My Sheep Know My Voice – 3

My Sheep Know My Voice – 3

Subject: Discernment About God’s Voice and Will

by Rick Welborne

John 10:1-5 (NKJV) ¹  "Most assuredly, I say to you, he who does not enter the sheepfold by the door, but climbs up some other way, the same is a thief and a robber. ²  But he who enters by the door is the shepherd of the sheep. ³  To him the doorkeeper opens, and the sheep hear his voice; and he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. ⁴  And when he brings out his own sheep, he goes before them; and the sheep follow him, for they know his voice. ⁵  Yet they will by no means follow a stranger, but will flee from him, for they do not know the voice of strangers." 

Job 2:113 (NIV) 

1 On another day the angels came to present themselves before the LORD, and Satan also came with them to present himself before him. 

2 And the LORD said to Satan, "Where have you come from?" Satan answered the LORD, "From roaming through the earth and going back and forth in it." 

3 Then the LORD said to Satan, "Have you considered my servant Job? There is no one on earth like him; he is blameless and upright, a man who fears God and shuns evil. And he still maintains his integrity, though you incited me against him to ruin him without any reason." 

4 "Skin for skin!" Satan replied. "A man will give all he has for his own life. 

5 But stretch out your hand and strike his flesh and bones, and he will surely curse you to your face." 

6 The LORD said to Satan, "Very well, then, he is in your hands; but you must spare his life." 

7 So Satan went out from the presence of the LORD and afflicted Job with painful sores from the soles of his feet to the top of his head. 

8 Then Job took a piece of broken pottery and scraped himself with it as he sat among the ashes. 

9 His wife said to him, "Are you still holding on to your integrity? Curse God and die!" 

10 He replied, "You are talking like a foolish woman. Shall we accept good from God, and not trouble?" In all this, Job did not sin in what he said. 

11 When Job's three friends, Eliphaz the Temanite, Bildad the Shuhite and Zophar the Naamathite, heard about all the troubles that had come upon him, they set out from their homes and met together by agreement to go and sympathize with him and comfort him. 

12 When they saw him from a distance, they could hardly recognize him; they began to weep aloud, and they tore their robes and sprinkled dust on their heads. 

13 Then they sat on the ground with him for seven days and seven nights. No one said a word to him, because they saw how great his suffering was. 

–Last week we saw Job going from being the wealthiest and blessed man in all the east...to losing all that he had in a matter of moments.

–Not only did he lose his worldly possessions but he lost 10 children whom he loved very much all in a single tragedy...broken hearted.

–We saw how there was this incredible event in heaven where angels have to report to God and give an account of what they have been doing.

–Because of Who God is (omniscient, omnipresent, omnipotent) Satan also had to report to God what he had been up to...

–I can’t tell you what that does for me to know that Satan has to answer to God for everything he does and that he understands Who God is!  We are on the right side!

–Job was tested beyond what most of us could imagine…yet:

Job 1:2022 (NIV) 

20 At this, Job got up and tore his robe and shaved his head. Then he fell to the ground in worship 

21 and said: "Naked I came from my mother's womb, and naked I will depart. The LORD gave and the LORD has taken away; may the name of the LORD be praised." 

22 In all this, Job did not sin by charging God with wrongdoing. 

–I had not really considered the significance of these verses as strongly as I should have. Satan was trying so hard to take away from Job his desire, his passion, his hunger, his yearning to worship God.  

–Job made the comment that I came into this world with nothing and when I leave I won’t take anything with me...the Lord has given me all my blessings and He has chosen to take them away...but I am a worshiper so Blessed be the Name of the Lord!

Psalm 34:1 (NKJV) 

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

–I will bless the Lord at all times...even if He is allowing this present test or trial.

–Satan wants to take away our worship...economy goes south, our bodies get sick, our loved ones are attacked, relationships are strained, feelings get hurt, offenses come, cars and appliances break down...all of this is an attempt at taking away our worship.

–Satan thinks, destroy our worship and he destroys our joy, our service, our witness, our growth, our peace, our prosperity...

–The former worship leader of heaven knows the power of worship and knows if he can stop us from worshiping God that he has us in his talons. 

Ezek 28:1215 (NKJV)

12 "Son of man, take up a lamentation for the king of Tyre, and say to him, 'Thus says the Lord GOD:  "You were the seal of perfection, Full of wisdom and perfect in beauty. 

13 You were in Eden, the garden of God; Every precious stone was your covering: The sardius, topaz, and diamond, Beryl, onyx, and jasper, Sapphire, turquoise, and emerald with gold. The workmanship of your timbrels and pipes Was prepared for you on the day you were created. 

14 "You were the anointed cherub who covers; I established you; You were on the holy mountain of God; You walked back and forth in the midst of fiery stones. 

15 You were perfect in your ways from the day you were created, Till iniquity was found in you.  

–You have been in Eden the garden of God"  no king of Tyre has been in the Garden of Eden! “Every precious stone was thy covering"  can you imagine what a beautiful creature he was! 

J. Vernon McGee's Thru The Bible - “The workmanship of thy timbrels and of thy pipes was prepared in you." Not only could he sing, he was a band; he was music itself.  Satan was the "anointed cherub that covers"  that is, he protected the throne of God.  This is not the Eden which was on earth, but apparently is a picture of heaven itself. Satan had access to heaven, of course.  Satan protected God's throne. He had the highest position a created being could have. What was it that brought him down?

–His pride and his “I wills!” His goal is not only to stop us from worshiping God but also to get us to curse God to His face...remember this when you are questioning “Is it God or is it Satan causing me all this misery?”

–Remember the next time you are tempted to curse God or you are angry with Him where it is coming from.

Let us look at our text tonight and see what God is saying to us:

1. It is a big deal that the angels and Satan have to report to God but there will also come a time that people (believers and non-believers) will have to report to God.

Job 2:113 (NIV) 

1 On another day the angels came to present themselves before the LORD, and Satan also came with them to present himself before him. 

–You and I are going to have to report to God someday. Remember that the Christian is going to stand at the judgment seat of Christ.

2 Corinthians 5:1011 (NKJV) 

10 For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive the things done in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad. 

11 Knowing, therefore, the terror of the Lord, we persuade men; but we are well known to God, and I also trust are well known in your consciences. 

–As believers we will not stand at the Great White Throne judgment of Revelation 20:1115, which is where the unbeliever must give his account. All the creatures of God must come to make their report to Him.

2. Again we see God bragging on His servant Job and defending him.

Job 2:2-3 (NIV) 

2 And the LORD said to Satan, "Where have you come from?" Satan answered the LORD, "From roaming through the earth and going back and forth in it." 

3 Then the LORD said to Satan, "Have you considered my servant Job? There is no one on earth like him; he is blameless and upright, a man who fears God and shuns evil. And he still maintains his integrity, though you incited me against him to ruin him without any reason." 

J. Vernon McGee - Now this shows us clearly that what the Lord allowed Satan to do with Job was done without a cause in Job. People are always saying, "Why does God let this happen to me?" Perhaps the answer from the Lord is, "There is no reason for it in you. I am not spanking you. I am not punishing you. I just want to bring you closer to Me." That is what He did with Job. It was without a cause in Job. Sometimes we point our finger at some believer and say that God is whipping him, which may not be true at all. It may be that God is testing him in a way He cannot test you or me, because He couldn't trust us with that much trouble. Very frankly, I would never want to go through what Job had to suffer! 

--He still maintains to his integrity. Job shows us that adversity or unexpected circumstances are never an excuse to compromise our integrity...we always want to excuse ourselves and blame someone else.

Deuteronomy 29:19 (NIV) ¹⁹  When such a person hears the words of this oath, he invokes a blessing on himself and therefore thinks, "I will be safe, even though I persist in going my own way." This will bring disaster on the watered land as well as the dry.

–Your trial may be such that you have to literally hold your integrity...effort and discipline on your part...you have to hold tightly to your integrity. There is no excuse to go your own way. 

3. Satan is angered that his first attempt at Job failed, and now, he is determined to step it up a notch...attack his body.

Job 2:4-6 (NIV) 

4 "Skin for skin!" Satan replied. "A man will give all he has for his own life. 

5 But stretch out your hand and strike his flesh and bones, and he will surely curse you to your face." 

6 The LORD said to Satan, "Very well, then, he is in your hands; but you must spare his life." 

–He lost his property and he lost his children...painful but...these are all external losses but let it happen to him personally. 

Matthew Henry Unabridged - Why, truly, he has this to say, Skin for skin, and all that a man has, will he give for his life. Something of truth there is in this, that selflove and selfpreservation are very powerful commanding principles in the hearts of men.  

–Self-love and self-preservation have caused a great many to compromise their integrity only to realize their pit just becomes deeper.

–God promises us that we will never be tempted above that which we are able to endure but physical pain and anguish can push us to that edge.

–God gave Satan permission with limitations...God has a chain on Satan because if not he would destroy us all. Where is this attack coming from?

2 Corinthians 12:710 (NKJV) 

7 And lest I should be exalted above measure by the abundance of the revelations, a thorn in the flesh was given to me, a messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I be exalted above measure. 

8 Concerning this thing I pleaded with the Lord three times that it might depart from me. 

9 And He said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness." Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. 

10 Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in needs, in persecutions, in distresses, for Christ's sake. For when I am weak, then I am strong. 

Job 2:78 (NKJV)

7 So Satan went out from the presence of the LORD, and struck Job with painful boils from the sole of his foot to the crown of his head. 

8 And he took for himself a potsherd with which to scrape himself while he sat in the midst of the ashes.   4. With God’s permission...Satan strikes Job with painful boils from head to toe.

--One boil would be plenty but to be covered with them...almost unbearable...Especially without all the medical helps we have now. We would have to believe Isa.55:8-9:

Isaiah 55:89 (NKJV)

8 "For My thoughts are not your thoughts, Nor are your ways My ways," says the LORD. 

9 "For as the heavens are higher than the earth, So are My ways higher than your ways, And My thoughts than your thoughts. 

  

--A father whips little Stephanie and says “This hurts me more than it does you.” But she replies, Yeah, but not in the same place!

--There would come a day that Job would understand all the good God was up to but at first he had no clue.

--Not only was it for the good of Job, but it was for the glory of God. Remember that God’s character had been questioned by Satan and all of heaven must have shuttered when he did it.

--He was saying...You are not worthy to be loved...you have to pay Job to love you and serve you!  Does God always have to do good to us before we love Him?

--Listen to the depth of the charge...you only have paid lovers! Our love is truly tested in the middle of a trial...not when blessings are flowing!

--God has not promised an easy life to any of His children. On the contrary, we are told that the way will be rough. If we suffer with Him we will reign with Him.

Praying Circles Around Your Walls – 14

Praying Circles Around Your Walls – 14

Subject: Get Your Feet Wet

Rick Welborne

Joshua 6:5 (NKJV)
⁵  It shall come to pass, when they make a long blast with the ram's horn, and when you hear the sound of the trumpet, that all the people shall shout with a great shout; then the wall of the city will fall down flat. And the people shall go up every man straight before him." 

Joshua 3:11-17 (NLT)
¹¹  Look, the Ark of the Covenant, which belongs to the Lord of the whole earth, will lead you across the Jordan River!
¹²  Now choose twelve men from the tribes of Israel, one from each tribe.
¹³  The priests will carry the Ark of the LORD, the Lord of all the earth. As soon as their feet touch the water, the flow of water will be cut off upstream, and the river will stand up like a wall.”
¹⁴  So the people left their camp to cross the Jordan, and the priests who were carrying the Ark of the Covenant went ahead of them.
¹⁵  It was the harvest season, and the Jordan was overflowing its banks. But as soon as the feet of the priests who were carrying the Ark touched the water at the river’s edge,
¹⁶  the water above that point began backing up a great distance away at a town called Adam, which is near Zarethan. And the water below that point flowed on to the Dead Sea until the riverbed was dry. Then all the people crossed over near the town of Jericho.
¹⁷  Meanwhile, the priests who were carrying the Ark of the LORD’s Covenant stood on dry ground in the middle of the riverbed as the people passed by. They waited there until the whole nation of Israel had crossed the Jordan on dry ground. 

--Last week we talked to you about the message of the manna, holy complications, and making the comfortable uncomfortable.

--God wants us to trust Him every day to be just enough (to be everything we need for today). Give us this day our daily bread. Jesus is the Bread of Life!

--We saw last week how that following and obeying God can lead us to holy complication which causes us to pray like never before. Truly that is the point. God wants us to trust Him.

--We also saw that God’s goal is not our comfort…His goal is His glory and honor. He has no problem leading us into difficult situations so His Name can be lifted up. 

--Think about it, your complications or discomfort could be the working of Holy Spirit to get you where you need to be doing what you are supposed be doing for His glory.  From Wednesday night:

Donald Gee:  There are so many situations in which we need to see, not the working of Satan, even though he may be actively involved, but the hand of God. We should not be asking “What is Satan doing here?” but “What is God saying here?

--God is not so much interested in your comfort as much as He is in His Name receiving honor and glory. Sometimes God wants us to step in before He steps out and does the miracle. The crossing of the Jordan.

Joshua 3:13-16 (NLT)
¹³  The priests will carry the Ark of the LORD, the Lord of all the earth. As soon as their feet touch the water, the flow of water will be cut off upstream, and the river will stand up like a wall.”
¹⁴  So the people left their camp to cross the Jordan, and the priests who were carrying the Ark of the Covenant went ahead of them.
¹⁵  It was the harvest season, and the Jordan was overflowing its banks. But as soon as the feet of the priests who were carrying the Ark touched the water at the river’s edge,
¹⁶  the water above that point began backing up a great distance away at a town called Adam, which is near Zarethan. And the water below that point flowed on to the Dead Sea until the riverbed was dry. Then all the people crossed over near the town of Jericho. 

1. Get your feet wet.

--When the Israelites were getting ready to enter the Promised Land, God commanded the priest not to just look toward the sea (like Elijah with the cloud), He commanded them to step into the river.

--Have you ever noticed that you cannot put God into any of your little man made boxes because as soon as you do He will surely do, whatever it is, a different way. 

--He may just speak healing to lepers and tell them to go show themselves to the priest and the next time He may be taking a loogy (spit and mud) and putting in your eyes and telling you to go and wash.

--Moses came to the Red Sea and God just told him to raise his staff and God parted the sea and the Israelites walked across on dry land. We personally prefer this method…who wants to get their feet wet?

Joshua 3:8 (NLT)
⁸  Give this command to the priests who carry the Ark of the Covenant: ‘When you reach the banks of the Jordan River, take a few steps into the river and stop there.’” 

--The Jordan river was at flood stage and rivers that have overflowed their banks are dangerous…We lived ten miles from the Ouachita River in Bastrop…at flood levels it was about two miles from our house. Dangerous!

--God, please just go ahead and part this mile-wide river and we will walk right across and everyone will be happy! We always want God to go first. That way we don’t get our feet wet.

Batterson – It’s often our unwillingness to take a step of faith and get our feet wet that keeps us from experiencing a miracle. Some people spend their entire lives on the eastern shore of the Jordan waiting for God to part the river while God waits for them to get their feet wet. 

--Right after I became pastor of Life Church we ran into our first crisis in our mission’s program, we had a decision to make. We were three thousand dollars short with no money in the General Fund. 

--Some said, just contact the missionaries and let them know and send what we can…We had a choice to get our feet wet or just camp on the eastern side on the Jordan on dry ground.

--As the former youth pastor we had raised several thousand dollars (back then we had no budget unless we raised it) and we still had about $4000 in the account. I said let’s get our feet wet.

--We went to the newly hired youth pastor and asked him to loan us the $3000 for our missionaries and we would pay him back as soon as possible. Of course, he said yes. 

--God saw we were serious about missions and that we were willing to do whatever it took to keep our commitment…we paid our missionaries and we paid back the youth ministry in a couple of months. 

--We have never faced that problem again because God saw we were not afraid to trust Him and to get our feet wet. What if the money had not come…wrong question…what would have happened if we had not jumped in.

--This promise of going into the Promised Land was 400 years old. The promise of God was in sight but they could easily lose it by their fear and disobedience. 

--What if the priest had not stepped into the river? What if they would have waited for God to part the water? 400 years could have turned into 500 years or more. Spending the rest of their lives on the wrong side.

--That is where so many of us spend our lives…we are so close to our dreams, so close to the promise, so close to our miracle but aren’t willing to get our feet wet.

--We are waiting on God to part the water and God is waiting on us to get our feet wet. If you will make a move, He will move heaven and earth to do the miracle. 

2. The Apostle Peter had wet feet.

Matthew 14:25-29 (NLT)
²⁵  About three o’clock in the morning Jesus came toward them, walking on the water.
²⁶  When the disciples saw him walking on the water, they were terrified. In their fear, they cried out, “It’s a ghost!”
²⁷  But Jesus spoke to them at once. “Don’t be afraid,” he said. “Take courage. I am here!”
²⁸  Then Peter called to him, “Lord, if it’s really you, tell me to come to you, walking on the water.”
²⁹  “Yes, come,” Jesus said. So Peter went over the side of the boat and walked on the water toward Jesus. 

--Peter’s resume may not have been the greatest…he had a big mouth, he denied the Lord three times, he was called Satan by the Lord, he fell asleep when Jesus truly needed him to pray.

--He passed the wet feet test by getting out of the boat in the middle of the Sea of Galilee (a 91 square mile dunk tank) when he responded to one of Jesus’ craziest commands, “Come!”

--Two keys I see here about getting your feet wet in the Sea of Galilee is, first of all, hearing the voice of God and, secondly, know Jesus was in the sea already waiting for you. 

--The Israelites were commanded… The priests will carry the Ark of the LORD, the Lord of all the earth into the river. This was God’s voice commanded them and the Ark represented God’s Presence. 

--Do you see the similarities…both received God’s command to get in the water and God’s Presence was already there. If Jesus says come…then get out of the boat but if He doesn’t say come…stay in the boat.

--One evening I had been at the hospital visiting sick folks and I was on my way back to the church to do some more studying…our house was on the way to church. Holy Spirit said “Go to your house.”

--He didn’t know I was not finished studying so I reminded Him and He apologized and said, of course go on to the church and get your work done. Of course, He didn’t say that.

--Even stronger, He said go to your house and check on Stephanie. She was only a few months old. I knew Tricia was a great mom and that she was taking good care of her…but I obeyed.

--I asked Tricia is Stephanie ok and of course she said yes…she is sleeping. Holy Spirit said go check on her again with much intensity. She was sleeping peacefully I thought…I rolled her over on her back.

--I looked at her and she looked fine until I looked deep in her mouth…I saw something tiny on the back of her tongue…I tried to carefully put my big fingers in her mouth…I grabbed it and starting pulling. A dryer sheet!

--She had almost completely swallowed the whole dryer sheet…thank you, Holy Spirit for speaking to me and saving my daughter…it is imperative that we hear His voice.

--When you have the presence of Jesus and you hear that still small voice do not ever be afraid to step out of the boat and get your feet wet. God will be glorified…Peter could say…I walked on water!

3. Get your feet wet when it comes to Holy Spirit!

--Some of you need to have the walls fall and you need to get your feet wet when it comes to Holy Spirit. You have been on the sidelines too long looking in and wondering if He is real and if He is for you!

--If any other subject was in the Bible as much as Holy Spirit is…It would be a Cardinal Doctrine in every denomination. Satan does not want you to understand about Him and His power. It is time to jump in!

John 14:16-17 (NKJV)
¹⁶  And I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may abide with you forever--
¹⁷  the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him; but you know Him, for He dwells with you and will be in you.

John 14:26 (NKJV)
²⁶  But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you.

John 15:26 (NKJV)
²⁶  "But when the Helper comes, whom I shall send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth who proceeds from the Father, He will testify of Me.

John 16:7-8 (NKJV)
⁷  Nevertheless I tell you the truth. It is to your advantage that I go away; for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you; but if I depart, I will send Him to you.
⁸  And when He has come, He will convict the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment:

John 16:13-14 (NKJV)
¹³  However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth; for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak; and He will tell you things to come.
¹⁴  He will glorify Me, for He will take of what is Mine and declare it to you.

My Sheep Know My Voice - 2

My Sheep Know My Voice - 2

Subject: Discernment About God’s Voice and Will

by Rick Welborne

John 10:1-5 (NKJV)
¹  "Most assuredly, I say to you, he who does not enter the sheepfold by the door, but climbs up some other way, the same is a thief and a robber.
²  But he who enters by the door is the shepherd of the sheep.
³  To him the doorkeeper opens, and the sheep hear his voice; and he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out.
⁴  And when he brings out his own sheep, he goes before them; and the sheep follow him, for they know his voice.
⁵  Yet they will by no means follow a stranger, but will flee from him, for they do not know the voice of strangers." 

Job 1:1 12 (NKJV) 

1 There was a man in the land of Uz, whose name was Job; and that man was blameless and upright, and one who feared God and shunned evil. 

2 And seven sons and three daughters were born to him. 

3 Also, his possessions were seven thousand sheep, three thousand camels, five hundred yoke of oxen, five hundred female donkeys, and a very large household, so that this man was the greatest of all the people of the East. 

4 And his sons would go and feast in their houses, each on his appointed day, and would send and invite their three sisters to eat and drink with them. 

5 So it was, when the days of feasting had run their course, that Job would send and sanctify them, and he would rise early in the morning and offer burnt offerings according to the number of them all. For Job said, "It may be that my sons have sinned and cursed God in their hearts." Thus Job did regularly. 

6 Now there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the LORD, and Satan also came among them. 

7 And the LORD said to Satan, "From where do you come?" So Satan answered the LORD and said, "From going to and fro on the earth, and from walking back and forth on it." 

8 Then the LORD said to Satan, "Have you considered My servant Job, that there is none like him on the earth, a blameless and upright man, one who fears God and shuns evil?" 

9 So Satan answered the LORD and said, "Does Job fear God for nothing? 

10 Have You not made a hedge around him, around his household, and around all that he has on every side? You have blessed the work of his hands, and his possessions have increased in the land. 

11 But now, stretch out Your hand and touch all that he has, and he will surely curse You to Your face!" 

12 And the LORD said to Satan, "Behold, all that he has is in your power; only do not lay a hand on his person." So Satan went out from the presence of the LORD. 

–Tonight we will again look at this subject of discerning God’s voice or understanding His will. Knowing His voice in the middle of chaos! Reminder…if you can’t hear His voice, trust His Word.

–Last week we talked about Job...an extremely wealthy man who also was the greatest man in his day...The Bible says he was a righteous man who feared God and hated evil.

–Without Job’s knowledge God and Satan were having a conversation about him...can I say here that God does not have to check with us about anything He does...He is God! He is sovereign! 

1. The accuser of the brethren (Satan) wants to bring disruption.

–Satan says the only reason Job is serving God is because He is buying him off...not because he loves God...He just loves the stuff. He likes to misrepresent (lie) to bring division. He is accusing Job of selfishness.

–God gives Satan permission (keep in mind Satan has to have permission) to attack all that Job has...all his stuff...but up to this point he cannot attack his body.

–The scene changes again and we are back to the land of Uz...things are a whole lot different now…it’s about to get ugly.

Job 1:13-15 (NKJV) 

13 Now there was a day when his sons and daughters were eating and drinking wine in their oldest brother's house; 

14 and a messenger came to Job and said, "The oxen were plowing and the donkeys feeding beside them, 

15 "when the Sabeans raided them and took them away…indeed they have killed the servants with the edge of the sword; and I alone have escaped to tell you!" 

--You talk about the stock market crashing...all of his stock was taken and his servants were killed.

--A lot of what we have trusted in is suddenly gone in a moments time...

--How many of you know that trials or bad news usually comes in waves? One thing leads to or cause another.

Job 1:16 (NKJV) 

16 While he was still speaking, another also came and said, "The fire of God fell from heaven and burned up the sheep and the servants, and consumed them; and I alone have escaped to tell you!" 

--Why do insurance companies say that they do not cover acts of God...the fire of God fell from heaven...it could have been the fire of Satan? Do they cover that?

--Why don't the insurance policies say, "If God permits Satan to destroy my house"...we will cover that.

Job 1:17 (NKJV) 

17 While he was still speaking, another also came and said, "The Chaldeans formed three bands, raided the camels and took them away, yes, and killed the servants with the edge of the sword; and I alone have escaped to tell you!" 

--Notice the escalation of the events...While he was still speaking...before bad news could be out of the mouth of one person another comes with more...help!

--Job thinks he has lost it all...and probably thinks that it cannot get any worse.

--Have you ever been there? No way it could get any worse but it does...

2. Losing that which is most dear to us.

1 Cor 10:12-13 (NLT)

12 If you think you are standing strong, be careful, for you, too, may fall into the same sin. 

13 But remember that the temptations that come into your life are no different from what others experience. And God is faithful. He will keep the temptation from becoming so strong that you can't stand up against it. When you are tempted, he will show you a way out so that you will not give in to it. 

--So strong that you can’t stand up against it...this would have to be close to being hard for him to bear:

Job 1:18-19 (NKJV) 

18 While he was still speaking, another also came and said, "Your sons and daughters were eating and drinking wine in their oldest brother's house, 

19 "and suddenly a great wind came from across the wilderness and struck the four corners of the house, and it fell on the young people, and they are dead; and I alone have escaped to tell you!" 

--Satan thought...just in case these other things did not get to Job to make him curse God...the loss of his children surely would.

--Matthew Henry gives us insight into how devastating this was for Job:

Matthew Henry Unabridged - His dearest and most valuable possessions were his ten children; they were killed and buried in the ruins of the house in which they were feasting. This was the greatest of Job's losses, and which could not but go nearest him; and therefore the devil reserved it for the last, that, if the other provocations failed, this might make him curse God. Our children are pieces of ourselves; it is very hard to part with them, and touches a good man deeply. But to part with them all at once, and for them to be all cut off in a moment, who had been so many years his cares and hopes, went to the quick indeed. 

Matthew Henry Unabridged - What made this situation almost unbearable?

A. They all died together, and not one of them was left alive.  In a moments time he lost everyone of his children.

B.  They died suddenly. Had they been taken away by some lingering disease, he would have had notice to expect their death, and prepare for the breach; but this came upon him without giving him any warning...no final goodbyes!

C. They died when they were feasting and making merry. Had they died suddenly when they were praying, he might the better have borne it. Were they right with God?

D. They died by a wind of the devil's raising, who is the prince of the power of the air (Eph. 2:2), but it was looked upon to be an immediate hand of God, and a token of his wrath. So Bildad concluded:

Job 8:3-4 (NLT) 

3 Does God twist justice? Does the Almighty twist what is right? 

4 Your children must have sinned against him, so their punishment was well deserved.

E. They were taken away when he had most need of them to comfort him under all his other losses.  

3. Life can be filled with pain.

Job 1:20-22 (NKJV) 

20 Then Job arose, tore his robe, and shaved his head; and he fell to the ground and worshiped. 

21 And he said:  "Naked I came from my mother's womb, And naked shall I return there. The LORD gave, and the LORD has taken away; Blessed be the name of the LORD. ' 

22 In all this Job did not sin nor charge God with wrong.  

--McGee says Job could probably be heard a half mile away crying because of his pain...his pain was real and he was a wounded man...Example of the pastor who told a family not to cry.

--He humbled himself...tore his robe...shaved his head...fell to the ground...all indications of someone humbling themselves before God. What would our reaction be?

--What did he do next...curse God...Nope...curse Satan...Nope...blame the Sabeans...blame God...blame the devil...blame the fire...blame the wind...Nope! 

--What did he do...he did not blame God...He did not curse God...he worshiped!

Romans 12:1-3 (NKJV)
¹  I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service.
²  And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.
³  For I say, through the grace given to me, to everyone who is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think soberly, as God has dealt to each one a measure of faith. 

--What would we do...What are we doing in our present tests? Are we worshiping or whining and complaining ...are we cursing God in our hearts? What did Job do?

Hebrews 13:15 (NKJV)
¹⁵  Therefore by Him let us continually offer the sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of our lips, giving thanks to His name.

 --What was Job’s conclusion to his tragedy? I may not have my stuff and I obviously have lost my kids but I do still have my God and somehow and in some way...everything will be alright! I will worship Him!

--Was God in on this? Yes. Was Satan in on this? Yes. Job had no knowledge of the scene in heaven and he did not have to. He already had established his response to anything that came his way.

Job 1:20-22 (NKJV)
²⁰  Then Job arose, tore his robe, and shaved his head; and he fell to the ground and worshiped.
²¹  And he said: "Naked I came from my mother's womb, And naked shall I return there. The LORD gave, and the LORD has taken away; Blessed be the name of the LORD."
²²  In all this Job did not sin nor charge God with wrong. 

Job 1:22 (NLT)
²²  In all of this, Job did not sin by blaming God.