Party of Five

Job 42:2 - I know that You can do all things, and that no purpose of Yours can be thwarted. There is NOTHING God cannot do, and it is impossible to frustrate God's purposes. God's purpose can't be blocked, restrained, or stopped. God's intentions can neither be altered nor disrupted. What He purposes will transpire without delay, without hindrance, and without fail. This is where my journey with Job comes to an end. Oh, I think God is still teaching me and will continue to do so, but after 4 years, I finally felt "released" from my time spent with Job. There is no explanation for what we went through during that time. For 9 months, we tried to get pregnant only to have it end in a miscarriage...it took us another whole year to get pregnant after that...18 months later, we were pregnant again - and had another miscarriage, and six months down the road, it happened once again. Month after month of fertillity testing resulted in no apparent reason for my body to...

The story of Job ends with his wealth and posterity restored. So then, what is the point of the story? Are the rewards of Job's faithfulness and integrity to be understood in terms of the restoration of his fortunes? Are all things as they were? Not all! The Job of the first chapter was perfect, blessed, and without adversity. But he had never seen the splendor and glory of God. The Job of the last chapter has been sorely afflicted, and those times cannot be forgotten. Job has been deeply wounded. But he has survivied warfare with God; he has seen God. The Spirit of God moves in the lives of believers in a variety of ways. He draws us into God's presence so we may receive the blessings of salvation. He continues to move in our lives, sometimes in a gentle and restful breeze, and at other times like the winds of a great storm that disrupts our lives. The Spirit's work in our lives is to draw us into God's holiness so we may experience his glory. We prefer to experience H...

We never know ahead of time the plans God has for us. It may be a treasured blessing, it could be a test that drops us to our knees. Job 42:3 "You asked, ‘Who is this that questions my wisdom with such ignorance?’ It is I—and I was talking about things I knew nothing about, things far too wonderful for me." God's plans are beyond our understanding and too deep to explain. Perhaps God doesn't explain Himself because knowing and understanding His ways may not help us all that much. Does knowing why really help? Is the pain removed by knowing the cause? When things turn from bad to worse, sound theology helps us to remain strong and stable. Jeremiah 10:23 - " I know, Lord, that our lives are not our own. We are not able to plan our own course." Jeremiah 29:11-14 - "I know what I'm doing. I have it all planned out—plans to take care of you, not abandon you, plans to give you the future you hope for. When you call on me, when you come and pray to me, I...

Job 42:7-8 "It came about after the Lord had spoken these words to Job, that the Lord said to Eliphaz the Temanite, 'My wrath is kindled against you and against your two friends, because you have not spoken of Me what is right as My servant Job has. Now therefore, take for yourselves seven bulls and seven rams, and got to my servant Job, and offer up a burnt offering for yourselves, and My servant Job will pray for you. For I will accept him so that I may not do with you according to your folly, because you have not spoken of Me what is right, as My servant Job has.'" A quick note - You'll see that God gives Job the same title four times: "My servant". What an honorable title! He had it before the suffering began (Job 1:8 - "Have you considered my servant Job?"), and he has it still. Job 42:10 "After Job had interceded for his friends, God restored his fortune - and then doubled it!" AFTER Job prayed for his friends, he prospered. Why...

Job 42:1-6 - Job answered God: "I'm convinced: You can do anything and everything. Nothing and no one can upset your plans. You asked, 'Who is this muddying the water, ignorantly confusing the issue, second-guessing my purposes?' I admit it. I was the one. I babbled on about things far beyond me, made small talk about wonders way over my head. You told me, 'Listen, and let me do the talking. Let me ask the questions. You give the answers.' I admit I once lived by rumors of you; now I have it all firsthand—from my own eyes and ears! I'm sorry—forgive me. I'll never do that again, I promise! I'll never again live on crusts of hearsay, crumbs of rumor." Do you know what Job (and myself) finally realized? It is all about God, not me. God's purpose is unfolding and I cannot hinder it. God's plan is incredible and I will not comprehend it. God's reproof is reliable and I dare not ignore it. God's way is best and I must not resist it....

Job 40:3-5 Job answered: "I'm speechless, in awe--words fail me. I should never have opened my mouth! I've talked too much, way too much. I'm ready to shut up and listen." This is an act of total submission on Job's part, for to yield the tongue is to yield everything. "Be still and know that I am God"( Ps 46:10 ). When we are broken and brought to the end of ourselves, it is not for the purpose of gaining more answers to spout off to others. It's to help us acknowledge that the Lord is God, and His plans and reasons are deeper and higher and broader than we can comprehend, and we are relieved from having to give answers or defend them. If God's ways are higher than mine, then whatever He allows I bow before Him in submission - True Humility. If God is in full control, then however He directs my steps, I follow in obedience. What relief that brings! Finally - I can relax, since I'm not in charge! If God has answers I lack, then whenever...

Job 38:1 - " And now, finally, God answered Job from the eye of a violent storm." All this time, God has been patient with all of these "characters", and then it's almost like He's saying, "Are you finished?" Job has spoken, spoken, and spoken his mind some more. Now it's God's turn to speak His mind. In the midst of Job's lament, the winds began to blow again. It seems that another storm is brewing. The dark thunderheads are low on the horizon, and they are blown quickly across the heavens. In their midst are loud claps of thunder and bright lightening. Then suddenly, "the Lord answered Job out of the whirlwind." A great wind that was first the source of Job's afflictions is now the place from which God speaks. Let Me amaze you, says God, by the complexity and intricacy of it all! From the foundation of the earth (38:4) when the morning stars sang together and all the sons of God in the heavenly court shouted for joy (3...

Along comes a new friend to our setting with Job. Elihu is "full of words", evident by the length of his speech which goes on for SIX CHAPTERS!! Very briefly... He starts in chapter 32 by saying, "I've waited my turn out of respect for you older three. Supposedly older = wiser, right? But now that you're done, I see that's not necessarily the case. But now it's my turn and I've got something to say, and I'm laying it all out on the table for you..." Elihu gets on Job's case about his attitude that's he's been sporting around towards God... Job 33:13 - "So how dare you haul Him into court, and then complain that He won't answer your charges?" Being informed brings a sense of security. It's natural to want to know what's happening in our lives. Job wanted to know what was going on, and why he was suffering. In previous chapters, we sense his frustration, and Elihu claimed to have the answer for Job's bigge...