have dominion over the earth or at least all the people of the earth. Even today we find that governments want to make all the decisions that are to be made in the lifetime of every human being.However, the standard of humans is not the standard of God. We find that today the standards of human relationship are not what God wants but the government wants us to all follow their lead rather than the laws of God.There is nothing new under the sun. Humans have always been in rebellion against the LORD. They want to run their own lives without answering to anyone not even God.
CHALLENGE: We need to make sure that we are answering to the teachings of the Word of God rather than to the teachings of men or governments.
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36 Who has put wisdom [חָכְמָה, chokmah (2451), skill in technical matters, experience, shrewdness, the pious wisdom of Israel, God’s wisdom, wisdom personified, prudence] in the inward parts? Or who hath given understanding to the heart?
DEVOTION: The wisdom which the Lord gives is unlike the wisdom that man can arrive at with his natural abilities, and HE wants us to see life from HIS perspective. That is why the Lord gave us the books of wisdom in the Old Testament (Job, Psalms, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, Song of Solomon). These were given to the Jews so that they might know how to live life from God’s perspective.
So it is God’s Holy Spirit that grants wisdom to the believer (Job 32:8). We obtain God’s wisdom through our daily time in the Scriptures. HE wants to give us HIS wisdom. Only as we spend time in God’s Word do we come to know the right way to think.
God’s Word is designed to change our thoughts, wills, and emotions. That is what is referred to as the “inward parts” in this verse. Very often we are willing to acknowledge something as factual with our minds, but are unwilling to allow that to affect our will and emotions. God wants to change all three of these in the believer.
God did not leave Job alone in his suffering. Job was asking God for HIS wisdom regarding his suffering, and God will now use a variety of examples from HIS creation to show Job how HIS wisdom is different from the worldly wisdom and the wisdom of his three friends. The book of Job, then, is a contrast between man’s wisdom and God’s wisdom.
Are we spending time in God’s Word in order to find out what He wants for us to do? Are we willing to commit to doing this on a daily basis? (Dr. Marc Wooten – board member)
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DISCIPLINES OF THE FAITH:
BODY
Chastity (Purity in living)
Fasting (Time alone with LORD without eating or drinking)
Sacrifice (Giving up something we want to serve the LORD)
Submission (Willing to listen to others and LORD)
Solitude (Going to a quiet place without anyone)
SOUL
Fellowship (Gathering together around the Word of God)
Frugality (wise use of resources)
Journalizing (Writing down what you have learned from the LORD)
Study and Meditation (Thinking through your study in the Word)
Secrecy (Doing your good deeds without others knowing but God)
SPIRIT
Celebration (Gathering around a special occasion to worship LORD)
Confession (Tell the LORD we are sorry for our sins on a daily basis)
Prayer (Conversation with God on a personal level)
Silence (Letting the LORD deal with some problems and needs)
Worship (Time to praise the LORD alone or in a group)
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DOCTRINES OF THE FAITH:
Scripture (66 inerrant books of the Bible)
God the Father (First person of the Godhead)
LORD – Jehovah (Personal, Covenant keeping) verse 1- 41
Wants Job to answer HIM
Asks many questions of Job
Where was Job when HE laid foundation
of the earth
Set the boundaries of world
Created stars – Pleiades & Orion
Mazzaroth & Arcturus
Provides food for animals
God – Elohim (Sovereign, Creator) verse 7, 41
God the Son (Second person of the Godhead –God/man, Messiah)
God the Holy Spirit (Third person of the Godhead – our comforter)
Trinity (Three persons of the Godhead who are co-equal = ONE God)
Angels (Created before the foundation of the world – Good and Evil)
Sons of God verse 7
Shouted for joy
Man (Created on the sixth twenty-four hour period of creation)
Job verse 1, 16, 18
Answered by LORD out of whirlwind
Has he walked the depths
Perceived the breadth of the earth
Wicked verse 13- 15
Sin (Missing the mark set by God on man and angels)
Wicked verse 13, 15
Salvation (Provided by Christ’s death on the cross for our sins)
Wisdom verse 36
Understanding verse 36
Israel (Old Testament people of God)
Church (New Testament people of God)
Last Things (Future Events)
Gates of death verse 17
Doors of the shadow of death verse 17
Time of trouble verse 23
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QUOTES regarding passage
4–7 The irony in the Lord’s words “Surely you know” (v.5; cf. v.21) is sharp and purposeful. Job had dared to criticize God’s management of the universe. Had he been present at the Creation (an obvious absurdity), he might have known some thing about God’s management of its vast expanses (vv.4–6). But even the angels who were there could only shout for joy over the Creator’s deeds (v.7). And here Job, an earth-bound man, has lost sight of who this Creator is. As a man full of words often questioning what the Lord was doing, he was told of the celestial chorus that celebrated God’s creative activity, which was beyond any mere creature’s ability to improve on by comment. That Job was learning this lesson we may infer from his response in 40:4–5.
For personification of the stars (v.7) in parallel with “the sons of God,” see Psalm 104:4, where the winds are God’s messengers (angels) and the lightning bolts his servants (cf. Heb 1:7). (Smick, E. B. (1988). Job. In F. E. Gaebelein (Ed.), The Expositor’s Bible Commentary: 1 & 2 Kings, 1 & 2 Chronicles, Ezra, Nehemiah, Esther, Job (Vol. 4, p. 1035). Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House.)
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In a series of questions on cosmology, oceanography, meteorology, and astronomy, God challenged Job’s competence to judge His control of the world. God used irony to point up Job’s ignorance (e.g., “Tell Me,” vv. 4, 18; “Surely you know!” vv. 5, 21).
(1) Questions about the earth (38:4–21).
38:4–7. Job was immediately confronted with his insignificance, for he was not present when God created the earth. Since he did not observe what had taken place then, he could not understand it. How could he hope to advise God now? Creating the earth is depicted like constructing a building with a foundation.… dimensions.… a measuring line.… footings, and a cornerstone. When God put the earth into orbit, it was similar to placing parts of a building in place.
Job was absent when the morning stars (possibly Venus and Mercury; “morning stars” were mentioned by Job in 3:9) sang and the angels (lit., “the sons of God”; cf. 1:6; 2:1) shouted with joy over God’s Creation of the earth. The stars’ singing is a poetic personification, not a reference to the noise made by stars as detected by radio astronomy. In Psalm 148:2–3 angels and stars are together commanded to praise the Lord. (Zuck, R. B. (1985). Job. In J. F. Walvoord & R. B. Zuck (Eds.), The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures (Vol. 1, p. 767). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.)
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God began with the Creation of the earth (38:4–7) and compared Himself to a builder who surveys the site, marks off the dimensions, pours the footings, lays the cornerstone, and erects the structure. Creation was so wonderful that the stars sang in chorus and the angels (1:6; 2:1) shouted for joy, but Job wasn’t on the scene! Then, how can he claim to know so much about the works of God?
From the beginning, God planned His Creation to be a garden of joyful beauty; but sin has turned Creation into a battlefield of ugliness and misery. Man in his selfishness is wasting natural resources, polluting land, air, water, and outer space, and so ravaging God’s Creation that scientists wonder how long our planet will support life as we know it. Mahatma Gandhi was right: “There is a sufficiency in the world for man’s need but not for man’s greed.” (Wiersbe, W. W. (1996). Be Patient (p. 145). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.)
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38:7 morning stars … sons of God. The angelic realm, God’s ministering spirits. (MacArthur, J. F., Jr. (2006). The MacArthur study Bible: New American Standard Bible. (Job 38:7). Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Publishers.)
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7 When the morning stars sang together, and all the sons of God shouted for joy?
The morning stars; either, 1. The stars properly so called, who are said to sing and praise God, objectively, because they give men ample occasion to do it in regard of their glorious light and stupendous motions, &c. Compare Psal. 19:1; 148:1, &c. But, 1. These stars are not here the objects or matter, but the authors or instruments, of God’s praises for the founding of the earth. 2. The stars were not created when the earth was founded, but upon the fourth day. 3. There is no satisfactory reason given why all the stars should be called morning stars, especially when there is but one star known by that name. Or rather, 2. The sons of God, as it here follows, the latter clause of the verse being explicatory of the former, as is most frequent in this and some other books of Scripture, to wit, the angels, who may well be called stars, as even men of eminent note, and particularly ministers of God’s word, are called, Dan. 8:10; 12:3; Rev. 1:16, 20; and morning stars, because of their excellent lustre and glory, for which they are called angels of light, 2 Cor. 11:14, and Christ for the same reason is called the Morning Star, Rev. 22:16. The sons of God; the blessed angels; for man not being yet made, God had then no other sons; and these are called the sons of God, partly because they had their whole being from him, and partly because they were made partakers of his Divine and glorious image. And all these are said to join in this work of praising God, probably because none of the angels were as yet fallen from their first estate, though they did fall within a very little time after. Shouted for joy; rejoiced in and blessed God for his works; whereby he intimates that they neither did advise or any way assist him in his works, nor dislike or censure any of his works, as Job had presumed to do with the works of his providence, which are not inferior to those of creation. (Poole, M. (1853). Annotations upon the Holy Bible (Vol. 1, p. 1018). New York: Robert Carter and Brothers.)
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Ver. 7. When the morning stars sang together, &c.] Either all the stars in a literal sense; for though, strictly speaking, there is but one morning star, yet all may be called so, because early created in the morning of the world; and are all stars of light, shine till the morning; and it is observed by some, that the nearer the morning the brighter they shine: and these in their way sing the praises of God, and set forth the glory of his perfections, and occasion songs of praise in men; see Psal. 148:3 and 19:1. Or figuratively, either angels, as most interpret them, comparable to stars for their glory, purity, and light, for their constancy, permanency, and numbers: or good men, particularly ministers of the word, and angels of the churches; who are stars in Christ’s right hand, Rev. 1:20 and 2:1. but the principal morning star is Christ himself, Rev. 22:16. And all the sons of God shouted for joy; which are usually understood of angels also, so the Targum; who are the sons of God, not by birth, as Christ, nor by adoption, as saints; but by creation, as Adam, Luke 3:38. And because they bear some likeness to God, as holy spirits, and honour and obey him in doing his will; though the character of sons of God, as distinct from the children of men, given to professors of religion, obtained before the times of Job; see Gen. 6:2 and who might be said to sing together, and shout for joy, when they met for social worship; see ch. 1:6 and especially when any fresh discoveries were made to them of the Messiah, and salvation by him. Thus Abraham, one of these sons of God, saw Christ’s day and was glad, and shouted for joy, John 8:56. For these words are not necessarily to be restrained to the laying of the foundation and corner-stone of the earth, as our version directs; though indeed the angels then might be present, being created as soon as the heavens were, and with the stars, as Capellus on this place observes; and rejoiced, when the foundations of the earth were laid, on beholding such a display of the power, wisdom, and goodness of God therein; and which may be said of them, in allusion to what is done at the laying of the foundation of any building of note; see Ezra 3:10. for it may be repeated from ver. 4. where wast thou when the morning stars, &c. and so may refer to any rejoicing, whether of angels or men, before the times of Job, at which he was not present. (Gill, J. (1810). An Exposition of the Old Testament (Vol. 3, pp. 494–495). London: Mathews and Leigh.)
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38:7 sons of God. This is the same expression found in the prologue (see 1:6 and note). It refers to the members of the heavenly court surrounding God’s throne. (Crossway Bibles. (2008). The ESV Study Bible (p. 926). Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles.)
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FROM MY READING:
(Remember the only author that I totally agree with is the HOLY SPIRIT in the inerrant WORD OF GOD called THE BIBLE! All other I try to gleam what I can to help me grow in the LORD!!)
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RAPPER CALLS “GOD FEARING” A “DATED MENTALITY”(Friday Church News Notes, May 4, 2018, www.wayoflife.orgfbns@wayoflife.org, 866-295-4143) – In a tweet on April 21, rapper Kanye West said, “I don’t subscribe to the term and concept of God fearing. That’s a dated mentality that was used to control people. We are in the future. If God is love and love it’s [sic] the opposite of fear then… to fear God makes no sense.” The fear of God is mentioned more than 80 times in Scripture. It is “the beginning of wisdom” (Ps. 111:10). It is “to hate evil” (Pr. 8:13). The fear of God is compatible with, and not contrary to, God’s love, because God is also holy and just and righteous. The fear of God is not only an Old Testament concept. The New Testament believer is instructed, “Having therefore these promises, dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God” (2 Co. 7:1), and “Wherefore we receiving a kingdom which cannot be moved, let us have grace, whereby we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear” (He. 12:28). West appeared as a thorn-crowned Jesus on the cover of Rolling Stone in 2006. His 2013 album was titled Yeezus, which is a play on West’s nickname Yeezy and the name Jesus. The cover art depicts West being crowned king by angels. In the song “I Am a God,” he raps, “I just talked to Jesus, and he said, ‘What’s up, Yeezus?’/ … I know He the Most High/ But I am a close high/ … I am a god.” The Book of Zeezus: A Bible for the Modern Day, published in 2015, is a version of the book of Genesis that replaces every mention of God with the rapper’s name. West is married to pop icon and former Playboy model Kim Kardashian. Their marriage was performed by emerging church pastor Rich Wilkerson Jr. of Vous Church near Miami. Yes, West claims to be a Christian. He is a typical modern “Christian” who is described in the prophecy of 2 Timothy 4:3-4. “For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables.”
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THOMAS
Except I see in his hands the print of the nails, and put my finger into the print of the nails, and thrust my hand into his side, I will not believe. John 20:25
As long as you reason and argue, you will never be satisfied. But the moment you see Him, your troubles will be resolved, and your answers will be given to you. The apostle Thomas is a perfect example of this.
We are familiar with the story of Thomas. After the death of Christ, the apostles were scattered. Then they met together, and when they were in an upper room, Christ appeared to them. Thomas was not with them then, but he joined the company later. They told him that the Lord had appeared among them, but Thomas would not believe it. He kept to the realm of reason and understanding. “No,” he said, “I can’t believe it, I cannot accept it; I must see Him for myself. I must put my hand into the print of the nails; I cannot believe this story.”
But then later the Lord appeared in the room and said, “Where is that finger of yours, Thomas? Put it into My side.” And Thomas broke down, as it were, and said that it was unnecessary. He fell at His feet and said, “My Lord and my God.” Had he come to understand the resurrection? Of course he had not, he just knew that it was a fact. So it is not a question of understanding, it is a question of the facts. A Point to Ponder: The moment you see Him, your troubles will be resolved, and your answers will be given to you. (From The Heart of the Gospel, pp. 24-25, by Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones)
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The conclusion, when all has been heard, is: fear God and keep His commandments, because this applies to every person. ECCLESIASTES 12:13
A. W. Tozer said, “The word of God was not given to us to make us intelligent sinners, but obedient and authentic saints.” As important as it is to remember God—to recall who God is and what He has done for us—and to fear God by practicing a reverential awe of Him and His presence in our lives, it is equally important to hammer home the final nail.
Nail Number Three: Obey God
Our lives are made up of choices—difficult forks in the road where we must decide to choose God’s way or to pursue our own. And as Moses said to the children of Israel, the choice is really not between right and wrong but between life and death (see Deuteronomy 30:15-16). The prophet Amos said it very succinctly: “Seek the LORD that you may live” (Amos 5:6). Truly, the only sure path to life is found in obedience to God and His Word.
So when you don’t feel like loving your spouse, obey God.
When you’re tempted to steal or to compromise your integrity, obey God.
When your boss asks you to do something you shouldn’t, obey God.
When your lusts and passions are telling you to give in, obey God.
When you’re suffering and feel like quitting, obey God.
When the easiest thing to do is nothing, obey God.
When you feel like being lazy, obey God.
Whatever choice you may be facing, obey God . . . and live!
Thomas Carlisle wrote, “Conviction, be it ever so excellent, is worthless until it converts itself into conduct.” It is not enough just to know what’s right. Well-driven nails only become that way when we have the courage to sink them deep by obeying God. (Moments with You Couples Devotional by Dennis and Barbara Rainey)
PRAYER AND PRAISE:
Prayer request policy: If you want the prayer request to be private or just between me and you please say so in the email. I will pray for those requests. If you don’t mind others praying for the request, then just send the request with no restrictions and I will put it in the devotional for other to pray. We don’t include last names in any of our prayer requests. Thank you.
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Please pray for the persons whose last name begins with the letter “” on your prayer list, which includes your address book, church directory and email list.
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Please remember to pray for the Biblical churches and pastors in the states of. (REMEMBER THAT IF YOU KNOW BIBLICAL PASTORS IN THESE STATES TO LET US KNOW THEIR NAMES AND CHURCHES AND WE WILL PRAY FOR THEM)
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Pray for our son Brian as he is dealing with a heath issue. Thank You.
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Faith and Bible based ministry that encourages the faithfulness of the local church and their leaders to the LORD.
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Please invite friends to visit our website: www.smallchurchministries.org or visit our Facebook page at Small Church Ministries with a Bible logo.. If they would like to receive the devotions via email – please have them send their address to me with “devotional” in the message box. Also, if you don’t receive the devotions because you have visited our website or some other source please sign up. The devotions normally go out each covering a chapter of the Bible each day. In three and a half years the entire Bible is covered. Thank you.
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We now have a Facebook page for Small Church Ministries – please invite others to join us on Facebook. Thank you. Look for the logo from the devotionals.