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 --> 00:00:12,360 Speaker 1: walk with Christ, please visit us at Bible Studyheadquarters dot com. 3 00:00:12,680 --> 00:00:17,200 Speaker 1: You're listening to the chapter today Audio Bible. I'm John Stangey, 4 00:00:17,720 --> 00:00:22,080 Speaker 1: and today we're in Job chapter thirty six, and we'll 5 00:00:22,120 --> 00:00:28,040 Speaker 1: be reading from the contemporary English version Eli who said 6 00:00:28,800 --> 00:00:32,159 Speaker 1: be patient a while longer. I have something else to 7 00:00:32,200 --> 00:00:37,640 Speaker 1: say in God's defense. God always does right, and this 8 00:00:37,800 --> 00:00:41,919 Speaker 1: knowledge comes straight from God. You can rest assured that 9 00:00:41,960 --> 00:00:46,000 Speaker 1: what I say is true. Although God is mighty, he 10 00:00:46,159 --> 00:00:50,479 Speaker 1: cares about everyone and makes fair decisions. The wicked are 11 00:00:50,479 --> 00:00:55,320 Speaker 1: cut down, and those who are wronged receive justice. God 12 00:00:55,400 --> 00:00:58,640 Speaker 1: watches over good people and places them in positions of 13 00:00:58,720 --> 00:01:03,160 Speaker 1: power and honor forever. But when people are prisoners of 14 00:01:03,280 --> 00:01:07,759 Speaker 1: suffering and pain, God points out their sin and their pride. 15 00:01:08,120 --> 00:01:11,000 Speaker 1: Then he warns them to turn back to him, and 16 00:01:11,080 --> 00:01:14,560 Speaker 1: if they obey, they will be successful and happy from 17 00:01:14,600 --> 00:01:18,440 Speaker 1: then on. But if they foolishly refuse, they will be 18 00:01:18,560 --> 00:01:23,440 Speaker 1: rewarded with a violent death. Godless people are too angry 19 00:01:23,480 --> 00:01:26,560 Speaker 1: to ask God for help when he punishes them, so 20 00:01:26,600 --> 00:01:31,560 Speaker 1: they die young in shameful disgrace. Hard times and trouble 21 00:01:31,640 --> 00:01:34,920 Speaker 1: are God's way of getting our attention, and at this 22 00:01:35,200 --> 00:01:38,880 Speaker 1: very moment, God deeply desires to lead you from your 23 00:01:38,920 --> 00:01:42,520 Speaker 1: trouble and to spread your table with your favorite food. 24 00:01:43,640 --> 00:01:46,520 Speaker 1: Now that the judgment for your sins has fallen upon you, 25 00:01:47,080 --> 00:01:50,080 Speaker 1: don't let your anger and the pain you endured make 26 00:01:50,160 --> 00:01:55,240 Speaker 1: you sneer at God. Your reputation and riches cannot protect 27 00:01:55,240 --> 00:01:58,920 Speaker 1: you from distress, nor can you find safety in the 28 00:01:59,040 --> 00:02:03,160 Speaker 1: dark world below beyond guard. Don't turn to evil as 29 00:02:03,200 --> 00:02:07,480 Speaker 1: a way of escape. God's power is unlimited. He needs 30 00:02:07,520 --> 00:02:11,960 Speaker 1: no teachers to guide or correct him. Others have praised 31 00:02:12,000 --> 00:02:15,120 Speaker 1: God for what he has done, so join with them. 32 00:02:15,320 --> 00:02:18,240 Speaker 1: From down here on earth, everyone has looked up and 33 00:02:18,320 --> 00:02:22,720 Speaker 1: seen how great God is. God is more than we imagine. 34 00:02:22,919 --> 00:02:26,240 Speaker 1: No one can count the years he has lived. God 35 00:02:26,320 --> 00:02:30,120 Speaker 1: gathers moisture into the clouds and supplies us with rain. 36 00:02:30,840 --> 00:02:34,800 Speaker 1: Who can understand how God scatters the clouds and speaks 37 00:02:34,840 --> 00:02:38,680 Speaker 1: from his home in the thunderstorm, And when God sends 38 00:02:38,760 --> 00:02:42,680 Speaker 1: lightning it can be seen at the bottom of the sea. 39 00:02:42,919 --> 00:02:47,720 Speaker 1: By producing such rainstorms, God rules the world and provides 40 00:02:47,800 --> 00:02:51,640 Speaker 1: us with food. Each flash of lightning is one of 41 00:02:51,680 --> 00:02:56,080 Speaker 1: his arrows striking its target, and the thunder tells of 42 00:02:56,200 --> 00:03:03,920 Speaker 1: his anger against sin. Let's pray, Lord, we thank you 43 00:03:03,960 --> 00:03:06,079 Speaker 1: for your word, and we thank you for the privilege 44 00:03:06,080 --> 00:03:08,560 Speaker 1: of being able to look at this portion of Scripture today. 45 00:03:09,120 --> 00:03:11,079 Speaker 1: And Lord, as we look at this portion of Scripture, 46 00:03:11,120 --> 00:03:13,760 Speaker 1: there are a variety of things that stand out from 47 00:03:13,760 --> 00:03:17,320 Speaker 1: what Eli who speaks in these passages. But one of 48 00:03:17,320 --> 00:03:20,440 Speaker 1: the things that catches my attention is this idea of 49 00:03:20,480 --> 00:03:23,200 Speaker 1: the fact that you warn people to turn back to 50 00:03:23,240 --> 00:03:28,160 Speaker 1: you and that you rejoice in our repentance. Lord, we 51 00:03:28,200 --> 00:03:30,720 Speaker 1: know that at times it can be very difficult for 52 00:03:30,840 --> 00:03:33,760 Speaker 1: us to be willing to repent. It's much easier for 53 00:03:33,880 --> 00:03:36,320 Speaker 1: us to go our own way and to pretend that 54 00:03:36,400 --> 00:03:38,520 Speaker 1: there's nothing that we need to admit to you or 55 00:03:38,600 --> 00:03:41,720 Speaker 1: confess to you. But Lord, you remind us in your 56 00:03:41,800 --> 00:03:45,800 Speaker 1: word that you rejoice in our repentance, and that something 57 00:03:45,840 --> 00:03:48,200 Speaker 1: you want from our lives is that we would live 58 00:03:48,680 --> 00:03:51,600 Speaker 1: in a continual state of being willing to be open 59 00:03:51,840 --> 00:03:56,000 Speaker 1: and honest and authentic with you, recognizing that you love us, 60 00:03:56,480 --> 00:03:59,640 Speaker 1: and recognizing that it is safer to come before you 61 00:03:59,680 --> 00:04:02,400 Speaker 1: and to repent than to live year after year and 62 00:04:02,480 --> 00:04:06,880 Speaker 1: day after day in wilful, rebellious sin against you. Lord, 63 00:04:06,960 --> 00:04:09,600 Speaker 1: your son Jesus Christ came to this earth to pay 64 00:04:09,640 --> 00:04:12,640 Speaker 1: for our sin, and you showed us in him the 65 00:04:12,680 --> 00:04:15,440 Speaker 1: depth of your love for us. So, Lord, if there's 66 00:04:15,480 --> 00:04:17,960 Speaker 1: something we're wrestling with, if there's something that we're trying 67 00:04:17,960 --> 00:04:20,599 Speaker 1: to keep back from, you, help us, Lord, to be 68 00:04:20,640 --> 00:04:23,880 Speaker 1: willing to confess and admit those things before you, and 69 00:04:23,920 --> 00:04:26,920 Speaker 1: to then move away from those things, relying on the 70 00:04:26,960 --> 00:04:30,200 Speaker 1: strength that you supply us through faith in your son 71 00:04:30,360 --> 00:04:33,520 Speaker 1: Jesus Christ. Lord, we're grateful for your help, and we're 72 00:04:33,520 --> 00:04:36,360 Speaker 1: grateful for your presence with us today, and we commit 73 00:04:36,400 --> 00:04:38,480 Speaker 1: this day to your care and thank you for all 74 00:04:38,520 --> 00:04:41,839 Speaker 1: of these things in Jesus' name. Amen.