Such is the destiny of all who forget God; so perishes the hope of the godless. —Job 8:13 Surely God does not reject one who is blameless or strengthen the hands of evildoers. —Job 8:20 If only there were someone to mediate between us, someone to bring us together, someone to remove God’s rod from me, so that his terror would frighten me no more. —Job 9:34 “Your hands shaped me and made me. Will you now turn and destroy me? —Job 10:8 If I hold my head high, you stalk me like a lion and again display your awesome power against me. —Job 10:16 “If he comes along and…

Think how you have instructed many, how you have strengthened feeble hands.  Your words have supported those who stumbled; you have strengthened faltering knees. —Job 4:3-4 Therefore I will not keep silent; I will speak out in the anguish of my spirit, I will complain in the bitterness of my soul. —Job 7:11 The mouths of the righteous utter wisdom, and their tongues speak what is just. —Psalm 37:30              Job was “in the anguish of my spirit” with all that happened to him.  He lost everything.  His— Someone might say, “Why does God allow evil things to happen to good people?”  At least that is what we would say…

One day the angels came to present themselves before the Lord, and Satan also came with them. The Lord said to Satan, “Where have you come from?”  Satan answered the Lord, “From roaming throughout the earth, going back and forth on it.”   Then the Lord said to Satan, “Have you considered my servant Job?” —Job 1:6-8 On another day the angels came to present themselves before the Lord, and Satan also came with them to present himself before him. And the Lord said to Satan, “Where have you come from?”  Satan answered the Lord, “From roaming throughout the earth, going back and forth on it.”  Then the Lord said to Satan, “Have you considered my servant Job? —Job 2:1-3              Satan is not like God who is everywhere. …

Do not fret because of those who are evil or be envious of those who do wrong; for like the grass they will soon wither, like green plants they will soon die away. —Psalm 37:1-2              We live in a fallen, sinful and wickedly dark world.  But, “Do not fret,” get upset or worried about them.  Nor should we be envious of evil doers.  God’s Word is clear— “for like the grass they will soon wither, like green plants they will soon die away.”  It won’t be long before our Lord sets all things right and all will be perfect.  No more murder, no more adultery, no more stealing, no…

For if you remain silent at this time, relief and deliverance for the Jews will arise from another place… —Esther 4:14              As it was with Esther, so it is with us.  If Esther did not act to save the Jewish community from destruction at that time, God could have had another way to do so.  But she was faithful, even under the possibility of death, and God worked through her to save the Jewish community.              Now, God has work for us to do as well— “For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do” (Ephesians…

Then on the thirteenth day of the first month the royal secretaries were summoned. They wrote out in the script of each province and in the language of each people all Haman’s orders to the king’s satraps, the governors of the various provinces and the nobles of the various peoples. These were written in the name of King Xerxes himself and sealed with his own ring.  Dispatches were sent by couriers to all the king’s provinces with the order to destroy, kill and annihilate all the Jews—young and old, women and children—on a single day, the thirteenth day of the twelfth month, the month of Adar, and to plunder their…

Follow my example, as I follow the example of Christ. —I Corinthians 11:1              This is a pretty clear statement of what we are to be doing.  Look at Paul’s example.  As he followed Christ, so we are to follow his example of following Christ.  Wow… that is an amazing statement from Paul.  I wonder… can I encourage others to follow Jesus as I am following Jesus?  Or, would I not want people to follow my example because of my distant relationship and lack of faithfulness to Jesus?  Paul had no problem saying “Follow my example, as I follow the example of Christ” because he was seeking to follow our…

Therefore, my dear friends, flee from idolatry. —I Corinthians 10:14 No one should seek their own good, but the good of others. —I Corinthians 10:24 For I am not seeking my own good but the good of many, so that they may be saved. —I Corinthians 10:33              Anything that takes the place of or anyone that is considered more important than God is idolatry.  This, obviously, is true of ourselves.  If we think that we are more important than God, well yes, that is idolatry.  When Paul says in Romans 12:3 to “not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment”…

You gave them kingdoms and nations, allotting to them even the remotest frontiers. —9:22 Though I am free and belong to no one, I have made myself a slave to everyone, to win as many as possible. —I Corinthians 9:19 I have become all things to all people so that by all possible means I might save some. I do all this for the sake of the gospel, that I may share in its blessings. —I Corinthians 9:22-23 I will extol the Lord at all times; his praise will always be on my lips.  I will glory in the Lord; let the afflicted hear and rejoice.  Glorify the Lord with me; let us exalt his name…

…for the joy of the Lord is your strength. —Nehemiah 8:10 You gave your good Spirit to instruct them. —Nehemiah 9:20              From where does true joy come from?  It is from the understanding that God’s Holy Spirit reveals to us.  This brings us “the joy of the Lord” which is where our strength comes from.  If we truly did understand the truths of God’s Word that His Holy Spirit has shown us, then we would not have any Godly Joy.  But when we know what God has to say, joy wells up in our hearts.  Thank You, Dear Father for Your unfailing love to me even when I fail in my…