Job 23:3

3 Oh that [nathan] I knew [yada`] where I might find [matsa'] him! that I might come [bow'] even to his seat [takuwnah]! KJV-Interlinear

3 'Oh that I knew where I might find Him, That I might come to His seat! NASB

This is not the beginning of an argument made by Job toward God, but it is instead a desire for an audience with and the words that would persuade God to come to his aid.

Anyone who has a heartbeat has probably from time to time experienced difficulties in life. When those troubles continue on, seemingly indefinitely, then ones prayers turn to God more and more.

When delays seem to be inevitable, then the questions arise. What can I do to rid myself of this trouble? What can I do to get Gods attention? Does God hear me? Has God turned his back on me? Why me? What have I done to deserve this? If I am nothing, will God do anything for me anyway? Woe is me! Woe is me!

And so forth.

Suffering breeds questions and often times, impatience and doubt.

Yesterday we saw that Jobs complaining was interpreted as a rebellion against God, when in fact his complaining is nothing more than a normal mental or physical response to his trouble. When you hit your finger with a hammer, do you not react?

Job reacts to his suffering but no more than it calls for. His suffering is tremendous, and remarkably, his reaction is well under control. Jobs reaction is not the typical whining, tearful, complaining, blaming, criticizing, that would come from most folks.

But Job is also searching for answers and for relief, and more specifically here, he is searching for 'the way of relief,' the 'how to gain relief,' the method of communicating with God in order to get what he wants, and again, how to persuade God to give him the help he needs.

How to persuade God is the question probably most asked by nearly everyone who has ever lived.

And that is exactly what Job is asking here.

And that search begins with finding God. And once you find God, then how to approach Him, and how to stand before Him, and then how to speak with Him.

Here on this earth it is easy to find something. You can go online, call information, ask a friend, look it up in a publication of some sort, and then call or go there. You can actually face someone and speak with them. But in every case, you have to know where to go or where to call and then have the means of traveling there or calling, or writing. You need a destination address, a specific destination address or number.

It is no different with God. Even though the world is tangible and seemingly easier to orient to, God being spiritual, is even more easy to gain access to. You just have to know how.

First, know that God exists. 'In the beginning, God ' God has always existed. There was never a time when He did not exist.

Second, God reveals Himself. He does this by means of the scriptures. He walked in the Garden with Adam and walks in your life through the doctrine in your soul.

Third, God makes sense, God is organized. There is nothing that is done that was not thought out before hand. God does not do things impromptu, spontaneously, or arbitrarily.

Fourth, God has a plan. Everything in history has been laid out in a divine plan in eternity past. We call this the Divine Decrees. Since God has a plan or a blue print for history, then God has made arrangements for everything within it.

Fifth, you are the object of Gods plan. Repeat that one. You are the object of Gods plan. All of history is not centered around the universe, the angels, or the animal creatures of this world. You exist and you have a soul, and that soul was designed to live forever. But that soul needs preparation in order to live forever in heaven with God. God is perfect, and you need to be perfect also, in order to have a relationship with God.

Sixth, God gave you life, and in return for that life, you owe God a hearing. God is truth and in order to know the realities of life you need to learn and therefore come to know truth, otherwise all you have is guess work. Guess work in total darkness. And guessing in this world leads to every known philosophy, every known religion, every known belief that you can imagine. And all of them are lies. Without light, you cannot see. And without sight, you will never be able to figure out anything in life. And we are not talking about, 'blind people can get around just fine,' sort of thing. Their getting around is within this physical world. Life is getting around within the spiritual.

God is eternal life. Without God there is no eternal life, but eternal condemnation. In order to be saved from that condemnation, you need only believe in the plan which God put together to save you, and that plan is Christ on the Cross. Believe in Christ and you will be saved, Acts 16:31, Jn. 1:12, Jn. 3:16. Salvation is as simple as a single thought. 'Father, I believe in Jesus Christ.'

Once you have believed in Christ, you are now saved. Your salvation is a rebirth. It need only happen once. Birth occurs only once and cannot be reversed. Once saved, always saved. You cannot unborn yourself.

Once saved, then you have access to God. Now you need to learn about God and at the same time learn about life. 'Study to show thyself approved unto God, a workman that need not be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.'

You learn through study, and you grow up through learning. But again this growth has to be done within the sphere of perfection, thus confession is required, 1 Jn. 1:9. ' If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to restore us from all unrighteousness.'

Now God has given you a relationship through eternal life, and an audience before Him through fellowship.

Saved and in fellowship, you have found Him, you are standing before Him. Now it is your turn to speak. He is listening.

Now is the time to post a prayer.