September 1, 2015 WWJWMTD by Steve the son of John

Challenging God, Any Takers?

Character of the Month Series

I like a challenge now and then, and God does too. God can do anything, so are there really challenges for Him? God wants us to challenge Him, “Ask of me if I would not pour out a blessing on you that you cannot contain.”

Jesus before He died asked God three times to do things another way—He said it is too hard to die the way God had planned for Him. Nevertheless, Jesus said, “Not my will but yours be done.” Not everything you ask of God will He do—does it fit into His will for your life?

Job is a great story about challenging God. Job was perfect God said, but Satan said that Job would give up everything in order to save his life and what he owns. God took the challenge and Job, well, he was caught in the middle.

Job lost everything of monetary value, his family, and his health. What else would one be willing to sell his soul for? He was broken, alone (his friends were of no help), and without assistance, he began to hate God.

Job told God repeatedly that, “I did nothing wrong! Why did you let this happen to me?” You know what God’s response was, “Who made you my counselor? Can you do anything like I can do? Stand up like a man and answer me—answer my questions,” God demanded!

Job chose not to debate with God after God came to him and challenged him ‘face to face’. God wanted Job to understand the fear of the Lord, to be humble and repentant even though Job did not deserve what had taken place. God basically said, “I know best.”

What a story! A story of brokenness, making wrongs right, finding out what is truly important—finding the fear of the Lord. Wow!

You want God to listen to you? You want your prayers to be answered? You want to always find the will of God for your life? It is only found in the ‘fear of the Lord’. Whatever God decides to do (no matter what it looks like or how hard it is) it is always right and just—this is the fear of the Lord.

Show me a person of great character, and I will show you someone who says, “Whatever you want to do God—it is OK and righteous—I am not your counselor.”

I fear the Lord in all things, through all things, for Your Glory alone!

WWJWMTD

Dr. Steven J. Wentland www.wwjwmtd.com

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