 Beginning here at verse one in chapter 22 we read, Alaphaz the Timonite answered and said, Can a man be profitable to God, though he who is wise may be profitable to himself? Is it any pleasure to the Almighty that you are righteous? Or is it gain to him that you make your ways blameless? Now let's review a few things and get a bit of an understanding of what is taking place so that we can look at this chapter together. We need to remember that Job had just stated something in the previous chapter. He had just stated something very interesting in verse 30. He had said the wicked are reserved for the day of doom, for the wicked are reserved for the day of doom. And so as he has been speaking in that particular chapter he is winding down by saying there are times when evil people are not dealt with immediately. They may live long lives and never seem to get what they deserve. And we all know that long lives can produce great sinners. So the longer they live the more damaging their sinful lives can be. And they can live long lives and not immediately reap the consequences of the things that they've done and because this often happens instead of repenting they think it's permitted by God and that they're getting away with it. And because they continually do things that are wrong and never seem to get in any kind of trouble while they become hardened in their sin. In the book of Ecclesiastes in chapter 8 verse 11 Solomon said when a crime is not punished people feel it is safe to do wrong. And that's true because justice is not swift. People are hardened in their sin. And so Job was saying that though they seem to get away with it there is a day of reckoning. Again he said in verse 30 the wicked are reserved for the day of doom. So when he says the wicked are reserved the word reserved is something that we're familiar with. We call it a cafe or a place to eat a restaurant. You make a reservation and that's what that word means in this context. Reserved. Reserved speaks of being held back for a particular purpose or an occasion. So they are reserved for a particular occasion. He says they are reserved for the day of doom. They have a reservation before God and the day of doom is that reservation. And though they appear to get away with it while on earth they will stand before God. You know in our history in the 20th century we have men like Hitler and we think that he got away with it. He didn't get away with it. He will stand before God. Every person will stand before God and give an account of themselves and so he's basically simply saying that he's saying they are reserved for the day of doom. Though they appear to get away with it they will stand before the Lord. And the Bible is very clear about that. In various portions of the Scriptures it speaks of this. The Old Testament contains many references to this but one comes from a book that most of us don't read very often but should. It's Nahum. And in Nahum chapter 1 verse 2 it simply says this. It says God is jealous and the Lord avenges. The Lord avenges and is furious. The Lord will take vengeance on his adversaries and he reserves wrath for his enemies. In the New Testament in 2 Peter chapter 2 verse 9 the Lord knows how to deliver the godly out of temptations and to reserve the unjust until the day of judgment to be punished. God knows how to reserve them. They have a reservation. In Romans 2 verse 5 Paul said in accordance with your hardness and impenitent heart you are treasuring up for yourself wrath in the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God. The longer you live the more you sin the more you're held accountable for. And so Job was making that point and he said they're reserved for the day of judgment. Now I didn't go into this last week so I'll touch it for just a moment at this point because the question is asked what happens when the wicked die? Well the Scripture teaches that when the wicked die they're out of the grace of God, they're wicked and they die they are temporarily placed in a place called Hades in the New Testament. And Hades is described in Scripture as a place of torment. It's described as a place of agonizing pain and sorrow. In fact it is like a holding tank. In Luke chapter 16 verses 23 and 24 speaking of the rich man and Lazarus it says the rich man in hell he was in torment and he looked up and saw Abraham far away with Lazarus by his side so he called to him Father Abraham have pity on me send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue because I am in agony in this fire. He was in this place a temporary resident called Hades. They are reserved for doom. Well ultimately Hades will no longer exist as a holding tank it is no longer necessary. We'll see that in our study in the book of Revelation. We're in chapter 14 now in Revelation and in chapter 20 we'll get there in two years. In Revelation chapter 20 verses 13 and 14 it says the sea gave up the dead that were in it and death and Hades gave up the dead that were in them and each person was judged according to what he had done then death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. The lake of fire is the second death. Hades is a temporary holding cell if you will for those who are reserved for doom. And so Job was making that point and he was closed he closed his portion by making it very clear that everybody is going to die. Everybody is brought to the grave and ultimately they're going to stand before the Lord. Ecclesiastes 12 14 says God shall bring every work into judgment including every secret thing whether good or evil every secret thing the things that we have hidden from others God has seen and he brings those things into judgment and so this is what Job has been saying in chapter 21 so now his miserable friend Alaphaz is going to respond and this is his third speech in the book of Job and so in verse 1 again Alaphaz the Temmonite answered and said can a man be profitable to God though he who is wise may be profitable to himself is it any pleasure to the Almighty that you are righteous or has it gained him that you make your ways blameless and so his introduction really doesn't apply to what Job has just said but his tone implies that Job has irritated him Job has said something that has bothered this guy Alaphaz and so notice in verse 2 how he begins by asking the question can a man be profitable to God so Alaphaz seems to believe that he needs to remind Job that you're not that important Job obviously God doesn't depend on man for any kind of prophet for himself he says in verse 3 is it any pleasure to the Almighty that you are righteous is it gained to him Job man doesn't add to or take away any happiness or pleasure that God has what makes you think that you're so important you see God possesses all that he needs alone and in fact he needs nothing to fulfill him is the point that he's making like it says in Psalm 50 verse 12 the Lord speaking he says if I were hungry I wouldn't tell you the world is mine and all its fullness and Paul asks the question in Romans 11 35 who has ever given to God that God should repay him who first gave to him who first loved him so many times I've encountered people who think that or seem to think that they loved God before God loved them and we know that's not true now don't we we know that's not true but sometimes we may think that's true any parent in this room understands exactly what I'm about to say you know as a husband my wife Marie tells me you know I'm pregnant and I say oh really well she didn't look any different than she did the minute before she told me she's pregnant so okay you're pregnant who's the daddy no okay you're pregnant shouldn't have said that I'm in trouble now but I don't know how would I know she doesn't look any different so a month goes by two months three months four months before you know it yeah she's pregnant she better be we're gonna have to go to the gym so she five months six months when Marie was pregnant with our first baby Corinne when Marie began to show I would sometimes be laying next to her in bed and she'd be laying there as uncomfortable as she would be and I would actually tap on her little stomach and expect the baby to move and there were times more than once and this is corny I know but it's true I would put my face next to her little stomach there little anyway her stomach and I would say hey baby daddy talking and I would grab her and I'd shake her stomach so that Corinne would start kicking which she eventually would do and so I would actually and I did it with all of my kids I would actually yell and I knew they couldn't hear me if they heard anything they're in this amionic fluid I mean they're not hearing anything I know a lot of people think that they're listening that's why they play you know classical music and stuff so the baby will like Bach that's not true but anyway I would yell anyway and I'd yell hey baby I love you long before she was born I was saying that to my Corinne baby I love you you know this is daddy speaking I love you shake shake shake and then she's born what a moment every parent remembers that moment perhaps you do I remember it you know Marie goes through 33 hours of labor and I was praying thank you God that I'm not a woman you know that kind of thing and the baby is born and she comes out and I look at her I say oh she's ugly that oh he had all squished and everything and she looks like your family Marie oh she was ugly you may be ugly but you're mine and I love that little cross-eyed baby with those little hands going like this and that squishy little face and they handed her to me and they had put her under some some lampa and had dried her up and wrapped her up and handed me that little burrito and I just loved her and I looked at her I still remember looking at her the first time I looked at her and I still remember just giving her a kiss from her daddy and I loved her with all of my heart I loved her with all of my heart and I tell her that quite often as she was growing up I love you and then one day she got old enough to begin to speak and eventually put sentences together and then one day got mad at me and says you don't love me and I looked at her and said I don't love you honey I've loved you since the moment mommy has told me she was pregnant with you I've loved you I don't like you very much but I love you with all of my heart you know I loved her before she loved me and God loved you before you loved him love for God doesn't originate with you it's a response to the love he has for you you love him because he first loved you that's how we know our relationship with God is so solid because it began with him but God doesn't need me he has everything that he needs alone he is self-sufficient he needs nothing to fulfill him like I just read if I were hungry I wouldn't tell you but with that said Alaphaz doesn't realize that God does receive a sense of pleasure from his people he apparently doesn't know that all creation is intended to bring pleasure to God Revelation 4 verse 11 reads you are worthy O Lord to receive glory and honor and power for you have created all things and for your pleasure they are and were created Alaphaz has failed to consider that it gives God great pleasure when he saves someone in Luke chapter 12 verse 32 Jesus said fear not little flock for it is your father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom in Luke 15 verse 10 likewise they say to you there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner that repents there is joy in the presence of the angels of God so many times I've read evangelists say that the angels are rejoicing that's not what the scripture says it says there is joy in the presence of the angels of God angels don't understand salvation once they fell they remain fallen those who didn't fall don't understand what it means to be saved no it's God who understands what has happened when a sinner has repented and come to him and it's God's good pleasure when you got saved when you answered that invitation raised your hand came forward whatever you did it gave God great pleasure that you were saved because God is not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance it's his desire for people to know him it gives God great pleasure when we live according to his ways like it says in Philippians 2 verse 13 it is God who works in you both the will and to do of his good pleasure when you read the book of Colossians chapter 1 verse 10 Paul said that you may walk worthy of the Lord fully pleasing him being fruitful in every good work preaching in the knowledge of God he said in Colossians 3 20 children obey your parents and all things this is well pleasing to the Lord in 1 John 3 22 whatever we ask we receive from him because we keep his commandments and do those things that are pleasing in his sight and again Hebrews 10 38 that just shall live by faith but if any man draw back my soul shall have no pleasure in him no God doesn't need anything that I have but God receives that which I give to him and it gives him great pleasure he has pleasure when his children live lives that reveal our love for him so the obvious response to Alephes would be yes this does give God pleasure and yes it is gained to God when people walk up rightly because it results in glory to him like it says in Matthew 5 16 when Jesus said let your light so shine before men that they may see your good works and glorify your Father which is in heaven and so when Alephes is speaking to him he really doesn't understand exactly what he's saying at that point when he says is it any pleasure to the Almighty that you are righteous well in verse 4 is it because of your fear of him that he corrects you and enters into judgment with you do you think that you are being corrected because your fear of him is so great well of course not the reason you're being corrected is you have no fear of him the fact is you're being judged because you don't have a fear of the Lord this is what Alephes is accusing Jobub of not having the fear of God that's the point that he's making here you see the lack of the fear of the Lord is a sure sign of an unbeliever the Bible tells us in Romans 3 18 there is no fear of God before their eyes the common thing of those who don't know the Lord is they have no reverence, respect they have no fear of him I was reading I believe it was Spurgeon I may be wrong on this but he had said someone said to me this week I'm afraid to come to God for I believe I am only driven to him by the vile motive of fear I replied it was the devil who told you that because in Hebrews 11 7 we read that Noah being moved with fear built an ark for the saving of his house fear is a very proper motive for a guilty man to feel those who reject the sense of the fear of God the Bible says very clearly don't know him so Alephes the same Job doesn't fear the Lord and the reason you're suffering Job is because you're suffering without so he says in verse 5 is not your wickedness great and your iniquity without end well Job the fact that you're suffering so greatly ought to make it obvious you're incredibly evil since a just God punishes evil the fact you suffer so greatly makes you terribly evil verse 6 for you have taken pledges from your brother for no reason stripped the naked of their clothing this is what he's been harboring all along concerning Job he begins here to bring charges against him to show him that he's evil now these are charges he has no proof of by the way they're only his conjecture he only is making this up this is what he feels within himself and so he says to him you have charged unreasonable interest rates you've robbed the poor you've built your empire in the backs of those that you've oppressed you have taken a pledge you have taken a pledge verse 6 you have taken pledges from your brother for no reason and stripped the naked of their clothing when he speaks of taking a pledge a pledge was something given by a debtor to a creditor it's like a security what we today would refer to as having something we use against the loan it's security against the loan it's like you're going to take a second or whatever out of your house to a creditor and what he's saying here is Job you're an extortioner the security that you're getting for the debt is out of proportion it's wrong and later on the writer of Proverbs in chapter 14 verse 31 said he who oppresses the poor reproaches his maker but he who honors him as mercy on the needy so he's saying you've been wrong you've gotten rich by stealing from those who are very in much need he says in verse 7 you haven't given the weary water to drink and you have withheld bread from the hungry you haven't been generous with your substance you know hospitality then as it is today is greatly valued and to withhold hospitality is a great offense in the book of Hebrews in chapter 13 verse 2 it says do not forget to entertain strangers for by doing so some people have entertained angels without knowing it and so hospitality was something that everyone was expected to practice so he's saying you failed to care for the basic needs of others and because of that Job the bottom line is you don't love people again in Proverbs 25 to 21 if your enemy is hungry give him bread to eat if he's thirsty give him water to drink you haven't given verse 7 you haven't given the weary water to drink you have withheld bread from the hungry verse 8 but the mighty man possessed the land and the honorable man dwelt in it well he says the mighty man and he's speaking of Job he's saying you've used force you've used cruelty Job you've taken their land you intimidate people you take the possessions and you proudly rule over them verse 9 you have sent widows away empty and the strength of the fatherless was crushed you starve the helpless you don't care for the orphans do you see the kind of charges that he's leveling against Job Job you're an unrighteous thief you have no love with him this is what he's saying to his friend this is how he's bringing words of comfort to someone's suffering you starve the helpless and you don't care for the orphans caring for the widow and the orphan which were recognized as two of the weakest people in the society was a very important thing to do in the Old Testament you see that as well as in the new and the new in James chapter 1 verse 27 it says it like this pure religion and undefiled before God and the father is this to visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction to keep himself and spotted from the world pure religion is to visit the fatherless and the widows that is something that you're to do and he's saying Job you haven't done that and verse 10 therefore snares are all around you sudden fear troubles you or darkness so that you cannot see and an abundance of water covers you the reason you're suffering plain and simple is you're just sinful that's what you are there are snares all around you you feel trapped constantly you have sudden fear you're filled with constant anxiety there's darkness so that you cannot see you're blind to what has caused you pain the abundance of water covers you you're drowning in a sea of trouble and these are things that you're reaping these are consequences of your sinful life then he goes on in verse 12 to say is not God in the height of heaven and see the highest stars how lofty they are and what he's doing here so you can get the the chain of progression with his accusations that he's beginning to accuse him of hidden sins and so he begins with the image of God verse 12 in the height of heavens and seeing the height of heavens gives a picture of God being above everything seeing everything and so he's saying that God sees all God is seen into your heart and Joe God is punishing you for your secret sins he sees what others don't see in Hebrews chapter 4 verse 13 nothing in all creation is hidden from God's sight everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give account God can see through you he sees through you and your motives the hidden things within you you know God can and that's the truth God sees all things I remember when I was first pastoring this church I remember I was talking to my pastor Chuck Smith and I used to have when I first started to get to know him on a personal level I I had such a reverence in respect for him that it kind of bordered on stupid because I can still remember when I was talking to him and Chuck we used to say he had those beady blue eyes he had his beady little eyes he would pierce you he would look at you and I honestly found he was reading my mind he was weird and so I would think good thoughts you know love the poor care for the orphan you know I would try and guard my mind it was really weird and the Lord said you know he's a man you realize he's just a man and I honestly because I respected him so much I held him in such regard he just is so holy but you know I respected him but think about it he couldn't read my mind but God sure can God sure can, God knows what's on he knows the words that are not even formed yet on my tongue he knows them all together he knows everything, he knows my thoughts from afar God sees everything the Scripture tells us and so he's just making it very clear he's saying when he speaks of the height of heaven and the highest stars he's simply saying and he sees everything that's going on down below and so as he says that in verse 13 he says and you say what does God know can he judge through the deep darkness thick clouds cover him so that he cannot see and he walks above the circle of heaven well that's a very very harsh thing to say a very critical thing to put into Job's mouth what he's saying to him is you think you can hide your sin from him, he's above all and can see it all but you think you can hide your sin from him you think that God doesn't concern himself with human affairs and you're wrong you think your sins are hidden from him he sees everything Psalm 90 verse 8 you have set our iniquities before you our secret sins in the light of your countenance our secret sins some sins are obvious and other sins are hidden there are some people that you see who their sins are pretty open I mean they're into a sin that you can identify immediately whether it's that they're always drinking they're into poor or whatever you can see that this is a person that is very openly and blatantly a sinner you can see it you know the way they speak the way they act and all they're very open in it some men's sins are very open but others follow after them there are those who are terrible sinners too but they go to church and they're wearing a suit and they look fine and they sing and they raise their hands during worship but their sins follow after they're not as obvious as the honest sinner who says this is who I really am the hypocrite has a special kind of sin but some men's sins are open God sees the ones that are open and God also sees the ones that are hidden he says in verse 15 will you keep to the old way which wicked men have trod who were cut down before their time whose foundations were swept away by a flood will you keep to the old way which wicked men have trod are you going to adopt the way of life of those who have sinned and been judged are these men who have sinned and been judged are they your examples are they your examples of how a man should live now I'm going to develop something with you a little bit in a moment but when it speaks concerning the way that it does right here and I'll read a little bit further and fill it in will you keep the old way which wicked men have trod who were cut down before their time whose foundations were swept away by a flood they said to God will you keep from us what can the Almighty do to them yet he filled their houses with good things but the counsel of the wicked is far from me as he speaks concerning this and he speaks of those who lived in such a way that while he even goes so far as to use in verse 16 whose foundations were swept away by a flood the commentator says that this hearkens back to how evil the world was before the flood in Genesis chapter 6 when you read your Bible in Genesis chapter 6 the Bible speaks concerning the condition of the earth prior to the judgment that came through the flood and a very powerful scripture is found in Genesis 6 verse 5 it says the Lord saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually at that time every thought they had was an evil thought this is what was leading to the judgment that God brought in the flood and it's a flood that came and swept them away when Jesus was speaking in Luke 17 26 through 30 he said this as it was in the days of Noah so it will be also in the days of the Son of Man they ate, they drank they married wives they were given in marriage until the day that Noah entered the ark and the flood came and destroyed them all likewise as it was also in the days of Lot they ate, they drank they bought, they sold they planted they built but on the day that Lot went out of Sodom it rained fire and brimstone from heaven and destroyed them all even so will it be in the day when the Son of Man is revealed the flood the flood that came and took them all away and this is what he's saying you see in verse 17 they said to God depart from us that's what the wicked generation during Noah's time had done God we want nothing to do with you because they only had wicked in their heart continually that's all they wanted that's all they needed and so the question is being asked here are you going to walk with the ungodly who have gotten rich through their schemes just remember that they're cut down quickly with the flood of calamity he says in verse 18 God had given their houses with good things but the counsel of the wicked is far from me God had shown him grace and he provided for them in every way and Job you just said that the wicked often prosper over a lifetime so using your own words allophaz is saying the opposite is true Job you actually follow the counsel of those who are wicked you're listening to the evil that's being said in verse 19 the innocent laugh at them surely our adversaries are cut down and the fire consumes their remnant the righteous often live to see the destruction of the wicked Job don't you realize that don't you understand that Job had just been arguing that the wicked don't always get judged during this lifetime sometimes they go to the grave and they seem to be in peace and they don't die in the way that you would think that they would for themselves being as evil as they are but allophaz is saying no the righteous often live to see the destruction of the wicked again we can harken back to what took place on earth when the flood came in and Noah's family was saved we know that Noah took many years to build an ark we know that during that day that the earth didn't have rain there was a water belt that surrounded the earth and that's the reason why the harmful rays from the sun was not affecting mankind and they lived long lives but God spoke to and told Noah I'm going to I see the wickedness of man I'm going to bring judgment and this is what I want you to do and later on he's referred to as being a preacher of righteousness because he built an ark and as he built the ark the people would come to that plane and they would see him and they would wonder what he and his sons were doing because it's going to rain and it's never rained it doesn't rain what are you talking about and you can almost hear the mocking that he endured over the years that he kept on hammering on that that ark that huge ship that was going to contain the survivors after the flood and all and all the mocking that took place and the interesting one of the interesting things about the story of the flood and Noah is how it says it very clearly how that Noah and his family entered in and God shut the door you imagine that God shut the door why did God shut the door there are many many people have a lot of opinions as to why it is and part of it part of it may simply be because what do you think Noah being a righteous man would feel like hearing his neighbors pounding on the door begging him to open up what would it be like if something like that happened in your neighborhood and you heard people pounding on your door let me in, let me in wouldn't you be prone to open it of course you would God closed the door when God closes the door no man can open it and these people perished in the flood the righteous often see what happens to the evil and that's what he's saying righteous often see when Lot and his daughters were saved when God chose to bring judgment on Sodom and Gomorrah and the small cities that surrounded them God told them you leave and don't look back we all know the story of Lot's wife she turned and looked and Scripture says she became a pillar of soul but we're told that Abraham looked towards Sodom the next day and he saw the smoke rising in Genesis 19 the righteous see the destruction of the wicked sometimes when Moses crossed the Red Sea interesting story how he stood there and he had this this rod, this staff that represented his authority and how the sea parted before him and the children of Israel marched across dry land and this great wind separated the waters and the Egyptians and their chariots which would be equivalent to tanks came driving out after them and they entered into this pathway that had occurred by God separating the waters drying the land and giving Israel access to the promise or crossing over as he did and then the Bible makes it very very clear that when the Egyptians began to enter in God waited for them to enter in and then God removed the barrier that was holding the water up and they were immediately drowned the righteous have seen what happens to the unrighteous more than once in Psalm 58 verse 10 it says the righteous will be glad when they are avenged when they bathe their feet in the blood of the wicked an interesting way to put it it says verse 19 the righteous see it and are glad the innocent laugh at them surely our adversaries are cut down the fire consumes their remnant in verse 21 now acquaint yourself with him and be at peace thereby good will come to you good will come to you and so acquaint yourself with him be at peace this is the interesting thing you have owned God and that's why you're in such trouble you've been ungodly you've been greedy you've been uncaring towards those who are in need and you need to repent and you need to come to know God and if you do well you're going to have peace and you're going to have prosperity once again and this time instead of you ripping people off to become rich and powerful this time what you have will be given to you from the Lord in verse 22 receive please instruction from his mouth and lay up his words in your heart instead of living like a heathen and learning and living by their teachings you need to learn from him if you want to be truly blessed receive his instruction obey his commands hold fast to his truth and place his truth deeply into your heart now that's interesting for him to say that because you need to realize that the Bible had yet to be put together when he's saying this to him so since the Bible has yet to be written what would he be referring to he would be referring to what has been referred to as the instruction of the ancients Bill that had already spoken of this in chapter 8 through 10 it says inquire please of the former age and consider the things discovered by their fathers for we were born yesterday and know nothing because our days on earth are a shadow will they not teach you and tell you and utter words from their heart listen to the ancients the things that they know the things they've accumulated the wisdom that they have learn from them and follow what God has shown them is the point that they're making he's making and so in verse 23 it says if you return to the Almighty you will be built up you will remove iniquity far from your tents Elphes is implying that Job is straight from God and has been in sin and so this is interesting with this in mind he begins to counsel him return to God forsake your sin he's already assumed him to be a sinner again they've made this case over and over again all through the book up to this point you sow something and you reap something you sin and you're judged it's obvious that you've sinned greatly because look at how much pain you're in so that's the argument that they've been giving all along so according to Elphes if Job would return then great things are going to happen notice what he says in verse 23 if you return to the Almighty you'll be built up you will remove iniquity far from your tents well you'll be true if you come to the Lord God will bless you but Job hasn't knowingly sinned in verse 24 he says you will lay your gold in the dust and the gold of offer among the stones of the brooks yes the Almighty will be your gold and your precious silver so he begins to speak concerning prosperity true prosperity will be yours the kind that you actually deserve again remember he's saying this from others but God will give to you what is really true true blessing and prosperity and it doesn't come in an evil way the way that you originally got it again he's accusing him of stealing it in verse 26 then you will have your delight in the Almighty and lift up your face to God you will make your prayer to him and he will hear you and you will pay your vows by returning to God the knowledge of God there are those who think that their real riches are the material things that they collect they think that they're rich because they have a nice home, a nice car, a nice clothing, a large bank account and that's just the way the world does think he's saying no you've got to understand where your true riches are your true riches are in relationship I think that's very practical I can share a thought or two about that Jesus said this is eternal life that they may know thee the only true God and Jesus Christ whom thou has sent this is eternal life that they may know thee the only true God and Jesus Christ whom thou has sent what is eternal life is it length of days what is eternal life is it pleasures immeasurable are there things that God has laid up for us that are so great that it's really a material wish that we have no Jesus said eternal life is not simply the length of days it's the quality of relationship and all things that have value are going to be built into relational things what are important to you what is most important to you the question could be and for me it's taken a while it took a while for me to really understand this it's people I was talking to my mom many years ago now my father had gone home to be with the Lord and I was talking to my mom it was maybe a year after dad two years after my dad had died and we were speaking and I don't remember how she had heard this I know that I hadn't said it personally to her I know that my mom would listen to me on the radio every Sunday my mom would tune in to watch our programs and she would listen to me I was on the radio in Albuquerque she lived in New Mexico at that time and and I had said something in a Sunday morning and it bothered her I had said I didn't want the things that my dad had left behind and so I was talking to my mom and she said Dave I heard you say that you didn't want the things that your daddy laid up for you that bothers me and I said what are you talking about she said well you said you didn't want those things because my mom had put them away for me they're mine they were supposed to be mine and I didn't value what my dad had left behind and I said mama I don't want the things I want my dad it's relationship it's relational I didn't want the things my dad could give me I didn't want the things my dad could leave behind I didn't want my dad to leave anything behind I wanted my dad that's the point and I learned it a long time ago and some of you have too it's not what you have it's not the things that you have in your bank account it's the relationships that you have knowing God is more than looking at him as being that giant piggy bank in the sky when I need something God give it to me when I'm sick God heal me he's more than the great physician and he's more than the one who provides he's everything and that's what Jesus was saying he was saying this is eternal life not length of days and pleasures it's measurable it's relationship so if you ask me what matters most to me it's my wife it's my family my children my grandchildren it's people that's what matters that's what keeps you going yeah I like to drink water too but it's people those are the valuable things so when you have God you have everything not everybody has come to understand that yet one day we will because I have done more than one visit to someone who is about to pass into heaven and I have never heard one never heard one ever say to me I'm about to die I wish I'd have bought that car just never have I'm about to die I wish I'd have had a bigger house I wish I'd have built that pool maybe you have I just never have when people are knocking on heaven's door they're not wishing they had other things I have heard them say I wish I'd have been a better dad I wish I'd have been a better husband I wish I wouldn't have made my job more important than my family I wish I'd have watched my kids grow up is something that a lot of people will say I wish that I was actually playing with them I wish I'd have done that instead of giving them things in Christmas that I didn't even help them put together a play with I wish I'd have spent some time outside with my kids just listening to them laugh and play instead of having to be on the job making more money to have that car and I lost everything those are things people say but I have never heard anybody say I wish I had those things I wish I had a car and a house a pool I wish I would have traveled no, their thoughts when they're on the death bed is I didn't give enough of myself to my family I didn't give enough of myself to my kids I didn't tell my wife how much I loved her as much as I did love her those are the things and those are the things we ought to be aware of in essence he's saying by returning to God your real riches will be in your relationship to him is this interesting truthful thing other than the fact that he's judging Job wrongly because he's saying well the riches that are given to you from the Lord will not be taken taken from you by others and then he says verse 27 you will make your prayer to him he will hear you and you will pay your vows Job by returning to the Lord you're going to obtain from God those things that you ask in prayer in Psalm 37 4 and 5 the Psalmist said delight yourself in the Lord he will give you the desires of your heart commit your way to the Lord trust in him and he will do this delight yourself in the Lord and he will give you the desires of your heart listen if you're delighting yourself in the Lord what is the desire of your heart to delight yourself in the Lord to know him better it's not a relationship with him it's not material things again it's deeper fellowship with him and then in verse 28 you'll declare a thing it will be established for you so light will shine on your ways your faith will be strong it will be true your plans will be successful in all your purposes you're not going to be disappointed and God will be your comfort and then finally verse 29 when they cast you down and you say exaltation will come then he will save the humble person he will even deliver one who is not innocent yes he will be delivered by the purity of your hands so when you encounter problems in the future you're going to encourage others to have faith because you've been lifted up you'll lift others up who are in need God comforts you with the Corinthians and second Corinthians and you can give comfort to others that is the same kind of comfort that God himself gave to you you've walked through a valley and as you've walked through the valley you've discovered that God didn't leave you alone when you're walking in the valley you hear his word speak to you when he says I will never never never leave you nor forsake you in the valley remember the word of Jesus who says you're in my hand and no one can take you from me you learn those things and when you're walking through the valley in your affliction then you see that God never leaves you God is with you God brings you through and you learn deeper things but why is that is that so that you personally can be so blessed part of it is thank God that we're blessed but no we comfort others with the comfort that we have received and that's what gives you the ability to be a counselor with wisdom because when somebody is hurting in a certain way perhaps a way that you've hurt you're able to say to them I understand you don't have to tell them everything you went through all you do is say I understand I've had my own version of that I understand but let me tell you something my God is with you he'll never leave you he doesn't forsake you he's going to see you through you're going to be victorious God is with you and I can tell you that because he's been with me all of these years he'll be with you too that's what you do that's the truth that's what you do it's not something I read in a book of comfort you can be that encouragement you encounter problems but you know God is greater than any problem and God lifted you up and because God lifted you up you can be that hand to lift somebody else up and he's saying your righteousness will be so great you can act as an intercessor for those who are guilty you're going to be a blessing to those in need even those who may be guilty in God's sight you'll be a blessing to them now this is spoken by Eliphaz the interesting thing and we'll close with this thought is he speaking to Job as if Job doesn't know God he has made this assumption that Job doesn't know God and that's the reason he's telling him all of these things that Job himself already knows be very careful that when you minister to people you don't put yourself in the position of being the fount of all wisdom speaking to that poor person who knows nothing and just because somebody is going through pain doesn't mean that God is punishing them Eliphaz doesn't understand that surely you have done great sin because look at how much you're suffering I've never seen people suffer like this unless they're guilty of great sin that assumption it's incorrect even though much of what he has said has truth in it so if we learn anything let us learn to be very quick to hear and slow to speak to have hearts to hear and ask God for wisdom to be able to present what is true without judging that person because I don't know what he's gone through or she's gone through I don't know and because I don't know I just try to listen and I've said it before bear's repetition one of the things that I've learned over the years as a minister is to be quick to hear and slow to speak to listen and understand and when given permission to share and God blesses that because when I'm looking at somebody waiting for their mouth to close so I can say something I'm not loving them I'm just not caring for them let me give you the answer well sometimes we need to learn how to weep with those who weep and sometimes when we learn to weep with those who weep we'll be able to rejoice with those who rejoice learn to weep with those who weep that is the most effective way of ministry I've discovered over the years is to let your heart be touched by the pain of others without making judgments on them for how they got there but let's first listen and let's first love