Date: Friday,
June 05, 2015
Chapters: Job
33-35
Message Title: Criticized By Other Christians

Hello
My Friend,

As Christians we face all kinds of criticism,
from those who reject the existence of God to those who make up their
own version of who they believe Him to be. And, it's one thing to be
criticized by those who do not know God or think they know Him, and
another to be criticized by those who are just like us. So, what do
we do when our very own kind tries to point out every fault we have
or what they perceive to be a fault, and tries to put us in our
place, even saying it was from God? Give it all over to God. He will
tell us how to handle them and make them take care of their own sin.
“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. And why beholdest
thou the mote that is in thy brother's eye, but considerest not the
beam that is in thine own eye? Or how wilt thou say to thy brother,
Let me pull out the mote out of thine eye; and, behold, a beam is in
thine own eye? Thou hypocrite, first cast out the beam out of thine
own eye; and then shalt thou see clearly to cast out the mote out of
thy brother's eye.” - Matthew 7:1-5.

It was
bad enough that Job had three of his friends calling him a hypocrite
and liar, here comes Elihu, for someone who just sat there for days
observing everything the four men said to each other, he didn't hear
much. The best and most accurate thing he said was that God formed
him and gave him life. “The Spirit of God
hath made me, and the breath of the Almighty hath given me life. If
thou canst answer me, set thy words in order before me, stand up.
Behold, I am according to thy wish in God's stead: I also am formed
out of the clay. Behold, my terror shall not make thee afraid,
neither shall my hand be heavy upon thee. Surely thou hast spoken in
mine hearing, and I have heard the voice of thy words, saying, I am
clean without transgression, I am innocent; neither is there iniquity
in me. For God speaketh once, yea twice, yet man perceiveth it not.
In a dream, in a vision of the night, when deep sleep falleth upon
men, in slumberings upon the bed; Then he openeth the ears of men,
and sealeth their instruction,” - Job 33:4-9,14-16.

We
dream all night long, but very rarely do we remember what is buried
in our subconscious, except once in a while when we are about to wake
up. Even then we only remember bits and pieces of what the dream was
about. Every once in a while we get vivid dreams, as though they
truly happened, and wonder where they even came from. God does form
each and every one of us, and it is God that gives every one of us
the breath of life. However, to be truly without transgression, we
need a Saviour, someone who truly is righteous and without
transgression, that Saviour is Jesus Christ. Once we accept Him and
take Him into our lives the Spirit of God moves in us and warns us of
transgressions and iniquity that we need to confess in order for God
to hear our prayers and answer us. “But if we
walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with
another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all
sin. If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the
truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just
to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word
is not in us.” - 1 John 1:7-10.

At first Elihu
made a little bit of sense, then it all went down hill from there, he
began accusing Job of things he thought he comprehended by his
response to his friends accusations. “Hear my
words, O ye wise men; and give ear unto me, ye that have knowledge.
For the ear trieth words, as the mouth tasteth meat. Let us choose to
us judgment: let us know among ourselves what is good. For Job hath
said, I am righteous: and God hath taken away my judgment. Should I
lie against my right? my wound is incurable without transgression.
What man is like Job, who drinketh up scorning like water? For he
will not lay upon man more than right; that he should enter into
judgment with God. He shall break in pieces mighty men without
number, and set others in their stead. Therefore he knoweth their
works, and he overturneth them in the night, so that they are
destroyed.” - Job 34:2-7,23-25.

His accusations
against Job were, at best, half-truths and misinterpretations. When I
was reading this chapter I had to reread a couple of verses because I
thought I was reading something wrong, I knew Job did not say, “It
profiteth a man nothing that he should delight himself with God.”
What he said was, speaking about the wicked who prosper and do not
think they need anything from God, “Therefore
they say unto God, Depart from us; for we desire not the knowledge of
thy ways. What is the Almighty, that we should serve him? and what
profit should we have, if we pray unto him?” - Job 21:14,15.


Have you ever had someone completely twist what you said
around? Imagine how God feels about those who twist His Word around?
People get into huge debates over God's Word, they quote verses after
verses to back up their claim. Sometimes I wonder what Bible they are
reading because that is not what I read. The truth is, until Jesus
gets here people will not stop using God in a way to convince others,
who really have no idea what He is all about to believe their lies.
If we are truly reading God's Word, cover to cover, on a normal
basis, we will learn who is truly speaking the truth from the Word of
God and someone who is not. Keep in mind that a saved and baptized
person studing and living in God's Word will hear the truth more than
one who is not. “But as it is written, Eye
hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of
man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him. But
God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit: for the Spirit
searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God. But the natural
man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are
foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are
spiritually discerned.” - 1 Corinthians 2:9,10,14.

Elihu
continues to judge Job, this time, trying to get the other three
friends to side with him. “Thinkest thou this
to be right, that thou saidst, My righteousness is more than God's?
For thou saidst, What advantage will it be unto thee? and, What
profit shall I have, if I be cleansed from my sin? I will answer
thee, and thy companions with thee. Look unto the heavens, and see;
and behold the clouds which are higher than thou. If thou sinnest,
what doest thou against him? or if thy transgressions be multiplied,
what doest thou unto him? If thou be righteous, what givest thou him?
or what receiveth he of thine hand? Thy wickedness may hurt a man as
thou art; and thy righteousness may profit the son of man. By reason
of the multitude of oppressions they make the oppressed to cry: they
cry out by reason of the arm of the mighty.” - Job
35:2-9.

Job really did not say that he was sinless, he
just said that he did not do anything that caused the affliction he
was under. Perhaps Job did say some things out of discouragement, but
there is not one Christian that does not get discouraged once in a
while when there is no explained answer for the affliction. When we
become afflicted and everyone seems to be judging us in every
direction, that is when we need to get under the wings of Christ. He
truly is the only one who can lift us up when everyone is trying to
keep us down. “Wherefore seeing we also are
compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside
every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us
run with patience the race that is set before us, Looking unto Jesus
the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set
before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at
the right hand of the throne of God. For consider him that endured
such contradiction of sinners against himself, lest ye be wearied and
faint in your minds. Now no chastening for the present seemeth to be
joyous, but grievous: nevertheless afterward it yieldeth the
peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised
thereby.” - Hebrews 12:1-3,11.

Today's
Prayer: God, I want to live my life according to Your
Word, the things that I go through are not always about Your judgment
or tests, but about trusting You and believing that You can do
anything You say You can do. When I am being persecuted, afflicted,
or judged by others, help me to respond with the knowledge that You
have given me, and let me not be taken by their half truths. Keep me
around people who know Your Word truthfully and keep me in Your Word
to let the Holy Spirit be my guide as I study to be approved by You.
I pray in Jesus' name. Amen.

God Bless You, I am praying
for you,
Christina

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