"Dylan Took My Toy!" Biblical lessons in leadership and judging rightly.

"Never Judge a Book by its Movie" by Enokson

"Never Judge A Book By It's Movie!" 

How often am I faced with a situation that looks one way on the surface, but after a little digging I start to see it in a new light?

Often!

In fact in my new job, my role is to question everything that I see and make sure the situations brought to my attention are what they appear to be.

Judge Rightly:

So the other night I'm reading the bible to my kids and I flip in their Kids: "Adventure Bible (Affiliate Link) to 2 Chronicles 19. It's about King Jehoshaphat. He is helping Israel return to God. He goes throughout the land and gets them to put down their idols and come back to the One True God.

Then he appoints judges throughout the land and gives them instructions on how to judge.

2 Chronicles 19:4-11 (New King James Version)4 So Jehoshaphat dwelt at Jerusalem; and he went out again among the people from Beersheba to the mountains of Ephraim, and brought them back to the Lord God of their fathers. 5 Then he set judges in the land throughout all the fortified cities of Judah, city by city, 6 and said to the judges, "Take heed to what you are doing, for you do not judge for man but for the Lord, who is with you in the judgment. 

Then the kids bible has an excerpt where you the readers can practice "judging" a situation of your own. This became an interesting practice because for the most part we aren't dealing with clear cut situations.

The judgment is easy when things are cut and dry.

Hitler is bad, he needs to be stopped. Clear. 

But what happens when situations are more nuanced?

Here are some examples of what they had use judge:

Kids Bible Example: 

"Dylan took my toy out of my room", Caitlin says. 

"Caitlin got the biggest piece of cake!", Dylan Complains. 

Kids: "Adventure Bible, NIV" (Affiliate Link)

"Dylan Took My Toy..." sounds fairly clear cut.

"What should we tell Dylan?" I asked.

My kids answered in unison; "Give it back!!!"

But wait...

What if Dylan didn't take her toy?

What if the toy was lost because she forgot where she put it and Dylan doesn't have it either.

What if Dylan was rightfully playing with it and Caitlin is complaining because she wants it back not because Dylan did anything wrong.

Who's right? What's the right answer? It takes more than a snap judgment, it takes leadership, listening to them, and listening to the Holy Spirit to see the right solution sometimes.

Stop whining!

How do you judge the "Biggest Peice of Cake"?

 My wife instituted a rule in our house that if anyone complains that someone else got the biggest "(X=whatever you are complaining about)", the complainer doesn't get any at all.

But maybe we could say "Hey! Isn't it a blessing that he/she got the biggest? Let's praise God for his/her blessing because when we praise God for what God does for others, he does the same for us later."

Now we are teaching them the power of a life of giving, instead of a "whine and take" mentality.

It is good and right to judge situations. 

We hear so much about not "judging" someone, and there is some truth to that. But we are to judge situations and circumstances.

We must learn to judge right if we are to live happy and successful lives.

It's about "Responding" and not "Reacting". Reactions happen at a gut level, and are seldom good. Response takes thought, energy, and at least a few extra moments (if not days/weeks).

Reactions involve little forethought.

Responses require a thought and planning.

Here are four keys I learned as I reflected on this evening with the kids.

To see the right solution takes:

• Leadership: Seek the right answer, not the first one that comes to mind.

• Listening: Listen to both sides and ask questions to get the full picture.

• Lordship: Listen for the voice of the Holy Spirit before you act on this information. He may see things you don't see, He was in the room with them and you were not.

• Love: You must A) be motivated by love yourself and B) be teaching that love is to be the primary motivator in those you lead. 

And now I leave you with a question:

What have you been reacting to that you could respond to instead? 

To Respond: Leave a comment on this post

By Darrell Wolfe

About This Blog, and Darrell. 

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Flashbacks

An explosion knocks him against a wall. He barely sees, through the smoke, men running about, hauling rubble off of men's bodies, checking pulses. He sees some men screaming in pain. Others shouting to one another. He sees them, but all he hears is intense ringing. 



Half the mess hall is completely gone, all that is left is fire and rubble. It only takes about 60 seconds for him to snap out of the initial shock. He jumps up. Others will tend to the wounded, as his hearing returns more bombs are hitting other buildings. 



This band of head wrapped miscreants has found upgraded weapons, Russian no doubt. Ash shoots out the building, down the road to the artillery unit. He grabs his rifle and heads for the highest building. 



He can see the launch area where the rockets are being fired from. He takes a deep breath in and slowly breaths out to stead his body. Through the long range scope he can see about 20 of them. They only have two missile launchers. They have very little cover, firing from open desert, mostly hiding behind their Jeep. 



He fires two rounds back to back, taking out both missile launchers, exploding in the handlers face. Ash then begins firing one round after another as the attackers fall like Coke cans on a fence post. The bullets hit their targets with extreme prejudice and quick timing. 



Three remain. By the time they realize what has happened they are cowering behind the the vehicle. Jeeps are great vehicles for driving through tough terrain quickly, but they are build light, not armored. He sees one peek through the glass, one shot, gone. 



The other two attempt to climb in the vehicle keeping their heads down and drive away. The problem with that, is that both seats are occupied, both seats are easily identifiable. He doesn't need to see them, only the back of their seats. Two. One. The Jeep speeds up as it drives erratically, then crashes into an outcropping of rocks. 





Theron Ashlund sat sipping on his large java chip blended ice coffee. Even if it was -20*F outside, it was his favorite drink. Sitting in the Grounded Cafe' Ash stared out the window at nothing in particular. Images flashed before his mind, images of wars, actions taken to defend his homeland.



That was a long time ago, when he was Colonel Theron Ashlund USAF; that was the old Ash. Now he was just Professor Ashlund PhD. Due to his groundbreaking thesis on The Rise and Fall of Terrorist Dictators and his litany of military awards, he could have had any seat in the country. But he chose to be Dean of Military Science at Southern Oregon University (SOU), Ashland OR. It seemed fitting. #RaiderUp! He wanted to escape the lime light of Harvard, Yale, or West Point. Of course his ROTC students still called him Col. Ashlund. But his non military students just knew him as Prof-Ash, which eventually just melded into Profish.



There were very few lectures or spot lights these days. As Dean, Ash's job primarily lay in administrative work and policy, plus a few session counseling the younger professors. He was quite over qualified for the position, but he ran a tight department.



****



Ash noticed the faces of the people he passed as he walked down the street. Hurried. Busy. Faces buried in their smart phones as they walk by. So oblivious to the world around them. He took a deep breath of crisp mountain air.  The leaves had begun to fall, most had turned shades of orange and yellow already. Winter was coming.



He turned off the street between two old buildings, and walked up a well worn path into the woods, into refuge from the masses, to home. It wasn't a mansion by any means, but splurged some. 2,500 sqft, 4 bedrooms, a home theater, game room with pool table. Yes sir, he had a fine cabin in the woods. All to himself. How he'd managed to live here ten years and still not have a single friend invited over was mystery to even himself. But he liked things just so. He liked the solitude. At least that's what he told himself when the feelings of loneliness crept in past his shield.



Ash took a seat on his second story balcony, overlooking the hills and lake. He stared at nothing in particular for several minutes. Then laid down in his hammock and fell asleep for the rest of the night. Yes sir, he had a fine cabin.



*************

We're Air Force Special Tactics, and our motto is "First There...That Others May Live."

******

*****



Thank you for reading. I hope you enjoyed this. I'd love to make a community with this project. If you would like to add, comment on, critique, or otherwise participate... that would be great!



Please include any information about yourself, your blog/wesbite/amazon author page that you want to share with the community also.



* I may include "Affiliate Links" which means I earn a commission when you buy products I link to. To see my full about page and disclosures: Click Here



It's Author Fun By Darrell Wolfe



To Subscribe to the RSS: Click Here



For Non-Fiction writing by Darrell G. Wolfe: Click Here

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Flashbacks

An explosion knocks him against a wall. He barely sees, through the smoke, men running about, hauling rubble off of men's bodies, checking pulses. He sees some men screaming in pain. Others shouting to one another. He sees them, but all he hears is intense ringing. 

Half the mess hall is completely gone, all that is left is fire and rubble. It only takes about 60 seconds for him to snap out of the initial shock. He jumps up. Others will tend to the wounded, as his hearing returns more bombs are hitting other buildings. 

This band of head wrapped miscreants has found upgraded weapons, Russian no doubt. Ash shoots out the building, down the road to the artillery unit. He grabs his rifle and heads for the highest building. 

He can see the launch area where the rockets are being fired from. He takes a deep breath in and slowly breaths out to stead his body. Through the long range scope he can see about 20 of them. They only have two missile launchers. They have very little cover, firing from open desert, mostly hiding behind their Jeep. 

He fires two rounds back to back, taking out both missile launchers, exploding in the handlers face. Ash then begins firing one round after another as the attackers fall like Coke cans on a fence post. The bullets hit their targets with extreme prejudice and quick timing. 

Three remain. By the time they realize what has happened they are cowering behind the the vehicle. Jeeps are great vehicles for driving through tough terrain quickly, but they are build light, not armored. He sees one peek through the glass, one shot, gone. 

The other two attempt to climb in the vehicle keeping their heads down and drive away. The problem with that, is that both seats are occupied, both seats are easily identifiable. He doesn't need to see them, only the back of their seats. Two. One. The Jeep speeds up as it drives erratically, then crashes into an outcropping of rocks. 


Theron Ashlund sat sipping on his large java chip blended ice coffee. Even if it was -20*F outside, it was his favorite drink. Sitting in the Grounded Cafe' Ash stared out the window at nothing in particular. Images flashed before his mind, images of wars, actions taken to defend his homeland.

That was a long time ago, when he was Colonel Theron Ashlund USAF; that was the old Ash. Now he was just Professor Ashlund PhD. Due to his groundbreaking thesis on The Rise and Fall of Terrorist Dictators and his litany of military awards, he could have had any seat in the country. But he chose to be Dean of Military Science at Southern Oregon University (SOU), Ashland OR. It seemed fitting. #RaiderUp! He wanted to escape the lime light of Harvard, Yale, or West Point. Of course his ROTC students still called him Col. Ashlund. But his non military students just knew him as Prof-Ash, which eventually just melded into Profish.

There were very few lectures or spot lights these days. As Dean, Ash's job primarily lay in administrative work and policy, plus a few session counseling the younger professors. He was quite over qualified for the position, but he ran a tight department.

****

Ash noticed the faces of the people he passed as he walked down the street. Hurried. Busy. Faces buried in their smart phones as they walk by. So oblivious to the world around them. He took a deep breath of crisp mountain air.  The leaves had begun to fall, most had turned shades of orange and yellow already. Winter was coming.

He turned off the street between two old buildings, and walked up a well worn path into the woods, into refuge from the masses, to home. It wasn't a mansion by any means, but splurged some. 2,500 sqft, 4 bedrooms, a home theater, game room with pool table. Yes sir, he had a fine cabin in the woods. All to himself. How he'd managed to live here ten years and still not have a single friend invited over was mystery to even himself. But he liked things just so. He liked the solitude. At least that's what he told himself when the feelings of loneliness crept in past his shield.

Ash took a seat on his second story balcony, overlooking the hills and lake. He stared at nothing in particular for several minutes. Then laid down in his hammock and fell asleep for the rest of the night. Yes sir, he had a fine cabin.

*************

We're Air Force Special Tactics, and our motto is "First There...That Others May Live."

******

*****

Thank you for reading. I hope you enjoyed this. I'd love to make a community with this project. If you would like to add, comment on, critique, or otherwise participate... that would be great!

Please include any information about yourself, your blog/wesbite/amazon author page that you want to share with the community also.

* I may include "Affiliate Links" which means I earn a commission when you buy products I link to. To see my full about page and disclosures: Click Here

It's Author Fun By Darrell Wolfe

To Subscribe to the RSS: Click Here

For Non-Fiction writing by Darrell G. Wolfe: Click Here

Read more →

Memorial Day: Remembering Freedom

"Freedom" by Scott Robinson, Some Rights Reserved

Galatians 5:1 NIV [Freedom in Christ] It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery.

Those who deny freedom to others deserve it not for themselves. --Abraham Lincoln

Let Us Remember What Freedom Means

Monday May 26, 2014 is Memorial Day. 

Originally celebrated as "Decoration Day", to decorate the graves of fallen soldiers who died in the civil war. Today we celebrate and remember the lives of those soldiers who died in order to give us freedom from tyranny and oppression, so that we can be a free people.

I thought it would be good to remember some of the major events that led to this day.

• On July 4th 1776 the Declaration of Independence was drafted and signed.  This led to the September 13, 1788 resolution putting the United States Constitution into effect. These events were surrounded by opposition from England. The King of England was a Tyrant and refused to allow the colonies to go free so easily. This led to the first great war: The American Revolutionary War. But we should also include in our memory all the men who died not only in "battle" but in prisons, put there unjustly by a tyrant king, who's death's led up to these fateful events and are mentioned in the very Declaration itself. 

• The 13 Amendment, brought about in part by Lincoln's Emancipation Proclamation, was among the events that led to the American Civil War. In essence, this fight was about making sure that ALL men, not just white men, were free to pursue their "inalienable rights" as promised by the US Constitution. Many of the very people who had fought to be free from their bondage, were now responsible for the bondage of others. Lincoln had to over-see the worst battle in US History, a battle for our national soul.

Galatians 5:13 NIV You, my brothers, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the sinful nature; rather, serve one another in love.

• World War One, World War Two, Korean War, Vietnam War, Gulf War... all wars fought by a free people to help others gain freedom from oppressive governments. 

• The still on-going, but now diluted, War On Terror, is a new kind of war. It's a war against those who would create terror and confusion in order to disable and destabilize existing governments and societies. Brought about by the attack of September 11, 2001 (9-11). This war is fought against a people who would put us in bondage to fear. 

Freedom From Slavery

Decoration Day/Memorial Day has it's roots in the most evil war this country has ever faced. We fought an internal battle of good and evil.

Evil men wanting to enslave other men for their own profit.
VS
Good men calling an end to this slavery, "enough is enough".

In this heated battle the North fought against the South to set a whole race of people free from the bonds of slavery.

Among the more heartfelt stories of this time in US History, it is told of a group of free blacks in Charleston SC, who were grateful for their newfound, hard fought freedom. They were so grateful in fact, they felt they must do something about it. Nearby were northern soldiers who had died in the war trying to free these people.

These soldiers had been buried in one mass grave. Wanting to give these men the respect they deserved for the ultimate sacrifice, the free blacks in the area unburied this mass grave to give these soldiers a proper burial.

I cannot imagine what a horrible job that must have been, or how long these had been buried before being reburied properly. But it was what they felt must be done. To this day their story inspires us to honor and respect those who would put their lives on the line for freedom.

For certain, freedom is hard earned. 

President Ronald Reagan's entire legacy was based in the concept of freedom. Here are two quotes that highlight why he is one of the most loved Presidents in US history.

1. Freedom is never more than one generation away from extinction. We didn’t pass it on to our children in the bloodstream. It must be fought for, protected, and handed on for them to do the same, or one day we will spend our sunset years telling our children and our children's children what it was once like in the United States where men were free.

2. We cannot survive as a free nation when some men decide that others are not fit to live and should be abandoned to abortion or infanticide. My Administration is dedicated to the preservation of America as a free land, and there is no cause more important for preserving that freedom than affirming the transcendent right to life of all human beings, the right without which no other rights have any meaning.

The Modern Civil War - Attack On Freedom

We now live in a day and age where freedom is under attack in every way.

• In many parts of the world to say that Islam is false will get you beheaded, or in killed in some fashion.
• In parts of the US even, it is becoming increasingly difficult to be a Christian without persecution, even law suits. 
• Millions of children have been murdered, sacrificed on the alter of convenience, in the name of "choice".  
• One cannot speak their mind, choose when to and not to participate in social activities, even run a business without fear of being sued by someone who didn't like their choice.
• The US Government has waged taxes on the American people that far outweigh anything England was taxing us for in the 1700's.
• There are so many social programs, designed to perpetuate poverty rather than train people out of it; that many poor of all races today are just as mentally and financially enslaved to US Government Programs today as the blacks were physically enslaved to land so many owners years ago.
• The IRS is interfering with elections.
• People use their "freedom" to choose to justify using force to get other people to comply with their choices or to justify taking the life of the innocent.
• Young girls are forced into slavery through sex trafficking, even here in the USA. Yet because it's not out in the open it's going unseen without a fight.

But all of these things are not the war, not really. They are merely a symptom. You see, while Democrats and Republicans wage their ongoing battle in Washington DC, and on social media, and on TV...

There is another war, a deeper war, that is the real source of all this conflict. It's a war that has been waged since this country's inception and it's one that will not be fully won in this age, but must still be fought.

The Thief

There is a thief, an enemy. He comes to steal, kill, and destroy. All war. All poverty. All Disease. All Death. Satan is behind it all. All attacks on freedom and liberty, Satan is behind it. So when someone attacks you (be that someone an individual or a nation), it is Satan working in and/or through that person.

Satan has been systematically attacking the USA's freedom since it's inception. Constantly working to erode our faith in the One who gave us this land, and called us to it's freedom.

Wherever you find an attack on God, God's Word, or God's People (Christian and Jew alike), you will find a decent into anarchy, lawlessness, frivolous law suits, sin, sickness, disease, poverty, economic crashes, wars, and all other aspects of The Curse (Deut 28:15-68)

The curse is on and in this planet. All who walk separate from God are subject to it. Not because God curses them. No! It is because the curse is here, thanks to Adam and Satan, and it is at work degrading everything. The Curse brings death.

To remove God is to remove the life preserving agent. Death is the natural result.

You hear natural disasters called "Acts of God". They are not acts of God, they are acts of Satan!

Children being killed in schools by other children. How could this happen? It never shocks me to hear about another school shooting. It saddens me, angers me, never shocks me. I'm surprised there aren't more of them. When God is removed from public schools for generations, death is the natural result.

In fact, if it weren't for the Grace of God through prayers of His people holding back the death, there would be more of these shootings.

The Life Giver

But Jesus came to give life, and life abundant, to the overflow.

He is THE Life giver. Where you find Christ (The Anointed One) you find the results of His Anointing: The Blessing (Deut 28:1-14)

This is why you find Christian's, historically and present, are by far the biggest givers to (and starters of) food pantries, hospitals, outreaches to the poor of every kind. More is done in the humanitarian efforts by Christians than all other groups combined.

(*To clarify: I include Catholics and Christians to be the same group - Bible Believing worshipers of Jesus).

We have been grafted into THE BLESSING of Abraham by Jesus!

The Bible has many things to say about freedom. 

Just a casual search provides some interesting results. Here are some interesting verses to consider.

Isaiah 61:1 NIV 

The Year of the LORD's Favor 1 The Spirit of the Sovereign LORD is on me, because the LORD has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners, 2 to proclaim the year of the LORD's favor and the day of vengeance of our God, to comfort all who mourn, 3 and provide for those who grieve in Zion-- to bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of gladness instead of mourning, and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair. They will be called oaks of righteousness, a planting of the LORD for the display of his splendor. 4 They will rebuild the ancient ruins and restore the places long devastated; they will renew the ruined cities that have been devastated for generations. 5 Aliens will shepherd your flocks; foreigners will work your fields and vineyards. 6 And you will be called priests of the LORD, you will be named ministers of our God. You will feed on the wealth of nations, and in their riches you will boast. 

Romans 8:21 NIV ...that the creation itself will be liberated from its bondage to decay and brought into the glorious freedom of the children of God.

1 Corinthians 7:21 NIV Were you a slave when you were called? Don't let it trouble you--although if you can gain your freedom, do so.

2 Corinthians 3:17 NIV Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.

Galatians 2:4 NIV [This matter arose] because some false brothers had infiltrated our ranks to spy on the freedom we have in Christ Jesus and to make us slaves.

Galatians 5:1 NIV [Freedom in Christ] It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery.

Galatians 5:13 NIV You, my brothers, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the sinful nature; rather, serve one another in love.

Living A Life Of Freedom

Let us remember that it was Jesus who gave the Ultimate Sacrifice so that we could be free. Free from sin, sickness, disease, poverty... Free from the Curse.

Let us remember those who followed in his pattern of life, and gave their lives to protect freedom all over this world. Patriots of the Kingdom from Peter the Apostle to every solider that has died in the name of freedom to this day.

Let us remember those who are dying today all over the world, especially in places like the Middle East, Sudan, China, North Korea, and other places that to be a follower of Jesus means death. And the soldiers fighting battles to keep US Citizens safe.

Let us remember that most of us, here in the USA, will not be called on to give our lives to the service of the gospel through physical death, or martyrdom. But we will be called upon every day to bring the light of that Great Sacrifice to those around us.

Let us remember to lay aside those things that so easily distract us and run the race that God has set before us (Hebrews 12:1).

Let us take a moment longer with our kids, spouse, friends, family... let us use this year to be fully engaged in whatever lies before us, not just living day to day with no purpose or direction. Too much has been sacrificed for us to take our freedom so lightly.

Let us take actions, big and small, to start a revival in our home, church, work, community, city, state, nation, and world. Let this be the year we have such a big revival for the things of God that we turn the USA back into the nation of God that it once was, and could be again. Maybe even causing such a ruckus that we usher in the return of Jesus Himself.

2 Peter 3:8-14 (New International Version)
8 But do not forget this one thing, dear friends: With the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day. 9 The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance. 10 But the day of the Lord will come like a thief. The heavens will disappear with a roar; the elements will be destroyed by fire, and the earth and everything in it will be laid bare. 11 Since everything will be destroyed in this way, what kind of people ought you to be? You ought to live holy and godly lives 12 as you look forward to the day of God and speed its coming. That day will bring about the destruction of the heavens by fire, and the elements will melt in the heat. 13 But in keeping with his promise we are looking forward to a new heaven and a new earth, the home of righteousness. 14 So then, dear friends, since you are looking forward to this, make every effort to be found spotless, blameless and at peace with him.

By Darrell Wolfe

About This Blog, and Darrell. 

This Weeks Resources:

Spiritual Freedom: What The Blessing means to you! 

The Blessing of the Lord: Makes Rich and He Adds No Sorrow With It. By Kenneth Copeland

Personal Freedom: Freedom from sin, addiction, fear, and more
Grace: The Power To Change. By Dr James B Richards

National Freedom: The single most important issue facing the USA today, and we're getting it wrong in current policies and court decisions. 
Separation of Church & State: What the Founders Meant. By David Barton

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I earn commissions off of some of my suggestions. Full Disclaimers (Click Here)
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And now I leave you with a question:

In light of the many sacrifices made for your freedom... what will you do differently today, tomorrow, and beyond? 

To Respond Leave A Comment on This Post

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Prostitutes and other Godly people ...

Jesus Saves in Neon by Taber Andrew Bain

God Uses Strange Circumstances... 

Two men are spying out a city. The first city their band of warriors - misfits will attack. They are looking to see what weak spots there are and how to best engage the enemy. They are on reconnaissance and intel gathering.

So they visit a prostitute on the way out of the city. She hides them on her roof, misleads the guards. Then she lets them down through her window with a red rope, with the promise that when the attack comes, she and her household will be safe. Joshua 2

Rahab, a prostitute,  and her family only survivors of City Wide Devastation... 

 Joshua 6:22-25

22 But Joshua had said to the two men who had spied out the country, "Go into the harlot's house, and from there bring out the woman and all that she has, as you swore to her." 23 And the young men who had been spies went in and brought out Rahab, her father, her mother, her brothers, and all that she had. So they brought out all her relatives and left them outside the camp of Israel. 24 But they burned the city and all that was in it with fire. Only the silver and gold, and the vessels of bronze and iron, they put into the treasury of the house of the Lord. 25 And Joshua spared Rahab the harlot, her father's household, and all that she had. So she dwells in Israel to this day, because she hid the messengers whom Joshua sent to spy out Jericho.

Hebrews 11:31 NKJV 
By faith the harlot Rahab did not perish with those who did not believe, when she had received the spies with peace.

James 2:25 NKJV 
Likewise, was not Rahab the harlot also justified by works when she received the messengers and sent them out another way?

Rahab the Prostitute is an interesting choice to be used of God. This woman become one of just a few to be allowed to live among the children of Israel. She even marries a Jew named Boaz. In fact, she becomes one of the few gentiles to be in the line and lineage, of Jesus himself! (Matthew 1:5)

***Correction! I decided to leave the original here but correct it also. A reader pointed out my error. It's always good to be aware of your errors. The truth is even more exciting. Rahab was not Boaz' wife. Rahab was Boaz' MOM. Rahab married an Israelite and gave birth to Boaz who would then in turn marry another non-Israelite woman named Ruth, who ends up with an entire book in the Old Testament. Rahab ended up with quite a legacy.***

What an odd choice. Kind of makes the religious community cringe to think about.

Mark Cahill frequently goes to the places religious crowds run from. Being led by the Spirit of God, he will go into bars and other places to rescue people from hell itself. Everywhere he goes he brings the light of God's love with him. More prostitutes, and other people religion shuns, have been saved and brought to Jesus by this man than any other I know, except maybe Kenneth Copeland or Jesse Duplantis.

Is there anything we can learn about God's heart for anyone that will listen?

Is there anything that Rahab did we can learn from?

I'll let you decide. But here are some random thoughts about this.

Random Thoughts About Rahab...

She used a red rope. This symbolizes the blood of Jesus. She rely's on that symbol outside her door (just like the passover blood on the doors of the Israelites forty years earlier), to save her from pending doom.

She reached for her answer. When God led those men across her path, she seized the moment. She could have been afraid of her people and turned them in. Instead she took a chance, and she and her household were the only ones left.

God chose a woman with less than perfect history to be saved, because of her willingness to believe, and obey.

What do you think? 

Anything you can learn from a born again prostitute? Are you too good to reach out to those who are lost? Hurting?

Leave a comment to discuss (disqus).

By Darrell Wolfe

About This Blog, and Darrell. 

*Mention a relevant book, through Amazon.

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Honor Your Calling. Gateway People Church Notes Saturday 05.18.2014

Honor Your Calling

Five Keys To Cooperating With Your Calling

Guest Pastor - Tom Mullins
Gateway Church, Southlake Texas - GatewayPeople.Com

"Careers Come and Go, but Callings Never Change." Coach Tom Mullins

Key Scripture Text: Jude 1:1

Jude 1:1 NKJVJude, a bondservant of Jesus Christ, and brother of James, To those who are called, sanctified by God the Father, and preserved in Jesus Christ:

KJVJude, the servant of Jesus Christ, and brother of James, to them that are sanctifiedby God the Father, and preserved in Jesus Christ, [and] called:

Jude points out that as a servant of Jesus The Anointed One; we are:

1. Called: "Invited (as unto an event) - Selected (as unto an office or position)".
2. Sanctified: "Set Apart and Cleansed For Special Purpose".
3. Preserved: "Cared For, Watched Over, Guarded".

Every person in the Kingdom of God is called. Not just Pastors and "Ministers", but all of us.

So what if we are all called, what are we called to? 

2 Corinthians 5:15-21 (New International Version) 

15 And he died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for him who died for them and was raised again. 16 So from now on we regard no one from a worldly point of view. Though we once regarded Christ in this way, we do so no longer. 

17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come! 

18 All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: 19 that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting men's sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation. 

20 We are therefore Christ's ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. "We implore you on Christ's behalf: Be reconciled to God." 

21 God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.

We are Ambassadors of Jesus The Anointed One, through His Anointing. We have died to ourselves and live for Him. So when you see people, even really angry or mean people, don't be mad at them.

Don't see people as mere people. See them as precious ones that Jesus chose to die for. Even really bad people, are just people being deceived by the enemy. They are prisoners that need to be delivered, not enemies. To Minister Is To Serve.

How do we serve them?

We have been given a mission and a message.

Our Ministry, Mission, and Message is RECONCILIATION. 

What is that message, exactly?

"We implore you on Christ's behalf: Be reconciled to God."  

Be Reconciled To God. 

*Personal Note***

How often have we, who have been "in the Church" for a long time, lost that sense of the ultimate calling. We are like the people in the life boats of the Titanic.

Did you know that there were 472 unused seats on the life boats that left the Titanic? Did you know that of the 16 life boats launched from the Titanic that fateful night, only 2 came back to rescue more people? Thanks to that, only 9 more people were lifted from the waters... 3 of them died from Hypothermia. FAR short of the 472 unused seats that could have been filled.

Much has been said of the lack of planning, considering that Titanic was only carrying life boats enough for 33% of it's passengers. But what of the boats there were, and the people on them?

How could 472 seats remain unfilled?

#1 Complacency; I'm saved, some of those others decided not to get on the boat in the beginning. They didn't think they were going to drown. So why should I save them now? It's too late for them. 

#2 Fear; fear that if I try to save others, I may die in the process. They may, in their desperation, bring me down with them, or claw at me, or otherwise endanger me, or endanger my comfortable place here. I'd rather be saved comfortably, than die trying to rescue others.

We must consider our Ministry, Mission, and Message. We must die to ourselves, and live for Him who called us. 

*Titanic Facts***

God says: "Those who honor me I will honor, those who despise (think little of, or don't even bother to think about) Me I will despise. 1 Sam 2:30

We honor God by honoring the calling on our lives.

* Personal Note ***

You will catch men by Your Obedience to His Word... not by your strategies and/or talents. Darrell Wolfe

***

In Luke 5 we can see:

5 Keys to Finding and Living Our Your Calling. 

Key Text Luke 5

1. Obey The Word Of God

Peter had just obeyed Jesus by letting him use his boat, and got a chance to hear some impressive teaching. He was moved by it. But when the preacher asked him to go fishing, Peter began to object. He'd been fishing all night.

This was the worst time of day to go fishing. He was frustrated by having just spent the whole night without a catch. His own vast experience and talents in the field of fishing should have produced but they didn't. Furthermore, his experience told him Jesus' suggestion was a waste of time. Yet, we see Peter willing to partially obey the command.

Jesus said to throw down the Nets, plural. Peter obeyed, but out of doubt and tiredness, Peter threw down one net. Single. That one net produced a bigger harvest than all his others would have on a normal day. It was boat sinking, net breaking harvest. Some, including myself, assume that the net Peter did use was an older net, as he'd likely just washed all his good nets before the message (it says he was washing them when Jesus came to them).

So we see obedience, even small obedience, will get you far with God.

2. Team Up With Believers For Greater Impact

When the harvest came in, Peter's first reaction was to call his team to him for help. This is a good reaction for a leader. Leaders know that it takes a team to succeed, you can't do it alone.

So we too, must be part of a team. Following a team leader, until the day we are given our own team to lead.

3.a Live A Life Of Transparency

Peter was sinful, and he knew it. We see a paradox here because this is both positive and negative.

Peter was transparent. This was a character trait we see often in his life. He said: "Woah Jesus! You are a great man, that was supernatural, I'm a sinful man, I shouldn't be in your presence." So we see Peter not trying to hide, or impress, but being open about who he was and where he was at the time. This is a good place to be.

You can't grow unless you are willing to be exposed.

# 3.b - Watch Your Thought Life

Yet, we also see the sin consciousness at work here too. Peter just hear great teaching, and great instruction, obeyed it (mostly), and got a great harvest. You'd think he'd be excited! Nope. Being conscious of your mind to focus on your state, so rather than seek the presence of God, you run from it.

Jesus hadn't died yet, and the Holy Spirit hadn't come. So this is a perfectly normal reaction for Peter. But we shouldn't model it entirely. YES! We want to be transparent. YES! We want to expose ourselves and be open, not hiding sin from The Light.

However, we should also realize, if we are saved, that we are Saved! We are a new creature.

2 Corinthians 5:15-21 (New International Version)
17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come! 

Make sure that you do stay open, don't hide any sin in your life, but also don't run from the one who can make you free of it. That is what Peter did right too. When Jesus re-directed his attention from who he was, to who he would become! "Peter... You will catch men now!"

4. Never Loose Your Awe Of God

Draw near to God, and He will draw near to you. James 4:8

Peter was impressed by who Jesus was in his life. We must never let that Awe become too familiar. If we come to the point we start to treat God, or the things of God, as common or ordinary, we are in danger of forfeiting those very things... like Judas eventually did.

You Draw Near To Him. He Draws Near To You.

You walk in His presence, and his Presence goes with you.

* Personal Note ***
> You bring His Presence into your daily life, by making a point to spend time in His presence regularly throughout your life. Just like Moses, when he left the Presence of God his face glowed and it affected the people around him. Just like Peter, post Pentecost, when his very Shadow would heal people.

I must spend time with God, FREQUENTLY, if I am to experience his presence through the mundane parts of my day.

****

5. Abandon Your Past To Take Hold Of Your Future

Have the courage to walk away from your past (Peter's Fishing Business). Peter was a fisherman. In ancient, and even recent, cultures; trade was a family business. You learned a trade from your father, and eventually took over the family business. It was the ancient world's IRA/401(k) retirement plan. That is why it was so devastating NOT to have children, sons especially. They were your retirement plan.

Peter didn't just walk away from a job, a nine to five. He walked away from his life, family, history, business, livelihood. We even see Peter return to this business after Jesus death and resurrection. He assumed the course of events was over. He was disillusioned, or at least unsure, or what to do next. So he went back to what he knew. (John 21:3)

Peter left behind all he knew, his very identity as a fisherman, to become something new, something he was Called to!

So must I, leave behind any ambitions I have, if I am to embrace the Calling on my life.

I must stop trying to make my life be what I want(ed) it to be. I must instead, seek HIS Will for my life, and DISCOVER my Calling.

Darrell

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The Man Who Had The Worst Day Ever, and God Turned It Around!

"Overturned Car on Capital Beltway [really bad day]" by woodleywonderworks

The Worst Day Ever

Today I'd like to talk about the story of a man who had to go through the toughest transition anyone has ever had to go through.

He was the wealthiest man in the world. He was worth Billions in todays market. He was not only a shrewd and wise business man He gave his life to the service of others. The only thing that could compete with his wealth was his heart for reaching, protecting, saving, helping the lost.

Then one day all that changed. In a single day every business he had was crushed to bankruptcy. His 7 children were all killed instantly and simultaneously as the building they were in collapsed.

A short time later, the man came down with a skin disease that broke out in sores all over his body.

People started talking about him. Blaming the curse he experienced on some secret sin. Truth be told, He'd made some errors. He'd allowed some things to enter his heart and poison his Blessing. He learned a few lessons about those things.

But the real lesson wasn't in what caused the breach of his Blessing... it was in the solution to fixing it!

Misunderstanding

"It Takes A Good Theologian To Help You Misunderstand The Bible" Jesse Duplantis

Jesus was asked once (John 9), "Why was this man born blind? Did he sin, or his parents?"

You see how people want to put the blame for bad on the person it happened to?

Then, through HORRIBLE Religious English translators we see the blame being shoved on God.

"It happened so that God could get glory..."

Newsflash: God DOES NOT get glory from sickness, disease, or brokenness. That is not consistent with the rest of the Bible. So we have a translation error here.

Allow me to show you a better way to translate Jesus' Answer.

The Darrell Wolfe Paraphrase:

"Neither this man or his parents sinned... 

(< End of answer: Jesus chooses to give no real answer to the question. "Neither... But...") 

(New Topic >) 

BUT, that God should be revealed in him, I must work the works of Him who sent me while it is day! The night is coming, when no one can work. As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world!" When he said this he went to healing him... 

Even SHORTER Darrell Wolfe Paraphrase:

"Neither this man or his parents sinned..."
BUT, God gets glory through the the works of healing, here, let me show you...Be Healed!" 

Jesus merely changes the subject. Neither sinned. Moving on to a new topic now. God's glory came through healing and deliverance, not through that man's brokenness.

And the man was not broken for the purpose of giving God glory through healing either. The man was broken because "The Thief comes to seal, kill, and destroy...". Jesus came that we might have life, and have it more abundantly. We have a real enemy, and God wants to save us from him.

THAT is the point of this verse.

It means the opposite of what so many have said it means.

The Man Learns A Lesson In Deliverance

So back to the rich, now broken, man, the man who had the worst day ever!

He lost everything but his wife and three friends, all of whom picked on him while he threw himself a pitty party (one he arguably had a 'right' to).

But you know how God chose to address his concern? 

When God sent a young preacher in there to set this man straight, and then later when God chose to speak to the man himself... You know what he focused the man's attention to?

In keeping with the pattern we see Jesus responding in, God never does answer why Job got into this mess, at least no direct answer is ever recorded. There are some things we can discern, having the light of the New Testament, but Job himself is never given any answer as to "Why?".

God skips "why" and jumps to "how to solve".

Man Of Suffering, stop looking at you and stop asking why. Both are useless questions. The real thing needed here is not "how I got here", but "how to get out".

God re-directed this man to how big God is. 

By turning the man's attention to how big God is all the attention on himself ceased. Then he inherited his Blessing back.

For those who don't know by now, the man's name is Job. He has a whole book of the bible dedicated to him.

I've been studying Job since August, and I feel I've barely scratched the surface of this book. It has to be the second most misunderstood book of the bible, second only to revelations.

Job is the study of God rushing in to deliver man from Satan, not giving him over to Satan.

Then, after 9 months of self pity, God turned his attitude around and re-prospered him in a day, by the time Job died he was TWICE as prosperous as he was before Satan got to him. OH, and Job lived, more than likely, over 200 years. So that was a horrible 9 months, but it was less than one year out of 200.

Many times we are not equipped to hear the answer to "why" while we are still going through the attack, or even shortly after. God may not tell you "why" ever, or it may be some time after you have recovered from the attack.

God's more interested in you getting your attention over on Him as the solution, then being sucked into "how" you got here, "why" it happened to you.

God's End Is Good! Get your attention on God's solution (the Mediator - Jesus), and off of the problem.

God wants to heal, bless, and prosper you. 

The solution for us is: To keep your eyes on Jesus, and off your problem. (Heb 12:2)

Are you ready to stop focusing on your lack, and how you got here, and start focusing on how Big God is? Comment On This Post

PS: Here is a great devotional to help.

By Darrell Wolfe

About This Blog, and Darrell. 


*Please remember. The verse markings, punctuations, capitalizations, even the exact English words used, were all the liberty of the translators. If they have the liberty to put it a certain way, we have the liberty to work with the wording to see what it is really saying in the WHOLE context of the Word of God.

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The Character Of Job

Who is Job really?

Job was a man of Character that few today possess.

Here are the following things we know about Job, his life and ministry.

The Positive Aspects of Job's Character Are MANY! 

God says Job is Righteous and Shuns Evil.  Job 1:8, Job 2:3

Job cannot be trusted as a reliable source of Theological accuracy in regard to his trial. But he can be trusted as a reliable source for who and what he was. Here are some things that we know about him from his own testimony. Especially in Chapters 29-31.

Job was a leader in the city counsel, taking his seat in the city square. He held the highest esteem among men and children. Rulers and young men alike would hush when he entered the room. Everyone who heard about him talked well of him. His very presence demanded respect. 29:2 starts to tell us why he had this command of the people around him.

He worked with the poor, fatherless, widows, and strangers. His work caused widows hearts to joy, and men who were dying to bless him. He says his "Blessing was like a robe and turban" around him. He wore THE BLESSING of God as clothes.

He went looking for ways to help people he didn't know yet. He didn't wait for the poor to show up on his door, he went looking for those in trouble to rescue them from evil people and be a father to them. (29:16).

He was "The Counselor" to talk to. People would come and be silent and listen just to be taught and counseled by Job. He was a light hearted person, who laughed and teased. (29:24) He wept/cried for those in trouble and grieved for the poor. He was emotionally involved and dedicated, passionate, about reaching the lost, rescuring and defending the weak, comforting, sheltering, helping, guiding.(29:all, and 30:25)

 He lived a pure life. He made a covenant with his eyes to never look on any woman with lust.

He was very concerned with keeping his life honest. He made a point to never lie, cheat, or steal. He didn't just stop there, he did the opposite of lie, cheat, and steal. He went out of his way to protect, defend, and provide. He lived as a king over many men, even armies. He used that power to defend and protect and provide.

When strangers came along, people who didn't live in the area, visitors, Job would seek out ways to welcome them, providing hospitality and help. Job 29:24, 31:32.

To summarize all of this. God says:

 Job 1:8Then the Lord said to Satan, "Have you considered My servant Job, that there is none like him on the earth, a blameless and upright man, one who fears God and shuns evil?"

I would say that very few men are like Job to this day. He lived a life that was TOTALLY dedicated in service to others, to meeting others' needs.

The Areas Of Opportunity For Growth. 

There is NO human who is without sin, or "perfect" as we use the word in modern English. Job was not perfect.

Job 1:1 ASV
There was a man in the land of Uz, whose name was Job; and that man was perfect and upright, and one that feared God, and eschewed evil.

The word "Perfect" is also translated "Blameless" in NKJV. The Hebrew word "Tam" means, complete, mature, lacking nothing in physical strength, beauty, or moral character.

Never the less. Job was a man. All men have fallen short of the Glory of God. (Romans 3:23) Job did fail in key areas of his life.

1. He fell short as a father.

In Job 1 we read about his kids. They were partiers. They threw wild parties. We know these weren't always clean parties, otherwise why was Job so concerned over the idea that they may they may have done something wrong or cursed God? So he made sacrifices for them. He did this on a regular, recurring basis.

Job 1:5 So it was, when the days of feasting had run their course, that Job would send and sanctify them, and he would rise early in the morning and offer burnt offerings according to the number of them all. For Job said, "It may be that my sons have sinned and cursed God in their hearts." Thus Job did regularly.

This indicates that he didn't raise them with the same respect for God that he had. Parents cannot always be blamed when their kids go astray. This is not to say that all parents who have wild kids are at fault.

However, there is a common theme called "Pastors' Kid Syndrome". Many, if not most, of the preachers and pastors (for that matter CEO's and Secular Leaders) have focused so much time and energy on helping other people, they neglect their children at home. It's very common. I believe that is what had happened to Job here.

This is why his sacrifices were not done in faith. This wasn't a man standing in faith for his wayward children, this was a man sacrificing in fear for his children. He gives us insight into this inner working on his mind on the matter by saying "That thing I so greatly feared has come upon me..." (Job 3:25). Which leads to us to the next point.

2. FEAR.

Fear connects us to the curse, Faith connects us to the Blessing. "That thing I so greatly feared has come upon me..." (Job 3:25). Job had been acting in fear, not in faith regarding his children. Fear is the biggest weapon Satan uses against men.

Satan had been after Job's mind to get him to curse God. We see that repeatedly when Satan is telling God that he can get Job to curse God, we see it in Jobs fear that his kids may have cursed God, we see it in his wife's response to "curse God and die".

This cursing God is not something that Job would ever do. And yet, the fear of the curse had worked it's way into Job so that he started operating by fear, rather than faith, in regards to his kids.

I believe that this is the key component that broke down the hedge around Job and allowed Satan entrance into his life. When parents stay up all night "worried about their kids" it is doing the same thing Job did, and will end up with similar results. The best thing you can do for your kids is to get in faith over them instead.


3. Accused God Of Wrongdoing.

You can read through Job's words over and over how he calls himself righteous without sin, and how he says Paraphrased: "I didn't nothing wrong but God is punishing me anyway".

Job 33
8 "Surely you have spoken in my hearing, And I have heard the sound of your words, saying, 9 'I am pure, without transgression; I am innocent, and there is no iniquity in me. 10 Yet He finds occasions against me, He counts me as His enemy; 11 He puts my feet in the stocks, He watches all my paths.' 12 "Look, in this you are not righteous. I will answer you, For God is greater than man.

He said two things wrong here. 1: There are no men without sin. 2: God is not the one who was punishing him, and he was accusing the wrong enemy.

The End Result - God Is Deliverer Not Curser

Elihu is our only speaker in the book of Job, besides God himself, that has the right message, the message that aligns it'self with all the light we have from Genesis to Revelations. He shows us that we need a Mediator, and he preaches God as Savior, not as Curser.

So Job was a GREAT man, but he was not a perfect man. He opened himself up to the curse through his fear, and then blamed God for the curse that came. Rather than going to God in humility and asking Him about the events and asking for deliverance.

We see God is the one who brings deliverance not curse.

Job 33:28
28 He will redeem his soul from going down to the Pit, And his life shall see the light. 29 "Behold, God works all these things, Twice, in fact, three times with a man, 30 To bring back his soul from the Pit, That he may be enlightened with the light of life.

The KEY Job was missing: Run TO God, not from God. 

Job 33:13-24
13 "But the hypocrites in heart store up wrath; They do not cry for help when He binds them. 14 They die in youth, And their life ends among the perverted persons. 15 He delivers the poor in their affliction, And opens their ears in oppression. 16 "Indeed He would have brought you out of dire distress, Into a broad place where there is no restraint; And what is set on your table would be full of richness. 17 But you are filled with the judgment due the wicked; Judgment and justice take hold of you. 18 Because there is wrath, beware lest He take you away with one blow; For a large ransom would not help you avoid it. 19 Will your riches, Or all the mighty forces, Keep you from distress? 20 Do not desire the night, When people are cut off in their place. 21 Take heed, do not turn to iniquity, For you have chosen this rather than affliction. 22 "Behold, God is exalted by His power; Who teaches like Him? 23 Who has assigned Him His way, Or who has said, 'You have done wrong'? 24 "Remember to magnify His work, Of which men have sung.

It's little hard in the English they chose here. But here is what I believe this section is saying. If something happens to you, whether you think it's God, the devil, whatever... run TO God. Run to him. The hypocrites serve God with their lips, but fail to cry to God for help when trouble comes.

Job was blaming God (creating distance between him and God) rather than running TO God for "Help in time of need", Heb 4:16. The iniquity referred to here is that Job started to blame God. "I did nothing wrong and you did this to me!"

1. There is no man who has done nothing wrong. 
2. God did not do this to you. 
3. Fear did this to you.
4. God was waiting to deliver you!

If Job had run straight to God instead of complaining... he probably would have received deliverance much faster.

Even with all of that, most scholars believe this entire episode was less than 6-9 months of time. Given that Job likely lived over 200 years that means that it was less than one year over 200+ that Job spent poor. That's not bad in the grand scheme of things, even though it was BY FAR the worst and saddest year of his life, probably ANYONE's life!

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Jobs Curse Mindset tore down his blessing.

The Curse VS The Blessing of Job

Poetic Writing:
It's also important to note that the writing style of the book is poetic. It is a didactic poem, which means that it has an instructional or informational quality and is meant to teach.


Satan's Words:

Job 1:9-11
9 So Satan answered (God) ... now, stretch out Your hand and touch all that he has, and he will surely curse You to Your face!"

Job 2:4-5
4 So Satan answered (God) ... stretch out Your hand now, and touch his bone and his flesh, and he will surely curse You to Your face!"

Job's Words:

Job 1:5
5 So it was, when the days of feasting had run their course, that Job would send and sanctify them, and he would rise early in the morning and offer burnt offerings according to the number of them all. For Job said, "It may be that my sons have sinned and cursed God in their hearts." Thus Job did regularly.

Job 3:25
25 For the thing I greatly feared has come upon me, And what I dreaded has happened to me.

Job's Wife's Word's:

Job 2

9 Then his wife said to him, "Do you still hold fast to your integrity? Curse God and die!"

Compare this to: 

God says "Fear Not" many, many, many times. You cannot please God without Faith (Hebrews 11:6). Faith comes by hearing. Hearing comes by The Word of God. Faith is believed in the heart and spoken through the mouth. (Romans 10:17 and 10:9-10).

Luke 6:45
A good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart brings forth evil. For out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks.

Job's Issue:

Job was BLESSED... he understood THE BLESSING. Job was the richest man in the east. He and Abraham were contemporaries, he most likely predated Abraham.

Job was afraid of the Curse. He had the curse on his mind. Satan had been trying to break down the hedge this man lived in that protected him. The only way that Satan can break down this hedge is to get him to curse God.

Satan is looking over the earth to see whom he MAY devour. That means he cannot devour just anyone he chooses. He must have access to them. 1 Peter 5:8

Job therefore faith, for anything positive or negative, is believed in the heart and spoken with the mouth (Romans 10:9-10). As man thinks in his heart he becomes what he thinks (Proverbs 23:7)

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