Dr. Kim Riddlebarger continues in the commentary on Job: In Job 10:1-7, without breaking stride, Job turns from debate to prayer, demanding a hearing before the heavenly court. “I loathe my very life; therefore I will give free rein to my complaint and speak out in the bitterness of my soul. I will say to … More Job cries out to God in despair
Dr. Kim Riddlebarger on Job 8: This brings us to cycle one, round two, and the speech from Bildad and Job’s response. Bildad picks up where Eliphaz left off. Utterly insensitive to Job’s lament and his defense against Eliphaz’s accusation, Bildad doggedly returns to the theme of divine justice, even calling Job a windbag in … More Round 2 from Job’s Insensitive Friends
Dr. Kim Riddlebarger comments on Job 6 Job cannot take anymore. And so in 6:1-7:2, he responds to his friend. Eliphaz’s words do not bring Job comfort. Instead, they bring forth an emotional outbrust and protest from Job against the insinuation that there is some hidden sin in his life which has caused God to … More “A despairing man should have the devotion of his friends”
Behold, this we have searched out; it is true. Hear, and know it for your good.” —Job 5:27 ESV Dr. Kim Riddlebarger sheds some light on Job 5: The problem is not so much with Eliphaz’s theology, but his ineptness as a counselor. A sufferer not need to be told to take his … More The last thing Job needs is a lecture
“Remember: who that was innocent ever perished? Or where were the upright cut off? As I have seen, those who plow iniquity and sow trouble reap the same. —Job 4:7-8 ESV Dr. Kim Riddlebarger preached a sermon series in Job, and here is an excerpt from Job 4-14, “Though … More Job’s friends all infer that Job has committed some great sin
Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working. —James 5:16 ESV Kim Riddlebarger: What is the most important thing that a persecuted and suffering church can do? The answer is so obvious that … More Prayer is not a magical “abracadabra”
Kim Riddlebarger comments in a sermon on James 1:1-18 James makes very critical two points in these verses. The first is that God does indeed allow trials to come our way. The second is that sin arises in us (because we have a sinful nature), not because God somehow tempts us to sin. What this … More Trials and temptations
Pastor Kim Riddlebarger on James 1: Joy is simply the knowledge that it is well with our souls, despite our present circumstances. It may not be well with our bodies. It may not be well with our job, or with our particular circumstances. But because Jesus died for our sins, and because he was raised … More Even in trials, it is well with my soul
And he said to them, “If anyone would be first, he must be last of all and servant of all.” —Mark 9:35 Pastor Kim Riddlebarger, at the Riddleblog: From these sayings of Jesus, three important themes emerge. First, membership in the kingdom of God is bestowed upon us, we don’t earn it. The very idea that membership … More As he denied himself, so must we.
Kim Riddlebarger concludes a sermon on the life of Samson, from Judges 15-16 As for application for us today, there is much to learn from the life of Samson. No question, his allegiance is to YHWH. No question, his sin–especially his dalliances with Philistine women–was his undoing. Like Israel during the time of the Judges, … More God uses us, his sinful people, for his purposes.
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