Job 11-14

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

Another of Job's three friends at his side, Zophar, have told him that if he'll just confess whatever evil deeds he must of done, God will restore him. "If you put away the sin that is in your hand and allow no evil to dwell in your tent, then you will left up your face without shame; you will stand firm and without fear." And the above quote is Job's response to the three friends.

As I shared on my last post, if I was one of Job's friends, I would probably be thinking just like them. But what do you say in a presence of someone going through a great trial? I wouldn't know what to say. And if I was to say anything, I think I would end up coming up with reasons for their suffering. Kind of speaking wrongly on behalf of God...

Many times, the best thing to do to encourage those that are suffering is just to quietly listen. Our pride kicks in so often whenever we see people suffering. We feel the need to give them advice on how to get out of their circumstance, such as how to go about getting a better job, how to find someone to marry, how to raise your kids better, etc. When we find ourselves in a better position than others, we can't keep our mouth shut. And if we don't actually say these things out loud, we usually say them in our hearts.

But Job said he is not inferior to his friends. And we have to remember that we are not superior to those that are going through trials. In fact, we are not superior to anyone else at any moment. We are all saved by grace and grace alone.

Jeremiah 49-51

Therefore this is what the LORD Almighty, the God of Israel, says: "I will punish the king of Babylon and his land as I punished the king of Assyria. But I will bring Israel back to his own pasture and he will graze on Carmel and Bashan; his appetite will be satisfied on the hills of Ephraim and Gilead. In those days, at that time," declares the LORD, "search will be made for Israel's guilt, but there will be none, and for the sins of Judah, but none will be found, for I will forgive the remnant I spare.

God's grace and forgiveness is beyond our understanding. To us, as you mentioned yesterday, it is so hard to forgive others even once. It is in our nature to be unforgiving and hold grudges. However, God always forgives all of our sins all the time. "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness."

It is important for us not to take God's grace for granted. Let us ask God to cleanse and purify our hearts and help us to extend our forgiveness to people around us through the power of the Holy Spirit.

Job 4-7

"What is man that you make so much of him, that you give him so much attention, that you examine him every morning and test him every moment? Will you never look away from me, or let me alone even for an instant? If I have sinned, what have I done to you, O watcher of men? Why have you made me your target? Have I become a burden to you? Why do you not pardon my offenses and forgive my sins? For I will soon lie down in the dust; you will search for me, but I will be no more."

Job's thoughts and reactions are so realistic to any of us that may be going through trials. The very first natural question we all ask is why? What have I done to displease God to have deserved this?

I know that God tests me, as Job himself said, yet it's so hard for me to see trials as tests when they come for myself and for others. Job's friend Eliphaz tried to encourage Job. But he encouraged him from a perspective that no bad thing can come to those that do good. So in his mind, Job must have done some evil in the sight of God. Eliphaz certainly couldn't see Job's circumstance as a test.

Eliphaz's reaction to Job totally made me feel like a hypocrite. If the scope of testing that comes from God can be as great as that of Job's (losing ALL your material possessions AND to be sick and in pain), then how I have judged so many people going through lesser trials.

My mother told me of this Christian lady in Taiwan that is constantly living in physical pain. As far as my mother knows, she is a devout follower of Jesus, yet this is her circumstance. This lady can't go to the church she used to go anymore, because whenever she goes, people there try to fix her. They are constantly searching for the reason behind her sickness. Is it unconfessed sin? Is it all in her head? Etc.

The thing is, this lady is living by faith. From what my mother told me, she is in pain yet have joy in the Lord. It is the "Christians" around her that can't accept her circumstance as trials by God.

Gosh, how I need to be humbled by God. If someone is going through a trial, it really is just between that person and God. If I'm really concerned, I should pray and encourage them with God's word. And NOT try to figure out why.

God wants to test and perfect our faith. It is for that reason alone God puts us through trials. But let's always be reminded that in whatever we are going through that God loves us. He will never put us through a trial that he won't provide the grace to get us through it. Let us choose to rejoice in our trials and allow God to work in our lives:)

Jeremiah 46-48

Since you trust in your deeds and riches, you too will be taken captive, and Chemosh will go into exile, together with his priests and officials.

This is God's judgment upon Moab. I thought about how one's deeds and riches make that person prideful. When I think of what I do as a Chrisitan, such as going to church three to four days a week, giving tithe, teaching as a Sunday school teacher, it's so easy to think that I am doing pretty good as a Christian. However, that's not what pleases or impresses God. He rather have me humble myself and totally depend on him and his righteousness alone. God looks at my heart more than anything else.

We are both in times of need. Like you mentioned in your QT yesterday, we have a list of things we want to gain and accomplish. Let's make sure to trust God for everything not anyone or anything - even ourselves. God is not pleased when we try to do things our own way.

Let us humble ourselves this day and be faithful with what God has entrusted us.

Job 1-3

"Naked I came from my mother's womb, and naked I will depart. The LORD gave and the LORD has taken away; may the name of the LORD be praised." In all this, Job did not sin by charging God with wrongdoing.

...He replied, "You are talking like a foolish woman. Shall we accept good from God, and not trouble?" In all this, Job did not sin in what he said.

The story of Job really makes me think about my relationship with God. It's so easy for me to think about what God can do for me. Like how I went to an interview yesterday at a place I think I want to work at. I keep thinking how great it would be if God gave me that job.

You know how the bible promises that as long as we obey God with faith, all our needs would be taken care of. Many times I find myself focusing on how God is going to meet my needs instead of how I am to obey him. But the whole point is that we are not to think of our needs. God knows what they are. Even things we aren't aware of.

Job lost all he had in a blink of an eye. It wasn't just his material possessions. All of his children and many of his servants were killed. It kind of made me wonder whether his children and the servants that died were followers of God. If they were, were they really killed off just to test Job? Doesn't seem to make sense. I cannot imagine the thoughts that would be going through my head, if I was in Job's position. And to think that God himself considered him "blameless and upright".

I think deep inside, it's hard to accept that the whole purpose for my existence on earth is to glorify God. There are things I want to happen. I want to get married. I want to be able to abundantly support my family financially. But the truth is that God has the right to do whatever he wants with me.

I need God to change my heart this day, so I can put him in his rightful place. I know in my heart that it was his grace and his grace alone that has brought me this far. And I know without God in my future, there would be no future. And I know without any doubt that God loves me.

Let us take the lesson of Job and see God for who he is. He is all powerful. Everything comes from him alone. He desires us to seek after him. So let's be reminded to make that our focus. And he will lovingly take care of all our needs in ways that are best for us.

Jeremiah 39-41

When the commander of the guard found Jeremiah, he said to him, "The LORD your God decreed this disaster for this place. And now the LORD has brought it about; he has done just as he said he would. All this happened because your people sinned against the LORD and did not obey him."

Finally, God's judgment came upon the Israelites. In Chapter 39, the Babylonians attacked Jerusalem. This confession from the commander of Babylon is amazing. It demonstrates his faith in God. Not sure if he believed in God or not, yet he trusted in God's word more than the Israelites. He recognized God's sovereignty.

So this made me to examine my own faith in the word of God. Because I've been attending church all my life, I think I've grown indifferent toward God's word. Yes, I do believe in Jesus and the bible, yet sometimes I don't take God's word so personally. Actually, I've been praying for miracles to happen in my life. The bible records so many miracles. And I want to experience that in my life. I think often I do not expect God to show up.

Let us remember that God's word is truly living and active and put our faith in all of his promises. Nothing is impossible with God.