There are times when deeds of kind ness are the means of allowing us to tell others about our Saviour. Pre paring gifts for children’s homes, aiding in the Junior Red Cross, do ing errands for those who are elder ly or ill are all ways of helping others that we may be able to lead1 them to our Lord. One Christian girl frequ en tly stayed with children while their parents were away. She always took a New Testament with her, and tried to lead each of the children to her Lord. Many of those children were1not allowed to attend Sunday School, so she took the Gospel to them in their homes. Is there some friend or relative for whose salvation you have been praying? Perhaps a helpful, kindly deed might cheer his heart and make it ready for the story of the Saviour’s love. Our Lord went about doing good. Through our good works, we may prepare others who are in need of comfort and help to gladly receive the Gospel message.
JULY 20, 1947 JOB FACES THE PROBLEM OF SUFFER ING J ob 1:8; 2:7-10; 19:7-10; 42:1-5; J as . 5:11
Points and Problems "So went Satan forth from the presence of the Lord, and smote Job” (2:7). It was only as he was per mitted by the Lord that Satan touched the person of Job. It is al ways so; God has the devil on a leash and “he can go only the length of his chain.” The Lord allows him to molest His children only to the extent that His divine purposes are thereby fulfilled. Surely, as in the present instance, there are times when God lets Satan smite His fol lowers, in order that He may be glorified in the victory over the trial, and His children enriched in faith by the experiences. Paul had his thorn in the flesh (2 Cor. 12:7). “Then said his wife unto him . . . curse God, and die” (2:9). Job had been tried with respect to his wealth, his children and his health. Finally, he suffered the severest test of all: a faithless wife. There is no trial more difficult for the Christian to survive successfully than that of an unhappy family relationship. To re main true to God when the husband or wife in the home is unbelieving, or when children or parents are faithless, is hard, but possible, by God’s grace. It is an opportunity to manifest the power of the Gospel. For the Children W hen P eople A re in T rouble (J ob 42:10-17) M emory V erse : “Be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another” (Eph. 4:32). Job’s flocks and herds, his servants, and his sons and daughters, had been taken away from him. His body had suffered much, but Job refused to blame God for his sorrows and his difficulties. At last, the Lord re warded Job’s patience and his faith fulness by giving to him twice as much as he had before his difficult experiences. Job’s brothers and sisters and friends came to his house for a meal and tried to comfort him. Each guest brought to Job some money and some gold Jewelry. God gave to him greater flocks ahd herds than he had before and gave to him many children and grandchildren. What joy Job’s relatives and friends must have brought to him! When we help those who are in trouble, we bring joy to ourselves as well as to them. God tells us to be “doers of the word, and not hearers only.” Christians must live like their Lord as well as talk about Him.
Outline and Exposition T he C ause of J ob ' s S uffering (J ob 1:8; 2:7-10) Satan had “ set his heart upon” Job and challenged God’s statement that Job was. perfect and upright. God, as always, accepted that chal lenge (Matt. 4:1-11). Thus it was Job’s goodness, not sin, that led to his suffering. The meaning of the trials of the saints of God must be sought in the unseen world (1 Cor. 4:9; Eph. 3:10; 1 Pet. 1:10-13). Satan lost, no time in using God’s permission to test Job’s integrity, but Job needed to learn, as many others have, that mere human goodness was not sufficient for God’s presence (Isa. 6:5; Dan. 10:8; Rom. 7:18). Sick in body, darkened in mind, troubled in spirit, Job came to the end of hope. His wife was no help; she went so far as to suggest suicide as an “ out” for Job. Yet Job main tained his trust in God and did not sin with his lips in making a charge against Him. T he C omplaint in S uffering (J ob 19:7-10) Job cried out, but none heard; his way was fenced in; his path was dark, his glory once admired by all, was stripped away; and he did not know why. Then Job declared that God had broken him down (Marg.) and had »»moved him as a tree plucked up. No wonder he was sorry for himself; we would have felt the same way. It was enough to make anyone complain—no, not anyone, for there was One who never com plained under suffering — the Man, Christ Jesus. T he C onclusion of th e S uffering (J ob 42:1-6; J as . 5:11) At last, Job came into the presence of God and there confessed his wrong in complaining. “1 know,” he said, ip effect, “that no purpose of Thine can be restrained. I did not know Thee and hence was wrong in my speech.” To omit the next verse (v. 6) would be to miss the entire purpose of the book and the purpose of the suffer ing. Seeing Jehovah in His perfec tion, Job repented, not because of what he had done, but because of what he was. “I abhor myself, and repent." Thus Job, through suffer ing, was brought to the end of him self, and was ready to begin with God. As James, by the Holy Spirit stated: “The Lord is very pitiful, and of tender mercy.” JUNE, 1947
Cannon Beach Bible Conference
“ By the Pacific** in the beautiful Northwest. Conferences from July 10th to August 23rd, and Labor Day week-end. Speakers: Rev. J. Vernon McGee. Th.D., Lin coln Ave. Presbyterian Church. Pasadena. Calif., also faculty member of the Bible Insti tute of Los Angeles: Rev. James Cuthbertson, Japan Evangelistic Band; Rev. A. J. Harms» Burns Ave. Baptist Church. Detroit. Mich.; Rev. L. E. Maxwell, Prairie Bible Institute, Alberta, Canada; Mr. Bill Cady, “ Fishers of Men,** xakima, Wash.; Rev. John Kopp, for merly United States Navy Chaplain; Mrs. Helen Duff Baugh, National chairman of the Christian Business and Professional Women. For folder write: Rev. Archie McNeill, Box 398, Cannon Beach, Ore.
Do net fail to read the account of a new educational project on Page 9.
THE NAVAJO B IBLE SCHOOL AND M ISS ION A im s to evangelizo and train Navajo Indians
50,000 Navajos— only 40 per cent of children in school; only 5 per cent of Nav ajos know Christ. Funds and pray er needed. Liter ature sent on re quest. Address the Rev. Howard A. Clark. Window Rock, Arizona
F.ge Thirty-nine
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