God's Answer to Right Thinking: Part 3

I have been preaching on what to meditate on

Depression… Anxiety, all time high.

Many reasons, but no real solutions.

What we have today are helps and tools but the issue nation wide especially among adolescents and young adults is not getting better.

The problem is out minds are all messed up.

The Bible gives us a tool… meditation

not emptying ones self… eastern meditation teaches us to empty oneself to find true inner peace. The problem is that true inner peace does not exist.

casting out your demons can not be done by finding your truth, it can only be done by filling yourself with His truth.

Today I want to talk to you about some truth. What do we think when things go bad?

When things go bad, or they have been bad, how do we curb our mind to think right thoughts.

How do we actually take our thoughts captive.

What are some truths we can think on in the middle of out trial

Who in the Bible (besides Jesus) suffered and still got it right?

Today we talk about Job. A great man who suffered tremendously. We look at him and see how he handled it. Hopefully gaining some encouragement.

My Tuesday.

I was doing the assignment.. and felt God was saying to me that He was going to teach me something that day.

I was supposed to be going to work to find out what salary I was going to be given in addition to my commission potential.

Instead, I was given notice that the branch was closing.

I also got notice that I have a major bill that I incurred because of information I was given.

I have went to the dr to complain about a cough I’ve had for almost 2 years that there is no answer for and then I was losing my voice....

Needless to stay I started looking around and the temptation to count my curses was far outweighing my need to count my blessings.

I spent the day in a bit of a depressed funk… and to be honest, I still drop back into it. And I have to follow the same exercise everyone else has to … take your thought captives and think on what is true… meditate on Him and His Word.

It’s Difficult… Where Does the Bible teach me about people going through difficult times...... Turn to Job.

Before we get started I want to take you to the end....

Job 42:7 ESV

After the Lord had spoken these words to Job, the Lord said to Eliphaz the Temanite: “My anger burns against you and against your two friends, for you have not spoken of me what is right, as my servant Job has.

Job

Job Got it right — Remember that aas we go through this story.

Turn to the hand out

Scene 1

Job Got it right

Scene 2

Job Got it right

Scene 3

Job Got it right

I want to say something about the wife in this story.

All the stuff that happened to him… happened to her.

She just said outloud what any human being would say.

When I looked at this with fresh eyes, I realized that there is nothing worse than having to face your spouse and give the bad news..... again … and again … and again....

Scene 4.

Job Got it right - and for this moment so did his friends.

Scene 5.

Sometimes when I was little I would go to my father crying about something that I felt was unfair. Or if I didn’t get what I wanted. In the middle of my crying he would typically say the same thing.... “Do you want something to cry about?”

I joke but as Christians we tend to look at verses that say...

Nehemiah 8:10 ESV

Then he said to them, “Go your way. Eat the fat and drink sweet wine and send portions to anyone who has nothing ready, for this day is holy to our Lord. And do not be grieved, for the joy of the Lord is your strength.”

Philippians 4:4 ESV

Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice.

ph 4:4

Philippians 4:7 ESV

And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

All those verses are 100% correct. And while the overriding arch of your walk should be towards peace and joy, it is simply unrealistic to expect ourselves to not get down sometimes.

Jesus flipped a table and formed a whip and started smacking people with it.

He cried when Lazareth died and people couldn’t grasp who he was.

Ephesians 4:26 ESV

Be angry and do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger,

There is room for discouragement, hurt, anger, sadness, frustration, etc, etc, etc. And those things are possible to feel and not sin. Because,

Job Got it right

Scene 6

As these chapters go on, Job’s friend start at first gently accusing him of sin… and that is the reason for his punishment.

Eliphaz

Job 5:2–4 ESV

Surely vexation kills the fool, and jealousy slays the simple. I have seen the fool taking root, but suddenly I cursed his dwelling. His children are far from safety; they are crushed in the gate, and there is no one to deliver them.

Bildad

Job 8:4 ESV

If your children have sinned against him, he has delivered them into the hand of their transgression.

Job 8:

Zophar

Job 11:

Job 11:2–5 ESV

“Should a multitude of words go unanswered, and a man full of talk be judged right? Should your babble silence men, and when you mock, shall no one shame you? For you say, ‘My doctrine is pure, and I am clean in God’s eyes.’ But oh, that God would speak and open his lips to you,

The list goes on and on … attempting to accuse Job’s sin as the reason for his suffering.

In the Bible there is only one person with the role of accuser… Satan (, ) and yet Job’s well intentioned friends took side with the deveil

Sometimes, we join the devil in accusing ourselves…

“There mus be something wrong with me.”

“I just can’t ever get it right”

Relax… God does not place that accusation against us. He already knows we need a savior and has provided it already.

All that just to say..

Job Got it right

Scene 7

Job Got it right

Scene 8 - God Speaks

Job Got it right

I wanted to say that first because we have already established that God said he had spoken things right - complaint included.

Sometimes we read these as a rebuke to Job....

Job 38:1–4 ESV

Then the Lord answered Job out of the whirlwind and said: “Who is this that darkens counsel by words without knowledge? Dress for action like a man; I will question you, and you make it known to me. “Where were you when I laid the foundation of the earth? Tell me, if you have understanding.

Job 38:1–2 ESV

Then the Lord answered Job out of the whirlwind and said: “Who is this that darkens counsel by words without knowledge?

Job 38:

Job

We ad a sarcastic tone to it as if God is trying to convince u sof how dense we are.... However, that is not the point. The point is not how dumb we are it is HOW BRILLIANT AND AWESOME HE IS.

Today I’d like you to read these chapters and instead of hearing a condemning voice of judgement, hear a voice describing how awesome he is… and that He is on your side.

Scene 9

Job Got it right - is always right to confess hoe awesome God is.

Scene 10

Job Got it right - same and scene 8

Scene 11

Job Got it right - same as scene 9

Scene 12

Job Got it right - All things do work out for those who Love God and a are called according to His purpose.

Conclusion

We have been talking about meditating on God and His word… You see, God is good...

Your assignment for the week.. read the last chapters of Job where God is speaking… Hear Him and know He is on your side… the creator of the universe… the holder of all power and authority… He is on your side.