E-piste for March 31, 2015
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E-Pistle
Dr. Curt Scarborough, President FreeWay Foundation March 31, 2015
Twice as much a before!
(Job 42:1-17)
Dr. Curt Scarborough
I. Concentration: on the contents of this chapter
1. Job confessed God's omnipotence and omniscience; he humbly repented and
rejoiced in his new revelation knowledge of God, vv. 1-6.
2. God rebuked Job's three friends and ordered them to offer sacrifices while Job
Prayed for them, vv. 7-9.
3. Job prayed for his friends, and God restored his material losses two-fold, plus
He gave him seven sons and three daughters, vv. 10-13.
4. Job named his daughters, gave them equal inheritances as his sons, and saw
his great-grandchildren, before dying at age 140, vv. 14-17.
II. Meditation: on the names Job gave to his three beautiful daughters, (v. 14)
1. Job's wife, original ten children, and second set of seven sons are unnamed.
WHY?
2. Jemima, the first daughter's name, means "Morning Dove" or "Handsome New
Day" . . . picturing Job's restoration as a bright new day.
3. Keziah, the second daughter's name, refers to the perfume, cassia . . . picturing
Job's healing and a return to his former fragrant, pleasant condition of social
acceptability.
4. Keren-Happuch, the third daughter's name, translates as "Colorful Horn," perhaps
a reference to God's blessings of prosperity.
As he names his daughters, Job was testifying: "I've been reborn into a new day,
everything smells good, and God has abundantly blessed me."
III. Revelation: on the spiritual truths in this chapter
1. Humility and repentance are prerequisites to receiving a divine revelation . . . to
seeing God, ("now my eyes see You,") vv. 5-6.
2. Praying sincerely for others with a spirit of forgiveness is the key which unlocks
and opens the gates for God's blessings to flow, v. 10.
3. It is Satan who destroys and afflicts, but it is God who restores and heals.
4. There is life after death: God doubled everything which Job had lost, including his
ten children . . . in eternity (heaven), Job was reunited with all twenty of his living
children.
IV. Applications: as a Christian, I need to . . .
1. Ask God to purify my heart so that I may truly see Him, Matthew 5:8.
2. Pray for others with a sincere heart of forgiveness, Matthew 6:12, 14-15. (Ezekiel
commended Job's righteousness and prayer power, along with that of Noah and
Daniel, Ezekiel 14:14, 20).
3. Faithfully endure and persevere through times of trials, realizing that it is Satan who
steals, kills, and destroys, but that Jesus gives abundant life, John 10:10. (James
does not commend Job's persevering endurance, James 5;11).
4. Anticipate spending eternity with God and my loved ones, John 14:1-3.
take heed to your ministry
(Colossians 4:1-6: 17)
Dr. Curt Scarborough
I. Concentration: on "taking heed" . . . paying attention
"Take heed to the ministry which you have received in the Lord, that you may fulfill it,"
Colossians 4:17.
1. Treat others justly and fairly, v. 1.
2. Continue in earnest prayer, with vigilance and thanksgiving, v. 2:
(1) For us to have an open door for witnessing, v. 3.
(2) For us to be able to reveal clearly the message of Christ, vv. 3-4.
3. Walk in wisdom in the sight of those who are lost . . . making the best possible
use of your time. v. 5.
4. Answer spiritual questions with grace (God's gifting) and with the preserving
properties of salt in a decaying society, v. 6.
II. Meditation: on these major things that we should "heed"
1. Inter-personal relationships – Live by the "Golden Rule," Matthew 7:12.
2. Prayer life – "Pray without ceasing," I Thessalonians 5:17.
3. Daily walk and influence – Produce the "fruit of the Spirit," Galatians 5:22-23.
4. Spoken testimony and witness – "Be witnesses to Me," Acts 1:8.
III. Revelation: on the spiritual perspectives of these "heeded" things
1. Living the Christian life is not "pie in the sky by-and-by"; rather, it involves
down-to-earth, practical day-by-day living in the "NOW."
2. Prayer for effective ministry is two-fold:
(1) For an open door of opportunity for service.
(2) For power and guidance to reveal Christ's message clearly when
we go through that open door.
3. Spiritual matters should be given the major portion of our "free" time.
(The apostles gave themselves "continually to prayer and to the ministry
of the word," Acts 6:4. So should we! How much valuable time do we
Christians waste watching television or surfing the internet!)
4. A believer cannot adequately answer spiritual inquiries unless he:
(1) Treats others with love,
(2) fellowships with God in prayer, and
(3) uses his time wisely . . . with the proper priorities and with spiritual discipline.
IV. Applications: as a Christian, I need to . . .
1. Be friendly and courteous to all persons, exhibiting the sweet spirit of Christ in all
I do and say.
2. Pray for my church and other worthy Christian ministries . . . that God will prosper
and use them mightily to accomplish His purposes.
3. Discipline myself to give clear priority of time to spiritual things, such as Bible study,
meditation, and prayer.
4. Be open to God's revelation about His truths and purposes . . . so that I may share
this God-given wisdom and knowledge with those who want to know Him better.
"The opportunity of being wise is the art of knowing what to overlook."
--William James
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