July 10, 2006 - Job 41-42 and Acts 16:22-40
What did God say to you as you read these last two chapters of Job? I pray that all of us will be sensitive to His soft voice as we read His Word. There is so much for each of us to learn and to apply. There were several things that God spoke to me, and I want to share a few of them. However, I urge you not to miss what God wants to say directly to you.
In chapter 41 God gives us a discourse on a large sea creature which He calls Leviathan. It does not really matter if we know the modern day name of the creature. The point is that there are many creatures that man can't control and tame. If that is true, why would man want to control and tame God? Why would we think that we could tell God what to do, if there are animals, which He made, that we can't control? God is so much more powerful than all of the animals He created, but man is the one with the pride to think he should be in control instead of God. I pray that we get the message about the greatness of God and our need to submit to His authority.
Then, in chapter 41 Job speaks again. He confesses that God's purposes can't be stopped. God can do whatever He desires to do. (v.2) He confessed his lack of knowledge and his sin of presuming to know enough, so he could contend with God. (v.3) He repented of this sin. (v.6) His repentance came after He saw God with his eyes. When any of us come face to face with God, we must confess our unworthiness. I thought it was significant that Job's sin was to think that he could contend with God, so his sin was an attitude of pride. It was not an action. We all should be so sensitive to our attitudes, so that we do not sin in the same way, because attitudes lead to actions.
However, Job's friends sinned in actions. They spoke wrongly to Job. They assumed his sin, and they were judgmental toward him. They did not comfort him in his time of trouble. Therefore, God told them to ask Job for forgiveness, which they did. Job prayed for them, and they were forgiven. Why? Job was accepted by God. His heart was right with God, so God was ready to hear his prayer. Is your heart right with God, or is there someone you need to approach for forgiveness? Let's keep our hearts right before God, so He will hear and answer our prayers.
Finally, Job is restored. He ends up with double the possessions he had before and the same amount of family. There was one thing I had not noticed before. God did send him comfort through his brothers, sisters, and other friends. (v.11) He did have to wait for it, but God brought comfort to his heart. He lived a long happy life after his trial. This shows us the goodness of God. God can be trusted to do all of the right things at the right times. It might take longer than we think it should, but He knows best.
In Acts 16 we read about the conversion of the jailer at Philippi and his family. This came about because of Paul and Silas being put in prison, and because of their prayers and songs at midnight. Then, when the earthquake came, the heart of the jailer was ready to hear the gospel. I am amazed at the ability of Paul and Silas to concentrate on God in this instance and to look out for others in the midst of the earthquake, instead of thinking about themselves. Because of this spiritual awareness, God used them to win a family to Christ. I want to have that kind of unselfish sensitivity, so I can see all circumstances as opportunities to touch lives for the Lord, instead of being wrapped up in my own needs. The other thing I noticed was that none of the other prisoners got saved when the jailer did. Why not? Could it have been their hard hearts? I think so. They missed the gospel, because they had hardened their hearts through sin.
Tomorrow, I intend to read Psalms 1-3 and Acts 17:1-15.
In chapter 41 God gives us a discourse on a large sea creature which He calls Leviathan. It does not really matter if we know the modern day name of the creature. The point is that there are many creatures that man can't control and tame. If that is true, why would man want to control and tame God? Why would we think that we could tell God what to do, if there are animals, which He made, that we can't control? God is so much more powerful than all of the animals He created, but man is the one with the pride to think he should be in control instead of God. I pray that we get the message about the greatness of God and our need to submit to His authority.
Then, in chapter 41 Job speaks again. He confesses that God's purposes can't be stopped. God can do whatever He desires to do. (v.2) He confessed his lack of knowledge and his sin of presuming to know enough, so he could contend with God. (v.3) He repented of this sin. (v.6) His repentance came after He saw God with his eyes. When any of us come face to face with God, we must confess our unworthiness. I thought it was significant that Job's sin was to think that he could contend with God, so his sin was an attitude of pride. It was not an action. We all should be so sensitive to our attitudes, so that we do not sin in the same way, because attitudes lead to actions.
However, Job's friends sinned in actions. They spoke wrongly to Job. They assumed his sin, and they were judgmental toward him. They did not comfort him in his time of trouble. Therefore, God told them to ask Job for forgiveness, which they did. Job prayed for them, and they were forgiven. Why? Job was accepted by God. His heart was right with God, so God was ready to hear his prayer. Is your heart right with God, or is there someone you need to approach for forgiveness? Let's keep our hearts right before God, so He will hear and answer our prayers.
Finally, Job is restored. He ends up with double the possessions he had before and the same amount of family. There was one thing I had not noticed before. God did send him comfort through his brothers, sisters, and other friends. (v.11) He did have to wait for it, but God brought comfort to his heart. He lived a long happy life after his trial. This shows us the goodness of God. God can be trusted to do all of the right things at the right times. It might take longer than we think it should, but He knows best.
In Acts 16 we read about the conversion of the jailer at Philippi and his family. This came about because of Paul and Silas being put in prison, and because of their prayers and songs at midnight. Then, when the earthquake came, the heart of the jailer was ready to hear the gospel. I am amazed at the ability of Paul and Silas to concentrate on God in this instance and to look out for others in the midst of the earthquake, instead of thinking about themselves. Because of this spiritual awareness, God used them to win a family to Christ. I want to have that kind of unselfish sensitivity, so I can see all circumstances as opportunities to touch lives for the Lord, instead of being wrapped up in my own needs. The other thing I noticed was that none of the other prisoners got saved when the jailer did. Why not? Could it have been their hard hearts? I think so. They missed the gospel, because they had hardened their hearts through sin.
Tomorrow, I intend to read Psalms 1-3 and Acts 17:1-15.