Josh’s Thoughts

Blog On Hold While I Move January 30, 2007

Hi, folks. I am putting the blog on hold for 1-2 weeks while I move. The Lord has blessed me with an apartment just 1 mile away from where I work (I have been having to drive around 30 miles to work). Things will be pretty hectic for the next week or two, so I think it will be best to put my blog on hold for a few days. I should be picking it up again sometime next week.

If you want to be notified when I start writing again then there are two ways that you can do it. First, if you are a friend on Facebook, then you just have to keep an eye on your news feed and it should let you know the next time that I post a note. Facebook is automatically importing my blogs, so you’ll see it as a new note on your Facebook news. If you’re not on Facebook then you can subscribe to my blog by clicking on “Complete Feed” under “Subscribe” on the right side of this page. You have to use some sort of news reader. If you do not already have a news reader then I recommend using the Google Reader. It is free and very easy to use. It is located at www.google.com/reader.

Of course, if you don’t want to bother with news feeds and all of that stuff, then you can just check my blog sometime around the middle of next week 🙂

Until next week…God bless!

Job 36:15 – Deliverance Through Affliction January 24, 2007

Job 36:15 HCSB
(15) God rescues the afflicted by afflicting them;
He instructs them by means of their torment.

This Scripture has always fascinated me, ever since I first noticed it about a year ago. If you’re familiar with the Book of Job then you know that Job is composed mostly of dialogues between Job and his four friends. Three of the four friends aren’t worth listening to (they say a lot of things that are incorrect, because they are trying to understand what is happening to Job through their own wisdom instead of through God’s wisdom), but the guy who speaks last–Elihu–has his head on straight. The reason that I mention that is because it is Elihu who says the words found in Job 36:15:

Job 36:15 HCSB
(15) God rescues the afflicted by afflicting them;
He instructs them by means of their torment.

When I first read this I thought, “Wow, God really does things backwards, doesn’t He?” It took me a little while to realize that it’s us who do things backwards, not God. You see, I’ve often wondered what life would be like if it were completely free from any sort of toil, hardship, and stress. I used to think about how great it would be, but now I’ve started to realize that it is our ability to overcome those things that makes us human–that’s what makes us feel alive. I don’t think I’d ever be satisfied if there were no challenges in life. Sure, Heaven might be that way, but we’re going to be changed in some fundamental ways before we go to Heaven, too.

On the other hand, sometimes I wish that life didn’t have quite so much hardship to overcome! Sometimes it just seems so…rough! There’s work & school, work & school, work & school in this never-ending cycle. Then we have to deal with things like being sick (like I am right now), dealing with emotional distress, pain, loneliness, fears, etc. Sometimes it’s enough to make a person just want to scream!

But when I start to feel like screaming I remember the words of Elihu. I remember that the afflictions we go through are designed to make us better–they are designed to rescue us.

I was talking to a friend the other night who recently broke up with her boyfriend. I was telling her about my break-up a few years ago with my fiance, and we were comparing stories and things that we learned. As I was talking to her I was thinking about all the emotional pain and turmoil that my break-up with my ex entailed, but I was also thinking about all of the ways that I have become a better person as a result of that break-up. I learned so much about myself through that relationship. Now that I look back on it I realize that I never would have been happy if we had gotten married. That’s nothing against my ex, she’s a great woman, it’s just that I realize we weren’t compatible. Much better to find that out before we got married then afterwards!

So I guess you could say that God took my affliction and used it to make me a better person. To rescue me, in a sense.

I suppose what it boils down to is that we have to go through afflictions in life no matter what we do. But when we do it with God, He takes those afflictions and torments and turns them around for our good. There’s hardship in life whether we’re saved or unsaved, Christian or non-Christian, but the way that we approach those hardships–and the One that we approach them with–makes all the difference.

Like Paul said:

Rom 8:28, 35-39 GNB
(28) We know that in all things God works for good with those who love him, those whom he has called according to his purpose.
(35) Who, then, can separate us from the love of Christ? Can trouble do it, or hardship or persecution or hunger or poverty or danger or death?
(36) As the scripture says, “For your sake we are in danger of death at all times; we are treated like sheep that are going to be slaughtered.”
(37) No, in all these things we have complete victory through him who loved us!
(38) For I am certain that nothing can separate us from his love: neither death nor life, neither angels nor other heavenly rulers or powers, neither the present nor the future,
(39) neither the world above nor the world below—there is nothing in all creation that will ever be able to separate us from the love of God which is ours through Christ Jesus our Lord.

Mat. 19:16-19 – Which Commandments? January 19, 2007

Mat 19:16-19 ESV
(16) And behold, a man came up to him, saying, “Teacher, what good deed must I do to have eternal life?”
(17) And he said to him, “Why do you ask me about what is good? There is only one who is good. If you would enter life, keep the commandments.”
(18) He said to him, “Which ones?” And Jesus said, “You shall not murder, You shall not commit adultery, You shall not steal, You shall not bear false witness,
(19) Honor your father and mother, and, You shall love your neighbor as yourself.”

I’ve always found this story a little bit funny, even though I do feel sorry for the poor guy who was asking Jesus the questions.

The reason that I find this story so funny is because of the second question that the guy asked Jesus. You see, the first question was alright: “What good deed must I do to have eternal life?” Of course, good deeds won’t get us into Heaven, so the guy was already a little bit off track, but I’m willing to cut him some slack since he may not have spent much time around Jesus yet.

What happens next is pretty funny, though. Jesus answers the guy by basically saying, “Dude, you know what to do–you’re a Jew! Keep the commandments!” Now maybe I’m reading a little bit too much into this story, but it seems to me that the guy must have felt a little stupid right then, because the next question he asks is really, really dumb.

He asks, “Errr yeah, I know that I need to keep the commandments, Jesus…but uhmmm which ones?”

Now, if I were Jesus, I would have been like, “What part of keep the commandments do you not understand?!?! Keep ALL of them, dummy!”

I guess that’s one of the many reasons I’m not Jesus–He has so much more patience than me.

Anyway, this story sums up the heart of many Christians today. They want to follow Jesus, but they’re only willing to give God so much. I know how easy it is to fall into this trap, because I find myself doing it all the time. I’ll find myself trying to cut little mental deals with God. I find myself figuring I can lose my temper just a little bit, because overall I’m being more good than I am bad. I find myself figuring that I can check out that cute co-worker when she bends over to pick something up and her shirt falls away from her chest, because it’s not like I’m sleeping around or anything, right?

Wrong.

Jesus doesn’t cut deals. He wants all or nothing.

Oh, don’t get me wrong. Jesus’ mercy covers us when we mess up. The problem is when we start thinking that we can sin just a little bit and let mercy cover it. We know that we’ve got a problem when we start thinking that it really doesn’t matter what we do on Saturday night, because God’s mercy will cover it by Sunday morning.

The Apostle Paul summed it up so well when he wrote:

Rom 6:1-2 GNB
(1) What shall we say, then? Should we continue to live in sin so that God’s grace will increase?
(2) Certainly not! We have died to sin—how then can we go on living in it?

So, I say again: When we blow it, God’s mercy will cover us. But we’ve got a problem when we start trying to figure out exactly how much we can get away with.

I write this blog for myself (like I do all of my blogs) because I have so often found myself trying to make these little deals with God. I find myself thinking that I’m not doing the really bad sins, so the little sins are probably OK. Fortunately, God, in His grace, treats me like he did the guy who questioned him so many years ago. Instead of writing me off when I start disobeying His commandments, He shows me compassion and pulls me back to Him.

And for that I am eternally thankful. 

Mat. 18:21-22 – Some Thoughts On Forgiveness January 18, 2007

Mat 18:21-22 GNB
(21) Then Peter came to Jesus and asked, “Lord, if my brother keeps on sinning against me, how many times do I have to forgive him? Seven times?”
(22) “No, not seven times,” answered Jesus, “but seventy times seven…”

I heard this Scripture preached a lot when I was growing up. I heard a lot about forgiving people when they have wronged me. But something stuck out to me today when I read it. I noticed that someone has to keep wronging you for you to have to keep forgiving them.

Think about that for a second.

If we have to forgive someone twice, then that means they wronged us twice. If we have to forgive them three times, then that means they wronged us three times. If we have to forgive them seven times, like Peter suggested, then that means they wronged us seven times.

And if we have to forgive someone 490 times, like Jesus said to do, then that means that they must have wronged us 490 times.

I find it hard enough to forgive someone once! Much less 490 times!

I was meditating on this Scripture today, and I realized that there is another thing–aside from a person continuing to wrong us–that could cause us to have to keep on forgiving them. It’s our memories. Sometimes people do things that are so horrible–so terribly rotten and wrong–that we have to keep on battling those memories. We find ourselves having to keep on forgiving them again…and again…and again…and again.

I think that’s why Jesus made it clear that He wants us to keep on forgiving. The more that we struggle with memories, the more that we should forgive those who gave us those memories.

I guess what it boils down to is that forgiveness is better for us than holding grudges and bitterness and painful memories. I’ve heard it said many times that “bitterness only hurts the person who is bitter,” and I think that statement is very true. If someone wrongs me and I hold onto what they did and stew and stress over it, then I only hurt myself. I don’t do a thing to them!

Be that as it may, none of us will ever be able to forgive to the extent that Jesus forgives, simply because none of us have ever been wronged on the level that He was wronged! None of us have ever been betrayed to death by the ones who should have defended us. None of us have had all of our closest friends leave us on our death bed. When we consider what Jesus went through, and when we realize that He did it for us, and that He forgave us in spite of our unworthiness–for we did not do anything to earn His forgiveness except to ask Him for it–then it becomes a little easier to forgive those who have wronged us.

Finally, I can’t leave the subject of forgiveness without pointing out that there are two extremes of Christians when it comes to forgiveness: Those who have never learned how to forgive, and those who have never been seriously hurt and so they judge those who are struggling with forgiveness.

If you are in the first category then I urge you, for your own spiritual good, to learn how to forgive. Learn how to forgive people even when they don’t ask for forgiveness, and when they aren’t even sorry for what they did. Forgiving them doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t seek closure, it just means that you’re letting go of whatever it was that they did–no matter how terrible it was–and you’re deciding to leave it in the hands of God and to go on with your life. It means that you’re refusing to let the person who hurt you be the person who destroys you.

If you are in the second category then I urge you to not ever, ever judge someone who is struggling with forgiveness until you have walked the road that they have walked. I have friends who have had things done to them that I cannot imagine. Who am I to sit here on my holier-than-thou-pedestal and judge them when they struggle with forgiving the person who hurt them? Yes, they need to forgive, but I am going to help them, not judge them.

One more point: No matter which camp you’re in–the camp that can’t learn to forgive or the camp that judges those who refuse to forgive–remember that forgiveness is all about mercy. If God gave mercy to us, then who are we to refuse it to others? If you have been hurt then you will find so much peace in showing mercy to the one who hurt you. If you are one who judges those who struggle with forgiveness then you should stop judging them and start showing mercy to them, and in doing so you will find favor with God.

Mat. 17:10-13 – Maybe It’s An Angel January 17, 2007

I was reading in Matthew today, and I came across this passage:

Mat 17:10-13 GNB
(10) Then the disciples asked Jesus, “Why do the teachers of the Law say that Elijah has to come first?”
(11) “Elijah is indeed coming first,” answered Jesus, “and he will get everything ready.
(12) But I tell you that Elijah has already come and people did not recognize him, but treated him just as they pleased. In the same way they will also mistreat the Son of Man.”
(13) Then the disciples understood that he was talking to them about John the Baptist.

When I read those verses I was reminded of this Scripture:

Heb 13:2 ESV
(2) Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for thereby some have entertained angels unawares.

I don’t know if the author of Hebrews was thinking about the story in Matthew when he penned these words, but I think that the two Scriptures are very closely related. It fascinates me that Jesus said that people would not have treated John the Baptist the way that they did if they had known who he really was. Whether or not John the Baptist was literally Elijah sent back to Earth or not I do not know, but he was the fulfillment of the prophecy that said that Elijah would return to Earth before the Messiah came (Mal. 4:5-6).

The practicality of all of this is easy to understand when we compare it with Hebrews 13:2. It’s obvious that sometimes, for purposes unknown to us, God puts angels into our lives in human form. This seems almost unbelievable to us in our modern, scientific mind set, but the author of Hebrews took it very seriously. He instructed Christians to “show hospitality to strangers,” because sometimes those strangers were really angels.

That’s an interesting thought.

If it happened back then, I don’t see why it can’t happen today.

I wonder how different our reactions would be to the homeless person begging for a quarter, or the addict shivering on the street, if we thought of them as potential angels.

Crazy? Maybe. But I don’t see why some of them couldn’t be. I don’t know why God would do something like that, but maybe it’s more for us than it is for them. After all, isn’t it better to give than to receive?

Mat. 16:21-26 – God vs. Me January 16, 2007

Sorry for the delay in posting, folks. I had a few busy days of school from Saturday through today (not counting Sunday, but I use Sunday for a day of church and rest, so I don’t blog or anything then!). Anyway, I should be back to writing again tomorrow.

Until then, here’s a Scripture passage to meditate on.

Mat 16:21-26 GW
(21) From that time on Jesus began to inform his disciples that he had to go to Jerusalem. There he would have to suffer a lot because of the leaders, chief priests, and scribes. He would be killed, but on the third day he would be brought back to life.
(22) Peter took him aside and objected to this. He said, “Heaven forbid, Lord! This must never happen to you!”
(23) But Jesus turned and said to Peter, “Get out of my way, Satan! You are tempting me to sin. You aren’t thinking the way God thinks but the way humans think.”
(24) Then Jesus said to his disciples, “Those who want to come with me must say no to the things they want, pick up their crosses, and follow me.
(25) Those who want to save their lives will lose them. But those who lose their lives for me will find them.
(26) What good will it do for people to win the whole world and lose their lives? Or what will a person give in exchange for life?

My friend Bunty and I were talking about this passage today–we were talking about how God is looking for people who will follow Him, not people who just pay lip service to Him. It’s kind of like friendship–people who will claim to be your friends are a dime a dozen, but you know who your true friends are when the going gets rough.

Being Christian involves saying no to the things that we want sometimes, and choosing to follow Christ instead of following our own desires.

Just something to think about…

Mat. 12:19-21 – A Bent Reed and A Flickering Lamp January 12, 2007

Mat 12:19-21 ESV
(19) He will not quarrel or cry aloud, nor will anyone hear his voice in the streets;
(20) a bruised reed he will not break, and a smoldering wick he will not quench, until he brings justice to victory;
(21) and in his name the Gentiles will hope.”

This is one of my favorite prophecies about Jesus. The original prophecy is found in Isaiah 42:1-3, and Matthew quotes it here to as one of his proofs that Jesus really was the Messiah.

The reason that I like this passage so much is because of these words:

Mat 12:20 ESV
(20) a bruised reed he will not break…

I did a little research into this a few months ago, and I found out some interesting stuff.

The reed that Isaiah was talking about was a reed that is native to the Mediterranean area. It was used to make a lot of stuff (and it is still used today). Here’s a partial list:

Musical instruments like the oboe, clarinet, saxophone, flutes, pan pipes, and pipe organs; Utility devices like walking sticks, fishing poles, baskets, brooms, mats, screens, and walls of houses; Medicine.

An interesting fact about this reed is that it was almost indestructible. You could blow it down in a strong wind, but it would stand right back up. You could bend it, and it would straighten right back out. No matter what you did to it the thing it just kept popping right back up.

There was one thing that could make it useless, though, and that was for it to be bruised. The word bruised means that it got battered, cracked, or broken. When one of these reeds got bruised then it became weak. It was good for nothing. When people needed some material and they found a bruised reed, they would just destroy it and get it out of the way.

The reason that this is all so awesome is because Isaiah made it clear that Jesus wouldn’t break a bruised reed. Why would Isaiah say something like that? Bruised reeds are good for nothing! But Isaiah said that Jesus wouldn’t do it.

Of course, this is symbolic. What Isaiah wanted us to understand is that sometimes we are the bruised reeds. Sometimes we go through so many things in life, and we just keep popping back, but then something happens and we get bruised. The fight goes out of us. We just can’t take it anymore. We wonder why anyone would even bother with us.

But Isaiah promised that Jesus would take the time for us. You see, a bruised reed could be restored. It just took a little work. And Jesus was more than happy to do it.

He still is today.

I know that there have been times in my life where I’ve just wanted to give up. Times that I’ve just said enough is enough, and I’ve honestly prayed to die. But Jesus always took the time for this bruised reed, and I can promise you that He’ll do the same for you.

Isaiah ends the prophecy with these words: “In [Jesus’] Name the Gentiles will hope.”

What a beautiful way to end a prophecy.

We have hope of a better tomorrow because of Jesus. We may be down right now, but He will make sure that we get up again. Because “a bruised reed he will not break.”

Prov. 3:35 – Some really practical advice January 11, 2007

Pro 3:35 GNB
(35) Wise people will gain an honorable reputation, but stupid people will only add to their own disgrace.

I love it.

Sometimes the Bible puts stuff really plain. Wise people get honor, stupid people get disgrace.

The word “stupid” in this Scripture is translated from the Hebrew word for “fool,” and it means someone who is rash or arrogant.

Ever known anyone like that? The guy or girl who can’t keep their mouth shut about anything? They just have to tell you what they think about every single subject under the Sun, and if you try to tell them that the sky is blue when they’re convinced that it’s neon green then they’re going to find a way to prove you wrong? If you tell them that the Sun rises in the East then they’ll try to prove it rises in the West? What’s more, they’re going to stick to their guns and be stubborn no matter who it hurts–even if the person that it’s hurting is them!

Yeah…I think everyone knows a few people like that.

I had a friend once who informed me that no one was going to tell her what to do. No one. Not God, not anyone. Her life was an absolute wreck. Depression, alcohol, and lust were ruining her. But she had everything under control, of course, no God for her! She was plenty smart, but she was being a fool.

The really great news, though, is that if you’re a fool now then you can become a wise person. Of course, that’s not something that anyone can do on their own–they need a little supernatural assistance. James, the half-brother of Jesus, put it this way:

Jas 1:5-7 GNB
(5) But if any of you lack wisdom, you should pray to God, who will give it to you; because God gives generously and graciously to all.
(6) But when you pray, you must believe and not doubt at all. Whoever doubts is like a wave in the sea that is driven and blown about by the wind.
(7) If you are like that, unable to make up your mind and undecided in all you do, you must not think that you will receive anything from the Lord.

So the good news is that anyone can get wisdom by asking God. The bad news is that God expects us to use the wisdom that He gives us. We know that because James went on to say this:

Jas 3:13-18 GNB
(13) Are there any of you who are wise and understanding? You are to prove it by your good life, by your good deeds performed with humility and wisdom.
(14) But if in your heart you are jealous, bitter, and selfish, don’t sin against the truth by boasting of your wisdom.
(15) Such wisdom does not come down from heaven; it belongs to the world, it is unspiritual and demonic.
(16) Where there is jealousy and selfishness, there is also disorder and every kind of evil.
(17) But the wisdom from above is pure first of all; it is also peaceful, gentle, and friendly; it is full of compassion and produces a harvest of good deeds; it is free from prejudice and hypocrisy.
(18) And goodness is the harvest that is produced from the seeds the peacemakers plant in peace.

So basically James challenges people who think they are wise. He says that if you claim to be wise but you’re rotten on the inside then the only person that you’re fooling is yourself. God knows who you really are, and He knows that you’re in need of a good dose of God-wisdom.

Let me share with you a prayer that I pray every single day. It’s found in the Book of Isaiah, and it’s not really a prayer, but I’ve turned it into one. It’s a prophecy about Jesus, and it talks about the kind of spirit that He would have. I read it one day and thought, “If it’s good enough for Jesus then I could use a bit of it for me.” This is what it says:

Isa 11:2 MSG
(2) The life-giving Spirit of God will hover over [Jesus], the Spirit that brings wisdom and understanding, The Spirit that gives direction and builds strength, the Spirit that instills knowledge and Fear-of-God.

I challenge you to pray the same prayer every day and watch how much you change. Pray for wisdom and understanding, direction and strength, and knowledge and fear (respect) of God. Even if you’re not a Christian then you can pray this prayer. Let it be a test for you–watch and see how much you start to change. But, when you find yourself becoming more and more wise, don’t forget that it was God who answered your prayer.

Mat. 10:39 – We’re All A Bunch of Slaves January 10, 2007

Jesus said:

Mat 10:39 GNB
(39) Those who try to gain their own life will lose it; but those who lose their life for my sake will gain it.

This is one of Jesus’ statements that must have left a lot of people going, “Huh?” I can almost imagine all the religious people around Jesus making little crazy signs behind His back when He said this. After all, everyone knows that you can’t find your life by losing it. That’s just crazy-talk!

At least, it is to us.

But Jesus knew something that modern philosophers are just now starting to figure out. Jesus knew that we’re all a bunch of slaves.

“But Josh,” you say, “I’m not a slave!”

Oh? Let me ask you this, then: What controls you?

Sex? Drugs? Alcohol? Money? Education? Respect? Whatever you can’t stop doing, or whatever you live for, that’s your master. Look at how the Apostle Paul put it:

Rom 6:16 GNB
(16) Surely you know that when you surrender yourselves as slaves to obey someone, you are in fact the slaves of the master you obey—either of sin, which results in death, or of obedience, which results in being put right with God.

To Paul it was just good common sense. Whatever you’re giving yourself to, that’s your master. People can be slaves to clothes, money, pleasure, boyfriends, girlfriends, whatever, but everyone’s going to serve something.

All of this is pretty depressing until you realize that there’s a way out. His Name is Jesus.

You see, one of the ways that you freed a slave in the Roman Empire was to buy that slave, and then set them free. It was called redeeming them. That’s why the word “redemption” is used so often in Christianity. We Christians realize that we all used to be enslaved to sin until Christ paid the price on the Cross that set us free.

But don’t listen to me, read what Paul says instead, because he puts it best:

Rom 6:21-23 GNB
(21) What did you gain from doing the things that you are now ashamed of ? The result of those things is death!
(22) But now you have been set free from sin and are the slaves of God. Your gain is a life fully dedicated to him, and the result is eternal life.
(23) For sin pays its wage—death; but God’s free gift is eternal life in union with Christ Jesus our Lord.

So now what Jesus said in Matthew 10:39 is starting to make a little more sense. Jesus was saying that we’re all a bunch of slaves who are stumbling around trying to find our freedom, but the only way that we will ever be free is to give ourselves to Him. When we do that we become a slave to Christ, and in finding slavery we become free. He did all the hard work, and we get all the benefits.

Crazy? Yeah, I suppose so…to humans anyway.

Lots of people say that Jesus does thing backwards, but I’m convinced that it’s us who do things backwards. Jesus came to set us all straight.

Want to find life? Give it up to Jesus.

I know, I know. That sounds like it came straight out of the Jesus Freak movement in the 70s. Well, maybe it did, but I guess that makes me a Jesus Freak, and I’m ok with that.

Sometimes I wonder what would stop a person from wanting to be free. The only answer that I can come up with is fear. You see, Jesus paid the price to set us free, He only told us that we had to accept our freedom by accepting Him. I think that the reason more people don’t accept Him is because they’re afraid. We all want to be in control, and Jesus demands that we give up control of our life and give it over to Him. That’s a scary thought. It still scares me sometimes. But the good news is that there’s nothing to be afraid of, because Jesus promised that He only wants the best for us. In John 10:10 He said, “I have come in order that you might have life–life in all its fullness.”

What a beautiful concept!

I think that the best way to conclude this blog entry is with words of the Apostle Paul in Corinthians. Some people don’t like Paul, I know, but the guy knew his stuff. This is what he had to say about what happens when we give everything to Christ:

2Co 5:17-20 GNB
(17) Anyone who is joined to Christ is a new being; the old is gone, the new has come.
(18) All this is done by God, who through Christ changed us from enemies into his friends and gave us the task of making others his friends also.
(19) Our message is that God was making all human beings his friends through Christ. God did not keep an account of their sins, and he has given us the message which tells how he makes them his friends.
(20) Here we are, then, speaking for Christ, as though God himself were making his appeal through us. We plead on Christ’s behalf: let God change you from enemies into his friends!

I’ll mimic the words of Paul: Please, if you’re an enemy of God because of your sin, then give everything to Him and let Him change you from an enemy to a friend. And when you do that–when you give your life away–you will find the only true life.

Job 6:1-7 – Don’t Be Too Quick To Judge January 9, 2007

Job 6:1-7 MESSAGE
(1) Job answered:
(2) “If my misery could be weighed, if you could pile the whole bitter load on the scales,
(3) It would be heavier than all the sand of the sea! Is it any wonder that I’m screaming like a caged cat?
(4) The arrows of God Almighty are in me, poison arrows – and I’m poisoned all through! God has dumped the whole works on me.
(5) Donkeys bray and cows moo when they run out of pasture – so don’t expect me to keep quiet in this.
(6) Do you see what God has dished out for me? It’s enough to turn anyone’s stomach!
(7) Everything in me is repulsed by it – it makes me sick. Pressed Past the Limits

I think that “The Message” really captures the spirit of Job 6:1-7.

Sometimes people need a friend more than they need someone to tell them all the reasons that they’re going through what they’re going through.

Job had just finished having his life completely and totally ruined. Children are dead, wealth is gone, and and his own wife has told him to just curse God and die. On top of all that, his health is shot too. His flesh has turned all crusty (Job 7:5), he’s itching like mad (2:8), he’s in pain (2:13), and his flesh is leaking gunk (7:5). Basically, he’s in bad shape.

So three of Job’s friends show up, and they sit in silence with him for seven days as a way of showing their support. That part was great, and if they had kept their mouths shut then everything would have been fine, but of course, after seven days, they had to start telling Job everything that he did wrong.

Job’s response? He basically told his friends that no one could keep their mouth shut after going through the stuff that he had been through. After all, even donkeys and cows don’t complain without a reason. Job just had to let it out.

Now I don’t know about you, but it seems to me like Job didn’t need people judging him right then. As I heard a preacher say once, “When you’re kid has just fallen out of a tree and broken his arm, then isn’t the time to yell at him for being in the tree; get the arm set and a cast on it and then talk to him about not climbing trees.”

That’s good advice, but the problem is that it’s really hard for us humans to follow it.

When a friend comes to me with problems my instinctive reaction is to tell them how to fix it. Oh, oh, oh…how I wish that I could learn to keep my mouth shut and offer them support instead of trying to fix all of their problems!

(By now you’ve probably figured out that I’m writing this post as much for me as I am for anyone else.)

I know that this isn’t very deep stuff, but it’s good advice. If I could learn to follow it myself 100% of the time then I would be in good shape.

Dear Lord, please help me to learn to control my tongue! Please grant me the wisdom to know what to say and when to say it!

Jam 1:26 GNB
(26) Do any of you think you are religious? If you do not control your tongue, your religion is worthless and you deceive yourself.

Jam 3:2-12 GNB
(2) All of us often make mistakes. But if a person never makes a mistake in what he says, he is perfect and is also able to control his whole being.
(3) We put a bit into the mouth of a horse to make it obey us, and we are able to make it go where we want.
(4) Or think of a ship: big as it is and driven by such strong winds, it can be steered by a very small rudder, and it goes wherever the pilot wants it to go.
(5) So it is with the tongue: small as it is, it can boast about great things. Just think how large a forest can be set on fire by a tiny flame!
(6) And the tongue is like a fire. It is a world of wrong, occupying its place in our bodies and spreading evil through our whole being. It sets on fire the entire course of our existence with the fire that comes to it from hell itself.
(7) We humans are able to tame and have tamed all other creatures—wild animals and birds, reptiles and fish.
(8) But no one has ever been able to tame the tongue. It is evil and uncontrollable, full of deadly poison.
(9) We use it to give thanks to our Lord and Father and also to curse other people, who are created in the likeness of God.
(10) Words of thanksgiving and cursing pour out from the same mouth. My friends, this should not happen!
(11) No spring of water pours out sweet water and bitter water from the same opening.
(12) A fig tree, my friends, cannot bear olives; a grapevine cannot bear figs, nor can a salty spring produce sweet water.