Kristi Burchfiel

VERSE: Job 4:7–“Remember now, whoever perished being innocent? Or where were the upright destroyed?” TRUTH: Job’s friend Eliphaz has come to be with Job during his difficult time. Unfortunately, all of his advice and counsel is based on this incorrect assumption. In Eliphaz’s thinking, only bad people go through bad things, so therefore Job must have done something to bring about this punishment from God. While it is true that we can experience the consequences of our sins while here on earth, it is not true that everyone who goes through suffering has done something wrong to deserve it. Look at Jesus. He was perfect, upright, and completely innocent, yet…

VERSE: Job 3:20–“Why is light given to him who suffers, and life to the bitter soul?” TRUTH: After all that has happened to him, Job finally speaks. He starts by asking the same question so many of us have asked when we go through intense suffering, “Why can’t I just die?” It can be difficult to think that God has spared our life just so we can walk through times of intense suffering. During times like this, while we are searching for meaning and purpose, God hears and knows our hurt and pain. He walks with us through it, and we can be confident that God has a purpose for…

VERSE: Job 2:10b–Shall we indeed accept good from God and not accept adversity?” In all this Job did not sin with his lips. TRUTH: Satan came back to God and got additional permission from God to attack Job physically. Yet this is Job’s response. When we’re going through difficult times do we recognize that God knows best and that we are to praise Him through the good times and the bad. We are to trust that God sees the larger picture and ultimately knows what is best for us. RESPONSE: Lord, I don’t enjoy going through difficult times, but I will trust that You know what is best for me,…

VERSE: Job 1:9–Then Satan answered the Lord, “Does Job fear God for nothing?” TRUTH: As God and Satan were speaking, God mentions Job and his life of faithful obedience. Satan asks, “Does Job fear God for nothing?” His point was that God had provided financial and material blessings to Job. Satan believed that if those blessings were taken away, Job would no longer believe or follow God. The question needs to be asked, “Do we fear God for nothing?” Do we follow and obey God only because of what He gives us and does for us? If God were to take everything away, would we still follow Him? RESPONSE: Lord,…

VERSE: Luke 24:6–He is not here, but He has risen. Remember how He spoke to you while He was still in Galilee. TRUTH: The women had gone to the tomb, but couldn’t find the body of Jesus. They were met by angels who told them that Jesus had risen. Then, the angels make the statement that the women should remember what Jesus had told them. He had done exactly what was promised. Are we surprised or caught off guard when God does exactly what He promises? Do we hear and believe what He shares with us? RESPONSE: Lord, You are not trying to keep Your plans a secret, I just…

VERSE: Luke 23:41–And we indeed are suffering justly, for we are receiving what we deserve for our deeds, but this man has done nothing wrong. TRUTH: The criminal on the cross next to Jesus made a profound statement. In fact, we all need to get to the place where we recognize that we each deserve punishment and death for the sins in our lives. But, Jesus is perfect and did not deserve death. He took the punishment we deserve so that we could be saved. RESPONSE: Lord, You are perfect and did not deserve death. I am not perfect and I deserve punishment. Thank You for Your gracious offer of…

VERSE: Luke 22:46–and said to them, “Why are you sleeping? Get up and pray that you may not enter into temptation.” TRUTH: Have we ever been caught sleeping? Maybe not literally, although that has happened to me before, but we can be guilty of closing our eyes to the situations and circumstances around us so that we don’t see what God has for us to know and to do. We then fall for the temptation to not do what God has for us. What situations have we closed our eyes to? Instead we need to be in prayer. RESPONSE: Lord, I don’t want to be found napping through situations you’ve…

VERSE: Luke 21:33–Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will not pass away. TRUTH: Often we spend our time thinking about and setting aside things for our future. That can be money, or hobbies that we plan to complete, or plans that we intend to follow at some point in the future. These investments are based upon the assumption that things will stay relatively the same, such as our health, and our circumstances. However, God give us no such assurances. In fact, He tells us that this world will eventually pass away and that the only thing that will endure are His words. Are we investing our time,…