Prove me, O Lord, and try me; test my heart and my mind.
That is a hard thing to pray. To be put through the fire. There is a song I like to listen to to get pumped up: God Of Elijah by Disciple. One part of that song is ...
God of Elijah, send your fire Let it burn up inside me, melt me down
LORD ... melt me down as the fire melts down precious metals. I know we are precious to you and for that you bring us through the fire to refine who we are. Help me to stand within the flame and to know that it is for You that I am there.
For when I kept silent, my bones wasted away through my groaning all day long.
There are always two who know your sins. God and you.
People are interesting things when it comes to stories and ideas. We just can't keep a good idea to ourselves. They infect our minds in such a way that we almost become sick if we don't tell them to someone. We all have experienced that with a good joke or a story that really touched us. The corruption of that feeling is the making of a gossip.
But when it comes to the sin that we try to hide inside .... I can think of no better description than it feeling as if your very bones are wasting away. When we are in the wrong, we KNOW it. Down to our bones. Daily God will remind you of what you have not brought before Him to ask forgiveness of.
But, Oh what a blessed feeling of freedom when you finally present yourself before God to ask forgiveness. And to know you are forgiven!
Take courage, for as you have testified to the facts about me in Jerusalem, so you must testify also in Rome.
At all times we are called to share the Truth. No matter if it is to be in times of ease or in times of great difficulty. Always share the good news.
And don't be too surprised when God brings people into your life at the right time for Him ( maybe the wrong time for your plans ). For in all things that happen ... The LORD will be praised.
The below images are from a Kansas Reader textbook printed about 1920 by the State of Kansas for local schools. Click on them to read. And ... yes ... these are from the State of Kansas. It is amazing how far away the modern concept of 'separation of church and state' has removed our nation from the LORD.
In all things I have shown you that by working hard in this way we must help the weak and remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he himself said, ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’
Today working hard is a rarity. My grand parents worked harder than I do. And today the rage is "work smart not hard".
Work is a blessing from the LORD. To be able to produce and create is a gift not a burden. To often we look at leisure as the goal rather than work and its bounty.
Work hard while you can. And give away the results of that work the LORD has blessed you with ... while you can.
You have rebuked the nations; you have made the wicked perish; you have blotted out their name forever and ever. ... The nations have sunk in the pit that they made; in the net that they hid, their own foot has been caught.The Lord has made himself known; he has executed judgment; the wicked are snared in the work of their own hands.
When I was in High School it was 'cool' to wear t-shirts with symbols of the Soviet Union. It still is today I suppose.
The sad part of this is that no one ... NO ONE ... in history murdered more people than the Soviets. Upwards of 60 million men, women and children were crushed under the wheels of that monstrosity.
Though that nation has been destroyed, and someday will only be remembered as a byword, men still lust after the same evil. They lay the same nets as the monsters of the past. But, do not expect them to succeed forever. The evil that they seek after will come back upon them. And it is not surprising that those who choose to surround themselves with evil will have that evil destroy them. It is what evil does.
Arise, O Lord! Let not man prevail; let the nations be judged before you! Put them in fear, O Lord! Let the nations know that they are but men!
... who does not put out his money at interest ...
What real profit is there in doing good only to get a return? There is no gain towards becoming a better person if we only give to get a tax write-off. Or if you give to get the accolades of praise.
Don't give anything of yourself ... time, money, sweat, blood ... with the understanding you will get it back and more. Give because it the right thing to do.
And now the LORD answers Job. Eventually God told Job all that happened from the beginning of this story. Or we obviously wouldn't have the first few chapters.
But for now what answer does Job get? ... "I'm God. Period."
It all really boils down to that essence of truth. We are dealing with I AM. Hold up your hand and look at it. The details of all that you see. Everything you have ever done. Holding your children. Striking in anger. All that you are. Only by the will of God are you here. With a simple breath and desire it could all be gone. And by His amazing love our soul will continue for eternity.
No matter the situation you find yourself in ... remember. Remember the love of a Dad who takes the punishment deserved by you. Remember the love of a Dad who, through His infinite will, sustains your life and your eternal soul. Our LORD is the great I AM.
Make them bear their guilt, O God; let them fall by their own counsels; because of the abundance of their transgressions cast them out, for they have rebelled against you.
I used to struggle with the above. I used to think that I would be praying AGAINST someone with those words. But, being a Dad I now understand the idea of consequences.
Many people will not change unless they are humbled. I've mentioned before about needing to soften our hearts. And I can think of two ways ... We try to tenderize our own hearts or God will tenderize our hearts with adversity.
They received the word with all eagerness, examining the Scriptures daily to see if these things were so.
This is an invitation to judge me.
Never read or listen to anything without examination when someone is speaking about the LORD. God wants a personal relationship with you so don't allow someone to stand in between you and Him. I don't believe in a holy interpreter. I believe in the LORD.
So many came before me that had a greater relationship with God than I. Yet I will weight their words and actions against the Word and against what I know to be true about God. I say to do this because I am a man. And I know my heart. They were men as well who had the same heart of flesh. Even Peter was corrected by Paul.
Remember when you knew everything there was to know? Back when you were young?
It is not the old who are wise, nor the aged who understand what is right. Therefore I say, ‘Listen to me; let me also declare my opinion.’
Yeah, I was like that. No wait ... I still am. Or else I wouldn't be typing this right now. Listen to me! Let me declare my opinion! That thump you just heard was my heading hitting my desktop.
There is a balance in what you know, or what you feel you are being led to say, versus preaching to hear your own voice. I never want to become the man standing in front of others who loves the sound of his voice. Who is certain their words are golden. Who others declare to be as eloquent as great men of old ... even before the speech has been given.
My biggest worry in what I type is that I become Elihu. The words may be smooth at times. They may be rough at times. They may form a speech that people can nod their heads to and agree with at times. "Yes that is so well said." Or not.
But, within the words there is no glory given to God. That is my worry in my life as well. That within the pages of my life I don't reflect who God wants me to be. That I become a wall ... rather than an open window.
LORD, humble me. Open me. Help me to pull back who I am and let you come through.
We all have an unjust accuser. It may be a family member, an enemy, or THE Enemy. But, the one I'm thinking of looks back at you from the mirror.
Elihu condemned Job and then wrapped himself with words about God. Don't you find yourself filling both roles in your life at times? You are hurting and you have that whisper in your ear reminding you about your sins. About what you have done wrong. How can a person so flawed NOT be punished by God?
Just remember what Christ said ... You are forgiven. Go and sin no more.
Yes we are flawed. Yes we are fallen. But, as you look in the mirror don't see with the eyes of an accuser. Eyes that are blinded and see only darkly. See with the eyes of Christ.
Who loved you so much as to be beaten beyond recognition for you. Who loved you so much that thorns were jammed upon his head. Who loved you so much that he willingly took nails being driven through his hands and feet. Who loves you so much He stood between you and the punishment.
Can you imagine the love that must be in His eyes as He looks upon you?
And with Christ's sacrifice is freedom from the Law. Of course that is actually somewhat harder on us. Because no longer is the Law a written thing on paper for us. It is the Law that God has written upon our hearts.
You can always try and justify breaking the laws on paper. You speed down the road well above the speed limit ... but you didn't hurt anyone. We can always change what is written or argue about the meaning of the word 'is'.
Upon our hearts means one-on-one with God. You know when you are wrong and when you are in the right. No cheating there.
As I was listening to these verses one thing came to mind: What a monster I am.
Why are not times of judgment kept by the Almighty, and why do those who know him never see his days?
Some move landmarks; they seize flocks and pasture them. They drive away the donkey of the fatherless; they take the widow's ox for a pledge. They thrust the poor off the road; the poor of the earth all hide themselves.
Behold, like wild donkeys in the desert the poor go out to their toil, seeking game; the wasteland yields food for their children. They gather their fodder in the field, and they glean the vineyard of the wicked man.
They lie all night naked, without clothing, and have no covering in the cold. They are wet with the rain of the mountains and cling to the rock for lack of shelter. There are those who snatch the fatherless child from the breast, and they take a pledge against the poor.
They go about naked, without clothing; Hungry, they carry the sheaves; Among the olive rows of the wicked they make oil; They tread the winepresses, but suffer thirst.
From out of the city the dying groan, and the soul of the wounded cries for help; yet God charges no one with wrong.
In your minds eye do you not see those in this world who are suffering? I see and I am shamed. Because I see and I do not act.
I listened to this as I was driving and I wanted to pull over and weep. Weep for those in pain and weep in anger against myself. I dwell over dollars I want to spend on myself for things I don't need. While I do not spend nearly enough of my own self in service of others.
As I listened it wasn't about "Where is God?" ... it was about "Where am I?"
I don't know if it is sad or telling that Job didn't know that he had somewhat answered his own question of "Where is God?". He probably couldn't see through his own pain to truly listen to the words that the LORD gave him to speak.
Where is God for the fatherless? For the widows? For the poor? For the suffering?
I delivered the poor who cried for help, and the fatherless who had none to help him. The blessing of him who was about to perish came upon me, and I caused the widow's heart to sing for joy.
I was eyes to the blind and feet to the lame. I was a father to the needy, and I searched out the cause of him whom I did not know. I broke the fangs of the unrighteous and made him drop his prey from his teeth.
If I have rejected the cause of my manservant or my maidservant, when they brought a complaint against me, what then shall I do when God rises up? When he makes inquiry, what shall I answer him? Did not he who made me in the womb make him? And did not one fashion us in the womb?
If I have withheld anything that the poor desired, or have caused the eyes of the widow to fail, or have eaten my morsel alone, and the fatherless has not eaten of it (for from my youth the fatherless grew up with me as with a father, and from my mother's womb I guided the widow)
If I have seen anyone perish for lack of clothing, or the needy without covering, if his body has not blessed me, and if he was not warmed with the fleece of my sheep, if I have raised my hand against the fatherless, because I saw my help in the gate.
Then let my shoulder blade fall from my shoulder, and let my arm be broken from its socket. For I was in terror of calamity from God, and I could not have faced his majesty.
Job acted. And why did he act? For the LORD. When the cry goes out "Where is the LORD?" the answer should have those that suffer pointing their fingers at a Christian and saying "The LORD is in you! For I see Him and feel Him!"
And what a list Job has given me. Have I ...
... delivered the poor? ... helped those that had no help? ... made their heart sing for joy? ... become eyes to the blind? ... become feet to the lame? ... been father to the fatherless? ... searched out the cause of him whom I did not know? ... broken the fangs of the unrighteous?
If I do not act what then?
As Mordecai told Esther, “For if you keep silent at this time, relief and deliverance will rise for the Jews from another place, but you and your father's house will perish. And who knows whether you have not come to the kingdom for such a time as this?”
They have hope in God. Deliverance and justice will come, if not now then in the age to come. But, God has put this before me NOW.
O LORD and Heavenly Father ... help me to be as Job.
Get up ... Dress ... Put on sandals ... Wrap your cloak ... Follow me.
Peter was sitting in jail waiting for his death. If God wanted He could have just moved him from the jail and into his friends home. Why not?
As we sit in the darkness of our lives. As we sit in chains beside the people who are against us and who inflict pain beyond measure. As the night comes ... and still we suffer ... and still we pray for deliverance.
We pray that God will 'poof', make it go away.
That would be nice. But, that isn't what builds up a stronger man or woman. Even Peter had to get up to get out of the prison. And as we struggle we need to do likewise.
Get up. Stand and look upon the LORD.
Dress. Get your body, mind, and soul ready for what God will have in store for you.
Put on your sandals. Prepare yourself for the walk. A walk in LORD.
Wrap your cloak. Wrap yourself in the Word of the LORD. In the people that he will bring into your life. Reach out and let them wrap their arms around you.
Zophar: But the eyes of the wicked will fail; all way of escape will be lost to them, and their hope is to breathe their last.
Job: The tents of robbers are at peace, and those who provoke God are secure.
So who is right?
We see pain and suffering in the world. We experience them.
Job is crying out for an answer. And at times we take the way of his friends ... If you are suffering it is because you deserve it. But, that doesn't have to be true. You may be suffering and there is no wrong being punished in you.
The only way to truly have a hope of knowing what is going on is to struggle with God. To wrestle with Him. To talk and listen. To live. To try.
For I know that my Redeemer lives, and at the last he will stand upon the earth. And after my skin has been thus destroyed, yet in my flesh I shall see God, whom I shall see for myself, and my eyes shall behold, and not another.
And in all of our suffering we have Christ. Who stood upon the earth and bore the pain, felt the temptations, cried the tears, lived the life, and made the sacrifice.
And in our flesh we shall see Him with our own eyes. And have comfort.
Everyone who believes in him receives forgiveness of sins through his name.
As salvation for Job came from looking forward to Christ. From seeing through his pain to Christ standing in heaven as the witness who testified for him on high. Our salvation comes from Christ as well.
Our sins may be forgiven, but we must strive to live a life worthy of His name. How small of a thing it is to live a life of thankfulness. God poured out the gift of salvation for me ... I can not spit upon that. I must live a life that honors it.
And I will fail.
But, I must remind myself daily ... and try daily.
And here we come to one of my favorite books of the Bible: Job.
Let the day perish on which I was born.
And so begins the argument of Job to God. What touches me about Job is that he is so open with God and his friends. He knows he did no wrong and he is confused about justice. About how the LORD deals with the evil men of the world. And how he is being dealt with in his own life.
He cries out in pain. Both emotional and physical pain. He is hurt and confused. Job is like all of us in suffering. Though he certainly suffered more than anyone I have known.
The lessons of Job are not about suffering in silence. It is about the struggle of your own suffering and reaching out to God and others.
If your children have sinned against him, he has delivered them into the hand of their transgression.
I may die tonight driving home. God may feel I deserve to die for sins in my life. Or it just may be the time that He acts to take me out of this world.
How I die, or why, or when does not matter. What matters is how I live my life NOW. Each of us has a life that is essentially one-on-one with God. Each of Job's children had that same life. We the readers know, and Job knew, that why they died was not for their sins against God. The plan they were part of was larger than that. Just as the arc of your life is larger than what you see or what you even know as your life.
Lastly, for those that are grieving it is foolish and cruel to feel righteous anger towards them. And it is stupid to vent that anger in hateful words as Job's friends had done. If those that hurt are angry with God, so be it. It is silly to imagine that we can protect God from someone being angry with Him. God IS. He can certainly handle a relationship with someone in pain.
Your calling is to be His hands and feet in this world. Not the hateful mouth.
But they cried out with a loud voice and stopped their ears ...
How true for those that don't want to hear the truth. We stop up our ears. For myself, the way I stop them up is with anger and not letting the other person speak. To fill my ears with noise.
LORD, open me up. Open my eyes to see the hurt. Open my ears to listen to those in pain. Open my heart to feel the pain and suffering of others.
An orphan girl didn't know why her parents were taken from her. She was raised by her cousin who loved and treated her as his daughter. Then she was taken from him to be placed into the king's harem. Daily he would walk to the court of the harem just to find out how she was doing.
And from that beginning she became queen.
We may never know what God's plan is. But we have our part. All we can do is live it and look for where He leads us.
Esther threw her life on the line to save God's people. God raised her and Mordecai to a place where they could act. But, they were called to act.
When we come to the points of action we must act as well. When there is temptation ... walk, no, run away. When there is pain ... give comfort. When there is a child ... don't exasperate them, rather strengthen them. When there is loss ... give.
... if this plan or this undertaking is of man, it will fail.
And there is our path.
When we do act are we acting for God or for man? I can't tell you how many times I took my own council and then went off before aiming. It isn't "ready ... FIRE ... aim!"
Getting ready and aiming is about getting in a personal relationship with God. About listening to wise council. About listening to the LORD. Once you are primed and your aim is true. Explode your life for God.
They read from the book, from the Law of God, clearly, and they gave the sense, so that the people understood the reading.
All of us have access to the original Bible in Greek, Hebrew, and Aramaic. And very very few people read and speak Greek, Hebrew, and Aramaic. The only way we understand anything is if the Word is put into the words that we know.
Translations come not only in many languages, but a single language may have word-for-word, idea, and paraphrase translations. Before you get caught up in "The [insert your favorite] translation is the BEST!" arguments understand what you are reading. Beside the listeners in Jerusalem stood Ezra, Jeshua, Bani, Sherebiah, Jamin, Akkub, Shabbethai, Hodiah, Maaseiah, Kelita, Azariah, Jozabad, Hanan, Pelaiah, and the Levites. Beside you, as you read or listen, stand the men and women who are helping you understand the Word of God.
If Jozabad helps you understand better than Maaseiah. So be it. If you would rather have Shabbethai. Sounds fine to me. As long as they are honest Men of God who are devoted to the Word and to God.
And lastly, do not confuse the helper with the LORD. They are there to help you understand. Understand the difference between their words and the Word of the LORD.
And as we rejoice, do so together. Not only share our burdens. Not only share what materials we have. Share our voices. Cry out to the LORD as one voice.
