The Almighty

Job’s Regeneration

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Then Job answered the LORD, and said, I know that Thou canst do every thing, and that no thought can be withholden from thee.  ‘Who is he that hideth counsel without knowledge?’ Therefore have I uttered that I understood not; things too wonderful for me, which I knew not. Hear, I beseech thee, and I will speak: ‘I will demand of thee, and declare thou unto Me.’
“I have heard of Thee by the hearing of the ear: but now mine eye seeth Thee. Wherefore I abhor myself, and repent in dust and ashes.”

Job 42:1-6

From chapter 38 through most of chapter 41 the Almighty God has been speaking to Job. Job was wanting to have a discussion with Him, but as you will notice in the reading when God shows up, Job has but a few words, and they are words of repentance.

Job presented many challenges to God. He had many questions to ask the LORD, but when he sees Him for himself he is filled with wonder, and has no questions to ask, or to challenge Him with.

I have noticed that myself. In a time when God has been silent, and I was dealing with anger toward God, and I go to Him in prayer with my question or challenge, He comes, I see Him, hear Him, and my questions or challenge goes awry. and I am comforted and encouraged, and strengthened in my faith.

If you have a problem, a question for God. Do not fear to go to Him. When He reveals Himself to you the answer or challenge or whatever may not matter any longer. You will know that the LORD is God Almighty. All things are in His hands.

God has come into the world in the Person of His Son Jesus to make it possible for us to know God. That is only through the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Admit that you are a condemned and dying sinner. Receive Jesus as your Lord and Savior, confessing Jesus as Lord, and you will be saved and have access to the very throne of God.

We Have A Living Redeemer

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Job was a man of many sorrows, and he felt as though God was forsaking him; yet, through the reading of Job’s many speeches, we discover a man of faith. It is so as we look at the following verses.

Oh that my words were now written! Oh that they were printed in a book! That they were graven with an iron pen and lead in the rock for ever!
For I know that my Redeemer liveth, and that He shall stand at the latter day upon the earth: And though after my skin worms destroy this body, yet in my flesh shall I see God: Whom I shall see for myself, and mine eyes shall behold, and not another; though my reins be consumed within me.

Job 19:23-27

First, Job desires that his words were written down, and rolled into a scroll, and sought to be vindicated later. Even written on a rock that would last as long as that rock stood.

Jesus Christ is the Rock that led the children through the wilderness, out of Egypt (1 Corinthians 10:4).

Secondly, Job makes a statement of faith. He is expecting a man or some kinsman to come and redeem him. However, these words in this statement is far more than just a  kinsman of sinful men; Job must be seeing the Almighty’s Redeemer that was coming at sometime much later. He confessed that he knew his Redeemer lives, and that on the earth He would stand. Job must also have believed that in order to be redeemed that the Redeemer would give His life to redeem him.

Third, Job confessed that he knew when he died, his body would decay and return back to the dust from which it came there would be resurrection, because he said, “Yet in my flesh I shall see God.” Even going on to say, “Whom I will see for myself, and my own eyes shall see, and not another.” His heart (reins) are consumed, probably with excitement in knowing that one day he would see God, and have a new body too.

Jesus Christ is the Redeemer of all who will come to Him, believing that He died for our sins, was buried, and rose again, and confessing Jesus as Lord.

Our Redeemer lives. He has redeemed us. He Himself paid our sin debt by taking our place on the cross, and taking the wrath of God for sin that was not His, but was mine and yours. This was God’s gift, and is received only by God’s grace through faith (Ephesians 2:8-10).

Will you call on His name today for salvation?

When The Almighty Answers

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Who is this that darkeneth counsel by words without knowledge? Job 38:2

We are at the ending words of the book of Job. Job has been asking for a visitation from the Almighty, and now he gets one.

Many of us who preach and teach the Scriptures think we know God pretty well, but when it comes to the truth of the matter of knowing God we know very little. All we know about God is what we learn from His word.

We hear some people think and say things like, “If I were God…” The point is none of us are the Almighty.

We live now in an era where many are thinking that they know better than God what is good and right for themselves. So, you elevate yourself over the knowledge and will of God. You are on your way to a rude awakening one day.

Job did not like the way God had handled his life with loss, grief, sickness and disease. Job also did not know what went on in the courts of  Heaven between Satan and God Most High. Neither do you or I.

When we face sorrow, whether it be by the loss of a family member, a friend, a job or career let us say and let us live like and believe this, “I do not know what God in His good counsel is doing; but I trust Him.”

In all his pain and loss Job never cursed God, sure he questioned what was going on; as would and  do most of us. Always and I say again, always keep faith in the One who has all things in His hands.

Why? Because He loves us so much He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life. That is when the Almighty answers.

Delivered; Pure and Bold

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“Then Nebuchadnezzar came near to the mouth of the burning fiery furnace, and spake, and said, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, ye servants of the Most High God, come forth, and come hither. Then Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, came forth of the midst of the fire. And the princes, governors, and captains, and the king’s counsellors, being gathered together, saw these men, upon whose bodies the fire had no power, nor was an hair of their head singed, neither were their coats changed, nor the smell of fire had passed on them.
Then Nebuchadnezzar spake, and said, Blessed be the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, who hath sent His angel, and delivered His servants that trusted in Him, and have changed the king’s word, and yielded their bodies, that they might not serve nor worship any god, except their own God. Therefore I make a decree, That every people, nation, and language, which speak any thing amiss against the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, shall be cut in pieces, and their houses shall be made a dunghill: because there is no other God that can deliver after this sort. Then the king promoted Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, in the province of Babylon.” Daniel 3:26-30 (KJV)

NEBUCHADNEZZAR’S SECOND TESTIMONY TOWARD GOD.

 Please Note : Just because someone has seen God’s mighty works, and can testify to God’s power does not necessarily mean they know God on a personal basis. At this point in the kings life, he did not know God.

 God’s grace is so amazing toward Nebuchadnezzar and toward us all. This is the second mighty deed the king witnesses of the Almighty. The first, remember, was God revealing the dream through Daniel with its interpretation, and this is second; and at the scene of false worship.

When the king commanded them to come out of the fire – they obeyed. They could not obey when it came to worshipping an idol. They could, however, obey their king in other matters. This shows us that there is a time and place for civil disobedience.

When they came out of the fire there was not one single singed hair, nor a piece of clothing touched by the flame. They did not even have the scent of smoke on them or their clothing. When they came from the flames of that fire they were cleaner than ever before.

Nebuchadnezzar’s testimony has all appearances of genuine faith with one exception. You cannot legislate genuine faith. When you have a genuine faith in Jesus Christ you are secure enough in that faith to let the gospel do its work and the people trust God for themselves.

Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, alias Shadrach, Meshech, and Abednego were promoted even higher in Babylon. I wonder how the snitch felt now?

NOTE: They were cast down into the fire and God lifted them out of it. In times of our fiery trials God is closer than at any other time.

By the fire they were cleansed, they were strengthened in faith, and they were exalted, and God was exalted.

GOD of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob; the Father of Jesus Christ, and our Father because of the cross (the death) of Christ, His burial and bodily resurrection will not leave His own in the fire alone.  He purifies through the fire, making us like His Son Jesus.

Through the Bible in a Year – 081113

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Fellowship With GOD
Ephesians 3 – 6

1.  WE HAVE THE POWER OF GOD WITHIN (Ephesians 3:20-21).

2.  WALKING WORTHY OF OUR VOCATION (4:1-3)

3.  UNDERSTANDING THE WILL OF THE LORD (5:11-17).

4.  LIVING OBEDIENTLY AND EXPECTANTLY (6:1-4)

 

EVENING MESSAGE-

Christians Blessing the LORD
Psalms 89 – 108

1. CHRISTIANS KNOW THE JOYFUL SOUND (Psalm 89:15-18).

2. CHRISTIANS KNOW THE SOVEREIGN POWER OF THE LORD (Psalm 93:1-5; 97:1-7).

3. CHRISTIANS KNOW THE FUTURE OF OUR GOD (Psalm 102:12-17; 103:1-5).

4. CHRISTIANS KNOW THE POWER, MERCY AND GRACE OF THE ALMIGHTY (Psalm 106:6-12).

5. CHRISTIANS BLESS THE LORD WITH THEIR LIVES OF PRAISE (Psalm 108:1-6).

God’s Horses and Chariots of Salvation

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God’s Horses, and Chariots of Salvation

In these following verses we see pictures of the LORD riding in chariots pulled by horses. He has, of course, won many and mighty victories for the people of His name. The prophet Habakkuk is reminded and reminding those who read and/or sing this song of the greatness of our LORD.

Hear the Word of the LORD through the prophet:

“Was the LORD displeased against the rivers? was thine anger against the rivers? was thy wrath against the sea, that thou didst ride upon thine horses and thy chariots of salvation? Thy bow was made quite naked, according to the oaths of the tribes, even thy word. Selah. Thou didst cleave the earth with rivers. The mountains saw thee, and they trembled: the overflowing of the water passed by: the deep uttered his voice, and lifted up his hands on high. The sun and moon stood still in their habitation: at the light of thine arrows they went, and at the shining of thy glittering spear. Thou didst march through the land in indignation, thou didst thresh the heathen in anger. Thou wentest forth for the salvation of thy people, even for salvation with thine anointed; thou woundedst the head out of the house of the wicked, by discovering the foundation unto the neck. Selah. Thou didst strike through with his staves the head of his villages: they came out as a whirlwind to scatter me: their rejoicing was as to devour the poor secretly. Thou didst walk through the sea with thine horses, through the heap of great waters.” Habakkuk 3:8-15 (KJV)

We are reminded of God’s power over the waters of the earth. “Was the LORD displeased against the rivers?” and “Was Your wrath against the sea”; remind us of the children of Israel crossing the Jordon River by God’s stopping the waters upstream so they could cross on dry ground, and previously to this; the Red Sea, by God’s dividing the sea and them walking across on dry ground.

Of course, we know that God has no need of horses and chariots, but this is the picture of God’s power and victory over the enemy, as He freed the children of Israel from the bondage of Egypt, and promise of future deliverance from the captivity to come.

Let’s look at the word “Selah” for a moment. The meaning is not quite certain. I have found it quite meaningful to see it as the means or call for reflection upon what I have read. To go back and read it again. To meditate upon it, and reflect on the greatness of the LORD whenever this word is used. The Psalmist uses it quite often, and it may mean to go back and repeat the words. That is at least how I like to think about it. The word “Selah” is used three times in Habakkuk’s third song. Twice in the above passage alone.

The arrow God shoots from His bow is always on target. He hits what He aims at. It may not always be a “Bull’s-eye”. “Bull’s-eye” being what we think is the target. In other words it is not always what we think, but God hits what He aims for. His Word is always on target, never out of date, and pertinent in every point.

The waters of the earth are all at God’s beckoning and call. When He called for a flood upon the earth – there was a flood. When He called for a drought upon the Northern kingdom of Israel under the rule of Ahab, there was a drought for 3.5 years. When He commanded the Red Sea to part; it parted. When He called for the Jordan River to stop flowing; it stopped flowing. All the waters are at His command, and none can control these things but Him.

We are reminded in verse 11 of the power of God over the sun and moon. In the book of Joshua 10:12-14 we see God causing the sun to stand still for a whole day; and one other time several years later the shadow on the sundial of Ahaz went backwards 10 degrees to give king Hezekiah a sign that his life had been extended 15 years (2 Kings 20:8-11; Isaiah 38:4-8). Truly God is God of gods, King of kings, Lord of lords, and there really can be no other. There is none like Him. Praise the name of the LORD.

The LORD is a victorious GOD. He loves His people, protects them, sets them in the right paths, and corrects them when they go astray. He will always have a remnant of people. There have been times when He has used other nations to correct His people, and those people God uses think they serve themselves, and mistreat the people of God, but those who do will face the wrath of the Almighty. “You trampled the nations in anger. You went forth for the salvation of Your people, for salvation with Your Anointed.” This is likened to a “Threshing floor” where grain is taken, trampled, beaten, and tossed so the wind can blow away the waste and stubble. He, at times have even caused the enemy to turn their own weapons against one another – “You thrust through with his own arrows the head of his villages”.

Still yet we see the prophet rejoicing in the power of our great God. There is none who can withstand Him. He is victorious, and will always be victorious. We are reminded of another victory at the Red Sea. When the Egyptian army came by way of the path through the Sea, the Sea closed in on them – “You walked through the sea with Your horses, Through the heap of great waters”.

How glorious is our LORD. How majestic is His name. He will always bring His people through.

-by Tim A. Blankenship