I STILL BELIEVE
Standalone • Sermon • Submitted
0 ratings
· 928 viewsCan you look at all that has happened in your life and say, “I still believe?”
Notes
Transcript
Intro:
"I'm a bricklayer by trade, and on the date of the accident I was working alone on the roof of a new six-story building. When I completed my work, I discovered that I had a sizable pile of bricks left over, and rather than carry the bricks down by hand, I decided to lower them in a barrel using a pulley that was attached to the edge of the roof on one side of the building. After securing the rope at ground level, I went back up to the roof, swung the barrel out, and loaded the bricks into the barrel. I then went to the ground and untied the rope, holding it tightly to ensure slow descent of the bricks.
You will notice I stated in block number 2 of the accident report form that I weigh 150 pounds. The bricks, I was soon to discover, weighed slightly more than 500 pounds. My weight was not enough to keep me down. Because of my surprise at being jerked off the ground by the weight of the bricks, I lost my presence of mind and forgot to let go of the rope. Needless to say, I proceeded up the side of the building at a rather rapid rate of speed. In the vicinity of the third floor I met the barrel on its way up.
This accounts for my broken ankle and lacerations along the left side of my body. This encounter with the barrel slowed me down enough to minimize my injuries when I landed on the pile of bricks on the ground. I'm sorry to report that as I laid on my back looking at the empty barrel six stories above me, I again lost my presence of mind and let go of the rope. The empty barrel weighed more than the rope, so it came zooming back down. This explains my broken right arm.")
Ever had a day like this? Most of us have never had that happen to us, who among us hasn’t passed through difficult times?
Now, here is the bottom line, if we are going to be the people that God wants us to be, we must learn how to handle life’s valleys, trials, and problems.
The book of Job has something to say about handling the difficult situations of life.
The lessons taught in this book can give us the faith to echo the words of Job,
15 Though He slay me, yet will I trust Him. Even so, I will defend my own ways before Him.
I want us to learn these lessons today so that when we face the difficult times of life, we can look confidently and lovingly into the face of our Heavenly Father and declare, “I still believe!”
“Though He slay me, yet will I trust in Him.” I want us to learn these lessons today so that when we face the difficult times of life, we can look confidently and lovingly into the face of our Heavenly Father and declare, “I still believe!”
1. JOB’S TROUBLES
1. JOB’S TROUBLES
A. Job lost much: Family, Fortune, Fitness, Friends
B. Ill. Our Troubles -
7 Yet man is born to trouble, As the sparks fly upward.
; ; , ; . None of us get out of here untouched and unscathed by trouble.
1 “Man who is born of woman Is of few days and full of trouble.
; , ; . None of us get out of here untouched and unscathed by trouble.
23 For all his days are sorrowful, and his work burdensome; even in the night his heart takes no rest. This also is vanity.
17 Therefore, I hated life because the work that was done under the sun was distressing to me. For everything is futile and a pursuit of the wind.
33 These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.”
, ; . None of us get out of here untouched and unscathed by trouble.
. None of us get out of here untouched and unscathed by trouble.
None of us get out of here untouched and unscathed by trouble.
C. Troubles will do one of two things in your life:
1. They Can Drive you to God – If you understand that the Lord is in control of all of life
6 One day the sons of God came to present themselves before the Lord, and Satan also came with them. 7 The Lord asked Satan, “Where have you come from?” “From roaming through the earth,” Satan answered him, “and walking around on it.” 8 Then the Lord said to Satan, “Have you considered my servant Job? No one else on earth is like him, a man of perfect integrity, who fears God and turns away from evil.” 9 Satan answered the Lord, “Does Job fear God for nothing? 10 Haven’t you placed a hedge around him, his household, and everything he owns? You have blessed the work of his hands, and his possessions have increased in the land. 11 But stretch out your hand and strike everything he owns, and he will surely curse you to your face.” 12 “Very well,” the Lord told Satan, “everything he owns is in your power. However, do not lay a hand on Job himself.” So Satan left the Lord’s presence.
, then you can rest in the sure knowledge that God is in control of all that comes to pass in life, .
1 Again there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the Lord, and Satan came also among them to present himself before the Lord. 2 And the Lord said to Satan, “From where do you come?” Satan answered the Lord and said, “From going to and fro on the earth, and from walking back and forth on it.” 3 Then the Lord said to Satan, “Have you considered My servant Job, that there is none like him on the earth, a blameless and upright man, one who fears God and shuns evil? And still he holds fast to his integrity, although you incited Me against him, to destroy him without cause.” 4 So Satan answered the Lord and said, “Skin for skin! Yes, all that a man has he will give for his life. 5 But stretch out Your hand now, and touch his bone and his flesh, and he will surely curse You to Your face!” 6 And the Lord said to Satan, “Behold, he is in your hand, but spare his life.”
, then you can rest in the sure knowledge that God is in control of all that comes to pass in life, .
then you can rest in the sure knowledge that God is in control of all that comes to pass in life, .
2. They Can Drive you away from God -
(Ill. Our troubles will either make us or break us.)
2. JOB’S TEMPTATIONS
2. JOB’S TEMPTATIONS
(Ill. When these events occurred in Job’s life, he was faced with certain temptations. These are the same temptations we all face when trouble haunts us.)
A. He Could Have Blamed God
A. He Could Have Blamed God
11 But now, stretch out Your hand and touch all that he has, and he will surely curse You to Your face!”
; ; On Self - , his friends said it was his fault!)
5 But stretch out Your hand now, and touch his bone and his flesh, and he will surely curse You to Your face!”
job ; On Self - , his friends said it was his fault!)
B. He Could Have Blamed Self
B. He Could Have Blamed Self
1 Then Bildad the Shuhite answered and said: 2 “How long will you speak these things, And the words of your mouth be like a strong wind? 3 Does God subvert judgment? Or does the Almighty pervert justice? 4 If your sons have sinned against Him, He has cast them away for their transgression. 5 If you would earnestly seek God And make your supplication to the Almighty,
his friends said it was his fault!
(Note: One of the great benefits of suffering is that it reveals the true character of the people around you!
A. 4:3-4 He Flatters Job - Tells him what a blessing he has been, he really butters old Job up.
B. 4:5-11 He Flogs Job - He accuses him of Hypocrisy, v. 5,8; Weakness, 5-6; 10-11; Wickedness, 7-9.
C. 4:12-5:27 He Floors Job - Says that he is Self-righteous, 17; Not accepted by God, 5:1; Simply getting what he deserved, 5:13; Has a bad attitude, 5:17. In 15:2, Eliaphaz goes as far as to call Job and old windbag! There is more, but who needs a friend like that?
2. Bildad - This is the man of The Traditional Explanation.
Ill. Job’s friends. The Bible says that they came to “comfort” him,
A. 8:2 His Attack - He calls Job an old wind bag
11 Now when Job’s three friends heard of all this adversity that had come upon him, each one came from his own place—Eliphaz the Temanite, Bildad the Shuhite, and Zophar the Naamathite. For they had made an appointment together to come and mourn with him, and to comfort him.
B. 8:3-22 His Appeal - Bildad says that all these things happened to Job because he was a bad fellow.
. All they did was level one attack after the other at poor, old Job.
3. Zophar - The man of the Total Estimation - He looks at the situation and simply tells Job that he needs to repent of his sins and get right with God, and then these things wouldn't happen. In fact, he tells Job that Job is getting far less that he deserves, .
All they did was level one attack after the other at poor, old Job.
4. Elihu - The man of Truthful Expression – Elihu is just mad at everybody. He says they are all wrong; . It takes this blabber mouth 5 whole chapters to tell us that God is good, great and fair. Still, he never does do Job any good.
B. He Could Have Become Bitter Toward God – Job could have adopted the attitude of his wife - . (Ill. Many people react with bitterness toward the things God allows in their lives. The deaths of loved ones, illnesses, tragedies, etc., all have the power to create bitterness within our hearts, if we do not maintain the proper perspective. Ill. David’s reaction to the death of his child – ! (Ill. It would do folks well to remember that God’s purpose in trials is not to destroy us, but to perfect us, ; . Just as pressure, heat and time are needed to create a diamond; the same things are needed to produce saints!)
D. Satan will try to sell us down the same road. What will you do? Here’s what Job did!
Satan will try to sell us down the same road. What will you do? Here’s what Job did!
D. Satan will try to sell us down the same road. What will you do? Here’s what Job did!
3. JOB’S TESTIMONY
3. JOB’S TESTIMONY
A. He Worshiped God -
20 Then Job arose, tore his robe, and shaved his head; and he fell to the ground and worshiped.
- Renewed his commitment. (Ill. This is not the reaction most people exhibit.)
Renewed his commitment. (Ill. This is not the reaction most people exhibit.)
B. He Witnessed To God -
21 And he said: “Naked I came from my mother’s womb, And naked shall I return there. The Lord gave, and the Lord has taken away; Blessed be the name of the Lord.”
1:21 - Declared his faith in God. (Ill. God shouldn’t have to please us to get us to serve Him!) (Ill. We love it when the Lord gives. We do not like it when the Lord takes away! But, the same God Who gives is the same God Who can also take things away. Ill. Elijah and his dry brook, 1 Kings 171-7. By the way, sometimes trouble comes because you are in the will of God.
Declared his faith in God.
Ill. God shouldn’t have to please us to get us to serve Him!
We love it when the Lord gives. We do not like it when the Lord takes away!
But, the same God Who gives is the same God Who can also take things away.
By the way, sometimes trouble comes because you are in the will of God.
C. He Didn’t Wrong God -
22 In all this Job did not sin nor charge God with wrong.
; - Didn’t accuse God.
10 But he said to her, “You speak as one of the foolish women speaks. Shall we indeed accept good from God, and shall we not accept adversity?” In all this Job did not sin with his lips.
job - Didn’t accuse God.
Didn’t accuse God.
1. He declared confidence in God purposes
2 “I know that You can do everything, And that no purpose of Yours can be withheld from You.
28 And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.
;
2. He realized his limited perspective
2. He realized his limited perspective -
3 You asked, ‘Who is this who hides counsel without knowledge?’ Therefore I have uttered what I did not understand, Things too wonderful for me, which I did not know.
D. He Waited On God -
D. He Waited On God - 42:5 - He knew that he didn’t understand it all. Therefore, he placed his eyes on God. Ill.
5 “I have heard of You by the hearing of the ear, But now my eye sees You.
He knew that he didn’t understand it all. Therefore, he placed his eyes on God.
1 Therefore, since we also have such a large cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us lay aside every hindrance and the sin that so easily ensnares us. Let us run with endurance the race that lies before us, 2 keeping our eyes on Jesus, the source and perfecter of our faith. For the joy that lay before him, he endured the cross, despising the shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. 3 For consider him who endured such hostility from sinners against himself, so that you won’t grow weary and give up.
Conc: May the Lord help each one of us reach the place that no matter what life throws at us, we can honestly say, “I still believe!”
IV. JOB’S TRIUMPH
A. Job’s Realization - 42:5-6 - That victory lies in God - . Job finally saw that this thing was bigger than Job. It finally dawned on Job that all these things happened not because of his sins, and not because of all the things he was accused of by his friends. He came to understood that all this happened for the glory of God! If we could ever get a handle on that it would help us greatly! All of life is about God getting His glory from us, . (Ill. Job won the victory in 1:21; planted the flag in 13:15; and marched home in glory in 42:6)
B. His Restoration - 42:10b-17 - (Ill. Twice as much!) God can give you better things than those you might have lost, or are worried over losing!
C. His Reflection – 42:14 - We are told that Job and his wife had 10 more children. Three of them were daughters. We are told their names, and the names Job gave to these girls revealed the condition of his heart.
1. Jemima - (Day or dove) - This name indicates that God had given Job day in place of his night and peace in place of his turmoil.
There will be plenty of times when we will not understand. That’s okay!
2. Kezia - (Fragrance) - Indicating that God had replaced Job’s sorrow with the sweet smell of His grace.
3. Keren-Happuch - (Box of eye-paint) - This word was also used to refer to Moses when he came off the mountain with his face aglow with the glory of God. It refers to glory, or brightness. The idea here is that Job is praising God for the fact that God has replaced his wretchedness with glory!
There will be times when we will not know what to do. That is okay as well.
C. When restoration has been achieved, look for a way to praise God for the time you spent in your valley. Thank Him for your Jemima, your Kezia and your Keren-Happuch. Regardless of how dismal and dark the valley, He was always there with you as you traveled through, ; . Trust God and He will allow you to taste the sweetness of victory - .
Conc: May the Lord help each one of us reach the place that no matter what life throws at us, we can honestly say, “I still believe!” There will be plenty of times when we will not understand. That’s okay! There will be times when we will not know what to do. That is okay as well.
But, may we all always know that no matter what happens along life’s pathway, God always has our best interests at heart, and that He will always do the right thing in us, for us and to us!
Can you look at all that has happened in your life and say, “I still believe?”
Can you look at all the things that are going on right now and say, “I still believe?”
God help us to reach that place.
If you need help in this area, please allow Him to help you with that, or any need you may have.