WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:01.600 with me we want to jump into the word of the 00:00:01.600 --> 00:00:06.240 lord today amen we're gonna read a very short 00:00:06.240 --> 00:00:12.359 portion of a of the scripture in job chapter 00:00:12.359 --> 00:00:15.060 1 verse 8 i mean if you don't have it it's up 00:00:15.060 --> 00:00:19.179 there on the uh on the projector screen amen 00:00:19.179 --> 00:00:23.600 job chapter 1 verse 8 portion of scripture simply 00:00:23.600 --> 00:00:29.059 reads then the lord said to satan have you considered 00:00:29.789 --> 00:00:34.509 my servant Job. Then the Lord said to Satan, 00:00:34.630 --> 00:00:39.210 have you considered my servant Job? Amen. Let 00:00:39.210 --> 00:00:41.109 us go before the Lord. Heavenly Father, we come 00:00:41.109 --> 00:00:43.009 before you today, Lord. We give you honor. We 00:00:43.009 --> 00:00:45.649 give you glory. Lord, we pray, Father, that you 00:00:45.649 --> 00:00:48.170 open up our hearts. God, open up our minds, Lord. 00:00:48.909 --> 00:00:50.890 Lord, that we would receive your word today, 00:00:51.049 --> 00:00:53.329 Father, that your word would lift us up, God. 00:00:53.649 --> 00:00:56.229 That your word would encourage us today, Father, 00:00:56.329 --> 00:00:59.070 Lord. Jesus, hallelujah, that we would adhere 00:00:59.070 --> 00:01:01.590 to the instructions of your word today, God. 00:01:02.189 --> 00:01:05.150 Lord, use your vessel, God. Use me, God. Anoint 00:01:05.150 --> 00:01:07.469 my lips of clay, Father, Lord. Anoint our ears, 00:01:07.530 --> 00:01:10.109 our hearts, God. Those that are watching online 00:01:10.109 --> 00:01:12.370 and those who could not be here today, Father, 00:01:12.489 --> 00:01:15.290 Lord. Bless them, Father. In the name of Jesus, 00:01:15.450 --> 00:01:23.489 we pray. Amen. You may be seated. Amen. Have 00:01:23.489 --> 00:01:29.370 you considered, my servant Job, what if everything 00:01:29.370 --> 00:01:34.109 that we thought about life's fairness was suddenly 00:01:34.109 --> 00:01:38.569 challenged? What if the righteous suffered while 00:01:38.569 --> 00:01:42.250 the wicked prospered and heaven itself seemed 00:01:42.250 --> 00:01:46.829 silent in our pain? And what if we were stripped 00:01:46.829 --> 00:01:50.760 from everything, your family, your livelihood, 00:01:51.180 --> 00:01:55.760 your health, your wealth, and left with only 00:01:55.760 --> 00:02:00.519 nothing but questions. This isn't a hypothetical. 00:02:01.280 --> 00:02:06.599 It's a story of Job, a man whose trials echoed 00:02:06.599 --> 00:02:10.759 across time, offering both mystery and meaning 00:02:10.759 --> 00:02:15.639 to all who dare grapple with the hardest questions 00:02:15.639 --> 00:02:23.310 of life. Job's story is one of a man once called 00:02:23.310 --> 00:02:28.090 blameless and upright, and he found himself seated 00:02:28.090 --> 00:02:33.050 in the ashes of his faith, tested to the breaking 00:02:33.050 --> 00:02:37.530 point of his life. He was the picture of prosperity 00:02:37.530 --> 00:02:43.030 and devotion. He was a man who feared God and 00:02:43.030 --> 00:02:47.909 turned away from evil. He was blessed with wealth. 00:02:48.590 --> 00:02:53.530 a large family, unshakable faith. But all of 00:02:53.530 --> 00:02:59.129 it, every single blessing, every bit of joy was 00:02:59.129 --> 00:03:04.770 stripped away in a whirlwind of tragedy. His 00:03:04.770 --> 00:03:08.669 herds were stolen. His servants were strained 00:03:08.669 --> 00:03:13.569 and killed. His children were lost in a sudden 00:03:13.569 --> 00:03:19.069 calamity. And as if that wasn't enough, It meant 00:03:19.069 --> 00:03:23.610 his body was afflicted with painful sores, leaving 00:03:23.610 --> 00:03:30.789 him unrecognizable and utterly broken. Yet through 00:03:30.789 --> 00:03:36.750 all of this, Job did not curse God. Instead, 00:03:37.150 --> 00:03:43.770 he asked the question that haunts all of us today. 00:03:45.169 --> 00:03:56.219 Why? Why, Lord? Why? What makes Job's story even 00:03:56.219 --> 00:04:00.219 more remarkable is what happens beyond our visible 00:04:00.219 --> 00:04:04.860 world in a heavenly courtroom where Satan challenges 00:04:04.860 --> 00:04:09.659 God, claiming Job's faith is shallow and a product 00:04:09.659 --> 00:04:14.180 of his blessings. God allows Satan to test Job. 00:04:14.990 --> 00:04:18.550 This setting the stage for a cosmic drama that 00:04:18.550 --> 00:04:21.370 explores the deepest questions of human suffering 00:04:21.370 --> 00:04:26.529 and divine sovereignty and the nature of faith 00:04:26.529 --> 00:04:33.410 itself. What amazes me even more is that Job 00:04:33.410 --> 00:04:38.230 was not a superhero. Job did not have a cape. 00:04:38.829 --> 00:04:43.550 He did not have a superpower. Job was merely... 00:04:43.949 --> 00:04:49.050 Flesh and bone, like you and I. I want you to 00:04:49.050 --> 00:04:52.589 know that Job's suffering didn't come because 00:04:52.589 --> 00:04:57.550 he failed. It came because God affirmed him. 00:04:59.529 --> 00:05:02.430 Job's suffering didn't come because he failed. 00:05:02.930 --> 00:05:06.689 It came because God affirmed him. And very quickly, 00:05:06.730 --> 00:05:12.310 I want us to look at the man named Job. The Bible 00:05:12.310 --> 00:05:15.889 says in Job 1 .1, it reads, there was a man in 00:05:15.889 --> 00:05:20.930 the land of Uz whose name was Job. That man was 00:05:20.930 --> 00:05:23.610 blameless and upright and one who feared God 00:05:23.610 --> 00:05:27.370 and shunned evil. And seven sons and three daughters 00:05:27.370 --> 00:05:30.970 were born to him. Also his possessions were 7 00:05:30.970 --> 00:05:35.930 ,000 sheep, 3 ,000 camels, 500 yoke of oxen, 00:05:36.069 --> 00:05:41.879 500 female donkeys, and a large household. So 00:05:41.879 --> 00:05:46.560 that this man was the greatest of all the people 00:05:46.560 --> 00:05:54.319 of the east. We're talking about a man. Flesh 00:05:54.319 --> 00:06:00.339 and bone. Like you and I. God declared him unique 00:06:00.339 --> 00:06:04.879 among men. And Job's character is introduced 00:06:04.879 --> 00:06:09.180 with some of the most remarkable words ever spoken 00:06:09.180 --> 00:06:13.639 about a person. in the Bible. Imagine having 00:06:13.639 --> 00:06:17.300 your entire life summarized in such an astounding 00:06:17.300 --> 00:06:22.920 term. Who was this man that the Lord spoke of 00:06:22.920 --> 00:06:28.120 and what made his faith so extraordinary? As 00:06:28.120 --> 00:06:30.620 I mentioned, Job was just merely a man, flesh 00:06:30.620 --> 00:06:34.480 and bone, imperfect because he was flesh, but 00:06:34.480 --> 00:06:39.079 in God's eyes, he was perfect. He was a devoted 00:06:39.079 --> 00:06:43.100 father, amen, and a devoted servant of his community. 00:06:43.500 --> 00:06:47.060 He was a figure of influence and respected by 00:06:47.060 --> 00:06:50.839 most. And most importantly, he was respected 00:06:50.839 --> 00:06:56.000 by God. Job was a man of unparalleled reverence 00:06:56.000 --> 00:07:00.519 and faith. And in Colossians chapter 2, verse 00:07:00.519 --> 00:07:03.819 6 through 7. Amen. We receive the instructions 00:07:03.819 --> 00:07:06.720 and how we should live for God or one of the 00:07:06.720 --> 00:07:11.680 instructions as Job did. It reads, so then just 00:07:11.680 --> 00:07:15.240 as you receive Christ Jesus as Lord, continue 00:07:15.240 --> 00:07:18.759 to live your lives in him, rooted and built up 00:07:18.759 --> 00:07:22.120 in him. Strengthen in the faith as you were taught 00:07:22.120 --> 00:07:26.839 and overflowing with thankfulness. Thankfulness. 00:07:28.300 --> 00:07:33.769 This was how Job lived day in, Day out. From 00:07:33.769 --> 00:07:36.670 the moment that he woke up. He woke up in devotion. 00:07:37.350 --> 00:07:39.889 To the moment that he laid his head down to rest. 00:07:40.490 --> 00:07:44.769 He was in devotion. Unto God. And this is not 00:07:44.769 --> 00:07:48.990 to say that Job was sinless. Because as a man 00:07:48.990 --> 00:07:52.930 no one is perfect. Except for Christ. But Christ 00:07:52.930 --> 00:07:56.129 had lived. Amen. The only one to live without 00:07:56.129 --> 00:08:01.889 sin. But the Lord did say that Job. Was blameless. 00:08:02.810 --> 00:08:06.509 And in a sense that in his heart. He was steadfast. 00:08:06.850 --> 00:08:10.329 And aligned with God. Because of his desire. 00:08:10.709 --> 00:08:14.149 To please him. I know it's hot so bear with me. 00:08:19.930 --> 00:08:25.170 The word blameless. It signifies a life. Of integrity. 00:08:26.410 --> 00:08:32.620 Moral uprightness. And a deep. Fear of God. This 00:08:32.620 --> 00:08:36.279 fear was not the fear of punishment. But it was 00:08:36.279 --> 00:08:39.799 a fear of genuine love and devotion for God. 00:08:40.659 --> 00:08:43.120 Job's devotion was deep and it was heartfelt. 00:08:44.000 --> 00:08:46.340 In fact, the opening verse of the book tells 00:08:46.340 --> 00:08:48.539 us that he would regularly rise in the morning 00:08:48.539 --> 00:08:52.080 to offer sacrifices on behalf of his own children. 00:08:52.120 --> 00:08:54.799 Because see, Job wasn't just worried about himself 00:08:54.799 --> 00:08:57.820 and how he pleased God. He was concerned about 00:08:57.820 --> 00:09:02.200 how his family. Please, God. And the Bible says 00:09:02.200 --> 00:09:07.000 in chapter 1, verse 5, that in the morning he 00:09:07.000 --> 00:09:09.679 would rise early and he would offer burnt offerings 00:09:09.679 --> 00:09:12.340 up to the Lord for each of his children. And 00:09:12.340 --> 00:09:14.600 he would say that perhaps my children have sinned 00:09:14.600 --> 00:09:17.399 and have cursed God in their hearts. So Job did 00:09:17.399 --> 00:09:20.940 this regularly. Every single day he interceded 00:09:20.940 --> 00:09:24.019 for his children and his family. This was an 00:09:24.019 --> 00:09:27.259 act of intercession, and this reveals a man who 00:09:27.259 --> 00:09:30.000 cared deeply for his family, their spiritual 00:09:30.000 --> 00:09:35.059 well -being, and his desire to ultimately please 00:09:35.059 --> 00:09:39.500 God. Job embodied the scriptures that we read. 00:09:40.159 --> 00:09:43.860 Job embodied the scriptures that we say out loud. 00:09:44.720 --> 00:09:48.039 Job lived these scriptures out each and every 00:09:48.039 --> 00:09:53.470 day in 1 John 3, verse 22. And we receive from 00:09:53.470 --> 00:09:55.909 him anything that we ask because we keep his 00:09:55.909 --> 00:10:01.590 commandments and do what pleases him. In Hebrews 00:10:01.590 --> 00:10:04.909 chapter 11 verse 6, it says, but without faith 00:10:04.909 --> 00:10:09.210 it is impossible to please him. For he who comes 00:10:09.210 --> 00:10:13.730 to God must believe that he is and that he is 00:10:13.730 --> 00:10:17.149 a rewarder of those who diligently seek after 00:10:17.149 --> 00:10:23.200 him. This was Job's daily practice. This was 00:10:23.200 --> 00:10:27.639 Job, hallelujah, kneeling and praying at the 00:10:27.639 --> 00:10:32.899 altar as dawn broke over the desert, offering 00:10:32.899 --> 00:10:35.500 prayers and sacrifices for himself and for his 00:10:35.500 --> 00:10:40.120 family and for their unseen sins. This detail 00:10:40.120 --> 00:10:43.340 about Job's life speaks volumes about his faith. 00:10:43.759 --> 00:10:47.600 Job understood that righteousness was not just 00:10:47.600 --> 00:10:52.039 a matter of outward behavior. but of the heart. 00:10:53.179 --> 00:10:56.120 He was not only concerned with his own standing 00:10:56.120 --> 00:11:00.539 before God, but he was concerned about the spiritual 00:11:00.539 --> 00:11:06.080 condition of his entire family. And I want to 00:11:06.080 --> 00:11:08.340 pose a question to each and one of you, each 00:11:08.340 --> 00:11:11.440 and every one of you today. How often do you 00:11:11.440 --> 00:11:14.039 wake up in the morning and the first thing you 00:11:14.039 --> 00:11:17.379 ask yourself is, hallelujah, how can I please 00:11:17.379 --> 00:11:22.059 God today? How often do we fall on our knees 00:11:22.059 --> 00:11:25.360 and we cry out to God and we say, God, do you 00:11:25.360 --> 00:11:31.440 find my life pleasing unto you? What do you desire 00:11:31.440 --> 00:11:35.519 of me and what would you have of me for today? 00:11:36.500 --> 00:11:40.919 What songs do you want me to sing? What type 00:11:40.919 --> 00:11:46.539 of praise are you worthy of today? Is our heart 00:11:46.539 --> 00:11:51.679 filled with this concern? Over how we are pleasing 00:11:51.679 --> 00:11:58.960 God. This was Job's heart. This was Job's life. 00:11:59.080 --> 00:12:03.720 Now, unbeknownst to Job, while Job was just living 00:12:03.720 --> 00:12:07.399 his life, praying, taking care of his family, 00:12:07.580 --> 00:12:11.059 there was a challenge and consideration that 00:12:11.059 --> 00:12:15.070 was taking place in the heavenly realm. And the 00:12:15.070 --> 00:12:18.409 book of Job, amen, wastes no time in setting 00:12:18.409 --> 00:12:21.750 the stage for such a celestial confrontation. 00:12:23.269 --> 00:12:27.009 Because as the angels gathered in heaven, God 00:12:27.009 --> 00:12:30.889 turns his attention to Satan. And he asks Satan, 00:12:31.049 --> 00:12:37.940 where do you come from? Because while Satan was 00:12:37.940 --> 00:12:41.080 prowling the world like a predator that he is, 00:12:41.120 --> 00:12:44.820 seeking who he may devour, he steps into the 00:12:44.820 --> 00:12:48.860 gates, amen, and into the courtship of God. God 00:12:48.860 --> 00:12:51.740 looks up and he says, hey, Satan, where are you 00:12:51.740 --> 00:12:56.940 coming from? Satan says, you know, just walking, 00:12:57.080 --> 00:13:01.399 roaming the earth, see me who I can devour, trying 00:13:01.399 --> 00:13:05.990 to find the weak link in your chain. Trying to 00:13:05.990 --> 00:13:08.029 seek the one that doesn't think they need to 00:13:08.029 --> 00:13:11.110 pray this morning. Looking after the one that 00:13:11.110 --> 00:13:13.370 thinks that everything is okay until it's not. 00:13:15.049 --> 00:13:18.269 You know, just up to my dirty tricks. You know 00:13:18.269 --> 00:13:25.190 me, God. It's what I do. God did not say in a 00:13:25.190 --> 00:13:30.389 question. He says, okay, while saying. He says, 00:13:30.389 --> 00:13:34.840 have you considered my servant Job? that there 00:13:34.840 --> 00:13:38.279 is none like him on earth, a blameless and unright 00:13:38.279 --> 00:13:44.259 man, one who fears God and shuns from evil. Now 00:13:44.259 --> 00:13:48.299 imagine the weight of the declaration that God 00:13:48.299 --> 00:13:52.179 just made upon Job's life. God himself pointed 00:13:52.179 --> 00:13:55.480 to Job as an example of righteousness, a man 00:13:55.480 --> 00:13:59.679 whose life rejects unwavering faith, excuse me, 00:13:59.720 --> 00:14:03.039 projects unwavering faith. But Satan, true to 00:14:03.039 --> 00:14:06.279 his name, the accuser, he seizes the opportunity, 00:14:06.340 --> 00:14:10.519 and he says, okay, God, challenge accepted. So 00:14:10.519 --> 00:14:13.440 Satan answered the Lord, amen, and he says, does 00:14:13.440 --> 00:14:17.159 Job fear God for nothing? Have you not made a 00:14:17.159 --> 00:14:21.600 hedge around him and his household? Around all 00:14:21.600 --> 00:14:24.539 that he has and everything. Hallelujah. Amen. 00:14:24.620 --> 00:14:27.100 That you have put on his side. You have blessed 00:14:27.100 --> 00:14:29.779 the work of his hands. His possessions. And have 00:14:29.779 --> 00:14:32.980 increased the land that he lives on. Now stretch 00:14:32.980 --> 00:14:35.759 out your hand and touch all that he is. And he 00:14:35.759 --> 00:14:40.409 will surely curse you to your face. Satan accused 00:14:40.409 --> 00:14:44.690 Job's faith of being shallow and mere a byproduct 00:14:44.690 --> 00:14:48.370 of God's blessings. If you were there, I'm sure 00:14:48.370 --> 00:14:51.210 you can feel the tension in this moment because 00:14:51.210 --> 00:14:54.129 Satan isn't just questioning Job's motives. He's 00:14:54.129 --> 00:14:57.090 questioning God's character. He implies that 00:14:57.090 --> 00:15:00.769 God's blessings are mere bribes and that Job's 00:15:00.769 --> 00:15:05.320 devotion is transactional. And that no one would 00:15:05.320 --> 00:15:08.700 truly worship God without the promise of reward. 00:15:09.679 --> 00:15:12.720 This is an accusation that cuts to the heart 00:15:12.720 --> 00:15:16.379 of the relationship between the creator and his 00:15:16.379 --> 00:15:19.940 creation. God doesn't rebuke Satan outright, 00:15:20.179 --> 00:15:24.120 and nor did he deny his challenge. Instead, he 00:15:24.120 --> 00:15:29.220 permits Satan to test Job. He says, amen, behold, 00:15:29.700 --> 00:15:35.039 all... that he has is in your power. Now the 00:15:35.039 --> 00:15:38.799 stage is set, amen, for this cosmic drama, one 00:15:38.799 --> 00:15:41.600 that will test not only Job's faith, but also 00:15:41.600 --> 00:15:45.059 the very nature of human devotion to God. And 00:15:45.059 --> 00:15:47.840 I want to pose a question, amen, to you all, 00:15:47.960 --> 00:15:50.720 amen, and that question is so common, and it 00:15:50.720 --> 00:15:53.759 singles out in our minds every time something 00:15:53.759 --> 00:15:58.399 happens to us. Why would God allow this to happen 00:15:58.399 --> 00:16:03.080 to Job? Why would God give Job's life over to 00:16:03.080 --> 00:16:07.399 Satan? Why would God allow Satan to test Job, 00:16:07.679 --> 00:16:11.679 a man that God himself declared righteous? A 00:16:11.679 --> 00:16:14.980 man that God, hallelujah, knew shunned from evil 00:16:14.980 --> 00:16:18.840 and turned from evil ways, so devoted to God, 00:16:19.019 --> 00:16:22.600 lived to please God. At first glance, we might 00:16:22.600 --> 00:16:25.320 seem that this is cruel, but this moment reveals 00:16:25.320 --> 00:16:28.600 something profound about God's sovereignty, because 00:16:28.600 --> 00:16:31.259 God, hallelujah, not only has conquered death, 00:16:31.320 --> 00:16:34.820 hell, and the grave, but he is sovereign over 00:16:34.820 --> 00:16:39.039 it. Satan operates within limits set by God. 00:16:39.179 --> 00:16:43.039 And even in his malice, Satan cannot thwart God's 00:16:43.039 --> 00:16:47.360 ultimate purposes in our lives. The test is not 00:16:47.360 --> 00:16:50.460 a sign that God's indifference, but the test 00:16:50.460 --> 00:16:53.919 is confidence in Job's faith and in the greater 00:16:53.919 --> 00:16:57.519 plan that God, amen, has revealed so that he 00:16:57.519 --> 00:17:00.840 would receive the glory. Somebody give the Lord 00:17:00.840 --> 00:17:04.200 a round of applause. We've got to understand 00:17:04.200 --> 00:17:07.079 that the same confidence that Job had in God 00:17:07.079 --> 00:17:10.680 was the same confidence that God had in Job. 00:17:12.019 --> 00:17:15.680 This suggests that God also have a level of trust 00:17:15.680 --> 00:17:19.880 and confidence in a mere man. Recognizing Job's 00:17:19.880 --> 00:17:24.000 potential for good and his capacity to fulfill 00:17:24.000 --> 00:17:28.240 his purpose. Because in Luke 12, 48, it reads, 00:17:28.359 --> 00:17:31.299 when someone has been given much, much will be 00:17:31.299 --> 00:17:36.119 required in return. We have to understand that 00:17:36.119 --> 00:17:39.619 when God calls us to ministry, to purpose, and 00:17:39.619 --> 00:17:42.700 he lays out this plan before our lives, you have 00:17:42.700 --> 00:17:46.460 to know that you are going to be tested. The 00:17:46.460 --> 00:17:49.680 way is not going to be made easy. Some of our 00:17:49.680 --> 00:17:52.839 journeys, amen, have been tragic. Some of our 00:17:52.839 --> 00:17:55.900 journeys have been horrendous. Some of our journeys 00:17:55.900 --> 00:17:58.779 might not have gone the way we thought or the 00:17:58.779 --> 00:18:01.960 way that we planned. But rest assured, there 00:18:01.960 --> 00:18:05.259 is purpose in your journey. Rest assured that 00:18:05.259 --> 00:18:07.980 at the end of your days, God is going to look 00:18:07.980 --> 00:18:11.019 at you, amen, and lay the crown of life upon 00:18:11.019 --> 00:18:14.319 your head, amen, and welcome you in to the gates 00:18:14.319 --> 00:18:18.490 of heaven. let you know that your reward is great 00:18:18.490 --> 00:18:25.569 because you finished your race. The question 00:18:25.569 --> 00:18:29.670 is why? Why would God and how could a God have 00:18:29.670 --> 00:18:33.569 so much faith in a man? God's confidence in humanity 00:18:33.569 --> 00:18:36.529 was implemented in the beginning in the book 00:18:36.529 --> 00:18:39.730 of Genesis because the Bible says that we were 00:18:39.730 --> 00:18:43.740 made in his image. And God said, let us make 00:18:43.740 --> 00:18:48.720 man in our image after our likeness. Mankind 00:18:48.720 --> 00:18:53.380 was created, amen, with intrinsic meaning, meaning 00:18:53.380 --> 00:18:56.819 that the essential nature of God, we were made 00:18:56.819 --> 00:19:00.599 from the core of God himself, inheriting value 00:19:00.599 --> 00:19:03.339 and purpose and the capability of reflecting 00:19:03.339 --> 00:19:08.059 God's character. Number two, God has given us 00:19:08.059 --> 00:19:11.319 authority and purpose. Amen. In Proverbs 8, 4 00:19:11.319 --> 00:19:14.480 -6, what is a man that thou art mindful of him? 00:19:14.660 --> 00:19:17.259 For thou has made him a little lower than the 00:19:17.259 --> 00:19:20.940 angels and has crowned him with glory and honor. 00:19:21.680 --> 00:19:25.339 God honors humanity in trusting us with authority 00:19:25.339 --> 00:19:30.839 and his purpose. And thirdly, God seeks us. Did 00:19:30.839 --> 00:19:34.920 you know that God, he seeks you? Do you know 00:19:34.920 --> 00:19:37.339 that we're not the only, that we don't just seek 00:19:37.339 --> 00:19:42.119 God, but God actually seeks us? Because the scripture 00:19:42.119 --> 00:19:45.359 reads in 2 Chronicles, it says, For the eyes 00:19:45.359 --> 00:19:49.019 of the Lord run to and to and throughout the 00:19:49.019 --> 00:19:52.940 whole earth to show himself strong in behalf 00:19:52.940 --> 00:19:59.769 of them whose heart is perfect towards him. The 00:19:59.769 --> 00:20:02.329 reason why God has so much confidence in Job 00:20:02.329 --> 00:20:06.170 is because Job, you and I were created in the 00:20:06.170 --> 00:20:09.589 image, amen, and in the likeness of God. And 00:20:09.589 --> 00:20:12.509 God had trusted him because he had given him 00:20:12.509 --> 00:20:15.529 the authority and the purpose in which God had 00:20:15.529 --> 00:20:18.650 granted for his life. And then God sought out 00:20:18.650 --> 00:20:22.130 Job because Job, God knew that the end of Job's 00:20:22.130 --> 00:20:25.490 days, with Job enduring the trial, God would 00:20:25.490 --> 00:20:29.650 receive the glory. This is how much trust God 00:20:29.650 --> 00:20:33.049 has in you and I today. So when you are feeling 00:20:33.049 --> 00:20:36.490 lonely and you are feeling, amen, afraid. When 00:20:36.490 --> 00:20:38.890 you are feeling weak and you are feeling saddened. 00:20:38.950 --> 00:20:41.190 When you are feeling that God isn't listening 00:20:41.190 --> 00:20:45.049 and God isn't hearing your prayers. Rest assured 00:20:45.049 --> 00:20:48.450 that God has called each and every one of you, 00:20:48.529 --> 00:20:54.809 amen, to carry out the will for your life. God 00:20:54.809 --> 00:20:58.579 is trusting you the same way. He trusted Job. 00:21:00.519 --> 00:21:05.180 Job was such a man of faith, amen, that when 00:21:05.180 --> 00:21:11.539 everything started to fall apart, Job worshiped 00:21:11.539 --> 00:21:15.559 God in the worst possible time of his entire 00:21:15.559 --> 00:21:22.099 life. In Job 1 -12, it reads, and the Lord said 00:21:22.099 --> 00:21:25.700 to Satan, behold that he has in your power And 00:21:25.700 --> 00:21:30.519 only do not lay a hand on his person. So Job 00:21:30.519 --> 00:21:34.599 went out the presence of the Lord. And imagine 00:21:34.599 --> 00:21:38.299 Job being unaware of this conversation. Being 00:21:38.299 --> 00:21:42.420 unaware of this agreement. Amen. That unfolded 00:21:42.420 --> 00:21:45.500 in the heavenly realms. As he was faithfully 00:21:45.500 --> 00:21:49.329 going about his day. As he always did. He has 00:21:49.329 --> 00:21:52.849 no idea that he has become the focal point of 00:21:52.849 --> 00:21:57.990 a celestial wager. And yet his faith was about 00:21:57.990 --> 00:22:00.329 to be tested in ways he could never imagine. 00:22:01.609 --> 00:22:04.289 Job's lack of knowledge of the situation mirrors 00:22:04.289 --> 00:22:07.569 our very own. Because when we often face trials, 00:22:07.789 --> 00:22:10.589 we face them blindly without any understanding 00:22:10.589 --> 00:22:14.960 as to why. Job's story assures us that even in 00:22:14.960 --> 00:22:18.480 the unseen God, hallelujah, that God is working 00:22:18.480 --> 00:22:22.559 in the background. God is working in the darkness. 00:22:22.680 --> 00:22:25.680 That even though God allowed the devil to touch 00:22:25.680 --> 00:22:28.400 his body, even though God allowed the devil, 00:22:28.480 --> 00:22:31.400 hallelujah, to do his work, that God was still 00:22:31.400 --> 00:22:35.119 in control. Hallelujah. I serve a God that is 00:22:35.119 --> 00:22:38.240 in control. When I feel like all hell is breaking 00:22:38.240 --> 00:22:41.359 loose and I feel like I don't know whether I'm 00:22:41.359 --> 00:22:45.480 coming or going, I know that God is in control. 00:22:47.319 --> 00:22:49.759 And as I thought about this, I can picture Job 00:22:49.759 --> 00:22:52.839 just sitting up in his office looking over the 00:22:52.839 --> 00:22:55.680 view, amen, of all the land that he owned, all 00:22:55.680 --> 00:22:58.880 the cattle, all the donkeys, all the oxen, knowing 00:22:58.880 --> 00:23:01.299 that his children were off having a party at 00:23:01.299 --> 00:23:04.099 his oldest son's house. Everybody's having a 00:23:04.099 --> 00:23:06.740 day. There's no need of anything. The sun is 00:23:06.740 --> 00:23:10.259 shining. The birds are chirping. And Job is just 00:23:10.259 --> 00:23:14.329 sitting in there. Looking over his books. A man 00:23:14.329 --> 00:23:16.789 checking his daily inventory like I'm sure he 00:23:16.789 --> 00:23:20.789 normally did. And then suddenly Job gets a knock 00:23:20.789 --> 00:23:26.589 on the door. Job says, too early. I'm not expecting 00:23:26.589 --> 00:23:30.470 any company. Job gets up and he opens the door. 00:23:31.670 --> 00:23:34.069 The Bible says that a messenger comes running 00:23:34.069 --> 00:23:38.490 in. And he said, Job, Job. He said, the oxen 00:23:38.490 --> 00:23:41.029 were plowing and the donkeys feeding beside them. 00:23:41.529 --> 00:23:44.250 And the Sabians raided them and took them away. 00:23:45.130 --> 00:23:48.269 Indeed, they have killed the servants with the 00:23:48.269 --> 00:23:51.730 edge of the sword. And I alone have escaped to 00:23:51.730 --> 00:23:55.329 tell you. Can you imagine Job just looking at 00:23:55.329 --> 00:23:58.130 his servants and saying, okay, okay, let me, 00:23:58.250 --> 00:24:01.369 hold on, give me a minute. Job sits back down. 00:24:01.509 --> 00:24:06.269 He said, okay, well, 500 oxen, donkey, okay. 00:24:07.210 --> 00:24:09.150 Scratches him off. Minuses from the inventory. 00:24:09.210 --> 00:24:11.190 Okay, we're still good. We're okay. We're still 00:24:11.190 --> 00:24:13.670 good. We're okay. We're okay. We're good. Don't 00:24:13.670 --> 00:24:18.470 worry. We're good. Job gets a second knock on 00:24:18.470 --> 00:24:22.369 the door. Let him in. Second servant comes in. 00:24:23.089 --> 00:24:26.650 And while they were speaking, he says, the Chaldeans 00:24:26.650 --> 00:24:28.970 formed three bands and raided the camels and 00:24:28.970 --> 00:24:31.750 took them away. Yes, and killed the servants 00:24:31.750 --> 00:24:34.910 with the edge of the sword. I alone have escaped 00:24:34.910 --> 00:24:39.819 and I came to tell you. George said, Job, man, 00:24:40.059 --> 00:24:45.240 I'm having a morning. Okay, well, let me take 00:24:45.240 --> 00:24:48.900 a look at this and let me see what's going on. 00:24:49.880 --> 00:24:52.819 Job looks and he reads down and he said, okay, 00:24:52.819 --> 00:24:56.500 well, 3 ,000 camel. Okay, well, let me scratch 00:24:56.500 --> 00:24:58.900 that list. Let me scratch it off the list. Let 00:24:58.900 --> 00:25:00.579 me remove it from the inventory. And while he's 00:25:00.579 --> 00:25:03.980 doing that, another knock on the door. Jeez. 00:25:04.579 --> 00:25:08.170 Okay, let him in. Hey, Job, Job, I came to show 00:25:08.170 --> 00:25:10.430 you that the fire of God fell down from heaven, 00:25:10.529 --> 00:25:12.369 burned up all the sheep, man. We got no sheep. 00:25:13.190 --> 00:25:14.970 Oh, and by the way, all the servants are dead. 00:25:16.009 --> 00:25:19.990 Wait, what? What do you mean? There's nothing 00:25:19.990 --> 00:25:23.230 left, Job. Hey, and I can just imagine the three 00:25:23.230 --> 00:25:25.109 servants standing in front of Job just huffing 00:25:25.109 --> 00:25:27.049 and puffing like, man, what are we going to do? 00:25:27.730 --> 00:25:31.539 We got nothing left. Job goes down, looks at 00:25:31.539 --> 00:25:33.319 his inventory, looks at his books. Okay, well, 00:25:33.380 --> 00:25:36.660 okay, no more oxen, no more donkeys, no more 00:25:36.660 --> 00:25:40.339 sheep, no more camel. Okay, well, you know what? 00:25:40.720 --> 00:25:43.940 I got my wife. I got my children. I got my house. 00:25:44.059 --> 00:25:46.640 I think I'm good. We're okay. We'll recover. 00:25:47.380 --> 00:25:49.740 God will never leave me nor forsake me. We're 00:25:49.740 --> 00:25:59.339 okay. We're good. Oh, God. If I was Job, man, 00:25:59.400 --> 00:26:03.400 my stomach would have fell to the floor. Wait, 00:26:03.460 --> 00:26:10.819 wait. Camel gun, oxen, donkey, sheep. What's 00:26:10.819 --> 00:26:16.240 next? Servant comes running in. And he says, 00:26:16.299 --> 00:26:20.619 Job, Job, man, I'm sorry. I'm sorry, Job. I'm 00:26:20.619 --> 00:26:24.119 sorry, man. I'm sorry. But your sons and daughters 00:26:24.119 --> 00:26:27.309 were eating and drinking. At the older brother's 00:26:27.309 --> 00:26:31.809 house, suddenly a gray wind came, Job, just from 00:26:31.809 --> 00:26:34.390 out of nowhere. I checked the weather. I checked 00:26:34.390 --> 00:26:36.529 the app on my phone, man. It said we were clear, 00:26:36.710 --> 00:26:40.630 sunny. I don't know where this wind came from, 00:26:40.730 --> 00:26:43.890 Job. And I looked up, man, and I saw the house. 00:26:43.910 --> 00:26:48.309 The house shook, and the house fell, man. Job, 00:26:48.329 --> 00:26:51.730 I'm sorry, Job. I'm sorry. I'm sorry, man, but 00:26:51.730 --> 00:26:57.099 the kids are gone, bro. Sons and daughters of 00:26:57.099 --> 00:27:04.700 God. You know, I sat there and I could just believe. 00:27:05.039 --> 00:27:09.259 I need to remind all of you that I know when 00:27:09.259 --> 00:27:12.339 we read these stories and I know we preach on 00:27:12.339 --> 00:27:13.920 these things and we talk about these things. 00:27:14.019 --> 00:27:16.559 We have to remember these aren't folk tales. 00:27:17.019 --> 00:27:21.440 This isn't make believe. This happened. This 00:27:21.440 --> 00:27:25.920 transpired in a man's life. Where he not only 00:27:25.920 --> 00:27:29.779 lost everything that God gave him, he also lived 00:27:29.779 --> 00:27:32.200 with everything that he had and he gave back 00:27:32.200 --> 00:27:36.559 to God. He lived his life fully and unto the 00:27:36.559 --> 00:27:39.799 Lord. He gave everything unto the Lord when he 00:27:39.799 --> 00:27:42.420 woke up and when he went to bed, he prayed over 00:27:42.420 --> 00:27:45.759 his children. He asked God to forgive them for 00:27:45.759 --> 00:27:49.720 their unseen sin. He did this regularly. And 00:27:49.720 --> 00:27:54.940 now in a matter of a day, it's all gone. Everything's 00:27:54.940 --> 00:27:59.680 gone. I can't even imagine looking at my children 00:27:59.680 --> 00:28:03.460 when something's wrong with them. I'm constantly 00:28:03.460 --> 00:28:06.299 asking them, are you okay? Is everything all 00:28:06.299 --> 00:28:10.859 right? Or God forbid they get sick. And I'm constantly 00:28:10.859 --> 00:28:13.859 running to my children and I'm checking on them. 00:28:14.400 --> 00:28:17.059 Are you okay? Are you guys okay? Are you comfortable? 00:28:17.279 --> 00:28:24.720 Are you okay? What would I do? If I was Job. 00:28:28.319 --> 00:28:37.799 Why, God? Why would you take my children? I got 00:28:37.799 --> 00:28:45.319 nothing left. I got nothing left. The anguish, 00:28:45.319 --> 00:28:50.019 the pain, the disbelief. Job's story speaks to 00:28:50.019 --> 00:28:53.220 anyone who has faith. face moments of doubt and 00:28:53.220 --> 00:28:57.720 pain, wondering, God, why, God, would you allow 00:28:57.720 --> 00:29:04.880 such a suffering to take place in my life? What 00:29:04.880 --> 00:29:07.500 about my neighbor? I know that guy ain't living 00:29:07.500 --> 00:29:11.079 for you. What about that dude down the street, 00:29:11.200 --> 00:29:16.420 God? He only goes to church on Easter. God, what 00:29:16.420 --> 00:29:18.980 about that person that speaks bad against his 00:29:18.980 --> 00:29:23.609 brother and sister? God, why would you do this 00:29:23.609 --> 00:29:36.809 to me? Why, God? Why? Job does the one thing, 00:29:36.890 --> 00:29:39.990 and he's a better man than I am, and I'm not 00:29:39.990 --> 00:29:44.890 afraid to admit that. Because the Bible says, 00:29:45.839 --> 00:29:50.099 that immediately Job arose. He tore his robe 00:29:50.099 --> 00:29:54.279 and he shaved his head. He fell to the ground 00:29:54.279 --> 00:29:58.339 and he whispered, naked I come from my mother's 00:29:58.339 --> 00:30:02.480 womb and naked I shall return there. The Lord 00:30:02.480 --> 00:30:07.859 gave and the Lord taketh away. Blessed be the 00:30:07.859 --> 00:30:15.630 name of the Lord. And in all this, Job did not 00:30:15.630 --> 00:30:22.690 sin, nor did he charge, amen, God with any wrongdoing. 00:30:25.450 --> 00:30:30.329 Job thought he had his wife. His wife wasn't 00:30:30.329 --> 00:30:33.519 there for him. Although his wife suffered this 00:30:33.519 --> 00:30:35.759 with Job, she did lose her children as well. 00:30:35.880 --> 00:30:38.400 She did lose everything, her possessions. She 00:30:38.400 --> 00:30:41.099 lost it all. And when Job turned and looked at 00:30:41.099 --> 00:30:45.579 her, she told Job, curse God and die, man. I 00:30:45.579 --> 00:30:48.579 can't see you like this, Job. You're suffering. 00:30:48.700 --> 00:30:51.599 It's too much for me. I can't deal with this. 00:30:51.740 --> 00:30:56.589 Pianist, if you're ready, you can come up. And 00:30:56.589 --> 00:31:00.069 Job tells her, he said, women, you speak of a 00:31:00.069 --> 00:31:03.710 woman with a foolish mouth. Because how could 00:31:03.710 --> 00:31:07.230 we accept everything good from God and not accept 00:31:07.230 --> 00:31:12.250 the bad things? Why is it when the sun is shining 00:31:12.250 --> 00:31:14.670 and everything's going great and everything's 00:31:14.670 --> 00:31:17.210 going our way, we can come into the house of 00:31:17.210 --> 00:31:20.150 the Lord, we can sing, we can worship, we can 00:31:20.150 --> 00:31:23.309 praise God, hallelujah, but the moment that things 00:31:23.309 --> 00:31:26.910 don't look right, The moment that things don't 00:31:26.910 --> 00:31:30.250 work out for us. The moment you don't get that 00:31:30.250 --> 00:31:33.589 promotion. The moment you don't get the job that 00:31:33.589 --> 00:31:36.349 you were praying about. The moment the healing 00:31:36.349 --> 00:31:39.589 doesn't come when you wanted it to come. The 00:31:39.589 --> 00:31:42.589 moment, hallelujah, when things just go off to 00:31:42.589 --> 00:31:45.490 the side. Things just don't work out the way 00:31:45.490 --> 00:31:51.490 you want them to. The way you need them to. How 00:31:51.490 --> 00:31:55.859 about when God doesn't answer you? How about 00:31:55.859 --> 00:31:58.160 when God, hallelujah, doesn't give you the answer 00:31:58.160 --> 00:32:01.859 when you think you need it? How about when God 00:32:01.859 --> 00:32:06.640 doesn't respond when you need the response? How 00:32:06.640 --> 00:32:10.519 about when changes occur in your life? When everything 00:32:10.519 --> 00:32:13.279 is perfectly fine and all of a sudden there's 00:32:13.279 --> 00:32:18.900 a sharp left and things start to go wrong? What 00:32:18.900 --> 00:32:20.980 about when your bank account tells you that you 00:32:20.980 --> 00:32:25.299 don't have enough? What about when you're feeling 00:32:25.299 --> 00:32:27.799 good one day and the next day you go to the doctor 00:32:27.799 --> 00:32:30.019 and they say we don't know what happened but 00:32:30.019 --> 00:32:34.480 we think you might have cancer. We think you 00:32:34.480 --> 00:32:36.500 might have leukemia. Something's wrong with your 00:32:36.500 --> 00:32:41.519 heart. What about when everything turns upside 00:32:41.519 --> 00:32:46.480 down? And we come into the house of the Lord 00:32:46.480 --> 00:32:51.299 with our heads bowed. How about when things don't 00:32:51.299 --> 00:32:54.809 go right in church? Because church is supposed 00:32:54.809 --> 00:32:59.990 to be a perfect place. My friend, it's not. How 00:32:59.990 --> 00:33:01.769 about when the preacher says something that you 00:33:01.769 --> 00:33:05.589 don't like? When pastor makes a decision and 00:33:05.589 --> 00:33:08.390 nobody's in alignment, nobody is agreeing with 00:33:08.390 --> 00:33:13.109 it. And we get mad and we get upset. And we take 00:33:13.109 --> 00:33:18.960 it out on God. God didn't do that to us. This 00:33:18.960 --> 00:33:21.259 is what happens when there is a lack of understanding. 00:33:21.640 --> 00:33:24.460 Because when Proverbs, it reads, with all you 00:33:24.460 --> 00:33:29.240 get, get understanding. See, this is a natural 00:33:29.240 --> 00:33:32.480 reaction of our flesh. When we don't understand 00:33:32.480 --> 00:33:38.400 something, we react to it. We respond to it in 00:33:38.400 --> 00:33:44.160 our flesh. We question in our flesh. Why, God? 00:33:45.859 --> 00:33:50.819 Why did that happen? Why did this take place? 00:33:53.619 --> 00:33:58.000 There's no understanding. There isn't anything 00:33:58.000 --> 00:34:03.059 there for us to grasp for. So we respond to it 00:34:03.059 --> 00:34:07.039 in a way that we feel that we think we need to 00:34:07.039 --> 00:34:11.059 respond. How about responding to it the way Job 00:34:11.059 --> 00:34:20.119 did? You know, I remember a few years back. My 00:34:20.119 --> 00:34:24.699 wife and I, we experienced a financial hardship 00:34:24.699 --> 00:34:29.000 that we have never, ever experienced before. 00:34:29.780 --> 00:34:32.559 And I'll be honest with you, it was a hardship 00:34:32.559 --> 00:34:37.139 that I never expected. And the first time I ever 00:34:37.139 --> 00:34:40.719 experienced this in my adult life, everything 00:34:40.719 --> 00:34:46.980 that I did that was easy to me became hard. Everything. 00:34:48.360 --> 00:34:53.559 It felt like the well had dried up. At the time, 00:34:53.559 --> 00:34:57.519 I was doing a lot of things. And like my father 00:34:57.519 --> 00:34:59.320 would tell me, most of the time you're doing 00:34:59.320 --> 00:35:05.980 way too much. But I was trying, man. I was trying. 00:35:06.000 --> 00:35:07.920 I was trying to support my family. I was trying 00:35:07.920 --> 00:35:10.639 to do the things that I wanted to do for my wife 00:35:10.639 --> 00:35:15.380 and my kids. You know, Brother Jason, one day 00:35:15.380 --> 00:35:23.179 the calls stopped coming. No more work. The people 00:35:23.179 --> 00:35:25.000 that I was calling back for work, because at 00:35:25.000 --> 00:35:28.480 the time I was self -employed. Hey, Dave, great 00:35:28.480 --> 00:35:30.300 to hear from you, but no, we're not interested. 00:35:31.619 --> 00:35:33.539 Hey, you know what? We thought we'd just wait 00:35:33.539 --> 00:35:36.840 for next year. No problem. Hey, you know what? 00:35:36.900 --> 00:35:38.840 Something came up. We don't have the money. Sorry, 00:35:38.980 --> 00:35:44.780 Dave. Thanks for the call. And I started to wonder, 00:35:44.820 --> 00:35:48.519 like, man, what's going on? And you guys know 00:35:48.519 --> 00:35:51.000 the bills don't stop coming. Rent doesn't stop 00:35:51.000 --> 00:35:54.000 being due. The kids don't stop needing things. 00:35:54.139 --> 00:35:56.219 You still got to buy food and groceries. Life 00:35:56.219 --> 00:36:01.800 goes on, man. And week after week, I'm dealing 00:36:01.800 --> 00:36:04.280 with this thing, just staying quiet, dealing 00:36:04.280 --> 00:36:06.719 with this thing in my prayer. And you know, I'm 00:36:06.719 --> 00:36:09.059 not ashamed to admit this to you because we're 00:36:09.059 --> 00:36:11.119 all human and I know we've been there. I start 00:36:11.119 --> 00:36:16.320 to get frustrated. And in my prayer, my prayer 00:36:16.320 --> 00:36:21.280 starts to change. And instead of being thankful 00:36:21.280 --> 00:36:24.139 and grateful for waking me up this morning, I 00:36:24.139 --> 00:36:27.400 start asking God, why is this happening, man? 00:36:29.199 --> 00:36:32.340 Why can't I just get one? One job, God, that's 00:36:32.340 --> 00:36:36.739 all I need, just one. Forget about real estate, 00:36:36.780 --> 00:36:44.510 that dried up. It was gone. So I talked to my 00:36:44.510 --> 00:36:47.269 dad and talked to my dad. My dad had work. My 00:36:47.269 --> 00:36:50.869 dad was getting work. Well, what's going on, 00:36:50.949 --> 00:36:53.929 dad? What am I doing wrong? I don't know, son. 00:36:54.670 --> 00:37:00.469 Keep going. Keep pushing. Dad, maybe I need to 00:37:00.469 --> 00:37:02.269 go get another job. How many jobs are you going 00:37:02.269 --> 00:37:05.110 to get? You're only one person. You're only one 00:37:05.110 --> 00:37:09.000 man. I started to talk to my wife about these 00:37:09.000 --> 00:37:12.079 things because I don't come to her unless I absolutely 00:37:12.079 --> 00:37:14.679 have to. Josh, you know what? We need to start 00:37:14.679 --> 00:37:16.760 praying, man. I don't know what's going on. I 00:37:16.760 --> 00:37:21.440 don't have no answers. And the whole time, coming 00:37:21.440 --> 00:37:26.400 to church, having to preach, having to teach, 00:37:26.500 --> 00:37:32.599 having to sing, worship, pray for people when 00:37:32.599 --> 00:37:41.840 I'm the one that needed to pray. Going home, 00:37:41.860 --> 00:37:46.300 coming back. Telling Josh I'm getting tired, 00:37:46.380 --> 00:37:51.119 man. One month passed. Two months passed. Three 00:37:51.119 --> 00:37:59.260 months passed. Four, five, six months. I'm starting 00:37:59.260 --> 00:38:03.300 to check myself. What am I doing wrong? God, 00:38:03.460 --> 00:38:06.699 am I sinning against you? Maybe I'm not praying 00:38:06.699 --> 00:38:08.380 right. I'm not doing something right. Maybe I'm 00:38:08.380 --> 00:38:11.059 not making myself available to you. What is it, 00:38:11.059 --> 00:38:17.039 God? But knowing in the back of my mind that 00:38:17.039 --> 00:38:21.000 finances money is nothing to God. Because the 00:38:21.000 --> 00:38:23.260 Bible says that heaven is paved with streets 00:38:23.260 --> 00:38:26.860 of gold. God uses these gems and these jewels 00:38:26.860 --> 00:38:31.260 that we admire and we seek after. We even kill 00:38:31.260 --> 00:38:34.079 for them. God uses them as decorations in heaven. 00:38:34.839 --> 00:38:39.940 It's nothing to God. And I start saying, God, 00:38:40.079 --> 00:38:43.639 something's got to happen, man. Something's got 00:38:43.639 --> 00:38:45.239 to happen. I feel like I'm going to break down. 00:38:45.320 --> 00:38:49.380 I feel like I'm going to. I really started to 00:38:49.380 --> 00:38:54.760 feel this way. Finally, one day I talked to my 00:38:54.760 --> 00:39:01.820 dad. And I tell my dad, Dad, I can't do this. 00:39:02.659 --> 00:39:07.539 I don't know what I'm doing wrong. Josh is worried. 00:39:10.340 --> 00:39:16.400 I will tell you how bad it got. Three days away 00:39:16.400 --> 00:39:24.699 from the car being repossessed. Five hours away 00:39:24.699 --> 00:39:33.360 from the PG &E being shut off. I called one of 00:39:33.360 --> 00:39:38.000 my pastor friends. Hey, man, you got to give 00:39:38.000 --> 00:39:43.780 me something. I need something. This is not supposed 00:39:43.780 --> 00:39:51.099 to happen. It's not supposed to happen. He says, 00:39:51.119 --> 00:39:54.320 you know what, Brother David? You're in the will 00:39:54.320 --> 00:40:05.820 of God. What? It happened to me too. My PG &E 00:40:05.820 --> 00:40:14.960 was shut off. Nobody knows. I went to work. I 00:40:14.960 --> 00:40:17.920 trusted in God. I didn't stop serving him. I 00:40:17.920 --> 00:40:20.619 kept praising. I kept praying. I kept fighting. 00:40:20.679 --> 00:40:28.119 I kept going. And the PG &E was shut off. And 00:40:28.119 --> 00:40:30.800 I said to my pastor friend, how did you accept 00:40:30.800 --> 00:40:36.079 that? What happened to the child, to the people 00:40:36.079 --> 00:40:43.739 of God? Why would God do this? He says, I don't 00:40:43.739 --> 00:40:49.059 know. But it did. I said, so what did you do? 00:40:49.579 --> 00:40:52.300 I love him for this. Because he said, you know 00:40:52.300 --> 00:40:54.599 what we did? That night we had prayer meeting 00:40:54.599 --> 00:40:59.199 at my house. All the lights are off. Come on 00:40:59.199 --> 00:41:02.500 over and pray. Don't you turn off the lights 00:41:02.500 --> 00:41:06.300 when you pray at home? That's what we did. We 00:41:06.300 --> 00:41:10.260 gathered and we prayed. So what are you telling 00:41:10.260 --> 00:41:17.900 me? Pray. Pray. That day, I cried out to God. 00:41:19.659 --> 00:41:22.440 Cried out to God, and I just thank God for it 00:41:22.440 --> 00:41:25.199 all. You know why? Because in the midst of it, 00:41:25.300 --> 00:41:32.789 my children were okay. My wife was okay. The 00:41:32.789 --> 00:41:36.570 roof was still over our head. PG &E hadn't shut 00:41:36.570 --> 00:41:41.329 off yet. We got food on the table. Somehow, rent 00:41:41.329 --> 00:41:44.289 was paid. I knew that there were things pending. 00:41:45.489 --> 00:41:49.650 But in that moment, I didn't care. All I cared 00:41:49.650 --> 00:41:56.389 about was being in the presence of God. That 00:41:56.389 --> 00:41:59.909 day, I got up and I went to work. I was supposed 00:41:59.909 --> 00:42:03.389 to finish painting this house. Weeks ago, but 00:42:03.389 --> 00:42:06.210 she kept tacking it on, tacking it on. So guess 00:42:06.210 --> 00:42:08.329 what that did? Although it meant it was more 00:42:08.329 --> 00:42:13.590 money, it kept prolonging the pay. So finally, 00:42:13.849 --> 00:42:19.070 3 o 'clock, two hours before the PG &E is cut, 00:42:19.210 --> 00:42:24.190 and I said, Lord, I am not calling my wife and 00:42:24.190 --> 00:42:26.489 telling her to get the kids and take them to 00:42:26.489 --> 00:42:28.349 my mom's house. That is not going to happen. 00:42:29.829 --> 00:42:35.239 It's not going to happen. So I call. Took a break 00:42:35.239 --> 00:42:37.219 and I called. And I've called plenty of times. 00:42:37.900 --> 00:42:40.840 The deadline's done. You're overdue. You need 00:42:40.840 --> 00:42:45.840 to pay. And I call. And I talk to the lady on 00:42:45.840 --> 00:42:48.079 the other land. She goes, you know, David, man, 00:42:48.300 --> 00:42:50.840 we're getting ready. Five o 'clock, that's the 00:42:50.840 --> 00:42:54.079 deadline. Okay, okay, but are you sure there's 00:42:54.079 --> 00:42:56.920 nothing? Just till tomorrow. I'm going to get 00:42:56.920 --> 00:42:59.860 paid today, but just till tomorrow. This cannot 00:42:59.860 --> 00:43:04.880 happen. This can't happen. She says, hold on. 00:43:05.739 --> 00:43:10.340 She comes back. She says this. I don't know if 00:43:10.340 --> 00:43:15.380 you prayed today. But I just happened to click 00:43:15.380 --> 00:43:19.099 on the button where it says to extend the deadline. 00:43:21.739 --> 00:43:26.079 The deadline extended. I don't know what to tell 00:43:26.079 --> 00:43:31.219 you. You have until tomorrow to pay the PG &E. 00:43:33.739 --> 00:43:37.840 I sat in my truck, and I just began to thank 00:43:37.840 --> 00:43:47.719 God. I know the car was due. I didn't even care 00:43:47.719 --> 00:43:51.500 at that point. Finished up the job, went home. 00:43:52.840 --> 00:43:55.820 And I'll tell you this, because... I want you 00:43:55.820 --> 00:43:58.400 to understand the severity of where I was. Not 00:43:58.400 --> 00:44:00.719 so you can feel sorry for me, but just so you 00:44:00.719 --> 00:44:06.780 can be reminded of how great your God is. Because 00:44:06.780 --> 00:44:09.739 when I got paid, it was just enough to get me 00:44:09.739 --> 00:44:13.639 out of the month. It didn't even include what 00:44:13.639 --> 00:44:17.300 I owed for the car. But I was like, okay, I'm 00:44:17.300 --> 00:44:21.300 okay with that. It's okay. The next day I get 00:44:21.300 --> 00:44:23.420 up, I'm like, okay, I got to do this all over 00:44:23.420 --> 00:44:27.800 again. I got to go look for work. Here I go. 00:44:29.360 --> 00:44:32.739 My phone goes off. There's a chime. I get a Zelle 00:44:32.739 --> 00:44:37.619 payment. I don't remember accepting any work. 00:44:37.679 --> 00:44:49.760 I don't remember. My mom calls. She said, I was 00:44:49.760 --> 00:44:53.760 praying this morning, and God said you needed 00:44:53.760 --> 00:45:05.900 this. I don't accept money from my parents. My 00:45:05.900 --> 00:45:09.679 dad raised me and my brother. Your family is 00:45:09.679 --> 00:45:13.019 your responsibility. If you got to go pull weeds, 00:45:13.260 --> 00:45:18.099 you better work. I do thank God for my parents. 00:45:18.199 --> 00:45:22.460 Don't get me wrong. They're there. But I said, 00:45:22.480 --> 00:45:26.320 Mom, I didn't ask for this. She said, God told 00:45:26.320 --> 00:45:31.960 me you did. I don't know what you need it for. 00:45:33.679 --> 00:45:47.630 But it's there. I cried out so loud to God. And 00:45:47.630 --> 00:45:53.750 I learned a valuable lesson, church. We are not 00:45:53.750 --> 00:45:59.030 in control. And that when we experience things 00:45:59.030 --> 00:46:02.869 and we go through things, it's because on the 00:46:02.869 --> 00:46:06.449 other end, God is going to receive the glory. 00:46:08.750 --> 00:46:13.389 Because even though Job was blameless, upright, 00:46:13.710 --> 00:46:22.190 and pleased God, Job lost everything. And God 00:46:22.190 --> 00:46:27.829 didn't even flinch. He told the devil, take it. 00:46:29.730 --> 00:46:34.230 Because in the end, the Bible says that Job repented 00:46:34.230 --> 00:46:39.170 in his ashes. And the Bible says that Job, because 00:46:39.170 --> 00:46:41.489 he had a conversation with God, and he told God, 00:46:41.670 --> 00:46:49.219 I see you. I get it. I know why this happened. 00:46:49.400 --> 00:46:53.239 I know why I experienced this. I know why you 00:46:53.239 --> 00:46:56.880 allowed this to happen to me. And the Bible says 00:46:56.880 --> 00:47:01.699 that God then turned around and he gave Job a 00:47:01.699 --> 00:47:05.360 double portion. I didn't share what I shared 00:47:05.360 --> 00:47:09.099 with you so you can feel sorry for me. It has 00:47:09.099 --> 00:47:12.460 nothing to do with me because none of you even 00:47:12.460 --> 00:47:17.110 knew that I experienced this. I shared this with 00:47:17.110 --> 00:47:22.170 you to help you. Because sometimes we think we 00:47:22.170 --> 00:47:28.170 got it all until we don't. And then we feel that 00:47:28.170 --> 00:47:31.170 we did something wrong, so God took it away. 00:47:32.090 --> 00:47:37.849 That's not true. God has so much faith in you 00:47:37.849 --> 00:47:41.610 that he knew that if he took it away, you were 00:47:41.610 --> 00:47:45.010 still going to be okay. He knew that if you didn't 00:47:45.010 --> 00:47:47.989 have it, you were still going to be okay. He 00:47:47.989 --> 00:47:50.650 knew that if you didn't know what was going to 00:47:50.650 --> 00:47:53.650 happen from here and now, that you knew in your 00:47:53.650 --> 00:47:56.110 heart of hearts that he would never leave you 00:47:56.110 --> 00:48:07.230 nor forsake you. Come on, stand with me. Job 00:48:07.230 --> 00:48:11.780 was already affirmed, yet... God allowed him 00:48:11.780 --> 00:48:16.519 to be afflicted. There are things in your life 00:48:16.519 --> 00:48:20.099 that you've experienced. And you might even be 00:48:20.099 --> 00:48:24.619 experiencing those things now. But rest assured, 00:48:24.980 --> 00:48:29.739 God allowed it because he knew you were capable 00:48:29.739 --> 00:48:34.480 of handling it. The Bible says that he chastises 00:48:34.480 --> 00:48:37.800 the ones that he loves. We are his children. 00:48:38.059 --> 00:48:41.349 He's never going to leave us alone. We're never 00:48:41.349 --> 00:48:47.949 by ourselves. Listen, your need might not have 00:48:47.949 --> 00:48:55.190 been as great as mine was. Maybe you haven't 00:48:55.190 --> 00:48:57.449 experienced something that drastic, or maybe 00:48:57.449 --> 00:49:00.550 you have, or maybe you're experiencing it now. 00:49:03.110 --> 00:49:07.429 But I want you to know that the way out of it 00:49:07.429 --> 00:49:14.579 is to worship. When we can see past our own needs 00:49:14.579 --> 00:49:19.719 and focus on the one who woke us up this morning. 00:49:19.900 --> 00:49:24.360 Focus on the one who's given us life. Focus on 00:49:24.360 --> 00:49:27.920 the one who's given us another day. Focus on 00:49:27.920 --> 00:49:33.139 the one who's allowed us to breathe the air that 00:49:33.139 --> 00:49:38.920 pumps in and out of our lungs. You will forget 00:49:38.920 --> 00:49:46.130 your need. And you will experience God in such 00:49:46.130 --> 00:49:46.469 a way.