The ministry of John & Bron Fergusson
© JF Ministries, Auckland, New Zealand
1)
Are you being sifted?
Jesus said to Peter, “Simon, Simon, Satan has asked to sift you as wheat. But I have prayed for you, Simon, that your faith may not fail. And when you have turned back, strengthen your brothers.” Jesus knew Peter would deny him. He knew he would return, because he’d prayed. Peter’s denial was the devil’s plan; return was God’s. In Job chapter 1, God allows satan to sift Job. The devil thought he’d won, but God had a better plan. Weeping may last the night, but joy comes with the morning (Psalm 30:5). Jesus knows you will fail. But he has prayed for your return. Your suffering may be just be sifting.2)
We’re not always copied in
Job had no idea what God was up to. He’d done his best to be righteous and it didn’t work out. “You’re killing me!” cries the sacrificial pawn. It doesn’t see four moves ahead. God wants us to trust him. Even the mighty prophet Elisha didn’t know the Shunammite’s son had died. “She is in bitter distress, but the Lord has hidden it from me and has not told me why,” he said (see 2 Kings 4:27). We’re not always copied in to heaven’s emails.3)
Job’s friends were wrong
They spent 33 chapters counselling him. The Lord rebuked them. “You have not spoken of me what is right,” They could have fed him, tended his wounds, or chased off his mockers. We don’t need sermons when we’re hurting. It’s in our trials, we discover our true friends.4)
We wouldn’t get it anyway
When Job finally saw the Lord, he said, “Surely, I spoke of things . . . too wonderful for me to know” (Job 42:3). Suffering and healing are simply beyond our limited comprehension. The Lord, “has given us a desire to know the future, but never gives us the satisfaction of fully understanding what he does” (Ecclesiastes 3:11 GNV). Chill out! He has a bigger brain than yours.5)
Look what I did!
Job’s seven sons and three daughters partied big time. Afterwards, Job even offered sacrifices for them, in case they sinned. Wow. Despite his earnest righteousness, could he have been tempted to glow at his perfect family, his rude health, and enormous wealth? All of us are at risk of “look-what-I’ve-done” hubris. My family. My business. My investments. No, the Lord gave you all you have. After the Lord allowed Job to be stripped nothing, then rebuilt both his family and fortune, he could only have said, “Look what the Lord has done.”
Five Lessons from Job
John & Bron Fergusson
1)
Are you being sifted?
Jesus said to Peter, “Simon, Simon, Satan has asked to sift you as wheat. But I have prayed for you, Simon, that your faith may not fail. And when you have turned back, strengthen your brothers.” Jesus knew Peter would deny him. He knew he would return, because he’d prayed. Peter’s denial was the devil’s plan; return was God’s. In Job chapter 1, God allows satan to sift Job. The devil thought he’d won, but God had a better plan. Weeping may last the night, but joy comes with the morning (Psalm 30:5). Jesus knows you will fail. But he has prayed for your return. Your suffering may be just be sifting.2)
We’re not always copied in
Job had no idea what God was up to. He’d done his best to be righteous and it didn’t work out. “You’re killing me!” cries the sacrificial pawn. It doesn’t see four moves ahead. God wants us to trust him. Even the mighty prophet Elisha didn’t know the Shunammite’s son had died. “She is in bitter distress, but the Lord has hidden it from me and has not told me why,” he said (see 2 Kings 4:27). We’re not always copied in to heaven’s emails.3)
Job’s friends were wrong
They spent 33 chapters counselling him. The Lord rebuked them. “You have not spoken of me what is right,” They could have fed him, tended his wounds, or chased off his mockers. We don’t need sermons when we’re hurting. It’s in our trials, we discover our true friends.4)
We wouldn’t get it anyway
When Job finally saw the Lord, he said, “Surely, I spoke of things . . . too wonderful for me to know” (Job 42:3). Suffering and healing are simply beyond our limited comprehension. The Lord, “has given us a desire to know the future, but never gives us the satisfaction of fully understanding what he does” (Ecclesiastes 3:11 GNV). Chill out! He has a bigger brain than yours.5)
Look what I did!
Job’s seven sons and three daughters partied big time. Afterwards, Job even offered sacrifices for them, in case they sinned. Wow. Despite his earnest righteousness, could he have been tempted to glow at his perfect family, his rude health, and enormous wealth? All of us are at risk of “look-what-I’ve-done” hubris. My family. My business. My investments. No, the Lord gave you all you have. After the Lord allowed Job to be stripped nothing, then rebuilt both his family and fortune, he could only have said, “Look what the Lord has done.”
