DENY, DENY, DENY

Matthew 10:32-33 So everyone who acknowledges me before men, I also will acknowledge before my Father who is in heaven, 33 but whoever denies me before men, I also will deny before my Father who is in heaven.

1.     When our will is out of alignment with our heart we overestimate our commitment.

John 13:36 Simon Peter said to him,  "Lord, where are you going?" Jesus answered him,  "Where I am going you cannot follow me now, but you will follow afterward."

John 13:37-38 Peter said to him,  "Lord, why can I not follow you now? I will lay down my life for you." 38 Jesus answered,  "Will you lay down your life for me? Truly, truly, I say to you, the rooster will not crow till you have denied me three times."

2.  Our faith must be ready to withstand the challenges of being a follower of Jesus Christ.

John 18:15-18  Simon Peter followed Jesus, and so did another disciple. Since that disciple was known to the high priest, he entered with Jesus into the court of the high priest, 16 but Peter stood outside at the door. So the other disciple, who was known to the high priest, went out and spoke to the servant girl who kept watch at the door, and brought Peter in. 17 The servant girl at the door said to Peter,  "You also are not one of this man's disciples, are you?"  He said,  "I am not." 18 Now the servants  and officers had made a charcoal fire, because it was cold, and they were standing and warming themselves.  Peter also was with them, standing and warming himself.

3.  We must decide what our responses will be before the trials come.

John 18:25 Now Simon Peter was standing and warming himself. So they said to him,  "You also are not one of his disciples, are you?"  He denied it and said,  "I am not." 26 One of the servants of the high priest, a relative of  the man whose ear Peter had cut off, asked,  "Did I not see you  in the garden with him?" 27 Peter again denied it, and  at once a rooster crowed.

4.  Failure is not final.

Luke 22:61-62  And the Lord turned and  looked at Peter. And Peter remembered the saying of the Lord, how he had said to him,  "Before the rooster crows today, you will deny me three times." 62 And he went out and wept bitterly.

5.  Jesus elevates the humble and restores the repentant.

John 21:15 When they had  finished breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter,  "Simon, son of John, do you love me more than these?"  He said to him,  "Yes, Lord; you know that I love you."  He said to him,  "Feed my lambs."

Jesus asked Peter if he loved Him more than the other disciples. (Some say, more than the fish or fishing.)  Feed my lambs indicates that Jesus' call upon Peter's life was to be a shepherd of people.

John 21:16 He said to him a second time,  "Simon, son of John, do you love me?"  He said to him,  "Yes, Lord; you know that I love you."  He said to him,  "Tend my sheep."

John 21:17 He said to him the third time,  "Simon, son of John, do you love me?"  Peter was grieved because he said to him  the third time,  "Do you love me?"  and he said to him,  "Lord,  you know everything; you know that I love you."  Jesus said to him,  "Feed my sheep.

When Jesus asked Peter if he loved Him, Jesus used a word for love which indicated total commitment.  Peter did not respond with that same word. Peter knew his disobedience had not proven a love that was based upon total commitment.  Peter's love for Jesus was great.  However, Peter was reluctant because he knew he had failed Jesus.

Jesus was willing to forgive Peter and to give him the grace to overcome his failures.  Jesus had planned for Peter to be the leader of the Apostles.  Peter's unfailing love would be needed for such a dangerous task.  Peter's faith and leadership had proven his place among the disciples.  Jesus makes it clear that Peter's failure would not remove him from this place of leadership.

Matthew 16:18 And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.

6.  Jesus has a plan for us.  He will give us strength to fulfill our purpose.

John 21:18-19 Truly, truly, I say to you, when you were young, you used to dress yourself and walk wherever you wanted, but when you are old, you will stretch out your hands, and another will dress you and carry you where you do not want to go." 19 (This he said to show  by what kind of death he was to glorify God.) And after saying this he said to him,  "Follow me."

Church tradition suggests that Peter was crucified under the Emperor Nero by being crucified upside down (AD 67-68).  Peter did not see himself worthy to die in the same posture as the Lord Jesus.

I find this helpful, how about you?

DON'T QUIT!

Job had no choice in the matter of his suffering.  He did have a choice in how he would respond to the trials. 

God promised Paul that He would give him the grace to bear his circumstances.

God’s grace is always sufficient.

2 Corinthians 12:7-10  So to keep me from becoming conceited because of the surpassing greatness of the revelations, a thorn was given me in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to harass me, to keep me from becoming conceited. 8  Three times I pleaded with the Lord about this, that it should leave me. 9 But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. 10  For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong.

God spoke to Job from a mighty whirlwind and demonstrated His control of all things.  Job understood that God deserved his trust and obedience, even when he suffered. 

Job is humbled.

Humility leads to tranquility.

James 4:10 Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will exalt you.

After hearing the voice of God, Job turned away from self-righteousness and questioning. 

Job 40:4-5 Behold, I am of small account; what shall I answer you? I lay my hand on my mouth. 5 I have spoken once, and I will not answer;  twice, but I will proceed no further.” In the midst of a bitter trial, Job learned of the mercy of God.

James 5:11 Behold, we consider those blessed who remained steadfast. You have heard of the steadfastness of Job, and you have seen the purpose of the Lord, how the Lord is compassionate and merciful.

Under the stress of trials we have difficulty seeing things as they really are.  Three things about God of which we must never lose sight…

1.        God is the Vindicator.  God vindicates His children in the face of their accusers.

Christians are not asked to accept suffering without vindication, death and self-denial without promise of heaven. Evil may now be mysterious, but it will not be triumphant.  -D.A. Carson

Job 42:7-9 After the Lord had spoken these words to Job, the Lord said to Eliphaz the Temanite: “My anger burns against you and against your two friends, for you have not spoken of me what is right, as my servant Job has. 8 Now therefore take seven bulls and seven rams and go to my servant Job and offer up a burnt offering for yourselves. And my servant Job shall pray for you, for I will accept his prayer not to deal with you according to your folly. For you have not spoken of me what is right, as my servant Job has.” 9  So Eliphaz the Temanite and Bildad the Shuhite and Zophar the Naamathite went and did what the Lord had told them, and the Lord accepted Job's prayer.

Job even prayed for his three friends.

Job 42:8 Now therefore take seven bulls and seven rams and go to my servant Job and offer up a burnt offering for yourselves. And my servant Job shall pray for you, for I will accept his prayer not to deal with you according to your folly. For you have not spoken of me what is right, as my servant Job has.”

2.        God is the Restorer.  God restores all of the losses inflicted by Satan.

God’s affirmation and support was enough of a reward.  However, God chose to re-establish Job’s life in a greater way.

·         Health

Job 42:10 And the Lord restored the fortunes of Job, when he had prayed for his friends. And the Lord gave Job twice as much as he had before.

·         Comfort

Job 42:11  Then came to him all his brothers and sisters and all who had known him before, and ate bread with him in his house. And they showed him sympathy and comforted him for all the evil that the Lord had brought upon him. And each of them gave him a piece of money and a ring of gold.

·         Wealth

Job 42:12  And the Lord blessed the latter days of Job more than his beginning. And he had 14,000 sheep, 6,000 camels, 1,000 yoke of oxen, and 1,000 female donkeys.

·         Family

Job 42:13-15 He had also seven sons and three daughters. 14 And he called the name of the first daughter Jemimah, and the name of the second Keziah, and the name of the third Keren-happuch. 15 And in all the land there were no women so beautiful as Job's daughters. And their father gave them an inheritance among their brothers.

·         Life

Job 42:16  And after this Job lived 140 years, and saw his sons, and his sons' sons, four generations.

If there is any sense in which we rejoice in sufferings, it is that we desire to walk in the steps of the Lord Jesus who suffered. Even he did not rejoice in sufferings.

3.        God is the Rewarder.  God is the Source of all blessings for us today.

Hebrews 11:6 And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him.

James 1:12 Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial, for when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love him.

James 5:11  Behold, we consider those blessed who remained steadfast. You have heard of the steadfastness of Job, and you have seen the purpose of the Lord, how the Lord is compassionate and merciful.

Don’t quit!

Philippians 3:14 I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.

A Personal Relationship with God

David begins this song with words of faith in the midst of trouble.  As David is in the wilderness of Judah, he longs to be at the sanctuary of the Lord--which had been at Nob. Later it would be moved to Jerusalem.  In the Judean wilderness, David hides from Saul.  This was also the same place where Jesus spent forty days and was tempted by the Devil.

1.     We remember how refreshing our Lord is when we spend a few days in the desert.

Psalm 63:1 O God, you are my God; earnestly I seek you; my soul thirsts for you; my flesh faints for you, as in a dry and weary land where there is no water.

The word "earnestly" here...is literally "in the morning."

"in a dry and weary land"  Many of us have been to the same place David is referring. 

Too often, we allow the desert to cause spiritual dehydration and doubt.

Jesus recognized the unbelief of his own people.

Mark 6:5-6  And he could do no mighty work there, except that he laid his hands on a few sick people and healed them. 6 And he marveled because of their unbelief.  And he went about among the villages teaching.

When Jesus and the disciples were caught in a storm on the Sea of Galilee, the trial caused the disciples to doubt.

Mark 4:39-41 And he awoke and rebuked the wind and said to the sea, “Peace! Be still!"  And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm. 40 He said to them, “Why are you so afraid? Have you still no faith?" 41 And they were filled with great fear and said to one another, “Who then is this, that even the wind and the sea obey him?"

Jesus reminds those of us who are in the desert of life...

Mark 9:20-23 And they brought the boy to him. And when the spirit saw him, immediately it convulsed the boy, and he fell on the ground and rolled about, foaming at the mouth. 21 And Jesus asked his father, “How long has this been happening to him?"  And he said, “From childhood. 22 And it has often cast him into fire and into water, to destroy him. But if you can do anything, have compassion on us and help us." 23 And Jesus said to him, ‘If you can'! All things are possible for one who believes." 24 Immediately the father of the child cried out and said, “I believe; help my unbelief!"

2.  We must "store up" blessings for our time of trouble.

Psalm 63:2 So I have looked upon you in the sanctuary, beholding your power and glory.

David recalls what he experienced in the presence of the Lord in the Sanctuary. 

"Often times God demonstrates His faithfulness in adversity by providing for us what we need to survive. He does not change our painful circumstances. He sustains us through them." Charles Stanley

 
Psalm 63:3 Because your steadfast love is better than life, my lips will praise you.

Praise is to admire God publicly with words.

3.  An attitude of praise is a decision followed by a lifestyle.

Psalm 63:4 So I will bless you as long as I live; in your name I will lift up my hands.

More often, lifting up hands was a posture of prayer instead of public praise.

Psalm 63:5-6 My soul will be satisfied as with fat and rich food, and my mouth will praise you with joyful lips, 6 when I remember you upon my bed, and meditate on you in the watches of the night. 

The Hebrews counted three watches to the night.  In the midst of David's difficulty sleeping, he chooses to praise God.

4.  God's faithfulness in the past is the measure of His faithfulness in the future.

Psalm 63:7-8 For you have been my help, and in the shadow of your wings I will sing for joy. 8 My soul clings to you; your right hand upholds me.

As David experienced the wilderness of Judah, he reflected upon the protection of God's shadow.  Shade was important in the wilderness.  It was a symbol of God's protection.  Wings are a symbol of God's salvation. 

It is God who feeds the birds of the air and clothes the grass of the field.  We would never be safe to doubt that He will provide for His children! To worry is to deny fact. 

Psalm 63:9-11 But those who seek to destroy my life shall go down into the depths of the earth; 10 they shall be given over to the power of the sword; they shall be a portion for jackals. 11 But the king shall rejoice in God; all who swear by him shall exult, for the mouths of liars will be stopped.

Lurking Evil

Job 1:6-7 Now there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the Lord, and Satan also came among them. 7 The Lord said to Satan, "From where have you come?"  Satan answered the Lord and said, "From going to and fro on the earth, and from walking up and down on it."

1.  Satan is like a stealth bomber on a mission to seek and to destroy.

1 Peter 5:8 Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.

Job 1:8-12 "Have you considered my servant Job, that there is none like him on the earth, a blameless and upright man, who fears God and turns away from evil?" 9 Then Satan answered the Lord and said, "Does Job fear God for no reason? 10 Have you not put a hedge around him and his house and 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 stretch out your hand and touch all that he has, and he will curse you to your face." 12 And the Lord said to Satan, "Behold, all that he has is in your hand. Only against him do not stretch out your hand."  So Satan went out from the presence of the Lord.

The story of Job and Satan's visit to God's presence gives us a window into what could be happening to any of us. Job chapters 1 and 2 remind us that Satan has a direct involvement in human suffering.  In Job chapter 1, we learn of Satan's attack on Job's family.

2 Corinthians 11:14 And no wonder, for even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light.

Some reasons for suffering...

•  Some suffer because of the actions of other people.

•  Some suffer just because...

•  Some suffer due to the consequences of personal choices.

•  Some suffer under the direct assault of Satan.

John 10:10 The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.

For Job, all of his suffering occurred because he was a target of Satan.  Interestingly, Satan had influence or control over different forces in order to carry out his means of assault...

2.  Satan attacks the unsuspected with unwitting accomplices. 

Job 1:13-15 Now there was a day when his sons and daughters were eating and drinking wine in their oldest brother's house, 14 and there came a messenger to Job and said, "The oxen were plowing and the donkeys feeding beside them, 15 and the Sabeans fell upon them and took them and struck down the servants with the edge of the sword, and I alone have escaped to tell you."

Satan's accomplices may or may not be aware of their involvement in his schemes.

Satan used evil men to bring destruction.

3.  Sometimes the work of Satan is incorrectly attributed to God.

Satan used a natural disaster to destroy sheep and servants. 

Job 1:16 While he was yet speaking, there came another 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." 

4.  Satan's attacks range from inconspicuous to brutally violent.

Satan used a group of hostiles to destroy the rest of Job's livestock and servants.

Job 1:17 While he was yet speaking, there came another and said, "The Chaldeans formed three groups and made a raid on the camels and took them and struck down the servants with the edge of the sword, and I alone have escaped to tell you."

5.  Be aware: Pain and sorrow are ultimately the work of Satan in the world.

Satan used another natural disaster which killed Job's sons and daughters.

Job 1:18-19 While he was yet speaking, there came another and said, "Your sons and daughters were eating and drinking wine in their oldest brother's house, 19 and behold, a great wind came across the wilderness and struck the four corners of the house, and it fell upon the young people, and they are dead, and I alone have escaped to tell you."

James 4:7 Submit yourselves therefore to God.  Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.

Ephesians 6:11 Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. 12 For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.