Some Things to Remember In Hard Times - Pastor Stacey Shiflett

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Some Things to Remember In Hard Times

Job 1, 2

Introduction: We all know godly people – good people – that have had difficult times.

Why? Let’s examine a good man that had every bad thing that can be imagined happen to him.

A. Job’s Testimony

Job was the greatest man in the:

·       Empire – vs. 1 There was a man in the land of Uz, whose name was Job; and that man was perfect and upright,

·       East – vs. 3 ...so that this man was the greatest of all the men of the east.

·       Earth – vs. 8 …that there is none like him in the earth…

One thing we must never forget: no amount of holiness and obedience in our lives will eradicate the curse that is on this earth and on us.

God’s people still have to work by the sweat of their brow.

God’s people still have pain in child-bearing.

God’s people still have to contend with thorns and thistles.

God’s people still have to deal with the devil and the demons of hell.

Living right doesn’t rid us of the simple fact that we will face hard times.

B. Job’s Treasures

·       Seven sons and three daughters – vs. 2

·       Seven thousand sheep

·       Three thousand camels

·       Five hundred yoke of oxen

·       Five hundred she asses

·       A great household

God had blessed Job in unbelievable ways.

No doubt others looked at Job and envied his life.

C. Job’s Troubles

Satan attacked Job in every area of life:

·       Crops – 1:15

·       Caretakers – 1:5

·       Commerce – 1:17

·       Children – 1:18

·       Comforts – 2:7

·       Companion – 2:9

·       Comrades – 2:13

Every one of us has experienced hard times.

There is not one of us that hasn’t dealt with difficulties.

We have all lost family members to unexpected death.

We have all had our share of struggles and adversity.

But I dare say not one of us has ever come close to experiencing what Job faced.

D. Job’s Trust – 1:21

·       His Analysis – Naked came I out of my mother’s womb, and naked shall I return

·       His Attitude – the Lord gave and the Lord hath taken away

·       His Adoration – Blessed be the name of the Lord

·       Fact #1 – Job was a very good man.

·       Fact #2 – Job experienced some very hard times.

·       Fact #3 – In all this Job sinned not, nor charged God foolishly. (Job 1:22)

The word CHARGE here means: to utter or to assign; to bestow or to report

We would say it like this – He didn’t place blame or accuse God foolishly.

FOOLISHLY: empty, folly or unseemly

Job’s trials are an example to us when we go through hard times.

SOME THINGS TO REMEMBER IN HARD TIMES:

I. There are some ASPECTS God doesn’t let us KNOW.

One of the greatest things we cannot forget in hard times in the simple truth – we don’t know it all.

There is no way God is going to bring us in on all the details about what He’s doing.

There were things happening in Job chapter one that Job wouldn’t have been able to comprehend.

If God had told him, it still wouldn’t have made sense.

If God had given him a head’s up, Job still would have not been able to make it make sense.

And if he had known, and he had comprehended, it wouldn’t have eased the pain one bit.

II. There are some ATTRIBUTES God wants us to SHOW.

            A. God wants us to show our LOYALTY to Him.

• Job 1:9 Then Satan answered the LORD, and said, Doth Job fear God for nought?  Hast not thou made an hedge about him, and about his house, and about all that he hath on every side? thou hast blessed the work of his hands, and his substance is increased in the land.  But put forth thine hand now, and touch all that he hath, and he will curse thee to thy face.

The devil accused Job of serving God only because of God’s goodness.

He asked God, “Doth Job fear God for naught?”

It is easy to love God when He’s blessing and everything is perfect.

But what about loving God and being loyal to Him when life throws you a curve?

            B. God wants us to show our FAITH in Him.

• Job 2:9 Then said his wife unto him, Dost thou still retain thine integrity? curse God, and die. But he said unto her, Thou speakest as one of the foolish women speaketh. What? shall we receive good at the hand of God, and shall we not receive evil? In all this did not Job sin with his lips.

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

            C. God wants us to show our DEPENDENCE upon Him.

• Job 5:8 I would seek unto God, and unto God would I commit my cause:

It is very easy in a time of blessing and prosperity to forget just how desperately we need God!

God wanted Job to demonstrate a complete and total dependence upon Him.

Notice God’s emphasis on this in Job 40

• 6 Then answered the LORD unto Job out of the whirlwind, and said,

• 7 Gird up thy loins now like a man: I will demand of thee, and declare thou unto me.

• 8 Wilt thou also disannul my judgment? wilt thou condemn me, that thou mayest be righteous?

• 9 Hast thou an arm like God? or canst thou thunder with a voice like him?

• 10 Deck thyself now with majesty and excellency; and array thyself with glory and beauty.

• 11 Cast abroad the rage of thy wrath: and behold every one that is proud, and abase him.

• 12 Look on every one that is proud, and bring him low; and tread down the wicked in their place.

• 13 Hide them in the dust together; and bind their faces in secret.

• 14 Then will I also confess unto thee that thine own right hand can save thee.

III. There are some AREAS God wants us to GROW.

One of the easiest things to forget it God’s never-ending desire for us to grow.

God’s ultimate desire and purpose for us is to be conformed to the image of His Son.

He will do whatever He thinks is necessary to produce that change in our life.

In the last chapter of Job, Job 42, we find the end results of the hard times.

The hard times in Job’s life produced:

            A. A Realization – vs. 1-3

• 1 Then Job answered the LORD, and said,

• 2 I know that thou canst do every thing, and that no thought can be withholden from thee.

• 3 Who is he that hideth counsel without knowledge? therefore have I uttered that I understood not; things too wonderful for me, which I knew not.

            B. A Revelation – vs. 5

• 4 Hear, I beseech thee, and I will speak: I will demand of thee, and declare thou unto me.

• 5 I have heard of thee by the hearing of the ear: but now mine eye seeth thee.

There are some things about God that we will only learn in hard times.

It doesn’t matter how much you know or think you know, hard times opens our eyes to Him in ways we never would have discovered otherwise.

            C. A Repenting – vs. 6

• 6 Wherefore I abhor myself, and repent in dust and ashes.