Date: Friday June 08, 2012
Today's Chapters: Job 30-33
Message Title: Remaining True To God

Hello My Friend,

So many people who live in the world question why it is important to follow God's commands when worldly Christians seem to be more corrupt than they are. The sad thing is that many are more corrupt than people who live in the world, sometimes I think people have the idea that because they are saved it gives them justification to live immoral and corrupt lives because they are not going to hell. Corrupt Christians give true Christians a bad image, but it's important that those who are true remain true because God's judgment rains on the just and unjust, even when they are saved.

“For the eyes of the Lord are over the righteous, and his ears are open unto their prayers: but the face of the Lord is against them that do evil. And who is he that will harm you, if ye be followers of that which is good? But and if ye suffer for righteousness' sake, happy are ye: and be not afraid of their terror, neither be troubled; But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear: Having a good conscience; that, whereas they speak evil of you, as of evildoers, they may be ashamed that falsely accuse your good conversation in Christ. For it is better, if the will of God be so, that ye suffer for well doing, than for evil doing. For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit: ” - 1 Peter 3:12-18.

Job was just about out of words, there was not one thing he could say that would convince his friends that he was not a hypocritical liar hiding some wicked sin that caused all the tribulation he was facing. There seemed to be no end to the cruelty of the people who made his suffering even more painful and miserable, but, the most troubling to Job was that it seemed that God did not care nor was not hearing him. “They abhor me, they flee far from me, and spare not to spit in my face. Because he hath loosed my cord, and afflicted me, they have also let loose the bridle before me. Upon my right hand rise the youth; they push away my feet, and they raise up against me the ways of their destruction. He hath cast me into the mire, and I am become like dust and ashes. I cry unto thee, and thou dost not hear me: I stand up, and thou regardest me not. Thou art become cruel to me: with thy strong hand thou opposest thyself against me.” - Job 30:10-12,19-21.

Sometimes it can seem like God is no where to be found, the more you try to reach Him the further He seems to be. Once in a while I tell God, “I am not leaving this spot until You talk to me, until I get an answer.” I cry, I praise Him, seek forgiveness for possible hidden sins, and yet, no answer, but I do get a sense of hope after all that. I think that is why God does not answer us sometimes, He wants us to have hope that even though we do not see or hear Him that He is still with us. Jesus said to his doubting disciple, “Thomas, because thou hast seen me, thou hast believed: blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed.” - John 20:29.

Job starts questioning his faithfulness to God, wondering if there was some hidden sin in his life that was causing all this. He began thinking about some of the common sins known to man and pointing out that he hasn't committed any of them. The only thing he wants is some kind of answer from God. “Is not destruction to the wicked? and a strange punishment to the workers of iniquity? Doth not he see my ways, and count all my steps? If I have walked with vanity, or if my foot hath hasted to deceit; Let me be weighed in an even balance, that God may know mine integrity. If my step hath turned out of the way, and mine heart walked after mine eyes, and if any blot hath cleaved to mine hands; Then let me sow, and let another eat; yea, let my offspring be rooted out. Oh that one would hear me! behold, my desire is, that the Almighty would answer me, and that mine adversary had written a book.” -Job 31:3-8,35.

When we knowingly sin we can understand judgment from God, when we are afflicted once in a while we can understand that maybe we did something unknowingly and that was the cause of it. However, when we are afflicted over and over again with no hope of an end that is when we start thinking, “What is going on?”. The more we try to find relief the more afflicted we become, we wreck our brains trying to figure out what we did wrong. Then comes the discouragement and self affliction upon ourselves, God does not want us to be that way, He doesn't want us wallowing in our sorrows and beating ourselves up trying to figure things out. He wants us to live, trusting Him, knowing that our faithfulness to Him is not in vain. “But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord.” - 1 Corinthians 15:57,58.

Job had no more to say, he was exhausted spiritually, mentally, and physically, he just wanted rest. The whole time a young man named Elihu sat there observing all that was being said between the four men, he begins to speak acting as the moderator between them and God, expressing his anger toward them all. “Then was kindled the wrath of Elihu the son of Barachel the Buzite, of the kindred of Ram: against Job was his wrath kindled, because he justified himself rather than God. Also against his three friends was his wrath kindled, because they had found no answer, and yet had condemned Job. I will speak, that I may be refreshed: I will open my lips and answer. Let me not, I pray you, accept any man's person, neither let me give flattering titles unto man. For I know not to give flattering titles; in so doing my maker would soon take me away.” -Job 32:2,3,20-22.

Elihu was angry at Job because he defended his actions, claiming that he was justified by his actions and did not commit sin against God. Job knew that he was not sinless, but he had a right to defend himself against their claims because they were not true. Many times we are going to be subject to persecution over things we have not done, people are going to accuse us and try to get us to admit to something we did not do. We do have a right to defend ourselves, in fact, we have a mediator that already stands in our defense, that mediator is Jesus Christ. “How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God? And for this cause he is the mediator of the new testament, that by means of death, for the redemption of the transgressions that were under the first testament, they which are called might receive the promise of eternal inheritance.” - Hebrews 9:14,15.

Did you ever wonder why the hard workers always get persecuted while the slackers get away with everything? The slackers will eventually be exposed and will fall, but the hard workers will be perfected and will rise. The same is true for the Christian who remains true. “For a just man falleth seven times, and riseth up again: but the wicked shall fall into mischief. Fret not thyself because of evil men, neither be thou envious at the wicked; For there shall be no reward to the evil man; the candle of the wicked shall be put out. ” - Proverbs 24:16,19,20.

True Christians who remain true to God will see His blessings, He is listening to everything we are saying to Him and one day we will see just how much all that patience and persistence will pay off. “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.” - Hebrews 12:1,2.

Today's Prayer: God, I long to be faithful and true as long as I abide here on earth, but life and circumstances are always competing with my ability to be true to You. I am glad to be one of Your kids, let me prove that to You by being faithful and true to You no matter what affliction comes my way. Lord, give me Your power and the strength to keep going no matter who or what tries to knock me down. No matter how many times I fall pull me up and get me going again. Give me wisdom, guidance, and the courage to remain true at all times. In Jesus' name. Amen.

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