Have you been having a Job kind of year? I think most of us can answer yes to this. I want you to read this piece of scripture before we begin today.
Job 1:13-22 ( Copied from BibleGateway)
"...…..13 Job's sons and daughters were having a feast in the home of his oldest son, 14 when someone rushed up to Job and said, “While your servants were plowing with your oxen, and your donkeys were nearby eating grass, 15 a gang of Sabeans[a] attacked and stole the oxen and donkeys! Your other servants were killed, and I am the only one who escaped to tell you.”16 That servant was still speaking, when a second one came running and said, “God sent down a fire that killed your sheep and your servants. I am the only one who escaped to tell you.”17 Before that servant finished speaking, a third one raced up and said, “Three gangs of Chaldeans[b] attacked and stole your camels! All of your other servants were killed, and I am the only one who escaped to tell you.”18 That servant was still speaking, when a fourth one dashed up and said, “Your children were having a feast and drinking wine at the home of your oldest son, 19 when suddenly a windstorm from the desert blew the house down, crushing all of your children. I am the only one who escaped to tell you.”
20 When Job heard this, he tore his clothes and shaved his head because of his great sorrow. He knelt on the ground, then worshiped God 21 and said:
“We bring nothing at birth; we take nothing with us at death. The Lord alone gives and takes. Praise the name of the Lord!”
22 In spite of everything, Job did not sin or accuse God of doing wrong."
Job loses everything and still praised the Lord. I want to make sure you understand this, God did not take these things from Job. God allowed Satan do take these things from Job to test his faith. Satan was sure he would turn his back on God and God had seen how faithful Job had been.
This is what the enemy does, he comes to steal kill and destroy. If you are not grounded in your faith when the enemy attacks, and he will attack, you will doubt, fear, blame God and turn your back. You will question your belief in God. It is important to be grounded in your faith in God.
This year has been very difficult for me. Even more challenging than the last two years. In January I was sick with Covid having to miss work, then I fell at work destroying my left knee, then I caught whooping cough. In May I lost someone very dear to me. This person was my Angel in life and the only one I truly could talk to about anything and everything. During this whole time my mother-in-love who is in end stage kidney disease came to live with us and went on dialysis and in recent weeks I have been doing her at home dialysis. This has taken a lot of hours of training and a lot of work. During the middle of this there have been challenges in the lives of my children and I had to close out a classroom for the year. I have felt very much like I am in a Job year. I have been in a trial. You could really sum up my first 6 months of this year as illness, pain, fatigue, stress and death. It has been a lot. I can almost hear Satan as each thing happens saying well this will surely pull her away from you as he boast at God. I also picture him angry as I continue to love the Lord with all my heart and soul.
I am not perfect, losing my Angel made me angry. I have been walking through the grief as people do. I have been learning to be okay but it is hard. It is okay that it is hard. I am grounded in my faith. I love Jesus. When I look at what he did for me, when I look at how he suffered for me and for everyone, I love Jesus.
James 4:7
Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.
Notice Job didn't get down and do "why me" and "I don't deserve this"
He knelt on the ground, then worshiped God
There will be many trials. When they come go hard for God. Renew your mind in the word, worship Him in song, in prayer, in your words and in your thoughts. Stand on the promises of his word. Speak the name of Jesus and put Satan in his place.
Let's Pray:
We come before you Lord and we praise your precious name. We ask Lord that you that would help us to have faith like Job. Help us to be grounded in your word and in our faith. Let us be like a tree firmly planted in you God. Let us not be double minded in our faith and be like a wave tossed around. We thank you Lord for your precious son Jesus that gave his life so that we could live ours in salvation. Thank you for grace, mercy and forgiveness. When we are hurting God remind us of your love. We ask this in Jesus name!
Worship him and let this song minister to your heart.
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