BEING THANKFUL FOR OUR “GOTS”
NOT UNGRATEFUL FOR OUR “NOTS”
Job 1:1-12
Job 1:1-12 In the land of Uz there lived a man whose name was Job. This man was blameless and upright; he feared God and shunned evil. 2 He had seven sons and three daughters, 3 and he owned seven thousand sheep, three thousand camels, five hundred yoke of oxen and five hundred donkeys, and had a large number of servants. He was the greatest man among all the people of the East.
4 His sons used to take turns holding feasts in their homes, and they would invite their three sisters to eat and drink with them. 5 When a period of feasting had run its course, Job would send and have them purified. Early in the morning he would sacrifice a burnt offering for each of them, thinking, "Perhaps my children have sinned and cursed God in their hearts." This was Job’s regular custom. 6 One day the angels came to present themselves before the LORD, and Satan also came with them.
7 The LORD said to Satan, "Where have you come from?" Satan answered the LORD, "From roaming through the earth and going back and forth in it." 8 Then the LORD said to Satan, "Have you considered my servant Job? There is no one on earth like him; he is blameless and upright, a man who fears God and shuns evil." 9 "Does Job fear God for nothing?" Satan replied.
10 "Have you not put a hedge around him and his household and everything he has? You have blessed the work of his hands, so that his flocks and herds are spread throughout the land.
11 But stretch out your hand and strike everything he has, and he will surely curse you to your face." 12 The LORD said to Satan, "Very well, then, everything he has is in your hands, but on the man himself do not lay a finger." Then Satan went out from the presence of the LORD.
I JOB WAS A MAN WITH “GOTS”
A Job has Moral “GOTS”
1 Job was blameless and upright – without moral blemish, upright. Sometimes, “perfect”
a It is interesting that the first thing we learn about Job is not how rich a man he was or how pious a man he was.
b The first thing we learn about job is how moral he was
2 The first “GOT” we see about Job is the “GOT” of integrity.
3 The important thing about this “GOT” is that it is available to everybody
a We got you color
b We got your size
c We got your flavor
d We got your price!
BEING THANKFUL FOR WHAT WE HAVE DOES NOT START WITH WHAT WE HAVE, BUT WITH WHO WE ARE!
WE WILL NOT BE THANKFUL PEOPLE WHEN WE HAVE OBTAINED A CERTAIN LEVEL IN SOCIETY, OR POSSESS A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF MATERIAL THINGS. WE WILL BE THANKFUL PEOPLE, NOT WHEN WE OWN IT, OR WHEN WE HAVE CLIMBED THE LADDER OF SUCCESS, BUT WHEN WE HAVE PUT ON THE LIFESTYLE OF INTEGRITY AND UPRIGHTNESS.
THANKFULNESS IS ACHIEVED IN OUR HEART, NOT IN OUR BANK ACCOUNTS AND HOUSES!
B Job has Material “GOTS”
1 Job has a family of 12
a His family held feasts
b They ate and drank
c For all intents and purposes they were a happy family!
2 Job owned:
a 7000 Sheep
b 3000 Camels
c 500 Yoke of Oxen
d 500 Donkeys
e Servants
3 Job had the best/highest reputation in the community
4 Notice again that the family is FIRST and materials is second.
a The first two “GOTS” for job are is character and his family
b We need to be careful that we do not get caught up doing things “FOR” our family, when our family “IS” the thing we should be doing!
C Job has Spiritual “GOTS”
1 Job was always spiritually concerned for his family
2 Job was concerned about their commissions
3 Job was also concerned about their omissions
4 Jobs custom
a Offer a sacrifice for each
b Keep the focus on their relationship with God
Here is the third “GOT” – Job has a consistent relationship with God
Job is able to be thankful because of his integrity, his family, and his relationship with God
II JOB BECOMES A MAN WITH “NOTS”
All of this happens as a result of Satanic activity and Divine permissiveness!
A Job loses his Fortune
1 What are you going to do if you lose your fortune?
2 What are you going to do when your finances are tested?
I just heard this week the Warren Buffett, lost 20% of his fortune to the tune of 10 Billion Dollars! WOW!
3 We cannot effectively base our thankfulness on what we have
Luke 12:16-21 And he told them this parable: "The ground of a certain rich man produced a good crop. 17 He thought to himself, ’What shall I do? I have no place to store my crops.’ 18 "Then he said, ’This is what I’ll do. I will tear down my barns and build bigger ones, and there I will store all my grain and my goods. 19 And I’ll say to myself, "You have plenty of good things laid up for many years. Take life easy; eat, drink and be merry."’ 20 "But God said to him, ’You fool! This very night your life will be demanded from you. Then who will get what you have prepared for yourself?’ 21 "This is how it will be with anyone who stores up things for himself but is not rich toward God."
a This is a parable about a man who wants to be like Job, but without the thankful foundation of Job.
b The key is being “Rich” towards God “APART” from what you have or do not have.
B Job loses his Family
C Job loses his Wife
1 Provides no comfort
a Questions his foundational belief – “Why are you holding on to your integrity?”
2 Spiritually Foolish
a Word foolish means – spiritually foolish (Fool has said in his heart, there is no God)
3 Acting as an Ambassador for Satan
a Tells Job to do EXACTLY what Satan said would be Job’s response to what had happened to him
FROM “GOTS” TO “NOTS”, JOB DID NOT SIN
Job 1:20-21 At this, Job got up and tore his robe and shaved his head. Then he fell to the ground in worship 21 and said: "Naked I came from my mother’s womb, and naked I will depart. The LORD gave and the LORD has taken away; may the name of the LORD be praised."
Job 2:10 He replied, "You are talking like a foolish woman. Shall we accept good from God, and not trouble?" In all this, Job did not sin in what he said.
III THE BASIS FOR THANKFULNESS
A Understanding our Lot – We cannot be thankful based on our present outward condition!
B Comprehending our Lord – Thankfulness comes from discerning who God is in our life
1 God is the one who provided EVERYTHING we have
2 We have nothi9ng except for His grace
3 We really earned NOTHING we have
4 It was never ours, never will be ours, and we have no real control over it!
5 The focus of our lives needs to be on the Lord, not on the stuff God provides!
C Discerning our Life
Luke 12:21 "This is how it will be with anyone who stores up things for himself but is not rich toward God."
Luke 12:31 But seek his kingdom, and these things will be given to you as well.
1 Richness towards God is essential
2 Spiritual pursuit places material gain in the right perspective
