For today, One Year Bible Online links here.
Sacrifices and offerings made by those who intend to go on sinning are detestable. It is even worse when they are made with the intention of influencing the actions of those serving the Lord.
The first verse of our psalm today has two sides. On the one hand, the words spoken by those who are righteous will naturally tend to be wise and support justice. On the other hand, if we desire to be righteous we must take care that the words we speak are wise and support justice. The wicked will lay traps for us and attempt to trick us into speaking foolishly. However, if we keep our focus on God and doing His will, He will keep us from falling into their traps and protect us from their attacks.
Paul continues his critique of speaking in tongues. It is clear from what he says that, while he believes it is a valuable gift from God, the Church in Corinth has become excessively focused on it. It appears that this focus has led them to have disorderly, chaotic worship services. Paul describes how our worship services should go, something we should perhaps examine and apply today. He describes how some have songs they wish to sing, others have words from God to share, and still others are prepared to teach. He points out that only two or three should speak in tongues, and then one at a time. Those who feel led to speak in tongues should only do so if there is someone present who has been given the gift to explain what it means to everyone else. When those who feel they have a word from God speak, everyone else should consider whether what they say is right. Most importantly, our worship services should be orderly, with only one person at a time speaking.
The first of Job’s friends, Eliphaz, replies to Job. Eliphaz tells Job that the righteous do not suffer, therefore he, Job, must have done something wrong. The hard times which Job is experiencing are merely God’s attempts to correct him. If Job would only turn back to the Lord, all of his troubles would go away and life would be good once more.
Job answers Eliphaz by recounting how severe his misery and suffering are. Then he asks Eliphaz, or the others, to show him what he had done wrong, where he fell short and needed to change. Job then continues by asking God why this had happened to him? Why was God sending so much suffering his way?
Remember, no matter how much you are suffering, you are not the first and your suffering is not greater than that experienced by others. Continue with me as we look at the rest of this book over the next few days.