The Amazing Example Of Job — Zac Poonen

Praise the Lord, brothers and sisters. What's on my heart this morning is to share a few thoughts from the very first chapters of the Bible. Even though I believe the book of Job was the first book that was written and why I say that is Moses wrote the book of Genesis and Job lived probably 500 years before Moses.

Maybe before Abraham and a lot of things written in the book of Job are Relevant. So I'll first turn to the book of Job and share a few things with you. Because I believe that is the first inspired scripture that God gave for man and If that was the first book God gave There must be some very very important things in it.

Why Job May Be the First Book of Scripture

So I have studied the book of Job mainly the first few chapters in the last Five or six chapters, which are the important ones. And In a nutshell in the book of Job the main thing we read is Satan questioning God's approval of a man, so When God decides to write scripture if we were writing scripture We would first start with Genesis 1 in the beginning.

There was nothing there and God created the heaven and the earth. But that's not how God begins the scriptures. When man in the arrangement of the books of the Bible was not made by the Holy Spirit that is made by man and So they put Genesis 1 at the beginning because that is the description of how the world was created quite, okay.

But when God gave man his word that was not the first book he gave Job was a God-fearing man. And God could have given Genesis chapter 1 to Job. So that Moses would not have written a Job would have written it why not and When you read about the type of man Job was what a God-fearing man He was.

Why didn't God give that chapter to Moses to Job? So I found even as a young man. I found great challenge. In one thing that the first book that God wrote for man was the book of Job. So I say okay, there must be something very important in it that he wrote that as the first book and Notice the first sentence in the book of Job chapter 1 verse 1.

It's got nothing to do with the creation of the heaven and earth creation of the heaven. There's a wonderful thing for scientific people to study that. But God is not interested in that. He makes millions of stars.

Job's Blameless and Upright Character

What is one small little dot in the universe called the planet Earth? Nothing, but what God is interested in you see in the very first verse of Job and If you understand that so many people You really get to see God's heart so many people in the world are arguing about.

Did the earth just come by itself and was Genesis chapter 1 really true? Did God make the world in six days and all that I tell you honestly I don't waste my time arguing with such people at all because to me that's not the first thing in the Bible.

To me the first thing in the Bible is this Job 1 1 there was a man. And his address is given In the land of Uz because there may have been other people called Job on the earth. Just like there could be other people with your name in the world.

But he specifies this particular person who lives and now today he would say this particular street. This number house in this place. That's you. He was a blameless upright. Fearing God and turning away notice.

It doesn't say he was perfect. Job was not perfect. Blameless means According to his conscience. He was not convicted of anything. None of us are perfect but we can be blameless. Blameless means at This moment to the best of my knowledge.

I have nothing in my conscience. Convicting me of sin my dear brothers and sisters. Please remember. This is the first thing the God writes in his book. The very first thing that God writes in his book is there's a blameless man.

Not a perfect man and that challenges me. I Say Heavenly Father today. Job could not call him father. I can call him dad. You're looking for somebody blameless not perfect. I'm not perfect. I'm very aware I'm imperfect, but I can be blameless means.

Anything my conscience has told me is wrong. I have immediately confessed it. If I've hurt somebody I have asked forgiveness as soon as possible. That's blameless. If you have not asked forgiveness from people you are hurt.

I want to tell you in Jesus name you are not blameless today. You can sit in CFC or any other church for the rest of your life. You are not a blameless person. You're disobedient to the very first thing that God has said he wants from man blameless not perfect.

Some people teach some people say that CFC teaches that we are be perfect. I say look at the pulpit. Does it say we are perfect? I? Said no, it says there. Let us press on to perfection. That is the clearest testimony.

We are not perfect. But we are not pressing on to be blameless. We are blameless right now. I can say that and I believe there are some brothers and sisters here at least who can say that because as Soon as their conscience convicts them about something even if it's a thought.

I Had a bad thought about somebody or something Lord forgive me. Or I spoke rudely to someone. I asked that person to forgive me and I asked God to forgive me. Or your money is your mind mind is frequently on money if you don't have money your mind being free money is perfectly, okay.

But when you have plenty of money More than enough and plenty of savings when still your mind is on money something is wrong, so blameless Means to the best of my understanding according my conscience and that grows.

It's like a child goes from kindergarten first and a second standard third standard in the same way our understanding of what is conscience what our conscience convicts us of. Must grow. I know a lot more today about sin Than I knew when I was converted 64 years ago.

I know a lot more about sin today Than I knew one year ago. Are you surprised at that? I mean would you if a child told you last year? I was in sixth standard now I'm in seventh standard. Are you surprised?

That's the way it should be. So should didn't shouldn't it be like that with you and me that this year I? Know a little more about what sin is and what corruption that is in my flesh than I knew last year.

That is the mark of spiritual growth. And I want to ask all of you this question and If you have not gone along this path, this is the new and living way. It's new. Because I'm always discovering something new about my corruption in my heart.

That I can cleanse myself from. It's not a dead way. It's a living way because when I put that part to death the life of Jesus comes into that part any part of my Flesh that I put to death. The life of Jesus comes in there immediately.

It's like God's reward you put that to death. Okay. I give you the life of Jesus in that place. That's what it says in 2nd Corinthians 4 always bearing in our body the dying of Jesus. So that the life of Jesus May be manifest in us.

2nd Corinthians 4 10 that is how we remain blameless. So it's not saying I was blameless five years ago. That's like a child saying five years ago when I was in kindergarten I got a hundred out of a hundred, but you may be getting zero out of hundred today.

Because now you're in fourth standard so blameless progresses according to our Conscience should be progressing. If you're not can being convicted of more things today Than you were five years ago. You're not growing.

You're not being convicted about more things today than you were last year. You're not growing. I would tell a student that If you have not learned more things this year in your school, then you learned last year.

It's a useless school get out of that school and join another one. The same way your child goes from close to class. You must go from blameless blameless blameless. So that's the first thing mentioned in Scripture.

Remember this all your life. Because I don't think you'll hear this in any other church. They always tell you the heaven and the earth created is the most important thing. I say no. How many churches have you heard it preached that the book of Job is the first book?

Is there any YouTube video? Where that is preached? Maybe somebody preaches it today after having heard me on YouTube. Why is it people haven't discovered it? Why is it people are taken up with the creation of heaven and earth and not the first verse of Job a blameless and an upright man.

Okay upright. What does upright mean? Like a see that pillar for example is upright. You can't bend it. I Want to be like that pillar in the house of God. Not like a stick that can be bent. Upright dear brother sister.

Blameless that's between you and God upright in your dealings. In your financial dealings no crookedness no cheating upright and every dealing of yours. Upright you won't become the richest man on earth if you go that way.

But you'll gradually become the most honest man on earth. The most pleasing to God see out of the whole world. God picked out one man. The Bible says the eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth.

Turn to that verse for a moment. 2nd Chronicles. All you children. Do you know where Chronicles is? 2nd Chronicles and Chapter 16, I think my Memory sells me right. 2nd Chronicles chapter 16 and verse 9 the eyes of the Lord move to and fro Throughout the whole earth that means God is looking around the whole earth to strongly support Those whose hearts are completely his.

Not those who have become like Jesus Christ, there's nobody who has become like Jesus Christ. But I say Lord in my heart. There is no room for anyone other than you. You say what about your wife. I love my wife through Jesus Christ.

I Told her before I got married. You'll always be second in my life always. Christ will be first and I also told her I want to be second in your life. I never want to be first in your life. I want to be Christ to be first in your life.

Do you want a marriage like that? Is that what you tell someone when you are considering marriage? I want to be second in your life. I want to be good Christ to be first in your life and you will always be second in my life.

Christ will be first in other words. If the Lord tells me to do something and my wife tells me to do something else. I'll tell my wife I'm sorry, darling. I can't do that. I'd rather hurt my wife than hurt the Lord.

Are you a husband like that? Are you a wife like that? I'd rather Hurt my husband and hurt the Lord. You'll have a very happy blessed marriage. Because God honors those who honor him those whose hearts are completely his.

What does God do? He's strongly supports. And I have to tell you my testimony after 60 nearly 65 years of being a believer. The Lord has strongly supported me Whenever my heart has been completely his I have to acknowledge that in the earlier years of my Christian life, particularly the first 16 years where I Was frequently discouraged frequently condemning myself and I did not know the life of victory.

I did not know what it is to be a spirit-filled Christian. I went through up and downs. I think many of us go through like that and Those days I could not say that my heart was completely the Lord's all the time at times.

Yes, and So God could not strongly support me always. But I believe in the last few years to the best of my knowledge for the last many years now particularly after CFC began I've sought with all my heart to that.

My heart will be completely his. I'll tell you honestly. I've not sought to preach great sermons. I've never been in the competition to preach great sermons to impress people. I'm not interested. I Want my heart to be completely the Lord's and when my heart is completely the Lord's I will share with people whatever is on my heart.

That's all. And the Lord gives me what to say. It doesn't mean I don't study the scriptures. Don't follow that policy if you don't study the scriptures. If you don't study the scriptures and you say I'm gonna follow Brother Zach's way of my heart is completely his and I'll get a preach.

You'll get up here and bore people in two minutes. But if you study the scriptures deeply and Regularly regularly meditate on it and God will give you the words to speak if your heart is completely his.

So the eyes of the Lord run. Means he's always looking. Is there a man? Is there a woman here whose heart is completely mine? I've got to do something to support him. Imagine brother sister. If you are a person like that that God is just waiting to support you strongly.

There's the word strongly is the adjective there strongly support not support, but strongly support and I can I don't have time to tell you the numerous testimonies in my life. My God has strongly supported me even before senior officers.

Very senior officers in the military. He has strongly supported me and I made me a witness to them and I hope some of them got converted as a result. Be a man and a woman like that that's far more important than even getting a good testimony in CFC or Getting a reputation or any such thing.

Fearing God and Turning Away From Evil

So God could strongly support Job. Let's turn back to Job chapter 1. So The Lord describes Job as A perfect blameless upright and The reason for this is given in the next section of verse 1 fearing God and Turning away from evil fearing God.

And turning away from evil the two go together. It's like if you turn towards the north. Your back is towards the south. Automatically, you don't have to do anything special to make your back towards the south as soon as you turn north your back is towards the south and How do we know that we fear God.

There it is. It's like north and south. You fear God. You turn away from evil. Okay, let's find out. How do you fear God? Do you turn away from everything that you know? To be wrong you turn away from it.

You turn your eyes away. From anything, you know to be wrong. You see a picture somewhere That tempts you where it's in a magazine or on the roadside or. You turn away. You fear God. You don't turn away.

Whatever you may say you don't fear God. Turn away from evil. When you're tempted to speak evil about somebody. Other people are gossiping and you also join the gossip. You don't fear God. You turn away from that.

Okay, maybe you can't walk out of that room, but at least you keep quiet. Everybody's criticizing somebody and they say what about you brother Zach? Do you have an opinion? No, I don't have an opinion.

Okay, I fear God. Do you have the courage? To be unpopular. With your friends. You children the tremendous temptation for children in school to be popular with your friends. How many of you are willing to be unpopular with your friends because what they're doing is wrong.

It's a very common thing for in schools for people children to gang up particularly. They're this strong muscular or Very forceful personalities they gang up and try to bully the younger ones smaller ones weaker ones.

You join with them or do you stand on the side of the weak ones? That's Christianity. Jesus was unpopular. I believe he was the most unpopular person in Israel and He was the one who was the Son of God.

The more popular you are with God the more unpopular you'll be with men because the world is drifting away from God. Look at the evil immoral things that are being done in the world today that were almost unheard of a hundred years ago look at the amount of idolatry that's going on worshiping blocks of stone and wood and Gold and brass and all that and calling them their God.

Look at what's going on. There's a first commandment of God that God gave to the Israelites was you shall not worship idols. And yet our country is full of it. We're not going to go here to bash down those idols.

I Don't criticize them. I feel sorry for them. If you see a man who's sick of Some disease he got through carelessness. What do you do criticize him? Why did you do that? No that doesn't help him. He made a mistake and he got a sickness.

I want to sympathize with him. So when I see a whole lot of people going astray from God Doing wrong things going after adultery or idols all the same thing. I Don't spend my time criticizing them. I feel sorry for them.

But I say it's sad sad and some of the invisible idols Are more dangerous than the visible ones. If you worship a visible idol, it's obvious. You're an idolater. But have you seen this type of idolatry mentioned in Colossians?

How many of you have considered this verse in Colossians in chapter 3 and I think it's verse 5 Colossians 3 it says. It's telling us to steer away from so many sins and one of the sins mentioned is Greed.

Which is idolatry. Greed. You know what greed is. Greed is a desire to have what you don't have which you see somebody else have. Maybe something they have in their house. It may be a Shirt or a sari they are wearing and there's a greed for you.

I want that. You don't want to steal it. No, no. No, he's not talking about theft. No theft is another thing. This is greed. You want to have things More and more. I mean you're already living pretty comfortably and If you look if you're going to buy something which is going to be useful to your house to make Things a little easier and you can afford it.

That's not greed you say well if I have a Washing machine perhaps I can afford it. And buy it it makes life easier. We did it for many years. We could not afford it. We never bought it. We never bought anything on credit.

We never coveted Anything but after many years of marriage many many years of marriage. We could afford a washing machine. We bought it and I'm thankful. We never bought it before that because it would have been a sin to get into debt.

And we never believed in this buy now pay later scheme. Because then I'll be in debt for so many years till I finish paying for it. Now you may say that's okay what to do. We've got to live in a world like that.

Go ahead my brother sister. I'd like to see how much you grow spiritually. I can guarantee all those people who follow this buy now pay later 20 years they'll remain in the same standard spiritually. But they're not bothered about that.

They've got some material thing that they got. We decided that we would never buy anything. We wanted to grow spiritually not have some material thing to make our life more comfortable. I'm just telling you some simple advice for your life.

You take it or leave it. I Know lots of people take it and I know many others don't take it. They just listen to it. But if you're that type of person watch your life and see how much you have grown spiritually.

See after 10 years of marriage, you're still yelling at your wife and fighting and quarreling about so many things. But you've got so many material things in your house. Wonderful, isn't it? See what you have lost.

Greed is Idolatry. Don't condemn those people who bow down before some wooden or golden object. You are greedy. You are worse than that person because that person is obviously an idol or you're a subtle Idolater.

Hi, you're like a person who's got an idol in your in a closed room in your house. And you go and buy around there. Nobody knows it. That is greed and You condemn that other fellow who openly bows down to an idol.

My brother sisters. Don't get angry with me. You come to this church. I'll tell you something straight. If a doctor tells you your true condition, you don't get upset with them. You don't go to a doctor who tells you nice things just to collect your money.

I Told people a lot of a lot of times. I'm not a doctor who tells people nice things to collect their money. I don't want your money. But but I'll tell you what is good for your spiritual health. Greed is idolatry.

Colossians 3 5 Never never forget it and Never again Condemn another non-christian who's worshipping idols in public if you are worshipping idols in secret. Greedy for this greedy for that you see that and you want it.

To desire something useful for your house is okay. If you have a scooter and you desire to buy a car to take your family around that's not greed. It is something useful. If you can afford it, but if you can't afford it then be wise.

Get it when you can afford it. So please remember greed is idolatry. Let's turn back to Job Chapter 1 he was a blameless upright fearing God and turning away from evil. Turning away from anything that was greedy turning away from anything that would Make his eyes Tempted.

Job's Covenant With His Eyes

I want you to see something he says in Job and Chapter 31 have you read this verse all of you young people young men, especially and older men. I Made a covenant with my eyes. A covenant is a written agreement.

Or it can be unwritten. It's like saying I made an agreement with my eyes. I Told my eyes you are under my control. Aren't your eyes under your control? If I tell you Look to the right you can look to the right.

Your eyes under your control. Look down you look down. Your eyes are under your control. Job's eyes were under his control. But he made a decision with his eyes. That I will not look at a woman. I don't mean just observe.

When you talk to any woman you've got to look at her face. I will not gaze. Gazes keep on looking at someone who's not my wife or you saw someone somewhere pretty girl and Then you keep looking back. It can even happen in the pulpit.

For Someone who's preaching I made a covenant of my eyes that will not gaze. I will turn my eyes away. Now where in the Bible do you read that? He who lusts with his eyes has committed adultery. Not in the Old Testament.

That is written for the first time 2 ,000 years after Job in the book of Matthew chapter 5 Jesus said if you lust with your eyes, you've committed adultery. I want to say how did Job know that? When no Bible was there Job never had a Bible and much less did he have a New Testament and No Old Testament man ever preached about lusting with the eyes.

Not even Moses or Elijah. Jesus was the first one, but how in the world did Job know that? I'll tell you When you fear God You don't even need the Bible to turn away from sin for 1 ,400 years after the day of Pentecost.

There was no printed Bible. Nobody knew all the things that Jesus taught in the Sermon on the Mount. But God fearing people in those 1 ,400 years without the Bible Would not lust after women. How do I know that?

Because 3 ,400 years ago Job turned his eyes away from evil and he didn't have a Bible. That's how I know that after the day of Pentecost for 1 ,400 years Christians God-fearing Christians always Refused to lust after women without a Bible.

And how is it today with a Bible? So many people lust after women. I'll tell you They do not fear God, why don't you Disobey the traffic rules when policemen are around that policeman is not even educated.

Like you but you obey the traffic rules because he's watching he'll pull you up. I Really believe many believers are more afraid of a policeman on the road and Don't violate a rule then they are afraid of Almighty God and violate his laws.

It's the truth and before you Say I'm too strong in making such things ask yourself whether if whether you have violated a law of God. When you would not violate a rule of the road if a traffic policeman was watching you.

Be honest. I have to admit that in my younger days before I understood the way of victory I did fear the policeman on the road more than I feared God in my private life. I was honest. I said Lord, it's true as more afraid of a half educated policeman.

Then of Almighty God my creator. So what time of Christian am I? But I would come to that would go to church and sing loudly and praise and witness and do all types of things, but absolute hypocrisy. When I repented before I tried to be like Jesus.

Let me at least try to be like Job first step. Go to school before you go to college. That's all Job 31 verse 9 if my heart has been enticed by some woman. Anybody here like that. You saw a pretty woman somewhere.

Not your wife and you like to go and I've looked by my neighbor's door. It means I like to go and talk to her frequently. I don't do anything. I just like to talk to her a little more because she's such a pretty woman.

He says if I have done that if I see but my neighbor's wife is pretty and I go there. Let my wife grind for another. Become a servant for another and let others kneel over her that would be a lustful crime an Iniquity punished by all the judges.

I I say where in the world did Job learn all this. Which book was he reading? He wasn't reading any book. No book in the world wrote all this in those days. He feared God. He says if I have that type of lust in my heart.

It'll consume me till I go to hell. Abaddon is a word for hell and look at his standard of life. If I've despised the claim of my male or female slaves. If you have servants working for you in your house, nothing wrong in that.

You pay them properly. Would you like a bonus from your boss in the office? Will you expect one? Nothing wrong in that. Do you ever give your servants a bonus that they did not expect? Or do you go strictly by the law.

I Promised you so many rupees when you came to work for me. I will not give you one cent more. Imagine if your boss in the office treated you like that. Treat others the way you want to be treated yourself especially those who are Lord and Level than you.

And if they file a complaint against me verse 13 What will I do? When the day comes when God begins to deal with that complaint, which my servant made against me and God calls me to account. What will answer him in that day?

You say is God going to take into account some complaint my servant in the home had against me sure. Isn't he the one who made verse 15? Didn't God make me and him just the same way? Wasn't he fashioned in somebody's womb like I was fashioned in somebody's wombs.

Look at the amazing insight Job has. He says that servant of mine was born in some woman's womb like I was born in some woman's womb and God made both of us. I must respect him or her as a human being.

If I have not cared we're 16 for poor widows or poor people. I know them. I can help them and I don't. I've not cared we're 17 for orphans. I've not been sensitive to people who are in need of help 19.

Verse 21 if I've lifted up my hand. Against an orphan means against a weak person. Look at this. Let my shoulder verse 22 fall from the socket and My arm be broken off at the elbow. I Heard once of a CFC elder down in Tamil Nadu slapped a young boy publicly.

I Removed him from eldership immediately. Some of the others did not think it was so serious. I Lost all my respect for him that day and I had respected him before that. Imagine who gave you the right to slap somebody on the face.

He says if I did that let my shoulder fall off from my socket and my arm be broken off at the elbow because I Did something like that? Because then calamity from God will come to me and that'll be a terror.

Then he goes to another subject. If I put my confidence in my bank account. That's the same thing as saying in those days there was no bank account. It was I collected so much gold and so I can live for a long time and if I gloated was 25 because of my wealth and Because I worked so hard and I earned so much then he speaks about Other times of evils another thing interesting.

What's 29 if I've rejoiced when my enemy was? Punished supposing somebody who harmed you become sick with a terrible sickness. Say ah He touched me a servant of God or a believer. See what God did to him.

You got some joy out of that Job who lived 4 ,000 years ago had light on it. That is wrong that my enemy is crushed in some way. All of us have got enemies sure they may not be your enemy they've they have they have treat you like an enemy.

That's what I mean. Do you rejoice when some evil befalls them? It's amazing how he Had light on these things he says in verse 33 if I've covered up my sin. Like Adam not admitting. What did Adam do? What did he mean by if I have covered my sin like Adam?

There was no book of Genesis written in those days, but the tradition had been handed down from generation to generation and he knew That when God came and asked Adam a simple question Did you eat of the tree?

I told you not to eat. The answer is only yes or no. You know what he did? Children, you know what? Adam said to God when God asked him just like sometimes your mother asked you did you do this? What do you say yes or no.

You try to say something else. No, my brother said this or my sister said this. That's not the answer. Did you do this? Yes, or no. Did you say this? Yes, or no. So it's exactly like that for Adam in Genesis 3.

Did you eat from this tree? Yes or no. He said no actually my wife. She gave me. Exactly like our children, where did they learn it from? They haven't read Genesis. It's in their nature. They got it from Adam.

That is the clearest proof that our children have got the nature of the Adam in their names. They will not admit I did it. They pointed their brother sister or somebody else in the school or something else my wife.

That is the meaning I covered my sin like Adam. Put the blame on somebody else Hiding my sin or because I was afraid what people would say verse 34. What other families would say about me. I was afraid of that he goes on to say in that case I Need to be punished.

I'm just trying to tell you show you from all those verses. How much you can learn without a Bible how much you can discover sin in yourself if you want to just by fearing God. Fearing God means reverencing God and Recognizing that he's always Watching over me.

Job's Wealth, Family, and Intercession

The next thing I want you to show you in Job chapter 1 is He had seven sons and three daughters. He was a very rich man, by the way. Verse 3 in those days possessions was not in Rupees or paisa or dollars or cents.

It was in the amount of animals you had. That was the bank 7 ,000 sheep 3 ,000 camels. He was a he's the richest man in town. Can a rich man be spiritual? For example a person who's got three cars or a big house.

Can he be spiritual? You'd look at that person say he can't be spiritual. You think some fellow lives in a hut. He'll be spiritual. You think the most spiritual people are the poorest people in Bangalore go go down the streets and see the beggars sitting on the road.

Are they the other poorest are they the most spiritual? Of spirituality has got nothing to do with poverty or wealth. That's one another thing we learn in the first book of the Bible a lot of people poor people despise the rich.

Just like some rich people despise the poor who works both ways and A poor person looks at a rich person who's got so many things and says that person can't be spiritual. Look at the size of his house.

Look at the number of cars. He only got three cars in his house. He's not a spiritual man. It says Job was the richest man on the earth. Anyway in the east in the eastern part of the world he was the richest man and he was the most spiritual.

There are some wrong concepts in our mind which get eliminated from the very first chapter that God wrote to a man. Many many wrong concepts of spirituality you can get out of your head if you read scripture with an open mind.

I want to show you something else. His yet seven sons and three daughters. It says in verse 2. He was a large family and his sons used to go and hold a feast in the house verse 4 and They would invite their three sisters and they would eat and drink with them.

It was like a celebration. In on his day means on his birthday. That's the meaning. Sons used to go in and held a feast in the house of each one on each person's birthday. These seven sons would invite others come for a birthday feast to my house.

Showing us there's nothing wrong in having a birthday feast. It's interesting God puts even that in the first page of the Bible and It came about when the days of feasting had completed Job. Now listen to this.

This is what I want you to see. Job would get up in the morning and Burnt offering those days. That's how they asked people to forgive the sin. Today we'd say he got up in the morning and Prayed to his father.