The lessons from God’s Word in this study are as much for me as they are for you. I’m no expert on enduring hardships (Praise the Lord), but I know that through my life experiences I’ve found God’s words not only to be true but able to provide incredible comfort. If there is one thing I wish to accomplish through this study, it is for us to see that, as born again believers, there is nothing that can happen in this world that we cannot face when we keep our eyes focused on eternity and our hearts full of faith and trust in God. We need to fear neither death nor life. We have no need to fear of death because we know where we spend eternity. And we do not need to fear life because our lives are not our own and life here on earth will past faster than the blink of an eye in light of all eternity. If we could only grasp that we are to live our life here on earth with one purpose: to glorify and bring God pleasure. We are not here for our pleasure. In fact, we need to get over our fascination with and love for comforts and pleasure. While God wants us to enjoy life, He does not want us to place comfort, rest, and pleasures ahead of Him. If we want to endure tragedy and hardship with grace, then we need to embrace the fact that the things of this world are of no value in comparison to what we will have in eternity. Already this year, we have seen tremendous tragedies: earthquakes, tsunamis, tornadoes, floods, fires, and no doubt, if the Lord does not return, we’ll see more in the coming months. There is no doubt in my mind that we are in the end times, that soon, perhaps even this minute, the Lord will sound the trumpet and we’ll join Him in the air. However, if we continue on earth, we are going to experience more hardships, famines, earthquakes, wars, etc. So we need to be prepared spiritually for such events. I pray that through this story and the Bible study, we will gain the knowledge to better handle these coming trials. Chapter 1 Discussion Questions Read Job chapters 1 and 2. Describe Job as God saw him:
Describe Job as Satan saw him:
Keep these in mind as we go through this chapter. To recap Chapter 1: Sergeant Dixon, our main character, considers himself the guarding of the region to which he has been assigned. As such, he carefully observes any newcomer, and when a strange albino steps off the train, his “spider senses” are tingling. Distracted by a fight between two local yocals he doesn’t see a young boy, Joab Black’s son, cross the railroad tracks and be killed by wild dogs after having spoken with the stranger. The unusual circumstance causes the conspiracy theory-minded sergeant to believe the stranger had something to do with this event, though logic would state it otherwise. 1. Dixon saw himself as the guardian knight of his regional post. How is this like Job in Job 1:5?
Job thought he could protect his family, that through his diligent worship he could keep bad things from happening to them. Are we able to keep our loved ones safe from any harm that might come to them? While living godly lives before our children will set an example that they might follow, we cannot cause them to choose God or ask for God’s forgiveness for their sins. That has to come from their own heart. We can have a lot of influence over them, but their relationship with God ultimately rests on their own shoulders. We can teach them right from wrong—we are commanded to do so. We can help them see the consequences of sins and warn them not to do things, but in the end, their salvation is a matter of their own choice. We can work to protect them…and we should, but their lives are ultimately in God’s hands, not our own. We would be wise to be diligent in the task of raising them, but not to fall into the trap of believing we can be their stronghold (that’s God’s place) or their high priest (that’s Jesus’ position). We are not wise enough; we are not God. Yes, we can pray for them; yes, we can teach them; yes, we can be diligent to keep them from harm, but ultimately we must recognize they are God’s to care for—He might choose to take them home to be with Him—they are His, He’s only allowed us to have them out of His good pleasure for the time He has chosen. Set your mind to be willing to surrender them to Him. When Chenisse was born, when I went to nurse her for the first time, she choked on mucus. I didn’t know what was wrong. My mother was there. She snatched her from me and raced her to the nurse’s station where they had to clear the mucus from her throat. Had my mother not been there, Chenisse would have died in my arms. It was as though God was reminding me that Chenisse was His and He could take her at anytime, should He choose. A couple of years ago, He reminded me of this again when she had a severe asthma attack. A few days after the hospital stay we visited the doctor for a follow up. I wanted to know just how serious this was, and what course of action I should take in case it happens again. The doctor made it clear that had I waited much longer to take her in, the likelihood of her dying was quite high. I used to think the most horrible thing in the world would be to lose a child. I don’t mean to be hard hearted or to sound like I don’t love my children, but I have learned I must remember that they are God’s, not mine—and should tragedy strike, I pray God will help me remember the lessons I learn from His word, so that I might endure with the grace He can provide. 2. Why do you think the stranger went to see Pastor Perkins? Who does the stranger represent? Satan Who does Pastor Perkins represent? God The stage is being set for the trying of the Blacks. Why do you think Dixon was suspicious of the stranger? Many people can sense when evil is near. Some are more sensitive to the presence of evil than others, even though they may not be able to explain it. Genesis 3:22 tells us that when Adam and Eve ate from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, they were able to “know good and evil.”
Even those who do not know the Bible know that evil exists. They can sense it just like those who are saved can. Some people even seek it out for the adrenalin rush. We, as Christians, need to know how to face evil. In Zechariah 3:1–2, Zechariah was shown Joshua, the high priest, and Satan standing near him. Satan sought to keep Joshua under his control, but in verse two God calls Joshua a brand plucked out of the fire.
In the verses that follow we read how God took away Joshua’s filthy garments and gave him new raiment, symbolizing the removal of Joshua’s iniquity.
A spiritual battle was being fought over Israel, and ultimately, the world. This was revealed to Zechariah. Jesus often spoke to evil spirits and was tempted by Satan (Luke 4). He recognized Satan speaking through Peter (Matthew 16:23). Evil is present in this world. We are capable of knowing it, and an evil spirit is capable of possessing a human being. However, God is more powerful and has the victory, as we see in Zechariah 3:2, when He rebukes Satan. When trials come, those who are saved can take comfort in God’s presence. Read Isaiah 43:2–3.
3. Do you think the stranger had anything to do with Rupert’s death? Read Judges 2:21–22.
The Bible tells us that God allows things to happen to us in order to test and prove us. When the Israelites entered into the Promised Land, they were told to keep God’s commandments and to drive the inhabitants from the land. However, they failed to obey. Read I Peter 1:6–9.
God tells us through the Apostle Peter that we should rejoice through opportunities to prove our faith when we endure hardships. Trials and hardships will come our way. What can we do to prepare for them mentally and spiritually? Read I Peter 5:6–11.
I read a story in the History of the Welsh Baptists, by J. Davis, about a man named Thomas Parry. He was plagued by a dream and after hearing a couple of sermons, he believed in Jesus Christ as his Saviour.
We cannot expect that just because we are saved we’ll not experience hardships. In fact, I’d venture to say that if we are standing strong for Christ, those hardships will increase, but the whippings of the world will be like roses if we keep our focus on God and on the eternal life He promises us. This quote is from Obadiah Holmes biography who was whipped by the Puritans for holding a Baptist meeting: There were thirty strokes, with a three-cord whip, held by the executioner, not in one hand, but in both hands. The strokes did not follow each other quickly or lightly. They were laid on slowly and with all the strength of the officer wielding the instrument of torture. Throughout, there was not a groan or murmur from the victim. The first sound from his lips were the words to the magistrates, who stood about as witnesses, "You have struck me as with roses." http://homepages.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~sam/obadiah.html These men, and women like them, have endured hardship, lost family, suffered for the cause of Christ. I have found my faith strengthened by seeing how they endured. |
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