JOB

It is Friday!  Last night the Lord allowed me to lead two people to Christ.  A grandmother, and a young man who has visited our church.  Another young man was close to getting saved, but didn't.  His grandmother and aunt, used to attend our church a few years ago.  Now they don't attend anywhere.  Their influence could have helped this young man get saved, but when we quit on Church, we forget how many we influence in a negative way.  Keep on keeping on!  I'm in Job, and here are a few thoughts: 1) LOOKING FOR GOD- In Job 23:3 Job says: "Oh that I knew where I might find him!"  He was hurting, and wanted to get in touch with God.  In the next verse he says: "I would order my cause before him, and fill my mouth with arguments."  Job wanted an explanation from God.  He wanted to share with God his take on what was going on in his life.  Earlier in the book Job asks God: "Hast thou eyes of flesh? or seest thou as man seeth?"  Here is the truth.... we don't understand God, because He is GOD!!  His ways are so much higher than our ways that we cannot perceive them.  We must simply TRUST, when we don't understand.  Now for those who would think that strange, we do it in every aspect of life.  You don't have to understand an engine to drive a car; understand brakes before you can stop a car; understand rain before you know to get out of it; etc.  Trust... let us trust God!  We don't have to find Him, He has found us!!  2) JOB'S PROBLEM- Yes, Job was a godly man, but he had a bit of self-righteousness that was His problem.  In Job 27:5,6 he says: "till I die I will not remove mine integrity from me.  My righteousness I hold fast, and will not let it go;"  Before the end of the book, Job says: in Job 42:6: "Wherefore I abhor myself, and repent in dust and ashes."  When God heard this from Job, everything turned around.  Though we may live good Christian lives, we are not perfect and we cannot be as those who would justify themselves by looking at others.  Others are not our guage, our guage is GOD!  He is the one we match up against and because of that fact, we need a Savior.... Jesus Christ!!  His righteousness is what we have with us when we stand before God.... none other is enough!!  Dear friend, we need a humble repentant attitude every day of our lives.... for even when we are doing good, we are saved sinners at best.  Father, forgive our pride, our own self-righteousness, our thinking of ourselves as something good.  We confess that what we are is gravely lacking anything good.  We fall upon thy mercies and rejoice in Thy Salvation. May we ever be mindful that Thou only art worthy and keep our focus on Thee, not on me!  Thank you dear Father... in Jesus name, Amen! Have a blessed day in the LORD!  Pastor Mike Mutchler