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 We've been working through the book of Job and I had some mixed feelings before we started

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! Even leading up to thinking about studying this I got the news that I was going to need

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! heart surgery and I thought to myself oh boy how will God use this series to minister

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 to my own life and I just you know you kind of get those those little senses of anxiety

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 okay what do I have to learn Lord I don't want to learn a lot from Job I don't want to

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 have to learn from suffering but God is has been always faithful isn't he? And there are

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 truths what I've loved about this study is there are truths about God that that are so

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 relevant today and it's been clear it's been clear that God is the same yesterday today

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 and forever and so the things that that Job had to learn the things that his friends had

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 to learn the experiences that he went through were experiences that that those of us and

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 by the way all of us are going to experience suffering at some point or the other if you

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 love Jesus you will experience suffering and by the way it's a gift to you it's a gift to

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 me to experience hard things and so James puts it this way he says count it all joy when when

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 you experience trials why because it's the testing of your faith it produces patience let endurance

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 have its perfect work see God uses hard things to build faith in his people and I would say to build

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 dependence in his people to help his people recognize you can trust God because God is able and and and

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 and so what we know to be true about God intellectually from the scriptures now takes a real practical turn in our life

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 where we have to put faith to action and we have to say okay God I know these truths in your word about you

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 now let me really experience those truths in my life and God graciously grants us the joy of putting

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 faith to work truths to work to see that God is who he claims to be but suffering is a part of life

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 Charles Spurgeon he's one of my heroes he's he was a pastor back in the 1800s and and Charles Spurgeon this mighty

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 preacher of God said this he says I am the subject of depressions of spirit so fearful that I hope none of

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 you ever get to such extremes of wretchedness as I go Job we saw from the very beginning God's commendation

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 of him right have you considered my servant Job he's he's blameless he's upright he fears God he turns

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 away from evil there's no one like him on the earth okay and yet here is Job this terrible grieving and

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 suffering and we saw a couple weeks ago this raw emotion and we think how can a person who loves God

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 how can he say those things how can he feel those things is it right or appropriate for us to kind of

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 give vent at times to to the to the anxiety and and heartache of our soul and the Psalms are a testimony

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 to us that it is right it is good for us to express our emotion to God it is in the expression of our emotion

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 to God that God can now begin to shine a light to say ha I know what you're feeling I know you're what

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 you're experiencing but but I want to call you to myself you're going to be able to find all of the

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 the source of hope and we sang about grace today thank you for singing about the grace of God the

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 comfort we find in God the the hope and help we find in God and that's what our emotion is meant to do

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 it's meant to direct our attention direct our affections direct our confidences and anchor them

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 in God who is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we could ever ask or think so we come to

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 our time this morning and and here we are we're only in in Job chapter 6 and and here it is again we're

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 going to encounter this this this outbreak of emotion that that Job is going to be is going to be working

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 through and and and Job's heart is wrenched it's it's broken over the the trouble that he's experiencing

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 and and and I want us to understand that even though we're still early in our in this book and and even

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 early in our study I want us to recognize that that this is this is a a situation these are sufferings

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 that that Job has experienced probably for months up to this time we're going to see in our passage today

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 just briefly Job references in Job 7 3 he says so I'm allotted months of emptiness and nights of misery

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 are a portion to me then later in the book in Job 29 he'll say this in beginning of verse 2 oh that I

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 were as in the months of old as in the days when God watched over me when his lamp shone upon my head

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 and by his light I walked through darkness as I was in my prime when the friendship of God was upon

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 my tent when the Almighty was yet with me when my children were all around me when my steps were

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 washed with butter and the rock poured out for me streams of oil days were good life was great but

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 that was months ago and and I can I can hardly remember I can hardly hardly remember those days

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 when when when life was good and unlike other illnesses that Job has experienced whether our

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 illnesses that that we may experience with skin whether it's boils or or shingles or it's poison ivy

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 that's broken out or eczema whatever it is there's there's usually hope for us that things are are

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 going to come to an end and and usually within weeks it's run its course and we're feeling better but

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 but here is Job months have gone by the pain is intense we'll see briefly in chapter 7 the the

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 significance the intensity of what he is experiencing how hard it was and and there was no relief and no

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 end in sight for him how does a person respond in the midst of suffering we're we're learning some

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 things from Job and we're spending five weeks just kind of working through all of his discourses and

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 and trying to push them together so we can learn what what does what do godly people need to address

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 what what do godly people need to know when when when they're working through and experiencing suffering

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 for themselves a couple weeks ago week one we learned it's okay to cry it's okay for us to express our

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 emotion to God this morning as we're working through no end in sight I I want us to recognize that even

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 when our suffering seems endless there is hope there's hope that we can find in God even with no

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 end in sight next week we're gonna look at the character of God and and see how how bolstering our

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 heart and and and and growing in confidence in the truth of God and looking to him can help to

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 strengthen us in the midst of hard times fourth week we're gonna look at the cry of innocence

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 innocence Job is like why why is this happening to me I I haven't I haven't done anything that's that's

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 worthy of this he evaluates his life and he he pleads his innocence we're gonna see this cry of innocence

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 in a couple of weeks and then Job will conclude with good things happen to bad people and that's kind of

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 been the the whole posture of his friends hey Job God is just and God is sovereign and so since God does

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 the right thing and he's in control of everything then the only people that experience hard lives are

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 those who deserve it Job you must deserve this you must have done something worthy of God's condemnation

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 God's rebuke our desire is to encounter the main struggles that we face in the midst of suffering

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 and this morning as we come to to uh Job chapter 6 I mean just invite you to turn with me uh Job

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 chapter 6 if you're using the pew bible it's on page 420 page 420 and here we're gonna see that that

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 Job in these next two chapters is gonna just express the the anxiety of his heart and and everyone is

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 against him and he begins with God is against me notice in verse 1 he says this then Job answered and said

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 oh that my vexation was weighed and all my calamity laid in the balances for then it would be heavier

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 than the sand of the sea therefore my words have been rash for the arrows of the almighty are in me my

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 spirit drinks their poison the terrors of God are arrayed against me then in verse 8 oh that I might

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 have my request that God would fulfill my hope that it would please God to crush me that he would let

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 loose his hand and cut me off

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 this is in response to the the strong rebuke that Eliphaz his his wisest and oldest friend perhaps

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 provides for us in in Job chapters 4 and 5 and the tenor of of Eliphaz's rebuke kind of comes down to

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 really two verses that we find in chapter 4 the first is chapter 4 verse 6 where he says is not

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 your fear of God your confidence and the integrity of your ways your hope in other words Job if you

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 really are a man of integrity if you if you really are a man who worships God then you would also be a

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 man that's full of hope and and by the way if you're also a man of integrity and also a man who

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 worships God then you would then you would not be a man who's experiencing these kinds of tragedies

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 and so he kind of pushes it into Job's face hey if you are a man of integrity then these two things

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 should be true then in verse 8 of chapter 4 he says as I have seen those who plow iniquity and so

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 trouble reap the same Job you're getting what you deserve all this is your fault you reap what you

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 sow and so here here we go all we have to do is draw a straight line from the consequences and we we can

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 draw that line straight through the the problem and and you are the problem you've reaped the harvest

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 of trouble on your life and here Job is at the outset responding to his friend Eliphaz

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 and I you've got to appreciate the humility of Job I want you to see it here he says

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 my words this is in verse verse 8 excuse me verse 2 it would have been heavier than the sand of the sea

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 therefore my words have become rash Job admits he admits my words have been have been premature

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 they've been rash I've spoken without thinking I have been foolish I have abandoned hope I I the the

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 faith that was so steady and so secure my words are now expressing a question about faith in my heart

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 I can't see the end to my pain and I just want it to be over we can appreciate that

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 but now Job invites his friends to step in a little bit consider the trouble I'm experiencing

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 consider he says my vexation which is another word for sorrow agree for anxiety or sadness

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 and this of course is a direct response to Eliphaz who Eliphaz in chapter 5 verse 2 says surely

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 vexation kills the fool and jealousy slays the simple Job you're the fool and Job says well

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 I suppose I am but let me tell you a little bit about my vexation let me tell you a little bit about

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 my situation and then he compares them to the sand of the sea and and and you know how this works in the

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 old testament that that God he he takes Abraham out he shows him the the sand of the sea and compares

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 uh his future descendants to the stars of the sky and essentially it was a it was another way to talk

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 about the kind of the infinite nature as it were the innumerable or immeasurable nature of the

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 descendants that that Abraham would have and now Job is applying it to his burdens that he's experiencing

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 that that are innumerable unquantifiable it's heavy and the word heavy is the word kavod which is also

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 the word for glory when we talk about the the glory of God we're talking about the weightiness of God

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 or the worthiness of God and now Job applies that word to his situation it is weighty it is burdensome it is

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 inquantifiable in other words will you please put yourself in my shoes will you please show me some sympathy will you please

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 will you please have some compassion on the struggles and trials that I'm facing

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 Eliphaz had come out swinging right he he didn't ask any questions he didn't show any concern he had made all the

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 assumptions and and he assumed some things about Job by the way that that weren't true

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 and he he believed certain things that about God that that were true but he misapplied them

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 we talked about that last week Eliphaz believed that God was just and God was sovereign that God punishes

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 the wicked that God gives them what they deserve that that the God is also merciful and tender and wise

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 and can deliver and every one of those truths we recognize and we affirm but but then he applies

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 those truths to Job's situation and in in in essentially he says but you are to blame

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 this is a result of your own sin Job if this is true about God then this must be true about you and he

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 could have been more wrong Eliphaz has made a huge mistake not to mention he has not appreciated Job's

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 pain he's not he's not tried to sympathize in any way with the struggles that he's experiencing the the

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 huge pressures that are on him the the loss that he's gone through and I wonder I think even in our own

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 counseling even in our own um engagement with individuals who are struggling I find myself and

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 maybe you do at times you see people who are hurting and at times you're like it's just easier to try to

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 find a way to to avoid the subject and try to find a way to to skirt around and and to get to another place

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 so that you don't have to deal with the pain or the struggles that they're going through

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 and yet that's exactly what God has called us to do that God has called us to engage God has called

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 us and we're going to learn about this some more that that the God of all comfort comforts you with

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 his comforts why so that you can comfort others with the same comfort with which yourself have been

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 comforted by God now there's a lot of comforting words there but but at the end of the day it boils down

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 to one thing God of all comfort comforts you with one purpose not only to help you see him but also

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 so that you can be his hands and feet of comfort to others is there a growing sensitivity in your heart

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 to those who are struggling and hurting is there a growing what do i say even interest or desire to

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 engage those around you who are struggling for the sake of being an instrument of comfort god's

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 instrument of comfort to them not trying to avoid the subject not trying to to dodge the issue not to

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 deferring those things to other people who comfort better but that you as god's instrument engage and you

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 press in and you demonstrate the compassion of god to hurting people oh that god would help us to do that

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 job did want this to be over but but as difficult as the pain of his loss was there was a greater

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 difficulty and and and it goes something like this job in other words will say

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 this trial if this trial is really from god then what hope is there for me if this trial is really from god

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 then then what hope do i have what hope is there for anyone and the apostle paul will say

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 if god is for me who can be against me and that gives us hope but but the opposite is also true if god

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 is against us what does it matter if we have the whole world for us and job feels so hopeless god is

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 against me how can i hope if the god i'm hoping in the source of hope is also the source of my trouble

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 he talks about verse 4 the the arrows of the almighty are in him the terrors of god are arrayed against him

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 how can i hope in god if god is set against me things were bad for job but things that were difficult in

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 his life couldn't compare with the difficulty of the hopelessness he felt because god seemed to be

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 against him this difficulty and i think it's important for us to just take a step back as we're working

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 through uh these passages to understand that that job job didn't have the revelation of god in in in

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 in the same way that we do uh they had visions they had the the the word of god that was passed down

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 through generations but they didn't have the the written word of god that we'd hold in our hands and

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 and and and because here we are we're four thousand years past job we have christ in in our rearview mirror

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 in in in the in the revelation of god through the word of god that we have and because of the truths

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 that we have in the scripture there is hope for us there is the the the steady confident faith we can

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 have in in god and there are certain truths we need to remember when we're going through suffering

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 first keep your eyes fixed on the grace of god keep your eyes fixed on the grace of god

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 god i love how peter puts this in first peter chapter 5 verse 10 he says and after you have suffered a

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 little while the god of all grace who has called you to his eternal glory in christ will himself restore

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 confirm strengthen and establish you he is the god of all grace all grace all goodness all kindness

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 flows from the source and god is the source of all grace look to him

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 how do we look to god how do we trust in god the god of grace in the midst of hard things

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 there are three things i'll just cover briefly here first we reckon we need to recognize that we are

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 secure in christ if you are in christ you are secure in christ now i just want to i want to cover

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 briefly what does it mean to be in christ well well the the teams this week and you can pray for them

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 every single day as they're sharing the the truth uh of the gospel with uh with the kids that come

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 are going to work through what we call the abcs okay and so what is a team admit what do you admit

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 you admit that you're a sinner right and all of us need to come to a place of admitting

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 that we are sinners all have sinned and come short of the glory of god and that might seem really

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 hopeless but then there's a b what does b believe right and we we believe on the lord jesus christ and

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 we're saved we believe that jesus is the only way to heaven we believe that jesus took the punishment

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 for our sins on himself on the cross he died he rose again he extends to us forgiveness because of his

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 kindness and grace to us and then there's a c what a c confess right we confess with our mouth

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 that jesus is lord we believe in our heart that god raised him from the dead and then we can enjoy

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 salvation we make jesus the king of our lives and so if you have done that then you are secure in christ and

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 there's there there is the security that nothing can touch romans 8 38 and 39 says this i am sure there is

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 neither death nor life nor angels nor rulers nor things present nor things to come nor powers nor

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 height nor depth nor anything else in all creation will be able to separate us from the love of christ

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 of god in christ jesus our lord nothing can separate you from the love of christ if you're in it hallelujah

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 second your suffering has a purpose your suffering has a purpose you see sin's god is sovereign and

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 since he's the god of all grace that even in the hard things that you experience there is grace to be

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 found there because there's purpose in the suffering that we go through peter talks about that that that

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 that goal in first peter 1 6 and 7 he says in this you rejoice though now for a little while if necessary

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 you have been grieved by various trials why so the testing the tested genuineness of your faith

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 more precious than gold that perishes though it is tested by fire may be found to result in praise

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 and glory and honor the revelation of jesus christ the purpose of trials the purpose of testing is not

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 only to make jesus sweeter for you but to show the world the the quality of those who are in christ the

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 the refining work of god in in refining faith in them in in making them shine as an example of faith

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 to the world your suffering does have a purpose god is over it third find your hope in god find your

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 hope in god you're looking to jesus you're looking to god for grace and and you will be able when you

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 look to him to find your hope in god romans 15 13 puts it this way may the god of all hope you see that

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 may the god of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing so that by the power of the holy spirit

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 you may abound in hope that's a work of god you go to the source when you're feeling hopeless when you're

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 feeling in despair you run to the god of hope who will be able to help you enjoy that that abounding

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 hope that is found only in him so job is at the end he he thinks his hope is gone and now as we turn

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 to verses 8 to 13 he thinks his life is over my life is over he says oh that i might have my request that

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 god would fulfill my hope that he would please god to crush me that he would let loose his hand and cut

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 me off this would be my comfort i would even exult in pain unsparing for i have not denied the words

00:24:39.439 --> 00:24:46.559
 of the holy one what is my strength that i should wait what is the is my end that i should be patient

00:24:47.119 --> 00:24:57.199
 is my strength the strength of stones is my flesh bronze have any help in me when resource is driven from me

00:24:57.200 --> 00:25:07.519
 it all seems so hopeless but my life is is already run its course just finish it already is kind of his

00:25:07.519 --> 00:25:16.960
 prayer god if i have no hope in you to turn this situation around at least i can hope in the fact that

00:25:16.960 --> 00:25:23.279
 you are a god of mercy and that you will allow this to run its course you will let it happen swiftly and

00:25:23.279 --> 00:25:30.480
 quickly and you will terminate all this suffering as soon as you can i'm putting my hope in death i'm

00:25:30.480 --> 00:25:36.720
 putting my hope that life will be over soon and i think we'll be i think we can appreciate what job

00:25:36.720 --> 00:25:45.359
 is talking about verse 9 that it would please god to crush me verse 11 what is the point of waiting

00:25:46.079 --> 00:25:52.240
 why suffer anymore if if the end of my course is going to lead to the grave god just let it happen now

00:25:53.519 --> 00:25:59.279
 job of course is at his breaking point he he can't see a reason to hope in god anymore but but at

00:25:59.279 --> 00:26:07.759
 least he can hope in death and and i and i wonder i wonder if the words of job's wife are replaying in

00:26:07.759 --> 00:26:13.599
 his head do you still hold fast your integrity job just curse god and die

00:26:13.599 --> 00:26:27.359
 and yet you've got to appreciate job's integrity in job's faith in this moment because job ultimately

00:26:27.359 --> 00:26:36.959
 entrusted himself to god job could have found a faster way job could have taken a shortcut job could

00:26:36.959 --> 00:26:44.159
 have ended it all on his own he could have cursed god and died he could have done in other ways but but

00:26:44.159 --> 00:26:53.279
 job in this moment continues in integrity to trust the lord with the end the beginning and the end he's

00:26:53.279 --> 00:26:58.559
 not going to take matters into his own hands he's not going to finish the job as it were he's not going

00:26:58.559 --> 00:27:08.960
 to end things on his own in his continuing integrity job incredibly entrusts his present situation and his

00:27:08.960 --> 00:27:17.519
 future to the very god he believes is tormenting him that's amazing to me it is absolutely amazing to me

00:27:17.519 --> 00:27:23.440
 but it does raise a really important issue that we need to address just briefly here this is another

00:27:23.440 --> 00:27:32.000
 remember okay remember that god is the author of life and death remember that god is the author of

00:27:32.000 --> 00:27:38.559
 life and death it is god's prerogative to raise up and to put down it is god's prerogative to make

00:27:38.559 --> 00:27:44.720
 alive and to kill this is the the the work of god he's the one who's sovereign over life and death

00:27:44.720 --> 00:27:53.200
 so we need to to learn of course to keep our eyes fixed on god but what we need to learn that god is

00:27:53.759 --> 00:28:03.039
 is the author of life and death from last week hannah's prayer for her little baby samuel as she prays in

00:28:03.039 --> 00:28:10.319
 first samuel chapter 2 verses 6 to 8 and this is just a reminder she says the lord kills and brings to life

00:28:10.319 --> 00:28:18.000
 he brings down to sheol and he raises up the lord makes poor and makes rich he brings low and he exalts he raises

00:28:18.000 --> 00:28:25.200
 up the poor from the dust he lifts the needy from the ash heap to make them sit with princes and inherit a seat of honor

00:28:25.200 --> 00:28:30.639
 for the pillars of the earth are the lord's and on them he has set the world

00:28:30.640 --> 00:28:36.320
 trust in god the giver of life and death

00:28:38.320 --> 00:28:45.360
 this is important for us especially in our culture our atmosphere today and i know this is a delicate

00:28:45.360 --> 00:28:51.360
 topic but it's something that we need to we need to address i was looking at at some statistics and

00:28:51.359 --> 00:29:01.599
 and apparently the suicide rate has increased 37 percent since year 2000 37 percent just a couple of

00:29:01.599 --> 00:29:09.039
 years ago in 2023 suicide was the 11th highest cause of death in the united states it's epidemic

00:29:10.159 --> 00:29:19.839
 over 50 000 people died in 2023 because of taking their own life that is one death for every 11 minutes and i

00:29:19.839 --> 00:29:27.599
 i i i would not be surprised if if some of us in this room have entertained some thoughts of suicide or

00:29:27.599 --> 00:29:33.279
 know somebody who's entertained thoughts of suicide and so it's important for us to address because we must

00:29:33.279 --> 00:29:42.079
 understand that it is god who is sovereign the author of life and death there are some really helpful

00:29:42.079 --> 00:29:49.519
 articles and i would just steer your attention to desiring god uh ministry and website um i was going to

00:29:49.519 --> 00:29:57.039
 put those links in your uh study guides but uh i failed to do that if you if you would like to have those i can give those to you

00:29:58.400 --> 00:30:07.119
 i want to acknowledge that this is not something i have personally struggled with at least the taking of my own life but i have

00:30:07.119 --> 00:30:11.440
 had very dark seasons of despair hopelessness

00:30:11.440 --> 00:30:21.360
 i can remember and i've shared this story of a particular day after a very long segment of of

00:30:21.360 --> 00:30:28.000
 trials and suffering where i called my wife on the way to work and i say i cannot hope anymore hope is gone

00:30:30.240 --> 00:30:34.080
 i don't know the kind of hopelessness that job experienced here

00:30:34.079 --> 00:30:41.919
 but but but but job did what was right his integrity let him understand the significance of

00:30:41.919 --> 00:30:44.399
 it is god who is the author of life and death

00:30:45.359 --> 00:30:52.399
 and so as we consider those who are considering suicide piper puts it this way let's be clear now

00:30:52.399 --> 00:30:54.879
 self-murder is serious

00:30:56.159 --> 00:31:03.839
 we are playing with fire here it is spiritually and eternally serious to murder yourself it is not a light thing

00:31:04.079 --> 00:31:08.639
 end quote and he's referring to first john chapter 3 15 which puts it this way

00:31:09.279 --> 00:31:16.720
 everyone who hates his brother is a murderer and you know that no murderer has eternal life abiding in him

00:31:17.519 --> 00:31:21.599
 so am i suggesting that if you take your life you are not a christian i am not

00:31:22.480 --> 00:31:29.359
 just like i am not suggesting that if you've ever hated your brother and sister that you're going to go to hell

00:31:29.359 --> 00:31:35.679
 okay that you lose your salvation what i am trying to suggest and what piper will emphasize very clearly

00:31:35.679 --> 00:31:43.359
 here is that if we have a continual perpetual hatred of our brother or sister in christ and if we have a continual

00:31:43.359 --> 00:31:49.919
 and and consistent hatred of ourselves and and it terminates in us killing ourselves or taking our life

00:31:49.920 --> 00:31:58.560
 and there's there's a serious consequences there there's a heart introspection that needs to take place

00:32:00.240 --> 00:32:07.519
 we look at job's life god says have you considered my servant job remember let's let's not forget the fact

00:32:07.519 --> 00:32:13.920
 that job is is is one that god has already commended and he's struggling with these thoughts and and there

00:32:13.920 --> 00:32:20.240
 we know we understand that through the course of scripture that there are godly men moses and david

00:32:20.240 --> 00:32:25.200
 and elijah and others who experience the same god just take my life i'm done

00:32:27.840 --> 00:32:30.480
 but they still entrusted themselves to the lord

00:32:32.560 --> 00:32:40.320
 i think there's one key one key that that will help us if we're ever experiencing this kind of despair

00:32:40.319 --> 00:32:47.919
 this kind of discouragement and it is this we need to fight the fight of faith fight the fight of

00:32:47.919 --> 00:32:53.119
 faith well how do you do that pastor andrew well i think it kind of culminates in in what we find in

00:32:53.119 --> 00:32:59.759
 james chapter 1 verses 2 and 4 it says this counted all joy my brothers when you meet trials of various

00:32:59.759 --> 00:33:05.919
 kinds for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness and let steadfastness have

00:33:05.920 --> 00:33:11.279
 its full effect that you may be perfect and complete lacking nothing okay so so what's going on here

00:33:12.240 --> 00:33:20.080
 what would what would james is calling attention to is the is the success and the secret of thanksgiving

00:33:21.039 --> 00:33:27.120
 you want to you want to bolster faith in your life you want to confront the hard things of your life

00:33:27.759 --> 00:33:35.680
 and rise above them well you gotta call attention to god that is over he's lord over your trials

00:33:36.720 --> 00:33:43.200
 lift yourself out of the the despair that you're in and turn your focus to god and recognize that

00:33:43.840 --> 00:33:50.480
 that he is in charge that he is over this and you can count it all joy now i recognize

00:33:51.440 --> 00:33:56.400
 that there are times we just don't feel like it and we feel insincere we feel

00:33:56.400 --> 00:34:06.800
 that we're not genuine how do i count it joy when i don't feel joyful well sometimes your emotions need

00:34:06.800 --> 00:34:12.160
 to catch up to the truth sometimes you need to you need to go through the motions you need to do what

00:34:12.160 --> 00:34:17.440
 god has called you to do before you can begin to enjoy the benefits of obedience and and part of the

00:34:17.440 --> 00:34:25.039
 benefit of obedience of of thanking god is recognizing that he's over your trial and that through the

00:34:25.039 --> 00:34:32.000
 the perseverance of that trial he is building faith and you can trust him and then just a word a brief

00:34:32.000 --> 00:34:38.400
 word to counselors for for those who are counseling someone who's struggling with these feelings

00:34:38.400 --> 00:34:46.320
 it's important to learn a lesson from job's terrible friends and recognize the importance of listening

00:34:47.039 --> 00:34:54.720
 i love how james put this he says be swift to hear slow to speak that is a good strategy for us

00:34:54.719 --> 00:35:03.119
 listen well and keep your mouth shut maybe ask good questions weep with those who weep show compassion

00:35:05.039 --> 00:35:12.559
 be somebody who speaks honestly as you address the issues in their life so they can understand how serious

00:35:14.799 --> 00:35:21.279
 self-murder is let the word of god speak into the silence and pray for god's direction and i would say

00:35:21.280 --> 00:35:26.400
 especially for you teens i would encourage you teens as you're ministering to your friends who are

00:35:26.400 --> 00:35:33.120
 experiencing this you need to point them to their their authority their their parents their pastors

00:35:33.120 --> 00:35:39.200
 their youth leaders and and be willing to to let them know that you you're you're letting others join

00:35:39.200 --> 00:35:45.200
 the process you don't have to carry this burden by yourself employ the help of others and that would be

00:35:45.199 --> 00:35:53.439
 good for all of us to understand there's strength in the community that god has placed us in okay two more

00:35:53.439 --> 00:36:03.199
 points and a minute to go verse 14 so not only is god against me but now it gets really personal and

00:36:03.199 --> 00:36:11.279
 my friends are against me my friends are against me notice what he says in verse 14 he withholds kindness

00:36:11.280 --> 00:36:16.880
 from a friend forsakes the fear of the almighty and by the way the word kindness there is the word

00:36:16.880 --> 00:36:23.760
 chesed which is the word loving kindness or what will be applied to christ or to god uh as the covenant

00:36:23.760 --> 00:36:30.960
 keeper this is the steadfast loyal love this chesed love and and here are his friends his fair weather

00:36:30.960 --> 00:36:38.560
 friends and and and here they are they've shown up but they haven't shown kindness verse 15 my brothers are

00:36:38.559 --> 00:36:46.239
 treacherous as a torrent bed as torrential streams that pass away which are dark with ice and where

00:36:46.239 --> 00:36:52.559
 the snow hides itself when they melt they disappear when it's hot they vanish from their place the

00:36:52.559 --> 00:36:58.400
 caravans turn aside from their course they go up into the waste and perish the caravans of of

00:36:58.400 --> 00:37:05.119
 uh timah look the travelers of sheba hope they are ashamed because they were confident they come and

00:37:05.119 --> 00:37:13.839
 they're disappointed for you have now become nothing you see my calamity and are afraid have i said make

00:37:13.839 --> 00:37:21.359
 me a gift or from your wealth offer a bribe for me or deliver me from the adversary's hand or redeem me

00:37:21.359 --> 00:37:30.319
 from the hand of the ruthless can you hear the words of job here you want to talk about loving god you

00:37:30.320 --> 00:37:35.280
 want to talk about the fear of god you want to talk about integrity and you want to accuse me that i'm

00:37:35.280 --> 00:37:40.800
 not a man of integrity well let's turn the mirror on yourself are you a person who fears god

00:37:41.920 --> 00:37:51.280
 do you do you not forsake the fear of god by not listening and helping to show that has said love of

00:37:51.280 --> 00:37:57.920
 god to others and it's really quite remarkable that job is able to draw this out because what we'll know

00:37:57.920 --> 00:38:03.519
 as the law gets written the torah the first five books of the bible and then as the the time will

00:38:03.519 --> 00:38:08.320
 go on and jesus will show up and he'll say someone will ask him well what's the greatest commandment and

00:38:08.320 --> 00:38:12.720
 of course the greatest commandment is to do what church love the lord your god with all your heart

00:38:12.720 --> 00:38:18.559
 soul mind and strength and the second is like it to do what to love your neighbor as yourself

00:38:19.760 --> 00:38:25.760
 somehow job it's just remarkable to me somehow job is able to put the pieces together with such little

00:38:25.760 --> 00:38:32.560
 information and he knows that a god who created the world who set it all up and who fashioned man

00:38:32.560 --> 00:38:40.480
 with the image of god and printed on him understands the the value of man as they as they reflect the

00:38:40.480 --> 00:38:46.800
 glory of god the image of god and so worship of god is first and of course worship or not worship but but

00:38:46.800 --> 00:38:56.640
 love to their neighbors next and and and job's like come on guys you think you love god well then

00:38:58.320 --> 00:39:03.680
 what's happening here why why isn't there any love flowing in the direction of your neighbor of your

00:39:03.680 --> 00:39:10.480
 friend and we know that to be true too right as we work through the gospel of luke we saw that that we

00:39:10.480 --> 00:39:19.519
 cannot be the kinds of people who give lip service to loving god and are those who don't give a rip about

00:39:19.519 --> 00:39:29.280
 the people around us because loving your neighbor as yourself is just the the hands and feet the legs of

00:39:29.280 --> 00:39:37.199
 putting to work the love of god in in response to others and and so if we don't love others and and john

00:39:37.199 --> 00:39:44.399
 says this if you don't love your brother who you see how can you love god who you don't see those two

00:39:44.399 --> 00:39:52.719
 things are incompatible and job calls them out you're just fair weather friends you're here when things are

00:39:52.719 --> 00:40:00.559
 good you gush when things are rich and he's using this comparison here of the jordan that would overflow

00:40:00.559 --> 00:40:07.840
 in the rainy season when nothing else needs water and then dries up when things are are are really

00:40:07.840 --> 00:40:13.759
 desperate for rain what kind of good are you what kind of friends are you you're so undependable

00:40:15.119 --> 00:40:22.239
 and this is interesting you see my calamity this is verse 21 you see my calamity and are afraid well

00:40:23.199 --> 00:40:29.119
 what are they afraid about well we don't know for sure but but remember in verse 4 of chapter 6

00:40:29.119 --> 00:40:36.799
 uh job says that the arrows of the almighty are in me my spirit drinks their poison the terrors of god

00:40:36.799 --> 00:40:43.359
 are arrayed against me and i think there's a connection there you guys are afraid that if you

00:40:43.359 --> 00:40:49.440
 show kindness to me that now god is going to be after you some friends you are

00:40:49.440 --> 00:41:01.360
 then job says when have i asked you for anything i've never asked you for a gift you've never bribed

00:41:01.360 --> 00:41:07.440
 me bribed me you've never helped me against an adversary you have never had to pay a ransom for me

00:41:08.000 --> 00:41:13.360
 you you guys are now i'm in my hour of greatest need and you're really nowhere to be found

00:41:13.360 --> 00:41:23.920
 and then in verse 24 and 25 he says this teach me and i will be silent make me understand how i have

00:41:23.920 --> 00:41:33.280
 gone astray how forceful and upright your words are but what does reproof from you reprove if you're

00:41:33.280 --> 00:41:39.920
 correcting me for sin in my life well you let me know what that sin is so i can make a change they

00:41:39.920 --> 00:41:47.920
 couldn't even do that with some friends they were finally in chapter 7 verses 1 to 21 we're not going

00:41:47.920 --> 00:41:56.240
 to read the whole thing but i want to just close with this job essentially says in this section myself

00:41:56.240 --> 00:42:03.280
 is against me god's against me my friends are against me and in everything in my own life personally

00:42:03.280 --> 00:42:09.360
 seems to be against me he will talk about his flesh in the first several verses he'll talk about

00:42:09.360 --> 00:42:16.160
 towards the end in verse 20 20 and 21 he'll talk about the uh the struggles that he has even with his

00:42:16.160 --> 00:42:21.840
 his own sin and everything in job's life is set against him including job

00:42:25.280 --> 00:42:31.519
 let me just briefly touch on some of these things he talks about in verse 1 has not man a hard

00:42:31.519 --> 00:42:37.519
 service on the earth are not his days like the days of a hired hand life is already hard as it is

00:42:37.519 --> 00:42:42.719
 it's just like you've hired yourself out to work then he drops down to verse 3 i'm allotted months

00:42:42.719 --> 00:42:49.759
 of emptiness nights of misery are apportioned to me when i lie down uh when shall i i say when shall i

00:42:49.759 --> 00:42:57.840
 rise but the night is long and i am full of tossing till dawn then verse 5 my flesh is clothed with worms my

00:42:57.840 --> 00:43:04.960
 and dirt my skin hardens then breaks out afresh my days are swifter than a weaver's shuttle and come to

00:43:04.960 --> 00:43:13.280
 their end without hope hopelessness remember that my life is a breath my eye will never again see good

00:43:14.960 --> 00:43:21.920
 his physical life all of the trauma that he's experienced has really taken its toll and and job

00:43:21.920 --> 00:43:28.480
 cannot escape because he is the problem at least it's it's being carried by his own body he can't

00:43:28.480 --> 00:43:39.360
 escape the problem and then in verses 20 and 21 notice this to close if i sin what do i do to you

00:43:40.000 --> 00:43:47.680
 you watcher of mankind why have you made me your mark why have i become a burden to you why do you

00:43:47.679 --> 00:43:55.599
 not pardon my transgressions and take away my iniquity for now i shall lie in the earth you will

00:43:55.599 --> 00:44:03.919
 seek me but i shall not be he's come to the end of himself he's struggling he's struggling with uh

00:44:03.919 --> 00:44:08.559
 with his flesh he's struggling with his sin he's struggling with the circumstances that he's experiencing

00:44:08.559 --> 00:44:19.519
 and job is is really enduring much hope is gone i want to just close our time together

00:44:20.639 --> 00:44:27.119
 for us to understand the significance of of the family of god the resource that god has given to us

00:44:28.000 --> 00:44:32.719
 in the family of god to to deal with the struggles that we experience

00:44:34.159 --> 00:44:38.320
 second corinthians chapter one and i wonder larry can you find that for me and put it on the screen

00:44:38.960 --> 00:44:45.440
 second corinthians chapter one i think beginning in verse two the apostle paul will help the church

00:44:45.440 --> 00:44:51.759
 of corinth to try to understand the significance of of the community that god has placed in this this

00:44:51.759 --> 00:44:59.199
 great resource he says blessed be the god and father of our lord jesus christ the father of mercies and the

00:44:59.199 --> 00:45:07.119
 god of all comfort you want comfort you need comfort there is only one place to find it

00:45:07.920 --> 00:45:13.279
 find your comfort in the god of all comfort who comforts us it says in verse four

00:45:14.079 --> 00:45:20.639
 in all of our affliction so that we may able be able to comfort those who are in any affliction with the

00:45:20.639 --> 00:45:30.239
 comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by god if you're in need of comfort go to god but but also

00:45:30.239 --> 00:45:37.199
 if you're in need of comfort go to god's people there's something something quite significant about

00:45:37.199 --> 00:45:45.440
 the the community of god's people the family of god and being the hands and feet of god to administer

00:45:45.440 --> 00:45:52.000
 the comfort of god to others and and what is our tendency where our tendency is to run our tendency

00:45:52.000 --> 00:45:58.079
 is to isolate when things are hard our tendency is to want to avoid people and that's the very thing

00:45:58.079 --> 00:46:07.599
 that the enemy wants us to do so we'll never see comfort happen run to god and run and enjoy the comfort

00:46:07.599 --> 00:46:13.599
 that comes through the company of god's people oh that we would be people agents of comfort and hope

00:46:14.559 --> 00:46:21.199
 in a world that is hurting and lost and especially agents of hope within the family of god to help

00:46:21.199 --> 00:46:27.199
 encourage and strengthen believers that we rub shoulders with day by day oh may god help us let me pray

00:46:28.319 --> 00:46:33.919
 lord thank you for this word and for the experience of job and for his integrity

00:46:34.799 --> 00:46:42.399
 that while it seems fractured and it seems raw at times lord i i'm grateful for the fact that he

00:46:42.399 --> 00:46:47.679
 continued to demonstrate uh integrity and strength in the midst of hard times

00:46:47.679 --> 00:46:55.919
 but but lord thank you that we have the revealed word of scripture and thank you that we have uh the

00:46:55.919 --> 00:47:03.359
 grace of christ that we can look back on and especially lord that we have your holy spirit that indwells

00:47:03.359 --> 00:47:10.960
 every believer the the great comforter that's the the the name that's been designated to the spirit he is

00:47:10.960 --> 00:47:19.920
 the comforter lord may we experience and enjoy and embrace the comforter and administer comfort to

00:47:19.920 --> 00:47:26.240
 those around us who are hurting and point them to christ through the process we pray in jesus name amen

00:47:26.240 --> 00:47:37.199
 god bless you have a great week pray for the team