Daily Notes & Observations is a 365-part series that follows a chronological daily Bible reading schedule and contains a short article based on something found in the text for each day. This material is also available in paperback.

January 16, 2012

Be Prepared (1/16)

Thought from today’s Bible reading from Genesis 12-15.

After Lot departed from Abram, he journeyed toward the valley of the Jordan and settled in Sodom (Genesis 13:11-12). When war broke out between the king of Sodom and his allies against Chedorlaomer and his allies, the kings of Sodom and Gomorrah were killed, their cities were looted, and Lot was among those taken captive (Genesis 14:10-12).

The report of this came to Abram. He immediately took action.

“When Abram heard that his relative had been taken captive, he led out his trained men, born in his house, three hundred and eighteen, and went in pursuit as far as Dan” (Genesis 14:14).

Lot’s capture which required his rescue was not something that could have been expected. But Abram was ready. He did not have to hire a mercenary force to pursue the army that took Lot. He had three hundred and eighteen men who were capable of fighting. He did not have to hastily train these men for battle. They were already trained.

The lesson for us to learn from Abram is that we should, as much as is possible, make preparations for the future. We can never be sure what tomorrow will hold (James 4:14), but we should strive to always be prepared to take care of our most basic responsibilities: providing for our own, helping those in need, serving the Lord, combatting sin and error, and teaching the gospel to others.

Use today to start making preparations for tomorrow.

Tomorrow’s reading: Genesis 16-18

[I’m using the Chronological reading plan on the Bible Gateway website if you’d like to follow along, too.]

Daily Notes & Observations contains all 365 articles from this series and is available in paperback from Gospel Armory.

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January 15, 2012

When Did the Lord Restore Job’s Fortunes? (1/15)

Thought from today’s Bible reading from Job 40-42.

When we read the book of Job, we have an advantage that this man of old did not have – we know that he is greatly blessed in the end. Job began as a wealthy man with a large family, but all of that was quickly taken away. He then suffered – unjustly, as he contended – unsure of what would happen in the future.

God certainly did bless Job in the end. But it is interesting to see when He did so:

“The Lord restored the fortunes of Job when he prayed for his friends, and the Lord increased all that Job had two-fold” (Job 42:10).

Job’s friends had unjustly accused him of wrongdoing, arguing that this was the cause of his suffering. They had also misrepresented God, affirming that He was acting against Job, rather than Satan who had been allowed to afflict him. It would have been easy for Job to hold a grudge against his friends. But he did not. Instead he prayed for them. And he did not forgive them after his suffering was over and he was able to put it behind him. He forgave his friends, then God restored his fortunes.

We need to have the attitude of forgiveness of which Jesus spoke:

“Then Peter came and said to Him, ‘Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me and I forgive him? Up to seven times?’ Jesus said to him, ‘I do not say to you, up to seven times, but up to seventy times seven’” (Matthew 18:21-22).

If we have been wronged, we need to be willing to forgive, even before our unfortunate circumstances improve.

Tomorrow’s reading: Genesis 12-15

[I’m using the Chronological reading plan on the Bible Gateway website if you’d like to follow along, too.]

Daily Notes & Observations contains all 365 articles from this series and is available in paperback from Gospel Armory.

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January 14, 2012

"Where Were You When I Laid the Foundation of the Earth?" (1/14)

Thought from today’s Bible reading from Job 38-39.

“Where were you when I laid the foundation of the earth? Tell Me, if you have understanding, who set its measurements? Since you know. Or who stretched the line on it? On what were its bases sunk? Or who laid its cornerstone, when the morning stars sang together and all the sons of God shouted for joy?” (Job 38:4-7).

Man occupies a prominent place in God’s creation. In the beginning, God told Adam and Eve, “Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth, and subdue it; and rule over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the sky and over every living thing that moves on the earth” (Genesis 1:28). Yet many exaggerate the importance of man to the point where they forget God and view themselves as the ultimate standard and authority.

We need to remember what God was teaching Job in this question. No matter how important we think we might be, we are only here because God created us and the world around us. No matter how wise we believe we have become, our wisdom pales in comparison with God’s because His wisdom is behind all of the things in the natural world, even those things which we cannot comprehend.

God is the Creator. Therefore, all wisdom, blessings, and truth come from Him.

Tomorrow’s reading: Job 40-42

[I’m using the Chronological reading plan on the Bible Gateway website if you’d like to follow along, too.]

Daily Notes & Observations contains all 365 articles from this series and is available in paperback from Gospel Armory.

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January 13, 2012

God Does Great Things Which We Cannot Comprehend (1/13)

Thought from today’s Bible reading from Job 35-37.

“God thunders with His voice wondrously, doing great things which we cannot comprehend” (Job 37:5).

As Elihu continued his response to Job, he affirmed God’s greatness and His place over all things. When you read through Job 37, you can see all the things mentioned by Elihu over which God has power. He focused primarily on the natural world – that which He created and which continues to be governed by the natural laws He established in the beginning.
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January 12, 2012

"The Abundant in Years May Not Be Wise" (1/12)

Thought from today’s Bible reading from Job 32-34.

“I thought age should speak, and increased years should teach wisdom. But it is a spirit in man, and the breath of the Almighty gives them understanding. The abundant in years may not be wise, nor may elders understand justice” (Job 32:7-9).

After listening to Job and his three friends debate the cause of Job’s suffering, the younger man Elihu finally spoke up. He was frustrated with Job’s answers and the inability of the three men to refute him. Surely the older, wiser men should have been teaching wisdom, not the young man Elihu.
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January 11, 2012

A Man of Integrity (1/11)

Thought from today’s Bible reading from Job 29-31.

“I have made a covenant with my eyes; how then could I gaze at a virgin? (Job 31:1).”

As Job defended his integrity, he stated that his purity in heart was such that he would not even look at  a woman. While many in our culture argue that there is nothing wrong with just looking, Job made a covenant — a conscious decision and commitment — that he would not look with lust at one of the opposite sex.
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January 10, 2012

He Hangs the Earth on Nothing (1/10)

Thought from today’s Bible reading from Job 24-28.

“He stretches out the north over empty space and hangs the earth on nothing” (Job 26:7).”

This is one of those passages that helps reinforce the validity and inspiration of the Bible. How were the ancients to know that the earth was suspended in space? How were they to know the earth was not resting upon some foundation, whether that foundation was the backs of elephants, turtles, or something else? Myths like these existed, but Job believed something that was not only different, but correct.
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