DAILY DEVOTIONALS

Job 16

Job 16 Devotional  by Pastor David Groendyk Job responds now to Eliphaz for a second time. Eliphaz has essentially doubled down on his previous speech that Job has somehow sinned and brought this disaster upon himself. In verses 2–5, Job goes off on Eliphaz and the rest of his companions. They’ve been absolutely lousy counselors and comforters. Pastor Mark wrote yesterday that Job didn’t need answers; he needed friends. By further pummeling Job into the…

Job 15

Job 15 Devotional by Pastor Mark Hudson              Job has been defending himself the entire book.  But as Eliphaz the Temanite begins in 15:1, Job has been speaking from chapter 12 to 14.  Eliphaz is none too flattering.  Eliphaz seems to imply or suggest that Job’s words are mere flatulence or gas.  At least that is what he could be suggesting.  Job’s words are utterly worthless Eliphaz contends .  Eliphaz does not stop.  He accuses…

Job 13

Job 13 Devotional by Pastor David Groendyk Job continues his response to Zophar. Of all three friends, Zophar in particular really seemed to belittle Job in his rebuke, and so Job is quite serious in his reply: Zophar is speaking wrongly on behalf of God (vv. 7–12). He’s being partial to God, defending him, and arguing his side, but he’s deceived himself that his words are what God would say. Zophar has mis-diagnosed Job as…

Job 12

Job 12 Devotional by Pastor Lawrence Bowlin Job has heard now from all three of his friends, but he still has not been convinced by any of their arguments since they all have assumed that he has done something evil which has caused this great misery in his life. In the first few verses he challenges their unique claims to wisdom reminding them that he too has been known as a wise man and is…

Job 11

Job 11 Devotional by Pastor Lawrence Bowlin In this chapter, we are introduced to Zophar, another of Job’s friends with good intentions who is trying to help Job to see that the cause of his suffering is because of some particular sin in his life. Having heard Job’s responses to the first two friends, Zophar comes out immediately accusing Job of babbling, which is the sure sign of a fool. He also accuses him of…

Job 10

Job 10 Devotional by Pastor David Groendyk Job continues his response to Bildad. Both chapter 9 and chapter 10 begin with the word “contend” (9:3; 10:2), which in Old Testament language means that this is some sort of legal speech or argument that Job is making. He’s arguing his case like a lawyer would. However, his conclusion at the end of chapter 9 was that there was no arbiter who could adequately and fairly go…

Job 9

Job 9 Devotional by Pastor Mark Hudson                          Bildad tries after Eliphaz’s attempt to persuade Job to just admit he deserves God’s judgment and he gets his stuff back.  That is really not a bad deal.  From Bildad’s perspective, this should not require a great deal of resistance from Job.  Just realize that your life is bad because you sinned against God.  If you want your life back with all the things you have…

Job 8

Job 8 Devotional by Pastor Lawrence Bowlin Like Eliphaz before him, Bildad’s limited understanding of God’s providence and justice causes him to wrongly accuse Job of some egregious sin.  Both of these men assume that God will always bring justice to the wicked and mercy to the righteous in this life and that right quickly.  They both infer that Job’s children must have done something evil justly incurring God’s wrath and that Job himself must…

Job 7

Job 7 Devotional by Pastor David Groendyk Job’s response to Eliphaz continues. Verses 1–10 appear to be addressed to Eliphaz himself, and the overarching theme is that life is futile. It’s futile because it’s filled with so many hard things—back-breaking work, sleepless nights, and painful illnesses. It’s also futile because of how short life is. Days are swift, life is a vapor, and we vanish quickly. You can hear in Job’s words, however, the way…

Job 6

Job 6 Devotional by Pastor Mark  Hudson Job is having none of it.  Eliphaz the Temanite  sounded wiser in Job 2:11-13, when in verse 13, “they sat with him (Job)  on the ground seven days and seven nights, and no one spoke a word to him, for they saw that his suffering was very great.”  Is this a cultural expression of grief or a spontaneous response to Job’s pain?  It is hard to know who…

Job 5

Job 5 Devotional by Pastor Lawrence Bowlin             Job is having none of it.  Eliphaz the Temanite  sounded wiser in Job 2:11-13, when in verse 13, “they sat with him (Job)  on the ground seven days and seven nights, and no one spoke a word to him, for they saw that his suffering was very great.”  Is this a cultural expression of grief or a spontaneous response to Job’s pain?  It is hard to know…

Job 4

Job 4 Devotional by Pastor David Groendyk If only Job’s friends would’ve remained where they were in 2:11–13. They do fine work comforting Job and mourning with him, but as soon as they open their mouths, they prove that they don’t really know what God is up to in Job’s trials. The proverb rings true: “When words are many, transgression is not lacking, but whoever restrains his lips is prudent.” Each of Job’s three friends…

Job 3

Job 3 Devotional by Pastor David Groendyk “His suffering was very great” were the last words we read in chapter 2. Chapter 3 shows us the depths of Job’s personal agony during this time. Many foolish scholars and commentators have tried to diagnose men and women in the Bible with various psychological conditions without having any real basis for doing so, yet given Job’s own testimony in this chapter, I think it’s fair to say…

Job 2

Job 2 Devotional by Pastor Lawrence Bowlin If the first chapter challenged all aspects of the wealth side of the health and wealth gospel, today's passage challenges any aspect of the health portion. Satan's argument is that Job still trusts in the Lord because of some benefit he receives from God, and that God himself is not Job's reward. That is the challenge to all of us in the midst of our trials: is God…

Job 1

Job 1  Devotional by Pastor David Groendyk Why do bad things happen to good people? That’s a very personal question that requires some serious theological understanding to answer. The book of Job, in one sense, could be boiled down to that one question. It deals with suffering, temptation, God’s providence, and what it looks like to “fear the Lord” and trust in him through it. All throughout this book, various people ask (and try to…

Romans 15

Romans 15 Devotional by Pastor Lawrence Bowlin When reading warning passages in Scripture against falling away from the living God, many of us are tempted toward mere introspection, which can lead to great discouragement. For if we only consider our sins and failures, then, surely, we will not be able to lift up our heads unto heaven with any confidence. Instead, each morning we should look for our encouragement in the Word of God. In…

Romans 14

Romans 14 by Pastor David Groendyk This chapter is very much similar to the same issue Paul addressed in 1 Corinthians 8–9. There are two groups of people in mind. One is those who are “strong in faith”; the other is those who are “weak in faith”. Those who are weak in faith still held to some of the former Jewish laws that had been abolished, such as certain foods being unclean and certain days…

Romans 13

Romans 13 Devotional by Pastor Mark Hudson Romans 13 is a relatively easy chapter to understand.  Paul’s writing is clear, concise, and compelling.  There seems to be three distinct sections: 1-7; 8-10;11-14 The first concerns our relationship with governing authorities.  You can imagine how first century believers living around the Mediterranean Sea must have understood this passage.  How could Paul say that about Roman Emperors like Nero?  But how do we read it with our…

Romans 11

Romans 11 by Pastor David Groendyk We’ve learned so far that God is utterly sovereign in salvation (chapter 9) and that Israel did not believe the gospel or have true faith (chapter 10). So what is God doing with Israel exactly? Is he toying with them? The answer is no! As Paul says in verse 28, there is a great purpose for Israel’s apostasy, and God also promises that he still loves them and plans…

Romans 10

Romans 10  Devotional by Pastor Mark Hudson           In Romans 10, Paul continues his stress on God’s righteousness reckoned or declared to those who believe in His promises and specifically in the Lord Jesus Christ.  Paul views any attempt to gain, earn, or acquire God’s righteousness by good works as antithetical to the gospel.           God’s righteousness in this sense means a right standing before a holy God; His declaration that we are innocent.  This…

Romans 8

Romans 8 Devotional by Pastor David Groendyk What can we say about Romans 8? This chapter is many Christians’ favorite chapter in all of Scripture. It’s one of the most theologically-rich and pastorally-helpful passages in all of the Bible. How can you summarize everything that it teaches in just one short devotional? The theme(s) that all these glorious truths revolve around are God’s preservation and our perseverance. After two full chapters detailing our struggle against…