Sunday’s Message Brought Blessings
Last Sunday, the pastor finished his series that he taught from the book of Job. It was quite an eye opener because the messages were quite thought provoking. Most Christians know something about Job and how God allowed Satan to take everything away from him [including his children] (Job, chapter 2). Satan even afflicted Job’s body with painful boils from the sole of his foot to the crown of his head. When Job’s friends heard about his calamity, they went to comfort him.
Later on in the book, Job’s friends no longer comforted him. One of the things that stood out the most about his friends was the accusations; and the worse thing was, it was so discouraging when one of the friends accused Job of sinning because of the calamity that came upon him. Didn’t God Himself say Job was upright? There was a man in the land of Uz, whose name was Job; and that man was blameless and upright, and one who feared God and shunned evil. (Job 1:1).
I did not experience what Job did, but in 1989 my back was injured and this took me out of the workforce permanently. While at a Bible study class, one of the people said a sin caused me to be injured. That was a shock! Someone spoke up and said that was not true. Despite my body being injured, God had a plan and His purpose was going to be fulfilled.
That injury caused me to walk by faith and for years the Lord has done some many marvelous things for His glory. He has taken care of me in ways that are astonishing; completely mind boggling and He gave me a ministry that would be beneficial to others for His glory.
On to Job, and another comparison that we should really consider. Do we accuse (judge) others of being in sin because of an affliction?
The pastor summarized it like this; at the end of Job, he asked God to forgive him for not seeing Him clearly. The book of Job is not as much about suffering, it is about God’s character. Just as Job had a faint understanding and he did not clearly see who God was, there is also an ignorance of God in our lives.
The message was such an encouragement to me because in my Bible study class, we have learned what it means to see things from God's perspective. The reason there is a lack of understanding in the body of Christ is that people's view of God is cloudy, therefore, without seeing God's perspective, the Word of God is not rightly divided (2 Timothy 2:15).
We need a renewed mind (Romans 12:2). We need to trust God with our whole heart and stop leaning on our own understanding (Proverbs 3:5-6).
It is true that the Lord gave us intellect, but we should bring our intellect to His way of thinking, because His ways and thoughts are so much higher than ours (Isaiah 55:8-9). Remember the Sovereign Lord God Almighty is the only One who is all powerful; He is the only One who is all knowing, and God is the only One who is everywhere at the same time.
So, my brothers and sisters, I pray that you take this message to heart, and allow the True and Living God, our Father’s purpose to be fulfilled in your lives. Otherwise, unless you do it from God’s perspective, you will not reach your potential. Ask Him to open your your spiritual eyes.
Betty A. Burnett ~ burnettministries.org
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