Page 157 - Reading Job to Know God
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and a priest to others. He has an opportunity to show love, compassion
and forgiveness to his own family.
I suppose that we could assume that his wife got right with the Lord
because she became the mother of his ten additional children. In chapter
2:9, she gave this tremendous advice. She said, “Curse God and die.”
That demonstrated her spiritual condition. But now God blesses her
through Job, and the blessing spreads again. Do not forget this. It is about
four thousand years since Job lived his two hundred years. He lived as far
on the other side of Bethlehem as we live on this side of Bethlehem. And
here we are, Newport, Rhode Island, sitting in this room four thousand
years later and we are still being blessed because of what Job went
through.
Do you see what I mean when I say God blesses through suffering?
Even the generations that are yet unborn can profit by your life. What you
go through will bless your kids, and your kids will tell their kids, and their
kids will tell their kids. When God throws a stone into your life it is like a
stone into a pond. The ripples keep going and going and going, for
generations. Sometime I get a thrill when I go up in my library and I crack
open some of those old books – 1600’s, 1700’s, 1800’s. Those men have
been in the grave a long time. Do you know why they didn’t get their
rewards yet? Because, they are still earning them. That is why God is
going to reward us all at once. We will earn rewards until the last ripple of
our life dies out. Until the last human being, is influenced by our
testimony. I read some blessing from some old book and I pass that on,
and someone else is blessed and passes that on. That fellow who died a
long time ago is still reaping the benefits. God blesses the sufferer and
blesses through the sufferer. Why does God let me suffer? So I might be
brought from here to there. So that I might see El Shaddai. Why does God
let me suffer? So that others may see El Shaddai through me.
Let me play a little game with you and ask you a question. Again, I speak
foolishly. This would never happen. But let’s say that God came up to
you and said: “Let Me give you a choice. No suffering. Or suffering so
that others can know Me better?” Which would you choose? Penetrating,
isn’t it? I am sure, by grace, you would bow your head and say, “Thy will
be done”. You would probably pray, “If it be possible let this cup pass.
Nevertheless, Thy will be done. Father, glorify Thy name”.
Listen to II Corinthians 1:4: “God who comforts us in all of our
affliction so that we may be able to comfort those who are in ANY
affliction.” Now I want you to note that. I used to think I had to go
through a certain trial and then I could help those who went through the
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