Reflections

Satan Strikes Job

April 9, 2010 by Anna Mangeni

⁴Satan answered the LORD and said, “Skin for skin! Yes, all that a man has he will give for his life.

5″However, put forth Your hand now, and touch his bone and his flesh; he will curse You to Your face.”

6So the LORD said to Satan, “Behold, he is in your power, only spare his life.”

7Then Satan went out from the presence of the LORD and smote Job with sore boils from the sole of his foot to the crown of his head. Job 2:4-7

Sickness and disease is not the will of God. God does not use sickness and disease to teach us lessons to make us better people. Satan had already taken everything Job had including his children, but was convinced that if Job himself suffered then Job would curse God.

We can see that Satan had only ill intensions toward Job. Satan could not stand Job’s relationship with God. God did limit Satan by stating that Satan could not kill Job. Even though Job was in Satan’s power, Job’s life was still in God’s hands. We can be assured that no matter what Satan tries to do to us, no weapon forged against us will prosper. All that Satan did to Job did not result in Job cursing God. Instead God was able to demonstrate that Job was a good man. Job feared God and shunned evil.

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He Arose!

April 4, 2010 by Anna Mangeni

⁵The angel said to the women, “Do not be afraid, for I know that you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. 6He is not here; he has risen, just as he said. Come and see the place where he lay. 7Then go quickly and tell his disciples: ‘He has risen from the dead and is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see him.’ Now I have told you.”

8So the women hurried away from the tomb, afraid yet filled with joy, and ran to tell his disciples. 9Suddenly Jesus met them. “Greetings,” he said. They came to him, clasped his feet and worshiped him. 10Then Jesus said to them, “Do not be afraid. Go and tell my brothers to go to Galilee; there they will see me.” Matthew 28: 5-10

The Christian faith is based on the knowledge that Jesus Christ not only died for our sins but He arose from the dead. Without the resurrection our faith is meaningless. Jesus’ death was for the judgment of sin but His resurrection is how Jesus conquered death. Also, our life is to imitate Jesus. When we accept Jesus as our Lord and Savior we die to sin and we become a new creation. We also know that when Jesus returns that the dead in Christ will rise and be resurrected.

The resurrection shows us that death had no power over Jesus and it no longer has power over us. Sin and death came through one man – Adam. Through Jesus we have the promise of eternal life because even today Jesus lives. He arose and because He arose we will rise again one day with a glorious new body just like Jesus.

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Jesus’ Death

April 2, 2010 by Anna Mangeni

⁴⁵Now from the sixth hour darkness fell upon all the land until the ninth hour.

46About the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying, “ELI, ELI, LAMA SABACHTHANI?” that is, “MY GOD, MY GOD, WHY HAVE YOU FORSAKEN ME?”

47And some of those who were standing there, when they heard it, began saying, “This man is calling for Elijah.”

⁵⁰And Jesus cried out again with a loud voice, and yielded up His spirit.

51And behold, the veil of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom; and the earth shook and the rocks were split. Matthew 27:45-47, 50-51

Jesus came to lay down His life for us. He was without sin and became sin for us. He was rejected and despised by man but gave Himself as a sacrifice and atonement for our sins. The law required that blood be shed for the forgiveness of sins. Jesus was perfect, sinless and lived amongst us. He taught us and showed us the Father.

When Jesus was crucified and put on the cross, God the Father judged our sin. Jesus paid the price even the rejection of the Father. God cannot be around sin and when Jesus became sin, the Father judged Jesus and Jesus died on our behalf. He took the punishment of sin and the rejection by the Father. Since, Jesus took our place we now can take His place. He took our sin and gave us His righteousness. Jesus’ death has allowed us to have a relationship with the Father because our sins have been atoned for by Jesus.

So even on this day that we remember Jesus’ death it is a Good Friday because we have been set free from the bondage of sin and death. Jesus paid it all. All we have to do is accept Jesus and receive Him as our Lord and Savior. It is God’s will that no one should perish and all should come to the saving knowledge of Jesus Christ. Today let’s report the good news of Jesus for it will save the souls of men. Once we accept Jesus we never have to fear being rejected by God the Father the way Jesus was on the cross.

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Again God Praises Job

March 31, 2010 by Anna Mangeni

1Again there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the LORD, and Satan also came among them to present himself before the LORD.

2The LORD said to Satan, “Where have you come from?” Then Satan answered the LORD and said, “From roaming about on the earth and walking around on it.”

3The LORD said to Satan, “Have you considered My servant Job? For there is no one like him on the earth, a blameless and upright man fearing God and turning away from evil. And he still holds fast his integrity, although you incited Me against him to ruin him without cause.” Job 2:1-3

God allowed Satan to test Job’s faith. Satan had killed Job’s children, livestock and servants. Once again God boasts that Job is a blameless and upright man who continues to hold onto his integrity despite all has happened. God says no one on earth is like Job. God also notes that Satan had no cause to ruin Job’s life.

Even though God blames Satan for inciting God against Job, Satan and those responsible for attacking Job’s family are still accountable for their actions. We also have to keep in mind that Satan’s desire is to kill, steal, and destroy. God only wants the best for us. God does not want to harm us.

Job is not aware of Satan and believes that all that has happened to him is because of God. But even with that believe, Job still holds onto his integrity and faith. He still believes that God is in control. We can now see the kind of man Job was and that God’s words were true about him.

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Job the Worshiper

March 30, 2010 by Anna Mangeni

While he was still speaking, another also came and said, “Your sons and your daughters were eating and drinking wine in their oldest brother’s house, and behold, a great wind came from across the wilderness and struck the four corners of the house, and it fell on the young people and they died, and I alone have escaped to tell you.” Then Job arose and tore his robe and shaved his head, and he fell to the ground and worshiped.

He said,
“Naked I came from my mother’s womb,
  And naked I shall return there
  The LORD gave and the LORD has taken away.
  Blessed be the name of the LORD.”

Through all this Job did not sin nor did he blame God. Job 1:18-22

After God allowed Satan to test Job, Job got word that all of his livestock and servants had died. Then he got word that his children were killed. What was Job’s response? He worshiped God. He didn’t grab a weapon and go after the men who had attacked. He didn’t take his own life. He did what he knew to do and that was to worship God.

From Job’s response we can see that Job was a worshipper. It was instinctive. When we are stressed out or in shock our only response is doing something that is familiar or what we have been trained to do. Worship was second nature to Job because in all that happened he responds by worshiping God.

Job also proved Satan to be a liar, because Satan accused Job of only following God because of what God had given him. But now that Job had lost his possessions and family he still responded out of reverence to God. Job still acknowledged God. Even the scripture makes the point in all that Job did he did not sin nor did he blame God. Job blessed the Lord.

So in a crisis what is our response? Do we blame God or curse Him? Can we simply recognize that despite our situation God is still God and is worthy of our praise. Not because of what He has given us but because of who He is. Even though Job did not recognize that Satan was at work and believed that God had taken away what He had given to Job, Job still blessed the Lord. God is looking for true worshipers.

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Palm Sunday

March 28, 2010 by Anna Mangeni

5″SAY TO THE DAUGHTER OF ZION,
  ‘BEHOLD YOUR KING IS COMING TO YOU,
  GENTLE, AND MOUNTED ON A DONKEY,
  EVEN ON A COLT, THE FOAL OF A BEAST OF BURDEN.'”

6The disciples went and did just as Jesus had instructed them,

7and brought the donkey and the colt, and laid their coats on them; and He sat on the coats.

8Most of the crowd spread their coats in the road, and others were cutting branches from the trees and spreading them in the road.

9The crowds going ahead of Him, and those who followed, were shouting,
         “Hosanna to the Son of David;
         BLESSED IS HE WHO COMES IN THE NAME OF THE LORD;
         Hosanna in the highest!”

10When He had entered Jerusalem, all the city was stirred, saying, “Who is this?”

11And the crowds were saying, “This is the prophet Jesus, from Nazareth in Galilee.” Matthew 21:5-11

Today is Palm Sunday, when we celebrate the beginning of Holy Week and Jesus’ triumphant entrance into Jerusalem prior to his death. It is the time that all churches no matter what denomination focus on Jesus. Whenever I think of the story of Jesus entering Jerusalem, I think about His second coming and what a day of rejoicing that will be.

In Jesus’ day people did not fully grasp who Jesus was and what was about to take place. But we know what took place and what significant this week represents. The death and resurrection of Jesus is what saves us and gives us access to the Father. Jesus told the disciples to celebrate the fact that there names were written in the Lamb’s book of life. So let us be thankful for the coming of our Savior and that our names are written in the Lamb’s book of Life.

The day is coming when Jesus will return to the earth. This time the bible says that every knee will bow and every tongue will confess that Jesus is Lord. Indeed, Hosanna in the highest.

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Our Enemy

March 25, 2010 by Anna Mangeni

⁸The LORD said to Satan, “Have you considered my servant Job? For there is no one like him on the earth, a blameless and upright man, fearing God and turning away from evil.”

⁹Then Satan answered the LORD, “Does Job fear God for nothing?

¹⁰“Have You not made a hedge about him and his house and all that he has, on every side? You have blessed the work of his hands, and his possessions have increased in the land.

¹¹“But put forth Your hand now and touch all that he has; he will surely curse You to Your face.”

¹²Then the LORD said to Satan, “Behold, all that he has is in your power, only do not put forth your hand on him.” So Satan departed from the presence of the LORD. Job 1: 8-12

Satan is our enemy and our accuser. After God had said that Job was an upright man, Satan accused Job of only fearing God because God had blessed him. Satan argued that there was no substance in Job’s relationship with God. Job was only interested in what he could get out of God. So Satan claimed that if Job lost everything he would curse God to His face.

So God allowed Satan to test Job. However, God put limits on Satan and Satan was not allowed to touch Job. However, what should be noted is that God just gave Satan power over the things that belonged to Job. God did not tell Satan to take everything from Job. Satan’s argument was that Job only feared God because God had power over Job’s life and had blessed him. So now that Satan was given the power – the question is would Job now bow to Satan and curse God? Was Job the man God said he was. God knew that Job was an upright man, and is now setting the stage to prove that Job was a man of God.

God knows us and Satan stands as our accuser. Satan is also the father of lies and God knows that whatever Satan says about us is a lie. God does not need Satan to tell Him about our faults. God knows our faults and weaknesses but He sees beyond that. God sees the good in us and the reflection of Himself in us. We are God’s creation created in His likeness. We are His children set apart for His good purpose and pleasure. He has no plans to harm us. Remember it is Satan who is our enemy and is out to destroy us.

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God’s View of Job

March 24, 2010 by Anna Mangeni

The LORD said to Satan, “Have you considered My servant Job? For there is no one like him on the earth, a blameless and upright man, fearing God and turning away from evil.” Job 1:8

Often times when we read the story of Job we try to find some fault with Job because of what happened to him. But God saw Job as a blameless and upright man who feared God and shunned evil. In God’s statement about Job there is no”but” or comma after the statement. God saw Job as a man with no fault. So it would be wrong for us to find fault with Job.

Those of us who are saved are viewed by God as righteous. God no longer sees us as sinners. God does not have a negative view of us. He sees past our weaknesses and sees us from our future. That is how God saw Job. Even if Job had faults God saw the best of Job and was telling Satan that there was no one on earth like Job.

Just picture the delight and love God had for Job when He made the above statement. God knew Job was a good man. God was being a proud Father bragging about one of His children. He does the same for all of His children. He sees the best in us.

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Job as Priest

March 22, 2010 by Anna Mangeni

⁴His sons used to go and hold a feast in the house of each one on his day, and they would send and invite their three sisters to eat and drink with them.

5When the days of feasting had completed their cycle, Job would send and consecrate them, rising up early in the morning and offering burnt offerings according to the number of them all; for Job said, “Perhaps my sons have sinned and cursed God in their hearts.” Thus Job did continually. Job 1:4-5

Job’s children were accustomed to the life and favor of their father’s wealth. So they would have feasts to celebrate being Job’s children and all that they had. Job was concerned that they had sinned so he would have them consecrated and would offer up burnt offerings for them. Job interceded for his children.

In the same way Jesus intercedes for us. In these two verses we actually see a depiction of the relationship that we have with the Father through Jesus Christ the Son. Job loved his children and loved God. He did not want to see them fall into sin and would consecrate them and make burnt offerings on their behalf. Job was the priest of his household just like Jesus is our High Priest.

The wonderful thing is that God knows that we cannot be holy on our own. So He Himself makes offerings on our behalf and intercedes for us. Jesus who was without sin became sin so that we might live and have a rich and full life as God’s children. We are the King’s kids and He is worthy to be praised.

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Satan Subject to God

March 19, 2010 by Anna Mangeni

Now there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the LORD, and Satan also came among them.

The LORD said to Satan, “From where do you come?” Then Satan answered the LORD and said, “From roaming about on the earth and walking around on it.” Job 1: 6-7

Satan is not equal to God in power or sovereignty; instead Satan is subject to God and cannot act without God’s permission. Just as we have to give an account to God, so does Satan. This is why we can stand on the promises of God and know that God is ultimately in control. However, we also need to understand that Satan is our enemy who seeks to steal, destroy and kill. As Peter says in the New Testament, Satan prowls around like a roaring lion seeking whom he can devour (1 Peter 5:8). The good news is Satan is limited by God. Satan is not omnipresent (everywhere) like God. Satan is not omniscient (knowing everything) like God. Satan is not God. Remember Satan was an angel that was thrown out of heaven.

Satan is considered the prince of the earth, but let us remember that when Jesus came He took back dominion over the earth and returned it to man. Satan is now subject to us. He really has no power over us unless we give it to him. We have the authority to say “no” to Satan. Satan is a defeated foe and the accuser of brethren. We can silence him by proving his accusations of being false. Remember Satan wants nothing more than to destroy us.

We see this in the story of Job. God is not out to destroy Job, Satan wants him destroyed. Fortunately, for Job Satan cannot do anything without God’s permission.

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