Focusing on the Book of Job

The Devil Does Not Want You to Be Blameless

1. Prove that You Will Continue to Worship God through Your Suffering

(a) Prove that You Will Still Worship God for No Material Gain

  Job Had a Lot of Material Things 

    1. Seven Sons and Three Daughters (Job 1:2, 3) 
    2. 7,000 Sheep 
    3. 3,000 Camels
    4. 500 Yoke of Oxen
    5. 500 Female Donkeys
    6. Very Many Servants 

  In One Day, He Lost It All

  “Now on the day when his sons and his 
  daughters were eating and drinking wine in 
  their oldest brother’s house, a messenger 
  came to Job and said, ‘The oxen were plowing 
  and the donkeys feeding beside them, and 
  the Sabeans attacked and took them. They 
  also slew the servants with the edge of the 
  sword, and I alone have escaped to tell you.’ 
  While he was still speaking, another also 
  came and said, ‘The fire of God fell from 
  heaven and burned up the sheep and the 
  servants and consumed them, and I alone 
  have escaped to tell you.’ While he was still 
  speaking, another also came and said, ‘The 
  Chaldeans formed three bands and made a 
  raid on the camels and took them and slew 
  the servants with the edge of the sword, and I 
  alone have escaped to tell you.’ While he was 
  still speaking, another also came and said, 
  ‘Your sons and your daughters were eating 
  and drinking wine in their oldest brother’s 
  house, and behold, a great wind came from 
  across the wilderness and struck the four 
  corners of the house, and it fell on the young 
  people and they died, and I alone have 
  escaped to tell you.’ ” (Job 1:13-19)

  Job Worshiped God on the Same Day That He   
  Was Ruined by the Devil 

  In an attempt to make his mistaken 
  accusation or prediction about Job come true, 
  in one day Satan brought on Job all of the 
  material suffering that he could. But in that 
  very same day, after hearing about his 
  losses, “Then Job arose and tore his robe 
  and shaved his head, and he fell to the  
  ground and worshiped. He said, ‘Naked I 
  came from my mother’s womb, and naked I 
  shall return there. The LORD gave and the 
  LORD has taken away. Blessed be the name 
  of the LORD.’ Through all this Job did not sin 
  nor did he blame God.” (Job 1:20-22) 

  Grieve, cry, tear your robe, express your 
  grief. Mourn. Weep. Seek comfort, resolution, 
  and justice, mercy, and forgiveness and 
  whatever else is in line with the word of 
  Christ. But continue to worship God through it 
  all and express the truth about your material 
  things, that you cannot take them with you 
  when you die. 

  In the Bible Study on Worship, you studied 
  the meaningful details of worshiping God in 
  the Christian Age. You learned the basic 
  meaning of worship; to fall down on your 
  knees in awe of God, like Job did. So when 
  your day of great material loss comes, in
  order for you to be blameless with God, you
  must continue to worship the Lord in all of 
  its meaning.

  Consider the Parable of the Sower Regarding 
  the Lack of Worshiping God Through Suffering

  The parable of the sower reveals that two 
  types of suffering will cause shallow disciples 
  to stop worshiping God (Mt 13:20, 21). 

  1. Afflictions of any sort, including material loss. 
  2. Persecution because of the word of God. 
  
  Both of these things cause shallow Christians 
  to quit going to church. They quit listening to 
  or reading the word of God. They quit serving 
  and ministering to other Christians. They quit 
  trying to use their talents for the Lord, and 
  more. Perhaps this is why God allows Satan 
  to bring suffering to Christendom, so that it 
  will fulfill the truth of the parable, to prove the 
  shallow as shallow and the abiding as 
  abiding. God makes distinctions even in this 
  way, in this life, to show who has His 
  approval and who does not.        

(b) Prove that You Will Still Worship God in Physical Weakness

  Job’s Wife Did Not Want Him to Worship God 
  in Physical Weakness

  She had the same goal as the Devil, to 
  encourage Job to curse God. The very 
  person that you would expect to find comfort 
  in and consolation from, your spouse, turns 
  out to be an adversary to your faith in God, 
  just like Satan. All of this was happening to 
  tempt a blameless man not to be blameless 
  before the Lord. 
  
  But later Job stated his commitment to 
  worship God even if his physical suffering 
  would lead to death. He said, “Though He 
  slay me, I will hope in Him.” (Job 13:15)

  Examples of Physically Weak People Who   
  Continued to Worship God

  1. A Sick, Dying, Blind Man

    Jacob could barely prop himself up--he had 
    to use a staff. He was sick, blind, and dying. 
    But even so, he still worshiped God. “Joseph 
    was told, ‘Behold, your father is sick.’ ” (Ge 48:1) 
    “Now the eyes of Israel were so dim from age 
    that he could not see.” (Ge 48:10) “Then 
    Israel said to Joseph, ‘Behold, I am about to 
    die...’” (Ge 48:21) “By faith Jacob, as he was 
    dying, blessed each of the sons of Joseph, 
    and worshiped, leaning on the top of his
    staff.” (He 11:21)

  2. An Elder with Cancer

    An elder of a 1,000+ member church in Texas 
    had cancer. Even though he lost his hair 
    through chemical treatments to try to stop the 
    cancer, he did not try to hide it. He still came   
    to church without hair to worship God. He 
    continued to serve the people. 
  3. An Elder with a Crippling Disease 
     in His Hands

    Another elder of a church who had a crippling 
    disease in his hands that kept getting 
    progressively worse, still taught the Bible in 
    church and demonstrated outstanding verbal   
    support and material commitment to the 
    evangelistic ministries of the church.

  4. A Deacon with Brain Weakness

    There was a successful middle aged 
    accountant who was also a deacon of a 
    church. He developed a brain tumor and had 
    to have it removed. But even when his mental 
    ability was greatly diminished by this, and he 
    could not be an accountant anymore, he still 
    went to church. He still ministered to believers 
    in ways that he could. Outstanding!

2. Do Not Use Your Suffering as an Excuse to Sin

(a) Suffering Can Increase Your Temptation to Sin

  1. Suffering the Threat of War Can Increase 
     Your Temptation to Sin in Procedure/Protocol

    In the Old Testament, Saul faced the extreme 
    circumstance of being a king on the verge of 
    war. So before it was too late and war would 
    break out, or so he thought, he forced himself 
    to do the work that only Samuel was called to 
    do. Saul offered the sacrifice (1 Sam 13:5-14). 
    This behavior, and more like it, equated to 
    rebellion to God and His specific commands 
    (1 Sam 15). So God removed Saul and 
    his family from royalty and replaced him 
    with another man and his family (1 Sam 16:1). 
    So do not use the extreme threat of war as 
    an excuse to break some command of God 
    that you think is restricting you from acting or 
    moving forward. You must keep the word of 
    God during war and peace.   

  2. The Congregation Can Tempt Those
     Leading It to Sin

    Aaron Sinned
    He made what the assembly asked of him, a 
    god (Ex 32). You must refuse to lead the 
    people into idolatry, even if they ask for it.

    Moses and Aaron Sinned
    He spoke rashly to the congregation when 
    they contended with the Lord (Nu 20:1-13; 
    Ps 106:32, 33). Instead of treating God as 
    holy in what was said, they must have treated 
    themselves as holy, for they said, “Shall we  
    bring forth water for you out of this rock?” (Nu 
    20:10) When God leads you to do something 
    good for His people, do not give yourself the 
    glory or credit, saying, “we,” “us,” or “I”, even 
    when the people become contentious with 
    you or the Lord. Do not speak rashly with 
    your tongue.   

    David Sinned
    He took a census of the nation of Israel when 
    God was angry with them. Satan incited and 
    tempted David to do this, not God (2 Sa 24; 
    1 Chron 21). So when you know that God is 
    angry with the people, do not use it as a time 
    to act foolishly against them, for David said in 
    regards to the census, “... I have acted very 
    foolishly.” (2 Sa 24:10)

    Taking a census is not always a sin. God 
    told Moses to take a census of the people 
    when they came out of Egypt (Nu 1:2). 

  3. A Death Can Increase Your Temptation to 
     Sin by Intoxication

    Many people who suffer the loss of a loved 
    one use this as a time to drown their sorrows 
    with strong drink or other intoxicating or 
    mind altering substances. Although the 
    emotional pain is extreme when your friend 
    or relative dies, do not use this as an excuse 
    to get drunk to deal with your sorrow since
    intoxication is condemned (1 Cor 6:10). Do not 
    use the death of another, or separation from 
    another for that matter, or witnessing the 
    illness of another, as an excusable time to 
    drink. You must find a better way to deal with 
    your pain. Why not release the pain in tears 
    and/or find appropriate consolation from your 
    family, friends, and God.  
 
  4. Poverty or Wealth Can Increase Your 
     Temptation to Sin 

   “Give me neither poverty nor riches; Feed me 
    with the food that is my portion, That I not be 
    full and deny You and say, ‘Who is the Lord?’ 
    Or that I not be in want and steal...” (Pr 30:8, 9)
   
    Whether you are poor or not, God pointed 
    out that thievery is a sin that leads to death 
    (1 Cor 6:10). So even if you are poor, do not 
    steal. And if you have no need to steal, know
    the Lord and give glory to Him. 

  5. Suffering Singlehood, Separation, or 
     Divorcehood Can Increase Your Temptation 
     to Sin in Sensuality, Fornication, or Adultery

    During times of singlehood, separation or 
    divorce, you will be tempted to express, 
    explore, or stimulate your sexual passion with 
    another person. You will be tempted to be 
    sexually promiscuous with your eyes, your
    hands, your mouth, or your entire body. You 
    will be tempted to dress, say, or do things to 
    show sexual interest in another or to create 
    sexual interest in yourself. You will be 
    tempted to go too far when you should not 
    have been going at all, not one step. 

    Paul taught single men, saying, “... it is good 
    for a man not to touch a woman.” (1 Cor 7:1)
    This restriction on touching includes the 
    whole body, the hands, the lips, etc. So a 
    single man should not use his body to 
    express unholy affection towards a woman 
    by clinging to her, caressing her, kissing her, 
    laying down with her, having her sit on his 
    lap, pressing up against her, etc. Nor should 
    he encourage her or let her to do the same 
    things with him. It is also good for a single 
    woman not to touch a man.    

  6. Suffering Discontent in Marriage Can 
     Increase Husband’s or Wife’s Temptations 
     to Sin in Adultery

    It could be that your husband is not high 
    society enough for you, so you are tempted 
    to dump him for a man of greater 
    prominence. This is what Herodias did when 
    she left her husband Philip to marry his 
    brother, King Herod (Mt 14:1-11). But in doing 
    so, she became an adulteress and the king 
    became an adulterer. These are sins that 
    lead to spiritual death if people do not  
    separate from them.

  7. Suffering Can Increase Your Temptation to 
      Sin with Your Mouth 

    A Little Slip of the Hammer Can Cause 
    a Big Slip of the Tongue

    When you have extreme pain, your tongue
    will be tempted to sin. For example, how 
    many of us who are not in the sinful habit of 
    swearing or using foul words use them when 
    we accidentally bang our finger with a 
    hammer? This is not funny; it is sin. 

    Suffering Can Make Us Express Bitterness 
    Towards Others Instead of Forgiveness

    Suffering can tempt us to express extreme 
    bitterness toward God or others. Bitterness 
    is not an expression of grief or sorrow. It is  
    an expression of hatred. So then bitterness 
    is the opposite of forgiveness and has no 
    business being found within the character of 
    a Christian. 

    Suffering Can Make Us Poor Judges Which
    Leads to Wrongful or Inordinate Blame

    Suffering people can be tempted to be poor 
    judges by placing the blame for it on the 
    wrong person(s). Or suffering can tempt us 
    to respond or retaliate in a disproportionate 
    or sinful way toward others. So afflictions 
    can tempt us to be destructive of and 
    inordinately biased against the one we 
    blame. But consider Job’s response to his 
    adversity below. 

(b) Like Job, Speak Well of God When You Become Weak and Suffering

  Job Blessed the Name of the Lord 

  Instead of sinning with his mouth, Job 
  blessed the Lord when he suffered the loss of 
  all his material things, including his dear 
  children. Immediately he said as he 
  worshiped God, “ ‘Blessed be the name of 
  the LORD.’ Through all this Job did not sin 
  nor did he blame God.” (Job 1:21, 22) “In all 
  this Job did not sin with his lips.” (Job 2:10)  



  The Little Girl Who Thanked God for Her Cold

  There was a little girl who prayed to God with 
  gratitude saying, “Thank you for this cold.” 
  Have you ever heard anyone give thanks for 
  being sick? Did you ever hear anyone praise 
  God for their hurts? 

  Think about it. Paul directed us to exult in our 
  tribulations because they will develop our 
  character (Ro 5:3). The development of your 
  character is critically important to God. Now 
  when Paul said to exult in your tribulations, 
  that meant to rejoice in them. Rejoice means 
  to express happiness. Expressing thanks, 
  then, is a type of rejoicing. James said to, 
  “Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you 
  encounter various trials...” (Ja 1:2) So if you 
  have the right attitude during your afflictions, 
  James said that this will develop a character 
  trait in you of endurance. Your endurance is 
  critical to a host of other things in your 
  Christian walk, such as your own salvation, 
  your own talent development and 
  deployment, and more.   

  The Minister Who Suffered the Loss of His   
  Children and His Own Well-being

  In the 1990’s, a prominent national non-religious 
  newspaper reported that a minister of the 
  gospel, while traveling in a van with his wife 
  and eight children, suffered a terrible 
  accident. All eight of their children died that 
  day. The minister and his wife were hurt and 
  in the hospital. A reporter said that the mother 
  and father were still praising God and 
  thankful through all of this adversity. Hearing 
  this kind of blessed speech from suffering 
  people can help us do the same when we 
  begin to suffer a tragedy. Through all your    
  difficulties, keep praising God. Here is the 
  conclusion: Do not use your suffering as an 
  excuse to sin. 

3. Be Satisfied with Adversity

(a) Job Demonstrated Contentment with His Adversity

(b) Paul Expressed Contentment with His Adversity

  Paul Expressed Contentment with His Poverty  

  “But I rejoiced in the Lord greatly, that now at 
  last you have revived your concern for me; 
  indeed, you were concerned before, but you 
  lacked opportunity. Not that I speak from 
  want [I shall not want Ps 23], for I have 
  learned to be content in whatever 
  circumstances I am. I know how to get along  
  with humble means, and I also know how to 
  live in prosperity; in any and every 
  circumstance I have learned the secret of 
  being filled and going hungry, both of having 
  abundance and suffering need. I can do all 
  things through Him who strengthens me. 
  Nevertheless, you have done well to share 
  with me in my affliction.” (Phil 4:10-14) 
 
  Test Your Character for Financial Contentment

  Paul was not on anybody’s regular payroll, 
  especially in regards to being a minister of 
  the gospel, and yet he was not discontent 
  with this. Was he envious of those who were 
  on a payroll? No, because envy means being 
  discontent. But many of us with wages and 
  on somebody’s payroll are still not content 
  with the income. 

  So carefully consider these Scriptures, and 
  more like them, to see if your character is free 
  from the love of money. The Scriptures must 
  be your primary financial advisor in this world. 
  Jesus, His words must be your main advisor. 

  “Make sure that your character is free from 
  the love of money, being content with 
  what you have; for He Himself has said, ‘I 
  WILL NEVER DESERT YOU, NOR WILL I 
  EVER FORSAKE YOU,’ so that we can 
  confidently say, ‘THE LORD IS MY HELPER, 
  I WILL NOT BE AFRAID. WHAT WILL MAN 
  DO TO ME?’ ” (He 13:5, 6)

  “... be content with your wages.” (Lk 3:14) 

  “But the brother in humble circumstances 
  [a poor Christian] is to glory in his high 
  position; and the rich man is to glory in his 
  humiliation [low position], because like 
  flowering grass he will pass away.”  (Ja 1:9, 10)

  “... men of depraved mind and deprived of 
  the truth... suppose that godliness is a 
  means of gain. But godliness actually is a 
  means of great gain when accompanied by
  contentment. For we have brought nothing 
  into the world, so we cannot take anything 
  out of it either. If we have food and 
  covering, with these we shall be content. 
  But those who want to get rich fall into 
  temptation and a snare and many foolish 
  and harmful desires which plunge men into 
  ruin and destruction. For the love of money 
  is a root of all sorts of evil, and some by 
  longing for it have wandered away from the 
  faith and pierced themselves with many 
  griefs.” (1 Tim 6:5-10)


  FINANCIAL CONTENTMENT TEST 

  1. Do you lack confidence or fear that you are not 
     going to be able to get along or that you do not 
     have the know-how to get by when you are 
     poor? (Phil 4:12, 13) 

  2. Are you satisfied with your wages? (Lk 3:14)

  3. Are you satisfied with the limited amount of 
     financial resources you now have? (He 13:5)

  4. Are you longing for more money? (1 Tim 6:10)

  5. Do you want to get rich? (1 Tim 6:9)

  6. If or when you have food and covering, and 
     nothing else, are you completely satisfied with 
     them alone? (1 Tim 6:8)

  7. Does your wealth management plan include 
     generous and regular deposits or stockpilings of 
     financial treasures in heaven? (Mt 6:19-21)

  8. Do you feel like God is not with you when you 
     are poor? (He 13:5)

  9. Do you feel like God is only with the rich? (He 13:5)

 10. Are you afraid of what man can do to you 
     when you are poor? (He 13:6)

 11. Do you think that being rich is a high position  
     in the kingdom of God? (Ja 1:10)

 12. Do you think that being poor is a low position 
     in the kingdom of God? (Ja 1:9)

  Answer Key to the Questions

   If you answered ‘No’ to any of these 
   questions, 2, 3, and 6, then your character
   is not completely free from the love 
   of money. 
   
   If you answered ‘Yes’ to any of these 
   questions, 1, 4, 5, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, then
   your character is not completely free from 
   the love of money. 

(c) Not a Little Content, Not Quietly Content

(d) David Accepted the Death of His Baby

(e) Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego Expressed Contentment with Persecution

  Consider Their Acceptance Speech Regarding 
  Their Certain Suffering for Their Faith in God

  “Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego replied 
  to the king, ‘O Nebuchadnezzar, we do not 
  need to give you an answer concerning this 
  matter. If it be so, our God whom we serve is 
  able to deliver us from the furnace of blazing 
  fire; and He will deliver us out of your hand, O 
  king. But even if He does not, let it be known 
  to you, O king, that we are not going to serve 
  your gods or worship the golden image that 
  you have set up.’” (Da 3:16-18)

  Now it seems that these men could not escape 
  their persecution. So, by faith, they were 
  satisfied with the consequences that they had 
  to face. But Jesus said that if you can get 
  away from persecution, do it. Run to the next 
  city (Mt 10:23).  

(f) Do Not Contend with God Over It

  Job Sought to Contend with God Over Adversity 

  “Even today my complaint is rebellion; His 
  hand is heavy despite my groaning. Oh that I 
  knew where I might find Him, that I might 
  come to His seat! I would present my case 
  before Him and fill my mouth with arguments. I 
  would learn the words which He would 
  answer, and perceive what He would say to 
  me. Would He contend with me by the 
  greatness of His power? No, surely He would 
  pay attention to me.” (Job 23:2-6)

  “Oh that I had one to hear me! Behold, here is 
  my signature; let the Almighty answer me! And 
  the indictment which my adversary has 
  written, surely I would carry it on my 
  shoulder, I would bind it to myself like a crown. 
  I would declare to Him the number of my 
  steps; like a prince I would approach Him.” (Job 31:35-37)

  Job Learned that Even a Righteous Man 
  Must Not Contend with His Maker Over Adversity

  “Then the LORD said to Job, ‘Will the faultfinder 
  contend with the Almighty? Let him who 
  reproves God answer it.’ Then Job answered 
  the LORD and said, ‘Behold, I am insignificant; 
  what can I reply to You? I lay my hand on my 
  mouth. Once I have spoken, and I will not 
  answer; even twice and I will add nothing more.’” (Job 40:1-5)

  “Then Job answered the LORD and said, 
  ‘I know that You can do all things, and that no 
  purpose of Yours can be thwarted. ‘Who is 
  this that hides counsel without knowledge?’ 
  Therefore I have declared that which I did not 
  understand, things too wonderful for me, 
  which I did not know.’ ‘Hear, now, and I will 
  speak; I will ask You, and You instruct me.’ ‘I 
  have heard of You by the hearing if the ear; 
  But know my eye sees You; therefore I retract 
  and I repent in dust and ashes.’” (Job 42:1-6)

(g) Be Satisfied to Let Suffering Develop a Character Trait of Endurance in You

  Kenya, Machine Guns, and My Character Development

  In the early 1990’s, I went to Kenya, Africa with 
  some Christians for a short missionary trip. We 
  traveled to within six miles of the Ugandan 
  border, to the Kenyan countryside. Saturday 
  we arrived and met brethren, in particular, 
  Charles. Paul, my father-in-law, knew Charles 
  from years past when he was a missionary in 
  Kenya in the 1970’s. That night we had a small 
  meeting in brother Charles’ mud hut. Three 
  unusual things stood out about the meeting. 

  1. The hut smelled like urine since Charles hid 
     cows in it at night and slept outside. Thieves 
     from Uganda were stealing cows.  

  2. A woman attended who traveled six miles by 
     foot from the Ugandan border to be with us.   

  3. An older man carrying a rifle walked into the 
     hut and sat down beside Paul while he 
     was teaching. 

  After the meeting, we each went to our own 
  hut. There was a paraffin lamp in it and it 
  burned low. I used the desk inside to prepare a 
  lesson for Sunday morning church. My wife, 
  Heidi, and our nine month old first born 
  daughter, Jan, were sleeping on a cot next to 
  the desk. Around midnight, when I was 
  finishing up my lesson, I heard a few rounds of 
  machine guns go off close by, very close by. 
  Then it stopped. So I turned down the lamp a 
  bit more, although it was already quite dark in 
  the hut. I looked over at my wife and daughter 
  sleeping on the cot. They were not awakened. 
  Good! I was worried that our child would start 
  crying and that this would draw the attention of 
  the ones with machine guns toward us. 
  Everything got very quiet in the huts next to us. 
  And no other child cried, although before the 
  guns went off some were crying. I began to 
  pray and wonder what was happening or going 
  to happen. The hut did not seem secure. It 
  seemed like you could punch your hand 
  through the mud walls, or easily break the door 
  down. Then I heard someone knocking gently 
  at my door, whispering, “It’s Paul and Charles.”

  When I opened the door, I immediately noticed 
  that Paul was wearing a coat that was not his, 
  and it was dark black. He had the collar pulled 
  up to his ears. He was wearing it so that he 
  would not be as visible to any onlookers as he 
  went from his hut to mine. He did not want to 
  be an easy target, even in the dark. Paul first 
  said to me, “Those were machine guns that 
  went off.” I said, “I know. I heard them.” He 
  said, “I asked Charles if we should go hide in 
  the bush.” But Charles kept saying as he 
  pointed his finger to the sky, “Give to God.” 
  “Give to God.” Now understand that we could 
  not communicate well with Charles without an 
  interpreter. So without an interpreter at that 
  moment, it was a unique situation indeed! 
  Somehow Charles persuaded us to stay in our 
  huts to wait it out. Charles indicated that the 
  people had bow and arrows, perhaps home-made ones, 
  and they were going to guard our car. 

  [Now understand this, we were out in a place 
  where there were no cars. Ours was the only one. 
  So we thought that perhaps they were coming to 
  steal the car and loot us as well. In coming to 
  the area, we were an unusual event, not only with 
  a car, but being white people in a black man’s land.
  In getting to this place, it took hours for us to 
  navigate all the rocks and holes in the desolate 
  undrivable dirt road that led up to near the place 
  where Charles lived. Along the way, in order to keep 
  the car from scraping and getting hung up on rocks, 
  everyone had to get out of the car and walk, while 
  Paul twisted and turned the car around rock after 
  rock and hole after hole, just to keep the car moving 
  forward. Near the end of our journey, we had to park
  the car and walk a short distance down a foot path to
  Charles’ home. Paul was known to like difficult challenges,
  even driving over an undrivable road. Most any of us would 
  never have driven up to Charles’ place. We would have asked 
  him to come to our hotel! Only Paul would have done this.] 

  Then Paul and Charles left my hut. I prayed on 
  my knees all night, but I fell asleep once or 
  twice. Then, morning came and we found out 
  what had happened. A few hundred yards 
  away from us, a preacher of the gospel was 
  shot at through the door of his hut by Ugandan 
  thieves. The preacher was from Uganda, 
  and he was against their thievery and so they 
  came to kill him. But good news. When they 
  shot at him through the door, they only hit him 
  once in the arm. The next morning, there was 
  a line of people near his door to visit him. In 
  hindsight, even though I knew we were in 
  some danger, perhaps I should have known 
  better the kind of troubles we could expect. For 
  example, the huts smelled really bad because 
  the people hid their cows in them at night 
  because of the thieves. Some people had 
  several cows stolen before we arrived. Another 
  clue to the danger was when that man came to 
  the meeting Saturday night with a rifle. But 
  now I really understand why he had that gun. 
  On Sunday morning, I preached on how to 
  have a saving faith, taking points from 
  Hebrews 10:22-39. A brother translated it into 
  Kikuyu (pronounced key coo you). Then, that 
  afternoon we traveled back to our hotel in 
  Eldoret. The very next morning, Monday, we 
  woke up to two flat tires. I am glad that this did 
  not happen back at Charles’ place. We would 
  have been stranded in a dangerous, volatile 
  place. But now I trust that it would have 
  developed my character further. And soon after 
  this whole experience, I pondered what James 
  said, that we should consider these kinds of 
  things all joy. I concluded that I had a lot of 
  growth and development to do in this area 
  because I did not enjoy this very much at all. 
  So ever since that day I realized that I was a 
  babe in suffering these kinds of things. I 
  learned that I needed to grow in endurance 
  and develop a better and happier 
  understanding of God’s will in these things.