JUNE 27, 2016

“...If you can make one heap of all your winnings 
And risk it on one turn of pitch-and-toss,
And lose, and start again at your beginnings
And never breathe a word about your loss;..."
― RUDYARD KIPLING

JOB 10-12

Job answers and contradicts their arguments that God is in control and therefore will do things that confound man's logic...

20He silences the lips of trusted advisers

and takes away the discernment of elders.

21He pours contempt on nobles

and disarms the mighty.

22He reveals the deep things of darkness

and brings utter darkness into the light.

23He makes nations great, and destroys them;

he enlarges nations, and disperses them.

24He deprives the leaders of the earth of their reason;

he makes them wander in a trackless waste.

25They grope in darkness with no light;

he makes them stagger like drunkards.

ACTS 8:1-25

Saul enters the picture as an authority and staunch adversary of the disciples and the message of Christ...

1And Saul approved of their killing him.

On that day a great persecution broke out against the church in Jerusalem, and all except the apostles were scattered throughout Judea and Samaria. 2Godly men buried Stephen and mourned deeply for him. 3But Saul began to destroy the church. Going from house to house, he dragged off both men and women and put them in prison.

JOURNAL 

Brutal...and so in the way that God works. Here we see Saul approving of the death of Stephen and an arch enemy of "the church". Yet we know that he ultimately is the one that is responsible for it's growth.

How I love this...yet how unfair in worldly terms. Stephen is obedient and is stoned...Saul is an enemy and ultimately converts to become the writer of half of the new testament. The only conclusion is that Christianity can never be confused as being works based. For this is the argument of Job's accusers. In their mind...good works produce rewards and evil actions produce hardship. Yet the Bible time and time again proves that this is not the message of Christ. 

14But even if you should suffer for what is right, you are blessed. “Do not fear their threats^b ; do not be frightened.” ~ 1 PETER 3:14