Job the words (w/ 7/4 edit)

When I first read God's oracle of Job, I had no clue what I was reading.  I understood that Job had a huge disaster and that his friends visited him and that they yacked on and on and on and that God interrupted them and started talking to Job about the ornateness of creation and how Job wouldn't know the first thing about it if God hadn't explained what He already has to him.

But the narrative of the discussion Job had with his friends was confusing as heck.  Take chapter 8 as an example.  It's 20 verses long.  The first 7 are clear enough.  Is the last 13 verses meant to convey how vapid his friends were in their insistence?  Or is it meant as kind of a literary garnish?  Ug.  Now that I've heard my pastor talk about it both in public and private, I can discern what the meat of the dialogue is.  I just don't understand why there's so much filler.  :/

 

EDIT 7/4

I might've overstepped my boundary calling anything The Bible "filler".  If it were filler, it's not without utility, and maybe if I'd been reading a translation that put some consideration into how people talk nowadays instead of replicating the EXACT sentence, inasmuch as possible, that was in the original text from God, I'd have a better chance of understanding what was being spoken.  In Job ch22 or something one of his friends is talking about how God executes justice against the unGodly as if they had never met Job, like he's been leading some secret life as a serial killer or something....They make no accusation against him, except that he's impatient and self centered.  That is absolute lunacy.  The only thing I can gather is that those passages detail how NOT to talk to somebody when having an argument.  They were trying to console him initially, I guess, but under an assumption that was inaccurate.  It also seemed to be based on mythical understandings of God because, as Job observes, and later on Asaph writes about in one of the Psalms, God does not cause the wicked to take note of Him and turn from their wickedness.  He often lets the wicked live long and profitable lives before they die peacefully (and wake up in Hell).  Was Job exaggerating?  I know that's how it is now.  As far as I can tell from anyone I've heard talk, it's been like that since well before I was born a mere 38 years ago.  It may have not always been that way, at least not as much.  I guess that's more of an after thought.  They gave God honor and praise for His justice, but unfortunately Job became the butt of that.

Uh..anyway...maybe someday, when I'm like 74, Lord willing, I'll be able to sit and figure out why all those words are there.................rm.....

A Mighty Leaf

Those who trust in their riches will fall, but the righteous will thrive like a green leaf.
Proverbs 11:28 NASB

The grass withers, the flower fades, But the word of our God stands forever
Isaiah 40:8 NASB

We know that God’s judgment on those who do such things is based on the truth.
Romans 2 HCSB

Sorry, but NASB translation of Romans 2 just doesn't make any sense.  The NASB says "rightly" instead of "based on the truth".  "rightly" at best is a redundant term by this point, because it's already been established that God is good.  But the term "rightly" regarding God's judgement really means nothing when dealing with The Holy Almighty God.  God is not RIGHT.  He is not WRONG.  He is not up for debate.  He is not subject to any laws.  The only thing The Bible says that God literally can not do is LIE.  Not because it is physically impossible for Him to do so, but because that would set  precedent for absolute chaos and calamity.
I do not subject myself to God because He is morally superior to me.  I don't do a very good at all job at subjecting myself to Him anyway, but if I were to subject myself to him in every act that proceeds from my hands feet and mouth, it would be because He is the source of all that I can ever want, every longing and interest that is within me, even those that are scheming against me, whatever I gain from this life and the next, He holds the key to.  I do not act on this absolute truth nearly as much as I should and I probably should be more sorrowful over that than I am.  Is it a lack of gratitude and possibly even a lack of faith to an extent that puts this wedge between myself and my savior, Lord Jesus.
If you do not at least ACKNOWLEDGE God as being Holy and faithful, then you are stirring up God's ire and you can keep doing that if you choose.  I pray if any who have not read God's word and are at least **Trying** to agree with it wholeheartedly, that you, whoever and wherever you may be, would be granted a new set of eyes, that they may shine within you and that you may flourish, like a green leaf.

 Subjection to God is not a requirement.  It is a NECESSITY.  It is for your own benefit that you subject yourself to God.  God created you for fellowship with Him.  YOU WERE BORN FOR IT!  Does God afflict us sometimes?  Yes.  There are times when we undoubtebly deserve it because we are acting stupid at the expense of others.  There are other times when He is simply calling out to us "YOU COULD HAVE IT SO MUCH BETTER!"

6.16

 Still somewhat failing to keep myself afloat.  I've been praying incessantly today, asking God to revive my spirit, to impart His will to me, to replace my will with His.  I at one point earlier today thought I was perhaps violating Jesus' command to stop using so many words because talking more does not increase God's knowledge or level of concern.  But I just don't know what to say.  I run out.  Idk.  Jesus didn't exactly chant His prayer, but He did model for us an example of urgent prayer in the garden of Gethsemane(is that the word I'm looking for?....🤔..uh...)

I'm distracted.   My sister just texted me.  Doubtful this is the final chapter here.

CONT'D

I'm back.

Hmm.  I don't know if me praying is of any consequence.  I felt like I was being disrespectful of God's promises or ungrateful or something... like "Relax!  I don't need to radically transform you.  If I decide to do so, you'll find out in due time.". Idk.  I don't even know what specifically I want or need from God.  I'm already saved from His wrath.  I think...?  I would like to be more productive in my walk with God.  I don't personally care so much about the particular sins I commit.  I just don't want to be hiding from the church to avoid mis representing the church to outsiders.  People come in and they're like "Look at what kind of change God has made in ordinary people!  We WERE ordinary but now we're a bunch of weirdos!  But don't gaze to long at that guy over there.  He's stupid...or something...". Idk.  I guess I should just quit trying to measure myself by other churchgoers.  I'm not your average church goers.  I might grow to be more like one as time goes on.  I might not.  I need to quit latching onto every piece of word that I get sent to me.  I need to take what I get in context.  I do think my pastor was into something when he said quit judging your brother based on the different measure of faith he's given.  I don't think the people I'm being desciples by truly agree with that notion.  That's on them. I need to seek approval from God.  Not let myself be sized up and chopped down by other people.

DS

 Going through Romans this week starting yesterday.  It really is a confusing composition.  Maybe more confusing to me because I'm so filthy.  I did manage to go Monday and Tuesday without engaging in immorality but slipped a couple hours ago.  I should be a lot more grievanced about the fact that I didn't keep it together on Sunday.  Today is no less important by the calander.  It's not important to me and it doesn't strike me as a day of particular consequence but who's to say what the ramifications are in my activities?  Maybe someone saw me through the window or for all I know maybe I have a digital stalker...  Maybe I'm being investigated for some suspicion of criminal activity and the detective was ill effected by my deeds.  If he's, whoever, if anyone, saw my deeds, as a non believer, I might have given them added fuel to dismiss Christianity and if a believer I may have thrown about undue temptations.  idk.  Not terribly likely anyone witnessed what I was doing although God certainly did and I should be grieved to tears by this but I'm just so dull.  :/