He's Still Worthy!

It is easy to praise God when all of your bills are paid. Anybody can praise God with money in their pockets; a car in the driveway; a roof over your head and the family is doing well. But the relevant questions this morning, my brothers and sisters are: How do you respond when the enemy is permitted (given permission, authority or authorized) to tear up your life?

It is easy to praise God when all of your bills are paid. Anybody can praise God with money in their pockets; a car in the driveway; a roof over your head and the family is doing well. But the relevant question this morning, my brothers and sisters is: How do you respond when the enemy is permitted (given permission, authority or authorized) to tear up your life?

What do you do when the permission that was granted to take everything and turn your seemingly peaceful life upside down, was not given by one of your haters, a bitter ex or a disgruntled co-worker. How will you handle trouble when your trouble was granted by God? How do you respond when God allows the enemy to come in and mess your life up?

Such is the dilemma of the main character in our text. Job is described to us in chapter one as someone who: Loves God. Fears the Lord. Stays away from evil. In spite of this description, bad stuff still happened to submit to you this morning, my brothers and sisters, coming to church does not exempt you from trouble. Loving God does not exempt you from trouble. You would link with all Job has endured: the loss of his children, the loss of all his livestock, Job would be defeated. For many of us, it does not take losing as much as Job had to get depressed, disgruntle and ready to throw in the towel. When bad stuff happens in your life; don't throw in the towel; don't quite coming to church; don't stop praying. says,

The New King James Version Psalm 37

I have been young, and now am old;

Yet I have not seen the righteous forsaken,

Nor his descendants begging bread.

It is in those times when life gets rough and seems as though the people and things you once counted on you can’t count any longer. It is in times like these, that you must remind yourself: "God is still worthy!" You can Remember this when you:

Of all the stuff we have, we are only stewards because it does not belong to us!

“The earth is the Lord’s

Text says, "Naked I came into the world."

Realize and Remember who gave it (what you have) to you The Lord gives... Everything you have belongs to God!!

What do you do when the permission that was granted to take everything and turn your seemingly peaceful life upside down, was not given by one of your haters, a bitter ex or a disgruntled co-worker. How will you handle trouble when your trouble was granted by God? How do you respond when God allows the enemy to come in and mess your life up?

The Devil wants you to believe he is the one responsible for your rough days; things coming up missing in your life, but the Devil is a liar! The Lord takes away!

You have to learn to accept what God allows. A man can stand before God stripped of everything and still lack nothing, when he knows who everything belongs to.

Job: An Introduction and Commentary iii. Job’s First Reaction (1:20–22)

Job sees only the hand of God in these events. It never occurs to him to curse the desert brigands, to curse the frontier guards, to curse his own stupid servants, now lying dead for their watch-lessness. All secondary causes vanish. It was the Lord who gave; it was the Lord who removed; and in the Lord alone must the explanation of these strange happenings be sought.

I’ll say it again, “You have to learn to accept what God allows.” Once you do that you can:

You would think by the posture Job took that he had given up. Tearing your clothes, weeping and cutting the hair was a sign of grief in Jewish culture. However, Job's attitude at the end of this verse is opposite of what you would expect in times of sorrow and grief.

Job was not aware of the conversation God and the Devil had or that God had brought Job up and permitted Satan to mess with him.

In spite of all Job is experiencing he says: Blessed be the name of the Lord. Job does the exact opposite of what the Devil says he would do in verse 11.

In verse 11, the Devil tells God that Job will curse him to his face. The Devil thought he had Job when he stood up tore his robe, shaved his head and falls to the ground.

But, the Devils plan is foiled in verse 21 when Job is laying on the ground, not as a sign of mourning, but as a sign of worship and says "Blessed be the name of the Lord."

The word "Blessed" in the Hebrew is "Bārak". It means the Lords name deserves to be praised.

Job must have remembered from time passed that, even in pain and sorrow the Lord was still good. This must be the reason the Psalmist David declares in says,

The New King James Version Psalm 34

I will bless the LORD at all times; His praise shall continually be in my mouth.

I have one question this morning: “Is there anybody in here who can remember how good the Lord has been to you even when things were bad? Can you give God the praise?”

Praise the Lord! Praise, O servants of the Lord, Praise the name of the Lord! Blessed be the name of the Lord from this time forth and forever more! From the rising. Of the to it's going down the Lord's name is to be praised.

Such is the dilemma of the main character in our text. Job is described to us in chapter one as someone who: Loves God. Fears the Lord. Stays away from evil. In spite of this description, bad stuff still happened to submit to you this morning, my brothers and sisters, coming to church does not exempt you from trouble. Loving God does not exempt you from trouble. You would link with all Job has endured: the loss of his children, the loss of all his livestock, Job would be defeated. For many of us, it does not take losing as much as Job had to get depressed, disgruntle and ready to throw in the towel. When bad stuff happens in your life; don't throw in the towel; don't quite coming to church; don't stop praying. says,

Give thanks always for all things to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.

In everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.

The New King James Version

Make a joyful noise unto the Lord all ye Lands....

I can praise the Lord all by myself, but every now and then, I like to invite those around me to join in.

Psalm 34:3 NKJV

Oh, magnify the Lord with me, And let us exalt His name together.

Psalms 34

If your not to mean or antisocial. Turn to your neighbor and say neighbor, God has been good to me. He has brought me a long way. He has kept me when I was all messed up. Because you are sitting here today, I know the Lord has been good to you.

Psalm 150:6 NKJV

Let everything that has breath praise the Lord. Praise the Lord!

Illustration: I'm reminded of a father that had two sons. He raised his sons in the church; sent them off to college. When they graduated college one of the sons moved to California and the other moved to Florida. The father decided one day to visit both of his sons. First, he went to the son in California. When he arrived in L.A. he noticed all of the tall palm trees and beautiful buildings. After his visit with the son in L.A. he got on a plan and headed for Fort Lauderdale, Florida. When he arrived in Florida and was riding with his son, he noticed all of the tall, buildings, but the differences was all of the Palm trees were leaning to the side. The father said to his son: In California all of the palm trees are standing nice and tall, but here they are leaning to the side. The son said, "Daddy, the palm trees here in Florida have been through the storm and their lean says they survived the storm..."

I have been young, and now am old;

Celebration: Is there anybody here this morning who has had some bad days, had some rough days, but the Lord kept you through the storms of life? I may be leaning, but I made it! Song writer said it like this: “I’ve had some good days; I’ve had some hill s to climb. I’ve had some weary days and sleepless nights. But when I look around……..”

Yet I have not seen the righteous forsaken,

Nor his descendants begging bread.

It is in those times when life gets rough and seems as though the people and things you once counted on you can’t count any longer. It is in times like these, that you must remind yourself: "God is still worthy!" You can Remember this when you:

Of all the stuff we have, we are only stewards because it does not belong to us!

“The earth is the Lord’s

The text says, "Naked I came into the world."

Realize and Remember who gave it (what you have) to you The Lord gives... Everything you have belongs to God!!

The Devil wants you to believe he is the one responsible for your rough days; things coming up missing in your life, but the Devil is a liar! The Lord takes away!

You have to learn to accept what God allows. A man can stand before God stripped of everything and still lack nothing when he knows who everything belongs to.