Job 19-12.12.22

Scripture

‭‭Job‬ ‭19‬:‭28‬-‭29‬ ‭NLT‬‬

“How dare you go on persecuting me, saying, ‘It’s his own fault’? You should fear punishment yourselves, for your attitude deserves punishment. Then you will know that there is indeed a judgment.”

Observation-What does it say?

In this chapter, Job is responding to Bildad’s speech from the previous chapter. You see, up to this point, Job’s three friends: Eliphaz, Zophar, and Bildad have been ridiculing him, and wrongfully accusing him of sinning against God. They are piling on Job’s sorrows by essentially ganging up on him, and verbally mistreating him. If they were truly his friends, they would comfort him, pray and intercede for him, encourage him, and love him no matter what.

Understanding-What does it mean?

Don’t kick a man while he’s down.

From the sounds of things, it looks like Job is in need of new friends. I mean, Job lost his family, his wealth, and on top of all that, his health is deteriorating. He is in need of some sort of support here. That’s what friends are for right? Not in Job’s case. Job’s friends add insult to injury. They wrongfully accuse him of sinning against God. They tell him that the reason why God is putting him through the wringer right now is because of his sin. They think they are better than him. They are looking at his humiliation with haughty eyes. Instead of trying to help him out, they mock and ridicule him. Poor Job. God did find him to be blameless and a man of integrity. But, sometimes God does allow bad things to happen to us. It is during those difficult times though, that God sees our character. God sees our faith. God uses those times to grow us and make us stronger.

“Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us.”-Romans‬ ‭5‬:‭3‬-‭5‬

‭“Dear brothers and sisters, when troubles of any kind come your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy. For you know that when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow. So let it grow, for when your endurance is fully developed, you will be perfect and complete, needing nothing.”-James‬ ‭1‬:‭2‬-‭4‬ ‭

Don’t be discouraged from our readings in Job though. If we continue to read until the end, we will see what God does to those who remain faithful to Him ‘til the end. We will see how God restores Job. Just continue to stay strong in our faith, lean on God for everything, and know that He is good. 😊

Life Application

Am I a wing or a weight?

If there is one thing I’ve been learning as I’ve been going through the book of Job, it is the importance of having godly friends around you to support you when you are down. Job didn’t seem to have that, which makes me ponder the question, “Am I a wing or a weight?” I’ve heard a pastor ask his church the same question once. Are we the type of people who uplifts, encourages, and loves on a person when they’re down? If so, congratulations you are a wing! But if you’re the type who discourages, mocks, and looks down on your friends when they’re having a difficult time, then…what’s wrong with you?! Let’s be the people God calls us to be. Let’s be forgiving, loving, encouraging, and constantly be praying for one another. Let’s build each other up in the Lord as opposed to tearing each other down.

-Moses Gaddi

Matthew 16-12.9.22

Scripture

Matthew 16:24-25

24Then Jesus said to his disciples, “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. 25 For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will find it.

Observation-What does it say?

Jesus was speaking with His disciples and predicted His death. He rebuked (aka corrected with sharp disapproval and criticism-Oxford dictionary), Peter’s response to his death because Peter was concerned about what Jesus said at the human level, not on the God level.

Understanding-What does it mean?

Jesus had to die to save ALL of mankind, including His disciples. That was the cross that Jesus had to bear. His life was His offering to God.

Peter didn’t understand the big picture and that’s why Jesus was frustrated with what he said. If Jesus didn’t die, Peter and the rest of the world would not live and would still be under the wrath of a just God. I also believe that Jesus’ words to Peter was a foretelling of how Peter would betray Jesus. Peter’s denial of Jesus was because he was more concerned about what others would think of him (human concerns) instead of what Jesus thought of him.

Life Application

What does taking up your cross look like?

In Biblical times, with taking up one’s cross, people literally had to die for their faith in Jesus. All the disciples were martyred, except for John.

Some of us may still be called to physical martyrdom, but more commonly in today’s times, taking up one’s cross daily means doing everything different than the world does it. It’s a struggle because although we are called to not be OF the world, we still live IN it and can easily be influenced by it. That’s the importance of staying close to Jesus daily. Here are personal examples of how I’ve had to take up my cross and lose myself completely to Jesus.

-Forgiving people who have hurt me deeply and responding in love and kindness instead of chewing their head off and hurting them back the way they’ve hurt me.

-Choosing to live a lifestyle different from everyone else in order to be more generous with time and money for Kingdom purposes.

-Setting up safeguards to protect my integrity and marriage. I had to do the same thing before marriage too.

-Choosing not to be part of the rat race and setting aside one day a week for Sabbath rest.

-Letting go of more money and hours in my business in order to live out God’s calling for my life.

-Looking at suffering as a blessing, instead of a curse.

-Being comfortable with having a reputation of being “weird.”

What are other examples you can think of of taking up your cross in your own life?

In John 17, before Jesus was betrayed and arrested, He prayed for His disciples and for ALL believers. If you’ve never read it, I recommend that you read it. It’s very encouraging to me because if God was to hear anyone’s prayer, it would be Jesus’ prayer. Jesus prayed in advance for us!

“I pray for them. I am not praying for the world, but for those you have given me, for they are yours. All I have is yours, and all you have is mine. And glory has come to me through them. I will remain in the world no longer, but they are still in the world, and I am coming to you. Holy Father, protect them by the power of your name, the name you gave me, so that they may be one as we are one.” John 17:9-11 NIV

Thank you Lord! Amen.

-Michelle Gaddi

Matthew 16-12.9.22

Scripture

Matthew 16:24-25

24Then Jesus said to his disciples, “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. 25 For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will find it.

Observation-What does it say?

Jesus was speaking with His disciples and predicted His death. He rebuked (aka corrected with sharp disapproval and criticism-Oxford dictionary), Peter’s response to his death because Peter was concerned about what Jesus said at the human level, not on the God level.

Understanding-What does it mean?

Jesus had to die to save ALL of mankind, including His disciples. That was the cross that Jesus had to bear. His life was His offering to God.

Peter didn’t understand the big picture and that’s why Jesus was frustrated with what he said. If Jesus didn’t die, Peter and the rest of the world would not live and would still be under the wrath of a just God. I also believe that Jesus’ words to Peter was a foretelling of how Peter would betray Jesus. Peter’s denial of Jesus was because he was more concerned about what others would think of him (human concerns) instead of what Jesus thought of him.

Life Application

What does taking up your cross look like?

In Biblical times, with taking up one’s cross, people literally had to die for their faith in Jesus. All the disciples were martyred, except for John.

Some of us may still be called to physical martyrdom, but more commonly in today’s times, taking up one’s cross daily means doing everything different than the world does it. It’s a struggle because although we are called to not be OF the world, we still live IN it and can easily be influenced by it. That’s the importance of staying close to Jesus daily. Here are personal examples of how I’ve had to take up my cross and lose myself completely to Jesus.

-Forgiving people who have hurt me deeply and responding in love and kindness instead of chewing their head off and hurting them back the way they’ve hurt me.

-Choosing to live a lifestyle different from everyone else in order to be more generous with time and money for Kingdom purposes.

-Setting up safeguards to protect my integrity and marriage. I had to do the same thing before marriage too.

-Choosing not to be part of the rat race and setting aside one day a week for Sabbath rest.

-Letting go of more money and hours in my business in order to live out God’s calling for my life.

-Looking at suffering as a blessing, instead of a curse.

-Being comfortable with having a reputation of being “weird.”

What are other examples you can think of of taking up your cross in your own life?

In John 17, before Jesus was betrayed and arrested, He prayed for His disciples and for ALL believers. If you’ve never read it, I recommend that you read it. It’s very encouraging to me because if God was to hear anyone’s prayer, it would be Jesus’ prayer. Jesus prayed in advance for us!

“I pray for them. I am not praying for the world, but for those you have given me, for they are yours. All I have is yours, and all you have is mine. And glory has come to me through them. I will remain in the world no longer, but they are still in the world, and I am coming to you. Holy Father, protect them by the power of your name, the name you gave me, so that they may be one as we are one.” John 17:9-11 NIV

Thank you Lord! Amen.

-Michelle Gaddi