The Cloud of Witnesses
Former title Lessons From the People of the Bible
Set 1Available for NZ$25 + shipping. Enquire at the email address at the bottom of the page. These lessons are also available as PDFs (with the number of lessons in brackets). Abraham (5) — David (5) — Esther (4) — Gideon (5) — Isaac (6) — Jacob (7) — Job (6) — John the Baptist (6) — Jonah (4) — Jonathan (6) — Joseph (10) — Joseph of Nazareth (6) — Mary (4) — Mary Magdalene (4) — Mary of Bethany (3) — Moses (5) — Nehemiah (8) — Nicodemus (4) — Noah (6) — Paul the Apostle (5) — Peter (5) — Philip (4) — Ruth (7) — King Saul (6) — Stephen (6) — Thomas (4)Download the complete set 1 as PDFs (2.46 MB).The lessons of set 1 are also available as individual online lessons below. |
Set 2Available for NZ$25 + shipping. Enquire at the email address at the bottom of the page. These lessons are available as PDFs (with the number of lessons in brackets). These PDFs have not yet been updated to the new name. Andrew (7) — Caleb (7) — Daniel (7) — Elijah (6) — Elisha (5) — Isaiah (21) — John (22) — Joshua (16) — Leah (2) — Luke (22) — Mary Magdalene (3) — Matthew (9) — Miriam (4) — Nahum (2) — Rachel (6) — Rebekah (5) — Samson (5)Download the complete set 2 as PDFs (1.85 MB). |
Job
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Lesson 3: Job – Knew What His Values Were
Reading
Job 2:1-10.
Knew What His Values Were
Hopefully, upon reading this passage, you realise, if never before, that Satan is evil personified. His one aim is to destroy the Kingdom of God through the destruction of the followers of God. However, he is not all-powerful, and we should never forget that.
Having robbed Job of his possessions and family, Satan, still not satisfied, turned his wrath against Job’s person – his physical body. How evil Satan is, isn’t he? Please never underestimate his intentions. Satan is not trying to play games with us – he intends to destroy us – that is why we should avoid all forms of satanic influence, occult writing, occult practices and all forms of deception.
Satan is not to be ‘humoured’; he is to be avoided and exposed for who he is – the Arch-enemy of the human race. Those who underestimate him will pay severely. Those who ignorantly or unintentionally open themselves up to his influence always pay dearly and live to regret it in the long term.
Job hadn’t opened himself up to Satan – he was viciously attacked for nothing more than jealousy. Job was worshipping God rather than Satan. Satan hates anyone who worships God through their lifestyle and does all he can to destroy it. He wanted to prove that Job only worshipped God for what he could get out of God. What Job proved was that he worshipped God for who He was.
That’s the problem for most of us too. We have reduced God to little more than the genie of the lamp or a glorified Father Christmas. As long as God ‘delivers’ we will ‘follow’ Him, but as soon as life becomes challenging, I want out and start blaming God for all that has gone wrong. But God is not there to hand out lollies all the time or rush at my beck and call. He has an Eternal Kingdom to run.
So life will deal us heavy blows from time to time. Some are of our own making – through the poor or unwise choices we make. Some from events that are totally outside of our control. Some from the poor or unwise choices of others. Some even from uncontrollable ‘natural’ causes and some from the mere frailty of human flesh.
The question is how will you respond when the storms of life arrive – as they surely will? Leaders fall, not because they get caught off guard, but because they failed to establish the correct integrity choices. We live the life we choose.
We are at risk as soon as we make a choice, which is in conflict with our chosen values. However, there is a far greater risk of failure when we fail to establish our own set of values. That’s where most people fall. It doesn’t matter whether that is in business, in politics, in sport or in leisure activities – the consequences are tragic.
The greatest area of potential devastation is in the moral challenges we face. In truthfulness, in social interaction and in relationships. Sooner or later, you will find yourself in a compromising position – how you respond to it will reveal whether or not you have already established your immovable values and principles.
Job would say to us today...
Choose your values and live by them before the storms of life beat against you or your shallow foundations will be exposed. Take time out now to write yours down.
Prayer
Father, please help me be a person of integrity like Job. Keep revealing to me Your eternal values so I may walk confidently into the future, knowing I will make wise choices. Amen.
Additional readings
Deuteronomy 6:1-19; Daniel 3:1-30; Matthew 7:15-27; Proverbs 30:7-9.
Questions
What are your values regarding time and money?
What are your values regarding relationships?
How can we avoid making poor choices in life?
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