Amen. Turn your Bibles tonight to the book of Job. The book of Job tonight. Chapter number one. Thank you so much for your prayers for my little man. Man, we sat there last night and we was doing good until that fever started hitting about 103 and that's when I started panicking. Amen. A little dude like that has no idea what's going on. But man, he had it bad and they ran all kind of tests. His chest and stuff was fine, thank the Lord. I was worried about pneumonia, and I'm glad he didn't have that. He tested negative for everything. There's like 20 things, I don't even know what they even tested for, but they were all negative, praise the Lord. But man, you can tell, he's like his daddy. When he's sick and he's not eating, you know there's something wrong with him. He had a couple, my wife just texted me a while ago, said he finally had a little pouch of food. First thing he's ate all day long. So we're seeing a little progress. You pray for them. Man, I hate they can't be here. because the preacher promises Mexican tonight, amen? And man, she hates, she's missing out on that, amen? We're gonna rub it in her face, amen? But you do pray for her that she says she's gonna watch tonight. And boy, I appreciate the goodness of God. Man, the preacher has asked us. and all the way down here, man, I struggled. I had my Bible over there and my seat beside of me, trying to just, I was back and forth between a couple, and I couldn't get this one off my heart. I even stopped at the sphinx for a moment and had a little prayer with the Lord and talked to him, and I'm really, I just, I don't wanna come to waste your time, and I don't wanna come to hurt you, I wanna come to help you, amen? And I really feel like this is what the Lord will have for us tonight. The book of Job, chapter number one, I want you to look at verse number 20, Job chapter number one, verse number 20 through 22. If you got it, say amen. The Bible said, verse number 20, then Job arose and ran his mantle and shaved his head and fell down upon the ground and worshiped and said, look at what's coming out of a wounded man. Naked came I out of my mother's womb. Naked shall I return thither. The Lord gave and the Lord hath taken away. Blessed be the name of the Lord. Verse 22, in all this, what in all this? All the stuff he lost, Job sinned not, nor charged God foolishly. Oh, I'm very interested tonight. The Lord has really spoke to my heart about one word here in the past few months, Brother Donnie, and I've never had this happen to me, never. Boy, God has placed the word worship in my soul. I go church after church after church, and nobody no more is happy about serving God, just like we are here tonight. Amen. The cares, I mean, we all gotta be honest with you, just singing that first song should have done something to us. Hallelujah, what a savior. Can I say, ladies and gentlemen, what I'm seeing all across is people are discouraged. People are cumbered about. People are wounded. And they've lost their worship. I want to preach to you tonight with this thought in mind on worshiping while wounded. worshiping while wounded. Look in your Bible in verse number five. The Bible says, and it was so. On the days of their feasting were gone about that Job sinned and sanctified them and rose up early in the morning and offered burnt offerings according to the number of them all. For Job said, it may be, I highlighted that in my Bible, that my sons have sinned and cursed God in their hearts. Thus did Job continually. Can I say, ladies and gentlemen, Job was a man you'll find in verse number one. I'm not gonna take time to read it. He was a man who loved God. Job was a perfect man, an upright man. That don't mean Job didn't make mistakes. If you're human, you make mistakes. Amen right there. There's none good, no not one. They crucified the perfect one. But Job was a perfect man and one that loved God. Can I say this? All because Job worshiped God, that don't mean his family did. You'll find there in verse number five, the Bible says that it may be that my sons have sinned and cursed God in their hearts. Boy, there's my heart's heavy. Man, all across we go. There's moms and dads come up to me, Brother Donny, and they say this very thing. Preacher, I want you to pray for my kids. Preacher, I've taught them right. Preacher, I've trained them right. Preacher, I've brought them up right. Preacher, they're out there in the world. Man, we find no better picture of a father or a human being than a man who loves God, who's perfect and upright, one that feared God and eschewed evil. We find no better example of a father, the way a father should be. Can I say this, ladies and gentlemen? All because you serve God doesn't mean your kids are gonna serve God. Bible said, verse number five, Lord Job said, it may be that my sons have sinned and cursed God in their hearts. In other words, there's been a time in his life where he has heard his kids cuss God out loud. What a crime and shame we live in, but I do know this, it's where we're living at. You got a mom and dad and a papa and mama who serve God, and the more you serve God, the closer those kids and those grandkids get away from God. Can I say one thing that a wound, a man or a woman, ladies and gentlemen, is to have kids that you love and grandkids you love, and the closer you try to serve God, the farther they get from God and it hurts. It causes wounds. Amen. Causes wounds. It hurts, man, when you come down and try to pray for him. It hurts just a thought or a sermon. Man, it hurts. It pains you on the inside. You're wounded by that. May I say this? One man said this. I love this right here. His kids may have been out of his touch, but they was not out of God's reach. Amen, your kids may be out of your touch, but they are not out of the reach of a holy God. Deuteronomy 8 verse number 10, when thou hast eaten in full, then thou shalt bless the Lord thy God for the good land which he hath given thee. I say ladies and gentlemen, while they were out playing, guess what daddy was doing, daddy wasn't praying. You say, Preacher, I just don't know how much more I can pray for him. Preacher, the more I pray, the worse it gets. Can I tell you what you need to do? Pray again. Don't ever, you hear me now, don't ever give up. Amen, don't ever give up. Giving up's easy. Can I say this? I'm glad God didn't give up on you and I. Amen. I'm glad God on his way to Calvary didn't say, well, this is too tough. They're not worth the trouble. I'm not gonna do this. I'm glad he went on a little farther. The endlessness of Job. When God said, you may not be able to control your child, but you can surely pray for him. I'm glad Job was a dad who prayed for his kids. Even though his kids didn't want to serve God, Job wanted to serve God. And I'll show you here in a minute that God honors daddy's prayers, the endlessness of Job. There is the enemy of Job found in verse number six through nine. Look at verse number nine. Then Satan answered the Lord, said, doth Job fear God? For not. You know what Satan is telling God? He, guess what? Hey, Job, guess what, Lord? Job, he's the real deal. God is telling Satan, hey, Job, you are the real deal. I mean, man, you look there, Satan, I ain't gonna take the time. I'm trying to go somewhere. Verse number six down through verse number eight. Verse number seven, the Lord said unto Satan, which comest thou from going to and fro in the earth, or walking down, up and down in it? And the Lord said unto Satan, hast thou considered my servant Job, that there is none like him in the earth? I say this, ladies and gentlemen, could it be said about us tonight that Pawpaw is the real deal? I know what your grandkids think you are. We was talking about that earlier. You think Papa was Superman. Grandpa was Superman. Dad was Superman. I think my dad's Superman. Still to this day I do. But are we behind closed doors, Brother Donny, are we the real deal? It's easy to come in and worship God and have the facade, but how about behind closed doors? Are you the real deal? There's the enemy. Leonard Ravenhill said this, my main ambition in life is to be on the devil's most wanted list. And then you say, preacher, I don't have no trouble with the devil. I tell you, you just opened up a can of worms and you pretty much said you're not doing nothing for God. Every preacher I know that's under the attack and every Christian I know right now that's under the attack of the devil, they are doing more than they ever have been. Amen, the devil won't attack an idle Christian. The devil won't attack somebody who's not doing anything. The devil hits those ones that men keep on coming to God when they don't feel like coming serving God. The devil hits those ones that are faithful to God and fruitful to God and fervent to God. The devil don't care about those idle minds. What the devil cares about is a mom or dad or a young lady or a young man or a mom and a grandpa and a grandpa who's doing something for God. You better watch out, the devil will attack you. Job, he went endlessly, but guess what? All because he served God did not mean he did not have an enemy. I don't know where we come with this philosophy. Well, if I serve God, everything's gonna be all right. That's not Bible. Amen, I wish it was easy. I wish I could paint a beautiful picture for you that no problems ever occur and nothing ever happens, but honey, that's not the case. The enemy of Job, the innocence of Job, I want you to look at verse number 10, I like this. Hast thou not made an hedge about him and about his house and about all that he hath? on every side, thou hast blessed the work of his hands, and his substance is increased in the land. This is what the devil is saying about Job. Brother Donnie, that lets me know, Brother Ellison, the devil has been walking around Job's house. He's been in the farm for a little while. You say, preacher, how do you know that? That about all that he hath. How did Satan know that Job had all these things? He's come by a time or two. You know what's scary, ladies and gentlemen, if we could see in the spiritual realm, we'd never be the same. We'd never be the same. I'm glad, man, we drove last week every night to Clemson, two and a half hours there, two and a half hours home. Every night, Brother Donny, I prayed right before I left, Lord, put your hands of protection, Lord, put your angels around us, Lord, keep us safe. And I don't know if God answered that, but we made it home every night back and forth. The Bible said, man, there are angels unaware. Man, could it be, man, you've been at a gas station before. Man, you're scrubbing bottom. Man, you're waiting for God to do something and somebody come by. Brother Donnie said, hey man, hope you have a good day. I don't know and you don't know either. God could have sent an angel that day to say, hey, you're gonna be all right. When's the last time you went to the gas station, heard somebody say, hey, hope you have a good day? Barely happens nowadays, pumping that gas. Somebody help me right there. It's hard to smile when it takes $80 to fill up. Somebody say amen. Angels unaware. But here we find Job and his farm. Job and his, and this Bible tells me that all these things Job had, but his kids had their own houses. Brother Brian, we find daddy was going fervently and faithfully to serve God. Dad was going, Job was going continually to serve God. We can find the devil there. Man, going by, man, the son's in the daughter's houses. The devil's coming by, going by the front door of the boy's house. And it's almost like an electric fence shocks the devil. The devil said, well, I'm gonna get in the front door of his kid's house and he tries to go not even close to it. And something like a force field stops him from going in. He says, well, I can't go in the front door, so I'm gonna go in the back door. Devil walks around the back of Job's children's houses, and he can't get in, because there's a hedge. Y'all get this, I'm going somewhere, I promise. There's a hedge that's built. He said, well, I can't do there. I'm gonna try to get through the window. Satan jumps up, and man tries to get to the window, but he can't get nowhere inside. You hear me now? The kids weren't serving God. Daddy was. I'll say that again. The kids weren't up serving God. Daddy was. I'm saying that for a reason. He finally goes to the next kid's house and tries to get in. He tries to go into the farm, but he can't get in. He tries to go in to mess with the sheep. He can't even touch the sheep, devil. You know why? There's a hedge all around all that job path. Look at that, the three H's. Verse number 10, and heads about him and about his house and about all that he hath. The three H's, guess what? He was in better hands than all states. I said this long ago and I'll say it again. His kids was not serving God, amen, but money was serving God. One more time. His kids was not serving God. Daddy was. Hear me now. Dad's protection of heads was good enough to cover his kids. The devil couldn't get to his kids even though they were full of it, am I right? You know why? Because daddy was continually serving God. Can I say tonight, ladies and gentlemen, there are reasons why you haven't had funerals in your family because your kids and your grandkids are out there in the world. There's a reason why you hadn't had to pull up to East Georgia Road Baptist Church and lay in the casket of a son or a daughter or a grandson or a granddaughter. There's a reason why. You say, preacher, what's the reason why? It's found in verse number five. That's the DNA to continue it. Those kids were out there living in the world. but they had a daddy that would continue to serve God, that would continue to pray to God. I say this, ladies and gentlemen, some of you tonight better be very thankful that you had a mom or dad in your life or a mama or a papa that put that hedge of protection over you while you were out there living and seeing, while you were out there, man, living like the devil, man, just having yourself a good time. You had a mom or a dad or a mama I'm gonna pop on to pray a hedge over you. And the only reason you're here tonight is because somebody did continually. It's amazing to me, Brother Donny, the hedge that was put over Job, preacher, is the same hedge that was put over his kids. Say, why did his kids die? Because God hedged them in. Why? Because daddy did. continually. My dad, man, he, over there on the west side of Greenville Burnish, right over there, man, the Sheila Jackson Ballpark over there, my dad had a little nanny that lived over there. My dad was a drunk growing up, just drunk. I mean, man, just a bad guy. Said two or three o'clock in the morning, preacher, he'd walk in, go to her house, because if he went to his house drunk, my daddy said my daddy would have beat the devil out of him. Should have, amen. Boy said he walked in there drunk and she smelled alcohol all over him. Not one time did she cast judgment. It's easy to cast judgment as a Christian. Somebody help me. Bible says judge not, I'm not gonna get into all that, but amen, it's easy to cast judgment. Brother Donnie said he'd walk up in there. His head and neck would sit there, wouldn't ask no questions. It'd be two or three o'clock in the morning. Knowing Dad's a man just gone out of his mind, a man drunk. Brother Donnie said she'd walk in there. Boy, she'd grab a pot and she'd begin to cook. Pop some eggs in the pot and scramble them some eggs. And two, three o'clock in the morning, a drunk man, a grandkid, a great-grandson walking in your house, struggled. She didn't catch the judgment, know what she did? Dad said she loved on him. Well, she loved on him, cooked him a big old pot of grits, had some biscuits in the oven coming out. Can I say this? My dad, I believe the reason I am where I am at today because there's been some people before me and before my father and before them that prayed a hedge of protection about me and my family. You say, Preacher, my kids are gone. Can I say this? You better not stop praying. God might just drop the hedge. Sir, the only reason your family ain't in their funeral home tonight is because you still serve God. You say, Preacher, it hurts and Preacher, it's tough. Preacher, it's hard. I know it's hard. But can I say, you pray again. You keep going to God. Don't you dare give up. That hedge coming down ain't worth it. They're able to shorten their lives. It's not worth it. You pray on and you keep the hedge up. The kids were living under daddy's protection. All that he had. I say, ladies and gentlemen, there is the enclosure. Look at verse number 14. The Bible said, and there came a messenger unto him, and said the oxen were plowing, the asses feeding beside them, and the civilians fell upon them and took them away. Yea, they have slain the servants with the edge of the sword, and I only am escaped alone to tell thee. While he was yet speaking, there came also another and said, The fire of God is fallen from heaven, and hath burned up the sheep, and the servants, and consumed them, and I only am escaped alone to tell thee. While he was yet speaking, There came also another and said the Chaldeans made out three bands and fell upon the camels, and carried them away, yea, and slain the servants with the edge of the sword, and I only am escaped alone to tell thee. Verse number 18, while he was yet speaking, you think you had a bad day, honey? You think the bad thing that happened to you this past week's bad? Think about sitting in your living room, one person after another, Just coming in saying you lost. It's lost. It's lost. Look at verse number 18. And while he was yet speaking, there came also another. I say right here, verse 16, 17, boy, that had to hurt Job. But verse number 18 really got Job's attention. And said, thy sons and daughters, here we go, look at it now. They were eating and drinking wine, and their eldest brothers, they're just partying. Having a good time. And behold, there came a great wind from the wilderness, smote the four corners of the house. One guy said, I was reading after, could have been a tornado, I don't know how it does, only thing I know, the wind come, and it fell upon the young men. They are dead, and I only am escaped alone to tell thee. What we find in verse number 14 and 15, he lost his oxen and donkeys and some servants. We find in verse number 16, he lost some sheep and his servants. Verse number 17, he lost some camels and servants. The verse I read to you, verse number 20, that first word says, then Job arose. I'll tell you what got Job up, what struck his heart the most. is when verse number 19 come into play. Losing things, preacher, he's fine. But when the family starts hurting, it really hurts. Can I say this, ladies and gentlemen? I know without a shadow of a doubt, there's somebody here tonight and you have an opened wound. Not by friends, not by jobs, but by your own blood, family. Amen. Family is tough love. Say, preacher, I am wounded tonight. You're not wounded by a bullet. You're not wounded by your friends. You're not wounded about what's going on in the news. What you're wounded by is somebody who's close to you. The Bible said, then, Job, Look at verse number 20, the Bible says, May I say, ladies and gentlemen, that Job displayed his abasement. That's a big word for our word we call humility. There's three things Job did. Number one, he rent his mantle. That mantle was an outer garment worn by men of rank. One guy I was reading after, Brother Donny, he said tearing one's clothes was a public and powerful expression of deep grief, removing self. Can I say how you gonna worship while being wounded? Number one, you're gonna have to get rid of self. I'll be honest with you, ladies and gentlemen, it's hard to praise, I'm gonna say amen to my own preaching right here. It's hard to worship God when things just keep going south. It's easy to praise God when the pantry's full. Amen. It's easy to praise God when the money's coming in, when the bills are being paid, when the job's not laying off, when you don't get a bad report. It's easy from the hospital. It's easy to praise God when things are good. But I want to say something right here. I want you to hear me now. If you hear nothing else I say tonight, I want you to hear this. Worship is not a feeling. Worship is a choice. This new movement, Brother Jared, we live in, got a praise and worship team. Can I say this? You know the reason why they put them where they're cause? They're trying to make praise happen. It'll never happen. You know, our worship isn't based on a good song that makes you clap your hands and makes you stop your, I'm all for that, don't get me wrong. I was listening to, man, the new shed's coming down, boy, bluegrass. Honey, they got it going on while I'm sitting there, about having the time in my truck. I love good music. But you hear me now, worship isn't based on a feeling. Preach, I'm gonna worship God. That's not worship. When you worship God because things are going good, that's not worship. Worship isn't based on a feeling. It's based on a choice. Say, preacher, why are you saying that? Because here we find Brother Joe just lost everything he had. And if he's gonna choose to worship God, amen, it's a help for me, if he's gonna choose to worship God, he's got to get rid of self. Anybody ever said this right here, I'm already. Ain't nobody got as bad as I got. Come on now. Ain't nobody got it. Somebody help me. Raise your hands. Ain't nobody got a bad day. Ain't nobody had it like I have. I promise you, no matter how bad your day is, you say, preacher, I got it bad, you can go over here to Greenville Memorial Hospital, go in that children's department over there, the cancer center, shriners. Go pay a little visit over there and tell me how bad your day is. Go pay me a little visit and tell me how bad that toenail hurts. Amen. Go pay me a little visit, how much that job, one of those things that happen on the job, how bad that job really is. Go there and see a five, six year old kid, bald headed, don't know if they gonna live tomorrow. Go over there and tell me how bad your day is. Go ahead. Oh, it's me. You know why we can't worship God? Because we're too full of self. Oh, preacher, you don't know how bad they hurt me. Preacher, you don't know. Look around, you don't gotta look around far, honey. There's people a whole lot worse shape off than what we're in tonight. Amen, amen, preacher, amen. I'm telling you, you go in there, you ever get a feeling bad for yourself, thinking, oh my God, it's so bad, I don't know how I'm gonna make another day, you just get in your car, you drive over there to Shriners, and you start going through room after room, looking at families that have no idea what's going on, looking at little kids and teenagers that have no idea if they're gonna breathe another breath, and then you tell me how bad it is. Amen! Worship isn't a feeling! Worship is a choice to be made. Joel Brenner's mantle speaks of removing self. Joel there in verse number 20 said, he shaved his head. It was a ceremony of deep grief. I say some of you tonight, spiritually, you need to shave your head. Can I say, we're tough, we're tough. We live in a tough generation. Nobody likes crime. I don't. Can I say this right here? Crime is not a sign of weakness, it's a sign of meekness. Some of you tonight need to find you a spot, you're trying to hold it all in. That hurt, boy, it hurts you so, I'm talking about, it hurts. You go to bed with it in your mind, you go to work with it, only thing that's on your mind is that wound that's been created. How you gonna get past that? You gotta get rid of self, but you need to open up and give that thing to God. Bible talks about over and over, my tears have been my meat day and night. Said, preacher, it hurts, you just don't know. I'm gonna be honest with you, I don't know what's going on in your life. I know, I was between this one and another, and the Holy Ghost that speaks back there on that parking lot said, turn to Job chapter one, so I'm just preaching to you what God's preaching to me. If you're gonna truly worship God, you're gonna have to remove self, and you're gonna have to find somewhere to let it out. One of the worst things we can do as a Christian when we're wounded is to hold it in. Man, I don't know why the Lord wants this, but it's all right, amen. Psalm 66, I am weary with my groaning. All the night make I my bed to swim. I water my couch with my tears. Crying, ladies and gentlemen, like I said, is not a sign of weakness. It's not a sign of you being weak, sir. It's a sign that you've got a soft heart. Tears are the words that's your heart. Could it say? Look at verse number 20. When this man unshaved his head and fell down upon the ground, Spurgeon said, it is a good fall when a man falls to his knees. The way up in Christianity is down. It's amazing to me, Brother Don, he didn't go around and say, why ain't it happening to them? Why ain't those bad things happen to my neighbors down there? God, I'm sitting here serving you. Lord, I'm giving you everything I've got. Why ain't it happening down there? He didn't go pointing fingers. You know what he do? He went to kneeling knees. You know where I find my help? I believe it's Psalms 91. My help cometh from the Lord, which made heaven and earth. I'm gonna be honest with you, I'd say if she was here, my wife, there's some things, preacher, I cannot tell her. Brother Donnie, there's some things that pain me and wounds me, and I love my, I ain't trying to hold nothing against, she's watching, amen? She gonna get me when I get out of here, amen? But there's some things, preacher, I cannot tell my wife. Brother Donnie, because I know how bad it hurts me, and it hurts, and if I tell her, it's gonna open up a whole bigger wound. There's some things I can't tell her. I love her. I'm not holding nothing. You hear me now. I'm telling you, I'd say this if she was here. But no, there's some things I can't tell her. But you know where I can find, I can tell all things? On my knees. There's some times when it gets too big, and it gets too overwhelming, where the only thing you can do about Brother Job, he just fell down. So preacher, what's down there? I'll tell you what's down there. There's help down there. Amen, I'm about to turn pericostal, somebody help me. Amen, what's down there on your knees? There's help. Oh my, I will lift my eyes to the hills. From where's cometh my help? My help cometh from the Lord. Honey, when it gets so overwhelming, the only thing you can do is fall to your knees. You say, preacher, why did he fall down? He had nowhere else to turn. He had nowhere else to go to. He couldn't count on nobody else. So you know who he can count on? Oh my, he fell down upon the ground. Why did he fall down? Because there's help down there. Not only there's help, this is fresh, it's even in my notes. Not only is there's help, there's hope. down there. Hallelujah. Somebody write this down for me. I'm gonna put this later in my notes. Not only is there help, but there's hope to be found. Some of you, man, you've been trying to figure it out. You're trying to find the answer. You're trying to find a solution to your problem. Honey, you'll never make a mess of it. You might as well tonight get rid of self, fall down to the ground and know there's a God that knows where you are. He loves you and he sees what's going on. He can help you tonight. He can give you hope tonight. But you gotta learn to fall at the right place. Boy, we'll lean on preachers. We'll lean on teachers. We'll lean on doctors. But there's nothing like falling down before God. Amen. Thank you, Lord. That's fresh. I appreciate that. Amen. He fell down upon the ground. Notice this next phrase, verse number 20. And worshiped. He fell down upon the ground and worshiped. I'm gonna say it again. And he fell down upon the ground and started grappling. He said, preacher, how in the world is this man a worshiping God? He's lost everything, preacher. You'll find where his wife comes, said, hey, big guy, why don't you just go and curse God and die? It's amazing, ain't got time to preach it, but it's amazing, she said the very same things her kids were doing. I say this, ladies and gentlemen, it's not about the what. You hear me now, it's about the who. Look at verse number 21. Said naked came I out of my mother's womb. Naked shall I return thither. Notice this now, this phrase. The Lord gave. You say preacher, the Lord's an Indian giver. Look at that in your Bible. And the Lord hath taken away. You say preacher, God gave it to me, why is it gone? I say this, I don't know why. One of my dearest friends, one of my dearest friends, Tyler and Kayla, y'all know them. Man, they miscarried a baby. I don't understand. They're not out there boozing up, having a good, I mean, not living, I'm talking about serving God. She's finally out of her shell, amen. Finally can get her smile a little bit, Miss Kayla. They called me the other week, it had been several months ago, and said, why don't you pray for us? Going to the doctor don't look good. I don't understand why God will allow a godly family to get pregnant, and then weeks later, come in that same womb that he blessed, and come in that same womb and take. I don't understand that. If you got a better explanation for me, please tell me after church, because I really don't know. I don't understand how a preacher, a man, a good Christian grandma, grandpa can go to the doctor, nothing wrong with him, walk out, men walk in with their heads up, boys, they walk out on their feet because they don't know how long they got. I don't understand that. I don't understand how mamas and papas and moms and dads serve God. Brother Donnie, be faithful to God. Then they get that dreaded phone call. Hey, come pick up your son, come pick up your daughter. I don't know if they're gonna make it. I don't understand those things. One thing I've learned about God, ladies and gentlemen, what God does, he does very, very well. Can I remind you tonight, God didn't make a mistake. I don't know why in the world God's got me here, but this is where I'm supposed to be at. I have no doubt in my heart. I have no idea why God gave you those things, and did God come by years later, maybe years later, God come by and took them away. I don't know the answer for that. One thing I do know, Brother Donny, is God does all things well. It's easy to say that, as Nanny used to say while everything's going hunky-dory. while you're not going to the hospital, while you're not getting phone calls, while the bills are being paid, it's easy to say God does all things well. It's easy to worship on that. But when God blessed Job, he gave him, man, his soul gave him. The Bible said they're an inheritance of the Lord. My little boy, he gave him to me. And about five weeks from now, if we make it that long, amen, I'm gonna have a little girl. I'm excited. But what if, what if, God forbid, but what if, brother Donny, God gave us that little girl and boy, and God took him away from us? You say, preacher, what do you mean, God? Why in the world would God do that? I thought he was a loving God. What you don't understand, he is a loving God. I don't know why he took your mom. I don't know why he took your dad. I don't know why you had to go to the funeral a few weeks ago. I ain't taught to preach a bond. I don't know why the world God lets me right here, but we are. I don't know why you went to the doctor and got that bad report. Only thing I can tell you is he does all things well. That's what he does. He's not up there to hurt you. God's not up there to make you mad and bitter at God. Honey, you say, preacher, you don't understand. I never understand. One thing I've learned about God, he does all things well. Job could never point his fingers at God and say, God, it was your fault this happened to me. It's your fault. Some of you are trying to ask questions that don't even need to be asked. Some of you trying to figure out, can I say one thing about God? If you figure it out, it's not of God. You can't figure out God. He said my faults are above your faults. My ways are above your ways. You can't figure them out. I don't know why God lets the heads down preacher sometimes and allows good people to go through bad things. I don't understand that. What did Job do? Verse number 21. The Lord gave. The Lord hath taken away. Notice this now. Blessed be. No, I circled this in my Bible. If you write in your Bible, you need to circle it. Blessed be the, somebody help me there. Let's try that again. Blessed be the. Blessed be the. You'll find there right there before the Lord gave God come and got his things. What Job didn't lose, he didn't lose the name. The Bible does not say blessed be the things of the Lord. Remember I told you a moment ago, Brother Donnie, I set you up. It's easy to worship God when things are good. It's easy. Jared, it's easy to shout amen when everything's fine. Pastor, it's easy to shout when things are good, everything's in order, but you know what you truly find when things are gone and taken out of your life? You'll really find if you can worship God, amen, when things are gone. Say, Preacher, why did he say, blessed be the fangs of the Lord? Because they're gone. I want to help you here. You can still worship God, not based on the what, but all based on the who. Man, I go to church after church after church, Brother Donnie. I had a little old lady come to me the other Sunday. I ain't gonna tell you where I was, but I was somewhere. Hey man, I was preaching. This little old lady, she meant very well. She meant very well. Man, she come to me at church. She said, preacher, she said, can I have a word with you? I said, yes, ma'am, please. She said, ask one question. I said, yes, ma'am, please, what you got? She said, why are you so loud? I was like waiting on a spiritual question. I said, Mother Holy Ghost, I was very respectful. I really, I just wanted to clock her, amen. Can't do that, amen. This is what I asked her. I said, Sis, let me ask you a question. I said, you got grandkids? She said, well, yes, sir, I do. I said, they play sports? Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah. I mean, I could tell, as far as I know, she could walk. I don't know how to walk her. I said, those kids, you ever go watch them? You ever go watch them? I said, what do they play? She said, well, one of them plays soccer. I said, hey man, do you get out there and sit on that field and just sit there with your hands in your pocket? She said, well no, I cheer on my little boy. I cheer him on, tell him to go. Okay. I said, what if that little boy scores a wrong goal? And here's what she said. She said, he has before. I said, what do you do? I still egg him on. I said, well why are you being loud out there? She said, because it's sports. The Holy Ghost hit me upside the head. Honey, we'll shout, we'll shout, we'll shout for everything under the sun. And we'll shout, woo! Clemson went to the Elite Eight and got beat. Somebody help me, amen. Woo, we'll shout. J-Rod, that football comes around September, October, man, we'll shout. We'll go put on the gear and scream bloody murder till we lose our voice. And we come in church. You hear me now? Worship isn't based on a feeling. Because preacher, there are some times I don't feel like I'm worshiping God. It's based on a choice. Well, come in, God has blessed us, gave us a bonus on the job, took care of us this week, and we sit on our hands and laurels like. Can I say this, ladies and gentlemen? It was an outspoken worship. You say, preacher, worship is all about silent. Don't make me go there. Please don't make, I'll give you verse after verse after verse. Jericho, the walls of Jericho. The Bible said the people shouted with a great shout, and guess what come down? The walls come down. Somebody help me, Acts 16, when Peter and Paul and Silas are in prison, guess what, they sang and praised God at midnight. Everybody else is asleep but not Paul and Silas. Hallelujah, amazing grace, just a shouting. And worshiped God. Not based on things, but based solely on the name of the Lord. I'm done, Job displayed his adoration. Job displayed his abideness. In all this, see if you might come to the piano and just play whatever. In all this, Job sinned not, nor charged God foolishly. Can I say this tonight, ladies and gentlemen? It is not God's fault. Things have happened the way they have happened. It's, can I say that again? It's not God's fault. You're sitting there trying to figure out everything. Trying to figure it out. Trying to figure out what's going on. You may never figure out why or how. One thing you can do, you can make a choice tonight. that your kids are gonna see mom and dad worship God no matter what may come. I may go home tonight and lose everything I've got, but at the end of the day, ma'am, sir, it's a choice to worship God. What if everything is fine right now? What if we wake up in the morning, God decides to start taking, sir, those kids from you? Papa, Mama, what if God decides to pay a visit to your grandkids' house? What you gonna do? Honey, there's a sweet spirit here tonight. You can worship God not based on things, not based on the what, but based on the who. Can I say tonight, some of you, God has blessed you, been very good to you. Don't get your eyes so much on the things you have. Don't forget about who gave them to you. Father, we love you. Lord, there is a sweet, sweet spirit here tonight. A heavy, heavy spirit.