Making a Differencewith Pastor Phil Erickson

Jun 10th The Words of My Mouth

Today’s Passage – Job 19 – 21

Second Milers also read –  1 Thessalonians 4 – 2 Thessalonians 2; Psalms 46 – 50; Proverbs 10

Scripture Memory for June – Psalm 139

Listen to this morning’s Scripture song – Psalm 19

“Then Job answered and said, How long will ye vex my soul, and break me in pieces with words?” (Job 19:1 & 2)

You didn’t have to read long this morning to find a great truth from today’s passage.  Job is in the middle of the discourse with his three ‘friends’ who are accusing him of all kinds of wickedness; adding sorrow on top of sorrows.  He is already as low as he can go, but these guys continue to beat him and kick him when he is down; and their weapons are their tongues.

“And the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity: so is the tongue among our members, that it defileth the whole body, and setteth on fire the course of nature; and it is set on fire of hell. … But the tongue can no man tame; it is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison.” (James 3:6, 8 )

“Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers.” (Ephesians 4:29)

The Bible has so much to say about the deadly nature of the tongue. Why are we so quick to run our mouths when God tells us very plainly that we are to be slow to speak. We all could avoid much of our problems with our mouth by simply not saying anything unless it is absolutely necessary, or unless we are sure we are saying something that is edifying.  If we have to speak at all maybe it would be best if we paused and prayed about what would be the best thing to say.

Job’s friends were not helping him at all; they were making him worse. Remember, the purpose for their visit was to ‘comfort’ him.  Maybe they should have just listened to him; even let him vent a little. Maybe, I should try the same thing.  As a pastor I need to learn to listen more; pray before speaking; and, as much as possible, tell people what God said instead of what I think.

Lord, help me not to kill or maim any more people with my tongue.

Jun 8th I Will Trust In Him

Today’s Passage – Job 12 – 14

Second Milers also read –  Philippians 4 – Colossians 1 – 3; Psalms 36 – 40; Proverbs 8

Scripture Memory for June – Psalm 139

Listen to this morning’s Scripture song – Psalm 18:3 & 46

“Though he slay me, yet will I trust in him: but I will maintain mine own ways before him.” (Job 13:15)

In this statement we see Job’s declaration of faith in God.  Though Job certainly has not figured out why God has allowed all of this tragedy to come into his life, he plainly declares here that no matter what God does to him (or allows to be done to him), he will continue to trust Him.  When you and I read this book of the Bible it is easy for us, from the perspective of history, to identify with what Job has stated here.  But think for a minute with me.  If it were you or me going through what Job went through, how would we be feeling about God?  If God were to allow us to lose everything all at once; and then to have excruciating physical pain be placed on top of it all, how would we react?  Could we say, truthfully, “yet will I trust in Him”?

A few years back, I watched a movie/documentary called Amish Grace about the Nickle Mines tragedy in Lancaster, PA a few years ago. The movie recounts the true story of a troubled man who went into an Amish school house, shooting 10 little girls and killing 5 of them.  The amazing thing is that the Amish people chose to trust  God’s wisdom in allowing what happened. Though it was very painful; though it took a little time for all of them to come to this decision: they chose to forgive the man that shot their children.  This was certainly a modern day picture of the what Job went through.  These Amish folks did not understand why God had allowed it to happened, yet they continued to keep their trust in the Lord.

Most of the time I feel that my faith is so weak, I doubt whether it could stand up to such intense suffering.  I guess it will have to be the grace of God that will sustain me through those dark days.  I know that difficult days lie ahead.  I want to prepare for them now by getting so close to God that it will be easier to trust Him when it doesn’t seem like He is even there.

I also wanted to make a comment about the second half of verse 15. Job says that he will maintain [his] ways before him (God). I believe what Job was saying here is that though he was being severely tested by the Lord, he was still going to continue to do what he had always done. In other words, he wasn’t going to quit. He was going to keep on living for the Lord through the difficult trial. I know that when we are going through trials in life it can be very difficult to “maintain” your walk with the Lord; but it is especially important to stay close to God during the tough times. Don’t quit.

Jun 7th The Daysman

Listen to last night’s message from Acts 4 – “Behold Their Threatenings”

Today’s Passage – Job 8 – 11

Second Milers also read – Ephesians 06 – Philippians 1 – 3; Psalms 31 – 35; Proverbs 7

Scripture Memory for June – Psalm 139

Listen to this morning’s Scripture Song – Joshua 1:8

Jun 6th The Chastening of the Almighty

Today’s Passage – Job 5 – 7

Second Milers also read –  Ephesians 2 – 5; Psalms 26 – 30; Proverbs 6

“Behold, happy is the man whom God correcteth: therefore despise not thou the chastening of the Almighty:” – (Job 5:17)

As we read the Book of Job, we will see that although Job has been put through a severe trial through no fault of his own, but he has a difficult time convincing his friends of his innocence. The more he defends himself, the more his friends are convinced that he must be guilty. I am reminded of the verse in the New Testament where Jesus admonishes us to “judge not”. Job’s friends certainly did not see the entire picture, yet they made assumptions based on the false notion that all trials are somehow caused by sin. On the other hand, Job went a little overboard in declaring his innocence. Is anyone truly innocent? Aren’t we all sinners that are deserving of judgment. The bottom line is that whatever God allows to take place in our life is better than what we truly deserve. We have no right to gripe about what God allows to come our way.

In the middle of this conversation,one of Job’s friends makes a marvelous statement, that I believe is supported by the teaching of Scripture. He says that we are to actually embrace the correction of the Lord. Now nobody enjoys correction, but we must understand that when God corrects us, He has nothing but our best interests in mind. He loves us with a perfect love, that far surpasses any love that any human parent can have for a child.

There have been many times in my life that I have experienced God’s “woodshed”; but I have learned that though the experience is not pleasant, it will make me a better child. I have learned to run to the Corrector, rather than away from Him. I will always be human, and I will always be in need of correction. It is kind of arrogant on our part to think that we are somehow beyond or above the correction of the Lord. Besides, correction is a great proof that we are His children. He only corrects us because He loves us.

“And ye have forgotten the exhortation which speaketh unto you as unto children, My son, despise not thou the chastening of the Lord, nor faint when thou art rebuked of him: For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth. If ye endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with sons; for what son is he whom the father chasteneth not? But if ye be without chastisement, whereof all are partakers, then are ye bastards, and not sons.” – (Hebrews 12:5-8)

One more thought from this passage – notice verse 9 of chapter 6:

“Even that it would please God to destroy me; that he would let loose his hand, and cut me off!” – (Job 6:9)

Job wanted God to end his life. Whenever a person is this low, they simply can not logic their way through their trial. Job didn’t understand why he was going through what he was going through, and he couldn’t see any light at the end of the tunnel. Had God told him ahead of time why He was putting Job through this trial, and had God shared with Job what the final outcome would be, I am sure Job could have endured without much complaint; but Job just could not see clearly what was going on. We need to remember when times like this come into our lives, that we are in the hands of a loving God who is not hurting us, but helping us; and, in His time, He will deliver us.

Jun 5th Lessons from The Book of Job

Today’s Passage – Job 1 – 4

Second Milers also read – Galatians 4 – 6, Ephesians 1; Psalm 21 – 25; Proverbs 5

Scripture Memory for June – Psalm 139

Listen to this morning’s Scripture song – 1 John 4:7 & 8

Read an older post from today’s passage – “The Road May Be Long”

“Then Job arose, and rent his mantle, and shaved his head, and fell down upon the ground, and worshipped, And said, Naked came I out of my mother’s womb, and naked shall I return thither: the LORD gave, and the LORD hath taken away; blessed be the name of the LORD. In all this Job sinned not, nor charged God foolishly.” – (Job 1:20-22)

Job is an amazing passage of Scripture.  It helps us understand a side of suffering that perhaps we would not be able to figure out without it.  Job is a man that suffered tremendously at the hand of Satan, and with the permission of God.  However, the curious part about Job’s suffering was the fact that he did not do anything to cause it.  In other words, the suffering was not brought on as a result of his sin or as some type of a judgment from God.  On the contrary, Job was put through the fire because he was a righteous man.  He was a man that “feared God and eschewed (put away; kept it far from him) evil”.  We like to think that if someone lives a life like Job lived that his life will be free from problems; however, this is not the case.

From this passage, we can learn some things about the Christian life:

1  If you live your life fearing God and eschewing evil, you will have the blessing of God.  When we speak of Job, we always focus on his season of suffering.  However, Job’s life overall was a life that was blessed tremendously by the Lord.  He did, in fact, have that hedge of protection around him and his family  for most of his life.

2  If you live a life like Job lived you will have the attention of God; but Satan will also be personally aware of you.  Satan had, in fact, considered Job.  I don’t know if Satan even knows my name.  I’m sure there are some devils who know me well; but Satan?  Job, who is neither omniscient nor omnipresent, had been paying close attention to Job.

3  Satan, if given the opportunity, will destroy you.  He hates you almost as much as he hates God.  The good news is that Satan is on a leash.  He cannot do what God does not permit him to do.

4  God will only permit Satan to do what you are able to handle.

“There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.” (1 Corinthians 10:13)

5  God will eventually remove the suffering.  He gave back Job double of everything He allowed Satan to take from him.  God even gave him ten more children in addition to the ten that were waiting for him in Heaven.

6. People may not understand what you are going through, or why you are going through it. Job’s wife wanted him to just give up, and Job’s friends accused him of all kinds of bad things, which simply were not true.

Learn these lessons from Job.  When suffering comes your way, don’t think that God is not aware or not even personally involved in it.  Try to learn the lesson that God may be trying to teach you through the suffering and glorify Him in the suffering.  Our God is a loving Heavenly Father who only does what is right.  Trust Him!