E-pistle for February 7, 2014
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e-pistle
FreeWay Foundation February 7, 2014
Holding fast to integrity
(Job 2:1-13)
Dr. Curt Scarborough
I. Concentration: on the contents of this chapter
1. Satan again presented himself to God in heaven, and the Lord pointed
to His servant Job who had held fast to his integrity in spite of Satan's
curses upon his family and business, vv. 1-3.
2. Satan answered that Job surely would curse God if he were suffering
physically, and, with God's permission, Satan afflicted Job with painful
boils from head to feet, vv. 4-8.
3. Job's wife showed her lack of spiritual perception by taunting him and
advising him to "Curse God and die," but Job refused to sin with his
lips saying: "Shall we indeed accept good from God and shall we not
accept adversity," vv. 9-10.
4. Job's three friends (Eliphaz, Bildd, and Zophar) came to comfort him
in his suffering; they went into mourning and sat silently with him for
an entire week, vv. 11-13.
II. Meditation: on the truths seen in this chapter
1. God notices and takes pride in the integrity of His people who are
blameless, upright, God-fearing, and who shun evil, v. 3.
2. Satan never gives up in his attempts to torture God's people and cause
them to recant their faith, v. 5.
3. Even a person's closest love-ones may not have the spiritual insight
necessary to bring encouragement during times of suffering, v. 9.
4. Sometimes, it is impossible to speak proper words of comfort to a
person who is experiencing deep physical and emotional pain; "just
being there" may be the best (the only) thing that one can do, v. 13.
III. Revelation: on additional words of Scripture on these same truths
1. "O Lord, You have searched me and known me . . You have hedged
me behind and before, and laid Your hand upon me . . . Where can I go
from Your Spirit? . . . from Your presence?" Psalm 139:1,5,7.
2. The thief (Satan) does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to
destroy," John 10:10.
3. "A man's enemies will be those of his own household," Matthew 10:36.
4. "I sat where they say, and remained there astonished among them seven
days," Ezekiel 3:15.
IV. Applications: as a Christian, I need to know that . . .
1. The Lord sees my situation and He provides for me . . . "Casting all your
care upon Him, for He cares for you," I Peter 5:7.
2. Jesus came so that I "may have life . . . more abundantly," John 10:10.
3. Christ said: "Whoever does the will of God is My brother and My sister
and mother," Mark 3:35.
4. "He Himself has said, 'I will never leave you nor forsake you,'" Hebrews 13:5.
Personal & practical Devotional lifeskills
Dr. Curt Scarborough
1. Fasting: at least one meal each week
Matthew 6:16-18; Matthew 17:20-21; Isaiah 58:3-7
2. Praying: confession and intercession, "without ceasing" . . .
at least three times daily . . . using the Model Prayer
Psalm 55:17; I Thessalonians 5:17; Matthew 6:9-13; I John 1:9
3. Singing: psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs . . . making
melody in your heart continually
Ephesians 5:18; Colossians 3:16; James 5:13
4. Praising speaking words to magnify the Lord, at least
seven times daily
Psalm 119: 164; Psalm 150:1-6; Hebrews 13:15; Revelation 19:5
5. Reading: God's word daily . . . through the entire Bible annually
II Timothy 3:16; Hebrews 4:12
6. Meditating: daily on the spiritual truths and implications in each
chosen Scripture passage
Psalm 19:14; Philippians 4:8
7. Receiving: the Holy Spirit's fullness, enlightenment, revelation,
renewal, refreshing, and power daily
John 14:26; Ephesians 1:17-19; 5:18; James 1:5; I John 2:20, 27
8. Journaling: daily writing personal reflections, revelations, experiences,
and spiritual applications
Deuteronomy 17:18-20; Jeremiah 30:2; Habakkuk 2:2
(These devotional lifeskills are at the core of the Spiritual Mentoring track of Pillsbury College & Seminary)
Creative Thinking
--Afie Kohn in The Boston Globe
An elderly man, harassed by the taunts of the neighborhood children, devised a scheme.
He offered to pay them a dollar each if they would return on Tuesday and yell their insults again.
The children did so eagerly and received the money. Then he told them he would pay only
25 cents on Wednesday. When they returned, insulted him again and collected their
Quarters, he informed them that Thursday's rate would be just a penny.
"Forget it" they said – and never taunted him again.
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