Job 34-35; 1st Corinthians 11:17-34

In Job 34 and 35 Elihu said many things that were true about having a proper relationship with God. The difference is that he nor his friends understood Job's relationship with God and that it was proper. Job never denied or cursed God but he did question Him and wonder why He allowed his suffering and tragedies. God tells him later that He is God and who are we to question His ways and decisions. If we are not very careful in this questioning we will be tempted to believe things about God that are not true and this turns to bitterness. Satan uses this to deceive us and is trying to do this to Job. This form of deception has been used by Satan for centuries and has turned many people away from where God had them in driven them into sin and spiritual bondage and hopelessness because without God there is no hope. Job was in the dark valley and God was going to lead him out but Satan is going to do everything to keep him and his friends from seeing God's plan. Do our friends have to understand for us to be faithful? Faithfulness in the middle of the storm when there seems to be no way out is hard, but God will train us through this experience to walk confidently in Him during these times.

1st Corinthians 11:17 is addressing our conduct in our gatherings. We must not loose our reverence and awe before a Holy God when we gather and eat together. We must remember that taking these things in vain will result in God's discipline. He does this to keep us from His righteous judgment that will condemn the world. When we assemble ourselves together we must conduct ourselves in a manner that would result in blessing rather than judgment. Losing the reverence for God can turn our church from a holy fellowship into a social club that has no form of Godliness.