1 00:00:00,000 --> 00:00:11,440 Thank you for listening to this message from Lifehouse Church. 2 00:00:11,440 --> 00:00:18,160 Good morning, good morning. 3 00:00:18,160 --> 00:00:21,480 It's good to see you in the Lifehouse this morning. 4 00:00:21,480 --> 00:00:26,560 Next to the last time we are going to be in this building for a Sunday morning. 5 00:00:26,560 --> 00:00:32,760 Yeah, a little excited and at the same time a little bit of nostalgia going on. 6 00:00:32,760 --> 00:00:33,760 Amen. 7 00:00:33,760 --> 00:00:37,880 But before I get going on the message this morning, we want to take just a moment and 8 00:00:37,880 --> 00:00:39,240 pray over our students. 9 00:00:39,240 --> 00:00:43,120 We've got a group of students and a group of leaders who are going down to Winterfest. 10 00:00:43,120 --> 00:00:46,240 It's Knoxville, or is it Knoxville? 11 00:00:46,240 --> 00:00:48,240 Pigeon Forge, Tennessee. 12 00:00:48,240 --> 00:00:50,680 Close, similar area. 13 00:00:50,680 --> 00:00:54,240 But Pigeon Forge, Tennessee, they're going down and they're going to spend a weekend 14 00:00:54,240 --> 00:00:57,640 and it's an amazing weekend, but we want to pray over the students, pray over the leaders. 15 00:00:57,640 --> 00:00:59,560 So I'm going to ask them to come up real quick. 16 00:00:59,560 --> 00:01:01,320 If you would just hop up. 17 00:01:01,320 --> 00:01:03,520 Just stand up wherever you're at this morning. 18 00:01:03,520 --> 00:01:06,520 Come up to the center here if you just come up to the center if you're a student or you're 19 00:01:06,520 --> 00:01:07,520 a leader. 20 00:01:07,520 --> 00:01:08,520 They're going. 21 00:01:08,520 --> 00:01:09,520 And here's what I'm going to ask you to do. 22 00:01:09,520 --> 00:01:10,520 I'm going to ask you to just put your hand this way. 23 00:01:10,520 --> 00:01:14,920 We're going to pray for God's protection as they travel and that God moves in their midst 24 00:01:14,920 --> 00:01:15,920 while they're there. 25 00:01:15,920 --> 00:01:18,760 There are students, some in first gathering, some in second. 26 00:01:18,760 --> 00:01:19,760 Here they come. 27 00:01:19,760 --> 00:01:20,760 Come on. 28 00:01:20,760 --> 00:01:21,760 Come on. 29 00:01:21,760 --> 00:01:22,760 Give them a big smile and a hand. 30 00:01:22,760 --> 00:01:23,760 Yeah. 31 00:01:23,760 --> 00:01:24,760 All right. 32 00:01:24,760 --> 00:01:25,760 We're excited. 33 00:01:25,760 --> 00:01:30,640 I know there's multiple students going and leaders, but if you would just extend your 34 00:01:30,640 --> 00:01:31,640 hand this way, we're going to pray. 35 00:01:31,640 --> 00:01:34,400 Father, we do come before you in the name of Jesus. 36 00:01:34,400 --> 00:01:38,640 And Lord, we just ask that your hand would be upon these students, upon the leaders, 37 00:01:38,640 --> 00:01:40,320 Lord, as they get ready to go to Winterfest. 38 00:01:40,320 --> 00:01:43,960 God, as they get ready, Lord, to meet with you, I pray that they would you would open 39 00:01:43,960 --> 00:01:45,800 their hearts, open their minds. 40 00:01:45,800 --> 00:01:51,120 God, just Lord, just help them to be an open book this coming weekend and Lord, that they 41 00:01:51,120 --> 00:01:53,920 hear from you and God just change their lives. 42 00:01:53,920 --> 00:01:57,880 God, it can be in a small way or in a great way, but Lord, just meet with them. 43 00:01:57,880 --> 00:01:58,880 We thank you. 44 00:01:58,880 --> 00:02:01,640 We're asking for safe travels down and back. 45 00:02:01,640 --> 00:02:05,360 And Lord, while they're there, we just give you glory and praise in Jesus name. 46 00:02:05,360 --> 00:02:06,360 Everybody said together. 47 00:02:06,360 --> 00:02:07,360 Amen. 48 00:02:07,360 --> 00:02:08,360 Amen. 49 00:02:08,360 --> 00:02:09,360 Thank you all. 50 00:02:09,360 --> 00:02:10,360 Appreciate you. 51 00:02:10,360 --> 00:02:11,360 Thank you for coming up. 52 00:02:11,360 --> 00:02:14,600 Listen, if you've ever gone with students somewhere, how many know you need to pray 53 00:02:14,600 --> 00:02:15,920 before you go? 54 00:02:15,920 --> 00:02:16,920 Yeah. 55 00:02:16,920 --> 00:02:17,920 All right. 56 00:02:17,920 --> 00:02:19,000 Yeah, absolutely. 57 00:02:19,000 --> 00:02:20,600 So thank you for praying this morning. 58 00:02:20,600 --> 00:02:23,560 We are really believing for testimony to what God's going to do. 59 00:02:23,560 --> 00:02:28,480 And we love that God's moving amongst the teenagers, the children here at Life House 60 00:02:28,480 --> 00:02:30,200 and all that God's doing. 61 00:02:30,200 --> 00:02:32,400 And we're just believing in God for big things. 62 00:02:32,400 --> 00:02:33,400 Amen. 63 00:02:33,400 --> 00:02:34,400 Amen. 64 00:02:34,400 --> 00:02:38,500 Well, listen, here's a statement I want to make this morning to start this message off. 65 00:02:38,500 --> 00:02:44,500 Life is a series of change stacked between two bookends, one called the beginning and 66 00:02:44,500 --> 00:02:45,500 one called the end. 67 00:02:45,500 --> 00:02:46,500 Amen. 68 00:02:46,500 --> 00:02:51,120 It is a series of change that takes place between what we call the beginning. 69 00:02:51,120 --> 00:02:52,320 All of us had a beginning. 70 00:02:52,320 --> 00:02:53,320 We have a birthday. 71 00:02:53,320 --> 00:02:54,840 Raise your hand this morning if you got a birthday. 72 00:02:54,840 --> 00:02:55,840 All right. 73 00:02:55,840 --> 00:02:56,840 The rest of you didn't raise it. 74 00:02:56,840 --> 00:02:57,840 I'm not getting you anything. 75 00:02:57,840 --> 00:02:58,840 All right. 76 00:02:58,840 --> 00:03:02,800 Listen, between those bookends of the beginning and the end, right, there's change. 77 00:03:02,800 --> 00:03:05,520 We physically change in life. 78 00:03:05,520 --> 00:03:09,380 Some of you that are a little bit older and further in life, you don't look the same as 79 00:03:09,380 --> 00:03:11,120 you did when you were 20 years old. 80 00:03:11,120 --> 00:03:12,120 I do not. 81 00:03:12,120 --> 00:03:13,120 All right. 82 00:03:13,120 --> 00:03:15,900 We physically change over the years. 83 00:03:15,900 --> 00:03:17,760 We change locations, right? 84 00:03:17,760 --> 00:03:18,760 Locals. 85 00:03:18,760 --> 00:03:20,840 Sometimes some of you probably aren't from here. 86 00:03:20,840 --> 00:03:22,160 You live somewhere else. 87 00:03:22,160 --> 00:03:24,800 Previously you relocated to this place. 88 00:03:24,800 --> 00:03:25,800 We change, right? 89 00:03:25,800 --> 00:03:30,040 We we move and groove in different places, different stations. 90 00:03:30,040 --> 00:03:34,160 Our occupations change, especially if you're younger generation, right? 91 00:03:34,160 --> 00:03:37,720 Listen, that that switches all the time. 92 00:03:37,720 --> 00:03:38,720 Occupations change. 93 00:03:38,720 --> 00:03:39,720 Our family changes. 94 00:03:39,720 --> 00:03:40,720 It grows. 95 00:03:40,720 --> 00:03:41,780 It expands a lot of times. 96 00:03:41,780 --> 00:03:44,120 People come in and out, right? 97 00:03:44,120 --> 00:03:45,980 Everything in our lives is full of change. 98 00:03:45,980 --> 00:03:47,040 And we know this. 99 00:03:47,040 --> 00:03:48,220 I know this. 100 00:03:48,220 --> 00:03:49,220 You know this. 101 00:03:49,220 --> 00:03:50,520 My dog even knows this. 102 00:03:50,520 --> 00:03:51,520 All right. 103 00:03:51,520 --> 00:03:54,520 This is not breaking news that I'm bringing to you this morning. 104 00:03:54,520 --> 00:03:55,720 But here's the thing. 105 00:03:55,720 --> 00:04:00,620 We seem to always struggle in the change. 106 00:04:00,620 --> 00:04:05,920 No matter how much change we experience in life, we seem to struggle in the transition, 107 00:04:05,920 --> 00:04:08,120 in the change, in the shift. 108 00:04:08,120 --> 00:04:12,920 And some of you, if you were honest this morning and I could get you to raise your hand, I 109 00:04:12,920 --> 00:04:17,000 would say that some of you hate change. 110 00:04:17,000 --> 00:04:18,000 Literally hate it. 111 00:04:18,000 --> 00:04:19,000 Right? 112 00:04:19,000 --> 00:04:20,000 Yeah, come on. 113 00:04:20,000 --> 00:04:21,000 Some of you are giggling, right? 114 00:04:21,000 --> 00:04:22,000 It's true. 115 00:04:22,000 --> 00:04:23,000 You hate it. 116 00:04:23,000 --> 00:04:28,400 Why the struggle in the change if we have nothing but change all through life? 117 00:04:28,400 --> 00:04:34,360 And to answer that question would take all morning long because there's there's multiple 118 00:04:34,360 --> 00:04:37,480 layers to why we don't like change. 119 00:04:37,480 --> 00:04:39,520 So I'm just going to hit one this morning. 120 00:04:39,520 --> 00:04:43,320 And it's this change is always accompanied by loss. 121 00:04:43,320 --> 00:04:44,320 All right. 122 00:04:44,320 --> 00:04:45,320 Amen. 123 00:04:45,320 --> 00:04:46,320 Right. 124 00:04:46,320 --> 00:04:48,920 Aren't you glad you came this morning? 125 00:04:48,920 --> 00:04:49,920 All right. 126 00:04:49,920 --> 00:04:53,160 Change always equals loss. 127 00:04:53,160 --> 00:04:56,340 Leadership consultant Sam Chan goes on a little deeper with this idea. 128 00:04:56,340 --> 00:05:01,720 And he says this growth equals change, change equals loss, loss equals pain. 129 00:05:01,720 --> 00:05:05,880 So inevitably growth equals pain. 130 00:05:05,880 --> 00:05:10,240 That's a long way of saying change equals loss and change equals gain. 131 00:05:10,240 --> 00:05:11,240 Right. 132 00:05:11,240 --> 00:05:15,280 There's something to be lost in change and there's something to be gained in change. 133 00:05:15,280 --> 00:05:20,360 You can gain in the change, but you're going to lose something in the change. 134 00:05:20,360 --> 00:05:21,360 It's going to happen. 135 00:05:21,360 --> 00:05:25,840 And we've got to come to grips with this, whether we like it or not, that when change 136 00:05:25,840 --> 00:05:30,080 comes, right, it's there's going to be loss in our life. 137 00:05:30,080 --> 00:05:34,640 And I've tried to think of a simple example of this that could be very relevant to anybody 138 00:05:34,640 --> 00:05:35,960 that's in the room. 139 00:05:35,960 --> 00:05:36,960 Right. 140 00:05:36,960 --> 00:05:37,960 And here's the thing. 141 00:05:37,960 --> 00:05:42,440 If you change your hairstylist or barber voluntarily or involuntarily, how many know there's a 142 00:05:42,440 --> 00:05:43,960 change that's going to take place? 143 00:05:43,960 --> 00:05:44,960 Right. 144 00:05:44,960 --> 00:05:46,120 Something's going to be lost in that. 145 00:05:46,120 --> 00:05:47,120 Right. 146 00:05:47,120 --> 00:05:48,120 Any hairstylist in the room say amen. 147 00:05:48,120 --> 00:05:49,120 All right. 148 00:05:49,120 --> 00:05:50,120 Thank you. 149 00:05:50,120 --> 00:05:51,120 All right. 150 00:05:51,120 --> 00:05:52,120 Come on. 151 00:05:52,120 --> 00:05:53,120 Something's lost. 152 00:05:53,120 --> 00:05:54,120 Right. 153 00:05:54,120 --> 00:05:58,760 You might learn, you might lose the person who, you know, who knows how you like your 154 00:05:58,760 --> 00:05:59,920 haircut. 155 00:05:59,920 --> 00:06:02,760 They know just the way you like it. 156 00:06:02,760 --> 00:06:03,760 Right. 157 00:06:03,760 --> 00:06:06,320 They know you've got it trimmed on the sides and a little off the back. 158 00:06:06,320 --> 00:06:07,320 They already know that. 159 00:06:07,320 --> 00:06:09,560 And if you change, you're going to lose that. 160 00:06:09,560 --> 00:06:10,560 Right. 161 00:06:10,560 --> 00:06:12,800 You've got to retrain your hairstylist all over again. 162 00:06:12,800 --> 00:06:13,800 Right. 163 00:06:13,800 --> 00:06:14,800 You've got to do that. 164 00:06:14,800 --> 00:06:18,360 You might lose the relationship and the space and time that you get with that person because 165 00:06:18,360 --> 00:06:20,840 you're sitting in the chair and the conversation. 166 00:06:20,840 --> 00:06:23,040 You might lose the family and friend rate. 167 00:06:23,040 --> 00:06:28,760 If you get a family and friend, right, friend rate, you might have to pay 50 or 75 bucks 168 00:06:28,760 --> 00:06:30,320 the next time you get your haircut. 169 00:06:30,320 --> 00:06:31,320 Right. 170 00:06:31,320 --> 00:06:35,880 You might lose the comfort level of with somebody that's familiar running their hands through 171 00:06:35,880 --> 00:06:36,880 your hair. 172 00:06:36,880 --> 00:06:39,320 How many know it takes a little bit of comfort level for that. 173 00:06:39,320 --> 00:06:40,320 Right. 174 00:06:40,320 --> 00:06:41,320 Somebody's messing with your hair. 175 00:06:41,320 --> 00:06:47,840 You'll lose the predictability of going to the same person and that haircutting experience. 176 00:06:47,840 --> 00:06:54,520 And you might start nerving out a little bit about going to a new hairstylist or a new barber. 177 00:06:54,520 --> 00:06:55,520 Right. 178 00:06:55,520 --> 00:06:58,480 You might start thinking thoughts like, can I even trust this person? 179 00:06:58,480 --> 00:06:59,680 Right. 180 00:06:59,680 --> 00:07:01,160 What if they stink at their job? 181 00:07:01,160 --> 00:07:04,840 And I come out here looking like I got into a fight with a weed whacker. 182 00:07:04,840 --> 00:07:05,840 Come on. 183 00:07:05,840 --> 00:07:06,840 Right. 184 00:07:06,840 --> 00:07:11,280 You start thinking, I lose something in the change. 185 00:07:11,280 --> 00:07:17,000 Even if I got a change, hairstylist or barber, there's something lost in a change. 186 00:07:17,000 --> 00:07:18,560 It's all gone. 187 00:07:18,560 --> 00:07:20,560 Even something like this. 188 00:07:20,560 --> 00:07:22,480 And we begin to doubt. 189 00:07:22,480 --> 00:07:23,480 Right. 190 00:07:23,480 --> 00:07:28,840 We begin to doubt change and we begin to doubt that we could ever actually gain something 191 00:07:28,840 --> 00:07:30,240 in the change. 192 00:07:30,240 --> 00:07:31,240 We don't believe it. 193 00:07:31,240 --> 00:07:36,600 And somehow the change we get in our mind, the change always equals loss and it never 194 00:07:36,600 --> 00:07:38,160 equals gain. 195 00:07:38,160 --> 00:07:40,200 And we get there in our hearts and our minds. 196 00:07:40,200 --> 00:07:42,660 So this morning I want to take you into the book of Job. 197 00:07:42,660 --> 00:07:47,960 And I want you to learn from a guy who experienced incredible change. 198 00:07:47,960 --> 00:07:48,960 Right. 199 00:07:48,960 --> 00:07:49,960 Job chapter one. 200 00:07:49,960 --> 00:07:52,320 If you got your Bible, you know, books, you can begin to flip to there. 201 00:07:52,320 --> 00:07:54,000 Job chapter one, verse one. 202 00:07:54,000 --> 00:07:55,320 I'm going to pray every God's word. 203 00:07:55,320 --> 00:07:56,620 Lord, we thank you for this day. 204 00:07:56,620 --> 00:07:58,160 We thank you for your blessings. 205 00:07:58,160 --> 00:08:00,880 We thank you for what we're about to dive into in your word. 206 00:08:00,880 --> 00:08:05,360 God, we ask that Lord you would speak to our hearts and God help us in the change. 207 00:08:05,360 --> 00:08:06,360 And we give you the Lord in praise. 208 00:08:06,360 --> 00:08:08,360 In Jesus name, everybody say it together. 209 00:08:08,360 --> 00:08:09,360 Amen. 210 00:08:09,360 --> 00:08:11,080 Job chapter one, verse one. 211 00:08:11,080 --> 00:08:12,080 Bibles and notebooks. 212 00:08:12,080 --> 00:08:15,280 And just to give you a little bio, just to give you a little bit of idea about this man 213 00:08:15,280 --> 00:08:16,760 Job in scripture. 214 00:08:16,760 --> 00:08:18,000 What do we know about Job? 215 00:08:18,000 --> 00:08:19,000 All right. 216 00:08:19,000 --> 00:08:20,880 Before we dive into his story, what do we know about him? 217 00:08:20,880 --> 00:08:21,880 Well, we know this. 218 00:08:21,880 --> 00:08:23,560 One, Job is very wealthy. 219 00:08:23,560 --> 00:08:24,560 Okay. 220 00:08:24,560 --> 00:08:27,880 He's got a lot of money, like serious wealth. 221 00:08:27,880 --> 00:08:33,240 Thousands of sheep, thousands of camels, thousands of oxen, right? 222 00:08:33,240 --> 00:08:34,840 Hundreds of donkeys. 223 00:08:34,840 --> 00:08:37,840 And for us that might not be super relatable, right? 224 00:08:37,840 --> 00:08:41,880 Because we're thinking, okay, listen, he was in the livestock business and he was in the 225 00:08:41,880 --> 00:08:44,000 transportation business. 226 00:08:44,000 --> 00:08:45,280 They rode camels. 227 00:08:45,280 --> 00:08:47,440 The others was livestock. 228 00:08:47,440 --> 00:08:50,800 And he was in these businesses and he was wildly successful. 229 00:08:50,800 --> 00:08:53,240 Put a thousand sheep in your backyard one time. 230 00:08:53,240 --> 00:08:56,480 And listen, that's a little bit of wealth you got going on right there. 231 00:08:56,480 --> 00:08:57,480 Right? 232 00:08:57,480 --> 00:09:01,280 Not only is he wealthy monetarily, but he also has a large family. 233 00:09:01,280 --> 00:09:02,280 He has 10 children. 234 00:09:02,280 --> 00:09:03,280 He has 10 children. 235 00:09:03,280 --> 00:09:07,200 How many of you should be wealthy if you have 10 children? 236 00:09:07,200 --> 00:09:10,120 That's a lot of braces in college to pay for, right? 237 00:09:10,120 --> 00:09:11,120 It really is. 238 00:09:11,120 --> 00:09:12,480 So he's blessed with children. 239 00:09:12,480 --> 00:09:14,560 He's blessed wildly monetarily. 240 00:09:14,560 --> 00:09:19,840 And the beautiful thing about Job as you read about him is not only is he wealthy in family 241 00:09:19,840 --> 00:09:25,320 and in monetarily in things, but he is a man who loves God. 242 00:09:25,320 --> 00:09:26,640 He loves God with all his heart. 243 00:09:26,640 --> 00:09:30,080 The word of God says that he was blameless and upright. 244 00:09:30,080 --> 00:09:31,120 That's what scripture says about him. 245 00:09:31,120 --> 00:09:33,040 That's what God himself said about him. 246 00:09:33,040 --> 00:09:35,480 And Job was a man who was blameless before God. 247 00:09:35,480 --> 00:09:38,080 He sacrificed on the regular for his children. 248 00:09:38,080 --> 00:09:43,400 A man who had the favor of God on his life. 249 00:09:43,400 --> 00:09:47,860 Everything was clicking for Job until one day. 250 00:09:47,860 --> 00:09:49,700 Say one day. 251 00:09:49,700 --> 00:09:51,680 An immense amount of change. 252 00:09:51,680 --> 00:09:53,920 Unimaginable change. 253 00:09:53,920 --> 00:09:56,360 Crazy kind of change came to him. 254 00:09:56,360 --> 00:10:00,760 In fact, Job's life was worse than six country songs put together in a row. 255 00:10:00,760 --> 00:10:01,760 All right. 256 00:10:01,760 --> 00:10:04,760 He just didn't lose his dog, his pickup, right? 257 00:10:04,760 --> 00:10:06,240 And his farm in one day. 258 00:10:06,240 --> 00:10:09,160 He loses his children, his possessions, his dignity. 259 00:10:09,160 --> 00:10:11,640 And later on he loses his health. 260 00:10:11,640 --> 00:10:16,320 And his three closest friends who come are really actually no help at all. 261 00:10:16,320 --> 00:10:21,400 They come and instead of encouraging Job, they come along and they say, you know, they 262 00:10:21,400 --> 00:10:24,760 believe that he actually sinned and this is God's punishment in his life. 263 00:10:24,760 --> 00:10:30,600 And to top off all the misery, his wife, who's supposed to be his support, comes and tells 264 00:10:30,600 --> 00:10:32,480 him this is the advice she gives him. 265 00:10:32,480 --> 00:10:34,400 She says, Job, I know you're suffering right now. 266 00:10:34,400 --> 00:10:35,480 You're going through all this change. 267 00:10:35,480 --> 00:10:38,040 You just need to curse God and die. 268 00:10:38,040 --> 00:10:39,040 Amen. 269 00:10:39,040 --> 00:10:41,440 All right. 270 00:10:41,440 --> 00:10:42,440 This happens. 271 00:10:42,440 --> 00:10:44,360 This change happens all at once. 272 00:10:44,360 --> 00:10:47,040 No time to process, no space for anything. 273 00:10:47,040 --> 00:10:48,040 Just bam. 274 00:10:48,040 --> 00:10:49,040 Bam. 275 00:10:49,040 --> 00:10:53,240 This is the kind of change that puts people into literal shock. 276 00:10:53,240 --> 00:10:55,400 It slides people into depression. 277 00:10:55,400 --> 00:10:56,400 Right? 278 00:10:56,400 --> 00:10:59,160 It puts them into mental duress. 279 00:10:59,160 --> 00:11:04,560 But it is somehow in this unimaginable grief and lamenting and there's an unimaginable 280 00:11:04,560 --> 00:11:10,280 loss and change that Job teaches us something invaluable about change. 281 00:11:10,280 --> 00:11:11,280 All right. 282 00:11:11,280 --> 00:11:13,560 Job chapter one, verse one says this. 283 00:11:13,560 --> 00:11:18,360 There was a man in the land of us whose name was Job and the man was blameless and upright 284 00:11:18,360 --> 00:11:21,660 and one who feared God and shunned evil. 285 00:11:21,660 --> 00:11:24,660 And seven sons and three daughters were born to him. 286 00:11:24,660 --> 00:11:30,800 Also his possessions were seven thousand sheep, three thousand camels, five hundred yoke of 287 00:11:30,800 --> 00:11:36,740 oxen, five hundred female donkeys and a very large household so that this man was greatest 288 00:11:36,740 --> 00:11:38,400 of all the people in the East. 289 00:11:38,400 --> 00:11:40,580 This guy's a picture of success. 290 00:11:40,580 --> 00:11:45,020 And his sons would go and feast in their houses, each on his appointed day. 291 00:11:45,020 --> 00:11:46,600 His kids even all liked each other. 292 00:11:46,600 --> 00:11:47,600 Right? 293 00:11:47,600 --> 00:11:51,320 On his appointed day and would send and invite their three sisters to eat and drink with 294 00:11:51,320 --> 00:11:52,320 them. 295 00:11:52,320 --> 00:11:56,760 So it was when the days of feasting had run their course that Job would send and sanctify 296 00:11:56,760 --> 00:12:01,440 them and he would rise early in the morning and offer burnt offering according to the 297 00:12:01,440 --> 00:12:03,160 number of them all. 298 00:12:03,160 --> 00:12:08,360 For Job said it may be that my sons have sinned and curse God in their hearts. 299 00:12:08,360 --> 00:12:10,920 Thus Job did regularly. 300 00:12:10,920 --> 00:12:11,920 Job was wealthy. 301 00:12:11,920 --> 00:12:12,920 Right. 302 00:12:12,920 --> 00:12:15,820 But his hope was not fixed in his finances. 303 00:12:15,820 --> 00:12:19,320 He knew that his wealth and his status would not save his children. 304 00:12:19,320 --> 00:12:25,080 He knew that only God was the answer for his children and he would go regularly and sacrifice 305 00:12:25,080 --> 00:12:27,480 for them just in case they sin. 306 00:12:27,480 --> 00:12:31,600 Parents, if you're here this morning and you weren't at the parenting conference last night, 307 00:12:31,600 --> 00:12:35,560 I'm here to tell you your only hope for your children is Jesus Christ. 308 00:12:35,560 --> 00:12:38,720 They need to plug in, prioritize this. 309 00:12:38,720 --> 00:12:41,720 And if you missed the conference, come talk to somebody who was at it. 310 00:12:41,720 --> 00:12:43,140 They'll give you a little review. 311 00:12:43,140 --> 00:12:44,140 It was incredible. 312 00:12:44,140 --> 00:12:45,140 Right. 313 00:12:45,140 --> 00:12:46,140 But it is Jesus. 314 00:12:46,140 --> 00:12:47,140 It is Jesus. 315 00:12:47,140 --> 00:12:50,800 And the righteous man Job, he follows God. 316 00:12:50,800 --> 00:12:57,600 He's watching over his family, but he has no idea what's about to happen to him. 317 00:12:57,600 --> 00:13:01,600 While this is all taking place in the physical on the earth, there is something happening 318 00:13:01,600 --> 00:13:04,400 in the heavenlies that he is completely unaware of. 319 00:13:04,400 --> 00:13:08,200 And in verse six, we jump from the earth to heaven. 320 00:13:08,200 --> 00:13:09,200 Right. 321 00:13:09,200 --> 00:13:10,200 And says this. 322 00:13:10,200 --> 00:13:14,520 Now there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before God and Satan 323 00:13:14,520 --> 00:13:16,080 also came among them. 324 00:13:16,080 --> 00:13:18,400 And the Lord said to Satan, from where do you come? 325 00:13:18,400 --> 00:13:22,800 So Satan answered the Lord and said, from going to and fro on the earth and from walking 326 00:13:22,800 --> 00:13:24,240 back and forth on it. 327 00:13:24,240 --> 00:13:27,680 Then the Lord said to Satan, have you considered my servant Job? 328 00:13:27,680 --> 00:13:30,040 Now that seems like an interesting statement to say. 329 00:13:30,040 --> 00:13:31,040 Right. 330 00:13:31,040 --> 00:13:34,240 Because Satan goes before God and he's going back and forth on the earth. 331 00:13:34,240 --> 00:13:37,240 Listen, Satan has one job and one job only. 332 00:13:37,240 --> 00:13:40,800 He goes to and fro on the earth to destroy mankind. 333 00:13:40,800 --> 00:13:46,000 You were made in the image of God and you were made in his likeness and his sole purpose 334 00:13:46,000 --> 00:13:49,800 is to go across the earth and find those he can destroy. 335 00:13:49,800 --> 00:13:51,000 And God knows it. 336 00:13:51,000 --> 00:13:52,000 Right. 337 00:13:52,000 --> 00:13:57,800 And the Lord said to Satan, have you considered, he said, have you considered my servant Job? 338 00:13:57,800 --> 00:14:00,480 He knows Satan's out for people. 339 00:14:00,480 --> 00:14:03,640 And he said, that was God kind of bragging on Job. 340 00:14:03,640 --> 00:14:06,160 He said, do you know who he is down there? 341 00:14:06,160 --> 00:14:07,960 Have you seen my servant Job? 342 00:14:07,960 --> 00:14:09,560 There's none like him on the earth. 343 00:14:09,560 --> 00:14:13,440 A blameless and upright man, one who fears God and shuns evil. 344 00:14:13,440 --> 00:14:17,640 So Satan answered the Lord and said, does Job fear God for nothing? 345 00:14:17,640 --> 00:14:18,640 Right. 346 00:14:18,640 --> 00:14:20,600 Satan's the accuser of the brother, always. 347 00:14:20,600 --> 00:14:21,600 Right. 348 00:14:21,600 --> 00:14:23,640 Does Job fear God for nothing? 349 00:14:23,640 --> 00:14:28,480 Have you not made a hedge around him, around his household and around all that he has on 350 00:14:28,480 --> 00:14:29,940 every side? 351 00:14:29,940 --> 00:14:35,040 You have blessed the work of his hands and his possessions have increased in the land. 352 00:14:35,040 --> 00:14:39,600 Job's blessing is a direct result of God's hand on his life. 353 00:14:39,600 --> 00:14:41,960 It's God's favor on his life. 354 00:14:41,960 --> 00:14:45,400 It's because he walks righteously before God. 355 00:14:45,400 --> 00:14:46,400 Right. 356 00:14:46,400 --> 00:14:49,640 And God has not only blessed him monetarily and family. 357 00:14:49,640 --> 00:14:51,760 That's not the only way God blesses us, by the way. 358 00:14:51,760 --> 00:14:52,760 Right. 359 00:14:52,760 --> 00:14:56,000 That happened to be the way it was with Job, but he can bless us in a thousand different 360 00:14:56,000 --> 00:14:59,840 ways because he walked righteously before God. 361 00:14:59,840 --> 00:15:03,800 Psalm 34 15 says this, the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous. 362 00:15:03,800 --> 00:15:04,960 Amen. 363 00:15:04,960 --> 00:15:07,360 And his ears are open to their cry. 364 00:15:07,360 --> 00:15:11,240 The face of the Lord is against those who do evil to cut off the remembrance of them 365 00:15:11,240 --> 00:15:12,240 from the earth. 366 00:15:12,240 --> 00:15:17,480 Isaiah 54 17 says no weapon formed against you shall prosper. 367 00:15:17,480 --> 00:15:19,040 Some of you need to call that one out. 368 00:15:19,040 --> 00:15:20,040 Amen. 369 00:15:20,040 --> 00:15:23,120 Will not prosper in every tongue which rises against you in judgment. 370 00:15:23,120 --> 00:15:24,620 You shall condemn. 371 00:15:24,620 --> 00:15:29,880 This is the heritage of the servants of the Lord and their righteousness is from me, says 372 00:15:29,880 --> 00:15:31,280 the Lord. 373 00:15:31,280 --> 00:15:37,780 If we serve God, if we look to our savior, if we walk and obey him, we are blessed and 374 00:15:37,780 --> 00:15:38,780 highly favored. 375 00:15:38,780 --> 00:15:39,780 Amen. 376 00:15:39,780 --> 00:15:41,200 Some of you need to say that this morning. 377 00:15:41,200 --> 00:15:45,680 I'm blessed and highly favored because I follow God. 378 00:15:45,680 --> 00:15:46,680 Right. 379 00:15:46,680 --> 00:15:47,680 Say it again. 380 00:15:47,680 --> 00:15:49,680 I'm blessed and I'm highly favored. 381 00:15:49,680 --> 00:15:52,240 You need to, you need to claim that in your life. 382 00:15:52,240 --> 00:15:56,320 You need to declare that you need to speak that. 383 00:15:56,320 --> 00:16:01,320 Satan tells God that the only reason Job is serving you is for his, for your, because 384 00:16:01,320 --> 00:16:03,160 he's protected by you. 385 00:16:03,160 --> 00:16:05,360 And God says it's not so, Satan. 386 00:16:05,360 --> 00:16:06,360 It's not so. 387 00:16:06,360 --> 00:16:11,960 And matter of fact, God says, I withdraw my protection for a season and you'll see. 388 00:16:11,960 --> 00:16:14,160 Satan questions Job's integrity. 389 00:16:14,160 --> 00:16:20,000 Satan is the accuser, right, of Job and he is, and he does that all the time before the 390 00:16:20,000 --> 00:16:22,560 throne of God over us. 391 00:16:22,560 --> 00:16:25,320 But God says, you'll see. 392 00:16:25,320 --> 00:16:29,600 Job 1 11 says, but now stretch out your hand and touch all that he has. 393 00:16:29,600 --> 00:16:33,680 This is Satan talking and he will surely curse you to your face. 394 00:16:33,680 --> 00:16:37,740 And the Lord said to Satan, behold, all that he has is in your power. 395 00:16:37,740 --> 00:16:40,160 Only do not lay a hand on his person. 396 00:16:40,160 --> 00:16:43,520 So Satan went out from the presence of the Lord. 397 00:16:43,520 --> 00:16:47,120 This is in the moment in Job's life that he does not know that's coming. 398 00:16:47,120 --> 00:16:48,120 Right. 399 00:16:48,120 --> 00:16:51,860 He does not understand the gravity of the change that's going to take place. 400 00:16:51,860 --> 00:16:53,100 He was unaware. 401 00:16:53,100 --> 00:16:59,480 He didn't know the pain that was about to be unfolded in his life, but it happens. 402 00:16:59,480 --> 00:17:01,960 And Satan unleashes on Job. 403 00:17:01,960 --> 00:17:04,200 He unleashes on God's servant. 404 00:17:04,200 --> 00:17:07,320 And this is a great time just to stop and remind you. 405 00:17:07,320 --> 00:17:11,920 Listen, in the presence of God, you know, in this story, God ends up keeping Job the 406 00:17:11,920 --> 00:17:12,920 entire way through. 407 00:17:12,920 --> 00:17:13,920 Right. 408 00:17:13,920 --> 00:17:16,400 I'm going to talk about that little later on at the end. 409 00:17:16,400 --> 00:17:18,280 And you got to know something about God. 410 00:17:18,280 --> 00:17:22,060 God's hand is always on somebody and it always leads to blessing. 411 00:17:22,060 --> 00:17:24,160 It's always favor that God has. 412 00:17:24,160 --> 00:17:29,560 When Satan comes and puts his hand on you, he comes to steal, kill and destroy. 413 00:17:29,560 --> 00:17:32,680 If you don't remember anything else about Satan, you need to understand he comes to 414 00:17:32,680 --> 00:17:37,520 steal, he comes to kill and he comes to destroy things in your life. 415 00:17:37,520 --> 00:17:39,040 And this is what happens. 416 00:17:39,040 --> 00:17:43,440 And Job 13, 1.13 says, Now there was a day when his sons and daughters were eating and 417 00:17:43,440 --> 00:17:45,680 drinking wine in their oldest brother's house. 418 00:17:45,680 --> 00:17:49,440 And a messenger came to Job and said, The oxen were plowing and the donkeys feeding 419 00:17:49,440 --> 00:17:50,500 beside them. 420 00:17:50,500 --> 00:17:54,640 When the Sabians raided them and took away, indeed they have killed the servants with 421 00:17:54,640 --> 00:17:57,880 the edge of the sword and I alone have escaped to tell you. 422 00:17:57,880 --> 00:18:02,280 And while he was still speaking, another came and said, this is all in the same day, the 423 00:18:02,280 --> 00:18:06,680 fire of God fell from heaven and burned up the sheep and the servants and consumed them 424 00:18:06,680 --> 00:18:10,440 and I alone have escaped to tell you. 425 00:18:10,440 --> 00:18:14,960 While he was still speaking, another came and said, The Chaldeans formed three bands, 426 00:18:14,960 --> 00:18:17,120 raided the camels and took them away. 427 00:18:17,120 --> 00:18:21,360 Yes, and killed the servants with the edge of the sword and I alone have come to tell 428 00:18:21,360 --> 00:18:22,360 you. 429 00:18:22,360 --> 00:18:24,420 All his wealth is gone. 430 00:18:24,420 --> 00:18:30,800 In one day, it is stolen, it is destroyed, it is gone, his servants are killed. 431 00:18:30,800 --> 00:18:36,120 And while he's still speaking, another also came and said, Your sons and daughters were 432 00:18:36,120 --> 00:18:39,200 eating and drinking wine in their oldest brother's house. 433 00:18:39,200 --> 00:18:43,360 And suddenly a great wind came from the cross of wilderness and struck the four corners 434 00:18:43,360 --> 00:18:49,160 of the house and it fell on the young people and they are dead and I alone have escaped 435 00:18:49,160 --> 00:18:50,700 to tell you. 436 00:18:50,700 --> 00:18:55,400 The word of God tells us in Ephesians 2, 1 and 2, that Satan is the prince in power of 437 00:18:55,400 --> 00:18:56,700 the air. 438 00:18:56,700 --> 00:19:02,240 He sends a wind and he destroys Job's children. 439 00:19:02,240 --> 00:19:07,200 Verse 20 says, Then Job arose, he tore his robe, he shaved his head and he fell to the 440 00:19:07,200 --> 00:19:09,040 ground and he worshipped. 441 00:19:09,040 --> 00:19:14,000 And he said, Naked I came from my mother's womb and naked shall I return there and the 442 00:19:14,000 --> 00:19:17,200 Lord gave and the Lord has taken away. 443 00:19:17,200 --> 00:19:20,880 Blessed be the name of the Lord. 444 00:19:20,880 --> 00:19:28,120 How in the world does a man who lost everything, he lost his possessions, he lost all ten of 445 00:19:28,120 --> 00:19:30,320 his children, I can't even get my head around that. 446 00:19:30,320 --> 00:19:32,280 I have three children, five grandchildren. 447 00:19:32,280 --> 00:19:33,560 I can't even fathom that. 448 00:19:33,560 --> 00:19:35,520 I don't even want to think about it. 449 00:19:35,520 --> 00:19:37,320 I can't get my head around. 450 00:19:37,320 --> 00:19:45,800 How does somebody who has seen this much loss and he begins to lament, right, in this scripture, 451 00:19:45,800 --> 00:19:50,640 he falls to the ground, he shaves his head, he tears his clothes. 452 00:19:50,640 --> 00:19:57,120 When the news comes of his children, he's just in utter grief and he rips his clothes, 453 00:19:57,120 --> 00:19:59,600 falls to the ground, collapses. 454 00:19:59,600 --> 00:20:02,480 But what he does next is astounding. 455 00:20:02,480 --> 00:20:04,720 It says he worshipped. 456 00:20:04,720 --> 00:20:07,860 He worshipped God. 457 00:20:07,860 --> 00:20:09,120 What does this teach us? 458 00:20:09,120 --> 00:20:16,920 If I can give you one thing this morning, it is this, lament the loss but stay focused 459 00:20:16,920 --> 00:20:20,880 on God's promises in the change. 460 00:20:20,880 --> 00:20:28,440 Lament the loss but stay focused on God's promises in the change. 461 00:20:28,440 --> 00:20:33,160 When this horrible news hits Job's ears, when the change is like a tidal wave that comes 462 00:20:33,160 --> 00:20:39,400 in and just takes his feet out from him, when it forces him to the ground, right, scripture 463 00:20:39,400 --> 00:20:47,760 says that Job laments, laments, and he begins to focus on God's promises simultaneously. 464 00:20:47,760 --> 00:20:50,280 It happens at once. 465 00:20:50,280 --> 00:20:58,960 And you know, we need to understand that we need to lament when we lose something. 466 00:20:58,960 --> 00:20:59,960 Amen? 467 00:20:59,960 --> 00:21:02,000 It's true. 468 00:21:02,000 --> 00:21:06,000 And then we need to worship and we need to look to God. 469 00:21:06,000 --> 00:21:09,320 And Job laments and he begins to focus on God's promise. 470 00:21:09,320 --> 00:21:13,120 And you might say, well, it doesn't really say that he focused on God's promise. 471 00:21:13,120 --> 00:21:16,080 It really does in a roundabout way because you have to understand something. 472 00:21:16,080 --> 00:21:17,320 You don't worship. 473 00:21:17,320 --> 00:21:19,760 We don't worship, but we don't see promise in. 474 00:21:19,760 --> 00:21:21,120 Do you know that? 475 00:21:21,120 --> 00:21:23,320 You will not worship what you don't see promise in. 476 00:21:23,320 --> 00:21:26,780 The word worship means worth ship. 477 00:21:26,780 --> 00:21:29,440 It means worthy of. 478 00:21:29,440 --> 00:21:36,280 And God, and if you don't see something or someone like God as worthy, right, as the 479 00:21:36,280 --> 00:21:41,960 promise in your life, as the hope in your life, you will never worship God. 480 00:21:41,960 --> 00:21:46,200 You only worship what you see promise in. 481 00:21:46,200 --> 00:21:52,480 And Job is doing this in the middle of this unimaginable change that's taking place. 482 00:21:52,480 --> 00:21:53,480 He's doing two things. 483 00:21:53,480 --> 00:21:58,220 He's lamenting the loss and he's focusing on the promise of God. 484 00:21:58,220 --> 00:22:00,040 He's doing it at the same time. 485 00:22:00,040 --> 00:22:06,880 And I got to tell you this morning, don't skip the lament in the change. 486 00:22:06,880 --> 00:22:10,640 Don't skip the lament in whatever you lose, right? 487 00:22:10,640 --> 00:22:13,840 You got to tell yourself the truth about loss. 488 00:22:13,840 --> 00:22:17,480 Tell yourself the truth about what you're losing. 489 00:22:17,480 --> 00:22:19,280 Grieve, lament. 490 00:22:19,280 --> 00:22:23,520 It is dangerous not to deny loss. 491 00:22:23,520 --> 00:22:28,520 It is dangerous not to think about what you and process what you're losing, right? 492 00:22:28,520 --> 00:22:32,760 To pretend that nothing was lost in the middle of a change. 493 00:22:32,760 --> 00:22:33,760 It's a dangerous thing. 494 00:22:33,760 --> 00:22:37,880 It is unwise to skip the lament in something. 495 00:22:37,880 --> 00:22:42,660 Because if you try to skip the lament and you try to ignore the lament, how many know 496 00:22:42,660 --> 00:22:45,600 the lament will come and find you later on? 497 00:22:45,600 --> 00:22:46,600 It'll hunt you down. 498 00:22:46,600 --> 00:22:47,600 It will. 499 00:22:47,600 --> 00:22:50,240 And it'll pop up in all kinds of ways. 500 00:22:50,240 --> 00:22:54,960 Later or later, if you skip the lament, the lament's going to come and find you. 501 00:22:54,960 --> 00:22:56,640 And it'll manifest in all kinds of ways. 502 00:22:56,640 --> 00:22:58,720 You got to tell yourself the truth about the situation. 503 00:22:58,720 --> 00:23:00,560 If you lose something, lament. 504 00:23:00,560 --> 00:23:02,400 All right, it's okay. 505 00:23:02,400 --> 00:23:06,720 If your hairstylist leaves you, all right, it's okay to lament. 506 00:23:06,720 --> 00:23:08,200 It's okay. 507 00:23:08,200 --> 00:23:14,720 Jesus said in John 831, you shall know the truth and the truth shall set you free. 508 00:23:14,720 --> 00:23:18,800 Denial is not a good thing in the middle of the change. 509 00:23:18,800 --> 00:23:20,960 It's not a good thing in the middle of loss. 510 00:23:20,960 --> 00:23:21,960 Job grieved. 511 00:23:21,960 --> 00:23:24,000 He lamented. 512 00:23:24,000 --> 00:23:27,220 He was painfully aware of the loss. 513 00:23:27,220 --> 00:23:29,280 He was overwhelmed. 514 00:23:29,280 --> 00:23:33,640 But it was in the middle of the lament that he began to worship. 515 00:23:33,640 --> 00:23:36,340 He began to worship. 516 00:23:36,340 --> 00:23:43,000 He began to see the promise, even in this unimaginable state of losing everything he 517 00:23:43,000 --> 00:23:47,640 possesses and losing all of his children. 518 00:23:47,640 --> 00:23:52,560 Horatio Speford knew something about life's unexpected changes. 519 00:23:52,560 --> 00:23:57,640 Horatio was a successful attorney and a real estate investor who lost a fortune in the 520 00:23:57,640 --> 00:24:00,800 Great Chicago Fire of 1871. 521 00:24:00,800 --> 00:24:06,000 And around the same time of his financial loss, his beloved four-year-old son died of 522 00:24:06,000 --> 00:24:08,320 scarlet fever. 523 00:24:08,320 --> 00:24:12,440 Thinking of vacation would be a good idea for healing for his family. 524 00:24:12,440 --> 00:24:17,560 He sent his wife and daughters on a ship to England, planning to joining them after he 525 00:24:17,560 --> 00:24:20,000 finished some business at home. 526 00:24:20,000 --> 00:24:26,000 However, while they were crossing the Atlantic, they ended up in a shipwreck and collided 527 00:24:26,000 --> 00:24:29,200 with another vessel and they lost more than 200 people. 528 00:24:29,200 --> 00:24:34,960 And in that shipwreck, his four young daughters lost their lives as well. 529 00:24:34,960 --> 00:24:37,780 His wife Anna was the only one that survived. 530 00:24:37,780 --> 00:24:44,040 And when she got to England, she sent back a telegraph saying that she was here alone, 531 00:24:44,040 --> 00:24:46,800 save alone, what shall I do? 532 00:24:46,800 --> 00:24:51,920 Horatio immediately set sail for England and at a point on his voyage, the captain of the 533 00:24:51,920 --> 00:24:59,400 ship, aware of Horatio's, his family's situation, when they were passing over the spot where 534 00:24:59,400 --> 00:25:06,120 his four daughters were lost, he called him to the, up to the deck so that he could honestly 535 00:25:06,120 --> 00:25:08,800 go up and lament. 536 00:25:08,800 --> 00:25:11,620 This was the spot where his four daughters perished. 537 00:25:11,620 --> 00:25:16,280 As Horatio thought about his daughters, words of comfort and hope filled his heart and mind. 538 00:25:16,280 --> 00:25:21,600 He wrote them down and they have since become a well beloved hymn. 539 00:25:21,600 --> 00:25:27,500 When peace like a river attendeth my way, when sorrows like sea billows roll, whatever my 540 00:25:27,500 --> 00:25:35,640 lot thou hast taught me to know, it is well, it is well with my soul. 541 00:25:35,640 --> 00:25:43,660 Horatio knew something, right, about lamenting the loss and then looking to the promise. 542 00:25:43,660 --> 00:25:50,320 Four children, five children, lost, all of his children, lament the loss. 543 00:25:50,320 --> 00:25:56,080 I'm going to ask you to stand. 544 00:25:56,080 --> 00:26:02,880 Lament the loss and worship the King, right? 545 00:26:02,880 --> 00:26:06,720 There can be gain in the change. 546 00:26:06,720 --> 00:26:09,240 There can be gain in the pain. 547 00:26:09,240 --> 00:26:15,440 But you can't get stuck in the lament and not look to the one who has all the promise. 548 00:26:15,440 --> 00:26:17,960 It is God who brings us out the other side. 549 00:26:17,960 --> 00:26:22,280 If you read the story of Job, you'll find out that God in fact brings Job out the other 550 00:26:22,280 --> 00:26:23,280 side. 551 00:26:23,280 --> 00:26:27,120 And Job, and not only does he bring him out the other side, but God actually doubles everything 552 00:26:27,120 --> 00:26:29,880 that Job lost in the process. 553 00:26:29,880 --> 00:26:33,160 But you got to lament the change. 554 00:26:33,160 --> 00:26:34,160 You got to lament the change. 555 00:26:34,160 --> 00:26:37,320 You got to lament the loss. 556 00:26:37,320 --> 00:26:39,640 And then you got to look to the one who has the promise. 557 00:26:39,640 --> 00:26:44,800 And you got to do this sometimes when it doesn't make sense. 558 00:26:44,800 --> 00:26:49,600 Sometimes when you can't figure it all out and you're not sure what to do, right, and 559 00:26:49,600 --> 00:26:51,720 you might not even ever know this side of heaven. 560 00:26:51,720 --> 00:26:53,720 You may not. 561 00:26:53,720 --> 00:26:57,320 But Job teaches us to stick with this pattern. 562 00:26:57,320 --> 00:26:58,880 Lament the change. 563 00:26:58,880 --> 00:26:59,880 Lament the loss. 564 00:26:59,880 --> 00:27:00,880 Right? 565 00:27:00,880 --> 00:27:01,880 And then worship the King. 566 00:27:01,880 --> 00:27:02,880 Look to the promise. 567 00:27:02,880 --> 00:27:09,880 Thank you for tuning in to this message from LifeHouse Church. 568 00:27:09,880 --> 00:27:21,120 We pray that you were impacted powerfully by this message. 569 00:27:21,120 --> 00:27:25,200 If you have been personally affected by our ministry and you would like to partner with 570 00:27:25,200 --> 00:27:33,960 us as we love God, love people every day, visit our website at www.LifeHouseCOG.com.