Date: Saturday, May 31, 2014
Today's Chapters: Job 5-8
Message Title: When Christ is Lord

The second we accept the Lord Jesus Christ as our Savior, completely trusting that He alone saves us from our sins and redeems us for eternity, we have a lot to be thankful for. Not only are pardoned from the eternal death and hell sentence we have upon us, we are also free from the bondage of sin, as well as forgiven by God for all of them. Amazing things happen after we receive Christ, and choose to allow Him to be Lord of our lives, we literally become a new person, and God blesses us tremendously for our faithfulness. This does not mean that we are sinless, it means we sin less. “Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage. For, brethren, ye have been called unto liberty; only use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by love serve one another.” - Galatians 5:1,3.

In God's eyes, Job was a perfect and upright man, that did not mean that he never sinned, it meant that God was Lord of His life and he did everything he could to avoid sin. So, I imagine when his life was turned upside down in a matter of days that created quite a discussion when people found out. Job had a rich, prosperous life, and in a matter of days he literally lost everything he had, and now, he is covered in boils. What grief he must have felt? I am sure he longed for some comfort from family and friends, but he got the opposite, four friends, who just sat there with him for the first seven days, watching him, examining him, and making judgments upon him. Eliphaz was the first to speak, he went as far as saying that God was only correcting him for his sin. “Call now, if there be any that will answer thee; and to which of the saints wilt thou turn? For wrath killeth the foolish man, and envy slayeth the silly one. I have seen the foolish taking root: but suddenly I cursed his habitation. Behold, happy is the man whom God correcteth: therefore despise not thou the chastening of the Almighty: For he maketh sore, and bindeth up: he woundeth, and his hands make whole. He shall deliver thee in six troubles: yea, in seven there shall no evil touch thee.” - Job 5:1-3,17-19.

Eliphaz He was right in that God redeems all who repent, but he was wrong in assuming that Job was suffering because he had hidden sin in his life. That's why Jesus tells us, “Judge not according to the appearance, but judge righteous judgment.” - John 7:24. We sometimes find ourselves making the wrong judgment upon those who are suffering, we have no right to judge a person that is struggling or else we will be facing judgment ourselves. We must not make the mistake of assuming a person has been living in sin because they are being afflicted. “Judge not, that ye be not judged. For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again.” - Matthew 7:1,2.

Job did not know what to say, he was spiritually drained and thought God had left him to deal with all this on his own. He wanted peace and comfort, the only way he thought he could get it was by dying, he even wondered why God was even prolonging his life. “Oh that my grief were throughly weighed, and my calamity laid in the balances together! For now it would be heavier than the sand of the sea: therefore my words are swallowed up. For the arrows of the Almighty are within me, the poison whereof drinketh up my spirit: the terrors of God do set themselves in array against me. Oh that I might have my request; and that God would grant me the thing that I long for! Even that it would please God to destroy me; that he would let loose his hand, and cut me off! Then should I yet have comfort; yea, I would harden myself in sorrow: let him not spare; for I have not concealed the words of the Holy One. What is my strength, that I should hope? and what is mine end, that I should prolong my life?” - Job 6:2-4,8-10.

Those who are saved that let Christ be Lord of their lives often understand the reason behind some suffering, but when there is absolutely no explanation even they can become discouraged when they seek answers from God and not to be answering us. Can I tell you that while God does allow the to afflict us, He never allows him to give us more than we can handle? If Job really couldn't handle anymore he would have been in heaven already.

God is always with us, even when it seems as though He is not, it is actually the times that we do not feel His presence that He is doing the most work in us. “For all things are for your sakes, that the abundant grace might through the thanksgiving of many redound to the glory of God. For which cause we faint not; but though our outward man perish, yet the inward man is renewed day by day. For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory;” - 2 Corinthians 4:15-17.

Job came to his senses, his thoughts were lifted up to God with some faith and hope as he begins to respond reasonably to his friends criticizing him and the horrible thoughts he was having about ending his life. “Is there not an appointed time to man upon earth? are not his days also like the days of an hireling? What is man, that thou shouldest magnify him? and that thou shouldest set thine heart upon him? And that thou shouldest visit him every morning, and try him every moment? How long wilt thou not depart from me, nor let me alone till I swallow down my spittle? I have sinned; what shall I do unto thee, O thou preserver of men? why hast thou set me as a mark against thee, so that I am a burden to myself?” - Job 7:1,7-20.

Job raises an important question? Our days are numbered here on earth, each day, we are either one step closer to heaven or hell. Who are we trusting to take us to heaven? Is it a man, who is a sinner also, or is it Jesus, who never sinned? So many people lose their faith in God because they trusted a man instead of God, and let me tell you, trusting in a man will only send a person straight to hell. Millions of people die and end up in hell because they trusted in a man-made, false religion. There is only one preserver of life, and that is Jesus Christ, even Job had to believe that to be saved. “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.” - John 3:16-18.

There are going to be people in our lives that strive on seeing us suffer, and just us for our suffering. Never let anyone bring you so down on yourself that you feel that ending your life is the best option. Everything will come to pass, and you will be stronger and wiser as the Lord Jesus Christ lifts you up and shines His light in you. “For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. For which cause we faint not; but though our outward man perish, yet the inward man is renewed day by day. For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory; While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal.” - 2 Corinthians 4:6,16-18.

Today's Prayer: God, It seems like everywhere I go I have people trying to get me to feel bad about myself as I try to live my life for You, it gets so bad, that even I begin to feel down about myself. I know You have a plan for my life, let me not waste the precious day You have given to me listening to criticism told by others or even myself. Let me move forward, with hope, knowing that You have something much better planned for me than I can ever imagine myself doing. Give me Your power to overcome the constant attacks on my faith, beliefs, and integrity. I ask this in Jesus' name. Amen.

God Bless You, I am praying for you,
Christina

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