SOMETIMES OUR FRIENDS DON'T REALLY KNOW US

PROCLAMATION

“But now be so kind as to look at me.  Would I lie to your face?  Relent, do not be unjust; reconsider, for my integrity is at stake.”  Job 6:28-29 (NIV)

EXPLANATION

After discarding the advice from his wife, (Job 2:9-10) three of Job’s friends, having heard about his troubles, came to visit him and to comfort him. (Job 2:11-13)  They sat with him for seven days without saying a word. (Job 2:13)  After that Job spoke, and he complained about his situation, and he cursed the day that he was born. (Job 3:1-26)  His friend Eliphaz then spoke and said that Job should remember the words which he had taught to others. (Job 4:1-6)  He said that those who sow trouble will reap it. (Job 4:7-9)  Then he asked Job can a mortal be more righteous than God? (Job 4:17)  Afterwards he told Job, “If I were you, I would appeal to God; I would lay my cause before Him.” (Job 5:8)  Then he said, “Blessed is the one whom God corrects; so do not despise the discipline of the Almighty.” (Job 5:17)  Job replied that he wished that God would grant his request and kill him. (Job 6:8-10)  Job also told his friend that he had not sinned, and he would not lie about it. (Job 6:28-30)

APPLICATION

People can be our friend for years and not really know us.  They may know what we did in the past and who we were, but they do not know who we are now.  If they are non-believers, then they really cannot understand us or our behavior.  Their assessment of us and our situation is based upon insufficient information and their advice should be taken with a grain of salt.  If their premise is wrong, then their advice is also wrong.  Sometimes the best thing that a friend can do is just be there with us and keep their opinions to themselves.  When we need help, we should “take our burdens to The Lord and leave them there.”  The Lord God knows us, He knows all about us, and He knows what is best for us.  Trust not in man, (Psalm 146:3) trust in The Lord God. (Psalm 16:1)

THE LORD JESUS IS THE GOOD SHEPHERD

Proclamation:

“I am The Good Shepherd.  The Good Shepherd lays down His life for the sheep.”  “I am The Good Shepherd; I know My sheep and My sheep know me; …”  John 10:11 and 14 (NIV)

Explanation:

These words were written by the Apostle John under the influence of The Holy Spirit of God.  Here, John records the remainder of the conversation with the Scribes and the Pharisees which Jesus began in the previous chapter. (John 9:39-41)  They were upset that Jesus had implied that they were blind, and now He was referring to them as robbers and thieves but they did not understand Him. (John 10:1 and 6)  Jesus explained it to them again. (John 10:7-10)  Then He said, “I am The Good Shepherd.  The Good Shepherd lays down His life for the sheep.” (John 10:11)  He said the hired hand will not die for the sheep; instead he will run away and abandon them in the face of trouble. (John 10:12-13)  Throughout this conversation, Jesus continued to refer to God as His Father. (John 10:15, 17, 18, 25, 29, 30, 36, 37, and 38)  However, when He said, “I and The Father are one” they again picked up stones to stone Him. (John 10:30-33)

Application:

We ought to really love The Lord.  He knows each of us by name. (John 10:3 and 14)  He also knows all about each of us intimately, and He still loves us.  He willingly laid down His life for us and paid the debt for our sins.  Some people have trouble believing in Him.   He causes division among the people, between the saved and the unsaved.  He also causes division within each of the saved believers, between our sinful human nature and our Christian nature.  The devil has some influence but The Lord God had control over everything.  He has all power. (Matthew 28:18)  He provides for us, He protects us, and He preserves us.  That is why we can say, “The Lord is my Shepherd ...” (Psalm 23:1)  The Lord is The Good Shepherd, and gladly, we are His sheep.

THE LORD GOD HAS DONE GREAT THINGS FOR US

Proclamation:

“The Lord has done great things for us, and we are filled with joy.”  Psalm 126:3 (NIV)

Explanation:

The words of this psalm were written under the influence of The Holy Spirit of God but the name of the human author is unknown.  This is another psalm of ascent, one of the songs which the children of Israel sang as they journeyed towards Jerusalem.  The psalmist begins by describing a dream-like situation of returning to Jerusalem, having their fortunes restored, and the joy that they felt. (Psalm 126:1-2)  They knew that The Lord God had done some great thing for them.  Their tears of woe had turned into songs of joy. (Psalm 126:5-6)

Application:

It is good to know that even in the midst of a bad situation, that deliverance and restoration are possible.  Saints may suffer and shed some tears but The Lord God knows what we are going through and He can wipe away all of our tears. (Psalm 126:5, Isaiah 25:8 and Revelation 7:17)  Weeping may endure for a night but joy is coming in the morning. (Psalm 30:5)  So, let us not be weary in our present situation, because in due season, if we faint not, we shall be restored and reap joy. (Isaiah 40:31 and Psalm 145:15)

GOD SEES ALL THAT WE DO

Proclamation:

“For your ways are in full view of The Lord, and He examines all of your paths.”  Proverbs 5:21 (NIV)  The King James version of The Bible reads: "For the ways of man are before the eyes of The Lord, and He pondereth all his goings."  Proverbs 5:21 (KJV)

Explanation:

These words were written under the influence of The Holy Spirit of God by King Solomon, who was blessed to be the wisest man to ever live. (2 Chronicles 1:11-12)  Solomon wanted the people to know that The Lord God was watching them all of the time and sees everything that they do.  His purpose was to encourage them to behave in a Christ-like manner.

Application:

Imagine a video camera being focused upon you, 24 hours each day, 365 days of the year.  Would you want that recording played back to all of your family and friends in church, especially if it included all that you said and thought?  That which is done in the dark will soon come to the light.  Some people say, "What happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas."  It is as if they believe that God is not there and that He does not see all that goes on in Las Vegas, and everywhere else.  God sees all of our actions.  He also hears all of our spoken words, and He can read our minds and our hearts.  He knows all of our thoughts and the motives behind our behavior.  It is a sin to think sinful thoughts. (Matthew 5:28)  For as a man thinks in his heart, so is he. (Proverbs 23:7)  God knows us, and He love us in spite of our sinful behavior.  However, on judgement day, Jesus is going to judge each of us on all of our thoughts, words, and deeds. (Matthew 12:36-37, 1 Corinthians 3:12-15, and Revelation 20:12-13)  We should repent now and ask for forgiveness for all of our sins, and pray for His help to avoid them in the future.

GOD KNOWS ALL ABOUT US AND STILL LOVES US

Proclamation:

"Jesus answered, 'Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks the water I give him will never thirst.  Indeed, the water I give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life.'  The woman said to him, 'Sir, give me this water so that I won't get thirsty and have to keep coming here to draw water.'  He told her, 'Go, call your husband and come back.'  'I have no husband,' she replied.  Jesus said to her, 'You are right when you say you have no husband.  The fact is, you have had five husbands, and the man you now have is not your husband.  What you have just said is quite true.'  'Sir,' the woman said, 'I can see that you are a prophet.' … The woman said, ‘I know that The Messiah is coming.  When He comes, He will explain everything to us.’  Then Jesus declared, ‘I, the one speaking to you, I am He.’"  John 4:10-26 (NIV)

Explanation:

These are the words spoken by Jesus, The Christ, as recorded by the Apostle John under the influence of The Holy Spirit of God.  When Jesus left Judea heading to Galilee, He went through Samaria.  There He met the Samaritan woman by a well and asked her for a drink of water.  She questioned Him because she knew that the Jews and the Samaritans did not get along.  During their conversation Jesus told her that if she knew who He was, she would have asked Him for the living water that He could give her.  Even though she did not fully understand she asked for that water.  Jesus told her to go and get her husband and return.  When she said I have no husband, Jesus told her about her past five husbands and her current living situation.  She thought that Jesus was a prophet but He told her that He was The Messiah.

Application:

All of us are sinners. (Romans 3:23)  None of us are righteous on our own. (Romans 3:10)  God demonstrated His love for us in that, while we were lost in our sins, Christ died for us. (Romans 5:8)  The Lord knows us and all about our past, including all of our sins, shortcomings, failures, iniquities, and our indiscretions, and yet He still loves us enough to offer us salvation and eternal life.  Jesus had to tell the Samaritan woman about herself before she believed.  Sometimes The Lord God allows things to happen to us so that He can show us who He is and what He can do for us.  He loves us and He wants us to be with Him throughout eternity, but we must first accept Him. (John 3:16)  It is only by the love and grace of God that we have been saved and not by anything that we have done. (Ephesians 2:8-9)