 Let's open our Bibles to the book of Job chapter 31 and as we do so a couple of other announcements that I want to share with you and And then we'll get into our study. We'll be looking at the chapter. I Mentioned that we have An Israel trip that has been planned and now is we're gonna in the Lord we're gonna move forward with Anyway, Israel we were talking about that weren't we We have 207 people who have signed up with a desire to go to Israel that blows my mind We've never seen anything like that before but I did notice that John has signed up a hundred and twenty-three times that may be messing up the count Which tells me that there's a great interest to go and I I love Israel my wife Marie and I Don't even know how many times we've gone. We've gone at least 27 times and It's just a blessing to go every time we go and I would love you guys Obviously to be able to go with us and if you can we'd love to have you and so the dates have been settled The the the price we're still working on that, but I'm working with them to keep it down as far as we can Um 4,345 at the max But I'm hoping to keep it down Just letting you know for those of you who would like to go with us and so that will be God willing coming up in Next in next year and in March and so a second thing I'd like to share is As a praise report some of you are already aware of and others may not be on Sunday this last Sunday I Was home and my my daughter Called me my daughter Corinne and she was in tears We have a family in our church Their last name is Rosalis like my own though. They're not related to me and Robert and Val and they've been with us many years and they have like six babies and as they They the babies have pretty much been born in this fellowship and I've dedicated. I believe dedicated all of them. I'm thinking I have and Because my last name is the same as theirs the little girls don't you know, there's four girls and two little boys They don't have a grandfather. So they've kind of adopted me, you know, and so I think that's cool I like that and so I Dedicated one of the babies not that long ago and and I forget what the girls will do They they will always walk up and hug me They always do and even when I was dedicating the baby just before I did that here come the little girls They've got to hug me and it's just a real precious thing to me And so a couple of weeks ago I was walking to a meeting after a Sunday morning and here they come running up Everyone one at a time They're all growing older now and the little one one of them is two years old Risa and she she comes toddling up You know, she's a little toddler and first for her first time She grabbed my leg and she gave me a hug for the first time that I've had a hug from Risa and everything So she they're dear to me. They mean something to me. So I get a phone call on Sunday night my daughter's Korean is in tears Because Brisa had fallen into a pool and drowned Yeah She fell into a pool and drowned They don't they didn't know how long she'd been in the water. They noticed that she was gone and Looked for her and ran to the pool and there she was at the bottom of the pool and they pulled her out and she was blue and Robert was on staff here for a number of years and we've had CPR training and he put that training into practice and Began to attempt to resuscitate his baby and it was at a nurse a friend of theirs He was a nurse and she was doing what she could and an ambulance came and I get the phone call and my my daughter is saying daddy She's saying Brisa drowned and the Russian her to Loma Linda. She this is what her words at that time were She's in a coma dad. We've got to pray and so We wanted to to guard their privacy in some ways I'm I'm not one who thinks you should just go out and blast people's names, you know I think sometimes it's it's it's the proper thing to do because I'm invading the parents privacy is to say we have a situation please pray and You know leave them unnamed to the best of our ability and so there were people who were aware and we're beginning to pray and My wife and I and my son Joseph and his wife Karina my all my kids know them and love them And so, you know in different places different homes They're praying and and those who heard were praying and and I woke up many times during the night, you know, you know praying for the poor little baby girl and The next morning Of course the next day I forget if was what time it was I got a phone call and He says she came out of it. She's Breathing talking laughing eating. God did a miracle. God did a miracle He did a miracle and I just you know in the midst of all the bad news, isn't that good news? I mean that the Lord is still on the throne, right? He's still on the throne. I don't know why he doesn't answer every one of our prayers like that. I wish he did He doesn't but you know what he did this time and so I just wanted to give that report to you before we get into the word Our God is still on the throne. Our God is a healing God. He is able and I Just just before I came in I saw a video of her, you know Talking and laughing and and I'm just so so very blessed and I know Robert and Val if any of you knew and We're praying I know that they would personally say thank you and on their behalf for those who were aware of this We we thank you for your prayers and and how appropriate is that we know that our God answers prayer And then tomorrow is the day of prayer and I hope you pray that you're able to be with us tomorrow night And if you can be with us in the prayer in a Chino City Hall area, that would be a blessing too But that said here we go chapter 31 I'm gonna read to you verses 1 through 4 and I'll get into our study The Job said I have made a covenant with my eyes Why then should I look upon a young woman? for what is the allotment of God from above and the inheritance of The Almighty from on high is it not destruction for the wicked and disaster for the workers of iniquity Does he not see my ways? and count all my steps and So at this point as we're looking at the book of Job Job is continuing a speech that he began to give in chapter previous to this one and In this particular Speech to this defense of his of his life and character he begins to speak concerning his own moral purity Now he's already pointed out that he's lost the respect of his community He has already pointed out that he feels that he's been abandoned by God and Man and he says this is totally unwarranted and this is completely unfair We've been looking at the book of Job and we've seen that The way they were speaking of him and how he had lost everything including The respect that he once had and we've seen that this was something this losing of respect was was something especially Injurious to him in chapter 30. He had spoken of how he had been treated He spoke of how he had lived His life had been one of faith. He says of honor integrity a life of generosity kindness That's how he had lived and so now he continues his defense by speaking of his own moral purity And so in verse one here he says I've made a covenant with my eyes. Why then should I look upon a young woman? I Have moral purity. I have a desire to to to have a pure life and all in and I made an agreement I made a Testimony between me and my eyes in other words. I have I have made a heartfelt Decision that I was going to live in a proper way. I made a covenant. I'm going to live a morally pure life by choice And he's saying that I've been morally pure He's saying I don't lust after women and I haven't since my youth in Psalm 119 verse 37 the Psalmist said turn my eyes away from worthless things and revive me in your way When he said turn my eyes away from worthless things the word worthless space of the false things of this age of this world The false things that can that can tempt me and seduce me and draw me away from God That would include things like riches and man's honor and and and physical pleasures He says turn me away from the wicked things that would lead me in the wrong path Make my eyes pass quickly from such things so I don't stare at them and long for them Because this desire is that that God would give to him life and he's saying I don't want to contemplate on these things Because when I contemplate when I think about something long enough I begin to desire that so empower me and Power me with the desire and strength to walk away before I'm ensnared Instead of me giving my my strength to these kinds of things. He said empower me to serve you first Well, Job is one who said I have made a covenant with my eyes And I don't want to look on those things I don't want to look upon a young woman the word woman there when he speaks of a woman speaks of a young woman I don't I don't want to be looking at a young woman with lust. I don't desire that at all Billy Graham was once asked What are the things that a young minister should be aware of what are the things to avoid and Billy Graham's Answer is very brief and to the point He said what are the things that will cause a minister to fall? He said pride and women and money Those are the three basic things that Satan uses to tempt people from Genesis. He did that with Eve and with You know a sexual pleasure or sensual pleasures and all and that's what he he actually tried with Jesus when he was tempting him it's a pride and and physical pleasure and Those are things that are called worthless You know as a young man our church our church is going to celebrate In a couple months. We're gonna celebrate our anniversary our church anniversary in July we're gonna have a Sunday night service by the way I'll add those things to this and and it's going to be on July 25th It'll be in the evening and we're gonna have Several worship teams that were with us in the past and reminisce and this and that I was 30 years old when this church began and and I knew I knew these things. I knew that that What was awaiting me as a pastor was going to be the lust of the flesh less of the eyes and the pride of life I knew that I knew that the things that could Could seduce me that could bring me down would include being enticed in that way I Especially wanted to remain a good husband and faithful to my wife and to be a good father to my children and I wanted to to make sure that my moral purity Was intact and remained so and so I made a covenant with my eyes an agreement with my eyes That I would not lust after a young woman because that's basically what are you saying? Why should I look upon a young woman? Why should I be looking at this young lady and just continue to contemplate her and to look at her and Ultimately desire her he said why would I do that? I made a covenant with my eyes that I wouldn't do that And so did I and so I remember saying Jesus I I want to have a pure life I want to have a great marriage. I want to be a good husband. I never want to cause my children or my wife pain I made a covenant in the same way. I can I understand this raise I understand this covenant and so I was in church And it was when our church was maybe a year and a half old it was starting to grow And I was out during the time of worship. We used to meet at the Ontario Christian elementary school and a small small room there that made into a chapel Sat about between two and three hundred people three hundred at the max and we were there And I would come and I sat in the second row and I still remember I would sit in the second row And I would worship and then I'd go up and teach and and all very much like I I did tonight and and yet this one time I was sitting there and this blonde was in front of me long curly hair over the shoulders I still remember wearing jeans and and I was sitting there and I happened to look down and I saw Lacey Underwear, okay, I said it and And I said oh God No, I I Still remember I still remember I Don't I Don't need that. I don't I got real How I closed my eyes real tightly and I made sure I was gonna look at that woman and and I kept my eyes Oh God and Then I got up and I even didn't look in that direction when I walked past didn't look to my left to say hey, baby I didn't do that I I just I Just walked past and it went up onto the platform just like I just did and I walked and I stood here And I had to look down and when I looked down that girl. I looked at was a guy I Felt twice as bad Yeah, let that settle in for a minute It was the most horrible uncomfortable and I said John You're pretty as a blonde No So I understand I understand I Understand this scripture in many ways and I made that covenant and Job made that covenant I don't want to think of those things that'll take me away from you I don't want to to to look at the worthless things of the world the vain things of the world The riches of the world the honors of the world Pleasures of this world. I I want to be turned away from these things I want to be turned away from the things that can lead me down the wrong path and therefore he said Empower me not only with that the the ability to but with the desire to refrain from anything like that I don't want to be ensnared. Well, when you think of it, Job was at one time very rich and With riches comes power Riches are equated with power and Riches are very attractive and speaking from a masculine perspective a Rich man riches men know that riches can be very attractive To some young ladies. They know that they're equated with power and that can be attractive to certain women Now remember this book the book of Job Remember that the book started out by saying that Job was the greatest of all the people of the east the greatest of all the people of the east In other words, he was the financial equivalent will say of Jeff Bezos Now Jeff Bezos many of you know Amazon and this and that Jeff Bezos has a personal worth of two hundred billion dollars And so riches can be very attractive to women as a money as a matter of fact Money can make a man more attractive So somebody asked me a riddle recently. They said this is the riddle if an 80 year old man Has a 29 year old wife Just how rich is that man because that's pretty much what it is money attracts If that was an 80 year old old man who was poor you think a 29 year old beauty queen would go after him of course not why because money is attractive and Job was aware that money made him attractive and Because of this very early in his life. He made a covenant with his eyes And he begins by speaking of a sin that is not always noticed by others notice it He's speaking of a sin that is lust for women Now this is a sin that can be a secret because it originates in the secret place of the heart So instead of secretly lusting for young women, he said I covenanted with God to resist this Because this particular sin has captured many men and women in Proverbs 6 25 It says don't be tempted by their beauty. Don't be trapped by their flirting eyes You see sometimes I'm concerned because I know that many Christians can often be vulnerable to seduction A believer can be naive gullible trusting the wrong person and We can think that because people go to church services. Well, they must be Christians They come to church. They carry a Bible. They go to studies They're involved in the church and we can begin to think that these people are very sincere in their faith, but Once these people have convinced us that that they're safe We can end up destroyed Sexual sin is never without a genuine victim and a genuine price that is paid When you read the book of Proverbs chapter 5 is a chapter dedicated to encouraging Solomon's son to avoid sexual sin and Solomon begins that chapter by telling his son to pay attention to his wisdom and his Understanding and he goes on to say this in in Proverbs 5 3 through 5. He says the lips of an immoral woman drip honey her mouth is smoother than then Anyway, smoother than what I oh That's right. Well Just making sure that I didn't put the oh here and I thought ill. What's that? Okay oil. I had a brain freeze I made a covenant with my mind that I wouldn't remember the word oil and look it worked Her mouth is smoother than oil But in the end she she is bitter as wormwood sharp as a two-edged sword Her feet go down to death her steps lay hold of hell And so he began to speak concerning those things. What is he saying? Well, he is saying to his son an adulterous can lead you on a path that takes you to hell Because that's where adulterers end up When you look in the New Testament in chapter 5 verse 5 of Ephesians it says of this you can be sure No immoral impure or greedy person such a man is an idolater as any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God You see in our day This verse I have made a covenant with my eyes Why then should I look upon a young woman and other verses in scripture in our day those things are By even believers are very often discounted being without value They'll they'll they'll say things like well, wait a minute. What's the big deal anyway? A little sexual fun has never hurt anyone But they don't realize that there is no sin that Doesn't have repercussions every sin does That's why in Proverbs 5 again in verses 9 and 10 It says you you give your honor that word honor can be speaking of your your strength your energy You give your honor to others your dignity to one who is cruel Lest strangers feast on your wealth and your toil enriches the house of another So he says listen when you enter into an adulterous or a sexual affair You can end up spending the prime of your life working for someone else When the divorce proceedings clear up you end up giving your wealth to someone else In our terms you're gonna have expensive lawyer fees. You're gonna have alimony. You're gonna have child support In in Proverbs 5 again verse 10 it says strangers will feast on your wealth and your toil enriches the house of another So you marry another woman you take up you end up taking care of her children and you lose your own and The inheritance that you were one time going to leave behind for your own kids will go to somebody else's He says in Proverbs 5 11 you mourn at last when you're flesh and your body are consumed You can end up with nine regret at the end of your life. Your kids grow up. They graduate from school. They get married And you're not involved Sometimes they're not even invited to the weddings or graduations And you don't end up with a good relationship with your your children or your grandchildren and In the end another man is considered your children's grandfather for what When he says in Proverbs 5 12 he says you say how have I hated instruction my heart despised correction He's saying you end up your life with wasted dreams and nothing, but I wish I would have If only I would have will be your last words So Solomon's instruction concerning this as it relates to making a covenant with your eyes is in Proverbs 5 18 and let your fountain be blessed and rejoice with the wife of your youth Have children but have children with your wife Let your sexual thirst be quenched by your wife Not someone else's wife. You see the fear of the Lord willing obedience and the power of the spirit Can make a way of escape for you? Like Paul said in 1st Corinthians 10 13 no temptation has overtaken you such as but such as his common demand But God is faithful who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you're able But with the temptation will also make the way of escape that you may be able to bear it And so I have made a covenant with my eyes Why then should I look upon a young woman? How am I as a man speaking again from the male Perspective how am I to act towards women well in 1st Timothy chapter 5 verse 2 Paul said we are to treat the younger women as sisters with absolute purity Seeing that men can be distracted and tempted What can women do to be of help? to us Sometimes women think well if you lust or you look it's your own fault I Many years ago now I can say this it's been almost 35 36 years or so ago I had it one time a secretary and she was in working in the front office and I came walking in and as I came walking in again You've got to see I was in my mid 30s at the time so I came walking in and and she was standing at the The counter speak into somebody and as I walked in I'll be real with you guys I mean she was wearing a very short skirt and I felt that's inappropriate You know we're in a church. We got you know, you know, we're supposed to Set an example. I had so many reasons why I thought it was and it was it was inappropriate Plus the fact is that we minister to men and sometimes they have problems in this way. Why would we do that? And so I'm not one who will walk up and tell somebody Something I'll have somebody else to do it another woman on me So one of our secretaries I spoke to her and I said could you speak to her and Let her know that she probably well not she should probably that she should not dress wearing, you know Short skirts and things. It's not appropriate for Period but also for a church and so the response was that the secretary that was spoken to quit and Her response was if he's got a problem with his eyes, that's his problem. Well, that's not true That's not just my problem because we can stumble people in the way that we act and the way that we dress and And it just is the height of narcissism for us to say it's all about me and who cares about you And so the bottom line is is no I wasn't tempted by her but the fact is there are men who will be We had a woman a young woman who was working at the when we used to sell things. They were called cassettes just called cassettes and They had little tape and you would put them in a little box and you would press it down and push a button and would spin and Voices would come out of anyway. It was called a cassette and We used to sell them after church services, you know of church services and all of that And I was in the back at the kitchen once again at Ontario Christian elementary school where we were meeting and and here comes a young woman and She was wearing I don't know what they're called I'm gonna just use what I used to hear you ladies will know what they are and give me the Update on it if you'd like but we used to call them Daisy Dukes So I know what you know what you know what those are, you know, yeah, yeah I had we had guys in the church who wore those two that was a different ministry, but anyway No, she was wearing and what they used to call a crop top So that her waist was exposed So she's wearing Daisy Dukes in this and I came walking into the back just before I taught and there she is Was and I said That's probably not a good idea though. We did sell a lot of tapes that day, but anyway No, I walked up and I said Again, I don't talk to him. So I went to one of the women. I said, could you please let her know that This isn't the proper way to dress in it in a church So she thank God she went home She changed and came back and and everything was was better, you know It God has created men To be visible we see things in other words visual rather and and yes, we do we notice things We notice things before we notice your face. I mean we notice things That's just the way men are. That's how we're created. I'm not opposed to that. That's how I am You know Adam looked at Eve and he saw her and he said whoa woman, you know, so he That actually is the song by the way You are born of my bone and flesh of my flesh She shall be called woman for she was taken out of man is actually lyrical. That's an actual song So he sang when you saw her but he saw her and sang to her we have been created to notice and we do That's why Job said I made a covenant with my eyes young man or man period Make a covenant with your eyes Make a covenant with your eyes Ask God if you're married ask God God, please refresh in me that knowledge that my wife is the most beautiful woman That I'll ever have that I've ever had and keep your eyes on her Don't be thinking of all the women around you that can be so attractive that that would never have gone out with you Anyway Don't be thinking like that Just pray that God will work in you That kind of love for her as I looked up just now I noticed I'm not going to finish this chapter. I'm in verse one So I'll take you for 20 more minutes Then we'll pick up next time So make that make that decision this actually I think for some fellas and women included today also of course This is something that That is very important the Lord a long time ago Bless me. He gave me a father who loved His wife my dad loved my wife My wife. No, he didn't Love his wife. Oh, he loved my wife too, but he loved his wife My dad loved his wife with all of his heart and my dad taught me To do the same So I've always been and thank God for that even as a dating A kid dating once in a while. I was the guy that was just I Haven't any desire for somebody else if I have this one. That was just me So I learned it for my dad and I watched my dad and I saw my dad never looked at Anybody else? I saw my dad was very dignified. I saw my father as warm and caring But not he was not a man that another woman would ever come up And even in the Hispanic home the Mexican home where you will give the only people that he allowed to kiss him Who were women were his daughters? You know my my wife his daughters-in-law my dad was very proper and I watched that and I grew up that way And I thought that's the best way to be as a man had I not become a Christian I'll be honest with you I just still believe that because the one that I have is the one that I want to stay with So thank God. I'm a one woman man, but Joe was too And he said I made a covenant an agreement with my eyes. Why should I look upon a young woman? It's not just noticing. Why should I stare at her and dress undress with my eyes and desire? He was a very powerful man. He could have had pretty much anyone he wanted because power is attractive and you know what else is righteousness and Righteousness and power combined is very very money is very powerful And so he said no a long time ago as a young man. I made a decision Why should I look upon a young woman? And so I encourage all of us to do that. Yes, and that's how the Lord wants to work within us and women in first Timothy chapter 2 verse 9 Paul said this I also want women to dress modestly and with decency and propriety so Men have a certain thing we do and and women have the things that they do During the summer it seems that sometimes women forget That men don't go blind for three months That's enough So in verse 2 well, we are Moving through this passage For what is the allotment of God from above and the inheritance of the Almighty from on high? Is it not destruction for the wicked and disaster for the workers of Iniquity does he not see my ways and count all my steps? What is the fruit of doing such things? How is God going to deal with them while he says it is destruction that word destruction Speaks of the ruin the ruin of body and even soul He says it is destruction it is ruined and it is disaster the word disaster speaks of of alienation or separation from God it is the ruin of body and soul and alienation from God When people are guilty of such things God brings judgment and he doesn't bless that And God is aware he's saying of everything and God is aware of secret things He's aware of my walk every step I take so I want to walk in a way that pleases him But he's aware like it says in Psalm 90 verse 8 you have placed our iniquities before you our Secret sins in the light of your presence so God is aware of everything and so He says does he not see my ways and count all my steps first five if I have walked with falsehood Or if my foot has hastened to deceit Let me be weighed on honest scales That God may know my integrity if my step has turned from the way or my heart walked after my eyes Or if any spot adheres to my hands Then let me let me so in another eat yet. Yes, let my harvest be rooted out And so if I have doubt deceitfully if I have taken financial advantage of other people Then then judge me and I am open. He's saying I'm open to to man's judgment I'm open to man scrutiny because in that judgment God will see my innocence When he says in verse 7 if my step is turned from the way or my heart walked after my eyes Or if any spot adheres to my hands then let me so in another eat Yes, let my harvest be rooted out if I have stepped from the narrow path of righteousness If I've desired forbidden things if I've ripped people off to make more money Then let others Get those prophets He says in verse 8 let everything I have been I have be taken from me and given to others So what he's doing is he's calling down curses upon himself He's saying basically let me labor for someone else and not benefit from all the work that I do in Verse 9 if my heart has been enticed by a woman or if I have alert at my neighbor's door Then let my wife grind for another and let others bow down over her That's a very very powerful and personal thing that he just said If my heart has been enticed by a woman he he's continuing his defense against the charge of hypocrisy So he's saying if if I've been attempting to seduce someone else's wife Well, let my wife become his servant he's speaking of grinding grain and Grinding grain is the lowest of the work that slaves would do at that time and not only that but in verse 10 He says then let my wife grind for another and let others bow down over her That's a very delicate way of saying Made the man who is her owner the slave owner Take sexual pleasure in my wife. That's a very strong statement for Job to say May may her employer exercise his right to sexually use her. It's a very strong thing In other words, I'm not guilty and therefore that will never happen But that's how strongly he feels about this in verse 11. He says for that would be wickedness. Yes It would be iniquity deserving of judgment For that would be a fire that consumes to destruction and would root out all my increase So he says that would be wickedness. He's speaking of adultery here And He's saying this adultery being with another man's wife is an enormous sin and it deserves terrible punishment You need to remember that this is written before Moses was given the law called the law of Moses and so the Commandments had yet to be given when when Job actually occurred but later on when God gave the law To Moses he he gave him a law pertaining to adultery And under the law of Moses. This is interesting and true Adultery is a sin But not just a sin. It's a sin that is comes under what is called the capital punishment It's a sin that is punishable by death That's how serious This particular sin is in Leviticus 20 verse 10 If a man commits adultery with another man's wife with the wife of his neighbor Both the adulterer and the adulterous are to be put to death That is a very serious sin has always been And so later on it was put in the law But even now he's speaking about how terrible that particular sin is it's an enormous sin He's saying and it deserves punishment. He says in verse 12 for that would be a fire that consumes to destruction and would root out On my increase this sin. He said that is fueled by lust Would be a sin that should rightly receive the most severe of judgment In verse 13 if I have despised the cause of my male or female servant when they complained against me What then shall I do when God rises up when he punishes? How shall I answer him? Did not he who made me in the womb make them Did not the same one fashion us in the womb? And so he's making it very clear that They share the same humanity You see aliphaz remember one of his friends had insinuated that job favored the rich and the powerful over the poor But joe was saying that he treated both men and women like they're his own family because like I just read in verse 15 Because we share the same humanity and therefore I've treated them fairly. That's the point he's making now That is something that we see later on Repeated that thought in the book of Colossians in the new testament in chapter 4 verse 1 Where it said paul said masters provide your slaves with what is right and fair Because you know that you also have a master in heaven And so he's saying he's already doing that which was commanded later in the new testament In verse 16 he continues If I have kept the poor from their desire or caused the eyes of the widow to fail Or eaten my morsel by myself so that the fatherless could not eat of it But from my youth I reared him as a father and from my mother's womb I guided the widow If I have seen anyone perish for lack of clothing or Any poor man without covering if his heart has not blessed me and if He was not warmed with the fleece of my sheep if I have raised my hand against the fatherless when I Saw a when I saw I had help in the gate then let my arm fall from my shoulder Let my arm be torn from the socket for destruction from god is a terror to me and because of his magnificence I cannot Endure he begins to share All of the good things that he's done that the works that he has performed on behalf of of the helpers the widows and and the Orphans and and as we went through this list he he says that I've provided for the proper needs of the poor I've moved quickly to help widows. I've shared my food with those in need I have fed and treated orphans as if they were my own children I've always cared for the needs of the widows and it clothed the needy I have given them occasion to bless me I've never abused the helpers an orphan And I've judged their cases fairly and graciously and he's saying this because these are the works of a righteous man These are the things that those who know the lord these are the things that they do That this concern they have for those who have need And and they don't they don't act Righteous on the outside, but their hearts being far away from the things that please god These are people who really do that which is proper and real and remember in matthew chapter 23 verse 14 This is something that the lord spoke of which jesus spoke of when he said in matthew 23 14 Woe to you scribes and Pharisees hypocrites for you devour widows houses and for a pretense make long prayer Therefore you shall receive the greater damnation you you walk around town as religious individuals pretending that you care when in fact you don't You devour widows houses and for a pretense make long prayer It is stated that that during the days of christ that a rabbi Would have somebody approach them on occasion and and the rabbi would be requested for prayer and and so The rabbi would be expecting them to give them a gift And if they didn't give him a gift that was large his prayer would be short And so jesus says for a pretense you make long prayers Long prayers because they gave you a lot of money to pray. That's the point that he's making and so Job is saying i'm not a hypocrite I i've done these things sincerely all of these things that we just read I've done them why well james tells us in chapter 1 verse 27 of his book Pure religion and undefiled before god and the father is this to visit the fatherless and widows in the reflection and keep himself inspired from the world So that the The activity of a truly righteous person is to care for those who are in need. That's what he's saying It's interesting how he how he calls a curse upon himself look at verse 22. Let my arm fall from my shoulder Let my let my arm be torn from the socket For destruction from god is a terror to me and because of his magnificence. I cannot endure That's an interesting way of putting it So sure am I of my innocence? Then i'm i'll call curse upon myself Now as i was reading this in and looking at my commentators They made an interesting point when you look at the word arm let my arm fall from my shoulder when he says Let my arm be torn from the socket Um The show it's talking about an entire pulling off from the shoulder blade down The the second word arm there is in reference really to that which is below the elbow So this is a very poetic way of saying may my entire from my shoulder blade be just pulled right out of me Let my shoulder blades separate and may my arm fall off below the elbow If i've used my strength wrongly is what he's saying if i've used my abilities wrongly may those abilities be taken from me He says in verse 23 for destruction from god is a terror to me and because of his magnificence. I cannot endure My fear of god moves me to do that which is right And even if i did wrong i wouldn't continue in it In proverbs 10 27 it reads the fear of the lord prolongs life But the years of the wicked will be shortened in verse 24 If i have made gold my hope or said to find gold you are my confidence if i have Rejoiced because my wealth was great and because my hand had gained much If i have observed the sun when it shines or the moon Moving in brightness so that my heart has been secretly enticing My mouth has kissed my hand. This also would be an iniquity Serving of judgment for i would have denied god who is above this is interesting how he's putting this He's speaking about trusting in riches Verse 24 of if i made gold my hope or said to find gold you are my confidence He's saying if i have trusted in riches Then god has a right to judge me for that But the truth is i haven't trusted in riches The psalmist in psalm 62 says it like this in verse 10 Trust not in oppression become not vain in robbery If riches increase set not your heart upon them In mark 10 24 The disciples were astonished at his words But jesus answered again and said to them children How hard is it for those who trust in riches To enter into the kingdom of god And then finally in first simothy 6 17 Paul said command those who are rich in this present world not to be arrogant Nor to put their hope in wealth Which is so uncertain But to put their hope in god Who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment If you put your hope in anything Put it in god He says in verse 26 If i have observed the sun when it shines the moon Moving in brightness so that my heart has been secretly enticed and my mouth has just my hand This also would be an iniquity deserving of judgment for i would have denied god Who's above if i've become an idolater worshipping the sun or worshipping the moon now? That's pretty obvious how he put that right He said he says that if i've observed the sun the moon moving in brightness But notice verse 27 what does he mean when he says so that my heart has been secretly enticed and my mouth Has kissed my hand what does that mean well we've seen this before all of us have seen it It's an act of worship when people Will do that and that's what he's saying if i have made a gesture of worship So speaking of idolatry This is a sin that is worthy of god's judgment the sin of idolatry And leviticus 19 verse 4 it says do not turn to idols or make metal gods for yourself I am the lord your god You see our god is the living god And idols are dead useless and unable to save Like it says in judges 10 14 go and cry out to the gods you've chosen let them save you when you're in trouble And then he goes on i think i'm going to finish Then he goes on We shall see if i have rejoiced At the destruction of him who hated me or lifted myself up when evil found him Indeed i have not allowed my mouth to sin by asking for a curse on his soul If the men of my tent have not said who is there that has not been satisfied with his meat But no no sojourner had to lodge in the street for i have opened my doors to the to the traveler If i have covered my transgressions as adam by hiding my iniquity in my bosom because i feared the great multitude Dreaded the contempt of families so that i kept silence and didn't go out of the door. Oh That i had one to hear me here is my mark All that the almighty would answer me that my prosecutor had written in a book Surely i would carry it on my shoulder binded on me like a crown I would declare to him the number of my steps like a prince I would approach him And so he begins to speak concerning these things in verse 29 and 30 when he says if i've rejoiced at the destruction of him Who hated me lifting myself up if i have in my heart wished evil to others and and desired their ruin Which he hasn't he says, uh, then i would be culpable then i could be judged Like it says in proverbs 24 17 do not rejoice when your enemy falls Do not let your heart be glad when he stumbles In verse 31 and 32 he speaks of the men of his tent and they're saying concerning Who who is it that has not been satisfied with your food with the meat? He's saying i've been hospitable to everybody My own relatives have said that i'm extremely generous. I've opened the door of my home To to to house a traveler in need So i've been generous in 33 and 34 if i've covered my transgression as adam Now remember adam held inside his iniquity. He tried to hide it from lordy. He fashioned Fig leaves as a covering So he's saying i haven't been a hypocrite. I haven't hid my sin from the sight of others In 35 through 37 he he says oh that i had one to hear me here is my mark I wish god would hear my case. Here's my signature agreeing that i have told the truth If my prosecutor wrote out my charges i would sign them and under it i would say i am not guilty Verse 36 surely i would carry it on my shoulder and bind it on me like a crown I would i would carry the the book of charges like a badge of honor and i wouldn't be ashamed Because the charges are groundless and when proven wrong they will reveal my innocence In verse 37 i would declare to him the number of my steps like a prince i would approach him I could point to an entire life the number of my steps an entire life Of desiring to walk policing to him and like a prince i could stand with courage and confidence before him And finally if my land cries out against me and its furrows weep together If i have eaten its fruit without money and or cause its owners to lose their lives Then let thistles grow instead of wheat and weeds instead of barley If i've gotten my property by fraud If i've stolen its fruit by killing its owners Then may god judge me When he says may the ground be cursed i am innocent of all the charges that have been lodged against me And i'm willing to have everything looked at closely Because i have walked in a way that is pleasing to the lord And all of these accusations that have been made against me would be found to be false And so Job finishes his defense. We'll stop here. We made it And we'll pick up next week Our father I want to begin by saying once again before everybody and with everybody How thankful we are that you are god and you are unthrown and you are alive and you are all powerful And there shall nothing be impossible with you I want to thank you on behalf of of rob and val and the family For touching briefs of the way you did and we pray that you continue to do so And some of us in this room or perhaps we're watching online Some of us are lifting to you right now prayers Asking that you would be merciful on behalf of those who we know and love also And god i do pray that you would be That you would be a healing god That you would do at work lord And that you would receive all the glory For there are some in our own fellowship in our own church family Who are dealing with illnesses that the doctor has already said Cannot be dealt with cannot be cured But you are the god of the possible And there shall nothing be impossible with you So we ask lord that you would show mercy And you would have your way We also ask that we might live our lives with integrity. We see the words that Were shared here by job in his defense and and i was pointed to a life that really has been lived In an attempt to be pleasing to you. May we live lives Pleasing to you, but may we also know that there are times seasons of affliction and pain That you actually will ultimately use to fashion us into the The person you want us to be and i ask that we would not Be angry at you for the work that sometimes may even hurt Lord i lift up this congregation i lift up those who are watching online for the countries that are tuning in Right now and i pray lord for every one of those countries and those who are watching And i pray that we who have heard this word would leave this place Making a covenant with our own eyes That we lord would live a pure pure life before you We lift these things to you And even as our eyes are closed and our heads are bowed for another moment Perhaps there's some in this room or online who need to get right with the lord right now and you need prayer And if you need to get right with the lord Would you raise your hand? Let me pray for you right now father in jesus name You see the hands of those in this room who are saying yes lord I ask that you would reach down and you would touch that you would as they open their heart to you wash them And cleanse them forgive them and give them a sense of your presence with them lord even right now I ask lord that you would do so because It honors you and a transformed life Is is a testimony of your grace and so lord in jesus name Reach down touch as our hearts are open to you and lord have your way By faith that we receive from you and we give you praise for this and we thank you and we bless you You can put your hands down And lord I ask that you keep moving in our lives As we're about to leave may we go with you and serve you And tomorrow as the nation is called to prayer Wherever we are may we lift up prayer for this nation. It's in deep need of prayer So we lift it to you now in jesus name. Amen