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Wednesday Evening Message: Job's Emphasis Towards Eliphaz · CCC West Covina

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Charles Spurgeon as done. Several sermons on the Book of
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Job. And when it comes to Job chapter
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23, he records these words about job.
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He says, job has fought the Battle, right manly, not perhaps
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without a little display of temper and self-righteousness,
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but still with much less of either than any of us would have
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shown had, we been in the same plight and had we been equally
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conscious of perfect integrity? T.
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He has in this part of his self. Defense, sketched a fine picture
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of a man, perfect. And upright, before God, he is
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set before us the image to, which we should seek to be
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conformed. Here is the high ideal after,
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which every Christian man should strive and happy, shall he?
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Be, who shall attain? It blessed.
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Is he who? In the hour of his distress?
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If he be falsely, accused will be able to say, with as much
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truth as the patriarch could, my foot has held the steps.
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His way have I kept and not declined?
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Neither have, I gone back from the Commandment of his lips?
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I have esteemed the words of his mouth more than my necessary
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food. Spurgeon's assessment of job is
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that he has proved himself a Godly Man.
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Over and over again. He is the Supreme example.
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Of manhood in the scriptures. because of the things that he
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says, the way he handles his crises, And the way God has used
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him for centuries. There's no secret that God has
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called him, the greatest man on the planet.
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And there's a reason for that, not because of job necessarily,
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but because of what God has done in his life.
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So when you come to Job, chapter 23 and Joe chapter 24, you
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realize that job is going to answer.
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Not what was spoken to him last week.
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He's going to answer in such a way that with Grace, he is going
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to talk to God because that's what Godly men do, they talk to
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God. And so that's exactly how the
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conversation goes so much. So that when you come to chapter
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25, which is only six verses that's next week that there's
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not much left for bildad to say, and so as we go through the
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text, we're going to look at chapter 23, looking at the
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situation, concerning job to sufferer and then chapter 24
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deals with the situation concerning, those who have
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sinned against God and he's going to address that he's going
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to give us a perspective that the men who have come to counsel
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him do not have But because of job's pain, he's able to relate
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to others who are in pain. Not like he has a different kind
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of pain and so he shows himself a man of great empathy.
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Great sympathy, great Mercy because that's the way job is.
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So first of all, chapter 23, the situation surrounding job, the
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sufferer as he speaks to God. It says, in verse number 1, then
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Joe be applied. Even today, my complaint is
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rebellion. His hand is heavy despite my
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groaning. Now you read that, you think
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who's he rebelling against? He's rebelling against himself.
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He's rebelling against his pain. In other words, God's hand is
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heavy upon him. But his groaning does not equate
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with the amount of pain he's going through.
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So his Rebellion is against groaning about that pain, which
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is really a good example for us. Because, you know, when we get
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sick or we get you know, some kind of Affliction we love to
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grown about our pain and we want to grown so loud and so long,
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everybody else hears about how bad things are with me job,
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wasn't that way. In other words, he talks to us
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about discipline. He wants to make sure that God's
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hand is heavy upon him. Yes, but he is not going to
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grown in line with the amount of pain.
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Or grown in line with the amount of pain that his friends have
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caused. That's great.
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Discipline doesn't want, pity. There's what people feel, sorry
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for him. I think about that, if anybody
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should have been felt, sorry for it would have been Joe, but he
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doesn't want that. He doesn't want you thinking
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about his pain and his Affliction again.
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Not like us. We want everybody to know how
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Afflicted I him. We want to know how much pain
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I'm in. We want them to be able to pray
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for me all the more Not Joe. He doesn't want to draw
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attention to himself. He's an ass for his three
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friends to come. They came.
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He didn't ask for his three friends to stay, they stayed,
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I'm sure the back of his mind he wished they'd leave, but they're
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still there. So Joe is going to talk to God,
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look what he says. In verse number 20 and verse
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number 30 that I knew where I might find him that I might come
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to his seat. He longs.
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Defined his God. There's a longing about his life
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that draws him to God. Oh, that I might find him.
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Oh, that I might come before him.
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Oh, that I might be able to speak to him.
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But I might be able to sit down in his presence and explain my
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case. Tammy says, in verse number 4, I
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would present my case before him and fill my mouth with
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arguments. I would learn The Words, which
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he would answer and perceive what he would say.
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To me. You see he's a redeemed person,
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he doesn't fear entering the courtroom of God.
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Because he's been redeemed. We know that from chapter 19, we
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read from chapter 1. We know that he's right with
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God. He's an upright man, he's a
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God-fearing man. He turns Away From Evil, so he
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wants to be in God's presence. He wants to be in, God's
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courtroom. He wants to be able to present
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his case to God, and then whatever God says he's going to
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listen to Verse 6. Would he contend with me by the
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greatness of his power? No.
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Surely he would pay attention to me.
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They're the upright would reason with him and I would be
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delivered forever. From my job.
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My judge job is a guy who understands that in the presence
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of God is Mercy in the presence of God.
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There's forgiveness in the, in the presence of God grace is
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extended. He knows that he knows that when
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he gets there and speaks to him in spite of the greatness of his
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power. That God would pay attention.
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And God would listen, he's a great perspective on the Lord.
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It says, in verse number 8, behold I go forward but he is
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not there and backward, but I cannot perceive him when he acts
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on the left. I cannot Behold Him, he turns on
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the right. I cannot see him.
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He knows he's there. But he can't perceive him or see
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him. He knows he's all around because
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he knows God's on depressant. But then he says this.
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And this is another one of his great confessions that will draw
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an application from at the end of our time together this
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evening. But look at listen to what he
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says. He says, but he knows the way I
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take. There's a change.
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From regret. To reassurance.
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I go left. I go right, I go forward to go
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backward. I don't see him.
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I don't perceive him perceive him, but but I do know
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something. He knows the way I take.
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What he's tried me? I shall come forth.
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As go. How does he know that?
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What would ever give him that idea?
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We'll see in a moment that there there's a plethora of scriptures
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that speak of God's refining process, but Joe could read
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those. So, how does he know that when
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he is tried? He is going to come forth as
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gold. Well, if he's a contemporary of
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Abraham, I'm sure he would know about Abraham's test on Mount
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Moriah to some degree, because he knows about a redeemer who
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lives, she does about the resurrection of the Redeemer.
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He was 11 tells us that Abraham knew that that if his son was to
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be slain that God would raise him from the dead.
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So Abraham believed in the resurrection, Joe believe in a
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resurrection. And so if he's a contemporary of
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Abraham's, he would see how Abraham's life was was
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transformed because Injustice at the 22.
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God says to Abraham. Now, I know that you fear me Was
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there. Something God didn't know?
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No, he says that, for Abraham's sake.
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God says it for Abraham shake. So Abraham knows that he lived
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in the fear of God and that's the way he was supposed to live.
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And Abraham passed the test, the test of the sacrifice.
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So evidently job knows something about the refining process of
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God. How he knows and what he knows.
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We don't necessarily know because he doesn't tell us.
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But the inspired word of God tells us that he believes that
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when it's all said and done, he'll come forth as gold.
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It says, first 11th, my foot has held fast to his path.
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I have kept his way and not turn to side.
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I have not departed from the Commandment of his lips.
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I have treasured the words of his mouth more than my necessary
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food. Now think about that, He doesn't
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have the words that you and I had.
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He doesn't have 66 books of the Bible to be able to treasure
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those words, the words that he has from God have been passed
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down from generation to generation.
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Have passed been passed down from from Enoch to Methuselah to
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Noah and his family into Chemin to Abraham and and the words of
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God have been passed down. So those words are very few and
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far between their valuable words because of the words of God, he
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Treasures those words, we don't look at God's word as a
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treasure. No, he's much because we can
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pick it up and read it. Whatever we want to, we can
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listen to it on the radio. We have words put the song, we
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take for granted the value of the word of God, but but job do
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not Joke didn't. Which made him such a unique
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individual because with very little to read, and very little,
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to memorize and, and very little to memorialize he, he treasured
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them all. More than is necessary food.
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Now I don't know about you but it's like a Jeremiah member of
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Jeremiah 15:16. When God told him you're going
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to go and present the the truth to My People Israel.
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And and when you do it's really you know in advance that no
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one's going to listen to a word. You say Nobody's gonna listen.
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Those are the follow. But I'm sending you Jeremiah
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because I've chosen you from your mother's womb, in fact
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before I formed you in the womb, I knew you and I chose you
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specifically to go and preach so no one listens But he did could
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have said, why don't we do that? Give me another job.
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Don't say God said, that is your job.
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So we did. He said you know that words are
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found and I did eat them and they were the joy and the
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rejoicing of my heart to realize that even though no one's gonna
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listen, no one's going to respond.
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No One's Gonna follow the laugh at me.
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They're going to reject me. Do not throw me in the pit.
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They're call me names. That words are found and I did
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eat them and they were the joy and the rejoicing of my heart.
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There's a man who realized that when nothing else.
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Is available and no one else responds.
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God's word is true. And that's what matters.
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Most So think a job who has very little words from God and the
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ones he has, he cherishes and treasures.
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Jeremiah. And Jeremiah had more than job
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did, and God would speak to Jeremiah in Jeremiah within
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relay, the message to Israel, but no one listened. think about
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that when you're trying to witness to your family, And no
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one listens. Is God's word so treasured that
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it's the joy and the rejoicing of your heart, even though your
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your unsaved spouse or your unsaved children, or your
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unsaved, aunts and uncles, don't respond.
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What's your attitude toward the word of God?
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This was Jeremiah's. This was jobs.
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I love what the what the Lord says in John's gospel, in the
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fourth chapter, The Lord says these words.
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Disciples were urging him saying Rabbi eat eat.
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But he said to him or to them, I have food to eat that.
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You do not know about. So the disciples were saying to
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one another? No one brought him anything to
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eat, did they? They're one of you have food.
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Who gave you food? Were you stashing the food?
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And the Lord says my food is to do the will of him who sent me.
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And to accomplish his work. Think about that.
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Rabbi you have to eat something. We're all eating.
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You need. You need to eat as well.
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I have food that you have no idea about And that food is to
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do the will of my father who sent me.
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That was his driving passion. Over in Psalm 119.
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Psalm 119 verse number 130, The psalmist says, these words.
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Someone 18. I'm sorry 103.
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How sweet are your words to? My taste is sweeter than honey
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to my mouth. It's almost new about the
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sweetness of God's word. The value of God's word that he
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should treasure the truth that God has given to him.
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And so, you begin to realize that, that when the Lord says in
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Matthew, for man shall not live by bread alone, but by every
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word that proceeds out of the mouth of God, this is your food
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and you need to treasure the written word as your food more
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so than anything else. And that's why Joe becomes such
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a great hero. for the little bit of words that he had.
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He treasured them. More than anything.
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Now, the God's going to speak to him and God is going to give him
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a whole slew of words. And that's going to only enhance
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his belief in Treasure of the truth of God's word, but I
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wonder where you are this evening.
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When it comes to treasuring the truth of God's word.
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More than you necessary food. And so he says these words verse
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13, but he is unique and who can turn him.
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And what is soul desires that he does free performs, what is
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appointed for me and many such decrees are with him.
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This whole statement is, is so profound, it will be.
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There are application for our time together.
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This evening to show you how his three main confessions all come
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together. As a one, great confession in a
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moment. But you can never mistake God's
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silence for his absence. Because you don't hear God.
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You don't see. God does it mean that God's Not
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There. He's always there.
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There's a reason for the silence.
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But he's not absent. And so as you come to verse
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number 15, therefore, I would be dismayed at his presence when I
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consider him. I am terrified of him.
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That's the right response. I am terrified of him and
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rightly, so, To this man. Will I Look to Him is broken of
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a contrite heart? Who trembles at my word?
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Is it truly terrifying and terrified by him.
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He said he says, I'm dismayed at his presence.
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But I know this, I live in the fear of God.
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And that's the way every believer, should live.
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Absolutely, in fear of the terror of God.
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That's why the Bible says there's forgiveness with thee
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that thou mayest be feared, God forgives you.
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So you will fear him because the unbeliever what has no fear of
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God before his eyes in care about God.
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The love be afraid of God. Verse 16.
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It is God, who has made my heart faint and the almighty, who has
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dismayed me, but I am not silenced by the darkness nor
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deep Gloom, which covers me what a perspective.
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There is Darkness all around me. There's a Gloom that covers me.
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I am dismayed by my by my God. But you know what?
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I trust. I believe in him.
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And that's what joke 23 and 24 is all about.
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Even though he can't see God, even though God is silent and it
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has yet to speak to him even though he doesn't understand the
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ways of God, he knows that God has a way.
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It's a perfect way in all he can do is trust in God and believe
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in God. And that's that's where God
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wants us to be living in trust, living in obedience, even though
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we don't have an answer because job doesn't have an answer.
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He's perplexed. He truly is.
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Dismayed. But he knows that he was, he was
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preserved for this moment. He was preserved for this moment
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and he was protected in the moment.
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He didn't know how protective he was because Satan wanted to kill
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him but God says, you can't do that.
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God was protecting him. He didn't know what that
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conversation. He didn't know about the
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conversation between Satan and the Lord God of the universe.
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But he knows that he's being protected and preserved for this
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moment and on top of that he was prepared for this moment.
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As much as he could be, he was prepared.
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That's Job. Chapter 1 in Joel chapter 2.
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It was his character that prepared him for this moment.
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So that when the trial came, he wasn't obliterated when the
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trial came. He wasn't consumed with a trial
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came. He didn't crumble the trial
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came. He didn't give up because of his
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character. He was the man who was
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God-fearing upright blameless Turning Away From Evil.
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That's what made job. The man that he was.
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So when you come to chapter 24, okay, you move from the
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situation between Joe, the sufferer to the situation
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concerning. Those who sin against God and
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his perspective is it's quite remarkable.
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In fact, one author said that this way while Jobe awaits God's
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answer his mind turned to the topsy-turvy Affairs in the world
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that allow the wicked, given to self-serving brutal.
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Deeds of violence to oppress the Weak and Powerless, his own
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sufferings have, made him more sensitive to widespread human
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suffering, he Longs for God to rectify matters on Earth.
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While he Grieves that social evil He remains so confident
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that God does eventually execute Justice.
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That he pronounces a series of curses against the wicked jobs
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concern, for Injustice, leads him to challenge the Theology of
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his day. But the same time because of his
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profound faith in God, his lamenting drives him to God for
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an answer. He is anxious that God curse,
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the wicked holding them accountable accountable for
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their evil Deeds. He begins Alyssa, but look at
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the empathy of job verse. 22, through 24 verse number 1, yr x
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not stored up by the almighty and why do those who know him?
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Not see his days. In other words, why is it that
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we are unable to see the Judgment of God happened in
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these days? Why don't we know when God's
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going to act in act and execute his judgment in these days?
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Why isn't God tell us? And that's a good question.
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We love to know that. But we do know that God will
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execute his Justice. and his judgments because he's promises
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that So he says some remove the landmarks, they seize and devour
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flocks. They drive away the donkey's of
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the orphans, they take the Widow's aux for a pledge.
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They pushed the needy, aside from the road, the poor of the
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land are made to hide themselves.
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Altogether. Behold this wild donkeys in the
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wilderness they go for seeking food in their activity, as bred
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for their children in the desert.
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They harvest their father in the field and glean The Vineyard of
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the of the wicked. They spend the night naked
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without clothing and have no covering against the cold beer,
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wet with the mountain rains and huge the rock for once of a
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shelter. Or hug the rock for want to
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shelter. She's me other snatched the
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orphan from the breast. And against the poor, they take
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a pledge, they cause the poor to go about naked without closing
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clothing, and they take away. The she's from the hungry within
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the walls, they produce oil, they tread wine presses but
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thirst from the city mean grown in The Souls of the Wounded.
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Cry out yet. God does not pay attention to
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Folly. He begins to list what's
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happening to the orphans and what happened happening to the
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Widow, what's happening, people's property, how how
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people come and steal and, and how people abuse them in his
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great? Sympathy.
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For those people. You see Joe does what his his
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comforters haven't done. And necessarily can't do.
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He feels for those in pain. He's feels for those who are
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being dealt with unjustly by Wicked people around them.
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In fact, he gets his eyes off of his own pain to be able to
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effectively see the pain of other people.
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That's remarkable. Most of us can't do that.
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Most of us have such tunnel vision that when were in pain,
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it's always see when our world is crumbling all we can see are
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the are the bricks building up falling around us.
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That's all we can see but not job.
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Job sees the people in pain. He provides first example on how
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not to be self-serving when Affliction comes our way.
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How not to think only about my Affliction and my pain and
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asking and wanting others to come alongside of me and and be
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of assistance to me. But look at the Injustice of all
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those around me. What's happening to them?
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This is a remarkable man. Because if anybody should be
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thinking of themselves as a job, he has nothing.
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He's lost at all his pain, insurmountable. and yet, he
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says, the time to think of other people, Who go through
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difficulties. God could have stopped all the
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injustices but he doesn't. Let's continue.
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Because that's what God does. It says verse number 13.
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Others have been with those who rebel against the light.
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Do not want to know the ways. Nor bide in its past the
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murderer, arises at dawn, he kills the poor and the needy and
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a night, he's a thief, the eye of the adulterer waits for the
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Twilight saying no I will see me.
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He disguises his face in the dark they dig into houses they
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shut themselves up by day. They do not know the light for
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the morning is the same to him as thick Darkness.
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As for his familiar with the Terrors of thick Darkness.
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God doesn't stop the robber. God doesn't stop.
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The thief. God doesn't stop.
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The murderer! God doesn't stop the evil doer.
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God doesn't stop the adulterer. God just lets them continue in
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their sin. Verse 18, they are insignificant
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on the surface of the water. Their portion is cursed on the
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earth. They do not turn toward The
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Vineyards drought and heat consumed the snow Waters.
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So does she owe? Those who have sinned.
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In other words, As Swift as the snow melts.
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So swiftly, will come there, there end their grave.
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On top of that a mother will forget him, the worm feeds
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sweetie till he is no longer remembered and wickedness will
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be broken like a tree. He wrongs the barren woman.
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He does no good for the Widow, but he drags off the Valiant by
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his power. He rises.
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But no one has a Servants of life.
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He provides them with security and they are supported and the
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eyes of God are on their ways. They are exalted for a little
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while, then they're gone. Moreover, they are are they are
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brought low and like everything gathered up, even the heads of
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grain, they are cut off Now, if it is not so who can prove me a
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liar and make my speech? Worthless answer.
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No one. Because he can't answer that
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because he knows he's right. See Joe's perspective.
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On the injustices around him are spot-on jobs perspective on the
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wicked, man, who's carrying out his evil is spot-on.
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But there's coming to judgement upon that, man.
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In God's your time. you know, I got this book from Bruce this
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past week or on Divine Providence Stephen Shahrukh has
28:57
as they evolve Hume written on the attributes in existence of
29:02
God. It's quite lengthy.
29:05
It's very hard to read. This book has been for lack of a
29:10
better phrase, dumb down for the normal guy, to be able to read
29:13
and understand. And he talks about The classic
29:18
work of Divine Providence. And in it.
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He says this about Job 12, verse number 10, which reads in his
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hand is the life of every living thing and the breath of all
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mankind. Joe made that statement injector
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12. Sonic says, there is not a
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single molecule in all the universe that lies outside,
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God's control. The Lord knows and directs all
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creation from the mightiest Angel to the smallest earthworm,
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and it is goodness and wisdom God.
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Exerts his authority over every single act, large, and small,
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good, and evil. He has woven all creation into a
29:57
Salvation story that culminates in the cross, and this is Divine
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Providence. In other words, he States the
30:08
fact that and if you don't have this book you might want to get
30:10
it and read it. It's it's really, really good.
30:12
If you want to understand the Providence of God, the working
30:14
of God and in the in the way of life and the way of the world.
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But what he's saying is that everything functions under
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Divine Providence, because everything leads to the Cross,
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everything is about the Apex of human history Calvary.
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So, everything providentially is being orchestrated by God to
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move everything everyone. 21 period of time to one day. 21
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sacrifice were Christ gave his life for the sins of man.
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And that's what Divine Providence does.
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God orchestrates, everything toward that end.
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And God even lets the injustices of this world continue on
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because he's patient and kind and merciful.
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So having said that, let me, let me take it back to chapter 23
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and show you once again, this Great Divine confession.
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Because remember, we've given you two of them.
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The first one was in chapter 9. Remember that chapter 9 verse
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number 10, who does great things, unfathomable and
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wondrous Works without number, that was jobs, great statement
31:27
and great confession. We told you that statement alone
31:30
unlocks the mystery of God and Folds, the meaning of the book
31:37
of Joe, that one statement that one verse unlocks, the mystery
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of God and unfolds, the meaning of the Book of Job.
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In other words, God himself is in comprehensible.
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And then in chapter chapter 20, she be chapter 19, he makes that
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Nick's great statement. Verse 25, as for me, I know that
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my redeemer lives and at the last, he will take His stand on
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the earth. Even after my skin is destroyed
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yet from my flesh. I shall see God whom I myself
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Shall Behold and who my eyes will see.
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And yet, and not another my heart faints within me.
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That great confession. Unveils to us the ministry of
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God. And unleashes for us, the
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message of God to man. This confession.
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In chapter 23. Uncovers for us, the Majesty of
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God. and utters the magnificence of job, the man It uncovers the
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Majesty of God. And it utters.
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The magnificence of job. The man in other words, what job
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says? Shows us how magnificent he is.
33:05
Because he understands something about God that most of us never
33:09
get That God has a plan and that plan centers around.
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How he purifies, man. And how he performs everything
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that's appointed for that man. so he speaks to us about the
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Majesty of God when it comes to his refinement and then it
33:35
speaks of the magnificence of job, when it comes to his
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resolve, this is Job's resolved This is what he comes to.
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This is where he is in his suffering and what he is saying
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is providing for us a a map on how to live our lives.
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And how to how to govern, how did we deal with situations?
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But but, but the confession, first of all deals with the
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Majesty of God in his refinement.
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He says These words. In Job chapter 23.
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He says, he knows the way that I take.
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And what he's tried me. I shall come forth as gold.
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Got his Majestic because he has a plan.
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It's a plan that runs perfectly without any mistakes.
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Over in 1st Thessalonians, 5 24 says, Faithfully.
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See, who called you who who also will will do it.
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Remembering in Daniel chapter 4. Verse number 17.
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It says these words, this sentence is by the decree of the
35:01
Angelic Watchers. And the decision is a command of
35:05
the Holy ones in order that the living may know that the most
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high is ruler over all the realm of mankind and bestows it on
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whom he wishes other words. God rules over over man, over
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man, does whatever he wants to do and then over in chapter 4
35:24
verse number, 34 Talk about Nebuchadnezzar.
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He says, I blessed the most high, I praise and honor him.
35:30
Who lives forever for his Dominion is an everlasting
35:33
dominion and his kingdom endures from generation to Generation
35:37
all the inhabitants of the Earth are Canada's nothing but he
35:41
does. According to his will in the
35:43
host of heaven and among the inhabitants of the earth and no
35:47
one can ward off his hand or say to him.
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What have you done? Then it says in verse Remember
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37. Now I Nebuchadnezzar praise
35:58
exalt and honor the king of heaven and all his works are
36:02
true in his ways just and he is able to Humble those who walk in
36:10
Pride. The Majesty of God is seen in
36:13
this plans because they can't be changed.
36:17
They can't be thwarted. And God sticks to them.
36:23
No matter what. In fact, in the book of Jeremiah
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in Jeremiah chapter 29, it says in verse number for thus, says
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the Lord of hosts, the god of Israel to all the Exiles who
36:33
might have sent into Exile from Jerusalem to Babylon.
36:37
God wants to make sure that they know that it's he who sent them
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into Babylonian captivity. True Nebuchadnezzar is going to
36:46
come, he's going to plunder the city is going to take them
36:48
captive. But Nebuchadnezzar was a servant
36:51
of God. And God wants you to know that
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I've done this. I'm behind all this.
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I'm behind your York activity. They says, in verse number 8,
37:05
excuse me for thus, says the Lord of hosts, the god of
37:07
Israel, do not let your prophets who are in your midst and your
37:11
dividends deceive. You don't listen to the dreams
37:14
or which they, they dream for, they prophesy falsely to you.
37:18
In my name, I have not sent them declares the Lord for thus, says
37:24
the Lord. When 70 years have been
37:26
completed for Babylon, I will visit you and fulfill my good
37:30
word to you to bring. NG you back to this place?
37:35
God says, I have a plan and the plan has had a time limit.
37:40
It's 70 years, it's very specific and if you went with us
37:45
in our study of Daniel, you know why it was 70 years and why God
37:48
told him, it was 70 years. He says these words for, I know
37:52
the plans that I have for you, declares the Lord plans for
37:55
welfare and not for Calamity to give you a future and a hope.
37:59
That we quote that all the time, but it comes to our lives, but
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specifically refers only to Israel.
38:03
Not you and me by secondary application.
38:06
It can be fair to us, but it specifically refers to Israel in
38:09
the Babylonian captivity. And so God says, I have a plan.
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I have a plan for you and you don't know the plan.
38:19
But I do. It's a 70 year plan. and the
38:26
good thing about that is that is that God told him in advance job
38:30
had no advanced warning as to how long his plan was.
38:35
The plan for his suffering he didn't know had no idea and most
38:38
of us don't either. We have no idea when we go
38:41
through Affliction and hardship and difficulty how long it's
38:43
going to last. Only God knows that he has a
38:46
plan. Is a plan and that plan is to is
38:50
to purify. You look what it says.
38:53
He says the plans are for your your tranquility.
39:00
Not for your calamity. I'm going to do something among
39:04
you. I'm going to give you a future.
39:06
I'm going to give you a hope because in Israel is Hope then,
39:13
you will call upon me and pray to me and I will listen to you.
39:17
You will seek me and find me when you search for me with all
39:23
your heart. And I will be found by you
39:25
declares the Lord. And I will restore your fortunes
39:28
and will gather you from all the nations.
39:30
From all the places where I have driven, you declares the Lord
39:34
and I will bring you back to the place from where I sent you.
39:39
In Exile. I have a place.
39:44
It's called captivity. I have a place it's called the
39:50
place of adversity. But with that place.
39:55
I have a plan. And that plan centers around
40:00
your Purity in your tranquility. And he says, I have a purpose
40:07
but the purpose is it's always this.
40:11
Intimacy. For my glory.
40:15
It's intimacy. Because when it's all said and
40:18
done, you going to call upon me. Because right now, you don't And
40:22
when you call upon me, I'm going to listen, I will be there.
40:27
You will seek me with all your heart because right now, you
40:29
don't, but you will. So, God tells them in advance.
40:33
What the plan is. Cousin what the process is
40:38
cousin, what the purpose is. Because he wants to understand
40:42
in advance his care and concern for them.
40:47
By secondary application. We have to realize that God has
40:49
a plan. That plan a lot of time,
40:53
includes adversity and calamity. But at that plan.
41:01
Comes a process, a refining process.
41:05
So when it's all said and done, we walk in intimacy with the
41:08
true and living God. God moves us toward himself.
41:13
Now, think about this. God's doing this in jobs life
41:18
and he's already a blameless, man.
41:21
He's already a God-fearing man. He's already a man who turns
41:26
away from evil. He's already an upright, man.
41:31
That's a chapter one. So, Joe was already there.
41:37
But yet even though he's there, God is still doing a work in his
41:41
life because he's not a perfect man just to blame us man.
41:47
And God is going to do something so unique and so special in him.
41:51
God's going to drive him even further into intimacy with him.
41:56
That he becomes the quintessential man of all
41:58
scripture. Because this man was stood
42:02
everything thrown at him by the grace, and mercy of the Living
42:06
God. And God drove him to a place
42:09
where most men can't even dream of being.
42:14
For at the end, he will say I've heard of you but now I see you
42:17
now. I get it. so, the Majesty of God
42:22
is seeing And how are you finds, man?
42:28
Is a plan and that plan is to purify.
42:34
Amanda's already blame us. A man who was already upright
42:39
and God-fearing. But job knows that when it's all
42:42
said and done, he will come forth as gold, he will shine
42:46
like the royalty of his King. And others will see.
42:52
The king because they reflect the image of the king.
42:57
Way back in Daniel chapter. I'm sorry, Deuteronomy chapter
43:00
4. God says this to Israel.
43:04
But the Lord has taken you and brought you out of the iron
43:08
Furnace from Egypt. To be a people for his own
43:14
possession. As today.
43:19
God has brought you through an iron furnace for furnace 400
43:23
years. They were in Egypt.
43:26
It's a long time. That was an iron furnace.
43:31
But they were a people of God's Own possession.
43:36
The Bible says, In the book of First Peter chapter 1 in this,
43:42
you greatly Rejoice, even though now for a little while, if
43:44
necessary you have been distressed by various trials.
43:47
So that the proof of your faith being more precious than gold,
43:50
which is perishable even though, tested by fire may be found to
43:54
result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus
43:59
Christ. The penis is this in, though.
44:02
You have not seen him, you love him and though you do not see
44:07
him now, but believe in him, you greatly Rejoice with joy
44:12
inexpressible, and full of Glory, obtaining, as the outcome
44:15
of your faith, the salvation of your souls, So Peter says to
44:19
those who are already suffering those who are losing their
44:22
lives. Yuri, you rejoice greatly.
44:27
Because of what God is doing in your life.
44:28
He goes on to say in chapter 4, verse.
44:30
Number 12, beloved do not be surprised at this fiery ordeal
44:35
among you which comes upon you for your testing as though, some
44:38
strange thing were happening to you but to the degree that you
44:43
share the sufferings of Christ, keep on rejoicing.
44:46
So that also at the revelation of his glory, you may Rejoice
44:49
with eggs, all Tatian. So, job statement is all about
44:55
the Majesty of God. because the Majesty of God is seen in the
45:00
refining process of each individual person He says these
45:08
words. He is unique who can turn him
45:13
his soul. Does that he desires, he
45:17
performs, what is appointed for me.
45:21
And what's important for job is not necessarily appointed for
45:24
you. And what's important for you is
45:27
not asleep. Waiting for your, your family,
45:29
or your children or your friends, Because God has a
45:34
Divine appointment and he doesn't treat us all the same.
45:38
Teachers, all uniquely different.
45:41
But he will accomplish that, which is appointed for us
45:45
because God has a plan. And that plan will be performed.
45:49
Exactly as he desires it to happen.
45:54
You must understand the loving God in his Providence, how he
45:57
works in the lives of his people.
46:00
He is not an ogre upstairs who looks down and frowns and growls
46:03
that his children. No.
46:05
He lovely cares for them and protects them and preserves them
46:08
and watches over them and takes them through difficult times.
46:11
That they might see the hand of God moving in their lives and
46:15
draw closer to him. so, the Majesty of God, Is part of this
46:22
statement. Is seen in his refinement, but
46:27
the, the Magnificent magnificent of job is seen in his resolve.
46:33
Job's resolved as result of God's refining process is
46:39
remarkable. because look, he says I've tracked, the ways of
46:47
God. I've treasured the word of God
46:51
and I've trusted the work of God.
46:56
He says, very clearly, he knows the way I take when he tries
47:01
Master come forth as gold, my foot has held fast to his path.
47:06
I have kept his way and not turn aside.
47:09
In other words, it's his way, not my way, it's his path, not
47:13
my path. And I haven't turned aside from
47:15
that. I haven't rebelled against the
47:18
direction that God is leading me and God is directing me.
47:22
Remember the Book of Proverbs when it talks about the way?
47:24
It's always the way of righteousness.
47:26
Well, you have a righteous God is working in upright.
47:28
People leading them closer to him that they might exude his
47:32
righteousness. It's a righteous way.
47:35
He sees that he understands that.
47:39
And so he says, I don't turn to the left, I don't turn to the
47:42
right, but I stay right. On course, because I want to
47:48
follow the way that God has led me.
47:50
He is tracked. The ways of God, he has followed
47:53
the ways of God does not question.
47:56
The ways of God. He's not debating the ways of
47:59
God. Befalls in explicitly, not
48:03
turning to the left, or to the right. and then, he treasured
48:09
The word of God. He Treasures the word of God.
48:16
That's why he stays on the path of God because what God says he
48:23
does we're God leads. He goes, how do you know your
48:26
treasure? God's word?
48:28
You just do everything says that's all you don't debate.
48:31
What God says you love is worth so much, whatever he says, you
48:35
just do Because you love him so much.
48:39
If you want to debate with God and question God and and and
48:42
just try to try to get in the courtroom with God say you know
48:45
what, God, I don't think you're really leaving me the right way.
48:46
I mean, that's just not going to work.
48:49
Because God is the king of all. We'll see you next week.
48:51
That God is the ruler of all. He is the one who holds dominion
48:54
over everything and build that will be correct when he says
48:57
that will talk about the rulership of God, over all of
49:01
man, because he rules over all, he makes no mistakes.
49:07
You know, it'd be great to be able to rule your family without
49:09
making a mistake, right? That doesn't happen.
49:13
As father's, we make mistakes with a rule in our own little
49:17
kingdom, but we're going to make a lot of mistakes along the way.
49:21
God is making mistakes. Ever makes any errors.
49:26
Always does it right? And Joe says, I've treasured his
49:30
word, I've tracked, his his ways, I love what it says and in
49:35
Psalm Psalm 29 verse number 10, this is so great.
49:41
Someone says the Lord sat as king at the flood.
49:46
Yes the Lord sisters king forever.
49:50
The Lord will give strength to his people.
49:53
And the Lord will bless his people with peace, when the
49:56
flood happened. God said, as king, why?
50:00
Because his Dominion of everything.
50:01
God sent the flood. God gave him a hundred.
50:04
Twenty years, he was very patient with them.
50:06
He told him I was going to happen.
50:09
He used no of the preacher of righteousness.
50:12
And yet he sits his King. Over the flood.
50:18
Over the waters. Because the floods in waters in
50:23
scripture, represent the constant tumult that we face all
50:29
the time. And got such as king over them.
50:34
God, rules over them. He guides the flood.
50:39
As he did way back in Genesis chapter 7 and 8.
50:43
He guided the, the depth of the flood.
50:48
The length and breadth of the flood he sat as king over the
50:53
flood waters. Because he rules over them.
50:57
Just like he does in your life in mind and maybe sit there and
51:00
think man the flood waters are so high.
51:03
I don't know if I could either ever breathe again.
51:07
But God says his King over your flood waters.
51:11
The only go as high as he wants them to go.
51:13
They only last as long as he wasn't the last.
51:17
Because he's the Majestic one. He's the king.
51:23
He says in chapter 28 of the Psalms verse 6 blessed.
51:26
Be the Lord because he has heard the voice of my supplications.
51:29
The Lord is my strength and my shield, my heart trust in him
51:32
and I am helped therefore my heart exults in with my song I
51:35
shall thank him. The Lord is their strength and
51:38
he is a saving defense to his anointed.
51:40
Save your people and bless your inheritance be their Shepherd
51:43
also and carry them forever. The Reason God sits is King
51:48
over. The flood waters is because he
51:50
wants to, as he says in verse number 11, give strength to
51:53
People. And peace to his people.
51:58
That's what God's going to do in your life.
52:01
That's why you treasure is words more than you necessary food.
52:05
Because God is constantly at work in your life and in mine.
52:12
So job says, this is my resolve I tracked the ways of God.
52:17
I treasured the word of God and I always trusted the work of
52:23
God. He's going to perform what's
52:27
been appointed for me. And evidently he says, this is
52:34
appointed for me. Because I have it, it's present.
52:39
It's here. Psalmist in Psalm 90 verse
52:42
number 15 make us glad according to the day, you have Afflicted
52:46
us. And with the years we have seen
52:49
trouble, wow, a statement make us glad according to the days in
52:55
which you Afflicted us, why? Because there was something
52:58
about the Affliction that made us glad why?
53:00
Because we had to learn to trust in you and depend upon you.
53:03
And what we did, we called upon you You heard you answered.
53:09
You saved us. You gave us strength to give us
53:12
peace. That's what you did. and jumps
53:16
is this is my resolve I've always tracked the ways of God.
53:22
I'm always going to treasure the word of God.
53:26
And I'm going to trust the work of God, even though I don't
53:29
understand what he's doing. Because he knows what's
53:34
appointed for me, he knows what's best for me.
53:39
Here's a man who has nothing compared to what you want to
53:45
have when it comes to the full knowledge of the Gospel, in the
53:49
truth of the word of God. but what he knew, he fully obeyed,
53:57
what he knew, he fully treasured What he knew he fully trusted.
54:06
Because it was all he had. Then, everything else.
54:12
He didn't even have his wife. Because she's never mentioned
54:16
again, outside of chapter 2. So we don't even know if she's
54:20
there. Probably not.
54:24
But he had the Lord. And so as he tracked the ways of
54:28
God entrusted, the work of God, he treasured the word of God.
54:33
All the way that was his resolve.
54:34
And that's what your resolve and mine should always be. if you
54:38
want to follow an example gems, the man He is the greatest hero
54:42
in the scriptures. He's the man you need to
54:45
emulate. He's the man you need to
54:46
understand. He's the man you need to follow.
54:50
because with just a little bit of knowledge of God, he had
54:55
great faith in God. We have a whole lot of knowledge
54:59
about God. And very little faith.
55:03
In God. Not Joe.
55:07
Hebe loved. His God it wasn't a perfect man.
55:12
But he was a blameless, man. In this confession.
55:18
Uncovers for us, the Majesty of God and others for us, the
55:23
magnificence of job that made it.
55:26
Let's pray, father, we thank you Lord, for tonight a chance.
55:30
To once again look into the word of God truly Lord, it is a
55:33
treasure. May we value you word more than
55:36
we do more than necessary food because we don't live by bread
55:40
alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.
55:43
Thank you. Lord, we pray in your name,
55:46
amen.