Job vs. Psalms

Contrast between Job / Psalms

• Pray

• Job wealthy and feared God – Bible says complete integrity (Job 1:1-12)

• Satan tries to drive wedge btwn Job / God – convinces God to allow

Tests. (I’m always amazed at the access that Satan seems to have to The God Of The Universe. [remember, God is perfect, everything about Him is legal and organized because of His perfection] - supiror)

• Story progresses – Job loses: family’, possessions, health

• people that knew him are convinced that through sin, he brought this on himself
• his wife in essence tells him he may as well “end it”

• 4 friends come to talk – Job didn’t talk for days

Friends just sat with him – (sometimes we don’t have to say anything to someone hurting. Just being there is what they need?)

• when they finally could talk to him tried to convince him to repent – his bad fortune caused by God punishing unrepented sin.

• God rebukes Jobs friend for thinking he had something to do with this – good in us always about Him ~ bag always about us or Satan.

• Job makes the case that he is righteous toward God and better than the unrighteous.

• Job not so concerned about what he’d lost, but why he lost it.

• Job asks God, “why” - (God never answers that question – they want argument not answer)

• God, then rebukes Job tells him don’t worry about it I Am Sovereign – what I say goes – tells Job whats what. 38:1- 41:34 
• Job is restored (chapter 42)

• lessons Job learned

1. God is sovereign – ALL AUTHORITY
2. Bad things will happen to good people – Gen 3, Satan (always testing, hates God and His people, Satan has limitations)
3. not that bad things wont happen, how we act when bad things happen – God want us to rely on Him alone.
4. God then fairness…not fairness then God
   
   

   • Even though Job, as well as his friends had the wrong theology (God causes hardship and bad things to happen to "punish or to teach lessons" to people) Job none the less proves he got the point when he didn't reject God when his own (incorrect) theology told him to (Paraphrased from Gregory A. Boyd's Is God To Blame ? - pp 94).

• Psalms are praise, laments, some wisdom (proverbs) all over the place. Not one story…a collection of conversations from the hart.

• Written mostly through David and son Solomon

• All Psalms put God first – acknowledge His Sovereignty

• They never ask “why me, I’m a good guy”

• Job asks until God sets him straight, “I’m righteous, why me?” – ignore God’s Sovereignty

• Psalms always seem to say “you are God, WHY NOT ME?”

• Psalms will ask for help – in doing so acknowledge God is only help

Ask class to draw conclusions btwn Job and Psalms

ROMANS 12: 1 -2

Rom 12:1-2 21^st Century KJV

 1 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.

 2 And be not conformed to this world, but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God

Beseech – Call near , invite, ask, call you to, in-treat, call for, pray, beg, implore urgently

Rom 15:30,

• Paul invites us to think about, by begging (he must think what he is saying is important) us in an urgent manner and tells us to listen to his message.

Therefore – so, hence, then

Bretheren –

1) a brother, whether born of the same two parents or only of the same father or mother

2) having the same national ancestor, belonging to the same people, or countryman

3) any fellow or man

4) a fellow believer, united to another by the bond of affection

5) an associate in employment or office

6) brethren in Christ

a) his brothers by blood

b) all men - don’t forget “God would that all men be saved” 1Ti 2:4 - Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth.

c) apostles

d) Christians, as those who are exalted to the same heavenly place

Mercies – God’s mercy / save sinners by re-establishing His Kingdom. Gal 2:8-9

1.	compassionate or kindly forbearance shown toward an offender, an enemy, or other person in one's power; compassion, pity, or benevolence: Have mercy on the poor sinner.

2.	the disposition to be compassionate or forbearing: an adversary wholly without mercy.

3.	the discretionary power of a judge to pardon someone or to mitigate punishment, esp. to send to prison rather than invoke the death penalty.

4.	an act of kindness, compassion, or favor: She has performed countless small mercies for her friends and neighbors.

5.	something that gives evidence of divine favor; blessing: It was just a mercy we had our seat belts on when it happened.

6.	at the mercy of, entirely in the power of; subject to: They were at the mercy of their captors. Also, at one's mercy.

Present -

1.	to furnish or endow with a gift or the like, esp. by formal act
3.	afford or furnish
11.	to represent, impersonate, or act,
16.	a thing presented as a gift
4.	to hand over or submit

Lets take a look at an old testament sacrifice: - it will become clear that a sacrifice is a gift.

Leviticus 16:7New International Version (NIV) ⁷ Then he is to take the two goats and present them before the Lord at the entrance to the tent of meeting

The idea here is to make a gift of something, to give something, a gift is always free – or at least it is supposed to be. In this case a sacrifice to the Living God, a gift from a man.

The creation is never greater than creator. We know man could never give anything to God. However, in the case of worship (as is the case with all giving) the act of giving is the true gift.

• Gift always free next slide next slide.
• A gift is always given in love.
• What do we call gifts (Christmas, birthday presents – spelled the same way). Remember God’s free Gift in salvation (undeserved) He – presented or gave to us?
• In the old test. He put in place a series of animal sacrifices because He had not sent His Son yet to be a perm. Sac for us. Think of that - he sent His Son not only to re-establish His Kingdom here on earth but through His Son, a permanent sacrifice or gift was given to each on of us.

your body - a temple - 1 Cor. 6:19 – A temple is where sacs were made

a living sacrifice – your reasonable service - acceptable to God

Rom 15:16 Gal 2:20 – after what He has done for us it’s the least we can do for Him.

We are Crucified with Him – if we are joint heirs with Him Rom 8:17

Like any father all God wants for us is the best. (His Children)ention

1. He thru Paul, tells us to give ourselves over to Him and His way of thinking, His service (by working for Him, in our church, by helping and building each other up, etc. what ever He wants you to do specifically) He speaks to us most of time thru His Word, Pray – listen/spend time being quiet specifically to listen to God.

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2. He tells us not to be like the unbelieving world but transform or change your thinking to the way He thinks. (He says that the least weif you don't pay can do) – when we do that (the more we think like Him. Or our thoughts line up with His, then it’s easier to discern His voice)

3. We learn what is the good, acceptable, and perfect will of God the more we meditate on His Word. It’s a circle of Gods Love toward us: The more we meditate on His Word the more He reveals to us and the more He reveals to us, the more we meditate on His Word.

Consider this in-light of understanding through daily meditation of God’s Word:

Luke 8:18New International Version (NIV) ¹⁸ Therefore consider carefully how you listen. Whoever has will be given more; whoever does not have, even what they think they have will be taken from them.”

• In other words – listen carefully to My Word and I will give you more wisdom, but if you don't pay attention, even what you think you already know will be useless.

4. . The more we learn about Him the more we will want to learn - for who can resist then The God of the universe?

(read) Isaiah 28: 9&10 “line upon line, precept upon precept”

5. Paul telling us to meditate (think about, mull over, kick around) The Word

6. When we do this, our view of situations – good or bad, begins to change to the way God see them. This is what He wants for us and tells us to meditate on His Word in many places in the Bible.

John 3:1 -18

• Pray
• Text passage John 3:1-18

John 3

Born from Above

2. There was a man of the Pharisee sect, Nicodemus, a prominent leader among the Jews. Late one night he visited Jesus and said, "Rabbi, we all know you're a teacher straight from God. No one could do all the God-pointing, God-revealing acts you do if God weren't in on it."

• Pharisees num. About 6000 in Israel
• Very important to them to show outward religion (fasting, praying, ceremonial washing –etc)
• Knew messiah coming
• Very opposed to Jesus
• Jesus very critical of them
• Many theories on why he went at night but I think so no one would see him
• Evidently, the Pharisees had drawn a conclusion about Jesus.
• Called him teacher out of respect / I think he knew who Jesus was (John 7:50,51 & 19:39)

3. Jesus said, "You're absolutely right (about being a teacher – knowing more than you). Take it from me: Unless a person is born from above, it's not possible to see what I'm pointing to—to God's kingdom."

• No kidding
• Very well could have taken the attitude of “don’t even try to think of yourself as equal, but I believe Jesus Knew Nic. knew who Jesus was.
• Everything Jesus did pointed to God’s Kingdom & He wanted to get across not only to Nic. But to you and I that we must accept the salvation God is giving to us. Eph 2:8-9

        "How can anyone," said Nicodemus, "be born who has already been born and grown up? You can't re-enter your mother's womb and be born again. What are you saying with this 'born-from-above' talk?"

 5-6 Jesus said, "You're not listening. Let me say it again. Unless a person submits to this original creation—the 'wind-hovering-over-the-water' creation,(Gen. 1:1) the invisible moving the visible, a baptism into a new life—it's not possible to enter God's kingdom. When you look at a baby, it's just that: a body you can look at and touch. But the person who takes shape within is formed by something you can't see and touch—the Spirit—and becomes a living spirit.

 7-8 "So don't be so surprised when I tell you that you have to be 'born from above'—out of this world, so to speak. You know well enough how the wind blows this way and that. You hear it rustling through the trees, but you have no idea where it comes from or where it's headed next. That's the way it is with everyone 'born from above' by the wind of God, the Spirit of God."

 9 Nicodemus asked, "What do you mean by this? How does this happen?"

 10-12 Jesus said, "You're a respected teacher of Israel and you don't know these basics? Listen carefully. I'm speaking sober truth to you. I speak only of what I know by experience; I give witness only to what I have seen with my own eyes. There is nothing secondhand here, no hearsay. Yet instead of facing the evidence and accepting it, you procrastinate with questions. If I tell you things that are plain as the hand before your face and you don't believe me, what use is there in telling you of things you can't see, the things of God?

 13-15 "No one has ever gone up into the presence of God except the One who came down from that Presence, the Son of Man. In the same way that Moses lifted the serpent in the desert (a type of Jesus Num 21:6-9 )so people could have something to see and then believe, it is necessary for the Son of Man to be lifted up—and everyone who looks up to him, trusting and expectant, will gain a real life, eternal life.

 16-18 "This is how much God loved the world: He gave his Son, his one and only Son. And this is why: so that no one need be destroyed; by believing in him, anyone can have a whole and lasting life. God didn't go to all the trouble of sending his Son merely to point an accusing finger, telling the world how bad it was. He came to help, to put the world right again. Anyone who trusts in him is acquitted; anyone who refuses to trust him has long since been under the death sentence without knowing it. And why? Because of that person's failure to believe in the one-of-a-kind Son of God when introduced to him. (Message)

God’s purpose now is to re-establish Kingdom, in doing, He, sacrificed His Son to “buy back”

- Jesus came 1^st time as a Savior not a Judge

• Jews in those days believed Messiah would judge mankind – they had reason to believe that (Psalm 98:9, Isaiah 3:13)

they rejected Jesus, so salvation had to come from non-Jews (gentiles)Jews did not see Church age (we are in now) – Gospel supposed to come through Jews:

16 "For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life. 17 "For God ⁾did not send the Son into the world to judge the world, but that the world might be saved through Him.

• notice He does not save by love – He saves by belief - loves all unconditionally - saved or not: God will love us even going to hell.

He saves by Grace – His Grace comes by faith in His Word Eph 2:8-9 – you must be born again (John 3) by accepting and relying on His Word

Ephesian 1:5-6 – He chose us to be adopted sons through (because of)Jesus

John 14:6 – way, truth , light

Heb 2:9-11 - Captain = Gr. archegegos >author >take the lead

Jesus makes it clear that only through Him can we enter into God’s family (children of)

18 "^(AC)He who believes in Him is not judged; he who does not believe has been judged already, because he has not believed in the name of ^(AD)the only begotten Son of God.

- You never surprise God

- penalty is always (with God) pre-determined

(NKJV)

Romans 10:9-11

9That if you confess with your mouth, "Jesus is Lord," and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. 10For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved. 11As the Scripture says, "Anyone who trusts in him will never be put to shame."^[

The Holy Spirit - The Most Neglected Member Of The Trinity

James 1:5

If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him. – NIV

• Certain Pharisees considered themselves to be better than other “non-religious” people.

(Apostle Paul said if there’s anything good in me it’s because of Jesus) so…

let’s be glad we’re saved but take others with us!

1. The Holy Spirit is the most neglected member of The Trinity
   1. Christians seek relationship with God (as they should)
   2. Christians seek relationship with Jesus (as they should)
   3. We pray to God in the name of Jesus (all these are Biblical)
   4. What do you think are the reasons for this? (Class discussion)
   5. easy for children of Israel to believe in God they saw Him (passed down knowledge)

they also had teachings handed down from Adam and Eve via Moses.

6. easy for us to believe in Jesus – He lived on earth (passed down knowledge)

(scripture)

2. God’s intentions toward us
   1. Why did God establish the earth and create man?(class discussion)
   2. relationship
   3. Fatherhood / mentor

Holy Spirit of OT

• Part of Godhead – God The Father, God The Son, God The Holy Spirit - Gen 1:1, 1:26 – Job 3:4
• God created man and gave him His Spirit – Gen2:7, 1 Cor. 6:19
• Spirit of God – Came to kings and prophets (wasn’t there all the time – only when God wanted to act specifically.)

Holy Spirit of NT

• The seed of God (re-establishing lost Kingdom) could NOT come through sinful man.
• Scripture records account of god coming to earth by way of the Holy Spirit -

• John prob. only person who has actually (through spiritual eyes) seen the Godhead
  • Luke 3:22 – Holt Spirit “like a dove” doesn’t mean He is one. He is a distinct person. strong as an ox

ran like the wind – that doesn’t mean they are an ox or the wind

Has mind Rom 8:27, a will and emotions -1 Cor 12:11, He speaks - Heb3:7

Jesus said to disciples before he departed – John 14:14-18

Then He says in chapt.16:7 – 8 – He said believe me.

True Wisdom

• Praise

• Prayer

• Pastor Dan

A. text:

Prov. 4:7

The beginning of Wisdom is: get Wisdom (skillful and godly Wisdom)! [For skillful and godly Wisdom is the principal thing.] And with all you have gotten, get understanding (discernment, comprehension, and

interpretation). – Amplified Bible

Wisdom = applied knowledge , shrewdness, skill (in war), ethical and spiritual prudence

Greek word khokma (kokma)

1. In the text, what kind of knowledge, or what is referred to as wisdom?

Story of Matthew and Kenyan boy

(Matthew part of mission team. 2 weeks Nairobi, Kenya)

1) Boy lived in slum his whole life

• Boy lived in slum in city
• Slum population about 725,000
• Area about 1 ½ x 3 mi. (by contrast, Greater DM about 300,000)
• Boy 17 yrs old
1. Matthew asked him if he could have one thing in life – what would it be?
   • Did not ask for car, money etc.
   • Boy Wanted wisdom
   • God honored boys prayer – it lined up with His will

3. Matthew – a man of God and one who anyone would say is a man of true wisdom – an assistant pastor in our church and Pastor Dan’s # 1 advisor (besides his wife)
   • Brought him from Perry, Ia. to D.M. to Chicago to London and then to Kenya to stand before that young man and speak wisdom into his life.
   • Think of what The God Of The Universe is able to do!

4. God’s primary way of blessing ANYONE is with wisdom!

• If you apply the knowledge you have, seek more knowledge (which is wise), are shrewd and prudent, then you can figure out how to make more money or figure out how to do the things you need to accomplish to be obedient (to God, that’s what He requires in the first place).
• If obedience is what God requires, He will equip you for it – where God guides, He provides.
• This is how a Loving Father blesses His Children’s obedience. (do you bless your kid’s disobedience?)
  1. I don’t always – I tend to take it for granted

• King David impressed on Solomon at an early age to have a relationship with God, to honor Him and to be obedient. David (a man after God’s own heart) also let Solomon know that God blesses most of the time by speaking WISDOM to us. That’s why Solomon Prayed and asked God for WISDOM.

1 Kings 3

7 "Now, O LORD my God, you have made your servant king in place of my father David. But I am only a little child and do not know how to carry out my duties. 8 Your servant is here among the people you have chosen, a great people, too numerous to count or number. 9 So give your servant a discerning heart to govern your people and to distinguish between right and wrong. For who is able to govern this great people of yours?"

 10 The Lord was pleased that Solomon had asked for this. 11 So God said to him, "Since you have asked for this and not for long life or wealth for yourself, nor have asked for the death of your enemies but for discernment in administering justice, 12 I will do what you have asked. I will give you a wise and discerning heart, so that there will never have been anyone like you, nor will there ever be. 13 Moreover, I will give you what you have not asked for—both riches and honor—so that in your lifetime you will have no equal among kings. 14 And if you walk in my ways and obey my statutes and commands as David your father did, I will give you a long life."

Prov. 4:7 Wisdom is supreme; therefore get wisdom.
       Though it cost all you have, get understanding. - NIV

4:7 Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore get wisdom: and with all thy getting get understanding – KJV

• Proverbs 4:3-9 Message Bible (synonyms – discuss/study)

3-9 When I was a boy at my father's knee,
    the pride and joy of my mother,
He would sit me down and drill me:
   "Take this to heart. Do what I tell you—live!
Sell everything and buy Wisdom! Forage for Understanding!
   Don't forget one word! Don't deviate an inch!
Never walk away from Wisdom—she guards your life;
   love her—she keeps her eye on you.
Above all and before all, do this: Get Wisdom!
   Write this at the top of your list: Get Understanding!
Throw your arms around her—believe me, you won't regret it;
   never let her go—she'll make your life glorious.
She'll garland your life with grace,
   she'll festoon your days with beauty."

1 Corinthians 3:18-20

18 Let no one deceive himself. If anyone among you seems to be wise in this age, let him become a fool that he may become wise. 19 For the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God. For it is written, “He catches the wise in their own craftiness”; 20 and again, “The LORD knows the thoughts of the wise, that they are futile.”

Amplified version -

18 Let no person deceive himself. If anyone among you supposes that he is wise in this age, let him become a fool [let him discard his worldly discernment and recognize himself as dull, stupid, and foolish, without true learning and scholarship], that he may become [really] wise. 19For this world's wisdom is foolishness (absurdity and stupidity) with God, for it is written, He lays hold of the wise in their [own] craftiness;

    20And again, The Lord knows the thoughts and reasonings of the [humanly] wise and recognizes how futile they are.

• Brother-in-law one of smartest people I know
• Great guy
• Knows many obscure facts
• Does not know God
• God says his knowledge is useless!
•  Does not have TRUE WISDOM

1. How do I get true wisdom?

1. MUST be born again – (Rom. 10:9)

2. Acknowledge God in all your ways - (Prov. 3:6)

3. Worship in truth – (John 4:23)

4. Fear of Lord – (Prov. 1:7)

5. Pray and ask for it – be obedient make sure Jesus is Lord over every phase of your life. THAT IS TRUE WISDOM – (John 1:9)