Job 29:2

"Oh that I were as in months past, as in the days when God preserved me."

It is that Job recognizes how God kept him. Too many Christians have not given thought to this as they should. We are here for one reason, God in His mercy allowed it. And the wise Christian is one that sees where they came from, where they are, and where they are going. Oh that I were as in months past - a desire that is not possible yet offers hope to the troubled heart; So much is made of this thought, 'if I could only go back change things'; 'If I knew then what I knew now, I would have done things differently'. Such statements indicate people's desire to change and they think such change would benefit them. Job knew his condition in month's pasts. He knew he was settled in his ways, and the Lord had done it all. He knew his family was still in intact, his health was good, his life was blest and God was kind. but now? He sees he has lost his family, his health is miserable and he wonders where and why God has done this. What would you say of your own estate? How was you in months past? WAs you on fire for the Lord and growing in grace and knowledge of Him? or was you in sin and contrary to the ways of God? Only a few do I find that can look back and say, "I once was on fire and living for God. but now I have lost my way and settled into sin."

Job 28:28

"And unto man he said, Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom; and to depart from evil is understanding."

this is the answer Job puts forth to his own question in verse 12, 'But where shall wisdom be found? and where is the place of understanding?' and as a soul seeks for it, they will find that there is no place for wisdom and understanding but in the Lord. Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom - this was hundreds of years before Solomon wrote this in Proverbs; There must be a fear of the Lord to start a soul on the right path. No fear causes them to have no expectations, no respect and no holding fast to the His ways. But to know that God holds our very breath; He is able to destroy us or to preserve us; He gives life and can take our life. This it he dread of a soul that walks carefully before Him, lest we offend Him. To fear the Lord is to dread and be afraid, it is not just revering Him. And when the relationship is defined in such a manner, 'God you are everything; You are fearful in Your ways', then the soul will listen and adhere. But where there is no fear then men sin and have no remorse of it. And man cannot be wise apart from the Lord. Yes, there are men that have been mentioned in the Bible as being wise but did not fear the Lord. Their wisdom is turned to sin and vanity. That wisdom amounts to no good thing. 'But if any of you lack wisdom let him ask of God, Who giveth to all men and upbraideth not.' It is not something that most people consider to ask for. But to fear the Lord is where is begins. God grants to those that do fear Him the gift of wisdom. And it is a gift. Daniel was wise because he feared the Lord, and God gave it unto him. And to depart from evil is understanding - the application of knowledge is wisdom; Wisdom is taking the knowledge of something and applying it to life. Many know that evil is wrong, yet they still do it. They have not departed from it. How many christians cry out, "I am in this routine"; "I have this habit"? they are still chained and bound, they are not free and have not departed from that which they know to be evil. they admit it, but they do not leave it. this shows that there is a lack of understanding in their life. Wisdom is given so that they might know the ways of the Lord and in turn, walk obediently.

Job 27:6

"My righteousness I hold fast, and will not let it go: my heart shall not reproach me so long as I live."

Job is declaring his own ways before his friends, and heaven and hell. He has declared what his life is and what he will continue for it to be. What a committment he makes here! Oh, that there was such a heart in the church today to be resolved to keep the Lord's ways in our own lives. My righteousness I hold fast - it is not the sin of self-righteousness that he is talking about here; He has just declared in the previous verse of his intergrity. Job has walked rightly in the sight of God. This truth is declared in the first of the book, 'he was perfect'. And a man that is perfect in the sight of the Lord always walks with the Lord. Yet, do we hear this preached today, 'Walk with the Lord for there is no other way to be happy in Jesus but to trust and obey'. Here is a person that is righteous that trust and obey's the Lord. And a true child of God is robed in the righteousness of Christ, not of self works. A true child of God knows that in his own flesh and works there is only self-righteousness. And when Job declares, 'My righteousness', he is not referring to his own merits, but that which God has done in him and through him. For Job knew that God breathed these holy desires within him. Never think that your love for the Lord, your desire to seek Him came from your own self. Just holy desires cannot come from such sinful creatures, it must be of God. Just as true, that righteousness can only come from One Who is righteous, Christ. Now knowing that when we as Chrisitans are righteous in Him, then labor to hold fast to it. Know the fact that any sin, dishonors His righteousness. Take heed to the things that you say, do, think, and practice. Are they producing Christ righteousness or hindering it? Hold fast to the truths of His Great Names sake. and will not let it go - word study, to go; His mind and heart is determined that have received, he will not let it go. Are you willing to not let it go? There are many who having begun with a good work in them, gave up and let go and walked no more among His people. 'They went out from us, for they were not of us'. They let go, a true child of God is obstinate on this fact, "I cannot let it go, for it is right and from Him". And they will struggle, pray, weep, go through trials and tribulations, but they will not let go. Is your resolve the same? Wishy-washy Christianity cannot say that. They come and go, in and out, unfaithful and then faithful, it is like they cannot make up their minds. To be steadfast, perservering is to resolved and will not let it go. My heart shall not reproach me so long as I live - 'if our heart condemns us, God is greater than our heart'; Job knew that his own heart would tell the truth. He was so assured in his personal walk with God that he knew good from evil, right from wrong. that cannot be said of many people today. We are in a generation that calls evil, good and good, evil. They do not know the ways of God; holiness is absent. But a Christian has the Spirit of God abiding in them and He will not let them alone, if they are in sin. Convicting, pricking, quickening to bring them to the Lord tried and true. It is in the heart that convicdtion is settled; the mind can reason it, but the heart is the will of our emotions and decisions. And if men have a wicked heart then they will follow the wickedness of it and do wickedly. But as Job's heart, a true child of God is moved by the Holy Spirit to be follow rightly. And when they stay true to their heart, their is no reproach, no backsliding, no sin. they walk with God and God walks with them. They love Him, and He loves them. The saints that it is said of them, "they were perfect in the sight of God", has found this truth and the heart is wholly His. and so today, check your heart, is there any conviction? is there any reproach? then know the Spirit is pricking so that you might put the sin away and follow perfectly. Obey and keep His ways and you will find your heart at peace. Continue in sin, and you find sorrow and unrest all your days. Chose you this day Whom you will serve.

Job 26:13

"By His Spirit He hath garnished the heavens; His hand hath formed the crooked serpent."

Job has been declaring from verse 5 all the wonders of God. His friends have not answered rightly nor helped him in his sorrow. And Job turns the conversation to glorifying and praising God for Who He is and what He has done. By His Spirit He hath garnished the heavens - in the beginning was God; God the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. There was no heaven nor earth. There was no creation, just God. Our finite minds cannot grasp the wholeness of this. But then we read, 'God created the heavens and the earth'. Now there was something, finite, structure and made by God. Then the next verse in Genesis, 'And the Spirit brooded upon the face of the waters.' what was He doing there? Job declares that the Spirit supplied and and made up the things in heaven. And in each verse that follows we see the hand of God speaking things into existence. And then His Spirit sets the sun, moon and stars in their place. 'God set them'. And if He set the things of heaven, is He not able to set the things in our life? He is able to do all. The vast amount of stars in this universe is beyond comprhension, how hard is it for Him to be active in our life? It is nothing for Him, for He is God. How much the Lord is able to do in our lives if we would only surrender and yield unto Him. He is able to bear fruit for His glory through us if we abide in Him. He is able to answer prayers through us if we call upon Him in faith. He is able to turn back the forces of hell if we cast ourselves upon Him. 'For the eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth to show Himself mighty to those that have a perfect heart toward Him.' ARe you there dear brethern? Do yo faith to believe that He is able to work great and mighty things in your life? Let God be God and obey in great and small things and you shall the mighty hand that created the heavens and garnished them active in your own life for His glory. His hand hath formed the crooked serpent - God made and created all things for a reason and specific design; When Jeremiah went to the potter's house it was to watch how shaping and forming was done. And when a mar was found how it was destroyed and started again. His hand shaped, crafted and formed alll things. He took the dust and made man from it and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life. He has made us, 'for we are fearfully and wonderfully made' in His image. Oh, this world has lost sight of the precious gift of life and God's creation. Make sure brethern, this is not said of you. Give praise for His handy work. And what shall we say of the serpent and his crooked ways? This was not what God made. WE read in Genesis that God took away the legs, or assumed it had legs, and made it go on his belly. And as you watch a snake go through the field or dirt, crooked ways, back and forth, slithering along to move forward. God made him like this after the fall in the garden of Eden. Man was also perfect and right in the sight of God until sin entered in. And now look at the crooked ways of man. Full of sin and shame, day upon day, hour upon hour and we have lost our straight and narrow way. But God in His mercy, even in the crooked ways, makes us go forward till we arrive at the place of perfect rest. And there in heaven, we shall be like He intended us to be, pure and holy. How wonderfula re His ways and how mighty is His Name. Give praise for His creation and what He has done for us, what He is doing for us and what He will do for us for His glory Name sakes.

Job 25:4

"How then can man be justified with God? or how can he be clean that is born of a woman?'

And here is the question that all men must answer. You must know the answer to this question to show forth your salvation. To not know the answer shows that there is something seriously wrong with your soul and walk with the Lord. How then can man be justified with God? great questions of the Bible; And the answer to this question is that man cannot be justified with God. We come to a place to understand the very nuts and bolts of our salvation. Martin Luther grasped this truth while reading Romans and was set free. Too many religions, demoninations and cults display their own work of being justified with God, but there is only one way. Man can try as much as he wants to be good and do good, but it will never happen. No matter how good they may get they will never be justified with God. Being jsutified with God is found in Christ alone. Yet, men continue to try to do it on their own merits, and ways. Justified is being just before the judge; without offense. Man is always offensive unto the Lord, for we are sinful. 'All have sinned and come short of the glory of God.' We are guilty from the very beginning. So it is imperative that someone else makes us just in His sigh, for He is just in all His ways. And in order to make us just, Christ came and took our sins and bore them on His ownself. dying on the cross bearing our sins, so that the unjust, you and I, might be made just in Him. so that whent he Father looks upon us, He does not see our 'unjustness', He sees Christ's 'justness'. We are made just in Him and nothing else. 'He that believeth on Him is justified from all things'. Brethern it is found in you of what you believe. It is not your merits, works or faith in whatever, it is in Christ and Christ alone. He has paid it all, done it all and will keep it all. Or how can he be clean that is born of a woman? great questions of the Bible; born in this world and conceieved in sin man has no chance apart from Christ; David said, 'In my mother's womb I was conceived in sin'. Adam disobeyed and ate of the fruit and sin entered into the world, contaminating the flesh with sin. And every soul born into this world is sinful and vile. Man tries to justifiy themselves but it does not work in the sight of God. We are wretched. And unless a man knows his own wretchedness and lostness he will not see the need for a Savior. He will not enquire nor desire to enquire about being born again, for he sees no fault in his ownself. The truth must be declared is that man is not born in goodness, but brought forth in sin. Just as when a child comes into this world covered with blood and the fluid from the mother's womb, they are unclean in that, born in blood. They must be cleaned off and cleaned up and then we have that sweet, adorable precious child to hold. And so we must be born again. OUt of the flesh, out of sin and washed in the blood of Christ Who cleanses us from all iniquities. Man born into this world cannot be made clean apart from Christ. And when we are dealing with lost men and women this is the heart of it all. ARe they made clean by the blood? Do they know it? Are they living in it? ARe you? 'Out of my bondage, sorrow and night, Jesus, I come; Jesus, I come' 'come unto Me all ye that are weary and heavy laden (with sin) and ye shall find rest in Me'.

Job 24:13

"They are of those that rebel against the light; they know not the ways thereof, nor abide in the paths thereof."

The wicked are known by their actions, words and deeds. God knows their heart, so that even if they are hypocrites to the sight of man, God still knows them. Oh, the wickedness of man and his ways before a holy, all-seeing God. They are of those that rebel against the light - there is One Light and that Light is Jesus Christ and men reject Him; 'Multitudes, multitudes in the valley fo decision'; 'but there is the broad and wide path that leadeth to destruction and many there be that go in thereat.' Here we see that the 'they' are many in the numerical population of this earth. It is not a few that will not be saved, it is a great hosts of them that will be damned. Why do we not understand this? Why does it not alarm the church? Why are we not moved to do something about it? Masses amount of people are of those that rebel and refuse the Gospel. And only the power of His light is able to save them. 'For the Light has come into this world, and men loved darkness rather than light'. they flee from the church, from the Word, from a Christian, for fear that they will be convicted and be saved. They want the darkness because they have become used to it, and they reject the light. they know not the ways thereof - word study, to know; word study, way; This is not just ignorance, they have made a choice not to learn His ways. When you consider what men know today, what they put their time into, they have increased with knowledged. But the ways of eternity and salvation, they reject. Even those in the church are in shame at this. Ask them what it means to be saved and they will answer something a someone said or a sentence out of a tract. But answer from the heart they cannot do it. What does salvation mean to you? What does Christ mean to you? The one who cannot answer this is the one who does not know His ways. There is a multitude of reasons why men do not know the ways thereof. Preachers and teachers are not teaching it rightly; they avoid the times and places of study to hear and grow; and they take no personal desire to read and know on their own time. A church should offer multitude of times and settings to hear the Word to know His ways. Churches today are canceling services and limited their members from hearing and knowing the ways. Men and women do not take any vested interest to read the Bible, pray or be still before the Lord and go on as if the Lord will simply pout it out of the sky on them. You must incline your heart to follow after Him. so it may be that you are able to cast blame upon your preacher and teachers and the church, but how much time and discipline have you invested in knowing His ways? Take the mote out of your own eye before you try to take it out of someone else's. Nor abide in the paths thereof - becuase they do not know His ways they cannot abide in His paths; Which path? the straight and narrow path; the path of righteousness, faithfulness and steafastness. Men cannot stay on this course for they are to easily led astray in their own lusts, pride and imagainations of this world. 'If you abide in Me, I will abide in you'. And this is where we must begin. To abide in Him, He will keep us in the paths that are right. cease to abide in Him and you quickly are off the path. No one said anything about it being easy, or smooth. Those things matter not, it is about obedience. The one that cannot abide in the path on a continual basis must truly go back and see if they wer truly born again. We have too many souls in this day and age that jump on and jump off the path. There is too many inconsisenticies of their walk, faith and devotion to Him. I am one that truly understands men sin, but when it becomes a continual perpetual state of sin, something is wrong.

Job 23:8

"Behold,I go forward, but he is not there; and backward, but I cannot perceive him:"

Job was seeking for the Lord, but he could not find Him. It may be often that we seek and desire to know more of His Presence but we cannot find Him. Does that mean that He is not there? If weonly knew more of His Divine Being. For if we really knew God, 'be still and know that I am God', we would not have such thoughts and doubts. The Lord is the same yesterday, today and tomorrow. He has not changed, for He cannot change. He is everywhere, all the time and in every place. The secrets of man are known to Him. For He is God and there is none else. And knowing this truth He abides faithful to us for His Own Names sake. He knew us in the beginning when the Spirit fo God brooded upon the face of the deep. He loved us while we were yet in sin. Before we were born He sawus and knew us andcalled us His own. He has always been. And even though, we have not always been in the physical sense, we have beena thought, a love, a desire in His own thoughts. How does that make you feel knowing that God has always known you? What wonderful thoughts He has thought toward us. What wonderful gifts He has bestowed on us. What wonderful grace and mercy He has redeemed us. ARe you redeeemed? I would not adventrue to assume that truth among any, simply because they are reading these words. Know of Him and His ways and learn that whether He seems to be there or not, He is present.