Bits and Pieces – 102nd Edition – February 20, 2022

     In God’s work, each Christian is but a foot soldier.  God is the great Commander, working all things according to His own will.  It is necessary that we wait on Him for our marching orders and instructions.  He will direct us at the right time, to the right place, with the right word.

The Holy Spirit led Paul, after his conversion, to Cyprus with Barnabas.  At Salamis, the deputy of the country, Sergius Paulus, called for them to come and explain the Gospel.  But someone else was there competing for the soul of this man – the devil’s agent, Elymas the sorcerer.  He did not want Sergius Paulus to become a Christian.

The battle lines were drawn.  On the one side was the testimony of two Spirit-filled and Spirit-led men, and against them the lies of this devil-inspired sorcerer.  The battle was for the soul of Sergius Paulus.  This was a crisis point for the newly converted preacher, Saul of Tarsus.  Would he allow Satan’s emissary to gain the ascendancy?

Paul, as his name now was, looked Elymas in the eye and admonished him in the name of the Lord.  Paul was the last person Elymas saw because he, who represented the prince of darkness, was struck blind for a season.

Sergius Paulus became a believer, and Paul moved from the relative obscurity of his early Christian days to become the mighty apostle to the Gentiles.  One wonders what would have happened to Paul if he had flinched when faced with the adversary.

When a Christian is led by the Spirit of God to do something for the Lord, he can expect success.  Satan is no match for the all-conquering Christ.

Last Sunday we held a national day of prayer for Canada.  A good number of people from our Canadian churches joined on Zoom for a blessed time of prayer.  The focus was on our country, especially with two years of Covid pandemic and with no clear end in sight.

Then there are the political difficulties with unscrupulous politicians forcing their ungodly agendas upon the country.  Laws legalising the use of marijuana, abominable lifestyles, and the murder of thousands of babies in abortion are now in force.

Can we encourage God’s people in their private daily devotions to remember to pray for Canada?  The Bible teaches us that this is not a lesser duty but one of our primary ones, Paul says, “first of all.” [1 Timothy 2:1].

The book of Job is highly regarded by some of the greatest writers of history.  Lord Tennyson called it “the greatest poem, whether of ancient or modern literature.”   Martin Luther described it as “more magnificent and sublime than any other book of Scripture.”   Thomas Carlyle said, “I call that (Job) is one of the grandest things ever written with pen.”

Although Job appears halfway into the Old Testament, chronologically it belongs roughly about Jacob’s time in Genesis.  This is suggested by Job’s age [Job 42:16], and also by the fact there is no mention of the Exodus miracles in Job.  Job also acted as High Priest for his family which was not permitted after the Lord gave the law in Exodus.

Few men have ever suffered as Job did.  He lost his possessions, his progeny, and then his personal health.  But at the end of the book, the Lord gave him exactly twice what he lost.  Job is a great encouragement to suffering saints.  Read the book carefully and you will find many Gospel gems, [19:23-26], even in the advice the “miserable comforters” gave Job.

Above all, let every believer read the last four chapters of Job.  They show us the greatness of God and our own educational poverty.  Job 38-42 should be required reading for every arrogant atheist.

God reveals Himself basically in two ways.  There is the General Revelation of Nature that shows the power and creative ability of God, but it does not show what God is like.  For this, there is the Special Revelation of Scripture.  The latter contains instructions about the former.

“Ask now the beasts, and they shall teach thee; and the fowls of the air and they shall tell thee; Or speak to the earth, and it shall teach thee: and the fishes of the sea shall declare unto thee.” [Job 12:7, 8]. God is seen through the marvellous works of His hands.

Read also, “For the invisible things of Him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead (‘Deity’)” [Romans. 1:20].  God reveals Himself in the world of nature. Blind is the one who does not see it.