Job 13

 Job asks his friends in verse 9 if they could deceive God if He examined them. Job is pointing out that though his friends are good at saying how he must be disobeying God that they couldn't stand before God any better. We will see later in the book that this is true. God will examine them and find them wanting. For me, it is a reminder that instead of criticizing others we should focus more on our own lives. Complaining and pointing out how others fail will not erase our sins. It is only when we go to God and let Him examine us can we be made pure. 

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Luke 17

Luke 17:1-4 warns that temptations to sin will come. Things that cause people to fall are bound to take place. However, Jesus makes it clear that we need to be on guard not to be the people that cause this to happen. We shouldn't do things that will draw people to sin, hold on to bitterness, or participate in something wrong. In fact, if we are involved in these things then according to Jesus it may be better to drown yourself. I don't believe that Jesus wants us to commit suicide, what he wants is for us not to be involved in these activities or to repent if we have. 

Along with this warning that the opportunity to sin will come, Jesus also says that we need to help our brothers (and sisters) in Christ who are caught in sin. This includes if he sins against you. "That church did me wrong" may be an accurate saying but the question you need to ask yourself is have you forgiven them? There are sometimes good reasons to move away from a group of people who are in a church to protect yourself from their immaturity (or maybe their hypocrisy) but there is never an excuse to hold on to hard feelings. To quit going to church altogether is like saying a restaurant served you bad food so you will never go out to eat. It's like saying, Walmart did me wrong so I won't shop anywhere again! Jesus warned that things were going to happen. He warned people who did them would be in trouble. He also said when your brother (or sister) in Christ does something to forgive, again and again. 

It would be easy to look at this scripture and say, yes so and so, or that church should listen. However, Scripture isn't there for us to sit in judgment of others, but to have it judge our own hearts. What does this Scripture say to you?

Luke 17:1-4 NIV Jesus said to his disciples: “Things that cause people to stumble are bound to come, but woe to anyone through whom they come. It would be better for them to be thrown into the sea with a millstone tied around their neck than to cause one of these little ones to stumble. So watch yourselves. “If your brother or sister sins against you, rebuke them; and if they repent, forgive them. Even if they sin against you seven times in a day and seven times come back to you saying ‘I repent,’ you must forgive them.”

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Psalm 14

 

The fool has denied God, but according to this Scripture, everyone is messed up. No one is really good. So what hope do we have? Verse seven lays it out, "Oh, that salvation for Israel would come out of Zion! When the Lord restores his people, let Jacob rejoice and Israel be glad." What can make things better? When God restores his people. 

The children of Israel thought that this was when God would put a king on the throne and restore their earthly kingdom. However, the salvation that mankind needs isn't an earthly kingdom but the kingdom that Jesus came to establish in the hearts of men. The good news for us is that Salvation has come out of Zion. It came through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.

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Genesis 37

"We didn't lie?"

The brothers didn't lie to their father. They didn't say that Joseph was dead. They only asked leading questions. Does this mean they are innocent? Absolutely not. They were being deceptive even if they technically didn't lie. 

What they did do was bear a false witness. Their words might not have been a lie but what they were carrying, as it were, was false. 

What does this have to do with us? We have to make sure that we don't try and justify ourselves with half-truths and misrepresentations so we can tell ourselves we are innocent when we aren't. Let's be honest with ourselves, with others, and with God. One day, we are going to stand before God and we won't be able to mislead him or ourselves. Let's practice being honest now.  

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Genesis 36

 

We see in verses 6-7 that the land could not handle the flocks of both Esau and Jacob. Like Abraham and Lot they went separate ways so there wouldn't be problems. We aren't told why Esau left Canaan, but I have to think it had to do with the covenant God made with Abraham that was passed down to Jacob. Whatever the reason we see two groups which could have fought for resources finding a different direction. 

Isaiah 17

"But though they thunder like breakers on a beach, God will silence them, and they will run away. They will flee like chaff scattered by the wind, like a tumbleweed whirling before a storm" (vers 13 NLT). The people may rage and roar but when faced with God they become as nothing. We need to remember this when the voice of the world seems so loud that it wants to deafen us. Right now the words of God's distractors sound loud, however, God's turn is coming, and once he really speaks all other voices will fade. Hold on to the one who will outlast the rest. Hold onto God. 

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Job 12

 Here is my paraphrase of how Job is responding to Zophar. I know God can do what he wants and no matter how powerful someone thinks they are God can bring them low or raise them up. I know this, I'm not as dumb or as clueless as you think I am. But...(that's the next chapter).

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