Fight or Flight stablizers in Psalm 11

Psalm 11:1 In the LORD put I my trust: how say ye to my soul, Flee as a bird to your mountain?

Some of us were born with fight or flight reflexes already in flow. Psalm 11 is for me! God is stable. The name of the Lord is a strong tower. God doesn't have to run or fight he loves the righteous and He is righteous and He showers difficulties and blessings. I am grateful to God for this stabilizing Psalm.

Final thoughts on Job's conversation with God. Job 41-42

Have you any greatness upon the earth, Job had magnificence in Heaven; To think that the devil could be jealous of Job’s integrity with God.

He repented at the last in dust and ashes, his integrity having been tried as by fire. What was his reward? To know God in a deeper and more balanced way and to know the frailty of his own life and spirit. His friends were not implicated so much for speaking against Job’s integrity as for speaking falsely about God. So much of their beliefs of God are our own. What do we learn?

In my truest times of communion with God, I realize that I am a thread away from disowning Him. Our strength is not enough to hold us to Him. Why would He do this to a friend? Our own hearts accuse Him in our suffering. Shameful to have received so much good from God and we are still accusing Him incessantly. That wasn’t the devil’s job, really. Providences make us do such a wrong and think such of Him.

God paints a picture for Job of the mighty and great Leviathan. Himself, as master walking that creature, like a dog. As though Leviathan represents the devil’s request of God. He is a creature and this is his only entertainment, until His destruction is to try the saints. One day, it will not be like this. One day the reasons for all of these things will be evident. In the meantime, there is a contention and a working out of providence to be completed and your struggle is a pivotal piece of the puzzle and know that I love you with an everlasting love, says God to Job.

Says God, I love you enough to give you my reasons, as much as you can receive, right now. You know that your redeemer lives and that is more than most people know and now I will open a window into the reality of the spiritual contention.

Who has the Lord spoken more words in sequence to than Job? God’s questions. I don't know. Isn't that always our answer to God's questions? I don't know, God, please teach us Your ways.

Job 38-40 Who has the Lord spoken more words in sequence to than Job? God’s questions.

God is just and the justifier of those who come to Him. If we seek our comfort in people or earthly creature comforts, they have temporary assistance. God is Job’s Advocate and starts by establishing who it is we are vindicating. Man or God? Who are you he asks and Who am I? The details are telling.

The ordinances of Heaven? Do you know them? What is the beginning and end of all of this creation, do you know it?

Staying the bottles of Heaven? Telling them where to go and what to do, Is that your job? You are showing forth a great portion of my heart to generations, but you can’t know that. God told Job. The whirlwind and then the deciphering of creation on earth. Great and mighty things and wise and stupid things, Why, Job? We can’t even really talk about the details of these things. We could never catch up to God in holiness or in knowledge, still He condescends. I just bring them before you for observation. God’s enchanting intimacy with Job is apparent. I want you to know me. I want to know that you know me in my ways. The Lord beckons Job into deeper communion with Him. Amazing Grace. A good and consistent man suffers and is still not holy enough or smart enough to discuss the smallest things with God. How can any be saved? There must be an advocate to come.

Psalm 4:3 But know that the LORD hath set apart him that is godly for himself: the LORD will hear when I call unto him. Psalm 4:4 Stand in awe, and sin not: commune with your own heart upon your bed, and be still. Selah.

The regret of not praising Him more exuberantly! Jumping for Jesus!

Meditating on dancing before the Lord. God had blessed me to love to dance before Him in praise around my house. One of the blessed habits I had was spiking the ceiling on the certain parts of Ron Kenoly's song. My arm in a sling makes me aware of my inability on that part.

At the 4th celebration this little baby was jumping exuberantly and in my spirit I heard the still small voice say, Aren't you sorry that you didn't use that much strength to serve and praise God in your youth? Yes I am sorry for that, I thought. He is so worthy of all of our praise and strength in worship.

He sends so much down from Heaven, when we do. He does truly inhabit the praises of His people. I don't suggest public spiritual exuberance as at home. But an occasional spiking the ceiling for Jesus is absolutely in order for those who can touch the ceiling. We do it for an earthly crown do we not?

Am I A New Creation in Christ? No Ghost can haunt as bad as the ghost of regrets!

I would have been, I could have been a really good Christian had I started at a young age. I am too old now.

I do hope that no one thinks like that about Christ.

I look at my echocardiogram and my blood pressure and regrets fill my mind. What if I had followed that regimen I started time and time again? It's not too late. You can be an athlete at any age. You can turn your decaying body back somewhat any day you start is the right time.

How much more the soul's decay? I must, I must, I must start trusting in Christ today. I must put away my sins and turn to the Lord. I must stop using excuses to make me think that I will get to know God tomorrow. He is so good and it is such a waste of a life to know so many other people and not to know Him in this life. God is the very best friend that you ever want to have! Lord, help renew my mind and my body, even today. Help me to redeem that time that I have and get to know You and seek you in worship and faith. Help me become as a child in my faith and build, line upon line into my soul, that I wouldn't endure the worst regret of all. Not to know You. I want to love You and serve You with my mind and my body, In Jesus' Name, Amen

Job 20-21 thoughts

It seems that the devil did more damage with truths misapplied in Job’s case than even the physical afflictions and emotional afflictions ever could. The accusations of God beg the cause for rightly dividing the Word of Truth. Not just rightly knowing what God said and who He is, but where to place each truth in conjunction with the situation at hand.

In Job’s case, only God could justify Himself and comfort Job altogether in words. There are really no words when one is in such a serious condition as Job. No one is able to talk for God. We need to remember this when dealing with grievous situation should we want to be those true religious that James instructs. If we visit the fatherless and widows, in their distress, what do we say? We should say how can I help you? We should say this is an awful condition what can I hear more about your sorrow? Talking, as in Job’s case, can be like daggers to the soul. God will hold us accountable, for even the right words used as blows against the godly afflicted. Shame on us to feel that we have words of truth that should and could justify God. God is faithful to justify Himself in the believer’s soul and He certainly does that. We are there to hug them and let them know that there is a beginning and an end to suffering. It will not always be thus.

Once, in an affliction, the most comforting thing someone did was to help me see outside of that moment to another time. Remember this thing or look forward to that thing? These are helpful glances outside of the pain. Not what Bildad said, or Zophar or Elihu. Only God is God.

Still, Job sensed God’s presence in the pain and grief and worshipped. That is the grace of God. We will see a glimpse of God in worship, through the pain.

God give us grace for true religion, please? Amen