Job:More Than A Conclusion part II

Posted by anointedplace on May 25, 2011 · 3 Comments 

Job 19:13-22

13 “He has put my brothers far from me, and those who knew me are wholly estranged from me. 14 My relatives have failed me, my close friends have forgotten me. 15 The guests in my house and my maidservants count me as a stranger; I have become a foreigner in their eyes. 16 I call to my servant, but he gives me no answer; I must plead with him with my mouth for mercy. 17 My breath is strange to my wife, and I am a stench to the children of my own mother. 18 Even young children despise me; when I rise they talk against me. 19 All my intimate friends abhor me, and those whom I loved have turned against me. 20 My bones stick to my skin and to my flesh, and I have escaped by the skin of my teeth. 21 Have mercy on me, have mercy on me, O you my friends, for the hand of God has touched me! 22 Why do you, like God, pursue me? Why are you not satisfied with my flesh?

We first looked at the beginning lock to the door of Job’s heart which was his possessions.  Now we will explore the second lock of the family.  One of the most profound and unusual things I have ever heard came after I submitted to my call into ministry.  An associate minister said to me; “now that you have obeyed God’s call, Satan will attack those close to you”.  I respected his words because I respected him because he is truly genuine in all that he says and do.  Later that night a close cousin was killed senselessly.  Not long after, the same minister who spoke those words had a life changing stroke and he was never able to speak to me again.

From that moment on I have been put into positions of isolation leading me to depend on God alone.  Family is the most innocent idol we can have.   We have no problem putting them first as we seek to please them above all at the expense of obeying the Lord.  We politely cover it with being christian.  We can’t see that true devotion to Christ doesn’t lead to their neglect.  We don’t see that family should lead us to the worship of God and not them.  We can’t see because we don’t trust God enough to leave them in his care.  We then build a bridge of dependency that hinders their relationship and ours with God.  We worship the created things and fall into error as it seems right.

When they are taken away our hope unfortunately goes with them.  Our joy, happiness, and salvation has been misplaced.  At their leaving we forget that they never belonged to us as we don’t belong to ourselves as well.  God owns everything within the universe.

Romans 9
19 You will say to me then, “Why does he still find fault? For who can resist his will?” 20 But who are you, O man, to answer back to God? Will what is molded say to its molder, “Why have you made me like this?” 21 Has the potter no right over the clay, to make out of the same lump one vessel for honorable use and another for dishonorable use? 22 What if God, desiring to show his wrath and to make known his power, has endured with much patience vessels of wrath prepared for destruction, 23 in order to make known the riches of his glory for vessels of mercy, which he has prepared beforehand for glory

There are some who demand priority over God’s will and seek to be the center of our hearts.  They deny it but it is revealed when a deeper love of God is shown.  The Holy Spirit reveals truth.  If our family shares in our convictions then its not a problem.  But if not, Christ promised division in families for his name sake. It should never be a requirement to love someone that you put Jesus to the back for their egos or comfort.

Matthew 10:32-39 (New International Version)

   ³² “Whoever acknowledges me before others, I will also acknowledge before my Father in heaven. ³³ But whoever disowns me before others, I will disown before my Father in heaven.

³⁴ “Do not suppose that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I did not come to bring peace, but a sword. ³⁵ For I have come to turn

“‘a man against his father,
a daughter against her mother,
a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law—
³⁶ a man’s enemies will be the members of his own household.’^[a]

³⁷ “Anyone who loves their father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; anyone who loves their son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me. ³⁸ Whoever does not take up their cross and follow me is not worthy of me. ³⁹ Whoever finds their life will lose it, and whoever loses their life for my sake will find it.

What’s worse is if these Egypts in our lives replace God as our providers as with Israel.  To trust the person who hates GOD’s word more than the giver of LIFE IS OFFENSIVE! Isaiah 31:1Woe to those who go down to Egypt for help, who rely on horses, who trust in the multitude of their chariots and in the great strength of their horsemen, but do not look to the Holy One of Israel, or seek help from the LORD.  God is slowly peeling back the layers and slowly taking any the locks on Job’s heart.  Look at the word of God as it compliments itself.  Look at the whole truth of God as it reveals mankind’s heart and tell me that you do not see yourself?

Does Job rest in the security of family? Sometimes you can’t be honest with yourself until they are gone or out of reach.  We forget that this journey is not about our comfort but God’s glory.  Christianity is not for the faint of heart.  This is why Christ says to count the cost.  We can easily lose focus in the midst of our right doing and stop doing Christian living right.  Our walk should not only in line with Christ, in His foot steps but pursuing to actually walk like Him in every way.  We should be doing a character study like the actors do for movie roles, only this is not a game its life or death.

Luke 14

The Cost of Being a Disciple

²⁵ Large crowds were traveling with Jesus, and turning to them he said: ²⁶ “If anyone comes to me and does not hate father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters—yes, even their own life—such a person cannot be my disciple. ²⁷And whoever does not carry their cross and follow me cannot be my disciple.

²⁸ “Suppose one of you wants to build a tower. Won’t you first sit down and estimate the cost to see if you have enough money to complete it? ²⁹ For if you lay the foundation and are not able to finish it, everyone who sees it will ridicule you, ³⁰ saying, ‘This person began to build and wasn’t able to finish.’

2 Timothy 2:1-10 (New International Version)

¹ You then, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus. ² And the things you have heard me say in the presence of many witnesses entrust to reliable people who will also be qualified to teach others. ³ Join with me in suffering, like a good soldier of Christ Jesus. ⁴ No one serving as a soldier gets entangled in civilian affairs, but rather tries to please his commanding officer. ⁵ Similarly, anyone who competes as an athlete does not receive the victor’s crown except by competing according to the rules. ⁶ The hardworking farmer should be the first to receive a share of the crops. ⁷Reflect on what I am saying, for the Lord will give you insight into all this. ⁸ Remember Jesus Christ, raised from the dead, descended from David. This is my gospel, ⁹ for which I am suffering even to the point of being chained like a criminal. But God’s word is not chained. ¹⁰ Therefore I endure everything for the sake of the elect, that they too may obtain the salvation that is in Christ Jesus, with eternal glory.

1 Peter 3:17 (New International Version)

¹⁷ For it is better, if it is God’s will, to suffer for doing good than for doing evil.

1 Peter 4:1-6, 12-19

¹ Therefore, since Christ suffered in his body, arm yourselves also with the same attitude, because whoever suffers in the body is done with sin. ² As a result, they do not live the rest of their earthly lives for evil human desires, but rather for the will of God. ³ For you have spent enough time in the past doing what pagans choose to do—living in debauchery, lust, drunkenness, orgies, carousing and detestable idolatry. ⁴ They are surprised that you do not join them in their reckless, wild living, and they heap abuse on you. ⁵ But they will have to give account to him who is ready to judge the living and the dead. ⁶ For this is the reason the gospel was preached even to those who are now dead, so that they might be judged according to human standards in regard to the body, but live according to God in regard to the spirit.

¹² Dear friends, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal that has come on you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you. ¹³ But rejoice inasmuch as you participate in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed when his glory is revealed. ¹⁴ If you are insulted because of the name of Christ, you are blessed, for the Spirit of glory and of God rests on you. ¹⁵ If you suffer, it should not be as a murderer or thief or any other kind of criminal, or even as a meddler. ¹⁶ However, if you suffer as a Christian, do not be ashamed, but praise God that you bear that name. ¹⁷ For it is time for judgment to begin with God’s household; and if it begins with us, what will the outcome be for those who do not obey the gospel of God? ¹⁸And,

“If it is hard for the righteous to be saved,
what will become of the ungodly and the sinner?”^[a]

¹⁹ So then, those who suffer according to God’s will should commit themselves to their faithful Creator and continue to do good.

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• Job: More Than A Conclusion part I (anointedplace.wordpress.com)
• In Spite of Me (anointedplace.wordpress.com)
• Rebirth (anointedplace.wordpress.com)
• A Passion for Christ (anointedplace.wordpress.com)
• Is it How or What you Ask? (anointedplace.wordpress.com)
• Why I Do Want I Do (anointedplace.wordpress.com)
• Duty Or Pleasure (anointedplace.wordpress.com)

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