Job Chapter 9:1-35

Welcome to Cross the Bridge But right now, open your Bible to the Old Testament Book of Job and follow along for today's teaching. In this series of special weekend edition programs, Pastor David has been teaching practical lessons from the life of Job. The Book of Job is one of the oldest books in the Bible.

We are finding out that what needed to be learned back then still needs to be learned by us today, as we continue studying chapter 9. And now, here's Pastor David. Job 9 22 says, Innocent or wicked, it is all the same to God. That's why I say he destroys both the blameless and the wicked. I think it's safe to say that Job has an attitude problem. Some of the things he says in this chapter, it's just hard to read, honestly, because these are incorrect assumptions about God. Now, let's understand, we're in chapter 9. We've been through eight previous chapters of Job's friends just hammering him, saying things like, you know what, we think you caused your children's death by your sinful actions. Let's understand, Job came to this place in part because of his response to the friends.

His friends could have played a very unique place in this healing. It really is a test what we say, how we say it, when we say it. Watch your tongue. Some of you just heard, I'm supposed to watch somebody else's tongue. The tongue is in the Bible 114 times. I want to go through some verses about the tongue. Proverbs 15 2-5 says, The tongue of the wise makes knowledge appealing, but the mouth of a fool belches out foolishness.

The Lord is watching everywhere, keeping his eye on both the evil and the good. Gentle words are a tree of life, a deceitful tongue crushes the spirit. Only a fool despises appearance discipline and whoever learns from correction is wise.

Did you hear that last part? Whoever learns from correction is wise. None of us like receiving correction. Our flesh doesn't like it, but our spirit should. Our spirit should realize somebody that's correcting us or helping us loves us. The enemy wants us as individuals focused completely on ourselves and how good we are and how messed up other people are.

That's what the enemy wants. The Holy Spirit wants you to love other people more and for you to realize how messed up you are. It's interesting because God gave us the church, the word, the Holy Spirit, the man of God, the house of God, the word of God to help us figure out what our shortcomings, our weaknesses, what's really wrong with us as individuals and God has used it so powerfully, those things to grow people. A few more Proverbs 18 21 says death and life are in the power of the tongue and those who love it will eat of its frame. Death and life are in the power of the tongue. That's what the Bible says.

How so? How do we get saved? Confession. That's what the Bible says. Romans 9 and 10, whoever confesses with your mouth believes in your heart. Romans 10 13, whoever calls them anymore shall be saved.

So that's how we're saved. Now we're talking about the tongue. Let's understand what happens is a thought comes by and it's a brief thought and if it's a bad thought you should move on. We all have these passing bad thoughts or temptations, the enemy, the world and we have to focus on God and sometimes a thought will come and we'll grab it and linger on it when we shouldn't. Maybe it's unforgiveness.

Maybe we're focusing on a weakness in others that's really in us. Now to have the passing thought is not the sin but when you start to dwell on the thought and the thought becomes an action that it becomes sin. Proverbs 18 21, the New Living Translation says, the tongue can bring death or life.

Those who love to talk will reap the consequences. Let me just give you the scripture references at Proverbs 21 23 and I'll read James 1 26. If anyone thinks he is religious and does not bridle his tongue but deceives his own heart, this one's religion is useless.

This is really interesting. The verse after that talks about holding your tongue that that's the real deal religion and then it says and we'll read both these verses. If you claim to be religious but don't control your tongue, you're fooling yourself and your religion is worthless. Verse 27, pure and genuine religion in the sight of God the Father means caring for orphans and widows in their distress and refusing to let the world corrupt you. So from that passage we can get four things about the tongue or in the real deal or real religion what it looks like.

Number one, someone controlling their tongue. That's what it says in verse 26. Don't say everything you think please don't do it especially if you're upset. Look if you're upset put down the keyboard, put down the pen, put down the phone. Amen. Just wait a few minutes.

You know it's interesting some of you just thought that's good I'm gonna do it and you know what you are gonna save yourself so today and somebody just heard that hey and you know what you're gonna run smack into a wall. So someone controlling their tongue caring for orphans and widows and not letting the world corrupt you or make you selfish. There's James 3 8 but no one contained the tongue we spoke of that before first Peter 3 8 through 12 for those of you taking notes jot that down. First Peter 3 8 through 12.

One more about the tongue. Galatians chapter 5 verse 14 it says for all the law is fulfilled in one word even in this you shall love your neighbor as yourself. One word love but if you bite and devour one another beware lest you be consumed by one another or in the new living translation for the whole law can be summed up in this one command love your neighbor as yourself but if you're always biting and devouring one another watch out aware of destroying one another. So Job chapter 9 Job is hurting because of the tongues of his friends and so we like Job's friends need to learn to control our tongue and like Job even in the midst of all that's going on he's asking the one question that is the most important one how can a man be righteous before God?

You know it's interesting doing word studies you type in a word the verses that have that phrase or that word pop up it's great I mean we have some of that software that you can get in the cafe and there's various things available online now. I ran that you know give an account it's interesting two verses came up when I put in give an account in the new living translation first one was Matthew 12 36 it says and I tell you this that you must give an account on judgment day for every idle word you speak he was speaking to believers we will give an account for our lives let's look at the second place that phrase was found Matthew 25 19 after a long time their master returned from his trip and called them to give them an account of how they had used his money that's interesting isn't it how we use our words and how we use our finances not just did we tithe 10 percent but what did we do so we have a thought the Holy Spirit identifies that thought as a sin and then we have a decision we have a thought we have a choice to start thinking about it or to stop thinking about it brings us to a crossroad we have a thought Holy Spirit says that's a bad thought we can keep thinking about it or we can stop thinking about it first Corinthians 13 11 says when I was a child I spoke as a child I understood as a child I thought as a child when I became a man I put away childless things how does a child think what does a child think about me me me me me you were afraid to say it because you thought it was just your kids it's not just your kids all kids are like that me me me me me me me mine mine mine mine you don't have to teach them any of that do you Johnny I want to teach you how to be selfish and grab toys and go man that's right no faster man raise your voice when you say it burn there you go no you don't teach your kids if you teach your kids that come in tomorrow we need to pray over you man no you don't teach it but they do that why sin selfishness you don't want to think as a child anymore you want to think about others you want to play well with others God puts us in this body because there's going to be some people that irritate the flesh right off of you and you'll be a more spiritual person for it people help us grow by not being so selfish and let's remember when it comes to thoughts second corinthians 10 4 for the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for the pulling down of strongholds casting down arguments and every high thing that it thoughts itself against the knowledge of God bringing every thought in the captivity to the obedience of Christ in the king James that same verse second corinthians 10 5 casting down imaginations and every high thing that assaults itself against the knowledge of God and bringing in the captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ the Holy Spirit through the written words of this is the battleground and the battleground is the imaginations the knowledge and the thought it's not in the hands it's not in us it's not in other body parts it's it's in the brain everybody has a passing thought don't let it linger a bird can fly over but don't let it build a nest in your head amen give you this same salt so a thought reap an action so in action reap a habit so a habit reap a character so a character reap a destiny your destiny is tied to your thoughts if you control your thoughts with the power of the Holy Spirit your spiritual destiny opens up if you refuse to do the battleground in the mind you're going to live of life not filled with victory but when you get hung up when you mess up ask God to forgive you don't get hung up on pride let those same thoughts lead you to this thought I need to repent I need to tell God I'm sorry and let's remember what is sin what sin is it's doing wrong and it's also not doing right we think of sin as doing wrong and it is but it's more than that there's doing wrong sins of commission and not doing right those are sins of omission so there's sins you commit and not doing right those are the sins that you omit or don't do if God lays on your heart to invite somebody to church and you don't that's a sin if God lays on your heart to share your faith and you don't that's a sin if God lays on your heart to give and you don't that's a sin sin. If God lays on your heart to serve and you don't, that's a sin.

You're getting it. It's the good things you don't do that are sins as well. James 4.17 says, Therefore to him who knows to do good and does not do it, to him it is sin. Another passage speaking about the fruition of the temptation is James 1.14 through 17. I'm not going to read it. That's just for your study later. This big question, verse 1, and notice he comes back to it in here and saying, Nor is there any mediator.

In verse 33, there's no mediator. So what is the big question? What should we be focused on? There's so many questions. I love questions. I love to learn by questions. I love when people ask me questions about the Bible. It gives me a chance to explain things. Sometimes when I'm off to the side and somebody asks me a question, I get excited and I go on and on and on.

That's part of the reason the guys hang out with me because I'll get totally distracted. I'll be talking about Pentecost and the Feast of Israel with somebody somewhere in the building when I'm supposed to be up here. Pastor David will be back in less than one minute as he continues teaching in the book of Job. A great way to start out each day is with a practical email devotional every morning from Pastor David. Visit crossthebridge.com to start receiving yours for free. If you have a cell phone, you can also text the word ENCOURAGE to 94253.

That's 94253 to receive a short encouraging text from us each day. And now back to the teaching. What's the most important, not just to you, but to everybody?

I think we hit on it right there in verse two. How can a man be righteous before God? Why do I think that's the most important question? First of all, everybody will answer that one. Everybody will have to ask and answer that one.

Everybody. If you're a believer, you're going to have to answer that. If you're a non-believer, you're going to have to answer that.

How can a man be righteous before God? Is that important to you? Not just to you, but to other people asking.

Now, not only will everybody ask this question, but another reason it's very important and the most important is what is decided by this question? Everything. Everything.

That's not an exaggeration. Romans 6 23 says, for the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. Lifeless near, everything is decided by how a man tries to be just with God.

Everything. It was interesting. If you follow the ministry of Jesus in John, it was very popular early on.

It grew rapidly. Then it began to fall off and people began to leave. And it's interesting scriptural address in John chapter six, verse 66, six, six, six. It says that people didn't follow Jesus anymore. People turned away from him. It was a smaller group.

And while he fed 5,000 on the hill, on Pentecost it said that 3,000 got saved. But are numbers the most important thing? No, they're not.

They are the measurement of evangelism or effectiveness or fruitfulness. But back to the question. It's important because everybody will face it.

It's important because here's the next life lesson. You never know when you face it. You never know when you face it.

If I asked you to guess at a date, you could, but you'd probably be wrong. We just don't know. The Lord could take me home tonight or it could be 20 years, 10 years, 30 years. I don't know.

You don't either. We were just reminded of this at the marriage retreat. We came back and Ron Bodenheimer, Monday morning, 53 years old, went to be with Jesus. And praise God he was ready because again, you never know when you're going to face it. And so not only do we want to know the answer for us with this question, but we need to be able to provide the answer to them.

First Peter 3 15 says, but sanctify the Lord God in your hearts and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asks you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear. So here we are again. We're at this moment.

We're at the end of the service. Some of us are beginning to think about what we just heard and have we said something? Lord, search our hearts, search our memory that we said something that we shouldn't have said. Have we not said something?

We should have. Maybe we should have encouraged somebody and we didn't. Maybe we're supposed to invite somebody to church and we didn't. Maybe we're supposed to share the gospel and we didn't. Lord, we invite your Holy Spirit here right now.

Oh, hallelujah, hallelujah. Are you willing to be honest tonight and say, you know what? I've said something I shouldn't have said, or I really should have said something that I didn't. And friend, let's remember gossip takes two people. Somebody talking, somebody listening. If you're listening, you're gossiping. You're part of it.

When somebody starts gossiping to you, what you should do is shut them down and say, no, no, no, no. This is a distraction to the big question. How can a man be righteous with God? Goes right with the question Jesus asked, who do you say I am? How you answer that question tells how you can be righteous with God. First John one eight says, if we say, if we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we confess the sins of others, oh wait.

No, that's not what it says. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar and his word's not in us. Deuteronomy 30 19, I'll recall heaven and earth as witnesses today against you that I've set before you life and death, blessing and cursing. Therefore choose life that both you and your descendants may live.

Remember the tongue has the power of life and death. Even now are your willingness to God, I'm sorry, I'm wrong. I've been wrong.

Maybe you need to apologize to other people. Have you been focusing on the main question? How can a person be righteous before God? Or have you been distracted? And friends, this is not an informational Bible study.

We don't do informational Bible studies. We do transformational Bible studies because we are changing. You're changing. I'm changing.

Yes, let's celebrate. You're not the person you were when you walked through those doors the first time. I'm not the same as when you walk through those. Praise God, I'm growing and the other pastors are growing and the elders are growing and the deacons are growing and we're all raising people up. If you serve here, raise up other servants. If you give here, raise up other givers. If you're a deacon here, raise up other deacons. If you're an elder, raise up other elders. If you're a deacon, raise up other pastors. And keep asking the question, how can a man be righteous with God?

How can I help others know this? Or would you have just been another one of Job's friends? Friend, you will have the chance to comfort somebody, to minister to somebody, to pick up their slack, to protect their back.

You'll have that chance probably in the next few days. What will you do? What will you do? Filled with the Holy Spirit, will you do what's right?

Will you redirect to the big question? Because all the other stuff is just symptoms. We may not have to worry about Iran. We may not have to worry about nuclear armament or disarmament.

We may not have to worry about Russia or China or the rapture of the next president. I've had a lot of presidents, but like the lyric in the song I wrote, I've had many presidents, but I will only have one king. You may not have to deal with all of that, but this one question, you will, and every person will. So let's focus with laser intensity that question in our lives and in the lives of others. Are you willing to be honest tonight? We're going to close the service in just a moment, but be honest. If you send with your tongue, why don't you come on down right now? Maybe you were supposed to encourage somebody in Denton, or maybe you meant to be prayerful and graceful, but you stepped over the line.

It's understandable. We've all done it, but now you need to ask God to forgive you. Come on down, come on down, come on down quickly. I think it's safe to say we've all blown it, and if you're not able to walk down here for some reason, then we'll sit chairs out for you if you need that, but if you can't get down here, you can pray from where you are. It's just much more powerful to come down here, and we approach, the altar we approach Jesus, and just as I am without one plea, but that thy blood was shed for me, and that thou bidest me to come to thee, O Lamb of God, I come, I come, come to the Lamb of God, come to Jesus, come to rest, come to forgiveness, come to peace, and focus on how you can be righteous with God, and how others can be righteous as well. Continue to come as we pray. Thank you, Lord. Thank you for a reminder, a refocus.

Lord, even the last 24 hours, just the questions that we've all been bombarded with, and the enemy wants to distract us. He wants to fill our head and our ears with all sorts of voices, except the voice. Lord, help us to hear you. Help us to live your word. Help us to walk it out. We need your Holy Spirit to do that. The word plainly says we cannot even manage our own tongue.

We need your help, each and every person. Oh, Lord, help us not to be arrogant, and think, oh, I got this. Oh, I can handle my tongue.

If you say that, you're calling the word a liar. The way we manage our tongue is the same way we find righteousness before God, and that's through Jesus, through His Holy Spirit. We're changed.

Even this evening, we came in one way, and we're getting ready to walk out a different way. You've been listening to Pastor David McGee on Cross the Bridge, Weekend Edition. Tune in again next Saturday afternoon at 4.30 Eastern and 1.30 Pacific Time as Pastor David continues teaching lessons from the life of Job on most radio stations. Friends, God loves you and wants you to experience His peace, forgiveness, and life. The Bible says, For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life. How do you receive this gift of everlasting life from God? First, acknowledge you're a sinner in need of forgiveness. Believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God and died for you on the cross, taking your sin upon Himself to provide forgiveness for you. Then ask for Him to enter your heart and life, turning away from your sins, that is, your own selfish desires, and then open your heart to follow God's plan for your life. You can start your new life by praying something like this from your heart. Dear Jesus, I believe that you died for me, that I could be forgiven.

I believe you are resurrected, that I could have a new life. Lord, I have done wrong things, and I am sorry. Please forgive me for all of those things, and please give me the power to live for you the rest of my life. In Jesus' name, amen. My friend, if you prayed that prayer today for the first time, or are coming back to God after wandering away, please let us know. Email PastorDavid at CrossTheBridge.com and share your good news. That's a great first step to growing in your new faith. We'd love to email you back some more ways to continue in this wonderful adventure of faith. Remember that you are not alone, and you are loved. Also, don't forget to visit CrossTheBridge.com to discover more resources provided at no charge to help you learn more about the Bible. If you'd like to help us share God's Word with others, please click on the donate button and support this program with your regular gifts, and tune in to Cross the Bridge weekend editions each Saturday and Sunday on this station or on the CrossTheBridge.com website. God bless you, and have a great day.