No – not about work, not a job. It’s Job, the book following Esther in the Bible, but most likely written before Exodus. It’s our Sunday School lesson this morning.
Before she was 50, my mother was diagnosed with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis, commonly called Lou Gehrig’s disease. It is a progressive, non-curable, degenerative disease of the nerve system. Should the patient not die of complications, what is expected is choking to death as even the muscles to swallow cease to respond. Mom knew what to expect – her older brother died of the same disease. For more than twenty years, her body continued to fail, until a complication ended her life.
Rabbi Harold Kushner’s 1981 book “When Bad Things Happen to Good People” asks a question that has been around for millennia. The book of Job deals with this question, which we all face at one time or another.
After we learn where he lived, we learn that Job was a righteous man: There was a man in the land of Uz, whose name was Job; and that man was perfect and upright, and one that feared God, and eschewed evil. (Job 1:1 KJV)
Yet, he lost everything except his life, along with wife and friends who blamed him for all that had happened. Surely, they said, God is good and what has happened to you is your own fault. Out of the 42 chapters, most are words to make Job feel worse. He’s told, by his own wife: Dost thou still retain thine integrity? curse God, and die. (Job 2:9 KJV)
But the rest of the story confirms that the bad things were not Job’s fault. Yet the question lingered into Jesus’ time. When telling us to love everyone, He explained:
That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust. (Matthew 5:45 KJV)
The question lingered, and came up again to Jesus. It was asked about a specific incident:
There were present at that season some that told him of the Galilaeans, whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices. And Jesus answering said unto them, Suppose ye that these Galilaeans were sinners above all the Galilaeans, because they suffered such things? I tell you, Nay: but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish. Or those eighteen, upon whom the tower in Siloam fell, and slew them, think ye that they were sinners above all men that dwelt in Jerusalem? I tell you, Nay: but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish. (Luke 13:1-5 KJV)
Good things also happen to bad people, confirming that our earth is not perfect. Paul reminds us For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; (Romans 3:23 KJV)
And, just a few verses later confirms there’s much more than this truth But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. (Romans 5:8 KJV)
Knowing that God is just, we can answer that lingering question as Job did:
But he said unto her, Thou speakest as one of the foolish women speaketh. What? shall we receive good at the hand of God, and shall we not receive evil? In all this did not Job sin with his lips. (Job 2:10 KJV)
Perhaps we can come to the understanding that Job did, too:
Then Job answered the LORD, and said, I know that thou canst do every thing, and that no thought can be withholden from thee. (Job 42:1-2 KJV)
Sunday, June 14, 2009
Saturday, June 13, 2009
What I Would Do
Non-believers point to hypocrites in the church, those who say they love God yet do not follow His words. When church leaders are caught breaking God’s commandments as well as men’s laws, their leadership is destroyed. There are examples across our world today, as there have been in ages past, that cause people to ask why serving God is so hard, if God is so good.
The answers are found in these verses – in some ways they appear to be a tongue-twisting paradox. And, the hardest truth is that all have sinned, and will do so again.
For that which I do I allow not: for what I would, that do I not; but what I hate, that do I.
That boils down to doing what I must, not what I want, to do. Then Paul explains this is the result of acknowledging the law:
If then I do that which I would not, I consent unto the law that it is good.
Just as we must, he understands that we live with sin within ourselves:
Now then it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me. For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing:
Even when we want to do good, have every desire to do good, the ability to do so is not there:
for to will is present with me; but how to perform that which is good I find not.
It is so obvious that Paul is writing to make us understand that his desire to do good, just as our desire to do good, is overcome by the sin that is in all of us. The selfishness that dwells within all of us:
For the good that I would I do not: but the evil which I would not, that I do. Now if I do that I would not, it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me.
We constantly battle within ourselves, striving to do what we know is good – good for us, good as told to us in God’s word:
I find then a law, that, when I would do good, evil is present with me. For I delight in the law of God after the inward man: But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members.
So it is that we love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, (Matthew 22:37b KJV)
While acknowledging that we struggle with sin:
O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death? I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord. So then with the mind I myself serve the law of God; but with the flesh the law of sin. (Romans 7:15-25 KJV)
Where, then is our hope? But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin. (1 John 1:7 KJV)
The answers are found in these verses – in some ways they appear to be a tongue-twisting paradox. And, the hardest truth is that all have sinned, and will do so again.
For that which I do I allow not: for what I would, that do I not; but what I hate, that do I.
That boils down to doing what I must, not what I want, to do. Then Paul explains this is the result of acknowledging the law:
If then I do that which I would not, I consent unto the law that it is good.
Just as we must, he understands that we live with sin within ourselves:
Now then it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me. For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing:
Even when we want to do good, have every desire to do good, the ability to do so is not there:
for to will is present with me; but how to perform that which is good I find not.
It is so obvious that Paul is writing to make us understand that his desire to do good, just as our desire to do good, is overcome by the sin that is in all of us. The selfishness that dwells within all of us:
For the good that I would I do not: but the evil which I would not, that I do. Now if I do that I would not, it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me.
We constantly battle within ourselves, striving to do what we know is good – good for us, good as told to us in God’s word:
I find then a law, that, when I would do good, evil is present with me. For I delight in the law of God after the inward man: But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members.
So it is that we love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, (Matthew 22:37b KJV)
While acknowledging that we struggle with sin:
O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death? I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord. So then with the mind I myself serve the law of God; but with the flesh the law of sin. (Romans 7:15-25 KJV)
Where, then is our hope? But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin. (1 John 1:7 KJV)
Friday, June 12, 2009
What God Has Done
God has done nothing to us, but miraculous things for us.
In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth. (Genesis 1:1 KJV)
All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made. (John 1:3 KJV)
With all of this creation, we are prone to ask: What is man, that thou art mindful of him? (Psalms 8:4 KJV)
God made each of us, as Job knew: Thine hands have made me and fashioned me together round about; -- even as Job believed: yet thou dost destroy me. (Job 10:8 KJV) The Spirit of God hath made me, and the breath of the Almighty hath given me life. (Job 33:4 KJV)
God has made people laugh because of His promises: And Sarah said, God hath made me to laugh, so that all that hear will laugh with me. (Genesis 21:6 KJV)
The thing I appreciate the most: Thou hast also given me the shield of thy salvation: (2 Samuel 22:36a KJV)
We think we know His powers. Then when Mary was come where Jesus was, and saw him, she fell down at his feet, saying unto him, Lord, if thou hadst been here, my brother had not died. (John 11:32 KJV)
He goes beyond the limit we put on His powers, and He’s always with us. Jesus saith unto her, Said I not unto thee, that, if thou wouldest believe, thou shouldest see the glory of God? … And when he thus had spoken, he cried with a loud voice, Lazarus, come forth. (John 11:40, 43 KJV)
When we think upon what God has done for us, Therefore we ought to give the more earnest heed to the things which we have heard, lest at any time we should let them slip. (Hebrews 2:1 KJV)
Why? So we may say, with David, Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the LORD for ever. (Psalms 23:6 KJV)
In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth. (Genesis 1:1 KJV)
All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made. (John 1:3 KJV)
With all of this creation, we are prone to ask: What is man, that thou art mindful of him? (Psalms 8:4 KJV)
God made each of us, as Job knew: Thine hands have made me and fashioned me together round about; -- even as Job believed: yet thou dost destroy me. (Job 10:8 KJV) The Spirit of God hath made me, and the breath of the Almighty hath given me life. (Job 33:4 KJV)
God has made people laugh because of His promises: And Sarah said, God hath made me to laugh, so that all that hear will laugh with me. (Genesis 21:6 KJV)
The thing I appreciate the most: Thou hast also given me the shield of thy salvation: (2 Samuel 22:36a KJV)
We think we know His powers. Then when Mary was come where Jesus was, and saw him, she fell down at his feet, saying unto him, Lord, if thou hadst been here, my brother had not died. (John 11:32 KJV)
He goes beyond the limit we put on His powers, and He’s always with us. Jesus saith unto her, Said I not unto thee, that, if thou wouldest believe, thou shouldest see the glory of God? … And when he thus had spoken, he cried with a loud voice, Lazarus, come forth. (John 11:40, 43 KJV)
When we think upon what God has done for us, Therefore we ought to give the more earnest heed to the things which we have heard, lest at any time we should let them slip. (Hebrews 2:1 KJV)
Why? So we may say, with David, Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the LORD for ever. (Psalms 23:6 KJV)
Thursday, June 11, 2009
Long, long day!!
It’s been a long, long day for an elderly grammy! We left the house just after 7:30 this morning, and we got home just before 7:30 tonight. Not quite a twelve-hour day, but close enough to tire me.
Especially after a couple of broken-sleep nights. Tuesday night I woke up at 3:30 to an odd noise – come to find out the cat was playing with a tiny tree frog in our living room and den. By the time I got him out the front door, I was fully awake and couldn’t go back to bed.
Then last night there was a round of thunderstorms. I told my friend Jilly, who had complained a bit about rain in England, that I would trade her day of rain for our couple of hours of tornado warnings, 40 to 60 mph wind and the torrential rain that would accompany the hail. It was all that, and a bit more.
Then again this morning, another round of lightening and rain. We thought it would quit – but it didn’t We had two wonderful cars at Vacation Bible School this morning – a drag racer and a remodeled Model A. Wow, were the kids impressed. Each child was to get a personal photo of them with the car of their choice. But, it was raining.
Thank goodness Beloved Husband and our three children had built a covered area between the sanctuary and the gym several years ago. Both cars were able to park their hoods under the pass through and I took 223 photos – took each one of the children twice so we’d be certain to have a good shot (eyes open and a smile), along with some group shots. Then I printed out 96 photos for each of the children to put in a frame for their craft project for their parents.
Of course, we lost internet connection last night, and when we got home tonight, it was back. I did have a Bible reading from this morning, but I thought a personal note explaining a change in schedule would be more appropriate.
Especially when my postings for the next two weeks will be sporadic. Next week we head to my Beloved Husband’s home town to celebrate with 30+ of his high school classmates their 50th anniversary. I think the hotel might have wi-fi, but it is a very small town. I still have to get their participation certificates into their frames!!!
Then the following weekend we’re going to Beloved’s brother and family – along with about fifty other family members – four generations deep and lots of cousins – for their first family reunion. I’ve been trying to lightscribe disks, but the software doesn’t recognize the lightscribe drive – while the utility does recognize it. Ah, well, I can always get a felt tip pen and write “2009 Reunion, open the README.rft first!” twenty-five times!!
July should be quieter?
Especially after a couple of broken-sleep nights. Tuesday night I woke up at 3:30 to an odd noise – come to find out the cat was playing with a tiny tree frog in our living room and den. By the time I got him out the front door, I was fully awake and couldn’t go back to bed.
Then last night there was a round of thunderstorms. I told my friend Jilly, who had complained a bit about rain in England, that I would trade her day of rain for our couple of hours of tornado warnings, 40 to 60 mph wind and the torrential rain that would accompany the hail. It was all that, and a bit more.
Then again this morning, another round of lightening and rain. We thought it would quit – but it didn’t We had two wonderful cars at Vacation Bible School this morning – a drag racer and a remodeled Model A. Wow, were the kids impressed. Each child was to get a personal photo of them with the car of their choice. But, it was raining.
Thank goodness Beloved Husband and our three children had built a covered area between the sanctuary and the gym several years ago. Both cars were able to park their hoods under the pass through and I took 223 photos – took each one of the children twice so we’d be certain to have a good shot (eyes open and a smile), along with some group shots. Then I printed out 96 photos for each of the children to put in a frame for their craft project for their parents.
Of course, we lost internet connection last night, and when we got home tonight, it was back. I did have a Bible reading from this morning, but I thought a personal note explaining a change in schedule would be more appropriate.
Especially when my postings for the next two weeks will be sporadic. Next week we head to my Beloved Husband’s home town to celebrate with 30+ of his high school classmates their 50th anniversary. I think the hotel might have wi-fi, but it is a very small town. I still have to get their participation certificates into their frames!!!
Then the following weekend we’re going to Beloved’s brother and family – along with about fifty other family members – four generations deep and lots of cousins – for their first family reunion. I’ve been trying to lightscribe disks, but the software doesn’t recognize the lightscribe drive – while the utility does recognize it. Ah, well, I can always get a felt tip pen and write “2009 Reunion, open the README.rft first!” twenty-five times!!
July should be quieter?
Wednesday, June 10, 2009
Vacation Bible School is here again!!!!
Our Sunday morning service averages just under two hundred. You’ll understand, then, what a blessing it was to have 106 children in Vacation Bible School yesterday. We knew it would grow from the 100 we had Monday, and no one was disappointed.
From four years old through the elementary grades, there were two and a half hours of constant activity provided by about fifty volunteers – many taking vacation time from their jobs to be with these children. I’ll soon have photos up on my Multiply site – but wanted to wait until after today’s fantastic blow-up obstacle course – spires 22 feet in the air and over 80 feet long. Awesome!
All of this is based on commands from God’s word to teach children. Here are just a few verses commending us to teach:
And that ye may teach the children of Israel all the statutes which the LORD hath spoken unto them by the hand of Moses. (Leviticus 10:11 KJV)
And thou shalt love the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might. And these words, which I command thee this day, shall be in thine heart: And thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up. (Deuteronomy 6:5-7 KJV)
And ye shall teach them your children, speaking of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, when thou liest down, and when thou risest up. (Deuteronomy 11:19 KJV)
But when Jesus saw it, he was much displeased, and said unto them, Suffer the little children to come unto me, and forbid them not: for of such is the kingdom of God. (Mark 10:14 KJV)
Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth. (2 Timothy 2:15 KJV)
Anyone who has seen the light dawn in a child’s eye when understanding connects has truly been blessed. May you have the opportunity to do so, soon.
From four years old through the elementary grades, there were two and a half hours of constant activity provided by about fifty volunteers – many taking vacation time from their jobs to be with these children. I’ll soon have photos up on my Multiply site – but wanted to wait until after today’s fantastic blow-up obstacle course – spires 22 feet in the air and over 80 feet long. Awesome!
All of this is based on commands from God’s word to teach children. Here are just a few verses commending us to teach:
And that ye may teach the children of Israel all the statutes which the LORD hath spoken unto them by the hand of Moses. (Leviticus 10:11 KJV)
And thou shalt love the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might. And these words, which I command thee this day, shall be in thine heart: And thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up. (Deuteronomy 6:5-7 KJV)
And ye shall teach them your children, speaking of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, when thou liest down, and when thou risest up. (Deuteronomy 11:19 KJV)
But when Jesus saw it, he was much displeased, and said unto them, Suffer the little children to come unto me, and forbid them not: for of such is the kingdom of God. (Mark 10:14 KJV)
Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth. (2 Timothy 2:15 KJV)
Anyone who has seen the light dawn in a child’s eye when understanding connects has truly been blessed. May you have the opportunity to do so, soon.
Tuesday, June 9, 2009
Abundantly
The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly. (John 10:10 KJV)
Did you notice wealth, health, happiness anywhere in that verse? Go to the Bible and read the surrounding verses if you think they are part of the promise.
What could be more abundant, more plentiful, greater quantity, than eternal life? That’s the promise to believers:
That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life. For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. (John 3:15-16 KJV)
This concept, however, was – and still is – hard to understand and even harder to accept. Even then …
There was a division therefore again among the Jews for these sayings. And many of them said, He hath a devil, and is mad; why hear ye him? Others said, These are not the words of him that hath a devil. Can a devil open the eyes of the blind? (John 10:19-21 KJV)
Christ gave another opportunity. If those who could not believe His words, surely they could believe His works.
If I do not the works of my Father, believe me not. But if I do, though ye believe not me, believe the works: that ye may know, and believe, that the Father is in me, and I in him. (John 10:37-38 KJV)
Today we do not have His works around us, but we have the works of those who are called by His name.
Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: shew me thy faith without thy works, and I will shew thee my faith by my works. (James 2:18 KJV)
There are many who will believe neither. Even the disciples had problems understanding:
Having eyes, see ye not? and having ears, hear ye not? and do ye not remember? …, How is it that ye do not understand? (Mark 8:18, 21 KJV)
Has God been asked for understanding? It’s been promised.
Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you: For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened. … If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your Father which is in heaven give good things to them that ask him? (Matthew 7:7-8,11 KJV)
Did you notice wealth, health, happiness anywhere in that verse? Go to the Bible and read the surrounding verses if you think they are part of the promise.
What could be more abundant, more plentiful, greater quantity, than eternal life? That’s the promise to believers:
That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life. For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. (John 3:15-16 KJV)
This concept, however, was – and still is – hard to understand and even harder to accept. Even then …
There was a division therefore again among the Jews for these sayings. And many of them said, He hath a devil, and is mad; why hear ye him? Others said, These are not the words of him that hath a devil. Can a devil open the eyes of the blind? (John 10:19-21 KJV)
Christ gave another opportunity. If those who could not believe His words, surely they could believe His works.
If I do not the works of my Father, believe me not. But if I do, though ye believe not me, believe the works: that ye may know, and believe, that the Father is in me, and I in him. (John 10:37-38 KJV)
Today we do not have His works around us, but we have the works of those who are called by His name.
Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: shew me thy faith without thy works, and I will shew thee my faith by my works. (James 2:18 KJV)
There are many who will believe neither. Even the disciples had problems understanding:
Having eyes, see ye not? and having ears, hear ye not? and do ye not remember? …, How is it that ye do not understand? (Mark 8:18, 21 KJV)
Has God been asked for understanding? It’s been promised.
Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you: For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened. … If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your Father which is in heaven give good things to them that ask him? (Matthew 7:7-8,11 KJV)
Monday, June 8, 2009
Foundations
If the foundations be destroyed, what can the righteous do? (Psalms 11:3 KJV)
Excellent question, isn’t it? How about marriage? The foundation of marriage as defined in our country from its inception is being destroyed. Husband and wife are no longer part of the definition. Will those words disappear from our dictionaries except for mention as "archaic" usages pre-twenty-first century?
Other foundations are being destroyed, too. The act of praying in Jesus’ name is grounds for a lawsuit. His name must be offensive to a large number of people – except for those who take it in vain and use it as a curse word. There is no law against that.
When we consider how many of our nation’s religious foundations are being removed, undermined or denigrated, what can the righteous do?
The first thing is to continue reading God’s word. Some of the answer is in the verses around this one:
The LORD is in his holy temple, the LORD'S throne is in heaven: his eyes behold, his eyelids try, the children of men. (Psalms 11:4 KJV)
Are we, as supporters of the foundations we believe in, following God’s instructions?
I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men; For kings, and for all that are in authority; that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty. For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour; (1 Timothy 2:1-3 KJV)
Are we praying that the people we elect will soften their hearts to hear the words God has for them? Are we ready to accept that:
Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers. For there is no power but of God: the powers that be are ordained of God. (Romans 13:1 KJV)
If you doubt that, count the times in the Bible that a sinful nation becomes a subjected nation.
What do we do in the meantime?
And this I pray, that your love may abound yet more and more in knowledge and in all judgment; That ye may approve things that are excellent; that ye may be sincere and without offence till the day of Christ; Being filled with the fruits of righteousness, which are by Jesus Christ, unto the glory and praise of God. (Philippians 1:9-11 KJV)
For restoration, we are not told to go fix someone else. We have other instructions:
If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land. (2 Chronicles 7:14 KJV)
Excellent question, isn’t it? How about marriage? The foundation of marriage as defined in our country from its inception is being destroyed. Husband and wife are no longer part of the definition. Will those words disappear from our dictionaries except for mention as "archaic" usages pre-twenty-first century?
Other foundations are being destroyed, too. The act of praying in Jesus’ name is grounds for a lawsuit. His name must be offensive to a large number of people – except for those who take it in vain and use it as a curse word. There is no law against that.
When we consider how many of our nation’s religious foundations are being removed, undermined or denigrated, what can the righteous do?
The first thing is to continue reading God’s word. Some of the answer is in the verses around this one:
The LORD is in his holy temple, the LORD'S throne is in heaven: his eyes behold, his eyelids try, the children of men. (Psalms 11:4 KJV)
Are we, as supporters of the foundations we believe in, following God’s instructions?
I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men; For kings, and for all that are in authority; that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty. For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour; (1 Timothy 2:1-3 KJV)
Are we praying that the people we elect will soften their hearts to hear the words God has for them? Are we ready to accept that:
Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers. For there is no power but of God: the powers that be are ordained of God. (Romans 13:1 KJV)
If you doubt that, count the times in the Bible that a sinful nation becomes a subjected nation.
What do we do in the meantime?
And this I pray, that your love may abound yet more and more in knowledge and in all judgment; That ye may approve things that are excellent; that ye may be sincere and without offence till the day of Christ; Being filled with the fruits of righteousness, which are by Jesus Christ, unto the glory and praise of God. (Philippians 1:9-11 KJV)
For restoration, we are not told to go fix someone else. We have other instructions:
If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land. (2 Chronicles 7:14 KJV)
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