Category: Daily Encouragement

TODAY’S BIBLE READING CHALLENGE:
  Job 40:1-42:17
  2 Corinthians 5:11-21
  Psalm 45:1-17
  Proverbs 22:14

Job 40:4 — Job has an Isaiah-like experience (Isaiah 6:5). He no longer wishes to take his case to the LORD. He wants to close his mouth and take back the foolish words he has said.

Job 40:9 — James Weldon Johnson communicated this verse by applying it to today’s society: “Young man, young man, your arm’s too short to box with God!”

Job 40:15 — What is behemoth? From Journal of Creation:

Two great creatures, behemoth and leviathan, are described by God in Job. Some commentators have suggested behemoth was an elephant or hippo but the description simply doesn’t match (e.g. behemoth “moves his “tail like a cedar”). It’s appears God is describing a sauropod dinosaur and a fearsome now-extinct sea creature.

Job 41:1 — Leviathan is not referring to Thomas Hobbe’s work on government! Rather, Creation.com goes in depth and disproves the “alligator theory:”

Behemoth and leviathan may well be now extinct species that were still living in Job’s day. While what is known about several species of dinosaurs may appear to fit some aspects of God’s description of behemoth and leviathan, the most we can say with confidence is that the descriptions do not match any known living species today. At the same time, to call them ‘mythological’ creatures is to do violence to the text and context of Job; therefore, we affirm that these were actual creatures of which Job had knowledge (although we cannot state whether Job had direct or indirect knowledge of them). They symbolize the power of evil, connected with Satan, who is mentioned in the first chapters of the book. The words of God humbled Job and showed him that God is above all powers in this world.

Job 42:2 — Job responds by admitting the LORD’s omnipotence and omniscience. He then declares his insufficiency (Job 42:3) and repents (Job 42:6).

Job 42:9 — God forgives Job and continues to accept him! What a merciful God we have!

Job 42:10 — If God gave Job twice what he had before – the sheep were doubled, the camels were doubled, the oxen were doubled, and the she asses were doubled. But notice that Job’s children were replaced but not doubled (Job 42:13). Job’s children did not succumb to nihilism and vanish. No … God had taken them. Job’s children had doubled as well – half were on earth with him and half were in heaven with the LORD.

Job 42:17 — Job died, not having cursed God but having been full of days. A godly legacy!

2 Corinthians 5:11 — Terror … not in the sense of the irrational fear that we’ve charged this word with today, but in the historic sense of “calculated to impress fear.” (Webster’s Dictionary 1848)

2 Corinthians 5:14 — What was the irresistible power behind Paul? The love of Christ!

2 Corinthians 5:17 — Has there been a great change since you’ve been born again?

2 Corinthians 5:18 — God hath reconciled us to Himself! This is the first use in Paul’s Epistles of the word “reconcile” (Ellicott’s Commentary fo English Readers). Are we reconciled to God or is God reconciled to us? The hymn “Arise My Soul, Arise!” contains the line “My God is reconciled,” but some versions disagreed with the claim, and so they changed it to “To God I’m reconciled.” MacArthur says it’s both:

So man has to be dramatically, transformed, but God also has to have His attitude dealt with because God cannot look upon iniquity and iniquity is going to have to be dealt with, right? Something has got to modify God’s wrath. Something’s got to deal with God’s attitude.

For an extensive explanation, see J. Preston Eby’s work “Just What Do You Mean … Reconciliation.”

However you take it – it’s not the direction of reconciliation but the “causer” of reconciliation that’s important. As Oswald Chambers summarizes it:

Jesus Christ reconciled the human race, putting it back to where God designed it to be. And now anyone can experience that reconciliation, being brought into oneness with God, on the basis of what our Lord has done on the cross. A man cannot redeem himself— redemption is the work of God, and is absolutely finished and complete.

How was the reconciliation accomplished? Because of the substitutionary, vicarious atonement of Jesus Christ that allowed God’s imputed righteousness to be deposited in our account (2 Corinthians 5:21).

2 Corinthians 5:20 — From Earl Martin:

Psalm 45:6 — Our God shall reign forever!

Proverbs 22:14 — A choice of companions can affect your life. And when your greatest companion is your lifelong spouse, it is important that you choose not the Strange Woman but the woman that fears the LORD (Proverbs 31:30)!

Share how reading through the Bible has been a blessing to you! E-mail us at 2018bible@vcyamerica.org or call and leave a message at 414-885-5370.

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Image Credit: “TOP 25 COOLING QUOTES (of 79) | A-Z Quotes.” A-Z Quotes, www.azquotes.com/quotes/topics/cooling.html#google_vignette.

TODAY’S BIBLE READING CHALLENGE:
  Job 37:1-39:30
  2 Corinthians 4:13-5:10
  Psalm 44:9-26
  Proverbs 22:13

Job 37:5 — How great is our God?

Job 37:14 — Stand still and consider the wondrous works of God! I’ve seen the Planetarium Show at the Creation Museum many times, but it is still amazing every time!

Job 37:23 — The technical term is “inscrutable.” Elihu is right, we will not be able to “unscrute” the inscrutable!

Job 38:3 — God speaks to Job. He doesn’t explain to him why he went through the tragedies, but He asked Job some questions. Notice the question God asked man: He asked Adam to explain his behavior (Genesis 3:9). Israel Wayne exposited the Questions God Asks in his recent book.

Job 38:23 — God used hail as a weapon in the Exodus and in the conquest of Canaan (Exodus 9:13-18, Joshua 10:10-11).

Job 38:37 — Clouds, those harmless puffs of water vapor, are one of the main reasons your favorite meteorologist can’t predict Friday’s weather. “Clouds and precipitation are among the more challenging weather parameters to forecast accurately.”

Job 39:9-10 — But I thought unicorns weren’t real? The problem isn’t Scripture, but the gradual deterioration of the English language. Eric Hovind points out that the word “unicorn” is not only a transliteration from the Latin, but it also originally (per Webster’s 1828 Dictionary) referred to animals such as the rhinoceros.

2 Corinthians 4:14 — We’ve just read in Job about our God’s amazing power. The same power that raised Jesus from the dead will raise us up from the dead as well!

2 Corinthians 5:10 — The most sobering doctrine in the Bible is the Bema Seat. We aren’t just on a 80-some year cruise boat voyage to do our own pleasures. We are working towards a reviewal of our performance. Chuck Missler dispels some myths about the Bema:

This judgment is often taught as simply an awards ceremony, but that is not entirely correct. It was the tribunal seat, the judicial bench, the judgment seat, or throne of the one in charge. Herod Agrippa I addressed the people of Tyre and Sidon from his Bema seat. Jesus was brought before Pilate and his Bema seat. Paul was accused before Proconsul Gallio; and brought before Festus at Caesarea facing a Bema seat. A relic of one was found among the ruins in Corinth.

Psalm 44:9 — Did the psalmist just borrow from Job?

Psalm 44:23 — The proper response is not to dispute with God, but to continue to call upon the name of the LORD!

Proverbs 22:13 — When you need an excuse, any excuse will do!

Share how reading through the Bible has been a blessing to you! E-mail us at 2018bible@vcyamerica.org or call and leave a message at 414-885-5370.

TODAY’S BIBLE READING CHALLENGE:
  Job 34:1-36:33
  2 Corinthians 4:1-12
  Psalm 44:1-8
  Proverbs 22:10-12

Job 34:18 — Elihu tells Job, “You wouldn’t accuse a king or a prince of being evil. Why are you accusing God of being evil, the One who is far more righteous than any human king?”

The Book of Job does not answer the question ‘Why does God allow the righteous to suffer?’ but rather answers the question, ‘How should the righteous suffer?’

Blue Letter Bible

You may be hurting, but don’t ever think you are more righteous than God. That is the pathway to atheism.

Job 36:3 — Elihu is continually begging permission to speak (Job 36:2) with a purpose not of attacking or defending Job but of glorifying God.

Job 36:26 — While God does act in certain ways (Job 36:15), He is great and unsearchable.

2 Corinthians 4:1 — What is this ministry? It’s addressing the conscience (2 Corinthians 4:2) because the god of this world is blinding people to the light of the gospel (2 Corinthians 4:4)!

2 Corinthians 4:5 — From Earl Martin:

2 Corinthians 4:8-12 — Suffering for Jesus? Join the club that Paul was a charter member of!

Psalm 44:3 — Remember our discussion of Ezra? He was afraid the people would fall back into trusting swords, armies, and bows (Psalm 44:6). Thou hast saved us from our enemies (Psalm 44:7)!

Proverbs 22:10 — The Christian School principal’s go-to verse! Yes, there are the students that you want to reach, but to keep the simple from following the scorner, you must separate the two. You do that by removing the scorner from your classroom. It is not out of malice for the scorner but out of love for the others.

Share how reading through the Bible has been a blessing to you! E-mail us at 2018bible@vcyamerica.org or call and leave a message at 414-885-5370.

TODAY’S BIBLE READING CHALLENGE:
  Job 31:1-33:33
  2 Corinthians 3:1-18
  Psalm 43:1-5
  Proverbs 22:8-9

Job 31:1 — Job outlines the disciplines of a godly man. While we may want to dismiss it as just the posturing of a hurting individual, we must remember that this is the testimony of one who is perfect and upright, fearing God and eschewing evil. He’s worth imitating in my humble opinion.

Personal Purity — 

• Guarding the eyes (Job 31:1)
• Guarding the heart (Job 31:9)
• Guarding the feet (Job 31:9)

Relational Responsibility — 

• Relationship with employees (Job 31:13)
• Relationship with the poor (Job 31:16)
• Relationship with the widows (Job 31:16)
• Relationship with the fatherless (Job 31:17)
• Relationship with the wanters-of-clothing (Job 31:19)
• Relationship with enemies (Job 31:29-30)
• Relationship with strangers (Job 31:32)

Spiritual Fidelity — 

• Trusting not in wealth (Job 31:24-25)
• Following no other gods (Job 31:26-28)
• Hiding not sin from God (Job 31:33)

Job 31:15 — Slavery and abortion are both addressed with one verse. God made both master and slave (or employer and employee) – so how can one of God’s creation mistreat another of God’s creation?

Job 31:26 — Is Job saying we can’t enjoy a sunrise? No. Job is addressing those who worship the sun (Ezekiel 8:16).

Job 32:1 — The Great Debate is over … but not yet. Elihu enters the ring taking on all four debaters (Job 32:2-3)!

Job 32:19 — Many a talkative man has felt like Elihu, but unfortunately few have the wisdom of Elihu.

Job 33:8 — Having begged for the right to be heard, Elihu now seeks to confirm that he heard Job right. He will then go to the cross-examination of Job.

Job 33:12 — Job is not just, not because he has sinned and is being punished, but because he is becoming bitter against God. But God is greater than man and does not need to give account of Himself (Job 33:13)!

There is always a reason for every act of grace which God performs for man. He acts sovereignly, and therefore he is not bound to give any reason for his actions; but he always acts wisely, and therefore he has a reason for so acting. Writing to the Ephesians, the apostle Paul says that God “worketh all things after the counsel of his own will.”

Charles Spurgeon

Job 33:23-24 — The preacher steps forth, not spouting the conventional wisdom, but as one of a thousand. He is charged with a command from the gracious Lord, “Deliver the sinner from the pit – there is a ransom!” Like the ram in the thicket that was to be offered in the place of Isaac (Genesis 22:13), God has provided a ransom!

This is the only reason why any man shall be delivered from going clown to the pit, because God has found a ransom, There is no way of salvation but by the ransom; all who ever are saved are saved by the ransom; and if you, dear friend, would be saved, it must be by the ransom; and there is but one.

Observe that the text says, “I have found a ransom.” This ransom is an invention of divine wisdom. I do not think it would ever have occurred to any mind but the mind of God himself to save sinners by the substitutionary sacrifice of Christ. The most astonishing novelty under heaven is the old, old story of the cross of Christ. That ever God should take upon himself the sin of his own creatures, that, in order to be able justly to forgive, God himself should bear the punishment which he must inflict for the creatures’ sin, this is something marvelous to the last degree. The rebel sins, and the King himself suffers the penalty for the rebellion. The offender commits the trespass, and the Judge bears the punishment. Such a plan was never heard of in human courts of law; or if it has ever been spoken of there, it was because, first of all, both the ears of him who heard it had been made to tingle while God revealed it out of his own heart. “I have found a ransom.” Nobody would have thought of that way of the deliverance of a sinner from the pit of hell through a ransom if God had not thought of it.

Charles Spurgeon

Job 33:25 — Salvation transforms the life of a person about to perish (Job 33:18). Job is no longer in pain (Job 33:19), unable to enjoy life (Job 33:20), wasting away (Job 33:21), drawing near the grave (Job 33:22). Now his flesh is fresher than a child’s (Job 33:25) which sounds a lot like Naaman (2 Kings 5:14)! God’s favor is upon him (Job 33:26), and He has given man His righteousness! (Job 33:26).

Job 33:27 — The three friends thought Job wasn’t trying hard enough to be righteous. Job thought he had been trying hard enough to be righteous. Elihu thinks Job has forgotten how a person becomes righteous.

Job is being reminded of his conversion. Why was Job righteous in the sight of the LORD? Not because he was perfect, but because he admitted he was a sinner. God delivered Job (Job 33:28) because he trusted the Ransom (Job 33:24).

2 Corinthians 3:1 — Like Elihu, Paul begs for a hearing from his audience. But unlike Elihu, Paul is not the younger man here.

2 Corinthians 3:6 — What is the New Testament? The declaration of the ransom! Isn’t it glorious (2 Corinthians 3:8)!

2 Corinthians 3:14 — Yes, it is sad that our dear Jewish friends can read the Old Testament (this is the only place in the Bible where this phrase occurs) and not see Jesus. It is amazing that we can see Jesus even in Job!

2 Corinthians 3:18 — Speaking of glory, we are being changed into the glory of the LORD by His Spirit!

Psalm 43:3 — May we be led by His truth and light unto His Holy Hill!

Proverbs 22:9 — God blesses those who give to the poor. Note that he didn’t give his stale bread to the poor. Today we often believe, “Give of your worst to the Master.” Reminds me of a song by Patch the Pirate – Any Ol’ Thing!

Share how reading through the Bible has been a blessing to you! E-mail us at 2018bible@vcyamerica.org or call and leave a message at 414-885-5370.

TODAY’S BIBLE READING CHALLENGE:
  Job 28:1-30:31
  2 Corinthians 2:12-17
  Psalm 42:1-11
  Proverbs 22:7

Job 28:20-28 — The choral song “Wisdom and Understanding” is based on this passage.

Yes, Job has much wisdom, and this seems to be an inspiration for Solomon’s Proverbs.

Job 29:8-11 — Job seems to be proud of his former position of esteem. But why was he blessed?

Job 29:12-17 — Job followed God’s commands (Proverbs 21:13, Exodus 22:22-24).

Job 30:1 — Job is a master of wit.

Job 30:21 — Ah, Job’s sorrow is taking a wrong turn. He is accusing God of cruelty.

2 Corinthians 2:14 — Very rarely should we use absolute words or phrases like “always” or “every time.” God can though … God always causes us to triumph in Christ! Sing along with the WILDS.

Psalm 42:1 — This verse has also been set to music.

Psalm 42:2 — Do we thirst for God? The psalmist had hope in God (Psalm 42:5), while Job wanted to argue with the Almighty (Job 30:21).

Proverbs 22:7 — Moral of the story: debt is dangerous!

Share how reading through the Bible has been a blessing to you! E-mail us at 2018bible@vcyamerica.org or call and leave a message at 414-885-5370.