KJB Daily Devotion – Following Jesus Through Every Chapter
Date: Sunday, January 08, 2016
Chapters: Job 17-19
Message: Where Is Now My Hope?
Hello My Friend,
Hope; A desire of some good, accompanied with at least a slight expectation of obtaining it. We all have hope, or at least we want to have hope that the misfortunes we deal with have a good outcome. Hope is where vision comes in, if we can see it, and by faith, feel it, than we will find hope in the darkest of times. One thing we need to realize when we start to feel hopeless, this is all under the influence of the devil, he wants us to think there is no hope for us. Remember, if we are saved, we belong to Christ, that means there is always hope. “Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that ye may abound in hope, through the power of the Holy Ghost.” – Romans 15:13.
The strongest Christian really is no different than the weakest, we all have faith, and we all know that one day we will see Jesus and all our pain and suffering will be no more, but the weaker tend to lose hope a little faster than the strongest. However, the more affliction we face, even the strongest Christian can lose some hope after a while. This is the way Job felt, he could not believe the way his friends were treating him after all that he had been through, and at this point he was wondering where his hope was.
“Upright men shall be astonied at this, and the innocent shall stir up himself against the hypocrite. The righteous also shall hold on his way, and he that hath clean hands shall be stronger and stronger. But as for you all, do ye return, and come now: for I cannot find one wise man among you. My days are past, my purposes are broken off, even the thoughts of my heart. They change the night into day: the light is short because of darkness. If I wait, the grave is mine house: I have made my bed in the darkness. I have said to corruption, Thou art my father: to the worm, Thou art my mother, and my sister. And where is now my hope? as for my hope, who shall see it? They shall go down to the bars of the pit, when our rest together is in the dust.” – Job 17:8-16.
“who shall see it?” It’s easy to lose hope when it seems like we have no relief from the pain no matter which way we turn. That is when we need to turn our hope to Christ, we may not be able to see Him, but when we have hope in Him He will bring us comfort. Never forget, if we have received Christ as our Saviour then we will see an end to all of our suffering. Sometimes it takes some unexplained suffering for not only us to be reminded of God’s promises, but that others can come to know them as well. “That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ: Whom having not seen, ye love; in whom, though now ye see him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory: Receiving the end of your faith, even the salvation of your souls.” – I Peter 1:7-9.
There is some great insight into the Proverb, “Seest thou a man that is hasty in his words? there is more hope of a fool than of him.” – Proverb 29:30. Sometimes no matter how man times we speak or try to convince people that they are incorrect, they will never believe us so it is no point in trying to talk sense into them. Bildad speaks again, convinced that Job is sinning still, and even suggests that he does not know God.
“Wherefore are we counted as beasts, and reputed vile in your sight? He teareth himself in his anger: shall the earth be forsaken for thee? and shall the rock be removed out of his place? Yea, the light of the wicked shall be put out, and the spark of his fire shall not shine. The light shall be dark in his tabernacle, and his candle shall be put out with him. The steps of his strength shall be straitened, and his own counsel shall cast him down. For he is cast into a net by his own feet, and he walketh upon a snare. Surely such are the dwellings of the wicked, and this is the place of him that knoweth not God.” – Job 18:3-8,21.
“this is the place of him that knoweth not God.” People make the assumption that because you are suffering you must be doing something wrong or are not saved. When God promised to give us salvation He that He would never leave nor forsake us, but He did not promise that every day would be pain free. Dealing with sickness, pain, or death does not mean we do not know God or that He is punishing us for some wrong we have done, once we are saved, we are forgiven, and nothing can change that. Of course, we sin, and need to confess our sins because quite frankly, our minds and mouths cause more trouble than our hands, but God knows who are His, He will never put His Light out of anyone who receives His Son. So, the next time someone accuses you or tries to convince you that you do not know God, tell them who your Redeemer is.
“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.” – I Peter 3:15-17.
There are some people in this world that appear that they know more about God, and that He somehow reveals peoples sin to expose it to others. That is not how God works, if we are living in sin, we can expect Godly people to, not judge us, but explain to us our wrongdoing in hopes that we will turn from it, and if we sin in secret, God will be sure to expose it in public. God does give us the ability to give righteous judgment when it is needed, but God in no way puts it in our heads to judge a person as if we are ourselves are sinless, none of us are, and to accuse by assumption will do nothing, but get our own sins exposed. Job knew that no matter what his friends said about him that he had a redeemer, he may not have seen Him, and he may have lost hope in things getting better, but he did not lose hope in what was to come beyond the grave.
“He hath fenced up my way that I cannot pass, and he hath set darkness in my paths. He hath stripped me of my glory, and taken the crown from my head. He hath destroyed me on every side, and I am gone: and mine hope hath he removed like a tree. They that dwell in mine house, and my maids, count me for a stranger: I am an alien in their sight. I called my servant, and he gave me no answer; I intreated him with my mouth. My breath is strange to my wife, though I intreated for the children’s sake of mine own body. Yea, young children despised me; I arose, and they spake against me. All my inward friends abhorred me: and they whom I loved are turned against me. Oh that my words were now written! oh that they were printed in a book! That they were graven with an iron pen and lead in the rock for ever! For I know that my redeemer liveth, and that he shall stand at the latter day upon the earth:” – Job 19:8-10,15-19,23-25.
“and that he shall stand at the latter day upon the earth:” Oh, if only Job realized that he words would be written down in the greatest book ever. Someone was paying attention, writing about his testimony so that we can all see, before or after Christ came to earth that we all have the same Redeemer, Job knew who his Redeemer was, and that through Him he would be saved from any judgment. We are not redeemed by any righteousness of our own, but through the righteousness of Christ. Salvation or eternal life is the gift of God through His mercy and grace in our acceptance of the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ. It cannot be earned, bought, or paid for on our own. We need a Redeemer to be saved from death and hell, and that Redeemer is only Jesus Christ. “Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers; But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot:” – I Peter 1:18-19.
Jesus Christ Magnified: “For I know that my redeemer liveth, and that he shall stand at the latter day upon the earth:” – Job 19:25.
Today’s Prayer: God, Thank You for sending Your Son to redeem me, I know I am not saved by anything that I do of my own, but by my faith and trust in what He did for me. Because I am redeemed I know that You are always with me, but sometimes I feel like You are no where to be found. I catch myself trying to handle my troubles on my own instead of asking You for help and I know that is why I lose all hope that things will change for me. Lord, give me Your power to see past my troubles and look to You, as I do my part, by faith, I know You will do Your part and I will see the amazing blessings that You have waiting for me as I endure the pain with You. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
God Bless You, I am praying for you,
Christina
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