Why Go to God?
Date: 10 April, 2017
Text: Job 5:8-11
Title: Why Go to God?
Theme: The man who lost everything never lost one thing. The thing which He did not lose He could not lose. He had every tie severed but the tie that bound him to the heart of God.
Introduction:
David Livingstone's Hymn "Lord Send Me Anywhere"
Music - Frank Garlock
O Lord, since Thou hast died
To give Thyself for me,
No sacrifice could be too great
For me to make for Thee.
Refrain:
Lord, send me anywhere, Only go with me;
Lay any burden on me, Only sustain me.
Sever any tie, Save the tie that binds me to Thy heart—
Lord Jesus, my King, I consecrate my life, Lord, to Thee.
I only have one life,
And that will soon be past;
I want my life to count for Christ,
What's done for Him will last.
I follow Thee, my Lord,
And glory in Thy cross;
I gladly leave the world behind
And count all gain as loss.
note: The chorus says, "Sever any tie, save the tie that bind me to Thy heart"
Job's trial - There is a Bible story that shows this principle at work in the life of one of God's servants. He lost everything but that one thing and it all happened suddenly.
· He lost his livestock and his servants. 13 ¶ And there was a day when his sons and his daughters were eating and drinking wine in their eldest brother’s house: 14 And there came a messenger unto Job, and said, The oxen were plowing, and the asses feeding beside them: 15 And the Sabeans fell upon them, and took them away; yea, they have slain the servants with the edge of the sword; and I only am escaped alone to tell thee. 16 While he was yet speaking, there came also another, and said, The fire of God is fallen from heaven, and hath burned up the sheep, and the servants, and consumed them; and I only am escaped alone to tell thee. 17 While he was yet speaking, there came also another, and said, The Chaldeans made out three bands, and fell upon the camels, and have carried them away, yea, and slain the servants with the edge of the sword; and I only am escaped alone to tell thee.
· He lost his children. 18 While he was yet speaking, there came also another, and said, Thy sons and thy daughters were eating and drinking wine in their eldest brother’s house: 19 And, behold, there came a great wind from the wilderness, and smote the four corners of the house, and it fell upon the young men, and they are dead; and I only am escaped alone to tell thee.
· He lost his health. 7 ¶ So went Satan forth from the presence of the LORD, and smote Job with sore boils from the sole of his foot unto his crown. 8 And he took him a potsherd to scrape himself withal; and he sat down among the ashes.
· His marriage struggled to cope with the extent of his loss. 9 Then said his wife unto him, Dost thou still retain thine integrity? curse God, and die. 10 But he said unto her, Thou speakest as one of the foolish women speaketh. What? shall we receive good at the hand of God, and shall we not receive evil? In all this did not Job sin with his lips.
· His friends turned against him.
The man who lost everything never lost one thing. The thing which He did not lose He could not lose. He had every tie severed but the tie that bound him to the heart of God.
note: And he said when every calamity was falling about him - Job 1:21-22 And said, Naked came I out of my mother’s womb, and naked shall I return thither: the LORD gave, and the LORD hath taken away; blessed be the name of the LORD. In all this Job sinned not, nor charged God foolishly.
exp. Job was not without feeling.
Job 1:25 For the thing which I greatly feared is come upon me, and that which I was afraid of is come unto me.
Job 2:13 So they sat down with him upon the ground seven days and seven nights, and none spake a word unto him: for they saw that his grief was very great.
26 I was not in safety, neither had I rest, neither was I quiet; yet trouble came.
1 ¶ Then Eliphaz the Temanite answered and said,
note: The book of Job is interesting. Job's comforters are against Job and yet some of what they say is right. At times those who are wrong can be right.
ill.
Crowd at the crucifiction - "He saved others Himself He can not save." - only because his love for every sinner is too great.
Pharisees - "this man is the friend of publicans and sinners" - they were right. But, it wasn't because he was participating in their sin. It was because He was teaching them THE WAY of victory over sin.
Pilate - Mr 15:2 And Pilate asked him, Art thou the King of the Jews? And he answering said unto him, Thou sayest it.
Mr 15:9 But Pilate answered them, saying, Will ye that I release unto you the King of the Jews?
Mr 15:12 And Pilate answered and said again unto them, What will ye then that I shall do unto him whom ye call the King of the Jews?
Mr 15:26 And the superscription of his accusation was written over, THE KING OF THE JEWS.
note: The point is this - much of the book of Job is a record of the words of the unbelievers who were standing in judgment upon Job. But, there are many insightful truths taught through their unbelieving lips and recorded by God for us.
app. That is the same principle at work in our text this morning. It is someone who is not right with God saying something that is absolutely true about God.
Eliphaz the Temanite is going to give good advice which we would assume he is not following. However, we know from the story that the man to whom he is preaching has got it right.
I. Go to God.
A. The way to God.
8 I would seek unto God,
exp. He wants you to come to Him. But, the way to Him is to SEEK Him.
ill. Do you remember those words of Jesus, " 32 But he said unto them, I have meat to eat that ye know not of. 33 Therefore said the disciples one to another, Hath any man brought him ought to eat? 34 Jesus saith unto them, My meat is to do the will of him that sent me, and to finish his work.
exp. If it was an exclusive choice of eating or seeking God's will - Jesus would find satisfaction in seeking after Jesus.
note: If you took a blank piece of paper and put on it your "to do" list for the day - where would "seeking God" fit into your day? That was first for Jesus?
Mr 1:35 And in the morning, rising up a great while before day, he went out, and departed into a solitary place, and there prayed.
Psalm 55:17 Evening, and morning, and at noon, will I pray, and cry aloud: and he shall hear my voice.
app.
· Have you ever gotten up early to pray?
· Have you ever put aside entertainment to read your Bible?
· Have you cut off any sin to better prepare your heart to come to God?
· Have you made church the priority God wants it to be?
· Do you view prayer and Bible time as important?
· THAT IS THE WAY TO GOD.
B. The way of God.
and unto God would I commit my cause:
exp. He wants you to confide in Him.
note: The phrase "my people" is found 217 times in our Bible.
example: 1Ki 8:16 Since the day that I brought forth my people Israel out of Egypt, I chose no city out of all the tribes of Israel to build an house, that my name might be therein; but I chose David to be over my people Israel.
ill. Have you ever noticed that if you look sternly at a child they won't come to you? But, if you smile warmly and open your arms to them they often run to embrace you?
Matthew 23:37 O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou that killest the prophets, and stonest them which are sent unto thee, how often would I have gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and ye would not!
app. God wants you to seek him and He wants you find Him.
Jer 29:13 And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart.
transition: GO TO GOD....
II. Go to God for exceptional answers.
A. How big is God to you?
9 Which doeth great things
ill. Imagine having Rembrandt in your home and asking him to do stick figures. He draws a stick figure because you asked him to do so and you run to your neighbors rejoicing at what He has done. They rightfully doubt the authenticity (even though it is from Him) because they know that His work is so much "GREATER" than what you are showing them.
exp. You and I can ask God to do little things which He can do and when He does them we run to our neighbors and say, "Look at what God has done." They doubt the authenticity because it is so below what they expect to see from God.
app. Have you become content to see God to things far below the great things that He can do if we would only ask?
note: God parted the Red Sea. He raised people from the dead. He made lame to walk and blind to see. But, we are excited to see God to the little things WHEN HE IS THE GOD OF THE GREAT THINGS.
B. Can God do something which is not on your radar?
and unsearchable;
question: Have you ever not prayed about something (which you wanted to pray about) because you saw no way in which your prayer could be answered?
ill. How God put my wife and I together. - I didn't date. I was shy.
I planned a lunch date with my sister and Katie came along.
Rachael asked if I would go as a friend with Katie on her dating outing.
We played volleyball together and I finally had the courage to invite her to go with me to an Artist Series.
ill. There are some fighter jets which fly at very low levels - so that they can "fly under the radar." That means they aren't "searchable" by men's methods.
app. You may not see an answer on the radar - but God's ways are unsearchable - he is flying below the radar. Are you going to have the faith to pray about things which you can't see?
C. Do you believe you are going to like what God does?
marvellous things
exp. Some people have this idea that God's way isn't good.
ill. - if I pray about who to marry - God will make me marry someone who I find unatractive. Or - If I pray about serving God - He is going to send me to a place I can't stand with food I don't want to eat.
Jer 29:11 For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end.
James 1:17 Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning.
Psalm 37:4 Delight thyself also in the LORD; and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart.
app. When we let go of our lives and let God have His way in our lives - Abundant life begins. John 10:10 I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.
D. Is God limited in His resources?
without number:
exp. "Without number" is a great phrase to hear.
ill.
· Mary and Joseph would have loved to have heard that when they asked for a room in the Inn. We have rooms "without number."
· We love that when we go to an event that we think is sold out. We have tickets "without number."
question: Aren't you glad that God's grace for salvation is not limited? It is "without number" and therefore He can say in Re 22:17 And the Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that heareth say, Come. And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely.
exp. Once you have tasted of God's goodness, you don't have to worry that you have exhausted His supply.
transition: Go to God! Go to God for exceptional answers.
III. Go to God for refreshing answers.
exp. Water is often a picture of God's Spirit in the Word of God and New Life in Christ.
Isaiah 44:3 For I will pour water upon him that is thirsty, and floods upon the dry ground: I will pour my spirit upon thy seed, and my blessing upon thine offspring:
John 7:38 He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water.
ill. Jesus with the woman at the well - recorded in John 4:13 Jesus answered and said unto her, Whosoever drinketh of this water shall thirst again:14 But whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life.
exp. And so in our text, the blessing from God is pictured as water.
A. God gives rain.
10 Who giveth rain upon the earth,
exp. We have been reminded this past week that God gives refreshment.
hymn: Brethren We Have Met to Worship. "Brethren we have met to worship and adore the Lord our God. All is vain unless the Spirit of the Holy One comes down."
note: Our world seeks refreshment in sports, entertainment, exercise, nature, sin (drugs, drink, immorality,) money etc.
app. To what do you turn when you are in need of refreshment? God gives rain on the earth. He gives soul refreshment.
B. God gives rain where you need it.
and sendeth waters upon the fields:
exp. Is God ignorant that we need rain to make our crops grow? If we never received physical rain, everything would die.
note: Do you know that we NEED seasons of refreshment from the Lord and that without those revivals spiritual life dies.
Isaiah 41: 17 When the poor and needy seek water, and there is none, and their tongue faileth for thirst, I the LORD will hear them, I the God of Israel will not forsake them.
18 I will open rivers in high places, and fountains in the midst of the valleys: I will make the wilderness a pool of water, and the dry land springs of water.
app. We need refreshement from God spiritually or we dry up. God gives rain. He knows the the "field" of our life requires it. He'll send it when we need it.
transition: Go to God....for exceptional anwers, for refreshing answers and....
IV. Go to God for escape answers.
ill. David - Ps 55:6 And I said, Oh that I had wings like a dove! for then would I fly away, and be at rest.
exp. David wanted to escape his trial through physical flight. Job wanted to pursue the same escape route and even asked the Lord to kill him. However, neither man was allowed to get out of their trial. But, God would help give them "spiritual wings" like a dove to fly above their trial.
A. God knows if you are low and can set you up on high.
11 To set up on high those that be low;
ill. Eddie - felt like his heart was just so sinful and he was so burdened by his sin.
exp. God knows how to let our life crush us - so that we want him to lift us up.
song: Are you wary, are you heavy laden, tell it to Jesus, tell it to Jesus.
app. Why don't you just admit it to God? You can't do life without Him. He's ready to lift you up.
B. God will take you from sorrow to safety.
that those which mourn may be exalted to safety.
exp. Mourning is one of the most difficult emotions which we face. Nobody likes to grieve.
ill. When my father lost his wife and three kids it was very difficult. He saw them before the accident and has no memory of the accident. He never saw his family again.
In reading through His Bible in the hospital the Lord gave him these verses....
Ezekiel's trial of His wife's death.... Ezekiel 24:
15 ¶ Also the word of the LORD came unto me, saying,
16 Son of man, behold, I take away from thee the desire of thine eyes with a stroke: yet neither shalt thou mourn nor weep, neither shall thy tears run down.
17 Forbear to cry, make no mourning for the dead, bind the tire of thine head upon thee, and put on thy shoes upon thy feet, and cover not thy lips, and eat not the bread of men.
18 So I spake unto the people in the morning: and at even my wife died; and I did in the morning as I was commanded.
exp. Just like Job who was bereaved of His family, my father came through that mourning in safety because RATHER THAN TURNING FROM GOD - HE STAYED TURNED TOWARDS GOD. And God lifted Him up from His trial and allowed him to escape.
conclusion: We are poor comforters and may give right advice with a wrong heart. That is Eliphaz the teminite. But, what Eliphaz said was exactly right. He gave us reasons to go to God.
1. For exceptional answers.
2. For refreshing answers.
3. For escape answers.
