November 30, 2014

Job 11:1 – 14:22

January 10, 2011

Scofield describes Zophar as "a religious dogmatist who assumes to know all about God; what God will do in any given case, why he will do it, and his thoughts about it. Of all forms of dogmatism this is most irreverent, and least open to reason."

Zophar starts in. He not only thinks Job is a hypocrite, he also thinks he is a liar. He, like the others, say much that is true. Job 11:11 - "God knows who is evil and when he sees evil, he takes note of it." But, Zophar was making the assumption that Job had done evil and therefore was being punished by God for doing so. The truth is Job was not being punished because he had done evil. Job 1 and 2 clearly explained the reasons for the "testing" Job was going through.

Job answers. Job 12:6 - "The tents of robbers are not bothered, and those who make God angry are safe. They have their god in their pocket."

David Jeremiah on 1/7/11 talked about the "mark" of a Christian, the "measure" of a Christian, and the "method" (I think) of a Christian. He was saying that God only prunes (method) someone who is already bearing fruit. You don't prune a grapevine that is dead and not producing fruit (their god is in their pocket); you instead prune the vines that are producing fruit so that they will produce even more. The test is: Are your producing fruit? And, are you producing more fruit today than you were earlier in your Christian walk? Sometimes pruning is confused with discipline.

Job continues. Job 12:13-16 - "But only God has wisdom and power, good advice and understanding. What he tears down cannot be rebuilt; anyone he puts in prison cannot be let out. (Psalm 140) If God holds back the waters, there is no rain; if he lets the waters go, they flood the land. He is strong and victorious; (Psalm 150) both the one who fools others and the one who is fooled belong to him."

Job 13:7 - "You should not speak evil in the name of God; you cannot speak God's truth by telling lies.

Job 13:15-16 - "Even if God kills me, I have hope in him; I will still defend my ways to his face. This is my salvation. The wicked cannot come before him." (Psalm 1)

Job 13:18-19 - "See, I have prepared my case, and I know I will be proved right. No one can accuse me of doing wrong. (Psalm 140)

Quotes from a sermon I heard.
  •  "Don't underestimate your enemy or overestimate yourself."
  •  "Following Jesus does not exempt you from hardships but prepares you for them."
  •  "Supernatural events are often marked by natural things."
  •  "When He calls you to follow Him He know where He is taking you."

Job 8:1 – 10:22

January 07, 2011

Scofield describes Bildad as "a religious dogmatist of the superficial kind, whose dogmatism rests upon tradition and upon proverbial wisdom and approved pious phrases... his platitudes are true enough, but then everyone knows them, nor do they shed any light on such a problem as Job's."

Bildad speaks. He thinks Job is a hypocrite. The things he says are true in a general sense but they don't fit Job's situation.

Job 8:13-15 - "That is what will happen to those who forget God; the hope of the wicked will be gone. What they hope in is easily broken; what they trust is like a spider's web. They lean on the spider's web, but it breaks. They grab it, but it does not hold up."

Job 8:22 - "Your enemies will be covered in shame, and the tents of the wicked will be gone."

Job answers Bildad. Job understood the relationship between

God
 Man.

He knew he was a sinner and that only God could save. He was not a hypocrite. He wasn't claiming perfection, but he also knew he had done nothing to cause the trouble he was having.

Job 9:4 - "God's wisdom is deep, and his power is great; no one can fight him without getting hurt." The NIV says "and come out unscathed."


Next Entry: Job 11:1 – 14:22

November 28, 2014

Job 4:1 – 7:21

January 6, 2011

Eliphaz speaks to Job. Scofield describes Eliphaz as "a religious dogmatist whose dogmatism rests upon a mysterious and remarkable experience. Did a spirit ever pass before Job's face? Did Job's hair of his flesh ever stand up? Then let him be meek while one so superior as Eliphaz declares the causes of his misfortunes. Eliphaz says many true things... but he remains hard and cruel, a dogmatist who must be heard..."

Job 4:7–12 - "Remember that the innocent will not die; honest people will never be destroyed. I have noticed that people who plow evil and plant trouble, harvest it. God's breath destroys them, and a blast of his anger kills them. *Lions may roar and growl, but when the teeth of a strong lion are broken, that lion dies of hunger. The cubs of the mother lion are scattered."

Job 5:12–16 - "He ruins the plans of those who trick others so they have no success. He catches the wise in their own clever traps and sweeps away the plans of those who try to trick others. Darkness covers them up in the daytime; even at noon they feel around in the dark. God saves the needy from their lies and from the harm done by powerful people. So the poor have hope, while those who are unfair are silenced."

Matthew 10:16–29 - "Listen, I am sending you out like sheep among wolves. So be as smart as snakes and as innocent as doves. Be careful of people, because they will arrest you and take you to court and whip you in their synagogues. Because of me, you will be taken to stand before governors and kings, and you will tell them and the non-Jewish people about me." 19 "When you are arrested, don't worry about what to say or how to say it. At that time you will be given the things to say. It will not really be you speaking but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you."

21 "Brothers will give their own brothers to be killed, and fathers will give their own children to be killed. Children will fight against their own parents and have them put to death. All people will hate you because you follow me, but those people who keep their faith until the end will be saved..." 26 "So don't be afraid of those people, because everything that is hidden will be shown. Everything that is secret will be made known. I tell you these things in the dark, but I want you to tell them in the light. What you hear whispered in your ear you should shout from the roof tops. Don't be afraid of people, who can kill the body but cannot kill the soul. The only one you should fear is the one who can destroy the soul and the body in hell. Two sparrows cost only a penny, but not even one of them can die without your Father's knowing it. God even knows how many hairs are on your head. So don't be afraid. You are worth much more than many sparrows... 29 A person's enemies will be members of his own family (Micah 7:6)....whoever is not willing to carry the cross and follow me is not worthy of me. Those who try to hold on to their lives will give up true life. Those who give up their lives for me will hold onto true life."

Addendum: 11/28/14 ~ I purposely left the next page in my hand-written journal entirely blank because there was so much I wanted to say but because my earlier journal entries were caught up in "the storm" I didn't feel comfortable writing out my thoughts about the significance of this passage and what it meant to us. I put an asterisk by the area I wanted to say more about. Here is a portion of what I wanted to say earlier.

*When faced with difficult circumstances you sometimes need to make equally difficult decisions. This was one of those times. The decision we had to make was gut-wrenching, and we knew the ramifications we could face would be equivalent to putting our heads "into the mouth of the lion."

Within days of making that gut-wrenching decision to "put our head into the mouth of the lion," I read these words: "Lions may roar and growl, but when the teeth of a strong lion are broken, that lion dies of hunger." To even write that now—years later—it brings tears to my eyes. I don't think I can ever accurately convey the courage it took to make the difficult decision or how encouraging it was to read those words at the exact time we needed to hear them—while reading in Job of all places.

Throughout this whole journey God has provided encouragement and wisdom at every turn. We watched this verse literally happen just a few weeks later. The teeth of the strong lion were broken.

The Life Lesson Exploration verses were also very pertinent and encouraging. All of these totally unexpected assurances and promises came while I was reading in Job. Our Lord is bigger than the giants in our lives. We can trust Him to protect us from "the storm." Praise God!!

Addendum #2: 12/28/14 ~ What jumped off the page this time was the statement, "I tell you these things in the dark, but I want you to tell them in the light. What you have whispered in your ear you should shout from the roof tops."   

"I tell you these things in the dark..."
When you are following HIS lead on paths unknown, you are literally "in the dark." You don't know where the path leads, you don't know the length of the journey, and you don't know the plans for the journey. But HE is there! And HE is leading, HE is supplying all your needs, and HE has a plan. As you step out in faith and follow HIS lead, HE provides a "lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path"—and that is enough. 

"...but I want you to tell them in the light."
Share what you have learned. Tell them that as you step out in obedience and learn to trust HIS lead, the light HE provides for each step truly is enough. No matter where the path leads. Tell the story! Tell HIS STORY!! 

"What you have whispered in your ear..."
You are not alone. I have sent my Holy Spirit to be with you. HE will guide you. HE will lead you on the path I have chosen for you. Come to me. Surrender. Seek my wisdom. LISTEN! My still small voice will speak directly to you. I will show and tell you things that human minds cannot comprehend. Whether you go to the left or to the right, I will be behind you and say walk this way. (Isaiah 30) Listen for my voice!

"...you should shout from the roof tops."
TELL MY (HIS) STORY!! Tell others what I have shown you and what you have learned. Don't keep it to yourself. TELL MY STORY. You are the mouth piece for what I have taught you. Tell others of my love; my protection; my amazing grace; my guiding hand; my provisions. Tell them also that I am a God of justice and I judge fairly. Tell them accountability happens. Tell them that when they humble themselves and turn from their evil ways, and seek my face, THEN I will hear them and I will forgive. TELL MY STORY! Shout it from the roof tops.

Shout it from the roof tops! You can't get it any more public than that. I believe God is confirming what He has been telling us in the dark and whispering in our ears. This journal, (which is our story and my journey through HIS word), and our encounter with Jane, (the story of HIS amazing faithfulness) is HIS STORY and it is to be shouted from the roof tops and made public.

LORD, I will tell YOUR story. 


Next Entry: Job 8:1 – 10:22

November 27, 2014

Job 3:1–26

January 5, 2011

Eliphaz, Bildad, and Zophar heard about Job's troubles and they come to meet Job to show their concern and comfort him. They couldn't even recognize Job. They sat with Job for seven days and seven nights without saying a word because of how much he was suffering. After seven days Job spoke. He cried out and cursed the day he was born.

Job was unbearably miserable. He wished he would have never been born. He wanted to die. He wanted the pain to end. But in all his pain and misery Job did not curse God. "No matter how powerfully troubles crush, God's hold is more powerful."

One statement Job makes surprises me. Job 3:25-26 - "Everything I feared and dreaded has happened to me. I have no peace or quietness. I have no rest, only trouble." Job 1 - says Job was an honest, upright man who honored God and did what he knew was right. I would not have expected him to be fearful. Yet, here it says he feared pain and loss. Interesting that what he was fearful of is exactly what Satan used to attempt to get him to curse God. Thankfully, his love, devotion, and commitment to God was stronger than his fear of pain, and Job remained faithful and did not curse God.

Addendum: 12/27/14 ~  II Corinthians 4:16-17: "Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary (!) troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal."


Next Entry: Job 4:1 – 7:21

Job 1:1 – 2:13 (Continued)

January 4, 2011

The angels come to show themselves to the LORD—again. Satan shows up—again. God questions him—again. God says have you noticed Job? He is honest and innocent. He has integrity. He honors God. He stays away from evil. "You (Satan) caused me to ruin him for no good reason, but he continues to be without blame." Satan answers, Yeah, I saw him... but... one skin for another. You didn't let me touch his body. Hurt his body and we'll see what he does. He'll curse you then.

So, God allowed Satan to put painful sores all over Job's body. Job was in utter misery from head to toe. Unimaginable suffering. He was unrecognizable. His wife tells him to curse God and die. Job answers, "...should we take only good things from God and not trouble?"

In spite of all of this Job did not sin. God is God. He knows what He is doing.
"When you can't trace his hand, trust his heart." Max Lucado
Jane's (Her Name Was Jane) KJV describes what happened to Job as being in Satan's sieve. Wealth—gone. Family—gone. Satan's "theory" was that Job was good because he was prosperous. It may have been Satan's sieve, but it is God who is in control.

Addendum:  12/27/14 ~
"The struggles that you're going through now—don't discard them. Listen to God as he teaches you so that you can teach others. You see, a time of suffering teaches us something we never knew before and may prepare us for a time of counsel that we will give someone years from now. God is with you. God is with you! The same God that guided his Son through death and back to life said he will never leave us or forsake us. He is right there with you, perhaps even more in times of crisis than any other time." ~ From Suffering in The Inspirational Bible.

Next Entry: Job 3:1–26

Job 1:1 – 2:13

January 3, 2011

Job. An honest, upright man. He honored God; did what he knew to be right; and stayed away from evil. Yet he suffered incredible pain and loss.

Two different times (Job 1:6 and Job 2:1), the angels came to show themselves before the LORD. Satan showed up both times. He had no business being there, I'm sure it was just so he could be in God's face as an affront. God asked him where he came from (as if He didn't already know) and Satan replies that he has been roaming the earth. Because of the fall of Adam and Eve, Satan thought he was the "winner" in the "contest" between him and God. And, for a time he has been allowed to be in control of the earth. The key words here are allowed and for a time.

God asks Satan, "Have you seen my servant Job?" Satan of course thinks Job is only righteous because everything has went well in his life... let him be confronted with trouble and then see if he remains righteous. So, God allowed Satan to test Job. God's only restriction was that Satan not touch Job himself.

The attacks were severe and relentless. First Job is told that his oxen (five hundred teams), and his donkeys (five hundred female), were attacked and carried away. The servants with them were all killed except the servant who carried the message to Job. While the messenger was still talking another one came to report that the sheep (seven thousand), had all been destroyed by "lightning from God" and the servants with them killed except for the messenger. While he was speaking another servant arrived and reported that Job's camels (three thousand), had been stolen and the servants with them killed and he was the only one left. While he was still speaking another messenger arrived and said ALL of Job's sons and daughters were killed when a storm came out of the desert.

Attacks. Relentless. Extreme. Everything Job owned—gone. His children—gone. And, what did Job do? He got up, shaved his head, tore his clothes to show how sad he was, and  THEN he bowed down to the ground to worship God!!
"I was naked when I was born, and I will be naked when I die. The LORD gave these things to me, and he has taken them away. Praise the name of the LORD."
"In all this Job did not sin or blame God."

Addendum:  11/27/14 ~ "Satan does things "to" you. God allows things "for" you." (A quote I once read on a church sign and wrote in the margins of my Bible.) 


Next Entry: Job 1:1 – 2:13 (Continued)

November 25, 2014

I Didn't Know—BUT GOD DID!!

November 25, 2014

I didn't know—
I thought I was just going to a nursing home to clear my mind of the vicious accusations and hurt caused by the betrayal of loved ones. I didn't know I was walking into a God-ordained divine appointment which was part of a Master Plan HE had been weaving together for years. Even in my wildest imagination, I could have never imagined what God had in store for Jane (Her Name Was Jane) or myself.

As more and more people heard the miraculous story of Jane, their response was always the same; this needs to be told. I would nod and think to myself, "That's what I am doing... I'm telling you." But in my heart, I knew I was to do more. I knew I was to somehow tell HIS STORY, but I didn't know what that meant. I felt totally incompetent and unqualified. But I knew this wasn't about me or my abilities—it was HIS STORY. What He needed from me was my availability. Who am I to refuse to tell HIS STORY, or decide I am incapable of it?

It was a long, difficult process of acceptance. I hid behind the word "IF" for a very long time. IF—there is to be a book. IF—I am supposed to write something. IF ... IF ... IF. Most people will never know the amount of courage it took for me to quit hiding behind that word and to finally take the step of faith and admit what I knew was the truth. It was not IF—it was WHEN. It was more than just a fear of inadequacy. It was also a fear of being viewed as arrogant and presumptuous. What would people think? Who does she think she is? What does she know about writing a book? 

I didn't know meeting Jane E. Wolfe was a divine appointment orchestrated by God or that HE would later want me to tell HIS STORY—BUT GOD DID!

I didn't know—
A new realization is slowly sinking in, and it has literally brought me to my knees. The time for "The Book" is now? What?!? I knew I was supposed to someday tell HIS STORY, and I knew when it was time God would show me what to do, but it wasn't something I spent time thinking about or even wondering about. I didn't know when it was supposed to happen. I just thought when it was supposed to happen, it would happen. To be truthful, I was glad it was still somewhere out there in the future and not something I had to deal with yet. Besides, "the storm" wasn't over yet. Surely I had to wait until "the storm" was over to tell HIS STORY.

I didn't know it was time for HIS STORY—BUT GOD DID!

I didn't know—
This is it. My journal and this blog is what God wants me to do. I had NO idea this was the direction God was going to lead me to. It was five years ago when I knew I was to start a journal of my journey through HIS WORD. I'd never kept a journal before. Me, who always thought it would be neat to journal had never been able to follow through with any kind of commitment. How many journals do I have stored away with about two entries in them? But this time I knew I was to begin and there was never a doubt in my mind that I would finish.

I read the Bible through multiple times during the first years of "the storm." I had many dates and notations written throughout the margins of HIS WORD. In order to tell HIS STORY, I knew I would have to somehow organize all of my notations. So my journey of keeping a journal began. I thought my writings were just a private written record of God's faithfulness to leave my children and grandchildren. It took me five years to complete my journey of reading through the Bible while keeping a written record of everything I was learning and recording the events surrounding "the storm" in my journals.

I didn't know HIS STORY was already written—BUT GOD DID!  

I didn't know—
One year after I began my journey of keeping a personal journal while reading through the Bible, my worst nightmare happened. My personal writings got caught up in "the storm" and I had to send my private journals to the very people who were seeking our destruction. I felt shell-shocked at the violation of my privacy and I lost confidence in my private thoughts remaining private. For several weeks I quit writing. When I began writing again I started where I was reading at that time. I didn't know The Lost Chapters were saved for such a time as this so the very end of my journey through the Bible would be the fulfillment of Jane's last God-given message of restoration.

I didn't know it was part of God's plan for HIS STORY—BUT GOD DID!

I didn't know—
We don't know what we don't know. I didn't know God had plans for my journals. I thought I was just being obedient and following God's lead. That is what it takes. Obedience, and following. It really is that simple. We all have a choice to make. We can choose to make and follow our own paths—or we can choose to follow HIM on His footpath. We can choose to be angry—or we can choose to forgive. We can choose to live in fear—or we can choose to believe and trust. We can choose to serve our own selfish pride—or we can choose to obey HIS word.

Our decision has been made. We choose to follow. We choose to forgive. We choose to believe. We choose obedience. We choose to surrender ALL. And in the process, God has blessed our lives beyond measure. What was meant for our harm HE has used for our good.

I didn't know our story was going to become HIS STORY—BUT GOD DID!!

HIS STORY is woven throughout my entire journals. I stand amazed. Who are we, LORD? "What is man that you are mindful of him?" (Psalm 8) Why would you choose to show yourself to us? We are just simple, ordinary people who have chosen to believe in and serve an extra-ordinary God. This isn't what I expected LORD, but I will tell about YOUR faithfulness. I will tell YOUR Story.

HE took us to our knees so we could rise with HIM. Praise HIS Holy Name.   

November 24, 2014

The LORD Answers!

Today is November 11th, 2014. It's been about two and one half weeks since I first wrote LORD – What Am I to Do?  I'm continuing to read back through my journal/blog entries and adding the new labels. Today I am reading in the middle of II Kings and I came across my September 2010 journal entry titled "The Book." 

I didn't recall any of the specifics and I'm thinking to myself, Hmm... I wonder what it says? How does what I wrote in September 2010 fit with all the questions I have now in October 2014?

I start to read the entry–
"Unless God shows me differently, I believe I know what He wants the book to be titled:
Walking By Faith:
A True Story of God's Faithfulness

I then go on to say–
After Jane (Her Name Was Jane) died, I was given several boxes of her personal belongings to look through. I instantly loved one of the pictures of Jane. I think Jane's adopted sister found it odd that of all the pictures to choose from, the one I was instantly drawn to only shows Jane's back.
The picture* is of Jane walking away from the viewer—following a path. To me it represents Jane following God on His path for her life, and God using Jane to lead us as we follow His path for our lives. I believe the picture is to be part of The Book and the title of The Book is to be: "Walking By Faith."
LORD, please continue to give me wisdom and direction. May every word on every page be Your words and may You receive the honor and glory." 
I have known for some time now that I am supposed to share HIS Story of HIS faithfulness. Not knowing any specifics, I have always just generically referred to it as "The Book." What I have not known is the how, when, or even what it was supposed to be. God would periodically give me a glimpse of what He wants done and where He is leading. Obviously, when I wrote my earlier journal entry, God was beginning to show me what He wanted "The Book" to be called. But I still didn't have any idea of the how, when, or what.

Then, "LORD – What Am I to Do?" happened.

While questioning, wondering, crying out, and asking God what it is HE wants me to do with my journals and this blog, one thought kept coming to my mind. How would my journal writings make any sense without FIRST having the story of Jane and God's faithfulness told in a separate, concise, and unconvoluted way? The story of how God used Jane to bless our lives while navigating "the storm" is woven throughout my journals. But if my personal journals are to be made public, how would someone ever be able to understand and fully grasp the meaning of what God has done when it is told in such a woven way? My journals are the result of God's faithfulness. Doesn't the story of His faithfulness need to be told first?

My question has been: LORD – What Am I to Do? Today, just a little over two weeks since I began asking that question, I am reading what I wrote in my journal four years ago, and it suddenly became very clear. There was no audible voice but the feeling was just as clear. Start a second and separate blog, and use the title you were given four years ago. Hmm... I wonder if that title is available on Blogger. What would be the chances of that? So, I checked, and guess what? IT IS!! I now have it reserved.

The story of Jane and God's faithfulness can be told in a separate and clear way—FIRST. Jane's autobiography and other writings I found while going through the box of her personal belongings I was given after her death (and I have always felt should be part of whatever "The Book" turned out to be), can now be used. The picture and Jane's life verse can be used. There can be a link to The World Missionary Press if someone would like more information about the organization that gave so freely to Jane and was a passion of her heart. There can also be a link to this blog where I wrote (long before I could have ever imagined God's plans for my personal journals) about my desire to have "...every word on every page be Your words and may You receive the honor and glory," would actually happen because my journals chronicle my journey of reading through HIS WORD while writing the thoughts HE gave me! How cool is that?!

When you inquire of the LORD, He answers. I stand amazed. Slowly (but surely) HE is revealing what HE wants done. The question as to why I was once again put into a "paused" mode and sent back to read my earlier entries has been answered. When will the blogs be made public?  I don't know. What I know is this: HE is leading, and I will follow.
  
*****

When I went to Blogger to see if the title I wrote in 2010 was available, I typed in the title, "Walking by Faith: A True Story of God's Faithfulness" and I was shocked to see it was available. Oh me of little faith. Then I needed to select a web address. The first web address I tried was WalkingByFaith. It was not available. So then I tried: ATrueStoryofGodsFaithfulness. It was available, and again I was shocked. When am I going to learn?

As I typed the web address in, the first two letters jumped out at me—and I had to smile. Does God have a sense of humor or what? ATrueStoryofGodsFaithfulness. AT—the acronym for the Appalachian Trail—the path God used to link Jane and I together and the path He used to teach us so much. How fitting that "A True Story of God's Faithfulness" is what was available when that is what this journey is ALL about—God's Faithfulness.

When we are willing to walk the path by faith following HIS lead—HE IS FAITHFUL!

*Jane walking down a stone path at Mt Gretna, Pennsylvania. 


Psalm 32:8 ~ I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go. I will counsel you and watch over you.


Next Entry: I Didn't Know—BUT GOD DID!!

November 6, 2014

Time Is of NO Importance!

11/06/14 ~ I am still reviewing and adding the new labels to my old posts. Today as I was reading and reviewing I Kings 15:1 – 16:34, one of my "Big Thoughts" just really resonated with me.  
God's promises are true. When He says "I will" it is fact. Time is of no importance. When God says it—it WILL happen.   
Wow. I've written many, many, times about how God's promises are true and that when He says, "I will" it is past tense and the same as written in stone. I believe that with every fiber of my being. But what literally jumped off the page at me as I was reading this time was the phrase:

Time is of NO importance!

It does not matter that "the storm" is not yet over. His promises ARE just that—promises.

It does not matter what the timeline is until His promises are fulfilled. It may be a day, a month, or it may be many of years.

It does not matter! Oh, what peace it brings when you finally understand this Truth!

Time is of NO importance!

Seven years have passed since the lawsuit and "the storm" began. The passage of time does NOT diminish or change His promises. What matters is that we remain faithful and that we wait patiently for HIS plans to unfold. There is such peace, joy, and comfort in knowing that God is in control and that His faithfulness does not waver. The waiting becomes insignificant because time is of NO importance!

It's all about the journey!

Obviously, God put me in a paused mode for a reason. He sent me back to read through my journals again because He is still teaching me, showing me who HE is, and preparing me for my next step. It is just so humbling to watch and experience God's Hand at work in our lives. My heart just overflows because of His grace and His goodness. I am so grateful for His Spirit's presence and leading in our lives. Time is of NO importance!

It's all about the journey!!


It does not matter how long "the storm" lasts. There is JOY in the journey.
    

Next Entry: The LORD Answers!