Please watch the video introduction to my message here:
1 Thessalonians 5:16-20
Rejoice evermore. Pray without ceasing. In everything, give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you. Quench, not the Spirit. Despise not prophesying.
People always want to know God’s will. I believe that His approval of our occupation, the person we are to marry, or the right decision over many things is all-important. However, equally important is how we navigate life. How do we show our faith in Him during these decisions?
Everyone has decisions, but not everyone has Christ. In having Christ, are we different? Does Christ in our life make a difference at these challenging intersections in our life?
Sometimes I also think that we are too in love with ourselves. We overestimate our importance. We say, “I have these gifts and talents, and I want to use them for the Lord (as if to say the Lord needs me). But Jesus says if we bring something as simple as a cup of cold water or welcome a servant of the Lord, we will be blessed.
Matthew 10:41-42
He that receiveth a prophet in the name of a prophet shall receive a prophet’s reward; and he that receiveth a righteous man in the name of a righteous man shall receive a righteous man’s reward.
And whosoever shall give to drink unto one of these little ones a cup of cold water only in the name of a disciple, verily I say unto you, he shall in no wise lose his reward.
It doesn’t take much gifting to do this, yet there is a reward. What it takes is a servant’s heart. We are too self-focused with our gifting that we lose the essential attribute, our servant’s heart. God can easily accomplish His will through us with the right heart. He can give us the talents needed for the task when our hearts are subject to Him. For example, as parents, we pray for our children to come to the faith. However, how is our walk with Christ? Are we submitted to Him?
God works through parents and has given us the responsibility of raising Godly children; He’s not our kids’ parent; we are. The more disconnected we are from Him and what He asks of us, the more fallout we will have in our parenting. To be parents that role model the Lord, we need to be filled with the Holy Spirit; it makes all the difference. His wisdom, His patience, and His love is a game-changer. From within the home to outside the home, our example is very important. What a blessing we would be to be employees filled with the Holy Spirit seeking to work for the Lord, putting in an honest day’s work, or a genuine friend who cares about others. Then God can move, direct, speak, and give wisdom and patience as needed.
When we don’t emphasize our walk with Him, we dam the flow of His Spirit. Instead of God working through us, He now has to use life’s unfavorable circumstances to get us to repent and come back to Him. It’s such a waste of time and energy. All this because we are out of sync with Him.
To raise godly children, by necessity, parents must model godliness. Children will model the character of their parents. Listen to how Paul challenged Christians: “Be imitators of God, therefore, as dearly loved children live a life of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God” (Ephesians 5:1-2).
He calls us to imitate God as dear children and to imitate Him. We need to know Him, or it will not happen. God as a parent, is loving, righteous, and holy, so we, His children, should reflect his character. The job of raising kids is our job, not His. Our children will show our strengths and or our weaknesses. It is up to us to make our home sacred, a place of worship where God is put first, and a place of prayer. If we are not praying with our family, not just at night, but when decisions have to be made, we are missing an excellent opportunity to model a life that is dependent upon the Lord. We are to model dependency in times of crisis and in times of play. This is modeled as everyday life; it’s just how we do life.
Joshua said, and I love his statement, especially when you consider all the apostasy and idol worship of his day.
Joshua 24:14-15
“Now therefore fear — the LORD, and serve — him in sincerity and in truth: and put away — the gods which your fathers served on the other side of the flood, and in Egypt; and serve ye — the LORD.
And if it seems evil unto you to serve — the LORD, choose you this day — whom ye will serve; whether — the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, or — the gods of the Amorites, in whose land — ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve — the LORD.” (“will serve” in context means to worship the Lord in joyful liberation, to be contrasted against the toil, bondage, and sacrifice required by man and his pagan deities).
This statement made Joshua a great leader, for as his house was, so was his soul. Only One God ruled. The statement is in strong contrast to all the carnality that existed and still exists today in different forms. It all starts in our hearts. The sooner we get to “One God” and put distance between us and any competition, the stronger our lives will be.
We are now changing subjects just a bit. What if we faithfully serve the Lord, but everything goes south in our lives? I can hear the enemy’s voice, “so much for serving God,” what will I say? What will you say? Here’s what Job said,
Job 1:14-21
And there came a messenger unto Job, and said, The oxen were plowing, and the donkeys feeding beside them:
And the Sabeans fell upon them, and took them away; yea, they have slain — the servants with the edge of the sword; and I only am escaped alone to tell thee.
While he was yet speaking, there also came another and said, The fire of God is fallen from heaven, and hath burned up the sheep, and the servants, and consumed them, and I only am escaped alone to tell thee.
While he was yet speaking, there also came another and said, The Chaldeans made out three bands, and fell upon the camels, and have carried them away, yea, and slain — the servants with the edge of the sword; and I only am escaped alone to tell thee (satan made sure to leave one to bring the bad news).
While he was yet speaking, there also came another and said, Thy sons and thy daughters were eating and drinking wine in their eldest brother’s house:
And, behold, there came a great wind from the wilderness and smote the four corners of the house, and it fell upon the young men, and they are dead, and I only am escaped alone to tell thee.
Then Job arose, and rent — his mantle, and shaved — his head, and fell down upon the ground, and worshiped, (šāḥāh is used to show bowing down in worship to Yahweh)
And said, Naked came I out of my mother’s womb, and naked shall I return thither: the LORD gave, and the LORD hath taken away;
blessed (Holy) be the name of the LORD.
Such an amazing man. Typically, wealth dilutes faith and weakens us, but as wealthy as Job was, his faith was the man. No Holy Spirit had been given, yet he exceeds us in our faith. Even God gets blamed for bringing fire down from Heaven, yet Job worshiped. He prostrated himself in all his grief and worshipped God. That is an amazing response from a man who does not have the Holy Spirit and such great reverence for God.
What is the difference between Job and us? Is it because of the things we have, family, jobs, material wealth, even our pets, we feel they belong to us. We are completely invested in these blessings rather than being invested in the Blesser of these blessings. Though we never say all this is mine when we experience loss, we get angry, feel it’s unfair or get depressed. That is not Job’s reaction. As amazing as it seems, he never felt he owned anything; he was blessed with possessions and family that he “stewarded, meaning that he loved and enjoyed them, cared for them as God’s blessings, but they belonged to God. This is a good lesson for us.
Hence his statement, “naked I came into this world and naked will I return, blessed be the name of the Lord.” Paraphrasing Job, “He, God, gave me a good life, and I have no complaints.” Even while grieving the loss of his children, Job reverenced the Lord. This changed nothing between him and the Lord. Men or women who view life as such are almost bulletproof from tragedies, losses, and successes. Their hope and trust are in God. Though they live in this world, they are not invested in this world. They are invested in God.
“He holdeth fast his integrity,” God says of Job. He was a tenacious man because his roots were very deep in God. By far, tragedies result from sin or careless actions on our part or others. To be invested in the Lord is our best defense against tragedies. When they come, not if, we will have the inner strength to weather them. As bad as what Job had just suffered, here comes round two.
Job 2:3-8
And the LORD said unto Satan, Hast thou considered my servant Job, that there is none like him in the earth, a perfect and an upright man, one that feareth God, and escheweth evil? And still, he holdeth fast his integrity, although thou movedst me against him, to destroy him without cause.
And Satan answered — the LORD, and said, Skin for skin, yea, all that a man hath will he give for his life.
But put forth thine hand now, and touch his bone and –his flesh, and he will — curse thee to thy face.
And the LORD said unto Satan, Behold, he is in thine hand; but save — his life.
So went Satan forth from the presence of the LORD, and smote — Job with sore boils from the sole of his foot unto his crown.
And he took him a potsherd (broken piece of pottery) to scrape himself withal, and he sat down among the ashes.
Now the question is, why is God allowing this to occur? Job pleads his case against his “friends” that he never did anything wrong to deserve this, but he never gets an answer; God is silent until later. And God, as God, does not owe anyone an answer. However, as New Testament believers, we at least have the Testimony of The Cross. There is nothing that speaks more of an Infinitely Loving God than The Cross. Job did not have the testimony of The Cross or Christ’s love. He did not know why God was “punishing” him, but he was willing to receive it. He was not privy to the dialogue between satan and God.
Job 2:9-10
Then said his wife unto him, Dost thou still retain thine integrity? Curse God, and die. But he said unto her, Thou speakest as one of the foolish women speaketh. What? Shall we receive — good at the hand of God, and shall we not receive — evil? In all this did not Job sin with his lips.
Job’s wife suffered all the loss Job suffered and took the position that satan was betting Job would take. Job’s response, “you speak as a foolish woman,” the word foolish there is “nabal,” an arrogant bore, dense intellectually, morally and spiritually deprived.” Quite a statement! The only other time I am aware that this word is used is in context with Abigail and Nabal. Nabal refused to give David’s men supplies, even though David and his men protected Nabal’s men and flocks while they were in the wilderness. Fortunately, a servant told Abigail, and Abigail, knowing what was about to happen, met David midway, preventing David from revenging himself. She told him as the man’s name is, so is the man. Do not ruin your reputation as God’s warrior on account of him.
Job’s wife’s being tested reveals that she did not have the relationship with the Lord that Job had. And that is often true in marriage; one spouse will be the stronger one. The weaker spouse finds their assurance in the strength of their spouse, though God calls each of us individually. Does not the scripture teach us that each of us will have to give an account of our life? We are taught that each of us has to be ready.
Matthew 24:37-42
But as the days of Noah were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be. For as in the days that were before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered into the ark, And knew not until the flood came, and took them all away; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be. Then shall two be in the field; the one shall be taken, and the other left. Two women shall be grinding at the mill; the one shall be taken, and the other left. Watch therefore: for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come.
Plus, we have the story of the ten virgins, Matt. 25:1-13. Five virgins were ready when the bridegroom came (Jesus), and five were not. Readied virgins had their candles bright and shining because they brought extra oil in case the bridegroom tarried, which he did, and they went into the banqueting hall when He came. Then Jesus says the door was shut (the tense indicates it was not to be opened). When the other five returned from buying extra oil for their lamps, they were not let in. When they knocked, note that it was not a servant that went to the door but the bridegroom, and he said, “I tell you, I know you not.” There is a purposeful change in custom that Jesus makes. One of the servants would always answer the door, not the Lord, as when Peter was released from prison by the angel and Rhonda, “the damsel,” answered the door ( Acts 16). The bridegroom would celebrate with his wife and guests, but Christ says…
Matthew 25:11-12
— Afterward came also the other virgins, saying, Lord, Lord, open to us.
But he answered and said, Verily I say unto you, I know you not.
So Jesus is warning that we must watch and wait for Christ’s return. Nothing should be more important than this. Not family, work, church, or even ministry. Christ and Christ alone must be the number one concern and the pleasure of our hearts.
Next, if we were tested like Job, would we be more like Job or his wife? I believe as the story progressed, she repented. I say this because once this trial was over, they had more children, and children were a sign of blessing from The Lord.
Now let’s talk about God’s right to do such a thing. Does God have the right to use us as if it were a “bet” or like a pawn in a chess game? Paraphrasing satan and the Lord, “I bet you he will cave and curse You if you allow me to do this and God said he won’t, so go ahead.” And Job, his family, servants, and animals are in the middle. There are real-world consequences to this bet, lives at stake, and people died, yet God allowed it; why? God never answers Job why he was suffering, nor is God accountable to us.
God has every right; the creature does not say back to the Creator what doeth thou, no more than a servant tells his master how to run the home or an employee the boss on how to run his business, and this incredibly was Job’s attitude.
Towards the end of the book of Job, God and Job have direct conversations with each other, and he sees the foolishness of his ways. And for us, we have The Cross. No evil has or will come into our life that will ever exceed what Christ suffered for us, and if the pain and or circumstances of our lives are given over and walked through with the Lord (as opposed to walking away from the Lord), He will help us and use it for our good.
For me, the Cross and what Christ underwent for us say everything. I can trust Him fully with my life and the lives of my loved ones. If you are struggling with difficulties, I strongly suggest you read each disciple’s account of the events leading up to, through, and after the Crucifixion. Now Job and God talk.
Job 38:1-6
God Speaks
Then the LORD answered — Job out of the whirlwind, and said,
Who is this that darkeneth counsel by words without knowledge (Jobs’s knowledge is finite, compared to God’s, which is infinite)?
Gird up now thy loins like a man; for I will demand of thee, and answer thou me. Where wast thou when I laid the foundations of the earth? Declare, if thou hast understanding. Who hath laid the measures thereof, if thou knowest? Or who hath stretched the line upon it?
Whereupon are the foundations thereof fastened? Or who laid the cornerstone thereof (God is talking about Creation).
Job 40:12-14 (God is still speaking to Job)
Look on every one that is proud, and bring him low, and tread down the wicked in their place.
Hide them in the dust together, and bind their faces in secret.
Then will I also confess unto thee that thine own right hand can save thee?
And from chapters 38-41, God speaks of the wonders of Creation and the things He thought when creating; it is fascinating.
Now before we read Job’s answer, what answer would you give?
Job 40:3-5
Then Job answered — the LORD and said,
Behold, I am vile ( of little worth); what shall I answer thee? I will lay mine hand upon my mouth. Once have I spoken; but I will not answer: yea, twice; but I will proceed no further.
Job 42:1-6
Then Job answered — the LORD and said,
I know that thou canst do everything and that no thought can be withheld from thee. Who is he that hideth counsel without knowledge? Therefore have I uttered that I understood not; things too wonderful for me, which I knew not. I have heard of thee by the hearing of the ear: but now mine eye seeth thee. Wherefore I abhor myself and repent in dust and ashes (and this is what God was waiting for, that such a righteous man as Job would see his pride and repent). Trial over, satan lost…
Job 42:7
And it was so that after the LORD had spoken — these words unto Job, the LORD said to Eliphaz the Temanite, My wrath is kindled against thee, and against thy two friends: for ye have not spoken of me the thing that is right, as my servant Job hath.
A lapidary is a specialist with gems. He or she knows just how much pressure to exert to cut the stone and bring out its beauty. Too much pressure and the stone is crushed and ruined. Not enough pressure, and the stone, instead of being the rare gem it could be, remains ordinary. God is just like that with us. God praised Job before he underwent the trials and proved there was no wrong in his life, as his friends insisted. But greater beauty would be found in him after the trials. Job would see himself and God in a new, eternal way, which would affect him for the rest of his life, for the children to come, and, most importantly, his relationship with God.
So what was the role of satan? Does he have a role? He is used to separating the goats from the sheep and the wheat from the tares. He provides the choice, and Eternity is a long, long time. The damned must choose to be damned. Pardon the language, but I do not want to powder-coat something that is a matter of Eternal Life or Eternal Death. I would rather scare the hell out of you now than you abide there later.
Nothing is ever done to us that does not have the purpose and intent to better us, causing us to see Him more clearly, and causing us to tread lightly in this world. Job was so upright that it took a severe trial to get him to see he had more to learn.
So when we are in a severe trial, is there a verse or verses that can comfort us? Yes, I believe so. Aside from my personal favorite, Proverbs 3 (shared last Vida), there are James 4 and Psalms 139.
James 4:7-10
Submit yourselves, therefore, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double-minded.
Be afflicted, and mourn, and weep: let your laughter be turned to mourning and your joy to heaviness. Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up.
Psalms 139:23-24 ( a wonderful prayer)
Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts:
And see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting (this verse makes such a great prayer).
Without trial, we do not know our hearts or our thoughts. Only trials show the true caliber of the man or woman that we are.
Job 42:10
And the LORD turned — the captivity of Job, when he prayed for his friends: also the LORD gave Job — twice as much as he had before.
Job 42:16
After this lived Job a hundred and forty years and saw — his sons, and his sons’ sons, even four generations.
Father God,
Thank you so much for this in-depth study. All things in your Word are for instruction and the bettering of the man or woman of God. Help us to stay in the fire till the dross is burned from us. And as we stand accepting the trial, You will stand in the midst with us and see that the fire does us no harm, only to better us.
Thank you, and Amen
Arthur
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Arthur Navarrette