Do you think that you can reprove words, when the speech of a despairing man is wind?

Job 6

Do you think that you can reprove words, when the speech of a despairing man is wind? Job 6:26

This morning, I pause my study of 1 Corinthians to use DesiringGod.com's Solid Joys daily devotion, which today looks at how we often speak of despair and how we should learn to discern whether such words are rooted more deeply in a "black" or evil heart, or whether they are "for the wind" due to a temporary pain or setback.  If we can discern such talk as due to temporary pain or setback, John Piper encourages us to follow Job's guidance that we "not spend our time and energy reproving such words. They will be blown away of themselves on the wind. One need not clip the leaves in autumn. It is a wasted effort. They will soon blow off of themselves." Instead we are encouraged to "wait in silence and not reprove. Restoring the soul, not reproving the sore, is the aim of our love." If we are seeking God in these moments you will find him. Follow Jeremiah's words to the exiled Jews where he says in Jeremiah 29:13:

"[y]ou will seek me and find me, when you seek me with all your heart."   

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My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an awesome God who loves me and who is full of grace and compassion - I know that You will never leave or forsake me.  I will always find You when I seek You because You never leave me.  Thank You Jesus!  I am not deserving of such love.  My sin is great and it continues...daily.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul and mind and love others as You love me. Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

For the waves of death encompassed me, the torrents of destruction assailed me....This God--his way is perfect[.]

2 Samuel 22

For the waves of death encompassed me, the torrents of destruction assailed me....This God--his way is perfect[.] 2 Samuel 22:5,31a

I maintain a pause of my study of 1 Corinthians as I continue using DesiringGod.com's Solid Joys daily devotion, which today looks at How to Contemplate Calamity, using a devotion by the same name.  Piper starts the devotion by pointing to the book of Job - a Bible book that explores loss and suffering.  Piper then points to the massive Indian Ocean tsunami that occurred nineteen years ago today, an epic tragedy that killed more than 200,000, including vacationing Norwegian relatives of my wife Lisa.  Of course, this is an extreme example of calamity, but all of us experience tragedy, suffering, etc., although for most of us it rarely reaches such epic proportions.  Such tragedy, regardless of the scale and impact, leads many, including believers, to question the role of God.  Piper refers us to Job 1:21 and 42:11 as he shares God's providence over all things, including tragedy, suffering, trials, pain, etc.  Piper also highlights 2 Samuel 22:5 and 31 where David sings a song of deliverance from the hands of Saul.  In light of tragedy and suffering and how scripture helps us, Piper moves to share five "crucial implications" in the form of lessons for believers:

1. Satan is not ultimate; God is - "Satan is real. Satan brings misery. But Satan is not ultimate or decisive. He is on a leash. He goes no farther than God decisively permits."
2.  Even if Satan caused that tsunami in the Indian Ocean the day after Christmas, 2004, he is not the decisive cause of over 200,000 deaths; God is - see also Psalm 89:8-9, Luke 8:24.
3. Destructive calamities in this world mingle judgment and mercy - "The clearest illustration of this is the death of Jesus. It was both judgment and mercy. It was judgment on Jesus because he bore our sins (not his own), and it was mercy toward us who trust him to bear our punishment and be our righteousness.  Another example is the curse and miseries that have come on this earth because of the fall of Adam and Eve. Those who never believe in Christ experience it as judgment, but believers experience it as merciful, though painful — a preparation for glory. See also James 5:11, Galatians 3:13, 1 Peter 2:24, 2 Corinthians 5:21, Romans 8:20.
4. The heart that Christ gives to his people feels compassion for those who suffer, no matter what their faith is - "Pain is pain, no matter who causes it. We are all sinners. Empathy flows not from the causes of pain, but from the company of pain. And we are all in it together." See also Romans 12:15.
5. Finally, Christ calls us to show mercy to those who suffer, even if they do not deserve it - "That is the meaning of mercy — undeserved help."  This means that we are to show mercy to those we might otherwise call our enemies.  See also Luke 6:27, Romans 5:10.

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My Prayer: Lord You are good - no matter the circumstances.  I know You never change and You are just, good, merciful, etc.  Thank You for how You never change and how I can count on You as You are faithful.  I am not deserving of Your faithfulness.  My sin is great and it continues....daily.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith. Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

Do you think that you can reprove words, when the speech of a despairing man is wind?

Job 6

Do you think that you can reprove words, when the speech of a despairing man is wind? Job 6:26

This morning, until I start a new Bible study, I continue using devotionals from John Piper.  Today, the post focuses on how we or others speak from temporary pain or struggle.  Job's friends attempted to disprove the words Job spoke from pain and Piper encourages us to look not at the temporary darkness as we know from time to time there will be pain (John 16:33), but the words we speak from pain will pass. Piper encourages us to "learn to discern whether the words spoken against us, or against God, or against the truth, are merely for the wind — spoken not from the soul, but from the sore. If they are for the wind, let us wait in silence and not reprove. Restoring the soul, not reproving the sore, is the aim of our love."

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My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an awesome God who is with us always - through pain and suffering - and You are both deeper and more lasting.  You are everlasting and You are light and hope, and so much more.  I am grateful that You entered my heart and life - blessings beyond description!  Thank You Jesus.  I am not deserving of such a God.  I sin...daily, including worry.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You Jesus as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

And after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you.

1 Peter 5

 And after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you. 1 Peter 5:10

This morning, until I start a new Bible study, I continue using devotionals from John Piper.  Today, the post focuses on how God, as Piper describes how Jesus provides "assurance that he will not delay beyond what we can endure, and that he will abolish the flaws we bemoan, and that he will establish forever what has tottered so long — that assurance comes from the God of 'all grace.'" In the midst of pain, Piper encourages us to hold on and to endure lest we succumb to the fears that threaten our faith.  He points us to Hebrews 10:39 and Mark 13:13:

But we are not of those who shrink back and are destroyed, but of those who have faith and preserve their souls. Hebrews 10:39

And you will be hated by all for my name's sake. But the one who endures to the end will be saved. Mark 13:13

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My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an awesome God who loves me and who is full of grace and strength for me - through all times good and bad.  Thank You Jesus for never leaving or forsaking me.  I am not deserving of such love and grace.  I worry - I know this is sinful - please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.  

So we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day. For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison[.]

Leviticus 13-15

So we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day. For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison[.] 2 Corinthians 4:16-17

This morning, I continued my study of Leviticus using the Christ-Centered Exposition series commentary for this book - completing chapter thirteen - Unclean! - covering Leviticus 13-15, looking specifically at the fifth and final theme for the chapter - Followers of Jesus Have a Future with No Sickness.  Here, the commentary focuses on how Jesus provides the greatest hope and source of strength believers have.  Leviticus 13-14 describe uncleanness from skin disease, and over the past several days my posts have discussed the commentary's perspectives on how skin disease, although not a sin, represents a consequence of our fallen and sinful state based on the original sin. This morning, the entry from the commentary more specifically looks at our fallen and sinful state, and how, for believers, although our earthly bodies face decay (including sickness and infirmities and the associated discomfort, pain, and suffering), when we enter Heaven, we will be made new again, and all of the earthly aspects of our bodies and the associated experience goes away.  The commentary refers to the following additional scriptures to emphasize this (and arguably most) important point:

We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet.  For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we shall be changed.  For this perishable body must put on the imperishable, and this mortal body must put on immortality. When the perishable puts on the imperishable, and the mortal puts on immortality, then shall come to pass the saying that is written:

“Death is swallowed up in victory. O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?” 1 Corinthians 15:51-55

And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God. He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.” Revelation 21:3-4

Comment and discuss this post here.

My Prayer: Lord Jesus - thank You!  Thank You and praise God for the hope, peace of mind, strength, and encouragement You provide by promising eternal life!  I know in Heaven I will see a renewed Dustin with no Down Syndrome and I will see my mom there as well - among the many brothers and sisters in Christ I will see - how glorious!  I am not deserving of these blessings and the amazing grace You pour out for me.  My sins of gossip, worry, etc. continue.  Please forgive me Jesus!  Help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith. Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

To the woman he said, “I will surely multiply your pain in childbearing; in pain you shall bring forth children. Your desire shall be contrary to your husband, but he shall rule over you.” And to Adam he said, “Because you have listened to the voice of your wife and have eaten of the tree of which I commanded you, ‘You shall not eat of it,’ cursed is the ground because of you; in pain you shall eat of it all the days of your life[.]

Leviticus 13-15

To the woman he said, “I will surely multiply your pain in childbearing; in pain you shall bring forth children. Your desire shall be contrary to your husband, but he shall rule over you.” And to Adam he said, “Because you have listened to the voice of your wife and have eaten of the tree of which I commanded you, ‘You shall not eat of it,’ cursed is the ground because of you; in pain you shall eat of it all the days of your life[.] Genesis 3:16-17

This afternoon, I continued my study of Leviticus using the Christ-Centered Exposition series commentary for this book - starting chapter thirteen - Unclean! - covering Leviticus 13-15, looking specifically at the first theme - Sickness Exists Because Sin Exists.  The introduction to the this chapter of the commentary starts by stating the main idea we should explore for Leviticus chapters 13-15: "God is interested in every detail of our lives, including our illnesses.  Illness exists because sin exists, but God takes away our sin through Jesus, and God gives us an eternal future in heaven where no sickness exists."  For the commentary's theme for today - Sickness Exists Because Sin Exists - we are reminded that God created a perfect world for Adam and Eve, but because of their disobedience, we have not just the original sin that impacted Adam (Genesis 3:17) and Eve (Genesis 3:16), but sin for all of humanity for the remainder of humanity's time on earth.  While God's hand and design might not provide any comfort for those impacted by illness and pain, it is important to recognize that illness and pain are just as much a part of life as anything else we experience.  Believers can rest in knowing that God is in all things (Colossians 1:15-17), including our illness and pain, and that even though we will have tribulation, we can "take heart; [because Jesus has] overcome the world" (John 16:33).

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My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an amazing God who loves me and who gives me strength to get through difficult times of pain and illness - thank You Jesus!  I am not deserving of how You never leave or forsake me.  I worry and I have other sins.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You. Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith. Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.     

Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, love for the Father is not in them. For everything in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—comes not from the Father but from the world.

Leviticus 12

Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, love for the Father is not in them. For everything in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—comes not from the Father but from the world. 1 John 2:15-16

This morning, I continued my study of Leviticus using the Christ-Centered Exposition series commentary for this book - continuing chapter twelve - God Rules from Our Birth - covering Leviticus 12:1-8, looking specifically at the first theme - God Requires Separation from Unbelievers.  Here, the commentary focuses on how at this point in the Old Testament, the Israelites were preparing to enter Canaan, the land God promised to Abraham (Genesis 12:7), and the land God led the Israelites to out of the wilderness after leaving Egypt. The commentary explores the pagan worship of the cultures in Canaan and its neighbor Moab - the pagan worship of both of these lands included use of human blood and/or human pain/sacrifice.  God of courses detests false gods and worship of these false gods, and the commentary states that childbirth as depicted in Leviticus 12 involves both human pain and blood; so by implication, childbirth, although not sinful, is loosely linked with the pagan worship of Canaan and Moab. Hence, God calls for the mothers to be purified as a prerequisite of the worship experience.  As a key takeaway for today and the theme for today - God Requires Separation from Unbelievers - the commentary urges us to see how our worship separates us from unbelievers.  The commentary also offers two additional takeaways - how believers separate ourselves from unbelievers:

• truth separates us: since (and because of) the Fall, childbirth was painful and often dangerous, sometimes leading to death; death was associated with sin (since the Fall); the concept of original sin and how the wages of sin are death (Romans 6:23) is unique to Christianity as is the role Jesus plays in redemption, forgiveness of sin, justification, sanctification, glorification, and eternal life.
  
• obedience separates us: Leviticus is just one book of the Bible but what we see just in this one book is how God governs every aspect of our lives - including all the details; God does bring about obedience as the fruit of our faith and believers obedience is designed to allow us to not only be separate, but different in the sense that unbelievers see and experience something that draws them to Him.
  

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My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an awesome God who created me and those around me and I am grateful for the life You gave me and for those in my community - thank You Jesus!  I am not deserving of how You bless me.  I worry.  Please forgive me and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.   

“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”

Matthew 11

“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” v28-30

Life sometimes has a sense of endlessness, and I mean that in bad way, and we can often just get worn down to point of giving up in the face of challenges we face.  I've been there.  Yet I gain strength through my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and sustains and strengthens me like no other.

As I posted yesterday, God will never leave or forsake us, and He is with us until the end of the age. He also provides for us and sustains us.  He loves us.  See also post here.

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an awesome God and You provide for all things, You sustain me, strengthen me, love me, and You will never leave or forsake me - thank You Jesus!  I am not worth such love.  I daily miss the mark.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo. Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

Restore us, Lord God Almighty; make your face shine on us, that we may be saved.

Psalm 80

Restore us, Lord God Almighty; make your face shine on us, that we may be saved. v19

God wants us a relationship with us - a genuine relationship where we share exactly where we are...the highs, the lows, the joys, and the struggles.  This is what a relationship is - it is a commitment.  The Psalms are exactly that - the highs and lows of the authors - from David, Asaph, Solomon, Moses, and others.  This Psalm by Asaph acknowledges sin, yet it also reveals a love of the Lord that is recognized as someone all powerful, and full of love and compassion for His children. God has and continues to rescue us from our sins and our difficulties - but we must also recognize that God has us exactly where He wants for a reason (Romans 8:28).  This said, we must be thankful for where we are and see the goodness of God in all circumstances (1 Thessalonians 5:18).

My Prayer: Lord, You are an awesome God - all powerful, all knowing and present in all things at all times...and You love me...as broken as I am. Thank You Jesus!  I am not worth such love.  I worry and I am easily distracted by the matters of this world.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me turn from such sin and towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, mind and strength.  Help me love others as You do.  Help me grow in my faith. Give me strength.  Give Lisa strength.  Please heal and cure Lisa of her cancer and the side effects from chemo.  Help me lead and serve Lisa, Zach and Dustin...and serve You.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

It was you who split open the sea by your power; you broke the heads of the monster in the waters.

Psalm 74

It was you who split open the sea by your power; you broke the heads of the monster in the waters. v13

In the midst of difficulty we must pause and reflect on God's role. He is in control.  We must also recognize that God is good and that everything He does is for His glory and our good.

In spite of the circumstances, the author* reminds himself of God's sovereignty and His goodness.

It was you who crushed the heads of Leviathan
    and gave it as food to the creatures of the desert.
It was you who opened up springs and streams;
    you dried up the ever-flowing rivers.
The day is yours, and yours also the night;
    you established the sun and moon.
It was you who set all the boundaries of the earth;
    you made both summer and winter. v14-17

We must seek God in everything and be mindful that God works in mysterious ways (Isaiah 55:8) and in all things for our good and His purpose (Romans 8:28).

Today did not start off on a particularly easy note...Thank You Jesus for providing light.

*MacArthur, John (2005-05-10). The MacArthur Bible Commentary (Kindle Locations 21931-21932). Thomas Nelson. Kindle Edition. 

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an awesome God - able to do all things and totally in control.  I know You love me...and You chose me, knowing everything about me.  You also suffered and died for me - without a shadow of doubt the greatest gift of all time!  Thank You Jesus.  I am not worth such love and such a gift.  I get angry far too quickly and I continue to be harsh with my words.  Forgive me Jesus and help me turn from my sin and towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, mind and strength.  Help me love others as You do.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give me strength. Give Lisa strength. Please heal and cure her of her cancer and the side effects from chemo.  Help me lead and serve Lisa, Zach and Dustin....and serve You.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

You let people ride over our heads; we went through fire and water, but you brought us to a place of abundance.

Psalm 66

You let people ride over our heads; we went through fire and water, but you brought us to a place of abundance. v12

God either allows or creates circumstances in our lives - good or bad.  God is in control.  Yes, we have free will but nothing is hidden from God and there are consequences for our sin.  Yet, "in all things God works for the good of those who love him (Romans 8:28)".

He is before all things, and in him all things hold together. Colossians 1:17

For there is nothing hidden that will not be disclosed, and nothing concealed that will not be known or brought out into the open. Luke 8:17

We must see all of our circumstances as for God's glory and our good.

Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus. 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 

My Prayer:  Lord, You are an awesome God, full of love and compassion for all of Your children...all of the time.  You create goodness and abundance in our lives daily...throughout the day and we are often not paying attention or distracted by the world.  You tell us not to conform to the patterns of this world yet too often we do.  Forgive me Jesus for falling prey to such temptations.  I worry, I am impatient, I get angry, I am full of pride and arrogance....help me turn from such sin and turn towards You Jesus.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, mind and strength.  Help me love others as You do.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give me strength.  Give Lisa strength.  Please heal and cure Lisa, Zach and Dustin and help me serve You.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.