Tag: job

Job’s Failure

On By hawkinsm6In Christian Living, Discipleship, Encouragement, Spiritual, Uncategorized1 Comment

The story of Job (pronounced with an oh sound for those who haven’t heard it), is familiar to many.  The man who was wealthy, then accused by Satan, rebuked by friends and then God, but ultimately restored and honored.

Much of what is written in this book is absolute truth.  Some of it is not.  

Job is joined, after being ruined and covered with boils, by three friends who try to help him by letting him know that if he will repent of his sins, God can restore him.  Job often returns to the idea of God’s goodness, His love for those who follow Him.

But God eventually calls Job out, basically saying, “Who do you think you are?”  And Job apologizes.

The failure that Job experienced, the untruth that he held on to and the false accusations that his friends brought against him all are based on one strong misconception that we see in our own hearts today.

GOD WILL LEAVE YOU!

Job thought that God had come against him, that he was being accused and destroyed by God’s hand and anger.  He wanted the chance to show that he was righteous and that God hated him for no reason.

Job’s friends thought there was a reason.  They thought that God had abandoned him because of sin in Job’s life.  They were absolutely sure that there had to be something that Job did to make God come against him.

Neither of them were correct, and these ideas are wrong still today.

When Adam and Eve fell, God never left them.  Through the time of Noah, God never abandoned His creation.  Though He turned the nation of Israel over to exile and near annihilation.  He never gave up on them.  There was always, and will always be a plan for restoration and healing, even when we have abandoned Him.

Maybe sin, past failures, current confusion have you thinking that God is done with you.  Satan loves for God to look bad, mean, vengeful.  But the truth is that Satan is bad, mean, vengeful, hating and accusing the people of God.

I believe in the inerrancy of scripture.  But, whether through the limitations of our language or the limitations of our perspective, we often misinterpret the word of God to show how He will hurt us if we don’t obey, how He’s just waiting for us to mess up so He can zap us. 

He promises through Jesus that He will never leave us nor forsake us.  That has always been His heart.

ALWAYS!

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Honk, Honk . . .

On By hawkinsm6In Christian Living, Discipleship, EncouragementLeave a comment

Or, toot, toot!

What sound do ships make?  Like when they’re coming in….. like right now.

Good people, Christians are playing the lottery, going to casinos, investing and working so much overtime.  They’re still digging for gold, drilling for oil, waiting for that one big break.  They’re hoping for the raise, the promotion, the private office with the title on the door.

Solomon, the Israelite king, wisest of all kings, would call this “chasing after the wind.”

And it is such pointless effort, when your ship has already come in.

Do you think money will solve your problems?  Of course, all churchy people will say no, but how are we living?  Do you think your job, your portfolio, the car you drive will bring peace, joy, fulfillment?  We all say no, but what are we pouring our lives into?

Jesus Christ, His will, His plan, His life has been and always is the only thing worth my time and effort.  He alone can place me where I need to be to find joy, goodness, love.

And He is already inside of me.  He is already acting on my behalf, fighting for my protection, orchestrating all of heaven and earth to bring me the best of everything!

So what are we waiting for?  What are we longing for?  He is here!  He is ready to bless!

Miracles are about to happen!

No Turning Back

On By hawkinsm6In Christian Living, Discipleship, Encouragement, Spiritual, Uncategorized, Worship3 Comments

“I have decided…”

Today, I have a decision to make. Will I let God be God in my life? Will I see the storm around me and take my eyes off Jesus? Will I trust Him or me? And it is a choice. I can begin my day declaring the faithfulness of my God or worrying about my future. I can look into His word and believe it to be true or I can trust my own faulty intellect and wisdom.

“…to follow Jesus.”

He is the way, the truth and the life. There is no other name that saves us. He is the Alpha and the Omega.

“Though none go with me…”

I can’t trust others to lead the way, though God is faithful to put His soldiers to walk beside me. He will provide teachers to guide me but I must look to Him to complete His work in me. I must see Him and Him alone as the “Author and Finisher of my faith.” And when everyone seems to have abandoned me, a lie that satan has used for a long time, I will trust Jesus to reveal the angels that guard me, the prophets who have not bent their knee to Baal, the Timothy that is still serving at my side.

“The world behind me…”

I don’t come to Jesus empty-handed. I come to Him clutching the pain of my past, the cares of my present, the worries of my future. I come to Him with a mind filled with the enemies lies, a heart broken by the history of man’s bad choices, and my own stupidity. I come to Him and lay all that down. And before Him, I CAN let it go.

“The cross before me.”

Letting go of myself hurts. “Dying to self,” is what the world considers ridiculous. Laying my will down is something my heart rebels against. How will I protect myself? How will I get what I need? How will I have a life worth living?

I have had enough of me, Lord. I have seen the fruit of my efforts, the results of my plans and I am done with it. I want You. I want the power of Your resurrection, the victory of Your crucifixion, Your glory revealed in me.

I want You!

No turning back…