Job 41:8

"Lay thine hand upon him, remember the battle, do no more."

God is continuing His words to Job about His creation. At the beginning of this chapter He begins to share and speak on the levithan, sea creature, sea monster, or whatever your translation may say. God tells of this creatures greatness and we have a parallel with it in the book of REvelation, 'that old dragon'. It is a comparison to be made for us in this reading becasue of the middle part of this verse, 'remember the batttle'. In the margin of my Bible I ahve written these words about the battle, 'the war of holiness'. There is a battle that rises to meet us each day between our flesh and the Spirit. 'The flesh and the Spirit are always contrary the one to the other.'

Job 40:4

"Behold, I am vile; what shall I answer thee? I will lay mine hand upn my mouth."

In the midst of God speaking, Job is allowed to speak in verses 4 and 5 and then the Lord continues. And what does Job say? Behold, I am vile - any soul that sees themselves in the light of His holiness will say this; It has always amazed me, that any recorded event in the Bible or during revivals, that when God came down or revealed Himself, this is the result of men. They see their true state of vileness, wickedness, in light of His holy Presence. It's like His light and holiness reveal every spot within us. How men cringe at the appearance of God Almighty. And do you think that you or I will fair any better? Absolutely not. We will bow, we will cower, we will fear in His holy Presence. All our sin to be brought up before our minds and condemned in His Presence. How much more should we then seek to see our own wickedness and vileness now? LEt the Holy Spirit come and search us and find and reveal our iniquity so that we may put it away from us. LEt us recognize it, confess it and repent of it. There is no reason to hold on to it. I cannot understand why sin grieves my heart of my own making, while others practice sin without any regrets. They live in sin, they practice it, they surround themselves in it, and there is no remorse over offending a most Holy God. LEt us search and hearts and try our ways, and see if there be any wicked in us. And how can we understand the need of a Savior to save us from our sins if we don't see our sins? Know that works, good intentions, hope so attitudes will not mend the vileness within. Only the blood of Christ can cleanse us and freee us from sin's hideous stains. And the only way of true cleanisng for the church today is to see our vileness in His sight. We need to see it and hone up to it. 'Let no evil ways be found in you'. ' Put away all evil from you'. What shall I answer Thee? - great questions of the Bible; what shall any man say about his sin when He meets God face to face? First, 'evey knee shall bow and every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord'. To all scoffers,haters ofGod, self righteous, unbelieveing will profess with their mouth that Christ is Lord indeed. And even though they profess and they bow the knee, what has that done about the problem that keeps them from God, their sin? Their sin still remains, and there at the judgment seat of Christ it shall all be revealed. But even now within our own life, God speaks to us about our sin. Habakkuk said, "I will stand upon my watch, and set me upon the twoer, and will watch to see what he will say unto me, and what I shall answer when I am reproved." What do you say when the Holy Spirit convicts? What shall any man say, "I am vile". Know the truth of the matter, we are wicked and in our flesh dwells no good thing. Seeing ourselves as we truly are, causes us, compels us to go to Him, Who is faithful to forgive and cleanse. 'What shall I say to His forgiveness? I will give thanks a thousand times over, that a sinners can be made spotless. What shall I say to His mercy? Undeserved, but rejoicing in Him not passing me by. What shall I say of His grace? How amazing, how precious, how wonderful for grace. We have no answer for our folly but to have faith in Him Who has made a way for our redemption. No excuses, no reasons, we are vile; yet, while in my vileness Jesus loved me and died for me to redeem me. I will lay mine hand upon my mouth - put your hand upon your mouth lest you speak as a fool unto God; Better to hold your tongue and thoughts silent than to speak in foolishness, especially unto God, Who already knows our thoughts. But in the Presence of the Lord, seeing He knows us already, there is no need to speak. Our actions have already spoken, our lives are being lived for what and who or Who we want them to be. That's the reason of that old saying, 'This man be dead, yet speaketh'. A man's life and actions tells what he is. What does your life say about you? Job was in the Presence of the Lord and even though he and his friends had spoken words for 34 chapters, when God began to speak, there was nothing to say. I have heard people say that they was going to tell God when they saw Him. Listen, brothers and sisters, we are not going to tell God anything. Seeing God will be adoration and wonder and leave us speechless. And truly what can we say, just behold Him and glory in His Presence. 'There's no other, such a friend or brother, the sympathizing Jesus'. Knowing my vileness, I see and behold His scars that He was bruised for my iniquity, He was wounded for my transgressions and He desires to make me whole for His glory. What shall I say? So let it be!! for His glory!! Amen and Amen for all His church!!

Job 39:6

"Whose house I have made the wilderness, and the barren land his dwellings."

The Lord is speaking to Job. He is describing the ways of His Own creation. He has made all things and we are to know that He did nto ask our permission, He created it. And here in this verse, He is referring to the wild ass that roams in the wilderness. But as I read it and focused on the words of it, my heart said, 'Is this not man?' Whose house I have made the wilderness - word study, made; When Adam and Eve was removed from the garden of Eve for their transgression, they was removed to the wilderness. No more was it perfection, vegetation, food, easily come by. It was now toil, briers, thorns, dry and hard ground, it was labor. The wilderness brought on a challenge, to clear, to inhabit, to rule. It is no easy task, for there is much to do. We have here the picture of our own lives, heart and ways. When a child comes out of the wilderness of sin and lostness, they are now faced with the challenge of old ways passing away and all things becoming new. The old ways, sometimes habits, routines, patterns must all be cleaed away if they do not glorify Christ. Easy? Never, for this is what Satan desires for us to be overcome by the wilderness of life. Let a yard go for a season, let the woods and fields alone and immediately the wilderness grows and prevails against that which had been kept. LEt the heart and mind wander and it will all pass away to lusts and sins. It must be kept, that takes daily discipline, work, tears, sweat to prevail against the wilderness. And we are here in this world, but this world is not out home. We are just passing through, and for a short time we must labor in this wilderness. We must believe and know that He keeps us and provides for us. And the barren land his dwellings - we dwell in a dry and thirsty land where no water is;

Job 38:3

"Gird up now thy loins like a man; for I will demand of thee, and answer thou me."

The Lord begins to speak to Job. We have the beginning of this passage from God. Where He does not address the three friends and disregards the youngest man, Elihu all together. He speaks for 4 chapters about His wondrous works and creation. He begins here by addressing Job to give an account. As all men shall give an account in the end. Gird up not thy loins like a man - be a man, as He created him to be; I do not believe God made man to be feeble, wishy washy and spineless. If He wanted that, He would have made us like the snake without a spine. But HE put a spine there for our structure in our mental habits of desire, passion, determination and forwardness. Now all these things can be for sin in the heart and life be determined to do evil. But God, we know, meant it to be exercised to know and find Him. Which are you pursuing? We are made to stand before Him and be honest with who we are, and why we are what we are. But ask most in the church, 'who are you? and why are you here?' They have no understanding or answers for those questions. Sad, but true, that most live their life not knowing what God has for them. They do not know the answer of why they are here.

Job 37:23

"Touching the Almighty, we cannot find him out: he is excellent in power, and in judgment, and in plenty of justice: he will not afflict."

Next to last verse for Elihu. It is to me in reading and knowing the order of events over these chapters a climax. The youngster, has waited his time to speak and share his opinion. But at the beginning of chapter 38, in two verses, God appears. You can pull the natural events out of what Elihu is saying, the clouds, the rain, the wind, the thunder everything pointing to something getting ready to happen. Thoughts and eyes are upon the heavens. Touching the Almighty - no man can touch God with physical hand; But we can touch Him with our prayers, tears and desire to know HIm. We can find Him and latch hold onto Him when we search for Him with all our heart. Do you wish to touch God? Do you wish to move heaven for the work of His great Name and kingdom? WE have verses that refers to this: 'He was moved . . '; ' His desire is toward. . .' these are phrases that have touched God to move Him to respond and act. Vanity, empty hearted phrases, and unbelief touch HIm not. They are a waste of time and energy to offer up prayers as simply 'saying words'. We cannot find Him out - He is infinite and without limits, we are the opposite; Only by His desire to be to us favorable are we able to go forward in Him. Now note, that Elihu was talking about that which he did not know completely about. Becasue when Jeremiah the prophet comes along he says, 'And you shall find Him, when you search for Him with all your heart'. We can find God, for He wishes to reveal Himself to His Own creation. But we must search for Him in all our capacities. The limit of finding Him out in all His ways, is that we are finite in this purusit of infinit, it is beyond our natural abilities. But God has in times aided men in seeing and knowing His ways. He has helped in finding out His ways.

Job 36:26

"Behold, God is great, and we know him not, neither can the number of his years besearched out."

Behold - let us gaze upon Him Who is splendid and wonderful; Elihu was gazing at the storm clouds rolling in and beheld the wonder of God through nature. So many a person does that, they behold His creation and see His wonderful blessings. But behold Him. Behold this great truth of Him and His wonderful ways. Think upon it, gaze upon it, dwell on it in thought and heart, dream of it, chew on it - Behold Him. God is great - and greatly to be praised; He was, He is and He will always be. This is one of the reasons I have a hard time using terms, like 'great', to describe anything of our own making. When Muhamed Ali, declared himself to be the greatness, it puts it on the same term being used to describe God Almighty and now a man. Can we do that? and still hold the same concept of using the word 'great'? God is great and that is it. LEt us put off using terms that should only be used to describe God. It is the erosion of concept in minds that brings God down to our earthly realm. He is not to be brought down, but we are to ascend up. And as we ascend up to Him, cast off the eyesight of this world. For no man shall see Him, no flesh shall enter in. You must take on a new body, a new spirit only to be found in Christ Jesus, Who makes us worthy to approach unto Him. And as we come, cleansed by His blood, robed in His righteousness. Do you see how you can not come without Him? He, only, makes a way for us. How arrogant to these that think they can approach unto Him, any old way. You can't do it any old way, you must do it in Christ alone. Now our eyes beholding the scene of His throne. The 24 elders seated around the throne; the four beasts flying around the throne; His throne high and lifted up for all to see and adore Him. He is worthy to be praised, for He is great and His Name is great and His ways are great! 'Consider how great things He hath done for you'. Does it not make the heart and the soul overflow with gratitutde of His mercies, blessings, Divine love, answered prayers, gifts, opportunitiies, moments, memories, promises, works, and all else His hand provides. God is great - and greatly to be praised; 'Consider His great and mighty deeds'. Is He not great in your eyes? Understand that which He has done, is doing and will do and see His great works of mercy, grace, Divine love, faithfulness and know He is creator and sustainer of all. And we know Him not - the problem within Christianity is that we do not know God; 'Be still and know that I am God'; Men cannot be still today and therefore they do not Him. They are not teachable when the world is distracting and leading us away from Him. Christ came so that we might know Him, the Father and the Son and the HOly Spirit. How much does the average Christian know about God and His ways? ARe you able to fill a piece of paper up with these truths? The mind and heart should be gleaning in the Scriptures all His attribute and wondrous works. The heart should consider His work of redemption and sanctification for us. And we should let our minds be stayed on that which He has prepared for His Own. These three ways would only begin to aid us in knowing Him. For how can finite understand infinite? But it is His desrie for us to know HIm, let it not be our neglect and rejection of His ways. The great sin is becasue we do not know Him, then we are filled with unbelief, uncertainty about tomorrow and we lose heart in His ways. Because if the church knew God, they would know the certainty of all things possible in Him.

Job 35:5

"Look unto the heavens, and see; and behold the clouds which are higher than thou."

The words of Elihu continue and as they do, strom clouds start coming in. Then wind, and thunder and lighting and wind, and then God appears. I have no doubt that this verse is a reference to the physical weather changing at this given moment. But we will consier the spiritual part of it. Look unto the heavens and see - word study, look; to see; Both are actions of the eyes, to look and see. And looking does not necessarily mean seeing. "I looked but I could not see". But how are we able to see the heavens? Man has continued to invent ways to see the heavens. If you would consider the advancement from Job's time till now, we have come a long way. WE are able to see light years into the universe and behold the heavens. But isn't there another heaven that should speak to us in a more moving way than the sun, moon, stars and sky? Let us look into the heaven of heavens and see His kingdom and His throne. How few give thoughts to these things to behold the beauty of His holiness. Let us gaze upon His glory and know that there are things to glorious for us to behold with these physical eyes. Take away the scales of our eyes O Lord and let us see Jesus. 'For He that inhabiteth eternity, Whose Name is holy; He is hight and lifted up'. The best description for us, of these heveavnly things, is found in Revelations. There the description is given of ChristJesus and His heavenly throne with the Father and the angelic hosts. A mind to conceive of those things is heatlhy. Gaze upon Him and see the wonders of the heavenly heaven. There is where Christ reigns at the right hand of the Father. Behold Him Who was wounded and pierced for our iniquities. Hear McCheynes plea to look and see, "A glance at Christ will save, it is the gazing at Christ that sanctifies.' Don't just look, see Him Who is worthy of your praise and adoration. See Him Whom your soul loveth. For if you don't really desire to see Him, do you truly love Him? Gaze and look and see the heavens of what shall be for His people. The celestial city, that in Pilgrim's Progress, good Christian labored to get to. The same city you and I are supposed to be 'Marching to Zion'. See the wonders of it; trees that bear 12 fruits all the time; pure water and rivers proceeding from the throne; see colors beyond our comprehension and limited abilities; see the saints and hear the testimonies of His faithfulness to one and all. Do you see? Look upon and dwell upon until you do see. And behold the clouds which are higher than thou - the physical clouds are above and beyond our human reach; Go up into the highest mountains and still the clouds are above us. Consider this phrase of this verse with Isiah 55:9, "For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my wyas higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts." For as we look and see above, He is there, high and lifted up for us to worship Him. And even though they be so much higher than us, He has made a way for all to come unto Him. Yea, He has invited us to come unto Him, 'Come unto Me, all you that are weary and worn'; 'Come unto Me all you that are thirsty'. Come up and abide in Him. 'This is the way, walk in it'. ARe you there brethern? ARe you in Him and looking unto Him? Keep your eyes, soul and heart unto Him, Who loves you. SErve Him all your days and complete this life with the next words to be, 'Well done, thou good and faithful servant.'

Job 34:21

"For his eyes are upon the ways of man, and he seeth all his goings."

Here is the truth of the nature of God. He is God; He is omnipresent; He is omniscient; He is powerful; He is holy; there is no fault found in Him, perfect in all; He is omnipotent; He is God alone and there is none other. For His eyes are upon the ways of man - word study, way; Because He is God, there is nothing beyond His sight and vision. His vision is not just present as ours is. He is able to see in time past, present, and future. You and I are limited only to see in the present. Our memories allow for us to relive our past. And only by a supernatural vision from His hand are we allowed to see future. But the eyes of the Lord, run to and fro throughout all the earth. . . He pondereth all the goings of man. He sees deeper than the physical. He sees the motive, He sees the intent, He sees the inward ways of man. Yea, He knows us better inside and out than we know ourselves. And why is His eyes on us? For He loves us. And why does He ponder all our goings? For He has made a way for us to be rescued out of His love. He knows where the course of events is taking us. WE are able to see the past history that where we are today, has come from our past. We see our existence from the family tree; we see the church from the book of Acts; we see our nation and the course that it is has come from. IN all these things God knows our ways of where we have been, where we are and where we are going. And in all these things God seeks for His glory to be manifested in each way. How little this is sought by men and especially by His Own church. Let us labor for His glory in all our ways. Yielded to Him, consecrated unto Him and obedient unto Him. Let us labor for the things of His kingdom and not the things of this world. That as Job, when God considers our ways, He will say to SAtan, 'Have you considered My servant?" Let our ways be pleasing in His sight instead of Him seeing only folly and sin. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners and purify your hearts you double minded. Put on the whole armour of light and shine for in all your ways for His glory.
He seeth all his goings - word study, to see, to go; He keeps watch over His Own creation so that it might be redeemed. For He sees the mar of sin and iniquity that invades and destorys us. Can you imagine the evil that goes up from this world ina days time? All the evil words, all the evil acts, all the evil thoughts go up before Him Who sees all things. No wonder God has said, 'I will not look upon sin'. He will not allow of His ability to see to mar or taint His Own Being of holiness. How evil we are as a people. He sees the lostness and the need for restoration. He sees the need within every person. He sees the way to turn their evil into holiness and righteousness. He sees all this and still loves us. He sees where man has come from, from the very beginning when He breathed life into Ada. He sees where we are going, the progression of humanity to its desired end. And He knows all that lays within us and before us. His desire is toward us that we might be saved and born again and walking in newness of life in Him. He sees you that are seeking holiness and truth; He sees you that are seeking self and the lusts of your flesh; He sees each one and He knows us better than we know ourselves. How much more then should we not fear Him and draw near unto Him, Who has loved us and made a way for us? Draw fast to Him and do not depart for the things of this earth.

Job 33:4

"The spirit of God hath made me, and the breath of the Almighty hath given me life."

We use this verse to reflect back to our creation and existence. The spirit of God hath made me - word study, made; So much can evolve out of this one statement. We ask out of the Isaac Watts catechism for 3 and 4 year olds, 'who made you?' and the answer is, 'God, creator of heaven and earth and all that is'. And if they answer, 'God' and leave the rest off. Because a child believes in simplicity, then we teach them to add the rest and recognize the rest of one of God's greatest attributes, 'creator of all'. And then we move up to the 7 and 8 year old catechism question of creation, 'We recognize God made us, but why did God make us?' I know adults that have been in the church for decades and they can't answer that. But to teach the answers is how one learns. 'The spirit of God made me'; ask the questions out of this phrase, 'what is the spirit?' 'what are the works of the spirit of God?' 'What all has He made?" 'Why did He make me?' God is spirit and truth, He is not flesh like us. Christ came in flesh from spirit to redeem us and perfect the law. The understanding of this is beyond our comprehension because we are set on limitations of understanding spiritual and physical. No flesh shall inherit the kingdom of God and thus it must be put down and destoryed. This is why we shall receive a new body for eternity. Flesh is limited, frails, perishing, consumed in sin and defiled. It must be put off to inherit the new spirit and body created by He Who is spirit. Yet, within our minds we conceive of God the Father and the Son to be like us in flesh, even though we know this not to be factually. We have no problem with the Holy Spirit, (Holy Ghost) because of our understanding of ghostly spirits. Yet we define them differently than what God presents, we perceive a spirit to be without form and void, no substance, passing through a ghostly shape. Yet, God and the angels have substance and the two forms of physical and spiritaul are one in the same,even though our minds are limited in understanding. The spirit of God is life. Yea, He made ADam of the dust and formed him with hands, physical structure shaping and forming. Yet, still no life, until God breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, which is His Own spirit. We which are dead in trespasses and sins are quickened, made alive, when the Spirit of God is breathed into our lives.

Job 32:11

"Behold, I waited for your words; I gave ear to your reasons, whilst ye searched out what to say."

The friends of Job have finished their onslaught against Job. Job has ended his words. And now Elihu begins his discourse to examine and condemn Job over the next 5 chapters until God shows up. Proper manners and custom takes precedence here. Elihu waits for the elders to speak and then when they are done, he begins. Behold, I waited for your words - word study, to wait; He held his words and tongue while they discoursed. There is not much demonstrated of that today, everyman has their say regardless of elders and youth. Elders have not taught this principle, 'let your elders teach your youth'. And youth do not give place to wisdom and experience, for they are filled with pride and arrogance. I want to tell you where wisdom and truth is really found, 'I wait for your words'; waiting not on man's words but the Lord's words. 'Speak, O Lord, and let me hear your voice'; 'It is the voice of my Beloved'; 'I hear Your voice O Lord'. Wait for the Lord's words and not man's.

Job 31:8

"Then let me sow, and let another eat; yea, let my offspring be rooted out."

The conclusion of our study upon these last words of Job to his friends. Of course, the words gone on until the conlcusion of this chapter. then let me sow - a phrase to use as an illustration from the last verse; 'If sin be found in me, then let my works fail.' He is getting ready to denounce his labor of sowing, so that he does nto enjoy the rewards of his efforts. 'Tears may endure for a ngiht, but joy cometh in the morning.' But many a person does not want to sow tears. They do not want to sow effort or work. They do not want to sow seeds of His Gospel. But how shall we reap anything if we do not sow? No tears, no joy; no effort or work, no finished product; no seed, no harvest. Everything of life and His kingdom is tied into sowing. Then let me sow. May this be your motto,may it be your duty. Too many hearts in the churh today are resigned not to do anything. Their consideration is found in that someone else will do it. But what a difference it would make if everyone in the church was sowing, how bountiful would be the harvest. Resigned in your heart to sow in everything that is profitable in His kingdom: in prayer, in the Word, in the house of the Lord, in witnessing, in tithes, and in works of faith. Oh, for souls to understand and declare, then let me sow. And let another eat - the conclusion of Job's point; If I have planted, and yet I have sin in my life, let another eat of my labor. This is true in many aspects of our life. Even Paul decalred, 'one sows, another waters, and God gives the increase'. Solomon spoke of his own vanity, 'I labor and have built and what profit? For when I am dead, someone else that has not labored will enjoy my work.' Many a soul is hung up on this, 'if I can't enjoy it and get the glory for it, then I won't do anything.' But in the kingdom of God, our desire is that another eat. WE want to feast off of others walk with the Lord and their blessings. For example, how blest is the soul that reads biographies. You read of George Mueller, and Hudson Taylor and Praying John Hyde and see their sowing in tears, prayers and labors. We reap and eat of their testimony, the soul is strengthened. And does not your prayers sown, allow for God's mercies to be given to another? Is it not the intercessors that hold the church together and the nations from evil and God's wrath? Remove them and see what work of hell is unleashed and done. We eat from their faithful bounty. And what shall we say of our salvation? was we not saved by another's labors for our soul? Prayers, teaching, instructing, preaching, sharing of the Gospel, we ate of the works of redemption from another's sowing. If Christ had not sown in death and sacrifice and obedience unto the Heavnely Fathers desire we would not eat of grace and redemption. Consdier how much you owe to such things beloved! And it should be your practice to sow for others. LEt your tears, prayers and labors not be for yourself, but for others around you. Let my offspring be rooted out - if sin be found Job offers his chidlren for punishement as well; This is a hard thing to consider for so many. They feel to express love for their children is to protect them and deliver them from every harm. But this is not so. For the parent that truly loves their children will offer them unto the Lord for His care and keeping. Job describes that his existence on this earth could be destroyed and wiped out. How many family lines destroyed and once destroyed never more to be found. But it is true for us to understand that our iniqutiy does carry weight to future generations. There is such a thing as generational sin. We see this found throughout the Old Testament. The generation that was sent ot captivity was the direct result of hundred of years before them walking in disobedience. The younger chidlren endured the wilderness because of the disobedient acts fo their parents. We see repeated that the next generation reaps what the parents have sown. Should this not awaken us that our actions and life impacts them? And Job was so willing to recognize his sin that he sets his children as the reapers of his iniquity. And don't forget this is a grieving father and all 10 of his chidlren had been killed. He was justifying their death as to say they were not destoryed becuase of his sin. I cannot imagine the process Job was going through during this time of reflection. Attacks of his friends and his defense against their accusations; his wife betraying him to end his own life and sorrow; possessions gone and substance lost; children killed and dead; and no answers to why God allowed these things. How grateful we should be for every blessing. And even in the midst of sorrow know that God is God and hold fast to faith in His perect ways.

Job 31:7

"If my step hath turned out of the way, and mine heart walked after mine eyes, and if any blot hath cleaved to mine hands"

Job lays out that his ways are right and honest, but he recongizes that man sins and may be blind to that sin. So he declares that if there is sin, let it be found out so that it may be thrust out. If my step hath turned out of the way - word study, way; We are to walk the straight and narrow way. OUr steps are to be found perfect in all our ways. Yet, we know that there are few who find this way. Many are they that go in at the broad and wide path. and so a Christian is always conscience of their ways of life. 'ARe my hands clean? Is my heart pure?' Job is defending that he has not turned out of the way from serving the Lord wholly. But if he has, let it be shown so that he may confess, repent and turn quickly back. Is this thy desire believer? Do you abhor sin of any fashion in your life? ARe you sensitive not to quench and grieve the HOly Spirit from ruling and reigning in your heart? Then examine your steps, giving an account of why you do what you are doing. If I have had desires that are lustful, let me be purified by His precious blood; if I have risen up to think of myself more than what I am and pride be found, let me be humbled; if I have desired the things of this world, let my affections be turned back to heavenly things; if I have loved someone or something more that Christ, let me repent and renew my vows unto Him and Him alone. This is your steps, where are you found? Are you in the right way or the perverse way? And mine heart walked after mine eyes - word study, walk; So much is said of our daily walk and where it is leading us. Here we see the way a man's life goes; he sees, his heart follows and his way is defined. And so it begins with what the eyes is looking at. This is why Job said in verse 1, 'I made a covenant with my eyes'. What your eyes behold is where your heart will go. So what are you looking at? "Looking unto Jesus" will lead your heart after Him. Looking at the lusts and vanity of this world will lead you to sin and hell. It began with Eve in the garden, she looked at the tree and the fruit, then she desired it and then she sinned. I John declares the same message in chapter two, "Love not the world,neither the things that are in the world; for all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, the lusts of the eyes and the pride of life, is not of the Father but is of this world." The eyes behold the lusts of this world and it will and most of the time does lead to sin. The recognition of this truth would lead us to keep ourselves, especially what our eyes behold. For what my eyes behold is where it will lead my heart to. So if we look at this in the reciprocation, not sin but holiness, the same end will happen. AS a soul looks upon sin with their eyes and sin enters in; likewise, if a person looks upon God and His wondrous works, then holiness enters in. And the eye that does always behold His face is free from sin. Does the church even understand this truth? We should desire it for His glory. And if any blot hath cleaved to mine hands - as the eyes behold it, the hands create it; There is great resource given to our hands to work and do the works of life. 'What your hand findeth to do, do it with all your might'. And as many people work for sin, they produce great evil; so let the church labor with their hands for His glory. David wrote in Psalm 24, "he that hath clean hands and pure heart. . .he shall receive the blessing of the Lord". Is this not where we begin in confession? What is on your hands? Is their the blot of sin? the blood of souls? the works of self and vanity? Let all these things be put away and confession and repentance to make us whole. For what many does not understand that sin is left unconfess and they ignore he self-examination by the light of His Word, the sin remains. They are defiled and they care not. WE must see the tru condition of our eyes, 'what is it beholding?'; we must see the true condition of our hands, 'is there sin found?'. What have you labored for? what have you done with your hands this day? The truth is the same as our eyes, if we be found walking worthy of Him, then our hands will be clean. WE will be working righteousness for His glory. WE will not labor for the meat that perishes and is sinful, but for that which is eternal and full of His goodness. Labor for His kingdom, not for selfish ends. Work while it is day for the night cometh when no man can work. Work for holiness, righteousness and faithfulness and sin will not have place to defile the hands, heart and eyes. But it all begins with what you are looking at brethern!

Job 31:6

"Let me be weighed in an even balance, that God may know mine integrity."

Job continues. . .let me be weighed in an even balance - the ways fo God are just and right; Daniel told the evil king of Babylon, 'Thou art weighed in the balances and found wanting'. Many a soul today puts themselves right in their own eyesight, but the Lord has condemned such manner of life. Job takes comfort to submit himself unto the balances of the Lord to judge him. He knows the virtues and attributes of the Lord are right. He is resigned to the judgement to be cast forth fromt he Lord knowing that he will not judged unfarily. Do we know the Lord andHis ways of judgement? Does He not know all and is recording all? Yea, He is gathering every thought, word and deed from every person to be judged at the end. How many are willing to be judged? Most are trying to undo their evil deeds and cover up their sin. They are fearful of what the Lord is going to say. And the rest are ignorant about what is coming, because they have been deceived to beleive a lie that all they have to do is try to be good. Not be good, just try; but the Scirptures tells us 'there is none good, no not one'. Soit is that all men will be judge, the quick and the dead on that day. And every work shall be called in to give an account of the deed and the motive behind the deed. The ways of man, full of sin and pride and vanity, shall all be condemned. And the work of man shall be shown for what it was, it was for self. Now Job knows, as well as we should that our hope is not found in self, but all inChrist. His ways are right, His judgements are fair and the balances that we will be weighed in are not perverted or unfair, but just. The way of the Lord is right and our consolation is that when we are weighed it will be by Him Who is not bribed, or cruel or unfair. Our hope is in Him Who isrighteous. That God may know my integrity - word study, to know; Job knew his own life and that it was upright and honest in all his dealings and ways. Is it that Job was saying that God did not know of his own life? No, for God knows all things. And it is that when Job would be weighed in the balances of judgment that it would be revealed to all of his integrity. And so we have that verse from Paul, 'all our works shall be revealed, so as by fire'. For whatsoever is consumed is all vanity, but that which endures the fire shall give glory unto Him. Let us be weighed and let us see how honest we are in our life. Is our speech true? is our money matters right? is our walk the same out in public as it is in private? Are we faithful in great and small things? These are the things that shall reveal if we walked integrity. Examine yourself as Job did. 'If your heart condemen you, God is greater than our heart'. And as you examine yourself, if you are convicted then know your intergrity is not intact. But as you examine yourself in the light of the Word and the Spirit, and there is no conviction then know that you are in peace with God. God knows all men's hearts and motives, He will be just and true to reveal our desired ends for eternity.

Job 31:5

"If I have walked with vanity, or if my foot hath hasted to deceit"

Job judges himself in the light of several actions of men's lives. If I have walked with vanity - word study, to walk; Solomon said, 'Vanity of vanity all is vanity'; A man'swalk is everything. How we go through a day; how we think; how we react; how we live. What is the end of it? Is it like Solomon said, 'Vanity'. Meaning it has no worth, weight or value, it is empty and void. Isn't it awful to consider that men's lives are like this? That they can live on this earth for decades, be given years to live and accomplish something in Christ and for Christ and leave with nothing, but the life given. And that life goes back to God Who gave it. And Job is saying, 'If I have lived my life for nothing but self, self-seeking pleasures, it is all for nought'. And so we ask ourselves, what is your life? Are you found with purpose or worthlessness? ARe you void or filled? What have you accomplished in this life and your walk? Your daily living is your walk, and it is either holy or vile. The time in a day is used for something, sloth, vanity or the Lord's kingdom. What do you occupy your time with? Growing in the Lord is key to maturing. How you walk determines your growth. I do not expect a Christian who prays little, reads littlie, evangelizes none and attends church sporadically, to ever walk worthy. If they are not doing these things that produce righteousness then they are filling their time and energy on something else of this world, which is sin. ARe they even of the Lord? But this is how a man's walk is defined, and you must examine your walk and see is it for Him or vanity. Or if my foot hath hasted to deceit - the walk is carried forth by the feet; And if their walk be vanity then they are close to other sin that comes from that. Deceit is to deceive one into falsehood. It's utter end result is to make void the truth. Many a man and religions deceive. Their sole virtue was for self and their own folly. The cults and false religions of this world are causing billions of people to hasten toward deceit. And what shall we sayof the false preachers in Christianity and the church of today? Have they not sold the people half truths and led them to deceit? How shall man be delivered from such a place as this? Only the fullness of God poured out on the people can bring the light to shine in their darkness and lead them rightly. But do we have the fullness of God shining brightly? No, we have quenched and grieved His Holy Spirit that would shine on us. We have cloak ourselves with self to hinder the truth from setting us free. And religious duties and practices of religion ensare men's souls to hell. 'Oh, I ambaptized'; 'What do you believe about that?' 'I don't know, I just know I was baptized'. It is the common way of religious practices that have damned many a soul and thier feet have hasted to deceit.

Job 31:4

"Doth not He see my ways, and count all my steps?"

Job is recognizing that the hand of the Lord rewards those that are righteous and evil. He has just mentioned 'the inheritance' is passed on from the Lord and 'punishment' on the wicked. Job is declaring that he is innocent and righteous in his ways. That even though, his friends and others may view the events of his life as punishment this is not the cause. Doth not He see my ways - word study, to see; word study, way; Job is asking, acutally a rehetorical question, that truly he already knows the answer to. Does Job believe that God is God? Does He beleive that He sees all and knows all? Yes, he does. What do you beleive? You say you believe the same, does your life demonstrate that truth then. How many times does the Bible refer to us the truth about God's all seeing in past, present and future? What was the Spirit doing in Gene. 1:2? He was seeing us and all the generations of man. What did Jesus tell Jeremiah? 'Before you was born, I knew you; while you was yet in the womb, I ordained you'. What did he say of John the Baptist? Four hundred years before his birth, He foretold of what JOhn would be and do for the Son of God. What does He say of us? 'While you was yet in sin, Christ (saw)you and loved you and died for you." Do we believe? Then why does doubts arise and fears assail you. Do you realize how many Christians cry out this day, like Job, 'Lord to you see me or not?' How foolish is this when we meditate this truth? Yet, in the battles and frustrations of life, we say it or think it. He has not forgotten us. He has engraved us on His hands and He knows us. He not only sees us yesterday, but today and He sees us tomorrow. And what does He see? Our ways. Are they ways of righteousness or ways of evil? 'This is the way, walk ye in it'. What way? The way of Christ. This is holiness, void of sinfulness and evil, and perfect in our obedience unto Him.

Job 31:3

"Is not destruction to the wicked? and a strange punishment to the workers of iniquity?"

"The wages of sin is death"; "the wrath of God abideth upon them"; 'The Lord is angry with the wicked every day." These are a few of the verses in the Bible that those that claim 'God is love and would not judge anyone or condemn anyone' forgets. God is holy and just and His Nature must decry the wages of sin. For men sin without cause now. Before Christ they sinnedin ignorance, but now Christ hath made a way for all men to be saved from the old nature of sin, but men refuse it. Is not destruction to the wicked? - great questions of the Bible; A question with a presupposed answer, 'Yes, the wicked shall be destroyed'. Look at some of the Scriptures that reveal this to us (too many to mention at this time). The flood, 'for all man were continaully evil, except Noah who was found rightoues in the sight of the Lord.' Sodom and Gomorrah, only Lot was found worthy of mercy, all the wicked perished in fire and brimstone. The 40 years of traveling in the wilderness, 605,000 footmen came out of Egypt and that entire generation died,e xcept, Joshua and Caleb for their sin. The children of Israel, roughly 1 million during Solomon's day, when they came out of captivity 500 years later, roughly only 40,000; what happened to the other 960,000 - they died and perished for their sin. What men forget today an ddon't hear about is that God is going to judge and condemn the wicked. There is no escapes in hell, no mercy, no retry, it is final! Woes unto the day when God destroys the wicked from His sight. 'It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.' And a strange punishment to the workers of iniquity? - great questions of the Bible; To define strange here is the key to understanding this phrase. Strange - unfamilar; unaccustomed; exciting wonder or awe. This strange punishment on those that practice and live sin is going to be all these things. Their punishment from thehand of God will be unlike anything known before. It will encite the senses to see, hear and feel dread to its worst extent. And what shall a mane do when he stands before the judgment seat of Christ and hears, "Thou art found in balances wanting. Guilty. Condemned." To know that this is not punishment and then reprieve, it is eternity. Oh, how awful the sight of billions condemned and cast away into hell!! Can we bear this to know of our loved ones, of any man, known or unknown? Is this not a 'strange' punishment? This that excites the wonder and awe of our fear of God. I believe a Christian today has some sense of this awe when they read and understand the Gospel and think upon eternity. This is the reason it should be a regular point to meditate on.

Job 31:2

"For what portion of God is there from above? and what inheritance of the Almighty from on high?"

Job questions the things of God and His works. For what portion of God is there from above? great questions of the Bible; We can look at this from two point of views: 1. taking this verse in context with the previous verse, we would say, 'If I have looked upon a maid, then I have sinned against the Lord. And what shall my poriton be from God above for such a sinner as I?' What does God impart to sinners? He is above; we are beneath. What comesfrom above upon men? Upon the lost, the wrath of God abides on them. There is not to be found any favor or blessings, for they have provoked the Lord God to anger. Upon the hypocrite religious Pharisees, there is silence and they go through their religious deeds without considering whether they knwo the Lord or whether He is speaking to them. Upon the saved, they have received grace and mercy. They know Him and they adore Him, His portion to them is His great love. He that is above hath imparted blessings upon this earth. WE should recognize that which comes from above for all. Salvation has come for all, "For the Gospel hath appeared unto all men"; Christ died for all. He has imparted life to us, He is the giver of life. He is the sustainer of life,His mercy, for all mankind. We would not be if it were not for Him. These things come from above, from He Who is above. And what inheritance of the Almighty from on high? - great questions of the Bible; Two questions found within this one verse. Both used to stress his point of everything being given and directed from above, for the wicked and righteous. The inheritance for man is two fold. Any inheritance we may desire or wish for here is earthly and will be consumed in fire. The work of righteousness and service to Christ is laying up heavenly treasure. But thewicked and their works cause them to inherit an eternity of punishment and judgement for their vile sinfulness. The righteous and holy inherit heaven and bliss in Him forever. What is it that every man will inherit? Eternity. One way or the other; the broad and wide path leads to destruction and the straight and narrow that leads to heaven. This has been mandatedand fixed by God Almighty. He Who has seen past, present and future knows exactly what the affairs of this life reap for every soul. And in election He knows those that will chose Him and obey Him. This is how Jesus knew that Judas was the 'son of perdition', the son of the damned. He knew his betrayal. God Almighty dwells in 'the high and holy place, He inhabits eternity'. This is what He imparts to the souls of this world. To those that believe, life everlasting; to those that don't, everlasting hell. We are to tell men, women and chidlren of this inheritance that is coming. They are offered the choice of what they will have in eternity. If they don't chose, they chose hell. Oh, that we would explain to men today, what their inheritance is before they receive it.

Job 31:1

"I made a covenant with mine eyes; why then should I think upon a maid?"

Here begins the last chapter of Job speaking and confessing his ways before his friends and before the heavens. He has declared his innocence and there is no fault to be found in him. He justifies his ways throughout this chapter. I made a covenant with mine eyes - what do you look upon with your eyes, physical and spiritual? word study, made; In his own heart he vows to himself, makes a covenant between him and the Lord and with his own heartr. 'I will not look upon sin'. when we talk about being Christ like, is that not what the Lord said of His Own Self, "I will not behold sin"? It is for us to do the same. What does your eyes behold? Physically, we are surrounded by lusts in this world. ON the TV, papers stands, billboards, the way people dress, it is before us. To the soul that regards fleshly lusts, they do not see that there is sin in looking. But that sin which comes in through the eyes goes stragith to the heart and lusts is formed. It is the beginning of the downward spiral. For lusts, leads to temptation and temptation leads to doing the act and sin enters in. But if the soul would stop the sin from lusting with the eyes, it would keep them from falling into temptaiton. Job agrees with this and declares that he will not look upon such things. What do you behold with your eyes? What are you watching? Enter into an agreement. Make a sure covenant between you and the Lord that you will not look upon such things that condemn and damn the soul. Many will jsutify that it is okay to look so long as you don't touch. But Jesus said, 'The man that lusts after a woman has already committed adultery in his heart and is guilty'. Let this truth burn within us to 'avoid all appearance of evil'. How can we be holy vessels, vessels of honor, where our eyes see sin? The devil uses this to destroy, guard yourself and covenant as Job did. Now what do we see spiritually. do our eyes behold the wonders of God? Have we made a convenant for our very eyesight to see God? "Looking unto Jesus"; 'behold Him'; 'We would see Jesus', these are the verses that should hold us to view Christ. And if our eyes are fixed on Him, we should give place to the things of this world. elisha saw the spiritual world and prayed for his servant, Gehazi to see it. Daniel saw visisons. John saw the heavenly vision. Stephen saw the throne of God and Christ standing. All these are instnace of spiritaul things to see. Do we see them? Are our eyes so fixed on Him that we behold His glory? I would say not, for we are to much viewing of this world and its sin. OUr eyes are not ready to behold what the Lord would reveal us. Make a convenant and give your eyes to Him. This is how one person can be readiong the Bible and a truth leaps off the page at them. But another person reading that same passage sees nothing. One sees it, the other is blind. Open my eyes Lord that i may see, vision of Thee. Why then should I think upon a maid? great questions of the Bible; the eye seeing, makes the brain think; Usually sin enters in with the eyes beholding vanity, sin. This triggers the mind to dwell on it. Unless the soul is dsiciplined enough to abhor it and put away from them, they will dwell on the image, the sin. And instead of putting it away from them, they allow for it to ruin and sear their soul. Adulter and fornication and other sexual sins of this generation has exploded because of the lifestyle of this genreation. There is no fear nor regard to marriage or purity. All are defiled and corrupted, how great will be this generations judgement for not keeping themselves pure and undefiled. It is not reproached for men to think about another woman. Job knows where his loyalty lies, to his wife. why should he give thoughts to another that is not his? He knows it is sin and refuses to gvie place to it. But in this generation they give place to it and regard not the sin of it. If you are married, your thoughts are of your beloved and do not look upon another. If you are not married, to not allwo for your eyes and mind to dwell on the opposite sex. 'Dearly beloved, I beseech you as strangers and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts which wars against the soul.'

Job 30:20

"I cry unto thee, and thou dost not hear me: I stand up, and thou regardest me not."

I am often led to teach people the truth about prayer. Not that I know all the truth about prayer, far from it actually. But the Scriptures in regards to what is said about prayer. The belief today is that God hears all prayer. But there are numerous verses in the Bible that tells us this is not so. God can hear all prayer, for He is God. But God restricts and limits from hearing thoses prayers that are from sinners and contrary unto His will. Job's condition is that he feels that all the sorrow of his life, that as he has cried out to God there has been no answer. Now we know from reading the rest of the book of Job, that in a few chapters God will answer Job, 'face to face'. So it elimnates that simply because God does not answer in our time, does not constitute that God has not heard. It may be that God, in His perfect timing, is not ready to bestow or answer for His Own Divine reason. I cry unto Thee - the first thing to note of prayer is our crying out to Him; And a high percentage, if asked, 'Do you pray?', will say that they pray all the time. Many will say that they believe in prayer. Many will say that they do pray. But when pressed to be specific the truth is revealed, that even though, it is on the mind and heart to pray, the actual practice of it is limited. How horrible is the sin of preachers that confess they haven't been in prayer for six months. If the shepherd practice like this, surely you know what the sheep in the churches are doing. To cry unto the Lord is not just about when you get in trouble, it is about a daily time of being before the Lord. 'I' cry, it is my personal responsiblity. I am the one that is to cry out for the needs, for the sins, for the lost, for the sick, and to declare His wonderous works in praise. 'Unto Thee', I have no One else to go to but the Lord. There is no other god for me to cry to, only the Lord. and if I cry to other men, they cannot deliver nor help, only the Lord. Dear reader, answer the question honestly, do you pray? Do you cry out to Him? and thou dost not hear me - two things are given in the Scriptures that reveal why; 'If I regard iniquity in my heart the Lord will not hear me'. so it is that even if men are crying out to the Lord, there is no surety that it avails anything. The second is found in the book of James, 'You ask and receive not because you ask amiss'. Asking contrary unto the will of the Lord will void someone crying out ot Him. But people justify themselves that they prayed. And that may be so, they cried out to God, but did God hear? And if He did not are these two things present in your prayer life. Deal with thesethings first and then you can be assured that your prayers have prevailed. Those that declare, 'My prayer hits the ceiling and comes back down', they are blaming God to some decree, but the truth is, that is of their own failure to pray rightly. I stand up, and thou regardest me not - why should finite think that they deserve the attention of Infinite? God is God and there is no other. Yet, He has taken delight in the sons of men for their redemption. He has done all so that we might be saved and redeemed. And in times of sorrow and grief many a soul feels their insignificance in this world. they think they matter not. They cry out, and no One hears them. They live and no one notices them. This is not true. The Lord God runs His eyes to and fro throughout the whole world. He sees, He knows, and He cares. YEt, we must understand that we must do it the way that He has said. We cannot come of our own merit or way. It is His way or no way. ' A righteous man prevails with God'. Don't think that your unrightesous life will gain favor with God, only wrath. Be careful of your self rightoues arrogance, it is an offence unto God. Cleanse your hands, purify your hearts and then stand up before Him and know that He will hear an danswer. Do it His way brethern and then shall you know what it is to prevail.

Job 29:2

"Oh that I were as in months past, as in the days when God preserved me."

It is that Job recognizes how God kept him. Too many Christians have not given thought to this as they should. We are here for one reason, God in His mercy allowed it. And the wise Christian is one that sees where they came from, where they are, and where they are going. Oh that I were as in months past - a desire that is not possible yet offers hope to the troubled heart; So much is made of this thought, 'if I could only go back and change things'; 'If I knew then what I knew now, I would have done things differently'. Such statements indicate people's desire to change and they think such change would benefit them. Job knew his condition in month's pasts. He knew he was settled in his ways, and the Lord had done it all. He knew his family was still intact, his health was good, his life was blest and God was kind. but now? He sees he has lost his family, his health is miserable and he wonders where and why God has done this. What would you say of your own estate? How was you in months past? WAs you on fire for the Lord and growing in grace and knowledge of Him? or was you in sin and contrary to the ways of God? For I know that many if they were to go back as in days gone by, they would be in rebellion and sin. For their days have been filled with unfaithfulness, disobedience and sin. And for those that look back upon blest days, days like Job, that life was good and at ease, they remember the blessings. When you hear many an older person say, "The good old days", they are referring to days of ismplicity, bliss and ease. But now, for most, life is confusing, chaotic and hurried. Many a soul has never experienced joy or peace in their life. this generation has lost the advantage of days gone by when life was simple, and less chaotic. Would we desire to go back to the days of revivals and awakenings? Days where God came down and His fullness was on His people. We would see Jesus. Days when the church was growing and active and His Name was proclaimed with boldness and joy. Oh, that the church would remember the days gone by when God was in our midst. but now, His abesence is felt and known by the saints as well, as by the world. It is not a mystery that they know that something is amiss and wrong among us. WE are not as we were in months past. As in the days when God preserved me - it is by God's Divine hand that we are kept; Job recognized the mercies of the Lord in keeping him and his family. when tragedy fell on his children, he knew that God's hand of preservation was gone. and so it is we should recognize the events of our life are for a reason and cause. have we caused harm to our loved ones because we walk amiss? that we quench and grieve the Holy Spirit and He withdraws from us in keeping us? Do we invite Satan to come and harm us and those that we love because we have offended the Lord? God was to be glorified throught he sufferings of Job. But the only way for Satan to get at him was to have the FAther's Divine hand removed from keeping him. If God removes His hand from a person, a family, a nation there is no hope. God may allows for Satan to 'have at them' but 'only spare their lives'. this is the truth that we need to understand and pray for. 'Keep us from sin'; 'Deliver us from the evil one'. Le the hand of the Lord be present and may His ways be known to us.

Job 28:28

"And unto man he said, Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom; and to depart from evil is understanding."

this is the answer Job puts forth to his own question in verse 12, 'But where shall wisdom be found? and where is the place of understanding?' and as a soul seeks for it, they will find that there is no place for wisdom and understanding but in the Lord. Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom - this was hundreds of years before Solomon wrote this in Proverbs; There must be a fear of the Lord to start a soul on the right path. No fear causes them to have no expectations, no respect and no holding fast to the His ways. But to know that God holds our very breath; He is able to destroy us or to preserve us; He gives life and can take our life. This it he dread of a soul that walks carefully before Him, lest we offend Him. To fear the Lord is to dread and be afraid, it is not just revering Him. And when the relationship is defined in such a manner, 'God you are everything; You are fearful in Your ways', then the soul will listen and adhere. But where there is no fear then men sin and have no remorse of it. And man cannot be wise apart from the Lord. Yes, there are men that have been mentioned in the Bible as being wise but did not fear the Lord. Their wisdom is turned to sin and vanity. That wisdom amounts to no good thing. 'But if any of you lack wisdom let him ask of God, Who giveth to all men and upbraideth not.' It is not something that most people consider to ask for. But to fear the Lord is where is begins. God grants to those that do fear Him the gift of wisdom. And it is a gift. Daniel was wise because he feared the Lord, and God gave it unto him. And to depart from evil is understanding - the application of knowledge is wisdom; Wisdom is taking the knowledge of something and applying it to life. Many know that evil is wrong, yet they still do it. They have not departed from it. How many christians cry out, "I am in this routine"; "I have this habit"? they are still chained and bound, they are not free and have not departed from that which they know to be evil. they admit it, but they do not leave it. this shows that there is a lack of understanding in their life. Wisdom is given so that they might know the ways of the Lord and in turn, walk obediently.

Job 27:6

"My righteousness I hold fast, and will not let it go: my heart shall not reproach me so long as I live."

Job is declaring his own ways before his friends, and heaven and hell. He has declared what his life is and what he will continue for it to be. What a committment he makes here! Oh, that there was such a heart in the church today to be resolved to keep the Lord's ways in our own lives. My righteousness I hold fast - it is not the sin of self-righteousness that he is talking about here; He has just declared in the previous verse of his intergrity. Job has walked rightly in the sight of God. This truth is declared in the first of the book, 'he was perfect'. And a man that is perfect in the sight of the Lord always walks with the Lord. Yet, do we hear this preached today, 'Walk with the Lord for there is no other way to be happy in Jesus but to trust and obey'. Here is a person that is righteous that trust and obey's the Lord. And a true child of God is robed in the righteousness of Christ, not of self works. A true child of God knows that in his own flesh and works there is only self-righteousness. And when Job declares, 'My righteousness', he is not referring to his own merits, but that which God has done in him and through him. For Job knew that God breathed these holy desires within him. Never think that your love for the Lord, your desire to seek Him came from your own self. Just holy desires cannot come from such sinful creatures, it must be of God. Just as true, that righteousness can only come from One Who is righteous, Christ. Now knowing that when we as Chrisitans are righteous in Him, then labor to hold fast to it. Know the fact that any sin, dishonors His righteousness. Take heed to the things that you say, do, think, and practice. Are they producing Christ righteousness or hindering it? Hold fast to the truths of His Great Names sake. and will not let it go - word study, to go; His mind and heart is determined that have received, he will not let it go. Are you willing to not let it go? There are many who having begun with a good work in them, gave up and let go and walked no more among His people. 'They went out from us, for they were not of us'. They let go, a true child of God is obstinate on this fact, "I cannot let it go, for it is right and from Him". And they will struggle, pray, weep, go through trials and tribulations, but they will not let go. Is your resolve the same? Wishy-washy Christianity cannot say that. They come and go, in and out, unfaithful and then faithful, it is like they cannot make up their minds. To be steadfast, perservering is to resolved and will not let it go. My heart shall not reproach me so long as I live - 'if our heart condemns us, God is greater than our heart'; Job knew that his own heart would tell the truth. He was so assured in his personal walk with God that he knew good from evil, right from wrong. that cannot be said of many people today. We are in a generation that calls evil, good and good, evil. They do not know the ways of God; holiness is absent. But a Christian has the Spirit of God abiding in them and He will not let them alone, if they are in sin. Convicting, pricking, quickening to bring them to the Lord tried and true. It is in the heart that convicdtion is settled; the mind can reason it, but the heart is the will of our emotions and decisions. And if men have a wicked heart then they will follow the wickedness of it and do wickedly. But as Job's heart, a true child of God is moved by the Holy Spirit to be follow rightly. And when they stay true to their heart, their is no reproach, no backsliding, no sin. they walk with God and God walks with them. They love Him, and He loves them. The saints that it is said of them, "they were perfect in the sight of God", has found this truth and the heart is wholly His. and so today, check your heart, is there any conviction? is there any reproach? then know the Spirit is pricking so that you might put the sin away and follow perfectly. Obey and keep His ways and you will find your heart at peace. Continue in sin, and you find sorrow and unrest all your days. Chose you this day Whom you will serve.

Job 26:13

"By His Spirit He hath garnished the heavens; His hand hath formed the crooked serpent."

Job has been declaring from verse 5 all the wonders of God. His friends have not answered rightly nor helped him in his sorrow. And Job turns the conversation to glorifying and praising God for Who He is and what He has done. By His Spirit He hath garnished the heavens - in the beginning was God; God the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. There was no heaven nor earth. There was no creation, just God. Our finite minds cannot grasp the wholeness of this. But then we read, 'God created the heavens and the earth'. Now there was something, finite, structure and made by God. Then the next verse in Genesis, 'And the Spirit brooded upon the face of the waters.' what was He doing there? Job declares that the Spirit supplied and and made up the things in heaven. And in each verse that follows we see the hand of God speaking things into existence. And then His Spirit sets the sun, moon and stars in their place. 'God set them'. And if He set the things of heaven, is He not able to set the things in our life? He is able to do all. The vast amount of stars in this universe is beyond comprhension, how hard is it for Him to be active in our life? It is nothing for Him, for He is God. How much the Lord is able to do in our lives if we would only surrender and yield unto Him. He is able to bear fruit for His glory through us if we abide in Him. He is able to answer prayers through us if we call upon Him in faith. He is able to turn back the forces of hell if we cast ourselves upon Him. 'For the eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth to show Himself mighty to those that have a perfect heart toward Him.' ARe you there dear brethern? Do yo faith to believe that He is able to work great and mighty things in your life? Let God be God and obey in great and small things and you shall the mighty hand that created the heavens and garnished them active in your own life for His glory. His hand hath formed the crooked serpent - God made and created all things for a reason and specific design; When Jeremiah went to the potter's house it was to watch how shaping and forming was done. And when a mar was found how it was destroyed and started again. His hand shaped, crafted and formed alll things. He took the dust and made man from it and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life. He has made us, 'for we are fearfully and wonderfully made' in His image. Oh, this world has lost sight of the precious gift of life and God's creation. Make sure brethern, this is not said of you. Give praise for His handy work. And what shall we say of the serpent and his crooked ways? This was not what God made. WE read in Genesis that God took away the legs, or assumed it had legs, and made it go on his belly. And as you watch a snake go through the field or dirt, crooked ways, back and forth, slithering along to move forward. God made him like this after the fall in the garden of Eden. Man was also perfect and right in the sight of God until sin entered in. And now look at the crooked ways of man. Full of sin and shame, day upon day, hour upon hour and we have lost our straight and narrow way. But God in His mercy, even in the crooked ways, makes us go forward till we arrive at the place of perfect rest. And there in heaven, we shall be like He intended us to be, pure and holy. How wonderfula re His ways and how mighty is His Name. Give praise for His creation and what He has done for us, what He is doing for us and what He will do for us for His glory Name sakes.

Job 25:4

"How then can man be justified with God? or how can he be clean that is born of a woman?'

And here is the question that all men must answer. You must know the answer to this question to show forth your salvation. To not know the answer shows that there is something seriously wrong with your soul and walk with the Lord. How then can man be justified with God? great questions of the Bible; And the answer to this question is that man cannot be justified with God. We come to a place to understand the very nuts and bolts of our salvation. Martin Luther grasped this truth while reading Romans and was set free. Too many religions, demoninations and cults display their own work of being justified with God, but there is only one way. Man can try as much as he wants to be good and do good, but it will never happen. No matter how good they may get they will never be justified with God. Being jsutified with God is found in Christ alone. Yet, men continue to try to do it on their own merits, and ways. Justified is being just before the judge; without offense. Man is always offensive unto the Lord, for we are sinful. 'All have sinned and come short of the glory of God.' We are guilty from the very beginning. So it is imperative that someone else makes us just in His sigh, for He is just in all His ways. And in order to make us just, Christ came and took our sins and bore them on His ownself. dying on the cross bearing our sins, so that the unjust, you and I, might be made just in Him. so that whent he Father looks upon us, He does not see our 'unjustness', He sees Christ's 'justness'. We are made just in Him and nothing else. 'He that believeth on Him is justified from all things'. Brethern it is found in you of what you believe. It is not your merits, works or faith in whatever, it is in Christ and Christ alone. He has paid it all, done it all and will keep it all. Or how can he be clean that is born of a woman? great questions of the Bible; born in this world and conceieved in sin man has no chance apart from Christ; David said, 'In my mother's womb I was conceived in sin'. Adam disobeyed and ate of the fruit and sin entered into the world, contaminating the flesh with sin. And every soul born into this world is sinful and vile. Man tries to justifiy themselves but it does not work in the sight of God. We are wretched. And unless a man knows his own wretchedness and lostness he will not see the need for a Savior. He will not enquire nor desire to enquire about being born again, for he sees no fault in his ownself. The truth must be declared is that man is not born in goodness, but brought forth in sin. Just as when a child comes into this world covered with blood and the fluid from the mother's womb, they are unclean in that, born in blood. They must be cleaned off and cleaned up and then we have that sweet, adorable precious child to hold. And so we must be born again. OUt of the flesh, out of sin and washed in the blood of Christ Who cleanses us from all iniquities. Man born into this world cannot be made clean apart from Christ. And when we are dealing with lost men and women this is the heart of it all. ARe they made clean by the blood? Do they know it? Are they living in it? ARe you? 'Out of my bondage, sorrow and night, Jesus, I come; Jesus, I come' 'come unto Me all ye that are weary and heavy laden (with sin) and ye shall find rest in Me'.

Job 24:13

"They are of those that rebel against the light; they know not the ways thereof, nor abide in the paths thereof."

The wicked are known by their actions, words and deeds. God knows their heart, so that even if they are hypocrites to the sight of man, God still knows them. Oh, the wickedness of man and his ways before a holy, all-seeing God. They are of those that rebel against the light - there is One Light and that Light is Jesus Christ and men reject Him; 'Multitudes, multitudes in the valley fo decision'; 'but there is the broad and wide path that leadeth to destruction and many there be that go in thereat.' Here we see that the 'they' are many in the numerical population of this earth. It is not a few that will not be saved, it is a great hosts of them that will be damned. Why do we not understand this? Why does it not alarm the church? Why are we not moved to do something about it? Masses amount of people are of those that rebel and refuse the Gospel. And only the power of His light is able to save them. 'For the Light has come into this world, and men loved darkness rather than light'. they flee from the church, from the Word, from a Christian, for fear that they will be convicted and be saved. They want the darkness because they have become used to it, and they reject the light. they know not the ways thereof - word study, to know; word study, way; This is not just ignorance, they have made a choice not to learn His ways. When you consider what men know today, what they put their time into, they have increased with knowledged. But the ways of eternity and salvation, they reject. Even those in the church are in shame at this. Ask them what it means to be saved and they will answer something a someone said or a sentence out of a tract. But answer from the heart they cannot do it. What does salvation mean to you? What does Christ mean to you? The one who cannot answer this is the one who does not know His ways. There is a multitude of reasons why men do not know the ways thereof. Preachers and teachers are not teaching it rightly; they avoid the times and places of study to hear and grow; and they take no personal desire to read and know on their own time. A church should offer multitude of times and settings to hear the Word to know His ways. Churches today are canceling services and limited their members from hearing and knowing the ways. Men and women do not take any vested interest to read the Bible, pray or be still before the Lord and go on as if the Lord will simply pout it out of the sky on them. You must incline your heart to follow after Him. so it may be that you are able to cast blame upon your preacher and teachers and the church, but how much time and discipline have you invested in knowing His ways? Take the mote out of your own eye before you try to take it out of someone else's. Nor abide in the paths thereof - becuase they do not know His ways they cannot abide in His paths; Which path? the straight and narrow path; the path of righteousness, faithfulness and steafastness. Men cannot stay on this course for they are to easily led astray in their own lusts, pride and imagainations of this world. 'If you abide in Me, I will abide in you'. And this is where we must begin. To abide in Him, He will keep us in the paths that are right. cease to abide in Him and you quickly are off the path. No one said anything about it being easy, or smooth. Those things matter not, it is about obedience. The one that cannot abide in the path on a continual basis must truly go back and see if they wer truly born again. We have too many souls in this day and age that jump on and jump off the path. There is too many inconsisenticies of their walk, faith and devotion to Him. I am one that truly understands men sin, but when it becomes a continual perpetual state of sin, something is wrong.