Good evening y’all. Happy new year. I’m so excited about 2016 and all God has in store for us. I hope you all had a good break.

Today we start our study on the book of Job. I will be doing a combined study on Job 1 and 2

Be blessed 🙂

As I read through chapter 1, I noticed that the writer spent time explaining to us the kind of man Job was. We were told of his location, his character, his family, his wealth and above all his devotion to God.

Verse 1 in GNT translation  says ……He was a good man, careful not to do anything evil.

This tells me that despite the amount of wealth that Job had, he was still humble before God. He loved God enough to make sure he didn’t do anything evil. He went as far as offering sacrifices on a regular basis on behalf of His kids, just incase they have done anything wrong against God.

I ask myself if I was to be described, will they see me as someone who loves God and passionately shuns evil?

As we start 2016, let’s make a decision to live for God and Him alone. Lets make a decision to seperate ourselves from anything that will seperate us from God.

As we go further in the chapter, we are  presented with a scene in the court of heaven. We are told the sons of God gathered and Satan also turned up.This reminded me that, whenever God’s children gather, Satan also gathers to accuse them. We see this further evidenced in the conversation between Satan and God.

“One day as the angels[d] came to present themselves before the Lord, Satan, the Accuser, came with them.“Where have you come from?” the Lord asked Satan. And Satan replied, “From earth, where I’ve been watching everything that’s going on.” (v6-7 TLB)

If God is all knowing surely He knows what Satan was there to do, so why did God have to ask satan the question? I guess God used that as a bait to boast about Job to Satan.

In verse 8 God boasted about Job. I had to pause and ask myself can God boast about me to the devil? Can God take a risk on me? Will I crack or can God trust that I will be able to handle the trial?

Satans response in verse 9-10 shows what God does for His children who fear Him.

“Why shouldn’t he when you pay him so well?” Satan scoffed. “You have always protected him and his home and his property from all harm. You have prospered everything he does—look how rich he is! No wonder he ‘worships’ you!” (v9-10 TLB)

        – God protects his own. He puts a hedge around us
        – God prospers us and provides for us on all sides .

God agreed to the challenge from the devil. I still wonder why???? I’m guessing it’s because God wants to further proof to Satan that Job is a loyal servant, unlike him who got too big for his own good and had to be demoted. God knew Job would never deny him. Also God never puts more on us than we can bear.

“Then the Lord said to Satan, “Behold, all that Job has is in your power, only do not put your hand on the man himself.” So Satan departed from the presence of the Lord”. (v12 AMP)

This vese 12 makes it clear that God sets the  boundaries even for the enemy. The devil doesn’t have authority or power to do anything to us, unless God permits it and if God permits it, there must be a reason. In Job’s case it was to proof and build up His faith in God. I am so happy the devil is limited in what he can do!!! and that God; The Merciful and Gracious ONE, determines how far he can go. Hallelujah!!!

Fast forward to verse 20- 22, after all the bad news job heard, he fell down and worship God. I’d be very honest here and say I don’t think I can do what Job did. This man despite the pain…decided to praise God. I know it must have been very difficult for him. I strongly believe he wasn’t able to do that in his power. I believe God supplied the grace he needed to be able to praise Him in the midst of that situation. Job understood the sovereignty of God.

“He said, “I came naked from my mother’s womb, and I will be naked when I leave. The Lord gave me what I had, and the Lord has taken it away. Praise the name of the Lord!”  In all of this, Job did not sin by blaming God”.(v21-22 NLT)

In chapter 2, we start with the court room again. Satan tells God the reason job hasn’t denied him yet his because God didn’t allow him tamper with his body. God gave him permission to go ahead.

Boils and sores came upon job yet he still refused to curse God even when his wife told him to curse God and die. I don’t blame her to be honest. She was probably tired and couldn’t understand why God would do this to them. She probably thought to herself this man is better dead than alive the way he is now. And she probably didn’t mean what she said, rather her emotions speaking for her.. In all of this, Job still refused to curse God. He held on to his faith in God.

“His wife said to him, “Are you still trying to maintain your integrity? Curse God and die.” But Job replied, “You talk like a foolish woman. Should we accept only good things from the hand of God and never anything bad?” So in all this, Job said nothing wrong”. (Job 2: 9-10 NLT)

In every trial God’s grace is sufficient for us. No wonder James encourages us to consider it joy when we are faced with trials.

“Dear brothers and sisters,[a] when troubles of any kind come your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy.  For you know that when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow. So let it grow, for when your endurance is fully developed, you will be perfect and complete, needing nothing”.(James 1: 2-4 NLT)

I pray as we journey through 2016, God will supply the grace to stand in the midst of trials and to keep trusting in Him. In Jesus’s Name. Amen

Thanks for joining today. Pls feel free to leave your thoughts on the chapter.

Have a blessed day

Jumbug….XXX

***With God all things are possible***