Biblical Shakers

  Click on Title for Video Intro Monday, Job Chapter 20 Job 20  Delores Little THOUGHT This chapter informs us what Job’s buddy, Zophar, thinks of him. Verses 2 and 3 says, “My troubled thoughts prompt me to answer because I am greatly disturbed. I HEAR a REBUKE that dishonors ME, and MY understanding INSPIRES ME to reply.”  Notice the ME & MY in these verses? This guy in the following verses really tears Job down.  As I read this I thought he sounded like he was jealous of Job before this all happened. He just tears Job’s life apart in these verses. Then he ends the chapter with verse 29 which says, “Such is the fate God allots the wicked, the heritage appointed for them by God.”  My question is how many times in our lives have we done something like this? I was reading one of the Caring Bridge sites the other day, and this Mother was so upset as many had written on there that it was because of her son’s sin that he had cancer. I’m not saying we don’t sin. ...

  Click on Title for Video Intro Monday and Tuesday, Job Chapter 15 & 16 Job 15 & 16 Mindy Strayer THOUGHT Doesn’t Eliphaz just sound like a person who has not yet had to deal with any real hardship or loss in his life? A caring and compassionate friend should not sound arrogant, or rude, or like he is reprimanding. Job calls it right when he says in the very first sentence of chapter 16, “miserable comforters are you all.”  Why hasn’t anyone reminded Job of how much God loves and cares for him?  Why haven’t his friends offered any words of love or offered to meet some of Job’s needs? We as Christians have a big responsibility when the needs of people come before us. You can’t just say anything when real deep hard pain is being experienced by the individual. You can’t just throw out a Bible verse and expect that to make all the difference. You can’t give a band aid of an answer and expect to stop some of the bleeding. You can’t tell a person what they are feeling ...

  Click on Title for Video Intro Monday, Job Chapter 10 Job 10 Verse 1 Jane Jones Verse 1:  “I loathe my very life; therefore I will give free rein to my complaint and speak out in the bitterness of my soul.” THOUGHT Job has really begun to feel sorry for himself. When we face a baffling affliction, our pain lures us toward feeling sorry for ourselves. “Look what happened to me; how unfair it is!” We may feel like blaming God. Remember that life’s trials, whether allowed by God or sent by God, can be the means for development and refinement. One can’t help but think of Bart and Mindy and Alan and Tanya with all their circumstances relating to house purchases and the sale of one house in Wichita. It has been a long 14 months for the Rudens living in a state of unsettledness with both couples having to go to a second lending institution for loans. The journeys have been long and rocky. When facing trials, ask, “What can I learn, and how can I grow?” rather than “Who did this to ...

  Click on Title for Video Introduction Monday, Job Chapter 5 Job 5 Verse 17 Tanya Ruden Verse 17:  “Blessed is the man whom God corrects; so do not despise the discipline of the Almighty.” THOUGHT So this verse seems really out of place in today’s reading. I am not sure how many of you can remember from Mom’s devotion last week, but Chapter 4 was mostly Job’s “good friends” talking with him about his “bad luck”.  Then chapter 5 continues with much of the same.  However, his friend does make this statement among all of his “encouraging” words, and it is about the only truthful thing he has said.  Of course, this doesn’t really apply to Job’s situation, but I do think it applies to our lives.  It is a reminder that we do need boundaries in life to make us better people. I know those of you who have children understand the “joys” of summer vacation, but it definitely becomes time for school to start and summer to end.  My kids have been in more ‘trouble’...

Click on Title for Video Introduction Monday, Job Introduction Job Intro Delores Little THOUGHT Job did not write the book of Job.  They say it was an Israelite, but no name was given. Sounds like whoever wrote the book of Job was moved by the Holy Spirit to put it together.  Job is the book of suffering of a righteous man given into the hands of Satan, but not to kill him. As a tempter Satan seeks to alienate man from God. His all-consuming purpose is to drive an irremovable wedge between God and man, to effect an alienation that cannot be reconciled. Job had 3 friends.  The 4th came along at the end of the book of Job for a few chapters, and I say if we have friends like he had, we don’t need any enemies. But can I judge them and how they answered Job?  No, because I too have been guilty doing the same thing in my walk with God.  Have you felt like God isn’t here for you, and you can’t feel Him around or hear Him as you called out to Him in prayer? This was ha...