Podcasts about Elihu

Speaker: Brent Kercheville. Job has said many words that need to be addressed. Elihu is in the process of challenging Job on the words Job has said against God. Elihu has been defending God from what Job has said during the time of this trial. Elihu is speaking on God's behalf (Job 36:2). Further, Elihu declares that he […] The post God Is Not Powerless When Suffering (Job 36-37) appeared first on Biblical Truths from West Palm Beach church of Christ.

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Speaker: Brent Kercheville. Job has said many words that need to be addressed. In Job 32-33 Elihu responds to Job who has contended that God was silent throughout his suffering. God is not silent in suffering but is speaking through suffering. Trials are protective and corrective, not punitive, transforming us and moving us closer to the image of […] The post God Is Not Unjust When Suffering (Job 34) appeared first on Biblical Truths from West Palm Beach church of Christ.

Deny Self, Plausible Deniability, Pedophilia, Elihu in Job

When the storms in life strike, as they inevitably do, it feels as though we're caught in a small boat out on a stormy ocean. At that point, what we really need is some solid ground beneath our feet. And fortunately, God knows that only too well.   Dealt a Cruel Blow You know you can always tell when we are starting a new series – I am excited. I love to get onto a new series in God's Word and that's what we are doing today. We are starting a series called "On Solid Ground" to listen to what God has to say into one of the central dilemmas of our lives and that dilemma is this: dealing with the storms of life. I remember when I was a young boy – I was about four or five years old. My mother and my sister and I sailed in a ship from Australia to Europe. Now that was a four week sail through the Suez Canal and back again. It's a long way and I remember, even to this day, there were some huge storms along the way. I remember they had ropes in the corridors on the ship to hang onto. I have never forgotten those storms and remember, this was a large cruise ship and yet it seemed to get tossed around in those storms. I was sea sick; I was very afraid as a young kid, even though I was on this big cruise liner. I remember going out onto the deck and seeing the huge waves and the winds and the ship was pitching around in this fearsome ocean and for me, there is nothing as frightening as an angry sea and a violent storm – the ground as it were, moving under your feet. For some people life seems to be a constant storm. The ground under their feet is never solid – there is always some fear and some uncertainty and they can never quite figure out why. What is going on – why is my life always like this? Now many of these people believe in God and yet life seems to be one endless storm. What we really want to have is solid ground under our feet. When you are in a storm the question is – how? That's what we are going to be exploring in this series called "On Solid Ground" starting right here and right now. Now if you have a Bible, I'd like you to grab it because we are going to be spending most of our time in the first eight chapters in a Book called First Samuel, in the Old Testament. We are going to discover the truth that we kind of know or we should know and yet it gets lost in the world that we live in. See this is a 'me' centred world where so often we find ourselves going to God asking Him for things for me, for me, for me and little by little, instead of God being God we expect Him to start being like a performing dog – to do tricks on our command. It may seem harsh but you get God the wrong way around and it spells dog. Am I expecting God to start dancing to my tune or am I dancing to His? It's a good question. That's what we are going to be exploring in this story and it begins in the storm. It's a story about a woman called Hannah and it turns out that she is going through some incredibly tough times in her life but she has the Creator/creature relationship the right was up. Open you Bible – let's go to First Samuel – it's the ninth book of the Old Testament. It's kind of just over a third; between a third and a half way in. We are going to start at the first verse of the first chapter of First Samuel. There was a certain man from Ramathaim, a Zuphite from the hill country of Ephraim whose name was Elkanah, son of Jeroham the son of Elihu the son of Tohu the son of Zuph, an Ephraimite. He had two wives; one was called Hannah, the other Peninnah. And Peninnah had children but Hannah had none. Year after year this man went up from his town to worship and to sacrifice to the Lord Almighty at Shiloh where Hophni and Phinehas the two sons of Eli, were the priests of the Lord. Whenever the day came for Elkanah to sacrifice he would give portions of the meat to his wife Peninnah and to all her sons and daughters but to Hannah he gave a double portion because he loved her and the Lord had closed her womb. And because the Lord had closed her womb, her rival kept provoking her in order to irritate her. This went on year after year – whenever Hannah went up to the house of the Lord her rival provoked her until she wept and wouldn't eat. Elkanah, her husband would say "Hannah why are you weeping? Why don't you eat? Why are you down hearted? Don't I mean more to you than ten sons?" Pretty tough! Anybody who has ever gone childless or had someone in their family who has gone childless will know the incredible pain of a couple who would like to have a child and yet they can't conceive. Can you imagine this going on year after year after year and in between these annual trips, as well? And of course, there were two wives – now the Bible doesn't talk about the fact that there were two wives – obviously the author doesn't feel a need to comment – praise God that has gone away. But never the less, poor old Hannah had a pretty tough time – a real storm, year after year, the pain of being childless and she had lots of choices in that space. She could have been angry; she could have lashed out; she could have withdrawn. And her husband is pretty useless; typical male – "What's the matter, why are you crying? You've got me!" So what does Hannah do? Let's look at First Samuel chapter 1, beginning at verse 9: Once they had finished eating and drinking at Shiloh, Hannah stood up. Now Eli the priest was sitting on a chair by the door post of the Lord's temple. In the bitterness of her soul, Hannah wept much and prayed to the Lord and she made a vow saying "O Lord Almighty, if You will only look upon Your servants misery and remember me and don't forget Your servant but give her a son then I will give him to the Lord for all the days of his life and no razor will ever be used on his head." As she kept on praying to the Lord, Eli observed her mouth. Hannah was praying in her heart and her lips were moving but her voice was not heard. Eli thought she was drunk and said to her "How long will you keep on getting drunk? Get rid of your wine." "Not so my lord" Hannah replied, "I'm a woman whose deeply troubled. I haven't been drinking wine or beer. I was pouring out my soul to the Lord. Don't take your servant for a weak woman – I have been praying here about the great anguish and grief that I have." And Eli answered "Go in peace. May God of Israel grant you what you have asked Him." She said, "May your servant find favour in your eyes." Then she went her way and ate something and her face was no longer downcast. Turns out she does have a son, calls him Samuel, gives him over to God as soon as he is weaned and he comes and serves as a priest in this temple under Eli, whom we discover later is one bad dude. He is the priest; he is supposed to be the go between, between God and His people and yet he and his sons have no respect for God. We will look at them later and also we will see Samuel's fate. At the start of the programme I talked about this "me, me, me" thing – always asking God for stuff; kind of turning things the wrong way round, instead of us being made in God's image, we try to remake Him in ours. And yet here is this story – this story that begins in a storm – this story that begins with Hannah in a storm and she is asking God for something. Did you notice she doesn't lash out or whine or complain? She humbles herself before God and asks her sovereign God; pours her heart out to Him. Eli, this scoundrel, with as much spiritual insight as my pet cat, thinks she is drunk and feeds her with platitudes – "May the Lord give you what you ask for." Yet here is a simple woman at the bottom of the heap, pouring her heart out to her God. And notice what it says after she does that, in verse 18 of chapter 1: "Then she went her way and ate something and her face was no longer downcast." See Hannah's feet were on solid ground – even before her prayer is answered – a seemingly impossible prayer. You know what that tells me? She trusted her God – no matter what His answer would be – she trusted Him; she let it go; she stopped worrying and God answered her prayer. I'm not saying "Let's all be like Hannah" – we are clearly not, our storms are different to hers but what we discover in this story is that when we put God in His rightful place – God – He honours that. We are going to have a look at her understanding of her God again next.   Chalk and Cheese What comes next in this story is Hannah's prayer of thanksgiving. She is in this storm; she asks God for the impossible; she has got the taunts of the other wife and she comes to God in a prayer of humility; pouring out her soul and God answers her with a son and she gives that son back to God for the rest of his life. Now listen to what she prays and how she rejoices. We are now at chapter 2 of First Samuel, beginning at verse 1: Then Hannah prayed and said 'My heart rejoices in the Lord, in the Lord my horn is lifted high, my mouth boasts over my enemies for I delight in Your deliverance. There is no one holy like the Lord. There is no one besides You. There is no rock like our God. Do not keep talking so proudly or let your mouth speak such arrogance for the Lord is a God who knows and by Him deeds are weighed. The bows of warriors are broken but those who stumble are armed with strength.' And this prayer goes on and on ... read it for yourself in First Samuel chapter 2. And you know what it's all about? The power and the sovereignty of God! It's about a Hannah who went to God with this in her heart – God is above all things. Not this attitude of "Let's reform God in my image. Let's turn Him into a performing poodle." You know how I know that? Because when she poured out her heart to God she offered her son back to Him and she honoured that promise when God delivered her son. There is a challenge there for each one of us about how we go to God – how we see Him – as the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords or some puppy dog that performs tricks on our command? Come on! And how can we tell the difference? See, this is a very hard thing to discern sometimes. How can we tell the difference between a right and a wrong attitude towards God? Let's go back to His Word and we will see what a wrong attitude looks like when we look at the priest Eli and his sons. Join me is First Samuel chapter 2 verse 11. Remember Eli was the priest that was at the temple when Hannah went to pray. Eli's sons were wicked men; they had no regard for the Lord. Now it was the practice of the priests with the people, that whenever anyone offered a sacrifice and while the meat was being boiled, the servant of the priest would come with a three pronged fork in his hand, he would plunge it into the pan or the kettle or the cauldron or the pot and the priest would take for himself whatever the fork brought up. This is how they treated all the Israelites who came to Shiloh. But even before the fat was burned, the servants of the priest would come and say to the man who was sacrificing "Give the priest some meat to roast – he won't accept boiled meat from you but only raw." If the man said to him "Let the fat be burned up first and then take whatever you want, the servant would answer "No, hand it over now, if you don't I'll take it by force." So this sin of the young men; the young priests was very great in the Lord's sight for they were treating the Lord's offerings with contempt. You see the way we tell the difference about our heart attitude towards God is through how we behave. Hannah could have complained; Hannah could have fought back; Hannah could have acted up badly; she could have lashed out at her husband; she could have grumbled at the other wife and yet, in her pain, who could have blamed her? She could have shaken her fists at God and instead she went to Him with her mission impossible and poured out her heart to God and trusted Him because He is God and then she had peace. He honoured that! Here's an amazing truth – it's one of those pivotal passages in the Bible that tells us a huge amount about why, when we have a wrong heart toward God, things go badly in our lives. Listen to First Samuel chapter 2, verse 30; this is a verse that's worth writing down. God says: For those who honour Me, I will honour. And those who despise Me shall be treated with contempt. And what we read in the remainder of chapter 2 of First Samuel, starting at verse 27, is that God deals with Eli and his two sons and He sends a prophet to Eli and this is what happens. First Samuel chapter 2, verse 27: Now, a man of God came to Eli and said to him "This is what the Lord says" "Did I not clearly reveal Myself to your father's house when they were in Egypt, under Pharaoh? I chose your father out of all the tribes of Israel to be My priest, to go up to My alter to burn My incense, to wear an ephod in My presence. I also gave your father's house all the offerings made with fire by the Israelites. "So why do you scorn My sacrifice and offering that I prescribed from My dwelling? Why do you honour your sons more than Me by fattening yourselves on the choice parts of every offering made by My people Israel?" Therefore the Lord, the God of Israel declares "I promised that your house and your father's house would minister before Me forever," but now the Lord declares "Far be it from Me; those who honour Me, I will honour but those who despise Me I will disdain. The time is coming when I will cut short your strength and the strength of your father's house so that there will not be an old man in your family and you will see distress in the dwelling and good will be done to Israel. In your family line there will never be an old man. Every one of you that I do not cut off from My alter, will be spared only to blind your eyes with tears and grieve you heart and all your descendants will die in the prime of their lives. And what happens to your sons Hophni and Phinehas will be a sign to you - they will both die on the same day. And I will raise up for Myself a faithful priest who will do according to what is in My heart and in My mind. I will firmly establish his house and he will minister before My anointed one always. Then everyone left in the family line will come and bow down before him for a piece of silver and a crust of bread and plead "Appoint me to some priestly office so I can have food to eat." The boy Samuel ministered before the Lord under Eli. In those days the Word of the Lord was rare – there were not many visions. There it is – these priests were in a position of power and authority and responsibility and they ... they didn't honour God, in their words and in their deeds, they rejected Him. And God dealt with them. Hannah on the other hand – well, she was like chalk and cheese compared to Eli, Hophni and Phinehas. Hannah was the lowly of the lowly – these priests were on the top of the social religious register but that made no difference to God. "I will honour those who honour Me and those who despise Me shall be treated with contempt." The priests failed! The Word of the Lord was rare – their job was to tell people what the Word of the Lord was and yet, in those days it was rare. You know, if you can't change the people, sometimes you have to change the people and that's exactly what God does here. Ultimately, young Samuel becomes the priest and the prophet of Israel – he is the one that grows in favour and we are going to look at his story next week.   It's About Honour Let me ask you something. Who was on solid ground, Hannah who honoured God or the priests Eli, Hophni and Phinehas who pleased themselves? See, it's so easy to be like Eli, Hophni and Phinehas but it's hard to be like Hannah. You know why? Because we can't really see God – not like we can see the physical reality that we are in – not like we can see our circumstances – not like we can see the storm and feel the fear. All those things seem so much more real than this notion of a God that we can't see – a God that we have to put our faith in instead of being able to touch and hear physically. And so this present reality takes over and God has to fit into our present reality. Absolutely, it is easy to be like Eli, Hophni and Phinehas! It's easy to relegate God to one of the things that has to fit into our present daily agenda. But God is no less real for the fact that we physically can't see Him. He is no less powerful for the fact that we interact with Him in faith. God is God and solid ground is the place that Hannah knew – she stood before God. I once heard someone say that peace is trusting in the sovereignty of God. Hannah had that peace. For that very reason – in the eye of her perfect storm, in that place of taunts and disappointments and hurts that she couldn't even utter when she poured out her heart to God – Hannah discovered God's peace through a simple, simple act of faith. So many times over these recent years for me, when the storms have blown in – so many times and you know, in a sense - each time I feel so inadequate to deal with those storms. Isn't that the point? When we are on that ship in the ocean, doesn't matter how big the ship is; doesn't matter how strong we are, we are nothing compared to those storms. People come against you – circumstances, finances, things that really hurt, things of real fear, horrible things that people do – and we feel so inadequate just going and praying about them, well, "What good is that?" But you know what that prayer of faith is? That prayer of anguish and pouring out our hearts before the Lord, like Hannah did, it's honouring Him as the sovereign God. It's saying "God I may be smaller than this storm but this storm is nothing more than a pin prick for You. You are above all things, above all powers, above all dominions and circumstances and storms." And listen again to God's Word. First Samuel chapter 2 and verse 30. God says: I will honour those who honour Me and those who despise Me will be treated with contempt. Who had solid ground under their feet – Hannah or Eli, Hophni and Phinehas? Now next week we are going to see how God's contempt was poured out on Eli, Hophni and Phinehas. Remember that prophesy from the man of God, saying to Eli, "Your two sons Hophni and Phinehas are going to die on the same day as a sign to you that there will never be another old man in your line." We are going to see that happen next week and we are also going to see how God's honour was carried forth for Hannah through Samuel her son. We haven't talked a whole lot about him today but this Book is named after him – First Samuel. We will see that next week on the programme. God blesses Samuel – God sets him up as the priest and the prophet and the judge over the whole of the nation of Israel. This nobody woman, this Hannah, who couldn't have a son, honours her God and God takes that and changes the course of history. God's blessing to Hannah flowed on, down the generations through her son. The question we need to ask ourselves is this: when I look at my life, when you look at your life, do we look like Hannah or Eli? Because that's how I figure out whether I'm someone who honours God as the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords, as the sovereign of all things. Is this the God I go to, to pour my heart out to? Or do I steal His stuff? Is He the God I rejoice in when He answers me or the God who I try to kind of fit into my schedule when I can be bothered? That God who I manipulate and massage and mould into whatever I want Him to be. Make no mistake – God takes His honour and His glory very, very seriously. He gives them away to no man and to no woman. And as we will find out in the lives of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, it's a matter of life and death.

Show Notes: Charles Spurgeon's SermonWhen you're crying out to God in pain and getting only silence, is He ignoring you?Job has lost everything. He's been interrogated by three friends, talked over by a brash young man named Elihu, and God still hasn't said a word. In Job 35–37, Elihu makes his final case, and for one breathtaking moment he actually gets it right.As a storm gathers on the horizon, Elihu stops dissecting Job's theology and does something none of them have done yet. He looks up. And what he sees changes everything he says next.What you'll learn:Faith vs. transaction: Elihu lands a truth worth sitting with. Your relationship with God was never meant to be a deal. Faithfulness isn't a payment God owes you a return on.Why God sometimes seems silent: There's a difference between crying from pain and crying for God. And it turns out it matters deeply which one you're doing.Songs in the night: What an ancient phrase from Job 35 and a famous Spurgeon sermon reveal about finding peace when it makes no sense to worship.God's power reframed: Job feared God's power would crush him. Elihu argues it's actually the guarantee of justice, a tension that pays off big in the next episode.How not to comfort someone: After four men and dozens of speeches, the most practical lesson in these chapters may be the simplest. Listen before you speak and build bridges, not walls.Discussion Questions for Job 35-37Have you ever tried to comfort someone who was suffering, but your words made things worse instead of better?Is there a trial in your life right now where you need to cry out for God's presence rather than just His intervention?Has God ever used your own suffering to prepare you to comfort someone else?This podcast episode is part of our ongoing Bible Book Club series, Season 18: The Book of Job.We love feedback, but can't reply without your email address. Message us your thoughts and contact info!Contact Bible Book ClubDONATE Buy merch Like, comment, or message us through Bible Book Club's InstagramLike or comment on Susan's Facebook or InstagramLeave us an Apple reviewContact us through our website formThanks for listening and happy podcasting!

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When life feels like God has gone silent and everything seems unfair, how do you keep believing He's still good?Job has defended his innocence, the three friends have finally run out of arguments, and an eerie silence has fallen over the city gate. Then a young man named Elihu steps out of the crowd, and he is furious. Furious at Job for questioning God. Furious at the friends for failing to prove their case. And absolutely convinced he has the answer everyone else has missed.But does he? In Job 32–34, Elihu delivers some genuinely fresh theology and some head-scratching contradictions. He says God speaks through suffering to redirect us, not just punish us. He even unknowingly describes a heavenly mediator who sounds remarkably like Jesus. Yet, by the end of chapter 34, he's doing the same thing the three friends did, accusing Job of wickedness and asking for him to be tested even further.What you'll learn in this episode:Who Elihu is: A young outsider with real spiritual insight but also an ego he can't quite keep in checkGod's surprising megaphone: How God speaks through dreams, pain, and messengers, and why your suffering may be redirection, not punishmentA hidden glimpse of Jesus: How Elihu accidentally describes the mediator Job has been crying out for since Chapter 9, a ransom-payer who rescues us from the pitThe pattern we all fall into: Why Elihu starts with compassion but ends up sounding just like Job's friends and what that says about how we handle people in painGod's justice on trial: Elihu's three-part case for why a just God cannot be wrong, and where his argument misses Job's heart entirelyDiscussion Questions for Job 32-34Elihu says that God speaks to us through dreams, suffering, and messengers. Has there been a moment in your life when you recognized that God might have been speaking to you through a difficult experience? What did that realization change for you?Elihu started out wanting to vindicate Job, but the longer he spoke, the more he ended up condemning him. Have you ever found yourself in a situation where you began with good intentions but frustration caused you to say something you ended up regretting?Elihu's insight that suffering can be preventive rather than punitive is a powerful idea. Is there a "thorn in your flesh" in your own life that, looking back, you can see God may have used to redirect or protect you?This podcast episode is part of our ongoing Bible Book Club series, Season 18: The Book of Job.We love feedback, but can't reply without your email address. Message us your thoughts and contact info!Contact Bible Book ClubDONATE Buy merch Like, comment, or message us through Bible Book Club's InstagramLike or comment on Susan's Facebook or InstagramLeave us an Apple reviewContact us through our website formThanks for listening and happy podcasting!

Send us Fan MailA thunderstorm rolls in across Job 37 and Elihu treats it like a sermon illustration: God directs lightning to the ends of the earth, commands snow to fall, sends wind and frost, and turns clouds by His counsel. We slow down in the text and let it say what it says about God's sovereignty, providence, and the limits of human understanding. If you've ever searched for clarity in chaos, Job 37 forces a hard kind of humility: creation obeys, and we are not the ones holding the sky in place.But we also press on the uncomfortable gap. Elihu's theology is often accurate and still feels useless to Job's pain. He offers grandeur when Job needs comfort, questions when Job needs companionship, and pressure to “confess” when the story has already shown deeper forces at work. Our panel reacts in real time, weighing Elihu's heart posture and noticing how easy it is to speak truth with no tenderness.From there we widen the lens to biblical counseling and Christian suffering: when someone is depressed, grieving, or crushed, what does it look like to put gospel truths into shoe leather? We talk about silence as love, presence as ministry, and why 1 Corinthians 13 becomes a warning for anyone who wants to help with facts but not compassion. If the Book of Job raises the question “Why is this happening?” we ask the equally practical one: “How should we show up while we wait for God's perspective?”Subscribe for the next chapter as God finally speaks, share this with a friend who cares for hurting people, and leave a review with your answer: what has comforted you most when life made no sense?Support the showBE PROVOKED AND BE PERSUADED!

Send us Fan MailSomething is off about the way Job's friends talk. They say true things about God, but Job is still sitting in the dirt with no comfort, no explanation, and no advocate. We pick up in Job 37 and ask the hard question believers still ask in grief, trauma, and loss: why would God allow this, and what do we do when the reason stays hidden?Jonathan is joined by Sister Mariah, Sister Lisa, and Brother Jeffrey to unpack Elihu's speech and the repeated warning about speaking “by reason of darkness.” We explore the difference between sound doctrine and wise care, why the “it must be sin” instinct misses the point of Job's suffering, and how the book shows the limits of human certainty when God has not made the story public. Along the way we connect Job's ache to modern struggles like depression, anxiety, and the pain of unanswered prayers.We also get personal about prayer and authenticity. If God already knows our hearts, what does reverence look like when we're angry, scared, or desperate for God to speak? We close by looking ahead to the moment when God finally answers, not with easy explanations, but with questions that reshape Job's humility and trust.If this challenged you, subscribe, share it with a friend who needs wiser comfort, and leave a review so more people can find it. What's the most helpful thing someone has ever said or done when you were suffering?Support the showBE PROVOKED AND BE PERSUADED!

Send us Fan MailSome of the harshest lines in the Book of Job sound like proof that Job “went too far” until you ask one simple question: who was he talking to? We dig into that distinction and it changes everything. When Job speaks to his friends, he's debating. When Job speaks to God, he's praying, and raw prayer often sounds like complaint before it sounds like peace.We walk through why context matters, how Job's words get mischaracterized, and why God's correction is aimed at Job's response rather than some hidden sin that “earned” his suffering. Along the way we talk about Elihu's role, including places where Elihu appears to misquote Job or exaggerate what Job meant, and why confident theology can still fail a hurting person if it cannot explain affliction with humility.Then the panel gets personal: prayers that include anger, confusion, and big questions, plus the experience of conviction and course-correction mid-prayer. We also explore lament as worship, the fear of the Lord as wisdom, and what it looks like to trust God when He does not explain the plan, only calling us to keep coming back as children to a faithful Father.If you've ever wondered whether God can handle your honest words, this conversation is for you. Subscribe, share this with someone walking through suffering, and leave a review with your answer: what does honest prayer look like for you?Support the showBE PROVOKED AND BE PERSUADED!

Send us Fan MailThunder, clouds, and changing weather sound like small talk until you realize Elihu is using them to make a towering claim: God actively rules the world. We sit with Job 36:30–33 and trace Elihu's argument that the same creation God uses to feed people can also bring storms, harsh seasons, and judgment. That launches us into the deeper issue behind so many conversations about suffering and the sovereignty of God: if God is truly in control, what is a hurting person supposed to do with that truth? We push on a hard question that shows up in real pastoral care and real friendships. Elihu says many correct things about God's power, wisdom, and providence, but does any of it actually help Job's specific situation? We talk through the difference between knowing doctrine and gaining understanding through affliction, and why reminders of God's greatness can feel hollow when someone is “in the toilet” emotionally. We also weigh whether Elihu is simply defending God or whether he is, in fact, accusing Job of pride, empty talk, and even rebellion, just with a more sophisticated tone than the three friends. Along the way, we challenge arguments from silence, ask what it means to “defend God” while you're suffering, and name the tension between right theology and right timing. If you care about the Book of Job, Christian suffering, biblical wisdom, and the question of why the righteous suffer, you'll find plenty here to think through with us. Subscribe for the next chapter, share this with a friend who loves deep Bible study, and leave a review with your take: is Elihu wisdom, misfire, or both?Support the showBE PROVOKED AND BE PERSUADED!

Send us Fan MailElihu's speeches can sound like worship, but they can also feel like a sermon aimed at an open wound. We sat with that tension and argued it out: does Elihu actually accuse Job, or is he doing something “better” than the three friends by framing suffering as correction instead of condemnation? We camped in Job 35:16 and the surrounding logic, because one verse can be both accurate and weaponized, and that difference matters when you're trying to comfort someone in real pain.From there, we zoomed out to what the Book of Job teaches about the way we speak. We talked about how easy it is to hide judgment inside general statements about prosperity, obedience, and God's greatness, and why “right theology” is not the same as a right heart. Several of us connected Job's miserable silence and boils with Jesus' warnings about religious words that sound beautiful while hearts stay far away, and we asked a hard question: are we tending wounds, or just talking?We also explored the bigger backdrop that makes Job so staggering. Scripture hints that God's wisdom is displayed beyond earth, that angelic beings watch and learn, and that faith under suffering may be teaching more than we realize. That reframes endurance, humility, and repentance as public realities in a spiritual sense, even when life feels private and unfair.If you've ever tried to help a hurting friend and worried you might say the wrong thing, this conversation is for you. Subscribe, share, and leave a review, then tell us: when does “truth” stop being helpful and start becoming harm?Support the showBE PROVOKED AND BE PERSUADED!

Send us Fan MailSomeone can say a lot of true things about God and still miss the moment completely. That's the question driving our deep dive into Elihu's speeches in the Book of Job: are we hearing wise correction, or a softer form of the same accusation Job's friends keep pressing?We argue through the turning point in Job 32 where the narrator says Elihu's anger is kindled against Job, then trace what that anger produces. On one side, Elihu's theology is strong: God is great, God teaches perfectly, no one can accuse God of wrongdoing, and creation itself displays God's power. On the other side, we keep asking the pastoral question: what does any of that do for Job's actual suffering? If the warning is “don't choose sin in affliction,” is Elihu applying a true principle to the wrong person?Along the way, we bring in Job 33 and Job 36, discuss whether Elihu misquotes Job's words, and explore why a “correct” speech can still feel like blame. If you care about Christian suffering, biblical lament, God's sovereignty, and what wise counsel sounds like in real life, this conversation will sharpen how you read Job and how you speak to hurting people.Subscribe for more Bible-centered conversations, share this with a friend who loves Job, and leave a review. Do you read Elihu as helper or accuser?Support the showBE PROVOKED AND BE PERSUADED!

Send us Fan MailJob has friends who can quote true things about God all day long, but Job still sits in ashes with no comfort and no explanation. That's where we camp out as we continue our verse by verse Bible study through the Book of Job, focusing on Job 36 and the speech of Elihu. He's younger, louder, and convinced he's defending God's righteousness with “perfect knowledge” on his side. The problem is not that Elihu only says false things. The problem is what happens when true statements get forced into a neat story that doesn't fit the sufferer.We walk through Elihu's claims about God's power, wisdom, justice, and mercy, then slow down when he reframes suffering and affliction as correction. Is hardship always pointing to sin? Is it discipline meant to open our ears? Or can it be something else entirely? Our group discussion tests Elihu's logic against the full context of Job, including the dangerous idea that obedience guarantees prosperity and that pain proves guilt. Along the way, we talk about transgression, repentance, hypocrisy, and what “humility” really means when someone is already crushed.This is a practical conversation for anyone doing Christian discipleship, pastoral care, or simply trying to make sense of suffering without turning God into a formula. We end by naming the tension Elihu never resolves: Job's real “why” is still unanswered until God speaks. Subscribe for the next part, share this with a friend who loves the Book of Job, and leave a review if this study helps you. What's a “true” spiritual line you've heard that still didn't help in pain?Support the showBE PROVOKED AND BE PERSUADED!

Before God speaks from the whirlwind, Elihu takes us to the edge of the storm. He challenges the idea that we can ever be God's equals in a courtroom, pointing instead to the unsearchable majesty of the Creator. It's a pivot that changes everything for Job—and for us. Don't forget to like and subscribe for more insightful discussions! Learn more about the Further Faith Podcast, subscribe to the audio podcast or email notifications, and browse our entire library at https://furtherfaith.org. Did this conversation raise a question or do you have an idea for a future series? We would love to hear from you! https://furtherfaith.org The Further Faith Podcast is a ministry of First Presbyterian Church in Spirit Lake, IA (https://fpcspiritlake.org).

A new character, Elihu, breaks the long silence in the book of Job, claiming a wisdom that the elders missed. Is he a bridge to God or just a confident young man full of hot air? We dive into chapters 32 and 33 to see how this shift changes the landscape of Job's suffering. Don't forget to like and subscribe for more insightful discussions! Learn more about the Further Faith Podcast, subscribe to the audio podcast or email notifications, and browse our entire library at https://furtherfaith.org. Did this conversation raise a question or do you have an idea for a future series? We would love to hear from you! https://furtherfaith.org The Further Faith Podcast is a ministry of First Presbyterian Church in Spirit Lake, IA (https://fpcspiritlake.org).

Send us Fan MailGod feels silent, and Elihu thinks he knows why. We sit with one of the most provocative moments in the Book of Job: Elihu insists that God “will not hear vanity,” and he applies it straight to Job as an explanation for why Job cannot get an answer. That's not a random theological lecture. It's a diagnosis of someone in pain, and it forces a question most of us have asked in darker seasons: if heaven is quiet, is it because something is wrong with my prayer?We walk carefully through what makes Elihu compelling and what makes him dangerous. Some of what he says about humility, sincerity, and pride has real biblical substance, and we agree the principle is true. But we also challenge the way he pins it on Job, a man Scripture presents as faithful under pressure. That tension opens up bigger themes: retributive theology, the temptation to police someone's suffering with tidy answers, and the difference between being condemned and being corrected.Then we turn the lens on us. What is the faithful response when God is not seen and his ways are not understood? We talk about patience, trust, and the moment where honest emotion can slide into confident claims that go beyond our knowledge. If you've ever wondered whether your suffering means punishment, discipline, or simply mystery under God's sovereign care, this conversation will meet you there. Subscribe, share this with a friend who's walking through a hard season, and leave a review, what do you think Elihu gets right and where does he miss the mark?Support the showBE PROVOKED AND BE PERSUADED!

Send us Fan MailIf you've ever felt the quiet pressure of “I did the right thing, so God should reward me,” this conversation will unsettle you in the best way. We're deep in the Book of Job, listening to Elihu, and testing a claim that sounds airtight: human righteousness doesn't enrich God, and human sin doesn't harm him the way it harms other people. That's true, but it's also the seed of a bad conclusion if you use it to explain away suffering or to accuse the hurting.We talk through why God's justice and wisdom are not driven by need, and why God is never “obligated” to pay back good behavior with comfort. Then we ask the big interpretive question: is Elihu actually wiser than Job, or is he repeating the same assumption as Job's three friends with better vocabulary. Along the way we contrast what the friends argue about Job's supposed past and what God confronts when he finally speaks, focusing on Job's words under affliction and the line between ignorance and outright rebellion.We close in Job 35:9–13, where Elihu claims many cries under oppression are not sincere prayer. That pushes us to examine unanswered prayer, motives, and what it means to seek “God my Maker” when life hurts. If you care about biblical theology, Christian suffering, and reading Scripture with clarity, you'll find plenty to think about here. Subscribe, share this with a friend studying Job, and leave a review with your take: is Elihu mostly right or confidently wrong?Support the showBE PROVOKED AND BE PERSUADED!

Send us Fan MailYour friend is suffering and your brain reaches for the quickest explanation: “What did you do?” That reflex sits right under the surface of the Book of Job, and it's exactly what we confront as we talk through Elihu and his surprisingly modern sounding argument. He corrects Job's three friends, but then he rebuilds the same assumption with better vocabulary: Job must be guilty, and God must be responding to that guilt. We slow the whole thing down and ask the one question that makes shallow takes fall apart: what sin did Job commit before the affliction that would justify any of these speeches?From there we dig into the difference between condemnation and correction, and why that distinction can still miss the point if the “evidence” is just a need to defend God's justice. We talk about Romans 11 style warnings, the urge to protect God's goodness by blaming the sufferer, and how easily Christians can confuse standing in innocence with self-righteousness. Job's confidence becomes a window into assurance of salvation, imputed righteousness, and what it looks like to say, without pride, “My righteousness is not my own.”We also get painfully practical: accusations don't just come from enemies, they often come through religious people, and that makes them sharper. We connect Job's friends to spiritual warfare and Satan's role as accuser, then land on a pastoral warning for all of us: be extremely careful when you diagnose another believer's suffering, and lead with compassion, mercy, and humility. If this helped you rethink suffering, assurance, and judgment, subscribe, share it with a friend, and leave a review. Where have you seen “easy answers” do real damage?Support the showBE PROVOKED AND BE PERSUADED!

Send us Fan MailElihu is the kind of speaker who can sound right and still do real damage. We're in the Book of Job, walking through Job 34 and Job 35, and we put Elihu's “sophisticated” critique under a microscope: is he offering wisdom, or is he simply repackaging the same tired accusation with better delivery?We read Elihu's harsh closing lines from Job 34, where he claims Job speaks “without knowledge” and even implies Job is rebellious, then we ask the uncomfortable question: what sin is Elihu actually pointing to? From there we step into Job 35, where Elihu charges Job with saying, “My righteousness is more than God's,” and we slow down to see whether Job ever said anything like that at all.Along the way, our group discussion highlights a problem Christians still face today: true doctrine can be misapplied, and partial truth can become a weapon. We talk about biblical suffering, the difference between integrity and self-righteousness, and why the prosperity-gospel mindset keeps showing up whenever someone is hurting. If you've ever been counseled badly in a hard season, this conversation will give you language, Scripture, and a sober warning about confident voices.Subscribe for more Bible study through Job, share this with a friend who's wrestling with suffering, and leave a review with your take: is Elihu a faithful teacher or a polished accuser?Support the showBE PROVOKED AND BE PERSUADED!

Send us Fan MailA man loses everything, stays upright, and still gets challenged by people who swear they're defending God. That's where our Book of Job study lands tonight as we put Elihu under the microscope and ask a question that hits every believer sooner or later: when suffering comes, are we looking at discipline, condemnation, or something we simply cannot decode?We talk through the tension between Job's righteousness and the fact that nobody is claiming Job is sinless. From there, we trace a crucial thread for Christian theology and everyday pastoral care: God does correct Job, but that correction is tied to Job's words after the affliction begins, not as proof that Job's earlier “secret sin” caused the disaster. Along the way we wrestle with imputed righteousness in Christ, the danger of judging someone's heart, and why a confident speaker can say many true things while still landing in an accusatory place.We also zoom out to the bigger problem that every generation repeats: how to hold God's justice together with innocent suffering. Is hardship always a message about what we did wrong, or can it be sanctification, refinement, and a deeper dependence on God? The conversation turns personal as our group shares a prayer request for a loved one in hospice, reminding us that Job is not only a book to analyze but a companion when life hurts.If you've ever wondered how to “suffer well” without pretending you have all the answers, you'll feel at home here. Subscribe for more Bible study conversations, share this with a friend walking through hardship, and leave a review telling us: Is Elihu a wise counselor or a subtle accuser?Support the showBE PROVOKED AND BE PERSUADED!

Send us Fan MailGod can get our attention with a whisper, but sometimes he uses a storm. We sit in Job 33 with Elihu and follow his claim that God speaks “once, yea twice,” through dreams, night visions, and then through the sharp language of affliction: pain, weakness, loss of appetite, and that awful feeling of getting close to the edge. The question isn't whether suffering hurts. The question is what God might be doing through it.From there, we dig into why Elihu stands apart from Job's three friends. They treat hardship like a math problem that always ends in punishment. Elihu opens another door: suffering as Christian discipline, correction, and restoration. We talk about how that changes the way we judge others, how we interpret our own trials, and how we learn to hear God when life feels loud.Then we slow down on the most hope-filled line in the chapter: “Deliver him from going down to the pit: I have found a ransom.” We explore the themes of mediator, redemption, repentance, and restored righteousness, including how many believers hear foreshadowing of Jesus Christ in Elihu's language. We also debate Elihu's tone, because “I will teach thee wisdom” can land as comfort or as condescension depending on the heart behind it.If you found this helpful, subscribe for more Bible study conversations, share this with a friend walking through a hard season, and leave a review. What do you think God is saying through suffering, and how do you tell the difference between discipline and despair?Support the showBE PROVOKED AND BE PERSUADED!

Send us Fan MailElihu can sound like the voice of wisdom right up until the moment he doesn't. We dig into Job 34 and watch the shift happen in real time: careful-sounding theology about God's justice and sovereignty turns into sweeping claims about Job's heart, Job's words, and Job's supposed rebellion. That pivot forces a question every Christian has to face sooner or later: how do we tell the difference between biblical correction and confident condemnation? We walk line by line through Elihu's closing statements and ask what's actually true, what's implied, and what's simply misapplied. Along the way, we connect the debate to the bigger storyline of the Book of Job and to real life Christian discipleship: why suffering is not a shortcut to judging someone, why “the devil knows Scripture” still rings true as a warning, and why tone can change the spiritual impact of the exact same words. If you care about sound biblical interpretation, spiritual discernment, and speaking truth in love, you'll feel the stakes here. We also talk about the kind of community we're trying to build: people reasoning together, staying objective, challenging ideas without trading insults, and encouraging one another to reread the text with humility. If this helped you think more clearly about Job, Elihu, suffering, and God's sovereignty, subscribe, share this with a friend who loves Bible study, and leave a review. What do you think Elihu got right, and where did he go too far?Support the showBE PROVOKED AND BE PERSUADED!

Send us Fan MailThe Book of Job forces a question most of us want to avoid: what do you say when someone is suffering and you do not know why? We lean into that discomfort by tracing Elihu's speech in Job 34, where he says many things that sound rock-solid about God's sovereignty, God's justice, and God hearing the cry of the afflicted. Then we ask the harder question: what if the doctrine is true, but the application is wrong?Along the way, we compare how Elihu lands compared to Job's three friends. Some of us hear a dangerous confidence that crosses a line, especially when Elihu claims to speak “in God's stead” and when he escalates the accusations against Job. Others admit his tone feels less harsh and his words about God's providence can even comfort someone in pain. That tension opens up a deep discussion about biblical interpretation, the argument from silence, and why God not rebuking someone directly does not automatically equal approval.We also get personal about suffering and counsel, including how God can use unexpected people to pull us back from the ledge and ground us again in Scripture. If you care about Christian discernment, pastoral wisdom, and reading Job without turning it into a simplistic formula for pain, this one will stretch you. Subscribe, share this with a friend who loves deep Bible study, and leave a review with your take: is Elihu a faithful voice or a polished misapplication of truth?Support the showBE PROVOKED AND BE PERSUADED!

Send us Fan MailSomeone shows up late to the conversation, sounds respectful, and then talks like he has the final word. That's Elihu in the Book of Job, and his entrance raises a question that hits close to home: when a person is suffering, are we helping them by explaining God, or are we just protecting our own need to feel certain?We dig into Elihu's speeches in Job 33–34 and debate what's actually happening under the surface. On one hand, he highlights a crucial truth about God's sovereignty: God is greater than man, and God is not required to answer on our timetable. On the other hand, we hear pride, overconfidence, and a dangerous kind of spiritual posture when Elihu talks as if he can speak in God's stead. Along the way, we explore how “good theology” can become misused counsel when it doesn't fit the person in front of you.The conversation turns practical fast. We talk about youthful zeal versus biblical wisdom, why experience matters, and how knowledge without humility can turn correction into noise. We also ask what it means to be “moved to speak” and how to test our motives when we feel compelled to weigh in. If you've ever tried to comfort a friend in pain, felt pressure to have an answer, or been on the receiving end of confident advice that didn't match your reality, this one will challenge you in the best way.If this discussion helps you read Job with clearer eyes, subscribe, share it with a friend, and leave a review so more people can find these Bible study conversations.Support the showBE PROVOKED AND BE PERSUADED!

Send us Fan MailA smooth voice can be the most dangerous voice in the room. We sit with Job's story and zero in on Elihu, the younger man who steps in sounding confident, spiritual, and “sent,” yet repeatedly slides from truth into accusation. That mix is exactly why discernment matters: a little falsehood planted inside a lot of Bible language can grow fast, especially when it comes wrapped in calm tones and big certainty.From there we zoom out to modern Christianity and the endless stream of prophets, apostles, dream-interpreters, and prosperity teachers who claim insider access to God. We talk plainly about Scripture sufficiency, why the Holy Spirit doesn't make the Bible optional, and how to test any “God told me” message without getting bullied by someone else's spiritual experience. We also clarify a key word that gets abused all the time: prophesying as teaching and speaking God's written truth, versus claiming the office of a prophet with new revelation.We end with a real-world question about confronting false teachers online and a warning about the “lesser of two evils” trap that pulls believers into defending powerful people instead of trusting Christ. If you want practical Bible-based tools for Christian discernment, this conversation is for you. Subscribe for more, share this with a friend who's sorting through spiritual noise, and leave a review with the biggest red flag you think Christians should stop ignoring.Support the showBE PROVOKED AND BE PERSUADED!

Send us Fan MailElihu walks into Job 33 sounding measured and respectful, then drops a line that should stop every listener cold: he speaks as if he can stand “in God's stead.” We slow down and test that claim the way mature Christians should, not by vibes or confidence, but by what Scripture actually teaches about authority, mediation, and truth. If you've ever heard someone say, “I have a word from God for you,” this conversation gives you categories to think clearly instead of reacting emotionally. We also examine how Elihu retells Job's complaint and why that retelling matters. Did Job really claim he had no sin, or is Elihu stacking the deck with a distorted summary? From there we talk about what suffering does to a person's words, how silence from God can feel disorienting, and why believers must resist the urge to condemn first and understand later. The Book of Job exposes a timeless problem: spiritual people can still speak harshly, assume the worst, and call it righteousness. The second half turns toward modern church life and biblical discernment. We lay out why we believe there are no apostles and prophets today in the same authoritative sense as the Bible describes, and why the sufficiency of Scripture is not a dry doctrine but a safeguard. God speaks through His Word, we speak to Him in prayer, and Christ remains the only mediator we need. If you care about sound doctrine, hearing God biblically, and spotting spiritual manipulation, you'll want to listen all the way through. Subscribe for more Bible-centered conversations, share this with someone who's sorting through spiritual claims, and leave a review if it helped you think clearly. What's your personal test for discerning whether someone is speaking truth or just claiming authority?Support the showBE PROVOKED AND BE PERSUADED!

Send us Fan MailIf someone tells you they're a prophet or an apostle, what should your first reaction be and why? We dig into that question by walking through Hebrews 1, 1 Corinthians, and Job 33, and by naming the hunger in many Christian circles for something “more” than Bible reading, prayer, and steady preaching. We get candid about how ordinary disciplines can feel boring, and why that boredom is often a signal worth taking seriously rather than a cue to chase spiritual shortcuts.From there, we examine what the Bible actually says prophecy does: strengthen, encourage, and comfort in line with God's already-revealed Word. We contrast submission to Scripture with the posture that claims authority over Scripture, and we talk about how movements built on personal revelation have repeatedly produced confusion and even cult-like structures. Elihu's confrontation of Job helps us wrestle with God's greatness, human limits, and what it means to demand answers from the Lord.We also tackle the hard debate about miracles and spiritual gifts today. What were signs and wonders for in the New Testament? Do miracles save anyone, or do they authenticate a messenger? How should Christians read “when the perfect comes” in 1 Corinthians 13, and what changes once we recognize the sufficiency of Scripture and the Spirit's illumination? If you care about discernment, biblical authority, and a faith that doesn't depend on hype, this conversation is for you.Subscribe for more biblical conversations, share this with a friend who's sorting through spiritual gift claims, and leave a review with your biggest takeaway or question.Support the showBE PROVOKED AND BE PERSUADED!

Send us Fan MailMiracles can comfort, confuse, and divide, sometimes all in the same conversation. We dig into a question many Christians quietly carry: when the Bible talks about signs and wonders, what are they actually for, and should we expect them in the same way today? We walk the biblical timeline from Moses and the giving of the Law, through the long quiet stretches, to Elijah and Elisha, and then to Jesus Christ and the apostles as the New Covenant begins. Along the way, we ask whether miracles mainly function as divine authentication for messengers and messages, and why even undeniable supernatural events don't automatically produce faith. That tension leads to a candid debate: is witnessing a miracle “better” than believing truth from Scripture, and is salvation itself the greatest miracle a person can receive? Then things get real. We hear personal testimonies of healing and talk about how to respect someone's experience while still defining “miracle” with biblical clarity. We also pivot to the Book of Job and Elihu's insight that dreams, warnings, and suffering can be acts of mercy meant to restrain pride, turn us from sin, and preserve life. If you care about biblical miracles, spiritual gifts, discernment, and hearing God without hype, this conversation will challenge you in the best way. Subscribe for more Bible-centered discussions, share this with a friend who loves debating signs and wonders, and leave a review if it helped you think more clearly. Where do you draw the line between God's providence and a true miracle?Support the showBE PROVOKED AND BE PERSUADED!

Send us Fan Mail“God told me…” is one of the most powerful phrases in religious life and one of the easiest to weaponize. We sit down and ask what Scripture actually teaches about how God speaks today, why so many believers feel bored by Bible reading and prayer, and why that boredom often drives people toward spiritual shortcuts and sensational claims. We dig into spiritual gifts and especially prophecy, using 1 Corinthians to define prophecy as strengthening, encouraging, and comforting rather than delivering new doctrine. From there, we talk frankly about self-proclaimed prophets and apostles, the lure of personal revelation, and why so many destructive movements begin with a leader who claims to stand above the authority of Scripture. We also turn to Job 33 and Elihu's hard words about God's greatness, then ask how dreams, impressions, and “guidance” should be tested when we already have the completed Word of God. The biggest tension comes when we take on miracles and the continuationism vs cessationism debate through Hebrews 1 and 1 Corinthians 13. What were signs and wonders for, who were they meant to persuade, and do miracles ever save anyone? We end by centering the gospel, biblical authority, and the sufficiency of Scripture for every good work. If you've ever wondered whether you're missing something because you're not chasing signs, this conversation will help you think clearly. Subscribe for more, share this with a friend who's sorting through spiritual gift claims, and leave a review with your take: do modern miracle stories strengthen faith or distract from the Word?Support the showBE PROVOKED AND BE PERSUADED!

Send us Fan MailIf a preacher gets the Bible wrong, what do we owe the people listening? We start with a blunt conviction: anyone speaking on behalf of the Lord should be accountable to the word of God, and Christians should not be trained to stay silent just to keep the peace. That leads straight into a real tension leaders face all the time. If you challenge error, you get called divisive. If people begin agreeing around Scripture, you get accused of manufacturing “yes men.” We reject both traps and argue for something better: unity that comes from being “yes” to Christ. Then we turn to Job 32 and Elihu, the young voice who steps in after Job's friends run out of answers. We talk through the question of motive and accuracy, why God's silence about Elihu requires caution, and what Elihu still gets right about wisdom. Age, status, and “great man” energy do not produce sound judgment. The inspiration of the Almighty gives understanding, and that should reshape how we think about church leadership, Bible teaching, and spiritual maturity. From there we widen the lens to modern Christianity and the resistance to doctrine. We make the case that sound doctrine is not a hobby, it is nourishment. When we understand sin, the atonement of Jesus Christ, imputed righteousness, God's preserving grace, and assurance of salvation, we become steadier under affliction and more useful to the body of Christ. We close with one of the most practical takeaways: Elihu's restraint, patience, and tact show a better way to speak in tense conversations. If this helped you, subscribe, share it with a friend, and leave a review. What's one hard doctrine you wish more churches would teach clearly?Support the showBE PROVOKED AND BE PERSUADED!

Send us Fan MailElihu shows up in Job with a rare kind of courage: the courage to speak without playing favorites. We sit with Job 32:21–22 and let it press on us, especially the line about refusing “flattering titles” and speaking as someone who knows God hears every word. That takes the conversation straight into Christian character and Bible study basics: truth matters, motives matter, and flattery is not harmless. It is dishonest, and Proverbs 29:5 calls it a net.From there we get practical about church life and spiritual growth. We talk about why believers need space to ask real questions, why leaders should respect sincere inquiry, and why “because I said so” is not discipleship. We also compare Elihu's measured tone with Job's friends, using James 3 to think about jealousy, harsh speech, and what wisdom from above actually looks like when someone is suffering.One of the strongest moments is a question we do not rush to answer: how do we know we are aligned with God when we can sound like Job in our pain, the friends in our judgments, and Elihu in our certainty all at once? We end by tying Elihu's posture to 1 Timothy 4:12, urging believers, especially younger ones, to lead with purity, faith, and integrity of speech, and we tease what's coming next with Megan's testimony.Subscribe for more Job Bible study, share this with a friend who values honest Christian conversation, and leave a review so more people can find it. What part of your speech needs less flattery and more truth right now?Support the showBE PROVOKED AND BE PERSUADED!

Send us Fan MailSuffering has a way of putting you on trial, even when you've done nothing wrong. We sit with Job at the point where his friends keep pushing a brutal theory: pain equals guilt, and affliction proves hidden sin. But Job refuses to accept their verdict, not because he thinks he's sinless, but because he knows where righteousness actually comes from. That opens a bigger question that still divides churches today: what's the difference between being self-righteous and standing in God's righteousness?We talk through imputed righteousness, justification by faith, and why Job's confidence looks a lot more like the righteousness of Christ than the righteousness of the Pharisees. We also wrestle with an honest tension: can a believer misunderstand God in the middle of suffering and still be righteous in God's sight? The answer forces us to separate our limited knowledge from God's unchanging declaration, and it exposes why so many Christians get trapped in fear about losing salvation or “staying saved” through performance.From there, we connect Job's story to real life: why people are quick to label you “self-righteous” when you won't bend, how affliction can feel like falling while you're still held by God, and why severe loss often makes confession easy when sin is real. We close by turning toward Elihu, the quiet voice waiting in the corner, and what his entrance teaches about speaking truth to power and refusing to treat pulpit confidence as infallibility.If this sharpened your view of the gospel and the Book of Job, subscribe, share it with a friend, and leave a review. What's one moment you were pressured to “admit” guilt just to make others comfortable?Support the showBE PROVOKED AND BE PERSUADED!

Send us Fan MailJob's friends finally go quiet, and that silence opens the door for a new personality to take the mic. Job 32 introduces Elihu, a younger man with a lot of passion, a lot of words, and a strong conviction that everybody in the debate has missed the point. He respects Job and the older men, but he also comes in hot, rebuking Job for self-justification and rebuking the three friends for condemning Job without truly answering him. If you've ever been in a tense faith conversation and watched someone jump in with the “both sides are wrong” speech, you'll recognize the energy immediately.We dig into what Elihu gets right from a biblical theology standpoint. He refuses to flatten God into a formula and argues that suffering isn't only punishment; it can be discipline, purification, and even prevention. That matters for anyone searching for a Christian perspective on suffering, innocent suffering, and spiritual growth that doesn't turn pain into a courtroom verdict. At the same time, we ask whether “true statements” can still be misapplied, especially when someone is covered in grief and trying to hold on to integrity.The heart of the conversation centers on Job 32:1 and the line that the friends stopped answering because Job was “righteous in his own eyes.” We bring in the panel to answer the hard question: is Job being self-righteous, or is he simply standing on innocence against false charges? That leads us into practical discipleship themes like imputed righteousness in Christ, humility versus accusation, and how a person can be righteous and still be wrong about God in certain areas while they mature.If you're reading the Book of Job chapter by chapter, or you're trying to make sense of suffering without blaming the wounded, this one will push you to think and respond. Subscribe for more Job exposition, share this with a friend who loves deep Bible study, and leave a review with your answer: was Job right to hold his ground?Support the showBE PROVOKED AND BE PERSUADED!

Now the children of Israel after their number, to wit, the chief fathers and captains of thousands and hundreds, and their officers that served the king in any matter of the courses, which came in and went out month by month throughout all the months of the year, of every course were twenty and four thousand.2 Over the first course for the first month was Jashobeam the son of Zabdiel: and in his course were twenty and four thousand.3 Of the children of Perez was the chief of all the captains of the host for the first month.4 And over the course of the second month was Dodai an Ahohite, and of his course was Mikloth also the ruler: in his course likewise were twenty and four thousand.5 The third captain of the host for the third month was Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, a chief priest: and in his course were twenty and four thousand.6 This is that Benaiah, who was mighty among the thirty, and above the thirty: and in his course was Ammizabad his son.7 The fourth captain for the fourth month was Asahel the brother of Joab, and Zebadiah his son after him: and in his course were twenty and four thousand.8 The fifth captain for the fifth month was Shamhuth the Izrahite: and in his course were twenty and four thousand.9 The sixth captain for the sixth month was Ira the son of Ikkesh the Tekoite: and in his course were twenty and four thousand.10 The seventh captain for the seventh month was Helez the Pelonite, of the children of Ephraim: and in his course were twenty and four thousand.11 The eighth captain for the eighth month was Sibbecai the Hushathite, of the Zarhites: and in his course were twenty and four thousand.12 The ninth captain for the ninth month was Abiezer the Anetothite, of the Benjamites: and in his course were twenty and four thousand.13 The tenth captain for the tenth month was Maharai the Netophathite, of the Zarhites: and in his course were twenty and four thousand.14 The eleventh captain for the eleventh month was Benaiah the Pirathonite, of the children of Ephraim: and in his course were twenty and four thousand.15 The twelfth captain for the twelfth month was Heldai the Netophathite, of Othniel: and in his course were twenty and four thousand.16 Furthermore over the tribes of Israel: the ruler of the Reubenites was Eliezer the son of Zichri: of the Simeonites, Shephatiah the son of Maachah:17 Of the Levites, Hashabiah the son of Kemuel: of the Aaronites, Zadok:18 Of Judah, Elihu, one of the brethren of David: of Issachar, Omri the son of Michael:19 Of Zebulun, Ishmaiah the son of Obadiah: of Naphtali, Jerimoth the son of Azriel:20 Of the children of Ephraim, Hoshea the son of Azaziah: of the half tribe of Manasseh, Joel the son of Pedaiah:21 Of the half tribe of Manasseh in Gilead, Iddo the son of Zechariah: of Benjamin, Jaasiel the son of Abner:22 Of Dan, Azareel the son of Jeroham. These were the princes of the tribes of Israel.23 But David took not the number of them from twenty years old and under: because the Lord had said he would increase Israel like to the stars of the heavens.24 Joab the son of Zeruiah began to number, but he finished not, because there fell wrath for it against Israel; neither was the number put in the account of the chronicles of king David.25 And over the king's treasures was Azmaveth the son of Adiel: and over the storehouses in the fields, in the cities, and in the villages, and in the castles, was Jehonathan the son of Uzziah:26 And over them that did the work of the field for tillage of the ground was Ezri the son of Chelub:27 And over the vineyards was Shimei the Ramathite: over the increase of the vineyards for the wine cellars was Zabdi the Shiphmite:28 And over the olive trees and the sycomore trees that were in the low plains was Baalhanan the Gederite: and over the cellars of oil was Joash:29 And over the herds that fed in Sharon was Shitrai the Sharonite: and over the herds that were in the valleys was Shaphat the son of Adlai:30 Over the camels also was Obil the Ishmaelite: and over the asses was Jehdeiah the Meronothite:31 And over the flocks was Jaziz the Hagerite. All these were the rulers of the substance which was king David's.32 Also Jonathan David's uncle was a counsellor, a wise man, and a scribe: and Jehiel the son of Hachmoni was with the king's sons:33 And Ahithophel was the king's counsellor: and Hushai the Archite was the king's companion:34 And after Ahithophel was Jehoiada the son of Benaiah, and Abiathar: and the general of the king's army was Joab.

Concerning the divisions of the porters: Of the Korhites was Meshelemiah the son of Kore, of the sons of Asaph.2 And the sons of Meshelemiah were, Zechariah the firstborn, Jediael the second, Zebadiah the third, Jathniel the fourth,3 Elam the fifth, Jehohanan the sixth, Elioenai the seventh.4 Moreover the sons of Obededom were, Shemaiah the firstborn, Jehozabad the second, Joah the third, and Sacar the fourth, and Nethaneel the fifth.5 Ammiel the sixth, Issachar the seventh, Peulthai the eighth: for God blessed him.6 Also unto Shemaiah his son were sons born, that ruled throughout the house of their father: for they were mighty men of valour.7 The sons of Shemaiah; Othni, and Rephael, and Obed, Elzabad, whose brethren were strong men, Elihu, and Semachiah.8 All these of the sons of Obededom: they and their sons and their brethren, able men for strength for the service, were threescore and two of Obededom.9 And Meshelemiah had sons and brethren, strong men, eighteen.10 Also Hosah, of the children of Merari, had sons; Simri the chief, (for though he was not the firstborn, yet his father made him the chief;)11 Hilkiah the second, Tebaliah the third, Zechariah the fourth: all the sons and brethren of Hosah were thirteen.12 Among these were the divisions of the porters, even among the chief men, having wards one against another, to minister in the house of the Lord.13 And they cast lots, as well the small as the great, according to the house of their fathers, for every gate.14 And the lot eastward fell to Shelemiah. Then for Zechariah his son, a wise counsellor, they cast lots; and his lot came out northward.15 To Obededom southward; and to his sons the house of Asuppim.16 To Shuppim and Hosah the lot came forth westward, with the gate Shallecheth, by the causeway of the going up, ward against ward.17 Eastward were six Levites, northward four a day, southward four a day, and toward Asuppim two and two.18 At Parbar westward, four at the causeway, and two at Parbar.19 These are the divisions of the porters among the sons of Kore, and among the sons of Merari.20 And of the Levites, Ahijah was over the treasures of the house of God, and over the treasures of the dedicated things.21 As concerning the sons of Laadan; the sons of the Gershonite Laadan, chief fathers, even of Laadan the Gershonite, were Jehieli.22 The sons of Jehieli; Zetham, and Joel his brother, which were over the treasures of the house of the Lord.23 Of the Amramites, and the Izharites, the Hebronites, and the Uzzielites:24 And Shebuel the son of Gershom, the son of Moses, was ruler of the treasures.25 And his brethren by Eliezer; Rehabiah his son, and Jeshaiah his son, and Joram his son, and Zichri his son, and Shelomith his son.26 Which Shelomith and his brethren were over all the treasures of the dedicated things, which David the king, and the chief fathers, the captains over thousands and hundreds, and the captains of the host, had dedicated.27 Out of the spoils won in battles did they dedicate to maintain the house of the Lord.28 And all that Samuel the seer, and Saul the son of Kish, and Abner the son of Ner, and Joab the son of Zeruiah, had dedicated; and whosoever had dedicated any thing, it was under the hand of Shelomith, and of his brethren.29 Of the Izharites, Chenaniah and his sons were for the outward business over Israel, for officers and judges.30 And of the Hebronites, Hashabiah and his brethren, men of valour, a thousand and seven hundred, were officers among them of Israel on this side Jordan westward in all the business of the Lord, and in the service of the king.31 Among the Hebronites was Jerijah the chief, even among the Hebronites, according to the generations of his fathers. In the fortieth year of the reign of David they were sought for, and there were found among them mighty men of valour at Jazer of Gilead.32 And his brethren, men of valour, were two thousand and seven hundred chief fathers, whom king David made rulers over the Reubenites, the Gadites, and the half tribe of Manasseh, for every matter pertaining to God, and affairs of the king.

Send us Fan MailThe bums are back in the rail yard with another milestone episode — our 150th (back in the Eagle's Nest HQ where it all started)!!!  The bums come off the top rope with Round 1 Master's banter; March Madness wrap-up is covered with an emphasis on Maize-and-Blue's epic journey (about fucking time the Big Ten had a decent showing; MLB opens as former Cub Jorge Soler and Reynaldo Lopez crack off pugilism style; the Cubs injury list (ouch, it hurts); Jamaican-America umpire C.B. Bucknor sucks a bag of you-know-whats (as receipts are now viewed in the public eye); Tiger hits his driver (again); an Angel heads south; and close as the Lady Vols are taking applications. The bums slide under the bottom rope with Part 2, and yet another “remote double-feature” beer review for the ages — showcasing Tampa Bay Brewing Co.'s “Reef Donkey” (ABV 5.5%), a likable American Pale Ale (APA) with a cool name that most won't guess its meaning ANDOld Irving Brewing's “Sir Reginald” (ABV 5.5%) a crisp Czech/Bohemian-style pilsner, hopped with 100% noble hops; a collab with Beard & Belly and Honey Pie for their 6th anniversary (and oh yeah, Rocky left it in the freezer too long — it was a little slushy but still tasty AF); the City of Chicago gets more FUs than a Trump rally; an secret revelation from a character from the pop-cult movie “Caddyshack”; the bums take LBK Florida by storm (the good kind); Paddy's favorite local LBK haunts include ‘Shore' on LBK, ‘Cask and Ale' downtown Sarasota, and ‘Euphemia Haye and Haye Loft' on LBK; and close with a shout-out to Eddie's eldest (Miss O) as she continues to make us all feel older.  Get some of E150 before Miss O gets another year older — it's going too fast.  All of this and some sketchy call-in sound quality, what's not to like (that wasn't a question).Recorded on April 9th, 2026 at B.O.M. northwest headquarters ‘The Eagle's Nest' in Chicago, IL USA.

This was the first podcast I did on AI in 2024: https://drlaurendeville.com/podcasts/what-the-bible-says-about-artificial-intelligence And these are the rest of my notes, if you want to visit some of the verses I didn't read... שָׁמַע šāmaʿ: - to hear, listen to, obey, discern, perceive, understand- Listening to God specifically, and obeying: - Solomon's request (1 Kings 3:9): what he asks for is a heart that שָׁמַע šāmaʿ - to hear, listen to, obey, discern, perceive, that he might שָׁפַט šāp̄aṭ - judge, govern, vindicate, punish, and בִּין bîn - discern, understand, consider between good and evil. God gives him a heart that is חָכָם - ḥāḵām - wise, skilful, shrewd, learned, prudent, as well as בִּין bîn - discern, understand, consider between good and evil. - Gen 22:18: Abraham obeys God and was willing to offer Isaac (and now all the nations of the earth will be blessed), and then God reiterates this promise to Isaac (Gen 26:5) - Ex 15:26: If the people will listen and do God's commandments, they will be healed - Ex 23:22: if the people will listen, God will fight against their enemies - Ex 24:27: The people promise they will do what God said - (and many more examples of listening to God and obeying, esp in Psalms)- God's šāmaʿ to our prayers--if He hears, He responds (1 John 5:14-15) - Gen 16:11: He heard Hagar's distress and told her she'd have Ishmael - Gen 17:20: Abraham asks God to bless Ishmael and God agrees - Gen 29:33: Leah's prayers to God for children because she is hated - Ex 2:24: God heard the groanings of the Israelites - (and many, many more)- Listening and taking action (whether the action is good or bad, doing what the other person wanted or not--what is heard just prompts a response): - Gen 3:8: Adam and Eve šāmaʿ God after they ate the fruit, and hid themselves. - Gen 3:17 Adam šāmaʿ Eve (hearkened to): he ate the fruit when she asked him to. - Gen 11:7: God confused speech at the Tower of Babel so that they would not šāmaʿ each other - Gen 14:14: Abram heard (šāmaʿ) Lot was taken captive, and it caused him to gather an army - Gen 16:2: Sarai told Abram to sleep with Hagar, and he listened (šāmaʿ) to her - Gen 18:10: Sarai overhears (šāmaʿ) God's promise of a child... but her response is to laugh - Gen 27:5: Rebekah overhears (šāmaʿ) Isaac's word to Esau and takes matters into her own hands. - (and many, many more) שָׂכַל śāḵal: to be prudent, be circumspect, wisely understand, prosper, skill. Interesting that the same word means the knowledge of how to act, and also to prosper and gain favor - cause and effect are wrapped up in the same word. - Incidentally, the same word (sāḵāl), but spelled with a samekh (סָכָל) instead of a shin (שָׂכַל), means fool (Ecclesiastes 2:19, 7:17, 10:3, 10:14, Jeremiah 4:22, 5:21) - samekh סָ root meaning: a shield, leaning on, "supporting" or, in a negative sense, "blocking" (blocking one from God's wisdom) - vs shin שָׂ: A letter of fire, illumination, light - This is the word used in Gen 3:6, describing the fruit of the knowledge of good and evil. It apparently thus also means the ability to choose your allegiance. It is spelled there with a shin... - To understand the bigger picture and act accordingly: - Deut 32:29: "O that they were wise, that they understood (śāḵal) this, that they would consider their latter end!" - 1 Sam 18:5: "And David went out whithersoever Saul sent him, and behaved himself wisely (śāḵal): and Saul set him over the men of war, and he was accepted in the sight of all the people, and also in the sight of Saul's servants." - Same word twice - for emphasis? 1 Sam 18:15: "Wherefore when Saul saw that he behaved himself (śāḵal) very wisely (śāḵal), he was afraid of him." - Ps 32: 8: "I will instruct thee (śāḵal) and teach thee in the way which thou shalt go: I will guide thee with mine eye." - Prov 1:2-3: This is the purpose of Proverbs: - "To know wisdom (hok-maw) and instruction; to perceive (bîn) the words of understanding (bînâ), To receive the instruction of wisdom (śāḵal), justice, and judgment (mišpāṭ), and equity." - This is the action as well as the adjective in most Proverbs translated "wise": 10:5, 10:19, 14:35, 15:24, 16:20, 16:23 (here it was the verb, to teach), 17:2, 19:14 (translated prudent here), 21:11 (here it's the passive verb, is instructed), 21:2 (here it's to consider), 21:16 (understanding here), - Isa 44:18: Jesus quoted this about people not understanding his parables " They have not known nor understood: for he hath shut their eyes, that they cannot see; and their hearts, that they cannot understand (śāḵal)" - To prosper or to have favor: - Deut 29:9: "Keep therefore the words of this covenant, and do them, that ye may prosper (śāḵal) in all that ye do." - Joshua 1:7-8: "Only be thou strong and very courageous, that thou mayest observe to do according to all the law, which Moses my servant commanded thee: turn not from it to the right hand or to the left, that thou mayest prosper (śāḵal) whithersoever thou goest. This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success (śāḵal)." - Also used for this meaning in Proverbs: 17:8- To be skillful: Dan 1:4, 1:17 (describing the Hebrew children) - In Job 34:35, Elihu speaking: "Job hath spoken without knowledge, and his words were without wisdom (śāḵal)."- Prophecies of Jesus having śāḵal: Isaiah 52:13 Wisdom: חָכְמָה: (hok-maw):—skilful, wisdom, wisely, wit. - "The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom," Ps 111:10, and "For the LORD giveth wisdom" (Prov 2:6). You can't have wisdom apart from His counsel (Prov 21:30).- God made the earth with wisdom (Jer 10:12, 51:15, Ps 104:24)- Humility precedes wisdom (Prov 11:2)--because fear of the Lord is a posture of humility (Prov 15:33, 1 Pet 5:6-7, Matt 5:3, 5). - If instead you trust in your own heart (reasoning), you are a fool - but wisdom will deliver you from trouble (Prov 28:26). - But too much wisdom can also somehow lead to pride, and pervert: Isaiah 47:10, Eze 48:4-17 (allegory of Satan) - and "knowledge puffs up" (1 Cor 8:1)- It's "the principal thing" (Prov 4:7), better than anything else we can desire (Prov 8:11, 16:16).- It described the Israelites if they followed God's laws (Deut 4:6), leaders anointed by God with the wisdom to lead (Deut 34:9) - For children, physical discipline eventually teaches wisdom (Prov 29:15).- An example: 2 Sam 20:22: the Israelite woman whose city is besieged because Sheba son of Bichri, a rebel against King David, was within. She speaks to Joab, finds out they want Sheba and if they give him up, Joab will spare the city. So "in her wisdom" (hok-maw) she promises they will throw his head to them over the wall. They do so, and Joab and his army departs. This is wisdom: not simply reacting with the typical emotions of anger, fear, etc from being besieged, but instead identifying and articulating both problem and solution. - Elihu says that he will teach Job and his three friends, who accuse God, wisdom (Job 33:33). - He later says that it is God who puts wisdom and understanding in our hearts (Job 38:36), and that he deprived animals of the same ability. A person who lacks understanding can only be controlled with physical consequences, by contrast (Prov 10:13) - and kids have to start out learning by physical discipline (Prov 29:15) as they are inherently foolish. - Numbering our days leads to wisdom (Ps 90:12) - bc we're "redeeming the time bc the days are evil?" (Eph 5:16) This sounds like wisdom is also discerning what truly matters vs what is passing away. - 2 Chron 1:10: in this version Solomon does ask for חָכְמָה: (khok-maw), and knowledge מַדָּע madāʿ- Then 1 Kings 3:28: after Solomon's judgment between the two would-be mothers (where he infers from the story that the real mother will love the child more than herself, and uses that to reveal hearts), the people conclude that he has חָכְמָה: (khok-maw). The Queen of Sheba came and asked him hard questions and there was nothing he couldn't answer (1 Kings 10:1-9).- Jesus displayed this kind of wisdom: - Prophesied: Isaiah 11:2 "And the spirit of the LORD shall rest upon him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the LORD" In the NT: akouō (to hear, hearken, give audience): carries a similar "and to understand and obey/respond" implication as does šāmaʿ: Matt 15:10, 17:5, 18:15, Mark 7:14, Mark 12:29, Luke 8:21, 9:35, 10:16, 11:28, John 6:60, 8:23, 8:47, John 10:20, John 11:41-42- Matt 7:24, Luke 9:47-48: the man who hears and does what Jesus says is like the house built on the rock- John 5:25: those who hear Jesus (and respond) will have life--spiritually and literally (v 28)- If the people in the cities don't hear your words, shake the dust off your feet: Matt 10:14, Mark 6:11 - Matt 10:27: preach whatever you akouō from Me- Matt 12:42, Luke 11:31: The Queen of Sheba went to akouō Solomon's wisdom- Luke 10:39: Mary prioritized hearing Jesus- John 10:3, 16, 27: the sheep hear His voice- John 16:13 The Holy Spirit tells us what He hears from the Father- "He who has ears to hear, let him hear": Matt 11:15, 13:9, 13:43, Mark 4:9, 4:33, 7:16, 8:18, Luke 8:8, 14:35- Those who heard and understood were astonished: Mark 6:2- Luke 16:29-31: Those who hear Moses and the prophets and understand what they hear will also hear about Jesus (because they pointed to Him)- Matt 11:4-5, Luke 7:22: John's disciples were to go back and tell him what they had seen and heard- Luke 10:24: Wise men of old desired to hear what the disciples heard - He speaks in parables bc the people don't have ears to hear: Matt 13:13-18, Mark 4:12, 4:23, Luke 8:10 - The parable of the sower: those who hear but don't understand have nothing to take root. This is the precondition for wisdom. Matt 13:19, Mark 4:15, Luke 8:12 - But if you do understand, you still have to maintain single focus so it's not choked out: Matt 13:20-23, Mark 4:16-20, Luke 8:13-15- "Take heed what/how you hear" precedes "with the measure you use, it will be measured back to you" (Mark 4:24, Luke 8:18: what you listen to (and respond to) determines the direction of your life. - Also often used to just mean to hear with your ears (many places) phronimos (intelligent, wise, prudent, i.e. mindful of one's interests)- Matt 7:24: the man who builds his house upon a rock by doing what Jesus says rather than just hearing it is phronimos - Matt 24:45, Luke 12:42: the wise servant is the one whom the Master will find doing what he was told, when the Master returns. - Matt 25: the parable of the wise virgins (also prepared with oil); the parable of the talents right after this seems to imply the same (looking ahead and making the most of what we've been given) though the word 'wise' doesn't appear there. - Luke 12:42-48: describes the foolish servants who know the will of their master but when he returns, he finds them disobeying. - Matt 10:16: wise as serpents, harmless as doves: - AW: This means we aren’t totally defenseless. Wisdom is a powerful force that gives us an advantage. - Luke 16:8: the parable of the unjust steward - he's called wise (shrewd) for looking out for his own interests. (Still not sure what the point of this parable was) Sophia: wisdom, broad and full of intelligence; used of the knowledge of very diverse matters. The varied knowledge of things human and divine, acquired by acuteness and experience, and summed up in maxims and proverbs, the science and learning, the act of interpreting dreams and always giving the sagest advice, the intelligence evinced in discovering the meaning of some mysterious number or vision, devout and proper prudence in intercourse with men not disciples of Christ, skill and discretion in imparting Christian truth, the knowledge and practice of the requisites for godly and upright living; supreme intelligence, such as belongs to God.- Matt 12:42, Luke 11:31: Jesus used this word to describe Solomon's wisdom - Acts 7:10 same word describes Joseph, and 7:22: Moses - Matt 13:54, Mark 6:2: the people said Jesus had this after listening to his teachings and were astonished- Luke 12:11-12, 21:15: God promises to give His followers such godly wisdom that none of our adversaries would be able to resist it - Acts 6:10: example of this - 1 Cor 1:17, 2:5: and yet Paul says the wisdom of words is insufficient; the gospel needs power to back it. That's because (worldly) wisdom wouldn't receive it--the world considers godly wisdom foolishness (1 Cor 1:19). The wisdom of the world and the wisdom of God are diametrically opposed! (1 Cor 1:20-25) - 1 Cor 2:6-8: Paul again contrasts the wisdom "of this age" with the wisdom of God. (Makes me think of sāḵāl - same word, two spellings, one meaning foolish, depicting that the person is blocked off from God's wisdom, and one meaning wise, and the letter means that he is guided by the light of God's wisdom). Even so, the natural man considers the things of God foolish (1 Cor 2:14), and God likewise considers the wisdom of this world foolish (1 Cor 3:19-20). - Jesus also said God hid Him from the "wise and prudent" (of that age) and revealed them to babes (Matt 11:25).- James 1:5: we can ask God for sophia- Matt 5: The Beatitudes teach an inversion of the world's wisdom: how the world actually works. - It's summed up with Matt 6:33 (and Luke 12:22-34): "seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you." - Matt 10:27-31 says similar: don't fear men; fear God (trusting that He loves you). Live in single-minded allegiance to Him. And 11:39: "He who finds his life will lose it, and he who loses his life for My sake will find it." If you "find your life" apart from Him, you've lost everything: the ultimate foolishness. He repeats this: Matt 16:25-26 - and Deny yourself, take up your cross - if you desire to save your life you'll lose it, and if you lose your life for Him you'll find it (Luke 9:23-27, John 12:25). - As you do this, by abiding in Him, You get whatever you desire (John 15:7-8, 16) - Mary and Martha: another lesson about singleness of focus on Him being the most important thing (Luke 10:38-42). - Luke 11:33-36: it takes light and a receptive eye to see. Jesus is always shining - It’s our eyes that don’t see. Jesus was telling us how to get our eyes opened to His light: we have to be single in our focus on Him. The Greek word that was translated “eye” in this verse is “OPHTHALMOS.” Vine’s Expository Dictionary defines this Greek word as “singleness of motive.” If our attention is divided, however, we will have the darkness of this world in us instead of God’s light. - So it isn't that we have to have "VIEW" rather than a POINT of view in order to see the bigger picture. Rather, our point of view needs to be fixed on Him, and then everything else will find its proper alignment. - True leaders must serve all (Mark 9:35, 10:43-45, Luke 22:26). Last will be first, and first will be last (Mark 10:31, Luke 13:30). If you humble yourself you will be exalted, and if you exalt yourself you will be humbled (Luke 14:11, 18:14). - What you give, you get back and then some (Luke 6:38, 14:14, 18:29-30) - Luke 12:16-21: Conversely, a fool is one who lays up treasure for himself in this life. - Luke 19:12-27: the parable of the minas: The wicked servant was motivated by fear; he didn't trust the master's heart, and didn't use what he had. So he lost even that. - He draws a hard line: all in or all out (Luke 11:22)-- because this is a war (Luke 9:58-62). You must comparatively hate everyone, even your own life, in comparison to Him (Luke 14:26). No one is neutral. He describes opponents in adversarial language ("lambs among wolves", Luke 10:3), and everything hinges on what people do with the message of the Kingdom (10:11-16). You either love the light or love the darkness (John 3:19-21). - So many parables Matt 24:45, Matt 25, Luke 12:42-48, Luke 13:24-30) are about servants doing what their master wants while he is away so that he will find them so doing when he returns... probably bc the point is "redeem the time bc the days are evil" (Eph 5:16) and numbering our days gives wisdom (Ps 90). It seems the point is, time is short, and the stakes are very high, so be single-minded in your focus on Jesus and the Kingdom. - Luke 14:25-33: Just as a king wouldn’t engage in war without thoroughly considering all the possible outcomes, so no one should attempt to become a disciple of Jesus without counting the cost. It would be better never to start following Jesus than to start and then turn back (Luke 9:62 and 2 Peter 2:20-22). - The rest of the Sermon on the Mount: teaches that what matters isn't actions (as all their teachers had told them), but motive--and ultimately this goes back to allegiance. - Matt 11:28: "Come to Me, all you who are weary and heavy laden" - with trying to follow the law. So stop both trying to be good enough, and also trying to follow your own wisdom. - Spirit vs flesh: allegiance determines this too. We have to come to Him, and He will give us the Spirit, without which we cannot successfully worship Him (John 4:24). Outwardly keeping the OT was all in the flesh, and it would never work. It was never meant to. Only the Spirit gives life; the flesh profits nothing (John 6:63).- He repeatedly says, "He who has ears to hear, let him hear!" (Matt 11:15, 13:9), and explains that those who have [wisdom] will get more, and those who have chosen not to hear and see will lose even what they have (Matt 13:10-17) - The parable of the sower: God's word brings wisdom (Prov 21:30), but the people have to hear and understand (šāmaʿ). If they don't, the enemy will steal it right away (13:19). The one who hears, understands, and receives with joy, but has no root--he might šāmaʿ, but if he doesn't śāḵal (act accordingly), he won't bear fruit either. Same with the one who is choked with the cares of the world. But the one who both šāmaʿ (hears and understands) and śāḵal (acts accordingly, is a doer of the word) is the one who will bear a harvest--seeking the Kingdom and letting God bring the supply for their needs and increase. - The parable of the two sons: the one who says he won't do the will of the father but does has truly śāḵal, while the one who says ok and doesn't is just a hypocrite: Matt 21:28-32 - In dealing with the Pharisees: their "wisdom" said good was following the law, and anyone who didn't do so according to their own teachings must be evil. The people surely could have been confused by what is good and what is evil. So Jesus clarifies: - makes the distinction of the spirit vs the letter of the law (Matt 9:11-13, 12:3-8, 12:11-12, 15:17-20, John 7:22-24) -- and also illustrates how they've added their own "letters of the law" and elevated those above what God actually said (Matt 15:3-9) - Uses the logic of motive (a house divided cannot stand): Matt 12:24-30, Luke 11:16-22). - tells the people to judge good and evil by the fruit it produces: Matt 12:33-35 - When they're trying to trap them, He: - turns the tables and asks them a question He knows they won't answer for political reasons: Matt 21:23-27 (John's baptism: from heaven or men), Matt 22:41-45 (how David can call his son 'Lord' - bc He's also God, which they didn't want to admit) - gives them an accurate non-answer: Matt 22:15-22 (the image of Caesar on the denarius) - answers the real question, rather than the one they were asking: Matt 22:23-33 (is there a resurrection of the dead?)- Enigmatic, dark sayings: Matt 8:20-22, 9:16-17, 12:31-32, Matt 13:35 (prophesied that this would be the case, in Ps 78:2) - He seems to jump topics without bothering to explain the connection (Matt 12:38-42: the pharisees ask for a sign. He says they'll get the sign of the prophet Jonah - in retrospect we know this was his death and resurrection. Then because they still won't believe, they will be condemned... and says "this wicked generation" will be like a wicked spirit cast out that then returns and brings more evil spirits, 12:43-45) - He jumps from one metaphor to another without explaining the connection (from the parable of the sower - God's word - to a lamp - God's word too) and then just says "if anyone has ears to hear, let him hear" (Mark 4:21-22). Then "take heed what you hear" - if you steward and obey the word you have been given, you'll get more. But he never says that this refers to the word explicitly either (Mark 4:24-25) - Luke 12: all over the place: the "do not worry" passage, followed by servants being faithful while their master is away, followed by Christ bringing division on the earth within families, and then "discern the time," and then "make peace with your adversary" -- are these related? - He speaks to John's disciples in a riddle only John will likely understand (Matt 11:2-6) - In what way is the kingdom of God "tiny" only to later grow and become large? (Luke 13:18-21) and what is the point of saying so? - He just changes the subject to what He wants to talk about (Matt 12:48-50): "your mother and brothers are here," and he says, "those who are my mother and brothers are those who do the will of My Father." - Another example: Luke 12:14-15: someone comes to him and asks him to arbitrate inheritance between brothers. He says that's not his job, and then warns the crowd against covetousness. - He clearly understood the foundations of how the world worked--why things were the way they were. Everyone around him saw only the carnal, visible, literal reality, and lived and reacted on that level. He was frustrated by this, and tried to teach: - What matters is not external actions, but the motive of the heart, which eventually comes out in words (Matt 15:16-20) - Reality bows the knee to faith: Matt 16:8-11, 17:20-21, 18:18-20, 21:21-22, Mark 11:22-24 - This is why He was so impressed with the Centurion: he understood that Jesus' authority transcended the physical world (Luke 7:9). Everyone else was so focused on the practical reality that this never even occurred to them. - Jesus met people on this physical level and gave them evidence (Luke 24:38-43) but said that wasn't the highest form of faith (John 20:29) - He understood the big picture: not just what was, but why things were the way they were, God's original purpose, and how He fit in (Luke 4:18-21, 24:25-27) - Because He knew context, rather than just the words and commands of scripture, Satan couldn't twist it to trap Him either (Luke 4:2-12.) - All the prophets that the Pharisees spent their life studying pointed to Jesus, and they missed it (Matt 16:2-4, John 5:38-40, 46-47)... because they were focusing on keeping the literal letter of the law (to the point of physical phylacteries, from Deut 6:8). It seems to never have occurred to them why things were the way they were. - I suspect their focus on minutiae and not on the underlying realities was also what allowed them to stop looking at the Lord as their source, which led to misplaced priorities, and greed (John 2:16 - buying and selling at the temple). I can see how they might have justified this, that it didn't *preclude* prayer and sacrifice to have a little side business going there too. But it revealed the focus of their hearts, and where their trust was, and effectively made God's real purpose for the Temple into a footnote. Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

Come Bible Study WITH ME through Job 35 & 36 and ask all the questions!

Come Bible Study WITH ME through Job 34 and ask all the questions!

The sermon centers on the spiritual danger of self-justification, using Job's story to illustrate how even a righteous life can become spiritually stagnant when rooted in self-righteousness rather than a living relationship with God. Though Job was truly upright and blameless, his suffering led him to accuse God of injustice and claim his righteousness surpassed God's, revealing a mindset focused on earthly achievements rather than divine purpose. The preacher emphasizes that God's ultimate goal is not merely to vindicate Job but to deepen his spiritual maturity, which required Elihu's rebuke and ultimately God's personal revelation. The key message is that true spiritual growth comes not from accumulating good deeds or ministry achievements, but from surrendering one's self-righteousness, embracing humility, and allowing God to reshape the heart—leading to a renewed relationship where capacity for service is doubled not by human effort, but by divine transformation. The call to the congregation is a sober invitation to examine whether they are still open to God's refining work or have become hardened in their self-perceived righteousness.

Come Bible Study WITH ME through Job 32 & 33 and ask all the questions!

Basic Bible Study | Job In today's podcast, join Chris and Robyn as they discuss Job. Here is a breakdown: - a little chit-chat - God said Job was blameless - Satan is accountable to God; he can do nothing without God's permission - Job lost his family & possessions during the first test - Job was covered head to toe with boils in the second test - God is eternally & completely good - don't give up on God because He allows you to have bad experiences - it is Satan's strategy to have us doubt God - Job's three friends came to comfort & console Job - Job was struggling emotionally, physically & spiritually - Job came dangerously close to pride - Elihu responds - God asked Job a series of questions - Job openly & honestly faced God - make God your foundation, you can never be separated from His love - Chris & Robyn talk about Job - what to read for next time “If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.” (Romans 10:9) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ABOUT Opening a Bible for the first time can be intimidating. Join Amy & Robyn in an easy-to-follow discussion. This Basic Bible Study is perfect for beginners & those who have never read the Bible. Look for new podcasts every Tuesday & Friday! ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ BIBLE RESOURCES https://biblehub.com/ https://www.bible.com/ http://betterdaysarecoming.com/bible/pronunciation.html https://biblespeak.org/ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ FACEBOOK https://www.facebook.com/mybasicbiblestudy WEBSITE http://www.mybasicbiblestudy.com ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ You can contact us via e-mail or regular old snail-mail: Basic Bible Study 7797 N. 1st St. #34 Fresno, CA 93720 basicbiblestudy19@gmail.com ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The Gospel According to Job 8 Welcome to Gospel Rant! Dr. Bill is going to look at the enigmatic Elihu and his important message to Job and to us today. We will see what you think. And now, it’s your turn…

HOLYMISHMASH The Book of Job consists of 42 chapters, divided into a prose prologue (chapters 1–2), poetic dialogues between Job and his friends (chapters 3–31), speeches by Elihu (chapters 32–37), divine speeches from God (chapters 38–42:6), and a concluding epilogue (42:7–17).

Today's Scripture passage is Job 31 - 32.(Please note Job 31:7 should read "If my footsteps have strayed...")Read by Ekemini Uwan.Get in The Word with Truth's Table is a production of InterVarsity Press. For 75 years, IVP has published and created thoughtful Christian books for the university, church, and the world. Our Bible reading plan is adapted from Bible Study Together, and the Bible version is the New English Translation, used by permission.SPECIAL OFFER | As a listener of this podcast, use the code IVPWORD40 for 40% off and free shipping on any IVP resource mentioned in this episode at ivpress.com.Additional Credits:Song production: Seaux ChillSong lyrics written by: Seaux Chill, Ekemini Uwan, and Christina EdmondsonPodcast art: Kate LillardPhotography: Shelly EveBible consultant: JM SmithSound engineering: Podastery StudiosCreative producers: Ekemini Uwan and Christina EdmondsonAssistant producer: Christine Pelliccio MeloExecutive producer: Helen LeeTo reach the IVP podcast team, please use this form.Disclaimer: The comments, views, and opinions expressed in this podcast are solely those of the host and/or the guests featured on the podcast and do not necessarily reflect the views or positions of InterVarsity Press or InterVarsity Christian Fellowship.