Last lessons from Job

I finished Job this weekend and did not have my Sunday
 School book with me.  So, I did lessons July 7th and 14th
 to work with the chapters that I read over the weekend.
 The lesson suggested we make a list of insights and questions
 gained from the last chapters of Job,

So, here it goes

Elihu (remember he is the youngest) reproves Job sharply,
 saying that he speaks the truth, "for I am a well- rounded
 man with perfect knowledge of God."

Oh be careful of the man who knows it all

His truth is "God gets your attention through adversity and
 when you repent your wicked ways, you end your days
 blessed in prosperity and pleasure."

Oh be careful when man tries to speak for God.

Pray and  study  the Bible  with the help of the
 Holy Spirit to hear from Him yourself.

 God spoke to Job and told him to listen

God  proceeded with an onslaught of questions
Where were you...
Do you know...
How...What...Who
Have you ever...
Have you seen...
Can you..
Can your voice..
Do you understand.
Can you explain..
When does...
Who causes...
 Tell me about..
Now, Do you still want to debate with the Almighty

Jobs answer:
I have nothing to say
(can you see him put his hand over his own mouth)
I have already said too much
(sounds like me)

"I did not see or understand things too
 wonderful for me to comprehend
My suffering was nothing compared
 to the glory being revealed"

One glimpse of  the awesome glory of Almighty God
causes Job to step back and see himself  and repent.

I know now that I have avoided the book of Job
 every since a college professor told our class that
 God was wrong and had no right taking Job's\
kids  away and then  replace them with new kids.
Her statement was "A child can not be replaced"

I did not and still  do not have an answer for that.
I do know that God does not owe us an explanation
He is God
I will not try to speak for God

I just know that God loves us and that He is in control.
This situation with  Job is an example. It took  special
servant of God to teach his generation  and us a powerful
 lesson. The  traditional "truth" that God always punishes
 evil and rewards good IS A LIE FROM THE DEVIL.
They believed it then and we tend to still believe it.
Until it happens to us, then we need to find answers in Job

God was very angry with Job's "friends" because they did
 not speak truth about Job or about God. He  told these self
-righteous men to bring sacrifices and have His servant  Job
 pray for them. Then  He would hear His servant's prayer
 and not punish them as they deserved because of their folly.

How did Job feel?
After all they had said about hime when he was at the lowest
 point of his life.   His willingness to pray for them showed
 spiritual maturity and a growing relationship with God.

 Our prayer life shows a lot about our relationship with God.

We all have what my Mama calls character building situations.
They  provide opportunities  to grow and mature in faith..
Building character and our relationship with God by
moving head knowledge to heart knowledge.

We will never have  all the answers about the  mystery
surrounding human suffering. But we can learn to
trust the Lord, submit to Him and be open to know
Him better and to build a loving relationship with this
awesome God of the Universe through our circumstances.

Good bye Job....I'm glad I studied your book