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Hey, man, so keep your place in job chapter one. We're gonna be referencing job chapter one throughout the entire sermon So we're in the science and the Bible sermon series this morning and the title of the sermon this morning is The science of job and notice I didn't say science in the book of Job. I'm gonna talk about the science of Job the science of the life of job you say what does that mean? Well, let's go ahead and look at Job chapter 1 this morning Job is a man who was righteous. He was upright. It doesn't mean he was perfect. I'm in this case It means that he was right with God. He had a lot of things. He had great possessions. He had He was very successful in his family and all the things that he had upon this earth And look down at verse number six the title of the sermon is the science of job now We see an interesting conversation between Satan and God that's a unique thing in the Bible in the book of Job Here, so we're gonna get to see today this morning How Satan deals with God and how God deals with Satan on this earth before God kind of ends things And wraps things up in the end times look down at verse number six of Job chapter one and let's look at what I'm talking about when I say the science of Job verse number six says now there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the Lord and Satan came also Among them so here we see Satan You know the sons of God meaning, you know, we're all sons of God if you're saved you were a lowercase son of God We don't know if this is in heaven or you know somewhere on earth or whatever, but Satan comes to Have a conversation with God here. Look at verse number seven and the Lord said unto Satan whence comest thou So the Lord says to Satan Where did you come from basically is what he's saying and Satan answered the Lord and said From going to and fro in the earth and walking up and down in it. So this tells us where Satan operates right here I mean Satan is on the earth He's walking around up and down in the earth all over the earth and the Lord said unto Satan Hast thou considered my servant Job that there is none like him in the earth a perfect and upright man One that feareth God and a shoe is shoe with evil meaning he puts away evil from himself So God is basically saying look at this great example of a believer this man Job God is saying to Satan and Satan answered the Lord and said the job fear God for not Look at verse number 10 That's not has not thou made a hedge about him and about his house and about all that he hath on every side Thou has blessed the work of his hands and his substance is increased in the land So God is saying here, you know, have you considered this just this man who's right with me who's pleasing to my sight You know God's kind of putting up job as an example of the way he would want everyone To follow him and Satan saying, you know The only reason he follows you is because you've given him everything The only reason that job is faithful to you is because you bless the work of his hand, you know You've increased his substance. He's got every I mean everything is going great for job That's why he serves you is what Satan says look at verse number 10 That's that verse number 11 He says put forth thine hand now and touch all that he hath and he will curse thee to thy face Satan says if you take all that away from him He will curse you to your face because that's the only reason that he is following you and that he is Obeying you and being loyal to you is because of everything that you've given him look at verse number 12 and the Lord said unto Satan Behold all that he hath all that he hath is in thy power Only upon himself put forth put not forth thine hand So Satan went forth from the presence of the Lord God basically says to Satan He's like, okay, you can take all those things away from him only his himself, but you can't kill him God puts that that caveat on Satan so job job in the sense of what science is meaning observation, you know, you have a Hypothesis or a theory and then you go and you test that theory job was a scientific experiment in himself Satan had a theory Satan had a hypothesis look at back at verse number nine where Satan says You know doth job fear God for not he's saying does God does job fear you just for nothing for free For you know, no matter what and then he says, you know thou have made a hedge about him You know about his house about all that he hath on every side Now has blessed the work of his hands and his substance is increased in the land and he says take all those things away From him and he'll curse you to your face is what say this is Satan's hypothesis and God says okay, let's test it and That's the book of Job right there is testing this Hypothesis this theory that Satan put forth to God and God says okay I will allow you to test this hypothesis This is the science job is a scientific experiment as we know him in The Bible Satan saying he only follows you because it benefits him. That's it. I Mean think about this is this theory sound turn to Romans chapter 8 keep your place in job chapter 1 We're gonna be going back to job chapter 1 and job chapter 2 throughout the sermon Let's just think about the hypothesis that Satan put forth this idea that You know job only served God No matter how it turned out that job only served God or people will only serve God as long as things are Good, look at Romans 8 28. I mean are we more likely to follow God in good times? That's the question that we should all ask ourselves Look at Romans chapter 8 and verse number 28 the Bible does say this it says and we know that all things work together for good With them that love God To them who are called according to his purpose what Romans 8 28 means is that for those that love God? Meaning what those that are doing what God wants them to do according to his purpose meaning You know look just because you're saved doesn't mean that you are loving God if you're loving God You're following his commandments you are you are serving him according to his purpose You're doing the first works on this earth the Bible says in Romans 8 28 a very powerful promise For those types of people of which job Was one of those people that? Loved God that was showing his obedience and his loyalty to God with the works that he did in his life Not to get himself to heaven, but to be obedient and to love God Look it says that all things for those people will work together for the good You say well that that sounds pretty good, I mean that is pretty good by the way That's quite a promise right there, but you have to understand that this doesn't necessarily mean cars and houses This means the the blessings yet blessings could come You know to those who are obedient But to only teach this side that this good would only be material things You know what that's called that's called the prosperity gospel right there That that if you serve God and you you love God And you do works in your life towards God that God will bless you with material things. That's the prosperity gospel But that is not what Romans 8 28 means it says it all things will work together for good Look for good may mean that you're broke, but a bunch of people get saved for good means spiritual good Meaning bad things in your life could happen But God promises if you're doing what you're supposed to be doing and you are serving God you are loving God that all Nothing anything that happens in your life will work together for good. That doesn't mean riches and gold and silver it means good and The ultimate good is you know the prosperity of the kingdom of heaven not the prosperity of your bank account So the prosperity gospel is just completely false I mean It's this this idea that you put $20 in the offering plate or you call this 800 number and God will return this tenfold to you That's just false What Romans 8 28 is saying is those that serve God God will work everything tour to the good and he does that With Job, and I'll explain that to you towards the end of the sermon But the good can mean you lose everything But it just means that you get right with God That's good If you're wealthy and you're not right with God And then you lose everything materially on this earth and that means you do get right with God Romans 8 28 just came true for you, and I hope that that doesn't you know need to happen for Christians But look that's true for many Christians But let me just say this Job was someone who was righteous he was right with God he was right with God He was not a perfect sinless person He was right with God But he was someone that had things very good in his life at the beginning of Job chapter 1 now I would Argue with you, or I would I would put forth this morning that this applies to us as Christians in our time Of just this idea that I mean from a historical perspective We have it pretty good in This country we have it pretty good I mean look I mean think about think about just a historical perspective of people on planet Earth and just the Types of lives that they had compared to the lives that we have today in this country I mean from a historical perspective We're pretty much in the top 1% I would say look a large look there's a large percentage of people throughout history that didn't even get a life Think about that people that were murdered think about an abortion Think about a baby who lost his or her life before they even were even born You think about you know things like? wars You think about things? I'm not even talking about the soldiers that die in wars think about just the millions and millions of people You know tens upon tens of millions of people that have been just killed you know as bystanders innocent bystanders or civilians in war think about you know some city that gets bombed in in World War two by either side and And show a child that just dies when they're four years old Just by being bombed in a you know look from a historical perspective a lot of people didn't even get a life to live We have things pretty good. We're pretty comparable to job in our lives You know I mean there's been a lot of oppression a lot of disease a lot of Starvation a lot of shortened lives throughout history a lot of really bad You know experiences of you know of the human experience. You know we're comparable to job today I mean we have relative freedom today to go out and preach The gospel I mean we have prosperity today I mean maybe like prosperity might be one of the only last things that this country has to offer. I'm starting to wonder But yeah, if you found someone in America today serving the Lord faithfully Upright right with the Lord they could be a similar case to job, so this really applies to us this morning So let's look at the scientific experiment of job Satan's hypothesis is that without all these blessings job will curse you The only thing Holding job upright and in favor and and just loyally serving the Lord is all of this Stuff these blessings his family the material things the houses the works of his hands being successful So let's look at the experiment Let's look at the experiment the experiment is God basically says to Satan, okay? Take away everything Let's see if you're right. Let's test your theory. Let's test your Hypothesis job loses everything in one day It's like talk about the hardest day talk about the worst day. He loses his wealth He loses his family his children And then later on in chapter 2 go to go to chapter 2 later on in chapter 2 I Mean Chapter 2 look at verse number 9 later on a chapter 2 even loses his health He even loses his health notice I mean only his wife was left But she wasn't really much of a blessing to him if you look at verse number 9 of job Chapter 2 look at verse number 9 of job chapter 2 so in verse number in chapter 2 God finally says you know Satan basically says well. Yeah, but he has his health He's still at his health and God's like take that away, too. Just only not his life So God you know he gets afflicted with boils And he loses his health after he's lost everything else in his family look at his wife says to him his wife says to him In verse number 9 of job chapter 2 then said his wife unto him just I'll still retain thine integrity curse God and die So you understand why God left the wife because basically or why Satan left the wife because she wasn't something That was a blessing to him. She was something that you know was not helping him in his spiritual life But verse number 10 will look at in just a minute, but what's the result of this experiment? He loses everything all his family his material wealth all his cattle all his houses Everything is gone, and then in verse number 21 of job chapter 1 the result is this it says naked and he said Jake Job job said naked came I out of my mother's womb and naked shall I return thither the Lord gave and the Lord had taken away Blessed be the name of the Lord in all this job sin not nor charged God foolishly and Then in verse number 10 of chapter 2 he says, but he said unto her even after he lost his his health look What he says to his wife that's trying to you know break him down. She's like just curse God and die Why are you still following the Lord? Why are you still keeping your integrity by the way following the Lord through all tough times? That's integrity this the Bible kind of defines. What integrity is for us. It's loyalty Especially loyalty to the Lord look at verse 10 thou speakest as one of the foolish women speaketh 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 Notice how job said exactly the opposite of what Satan was saying that he was all about He's job literally said to his wife who was trying to discourage him and trying to break him down He said shall we receive good and not evil? Should we be these types of people that just only want the good things and when the bad things come we just turn We just turn on this look He He's saying he's a person of integrity. He's saying look. I'm glad to take the good, but when the evil comes. I'll take that too But that's a that's a great lesson in itself and that could be just a sermon in itself right there I mean you could apply this to anything you could apply this to anything you could apply this to preaching People that love to hear preaching on other people or other people's problems, but then when the preaching hits Themselves they're like no. I don't want that It's like no you take the good and the evil job is just saying like God is God no matter what and whatever. He does is right. I Mean you think about it even his own health Even his own health. He just thought I mean that's a powerful thing I mean when people people's here's the thing what's interesting about the health part of it, too People think about you know their health and like well We have our health, but guess what this idea in job chapter 2 of job losing his health You know what that's gonna happen to every single one of us You ever think about that? We are all going to lose our health one day But yet people go and they say oh, you know they lose their health when they're 50 or 60 or 70 And they're like I shouldn't lose my health right now. God. Who are you? Look I hope I have my health for many many more years I hope you all have your health for many many more years, but if God takes away my health Who am I? Who am I to say that like that's wrong? This is what this is how job is such a powerful man of faith here because he's just like God takes it all away. I mean whatever it wasn't mine to begin with You know I all my material possessions. He's like whatever He's like. I'm glad I had them while I had them, but I'm not taking any of this with me So what does it matter? So look the result is job never turned on God the result was Satan's hypothesis was wrong Satan was completely wrong about Job you say why did God allow this it seems kind of like a cruel Experiment I mean this poor man this poor man who was faithful to God this poor man who was upright He was right with the Lord. Why would God allow this to happen? It seems like a cruel thing for God to say okay, Satan. Go ahead and do this well first of all It's documented for us to read about It's documented in the pages of the Bible, so it seems like it's something that's important that God wants us to see why Because God here's why God wants to demonstrate to us What temptation is? That's why he put this story of Job in the Bible, so we will understand Temptation in our lives look this experiment happens all the time This experiment with job turn to 2nd Samuel chapter 24. It's all over the Bible to lesser degrees Job is an extreme example of Understanding temptation in the Bible. It's an extreme example that God gives for us so we can understand how temptation Works, and I'm going to show that to you in just a minute look at 2nd Samuel chapter 24 2nd Samuel chapter 24 we see another We see another Temptation point in the Bible go to 2nd Samuel chapter 24 And then we're also going to I'm going to read for you 1st chronicles chapter 21 In verse number 1, and you're keeping your place in job chapter 1 God in job He's allowing this experiment to be run So we understand how temptation works and how Satan works in our lives Look at 2nd Samuel chapter 24 and look at verse number 1 a lot of people point out 2nd Samuel chapter 24, and they say oh contradiction in the Bible, but they just don't understand how temptation works I'm going to explain that to you this morning look at the first verse of 2nd Samuel 24 And the anger of the Lord was kindled against Israel and he moved David against them to say go number Israel and Judah so this is when of course David sins and goes and takes a Census of the people and then later on he is punished for doing that in 1st chronicles chapter 21 in verse number 1 No, it is worded this way and Satan stood up against Israel and provoked David to number Israel you say well who did it? Who did it? It's the same thing as job who did it? Who did the bad things to job who took away Job's family who took away Job's wealth who took away? Job's health look at job chapter 1. I'm sorry go to James chapter 1 in job chapter 1 Satan did it God allowed it That's the same thing as 2nd Samuel chapter 24 and 1st chronicles chapter 21 both of those verses are explaining this same concept where Satan temps and God just allowed David To be tempted and the reason that God's anger was kindled in 2nd Samuel chapter 24 was because David allowed himself to give in to the temptation He'd allowed himself to do it So it's actually necessary to have 1st Chronicles chapter 21 in order to understand the complete Context of 1st Samuel chapter 24 God allowed the temptation but Satan's the one that did it and then David caved to it and Thus God was angry with David for doing what he did God doesn't tempt us with sin look at James chapter 1 in verse number 12 The Bible says blessed is the man that endureth temptation for when he has tried He shall receive the crown of life which the Lord have promised to them that love him more on that later Let no man say this is super important. You understand this let no man say when he is tempted. I am tempted of God For God cannot be tempted with evil evil neither tempeth he Tempteth he any man God does not tempt people with sin God does not tempt people with sin if something is happening. It is Satan that is doing it and God that is allowing it but every man is tempted when he is drawn away of his own lust and enticed so That'll give you a clue by the way And we're going to talk about that in great detail here in a few minutes That'll give you a clue where you are going to be tempted you can know by the way You can know after this morning You should be able to self reflect and know where Satan is going to try To tempt you and the Bible kind of gives it away right here He says he's drawn away of his own lust so where your lusts are that's where you're going to be tempted And that when that lust hath conceived it bringeth forth sin and sin when it is finished bringeth forth death So David was tempted By Satan to number the people He had it, and he also why was he tempted by Satan because he had a desire He had a desire he had a lot within him to know how powerful he was He had a desire inside of him to know how great his kingdom was To know how powerful his army would be and by the way This is the sin because God didn't want him doing that because God just wanted him to have faith that God would take care of his kingdom Instead he he was he's lusting for this information Satan tempted him and That sin conceived he which means he actually did it and God was angry at that point first Corinthians chapter 10 Look at verse number 13 now. God tells us. There's a limit God tells us. There's a limit to what he will allow Satan to tempt us at God Promises us in first Corinthians chapter 10 that yes We have lost and you know different people may have different things that they struggle with but God promises that he will only allow Satan to tempt them to a point and Then he will stop Satan God promises every believer this look at first Corinthians chapter 10 verse 13 He says there had no temptation Taking you, but as such is common to man meaning nothing new is going to come to you That hasn't come to other people, but God is faithful who will not suffer you meaning not allow you To be tempted above that you're able. It's not God tempting you, but he's saying he will hold Satan back So you will not be tempted you will not be pushed beyond the limit that you can handle successfully But with the temptation also, but will with the temptation also make a way to escape the inmate be able to bear it so This is the concept of temptation. This is the concept of temptation Satan does it He does it according to your lusts and God Throttles it back to the point where you should be able to handle it successfully You should be able to bear it now our is Everyone successful in this no David was an example of someone that was not successful In that book he could have been successful. It was possible for him. He just gave in to his lust He gave in to his flesh turn to Matthew chapter 24 So look the scientific experiment in 2nd Samuel chapter 24 with David it worked for Satan It worked his hypothesis was correct With job it was not Here's another person that was tempted, and this is why this is why? Jesus went through the temptation in the wilderness To show us that it is possible. You say well. Jesus is God. Yes, but job is not God Job was just a man, and he was stood it look at Matthew chapter 4 verse number 1 Matthew chapter 4 verse number 1 the Bible says then was Jesus led up of the spirit into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil Jesus had to go through this experiment, too And when he had fasted 40 days and 40 nights he was afterward and hungered and when the tempter came to him who's that? The tempter the person doing the tempting again this proves is always Satan he said if thou be the Son of God Command that these stones be made bread But he answered and said as written man shall not live by bread alone But by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God Then the devil take him up into a holy city and set up on set him set at him up on the pinnacle of the Temple and sayeth unto him if thou be the Son of God Cast thyself down for it is written. He shall give his angels charge concerning me and in their hands They shall bear thee up lest at any time thou has dashed thy foot against the stone He's basically trying to get him to listen to him He's trying to give Jesus a command and have Jesus just listen to the smallest thing You say would it be a big deal if Jesus turned one of those stones into bread Would it be a big deal if Jesus called angels to come and rescue him? Yeah, it'd be a big deal because he'd be listening to Satan He'd be listening to a command of Satan and that would be a sin again The devil taketh him up to an exceeding high mountain and showeth him all the kingdoms of the world and the glory of them And sayeth unto them all these things will I give thee if that will fall down and worship me Then sayeth Jesus unto him get thee hence Satan for it is written thou shalt worship the Lord thy God and him alone shalt thou serve Jesus himself was tempted by Satan. He was put through this experiment and he passed So the point is all of us and the reason job is so such an important story in the Bible and the reason God allowed this scientific experiment to take place is because all Of us will also go through this experiment all of us will be tempted of Satan in which you have to ask yourself this morning and Through all the days of your life is will my circumstances? Change my loyalty. How will I do in this experiment in my life? I mean think about this I mean, how about you know, you just got to think about changing circumstances. I mean many people when times get good Maybe they're down and then times get good they abandon God You know, I mean Many people do that times get good. They forget about God. This was Solomon in the Bible They get just showered with blessings and then they just forget about their spiritual life You know job was someone where times got bad He was at the top and then times got bad and then you know, he didn't blame or charge God But many people do this many people have the blessings, you know taken away in their life things you know go bad for them and they just say well this Christian life is getting me nowhere and They walk away because it that was the hedge Around them, you know all serve God, you know, as long as things are good in my life Look, this is the scientific experiment of all of our lives is what I'm trying to get you to understand This morning and you say why would God do this? Why because the tempter is here, that's why The tempter is here with us on this earth now So God not only wanted us to have the story of Job He needed us to have the story of Job such an extreme story of someone who went to such extremes and did it correctly That it'll be way more extreme job was the extreme story of someone who literally lost everything up to an inch of his life and Still did not charge God foolishly Still did not curse God was still loyal to God. We should be thankful to job We should be thankful to job job was that he was from the top. What job went from the top To the bottom turn to job chapter 42 turn to job chapter 42 he went from the top to the bottom and back up to the top again and Was right with God the whole way Yeah, they got a little prideful in the in the book of Job, you know talking back and forth with his friends And God kind of sets everybody straight there But the point is job went from top to bottom to top and never lost his loyalty to the Lord It's a complete example for us and this is why God did it so we could have this example look at verse number 10 of job chapter 42 at the end of the story Look at what the Bible says it says in the Lord turned the captivity of job when he prayed for his friends also, the Lord gave job twice as much as he had before I Mean God's sitting here and he's saying like you know what? Here's a guy that can handle some blessings and he gives job twice as much as he had before Then came there unto him all his brethren and all his sisters and they that had been of his acquaintance before And did he'd bread with him in his house and they bemoaned him and comforted him all over The evil that the Lord had brought upon him. So notice how the Bible says there the Lord brought it upon him the reason That God did not do that to him. God allowed it to happen to him. So the Lord brought it upon him in the sense that God took away, you know the restraints from Satan on Job's life and Allowed the tempter to do those things to him. Every man also gave him a piece of money and everyone an earring of gold So verse 12 the Lord blessed the latter end of job more than his beginning free at 14,000 sheep 6,000 camels and a thousand yoke of oxen and a thousand she-asses and He also had seven sons and three daughters he even replaced all of his children Look, he survived the most extreme temptation in the Bible He went from the top to the bottom and back to the top again, and he was faithful all the way This is why God allowed it So it'd be a such a great example for us. So look for us you say what is how do we do this? How do we do this? I mean, basically what it comes down to is this you just have to make a decision in your life You just have to make a decision in your life. You take the blessings and serve and you take the curses and serve That's that's the decision that you make in your life. I mean You take the evil you take the hurt along with the good in your life and the service Stays the same but the thing that you have to understand is just as in Job chapter 1 You will be tempted in your weak points So you have to ask yourself this morning. You have to ask yourself throughout your life What is my hedge? Do I have a hedge? You know the Satan said about job is like you've placed a hedge all about him It's like you've just made it easy for him. Do you have a hedge? What is your hedge is your hedge your substance, you know is your hedge the things that you have in your life people look Do you know that people have thrown away their faith because of wealth? Only when the money in the Lord line up Why will I pursue my Christian life? You know that many people do this Meaning their Christian life will last I don't know not long It won't line up for long if that's the case why because the tempter will hit you there. That's why You know people have thrown away their faith for their family for their kids like what kids people have thrown away their faith or Christian life for their kids a Scary thing is is you know if that's your hedge if that's what would stop you from serving the Lord That's where the tempter will hit you in that area. I Mean your marriage think about this the wife The wife and the husband look at job didn't have a wonderful wife here When you think about a marriage if if there's cracks in your marriage Satan will use this Satan will go after this wives wives should be wives should look at this story of Job's wife and be like My goodness. I you know I need to be a help meet I need to be a help meet a help that is worthy to my husband I need to help my husband help hold him up help hold up You know the family that he is trying to lead not be this weak pointer or God forbid like this woman in anchor Trying to drag him down. She was not able to drag him down But this is a reflection that what I should make wife should be a strength to their family a you know strength to their husband You know not someone that's casting doubt not something that's trying to pull down You know not someone that's constantly trying to just cast doubt on the Christian life Why are we doing this or why do we you know? Do all these different things that are so different than everybody else does and and look don't be a job's wife She was trying to drag him down husbands Husbands look a strong leader will not be able to be dragged down That's another thing about job that we see here We had a wife that was like the opposite of the virtuous woman here, and she was not able to pull job down because he was a strong Leader he was a strong Christian, but let me tell you something the husband as the leader of the family This is the life and death of the Christian life right here It is a life and death situation job He survived a faithless wife and like I don't know if she's saved or not or whatever. We don't know much about her She probably probably was Probably just had very weak faith But job survived it job was a strong Leader and he would not be look the husband that leads his family successful Successfully will be successful in the Christian life along with his family This is how important this is So the marriage works both ways any rifts in the marriage Satan will Exploit it. He'll come after those cracks How about you know the work of your hands That's another thing Satan said was a hedge the work of your hands people that are just like in love with their career Just in love with this You know I my career comes first and all these types of things and and you know look if that's your hedge As long as my career is going well, and as long as you know I have this success in this area I will serve the Lord. That's what Satan's coming after That's where he's coming You have to ask yourself. What is it? What's the hedge that's protecting your Christian life What's the hedge that would weaken you if it was taken away that would weaken you to the point of quitting your Christian life What job there wasn't one? Satan was completely wrong He wasn't even 10% right He was completely wrong But you have to understand you find those hedges you think about these things you find those hedges that you have and you get rid of Those hedges you burn them down Because those are the things that Satan is going to come after the tempter is real. He's here He's gonna hit you in those places So what's the trick? How did job do it you say? I want to be like job turn to Matthew chapter 6 What's the trick? How did job do it? Turn to Matthew chapter 6 Turn to Matthew chapter 6 the first thing is to just do those thought experiments find those Hedges in your life run through those things in your mind look. I like the plan. I like to plan you know scenarios I like to go through what could happen. What could go wrong. You know what's possible there, but here's the thing you got to be a decisive person That's what it takes That's what it's gonna take to be successful in the Christian life is to be a decisive person Look at Matthew chapter 6 in verse number 31 the Bible tells us this look what the Bible says in Matthew 6 31 It says therefore take no thought Saying what shall we eat or what shall we drink or wherewithal shall we be clothed? Notice these words no thought After these things do the Gentiles seek for your heavenly father knoweth that she shall need of all these things you say What is it talking about am I supposed to just like not care about how I'm gonna pay my bills Or that's not what it's saying look at the very next verse it says, but seek ye first the kingdom of God So it's saying take no thought on all these material things, but it's saying just listen But instead listen to what God is telling you to do it's a seek ye first the kingdom of God and his righteousness and all these things shall be added unto you and Again, it says in verse 34 therefore take no thought For the for the morrow for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself sufficient unto the day of evil is sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof it's saying Just make a decision Just make a decision that the kingdom of God comes first. That's what it's saying, but the problem is you know you got to make The decision I'm just gonna serve you Lord. I'm just gonna serve the Lord with my life Let me explain something to you my Christian life is not a decision Decisions been made Coming to church is not a decision going soul-winning is not a decision for me that decisions already been made Serving the Lord with my entire life and leading my family spiritually is not a decision for me It's already been made I'm like hey. Thanks for the blessings that I have hope they continue, but I I Plan everything around my Christian life around it Because that decision has been made That decision is a rock in my life that decision was a rock in job's life That's how he did it because the decision was made I? Mean he was already made my Christian life doesn't move no matter what good times bad times The decision is the same It's easy it's easy You know what's hard you know it's hard to look people make these decisions all the time in their life Like you won't find a guy in this church. I bet That is like you know they're going to decide at you know seven o'clock Monday morning whether or not to go to work But people have made these decisions That's the type of decision that we need to make see what's difficult is when you make the decision that My Christian wife will come first no matter what curses good bad riches poor health unhealth It's easy what gets in front of that nothing You know it gets hard You know it gets hard is when when you're like oh should I put this in front of it? This seems pretty important should I put this in front of it this in front of it this in front of it? That's where things get complicated, where is it just like The decisions already made it's just easy It's easy you plan everything around it Satan's looking for your cracks, and he's gonna find him That's what he does. He's considering Them as he says have you considered as God said have you considered my sermon my servant job? Satan is considering where your lusts are where your cracks are so seal them up We're all participating in this experiment with our lives turn to Joshua chapter 24 You see in Joshua chapter 24 turn to Joshua chapter 24. We could read a bunch of verses like this. We'll just read two but Say why is all this necessary because I mean God didn't create a bunch of robots we have free will So we have free will Satan has free will and God just promises us that he will restrain Satan to the point where you know We will be able to escape what he's bringing at us, but God wants us to freely serve him We have the freedom freedom to be obedient or the freedom to rebel In our lives look at Joshua chapter 24 The tempter is running around encouraging the rebellion It's the science of your life folks And it's really just a matter of being decisive look at Joshua chapter 24 in verse number 15 And it seemed evil unto you to serve the Lord choose you this day whom you will serve Whether the gods of your fathers that served that that were on the other side of the flood Or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you dwell, but as far as me and my house We will serve the Lord Joshua just saying make a decision now Decide now in first Kings chapter 18 right before Elijah Goes to you know goes to war against the prophets of Bailey just says you know if the Lord be God follow him But if bail follow him he's just saying make a decision once and It's so easy once you make that decision and look I want to give you three benefits to making that decision this morning just from what we've already read the first one is in James Chapter 1 you're gonna get a crown of life You say what does the crown of life look like I have no idea But when we get to heaven we just find job, and that's what it looks like because he's gonna be wearing one That's what the crown of life will look like job will have one for sure So the first one is you get a crown of life the second one is you know what? Whether it be good or bad if you make this decision to serve the Lord no matter what through the curses Through the blessings whether it be good or bad. You know what you'll have a life of purpose You'll have a life of purpose Jacob, and I were out We're out fishing The last couple days, and I mean we like really did a lot of work It was really a lot of work and And we were out we went out in the morning. We came back in we we got some crabs We brought him in we cooked them, and then we went back out again, and we went and dropped More you know gear and all this We're just working working working, and we would come back in there's these guys sitting in these chairs by their their motorhomes or whatever And we went back out and we did all this work and came back in several hours again guys are still sitting in their chairs and James like how can those guys like just sit there like all day long and I'm like hey at least we got a purpose here You know we may not be catching a lot of fish right now, but at least we got a purpose At least we're out here. We're doing stuff. You know we're actually going for what this is like an analogy of life No matter how my life is going no matter if I'm blessed Or I'm cursed if I'm at a high point Or I'm in a valley because look life for everybody's gonna have high points and valleys no matter where I'm at my purpose is the same That's the beauty of the Christian life. I'm out here. I look I'm going soul-winning whether I'm in good times or bad times The purpose is the same. I'll have a life of purpose whether my life is 45 years or the my life is 85 years My life is I had a life of purpose as long as I made that decision To just serve the Lord no matter how many years I had Look the real curse is somebody who who every day their Christian life is a decision And and and they they're in the Christian life for two years, and then they're not in the Christian life and Look from what I've seen like the the peaks if they just fall out of it. They never reach the peak again I don't know why that is but the point is You throw away that life of purpose at least no matter good times or bad times and blessings or curses high or low rich Or poor we have a life of purpose that is guaranteed to us for however many years that God gives us That's your scientific experiment Right there you have a life of purpose, and what's the purpose to it to to grow the kingdom of heaven on earth? That's our purpose Number three turn to job chapter 42 Now this is a really good one. You say crown of life man. I'm not really into hats anyway And you're like a life of purpose. Okay, that sounds pretty good, but here's a really good one Look at job chapter 42. Here's the third thing Here's the third reason that you should just make a decision to have your Christian wife Just make that decision my Christian life is just locked in my Christian life has no hedges My Christian life, there's not a single hedge that is that is holding up my Christian life That is guarding my Christian life. My Christian life is a decision. It's a decision. I've already made It's hedge free and no matter what happens it stays the same Look at job 42 the third reason is this and heritage and Heritage so you can leave and Heritage look at verse number 42 in verse number 16 after this live job 140 years and saw his sons and his son sons even four generations So job died being old and full of days. You say four generations. That's weird turn to Exodus chapter 20 in In Exodus chapter 20 we see another kind of odd statement in the Bible But this is the other side of the spectrum So if you're in job chapter 42 in verse number 16 You should write Exodus chapter 20 in verse number 5 because these are the opposite ends of the spectrum Right here in Exodus chapter 20 in verse number 5 the Bible uses these words it says visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of Them that hate me isn't that interesting God says that he will visit the iniquity of the what the fathers Upon the third and fourth generations meaning the iniquity of the fathers will be felt They it will be an heritage to the third and fourth generations That's your kids kids kids kids But on job's side we see the blessing of that That He saw up to fourth generations. He was he was an inherited look He was personally there first of all But he was a blessing and he passed that heritage of the Lord to the fourth generation personally Was felt by him so we see this This opposite sides of the spectrum you say what it is somebody so is our my great-grandchildren gonna be punished for my sins No, they will they will receive that heritage, and they will end up in those sins Themselves they'll be punished for their own sin. Just like the sins of Jeroboam Just like the sins of Jeroboam were passed to multiple generations, but it's an interesting little Both sides of the spectrum you see the extreme blessing to four generations in the extreme curse To four generations, so yeah serve the Lord with your life have no hedges on your Christian life make the decision You'll serve God no matter what I mean literally no matter what? And four generations out will feel that heritage. That's why David says in Psalm 16 6 He says the lines are following to me into pleasant places yay. I have a goodly heritage He's saying look. I have a goodly heritage. We don't know much about Jesse his dad. We know enough We know that David received a goodly heritage From his father his grandfather We know enough so I mean the question this morning is how is your experiment going? Find your hedges. Where are your hedges at is Satan's hypothesis going to be correct with you? Or do you not have hedges just like job? you know I mean is Satan right is really the question because he was not right with job, but that scientific experiment is happening with every single Christian and Satan will be right and he will be wrong on some it's an end. It's up to the individual. It's up to you So I'm thankful for the story of job. I'm thankful for the man job. I'm thankful that God allowed Job to go through this as an example for us, and I'm thankful that job was able to endure it because it's a proof of the Bible It's a proof of the promises that God gave us in the Bible And it's a proof of what we're up against here as this same tempter that was you know back in the land of us Thousands of years ago is this still the same one that's with us today Let's bow our heads and have a word of prayer your heavenly father. Thank you for job. I look forward to meeting him one day I mean just a great example for us in the Bible Lord I pray that you would just help us to understand that you know we can't have hedges in our life And we can't have things that are standing in front of our Christian life because the tempter will come after those things Or help us to identify those hedges in our lives and to be Word I pray for the wives that they would be uplifting to their husbands and the husbands that they would be strong leaders To just make this decision to be obedient to you no matter what because we know all of our lives We'll have Peaks and we'll have valleys Lord and just help us get rid of the hedges and just serve you no matter what And make that decision once in Jesus name we pray Amen Amen Please turn to him number 305 305 Yield not to temptation him number 305 Let's take it out on the first verse yield not to temptation For yielding is sin each victory will help you Mother to win Fight manfully onward Dark passion subdued Look ever to Jesus He will carry you through Ask the Savior to help you come first strengthen and keep You he is willing to aid you He will carry you through Shun evil companions Bad language disdain God's name hold in reference nor take it in vain be thoughtful and earnest kind hearted and true Look ever to Jesus He will carry you through Ask the Savior to help you come first strengthen and keep He is willing to aid you he will carry you through To him that'll come with God giveth the crown Through faith we can conquer Though often custom He who is our Savior Our strength will renew Look ever to Jesus He will carry you through Ask the Savior to help you come first strengthen and keep you He is willing to aid He will carry you through Amen good scene that's closed service in a word of prayer Lord. Thank you for this church Lord Thank you for pastors message and the Bible Lord that we can study it be with us all this afternoon Bless this fellowship this afternoon as well and the soul winning and bring us all safely back for church this evening your name We pray Amen You