Participants: Pr. Doug Batchelor
Series Code: SSH
Program Code: SSH021645A
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00:00 (MUSIC)
00:35 GOOD MORNING, FRIENDS. WELCOME TO SABBATH SCHOOL STUDY 00:37 HOUR COMING TO YOU FROM THE GRANITE BAY SEVENTH-DAY 00:40 ADVENTIST CHURCH. A VERY WARM WELCOME TO THE 00:42 MEMBERS AND THOSE WHO ARE VISITING WITH US 00:44 HERE THIS MORNING. WE'RE GLAD THAT YOU'VE CHOSEN TO 00:46 JOIN US - EVEN THOUGH IT'S COLD AND RAINY OUTSIDE, WE HAVE A 00:49 WARM PLACE WHERE WE CAN GATHER TOGETHER AND STUDY GOD'S WORD. 00:53 NOW, WE'VE BEEN STUDYING THROUGH THE BOOK OF JOB AND TODAY WE 00:56 FIND OURSELVES ON LESSON #6, WHICH IS ENTITLED THE CURSE 01:00 CAUSELESS - LESSON #6 - AND FOR OUR FRIENDS WHO ARE JOINING US, 01:04 IF YOU DON'T HAVE A COPY OF OUR LESSON, YOU CAN GO TO THE 01:07 AMAZING FACTS WEBSITE - JUST AMAZINGFACTS.ORG - AND YOU CAN 01:11 DOWNLOAD LESSON #6 AND STUDY RIGHT ALONG WITH US. 01:15 WE ALSO HAVE A FREE OFFER THAT GOES ALONG WITH OUR STUDY TODAY 01:18 - A DVD - A POSITIVE SIDE OF SUFFERING - AND WE'LL BE HAPPY 01:22 TO SEND THIS TO ANYBODY WHO CALLS AND ASKS. THE PHONE NUMBER 01:25 TO CALL IS 866-788-3966 AND YOU CAN ASK FOR OFFER #819. 01:33 THAT NUMBER AGAIN IS 866-788-3966 - ASK FOR THE DVD 01:39 ENTITLED A POSITIVE SIDE OF SUFFERING - AND WE'LL BE HAPPY 01:42 TO SEND THAT TO ANYBODY HERE IN NORTH AMERICA. 01:45 WELL, BEFORE WE GET TO OUR STUDY, AS USUAL, WE'D LIKE TO 01:48 BEGIN BY LIFTING OUR VOICES IN PRAISE. 01:50 I'D LIKE TO ASK THE SONG LEADERS TO COME AND JOIN ME HERE ON 01:52 STAGE, AND THEY WILL LEAD US IN SOME MUSICAL ITEMS. 01:57 >>THANK YOU, PASTOR ROSS. WE LOVE TO SING TOGETHER BEFORE 02:00 WE GET INTO GOD'S WORD, SO I INVITE YOU - THOSE THAT ARE AT 02:04 HOME - TO PULL OUT YOUR HYMNALS AND RIGHT HERE, WE'RE GOING TO 02:07 SING SOME OF OUR FAVORITES THIS WEEK - O HOW I LOVE JESUS - I 02:11 PRAY THAT THAT IS THE SONG THAT IT RINGS IN YOUR HEART EVERY 02:14 SINGLE MINUTE OF EVERY SINGLE DAY UNTIL WE SEE HIM AGAIN. 02:18 HYMN #248 - O HOW I LOVE JESUS - WE'LL SING ALL THREE VERSES. 02:23 (PIANO MUSIC) >>THERE IS A NAME I LOVE TO HEAR, I LOVE TO SING 02:38 ITS WORTH; IT SOUNDS LIKE MUSIC IN MY EARS, THE SWEETEST NAME ON 02:46 EARTH. O HOW I LOVE JESUS, O HOW I 02:54 LOVE JESUS, O HOW I LOVE JESUS, BECAUSE HE FIRST LOVED ME. 03:05 IT TELLS ME OF A SAVIOR'S LOVE, WHO DIED TO SET ME FREE; IT 03:13 TELLS ME OF HIS PRECIOUS BLOOD, THE SINNER'S PERFECT PLEA. 03:21 O HOW I LOVE JESUS, O HOW I LOVE JESUS, O HOW I LOVE JESUS, 03:33 BECAUSE HE FIRST LOVED ME. IT TELLS OF ONE WHOSE LOVING 03:41 HEART CAN FEEL MY DEEPEST WOE; WHO IN EACH SORROW BEARS A 03:50 PART THAT NONE CAN BEAR BELOW. O HOW I LOVE JESUS, O HOW I 04:01 LOVE JESUS, O HOW I LOVE JESUS, BECAUSE HE FIRST LOVED ME. 04:14 >>YOU KNOW, THAT CHORUS IS ONE OF THE FIRST SONGS OUR CHILDREN 04:17 LEARN IN SABBATH SCHOOL. AS - I WAS JUST THINKING, AS WE 04:21 WERE SINGING THAT, IF WE CAN GET THAT THROUGH, WHETHER IT'S OUR 04:26 CHILDREN'S BRAINS AND HEARTS, OR WHETHER IT'S US AS ADULTS, THAT 04:31 WE CAN TRULY BELIEVE THAT JESUS LOVES US WITH EVERYTHING HE HAS 04:35 AND THAT HE PAID THAT PRICE FOR US TO SAVE EACH ONE OF US 04:38 - TO SAVE ME, PERSONALLY. IT MAKES LIFE JUST SO MUCH 04:43 GRANDER HERE ON EARTH - THAT IT'S SO DARK AND HE IS ABOUT 04:47 TO TAKE US HOME AND I AM SO GRATEFUL THIS MORNING. 04:50 PRAISE HIM! PRAISE HIM! 04:52 - BECAUSE HE LOVES US WE PRAISE HIM. 04:53 HYMN #249 - 1 PAGE OVER - WE'LL SING ALL THREE VERSES. 04:58 (PIANO MUSIC) 05:09 >>PRAISE HIM! PRAISE HIM! JESUS, OUR BLESSED REDEEMER! 05:14 SING, O EARTH, HIS WONDERFUL LOVE PROCLAIM! 05:20 HAIL HIM! HAIL HIM! HIGHEST ARCHANGELS IN GLORY; 05:26 STRENGTH AND HONOR GIVE TO HIS HOLY NAME! LIKE A SHEPHERD, 05:35 JESUS WILL GUARD HIS CHILDREN, IN HIS ARMS HE CARRIES THEM ALL 05:43 DAY LONG: PRAISE HIM! PRAISE HIM! TELL OF HIS EXCELLENT 05:49 GREATNESS. PRAISE HIM! PRAISE HIM! EVER IN JOYFUL SONG! 05:58 PRAISE HIM! PRAISE HIM! JESUS, OUR BLESSED REDEEMER! FOR OUR 06:05 SINS HE SUFFERED, AND BLED, AND DIED. HE OUR ROCK, OUR HOPE OF 06:13 ETERNAL SALVATION, HAIL HIM! HAIL HIM! JESUS THE CRUCIFIED. 06:22 SOUND HIS PRAISES! JESUS WHO BORE OUR SORROWS, LOVE 06:28 UNBOUNDED, WONDERFUL, DEEP AND STRONG. PRAISE HIM! PRAISE HIM! 06:37 TELL OF HIS EXCELLENT GREATNESS. PRAISE HIM! PRAISE HIM! 06:42 EVER IN JOYFUL SONG! PRAISE HIM! PRAISE HIM! 06:49 JESUS, OUR BLESSED REDEEMER! HEAVENLY PORTALS LOUD 06:55 WITH HOSANNAS RING! JESUS, SAVIOR, REIGNETH 07:02 FOREVER AND EVER. CROWN HIM! CROWN HIM! 07:07 PROPHET, AND PRIEST, AND KING! CHRIST IS COMING! 07:14 OVER THE WORLD VICTORIOUS, POWER AND GLORY UNTO THE LORD BELONG. 07:23 PRAISE HIM! PRAISE HIM! TELL OF HIS EXCELLENT GREATNESS. 07:29 PRAISE HIM! PRAISE HIM! EVER IN JOYFUL SONG! 07:39 >>I PRAY THAT YOU ARE PRAISING HIM ALL WEEK LONG. 07:43 AT THIS TIME, PASTOR ROSS WILL LEAD US IN PRAYER. 07:52 >>I INVITE YOU TO BOW YOUR HEADS AS WE OPEN WITH A WORD OF 07:54 PRAYER. DEAR FATHER IN HEAVEN, WHAT A 07:57 PRIVILEGE FOR US TO BE ABLE TO GATHER TOGETHER AND OPEN UP YOUR 07:59 WORD AND STUDY TOGETHER. AND, TODAY, AS WE ALWAYS DO, WE ASK 08:03 FOR THE HOLY SPIRIT TO COME AND GUIDE OUR HEARTS AND OUR MINDS. 08:06 LEAD US INTO A CLEAR UNDERSTANDING OF WHY THERE'S 08:09 PAIN AND SUFFERING IN THE WORLD, AND HELP US, ALSO, TO SEE YOUR 08:12 LOVE AND YOUR PROVIDENCE AND YOUR LEADING IN OUR LIVES, FOR 08:16 WE ASK THIS IN JESUS' NAME, AMEN. 08:19 OUR LESSON THIS MORNING WILL BE BROUGHT TO US BY PASTOR DOUG. 08:26 >>THANK YOU, PASTOR ROSS. MORNING, FRIENDS. 08:29 >>GOOD MORNING. >>FAMILY, COUNTRYMEN, 08:31 LEND ME YOUR EARS. WE'RE GOING TO STUDY OUR 08:35 SABBATH SCHOOL LESSON #6. I WANT TO WELCOME OUR FRIENDS 08:37 THAT ARE WATCHING VIA STREAMING OR YOU'RE WATCHING ON SATELLITE 08:42 OR IT MIGHT EVEN BE DIRECT FREE-TO-AIR TV. WE'RE JUST THRILLED 08:45 THAT THIS BROADCAST IS GOING THROUGH SO MANY MEDIUMS AND WE 08:48 MEET PEOPLE ALL OVER THE WORLD THAT ARE WATCHING. 08:50 LAST WEEK, I WAS IN WASHINGTON, D.C. FOR SOME IMPORTANT 08:55 MEETINGS, BOTH OF OUR CHURCH, AND I MET WITH SOME OTHER 08:58 RELIGIOUS LEADERS IN WASHINGTON AND WAS THERE - THE FRINGES OF 09:01 MATTHEW - THE HURRICANE MATTHEW - CAME BY AND SO IT WAS VERY 09:06 INTERESTING TO WATCH WHAT WAS GOING ON THERE, BUT TRIALS COME 09:12 TO PEOPLE AND A LOT OF PEOPLE SUFFERED AS A RESULT OF THAT 09:15 HURRICANE AND, I DON'T KNOW IF YOU'VE HAD ANY HURRICANES IN 09:17 YOUR LIVES, BUT WE'RE GOING TO BE STUDYING, TODAY, MORE ON THE 09:22 STORY OF JOB - THE BOOK OF JOB - AND TODAY OUR LESSON IS #6, 09:27 WHERE IT TALKS ABOUT THE CURSE CAUSELESS - THE CURSE CAUSELESS 09:32 - AND WE HAVE A MEMORY VERSE. AND THE MEMORY VERSE COMES TO US 09:35 FROM THE BOOK OF JOB CHAPTER 4, VERSE 17 - AND IF YOU WANT TO 09:40 READ IT WITH ME - JOB 4:17 FROM THE NEW KING JAMES 09:43 VERSION - ARE YOU READY? "CAN A MORTAL BE MORE 09:48 RIGHTEOUS THAN GOD? CAN A MAN BE MORE 09:51 PURE THAN HIS MAKER?" THAT QUESTION WILL COME UP AGAIN 09:55 IN THE LESSON, BUT WHAT DO YOU THINK THE ANSWER IS? 10:00 "CAN A MAN BE MORE PURE THAN HIS MAKER?" 10:05 YOU KNOW, YOU CAN GET A BEAUTIFUL WHITE LILY THAT WILL 10:09 COME OUT OF A BLACK SWAMPY POND, AND YOU'LL SEE A FEW CASES IN 10:15 HISTORY WHERE YOU'LL SEE A ROTTEN FATHER AND A ROTTEN 10:19 MOTHER AND, FOR SOME REASON, THEY END UP WITH A GREAT KID. 10:23 IT DOES HAPPEN. AND SOMETIMES YOU HAVE GOOD 10:27 PARENTS THAT COME UP WITH ROTTEN KIDS. 10:29 I MEAN, THAT'S - ADAM AND EVE HAD A MURDERER, RIGHT? 10:35 AND YOU THINK ABOUT HEZEKIAH - GREAT KING - HAD MANASSEH - 10:38 TERRIBLE KING. AND SO, CAN SOMETHING PURE 10:43 COME OUT OF SOMETHING BAD? ONE OF THE NICEST PEOPLE I KNOW 10:48 WAS BORN INTO A FAMILY THAT WAS DYSFUNCTIONAL, ALCOHOLICS, 10:52 ABUSIVE - AND SHE TURNED INTO SUCH A DELIGHTFUL PERSON. 10:56 I JUST THOUGHT, 'HOW CAN THAT BE?' 10:58 IF IT WASN'T FOR THE POWER OF THE GOSPEL, IT WOULDN'T BE. 11:01 BUT, WHEN IT COMES TO GOD, CAN A PERSON BE MORE PURE THAN THEIR 11:05 MAKER? AND THE ANSWER IS 'NO'. SO WE'RE GOING TO BE DELVING 11:09 INTO THE BIG QUESTIONS AND THAT'S SUNDAY'S STUDY 11:13 IN OUR LESSON TODAY. THE BIG QUESTIONS - NOW, UP 11:17 UNTIL THIS POINT IN OUR STUDY OF JOB, WE'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT 11:20 THE STORY, THE BACKGROUND, THE GREAT CONTROVERSY. 11:23 YOU REALIZE, THE FIRST COUPLE OF CHAPTERS OF JOB ARE DEALING WITH 11:28 THE STORY, THE CIRCUMSTANCES, THE TRIALS THAT CAME, AND, IN 11:31 THE LAST CHAPTER OF JOB, IT TALKS ABOUT THE CONSEQUENCES AND 11:35 THE BLESSING AND THE REVERSAL, AND THE RESTORATION. 11:38 BUT, ABOUT EVERYTHING ELSE IN THE OTHER 39 CHAPTERS, IS PROSE 11:44 AND DIALOGUE. AND, I REMEMBER THE FIRST 11:47 TIME I READ THE BOOK OF JOB, FORTY-SOMETHING YEARS AGO, IT 11:52 WAS SO DEEP, BUT IT WAS SO PROFOUND THAT I WAS IN 11:56 AWE OF THESE STATEMENTS. AND, KEEP IN MIND, AS YOU READ 12:00 THIS, YOU ARE READING SOME OF THE THOUGHTS AND INSIGHTS AND 12:03 PHILOSOPHY OF GREAT PEOPLE. YOU KNOW, YOU TALK ABOUT THERE 12:10 ARE RUMORS ABOUT A LAND OF ATLANTIS. 12:14 YOU EVER HEARD THE STORIES OF ATLANTIS? 12:16 THAT'S WHERE THE ATLANTIC OCEAN ACTUALLY GETS ITS NAME - ABOUT A 12:19 RACE OF PEOPLE THAT WERE VERY BRIGHT AND THEY LIVED A LONG 12:22 TIME AND THEY WERE VERY POWERFUL, BUT THEN THEY TURNED 12:25 TO WICKEDNESS AND THE GODS, ACCORDING TO THE GREEK METHOD, 12:30 THE GODS PUNISHED THEM AND THE WHOLE LAND OF ATLANTIS WAS 12:33 SWALLOWED BY A FLOOD. YOU KNOW, THE STORY OF ATLANTIS 12:37 ACTUALLY COMES FROM SOMETHING THAT DID HAPPEN - THE PEOPLE WHO 12:39 LIVED BEFORE THE FLOOD, THEY LIVED A LONG TIME AND 12:43 THEY HAD GREAT INTELLECTS. THEY WERE DESTROYED BY A FLOOD 12:45 BECAUSE OF THEIR WICKEDNESS. SO IT'S ROOTED IN SOME TRUTH. 12:49 AND, EVEN SOME STORIES LIKE PANDORA'S BOX - IS ROOTED IN THE 12:51 STORY OF EVE - THE TREE OF GOOD AND EVIL. 12:54 AND SO, SOME OF THESE LEGENDS ARE ROOTED IN TRUTH, BUT THESE 12:57 PEOPLE, BACK IN THE DAYS OF JOB - IN PRIOR LESSONS, WE'VE 13:01 EXPLAINED, THEY MEASURED THEIR LIVES IN CENTURIES. 13:07 JOB LIVED OVER 200 YEARS. AND IT'S NOT LIKE, YOU KNOW, 13:12 YOU LIVE SIXTY YEARS AND THINGS START TO GET FUZZY, TODAY. 13:18 I THINK IT WAS JAMES DOBSON THAT SAID, 'LIFE ISN'T FAIR - ABOUT 13:21 THE TIME YOUR FACE CLEARS UP, YOUR MIND GETS FUZZY' - TODAY, 13:26 BUT IT DIDN'T USED TO BE LIKE THAT. 13:28 THEIR MINDS WERE CLEAR AND THEY ALMOST HAD - THEY DIDN'T WRITE A 13:31 LOT OF THINGS DOWN BECAUSE THEY HAD VIRTUALLY PHOTOGRAPHIC 13:33 MEMORIES BACK THEN AND THEY'D REHEARSE HISTORY VERBALLY AND - 13:37 ORAL TRADITION, THEY REMEMBERED IT. 13:39 OF COURSE, THEY DIDN'T HAVE - OUR SENSES BOMBARDED BY 13:42 TELEVISION HOURS A DAY, AND ALL THE OTHER MEDIA, AND SO WHEN 13:46 PEOPLE SPOKE, IT REALLY MEANT SOMETHING. AND SO, AS YOU GO 13:49 THROUGH THIS DIALOGUE, IT'S TALKING ABOUT THE GREAT THEMES. 13:53 NOW, I'VE GOT TO ANSWER, BEFORE I DELVE INTO WHAT - WHAT WE'RE 13:59 GOING TO DELVE INTO HERE, I PROBABLY SHOULD SAY SOMETHING. 14:03 YOU'VE GOT THE STATEMENTS OF JOB AND THEN YOU'VE GOT HIS THREE 14:08 FRIENDS - LATER A FOURTH FRIEND APPEARS - AND - AND WE'VE 14:15 IDENTIFIED WHO THESE PEOPLE WERE, I BELIEVE, IN EARLIER 14:17 LESSONS - THAT THEY'RE ALL RELATED TO ESAU AND, DURING THAT 14:20 TIME, OF THE DESCENDENTS OF ESAU, AND SEVERAL OF THEM, YOU 14:24 CAN TRACE BY THEIR NAMES, WHERE THEY LIVED - IT'S THE AREA EAST 14:28 OF ISRAEL - MORE LIKE THE COUNTRY SOUTH OF WHERE YOU'D SAY 14:33 'EDOM', WHICH IS - IF YOU PICTURE YOUR MAP OF ISRAEL AND 14:36 YOU CAN SEE THE DEAD SEA, IF YOU GO SOUTHEAST OF THE DEAD SEA, 14:42 THAT WAS A BIG, VAST TERRITORY; IT WASN'T LIKE IT IS TODAY. 14:47 NOW IT IS A - JUST A - ALMOST A USELESS DESERT - 14:51 A VERY BARREN COUNTRY - BUT THERE HAS BEEN A 14:54 CHANGE IN THE CLIMATE OF THE WORLD. 14:57 WE KNOW WE'VE FOUND PETROGLYPHS IN NORTHERN AFRICA THAT SHOW 15:01 THAT THERE WERE, IN THE DESERTS THERE - THERE THEY HAVE 15:06 ENGRAVINGS OF CROCODILES AND GIRAFFE AND SAVANNAH ANIMALS, 15:10 AND IT WAS LUSH AND IT WAS GREAT PASTURE LAND. 15:13 BUT THE CLIMATE CHANGED AND IT TURNED INTO DESERT AND SO, BACK 15:18 WHEN JOB AND HIS FRIENDS WERE LIVING IN THAT AREA - LOOK AT 15:21 ALL THE FLOCKS OF SHEEP AND THE DONKEYS JOB HAD - GREAT 15:24 PASTURELAND - AND THERE WAS MORE WATER AND MORE RAIN - AND THEY 15:27 FARMED. THERE'S ALLUSIONS TO FARMING - 15:29 AND SO, JUST GIVING YOU SOME OF THE BACKGROUND - SO JOB'S 15:33 FRIENDS, THEY SAY SOME THINGS THAT ARE NOT CORRECT. 15:38 DOES THAT MEAN THAT PART OF THE BOOK OF JOB - ALMOST FIFTY 15:43 PERCENT - IS THE RESPONSES OF HIS FRIENDS - THEY SAY 15:46 SOMETHING, HE SAYS SOMETHING - THEY SAY SOMETHING, HE SAYS 15:48 SOMETHING - DOES THAT MEAN THAT THOSE CHAPTERS WHERE JOB AND HIS 15:52 THREE FRIENDS ARE TALKING ARE NOT INSPIRED? 15:56 >>NO. >>HOW DO YOU GET AROUND THAT? 15:59 GOD SAYS, AT THE END OF THE BOOK OF JOB, 'JOB, YOU'RE GOING TO 16:04 PRAY AND OFFER SACRIFICE FOR YOUR FRIENDS BECAUSE THEY DID 16:07 NOT SAY THAT WHICH WAS RIGHT CONCERNING ME.' BUT THAT DOESN'T 16:11 MEAN WHAT THEY SAID WAS NOT INSPIRED. 16:13 I'LL PUT TO YOU THAT I THINK WHAT THEY SAID WAS INSPIRED AND 16:18 IT WAS TRUE - GENERALLY SPEAKING. 16:21 NOW, WHAT I MEAN BY THAT IS THEY WERE TALKING ABOUT WHEN BAD 16:25 THINGS HAPPEN TO BAD PEOPLE BECAUSE THEY DO BAD. 16:28 THAT IS A BASIC TRUTH IN LIFE. WHAT THEY DID NOT KNOW IS THAT 16:32 JOB WAS AN UNUSUAL EXCEPTION BECAUSE OF A COSMIC BATTLE. 16:36 GENERALLY SPEAKING, WHAT THEY SAID IS TRUE. 16:38 AND WE'RE GOING TO DELVE INTO SOME OF THAT HERE AS WE GET INTO 16:40 THE LESSON. SO, ALL OF JOB IS INSPIRED, IS WHAT I'M SAYING. 16:45 THE PRINCIPLES THAT EVEN HIS FRIENDS SHARE - THESE ARE GREAT 16:48 MEN. THESE ARE LEADERS OF TRIBES. 16:49 THEY WERE GODLY MEN. THEY WORSHIPED JEHOVAH. 16:52 THEY WERE ALL RELATED TO ABRAHAM. 16:55 WHAT THEY SAY IS TRUE AND INSPIRED, BUT NOT FOR JOB. 17:00 THEY SAID IT TO THE WRONG PERSON. 17:02 IT WOULD HAVE BEEN TRUE IN GENERAL PRINCIPLES OF LIFE. 17:05 IS THAT MAKING SENSE? 17:06 ALRIGHT, SO IT DELVES WITH SOME OF THE BIG QUESTIONS AND 17:10 THE FIRST SECTION ON THE BIG QUESTIONS - JOB 23:10 - NO 17:15 MATTER WHAT HAPPENS IN LIFE, WE'VE GOT TO REMEMBER THAT GOD'S 17:19 IN CHARGE AND, EVEN IF WE DON'T UNDERSTAND OR IT DOESN'T MAKE 17:21 SENSE, IT SAYS, "BUT HE KNOWS THE WAY THAT I TAKE; WHEN HE HAS 17:26 TESTED ME, I SHALL COME FORTH AS GOLD." 17:30 GOOD THINGS HAPPEN TO BAD PEOPLE AND BAD THINGS HAPPEN TO GOOD 17:34 PEOPLE AND SOMETIMES, WHEN BAD THINGS HAPPEN TO GOOD PEOPLE, 17:38 IT'S BECAUSE GOD IS ALLOWING US TO BE TRIED. 17:42 JESUS WAS GOOD, BUT WAS HE TEMPTED? 17:46 JESUS SUFFERED ON THE CROSS - WAS IT FOR HIS SINS? 17:52 IT WAS FOR OUR SINS. AND SO, BAD THINGS HAPPENED TO 17:54 JESUS EVEN THOUGH HE WAS A GOOD PERSON. 17:57 SO, WHEN YOU GO THROUGH A TRIAL AND YOU THINK, 'LORD, WHAT DID I 18:01 DO TO DESERVE THIS?' I'LL NOT GIVE YOU MY LIST - I'VE 18:04 GOT A LITTLE LIST OF THINGS I THINK, 'OH MAN, WHY 18:06 DID THAT HAPPEN TO ME? WHAT DID I DO?' 18:08 HAVE YOU EVER ASKED THAT? 'WHAT DID I DO?' 18:10 BECAUSE YOU ALWAYS THINK CAUSE TO EFFECT - 'I DID SOMETHING AND 18:13 A BAD THING HAPPENED.' I REMEMBER MY GRANDMOTHER TOLD ME 18:15 - SHE WAS JEWISH AND SHE BELIEVED IN GOD, UNLIKE MY 18:19 MOTHER AND FATHER, AND SHE WOULD SAY, 'GOD IS GOING TO 18:24 PUNISH YOU.' SHE'D SHAKE HER FINGER AND SAY, 'GOD'S GOING TO 18:27 PUNISH YOU IF YOU DO THAT.' AND SHE TAUGHT ME THAT THERE WAS A 18:31 GOD AND THERE WAS A JUDGMENT AND THAT YOU - THERE'D BE 18:33 CONSEQUENCES, NOT JUST WHEN YOU DIED, BUT THERE'D BE 18:36 CONSEQUENCES WHEN YOU'RE ALIVE. AND SO, WE'RE TEMPTED TO THINK, 18:40 YOU KNOW, IF YOU DRINK AND YOU DRIVE AND YOU HAVE AN 18:43 ACCIDENT - CAUSE TO EFFECT. IF YOU'RE RUDE TO EVERYBODY, 18:49 FOLKS MAY NOT BE NICE TO YOU. IT'S KIND OF CAUSE TO EFFECT. 18:55 IF YOU'RE A THIEF, THEN YOUR SUBSTANCE MAY NOT BE BLESSED - 19:01 BAD THINGS MAY HAPPEN TO YOU. AND YOU ALWAYS THINK, WHEN 19:06 SOMETHING HAPPENS, 'WHAT DID I DO?' 19:08 KING UZZIAH DISOBEYED GOD, HE GOT LEPROSY. 19:13 KING AHAZIAH DISOBEYED GOD, HE GOT GOUT. 19:16 IT SAID HE HAD DISEASE IN HIS FEET - THEY DON'T KNOW WHAT IT 19:18 WAS - IT MIGHT HAVE BEEN GOUT, BUT HE SUFFERED WITH IT. 19:21 AND SO YOU THINK, 'IF I GET A DISEASE - IF I GET SICK - WHAT 19:24 DID I DO WRONG?' NOW, HOW MANY OF YOU KNOW PEOPLE 19:29 THAT ARE VERY CAREFUL WITH THEIR HEALTH, WITH EXERCISE, THEIR 19:33 BODY - THEY'RE GOOD PEOPLE - AND THEY GET SICK. 19:37 HAVE YOU KNOWN PEOPLE THAT NEVER SMOKED AND THEY GOT LUNG CANCER? 19:41 IT HAPPENS. IT'S NOT OFTEN, BUT IT DOES HAPPEN. 19:44 AND YOU SAY, 'WHY?' SO ALL THESE QUESTIONS 19:47 ARE BEING ASKED. LET ME ASK YOU ANOTHER QUESTION. 19:50 I'M JUST TRYING TO GET YOU TO THINK. 19:51 IS - THE BOOK OF JOB IS DEALING WITH THESE BIG QUESTIONS. 19:57 IF SOMETHING BAD HAPPENS, IS IT GOD'S WILL? 20:02 IF SOMETHING BAD HAPPENS TO YOU - IS EVERYTHING THAT HAPPENS 20:07 GOD'S WILL? LET ME JUST ASK IT THAT WAY? 20:09 >>NO. >>NO. 20:13 BUT CAN GOD WORK THINGS TOGETHER FOR GOOD, EVEN THOUGH 20:18 SOMETHING, INITIALLY, WAS NOT HIS WILL? 20:20 >>YES. >>WAS IT JESUS' WILL THAT 20:24 JUDAS SHOULD BETRAY HIM? >>NO. 20:28 >>DID JESUS FORETELL HE WOULD? >>YES. 20:31 >>DOES THAT MEAN IT WAS GOD'S WILL? 20:32 >>NO. >>DIDN'T GOD NEED SOMEONE TO BE 20:34 THE FALL GUY - TO BETRAY HIM? I MEAN, THE PROPHECY SAID, YOU 20:40 KNOW, 'MY FRIENDS BETRAYED ME AND SOLD ME FOR 30 PIECES OF 20:42 SILVER.' AND SO, IT MUST HAVE BEEN GOD'S WILL. 20:44 HE SAID, 'LOOK, I NEED SOMEBODY TO BE THE FALL GUY, SO, TURN IN 20:46 MY SON SO HE CAN DIE FOR YOUR SINS, SO, OH, LET ME SEE, EENIE, 20:50 MEENIE, MINEY MOE - HOW ABOUT JUDAS? 20:51 SORRY JUDAS, YOU CAN'T MAKE IT. YOU'VE GOT TO BE THE BAD GUY 20:53 IN THIS COSMIC STORY THAT I'M DEVELOPING.' WHAT DO YOU THINK? 21:00 >>NO (INAUDIBLE). >>I DON'T THINK 21:02 IT WAS GOD' WILL. JESUS WAS DESPERATE 21:04 FOR JUDAS TO REPENT. HE KNEW WHAT WOULD HAPPEN 21:07 BECAUSE HE KNOWS ALL THINGS. IT DOESN'T MEAN IT'S HIS WILL. 21:09 IN THE LORD'S PRAYER, WHEN YOU SAY, 'THY WILL BE DONE', WHY ARE 21:13 YOU PRAYING THAT IF EVERYTHING IS GOING TO BE GOD'S WILL? 21:18 LATER TODAY WE'RE GOING TO BE TALKING ABOUT ISLAM AND 21:21 CHRISTIANITY IN PROPHECY, BEGINNING A SERIES, AND YOU'VE 21:26 MAYBE HEARD MUSLIMS SAY, 'IT MUST BE THE WILL OF GOD.' 21:29 WHATEVER HAPPENS THEY SAYS, 'IT MUST BE THE WILL OF ALLAH.' 21:32 HAVE YOU HEARD THAT BEFORE? THAT'S NOT TRUE. 21:38 GOD IS NOT WILLING THAT ANY SHOULD PERISH - THAT'S WHAT THE 21:40 BIBLE SAYS - GOD IS NOT WILLING THAT ANY SHOULD PERISH. 21:42 BUT WILL MANY PERISH? WILL IT BE THE MINORITY OR 21:45 THE MAJORITY THAT PERISH? >>THE MAJORITY. 21:48 >>BROAD IS THE WAY THAT LEADS TO DESTRUCTION. 21:50 IT'S NOT GOD'S WILL. AND SO, WHAT YOU HAVE HAPPENING 21:52 IN THE WORLD TODAY IS A LOT OF THINGS THAT ARE NOT GOD'S WILL. 21:58 WHEN YOU SUFFER, IS IT ALWAYS GOD'S WILL? 22:01 >>NO. >>NO, BUT CAN HE 22:03 WORK IT FOR GOOD? >>YES. 22:05 >>THAT'S THE QUESTION THAT - WHEN THOSE - WAS IT GOD'S WILL 22:08 THAT JOSEPH'S BROTHERS SOLD HIM? >>NO. 22:14 >>DIDN'T JOSEPH SAY, 'GOD HAS WORKED THIS FOR GOOD'? 22:16 >>YES. >>THAT HE MIGHT SAVE MUCH LIFE. 22:19 BUT GOD DIDN'T WANT HIS BROTHERS TO DO SOMETHING BAD SO HE COULD 22:22 ACCOMPLISH HIS WILL. GOD TOOK WHAT THEY DID AND MADE 22:26 GOOD OUT OF IT THAT MUCH LIFE SHOULD BE SAVED. 22:29 YOU SEE THE DIFFERENCE? BUT IT'S NEVER GOD'S WILL. 22:32 GOD DOES NOT TEMPT ANYONE EVIL. 22:34 GOD IS GOOD; HE CAN'T DO BAD BECAUSE HE IS PERFECTLY GOOD. 22:39 ALRIGHT, WELL, WE'RE GOING TO LOOK IN - I'M GOING TO HAVE 22:41 SOMEONE LOOK UP FOR ME, JOB 5, VERSES 17 AND 18 - YOU HAVE 22:45 THAT, HAFDIS? AND I'M GOING TO READ PSALM 119 22:48 - THIS IS THE LONGEST CHAPTER IN THE BIBLE. 22:49 I WON'T READ THE WHOLE CHAPTER, BUT THERE'S A SECTION HERE THAT 22:52 TALKS ABOUT, KIND OF, CAUSE AND EFFECT. 22:55 PSALM 119, VERSE 65 - THIS IS IN YOUR LESSON - "YOU HAVE DEALT 23:00 WELL WITH YOUR SERVANT, O LORD, ACCORDING TO YOUR WORD. 23:03 TEACH ME GOOD JUDGMENT AND KNOWLEDGE, FOR I BELIEVE YOUR 23:06 COMMANDMENTS. BEFORE I WAS AFFLICTED I WENT 23:09 ASTRAY, BUT NOW I KEEP YOUR WORD. 23:12 YOU ARE GOOD, AND DO GOOD;" - SEE, IT'S SAYING GOD IS GOOD AND 23:15 HE DOES GOOD - 'I WAS AFFLICTED BECAUSE I WENT ASTRAY' - SEE THE 23:18 CAUSE AND EFFECT HAPPENING HERE? "TEACH ME YOUR STATUTES. 23:21 THE PROUD HAVE FORGED A LIE AGAINST ME, BUT I WILL KEEP YOUR 23:25 PRECEPTS WITH MY WHOLE HEART. THEIR HEART IS AS FAT AS GREASE, 23:28 BUT I DELIGHT IN YOUR LAW. IT IS GOOD FOR ME THAT I HAVE 23:31 BEEN AFFLICTED, THAT I MIGHT LEARN YOUR STATUTES." 23:34 SEE HOW GOD SOMETIMES ALLOWS AFFLICTION THAT WE MIGHT LEARN 23:38 SOMETHING? SO WHEN YOU'RE GOING THROUGH A 23:40 TRIAL - I DON'T KNOW ABOUT YOU, BUT I'VE PRAYED BEFORE, 'LORD, 23:44 WHATEVER IT IS YOU WANT ME TO LEARN, HELP ME LEARN IT QUICKLY 23:46 SO I DON'T EVER HAVE TO GO THROUGH THIS CLASS AGAIN.' AMEN? 23:50 >>AMEN. >>WHAT IT IS - HELP ME LEARN IT. 23:54 IT IS GOOD THAT I WAS AFFLICTED - "THAT I MIGHT LEARN YOUR 23:57 STATUTES. THE LAW OF YOUR MOUTH IS BETTER 24:00 TO ME THAN THOUSANDS OF COINS OF GOLD AND SILVER." 24:03 AND HERE YOU SEE THERE'S A CONNECTION BETWEEN AFFLICTION 24:05 AND GOLD AND SILVER, WHICH REMINDS ME OF 1 PETER 1:6 - 24:11 1 PETER 1:6 AND 7, FOR "IN THIS YOU GREATLY REJOICE, THOUGH NOW 24:16 FOR A LITTLE WHILE, IF NEED BE, YOU HAVE BEEN GRIEVED BY VARIOUS 24:20 TRIALS," - DOES JESUS SAY SOMETHING ABOUT REJOICE WHEN YOU 24:24 ARE PERSECUTED FOR RIGHTEOUSNESS SAKE? 24:27 AND HERE PETER'S SAYING YOU CAN REJOICE EVEN IN YOUR TRIALS - 24:31 "THAT THE GENUINENESS OF YOUR FAITH, BEING MUCH MORE PRECIOUS 24:34 THAN GOLD THAT PERISHES, THOUGH IT IS TESTED BY FIRE, MAY BE 24:39 FOUND TO PRAISE, HONOR, AND GLORY AT THE REVELATION OF JESUS 24:43 CHRIST". AND SO, WHEN YOU'RE GOING 24:46 THROUGH TRIALS, HAVE YOU EVER LOOKED UPON IT WITH EXCITEMENT 24:49 SAYING, 'OH LORD, YOU'RE DOING THIS BECAUSE YOU LOVE ME AND 24:54 YOU'RE GETTING ME READY FOR HEAVEN. 24:55 THIS IS WONDERFUL'? IT'S KIND OF HARD TO HAVE THAT 24:58 ATTITUDE, BUT THIS IS WHAT PETER IS SAYING. 25:00 ALRIGHT, GO AHEAD, PLEASE, READ FOR US JOB 5:17. 25:03 >>"BEHOLD, HAPPY IS THE MAN WHOM GOD CORRECTS; THEREFORE DO NOT 25:09 DESPISE THE CHASTENING OF THE ALMIGHTY. 25:12 FOR HE BRUISES, BUT HE BINDS UP; HE WOUNDS, BUT HIS HANDS MAKE 25:18 WHOLE." >>HAPPY IS THE MAN - NOW, WHAT 25:20 BOOK DID YOU READ THAT FROM? >>JOB. 25:23 >>AND THIS IS EVEN JOB - HAPPY IS THE MAN THAT GOD CORRECTS. 25:28 AND THIS IS GOOD - IT SAYS, 'HE BRUISES BUT HE BINDS UP. 25:33 HE WOUNDS BUT HIS HANDS MAKE WHOLE.' YOU EVER SEE A CHILD 25:37 THAT REJOICES WHEN THEIR PARENTS DISCIPLINE THEM? 25:41 YOU KNOW, WE OFTEN FORGET, BUT IT'S GOOD WHEN YOU HAVE YOUNG 25:45 CHILDREN, IF YOU NEED TO DISCIPLINE THEM - I REMEMBER 25:48 ONCE, MY FATHER SAID, 'THIS IS GOING TO HURT ME MORE THAN IT 25:50 HURTS YOU.' AND I NEVER COULD UNDERSTAND THAT. 25:52 (LAUGHTER) BUT, I MEAN, I DO NOW, BUT I DIDN'T THEN, BUT SIT 25:57 YOUR CHILDREN DOWN AND SAY, 'YOU KNOW WHAT? 25:58 I'M DOING THIS BECAUSE I LOVE YOU, SO YOU CAN LIVE - IT'S FOR 26:03 YOUR GOOD.' AND IF THE KID KEEPS RUNNING OUT IN THE STREET, AND 26:06 YOU'VE GOT TO PADDLE THEM OR WHATEVER SO YOU CAN SAVE THEIR 26:08 LIFE, THEN THAT'S A GOOD THING. 26:12 I REMEMBER ONE TIME, ONE OF MY KIDS - I WON'T NAME WHICH ONE - 26:16 AFTER THEY GOT A CAR, GOT INTO A LITTLE FENDER BENDER. 26:19 THEY WERE OKAY - IT BENT THE FENDER - AND I WAS THANKFUL. 26:25 I MEAN, I WASN'T THANKFUL FOR THE DAMAGE, I WAS THANKFUL THAT 26:30 IT WOULD PUT THE FEAR IN THEM TO BE CAREFUL AND REALIZE THAT YOUR 26:36 CAR IS VULNERABLE AND THAT YOU HAVE TO BE CAREFUL OR YOU CAN 26:42 NOT ONLY DAMAGE THE CAR, YOU CAN DAMAGE YOURSELF. 26:44 YOU'RE ALMOST HAPPY WHEN THEY HAVE A LITTLE ACCIDENT AND THEY 26:47 LEARN ABOUT GRAVITY SO THEY AVOID THE BIG ACCIDENT, YOU KNOW 26:51 WHAT I MEAN? AND THAT'S KIND OF WHAT THE 26:53 PURPOSE OF DISCIPLINE IS. GOD IS TRYING TO SAVE US FROM 26:55 THE BIG ACCIDENT, WHICH IS WAKING UP TO FIND OUT, IN THE 26:58 SECOND RESURRECTION, THAT YOU'RE LOST FOREVER BECAUSE THERE'S 27:01 NO RECOVERY FROM THAT. OKAY, NOW WE GET INTO THE 27:07 BIG - SOME OF THESE OTHER BIG QUESTIONS. 27:10 WHEN HAVE THE INNOCENT PERISHED? IS THE HEADING WE'RE LOOKING 27:13 AT RIGHT NOW - WHEN HAVE THE INNOCENT PERISHED? 27:16 WELL, THAT'S A RHETORICAL QUESTION. 27:18 SOMEONE IS GOING TO READ FOR ME, IN A MOMENT, JOB 4:7 - I'LL READ 27:23 JOB 2:11, "NOW WHEN JOB'S THREE FRIENDS HEARD ALL OF THIS 27:27 ADVERSITY THAT HAD COME UPON HIM, EACH ONE CAME FROM HIS OWN 27:31 PLACE - ELIPHAZ THE TEMANITE, BILDAD THE SHUHITE, AND ZOPHAR 27:35 THE NAAMATHITE. FOR THEY HAD MADE AN APPOINTMENT 27:37 TOGETHER TO COME AND MOURN WITH HIM, AND TO COMFORT HIM. 27:40 AND WHEN THEY RAISED THEIR EYES FROM AFAR, AND DID NOT RECOGNIZE 27:44 HIM, THEY LIFTED THEIR VOICES AND WEPT; AND EACH ONE TORE HIS 27:50 ROBE AND SPRINKLED DUST ON HIS HEAD" - NOW REMEMBER, JOB HAD 27:53 DONE THAT TOO, SO THEY'RE COMMISERATING WITH HIM. 27:57 THE BIBLE SAYS, 'MOURN WITH THOSE THAT MOURN, WEEP WITH 27:59 THOSE THAT WEEP, REJOICE WITH THOSE THAT REJOICE' - AND HERE 28:02 THEY'RE MOURNING WITH THOSE THAT ARE MOURNING. 28:06 THERE'S A VERSE IN PROVERBS, IT SAYS, 'IT'S NOT A GOOD THING 28:12 WHEN YOU SING TO SOMEONE WHO HAS A HEAVY HEART' - "SO THEY SAT 28:18 DOWN WITH HIM ON THE GROUND SEVEN DAYS AND SEVEN NIGHTS, AND 28:21 NO ONE SPOKE A WORD TO HIM, FOR THEY SAW THAT HIS GRIEF WAS VERY 28:26 GREAT." NOT JUST GREAT, BUT VERY GREAT 28:28 - GREAT - HE'S LOST EVERYTHING, HE'S LOST HIS CHILDREN, WHICH 28:33 WERE SO PRECIOUS - HE HAD BEEN SACRIFICING FOR THEM EVERY DAY 28:37 AND NOW HE'S LOST HIS HEALTH AND HE'S IN AGONY. I MEAN, HE'S JUST 28:41 BEEN LAID VERY LOW. HIS GRIEF IS VERY GREAT. 28:44 AND SO, THEY DON'T KNOW WHAT TO SAY. 28:46 THEY DON'T SAY ANYTHING. THEY JUST MOURN WITH HIM. 28:48 HOW LONG DID THEY MOURN? >>SEVEN DAYS. 28:50 >>IT'D BE HARD TO KEEP QUIET FOR SEVEN DAYS. 28:52 IF YOU GO TO A HOSPITAL ROOM AND YOU SEE A FRIEND SUFFERING, 28:55 DON'T YOU WANT TO SAY SOMETHING TO TRY TO COMFORT THEM? 28:58 BUT, YOU KNOW, SOMETIMES THERE'S NOTHING YOU CAN SAY. 29:01 SOMETIMES, IF YOU'VE GOT A FRIEND - BROTHER OR SISTER - 29:04 THAT'S REALLY SUFFERING, THE BEST THING YOU CAN DO IS JUST BE 29:05 THERE AND LET THEM KNOW THEY'RE NOT ALONE AND LET THEM KNOW YOU 29:09 CARE AND SORT OF TRY TO DIVIDE THEIR BURDEN BY BEARING IT WITH 29:14 THEM. THAT'S WHY THEY TORE THEIR CLOTHES AND THEY THREW DUST ON 29:19 THEIR HEADS AND THEY SAT DOWN WHERE HE SAT, WHICH WASN'T A 29:22 VERY PLEASANT PLACE. YOU REMEMBER WHERE HE SAT? 29:24 THE CITY DUMP. SO THEY SAT WITH HIM AND THEY 29:27 COMMISERATED WITH HIM AND THEY SHARED HIS SUFFERING AND - BUT 29:30 AS THOSE SEVEN DAYS GO BY - AND I JUST WANT TO PAUSE HERE AND - 29:34 CAN YOU THINK OF SOMEWHERE ELSE IN THE BIBLE - SOMEONE THAT 29:36 MOURNED FOR SEVEN DAYS? >>DAVID. 29:40 >>YEAH. I DON'T KNOW WHO SAID IT. 29:41 REMEMBER WHEN DAVID SINNED WITH BATHSHEBA AND THE CHILD - THE 29:45 PRODUCT OF THAT RELATIONSHIP BECAME SICK? 29:49 DAVID WENT IN BEFORE THE LORD AND HE FELL ON HIS FACE AND HE 29:51 FASTED FOR SEVEN DAYS, PRAYING FOR THE CHILD. 29:57 YOU EVER PRAY FOR SEVEN DAYS? THE BIBLE SAYS JESUS PRAYED ALL 30:02 NIGHT LONG AND I CAN HONESTLY ONLY THINK OF ONE TIME I SPENT A 30:07 NIGHT WITH A FRIEND JUST PRAYING AND STUDYING - SPENT THE WHOLE 30:11 NIGHT - WE, I DON'T KNOW, WE PROBABLY WENT TO SLEEP ABOUT 30:13 SIX, BUT JUST STAYED UP ALL NIGHT PRAYING. 30:17 HERE THEY SAT WITH THEIR FRIEND SEVEN DAYS - AND THESE ARE 30:21 WEALTHY IMPORTANT MEN. THEY'RE LEADERS OF THEIR OWN 30:23 TRIBES - GREAT MEN - TO SHARE HIS SUFFERING. 30:28 BUT, DURING THAT SEVEN DAYS, THEY'RE WATCHING JOB GROAN IN 30:33 AGONY AND SCRAPE HIS BOILS - THAT'S NOT VERY PLEASANT, BUT 30:36 THAT'S WHAT IT SAYS - THEY'RE THINKING, 'WHY IS ALL THIS 30:41 HAPPENING TO JOB?' I MEAN, EVERYONE 30:43 WANTS TO KNOW WHY. WE ALL WANT ANSWERS. 30:45 GOD MADE US RATIONAL BEINGS. HE SAYS, 'COME, LET US REASON 30:47 TOGETHER.' THEY'RE TRYING TO FIGURE IT OUT. 30:51 AND, IN THEIR MINDS, THEY'RE BEGINNING TO THINK, 'YOU KNOW, 30:55 HE ALWAYS SEEMED LIKE SUCH A NICE GUY, BUT ANYBODY SUFFERING 30:58 LIKE THIS, WHY WOULD GOD ALLOW THIS?' 31:01 YOU KNOW, WHEN PEOPLE SEE SUFFERING, THEY ALWAYS WONDER, 31:03 'IF THERE IS A GOD AND HE IS LOVE, WHY DOES HE LET THE 31:07 INNOCENT SUFFER? WHY DO CHILDREN SUFFER? 31:10 WHY ARE THEY BORN WITH DEFORMITIES AND ILLNESS AND, IF 31:15 GOD IS GOOD' - AND THERE'S ALL THESE QUESTIONS WE'RE TRYING TO 31:17 RATIONALIZE. WE'RE TRYING TO MAKE SENSE OF IT, RIGHT? 31:20 SO, WHILE THEY'RE WATCHING JOB SUFFER, THEY BEGIN TO PONDER IN 31:23 THEIR HEARTS, 'MAYBE HE WASN'T AS GOOD AS WE THOUGHT. 31:27 THERE MUST BE SOMETHING GOING ON. 31:28 WHY WOULD A GOOD GOD LET A GOOD MAN EXPERIENCE SO MUCH BAD?' 31:35 AND SO, FINALLY, AFTER SEVEN DAYS OF THINKING THESE THOUGHTS 31:38 AND WATCHING HIM SUFFER, THEY'RE BEGINNING TO WONDER, 'WELL, 31:43 MAYBE THERE'S MORE TO THE STORY THAT WE DON'T KNOW.' AND THEY 31:46 SORT OF TURN ON THEIR FRIEND. THEY SAID, 'OH JOB, WHY DON'T 31:50 YOU 'FESS UP BEFORE YOU DIE, YOU KNOW? YOU DON'T WANT TO GO TO 31:54 YOUR GRAVE HIDING THE SECRET SIN THAT BROUGHT ON ALL THIS 31:56 CALAMITY. WHAT IS IT? THERE MUST BE SOMETHING.' 31:59 AND SO THIS IS WHERE - THIS IS WHAT'S HAPPENING IN THE THINKING 32:02 AND YOU - THAT BEARS ITSELF OUT AS YOU BEGIN TO READ IT. 32:05 SO YOU READ HERE, WHEN THEY SAW THAT, NO ONE COULD SPEAK A WORD. 32:11 THEY SAW HIS GRIEF WAS VERY GREAT. 32:12 GO AHEAD, READ FOR US, PLEASE, JOB 4:7. 32:15 >>"REMEMBER NOW, WHO EVER PERISHED BEING INNOCENT? 32:19 OR WHERE WERE THE UPRIGHT EVER CUT OFF?" 32:23 >>YEAH, NOW ELIPHAZ BEGINS TO TALK AND HE SAYS, 'IF YOU'RE 32:28 INNOCENT, YOU DON'T PERISH.' HE'S NOT TALKING ABOUT DYING THE 32:31 DEATH THAT ALL MEN DIE, HE'S TALKING ABOUT PERISH EARLY. 32:34 IT'S LIKE WHEN EZEKIEL SAYS, 'IF YOU TURN FROM YOUR SIN YOU'LL 32:36 SURELY LIVE; IF YOU DON'T, YOU'LL DIE.' WELL, EVERYONE DIES 32:38 EVENTUALLY. HE'S TALKING ABOUT PREMATURELY. 32:41 IT'S LIKE DAVID SAID, 'I WAS YOUNG AND NOW I'M OLD AND I'VE 32:44 NEVER SEEN THE RIGHTEOUS FORSAKEN OR HIS SEED BEGGING 32:47 BREAD. WELL, DAVID, AGAIN, IS SPEAKING IN GENERAL TERMS. 32:52 HAVE WE NEVER HEARD OF ANY RIGHTEOUS PEOPLE BEING HUNGRY? 32:58 SO IT'S NOT AN ABSOLUTELY RULE, IT'S A GENERAL PRINCIPLE THERE. 33:04 AND THEN, AND THIS IS - THIS IS LIKE - THIS WAS BASED UPON THE 33:08 TITLE OF OUR LESSON: THE CURSE CAUSELESS - PROVERBS 26:2, 33:12 WRITTEN BY SOLOMON, "LIKE A FLITTING SPARROW, LIKE A FLYING 33:16 SWALLOW, SO A CURSE WITHOUT CAUSE SHALL NOT ALIGHT." 33:20 THE CURSE DOES NOT COME WITHOUT A CAUSE. 33:24 AND SO, WHEN THEY SEE JOB THAT LOOKS LIKE HE'S UNDER A CURSE, 33:26 THEY'RE SAYING, 'WHAT IS THE CAUSE?' 33:29 SO I GUESS I'M KIND OF SPEAKING UP IN DEFENSE OF JOB'S THREE 33:32 FRIENDS - DON'T MISUNDERSTAND THAT - JUST THAT THEY WERE 33:37 SAYING WHAT WAS THE CONVENTIONAL THINKING THAT - GOD BLESSES THE 33:42 GOOD AND CURSES HAPPEN TO THE BAD. 33:45 AND EVEN SOLOMON SAYS, 'THE CURSE CAUSELESS DOES NOT LAND.' 33:48 NOW, IF YOU LOOK IN THE NEW TESTAMENT, YOU'LL SEE AN EXAMPLE 33:52 WHERE THE DISCIPLES WERE EVEN TAKEN UP WITH THIS THINKING. 33:56 IN JOHN 1, VERSE - I'M SORRY, JOHN CHAPTER 9 - THE GOSPEL OF 34:00 JOHN 9, VERSE 1 - IT SAYS, "NOW AS JESUS PASSED BY, HE SAW A MAN 34:05 WHO WAS BLIND FROM BIRTH." NOW WHEN HE'S BLIND FROM BIRTH, 34:09 YOU KNOW, IF HE HAD BEEN TURNED BLIND THEN THEY WOULD HAVE SAID, 34:12 'WELL, HE DID SOMETHING WRONG.' AND KEEP IN MIND, DID JESUS EVER 34:18 HEAL SOMEBODY AND SAY, 'GO AND SIN NO MORE LEST A WORSE 34:23 THING COME UPON YOU'? >>YES. 34:26 >>DID SOME PEOPLE - MANY PEOPLE SUFFER PHYSICALLY BECAUSE OF 34:31 THEIR SIN? THAT'S WHAT JESUS SAID - 'DON'T 34:34 SIN ANYMORE OR SOMETHING WORSE THAN WHAT I JUST HEALED YOU FROM 34:37 WILL HAPPEN TO YOU.' A LOT OF SUFFERING IS THE CONSEQUENCE OF 34:41 SIN, BUT NOT ALWAYS, AND THAT'S WHAT THE BOOK OF JOB 34:44 IS TRYING TO TELL US. SO THEY SEE THIS BLIND MAN AND 34:46 THEY'RE ASKING JESUS, 'LORD, WHO SINNED? 34:49 THIS MAN WAS BORN BLIND SO HOW DO WE - HOW COULD HE SIN AND BE 34:53 BLIND? WHAT DID HE DO WRONG?' 34:55 AND SO THEY SAY, 'RABBI, WHO SINNED - THIS MAN OR HIS PARENTS 34:58 - THAT HE WAS BORN BLIND?' NOW, YOU MIGHT BE WONDERING, 35:01 'HOW CAN THE MAN SIN SO THAT HE'S BORN BLIND?' 35:05 THE DISCIPLES - NOT JUST THE DISCIPLES, THE JEWISH LEADERS, 35:08 ACTUALLY HAD A THEORY THAT GOD, KNOWING ALL THINGS, KNEW THAT 35:11 THIS PERSON WOULD SIN SO HE PUNISHED HIM IN ADVANCE. 35:16 GOD KNEW HE WAS GOING TO BE BAD SO, BECAUSE OF HIS SIN, BECAUSE 35:20 GOD KNEW IT, HE SAID, 'I'M JUST GOING TO MAKE HIM BLIND FROM THE 35:22 START, TO TEACH HIM A LESSON.' THAT'S REALLY GOT THEOLOGICAL 35:26 PROBLEMS TO IT WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT IT. SO WHAT DID JESUS SAY? 35:31 "NEITHER THIS MAN NOR HIS PARENTS SINNED," - NOW, HE'S NOT 35:34 SAYING THEY'RE SINLESS, HE'S JUST SAYING IT WASN'T THEIR SIN 35:38 THAT CAUSED HIS BLINDNESS - "BUT THAT THE WORKS OF GOD SHOULD BE 35:42 REVEALED IN HIM." NOW DON'T FORGET THAT VERSE. 35:44 WHY DID JOB SUFFER? BECAUSE OF HIS SIN? 35:48 BECAUSE OF HIS PARENTS' SIN? OR THAT THE WORKS OF GOD 35:50 MIGHT BE REVEALED IN HIM? HOW MANY OF YOU ARE 35:53 GLAD THAT JOB SUFFERED? NOW WHAT I MEAN BY THAT - I 35:58 WOULDN'T WANT TO SAY THAT TO YOU AND I HOPE YOU DON'T SAY THAT TO 36:00 ME, BUT WHAT I MEAN IS I'M GLAD THE STORY'S IN THE BIBLE, 36:03 BECAUSE THROUGH THE STORY OF JOB, I'VE OFTEN BEEN ENCOURAGED. 36:07 AND WHEN I THINK THAT - 'WHY IS THIS HAPPENING TO ME?' 36:11 YOU KNOW AND - I'M A BIG BABY SOMETIMES. 36:13 I JUST GO THROUGH A LITTLE BIT OF SUFFERING - I JUST THINK THE 36:15 WORLD'S ENDING AND KAREN SAYS, 'DOUG, GET A LIFE. 36:17 IT'S NOT THAT BAD.' (LAUGHTER) SHE'S VERY SYMPATHETIC. 36:20 (LAUGHTER) AND, BUT SOMETIMES, YOU KNOW, I START THINKING LIKE 36:25 THAT, THEN I THINK OF OTHERS I KNOW THAT ARE SO MUCH WORSE OFF. 36:30 YOU'VE HEARD ABOUT THE ADAGE THAT SAYS, 'I MOURNED THAT I HAD 36:33 NO SHOES UNTIL I MET A MAN THAT HAD NO FEET.' YOU KNOW WHAT I'M 36:38 SAYING? AND SO, JESUS WAS SAYING, THIS MAN DIDN'T SIN, OR 36:42 HIS PARENTS, BUT THAT THE WORKS OF GOD MIGHT BE REVEALED IN HIM. 36:45 AND SO SOME PEOPLE SUFFER BECAUSE OUR FAITH IS BEING TRIED 36:48 - WE'RE BEING STRENGTHENED. SOME PEOPLE SUFFER BECAUSE OF 36:50 THEIR SIN, AND SOME PEOPLE SUFFER BECAUSE GOD IS GOING TO 36:54 ALLOW THEIR SUFFERING TO BE A VEHICLE FOR REACHING MANY. 37:00 WHY DID GOD ALLOW SHADRACH MESHACH AND ABEDNEGO TO GO 37:04 THROUGH A FIERY FURNACE? SO HE MIGHT BE GLORIFIED. 37:11 I MEAN, HE PROTECTED THEM THROUGH THE FURNACE, BUT IT'S - 37:12 THE FURNACE IS AN ALLEGORY FOR SUFFERING. 37:15 PETER TALKS ABOUT 'DON'T BE AMAZED AT THE FIERY TRIALS YOU 37:17 GO THROUGH.' I READ A GOOD BOOK BY MARVIN MOORE YEARS AGO. 37:22 I WISH IT WAS STILL IN PRINT. IT'S CALLED - I THINK IT'S 37:27 CALLED WITNESSING THROUGH TRIALS - SOMETHING TO THAT EFFECT - AND 37:30 HE TAKES ALL THESE STORIES ABOUT PEOPLE WHO ENDED UP BEING GREAT 37:34 WITNESSES BECAUSE THEY WENT THROUGH TRIALS. 37:38 JOSEPH - LOOK AT ALL THE TRIALS JOSEPH WENT THROUGH, BUT LOOK AT 37:43 WHAT A WITNESS HE IS FOR US - OF FORGIVING THE ONES WHO SELL YOU 37:48 INTO SLAVERY. IT'S JUST A - IT'S A WONDERFUL STORY. 37:53 BECAUSE A PERSON GOES THROUGH GREAT TRIALS, THEY'RE OFTEN ABLE 37:55 TO BE A WITNESS. ALRIGHT, THE NEXT SECTION WE'RE 37:57 GOING TO LOOK AT IS A MAN AND HIS MAKER . 38:01 NOW, WE'RE GOING TO DO A LITTLE BIT OF READING. 38:02 WE'RE GOING TO BACKTRACK AND READ SOME OF WHAT WE JUST READ 38:05 HERE. GO TO JOB CHAPTER 4, PLEASE, 38:08 AND I'M GOING TO KIND OF READ 1 THROUGH 11. 38:10 SOMEONE IS GOING TO BE READING FOR ME 1 PETER 1:24 IN JUST A 38:15 MINUTE. JOHN, YOU'LL HAVE THAT? 38:17 ALRIGHT, YOU'LL READ, I THINK, 24 AND 25, BUT I'M GOING TO READ 38:20 SEVERAL VERSES BEFORE WE GET THERE. 38:22 SO, IF WE GO TO JOB 4:1, "THEN ELIPHAZ THE TEMANITE ANSWERED 38:29 AND SAID:" - NOW THIS IS THE DIALOGUE RIGHT, YOU KNOW, JOB IS 38:32 SAYING, 'WHY DIDN'T I DIE AT BIRTH?' 38:34 AND JOB, FINALLY, AFTER THESE DAYS OF SUFFERING, HE CAN'T 38:38 CONTAIN HIMSELF ANYMORE AND, LIKE A RUPTURED VENT, HE BEGINS 38:41 TO JUST POUR OUT THE ANGUISH IN HIS HEART AND IN GREAT 38:44 ELOQUENCE, BETWEEN HIS GASPING AND HIS MOANING, HE MAKES ALL 38:48 THESE STATEMENTS ABOUT SAYING, 'WHY? WHY? WHY? 38:50 IT WOULD HAVE BEEN BETTER NOT TO BE BORN. 38:53 EVEN THE DEAD ARE AT REST.' AND ELIPHAZ, HE'S THINKING, 'JOB, 38:58 MAYBE IT'S HAPPENING TO YOU BECAUSE YOU DESERVE IT. 39:00 LET ME SHARE SOME PRINCIPLES WITH YOU - "'IF ONE ATTEMPTS A 39:04 WORD WITH YOU, WILL YOU BECOME WEARY? BUT WHO CAN WITHHOLD 39:07 HIMSELF FROM SPEAKING? SURELY YOU HAVE INSTRUCTED MANY, 39:10 AND YOU HAVE STRENGTHENED WEAK HANDS. 39:12 YOUR WORDS HAVE UPHELD HIM WHO WAS STUMBLING, AND YOU HAVE 39:14 STRENGTHENED THE FEEBLE KNEES;'" - YOU'VE BEEN A TEACHER TO MANY 39:16 OTHERS - "'BUT NOW IT COMES UPON YOU, AND YOU ARE WEARY; 39:20 IT TOUCHES YOU, AND YOU ARE TROUBLED. 39:22 IS NOT YOUR REVERENCE YOUR CONFIDENCE?'" 39:25 YOU'RE - YOU'VE GOT TOO MUCH CONFIDENCE IN YOUR HOLINESS - 39:28 "AND THE INTEGRITY OF YOUR WAYS YOUR HOPE? 39:31 REMEMBER NOW, WHO EVER PERISHED BEING INNOCENT? 39:34 OR WHERE WERE THE UPRIGHT EVER CUT OFF?'" 39:36 NOW, GENERALLY SPEAKING, THAT'S TRUE, BUT DO THE UPRIGHT 39:42 SOMETIMES GET CUT OFF? DON'T LOSE YOUR PLACE THERE IN 39:46 JOB 4 - AND I KNOW I'VE GOT SOMEONE STANDING BY TO READ A 39:49 VERSE, BUT GO WITH ME TO PSALM 37 - PSALM 37, REAL 39:53 QUICK, YOU LOOKING 'EM UP? "DO NOT FRET BECAUSE OF 40:01 EVILDOERS," - THIS IS VERSE 1 - "DO NOT FRET BECAUSE OF 40:04 EVILDOERS, NOR BE ENVIOUS OF THE WORKERS OF INIQUITY. 40:08 FOR THEY SHALL SOON BE CUT DOWN LIKE THE GRASS, AND WITHER AS 40:11 THE GREEN HERB. TRUST IN THE LORD, AND DO GOOD; 40:14 DWELL IN THE LAND, AND FEED ON HIS FAITHFULNESS. 40:16 DELIGHT YOURSELF ALSO IN THE LORD, AND HE SHALL GIVE YOU THE 40:18 DESIRES OF YOUR HEART. COMMIT YOUR WAY TO THE LORD, 40:20 TRUST ALSO IN HIM, AND HE SHALL BRING IT TO PASS." - GIVE YOU 40:22 YOUR DESIRES, HE'LL BLESS YOU - "HE SHALL BRING FORTH YOUR 40:24 RIGHTEOUSNESS AS THE LIGHT, AND YOUR JUSTICE AS THE NOONDAY. 40:27 REST IN THE LORD...DO NOT FRET BECAUSE OF HIM WHO PROSPERS IN 40:31 HIS WAY, BECAUSE OF THE MAN WHO BRINGS WICKED SCHEMES TO PASS." 40:35 NOW, DAVID IS SAYING, 'YOU'RE GOING TO SEE CASES WHERE WICKED 40:39 SEEMS TO BE PROSPERING, BUT IT WILL NOT LAST. 40:43 HE'LL END UP BEING CUT DOWN LIKE THE GREEN GRASS. 40:46 IF YOU'RE FAITHFUL, YOU WILL END UP PROSPERING. 40:49 SO THIS IS A GENERAL PRINCIPLE. OKAY, BACK TO ELIPHAZ. 40:54 "REMEMBER NOW, WHO EVER PERISHED BEING UPRIGHT [INNOCENT]?... 40:58 EVEN AS I HAVE SEEN, THOSE WHO PLOW INIQUITY AND SOW TROUBLE 41:01 REAP THE SAME." IS THAT TRUE? 41:04 DOESN'T EVEN PAUL SAY, 'GOD IS NOT MOCKED; WHAT A MAN SOWS HE 41:07 WILL REAP.'? SO HE'S SPEAKING THE TRUTH. 41:11 IN GENERAL, THAT'S A PRINCIPLE - "BY THE BLAST OF GOD THEY 41:14 PERISH, AND BY THE BREATH OF HIS ANGER THEY ARE CONSUMED. 41:17 THE ROARING OF THE LION, AND THE VOICE OF THE FIERCE LION, AND 41:20 THE TEETH OF THE YOUNG LIONS ARE BROKEN. 41:22 THE OLD LION PERISHES FOR LACK OF PREY, AND THE CUBS OF THE 41:25 LIONESS ARE SCATTERED." HE'S TALKING ABOUT THE LION 41:27 IN CONTEXT OF THE WICKED. AND HE SAID, 'THEY MAY HAVE BEEN 41:30 POWERFUL, BUT THEY'RE GOING TO COME TO A DAY OF JUDGMENT.' 41:34 ALRIGHT, GO AHEAD, READ FOR US, PLEASE, 1 PETER 1:24 AND 25. 41:40 >>"BECAUSE 'ALL FLESH IS AS GRASS, AND ALL THE GLORY OF MAN 41:44 AS THE FLOWER OF THE GRASS. 41:45 THE GRASS WITHERS, AND ITS FLOWER FALLS AWAY, BUT THE WORD 41:49 OF THE LORD ENDURES FOREVER.'" >>SO IF IT LOOKS LIKE A MAN IS 41:54 WICKED - OR A WOMAN - BUT THEY SEEM TO HAVE, OUTWARDLY, 41:59 BLESSINGS AND PROSPERITY, FIRST OF ALL, IT'S OFTEN AN ILLUSION. 42:08 YOU KNOW, WHEN I GO TO THE MARKET, THERE'S USUALLY ALL 42:10 THESE TABLOID MAGAZINES THERE AND I'LL MAKE A CONFESSION, 42:13 WHILE I'M WAITING IN LINE, I WILL SOMETIMES READ THE 42:17 HEADLINES. NOW, I KNOW YOU NEVER DO. 42:19 (LAUGHTER) YOU WOULD NEVER ADMIT THAT IN PUBLIC - AND IF YOU BUY 42:24 THEM, DON'T TELL ANYBODY BECAUSE YOUR PERCEIVED IQ WILL GO DOWN 42:27 SEVERAL POINTS IF YOU TELL PEOPLE YOU BUY THOSE MAGAZINES. 42:30 ONLY TIME I BOUGHT - I BOUGHT ONE OR TWO - I'M CONFESSING NOW 42:35 - I BOUGHT ONE OR TWO BECAUSE THEY HAD SOME PROPHECY ON THE 42:38 COVER THAT WAS SO ABSURD I USED IT AS AN ILLUSTRATION TO TEACH A 42:41 PROPHECY LESSON, SAYING, 'LOOK AT CRAZY PROPHECIES.' BUT 42:44 THEY'RE OFTEN COVERED WITH THE RICH AND THE FAMOUS. 42:48 AND THEY'LL PUT THE FAMOUS MOVIE STARS - THE COUPLES - ON THE 42:51 COVER AND IT'S GOT THIS GLAMOUR AND PEOPLE JUST VICARIOUSLY THEY 42:54 THINK, 'OH, IF I COULD JUST BE AS GOOD LOOKING AS HIM OR HER' 42:57 AND 'LOOK AT ALL THE MONEY AND THE MANSION AND THE CLOTHES' AND 43:00 THEY JUST SEEM TO HAVE SUCH SUCCESS AND - BUT, IN REALITY, 43:03 THEIR LIVES ARE IN SHAMBLES. AND SO, A LOT OF PEOPLE, WHEN 43:07 YOU THINK THE WICKED ARE PROSPERING, IT MAY JUST LOOK 43:10 LIKE THAT ON THE OUTSIDE, BUT THEY'RE OFTEN NOT PROSPERING. 43:13 IF YOU COULD GO INTO THEIR HOME AND YOU HEAR THE SHOUTING AND 43:16 THE SCREAMING AND THE DRINKING AND THE PROBLEMS AND - SO IT'S 43:20 AN ILLUSION. AND, EVEN IF A PERSON LOOKS LIKE 43:23 THEY'RE PROSPERING FOR A LITTLE WHILE, HOW LONG IS THIS LIFE? 43:29 LIKE GRASS, IT WITHERS, AND THEN WE'RE JUDGED. 43:35 ALRIGHT, GOING BACK TO - I WANT TO CONTINUE NOW AND I WANT TO 43:39 READ - I'M GOING TO GO FROM VERSE 12 TO 21 IN JOB 4:12-21 - 43:45 STILL TALKING ABOUT ELIPHAZ HERE. "NOW A WORD WAS SECRETLY 43:49 BROUGHT TO ME, AND MY EAR RECEIVED A WHISPER OF IT." 43:53 - NOW HE STARTS TO TELL ABOUT THIS SUPERNATURAL EXPERIENCE - 43:56 "IN DISQUIETING THOUGHTS FROM THE VISION OF THE NIGHT, WHEN 43:59 DEEP SLEEP FALLS ON MEN, FEAR CAME UPON ME, AND TREMBLING, 44:03 WHICH MADE ALL MY BONES SHAKE. THEN A SPIRIT PASSED BEFORE MY 44:06 FACE; THE HAIR ON MY BODY STOOD UP." 44:10 - YOU EVER BEEN SCARED AND YOUR HAIR STANDS UP? 44:13 - I COULD USE A HAIR-RAISING EXPERIENCE RIGHT NOW, ACTUALLY - 44:16 "IT STOOD STILL, BUT I COULD NOT DISCERN ITS APPEARANCE. 44:18 A FORM WAS BEFORE MY EYES; THERE WAS SILENCE; THEN I HEARD A 44:22 VOICE SAYING:" - HERE'S THE BIG QUESTION - THIS VOICE GETTING 44:25 READY TO MAKE THIS DECLARATION - "'CAN A MORTAL BE MORE RIGHTEOUS 44:29 THAN GOD? CAN A MAN BE MORE PURE THAN HIS MAKER? 44:37 IF HE PUTS NO TRUST IN HIS SERVANTS, IF HE CHARGES HIS 44:41 ANGELS WITH ERROR," - WERE THERE ANGELS THAT WERE CHARGED WITH 44:44 ERROR AND WERE THEY CAST OUT OF HEAVEN? 44:48 IF EVEN ANGELS ARE ACCOUNTABLE - "HOW MUCH MORE THOSE WHO DWELL 44:52 IN HOUSES OF CLAY," - NOW, WHEN HE TALKS ABOUT HOUSES OF CLAY, 44:54 IT'S NOT JUST TALKING ABOUT PEOPLE WHO LIVE IN BRICK HOUSES 44:57 THERE IN THE MIDDLE EAST, HE'S TALKING ABOUT OUR BODIES ARE 45:00 MADE OF CLAY - THESE ARE CALLED HOUSES AND TABERNACLES - "HOW 45:03 MUCH MORE THOSE WHO DWELL IN HOUSES OF CLAY, WHOSE FOUNDATION 45:08 IS IN THE DUST, WHO ARE CRUSHED BEFORE A MOTH?" 45:14 - MOTHS WOULD COME THROUGH AND PLAGUE THEIR PRODUCE AND THEY 45:17 WERE VULNERABLE TO MOTHS OR LOCUSTS - "THEY ARE BROKEN IN 45:21 PIECES FROM MORNING TILL EVENING; THEY PERISH FOREVER, 45:23 WITH NO ONE REGARDING. DOES NOT THEIR OWN 45:26 EXCELLENCE GO AWAY? THEY DIE, EVEN WITHOUT WISDOM.'" 45:29 AND SO, HE'S BASICALLY SAYING THAT, YOU KNOW, 'MAN IS NOTHING' 45:36 AND 'HOW CAN WE BE MORE RIGHTEOUS THAN GOD WHO MADE US?' 45:40 AND THIS IS THE BIG QUESTION THAT'S BEING DEBATED. 45:42 ISAIAH 64:7 - I NEED TO HASTEN ALONG HERE - HE SAYS, "AND THERE 45:48 IS NO ONE WHO CALLS ON YOUR NAME, WHO STIRS HIMSELF UP TO 45:53 TAKE HOLD OF YOU; FOR YOU HAVE HIDDEN YOUR FACE FROM US, AND 45:56 HAVE CONSUMED US BECAUSE OF OUR INIQUITIES." 45:58 - AGAIN, TALKING ABOUT HOW VULNERABLE WE ARE. 46:02 ROMANS 3 - HE SAYS THE SAME THING - VERSE 19, "NOW WE KNOW 46:05 THAT WHATEVER THE LAW SAYS, IT SAYS TO THOSE WHO ARE UNDER THE 46:08 LAW, THAT EVERY MOUTH MAY BE STOPPED, AND ALL THE WORLD MAY 46:11 BECOME GUILTY BEFORE GOD." - WE'VE ALL SINNED - "THEREFORE 46:14 BY THE DEEDS OF THE LAW NO FLESH WILL BE JUSTIFIED IN HIS SIGHT," 46:18 - IS A MAN MORE RIGHTEOUS THAN GOD? NO. 46:20 "...NO FLESH WILL BE JUSTIFIED IN HIS SIGHT, FOR BY THE LAW IS 46:23 THE KNOWLEDGE OF SIN." ALRIGHT, NEXT SECTION: THE 46:27 FOOLISH TAKING ROOT - AND I ACTUALLY STOLE FROM MY OWN 46:31 THUNDER - I READ PSALM 37 ALREADY AND 46:33 THAT'S IN MY NOTES. WHO'S GOING TO READ, 46:34 FOR ME, PROVERBS 26:2? MANJEET, YOU'LL HAVE THAT? 46:38 ALRIGHT, IT SAYS IN LUKE 1:52, "HE HAS PUT DOWN THE MIGHTY FROM 46:46 THEIR THRONES, AND EXALTED THE LOWLY." 46:49 GOD CAN COMPLETELY TURN THE TABLES ON A PERSON. 46:52 AND SO, HERE YOU'VE GOT AN EXAMPLE WHERE JOB WAS AT THE 46:55 PINNACLE - GOOD, WEALTHY, HEALTHY, BLESSED, PROSPEROUS - 47:02 AND ALMOST OVERNIGHT HE GOES FROM WEAK, SICK, DEVASTATED, 47:06 DESTITUTE - AND THEN GOD TAKES HIM LATER AND BRINGS HIM BACK UP 47:11 AGAIN. GOD CAN COMPLETELY 47:13 TURN YOUR TABLES. I CAN THINK OF A COUPLE OF 47:18 TIMES IN MY LIFE WHERE I HAD ABSOLUTELY NOTHING AND IN 24 47:24 HOURS, THE LORD COMPLETELY TURNED MY CIRCUMSTANCES. 47:27 I REMEMBER ONCE, I'M NOT PROUD OF IT, BUT I WAS IN JAIL AND I 47:31 GOT RELEASED FROM JAIL WITH NOTHING BUT WHAT THE POLICE GAVE 47:33 ME - MY, YOU KNOW, WATCH AND WALLET OR WHATEVER IT WAS - AND 47:36 I HAD NOTHING. I NEEDED TO GET A JOB. I NEEDED TO GET A PLACE. 47:39 I NEEDED TO GET SOME FOOD - I HAD NOTHING - AND I PRAYED - 47:42 THIS WAS THE EARLY DAYS WHEN I WAS JUST LEARNING ABOUT THE 47:44 BIBLE AND, KEEP IN MIND, IT WAS A TRANSITION FOR ME. 47:48 I THINK I WAS ARRESTED FOR HITCHHIKING YEARS AGO AND I DID 47:51 NOT PAY THE FINE AND THEN I GOT STOPPED FOR HITCHHIKING AGAIN 47:54 AND THEY HAD A WARRANT OUT FOR MY ARREST AND SO THEY THREW ME 47:55 IN JAIL. AND I SAID, 'LORD, WILL YOU PLEASE HELP ME?' 48:00 AND I CAN'T TELL YOU ALL THE CIRCUMSTANCES, BUT BEFORE THE 48:02 SUN WENT DOWN THAT DAY, THE STRANGEST THINGS HAPPENED: I HAD 48:07 A JOB, I HAD FOOD, AND I HAD A HOUSE - IN ONE DAY - AND I HAD 48:11 NO MONEY OR ANYTHING AT THE BEGINNING OF THE DAY. 48:14 AND JUST COMPLETELY REVERSED MY CIRCUMSTANCES. 48:19 ALRIGHT, I ACTUALLY GAVE YOU THE VERSE I READ ALREADY, BUT GO 48:21 AHEAD, READ THAT AGAIN, MANJEET - PROVERBS 26:2. 48:25 >>"LIKE A FLITTING SPARROW, LIKE A FLYING SWALLOW, SO A CURSE 48:31 WITHOUT CAUSE SHALL NOT ALIGHT." >>YEAH, NOW THAT - WHAT YOU 48:35 READ - WAS FROM THE KING JAMES VERSION. 48:36 EARLIER IT WAS THE NEW KING JAMES VERSION AND SO IT - IT'S 48:40 JUST - ACTUALLY, I THINK YOU READ THE NEW KING JAMES VERSION 48:43 TOO - I TAKE THAT BACK. ANYWAY, AGAIN, THAT'S PROVERBS 48:46 - THAT'S SOLOMON'S OBSERVATION THAT THE CURSE WITHOUT 48:51 CAUSE DOES NOT COME. THERE IS A REASON. 48:54 NOW, THE REASON MIGHT BE - WAS THERE A REASON THE CURSE CAME TO 48:58 JOB? >>YES. 49:00 >>NO. >>NOT BECAUSE OF JOB'S BADNESS, 49:03 BUT WAS THERE A REASON? >>YES. 49:05 >>THE REASON WAS THAT HE - THAT GOD AND THE DEVIL WERE DEBATING 49:09 ON WHETHER HE WOULD REALLY BE FAITHFUL AND GOD WITHDREW HIS 49:12 PROTECTION FROM JOB. YOU SEE, MOST OF US, LIKE JOB, 49:15 ARE HEDGED IN BY GOD, BECAUSE IF WE WEREN'T, THE DEVIL 49:18 WOULD TRY TO DESTROY US. NOW, THERE ARE SOME OUT THERE 49:20 THAT THE DEVIL ACTUALLY OWNS AND HE SORT OF BLESSES THEM OR USES 49:23 THEM FOR HIS OWN PURPOSES. THEY JUST - THEY REALLY ARE 49:26 IN THE HANDS OF THE DEVIL. BUT I THINK THAT GOD IS HEDGING 49:31 IN MOST PEOPLE AND PROTECTING AND BLESSING. 49:33 ALRIGHT, LET'S SEE HERE. AND THEN WE'VE GOT 1 CORINTHIANS 49:36 3:19, "FOR THE WISDOM OF THIS WORLD IS FOOLISHNESS WITH GOD. 49:41 FOR IT IS WRITTEN, 'HE CATCHES THE WISE IN THEIR OWN 49:44 CRAFTINESS" - WE CAN'T ALWAYS FIGURE OUT WHY THESE THINGS ARE 49:47 HAPPENING. PSALM 34:6, "THIS POOR MAN CRIED 49:51 OUT, AND THE LORD HEARD HIM, AND SAVED HIM OUT OF ALL 49:54 OF HIS TROUBLES." SO WHEN WE'RE GOING THROUGH 49:57 TROUBLES LIKE JOB, WHAT'S THE ANSWER? 50:01 A POOR MAN CRIED OUT AND THE LORD HEARD HIM. 50:04 WE'VE GOT TO JUST - YOU'VE GOT TO TURN TO THE LORD. 50:05 DID JOB PRAY THROUGH - YOU READ THE BOOK OF JOB AND HE'S CRYING 50:08 OUT. THE ANSWER DIDN'T COME RIGHT AWAY. 50:11 WHEN YOU READ THE BOOK OF JOB, HOW LONG DO YOU THINK JOB'S 50:16 SUFFERINGS LASTED? A FEW WEEKS. 50:24 WE DON'T KNOW, BUT, YOU KNOW, I'VE GOT A THEORY - I CAN'T 50:27 PROVE IT - THAT - HOW LONG DID THE PLAGUES OF EGYPT LAST? 50:34 A FEW WEEKS WHEN YOU JUST BACK THEM UP, YOU KNOW? 50:36 IT SAYS, 'AND THERE WAS FOR THIS DAY' AND THEN MOSES PRAYED AND 50:39 IT WENT AWAY AND THEN PHARAOH WOULDN'T LET THEM GO AND HE 50:41 PRAYED - ANOTHER PLAGUE CAME - AND YOU JUST KIND OF PIECE IT 50:43 TOGETHER AND IT'S LIKE, OH, MAYBE A MONTH - ALL THOSE THINGS 50:47 HAPPENED VERY QUICKLY, WHICH REMINDS US THAT IN THE LAST 50:50 DAYS, THE FINAL EVENTS COULD BE RAPID ONES BECAUSE, IF YOU HAD 50:53 GONE TO THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL A FEW DAYS OR A MONTH BEFORE THEY 50:57 BEGAN THE EXODUS AND SAID, 'YOU KNOW WHAT? 50:59 YOU'RE GOING TO BE ON YOUR WAY TO THE PROMISED LAND IN A 51:01 MONTH.' THEY'D SAY, 'OH, NO, GOVERNMENT WORKS TOO SLOWLY. 51:04 WE'LL NEVER - WE HAVE COMMITTEES AND THERE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO BE 51:06 APPEALS AND THEN THE COURT'S GOING TO HAVE TO MEET AND 'OH, 51:09 WE'LL NEVER GET OUT OF HERE.'' BUT THEY LEFT THE GOD FACTOR 51:12 OUT. AND WHEN THE PLAGUES FELL, 51:14 THINGS HAPPENED VERY QUICKLY. JOB'S SUFFERING - IT SEEMED LIKE 51:18 IT WAS A BLITZKRIEG, WHERE THE DEVIL JUST HIT HIM WITH THESE 51:22 THINGS ONE AFTER ANOTHER. IF YOU READ THE ENTIRE BOOK OF 51:25 JOB, THIS DISCOURSE COULD HAVE ALL HAPPENED IN ONE DAY. 51:29 YOU AND I CAN READ THE WHOLE BOOK OF JOB IN A COUPLE OF 51:32 HOURS. I KNOW, I'VE LISTENED TO IT 51:34 WHILE I WAS DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD IN MY CAR. 51:37 AND SO, THIS COULD HAVE BEEN THE DISCOURSE ALL OF ONE DAY. 51:42 AND SO, HE - JOB PRAYED - CRIED OUT AND GOD GAVE - SAVED HIM 51:45 FROM HIS TROUBLES - BUT SOMETIMES YOU AND I GO THROUGH 51:47 TROUBLES AND WE DON'T GET DELIVERANCE RIGHT AWAY. 51:50 AND YOU MIGHT HAVE TO PRAY FOR AWHILE BEFORE YOU GET AN ANSWER. 51:56 HEBREWS 12:4-6, "AND YOU HAVE FORGOTTEN THE EXHORTATION WHICH 52:02 SPEAKS TO YOU AS SONS: 'MY SON, DO NOT DESPISE THE CHASTENING OF 52:07 THE LORD, NOR BE DISCOURAGED WHEN YOU ARE REBUKED BY HIM;'" 52:12 NOW, WHO WOULD BE ENCOURAGED IF THEY'RE REBUKED BY THE LORD? 52:16 IT DOESN'T MEAN YOU BE HAPPY ABOUT IT, IN THAT SENSE, BUT YOU 52:18 NEED TO JUST SAY, 'ALRIGHT, THANK YOU, LORD. 52:20 I NEEDED THAT.' DON'T BE DISCOURAGED WHEN YOU'RE REBUKED 52:22 BY HIM, "FOR WHOM THE LORD LOVES HE CHASTENS, AND SCOURGES EVERY 52:27 SON WHOM HE RECEIVES." HE SCOURGES SOME OR EVERY? 52:34 WHAT DID I JUST READ? HE SCOURGES EVERY SON - AND 52:37 DAUGHTER. WHAT THAT MEANS - A SCOURGING 52:39 MEANS TRIALS OR DISCIPLINE. EVERY BELIEVER IS GOING TO GO 52:43 THROUGH SOME DISCIPLINE WITH GOD. 52:46 SO, NEXT SECTION - LAST SECTION HERE - IT TALKS ABOUT RUSHED TO 52:50 JUDGMENT AND IT BEGINS WITH A QUOTE FROM THE BOOK EDUCATION 52:54 PAGE 146, "NO TRUTH DOES THE BIBLE MORE CLEARLY TEACH THAN 52:59 THAT WHICH - THAT WHAT WE DO IS A RESULT OF WHAT WE ARE. 53:05 TO A GREAT DEGREE, THE EXPERIENCES OF LIFE ARE THE 53:09 FRUITION OF OUR OWN THOUGHTS AND DEEDS." 53:11 AND WHAT SHE'S TALKING ABOUT THERE IS, THERE IS CAUSE AND 53:15 EFFECT IN LIFE. YOU ARE, TODAY, WHO YOU ARE, AS 53:22 THE RESULT OF, LARGELY, CHOICES YOU'VE MADE AND WHAT YOU'VE 53:26 TAKEN IN - EVERYTHING FROM YOUR MOTHER AND YOUR FATHER AND YOUR 53:29 ENVIRONMENT, BUT IT KIND OF CREATES A SUM TOTAL 53:32 OF WHO YOU ARE. THERE'S A CAUSE AND EFFECT. 53:35 NOW, WITH THAT IN MIND, WHEN A PERSON'S SUFFERING - WE'RE JUST 53:39 GOING TO TIE THIS OFF HERE - DID JOB'S FRIENDS MISUNDERSTAND WHY 53:43 JOB WAS GOING THROUGH HIS TRIALS? 53:45 >>YES. >>THEY THOUGHT THERE WAS SOME 53:46 HIDDEN SIN IN HIS LIFE HE WASN'T CONFESSING - THERE WAS 53:49 SOMETHING EVIL HE HAD DONE. THEY WERE WRONG. 53:52 WHAT DOES THAT TELL US ABOUT JUDGING? 53:54 >>DON'T DO IT. >>WE'VE GOT TO BE CAREFUL. 53:58 NOW, DOES THE BIBLE SAY 'DON'T EVER JUDGE'? 54:01 DOESN'T IT SAY 'JUDGE NOT'? 54:03 IF YOU STOP THE VERSE THERE, 'JUDGE NOT' MEANS 'DON'T EVER 54:05 JUDGE.' THOU SHALT NOT JUDGE - NEVER? 54:09 NO, IT SAYS, 'JUDGE NOT THAT YOU BE NOT JUDGED.' AND THE WORD 54:12 'JUDGE' THERE, REALLY MEANS 'DON'T CONDEMN' - 'FOR WITH 54:15 WHAT JUDGMENT YOU JUDGE YOU WILL BE JUDGED, AND WITH WHAT MEASURE 54:19 YOU USE IT'LL BE MEASURED BACK TO YOU.' JESUS SAID, 'WHEN YOU 54:23 JUDGE, USE A RIGHTEOUS JUDGMENT.' 54:27 AND PAUL SAID, AREN'T YOU ABLE TO JUDGE ANYTHING?' 54:29 MATTER OF FACT, I'M GOING TO READ THAT HERE IN JUST A MOMENT. 54:32 ROMANS 2, VERSES 1 THROUGH 3, "THEREFORE YOU ARE INEXCUSABLE, 54:35 O MAN, WHOEVER YOU ARE WHO JUDGE, FOR IN WHATEVER YOU JUDGE 54:39 ANOTHER YOU CONDEMN YOURSELF; FOR YOU WHO JUDGE PRACTICE THE 54:44 SAME THINGS. BUT WE KNOW THAT THE JUDGMENT OF 54:46 GOD IS ACCORDING TO TRUTH AGAINST THOSE WHO 54:48 PRACTICE SUCH THINGS. AND DO YOU THINK THIS, O MAN, 54:51 YOU WHO JUDGE THOSE PRACTICING SUCH THINGS, AND DOING THE 54:54 SAME, THAT YOU WILL ESCAPE THE JUDGMENT OF GOD?" 54:56 SO YOU'VE GOT TO ESPECIALLY BE CAREFUL BECAUSE IF YOU'RE GOING 54:59 TO BE EXAMINING SOMEONE ELSE, ARE YOU BEING A HYPOCRITE? 55:04 1 CORINTHIANS 4, VERSES 3 THROUGH 5, "BUT WITH ME IT IS A 55:08 VERY SMALL THING THAT I SHOULD BE JUDGED BY YOU OR BY A HUMAN 55:11 COURT. IN FACT, I DO NOT EVEN JUDGE MYSELF. 55:14 FOR I KNOW OF NOTHING AGAINST MYSELF, YET I AM NOT JUSTIFIED 55:18 BY THIS; BUT HE WHO JUDGES ME IS THE LORD. 55:21 THEREFORE JUDGE NOTHING BEFORE THE TIME, UNTIL THE LORD COMES, 55:25 WHO WILL BOTH BRING TO LIGHT THE HIDDEN THINGS OF DARKNESS AND 55:28 REVEAL THE COUNSELS OF THE HEARTS. 55:30 THEN EACH ONE'S PRAISE WILL COME FROM GOD." 55:36 SOMETIMES WE GO TO FUNERALS AND A PERSON'S ETERNAL FUTURE MIGHT 55:41 BE IN DOUBT. I WON'T ASK IF YOU'VE EVER BEEN 55:43 TO ONE OF THOSE FUNERALS - AND YOU'RE WONDERING, 55:46 'WILL HE OR SHE MAKE IT? WERE THEY READY?' 55:49 AND MOST OF US ARE JUST GOING TO HAVE TO SAY WE DON'T KNOW. 55:54 THERE'S TIMES WHERE I'VE BEEN VERY CONFIDENT THAT A PERSON 55:56 KNEW THE LORD AND THEY HAD THE FRUITS OF THE SPIRIT AND I'M 55:59 GOING TO SEE THEM AGAIN IN THE KINGDOM. 56:01 AND THERE HAVE BEEN TIMES WHERE IT REALLY DIDN'T LOOK GOOD. 56:05 I, YOU KNOW, WHEN A PERSON CRASHES A CAR OFF A CLIFF AND 56:12 THEY'RE - 'CAUSE THEY'VE JUST COME FROM A WILD PARTY, YOU'RE 56:15 WONDERING - BUT YOU'VE GOT TO BE CAREFUL NOT TO JUDGE BECAUSE GOD 56:24 KNOWS. WE CAN'T CONDEMN. 56:26 YOU JUST HAVE TO PUT THOSE THINGS IN THE LORD'S HANDS AND 56:29 KNOW THAT GOD'S DESPERATE TO SAVE PEOPLE MORE THAN WE ARE, 56:31 AMEN? BUT HE'S NOT SAYING, WHEN HE 56:34 SAYS, 'DON'T JUDGE', 'DON'T EVER USE JUDGMENT'. 56:37 FOR INSTANCE, IF YOU'RE A CHURCH MEMBER AND YOU SEE A BROTHER OR 56:39 SISTER, THEY START MISSING CHURCH, AND THEY SEEM TO START 56:42 BEING WEAK IN THE FAITH, USE YOUR JUDGMENT AND SAY, 'YOU 56:46 KNOW, THEY SEEM TO BE DRIFTING AND I CARE.' AND YOU CAN GO TO 56:48 THEM AND YOU APPEAL TO THEM. JAMES SAYS DO IT IN A SPIRIT OF 56:51 MEEKNESS, NOT CONDEMNATION, LEST YOU BE TEMPTED YOURSELF. 56:56 BUT, YOU KNOW, WE DO NEED TO CARE AND WE DO NEED TO USE 56:58 COMMON SENSE AND JUST - JESUS SAID, 'IF YOU JUDGE, USE A 57:01 RIGHTEOUS JUDGMENT.' TIME IS UP, BUT I HOPE WE'VE LEARNED 57:04 SOMETHING TODAY FROM THE BOOK OF JOB. 57:06 I WANT TO REMIND YOU, IF YOU MISSED IT AT THE BEGINNING, WE 57:08 DO HAVE A FREE OFFER. IT'S CALLED THE POSITIVE SIDE OF 57:11 SUFFERING. IT'S A SERMON DONE BY YOURS TRULY, 57:15 THAT TALKS ABOUT 'WHY DO WE GO THROUGH TRIALS? 57:16 AND WHAT'S A GOOD THING TO LEARN FROM THAT?' 57:18 I THINK YOU'LL BE BLESSED BY THIS. 57:19 WE'LL SEND IT TO YOU. ALL YOU'VE GOT TO DO IS ASK FOR 57:22 OFFER #819 AND CALL 866-788-3966 FOR THAT FREE OFFER. 57:28 THAT'S 866-STUDY-MORE AND THEN WHEN YOU LISTEN, PLEASE SHARE IT 57:32 WITH A FRIEND. GOD BLESS YOU, FRIENDS, WE LOOK 57:34 FORWARD TO STUDYING WITH YOU AGAIN, GOD WILLING, NEXT WEEK. 57:38 >>DID YOU KNOW THAT NOAH WAS PRESENT AT THE BIRTH OF ABRAHAM? 57:42 OKAY, MAYBE HE WASN'T IN THE ROOM, BUT HE WAS ALIVE AND 57:45 PROBABLY TELLING STORIES ABOUT HIS FLOATING ZOO. 57:49 FROM THE CREATION OF THE WORLD TO THE LAST-DAY EVENTS OF 57:52 REVELATION, 'BIBLEHISTORY.COM' IS A FREE RESOURCE WHERE YOU CAN 57:56 EXPLORE MAJOR BIBLE EVENTS AND CHARACTERS. 57:59 ENHANCE YOUR KNOWLEDGE OF THE BIBLE AND DRAW CLOSER TO GOD'S 58:02 WORD. GO DEEPER. 58:05 VISIT THE AMAZING BIBLE TIME LINE AT 'BIBLEHISTORY.COM'. 58:11 (MUSIC) |
Revised 2016-10-26