¹ Then the Lord answered Job from the whirlwind: ² “Who is this that questions my wisdom with such ignorant words? ³ Brace yourself like a man, because I have some questions for you, and you must answer them.

Job has had the blessing of a whinny wife and several “friends” if that is what you want to call them.  Someone told me the other day (and I know before I write it that someone will think that this is inappropriate for a preacher to write in his blog – so get over it) that a friend is someone who will visit you in jail but a REAL friend is someone who is sitting inside the jail with you talking about how much fun you had together.  Job had friends that would visit him while he was in jail.  They sat across from him looking through the thick glass while holding the phone in their hands and analyzed Job’s experience in light of their own ignorance sharing that vast amount of stupidity with Job.  Job was patient and was able to experience something that very few people have ever experienced and that is God coming along and saying something like, “I have had enough.  Now it’s my turn.  Brace yourself, buddy, you are fixin’ to experience a “ride from heaven” and I’m drivin’!”  I bet it’s like discovering that the principal was standing there and heard you say something dirty or caught you smoking in the boys bathroom – except on a Divine level.

There are so few people who will sit on the ash heaps of your life  and share it without judging.  There are a special few (and I use that word special very sarcastically) that make great sideline quarterbacks and run their mouths about your life and seem to find it so difficult to make the same wisdom apply in relationship to their own life.  The are professional people who can point out with such clarity the pitiful points in your life and analyze them to death.  But turn it around and try to share with them about their lives and they get offended.  I figured that Job had heard all he could stand.  One thing for sure – God certainly had!  And HE SPEAKS!  And when he speaks – all of us listen!

I guess there are days where we forget that God is still the author and finisher of life and he is aware of all things.  He heard every word spoken by Elihu and thought “thunk” by Job.  God loved Job.  Job was honorable in the way he handled this testing.

Brace yourself son.  It’s like he said, “Hush!  It’s my turn to talk.  All your pitiful rattlings are over.  Let Me share with you My thoughts.  Take notes, son.  You’re gonna’ need ‘em before it is all over!”

Today, I am reminded to remember that there is ONE who is listening and watching.  His grace reminds me that I can have that conversation with Him.  I am not distant!  I am close!  I like that thought!

¹³ The temptations in your life are no different from what others experience. And God is faithful. He will not allow the temptation to be more than you can stand. When you are tempted, he will show you a way out so that you can endure.

God is near.  He is not hiding from us hoping that we will “make it” through life.  His love is so deep for us that he never  leaves nor forsakes us.  He is present with us.

Yesterday I officiated at Bob Bramblet’s memorial service.  In the middle of the service I shared a legend told about the Cherokee Indian practice of allowing a young boy to be initiated into manhood.  It goes something like this.

A Cherokee Indian father takes his son deep into the forest, blindfolds him, and leaves him alone. He is required to sit on a stump all night and not remove the blindfold until the rays of the morning sunlight shine through it.

He cannot cry out for help from anyone. Making it through the night, he will pass the initiation, and become MAN. He cannot tell other boys of this night because each youth must come into manhood on his own.

The boy is naturally full of fear. He can hear all the noises of the wild beasts, and wonders even if some human might do him harm. The wind howls about him during the night, but he must remain stoic if he is to become MAN. Finally, after a horrific night the sun appears and he removes his blindfold. It is then that he discovers his father sitting on the stump next to him. He had been watching him the entire night, protecting his son from harm.

I memorized this verse in the King James Version when I was much younger.  It has been a statement of encouragement to me.  I am reminded quite often that temptation is a traveling partner for me.  I am much older now and able to listen to the Spirit of God speak to me and warn me.  I am no longer a child.  I have grown up in some areas of my life.  He is with me at all points of my life.  The guarantee of the verse that held my attention today is my relationship with the Father.  He never leaves me nor forsakes me.

All I can say today is “Thank you, Jesus!”

⁹Be careful, however, that the exercise of your freedom does not become a stumbling block to the weak.

Wiersbe, Warren W.: Wiersbe’s Expository Outlines on the New Testament reminded me, “…whatever a Christian does, even if it does not hurt him, must never hurt anyone else. While we may think that this principle limits us, it really does not, for it allows us to be a greater blessing to others and to win the lost to Christ…”

When you are free, you want to run!  Flying becomes an option when you have spent a lifetime under bondage.  I am reminded of soldiers who continued to fight after World War II because they never knew that the war was over and that they no longer had to fight.  They were free.  I remember several of my friends who were in special operations in the military who had the dubious task of being dropped behind enemy lines telling me of the joys of releasing American prisoners of war.  To them being “free” took some getting  used to.

¹⁸For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.

Dr. Jerry Vines tells of the devastating, dissipating, dominating effects of sin.  He preached a sermon called “Truman Snow’s White Christmas”.  It is the true story of a man named Truman Snow who had a drinking problme.  Because of his drinking problem he was estranged from his family.  He was in a motel instead of with his family at Christmas time.  Dr. Vines was able to go to that motel and lead Truman to faith in the Lord Jesus.

When he went to witness to him that day he had a little minature Christmas tree in the motel.  Under the Christmas tree was a beer bottle.  Dr. Vines was able to lead him to faith in the Lord, and some days later he went back to check on Truman.  The first thing he did was to look at that little Christmas tree and under that tree was a Bible.

The country group “Alabama” sings a song I”m not That Way Any More!  I know that some of you think that all I listen to is classical religious music and quote hymns.  I enjoy listening to all kinds of music. I realize that you don’t get your doctrine from country songs.   I know that they are not some sanctified male chorus from a monastery somewhere…However, the song they sing states a certain truth…If you change the word “time” to “Christ”

We used to get crazy every Saturday night
We drive into town and get feeling right
A child of the 60s in ‘74
But I’m not that way anymore

Well I burned the tires of my Chevrolet
Trying to impress the girls that I date
And I’ve been a gambler when I couldn’t score
But I’m not that way anymore

I’m not that way anymore
Time’s closing yesterdays door
I’m just as happy as I was before
‘Cause I’m not that way anymore

American Bandstand, The Sullivan Show
I listened to the Opry on my radio
Well Dick Clark’s still looking as young as before
But I’m not that way anymore

Well I swapped my loafers for cowboy boots
And bought me some jeans, gave away all my suits
My razor is rusted my barber is bored
‘Cause I’m not that way anymore

I’m not that way anymore
Time’s closing yesterdays door
I’m just as happy as I was before
‘Cause I’m not that way anymore

I’m not that way anymore
Time’s closing yesterdays door
I’m just as happy as I was before
‘Cause I’m not that way
And you’re not that way
We’re not that way anymore

Christ changes our lifestyle.  We don’t have to live the old way any more.  We are free.

“…but to us who are BEING SAVED it is the power of God…”  I am so glad that He is at work in my life this morning.  Today affords me another chance to humbly and thankfully stand in His presence and say, “Thank You, Father!”  I am reminded from time to time to remember where I could have been if I had not run head long into the POWER OF GOD to consistently change my life.  I am grateful that I have that option now.  I don’t have to live that way any more.

Thank you, Father!

²⁸ And he said to man,
‘The fear of the Lord—that is wisdom,
and to shun evil is understanding.’ “

God is all knowing.  He lives in us.  He becomes to us a living resource of wisdom and understanding.  I am convinced He wants to reveal His thoughts to us more than we desire them.  His heart is for us to know Him.  Knowing Him is the beginning of wisdom.  For Job to say that the fear of the Lord – that is wisdom and to shun evil is understanding, is powerful.  The context is he is living around and with people who just don’t get it.  They are not connected in a relationship with the Living God.  Job obviously knows God.  God and the enemy were in a dialogue and God is the one that asks the enemy if he has considered God’s servant Job.  They were not casual in their relationship.

He lives IN us and therefore His character runs through our spiritual veins.  He communicates with me today.  In fearing Him I learn to trust what He says and to follow His guidance even though my human GPS system screams other directions.  I am trusting IN His directions.  Following His wisdom affords me the chance to understand His purpose and ways for my life.  I trust in His love and direction for me and thus I go His direction.  This could be construed to be “shunning evil” – not going some other way.  I am assuming that shows that I understand the directions of God.

To know God is to willingly and lovingly follow His direction for my life.  I am not forced to do so.  Grace provides the possibility.  I have to appropriate His grace in my life and live in that power.  I am not forced…it is not just a good thing to do…it is the desire of my heart…

⁴ How then can a man be righteous before God?
How can one born of woman be pure?

That grace stuff keeps comin’ up!  It is amazing how many find it hard to let grace be grace.  Smith commented on his facebook page this morning reminding me that “…we do not get what we deserve; we get grace and that is the hope of this generation…”  His prayer continued as he reminded me again to walk in grace and thank God that I do not get what I deserve.

Our grace ain’t cheap!  One of my favorite verses of that old son Rock of Ages – “…nothing in my hand I bring…simply to the cross I cling…”  Now let me qualify my remarks – for the believer – we can do nothing but rejoice in the grace of God.  Because of Christ we do not get what we deserve.  Because of Christ, I can celebrate grace.  Because of Christ I can STAND in His righteousness and celebrate being accepted before God.  It is the Cross of Jesus Christ that allows me such confidence.  Someone had to deal with our sin and HE did.

To answer “Bildad the Shuhite” – The only way to be pure before God is to come to Him dressed in the righteousness of Christ!

I am glad that I am dressed!

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

What confidence!  That thought continues to ring in my head…

Cast your cares on the Lord and He will sustain you; He will never let the righteous fall. (Psalm 55:22)

¹⁰ Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness. Is 41:10

Phil 4:19  ¹⁹ But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.

³⁰She went home and found her child lying on the bed, and the demon gone.”

I can’t imagine what that woman felt.  He daughter was under the attack of the enemy – an evil spirit was in her.  The mother found Jesus and fell at his feet begging for her daughter.  I have seen a mom in my office unable to talk from crying because she could not provide for her family.  I have seen the hurt and the pain that comes when a mother cares and her heart is broken because of something that has happened.

A few minutes in the presence of Jesus can make a world of difference.  She went home.  Saw her daughter lying there in her right mind and with out the devil attacking her.

That is a great piece of history and the account takes my breath away.  Our needs are great.  God’s power is unbelievable.  Jesus really does care.  BUT the story is couched in a litany of religious stories.  Here is group of religious people who care more about how you look and the way you act than living in the power of Grace.  Grace arrived on the scene.  Religion did nothing for those who needed freedom and forgiveness.  People with needs and cares are abused as the demands of religion add to their guilt and despair.

I know that you all think I am some sort of weirdo, but every now and then I run into a lyric in a song that makes me want to jump.  It’s not in our Baptist Hymnal and I understand that you cannot find the song in the old shaped note Broadman Hymnal.  I know that John Wesley didn’t write the lyrics and I am certain that they will never sing this as a call to worship at First Baptist Bible Belt Baptist Church – but I thought it was “spot on”…  The title of this spiritual giant is “I catch ‘em, God cleans ‘em”.  One verse in the middle of that  (and I didn’t even have to translate it from the Latin version) -

Yeah, it didn’t take  long for him to catch my attention
He was long on Grace and short on religion
He said a prayer and that was all she wrote

He said, “Amen!”, and God as my witness
I fell in that big ole net of forgiveness
And before I knew it we were all in the same old boat.

If you want to hear it for some reason click here.

He was long on grace and short on religion – now there’s you a line and a half.  Jesus was long on grace.  He held children, touched lepers, paid attention to moms that fell at his feet and begged, was sensitive to a woman who had been caught in adultery and loved on her with his grace, talked to a woman at the well, helped a man in a grave yard to never be the same again, and the stories could go on and on and on.  These are people that your average “religious person” would almost get the chills to have to mess with.  Yet those hurting and wounded people found such comfort and hope in the presence of Jesus.

He has freed me from religion and helped me to enjoy His grace.  He has helped me to take the agony of not matching up to the rules and cast them away.  I cannot meet the demands of the rules.  I needed one who did and I found HIM.  Now the rule keeper lives in me.  I am free from all that.  He allows  me to be real with who I am and helped me to hear His voice to enjoy all the freedom that grace affords.

Amazing, ain’t it!

I’m just saying!  Sometimes when you ask God to give you a verse out of four or five assigned chapters for reading, your mind is caught off guard by the very first verse.  We have been mentioning some of the names parents give children and this one struck me sideways.  I’m just saying…that’s all…

¹ Then Zophar the Naamathite replied: Zophar!  Wow… With a name like “Crooks” I can comment on names.  I can see someone from North Georgia where I used to go to school say, “And who are you, son?”  I could imagine telling them, “I am Zophar the Naamathite.”  They would reply, “You ain’t from ’round here, are you, son?”  I am certain that someone who graduated from a deeply spiritual place can take that verse and preach a four hour sermon on the implications of being Zophar the Naamathite – would be able to find three points that start with “P” and find a tear jerking story to close the sermon.   And I am certain that I just offended all the people with the name Zophar.  “Oh, Lord I apologize and bless all the pygmies….” ( don’t know where that came from…ha ha…the great theologian LCG)  I am again confident that if I did some serious research that the word “Zo phar” is similar in its derivation to the word “Come here”…  Zophar is probably mistranslated in the King James and probably means “Doug”.  For those of you who even care Zophar means “sparrow”  His chirping is sending Job up the wall.   What a bird!

Enough!

Your welcome!

After reading Job 20 might I address God in prayer and say, “God, keep the Zophar folk away from me.  I am not interested in prison ministry!”

Now back to what brung me here!  Mark 3:

⁵He looked around at them in anger and, deeply distressed at their stubborn hearts, said to the man, “Stretch out your hand.” He stretched it out, and his hand was completely restored.

Any time the Lord is ticked off, excuse me “…in anger” as the Scripture states, I want to know why!  What is it that messed him up?  What got caught in his craw and caused him to get sideways about the whole deal?  He looked ar0und at who?  Religious people, that’s who.  People who were attending church.  Can you imagine what HE could see when HE looked…seeing all the way into their smelly self-centered, self-righteous hearts?  They looked good on the outside.  But if you took a good whiff, “…you could smell “hog”…” as my friend says.  They did not get it and most likely never would.  What caught his attention (outside of the obvious need of a man with a withered hand) was the sight of an evil sinful heart of judgment.  Those who should “know” the truth (all those church folk) and whose hearts should be tender toward the needs of people are worrying about rules and regulations and all of a sudden we see Jesus’ Father come out in Him as He is giving sinners a glimpse of the time of answering to come.

I felt His pity for those who don’t get it.  Deeply distressed at their obstinate heart.  Subborn heart.  Hard heart.  What else do you expect sin to do to a heart?  Sin never softens – love does that.  Sin never heals – God does that.  Sin cannot forgive – only Christ provides that joy.  There is no joy…only religious activity.  They really don’t get it and they are experiencing so much less than God’s best.  A stubborn heart grieves our Savior.  And a stubborn heart should grieve us.  I can bring my withered world to the Savior and he can completely restore it.  I am asking God today to help me keep from being religious and hard-hearted.

Hard hearts.

Healed Hands. Completely restored.

And He works on hard hearts as well…

“But as for me, I know that my Redeemer lives,
and he will stand upon the earth at last.

The context of that verse is unbelievable.  Job has lost everything.  He feels so alone.  All who are around him are killing him with words.  Folk are kicking him while he is down.  No one around him knows the true story and I am not certain that Job knows it all either.  However, he has a strong faith and a desire to do what is pleasing to God.

Out of  the deepening darkness of complaint about what this one says and that one says and against the backdrop of people who should be close walking away from him, a bright ray of unexpected hope screams out – “But as for me…”  “I know my redeemer lives…”  Some how the personal conviction of the inner man in Job was solid as a rock.  His circumstances did not have a chance to change his character nor his personal beliefs.  Life was horrible.  I have lost it all and I really wish those who were running their mouths would hush.  I can’t stand it any more.  I hear him say, “Please shut up!”  Where are my friends when I need them?

His personal relationship with the Father in heaven was so secure he could be blunt honest with him and never feel the least bit threatened.  How I appreciate the honesty Job had in communicating to God about his life.  He breathed his frustration to God and He heard them.  God did not instantly move for that was not the plan.  He was still at work.  Job’s confidence in God was still strong at this point…or at least that’s the way it appears at this point.

Words kill.  It seems to me that if you don’t have something good to say to someone, you ought to weigh it out carefully before you (as a Christian) should share it.  Words have extreme power.  They can tear down or if used correctly can build up.  Job was suffering from the beating that comes as a gift from a person who does not think before he opens up his mouth.  Oh, to God in heaven, he could cause us to see the power of our words and help us to be someone who brings others encouragement and peace.

Words also reveal the heart or so it seems to me.  The Word of God is right for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth spews its evidence.  You can tell what is in a person’s heart by what comes out of their mouth.  And it is true that you can only give away what is inside you.  I have seen people so full of stupid and animosity that you never hear one positive word come out of their mouth.  They don’t even know that they are being that way.  It just comes so natural because you can only give away what is in you.

God, help me to be nice to the Job’s of this world.  They already have enough on their plate.  Unfortunately, I am not in a position to know all the facts…so if I have to give – let me give on the side of being an encourager!

Help me to have Job’s attitude and character (and of course I am asking God to do this without the testing that goes along with the request…as if God would do things any different in my own life!)when it comes to keeping my faith in perspective even in the midst of the storms of life.