Thoughts for Life: Job Had No Bible

James H. Cagle: The book of Job is about
a man named Job who goes through great suffering at the hands of Satan.

Job’s already a man of great character when we meet him. He’s been through many trials to have the testimony that "he feared the Lord and eschewed evil."

So trials were nothing new to Job, but the trial we read about is probably the greatest in Job’s life.

The book opens and lists Jobs wealth and spiritual status and Satan accusing Job of being insincere and worshiping God for what he can get from Him.

Satan in his accusation sounds like he knows more about Job than God does, Who is Omniscient.

But God doesn’t argue that point, but puts down His fence of protection around Job, points His finger in Satan’s face, and says, prove it.

Satan immediately takes all of Jobs earthly possessions; including his children. In his deepest, darkest, most painful valley, we see Job at his best and for what he really is.

Job’s trial proved he was sincere in his relationship with God.

Like Job, it’s not on the mountaintop that our sincerity is tested
and we get the real picture of our faith and commitment and consecration, but rather it’s down in the valley where the darkness can be felt, that our true spiritual state is discovered.

At his lowest moment in life, "Job worshiped" God. Then and there Job’s worship was at its purest state.

At this point is where most of us would have thrown in the towel and walked away from God and accused Him of not loving us. We don’t believe a loving Heavenly Father would allow such things to happen to us, even if doing so will be for our ultimate good and His glory.

But one must be mature in their faith, not just religiously inclined to be tested like Job. And that rules out most of us.

The book of Job is the oldest book in the world. There are documents older than Job, but not books.

Job, as well as his friends, had no Bible. They lived during the time of Abraham; long before the Law was given to Moses. Yet they understood more about the attributes of God and of righteousness and wickedness than the average Christian today who has a Bible.

Job understood atonement and redemption and life after death, morality, and charity (1:5; 3:13-19; 18:18-21; 19:25-27; ch.31).

He understood God created this world and that He was Sovereign over all the affairs of man. Job understood sin originated in the heart, and because it was real sin and God saw it, it must be covered with the blood of a sacrifice (1:5; 31:1).

Job had no Scripture to read, study, memorize, meditate on, or promises
to stand on, yet God was real to him.

He had a vibrant relationship with Him because he accepted and acted upon the
limited revelation God gave of Himself in creation, and in his conscience, and in history. What sort of Christians are we today with a much fuller revelation of God than Job had?

Father,
When we think of how it would be without

our Bibles, we need to realize that
in order to relate to You, we'll have to
remember what we've read, and make
every attempt to live it out each day.

Knowing of so many folks losing their lives

because of their faith in You, prepare us

to be ready to do the same, if need be.

Open our eyes to Your supreme authority

over everything in our lives. Help us

become more conscious of Your presence

with us through everything You've created,

as well as the Holy Bible that was given to us.

I ask this in the precious Name of Jesus.

Amen.

Today’s Bible verse: Jer. 10:23 O LORD, I know that the way of man is not in himself: it is not in man that walketh to direct his steps."

Today’s quotes: Chuck Swindoll - “Each day of our lives we make deposits in the memory banks of our children.”

Linda W. Rooks - "A stronghold in a person's life gives Satan
access, and although as Christians we have been delivered
from the power of darkness, we are not necessarily free from
the presence of darkness. Too often we are ignorant of the
disruptive role Satan is playing in the havoc around us. If we
ignore him, we give him free rein." (Taken from her book,
Broken Heart on Hold pg. 134).

Some thoughts today: If someone has believed in the Lord, and has accepted them into their hearts, He will not leave them, no matter what!

- God will not go against someone's will to get His will accomplished, but He will find a way to reach them because of someone's praying for them. Nothing will stop God, as long as they are being prayed for...

- It is God's will for us all to be saved, and that we enjoy Life in His Son, Jesus. Keep praying for Him to move, and He will. He has a plan, and He will be faithful to answer prayers on the behalf of others.

30th- Tuesday’s post: #75 Recognizing the Enemy's Strongholds
C. Peter Wagner
7/2nd- Thursday's post: #76 Remitting Sin
C. Peter Wagner
4th- Saturday's post: Break Through
Lisa Buffaloe
5th- Sunday evening's post: Calming the Storm
Marvin Williams

A popular post: Walking Through Dark Valleys Dr. Charles F. Stanley shares with us today about walking through dark valleys:

"As a teenager, Joseph lost almost
everything. His family, his position as the favored son, his home, and his freedom were abruptly taken from him..."

Second Chances: Job Post by Diana Leah Matthews

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