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The Bible Breakdown
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The Bible Breakdown
Job 22: Step 1: Let God Lead
How can surrendering control lead to peace and restoration during life's toughest moments? In our latest episode, we unravel the profound wisdom hidden in Eliphaz's third response to Job. Eliphaz may come across harsh, but his advice to Job—submit to God and start anew—is a timeless piece of guidance. We'll illustrate this with a relatable analogy: assembling a complex Ikea dresser. Just as with any intricate project, the first step is essential—deciding to let God take the lead during times of suffering. This initial surrender is crucial for overcoming hardship and finding true direction.
In our second segment, we shift from the advice of Eliphaz to exploring the theme of 'Walking Through Darkness With God.' When anxiety and darkness surround us, faith can be our guiding light. Drawing inspiration from the book of Job, we discuss the power of casting our anxieties on God and trusting in His ever-present care. Whether you're dealing with the aftermath of poor decisions or simply in a rough patch, remember that God is always by your side, ready to provide peace and comfort. We'll close with a heartfelt prayer for God's peace and hope, showing you the way to never walk alone in your struggles. Tune in for an episode filled with faith, hope, and encouragement.
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The More You Dig. The More You Find.
Hello everybody, welcome back to the Bible Breakdown podcast with your host, pastor Brandon, today, job, chapter 22,. And today's title is Step 1, let God Lead. Step 1, let God Lead. We're going to hear Eliphaz as he responds to Job the third time and, in the midst of a bunch of mess, he's actually going to say something kind of good and worth listening to. So we'll get into all that in just a second. But, as always, if you like what we're doing here, make sure you like, share and subscribe to YouTube channel and the podcast. Make sure that you leave us a five-star review on the podcast and that you are commenting on the YouTube channel.
Speaker 0:I love responding to the comments, the insights, the questions, and also make sure that you are going to the Bible Breakdown Discussion on Facebook. Bible breakdown discussion on Facebook. The more we dig, the more we find, and every day I love the different takes that our Facebook team is always giving us, especially through a book like the book of Job. So make sure you're going there and you're reading through this together. Well, if you have your Bibles, want to open up with me to Job, chapter 22. Remember, the overall idea of Job is trusting God's wisdom and suffering, and one of the things that Job chapter 22 reminds me of is Eliphaz is going to say something that's actually kind of helpful, and it's the idea of when you're suffering, you got to start somewhere about climbing out of this dark place, and step one is to submit to God. Let God lead, just decide who's in charge. Right, and that's so important because it reminds me of I went to Ikea one time and I bought this desk, this dresser rather, excuse me, this dresser, and when I got this dresser it looked really good at the store.
Speaker 0:When I got it home, there was at least 10 million parts. I mean, it was amazing how small they were able to get these parts right. And I get this thing home and it is just a mess. There is just I kind of lay everything out. It's kind of what I do. I lay it all out and it's all there. I got all my tools out and everything and I have no idea where to start. I mean, and the thing is with Ikea is the book of instructions. It really does look like it's a Bible. Okay, it's just so much there and I have no idea where to start. And so what do you do? You go to the instructions and you look up step one and I'll be honest with you, many times I will go to the back of it and go, okay, let me make sure that this is going to look right at the end. Okay, yeah, but then at some point you've got to go to the beginning and go okay, what's the first thing? And then, even after you put the first thing together, you're by no means done. You're like, how in the world is this going to end up looking good? But you've got to start somewhere, and that's what Eliphaz is going to encourage Job with today is. This is where you start, and he actually has some pretty good wisdom in the midst of a bunch of mess. So here we go. Job, chapter 22, verse 1,.
Speaker 0:Eliphaz the Temanite replies to Job and says this Can a person do anything to help God? Can even a wise person be helpful to him? Is it any advantage to the Almighty if you are righteous? Would it be any gain to him if you were perfect? Is it because you're so pious that he accuses you and brings judgment against you? No, it's because you are of your wickedness.
Speaker 0:There's no limit to your sins. For example, you must have lent money to your friend and demanded clothing as security. Yes, you stripped him to the bone. You must have refused water for the thirsty and food for the hungry. You probably think the lamb belongs to the powerful and only the privileged have a right to it. You must have sent widows away empty-handed and crushed the homes of orphans. That is why you are surrounded by traps and tremble from sudden fears. That is why you cannot see by traps and tremble from sudden fears. That is why you cannot see in the darkness and waves of water cover you. God is so great and he is higher than the heavens and he's higher than the furthest stars. But you reply that's why God can't see what I'm doing. How can he judge through the thick darkness? For thick clouds swirl around him and he cannot see us. He is way up there, walking on the vault of the earth. Other words, what Eliphaz is saying is Job, you must have done something wrong and you think that God is not close so he can't see what you're up to. That's basically what he just said.
Speaker 0:All right, verse 15. Will you continue the old paths where evil people have walked? They were snatched away in the prime of life, the foundations of their lives washed away, for they said to God leave us alone. What can the Almighty do to us? Yet he was the one who filled their homes with good things. So I will have nothing to do with that kind of thinking. The righteous will be happy to see the wicked destroyed and the innocent will laugh in contempt. They will say see how our enemies have been destroyed, and the last of them will be consumed in fire. So the words pause for a second.
Speaker 0:Eliphaz is saying that what's happened here is is you've been doing bad Job? You must have been doing bad. And then you thought that God didn't see. Well, he did see, and you need to just let that go and realize what you did was wrong. And then he says and this is what you need to do to get things right.
Speaker 0:Here we go, verse 21,. Submit to God and you will have peace. Then things will go well for you. Listen to his instructions and store them in your heart. If you return to the almighty, you will be restored. So clean up your life. If you give up your lust for money and throw your precious gold into the river, the Almighty himself will be your treasure and he will be your precious silver. Then you will take delight in the Almighty and look up to God. You will pray to him and he will hear you. You will fulfill your vows to him. You will succeed in whatever you choose to do and the light will shine on the road ahead of you. If people are in trouble, you will say help them and God will save them. Even sinners will be rescued, and they will be rescued because your hands are pure.
Speaker 0:Well, how about that? Even though he's wrong about Job, he's right about what to do. You know how they say. That old phrase is a broken clock is right twice a day, right? Well, this is kind of like this guy. Oh, eliphaz, here. He's not right about Job, because Job is innocent, but he still has a good prescription, and that is step one to riding the ship is to submit yourself to God.
Speaker 0:Well, I want to speak to maybe two different people. One who you're innocent before God, but you're suffering. Number two if you're honest, you know you're kind of experiencing some trouble that maybe you brought on yourself. Can I tell you? The answer is the same, and that is God never intended for you to go through that difficulty alone. I'm going to say it again God never intended for you to go through that difficulty alone. If you're listening to this or watching this and you're going through suffering, you're going through a sickness, you're going through something and you didn't do anything to deserve it. You are innocent. Can I tell you, god has no intention of you going through that alone. Step one, let God lead, bring it to him. Step one, let God lead, bring it to Him.
Speaker 0:God's Word promises if you submit to God, you will have peace. Things will go well for you. What does that mean? It's because when you let God lead, we can trust Him with the results. God's Word says that we are to be anxious for nothing, but with everything, with prayer, with asking and with thanksgiving. Make your request known to God with asking and with thanksgiving. Make your request known to God. Then the peace of God, which passes understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
Speaker 0:First, peter says to cast literally throw your anxieties on him. Why? Because he cares for you. That's where the peace comes from. The peace comes from knowing God is on the move. God is working in my life and so I don't know what he's going to do. I don't know how he's going to do it. I sure wish he'd let me know, but he often doesn't. I trust God Now on the other side.
Speaker 0:If you're someone that maybe you're experiencing the outflow, the consequences of bad decisions, you know what God still doesn't want you to do that alone, that even if you're going through consequences of bad decisions, god gets into that dark path with you. He wants to walk with you. He wants to be the friend that sits closer than a brother. He has no intention of letting you go. He's not going to turn away from you. You have no need to be ashamed, repent of your sin. Let God lead and he will walk with you. And there's a peace that you can know that I once was in sin. Now I've been forgiven and he is going to lead you as well.
Speaker 0:The ultimate idea, step one let God lead and realize he has no intention of you walking through that alone. He wants to be with you, no matter how you found yourself in that darkness. Let's pray together, god. Thank you so much for today. Thank you, god, that you are with us in the sunshine, but you're even more with us in the rain and in the darkness.
Speaker 0:God, in this moment, it doesn't matter how we found ourself in this dark place, if we're in one today. What matters is that you walk on water and that you come find us wherever we are. However, we have found ourselves there. I pray that you will come and rescue us, give us your peace, give us your hope as we turn everything over to you. In Jesus' name, we pray Amen and amen. Job says, or God says in Job, chapter 1, verse 21,. I came naked from my mother's womb. I'll be naked when I leave. The Lord gave me what I had, and the Lord has taken it away. Praise the name of the Lord. Job is saying God's given me all I have, and so I trust him with it and whatever he does with it. I love you. I'll see you tomorrow for Job, chapter 23.
