In this sermon, the speaker recounts the story of Job from the Bible. Job, a wealthy and righteous man, experiences a series of devastating losses, including the death of his children and the destruction of his possessions. Despite his despair, Job remains faithful to God and acknowledges that everything he had was given by God and can be taken away. The speaker emphasizes the importance of trusting in God even in the midst of trials and encourages listeners to seek God's righteousness rather than defending themselves against His dealings.

Father, in mercy on every one of us, keep us under the blood of Jesus Christ. Cleanse the atmosphere with the blood of Jesus Christ. Wash me in the blood of God the Son. Fill me with the Holy Spirit. Anoint thy word and anoint every one of us that thou will give us understanding by the revelation of the Holy Spirit into our hearts and minds. Give us the grace to embrace that which God's word holds out to us, and not just to walk away and be hearers of the word and not doers, deceiving your own selves. Oh God, bless us by giving us the grace to embrace thy holy word. In Jesus, the Christ's name. Amen. There was a man, there was a man in the land of Uz. There was a man in the land of Uz whose name was Job. That man, that man was perfect. That man was perfect and upright and one that feared God, one that feared God and eschewed evil. He hated evil. He hated evil and there were born unto him seven sons and seven daughters. They were born unto him seven sons and three daughters. His substance also was 7,000 sheep and 3,000 camels and 500 yoke of oxen and 500 she-asses and a very great household, a very great household so that this man was the greatest. This man was the greatest of all the men of the east. And his sons went and feasted in their houses every one his day. His sons went and feasted in their houses every one his day, every one on his birthday and sent and called for their three sisters to eat and to drink with them. And it was so when the days of their feasting were gone about that Job sent and sanctified them and rose up early in the morning and offered burnt offerings according to the number of them all. For Job said, for Job said, it may be, it may be that my sons have sinned and cursed God, and cursed God in their hearts. Thus did Job continually, thus did Job continually. Continually. Now there was a day when the sons of God, the angels, came to present themselves before the Lord and Satan and Satan and Satan came also among them. And the Lord said unto Satan, Whence comest thou? Then Satan answered the Lord and said, From going to and fro in the earth, and from walking up and down in it. And the Lord said unto Satan, Hast thou considered my servant Job, that there is none like him in the earth, a perfect and an upright man, one that feareth God and escheweth evil? He hates evil, Satan. Then Satan answered the Lord and said, Doth Job, doth Job fear God for naught? Hast not thou made an hedge about him, and about his house, and about all that he hath on every side? Thou hast blessed the work of his hands, and his substance is increased in the land. But put forth thine hand now, and touch all that he hath, and he will curse thee. He will curse thee to thy face. And the Lord said unto Satan, Behold, all that he hath is in thy power. Only upon himself put not forth thine hand. So Satan went forth from the presence of the Lord. And there was a day, there was a day when his sons and his daughters were eating and drinking wine in their eldest brother's house. And there came a messenger unto Job and said, The oxen were ploughing, and the asses feeding beside them. And the Sabians fell upon them and have carried them away. Yea, they have slain the servants with the edge of the sword, and I only am escaped alone to tell thee. While he was yet speaking, while he was yet speaking, there came also another and said, The fire of God has fallen from heaven, the fire of God has fallen from heaven, and hath burned up the sheep and the servants and consumed them, and I only am escaped, I only am escaped alone to tell thee. While he was yet speaking, while he was yet speaking, there came also another and said, The Chaldeans made out three bands and fell upon the camels, and have carried them away. Yea, they have slain the servants with the edge of the sword, and I only am escaped alone to tell thee. While he was yet speaking, while he was yet speaking, there came also another and said, Thy sons and thy daughters were eating and drinking wine in their eldest brother's house, and behold, there came a great wind from the wilderness, there came a great wind from the wilderness and smote the four corners of the house, and it fell upon the young men, it fell upon the young men, and they are dead, they are dead, and I only, I only am escaped alone to tell thee. Then Job arose and rent his mantle, he tore his garment and shaved his head and fell down upon the ground and worshipped and worshipped and said, Naked, naked came I out of my mother's womb, and naked shall I return thither. The Lord gave, and the Lord hath taken away. Blessed be the name of the Lord. In all this, Job sinned not. In all this, Job sinned not, nor charged God foolishly. My beloved, I'm going to take us step by step through this book as long as you let me, as long as the Holy Spirit says go on. I want you to listen in your hearts now, please. There was a man in the land of Uz whose name was Job, and that man was perfect and upright, and one that feared God and eschewed evil. He hated evil. The possibility, the possibility of a man living a holy life on this earth, hallelujah, hallelujah. You think anything is in this book for your interest? No, it's for your edification. It's for God to whisper in your heart His heart. Nothing is history in this book. To the unsaved, yes, but not to the saved. It's the living word written for you to get the depth that you will not get in the New Testament. Without the new, we're in the law, we're in terrible darkness, but without the old, in the light of the new, oh brother, you don't know the heart of God half as you should. Here's the heart of God, the pulse of God, reasoning with man as he deals with his people, collectively or individually. It's God's word, the possibility of a man living a holy life on this earth, and God Himself points us to aspire to this in 1 Peter 1 verse 15. But as He which hath called you is holy, as He which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy. So be ye holy in all manner of conversation, in all manner of living, because it is written, it is written, be ye holy, be ye holy, for I am holy, be ye holy, for I am holy. The possibility of a man living a holy life on this earth is a glorious, glorious statement here in this book, from the heart of God, from the heart of God. Verse 2 says, And they were born unto him seven sons and three daughters. His substance also was seven thousand sheep and three thousand camels and five hundred yoke of oxen and five hundred she-asses and a very great household, so that this man was the greatest of all the men in the east. What a statement! But now we must be careful here, brethren. This is not a statement of faith for the prosperity cult. Those people across the world that preach that if you come to God you'll prosper financially, no wonder their churches are full. Well, who wouldn't come to God to prosper? Brother, you don't come to God with any condition but for mercy for your soul, whatever comes on you. Give another man any reason, most of them are going to hell, when suddenly they realize you lied, or they accuse God of lying because you twisted verses that they embraced. No, brother, don't. Don't stoop to such a way. To get people as that lie from hell. It is not a statement of faith for the prosperity cult. God does not promise wealth to the righteous. God promises His faithful provision of our needs, not our wants. Brother, you'd be surprised how little you need to be happy, and how many people who've got what they want that are miserable and commit suicide in their thousands annually. You think wealth is going to give you happiness? Careful, God knows just what you need. To make you what He knows will make you fulfill His purpose in this world. Be careful. He does not promise wealth to the righteous. God promises His faithful provision of our needs, not our wants, and He warns. He warns us against seeking and wanting wealth on this earth again and again. He warns us against seeking wealth on this earth again and again. In 1 Timothy 6, verse 5, He warns us against people who teach otherwise, verse 3 says. He says, perverse disputings of men, verse 5, of corrupt mind, destitute of the truth, supposing that gain is godliness, that wealth is godliness, evidence of godliness. From such withdraw thyself, and I make no apology to those you've got to withdraw from fast or be ruined. But the next verse says, godliness with contentment is great gain, for we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out. Having food and raiment, clothes, let us be there with content. But they that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition. For the love of money is the root of all evil, which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith and pierced themselves through with many sorrows. But thou, O man of God, flee these things. Flee these things. Oh, Jesus cried out in Matthew 6, verse 19, lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth. Such are affection on things that are above, not on things that are in the earth. Christ cries it out. The whole word cries out. Don't ever aim at riches. Don't ever look to it. Don't desire it. You're just bringing on yourself grief. Go visit the wealthy to find out if they're really happy. Most of them. Oh, lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth. That's a command. Do you obey it or do you defy it? Lay not up for yourselves. Lay not up for yourselves. Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal. But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal. For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also. The light of the body is the eye. If therefore the eye be single, thy whole body shall be full of light. But if thine eye be evil, thy whole body shall be full of darkness. If therefore the light that is in thee be darkness, how great is that darkness. No man can serve two masters, for either he'll hate the one and love the other, or else he'll despise the one and hold to the other. You cannot serve God and mammon. You cannot serve God and covet materialism. You cannot serve God and covet materialistic wealth. You cannot, God says. God said. God manifests in the flesh said. You cannot serve God and mammon. Therefore I say unto you, take no thought for your life, what you shall eat or what you shall drink, or nor yet for your body what you shall put on. Is not the life more than meat and the body than raiment? Behold the fowls of the air, for they sow not, neither do they reap nor gather into barns, yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they? Which of you, by taking thought, can add one cubit unto his stature? And why take ye thought for raiment? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow. They toil not, neither do they spin, and yet I say unto you that even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed, was not clothed like one of these. Wherefore, if God so clothed the grass of the field, which today is and tomorrow is cast into the oven, shall he not much more clothe you? O ye of little faith, therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat or what shall we drink? Or wherewithal shall we be clothed? For after all these things that the Gentiles seek, for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things. But seek ye first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things shall be added unto you. Take therefore no thought, take therefore no thought, take therefore no thought for the morrow. God said, Not me, but the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient under the day is the evil thereof. Listen, there's enough that you're going to be concerned about just to get through a day, and that's all you need to worry about. Give us this day our daily bread. Tomorrow pray about tomorrow's bread, okay? Don't die prematurely trying to worry how on earth you're going to pay off all the insurances in case you get sick, or in case, I suppose some people die prematurely, have a good funeral, paying it off. My word, don't worry. Don't live in anxious. Of course, God says you've got to be conscientious. You've got to use your common sense. There's nothing of sin and carefully thinking about a little bit tomorrow, but the moment it becomes an anxiety, a thought of anxiety that brings fear that God could possibly fail you. Brother, you're defying Christ. You're defying him in allowing fear for tomorrow. I don't care if the economy of America collapses when it comes to God's faithfulness. I don't want it to happen, but brother, whatever happens to you, God hasn't failed you. Trust me, He cannot fail to your needs, not your wants, but that does not mean that God does not trust certain of His people with prosperity and great wealth. I want to repeat it in case you despise anyone who gets rich that carries a Bible. That does not mean that God does not trust certain people of His people with prosperity and great wealth as He did with the godly Job. This is not a statement of faith for the prosperity cult. God does not promise wealth to the righteous. God promises His faithful provision of our needs, not our wants, and He warns us of ever seeking wealth on this earth again and again. Again, now we come to verse 4. And his sons went and feasted in their houses every one his day, his birthday, and sent and called for their three sisters to eat and to drink with them. And it was so when the days of their feasting were gone about that Job sent and sanctified them and rose up early in the morning and offered burnt offerings according to the number of them all. For Job said, it may be that my sons have sinned and cursed God in their hearts. Thus did Job continually. Beloved, being godly in God's eyes does not mean that you will not have to continue a concern about your children's spiritual state in this wicked world. I want to repeat it. Being godly in God's eyes does not mean that you will not have continual concern about your children's spiritual state in this evil world. In truth, the further a man is away from God, the less concern he will experience daily for his children's spiritual state. That's the truth of it. I've come from a church in New York, the first town I came in this tour that Brother Don has arranged. And I've been there a number of times over the years to Jay Folk and Joe Camillari, the Old Path Baptist Church. God's honoring them and they're godly people. The first occasion I ever went there to preach a number of years ago, all the children were still in the home. And they sang together. It was lovely, as he just in the car expressed the joy of the unity that came through harmonizing in the home, just the harmony of this beauty created by singing. And it was lovely to talk about these godly children of his. And I was mentioning the blessedness of children when God gives to us his children, godly children. There was quietness for a moment and then he said these words and there wasn't another sound all the way to the church, not by one child in that car listening to me praising them. He said, I would rather die than to live to see my children serving the devil. He said it with a voice so broken, so earnest, so fearful. I would rather die than to live to see my children serving the devil, to see them eating from the devil's tables. Let me die before I see that, brother. Oh, being born into a godly home does not necessarily mean a child will automatically choose to follow God. Being born into a godly home does not necessarily mean a child will automatically choose to follow God. He has to be prayed for earnestly, beloved. The godlier you are, the more you know and sense what a terrible enemy there is that doesn't sleep while we're sleeping, but watches every thought, every reaction, every weakness and plans accordingly. For everyone is watching, especially in a godly home. Can I ask the children from godly homes here tonight, are you godly? Not religious, not conforming because of daddy and mommy's desire. I want to ask you one question in truth. Are you godly? Are you godly, young people? Or are Job's fears substantial already by what you know is going on in your heart and your choices of what fills your mind and love? In my country, a young independent Baptist fellow, missionary there, young, he's making a mark for God. South Africa doesn't know much about independent Baptists. They're learning. This boy, he walks with God. And he was sharing at some campfire or in some convention. I was speaking and I was walking through the grounds there. All the youth were around the campfire singing and he was asked to share his testimony and I was quite moved as I stood in the background there and listened to this fellow, fiery, jealous, crying out how he came from a godly home. His father's an independent Baptist minister and all he can remember, all he can remember is as a young boy seeking God. Nothing else was in his heart but to follow the father, the God of his father and mother. All he can remember as a young boy is one thing. He had no ambition. He didn't need writing on the wall to give his life to serve God. He just had one thing in his heart from a boy, I'm going to preach one day. God didn't have much time or trouble to get him to do that. He just wanted that and nothing else is going to come. Somehow God put his hand on that boy and now he's there in South Africa reaching out in such a way that it's staggering to see his zeal. I'm just hearing about him more and more from the godly and I realize, oh God using... After he gave that testimony, it was the morning, I said to him, come have a cup of tea with me. When they were all having breakfast or something in the dining hall, I said, let me ask you, I know a lot of independent Baptists. I speak in a lot of groups, different movements of different persuasions believe it or not. Somehow they accept this poor old man because they don't quite know where I stand. Shouldn't have said that. Most of them come to try and find out but if that's the reason they come, wonderful. Keep them guessing. But I said to him, I know a number of independent and I'm blessed by the ones I know. Their godliness, they're godly people with a high standard and all the light they've been given and I told him of him. He says, well he comes from and I won't tell you the town but his father's an independent Baptist minister there. His father and mother serve God there and I've been to that town and other churches but I said to him, tell me were there any other children in the families? Sisters, brothers? He said only one, a sister. Then mommy couldn't have children further. Only the two of us. I said, does she love God like you? And his face dropped. No. She serves the devil. And that broke him because I saw how it hurt him to say it. It wasn't just a statement. She serves the devil. I said, why? You serve God? As I've seldom seen a young fellow you're so full of fire for God. It's like every breath in your body is just for Christ. It's contagious. I said, how come in the same home where you wanted nothing but the God of your father and mother, how come she would want the devil? He said, I don't know, sir. I said, well is it your father and mother? Did they fail her? Did they have preference to you? Did there was something of a miscalculation and a injustice toward her? What reason? There must be a reason. He said, sir, my mother and father gave her the same love, begged her, wept with her, pled beside her from a girl as they pled beside me for God to take her life. But he said, you know there is such a thing as a free choice, free will, in spite of godly parents. He said, I wish it wasn't so. All I can remember is my sister wanting sin from a little girl. She said to Hortensen, she's a prostitute now. She sells her body from a home like that. It was not my father and mother's fault. Every single person knows that and I who live in the home know that. Oh, I'd admit it. Here is two children from one home whose parents serve God, longing for their children to go through with God. One from a child just wanted what he sees in his father and mother. The other just makes up her mind. She looks twice at sin, at sinners, chooses their company, their stunts. Tell me, young people, where will you end? Like that family? Coming from a godly home does not necessarily mean you're going to be godly, young man. You've got to seek God before sin comes in. You've got to deny it. You've got to like little Daniel. Purpose in your heart that he will not defile himself no matter what the other boys and girls do. Even though I'm ostracized, even if I have to be persecuted, I will not deny what I know to be God's will. I will not compromise no matter what if I stand alone. Right through to in his 90s, no man on earth was honored by God and man like Daniel because as a boy he purposed in his heart. I was in a church here in America, second visit to America, I think, maybe third, and this godly man with a fiery, compassionate cry that made you want to weep the way he loved souls, this godly woman, his wife. We were in the house. She was godly and their children, their children. And of late I heard, having not seen him for many years now, that he retired young. He left the pulpit. People from his church wrote Jenny and I letters of their deep grief that he had to leave. He felt he had to because his son is in jail. He chose sin. He chose to be rebellious. He chose to deny the sensitive workings of the Holy Spirit in his heart like others in that church. And close your heart. Oh, do you think you're going to play the fool with the devil? You won't get away with it. Don't play the fool with God and don't give the devil a chance. You will be amazed what he'll gain and what becomes of you within a moment. And this man left the pulpit because he felt the scriptures didn't allow him to continue, he said. The scriptures cancelled him of the right to preach in his eyes. Now, be careful here. I don't believe congregations should judge a preacher if their children are going through a rebellious stage. No one open your mouth. You dare not. It'll happen to you straight away if you do. Trust me. Trust me even if you're godly. Don't judge that man. Don't judge him once. I guarantee you, you'll be shocked what will come on your home. Be careful. I do not believe it's right for a congregation to sit there in judgment over people, even the pastor's children who go through rebellious stages. It is tragic when this man of his own judgment on himself because of what he reads in the scriptures had to leave his calling for God because of his son, because of his son's choice. They tell me he's aged and I won't believe what's left of him. Eli's son, Eli's sons killed him. Don't doubt it. They were the reason he died. In shock what they were the result of bringing upon Israel through their evil. Oh, be careful. Be careful. Be careful. Being godly in God's eyes does not mean that you will not have to continue a concern about your children's spiritual state in this wicked world. Verse 6. Verse 6. Now there was a day when the sons of God, the angels, came to present themselves before the Lord and Satan came also among them. And the Lord said unto Satan, Whence comest thou? Then Satan answered the Lord and said, From going to and fro in the earth and from walking up and down in it. 1 Peter 5 verse 8. Be sober, be vigilant, because your adversary the devil is a roaring lion walketh about, seeking whom he may devour. Do you think God's using dramatic language? You think that can't happen? Seeking whom he may devour, whom resists steadfast in the faith, knowing that the same afflictions are accomplice in your brethren that in the world. You think you're alone? In this onslaught on you where he sees your weak point just coming. Be careful. He's like a lion prowling on this earth. He's hunting ground for what? To destroy souls and to cripple the faith and the testimony of people who will get to heaven, who dare to make a stand for God. But many preachers have lost the right to preach when they want being sober and vigilant and steadfast and awake. Miss your quiet time brother. Even if you're missing it being real, the great throb of your life. Watch what happens to you that day. I don't care about your doctrine. I dare you to stand up and tell me it didn't happen. You haven't got an enemy that we do not need to be very aware of and very careful of beloved. Very careful. Verse 8. And the Lord said unto Satan, this roaring lion walking about seeking whom he may devour in his desperate moment left for eternity that he can hurt God the one he hates. The one he hates. It's not you he hates, it's God. And you love God. Be careful. He goes around. The Lord said unto Satan, hast thou considered my servant Job that there is none like him in the earth, a perfect and an upright man, one that feareth God and escheweth evil? Then Satan answered the Lord and said, doth Job fear God for naught? Doth Job fear God for naught? Hast thou made an hedge about him and about his house and about all that he hath on every side? I can't get near him. You won't let me touch him. I can't get near him. You so protect him. Thus bless the work of his hands. His substance is increased in the land. Look how you bless him, God. But put forth thine hand now and touch all that he hath. Would God allow that to happen to you, brother? Was Job the only one? Is this book just singling out a man that never could happen again? Put forth thine hand now and touch all that he hath and he, he will curse thee to thy face. He will curse thee to thy face. And the Lord said unto Satan, behold, and this staggers me. It never fails to stagger me. Behold, all that he hath, all that he hath is in thy power. Go. Go ahead. And don't you kill him, Satan. Touch not his life. Now, this is staggering. Job's life is suddenly declared to be the battlefield between God and Satan. Can I repeat it? Job's life is suddenly declared to be the battlefield, the war zone between God and Satan singled out on the entire worth, his life singled out. Now, wow. That's something. And God never consulted Job. Was that unrighteous? I mean, if God said, Job, listen, I'm trusting you. I'm trusting you. Don't fail me. Job would have said, come. But he didn't know. He was confused. He didn't know what was this. He didn't even know it was the devil. He thought it was God, allowing things that his mind couldn't grasp at first. Suddenly, he allows the devil to hurt him with total onslaught, a God of love, a God of love with total onslaught. Brother, heaven's coming. Don't expect it until then. In this world, you shall have tribulation. There's war. If you're not conscious, this earth is the battlefield between God and Satan. I pity you. I pity you on every occasion of what goes in in your life. Total onslaught. The devil shows no mercy, no mercy or compassion. He hurls vengeance upon him with total onslaught. In one day, Job is robbed of almost everything he has in life. Think about that. God lets that happen. Beginning with all his possessions and ending with his dearest possessions, his children, as an evil spiral onslaught, Satan wipes out everything broadly and comes then to write down until he hits the most treasured things in his life. While he's despairing and taking him weaker and knocking, now hits everything, his most dearest possessions in life. Now, let's see. Oh, I have stood with men who were multi-millionaires, not one. Wait till your economy collapses like ours did. Millionaires have got nothing in one day. You think millions will save you? You've just got more to worry about keeping. Christians, I'm talking about, men of God, who in one day, I was with a man on the street. He was marched on the street. All he was allowed to take was one suitcase where he stood with his family. They wouldn't allow him to take the car, the furniture, any other possessions. He was bankrupt. They said, out, it's not yours. He stood in the street. It wasn't his home. In one day, in one day, I've seen it. I've seen men wiped out of everything they have in life in one day. And I've watched godly men with tears coming down their face, saying the Lord gave, the Lord has taken away. Blessed be the name of the Lord. And I looked at them with tears coming down my eyes because it wasn't to impress me. And I finished off the sentence that God is writing in heaven, I know. In all this, he sinned not, nor charged God foolishly. Hallelujah. It wasn't only Job. I've been in homes where the children were killed in one moment. Wiped out with guns in all the violence of our country, getting into the wrong taxi. So another taxi driver gets out just because he didn't get the business. Young 21-year-old boy, just about finished his doctor's degree, their father's father dead, slaughtered. And what do they do? You think that doesn't happen to godly people? You think that just happened by mistake? You think there's an enemy behind every single cursed thing that happens? A cursed thing that comes on you? Do you honestly think it just happened? God lost control, you say? No. No. I watched them go on their knees, weeping. And I waited as I wept. And I waited and I heard what I knew would come because I knew their lives. The Lord gave. The Lord has taken away. Oh, blessed is the name of the Lord. In all this, they sinned not. Don't doubt it. Job is not the only one. God allowed it to happen too. Verse 20, staggering now. Just listen to this verse. Then Job arose and rent his garments and shaved his head and fell down upon the ground and worshipped. Oh, can you imagine Satan? Just imagine. He's gonna curse God. No. He worshipped. I can just see the demons of hell screaming in horror and fear and shame and Satan cowering. Don't doubt it. Cowering. He worships. What a good man up there. Where I've just come from, John Glick was listening to, well, I don't think this, but anyway, he said, if the devil knew what was gonna be the end of Job's life when he looks at the multitudes and multitudes and multitudes of Christians who took courage in all the darkness that comes and grief, he would never have touched Job. He lost such a battle right to your life because God gave us the longest single book in the entire Bible about someone apart from Christ. Oh, Moses wrote more books, but about another person other than Christ, no more is said on this pages of this book than Job. The longest book, the most written of any single man apart from Jesus Christ was Job. Can you blame God doing that? For every generation to be staggered. Oh, he staggers the powers of hell. He staggers heaven. Well, not God though. He staggers every generation because God made sure every generation knew what happened right down until tonight. Oh, brother. He worshipped. He triumphed over all that was allowed to be tested in his life. Listen to this. Habakkuk 3 verse 17. Although the fig tree shall not blossom by the by, I hope you know the Bible is the school book, the set work book in the school of God. You've got to learn and you've got to do it and you've got to pass the exam. If you don't, you'll go through it again, brother. Pass it now. Otherwise, I guarantee you don't get put up like some mischievous teachers will just get pushed up in your life. No, you will face it, brother, again and again until you sister pass the exams. Nothing's happening in your life that is an exam. You better pass. At least my father-in-law told me that we need fathers-in-law. Habakkuk 3 verse 17, the set work of God's school. Although the fig tree shall not blossom, neither shall fruit be in the vines, the labor of the olives shall fail, the field shall yield no meat, the flock shall be cut off from the fold, Job, and there shall be no herd in the stall. I've lost everything. Next verse. Yet I will rejoice. Rejoice? Is that what I'm going to pass exams? Oh my, I will rejoice in the Lord. I will joy in the God of my salvation. Habakkuk, sorry, Hebrews 13 verse 15. By him, therefore, let us offer the sacrifice of praise. I'm so glad God said sacrifice. You know what true praises of any value is when things go wrong. Brother, you can shout hallelujah when things go right. The devil's children can. But you want to see God sifting out the hearts of men? Throw them in the fires and watch how many hallelujahs turn to cursing to his face in one moment. God knows how to sort out the false. You think things go wrong in a nation? You think things go wrong with economy? You think things go hard? You want to see God sifting out the hearts of men fast? Things go wrong. And I wonder what's left of all the hallelujah men. They do just what the devil says. I've seen them. To my shame, I said I've seen them. Not angry, literally cursing God, but oh, when they were millionaires, praising. Oh, by him, therefore, let us offer the sacrifice of praise. By him, therefore, let us offer the sacrifice of praise. When it's not easy, when it costs to praise continually, that is the fruit of our lips, giving thanks, giving thanks when it's a sacrifice. 1 Thessalonians 5 verse 18, in everything give thanks. Isn't that staggering? For this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you. A wise old godly woman in our land, South Africa, told her fiery preaching husband, you don't praise God for everything. That would be deranged. But you praise God in spite of anything the devil does. There's a great difference. Never praise God for what the devil does. If your child falls into sin, don't you praise God? No. But in spite of it, if you lose everything, don't thank God that everything's gone, your health, don't. But in spite of it, offer the sacrifice of praise for the one million things left that you can praise him for. Then many would walk on glass, crawl on glass for a kilometer to have just one day of your privileges. Continually, whoso offereth praise glorifyeth me. When it's a sacrifice, I believe. I believe that's when praise really counts. And you know, when he worshiped, I don't believe worship is a big smile and a laugh in the tone of voice and the lilting voice. I believe the most treasured worship God ever finds in a child of God has been tears come down here, and the heart is heavy and crushed. That's when you can worship God, when you say, blessed be the name of the Lord. Weeping, he gave, he has the right to take away. Verse 22, in all this, Job sinned not nor charged God foolishly. Here is the exam results sent back. It always happens by the by, in the word of God, that is, and in the annals of God in heaven, which is just the record going on of everything. Here is in verse 22, the exam results, plus the examination examiners remarks. I'm scared to think what they used to write on my exam papers when I was at school. But here, here is the examination examiners remarks, passed with distinction. That's what would have been said to me if I passed, excelling as I expected of you, Job. That's what I expected of you when I allowed all this, in spite of all this. The exam results, plus the remarks of the examiner. But wait now, beloved. Although Job passed the test, with distinction, don't doubt it, Satan wasn't finished yet. Can God allow more to come on this man? He hasn't given up. When he left off tempting Jesus in the desert, it wasn't just the end, it was just for a season, the Bible says. Suddenly, the battle resumes, war, and he hurls his most terrifying, evil vengeance because of the shame he and the defeat he's now had. Again, there was a day when the sons of God, the angels, came to present themselves before the Lord, and Satan came also among them to present himself before the Lord. And the Lord said unto Satan, from whence comest thou? And Satan answered the Lord and said, from going to and fro in the earth and from walking up and down in it. And the Lord said unto Satan, hast thou considered, my servant Job, that there is none like him in the earth, a perfect and an upright man, one that feareth God, ne'er sheweth evil, and still he holdeth fast his integrity, although thou movest me against him to destroy him without cause. And Satan answered the Lord and said, skin for skin, yea, all that a man hath will he give for his life, but put forth thine hand now and touch his bone and his flesh, and he will curse thee, he will curse thee to thy face. And the Lord, the Lord said unto Satan, behold, behold, he is in thine hand, he is in thine hand, but save his life. So went Satan forth from the presence of the Lord and smoked Job with sore boils, sore boils from the sole of his foot unto his crown. And he took him a potsherd, a piece of broken pottery, to scrape himself with o'er, to scrape himself with o'er, and he sat down among the ashes. Then said his wife unto him, dost thou still retain thine integrity? Do you still profess that you are righteous? After all this, dost thou still retain thine integrity? Curse God, curse God, and die, die. But he said unto her, thou speakest as one of the foolish women speakest. What, shall we receive good at the hand of God, and shall we not receive evil? In all this, did not Job sin with his lips? Passed, not with distinction, one thousand percent pass. Don't doubt it. Well done, good and faithful servant. Doesn't come at the end of your life when you stand before God only, brother, sister. Oh, in all this, Job sinned not with his lips. In all this, did not Job sin with his lips? It's amazing here how this woman, given as a helpmeet, that's why God gave man, it's not good for man, he needs a helpmeet. God in creation saw this great need now. It's better if a man is two will stand, the one will help the other, the four, not good for a man to be alone now. Here comes his helpmeet and does, what does she do? She tells him to do word perfect what Satan wants him to do. I want you to think about the helpmeet now. No encouragement. Oh, have mercy on her, please. She lost her children also. She lost everything in one day also. She looks at her husband that used to be the most honored man on earth, to her knowledge and esteem, just rotting away in pain and suffering and torment. Have mercy on her, but it's amazing how the people that love you from the least expected source. Peter loved Jesus and what does he do? He does what the devil wants him to do. The devil didn't stop tempting Jesus while he was on the cross, he was still tempting Jesus. He saved others, let him save himself now. Do you think that was just man? No, that was the devil trying for the last minute. Anything to test him, to tempt him. Here, Peter now says, oh, don't go. He doesn't want. Christ turns to Peter who's loving him, crying out, trying to keep him from the cross, trying to keep him from death that is certain. And he says, get behind me, Satan. He recognized. You think the devil doesn't use people who just lose touch for a moment and take their eyes of eternal things and lose touch? You think your loved ones won't be used? Be careful now, be careful. Yes, he says exactly, exactly. Curse God. Satan says, now you listen and die. What? Satan has to reel in shock. He has to reel in shock. Satan scolds her. Oh, sorry. Job scolds her. Hallelujah. And passes the exam even then, even then. Suddenly, Job is inflicted with a terrifying disease, an excruciating pain and torment and physical suffering and mental suffering. Trust me, the mental suffering by this time was making his mind stagger and collapse. You go through half of what he sees, and let's see what you're left with mentally. Oh, have mercy upon some of his cursings, okay? Eventually. Thank God he never cursed God, though. Job is suddenly inflicted, infected with such excruciating disease, beyond comprehension, suffering and torment mentally. His faith tested to the limit, total onslaught. Is not this perhaps the greatest testings of our faith may be required to face, beloved? Is this not perhaps the greatest testings our faith will ever be required to face on earth? It was Jesus Christ's final test and greatest test to suffer the physical death on a cross of crucifixion. He learned obedience through the things which he suffered, a terribly difficult verse to explain. He, can you imagine, God learned obedience through the things that he suffered. I would say in my limited understanding, he fulfilled God's will for his life and purpose in sending him, God the Father, when he was willing and had completely fulfilled the death on the cross, no matter what it cost him, no matter how much he had retracted from it in his humanity, in the garden of Gethsemane, crying out to God to possibly take it away from him that he doesn't have to face it. He was God, but he was made man, though he was totally godly. Let's not get into doctrine. Oh my, the greatest testings of your faith, are they not the physical? You know, I was in a hospital once, a good year ago, maybe two years, I don't know, but some young fellow said to me when I was one of the cities in our country, there's a man who knows you, he's seen your videos or tapes or something, I don't know, and he's dying. And he said, I want you please to come to see him, he knows you in the city, he's heard about the meetings from his family, but he's really hanging on and he's dying. He's in a terrible state, sir, and he said, I beg you, I beg you, make this man come here now. He says, I'm begging you for him. I know you're busy, because I hesitated. So I said, all right, I told everyone, bury everything else, we went into the hospital, there he lay. I couldn't believe a human could have become so much of a cabbage by that time, physically, to all the sickness. He had such torment, he had such torment, he's trying to breathe, he's trying to speak, you know, and every breath was like pain, you just saw his whole body. Eventually, after a while, I heard what he was saying to me, brother, and he held my hand, I held his hand. He held it so tight, trembling, brother, thank you for coming. I'm not scared of death, I'm scared of life. I'm scared of not dying now. I'm scared of living long enough to curse God. My mind is going, everything is crying out to curse God, I don't want to live, let me die, ask God to take me, brother. Don't let me curse God, I'm scared of living, not dying, I'm so suffering. I put my hand, I said, God, take him, and he died. God. His physical suffering, it eventually affects you mentally and spiritually. Now, perhaps the greatest test of your faith, Job, the last thing the devil resorts to when he can't do anything else, and God will allow him. Don't judge a man by the by. You cannot stand in a man's shadow, sir, that suffers sickness. Don't accuse him of sin, like Job's friends. Oh, their doctrine was lovely, correct doctrine, wrong address. There's other doctrines. Your doctrine doesn't stand in the light of all other scriptures, just one verse that contradicts your interpretation. You've got the wrong interpretation, stop preaching it, brother. Don't be adamant about it and radical if you know there's something contradicting that you would be scared. Anyone stood up and said, what about this? You know, be careful, and you're like a Jehovah Witness. Be careful. Sometimes it's the godliest alive that I've known that suffer and suffer and die of their sickness. And trust me, Elisha, miracles comparable to the time of Christ that came through Christ, double portion of Elijah, dead, raised, leprosy, sicknesses, healings upon healings that just staggered the world in his time through this godly man. You know how he died? God was careful to do this because God's perfect. He didn't die in old age, he died in his sickness. Not backslidden. Oh no, God would have said, God shows you David's sin, God tells you Solomon. God doesn't spare, he tells the truth about a man in this book. But not Elijah, no sin, he died godly. It was God's will the way he died. Don't you accuse people if you pray for them and they must be healed because, oh, everyone that was brought to Jesus was healed, you know. So, everyone that gets sick, we pray for they must be healed. And if they don't get healed, it's because of sin in their lives or unbelief. That's obnoxious. Why isn't it the sin of the people who are praying? I mean, you're the one praying, why now accuse if your prayers don't get answered the person who doesn't get healed? That's beyond, that's the total height of carnality. I don't think there's a higher point of carnality obtainable in a preacher or Christian who thinks he's got theology or the right to do things for God than to come to someone suffering and make them suffer more. Because they're a failure. In their doctrine and in their prayers, putting it mildly, God heals. New Testament you say, oh, Epaphroditus sent off the mission field. Why? Sick, so sick he couldn't continue. I send him back to you at Philippi, but honor him, esteem such who are sick sent away to spare myself of any further sorrows and you from sorrows of his suffering, of his physical state, because for the work of God, he's in the state. Why don't you read that, brother, when you tell people to come in if they're not healed? Trophemus, have I left at militum sick? By the way, he wasn't like Demas having forsaken me, having loved this present world. No, he would have said so. Trophemus, he didn't say Trophemus is backstabbed because I would have prayed for him, he would have been healed. I mean, I've prayed for the dead. No, this man Trophemus is continually mentioned after this incident along with the godliest in tribute to him as Paul sends greetings. He wasn't backstabbed, he left him. Paul left him. He was sick and prayer didn't change it and Paul didn't say he's full of sin. No. Timothy, take a little wine for medical reasons, for thy often firmities, for thy stomachs, this thing that all the time is hindering you physically. He didn't say what you would have said, Timothy. Are you full of sin? Where's your faith? You can't be healed by prayer. He didn't say, I'll pray for you. No, Timothy, let me give a bit of advice in my compassion on you and tell you something. If you've got no compassion on sick people, you are the furthest person I can think away from God that holds a Bible in his hand on earth. Full stop. I think Jehovah Witnesses will have a bit more compassion than you and a little bit more discernment of what compassion is. You've lost it, brother. If you don't have compassion, if your doctrine isn't fulfilled and all you do is accuse people, be careful now. Be careful now. Be careful. Oh, brother, be careful. Terrifying. I'm scared to look at the watch. All right, all of you take your watches off and throw them at the door, please. Oh my, you didn't do it. That's sad. Well, well, I'm going to try and see what happens until I see most of you start walking out, then I'm going to die of shame. But we're going to try, okay? Because I decided to try and get through the book tonight. I shouldn't have. Well, I should have. God doesn't let mistakes happen when you pray like that. So we read now in verse 11. Don't worry, I'm not keeping you here till midnight. I will not let someone die like Paul did through my lengthy preaching. And I can't let you do that to me because I'm not as strong in the faith as Paul obviously was. Oh, all right. Verse 11. Now when Job's three friends heard of all this evil that was come upon him, they came, every one from his own place. Eliphaz the Temanite and Bildad the Suhite and Zophar the Nemethite. They had made an appointment together to come to mourn with him and to comfort him. And when they lifted up their eyes, when they lifted up their eyes afar off and knew him not, they lifted up their voice and wept. And they rent every one their mantle, they tore their garments and sprinkled dust upon their heads toward heaven. So they sat down with him upon the ground seven days and seven nights and none spake a word unto him. None spake a word unto him for they saw that his grief was very great. After this, after this opened Job his mouth and cursed his day, his birthday that he'd ever been born. Not God, he doesn't curse God. He curses that he had ever been conceived. He curses the thought that God had ever given him light to a life, that there was any knowledge of his life, the thought behind. He curses in grief and mourn and suffering and torment that he'd ever had to be given life to face all this. He curses that he'd ever been given life and he curses from a heart brother you dare not judge. Chapter 4 verse 1, Then Eliphaz the Temanite answered and said, If we, if we say to commune with thee, would thou be grieved? But who can withhold himself from speaking? Behold thou has instructed many, thou has instructed many, and thou hast strengthened the weak hands. Thy words have upholden him that was falling, and thou hast strengthened the feeble knees. But now it has come upon thee, and thou faintest. It touches thee and thou art troubled. What compassion! They came to comfort him and to mourn with him. The first thing they say after they listen to him when he did open his mouth is, they begin to do what the devil does too, accuse him that he's not righteous. You, you preachers, you who help others, it'll come on you when everything suddenly goes wrong in your life. They did it to Jesus, he saved himself, let him come with the cross now, he saved others, let him, he can't save himself, now he could do, he saves others as he could do to others. You instructed, you gave compassion, care, and words of wisdom what to do and not to lose your faith, but now it comes on your job. Look at you, look at you, look at you. Now you want to follow, this is to get fast through one of the longest books in the Bible. We're going to do it in record time by chapter 6. But Job answered and said, oh that my grief were thoroughly weighed, and my calamity laid in the balances together, for now it would be heavier than the sand of the sea, therefore my words are swallowed up. That's why I want to express the grief that's in my heart. If I now could put the balances, if God could just show you on the one side all I've suffered that you haven't suffered, and my words that express my grief over my torment of all my loss and my sufferings, I would be just in the weighing scales of God and the balances in God's eyes. Verse 14, to him that is afflicted pity should be shown from his friend, but he forsaketh the fear of the Almighty, my brethren have dealt deceitfully as a brook. Oh, but Bildad goes on now, isn't it something? He goes defending himself. Chapter 8, then answered Bildad the Shuhite and said, how long wilt thou speak these things, and how long shall the words of thy mouth be like a strong wind? Doth God pervert judgment, or doth the Almighty pervert justice? If thy children have sinned against him, and he hath cast them away for their transgression, if thou wouldst seek unto God bidtimes, and make thy supplication to the Almighty, if thou wert pure, if thou wert pure and upright, surely now he would awake for thee, and make the habitation of thy righteousness prosperous. Here you defend yourself against God's dealings, you declare yourself righteous, and this is all not intended, it's not right. Oh, this is staggering, this is staggering. If you were pure, Job, God would awake for you right now, and make everything turn that you're prosperous again. Chapter 9, then Job answered and said, I know it is so of a truth, but how should a man be just with God? If he will contend with him, he cannot answer him one of a thousand. Verse 32, for he is not a man as I am, that I should answer him, and we should come together in judgment. Chapter 10, verse 1, my soul is weary of my life, I will leave my complaint upon myself, I will speak in the bitterness of my soul, I will say unto God, do not condemn me, show me wherefore thou contendest with me. Is it good unto thee that thou shouldest oppress, that thou shouldest despise the work of thine hands, and shine upon the counsel of the wicked? Oh, what a challenge now, he doesn't curse God, but he challenges God. It's not right, God, what you're doing. Verse 7, thou knowest that I am not wicked. Verse 8, thine hands have made me, and fastened me, yet thou dost destroy me. Verse 15, I am full of confusion, therefore see thou my infliction. 20, are not my days few? Cease then, and let me alone, that I may take comfort a little. Chapter 11, then answered Zophar the namethite, and said, then answered Zophar the namethite, and said, should not the multitude of words be answered? And should a man talk full of talk be justified? Should thy lies make men hold their peace? And when thou mockest, shall no man, shall no man make thee ashamed? For thou hast said, my doctrine is pure, thou hast said, my doctrine is pure, and I am clean in thine eyes. But oh, that God would speak, oh, that God would speak, and open his mouth against thee, open his lips against thee, and that he would show thee the secrets of wisdom, that they are double to that which is. Therefore know this, that he exacteth of thee less than thine iniquity deserveth. Oh, no mercy, you should have got more than what's come on you, you must be so wicked. Amazing, to think they came to comfort him, look what they're doing. Goodness me, the devil challenges Job's integrity, his wife challenges Job's integrity, his friends challenge Job's integrity, his integrity now is the one thing Satan, his wife, his friends, everyone's challenging. But God, chapter 12, and Job answered and said, no doubt, but ye are the people and wisdom shall die with you. But I have understanding as well as you, I am not inferior to you, yea, who knoweth not such things as these. I am as one mocked of his neighbor, who calleth upon God, and he answers him that just upright man is loft to scorn. He that is ready to slip with his feet is a lamp despised, and the thought of him that is at ease, you that have no troubles, you despise me because I've got troubles. Verse 13 of chapter 13, hold your peace, let me alone that I may speak, incumbent me what will, wherefore do I take my flesh and my teeth and put my life in mine hand, though he slay me, yet will I trust him. I love that, in the middle of all this, he still trusts God, there's something amazing about his grief against the injustices coming upon him, but even if he slays me, I haven't stopped trusting him. His wife said, curse God and die, he said these staggering words, so we receive good at the hand of God, and so we not receive evil. Do we only serve God when things go right, woman? Do we stop serving him and loving him and trusting him when everything goes wrong? It's only if everything goes right. Though he slay me, yet will I trust him, but I will maintain my ways before him, I'll argue my life and my reasoning with him. He also shall be my salvation, for a hypocrite shall not come before him, hear diligently my speech and my declaration with your ears, behold now I have ordered my cause, I know that I shall be justified, he still hopes, somewhere along the line, God is going to justify him, he still hopes in God's integrity, though he's doubting why, can't understand why, well of course, the life as goes on, hammering him and accusing of him of wickedness, because God is just, he would never allow such things to come upon a human, that the God pervert just judgment and that the almighty pervert justice, he says, well Job chapter 16, then Job answered and said, I have heard many such things, miserable comforters are you all, that's a good thing now, he's giving them what they deserve by the way, but of course he's not doing it in sin, miserable comforters are you all, you came to comfort me, you miserable comforters, shall vain words have an end, what emboldened at thee that thou answers, I also could speak as you, if your soul were in my soul stead, I could heap up words against you and shake my head at you, but I would strengthen you with my mouth and the moving of my lips should assuage your grief, though I speak my grief is not assuaged, and though I forbear, what are my ease, verse 20, my friends scorn me, but mine eye pour without tears to God, oh that one might plead for a man with God, well Jesus of course was right there, chapter 19, then Job answered and said, how long will you vex my soul and break me in pieces with these words, these ten times you've approached me, you're not ashamed that you make yourself strange to me, verse 19, all my inward friends abhor me, they whom I loved are turned against me, verse 21, have pity on me, have pity on me, oh my friends, the hand of God has touched me, why do you persecute me as God and are not satisfied with my flesh, oh that my words were now written, oh that they were printed in a book, well he didn't know it was, God had to, he's so righteous, he had to. Now I'm going to come to chapter 29, it's just all this terrifying onslaught against him, listen to this man, verse 2, oh that I were as in months past, as in the days when God preserved me, when his candle shined upon my head, when by his light I walked through darkness, as I was in the days of my youth, when the secret of God was upon my tabernacle, when the Almighty was yet with me and my children were about me, oh this man was grieving, oh this man was grieving, 32, chapter 32, comes a young man called Elihu, well Elihu is an unusual circumstance, we didn't know he was there, but he was listening right from the beginning, he was there, there were other people listening by the by, to all these wonderful doctrines, don't doubt it, they'd be professors of theology these men, their doctrine was amazing, you read some of it, oh my, but they missed the mark when it came to sufferings, things about God are wonderful, they said, but now this young Elihu, he was the youngest by the way, and it was the culture, it was the custom that a young would always keep quiet until the old had their say, and then even to keep quiet unless they were in trouble, but here's Elihu, he's younger and for that reason he keeps quiet, now when they don't have anything more, when these three men cease to answer Job or to all accuse him, because he was righteous in his own eyes, they stopped, then was the kindled, the wrath, the anger of Elihu, the son of Bashal, the Buzite, of the kindred of Ram, against Job was his wrath kindled, because he justified himself rather than God, against his three friends also was his wrath kindled, because they found no answer yet condemned Job, you know this young man is the only one God didn't condemn, the others were in trouble, wait till you see the end, they were in desperate, desperate problems with God and had to do something desperately fast and not really have it thrown on them to show what was in them, but this young man for some reason God didn't condemn him, I think the bulk of what he says in truth is that you three friends are wrong that you condemn him like this without really any fault, but Job where your fault is, is you, you have sought to just justify yourself and not to justify God, you haven't thought beyond what's beyond this, well so God doesn't judge him even though he said some rather staggering statements for a young man to say anyway, well then comes this mighty verse chapter 38, then the Lord answered, Job at last God speaks, remember what his one friend, oh that God would speak, oh that God would speak and open his lips against you, tell you just how wicked you are, you would stop arguing with us, God couldn't do this to a righteous man, and then the Lord answered Job out of the whirlwind and said who is this that darkeneth counsel by words without knowledge, who is this that darkeneth counsel by words without knowledge, chapter 40 verse 2 shall he that contended with the Almighty instruct him, he that reprove with God, let him answer it, you know Romans 9 is a staggering chapter, if you look out of its context you really can start blaming God for everything that goes wrong in a soul, even his choice in life, but ultimately what God says to Job here, shall he that contended with the Almighty instruct him, he that reprove with God, let him answer it, what he's saying here is said in Romans 9, one of the most controversial chapters in the history that has divided the churches, nothing else in history divided them, God says ultimately what Paul says in Romans 9, the argument with the Jews who said we're the chosen race, God has no right to choose anybody else, no one beyond this, I mean how can you come with this gospel that everybody's, we're the ones, how can God bypass us, so they're arguing, so the whole argument of course of Romans 9 is to the Jews, to say look what if God, he can do what he wants to, who are you to, listen verse 14, what shall we say then, is there unrighteousness with God, God forbid before you start declaring the doctrines you believe in, make sure they don't undo this verse, is there unrighteousness with God, read Romans 1 and 2 before you get to 9 brother, you might find it wasn't God's fault, for this cause God gave them up, even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to reprobate mind, there's always a reason, don't blame God and say there's no reason, don't think a man would stand before God and say I had no choice in the matter, brother I don't care why I write your doctrine, read Romans 1, 2, 3 before you start expanding on 9, you might find it's only the Jews he's answering in their confusion and their total lack of compassion on earth, because they the chosen ones, who, no one else is going to be chosen, well is there unrighteousness with God, God forbid, verse 20, nay but oh man who art thou that repriest against God, that answerest or disputes with God, shall the thing formed, say to him that formed it, why has thou made me that, there's something here that God is crying out to Job and all it is, who are you Job, that you dispute my righteousness, that you question my integrity because of all these things, that you didn't try and justify me, didn't try and think deeply into this beyond, this is the one failure of Job in God's eyes and it was a failure by the way that we don't see any offering needed, so maybe in God's eyes brother when you fail, it's more of a triumph than anything else when God weighs in the balance, we condemn ourselves, but this man, God doesn't even say you need offerings or sacrifices, be careful, God would have said it at this stage about what he had said by the by, and so the Lord says these staggering words and then Job answered the Lord verse 3 and said behold I am vile, what shall I answer thee, I will lay my hand upon my mouth, I won't speak any further contending thee God, and God of course goes on to show him his sovereignty, one of the most wonderful chapters in the whole Bible of the greatness, the perfectness of God's creation, beyond comprehension that he had created so much, no man can even work out scientifically they think they've explained away God, brother explain one single animal, let alone the Creator, just explain the birth, Billy Graham if you allow me to use his name, some of you don't want to, but he said to Einstein who said prove there's a God, Billy Graham said well I can't have a mathematical equation and say X plus X equals God, no, but I can ask you to be honest, look at the birth of a child, just watch it and tell me there's no God, come outside he said to Einstein in his old age, look at the sky, look at the universe, look at the star, tell me that happened, the fool hath said in his heart there is no God, Billy Graham said, Einstein said Mr. Graham you're a very wise man, only a fool would say there's no God, Einstein said and praise the Lord, he acknowledged it, oh read Romans 1 to see how justice comes on you, there's no excuse, invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and God so that they're without excuse, when they knew God they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful but became vain in their imagination and their foolish heart was darkened, professing themselves to be wise, right to this day, they became fools, run away from them, doesn't matter if he's a professor, he's a fool, God says, not me, if he says there's no God, run away, what do you want to get educated by a fool for, goodness me, I read in the paper that they're actually thinking of how to stand at last they come to the place where science is so made a fool of itself, that this population of yours generally says we got to get this evolution out of the schools and bring back the creation, now there's a real problem, the evolution is saying this is the greatest tragedy that's happened in the history of America, why? It's a religion, Satan's religion, there's no God, that's not any communist religion, it's just because they get educated in a democratic land, you're gonna put me in jail for that brother, well you'd jail God if he was here, if he was here, I have no doubt, you wouldn't agree with what he says, because all I'm doing is saying what God says, by the way, so you're judging God, that he said he created the world, and he is, and he'll judge you for saying, only a fool would say this could happen, even Einstein said so, you're judging Einstein, now we mustn't get too much on this, but we're looking at the sovereignty of God, and this amazement, as Job just listens to the greatness, the awe, reasoning, how could you even begin to think you could try and explain me, and my righteousness, and there's no unrighteousness in me, so he cries out what Paul was crying, basically the essence, that God is not unrighteous, and that no one has the right to accuse him of unrighteousness, even if you don't understand things, Jews, you Jews, that God's got a bypass now, of course you, he became a rock of stumbling, to the Jews a rock of stumbling, to the Greeks an offense, those that stumbled at the word, the Jews stumbled over, he couldn't accept Christ, so God bypasses, but of course it's to reach the Gentiles, now, but the Jews didn't like the idea of the gospel, saying that they weren't the chosen ones anymore, others are chosen, well, so the thing formed, argue with the maker, what are you doing, no, you don't do this Job, that you do not do, the Almighty was crying, chapter 42, then Job answered the Lord, and said, I know that thou canst do everything, and that no thought can be withheld from thee, who is he that hideth counsel without knowledge, therefore have I uttered that I understood not, things too wonderful for me, which I knew not, here I beseech thee, and I will speak, I will demand of thee, and declare thou unto me, I've heard of thee, I've heard of thee by the hearing of the ear, but now mine eye seeth thee, wherefore I abhor myself, I abhor myself and repent in dust and ashes, and it was so, I abhor myself and repent in dust and ashes, it was so that after the Lord had spoken these words to Job, the Lord said to Eliphaz the Temanite, my wrath is kindled against thee, and against thy friends, thy two friends, in that you have not spoken of me, the thing that is right, as my servant Job, therefore take unto you now seven bullocks and seven rams, and go to my servant Job, and my servant Job shall pray for you, for him will I accept, lest I deal with you after your folly, in that you have not spoken of me, the thing which is right, like my servant Job, so Eliphaz the Temanite and Bildad the Suite, and Zophar the Naamathite, went and did according as the Lord commanded them, and the Lord also accepted Job, the Lord turned the captivity of Job, when he prayed for his three friends, also the Lord gave Job twice as much as he had before, then came there unto him all his brethren, and all his sisters, and all they that had been of acquaintance before, and that eat bread with him in his house, and that bemoaned him, and comforted him of all the evil that the Lord had brought upon him, and every man, every man also gave him a piece of money, and every one an earring of gold, so the Lord blessed the latter end of Job more than his beginning, for he had fourteen thousand sheep, and three thousand, six thousand camels, and a thousand yoke of oxen, and a thousand she has, he had also seven sons, and three daughters, and he called the name of the first Jemima, and the name of the second Keziah, and the name of the third Kiran-hapach, and in all the land were no woman found, in all the land were no woman found so fair as the daughters of Job, and their father gave them inheritance among their brethren, after this, after this lived Job, and hundred and forty years, and saw his sons, and his sons' sons, even four generations, so Job died being old and full of days, full of days, here I end, but listen carefully now brethren, his promises have not failed when everything goes wrong, Psalm 105 verse 18, until the time that his word came, the word of the Lord tried him, concerning the promises which seemed to fail, until the fulfillment of his promise came, the unfulfilled promise was the test of his faith, the promises haven't failed, when all goes wrong, the only thing that can fail is you fail the exam, before you prove the promises are still there, don't doubt it, Joseph his promises haven't failed you, when everything goes wrong, when you were cast into prison Joseph, Daniel when you're cast into the lion's den, Jeremiah when you're cast into the pit, Paul when you're cast into prison, God left him the Bible says to try him to see what was in his heart, this is the school of God, he's not just trying to prove a point to the devil, when all seems that God has forsaken you beloved, don't dare believe it, I will never leave thee nor forsake thee, I am with thee till the end, God will never suffer you to be tempted, tested above that you're able to bear, he will never, he has integrity, he has an holy obligation to do that, you think things are wrong brother, the only thing that can go wrong in your life right now, no matter how bad things are, if you do wrong, if you take your eyes off Jesus, you don't learn from the school book of God, brother, the principle of suffering is brought out in the New Testament to a staggering degree, there are many things God will never accomplish in your life unless he takes you through the fires, and even Job was the first man to glimpse this, no man before had glimpsed it, when he has tried me, I shall come forth as gold from the fire, brother, sister, Peter cries out and I could go on now for half an hour, just scriptures, but I'm not going to, the trial of your faith, not when things are going easy, is more precious than gold that perishes, though it be tried with fire, it worketh a peaceable fruit of holiness you see, there's some things that don't happen at salvation, that don't happen when you absolutely surrender and filled with God the Holy Spirit, and have a personal calvary, no, there's such a thing as the fires, and coming out a thousand times in the meetings isn't going to take what only the fires are going to take out of your life the dross, the rubbish that really only God knows now the fires, and he takes you through as much as he allows listen, brother, I have stood with men who were so full of confidence, they were fearful, and they were men of God a force for God, no one opened their mouth in fear of them, a year or two later, I was sitting with one man who made me tremble in his presence, he was such a force, with his book, no one touched him, just keep quiet, this man will wipe the floor of you he walked in the door, I didn't recognize him, like they didn't recognize Job in two, one and a half years I didn't know who he was, wiped out, God has to put you through crash courses to get you ready for heaven, you know and you know what was amazing when I realized who it was when he was out of the door, and I said, oh, this is a humble man oh, he's Christ-like, when they said his name, what did that, do you honestly think anything the devil does is not for your good because then God's denying himself, all things work together for the good to them that love God brother, you've just got to love him, and trust him, and by the way, trust is love God wasn't just proving a point to Satan, the principle of what God knew would result by the way, Job wasn't ultimately perfect, there's no such a thing, God tells us clearly there's no man that hasn't sinned, well, including Job, don't doubt it, but in the light he was given he had come to a place in his life that God doesn't give us all details, but somehow he had got to a place where God said he's walking in the light, he's given, and what a terrible rebuke that is to the devil but he wasn't ultimately perfect, by the by, let me tell you, God had something in mind and it backfires on the devil, you know, don't think the fires are going to destroy you they're going to make you, everything God wants you to be, they're going to take out all the self-confidence young man, is that sin? Oh, no, but the fires are going to make you that you have confidence only in God they're going to come upon your life, I guarantee you, somewhere before death, unless you take off prematurely to God, they're going to come upon you, you won't be able to get up, unless you say in your heart I will never rise again unless grace helps me to take another step, you think God's forsaken you? No, that's the school of God, he wants you to know you'll never get up in life without another, with grace to be able to stand again, when you've reached that point, you're in the university, I stood with a man who was so fearful, men would run as he looked, he didn't have to command us, he was one of the leaders of the mission you know, when he died, I couldn't believe my eyes, I was coming to America, that night, he came crossed along, I couldn't believe my eyes, wiped out, the gentleness, the tenderness, the lack of a voice of authority saying jump boy, jump, and you jump, no, he just looked, I looked at him and I thought this God, thou hast so prepared him, through all his sufferings, this man is ready to take the next step into heaven, he's so ready, he's so Christ-like, nothing left of self, you think God makes a mistake by the way he died, that night, he just stepped into heaven by the by, almost, but oh you can get so Christ-like if you let God, if you don't take the eyes of Jesus, no matter what the devil brings Peter, start sinking and losing faith, no, and ruin what God could have done to glorify, if you just keep your eyes on Jesus no matter what comes on you, it's for your good, it's for the glory of God, we wouldn't allow the devil to touch you the devil terribly limited, that's one thing Job teaches us about, this book was the first book of the entire Bible ever written, before Moses was given revelation about Genesis, of course Genesis happened before Job but, this was the first book ever written that's now contained in the scriptures, written before Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers and Deuteronomy when God had to give revelation of the past, this book was the first, it is the longest of any single man apart from Christ honored so was he, so was he, I wound but I heal, I allow sorrows but I'm gonna heal you, the wounds won't destroy you I will one day heal him, but if you keep your trust in him, you will heal and always more selfless, always more Christ like, can you imagine how godly that man after the fires was do you honestly think he was the same, he was so much of a force that I don't think the devil ever had heart to come near him again in truth with any true hope, otherwise God would have told us oh, the fires, the fires, be still child, know that I'm God, in the fig tree, when everything fails you trust, when you reach this point, be careful, you've reached the privileged spot on the spiritual map toward heaven to pass a great milestone, and to move on to higher heights than most will ever reach if everything is taken from you, if everything goes wrong, don't fail now, Job, don't begin to cry out you've deceived me, I was deceived in trusting you, as Jeremiah did say to God will thou be altogether to me as a liar, he cries out to God, who sent him oh, now careful now, cry out, though he slay me in the midst of all your reasonings yet will I trust him, I trust him still in spite of my mind, in such a torment that I'm confused, trying to reason, I trust him Abraham, believe God, he staggered not in unbelief, he didn't doubt don't stagger child, even if the promise takes right to your life to come full, God said, it must happen I don't care how destroyed you think you are, God's still in control and he's doing something wonderful your darkest moment that you will ever experience in life is when God is about to do the greatest work that will ever be accomplished upon you spiritually on earth don't doubt this, if you keep your eyes on Jesus don't stagger now child, rise above all that Satan tells you, he's got the right to tell you of God's betrayal, of God's cruelty, he'll come through theologians, he'll come through your wife, he'll come through your children, he'll come through your friends of God's denial, of his own promises, you stand up and say, I believe God that it shall be, even it was told me in this book, he cannot fail himself how I believe thee God, help my unbelief Spirit of God, descend upon my heart wean it from earth, through all its pulses move stoop to my weakness, mighty as thou art and make me love thee as I ought to love teach me to feel that thou art always nigh teach me the struggles of the soul to bear to check the rising doubt, the rebel sigh teach me the patience of unanswered prayer I want everyone in this building that really in the eyes of God and Satan, demons and heaven in the galleries of heaven, I want everyone that desperately knows God waits for you to stand up and say in your heart and you need to right now from your soul's attest to me by standing you're saying to the devil, to demons to theologians that have nothing of God to all the accusations you've heard, but especially to God though he slay me, yet will I trust him I want those of you that desperately need to stand and say I need thee to see it, I need the devil, I need the world to see it this is my heart, who of all of you desperately need to stand up in the presence of God in heaven the angels and the demons and say it boldly though he slay me, yet will I trust him, say it now with me though he slay me, yet will I trust him I believe thee God, say it now help thou my unbelief in Jesus Christ's name who I love and live for and would gladly die for, Amen can you all stand please that was the longest sermon you're going to hear probably in my life so don't be scared of tomorrow don't you dare say I'm not going, the man just doesn't know when to sit down because that's not a good excuse I'm not going to preach this long tomorrow, ok? if I preach one minute less then you can't hold me to it, but I won't do it we love it, we love God, that's why we're here and every single thing here, trust me if you want it to be, even your converse is God building you up to go back out there and stagger Satan and the earth don't doubt it, don't lose conversations here young people prayers you can do with the young people too words of comfort pray for my son, my wife tomorrow 9.30, 10 o'clock they gather and then the question time with the men afterwards and pray for the night and Sunday morning when my son will be preaching tomorrow night with me, my little boy of 14 he preached here last year don't want to go through the sermon, but then he's preaching tomorrow night I think for 5, 10 minutes, brother Don wants to give him an opportunity seeing as Jenny, Roy and I are all involved in sharing so Samuel has a message, pray for Roy who will preach this before me on Sunday brother Don filled in to ask him and I am very grateful that he did that very grateful and pray for me for tomorrow night and Sunday morning two messages left the one took me one hour, the last time if I can remember I preached the other took me an hour and 10 minutes, I think that was with an appeal so don't you dare say he's going to go on two hours again and by the way, if they hear in South Africa that I preached for two hours I would be fired, so don't you tell anybody but you didn't throw your watches away, you didn't get up and go out thank you for loving God's word goodness me, how many people in this country would sit glued to the television for how many hours of the ball game silly little ball thrown between big kids, you know trying to hurt themselves, they'll break their necks, they'll break their back they're so enthusiastic, they're so fanatical over throwing a ball around and you want to get upset when a man goes over an hour goodness me, now brother Don you're the one that must commit us to God again brother or anyone you feel led to ask what I say tonight, God keep me under the blood just sharing it, that I don't have to fetch it please God so whatever comes now you stood up and cried out though he slay me, I'm going to trust him if that's the result of this message, hallelujah