A Boomer in the Pew

Bible in a Year Series: Through Abram God Will Choose His People

Day #16 - This post is part of a year-long series where we are reading chronologically through the Bible.  Click here to learn more.  You are most welcome to join along at any time.

Today's text from the ESV Study Bible: Genesis 12-15

Boy, what a shift of gears from our 12 day journey through the Book of Job.  There is so much to consider in Job, that I found it difficult to get my mind to move on.

Nonetheless, journey we must to complete our task in the allotted 365 days.

Here too, in our daily reading, there is much to consider.  I again found myself shocked at Abram's cuckold-like behavior with Egypt's Pharaoh, and I greatly desire to understand more of this man Melchizedek.

But, me thinks, God is present is our story, and that certainly bears our prime consideration.

It is most interesting to me that God steps into history here, and chooses a man to build His people.  In that last chapter we saw God scattering the nations (Tower of Babel), and now here, many generations later, we find God stepping back into the picture, and choosing to build his own nation from the womb of a barren woman.

It is also interesting that Abram, just like we are today, was an alien in strange lands wandering about while God prepared the promised land for his people. 

It is also important to understand that even today, God is still choosing his people, preparing a place for them, and we await the great blessing that began all the way back here with Abram.

We are going to behold every kind of imaginable sin as we travel through the pages of the Old Testament.  We are going to see constant struggle as God's chosen people wrestle with their fallen natures, come under the holy wrath of God, God's persistent mercy, and his unshakable plan to build his people.

Through our whole journey, if we pay close attention, and force the big picture to remain in front of us, we will begin to see God's plan of redemption take place before our eyes.  God did not leave us in the Garden of Eden to remain dead in our sins.  He has a plan.

God will build a people, and he will be their God.

It is with unspeakable joy that we, those chosen by God, are included to be His.

Program Note:  I have removed most of the references to the ESV Study Bible from this series.  Although I will personally be using the ESV Study Bible, I don't want people to think they must possess this particular Bible to join us in our journey.  Why not invite a friend to join us today!

ESV Study Bible Series: Job's Comfort Found in God's Sovereignty

Day #15 - This post is part of a year-long series where we are reading chronologically through the ESV Study Bible.  Click here to learn more.  You are most welcome to join along at any time.

Today's text from the ESV Study Bible: Job 40-42

Exactly a week ago, the 47 year old husband of my wife's friend, suddenly dropped dead while skiing.

Everyone was shocked, and immediately wondered why.

When suffering comes, particularly to the righteous, it is very difficult to understand.

This is exactly why God gave us the Book of Job.

In reading the introduction to this book in my ESV Study Bible, it said:

"The most important key word in the book is the term “comfort”; the book shows where true comfort is to be found. In 2:11 Job's three friends come to comfort him; in 6:10 Job takes comfort in not having denied the words of the Holy One; in 7:13 Job claims that God will not allow his bed to comfort him. In 15:11 Eliphaz claims to be offering the comforts of God, while in 16:2 Job calls his friends miserable comforters, and in 21:34 he declares they are trying to comfort him with empty nothings. In 21:2 Job sarcastically offers to his friends the “comfort” of hearing him out. The key comes in 42:6 (if the reading of the esv footnote is followed; see note there): now that God has spoken, Job can say that he is “comforted in dust and ashes.” When Job's relatives and friends come to comfort him in 42:11, this is probably ironic: Job found the comfort he needed in the vision of God's unsearchable wisdom."

As I was reading through the book, I struggled to see anything that looked like comfort for poor Job.  But then, as I was listening to God's stern challenge to Job, the light bulb went on in my head, right along with Job's.

My Key Understanding - My comfort, during suffering, is found in the fact that the infinite, holy Creator of the universe has chosen me to be his son.  He chose me.  He adopted me.  Furthermore, he sees and understands things that I have no capacity to see, or understand.  Because he is my Father, I can rest, I can find comfort, and I can be completely assured that He has absolutely every molecule of this universe under His control, and will only bring about what is in my best interest, His pleasure, and what ultimately will bring glory to his Great Name.

This is what Job proclaimed when he said, "therefore I despise myself, and find comfort in dust and ashes." 

What great mercy do we see on display here with Job!  God could have taken him out, yet he challenges his thinking, Job immediately understands, and the story draws to a close.

God desires us to know that he is sovereign, has absolutely everything under his control, and even evil is used for his purposes.

Job said it all:

 “I know that you can do all things,
and that no purpose of yours can be thwarted.
‘Who is this that hides counsel without knowledge?’
Therefore I have uttered what I did not understand,
things too wonderful for me, which I did not know.
‘Hear, and I will speak;
I will question you, and you make it known to me.’
I had heard of you by the hearing of the ear,
but now my eye sees you;
therefore I despise myself,
and repent in dust and ashes.”

Oh my soul, understand, be quiet, submit, and obey our most holy God.

John Piper: Why do the Righteous Suffer - Book of Job

As we are coming to the end of the Book of Job, in our year-long study of the Bible, I thought it might be beneficial to call upon one of the big guns, in the world of theology, to help our understanding.

Here is a link to a recent video/audio series on Suffering, and the Book of Job.

Food for the Hungry: Help us in Haiti

Here is the link to learn what Food for the Hungry is doing, and how you can help with a financial gift.

ESV Study Bible Series: Shaken and Standing Mute With Job

Day #14 - This post is part of a year-long series where we are reading chronologically through the ESV Study Bible.  Click here to learn more.  You are most welcome to join along at any time.

Today's text from the ESV Study Bible:  Job 38-39

Here we are, at one of the rare summits of the Bible.  God himself is present in the whirlwind, and will speak to Job!

Abba, open our eyes that we might see.

First of all, it seems important that we consider all that is contained in the words "Then the Lord answered Job out of the whirlwind."

Who can wrap their minds around this narrative. 

God and Satan have a conversation.  God allows Satan to completely destroy Job's life.  Everything but his life has been taken from him.  Even his health has been destroyed.

To make matters worse, Job friends have been on the attack for 37 chapters telling him that it is his sin that is to blame, while townspeople walk by spitting on him, and mocking him.

Job has claimed his innocence, and we know this to be true because God proclaimed in the very first chapter that Job was blameless, upright, and feared God.

So we, along with Job cry, "why God, why"?

Tears stream when I consider that God made a personal appearance.  Don't miss this.  Surely he appears in a cloud, but we will learn latter, from Moses' encounter with God, that our earthly bodies would be nuked in God's presence. 

Nonetheless, consider how personal, and infinitely precious it would be to have God join you in your study right now.  If he never said a word, I would be melted and mute.

Then, we must meditate long and hard to understand what God is teaching us here.  Every single time God says, "Who are you too...", or, "Where were you when...", it must penetrate us to the core of our being.  Every single time God says the word "you", I am stabbed in my heart with my pride.

I can't read these words without seeing my presumption, my arrogance, my pride, my insolence, and my insubordination. 

From the Fall of Man we all fight this desire to become gods unto ourselves.  We think that we possess the knowledge to understand the ways of God.

How wrong we are, and how rightly we are corrected by God's words. 

Abba, you are the Potter, and I am merely the clay.  I stand completely mute, and again corrected by these words.  And furthermore Abba, when I consider the depths of your sovereignty, I find great comfort. When I am screaming at the top of my lungs in pain, help me to remember that you alone are sovereign, you made, control, direct, and dictate everything that is.  And help me to find in that the great comfort that this also applies to me.Before the world was even created, you knew me, you loved me, and you chose my path. Abba, I am mute before you, and seek your forgiveness for my considerable, and oft pride.

Dear reader, I hope you too found understanding.

ESV Study Bible Series: Who is This Pompous Elihu?

Day #13 - This post is part of a year-long series where we are reading chronologically through the ESV Study Bible.  Click here to learn more.  You are most welcome to join along at any time.

Today's text from the ESV Study Bible: Job 35-37

Elihu makes my skin crawl.

When I read the words of Elihu, although they contain some truth, I feel like I am sitting in front of a preacher who is more con artist than servant of God.

Who is this guy?  He is not mentioned in the beginning.  Clearly he has been listening to the whole dialog between these men, and then he pops into the scene proclaiming, "For truly my words are not false; one who is perfect in knowledge is with you."

One who is perfect in knowledge?  Perfect? 

This is either a prophet from God (which it doesn't feel like to me),  one arrogant young whippersnapper, a demon possessed man, or perhaps even Satan himself.

Further, after God comes down in the whirlwind, which we will see tomorrow, we never hear from Elihu (Hebrew for "he is god") again.  Certainly Satan is prowling around in this situation.  Was Elihu Satan's pawn?  Or, have I completely missed the boat on this?

I am not going to belabor this unknowable suspicion, but do any of you readers feel the same way?

Wayne Grudem Series: A Systemic Disease has Overrun our Supreme Court

This post is part of a series of posts taken from Dr. Wayne Grudem's Sunday school class at Scottsdale Bible Church.  In this class, Dr. Grudem is taking us through his forthcoming book: Politics: According to the Bible. I have created a category link here, which will allow you to scroll through all of the upcoming posts.

Note:  audio of our class is found at the bottom of this post.

From Wayne Grudem:

"If could fix only one thing in the United States, it would be the systemic disease that has overrun the Supreme Court."

This Sunday's message from Dr. Wayne Grudem is so important for American's to understand, I am going to keep my words to a minimum and simply ask you to listen to Wayne's message below.

In this message, Dr. Grudem is going to explain how our Supreme Court has become an institution that makes laws, apart from the constitution, and is absolutely accountable to no one!

Please listen, and share this recording!

Notes: Download The Courts and The Question Of Ultimate Power In A Nation

ESV Study Bible Series: The Folly of our Fallen Human Wisdom

Day #12 - This post is part of a year-long series where we are reading chronologically through the ESV Study Bible.  Click here to learn more.  You are most welcome to join along at any time.

Today's text from the ESV Study Bible: Job 32-34

Oh boy, here we go again!  Who is this young whippersnapper?  Where on earth did Elihu come from?

You know, I think Laurie Mathers hit the nail on the head, when she made a comment in this blog a few days ago:

"The things they speak are not wrong things per se. What appears to be wrong is the glibness and ignorance in which they are spoken. It brought to mind things I've said over the years to others who were struggling...when I presumed to know something which in reality I had no way of knowing... arrogantly spouting true doctrine yet inappropriate, either because of my ignorance, or my arrogance, to the situation. I think sometimes our greatest fault as Christians is our glibness. We would well benefit to be slow to speak, and quick, in the absence of clear evidence of sin, to assume the best of our brothers and sisters in their struggles and pain."

We were made in the image of God, and in our fallen state we sometimes like to think that we can speak with great knowledge, and perhaps even possess the mind of God.

I suppose it is entirely possible that God would give us words to say.  We see this proclaimed in the New Testament.  But here, in these four men, I am not finding any humility.  I am finding 4 men who have improperly judged the situation, even though there is great truth in much of what they say, and spoken sinfully as to speak judgment for God.

We can easily assess this because we are privy to the first chapter.  Right?

Therefore, it seems to me, as Laurie has pointed out, that one of the great lessons of this book has to do with the attitude of our counsel. 

We are not God, we do not know the mind of God, consequently, when we find ourselves in a position of counsel we should come alongside in love, leave judgment to God, and point our friends to the word of God, and encourage them to seek his face in prayer.

It seems that God, above all, desires us to be in relationship with him.  All of our life, and all of our counsel must keep that in mind, and like the Holy Spirit, be continually pointing to Christ.

I found myself in a counseling situation yesterday, and quickly realized that there was so much that I didn't know, and therefore was completely lost to offer any certain wisdom.

The only thing that came to view was to share applicable words from God's word, and point the two young people towards God.

Now, as difficult as it sometimes seems, I must rely on the mercy, the loving-kindness, the sovereignty, and the omniscience of God, for I have no idea what God might be doing in the lives of these two dear people.

I am looking forward to God speaking after Elihu completes his diatribe.

Please feel free to share your thoughts in the comments section just below.

Spring in the Sonoran Desert of Scottsdale, Arizona

In just a few weeks it will be spring in the Sonoran desert!   

Behold spring from these photographs from my flickr site:

1. Desert Spring Flowers, 2. Cactus Spring Flower, 3. Orange Butterfly, 4. Butterfly Macro, 5. Arizona Butterfly, 6. Blue Flower, 7. Arizona Red Flower, 8. Blue Flower (cropped), 9. Octopus Catus, 10. Old Man Cactus, 11. Delicate Desert Flora, 12. Orange Desert Delicate, 13. Bees on Mesquite Blossom, 14. Desert Pink Flower, 15. Spring and Easter Colors, 16. Delicate Desert Yellow, 17. Yellow against Green, 18. Red Yellow Orange Desert Wildflowers, 19. Blue Desert Wildflower, 20. Sonoran Desert Bee, 21. High Sonoran Desert Bee, 22. Beauty and the Beast, 23. Purple Floating Flower, 24. Arizona Wildflower, 25. Yellow Desert Flower, 26. Passionate Purple, 27. Passion for Purple, 28. Arizona Pomegranate, 29. Saguaro Bloom, 30. Orange Butterfly on Yellow, 31. Black Butterfly on Purple, 32. Arizona's Passion Flower, 33. Arizona Red, 34. Daisy, 35. Hummingbird

ESV Study Bible Series: We are Three Days From Hearing God's Reply to Job's Pleading

Day #11 - This post is part of a year-long series where we are reading chronologically through the ESV Study Bible.  Click here to learn more.  You are most welcome to join along at any time.

Today's text from the ESV Study Bible: Job 29-31

I am thinking that after reading Job's last soliloquy that he is likely someone that we should look up too, and perhaps even model our lives after. 

I think it is important that we not let the judgment of Eliphaz, Bildad, and Zophar cloud our view of Job's character.

Certainly Job was not a perfect man, certainly we have seen some cracks in his character, but we must remind ourselves of God's view of Job: "blameless and upright, one who feared God and turned away from evil."

We have learned that Job was a very successful businessman (think billionaire Warren Buffett), but was also a very pious man who loved God, and used his wealth to accomplish good things.  Continually we have read of Job's care for the widows, the fatherless, and the poor.  Further, we have read that he was very generous with those in his employ.

In spite of the false accusations of Eliphaz, Bildad, and Zophar, Job was clearly a man to look up too, and pattern our lives against.

Yet, here he is, perhaps a baby boomer, struck down in the prime of his life.  He has gone from unimaginable wealth to complete poverty.  To make matters worse, his family and friends have turned against him, and those who didn't know him spit upon him as they walk by.

Can you see him?  This great man of God, reduced to a mockery, covered with painful, oozing boils, sitting upon the town dump.

In spite of what we learned yesterday from Job's poem in chapter 28, do we not still echo Job's inquiry of God?  Why God, why?

Listen to Job:

"Oh, that I had one to hear me!
(Here is my signature! Let the Almighty answer me!)
Oh, that I had the indictment written by my adversary!
Surely I would carry it on my shoulder;
I would bind it on me as a crown;

Whether found right, or wrong, Job simply desires to hear from Yahweh.  Job desires to be vindicated, but even if he is found wrong in the eyes of Yahweh, he will carry that indictment like a sign on his back.

Just please answer me God, answer me!

Although I don't profess to be held in God's view as a blameless, and upright man, I can greatly related to Job's dilemma.  I suspect with the hardships brought on by our current recession, there are a great many who might stand with similar questions.

We have reached the point in our narrative where the talking is over.  Another of Job's contemporaries, a young man is going to be introduced, but then, oh, but then we are going to hear from God himself!

Rather than peek ahead for God's answer to this oft asked question, why not this day ask God to prepare our hearts for the coming answer.  Trust me, a ready heart, hearing of God's holy reply, will be completely, and absolutely stunned, and will stand submissively mute in the presence of Holy God.