Thursday Devotional – Jesus is Worthy as Our Temperature Regulator (12/19/24)

Are you hot, cold or lukewarm? Physically speaking, I’m usually cold. Spiritually speaking, I desire to be hot for God!

As Jesus addressed the seventh church, He rebuked them for being lukewarm.

Revelation 3:14-22   ¹⁴ “To the angel of the church in Laodicea write:

These are the words of the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the ruler of God’s creation. ¹⁵ I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either one or the other! ¹⁶ So, because you are lukewarm—neither hot nor cold—I am about to spit you out of my mouth. ¹⁷ You say, ‘I am rich; I have acquired wealth and do not need a thing.’ But you do not realize that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked. ¹⁸ I counsel you to buy from me gold refined in the fire, so you can become rich; and white clothes to wear, so you can cover your shameful nakedness; and salve to put on your eyes, so you can see.

¹⁹ Those whom I love I rebuke and discipline. So be earnest and repent. ²⁰ Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with that person, and they with me.

²¹ To the one who is victorious, I will give the right to sit with me on my throne, just as I was victorious and sat down with my Father on his throne. ²² Whoever has ears, let them hear what the Spirit says to the churches.”

Jesus rebuked the Laodicean’s for their prideful reliance on their own material wealth. Jesus seemed to be telling the Laodicean’s that their spiritual depravity was significant. Maybe they thought God was pleased with them because of their material blessings and lack of troubles, but Jesus made it clear that was not the case.

I love how Jesus said he was “about to spit” them out. He is so loving and patient, that He gave them a warning. Out of love for them, He called them to repent and return to Him. Then, He would provide what they really needed – fellowship with Him.

What would Jesus say to you and me? Where do you and I think we have it together or are in control of our life? (Kent talked about control yesterday!) What would God say we really need from Him? Would He call us hot, cold or lukewarm? As we submit to Jesus’s control, He will provide what’s needed to change our temperature! 

Thursday Devotional – Jesus is Worthy as The Miracle Key (12/12/24)

Have you ever locked yourself out of your car or house or office? What did you do?

One day, my husband Joe locked himself out of his office. I don’t think he realized he was the last counselor in the building and that the front door was locked. After going to his car to get a fork for his dinner, he realized he was locked out. He didn’t even have his phone on him. He prayed about what to do. He then went to the industrial trash bin area outside his office complex to look for anything he could use to pick the lock. He found a couple things to try, but made one more loop around the trash bin area and suddenly saw a key in the rocks nearby. You guessed it! The key miraculously fit his particular office door out of all the office doors in the complex!!! We praised God for “He Holds the Keys” as the Christian song title says!!!

The early Christian church in Philadelphia faced much bigger troubles than a locked door. However, Jesus reminded them that He holds the key and will reward their perseverance.

Revelation 3:7-10    ⁷ “To the angel of the church in Philadelphia write:

These are the words of him who is holy and true, who holds the key of David. What he opens no one can shut, and what he shuts no one can open. ⁸ I know your deeds. See, I have placed before you an open door that no one can shut. I know that you have little strength, yet you have kept my word and have not denied my name. ⁹ I will make those who are of the synagogue of Satan, who claim to be Jews though they are not, but are liars—I will make them come and fall down at your feet and acknowledge that I have loved you. ¹⁰ Since you have kept my command to endure patiently, I will also keep you from the hour of trial that is going to come on the whole world to test the inhabitants of the earth.

Jesus recognized the weakness of the Philadelphia church, worn down by continual persecution. He commended them for their patient endurance and promised to redeem their reputation. He also promised to spare them from a far worse trial.  

If you are a follower of Jesus, He has made the same promises to you. No matter what we suffer in this life, He will spare us from eternal death and bring eternal justice on evil. How are you and I comforted knowing this? What current situation is easier to endure knowing Jesus, as the miracle key, holds the door to Heaven open for us?

Thursday Devotional – Jesus is Worthy of Our Finished Work (12/5/24)

Who has a never ending to-do-list? Whether it’s at work or home, there seems to always be unfinished projects! During the Christmas season, my shopping to-do-list can be quite long, too! What about our to-do-list for God and His people?

Jesus sees and knows about all our lists. He pointed out to the church of Sardis their unfinished list.   

Revelation 3:1-6     “To the angel of the church in Sardis write:

These are the words of him who holds the seven spirits of God and the seven stars. I know your deeds; you have a reputation of being alive, but you are dead. ² Wake up! Strengthen what remains and is about to die, for I have found your deeds unfinished in the sight of my God. ³ Remember, therefore, what you have received and heard; hold it fast, and repent. But if you do not wake up, I will come like a thief, and you will not know at what time I will come to you.

⁴ Yet you have a few people in Sardis who have not soiled their clothes. They will walk with me, dressed in white, for they are worthy. ⁵ The one who is victorious will, like them, be dressed in white. I will never blot out the name of that person from the book of life, but will acknowledge that name before my Father and his angels. ⁶ Whoever has ears, let them hear what the Spirit says to the churches.

The church in Sardis had some unfinished work for God. Maybe they weren’t continuing to hold to what they previously believed about God and weren’t growing in faith. Some appeared to be moving away from God and not closer to Him.

Whatever the “work” was that was unfinished, we know our work for God doesn’t save us or gain us a higher standing, but it does reflect the level of love we have for our Savior (Ephesians 2 ⁸ For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— ⁹ not by works, so that no one can boast. ¹⁰ For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.). God has specific responsibilities and opportunities unique to each one of us. We each get to play a part for His kingdom! Plus, the best work is spending time growing in our knowledge of and love for our Savior!

Let’s ask God, this Christmas season, what He sees as our unfinished to-do-list. It may be donating to a particular group, volunteering, having a neighbor over for dinner, sharing with others what the celebration of Jesus’s birth means to you, writing notes of encouragement to the leadership at church, resuming a regular time of Bible study and prayer - whatever God lays on your heart! Jesus is worthy of all our time and devotion as He gave everything up for us! 

Thursday Devotional – Jesus is Worthy of Our Sincere Repentance (11/21/24)

A couple years ago we started daily adding in repentance in our evening family prayer time. It was uncomfortable for a while. Actually, it can still be uncomfortable to verbally acknowledge sin before God and my family, especially if one of my sins that day was against a family member! Repenting each night has helped us all realize that we sin every single day, and usually multiple times a day! We try to be specific and not just general. Jesus knows all about our sin already. It’s to our own benefit to acknowledge it, desire to turn from it and accept the Holy Spirit’s help to replace it with godly thoughts and actions.

Jesus saw all that the Thyatira church had done. He saw those that were faithful and those living in habitual and destructive sin.

Revelation 2:18-23   ¹⁸ “To the angel of the church in Thyatira write:

These are the words of the Son of God, whose eyes are like blazing fire and whose feet are like burnished bronze. ¹⁹ I know your deeds, your love and faith, your service and perseverance, and that you are now doing more than you did at first.

²⁰ Nevertheless, I have this against you: You tolerate that woman Jezebel, who calls herself a prophet. By her teaching she misleads my servants into sexual immorality and the eating of food sacrificed to idols. ²¹ I have given her time to repent of her immorality, but she is unwilling. ²² So I will cast her on a bed of suffering, and I will make those who commit adultery with her suffer intensely, unless they repent of her ways. ²³ I will strike her children dead. Then all the churches will know that I am he who searches hearts and minds, and I will repay each of you according to your deeds.

Jesus gives us opportunity to repent, just as He gave those in Thyatira time to repent. He lovingly warned them of the specific consequences if certain individuals refused to repent. His judgment is always perfect and timely.  

Jesus is Omniscient (all-knowing) as he searches our hearts and minds. What sin does He already know about that you and I need to repent and turn from? He desires our sincere repentance and offers His help to replace it with something far more satisfying and rewarding!

Thursday Devotional – Jesus is Worthy of Our Faithful Allegiance (11/14/24)

Would Jesus say you and I are faithful and true to Him in the face of great opposition? He said that about the Pergamum church.

Revelation 2:12-13, & 17           12 “To the angel of the church in Pergamum write:

These are the words of him who has the sharp, double-edged sword. 13 I know where you live—where Satan has his throne. Yet you remain true to my name. You did not renounce your faith in me, not even in the days of Antipas, my faithful witness, who was put to death in your city—where Satan lives.

17 Whoever has ears, let them hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To the one who is victorious, I will give some of the hidden manna. I will also give that person a white stone with a new name written on it, known only to the one who receives it.

Do you and I openly identify ourselves as a child of God? What if we knew we would be killed if we said we were a Christian? Antipas was supposedly burned for refusing to renounce his faith. Jesus called him His faithful witness for living a consistent faithful life in the face of satanic evil.

As a family, we just read about recent missionaries to Africa that were threatened to be sacrificed on altars if the tribal community wasn’t convinced in three days that the God of the missionaries was the only true God. The missionaries risked their lives and stayed the 3 days under severe satanic attack. While they were experiencing horrendous opposition, behind the scenes the tribal community witnessed a series of events where God’s powerful hand was clearly at work. It was so unmistakable to the tribal community that they came and admitted to the missionaries that their God was the real true God!  

No matter the outcome in this life, I pray we desire to have and choose to persevere in faithful allegiance to God. As Revelation 2:17 promises, He has eternally satisfying blessings in store for the victorious! 

Thursday Devotional – Jesus is Worthy of Our Fearless Faith (11/7/24)

How fearless are you and I? James, our oldest, is fearless when it comes to trying new things or meeting new people. I, on the other hand, use to be terrified to try something new or talk to someone I didn’t know. God (and James) have helped me be less fearful of both.

Well, what about our walk with Jesus? How fearless are you and I when it comes to living for Christ? The church in Smyrna was quite fearless for Jesus!

Revelation 2:8-11    ⁸ “To the angel of the church in Smyrna write:

These are the words of him who is the First and the Last, who died and came to life again. ⁹ I know your afflictions and your poverty—yet you are rich! I know about the slander of those who say they are Jews and are not, but are a synagogue of Satan.¹⁰ Do not be afraid of what you are about to suffer. I tell you, the devil will put some of you in prison to test you, and you will suffer persecution for ten days. Be faithful, even to the point of death, and I will give you life as your victor’s crown.

¹¹ Whoever has ears, let them hear what the Spirit says to the churches. The one who is victorious will not be hurt at all by the second death.

After reading about what the Smyrna church faced and what Jesus said they would face in the future, how fearless do you think you are now?

I wouldn’t like getting a letter telling me I was going to face even more persecution and suffering. However, it would be encouraging, knowing Jesus saw everything I already endured, knows what I’m about to face, and guarantees my eternal future.

Jesus reminded Smyrna (and us) that He was already victorious over earthly suffering and death. Therefore, He can promise life after death to His faithful followers. We do not have to be hurt by the second death, which is eternal separation from God in Hell.

What suffering do you and I find difficult to endure for Jesus? How can you and I be prepared to maintain joy and faithfulness through suffering? Do Jesus’s promised rewards help encourage you? The more we know God, love Him and understand what He’s done and will do for us, the easier it will be to live fearlessly for Him!

Thursday Devotional – Jesus is Worthy of Our Faithful Love (10/31/24)

If Jesus wrote a letter personally to you and to me, what would it say? In what areas would He say you and I were faithful and what weaknesses would He point out?

Here’s what He had John write to the Ephesians.

Revelation 2:1-7  “To the angel of the church in Ephesus write:

These are the words of him who holds the seven stars in his right hand and walks among the seven golden lampstands. ² I know your deeds, your hard work and your perseverance. I know that you cannot tolerate wicked people, that you have tested those who claim to be apostles but are not, and have found them false. ³ You have persevered and have endured hardships for my name, and have not grown weary.

⁴ Yet I hold this against you: You have forsaken the love you had at first. ⁵ Consider how far you have fallen! Repent and do the things you did at first. If you do not repent, I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place. ⁶ But you have this in your favor: You hate the practices of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate.

⁷ Whoever has ears, let them hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To the one who is victorious, I will give the right to eat from the tree of life, which is in the paradise of God.

Jesus recognized the Ephesian church’s faithful service, faithful doctrine and faithful endurance. They worked hard for Him and were conscientious to uphold Godly standards. However, they had forsaken their faithful love for Him. Maybe they were so focused on their work FOR Jesus, that they forgot to BE with Jesus.

Jesus wants us to faithfully serve Him and uphold His truths, but not at the expense of truly spending time with Him. He desires our love first. He wants a personal relationship with each of His children where we enjoy Him, talk to Him and listen to Him.

Are you and I more focused on serving God than loving and enjoying Him? Often, my answer is yes. Studying this passage really challenged me to take time to be with and enjoy God instead of focusing most of my energy on serving Him. 

What might need to be put off in order to pursue loving God more? Is someone or something else our first love? Or is it God Himself? He loves us so much and desires us to faithfully love and enjoy Him!

Thursday Devotional – Jesus is Worthy as the Physically Exalted Son of God (10/24/24)

 A lady at Bible study wondered if we would have a physical body in heaven or just have our spirit. As we continued our study in Revelation, John’s first vision made the answer clear.

Revelation 1:9-18   ⁹ I, John, your brother and companion in the suffering and kingdom and patient endurance that are ours in Jesus, was on the island of Patmos because of the word of God and the testimony of Jesus. ¹⁰ On the Lord’s Day I was in the Spirit, and I heard behind me a loud voice like a trumpet, ¹¹ which said: “Write on a scroll what you see and send it to the seven churches: to Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamum, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia and Laodicea.”

¹² I turned around to see the voice that was speaking to me. And when I turned I saw seven golden lampstands, ¹³ and among the lampstands was someone like a son of man, dressed in a robe reaching down to his feet and with a golden sash around his chest. ¹⁴ The hair on his head was white like wool, as white as snow, and his eyes were like blazing fire. ¹⁵ His feet were like bronze glowing in a furnace, and his voice was like the sound of rushing waters. ¹⁶ In his right hand he held seven stars, and coming out of his mouth was a sharp, double-edged sword. His face was like the sun shining in all its brilliance.

¹⁷ When I saw him, I fell at his feet as though dead. Then he placed his right hand on me and said: “Do not be afraid. I am the First and the Last. ¹⁸ I am the Living One; I was dead, and now look, I am alive for ever and ever! And I hold the keys of death and Hades.

Can you imagine that one so exalted would desire to relate to John and to you and me? What an honor! John heard, saw and felt the Son of Man!

The awesome glory of Jesus terrified John, but Jesus reassured him and told him to take another look at His living, tangible presence! Not only did Jesus’s unique features represent different aspects of His authority, but His exalted state gave evidence that we will also have a glorified physical body. He is the “firstborn from the dead” (as we read in Rev 1:5 last week), showing us we will have physical features, too, when we rise from the dead.

How are you and I encouraged by this brilliant vision of Jesus? I am encouraged knowing I will have a physical body in heaven that will be amazing, never decay, and live forever. I am also encouraged knowing Jesus has all authority and all power over everything in life and after this life!

Thursday Devotional – Jesus is Worthy of our Service (10/17/24)

My whole family is in an in-depth Revelation Bible study this year (including my parents, sister, niece and nephew)! It’s been a joy to focus on so many different attributes of Jesus. In praying about the main attribute to highlight in each of these upcoming Revelation devotionals, Jesus’s worthiness stood out to me. He’s worthy as the eternal, Son of God, who paid for our sins and vindicated sin and death by His resurrection. John began his letter to the churches by reminding them of all these aspects of Jesus’s worthiness!

Revelation 1:1-6     The revelation from Jesus Christ, which God gave him to show his servants what must soon take place. He made it known by sending his angel to his servant John, ² who testifies to everything he saw—that is, the word of God and the testimony of Jesus Christ. ³ Blessed is the one who reads aloud the words of this prophecy, and blessed are those who hear it and take to heart what is written in it, because the time is near.

⁴ John,

To the seven churches in the province of Asia:

Grace and peace to you from him who is, and who was, and who is to come, and from the seven spirits before his throne, ⁵ and from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, the firstborn from the dead, and the ruler of the kings of the earth.

To him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by his blood, ⁶ and has made us to be a kingdom and priests to serve his God and Father—to him be glory and power for ever and ever! Amen.

Seven is a number of completeness or wholeness in the Bible. The seven churches were actual, literal, and physical churches in Asia. However, the encouragement and instruction given to them is applicable to all churches and all people throughout the centuries.

We won’t understand all of the teachings in the book of Revelation, especially those concerning the end times. John made clear in these first few verses, though, that the truths in Revelation hold the keys to blessing, comfort, confidence, encouragement and perseverance. John ended this section with the reminder that we are not freed from sin to serve self, but to serve God!

In fact, I found another “7” in these first few verses – this book of Revelation was from God, to Jesus, to the angel, to John, to the churches, to us and to others. As we take to heart these truths and share them with others, we complete the circle of 7! We will be blessed, fulfill God’s purposes and bring Him glory as we serve Him!

When I genuinely believe Jesus is worthy of all, as John beautifully described, I will be propelled to serve Him. Where are you and I motivated to serve, by this deeper understanding of our worthy Savior?

Thursday Devotional - All-Knowing God and Job’s Everything (10/10/24)

Remember Job’s vindication from last week? Not only did God vindicate Job before his friends, but He also restored his health and replaced his family and property. I couldn’t find in the Bible where it specifically stated God healed Job, but other details imply he was healed. For instance, people weren’t to offer sacrifices until after their leprosy, disease or other “uncleanness” was healed and a period of cleansing had taken place. So, it seems God healed Job when He came and spoke to Job and his three friends because at the end God asked Job to pray and make sacrifices for his three friends. Plus, Job resumed and enjoyed life like he had before.  

Job 42:10-17      ¹⁰ After Job had prayed for his friends, the Lord restored his fortunes and gave him twice as much as he had before. ¹¹ All his brothers and sisters and everyone who had known him before came and ate with him in his house. They comforted and consoled him over all the trouble the Lord had brought on him, and each one gave him a piece of silver and a gold ring.

¹² The Lord blessed the latter part of Job’s life more than the former part. He had fourteen thousand sheep, six thousand camels, a thousand yoke of oxen and a thousand donkeys. ¹³ And he also had seven sons and three daughters. ¹⁴ The first daughter he named Jemimah, the second Keziah and the third Keren-Happuch. ¹⁵ Nowhere in all the land were there found women as beautiful as Job’s daughters, and their father granted them an inheritance along with their brothers.

¹⁶ After this, Job lived a hundred and forty years; he saw his children and their children to the fourth generation. ¹⁷ And so Job died, an old man and full of years.

Not only did God replace all that Job lost (to the exact number of sons and daughters), but God gave back double his fortune and livestock! If you remember from Job 1:2-3       ² He had seven sons and three daughters, ³ and he owned seven thousand sheep, three thousand camels, five hundred yoke of oxen and five hundred donkeys, and had a large number of servants. He was the greatest man among all the people of the East.

I would guess that when it says in Job 42:12 “The Lord blessed the latter part of Job’s life more than the former part” that it includes Job’s spiritual relationship with God. If Job was so trusting of and loyal to God before, how much more rich his relationship must have been after! He certainly had no doubt that EVERYTHING comes from God. God is the only All-knowing, Almighty, Sovereign Creator and sustainer of the universe!!!!!

How might truly believing that also affect your and my life? I think that if I truly believe everything comes from God, then I’ll be humble in seasons of ease and plenty and I’ll be content to trust God in seasons of hardship.

I pray we’ve all grown in a deeper understanding of God as we’ve watched Job these last 16 weeks! May the truths encourage and comfort you and me as we go through the highs and lows in life.

Thursday Devotional - All-Knowing God and Job’s Vindication (10/3/24)

God’s visit was surely life-altering for Job and his friends! God’s response was purposeful, even though it didn’t answer all of Job’s questions. God did not explain why Job experienced one tragedy after another. However, God did vindicate Job before his condemning friends.

Job 42:7-9 After the Lord had said these things to Job, he said to Eliphaz the Temanite, “I am angry with you and your two friends, because you have not spoken the truth about me, as my servant Job has. ⁸ So now take seven bulls and seven rams and go to my servant Job and sacrifice a burnt offering for yourselves. My servant Job will pray for you, and I will accept his prayer and not deal with you according to your folly. You have not spoken the truth about me, as my servant Job has.” ⁹ So Eliphaz the Temanite, Bildad the Shuhite and Zophar the Naamathite did what the Lord told them; and the Lord accepted Job’s prayer.

Where are you and I wanting to see vindication (whether for ourselves or for others)? Let’s trust God’s timing, without running ahead and taking things into our own hands.

Thursday Devotional - All-Knowing God and Job’s Humble Response (9/26/24)

 This week, Joe and I spent hours working through a school situation with one of our kids. There have been differing stories. As we’ve prayed for wisdom and truth to be revealed, it still hasn’t been clear exactly what happened. I want all the people involved to be able to know and believe the truth! I realize that might not happen. In acknowledging God’s sovereignty over the situation, I want to trust God with the outcome.

When Job finally hears from God, he doesn’t get all his questions answered, either. Instead, throughout Job chapters 38-41, the All-knowing and Almighty God details out various aspects of Creation that only He understands and controls. I imagine He spoke with a majestic and thunderous voice through the storm!

In response, Job spoke briefly in the middle and at the end of God’s discourse.

Job 40:1-10 The Lord said to Job:

² “Will the one who contends with the Almighty correct him?
    Let him who accuses God answer him!”

³ Then Job answered the Lord:

⁴ “I am unworthy—how can I reply to you?
    I put my hand over my mouth.
⁵ I spoke once, but I have no answer—
    twice, but I will say no more.”

⁶ Then the Lord spoke to Job out of the storm:

⁷ “Brace yourself like a man;
    I will question you,
    and you shall answer me.

⁸ “Would you discredit my justice?
    Would you condemn me to justify yourself?
⁹ Do you have an arm like God’s,
    and can your voice thunder like his?
¹⁰ Then adorn yourself with glory and splendor,
    and clothe yourself in honor and majesty…

Job 42:1-6 Then Job replied to the Lord:

² “I know that you can do all things;
    no purpose of yours can be thwarted.
³ You asked, ‘Who is this that obscures my plans without knowledge?’
    Surely I spoke of things I did not understand,
    things too wonderful for me to know.

⁴ “You said, ‘Listen now, and I will speak;
    I will question you,
    and you shall answer me.’
⁵ My ears had heard of you
    but now my eyes have seen you.
⁶ Therefore I despise myself
    and repent in dust and ashes.”

Job rightly and humbly acknowledged God’s might, sovereignty, and wisdom! His only response was that of worship and repentance. He asked no further questions. He knew God was real, active, powerful, and in control.

In Joe’s and my situation with our kid, we can humbly acknowledge our rightful place before God, too. He’s aware of the situation, in control and can be trusted with the outcome. Instead of focusing on the resolution we want, we can ask God to help us and our kids humbly learn, grow and move forward for His purposes.

With what situation in your life will you humbly surrender to our All-knowing God? 

Thursday Devotional - All-Knowing God and His Timing (9/19/24)

"Stupid!" "Idiot!" That is what some of the teen girls were calling the other younger girls at the new equestrian center my daughter, Sarah, tried out last weekend. She loved her time with the horses, but she was quite bothered by the interactions of the teen helpers.

Job’s friends weren’t any nicer! They continued to crush and attack him with words (Job 19:2-3). Job aptly called them “miserable comforters” (Job 16:2). He continued to converse back and forth with them, only to anger each other even more. Job ended by stating in chapter 31 that he can’t think of any horrible secret sin that he committed. To that, the three friends stopped talking because “they had found no way to refute Job, and yet had condemned him” (Job 32:3b). However, a fourth younger man opened his mouth and gave a LONG discourse admonishing Job and attempting to speak for God (Job chapters 32-37).   

Enter God! I can only imagine the fearful trembling of Job and his friends!!!

Job 38:1-5 Then the Lord spoke to Job out of the storm. He said:

² “Who is this that obscures my plans
    with words without knowledge?
³ Brace yourself like a man;
    I will question you,
    and you shall answer me.

⁴ “Where were you when I laid the earth’s foundation?
    Tell me, if you understand.
⁵ Who marked off its dimensions? Surely you know!
    Who stretched a measuring line across it?
⁶ On what were its footings set,
    or who laid its cornerstone—
⁷ while the morning stars sang together
    and all the angels shouted for joy?

Job had pleaded to speak with God and God finally appeared! God’s timing is always perfect for His purposes and doesn’t always fit into our desired timetable. If God had come right away when Job first pleaded, then we would not have his example of continued trust in God, even when everyone and everything around Job was against him.

With what do you and I need to trust God’s timing?

Thursday Devotional - All-Knowing God and Job’s Confidence (9/12/24)

 Job still doesn’t have answers and his friends keep adding heaps of ridicule to his already tormented mental and physical state. He calls them to be silent. He doesn’t need to talk to them, but directly to His Creator!

Job 13:1-5, 15-19 “My eyes have seen all this,
    my ears have heard and understood it.
² What you know, I also know;
    I am not inferior to you.
³ But I desire to speak to the Almighty
    and to argue my case with God.
⁴ You, however, smear me with lies;
    you are worthless physicians, all of you!
⁵ If only you would be altogether silent!
    For you, that would be wisdom.

¹⁵  Though he slay me, yet will I hope in him;
    I will surely defend my ways to his face.
¹⁶ Indeed, this will turn out for my deliverance,
    for no godless person would dare come before him!
¹⁷ Listen carefully to what I say;
    let my words ring in your ears.
¹⁸ Now that I have prepared my case,
    I know I will be vindicated.
¹⁹ Can anyone bring charges against me?
    If so, I will be silent and die.

I don’t think Job is speaking out of pride. In chapter 9 he declared no one can compare to the Almighty God. I think he knows there is something he doesn’t know. He doesn’t believe God is smiting him for some unknown sin. Even though he feels like God is against him, he confirms that he has no hope in anyone or anything other than God. I think the Holy Spirit is speaking through him prophetically when he says “this will turn out for my deliverance” and “I know I will be vindicated.” Job is confident in who God is.

What is unsettling for you and me right now? Maybe it’s the political climate, a health concern, a family situation, or a rocky relationship – our Almighty God knows all about it and is in control. Like Job, you and I can remain confident in God, while still confused with the circumstances around us. 

Thursday Devotional - All-Knowing God and Sarcastic Job (9/5/24)

After the rebuke of his third friend, Job had enough! He responded with sarcasm.

 Job 12:1-4 Then Job replied:

² “Doubtless you are the only people who matter,
    and wisdom will die with you!
³ But I have a mind as well as you;
    I am not inferior to you.
    Who does not know all these things?

⁴ “I have become a laughingstock to my friends,
    though I called on God and he answered—
    a mere laughingstock, though righteous and blameless!

 Job sarcastically pointed out to his friends that they were not the only ones who knew anything. He then firmly (and without sarcasm) told them they weren’t superior. He acknowledged that God had answered his prayers. He knew God heard him and had responded, even if he didn’t get his desired outcome. He also went on to declare God’s sovereignty.

Job 12:13-17      “To God belong wisdom and power;
    counsel and understanding are his.
¹⁴ What he tears down cannot be rebuilt;
    those he imprisons cannot be released.
¹⁵ If he holds back the waters, there is drought;
    if he lets them loose, they devastate the land.
¹⁶ To him belong strength and insight;
    both deceived and deceiver are his.
¹⁷ He leads rulers away stripped
    and makes fools of judges.

Even the most humanly wise person can be foolish. Job’s friends were probably some of the most prominent people of his day, and yet they were grossly ignorant. Job knew only God was all-knowing. Thankfully, Job didn’t base his understanding of God on the “wise” or foolish people around him. Job knew God is in ultimate control of the rise and fall of anyone, any nation or anything.

As you and I interact with those around us, let’s remember that only God is all-knowing, sovereign and fully trustworthy. Even the smartest people around us can be ludicrous, like Job’s friends. The next time you and I are wrongly accused, we can cling to what is true about God.

Thursday Devotional - All-Knowing God and Rebuking Zophar (8/22/24)

Now we meet Job’s third friend, Zophar! We’ve heard Eliphaz start with encouragement and end with ignorant talk. Bildad jumped right in with telling Job what God would or wouldn’t do. Zophar is more like Bildad. He skips over any encouragement and starts immediately with rebuke.

Job 11:1-3, 7-9, 14-19 Then Zophar the Naamathite replied:

² “Are all these words to go unanswered?
    Is this talker to be vindicated?
³ Will your idle talk reduce others to silence?
    Will no one rebuke you when you mock?

⁷ “Can you fathom the mysteries of God?
    Can you probe the limits of the Almighty?
⁸ They are higher than the heavens above—what can you do?
    They are deeper than the depths below—what can you know?
⁹ Their measure is longer than the earth
    and wider than the sea.

¹⁴ if you put away the sin that is in your hand
    and allow no evil to dwell in your tent,
¹⁵ then, free of fault, you will lift up your face;
    you will stand firm and without fear.
¹⁶ You will surely forget your trouble,
    recalling it only as waters gone by.
¹⁷ Life will be brighter than noonday,
    and darkness will become like morning.
¹⁸ You will be secure, because there is hope;
    you will look about you and take your rest in safety.
¹⁹ You will lie down, with no one to make you afraid,
    and many will court your favor.

Zophar was correct that the All-knowing, Almighty God cannot be completely understood and figured out by man. So, why does Zophar proceed to tell Job what God will do if Job repents of his sin? How can he say with complete confidence that God will restore Job’s health, happiness, power, security and fame?

Zophar’s rebuke was not from or of God. There are times to rebuke, but we need to make sure we go about it carefully and accurately, as Paul charged Timothy in II Timothy 4:2 "Preach the word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage—with great patience and careful instruction." (Side note – we just finished studying II Timothy as a family last night and I realized how much of the book could be used to counter rebuke Job’s friends! 😊)

It’s impossible to know and explain everything about God, but He has revealed certain aspects of Himself through the Bible. Let’s carefully study, apply and share those truths with others so we aren’t a Zophar. Lord, help us to be a true encouragement to the believers around us and to know when and how to appropriately rebuke, when necessary.