A (2:40)

I think it's going to be powerful because just like the prophet Jeremiah, the word of the Lord is absolutely burning in my heart.

B (2:47)

And I have this immense desire to be able to tell you what is being said and why it is so important for you in your walk with God and in everything that you pursue with him.

A (2:59)

You guys, this is so critical. So with that said, let's get into a little bit of history.

B (3:06)

First and foremost, Job has just gone through immense tragedy. And when I say immense tragedy, I mean immense tragedy. Lots of pain, lots of suffering.

A (3:18)

As a father, I could not imagine thinking about what Job went through. He had all of his children taken away. That's the worst yet. All of his money taken away. You know, I've made lots of money.

B (3:30)

Over the years, and I've lost lots of money. And then I've made lots of money and I've lost lots of money.

A (3:34)

Losing money, not the big deal, not really the biggest deal. Losing a child. I can't even imagine what that would look like. He lost them all. He lost everything. The one person he didn't lose was his wife, but his wife was telling him to go curse God and die. No joke. So by the time we get near the end of Job, Job finds himself in a place where he doesn't curse God, he doesn't charge God, he doesn't put God down, but he does lay a series of questions to the Lord as into his, in essence, why he's going through all of these things. And then God provides an answer. And it's not the type of answer that you would necessarily think of. And at the expense of sounding very controversial at this moment. And I want you to hear me, this passage means more to me than at any other time in my history because of the liars and the naysayers and. And the evil, wicked, demonically inspired people that are laying accusation at Erica and at the folks at Turning Point. I am dumbfounded at the type of nonsense that people are throwing out, saying, is this what a grieving widow should do? Why is she going back to work? Why is this happening? Why is that happening? I lost my mom. I taught the Bible. The next day, I lost my dad. I went right back to work the next day, did a live show less than 12 hours later. Why? Why would we do it? Why would we put our hands to the plow? Why would the expression of our grief in a moment of tragic loss bring us to a place where we work harder, where we move forward with a certain level of intention that we've never moved with before in our life? Why in the world can we be motivated or are we motivated to do these things in the midst of such tragedy? You shouldn't act that way. You should go into a hole and just sort of live in darkness and obscurity for the rest of your life. You should just simply sit around and hug your children and do nothing and just cry, cry, cry, cry into eternity.

B (5:46)

We don't do those things because we.

A (5:49)

Are children of the true and of the living God. And when the world asks the why questions, and when the world continues to second guess who this is and. And who that is and why this person does that and why that person does that, God says this.

B (6:04)

Let me read it to you. And boy, is it powerful.

A (6:09)

Look at what God says in verse one of Job, chapter eight. It says, then the Lord answered job, Notice this. Out of the whirlwind, you know, people come to me. Oh, James, you're so loud. You're so aggressive. Well, read the section where God responded to Job out of the whirlwind. And that is powerful stuff. This is the oldest book in the Bible. It literally has a place in the oldest portion of human history for a reason. It's spectacular. What it represents is spectacular. God begins to ask a series of rhetorical questions. And when I say rhetorical questions, meaning the answers to the questions are so obvious that they actually demand a simple statement. We ask rhetorical questions all the time. Something like this, what were you thinking? Are you crazy? Are you nuts? Those are rhetorical questions. Well, God is about to bring the imposition of a series of rhetorical questions that are so literally emphatic that they demand the attention of the people who are reading and listening. This is the functional beauty of Hebrew poetry. And this is why we call Job one of the books of poetry, because it is, in essence, the most beautiful expression of that which God brings in a. A method of what appears to be raw emotion. But it is pure wisdom. It's pure knowledge. It's beautiful. Look what he says.

B (7:41)

I love this.

A (7:42)

Who is this that Darkeneth Council by the words without knowledge? Boy, I sure want to ask all of these podcasters that are going nuts saying all kinds of things. Who are you? You're going to darken the wisdom of God by words that have absolutely no knowledge behind them? Go ahead, say whatever you want about Erica. Say whatever you want about the turning point people. Say whatever you want about the people that are putting their hands to the plow and not looking back. Are you going to darken the counsel of God's word by using your empty rhetoric which has absolutely no knowledge? Good luck. If you're going through a difficult time right now, you do what God wants you to do and don't care about what the world says. Oh, I love this one. Because he's going to Job and He's saying this. He's saying, gird up now thy loins like a man. Man up. Man up, Job. Why? Because I'm going to give you a real answer. You want to run your mouth with empty rhetoric that has no substance? I'm gonna show you something. I'm gonna ask you questions. And you know what, Job? I demand an answer. Can you imagine? Can you imagine God saying, I'm about to ask you questions. Man up, and you better answer me.

B (9:03)

These are the questions I want to ask those people.

A (9:07)

These are the questions that I want.

B (9:08)

To ask the people who say to hate Israel and to walk against the.

A (9:13)

Counsel of God and to accuse the people of God and to create expressions of deep, just demonic action. Let me ask these questions. Here we go. Where was thou when I laid the foundations of the earth, Job? Where were you? Tell me, where were you when I built the earth? Declare, if you have understanding. Who hath laid the measures thereof, if you know, or who hath stretched the line upon it? Were you the one that put the plumb line on the earth when it was built? Were you there? Who hath laid the measures thereof, if thou knowest? Or who hath stretched the line upon it, Whereupon are the foundations thereof fastened? Or who hath laid the cornerstone thereof? In other words, reverse engineer the world. Tell me if you know how it's made. Tell me if you know how it works. Say that to the scientists that think they understand God. When the morning stars sang together and all the sons of God shouted for joy, were you there? Or who shut up the sea with doors when it break forth as if it had issued out of the womb. When I made the cloud the garment thereof, and the thick darkness a swaddling band for it, and break up for it my decreed place, and set the bars, or set bars and doors, and said hitherto shalt thou come but no further, and there shall be thy proud waves be state. Are you the one who did that? Are you the one that put all that creation into motion? Hast thou commanded the morning since thy days and caused the day spring to know his place? That it might take hold of the ends of the earth, that the wicked might be shaken out of it?

B (11:08)

Oh, this is so cool. It is turned as clay to the seal, and they stand as a garment.

A (11:18)

And from the wicked their light is withholden and the high arm shall be broken?

B (11:27)

Imagine the God of heaven saying that to you as you stand with your fist waved against him. Imagine that hast thou entered into the.

A (11:38)

Springs of the sea or Hast thou walked in the search of the depth? The last time somebody tried to search.

B (11:44)

The depth of the sea, their submarine exploded.

A (11:49)

We can't even begin to understand what the depth of the sea even looks like, because the Creator Almighty God understands those areas that no man will ever be able to understand.

B (11:57)

Folks.

A (12:00)

Hast thou perceived the breadth of the earth? Declare if thou knowest it all.

B (12:07)

I stood outside of my house at 2 o' clock in the morning watching that space capsule enter back into the atmosphere. It was spectacular. Spectacular to watch it in Southern California. Even with the knowledge that we have, with the science that's taken us outside of the very environment that this Earth provides for us, do we really know the breadth of it? We don't.

A (12:42)

Where is the way where the light dwelleth? And as for darkness, where is the place thereof?

B (12:50)

Barely know anything about the sun and.

A (12:53)

We can't even get over there. That thou shouldest take it to the bound thereof, and that thou shouldest know the paths to the house thereof? Knowest it thou because thou was then born? Or because the number of thy days is great?

B (13:13)

Oh, I love the description that he continues to go on with.

A (13:17)

He even talks about daily living.

B (13:18)

Who provides even for the raven.

A (13:20)

That's how far he goes. Starts asking him questions about animals. He starts talking about creatures that most of us have never even seen. God did it all.

B (13:37)

And Job provides an answer. Here in chapter 40. I'll start in verse three, it says, then Job answered the Lord and said, I love this. Behold, I am vile. What shall I answer thee?

A (13:52)

I will lay mine hand upon my mouth once I have spoken. But I will not answer. Yea, twice.

B (14:01)

But I will proceed no further. God does something pretty amazing at that point. God acknowledges the humility that Job shows. And he rewards them. Rewards him with things he never thought he could ever be rewarded with. If you're going to listen to anything in this study, listen to this. Why do we go out and continue on? Why do we work harder than we ever have before when we've experienced such a loss? How is it that somebody so close to you can be murdered? And as the mother of his children, you immediately put your hands to the plow and start working?

A (15:02)

How?

B (15:06)

The same way that many mothers before have done? The Same way that many widows before have done.

A (15:14)

The same way that we continue to do.

B (15:20)

We have the true and living God. Where were you when he spun the earth into existence? You think because you have millions of followers that with your words you can darken the counsel of God?

A (15:38)

When your words have no knowledge.

B (15:42)

You don't pay attention to those people, folks. You don't pay attention to the lies. You don't pay attention to the naysayers that are in your ears, in your voice. You serve the true and living God. And guess what? His blessing is waiting around the corner. Why? Because he's a God of goodness. He has wisdom we will never have. He has knowledge we will never have. And we will never be able to destroy his plans. That's what it means when it says, darken his counsel. We will never be able to destroy his plans with our empty words that have no knowledge. So may it be said that we walk with the understanding that God's wisdom is superior and we trust in his plans. Why? Because God is good. And although we may lose the whole world, God will always remain with us because he's faithful and he loves us. And I want to simply say that the commitment you're making to reading the Word of God is going to be useful for you in being able to understand the pain and the hardship and the hurt that goes with the life that we live, the tragedies that we experience. If it's a mother losing a son or a wife losing a husband or a baby girl or a baby boy losing their father, God is sovereign and he knows exactly what he's doing. And we can find peace in it. And we can know that as we put our hands to the plow and we don't look back, we find God's wonder and God's blessing. And you get to be the recipient of it all. When you know God's Word, you can find the confidence and understanding that as you move forward, you will be blessed by Him. God bless you. Keep fighting the good fight. And folks, do what you're called to do. Know the Word of God. Understand the Word of God. Discern the Word of God. Give yourself to the Word of God. Read it, understand it, know it. And watch God do great things. I love you guys. God bless you. You keep fighting the good.