Howl You Rich!

Asaph's conflict was that the high and mighty rich of
the land, get off scott free. However, I made a stop in
the New Testament and discovered some strong words
in the book of James:

"Go to now, ye rich men, weep and howl for your
miseries that shall come upon you.

Your riches are corrupted, and your garments are 
moth-eaten. 

Your gold and silver is cankered; and the rust of them
shall be a witness against you, and shall eat your flesh
as it were fire. Ye have heaped treasure together for 
the last days." (James 5:1-3, KJV)

James is not simply speaking of the well-to-do. No, he is
talking about those who collect and hoard wealth at the
expense of others with a goal to control them. The recent
president of Venezuela is an example. Chavez raped the
land of its wealth, shut down the freedom of the people,
and died with 2 billion dollars, money and goods taken
from the people who became poor under his leadership.
Chavez died of cancer in his belly. He suffered a long
time. See the line above: "...shall eat your flesh as it were
by fire." James also talks about the time we are living in.

God says that He knows about this and the story is yet
to completely unfold.
Reader, our God is a God of Justice.

Slippery Ground

Asaph’s heart is distressed and grieved because the 

wicked seem to get off scott free. He does not see justice. 

Since he has no place to go for answers, he turns to his 

God--listen:

“...when I tried to understand all this, it was 

oppressive to me, till I entered the sanctuary of God; 

then I understood their final destiny.

Surely You place them on slippery ground

You cast them to ruin

How suddenly are they destroyed.”

(Ps 73:17-19)

God places the wicked on slippery ground; in a moment, 

they are gone. Jonathan Edward’s in his famous book, 

Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God, speaks of the 

wicked who hang by a thread over an empty pit.  

I am reminded of the recent story where a sleeping man 

was swallowed by the earth--no place is “safe.” Reader, 

do you know where you will find yourself after you die? 

Trust Jesus today for salvation.

check out my website: 
www.hisvictoriousindwelling.com

In Vain

Asaph goes on in verse 13 of Psalm 73:

“Surely in vain have I kept my heart pure.

In vain have I washed my hands in innocence.

All day long I have been plagued;

I have been punished every morning.”

Wow, Asaph sounds a lot like Job! 
When I read these verses years ago, anger rose 
up in my heart. Asaph was asking my questions 
and drawing my conclusions. It seemed to me 
that people who loved God and lived a good 
life had more problems compared to the 
arrogant bullies who lived  charmed lives. 

Where is the justice in that?

The Wicked Have it Made!

I have been so ticked with Eliphaz. So pompous!  

A number of years ago I was struggling with 

an issue that bothered me greatly which was, why don't

the wicked suffer? In searching the scriptures I found

an answer in Psalm 73.

Asaph has a serious problem and he makes a statement:

 “The wicked have it made!” Let’s listen in:

“I envied the arrogant when I saw the prosperity 

of the wicked.They have no struggles; 

their bodies are healthy and strong. 

They are far from the burdens of the common man; 

they are not plagued by human ills…

...pride is their necklace

They are clothed with violence.

From their hearts come iniquity…

They say, ‘how can God know?’

They (the wicked) are always carefree and 

they increase in wealth.” (Psalm 73:3-12)

Right on Asaph! At least that's the way I saw it.

I wonder what would happen if we put Eliphaz 

and Asaph together in the same room?

(Check out the previous blogs as to how Job's friends 

viewed evil doers)

A Sinbag?

Eliphaz blows through the 15th chapter of Job:

"I've a thing or two to tell you, so listen up!
I'm letting you in on my views;"

(This should be interesting...)

"Those who live by their own rules, not God's rules, 
can expect nothing but trouble, and the longer 
they live the worse it gets..."

(Eliphaz then lists the disasters--everything
from fear and despair, to hunger and homelessness.)

"And then death--don't think they'll escape that! 
They'll end up shriveled weeds brought down 
by a puff of God's breath.There's a lesson here: 
whoever invests in lies, gets lies for interest, 
paid in full...
The godless, are fruitless--a barren crew;
A life built on bribes goes up in smoke..."

This is Eliphaz at his worst.
So far no one has come up with a definite sin in Job's life
yet he is called a scumbag, a windbag, a sinbag--
well, I made that one up.
The whole premise is that if you live a good life,
your life will be pleasant and good, but if you sin,
you will reap awful things. Truth?

Graffitied with Lies

Job continues to speak out of chapter 13:

“I’m taking my case straight to God Almighty.

I’ve had it with you--

I’m going directly to God.

You graffiti my life with Lies.

You’re a bunch of pompous quacks!”

Job is hurting big time. His calls for an 

objective trial where he is heard, but 

what his heart longs for is 

intimacy, not information; 

not more talk, but a hug.

Caves of Darkness

Job answers Zophar in chapter 12:

“True wisdom and real power belong to God;

From Him we learn to live, 

and also what to live for…

Strength and success belong to God;

Both deceived and deceiver 

must answer to Him…

He shines a spotlight into caves of darkness…”

I love it! Here is Job “in the depths of despair,” 

(Anne of Green Gables) and he is able or enabled 

to speak the truth about God.

That last line, “He shines a spotlight into the caves of darkness,” 

has lately become a place of rest for me. He sees into the motives, 

the desires of my heart, NOT just my actions. He knows that my 

deepest desire is not to PLEASE Him, but to KNOW Him.

“That I may know Him

The power of His resurrection

The fellowship of His suffering (really?)

Being made conformable unto His death.

(Phil 3:10)