– Today’s Community Scripture – 7/23/2025

“Still, if you set your heart on God and reach out to him, If you scrub your hands of sin and refuse to entertain evil in your home, You’ll be able to face the world unashamed and keep a firm grip on life, guiltless and fearless. You’ll forget your troubles; they’ll be like old, faded photographs. Your world will be washed in sunshine, every shadow dispersed by dayspring. Full of hope, you’ll relax, confident again; you’ll look around, sit back, and take it easy. Expansive, without a care in the world, you’ll be hunted out by many for your blessing. But the wicked will see none of this. They’re headed down a dead-end road with nothing to look forward to—nothing.”

                            Job 11:13–20 (MSG)

– Reflection:

                   Reach Out To God

This passage powerfully reminds us that when we intentionally turn our hearts toward God and live with integrity by cleansing our lives of sin and refusing to entertain evil, we unlock a life of peace, confidence, and purpose. It’s not about perfection but about posture: reaching out to God sincerely and aligning our actions with His will. When we do that, shame loses its grip, fear diminishes, and our past troubles become distant memories. Life becomes brighter, more hopeful, and filled with clarity. We aren’t just surviving; we’re thriving becoming a blessing to others. But there’s also a sober warning: those who reject this path are left with nothing but emptiness. This is a call to choose wisely, live intentionally, and walk in the light only God can provide.

– Where do we go from here?

We begin by intentionally focusing our hearts on God, not just in words but through our actions. This involves cleaning out spiritually, letting go of habits, thoughts, and influences that don’t honor Him. It also means refusing to let evil take hold in our homes, conversations, or decisions. From there, we move forward with integrity, confident that living this way allows us to face the world without guilt or fear. Troubles won’t define us; they’ll fade into the background. Our lives will shine with God’s light, attracting others. This is the path to peace, purpose, and becoming a blessing in a world that desperately needs it. It’s not always easy, but it is always worth it.

– Our Prayer for Today

Father, today, we dedicate our hearts to You. We reach out with open hands, asking You to cleanse us from anything that does not honor You. Help us guard our homes, our minds, and our hearts from anything that pulls us away from Your light. Let us walk boldly, without shame or fear, knowing that You have already made a way for us. Quiet our worries, Lord, and let Your peace settle deep within our spirits. May our lives reflect Your hope, and may others see Your blessing in us. Keep us steady, faithful, and close to You. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Today’s Community Scripture – 7/22/2025

Now it was the turn of Zophar from Naamath:

What a flood of words! Shouldn’t we put a stop to it? Should this kind of loose talk be permitted? Job, do you think you can carry on like this and we’ll say nothing? That we’ll let you rail and mock and not step in? You claim, ‘My doctrine is sound and my conduct impeccable.’ How I wish God would give you a piece of his mind, tell you what’s what! I wish he’d show you how wisdom looks from the inside, for true wisdom is mostly ‘inside.’ But you can be sure of this, you haven’t gotten half of what you deserve. “Do you think you can explain the mystery of God? Do you think you can diagram God Almighty? God is far higher than you can imagine, far deeper than you can comprehend, Stretching farther than earth’s horizons, far wider than the endless ocean. If he happens along, throws you in jail then hauls you into court, can you do anything about it? He sees through vain pretensions, spots evil a long way off— no one pulls the wool over his eyes! Hollow men, hollow women, will wise up about the same time mules learn to talk. “Still, if you set your heart on God and reach out to him, If you scrub your hands of sin and refuse to entertain evil in your home, You’ll be able to face the world unashamed and keep a firm grip on life, guiltless and fearless. You’ll forget your troubles; they’ll be like old, faded photographs. Your world will be washed in sunshine, every shadow dispersed by dayspring. Full of hope, you’ll relax, confident again; you’ll look around, sit back, and take it easy. Expansive, without a care in the world, you’ll be hunted out by many for your blessing. But the wicked will see none of this. They’re headed down a dead-end road with nothing to look forward to—nothing.”

                             Job 11:1-20 (MSG)

– Reflection:

      How Wisdom Looks from the Inside

Zophar challenges Job to let go of self-justification and instead seek a deeper humility before God. As I reflect on this, I’m reminded that sometimes, even in our pain or confusion, we must pause and ask ourselves: are we truly listening for God’s voice, or are we just defending our own? Zophar’s words, though sharp, carry a truth we all need. God’s wisdom is deep, His justice sure, and His mercy wide. If we turn our hearts toward Him, clean and open, we’ll find peace, clarity, and a life that shines brighter than noon. May this passage stir something in you today, as it did in me a call to trust, to surrender, and to walk forward with hope.

– Where do we go from here?

After hearing Zophar’s words to Job, we’re left with a challenge that still echoes today: to stop defending ourselves before God and start seeking Him with open hearts. Zophar didn’t hold back; he reminded Job that God’s wisdom is deeper than we can grasp, and that true peace comes not from proving our innocence, but from surrendering to God’s greater plan. So where do we go from here? We go forward by humbling ourselves, by letting go of pride, and by trusting that even when life feels unfair, God sees the full picture. If we clear out the clutter in our hearts and lift our faces to Him, we’ll find strength, clarity, and a hope that won’t fade. Let’s walk that path together one step at a time, with faith leading the way.

– Our Prayer for Today

Father, today we come with open hearts, humbled by the reminder that your power extends far beyond what we can see or understand. Please help us stop striving to prove ourselves and instead embrace our true and positive identity. Cleanse anything within us that prevents us from fully trusting You. Teach us to lift our faces without shame, to walk in peace, and to rest in the hope that You restore and renew. For everyone reading this, may they feel your presence, understand your justice, and find strength in your mercy. Lead us forward, together, with courage and clarity. Amen.

Today’s Community Scripture – 7/21/2025

I can’t stand my life I hate it! I’m putting it all out on the table, all the bitterness of my life I’m holding back nothing.” Job prayed: “Here’s what I want to say: Don’t, God, bring in a verdict of guilty without letting me know the charges you’re bringing. How does this fit into what you once called ‘good’ giving me a hard time, spurning me, a life you shaped by your very own hands, and then blessing the plots of the wicked? You don’t look at things the way we mortals do. You’re not taken in by appearances, are you? Unlike us, you’re not working against a deadline. You have all eternity to work things out. So what’s this all about, anyway this compulsion to dig up some dirt, to find some skeleton in my closet? You know good and well I’m not guilty. You also know no one can help me. “You made me like a handcrafted piece of pottery and now are you going to smash me to pieces? Don’t you remember how beautifully you worked my clay? Will you reduce me now to a mud pie? Oh, that marvel of conception as you stirred together semen and ovum What a miracle of skin and bone, muscle and brain! You gave me life itself, and incredible love. You watched and guarded every breath I took. “But you never told me about this part. I should have known that there was more to it That if I so much as missed a step, you’d notice and pounce, wouldn’t let me get by with a thing. If I’m truly guilty, I’m doomed. But if I’m innocent, it’s no better I’m still doomed. My belly is full of bitterness. I’m up to my ears in a swamp of affliction. I try to make the best of it, try to brave it out, but you’re too much for me, relentless, like a lion on the prowl. You line up fresh witnesses against me. You compound your anger and pile on the grief and pain! “So why did you have me born? I wish no one had ever laid eyes on me! I wish I’d never lived a stillborn, buried without ever having breathed. Isn’t it time to call it quits on my life? Can’t you let up, and let me smile just once Before I die and am buried, before I’m nailed into my coffin, sealed in the ground, And banished for good to the land of the dead, blind in the final dark?”

                                 Job 10:1–22 (MSG)

– Reflection:

    To Find Some Skeleton In My Closet

Job is raw, broken, and done pretending. He’s not sugarcoating anything; he’s laying it all out every ounce of bitterness and confusion. He’s not just hurting; he’s questioning everything. “Why me?” isn’t even enough anymore; it’s “Why create me at all if this is where I’d end up?” He feels betrayed by the very hands that shaped him, like a masterpiece turned to rubble. He’s not just asking for answers; he’s demanding them. He knows he’s not guilty, yet he’s being crushed as if he is. It’s like God is hunting him down, piling on pain after pain, and Job can’t make sense of it. He’s exhausted, drowning in grief, and just wants a moment of peace before it’s all over. This isn’t just suffering; it’s a soul crying out for justice, for clarity, for mercy.

– Where do we go from here?

When everything feels shattered and the silence from heaven is louder than the pain itself, what’s left? Job isn’t looking for easy answers; he’s seeking authenticity. Maybe that’s where we begin, too, not by pretending everything’s okay, but through honesty. By showing up in the mess, in the questions, in the ache. Perhaps the next step isn’t fixing it but refusing to pretend it’s fine. Maybe it’s holding on, even if it’s just by a thread, and daring to believe that somehow, even in this, God is still listening and still shaping. Still not finished. Because if Job can scream into the void and still call it prayer, maybe we can do the same.

– Our Prayer for Today

Father, help us shed the walls we’ve built with pride, fear, doubt, and hurt. Help us see each other not as enemies or strangers but as brothers and sisters seeking to understand this life. Let Your Spirit move through our chaos and bring us together, not in perfection but in pursuit. In pursuit of You. We don’t have all the answers, but we know You are the answer. So meet us here, in this moment. Bind our hearts to Yours and to each other. Let this be the beginning of something genuine—a community that’s honest, raw, and rooted in Christ. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Believe me, I’m blameless. I don’t understand what’s going on. I hate my life! Since either way it ends up the same, I can only conclude that God destroys the good right along with the bad. When calamity hits and brings sudden death, he folds his arms, aloof from the despair of the innocent. He lets the wicked take over running the world, and he installs judges who can’t tell right from wrong. If he’s not responsible, who is? “My time is short—what’s left of my life races off too fast for me to even glimpse the good. My life is going fast, like a ship under full sail, like an eagle plummeting to its prey. Even if I say, ‘I’ll put all this behind me, I’ll look on the bright side and force a smile,’ All these troubles would still be like grit in my gut since it’s clear you’re not going to let up. The verdict has already been handed down—‘Guilty!’ So what’s the use of protests or appeals? Even if I scrub myself all over and wash myself with the strongest soap I can find, it wouldn’t last—you’d push me into a pigpen, or worse, so nobody could stand me for the stink. “God and I are not equals; I can’t bring a case against him. We’ll never enter a courtroom as peers. How I wish we had an arbitrator to step in and let me get on with life, to break God’s death grip on me, to free me from this terror so I could breathe again. Then I’d speak up and state my case boldly.
As things stand, there is no way I can do it.

                              Job 9:21–35 (MSG)

– Reflective:

        If God’s Not Responsible, Who Is?

I can’t help but feel the raw honesty in his words, and maybe you think it too. There’s something deeply human about questioning what’s happening when life feels unfair, especially when we’ve done everything “right” in accordance with our lives and the way our family or community recognizes us to be. Job’s cry “If God’s not responsible, who is?” echoes in the chambers of our confusion. Have you ever felt like that? Like, no matter how clean you try to live, you still end up in the mud? I find myself nodding in agreement with Job when he says, “I hate my life!” not because I genuinely do, but because I understand that moment of despair when nothing makes sense and even God feels distant. And yet, in all this, Job still speaks to God. That part gets me. He’s not silent. He’s not indifferent. He’s desperate for a mediator, someone to bridge the gap. Maybe that’s where we find hope, too, not in having all the answers, but in daring to keep the conversation going with God, even when we don’t understand.

– Where do we go from here?

When Job’s words feel overly familiar, and we’re also staring at the sky asking, “If God’s not responsible, who is?” maybe the next step isn’t about finding all the answers but about learning how to live with the tension. We don’t have to pretend everything’s okay when it’s not. We can sit together and address the questions. We can admit that sometimes life feels unfair, and God seems distant. But maybe that’s exactly where faith begins, not in certainty, but in the courage to keep reaching out, like Job did. Perhaps we can move forward by becoming that safe space for each other, where doubts are acknowledged and pain isn’t hurried past. Maybe we can move forward by holding space for the mystery and still choosing to believe that God hears even when He seems silent. What if that’s enough for today?

– Our Prayer for Today 

Father, even in silence, we still reach out to you. Even in the confusion, we pray you hear us. We don’t need all the answers today, just enough grace to get through this moment. Please help us be gentle with ourselves and with each other as we navigate what we don’t understand. Give us the courage to keep talking to you, even when we’re unsure of what to say. And if words fail us, let tears and questions be enough. Thank you for being a God who can handle our honesty. Thank you for staying close, even when we can’t feel you. And thank you for the hope that maybe, just maybe, you’re still working on the mystery. Amen.

– Today’s Community Scripture – 7/17/2025

Job continued by saying: “So what’s new? I know all this. The question is, ‘How can mere mortals get right with God?’ If we wanted to bring our case before him, what chance would we have? Not one in a thousand! God’s wisdom is so deep, God’s power so immense, who could take him on and come out in one piece? He moves mountains before they know what’s happened, flips them on their heads on a whim. He gives the earth a good shaking up, rocks it down to its very foundations. He tells the sun, ‘Don’t shine,’ and it doesn’t; he pulls the blinds on the stars. All by himself he stretches out the heavens and strides on the waves of the sea. He designed the Big Dipper and Orion, the Pleiades and Alpha Centauri. We’ll never comprehend all the great things he does; his miracle-surprises can’t be counted. Somehow, though he moves right in front of me, I don’t see him; quietly but surely he’s active, and I miss it. If he steals you blind, who can stop him? Who’s going to say, ‘Hey, what are you doing?’ God doesn’t hold back on his anger; even dragon-bred monsters cringe before him. “So how could I ever argue with him, construct a defense that would influence God? Even though I’m innocent I could never prove it; I can only throw myself on the Judge’s mercy. If I called on God and he himself answered me, then, and only then, would I believe that he’d heard me. As it is, he knocks me about from pillar to post, beating me up, black-and-blue, for no good reason. He won’t even let me catch my breath, piles bitterness upon bitterness. If it’s a question of who’s stronger, he wins, hands down! If it’s a question of justice, who’ll serve him the subpoena? Even though innocent, anything I say incriminates me; blameless as I am, my defense just makes me sound worse. “Believe me, I’m blameless. I don’t understand what’s going on. I hate my life! Since either way it ends up the same, I can only conclude that God destroys the good right along with the bad. When calamity hits and brings sudden death, he folds his arms, aloof from the despair of the innocent. He lets the wicked take over running the world, he installs judges who can’t tell right from wrong. If he’s not responsible, who is? “My time is short—what’s left of my life races off too fast for me to even glimpse the good. My life is going fast, like a ship under full sail, like an eagle plummeting to its prey. Even if I say, ‘I’ll put all this behind me, I’ll look on the bright side and force a smile,’ All these troubles would still be like grit in my gut since it’s clear you’re not going to let up. The verdict has already been handed down—‘Guilty!’— so what’s the use of protests or appeals? Even if I scrub myself all over and wash myself with the strongest soap I can find, It wouldn’t last—you’d push me into a pigpen, or worse, so nobody could stand me for the stink. “God and I are not equals; I can’t bring a case against him. We’ll never enter a courtroom as peers. How I wish we had an arbitrator to step in and let me get on with life To break God’s death grip on me, to free me from this terror so I could breathe again. Then I’d speak up and state my case boldly. As things stand, there is no way I can do it.”

Job 9:1-35 (MSG)

– Reflection:

How Can Mere Mortals Get Right with God?

Job’s words echo the pain of every soul that’s ever looked up and asked, “Why?” He doesn’t sugarcoat his pain or pretend to understand what feels overwhelming. Instead, he lays it all bare: the frustration of being small before a vast, unsearchable God; the helplessness of knowing you’re innocent but still feeling punished; the longing for justice in a world that often seems to reward the wicked. And yet, in all his wrestling, Job doesn’t walk away. He stays in the tension, naming the contradictions, crying out for a mediator, and daring to hope that someone might bridge the gap between heaven and earth. His honesty doesn’t weaken his faith—it deepens it. Because sometimes, faith isn’t about having answers. It’s about refusing to let go, even when the silence is deafening.

– Where do we go from here?

When even your friends, those who should be your safe place, start sounding more like prosecutors than companions? Job is responding to friends who’ve come not to comfort but to correct. They assume his suffering must be punishment, that he’s hiding some sin, and that if he’d just come clean, God would fix it all. But Job knows that’s not the story. He’s not claiming perfection, but he is claiming innocence. And what hurts most isn’t just the pain; it’s being misunderstood, misjudged, and talked down to by people who should know his heart. He feels cornered, not just by his circumstances but by the very people who were supposed to help him carry the weight. So Job cries out not just to defend himself but to ask the deeper question: If this is what happens to the blameless, what hope is there for anyone? He’s not looking for easy answers. He’s looking for someone who will stand with him, not against him. And maybe that’s where we go from here toward becoming that kind of presence for others.

– Our Prayer for Today

Father, here we are, not with polished words but with hearts laid bare. If you’re listening, we need you to step in not just to fix things but to remind us that we’re not alone in this. We need a mediator, an advocate, someone who understands both heaven and earth. Because right now, we don’t need more explanations; we need mercy. We need Your presence. Amen.