Job 10 - Deep Valley Experience

1 “I hate my life.
I will freely express my complaint.
I will speak as bitterly as I feel.
Job 10:1 (GW)

9 Please remember that you made me out of clay
and that you will return me to the dust again.
Job 10:9 (GW)

18 “‘Why did you take me out of the womb?
I wish I had breathed my last breath
before anyone had laid eyes on me.
19 Then it would be as if I had never existed,
as if I had been carried from the womb to the tomb.
Job 10:18-19 (GW)

Reflection of B:

Job's trust in God got weaker as time went by with all his sufferings and the accusations of his friends. He started to question God and wished to die again.

At one time of our lives we may also have deep valley experience like Job, but in different forms. In times like this our faith will be fully tested. We may argue with or question God and tell Him our true feelings. Our God is a God who wants us to be true to Him and not lying.


Dear Lord,
Thank You for keeping me and seeing me through in times when I had deep valley experience like Job. Thank You that Your word always encouraged me when my faith was weak. May You continue to keep me strong for the rest of my journey with You.
In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.

Job 8 & 9 - Becareful of Our Knowledge

14 “How can I possibly answer God?
How can I find the right words {to speak} with him?
15 Even if I were right, I could not answer {him}.
I would have to plead for mercy from my judge.
Job 9:14-15 (GW)

Reflection of B:

Another friend of Job, Bildad, also accused Job for 'accusing' God for bringing 'evil' to him. All the reasonings and all the things Bildad said about God seemed correct. Yet it came across as speaking with a 'holy-than-thou-art' tone/attitude. Job replied Blildad with what he knew about God too.

When we know the bible very well and are able to quote from the scriptures well, there may be a tendency for us to use them when we relate to others who are in needs. We need to be careful not to be like Bildad. God's words are for reproving and correction, but we need to use them properly and with humility. 1 Corinthians 8:1 says, "We know that we all possess knowledge.^[a] Knowledge puffs up, but love builds up."


Dear Lord,
Thank You for teaching me to speak words of comfort instead of words that condemn or judge others. You are the true judge and You see our hearts within.
In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.

Job 7 - Genuine Complaint to God

6 My days go swifter than a weaver's shuttle. They are spent without hope. 7 Remember, my life is only a breath, and never again will my eyes see anything good. Job 7:6-7 (GW)

16 I hate my life; I do not want to live forever. Leave me alone because my days are so brief. Job 7:16 (GW)

Reflection of B:

In our deepest sorrow and suffering we need to complain about somebody. The best person to complain to is God, for He understands us. As we see from Job 4-5, Job's friend not only did not comfort him, instead he accused Job for sinning to brought about his suffering.


Dear Lord,
Thank You that You are never too busy to hear our heart's cry or listen to our complains in times of distress. Thank You for being my listening ears for all these years and helping me through my time of grief. Praise You Lord!
In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.

Job 6 - Be Kind To Your Friend

14 “A friend should treat a troubled person kindly, even if he abandons the fear of the Almighty.Job 6:14 (GW)

Reflection of B:

We need to be compassionate towards our friends, especially when they are suffering or in trouble.

A friend of mine has shared something very confidential and personal with me last night. I tried to help by asking many questions in order to understand his problems and to give better advice. However, I probably sounded a little too logical and he felt I wasn't sympathizing with him. I actually did and spent more than 2 hours chatting to see how I might help. Perhaps, I need to learn to be more gentle with my words next time.

Dear Lord,
I pray that You will give me wisdom and a heart of compassion when I deal with those need my help. I pray for this friend of my to come to know You as His Saviour to rescue him from his sins and troubles. I pray You will guide me as to what to say to him again the next time. I commit this friend to Your hand.
In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.

Job 4 &5 - Accused by a Friend

1 Then Eliphaz from Teman replied {to Job},
2 “If someone tries to talk to you, will you become impatient? But who can keep from talking? 3 Certainly, you have instructed many people: When hands were weak, you made them strong. 4 When someone stumbled, you lifted him up with your words. When knees were weak, you gave them strength. 5 But trouble comes to you, and you're impatient. It touches you, and you panic. 6 Doesn't your fear of God give you confidence and your lifetime of integrity give you hope?

Job 4:1-6 (GW)

Reflection of B:

Noting is more discouraging and hurtful than being questioned and doubted by our close friends or people whom we have helped before, when we are down and sick. Such was the case with Job (Job 4).

Not only that, Job's friend, Eliphaz, further accused him of not looking towards God for help (Job 5).

We need to learn that not all bad things that happened to someone are due to his/her sins. We need to be sympathetic instead of pointing an accusing finger.

Dear Lord,
I pray that I will not be like Job's friend in accusing anyone who is already suffering. Let me not be too quick to judge others but to pray for them instead.
In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.

Job 3 - Wish I Were Not Born

1After all this, Job {finally} opened his mouth and cursed the day he was born.

Job 3:1 (GW)

Reflection of B:

That was exactly what I did when I was a child... I wished I were never born. As an adult, I also had such feeling in many occasions when I felt extremely hurt by people close to me. Yet I never curse God as I remembered what Job did.

In extreme sorrows, we tend to ask many questions and wish to die. Satan will torment us mentally too. Thank God that He sees our every sadness and He will always come to our rescue when sorrows overwhelmed us. That's what He did to me many times. Praise Him!

Dear Lord,

Thank You that You have a purpose for me to be born, though in my sorrows I foolishly wished I were not born. You knew me even when I was in my mother's womb. Though she may not love me, yet I know You love me dearly. May I help someone else to know this good news about Your love.
In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.

Job 2 - Tests Within Limit

1 One day when the sons of God came to stand in front of the Lord, Satan the Accuser came along with them.
Job 2:1 (GW)

6 The Lord told Satan, “He is in your power, but you must spare his life!”
Job 2:6 (GW)

Through all this Job's lips did not utter one sinful word.
Job 2:10 (GW)

Reflection of B:

Satan is the accuser, whereas God convicts us through His Holy Spirit. Though God allows Satan to test us, it is always within limit set by Him.

Job truly knew God and didn't curse God though he was suffering. We need to have trust in God just like Job.

Dear Lord,
Thank You that there is no temptation that is too hard for us to bear, for You will always make a way for us to escape. Thank You that I can always trust in You in all circumstances.
In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.

Job 1 - A Father's Faith

Job thought, “My children may have sinned and cursed God in their hearts.” Job offered sacrifices for them all the time.
Job 1:5 (GW)

21 He said, “Naked I came from my mother, and naked I will return. The Lord has given, and the Lord has taken away! May the name of the Lord be praised.” Job 1:21 (GW)

Reflection of B:

Job is a righteous man but had unrighteous children. Therefore, as a father who loved his children, he offered sacrifices on their behalf in order to atone for their sins.

The devil is all over the places to cause us to fail God. For Job, he stood strong in faith in God regardless of what happened to him. He is our model of faith in times of suffering, whereas Abraham is our model of faith when comes to sacrifice and obedience.

Dear Lord,
Thank You for teaching me through the example of Job, to be faithful and trusting You no matter how much I may suffer. May I know Christ more each day so that I will not be shaken in any circumstances.
In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.

Free Bible Study Softwares

I have been doing my devotions through the online Our Daily Bread since 26 Oct 05. It served me very well as it is convenient for me to blog my thoughts and do cross referencing. Thank God for this ministry.

However, the occasional inability to access Our Daily Bread or no Internet connection during my long holidays (therefore have to miss my devotions), caused me to think of alternatives to doing my devotion offline. Of course you may say I can just read my bible. True, but I like to take notes of my reading and do cross referencing while I read. So doing it on my PC is still a better way for me.

Through my Internet search, I found a very useful bible study and devotional software, Bible Explorer. Not only it is a free download, where I can do my bible study and devotion offline, but it also has many wonderful features I like, e.g.

• commentaries, complete
  
• cross references, automated when clicked
  
• automatic bible links, when you type the scripture references
  
• notepad, for taking notes
• devotional passages, morning and evening
  
• calender, for automated personal bible reading schedule,
• Christian forum, discussions
  
• prayer requests and testimonies
• many more

Other useful free bible study software downloads I found are the e-sword and the Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary on the Whole Bible. With these, I need not depend on the Internet connection to do my bible studies or devotions anymore. Thank God for these wonderful softwares! :)

I have been using the above tools and found them to be very good. I highly recommend you to use them, especially the Bible Explorer, if you like to be disciplined in studying the word of God systematically at your desired scheduled pace.

I may publish my bible study notes and devotional thoughts one day when the time is right.

Cheers!