A Word from THE WORD

Good Morning Happy Church,

Today is Wednesday, May 4^th, 2016. Today is the 125^th Day of 2016.

There are only 241 days left in this year; and, there are only 4 days left until Mother’s Day!

The Added Misery of Foolish Friends

Job 4:1-11
¹ “Then Eliphaz the Temanite answered and said:
² “If one ventures a word with you, will you be impatient? Yet who can keep from speaking?
³ Behold, you have instructed many, and you have strengthened the weak hands.
⁴ Your words have upheld him who was stumbling, and you have made firm the feeble knees.
⁵ But now it has come to you, and you are impatient; it touches you, and you are dismayed.
⁶ Is not your fear of God your confidence, and the integrity of your ways your hope?
⁷ “Remember: who that was innocent ever perished? Or where were the upright cut off?
⁸ As I have seen, those who plow iniquity and sow trouble reap the same.
⁹ By the breath of God they perish, and by the blast of his anger they are consumed.
¹⁰ The roar of the lion, the voice of the fierce lion, the teeth of the young lions are broken.
¹¹ The strong lion perishes for lack of prey, and the cubs of the lioness are scattered.”

Ah, yes. Just what Job needs. Three of his “friends” show up to tell him how to fix his troubles.

Over the following 34 Chapters, three self-appointed theological counselors arrive and immediately diagnose the REASON for Job’s suffering.

According to their theology, Job must be guilty of some great sin and if he will only listen to them; repent; and tell them what he has done to deserve this, God will heal him.

NOTE: Although “Job” is likely the oldest Book in the Bible, the false doctrine “cause and effect” was already around.

We hear it all of the time. “You do this… and God will do that; and, all suffering is the result of sin.”

Sure, sin brought death and suffering into the world, and many times a direct link can be made from sinful behavior to suffering painful consequences, but, one cannot assume that whenever a person is suffering they must be being punished for some sin.

These three “friends” whom Job calls, “miserable comforters” and, “physicians of no value” are early practitioners of this error.

It is heart-breaking to hear gossip and slander going on (especially among those who claim to be Christians) about what must be going on when a believer experiences severe testing and trials.

Here is the deal. We don’t know what God is doing behind the scenes. There are times when we, or others, are doing all we can to live according to God’s commands and trouble still comes.

Let’s be “TRUE” friends to those who are hurting. Let’s love them, pray for them, and support them.

Who knows? If we live that way, others may treat us that way when our trials come.

REMEMBER: As the LORD allows, I will begin a series of 14 lessons this evening at 6:30pm on the subject of “Biblical Eschatology – Tomorrow’s News Today.”

I hope to see you there.

Carpe Diem!