Job

9His wife said to him, “Are you still maintaining your integrity? Curse God and die!”

10He replied, “You are talking like a foolish^b woman. Shall we accept good from God, and not trouble?”

In all this, Job did not sin in what he said.(Job 2:9,10)

But he knows the way that I take; when he has tested me, I will come forth as gold. (Job 23:10)

Thoughts: Job was a faithful listener.  He listened in the midst of his suffering.  He did not stop believing.  His wife wanted him to curse God and die.  But It was his faith that gave him a reason to hang on.
He saw his trials as a test of his faith.  He thought that sucha  test was burning away the impurities as a furnace burns away the ore from the gold.
It takes true faith to be able to keep the faith in the midst of the hard times of life.  But Job not only endured and persevered, he listened.  

Prayer: Lord, help me to come forth as gold for you.  Help me to be a faithful listener in the midst of the sufferings.  

Ezekiel's Listening

We had been going through the witness of different people before the flood hit last October.  We left off with Jeremiah (whom we also talked about last week).  So we will continue the series but this time the emphasis will not be on their witnessing as much as their "faithful listening" or obedience.

EZEKIEL'S FAITHFUL LISTENING:
3He said: “Son of man, I am sending you to the Israelites, to a rebellious nation that has rebelled against me; they and their ancestors have been in revolt against me to this very day. 4The people to whom I am sending you are obstinate and stubborn. Say to them, ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says.’ 5And whether they listen or fail to listen—for they are a rebellious people—they will know that a prophet has been among them. 6And you, son of man, do not be afraid of them or their words. Do not be afraid, though briers and thorns are all around you and you live among scorpions. Do not be afraid of what they say or be terrified by them, though they are a rebellious people. 7You must speak my words to them, whether they listen or fail to listen, for they are rebellious. 8But you, son of man, listen to what I say to you. Do not rebel like that rebellious people; open your mouth and eat what I give you.” (Ezekiel 2)

Thoughts: The amazing thing here is the faithful listening of Ezekiel.  He lived in exile with many other Israelites.  The people of Babylon did not believe in the Lord.  The Israelites were in rebellion against the way of the Lord.  In the midst of the skepticism and rebellion Ezekiel was called to listen and be faithful- a very hard thing to do.  He was called to listen if no one else did, and to speak God's Word even if no one else wanted to hear.  Ezekiel was faithful.  He laid on his side as a symbol of Jerusalem for 390 days and then turn over for forty days. This was very difficult.  Ezekiel did what God asked him to do even if was difficult and did not make much sense.  Ezekiel was told by God he was like a watchman warning the people of spiritual danger coming.  His task was to warn them whether they listened or not.  

Prayer: lord, though everyone else is not faithful to you, help me to be faithful.  Let me have a vision for being true to you.  

1-6-16 Epiphany

9At that time Jesus came from Nazareth in Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan. 10Just as Jesus was coming up out of the water, he saw heaven being torn open and the Spirit descending on him like a dove. 11And a voice came from heaven: “You are my Son, whom I love; with you I am well pleased.”

12At once the Spirit sent him out into the wilderness, 13and he was in the wilderness forty days, being tempted^g by Satan. He was with the wild animals, and angels attended him.

14After John was put in prison, Jesus went into Galilee, proclaiming the good news of God. 15“The time has come,” he said. “The kingdom of God has come near. Repent and believe the good news!” (Mark 1)

Thoughts: Epiphany is about the Lord manifesting Himself in Jesus. John the Baptist gave Him the perfect setting of repentance and cleaning up.  Jesus began to fully show Himself at His baptism by John.  God clearly marked Him with a voice saying that He was His Son and loved.  In His baptism, Jesus was blessed for setting us an example of humility (before John) and obedience (setting us an example).   These two things: love for God and His people shown in humility and example would drive the ministry of Jesus.
     The Spirit would humble Him more by allowing Him to be in a lonely place facing temptation and danger.  Yet Jesus was not afraid, nor was He alone.  In our wildernesses- our problems and temptations we may feel forsaken by God and alone- but truth is we are never alone.  God always sees us and attends us in unseen but important ways.
      Jesus again set a bold example in coming out with the Good News.  The Good News is that God has come- the time had come- the King had come.  And the kingdom was getting closer.  In the presence of God's acting and of the King who had come we are all called to repent and believe.
      Today this is still our task and calling: repent and believe.  Or quit disobeying and doubting.  Epiphany is simply a historical reminder.  We are reminded God shows Himself to each of us- and we dare not take him lightly.  It is time for us to get serious about God.  Look at things in your life that draw you away from God and give those things and ways up.  Stop the skepticism.  Start believing. 

Prayer: Lord, you have shown yourself.  You show yourself to me in so many ways.  Help me to repent and believe in response to your presence in my life.
       

1/5/16 Moses starts to Listen

1Now Moses was tending the flock of Jethro his father-in-law, the priest of Midian, and he led the flock to the far side of the wilderness and came to Horeb, the mountain of God.2There the angel of the Lord appeared to him in flames of fire from within a bush. Moses saw that though the bush was on fire it did not burn up. 3So Moses thought, “I will go over and see this strange sight—why the bush does not burn up.”

4When the Lord saw that he had gone over to look, God called to him from within the bush, “Moses! Moses!”

And Moses said, “Here I am.”

5“Do not come any closer,” God said. “Take off your sandals, for the place where you are standing is holy ground.” 6Then he said, “I am the God of your father,^a the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob.” At this, Moses hid his face, because he was afraid to look at God.

7The Lord said, “I have indeed seen the misery of my people in Egypt. I have heard them crying out because of their slave drivers, and I am concerned about their suffering. 8So I have come down to rescue them from the hand of the Egyptians and to bring them up out of that land into a good and spacious land, a land flowing with milk and honey—the home of the Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites, Perizzites, Hivites and Jebusites. 9And now the cry of the Israelites has reached me, and I have seen the way the Egyptians are oppressing them. 10So now, go. I am sending you to Pharaoh to bring my people the Israelites out of Egypt.”

11But Moses said to God, “Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh and bring the Israelites out of Egypt?”

12And God said, “I will be with you. And this will be the sign to you that it is I who have sent you: When you have brought the people out of Egypt, you^b will worship God on this mountain.” (Exodus 3)

Thoughts: God began to get Moses' attention.  At first he used a burning bush that would not burn up, but talked up.  The Bush was saying his name.  God was speaking through the bush telling him to go and set the people free. Before Moses could "go down" and tell Pharaoh to set his people free, he had to listen.  He was in the wilderness 40 years preparing for this listening moment.
     God wants us too to listen.  Hopefully it will not take a burning bush or forty years of wilderness.  God does want us to listen to His voice and His call upon our lives.  God wants everyone, without exception, to listen to Him.   

Prayer: Help me to listen to you, O Lord, and give myself to you.  Open my ears and my heart. 

1-4-16 Jeremiah's Call

4The word of the Lord came to me, saying,

5“Before I formed you in the womb I knew^a you,

before you were born I set you apart;

I appointed you as a prophet to the nations.”

6“Alas, Sovereign Lord,” I said, “I do not know how to speak; I am too young.”

7But the Lord said to me, “Do not say, ‘I am too young.’ You must go to everyone I send you to and say whatever I command you. 8Do not be afraid of them, for I am with you and will rescue you,” declares the Lord.

9Then the Lord reached out his hand and touched my mouth and said to me, “I have put my words in your mouth. 10See, today I appoint you over nations and kingdoms to uproot and tear down, to destroy and overthrow, to build and to plant.” (Jeremiah 1:4-9)

Thoughts: It is too easy to say that Jeremiah was a special person and we can learn nothing from this call.  I believe we can learn many things that apply to us. 

1) God knows us before we were ever born.  He has a plan and we are a part of it.
      2) God cares about his people, but also "the nations."  God cares.
      3) When God calls, He doesn't care how strong/weak, young/old we are.  He can equip us, and often does despite our weakness.
       4) Our call is to do the Lord's bidding upon our lives (vs. 7).  We do not simply do what is comfortable.
       5) We do not need to be afraid of those who oppose God and thus oppose us.  In the end, we are called to do God's good wishes (as good) and respect His greater (greatest) power.
        6) Sometimes God's plan (vs 6) is to tear down so that things can be planted again.  There is a time when reformation will not work- and only transformation will work.  

God often uses young people, in their enthusiasm and energy, to make a difference in the life of the world and the church.  It is a mistake to think that young people can only be controlled by their hormones and that they cannot be a force for good and for God.  A single young person, on fire for God, answering God's call, can make a huge difference. 

Prayer: Lord, do it again.  Raise up young people to answer your call and do your work.  But Lord, raise me up to play a role in your work as well.  

1-3-16- Faithful Listening

1The boy Samuel ministered before the Lord under Eli. In those days the word of the Lord was rare; there were not many visions.

2One night Eli, whose eyes were becoming so weak that he could barely see, was lying down in his usual place. 3The lamp of God had not yet gone out, and Samuel was lying down in the house of the Lord, where the ark of God was. 4Then the Lord called Samuel.

Samuel answered, “Here I am.” 5And he ran to Eli and said, “Here I am; you called me.”

But Eli said, “I did not call; go back and lie down.” So he went and lay down.

6Again the Lord called, “Samuel!” And Samuel got up and went to Eli and said, “Here I am; you called me.”

“My son,” Eli said, “I did not call; go back and lie down.”

7Now Samuel did not yet know the Lord: The word of the Lord had not yet been revealed to him.

8A third time the Lord called, “Samuel!” And Samuel got up and went to Eli and said, “Here I am; you called me.”

Then Eli realized that the Lord was calling the boy. 9So Eli told Samuel, “Go and lie down, and if he calls you, say, ‘Speak, Lord, for your servant is listening.’ ” So Samuel went and lay down in his place.

10The Lord came and stood there, calling as at the other times, “Samuel! Samuel!”

Then Samuel said, “Speak, for your servant is listening.” (1 Samuel 3:1-10)

Thoughts: Eli, the high priest, had sons who were priests but who forced the people to give them more and more.  God said that he would "raise up a faithful priest who would do according to what is in my heart and mind."  In other words, a priest who would listen and be faithful to what he heard.   It was no accident that God spoke to Samuel audibly and that Eli knew about it.  God was trying to teach Samuel to be a faithful listener.  He wants us to do the same thing.  God doesn't have to speak audibly to get us to be faithful listeners.  He has spoken in His Word.
     Samuel's correct response to God's call was "speak Lord, for your servant is listening."  We would do well to memorize this.  Be in a listening position for God in your life.  Listen to His voice so that we might be faithful to Him and to what we hear.  God is not silent.  He speaks- sometimes through the Word.  When we are listening we are placing our selves on God's frequency.  Samuel said God should speak because he was listening.  But Samuel also added that he was God's servant- ready to do what God told him he should do.  It does no good to hear the voice of God or an angel if we are not willing to respond.  Mary also said to the angel, "I am the Lord's servant.  May it be to me as you have said."  Faithful listening means being willing to do God's will.  

Thoughts: Lord, speak so that we might listen and be faithful to you.

1-2-15- Finding Your Start

"Everything, absolutely everything...got started in Him and finds its purpose in Him."  Colossians 1:16 MSG

Thoughts: So.... as Home Depot says in its famous ads- "Let's get started."  Getting started is the hardest part.  The reason we all know the phrase, "The longest journey begins with the first step" is that we procrastinate getting started.
       But ready or not, we start a new year.  It comes to us.  The question is, will we live our lives with purpose, with integrity, with direction- and get started- or will we just vegetate through the year- exist with no direction.
       I got a new- fangled toy for Christmas: a flashlight.  But it is no ordinary flashlight.  It has a radio built into it and a tripod. For a few nights I wanted to use it, but didn't know how to open it up and put the batteries in it.  It didn't have any directions,and I pulled and twisted it every way I could. I lost my patience and got frustrated.  How hard could it be?  I tried to google it, but the manufacturer's name wasn't on it, and "tripod radio flashlight" did not come up with my needed results.  I had to go hunt down the box that I threw away and find out how to put the batteries in it and how to operate it.  Good news- found the box and directions and the flashlight shines- its purpose is fulfilled and I can see better.
       How do we get our lives started in the right direction- and with direction?  We look to the Maker- our Maker.  We look for directions.  For millions, the Bible has given proven directions.  Do not simply look for directions from within.  Do not simply look for directions from someone who can lead you down a temporary path that will dead end.  The grass withers and the flowers fade, but the Word of God endures forever.
      We got our original start from the starter- the manufacturer.  But we also need to know how to have energy and direction to know what we should be doing and how we can do it.  Millions wander in their lives, not knowing who they are or why they are here.  If they had a sense of direction and purpose they could find their start for their longest journey.  Look to the starter.

Prayer: Before I was born, you started things.  Before I was born you knew me and had a plan for me. Give me the grace to look to you for my strength, my purpose and my hope.