The Common Pattern of Life

A consistent pattern

There is a pattern in our world. It is the pattern of many who claim to know the Lord. In prosperity their lifestyle reveals the condition of their heart. Are they children of God who treasure his Kingdom and presence? If so, they will follow him closely and walk with him in holiness. Are they children of the world? If so, they will walk in worldliness and in the passions of the flesh. 

Judgement and humility 

Judgement humbles people. In Isaiah 17-19 we read about the people of Judah, Israel, Damascus, Cush, and Egypt who all walked in arrogance and idolatry for generations. They did not acknowledge God's holiness and power. They did not acknowledge his ways and his commands. The abandoned the Lord and lived their own ways. They looked to their idols and altars of worship for provision.

As a result of their wickedness the Lord brought destruction to their lands. The Lord laid them low and withheld his blessing from them.

How did they respond? How did they react to this lack of blessing and this destruction in their land? They looked to the Lord...at least for a time.

When destruction came many cried out to the Lord because they sought relief from the consequences of their lifestyles. Were they authentic children of the Lord? The Lord knows. Only time and life would reveal that. It seems clear the Lord used destruction to bring about repentance and salvation of some. Others we know turned to the Lord until prosperity came then turned back to the world once they established a comfortable lifestyle.

My prayer for you

My prayer today is for your salvation, your repentance from sin. I do not pray for your comfort or your prosperity. I pray for your true turning to the Lord for forgiveness and restoration. Comfort and prosperity are useless without a transformed life. At the same time I do desire for the Lord to bless your life upon your turning to him wholeheartedly.

May you turn to him with all you have at all times. And may your life be a living testimony of his goodness to all who know you.

Isaiah 17:4-5

4  And in that day the glory of Jacob will be brought low, 

and the fat of his flesh will grow lean. 

 5  And it shall be as when the reaper gathers standing grain 

and his arm harvests the ears, 

  and as when one gleans the ears of grain 

in the Valley of Rephaim. 

Isaiah 17:7-8

7 In that day man will look to his Maker, and his eyes will look on the Holy One of Israel. 8 He will not look to the altars, the work of his hands, and he will not look on what his own fingers have made, either the Asherim or the altars of incense. 

Isaiah 19:22

22 And the Lord will strike Egypt, striking and healing, and they will return to the Lord, and he will listen to their pleas for mercy and heal them. 

Why you should number your days

Grandma Suzy's Funeral

Grandma Suzy was the first close relative to me who died. We loved grandma Suzy. She was so sweet and pleasant. She was ancient from the first time I saw her. Her false teeth creeped me out a little, but that didn't matter. I loved her.

I remember my grandma Suzy's funeral very well. I was twelve years old and ignorant of so many life issues. Sitting through the funeral I began to think about Suzy's life. For the first time I realized that Grandma Suzy was not always old. There was a time when she was a little girl. There was a time when she learned to brush her own teeth and comb her own hair. There as a time when Grandma Suzy learned to drive a car. She went to high school. She dated. Grandma Suzy was not Grandma Suzy most of her life. She was just Suzy. She was a person with a life and friends and dreams just like me.

Flooded with Perspective

These thoughts prompted me to think about my childhood and my age. I was older this year than the last. I would be older again the following year. One day, my grandchildren will attend my funeral and will wonder about my life, just like I wondered about Grandma Suzy's. 

What will they know of me? What will they remember? What things in this world will have made impact on those around me? These and many other questions flooded my mind. It was in this moment that I 'numbered my days' for the first time. I realized I was mortal. 

The grave welcomes each one of us at some point. We leave behind memories and relationships. We take nothing with us.

The Investment that Lasts

How should this inform our lives? Simple. We should spend our time doing those things that matter eternally! Time is short. Wealth doesn't last! Power is temporary! Eternity continues on.

The only things that last are the purposes of God. This life is short, but the next is forever. If you know him you will continue on in his presence for eternity. If not, you will get what you desire and be left outside his presence for eternity. 

So what about you? Do you see life through eternal lenses? Do you run all your commitments through an eternal filter? Or do you simply drift through life without realizing how temporary your years on this earth truly are?

May you see your life through eternal lenses. May you 'number your days' and invest your time in what lasts. And my you find everlasting joy in God's presence.

Psalm 90:12-17 12  So teach us to number our days 

that we may get a heart of wisdom. 

 13  Return, O Lord! How long? 

Have pity on your servants! 

 14  Satisfy us in the morning with your steadfast love, 

that we may rejoice and be glad all our days. 

 15  Make us glad for as many days as you have afflicted us, 

and for as many years as we have seen evil. 

 16  Let your work be shown to your servants, 

and your glorious power to their children. 

 17  Let the favor of the Lord our God be upon us, 

and establish the work of our hands upon us; 

yes, establish the work of our hands! 

How I Win

How do I fight? How do I win? Do I arm myself to the teeth? Do I take guard during the night? Do I attack when the enemy is resting? Do I recruit the strong?

No. I put my trust in God. He is my hope in times of trouble. He is my shield in the battle. The Lord knows my path and my ways. He has my feet established and will not let me fall. Though I may see destruction he will raise me up. Though I face pain and anguish he will restore me. He is my God and my king. He rescues me in times of trouble.

How can I hear from God? How can I know him? Do I look for him on a journey? Do I search for him in the woods? 

No. I must be still. I must be quiet. My soul must learn to listen to his voice. He speaks and guides. I must listen. Do I long to experience his presence? I must be still. I must bow. Silence and submission to the Lord is the way to hear his voice clearly.

Lord, I know you are my only way. You are my only rock. You are my only protector. I can build a wall, build a fortress and yet the enemy could bust it down. But they can never defeat you. No one can overtake you. You are all I need and the only one I can depend on. You are holy. Hallelujah to the King of Kings.

Rip out the hooks that the world has in me. Rip them out and heal my wounds. Forgive my sin, please Lord. Restore me to total devotion. May I never hold on to anything in this world. May I let everything go joyfully. May I love you with my whole heart. May I be the husband, father, friend, and pastor that those around me need. Amen.

Whose pleasure do you live for?

Temporary Vision 

A.W. Tower once said, 'The weakness of so many modern Christians is that they feel too much at home in the world.'

Why would he say that? Why does it matter? 

Christian have identities that are wrapped up in Jesus Christ. They do not belong to themselves, to live for temporary pleasures. They belong to God, as his children. They are called to know him intimately and follow him closely. 

The Lord has opened their eyes to see his kingdom at work in this world. The material world, and all that is in it, functions from a purely temporal perspective. People fight for what they want. They steal, lie, and cheat to get their short term appetites satisfied. Politicians scratch and claw to move their agendas forward in an attempt to create a society that reflects their desires.

Eternal Persepective

But what about the Christian? How should the we, as God's children, interact with the world knowing that it is not our home? The following are a few reflections concerning this issue:

First, our attitudes should reflect our eternal home. When each of us came to faith in Jesus Christ our citizenship was transferred from this world to a heavenly one. We live here for a short time, seventy-five years or so, but we do not share the same values or vision for life that the world holds. Naturally, we should always remember in the front of our minds that our eternal home is filled with joy in God's presence. 

Second, our mission should build eternal value. It is easy to get trapped by temptation to focus our time and efforts on temporal things. Politics, community development, and business threaten to steal our attention away from the message of eternal life through faith in Jesus Christ. To be sure, we should follow through our beliefs with social action, however we should never focus our lives on building temporary institutions.

Third, our desire should be to please God, not man. At the judgement there will be one judge. There is one creator and savior. His judgement and his alone matters. If we follow the Lord wholeheartedly we will be in the minority by far. Some people will admire us, yet others will despise us. The person wholeheartedly devoted to the Lord will find joy in pleasing him even during times of severe persecution.

The Turn

So the question remains: What is the purpose of your life? Is it to please man or to please God? 

My prayer is that your one and only devotion would be to please God with your life. May you thirst for his presence in your life. And may you be satisfied in him at all times.

May you design your life around fulfilling God's mission in this world. And may this be the greatest priority in your life. Amen.

Galatians 1:9-10 If anyone is preaching to you a gospel contrary to the one you received, let him be accursed. 10 For am I now seeking the approval of man, or of God? Or am I trying to please man? If I were still trying to please man, I would not be a servant of Christ. 

How do you approach God when angry?

Breaking Point

Everyone has a breaking point. There is only so much frustration and anger one person can endure without losing patience. 

When I was a freshman in college I reached that breaking point. At the time I shared a two bedroom apartment with three other guys on my baseball team. These were good guys, but like all 18 year old college baseball players they had their attitude issues. Then again, so did I. 

After a period of time, though, with all of the trash talk and no privacy to escape the constant banter, I just had enough. I did't even know what I was feeling at the time. I could not put it into words. It was a deep sense of hurt and pain that I could not escape. So I took off on a walk down the road. 

Escape

I walked probably four or five miles. I cried while I walked. I yelled and screamed as I walked. I cried out to God for help while I walked. My frustration at my roommates and my living situation turned into an anger toward God. I wanted to him to relieve the anguish right then. Fortunately for me, I was walking in a small town where there were no people in earshot otherwise they would have thought I was crazy. 

When I reached as far as I wanted to go I walked up to a gas station and called my mom from a pay phone (yes, there were pay phones in 1998). We just talked for a few minutes about nothing in particular. It was nice to hear her voice and be reminded of the normalcy I still had in life. My mother still loved me and cared deeply for me. She was always there for me. 

Reflection

After expressing my frustrations and having some time to think through my feelings I began to calm down. Life was not really as bad as it felt while I was in the heat of an argument. God was still God and the world was still in one piece. 

If someone heard my words as I walked that night they would have thought I was a terribly angry and disgruntled person. I expressed things to God that revealed my very limited perspective on life. Many times I sounded even disrespectful toward God and unappreciative of what he had done for me.

Job's Outcry

When I read Job's words I see the same attitude toward God that I had. Certainly, Job had a much worse situation in life than I had. His friends accused him of wickedness after he lost all of his wealth, health, and children. My friends were simply being obnoxious 18 year old boys. 

Nonetheless, Job approached God with an attitude that revealed his lack of eternal perspective. He said, 'Oh, that I had one to hear me! (Here is my signature! Let the Almighty answer me!)'. He expected God to answer him on his terms.

Surely, if anyone had reason to cry out to God it was Job. Fortunately, God is bigger than Job realized. God was not ignoring Job. God was not ignoring me.

Your Frustrations

So what about you? What frustration have you experienced? What anger have you endured. 

How have you responded to God in the midst of your turmoil? Have you accused him? Have you called him out?

What will it take for us to see God for who he is? What will it take for us to respond to him with eternal perspective?

Why does God wait to bring Justice?

Great players, bad people

I loved playing baseball growing up. Even through college I still loved the game and desired to play as long as I was able. At times I loved and hated the game. Baseball works this way. You fail the majority of the time but are considered successful. Baseball requires an amazing confidence, especially when you are going through a slump.

I noticed something interesting in baseball growing up that also applies to life. Sometimes the biggest jerks are the best ball players. This is sad to admit, but some of the worst people I played with and against were incredible baseball players. While I was playing the game competitively I struggled with anger toward these type of guys. I don't anymore.

Seeking an Answer

Why does God allow bad people to succeed? Why does he not humble them when they are arrogant? This question stirred in my mind for years. It appeared while I was young that God never brought justice to great players who treated other people badly. This injustice appeared to be a perpetual and lifelong problem.

Age and Wisdom

It was only after I finished playing competitive baseball that I realized another important principle in baseball and in life. Bad people take their bad with them when they go.

A baseball career is very limited. You can only compete on a high level for so many years. The human body ages. Eyes blur, hands slow down, and ligaments break down. Age humbles the greatest of athletes. There comes a time when the greatest of older ball players cannot compete with young men.

It was only after watching the aging process over a couple of decades that I was able to appreciate the temporal nature of all athletic careers. Those bad guys who were great ball players eventually stopped playing because they could not compete.

Life is Temporary

In life, like baseball, everyone will be humbled by age and death. The wicked may succeed in life for many years and even decades, however they will eventually meet the grave and face God's judgment. 

After seeing this truth develop I realized that God's judgment, in this life or the next, will level the playing field for every person throughout history. No one is exempt. 

This brings peace. This bring security. God will make all things right in eternity. Sometimes in this life God works things out justly. Sometimes God brings justice only in the next life.

My sin and God's Judgment

When I look at my own life I see another vitally important lesson. If God always brought justice in this life I would suffer the same fate as those bad guys who were great ball players. I am just as guilty as any other person of sin and injustice. 

This perspective brings joy because I know that God's patience in judgment is a form of mercy.

What about you? Do you live in frustration toward God for the injustice he allows to occur in this life? Do you fall to the temptation of bitterness and resentment because wicked people often prosper?

I pray you would see life from an eternal perspective. My hope is you would see the empty nature of wicked success and release the temptation of bitterness. And may you find peace in God's patience.

Job 20:4-5 (Zophar) 4  Do you not know this from of old, 

since man was placed on earth, 

 5  that the exulting of the wicked is short, 

and the joy of the godless but for a moment? 

Job 21:7-8 7 (Job)  Why do the wicked live, 

reach old age, and grow mighty in power? 

 8  Their offspring are established in their presence, 

and their descendants before their eyes. 

Job 22:9-11 9  (Eliphaz) You have sent widows away empty, 

and the arms of the fatherless were crushed. 

 10  Therefore snares are all around you, 

and sudden terror overwhelms you, 

 11  or darkness, so that you cannot see, 

and a flood of water covers you. 

Job 22:21-22 21 (Eliphaz) “Agree with God, and be at peace; 

thereby good will come to you. 

 22  Receive instruction from his mouth, 

and lay up his words in your heart. 

Job 23:3-5 (Job) 3  Oh, that I knew where I might find him, 

that I might come even to his seat! 

 4  I would lay my case before him 

and fill my mouth with arguments. 

 5  I would know what he would answer me 

and understand what he would say to me. 

Job 24:1 (Job) Why are not times of judgment kept by the Almighty, 

and why do those who know him never see his days? 

Job 24:21-23 21  (Job) “They wrong the barren, childless woman, 

and do no good to the widow. 

 22  Yet God prolongs the life of the mighty by his power; 

they rise up when they despair of life. 

 23  He gives them security, and they are supported, 

and his eyes are upon their ways. 

How to Survive When you are Alone

False Conviction

How do you respond when the whole world is against you...and the whole world is wrong?

In the late 1980s a man from Ada, Oklahoma named Ron Tomlinson was tried and convicted for murder. Ron spent 11 years in jail for a crime he did not commit. Ron was released from Prison in 1999 and died in 2004. John Grisham wrote about Tomlinson's life in the book 'The Innocent Man: Murder and Injustice in a Small Town'.

Imagine what it must have been like to be treated like a murderer by the police, the judge, your friends, and even your own family? 

He must have felt completely isolated and alone.

Job's Isolation

Job felt the same way when confronted by his friends. He explains it like this in Job 6:2, 'I have heard many such things; miserable comforters are you all. '

Job was accused on all sides by his friends. Eliphaz, Bildad, and Zophar who only understoood suffering as punishment from God. Job knew suffering as the result of his righteousness.

Job's Hope

Fortunately, Job held out one hope. He knew there was someone who understood his misery and innocence. God. Job expressed this hope in response to Eliphaz, 'Even now, behold, my witness is in heaven, and he who testifies for me is on high. '

Job held on to the fact that God knows all and would, in some way, redeem him.

Your Hope

Have you ever found yourself in a situation where everyone is against you and you don't know why? You know you are innocent but everyone around you believes otherwise? Where do you turn?

There is only one place. There is always a refuge. His name is the Lord.

May you trust in him. May you find comfort in his presence when no one else is there. And may he restore you. Amen.

Job 15:4 4  (Eliphaz) But you are doing away with the fear of God 

and hindering meditation before God. 

Job 15:20-21 20 (Eliphaz) The wicked man writhes in pain all his days, 

through all the years that are laid up for the ruthless. 

21  Dreadful sounds are in his ears; 

in prosperity the destroyer will come upon him. 

Job 15:31 31 (Eliphaz) Let him not trust in emptiness, deceiving himself, 

for emptiness will be his payment. 

Job 16:2 2  (Job) “I have heard many such things; 

miserable comforters are you all. 

Job 16:19-21 (Job) 19  Even now, behold, my witness is in heaven, 

and he who testifies for me is on high. 

 20  My friends scorn me; 

my eye pours out tears to God, 

 21  that he would argue the case of a man with God, 

Job 18:2-3 2 (Bildad)  “How long will you hunt for words? 

Consider, and then we will speak. 

 3  Why are we counted as cattle? 

Why are we stupid in your sight? 

Job 18:5 5 (Bildad)  “Indeed, the light of the wicked is put out, 

and the flame of his fire does not shine. 

Job 19:2 2  (Job) “How long will you torment me 

and break me in pieces with words? 

Job 19:24-26 24 (Job)  Oh that with an iron pen and lead 

they were engraved in the rock forever! 

 25  For I know that my Redeemer lives, 

and at the last he will stand upon the earth. 

 26  And after my skin has been thus destroyed, 

yet in my flesh I shall see God, 

How Not to Respond to a Suffering Friend

A Horrific Disaster

Hurricane Katrina was the most costly natural disaster and one of the five deadliest hurricanes in the history of the United States. It destroyed homes, businesses, killed people and caused all out havoc for the entire city. 

For the most part the people of the United States of America responded lovingly to our friends in New Orleans who experienced this horrific disaster. Churches, community groups, and individuals from all over the United States made trips and gave money to New Orleans to help with clean up, medical assistance, food, and shelter. 

Voices

A few people, however, did not respond as kindly to the city of New Orleans in the wake of the disaster. A few conservative Christian media personalities viewed the hurricane as God's judgement against the city for sin.  Is there any truth to this? If it were true, is there any way for us to know that it is true?

I don't believe we are able to pinpoint the specific theological cause of one natural disaster, unless there is is an obvious practical link to a specific sin. We do not know why each hurricane strikes. We do not know why each tsunami and tornado hits.

On the other hand, when we look at the grand scope of eternity all pain and suffering is the result of the original sin. The biblical view of death and suffering link all decay back to Adam and Eve's first sin against God. The world and people inherit sin's consequences. 

We also see some suffering in the scripture coming as a result of righteousness. Job is one example.

Job's 'Friend'

Job was in a situation where disaster had fallen on him due to no specific sin of his own. The scripture declares him to be a righteous man who worshipped and followed the Lord. His disaster is actually directly related to his 'blameless' life.

Unfortunately, Job's friend Zophar goes so far as to say that God not only punished Job, but did not even punish him enough to make up for Job's apparent sin. What a friend, right? Zophar watched his friend suffer innocently and to add insult to injury Zophar tells Job that it should have been worse! That is no way to respond to a suffering neighbor.

It goes without saying that New Orleans, or any city for that matter, could rightly be called 'blameless'. It does prompt you to think, though, about catastrophes like Hurricane Katrina. Why do they happen?

Your Perspective

The truth is that some suffering is due to sin. Some sins have terrible and lasting repercussions. And even when a disaster is the result of sin, does it help for you to rub someone's face in their suffering? Obviously not.

So how do you respond when you see someone suffering and questioning God? Do you, like Zophar, tell them that it should have been worse? Or do you respond with compassion. The godly response to suffering is compassionate help. 

This is what Jesus did when he came into the world to save us from our sins. Our own disaster was coming as a result of our sin and Jesus loved us so much that he suffered on our behalf. As a result of Jesus' innocent suffering we can experience new life and restoration through faith in him.

May you respond this way to all who are truly hurting and in need of help.

Job 11:6 Know then that God exacts of you less than your guilt deserves. 

Job 11:13-15 13  “If you prepare your heart, 

you will stretch out your hands toward him. 

 14  If iniquity is in your hand, put it far away, 

and let not injustice dwell in your tents. 

 15  Surely then you will lift up your face without blemish; 

you will be secure and will not fear. 

Job 12:12-15 12  Wisdom is with the aged, 

and understanding in length of days. 

 13  “With God are wisdom and might; 

he has counsel and understanding. 

 14  If he tears down, none can rebuild; 

if he shuts a man in, none can open. 

 15  If he withholds the waters, they dry up; 

if he sends them out, they overwhelm the land. 

Job 13:7-8 7  Will you speak falsely for God 

and speak deceitfully for him? 

 8  Will you show partiality toward him? 

Will you plead the case for God? 

Job 13:15-16 15  Though he slay me, I will hope in him; 

yet I will argue my ways to his face. 

 16  This will be my salvation, 

that the godless shall not come before him. 

Job 14:1 Man who is born of a woman 

is few of days and full of trouble. 

Why Some People Endure

The Pain of Life

There is one universal experience across cultures and people groups. Pain. People have sufferred various ways and degrees throughout history on every continent. Injuries come. Death visits. Betrayal hits. Disease strikes. Some people have the endurance to overcome and continue lives filled with hope, yet others seem to lose hope and give up. Why is this?

It is inevitable for every human being to endure suffering. No one can escape it. Life is temporary and imperfect. People are sinful and selfish. Creation decays with time. Pain is universal.

The Limits of Man

Every man and woman will respond to pain and suffering differently. Each one has different experiences, different families. Different cultures teach different lessons about suffering. Some teach it as a learning tool. Others teach suffering as punishment from a God. Still others teach it as a random occurrance. 

No matter what culture teaches about suffering everyone has limits to their ability to endure pain. People can handle only so much disease in their lives before giving up, only so much death, only so many accidents. Certainly, perspective can prolong endurance. If a person uses suffering as an opportunity to learn a lesson he or she will respond differently than a person who thinks it random and meaningless. With too much suffering, though, everyone has a breaking point.

Questioning Spirits

After much suffering, people begin wondering what the point of life truly is. They begin questioning life. Is life worth living if it is filled with so much pain? Why should I continue pressing on if heartache is all I will be rewarded with?

People even begin turning to face their maker and question him about the meaning of life and the cause of suffering. 

Resolve

In the end people desire resolve. People desire to see their suffering count for something. If the perceived end result of suffering is simply more suffering, then people will likely lose all hope. If the perceived end result of pain is redemption, people are more likely to be encouraged to press on.

Are these tendencies in people good? Are they just? Are they right? Some of them appear good. Others appear selfish. But regardless of why people suffer one thing remains true: A person's perspective of the end result of suffering matters! 

Reflection

Job struggled with the end of his suffering. He did not know why God allowed him to experience such horrific pain. Job saw no redeeming end. Bildad assured  Job that God would restore him if Job repented. Job knew, though, that God did not bring calamity because of wickedness. Fortunately, Job's vision would eventually expand to include a much bigger God than he once knew.

So what about you? Do you see your pain as pointless or purposeful? Have you given up hope in the midst of your pain? Or do you endure suffering with vision of future redemption? 

I pray that you would lift up your eyes and see the God who redeems all things. He will not let you fall forever. He will lift you out of the pit and restore you.

Job 6:8-9 8  “Oh that I might have my request, 

and that God would fulfill my hope, 

 9  that it would please God to crush me, 

that he would let loose his hand and cut me off! 

Job 8:5-7 5  (Bildad) If you will seek God 

and plead with the Almighty for mercy, 

 6  if you are pure and upright, 

surely then he will rouse himself for you 

and restore your rightful habitation. 

 7  And though your beginning was small, 

your latter days will be very great. 

Job 9:1-3 Then Job answered and said: 

 2  “Truly I know that it is so: 

But how can a man be in the right before God? 

 3  If one wished to contend with him, 

Job 9:32-33 32  For he is not a man, as I am, that I might answer him, 

that we should come to trial together. 

 33  There is no arbiter between us, 

who might lay his hand on us both. 

Job 10:18-19 18  “Why did you bring me out from the womb? 

Would that I had died before any eye had seen me 

 19  and were as though I had not been, 

carried from the womb to the grave. 

How Do You Respond to Suffering?

 

Job is a tragic story of a godly and wealthy man loses it all and wrestles with the meaning of life and suffering. Job cries out to God for an answer amid the accusations of four men. In response to Job's outcry, God speaks into Job's situation. God's answer leads Job to submit to God as the King and sovereign of the universe.  In the end God restores Job's life.

Suffering and God's People

Why do people do what is right? Is it because they love the Lord? Is it because God has blessed their life with ease? 

What will God allow his people to endure? Does he protect them from a certain amount of harm in this life? How much harm will God allow his people to endure?

How should God's people respond to tragedy when it strikes them? Should they ask God 'why'? Should they refrain from questioning God? Should they simply accept tragedy and move on? 

These questions and many more flood the mind as one reads the pages of the book of Job.

The Faithful Suffer 

Satan brought accusations against a righteous and successful Job. Satan expected Job to turn against God if God allowed Satan to bring calamity to Job's life.

The underlying assumption Satan worked with was this: righteous people follow the Lord because their life is easy. Surprisingly, God allowed Satan to harm Job's family, possessions, and eventually Job himself. Job was left with nothing but emotional and physical torment. He lost his possessions, his children, and his health.

Although Job responded with a humble heart at first, eventually he cried out to God asking why he was even born and seeking death instead of suffering.

Outside voices

To make matters worse Job's friend Eliphaz began accusing Job of sin. Eliphaz assumed that only wicked people suffer harm and that repentance would bring restoration and peace. Was Eliphaz correct in his assumption? We know from the beginning of the story that Eliphaz was not correct in his assumptions about Job. Job did not experience suffering because of sin. On the contrary, Job experience suffering because of his righteousness.

Suffering and You

Have you ever suffered without reason? Have you seen a close friend suffer and wonder why God would allow such an injustice? Most of us have seen this many times and do not understand why this happens. You can learn a lot from Job's experiences. As you read the pages of Job you will see a man taken to his wits end and respond with honesty and frustration toward a God who he struggles to understand. 

You will also learn how God sees your outcries against him. You will learn how you fit into the grand scheme of eternity and how you should approach God in the midst of pain and suffering.

One clue you should keep in mind while working through Job is this: don't give up. God is not finished with you even in the lowest time of your life. There is more to come.  

May you hold firm during times of pain and suffering. May you not turn away from God, but run to him. And may you not listen to every voice of accusation that comes your way. Endure and turn to God. Answers will come, in one way or another.

Text:

Job 1:5 5 And when the days of the feast had run their course, Job would send and consecrate them, and he would rise early in the morning and offer burnt offerings according to the number of them all. For Job said, “It may be that my children have sinned, and cursed God in their hearts.” Thus Job did continually. 

Job 1:20-22 20 Then Job arose and tore his robe and shaved his head and fell on the ground and worshiped. 21 And he said, “Naked I came from my mother’s womb, and naked shall I return. The Lord gave, and the Lord has taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord.” 
22 In all this Job did not sin or charge God with wrong.

Job 3:11 11  “Why did I not die at birth, 
come out from the womb and expire? 

Job 3:20-22 20  “Why is light given to him who is in misery, 
and life to the bitter in soul, 
 21  who long for death, but it comes not, 
and dig for it more than for hidden treasures, 
 22  who rejoice exceedingly 
and are glad when they find the grave? 

Job 4:6-7 (Eliphaz) 6  Is not your fear of God your confidence, 
and the integrity of your ways your hope? 
 7  “Remember: who that was innocent ever perished? 
Or where were the upright cut off? 

Job 5:17-18 (Elphaz) 17  “Behold, blessed is the one whom God reproves; therefore despise not the discipline of the Almighty. 
 18  For he wounds, but he binds up; 
he shatters, but his hands heal. 

Celebrate and Remember

Our Story

Our story is one of God saving his people from wickedness. He has done this by various means many times throughout history. Each situation was different in context but similar in theme. As God's children through faith in Christ we are the beneficiaries of god's saving acts. As a result we should consistently celebrate and remember God's mighty acts.

God's Work

The Lord saved his people through Moses in the Exodus. He saved them through King David after the reign of Saul. He saved them through King Josiah for a time. He saved them through the bravery of Nehemiah. He saved them through the faith of Esther. Finally, and most importantly, the Lord saved his people from wickedness through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Each time God is the one who took initiative to save his people.

The Importance of Celebrating

Each time the Lord saved his people they celebrated God's mighty work of grace. They found it important to worship God through celebration because they understood the nature of their deliverance. God was fully responsible. It was not through their own power that they escaped slavery in Egypt. It was not through their own ingenuity that David defeated the giant and the Philistines throughout his reign as King. God deserved the credit.

The Importance of Remembering

Following each celebration the people of God established a yearly feast or fast to commemorate God's mighty work on their behalf. They did this so future generations would remember that God is their true savior and King.
The ancient people understood the importance of remembering the past and consistently reminding themselves of God's great work on their behalf.

Your Story

Like the ancient people of God, each of you has a story. Each of your stories includes the big story of God's saving work throughout history. To be sure, you should consistently celebrate and remember those saving works.
But there is something else each of you should celebrate and remember as well. Celebrate and remember God's specific saving work in your life. God has brought you here on purpose. He has directed you here by design.

If you are a Christian, you have the privilege of serving the God of the universe who loves you and has restored you to an eternal relationship with himself. Celebrate this!

If you are a Christian, you have a story of events that God has brought you through in order to get you right where you are! Remember this!

Like Esther, you need to call to remembrance what the Lord has done in and through you and use it to encourage everyone! Esther called the nation to celebrate and remember God's mighty work! Likewise, you should display God's mighty work and call God's people to celebrate!

Esther 9:30-32 30 Letters were sent to all the Jews, to the 127 provinces of the kingdom of Ahasuerus, in words of peace and truth, 31 that these days of Purim should be observed at their appointed seasons, as Mordecai the Jew and Queen Esther obligated them, and as they had obligated themselves and their offspring, with regard to their fasts and their lamenting. 32 The command of Queen Esther confirmed these practices of Purim, and it was recorded in writing. 

 

Traps that Distract You

  

Disconnections

Why is it so difficult to focus our hearts wholly on serving the Lord? In my own life I see the tendency to drift away. I have times of difficulty like anyone else. In the lives of others I see the same tendency to drift. I also see people who used to claim to follow the Lord, yet now appear completely disconnected from Him.

Traps

At every turn distractions creep in and try to take control of us. They come in many forms. Common ones include sexual desire, financial temptation, and the desire for power, and even busyness.

Why do we fall into these? I think one of the most common reasons is because quick and pleasurable sensations are traps. Each of these three temptations produces its own quick and pleasurable sensation that easily traps us in a cycle of temptation, pleasure and regret.

When we fall into these temptations we end up on a completely different path than we started out on. We look up to see where we are and wonder how we ended up in the place we are in. This can be confusing and disheartening. We end up prioritizing the traps above everything else in life. We put the traps ahead of our God, our family, and our basic responsibilities.

Solutions

How do we escape these traps? Pleasure and regret seem to perpetuate themselves endlessly. In order to escape them we must believe God's word. The Lord tells us to repent. He tells us that sin leads to death. We must trust him when he says the trap kills us.

When we believe God's word we will grieve over our sin. We will grieve to the point of repentance. We will realize our rebellion and turn away from it back to the living God. God will heal us and restores us. This is godly grief.

So what about you? Have you found yourself drifting away from God? Have you found yourself distracted from the most important aspect of your life? f so, then you have likely been trapped. 

You must believe what God says about your sin! It distracts you, then traps you, then kills you. I pray that you would be grieved over your sin to the point of repentance. And may you experience the life giving grace of Jesus Christ!

2 Corinthians 7:9-10 As it it, I rejoice, not because you were grieved, but because you were grieved into repenting. For you felt a godly grief, so that you suffered no loss through us. For godly grief produces a repentance that leads to salvation without regret, whereas worldly grief produces death.

 

Commended

In the Face of Danger

After the Columbine massacre several years ago in Littleton, Colorado a story arose of a teenage girl, Cassie Bernall, who was killed in the massacre. Witnesses claim Cassie was faced with the tragic decision of honesty in the face of death. One of the shooters, while pointing a gun at Cassie, asked her if she believed in God. Witnesses reported that Cassie answered, 'Yes' in the face of certain death.

Honesty is easy when no one is attempting to harm you. Honesty is difficult when it is partnered with the threat of harm.

Pressure Treated

The same can be said of all godly values. We do not see our commitment to God's ways until we are tested by the pressure of persecution or harm. Most of us never face that type of pressure. Sure, we face uncertainty of friendship and popularity due to our beliefs, however we also know our church families are always there to receive us.

So why do we esteem godly values in this life? Is it because they truly honor the Lord? Or do we esteem values simply because they help us navigate this life? To put it another way, do we esteem values for eternal purposes or worldly purposes?

I fear many who call themselves Christians affirm godly values for wrong reasons. We see this truth play out during times of cultural pressure like today. We are starting to see cultural values lean on Christian values more and more. We also see Christians changing their stances on societal issues in ways that fit in to the culture. This trend reveals what I mentioned before.

Many Christians affirm godly values for worldly purposes.

Personal Assessment

But what about you? Do you value God's ways? And if you value God's ways, why do you value them? You need to know this. How else will you be prepared to face real persecution if it comes? 

May you say like the Apostle Paul in 2 Corinthians 4:2, 

'We refuse to practice cunning or to tamper with God's word, but by the open statement of the truth we would commend ourselves to everyone's conscience in the sight of God.'

Conviction

Nehemiah 13:6-7 While this's was taking place, I was not in Jerusalem, for in the thirty-second year of Artexerxes king of Babylon I went to the king. And after some time I asked leave of the King and came to Jerusalem, and I then discovered the evil...

Nehemiah 13:4 Now before this, Eliashib the priest, who was appointed over the chambers of the house of our God, and who was related to Tobiah, prepared for Tobiah a large chamber where they had previously put the grain offering...

Nehemiah 13:I also found out that the portions of the Levites had not been given to them, so that the Levites and the singers, who did the work, had fled each to his field. So I confronted the officials and said, 'Why is the house of God forsaken?

Nehemiah 13:15 In those days I saw in Judah people treading wine presses on the Sabbath day. And I warned them on the day when they sold food..What is this evil thing that you are doing, profaning the Sabbath day?

Nehemiah's absence

How long was Nehamiah gone? It is an unknown amount of time. We can say that it took approximately 55 days to travel from Jerusalem to Susa (ESV Study Bible). He said he was in Susa, 'for some time'. While Nehemiah was gone the people, including the priests, turned away from following the Lord wholeheartedly. Why? Did they face starvation? Did they face persecution? We do not know. 

We do know that while Nehemiah was leading the people to rebuild the wall the people faced major threat of attack from the outside. We know that while Nehemiah was there pressures abounded for the people to forsake following the Lord. So why now? Why did they forsake following the Lord while Nehemiah was gone?

The answer is simple: conviction. Nehemiah followed the Lord with wholehearted conviction and settled for nothing less from God's people. Nehemiah considered any wavering from the commands of God completely unacceptable. When Nehemiah left, the true heart of the people rose to the surface. They lacked conviction.

Current Christian Climate

When I look at the landscape of American Christianity today I see this and much worse. Do we follow the Lord with wholehearted conviction? Do we consider any wavering from the commands of God unacceptable? For the most part, we do not. Our conviction is weak and our communities are shallow. Why?

What will it take for the people of God to return to cherishing the Lord and his ways? What will it take for the people of God to hold the Lord in such high esteem that it would be considered unimaginable to allow sin to have a foothold? The answer is simple: conviction.

While I do not view myself or any other modern leader a 'Nehemiah' figure I do see the need for leaders with conviction to rise up in the Christian community that call the people of God back to the ways of God. This cannot be done as a form of legalism or ritualistim, but passionate, Holy Spirit inspired conviction. God's people need to cherish the Lord and his ways if they want to see him work in and through them in mighty ways.

Nehemiah's effort was for the purpose of re-establishing God's community in this world. This was preparation for the King of Kings to come. He did come. Jesus came and showed us what true faithfulness and wholehearted devotion looked like even unto death. In his death he took on himself the punishment of our sins. In his resurrection he defeated death and secured our eternal life. He offers restoration. He calls us to repent.

Our response

It all starts with you (and me). Are you living a life of conviction? Do you cherish the Lord and his ways? Is it unthinkable to hold on to sin? If not, take this moment to turn away from your sin and back to him. Express to him your sorrow for unfaithfulness. And live a life of conviction!

 

Learn, Apply, Teach

For Ezra had set his heart to study the Law of the Lord, and to do it and to teach his statutes and rules in Israel. - Ezra 7:10

Ezra's heart

Look at Ezra's heart. The Lord used him for good cause. His heart was in precisely the right place in order to be used by the Lord. First, Ezra set his heart to LEARN the Law of the Lord. This is the way Ezra knew what the Lord wanted. He learned the heart of the Lord by reading the Word of the Lord. Second, Ezra set his heart to DO the Law of the Lord. Knowledge was not enough for Ezra. He realized the great responsibility that comes with knowledge; accountability. Thirdly, Ezra set his heart to TEACH the Law of the Lord. Ezra knew the Israelites were exiled because of their rebellion, therefore he wanted to make sure they knew how to return to the Lord and find favor. 

Our Priorities

When I look out in the church and the world I see something that causes some concern for me. I see a massive emphasis on pragmatism. Pragmatism can is marked by, "the doctrines that the meanings of conceptions is to be sought in their practical bearings, that the function of thought is to guide action,and that truth is preeminately to be tested by the practical consequences of belief" (Merriam-Webster). At first glance this appears to be good thing. You may ask, 'Why not assess the truth of something based on it's success in practical application?' The reason it this: success is often defined by short term measurements. 

If I look at the effectiveness of a lifestyle by how much money it makes me then I may come to the conclusion that a godless lifestyle is the best option. If I look at effectiveness as what helps me get a better job then I may conclude that secular humanism is the best life philosophy. If I look at effectiveness as what helps me obtain more power then I will do whatever it takes to make it to the top of the ladder. 

Maybe I am being a little too critical, but I think it is for good cause. You see, the ways of God are clearly lined out in scripture. Among other things He has called us to be holy because he is holy (1 Peter 1:16), to make disciples (Matthew 28:19-20), and that Jesus Christ is the only way to reconcile with God (John 14:6)!

Following the Lord leads to success in the world at times. At other times following the Lord does not lead to worldly success. There is one thing that following the Lord will do every time: Following the Lord will bring eternal success and joy! Eternal joy far outweighs the momentary pleasures of worldly success. 

Your Decision

So what about you? Where are you focusing your life efforts? Are you compromising your passion for the Lord because you value worldly success and pleasure more than eternal success and joy? If you are, I challenge you to turn away from pragmatism and follow the Lord. Your life will be filled with a joy that lasts, though you will face temporary trials to overcome.

Comment below if you need prayer in this area of life!

Dis/En - abled

1 As he passed by, he saw a man blind from birth. 2 And his disciples asked him, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?” 3 Jesus answered, “It was not that this man sinned, or his parents, but that the works of God might be displayed in him. 4 We must work the works of him who sent me while it is day; night is coming, when no one can work. 5 As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world.” 6 Having said these things, he spit on the ground and made mud with the saliva. Then he anointed the man’s eyes with the mud 7 and said to him, “Go, wash in the pool of Siloam” (which means Sent). So he went and washed and came back seeing. - John 9:1-7

The Butterfly Circus

A few years ago I went to a baby's birthday party. All of the normal birthday stuff was there; chips, drinks, cupcakes, etc. It was great getting to see an old friend and meet some of the family, however the highlight of the party was a conversation I had with one of the attendees. He asked me if I had ever seen the short film, 'The Butterfly Circus'. To the shock of the guy I was talking to I confessed that I had never heard of the film. He insisted that the entire party stop so we could all watch it together. 

At first I thought the guy was a little too excited about a short film, but I indulged him along with everyone else. As I watched the film tears began flowing and I found myself deeply touched by the story of a young man who was born with no arms and no legs. The young man's name was Will. Will worked in a circus as a sideshow freak who spent his days being stared at and called 'a perversion of nature,' and a man, 'whom God himself has turned his back upon.'

During one of the shows an unlikely visitor named Magnus walked up to Will and declared in a soft voice, 'You are Magnificent'. After discovering that Magnus ran a traveling show full of talented, yet unlikely circus performers called 'The Butterfly Circus' Will decided to join them. For some time Will did not know how he fit in to the group, though he felt welcomed and valued among them. 

One day, while his circus friends were swimming in a river Will got a little too close to the edge and fell into the water. In a desperate struggle to survive Will discovered that he was able to swim. Amazed, Will's new friends celebrated with him and added Will's amazing swimming ability to the circus act.

In one of the final scenes of the film a young boy in crutches hobbled up to Will and without a word embraced Will in a huge hug. Will accepted the boy's hug and looked up at the boy's mother who simply said, 'Thank You.' Will had given hope to a hurting boy who had none. 

Disabilities can exist to display God's work

Everyone has a weakness. Everyone experiences feelings of inadequacy from time to time. In the story of Jesus healing the man born blind we read Jesus saying to his disciples, 'It was not that this man sinned, or his parents, but that the works of God might be displayed in him.

Jesus' disciples assumed from the start that the man was born blind for one of two reasons: either he or his parents had sinned to cause the birth defect. They thought it was some kind of punishment from God on the man. Jesus saw the disability in a completely different light. Jesus knew that the man or his parents were not being punished for a specific sin. Instead, Jesus saw the disability as an opportunity to display God's greatness!

Our Weakness, God's Strength

Many of us wonder why we find ourselves in difficult circumstances. We ask God why we are weak and why he allows us to go through painful trials. Some of our weakness and struggles do come due to sin we commit, however much of our hardship exists for a completely different reason; so God can display his greatness through us. Sadly, many people never come to realize that God delights to work in and through weakness.

The Apostle Paul says it like this:

2 Corinthians 12:9-10 9 But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. 10 For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong. 

Are you struggling? God can use you! Are you weak? God can use you! Are you disabled? God can use you!

If you can relate to this post, please share your story in the comments below!

To watch 'The Butterfly Circus' in full click here.