Creator

SoulSearching Sunday ~ He is So Good!

12:00 AM

Sunday, May 6, 2018


Week Eighteen

Welcome!  We pray that you have all had a precious time worshipping the Lord this morning!  Below you will find some thought provoking questions that will provide you a starting point to your journal writing to complete this week.  We hope that you will find this time soul satisfying!

Our reading this week was Job 38 - Psalm 24:10...

 1. How much of a role does silence play in your life of prayer and worship? The spirit disciplines of silence and solitude are rarely practiced in the modern, Western church. Be honest with God about whatever is confusing or distressing in your life, and then be silent. Listen for His voice.

 “Then Job replied to the LORD, ‘I am nothing-how could I ever find the answers? I will put  my hand over my mouth in silence. I have said too much already. I have nothing more to say.’” (Job 40:3-5)

 2.  On the next clear night, spend time under God’s canopy, journaling, praying, and enjoying His glorious creation. Praise the Creator that He knows you personally and has crowed you with glory and honor.

 “When I look at the night sky and see the work of your fingers,…what are mortals that You should think of us?" (Psalm 8:3-4)

 3. C.S. Lewis said, “The most valuable thing the Psalms do for me is to express the same delight in God which made David dance.” What words from the psalmist can you borrow to express your delight in God?

 “I will sing to the LORD because He has been so good to me.” (Psalm 13:6)

 4. Where do you seek rest and peace? How has God led you to “peaceful streams”? Thank God for His refreshment.
“He lets me rest in green meadows; He leads me beside peaceful streams.” (Psalm 23:2)




God's Mercy

The Challenger Becomes The Challenged {Job 38:1-42:17}

12:00 AM


I don’t know about you, but the book of Job is one of the hardest for me to get through. It’s a book filled with suffering, unanswered questions, and a man seemingly punished because of the whim of the enemy. I too have experienced times in my life where like Job I cry out to God, “Why?” I demand to know His reasons behind what is happening in my life and challenge Him for answers. But like Job soon discovered, God is not One to be challenged. And the lesson to be learned is that He is sovereign in every and all aspect of our lives, and we need to trust that He knows exactly what He’s doing.

Chapter 38 begins with God speaking to Job, “out of the whirlwind and said, ‘Who is this that darkens counsel by words without knowledge? Now gird up your loins like a man and I will ask you, and you will instruct Me!’”(vs. 38:1:3) Could you just imagine? Waiting for God to respond and He comes back with this! Eugene Peterson simplifies God’s challenge, “Why do you confuse the issue? Why do you talk without knowing what you’re talking about? Pull yourself together, Job! Up on your feet! Stand tall! I have some questions for you, and I want some straight answers!” And over the next few chapters God asks Job a series of questions that as a mere human, he can’t possibly answer.

In Isaiah 55:9 God declares, “As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways and My thoughts than your thoughts.” There is no way we can ever understand why God does what He does. And you know what? We don’t need to. All we need to do is obey His will even when we don’t comprehend or even agree with it. For there is only one Living God, and we aren’t Him. “He is the Creator, we are the Created. He is the Original, we are the image. He is our Friend, but not our peer.” (Dr. Charles Stanley) In verse 38:4 God asks Job, “Where were you when I laid the earth’s foundation? Tell me if you have understanding.” God is warning that if Job, or us for that matter, dare to question His dealings with us, we’d better be able to prove that we have the same knowledge and wisdom that He does. And of course, we don’t.

I don’t think that God minds us asking questions. After all He is the One who gave us an inquisitive nature. And there’s not a single Christian who at some time hasn’t had doubts or questions. It comes with being human. Instead I think God looks at the motive behind our questioning. In verse 40:2 God asks Job, “Will the faultfinder contend with the Almighty?” When we cry out to God from a point of pain and truly wanting to know His will, He understands. Even Jesus Himself while nailed to the Cross cried out, “My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?” (Matt. 27:46) What gets us into trouble is when from a prideful heart we question God or His authority because we think we know better, or have the audacity to presume that the God of the universe owes us an explanation.

In the end after his encounter with God, Job understands just how wrong he was and confesses, “I have heard of You by hearing of the ear, but now my eye sees You; therefore I retract, and I repent in dust and ashes.” (vs. 42:5-6) And how does God respond? By blessing, “the latter days of Job more than his beginning.” (vs. 42:12)  Once again God shows that even in His sovereignty, He is loving, caring, and eager to bless our obedience. James 5:11 talks about Job this way, “You have heard of the endurance of Job and have seen the outcome of the Lord’s dealings, that the Lord is full of compassion and is merciful.” 

As long as we are on the earth, we will all have to deal with suffering in our lives. So the next time you are knee deep in sorrow, remember that even though you may not understand the reason for your troubles, God does. And He will see you through to the other side. Because of this you, like Job can say, “Though He will slay me, I will hope in Him.” (Job 13:15)


Esther

SoulSearching Sunday - Heaven Bound!

12:00 AM

Sunday, April 29, 2018



Week Seventeen

Welcome!  We pray that you have all had a precious time worshipping the Lord this morning!  Below you will find some thought provoking questions that will provide you a starting point to your journal writing to complete this week.  We hope that you will find this time soul satisfying!

Our reading this week was Esther 1 - Job 37:24...

 1. What is your calling? In what current life situations do you think God has placed you to make a difference for Him? Knowing that everything you do can be an act of worship - or rebellion - against the LORD, how will you live?

 “If you keep quiet at a time like this, deliverance for the Jews will arise from some other place, but you and your relatives will die. What’s more, who can say but that you have been elevated to the palace for just a time as this?” (Esther 4:14)

 2. God is actively at work in every part of your life. Every event, every word that you utter, and every emotion you feel is consequential. It all matters. Reflect on a time when something that seemed small at the time turned out to be significant, and how God used it for your growth and His glory.

 “He told them to celebrate these days with feasting and gladness and by giving gifts to each other and to the poor. This would commemorate a time when the Jews gained relief from their enemies, when their sorrow was turned into gladness and their mourning into joy.” (Esther 9:22)

 3. What do you anticipate for the afterlife? What excites you most about being heaven-bound? How does your knowledge of heaven and the things to come impact how you live on earth? Worship God for the knowledge that He lives and that you will see Him face-to-face.
“But as for me, I know that my Redeemer lives, and that He will stand upon the earth at last. And after my body has decayed, yet in my body I will see God! I will see Him for myself. Yes, I will see Him with my own eyes. I am overwhelmed at the thought! (Job 19:25-27)


Becky Austin

A Friend In Adversity (Job 6 - 14)

4:31 AM


Job is in a low place.  He’s overwhelmed, frustrated, grieving, and trying to make sense of all that is happening to him and all that he has lost.  In fact, his perspective is so depressed and bleak that he feels like God is punishing him.  He doesn’t understand why God would allow such tragedy and suffering.

““Oh that my vexation were weighed, and all my calamity laid in the balances! For then it would be heavier than the sand of the sea; therefore my words have been rash. For the arrows of the Almighty are in me; my spirit drinks their poison; the terrors of God are arrayed against me.”(6:2-4)

Can you relate?  Have you ever felt so stripped of what brought comfort and joy to your life that you can’t even imagine you will ever know joy in this life again? Perhaps, like Job, you find no purpose in even continuing to live and you welcome death to end your pain.  

I’ve been there and like Job, I found the well - intentioned advice of many of my friends to often just add to my confusion and pain.  I was in too dark of a place for “pat answers” and the judgements of others to benefit me.  Job’s friends insisted that Job must be under the judgement of God for sin in his life which would be remedied if Job confessed his wrongs. Job, although aware that he was far from sinless, also knew that he had been faithful in his walk with God. He needed comfort and encouragement to trust God’s love for Him, not condemnation for assumed blame. 
““He who withholds kindness from a friend forsakes the fear of the Almighty.”
(6:14)

In contrast, I was blessed to also have the experience of sincere, authentic Christian friendship extended to me as I dealt with my sorrows. These few friends encouraged me to work through my pain as they listened without judgement, prayed for and with me, and helped me process the pain including the pain of feeling abandoned by God. They encouraged me to be honest with God, and to continue in my pursuit of Him as I dealt with the negativity and disappointments. They knew that God was refining, stretching, challenging and growing me and they were willing to accompany me and share in my journey. 

What kind of friend are you when you see others struggling with trials, pain, heartache, depression and confusion?  The Bible encourages us to encourage and support one another.
“And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.”(Hebrews10:24-25)

“And we urge you, brothers, admonish the idle, encourage the fainthearted, help the weak, be patient with them all.” (1 Thessalonians 5:14)

“Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.”(Galatians 6:2)

We all will face difficult trials in this life and during those times we need the support of genuine friends who extend the love, compassion, and patience we need to process our pain.  We need friends who pray for us and encourage us to seek God as a friend as well.  


I want to love you without clutching
Appreciate you without judging
Join you without invading
Invite you without demanding
Leave you without guilt
Criticise you without blaming
And help you without insulting
If I can have the same from you
then we can truly meet
and enrich each other
           Author Unknown

God

Why Do Bad Things Happen to Good People? {Job 1-5}

8:00 PM



Why do bad things happen to good people? Have you ever found yourself wondering, just why does God allow His people to suffer if He loves us and we have been faithful to Him? The Book of Job teaches us that our sufferings may be caused by a lot of things. Our suffering doesn’t necessarily mean God is angry with us, or that we’re being punished for our sins.

We’re never told who wrote the book of Job. The Jews tend to believe it was written by Moses, and others think Job was written by Solomon. Most believe Job lived prior to the Law of Moses being written, therefore, this book gives us a glimpse into how life was prior to then.

The Bible is quick to point out three important things about Job:

1.)  He was a good family man. Even though he lived in an age when it was common for a man to have many wives, he had only one (Job 2:9). Job had a large family of seven sons and three daughters (Job 1:2).
2.) He was a very rich man. The Bible says he was “the greatest of all the people of the East” (Job 1:3). He owned thousands of sheep, camels, donkeys, and oxen. He also had many servants.
3.) He was a very good man; “blameless and upright, and one who feared God and shunned evil” (Job 1:1). He rose early in the mornings to offer sacrifices to God on behalf of his children (Job 1:5). AND God held up Job as a good example to Satan: “Have you considered my servant Job, that there is none like him on the earth, a blameless and upright man, one who fears God and shuns evil” (Job 1:8)?

Have you ever wondered if God and Satan ever had a similar conversation about you?

Satan believed that the only reason Job served God was because God blessed him, but if his blessings were taken away, Job would curse Him. So, God gave Satan permission to test Job, and only placed one restriction on Satan. He was not allowed to harm Job himself (Job 1:9-12). Have you ever wondered if you would remain as faithful as Job if the same was permitted to happen to you?

Satan then tempts Job by taking away all his wealth, and sending a storm to wipe out all of Job’s children at one time. BUT Job did not curse God, but instead he worshiped Him by saying: “Naked I came from my mother’s womb, and naked shall I return there. The Lord gave, and the Lord has taken away; Blessed be the name of the Lord” -Job 1:21, 22.

Though Satan wasn’t done! He’s not about to give up that easily!! We all know that for a fact!

 Satan then goes back and says, “Skin for skin! Yes, all that a man has, he will give for his life. But stretch out your hand now, and touch his bone and his flesh, and he will surely curse You to Your face” (Job 2:4,5). God gives Satan permission to afflict Job’s body, but prevents him from taking Job’s life, which tells us that our God reigns over the evil and the good. He has limited Satan’s power.

Satan afflicts Job with terrible sores which covered his entire body. Job has lost his children, his possessions and now his health is impacted. Job’s wife has already given up and encourages him to “Curse God and die” (Job 2:9). But even then Job replies, “Shall we indeed accept good from God, and shall we not accept adversity?”! Does that amaze you as much as it does me? Job continued to trust in God in spite of everything!

Much of the rest of the book is made up of the speeches between Job’s three so-called, “friends” and Job’s replies to them, until finally God begins to speak!

If you’ve ever read through the Book of Job, you’ve probably already noticed that God never reveals to any of them His previous conversations with Satan! They never truly find out why all this has happened to Job, but there are more than a few important truth that we can learn from Job’s story that will help us when we face trials of any kind, and if I’ve missed some, I hope you’ll feel free to add them!

  •  God is the Creator and Sustainer of all things. His wisdom is far above anything that we can ever understand. “For My thoughts are not your thoughts,
    Nor are your ways My ways,” says the Lord. “For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways, and My thoughts than your thoughts.” – Isaiah 55:8-9
  •  We can count on our faith in Him! If one truly has faith in God, he will remain faithful to God no matter what happens. We may not understand what is happening, but we can trust God because God loves us and knows what is best for us. “And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.”- Romans 8:28
  • God has a plan for our life!  For I know the thoughts and plans that I have for you, says the Lord, thoughts and plans for welfare and peace and not for evil, to give you hope in your final outcome. – Jeremiah 29:11
  • There are times when innocent people suffer in this life along with wicked ones. Natural disasters such as floods and famines affect everybody. Accidents happen. Sickness and especially death will come to everyone. “…for He makes His sun rise on those who are evil and on those who are good, and makes the rain fall on the righteous [those who are morally upright] and the unrighteous [the unrepentant, those who oppose Him].” – Mt 5:45 (AMP)
  • Satan has only limited power over us. Only God is Omniscient, Omnipotent and Omnipresent.
  • Satan may use others to try to discourage us. In Job’s case, Satan used his wife and his three friends. We must seek first and foremost seek His kingdom and His way of doing things. (Mt 6:33)
  • Like Job, we to must learn to endure the hardships of life. You know how we call those blessed (happy) who were steadfast [who endured]. You have heard of the endurance of Job, and you have seen the Lord’s [purpose and how He richly blessed him in the] end, inasmuch as the Lord is full of pity and compassion and tenderness and mercy.”- James 5:11.

Finally, this life is fleeting. The older I get, the better I understand that fact! The Bible tells us that a day is like a thousand years and a thousands years is but a day to God (2Pet 3:8). God has such a little while to conform us into His Son’s likeness and He will use everything He can to conform us, including the trials we face today. I honestly used to dread God and Satan ever having that same conversation about me, for I liked the world’s idea of a blessed life (Palm trees and white sandy beaches included). I will probably never get to the point of asking The Lord to send more trials, but when they do come, I trust the Lord to walk with me through them knowing I will be blessed because of them.

Comfort

Scripture Saturday ~ Face-to Face

12:00 AM

Saturday, April 21, 2018


Welcome to Scripture Saturday!

This coming week's memory verses are Job 19: 25, 26...

 But as for me, I know that my Redeemer lives, and that He will stand upon the earth at last. And after my body has decayed, yet in  my body, I will see God! I will see Him for myself. Yes, I will see Him with my own eyes.  (NLT)

 Have a blessed and precious day and week everyone!