The Living Word-- JOB

Job  IS-- A well known story by many... it is Arguably the oldest book in the bible...A book that is meant to address the heart of man, a book that deals with the VERY first question MOST new Christians have when they find God (which would make sense why it could be the oldest book in the bible--but that's my opinion).. and that question is:

 WHY DOES GOD ALLOW SUFFERING? or even WHAT IS SUFFERING?

I think this can be soon answered, but first we must look at the difference between punishment, discipline and consequences.

Punishment is a penalty for an offense.
Discipline is training people to OBEY rules sometimes USING punishment to CORRECT.
Consequences are the effect, result or outcome of SOMETHING that happened earlier.

Now realize that in consequences-- I didn't say it was a BAD something... it's just a something that causes a something else to happen!

All of these are things that we can "choose" or "control" in some sense. I'm not saying if we get in trouble with the law, we can control the punishment, but we can choose making a decision that would bring about a punishment--and same with discipline and consequences. We can CHOOSE to do something that then can either benefit or hurt us.

SUFFERING however-- we don't choose to suffer, and suffering is NOT punishment for a SIN and SUFFERING is not a consequence. SUFFERING occurs regardless of what we do. SUFFERING is a part of the world.

Jobs friends and some of the early disciples say this:

"And his disciples asked him, "Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?" John 9:2

"Remember: who that was innocent ever perished?" Job 4:7

Many believers also believe that sin causes punishment which causes suffering. But it was no ones fault that the man was born blind? He didn't sin to cause his blindness--nor did his parents. So what does this tell us?  There are also innocent people that have less than some wicked people... so what does that tell us?

SUFFERING IS INEVITABLE.... and SUFFERING is not OUR FAULT.

GOD doesn't cause suffering... IT happens because we live in a fallen world where SATAN roams.

The book of Job illustrates the power of SATAN. It shows SATAN as "Mighty". But GOD as ALMIGHTY.

It shows that Satan must ASK for permission from GOD and GOD allowed Satan to test Job to show US that we don't come to GOD just for benefits, we come to him out of LOVE and FAITH!

What's crazy about this story is how it seems so simple--but the more you read it--the more it lives and shows you new things--hidden things.

As I read, I realized that Job was looking for Vindication. He wanted to prove his innocence. All his friends told him that He must have done something to cause what happened to him... (I'm not saying he wasn't righteous and that he didn't defend GOD... for just as GOD said--he remained faithful)

"Please turn: let no injustice be done, Turn now; My VINDICATION is at stake." Job 6:29

God describes JOB as this:  BLAMELESS, UPRIGHT, FEARS GOD, and TURNS from evil.

So what could GOD possibly be trying to show JOB?   Well, that's what Job asks too! He knows he's innocent... But JOB tells GOD he's innocent! Isn't that for GOD to tell JOB? Who's the Judge?

The thing that got me is that Job knew that GOD gave him such an honor and Job knew that he had done nothing to deserve what happened... and I believe --this is my opinion again--  that it got to Jobs head....

"Because he was righteous in his own eyes." Job 32:1

A man, who seemingly had no flaws, and who never turned his trust from God.... had a hidden sin... of being self righteous.

" I heard of you, but now my eyes see you; therefore I despise myself, and repent in dust and ashes." Job 42:5-6

After Job confessed this to the LORD and repented-- the LORD restored him!!!
Job had to SEE GOD, to SEE himself.

What I am getting at is this:

*EVERYONE suffers--even those who are "innocent"

* SUFFERING is not caused by SIN ( EX. your friend, grandma, brother, aunt, did not die because u disobeyed your parents)

*EVEN whom we think are the most biblical sound persons had GROWTH in times of suffering.

AND

*GOD never stops TEACHING

Fictitious Living

Ordained Circumstances condition my fate
Desperate for a mediator before I enervate
Suitable moments abound that I can't control
Pursuit of a satisfying existence *tugs at my soul
The continuum of experience fails to make me whole
Trying to gain a sense of worth
But by my unrighteous birth
In an embellished existence.... I can only acquire
What leads me to fire.

You Complete Me.

 Where did we Get this Phrase "You Complete Me?" Who is it that we think of when we hear it?

Do we think of a Man/Woman that we are in Love with? OR do we think of a Friend/Family Member that we couldn't live without? 

In Movies, "You Complete Me" has been used to say that there is a PERSON who can complete us... That we can't live without this person because we won't be completed! ..... But what IS completion?

Webster describes Completion as "The state of being Finished."  Do we believe that we can be "finished" when we find "The right person" ??

..And the two shall become one flesh. So they are no longer two, but one." Mark 10:8  

    Is this where we base our image of Completion from? ...The bible does say that a husband and wife will become one flesh. The two pieces will come Together so they are no longer two...but 1 Individual.  They are mirror images of each other.... But are they complete... Are they Finished?

Let's say there are two pieces of paper that need to be attached to each other. If we lay those pieces of paper on top of each other, as soon as we pick them up they will fall apart... So simply PLACING them together just isn't going to cut it. IF they are to be together, they need glue... Glue to hold them tight.  

  With that said--- Here's the kicker--we may see that a husband and Wife are one flesh--But what we don't see in the glimpse of Mark 10:8 is WHY and HOW that's even possible.

   Therefore, what God has Joined together, let Man not separate. Matthew 19:6

   Now this... Makes Sense. We are not completed, but we are joined! We are not "finished", Marriage is the Beginning!

      GOD has a GOAL for couples and Marriages. HE did not design people or marriage as a place where we can get all of our needs met... and isn't that what people say when speaking of completion?  That all needs have been met??!   There is only 1 way that we can be completed--and this kind of completion doesn't mean fleshed-out....it means everlasting-- it means accomplished.


.... being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to COMPLETION until the day of Christ Jesus. Philippians 1:6

    In this, we can be secure! Jesus Christ is the ONLY one that can bring us to completion. 


 After all, when he died on the Cross didn't he say "It is Finished?"