1 00:00:02,759 --> 00:00:06,720 Speaker 1: Life Audio. For more resources to help you in your 2 00:00:06,800 --> 00:00:12,320 Speaker 1: walk with Christ, please visit us at Bible Studyheadquarters dot com. 3 00:00:12,720 --> 00:00:16,280 Speaker 1: You're listening to the Chapter a Day Audio Bible. I'm 4 00:00:16,360 --> 00:00:21,079 Speaker 1: John Stangey, and today we're in Job chapter twenty nine, 5 00:00:22,040 --> 00:00:27,640 Speaker 1: and we'll be reading from the New English translation. Then 6 00:00:27,720 --> 00:00:32,280 Speaker 1: Job continued his speech, Oh that I could be as 7 00:00:32,360 --> 00:00:36,000 Speaker 1: I was in the months now gone, in the days 8 00:00:36,040 --> 00:00:39,360 Speaker 1: when God watched over me, when he caused his lamp 9 00:00:39,440 --> 00:00:42,599 Speaker 1: to shine upon my head, and by his light I 10 00:00:42,720 --> 00:00:46,400 Speaker 1: walked through darkness, just as I was in my most 11 00:00:46,479 --> 00:00:51,640 Speaker 1: productive time, when God's intimate friendship was experienced in my tent, 12 00:00:52,320 --> 00:00:54,920 Speaker 1: when the Almighty was still with me and my children 13 00:00:54,960 --> 00:00:58,560 Speaker 1: were around me, when my steps were bathed with butter, 14 00:00:59,280 --> 00:01:02,560 Speaker 1: and the rock poured out for me streams of olive oil. 15 00:01:03,520 --> 00:01:06,440 Speaker 1: When I went out to the city gate and secured 16 00:01:06,520 --> 00:01:09,880 Speaker 1: my seat in the public square, the young men would 17 00:01:09,880 --> 00:01:13,000 Speaker 1: see me and step aside, and the old men would 18 00:01:13,040 --> 00:01:17,240 Speaker 1: get up and remain standing. The chief men refrained from 19 00:01:17,360 --> 00:01:21,640 Speaker 1: talking and covered their mouths with their hands. The voices 20 00:01:21,680 --> 00:01:25,080 Speaker 1: of the nobles fell silent, and their tongues stuck to 21 00:01:25,160 --> 00:01:28,479 Speaker 1: the roof of their mouths. As soon as the ear 22 00:01:28,680 --> 00:01:31,920 Speaker 1: heard these things, it blessed me, And when the eye 23 00:01:32,000 --> 00:01:35,720 Speaker 1: saw them, it bore witness to me. For I rescued 24 00:01:35,760 --> 00:01:38,720 Speaker 1: the poor who cried out for help, and the orphan 25 00:01:38,760 --> 00:01:41,840 Speaker 1: who had no one to assist him. The blessing of 26 00:01:41,880 --> 00:01:45,240 Speaker 1: the dying man descended on me, and I made the 27 00:01:45,280 --> 00:01:50,440 Speaker 1: widow's heart rejoice. I put on righteousness, and it clothed me. 28 00:01:51,560 --> 00:01:54,680 Speaker 1: My just dealing was like a robe and a turban. 29 00:01:55,680 --> 00:01:58,360 Speaker 1: I was eyes for the blind and feet for the lame. 30 00:01:59,200 --> 00:02:02,440 Speaker 1: I was a father to the needy, and I investigated 31 00:02:02,480 --> 00:02:05,600 Speaker 1: the case of the person I did not know. I 32 00:02:05,680 --> 00:02:08,639 Speaker 1: broke the fangs of the wicked and made him drop 33 00:02:08,680 --> 00:02:13,000 Speaker 1: his prey from his teeth. Then I thought, I will 34 00:02:13,080 --> 00:02:16,440 Speaker 1: die in my own home. My days as numerous as 35 00:02:16,480 --> 00:02:20,840 Speaker 1: the grains of sand. My roots reached the water, and 36 00:02:20,919 --> 00:02:25,000 Speaker 1: the dew lies on my branches all night long. My 37 00:02:25,120 --> 00:02:29,239 Speaker 1: glory will always be freshen me and my bow, ever. 38 00:02:29,080 --> 00:02:33,560 Speaker 2: Knew in my hand. People listened to me and waited silently. 39 00:02:34,200 --> 00:02:38,000 Speaker 2: They kept silent for my advice. After I had spoken, 40 00:02:38,240 --> 00:02:42,079 Speaker 2: they did not respond. My words fell on them drop 41 00:02:42,280 --> 00:02:45,680 Speaker 2: by drop. They waited for me as people wait for 42 00:02:45,720 --> 00:02:48,880 Speaker 2: the rain, and they opened their mouths. As for the 43 00:02:48,919 --> 00:02:53,400 Speaker 2: spring rains. If I smiled at them, they hardly believed it, 44 00:02:53,840 --> 00:02:56,200 Speaker 2: and they did not cause the light of my face 45 00:02:56,320 --> 00:02:59,960 Speaker 2: to darken. I chose the way for them and sat. 46 00:03:00,040 --> 00:03:03,359 Speaker 2: That is their chief. I lived like a king among 47 00:03:03,440 --> 00:03:13,000 Speaker 2: his troops. I was like one who comforts mourners. Let's pray, Lord, 48 00:03:13,040 --> 00:03:15,160 Speaker 2: we thank you for your word, and we thank you 49 00:03:15,200 --> 00:03:16,920 Speaker 2: for the privilege of being able to look at this 50 00:03:17,000 --> 00:03:19,800 Speaker 2: portion of scripture today. And Lord, as we look at 51 00:03:19,800 --> 00:03:23,440 Speaker 2: this portion of scripture, we can see Job romanticizing his 52 00:03:23,639 --> 00:03:26,960 Speaker 2: past and what his experience was like before the trials 53 00:03:27,000 --> 00:03:30,600 Speaker 2: he was currently experiencing had come upon him. And Lord, 54 00:03:30,639 --> 00:03:33,120 Speaker 2: sometimes it could be very easy for us to do that. 55 00:03:33,240 --> 00:03:35,560 Speaker 2: We tend to think so well of the past, and 56 00:03:35,600 --> 00:03:39,920 Speaker 2: we glaze over the difficulties that we experience during that time. 57 00:03:40,480 --> 00:03:42,680 Speaker 2: And I imagine that to a degree, that's what Job 58 00:03:42,840 --> 00:03:45,400 Speaker 2: was doing here as well, although he was certainly a 59 00:03:45,400 --> 00:03:49,360 Speaker 2: well respected man during his era. But Lord, we know 60 00:03:49,400 --> 00:03:51,800 Speaker 2: that you have greater things in store for us than 61 00:03:51,840 --> 00:03:54,600 Speaker 2: even what our best days on this earth look like. 62 00:03:55,440 --> 00:03:58,120 Speaker 2: Through faith in your son Jesus Christ, we know that 63 00:03:58,200 --> 00:04:01,040 Speaker 2: we have a future that is secure. Word, and it's 64 00:04:01,040 --> 00:04:03,760 Speaker 2: a future that will be lived out in your presence 65 00:04:04,440 --> 00:04:08,040 Speaker 2: and through Jesus. We are the recipients of blessing upon 66 00:04:08,160 --> 00:04:13,520 Speaker 2: blessing and gift upon gift. And Lord, it's impossible for 67 00:04:13,600 --> 00:04:16,640 Speaker 2: our minds to fully comprehend all the good things that 68 00:04:16,680 --> 00:04:19,400 Speaker 2: you truly have in store for us. So our best 69 00:04:19,440 --> 00:04:22,200 Speaker 2: days are yet to come. And we're grateful, Lord that 70 00:04:22,279 --> 00:04:24,880 Speaker 2: you have given us hope through Jesus Christ, that we 71 00:04:24,920 --> 00:04:27,680 Speaker 2: can look forward to the future with that kind of optimism. 72 00:04:28,360 --> 00:04:30,240 Speaker 2: But Lord, we're also grateful for the fact that you 73 00:04:30,279 --> 00:04:32,240 Speaker 2: are present with us right now, in the midst of 74 00:04:32,279 --> 00:04:35,080 Speaker 2: everything that we experience, and we're grateful Lord that you're 75 00:04:35,120 --> 00:04:37,680 Speaker 2: with us today. We commit this day to your care, 76 00:04:37,760 --> 00:04:39,800 Speaker 2: and we thank you for all of these things in 77 00:04:39,920 --> 00:04:42,280 Speaker 2: Jesus's name. Amen.