Follow the Example
Job 29
Building a Community centered on Love
This blog is where I do a Bible Reading. I read a passage from the Bible and then I write down my own thoughts on what I read. I would love to know your thoughts as well!
Showing posts with label job. Show all posts
Showing posts with label job. Show all posts
Saturday, 26 March 2016
Bible Reading #164 - Follow the Example
Monday, 21 December 2015
Daily Bible Reading with DragoNate #92
Speak Up
Job 32
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| I pray blessings on you as you read. |
(v. 4) "Now Elihu had waited before speaking to Job because they were older than he." (v. 8-12) "But it is the spirit in a man, The breath of the Almighty, that gives him understanding. It is not only the old who are wise, not only the aged who understand what is right. Therefore I say: Listen to me; I too will tell you what I know. I waited while you spoke, I listened to your reasoning; while you were searching for words, I gave you my full attention..."
My Thoughts
Elihu was afraid to speak and tell what he knew because he was younger than the others and thought that, since they were older, they should be the ones to speak. Once he became angry, he decided that he would speak as well, saying that it is not only the old who are wise, but it is the spirit in a man that makes him so.
Elihu is right. It is not only the old who are wise. Young people can have just as much wisdom, or even more. There is no reason why a younger person shouldn't be able to speak on something just because there are older people who are as well. You still want to respect your elders, but there is no reason you can't have a say.
Sometimes people are afraid to speak in a group, for any number of reasons. Maybe you're afraid to be wrong, or of sounding stupid or of being misunderstood. Maybe you're like Elihu, you think that you don't have a right to speak. Me personally, I have a kind of stage-fright like thing. If it's a bunch of people I know, I don't care as much. I have been wrong before, or sound stupid before, but it's really not that big of a deal. In some classes, we are asked a question and I give my answer, and it is wrong. Most of the time, the question is something no one in class really knows and the teacher or instructor was really just testing to see if we had an idea.
The thing is, if you answer questions with an educated guess or with a completely honest answer, that is better, in my opinion at least, than not answering at all. You might be wrong, but at least you had confidence to try. If it is that you have a question, then ask it. Again this is my opinion, but there is no such thing as a stupid question, unless you are asking it out of stupidity. If you seriously do not know or seriously want an answer, or otherwise are serious about your question, then it is not stupid at all. Even if you are 25 years old and you don't know the meaning of a particular word.
If you don't ask questions, you won't learn. It is good to ask questions, and it is healthy to ask questions. If you don't speak up much, maybe it's time you start. I used to be very introverted. Now, I am little better. I still don't like being in large groups of people, especially if I am speaking or doing anything in front of them, but I am not super nervous anymore. God has helped me so much with that, and He can help you too.
At least once in a while, start speaking up. Start in smaller settings if larger ones are still uncomfortable, and give your opinion, ask your questions, answer other's questions. Soon you'll be so much more confident and others will be asking you how you can so confident.
Elihu is right. It is not only the old who are wise. Young people can have just as much wisdom, or even more. There is no reason why a younger person shouldn't be able to speak on something just because there are older people who are as well. You still want to respect your elders, but there is no reason you can't have a say.
Sometimes people are afraid to speak in a group, for any number of reasons. Maybe you're afraid to be wrong, or of sounding stupid or of being misunderstood. Maybe you're like Elihu, you think that you don't have a right to speak. Me personally, I have a kind of stage-fright like thing. If it's a bunch of people I know, I don't care as much. I have been wrong before, or sound stupid before, but it's really not that big of a deal. In some classes, we are asked a question and I give my answer, and it is wrong. Most of the time, the question is something no one in class really knows and the teacher or instructor was really just testing to see if we had an idea.
The thing is, if you answer questions with an educated guess or with a completely honest answer, that is better, in my opinion at least, than not answering at all. You might be wrong, but at least you had confidence to try. If it is that you have a question, then ask it. Again this is my opinion, but there is no such thing as a stupid question, unless you are asking it out of stupidity. If you seriously do not know or seriously want an answer, or otherwise are serious about your question, then it is not stupid at all. Even if you are 25 years old and you don't know the meaning of a particular word.
If you don't ask questions, you won't learn. It is good to ask questions, and it is healthy to ask questions. If you don't speak up much, maybe it's time you start. I used to be very introverted. Now, I am little better. I still don't like being in large groups of people, especially if I am speaking or doing anything in front of them, but I am not super nervous anymore. God has helped me so much with that, and He can help you too.
At least once in a while, start speaking up. Start in smaller settings if larger ones are still uncomfortable, and give your opinion, ask your questions, answer other's questions. Soon you'll be so much more confident and others will be asking you how you can so confident.
Prayer Time
Now you talk to God about what you read, and you can even read this chapter of the Bible for yourself before you do.
Let me know your thoughts on this reading as well.
Thank you for taking the time to read, I pray that what you have read blesses and inspires you! Godbless!
Wednesday, 2 December 2015
Daily Bible Reading with DragoNate #73
Comfort Your Friends
Job 2
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| I pray blessings on you as you read. |
(v. 13) "Then they sat with him for seven days and seen nights. No one said a word to him, for they saw how great his suffering was."
My Thoughts
We all know what happened to Job right? He lost everything because Satan wanted to prove to God that if he took everything away from Job, Job would turn away from God. God allowed Satan to do what he wanted because He knew that Job would stay faithful to Him.
Well, as you can imagine, Job was upset and suffering. Who wouldn't be after basically losing everything you own, and everything you have, including your children? On top of loss, Job was afflicted with sores all over his body. It was understandable that Job was suffering. His friends couldn't even recognize him from afar because he was such a mess.
Job's friends came to comfort him and to help through his suffering. For the first seven days and nights, no one said a word. The Bible says that they sat with Job. Seven days of silence. How awkward must that have been? I mean, maybe at that time, that was a totally normal thing, but for us, it would not be. So what exactly did they do for those seven days? Nobody really knows.
A lot of times, when someone is going through an extremely hard time, like Job was, it is impossible to say anything to give them comfort. Words either don't help or they make things worse. So how do you comfort them then? A hug. A tear. Being with them. Letting them vent. Sometimes just being with them is enough. But for seven days straight? Well, they had to have done something in that time...
Maybe they smiled at each other. They probably ate and drank, and obviously went to the bathroom. Maybe they spent their time looking at the clouds or listening to nature. The birds, other animals, even the sound of the wind in the trees. Maybe they even drew in the dirt or threw stones around or picked grass and blew it into the wind. Some of those things probably even helped the situation. I know that sometimes I just like to listen to the wind in the trees, especially when I am upset.
Surely they didn't do nothing. Job just needed the comfort of his friends in Christ until he was ready to vent about everything. Job talked about how he felt, his friends responded with their thoughts. Maybe you need comfort. Maybe you need to just vent about something that you're upset, depressed or angry about. If you don't want to talk to someone about it, write it down. Even if you type it out. That way too, it would be less permanent as you can just delete it right away. The most important thing you should do is pray. God will comfort you and will help you through whatever you are going through.
Maybe you're on the opposite end; you know someone who is suffering or struggling. Just being with them is often enough. Be there for them. You don't to use words to show that you love them or to comfort them. Right now, I just pray that anyone reading this, and even those who aren't, would find comfort and peace through whatever they are going through.
Well, as you can imagine, Job was upset and suffering. Who wouldn't be after basically losing everything you own, and everything you have, including your children? On top of loss, Job was afflicted with sores all over his body. It was understandable that Job was suffering. His friends couldn't even recognize him from afar because he was such a mess.
Job's friends came to comfort him and to help through his suffering. For the first seven days and nights, no one said a word. The Bible says that they sat with Job. Seven days of silence. How awkward must that have been? I mean, maybe at that time, that was a totally normal thing, but for us, it would not be. So what exactly did they do for those seven days? Nobody really knows.
A lot of times, when someone is going through an extremely hard time, like Job was, it is impossible to say anything to give them comfort. Words either don't help or they make things worse. So how do you comfort them then? A hug. A tear. Being with them. Letting them vent. Sometimes just being with them is enough. But for seven days straight? Well, they had to have done something in that time...
Maybe they smiled at each other. They probably ate and drank, and obviously went to the bathroom. Maybe they spent their time looking at the clouds or listening to nature. The birds, other animals, even the sound of the wind in the trees. Maybe they even drew in the dirt or threw stones around or picked grass and blew it into the wind. Some of those things probably even helped the situation. I know that sometimes I just like to listen to the wind in the trees, especially when I am upset.
Surely they didn't do nothing. Job just needed the comfort of his friends in Christ until he was ready to vent about everything. Job talked about how he felt, his friends responded with their thoughts. Maybe you need comfort. Maybe you need to just vent about something that you're upset, depressed or angry about. If you don't want to talk to someone about it, write it down. Even if you type it out. That way too, it would be less permanent as you can just delete it right away. The most important thing you should do is pray. God will comfort you and will help you through whatever you are going through.
Maybe you're on the opposite end; you know someone who is suffering or struggling. Just being with them is often enough. Be there for them. You don't to use words to show that you love them or to comfort them. Right now, I just pray that anyone reading this, and even those who aren't, would find comfort and peace through whatever they are going through.
Prayer Time
Now you talk to God about what you read, and you can even read this chapter of the Bible for yourself before you do.
Let me know your thoughts on this reading as well.
Thank you for taking the time to read, I pray that what you have read blesses and inspires you! Godbless!
Wednesday, 4 November 2015
Daily Bible Reading with DragoNate #45
God is Sovereign
Job 12
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| I pray blessings on you as you read. |
(v. 10) "In his hand is the life of every creature and the breath of all mankind." (v. 13) "To God belong wisdom and power; wisdom and understanding are his." (v. 16) "To him belong strength and victory; both deceived and deceiver are his."
My Thoughts
Job knew that God is sovereign. Sovereignty is an absolution. God is absolute and His power is as well. No one and nothing can stand in God's way or make Him do anything. He is all powerful. Anything God chooses, no one can change.
If God is sovereign, then what is our purpose? Well, I've talked about this before. Our purpose is to love and obey God. He made us with freedom of choice because he didn't want us to be mindless robots. Some people think that God has left us, which is not true. God has not left us, He is always with us.
We are not toys for God to play with. Bad things may happen to us, yes, but that is not because God is playing around. He allows things to happen because He won't overstep someone else's freedom of choice. Remember that God will restore you at the end of your suffering.
God's plan is always best. Even when bad things happen, God will make some good of it later on. When you feel that God is far from you or that He is being unfair, remember that His plan will be revealed in some way. Remember that He loves you always and He is right beside you. Sometimes, He is carrying you. We may never even know the reason for why certain things happen.
When we pray, sometimes we become selfish. We constantly ask for things that we want. Asking for something that you want is not a bad thing. You just need to not be desperate for it. Bargaining with God for it is a bad idea and harmful to your spiritual well-being. Just because God can do anything, does not mean that He will do anything. He is not always going to answer our prayers the way we want Him to. Again, this is because God is sovereign and His plan is best.
We matter so much to God that He always has our best at heart. He won't always give us what we want because He sees much farther ahead that we can and knows how everything will turn out in the long run. Hold on to everything with an open hand and hold on to God tightly. If you do the other way around, you'll find that the effect will be the opposite of what you want it to be.
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If God is sovereign, then what is our purpose? Well, I've talked about this before. Our purpose is to love and obey God. He made us with freedom of choice because he didn't want us to be mindless robots. Some people think that God has left us, which is not true. God has not left us, He is always with us.
We are not toys for God to play with. Bad things may happen to us, yes, but that is not because God is playing around. He allows things to happen because He won't overstep someone else's freedom of choice. Remember that God will restore you at the end of your suffering.
God's plan is always best. Even when bad things happen, God will make some good of it later on. When you feel that God is far from you or that He is being unfair, remember that His plan will be revealed in some way. Remember that He loves you always and He is right beside you. Sometimes, He is carrying you. We may never even know the reason for why certain things happen.
When we pray, sometimes we become selfish. We constantly ask for things that we want. Asking for something that you want is not a bad thing. You just need to not be desperate for it. Bargaining with God for it is a bad idea and harmful to your spiritual well-being. Just because God can do anything, does not mean that He will do anything. He is not always going to answer our prayers the way we want Him to. Again, this is because God is sovereign and His plan is best.
We matter so much to God that He always has our best at heart. He won't always give us what we want because He sees much farther ahead that we can and knows how everything will turn out in the long run. Hold on to everything with an open hand and hold on to God tightly. If you do the other way around, you'll find that the effect will be the opposite of what you want it to be.
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Prayer Time
Now you talk to God about what you read, and you can even read this chapter of the Bible for yourself before you do.
Let me know your thoughts on this reading as well.
Thank you for taking the time to read, I pray that what you have read blesses and inspires you! Godbless!
Friday, 30 October 2015
Daily Bible Reading with DragoNate #40
Prayer and Perseverance
James 5
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| I pray blessings on you as you read. |
(v. 8) "You too, be patient and stand firm, because the Lord's coming is near." (v. 11-12) "As you know, we consider blessed those who have persevered. You heard of Job's perseverance and have seen what the Lord finally brought about. The Lord is full of compassion and mercy. Above all, my brothers, do not swear--not by heaven or by earth or by anything else. Let your "Yes" be yes, and your "No," no, or you will be condemned." (v. 16) "Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective."
My Thoughts
James reminds us to be patient in the face of suffering. Take Job's example: Job literally lost everything. His children, his possessions, everything. God did not leave Job alone, He was with him the whole time and God restored Job in the end. Job's possessions were restored and he was blessed with even more children. Job very well could have cursed God, as his wife had suggested, but he did not. He persevered and stayed faithful to God and God stayed faithful to Job.
We should follow Job's example, as well as the other prophets of God who persevered in the face of their suffering for God. Do not let your circumstances overpower you. God is bigger than anything, and that includes bad situation you may be facing. Stay faithful to God and He will be faithful to you. He will restore you in the end and all will be well. Staying faithful to God means to trust in Him and not become angry with Him.
Speaking of not cursing God, that points me to something else that James says here: to not swear by anything. James says to let your "Yes" be yes and your "No," no. That means you don't say "I swear on my ______." Just be honest and say either "Yes," or "No." If you are honest and trustworthy, that is all you need, you don't need to swear on anything; you don't need to 'sweeten the deal.' You shouldn't anyway because that can be as binding as an oath. If you fail to keep it, you are not only jeopardizing whatever you swear on, but you are opening yourself up for a lot of spiritual and mental, and even physical stress.
We are also told to confess our sins to each other and to pray for each other so that we can be healed. I believe that James wants us to be willing to forgive each other and willing to accept forgiveness. As long as you have confessed your sins to God and you have forgiven yourself, I believe that God is happy with that. Also to pray for each other so that we may be healed. We should always be praying for each other, not just when bad things are happening, but even in joyful times and happiness. Prayer is such an amazing thing because it allows us to communicate with God and opens a way for Him to act.
So, remember to pray for each other always, not to swear on anything and to persevere through everything, staying faithful to God. Any time you are felling down or going through any kind of a hard time, persevere through it, trust and know that God will restore you in the end.
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We should follow Job's example, as well as the other prophets of God who persevered in the face of their suffering for God. Do not let your circumstances overpower you. God is bigger than anything, and that includes bad situation you may be facing. Stay faithful to God and He will be faithful to you. He will restore you in the end and all will be well. Staying faithful to God means to trust in Him and not become angry with Him.
Speaking of not cursing God, that points me to something else that James says here: to not swear by anything. James says to let your "Yes" be yes and your "No," no. That means you don't say "I swear on my ______." Just be honest and say either "Yes," or "No." If you are honest and trustworthy, that is all you need, you don't need to swear on anything; you don't need to 'sweeten the deal.' You shouldn't anyway because that can be as binding as an oath. If you fail to keep it, you are not only jeopardizing whatever you swear on, but you are opening yourself up for a lot of spiritual and mental, and even physical stress.
We are also told to confess our sins to each other and to pray for each other so that we can be healed. I believe that James wants us to be willing to forgive each other and willing to accept forgiveness. As long as you have confessed your sins to God and you have forgiven yourself, I believe that God is happy with that. Also to pray for each other so that we may be healed. We should always be praying for each other, not just when bad things are happening, but even in joyful times and happiness. Prayer is such an amazing thing because it allows us to communicate with God and opens a way for Him to act.
So, remember to pray for each other always, not to swear on anything and to persevere through everything, staying faithful to God. Any time you are felling down or going through any kind of a hard time, persevere through it, trust and know that God will restore you in the end.
Previous PostNext Post
Prayer Time
Now you talk to God about what you read, and you can even read this chapter of the Bible for yourself before you do.
Let me know your thoughts on this reading as well.
Thank you for taking the time to read, I pray that what you have read blesses and inspires you! Godbless!
Friday, 2 October 2015
Daily Bible Reading with DragoNate #12
You have an Important Job
1 Chronicles 15
(v. 2) "Then David said, 'No one but the Levites may carry the ark of God, because the Lord chose them to carry the ark of the Lord and to minister before him forever.' "
My Thoughts
God had appointed the Levites as the only people who were allowed to touch the ark of the covenant. If anybody else were to have touched the ark, he would be struck down and die. The first time David tried to bring the ark back to Jerusalem, the cart that the ark of the covenant was being carried on tipped. A man by the name of Uzzah put his hand on it to keep it from falling and he died.
Now this is a very unpleasant thing, right? I mean, Poor Uzzah just didn't want the ark to fall on the ground, so he did what any person would do, even today: He put his hand on it to stop it from falling. Next thing you know, Uzzah is dead. What just happened? Why would God allow a man to die who was just trying to keep the ark from falling?
We all have a job to do. Whatever your job is, your career, or if you're volunteering, God has put you there for reason. Sometimes God puts us in a position temporarily. Just because you are a cashier now, doesn't mean that is your permanent job in life. For the time that you are a cashier, or whatever job it is you have, do your job diligently. Do your job for God. Even if no one else appreciates what you do, God sure does. Keep your heart centered on God in your job and that is what matters the most.
Even in a menial job, you can make someone's day and possibly bring them to Christ. Remember that Jonah brought a ship's crew to relationship with God by running away from God himself. Your superiors may not care what you do or appreciate it, but know that someone you interact with definitely does. Your job is important because God has put you there for His Glory.
Now this is a very unpleasant thing, right? I mean, Poor Uzzah just didn't want the ark to fall on the ground, so he did what any person would do, even today: He put his hand on it to stop it from falling. Next thing you know, Uzzah is dead. What just happened? Why would God allow a man to die who was just trying to keep the ark from falling?
- God's commands must be obeyed. God did not give us the 'Ten Suggestions'. It is the Ten Commandments for a reason. He gave us commands, that must be obeyed. Now, God forgives, remember, if our hearts are truly repentant, He will forgive us. That includes if we break any of these commands. The laws that God gives us will have consequences if they are broken. Just because He is forgiving, does not mean that we can blatantly disregard His commands. Uzzah disobeyed the command, but so did everyone involved, when he touched the ark and God had said before that anyone who touches it would die.
- God is serious. He doesn't back down on His word, He is faithful and He is true. When God declares something, He doesn't put exceptions on it. It is a declaration from the mouth of God. God declared that anyone who touches the ark of the covenant, besides the people He chose for that job, would die. This was shown to be true in Uzzah's case.
We all have a job to do. Whatever your job is, your career, or if you're volunteering, God has put you there for reason. Sometimes God puts us in a position temporarily. Just because you are a cashier now, doesn't mean that is your permanent job in life. For the time that you are a cashier, or whatever job it is you have, do your job diligently. Do your job for God. Even if no one else appreciates what you do, God sure does. Keep your heart centered on God in your job and that is what matters the most.
Even in a menial job, you can make someone's day and possibly bring them to Christ. Remember that Jonah brought a ship's crew to relationship with God by running away from God himself. Your superiors may not care what you do or appreciate it, but know that someone you interact with definitely does. Your job is important because God has put you there for His Glory.
Prayer Time
Now you talk to God about what you read, and you can even read this chapter of the Bible for yourself before you do. Thanks for reading, Godbless!
Monday, 28 September 2015
Daily Bible Reading with DragoNate #8
Time Spent in Prayer
Nehemiah 1
(v. 3) " 'Those who survived the exile are... in great trouble and disgrace.' " (v. 4) "When I heard these things, I sat down and wept. For some days I mourned and fasted and prayed before the God of heaven."
My Thoughts
Nehemiah had a job to do; he was put in charge as governor of Judah and led the rebuilding of the walls of Jerusalem. When Nehemiah was first told of the state of the walls in Jerusalem, he wept. Before doing anything, Nehemiah mourned, fasted and prayed for some days.
This looks a lot like procrastination, doesn't it? Procrastination is putting off doing what needs to be done in favor of more appealing agendas until the last minute. I will tell you that Nehemiah absolutely did not procrastinate. The time he spent in prayer before doing the work that needed to be done was not wasted. It was time well spent. When you spend time prayer with God before doing a task that needs to be done, you are preparing yourself for said task.
A lot of the time, when you have a certain task that is a lot of work, or may take a while, or is daunting for whatever reason, it can be very stressful. Some people put off these important errand until they need to be done in a pinch. Others will spend all day or more working away on them that they burn themselves out and have no time for anything or anyone else. They are of the mindset that it needs to get done before anything else, and that is where they focus all of their resources.
The time you spend in prayer before starting a task is the most important part of that task. All you have to do is ask, and God will make the task seem less daunting or stressful and more achievable. You will find that you can finish the task at hand quicker, better, and without stressing yourself out. Always remember to pray about anything that seems difficult, stressful or daunting. Ask God to help you get the job done, and done well, and to help you stay focused on Him.
This looks a lot like procrastination, doesn't it? Procrastination is putting off doing what needs to be done in favor of more appealing agendas until the last minute. I will tell you that Nehemiah absolutely did not procrastinate. The time he spent in prayer before doing the work that needed to be done was not wasted. It was time well spent. When you spend time prayer with God before doing a task that needs to be done, you are preparing yourself for said task.
A lot of the time, when you have a certain task that is a lot of work, or may take a while, or is daunting for whatever reason, it can be very stressful. Some people put off these important errand until they need to be done in a pinch. Others will spend all day or more working away on them that they burn themselves out and have no time for anything or anyone else. They are of the mindset that it needs to get done before anything else, and that is where they focus all of their resources.
The time you spend in prayer before starting a task is the most important part of that task. All you have to do is ask, and God will make the task seem less daunting or stressful and more achievable. You will find that you can finish the task at hand quicker, better, and without stressing yourself out. Always remember to pray about anything that seems difficult, stressful or daunting. Ask God to help you get the job done, and done well, and to help you stay focused on Him.
Prayer Time
Now you talk to God about what you read, and you can even read this chapter of the Bible for yourself before you do. Thanks for reading, Godbless!
