May 31, 2025

Did you know that when you are afflicted by trouble, it is for your benefit? It may seem hard to believe, but God allows us to go through difficult times to train us in righteousness. 

1. It helps us discover past sins and aligns us with His plan.
2. It opens our hearts to receive instructions.
3. It turns us away from our sins.

If the affliction works, we will live in obedience to Him and spend the rest of our day in prosperity! There is no other way to be approved but to submit our will to his design through Jesus. Read these verses:

If they obey and serve him, they shall spend their days in prosperity, and their years in pleasures. But if they obey not, they shall perish by the sword, and they shall die without knowledge. Job 36:11-12

These verses talk about earthly prosperity. It doesn’t get any clearer than this! Remember, in the end, Job prospered beyond what he had once had before he was afflicted with trouble.

He withdraweth not his eyes from the righteous: but with kings are they on the throne; yea, he doth establish them for ever, and they are exalted. Job 36:7

It also says that the wicked and the hypocrites will die young. The Bible refutes the notion that only the good die young. That is a lie from the pits of hell, so don’t sing the lyrics to that old Billy Joel song. If you’ve ever sung that song, go to God in prayer and ask Him to remove that curse over your life. 

But the hypocrites in heart heap up wrath: they cry not when he bindeth them. They die in youth, and their life is among the unclean. Job 36:13-14

May 30, 2025

Do we affect God in any way with our righteousness or our unrighteousness? Whether you do good or bad, in no way is God moved by it. He doesn’t need us to do His bidding; he has angels to do that. So whatever rules He puts in place for us is for our wellbeing. 

If thou sinnest, what doest thou against him? or if thy transgressions be multiplied, what doest thou unto him? If thou be righteous, what givest thou him? or what receiveth he of thine hand? Job 35:6-7

When we cry out to God because of oppression, and we think He doesn’t hear us, it is our fault because we are not humble and ask wrongly. Instead we should:

1. Seek to get to know God during our time of affliction.
2. Notice God’s mercy during the oppression.
3. Humble ourselves.
4. Pray with sincerity.

It is pertinent for us to seek the answer for why we are being challenged rather than ask for it to end without knowing why God allowed us to go through times of affliction. We must trust that God knows what’s best for us. 

Although thou sayest thou shalt not see him, yet judgment is before him; therefore trust thou in him. Job 35:14 

May 29, 2025

God is the sovereign ruler over all; He is not evil and cannot do evil things. Whatever trials you may face are only to correct and train in righteousness. As a person to whom God has given inward peace, I can attest to the accuracy of this verse:

When he giveth quietness, who then can make trouble? and when he hideth his face, who then can behold him? whether it be done against a nation, or against a man only: Job 34:29

Even though problems from every direction may surround me, I remain unshaken. When I face scorn and the enemy rears his ugly head, I cry out to Jesus, and comfort washes over me like a warm, soft blanket in a chilly room. If you are rattled and don’t feel peace in a trying situation, are you relying on Jesus’s comfort? It’s so much easier than you think; it only takes One name to calm the enemy’s attacks.

Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke iseasy, and my burden is light. Matthew 11:28-30

May 28, 2025

Sometimes, we are so hard-headed that we cannot hear the voice of God. We know His voice is not verbal in the sense that it is out loud so our ears hear it; in most cases, God speaks through our consciousness. However, if that doesn't work, He speaks to us through our dreams, sends an unusual messenger, a word through our preacher, or through the scriptures. Job wasn't hearing God, so He sent Elihu with a message to clarify his understanding of his situation. God can and will use other methods to get our attention, helping us to hear Him and change our direction. Though this is not something we want to hear, in addition to what I've listed, God will not hold back His hand from our flesh, as we see from Job.

For God speaketh once, yea twice, yet man perceiveth it not. In a dream, in a vision of the night, when deep sleep falleth upon men, in slumberings upon the bed; Job 33:14-15

1. Then he openeth the ears of men, and sealeth their instruction, vs 16
2. That he may withdraw man from his purpose, and hide pride from man. Vs 17
3. He keepeth back his soul from the pit, and his life from perishing by the sword. Vs 18
4. He is chastened also with pain upon his bed, and the multitude of his bones with strong pain: vs 19
5. So that his life abhorreth bread, and his soul dainty meat. His flesh is consumed away, that it cannot be seen; and his bones that were not seen stick out. Vs 20-21
6. Yea, his soul draweth near unto the grave, and his life to the destroyers. Vs 22
7. If there be a messenger with him, an interpreter, one among a thousand, to shew unto man his uprightness: vs 23

When God finally gets our attention, and we have that “aha moment,” and the light bulb comes on, here is what happens:

Then he is gracious unto him, and saith, Deliver him from going down to the pit: I have found a ransom. His flesh shall be fresher than a child's: he shall return to the days of his youth: He shall pray unto God, and he will be favourable unto him: and he shall see his face with joy: for he will render unto man his righteousness. Job 33:24-26

May 27, 2025

Elihu was younger than Job’s other friends, so he held his peace until they all stopped talking. I think it’s notable that Elihu’s name means “My God is He.” Though he was young, he wasn’t afraid to speak his mind and criticized Job for not defending God and only responding in defense of himself. However, he accuses his friends of not coming up with any answers for Job. Though he was respectful, he scorched them with his words.

Speaking of himself:

But there is a spirit in man: and the inspiration of the Almighty giveth them understanding. Job 32:8

Speaking of Job’s friends:

Great men are not always wise: neither do the aged understand judgment. Job 32:9

Older doesn’t always mean smarter, but you would think that by now, in their old age, they would have finally learned that God determines their steps and would have been more fair in their words to Job. Elihu waited patiently for them to stop talking, even though he was about to explode, but the Spirit constrained him until the timing was right. We would all do well to listen to understand rather than prepare our responses in advance. The lesson for us is to wait patiently for the right timing before offering an opinion. It would be beneficial for us all to learn to listen carefully and let the Holy Spirit guide our words.

May 26, 2025

We are now entering Job’s final argument in the court proceedings in front of his peers. He gives us a list of all his righteous deeds and shows that he is not guilty of the accusations against him. His defense strategy is honorable, and we can use it as a list of what we should and should not do.

1. He never trusted in his wealth or set his heart upon it. Job 31:24-25
2. He worshipped God only and was never guilty of idolatry. Job 31:26-28
3. He wasn’t guilty of Baal worship but looked past the sun to worship the Creator.
4. He thought sin should be punished by a judge. Job 31:28
5. He wasn’t vengeful. Job 31:29
6. He was urged to retaliate but refrained from doing so. Job 31:31
7. He was always kind to strangers. Job 31:32

“A trial is moved for, and the motion earnestly pressed… An upright heart doesn’t dread scrutiny.” Matthew Henry.

When facing accusations of misconduct when you are not guilty, plead your case before God, and He will come to your defense because He sees no sin in you. Patiently wait for the “not guilty” verdict. Our sins are cleansed, and our guilt is placed on Jesus. He has taken our punishment and made us whole and pure. Our salvation is our most precious possession; no worldly wealth can compare. 

Oh that one would hear me! behold, my desire is, that the Almighty would answer me, and that mine adversary had written a book. Surely I would take it upon my shoulder, and bind it as a crown to me. Job 31:35-36

May 25, 2025

If you are having a hard time in this life, consider Job's fight when dealing with his affliction. Not only was his body disheveled and painful, but he still had a mind that seemed to function flawlessly and could account for everything he once was. He was sharp and could defend himself eloquently against these people who seemed to be there only to pour salt on his wounds. They should have comforted him with their words if they were genuinely his friends. It shows that most people are fair-weather friends and want nothing to do with your tragedy. I experienced the same thing when my first husband passed away. We had church friends that nearly all disappeared when he died. It was the loneliest I had ever felt in my life. However, I'm glad they were gone rather than have to contend with friends like Job had. I believe Job's affliction describes the pain Jesus went through leading up to and during his crucifixion. As we conclude the book of Job, we will find that he had a friend, Elihu, who came to his defense, comforted him in his time of need, and stuck around until the end. Jesus had a friend like that in John, and I had one in Kay. Your testing may be complex, but God sees your needs and will send someone in the flesh when the time is right. 

I love how he responds to them in these verses:

But now they that are younger than I have me in derision, whose fathers I would have disdained to have set with the dogs of my flock. Yea, whereto might the strength of their hands profit me, in whom old age was perished? Job 30:1-2