RTW January 29

A Hearing God

If you sin, how does that affect God? Even if you sin again and again, what effect will it have on him? If you are good, is this some great gift to him? What could you possibly give him? No, your sins affect only people like yourself, and your good deeds also affect only humans.
Job 35:6-8

 

 

My Takeaways

Something Old

 

Something New

  • Our sin and goodness do effect God. (Job 35:6-7) Our sin grieves Him. (Isaiah 63:10) He is faithful to forgive us if we are will confess our sin. (1 John 1:9) The good we do pleases Him. (Hebrews 13:16) He is a God of many emotions because He intimately loves His people.
  • When we cry to God, He does hear us. (Job 35:9-11) “Where is God our creator?” We can trust that God is near to those who are crushed in spirit. (Psalm 34:18) He cares deeply and we can cast our cares on Him. (1 Peter 5:7) Oh, and dear friend, let’s celebrate that He does indeed hear every cry, The righteous cry out, and the Lord hears them; He delivers them from all their troubles. (NIV) (Psalm 34:17)
  • Despite our sin, God does listen to our prayers and the prayers of others turning and returning to Him. (Job 35:12-13) Yes, we sin, and sin grieves God, but God longs to be in fellowship with us and eagerly waits to hear our prayers of confession. If God turned His ear against the wicked, then how would the unsaved ever be saved. Upon our confession, communion with the Lord is restored, and our spirit is renewed. (Psalm 51)

 

Something to Do

 

 

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29 Comments

  1. Thank you Wendy for today’s lesson. I’ve been challenged in the book of Job. Especially because I feel like I am entering a season of trial and suffering – and the verses you talked about in the beginning of your lesson stuck out to me as well. I know that God does not cause suffering but he allows it to get my attention hey fin and I am looking forward to seeing the table he sets in the midst of it.

    I know my sins affect God-I know my stubbornness and hardheartedness grieve him. But I’m so thankful that they don’t cause him to stop loving me and that they don’t cause him to distance himself from me. But what they do is they cause me to distance myself from God in my heart. So this coming season – and I know it’s coming – Is a gift. I can hear him say “come closer daughter-lean into me, let’s dine together at the table of suffering“

  2. Today my spirit is crushed by a person who is supposed to be my friend. Who yesterday felt the need to judge, criticize, condemn, and give me all her opinions about very personal things in my life. For the past 4 years I have prayed that God would help me love her and do the right thing. Her words and this confrontation hurt and to be honest it still hurts this morning. My husband said you know how she is, just blow it off, but it wasn’t that easy for me. It was a very personal attack on my character and my beliefs and the worst part is that it was said to me in the name of God and out of love and care for me and my kids. Anyway, I would not talk to someone that way that I love and care about. Through Wendy’s lesson today, God reminded me that He is with me. I have turned to Him for help to process this and make sense and truth of it all. He will walk me through it and give me peace. He delivers me from all my troubles. And I see now that by this all happening that He may have been protecting me and family from something worse by me continuing the friendship. This stuff is so hard. I would appreciate prayers today, as on top of all that I think I might be getting the flu.
    Not today, get behind thee satan.

    2. Back at it with RTW. It’s been an overwhelming season. My mother has been declining, leaving us with much to do and feel. I have been feeling like this season of my life has been a white-knuckling experience. Praying for grace to let go and trust the Lord in this.

      Job 35: 3. What’s in it for me. That is a question full of fear. He does have good things prepared for me. He is mindful of his children and what is good for them. Sometimes it’s hard to see in the midst of suffering.

    4. When God the Father looks at us His daughters, His heart is overwhelmed with joy, you are a child of the Most High God, you are a Kings kid, you are precious in His sight! He doesn’t see us as others do because He sees us through the shed blood of His Son Jesus Christ!

      What brings me comfort is knowing “others whom ever they may be”; are not attacking me but Jesus who lives in me. Jesus’ words ring clear “forgive them for they don’t know what they are doing” which releases us from “their” judgment.
      Memorizing this scripture has been a God sent! I speak it in my spirit during or after the attack! Galatians 2:20 I am crucified with Christ nevertheless I live, yet not I but Christ lives in me, and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith of the Son of God who loved me, and gave himself for me.

      The character of Esther would say and I say “I am a woman of clear judgment, of magnificent self-control and capable of the noblest self-sacrifice.”

  3. God has really been challenging me about letting go of control. I’ve seen that I like to be in control and that some of my perfectionism and anger stem from the pursuit of, or loss of, control. Job 36-37 reminded that God is really able to be in control — He doesn’t need my help! He’s got this and things will go better if I let go of my control. I need to surrender daily to His lordship and control over my life.

  4. ~Elihu reminds Job of God’s justice and God’s power. There are truths about God in these verses but we have to be careful and examine them in light of the rest of Scripture because they are the words of a man, not God. I am anxious for tomorrow’s reading to hear what God has to say.
    ~I agree with Wendy that our sins and good deeds do mattter to God. I am thankful that God does listen and is concerned. (35:13-14)

  5. What stuck out to me this morning was Job 35:13 “But it is wrong to say God doesn’t listen; to say the Almighty isn’t concerned.”

    This had me off and writing– sometimes i don’t even know what I’m going to write until it’s written. But here are my thoughts:

    Of course, God listens; of course, He is concerned. But that doesn’t mean He is required to do what we ask. Do we only think God hears us when the results are what we asked for? I remember when my children were young they would accuse me of not listening to them. I always told them “I’m listening, I’m just not going to do or let you do what you request (usually because I felt it wasn’t good for them or I knew of something better). If I truly believe that God is a good Father then I must believe He doesn’t always do what I ask because He is protecting me or has another plan that I can’t see. I must trust Him in His wisdom to lead me on the right path.

    1. Loved your thoughts this morning. What you said about how you heard but responded as a loving parent helped me enjoy and reflect on the scripture reading today.
      Thanks!

  7. That was a word for me today. Thank you . I’m the one God is dragging and God is saying let go. Please pray for me to have courage to let this job go when the manager found out I go to church she only scheduled me for 4hrs only. a week. on Sunday. I did find another job getting 10hrs a week but need courage to trust that I won’t be let go before my probation period is over. Yes I’m afraid. Courage is the word He gave me this year. It’s hard when your a single mom supporting 3 kids. Thank you Wendy for Speaking Gods truth . Be blessed everyone.

  8. As I studied the scripture and read the comments today, it occurs to me that each one of us has seasons where we struggle and suffer. Like the saying, “Be kind. Everyone is fighting some kind of battle you know nothing about.” But of course God knows. He is with us, loving us, in our suffering. He only wants us to depend on Him.
    I am reminding myself of this each day as I struggle in several areas. I pray for all my RTW family today, also, since many of you bravely shared your struggles. Father, please hold us all tightly and remind us to lean on you when life gets hard. Thank you for loving me even when I am a hot mess! ?? Amen.

  9. So Elihu continues his speech today and Job continues to listen. I don’t have a lot of nuggets today so I just thought I would share some of the side notes from my new Christian Standard Bible-She Reads Truth.
    Christ is seen in several ways in Job. Job acknowledges a Redeemer “But I know that My Redeemer lives and at the end He will stand on the Dust.” 19:25-27 and prays for a Mediator (9:33; 33:23). He knows he needs someone who can explain the mystery of “suffering” which is answered only in Christ Who identifies with our suffering and ultimately both answers Satan’s accusations, which are ultimately against God, and defeats him (Heb. 2:14-18; 4:15; Rom. 8:32-34).
    The Old Testament book of Job shares an intimate connection with the New Testament. Job’s weightiest questions are perfectly answered in the person of Jesus Christ.

    1. Job 9:30-33 “Who can help us approach God? Jesus answered in 1st Timothy 2:5 for there is one God and one mediator between God and Humanity, the man Christ Jesus.

    2. Job 14:14 Is there life after death? Jesus answered in John 11:25 “I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me, you know if he dies, will live.”

    3. Job asked in Job 16:19 – 21 “Is there anyone in heaven working on our behalf? Jesus answered in Hebrews 9:24 “For Christ did not enter a sanctuary made with hands… But into heaven itself, so that he might now appear in the presence of God for us.”

    4. Job ask in Job 21:7 -15 “What is of eternal important in life? Jesus answered in John 3:16 “For God loved the world in this way: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in Him will not perish but have eternal life.”

    5. Job asked in Job 23:3- 5 “Where do we find God? Jesus answered in John 14:19 “The one who has seen me has seen the Father.

    None of my old Bibles had this so I just thought it would be fun to share with all of my RTW friends. Happy reading 🙂

    1. LKennedy, I LOVE these connections! This sentence really grabbed me: “Job’s weightiest questions are perfectly answered in the person of Jesus Christ.” Yes! Thank you for sharing.

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