New Years Greetings to all our Church Family and Friends of Heritage,
Years ago I came up with a saying, “Your losses are not your Bosses”. Let me explain where I am coming from as I revisit the book of Job in the Bible, starting where God did:
“There was a man from the land of Uz, whose name was Job.”
Job had great assets, he was upright, he feared God, he hated the devil, he was rich, he had great influence, and he had a big family of children. I want you to consider Job’s losses.
The list is thoroughly presented in the Word of God:
1. Job lost his property, Job 1;12-17
2. Job lost his family, Job 1:18,19
3. Job lost his health, Job 2:1-8
4. Job lost the faithfulness of his wife, Job 2:11-13
5. Job lost the respect and conKidence of his peers, Job 2:11-13
6. Job lost friends, Job 19:14 (my friends have gone away)
7. Job lost the presence of God, Job 23:8-9
All that Job had left was a testimony. You can Kind it in Job 19: 23-27
“If only my words were written in a book—
better yet, chiseled in stone!
Still, I know that God lives—
the One who gives me back my life—
and eventually he’ll take his stand on earth.
And I’ll see him—even though I get skinned alive!—
see God myself, with my very own eyes.
Oh, how I long for that day!”
It is important to understand the lessons Job learned as he went through the furnace of trial.
• He learned that the adversary was ruthless and destructive.
• He also learned through the trial and his losses how good God is.
• Ultimately Job learned that God is a God of Increase in the end.
Let the Word of God do the speaking from Job 42:10-17
After Job had interceded for his friends, God restored his fortune—and then doubled it! All his brothers and sisters and friends came to his house and celebrated. They told him how sorry they were, and consoled him for all the trouble God had brought him. Each of them brought generous housewarming gifts.
God blessed Job’s later life even more than his earlier life. He ended up with fourteen thousand sheep, six thousand camels, one thousand teams of oxen, and one thousand donkeys. He also had seven sons and three daughters. He named the Iirst daughter Dove, the second, Cinnamon, and the third, Dark Eyes. There was not a woman in that country as beautiful as Job’s daughters. Their father treated them as equals with their brothers, providing the same inheritance.
Job lived on another 140 years, living to see his children and grandchildren—four generations of them! Then he died—an old man, a full life. Job did not allow his losses to become his bosses in life. He did not throw in the towel on God. This is the kind of testimony we all need. As we hold to God’s unchanging hand we will also learn that we can trust the Living Word of God. Continue to fast with us, believing what God has promised, He is well able to perform. It is the entrenched powers that we are contending with and they will come forth by prayer and fasting, just as Jesus demonstrated and proclaimed. Week two is right around the corner and God always responds when His people, called by His name, humble themselves and Pray. Make sure we get your Kive greatest needs in the prayer room where we can agree with you as we corporately pray over your request.
EXPECT A MIRACLE
Yours truly,
Cleddie and GayNell