This is a small group that was following the plan to read through the Bible one chapter at a time with Good Morning Girls. Good Morning Girls is on an indefinite break. But will we continue reading through the Bible.
Each Monday go to the Weekly Reading Plan or the Bible Study Thread for our current book to see the introductory post for the week and the weekly reading passages, discussion questions, and memory verse.
Be sure to come here each day to see what the members of the group are sharing. Try to participate in the discussion with a post at least once each week to share with us what God is teaching you. Posting on the forum helps motivate all of us to keep reading by seeing the others persevering and it provides additional insight and learning.
Each Friday we will attempt to share a Friday Devotional that addresses some of the topics we have read that week.
Please also take time to read the Group Overview post that provides some ideas on how to get the most out of your study here! You can find this post in the the "Bible Study" section of the board.
- LoriMI
- Member
Offline
Re: Job
TBG wrote:
We have much more knowledge of God than Job did because we have access to the Word of God and the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. How much more so should we have complete confidence in the fact that God is just? We know that we can trust Him and that we are in His loving hands. This should strengthen us to hold fast to our faith and trust in God and in His goodness.
Excellent!
- LoriMI
- Member
Offline
Re: Job
Several years ago, I read a post (can't remember where) by a woman who believes the Proverbs 31 woman, was/is not really a living breathing woman, but rather, "she" is wisdom (Proverbs refers to wisdom as a she). That popped in my head today after reading this verse in Job...
Job 28:18 No mention shall be made of coral, or of pearls: for the price of wisdom is above rubies.
compared with...
Proverbs 31:10 Who can find a virtuous woman? for her price is far above rubies.
I can't remember everything she said, but I remember being intrigued by her thoughts. Wish I had printed it and taken time to study it out....Guess I'm going to have to "google" 
In any event, my prayer for years has been to have wisdom. Today, because of what I read, I am asking God to show me what it really means to have the fear of Him. A bit of a scary prayer because I'm somewhat afraid of what/how He'll show me. He's an awesome Father though, so I know that whatever methods He uses, I'm in good hands.
- LoriMI
- Member
Offline
Re: Job
Job 29:12-17 Because I delivered the poor that cried, and the fatherless, and him that had none to help him. The blessing of him that was ready to perish came upon me: and I caused the widow's heart to sing for joy. I put on righteousness, and it clothed me: my judgment was as a robe and a diadem. I was eyes to the blind, and feet was I to the lame. I was a father to the poor: and the cause which I knew not I searched out. And I brake the jaws of the wicked, and plucked the spoil out of his teeth.
With Job's heart to serve others, I again see in him a beautiful picture of our Lord -- and a picture of what we should be like: Servants. To the poor and the fatherless (James 1:27) To the widow (1 Timothy 5) To the blind and lame (Luke 14:3) Not living our lives for ourselves, but searching out those we could help.
- TBG
- Administrator
Offline
Re: Job
Job 29
Job 29:2 Oh, that I were as in the months of old, as in the days when God watched over me,
It is so sad that he feels that God is no longer watching over him.
Sometimes we can feel that way when we can't feel God's presence. We feel that He is no longer there, that He is no longer watching over us.
Job 29:20 My glory will not fade; the bow will be ever new in my hand.
Job 29:23-24 They waited for me as for the rain, and they opened their mouths as for the spring rain. I smiled on them when they had no confidence, and the light of my face they did not cast down.
This sounds self righteous to me. From verse 14 -18 look at how many times he says, “I.”
I, I, I, my glory
His glory not Gods glory. Maybe this trial will help him to grow and learn to depend on God’s righteousness and to live to bring God glory and not value his own glory.
Wow are we sure what we are doing is for God's glory or for our own? Are we acting and serving in God's power and by His ability or by our own power and with our fleshly talents?
- •
Thread Starter- TBG
- Administrator
Offline
Re: Job
Job 29:12-17 Because I delivered the poor that cried, and the fatherless, and him that had none to help him. The blessing of him that was ready to perish came upon me: and I caused the widow's heart to sing for joy. I put on righteousness, and it clothed me: my judgment was as a robe and a diadem. I was eyes to the blind, and feet was I to the lame. I was a father to the poor: and the cause which I knew not I searched out. And I brake the jaws of the wicked, and plucked the spoil out of his teeth.
With Job's heart to serve others, I again see in him a beautiful picture of our Lord -- and a picture of what we should be like: Servants. To the poor and the fatherless (James 1:27) To the widow (1 Timothy 5) To the blind and lame (Luke 14:3) Not living our lives for ourselves, but searching out those we could help.
I love how you are seeing the positive encouraging concepts here. It is interesting because I went a different way with these same verses. But, yes, you are right; Job did have a heart to serve and that is a picture of Christ and should be a pattern for our lives as well.
- •
Thread Starter- LoriMI
- Member
Offline
Re: Job
Wow are we sure what we are doing is for God's glory or for our own? Are we acting and serving in God's power and by His ability or by our own power and with our fleshly talents?
Love this!
- LoriMI
- Member
Offline
Re: Job
I love how you are seeing the positive encouraging concepts here. It is interesting because I went a different way with these same verses. But, yes, you are right; Job did have a heart to serve and that is a picture of Christ and should be a pattern for our lives as well.
It is interesting how we went a different way with these verses! I didn't even notice all the "I" statements - but you are right, it does seem to be too much about him. Since God had called him "perfect and upright" prior to these trials, I'm guessin' he wasn't normally all about himself, but that he truly had a servant's heart. From my own experience sickness can have a way of taking our eyes off God and making us think more about ourselves. Kind of like when we have a bad cold or flu, who/what do we think most about? Ourselves - our illness, our pain, our suffering, our miserableness. It's truly hard to think of others when we are in the midst of our own illness. I wonder if that's what Job is experiencing???
- TBG
- Administrator
Offline
Re: Job
I love how you are seeing the positive encouraging concepts here. It is interesting because I went a different way with these same verses. But, yes, you are right; Job did have a heart to serve and that is a picture of Christ and should be a pattern for our lives as well.
It is interesting how we went a different way with these verses! I didn't even notice all the "I" statements - but you are right, it does seem to be too much about him. Since God had called him "perfect and upright" prior to these trials, I'm guessin' he wasn't normally all about himself, but that he truly had a servant's heart. From my own experience sickness can have a way of taking our eyes off God and making us think more about ourselves. Kind of like when we have a bad cold or flu, who/what do we think most about? Ourselves - our illness, our pain, our suffering, our miserableness. It's truly hard to think of others when we are in the midst of our own illness. I wonder if that's what Job is experiencing???
Good point, also he is probably trying to evaluate himself and rehearse his life and behavior to figure out why this is happening. So he is going back saying wait a minute, I have tried to live right before God - let me carefully think about how I lived so to see if it makes any sense that this is happening to me. And we really should be willing to go back and think through and evaluate our past actions. So, yes, I think you have good insight into what may be going on here. Glad you shared it.
- •
Thread Starter- TBG
- Administrator
Offline
Re: Job
Job 30
The thing that stands out again is just Job’s great suffering. In verse 14 you get the imagery as if he feels as if the walls have been breached and the enemy is pouring in. Then in verse 20 he again states that he cannot understand why God just sits there silent.
Oh, how I know people I love and care about that feel like this. That they have tried to serve God yet the wall has been breached and their lives destroyed and God just sits silent.
It is times like that that we must do as Job has modeled for us, and that is to dig into God more, seek Him more, trust Him more. Also, we must do as Job has not yet done, and that is to seek refreshing, hope and peace in His presence, in His word, in His promises for us.
- •
Thread Starter- LoriMI
- Member
Offline
Re: Job
Job 30:20 I cry unto thee, and thou dost not hear me: I stand up, and thou regardest me not.
Job was crying out to his friends. He was in anguish. He had lost his children. He had lost his servants. He lost many of his possessions. And now he was covered with boils (I've had boils before --- they HURT). He needed comfort. He needed encouragement. He needed love.
But his friends weren't hearing; his friends weren't seeing -- even though he was right in front of them.
His friends were about their own business - about themselves and their own thoughts.
Makes me wonder... Who is hurting that I am not hearing? Who is afflicted that I am not seeing? Who is right in front of me?
Could it be someone I am close to - a family member or a friend? Or could it be someone that I don't even really see as I go about my day - a clerk at a store, a co-worker, a homeless man, a neighbor, the poor, the sick, an abused child or adult, or someone I simply pass on the sidewalk?
Who am I guilty of not hearing? Of not seeing?
Father, open my ears that I may hear the cries of people. Open my eyes that I may see their afflictions. And open my heart that I may respond...with your love.
Last edited by LoriMI (2/11/2016 8:01 am)