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JOB 35
God’s Waiting Room
It is possible to be righteous before God but if you have to say it yourself (to remind them) then you have lost some authority. It is better for you not to proclaim – let God make this statement. We can only say “as far as I know”. Don’t think more highly of self than you should.
Job 35:1-3 (HCSB)
1 Then Elihu continued, saying:
2 Do you think it is just when you say,
"I am righteous before God"?
3 For you ask, "What does it profit You,
and what benefit comes to me, if I do not sin?"
What advantage is there? You can’t force God to do what you want God to do.
It is erroneous to preach “if you do this and this then God has to do this”. It is like Job is saying “why isn’t God coming down and helping me? I have done all I am supposed to do.
When Go withholds healing or blessing we still must ultimately trust Him.
It is erroneous to say that “your faith wasn’t strong enough to bring about the miracle”.
How many people in the New Testament were raised from the dead? How much faith can a dead man have? None
Line yourself up with God – Trust HIM – Watch Him
Job 35:4-6 (HCSB)
4 I will answer you
and your friends with you.
5 Look at the heavens and see;
gaze at the clouds high above you.
6 If you sin, how does it affect God?
If you multiply your transgressions, what does it do to Him?
the universe keeps going – God is grieved by our sin but not stopped – HE is still GOD – still on HIS throne
several years ago, Dr. Adrian Rogers tells of going to bed on the night that Clinton was elected just as low as could be thinking that the world was coming to an end. But, he awoke the next morning and JESUS was still on HIS throne.
Job 35:7 (HCSB)
If you are righteous, what do you give Him,
or what does He receive from your hand?
James 5:15 Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.
Fervent prayer from the righteous will always catch God’s ear (avail); it may or may not move the hand of God.
Who is better at judging a situation to know what is good – you or God?
We can ask amiss, we can ask for things that do not need to happen we should be thankful when HE says “no”.
God does reward prayer and does reward persistent prayer; but no matter how righteous a person is – he cannot force God’s hand.
Luke 11:5-10 And he said unto them, Which of you shall have a friend, and shall go unto him at midnight, and say unto him, Friend, lend me three loaves;
For a friend of mine in his journey is come to me, and I have nothing to set before him?
And he from within shall answer and say, Trouble me not: the door is now shut, and my children are with me in bed; I cannot rise and give thee.
I say unto you, Though he will not rise and give him, because he is his friend, yet because of his importunity he will rise and give him as many as he needeth.
And I say unto you, Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you.
For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened.
Importunity – persistence
Get people to pray with you. God can take care of everything all at one time. When God hears the prayers of HIS people rising in concert it causes HIM to ponder.
Exodus 32:9-14 And the LORD said unto Moses, I have seen this people, and, behold, it is a stiffnecked people:
Now therefore let me alone, that my wrath may wax hot against them, and that I may consume them: and I will make of thee a great nation.
And Moses besought the LORD his God, and said, LORD, why doth thy wrath wax hot against thy people, which thou hast brought forth out of the land of Egypt with great power, and with a mighty hand?
Wherefore should the Egyptians speak, and say, For mischief did he bring them out, to slay them in the mountains, and to consume them from the face of the earth? Turn from thy fierce wrath, and repent of this evil against thy people.
Remember Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, thy servants, to whom thou swarest by thine own self, and saidst unto them, I will multiply your seed as the stars of heaven, and all this land that I have spoken of will I give unto your seed, and they shall inherit it for ever.
And the LORD repented of the evil which he thought to do unto his people.
God repented – relented of what HE thought;
God can be persuaded and moved BUT HE CANNOT BE FORCED.
Job 35:8-9 (HCSB)
8 Your wickedness [affects] a person like yourself,
and your righteousness [another] human being.
9 People cry out because of severe oppression;
they shout for help from the arm of the mighty.
Prayer verses CRY OUT
Cry Out – desperate times; trouble; oppression; heart broken over a situation
Prayer – Elihu could be saying that the 3 friends had been praying for Job but not crying out.
Job 35:10-14 (HCSB)
10 But no one asks, "Where is God my Maker,
who provides [us] with songs in the night,
11 who gives us more understanding than the animals of the earth
and makes us wiser than the birds of the sky?"
12 There they cry out, but He does not answer,
because of the pride of evil men.
13 Indeed, God does not listen to empty [cries],
and the Almighty does not take note of it—
14 how much less when you complain
that you do not see Him,
[that your] case is before Him
and you are waiting for Him.
It is all in God’s timing.
Verse 10 - Nighttime is always roughest – God gives us songs while we wait and at the most difficult times.
Verse 11 – even though you are not being answered NOW – look at MY creation and see that I AM still in control. At this time in history the creation was the only visible evidence of GOD – we have the Bible and nature to look at as evidence. Seasons cycle; the sun rises and sets; etc.
Verse 12 – evil men cry out but will not get a response because of their pride
Verse 13 – empty cries – empty of faith
Hebrews 11:6 And without faith it is impossible to please God, for whoever would approach him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him.
Compare verse 9 and verse 13 – in faith verses no faith
Verse 14 – your case is before Him and it will be handled in HIS time. “you must wait for HIM”
Remember while you are waiting HE gives songs and things of nature to comfort you. He is in charge even when you don’t see the answer – still trust – HE is still on the throne
Just because HE doesn’t do it now (heal people, change circumstances, etc.) does not mean HE won’t or isn’t taking care of them or it
Job 35:15-16 (HCSB)
15 But now, because God's anger does not punish
and He does not pay attention to transgression,
16 Job opens his mouth in vain
and multiplies words without knowledge.
Verse 15 – they will get theirs; the unjust will only prosper for a season
Verse 16 – without faith your words are empty; open your mouth an expose your ignorance
We cannot force the hand of God on any matter. We can ask and He can be persuaded but never forced.
It is God’s timing, not ours.
WAIT upon the LORD
Be PATIENT
TRUST in HIM
Over half of your life will be spent in God’s waiting room.
We wait and He works in our life and in the lives of those we pray for – we don’t see the working but we trust and we know He is at work.
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Posted by sonyalambert on 2008-03-05 10:06:03 | Rating: | Views: 77
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