ARE YOU AFRAID OF DOING GOOD?

"Who is going to harm you if you are eager to do good? But even if you should suffer for what is right, you are blessed. "Do not fear what they fear, do not be frightened." But in your hearts set apart Christ as Lord." I Peter 3:13-15a

Sometimes we are afraid to live by faith. Afraid of what people might think. Afraid of having to explain ourselves. Afraid of being different. Afraid of failing. Afraid that God might let us down. 

Job said, "Though he slay me, yet will I hope in him" (Job 13:15a). Sometimes faith seem foolish. Sometimes doing what we know is right in Christ may seem odd to those around us. It may even seem odd to us! But what others may think is not what is most important. Knowing that we are doing what God says is right is most important. How God views us is what counts and he sees us through the righteousness of Christ. That is why we should seek to please Christ, as our Lord. 

The wonderful truth is if we do what is right we will be blessed. even if we suffer for doing what is right, we will be blessed. 

Father, thank you for being Sovereign over all. Thank you that if we seek to live by faith and do what is right, in the end you will work all things for our good. Praise be to you in us today!

WELL SPOKEN BUT DEAD WRONG

"Yet if you devote your heart to him
     and stretch out your hands to him,
 if you put away the sin that is in your hand
     and allow no evil to dwell in your tent,
 then you will lift up your face without shame;
     you will stand firm and without fear." 
 Job 11:13-15 

Since I have read the book of Job before I know that God allowed Satan to inflict great loss and pain on Job from reading the first two chapters. I also know from reading the last five chapters that Job's friends got it wrong and that God did use Job's awful losses to reveal himself to Job, and his friends. 

In chapter 11 Zophar approached the situation from his finite and limited perspective. He drew upon the prevailing belief that misfortune was a result of sin. Because of his finite understanding of spiritual warfare as seen from God's perspective, Zophar could only see Job's sin as the cause of his misfortunes. Because of this his advice, or counsel, was that Job needed to repent. He was wrong. Wrong enough to make God angry (Job 42:7).

I think this is a sober reminder that I only see what I can see. My perspective is finite and limited. I need to humbly seek God for his understanding and wisdom. How many beliefs do we have that are based upon our limited and finite understanding of God. We have the Bible that teaches us the truth about God. It also teaches us to humbly approach things. Job and his friends learned that God is Sovereign, absolutely. 

Father, help us to humbly wait upon you and seek your counsel, especially your word, as we seek the truth. Thank you, Lord Jesus, because you are the Truth. Praise be to you in us today!