"Though he slay me, Yet Will I Trust in Him: but I will maintain mine own ways before him." Verse 15
Lets look in our Bibles and see how God can be trusted. Turn with me to the book of JOB, chapter 13. We will be reading a number of Scriptures, but there is one special, one particular verse that has a tremendous meaning to those who trust God. Job is the book preceding the book of Psalms.
We have all heard or read about the troubles of Job. Job had many troubles and no doubt all of us have had troubles. Sooner or later, every home has trouble. 1) We are just getting into trouble or 2) we are already in trouble. Or 3) we are just getting out of trouble.
Now, here is a thought in my sermon that all of us can relate to. Many times, we are in trouble and we had nothing to do with it. Trouble just found us. Did you know that you could fall into trouble? You did not cause it and you didn’t help bring it on. Some troubles come and here is what happens.
"My brethren, count it all joy when you FALL into divers temptations;" James 1:1
Did you know that Satan will dig a pit for God’s children, cover it and when you fall in it, he will laugh at us? He brings on trouble and then plants all kind of discouragement in our minds. You see friends, Satan will bring on mental worry and he can bring on physical hurt.
Now, that is why we must understand and know for sure that God can be trusted. Job did and so can we. We may not have as much trouble as Job had, but we have the same God, Job had, and faith in God will give us the trust and confidence Job had. We may talk about it, but…
Can God Be Trusted?
Lets go back to Job chapter 1 and verses 1 – 3. Job was a great man – his family, his wealth, and his character. He was outstanding, but the devil hated him. Look on in Job chapter 1 to verses 6-11… "Satan came also among them." You see in this verse that when the angelic host came to worship God, Satan came also. Continue on through verses 7-12 Satan (means adversary – foe) and he is the accuser of the brethren. He will accuse you falsely and then laugh about it. He tells God that "Job serves the Lord BECAUSE and that BECAUSE is the greatness of Job. Because of Job’s family, his wealth and his Godly living and holy character." Friends, lets never love and serve the Lord because of what He has done for us in blessing us with family and material things.
Let’s learn this lesson, we should not love people; nor our own family because of what they do for us. What if they should die or get in a place where they could not give to us and do for us? Let’s just love people period. Lets leave out "THE BECAUSE."
We love God BECAUSE… "We love Him, BECAUSE he first loved us." I John 4:19 and what we give and what we do is because the out pouring of His love and free gift of salvation. Now, that is the place and attitude we find that Job is in. Job’s love for God is stronger than family, friends and possessions. His love is what we call pure love on a solid faith and foundation.
My God, I love Thee, not because
I hope for heaven thereby,
Nor because they who love thee not
Are lost eternally.
Not with the hope of gaining aught,
Not seeking a reward,
But as Thyself hast loved me,
O’ever loving Lord,
Even so, I love thee and will love,
And in thy praise will sing,
Solely because Thou art my God,
And my Eternal King
Author Unknown
There are some people, who say, "that the reason a businessman goes to church is for business reasons: and that some people attend church to show off their clothing, their children or their automobile." Friends, that is the most foolish, the most ridiculous thing a person can utter. That is just out right stupid.
Now lets see THREE QUESTIONS
Remember what Job said to his friends, "Though he slay me, yet will I trust in him: but I will maintain mine own ways before him." Job 13:15
Job had lost his family, his cattle and his sheep. He had lost everything over night. What would happen if you and I lost everything and woke up one morning with nothing, but God, not even a copy of the Bible?
Job has lost his finances, his family, his friends, and his health. Job 1: 13-19 Job’s health… Job 2:4-8. Can you imagine, can you conceive such a thing that has come to Job? How could all this happen to a dear man who is upright and who has respect and high regard for the Lord?
ONE OF JOB’S FRIENDS: "Remember, I pray thee, who ever perished, being innocent? Or where were the righteous cut off?" Job 4:7 His friend was saying, "what have you been doing wrong?"
Some Radio and Television Preachers: I call them the joy preachers. They just preach, "if you will give, you will gain." Friends, that kind of a statement, that theology is out right rank heresy. Job was a great man of God and just look at what happen to him. He only had one thing left, he had his life. He was still breathing, still alive and other than his faith that is all he had. Job had been rich, but he did not brag about what he did have; nor what he does not have. He trusted God.
In the midst of all Job’s troubles, he praises God. Can we do that? Can we trust God to the end?…to the end of everything, our family, our friends, our fortune, our fitness and our faith? Job did! (see Romans 8:26-28) Having faith in God may not always help you get out of trouble, but for sure it will help you endure trouble! And the wheel of providence will turn!
Lets turn to the book of Hebrews, Chapter 11. Look down to verse 32. Then look down to verses 33-40
Job had faith, solid faith in God. What faith does…faith is not always receiving what you desire, but it can be accepting what you get!
WHAT JOB DID! Job 1:20-22
II CAN GOD BE TRUSTED WHEN YOU ARE FORSAKEN BY ALL YOUR FRIENDS?
Lets read Job 19:14 then look with me to Job 19:19 "All my inward friends abhorred me and they whom I loved are turned against me."
Psalm 41:9 "Yea, mine own familiar friend, in whom I trusted, which did eat of my bread, hath lifted up his heel against me."
Psalm 55:12-14 Now, please write all these verses in the margins of your Bible and be sure and look them up and read them slowly. Study as you read. "For it was not an enemy that reproached me; then I could have borne it: Psalm 55:12
You see this was supposed to be a friend of David, but this so called friend turned out to be an enemy. Did you know that the same thing could happen to us? Many times "SO CALLED FRIENDS" will turn against us. That is what happened to Job and here in Psalm 55, it happened to David.
What is our second question? Our first question is, "Can I trust God when I am overwhelmed with suffering?" The second question is, "can I trust God when my friends forsake me?"
Job’s Wife: Job 2:9-10 She was doing the work of the Devil. The Devil had gone through that whole line of conversation. Why don’t you give up and die! Give up your God! Give up your religion! Give up your faith! Give up your life.
THE THIRD QUESTION:
When you are disheartened can you trust God? When it seems that you have lost confidence, can you trust God?
Now, we have read Job chapter one and now we understand the conflict between God and Satan. And we understand that this conflict can be called the Great Controversy between God and the Devil. God allowed Satan to try Job, not to see if Job would fall, but rather for the Devil and the World to see that Job would not fall.
Now, Job did not understand that conflict. He is in absolute darkness. He is trusting God by faith. He is leaving things in the hands of God, who makes no mistake and knows no failure.
Read with me Job 23:1-5 Job is out right admitting that he does not know, he can not understand what is going on.
JOB SEARCHES FOR GOD: Job 23:8-
I’ve been asked, "WHY" many times. I can’t answer! You see "WHY" is God’s question. "HOW" is our question?
Many of God’s great saints have asked, "WHY"
Isaiah 50:10-11 What is the answer? "…let him trust in the name of the Lord, and stay (lean) upon his God."
When all goes wrong, just trust God. Lean upon Him. Lean not on your own understanding; nor should we lean on people. Put your full trust in our God! Read Isaiah 50:7-9
Job 13:15 "Though he slay me, yet will I trust in him: but I will maintain mine own ways before him."
Look with me in Job 38:1-7 Now, in closing lets see three things that God is going to teach Job.
Whether God replaced what we might lose or whether He rekindles our faith and we suffer the loss, we must trust the Lord.
In Job 13:15 "Though he slay me, yet will I trust in him: But I will maintain mine own ways before him."
God’s Promise to ISRAEL: "The Lord will go before you, and the God of Israel will be your rear guard." (Isaiah 52:12) We can take great comfort in knowing that our God will never leave us nor forsake us (Hebrews 13:5)
If we walk with God today, we can be confident about tomorrow.