All right, can we share these verses? God gave me these verses for tonight, and aren't they incredible as we read them together, okay? Let's read them together. They're words of David. Now let's read them together. Yours, O Lord, is the greatness and the power and the glory and the majesty and the splendor for everything in heaven and earth is yours. Yours, O Lord, is the kingdom. You are exalted as head over all. Wealth and honor come from you. You are the ruler of all things. In your hands are strength and power to exalt and give strength to all. Now, our God, we give you thanks. and praise your glorious name." Can we say amen? Isn't that great? Those great verses, are they not? Tucked away in 1 Chronicles 29, 11 through 13. And people say they never read the Old Testament. Old Testament is rich. rich. And so, David the shepherd boy, I want us to expand our thoughts as to people in the Bible, in the Old Testament, who believed that their God was big. Let's look at this for a second. By the way, everybody's got the sheets, right? Everybody got the sheets? I gave you the answers. And the reason is, is just it was too complicated to take them out and then, anyway, give them to you. But I figured you'd like it. At least Carol does. So David the shepherd boy, we all know this story, but just think about how David had a big God as a boy. He walks up to this giant and slays him, although all of Israel is trembling, the army, over this one man. Now, as we get done with these illustrations, I want to go back and bring out some application as to why. Why was David's God big? I think that's where the application comes, don't you? I don't think he woke up that day and he said, you know what, my God's big today. Then I'm gonna believe my God who's big and he's gonna do big things like that guy right there He's dead now. Let's move on to the second one Elijah had a big God when he challenged the 450 prophets of Baal and the 400 prophets of Asherah in offering a sacrifice to God for their God but later he ran from front for his life from Jezebel now and Who figures this, right? I mean, he stands up to 850 men who were priests for these gods, but he ran from a woman. Now listen, now, now, now, now, now, now, now, now, now, now, now, now, now, now, now, now, now, now, now, now, now, now, now, now, now, now, now, now, now, now, now, now, now, now, now, now, now, now, now, now, now, now, now, now, now, now, now, now, now, now, now, now, now, now, now, now, now, now, now, now, now, now, now, now, now, now, now, now, now, now, now, now, now, now, now, now, now, now, now, now, now, now, now, now, now, now, now, now, now, now, now, now, now, now, now, now That ought to enable you women to feel you are so powerful. But anyway, I think what the thing is, is that it goes on to the next situation here, that it's all about perspective, is it not? Perspective is everything. Let's look at the third illustration I've written up here. Daniel had a big God when he was thrown into the lion's den. because he believed that God was gonna keep him safe. Here's the thing, it's all about perspective in everything. So many things often influence our perspective of God. How do we acquire a big God mentality? Now let's go back to David. Again, David didn't just wake up and all of a sudden slew a giant. David, trusted his God every day for whatever came his way. David trusted his God for whatever came his way. We know from scripture that he killed lions and he killed bears. So he said, what's this uncircumcised giant to me? Nothing. But you have to understand that every time he came against a lion and he came against a bear, his cry was, oh God, who is mighty and powerful, defend your servant, your shepherd David, against this enemy of the sheep. So the point is is that he began to learn how big God was by trusting God day by day. Now I don't know, it can't get more simple than that by the Holy Spirit, but whether you get that and hear that is two different things. You get a bigger God by trusting him moment by moment in every circumstance of every day. Is everyone with me? Those who've battled addiction, you need a big God to fight your addiction so that your addictions are really small and God is really big, amen? So the point of the matter is, is all perspective. In Elijah's case, he was totally believing God would be able to set Israel on target with this battle between the gods and God. And of course, God showed himself mighty in this situation because Elijah even covered the altar with water until it ran a trench around it and it was full. So he wet down everything that was supposed to burn up. But God came down and consumed it all as though it was nothing. And the point of the matter is, is that Elijah could see God at work there, but it was like a right punch to have Jezebel say, before the day ends, the guy is dead. And so he ran for his life. Again, it's perspective, is it not? I think that shows the humanity of us all that one moment we can trust God, he's big, the next minute we turn around and he's real small because this minor little thing is just way too big. Can you all agree with that? Yes. So let's go on and look at some things that I'm suggesting to you that you can apply. Number one, look at the evidence or testimony of God. and his word, and on that basis, expand your faith to believe that your God is big. Can you understand what I'm saying? In other words, what you read is not just some story, it's not just some description, it's actual God at work, and why can't that God that opened the Red Sea do great and mighty things today for us, amen? And so, I'm tired of Christians that say, well, that was then, he can't do it now. Oh, can't he? Can't he do whatever he wants? I think he can. And so, let's go to the second point that I make, and that is believe it and live it. That's sort of what I said a little minute ago. Believe it and then live it. Your view of him then will grow. By the way, a third one I want to share with you that I thought of later was in our coming together, your experiences helped me believe God for great things because you've seen God do great things. Does that make sense? When Kim hit her head, when that doggone van lid came down on her head and crashed her, she's sharing Christ with everybody. She shouldn't be dead, and she's here, and she's probably more vital than the rest of us. She reminds me of the inmates. They do all kinds of things with their bodies, and they're healthy as whatever, and then I'm sick as a dog if I just touch something. Anyway, I just don't understand it. But the point of the matter is, is God is bigger than our circumstances and our things that we go through. Well, I don't want to elaborate too much on this, but I just think it's extremely important that we get our minds set on why this scripture is here for us tonight from chapters 34 through 37 found in the book of Job with Elihu. As we begin in the chapter 34, Elihu once again implores those present to listen to him and to pay attention. Again, sort of as a reminder, the other three fellas have stopped talking and so has Job, Eliphaz, Beldad, and Zophar. And this young man has waited and waited and waited to be able to share his insights about God. And so in chapter 34, he begins to talk and he tells the others to listen to him and pay attention. He first addresses the three men who have already spoken to Job, and I've mentioned their names, and that's in verses 2 and 4 of 34. Are you there now with me or not? Okay, good. It says, hear my words, you wise men. Listen to me, you men of learning. And it says, for the ear test words and the tongue taste food. Let us discern for ourselves what is right and let us learn together what is good. Isn't that interesting? He's saying, make sure you use your ears. to listen to what we're going to share instead of your mouth where you eat. Does that make sense? And so here it is, the one thing that we must not miss is Elihu's absolute confidence in the God of the universe. In this first section, Elihu confronts the false assumptions held by Job and his three friends. He defends God's justice and encourages Job to look to God with the eye of faith. Now up to this portion, What Job is really struggling with is the justice of God. What's another way to describe justice? What would the word be? I would consider it fair. Do you not think? Or impartial. That's justice, is it not right? In other words, getting what someone deserves. That's usually justice, is it not? And so I just am defining terms here, but the point is, is that Job and the other three fellas are talking about and dialoguing back and forth, is God just in what he's allowing in Job's life? In Job's perspective, he's saying, I've not done anything. deserving of this. The three friends, on the other hand, are saying, oh, Job, you had to do something, and we're going to dig it out of the closet and throw it in your face. And that's why you're experiencing that. So both are sort of defending justice from a skewed view. Are you with me on this? OK. And so Elihu is trying to describe the justice of God, in a sense, defend God in his justice. And so let's look at the very first thing here. So he confronts their false assumptions held by Job and his three friends, and then he defends God's justice and encourages Job to look to God with the eye of faith. Now, eye here is the God we serve is a just God. That's chapters 34 and 35. We're gonna break it down further, of course, but the first question that LEU wants to answer for Job is a question that we have probably all asked ourselves at one time or another in our lives, is God fair? How many of you have ever thought about that or even asked God, God, why isn't this fair? Am I the only one? Okay, good, I'm glad somebody, you know, okay, thanks. You guys have a hard time with participation, don't you? I understand. I understand. Anyway, the first question that he asks is, is God fair? Now, A, a denial of justice, the denial of justice of God. In other words, some people just deny that God is just at all. Does that make sense? Well, let's look at chapter 34, verse 5. Job says, I am innocent, but God denies me justice. Now, he said that earlier on, Job did, and Elihu is repeating what Job had said as a premise for why he's talking to Job about that topic of justice. Job said, I'm innocent, but God denies me justice. In other words, it's not fair what I'm going through. Now how many of you have ever gone through something really hard and you felt like, God, where are you and why is this so hard? It's just not fair, raise your hand. Boy, that's where the rubber meets the road because that's our human reflection on things that are tough. It's not fair. Boy, I'll tell you, how many of you at all watch TV? I bet there's six ads every night from lawyers wanting to help defend you for what happened to you with poison ivy in the backyard when you sprayed it with Rolex. You know what I'm saying? I'm giving you an example. You deserve to be fairly treated and make me a lot of money. They won't tell you that, but that's what that's about. But isn't that the way everyone feels like they're entitled? They're entitled. So, let's go on. Throughout this entire book of Job, the major complaints against God has to do with God's justice. Earlier when Job was discussing with his three friends, Job had denied the justice of God. So here in verse 5, Elihu reminds Job of that. Job felt he was being treated as a sinner and that God would not allow him an opportunity to defend himself. He believed God had denied him justice, and that was the only way he could rationalize his current state of affairs. Nothing else made sense to him. Now, can you guys circle the word sense? Because isn't it not the truth that we often try to rationalize what is way beyond us as to the reason why? We don't know why God is allowing certain things in our lives, or why he's not. But in a sense, our human nature says, ah, let's rationalize this, Lord. I mean, you might be doing it wrong, and let me straighten you out. I mean, that's exactly somewhat our thoughts about life, when it's hard, when it's hard. Well, it made no sense to him. It made no sense to Job, why? Well, B, a defense of the justice of God. This is when Elihu, the rest of Job 34, Elihu presents three arguments in defense of God's justice. First of all, if God is just, If God is unjust, He is not God. That's the very first section, and it's verses 10 through 15. Do you see it there? It says this, if you have understanding, hear this, listen to what I say, can he who hates justice govern? Will you condemn the just and the mighty one? He is not the one who says to the kings, you are worthless, and to the nobles, you are wicked, who shows no partiality to the princess and does not favor the rich over the poor, for they are all work of his hands. all the work of his hands. So, I might have read further than what I wanted to there, but anyway. So, in this first section, Elihu makes two pointed and powerful statements, founded in verse 10 and 12. This is reminiscent of what Abraham said in Genesis 18, 25, when he was pleading for Lot in the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah. Do you guys remember the whole dialogue between God and Abraham? God, I'm not trying to offend you, but please, if there's 20 righteous people, I think he started with 30, if there's 30 righteous people, will you still destroy Sodom and Gomorrah? And God says, no, I won't. And then if, oh, excuse me, God, but let's define this a little bit smaller. If there's 20, will you destroy? No. Well, if 10, no. One, well, they're going to be destroyed and lot will be spared. And the point of the matter is, is God was just in his in his pouring out his wrath on that city. Do you understand? Abraham had the same type of thought. Well, Warren Worsby puts it like this. If God is truly God, then he is perfect. If he is perfect, then he cannot do wrong. If you think God is unfair, God is called. If you think God is unfair, then you don't have a God because an unfair God is no God at all. 31 times in the book of Job, this is so important, God is called the Almighty. And the possibility that the Almighty God of the universe, who created all those planets that we just saw in our solar system, that's just a small solar system, If God created all of that, then we know that he's mighty. He's mighty in the universe and he's mighty in our lives. Could do no wrong and deny Job the justice he deserved was not possible in the realm of Elihu's thinking. In other words, God is just even when it seems that he's not just. How many times have you felt that the bad guy has gotten more justice than a good guy? Well, in God's mind, he knows motives, he knows everything we don't know, so his judgments are best and true and righteous, amen? So, number two, if God is unjust, if God is unjust, he does not govern. Elihu now shifts from Job's three friends to focus on Job himself in verse 17. He says, can he who hates justice govern? Will you condemn the just and mighty one? As human beings, we complain loudly about injustice, yet we tend to show partiality and flattery toward those who are in authority over us and to those who do favors for us. Boy, isn't that true. In other words, we behave unjustly, favoring the rich and the powerful over the poor and the powerless. Amen? We just do that. Look at James 2, 1 through 7, if you can turn to that real quickly, please. Because I want us to clarify what Ellie who's talking about, James specifically talks about as well in his book, James chapter two, when he explains to us that when people come into our midst, into our assembly, we're not to show preference or partiality to the guy who smells good and looks good over the guy who stinks and has tattered clothes and is poor. And in the day that James lived in, that was occurring from time to time and he confronted that. And so the point of the matter in James chapter two, one through seven, it says, my brothers as believers are glorious of Lord Jesus Christ, don't show favoritism. Suppose a man comes into your meeting wearing a gold ring and some fine clothes, and a poor man in shabby clothes also comes in. If you show special attention to the man wearing the fine clothes and say, here's a good seat for you, but say to the poor man, you stand here and sit on the floor by my feet, have you not determined among yourselves and become judges with evil thoughts? Isn't that sound like Elihu? I just think this is like, wow. Listen, my dear brothers. Has not God chosen those who are poor in the eyes of the world to be rich in faith and to inherit the kingdom promised to those who love him? I'm thinking of the rich man in Lazarus. Isn't that not true? I mean, Lazarus was ill and sick. Itched his sores and dogs licked him and he ate crumbs off of the rich man's, and who went to Abraham's bosom and who didn't? The point of the matter is, is again, this is a picture of how not to treat people that come into our midst. I remember a story from Jim Cimbala in one of his books. He's the Brooklyn Tab pastor. And he said that one time he was preaching the gospel And down the aisle came a man and at the end of the service, wanting to respond to the gospel and receive Christ. And as he got closer and closer, the stench of urine was almost inconceivable. And Jim had a thought in his mind. Oh my goodness, why is this guy coming? And then all of a sudden the Holy Spirit hit him and said, oh my goodness, Jim, this is someone hungry for the word of God and for salvation, and tonight is the day of salvation for him. And instantly, the smell went away in Jim's nostrils, and that man was led to Christ. I just think that's a great illustration of what Elihu is talking about that we can apply in our lives here today in our midst. But God does not do that. He governs without partiality. He treats princesses and palpers the same. If the God who rules the world were unjust, there would be no order or harmony in the universe. Everything would fall apart. When I was lost, God used the universe to speak to my heart. Because he said to me, as a lost person, if I can order the universe like we just saw, those planets. It was a crystal clear night, a Friday night on the east side after a football game. I looked up into the universe. I had been sown seed in my heart, in my life. Church was praying for my salvation, and I looked up, and the order of the universe seemed so crystal clear to me that God said, if I could order the universe, don't you think I can order your life? I knelt my head and asked Christ into my life. Romans 1 says, does not the creation itself speak of the glory of God? Amen. Again, I keep telling you guys, I use my testimony every day at the jail, and I tell them that very thing I just told you. And the point of the matter is, is that that was my big God moment, amen? Because I needed a big God to clean up my filthy, ugly, dirty, sinful life, and he did. He put order in my life. Can you remember when He did in yours? Those are precious moments that I don't think we should forget, amen? Well, number three, if God is unjust, He is not good. This is, again, still Job 34, 21 through 30. 21 through 30. Let me turn back to it. 34, 21 through 30, it says, his eyes are on the ways of men. He sees their every step. There is no dark place, no deep shadow where evildoers can hide. God has no need to examine men further that they should come before him for judgment. In other words, we're already found guilty, are we not? Without inquiry, He shatters the mighty and He sets up others in their place. Boy, we've watched history do that, have we not? People brought down, others brought up. And so, Because he takes note of their deeds and he overthrows them in the night and they are crushed, he punishes them for their wickedness where everyone else can see them because they turned from following him and had no regard for any of his ways. They caused the cry of the poor to come before him so that he heard the cry of the needy. Boy, you guys read Proverbs all the time. Proverbs is full of exhortation to take care of the poor. But he remains silent, who can condemn him? If he hides his face, who can see him? Yet he is over man and nation alike. To keep a godless man from ruling, from laying snares for the people. So Elihu makes this argument with Job. You say God is unjust. If that is true, it must mean one of two things. Either God does not see what is going on, therefore does not act with justice. Or that God does see what is going on and has reasons within himself for the action that he takes. Can you underline that second section? Because that's what God does. It is that God does see what is going on and he has reasons within himself for the action that he takes. God is never wrong. He is perfect and he is a perfect judge. He is never wrong. That's why we can thank him, can we not, in the difficult things and in the good things? Because we're trusting him that he is always doing right and never wrong in our behalf or in the world because he is a perfect judge. He is a perfect judge. Well, A, under this heading of three, God is unjust, he is not good, is A, God sees everything. God sees everything. Verses 21 and 22, I've already read, but his eyes are on the ways of many. He sees them for their every step. There's no dark place or deep shadow where evildoers can hide. God sees everything. God tells us why he's a perfect judge. He sees everything. There's no running or hiding from God. He's omnipotent. He's omnipresent. Omnipotent means what, everyone? All, what? All powerful and omnipresent. He's everywhere. There's nothing that goes unnoticed by his watchful eye, nothing. He sees it all. All the time. Can you imagine what He sees? It's amazing to me. Is it to you that God sees it all and continues to want to work with us? Amazing, amazing. God sees it all. You know, a human judge hears a case and makes his best decision that he can, but because of his human limitations, sometimes it's wrong. I mean, there's people in jail that are innocent. There's people that have died in the execution chambers of America that were innocent because the judge did the best they could. They don't know all the details. But Job wanted to present his case before God, but what could Job tell God that God did not already know? Isn't that interesting? God is never wrong, he's a perfect judge, but he sees everything. There's no running or hiding, he's always, always there to watch. B, God knows everything. Hey, by the way, that brings up the thought, if God sees everything, why do Christians play with the things that they think they can hide. That doesn't make sense to me, does it to you? Or is it that they just don't care that God sees what they're doing? Do I need to be more pointed like pornography? If Christians are involved in pornography. They, you know, do you not think God can see that? And do you think God smiles at that? I don't understand that mentality. I would think the Holy Spirit would so convict us of whatever it might be, amen, that we're participating in, that's sin, and that we think God doesn't see it because we're hiding in our bathroom or whatever. Do you follow what I'm saying? I mean, Adam and Eve must have thought that when they went and hid, God can't see us, so we're okay. Of course, he said, where are you? I just think that's so humorous. God, where are you? Well, B, God knows everything. God knows everything. Secondly here, verse 25 says, God already knows what happened. God already knows before it happened what happened. Does that make sense? Because He takes note of their deeds, He overthrows them in the night and they are crushed. And God knows everything. He's the creator of heaven and earth. He literally knows everything. When God puts a man on trial, He never has to cross-examine him. He already knows what is in the man and is not obligated to conduct or inquire or gather evidence. It reminds me of when we all stand before God and in the Gospels it says that they stood before God and God said, why are you here? And he said, well, depart from me, you workers of iniquity. Yeah, but God, we perform miracles and we cast out demons and we prophesied in your name. And Jesus says, depart from me, you workers of iniquity. I didn't know you, how about that? Talking about not being clued in to having a relationship versus a religion with God. It's unbelievable. God knows everything. He already knows what's in the man, so he doesn't have to gather evidence. God's knowledge is not skewed like man's. You know, we have partiality to things, we have prejudice, we have our way of thinking about life and about the world. God has none of those things. None of those things. So God is not skewed, he judges with perfect wisdom, he knows us as we are. I love that song, don't you? Come just as you are, come. Isn't it refreshing when you find people that are just honest? about themselves and about their, I went to Saylorville last night and they've got a recovery program and there are guys there and gals that are trying to, you know, get on track and stay on track. And man, we sat around the table and everybody was so honest and transparent. Oh, I love that. I love that. Sometimes you come to church and you try to find out what's going on in somebody's life, and they'll tell you, well, I watch TV, and I watch this, and they talk about this, but they never talk about Jesus, they never talk about what their problems are. Man, I'm refreshed when people are sharing how they're struggling in their lives, amen? We all are, aren't we? Anyway, it was really refreshing. It was energizing to me. That's really what the body of Christ is about. You sharing your concerns, your burdens, so that we can pray, and then I'll share my burdens and concerns. It says, carry one another's burdens. Basically, so that the law of Christ can be fulfilled, which is to love your neighbor as yourself, to care about people. Anyway, we need to do that in our lives. Well, the next point is God judges everything. C, God judges everything. Speaking of God in verses 26 and 27, look at this, it says, he punishes them for their wickedness where everyone can see them because they turned from following him and had no regard for any of his ways. Well, since God sees the depths of the heart and understanding of the thoughts of the mind, we cannot say that God is unjust when He judges us. He knows us more completely than we know ourselves. He holds the whole world in His grasp, and all men are accountable to Him for motives as well as our actions, and He always judges accordingly. Isn't that ironic? I shared a few weeks ago, remember that the Lord's Supper tells us to examine ourselves so that we, you know, aren't sick or asleep, meaning die prematurely because we have sin in our lives and we don't want to deal with it. And I just love the fact that God is continually always saying, examine yourself, examine yourself. Make sure you're where you're supposed to be. Isn't that good? Examine yourself, and I think that's what Job did through this whole process. He kept examining himself to figure out, did I, did I? Where did I? Why did I? And he couldn't come up with anything because he was examining himself. He was honest about himself. He really wanted to do the right thing, and he did the right thing. And so if God sees our heart and knows our motives as well as our actions, he always judges accordingly. And so I don't want God's judgment to fall on me. I want to repent. That's why 1 John 1-9 is in there. If I confess my sins, he is faithful and just to cleanse me of my sins. Do you follow what I'm saying? So the important thing is to take showers regularly. Amen, that's my word for you tonight. Take showers regularly. What kind of shower? Well, the shower of the blood of Christ, amen. Anyway, so then God controls everything. This is chapter 34, 31 through 33, it says, suppose a man says to God, I am guilty, but will offend no more. In other words, he's saying, okay, you caught me, I won't do it again. Boy, that sounds like a lot of people. You caught me, but I won't do it again, I promise. That's where oftentimes addictions lead to lies, because we know we really can't do it. Actually, we know we don't want to do it, and there's no way we're gonna get out of it, but you caught me, and I'm so sorry. I'll change. You all know what I'm talking about. And those are lies that obviously God knows. And so God is in control of everything. And so in this portion of scripture here, in verse 33, should God then reward you on your terms when you refuse to repent? Does that make sense? And so many of the people sometimes in jail, they want the good things of life without repenting. And for us as a church, we need to understand that good things come to us because we stay clean before God in repentance, amen? And we keep the door open in fellowship with God when we grieve Him through our sin. We get rid of that sin so that God can then restore us and we can be restored with Him. Elihu asks in verse 31, no one can control God. There's no bargaining or manipulating Him into a better or easier situation. God has the power of His hand and His will over everything. He is the only and ultimate authority. He is. I sort of try to bargain with God when I sit in the dentist's chair, amen. Some of you have been recent to the class, but I, in the midst of this, had my own little job experience with a root canal, and then with a crown. And $3,400 later, I'm so thankful. I'm so thankful. So let's look at C, a description of the justice of God is found in chapters 35, one through 16. I'm not gonna read all of that, but what I'm gonna do is talk to you about some of the things that have to do with that particular area. And that is what he's saying here is so far we've seen a denial of justice and a defense of the justice of God. Now in 35 chapter we see a description of the justice of God. L.E.U. is about to offer up the great theology and truth regarding the God we serve. This is so awesome. And we start with number one there, okay? God's justice is not affected by our words. Isn't that interesting? It's not affected by our words. This is verses 1 through 3. Then Elihu said, Do you think this is just? You say, I will be cleared by God. Yet you ask him, What profit is it to me, and what do I gain by not sinning? So here's the thing, God's justice is not affected by our words or the words of his children. We do not have the power to change the nature of God with our words. In other words, God's ruling, God's authority, God's judgment, God's wisdom, God's working in our midst is infutable. We can't debate with him to change, in a sense, his mind as to his cause for why he's allowing what is being done. And so Elihu talks to him about that. Then the second point is God's justice is not affected by our works. How many of us think if we just, I mean as believers, something's on the fringe of turning bad and so what we do is we think of, okay, inventory, inventory, what do I do now that I could sort of sort of recoup some of this bad stuff, or some of this lazy stuff with God, or some of the apathy with God. Now, you know, maybe I'll show up to Bible study on Tuesday, or maybe I'll go to class, small group, large group, whatever. Maybe I'll do whatever. And the point is, is that God isn't, God's justice isn't affected by our works. Look at verses four through eight. Look at that, it says, I would like to reply to you and to your friends with you. Look up at the heavens and see and gaze at the clouds so high above you. If you sin, how does that affect him? If your sins are many, what does that do to him? And he just goes on talking about the fact that it's not going to change God's mind. If you are righteous, what do you give to him? Or what does he receive from your hand? In other words, God doesn't need our handouts, obviously. Your wickedness affects only a man like yourself, and your righteousness only the sons of men. In other words, God is not moved, in a sense, by what we do. for him because he knows our hearts and he knows the plans that he has for everyone. So, Elihu asks us to look up to the heavens. That's one reason why I wanted to show you also the universe tonight and to see the vastness of these incredible planets and stars. and see how far away the clouds are and then to imagine how far God's throne is from the earth. Do you really think that our rebellion or our righteousness can change the nature of such a transcendent God? In other words, God is on his throne and he's established, amen? He's already experienced all of the future and all of the present and all of the past, all of the time. There's no, he's already been there and been back. Have you ever thought about that? Oh, what a God we serve. Number three, God's justice is not affected by our ways, by our ways. Let me read something, one more quick second, back on this, God's justice is not affected by our works. Elihu is not saying that good works have no merit, he's just saying that our works, whether good or evil, cannot change the nature of God. In other words, we're talking about God's nature, we're not talking about God's mind or heart. For instance, when he was going to destroy Nineveh by sending Jonah to declare to them, if you don't repent, I'm gonna destroy your nation, They all repented and it says God changed His mind about Nineveh and He spared them. So we're not talking about His changing His mind regarding relating to people and their repentance and such. We're talking about the very nature of God. We're not going to change His nature. Is everyone with me on that? And so it says, we cannot change the nature of God. He will be just no matter what we do. God cannot change for the better because He is already perfect. Does that make sense, everyone, on this? He cannot change for the worse because He is holy. And it goes on to say the truth is the truth whether we believe it or not. The word of God is the truth whether you believe it or not. Isn't that something? You're not gonna change it because you look at it and discard it or think it's not very good or you don't respect it or you don't obey it. It doesn't matter. God's word is true, amen. And so truth, no matter what, whether we believe it or not, God is just whether we accept it or not. He makes no difference what we do or what we say. God is who He is and He's not changeable. I'm thankful for that, aren't you? I mean, about everything in our world is always changing, but it's not necessarily changing good. And so, God is who he is and he's not changeable, he's immutable, he's unchanging God of the universe. He is who he is. Boy, if there's anything, that should enlarge who your God is, amen? He's fair, he's just, and he's gonna do what he's gonna do because he knows what he's doing. That's the point. Number three, God's justice is not affected by our ways. This is found in verses nine and 10. Because of the multitude of oppressions, they cry out. They cry out for help because of the arm of the mighty. No one says, where is God, my maker, who gives songs in the night? This is interesting because it really hits home on where a lot of us struggle with sleep. How many of you struggle with sleep? I know I do. The older you get, the less you get, at least it seems to me. What is the deal? I think this is my thinking about lacking sleep. I think Jesus wants to spend more time with me. You know why? Because I'm getting closer to heaven. I'm getting to be an old man. Patty reminds me, you old man. No, I'm teasing. Patty never calls me old man, they just do that at jail. My old man or my old lady. Good night, they're kids and they call each other that. I just, I got on them about it the other day. Anyway, a lot of us struggle every night with letting go of our worries and we can't sleep. I don't think mine is because of worry. I think mine is because of other things. I got a lot on my mind, not worries, but concerns or assignments or busy. Have any of you ever had a problem with just thinking about your next day and all the things you need to do or whatever? Or you're just plum excited about the next day like a kid. You can't wait because you're retired to get up and just not get up, you know what I mean? Just sleep all day or whatever you do because you're retired. I think you should have a hallelujah day every day if you're retired, amen. A lot of us struggle every night letting go of our worries so we can sleep. God has not left those of us who have trouble sleeping without hope. There are seven passages from Psalms, isn't this cool, that help with finding rest in the night. They're better than sleeping pills. Can you guys say amen? and they will stay with you in every situation. Here they are. Can we look at them real quick? Can you turn to Psalms real quick? Sure, Jerry, I can. I'm so glad you guys are so excited tonight. Man, oh man, Jesus, help me. Verse 42, or chapter 42, verse eight, can I read it? Yes, Jerry. It says this, it says, by day the Lord directs his love, by night his song is with me. A prayer to God of my life. One thing that has helped me if I am, what do you want to call it, conscious enough to do this, if I lay in my pillow for the first few seconds and say, God, I am really tired tonight. Could you please let me not dream much and let me sleep a lot? I don't know about you guys, but my mind is super active. I have tons of prayers, dreams, and they're all like, Active is all get out. I don't know how I make it during the next morning because I feel like I've worked all night long running from somebody Anyway, I'm sorry about all the therapy you guys have to give me but anyway chapter 63 chapter 63 verse 6 I think this is probably one of the most important things tonight is just giving you guys a good night's sleep. So chapter 63 verse six, it says this. On my bed I remember you. I think of you through the watches of the night. Boy, that's a beautiful verse. Laying in your pillow and thinking about God. How great you are. I don't know, it should bring a smile to your face and peace to your soul, amen? And you should be able to sleep like a baby. Let's look at 74.16. 74.16. 74.16, it says this. The day is yours, and yours also the night. You establish the sun and the moon. So sleep tight. I just wanted to add that, because that's what it sounds like should go in there. The day is yours and yours also the night. You establish the sun and the moon, so just sleep tight. All right, I just love that. All right, let's look at Psalm 121, verse four. 121, verse four. It says this. I'm sorry, I'm going too fast, aren't I? I heard someone already moan. Okay, are you there? Indeed, he who watches over Israel will neither slumber nor sleep. So you've got someone covering your back. If you're real scared about intruders, or you're scared about the neighborhood, or you're scared about anything, because there's some people that just have a lot of fear, this tells you that God's got your back. He never sleeps, never slumbers. He's always there. Let's look at the next one, that's Psalm 127. Verse 2B, 2B, it says, toiling for food to eat, for he grants sleep to those he loves. Isn't that interesting? The last one, 149 verse 5, 149 verse 5. I'll give you a few minutes because there's a lot of pages to turn. 149.5. Okay. Let the saints rejoice in this honor and sing for joy on their beds. It's not a bad thing to have some worship music to clear your mind and cleanse your soul, amen? before you might sleep. God's justice is such that even when God doesn't see fit to remove our burdens, and some of us have had burdens for years, he always gives us the strength to bear them. With that strength he gives us a song. My wife, with her neurological disease, is usually humming all the time. And I don't even know what she's humming, because it doesn't sound like a song. So I don't know if she spent too much time with the hummingbirds. I'm just teasing. But she's humming all the time. She literally is. No tune to it, or I don't know. I think she's just got a song on her heart, because she always has an answer for my questions like that. It's just a song from God, so I got to leave it alone. So number two here, the last point, is the God we serve, is he a great God? He is a great God. This is chapters 36 and 37. And so we're just about there, guys. Is the God we serve a great God? That's the question that I want you all to ask yourself as you leave tonight. Is your God that you serve a great God? Here's one point I want you to think about. Are you serving that great God? Are you serving him? Because here's how we can serve him, is seeking first his kingdom and his righteousness. That's how we can serve him. By how we choose to do what's right instead of what's wrong, we can serve him. By caring about our neighbor, by hearing people out here tonight and not just coming in, sitting down and running out, but maybe interacting with your neighbor here tonight. How's your week going before you run out? And just give them two minutes to say, well, it's going good, or I've got this going on in my life. And then you pray for them and then you leave. How about if you did that? then I think that is what a great God deserves us to do with each other, serve each other, amen? By carrying each other's burdens, by caring about each other, and not just passing each other by, okay? I just think that's an important way to do it. So, here we are. in this situation where number two is your God that you serve, is he a great God? And this is chapters 36 and 37. Elihu has laid out the case that God is just. Now he helps Job understand the greatness of God. The theme of this section is that God is great and that his ways are beyond our understanding, that he is omnipotent, he's eternal, and all-wise. We humans divide knowledge into categories and theories, but God shatters our categories and confounds our theories. It sounds to me like somebody that studied philosophy. It's no wonder God says don't, you know, through Timothy says be careful that you don't give yourself over to philosophy because what it'll do is it'll often shatter what you believe about God or it will confound it or it will confuse you because what it does is it brings God down, it dummies God down to our understanding instead of understanding we don't understand God. I don't know how else to say it, right? I mean, he's bigger than all that we can understand. So he spreads the clouds out like a blanket. He holds lightning bolts in his hands. He is greater than we are able to comprehend. It's amazing what happens in nature alone when it rains. When it rains, it's incredible so verse 26 of chapter 35 or 36 36 26 if you could look at that real quickly with me it says Let me get to it real quick here 36 26 it says How great is God beyond our understanding. The number of his years is past finding out. I think you should circle that verse, the verse 26, because that is an incredible verse. How great is our God. Past understanding, beyond our understanding, the number of his years is past finding out. He's eternal. He's eternal. God is, look at verse 22, God is exalted in power. Who is a teacher like him? Who has prescribed his ways for him or said to him, you have done wrong? Remember to extol his work, which men have praised in song. All mankind has seen it. Men gaze on it from afar. And then he goes into verse 26. How great is God? How great is God? How great is he? Well, A, the mind of God is great. Can you imagine the mind that created the complexity of our human body? It blows me away. L.A.U. offers three verses that relay how awesome is the mind of our Creator. The Lord is great in understanding. His knowledge is infallible. Therefore, anything that deviates from what He says is false. Because even the Scriptures is brilliantly put together, is it not? We should never start with our thoughts or our opinions or our feelings. We must start with the mind of God. That's why it says in scripture that we have the mind of Christ. So when we look at scripture, we should be asking the Holy Spirit, what are you trying to say to me? What are you trying to reveal to me so that I might be changed and that I might grow, that I might not stay the same? Does it make sense, everyone, that we need to go to the Word with a mind that is the mind of Christ to try to get understanding for what He's trying to do to help us grow to be more like Him? Well, B, the mercy of God is great. The mercy of God is great. He does not preserve, this is verse six, He does not preserve the life of the wicked, He gives justice to the oppressed. He delivers the poor in their affliction and opens their ears in oppression. How great is our God that He's so merciful? He's so merciful. God doesn't merely speak to us when we are afflicted, he actually uses our trials and sufferings to open our ears. Listen to what I'm saying. To open our ears so that we can hear what he is saying to us. In other words, there's a lot of people in the hospital, God's trying to get their attention and their ears, amen. God has a lot of people hurting and weak because he's trying to get their ears and their attention. He just wants you to hear Him speak because He wants to speak into your life and into your heart. What He wants to help transform you so that you might be available and useful in His hands, a tool for His hands. God doesn't just merely speak. to us when we are afflicted. He actually uses our trials and sufferings to open our ears. I wanted to say that again because he wants us to hear what he is saying to us. If we're going through pain and suffering, maybe God is trying to get our attention. We can be pretty hardheaded and stubborn or proud. but God will bring things into our lives so that we'll start listening to Him now, amen? I believe that's why God's got us going through Job, is so that we can start having a mindset at Grace Church where we're gonna listen to God. We're entering into the last days and we need to hear God speak to us to see how we can be used in these last days in people's lives, amen? Because there's a great harvest field. The first week, I don't know if I told you this last week, probably not, but the first week when we had volunteers back, 26 people gave their hearts to Christ. One week, 26 people. It's just like they're all over the place, you know, just like picking grapes, because the volunteers came back, we could finally have interaction with inmates, and we could finally get involved. First Bible study that was done, 12 people gave their hearts to Christ, weeping, because they understood from the sower and the seed that they didn't have the seed in their hearts, they were lost. Isn't that awesome? And you guys ought to be excited about that, amen! I know, but I'm tired, Jerry, it's 8.15. Okay, I'm so sorry, I'm so sorry. See, now I get so excited, I just lost my place. Thank you, Carol, I knew you'd help me, C. The might of God is great. What does that make you feel like? The might of God, does that not, you know, I was a big cartoon guy when I was a kid because I had to have a hero. How many of you felt like a hero was cool when you were a kid? At least I loved it. You know, Mighty Mouse, and Superman. I know you guys think it's so stupid, but you know what? Jesus became my mighty mouse, amen, and Jesus became my hero. That's what I translated all of that because I think we need a mighty God that will heroically come and save us, the church, amen. Well, anyway, I get excited about that too. So I'm still believing in heroes. Amen. I just got one. His name is Jesus Christ. What a conquering king he is. And he's coming back again. And he won't be riding on no donkey this time. You know, he's no milk toast man. He's a mighty man. Amen. Well, the weather can give us a glimpse of the power of God in nature. That's one way we can see his might. I mean, good night, Chris, when you saw that tornado coming, where are you at? Yeah, when you saw that coming, man, the might of God. His garage, there was a log sticking in the wall, and I was thinking, man, just think if I was standing there, that log would be, you know what I'm saying? It's amazing, the power of God. He's nothing to be trifle with. Well, D, the majesty of God is great, the majesty of God. That's what I believe we're gonna, encapsulate in heaven, just to throw, you know, Isaiah, I saw the Lord exalted in His temple. And I saw the train of His glory. Man, can you imagine what Jesus will look like? And the worship that we will be able to give Him for all that He did to save our souls. Man, I can never forget what He did for me. How about you? Well, Elihu concludes with these words in verses 22 through 24 of chapter 37. It says this, it says, out of the north he comes in a golden splendor. God comes in awesome majesty. Isn't that a beautiful description? And it goes on to say, The Almighty is beyond our reach and exalted in power. In His justice and great righteousness, He does not oppress. God is not about oppressing people. He's about encouraging people, amen. Therefore men revere him, and does he not have regard for all the wise in heart? In other words, the wise in heart revere God. It's the fool who says there is no God, and they mock him and scoff at him. Well, here Elihu pictures the majestic God in verses 41 through 22. No human being can control the weather, storm, or lightning, but God does. No human being can look directly at the sun without being blinded, but God does. No human being can spread out the sky or hang in the clouds in place, but God does. Man, I'll tell you, that's one reason why I like to fly, don't you? And when you get up in those clouds, you think, oh my goodness. Where, I mean, it's like pillows of cotton, aren't they? I mean, it's just like, it's amazing up in the sky. Just think the day we live in. People only looked up in Jesus' day, and we get to fly through all that. Man, that's phenomenal. But anyway, no human being can spread out the sky or hang clouds in place, but God does. That's pretty powerful, isn't it? I think so. Ellie, you preach the truth, and it's always good for us to remember that our God is great and greatly to be praised. Now, okay, we got two more minutes, and I'm gonna do a little bit more application. Can you guys hang in there, please? It says Joshua and Caleb spied out the promised land and they believed God was big enough and mighty enough to take Israel in and to conquer their enemies. Two men out of 10. Pretty amazing, isn't it? Here we go, how do we get there and how did they get what they had? How do we get to where they were? Well, number one, I think we have to have a big God mentality. We have to have a big God mentality. How big is your God? Can he handle a flat tire? Can he handle a lost key? Can he find a message lost in the computer? How big is your God? My stories end up on Wednesday nights getting chickens at fairway. How big is my God? Have three or four, amen. Mark down, I know you guys don't care, but I sure do, I'm hungry. Number one, how big is your God? Number two, We have to see God high and lifted up and exalted. You can't keep him small. He is worthy of all praise and glory, amen. Not just on Sundays when we sing songs, but I'm talking about throughout the week, amen. In your car, in your home, in the shower, as you eat, how big is your God and is he worthy of praise from your lips? Number three, you have to elevate or you have to make God higher instead of bringing him lower. Elevate God we need to improve our ability to comprehend him. How do you do that? By spending time in his word his word describes him his word Gives names to him his word gives us a description of who he is There's no way that you can't have a bigger God by spending time in the word. Amen. I When we see God in His holy, high, and lifted state, we can look at our problems and lay them at His feet because He's the one who spoke the world into existence. With one word, He spoke it all. You follow what I'm saying, and He holds it all together with His word. I don't know about you, but I want a great God in these last days because we need Him, amen. We need Him. We need Him because He is worthy of all praise and worship because He's God. Here's one of the biggest ways you can do this. Get your eyes off of yourself. And the way you do that is you turn the vision from you to the vision of Him and you praise Him for whatever you're going through and that'll get your eyes off of you, amen? Father, thank you for tonight. Everyone has been so good and kind. And I'm thankful, Father, that you are great. And I'm thankful, Father, that you are worthy of all praise. And I'm thankful, Father, that we can gather together as a body to care about each other, to put our feet and shoes to the concrete and do things that you would love us to do, serving one another and caring about one another and carrying one another's burdens, just fulfilling the law of Christ to love you with all of our heart, soul, mind, and strength, and to love our neighbor as ourself. Bless everyone as they go out tonight. May you give them a great night's sleep as these verses from Psalms might help us to understand just how sweet you are in the night hours in Christ's name, amen.