Every Saturday night we have a family dinner I have called a Feast of Peace and Rest. It has evolved to have different structures, different focuses, depending on the needs, circumstances of our family. What began as a shabat-inspired dinner has become a family koinonia dinner.
I come to you today to repent for my sins, to ask you, my audience, to forgive me for cutting holes in walls. I know, already, the Lord has forgiven me and my sin is already forgotten by Him, but I seek your forgiveness, as my audience, whether you have been with me or against me. I seek to be a man who no longer cuts through walls, not even here, in my special ministry call, to witness the truth of the Lord through the news. I seek to be like Joshua, and trust in God when he calls me to walk around the walls, to let God break down the walls in His time and His way.
I have been writing for years on the daily events of the world, from the persecution of Christians to the attack on Christ and his Way by the godless ideals of progressivism. In these writings, I have been swept up at various times in anger. I have relied on human tactics to help spread a narrative or invalidate one. These writings are available to all to see, and I will keep them posted so all can see the journey I have taken in my pursuit of being less Paul and more Christ.
I have sought, be it ever so imperfectly, to witness the Truth of Christ and, in my human understanding, to be a good, responsible citizen fighting to have my governments (local, state, federal, etc) reflect the Godly values of Christ’s Freedom. I sought to validate my beliefs, at times, on the Constitution and the founding principles of this nation, but now I seek to validate my beliefs in God’s Word alone, realizing that God is bigger than Constitutions, whether they intended to reflect his Godly truths of Freedom or not.
In this fight, I have sometimes taken, unwittingly, a ‘by any means necessary’ approach to fighting for what I perceived to be truth and the Freedom this nation was founded upon.
I have many ministerial calls on my life, of which one continues to be to witness Christ’s Freedom and Truth through the daily events of this world. I still seek to do the work I know God has called me to do, to witness His truth, to reflect His life in my own life, through how I deliver the news, in this case.
I have taken a step back for a couple of weeks now, and am continuing for an undetermined time, to take a step back from my ministerial call, to witness his truth and freedom through the news, praying and meditating in His Word, seeking His love and guidance to be a better servant for Him, to turn away from the path of the flesh, the path that leads to hate, to anger, to wielding the weapons of this world, to cutting holes through walls instead of following His path, even if it means going around a much longer way to get to the place where I know He is calling me to go.
I have called myself a ‘Conservative’ at various times, finding myself championing the GOP, but I now question if this is what God calls me to do, to be a GOP operative, in essence (though an unpaid one). I can certainly not align myself with progressivism, as it is clearly aligned with humanistic principles that do create a new god to usurp the True God, the god of the collectivist man.
But I am no conservative. I do not believe ‘it’s the economy, stupid’. I do not believe in the pure Capitalist model where everything is governed by the profit and loss of the market economy, unfettered by morality, unfettered, in short, by God’s will and Way. Conservativism has become a fight for less taxes, less regulation, less government, not, in any way, shape, or form, a fight for our governments to reflect Freedom as defined by the only truth, the truth of Christ.
The religious right itself has become completely focused on abortion and gay rights. While I recognize the significance of a land that endorses homosexual marriage and a land that legalizes the murder of the unborn, I wonder why the religious right is not as zealous about corporations that exploit people, that horde resources, that are beholden only to the profit-loss margins for their moral compass. I wonder why the religious right is not just as zealous challenging corporate murder and exploitation of peoples and lands in the name of profit as they are against the murderers of the unborn.
To be sure, I am passionate in the fight to stop the murder of the unborn. I am passionate in the fight to stop my governments from honoring ungodly models of marriage and family. But why should I not be just as passionate to shed a light on the sins of capital that convert even Christ followers to consumer-centered worshippers of stuff, that convert even Christ followers to worshippers of profit over Godly truth?
Progressives will join me in the fight to stop the corporate exploitation of peoples and lands, but they will do so with the heavy hand of government, trading in one master, the faceless, powerful corporate oligarchy and its royal corporate families, for another master, the faceless, powerful government oligarchy and its royal political families. In reality, America now has both such oligarchies, with many of these de facto royal families with their hands on the levers of the political, the corporate, and even the cultural institutions that define and mould our American reality.
I am called by God, I believe, to show the truth of the ungodly ways of those who worship the cult of the collectivist man-god as well as those who worship the cult of gold, where money defines truth. I am called to exhort Christ followers, especially those who have businesses, who run governments, who make decisions in our cultural institutions, to consider God and His truth above all other truths, to reject profit where it defies God’s ways, to reject power where it denies God’s will, to reject glitter where it assault’s God’s truths.
It is easy for Christ followers, for Christians, to live as a corporate raider while going to church on Sunday. It is no effort whatsoever for a Christian politician to perpetuate political hypocrisy while piously calling on this nation to turn back to God. It is easy for a Christian TV Executive to work on a Christmas special that deletes Christ from his own birthday while going to mass on Christmas eve.
Why?
It is the de-segmented nature of our lives, so perfectly reflected in the notion that somehow we, as Christ followers, must, by force of law, separate our State from Christ, that we must consign Christ to the privacy of our homes, to the personal choice of the church we attend on Sunday morning. So the corporate raider goes to work and is not challenged by Christ, so he thinks, to reflect his way in the way this person does business.
Would a man, living and reflecting Christ’s love, make decisions which needlessly destroy the lives of others for the sake of profit or offer unjust compensation for work merely because the market allows it? Would a state law stopping this man from paying unjust wages change this man’s heart or the heart of a nation that would require a state law to have men treat one another in love?
If that man, or woman, let’s be an equal opportunity truth seeker here, lived the total life in Christ that we as Christians are called to live, they could not. The overpowering love of Christ that would be with them daily, hourly, minute by minute, would make such decisions too painful to make.
Would a woman, living and reflecting Christ’s love, be able to allow commercials to be run about their political opponent that use half truths and even lies to bury their opponent, even if the woman was a good conservative and the opponent was a godless progressive? If she had the total life in Christ that we as Christians are called to live, she would not. She would seek truth. She would seek to love, even her opponent, and show truth, but only truth, trusting in God, not living in fear (which leads to the ‘by any means necessary’ path so often followed and championed by the godless).
Would someone who worked in the news department of Fox produce a story that distorted truth to champion a conservative point of view if they lived the total life in Christ we are called to live? Or would they seek truth and redemption, not cut a hole in the wall for the sake of the ‘right’ cause?
Living our segmented lives, it allows Christians to stop being the salt and light of the earth, to trade in the Way of Christ for the way of the world. After all, they often say, ‘we have to be realistic’. When Joshua came to the Israelites as they stood outside the walls of Jericho and told them they were going to march around the walls seven times and blow horns and sing songs, what would the Christian politicians of today, the Christian business leaders of today, the Christian news producers, the Christian tv producers of today say to Joshua?
You can’t ask us to do something so silly as that, look, we can just bash these walls down way faster than it would take you to do this silly thing you command. We have the power, we can destroy this enemy. Besides, it will be good PR to show the people how powerful we are when we destroy these walls ourselves!
It’s just not good business. Do you know how much money you will have to spend on singers? Not to mention the money you will spend feeding these people while they do this march. You’ve got to cut through the wall and end it now, to save money, else this Jericho venture will be a loss.
Listen, you are going to lose your audience. They don’t want to be told to march around singing stupid songs and blowing horns. These men in this audience want blood. They are strong and ready to knock down walls. Give them blood, give them sport.
Joshua would be compeled, if he lived a segmented life, to be realistic, and they would have broken down those walls. The minute they made that choice, they would no longer be building God’s kingdom, they would be building their own.
I have been that segmented person. Even as I have strived in my personal life and even my business life, to live the whole life of Christ, I have put Christ on the shelf in my news reporting world. I seek to be patient where God calls me to be patient, decisive where He calls me to be decisive, to stop cutting holes in walls, to following Joshua’s path, to walk around the walls and blow the horns as God has called me to do, to live a total life of Christ, to be a witness to the total Christ life we are called, who profess to believe in His truth, His salvation, His grace, to live.
If you are a business person reading this, ask yourself if Christ is your master or your CPA is. If you are a politician reading this, ask yourself if Christ is your master or the polls are. If you are an Editor, a blogger, reading this, ask yourself if Christ is your master or your political ’cause’ is. If Christ is not in the center of everything you do and say then I ask you to join with me in repenting your sins, of making masters of men and flesh over God, and turning back to His way, no matter how unworldly how impractical it may sometimes seem, to live Christ fully, to be a witness to His way, His truth, to build his kingdom, not yours. In Jesus’ name I pray.
Paul Colllier
3-25-12
Six planks of Christian Business Ethics- the building blocks to God’s ministry through business- Paul Collier
I have made a brief study of the Word as it relates to Business. As we are embarking upon what I view as a ministry, we should clarify our business DNA before we set out. I’ve identified what I believe to be 6 major principles we should doggedly follow constancy:
1. Are we selling what we say we are selling? Are our weights honest? 2. Sell no evil, profit not from evil 3. We must increase our vigil for our praise of the Lord in how he blesses us, lest we should fall away from God and believe we are the doers of His greatness. 4. Business is a ministry to the Lord, and we must set ourselves in righteousness before we attempt to do the Lord’s work 5. Do not exploit the poor by selling at high prices in times of scarcity 6. Remember that is not the coin, not the wealth that empowers us or enables us to do greatness in serving God. What enables us to do great works in His name is righteousness.
These planks are not listed in any particular order, though one could argue that the 6th plank is the most essential one, the one from which we must begin our journey, but as we prosper, the 3rd plank may be most essential to us maintaining the 6th (if we are not vigilant in our praise of God’s blessing, we will soon fall from righteousness).
Here are my biblical references that brought me to these planks of Christian business ethics. .
Plank One:
In Proverbs, in no less than three places does the Lord call on us to sell only what we say we are selling, to have honest weights, lest we be an abomination unto the Lord. This seems a very serious plank for us to constantly keep our hearts upon, are we selling what we say we are selling? Are our weights honest?
Proverbs 11:1- A false balance is an abomination to the Lord but a just weight is his delight.
Plank Two
In Acts (Acts 19:23-28) we find the example of the temple-god makers of Ephesus, lamenting the loss of profits if people convert to Christianity and stop buying their idols.
Romans 12:16 Recompense to no man evil for evil, provide things honest to the sights of men.
Deuteronomy 7:25- The graven images of their gods..(the gods of the pagan nations)..shall be burned with fire, thou shalt not desire the sivler, or gold that is on them, nor take it unto thee, lest thou be snared therein, for it is an abomination to the Lord thy God.
Abomination is mentioned again for this sin, profiting from evil. This message is repeated so often that it must be considered another central plank to Christian business ethics, sell no evil, profit not from evil. I would say it is as if the Lord is repeating this command, touch not the unclean thing…
Plank Three
The third plank I’ve found from this initial study should be that we must increase our vigil for our praise of the Lord in how he blesses us, lest we should fall away from God and believe we are the doers of His greatness.
Deuteronomy 6 11 And houses full of all good things which thou fillest not, and wells digged, which thou diggedst not, vineyards and olive trees which thou plantedst not, when thou shalt have eaten and be full 12 then beware lest thou forget the Lord, which brought thee forth out of the Loand of Egpyt, from the house of bondage
Deuteronomy 9:18 But thou shalt remember the Lord thy God, for it is He that giveth thee power to get wealth, that he may establish his covenant which he swore unto thy father, as it is this day
Plank Four
Deuteronomy 20: 5-9 5 ….What man is thee that hath built a new house, and hath not dedicated it?….. 6 …What man is he that hath planted a vineyard and hath not eaten it?…. 7 ….What man is it that hath betrothed a wide, and hath not taken her?…. 8 This is a question asked of men preparing to go into battle. It details how we must set our own houses in order before we go into battle, but does it also mean that we should not possess a thing we cannot or do not use?
Business is a ministry to the Lord, and we must set ourselves in righteousness before we attempt to do the Lord’s work
Plank Five
Leviticus 25: 14-17
14 And if (you sell to your neighbor)- ye shall not oppress one another 16- According to the multitude of years thou shalt increase the prices thereof, and according to the fewness of years thou shalt diminish the price of it… 17- Ye shall not therefore oppress one another, but thou shalt fear thy God: for I am the Lord your God.
Does this mean in times of plenty we may increase our prices, but in times of lean we decrease? This seems to counter the laws of a capitalist free market, the laws of supply and demand.
We increase prices constantly when things are scarce. Do not exploit the poor by selling at high prices in times of scarcity
From Amos- something which seems to back up this supply-demand contradiction- Amos 8: 4 Hear this, O ye that swallow up the needy, even to make the poor of the land to fail, 5 Saying, when will the new moon be gone, that we may sell corn? And the Sabbath, that we may set forth wheat, making the ephah (the actual measure) small and the shekel (the cost charged) great, and falsifying the balances by deceit? 6 That we may buy the poor for silver, and the needy for a pair of shoes, yea and sell the refuse of the wheat?
For this sin, God told the people of Israel, through Amos (Amos 8:12) that he….will not pass by [The Israelites] again.
Psalm 37:16 A little that a righteous man hath is better than the riches of many wicked.
This seems to be a powerful verse that goes to my own fallibility, a belief that we need prosperity to do the work of the Lord. Let us pray not for prosperity, but for righteousness before the Lord.
Echoing the idea that we must take care of our house before we do battle, I believe we should all do an inventory of our relationship with the Lord. If we bless our house, if we eat of our own righteous vineyards and take our Christ-centered bride, then we will have greater power in Christ than all the money of the world could provide for us. We need not money to serve God greatly
Remember that is not the coin, not the wealth that empowers us or enables us to do greatness in serving God. What enables us to do great works in His name is righteousness.
And the Lord made answer to Job out of the storm-wind Give ear to the rolling noise of his voice; to the hollow sound which goes out of his mouth. Sing of the rolling noise that lifted his voice above the hollow
And the Lord made answer to Job out of the storm-wind Have you knowledge of God’s ordering of his works, how he makes the light of his cloud to be seen? Have you knowledge of the balancing of the clouds, the wonders of him who has all wisdom? The peace of the living goes into the mouth of the dead and does not emerge without my speaking redemption.
And the Lord made answer to Job out of the storm-wind Who is this who makes the purpose of God dark by words without knowledge? Who speaks with the hiss of an unhinged sea-force? Who wanders into the dark cells of empty graves and speaks of living power as if they possessed it?
And the Lord made answer to Job out of the storm-wind So far you may come, and no farther; and here the pride of your waves will be stopped… The sea shut into its Godly container, the poor life of Job drawn into its own begin and end borders that I assign to it.
And the Lord made answer to Job out of the storm-wind Have you come into the springs of the sea, walking in the secret places of the deep? Have you lifted the pure light? Have you lifted the pure light? As angels rose from mine waking brow, did you know me at the first light of dawn?
And the Lord made answer to Job out of the storm-wind Do you send out the thunder-flames, so that they may go, and say to you, Here we are? As the roiling seas and the cracking quakes that fling mud and dust into the evermore whisper next to my voice’s yawn, did you command the great tumult that spun you living?
And the Lord made answer to Job out of the storm-wind Will he who is protesting give teaching to the Ruler of all? Let him who has arguments to put forward against God give an answer Fools talk as an answer to their own questioning. Dollops of ink rest on their weighted tongues waiting for word-script birthing that yields soporific chants of their own self-glory.
And the Lord made answer to Job out of the storm-wind Will you even make my right of no value? will you say that I am wrong in order to make clear that you are right? A fool eats his own heart and calls it a meal of his own invention. The foolish soul sleeps under the great awe and sees his own reflection. He is but a vapor that veils his own erring.
And the Lord made answer to Job out of the storm-wind The deep is boiling like a pot of spices, and the sea like a perfume-vessel. Behold the hand that holds back such great tumult. Is this your hand that covers the desert with flat heat and the mountains with snowy scarves, all in the same easy gesture? The deep sea beholds me as the unfathomable while you suppose to contain my presence in your own inventing?
And Job made answer to the Lord Who is this who makes dark the purpose of God by words without knowledge? For I have been talking without knowledge about wonders not to be searched out. I found the great awe shattered my bone-living and made suffering a great dust that dissipated in the heavenly wash of your glory. I found the edge of living was filled with the same empty shadows that followed prosperity without Your name to give it fill of a weightless, boundless light
And Job made answer to the Lord Word of you had come to my ears, but now my eye has seen you. For this cause I give witness that what I said is false, and in sorrow I take my seat in the dust. In the Dust In the Dust where earth meets the end of it without your Name’s torrent of life where earth finds form in the formless drift of sea-sand and dark calcium drifts that cover the body with an illusion of form, no form, no form without the Word uttered from You, the Is and the Was and the Will Always be that marks the notches where life grasped itself and let itself go in your Glory, in your Name, the Host of Host, our Lord Amen Job sang Amen
Being A Servant, a Leader in Christ- Paul Collier
How does God instruct his shepherds to lead His sheep? Does God assign leadership at all? What is the essential DNA of a leader in Christ? Using The Word as our guide, let us seek God’s will.
First, let us sing a new song to The Lord to prepare ourselves to be leaders in Christ
Song: Sing the song of wisdom that the Lord’s light might fill this grey cave with God’s great filigree
Sing the song of fear that the Lord might reign in the dark places and set their black to gold
Sing the song of service that the Lord’s jeweled purpose might festoon this humble black
that this dark life might be set to God’s column of flame guiding His sheep as He commands
Sing the song of the shepherd, that his staff might command the light of heaven to gather The Lord’s sheep from their lost, dark caves.
Sing in the name of Christ, the King. Sing a daily new song in praise of God’s ways. Amen
Does God command us to have leaders? Yes, but God assigns two specific qualities that are essential in all leaders in Christ, that they possess wisdom, and that they possess humility.
In Numbers, God instructs us that we must have a shepherd Numbers 27:16 Let Jehovah, the God of the spirits of all flesh, appoint a man over the congregation, 17 who may go out before them, and who may come in before them, and who may lead them out, and who may bring them in; that the congregation of Jehovah be not as sheep which have no shepherd
Notice that leaders in Christ are shepherds, shepherds that serve God’s sheep.
God makes it clear that the most important quality of a leader is wisdom when he acknowledges that Solomon will be the greatest of leaders, for God has given him the wisdom that no human being will ever exceed. 1 Kings 3:12 I have done as you said: I have given you a wise and far-seeing heart, so that there has never been your equal in the past, and never will there be any like you in the future. 13 And with this I have given you what you made no request for: wealth and honour, so that no king was ever your equal.
Solomon, the leader previously mentioned, received the gift of wisdom from The Lord because he sought it to serve The Lord’s flock and he did not ask for anything else. If a leader is to attain the wisdom of The Lord, he or she must do so from a spirit of serving. If you listen to Solomon’s prayer to The Lord in 1 Kings, this essential starting point, the desire to serve The Lord and his sheep, is echoed clearly.
1 Kings 3:7 And now, O Lord my God, you have made your servant king in the place of David my father; and I am only a young boy, with no knowledge of how to go out or come in. 8 And your servant has round him the people of your selection, a people so great that they may not be numbered, and no account of them may be given. 9 Give your servant, then, a wise heart for judging your people, able to see what is good and what evil; for who is able to be the judge of this great people? 10 Now these words and Solomon’s request were pleasing to the Lord. 11 And God said to him, Because your request is for this thing, and not for long life for yourself or for wealth or for the destruction of your haters, but for wisdom to be a judge of causes; 12 I have done as you said: I have given you a wise and far-seeing heart…..
As wisdom is the paradigm of leadership, how God instructs us to attain wisdom is the most important element of being a good leader in Christ. We have seen, first and foremost, that Solomon approached his search for wisdom from a humble spirit, to serve God’s sheep.
Where does wisdom come from? Solomon attained his wisdom not from his own pursuit but from the blessings of The Lord. The only wisdom, the only understanding we possess comes from The Lord. In Proverbs, Solomon, the man who was given the greatest gift of wisdom that any other human will ever possess, tells us that: Proverbs 1:7 ¶The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge: but fools despise wisdom and instruction.
It is extended through Trust in the Lord, in love of The Lord, and a rebuking of self-knowledge. Proverbs 3:5 Trust in Jehovah with all thy heart, And lean not upon thine own understanding: 6 In all thy ways acknowledge him, And he will direct thy paths.
The wise must not only rebuke self-knowledge, but must also purposely separate themselves from the works of evil. Proverbs 3:7 ¶Be not wise in thine own eyes; Fear Jehovah, and depart from evil:
Through Solomon, God instructs men seeking wisdom to “attain unto wise counsels’. Godly leaders surround themselves with wise counselors. Proverbs 1:5 A wise man will hear, and will increase learning; and a man of understanding shall attain unto wise counsels:
Remember that Solomon’s path began from a place of humility, a sense, a desire to serve The Lord and His sheep. This quality is so important that The Lord instructs us, in Matthew, not to be vested with titles which elevate us over others. Matthew 23:7 They [the rabbis] like the greetings of respect which people give them in the marketplaces. They like people to call them, `Rabbi.´• 8 You should not be called `Rabbi,´ because there is only one teacher for you. You are all brothers. 9 On earth, you should not be called `Father,´ because you have only one Father — the heavenly Father. 10 You should not be called, `Leader´ because the Messiah is your only Leader. 11 The most important one among you will be your servant. 12 Every person who acts as though he is important will be made ashamed, but every person who truly humbles himself will be made important.”
Jesus reiterates this theme, that leaders are not to be elevated, but should be as the least amongst us. Luke 22:25 But Jesus said to them, “The kings of the nations rule over their people. Men who have authority over other people are called `benefactors.´• 26 But you must not think that way. The greatest person among you should be like a younger person. Leaders should be like servants. 27 Who is more important? A man who is sitting at the table or the one who is serving him? You may think it is the one sitting at the table, but I am like a servant among you!
If we are to prepare leaders in Christ, these leaders must be imbued with this core DNA, that all men are fools save for the fear, the trust, and the love in the Lord, that no man can lead God’s sheep unless he first be committed to complete service to others, that he be the least amongst the flock even as his wisdom, which is wholly of The Lord, guides the flock.
In a Lion Pride, the master of the Pride, the King of the Jungle, eats first, but in God’s Kingdom, the master of the Pride eats last.
Let us summarize what our core DNA must be if we are to be leaders in Christ. Leaders, be they ministers or business leaders, MUST be surrounded by wise counselors, or fellow leaders in Christ. A Christian leader has no title designating him leader, but only titles which describe him as a servant to the flock. He leads through God’s wisdom, only in service to The Lord’s sheep. Let us pray, that we may be leaders in Christ:
Leadership Prayer: Dear Lord, In humble service I come before you to serve your flock as you guide me. I acknowledge your greatness. I fear your wrath if I were to lead your flock astray. I trust in Your ways, in Your Word, above all other ways. I sing my love for you in new songs daily. I lift up Your name in daily praises. I seek to be least amongst your flock so that I might be first in serving your flock, in serving Your will, Your ways. I commit my life to your service, to your sheep, and seek no gain, no wealth, no blessings of health or comfort save that it might serve your will. I call upon the Holy Spirit to come upon me and guide me in my pursuit of The Lord’s Word, the Lord’s wisdom. I do this in the name of our Lord, Jesus Christ, our savior, our King, in Jesus name I, The Lord’s servant, pray. Amen.
To do the work of the Lord, faith is the cornerstone. In Chronicles 19:7-10, The Lord gives instruction to the Judges on how they must judge. It is through fear in the Lord and “good faith” that judges serve the Lord, bearing no ‘respect for high positions”, only in serving God’s will. 2 Chronicles 19:7 So now let the fear of the Lord be in you; do your work with care; for in the Lord our God there is no evil, or respect for high position, or taking of payment to do wrong. 8 Then in Jerusalem he gave authority to certain of the Levites and the priests and the heads of families of Israel to give decisions for the Lord, and in the causes of those living in Jerusalem. 9 And he gave them their orders, saying, You are to do your work in the fear of the Lord, in good faith and with a true heart. 10 And if any cause comes before you from your brothers living in their towns, where the death punishment is in question, or where there are questions of law or order, or rules or decisions, make them take care that they are not in the wrong before the Lord, so that wrath may not come on you and on your brothers; do this and you yourselves will not be in the wrong.
Without Faith, it is easy to question the Lord during difficult times. In Job 40:2-14, God questions Job’s accusations against him. He calls Job out on questioning the “ruler of all” and accuses Job of accusing Him of being wrong for the sake of Job feeling right. Again, the Lord questions how the man who does not possess the power of the Lord could question the Lord. 2 Will he who is protesting give teaching to the Ruler of all? Let him who has arguments to put forward against God give an answer. 3 And Job said in answer to the Lord, 4 Truly, I am of no value; what answer may I give to you? I will put my hand on my mouth. 5 I have said once, and even twice, what was in my mind, but I will not do so again. 6 ¶Then the Lord made answer to Job out of the storm-wind, and said, 7 Get your strength together like a man of war: I will put questions to you, and you will give me the answers. 8 Will you even make my right of no value? will you say that I am wrong in order to make clear that you are right? 9 Have you an arm like God? have you a voice of thunder like his? 10 Put on the ornaments of your pride; be clothed with glory and power: 11 Let your wrath be overflowing; let your eyes see all the sons of pride, and make them low. 12 Send destruction on all who are lifted up, pulling down the sinners from their places. 13 Let them be covered together in the dust; let their faces be dark in the secret place of the underworld. 14 Then I will give praise to you, saying that your right hand is able to give you salvation.
A humbled Job now comes back to faith, saying he sees that the Lord is “able to do every thing…and give effect to [His] designs”. He is sorrowful that he gave a hearing to fales words about the Lord and sorrowfuly he takes his “seat in the dust”. Job 42:1 ¶And Job said in answer to the Lord, 2 I see that you are able to do every thing, and to give effect to all your designs. 3 Who is this who makes dark the purpose of God by words without knowledge? For I have been talking without knowledge about wonders not to be searched out. 4 Give ear to me, and I will say what is in my mind; I will put questions to you, and you will give me the answers. 5 Word of you had come to my ears, but now my eye has seen you. 6 For this cause I give witness that what I said is false, and in sorrow I take my seat in the dust. When Job’s faith waned, he was able to be distracted by earthly judgment against the Lord himself. When he returned to his faith, even his tribulations could not dissade him from the knowledge of the perfect God.
In Matthew, in two different places, Jesus tells his followers that it is faith and faith alone in Him that can cause mountains to literally move. Matthew 17:20 Jesus answered them, “Because you have so little faith. I am telling you the truth: If your faith were the size of the small seed of the mustard plant, then you could say to this mountain, `Move from here to there!´ and the mountain would move. Nothing would be impossible for you.” Matthew 21:21 Jesus answered them, “I am telling you the truth, if you have faith and don’t doubt, you will be able to perform this, too! You can even say to this mountain, `Pick yourself up and throw yourself into the sea!´ and it will happen.
In Acts, following Paul’s near death experience after a vicious stoning, the followers of Christ acknowledge a key fact: “We must suffer many things on our way into God’s kingdom”. Without faith, we will not make it through the necessary struggles we must endure to make it to the promised land. Acts 14:22 In those cities they made the followers of Jesus stronger. They helped them to stay in the faith. They said, “We must suffer many things on our way into God’s kingdom.
Romans 1:17 closes the door on Faith unequicocably by stating that the Good News “reveals the way God makes people right…It begins and ends by faith” Romans 1:17 The Good News reveals the way that God makes people right. It begins and ends by faith.• This is written: “The person who is right with God by faith will live forever.” (Hab. 2:4)our
So it is that Faith governs us and we must govern in Faith. So it is that faith girds us in hard times and begins and ends the way we are made right in the Lord.
Prayer: Lord, I am a small death on a worldy plain without Faith in Your Holy Word. Let me not forget what brought me to redemption, to salvation, to hope, to glory in your name. Let me not forget the lesson of Job, who dared believe the words of deathly men over God’s forever and always power. Let me not forget the Judges of Isreal instructed to govern through Faith in the Lord, or the power, the source of the Good News, that all right in the Lord begins and ends in faith. Let Romans 1:17 be the shield against discouragement and hopelessness: The Good News reveals the way that God makes people right. It beings and ends by faith. This is written:”The person who is right with God by faith will live forever”. In Jesus’ name I pray- Amen
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