James 5:11 We give great honor to those who endure suffering. Behold, we consider those blessed who remained steadfast. You have heard of the steadfastness of Job, and you have seen the purpose of the Lord, how the Lord is compassionate and merciful.
Have any of you ended up in a bad conversation, and somehow your name ended up in the middle of it?
You weren’t there, as a matter fact, you weren’t even in the same state, you actually were on location elsewhere, yet your name somehow was singled out.
But so-and-so said it was you that said what was said, when it was said! You try to justify yourself, yet even your friends questioned you.
“You know (Mary/John), maybe you said something or did something, and it just slipped your mind. You must have offended him/her in some kind of way.”
Where is even the belief from your supposed to-be dear friends?
One, you didn’t ask to be put in the mix of someone’s ill-gotten story,
And secondly, nor to have the good you’ve done put on blast.
But it happens.
You just get thrown into the mix – have no idea of the whys and the how’s, innocent you just got thrown in.
See, many people have heard about Brother Job and his trials; but not many people understood or even now understand what those trials were all about and what God was trying to accomplish.
Recall the scripture that I read: 1 Peter 1:7 CEV
Your faith will be like gold that has been tested in a fire.
Sometimes our faith is tested. Sometimes we find ourselves standing in front and center of the furnace.
See there maybe conversations going on, even now, in the heavens that may concern you and you have no idea about such things or what the outcome of those conversations might be. Right now, here we are, sitting in church listening to the Word that was given to the preacher to present to you.
Oblivious, to a conversation that could possibly change your life forever.
If you just allow me a few minutes, I would like to take a look at a particular man’s life. This man from the 18th book of the Old Testament, The Book of Job.
Recall I just said, even now, in the heavens there may be a conversation that may concern you and you here on earth are completely clueless to it.
Here are a few of the events that took place in the life of Job.
They could not see into the future to realize that Job suffered as he did, so that God’s people today, might learn from Job’s experiences of yesterday, how to be patient in suffering and endure to the end.
23rd chapter, verse10 But He knows the way that I take
when He has tested me, I will come forth as gold.
11 My feet have closely followed His steps;
I have kept to His way without turning aside.
12 I have not departed from the commands of His lips;
I have treasured the words of His mouth more than my daily bread.
Job was a just man; Job was blameless and upright; he feared God and shunned evil.
As I said to those in Bible Study, Job did not speak these words about himself, Job did not have to pay a source such as ‘Resume.Com’ to have someone write out his CV.
It was God, who testified about this man named Job.
(See man can stand and tell the world just how loyal you are to something, church, family, job. And it’s good to have a name of being a loyal person. If you do these things well, remember it’s just your expected service while here on earth. Because when it’s all said and done, it’s what you do for Christ that is going to last.)
Regarding Job, in a human sense, God was boasting about this man named Job.
God inquired of him, of his whereabouts. He informed Him, our God that he had been going to and fro on the earth.
Now this is where the conversation grew legs…
It was God that put Job out there, it was when God, He asked Satan, have you tried My servant, Job?
This is where God stated Job’s resume.
There is none like him in the earth, a perfect and an upright man, one that feareth God, and eschewth evil?
And Satan’s reply; “Doth Job fear God for nought?”
Hast not thou made an hedge about him, and about his house, and about all that he hath on every side?
Thou hast blessed the work of his hands, and his substance is increased in the land.
But if put forth thine hand now, and touch all that he hath, and he will curse thee to thy face.
Now this is where I want you to play close attention to… And the LORD said to Satan, Behold, all that he hath is in thy power; only upon himself put not forth thine hand.
I want you to understand that God is always in control of everything and everyone, even Satan. The limit of his power is in the hands of God. This is why God said, in the first command, “Behold, all that he hath is in thy power; only upon himself put not forth thine hand. And in the second time; God said, Behold, he is in thine hand; but save his life.
Neither time did Job do as Satan had expected. Job never cursed God to His face, nor sin with his lips as he said he would.
Because Satan comes to steal, kill, and destroy (John 10:10), God places a hedge of protection around His people to shield them from Satan’s attacks.
The “hedge” is like a spiritual “wall of fire” surrounding God’s faithful so that Satan cannot harm them.
“5 And I myself will be a wall of fire around it,’ declares the Lord, ‘and I will be its glory within.’ Zech. 2:5
All believers who are faithfully endeavoring to love God and follow the leading of the Holy Spirit have a right to ask and expect God to place this wall of protection around them and their families.
Poor Job, he did not know of this conversation.
This is what my Bible has to say…
- Job’s Character and Wealth
- Satan Allowed to Test Job
- Job Loses His Health
Job’s three friends Eliphaz, Bildad, and Zophar, came and sat with him. Seven days and seven nights, they just sat with him. No one said a mumbling word.
After the time had passed (the seven days) each had their say in conversation about their thoughts on what, when and why such things happened to Job.
Sometimes, it is best to say nothing at all instead of speculating your thoughts. In all this back and forth, had Job call them, miserable comforters and that they were.
Then came along a young lad that thought he had it all solved…
God pointed it out for us – all – in the story of Job.
Job had it all, health, family, wealth, stature, friends.
His wealth gone,
His possessions, prosperity, happiness, children, all gone. Now his health is so bad that he asks to be hidden in the grave.
All loss in the fires.
But understand this. Through it all Job never stop believing in his God.
He testified, “I know my redeemer lives”!
Through it all Job stayed faithful.
Then God speaks!
Gold fears no fire. Whatever we had that was burned up in the furnace wasn’t worth having anyway.
Where in the Bible does it say, we are tested like gold?
And these trials will prove that your faith is worth much more than gold that can be destroyed. They will show that you will be given praise and honor and glory when Jesus Christ returns.
Only God can restore, whatever was loss in the furnace.
What fire, are you speaking about Elder?
The fires that show up sporadically in your lives.
Not just sickness, health, disease, these of the most serious ones, yet not the only fires…what about loss of job, loss of home, loss of financial stability, loss of marriage, loss of life, etc., etc. Loss of loss!
Whatever you thought your loss in the fire, remember that God can restore.
Nothing is final, unless God says it is final.
Restore – bring back – reinstate – put back – reinstitute – reimpose – refurbish – rehabilitate – rebuild – repair, refresh, rejuvenate, renew, and renovate. While all these words mean “to make like new,” restore implies a return to an original state after depletion or loss.
God can!
God is in control — He directs, preserves, and maintains His created order. Although we can’t see it, God is divinely governing the moral and political affairs of people as well. By spending time observing the majestic and intricate parts of God’s creation, we can be reminded of His power in every aspect of our lives.
God can restore…
The Church Within You! 