Trust God When Afraid

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King James Bible Study[And when he had called the people unto him with his disciples also, he said unto them, Whosoever will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me. – Mark 8:34]

Date: Friday, January 07, 2021
Chapters: Job 8-12
Message: Trust God When Afraid

Hello My Friend,

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I swear, I get so angry at myself for my up and down spirit, one minute I am on fire for God, and feel like I can conquer the world, and literally an hour later my fire has fizzled and I feel like the whole world is against me. Oh wait, I just realized, the world is against me because I belong to Jesus, but that is beside the point. It is a known fact that when life is going well our spirit is way up, then when tribulation comes it is that spirit that lifts us up, gets us out of bed, and helps us get through it, [A merry heart maketh a cheerful countenance: but by sorrow of the heart the spirit is broken. – Proverbs 15:13]. Well, a merry heart becomes a struggle when one thing after another keeps happening, it actually starts to bring our spirit down to the point that it really is hard to get out of bed. We start to question why all of these bad things are happening, and the more faithful we are to God, the more they seem to come. In fact, we are told that we will have to endure much tribulation when walking with Christ, [Confirming the souls of the disciples, and exhorting them to continue in the faith, and that we must through much tribulation enter into the kingdom of God. – Acts 14:22]

So, why do we keep our faith? Well, I cannot answer that question for everyone, but I keep my faith because I have been on the other side of faith, and it was not pretty. Let me tell you, the world is not your friend, it will turn on you in a heartbeat when you stop giving them everything they want. In fact, there are a lot of people who call themselves Christians who will turn on you just as fast. The main reason why I keep my faith is because Jesus gave His life for me, He died so that that life that I was living was not on my permanent record when I stand before Him. I may not understand why I must face so much tribulation through my faith, but I do understand that there will come a day when I will stand before Jesus and I want Him to say to me, “Well done, my good and faithful servant, [His lord said unto him, Well done, thou good and faithful servant: thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord. – Matthew 25:21]

How do we keep our spirit up when tribulation keeps coming? Well, the problem is this, we are trying to handle these things ourselves rather than give them completely over to God. I know I have been guilty of this a time or two, and it is not like I do not have faith that God can get me through it, my problem is that deep down, maybe there is something I am doing that God is angry with, it may not be sin, but He does not like it. This is the way Job felt, never mind the fact that he was covered in boils, wrapped up like a mummy, and mourning the loss of his children, he also had these three friends who were down right miserable company. The first friend to speak was Eliphaz, he accused him of living this secret life that no one was aware of. Now, comes Bildad, he is literally calling Job an arrogant, self righteous, fool who thinks his whole family is wicked and God is judging them all.

[Then answered Bildad the Shuhite, and said, How long wilt thou speak these things? and how long shall the words of thy mouth be like a strong wind? Doth God pervert judgment? or doth the Almighty pervert justice? If thy children have sinned against him, and he have cast them away for their transgression; If thou wouldest seek unto God betimes, and make thy supplication to the Almighty; If thou wert pure and upright; surely now he would awake for thee, and make the habitation of thy righteousness prosperous. – Job 8:1-6]

[surely now he would awake for thee,] Awake for thee? Does Bildad think that God sleeps? I can just see God watching down and hearing how arrogant they actually sounded for twisting every word that Job said. I will tell you this, God does not hear the prayers of those who are not saved nor does He hear the prayers of the saved who are living in sin as long as there is no repentance along with it, [Turn you at my reproof: behold, I will pour out my spirit unto you, I will make known my words unto you. Because I have called, and ye refused; I have stretched out my hand, and no man regarded; Then shall they call upon me, but I will not answer; they shall seek me early, but they shall not find me: For that they hated knowledge, and did not choose the fear of the LORD: They would none of my counsel: they despised all my reproof. Therefore shall they eat of the fruit of their own way, and be filled with their own devices. – Proverbs 1:23-24,28-31]

Nevertheless, Bildad was way off in his judgment, and ought to be ashamed of himself for such an accusation. At this point, Job does not know how to respond, not one of his friends has anything uplifting or nice to say to him, he did not want answers from them, he actually wanted answers from God.

[Then Job answered and said, I know it is so of a truth: but how should man be just with God? If he will contend with him, he cannot answer him one of a thousand. He is wise in heart, and mighty in strength: who hath hardened himself against him, and hath prospered? Lo, he goeth by me, and I see him not: he passeth on also, but I perceive him not. Behold, he taketh away, who can hinder him? who will say unto him, What doest thou? If God will not withdraw his anger, the proud helpers do stoop under him. How much less shall I answer him, and choose out my words to reason with him? Whom, though I were righteous, yet would I not answer, but I would make supplication to my judge. – Job 9:1-4,11-15]

[but I would make supplication to my judge.] Job may not have understood why he was going through what he was going through, but he did understand that he only had one judge and that was God. He goes on to say that he is in no way justifying himself, if he did that, then he would only be condemning himself.

[If I justify myself, mine own mouth shall condemn me: if I say, I am perfect, it shall also prove me perverse. Though I were perfect, yet would I not know my soul: I would despise my life. This is one thing, therefore I said it, He destroyeth the perfect and the wicked. For he is not a man, as I am, that I should answer him, and we should come together in judgment. Neither is there any daysman betwixt us, that might lay his hand upon us both. Let him take his rod away from me, and let not his fear terrify me: Then would I speak, and not fear him; but it is not so with me. – Job 9:20-22,32-35]

[Neither is there any daysman betwixt us,] Well, we have Jesus to stand between us and God to speak on our behalf, and before then the priests were there to stand between them and God, but during this time, there was no middleman that could speak to God on their behalf. Job understood that God sends the rain upon the just and unjust, and who was he to question His judgment, but if he did have someone between him and God, then they would speak to Him on his behalf, and he would be in the clear of any wrong doing. Thank God, that we have Jesus who not only stands at the right hand of our Father on our behalf, He does plead our case for us, [Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us. – Romans 8:34]

There is not one of God’s faithful that does not ask Him why He is allowing all these things to happen. We do need to understand that it okay to ask God questions, and even ask why, what He does not want us to question who He is. He will tell us why eventually, and it is usually after we have finally given it all over to Him and let Him show us. Sometimes, He may never tell us why, but that we might understand that there is a purpose for it, and we just need to trust Him to see us through. At this point, Job was really scared and confused, he literally thought that God was fighting with him over something and just wanted to know what it was for.

[My soul is weary of my life; I will leave my complaint upon myself; I will speak in the bitterness of my soul. I will say unto God, Do not condemn me; shew me wherefore thou contendest with me. Is it good unto thee that thou shouldest oppress, that thou shouldest despise the work of thine hands, and shine upon the counsel of the wicked? Hast thou eyes of flesh? or seest thou as man seeth? Are thy days as the days of man? are thy years as man’s days, That thou enquirest after mine iniquity, and searchest after my sin? Thou knowest that I am not wicked; and there is none that can deliver out of thine hand. – Job 10:1-7]

[shew me wherefore thou contendest with me.] I have been asking God this quite a bit lately, I keep going over everything that I am doing, the people I am around, the work that I am doing, and I get nothing. That is when God tells me that I am the one fighting with myself, and need to stop because all I am doing it hindering Him. We are forgiven, and yes, we do need to confess our sins daily because we are sinners by nature, but not everything that we do is sin, and God is not angry with us, except that we keep making up things, [If ye be reproached for the name of Christ, happy are ye; for the spirit of glory and of God resteth upon you: on their part he is evil spoken of, but on your part he is glorified. But let none of you suffer as a murderer, or as a thief, or as an evildoer, or as a busybody in other men’s matters. – 1 Peter 4:14-15]

[That thou enquirest after mine iniquity,] Job is not asking God if He is the one searching out his sin, he knows that God already knows the way he takes, he is referring to his friends who keep trying to get him to confess to sin that he has not committed. God already knows what we are capable of and what our sin is, man somehow lessens God to something resembling a person. This is not God at all, it is a made up god, just like those men, women, and idols that these religions make up and say they are God. God is not a man as we are, He is God, Man, and Spirit, [For there are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost: and these three are one. And there are three that bear witness in earth, the Spirit, and the water, and the blood: and these three agree in one. If we receive the witness of men, the witness of God is greater: for this is the witness of God which he hath testified of his Son. – 1 John 5:7-9]

Job may not have understood why God was fighting him, but never stopped having faith in Him. This is where a lot of Christians fall away from God all together, they cannot handle the pressure, blame God, and walk away completely, but Job had no intention of doing that because he knew God gave him the life that he lived.

[Thou hast clothed me with skin and flesh, and hast fenced me with bones and sinews. Thou hast granted me life and favour, and thy visitation hath preserved my spirit. And these things hast thou hid in thine heart: I know that this is with thee. If I sin, then thou markest me, and thou wilt not acquit me from mine iniquity. If I be wicked, woe unto me; and if I be righteous, yet will I not lift up my head. I am full of confusion; therefore see thou mine affliction; For it increaseth. Thou huntest me as a fierce lion: and again thou shewest thyself marvellous upon me. Are not my days few? cease then, and let me alone, that I may take comfort a little, Before I go whence I shall not return, even to the land of darkness and the shadow of death; A land of darkness, as darkness itself; and of the shadow of death, without any order, and where the light is as darkness.- Job 10:11-16,20-22]

[and again thou shewest thyself marvellous upon me.] God’s ways and thinking are definitely too marvelous for us to understand, and our human comprehension is often beyond reason to the fact that the greatest blessings come through the tribulation we face. We often hinder God in that, instead of talking to Him, we just complain about the situation, and keep asking Him, “Why me?” the whole time, without even saying it. God does not want to hear our whiny, crybaby, whoa is me spirit, He wants to hear that we trust Him and that no matter what happens, His will be done, [Wherefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and hope to the end for the grace that is to be brought unto you at the revelation of Jesus Christ; As obedient children, not fashioning yourselves according to the former lusts in your ignorance: – 1 Peter 1:13-14]

We must admit that we are being ignorant when we are walking around with this defeated look upon ourselves, and people notice, including Satan, and all that actually does is bring more tribulation. And now come Zophar, the third friend, who had quite a bit to say to Job, and literally calls Job a liar, [Then answered Zophar the Naamathite, and said, Should not the multitude of words be answered? and should a man full of talk be justified? Should thy lies make men hold their peace? and when thou mockest, shall no man make thee ashamed? For thou hast said, My doctrine is pure, and I am clean in thine eyes. But oh that God would speak, and open his lips against thee; And that he would shew thee the secrets of wisdom, that they are double to that which is! Know therefore that God exacteth of thee less than thine iniquity deserveth. – Job 11:1-6]

[therefore that God exacteth of thee less than thine iniquity deserveth.] Zophar accused Job of saying that he saw himself as perfect, without any sin, and to him this was more sinful than whatever sin he was hiding. He actually said that Job is getting far less of a punishment than what he deserves. Are we not all getting less than we deserve? God’s mercies are incredible, but we all need to lighten up and not draw our own conclusions on someone based on what we think might be going on in their lives. It is in our human nature to discuss people and what they are going through, but we are not to place judgment on them, and certainly not accuse them, that alone is cause for our own judgment, [Judge not, and ye shall not be judged: condemn not, and ye shall not be condemned: forgive, and ye shall be forgiven: – Luke 6:37]

I actually just found out that I am officially employed once again, and start on Monday. Woo Hoo! Well, I have a dilemma now, and knew this was going to happen as soon as I did get the job that I had been praying for, another company hired me as well. Now, I have to decide which one will be best, both of them are exciting to be offered a position with, but one pays quite a bit more than the other, and from experience I just learned that more money is not always better. The again, what the more important question is which job will benefit God, not myself. We all have this picture in our heads of what God’s will is, but it usually is the complete opposite. Of course, that does not stop people from trying to help us get in God’s will. Zophar, did not just call Job a liar, he goes on to give him more unsolicited advice on how he can get in God’s will and see His blessings again.

[If thou prepare thine heart, and stretch out thine hands toward him; If iniquity be in thine hand, put it far away, and let not wickedness dwell in thy tabernacles. For then shalt thou lift up thy face without spot; yea, thou shalt be stedfast, and shalt not fear: Because thou shalt forget thy misery, and remember it as waters that pass away: And thine age shall be clearer than the noonday; thou shalt shine forth, thou shalt be as the morning. And thou shalt be secure, because there is hope; yea, thou shalt dig about thee, and thou shalt take thy rest in safety. Also thou shalt lie down, and none shall make thee afraid; yea, many shall make suit unto thee. But the eyes of the wicked shall fail, and they shall not escape, and their hope shall be as the giving up of the ghost. – Job 11:13-20]

[and their hope shall be as the giving up of the ghost.] So, this is actually what a lot of people who get saved think, they can live in sin because they are justified in their salvation in Christ. This was not the case with Job, but for some reason Zophar thought that this was the attitude that Job had. At this point, Job was beside himself, these men were not more righteous than him, who were they to question his values.

[And Job answered and said, No doubt but ye are the people, and wisdom shall die with you. But I have understanding as well as you; I am not inferior to you: yea, who knoweth not such things as these? I am as one mocked of his neighbour, who calleth upon God, and he answereth him: the just upright man is laughed to scorn. Who knoweth not in all these that the hand of the LORD hath wrought this? In whose hand is the soul of every living thing, and the breath of all mankind. With him is wisdom and strength, he hath counsel and understanding. Behold, he breaketh down, and it cannot be built again: he shutteth up a man, and there can be no opening. Behold, he withholdeth the waters, and they dry up: also he sendeth them out, and they overturn the earth. With him is strength and wisdom: the deceived and the deceiver are his. – Job 12:1-4,9-10,13-16]

[the deceived and the deceiver are his.] As he is speaking he realizes something, God is in control. Job had so idea what was going on, but he knew God’s hand was in it, and that even the beasts of the earth had more knowledge of God than they did. Now, the one thing that Job did not realize was that God allowed the tribulation to get Him to trust Him, and call out to Him. I imagine if he simply prayed out to God to begin with instead of arguing his case to his friends, he would not have had to suffer through it much longer. We do God a disservice when we do not talk call out to Him. He really is right there, waiting for us to just say, what has been my favorite verse the past couple of weeks, [What time I am afraid, I will trust in thee. – Psalms 56:3] And let us add these as well, [In God will I praise his word: in the LORD will I praise his word. In God have I put my trust: I will not be afraid what man can do unto me. Thy vows are upon me, O God: I will render praises unto thee. For thou hast delivered my soul from death: wilt not thou deliver my feet from falling, that I may walk before God in the light of the living? – Psalms 56:10-13]

Let Us Pray: God, It is not always easy dealing with tribulation, and critical people do not help either. It definitely has a way of bringing my spirit down. I thank You for watching over me and protecting me, even when I do not come to You with everything, try to get through them myself, and even beat myself up over things that are not there. Your hand never lets go of me, and You are my only peace and comfort when nothing makes sense, and it is Your Spirit in me that keeps me getting out of bed. Lord, lead me and guide me, let me live a life that is pleasing to You and be the example so many need to find Your Son. When others criticize and mock me, give me Your strength and wisdom to stand my ground and not be ashamed to profess my Jesus to them. Let me never be afraid to come to You and trust that Your hand will lead me to conquer the world. Help me make the right decisions, and what time I am afraid I will trust in You. I love You and ask these things in Your name, Jesus. Amen.

God Bless You, I am praying for you,

Christina

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