What's Your Excuse?

Inside the city, near the Sheep Gate, was the pool of Bethesda, with five covered porches. Crowds of sick people—blind, lame, or paralyzed—lay on the porches. One of the men lying there had been sick for thirty-eight years. When Jesus saw him and knew he had been ill for a long time, he asked him, “Would you like to get well?”

  “I can’t, sir,” the sick man said, “for I have no one to put me into the pool when the water bubbles up. Someone else always gets there ahead of me.”

Jesus told him, “Stand up, pick up your mat, and walk!”
Instantly, the man was healed! He rolled up his sleeping mat and began walking! But this miracle happened on the Sabbath. 
~John 5:2-7

Excuses!  Boy aren't we good about finding excuses.  Why? Because if we can get people to accept our excuses then we don't think we have to take any personal responsibility....after all, it's not MY fault!

Here we see Jesus in Jerusalem walking by one of the public pools.  Tradition stated that when an angel moved the water, the first person into the pool would be healed.  Jesus saw a man laying on a mat by the pool and asks him if he would like to get well.  The man thought Jesus was just passing the time of day in small talk so he explains that while he would like to be healed, there's a reason why he can't.  Some would wonder, if the man could get to the edge of the pool with no apparent help, why couldn't he roll into the pool on his own.  Such answers we are not given.

You see, the man gave Jesus a plausible excuse why he couldn't get into the pool.  Jesus, on the other hand, saw the man's potential and healed him.  While we celebrate the face that Jesus healed this man, we don't notice the truth of what Jesus did for this man.  In reality, Jesus took away the man's excuses!  When Jesus healed this man, He took away all the excuses why the man couldn't become self-supporting; Jesus took away all excuses why the man needed someone to do everything for him; Jesus took away all the excuses why the man should be pitied.  Jesus takes away our excuses all the time!

Jesus takes away our excuses!  "I'm too tired to make it to church this week" - Go to bed earlier instead of partying all night.  "I don't have enough money in my month" - Get rid of the expenses that aren't vital to survival.  "I hate my job" - Change your attitude or change your job. 

I'll admit, I much prefer to exercise my mind over my body.  My body is built for comfort.  My doctor told me I must walk (quick march) no less than 45 minutes each day.  I gave him all the excuses I could think of why I "couldn't" and the response I got was "You got legs that work?  You can walk!"

Jesus teaches us every single day and in teaching us, He takes away our excuses.  When you stand before God to give account for your life, what excuses will you offer?

God Is How Big?

And we know that God causes everything to work

 together for the good of those who love God and are 

called according to his purpose for them.

~Romans 8:28

 

 

This verse seems to be unclear for many, so let's take a look at it.  How big is God to you?  Is God only God when you think you need Him?  Is God only God when you find yourself on the horns of a dilemma? Is God the one you say "thank you" to at mealtime?  Is God the one you call to when things are not going according to your plan?  Is God surprised by the things we do, think, or say?  Is God ever taken off guard?  Can we hide from God?

 

Let me be blunt...

     * God is the God who spoke the entirety of everything into creation.  

     * God is the God who took dust, shaped it, and breathed life into it and called his breath bag "Adam."  

     * God is the one who told the sea that they can only come so far and no farther.  

     * God is the one who named every single star.  

     * God is the one who knows exactly how many hairs you have.  

     * God is the one who satan has to report to, and God also has set limits on satan (not to mention has already defeated him). 

     * God is the one who knows everything about everything because He made everything.

     * God is the one who tells us not to worry because He has everything under control.

     * God is the one who reminds us to let Him fight our battles for us.

     * God is the one who has never lied.

     * God is the one who cannot be defeated.

     * God is a LOT smarter than we could ever hope to be.

     * God is ALWAYS with us even when we can't see Him because we are focused on our storms.

     * God is the God who takes our screw-ups, mistakes, blunders, and outright defiant rebellion and works it all for OUR good.

     * God is the one who woke you up this morning (and let you see the world around you).

     * God is the one who created all those amazing place we dream about going to relax.

     * God is the one who put the mountains in their place in such a way as to direct the winds.

     * God is also the one who put beaches at the edge of the ocean to draw us there.

     * God is the one who CALLS US BY NAME and loves us more than we will ever understand or appreciate.  He loves us IN SPITE of ourselves.

 

So let me ask you again, "Just how big is YOUR God?"

Ever Feel Overwhelmed?

 "Little children, you are from God and have overcome the world, 

for He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world."

~1 John 4:4

What happens when you have something out of the ordinary happen?  Let's say you are struggling to make it from paycheck to paycheck and one your way to work smoke starts gushing from under the hood of the car.  While you are standing on the side of the road wondering if your day could possibly get any worse, the rain starts and your umbrella is at work.  When you finally manage to get a ride home, you walk in drenched and dripping all over the floor when your child decides this would be the best possible time to start throwing up. You know the day, the one where if you don't drink, you seriously consider taking up drinking as an occupation.

Think about this for a moment:  Our enemy's job is to make us ineffective, since he cannot take God's children from God's hand.  And one of the ways he makes us ineffective is to overwhelm us.  Sun Tzu, who wrote "The Art of War", stated: “The whole secret lies in confusing the enemy, so that he cannot fathom our real intent.”  So you see, if our enemy can overwhelm us, we take our focus off of God, and even doubt God, and we do not even consider the enemy's true intent.

My prayer is that, when (not if) the storms begin to rage, we will learn to cling to the God who speaks the storms into submission and calms the raging seas. 

Castles In The Sand

“Anyone who listens to my teaching and follows it is wise, like a person who builds a house on solid rock. Though the rain comes in torrents and the floodwaters rise and the winds beat against that house, it won’t collapse because it is built on bedrock. But anyone who hears my teaching and doesn’t obey it is foolish, like a person who builds a house on sand. When the rains and floods come and the winds beat against that house, it will collapse with a mighty crash.”

Matthew 7:24-27 

 

If you are old enough to remember a duo called Seals and Croft, you might remember a song they did called "Castles In The Sand."  The part that sticks out for me is the fact that castles built of sand will not stand for long and they won't last, but we build our lives the same way we build sand castles.  Think about it, sand castles can be made very elaborately and they look truly incredible, but one storm and they fall apart.

 

Know any people like that?  On the surface they appear indestructible but in reality, they fall apart.  Our lives tend to reflect how well we have chosen to build them.  If they can weather the storms or whether they turn into a pile of sand depends the foundation we have and how well we have planned and prepared for life.  A castle of stone might look impressive, but if it is built on a swamp, it will crumble pretty quickly.

Choose your foundation with care.  Build your life to withstand the storms.  And you will weather life with confidence!

What Would You Do?

Five different times the Jewish leaders gave me thirty-nine lashes. Three times I was beaten with rods. Once I was stoned. Three times I was shipwrecked. Once I spent a whole night and a day adrift at sea. I have traveled on many long journeys. I have faced danger from rivers and from robbers. I have faced danger from my own people, the Jews, as well as from the Gentiles. I have faced danger in the cities, in the deserts, and on the seas. And I have faced danger from men who claim to be believers but are not. I have worked hard and long, enduring many sleepless nights. I have been hungry and thirsty and have often gone without food. I have shivered in the cold, without enough clothing to keep me warm.

~2Corinthians 11:24-27

 

 

We hear quite a lot, these days, about Critical Incidents and ways to deal with the after-effects.  What is a Critical Incident?  In a nutshell, a Critical Incident is any event that negatively changes your perception and perspective of life.  A Critical Incident for one person might not be for another person.  But it is whatever incident alters your view of "normal."

 

Look at what the Apostle Paul endured:

     1.  Given 39 lashes on 5 occasions by the Jewish Leaders.  You see, 40 lashes was considered fatal, so they stopped at 39 lashes which chewed up the skin on one's back until is looked like it had been butchered.  And Paul got this treatment FIVE times!!  How would you have handled that?

 

     2.  Three times Paul was beaten with rods.  That is rather like being caned in Hong Kong.

 

     3.  Once the people tried to kill Paul by throwing stones on him.  Not gravel, mind you, but bone crushing stones!

 

     4.  THREE times Paul was shipwrecked and once had to spend an entire day and night hanging on to flotsam to survive.  No life preservers.  No inflatable rafts.  Paul was clinging to whatever bits of the ship that were still floating.  Remember, the Mediterranean Sea does have sharks and they do attack.  And here's Paul bobbing along on his bit of wreckage in the middle of this sea.

 

     5.  He took his own life in his hands every time he traveled anywhere.  During this time, there was no Highway Patrol.  If you traveled, you needed to travel in large groups.  Thieves and robbers didn't think twice about killing you just to take your walking stick or sandals.

 

     6. Paul spent many many nights without sleep because he was working.  You see, Paul had to earn his way through the mission fields.  He was a tentmaker by trade which was very tedious and eye straining work.  But Paul worked so he could share the Gospel.  So he worked more than most of us could imagine.

 

     7.  Paul didn't always make enough to pay for his food and clothing on these journeys, so he went without food and wore his rags when necessary.

 

Do you think Paul's experiences qualify as Critical Incidents?  You bet they do!  How did Paul handle these crises?  He talked about it!!  Yes, he wrote about them in his letters, but he TALKED to God about EVERYTHING!  Did God make his life one of ease and comfort after that?  Nope!  God, instead, used these experiences to strengthen Paul.  You see, crises should bring our focus back to God!  And that is a good thing!

 

But guess when the best time to have conversations with God?  Every single day!  Even the days when life seems easy. Especially when life seems easy, because those are the times where we get comfortable and complacent and think WE are in control.  Hmmmm.....

 

If you have faced Critical Incidents or if you had to face a Critical Incident...what would you do? 

No Worry Required!

 Can all your worries add a single moment to your life?

Matthew 6:27 

 

Worry....it is one of the biggest thieves of our lives.  Don't think so?  

• How much time do we waste worrying about what other people think? 
• How much time do we waste worrying about how we look?
• How much time do we waste worrying about how we are going to make it through the month?
• How much time do we waste worrying about our future?
• How much time do we waste worrying about our past (especially the parts we hope no one ever finds out about)?
• How much time do we waste worrying about things we have no control over?

Why do we worry?  If we can do something to fix our situation...do it.  No worry required!

If there is nothing we can do to fix our situation...tuck and roll.  No worry will fix it!

 

Worry leads to stress and anxiety.  Stress and anxiety lead to such things as hives, rashes, insomnia, digestive issues, high blood pressure, mental issues, and even heart attacks.  So....is worrying really worth it?

 

Guess what?  Most of the things we waste time worrying over NEVER happen!  Talk about wasted time and effort!

 

Remember: If you can fix it, do it.  If you can't fix it, accept it.  NO WORRY REQUIRED!  

That Long And Winding Road

Dear brothers and sisters, 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

 

Many years ago, when I was young, the Beatles recorded a song called "The Long And Winding Road" (if you don't know who the Beatles are, stop reading here).  The song describes a journey through many aspects of life and it always leads back to the starting point.  

 

I have had people ask me, through their pain, "Why is life so hard?".  Believe it or not, I am smart enough to know that such a moment is not the time to launch into a sermon on trials and tribulations, but I am also smart enough to know that it is the trials and tribulations we endure that teach us, shape us, help us, and grow us.  Think about this:  If you take a lump of coal, put it under extreme pressure and heat for a long, long, long time...eventually a diamond is formed.

  

Several years ago, I was the one asking the question about why life is so hard.  The answer I got came from a homeless man who happened to be shuffling by when I was mumbling my prayer of heartbreak.  He stopped for a minute, patted me on the back, offered me some of his coffee, and said "God is making you into one the gems for His crown."

 

Later on I had a coach tell me that many people stop going to the gym after their first few tries because soreness sets in and makes it seem as if their limbs are going to fall off.  Face it, most of us don't like pain.  Some like physical pain of working out, and weird as they are, I admire them.  But not too many people like the pain of loss or the pain of feeling helpless or the pain of having to learn life's lessons the hard way.  So we try to avoid situations where such pain would find us.  But remember, God doesn't allow us to hurt just for His own grins and giggles.  God allows us to hurt so we will come to Him for help, healing and comfort; THEN we can be used of God to help others in their times of pain.

 

Life truly is a long and winding road...but the good news is we don't have to walk it alone!

If You Want Someone To Know...TELL THEM!

How are they to call on one they have not believed in? And how are they to believe in one they have not heard of? And how are they to hear without someone preaching to them? And how are they to preach unless they are sent? As it is written, “How timely is the arrival of those who proclaim the good news.” But not all have obeyed the good news, for Isaiah says, “Lord, who has believed our report?” Consequently faith comes from what is heard, and what is heard comes through the preached word of Christ.

~Romans 10:14-17

 

Let me ask you something, can you read minds?  Yes, I know Moms and School Teachers seem to have that special ability.  But can we REALLY know the thoughts of others?  When I was younger, I dreamed how fun it would be to be able to read the thoughts of other people.  Then I contemplated the reactions I would get if people could truly read my mind, and my outlook on that super power changed drastically.

 

As a Chaplain, part of my job is to visit with folks who are in hospital.  But if no one tells me about those in hospital, I don't know to visit with them. I cannot tell you how many times I have been told, "How could you NOT know!"  To which my response has always been, unless someone tells me, I don't know.  

 

Here's today's nugget of wisdom, "If you want someone to know...TELL THEM!"

 

Look at today's passage.  Paul is laying out the logical argument of Christianity: How can people pray to a God they don't believe in?  How can they believe in this God if no one tells them?  How can someone tell them about God if they aren't sent to share this incredible news? 

 

I'm not a fan of yelling at people telling them to "Believe in Jesus or DIE!" Some people respond positively to such a methodology, but I'm not among them.  You see, Preaching doesn't always mean pounding a pulpit and yelling.  I have found that the most effective preaching I do is talking with people...just talking.  Now, I admit that I am usually packing Tootsie Rolls, which is also a great way to start a conversation, but just talking with people has a huge impact.

 

The point of all this is simple: People don't know unless they are told.  So.....TELL them! 

Celebrate Life By Comforting Others!

All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. God is our merciful Father and the source of all comfort. He comforts us in all our troubles so that we can comfort others. When they are troubled, we will be able to give them the same comfort God has given us. For the more we suffer for Christ, the more God will shower us with his comfort through Christ.

~2 Corinthians 1:3-5

 

Have you ever endured a loss that hurt so deeply that you thought you would not ever recover?  On November 17, 1981, my Grampa's time on Earth ended.  I was devastated and miss him every single day.  I still hear his wisdom and his jokes.  But Grampa lived a full, albeit unusual, life.  And I have found comfort in that.

 

During my time in ministry, I have tried to help families who have lost a child.  Some were due to accidents; some were due to miscarriages; some were due to SIDS, but they were all beyond tragic.  Sadly, one piece of "advice" I had the misfortune to hear over and over was "You're still young. You can try again. Just put this out of your mind and move on."  Yes, I heard well-meaning, very sincere people stab the hearts of the mourning families with this counsel.  Remember the saying, "If you can't say something nice, then say nothing"?  

 

It has been truly an honor and privilege to have some of these families as personal friends.  And I was contacted by one of these Moms recently. She wanted to raise awareness of  Child Loss!  She wants others to know that they are not alone in this!  She is wanting to heal by helping others heal.  And THAT is what it means to "Love your neighbor as yourself."

 

You see, and I've said this before and here it comes again, God does not comfort us to make us comfortable!  God comforts us so we can comfort others!

 

If you or someone you know has had such a loss or needs to begin taking the first step toward healing, let me know.  I would like this Mom to be able to make contact.  Sometimes the best comfort is knowing you are not alone!

Better Than Others!

Then Jesus called to the crowd to come and hear. “Listen,” he said, “and try to understand. It’s not what goes into your mouth that defiles you; you are defiled by the words that come out of your mouth.”

~Matthew 15:10-11

 

Ever know anyone who thought they were better than everyone else?  Nah, me neither.  Arrogant people don't exist except in nightmares, right?

 

During Jesus' time, the Pharisees (church leaders) had become very arrogant because they claimed that they followed every single law.  There were laws on giving 10% to the church, so the Pharisees gave 10% of EVERYTHING to the church (from things they grew in their gardens, to the herbs they were given, to the clothing they were given, to the food they were given as well as their wages).  

 

There were laws regarding keeping the Sabbath holy and doing no work.  So the Pharisees made sure they walked no more than the permitted number of steps, carried no more than the permitted weight, and did nothing beyond the permitted activities on the Sabbath.  They would even go so far as to not help an injured person because to do so would break the rules of the Sabbath.

 

There were rules for keeping clean, so they washed themselves frequently and washed everything they owned frequently.  

 

They were very careful to eat only what was allowed by the rules and just as careful to avoid eating anything not on the approved list. 

 

They did all of these things so people would notice them and be impressed by how dedicated and "holy" they were.  Then here comes this Jesus guy telling the people that it's not what goes INTO your body that makes you evil, rather it's what comes out of your heart (and consequently out of your mouth) that makes you evil.  What Jesus was saying was scandalous to the Proud Pharisees!  

 

Jesus never said that we should go overboard with what we put into our bodies.  He just reminded us that following a bunch on inconsequential rules did not make you worthy of God's Love and Mercy! 

 

Breathe

Then the Lord God formed the man from the dust of the ground. 

He breathed the breath of life into the man’s nostrils, 

and the man became a living person.

~Genesis 2:7 

 I am not a huge fan of pollen, for it covers the world in a yellow haze which clogs filters and keeps one from breathing for, lo, those 4 months of the year (or longer).  Pollen and the residual effects of pollen make the allergy medicine manufacturers HUGE profits.  We are willing to do almost anything just so we can breathe!

When I was learning to swim, I was pitched off the dock into water that was over my head and told to paddle back.  Let me tell you something, I like breathing and discovered I am not a creature who can breathe underwater.  So imagine my relief when my foot hit the bottom of the pond and I was able to push hard enough that my head broke the surface of the water and I could catch a breath of air.

When I was in Army Basic Training, one of the trials we had to endure was the "Gas Chamber."  It was truly a chamber filled with CS Gas.  We were lined up, told to remove our protective masks when told, execute 5 push-ups, and when instructed we were to give our name, rank, and serial number.  After completing this string of tasks, we would be instructed to exit the chamber.  Honestly, fresh air was one of my favorite memories of that experience.

You see, God created us.  Not only did He create us, God made us in HIS image!  Not only did God create us in His image, He breathed life into us! 

Should you ever feel frustrated, depressed, or feel as if life is no longer worth your time, remember this one thing: You carry within you God's Breath of Life!  God gave it to you for a specific reason and if you had no reason to be here, He would not have breathed into you.

Carry God's Breath and know He loves you! 

Pay careful attention to your own work, 

for then you will get the satisfaction of a job well done, 

and you won’t need to compare yourself to anyone else.  

For we are each responsible for our own conduct.

~Galatians 6:4-5

"It doesn't matter what I do, no one notices anyway."  I have heard this many times (and have said it too).  We tend to get discouraged when we thing no one notices that we are doing a good job.  We tend to get negative when we aren't the one getting the award even though we believe we did a much better job than the award winner.  As a result, what do we do?  We start slacking off and not trying nearly as hard.  Then we complain because no one noticed when we did a good job, but they noticed when we stopped working so hard.

Did you notice it?  Did you see it?  People noticed when we stopped working so hard...which means they DID notice when we actually were working hard.  How else would they know we had slacked off?

Think about this, when your car is rolling on down that highway (I am channeling my inner Bachman Turner Overdrive), we don't pay much attention because everything is working to its potential.  We appreciate it, we do notice that everything is working as it should, and we are grateful.  But we don't REALLY pay attention until we hear that odd noise or feel that funny shimmy in the wheel.

But consider this:  If you only do your best when you think someone is looking or you think it will get you a promotion or you think it will get you an award, then you have quite a big ego and should probably look for a new line of work (such as selling larger hats to accommodate the swollen egos).

The Apostle Paul is reminding us that we should do pay careful attention and to the best we can regardless if we get "noticed" or not.  Because here's the kicker, God ALWAYS notices, and He holds us accountable and will reward us accordingly in time!

What Do You Mean "Share"?

Share each other’s burdens, and in this way obey the law of Christ. 

If you think you are too important to help someone, 

you are only fooling yourself. You are not that important.

~Galatians 6:2-3

 

We don't like to share much, do we?  Oh we'll talk a good game, but when it comes down to actually putting our words into action, we don't like to share.  Think about it, we might share out of our abundance (I have a pantry full of food so I'll share a few cans of vegetables no one in the house will eat), but what about the times when we don't seem to have anything to share?

 

Think about this too, when things are going smoothly we don't mind sharing our time with people we care about.  But when something tragic happens, are we still willing to share our time?  Or do we follow the rule of the uncomfortable and disappear until things return to smooth sailing so we can tell others we were praying for them?

 

Here's a couple of things to know about burdens: 

     

     1.  We don't want others to think we are "weak" so we don't ask for help.  We would rather be crushed and our lives damaged or destroyed because we are too proud to ask for help.

 

     2.  We seem to misunderstand the word "Share."  Sharing a burden does not mean I get to dump my burden on you so I won't have to deal with it anymore.  Sharing means we carry the burden TOGETHER!

 

Remember, not a single one of us is so important that burdens fear to find us.  Not a single one of us is so important that we are above needing help or needing to give help.  We MUST face facts, if any one of us was truly THAT important...they would be the only person on earth.

  

Not sure how to help?  Put yourself in their place, if you were the one carrying a burden how would YOU want to be helped?  Maybe you could be helped by someone checking on you.  Maybe you could be helped by someone helping you with some menial chores.  Perhaps you could be helped by someone taking you for coffee.  Or perhaps by someone who would sit with you while you grieve.  It's not rocket science, it's just a bit uncomfortable.

 

We are all part of each other!  God did that on purpose, so we could help each other.  

 

There's an old adage that says: "A shared burden is half as heavy. A shared joy is twice as bright."  Jesus said "Fear Not For I Am With You ALWAYS" and that includes when we help someone carry their burden.

 

Ever Have That Sinking Feeling?

Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water 
and came toward Jesus. But when he saw the wind, 
he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, “Lord, save me!”
Immediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught him. “You of little faith,” he said, “why did you doubt?”
 ~Matthew 14:29-31

Ever feel overwhelmed by life? Sometimes it feels as if, no matter how hard you try, you just can't seem to keep your head above water.

Peter felt like that.  He and the Disciples were in a boat because Jesus has told them to go ahead.  A storm came up and was bouncing the boat around, when they saw Jesus (thinking He was a ghost) walking on the water toward them.  Jesus told them who it was and for them not to worry.  Then Peter (and I love Peter) told Jesus to prove it was Him by letting him (Peter) walk on the water too.  

Jesus told Peter to "come on in."  So Peter hopped over the side and started walking toward Jesus.  And then...."Reality" set in!  Peter took his focus off of Jesus and started looking at the noisy and the in-your-face storm, with the wind and the waves, and Peter got scared.  When Peter got scared, he began to slip under the water.  When he fixed his focus on Jesus, the storm was not a bother.  But when he started looking at the storm instead of Jesus, the storm became overwhelming!

Let's face it, Life has a way of being loud, in-you-face, and overwhelming.  But when you stop for a moment to think about it, no matter what life throws at us, Jesus is right there with us reminding us that He is our life preserver!

Consider what God has told us in Isaiah 43:1-3:

But now, O Jacob, listen to the Lord who created you.
    O Israel, the one who formed you says,
“Do not be afraid, for I have ransomed you.
    I have called you by name; you are mine.
When you go through deep waters,
    I will be with you.
When you go through rivers of difficulty,
    you will not drown.
When you walk through the fire of oppression,
    you will not be burned up;
    the flames will not consume you.
 For I am the Lord, your God,
    the Holy One of Israel, your Savior.

Keep your focus on Jesus and the things of this world will grow strangely dim. 

Assaulted By Life?

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!”

~Job 1:21 

Have you ever felt as if life was using you as a punching bag and you were quickly losing hope?  Consider the story of Job.  Job was a man who had everything going for him.  He had a large family; he had lots of donkeys and oxen; he had lots of sheep; he had lots of camels.  In short, Job was a very rich man. 

And then...a messenger arrives and delivers his news: "Sir, all your livestock has been killed or stolen."  bam!

WHILE THIS MESSENGER WAS STILL SPEAKING, here came another messenger with news: "Sir, all your sheep and shepherds have been killed."  Bam! 

WHILE THIS MESSENGER WAS STILL SPEAKING, here came another messenger with news: "Sir, all your camels have been taken and the handlers all killed." BAM!

WHILE THIS MESSENGER WAS STILL SPEAKING, here came another messenger with news: "Sir, all your children have been killed." BOOM!!!

In the span of probably less than an hour, Job went from the wealthiest man to the most destitute.  Talk about taking a huge beating...this was it!  In the Wall Street crash of 1929, people lost all their money in the matter of minutes and some chose to die rather than face life without their wealth.

Think about these things for a moment:

      * Job's wealth was not given to him instantaneously.  He had to work and work HARD for it.  

      * If we are not careful, we will take Job's response in verse 21 as being defeatist or stone cold resignation.  But if you look in verse 20, "Job stood up and tore his robe in grief. Then he shaved his head and fell to the ground to worship."  Job was devastated!  Job was in anguish!  

     *  Job ultimately understood that God had given him all his riches and God could take them all away.  God does what He chooses with all that is His...but it is ALWAYS for our good and His glory!  ALWAYS! Job understood this and focused on God, even though Job didn't understand the whys and wherefores, he trusted God above all else.

     *  In the end, God not only gave Job all that had been lost but gave him even more.  BUT this did not happen instantaneously either, this took time!  

When life starts beating us up, remember to focus on God and do what is right!  We may lose everything, but the one thing that cannot be taken away from us is our faith that God is still in control and will work EVERYTHING to our good and His glory.  But it might take some time. 

Life can be cruel!  Life can be hard!  God never promised us life would be easy.  But God did promise to never leave us or turn His back on us!  THAT is a promise more valuable then anything this life has to offer!