THE WITNESS/ADVOCATE

Today’s Reading: Job 16-17

Click scripture link to read online or HERE to listen online (then click the symbol of the audio speaker above the scripture portion).

The sun sets over Jerusalem and the Golden Gate, also known as the Eastern Gate. Jesus will one day return to the Temple Mount through this gate, which is temporarily stoned-up in an attempt to prevent this majestic entrance.

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Key Verses: Job 16:19

Surely even now my witness is in heaven, and my evidence is on high.

There is a growing emphasis by Job’s friends and by Job himself that God is the Source of these calamities. Job does not know of the existence of Satan, the destroyer. In 16:9 Job says of God, “He tears me in His wrath…” Yet in the midst of all this, Job has a prophetic glimpse beyond his present anguish. He sees with eyes of faith and states that his “Witness is in Heaven.” The New American Standard version says, “My Advocate (evidence) is on high.” We long to say to Job, “Now you’ve got it! You’ve just seen into Heaven. You’ve seen your Lawyer for your defence. You’ve seen Your Intercessor!” Hebrews 7:25 had yet to be written, but it says, “Therefore, He (Jesus) is also able to save to the uttermost those who come to God through Him, since He ever lives to make intercession for them.” Job, Jesus is there as you suffer. You can trust Him completely to bring you through these hard times. We may want to remind Job that he has three Persons on his side who are much more faithful and wise than Eliphaz, Bildad & Zophar. They are the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit!

PRAYER FOR TODAY:

Lord God, when I am called to minister to a hurting, grieving friend, may I allow God’s Comforter to minister through me. Holy Spirit, I pray that You will help me to join Jesus in His prayer meeting each day, participating in His prayer of intercession. Through Jesus Christ, my Saviour and Lord, Amen!!!

100 PERSONAL WORDS:

I received the e-mail below in 2015 and shared it at the time. God has answered prayer. The churches of Assyut and El Minia, Egypt, are mentioned. My father and mother helped establish congregations in those areas. My sister, Willa Hodgins, was born in Minia in 1928. The Muslim Brotherhood government (2013) that was fomenting violence has been overthrown, and there is now some protection for the Christians. I asked our readers to pray for the Egyptian people. Thanks for responding with your prayers. My cousin, Rev. Roy C. Kenny, had forwarded this e-mail to me from Egyptian Henry Salah. It describes the situation in 2013.

I want to share this with you so you can pray for us. Today, the situation in Egypt has become very difficult. At 7 am, the police troops took over the square that the Muslim brotherhood supporters were camping at. As a result of that, all the Muslim fanatics all over the country got very angry and started attacking the police stations and the churches. Many churches were burnt down today in El Minia, Assyut, Suhag, Bani Suef, El Fayoum and Suez. Three of the churches are in my hometown and the villages surrounding us (especially Dalga, where our brother Fayez lives). They have also killed the father-in-law of brother Fadl, the church planter in Dalga. In Dirmawas, they have burnt and stolen 15 different shops owned by Christians. I can hear heavy gunfire in the streets right now, and it has been like that since the morning. I am imprisoned at my house and all the Christians in my hometown are the same way. We can’t go out into the streets because the Muslim fanatics are beating any Christian they see in the streets. I am not scared but I hope the situation will end soon, as it is getting worse every passing hour. They have burnt five different churches in El Minia city and a big Christian school until now. The riots are continuing. Our FM church in Assyut was attacked and they burnt its bus and bookstore as well as the Bible Society there. We need your prayers. Please, share this with everyone you know so we can all intercede for Egypt now.”

You prayed! I believe God has intervened to bring about a much greater measure of peace in Egypt. Please keep praying!

David