"Job answered God: 'I'm convinced: You can do anything and everything. Nothing and no one can upset your plans.
You asked, 'Who is this muddying the water, ignorantly confusing the issue, second-guessing my purposes?' I admit it. I was the one. I babbled on about things far beyond me, made small talk about wonders way over my head.
You told me, 'Listen, and let me do the talking. Let me ask the questions. You give the answers.'
I admit I once lived by rumors of you; now I have it all firsthand-from my own eyes and ears!
I'm sorry-forgive me. I'll never do that again, I promise! I'll never again live on crusts of hearsay, crumbs of rumor."---Job 42:1-6 (Message)
"We are at this moment as close to God as we really choose to be. True, there are times when we would like to know a deeper intimacy, but when it comes to the point, we are not prepared to pay the price involved."---J. Oswald Saunders
"Few delights can equal the mere presence of One whom we fully trust."---George MacDonald
OK, I am so thankful that through the power of the Holy Spirit (Luke 12:12), God would provide such a "Welcome to a new Sabbath" message. (Exodus 20:4-11, Isaiah 56:2, Isaiah 58:13-14, Hebrews 4) I hope that, after reading this, many of you will take the opportunity to REST in what he has to say. (You deserve it!)
A couple of days ago, I was talking to a friend of mine about something that she was going through. After sharing how she was emotionally processing it all, she then said what so many people tend to say when they are stressed out...and it drives me up the wall:
"I mean, I know I shouldn't feel like this. It could be worse. I could be..."
In my mind, my focus trails off at that point because I'm not sure about anyone else reading this, but the copy of the Bible that I have says, "Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom also we have access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God. And not only that, but we also glory in tribulations, knowing that tribulation produces perseverance; and perseverance, character; and character, hope." (Romans 5:1-4-NKJV)) Now hold on to that for just a moment.
It was a real eye-opener for me when I took in the full---well, as full as my understanding is ready to comprehend at this moment---definition of "faith" last year:
"Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen."---Hebrews 11:1 (NKJV)
Hope:the feeling that what is wanted can be had or that events will turn out for the best
Now, what does Romans say? That ultimately tribulations produce hope. What is hope? The feeling that what we want can be had OR that events will turn out for the best. (Romans 8:28) And what is faith? The substance of things hoped for. And without faith, it's impossible to please God. (Hebrews 11:6) So you know what that tells me? To have faith so that you can please God, you are going to have to have tribulations. There's simply no way around it.
Perhaps that's why in the midst of a storm on the seas, Christ replied, "Why are you fearful, O you of little faith?" (Matthew 8:26-NKJV)
Maybe that's why he said to the woman with the issue of blood, after touching the hem of his garment, "Be of good cheer, daughter; your faith has made you well." (Matthew 9:22-NKJV)
That might give us some insight into why, after healing the blind man, Christ's response was, "Go your way; your faith has made you well." (Matthew 10:22-NKJV)
What all three of these biblically-documented instances (and many more) seem to have in common is that faith was attached to a trial...a tribulation...a test. But you see, here's the thing: I don't think that the disciples being fearful of drowning, the woman being sick of bleeding and the blind man desiring to see had an "order of importance/legitimacy". Shoot in Nashville, I am listening to the rain pour as we speak. Put me in a boat during this and I would be close to losing it. It wasn't too long ago that I had to go to the doctor for an "issue" and you can only imagine all of the possibilities that ran through my mind until I received my "not that big of a deal" diagnosis. And, while I have never been physically blind, after penning the Marriage Prep series, I now know what John Newton (author of "Amazing Grace") meant when he wrote, "I was blind but now I see."
Family, my point? IF IT'S A TRIAL TO YOU, THEN IT'S A TRIAL. Why? Because it doesn't really matter what it is. If anything that's going is putting you in a position where your faith in God is being tested, then you can consider yourself in a state of real deal warfare. The Enemy doesn't care of it's homelessness, cancer, a break-up or a bill...if it causes you to question who and whose you are, then his mission is on it's way to being accomplished. James 1:2-5 (NKJV) states:
"My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing. If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him."
Did you see that word that I underlined? Trials come in all packages, but for the Enemy's agenda, they all serve the same purpose: to get us to doubt God. And, of course that would make perfect sense being that Christ told us:
"For assuredly, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, 'Be removed and be cast into the sea,' and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that those things he says will be done, he will have whatever he says."---Mark 11:23 (NKJV)
DID YOU CATCH IT? If you do not doubt in your heart, but believe what you say will be done (within the will of God, of course-Hebrews 10:36), YOU WILL HAVE WHATEVER YOU SAY. Yep, you heard him: WHATEVER YOU SAY!
To "doubt" means to "to be uncertain about; consider questionable or unlikely; hesitate to believe".
To "believe" is "to have confidence in the truth, the existence, or the reliability of something, although without absolute proof that one is right in doing so".
Christ said that when we know the truth, it will make us free. (John 8:32) Well, in this case, the truth is that (and I hope you REALLY get this), "If you can believe, all things are possible to him who believes."---Mark 9:23 (NKJV)
Father, help our unbelief, indeed! (Mark 9:24) It's so time out for being a self-imposed martyr (a person who seeks sympathy or attention by feigning or exaggerating pain, deprivation, etc.) to our problems....our challenges...our trials and tribulations all because of the feeling that we need to "undergo constant suffering" when it comes to our trials. Family, when we do that that is exactly how the Enemy wants us to feel because when we focus on the problem more than the purpose behind it, we can lose sight of the blessing that is in store: hope which increases faith, faith which helps our unbelief, and a greater level of belief which gains us access to all that we ask of God! (2 Corinthians 1:20)
FREEDOM, FREEDOM, FREEDOM.
I wasn't sure how this all was gonna pan out when I was talking to my friend, but I knew God was on to something because in response, I heard myself say: "The thing that many people miss about Job is that it wasn't so much that he lost wealth, family and health...it was that he lost sight of the things that he desired. Wanting something and not yet having it, no matter what the reason or cause, is the greatest test of our faith." To give up what we see for what we can't see, that is the greatest tribulation. And it would appear...in time (Acts 1:7-Message)...brings about the greatest reward(s).
I can't always say that I find comfort in the fact that Job's testimony is 42 CHAPTERS LONG, but when I look at my own life and the lives of those around me, I see why God wanted his story told. The truth is that all of us have "Job moments"...times when things look so crazy that we may be tempted to want to "curse God and die" (Job 2:9), or at the very least, question if we even know where to find him (Job 23); when all we can stand on is the hope...the faith...the belief that if we are still living and breathing, then God must have a plan. (Jeremiah 29:11)
I don't know about you, but sometimes that feeling comes when I get an email from a really negative person or an IRS bill; when I hear news that a loved one has passed or when my fear about the future wants to consume me. But you see, this is why I love my GOD FATHER so: because he IS the end from the beginning (Revelation 22:13) and that means that he is the beginning and end of everything...even my trials. God wants me to acknowledge him in all my ways (Proverbs 3:6) because he is the only one who really knows what's going on---in the "big" and "little" things.
Just this morning, when I woke up to start my day, although I knew a message was brewing inside of me and that Job would receive a very honorable mention, I had no idea that God would take me to the lead verses. Oh, but they make so much sense, don't they? Who are we to second-guess the purpose of the one who gave us purpose? (Jeremiah 1:5) Who are we to do all of the talking and not listen? (Proverbs 28:9-Message) Who are we to live our lives based on the rumors of God?
Now let's stop here for a moment: You have NO IDEA how many blessed intimate relationships I have right now that, had either one of us gone on what we had "heard" about the other, would be non-existent. One of the worst things about gossip? It tampers with intimacy. It puts us in the place of going on what we think we know rather than what we actually do.
We don't just do this with people...but with God as well. Sometimes it has taken me being on the side of the road with a flat and calling an "acquaintance" to come fix it for me to really get to know them for myself. With God, sometimes it has taken me being at the brink of utter despair and crying out to him for comfort for me to get to know him for myself; not what people have told me about him...but what, through a trial, I was able to see on my own. What he has been able to show me for himself.
And do you know the result of that every single time? My hope in him really "working out things for my best" grew. My faith in him connecting the spirit world with my physical sphere increased. My belief in him wanting to bless me---whether now or later---was further established. IT ALL SERVED A PURPOSE...and more than anything, that purpose was to bring me closer to him.
FREEDOM! FREEDOM! FREEDOM!
Yes, that is great news, but because you are now either receiving revelation or confirmation of this fact, you can best believe that today...tomorrow...next month and ten years from now, there will be "Job moments" that will arise in your life because you now see them for what they are and what comes from them.
For me, while I must admit that back in the day, it was cool to read that in the end of all that drama, Job received twice as much as he lost (Job 42:10) AFTER praying for his friends (please catch that), in this season of my life, I think the greater plus was that he left his personal hell much closer to heaven than he had ever been.
He knew God...for himself. (Psalm 46:10) And life (good, bad or indifferent) really doesn't get any better than that! (John 10:10)
©Shellie R. Warren/2009
Posted By: The SISTAHS Ministry
Tuesday, March 3rd 2009 at 3:22PM
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