00:00:00.000 - 00:00:43.000

[Music] We gather together to ask the Lord's mercy. He chastens and hastens his will to make known. How we feel oppressed and now seized from distraction.

00:00:43.000 - 00:01:00.300

Sing praises to his name, He forgives not his own. Ye sires, to governance Have not devoutly joined,

00:01:00.300 - 00:01:12.000

For gain and gain, Gain and gain, Is quick and divine. So bright a beginning

00:01:12.000 - 00:01:38.420

♪ The Father to the King ♪ ♪ And I, a special, wonderful leader ♪ ♪ We all do exult in our Redeemer in the truth ♪ ♪ And pray that the still, lovely, faithful will be ♪

00:01:41.220 - 00:02:06.500

[music] You may be seated. This morning. And for giving us the privilege to see the beauty of this day.

00:02:09.380 - 00:02:37.780

We thank you dear master for everything that you've done for us. We thank you dear lord for leading us along life's way and for bringing us from a mighty long way. We come asking dear lord for forgiveness for our sins. We ask that you may make us clean vessels for your work

00:02:37.780 - 00:03:11.960

and that you may continue to bless us to do those things that you would have us to do. We come this morning asking that you may be with us in this service, that our cups may overflow with your love, joy, and mercy, that we will be willing to leave the confines of these four walls to go out

00:03:11.960 - 00:03:39.940

and tell the good news of the joy that is in thee. We ask that you may continue to bless us as a congregation, continue to bless our pastor, Continue to bless us all that we may be those witnesses for you.

00:03:39.940 - 00:04:07.920

We come at this time asking that you may be with those who are suffering, for those who are going through bereavement, for those in hospitals behind prison walls, for the lonely, for the ones, dear Lord, who feel that they have no hope.

00:04:07.920 - 00:04:30.140

Let us continue to be channels of your grace, that we may tell them that there is hope and life in thee. We ask that you may be with those who are in thee, who have leadership.

00:04:30.140 - 00:04:53.260

We ask, dear Master, that you may be with us as we concentrate our hearts toward world concerns. Lord, we pray for those who are suffering in Africa, for the conflict that still rages in Europe,

00:04:53.260 - 00:05:24.220

for those who are suffering here in this country, Lord, we know that you're able and we know that you're good. Lord, be with us all as we seek to walk this path following your leadership. Continue to give us the strength and the will to do your will.

00:05:24.220 - 00:06:00.520

In the name of Jesus, we pray. Amen. [Music] [ Music ]

00:06:00.520 - 00:06:32.460

Sing to the Lord a new song. Sing unto the Lord of the earth. Sing unto the Lord a new song. For he is worthy to be praised.

00:06:32.460 - 00:06:55.760

Come before his presence with thanksgiving. Enter his court with praise. ♪ We thank the Lord to give ♪ ♪ Our God's new holy name ♪

00:06:55.760 - 00:07:34.180

♪ For he is worthy to be praised ♪ ♪ Sing unto the Lord our new song ♪ Sing unto the Lord, all the earth. Sing unto the Lord a new song, for he is worthy to be praised.

00:07:34.180 - 00:08:02.100

♪ Come before His presence with thanksgiving be ♪ ♪ Filter His fruits with fervor ♪ ♪ Be thankful unto Him and bless His holy name ♪ ♪ For He is worthy to be praised ♪

00:08:02.100 - 00:08:34.100

[ Music ] [Music] Be thankful unto Him, and bless His holy name, for He is worthy to be praised.

00:08:34.100 - 00:09:27.600

[MUSIC PLAYING] [Music] What a blessing, what a blessing to be here in the service of the Lord. We are thankful for a knowledge that through worship you, we come to praise his holy name.

00:09:27.600 - 00:09:54.100

What a blessing it is, what a blessing it is To be here in the service of the Lord We are thankful for another chance to worship you We've come to praise His holy name

00:09:54.100 - 00:10:18.600

Praise Him, we've come to praise Him We've come to praise Him, we've come to praise Him We've come to praise His holy name Thank Him, we've come to thank Him

00:10:18.600 - 00:10:56.580

We've come to thank Him, we've come to thank Him, we've come to thank His holy name. Lift Him, we've come to lift Him, we've come to lift Him, we've come to lift Him, We've come to lift His holy name. What a blessing, what a blessing

00:10:56.580 - 00:11:18.540

To be here in the service of the Lord. We are thankful for a better chance to worship You. We've come to praise his holy name. Thank him.

00:11:18.540 - 00:11:34.540

We've come to thank him. We've come to thank him. We've come to thank him. We've come to praise his holy name.

00:11:34.540 - 00:11:50.380

What a blessing. ♪ For the blessing to be given ♪ ♪ In the service of the Lord ♪ ♪ We are thankful for a valid chance ♪

00:11:50.380 - 00:12:10.240

♪ To worship you ♪ ♪ We've come to praise his holy name ♪ ♪ We've come to praise his holy name ♪ ♪ We're bound to reminisce his holy name ♪

00:12:10.240 - 00:12:44.240

- Amen. Man that is born of a woman is a few days and full of trouble. trouble. Job the 14th chapter and the first verse.

00:12:44.240 - 00:13:31.000

Thank God for trouble. A number of years ago I was present in the council chambers when a member of the council who had served for a number of years was going out of office and he made his swan song so to speak his final speech his farewell and I remember among the words he said were these he said I'm thankful

00:13:31.000 - 00:13:52.000

I'm thankful to all of you. I'm thankful to you, to those of you who have been kind. I'm thankful to you. He said, "I'm even thankful to you, those of you who have been nasty to me."

00:13:52.000 - 00:14:11.840

I'm thankful that you weren't any nastier than you were. May appear to be a rather strange topic for us to consider during this Thanksgiving season, but I think it is one that is certainly related

00:14:11.840 - 00:14:31.720

to our experience. For I think that the Book of Job is one that I go back to from time to time as one that speaks to human experience in such a special way all of us can identify with it

00:14:31.720 - 00:14:54.960

because every one of us has some trouble. Everybody has some trouble. Remember this little saying that we used in camp? S-I-S-M-I-L-E.

00:14:56.200 - 00:15:45.120

mile away your trouble and it will vanish like a bubble if you only take the trouble just to S-M-I-L-E. Well, that sounds good. That's a nice little jingle to say in camp you are socializing but we know quite well that we do not get rid of trouble with a smile. That may happen in a few few cases it certainly isn't the way of life.

00:15:45.120 - 00:16:49.560

Here in the book of Job is one of the poetical books of the Bible that is also a drama, and it deals with this matter of why the innocent suffer. We sort of expect those who are guilty to have a hard time and to receive some pain and punishment, but we become quite concerned and perplexed when the innocent suffer. This is the purpose of this book. The writer here

00:16:49.560 - 00:17:36.360

says in this 14th chapter in the first verse, "Man that is born of a woman is of a few days and full of trouble. A few days full of trouble. It is all around us. So during this Thanksgiving season, which is related also to the, which ushers us into the Christmas season thank God for trouble thank God for trouble when I was a student at

00:17:36.360 - 00:17:57.680

Bishop College one year I didn't go home I didn't have very much money and I didn't see much point going home because they didn't have much either and so I stayed on the campus it was a very lonely experience I stayed some of the time on the campus and one of my friends who lived in Longview took me home with

00:17:57.680 - 00:18:36.840

him and so we wanted to sort of go out and see how things were out in the world. So we went to one of the little I guess joints that you might call it. We went to this joint. It was a day when the music was going and the man called another a real nasty name and he called him a nasty name back. And then the man who called the one the nasty name first had a knife

00:18:36.840 - 00:19:00.360

and he had it behind his back and he was moving up to him and we were just standing there looking. He was moving up to him with this knife behind his back and he got close to him and we were afraid he was about to stab him and just as he got very close to him the man smiled and said oh I didn't mean any harm and then the man moved back.

00:19:00.360 - 00:19:31.440

He never knew how close he came to being stabbed. Full of trouble. And then a little later we decided to go out to one of the big places in Longview at that time and we went out there on a Saturday night see what life was like a Saturday night crowd. It was crowded you could hardly move about and I heard one lady

00:19:31.440 - 00:19:59.760

that was next to me she said all my feet are killing me she said and I have my knife in my purse and I have it open and the first person who steps on my feet that's the person that's gonna get this knife and I said to myself if that's the way it is out here I don't ever want to be caught in a place like this anymore

00:19:59.760 - 00:20:48.640

Man is born but a few days and full of trouble. Once there was a man who decided that everything that he did would be motivated by the Spirit of God. So nobly and courageously did he live that even God himself said of him that there was not another person in the whole wide world likened to him. His name was Job and

00:20:48.640 - 00:21:15.640

and he dwelt in the land of earth. The rays of prosperity shone into his life, and everything that his fingers touched became fruitful and multiplied, so much so that he gained for himself the singular distinction

00:21:15.640 - 00:21:53.520

of being the most wealthy man in all the East. He was blessed by heaven with seven sons, seven strong sons and three daughters, beautiful daughters. They enjoyed their father's prosperity by eating and drinking and making merry and filling every moment with the thrills.

00:21:53.520 - 00:22:26.320

The seven sons would take turns about proclaiming feast days in their homes to which the three daughters were invited. And when such a feast period was over, Job would say that it may be that my sons and daughters have cursed God in their hearts so he would send up a burnt offering to the Almighty. Job did this

00:22:26.320 - 00:23:06.520

without fail. The day came when the sons of God met together in the heavenly court. Satan came along with him. The Lord God said, "Satan from whence have you come?" Satan answered from going about in the earth and walking up and down in it. The Lord God said have you considered my servant Job that he is a perfect and

00:23:06.520 - 00:23:46.260

upright man and of all of the people in the earth there is none like unto him. Satan was enraged with anger and filled with jealousy to hear such a noble tribute paid to a mortal creature. And he said, "Yes, I've considered Job, but I do not believe that he is a righteous person. Job is as he is because you've built a

00:23:46.260 - 00:24:25.940

hatch around him and you have permitted everything that his fingers touch to be fruitful and multiply. But remove the hatch and Job will curse you to your Satan reasoned that Job was pious because of his possessions. Job was indeed an unusual person. When you have a lot of the things of this world, there's a great

00:24:25.940 - 00:24:54.140

temptation to boast just to stick your chest out a little bit when you know you have two cars in the garage and you have enough money in the bank that your checks don't bounce and few changes of clothes and two chickens in the pot. It was a great temptation to stick your chest out a little bit.

00:24:54.140 - 00:25:19.140

But Job was pious. With all of his possessions he was pious. So, Satan said to the Lord to let him touch Job's possessions. And God consented. He let Satan touch Job's possessions.

00:25:19.140 - 00:25:56.140

And Job received word that a group of cattle rustlers had come and taken one third of his cattle. Another group of cattle thieves had come and taken another third of his cattle. Then fire fell from heaven and took the other third of his cattle. And so in almost the twinkling of an eye, Job's stock market crashed.

00:25:56.140 - 00:26:49.140

And one of the ways Satan often works in bringing trouble into our lives is to deal with our possessions, our home, our car, our boats, our possessions, our clothes, our bank accounts, our investments in the market. All Job had. His net worth went down overnight and he was near state of bankruptcy. And yet Job was pious.

00:26:49.140 - 00:27:18.660

Another way he deals with us is through our family. Family discard. You know, things happen in the family. The children of Job, all ten of them, were having a feast in the home of the eldest brother.

00:27:18.660 - 00:27:52.660

And a wild wind came and smoked the four corners of the house and all of Job's children were left dead. And he listened to the preacher as he said ashes to ashes, dust to dust, over all ten of his children. Trouble in the family. And once more the sons of God met together in the heavenly court.

00:27:52.660 - 00:28:19.260

And the first matter on the agenda was that God called for a report from Satan on his activities with Job. And Satan said, "Well, I've taken his possessions. He's no longer a wealthy man. I've taken his children.

00:28:19.260 - 00:28:36.420

He no longer has that wonderful family of 10 children." But I stopped by his house on my way to this meeting, and I found him down on his knees, and I listened in on his prayer,

00:28:36.420 - 00:28:55.480

And I heard him as he said, "The Lord give it." And the Lord has taken away. Blessed be the name of the Lord. And Satan said, "But let me touch his body."

00:28:55.480 - 00:29:19.320

Man would do anything to save his own skin, but let me touch his body. The Lord God said, "Satan, go forth and you may touch his body, but preserve his life." You see, we may have trouble, and no matter how good we are and how righteous we are,

00:29:19.320 - 00:29:44.400

we're going to have trouble. God will permit it in our lives, but there's a limit. So you can touch his body, but preserve his life. And so Satan went forth and touched the body of Job with balls from the crown of his head to the sole of his feet.

00:29:44.400 - 00:30:17.400

Job moved out of the house. There he was at the public square, scratching his itching sores with a piece of broken pottery. And even the house dog did not hesitate to bark at his spooky shatter. And Job's wife looked at him and said, "Why don't you curse God and die?" Troubled in the family.

00:30:17.400 - 00:30:46.580

Closest ally is his wife, we call the alter ego, the other self. wife is saying to the husband, "Why don't you curse God and die?" But Job says, "You talk like a foolish woman." For the righteous hold on to God no matter what happens, no matter how the troubles may come, how waves of affliction may sweep

00:30:46.580 - 00:31:21.340

over the soul, that somehow the righteous person will hold on to God no matter what the trouble may be. And so we see Joe as he endures the loss of possessions, that trouble that is involved. We see him as he endures really the loss of family and we see him as he wrestles with his personal conflicts, his sickness, the loss

00:31:21.340 - 00:32:07.440

loss of health. Then Job has some friends that decide to visit him. They look in upon him. They sit there seven days in silence. They are so affected by his sickness, his condition. They are in grief and pain and they're silent for seven days. And then one of them speaks first, Eliphaz. Eliphaz represents the conventional

00:32:07.440 - 00:32:39.580

philosophy of the day regarding trouble and he tells you well now Job the reason you are suffering is that you've done wrong people don't suffer unless they do wrong and when you do wrong you expect to suffer so you you you you ought not be complaining because somewhere along the way you've done wrong and what you're

00:32:39.580 - 00:33:19.460

doing is just reaping what you have sown and this trouble is that you are having Job is a reproof from God. So endure it. And thank God that you're able to endure it because that's God's action. Well Job said well I hear what you're saying but I I don't recall having done anything if I had done something wrong I would be

00:33:19.460 - 00:33:52.840

glad to repent from it and Bill Dad said well let me have a word to say yeah. You see God's justice is absolute and God sees to it that everybody gets what they deserve and if things aren't going the way you would like for them to go you may not understand it but accept it anyhow. Well, Job is saying, well you all are supposed to be my

00:33:52.840 - 00:34:22.880

friends and you all are making this burden heavier for me. In other words, friends are not just expected to agree with you but they're certainly expected to try to understand what your situation is and Job is disturbed about his friends and Bill Dad said well, well just trust God no matter what

00:34:22.880 - 00:34:53.680

happens, you're having trouble but trust God and hope for the best. Job continues to suffer and he listens to another friend Zophar and Zophar is rather aggressive and he has some accusing words, "You just haven't been what you should have been," and he is rather aggressive in pressing the case and

00:34:53.680 - 00:35:39.740

"Job cries out in the midst of it, he says, 'Oh, I know that my Redeemer liveth and that I shall stand, that he shall stand in the latter day upon the earth, and those thin worms destroy this body, yet shall I see." God. I'm being tried in the fire and I know that when I come out I shall come out as pure gold. So you see Job listens to his three friends and then there comes another. He seems to be in the background in the narrative. His name is

00:35:39.740 - 00:36:16.260

Elihu. Elihu, young Elihu. Elihu is the youth and some place here is provided for youth. God always has a place for youth and he has Elihu on the witness stand and Elihu says, "Job, Job, your suffering, thank God for your suffering. You're suffering because God uses suffering, if you're a good man, God

00:36:16.260 - 00:36:48.180

uses suffering to prove your goodness. And that's why, that's why the innocent suffer. The innocent suffer because suffering is being used by God to prove that goodness. But you do have a mediator between yourself and God. That's in the Christian sense as we look upon it we we have Jesus Christ in

00:36:48.180 - 00:37:27.020

the midst of our suffering. Oh what pain we often fall with all because we do not carry everything to God through Jesus Christ. And so Job listens, he listens, and then he appeals to God. Have you ever had trouble in such a way that you wonder, you wonder about God? Have you ever had trouble in such a way that you wonder where God is in the

00:37:27.020 - 00:38:06.660

midst of the struggle? What God is doing and why doesn't he say something? Why doesn't he take some action in the matter? Where is God? And that's where Job felt. He said, "Oh I wish I knew where I could find him. I wish I knew. Oh that I have some secret place where I might find my God. In anguish she cries. God speaks out of a whirlwind. Say, "Joe, you looking for me? I don't permit anybody to

00:38:06.660 - 00:38:44.000

look for me without finding me. Seek and ye shall find. Knock and the door shall be open. You want to talk with me Joe? Stand up like a man. But before you ask me any questions, I want to ask you some questions. Where were you? Where were you when I rounded the world in the middle of my head, "Where were you? Where were you when the morning stars sang

00:38:44.000 - 00:39:26.580

together and the sons of God shouted for joy? Job, where were you when I shut up the doors of the sea and bulged the mountains up and hollered the valleys out? Where were you?" Job said, "Excuse me Lord, of all the days of my appointed time will I wait until my change come." Well, thank God for trouble because somehow trouble is a blessing. When you turn over to the end of the book, Job is, the beginning of the book,

00:39:26.580 - 00:39:59.300

Job has lost his possessions, he's lost his family, he's lost all of those things, lost his health, but when you see the end of the book, once more Job had ten children. Once more he had cattle on many hills. Once more he was the proud and man in the east that somehow God uses trouble as a blessing. So thank God

00:39:59.300 - 00:40:27.100

you've had you've had some troubles in your life thank God that he has been there because wherever we have trouble when we fall God is there to lift us up When we have trouble, God is there to put his arms around us and walk with us through the dark valley of the shadows.

00:40:27.100 - 00:40:47.100

Yes, thank God for trouble. Thank God for trouble. And in Thanksgiving season, with all of our aches and our pains, our disappointments, our burdens, let us thank God for trouble.

00:40:47.100 - 00:41:18.600

My faith looks up to thee, our Lamb of Calvary. As we sing this hymn, we extend the privilege of the church to accept this God who is with us, to bless us, and to strengthen us, and to enable us to triumph through his grace. When trouble comes we invite you

00:41:18.600 - 00:41:38.440

to accept this God who comes to us through Jesus Christ. We extend the privilege of the church. We invite you to come. The door is open. You may come on professional faith and unite with this church by letter, by Christian experience. [Music]

00:41:38.440 - 00:42:34.440

I think of Calvary, I am of Calvary, Savior be mine. [Singing] [Music] ♪ Of the knowledge that you do ♪

00:42:34.440 - 00:43:01.040

♪ With breath and step and soul ♪ ♪ Those bitter rains they have not changed ♪ ♪ But sweetly fills the air ♪ ♪ I walked in a place where Jesus walked ♪

00:43:01.040 - 00:43:37.120

♪ And felt his presence there ♪ ♪ I'm going there to pay the debt ♪ ♪ O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave ♪ ♪ A land where the brave are led ♪

00:43:37.120 - 00:44:06.380

♪ Where the strong and the free ♪ ♪ O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave ♪ ♪ That Jesus knew before ♪ ♪ Christ the Lord, the mighty giant of gold ♪

00:44:06.380 - 00:44:27.540

♪ And brings the day of yore ♪ [Music] [ Music ] [choir singing]

00:44:27.540 - 00:44:46.580

[choir singing] [Music] ♪ And I stand by faith ♪ ♪ I am the Lord ♪

00:44:46.580 - 00:45:15.480

♪ And I'm not afraid ♪ ♪ For I know the truth ♪ ♪ That Jesus knew before ♪ ♪ I'll soar the mighty giant rose ♪

00:45:15.480 - 00:45:49.480

♪ And I'll sing the praise of you ♪ ♪ Of yours ♪ ♪ I'm there today where Jesus stands ♪ ♪ Where all the Lordly praise ♪

00:45:51.820 - 00:46:17.660

♪ The garden of Gethsemane ♪ ♪ My heart will fill with praise ♪ ♪ I'll be by every burden now ♪ ♪ And will live by my side ♪

00:46:19.880 - 00:46:44.860

I climb the hill of Calvary. I climb the hill of Calvary. I climb the hill of Calvary. [ Silence ]