"But as for me, I would seek God, and to God I would commit my cause--- Who does great things, and unsearchable, marvelous things without number." (Job 5:8,9)
This is from, "Eliphaz the Temanite." Who can argue with what he said here? But I give caution: Be very careful when you quote from the Book of Job.
Much of what is recorded in the Book of Job did not receive approval from, "The Word of God," Himself. "The Lord...said to Eliphaz the Temanite, 'I am angry with you and your two friends, because you have not spoken the truth about Me, as my servant Job has.'" Later He says, "....you have not spoken of Me right, as my servant Job." This seems to be akin to the rejection of Balaam, though it is very difficult to find anything which seems to be "out of order" in Balaam's prophetic utterances. Can it be that when "bad" people say "good" things, the bad cancels the good?
This has been major deception for humanity since the beginning. Read the sayings of philosophers and religion-founders over the millennia and you will find much of what man calls "good." The popular attack on Jesus is that so much of what Jesus said others before Him had said. The "good" in the Eyes of the Godhead, however, is primarily defined by the person, not the words.
There was a prominent pastor many years ago of whom many said that when he preached they never witnessed such "anointing." People surrendered their lives to Jesus under his preaching. His local congregation grew to almost 2000. Yet during that whole time, he was involved in extreme illicit behavior.
Beware when everything seems to be so "right." It may be so "wrong." There is a caution here also in regard to persons. This is not to sow suspicion, etc., but it is a caution. There seems to be so much "right" in the words of Job's, "three friends," even in the fourth young know-it-all who spoke after the others were finished. But the only approved one was Job. For me today, there is a reminder, an exhortation and encouragement in reading Job, to, "Pursue...holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord."
The walk of holiness, which is the complete, "set apart," to our Lord Jesus Christ, which was apparently the life style of Job, is as the Bible says, "For our good always."
Father, in Jesus' Name, I long for the same approval which You gave Job. Amen.
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* Conference Prayer Call tonight at 21:00
* My shoulder surgery is scheduled for February 21
When Peter, an 18 year old Norwegian, "heard the call to evangelize China, on that day he not only emptied his wallet into the collection plate, but included a small note with the words, 'and my life.'"
Hebrews 12:2
Hebrews 12:2
