Date: Sunday June 03, 2012

Today's Chapters: Job 9-12
Message Title: Making The Unpleasant Pleasant

Hello My Friend,

From time to time, even as faithful Christians, we all go through things that have us asking the question, “Why are you doing this?”. It's okay to ask God questions. As we draw closer to Him through our trials we not only get a better insight spiritually, we also find answers or at least comfort. What we should not do is question God, while we may not understand what is going on, God knows exactly what is going on. We all have to face the fact that whether we choose to follow Christ or not we are going to face trials, they do not go away, but they can get easier to handle when we put our faith and trust in God. God can make the unpleasant situations in our lives pleasant as long as we give them over to Him.

“For we are saved by hope: but hope that is seen is not hope: for what a man seeth, why doth he yet hope for? But if we hope for that we see not, then do we with patience wait for it. Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. And he that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit, because he maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God. And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.” - Romans 8:24-28.

Job must have had every emotion going on at the same time, he was confused, grieving, and in pain, on top of that the only people that would talk to him were ones that criticized him and kept making accusations at him. This time, he was accused of being a hypocrite, amazingly though, the more these men belittled him the more he was able to see God's hand in all this. “I know it is so of a truth: but how should man be just with God? If he will contend with him, he cannot answer him one of a thousand. He is wise in heart, and mighty in strength: who hath hardened himself against him, and hath prospered? Lo, he goeth by me, and I see him not: he passeth on also, but I perceive him not. Behold, he taketh away, who can hinder him? who will say unto him, What doest thou? If God will not withdraw his anger, the proud helpers do stoop under him. How much less shall I answer him, and choose out my words to reason with him...For he is not a man, as I am, that I should answer him, and we should come together in judgment. Neither is there any daysman betwixt us, that might lay his hand upon us both.” - Job 9:2-4,11-14,32,33.

Job admitted that God's dealings with him were beyond his ability to comprehend them, but he also realized that God was with him, even though he could not see Him. Incidentally, the word daysman means mediator, in other words Job was saying, we do not have a mediator among us to help us reach God, someone who would stand in between the Holy God and sinful man to show us the way. Remember, in Job's days they did not even have a Bible to turn to, everything they did for God was done by their own reasoning. Today, we do have a mediator, that mediator is Jesus Christ, He is the daysman that stands between us and God, without Jesus we cannot reach God. “For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour; Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth. For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus; Who gave himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time.” - 1 Timothy 2:3-6.

If Christ is in you, God is in you, and His presence never leaves you. However, you can plead with God all you want, if Christ is not in you, God is not, therefore, His presence is not with you. If you want God to hear you, you must have Christ in your life. “Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.” - Matthew 7:22,23.

Through Job, we are led to see that religious people who express unkind criticism of others are falling right into the devils hands. Zophar was no different, he literally scolded Job and not only called him a hypocrite, but a liar too. He was literally telling him that God was giving him what he deserved for his sins. “Should not the multitude of words be answered? and should a man full of talk be justified? Should thy lies make men hold their peace? and when thou mockest, shall no man make thee ashamed? For thou hast said, My doctrine is pure, and I am clean in thine eyes. But oh that God would speak, and open his lips against thee; And that he would shew thee the secrets of wisdom, that they are double to that which is! Know therefore that God exacteth of thee less than thine iniquity deserveth. Canst thou by searching find out God? canst thou find out the Almighty unto perfection? It is as high as heaven; what canst thou do? deeper than hell; what canst thou know?” - Job 11:2-8.

You have to love advice from those who think they know more than you do? We are cautioned not to impose added suffering upon those who need our comfort. Judgmental critics often misunderstand the methods and purposes of God in dealing with His chosen followers, but we can overcome even them by reminding ourselves that God is with us. He knows the truth and one day those critics will have to deal with God, Jesus said, “And when thou prayest, thou shalt not be as the hypocrites are: for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and in the corners of the streets, that they may be seen of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward. But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret; and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly. But when ye pray, use not vain repetitions, as the heathen do: for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking. Be not ye therefore like unto them: for your Father knoweth what things ye have need of, before ye ask him.” - Matthew 6:5-8.

Christians can sense the presence of God, not only in their trials, but also in their day to day activities. Although we cannot see Him, we know, through faith, that He is with us. God may never reveal a reason for our trials, but we should never question His actions. Just trust Him and He will make the unpleasant experience pleasant. “My son, forget not my law; but let thine heart keep my commandments: For length of days, and long life, and peace, shall they add to thee. Let not mercy and truth forsake thee: bind them about thy neck; write them upon the table of thine heart: So shalt thou find favour and good understanding in the sight of God and man. Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.” - Proverbs 3:1-6.

Today's Prayer: God, I know that you have a hand in everything that I go through and I am trusting You to get me through every experience. I admit that instead of handing everything over to You and letting You direct my path that I try to take my own path sometimes and it becomes more unpleasant than it needs to be. Lord, give me Your power to let go of the fight to try to handle it all on my own and just hand it all over to You. Give me Your power to take the path the You laid out for me and not my own. Give me Your power to look to You whenever I am be tempted to turn and walk away, let me face my fears with all the power that Your strength can give me and not run. Let me find pleasantness through the unpleasant experiences I am facing and help me to always look to You. In Jesus' name. Amen.

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