Scripture

“Satan answered the Lord, “Does Job fear God for nothing?”

~Job 1:9, NLT

Quote

“Prosperity is never a test of faith. Anyone, even a lost person, can praise God when everything is going well.”

~Ron Dunn

We make fun of Joel Osteen and the health and wealth preachers or the host of TV Charlatans out there who are fleecing the flock under the pretense of loving the LORD. The book of Job deals with radical suffering; not your everyday problems but tragedy. Suffering that seems to have no reason. We all know that we bring a lot of suffering on ourselves, but Job did nothing to deserve his tragic sorrow. Something was going on above him, in the realm of the spiritual world, God and Satan had a conversation about Job. God bragged on Job and Satan said, “Yeah, he is a good man but is he good for nothing? You have blessed him and even put a hedge around him. No wonder he fears you?” So, the LORD gave Satan permission to put Job’s faith to the test. This test has two phases but ultimately, the devil takes everything but Job’s life. Job lost all his wealth and health. He even suffered the loss of family and friends. Job was all alone in his misery. No one sympathized. No one understood. Those who did approach him cast blame upon him. We do not know the time frame or how long Job suffered but in all his suffering he refused to curse God. Although heaven went silent on Job and he had no clue as to why all this was happening, he refused to curse God; his integrity remained in tack.

Job’s experience raises a lot of questions: for one, why do you and I serve God? Why do you attend worship faithfully? Why do you tithe? Reminds me of the pastor who had a 13 week stewardship campaign and he brought in the best preacher he could find to preach the final message at the stewardship banquet. The preacher got up and said, “If you give 10% to God, you will have 10% less. If you are giving to get, if you are giving to be blessed, your motives are selfish and vain.” Needless to say, the pastor was upset with his guest speaker. Yet the preacher told the truth; there is a higher motive for giving. What about giving like Job. Job said, “God may kill me but I will serve until He does.”  We should resolve to give because Christ commands it and we love Christ. Our resolve must be like Job’s, “Even if He doesn’t bless me, I am going to give anyway because I love Jesus and He gave His all for me.”

When a young man falls in love with a young woman, he will take delight in giving to his love. He will give more than he can afford. He will be excited about the gifts he gives and if she is pleased, he will be pleased. He will find delight in her pleasure, and you will not stop him from giving to the one he loves. True love gives: FOR GOD SO LOVED THE WORLD THAT HE GAVE. We don’t have a financial problem. In some cases. it may not be a faith problem: our problem may be a lack of love for Jesus.

Extra

I think Gregg and Traci got to come home yesterday evening. What about that cloud cover yesterday and the lower temps: PTL! Attended Polly James COLS yesterday. Bro Harold Thompson, our neighbor, did the message. It was a good service. One of Jill’s daughters also spoke. It wasn’t Kaitlyn. I spoke to her after the service. She is a sweet girl, and I can understand how God can use her. Thank God for all the young people He is calling into Missions.

Headed to Athens today for the COLS of my cousin. This will make three days in a row that I have attended a COLS. We probably got less than an inch, but I thank God for what we got. I will have to mow the yard this week, but I don’t mind. It is a good thing I don’t farm for a living because my garden is a dismal failure. We are getting some hickory cane corn and okra. Hopefully the peas will make but my tomatoes were horrible. I have lots of tomatoes, but they are tiny.

Hope you have a great day and school teachers, you have my sympathy. The summer didn’t last long for you did it! They have desecrated my birthday by making the kids go back to school next Monday.

Thanks for reading the blog.