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.