by Pastor Cecil | Jan 29, 2010 | Job
| Special Note: Pastor Cecil is out of town holding his brother’s funeral, so he’ll be gone for a few days. Please remember to pray for him and his family at this time. Thanks, Russ |
Job 38:4
“Where were you when I laid the earth’s foundation?”
Why do bad things happen to good people? The Book of Job in the Old Testament relates the classic suffering story of a good man named Job. We have modern day sayings that come from his story, such “by the skin of his teeth” and “the patience of Job.”
In his story, Job suffers multiple attacks from Satan and his good meaning “friends” rebuke him with their thoughts on God and His ways and why Job is suffering so. After 37 chapters of pain and suffering and rebukes from friends, finally, in Job 38ff, the LORD speaks and says . . .
“Who is this that darkens my counsel with words without knowledge? . . .
“Where were you when I laid the earth’s foundation? Tell me, if you understand. Who marked off its dimensions? Surely you know! Who stretched a measuring line across it? On what were its footings set, or who laid its cornerstone-while the morning stars sang together and all the angels shouted for joy?
“Who shut up the sea behind doors when it burst forth from the womb, when I made the clouds its garment and wrapped it in thick darkness, when I fixed limits for it
and set its doors and bars in place, when I said, ‘This far you may come and no farther; here is where your proud waves halt’? . . .
“Have you journeyed to the springs of the sea or walked in the recesses of the deep? Have the gates of death been shown to you? Have you seen the gates of the shadow of death? Have you comprehended the vast expanses of the earth? Tell me, if you know all this . . .
Then Job replied to the LORD :
“I know that you can do all things; no plan of yours can be thwarted. You asked, ‘Who is this that obscures my counsel without knowledge?’ Surely I spoke of things I did not understand, things too wonderful for me to know.
“You said, ‘Listen now, and I will speak; I will question you, and you shall answer me.’ My ears had heard of you
but now my eyes have seen you. Therefore I despise myself and repent in dust and ashes.”
This Scripture is so interesting and you can read the entire story yourself, but Job confesses and says, “Surely I spoke of things I did not understand, things to wonderful for me to know.” And it says Job repented.
It’s easy to complain about our situation, but we don’t know the whole picture, only God does. The Book of Job reminds us that God is God and it is He who is in control. He is the Almighty and He is all powerful and He has a plan.
In Romans 8:28 we are taught, “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose. For those God foreknew He also predestined to be conformed to the likeness of his Son . . . “ So, if we love Him, God uses “all things” to conform us to the likeness of Jesus, no small feat.
In Timothy Keller’s book, The Reason for God, he says, “Christianity alone among the world religions claims that God became uniquely and fully human in Jesus Christ and therefore Jesus knows firsthand despair, rejection, loneliness, poverty, bereavement, torture, and imprisonment. On the cross he went beyond even the worst human suffering and experienced cosmic rejection and pain that exceeds ours as infinitely as his knowledge and power exceeds ours. In his death, God suffers in love, identifying with the abandoned and godforsaken. Why did he do it? The Bible says that Jesus came on a rescue mission for creation. He had to pay for our sins so that someday he can end evil and suffering without ending us.”
God manages to take all the good and bad things life throws at us and works it together for our ultimate good. All we have to do is repent of our sin and accept His gift of forgiveness. What an amazing God we have! He is our Creator, our Sustainer, our Redeemer, our Sacrifice, our Advocate, our Savior, our Friend, and our Lord! He owns it all and is in control of all.
To access This Is My Father’s World, this week’s inspirational video from GloryScapes.com, please go to: http://www.gloryscapes.com/thisismyfathersworld in your browser or click on the image below.
Blessings dear hearts. Draw near to God today, trust Him completely and be a blessing!
– – – Brother Russ (for Pastor Cecil)
by Pastor Cecil | Jan 15, 2010 | Job
Job 1:20-21
“At this, Job got up and tore his robe and shaved his head. Then he fell to the ground in worship and said: ‘Naked I came from my mother’s womb, and naked I will depart. The LORD gave and the LORD has taken away; may the name of the LORD be praised.'”
What does the date 9/11/01 mean to you? That’s right—it was the day hundreds of innocent people died in the terrorist attack on the Twin Towers and the Pentagon. On December 26, 2004, the Indian Ocean earthquake produced a massive tsunami that killed over 230,000 people. Today we are being made aware of a terrible earthquake in Haiti that will no doubt result in thousands of deaths.
It does not require a major catastrophe to make us feel like we have been struck with a sledge-hammer blow. The loss of a loved one, report of failing health, being out of work, suffering financially or any number of personal trials can drive us to seek someone who cares.
The old Negro spiritual Nobody Knows the Trouble I’ve Seen, has been sung for centuries by those who are making their journey through “the Valley of the Shadow of Death.” Once again we can almost hear them cry out to God in the midst of their pain and agony. They cried out to God who was the One who knew their troubles.
“Nobody Knows the Trouble I’ve Seen”
Nobody knows the trouble that I’ve seen
Nobody knows my sorrow
Nobody knows the trouble that I’ve seen
Glory hallelujah
Nobody knows the trouble that I’ve seen
Nobody knows my, my sorrow
Nobody knows the trouble that I’ve seen
Glory hallelujah
Sometimes I’m up and sometimes I’m down
Oh, yes Lord
You know sometimes almost to the ground
Oh, oh yes Lord
Still, nobody knows the trouble that I’ve seen
Nobody, nobody knows my, my sorrow
Nobody knows the trouble that I’ve seen
Glory hallelujah
If you get there before I do
Oh, oh yes Lord
Don’t forget to tell all my friends I’m comin’ too
Whoa, oh yes Lord
Still, nobody knows the trouble that I’ve seen
Nobody knows my sorrow
Nobody knows the trouble that I’ve seen
Glory hall- hallelujah
To access Nobody Knows the Trouble I’ve Seen, this week’s inspirational video from GloryScapes.com, please go to: http://www.gloryscapes.com/nobodyknows in your browser or click on the image below.
Blessings dear hearts. Draw near to God today, trust Him completely and be a blessing!
– – – Pastor Cecil
P.S. – Please feel free to forward this E-Votional on to your family and friends. They’ll appreciate the encouragement.
P.P.S. – You can find previous E-Votionals covering a variety of Scriptures and topics to help you in your walk with the Lord at www.Daily-E-Votional.com.
by Pastor Cecil | Oct 21, 2009 | Job
Job 42:1-3
“Then Job replied to the LORD: ‘I know that You can do all things; no plan of Yours can be thwarted.’ You asked, ‘Who is this that obscures My counsel without knowledge?’ Surely I spoke of things I did not understand, things too wonderful for me to know.”
I frequently receive messages from readers who feel as if the enemy of our souls has his weapons trained directly on them. They seem to give Satan more credit than he deserves.
I have been thinking of a few questions that may help to put things in perspective.
- Who is more powerful, God or Satan?
- Who is the defeated foe, God or Satan?
- Who wants to make your life miserable, God or Satan?
- Who wants you to allow Him to fight your battles, God or Satan?
- Who wants to tempt you into giving up, God or Satan?
You could add many more such questions. The important thing is to come to the same conclusion that Job did in today’s Scripture. It is not just hearing about God, but opening our spiritual eyes to see Him ready to meet our need.
Blessings dear hearts. Draw near to God today, trust Him completely and be a blessing!
– – – Pastor Cecil
by Pastor Cecil | Mar 24, 2009 | Job
Job 42:12-15
“The LORD blessed the latter part of Job’s life more than the first. He had fourteen thousand sheep, six thousand camels, a thousand yoke of oxen and a thousand donkeys. And he also had seven sons and three daughters. The first daughter he named Jemimah, the second Keziah and the third Keren-Happuch. Nowhere in all the land were there found women as beautiful as Job’s daughters, and their father granted them an inheritance along with their brothers.”
From time to time someone who has not seen me for awhile will ask me how I am enjoying retirement. This is a natural question considering I have just celebrated my 75th birthday.
The truth is that my ministry has increased in the past five years and seems to be growing on a consistent basis. I have never experienced more strength for the task of ministering for the Lord than in these days.
Okay, that is enough of my testimony! The lesson today is about the matter of serving the Lord. All too often people work a lifetime aiming for retirement so they can do nothing. That is a sure indication that they have little if anything to live for.
I have been encouraged by speaking with a dear brother-in-Christ who lives in Florida. He and his family have devoted themselves to reach adults and juveniles in prison. They spend their own money to purchase Bibles and gospel materials to give to the prisoners.
Do you know the results of their ministry? Many men, women and juveniles have accepted Jesus Christ as Savior and repented of their sins. They have broken the bondage of their addictions and are now living for Jesus.
To me, that is what it is all about. No such thing as retirement—just remaining faithful to do the work the Lord has placed before us. Just remember that little is much when God is in it! It may seem small to us, but what is the worth of a human soul?
Blessings dear hearts. Draw near to God today, trust Him completely and be a blessing!
– – – Pastor Cecil
by Pastor Cecil | Feb 23, 2009 | Job
Job 1:20-21
“At this, Job got up and tore his robe and shaved his head. Then he fell to the ground in worship and said: ‘Naked I came from my mother’s womb, and naked I will depart. The LORD gave and the LORD has taken away; may the name of the LORD be praised.'”
Sometimes I am amazed at how I can read the same Scripture over and over and then suddenly see something I have never seen before. That is the case with the passage I have used for today’s E-Votional.
Notice the first two words in today’s Scripture—“At this.” That means there is something in the preceding 19 verses that must be considered before going further. As we read the verses 2 and 3, we discover that Job had seven sons, three daughters, 7,000 sheep, 3,000 camels, 500 yoke of oxen, 500 donkeys and a large number of servants.
In verses 13-19, we read that Job’s world came crashing down around his shoulders in a matter of minutes. Four servants in rapid succession appeared before Job to give devastating reports. The first reported that his oxen and donkeys had been stolen by the Sabeans and all of the servants killed except him. While he was still speaking a second servant reported that fire had fallen from the sky and killed all of the sheep and the servants watching them except himself.
He was still speaking when a third servant appeared to report that the Chaldeans had rustled all of the camels and killed all of the servants except him. There must have been a feeling of dread in Job’s heart as he saw the forth servant standing with a grief stricken face. It was the most tragic news of all—all ten of his children had been killed by a terrible windstorm.
From wealth and blessing to being a poor man with only four servants. This had all happened in the space of perhaps fifteen minutes. I am sure that Job forgot the loss of his sheep, camels, oxen and donkeys when compared to the loss of his children.
This brings me to the portion of Scripture that I had missed before. It was the reaction of a righteous and godly man when calamity strikes. How would he deal with such a loss? He worshiped!
If I were there with Job I would have liked to comfort him by telling him that things would get better—but that would not be true—they were going to get worse. It is like the joke about the man who was told: “Cheer up, things could be worse.” So he cheered up and sure enough things got worse!!!
Today’s Scripture says that he fell to the ground in worship. There was no way for Job to know that God had held him up before Satan as a righteous man and that these calamities were from Satan to shake his faith. He only knew that God was in control and worthy to be praised.
It is spiritually immature to worship God only when things are going well and complain when things go against us. Those who desire to have true spirituality will remember Romans 8:28: “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose.”
Job’s act of worship should speak volumes to us today. In the face of every blow that strikes we need to fall on our face before the God of the universe and submit to His divine authority. GOD IS IN CONTROL AS WE ARE BEING REFINED AS PURE GOLD!
Blessings dear hearts. Draw near to God today, trust Him completely and be a blessing!
– – – Pastor Cecil
by Pastor Cecil | Feb 12, 2009 | Job
Job 19:25-27
“I know that my Redeemer lives, and that in the end He will stand upon the earth. And after my skin has been destroyed, yet in my flesh I will see God; I myself will see Him with my own eyes—I, and not another. How my heart yearns within me!”
Have you ever experienced separation from your home and family? Having spent a year’s tour of duty separated from my family, I know the pain of separation for an extended period. Special days such as birthdays or holidays were the hardest.
There were many wonderful experiences during that year, but I always knew that I was there temporarily and it was not home. I was homesick for my family and home. I longed to return to my wife and three precious children.
When I pastored a church in Oregon I went to a hospital in Bend, Oregon, to visit a member of our church who was a returned missionary. The reports that we had received indicated that she was in very serious condition. I intended to read a few passages of Scripture to her in order to cheer her up.
When I entered her hospital room, it was like an entryway into heaven. This precious saint was so excited about being with her Lord in a few short days that she could hardly contain herself. In the time I spent at her bedside she showered me with praise and hope. I had gone to lift her spirits, but I walked out of that hospital with such a feeling of joy that I almost wished it was me standing on the doorstep of eternity.
I want to encourage all of us to take time and think about being ushered into the presence of our loved ones who have gone on before us and hearing them tell about our new home that will last eternally. I am homesick for heaven!
Blessings dear hearts. Draw near to God today, trust Him completely and be a blessing!
– – – Pastor Cecil
