Job's Judgmental Friends

God described Job this way:

“There is no one on earth like him; he is blameless and upright, a man who fears God and shuns evil” (Job 1:8).

However, when he lost his children, wealth, and health, his friends came to “comfort” him and spent many hours trying to convince Job that his difficulties were a sign of God’s displeasure. 

Sitting in a pile of ashes covered with sores, having lost his wealth and his children, Job's friends added to his suffering.

Sadly, many Christians think like Job's friends, assuming that if something bad is happening to a fellow believer, that believer must have done something to deserve it.

They might suggest the Christian is sick because they don't have enough faith to be healed. Or they may "comfort" grieving parents by suggesting they are somehow responsible for their adult child's sinful choice.

But God clearly rebuked Job's friends, saying, “You have not spoken the truth about me” (Job 42:7).

Some things happen because of a sinful action: a drunken driver hits a pedestrian, a smoker develops lung cancer, or a thief gets caught. But when there's no clear cause and effect, we shouldn't invent one.

So when we feel inclined to assign blame for a person's problems, let's ask God for His compassion and understanding instead.

You might want to read Hindu Karma Isn't Biblical because, in some ways, Job's friends expressed a belief in Karma although they didn't call it that. And Kick 'Em When They're Down highlights how people often blame God's people when they face difficulties and how we can respond when that happens.

💙💙💙💙

I encourage you to check out the Wisdom for Life Devotional. You can find out where to purchase it and download two free Bible studies with purchase HERE.  

 

If you've already purchased Wisdom for Life and you're enjoying it, please leave a review on Amazon! Thanks!

 

Bible Love Notes

#4: Why Many Faithful People Aren't Healed

This is the fourth and final part of a series explaining that Scripture does not promise healing to all Christians. In Part 1 we examined Christ's earthly healing ministry. In Part 2 we addressed Christ's defeat of sin, sickness, Satan, and death. In Part 3  we addressed James 5:13-18 and the full counsel of Scripture. We have been looking in particular at the false "word of faith" doctrine which teaches that every Christian can and should be healed if they have enough faith.

In this part we will examine the evidence found in the lives of God's faithful servants.

Does the evidence prove that people with great faith are always healed?

✅ Word-of-faith teachings ignore real life.

Many godly Christians - people with great devotion, love, and faith - are not healed on earth.

Corrie Ten Boom proved faithful in the worst of conditions, suffering for the Gospel in a concentration camp. She experienced many miracles of protection but she also suffered great losses. Throughout her life she remained faithful to Jesus. But her final years were spent in bed severely handicapped by a stroke. 

Joni is a present-day example of a person with great faith who is severely handicapped. She was paralyzed by a swimming accident, has been wheelchair-bound for over forty years, and has twice suffered from cancer despite her wholehearted love for Jesus and devotion to full-time ministry.

We could compile an enormous list of godly men and women past and present who have suffered with physical problems. God's purposes in their lives are often revealed directly through their physical sickness (2 Corinthians 12:10). In addition, they give the Body of Christ great assurance that God's comfort is enough to sustain us in the worst of circumstances (2 Corinthians 1:3-5).

✅ Scripture also provides an example of a faithful Christian with a chronic illness. 

Paul told Timothy, "Stop drinking only water, and use a little wine because of your stomach and your frequent illnesses" (1 Timothy 5:23). 

Paul did not suggest that Timothy could, should, or would be healed, nor did he suggest it had something to do with Timothy's faith or lack of it. Please read more about this example: A Message About Healing in 1 Timothy 5:23.

✅ Word of Faith teachers also ignore examples in their churches. 

For example, Bill Johnson is a key leader in word-of-faith teachings. He says, "Jesus did not command us to pray for the sick. He commanded us to heal them." (“The Essential Guide to Healing”, p.51, Chosen Books). However, Bill's adult son (also a pastor in Bethel Church) is almost totally deaf.

See these 1-Minute devotions about faithful servants of God who were not healed of physical illness here on earth: A Saint's Life and Outcasts and Wheelchair Miracle and Blind but Seeing and Blurry Vision or 20/20?  

✅ Word-of-faith believers share the error of Job's friends.

Word of faith followers lay a heavy guilt trip on people by claiming that they could be healed if they only had enough faith. This means God would have healed Corrie and Joni if only they’d said the right words or believed the word of faith doctrine. But since they didn’t, all their faith, love, and sacrifices make no difference to God. He will let them suffer unnecessarily because they don't hold to the word of faith teaching. 

This belief reduces Christianity to a superstitious faith based on rituals and formulas.

When word of faith believers blame people's sickness on their lack of faith, they follow in the footsteps of Job's friends. Job's friends "kicked him when he was down" telling him his lack of faith caused his problems. They spent days trying to convince Job of his lack of faith, and they thought they were being good friends to do so. But God rebuked them saying, “you have not spoken the truth about me” (Job 42:7). 

All sickness, death, and decay can be attributed to the sin of Adam (Romans 5:12), and in rare cases it can be directly attributed to the sins or lack of faith of the sick person. But most sickness cannot be clearly attributed to personal sin or lack of faith.

See Job's Judgmental Friends.

✅ Conclusion:

Jesus sometimes linked faith to healing, but not always. See Part 1.

Jesus has completely defeated sin, sickness, Satan, and death in the legal sense. But we will not fully experience this victory here on earth. The Bible makes that clear. See Part 2. 

James 5:13-18 is passage that seems to be saying that all Christians can be healed. However, when we combine it with the full teaching of Scripture, we realize it's telling us that there are times when we should pray for healing and God will give it, but this is not a universal promise for all people and all times. See Part 3.

God can and does heal people, Christians and non-Christians alike, and we should pray for healing as we feel led by the Lord. But we cannot fully understand why God heals one person and not another, and we must not create doctrines about healing that are not supported in Scripture.

Real faith involves trusting God with these mysteries.

💙 We may experience sickness on earth, just as faithful Timothy experienced it. But we will be perfectly healed in heaven.

💙 We may deal with attacks from Satan, just like faithful Paul (2 Corinthians 12:7-10). But we will be perfectly free from Satan in heaven.

💙 We will die an earthly death unless Jesus returns before our death. But we will live eternally and never fear death again.

How, Who, and What to Judge According to Scripture

Despite the common "judge not" misunderstanding, the Bible clearly tells us how, who, and what to judge. Below are Scriptures explaining specifics. Below the Scriptures, you will find a collection of 1-minute devotions addressing various aspects of biblical judgment.

How To Judge:

1. Judge Not Like Job’s Friends
Job's friends tried to tell Job that his problems were a sign that God was punishing him. 

God rebuked them: “you have not spoken the truth about me.” Job 42:7

We shouldn’t blame hardship on the person’s actions or attitudes unless specifically obvious. For example, we can judge that a person gets lung cancer because they smoke or gets in a car accident because they drive while drinking. But we should not blame sickness or tragedy on sins not related to the problem. 

This 1-minute devotion addresses this type of judgment: Job’s Friends

2. Judge Not by Appearance
1 Samuel 16:7: "But the LORD said to Samuel, 'Don't judge by his appearance or height, for I have rejected him. The LORD doesn't see things the way you see them. People judge by outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart.'"

John 7:24: Stop judging by mere appearances, but instead judge correctly.”

These 1-minute devotions talk about this type of judgment:
Hearts versus Faces
Sometimes We Miss Seeing A Man's Heart

3. Judge Not By Position or Wealth
James 2:1-7: "My brothers and sisters, believers in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ must not show favoritism. 2 Suppose a man comes into your meeting wearing a gold ring and fine clothes, and a poor man in filthy old clothes also comes in. 3 If you show special attention to the man wearing fine clothes and say, 'Here’s a good seat for you,' but say to the poor man, 'You stand there' or 'Sit on the floor by my feet,' 4 have you not discriminated among yourselves and become judges with evil thoughts? 5 Listen, my dear brothers and sisters: Has not God chosen those who are poor in the eyes of the world to be rich in faith and to inherit the kingdom he promised those who love him? 6 But you have dishonored the poor. Is it not the rich who are exploiting you? Are they not the ones who are dragging you into court?7 Are they not the ones who are blaspheming the noble name of him to whom you belong?"

This 1-minute devotion discusses this type of judgment:
Christians Look on the Heart

4. Judge Not Harshly
James 2:12-13: "Speak and act as those who are going to be judged by the law that gives freedom, 13 because judgment without mercy will be shown to anyone who has not been merciful. Mercy triumphs over judgment."

This 1-minute devotion discusses this type of judgment:
Standing Firm

5. Judge Not Hypocritically
Matthew 7:1-4: “Do not judge, or you too will be judged. 2 For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you. 3 Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? 4 How can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when all the time there is a plank in your own eye?"

Romans 2:1:You, therefore, have no excuse, you who pass judgment on someone else, for at whatever point you judge another, you are condemning yourself, because you who pass judgment do the same things.

These 1-minute devotion talk about this type of judgment:
I Remember the Plank
To Judge or Not to Judge

6. Judge according to God's Truth, not Human Truth

1 Corinthians 2:15-16: The person with the Spirit makes judgments about all things, but such a person is not subject to merely human judgments, 16 for, “Who has known the mind of the Lord so as to instruct him?” But we have the mind of Christ.

1 Corinthians 6:2-3: Or do you not know that the Lord’s people will judge the world? And if you are to judge the world, are you not competent to judge trivial cases? 3 Do you not know that we will judge angels? How much more the things of this life!

Who to Judge:

1. Judge Ourselves
Matthew 7:5: "You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother's eye." (See context above.)

1 Corinthians 11:28: "Everyone ought to examine themselves before they eat of the bread and drink from the cup."

1 Corinthians 13:5: "Examine yourselves to see if your faith is genuine. Test yourselves. Surely you know that Jesus Christ is among you; if not, you have failed the test of genuine faith."

1 John 1:8-10: "If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. 9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. 10 If we claim we have not sinned, we make him out to be a liar and his word is not in us."

See Feelin' Good

2. Judge False Teachers and Expose Ungodly Influences
Matthew 7:15-20: “Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves. 16 By their fruit you will recognize them. Do people pick grapes from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? 17 Likewise, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. 18 A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, and a bad tree cannot bear good fruit. 19 Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. 20 Thus, by their fruit you will recognize them."

Ephesians 5:8-11: For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light 9 (for the fruit of the light consists in all goodness, righteousness and truth) 10 and find out what pleases the Lord. 11 Have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them. 

See 10 Facts about False Teachers and How False Teachers Help Us.

3. Judge Sinning Believers
Matthew 18:15: "If another believer sins against you, go privately and point out the offense. If the other person listens and confesses it, you have won that person back."

Galatians 6:1: Brothers and sisters, if someone is caught in a sin, you who live by the Spirit should restore that person gently. But watch yourselves, or you also may be tempted.

James 5:19-20: "My dear brothers and sisters, if someone among you wanders away from the truth and is brought back, 20 you can be sure that whoever brings the sinner back from wandering will save that person from death and bring about the forgiveness of many sins."

1 Corinthians 5:12: "It isn't my responsibility to judge outsiders, but it certainly is your responsibility to judge those inside the church who are sinning."

See 7 Claims of False Teachers

4. Judge Bad Companions
1 Corinthians 15:33: "Do not be misled: 'Bad company corrupts good character.'"

Ephesians 5: 5-7: "For of this you can be sure: No immoral, impure or greedy person—such a person is an idolater—has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God. 6 Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of such things God’s wrath comes on those who are disobedient. 7 Therefore do not be partners with them."

See 4 Types of People God Tells Us to Avoid

Formal church judgment against sinning believers
Read 1 Corinthians 5 and Matthew 18:15-17.

What to Judge:

1. Judge Sin
Ephesians 5:11: "Have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them."

2. Judge False Teachings
Acts 17:11: "Now the Berean Jews were of more noble character than those in Thessalonica, for they received the message with great eagerness and examined the Scriptures every day to see if what Paul said was true."

3. Judge Bad Influences
Psalm 101:3: "I will not look with approval on anything that is vile. I hate what faithless people do; I will have no part in it."

1 John 2:15-17: "Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, love for the Father is not in them.16 For everything in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes,and the pride of life—comes not from the Father but from the world. 17 The world and its desires pass away, but whoever does the will of God lives forever."

Question: 

The passage below tells us not to judge. It doesn't give specifics. Should we assume that it cancels all of the passages listed here that command us to judge? Or should we see it as part of the whole message commanding us not to judge in inappropriate ways?  Most false teachings are built by taking a few verses out of context of the overall message presented in Scripture. 

Luke 6:36-37: Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful. 37 “Do not judge, and you will not be judged. Do not condemn, and you will not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven.

1-Minute devotions addressing biblical judgment:

3 Lame Excuses for Not Judging
Biblical Judgment: 5 Errors to Avoid
An Immature View of Judging
Walk a Mile in Their Moccasins
Nobody's Business
To Judge or Not to Judge
Do Not Judge
Judge Not Scripture Out of Context
Judgment Phobia
Judge the Sin, Not the Sinner??
Judging Ourselves
All Sins are Not the Same in God's Eyes
Context is King!
I Remember the Plank
Misunderstanding Human Needs
Using the "J" Word
Using the "J" Word Bible Study
Inaccurate, Illogical, Popular

The resources on this page can be used as curriculum for a Sunday school class or small group. You have my permission to reproduce them as long as you note on each hand-out: "Printed with permission, copyright Gail Burton Purath, BibleLoveNotes.com." You may not produce them for sale, in book form, as part of a book or booklet, or on a blog or website. Copyright questions can be sent to gail.purath @yahoo.com.

💙💙💙

I encourage you to check out the Wisdom for Life Devotional. It contains 100 one-minute devotions to challenge, encourage, instruct, and inspire your love for God's Word. Read the story behind Wisdom for Life HERE. And find out about the two free Bible studies with purchase HERE. You can read the first 4 devotions in the book by clicking "look inside" on Lifeway or Amazon. In addition, you can buy the book in Kindle format on Amazon and as an ebook on Barnes and Noble.

 

I also encourage you to sign up for a free subscription to Bible Love Notes and get a free e-booklet. Find out more HERE.

Bible Love Notes

Two Things that Promote Self-pity or Sorrow

Let's address two worldly mindsets that defy biblical principles.

1. The Cain mindset (Proverbs 19:3): Feeling sad about consequences, not about sin.(1) 

Even though God told Cain he didn't have to sin (Genesis 4:6-7), Cain murdered Abel and then felt God shouldn't punish him (Genesis 4:13).  

This mindset has existed throughout human history. And modern psychology often promotes it, claiming we do bad things because bad things have been done to us.(2) It's not popular to believe that each of us can choose to do what's right and those who choose evil deserve their consequences/punishment. 

2. The Job's friends' mindset: Blaming victims for their difficulties.(3) 

On the flip side of the Cain mindset is the Job's friends' mindset.  They blamed Job for his sickness and sorrows, even though he wasn't responsible. 

Those who have this mindset assume people are always responsible for their problems, even if there's no evidence for such a claim. For example, they would automatically assume that Abel was responsible for his brother's hatred.

If we comfort unrepentant sinners or blame friends for their hardships, we dishonor God. Instead, let's warn unrepentant sinners (Psalm 101:3) and comfort those who are innocently suffering (Romans 12:15). 

✞✞✞

(1) See Cain: The Ultimate Pouter and Things That Make Me Sad—Cain.

(2) For years psychology has blamed a plethora of bad behaviors on poor self-esteem. But many are retracting that belief. For example: "Florida State University Professor Roy Baumeister (Ph.D. psychology, Princeton University) has revealed that in a lifetime of study of violent criminals, the one characteristic nearly all these criminals share is high self-esteem." (source)  See Research Shows Harms of High Self-Esteem. 

(3) See Job’s Judgmental Friends and The First Person Blamed.  

BLN

Kick 'Em When They're Down

Job was at his lowest point, having lost his material possessions, his health, and his children.

Then his friends came and “kicked him while he was down,” blaming him for his difficulties he didn't cause (Job 22).

Like Job's friends, some people kick with a big foot of bad theology, assuming we must have done something to deserve our difficulty as if Karma is a Christian concept when it's not.  

See Job's friends.

Paul was in prison suffering for his faith.

Then some Christian teachers kicked him while he was down (Philippians 1:14-18).

In the midst of persecution, these teachers were kicking Paul with a big foot of jealousy because God had given Paul a special role in the early church.

See The Destroying Monsters of Jealousy and Envy.

Have you ever had someone kick you when you're down? 

When we're hoping for sympathy, it's heart-breaking to get kicked with false judgment or jealousy.

So what can we do?

1. Seek God, not man.

Like Job, refuse to accept blame we don't own (Job 2:3; 42:7). 

2. Stay focused.

Seek God's purposes instead of focusing on our hurt (Philippians 1:18-19).

3. Seek God's comfort. 

When others are kicking, God promises to hold us in His arms (2 Corinthians 1:3-5).

✜✜✜

💙Be sure to check out The Bible Love Notes devotional Wisdom for Life. It's discounted on Lifeway, Amazon, and CBD. 

And you can also sign up for a free subscription to Bible Love Notes 1-minute devotions HERE.

Are Henry Cloud's "Boundaries" Teachings Biblical?

Since the 1990's the "Boundaries" teachings of Henry Cloud and Dr. John Townsend have had growing appeal among Christians. But have Christians carefully examined the teaching? Has it led to better family relationships? Does it produce healthy reconciliation and humble self-examination? 

I'm not asking if there are any biblical principles in the teaching. Of course there are. But I'm asking if the overall teaching is biblically sound.

Cloud believes traditional Christian answers to emotional problems have failed. He compares them to the ungodly answers of Job's friends.

"Faced with this kind of help, sufferers either learn to fake healing to remain in the church, or leave the church, deciding that their faith provides little solace for their emotional pain.… Looking for answers that work, and not finding them in the church, they turn to psychology. Often psychological methods succeed, and hurting people find relief." ~ Henry Cloud (source)

Are there "boundaries" in Scripture?

While the Bible never uses the word "boundaries" as Cloud does, it goes without saying that we must protect ourselves from physical abuse and criminal behavior (Ephesians 5:29; 1 Corinthians 6:19). We also may need to set up "rules" for mature discussions if someone is especially volatile (Romans 14:19). And we should never enable someone's addictions or irresponsible behavior (Ephesians 5:11).

Regarding friendships: we are free to choose our friends and should avoid bad companions and believers living immoral lifestyles. See 4 Types of People God Tells Us To Avoid.

But Boundaries teachings go far beyond these biblical warnings and reasonable "rules of engagement." They typically involve limiting or cutting off contact with family members, especially parents.

Did Cloud base Boundaries on biblical principles?

“A huge amount of Scripture is quoted throughout Boundaries, and thus it appears to the undiscerning reader that the conclusions of the authors are biblically sound. Unfortunately, interpretations of Scripture are bent to fit preconceived psychological theories.” ~ Christian Discernment 

To read specific examples of Scripture misused by Boundaries, please see Boundaries Unscriptural Foundation.

Nor does the Boundaries site qualify as a Christian site in the true sense. 

Some of the articles contain Scripture—many do not—but the main concepts are based in psychology. The website caters to both Christians and non-Christians. In fact, some articles address “significant others” as a legitimate category even though the Bible forbids non-married intimate relationships (example). 

Henry Cloud's 500-word About page speaks of his special interest in two Freudian psychological theories: "clinical psychodynamic ego psychology" and "Object Relations theory."(1)  But it never mentions his faith, the Bible, or God. 

Cloud and Townsend have created a trendy vocabulary, explaining that most relationship problems are based on our failure to take "ownership" of our lives by creating “boundaries” and staying “safe.” They easily and liberally apply the labels “toxic” and “abusive” to difficult or annoying family members or to family members who don't affirm everything we do.

“Boundaries define us. They define what is me and what is not me. A boundary shows me where i end and someone else begins, leading me to a sense of ownership. Knowing what I am to own and take responsibility for gives me freedom. Taking responsibility for my life opens up many different options. Boundaries help us keep the good in and the bad out. Setting boundaries inevitably involves taking responsibility for your choices. You are the one who makes them. You are the one who must live with their consequences. And you are the one who may be keeping yourself from making the choices you could be happy with. We must own our own thoughts and clarify distorted thinking.”  ~  The Boundaries book

"Baptizing" psychological principles so they seem "Christian"

Sometimes Cloud uses Proverbs 4:23 as the basis for Boundaries teachings (source). But that isn't a legitimate claim, considering his definition of boundaries.

Proverbs 4:23 warns us to avoid influences that tempt us to do the wrong things. It sometimes applies to relationships. For example, Christian singles guard their hearts by refusing to date non-Christians and refusing to get involved in sexual relationships. But, as I said, the Boundaries website addresses some of their articles to "significant others," so that doesn't seem to be their focus. The focus of Boundaries is more about avoiding family members who don't affirm us, which isn't the message of Proverbs 4:23. 

Cloud also claims Matthew 18:15-17 is the basis for his Boundaries teachings, explaining that we should confront people who've sinned against us and have an "intervention" if they don't listen. Then “if they don’t listen, you throw them out of the house. That’s right in the Bible, right there. It’s all the way through the Bible. The psychological term for this was boundaries or limits, however you want to look at it.” (source)

This is another misuse of Scripture. Matthew 18:15-17 is about church discipline, not about setting up boundaries in families or throwing people out of the house.

How do we mature in the Lord?

According to Boundaries teachings, our strength and maturity come by avoiding conflict and difficulties and placing boundaries around family members whom we've judged "toxic" or "controlling."

According to Scripture, our strength and maturity come from: 

✔ Denying ourselves (Mark 8:34).

✔ Going the second mile (Matthew 5:41).

✔ Humbly putting others above ourselves (Philippians 2:3-5).

✔ Making reconciliation a priority (Matthew 5:23-24).

✔ Persevering and even rejoicing in difficulties (James 1:2-3; James 1:12).

How Christians handle relationships

Relationships are often messy and difficult, but we have God's Spirit within us.

Colossians 3:12-14: "Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity."

Have Christians failed?

Cloud believes he has succeeded where most churches have failed: "The help offered to Christians in emotional pain over the years has done untold damage." (source) 

In Does God or psychology provide the cure to emotional problems?, Cloud explains: “As a Christian, a psychologist, and a fellow struggler, I have stood on both side [sic] of this fence. I have tried the 'standard' Christian answers for others, and myself and have come to Job’s conclusion: they are worthless medicine. I have also tried 'baptizing' psychological insights so that they would somehow feel 'Christian.' This didn’t work either.”(2)

Cloud goes on to say that he prayed and he believes God gave him answers that have eluded Christians for years. God showed him that the "solutions" are found in "understanding certain basic developmental tasks." This actually has more to do with his Freudian beliefs than his biblical beliefs.(1)

Sadly, because Cloud's "solutions" help us avoid the hard and messy work of reconciliation, they've become incredibly popular.

For example, his article I Want You to Frustrate People encourages readers to sign up for paid counseling services, get the answers to their problems, and "be in charge" of their lives.

While there may be some biblical elements in the Boundaries teaching, it's largely based on human philosophies. And Scripture places those teachings outside the "boundaries" for Christians:

"See to it that no one takes you captive through hollow and deceptive philosophy, which depends on human tradition and the elemental spiritual forces of this world rather than on Christ." Colossians 2:8

 

Notes:

There may be times that we need to apply guidelines in our relationships, but guidelines do not go as far as boundaries. See Boundaries versus Guidelines.

For a collection of helpful articles about specific Boundaries errors in their teachings about marriage, family, and church relationships, see Are Boundaries Biblical Collection.

(1) The psychodynamic theory which Cloud says is a major influence in his counseling: "The psychodynamic theory is a psychological theory Sigmund Freud (1856-1939) and his later followers applied to explain the origins of human behavior. The psychodynamic approach includes all the theories in psychology that see human functioning based upon the interaction of drives and forces within the person, particularly unconscious, and between the different structures of the personality.… Psychodynamic theory is strongly determinist as it views our behavior as caused entirely by unconscious factors over which we have no control." (source) 

The other theory which Cloud says is major influence in his counseling methods: "The Object Relations theory is a variation of psychoanalytic theory that diverges from Sigmund Freud’s belief that humans are motivated by sexual and aggressive drives, suggesting instead that humans are primarily motivated by the need for contact with others—the need to form relationships.… Object relations theorists stress the importance of early family interactions, primarily the mother-infant relationship, in personality development." (source)

Underlining mine.

(2) Job's friends do not represent traditional Christian answers. Their beliefs most closely resemble Hindu "karma." They believed that if something went wrong in a person's life, it was always due to sin. So they blamed Job for the accidental death of his children, for the loss of his material goods, and for his health problems. Are there Christians who do this? Yes. In fact I've written about them here: Job's Judgmental Friends. But they are a small minority and do not represent "the 'standard' Christian answers" as Cloud claims. Taking the worst examples to define Christians as a whole is no different than taking the worst examples to define an ethnic or racial group. While claiming that his methods are Christian, Cloud has a very low opinion of Christians. See Boundaries: Unsafe Christians.

Bible Love Notes

Does Faith Heal Us?

Sue called our Bible study members to tell us her son had chickenpox and to warn us that our children had been exposed in the nursery.(1)

One lady’s response surprised Sue:   

"My children don’t get chicken pox because ‘by His stripes we are healed.’ Our words bring health or sickness."

In these two terse sentences, this woman:

1. Judged Sue for “lack of faith.”(2)

2. Showed indifference for Sue's sick child, neither offering sympathy nor prayers (Philippians 2:1-4).

3. Misused Isaiah 53:4-5, claiming eternal promises on earth.(3)   

4. Expressed a superstitious belief about words.(4)  

It's true that Christ defeated disease, pain, sorrow, and Satan in the spiritual realm. But Christ's final victory will not be fully realized until His return. Scripture makes that clear (1 Corinthians 15:20-28; Hebrews 2:5-9).

Sometimes God heals us physically here on earth, sometimes not. Sometimes we can identify reasons for sickness, sometimes not.

But whether we are sick or well, we can experience God's peace:

“In me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” John 16:33 

If you'd like to do a Bite Size Bible Study on this devotion, click HERE.  
---------------------------------
(1) The chickenpox vaccine wasn’t licensed in the U.S. until 1995, and this situation took place in 1980.
(2) God rebuked Job's friends for claiming his problems and illness were due to his lack of faith. See Job's Judgmental Friends. 
(3) See Misunderstandings About the Stripes of Jesus and Heavenly Promises Versus Earthly Promises.
(4) See The Power and the Limit of Words. 

Another helpful resource: Joni Eareckson Tada: Breast Cancer Update on PBS.
This 1-Minute Bible Love Note is also about Joni: Wheelchair Miracle.

Bible Love Notes

Jesus Answers a Weird Question

In John 9:1-5, the disciples ask a weird question when they see a man who was born blind: “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents?” 

“Neither this man nor his parents sinned,” said Jesus, “but this happened so that the works of God might be displayed in him.”

Many people today ask the same weird question the disciples asked, assuming if a Christian is sick or facing difficulties, they must deserve it. That's how Job’s friends judged Job's tragedies even though Job lived a godly life (Job 1). 

We humans are good at creating formulas, trying to understand things beyond our understanding.

Jesus healed many different people, some who were sick because of sin (John 5:1-14), some who had faith (Mark 5:25-34), some who were healed because their friends had faith (Luke 5:17-26), some who exhibited no faith before their healing (John 9), some who glorified God after their healing and some who didn't even thank Him (Luke 17:11-19).

Jesus cares deeply about us, but His main purpose in signs and wonders was to prove He is the Light, the Messiah, the Son of God (Acts 2:22). 

We can't fully understand the workings of God (1 Corinthians 13:12). We don't always know why someone is sick, why someone is healed, or why a faithful believer is not healed (e.g., 1 Timothy 5:23).

Are you struggling with an unanswered question or unresolved difficulty?  

Never forget that God works all things for the good of those who trust Him (Romans 8:28). 

✜✜✜ 

See A Message About Healing. It involves a faithful believer who was not healed. And Did Christ Link All Healing to Faith? offers additional insights.

If you've purchased Wisdom for Life, I suggest you read or reread Day 54 to reinforce the truths in this devotion. 

If you haven't purchased Wisdom for Life, check out the great sales on Lifeway, Amazon, and CBD.