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God's Purpose in Job's Sufferings · Stornoway Free Church of Scotland - Sermons

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20. Then Job arose and tore his robe and shaved his head and fell on the ground and worshipped.
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And he said, Naked I came from my mother's womb, and naked shall I return.
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The Lord gave, and the Lord has taken away. Blessed be the name of the Lord.
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In all this, Job did not sin or charge God with wrong.
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And I want to take this verse in the light of what goes before it in the chapter, but also try and relate it to the overall message and the overall theme of Job as you go through the book.
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Job is one of those books we call the Wisdom Books of the Old Testament, along with Psalms, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, and Song of Solomon.
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A group together as a group of what are called usually Wisdom Books, because their main theme is, in one way or another, to present us with wisdom as specified by God.
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And in many ways Job fits into that so admirably, because the wisdom of God and the wisdom that Job himself at times revealed and spoke of,
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is held in direct contrast to what his friends had actually wrongly thought was wrong with him,
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which was approaching it from a different point of view, from wisdom that was mainly wisdom founded on man's own, on their own thinking, on their own conclusions.
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Now, the difficult passages in the book of Job, particularly when you come to the remaining part of it, from chapter 3 onwards,
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there are a lot of speeches there from Job's friends and Job himself,
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and probably that's one of the reasons that the book is not that well used.
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It is difficult to read through it, it is difficult to assimilate all that's in it,
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and try and gain some understanding of why these comments are made, and why these chapters are as they are.
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But essentially, Job is about the place of suffering in a believer's life.
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I'm not giving any credence to the view that suffering has no part in a believer's life,
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that it doesn't belong in a believer's life.
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The Bible is full of evidence that God blesses suffering, that God uses suffering.
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Instead of asking God just to simply take away our suffering,
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we should pray, and are praying, I'm sure, that God will help us,
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and others through the suffering that we need to endure, either small or great in amount,
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but that through it we will actually have a greater understanding of God,
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a greater understanding of his program, of our sanctification and cleansing,
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and all of the things associated with the way he deals with us,
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as we go through the various issues of life.
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And as the purpose of suffering in a believer's life is brought out throughout the book of Job,
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it's particularly the case that it's God's part in that that's specially emphasized,
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or specially central to the whole theme.
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What place does God have?
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What is God's part in the sufferings of a believing life?
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Is God detached from that?
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Is it simply a bare permission, as the sovereign God, to allow such things?
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Well, Job will say there is that, but the book also tells us that there's actually an appointment of suffering
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on the part of God and his wisdom and sovereignty,
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so that you have to go beyond what you might call a bare permission from God
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for suffering to have a place in the Christian's life.
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It's rather that God has appointed that, as well as all other things,
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to fit together into what he has purposed in his wisdom,
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to be the package for your life and mine,
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and for the life of his people in every generation.
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So, we'll look at three things, three headings tonight.
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First of all, suffering and purpose together,
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suffering and God's purpose especially,
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as we find it here in these verses and in the book of Job as a whole.
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Secondly, we'll look at the place that Satan has as the prosecutor of God's people,
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the prosecutor of accusations against them,
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and how that features largely in these opening chapters one and two of the book of Job as well.
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Thirdly, we can look at the sovereignty of God in granting access to Satan
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to actually come and have access to Job's life and experiences.
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So, suffering and purpose.
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Now, you see in the first part of the chapters we read through it,
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verses one to four deliberately describe the kind of situation that Job had in the world.
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Satan himself made reference to that as God called him to actually give a report to him, as it were.
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And here is, in the first four verses, an account of Job's riches, of Job's status in his own society.
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In fact, it goes so far as to say that God said that there is none like him,
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as the greatest of all the people of the East, in verse three.
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And why is that there at the beginning of the book?
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Why is that important before the book goes on to describe the sufferings that he endured
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and how these were things which he wrestled with and sought an answer from God for?
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Well, the reason is so that we cannot say that Job was suffering or that God placed suffering in his life
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because there was something drastically wrong with his life.
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It wasn't that his relationship with God had begun to founder
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or fallen on times of backsliding, you might say, on Job's part.
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It wasn't to do with that at all.
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Whatever we say was the reason and the purpose of God in the sufferings of Job,
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it wasn't because he needed chastisement.
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It wasn't because he needed something from God to bring him back into the way of obedience.
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He was already in that.
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And, of course, there are times in the book when Job spoke rather rashly
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and he had to take some of these words back towards the end of the book
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as he confessed to God his own smallness and his littleness
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and his inability to actually think as God thought and understand all the ways of God.
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But his suffering preceded the suffering actually precedes the words that he spoke
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in terms of his complaint about his sufferings.
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In other words, the Lord's sufferings were placed in his life
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and it's from that point onwards that he came actually to make his complaints to God.
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So, it's not because he was in need of correction.
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It's not because he was in need of returning to the way of obedience.
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It's something else.
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We'll try and explore that.
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And the suffering of Job was not designed by God to prove Job himself
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in terms of what he was as a believer.
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It wasn't to prove either the strength of his faith or his own commitment to God.
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We read here in these last verses of chapter 1
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that in all this Job did not sin or charge God with wrong.
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But the whole purpose of the book of Job, while it might account for,
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that might be part of it, it's not primarily to bring out for us the quality of Job's faith.
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It's actually, in the book, it's that God proves himself to be the one who is wise
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and the governor of lives, his people's lives, including their suffering.
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And that while we may not have access to all the reasons and the purpose
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for God's placement of suffering in our lives,
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the book of Job tells us that God himself knows.
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And that God himself knows full well.
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And therefore is able to use that suffering as we depend upon him
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to improve our relationship with himself,
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to actually enable us to understand more of his ways.
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And when you go through the book of Job,
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the questions that arise in your mind as you read through it
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are questions not so much as why was there suffering in the book of Job.
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It's more questions to do with God himself primarily.
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Is God just?
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Is God a just God?
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When you read of the life of Job and God's relationship with his sufferings.
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Or you might say, is the world, the creation, well managed?
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Is the reason that there are certain things in the creation that are obviously not right,
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obviously not working in sync, if you might say,
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is that because God isn't managing it very well?
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And near the end of the book, the final chapters of it,
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God actually takes Job,
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or what you might say is a tour of the creation,
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mentioning some of the various parts of the creation,
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like planets and stars and so on,
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and places before Job the question,
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can you do any better?
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Can you govern it the way I govern it?
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Have you a right to complain how I arrange things?
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When you see yourself in the light of my greatness.
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So all of these things are things which come across in the relationship of suffering and purpose,
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especially God's purpose in the book of Job.
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So let's turn to, secondly, to the place of Satan,
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Satan the prosecutor.
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Now the word Satan, you probably know this already,
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the word Satan is a Hebrew word,
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and the word Satan really means adversary,
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or to oppose in the verbal form of it.
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It almost means to stand against someone,
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to oppose someone,
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to be an adversary of someone.
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And all the way through these chapters,
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in the early parts of these two chapters especially,
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Satan comes across to us as
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the chief prosecutor, if you like,
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of God's people such as Job,
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who wants to actually have leave of God to access their lives,
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to attack them,
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to deal with them in such a way as he hopes
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will bring their trust in God crashing down.
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Because, you see, Satan's purpose really is,
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in terms of his own aims and purposes in Job's case,
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is that he wants to actually prove that Job is a fraud.
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That the only reason Job serves God faithfully
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is just so that he will get something personal out of it himself.
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And that's why Satan said to God,
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does Job serve God for nothing?
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You have put a wall around him.
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He's protected by you.
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It's easy for him just now.
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But you take all that away,
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and he will curse you to your face.
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In other words, Satan wanted to prove
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that Job really was something of a fraud,
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that the only reason he trusted in God,
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or confessed to be a believer in God,
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was so that he could fill his life
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with the good things he already had,
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and multiply and increase them,
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and enjoy a good life.
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Take all that away, Satan said.
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And he'll curse you to your face.
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He will prove himself to be
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someone who's just in a selfish sense.
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Now, we can't get behind
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everything that's mentioned in the chapter.
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There was a day when the sons of God,
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verse 6,
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came to present themselves before the Lord,
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and Satan also came among them.
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We understand that the sons of God,
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they're a reference to the angels,
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messengers of God,
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and that Satan came amongst them.
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And one of the things that comes across from that
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is that in these opening scenes,
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all beings that are created by God,
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including angels,
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are answerable to him.
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Whether they are the good angels,
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or the bad angels that accompany Satan
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and his designs,
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they are all ultimately answerable to God.
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And they all have to give,
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as it were, their report to God,
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which really, in a sense,
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the way they're coming to present themselves
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before the Lord.
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You might take that in a literal sense,
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although there are difficulties along with that,
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but it certainly means that
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God requires of them
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an account of their doings,
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just as he does of you and me.
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And Satan is no exception.
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He is called to account by God
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to give an account of his doings.
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That's not because God didn't know
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that he asked Satan,
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where have you come from?
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The Lord knew very well.
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But he wanted to hear from Satan's own mouth,
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and indeed for the benefit of Job,
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ultimately as well,
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what Satan was up to,
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what his aspirations were,
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what his purposes were.
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And that's really taking us behind the scenes
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into the issues of eternity,
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the things which are, if you like,
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behind the curtain that separates us
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from eternity.
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And it's giving us a little glimpse
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into that world,
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that mysterious world
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over which God presides
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as he presides over everything else.
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And he's opening that curtain up
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just a little chink, if you like,
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so that we'll see that
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even there it is God
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who is totally in charge,
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and God is the master of all
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the beings that he has created,
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including those that fell,
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such as Satan himself.
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Now here's a point that's really,
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I think, crucial for us to understand
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as you try and apply all these points
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and these related points
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to your own life as a Christian,
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and to apply them to your times of temptation,
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when you know that you're being tempted
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to be disobedient to God,
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and being tempted to just turn aside
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or take a little holiday
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from reading your Bible
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or prayer or things like that.
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The purpose of Satan
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is obviously that you would do that.
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But here's the comforting thing.
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The purpose of Satan
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actually fits into
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the overall purpose of God.
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The purpose of Satan
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fits into the overall purpose of God.
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Here is Satan's purpose
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brought before us
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in the book of Job.
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He wants to get to Job.
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He wants to actually attack Job.
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He wants to prove Job a fraud.
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He wants to actually get to him
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to such an extent
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that through his sufferings,
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he will turn against God
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and be done with God.
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But that all fits into
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God's overarching purpose,
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where he's going to prove to Satan
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that it's not for nothing
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that Job trusts in God,
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but because Job knows
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that God is worthy of it.
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However much or little
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he will get out of it
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practically or financially
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or materially,
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God is saying to us
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through the book of Job,
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faith in God
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is not ultimately about
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how much we can gather
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of a material or financial
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or other blessings.
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Faith is about putting God first,
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putting God first,
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come what may,
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challenging though that is.
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And so, you see,
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the aim of Satan
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in seeking to prove
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that Job was a fraud
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was pretty much,
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you could say,
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well, if he can prove Job
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was a fraud,
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if he can prove this man
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with all that he has,
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this man with his godliness,
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this man who is described
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as blameless and upright,
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who feared God
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and turned away from evil,
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if he can prove
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that he is a fraud,
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then it stands to reason
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or it follows
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that the credibility
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of every other believer
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really is at issue.
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If he can get to Job
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and turn his life upside down
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to deny God
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and to turn against him,
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well, where does that
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leave the rest of them?
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Where does that leave
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other believers?
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others.
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And
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if he fails with Job,
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having been granted
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access by God
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to Job's life,
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to the extent,
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as the book shows,
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that he did
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to cause
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severe damage
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to his family,
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to himself,
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to his possessions,
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and to his own health,
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if he actually fails
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to turn Job
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against God,
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having had such an access,
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he's done for.
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He's a defeated enemy.
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He has no chance
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against others.
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God will show
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that Job's godliness
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is actually
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for God's own sake.
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So we mentioned
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previously
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some questions
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that arise
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as you go through
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the book of Job.
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We mentioned that one.
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Is God just?
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Is the world
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well managed?
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But other questions
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that arise
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are
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not so much
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why is there
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suffering
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in the life
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of believers?
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Why does God
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actually
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appoint such things?
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Why does God
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not just allow
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but give
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such a place
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to suffering
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at times
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in the lives
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of his people?
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It's not too much that.
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The question really,
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I think,
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at the bottom
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of it all is
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why serve God
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at all?
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Why serve God
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at all
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if there's
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suffering along
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with doing that?
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Is it worth
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your while
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serving God?
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Would it not
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be just as well
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to turn away
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from that
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and just put up
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with whatever
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suffering is
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in the world
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and live a good
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life in a worldly
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sense?
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These are all
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questions
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that this book
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as a book
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of wisdom
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really comes
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out with,
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although maybe
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not specifying
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these questions
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exactly as I've
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mentioned them,
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but they come
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to your mind
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as you read
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through it
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and they come
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to your mind
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in such a way
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that says,
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well,
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let me ask myself
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the question,
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why do I serve
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God?
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Why am I committed
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to following Christ?
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Why am I actually
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so concerned
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to keep on following
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and to pursuing
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with a believing
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life
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when I know
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that that
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is a life
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that attracts
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so much suffering
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from the world,
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from the devil,
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and maybe from
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within my own heart?
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And that's a message
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for every suffering believer
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and I'm sure
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every believer
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suffers
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in different ways
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to certain degrees
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from time to time.
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You know yourself
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tonight
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that there's an element
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of suffering
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in your life,
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sometimes more
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than other times,
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but have you asked
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the question,
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why is it there?
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And even more so,
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have you asked
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the question,
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knowing that that's there,
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is it worthwhile
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serving God?
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How do I answer that
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if the question
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comes to me
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from someone
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who knows my life
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to be one
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that has such suffering
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in it
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and knows that
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I'm a Christian?
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How do I answer them?
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How do I actually say,
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well,
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this is why I serve God?
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And that's why
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Job's conviction
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here in verse 21
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is so important.
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He said,
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naked I came
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from my mother's womb
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and naked
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I shall return.
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The Lord gave
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and the Lord has taken away.
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Blessed be the name
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of the Lord.
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Now he's saying that
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against the background
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of the losses
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that are described
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in the middle part
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of the chapter.
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And against these losses
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you might expect,
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well,
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I didn't expect this
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to be such a tough shift
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following the Lord,
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believing the Lord.
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Now all that this
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has happened
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and the Lord
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is obviously
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presiding over it.
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I've lost so much.
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Where do I stand?
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What am I going to make
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of God
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through all this?
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Well,
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he says,
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I had nothing
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coming into the world
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when I came
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from my mother's womb.
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And when I leave
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this world,
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everything that I have
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I'll have to leave behind.
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Naked I came
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from the mother's womb.
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Naked shall I return.
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And the Lord has given,
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the Lord gave,
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and the Lord has taken away.
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Blessed be the name
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of the Lord.
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In other words,
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he's saying,
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whatever God has given me
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in the past
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and given me
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an abundance
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of material things
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that I enjoyed,
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whatever God
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takes away from me,
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it doesn't alter
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this great fact
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that the Lord's name
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remains blessed.
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That the Lord remains
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one worthy of my worship,
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worthy of my service.
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That's why he speaks
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in chapter 2
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there to his wife.
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You see there he,
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after he lost his health
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as well,
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he was struck
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with loathsome souls.
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It's really difficult
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reading it.
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Verse 8 there
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in chapter 2,
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he took a piece
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of broken pottery
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with which to scrape
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himself from his sores
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while he sat
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in the ashes.
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And his wife said to him,
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Do you still hold
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fast your integrity?
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Curse God
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and die.
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Be done with it.
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And he said,
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You speak as one
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of the foolish women speak.
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Shall we receive
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good from God
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and shall we not
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receive evil?
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in all this God
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did not sin
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with his lips.
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So you see Satan,
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the prosecutor,
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for all his attempts
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thus far,
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at least as you read
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into it,
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read into the book,
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has met with failure.
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Because Job's conviction
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is that God,
22:20
come what may,
22:21
is worthy
22:22
of his trust.
22:24
Worthy of being served.
22:26
sometimes
22:28
we're challenged
22:29
in our own lives,
22:30
aren't we?
22:30
Maybe it's just
22:31
a challenge
22:32
that arises
22:32
in our own minds
22:33
rather than
22:34
from somebody else
22:35
outside of ourselves.
22:37
But a challenge
22:38
nevertheless
22:38
through various things
22:40
that we experience
22:41
in life
22:41
that are hard
22:42
and difficult
22:42
and unexpected
22:43
and would rather
22:45
not have
22:46
in our lives.
22:47
The challenge
22:48
then is,
22:49
am I going to
22:50
keep on
22:50
serving God?
22:51
Is it worth
22:53
going on
22:54
with a Christian life?
22:57
And Job is saying,
22:58
absolutely it is.
23:00
Because the name
23:01
of the Lord
23:02
remains blessed
23:03
and whether we receive
23:05
good or evil
23:07
or difficulty
23:08
from the hand of God,
23:10
it should never
23:11
actually lead us
23:12
to think of sinning
23:14
against him,
23:15
denying him
23:16
or not being true
23:18
to his calling of us.
23:20
So suffering
23:22
and purpose,
23:24
Satan the prosecutor,
23:26
we could amplify
23:27
that some more
23:28
but I want to move
23:29
on thirdly
23:29
to the
23:30
sovereign way
23:31
in which God
23:32
brought the suffering
23:35
into the life
23:36
of Job.
23:37
Now it's very interesting
23:38
in these chapters
23:39
that the focus
23:41
of the Lord
23:42
is not upon Job.
23:45
The focus of the Lord
23:46
is on Satan.
23:49
The focus of the Lord
23:50
is on him.
23:51
It was just the Lord
23:53
that having asked him
23:54
where have you come from
23:55
and Satan said
23:56
I'm from going
23:57
to and fro on the earth
23:58
from walking up
23:59
and down on it.
24:00
That's very similar
24:01
to Peter's description
24:02
isn't it?
24:02
Of the devil
24:04
as a roaring lion
24:05
going about
24:06
seeking whom
24:06
he may devour,
24:08
seeking to intimidate,
24:09
seeking to actually
24:10
swallow folks up
24:11
and destroy their faith
24:13
if he could.
24:14
Well,
24:14
here is Satan's answer
24:16
from going to
24:16
and fro on the earth
24:17
and walking up
24:18
and down on it
24:18
and it's the Lord
24:20
that said to Satan
24:21
have you considered
24:22
my servant Job?
24:26
He's calling Satan's
24:27
attention deliberately
24:29
to this particular man,
24:31
to this particular individual
24:32
and while you can't
24:34
get behind
24:35
all that's involved
24:36
in that
24:37
it does show you
24:38
that the Lord's
24:39
concentration there
24:40
is on Satan
24:41
and on the way
24:42
that he's going
24:43
to use Satan
24:44
to show
24:45
that faith in God
24:47
while it may actually
24:48
bring many benefits
24:50
it's especially
24:51
to do with
24:52
bringing glory
24:52
and praise
24:53
to God himself.
24:56
Have you considered
24:57
my servant Job?
25:01
And it teaches us
25:02
this as well
25:03
that the way
25:05
in which God
25:06
overcomes evil
25:08
in terms of
25:10
the life of his people
25:11
I'm thinking especially of
25:12
the way that God
25:13
overcomes evil
25:15
is not by destroying
25:17
evil altogether
25:18
and Job
25:20
God could have
25:21
instantly said
25:22
to Satan
25:23
you can't get access
25:25
to Job anymore
25:26
that's it
25:26
he could even have
25:28
destroyed him
25:29
he could destroy
25:31
the devils
25:31
he could destroy
25:32
the source of evil
25:34
just like that
25:35
and say to us
25:37
now I've done that
25:38
there's no more evil
25:39
for you to confront
25:40
so you're free
25:41
and you're free
25:43
from such
25:44
awful temptations
25:46
and difficulties
25:47
and sufferings
25:47
in your life
25:48
don't do that
25:49
God's way
25:52
in overcoming evil
25:54
and sin
25:55
and death
25:55
through his people
25:57
not that God
25:58
cannot do it without
25:59
it's what I mean
26:00
is when there's evil
26:01
and suffering
26:02
and trial
26:02
in the life
26:03
of God's people
26:04
he doesn't overcome it
26:05
and he doesn't enable
26:06
them to overcome it
26:08
by just taking it away
26:09
altogether
26:10
the amazing thing is
26:13
that
26:13
God through his people
26:16
contends with evil
26:17
contests evil
26:18
battles with evil
26:20
overcomes it
26:21
by giving his people
26:23
grace
26:23
and strength
26:24
to overcome it
26:26
and what better way
26:28
is there
26:28
rather than just
26:30
by some miraculous event
26:32
though of course
26:32
God could easily
26:33
have done that
26:34
in Job's case
26:35
in your case
26:35
in my case
26:36
by some miraculous event
26:38
that would show
26:38
his mastery of evil
26:40
and his support of you
26:41
instead of actually
26:42
producing that
26:44
and being very spectacular
26:46
in his demonstration
26:47
of his mastery
26:48
over evil
26:49
what does he do?
26:50
He gives you grace
26:51
he gives you grace
26:54
to overcome it
26:55
to stand up to it
26:56
to wrestle with it
26:59
God overcomes
27:02
the evil
27:04
and the
27:05
the sin
27:06
and the life
27:07
of his people
27:08
not by stamping it out
27:10
but by using them
27:11
as frail human beings
27:14
in dependence
27:14
on himself
27:15
to show
27:17
that he is
27:18
the Lord
27:18
and to show
27:20
that the best thing
27:21
we can do
27:21
is to continue
27:23
to depend
27:23
upon him
27:25
he uses
27:26
our weakness
27:27
I will remind you of
27:28
what Paul says
27:30
in his letter
27:31
to the second
27:32
letter of Corinthians
27:34
you know
27:34
the passage
27:35
in chapter 12
27:36
where Paul describes
27:39
his being
27:40
lifted up
27:41
to the third heaven
27:42
and
27:44
mystery though
27:45
there is
27:45
in that
27:46
he
27:47
was caught up
27:49
to the third heaven
27:50
and heard things
27:51
that
27:51
whether in the body
27:55
or out of the body
27:55
I don't know
27:56
he heard things
27:57
which cannot be told
27:58
which man may not utter
28:00
and then he goes on
28:03
to speak about
28:03
so to keep me
28:05
from being too elated
28:06
by the surpassing
28:08
greatness
28:08
of the revelations
28:09
a thorn
28:10
was given me
28:11
in the flesh
28:12
God applied
28:14
we're not exactly
28:16
sure what it was
28:17
but it was
28:18
certainly
28:18
a physical
28:20
matter
28:21
which caused
28:22
Paul
28:23
a whole lot
28:24
of pain
28:24
for which he prayed
28:26
three times
28:27
that the Lord
28:28
would take this
28:28
away from him
28:29
but you see
28:30
I've described it
28:31
a thorn was given
28:33
me in the flesh
28:34
a messenger
28:36
of Satan
28:37
to harass me
28:38
and that does not
28:40
mean
28:41
that every element
28:42
of suffering
28:43
in your life
28:45
is a messenger
28:45
of Satan
28:46
that doesn't mean
28:48
that when you have
28:49
severe suffering
28:50
in the life
28:51
of any Christian
28:52
that the source
28:53
of that is Satan
28:54
and that the reason
28:56
is there's something
28:56
wrong in that person's
28:57
life
28:57
don't ever conclude
28:58
that
28:58
Paul knows
29:00
this is the case
29:01
because God
29:02
revealed it to him
29:03
and what he's saying
29:04
is a messenger
29:05
of Satan
29:05
to harass me
29:06
to keep me
29:07
from being too elated
29:09
three times
29:10
I pleaded
29:11
with the Lord
29:11
about this
29:12
that it should
29:13
leave me
29:13
in other words
29:14
Paul himself
29:15
this apostle
29:16
of God
29:16
was saying
29:17
three times
29:18
he pleaded
29:18
with the Lord
29:19
please Lord
29:20
take this away
29:20
I want to serve you
29:23
and serve you
29:24
free from this
29:25
hindrance
29:25
this harassment
29:26
please take this away
29:27
and God said
29:28
my grace is sufficient
29:33
for you
29:33
this was God's way
29:34
of saying no
29:35
in other words
29:37
it's no
29:38
but
29:38
no but
29:40
my grace is sufficient
29:41
for you
29:42
for my power
29:43
is made perfect
29:44
in weakness
29:45
therefore I will boast
29:46
all the more gladly
29:47
of my weaknesses
29:48
so that the power
29:50
of Christ
29:50
may rest on me
29:51
for the sake
29:52
of Christ
29:53
then
29:53
I am content
29:54
with weaknesses
29:55
insults
29:56
hardships
29:57
persecutions
29:58
and calamities
29:59
for when I am weak
30:01
then I am strong
30:04
when I know
30:06
my own weakness
30:07
when I confess
30:08
that before God
30:09
when I take
30:11
God's promise
30:12
that his grace
30:13
is sufficient
30:13
for me
30:14
that I can overcome
30:15
this pain
30:16
this difficulty
30:17
this suffering
30:18
this buffeting
30:19
this messenger
30:20
of Satan
30:21
when I know
30:21
that God's grace
30:22
is sufficient
30:23
for me to do that
30:24
then I will glory
30:26
in my infirmities
30:27
that's very strong language
30:29
instead of
30:31
having it taken away
30:32
as if that was going
30:34
to be the best solution
30:35
to the problem
30:36
he's now saying
30:37
I accept
30:38
what God has said
30:39
I accept
30:41
that this is
30:42
the best way
30:43
that he will
30:44
give me grace
30:45
so that I will
30:47
overcome
30:48
by his grace
30:49
the difficulties
30:51
the trials
30:52
in my way
30:53
and you remember
30:54
in Luke chapter 22
30:56
as well
30:57
when the Lord
30:59
revealed to Peter
31:00
that Satan
31:02
had desired
31:04
to have them
31:05
he mentions
31:05
Satan has desired
31:06
to have you
31:07
but as you plural
31:08
the whole disciples
31:11
maybe even the whole church
31:12
but certainly
31:12
at the very least
31:13
the band of disciples
31:14
at that time
31:15
along with Peter
31:16
Satan
31:16
has desired
31:17
to have you
31:18
that he might
31:19
scatter you
31:20
like wheat
31:21
that he might
31:22
sift you
31:22
like wheat
31:23
see that's his purpose
31:24
he wants to destroy
31:26
he wants to
31:27
cause havoc
31:28
he wants to
31:28
get in among
31:29
the disciples
31:30
and cause such havoc
31:31
that they'll be scattered
31:32
and the cause of God
31:34
will be questioned
31:34
and people will say
31:36
well it's not worth
31:36
serving that God
31:38
but I have prayed
31:42
for you
31:43
he said
31:43
and I have prayed
31:45
for you
31:46
prayed what
31:48
that God would
31:49
take away the suffering
31:50
in his life
31:51
no
31:53
I have prayed
31:54
for you
31:54
that your faith
31:56
does not fail
31:57
yes
31:58
God knew
31:59
the Lord knew
32:00
that
32:01
Peter would deny him
32:03
and he did so
32:04
three times
32:05
grievously
32:07
against the Lord
32:09
but when you are
32:12
recovered
32:13
when you are
32:13
turned back
32:14
when you are
32:16
converted
32:16
the old
32:17
version has it
32:18
it means
32:18
when you have
32:19
come back
32:20
from your
32:20
lapse
32:21
when you have
32:23
come back
32:24
from that
32:24
turn against me
32:26
in your denial
32:26
strengthen
32:29
your brethren
32:31
see that was
32:33
Satan's purpose
32:34
to destroy
32:35
but like I said
32:36
at the beginning
32:37
it's inside
32:38
God's purpose
32:39
to strengthen
32:40
his church
32:41
because Peter
32:42
was going to prove
32:43
to be
32:44
one of the main
32:45
means of
32:46
strengthening the
32:47
church in the
32:47
New Testament
32:48
as the gospel
32:49
went out
32:50
both to Gentiles
32:51
as well as to
32:52
Jews
32:52
and see
32:54
in the early
32:55
chapters there
32:56
of Acts
32:56
you can see
32:57
the leadership
32:58
of Peter
32:59
and how strong
33:01
that leadership
33:02
was
33:02
how vital
33:03
that leadership
33:04
was
33:04
and that's
33:06
God
33:07
demonstrating
33:08
through Peter
33:09
that overcoming
33:12
evil and
33:13
overcoming
33:13
Satan
33:14
and overcoming
33:16
even the
33:16
lapse on the
33:17
sin in his
33:17
own heart
33:18
is a matter
33:20
of Christ's
33:21
prayer for him
33:22
filling him
33:23
with strength
33:24
I have
33:26
prayed for you
33:26
that your
33:27
faith does
33:28
not fail
33:29
and when
33:30
you are
33:31
recovered
33:31
strengthen
33:33
your brethren
33:33
now tonight
33:35
isn't that
33:38
our prayer
33:38
as well
33:39
we have no
33:41
right to say
33:42
to God
33:42
Lord please
33:43
take away
33:44
suffering from
33:45
my life
33:46
I would be a
33:47
far better
33:47
Christian
33:48
without suffering
33:49
in my life
33:50
without having
33:51
such difficulties
33:52
and trials
33:53
to contend
33:53
with
33:54
to battle
33:55
against
33:55
that's not
33:57
our prayer
33:58
Job teaches
33:59
us our prayer
34:00
is Lord
34:00
turn at all
34:03
times
34:03
my sufferings
34:05
to blessings
34:05
turn my trials
34:07
and my difficulties
34:08
to blessings
34:09
for myself
34:10
and for others
34:10
enable me
34:11
through them
34:12
not only to
34:13
progress
34:13
in my own
34:14
life as a
34:15
Christian
34:15
but to be
34:16
of benefit
34:16
and help
34:17
to others
34:17
around me
34:18
in your
34:19
church
34:19
that I
34:21
might strengthen
34:22
your cause
34:24
that I
34:25
might strengthen
34:26
especially any
34:27
others who
34:27
are struggling
34:28
with temptation
34:30
and questions
34:31
in their life
34:32
about their
34:33
relation to
34:33
God
34:34
God's purpose
34:37
in Job's
34:39
sufferings
34:40
in all
34:41
this
34:42
would that it
34:43
was true of
34:43
me and of
34:44
you
34:44
Job did
34:46
not sin
34:46
or charge
34:48
God
34:48
with any
34:50
wrong
34:50
let's pray
34:52
Lord we
34:56
thank you that
34:57
there are such
34:57
books in the
34:59
scriptures as
35:00
the book of Job
35:00
we acknowledge
35:02
that you are
35:03
the author
35:03
of scripture
35:04
from beginning
35:05
to end
35:05
we acknowledge
35:07
oh Lord
35:07
that it is
35:08
authoritative
35:09
and accurate
35:10
for us
35:10
a word
35:12
that is
35:12
dependable
35:13
we pray
35:14
for the grace
35:15
of your spirit
35:15
Lord
35:16
to add to
35:16
our understanding
35:17
daily
35:18
of what your
35:19
word teaches
35:20
us
35:20
we thank you
35:22
especially tonight
35:23
that as we know
35:23
that there are
35:25
powers looking down
35:25
upon us
35:26
more powerful
35:27
than ourselves
35:28
who have an evil
35:29
intention against us
35:31
we bless thee
35:32
for the shelter
35:33
of your wings
35:34
we thank the Lord
35:35
for the security
35:36
of your intercession
35:38
for your people
35:39
and we give thanks
35:40
for the assurance
35:41
you give to your people
35:42
that evil will not prevail
35:45
that you will bring
35:46
them at last
35:47
as we've been singing
35:48
earlier
35:48
to love the Lord
35:51
more fully
35:51
and also as we learn
35:53
from your word
35:54
to be brought finally
35:55
to that state
35:57
and into that place
35:58
of heaven
35:58
where there is no
36:00
temptation
36:01
anymore
36:01
bless us then
36:03
and bless your word
36:04
to us
36:04
hear the prayers
36:05
of your people
36:06
both silent
36:07
and spoken
36:08
here tonight
36:08
and in all other
36:10
gatherings of your people
36:11
Lord be present
36:12
to bless them
36:13
we ask it all
36:15
for Jesus sake
36:16
Amen
36:16
this comunisan
36:20
and text
36:21
as we understand
36:21
we ask your tard 아직
36:23
that
36:24
the Helen
36:24
miracle
36:24
who
36:26
said
36:27
to the
36:27
lord
36:29
or
36:30
for Jesusát
36:30
where
36:31
she
36:31
saw
36:32
the
36:33
other
36:33
thousands
36:34
of Jesus
36:34
as we
36:36
I
36:37
told us
36:37
of Jesus
36:38
and