"The hopes of the godless evaporate."
Job 8:13b
Job 8:13b
My Take-Aways:
Something Old:
Job 10:2
I will say to God, " Don't simply condemn me-tell me the charge you are bring against me."
There are times when I under the oppression of unconfession, so far under I don't even know what I need to confess. I just want the Lord to point out the problem so we can move on. But God in His sovereignty wants me to submit to the Holy Spirit and allow Him to do a search and reveal of sin. This allows me to see the sin and repent for myself. It make the confession more effective and the pattern of sin less likely to go to the repeat cycle than if He (God) would have just pointed it out.
Something New:
Job 8:33
Something to Do:
Job 8:13
No matter how bad things get, don't forget [ignore, cease to care about] God.
There are times when I under the oppression of unconfession, so far under I don't even know what I need to confess. I just want the Lord to point out the problem so we can move on. But God in His sovereignty wants me to submit to the Holy Spirit and allow Him to do a search and reveal of sin. This allows me to see the sin and repent for myself. It make the confession more effective and the pattern of sin less likely to go to the repeat cycle than if He (God) would have just pointed it out.
Something New:
Job 8:33
"If only there was a mediator between us, someone who could bring us together."
I never noticed the possible foreshadowing of the Holy Spirit.
I never noticed the possible foreshadowing of the Holy Spirit.
Something to Do:
Job 8:13
No matter how bad things get, don't forget [ignore, cease to care about] God.
23 Comments:
Hello,
Wendy Good Job on the exercise. :)
Something New: Job 9:13 And God does not restrain his anger. Even the monsters of the sea * are crushed beneath His feet.
In looking up the (*) Hebrew helpers of Rahab the name of a mythical sea monster that represents chaos in ancient literature. I hadn't notice that there before, and struck me as odd because of Rahab that is in Joshua 2.
Something Different: The book of Job. I really feel like I am seeing this in such a different way. It has so much to it and is so deep, that it's hard to pick what is old new or different.
Something to apply: Job 11:13 If only you would prepare your heart and lift up your hands to Him in prayer.
Have a great day everyone. Thanks Wendy.
Lynn
Thanks Wendy,
I loved your IF and THEN comment.
I pray that I can be that bright person and make a difference to my family everyday.
I find exercise is a bit like prayer and quiet time.All good intentions but "things" get in the way.But when you persist and persevere you always fee
l better afterwards.Like the afterburn of exercise is the afterglow of prayer.
It has longer lasting effects than the time involved.Keep up the great work
Susanx
Wendy, thanks for pointing all that out in the end of chapter 11. That's some good stuff!
Job 8:10 It says that those who came before us will teach us the wisdom of old. It brought to me the fact that we have a responsibility to keep the messege of God going. Does God need us, no. But He has given us an awesome privilege to partake in. Psalm 33:11 says The counsel of the LORD stands forever; The plans of His heart from generation to generation..
God's WORD will never cease to be known or taught. And in a world and society that is trying to snuff it out, it's a joy to know that it will continue on, just like the Author who wrote it does.
I, too like verse 33 of chapter 9. Job was wanting a Savior. A Redeemer. He wanted a way back to God. And God gave us that when Christ came. 1 Timothy 2:5 says that Christ is our mediator and in 2 Corinthians 5:19, it statess that because of Him, we are reconciled to God! PTL!!!
Something that bothered me(and I may be perceiving this wrong) was the statement in 9:23-24 that they thought God would laugh at the death of the innocent. I can't imagine God even laughing at the death of the guilty and wicked. That is not the heart of the God I serve.
Thanks for the GREAT insights today Wendy. You always take me to a much deeper level that I can get to by myself.
Oh my goodness how today's reading struck me. My husband has "forgotten" God! He doesn't believe in Him anymore (and I am not sure he ever did)! It is not only a terrible thing for me to bear, but it also resulted in a miserable life for him. As I read, and as Wendy read 8:11-19, I thought that this could have his name at the start of each sentence. Then - as Wendy pointed to 11: 13-19 (Zophar's respone), I thought that maybe today is the day that I can re-approach my husband and tell him about this reading today. I ask for your prayers because just maybe today is the day that he will finally realize that if he repents and turns back to God - he can forget his misery and it will flow away like water. Please pray for me as I try, once again, to soften his heart through the grace and power of the Holy Spirit.
As I read the reading today and yesterday - I had a "vision" that kept recurring. A vision of 12 year old Jesus who was left behind in Jerusalem and was found talking to the elders in the temple, astonishing them with His wisdom. Can't you just see Jesus talking about this very passage to them - as I am sure they asked him questions like "why would God allow an innocent man who loved Him so dearly and faithfully to endure the loss of everything - including all of his children, and who had to endure unspeakable suffering?" Oh how I wish I could have been there in that temple as Jesus explained. But since we were chosen for a time such as this, I give thanks that our Lord is speaking to us through our precious Wendy.
Only a short moment to write!
Praise be to God - thank you for your prayers yesterday - My son is better and we never saw his fever return - he slept all night and so did I!
Great reading and - I love there is always hope even if we forget!
I to saw the foreshadowing of the deposit of the Holy Spirit who is our mediator. There is a scripture that speaks to this in the New Test but can't think of it for the moment.
Judi - it is good to know your struggles as I have similar ones but what I great thought for us to remain in His hope - hope that will give us courage - that will shine our bright light on our household. I pray we can continue to share that hope! Praying for you!
Meredith
Happy Thursday to each one!
What beautiful word pictures are painted in this portion of Scripture... Great visuals to enhance our reading.
Job 8: 9 "...Our days on earth are as transient as a shadow".
v13,14 "...The hope of the godless comes to nothing. Everything they count on will collapse. They are leaning on a spiderweb".
Holding on to this Job 8:21 "He will yet fill your mouth with laughter and your lips with shouts of joy." And Job 9:10 "His great works are too marvelous to understand..." That is where faith comes in!
Looking forward to coming back later and anticipating your vlog, Wendy! It is only 5.34 am here and the house is still sleeping...
Love and prayers
Marianne
I loved the part about needing a Mediator between God and Job. Oh, I am so thankful that Mediator came to earth and died on a cross and that I live now and not before Christ's coming.
Wendy, thank you! So proud of your commitment to the treadmill!! Keep it up,girl!! :)
Judi, I am praying for you and your husband that he can see "your brightness about you" and desire it himself by turning to God.
Danielle, I too got hung up on the part in 9:23-24 about God laughing. I think I need to research that one in the commentaries and make sure I understand it.
I agree with Wendy on the "something new"--I usually ask God to forgive me of my sins and not be specific in naming them. Huge wake-up call! Thank you for pointing that out. I plan on sharing what today's lesson was at the supper table when my family is all there(it doesn't happen every night!). Many great truths to hear.
Y'all have a wonderful day!
Hugs!
Susan
Good Morning & Happy Thursday, All!
Wendy, loved your lesson today! You are the most fun teacher to sit and listen to! We are so lucky for your wisdom that God so graciously opens up to you! I loved what dear Liz wrote yesterday: “today I smiled, smiled, smiled. It is all connected, what each of us learn...what bolds before our eyes and pops off the page into our hearts to share!” Each day I love reading the Word more with other believers! Thank you!
We have so much to learn from Job and from his friends-YES, Jan, what you said yesterday - I couldn’t agree more! Last year when we were reading Job, God showed me so much, and this year, he's showing me how much more I still have to learn! Yesterday after writing my post and going on my prayer walk (Michelle, I pray and walk my dog too.) God began to speak to me regarding our reading. I wanted to put my fingers in my ears like you mentioned Wendy! I didn't exactly want a lesson from him! Oh my gosh, through this experience with my mom, it's just not about my mom! He's using this to do some transforming in me too! Throughout the day, he spoke more and more. When I'd begin to want to climb in the pity-party and point the finger at my mom, he showed me differently! Aahh, as hard as I was trying to love, I was being just a tad bit like Job's friends! Oh my goodness, I've got a long way to go! He showed me that he does not necessarily want me to tell her what to do, but, to just love her, listen to her, and show compassion to her. I was trying to do that, along with a bit of preaching! :) He opened my eyes to see her as he does! The suffering and pain that she is in. My heart went out to her and my desire to love her came from God.
To think it all came about because I’m reading daily in the Bible, and we just happened to be reading Job-but, then again all things happen because God has allowed them to happen! I’m telling you, there’s something so sweet about reading His Word, daily, and walking in His Will. Clinging to him of course, in order to do it! The past 3 weeks he has just opened up the word L O V E to me in such a new way. And, all this time I thought I was a loving person! My, my, my-some more sin he’s revealing to me. No wonder it tells us to love, over and over again. Not to judge. Not to do things to be noticed. But, just out of pure and unconditional love. Because that is what Christ would do. Lord, fill me up to the brim with you!
I’m so sorry to take up all this space and not even answer the questions-oh, dear wendy, and it’s not even ‘open blog!’ I’m so off target today, but I feel as tho we are reading Job, just for my benefit! :) Finally, now the application: smile… “Through our trials, God’s grace can be manifested in us as a witness to the world of God’s power and grace.” - I can’t remember the author. Trial after trial we see our God give Job a deeper spiritual insight. His friends lacked compassion as well as spiritual insight, but, not Job, -“a man of complete integrity, [who] feared god and stayed away from evil,” (Job 1:1).
Enjoy today dear friends…relish over the pages of God’s precious Word. He’s inviting us to share himself with us in a new and deeper way! So, so glad to be on-board with each one of you! Hugs, Lori
PS Judi & Meredith-last year we had a list of husbands that we all prayed over. Maybe this weekend during open blog we can update the list to add on the new hubbies! And, yes, yes there is joy in the hope of knowing one day they will be saved, and/or will return to their faith. In the mean time we pray daily, and we allow our light to shine.
Good Morning all & happy Thursday, I just love how God is touching us all. His shows each of us what we need. To live for Him is a blessing which brings peace. PTL!! He is good!
1)heard in a new way; Job 11:2b 'Is a person proved innocent just by a lot talking?' Sometimes not saying anything is better then just using words for it's own sake. Just state the facts & only the facts. lol
2)did not know; Job 9:22b 'He destroys both the blameless & the wicked' I always thought that this type of scripture could be found in Ecclesiastes, no it is in Matthew 5:45 'for He gives His sunlight to both the evil & good, & sends rain on the just & on the unjust too.' I just love that God is for everyone.
3)nugget;Job 11:2b I am a talker & I am learning to listen.
Blessings & Peace Mary
Such good discussion here. Love it.
My take away too was the Mediator we now have, thank You Jesus.
In pondering why Job had to go thru such horrible trials I thought, why do we assume we are exempt from such things when Jesus, God's own Son, who did NOTHING wrong came and suffered even worse things than Job. Who am I?
I'm reading Wendy's suggested book "i am not but i know I AM" and loving it. It fits well with alot of the ideas in Job.
Morgen
Great reading and teaching! Let's be this today :)
Brandee
Good morning from very, very blustery So Cal. It's a good thing the rain wasn't so bad earlier that I did not need the umbrella or I could have done a very good Mary Poppins impersonation.
Wendy, everyday I now not only look forward to your teaching but also on where you are sitting that day. I laughed when I saw that treadmill. At least you're using it as intended by exercising and not just a clothes hanger.
Judi B, (((HUGS))) I know what you're going through. I have been where you are. My DH just recently got saved. Keep praying, God will get him eventually. Lifting you up in prayer.
Meredith - Praise God for your son's healing. Mine still had to do the inhaler yesterday. I'm hoping he'll be better today.
Lori - Praise God for the work He is doing through this study. Thank you for sharing your real life application.
1. Something new: Bildad's comment on Job 8:4 "Your children must have sinned against him, so their punishment was well deserved." Oh no he did NOT just say that, did he? What kind of a friend says that to someone who just lost ALL his children? And he's a friend, right? It just stirred my heart that I need to be really careful what I say around those I care about. Sometimes I get careless and blurt out whatever comes to mind without using the filter. Especially to those closest to me. While I pray that I am not to the extent of a Bildad, I detect something similar in my heart.
I like what Matthew Henry said: "It is true that we and our children have sinned against God, and we ought to justify him in all he brings upon us and ours; but extraordinary afflictions are not always the punishment of extraordinary sins, but sometimes the trial of extraordinary graces;..." Isn't that beautiful? Extraordinary graces.
Job's cry for a mediator was answered in the person of Jesus Christ. Thank you, God for sending Him to bridge the gap between a very Holy God and very sinful man. One of his friends Zophar said in Job 11:6b "God is punishing you far less than you deserve." In a way I agree with Him because man in our sinful state deserves eternal damnation. We do not deserve to be in front of God. Our righteousness is like filthy rags. That just makes Jesus' sacrifice all the more precious to me. He gave so much for me. He died for me, the least I could do is live for Him.
So many things to digest today.
Blessings of the day this good Thursday!
My heart is just so happy and full of joy this morning...you are all so, so full of fruit and light!
This morning I did something I rarely do, which is sleep past my normal wake up time. I actually don't wake to an alarm (a loud contraption with a snooze button one bats about and scolds). Instead, I have a chime set to go off at 5am. I am usually awake by then and if not, the chime is usually enough to rouse me from sleep.
At any rate, even though I was running late, I came straight to my desk to do my reading, then to log on here and share my time with all of you. I am so glad I did, for what a richness of blessing is here this morning! I so love what God is doing!!
I will be back later in the day to share what I have learned today from the lesson and from your comments, but I just had to pop in and praise God for this journey and for each one of you!
I pray God's richest blessing poured on you today,
Liz
Alaska
Wendy, I love that you are exercising and as Grace and Peace said not using the treadmill as a clothes hanger. We got a WII for Christmas and I am using Dance Dance Revolution to get my exercise as well as a couple of walking videos until the weather clears and I can get back outside.
And I am addicted to this Bible study. It didn't replace my chocolate addiction though. lol
Something Old: When we are losing hope, facing a crisis, we should stop and remember the times God has answered our prayers in the past. Job 8:8
Something New: Request for a Mediator, and now we have one in Jesus. PTL! Job 9:34
Something to do: Pray Job 11:13-19
Question/Wondering: Did Job know about the Accuser as we do? He seems to know there is sin and the need to offer sacrifices to God. Yet he seems to hold God responsible for all the good and bad things that happen without even considering the possibility of the accuser/adversary having a hand in it. I couldn't find anything in my research.
Don't know about all of you, but I think this weather has given people the grumpies. From me and my family to my place of work everyone is in a bad mood. So today I am praying that His grace will cause me to think His thoughts, feel what He feels, choose what He chooses. And bring times of refreshing that come from the presence of the Lord. Let me be a reflection of His Love and His Peace today.
I don't usually post as anonymous, but today, feel it is necessary. I have to say how blessed I've been by this study. In the last few weeks, I can hardly wait to put my girls to bed so I can rush down and do my reading and study time. I could tell God was filling my cup, and quickly. I knew in my heart, he was preparing me for something. Well, yesterday, the "something" was revealed. My family is part of a mission team in a forieign land. Last year, one of our families returned to the US. Yesterday, out of nowhere, a second family gave the news they, too, would be leaving the field. My husband and I are very close to this family and are crushed they are leaving. My heart and head are swirling with what lies ahead. I know, if I hadn't had these last few weeks of intense nourishment, I would be rendered immobile right now. Thanks you, Wendy, for this ministry. And thank you so everyone who participates here.
My nugget for today, was Job 11:13. I believe the Lord has been preparing my heart with His word. Now, I will lift my hands in prayer.
The same verses spoke to me today Wendy and others.
The nugget I gleaned from it came from a personal experince with depression.
I judge sometimes we get so caught up in our misery and dwelling on ourselves that God is just pushed to the back burner so to speak while we wallow in our pity and try to find a way out on our own. We simply just forget to go to God first!
In my experience with depression I was so fearful because I could not feel God's presence as I normally had. It truly bothered me. I would tell anyone I could about it.
Not feeling God's presence made me search for Him by talking to others about it and finally going to God's word and settling myself into Psalms and crying out to God (perhaps as Job did) in search of Him. I did find Him in Psalms and wrote down those verses that spoke to me. I read them every morning and every night and placed them all around me. I jounalled fast furiously crying out to Him for help from the pit I was in.
Then I heard this and the cloud began to lift: If you know for a fact there is a God and you have the faith to believe He is always there, even if you cannot feel Him, then there will always be HOPE. Fact * Faith * Feeling (I believe is an illustration used by Campus Crusade for Christ.
I also judge that if you can arise out of a pit of misery, whatever it may be, with God's help and finding the Hope we find in fact and faith, to see us through, to the light of hope at the end of the tunnel.
Giving God the glory...is a true testament to others of God's grace. In a way we can look at these trials and tribulations as training ground to help others through their similar trials. This is what I gleaned from vs. 18..."and many will look to you for help." How you ride out the storms of life can be a witness and testimony in itself to draw others to you.
I can't tell you how many times sharing my story has halped others share their stories with me.
Our God is an amazing God! I can't imagine forgetting Him or not ever getting to know Him!
In Job 2:10 Job replies to his wife," Should we accept only good things from the hand of God and never anything bad?
Sometimes I do think God stands back and allows things to happen as a natural consequence of our disobedience. Other times perhaps these things happen to capture our attention for His greater purpose. Still other times God will use the bad things for our good or the good of others. Just something things to Ponder.
Love from Debbie in Illinois
Hi!
Today's reading was hard for me to read. Sometimes it seems as if there's this voice in my head (I don't ACTUALLY hear voices - you know what I mean) whispering that it's all my fault that this rotten thing has happened, etc, etc, etc. At a recent Casting Crowns concert Mark Hall told the story behind their 'Voice of Truth' song, and it was so awesome to me - that's what we need, and that's what Job needed; to remember that God loves him and has a plan, a future for him, and that God doesn't go around mindlessly smiting people for the fun of it.
1. Job 10:1-12 Even though Job was complaining, he acknowledges God's power.
3. Job 11:3a "Should I remain silent while you babble on?" What an arrogant, thoughtless, insensitive friend! I want to be the exact opposite of this man and let me friends-in-distress know that I will listen without judgement or complaint.
I'm also all for the husband prayer list. This weekend??
Thanks for sharing, everyone! I'm learning so much from you.
A few verses stood out to me, and re-inforces the awesome, omniscient, and all-powerful God we serve.
Job 9:4 "For God is so wise and so mighty. Who has ever challenged him successfully?"
vs. 10: "He does great things too marvelous to understand. He performs countless miracles".
vs. 12b: "Who dares to ask, 'What are you doing?'"
vs. 14: "So who am I, that I should try to answer God or even reason with him? Even if I were right, I would have no defense. I could only plead for mercy."
He is God, we are not, we cannot possibly understand all His secrets and mysteries. By His grace alone do we take our breath, and by His mercy are able to stand before Him now through Jesus, His Son... thank you, Jesus.
Krista
Yikes, I bout died when I looked at the length of my post this morning! My fingers get the best of me at times! I'm having a late lunch today and am enjoying your comments!
Amy-yes, this weekend, we'll begin a list of "hubbies." There is much power in group praying! I'm anticipating one of them to get saved this year too, oh that would be so sweet! But, even sweeter is the thought that it will be God's perfect time-whenever that is. Patience, girls!
Debbie, thank you for sharing your story-my mom suffers from depression and I'm going to share what you wrote.
anonymous, my heart and prayers go out to you right now. We have a group from our church in Africa that I've felt led to pray for. Oh, that every country on the face of this good Earth will be able to boast in the name our LORD! Remember, the enemy is frantically opposing God's Will. May His Will be done on Earth as it is in Heaven.
Grace and Peace-I cracked up, because (ya know here in my neck of the woods we're lucky to get a rain, once a year...) well today WAS that day. I had my large umbrella-and with the wind going on,I almost did get lifted up! And, I was smiling thinking how fun that would be, just like Merry Poppins! And, I too love to see where dear Wendy will be sitting!
Love the comments re: our mediator! Job desperately wanted someone to stand in the gap between God and man. Aahh, our Lord Jesus Christ, our Mediator!
Blessings, Hugs, & Prayer's coming your way, Lori - AZ
Danielle - I questioned too about God "laughing at the death of the innocent"....but I found a good commentary on Job that made me understand better. This was Job's opionion that was stated; Job was suffering so and very frustrated so he was stating his personal feelings. Later on in Job we hear from God, and we see Job repent of the things he said earlier.
That helped me to understand the context of the comment.
Morgen
Wow-I am so blessed to have you all as my sisters! Thank you all for your sharing-I would like to share too!
1. "If only there was a mediator"-how great is our Lord to offer his Son up as early as Job as a sacrifice for me!? I am so unworthy of the love that God shows me every day.
2. V 13 The same happens to all who forget God-The HOPES of the godless evaporate (emphasis mine). Without hope, where would we be? 1 Corinthians 13:7-(love) hopes all things...
Psalm 38:15 I hope in Thee O Lord, You will answer , O Lord my God.
3. Without faith, what am I? Keep my belief and faith close.
I too would like to have the husband prayer list-how I 'hope' for all of our spouses to realize the Power and Love of my Lord and Savior!!!
Blessings tonight from WV,
Karla
Wow, I have to say I was at a bit of a loss as I read and journaled on my own, but listening to Wendy and reading ALL of your insightful words really filled me up. It is inspiring how excited we all are, that in this sort of context is new to me, and completely awesome.
These past two days' readings have been really uncomfortable for me, just the absolute hell Job is going through. And having to deal with his friends seeming insensitive and unsupportive as well, having to defend himself. I certainly didn't see this coming. Yeesh. But I was so focused on that, that I may have missed all the things you ladies have pointed out - so I am so thankful for this blog :) I like it being pointed out that we should look to how God has worked in the past, the proof positive that he hears and answers our prayers, that he performs straight-up miracles!
I think his friends do what most of us do, often times with other friends in faith - or at least I know I tend to be harsher and expect more from other Christians. And it comes across as being pious and proud. The sense of looking down, like, you must have done something to deserve this. Shameful! I will try to be more aware in the future, in all capacities, of how I come across. I too am guilty of spouting off, especially with those who know me well, just assuming that they love and accept me always, even when I am being insensitive and judgemental. wow.
I definitely need to keep my sight on God and even when I am suffering and want to ask him where he is and why he is allowing this to happen (because I don't believe he is a mean punisher of his beloved children), that I will be able to focus on what is wrong in my life and my walk and discern through his fatherly guidance and grace how to get right with Him, and trust that he will end my suffering once I have done so.
Thank you all for the stunning insights. They definitely keep me coming back. And praise God that he has brought me to this journey in the first place. I am a very blessed girl :)
Have a great night all!
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