Job 25
Bildad replies to Job for third time verse 1
Then answered Bildad the Shuhite and said
Bildad emphasizes the greatness of God verse 2- 3
Dominion and fear are with HIM
HE makes peace in HIS high places
Is there any number of HIS armies?
and on whom does not HIS light arise?
Bildad emphasizes the smallness of man verse 4- 6
How then can man be justified with God?
or how can he be clean that is born of a woman?
BEHOLD even to the moon – and it shines not
yea – the stars are not pure in HIS sight
How much less man that is a WORM?
and the son of man – which is a WORM?
COMMENTARY:
DAILY SPIRITUAL BREAKFAST: Young Believers
: 2 Dominion and fear are with HIM, HE makes peace in HIS high places. (4910 “Dominion” [mashal] means to rule, to make someone lord, sovereignty through legal authority, reign, or make one a ruler)
DEVOTION: Bildad understands that God is on the throne in heaven. He understands that every individual should have the fear of the LORD in his life. He understands that God is the only one who can establish peace on this earth because mankind is always at war with each other. Most are at war with God because they don’t want to follow HIM.
God is still on the throne even during our time period. It seems that there is a lot of chaos in our world. It seems like our world is falling apart. Yet we know that the LORD is in control of all that is happening in our world. HE has not given up HIS right to reign.
HE is allowing us to experience trials and tribulations in our daily life to cause us to turn to HIM for help. HE is the only one who can give us peace of heart in a world of chaos. If we trust HIM each day to lead us in the right direction through the reading of the Word and through the ministry of the Holy Spirit, then we can face each trial with confidence like Job.
He knew that he was keeping short accounts with the LORD through his daily offering of sacrifices. Christ gave the ultimate sacrifice for our sins when HE went to the cross.
It is because of the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ that we can have peace. HE is on the throne. HE is the one who is to be feared with a reverent fear. HE is the one who is powerful enough to help us through any trial that is allowed in our life.
CHALLENGE: We have to turn to HIM as we face each trial.
DAILY SPIRITUAL LUNCH: Transitional Believers
: 3 Is there any number of his armies? And on whom does not HIS light arise? (215 “light” [‘owr] means daylight, dawn, the isual sensation of light in contrast to darkness, sunshine, lightning, or fire)
DEVOTION: The Bible states that the angels are innumerable. It is thought that about one third of the angels followed Satan in his fall from heaven. So we have two-thirds of innumerable still worshiping and serving the LORD.
However, we know that it only took one angel to kill thousands of people in the armies of the enemies of Israel. Angels however are not all part of this army as some are given other responsibilities. As we read in Scripture there were two angels who were to guard the entrance to the Garden of Eden when Adam and Eve disobeyed the LORD by eating from the tree of knowledge of good and evil.
We have to imagine what it will be like when the LORD returns to this earth with HIS angels. It will be a time of rejoicing for those who are followers of the LORD. I will be a time of terror for those who are not willing to become followers of Jesus Christ. HE is the only way to enter eternity in heaven.
No one will be able to hide from the LORD when he comes in judgment. There is no hiding place. There is no night when he comes. All those who have rejected Jesus as the Light of the World, will find themselves facing HIM in judgment.
The battle is won by Jesus before it is even started but the enemy still has the false hope that he can defeat Jesus. He likes to see us feel the same way. Most will feel that they don’t need the protection of Jesus but they will find out in the end that they will face HIM and his army.
Bildad is right that HE has an army without number. However, he is wrong in his evaluation of the trial that the LORD is allowing in Job’s life.
CHALLENGE: Angels are real. There are good angels and evil angels. The LORD is allowing HIS good angels to watch over HIS servants
__________________________________________________________.
: 4 How then can man be justified with God? or how can he be clean that is born of woman? (2135 “clean”[zakah] means to be morally clean, be pure, to cleanse, to speak justly, to be or become pure, without blame, or free of guilt.)
DEVOTION: This “friend” of Job knows that everyone that is born into the world is a sinner. He is now interested in how a sinner can be free from guilt.
This is a question that every human being needs to struggle with during their lifetime. There are two places that are waiting for those who die. There is heaven and there is hell according to the Word of God. There is no third location.
If everyone that is born is headed to an eternity in hell because of sin that they have committed in their lifetime. So there needs to be a provision for those who are willing to follow the LORD through confession of sin.
God provided a way for every human being to be forgiven of sin when HE showed the way through Adam and Eve. There had to be a sacrifice. This sacrifice was going to be HIS Son on the cross for all who chose to believe.
The Bible presents only one way to receive salvation from sin and it is through the blood of Jesus Christ on the cross.
This had not happened in Job’s lifetime but they were supposed to look forward to this event by offering blood sacrifices to God for their sins. This showed that they believed in the atonement for their sins through the shedding of blood.
CHALLENGE: God wants us to acknowledge the sacrifice of HIS Son for our sins, so that, we can have eternity in heaven with HIM.
DAILY SPIRITUAL SUPPER: Mature Believers
: 5 Behold even to the moon, and it shines not; yea, the stars are not pure in HIS sight. (2141 “are pure”[zakak] means be clean, be shining, free from impurities, guiltless, or reflect, to be transparent, give off intense glow or innocent.)
DEVOTION: Bildad is stating that even God’s creation doesn’t match the shining of the glory of God. He is trying to get to the point that no one and nothing measures up to the brightness of the glory of God in heaven. The moon receives its light from the sun. The stars are not brighter than the glory of God.
He wants Job to realize that he is not guiltless before God because even nature teaches that only God is able to give off the intense glow of HIS holiness.
Everyone fails to manifest the same holiness that God has but we are to let our light so shine before men that they might see Jesus in us. This will give them the ability to understand that they are sinner in need of a Savior.
In this final speech of Bildad he is trying to still have Job realize that he doesn’t measure up to the cleanliness or brightness that God would expect of one of HIS servants.
These “friends” can’t seem to understand that God isn’t judging Job for sin but allowing Satan to bring trials into his life to show him and his friends that God is working in a way that has not been publicly used in such as way to teach all that follow that we can face great trials and still pass with the help of the Holy Spirit.
We will never be free from impurities in our time here on this earth. We will always not measure up to the light or glory of the LORD that caused the face of Moses to shine went he returned from meeting the LORD on the mountain.
Moses had part of the glow of the LORD but he was still a sinner in need of a Savior. So Bildad was right to state that we will never measure up to the light that the LORD sent into the world. Jesus is the Light of the World. The world lies in darkness and we are to let our light so shine so that many can come to understand the truth of the Word of God.
CHALLENGE: How bright is our light in our world to bring others to Jesus Christ? We are to be a reflection of Jesus each day.
___________________________________________________________
: 6 How much less man, that is a worm? and the son of man, which is a worm? (7415 “worm” [rimmah] means maggot, or grub.)
DEVOTION: Bildad asks a great question in verse 4, “How then can man be justified with God?” The answer is that there is only one way that man can be justified before God. The only way is through the blood of Jesus Christ. Nothing else works.
We are justified by the blood of the Lamb of God. HIS blood cleanses us from all sin. When God looks at us HE sees Jesus. Jesus is our representative before the Father. We have this answer and can thank the LORD daily for HIS love.
God is sovereign. Man is going to die. The grub or maggot is associated with the grave. Job is going to die. How dare he think that he can be pure in the eyes of a Sovereign God according to his “friend” Bildad.
Some commentaries think that this chapter is short because Bildad ran out of debate with Job. It is thought that these “friends” had said all they could against Job and he was not responding the way they thought he should. They thought that the grave would prove them right.
Today we have individuals who think that they are more mature or spiritual than other Christians. In this world they think that they can judge their fellow Christian if he is going through a hard time or has made poor choices in his life. Again, we need to remember that our primary responsibility with our fellow believer is to encourage him to get closer to the LORD. Our primary responsibility to those who are not believers is to lead them to understand the gospel.
Bildad was right that we are all going to die and enter the grave if the LORD doesn’t return first. We are going to return to dust. However, once a human dies, he will face a judgment. Let us take all our friends with us to heaven. That can only happen if they become followers of Jesus Christ. Spread the Word!!!
CHALLENGE: Realize that our time on this earth is short. We have to do everything we can to help others understand that after death is a time in front of the God of the Universe. This either happens at the Judgment Seat or the Great White throne judgement.
______________________________________________________________
DISCIPLINES OF THE FAITH:
BODY
Chastity (Purity in living)
Fasting (Time alone with LORD without eating or drinking)
Sacrifice (Giving up something we want to serve the LORD)
Submission (Willing to listen to others and LORD)
Solitude (Going to a quiet place without anyone)
SOUL
Fellowship (Gathering together around the Word of God)
Frugality (wise use of resources)
Journalizing (Writing down what you have learned from the LORD)
Study and Meditation (Thinking through your study in the Word)
Secrecy (Doing your good deeds without others knowing but God)
SPIRIT
Celebration (Gathering around a special occasion to worship LORD)
Confession (Tell the LORD we are sorry for our sins on a daily basis)
Prayer (Conversation with God on a personal level)
Silence (Letting the LORD deal with some problems and needs)
Worship (Time to praise the LORD alone or in a group)
______________________________________________________________
DOCTRINES OF THE FAITH:
Scripture (66 inerrant books of the Bible)
God the Father (First person of the Godhead)
God – Elohim (Creator, Sovereign) verse 2- 6
Dominion and fear are with HIM
HE makes peace in HIS high places
HIS armies
Light arises on everyone
Sight of God
God the Son (Second person of the Godhead –God/man, Messiah)
God the Holy Spirit (Third person of the Godhead – our comforter)
Trinity (Three persons of the Godhead who are co-equal = ONE God)
Angels (Created before the foundation of the world – Good and Evil)
Man (Created on the sixth twenty-four hour period of creation)
Bildad the Shuhite verse 1- 6
Man verse 4
Woman verse 4
Born of a woman verse 4
Worm verse 6
Son of man verse 6
Sin (Missing the mark set by God on man and angels)
Total depravity of man verse 4
Salvation (Provided by Christ’s death on the cross for our sins)
Peace verse 2
Justified verse 4
Clean verse 4
Pure verse 5
Israel (Old Testament people of God)
Church (New Testament people of God)
Last Things (Future Events)
_______________________________________________________________
DONATIONS:
Remember that all donations to Small Church Ministries are greatly appreciated. The treasurer will send a receipt, at the end of the year unless otherwise requested. Please be sure to make check out to “Small Church Ministries.” The address for the treasurer is P.O. Box 604, East Amherst, New York 14051. A second way to give to the ministry is through PayPal on the website: www.smallchurchministries.org. Also, if you can support this ministry through your local church please use that method. Thank you.
_______________________________________________________________
QUOTES regarding passage
A review of the speeches of Job’s associates shows that they were poor counselors. They failed in several ways: (1) They did not express any sympathy for Job in their speeches. (2) They did not pray for him. (3) They seemingly ignored Job’s expressions of emotional and physical agony. (4) They talked too much and did not seem to listen adequately to their advisee. (5) They became defensive and argumentative. (6) They belittled rather than encouraged Job. (7) They assumed they knew the cause of Job’s problems. (8) They stubbornly persisted in their views of Job’s problem, even when their ideas contradicted the facts. (9) They suggested an inappropriate solution to his problem. (10) They blamed Job and condemned him for expressing grief and frustration. Counselors today do well to be sure they do not fail in similar ways. (Walvoord, John F. ; Zuck, Roy B. ; Dallas Theological Seminary: The Bible Knowledge Commentary : An Exposition of the Scriptures. Wheaton, IL : Victor Books, 1983-c1985, S. 1:748)
_____________________________________________________________
Bildad turned from the perfections of God to the imperfections of humanity. In light of divine demands, “all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Rom 3:23). Compared to God, the Creator, the Sovereign, the Judge, we are but maggots and worms.
25:4 With these two questions Bildad emphasized the fact of total depravity. Sin has infected the entire race. Each one inherits it from parents because all of us are “born of woman.” Eliphaz asked similar questions in 4:17, and so did Job in 14:4.
25:5 Speaking cosmically and with hyperbole, Bildad faulted “the moon” and “stars,” created bodies incapable of sin, with failure to please God. This too is reminiscent of something Eliphaz said in 15:15–16. (Alden, R. L. (1993). Job (Vol. 11, p. 256). Nashville: Broadman & Holman Publishers)
____________________________________________________________
Eliphaz had said (15:15), “Even the heavens” in all their brilliance “are not pure.” The moon only reflects light, and the stars (cf. 22:12) lack purity before God because, in comparison with His glory, they are dim. How then could puny man (’ěnôš; cf. 25:4) or a son of man, suggesting man’s creation from mere dust, hope to stand before God? Man is so much smaller than the starry universe and is only a maggot and a worm. This disgusting suggestion may have intentionally harked back to Job’s words about his many sores being covered with worms (7:5) (Zuck, R. B. (1985). Job. In J. F. Walvoord & R. B. Zuck (Eds.), The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures (Vol. 1, p. 748). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.)
__________________________________________________________
God’s justice is the outworking of His holy nature (vv. 4–6), for “God is light, and in Him is no darkness at all” (1 John 1:5). Since God is holy and just, how can mere man claim to be righteous before Him? (Remember, Job was holding fast to his integrity and refusing to confess that his sins had brought God’s judgment on him.) Since man is born of woman, he is born with a sinful nature (Ps. 51:5). In the East, the moon and stars shine with great brilliance; but even they are not pure in God’s sight. How can a mere man claim to be righteous before God, man who is nothing but a maggot and a worm? (See Job 4:17–18; 8:20; 9:2.) Now, we listen to Job’s reply. (Wiersbe, W. W. (1996). Be Patient (pp. 99–100). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.)
___________________________________________________________
Ver. 3. Is there any number of his armies? &c.] His armies in heaven, the heavenly host of angels, which are innumerable; there are more than twelve legions of them, thousand and ten thousand times ten thousand, employed in a military way, for the safety and preservation of the saints; see Gen. 32:1, 2; Psal. 34:7 and the sun, moon, and stars, often called the host of heaven, the latter of which cannot be numbered, and which fought in their courses against Sisera, Judg. 5:20 and his armies on earth, all the inhabitants of it; yea, every creature, even the smallest insect in it, which are without number: thus, frogs, lice, flies, and locusts, were the armies of God, with which he fought against Pharaoh and the Egyptians, see Joel 2:11, 20. and upon whom doth not his light arise? either natural light, that grand luminary the sun, which rises on all, the evil and the good, nor is any thing hid from the light and heat of it; or moral light, the light of nature, with which every one that comes into the world is enlightened by him; or the light of providential goodness, which is unto all, and over all his creatures; the whole earth is full of it, and all the inhabitants have a share in it; nor is any thing hid from his all-piercing, all-penetrating, all-seeing eye, who is light itself, and dwells in light inaccessible, and from which light nothing can be hid. (Gill, J. (1810). An Exposition of the Old Testament (Vol. 3, p. 396). London: Mathews and Leigh.)
___________________________________________________________
1–3. These verses form a short but striking description of God’s sovereignty. Bildad, it should seem, was grown tired of the controversy, and therefore, instead of contending any longer with Job, he contents himself in joining with Job, in following up what the man of Uz had been dwelling upon, of the greatness and holiness of God, in the preceding chapter. The terms are very striking the Shuhite makes use of, to set forth the brightness and glorious excellency of God. The shining of his light, so universal; the vast and incalculable number of his armies, and, of consequence, the unlimited sovereignty of his government: all these are happily chosen to set forth the infinite majesty of the Almighty. How great must he be, and how glorious, who ruleth in heaven, and among the inhabitants of the earth, who sitteth (as one of the sacred writers represent him) upon the circle of the earth, and the inhabitants thereof are but as grasshoppers: Isaiah 40:22. If the Reader would see a further account of this High and Lofty One, who inhabiteth eternity, whose name is Holy, he will find more to the same amount, in a stile infinitely sublime and magnificent, from the 12th verse of the same chapter onward. But I beg of him, when he hath so done, to compare with it that illustrious prophecy concerning the Lord Jesus, Dan. 2:44, 45. and what a flood of light and glory will pour in upon his soul, if so be he hath been taught the truth, as it is in Jesus, that this is He whom both prophets describe; and who is at one and the same moment, in his glorious person, one with the Father, over all, God blessed for ever; and one with his people, their Sovereign Lord and Redeemer. Amen. (Hawker, R. (2013). Poor Man’s Old Testament Commentary: Job–Psalms (Vol. 4, pp. 91–92). Bellingham, WA: Logos Bible Software
_____________________________________________________________
FROM MY READING:
(Remember the only author that I totally agree with is the HOLY SPIRIT in the inerrant WORD OF GOD called THE BIBLE! All other I try to gleam what I can to help me grow in the LORD!!)
______________________________________________________________
People know your name, not your story. They’ve heard what you’ve done, but not what you’ve been through. So take their opinions of you with a grain of salt. In the end, it’s not what others think of you but what you think of yourself that counts.
____________________________________________________________
HARVARD UNIVERSITY APPOINTS ATHEIST AS PRESIDENT OF CHAPLAINCY (Friday Church News Notes, September 17, 2021, www.wayoflife.org fbns@wayoflife.org, 866-295-4143) – The following is excerpted from “Harvard Appoints,” Premier Christian News, Aug. 30, 2021: “Harvard University in America has appointed its Atheist chaplain to be the President of its chaplaincy. Greg Epstein, 44, who already worked as a Humanist chaplain at the college, will organise the other 40 or so chaplains from the Christian, Jewish, Islamic, Hindu and Sikh faith. He was voted for unanimously by his other chaplain colleagues. Mr Epstein, who was raised Jewish, is the author of Good Without God: What a Billion Nonreligious People Do Believe, and wants to be there for those on campus who do not believe in God but still want to make good choices. He told the New York Times: ‘There is a rising group of people who no longer identify with any religious tradition but still experience a real need for conversation and support around what it means to be a good human and live an ethical life.’ ‘We don’t look to a god for answers,’ he added. ‘We are each other’s answers.’” CONCLUSION: God’s Word says, “The wise men are ashamed, they are dismayed and taken: lo, they have rejected the word of the LORD; and what wisdom is in them?” (Jeremiah 8:9). (Fundamental Baptist Information Service)
__________________________________________________________________
Sherry Vonderhaar-Adair
·
I was the poor kid growing up. My mom used to send me to birthday parties with no present, just so I could eat. I definitely got to a point where I understood and was embarrassed as hell.
In fifth grade, my friend’s mom invited me to sleep over the night before the actual birthday party. When her daughter was in the shower, the mom laid out the toys that she had bought her daughter for her birthday. She let me pick one to wrap and put my name on.
I’m 37 now. I am still grateful to that mom. That one act made such an impact on me.
Always be kind. <![if !vml]>
<![endif]>
If you see someone falling behind, walk beside them. If someone is being ignored, find a way to include them. If someone has been knocked down, lift them up. Always remind people of their worth. Be who you needed when you were going through hard times.
Just one small act of kindness could mean the world to someone. <![if !vml]>
<![endif]>
___________________________________________________________________
It is easy to get someone to talk about God, but try to talk about Jesus, and it is not so easy. People will often talk about “feeling close to God.” But mention Jesus, and people start to get uncomfortable. Say that Jesus is the only way to God, and people get downright offended.
But Jesus says that if you accept Him, you accept God; and conversely, if you do not accept Him, you do not accept God. When someone talks about being close to God but wants nothing to do with Jesus, you can be sure he is not yet close to God.
Regardless of anyone’s unbelief, here is the simple truth: Jesus is God the Son, and He is the only way God has provided for sinners’ reconciliation with Himself. (Quiet Walk)
______________________________________________________________
Holy Brethren
“I charge you by the Lord that this epistle be read unto all the holy brethren.” (1 Thessalonians 5:27)
There is probably no word more misused—even abused—than the word “holy.” In our day and age, it usually conjures up an image of sanctimoniousness, or even hypocrisy, and thus often becomes a term of snide ridicule.
Nevertheless, it is a biblical term of highest significance, most often used in connection with God Himself, the Holy Spirit. Since it is also used in connection with things (“the holy place,” as in Hebrews 9:12), it does not in itself necessarily have a moral connotation. Its basic meaning is evidently “set apart” and can refer either to people or objects that have been dedicated to God and His service.
Christians are all “holy brethren” in this sense, regardless of their individual behavior. They are all also called “saints” (same word as “holy” in the Greek—e.g., 1 Corinthians 1:2, even though many of the “saints” at Corinth were far from Christlike in their actions).
By all means, however, we who are called “holy brethren” ought to try, by God’s grace, to bring honor to such a name rather than ridicule. “Wherefore, holy brethren, partakers of the heavenly calling, consider the Apostle and High Priest of our profession, Christ Jesus; Who was faithful to him that appointed him” (Hebrews 3:1-2).
The term “saints,” or “holy brethren,” applies both to men and women, of course, and to believers of Old Testament times as well as New Testament. Peter, for example, mentions “the holy women” who honored and served the Lord “in the old time” (1 Peter 3:5), and also the “holy men of God” through whom God gave the Old Testament Scriptures (2 Peter 1:21). The eternal admonition of God to all believers of every age is, “Be ye holy; for I am holy” (1 Peter 1:16). (HMM, The Institute for Creation Research)
______________________________________________________
THE CROSS IS AN INVITATION
Look unto me, and be ye saved, all the ends of the earth.
Isaiah 45:22
The cross is an invitation…”the blood of sprinkling that speaks better things than that of Abel” (Hebrews 12:24). Abel’s blood has no invitation in it. Abel’s blood cries out for retribution, for punishment; there is no invitation there to anybody, except to the wrath of a holy God. But in this other blood “that speaks better things than that of Abel,” there is a word of invitation. And from your standpoint and mine, looking at it very practically, there is nothing more wonderful about the cross than this. We know that the cross is a historical event. It is a setting forth in public of this great act of God. But thank God it does not stop there. It is an appeal; it is an invitation; it asks us to listen as we value our own immortal souls.
You know the Old Testament prophets had seen something of this. But they had not seen it very clearly. They were not meant to, and they could not see so far off. They saw something of the sufferings of Christ and the glory that was to follow, but they had not seen this. One of them, at the height of his prophetic inspiration, put what he saw into the mouth of the Messiah that was to come when he said, “Look unto me, and be ye saved, all the ends of the earth” (Isaiah 45:22). “Look unto me.” It is an invitation. That is not only proclamation “that is an invitation. Look unto me!”
I like the way the apostle Paul puts it in Ephesians 2. It is so wonderful. He says, “For he is our peace, who hath made both one, and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us; having abolished in his flesh the enmity, even the law of commandments contained in ordinances…that he might reconcile both unto God in one body by the cross” (verses 14-16).
A Thought to Ponder: The cross is an appeal; it is an invitation; it asks us to listen as we value our own immortal souls. (From The Cross, pp. 164-165 by Martyn Lloyd-Jones)
______________________________________________________________
In yet another indicator that they are not ok, men in America are abandoning higher education in record numbers. According to the Wall Street Journal, at the end of the 2020 academic year, the percentage of male college students dropped to just over 40 percent. Soon, if current trend lines continue, one expert predicts, for every man who earns a college degree, two women will earn a degree.
On one hand, this says as much about the state of higher education as it does young men. Simply put, the ROI of higher education is just not what it used to be. Not only are students bombarded by narrow, progressive ideologies with little real-world application, they often graduate with no marketable skill set, high levels of debt, and no compelling vision for how to spend their lives. It shouldn’t surprise anyone that there are 1.5 million fewer college students today than there were five years ago.
Still, for men, who represent 71 percent of those abandoning higher education, return on investment is extra low. Not only are they overpaying for college, but at many schools they can expect to be consistently berated for things they have no control over, like for their ethnicity, or for simply being men.
“No college wants to tackle the issue under the glare of gender politics,” says enrollment expert Jennifer Delahunty. “The conventional view on campuses is that men make more money [and] hold higher positions. Why should we give them a little shove from high school to college?” In other words, it’s politically incorrect to help men succeed.
All of this is set against an even larger backdrop: “perpetual adolescence.” While at other times and in other places, teenaged young men would be fighting battles or managing farms or embarking on grand adventures, today we punish them with low expectations. Teenagers, especially young men, are expected to care for nothing, have no job, and spend most of their time playing video games.
Even worse, adolescence now extends to young people, especially young men, in their 20s and 30s. Young men in their 20s and 30s are aimless: refusing to grow up, addicted to pornography, and spending their time and money in digital fantasy worlds. By excusing their so-called “Peter Pan Syndrome,” we’ve subjected them to a tyranny of low expectations.
Unsurprisingly, these low expectations don’t stop the worst elements of fallen masculinity; rather, they fuel them. As one fraternity president at the University of Vermont put it, “… a lot of guys are here for four years to drink beer, smoke weed, hang out and get a degree.”
Despite millions spent on training and awareness, college campuses are still haunted by the specter of sexual assault. Tragically, that makes sense in a world where all that’s left to sexual morality is a blurry line of consent. That will never be enough to temper the bad behavior of young men trapped in extended adolescence.(Break Point)
_____________________________________________________________
Daily Hope
Today’s Scripture
Romans 1:16-17
On Sunday evenings I have begun a new study, “What is a Biblical Worldview?” Often, we do not realize we are employing other views into belief system. We are confronted with the question if we as Christians truly have a godly worldview and if we do, are we living it out to others?
Paul’s system of belief is presented in the introductory material of Romans. Paul’s life and course of action was to serve and proclaim his Savior, Jesus Christ! The gospel message is so intertwined with who Paul was that it determined every aspect of his life. In Acts 28:22, we get an insight into the perception of Christianity in Rome when the Jewish leaders came to Paul and stated, “… concerning this sect, we know that it is spoken against everywhere”. Paul desired to change this mindset among the Romans with the penning of this letter regarding Christ’s gift of salvation.
In verses 16-17, we find the kernel or key thought that Paul will develop throughout the book of Romans. The gospel is the power of God to salvation. That is the summation of the book. God is at work to bring mankind back to a right relationship with Himself. This is attainable by believing, in faith, the finished work of Christ, the Son of God, which had been promised by the prophets and, in particular, Habakkuk (Habakkuk 2:4).
Regardless of the misunderstandings and bad reports the Romans had received, Paul is not ashamed of the message or the person of Jesus Christ. He prepared this letter to present the historical and biblical facts to these readers so they could determine their walk of faith.
As we have opportunities to speak into neighbors, friends, and acquaintances lives about the core issues of existence, are we willing to share the truths of Jesus Christ and power of God’s saving work in us? These truths will only be revealed “from faith to faith” (v.17) as we show others through the example of our lives, our love for Jesus, and our hunger to speak boldly for Him.
With an Expectant Hope, (Pastor Miller Contact Info:
Website: http://BereaBibleChurch.Org/
Email: Berea@BereaBibleChurch.Org
________________________________________________________
HOW TO KNOW THE JOY
And these things write we unto you, that your joy may be full. 1 John 1:4
The first thing that is essential before we can ever have and hold this joy is the absolute centrality of the Lord Jesus Christ. John starts with Him in 1 John 1:1-3: “That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, of the Word of life; (For the life was manifested, and we have seen it, and bear witness, and show unto you that eternal life, which was with the Father, and was manifested unto us;) That which we have seen and heard declare we unto you, that ye also may have fellowship with us: and truly our fellowship is with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ. And these things write we unto you, that your joy may be full.”
You will never know any joy until you know Christ. He is the source of joy; He is the fount of all blessings; everything comes through Him. So before John begins to discuss anything else, he talks about Him.
Here we come to the great watershed that divides Christian preaching and teaching from every other teaching; it is based solely on the Lord Jesus Christ. The Christian church has nothing to say to the world until it believes on Him. Indeed, the Church’ message to the world is one of condemnation until it believes on Christ. Christ is central, He is essential, He is the beginning and the end, and John has nothing to say to these people by way of encouragement unless they are absolutely clear about Him. It is through Him that we have access to God; and it is through Him that we have fellowship with God.
A Thought to Ponder: You will never know any joy until you know Christ.
(From Fellowship with God, pp. 32-33, by Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones)
____________________________________________________________
The Foot of Pride
“Let not the foot of pride come against me, and let not the hand of the wicked remove me.” (Psalm 36:11)
The contrast in this psalm is not only between good and evil, but more specifically between the prideful man who lives without fear of God and the God in whom godly men trust.
The description of the evil man (vv. 1-4) is an apt description of a modern-day humanist. He is convinced that God, if He exists, does not intervene in the affairs of men. He therefore sets himself up as an authority, deciding right and wrong on his own arbitrary scale. He has “no fear of God” (v. 1), and arrogantly he “flattereth himself in his own eyes” (v. 2), speaking “iniquity and deceit” (v. 3). He is foolish, and even his humanitarian deeds are not good, in the ultimate sense. Furthermore, the modern-day humanist “abhorreth not evil” (v. 4), insisting that such sins as promiscuity, homosexuality, witchcraft, abortion, brainwashing of children in pantheistic evolution, etc., are, in reality, to be desired.
The contrast with God consists of a list of some of His majestic attributes in His dealing with men. “Thy mercy, O LORD, is in the heavens; and thy faithfulness reacheth unto the clouds. Thy righteousness is like the great mountains; thy judgments are a great deep: O LORD, thou preservest man and beast. How excellent is thy lovingkindness, O God! therefore the children of men put their trust under the shadow of thy wings. They shall be abundantly satisfied with the fatness of thy house; and thou shalt make them drink of the river of thy pleasures. For with thee is the fountain of life: in thy light shall we see light” (vv. 5-9).
The wicked with his “foot of pride” will ultimately fall (vv. 11-12). But we can pray as David prayed, “O continue thy lovingkindness unto them that know thee; and thy righteousness to the upright in heart” (v.10). (
JDM, The Institute for Creation Research)
______________________________________________________________
Move Your Fence
See, I am doing a new thing! Isaiah 43:19
|
_______________________________________________________________
We now have a Facebook page for Small Church Ministries – please invite others to join us on Facebook. Thank you. Look for the logo from the devotionals.
_______________________________________________________________