Scripture: Job 3:1-11; Job 3:24-26

Introduction:
-In case you haven't figured it out: "JOB IS DISCOURAGED + DEPRESSED." (Closely Related) I know that came as a great REVELATION TO YOU, as we have read THOSE SCRIPTURES!

-As a matter of fact, there really is no positive value at all in those words, except to prove that Job, the Righteous man of God, is Discouraged!

-If man wanted to get + stay discouraged and depressed, open up Job 3 the entire chapter and read it every single Day for THE REST OF YOUR LIFE!

Job Is A Deeply Discouraged/ Despondent Man:
-Job continues that way for about the first 30 Chapters Of The Book!
-And, his wife and friends didn't help much!
-His wife TOLD JOB TO HANDLE HIS DISCOURAGEMENT BY CURSING GOD + DIE!
-His Friends TOLD JOB THE REASONS FOR HIS WOES, was that HE WAS FULL OF SIN!
-That’s all you need, people like that, WHEN YOUR BODY IS FULL OF SORES!

Every year thousands upon thousands of YOUNG AND OLD choose TO TAKE, SNUFF OUT, THEIR OWN LIFE.

From what we are able to tell there are approximately 28-30,000 suicides in the United States per year! On an average American day, about 80 plus people kill themselves in the United States! That includes all ages, those under 16, and those above 65, and all the way in between!

In the little Scandinavian Country of Sweden for example, where there is a population of about 9,000,000 folks, and, where there is estimated to be about 100,000 Pentecostals:

• There is approximately ONE CHILD Suicide attempt each day reported!
• There is at least ONE CHILD Suicide Success each week in Sweden!
• Amidst the astronomical Divorce & Broken Home Ratio!! (1 out of 1.81 marriages)
• Amidst the Pregnancies of girls under 14, up 90% in recent years!
• Amidst this and more, which is all tied together in an aggravated cause and effect way.

The Fool Has Said In His Heart, “There Is No God….” Psalm 14:1

When we think about atheists, our minds tend to go back into history to the likes of Francois Voltaire, Frederick Nietzsche, Julian Huxley, and more recently Madelyn Murray O’hare and Michael Newdow who is on a crusade to remove every trace of God from American society. There is an aggressive atheism in the world today that is being showcased on television documentaries, for instance on the likes of the Discovery Channel, that are completely atheistic and evolutionary in their philosophy. The Christian Faith is constantly being maligned by comedians such as George Carlin and Bill Maher, just to name a couple of the better known comic atheists.

It wasn’t that long ago that John Lennon of The Beatles flaunted his atheistic songs such as God and Imagine. In them he sings, “I don’t believe in the Bible. I don’t believe in God. I don’t believe in Jesus. I just believe in me, Yoko and me, that’s reality.” Or again, Lennon sings, “Imagine there’s no heaven…no hell below us, above us only sky…no religion too. You may say I’m a dreamer, but I’m not the only one. I hope someday you’ll join us, and the world will live as one.”

I wish that I could tell you that this latest incident was the first time that Rick Warren had espoused something that was unscriptural. Once would be bad enough, but sadly this isn't the first time that Mr. Warren has "stepped in it" with his false teaching and judging by his past track record, and it probably won't be the last. Both he and Joel Osteen have fooled thousands of well-meaning folks over the last decade (more on that in a future post), and now Warren has issued an Ecumenical call to fast and pray for the Cardinals who are seeking a new Pope.

If you don't have Twitter you probably missed it. Yesterday Warren sent out the following call to his over 900,000 followers on Twitter: “Join me today in fasting and prayer for the 115 Cardinals seeking God’s Will in a new leader.” Since posting the Tweet, which was re-Tweeted over 170 times as I write this, and favorited over 80 times, his comment has understandably been met with criticism. “Mr. Warren, what would the point be?” asked an African follower on Twitter. “Let’s pray for the heretics [to] tone down on their heresy?”

A pastor friend of mine made the following post this morning on his Facebook page: "Here in Richmond we have panhandlers on just about every stop light. Yeah, times are tough, but why would you give your hard earned money to a guy holding a "Help Me" sign while smoking a cigarette and drinking Starbucks Coffee?"

My first reaction was that the post was quite harsh and more than slightly insensitive to the plight of those who beg or are homeless. It also got me to thinking, as Christians what should our response be to beggars and panhandlers?

I was saddened today when I heard that Tim Tebow had bowed to the pressure of political correctness and cultural decay in canceling his speaking engagement at First Baptist Dallas.

It grieves me so deeply when young Christians, flush with fame and fortune and standing in the limelight, buckle to this kind of pressure. The list is a mile long and sadly Tim Tebow is not the first and certainly won't be the last.

What did he ever have that Christ didn’t give him? What does he expect to gain by withdrawing? Did non-Christians ever love him? Will he play football any better by playing the Politically Correct Card? He may have maintained his marketability, but he also (intentionally or not) sent a message that he agreed with the media about FBC Dallas. This is being perceived by the secular media as a “Wise PR” move. I'm sorry but there is a thin line between “protecting your platform” and "affirming falsehood."

Now let’s get to the good stuff, after all, “The Gospel of God” means “The Good News of God.” Mark 1:14 says,

“He came into Galilee preaching the Gospel of God saying, ‘The time is fulfilled, and the Kingdom of God is at hand.’”

Now we’re talking! Good News about THE KINGDOM OF GOD. Jesus has brought “The Kingdom of God” to us, and that is downright exciting. Let’s face it, this isn’t just any ole tin pot kingdom! There are no richer and abundant kingdoms than “The Kingdom of God.” Things are looking up! It is treasure-hunt time now, and let’s enjoy all of the “Kingdom Goodies” of “The Good News of the Kingdom.”

So then preacher, tell us about it. Let the good times roll! Let’s get on with the treasure hunt. I mean, after all, the Kingdom of God is here, and how long can it take to get to the TOOTSIE ROLL CENTER of the TOOTSIE POP KINGDOM?

It is both a humbling and a heartening realization for preachers that when Jesus launched His public ministry, He did so by PREACHING the Gospel of God. Jesus Christ opened His redemptive mission by preaching a sermon in Galilee, His home state. Not only does that sanctify preaching to the exceedingly highest level, but it should tell us that the greatest and most gracious spiritual work of all time and eternity, the salvation of the human race, began with a sermon preached by our Savior.

Have you ever realized the following? Listen:

“JESUS PREACHED THE GOSPEL IN GALILEE BEFORE HE BECAME

THE GOSPEL ON CALVARY.”

Or if you will:

“JESUS CAME CLOTHED WITH THE GOSPEL IN GALILEE, BUT HE BECAME

THE NAKED GOSPEL ON CALVARY.”

Oh how I wish that I could have been there to see our Lord and hear his voice call men to salvation in his first recorded public preaching-sermon-evangelistic call. It is recorded in the Gospels. You can find it in Mark 1:14-15,

“And after John had been taken in custody, Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the Gospel of God, and saying, ‘The time is fulfilled, and the Kingdom is at hand, repent and believe in the Gospel.’”

Jesus Christ is the loving heart of God, and the Antichrist is the hateful heart of Satan. Jesus Christ incarnate is the Masterpiece of the Holy Spirit, and the Antichrist in the flesh is Satan’s Monsterpiece. Jesus Christ came from Heaven to earth, and the Antichrist comes to bring Hell to earth. The Beast of Revelation 13:1 is as far from Christ as Heaven’s throne is from Hell’s abyss.

Jesus Christ is the Son of God, but the Antichrist is the son of perdition. (II Thessalonians 2:3 KJV) Jesus Christ is the fulfillment of the law, but the Antichrist is the man of lawlessness. (II Thessalonians 2:3 NASV)