The Lesson of Job

What is your normal reaction when things go awry? Do you react with strong negative emotions? Does your reaction change the situation? Do your negative emotions continue to build on themselves, getting worse? Have you considered a different way to react?

When things go bad, we often react negatively. When things go from bad to worse, our countenance falls to the floor. We may reach the point of giving up. We may be beyond consolation. Yet, there is another way, a better way to react to such circumstances.

Job was a man who lost everything but his wife and his home. He was a very rich man. His five hundred oxen and five hundred donkeys were taken by thieves and many of his servants were killed. His seven thousand sheep were destroyed. His three thousand camels were stolen. His three daughters and seven sons were killed. Only a few of his servants escaped the destruction to report to him what had happened.

Job was hit hard. He was in anguish. He wept. And he worshiped. Though Job had lost nearly everything, he did not blame God. Can you imagine having to bury 10 of your children on the same day? Job not only had to do that, but had seen the wealth he had built over the course of his life disappear.

When things go badly for us, we may experience anguish. But that doesn’t mean we should blame God for our situation. Instead, we should bow to God in worship. We should trust that God is still in control. It may be painful for a while, but God has something good planned for us. God may not double our wealth as he did for Job, but he will provide for us. It will only be later, when we look back over time, that we will see how God has worked in our lives.

I pray we all learn the lesson of Job. I pray we trust God to provide in all circumstances. I pray each one of us will choose to worship God in all circumstances, trusting he is in control. Worship God. Trust God. Know he is always with you. Know he will provide for you.

Job 2:9-10 Then his wife said to him, “Do you still persist in your integrity? Curse God, and die.” But he said to her, “You speak as any foolish woman would speak. Shall we receive the good at the hand of God, and not receive the bad?” In all this Job did not sin with his lips.

Who Will You Choose?

How do you view Satan? Does he scare you? Are you afraid of what he may do? Does your fear cause you to bend to his will? Are you tired of living in fear? Have you considered that Satan must answer to God? Do you know that by trusting God you have no reason to fear Satan?

Despite how the movies portray him, Satan is not red with horns and carries a pitchfork. He doesn’t appear as a monster as some movies want to portray him. He is far more cunning than that. He likes to portray himself as someone we can trust.

But Satan must answer to God. We see early in the book of Job that Satan presented himself before God. When God summons him, he has no choice. Satan knows he must submit to God’s governance. He knows he has lost the war with God. His desire is simple. He wants to steal as many people as he can from God. He does that by fooling them, luring them, and tricking them to come to him rather than God.

When we allow ourselves to fall for Satan’s tricks, we lose. If you are like me, you don’t like to lose. The only way to win is to choose God rather than Satan. The battles occur every day. They come as little battles and big battles. Yet, they are all battles, and we have a choice. We can choose to fall for Satan’s schemes, or we can choose to trust in God. Every moment of every day is a choice. Who will we choose?

I pray we all realize Satan must submit to God. I pray we lose our fear of Satan. I pray each one of us will choose to trust in God rather than fall for Satan’s foolish tricks and schemes. Do not fear Satan. Know he must submit to God. Trust God. Know he is always with you. Know God is in control.

Job 2:1 One day the heavenly beings came to present themselves before the Lord, and Satan also came among them to present himself before the Lord.

Power of Prayer

Where do you turn when you are in need? Do you seek out family, friends, or co-workers? Have you ever considered asking someone you consider an enemy? Are you surprised by that question? What if that is where you need to seek healing?

We all need help. Some of us are less reliant on help than others. Yet, we all have to accept help at various times during our lives. It is when the help comes from an unexpected source that we are surprised. Especially if it comes from someone we do not like.

James tells us prayer is powerful. But we should take notice of what he says just before that. He talks about healing the sick through prayer and faith. We may experience physical healing through prayer. But let’s consider spiritual healing rather than physical healing.

Spiritual healing certainly comes through prayer and our relationship with Jesus. James says we are to confess our sins, then he says to pray for one another. Is it a coincidence he uses that order? I think not. I believe he is saying that we should confess to those we have sinned against, then they are to pray for us, and healing is experienced by both parties.

That sounds like the early church. It sounds like the church that met every day in the first century. It sounds like the small groups John Wesley organized. It sounds like something God would desire us to do today. We might reconsider how we go about prayer and spiritual healing.

I pray we all confess and ask for forgiveness from one another. I pray we pray for one another. I pray each one of us will experience the spiritual healing that comes from confession and prayer over us. Confess to God. Ask God for forgiveness. Pray for physical healing. Pray for spiritual healing.

James 5:16 Therefore confess your sins to one another, and pray for one another, so that you may be healed. The prayer of the righteous is powerful and effective.

Reactions

How do you react when things go wrong? What are your thoughts when you have an illness? How do you feel when you can’t pay your bills? How do you react when something great happens? What do you think when an unexpected windfall happens?

Our feelings and reactions can go from one extreme to the other, depending on the situation. When things are not going well, we can be in the dumps, looking to blame someone, and maybe blame God. When things are going great, we enjoy it and like to take credit for it.

But how should we react? James tells us how. When things are not going well, when we are sick, when we are struggling, when it seems the whole world is against us, we should pray. Telling God how we are feeling, asking why, asking him to step in, and even venting to God should be our reaction. God knows what we are going through, but he wants us to talk to him.

When things are moving along well, when we have plenty of money, when we are in love, when everything seems to fall in place, we should sing praises to God. Rather than taking credit for our good fortunes, we are to praise God for his blessings. After all, every good thing we have and every good thing that happens to us is from God.

It is easy for us to say how we should react. It is harder to do so in both types of situations. When we are down in the dumps, we often don’t look up. We merely keep trying harder and sometimes continue to dig the hole deeper. When everything is going well, our pride takes over and we take credit for it. We must remember that God is always at work in our lives, and he never leaves us.

I pray we all spend time in prayer. I pray we take time to sing praises to God. I pray each one of us knows God is always with us, always working in our lives, and always wants to hear from us. Spend time in prayer. Sing God’s praises. Know God is always with you. Know God is always working. Know God will listen to you.

James 5:13 Are any among you suffering? They should pray. Are any cheerful? They should sing songs of praise.

Be Salty

Are you salty? What does it mean to be salty? Are you using a current definition for being salty? Do you know what it meant two-thousand years ago? Do you think you would have been considered salty two-thousand years ago? Would you be at peace if you were salty?

In today’s vernacular, being salty means you are upset or angry. As a Marine, being salty means you have extensive experience. If we meet one of these definitions, it is not good. If we meet the other, it can be good. But neither of these definitions were used by the first century church.

Jesus says we are to be salty according to the meaning used two-thousand years ago by the early church. He means we are to provide a positive flavor or seasoning to the world. After all, do we not put salt on the vegetables and meats we fix for our dinner’s, so they taste better? We do. We put salt on almost every food and in every dish we make. We even put salt into cakes.

Making the world a better place, having a positive impact on those we encounter, is what Jesus intends with His statement. Additionally, it is by going through our own trials that we can offer valuable advice to others when they are going through trials. Therefore, when we are going through difficult times, we should seek to learn all we can. By learning and sharing what we learn, we become the salt that seasons properly as Jesus wants us to do.

I pray we all seek to learn lessons from our trials. I pray we understand what it means to be salty by Jesus’ definition. I pray each one of us will be a positive influence on everyone we encounter. Learn from trials. Use Jesus’ salty definition. Be a positive influence. Have a positive impact.

Mark 9:49-50 “For everyone will be salted with fire. Salt is good; but if salt has lost its saltiness, how can you season it? Have salt in yourselves, and be at peace with one another.”

Stumbling Block

Has someone caused you to stumble? Have you caused someone else to stumble? Are you currently causing someone to stumble? What is the penalty for causing someone to stumble? Have you thought about it? Is it too scary to think about? Why do we cause others to stumble?

Causing someone to stumble purposely is a shameful act. It is all about our own selfish desires and having low self-esteem. We mistakenly think that tripping someone else up makes us look better. If we are honest with ourselves, it doesn’t make us feel better either.

Jesus tells us that being a stumbling block for others is not what we should be…for our own good. He says it would be better if we were to tie a big stone around our neck and be thrown into the sea. Can you imagine trying to swim with a large stone tied around your neck? You’re right, you couldn’t. You would drown.

Why does Jesus use such a graphic depiction? When we purposely cause others to stumble, we will drown. Not in water. We will drown in negativity that comes from others, our own guilt (whether now or later), and we may never recover. Being a stumbling block is something we should avoid.

But Jesus isn’t talking about tripping someone up on their way to an interview for their dream job. He is talking about causing them to stumble, and perhaps not getting up again, in their walk of faith. That is the most damning thing we can do. Essentially, when we cause someone to stumble in their faith, we are standing in their way in obtaining a healthy faith and relationship with God. Or, more bluntly, we are opposing God’s will. Rather than being a stumbling block, we should all be encouragers.

I pray we all refuse to be a stumbling block. I pray we choose to encourage one another. I pray each one of us will help others in their walk of faith and stand with God rather than opposing him. Do not be a stumbling block. Encourage one another. Help others with their faith. Stand with God.

Mark 9:42 “If any of you put a stumbling block before one of these little ones who believe in me, it would be better for you if a great millstone were hung around your neck and you were thrown into the sea.”

Rewards for Serving

How thankful are you? Do you recognize what others do for you? Have you ever thought back over a day and tried to identify everything little thing one person or another has done for you? Have you taken it a step farther to identify those things people have done for you because you are a follower of Christ?

We often take for granted what others do for us. It may be a simple thing like making the coffee in the morning, making copies of a document, or allowing us to watch our favorite television show. It may be much more elaborate. It may be even more challenging to know if they did it for us because we follow Jesus.

If your spouse loves you because you follow Jesus, then it is likely everything done for you by him or her is done because of it. They may not even recognize it every time they do something. The same is true for you. The reason behind the serving one another is Christ, even if we don’t recognize it. There is a reward for that.

The reward is both now and in heaven. The reward we receive now is temporary. We feel a bit of satisfaction for serving someone else. It is nice to bless someone else. In turn, the other person may appreciate it enough to bless us. It turns into a symbiotic relationship of blessings. Our reward in heaven is unknown. Jesus doesn’t tell us just what it is. But we can rest assured in His promise.

Yet, we should not serve others for the purpose of receiving a reward. We should serve others to be like Jesus. Keeping the reward in the back of our isn’t bad, but it shouldn’t be our motivation. Jesus let’s us know in this short saying that there are rewards for serving, whether we are serving others, or they are serving us.

I pray we all know Jesus keeps His promises. I pray we know there are rewards for serving others. I pray each one of us strive to be more like Jesus, regardless of the promised rewards. Serve one another. Know there are rewards. Strive to be like Jesus. Know Jesus keeps His promises.

Mark 9:41 “For truly I tell you, whoever gives you a cup of water to drink because you bear the name of Christ will by no means lose the reward.”

Do Not Hinder

Are you jealous of others who are working in Jesus’ name? Do you want to keep them from doing what they are doing? Do you want to out do them? Are you more concerned about how you feel than how Jesus feels? Are willing to set aside your feelings to be who Jesus wants you to be?

Jealousy is part of our culture. It seems to be in our DNA. Even small children often don’t want to share their toys. We are jealous of people who have nicer homes, fancier vehicles, and better jobs. We then carry it to performance. We want to do better than the other person.

The apostles had the same attitude. They were trying to stop people who were casting out demons in Jesus’ name, just because they weren’t following along with the apostles. Jesus tells them not to do that. He says they could not do work in His name and speak ill of Him. Jesus knew who they were and what they were doing. He knew their hearts just as He knew the apostles’ hearts.

We can get wrapped around someone doing something we think is out of line. Yet, the question we need to be asking ourselves is, are they doing it for Jesus? If they are, we need not worry about it. It may be different than we would do. It may be done in a different way. We are viewing it in the wrong way if we are only looking at it from our vantage point.

We only see dimly in our human experience. We don’t have the clarity of God who sees it all and knows everything. This is where our faith comes in. We must trust God to take care of those things that are out of our control. What someone else is doing for Jesus is not our concern. We are to be about doing what He has called us to do.

I pray we all stop worrying about what someone else is doing for Jesus. I pray we stop concerning ourselves with how they do it. I pray each one of us will focus on what Jesus has called us to do. Do not worry about others. Know there are many ways to serve Jesus. Focus on what you are called to do.

Mark 9:38-39 John said to him, “Teacher, we saw someone casting out demons in your name, and we tried to stop him, because he was not following us.” But Jesus said, “Do not stop him; for no one who does a deed of power in my name will be able soon afterward to speak evil of me.”

God is Working for You

Have you been attacked by an enemy? Were you overwhelmed by their abilities? Did you feel as though there was no way out? Did you feel like you were trapped with defeat surely coming? Were you miraculously spared? Have you given credit to God for your escape?

We may face an enemy that is far more skilled than we are. We may face what appears to be insurmountable odds. We may feel as though defeat is certain. Then something miraculously happens. We are spared. We escape from the situation. And we may wonder how it happened.

God is continually working among the billions of situations people face every day. He knows what is happening in a billion places all around the world all at once. He is working on our behalf, even when it seems as though he is not. He knows what we are facing and will use it to our good. It may take us years to see how God was at work in certain situations.

The Psalmist is giving thanks for God working for the Israelites. They faced a mighty enemy. They feared as the enemy attacked that they would be overrun. They thought it would be like a wave of the ocean crashing through and over them like a hurricane. Yet, God intervened, and they were not overrun. They escaped from the jaws of defeat.

When God intervenes on our behalf, and we are saved from defeat, we should thank and praise God. We should give him the credit for being our Savior. Far too often we say it was a miracle without really giving God the credit. Or we take credit for doing something that was beyond our ability. Rather than taking credit or merely chalking it up a miracle, be specific in praising and thanking God for his intervention.

I pray we trust that God is always working. I pray we know that he knows what is going on in our lives. I pray each one of us will give God the credit, thank him, and praise him for rescuing us. Trust God. Give God the credit. Thank God. Praise God. Know he is always working for you.

Psalm 124:8

Our help is in the name of the Lord, 

who made heaven and earth.

Witness with Faith

How much do you trust God? Do you trust him enough to head out on a mission trip with nothing but the clothes you are wearing? Are you willing to trust he will provide for your day-to-day needs? Do you trust he will provide for you financially?

We all like to say we trust God. Yet, when it gets right down to it, we often have doubts. We wonder if he will really provide the money for the bill that is coming due. We wonder if he will guide the surgeon’s hands and grant us a quick and successful recovery.

Trusting God requires a deep faith. We can’t be waffling in our faith, nor can we be weak in it. We must put our whole heart, mind, and soul into it. The reward we get from that kind of faith is amazing and God uses that faith for his purposes.

It is through our deep faith, trusting in God, that we are also witnesses for him. It is our faith that reflects the light of Jesus in our lives. As we shine His light into the world, others take notice. As they take notice, they ask what is behind our peace and tranquility. We are witnesses to God’s amazing work in our lives and how he can do amazing work in other’s lives.

Stepping out in our faith to witness for God is another way of demonstrating our trust in him. Our witness is based on a trust that God will provide the words we need to say when we need to say them. It is trusting God will bring us to individuals who are ready to hear about him and his Son. Be the witness God wants you to be.

I pray we all develop a deep faith in God. I pray we ask God to strengthen our faith in Jesus. I pray each one of us will put our faith to work being witnesses of God’s amazing grace that comes through Jesus Christ. Deepen your faith. Trust God in everything. Step out in faith. Be a witness for Jesus.

Luke 9:3 He said to them, “Take nothing for your journey, no staff, nor bag, nor bread, nor money—not even an extra tunic.”