Brethren, as you well know, many in our church family here have been undergoing some very difficult times in many different ways. What most have been going through is very serious health issues of several different kinds. I have been encouraged and uplifted by the way most of them are dealing with their various situations. But, with all of this, it is very easy to allow ourselves to become discouraged and beat down because of what we are having to deal with. I want to remind us all that the Devil is alive and well and will do everything he can to take us away from or turn us against God. He is convinced that if he can make our lives miserable enough we will accuse God of it all and turn away from Him. One of the greatest examples of this is the man Job. Brethren, none of us are even beginning to face all that Job had to deal with. But, the Devil was convinced he could turn Job away from God (Job 1:6-12). What did he do to Job? First, he took all that Job had by which he made his living (1:13-17); then he took all of Job’s children (1:18-19) and it says through all of this Job did not blame God (1:22). When this didn’t work Satan took Job’s health (2:7-8) and when this didn’t work he even turned Job’s wife against him as well when she asked Job why he didn’t just curse God and die (2:9). In all this, Job still did not turn against God. Now, it is made very plain that he just did not understand what was happening to him or why it was happening. He does question God, not God’s goodness or power, but “why” is all this happening? Even his friends who came, supposedly to help, were no help at all. All they did was put it all on Job’s back accusing him of being a sinner. “It’s all your fault Job!” Of course the majority of the book of Job is the discourses between Job and these men. But, at the end, God makes it very plain that He is pleased with Job and his response to all of the things that Satan did to him in all those various ways. God even has Job offer prayers for his friends and their sins (42:7-9).
Now, make application of this tremendous event to our own lives right now, today. We must understand that the Devil is still trying to do the exact same thing to us that he did to Job. He will do all he can to turn us against God. Our God gives us free will to make choices in our every day lives. We will have both bad and good happen to us and sometimes the bad will seem to be almost overwhelming. But, if we stay true and faithful to God, He will strengthen us and help us get through it. May we look to Job for our example in how to deal with the difficult circumstances we all have to face in this life. May James 5:11 be said of every one of us where James writes, “We count those blessed who endured. You have heard of the endurance of Job and have seen the outcome of the Lord’s dealings, that the Lord is full of compassion and is merciful.” With the Lord’s help we will make it through!
Until next week, I love you all,
Dan
Now, make application of this tremendous event to our own lives right now, today. We must understand that the Devil is still trying to do the exact same thing to us that he did to Job. He will do all he can to turn us against God. Our God gives us free will to make choices in our every day lives. We will have both bad and good happen to us and sometimes the bad will seem to be almost overwhelming. But, if we stay true and faithful to God, He will strengthen us and help us get through it. May we look to Job for our example in how to deal with the difficult circumstances we all have to face in this life. May James 5:11 be said of every one of us where James writes, “We count those blessed who endured. You have heard of the endurance of Job and have seen the outcome of the Lord’s dealings, that the Lord is full of compassion and is merciful.” With the Lord’s help we will make it through!
Until next week, I love you all,
Dan
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