Encouragement

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Has the heat been turned up in your life lately? Are you under an unexpected pressure or burden that you could not have foreseen? Have you been honoring God in all you do and still find that there is no apparent light to be seen at the end of this seasonal trial?

Consider God’s servant Job. He was minding his own business and serving God. He even made sacrifices for sin on behalf of his own children: incase they may have done something to cause God’s favor not to remain in their household. When we look at the life of Job we see a man of integrity, meekness, holiness, and devotion. We also see a man who has been blessed financially. He wanted for and needed nothing. His heart only longed to do what was right before his God. He was a respected elder in his community. Men sought counsel from him. God said there was no man like him on the face of the earth – blameless.

If you recall, Satan had to ask God for permission to break down the house of Job. He also asked for permission to bring infirmity upon him. Job lost all his children, his livestock and his belongings. We see in the scripture that God allowed Job to be tested in every area of his life except unto death.

Continuing on in Job you will find that friends came by to see him and console him, only to leave him in rebuke. Job during this time remained righteous but still in question of God’s unjust treatment of Him. The plot thickens as God comes to admonish Job. God in all His might came against Job’s thinking that day. God asked him,

“Where were you when I created the heavens and the earth and all that are in them?........ Do you give the strength to the ox that stands in the field? Did you give the horse its mane?
(Job, Chapter 38).” NIV

I read this passage realizing without doubt God could do whatever God pleases to do. He does not have to be just in anything He does. However, God is righteous and He is just. He also reproved Job for saying that He was dealing with him unjustly. When Job realized his fault with words, he repented.

God told Jobs friends that He was angry with them. Their so-called encouragement by rebuking of Job was wrong. He commanded them to bring a sin offering into the presence of Job and offer it there. He also said, “My servant Job will pray for you and I will accept his prayer and not deal with you according to your folly.”

“After Job had prayed for his friends, the Lord made him prosperous again and gave him twice as much as he had before (Job 42:10).” NIV

What I see in Job is a man who was willing to forgive others for their wrongdoing unto him. As he prayed in obedience for his friends, God then restored Him and blessed Him even greater than he was blessed in the past. Job remained acknowledged as a servant of the Most High God. His integrity was kept intact. He was healed and lived a very long and fruitful life. I like to think it is because he prayed for his enemies.

Only a heart that is devout and set apart for God can pray for men who so wickedly had despised him. Only a pure heart of holiness can look past the present affliction and walk in obedience and sin not. This should be a great warning to us all. We must be wise in our counsel. We must not judge another person by what we hear or see in their lives. We cannot see the heart of another soul but God can.

There is an old motto I have used for years regarding situations like this:

“Believe nothing you hear and only half of what you see.”

I have found that if I gauge all unknown uncertainty against this motto, I most likely will not judge or fall into the trap of self - righteousness. I will find myself seeking God instead of man’s opinion. I will seek the truth and not hearsay. A person who walks by hearsay cannot have revelation from God. We must learn to seek God, judge no one and walk in obedience. Most of all we must pray for our enemies. Through those prayers we will be blessed, restored and made right before God.

Without Blame
J.Morin

Lord forgive me when I have failed
To pray for those who harm me
For when I pray, no sin abounds
And blessings will befall me.

May my heart be true and honest,
Loving friend or foe the same
That I might walk in Your wise counsel
So You might find me without blame.

Copyright 2003 Jane E Morin
http://www.passionhouseministries.com

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