Job Elihu

Elihu speaks of the Wonders & the Power of God

Elihu begins to break down Job’s defenses.

First he dismantles his prideful assumptions.

Then he introduces the notion that Job’s trials are tests of his character/

Next he suggests that the reason why Job has not seen God in all of this is because he was looking in the wrong place, that sometimes in the suffering and afflictions that God sometimes reveals Himself.

Finally Elihu encourages Job to consider that God is all around him in all the displays of his wonders and power seen throughout creation.

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Enthrone Kingdom Palm Sunday

Enthrone the King Whose kingdom is the heart

As I have often taught on Palm Sunday the so-called ‘Triumphant Entry’ of Jesus into Jerusalem was anything but! They preconceived ideas and selfish-ambitions blinded them to Messiah and they missed their day of Visitation.

This year we’ve focused more on NOT repeated their mistakes by honoring Jesus as our Messiah, God & King through sincere love OF Him, a deep and abiding reverence FOR Him, unwavering trust IN Him followed by absolute obedience TO Him!

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Elihu Job

Elihu, Job’s 1 in a 1,000

Job has ended his arguments and his friends are done tyring to convince him of their views. Job has become self-righteous and accusatory at God.

God desires to justify his servant, and bring his trials to a quick end, but He must procure Job’s humility first for God’s grace only comes to the humble. Those in pride He will actively resist.

So in steps the young man Elihu, who begins to provide a context for another way of viewing his difficulties. Elihu becomes a spiritual covering for Job serving him in the capacity of a mediator and intercessor!

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Suffering glory

Don’t lose heart, suffering brings glory!

Just before Paul begins to instruct the Ephesian believers about their conduct in Christ and the external proofs of their union with Christ, he reminds them of his imprisonment in Rome. Paul was under Roman house arrest due, among othe things, his preaching of the Gospel especially to the Gentiles and his developing doctrinal understanding regarding the necessity of circumcision for anyone – not just the Gentiles.

Paul did not want these gentile believers to become dishearted over his persecutions for having preached the gospel to them. In addtion to this he did not want them to forsake Christ to avoid persecutions themselves.

There was much of this which was “understood” and was therefore not detailed in this letter. I therefore took the time in this message to address some of the backstory behind Paul’s imprisonment a the reason for their glory in his sufferings. This was a dividing point in the early church which worked itself out, but in the beginning of the gospel being opened up to the Gentiles it was a tenuous and hot topic for which Paul was placed under much scrutiny and opposition.

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