Pastor Buddy’s Blog

Journal,

Believe I’ll begin this entry with my devotional study for the day. ?

Have you ever wondered why the righteous suffer?? Peter gives? insight into the arena of suffering. The apostle said –?

“In this you greatly rejoice, even though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been distressed by various trials, so that the proof of your faith, being more precious than gold which is perishable, even though tested by fire, may be found to result in praise and glory at the revelation of Jesus Christ.” (1 Peter 1:6,7 nasb.)

Peter adds that God’s people are always kept safe by the power of God. He then includes one other factor which points to? the deep abiding love that is found in each believer, a love? for the Lord? Jesus Christ.

“And though you have not seen Him, you love Him, and though you do not see Him now, but believe in Him, you greatly rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory.”

Back to the trial itself — The word for ‘trials’ that Peter uses (peiramos)? speaks of? anything that furnishes a? test of character. For this reason a trial allowed by God is never for the purpose of causing a believer to fall. It is a trial that reveals? the true faith of a believer.

A? trial in a believer’s life will always cause? the believer’s true character and virtue to shine forth as gold. This is what we are seeing? with Job.

Yep, my morning devotions continue with Job. It is so easy to skip over the discourses of Job’s three friends. But there is one thing that is becoming more apparent all the time. There are actually six main characters at this point in Job’s life. You have Job, his three ‘accusers’, and two unseen personages, Satan and the Spirit of the Lord.

Actually the term ‘Holy Spirit’ is never seen in Job. But the ancients did have another term that was used in their Targums. (Aramaic translations of the OT Hebrew.) They? spoke of ‘the Memra of the Lord.’ Memra means ‘Word.’ They treated the Memra of the Lord as God’s special working in creation, that is, ‘the Spirt of the Lord’.

The more you read Job, the more you see both the Spirit of the Lord and also Satan’s influence in the background.? You hear Job saying things that belong to the Lord. You also see Job’s accusers saying things that belong to Satan.

Let me share some highlights from my morning devotion. First, what did Job know about God? Job said, “You have granted me life and lovingkindness; and Your care has perserved my spirit.” (10:12)

We also see where Job chides his so-called friends — “Truly then you are the people, and with you wisdom will die!” (12:2)

Then we see where Job reveals a Messiah secret — “With Him [God] are wisdom and might [power]; to Him belong counsel and understanding.” (12:13)

The apostle Paul said that Jesus is both the ‘power’ of God and the ‘wisdom’ of God.

Job says something about his accusing friends that really fits the picture — “But you smear with lies; you are worthless physicians.” (13:4)

Rather than labor this too much let me show one other place where Job’s faith shines forth like gold. The saint of God says, “Though He slay me, I will hope in Him … This will be my salvation.” (Excerpt from 13:15,16)

So, do you think that Job will be one of those who shines forth in the Father’s kingdom. I certainly do. Jesus speaks of these shining saints; “Then the righteous will shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father. He who has ears to hear, let him hear.” (Matthew 13:32 nasb.)

By the way we are going to meet two more visators in the book of Job.? A young man will make his appearance. And the Lord Himself will appear to Job. This will give us a total of eight influences.? Eight is the number of new beginnings, that is, of the new creation. Before it is over with we will see where Job includes? a fore-shadowing of the? kingdom of God’s beloved Son. ?

You can see how thoroughly I am enjoying the book of Job. Here I am a minister of over 40 years, and I’m still discovering wonderful truths in God’s Word. Sometimes I feel like a kid in a candy factory.? ?

9:40 a.m. - Call from my sister Bertie. She is another mother hen just checking up on the most handsome brother that she has. Course I’m an only son so she only has one brother.

2:40 p.m.? CJ and took a walk to explore our vast domain.? All is quiet and well on the home front. Picked up the mail — Got my new upgrade for Microsoft Word. Great.

Ok, enough said for now. Believe? I’ll sign off.

Blessings,

Buddy

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