Bible Truth Daily Devotion

March 10, 2010

The Way to Get Blessings

Filed under: Devotion in Job — Tags: , , — Pastor Brian Cheung @ 10:13 am

Job 42:10-17

 

 

It is human to want blessing and not suffering.  How do we get true blessing?  Today’s story offers the answer of what we need to do to get blessings from God.

 

Commentary:

Job 42:10.  Job had a terrible argument with his friends.  Job was quite bitter over their attacks.  Fortunately, he did not hold grudges against them.  Instead, he demonstrated forgiveness by praying for them.  Only in the state of forgiving, Job was blessed by God.  God restored Job’s fortune and doubled his possession. 

Job 42:11-12. The first blessing was the comfort that Job never got.  His brothers and sisters came to console him.  Moreover, they each gave him money.  The second blessings were the doubling of the possessions.  Job had double the number in the sheep, the camels, the oxen, and the female donkeys. 

Job 42:13. While everything was double, the number of sons and daughters remained as before.  Why was that? 

Here is an important theological truth in Job that we all know today.  People who are dead are not extinguished.  They live on as a spirit.  Hence, the number of Job’s children is doubled as well because the first half still live on. 

Job 42:14-17. Job treasured his three beautiful daughters.  Contrary to the custom of his days, Job even gave them inheritance.  Surely Job was the first advocate and practitioner of woman equal right.  He lived to a ripe old age before he moved on to see his God. 

 

Meditation:

What if Job did not forgive and did not pray for his friends?  Would blessings still come?  Based on the text, Job did not get to have his possession doubled until he prayed for his friends.  If Job were to refuse to pray for his friends, he probably never would have seen his fortunes doubled.

The truth is that God’s blessings do not come until we follow God’s desire.  God desires that we forgive other, just as He has forgiven us (Col 3:13).  Today many people hold grudges not knowing that doing so withholds God’s blessings.  If they had known this truth, would they change their mind?

Who have wronged you lately?  Have the relationship been restored?  Would you consider to take the initiative and to forgive others first? 

 

Prayer:

Dear Heavenly Father, forgive us as we have forgiven our debtors, in Jesus’ name, amen.

March 9, 2010

The Mediator

Filed under: Devotion in Job — Tags: , , , , , — Pastor Brian Cheung @ 8:00 am

Job 42:1-9

 

 

On my recent trip, I had a chance to share the gospel with some people on the plane.  They asked a lot of questions about God; a couple questions were about the suffering.  I answered them quite satisfactory.  I thought so because there was no counter from them. 

The problem is not the questions; the problem is what people would do after a satisfactory answer is given.  Truth be told; not many people are prepared to acknowledge the sovereignty of God in their life even after they recognize the truth.  To make that step would mean a submission to Jesus Christ.  Not many people are ready to give up their “pleasure” to follow the Master. 

Job was different.  No sooner he saw his errant way, he owned up his faults and submitted to God.  That story is in the passage of today.

 

Commentary:

Job 42:1-6. Job spoke up and admitted that God was sovereign.  Moreover, Job was remorseful of what he said.  He acknowledged God’s indictment that he was ignorant. Job retracted his accusation against God. 

Job was greatly humbled when he saw God in the whirlwind.   He now repented in dust and ashes again. Job sat there before to grieve for the losses and the perceived injustice.  Now he was sorrowful for his grave sin against God.  

Job 42:7-9. Then God spoke to Eliphaz, the representative of the three friends of Job.   God thought that they did a disservice of God by speaking wrongly about the situation and about Job. In comparison, God said that Job spoke right.  Surely, Job’s view toward the life after death and the eternal justice were consistent with the revelation in the New Testament. 

As a result, the three friends needed to offer a large sacrifice to God.  They also needed Job to pray for them.  Job was now accepted by God because of his repentance.  He would be their mediator, a role that they did not offer to Job nor fit to be one.

 

Meditation:

There is one major task given to the people who have submitted their life to Jesus Christ.  That task was given to Job.  It is also given to all Christian.  We need to become the mediators between men and God. 

God has called Christians to be ambassadors for Christ (2Cor 5:20).  We have to bring peace to the world where there is no peace.  We have to heal the land where there are diseases.  People may be hostile; they are.  Societies may be callous; they are.  That cannot change our calling.  We are the ambassadors for Christ.

This task is ours and ours individually. Don’t look to UNICEF to carry the banner for Jesus ‘cause they don’t.  Don’t wait for angels to preach ‘cause they won’t.  Don’t even sit back and wait for the mature brothers, sisters, or the pastors.  This task is individually given because God prearranges unique opportunities to touch the lives around each one of us.  Therefore, each one of us must become mediator to our friends, family, and the world.

 

Prayer:

Dear Heavenly Father, may that burden to preach the gospel to the lost be fallen on each and every member of the church, in Jesus’ name, amen.

March 8, 2010

To Be Posted

Filed under: Devotion in Job — Pastor Brian Cheung @ 1:00 am

Job 41:1-34 

March 7, 2010

Righteousness and Suffering

Filed under: Devotion in Job — Tags: , , — Pastor Brian Cheung @ 1:00 am

Job 40:1-14

 

 

“How come innocent people suffer?” is a question often raised.  The word innocent implies the people are righteous or have no guilt.  Is this a valid question?  Today’s passage offers God’s reminder of righteousness and suffering. 

 

Commentary:

Job 40:1-5. God asked Job if he had an answer for those questions.  But God was not looking for an answer but an attitude change in Job.  God wanted to know if Job still thought that he could contend with God.  Wisely and appropriately, Job spoke of his insignificance and his lack of answer, i.e. complaint. 

Job 40:6-14. Seeing that Job was still not repentant, God then gave Job some questions relevant to his complaint.  Central to Job’s criticism was that his righteousness was preeminent to God’s justice.  Therefore, his suffering proved that God justice was insufficient.  God used these questions to outline criteria that would make Job’s objection invalid.  The first requirement was the God’s power to supersede the creation.  Without that superiority, ruling would prove to be difficult if not impossible.  The second prerequisite was to have grandeur beyond comparison.  The inherent magnificence in God would preclude any pride of humans in his presence.  Finally, God obligated Himself to uphold justice everywhere. Job could not perform any of these tasks, and God’s justice is unsurpassed.

Humans have a hard time to put away their own righteousness.  We say we seek to be just, but mostly we see our right more than we see our wrong.  When accused, we look for reasons to prove our innocence.  Only occasionally, we become aware of our own faults.  Some use the righteousness as a banner to disqualify God’s justice.  The truth is that we do not look at all things in judicial and global perspective.  Our righteousness is insignificant in comparison to the justice of God.  The truth is also that we are not equal to God and possess not the ability to uphold justice.  Therefore, our reasoning is partial and not credible. For example, suffering at certain time is not necessary tied to the righteousness right before that suffering.  It can be tied to events of another time period or different source.   

 

Meditation:

Do we hold on to our righteousness as a lifesaver?  Or do we want the alternative of relying on God’s provision?  What God can do is so much more.  Abandon our banner of our own righteousness and embrace the justice of God.

 

Prayer:

Dear Heavenly Father, we thank you for your justice and rely on it.  For Your love through Jesus Christ completes what we would never able to do on own righteousness, in His name, amen.

March 6, 2010

God Loves You and Me

Filed under: Devotion in Job — Tags: , , , — Pastor Brian Cheung @ 8:00 am

Job 38:39-39:30

 

 

Does suffering mean that God does not care?  Often the two issues are conveniently but illogically linked and cause us to doubt if God does love us.  Today’s passage gives us more thought on this subject.

 

Commentary:

Job 38:39-39:40. God asked Job about humans’ aptitude toward the animals.  They are questions to ponder on even today.  For the untamable lions and ravens, who provide for them?  For the wild goats, who know their ways, their number, and their life cycle?  For the wild donkeys, what makes them wild and who gives them a home?  For the wild oxen, why can they not be trained?  For the ostriches, why are they so different when it comes to their young?  For the horses, what makes them so powerful and intrepid?  Lastly, what makes the eagle so majestic? 

These sets of questions have two underlying assertions.  The first is what have men done for these animals with what God has endowed us?  God has granted humans excellence in intelligence, but we cannot or do not make use of it for the animals.  We do not provide for the lions, the ravens, and the wild donkeys.  We know little about the mountain goats.  If we cannot supply the needs of the wild animals, we have no standing to question the provision of God toward men.   

The second question reveals the shortcoming of men.  We do not have the speed of an ostrich.  We lack the courage and the strength of horses. Certainly the soaring eagles are inspirational to men.  If humans are inferior to these animals that God created, we are certainly incomparable to the Creator.  But somehow we become confident about our doubt on the justice of God.

 

Meditation:

For some of the questions posted, mankind has found answers.  Some of the answers benefit us.  For example, the study of the birds leads to the invention of airplane.  Some answers seem to be purely academic.  For example, knowing the number of wild goats has no intrinsic values to human beings.  Yet some people do it because they care. 

God cares about His creation.  Just think that God has numbered the animals even before the trendiness of protecting the endangered species.  God has taken the time to know, to prepare, and to provide for the animals.  If God cares for them, how much more He would do for us.  He even numbers the hairs on our head, so do not doubt for we are more valuable than animals (Matt 10:30). 

God loving us is preeminent of all.  Events that occur around us are for our good, although they may not appear to be so (Rom 8:28).  We should block any doubt of God’s love because the thought is rooted in the scheme of Satan. 

 

Prayer:

Dear Heavenly Father, we pray that nothing can separate us from your love, in Jesus’ name, amen.

March 5, 2010

Conquering the Unknown and the Death

Filed under: Devotion in Job — Tags: , , — Pastor Brian Cheung @ 4:04 pm

Job 38:16-38

 

 

Scientists say that the valley of the sea is deeper than the height of Himalaya.  Some of those valleys have not even been explored.  They are mysteries to mankind.  If modern day science has not come up with all the answers, imagine how little was known back in Job’s day.  Today’s passage comprises more questions about the unknown. 

 

Commentary:

Job 38:16-38.  God asked Job questions about four different areas in today’s passage.  The first was not a science question, although it might appear to be so.  The question about the sea and the death touched on the fear of the people.  At the time of Job, perhaps even now, the sea was an unconquerable part of nature.  Many myths originated from it.  Death was more of an unknown than the sea.   Obviously, no men wanted to take a trip to death because there was no return trip.   Likewise, no one had seen the gate of death and lived to describe it.  How would Job be able to answer God about these unknowns? 

The second area was the understanding of daily occurrences.  Job was certainly familiar with the earth, the rain, or the light and darkness.  His life revolved around it.  The gist of the questions was how often Job contemplated these common events and spent time investigating them. 

The third area was about rare phenomenon.  Thunderbolt, flood, snow, and hail would certainly bring awe to the people in the land of modern day Iraq.  When these things happened, did Job take the time to understand them?

The last area was about the unreachable.  From the stars in the heaven to the inner thought of men, they were the untouchable.  Job might see them but could not bring about change to them.  Job might able to tell what would happen next but could not alter their course.  Such was the limit of men in general.

 

Meditation:

I am glad that God does not put me through what He put Job through.  Certainly, I do not spend enough time thinking about the daily blessings from God.  I also do not investigate every strange thing that happens in my life.  I can no more shape the thought of anybody or change the constellation pattern than Job. 

The one thing that I am glad is that I do not have to be fearful about the mystery in life.  Relying on the salvation of Jesus Christ, who had conquered death, I too can face certain death without fear.  I am not making this up, because I once had a near death experience and I had no fear.  I was sure that I would be in heaven if I were to die.  Knowing that my Lord walked on water, I also would have no fear of the home of the beast (Rev. 13:1).  One day, I will live in a land without sea (Rev 21:1).

 

Prayer:

Dear Lord Jesus, thank you for conquering the unknown and the death, amen.

March 4, 2010

The Theophany

Filed under: Devotion in Job — Tags: , — Pastor Brian Cheung @ 10:22 am

 Job 38:1-15

 

 

Believers all look forward to seeing God one day.  For most of us, we have to wait till the day we die and show up in heaven.  Job had that unique opportunity to meet God face to face while he was still alive.  We can image that Job was all wound up with awe and fear.  In fact, he was quite speechless for the most part.  Let us begin reading the passage for the details of that meeting. 

 

Commentary:

Job 38:1-2. God spoke to Job out of a storm.  The word God in v. 1 is not Elohim, a surname for god in general, but is Yahweh, the personal name of the God of Israel.  God rebuked Job for his rash words, which were described as “without knowledge.”

Job 38:3-8. God then brought about some questions for Job to answer.  In verses 4-6, God asked Job who had the power and the intellect to set the earth in its place.  God’s work on the earth was marveled and celebrated by the stars and the angels.  In contrast, Job was not even born to observe the event let alone to explain it. The truth is that no one other than God can accurately account for how the universe came into being.  In verses 8, God poetically queried Job who had made the sea.

Job 38:9-11. The LORD said that he is the one who created the sea and set boundaries around it. 

Job 38:12-15. The LORD God also controls the stars.  As the sun rises, evil subsides.  Verse 14 is about what kind of material was used for sealing in the areas of Ur, where Job lived.  The people of Ur chose clay instead of wax.  As the lump of clay was compressed into shape under the force of a signet seal, God uses the light of the day to bring the wickedness of the night into judgment. 

 

Meditation:

It does not matter if the readers are believer or not, we will all see God one day.  No one wants to be rebuked by God like Job was.  But since no one possesses knowledge equal to God, we all likely to be called darkened as Job was.  How can we avoid that at the appearance of God?

By that time, it would be too late.  We now have the revelation of Jesus Christ and His work.  The time to avoid the rebuke of the future is now.  We need to trust in Jesus in this life time.  Jesus did not come to rebuke people.  He came to give life to people (John 10:10).  By trusting and abiding in Jesus, we can know the love Christ which surpasses knowledge (Eph 3:19). 

As believers, we can rest in the comfort that we have the “wisdom” to receive Jesus Christ as our Savior.  Instead of rebuke, there will be a crowns waiting for us at the appearance of God in the future. 

 

Prayer:

Dear Heavenly Father, thank you for not keeping record of our wrong but giving us abundant life through Jesus Christ, your only begotten Son, amen.

March 3, 2010

Thoughts on the Abnormal and Normal Things

Filed under: Devotion in Job — Tags: , — Pastor Brian Cheung @ 8:00 am

Job 37:1-24

 

 

Growing up in Hong Kong, I was familiar with tropical storms.  Educated with the modern science, I was never fearful of the lightning and thunders.  However, I was terrified of the losses caused by the natural disasters.  I vividly remembered how hundreds of lives were lost when a building collapsed under the deluge of mud slide over 35 years ago.  I was shocked by that extraordinary tragedy.

There is no science to explain why unfortunate things happen.   When disasters strike, they are reminders that abnormal things can happen in life.  Usually people think about God and wonder what God is doing.  This chapter of Job is Elihu’s view of what God is doing with the natural phenomenon. 

 

Commentary:

Job 37:1-6. Elihu continued his discourse about the magnificence of God.  This section focused on the natural occurrences of thunder, lightning, snow fall, and rain. 

Job 37:7-8. This section focused on the fate of men and animals.

Job 37:9-13. This section returned to the natural phenomenon of snow, rain, and lightning.  They were all under God’s guidance to benefit and to correct mankind (ref 37:7 and 36:10).

Job 37:14-21. Elihu then appealed to Job by asking some soul-searching questions.  The gist of them was that Job was incomparable to God in knowledge (vv. 15-17), in power (v. 18), in holiness or intellect (v. 19).   If that was the case, Job’s confidence that he could argue his case before God was unfounded.  His claim of justification before God would be worthless as well.  Speaking in first person voice but intended for Job, Elihu surmised that he did not fit to speak to God.

Job 37:21-24. Perhaps seeing a windstorm coming, Elihu exclaimed the splendor of God.  God is majestic and mighty; moreover, God cannot do wrong.  In His power, God carries out justice. 

 

Meditation:

We often forget that God regulates the nature at all times.  Things are normal because of the benevolent God.  The sun shines that brings warmth and gives energy and the rain that nurtures all of us are part of what God gives us.  Yet many people take the blessings of God for granted.  We often forget to thank Him for the ordinary things in life.

As children of God, we need to practice giving thanks for the “normalcy” in life.  Not just for the weather, but things like getting a paycheck after we put in our honest, hard work or like being healthy when we exercise our body and eat right.   These occurrences are nothing routine.  They only appear normal because the benevolent God makes sure of that.   

Of course, as believers, we have something more to give thanks for.  Daily, God has invisibly protected us from the attacks of Satan.  God also grants us peace when the abnormal things happen.  Most of all, God has called us into a relationship with Him as sons and daughters through receiving His Son as our personal Savior.   

 

Prayer:

Our dear Heavenly Father, we thank you for giving the rain and the sunshine.  We thank you for the ordinary things in life.  Most of all, we thank for your extraordinary love through Jesus Christ Your Son.  In His precious name we pray, amen.

March 2, 2010

How We Should View Sufferings

Filed under: Devotion in Job — Tags: , , — Pastor Brian Cheung @ 8:00 am

Job 36:1-33

 

 

God is our Heavenly Father.  He has our best interest in mind.  Everything God does is meant for our good.  Like a perfect parent, He can see the shortcomings in our character.  He then makes plans to cause us to grow and to become perfect like Him.  Today’s passage reminds us of this general truth. 

 

Commentary:

Job 36:1-4. Elihu said that he had to fetch his knowledge from afar.  He did not mean that he was stretching his statement but meant what he was about to say was very intelligent.  He was confident of two things.  The first thing was that God was righteous.  The second was that his own knowledge was perfect.

Job 36:5-15. Elihu gave a couple general truth. The first was that God was mighty.  The other was that God cared for everyone but that God’s uprightness was incompatible with the ways of the wicked.  If some powerful and reputable persons, with the statue comparable to a king, were deposed, they had to have committed inadvertent sins or to be prideful in the past.  In so doing, God was trying to get their attentions and to get them to correct their behavior.  If they repented, God would reverse their distress.  If not, they would suffer and die. 

In contrast to the persons who had God in their mind, the ungodly persons would ignore God’s warning.  In so doing, they sealed their own fate of certain death.  In summary, Elihu championed that men’s attitude and response toward God had to be humble and obedient, especially during affliction. 

Job 36:16-21. Elihu suggested to Job that God was indeed trying to cause him to repent.  Yet Job, confidence of his own righteousness, challenged God.  Moreover, Job, in his anger, wanted to die.  Therefore, Elihu warned Job to let not his wrath or his pride to become his stumbling block to turn himself to God in submission and meekness. 

Job 36:22-33. Elihu then exclaimed the magnificence of God.   Mysteries in natural phenomenon were for our benefits and were beyond our understanding.   The grandeur in the sky showed forth God’s majesty. 

 

Meditation:

When we are suffering, it is human to complain.  It is so easy for us to forget that God is our perfect Heavenly Father.  He is allowing the affliction to come to us for a reason.  This passage reminds us that our attitude is very important in the process.  Even though agony is universally disliked by all human beings, the children of God ought to know better than the rest of the folks. 

The Bible teaches us three principles about sufferings that we can apply in our life.  The first was that God allowed these torments to remind or to teach us something.  This something most likely has to do with our pride or our sins, but it is not necessary that.  Notice that even a righteous person like Job learned quite a lot about God from his affliction.

The second principle about suffering is that God is molding our character.  Jesus asks us to take up His yoke and to learn from Him; our Lord is gentle and meek in heart (Matt 11:29).  Affliction is a form of testing that can cause us to be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing (James 1:4).

The last principle about suffering is that it is an opportunity to bring glory to God (1Peter 4:14).  I know a lady dying slowly from kidney failure.  Instead of complaining, she accepted the affliction and showed a lot of peace.  She never complained and looked forward to the day of going to heaven.  In her suffering, she showed others the genuine faith of the children of God and brought glory to God’s name.

 

Prayer:

Dear Heavenly Father, help me be strong in faith, in Jesus’ name, amen.

March 1, 2010

Why God Does Not Answer Calls?

Filed under: Devotion in Job — Tags: , — Pastor Brian Cheung @ 8:00 am

Job 35:1-16

 

 

When good people or innocent people suffer, why does God not intervene?  People recall examples of children and babies whose young life are snubbed out for various reasons.   Many of these tragedies do not make sense.  People question if there is really a God or if God is love.  Today’s passage has a great answer why God does not answer people when they cry out in their distress.

 

Commentary:

Job 35:1-3. Elihu picked up a paradox on two things that Job said.  Implying that his case, i.e. his righteousness, was stronger than that of God, Job wanted to present his case before God (13:18).  On the other hand, Job also said that he would not gain anything by serving God (21:15).  If latter statement was true, God would not be a just ruler.  Therefore, even if Job were to have a chance to argue his case before God, Job would not have gotten a fair judgment anyway.  Clearly, these two statements were paradoxical.

Job 35:4-8. Elihu declared to Job and his friends his own observation.  Elihu said that God does not get hurt by our personal sins.  Likewise, our righteousness does not benefit God in any way, shape, or form.  

Job 35:9-13. When in trouble, some people cry out to God for help because God is powerful.  Yet they have no intimate relationship with God.  People also do not see God as their Maker, or the One who gives them joy and endows us with the highest intelligence.  This lack of gratitude can be attributed to the pride of men.  For that same reason, God does not answer them. 

Job 35:14-16. Elihu thought that Job was prideful when he said that he did not want to wait for God.  Elihu attributed the delay as God’s forbearance and criticized Job for speaking in vain.

 

Meditation:

I can rephrase what Elihu said with the following phrase: “God does not run search and rescue missions for the physical bodies.”  In other words, He is not on call to relief the physical sufferings.  Although God can choose to respond to the cries of people at times, this is not His primary objective.  When God sent Jesus, he came to rescue people from sin and the consequence of sins.  In dying and in resurrection, Jesus secures the gift of eternal life for people.  God’s primary objective is to for all to be saved eternally, which is far superior, longer, and better the temporal relief of suffering. 

God’s love toward human beings is true love.  True love looks out for the betterment of a person.  That is why some parents will not let kids watch TV or play video games all day long but instead demand that they do their homework.  These parents give their kids “misery” because they know the temporary pain is good for the children.  Likewise, God’s love focuses not on the temporal but the eternal benefits for mankind.  If suffering can bring people to come to an intimate relationship with God, God will allow that to occur.  

When children and babies die tragically, God has secured a place for them.  They will pass from this life into heaven.  As discussed in earlier posts, “innocent” adults have a choice.  They can either face up the judgment of God on their own merit or accept the grace of God through faith in Jesus Christ.

God is interested in our eternal life.  He wants all of us to have it.  Have you made it sure in your life?   

 

Prayer:

Dear Heavenly Father, thank you that you let us know your desire through the Bible, in Jesus’ name, amen.

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