Epistle for February 25, 2005
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Dr. Curt Scarborough, President FreeWay
Foundation February 25, 2005
In this Issue:
Holy Ground Interview - JOB
Degrees from Pillsbury
Curt Scarborough's HOLY GROUND INTERVIEW
Featuring today's special guest JOB
CS Job, it seems that everyone has heard about the patience of Job,
but it appears to me that, in fact, you became extremely impatient
. . . with your friends, and with God.
Job You're right. Patience was never one of my virtues! Actually, my
so-called patience should have been translated "endurance."
CS The expression, "Job's friends," has entered our culture's
vocabulary,
referring to acquaintances who do more harm than good.
Job I think my friends meant well; they were genuinely concerned about
my welfare. By the way, even in my day, some humorist joked, "With
friends like those, who needs enemies?"
CS I knew that was an old gag, but I didn't know it was that ancient!
And
what about your wife? Did you ever consider divorcing her?
Job Don't forget, she had suffered the same devastating grief that I
did;
those were her children too. Then add the economic losses we both
suffered. It's remarkable that she kept her sanity at all.
CS But she advised you to curse God and die.
Job She merely wanted my pain and sorrow to end. Don't blame her!
CS When did you discover that all the tragedies in your life were due
to
Satan . . . that he had questioned your integrity, and that your moral
character was being tested?
Job Not until I met my living Redeemer face to face in heaven did I
come
to a full understanding of what had happened to me, and why.
CS Although the Bible book bearing your name contains a great deal of
complaining, it also contains some remarkable words of faith.
Job No doubt you are referring to my statement, "Though He slay me, yet
will I trust Him"!
CS Yes. But even more prophetic were your words, "I know that my
Redeemer lives, and He shall stand at last on the earth; and after my skin
is destroyed, this I know, that in my flesh I shall see God." How could you
possibly know that?
Job Such utterances come only through divine revelation.
CS I've always been intrigued by God's promise to restore twice as
much as
had been taken away from you, yet the Lord replaced your ten deceased
children with only ten more, not twenty.
Job But now in heaven, I do have twenty living children! God's
promises are
absolutely trustworthy because He cannot lie.
CS Toward the close of your book, you had a very dramatic encounter
with
Almighty God which left you almost dumbfounded.
Job How true! In fact, I exclaimed: "Behold, I am vile; what shall I
answer You?
I lay my hand over my mouth. Once I have spoken, but I will not answer;
yes twice, but I will proceed no further!"
CS Tell us about that mouth-shutting, "holy ground" experience.
Job After my three friends had spouted off for several days, and young
Elihu
had added His opinions, I angrily and defiantly demanded that God explain
Himself to me.
CS That was nervy!
Job I was beside myself with frustration! But . . . I went too far!
CS Yet, God knew what you were thinking, so you might as well as say
it.
Job The Lord appeared in a tornado, and posed several devastating
rhetorical
questions.
CS What did He ask you?
Job He inquired: "Where were you when I laid the foundations of the
earth? Have
the gates of death been revealed to you? Where is the way to the dwelling
of light?
Who has put wisdom in the mind?"
CS Tough questions!
Job Then His voice boomed out from the whirlwind: "Would you indeed
nullify My
judgment? Would you condemn Me that you may be justified? Have you an arm
like God? Can you thunder with a voice like Mine?"
CS It sounds like you had been talking when you should have been
listening!
Job It was a terrifying experience . . . and a humbling one!
CS Apparently you learned some deep spiritual truths that day?
Job I learned that mortal man should stand in awe and silence before
the Holy God.
CS As Isaiah did!
Job Surely. And I reacted exactly like that great prophet did: I
humbly
repented of my great wickedness, confessing to the Lord my sinful
pride and self-righteousness.
CS We all need to do that daily.
Job I learned to stop making foolish and arrogant statements,
questioning
God's judgments, purposes, and actions. And I learned to trust in God's
mercy and grace as my only hope of salvation.
CS Job, do you have any final words for believers today?
Job Ask God to purify your heart so that you may truly see Him. (See
Job 42:5-6,
and remember the Messiah's beatitude in Matthew 5:8.) Also, pray for others
with a sincere heart of forgiveness.
CS Like you prayed for your friends?
Job Yes! Such an attitude unlocks the flow of God's blessings.
Another word of
advice: faithfully endure and persevere through times of trials, realizing
that
it is Satan who steals, kills, and destroys.
CS With James, the brother of our Lord, I honor and commend you, Job,
for your
great example of persevering endurance. (James 5:11)
Job Don't glorify me! Our Redeemer lives! Praise Him!
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"Learning is not attained by chance. It must be sought for
with ardor and attended to with diligence."
- Abigail Adams
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