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
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
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