"Off And Running..." update...God's got BIG plans!

Well, for those of you who follow via Facebook, you'll already know it was my birthday today!  And a fine one it was!  The whole weekend overall was refreshing for me actually!  I spent my morning yesterday with a group of lovely 'moms' and enjoyed their fellowship as we shared our mountains and valleys of being a Christian mom!  This has been running each month for just over the last two years or so and with missing only one or two gatherings, I've been blessed beyond belief!  There have been many encouraging times and some wonderful friendships that have come to be as a result!  It's good to be reminded that we aren't the only mom's who aren't 'perfect'!  I always look forward to our time together!

The rest of the day was spent alone, puttering away at things I wanted to do around the house.  Felt good to get a few (and only a few!) loose ends tied up!  I got a pretty decent night sleep, thankfully, as this morning I was up for another 'first'!  Yep...I was on the schedule for 'ministry in song' (a.k.a. a 'solo') at our church!  Now I do realize that I sang at the beginning of January (for those on Facebook you may recall this), however that was with my 6 year old daughter!  That day I couldn't be nervous...my little girl was counting on Mommy to be steady as a rock; and that I was for her.  Today, was a different case though - I was completely on my own.  I'm proud to say that I came through it just fine!  And to my surprise, a friend of mine in the sound booth recorded it for me...this will be nice to tuck away for my children as they grow up and have families of their own!  I'm all about preserving things so that one can reflect back on the past...it's really quite interesting to do so!

Anyhow, moving along...  In my post "Off And Running In 2012...In The Rocky Mountains!" back on the 9th of January, I mentioned a couple of 'new things' that were coming up.  Now is the time to update you on the 'local one!  In my post I'd said:

The local will be first, projected date is the beginning of March!...when more details are ironed out...I'll let'cha know! What I will say about it, is that it's all about worship and... 'regeneration'! I really want to continue sharing more, however I need to exercise self-control and zip my lips...hopefully for only a very short time longer!

I'm telling you this it totally God!  After I posted that blog, things regarding this actually came to a screeching halt.  I knew that at that point the Lord was showing me it wasn't to go that way, and I was to take my hands off of it.  This upset me...for a short time.  It wasn't the fact that it appeared it wasn't going to happen, but what I found myself most upset about was that I was sure it was something given to me by the Lord.  I remember asking, 'If I was wrong about this, then what else could I have misread being from God?'.  I'm sure that is a question you can relate to.  But before I started to go very far down that path, I silenced that voice and placed Truth there instead.  I was then in a place of willingly taking my hands off and could rest in the knowledge that 'If it really is something God had given me a vision for, it will happen; in His timing!'  Sooo, I'm extremely happy to say 'It's now His timing'!!!!

'Regeneration' - an evening of praise and worship, is taking place next Sunday, March 4th!  (Again, those on Facebook will already be aware of this 'event', but not necessarily how it came about)  The final 'go ahead' was given to me only two weeks ago, meaning I had three weeks to get this pulled together, ...musicians, music and all.  God being so gracious, placed the last musician needed in my path this morning at church and he was more than willing to come aboard!  I love when it's Him, it all just falls into place :) 

This evening I met with two others and put together a song list...that was tough - how can I choose from so many great songs?!!  I had to remind myself that, as the Lord leads, this is going to be a monthly thing...so that eased the song selection a bit!

Now comes the week ahead of me.  I'm well aware that the enemy will be shreaking that this night of praise and worship is going to take place, and no doubt he'll try and get at me any way he possibly can.  Thankfully I can move ahead with the Lord's armor knowing the enemy's slimy tactics.  Discouragement and inadequacy will be at the top of the list I'm sure, but "I can do ALL things through Christ who gives me strength", and believe me, none of this is on my own strength...or it wouldn't be happening!

So, if this post comes to your mind over the week, please pray for March 4th.  Pray that the Lord would be lifted high and exalted; that there would be rending of hearts and bending of knees; that there would be a fresh revelation for those who come earnestly seeking the presence of Adonai.  What better way to shut down the enemy but by bringing praise and glory to Elohim - our Creator!

Have a wonderfully blessed week!  And remember, 'God's got BIG plans'!
Until next time,
'K'

Job Study: Chapter Fifteen - "The Passionate Testimony of an Innocent Man"

Well, we're t-7 chapters now!  And a tough go it has been.  I know a lot of people say that Job is a depressing book to read, and yes at times it is difficult to muddle through.  That being said though, I have still found it to be of encouragement!  As I continue digging through this book, I've come to realize that the 'trivial issues' I think are big in my life, really are nothing compared to Job's awful dose of trial upon trial.  I have my family, my financial provision and my health...all of which he lost.  So, looking at things in the light of eternity - I'm doing pretty great!  I also don't let much time go between thanking the Lord for it all either!

Selections we looked at this week were chapters 29-31.  We continue to see the integrity of Job; before, when, and even after the bottom fell out of his life.  How can one not stand back in awe of how he modeled his integrity?! 

In the section 'In Other Words', we read:

Job missed his close friendship with God even more than he missed his beloved children, servants, and flocks.  Adam must have had similar feelings after the Fall.  He may have thought, "How great it was when God and I walked in the cool of the evening, with no spiritual chasm separating us!"  But Adam knew that his own sin had breached his relationship with the Lord.  Job, on the other hand, hadn't a clue why God seemed to be turning His back on His servant. 

One author writes;  ..."Yes, God permits us to experience difficulties and sorrows, but God also sends victories and joys...C.H. Spurgeon said that too many people write their blessings in the sand but engrave their sorrows in marble...  When we are experiencing trials, it's natural for us to long for "the good old days"; but our longing will not change our situation.  Someone has defined "the good old days" as "a combination of a bad memory and a good imagination."  In Job's case, however, his memory was accurate, and "the good old days" really were good.

Like Adam and Job, we all look back nostalgically at special times in our lives.  Maybe you felt more blessed, joyful, innocent, peaceful, passionate, or energetic at an earlier time in your live.  Maybe you enjoyed good health and comfort before a physical illness reared it's ugly head.  Perhaps you felt extraordinarily blessed before a multitude of trials and disappointments crashed into your life.  Or you may have experiences more satisfaction at the beginning of your marriage or at a previous stage in your family life.  Maybe your early walk with Lord seemed more fruitful than your current spiritual life.  Do you find yourself wishing for the good old days?

We talked about writing in a journal...the good and the not-so-good times in our lives.  I know when I have done so during difficult times in my life and go back to those entries after the 'storm' has passed, I am reminded of how God showed up regarding that situation that I thought at the time I would never get through.  Again, it gives new revelation to "I can do ALL things through Christ who gives me strength"!  I'm glad that I have a love for writing - in various ways - because it allows me to see just how my pilgrimage has unfolded and how it has brought me to the place I am today!

In the 'nuggets of wisdom' section Chuck gives us three principles to apply to our own lives;

• First: Reflecting on our past blessings gives us reasons to rejoice.  Do this often!  Mealtimes and bedtimes present incredible opportunities to give thanks and to teach your children to do the same.  (Psalm 103 contains a beautifully expressive guideline for thanksgiving.)
• Second:  Rehearsing our present trials forces us to swallow our pride.  As we drop our pride and cynicism, we're aligned with God's desires for us...our trials teach us to walk in humility and help us to empathize with others' pain.
• Third:  Reaffirming our commitment to integrity strengthens us with confidence and courage.  Job may have been troubled and discouraged, but he wasn't defeated.  He wasn't haughty, but he stood his ground when it came to defending his integrity.  He had the confidence to tell God, "If I have done anything worth this kind of punishment, then strike me dead right now!"  But he hadn't, and God didn't.

Chuck encouraged us to be very careful to judge someone going through suffering, because we dont' know why they are.  This statement is so true.  I am humbled again and again when the Lord shows me I've done or am doing this.  The conviction is a sting, but preventing it from going any further is sweet.  O to have the eyes and heart of Jesus in every situation, eh?!

We closed this chapter with another wonderfully stated paragraph from Chuck;

While Job fought a difficult battle against the false accusations of misguided people, Jesus Christ fought an even more intense one.  The only truly innocent man, Jesus suffered an excruciating death on the cross for crimes that He had not committed.  Yet He responded in love, even asking His Father to forgive His tormentors.  Jesus trusted His Father to act as His just Judge and to vindicate Him, revealing the truth of Christ's Sonship to all mankind.  And we'll soon see that God also vindicated Job, ending His silence and revealing Job's blamelessness to all.

Ponder that in your heart and meditate on those last words!

Until next time,
'K'

Job Study: Chapter Fourteen - "A Recommitment to Things That Matter"

"Till I die I will not put away my integrity from me.  I hold fast my righteousness and will not let it go."  (Job 27:5-6)

Ahhh, the integrity of our worship...  There was a lot of marking and highlighting going on in this chapter I'll tell ya (not that there isn't usually anyway)!  "What you think about God tells others a great deal about you' - this is so true.  We speak what is in our heart, and if God is truly the center of your life, the Holy Spirit dwells within you...so what should be coming through our mouths from our hearts?!  That's a tough one to ask ourselves isn't it.  I know my intentions of what I speak aren't ill intended, but I do catch myself at times not reflecting Christ living in me...anyone else with me here?

Chuck begins with a great paragraph to get this chapter of study off and running:

Suffering helps us straighten out our priorities.  And often, the deeper our pain, the clearer our vision becomes regarding what's truly important in life.  Pastor and author John Piper writes; "Sometimes massive suffering comes so close to home that for a brief season the fog of our foolish security clears, and we can see the sheer precipice of eternity one step away."

When disaster strikes, we realize how much we value our relationships with our loved ones...If Job could speak today, he would verify our need to refocus our priorities, urging us to pause and reassess the state of our lives...We never hear Job lament he loss of his fortune or his business.  But he did mourn the loss of his family, and he cried out to God for answers in the midst of his grief.

Job's example demonstrates that when it comes to our priorities, suffering is not our enemy; it's our friend.  Not until we embrace it as such will we reap its benefits.  When suffering knocks us flat on our backs, we're forced to look up!  We assume a vertical focus in stead of a horizontal one.  When we're hurting, we allow ourselves to slow down and see our lives from God's point of view.  We notice those people and things around us that we've been neglecting.  Instead of trying to pull ourselves up by our own bootstraps, we humbly recognize our dependence upon our Father and set our minds on the things of God.

From this text we see that:

• Job Affirms His Righteousness:  He held firmly to his belief that God had a greater purpose behind the scenes.
• Job Curses His Enemies:  In the culture of Job's day, those who suffered typically did more than affirm their innocence; they also called down the wrath of God on their accusers.  Sadly, because of their hard hearts and uncaring words, Job's so-called friends had become his spiritual enemies, and he spoke out against them in this passage.
• Job Searches for Wisdom:  Following his warning of judgement against his three accusers, Job shifted gears into a discussion of man's search for God's wisdom.  It's as if he were saying to his friends, "You need more wisdom from God to discern who is really in danger here."  And he recognized his own need for God's wisdom as well.

Job's life offers us a simple yet useful way to describe wisdom: the ability to see life as God sees it.  Wisdom means we can interpret events correctly and grasp what they really mean.  Wisdom provides us the ability to respond in a positive way to life's challenges.  It helps us keep the correct perspective and maintain the right attitude.  But finding it is key.

Job concluded that God is the origin of wisdom.  True wisdom can only come from our Father.  It cannot be mined from the earth.  It cannot be bought with a price.  And it cannot be found through human effort.  God Almighty is the only One who understands the nature of wisdom, and He imparts it as a gift to His children.

Job recognized that in the midst of his suffering, God was sovereign.  If He had created the world and placed the planets spinning in their orbits, surely He could manage the circumstances of Job's life.  Job's role was to trust God's wisdom as perfect, holy, and blameless.  The fact that we can't grasp that wisdom only serves to illustrate how much greater God's power and plan are than our own.  (I loved this paragraph...I personalized it by putting my name in where Job's was and placing it in present tense!  Re-read it and do the same!)

The nuggets of wisdom this chapter were...yet again...wonderful! 

• First, thinking God's thoughts is our highest goal.  A.W. Tozer wrote, "What come into our minds when we think about God is the most important thing about us."...There is no better way to know  God and think His thoughts than to memorize Scripture.  The Bible is God's Word, and His Word is made up of His thoughts.  When you determine to bank on His promises or pray for a friend or family member using His words, you can sense the power of biblical truth.  God has provided you with the sword of the Spirit, and it's your best weapon against the evil schemes of Satan.
• Next, walking in integrity is the only way to live.  Job refused to skate along the pond of half-truths.  He wouldn't plead guilty to a crime that he hadn't committed.
• Third, realizing that wrong will not ultimately triumph brings us a sense of justice.  He who dies with the most toys only leaves them behind for someone else to enjoy.  But godly people recognize that material goods only offer temporary relief and pleasure.  God keeps score, and only those who have a true relationship with Him will receive rewards in eternity.
• Next, seeking wisdom through human effort is a wast of time.  We often use the terms knowledge and wisdom interchangeably.  However, they're vastly different !  No matter how knowledgeable we may be, we cannot have true biblical wisdom unless we have a relationship with God.  Improvin gour education, reading wiely, traveling broadly, being taught and mentored by th ebest and brightest, delving into the mysteries of life and nature - none of these offers the kind of wisdom that God provides us through the Holy Spirit.
• Last, cultivating a healthy and holy fear of the Lord gives us wisdom and understanding.  Our culture doesn't place much emphasis on fearing the Lord, but the Bible does!

As I type this chapter out now, there is fresh reminder for me to really 'recommit to the things that matter'.  People will always fail us, it's just the human condition.  But how great it is to know that God Almighty never will!  This gives me great encouragement as I continue on in my journey with Him. 

Signing off this week with the paragraph Chuck left us with in the study guide:

Our search for wisdom ends with God.  As we seek the Lord through prayer and the study of His Word, He instills His attributes in us.  And when we identify ourselves with the person of Christ, we tap into His life-giving wisdom.  Through Jesus, we can see life as God sees it, and we'll respond to life's challenges as we should.

Be encouraged my friends..."the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom"...camp on that!  Let's bring back a healthy fear of the Lord and watch what He'll do!

Until next time,
'K'

Job Study: Chapter Thirteen - "The Futility of Unscrewing the Inscrutable"

The study of Job is also the study of God.  After all, God is he one who strikes the deal with Satan.  It's He who points out Job as a God-fearing, blameless man and allows the enemy to unleash his arrows.  The Almighty steps into the shadows and hides for 35 chapters!  He no longer speaks.  He doesn't give visions.  He doesn't provide relief.  He doesn't offer comfort.  Not only is He absent, He's silent.  And that's tough for Job (and us) to understand.  All the way through the story, it is God who captures our attention and makes us wonder.  Better stated, He confuses us.

As we delve more deeply into the book, we realize that we must have misunderstood either the person of God or the person of Job.  Most likely, our concept of God needs to be reshaped.  (emphasis added!)

What a great way to start this weeks chapter!  In chapter 25 we read Bildad's last (and shortest!) speech.  His speech brings to mind the words the Lord had spoken through the prophet Isaiah, " 'For My thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways My ways,' declares the Lord" (Isaiah 55:8)  A friend of my once encouraged us to put our own names at the end of the above Scripture, and how it really makes it personal when I do!

In chapter 26 Job replies once again.  Up until this point, Job has pretty much kept his cool.  However now he lets loose.  His pain no doubt had gotten his attention and out of his mouth came things that not normally would have been spoken.  Chuck reminds us that when we're hurting, we don't censor our words as much as we normally do.

Job assumes two roles.  The author presents him as a truly righteous man whose commitment to God is total, yet who can still struggle with God to the point of rage over the mystery of God's ways.  Job does not know what the reader knows - that God honors him by testing, thus expressing his total confidence in Job.  But Job must remain ignorant of this for it to be genuine.  For the intended message of the book, the raging Job is just as important as the patient Job.  In his suffering Job served God supremely, not as a stoic, but as a feeling man who had to come to terms with the mystery of the divine...  Job wrestled with pain, rage, and a lack of understanding of God and His ways. Instead of hiding his emotions, Job vented them as he struggled with the enormity of God and his own role in the grand drama of creation. (all emphasis mine...how can you not say 'AMEN' to that?!)

In our 'digging deeper' section this week, we looked at the definition of inscrutable.  Defined by the dictionary..."not readily investigated, interpreted, or understood." 

In the first century, when Paul penned his letter, he informed his readers that God is unfathomable and unsearchable.  That doesn't mean He stops being good, or loving, or merciful.  He's all of that and so much more.  But His mind and His plan often remain incomprehensible to us - wonderfully incomprehensible.  For just as God's plan through the Messiah was greater than the nation of Israel ever expected, so what He is accomplishing in our lives is greater than we'll ever expect!  (emphasis added...that sentence was a great reminder to me!)

The longer we think on this, the more we realize that there is a lot about God we were never taught.  In the midst of our study of Job, we're forced to dig much deeper into His character and discover new aspects.  And this is a never-ending process!  The more we get to know Him, the more He amazes us and inspires awe within us.  He is inscrutable...Everything within us longs to explain everything about God and interpret all His ways and to come to a full understanding of the workings of God.

After all, God created us as intelligent beings, and He instructs us to know Him.  Longing to do that, we continue to pursue a deeper understanding of His divine Being, but the deeper we dig, the more unfathomable He becomes.  That shouldn't surprise us, but we're dissatisfied by not knowing.  We prefer things to be 'fathomable', or if you will, 'scrutable'.  We want to analyze and explain situations so that we can see the big picture and understand the whole story.  But that's impossible  when it comes to our sovereign, magnificent God.

As Christians, we rightly emphasize knowing God, yet there's so much that we will never know until we meet the Lord face-to-face in Hid heavenly kingdom.  We don't understand everything about our Father, and we mislead ourselves and others if we imply that we do.  One author notes, "Too often, those who say the most about God know the least about God."

Author Warren Wiersbe writes:  The fourteenth-century British spiritual writer Richard Rolle said, "He truly knows God perfectly that finds Him incomprehensible and unable to be known."  The more we learn about God, the more we discover how much more there is to know!  Beware of people who claim to know all about God, for their claim is proof they know neither God nor themselves.  (again...emphasis added; isn't that an 'amen' sentence?!!)

As we discussed our study, a few things stuck out to me that I jotted down to share with you all.  I think they are all great little nuggets to remember!

• You don't get to 'pick-and-choose' who God is.
• Even though He is 'unsearchable' and 'unfathomable' He is still very close.
• Sometimes we panic when it seems like nothing is moving...that's when we need to step back and say "this means something", or "there's something good coming".
• The tests come to increase our faith.

Chuck closes off this portion of the study with more great insight for us.  As I was reading over it just now, I don't know that I can omit any of it!  So bare with me as I relay it all to you.  I hope it speaks encouragement to you as it does to me...I highlighted it all!!

If nothing else, the study of Job reveals that we do not fully understand God's ways.  We cannot explain the inexplicable.  We cannot fathom the unfathomable.  So let's not try to unscrew the inscrutable!

If only the men who saw themselves as Job's friends had acknowledged the limits of human understanding.  It would have been so much more comforting to Job to hear this friends say, "We're here.  We don't understand why this is happening any more than you do; only God knows.  But we're here to help you and support you through it.  God is doing something phenomenal, and it is so far beyond us that we cannot understand it."

God's plan stretches our faith while conforming us to the image of His Son.  For some people, His plan may include a long battle with cancer or another terminal illness.  For some, like Job, His plan seems to be engaging us in a wrestling match with pain and grief.  For others, life may be a struggle with heartbreak, pride, blindness, paralysis, or another hardship.

Often, God's plan is to say no to our requests for healing or a reprieve from our pain.  But some of us simply can't accept that.  In fact, some go so far to say, "If you believe that, you lack real faith in God."  Truth is, if you believe that, you believe in the God of the Bible!

Scripture describes problems in the lives of many godly people, and often these men and women did not suddenly get well, did not quickly get over their problems, and did not easily overcome failures, sins, accidents, and illnesses.  God's Word paints realistic portraits of it's heroes - warts and all.  They hurt.  They fell.  They failed.  They suffered.  But they also learned in the process.  By His grace, most of them began to grow, mature in their faith, learn obedience, and succeed in carrying out God's plan for their lives instead of hiding in the shadows, nursing their wounds.  And God calls us to do the same.

How can we start to understand the mysteries of God's character and His plan?  One way is to get out into the beauty of nature.  Let God's creation remind you of His creative power, His imagination, His energy, and His tremendous love for the people and things He has made.  Take a prayer walk, using your time to thank Him for the beauty of His creation and the greatness of His power. 

In addition, you can grow in your faith and knowledge of Him as you pray, worship, read His Word, journal, fellowship with other believers, and serve in the areas of your spiritual giftedness.

God's foremost command to us it to love Him with all our might.  Not just to serve Him, but to love Him for who He is and what He has done for us.  When we experience heartaches and setbacks, He's there to comfort us like a loving father comforts his beloved son or daughter.  And He deserves our undivided attention and praise.  He may be mysterious, but He's might, and there's no questioning the vast depth of His love for us.

Good stuff eh?!!  I tell ya, this study has come at the most perfect time in my life...not that it's surprising being that God knows it all!  And I know a lot of people tend to find the book of Job as a 'tough one to get through', but I am encouraged by it (perhaps I've stated that before in previous posts!).  It's all about our perspective.  In studying the life of Job, I realize that any 'issue' I may have totally pales in comparison to Job's sufferings.  Yet he remained faithful and trusting in his God...and he didn't even have the book to see how it was all going to play it out!  It helps to remind me how sovereign Elohim (Creator God) truly is.

I'll end this post with another paragraph Chuck shared with us this week.  It's got some very challenging questions I think we all need to be continually asking ourselves.

God's creation awes with its grandeur and brilliance.  How can we possibly fathom a God who could created something so vast?  Perhaps the question should not be, "Do we really know God?" but "Do we really believe in Him?"  Do we believe what His Word says?  Do we recognize His goodness and His love for us?  Do we trust Him when circumstances remind us that we're not in control of our own lives?  Do we remain faithful to Him even when trials and tests come?  Are we grateful to Him for sending His only Son to die for us?  Do we live like it?

Until next time,
'K'

Job Study: Chapter Twelve - "How to Handle Criticism with Class"

It's so good to be back studying Job!  The highlighted Scripture this week was Job 23:10 "But He knows the way I take; When He has tried me, I shall come forth as gold."  Will I come forth as gold?  What am I doing here to rest in knowing that?  Ernest Hemmingway defined 'courage' as 'grace under pressure'.  Do I  walk with grace under pressure?  Do I courageously endure like Job did?  Just a few of the thoughts that flood my mind and continue challenging me.  Do they challenge you too?!

We focused on chapters 22-24 this time.  Eliphaz steps into the ring, yet again, and continues to falsely accuse Job of sin; accused Job of hiding his sins; and lastly, exhorts Job to repent of his sins throughout chapter 22.

Instead of trying to calm things down, Eliphaz assumed the position of the prosecuting attorney and turned the debate into a trial.  Like any effective attorney, he had his brief prepared and his case well in hand.  His false accusations, however, described someone the exact opposite of Job.

Eliphaz reasoned that courts don't try people for being righteous or for obeying the law.  Rather, they try people for breaking the law.  Therefore, he falsely deduced that since Job had received such terrible punishment, he must be guilty of sin.

In verses 12-14 of chapter 22, Eliphaz reminded Job that he couldn't hide anything from God.  He warned Job in verses 15-18 that his so-called sins would be discovered.  In essence, he call Job a hypocrite. 

We took a look at the meaning of 'hypocrite' - "a person who puts on a false appearance of virtue or religion".  Uh-ha...I'm sure we all know the ins-and-outs of that word.  Either by witnessing it in someone else or by adopting that word all on our own.  Warren Wiersbe writes,

A hypocrite is not a person what fails to reach his desired spiritual goals, because all of us fail in one way or another.  A hypocrite is a person who doesn't even try to reach any goals, but he makes people think that he has.  His profession and his practice never meet.

I thought that was a great observation and explanation!  It all goes back to our integrity.  Are we really who we say we are?  Do our actions line up with our words?  In my own humble opinion, I think hypocrisy has tainted the name of Christianity...I'm sure many of you will agree to that too.  I mean sinful nature is our human condition - it has been ever since the fall.  And with the way the world is, there is such high expectation to live in a way that shows only the best of us.  Heaven forbid a Christian would be seen 'crumbling'...after all, isn't God a God of love?  Isn't being a Christ follower an automatic ticket on the easy street?  No much wonder the world is in the state it's in.  With hypocrisy ramped among us, yes...even us 'Christians', I think it's more crucial now to live as authentically as possible.  Not to say we have to air all of our 'dirty laundry', but just be real.

Moving on then...Job's reply to Eliphaz's last go-round at him is found in chapters 23 and 24.  They consist of three candid, calm, and vulnerable responses.

He did not protest or answer back until Eliphaz was finished.  Then, Job spoke to and about the Lord instead of directly addressing Eliphaz or his accusations.  Job knew hat it was not Eliphaz who would justify him, the the Lord.  He longed for God to bring about justice in his case.

Job was desperate for God to show Himself.  But even though God hadn't allowed Job's circumstances to improve, Job trusted the Lord to listen to his concerns (23:4) and to offer him a response (23:5).  He believed that God would take seriously his pleas for justice (23:6), hear his arguments, and clear his record (23:7).  Yet Job admitted that he couldn't literally see, or behold, God (23:8-9).

In the nuggets of wisdom Chuck gives us three very helpful guidelines to help us walk things out with 'grace under pressure'...

• First, resist the temptation to explain everything.  One man has said that an education is moving from unawareness to awareness of our ignorance.  The older we get, the more we learn; but the more we learn, the more we realize our limitations.  (I thought this statement was fantastic!)
• Second, focus on future benefits, not the present pain.  Despite his pain, Job looked toward the future.  He felt confident that even thought he was being tried in the white-hot fire, he would 'come forth as gold'.  He maintained his innocence even when falsely accused, knowing that in this life or the next, he would eventually receive a reward for enduring his suffering.
• Third, embrace the sovereignty of God.  We tend to think that we can't embrace someone or something we don't understand.  But we do it all the time!  We love our spouses and kids, but we don't completely understand them.  We have loving relationships with our parents and friends, in spite of the fact that we don't know everything there is to know about them.  We accept mystery and allow time for growth in our relationships with others, so reason demands that we must expect these aspects in our relationship with out Father as well.

How true the last statement is!  If we can have really close intimate relationships here on earth with people we don't understand, then why couldn't we have an even more intimate relationship with the One who created us and understands us...completely?!!  If you don't have that with God...then what are you waiting for?  It warms my heart and baffles me all at the same time, to know that no matter what place I'm in, or how cluttered my mind is, HE TOTALLY GETS ME!!  Now that's saying something!! 

I'll close this post with the paragraph Chuck left us with in the study book.  I marked it all with highlighter and a big star because it really spoke to me.  Hopefully it does to you too!  Open your heart to receive all the Lord has to offer to you as you read this.  And may it be of great encouragement as you continue on your journey of faith with Christ Jesus!

Like Job, we see only the earthly aspects of our situation, while God understands the heavenly aspects.  Only He sees the big picture.  Just as we can't fully know God until we reach heaven, we can't fully know why certain situations occur on earth.  Some things surpass the scope of our limited human knowledge.  But we can trust God's heart, knowing that His love for us surpasses understanding like a doting father's care for his child.

The next time you face harsh or unfair criticism, remember that you can always find assurance, acceptance, love, and peace in the presence of the Almighty.

Thank you gracious and loving Lord!

Until next time,
'K;