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Jesus Delivered Us (4) (audio) David Eells – 7/13/25 Saints, I'm going to continue speaking about how Jesus has delivered us and begin by talking about the spirit of fear. The great shakings coming across the world in these days, including America, are being used by the devil to try to bring fear upon God's people. He likes to use things that we see and hear to bring fear upon us. It's as if the devil or demons of fear stand right there until something happens, then immediately pounce on us. Have you ever felt the spirit of fear come over you just like a blanket? Don't pacify it. You are meant to make war against that. Fear is another one of the devil's big guns. We previously studied skorpizo spirits, the “scorpion” spirits whose job it is to penetrate and to put to flight. Scorpion spirits cause a person to be fearful or anxious and to flee from the devil. And we know that when this happens, that person is no threat against his kingdom, but the Bible says, (2Ti.1:7) For God gave us not a spirit of fearfulness; but of power and love and discipline. (The Greek word there is sophron, meaning “sober-minded, self-controlled.”) God did not give us a spirit of fearfulness, however, if a person is walking in willful disobedience, it is hard to fight off fear because (1Jn.3:21) … if our heart condemn us not, we have boldness toward God. The only righteous fear is the fear of the Lord. But, if a spirit of fear comes upon you, you know that you are not to accept it. You should not give in to it, or pacify it, or even think about it. If you do, it's going to conquer you by penetrating your “armor” and putting you to flight. (Eph.6:16) Withal taking up the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the evil [one]. God describes it in so many different ways. Let me share now a portion of “The Testimony of John G. Lake During the Bubonic Plague.” Now watch the action of the law of life. Faith belongs to the law of life. Faith is the very opposite of fear. Faith has the opposite effect in spirit, and soul, and body. Faith causes the spirit of man to become confident. It causes the mind of man to become restful, and positive. A positive mind repels disease. Consequently, the emanation of the Spirit destroys disease germs. And because we were in contact with the Spirit of life, I and a little Dutch fellow with me went out and buried many of the people who had died from the bubonic plague. We went into the homes and carried them out, dug the graves and put them in. Sometimes we would put three or four in one grave. We never took the disease. Why? Because of the knowledge that the law of life in Christ Jesus protects us. That law was working. Because of the fact that a man by that action of his will, puts himself purposely in contact with God, faith takes possession of his heart, and the condition of his nature is changed. Instead of being fearful, he is full of faith. Instead of being absorbent and drawing everything to himself, his spirit repels sickness and disease. The Spirit of Christ Jesus flows through the whole being, and emanates through the hands, the heart, and from every pore of the body. During that great plague that I mentioned, they sent a government ship with supplies and corps of doctors. One of the doctors sent for me, and said, “What have you been using to protect yourself? Our corps has this preventative and that, which we use as protection, but we concluded that if a man could stay on the ground, as you have, and keep ministering to the sick and burying the dead, you must have a secret. What is it?” I answered, “Brother, that is the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus. I believe that just as long as I keep my soul in contact with the living God so that His Spirit is flowing into my soul and body, that no germ will ever attach itself to me, for the Spirit of God will kill it.” He asked, “Don't you think that you had better use our preventatives?” I replied, “No, but doctor, I think that you would like to experiment with me. If you will go over to one of these dead people and take the foam that comes out of their lungs after death, then put it under the microscope, you will see masses of living germs. You will find they are alive until a reasonable time after a man is dead. You can fill my hand with them and I will keep it under the microscope, and instead of these germs remaining alive, they will die instantly.” They tried it and found it was true. They questioned, “What is that?” I replied, “That is the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus. When a man's spirit and a man's body are filled with the blessed presence of God, it oozes out of the pores of your flesh and kills the germs.” Suppose, on the other hand, my soul had been under the law of death, and I were in fear and darkness? The very opposite would have been the result. The result would have been that my body would have absorbed the germs, these would have generated disease and I would have died. You who are sick, put yourself in contact with God's law of life. Read His Word with the view of enlightening your heart so that you will be able to look up with more confidence and believe Him. Pray that the Spirit of God will come into your soul, take possession of your body, and its power will make you well. That is the exercise of the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus. Amen! Saints, the only fear we should have is the fear of the Lord, which is the beginning of wisdom (Proverbs 9:10), and if we fear the Lord, we will depart from unrighteousness. (2Ti.2:19) Howbeit the firm foundation of God standeth, having this seal, The Lord knoweth them that are his: and, Let every one that nameth the name of the Lord depart from unrighteousness. Any other fear, including the fear of man, brings a snare. Our Lord Jesus said in (Mat.9:29) … According to your faith be it done unto you. Fear is negative faith. Fear is faith in the curse, faith in the devil, faith in failure. Look what Job said in (Job 3:25) For the thing which I fear cometh upon me, And that which I am afraid of cometh unto me. Our fears come to pass just like our faiths come to pass, but the Bible tells us in (Rev.21:7) He that overcometh shall inherit these things… The Lord is speaking of the new heaven and the new earth and all the great blessings that He has provided for His people, and He's implying here that if you don't overcome, you are not going to inherit these things. Some people don't think we have anything to overcome. They say, “Jesus overcame it all,” which is true, but Jesus overcame so that we could overcome as we learn to abide in Him by faith. And as we abide in Him, we'll see our works of faith manifested because, according to the Bible (Jas.2:26) … faith apart from works is dead. Overcomers are sons of God; they will inherit the Kingdom. (Rev.21:7) He that overcometh shall inherit these things; and I will be his God, and he shall be my son. (8) But for the fearful, and unbelieving (The words “fearful” and “unbelieving” are related to each other, because if you are fearful, you are unbelieving. Notice also that you are not an overcomer unless you have overcome these very opposite things.) and abominable, and murderers, and fornicators, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, their part [shall be] in the lake that burneth with fire and brimstone; which is the second death. Fearfulness and unbelief are grouped right in there with really abhorrent sins. Many people consider fear to be just a weakness and so they pacify it, but as we've seen, (2Ti.1:7) … God gave us not a spirit of fearfulness… Fear is more than a weakness; it's a sin. It's called (Heb.3:12) … an evil heart of unbelief, in falling away from the living God. Fear is something all of God's people need to learn to make war against whenever we feel its presence or have those thoughts. Fear will cause us to give up the fight of faith and run from the devil. It causes us to lose ground. We just read that the fearful and the unbelieving are listed among the wicked. There's a part in every one of us that's wicked; it's that “old man” that we want to overcome (Romans 6:6; Colossians 3:9; Ephesians 4:22-24). The Bible says in (Gal.5:17) For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; for these are contrary the one to the other; that ye may not do the things that ye would. The flesh and spirit war against one another. This is a war that's going on in every one of us, and we can win the war through faith in the overcoming victory that Jesus had at the Cross. (1Co.15:22) For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ shall all be made alive. When Christ was resurrected, we received His resurrection life. And when He overcame, we also overcame. We were crucified with Christ (Galatians 2:20), and even the old man was put to death with Christ (Romans 6:6), but we have to hold on to our faith to see it manifested in the physical realm. It has been given unto us and we can overcome to receive. In Job 15 we see this awesome revelation again; he says the man who is fearful is being wicked. We should know that we need to fight against this spirit. (Job 15:20) The wicked man travaileth with pain all his days, Even the number of years that are laid up for the oppressor. (21) A sound of terrors is in his ears; In prosperity the destroyer shall come upon him. What are the words we hear the most nowadays? They are “terror” and “terrorist.” It's interesting that in these last days, these are very common words. Terror is coming upon the prosperous. (Job 15:22) He believeth not that he shall return out of darkness, And he is waited for of the sword. The wicked are in terror, not believing that they will return out of darkness. The Gospel, the Good News, is that we are delivered out of the power of darkness and into the Kingdom of the Son of His love (Colossians 1:13). That's the Good News that we're supposed to believe, but the wicked don't believe this. They live in terror. (Job 15:23) He wandereth abroad for bread, [saying,] Where is it? He knoweth that the day of darkness is ready at his hand. (24) Distress and anguish make him afraid; They prevail against him, as a king ready to the battle. The wicked are conquered by fear. The devil conquers and rules them. If you are ruled by fear, if you act according to your fear, then you're submitting to the devil's kingdom. You are not submitting to God because He has not given us a spirit of fearfulness (2 Timothy 1:7). If you are ruled by fear, you are not ruled by God and you are in idolatry because you are having faith in the devil. Why does fear come upon the wicked? (Job 15:25) Because he hath stretched out his hand against God, And behaveth himself proudly against the Almighty. Fear comes because they are acting against God, and so He has delivered them over to this fear. It's part of the judgment that comes upon them. God turns over to the devil those who walk in sin, even Kingdom people. We discovered earlier that Jesus said (Mat.18:35) … if ye forgive not every one his brother from your hearts, … His Father would deliver you over to the tormentors (Matthew 18:34). The wicked world is already delivered over to the devil and they live in fear and anxiety under the tormentors, but the righteous are supposed to be coming out of darkness. They are believing God to come out of the kingdom of darkness. The wicked do not believe this, so they live under the tormentors. We are told in (1Jn.3:21) Beloved, if our heart condemn us not, we have boldness toward God; (22) and whatsoever we ask we receive of him, because we keep his commandments and do the things that are pleasing in his sight. If we have a clear conscience with God, we are bold; we don't have fear. God is not going to permit fear to come upon a person who has a clear conscience. If it does come, it comes to be a trial unto you, and your boldness is the very thing that will vanquish it. (Pro.28:1) The wicked flee when no man pursueth; But the righteous are bold as a lion. Fear is natural and normal to the wicked. Who are the wicked? They are those people, Christians or not, who sin. If a person is walking in sin, they are wicked, and they will not have any boldness toward God and His benefits because their conscience condemns them. If you want a defense against fear in the days to come, you must have a clear conscience. When you see or hear things that are fearful, that's usually when the devil pounces. He wants to overcome you so that all you can do is keep running from him. Jesus told us that if we are not plundering the devil's kingdom, we are going to be running from him. Guilt is also a demon, and guilt can deliver you over to fear. That's what happened to Adam. (Gen.2:16) And the Lord God commanded the man, saying, Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat: (17) but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die. Adam had only one commandment to keep but he broke it, and then what happened? (Gen.3:7) And the eyes of them both were opened, and they knew that they were naked. “Naked” here represents the guilt of sin. They did not know they were naked until they partook of the knowledge of good and evil, but now they were made sinners because they knew they had broken God's law, so guilt was the first thing they received here. (Gen.3:7) And the eyes of them both were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig-leaves together, and made themselves aprons. They were attempting to cover their guilt with self-works, yet, as we know, without the shedding of blood, there is no covering for our sins (Hebrews 9:22). (Gen.3:21) And the Lord God made for Adam and for his wife coats of skins, and clothed them. So God slew animals for their covering. He didn't accept their works to alleviate their guilt. (Gen.3:8) And they heard the voice of the Lord God walking in the garden in the cool of the day: and the man and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the Lord God amongst the trees of the garden. Many people are hiding because of their guilt. They don't want to face God. They don't like to read the Word because it condemns them. They don't know the great sacrifice the Lord has made for them in order for them to be given grace to overcome. Without this knowledge, they feel bad when they face themselves. They feel bad when they face the Word. They're hiding from God because of their guilt, and even many Christians are doing the same thing. (Gen.3:9) And the Lord God called unto the man, and said unto him, Where art thou? (10) And he said, I heard thy voice in the garden, and I was afraid, because I was naked; and I hid myself. Guilt brings fear. If you don't want to be overcome by fear, you need to confess your sins. (1Jn.1:9) If we confess our sins, he is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. We need to repent and confess our sins. We need to have faith that Jesus has given us authority over this old flesh. I'd like to point out here that if you don't know what the Gospel says, you can have what I call “false” guilt. For instance, if you don't know that your sins are covered, you may feel guilty about something from your past, from before you were saved. Of course, the devil will try to use that false guilt against you, but he will fail if you get in the Word and stand in faith on the promises. This is another one of his tactics to keep you from God and finding out the truth about your salvation and the authority you've been given over the devil. The real Good News is that the Lord wants to live the Christian life in us. Many people are living under the bondage of guilt, although there's no reason to do so because the real Good News is that He has already set us free. But if you have guilt, the devil can use that. He can bring fear upon you to conquer you because you don't have that boldness toward God. Sometimes the Lord just lets the devil take advantage of us until we're so far down that we're finally willing to look up, until we're finally willing to get our eyes on Him and to have faith in what He has accomplished at the Cross. Faith that brings obedience gives us victory over fear. Here's a good example: (Lev.26:13) I am the Lord your God, who brought you forth out of the land of Egypt (Spiritually speaking, “Egypt” represents the world. As Christians, we've been delivered from bondage to the world and from bondage to the “old man,” who is the Egyptian.) that ye should not be their bondmen; and I have broken the bars of your yoke, and made you go upright. This is basically the Gospel, isn't it? We have been delivered from bondage; we have been made free from sin (Romans 8:2-3). We are no longer in bondage to the old man, but so many people are constantly plundered by the devil because they are rebellious against God's Word. (Lev.26:14) But if ye will not hearken unto me, and will not do all these commandments (Now notice how many times He repeats the same thing.); (15) and if ye shall reject my statutes, and if your soul abhor mine ordinances, so that ye will not do all my commandments, but break my covenant; (16) I also will do this unto you: I will appoint terror over you (God delivers people who are rebellious against His Word over to fear.), even consumption and fever, that shall consume the eyes, and make the soul to pine away; and ye shall sow your seed in vain, for your enemies shall eat it. (When people are delivered over to fear, they have no boldness to come against the devil. They don't understand why they are devoured by the devourer, as Malachi 3 talks about.) (17) And I will set my face against you, and ye shall be smitten before your enemies: they that hate you shall rule over you; and ye shall flee when none pursueth you. Also, (Pro.28:1) The wicked flee when no man pursueth; But the righteous are bold as a lion. God appoints terror over the rebellious, both His rebellious people and those of the world. They are ripe for it. Terror happening in these days is something that God has loosed through the devil to motivate people to run to Him. He wants us to run to repentance and faith in boldness, so that we may be delivered of these things. Fear brings us back into bondage. Fear is bondage to the devil. Fear will bring us right back to bondage in Egypt. The Bible speaks of this. (Deu.28:64) And the Lord will scatter thee among all peoples, from the one end of the earth even unto the other end of the earth… Many people don't realize that everything that happened to Israel in the natural happens to the Church in a spiritual way. The Church was called to be one holy nation. (1Pe.2:9) But ye are an elect race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for [God's] own possession, that ye may show forth the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvellous light: (10) who in time past were no people, but now are the people of God: who had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy. We were grafted into the olive tree called “all Israel” (Romans 11:17-26). We are one people, but we have been divided and scattered. The Lord speaks against the shepherds who scatter the flock (Jeremiah 23:1-4; Ezekiel 34:1-10). We've been brought into bondage to the nations of the world and now God is calling us out of those nations to our one holy nation of spiritual Israel. We have been called out from among them (Isaiah 52:11; Jeremiah 51:45; John 10:3; etc.), but when we rebel against God, He brings us under the spirit of fear and we go back into bondage. (Deu.28:64) And the Lord will scatter thee among all peoples, from the one end of the earth even unto the other end of the earth; and there thou shalt serve other gods, which thou hast not known, thou nor thy fathers, even wood and stone. The root word there for “gods” means “mighty” or “mighty ones.” Who are the Church's “mighty” ones? If you want to know what “gods” a church is serving, stop and think about it. Much of the Church, by their own actions, prove that they trust in their government, they trust in their military, in their doctors, and in their bank accounts. The churches trust in these “mighty ones” because they are in bondage to the nations of the world, instead of being the nation of spiritual Israel. God has called us out of that bondage. He delivered us out of Egypt that we might be His holy nation. (Deu.28:65) And among these nations shalt thou find no ease, and there shall be no rest for the sole of thy foot: but the Lord will give thee there a trembling heart (When you're living in the world, He's going to give you fear. God says this over and over. We need to fear “living in the world” and “living like the world” because there is no eternal life there. We are not of this world and we've been chosen out of the world (John 15:19). Nothing but the curse is there.), and failing of eyes, and pining of soul; (66) and thy life shall hang in doubt before thee; and thou shalt fear night and day (It's obvious this is coming to pass in these days.), and shalt have no assurance of thy life. (There is nothing but fear, just fear.) (67) In the morning thou shalt say, Would it were even! and at even thou shalt say, Would it were morning! for the fear of thy heart which thou shalt fear, and for the sight of thine eyes which thou shalt see. (Deu.28:68) And the Lord will bring thee into Egypt again… Do you know what brought God's people into Egypt the first time? It was because most of Jacob's sons were not obedient to their father. They didn't like that Joseph was sent to watch over them (Gen.37:2) … and Joseph brought the evil report of them unto their father. They also persecuted the righteous Joseph (Genesis 37:4,14). So God sent them into Egypt where they spent four hundred years in bondage. (Deu.28:68) And the Lord will bring thee into Egypt again with ships, by the way whereof I said unto thee, Thou shalt see it no more again (God's command is that we never go back to Egypt, never go back into bondage to the old man {Deuteronomy 17:16}.): and there ye shall sell yourselves unto your enemies for bondmen and for bondwomen, and no man shall buy you. He sends fear when men go back into bondage to the old man and then instead of trusting in God, they take control themselves. Who is “self”? It's the old man. When “self” is ruling, the old man is ruling and you are back into bondage once again. The Egyptian who once ruled over the Israelite is now ruling over him again. Fear is one of the devil's big guns in order to bring you into bondage. People will do many things when they fear. Even Christians can be brought to killing their fellow man because they have a fear of death, so they do what is totally contrary to the Word of God. We are to rest, to trust, in God. We are to believe that He has healed and delivered us. Fear causes people to go back into bondage where they have no strength to stand and so they run from their enemies, but God delivered us from this. We are not in bondage anymore. We believe the Gospel and we need to believe it in order to come out of darkness, as we just read here. Somebody who has fear doesn't believe that they can come out of darkness because they don't believe the Gospel. Somebody who has fear believes the devil's lies; they believe the curse. We believe that God has separated us unto Himself to protect, heal, deliver, and provide for us, contrary to the rest of the world. The devil is making war on the people of God by using the things that they see and hear in order to bring them into bondage, but the devil cannot get a foothold if we walk by faith in obedience. That's our greatest strength. The Lord asks, (Pro.1:22) How long, ye simple ones, will ye love simplicity? (He's talking negatively here about being simple in the knowledge of God, simple in the knowledge of the Word.) And scoffers delight them in scoffing, And fools hate knowledge? (This is the simplicity part; they hate knowledge.) (23) Turn you at my reproof: Behold, I will pour out my spirit upon you; I will make known my words unto you. The two things we desperately need are the Word of God sown in our heart, which brings forth the fruit of Christ, and the Power of God's Spirit. He's offering us tremendous gifts here, yet sometimes we're not interested and sometimes we wait too long. (Pro.1:24) Because I have called, and ye have refused; I have stretched out my hand, and no man hath regarded; (25) But ye have set at nought all my counsel, And would none of my reproof: (26) I also will laugh in [the day of] your calamity; I will mock when your fear cometh (He didn't say “if your fear cometh,”; He said, “when your fear cometh.” If you continue to reject His Word and Spirit beyond the time of God's patience, this fear will come upon you.); (Pro.1:27) When your fear cometh as a storm (We are going to see this in days to come. Multitudes of people of the earth are going to be swayed this way and that way because of fear, and they will be moved to do terrible things because of fear.), And your calamity cometh on as a whirlwind; when distress and anguish come upon you. (28) Then will they call upon me, but I will not answer; They will seek me diligently, but they shall not find me: (29) For that they hated knowledge, And did not choose the fear of the Lord. The Bible teaches us in (Pro.16:6) … And by the fear of the Lord men depart from evil. You cannot have fear of the Lord and fear of the devil at the same time. If you fear the Lord, that's a good fear because if we fear the Lord, we will serve Him. If we fear the devil, we cannot serve God because we're too busy serving the devil and that's why fear is part of the devil's plan. God says, (Pro.1:30) They would none of my counsel; They despised all my reproof. (31) Therefore shall they eat of the fruit of their own way, And be filled with their own devices. (32) For the backsliding of the simple shall slay them (Notice that no man slays him. His own backsliding slays him.), And the careless ease of fools shall destroy them. (Pro.1:33) But whoso hearkeneth unto me shall dwell securely (If we are seeking to be obedient to the Lord with our faith in Him, trusting in His grace, He empowers us to obey. That's a place of security.), And shall be quiet without fear of evil. The Lord promises this to those who are obedient because of their faith, and obedience is the fruit of faith. (Jas.2:17) Even so faith, if it have not works, is dead in itself. These are not our works; these are God's works in us and they are the fruit of faith. He says, (Pro.1:33) But whoso hearkeneth unto me shall dwell securely, And shall be quiet without fear of evil. Those who are obedient because of their faith will be without fear. This is because they have received grace through their faith to be so, but the rest will go under a spirit of bondage. Fear is a spirit of bondage. Let's look now at (Rom.8:12) So then, brethren, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live after the flesh: (13) for if ye live after the flesh, ye must die; but if by the Spirit ye put to death the deeds of the body, ye shall live. (14) For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God. (15) For ye received not the spirit of bondage again unto fear; but ye received the spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father. The Jews railed at Jesus for calling God His Father. Jewish scholars say that no servant would dare call the head of a household “Abba,” or “Father.” This is the cry of somebody who has a father-child relationship, and so He says, (Rom.8:14) For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God. (15) For ye received not the spirit of bondage again unto fear; but ye received the spirit of adoption. The word “adoption” here is huiothesias, and it means “son-placing.” When we are adopted, we are “placed” as sons. God adopts children who are servants. Apostle Paul told us in (Gal.4:7) … thou art no longer a bondservant, but a son; and if a son, then an heir through God. A child is a servant, but God adopts them as sons. We are growing into sonship. We are bearing the fruit of the Son, Jesus Christ, and as the Son, Jesus Christ, comes to live in us, we progressively manifest our sonship. You are either submitted to the Spirit of God as a son, or you are under the spirit of bondage unto fear. Fear is bondage. Fear rules and reigns in people who have it. They cannot get control of themselves; terror causes them to run mindlessly before the devil, who is ruling over them. We are going to see very crazy things happen in this world because of fear, and that includes seeing Christians not behaving as Christians because of fear, yet all that God asks us to do is a minor thing. He wants us to walk by faith. It is something that has already been paid for by the Lord; in (Col.1:13) who delivered us out of the power of darkness, and translated us into the kingdom of the Son of his love. And if we walk by faith in Him, we will be able to cast down fear. Faith gives us the power to walk the walk. The Lord came to deliver us from the power of death. (Heb.2:14) Since then the children are sharers in flesh and blood, he also himself in like manner partook of the same; that through death he might bring to nought him that had the power of death, that is, the devil (There it is; we've been delivered.); (15) and might deliver all them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage. Worldly people do the things they do because of bondage to the fear of death, but Christians are not supposed to be in that bondage. Read that verse again. (Heb.2:14) Since then the children are sharers in flesh and blood, he also himself in like manner partook of the same; that through death he might bring to nought him that had the power of death, that is, the devil; (15) and might deliver all them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage. Jesus came to deliver us from the fear of death, so that we wouldn't be subject to bondage all of our life. He came to deliver us from the fear of death and He accomplished that deliverance when He bore our sins upon Himself. Years ago I was on my roof, working on the second story of my house when it started to rain and I started to get down and stepped on the ladder, which was now resting on the wet deck. I fell sideways so fast and hit the deck. I immediately reached for my right shoulder, which felt like a limp bag of broken bones. I had a terrible pain in my side. An angel told me later that I had injured three internal organs. Michael heard me and came out and prayed for me. I was due to preach a broadcast. I believe it was adrenalin that caused me to get up and go do it. I didn't know at that time how bad I was hurt. I had broken three ribs, which caused great pain when I moved my rib cage and muscles. The saints came and prayed for me. My heart began to do strange things and skipping beats. When I realized I was dying, the thought of meeting the Lord gave me great joy and expectation. By the grace of God I never had fear. I joked with the saints who were looking at me wide-eyed. I cried, “My father, my father, the chariots and horsemen of Israel!” 2Ki. 2:12, as though I could see them coming to get me and take me to heaven. When I saw they were taking me seriously, I laughed. Long story short, they prayed me through and I had to stay. I raised my arms in praise when I knew my crushed shoulder would not permit this and it began to come together with everything else. God's grace is wonderful. We've seen from Revelation 21 that fear is sin. He bore the sin of fear and now you don't have to put up with fear anymore because He delivered you from that darkness. He bore upon Himself that curse. We have authority over fear because of what Jesus did at the Cross. We can say, “No!” to fear. Many of you have experienced this. You have rebuked fear. You have denied, and have refused to listen to fear. We have total authority over fear. When fear comes upon us, it is to bring us into bondage and cause us to serve it. Many times the fear of death causes us to do things we would not normally do. When my oldest son was being born at home, and it came time for birth, we discovered that he was breech, one foot was coming out first. When I saw that little toe come out first, it was like the devil was just waiting for me to see it and to jump on me with the spirit of fear. You know, the devil tells you everything bad that's going to happen unless you go back to trusting in man or doing it the way of the world, but the Lord wanted me to have a lesson of trusting in Him. So when I saw that little toe and felt the spirit of fear come in that room, I said, “No! We are going to stop right here and we are going to pray. We bind you spirit of fear and cast you out.” We commanded that demon to “Go, in the Name of Jesus Christ!” and it did. Then we were no longer in bondage because of this fear of death. And so our son was born. The fear of death can be more than just the fear of physical death. Many people fear death to self. They fear giving up their old life, so the devil is able to keep them in bondage. Through the fear of death, he keeps us running to the world and its ways and methods. Jesus came to set us free from fear of death, and since we know that He did set us free from fear of death, now we have authority over fear. That's not the case if you're walking in sin, because then you have no boldness. You won't be able to deny fear; it will overcome you. If you're walking by faith in God, you have authority over fear and you can cast it down. It will have to submit to you because of what Jesus did. He gave you authority over all the power of the enemy. (Luk.10:19) Behold, I have given you authority to tread upon serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy: and nothing shall in any wise hurt you. One thing we do to conquer fear is refuse to listen to it. Returning to when our first son was born, he was born a footling breech, the doctors do not believe God can deliver a baby that has one foot up and one down and wrong side up. Some people don't even know it's possible because they always do a Caesarean section in these cases. After we ran off the spirit of fear, I commanded that baby to “Come out in the Name of Jesus!” and that baby was born a footling breech. God can do anything! Glory be to God! His Power is awesome, but if you have fear, you don't have faith in God. Instead, your faith is in the devil. You have faith in the curse and God's power is not going to be manifested for you. We have to learn not to listen to the voice of the devil. (Psa.55:3) Because of the voice of the enemy, Because of the oppression of the wicked; For they cast iniquity upon me, And in anger they persecute me. (4) My heart is sore pained within me: And the terrors of death are fallen upon me. (All these things are true.) (5) Fearfulness and trembling are come upon me, And horror hath overwhelmed me. These awful things had happened because he listened to the voice of the enemy. Just don't listen! We should pray that God will always bring to our remembrance the things that He has said unto us (John 14:26). (Isa.26:3) Thou wilt keep [him] in perfect peace, [whose] mind [is] stayed [on thee;] because he trusteth in thee. We hold fast to the Word so that when fear comes, we recognize that it's a spirit because it says in (2Ti.1:7) for God gave us not a spirit of fearfulness… We can say, “God has not given me a spirit of fear; this is the devil. I can stop this. I can take authority. I can have victory over this. I do not need to listen to this, as though it were me, because it is not me.” We cast down these thoughts. The Bible tells us that we can fill ourselves with thoughts that give us peace. (Php.4:8) Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true (When the spirit of fear comes, we know it's the devil's telling us a lie, something contrary to Scriptures. We're not supposed to listen to it.), whatsoever things are honorable, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things. Remember what happened when 10 of the 12 men who were sent to spy out the Promised Land brought back a bad report (Numbers 13:1-24). Their report caused the people to fear the giants and made the people's hearts to melt (Numbers 13:25-33; 14:1-4). Well-meaning people can bring us a bad report, but if something is contrary to God's Word, we need to cast it out and cast it down. Be wary if you've made somebody your god. Be wary if you've made medicine or doctors your god. Be wary when they bring you the bad report. Remember, (1Pe.2:24) … by whose stripes ye were healed. How can you be sick? You can't be sick because you were healed, so cast that thought down. Cast that bad report down, because if fear causes you to accept that, then that's what you'll have. Jesus said, (Mat.9:29) … According to your faith be it done unto you. When they bring that bad report, what happens is that fear comes into your being. The devil is sitting there, just waiting for you to hear what this guy has to say, and when you accept it, fear jumps on you. The devil knows that you're going to have a testimony if you stand fast in your faith. He's attacking you to keep you from being delivered from this curse, from being delivered out of this darkness. He's attacking you to keep you from walking by faith in the Lord. What does the Word tell us to do instead? (Php.4:8) … If there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things. (In other words, take account of these things.) (9) The things which ye both learned and received and heard and saw in me, these things do: and the God of peace shall be with you. He's the God of peace. Scripture talks about our warfare. It tells us to cast down (2Co.10:5) … imaginations, and every high thing that is exalted against the knowledge of God, and bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ. Bring every thought into captivity to Christ, because if we will learn to do this and be consistent, fear will never have a foothold. We will conquer it. God is omnipotent. (Php.2:13) For it is God who worketh in you both to will and to work, for his good pleasure. We do not have to give in to the thoughts of the devil. We can cast them down. Remember what God said about the voice of the enemy. (Psa.55:3) Because of the voice of the enemy … (4) … the terrors of death are fallen upon me. That is the devil when he comes to you. We do not have to put up with this. Some of you have listened to things and read things that are bringing fear into your life. They're not building faith in you for the days to come. You should not read or listen to the voice of the devil. He'll use people to give you things that put fear into your heart, but don't listen to or look at the devil's lies. (Isa.8:9) Make an uproar, O ye peoples, and be broken in pieces; and give ear, all ye of far countries: gird yourselves, and be broken in pieces; gird yourselves, and be broken in pieces. A great tumult is coming over the world in these days, saints. (10) Take counsel together, and it shall be brought to nought; speak the word, and it shall not stand: for God is with us. Immanuel is with us. It's not our power; it's His Power in us! (Col.1:27) which is Christ in you, the hope of glory. Let's go now to (Isa.8:11) For the Lord spake thus to me with a strong hand, and instructed me not to walk in the way of this people, saying, (12) Say ye not, A conspiracy, concerning all whereof this people shall say, A conspiracy; neither fear ye their fear, nor be in dread [thereof]. I know Christians who study conspiracies all the time and it's filling their hearts with fear. They don't have any faith or boldness toward God. Why? They are afraid of the things that are coming upon the world because they are being disobedient. It doesn't matter who's behind the things that are coming upon the world. Ultimately, the Lord is behind it all. The Bible says God is the One (Eph.1:11) … who worketh all things after the counsel of his will. God was behind what came to Job. Looking at Job's situation, we see that we should not fear because God Almighty is in control. If you study these conspiracies and conclude that men or the devil are out to do you in, you're wasting your time. It's God Almighty Who is behind everything, and His purpose for you is good. His purpose is to bring you to repentance and to faith in Him. So if you're studying men, worried about what they might be doing, and thinking that you have to do something, you can get into works of the flesh. And it's all because you studied the conspiracies. Well, here's God's Word on conspiracies: (Isa.8:12) Say ye not, A conspiracy, concerning all whereof this people shall say, A conspiracy; neither fear ye their fear, nor be in dread [thereof]. (13) The Lord of hosts, him shall ye sanctify; and let him be your fear, and let him be your dread. We should fear the Lord because, as we read, He is the One, ultimately, Who is in control and not the world, not the wicked, not the Illuminati, or anybody else. Don't study the conspiracies. God is in control and remember that (Pro.16:7) When a man's ways please the Lord, He maketh even his enemies to be at peace with him. The Lord has absolute control over our enemies. He has absolute control over our lives and He said we would be in safety and He said we would not fear. We need to put our trust in God. We need to cast down these things when our sight is on men. The Bible says, (Pro.29:25) The fear of man bringeth a snare, But whoso putteth his trust in the Lord shall be safe. (26) Many seek the ruler's favor; But a man's judgment [cometh] from the Lord. If you are afraid of man, you are going to be back in bondage again and be trapped again. “The fear of man bringeth a snare, but whoso putteth his trust in the Lord shall be safe.” Study what God has to say. Study what He will do to provide for you in the days to come, and don't fear the things that are coming upon the world. Fear is for the devil's children, but it's also for the wayward people of God to bring them to repentance and trust in God. Now let me share this testimony: Cast Out Fear by J.R.T. Our son, Caleb, has always been a fearful child. He was scared of loud noises, deep water, the drive-through car wash, thunderstorms, etc. He would cry uncontrollably whenever we went through the car wash or when thunder would strike during a storm. Recently, when storms popped up and he would become afraid, my wife would sing this song with him: “I am your God. I am your God, who holds your right hand, who holds your right hand. And I say to you, ‘Do not be afraid, for I will help you.'” One day I came home from work and my wife told me there had been a thunderstorm earlier and that she and Caleb had sung this song. I started to sing the song, thinking he would like it. But just the association of the song with the storms caused Caleb to cry and appear upset. Without even thinking, I picked him up and prayed, “Spirit of fear, I rebuke you in Jesus' Name and command you to leave Caleb. The Lord has not given us a spirit of fear. We do not want you here.” There was no immediate change. But the Lord impressed me not to dwell on the fact that I saw no change; rather, just believe His Word. The next weekend we were in Pensacola for Mother's Day. Once we got back to Georgia, we realized several things had changed. The whole family rode through the car wash over the holiday weekend. Caleb hadn't fussed a bit. He even later commented that the “wind” (noisiest part) was his favorite part of the car wash. Normally, as soon as he sees that we are at the car wash, he starts talking about wanting to get out of the vehicle. When lightning and thunder started during a storm over the weekend, Caleb didn't cry or run to mommy or daddy; rather, he walked right to the front glass door to look outside. We spent part of the weekend with my wife's family on the beach. Caleb went out farther than normal. He even fell in the water a few times, and breathed in a little water. But he did not get upset – he kept playing. I praise the Lord for putting in me what was needed to deliver Caleb from fear…Thank you, Lord. Amen! Awesome testimony. We have this authority, too, saints. Now, are there times when God's people cannot be released from demons? Paul, by the Spirit, turned a man over to Satan for the destruction of his flesh, and he did that for a good reason. (1Cor.5:3) For I verily, being absent in body but present in spirit, have already as though I were present judged him that hath so wrought this thing, (4) in the name of our Lord Jesus, ye being gathered together, and my spirit, with the power of our Lord Jesus, (5) to deliver such a one unto Satan for the destruction of the flesh, that the spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus. Our carnal minds think it's always good for people to get delivered of demons, but no, it's not always good. You see, God has a purpose for demons. If not, He would have wiped them out a long time ago, but He has a good purpose for them. The Bible says that God has vessels of honor and vessels of dishonor. (Rom.9:21) Or hath not the potter a right over the clay, from the same lump to make one part a vessel unto honor, and another unto dishonor? The demons are His chief vessels of dishonor and He uses them to chasten and teach. Paul turned a man over for a chastening “that his spirit might be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus”, but there's another example where Paul delivered Hymenaeus and Alexander over to Satan that “they might be taught not to blaspheme” (1 Timothy 1:18-20). The devil is God's messenger to chasten and teach people. When you get out from under the Blood, the devil jumps on you like a mad dog. It doesn't matter whether or not you are a Christian. The people who are not Christian are already under bondage to the devil, and so sometimes, the devil does not want to “rock the boat” for them. There is no advantage for him in revealing himself to them because they're already caught, but for you, it's a different story. When you step out from under the Blood, he is waiting for you. He is waiting to “chew” on you a little bit until you'll say, “Hey, it's a lot safer back there under the Blood! I repent, Lord! I obey!” But until you get back under the Blood, the devil is there to motivate you to live in obedience as a disciple of Jesus Christ. We have examples all through the Bible where God turned over His people to the devil and there was no one who could cast the demons out of them. If you won't repent, don't ask for deliverance. If you are not willing to confess your sins and repent of them, do not ask for deliverance from the demon who preys upon the sin. He is there for a purpose; he is there to make your life miserable until you repent. I am speaking from experience. I've tried casting demons out of people, yet the demons would come back. Finally, I figured out what the problem was. I was out there doing my own thing and so I was getting out of God's Will. A good example of that from the Old Testament is where God ordained Saul (1 Samuel 10:1). He filled him with the Spirit and even had him prophesy (1 Samuel 10:6), but when Saul rebelled against God and did his own thing, then (1Sa.16:14) … the Spirit of the Lord departed from Saul, and an evil spirit from the Lord troubled him. (15) And Saul's servants said unto him, Behold now, an evil spirit from God troubleth thee. A lot of people think this is false doctrine, but it's truth. As the Lord pointed out to me one time, (Php.2:13) … it is God who worketh in you both to will and to work, for his good pleasure. Salvation is so great! The way God saves you is that He puts in you a desire to do what is right. It's so simple and it's so easy. Through repentance and through faith, you receive the desire to do what is right. This is what salvation is all about. Did you know that God uses vessels of dishonor to work in you, just as He uses vessels of honor? God did this with the devil, who didn't have any interest in Job until God brought him to the devil's attention. (Job 2:3) And the Lord said unto Satan, Hast thou considered my servant Job? for there is none like him in the earth, a perfect and an upright man, one that feareth God and turneth away from evil… That was like dangling a carrot before a donkey. The devil was ready to jump on Job, but God put strict conditions on what he could do in (Job 1:12, 2:6). (Job 2:4) And Satan answered the Lord, and said, Skin for skin, yea, all that a man hath will he give for his life. (5) But put forth thy hand now, and touch his bone and his flesh, and he will renounce thee to thy face. (6) And The Lord said unto Satan, Behold, he is in thy hand; only spare his life. Many times the devil is being used as the “left hand” of God when he brings a curse or a chastening. (Job 2:9) Then said his wife unto him, Dost thou still hold fast thine integrity? renounce God, and die. (10) But he said unto her, Thou speakest as one of the foolish women speaketh. What? shall we receive good at the hand of God, and shall we not receive evil? In all this did not Job sin with his lips. Job did speak the truth there because God cannot be Sovereign if He controls only good and doesn't control evil. The devil is here to be one of God's “hands” or else he would have been wiped out back there at the Garden of Eden. Since Jesus was the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world (Revelation 13:8), why did we need a Savior before Adam ever fell? God is not making any mistakes here; what we are going through is creation and the devil is a part of this. It was God Who turned Abimelech and the men of Shechem over to devils in (Judges 9:23). They got in there and divided the men because they killed the sons of Gideon in (Judges 9:5). God sent those evil spirits between the Israelites to divide them, just as God turned Saul over to a demon spirit because he was in rebellion. God did this quite often in the Old Testament, and another example is when Samuel was rebuking Saul for not obeying God. (1Sa.15:23) For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft… The Hebrew word translated as “witchcraft” there is qesem, and it means “divination.” A spirit of divination is a spirit of false prophecy. It prophesies for the devil, and so Saul had a demon spirit because he had a spirit of divination. (1Sa.18:10) And it came to pass on the morrow, that an evil spirit from God came mightily upon Saul, and he prophesied in the midst of the house: and David played with his hand, as he did day by day. And Saul had his spear in his hand; (11) and Saul cast the spear; for he said, I will smite David even to the wall. And David avoided out of his presence twice. (12) And Saul was afraid of David, because The Lord was with him, and was departed from Saul. I don't know what spirit, divination or otherwise, God was talking about when He said (1Sa.16:14) … an evil spirit from the Lord troubled him, but I do know that Saul had a spirit of divination because he became a false prophet. Whether this “evil spirit from the Lord” was the spirit of divination, I don't know and Scripture does not say, but it was tormenting him. Here was a man who at one time had the Holy Spirit in (1 Samuel 10:6) and yet still became tormented by a demon spirit, and as we see here, possibly two demon spirits. The apostle Paul also had a demon tormentor. He said in (2Co.12:7) And by reason of the exceeding greatness of the revelations, that I should not be exalted overmuch, there was given to me a thorn in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to buffet me, that I should not be exalted overmuch. I am not stating that there was a demon inside of Paul, but an angel of Satan was tormenting him. The word “messenger” in the Scriptures, 181 of 183 times, is translated as “angel,” so an angel of Satan was sent to buffet him, and the word “buffet” means “to beat or strike repeatedly.” Paul was not talking here about an infirmity or sickness; only the KJV says that Paul's “thorn in the flesh” was an “infirmity.” No Bible derived from the ancient manuscripts has this translation because that's not the word “infirmity”; it is the word “weakness.” Scripture says that Christ was crucified through weakness. (2Co.13:3) Seeing that ye seek a proof of Christ that speaketh in me; who to youward is not weak, but is powerful in you: (4) for he was crucified through weakness, yet he liveth through the power of God. This same Greek word asthenes translated as “weakness” in 2 Corinthians 13:3 by the King James, is what the King James in 2 Corinthians 12:9 claims is “infirmity.” Paul did not have an infirmity; this is a lie because the Bible says, (Psa.103:2) Bless the Lord, O my soul, And forget not all his benefits: (3) Who forgiveth all thine iniquities; Who healeth all thy diseases. God does not change His Word and say, “No, Paul, you keep this disease. It's good for you.” This is not our God. What you have there is a schizophrenic “god.” A messenger of Satan is the one who was bringing all of these troubles against Paul, and he made a list of all the places where he said he was “weak.” The word is the same word, asthenes, as used in Chapter 12. (2Co.11:23) Are they ministers of Christ? (I speak as one beside himself) I more; in labors more abundantly, in prisons more abundantly, in stripes above measure, in deaths oft. (24) Of the Jews five times received I forty [stripes] save one. (25) Thrice was I beaten with rods, once was I stoned, thrice I suffered shipwreck, a night and a day have I been in the deep; (26) [in] journeyings often, [in] perils of rivers, [in] perils of robbers, [in] perils from [my] countrymen, [in] perils from the Gentiles, [in] perils in the city, [in] perils in the wilderness, [in] perils in the sea, [in] perils among false brethren; (27) [in] labor and travail, in watchings often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness. (29) Who is weak, and I am not weak? who is caused to stumble, and I burn not? Who was “buffeting” Paul in all of these ways? A messenger of Satan was bringing Paul through all these tribulations. When Jesus was led of the Spirit into the wilderness in (Matthew 4:1; Luke 4:2), it was the devil who tempted Him, so don't think that you are not going to be faced with demons. If you are in the wilderness, you are going to be faced with demons, but you have every right and every power from God to overcome them. When Paul was faced with demons, God did not say that He was going to take away that angel from Satan. It says (2Co.12:9) And he hath said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for [my] power is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my weaknesses, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. God said, “My grace is sufficient for thee.” He did not say, “My grace is this infirmity that I am putting on you, and you're going to have to keep it.” That's crazy; it's not what the Bible says. It says, (1Pe.2:24) … by whose stripes ye were healed. You were healed. There is no condition put on this except you repent and believe. As we just read, Paul professed that those things listed in 2 Corinthians 11:23-27 were his “weaknesses.” A demon was bringing Paul into positions of weakness. And when he got into these positions of weakness, Paul put his trust in the Lord, and in every instance, the Lord saved him. (Psa.34:19) Many are the afflictions of the righteous (In most cases, these afflictions come from the devil.); But the Lord delivereth him out of them all. This is what you have to believe. This is the Gospel, and if you do not believe it, you do not get it. The devil has a purpose in all of this. He is used by God to chasten and to bring under curses those who are in rebellion against God. He is used by God to give you teaching and understanding (1Ti.1:20) … that they might be taught not to blaspheme God. The devil is used by God to humble you, and he is used to help you see the power of God. When the devil puts you into a situation where you are weak, this is where you get to see the miracle. You do not get to see the miracle when you have all you need, or when all your problems are solved, and you are walking in the anointing and power. The power of God comes when you are in a position where you cannot do anything. The power of God comes sometimes when you refuse to do anything about a weakness, and you just put your trust in God and His Word. The power of God comes when you believe what the Bible says. When the children of Israel rebelled, God sent demons to them. (Psa.78:49) He cast upon them the fierceness of his anger, Wrath, and indignation, and trouble, A band of angels of evil. Wrath, indignation, and trouble are demon spirits. It was God's purpose to deliver the Israelites over to these demons for torment because they were in rebellion. God is the One Who delivers a person over to demons, and God is the One Who turns people over to a “reprobate mind,” too (Romans 1:28; 2 Timothy 3:8). The Bible talks about “doctrines of demons.” (1Ti.4:1) But the Spirit saith expressly, that in later times some shall fall away from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits and doctrines of demons, (2) through the hypocrisy of men that speak lies, branded in their own conscience as with a hot iron. I was once delivered from a doctrine of demons and I was shocked, not knowing it was a demon at all. At the time, I had a real gift to speak the Oneness doctrine, but it was not the truth. It was a demon spirit and when it left, it went straight out of the top of my head. I'd had to humble myself to what the Lord said. What delivered me was when I decided, “I am going to put my doctrine down for just a minute, and humble myself to this Word, and see what It says.” When I did that, “Poof!” The demon went out from the top of my head and was gone because Oneness is a doctrine of demons. There are demons whose job it is to bring people into bondage to false doctrines, and they actually do enter your body. I am living proof of this, delivered from that doctrine quite some years ago. Sometimes you can't recognize when people are demon-possessed because they're being ruled by that spirit. You understand that something is wrong with them, but you may not recognize it in their flesh. Most often though, people are oppressed, rather than possessed. If a demon is in your flesh, just abiding in the flesh and not reaching into the soul, he can oppress you from the flesh, but when he reaches into your soul, which is your mind, will, and emotions, then this is what the Bible calls being “possessed.” We've been taught wrongly that when demons are on the outside, it is oppression, but when they are on the inside, that is possession. No, the demons can be in your flesh and never leave your flesh, so then they can oppress you from the flesh. Or they can reach into the soul and possess you, while at other times, they will back off into the flesh and be dormant. When they do that, you will not even know they're in there until they're faced with some stimulus from the outside that causes them to come up and manifest themselves. And when that stimulus or that temptation is gone, the demons draw back into the flesh, becoming dormant once again. For instance, people with a spirit of anger (a demon) are not angry all the time. They are only angry when they're tempted, but if you try to deal with it as though it were only a lust of the flesh, you're going to fail because it's more than that. Many people, possibly all people, have demons when they come to Christ, but God doesn't drive them all out all at once according to (Exodus 23:29-30; Judges 2:22-23). I've heard people say that it's okay to be angry as long as you don't sin, but this is a false doctrine, and they get it from a false interpretation of Scripture. The Bible says, (Ecc.7:9) Be not hasty in thy spirit to be angry; for anger resteth in the bosom of fools. If you have anger in your heart, it is going to make you a fool. If you say, “Wait a minute...I thought I could be angry, but just not sin?” Anger is wrong because anger is unforgiveness and anger is bitterness. I admit the Holy Spirit can be angry; the Holy Spirit can even manifest anger through you. I have felt the anger of the Lord move through me, but He can do this legally. The Holy Spirit can speak through you and judge, but you cannot judge. If you judge, you are going to be judged, as it says in (Mat.7:1) Judge not, that ye be not judged. (2) For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured unto you. You must know the difference between the Holy Spirit moving through you for the sake of God and when you are being tempted by the lusts of your flesh. (Eph.4:25) Wherefore, putting away falsehood, speak ye truth each one with his neighbor: for we are members one of another. (26) Be ye angry, and sin not… Originally, there was no punctuation in this verse, because in the ancient Greek they did not have punctuation or capital letters. The punctuation was added in later by theologians, but the Lord told me there is supposed to be a question mark after the word “not.” Can you be angry and not sin? No, and I can prove this to you, because the rest of the verse says, (Eph.4:26) Let not the sun go down upon your wrath (In other words, “Do not let that stuff stick around.”): (27) neither give place to the devil. If you are angry, you are “giving place to the devil.” When you are angry, it's because you're in unforgiveness, but we have to forgive everybody, all the time, forever. The very foundation of salvation is forgiveness, and so if you don't forgive, then God doesn't forgive you. Truly “anger resteth in the bosom of fools.” (Eph. 4:31) Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamor, and railing, be put away from you, with all malice (He's not saying, “It's okay to be angry, just do not sin.” He's saying, “Get rid of it!” And if you're having trouble doing this, sometimes it is a demon.): (32) and be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving each other, even as God also in Christ forgave you. Let's go now to (Pro.4:7) Wisdom [is] the principal thing; [therefore] get wisdom; Yea, with all thy getting get understanding. The more understanding you get, the less anger you are going to have. (Rom.8:28) And we know that to them that love God all things work together for good, [even] to them that are called according to [his] purpose. If you believe that all things work together for good to those who love God, then you're not going to be angry at situations, you're not going to be angry at your circumstances. If my dog came into this room right now and did something that dogs do, it would be foolish for me to become angry at that dog, because he's a dog and he's not going to do anything different. He is a dog; he can't be anything different. When your children are toddlers and they stumble and fall, you don't become angry with them, because that's what children do. Children stumble and fall. Life is this way, so would it make sense for you to get angry at the devil for doing what he normally does? That would be a waste of time. He is the devil; he does what he was created to do, and his demons do what they were created to do. Everything that happens around us has a purpose because God is Sovereign. Do not become angry about anything that happens around you, because if you're angry at the circumstances around you, you are angry at God. He is the One who ordained the circumstances around you. He is the Sovereign God (Eph.1:11) … who worketh all things after the counsel of His will. And we read that (Joh.3:27) … A man can receive nothing, except it have been given him from heaven. Do you believe this? If it comes from heaven and you become angry, then you are being angry at God. Don't claim that anger from your lusts of the flesh is righteous indignation; that's just bologna! Be at peace! God doesn't want you to have anger; He wants you to be at peace. So, what about the anger of the Lord? If the Lord moves through you in anger, it is not a personal thing because it is not your anger. The Bible says in (Mar. 3:5) And when He had looked round about on them with anger, being grieved at the hardening of t
In Job 42:7 God says that Job spoke rightly of him while his friends did not. But it is Job who spoke the harshest things about God. How can that be? Zach opens and closes; but in between, 4 YAs (Dylan, Jared, Nicolette, and Caitlyn) share what their table groups discovered about Job's speech about God that rendered him right and his friends wrong and what that has to teach us for when we ourselves are in the midst of suffering.
AFTER BEING imprisoned for a thousand years, Satan returns and leads “the nations that are at the four corners of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them for battle”. Is this Armageddon or a second war altogether?We believe the millennial reign is a literal thousand year period that follows Armageddon, and so the conflict described in Revelation 20:7–10 is a second war. How is it possible if, as we've said in an earlier episode, Gog is the Old Testament concept of Antichrist, and the Beast was thrown in the lake of fire before the thousand years (Rev. 19:20)?Excellent question. To be honest, we don't know. It's possible “Gog” is a title rather than one specific entity. It may also be that because Gog is a spirit being and not a man, the normal rules of life and death don't apply. However, we must admit that amillennialists, who don't believe in a literal thousand-year period of Satan's confinement, would say that the answer is simple: Revelation 20 and Ezekiel 38–39 describe the same war.We disagree, mainly because we find it impossible to believe the world wold be in its present state while Satan is bound and Jesus reigns on Earth.We also discuss the fate of the dead at the Great White Throne Judgment. There appears to be something different about the dead who come from the sea and those given up by Death and Hades. The sea is a biblical symbol of the abyss and primordial chaos (i.e., Leviathan). In Job 26:5–6 we read, “The [Rephaim] tremble under the waters and their inhabitants. Sheol is naked before God, and Abaddon has no covering.” The parallel verses suggest a link between the Rephaim (spirits of the Nephilim destroyed in the Flood) and the sea (the abyss/chaos), and Sheol (place of the dead) and Abaddon (which Derek argued in The Second Coming of Saturn was the Hebrew concept of Tartarus).Note that Job 26:5 in the Septuagint is rendered, “Are not giants brought forth from beneath the water and its neighbors?”In short, we believe Revelation 20:13–14 is not just a description of human dead, but the final judgment of the Nephilim.
No one is truly alone. Some people have many relatives and friends, others just a few. Occasionally, someone will have no real friends or family, but all of us interact with humans, and that over time has proven to be dicey. The health of our relationships is one of the biggest factors in how we function each day. Turmoil and chaos at home or work, or both, puts us in emotional quicksand. On the other hand, healthy relationships in our lives improve our overall health and make us more productive.In Genesis, God modeled right relationships for humans, and this model continues through the Bible right to the end in Revelation. From this, we see that our first priority in relationships is to be in fellowship with our Creator. Get that one right and everything else flows. Following close behind is finding harmony in our human relationships, and getting this right is crucial to finding peace. Ephesians 4:2–3 says, “Be completely humble and gentle. Be patient, bearing with one another in love. Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace.”Most people are familiar with the well-known Bible verses that deal with relationships, such as Paul's wisdom from Ephesians, but Scripture is loaded with helpful and healing relationship commands. We hesitate to call it advice because God doesn't really give advice. He tells us what is good for us and what may be harmful. For example, a fairly obscure passage in Job speaks to mean in any era having healthy relationships with women. In Job 31:1 the suffering man says, “I made a covenant with my eyes not to look with lust at a young woman.” Wow. So simple, yet very important and profound.That chapter goes on to say that God sees all that we do. He's watching how we treat people. Job made it clear that a man can decide he's going to treat women with respect. It isn't complicated or beyond our reach. So often, simply deciding to be a decent human being leads to waves of healing and peace of mind for everyone. Lots of books have been written about relationships, from marriage to raising children, but the best book of all has the best wisdom, and if you check that out, your relationships will thank you. Let's pray.Father God, you've given us the gift of interacting with other people. Each is unique and created special. We ask that you send the Holy Spirit to guide our relationships so that they're pleasing to you and to others. In Jesus' name, amen. Change your shirt, and you can change the world! Save 15% Off your entire purchase of faith-based apparel + gifts at Kerusso.com with code KDD15.
In this sermonRev. Pedram Shirmast explores Job 19 and the bold hope found in the words, I know that my Redeemer lives. Amid personal and global suffering, we're reminded that God doesnt give us tidy answers. He gives us Himself. Tune in for a message of honest faith, deep lament, and unshakable hope. To catch up on the latest sermons from Deep Creek, go to iTunes, Spotify ordeepcreekanglican.comand check out the website for more info about whats happening. We are a welcoming and growing multigenerational church in Doncaster East in Melbourne with refreshing faith in Jesus Christ. We think that looks like being life-giving to the believer, surprising to the world, and strengthening to the weary and doubting. Read the transcript His pain is on full display, but so is his faith. His cry takes us on a journey from desperation to declaration. Here's a quick breakdown of the structure of the chapter: Verses 16: We see that Job rebukes his friends. He's wounded not just by his suffering, but by his friends' words and accusations. He pleads for empathy and understanding. Verses 712: Job expresses his deep sense of God's silence. He turns his attention to God and expresses how he feels abandoned and attacked. He's confused since he believes God is just, yet he feels like he's being punished unjustly. Verses 1322: He lists his total isolation. He paints a picture of complete relational breakdownfamily, friends, servants, everyone, even his wife. Everyone has turned away from him and his social and emotional world has collapsed. Verses 2324: He longs for his words to be remembered and wishes his defense could be recorded forever. He wants future generations to know that his suffering wasn't because of guilt, that there is more to his story than what people can see on the surface. Verses 2527: He declares his hope in a living Redeemer. In one of the most beautiful and faithful passages of this book, Job lifts his eyes and proclaims, I know that my Redeemer lives, and one day he will stand on the earth. Even if he dies, he believes he will see God personally with his own eyes. Verses 2829: He closes by warning his friends not to continue down the path of judgment and condemnation, reminding them that justice ultimately belongs to God, not to humans. As we see, he doesn't sugarcoat his pain. He doesn't offer an easy answer. But somewhere deep inside there is a flame that hasn't gone out. A trust in a God that he cannot see yet, but whom he refuses to stop believing in. There is a crucial reality in our life. The way we understand and interpret God and His character shapes the way we respond to suffering, and the way we experience suffering often reshapes how we think about God. There is a direct and powerful relationship between theology and experience, between who we believe God is and how we live in a valley of sorrow or suffering. So all human societies, even those who are not Christian, have known suffering and evil. I believe we can group people into three major categories based on how they respond to suffering and what they believe about God. The First Category: Those who interpret the existence of suffering as evidence against God This group looks at the world, see all the pain and all the suffering, injustice and grief, and they conclude that there cannot possibly be a good God. Their conclusion is based on two assumptions: If God is all-powerful, He could end suffering. If God is all-loving, He would want to. But the fact is, suffering exists. And the conclusion: Therefore, an all-powerful, all-loving God does not exist. This view is deeply influenced by the visible reality of suffering around them. It makes sense emotionally, but it doesn't account for the unseen dimensions of God's character, His love, His redemptive plan, and His eternal timeline. While this category doesn't so much wrestle with God as it rejects Him, often behind that rejection there is still a deep pain, disappointment, and a yearning for a world that makes sensea yearning for justice that they never experience. The Second Category: Those who believe in God, but whose experience of suffering distorts their view of Him This group does not reject God altogether, but suffering changes how they see Him. Their thinking often goes like this: The first assumption is God exists and He is in control. The second assumption is suffering is a sign of divine displeasure or punishment. And the fact is, suffering exists. They conclude that God must not be good or loving. He must be angry; He must be punishing me or punishing others. Maybe I have to work harder to earn His approval. This is where Job's friends stand. This is their theology. And this view is common in even some other religions for example, in parts of Islamic teaching (where I am from), people are taught that suffering is a sign of punishment from God, a sign of God's wrath and justice. This mindset can be found among some Christians too, especially those from another religious background or others who have grown up with a transactional view of God. They may still carry the idea that if something goes wrong in their life, it must be because God is punishing them. In moments of suffering, they begin to wonder: Maybe I haven't prayed enough. Maybe I haven't served the Lord enough. Maybe I haven't been on the Deep Creek roster enough. Maybe I haven't gone to church enough. Maybe God is angry with me because of all these things. Maybe I failed Him. Maybe I'm facing the consequences of my response to God. Even though they believe in Jesus, the picture of God hasn't fully transformed. They still relate to Him more as a judge than as a loving Father. But the truth is, in Christ, our punishment has already been paid. There is no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. What they need is not more religious effort, but a clearer view of the Redeemer who carried all our guilt and shame on the cross and offers us rest instead of wrath. In this system, people live their lives trying to satisfy God, but the gospel tells us a different story. Jesus came not to pass shame on us, but to carry it. God's response to sin and suffering is not revenge, but redemption. He doesn't demand more sacrifice He becomes the sacrifice Himself. Jesus said on the cross, "It is finished." It is finished. The redemptive work of God it is finished. If we view God primarily as an angry judge, we will live in constant fear, interpreting every trial as punishment. But when we see God's character revealed through Jesus as deeply loving, compassionate, and faithful a suffering God here with us our point of view changes. We see God as a Father: loving, guiding, and refining us even through life's challenges and suffering. The Third Category: Those who trust God even in suffering This group stands in the tension. They know God is all-powerful, they believe God is all-loving, and they also see the undeniable reality of suffering in this world. But instead of rejecting God or reshaping Him into something more manageable, they hold onto Him. An all-powerful God exists, and an all-loving God exists, and the fact is, suffering exists. The conclusion is that God must have a loving reason (which He is able to achieve) for allowing suffering. Let's be honest this is not an easy place to stand. Actually, it's the hardest. It's far simpler to reject God or reshape Him into something easier to accept. But this third way the way of faith requires trust. Even Job is wrestling with that. Job stands on that point of view and struggles. In Job 19:20 he says, "I am nothing but skin and bones; I have escaped only by the skin of my teeth." He laments, "My relatives have gone away; my close friends have forgotten me." The tears are evident from this deep experience he is having. This is not an easy place to stay. Those who stand here don't have all the answers. Like Job, like you and I, like millions of people, they struggle with the same "Why, God?" questions: Why, God why is this happening? They feel the same confusion and frustration. They fail, they grieve, they get angry. But beneath all that, there is a foundation of trust that says, even when I don't understand, I know that my Redeemer lives. Even when I don't see the end of the story, I believe the Author is good. They trust that God is not only sovereign over suffering, but also present in it that He is working all things, yes even the worst things, for the good of those who love Him. They believe in a Redeemer whose redemptive work extends beyond the grave. They live with the hope that one day God will wipe every tear, right every wrong, and renew all things. But let's be honest: standing in this place does not erase the pain and suffering. Not at all. It doesn't give us a tidy answer. The real questions are not "Can God and suffering coexist?" but "Why does God allow it?" and "What has God done about it?" The answer to those questions is not a formula it's a person. That person is Jesus. God did not remain distant from the suffering world. He stepped into it. He suffered with us and for us. He was pierced for our transgressions, crushed for our iniquities, and by His wounds we are healed. So faith doesn't always solve the problem of suffering, but what it offers is an anchor. It reminds us that our Redeemer is alive and He lives and that one day He will stand upon the earth. One day we will see Him face to face. And until then we live not with all the answers, but with a living hope. With all the escalating conflict and pain around us right now, like Job we feel isolated, helpless, and unheard. In that raw place of despair, Job gives voice to the same question we are asking today: Where is God in this? Where is He? His cry echoes our own hearts as we fear for our families, grieve for innocent lives, and wait in silence for news from home. We have moments of helplessness a midnight phone call bearing the worst news, days of no contact with loved ones due to communication cutoffs and we don't know if we'll ever see or hear them again. It's heartbreaking. Around the world in Russia, Ukraine, Gaza, Lebanon, everywhere every day we hear of new suffering. We understand the pain that Job is dealing with. And you know what? It's utterly wrong for us to stand here and pretend we have all the answers, because we don't. This is what Job is living through he doesn't have all the answers. We are looking at Job's story from the future, but he was living it in the moment. He didn't know anything about the behind-the-scenes (the prologue where Satan asks God for permission) or the ending where everything is restored. He knew none of that. He's living in the present. And God doesn't want us to pretend we have all the answers either. In the middle of these painful moments, God gives us permission to grieve, to lament. He gives us, through Job, a language of honest faith honest faith. The Bible never asks us to ignore suffering or sugarcoat it or say everything is fine. God invites us to bring our pain, our questions, our confusion to Him. We see this cry from Psalm 22: "My God, my God, why have You forsaken me?" And Jesus Himself echoed those words from the cross: "Why have You forsaken Me?" The Scripture shows us that wrestling with suffering is not a sign of weak faith. Sometimes people might even say, "Why are you sad or disappointed? Don't you go to church on Sunday? Aren't you a Christian?" Of course we are but that doesn't mean we have all the answers, or that we never feel disappointment, terror, or grief. This is who we are, and God loves us in our honest state. A faith that trusts God enough to bring Him our most broken, angry, and confused prayers is a strong faith. In Job's story just like in the life and death of Jesus Christ we see that God doesn't remain distant from our suffering. He steps into it. He enters the pain. He's not only the God who reigns from heaven, but the God who bleeds with us on earth. And yet, even in the pit of sorrow, Job dares to say something we need to hear now more than ever: "I know that my Redeemer lives." He doesn't know anything else, but he knows that his Redeemer lives. He doesn't say, "I feel that my Redeemer lives," or "I think maybe He does." No he says, "I know, I believe." You may still be asking, "Why, God? Why me? Why does suffering exist at all?" And that's a fair question a good question. The truth is, we are not living in the perfect world that God originally created. He created it and said, "This is good," because God is good and whatever He creates is good. Then, in the very next chapter, sin entered this beautiful world humanity and everything broke. Everything. Our relationships, our bodies, even creation itself. So much of the pain we experience isn't because God is punishing us or taking revenge on us it's because we live in a fallen world. But (and this is important) even in this brokenness, God is not absent. He didn't leave us alone. We caused this, but God didn't let us go. He uses suffering even to grow us, to shape us, and to remind us that this world is not our final home. One day our Redeemer will return and make all things new. In the Book of Job, it turns out the main character is not Job at all it's God. And what Job does is anchor himself to the One he cannot see, but will not stop believing in that his Redeemer is alive, and one day God will make it right. Maybe today that's the only thing some of us can hold on to not answers, not peace, not even resolution, but just the truth that our Redeemer is alive. The One who sees what we cannot see, who knows what we do not know, is still on the throne. Even if this world is breaking, even if our hearts are breaking, our Redeemer has not abandoned us. That's what Job 19 gives us not an explanation, but a declaration. And today, as we sit in grief and tension and uncertainty and complexity, that declaration still stands. Each of us knows how much easier it is to worship God when life is smooth, right? But Job's statement "I know that my Redeemer lives, and He will stand on the earth one day" is one of the most powerful cries and acts of worship in the midst of suffering. Because He lives, we hold on. Because He lives, we cry out. Because He lives, we believe that one day we will stand with Him, and we will be with Him forever. Every war, every missile, every injustice, every tear everything will be answered with His peace, His justice, and His healing. What Do We Do With All These Things? God invites our question. Like Job, like the psalmist, like the Son of God Jesus Christ on the cross, we are invited to bring our hardest questions to God. We don't need to hide them. We don't need to protect God from our honesty. We don't He's big enough to handle our doubts, our grief, and our tears. In fact, our honest cries before God may be one of the purest forms of worship and praise. God understands our pain. He is not far from us. The Christian story is not about a distant, unfeeling deity it is about a suffering God, a crucified Savior. Jesus didn't stay away from our pain; He entered into it completely. He was betrayed, mocked, beaten, and finally killed. He knows what it feels like to cry out and hear silence. When we weep, we weep with a God who has wept too. When we bleed, we bleed in the arms of a God who has scars. This is our hope: God understands truly and personally. God offers hope that goes beyond this life. As John said, the resurrection of Jesus Christ changes everything. It tells us that suffering, death, pain all those things do not get the final word. They may have a chapter in our life, but not the conclusion. As Job declares in the middle of his darkness: "I know that my Redeemer lives." We remember that the cross is not only where God suffers with us, it's where He saves us. Jesus took the punishment we deserve so that we could be forgiven and made whole. That means suffering is not punishment from God in our lives. It may be part of the broken world and its consequences. It may be something God uses to grow us, but it is never, never ever His wrath toward His children because in Christ there is no condemnation. Yes, suffering is real. It's hard. It breaks us open. But it does not mean God has abandoned us. It means we are living in a world that is not yet made new but one day will be. We may not have all the answers to the why, but we know the answer to the Who. His name is Jesus, and He's with us. He's for us, and He will redeem it all. If you take away one thing from this sermon today, it is this: "There is no condemnation for those who are in Christ." Amen.
Today, we're looking at Luke chapter 22. This chapterdescribes the events that took place on Thursday of Passion Week. Remember, onThursday evening, when the sun went down, it was actually the beginning of theJewish day, Friday. This is the day the Passover lamb would be killed. Twothings stand out in this passage to me that I've noticed over the years, and hascaught my attention. I'd love to share it with you today. In verse 7, it says, "Thencame the day of unleavened bread when the Passover must be killed."Now, remember, from the beginning of time, Jesus Christ is the Lamb that wasslain from the foundation of the world (Revelation 13:8). God's plan was that oneday His Son would take our place on an old rugged cross in Jerusalem. Yearsago, I had my attention drawn to the passage in Job 1 that tells us ithappened on a day when Satan appeared before God and accused the brethren.God said, "What about my servant Job?" Satan got God's permission totake Job's wealth and to cause his ten children to be killed in a wind storm(Job 1:6-22). In Job 2, it begins again, "Now there was a day” whenSatan got permission to take away Job's health. Job went on to say, "NakedI came into the world, and naked I'll leave the world. Though the Lord slay me,yet will I trust Him." My friend, this all happened on a day. Everythinghappens on a day. It happened on a day when you were born. You were born in aweek, but it happened on a day. It happened on a day when we trust Jesus Christas our personal Lord and Savior. The day Luke 22:7 is speaking of, is a daythat all eternity looks forward to and looks back to—the day when the Passover,Jesus Christ, the precious Son of God, the Lamb of God, would die on a cross, beingcrucified for our sins. Alsointeresting, in Luke 22:14, it says, "When the hour had come."Not only was it a day, Friday, when Jesus would be killed as our Passover Lamband crucified on a cross, laying down His life voluntarily for you and me, butthere was the hour when this would take place—an exact time that God hadplanned from eternity past. Didyou ever notice how John points out that up to this hour, Jesus could not beharmed or killed. It says in John 7:30, "No one laid a hand on Himbecause His hour had not yet come." In John 8:20, again, itsays they did not lay a hand on Him; they would have liked to stone Him in thatchapter, but “His hour had not come”. Buy then, in John 12:28,just as Jesus goes into the upper room with His disciples, the Scripture says,"The hour has come that the Son of Man should beglorified." Jesus knew when that hour had come. Herein Luke 22:14, when the hour had come, He sat down with the twelve apostles andsaid to them, "With fervent desire I have desired to eat this Passoverwith you before I suffer. For I say to you, I'll no longer eat of it until itis fulfilled in the kingdom of God." Jesus knew when His hour hadcome. In John chapters 13, 14, 15, 16, and 17, it describes what happened inthat hour in the upper room with His disciples and the hour that He would go tothat cross and die in our place for our sins. In John 17:1, in His HighPriestly prayer, Jesus said, "Father, the hour has come." Oh,my friend, Jesus knew the exact time that He would die and be glorified for oursins in our place.Today, you can trust Jesus totake away your sins. Today is the day of salvation. “Behold, now isthe accepted time” (2 Corinthians 6:1-2), the hour for you and me to makethat decision to live our lives for Jesus Christ. I trust you'll do that today.Everything happens in a day and in an hour. Ilove these Scriptures: “The day of Passover came, the hour hadcome”, and Jesus gave His life and was glorified! Godbless!
Pastor Jim Osman tackled many theological and eschatological topics during this engaging question-and-answer session. He first addressed the meaning of Jude 6–7, explaining the domain of angels and their judgment, and clarified his view that angels did not cohabitate with humans. He provided thoughtful answers on Genesis 6's “sons of God,” the identity of the Levites in the future temple, and the nature of sacrifices during the Tribulation. Additional topics included the experience of time and glorified bodies in the Millennium, sleep and seasons in the new creation, the purpose of the Millennial Kingdom, the fate of infants in heaven, and the possible roles of believers in judging angels. The discussion highlighted Osman's pre-tribulational, dispensational perspective and a commitment to biblically grounded answers.Questions AskedIn Jude 6, what habitation did the angels leave, and where did they go?In Jude 7, who are the “they” that committed the same sin as Sodom and Gomorrah?What about the view that fallen angels cohabited with humans (Nephilim)?Who are the “sons of God” in Genesis 6?In Job 1, who are the “sons of God” who came before the Lord?What sacrifices will occur in the future temple during the Tribulation?Who are the Levites today, and how will they be identified for temple service?What will time be like for us in the Millennium in glorified bodies?Will we need to sleep in a glorified body?Why is there a Millennial Kingdom—why not move straight to the new heavens and earth?If heaven is perfect, why would God bring anything from this corrupted creation?What kind of body will we have in the new creation—is it the same as now?Did Adam and Eve have glorified bodies before the fall?Will the new creation have seasons or cycles (like falling leaves)?Will there be marriage or procreation in the eternal state?Will we judge angels, and what does that mean?What happens to infants who die? How will they exist in the eternal state? ★ Support this podcast ★
Pastor Jolene Veenstra will present a message entitled “Learning from Two Church Fathers”, focused on the book of Job 6:21; 12:12; 21:18Late in the Gospel of John, Jesus addresses a strong, energetic, and even reckless apostle, Peter, and tells him of a day in his old age when he will stretch out his hands, and others will lead him where he does not want to go. In Job, we read of a father who is far from old, but the tragedy of circumstances suddenly ages him as he finds himself sitting on the ground in pain and misery. Friends who bring comfort suddenly turn to Job with instructions, lectures, and even harsh accusations. What can we learn from these two church fathers in scripture about ourselves, God, and life together?
What if we let our adversity help us to know God more deeply? In Job 42:5, Job declares that he has now seen God, showing that hardship led him to a deeper revelation of God's presence. Similarly, in John 9, Jesus heals a man born blind—not because of sin, but to reveal God's power—giving him both physical and spiritual sight. We can choose to see Jesus in our adversity, prepare our hearts by knowing Him in the quiet, and recognize that trials—though painful—can be the very places where God's glory is most clearly revealed.
What if we let our adversity help us to know God more deeply? In Job 42:5, Job declares that he has now seen God, showing that hardship led him to a deeper revelation of God's presence. Similarly, in John 9, Jesus heals a man born blind—not because of sin, but to reveal God's power—giving him both physical and spiritual sight. We can choose to see Jesus in our adversity, prepare our hearts by knowing Him in the quiet, and recognize that trials—though painful—can be the very places where God's glory is most clearly revealed.
In this sermon we explore Jobs story of faith in the midst of deep pain with empathy and honesty. This message speaks to anyone who has felt their faith falter amid suffering and unanswered questions. It reminds us that even when our faith weeps, God hears our cries and never leaves our side. Listen in for comfort, hope, and the assurance that you are not alone in your suffering. To catch up on the latest sermons from Deep Creek, go to iTunes, Spotify ordeepcreekanglican.comand check out the website for more info about whats happening. We are a welcoming and growing multigenerational church in Doncaster East in Melbourne with refreshing faith in Jesus Christ. We think that looks like being life-giving to the believer, surprising to the world, and strengthening to the weary and doubting. Read the transcript It's from Job chapter 3, verses 110 and 2026 (page 786 in the red pew Bibles). If you're following along, Job speaks: After this, Job opened his mouth and cursed the day of his birth. He said, "May the day of my birth perish, and the night that said a boy is conceived. That daymay it turn to darkness; may God above not care about it; may no light shine upon it. May gloom and utter darkness claim it once more; may a cloud settle over it; may blackness overwhelm it. That nightmay thick darkness seize it; may it not be included among the days of the year, nor be entered in any of the months. May that night be barren; may no shout of joy be heard in it. May those who curse days curse that day, those who are ready to rouse Leviathan. May its morning stars become dark; may it wait for daylight in vain and not see the first rays of dawn, for it did not shut the doors of the womb on me to hide trouble from my eyes. Why is light given to those in misery, and life to the bitter of soul, to those who long for death that does not come, who search for it more than for hidden treasure, who are filled with gladness and rejoice when they reach the grave? Why is life given to a man whose way is hidden, whom God has hedged in? For sighing has become my daily food; my groans pour out like water. What I feared has come upon me; what I dreaded has happened to me. I have no peace, no quietness; I have no rest, but only turmoil." Good morning, my name is Leili if we haven't met before. And what a privilege it is to be together on this Pentecost day listening to God's Word. There is a side of faith we don't often talk about It's the kind that doesn't always feel strong or cheerful. It's when we still believe, but we're tired, confused, or hurting. Many of us have been in that place, and maybe some of us are there right now. In 1856, Charles Spurgeon, one of the greatest preachers in church history, collapsed into depression after a tragedy struck during one of his sermons. A prankster shouted "Fire!" in a packed venue and the resulting panic killed several people. Though he was not physically harmed, Spurgeon was never the same emotionally. Years later he wrote, "I have been brought very low. My spirits have been depressed so long that I could weep by the hour like a child." He also said, "I have learned to kiss the waves that throw me up against the Rock of Ages." That wave is grief. It is fear. It is despair. But even when faith is bruised, it can still cling. This sermon is for those of us who know what it's like to feel that wave crash over our heads and still believe. And while we weep, it's about what happens when we fall on our kneesnot in worship, but in despair. And yet God is still there. Job was blameless and upright The first two chapters of Job tell us that Job was blameless and upright. He feared God and turned away from evil. He had a large family, great wealth, and respect in the community. Then suddenly the bottom falls outone by one, his livestock are destroyed, his servants killed, and his children found dead. Then he's afflicted with painful sores from head to toe. Job ends up sitting in ashes, scraping himself with broken pottery. For seven days, he and his friends sit in silence. Then in chapter 3, Job finally speaks. What comes out is not a prayer, but a cry of anguish: "May the day of my birth perish." It's important to understand that Job doesnt curse God; he curses his own existence. He wishes he had never been born. Let's pause here. Job's words are dark. They are disturbing, but they are honest. And that honesty is faith. Because real faith does not always look like singing praise songs with a smile. Sometimes it sounds like groaning. It sounds like someone saying, "God, where are you?" Sometimes there is a space for anger, even when it's messy or not fully justified. Have we been there? Not doubting God's existence, but feeling lost in His silence. Job asks, "Why did I not perish at birth? Why is light given to those in misery? What I feared has come upon me." Job doesn't pretend to be strong. He doesn't clean up his grief. In our churches and even among pastors and mature Christians, there's often an expectation to stay positive, to give spiritual answers quickly, or to hide our pain. You may have heard things like, "Where is your faith? Aren't you a Christian? You shouldn't feel like this." Or, "As a pastor, aren't you supposed to have peace?" I've heard things like that myself. People have said to me, "Why are you feeling this way? Don't you trust God more than others? You're a leaderyou help people. How can you be in this place?" Well, Job reminds us that even the faithful can feel broken. Longevity as a Christian, and even leadership, does not make us immune to pain. Sometimes it deepens it. Lament is not a lack of faith Job reminds us that lament is not a lack of faith. It is true faithdeep, honest faith experiencing itself in the midst of pain. It's the kind of faith that stays near enough to God to cry out in confusion. Biblical lament is not complaining without direction; it is pain expressed in the presence of God. Over a third of the Psalms are laments. Lament says, "God, I still believe You're there, so I'm bringing You my sorrow." The question "why" is deeply human. Sometimes it comes from curiosity, like when a child wants to understand the world. Other times it grows out of doubt or protest. In Job's case, it arises from the pain of a world that no longer makes sensewhere suffering doesn't match what we thought we knew of God. And sometimes those "why" questions go unanswered. Not every question gets a resolution. Faith doesn't always mean certainty. It often means learning to live with mystery, trusting God in the silence between questions and answers. I remember a few years ago I was in a season of deep uncertainty. In 2016, while we were in Turkey waiting to be sent to another country, Pedram and I were finally supposed to go to the United States after three long years. But just after receiving the good news and waiting for the next step, the door to the US was suddenly shut to Iranians. Once again, I found myself stuck in a place of waiting and uncertainty. I didn't know what the future held and felt unsettled and exposed at different moments. I found myself asking God why. Why am I in this situation? Why did You allow this? Why don't I feel safe? Why am I not where I thought I would be? These weren't questions born out of unbelief. They came from a place of wrestling and pain. Like Job, I wasn't trying to rebel against God; I was trying to find Him in the midst of confusion. I was searching for understanding in a season that felt completely out of control. But something sacred happened through those questions. The Spirit did not immediately answer them, but He led me to pause, to be still, to sit in silence. And then He gently led me into prayer, not always with words, but with a quiet trust forming deep inside me. It was in that silence that I began to sense God's nearnessnot in explanations, but in presence. The Spirit met me in the questions and gave me the courage to stay close to God, even without answers. Job didn't run from God. He stayed near enough to cry out. His questions didn't disqualify his faith; they were his faith. And like Job, I'm learning that the Spirit often leads us through the questions, not around them. We are not alone in our weakness and our confusion. The Spirit meets us there not with quick fixes but with communionsitting in the dust with us and turning our pain into prayer. Throughout Scripture, we see faithful people who wrestled with despair: Jeremiah cursed the day of his birth. Elijah, exhausted and afraid, cried out, "I've had enough. Lord, take my life." Even Moses and Jonah asked God to let them die. These weren't moments of rebellion; they were moments of deep honesty in the presence of God. And just like with Job, God didn't reject them. He met them in their pain. It's worth noting that Job's theology here is not perfect. He sees death as a relief and escape. But this is not the complete truth we now know through Christ. Death is not rest for all; it is a doorway to either eternal life or judgment (Hebrews 9:27). Still, God does not rebuke Job here. Why? Because Job isn't writing a theological essay. He's breaking under the weight of grief, and God receives that grief. Martin Luther once wrote during a time of intense spiritual darkness, "I spent more than a week in death and hell. I was utterly abandoned by Christ." Even spiritual giants have walked through the valley of shadows. And as Paul says in 2 Corinthians, "When I am weak, then I am strong." True faith wrestles; it doesn't walk away Job loses his wealth, his children, his health, his wife's support, his friends' compassion. He is emotionally, physically, relationally, and spiritually crushed. Job stands in every sense naked before God, and still he does not curse God. This is vital. His words are raw; his grief is real. But he speaks it out not in rebellion, but in relationship. He hasn't walked away from God; he just doesn't understand Him. That's a key difference. Job asks, "Why is life given to the bitter of soul? Why is life given to a man whom God has hedged in?" These aren't rhetorical questions; they are personal. He wants answers. And we've been there too. Even Jesus cried, "My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?" God is not offended by our honest questions. In fact, they may be the most honest worship we offer. Jesus chose suffering And Job doesn't stay stuck. His questions point forward to One greater than Job. Unlike Job, Jesus chose suffering. He stepped into pain for our sake. He too was innocent. He too was misunderstood, betrayed, and abandoned. In Gethsemane, He said, "My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death." But Jesus didn't run from the cross. He said, "Not My will, but Yours." On the cross, Jesus bore not just sin, but sorrow. And because He rose again, our sorrow and suffering are no longer pointless; they are being transformed. This means that in our suffering, we are not abandoned. Jesus has gone before us. He is the Man of Sorrows who understands firsthand. We don't need to fake joy when our hearts are broken. God values authenticity. He gave us the Psalms of lament for a reason. Lord, You see my pain, but I feel alone. My tears are my food day and night. I want to trust You, but my heart is broken. Speak, Lord, even through the silence. Restore to me the hope I've lost. Lament is a form of worship. It keeps the conversation going when we feel like giving up. If Job, Jeremiah, Elijah, Moses, and even Jesus poured out their sorrow before God, then surely we are invited to do the same. Job's friends eventually failed him (and we'll hear more about that next week). But their silence in the beginning was beautiful. Sometimes just sitting with someone is enough. Carry each other's burdens We are called to carry each other's burdens (Galatians 6). Let's be that kind of churcha place where people can bring their sorrow without fear or judgment, where grief is not silenced but embraced with compassion. Sometimes healing begins when suffering is shared, and often sharing starts with a simple act of love. Get to know one another. Ask deep questions. Take time for a coffee. Listen without rushing to fix. Pray with and for one another. Remind each other of God's love, especially when it's hard to feel. Sometimes it's just a text message that says, "I see you. I'm here. You are not alone." This is how we carry each other's burdens: not by having all the answers, but by showing up with presence, kindness, and grace. When we stand with one another, we reflect the heart of Christ. Suffering will not have the final word The cross shows us that God doesn't avoid suffering; He enters it. And the resurrection promises that suffering will not have the final word. Job saw shadows. We see the light, and we know one day all tears will be wiped away. Friends, faith does weep. But it also waits.It clings. It groans and it grows even in silence. If all we can say today is "Why, God?" then let that be our offering. Let our tears be our prayers. God may not always give us full answers in this life, but He gives us something greater. He gives us Himself. Last Monday at our Encounter Night, we reflected on Psalm23. Verse 4 reminds us: Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I will fear no evil, for You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me. (Psalm 23:4) That's the assurance we hold onto: even in despair, we are not alone. And as Job's story unfolds, he doesn't get all the answers he wants, but he meets God. So maybe in our silence, in our tears, in our questions, and in our darkest valley, we may just find a Redeemer who still lives and who walks with us. We are not groaning alone Here is the wonder of Pentecost: the Spirit has been poured out not to erase our pain, but to accompany us in it. In that place where words run outwhere all we have are sighs or silenceRomans8 reminds us: In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us through wordless groans. And He who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for God's people in accordance with the will of God. (Romans 8:2627) Romans 8 doesn't say, "Stop groaning." It says, "You groan." Creation groans. And the Spirit groans too. He doesn't just help us pray; He becomes our prayer. Our groans are met with His groans. Our vulnerability is not a barrier to God. It's where the Spirit goes to work most intimately. We are caught up in a divine solidaritya holy, Trinitarian response to suffering. The Spirit doesn't stand at a distance. He comes close. He joins us. He prays within us even when we have no words. God is not just above us or beside us, but within us. And even in our weeping, He is working. Before we close, I want to give us a moment to breathe. To let our soul be still. To let the Holy Spirit gently surface what's buried beneath the surface. What laments do I carry today that feel too deep for words? Can I sit in silence and trust that the Spirit is praying within me? How does knowing the Spirit groans with me change how I see my suffering? Faith doesn't silence our sorrow; it brings it to God. And in the groaning, the Spirit groans with us. Let us pray. God of all comfort. You see our tears. You hear our cries. Even when we don't have the words, You understand. Meet us in our suffering. Thank You for the Spirit who prays within us when words fail and hope feels distant. Teach us to trust You in the silence. Help us to draw near, not because we have the answers, but because You are near to the brokenhearted. Remind us today that we are never alone, even in our deepest sorrow. You are with us. Amen.
THE BOOK OF RUTH| GOD'S RESTORATION PLAN| Preservation and Prospective Living| Discipleship |Session-19| 2025| CHIMDI OHAHUNA Welcome to another episode where we draw lessons and focus on Ruth 1:7-11 and Job 29:18, highlighting the themes of preservation, the importance of a prospective mindset, and the actions that align us with God's will. In life's journey, preservation is our greatest priority, especially in times of distress. Life is far more valuable than luxury. As believers, understanding this principle is crucial. When you're facing challenges or experiencing hardships, reveals that God is boasting about you. Every challenge you encounter is a sign of God's trust in you. Rather than merely observing the difficulties surrounding you, concentrate on what God is doing. Your trials shouldn't be interpreted as defeat, but as a testimony of God's confidence in you. Just as Job faced immense suffering yet remained steadfast, we too can find strength in the assurance that God has a purpose for our lives during trying times. In Job 29, we discover that God has secret things meant for us that align our paths and destinies. When the secret of God is upon your tabernacle, it directs you towards your purpose. It's vital to seek these divine secrets. True faith manifests through action. Helping the poor or those who are vulnerable should be a natural response in our lives, aligning with the compassionate heart of God. Living solely in retrospect hinders our ability to perceive God's preservation in our lives. It can create a cycle of depression, as we become obsessed with what has been lost rather than focusing on the present and the future that God offers. Every moment spent grieving over the past is essentially a moment wasted. Instead, we must make the present count. Living in the past can trap us in a denial of our future. God calls us to look forward, to embrace a prospective life. When we approach God, we should come with the expectation of what He can do next in our lives rather than dwelling on stale memories. Prospect invigorates our spirits; it fuels our desire to fulfill our God-given destinies. The dangers of becoming ensnared in retrospective thinking can be likened to a cancer that slowly erodes our hope and joy. Every time we entertain thoughts of regret or loss, we risk giving power to those negative feelings. In contrast, a prospective mindset leads us to engage positively with God's promises. An example is the story of the prodigal son, who despite losing everything, found the courage to return to his father with a prospective heart. Regardless of the losses you may have experienced, there is always hope for the present and the future. Recognize that God's grace is sufficient, and with it, you can embrace your journey moving forward. Moreover, depression often finds its roots in a retrospective viewpoint where one engages deeply with past failures and disappointments, allowing the enemy to sow seeds of despair. Instead, choose to engage with God, viewing your past through the lens of God's unending love and future potential. This teaching reveals that preservation is life, not merely luxury. Every challenge we face is an opportunity to demonstrate God's mighty hand at work. Seek the secrets of God, engage actively with those in need, and choose to live prospectively. Your future is bright as long as you remain focused on what lies ahead. Embrace God's promises, let them guide your steps, and remember, no matter the trials or losses you may face, the potential for a beautiful future remains firmly in your grasp. Thank you for joining and listening to the full teaching session. Carry these lessons from Ruth with you as you navigate your own life journey, and let God's preservation and purpose shine brightly in all that you do. Subscribe to stay connected and receive more insights as we continue our study of the Book of Ruth! Jesus is Lord.
Wednesday, 4 June 2025 And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. But rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell. Matthew 10:28 “And you fear not from those killing the body, and the soul not being able to kill. But more you fear the ‘being able also soul and body to destroy in Gehenna'” (CG). In the previous verse, Jesus told His apostles, “What I tell you in the darkness, you speak in the light, and what to the ear you hear, proclaim upon the roofs!” He now continues with this line of instruction, beginning with, “And you fear not from those killing the body, and the soul not being able to kill.” Jesus introduces a new word, apokteinó, to kill outright. Figuratively, it means to destroy or put to death. It is derived from apo, from, and kteinó, to kill. Thus, it is more forceful than the word kill. Despite that, English translations generally say kill, not making a distinction between the words. The words of Jesus, even without being finished, provide the hope of life beyond this earthly life. Otherwise, if the body died, the soul would die too. As Jesus is the promised One of God, His words then refute the doctrine of the Sadducees, who claimed there is no resurrection (Matthew 22:23, Acts 23:8). Either this would be the case, or the soul that lived after the body would be forever separated from the body, something the Bible doesn't teach. As such, their doctrine was completely unscriptural. Jesus told the apostles to boldly herald His instruction using the idea of proclaiming it from the housetops to make the point poignant. However, His words now are intended for them to understand that there may be consequences for this. Those who hear may be upset to the point that they would come after them and kill them for their words. Despite this, and even if this were the case, the soul would remain alive, even with the body in a state of death. Understanding this, He next says, “But more you fear the ‘being able also soul and body to destroy in Gehenna.'” Throughout the church age, these words have been fretted over by mushy scholars who cannot fathom that God would send someone to destruction, failing to realize that the God of the New Testament is the same God of the Old Testament. The coming of Jesus changes nothing in His nature. Rather, Jesus was sent to save men, but not all men will be saved. The words clearly point to this fact. What would be the point of the apostles going forth to obtain converts if nobody were to face Gehenna? It would mean that those who received their message would be on the same footing as those who rejected it and killed them. To get around this, these misdirected souls say that the words are speaking not of God but of the devil, as if the devil has the power to destroy those who are not saved by God. This would only move God back one step from the destruction process as He is ultimately in control of all things. Or it would mean that God is actually not in control of all things and unable to save the souls He sent Jesus into the world to save. It would mean that God's plan for redeeming humanity was only partially effective. In Job, Satan was prohibited from taking Job's life, demonstrating that God is even in control of that part of the equation. In the New Testament, we are implored to stand against the wiles of the devil (Ephesians 6:11), be sober and vigilant when considering the devil (1 Peter 5:8), and resist the devil (James 4:7). Hebrews 2:14 says that the devil holds the power of death. This is true. Man fell because of the work of the devil. In that act, sin entered the world and death through sin (Romans 5:12). Life terminating in death is the default state of man. But the devil has no power beyond that. Rather, the word says in James 4:12 that there is one Lawgiver who is able to save and to destroy. In Revelation 20:10, the devil is cast into the Lake of Fire. Only after that does it say that Death and Hades were cast into the Lake of Fire (Revelation 20:14) and that anyone not found written in the Book of Life will be cast into the Lake of Fire (Revelation 20:15). Clearly, Jesus' words here are referring to God in judgment against unrepentant man (see Revelation 21:8). The devil does not possess this power. Rather, he only holds the power of death over those who are not redeemed. Jesus, having prevailed over death, has secured eternal life and freedom from death for those who are saved through Him. As such, we are not to fear those who can kill our bodies but not our souls. We are to fear God, who alone has the ability to destroy body and soul. Additionally, the words here, when rightly considered, confirm the doctrine of free will. There are those who will accept the word and those who will reject it. Otherwise, what would be the point of the apostles sharing the word in the first place? Life application: Although this verse in Matthew doesn't specifically explain if there is eternal punishment or not, the Bible makes it clear that God doesn't just throw people into the Lake of Fire where they are incinerated and terminated (the doctrine of annihilationism). Rather, the Bible explains elsewhere that hell is eternal. This is not intended to “scare people into heaven.” Rather, it is a truth that the Bible proclaims. Focusing too much on hell causes one to miss the wonder of God's grace found in the giving of His Son for us. We are not saved to go to heaven, we are saved from our default position, which is condemnation (John 3:18, etc.). Heaven is a result of being saved by God through the precious blood of Jesus Christ. Tell people today about the grace of God that has redirected human souls to the glorious path of life and restoration! Tell people about Jesus! Lord God, how grateful we are to You for Your wonderful plan of salvation through the giving of Christ Jesus to redeem us to Yourself. We stand in awe of what You have done. Forever and ever we will praise You for the marvel and majesty of Jesus Christ our Lord. Halleluiah and Amen.
In Job 40, God speaks again—not to explain, but to reveal. He points Job to Behemoth, a creature so powerful that no human can control it. And yet, God does. This moment isn't about answers—it's about awe. Through His words, God shows Job that His authority extends over everything, even what we cannot understand or manage. Behemoth stands as a reminder: what is impossible for us is fully governed by God. In our suffering, when life feels chaotic or out of control, we are invited to trust the One who holds even Behemoth in His hand. God doesn't diminish Job—He draws him into wonder. And He does the same for us. The wild is not wild to God. He reigns over it all.
It has been said that a good laugh can completely change your day for the better. Why is comedy so important?The Bible is filled with example after example of laughter being a vital and valuable gift from God. For example:In Job 8:21, it says, ““He will once again fill your mouth with laughter and your lips with shouts of joy."“A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a broken heart saps a person's strength.” – Proverbs 17:22.Psalm 126:2 says, “We were filled with laughter and we sang for joy. And the other nations said, ‘What amazing things the Lord has done for them.'"And from Ecclesiastes 2:2: “Laughter is silly. What good does it do to seek pleasure?"Well … it has been scientifically proven that comedy entertains and connects us in a way that drama and seriousness does not. Comedy addresses difficult topics in such a way that it provides a break from the world bearing down on us. Needless to say, there is great value in the ability to entertain and uplift. Making someone laugh just … feels … good.Carrie Murphy claims that she is the funniest Christian you will ever meet … or at least she thinks so. A rising comedian out of Nashville, she is also a published writer and speaker who has shared the stage with Matthew West, Grammy Award winner CeCe Winans, Tasha Layton, and many more. It is her passion to make everyone feel seen, included, and shame-free in the name of Jesus! Murphy, who currently has 9-part comedy special on KLOVE, joins us to talk about how life is too short to be serious all the time. Listen as she explains that as Christians, we can laugh and be God honoring because our Creator made laughter for everyone.
Our lives are full of “before and after” moments—what we were like before this and before that, what the world was like before this and after that. We can point to significant before/after moments in our own lives. We can see them clearly on the pages of Scripture. The wise man, Job, had a major before/after moment. In Job's account, we can see what Job was like before, during, and after his trial. Before his trial, he was the ideal man, fearing God, shunning evil, and anxious concerning the eternity of his children. He was ready for what was coming. There is another before/after moment that prepares us for whatever comes. Knowing that this day was coming filled even Job with eternal hope (cf. Job 19:23-27). He counted on the ideal Man, Jesus, the Son of God. He counted on his coming. The Messiah would be (and he was!) truly blameless and upright; he feared God alone and shunned evil. Yet, he suffered unspeakable injustice and then became the sacrifice for all humanity. This is the One we see raised from the dead this day! His blood has paid the price. His resurrection assures us that the check cleared. The Devil has no claim on him NOR US. This is our most important “after.” We live after the resurrection of Jesus and look forward to our own. And so, we'll rise early each day, fearing the Lord, shunning evil, and being anxious for the eternity of the people in our lives.
In Job 1:8, “the Lord said unto Satan, Hast thou considered my servant Job, that feareth God, and escheweth evil?”This moment is pivotal because it shows that Job wasn't just noticed by God, he was recommended by God. That alone speaks volumes.When God calls someone “my servant,” it's not just a title; it's an endorsement of trust, faithfulness, and character. In Job's case, God wasn't setting him up to suffer; He was setting him up to shine, to silence the accusations of the enemy with a life that would prove genuine even under pressure.Closing Songs:I'm a Soldier In the Army of The Lord by Bobby JonesI Shall Wear A Crown by Bruce Parhamwww.BibleDeliverance.org
Daily Devotional - Job 11:1-20 - Bold Words, Harsh Judgements: Zophar SpeaksSometimes the people closest to us don't understand our pain. In Job 11, Zophar makes bold claims about Job's suffering, assuming guilt instead of offering grace.
Daily Devotional - Job 10:1-22 - A Heart Full of Questions: Job's Cry to GodHave you ever asked God why?Why me? Why now? Why this pain?Job did too—and God didn't turn him away.
Daily Devotional - Job 5:1-27 - False Comfort: Eliphaz Offers Advice Without UnderstandingSometimes people mean well... but their words miss the mark.
Daily Devotional - Job 4:1-21 - When Friends Speak: Eliphaz Break The SilenceHave you ever poured out your pain—only to be met with judgment instead of comfort? That's what happened to Job.
A Sermon for the Third Sunday in Lent by the Rev'd Dr. Matthew Colvin In Dante's Inferno, the Italian poet's lurid imagination has created a special circle of hell as a punishment for thieves: because they are sinners who did not distinguish between what was their own and what belonged to someone else, they are punished (in Dante's imagination) by a blurring of the lines distinguishing their own bodies and nature from those of something else: monstrous lizards chase them down as they run in terror, and when they catch up with them, they jump onto them, clasp them with their four legs, and fuse their lizard bodies together with their human bodies, producing a horrific human-lizard hybrid. It is one of the creepiest and most disgusting punishments in the Inferno, and when I read it, my skin crawls. A similar revulsion is evoked by parasites. My fellow American missionaries in the Philippines used to joke, whenever they came back to the United States and got a stomachache, that it was caused by their Philippine parasites becoming unhappy with American food. My wife has seen a pregnant woman cough up a five inch worm, still twitching. I could multiply examples, but you get the point: parasites are uniquely disgusting because they violate our bodies and live inside us against our will. Demon-possession is like this, except that the violation is even more severe: a malevolent and powerful spiritual entity dwelling within a human being, controlling his speech and actions, his mind and body, against his will. This sort of parasitism is subtly implied in an oddity of the language in Luke 11 :14: “And he was casting out a demon, and it was mute.” Who was mute? The gender of “it” is neutered, which matches the word for demon, daimonion. Yet the very next sentence says, “So it was, when the demon had gone out, that the mute spoke.” Do you see how the properties of the demon are the properties of the man it possesses? This should make your skin crawl. It's very evil. The sorts of frightful scenes of violence depicted in the movie The Exorcist are not actually far fetched in comparison with the actions of demon-possessed persons in the Bible: cutting themselves, breaking chains, attacking people and “prevailing against them so that they flee naked and wounded”, speaking with other voices, throwing the possessed person into fire or water. No wonder the Jews wanted to get rid of demons. One of the marks of a great rabbi was that his teachings were authenticated by miracles, including the exorcism of demons. This was a popular piece of Jewish wonder-working. Acts chapter 19 speaks of “vagabond Jewish exorcists”. The historian Josephus tells how such people operated: “I have seen a certain man of my own country, whose name was Eleazar, releasing people that were demoniacal in the presence of Vespasian, and his sons, and his captains, and the whole multitude of his soldiers. The manner of the cure was this: He put a ring that had a Foot of one of those sorts mentioned by Solomon to the nostrils of the demoniac, after which he drew out the demon through his nostrils; and when the man fell down immediately, he abjured him to return into him no more, making still mention of Solomon, and reciting the incantations which he composed. And when Eleazar would persuade and demonstrate to the spectators that he had such a power, he set a little way off a cup or basin full of water, and commanded the demon, as he went out of the man, to overturn it, and thereby to let the spectators know that he had left the man.” – Flavius Josephus, Antiquities of the Jews. By contrast with this, Jesus simply commands the unclean spirits, and they come out. There is no struggle; when demons see that Jesus has arrived, rhey normally beg for mercy before he even says anything. And it is interesting to hear the language they use. In Luke 4, “Now in the synagogue there was a man who had a spirit of an unclean demon. And he cried out with a loud voice, saying, “Let us alone! What have we to do with You, Jesus of Nazareth? Did You come to destroy us? I know who You are— the Holy One of God!”” (Luke 4:33-34) and again, in Matthew 8: “And suddenly they cried out, saying, “What have we to do with You, Jesus, You Son of God? Have You come here to torment us before the time?”” (Matthew 8:29) Before the time. These demons know that they are doomed (so their wickedness is also deliberate sin against knowledge), and what's more, they know there is a scheduled day in history when they are to be destroyed. What's surprising to them is to discover that that day has suddenly come forward and is upon them already in the person of Jesus. It is very much like the exchange between Martha of Bethany and Jesus when he comes to raise Lazarus in John 11:23: “Your brother will rise again.” “Martha said to Him, “I know that he will rise again in the resurrection at the last day.” Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live.” The expected future resurrection — that event “at the last day” — turns out to have a human face, and he is here now, in 33 AD. So with the demons: they think that they can continue to possess people until the resurrection and judgment, unaware that in the person of Jesus, the judgment is upon them now. 33 AD. Anno Domini. Jesus, from the moment of his baptism in the Jordan river, began to announce that He was himself the fulfillment of the OT's prophecies of the coming kingdom of God. His healings and driving out demons; his parables and commandments; His baptism and transfiguration — everything spoke of His office as the Messiah, “a savior, who is Christ the Lord”. When John's disciples ask Jesus, “Are you the coming one, or do we wait for another?”, He had no need to plead his own cause and use persuasive arguments to convince them of His messiahship. His answer is “Go and tell John the things that you see and hear: “The blind see and the lame walk; the lepers are cleansed and the deaf hear; the dead are raised up and the poor have the gospel preached to them.” That is to say, His actions already matched the job description that Israel knew from the prophets, especially Isaiah. His vanquishing of demons was a sign with the same meaning as the others: behold, your King. And yet we are told by the fourth gospel that Jesus “came unto His own, and His own did not receive Him.” So we are confronted with the question: Why did they refuse to believe in him? 15 But some of them said, “He casts out demons by Beelzebub, the ruler of the demons.” This is why the ascribing of Jesus' miracles to the devil is unforgiveable — not that it is especially worse in seriousness than, say, blaspheming against the Father, but that it removes the possibility of salvation. If you mistake the fireman for a bad guy, you're not going to let him remove you from a burning house. 16 Others, testing Him, sought from Him a sign from heaven. These people are “testing him” – the same verb used of Satan's temptation of Jesus in the wilderness, and indeed, their request for a “sign from heaven” is a renewal of Satan's suggestions that Jesus should perform a gratuitous miracle to force people to believe in Him. Let's remember that He has just cast out a demon. So they are asking for another miracle to authenticate the first miracle. What end will there be of such doubt? If miracles could compel faith, these people would have believed already. Jesus' reply has three parts. His first response is to point out how illogical it is to imagine that Satan, whose goal is to oppress human beings and subject them to demonic power, would sabotage his own work by freeing anyone from demonic power. His second argument is even more pointed, and to understand its full force we must recognize the echo of the OT and the narrative situation that echo calls up. He asks them, “If I cast out demons by Beelzebub, by whom do your sons cast them out? Therefore they will be your judges. But if I cast out demons with the finger of God (ἐν δακτύλῳ θεοῦ), surely the kingdom of God has come upon you.” This is a very direct reference to a prominent Old Testament passage, Exodus 8:17-19. It is near the beginning of the ten plagues. Already Moses has inflicted two plagues on Egypt: he has turned the water to blood, and he has brought forth frogs on the land. Amusingly enough, Pharaoh's magicians did so with their enchantments — with the result that there was even more water turned to blood, and even more slimy frogs hopping around Egypt. Pharaoh's administration kept the Israelites in bondage not only by physical whips and brutal oppression, but also by projecting a spurious aura of competence and knowledge, so that they have a wise ability to control events. We see this in our own day, when the Federal Government has so thoroughly persuaded everyone that it can save us, that when a hurricane strikes a coastal city, there are people who blame the Federal disaster relief agencies and the government for not doing more; when evil people shoot schoolchildren, the government must “do something about it”; and our diets must be dictated to us with a food pyramid based on scientific research; synthetic pharmaceuticals must be prescribed for every ailment according to the wisdom of scientists. These wonder-workers are able to put a man on tbe moon; how, then, can we doubt their wisdom. Do not even imagine that there is another way, or another truth. So it is in Egypt bedore the Exodus. As in our day, so in Egypt there was a “ fascination with wisdom, which, in addition to imitating the great regimes, represented an effort to rationalize reality, that is, to package it in manageable portions”. In our day, this wisdom is technological, statistical, scientific. In ancient Egypt it was priestly and magical. And so, even though it means more water turned to blood, and more frogs on the land, Pharaoh's magicians must by all means show that they can replicate the miracles of Moses. The wizard's duel is crucial to maintaining the supremacy of Pharaoh's regime. He has the best magicians. Anything Moses can do, they can do too. But then, something happens: Aaron stretched out his hand with his rod and struck the dust of the earth, and it became lice on man and beast…Now the magicians so worked with their enchantments to bring forth lice, but they could not. So there were lice on man and beast. Then the magicians said to Pharaoh, “This is the finger of God.” As one writer (W. Brueggemann) comments: “The Egyptian empire could not! The gods of Egypt could not! The scientists of the regime could not! The imperial religion was dead! The politics of oppression had failed! That is the ultimate criticism, that the assured and alleged power of the dominant culture is now shown to be fraudulent. Criticism is not carping and denouncing. It is asserting that false claims to authority and power cannot keep their promises, which they could not in the face of the free God, [the God of Moses]. It is only a matter of time until they are dead on the seashore.” Jesus' words, “The finger of God” call up in his listeners' minds the contest between Moses and the magicians of Pharaoh. Jesus' accusers are failing to recognize that He is in the position of Moses and Aaron. They and their “sons” — that is, their disciples — are in the place of the magicians of Pharaoh. By whom do they cast out demons? Oh, that's right, they don't. They cannot do what Jesus has done, so they are discredited as judges — and this in the Biblical sense of the word (think Samson, Deborah, Barak). They cannot save. By connecting his actions to Moses' miracles in the Exodus, Jesus is implying that He is the agent of a new Exodus; that the time of salvation has come. Those who oppose that salvation and ascribe His work to the devil are in the position of Pharaoh and Pharaoh's magicians: not only are they powerless to do what He does, but they are actually opposing God's salvation. Jesus' deliverance of the mute, demon-possessed man is actually an instance of that basic conflict, and a preliminary step to the ultimate conquest and final defeat of Satan. He compares himself to a violent house-robber who has defeated the strong man guarding the house; and he contrasts that image with the ineffectual efforts of others before him. A friend of mine once had bats and squirrels living in his attic. By careful use of humane traps, he eventually got rid of them, and raccoons moved in. Once that happened, he decided the time for gentleness was past, and he got his .22 and a dog. Just like that, Jesus suggests that the house of Israel has been cleansed of its idolatry, but it is now suffering something far worse: nowhere in the OT do we hear of anyone possessed by a demon. But demons are seemingly lurking everywhere in the gospels. Past cleansings of Israel have been ineffective, like a situation where seven worse demons move into a man who used to have one. Jesus' intention — for those whom he drove demons out of; for his people Israel; and ultimately for the world, is a permanent and effectual pest-removal. But notice the scenario that Jesus describes: When a strong man, fully armed, guards his own palace, his goods are in peace. 22 But when a stronger than he comes upon him and overcomes him, he takes from him all his armor in which he trusted, and divides his spoils. 23 He who is not with Me is against Me, and he who does not gather with Me scatters. This is the prelude to a thorough plundering of all of Satan's dominion over this fallen world. Remember when Satan tempted Jesus? He took him up on a mountain and offered him all the kingdoms of the world if he would bow down and worship him. It is a real estate transaction: that is the significance of taking Jesus up on a mountain and showing him all the kingdoms. God does a similar thing with Abraham, telling him to look at the land of Canaan, “for all the land which you see I give to you and your descendants forever.” (Genesis 13:15) Satan was offering to trade Jesus the kingdoms of the world. Jesus refused, because he does not make bargains with Satan. His intention is to defeat him, and disarm him, and take away his dominion. And the Bible shows us how that happened: “Then I saw an angel coming down from heaven, having the key to the bottomless pit and a great chain in his hand. He laid hold of the dragon, that serpent of old, who is the Devil and Satan, and bound him for a thousand years; and he cast him into the bottomless pit, and shut him up, and set a seal on him, so that he should deceive the nations no more till the thousand years were finished. But after these things he must be released for a little while.” (Revelation 20:1-3) The Gentiles are no longer under the domination of demons. No one is worshipping Thor or Zeus or Baal anymore. And when Satan is released one last time, it is only so that he can be thrown into the lake of fire after he shows how unrepentant he is. So, with the house cleansed, what happens now? God has got rid of the demons, and He intends to dwell in this house Himself. Our gospel lesson closes with Jesus' response to a woman in the crowd who calls his mother blessed: “Blessed is the womb that bore You and the breasts which nursed you!” Mary is certainly blessed. But that blessedness was not merely a matter of giving birth to Jesus. Remember that Mary responded to the angel, “Behold the maidservant of the Lord! Let it be to me according to your word.” Mary, as a symbol of faithful Israel, submits herself to God and to His purposes. The result is that God honors her obedience by coming to dwell within her. So too with us. “Blessed are those who hear the word of God and obey it,” for God dwells with them. Now that raises one last issue. I have a number of different quotations I'm going to share with you concerning the relationship of obedience and bodily resurrection and our individuality. Some of you have read CS Lewis' Screwtape Letters? They are a series of fictitious letters in which Lewis pretends that one demon, a senior demon who has a lot of experience, is writing to a junior demon all kinds advice about how to tempt a man and lead him to Hell. C.S. Lewis said this was the most difficult of all his works to write. There was something oppressive and depressing about channeling an evil voice and writing in this style for so many pages. Well, here's what Uncle Screw tape advises his junior devil Wormword about human beings:what God wants to do with human beings. He says, “But the obedience which the Enemy demands of men is quite a different thing. One must face the fact that all the talk about His love for men, and His service being perfect freedom, is not (as one would gladly believe) mere propaganda, but an appalling truth. He really does want to fill the universe with a lot of loathsome little replicas of Himself--creatures, whose life, on its miniature scale, will be qualitatively like His own, not because He has absorbed them but because their wills freely conform to His. We want cattle who can finally become food; He wants servants who can finally become sons. We want to suck in, He wants to give out. We are empty and would be filled; He is full and flows over. Our war aim is a world in which Our Father Below has drawn all other beings into himself: the Enemy wants a world full of beings united to Him but still distinct.” Still distinct! Remember what was so creepy about that demon possessed man in our gospel reading this morning was that he didn't seem to be himself. And the demon speaks out of him. The demon is mute, and he is mute. He's lost his distinctiveness. It's like that Dante lizard people, fused with the demon. The Roman emperor Marcus Aurelius was a Stoic philosopher, not a Christian. In fact, he was a persecutor of Christians, even though he has a reputation as a wise emperor. We happen to have his private journal Marcus Aurelius' Meditations, everything he was thinking about his spiritual life. Even though he's the wealthiest man in the world, the most powerful man in the world, the emperor of Rome, we can tell from reading what he writes in his meditations. He was terrified of dying. He was not looking forward to it, and he was desperate for any philosophical help that could give him some comfort, some assurance in the face of this terrifying fact of death that seemed inevitable. His solution to the problem was to cling to the hope that his rational soul, his rationality, his sense of reason, was divine. The body, it's going to rot; it's going to disappear. It's going to become collrupt, but the soul, the rational soul, when you die, it's going to be caught up into the divine fire and become one with God. In Stoicism, they thought that the sun is God, the divine fire that everything else that's rational in the universe is a little bit of the divine fire. It's in your soul. And so when your body dies, whoosh! — Up your soul goes and joins God. If I were to take two flames and join them together, there'd be one flame. That's the way they think about it. And so Marcus Aurelius says, “That's not the person your mother gave birth to. And that divine fire is not part of your body that your mother gest stated and gave birth to. Then he asked his question, the mask slips for a minute and he says, “But what if you're inextricably linked to it through your sense of individuality” — meaning, what if you're really tied to your body by being an individual human being? What if that's what makes you an individual human being is that you have a body that is the center of your consciousness and your agency and you look out of your eyes from your body and you interact with other people and shake hands with them and embrace them and speak to them face to face and see them, and they see you because you have a body and they have a body. And that's what it means for you to be an individual. So if that's what it means for you to be you, is that you have a body, then it's not much comfort to think that your soul is going to be absorbed into the bigger fire of God. Then where are you? There's God, but where are you? So he says, “What if you're inextricably linked to the body through your sense of individuality?” And he he can't answer the question, so he immediately says, “That's not what we're talking about here.” “I don't want to think about that.” It's so scary. It really would feel like standing on the edge of a deep abyss. if when you die, you lose your individuality and you're not you more. Because you'll have body anymore, and you've been absorbed into God. That's not that different from what Screwtape was talking about: the demons would like to absorb you. Marcus Aurelius shies away from the full force of his own pantheism and from the horrible consequences that it has for individuality. Two more quotations. In Job chapter 19, we have those famous words of Job about resurrection. He says, “I know that my Redeemer lives and that the last he will stand upon the earth, and after my skin has been thus destroyed, yet in my flesh I will see God, whom I shall see for myself, and my eyes shall behold him. I, and not another! My heart faints within me.” Job says he's going to see God. Job in his individuality and his identity is going to see God because he's going to have a body and eyeballs that look at him. One last business. On the day of Pentecost, we have some fire, but it isn't individual souls getting absorbed into God. Rather it's tongues of fire coming down from God and resting on individuals who are filled with God's Spirit, and when they are filled, do they lose their individuality? No, they start speaking, respectively, all their different languages that their hearers know from where they grew up. So when God fills us with His spirit, he doesn't rob us of our identity. He doesn't absorb us into himself, but he fills us with himself and makes us more who we are, and that is why the resurrection of the body that we confess in our creed is a great comfort because it assures us that we, each of you individually, who you are when you are raised from the dead, you “and not another” will see God and be in relationship with him. Let's pray. Heavenly Father we thank you that you've given us victory over Satan and his demons, that you have assured us that you have called us to yourself. You have given us your spirit and you desire to dwell within us and make us into a holy temple fit for your dwelling. Help us by faith to cling to Christ in whose service is perfect freedom. We pray in his name. Amen.
Have you ever watched a wild animal in its element—completely free, completely untamed? A mountain goat giving birth on the cliffs, far from human sight. A wild ox, powerful and stubborn. A war horse, fearless in battle, charging into the fray without hesitation. Who teaches them to live this way? Who gives them their strength, their instincts, their wild beauty? In Job 39, God continues His speech from the whirlwind, taking Job on a tour of the natural world—not the parts that are tamed and domesticated, but the creatures that answer only to Him. The message is clear: The world does not need Job's wisdom to run. It is already in the hands of its Creator. The Rev. Charles St. Onge, LCMS Missionary pastor to Ascension Lutheran Church in Montreal, Quebec, joins the Rev. Dr. Phil Booe to study Job 39. Why do the righteous suffer? That's the burning question at the heart of the book of Job—one of the most profound and challenging books in all of Scripture. From a Lutheran perspective, Job's story isn't just about a man enduring unimaginable hardship; it's about wrestling with God's will, grappling with well-meaning but misguided advice, and ultimately finding comfort in God's grace rather than human understanding. As Job's friends offer simplistic answers, Job demands the truth, and God's response reminds us of His infinite wisdom and mercy. Through it all, we see glimpses of Christ—the truly innocent sufferer—who redeems our pain and points us to the cross, where suffering meets salvation. Join us as we journey through Job, confronting tough questions about faith, suffering, and God's mysterious ways with hope grounded in Christ alone. Thy Strong Word, hosted by Rev. Dr. Phil Booe, pastor of St. John Lutheran Church of Luverne, MN, reveals the light of our salvation in Christ through study of God's Word, breaking our darkness with His redeeming light. Each weekday, two pastors fix our eyes on Jesus by considering Holy Scripture, verse by verse, in order to be strengthened in the Word and be equipped to faithfully serve in our daily vocations. Submit comments or questions to: thystrongword@kfuo.org.
The debate has been raging. Job has insisted on his innocence. His friends stubbornly clung to their belief that suffering must be the result of sin. Then came Elihu—young, passionate, and unwilling to let either side go unchallenged. He has listened long enough, and now he speaks. In Job 34 and 25, Elihu sharpens his argument. He turns his focus entirely to God's justice, confronting Job's complaints head-on. Does the Almighty pervert justice? Can the One who governs the world with perfect wisdom ever be accused of wrongdoing? The question is no longer about Job's suffering alone. Now, it's about the very nature of divine justice itself. The Rev. Brandon Metcalf, associate pastor at Zion Lutheran Church in Bethalto, IL, joins the Rev. Dr. Phil Booe to study Job 34 and 35. Why do the righteous suffer? That's the burning question at the heart of the book of Job—one of the most profound and challenging books in all of Scripture. From a Lutheran perspective, Job's story isn't just about a man enduring unimaginable hardship; it's about wrestling with God's will, grappling with well-meaning but misguided advice, and ultimately finding comfort in God's grace rather than human understanding. As Job's friends offer simplistic answers, Job demands the truth, and God's response reminds us of His infinite wisdom and mercy. Through it all, we see glimpses of Christ—the truly innocent sufferer—who redeems our pain and points us to the cross, where suffering meets salvation. Join us as we journey through Job, confronting tough questions about faith, suffering, and God's mysterious ways with hope grounded in Christ alone. Thy Strong Word, hosted by Rev. Dr. Phil Booe, pastor of St. John Lutheran Church of Luverne, MN, reveals the light of our salvation in Christ through study of God's Word, breaking our darkness with His redeeming light. Each weekday, two pastors fix our eyes on Jesus by considering Holy Scripture, verse by verse, in order to be strengthened in the Word and be equipped to faithfully serve in our daily vocations. Submit comments or questions to: thystrongword@kfuo.org.
The debate has been raging. Job has insisted on his innocence. His friends stubbornly clung to their belief that suffering must be the result of sin. Then came Elihu—young, passionate, and unwilling to let either side go unchallenged. He has listened long enough, and now he speaks. In Job 34 and 25, Elihu sharpens his argument. He turns his focus entirely to God's justice, confronting Job's complaints head-on. Does the Almighty pervert justice? Can the One who governs the world with perfect wisdom ever be accused of wrongdoing? The question is no longer about Job's suffering alone. Now, it's about the very nature of divine justice itself. The Rev. Brandon Metcalf, associate pastor at Zion Lutheran Church in Bethalto, IL, joins the Rev. Dr. Phil Booe to study Job 34 and 35. Why do the righteous suffer? That's the burning question at the heart of the book of Job—one of the most profound and challenging books in all of Scripture. From a Lutheran perspective, Job's story isn't just about a man enduring unimaginable hardship; it's about wrestling with God's will, grappling with well-meaning but misguided advice, and ultimately finding comfort in God's grace rather than human understanding. As Job's friends offer simplistic answers, Job demands the truth, and God's response reminds us of His infinite wisdom and mercy. Through it all, we see glimpses of Christ—the truly innocent sufferer—who redeems our pain and points us to the cross, where suffering meets salvation. Join us as we journey through Job, confronting tough questions about faith, suffering, and God's mysterious ways with hope grounded in Christ alone. Thy Strong Word, hosted by Rev. Dr. Phil Booe, pastor of St. John Lutheran Church of Luverne, MN, reveals the light of our salvation in Christ through study of God's Word, breaking our darkness with His redeeming light. Each weekday, two pastors fix our eyes on Jesus by considering Holy Scripture, verse by verse, in order to be strengthened in the Word and be equipped to faithfully serve in our daily vocations. Submit comments or questions to: thystrongword@kfuo.org.
In Job 42:2, Job declares, “I know that thou canst do every thing, and that no thought can be withholden from thee.” After enduring immense suffering and questioning, Job reaches a powerful realization—God's plans are unstoppable, and His sovereignty is unshakable. Join us as we unpack the significance of trusting in God's perfect will, even when life feels uncertain. How does this truth impact our faith, our struggles, and our daily walk with Him?
Job has had enough of his friends' empty words. In Job 26, he shifts his focus from their bad theology to the majesty of God, describing His power over creation in a speech that reminds us how little we truly understand of His ways. Then, in Job 27, Job boldly declares that he will not deny his integrity, refusing to accept their claim that his suffering proves his guilt. Is Job being defiant, or is this a statement of unwavering faith? And what does it mean to trust in God's righteousness when everything seems lost? The Rev. Dr. Michael Morehouse, pastor of Catalina Lutheran Church in Tucson, AZ, joins the Rev. Dr. Phil Booe to study Job 26-27. Why do the righteous suffer? That's the burning question at the heart of the book of Job—one of the most profound and challenging books in all of Scripture. From a Lutheran perspective, Job's story isn't just about a man enduring unimaginable hardship; it's about wrestling with God's will, grappling with well-meaning but misguided advice, and ultimately finding comfort in God's grace rather than human understanding. As Job's friends offer simplistic answers, Job demands the truth, and God's response reminds us of His infinite wisdom and mercy. Through it all, we see glimpses of Christ—the truly innocent sufferer—who redeems our pain and points us to the cross, where suffering meets salvation. Join us as we journey through Job, confronting tough questions about faith, suffering, and God's mysterious ways with hope grounded in Christ alone. Thy Strong Word, hosted by Rev. Dr. Phil Booe, pastor of St. John Lutheran Church of Luverne, MN, reveals the light of our salvation in Christ through study of God's Word, breaking our darkness with His redeeming light. Each weekday, two pastors fix our eyes on Jesus by considering Holy Scripture, verse by verse, in order to be strengthened in the Word and be equipped to faithfully serve in our daily vocations. Submit comments or questions to: thystrongword@kfuo.org.
“How do you know what your life will be like tomorrow? Your life is like the morning fog—it’s here a little while, then it’s gone.” (James 4:14 NLT) It’s been said that inside every old person is a young person wondering what in the world just happened. Life is a fast-moving ride. And if you’re not aware of just how quickly it moves, there’s a lot you might miss. The Bible makes the same point in much more eloquent terms. In Job 9:25–26, Job says, “My life passes more swiftly than a runner. It flees away without a glimpse of happiness. It disappears like a swift papyrus boat, like an eagle swooping down on its prey” (NLT). And David says in Psalm 39:4–7, “Lord, remind me how brief my time on earth will be. Remind me that my days are numbered—how fleeting my life is. You have made my life no longer than the width of my hand. My entire lifetime is just a moment to you; at best, each of us is but a breath. We are merely moving shadows, and all our busy rushing ends in nothing. We heap up wealth, not knowing who will spend it. And so, Lord, where do I put my hope? My only hope is in you” (NLT). We’re all rushing headlong to what lies beyond this life. And that’s a scary thought to some. Actor William Shatner, of Star Trek fame, once said, “I’m so not ready to die. It petrifies me. I go alone. I go to a place I don’t know. It might be painful. It might be the end. My thought is that it’s the end. I become nameless, and I spent a lifetime being known.” Someone needs to tell William Shatner that there’s a God in Heaven who loves him, and that he can know where he’s going after he dies. He can go to Heaven if he puts his faith in Jesus Christ, and he can live long and prosper. In the meantime, we must make the most of our brief stay in this world. In the passage above, James asks, “How do you know what your life will be like tomorrow?” What he’s really asking is, “What kind of life are you living? What are you doing with this precious gift called life right now?” If you want to get more specific, you could change the question to “What are you doing with the precious gift of your marriage?” Or with your family or other loved ones. Time is passing quickly for them, too. One of the best strategies for living life well is found in Proverbs 3:6: “Seek his will in all you do, and he will show you which path to take.” God knows every possible path that’s laid out before you. He knows where each decision will take you. He knows the routes that will lead to fulfillment, joy, growth, and maturity. And He knows the dead-ends. If you trust in Him and ask Him to guide you according to His will, He will help you make the most of your brief time in this world. Life is short. Live it well. — Listen to the Greg Laurie Podcast Become a Harvest PartnerSupport the show: https://harvest.org/supportSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
In Job 38, we read of one of the many questions asked in the book: Hast thou entered into the treasures of the snow? Pastor Evans reveals many spiritual treasures that can be found in snow.
In Job 40, God calls Job a faultfinder. He invites Job to respond. Job wisely chooses silence, and God continues to speak. Do you desire to plead your case before God? Do you have a few things to say to God about life?
In Job 36 and 37, the young man Elihu extols God's greatness and proclaims God's majesty. These are his final words before the Lord Himself speaks in chapter 38. We can't wait. Do you praise the majesty of God?
Welcome to Connections Church Online! Pastor John Gorter joins us with a message from Job 19:25-27, titled “My Redeemer Lives.” Is it OK to desire honor? To be well-thought-of in the community and respected by family, classmates, coworkers, and others? But there are times in our lives when we lose our honor: rejection by family or friends, failure in a school or work project, false rumors spread, loss of dignity when aging or getting dementia. In Job 19:25-27 we see that someone is there to restore our honor. Visit our website: https://myconnections.church/
In Job 29 and 30, Job has been speaking since chapter 26. He continues his discourse summarizing his defense in these two chapters. Do you long for the good old days? Were they really that good?
Ever had a friend who, with the best intentions, just completely missed the mark? You're pouring out your heart, and they hit you with, “well, everything happens for a reason”—yeah, thanks for that. When we face suffering, well-meaning friends often try to offer wisdom—sometimes helpful, sometimes not so much. In Job 4, Eliphaz steps forward with what he believes is sound advice, drawing from his own experience and understanding of God's justice. But does his counsel bring clarity, or does it miss the deeper reality of Job's suffering? The Rev. Roger Mullet, pastor of Prince of Peace Lutheran Church in Buffalo, WY, joins the Rev. Dr. Phil Booe to study Job 4. Thy Strong Word, hosted by Rev. Dr. Phil Booe, pastor of St. John Lutheran Church of Luverne, MN, reveals the light of our salvation in Christ through study of God's Word, breaking our darkness with His redeeming light. Each weekday, two pastors fix our eyes on Jesus by considering Holy Scripture, verse by verse, in order to be strengthened in the Word and be equipped to faithfully serve in our daily vocations. Submit comments or questions to: thystrongword@kfuo.org.
In Job 28, Job continues his discourse after Bildad's last argument in chapter 25. This time, Job asks where is wisdom? Are you wise? Where do you search for wisdom?
In Job 27, Job begins speaking, saying he will maintain his integrity. How is your personal integrity?
In Job 25 and 26, Bildad has something to say to Job concerning righteousness. Job gives his reply that God's majesty is unsearchable. Man cannot be righteous before a God who is majestic and unsearchable. Do you comprehend God?
In Job 23 and 24, Job responds to Eliphaz's accusation that he is exceedingly wicked. Job's response covers two chapters. Do you have the freedom in Christ to argue before God?
In Job 22, Eliphaz declares Job's wickedness must be great! “Can a man be profitable to God?” (v. 2). Do you think God needs you?
In Job 21, Job responds to Zophar's argument that the wicked suffer. Job argues the wicked also prosper. Do you see the wicked prosper? Do you curse God as they do?
In Job 20, Zophar speaks. He talks about how the wicked will suffer. Yet, we see wickedness prosper all around us. Do you get judgmental, or do you trust the justice of God?
In Job 16 and 17, Job responds to Eliphaz's accusation that he did not fear God. He has a pity party, poor me. Are you in the midst of a pity party?
In Job 15, his friend, Eliphaz, accuses Job of not fearing God. Do you fear God? Does anybody know you do? Can you defend your faith?
In Job 13 and 14, Job continues to respond to Zophar. He wants to plead his case to God, not his friends. He wants to know why this is happening to him. You too may want to plead your case to God. You too may want to know why.
In Job 12, Job responds to Zophar's accusations in Job 11. He ridicules his counsel. Surely you have given advice, but how much did you really know about the circumstances? Zophar had no knowledge of the deal God and Satan made in heaven. Are you careful as you counsel others based on your limited information?
In Job 11, Job's third friend, Zophar, speaks. He says Job deserves worse. Sometimes the help we seek from our friends is no help at all. Where is your help in time of need?
On today's Bible Answer Man broadcast, Hank shares on the Tree of Life, the two Gardens, and Golgotha.Hank also answers the following questions:How can I start reading the Bible without getting confused? Jeremy - Fresno, CA (4:08)What is your take on the rapture? Juan - Modesto, CA (8:44)Can you explain Ezekiel's vision of the wheel within a wheel? Curtis - Antioch, TN (15:13)I debated with a friend on whether Jesus died or not. Was I right to say that He died in his humanity? Norris - Memphis, TN (17:00)In Job 2:1-2, had Satan already been cast out of heaven? Norris - Memphis, TN (18:29)Is there subordination within the Trinity? Kevin - Chicago, IL (21:03)I heard a statement that all religions lead to heaven. Can you clarify this? If I am Jewish and I died, would I go to heaven? Holly - Topeka, KS (22:08)
On today's Bible Answer Man broadcast (12/05/24), Hank answers the following questions:Is it considered murder when a soldier takes someone's life? Paul - Oklahoma City, OK (1:00)How does the killing and murder distinction apply to the abortion issue? Paul - Oklahoma City, OK (6:52)Can you explain the passage where Jesus says, “we are gods”? Bobby - Griffith, GA (7:55)Can you explain Ezekiel's vision of the wheel within a wheel? Curtis - Antioch, TN (15:13)I debated with a friend on whether Jesus died or not. Was I right to say that He died in his humanity? Norris - Memphis, TN (17:00)In Job 2:1-2, had Satan already been cast out of heaven? Norris - Memphis, TN (18:28)Is there subordination within the Trinity? Kevin - Chicago, IL (21:03)I heard a statement that all religions lead to heaven. Can you clarify this? If I am Jewish and I died, would I go to heaven? Holly - Topeka, KS (22:08)
Welcome to Day 2516 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom – Theology Thursday – My Guardian Angel – I Dare You Not To Bore Me With The Bible. Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2516 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2516 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Today is the thirty-third lesson in our segment, Theology Thursday. Utilizing excerpts from a book titled: I Dare You Not To Bore Me With The Bible written by Hebrew Bible scholar and professor the late Dr. Michael S Heiser, we will invest a couple of years going through the entire Bible, exploring short Biblical lessons that you may not have received in Bible classes or Church. The Bible is a wonderful book. Its pages reveal the epic story of God's redemption of humankind and the long, bitter conflict against evil. Yet it's also a book that seems strange to us. While God's Word was written for us, it wasn't written to us. Today's lesson is: My Guardian Angel. “Every time a bell rings, an angel gets its wings.” These are familiar words for those of us who follow the holiday tradition of watching the classic film It's a Wonderful Life. The angel Clarence helps George Bailey discover the unseen but tremendous significance his mundane life played in the lives of others. It's a heartwarming story, full of hope and encouragement. But what about its theology? Are guardian angels—like Clarence—really biblical? Jesus' words in Matthew 18:10 suggest the answer is yes: “Beware that you don't look down on any of these little ones. For I tell you that in heaven their angels are always in the presence of my heavenly Father. The passage affirms that children have angels who represent them before God. Where did Matthew get such an idea? In Job 5:1, angels are presented as mediators between God and people. Job's friend Eliphaz challenges him: “Cry for help, but will anyone answer you? Which of the angels[a] will help you? Eliphaz presumes that angels would act as mediators between God and Job. This understanding was common in the biblical world. Ancient Mesopotamians, for example, believed that humans had “personal gods” who could appeal for them before the assembly of gods. We no longer need a mediator. Through His death and resurrection, Jesus now intercedes on our behalf before God (1 Tim 2:5). But the New Testament still describes angels as having an immediate ministry to believers, as demonstrated by Hebrews 1:14: Therefore, angels are only servants—spirits sent to care for people who will inherit salvation. Also, the narrative in Acts 12 shows us a continued connection between angels and people. After an angel frees Peter from prison and execution, Peter goes to the house of his fellow believers (12:6-10). Those inside don't believe the servant girl's report that he is at the door. They reply, “It must be his angel!” (12:15). This statement testifies to the early Christian...
“O that I knew where I might find Him!” — Job 23:3 In Job's uttermost extremity he cried after the Lord. The longing desire of an afflicted child of God is once more to see his Father's face. His first prayer is not “O that I might be healed of the disease which now festers […]