- Marriage blog (Wed. May, 30, 2007—Marriage, A Terrible Thing to Waste)(http://marriagegodsway.blogspot.com/2007_05_01_archive.html)
- Part One of Joe Eaton’s devotionals
Notes: Proverbs is taking a while right now… so I’m going to add it later when I have time…
Summary of Job 6—Job begins by lamenting his pain, explaining in terms that cannot be mistaken just how hurt he’s actually feeling, yet even that isn’t enough to know what it really was like. Job asks that God would be willing to crush him, and have it over and done with, so that he would be able to be cut off and end knowing that he had not denied God. He asks what strength he has, or what power he has to help himself? Then he adds bitterly that he doesn’t even have the loyalty of his friends. He had been hopeful, even confident, that they would be helpful, and they disappointed him. Job challenges and pleas with them to teach him, show him where he’s wrong, and he’ll rest quiet then. But, their arguments proved nothing, and they treated his words as nothing.
It seems like a pretty hopeless looking situation for Job, he’s hurting badly—so badly that he wants God to just end it. He can’t do anything for himself, and those he’d looked to for help only hurt him worse…
Summary of Matthew 3—John the Baptist came preaching, teaching, and baptizing those who were repentant. Many people came out to the Jordan River to listen to him including the Pharisees and Sadducees. John told them that if they wanted to repent their lives had to show it, and any life that did not show that it had been changed would be cut off and thrown into the fire. Then John began prophesying about the Messiah’s coming, and how he was going to baptize with the Holy Spirit and with fire, and separate the wheat from the chaff—those who were serious and would bear fruit, from those who were just fluff. Later, Jesus came to John to be baptized, John resisted for a time, then consented—and heaven was opened, the Spirit descended upon Christ, and God spoke (pretty amazing, no?).
True faith seems to be the main theme here, basically that true faith cannot be without deeds, and deeds without faith are meaningless. Our faith will be tested by fire, and only what is true will last.
Summary of Matthew 4—Right after all of that happened with the baptism, the Spirit led Jesus into the desert where he fasted for 40 days and nights, and then was tempted by the devil. He was promised food, power, and even the world, but each time Jesus countered the devil with Scripture, and finally he was left alone. Then, the angels came and ministered to Him. Not long afterwards, Jesus found out that John was in jail and began to preach. As he preached he began also calling disciples: Peter, Andrew, James, John,—who left everything they had—their way of life, their family, any possible fortune, safety and normalcy, everything, on the spot—when Jesus called them. He continued on, preaching as he went, healing “every disease and sickness among the people.”
Though Jesus doesn’t have a “weakest point” he was/is fully human, and when he was tempted he had been without food for a very long time, and was physically weak. Satan tried to hit him at his lowest point to hurt him and to make him fall. Then he went and tried messing with Jesus’ pride by offering him fame, power, prestige—pride seems to be the key root of all sins.
Now the disciples come on the scene, and it amazes me that when Jesus called, they responded without hesitation and gave up everything they knew—for something they didn’t fully understand and couldn’t possibly know exactly what was going to happen. To give up their jobs, homes, families, comforts, friends, everything…for someone they didn’t really know, and something they couldn’t really understand, that takes strength and courage.
Okay, so we have a lot of really scattered thoughts this time: wounded and troubled Job, true faith, temptation, and the “stepping out” of the disciples.
Now…allow me to attempt to tie these themes together before we go on for you. “True faith,” like we said earlier, “cannot be without deeds, and deeds without faith are meaningless. Our faith will be tested by fire, and only what is true will last.” This faith can be evidenced by deeds such as the disciples-to-be displayed—giving up everything, particularly their past lives, to follow Jesus, even though they didn’t know what was going to happen or where He would take them. They trusted Him and did what He asked them too. However, life is never going to be easy, as Job found out, and, like Jesus, we will be hit by temptation and trials when we are at our weakest point, and tried in our most vulnerable points. Job, rich, wealthy family guy, lost everything he owned, everyone he cared most deeply about, and even his health, to be tempted to sin against God. Even those friends he thought he could count on didn’t come through for him. He didn’t know this was going to happen when he decided to follow God, but, even when the hard times hit, and he was tested by fire, his true faith showed through. He was hurting and wanted God to take him out right then and there, but he was not willing to back down or back away from what he believed, in the midst of trials he still wanted to please God.
Summary of “Marriage, A Terrible Thing to Waste”—hmmm…short one today, but the gist of it is that if we don’t live our lives, or conduct our marriage (which, marriage could be taken as our marriage to God, as well) for God—doing it His way—we won’t have His blessing or His help. That sounds rather harsh, but, y’know, if we aren’t listening, then why would He bother to try to help us?
Tie that in to everything else…if the trials and temptations come up, our deeds are tested by fire, and nothing is left, then what is that saying about our faith? We need God’s help, there’s no way the disciples could have followed Jesus without His help… they wouldn’t have had a clue of what to do, but with God’s guidance and direction, they were powerful tools and cornerstones in God’s kingdom.
Summary of the take on John 1:1-5 that a personal friend did a devotional on (available on request)—My friend decided to take each phrase in those verses and look at them separately. He begins by noticing that John sets Jesus in the front right at the beginning. Even though He isn’t really brought into the story until the latter half of chapter one He is the foundation of Truth that the entire story (and all of life) rests upon. He also drew connections to the truths of the trinity, God’s eternality, His role as Creator, He is the cornerstone, true Life, the only objective reality, and our light. My friend goes on to write “This next phrase is interesting. “The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.” Really? I don’t know about you, but sometimes when I look at our fallen world, everything in me shouts the opposite of that phrase” and I’m sure Job and many others have thought the same, at times. But, when the wind and the waves surround us, and we begin to sink, remember that Christ is trustworthy and He has the power to say, “peace, be still.” When the darkness closes in, look for His enduring light. Though it may be a small candle in the vast darkness, that light will still fill the world. Trust in God to be your light, to be your cornerstone to base your life and hope on, and may that faith be true—evidenced by a life changed. The disciples left their past lives, even though they were good, for something a lot more challenging, rougher, but eternally better.
Challenge: Don’t be afraid to step out, to do something that you might not fully understand or know where it’s going, when God is calling you. When the hard times come, stand fast, hold true to the faith you’ve attested to. God is still with you, He will be your light in dark places, and the darkness cannot overcome it.
The Lord be with you always and guide you through the darkness.
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