Pastor Richard Waialeale
October 12, 2014 - W1441

 We're in a series titled "Refresh," and today we are going to look into the Old Testament in the book of Job.

 Job is considered by many as one of the oldest books in the Bible, and it deals with the basic question why does evil exist in our lives? Both the righteous and the wicked suffer. How many of you agree that suffering is a part of life?   

 In chapter one in the book of Job it opens with Job being put to the test. Satan asks God permission to test Job.  The testing becomes more severe in chapter two, and then for the rest of the book it talks about Job's response to these temptations, to these trials, and to these tests.  Now, the truth is life is a test.  Life is also about trust.  How we handle the bad stuff is incredibly important.  So too is how we handle the good stuff.

 The book of Job gives us the permission to vent, to cry, to grieve, to get angry, to feel depressed, but we don't stay in that dark place. The book of Job also shows us how to get out of that ugly place, that dark place that sometimes we fall into.  When we read the book of Job, you know, the grief of losing your wealth is no comparison to the agony of losing your children; and then the Bible tells us how Job's health starts to fall apart paralyzing him into helplessness. But here's the key; trust.  Trust because Job hung onto his integrity.  He hung onto his faith in God.  Even Job's closest friends who initially came with good intentions, ended up turning against Job. 

 Listen, the true measure of faith is when you've been tempted with unfaithful business. Indeed, the true measure of faith is when you've been tempted with unfaithfulness.

 In the book of Corinthians it says, “….for we walk by faith not by sight.” Faith is believing in something when common sense says not to.  The true measure of faith is when you've been tempted with unfaithfulness-- when we're faced with testing, with hardship, hard times, and trials. The book of James 5:11 says,                             “Have you not heard of the endurance of Job?”

 Truly, everyone can learn how to move out of these dark ugly places that we fall into by following the principles in the book of Job.

 Now, the life of Job is proof that we usually have no idea what God is doing behind the scenes. We all ask the question “Why do bad things happen to good people?”  Job was a believer.  He knew that God was on the throne and that He was in control.  He never lost faith in God, even though for the life of him he could not figure out why these terrible tragedies were happening in his life.  And that's what we're going to look at today, how to step out from standing in the darkness and get into the light.  We got to get in there because in the darkness, you can't hear God.  When you get into the light, then God can show you.  He can talk to you.

 One of the most overwhelming things about going through a severe trial is the sense of isolation, feeling alone. But know this:

1. GOD KNOWS

   “‘You talk like a foolish woman. Should we accept only good things from the hand of God and never anything bad?’ So in all this, Job said nothing wrong.” (Job 2:10 NLT)

   When we are struck with personal tragedy, criticism, or persecution for our obedience, let me tell you, God knows. Especially when you're criticized for something or something happens and you're just trying to do the right thing, then it feels like you're suffocating. But God knows for He sees everything. 

2. SEEK GROWTH NOT VINDICATION

    “But now I am mocked by people younger than I, by young men whose fathers are

   not worthy to run with my sheepdogs.”(Job 30:1 NLT)

   “If you need wisdom, ask our generous God, and He will give it to you. He will not

   rebuke you for asking.”(Jas. 1:5 NLT)

   The key is seek growth not vindication. See, the faster we can move out of that dark ugly place, that negative thinking, the faster we can hear God's voice. Consequently, read God’s word if you want to get out of that dark ugly place; and no better place to begin than the book of Psalms because it brings healing to the soul. 

3. TRUST IN THE FACE OF ANGUISH

    Job's life has been turned upside down. He lost his wealth, loved ones in a series of calamities, and now his health is gone too. Job was deeply frustrated, and he couldn't make sense of his trials, yet in the depths of perplexity and despair Job makes one of the most amazing, profound declarations of faith in the Bible.

   In Job 13:15 it says, “Though he slay me, yet I will trust him.”

    See, it's relatively easy to trust God when things are going good, but how do you trust him or can you trust Him when things are upside down, inside out? Easy to trust when things are going good, but it's equally as important to trust Him when things are going bad. How do you do that? Go back to Jesus. When things go rough, remember Jesus. He's always there right to the very end. “For I know that my Redeemer lives, and He shall stand at last on the earth... I shall see God, whom I shall see for myself.” (Job 19:25–27 NKJV)

    One of the things Satan never understood about Job was his motive. Satan was convinced that if God removed all the blessings from Job that Job would ridicule, mock, rebuke Him, curse Him, insult Him, but that wasn't true. Job loved God and served Him out of a sincere devotion. He trusted God even when feeling isolated, even when feeling abandoned, even in the face of anguish. So the lesson was his steadfast trust, trusting God in the face of anguish, one of the most important aspects of your character that we can gain when we're in these trials, when we're in these hardships. 

4. GOD WILL ULTIMATELY REWARD BOTH GOOD AND EVIL

    Granted, there are those who make no effort of serving God, yet they seem to be doing well. Moreover it even feels like they're being rewarded. And then there are those who are genuinely trying and they're experiencing difficulties, setbacks. But we have to keep in mind that this life is temporary, and it only looks that way maybe while we're here on this earth.

    So, Job sees all of this happening, and says this about the wicked in Job 21. “Even though their houses are safe from fear, neither is the rod of God upon them. Their bull breeds without failure. The cow calves without miscarriage…For the wicked are reserved for the day of doom. They shall be brought out on the day of wrath.”

   “Now the LORD blessed the latter days of Job more than his beginning...” (Job 42:12)

    God is a God of justice. Ultimately it's in the resurrection that God will reward the righteous and punish the wicked. 

5. WE EMERGE WHEN WE LEARN WHAT GOD IS TEACHING

    It was only when Job started coming to grips with the lesson that God wanted him to learn, he began emerging out of a period of great hardship and trial. Job was starting to transition out, starting to emerge, and the only way we can get out of the darkness ?? we're either going to be bitter or we're going to get better. The bottom line is God wants us to become just like Him. Job was an exemplary man, a very good man, but he did have one flaw early on throughout the entire book. The scripture says the problem was he was righteous in his own eyes and that he justified himself rather than God. But when he starts to emerge and he started to learn a far deeper understanding of the all mighty God, he started to have a deeper understanding about himself. Job repents. “…he was righteous in his own eyes … he justified himself rather than God.” (Job 32:1–2)

    In Job 42:6 it says, “I take back everything I said, and I sit in dust and ashes and I show my repentance.”

    And then here's the turning point in Job's emergence. After Job had prayed for his friends, boom, right there, that's the emergence, praying for your friends, even though all four of them turned against him?? he starts praying for them. “After Job had prayed for his friends, the Lord made him prosperous again and gave him twice as much as he had before.” (Job 42:10 NIV) Job came to really know God. He really came to know God deeply. He became far more humble, far more compassionate as a result of everything that he went through.

    Now, learning these lessons from Job is the key to emerging out from the dark ugly side of life and into the bright light of God. Our trials can either make us bitter or it can make us better. Which will yours do for you?

    Questions:

1. Why does evil exist in our lives?

2. How do you trust God when things in your life are turning bad?

3. Why does God ultimately reward both good and evil?

4. Why must we suffer in life?

5. What lessons can we learn from Job?