Lifes Ups And Downs

Lifes Ups And DownsMaking Sense Of Lifes Ups And Downs(4) What To Do When You Run Out Of AnswersThere ar some very deep questions we often wrestle with.Like, when cheese gets its picture taken, what does it say? You must get down wrestled with that problem from time to time.Or, how can you tell when stinging cream goes bad? That could keep you awake at nightAnd then thithers the question what hair colour do they put on the drivers licenses of bald men? Difficult isnt it?And mavin other Im sure you must have struggled with for years is this if exactlytered bread constantly lands on the butter-side down and a cat always lands on its feet, what happens if you strap buttered bread to a cats back? at ace time, of course these kind of questions ar not worth attend toing. Its yet a bit of fun. However, there are honest questions we certainly wrestle with. We long to make sense of lifes ups and downs.GNBYou are listening to Word Alive. Thanks for joining us at p envy. My name is Brenda Critchley and Dr Derek Stringer is our Bible Teacher.The current serial publication on Word Alive is based on furrow. Derek has been looking at three key truths from this set aside which can help us in our struggles and problems.DSAnd today we look at the fourth part.Because transmission line, kept removeing deity, Lord, why am I suffering?GNBWe have are making this serial of 4 messages available on CD. Its fast becoming our most popular series. Ill give you details at the end of the programme.Todays message is based on avocation 40 to 42 and Derek gives this the title, What To Do When You Run Out Of Answers.Ill chip in with a scripture here and there. But, heres Derek.DSThanks again Brenda.Now, for most of the book beau ideal was silent. mulls wife wasnt silent. Why dont you just give up on God. He hasnt helped you any. Just curse him and die.Once Jobs three patrons got round to talking they real couldnt stomach that Job wouldnt accept that they were right and th at he was wrong. He must have done some amour re bothy bad to be suffering as he was.A young man listening to the debate is Elihu. He tries hard to say something wise almost Jobs trauma.All this time a storm has been create from raw material and the people take cover and leave Job in only alone.And then in chapter 38, God breaks into the story and speaks to Job out of the storm.He didnt give Job the answers he was seeking. Actually he gives him 187 questions. None of which can he answer. Then in chapter 40, God began Round 2 of questions.Its like a TV Contestant. The test Master says Our categories are earth, stars, light and two new categories Behemoth and Leviathan. Job scored zero in Round 1, lets see how he does in this next round.GNBChapter 40 verse 6, Then the Lord wheel spoke to Job out of the storm Brace yourself like a man I go forth question you, and you shall answer me. Would you discredit my justice? Would you condemn me to justify yourself? Do you have an arm like Gods, and can your voice thunder like His?DSAt this point, God described two monstrous animals, the Behemoth and Leviathan. They are fascinating and mysterious.Skip ahead to Job 42.God has finished speaking and Job responded to Gods questioning.GNBThen calling replied to the Lord I k instantly that you can do all things no plan of yours can be thwarted. You asked, Who is this that obscures My counsel without k directledge? Surely I spoke of things I did not under expect, things too wondrous for me to know. You said, Listen now, and I will speak I will question you, and you shall answer me. My ears had heard of you but now my eyes have seen you. Therefore I despise myself and repent in dust and ashes.DSEverything comes to a climax. God finished questioning Job and waited for his reply. If Job had argued with God and said, This isnt fair. I deserve a breach explanation. Then there would have been no book of Job.Instead Job finally gets it and responds to God in the proper way. If you are suffering and hurting this is the way you need to react. Notice what Job said and did when he ran out of answers.FIRST HE ACKNOWLEDGE GODS untrammelled POWER.God had convinced Job that his power was unlimited. Gods point was driven home by the Behemoth and Leviathan.The New International Version footnote says that the Behemoth is a Hippopotamus and Leviathan is a Crocodile. This are poor guesses. What was Behemoth? I believe it was a Dinosaur we call the Brachiosaurus. The Hebrew word Behemoth simply means commodious creature.Notice the way God described Behemoth in Job 4015,GNBLook at the Behemoth, which I made along with you and which feeds on dirty dog like an Ox. What strength he has in his loins, what power in the muscles of his belly His tail sways like a cedar DSThat rules out a hippo or an elephant GNBThe sinews of his thighs are close-knit. His bones are tubes of bronze, his limbs like rods of iron. He ranks starting line among the works of God DSThat could m ean it was the largest land animal ever created. GNB merely his maker can approach him with his sword. DSThat may be a reference to the fact that Brachiosaurus is now extinct.A Brachiosaurus was one of the largest land animals to walk on earth. Three times the size of the Giraffe. 80 feet long weighing around 88 tons. The largest African Elephant on record is 10 tons.What was Leviathan? I believe it is the sea creature we know as the Kronosaurus.Look at chapter 41 and verse 1, GNBCan you pull in the leviathan with a fishhook or tie down his expectoration with a rope? DSDrop down to verse 7 GNBCan you fill his hide with harpoons or his head with fishing spears? If you lay a hand on him, you will remember the struggle and never do it again Any hope of subduing him is false the mere sight of him is overpowering. No one is fierce enough to rouse him. Who then is able to stand against me? Who has a claim against me that I must pay? Everything under heaven belongs to me. I will not fail to speak of his limbs, his strength and his graceful form. Who can strip off his outer coat? Who would approach him with a bridle? Who dares open the doors of his mouth, annular active with his fearsome teeth? His back has rows of shields tightly sealed together each is so close to the next that no air can pass around between. DSAnd verse 31 gives concluding description of Leviathan, GNBHe makes the depths churn like a boiling caldron and stirs up the sea like a pot of ointment. Behind him he leaves a glistening wake one would think the deep had white hair. Nothing on earth is his equala creature without fear. DSLeviathan is mentioned in Isaiah 271 and Psalm 104 as being a mighty sea creature. Kronosaurus was a sea creature. Head 9 long and razor-sharp teeth 10 long.Sometimes people ask, What about the dinosaurs? Why no mention of them in the Bible? As if this invalidates Scripture. It doesnt. The word Dinosaur was first coined in 1841 by Dr. Richard Owens. So, of course its not mentioned in the Bible.The point of all this about these strange powerful creatures is that its not about Jurassic Park but Jehovahs power. God brought up Behemoth and Leviathan to illustrate His unlimited power to make or do whatever He wants. GNBVerse 11, Who then is able to stand against me? Everything under heaven belongs to me. DSJob got the point because he said, I know you can do all things. Have you come to that point in your life?You may think your situation is impossible but God specialises in the humanly impossible. In the midst of your impossible circumstances remember 5 words Nothing is impossible with GodThe second thing to do when you run out of answers is to ADMIT INABILITY UNDERSTANDING GOD.As Job reviewed all his words he confessed in 423, I spoke things I did not understand, things too wonderful for me to know.Sometimes we want people to think weve got it all together and nothing gets us down. Thats living in unreality and a good reason for never knowing God beca use He only moves in unreality. Starting moving in unreality and we will miss the real God.Theres a Peanuts Cartoon where Lucy is dispensing her psychiatric advice. Life is like a deck soften on a ship. Some people sit looking forward and some people sit looking back. Charlie says, Its all I can do to get mine unfoldedJob was finally admitting to God that he didnt have everything figured out. He had made the critical error of presuming and he was dead wrong.TV Evangelists may tell you about health and wealth if youll just confess your faith, everything should work out fine for you. You know the kind of thing, God loves you and has a wonderful Porsche for your life.Their theology doesnt allow any room for righteous suffering. Those who have walked with God realise that there are things we will never understand.Heres a third thing to do when you havent got the answers.SEEK GODS FACE NOT ANSWERS.Job had run out of answers but has discovered something better. He found God. Verse 5. GNB My ears had heard of You, but now my eyes have seen you. DSAn advert said Youve got questions, weve got answers. Job said, God, youve got questions, but I dont have any answers.People are still seeking to start out answers to the tough questions. Job discovered it is better to seek Gods face than to find answers.In a TV sit-com a son-in-law asks If there is a God, why is this realism messed up? The father-in-law doesnt know how to reply but wont acknowledge that. So he says, Why do I always have to give the answers? tour to his wife he says, You tell him. She says, To make us appreciate heaven better when we get there. Right onLife is full of pain and brokenheartedness so well enjoy heaven so much atomic number 18 you still seeking answers, or are you seeking Gods face?Back in chapter 1 Job offered sacrifices on behalf of his children. He wasnt sure what they were getting up to when they had parties. So, he did some religious things. It may well have been an empty ritual. Now e verything is different.And let me tell you a very important thing to do when you are looking for answers and they wont come.HUMBLE YOURSELF AND REPENT. GNBIn chapter 42 and verse 6 Job says, I despise myself and repent in dust and ashes. DSBefore seeking Gods face be willing to humble yourself and repent.Job wasnt degrading himself when he said, I despise myself. He was simply stating his condition as he stood before a perfect God. Humility is not thinking base of yourself. Its not thinking of yourself at all. When Job saw God, he fell to his face to repent of his sins.What sin had he committed? It wasnt brazen but subtle. Job never cursed God but he was guilty of trying to justify himself. He was guilty of bitterness.The better thing is to do when going by dint of the mill is repent You may say, But I dont know anything that Ive done that I need to repent. Just get on your knees before God and ask Him and see what happens.The question about why good people suffer has been with u s for generations.Imagine a first century news item bang-up evening Im Josephus Jeremias and this is the Fox News sp0onsored by King Herod. We have some breaking news. Governor Pontius Pilate ordered a detachment of Roman soldiers into the Temple today to break up the protests of the Galilean rebels. The rebels refused to leave so swords were drawn, and we have reports that several of the rebels were killed by the sword. Not only were they killed, but their blood was splattered near the communion table of sacrifice. More details at eleven. In another unrelated story, eighteen Jewish braid workers were killed when the stone tower they were building at Siloam collapsed. The names of the deceased person are being withheld pending notification of family members.And now to comment on these two breaking stories is Rabbi Ben Ezra. Rabbi, whats your take on these two tragedies? One a synthetic tragedy, and the other an unfortunate accident? Shalom Josephus. These were not accidents. The t ruth is simple The Galilean rebels got what was coming to them. They were sinners and God was punishing them. The same can be said for the construction workers at the tower. Obviously, they were rotten sinners, too. Thats why God caused the tower to fall and kill them.And now to be fair and balanced, we have a remote hook-up with the roving Galilean teacher, saviour of Nazareth. Jesus, are you there? Josephus Jeremias here with Fox News, what do you have to say about these two terrible tragedies?Do you think that these Galileans were worse sinners than all the other Galileans because they suffered this way? I tell you, no But unless you repent, you too will all perish. Or those eighteen who died when the tower in Siloam fell on them-do you think they were more guilty than all the others living in Jerusalem? I tell you, no But unless you repent, you too will all perish.Jesus stressed that it is futile to try to figure out WHY bad things happen to people. He moved the issue beyond wh y and focused on WHAT every one of us must do Repent The word repent means a interpolate of mind that leads to a change of behaviour.In order to become a Christian you must repent of your sins instead of thinking your sins are just minor flaws that everybody does, you must change your mind about them. You must repent and realise every sin is like spitting in the face of God every sin is like pounding the nails into the inning of Jesus. Thats what it means to repent-change your mind, then change your conduct.Even after you become a Christian, you must keep on repenting. Whenever you find your thinking and Gods thinking dont match, its time to change your mind again. What did Job repent of?He repented of the way he had been thinking about God. He had made the mistake of thinking God was mean, vicious, and cruel. He treasured to argue his case before God. But once Job heard Gods voice, and saw His face, Job realised his thinking was all wrong. He changed his mind about himself and a bout God.So if you are suffering and struggling, do what Job did. Humble yourself and repent-even if you dont think at this point there is anything in your life that needs repenting. GNBJob didnt get the answers he was looking. He got something much more valuable. DSYes, he came to know God on a personal level. And so can we.WHAT DO YOU DO WHEN YOU RUN OUT OF ANSWERS?You ADMIT there are questions in this life that will never get answered.You can discover something much better than answers.I love the words of this songYou have faced mountains of desperation.You have climbed, you have fought, you have won.But this valley that lies coldly before you,Casts a iniquity you cannot overcome.Just when you thought you had it all together.You knew every verse to get you through.But this time all the sorrow broke more than just your heart.And reciting all those verses just wont do.When answers arent enough, there is Jesus.He is more than just an answer to your prayer.And your heart will find a safe and peaceful refuge.THEN NEXT, JOB discover INTERCESSION.God instructed his friends to go to him for prayer. This was Jobs final test. Would Job vent his hostility and resentment? Pray for you after what youve said? No way GNBBut his three friend did ask home to pray for them. DSYes, and Job prayed and the Lord accepted his prayer. GNBAfter job had prayed for his friends, the Lord made him prosperous again and gave him twice as much as he had before. DSTo me, the most important word is that one, After.When Job prayed for his friends, he was still in agony. It was only after he prayed that God released him from his suffering. You are enslaved until you can pray for those who have hurt you.The moment I start hating a man, I become his slave. I cant even do my work anymore because he even controls my thoughts. The man I hate hounds me. I cannot escape his tyrannical grasp on my mind. The person I resent may be miles from my bedroom, but more cruel than any slave driver, he whips my thoughts into such a frenzy that even my inner spring mattress becomes a rack of torture.Someone has hurt you. Are you harbouring resentment? Are you let it make you bitter? Are you looking for revenge? Do yourself a opt start praying for them. You will find it so releasing.Youll also find one more great discovery.JOB DISCOVERS RESTORATION.God gave Job back more than he ever had before. GNBVerse 11 All his brothers and sisters and everyone who had known him before came and ate with him in his house. They comforted and consoled him over all the trouble the Lord had brought upon him, and each one gave him a piece of silver and a gold ring. The Lord blessed the later part of Jobs life more than the first. He had fourteen thousand sheep, six-spot thousand camels, a thousand yoke of oxen and a thousand donkeys. And he also had seven sons and three daughters. The first daughter he named Jemimah, DS(her name means dove.) GNBThe second keziah, DS(which means cinnamon) GNBand the third keren-happuch DS(which means dark-eyes) GNBnowhere in all the land were found women as beautiful as jobs daughters, and their father granted them an inheritance along with their brothers. After this, job lived a hundred and forty years he saw his children and their children to the fourth generation. And so he died, old and full of years. DSGod doubled Jobs wealth. He had exactly twice what he had before. Jobs brothers and sisters helped him with venture capital.And God doubled Jobs children. He had 7 son and 3 daughters before his troubles and another 7 sons and 3 daughters after. But he hadnt lost the first ten. They were safely home in heaven.A man who buried a child said I have two teenagers on earth and one child in heaven. Frankly, I deal sometimes about the two kids on earth, but I never worry about the one in heaven.God added life to Jobs years. People are looking for special diets, exercise, and medicine to extend their lives. Far better than adding years to your life is t o add life to your years. Getting older we understand the great hand is relationships. You want to know how rich you are? Look at what friends you have. God always saves the best for lastThe last word about Job is in the letter of James.GNBYou have heard of Jobs perseverance and have seen what the Lord finally brought about. DSThe best thing about Job is hes become a unhurried man. That quality can really help you to live with depth not just in length.Do you know the first public miracle of Jesus? Its when He turned water into wine at a wedding. A young couple were in trouble and he helped them out by bringing the best on last. Thats the difference between Christianity and other philosophies of life. For us the best is always yet to be.Job is an object lesson for God bringing the best on last.Are you living with some unanswered questions? Would you like to make some great discoveries? Did you notice that what Job did triggered his discoveries?When he repented, God vindicated him. When he prayed for his tormentors God rewarded him. Is there something you need to repent of today? Are there people you need to pray for and forgive?God is waiting to prove himself strong on your behalf.Wouldnt it have been sad if the book of Job ended with chapter 41? A man unable to answer the questions. Still in trauma, still battling with his pain. Job didnt quit he persevered. And in chapter 42 he was rewarded for his faithfulness. Right now, you may be in Job 41. Dont quit Dont give up on God He always saves the best for last GNBDerek Stringer has been teaching from the Book of Job. This is a series of 4 messages. You can have then on CD, just ask is for details. We will drive free transcript to an telecommunicate address.Word Alive is produced by Good News Broadcasting Association.You can email us through the web situate on www.gnba.netThats gnba.netTheres a FREE PHONE number here in the UK.We really do love to hear from you, its such an encouragement. Just pick up the ph one and leave us a message if you are calling outside office hours.That FREE PHONE number is 08,000 92 78 92.Thats 08,000 92 78 92.This is Word Alive produced by the Good News Broadcasting Association. Im Brenda Critchley with our Bible Teacher Dr Derek Stringer. DSWere back with a brand new series next time. I hope that you will plan to join us then. Meanwhile do contact us. GNB08,000 92 78 92 or email us through the web on www.gnba.net DSGood-bye for now and God bless and keep you.