Anthony redid some of the, they're all good now? Okay, so anyway, we have the sermon notes if you want to use that, that's available back at the back. Okay, so tonight we are looking at the third lesson I'm looking at in the book of Job, and the Job we're looking at just verse five of chapter one, and tonight's message is an answer to prayer. Of course they all are. But in particular, over the years, I've been in ministry for 41 years, I've come across time and again this fact that is kind of upsetting, but it is a fact. That people in the church look at their adult children, or sometimes their older children, and who are not walking with the Lord. And some have actually abandoned the faith, some have actually become what you would call apostates. They have denied the faith and turned totally around. And I've always prayed to God, give me something to give to parents. And I know of several incidents in the crowd tonight, and I'm not picking on you. It's just something that I've prayed about, that God would give me something at some time to give to parents to encourage them. And I believe Job chapter 1 verse 5 is that passage. And I'll explain that as we go along here. But it is something that is more than just pressing a button. Now, wouldn't it be nice if you could just press a button and they would return? But it doesn't happen that way. And just like anything else, when God calls us to do something, he gives us grace, he gives us an illustration in the Bible, gives us something to help us along to encourage us. But it takes effort. He's looking for us to participate, even as he says to us in the book of Philippians that it is God who works in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure. And then he says, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling. So here we are tonight, we're looking at Job chapter 1 verse 5. Job's lament is, I've talked about Job as being a living lament, and the more that I'm looking at that, it's really good, because Job begins with his life in chapter 1, how close he is with God, including the fact that he's interceding for his children. And it's very interesting how that happened in Chapter 1, because next thing you know in Chapter 2, they're wiped out. So you never know. So it's good to be mindful as Job was with his children and interceding for them. So tonight that's where we're going. Job chapter 1 verse 5, just one verse and we looked at Job 1, 2 through 5 last time but today we're just looking at just verse 5 and it's on that topic of how do we pray for, how do we respond to children that have wandered away. Let's pray. Father, we thank you for this word from Job and this example from Job. Thank you for the entire word of God. We look to the word of God for our help and our strength to feed our souls and to give us guidance in every aspect of life. And Father, you know the hurt that is often associated with children that have gone astray, the hurt in the parents. especially if those children are covenant children that have been baptized as children and that we've been taught in the way and then they go astray. Father, we understand that that hurt is real and we don't want to just make it light of that tonight. It's a real thing and pray that you administer to those to whom this affects either by those in the congregation here tonight or those who had received this message over the internet through video or through a recording, a sound recording. Father, we know that you are the one who comforts souls. As the Apostle Paul said, you are the God who comforts, the God of all comforts. And so I pray that you would comfort those to whom this affects tonight, but give us all instruction that we would be aware, even as all of us, most all of us here have people on the breastplate of remembrance that we are remembering. So Father, may it be applied to us all that this scripture and this teaching in the life of Job. We give you thanks for it. and come to you open-handed and say, Lord, feed us, guide us as we pray in Jesus' name. Amen. So the question I begin with tonight is, what would you like for your children? I mean, children in the Presbyterian circles, we have baptized our children. We hold to the covenant of God that he would be covenantally faithful in bringing his children to faith in Jesus Christ. And sometimes we see them go astray, but we understand that God can still work in their hearts. He is not restricted by their being away from us or being away from the church or anything else. And so when that happens, we have to say, well, what do parents do? Especially when they're out of the house, okay? So tonight we look at that because Job's children are out of the house. They live separately. They're not in his house. They live in each other's. It seems like it's indicated from verse 2 or 3, verse 4, his sons used to go and hold a feast in the house of each one of his, on his day. And so they all had a house. Interesting. I don't know how far away they lived from Job, but they each had a house, and so they would have a feast in each one of the brothers' houses. There were seven brothers and three daughters that he had, and so they would have this feast. And then it comes down in verse 5 when it says, when the days of the feast had run their course, Job would send and consecrate 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 children have sinned and cursed God in their hearts. All right, so there's where we're going. We're going to look at Job's action, his motivation, and his perseverance here, and how that applies to parents today who have wayward children that they have left the fold, so to speak, and are not interested in the things of God. So when we think about that, the statistics are rather alarming. How many times parents send their children off to college, and the next thing you know, they go astray. Or when they grow up they decide they've had enough of this and they go astray. And then they take on the words of an apostate where they never really believed or they say other things that are very hurtful to parents. So today we look at this and first of all Job's actions, the first thing he did, it says he would consecrate them in verse 5 there. It says, when the days of their feast would run their course, Job would send and consecrate them. It seems like he called them to himself. It's interesting that that was an indication that Job had some relationship with his children, and as a matter of fact, his relationship with God was evident to his children. And so when he made that appeal to them to come to him so that he could consecrate them, set them apart to God, they responded, which is very good. Now, we understand that that doesn't always happen. I mean, today you would call, maybe you call your son or daughter to come and let me pray for you, or let me do something for you, and they may put you off. Nevertheless, we want to learn from that situation, so he would consecrate them. The action is that he is setting them before God. He's not praying God, he's setting them before God. That's what he's looking for God to work in their hearts. It's just like in the book of Exodus when Aaron and his sons were consecrated to the Lord's service, they had a washing that went on. And so there's a sense where they're consecrated, they're set to God, there's a cleansing and I'll point out how that can be applied to you and your children as we pray for our children. Nevertheless, the Apostle Paul said in 2nd Corinthians chapter 7 that he was grieved in his heart and he said that his actions were kind of a cleansing for that church and Remember, the church had a problem in Corinth, that they had a man in the church that basically had an affair with his stepmother, okay? And it was obvious, and the church wasn't doing anything about it. And Paul pointed out, they needed to set him aside and excommunicate him, put him aside, okay? And then he says, as I rejoiced, not because you were grieved. In 2 Corinthians, he writes, he says, because you were grieved into repenting. And so when you're praying for your children, what's one of the things about? That God would work in their hearts and cause them grief over where they have gone so that they would repent, right? You don't want to have, you know, it's not calling down fire from heaven to destroy them, but that they would be caused to turn to God. So he says, you felt a godly grief so that you suffered no loss through us, for godly grief produces repentance and leads to salvation without regret. So that is the key to what, when you look at Job and what he's doing is he's setting them before God. Now again he points out in verse 5 that Job said, for it may be that my children have sinned and cursed God in their heart. He wasn't accusing them, he just said that could happen. They were feasting, they were eating and drinking, and sometimes people go off the rails. And I'll point out some more things about that when you look at that. But right now, let's just consider this. The Apostle Paul said to the church at Corinth, he says, cleanse out the old leaven that you may be a new lump and really are unleavened. For he says, a little leaven ruins the whole lump. So just a little sin. Just a little sin. It may not be a big thing that's causing your children to go, maybe just a little thing, but nevertheless, it's still sin, right? And so Paul, or excuse me, Job is looking at that as his children, and he's talking to them about them just as Aaron, or excuse me, as Moses told the people to wash their garments, get ready to be in the presence of God. And so what he's doing is calling them, and now he's gonna be offering a sacrifice, but he's consecrating them to be before God. So, let's look at how that applies. First of all, let's look at some interesting things in the New Testament in 1 Corinthians chapter 7. He deals with, around verse 14 there, that they have a woman who has an unbelieving husband and a man who has an unbelieving wife. And he says that the unbelieving husband is made holy because of his wife. So, and he also says, and the unbelieving wife is made holy because of her husband. Otherwise, your children would be unclean, as it were, they are holy. They've been set apart to God. Now, it doesn't mean that they automatically become Christians. It doesn't mean that if a person has an unbelieving spouse, just because you're there doesn't make them a Christian. But what it does mean is that God has something for that family, Whether there be one of the spouse or the other that is there consecrated to God, there's a consecration on that family. Are you with me on that? Because that means God is paying attention to that family. That family is set apart to God, whether it's by one spouse or the other. God is looking at that family in a different way. And that's why their children are also consecrated to God. They are set apart to God. So with that said, okay, that's why fathers are not to provoke their children to anger. but bring them up in the discipline and admonition of the Lord. They are to train their children to be consecrated children. So what happens? How does that apply to parents today? I believe that the passage, and I believe it's on your outline, 2 Timothy 2, verses 24 through 26, this applies in a great way to so many circumstances, especially when you're dealing with people that have gone astray. And it says this, this is actually, he's talking to Timothy, so Timothy is a young minister, and I believe it has a great application here, especially when you care about somebody that has gone astray in the church, someone in your family, however it is. And here's what he says. The Lord's servant must not be quarrelsome, but kind to everyone. You don't go with a bat and go beat him over the head. Sometimes you'd like to. And what you're doing is pushing them farther away. So he says, the Lord's servant or parents must not be quarrelsome. You don't pick a fight with them. but kind to everyone, able to teach. You know what that means? You have the Word of God on your mind all the time. You're studied up enough, okay? You're able to teach scriptural principles, and then patiently enduring evil, patiently enduring evil. You know, I have talked to many parents over my time in ministry that have just been flabbergasted by the words and the actions of their children. They don't know what to do about that because it seems like there's an evil spirit that's caught them. They don't know what to do. Well, here's what it says. One thing you do, you endure, okay? It means you put up with it because, okay, here's why, because notice it's you patiently endure evil, correcting his opponents with gentleness There may be some correction in there. You stand firm on what you believe. And then he says, God may perhaps grant them repentance, leading to a knowledge of the truth, that they may come to their senses and escape the snare of the devil after being captured by him to do his will. Do you understand? Your children have been captured by Satan. You want to bring them out of that. So number one, there's some preparation there. If I were you, I would just recommend you memorize that verse, keep it in your mind all the time. What God is calling you to do is to be the Lord's servant in the matter. You are there for them. And he is not giving up on you praying. I'll get more to that in a moment. But in the meantime, we need to be ready to share the gospel. I mean, what a simple thing when Paul says, I'm ready or I'm eager to preach the gospel to you that are in Rome. I'm not ashamed of the gospel of Jesus Christ. Well, I would say to parents, you aren't ashamed of it either. And be ready to share the gospel with your children. They need a good dose of the gospel. And a good dose of the gospel is, here's what you need to do. The gospel is, here what Jesus has done for you. They need to hear that. They need to hear that God has given a grace to escape from the bondage of Satan. That's where they are. They need to hear the truth of the word of God. And so when we look at that, isn't it good when we talk about sanctification, that we've been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ, it says in Hebrews chapter 10, once and for all, for when Christ had offered for all time a single sacrifice for sins, he sat down on the right hand of God. That is the gospel that your children need to hear. Secondly, we look at Job 1 verse 5. It said he would consecrate them and he would sacrifice for them. There were atonement sacrifices made in the Old Testament, and we understand that atonement sacrifices were pictures of the Lord Jesus Christ from day one. There was atonement sacrifices for Adam and Eve when God slew the animals and gave them coats to wear, right? So there was a killing of the animal. And that's why I think that there was enough in that that we understand that there was a teaching on that, although we don't get the words of the teaching, but that's why when Cain brought the best fruit of the land and offered them to God, and Abel brought the best of the flock and had it offered as a sacrifice, that was atonement. You don't make atonement with fruits and vegetables. Atonement is life for life, to satisfy the wrath of God. And so here's what he did. He was making an atonement sacrifice, offering a burnt offering before God. We understand that was what Noah did, and that seems to be what was going on before God gave the rules for that in the making of the tabernacle. But notice, and I just put on your outline, I think, that Hebrews chapter 10, verses 16 through 18, this is the covenant I'll make with them after those days, declares the Lord. I will put my laws in their hearts, write them in their minds. Then he adds, I will remember their sins and lawless deeds no more. Where there is forgiveness of these things, there is no longer any offering for sin. So we don't, you're not, I'm not asking you to make an offering, a bird offering, go out and slay an animal on behalf of your children, but I am asking, that you bring the sacrifice of thanksgiving to God. I am asking that you make your vows to the most high, as it says in Psalm 50, and call upon the Lord in the day of trouble. This is the day of trouble. You're praying for your children. It's the day of trouble. It's time to get serious about that. And in doing so, I would say, number one, as it says in 2 Corinthians chapter 13, you examine yourself to see whether you're in the faith. And secondly, offer yourself as a living sacrifice and be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Otherwise, you know, sometimes parents, you know, I mentioned this before. I keep being reminded of it, but nevertheless, it was a good illustration. Sometimes parents, they want their children to get out of the trouble that they're in, but they don't really want to get serious about God. That was when I was in Jackson, Mississippi. I had a young man that was wondering into the ways of drug life and everything else, and his parents asked me to do something about it, so I got a hold of him and I said, I need your help at the church. And he said, what can I do to help you? Well, I want you to learn how to do some of my broadcast I had going on, and also we were doing video projects. And he said, OK, I'll stop by. And so we became real close, and I discipled him during that time. And all of a sudden, God just, whew, boy, he lit the fire, and it was a hot fire. That kid was, he was memorizing scripture, he was reading his Bible all the time, and he was, he could expound on the word of God every time he would, he was just, he was gifted. And we became really close. And then it was really sad. His parents confronted him about being so caught up with the things of God. Why are you so serious about this? They threw water on the fire. Thankfully that, you know, today we're still in communication. He's still on fire, but it's very sad. You know, I just thought, when he told me that, I just, I just, are you kidding me? I mean, would you rather have your son doing drugs? Instead he's living for God and he's on fire for God? And so that, what I'm getting at is there are a lot of parents who complain about their children. A lot of parents talk about, well, we'd like to see them restored to the faith, but they aren't living up to themselves. And I'm not accusing. Don't get, it's not, you know, it's not accusing. I'm just saying that I've seen that in churches. I've seen that in churches where parents talk about their wayward children, and yet you talk about them, their spiritual life is about on a two of a scale of one to ten. They're just not really not serving God. Okay, so anyway, the first thing is look at that. But even the Apostle Paul, I want you to notice in 2 Corinthians chapter 12 verses 20 through 21, Paul was facing all kinds of things in the church at Corinth and he says, I fear that when I come again, my God, this is verse 21, may humble me before you and I may have to mourn over the many of those who sinned earlier and have not repented of the impurity and sexual immorality and sensuality that they have practiced. Okay, what I'm getting at is there's still mourning. Okay, you may practice what I'm talking about tonight. There's still, there's a mourning in your heart because your child is not following the Lord. And that's what Paul's talking about. He labored there, but there was still some mourning. So what we're saying is, it is God's sovereign plan that we act accordingly, but we also have to understand God's the one that's in control. And he'll bring repentance in his time. But don't give up. Here we go. So here's what I believe what Job was doing. And let me just read verse five again, because it says, when the days of the feast had run out of course, Job would send and consecrate them. He would rise early in the morning and offer burnt offerings according to the number of them all, one for each. And for Job said, it may be that my children have sinned and cursed God in their hearts. Thus did Job continually. Intercession is the best thing that you can do for your children. Yes, you need to be ready to share the gospel. Yes, you need to labor gently, to labor, to point out things that they're doing in their lives and communicate with it, but do it in a way that it says in 2 Timothy chapter 2. But also, the best thing you do is pray for them. Pray, intercede. You know in 1st Timothy it says, I urge that supplications and prayers and intercessions and thanksgivings be made for all people. Well of course, that would include your children, right? Praying for them. Romans chapter 8 says the Spirit will help us in our weakness. In the book of Matthew chapter 7, ask and it will be given you. Seek and you will find. Knock and it will be opened to you. I think all of us would say, Lord I believe it. Help my unbelief in this, okay? Just as we have pointed out this morning. So let me, on the subject of intercession, let's point out the lesson that Jesus gave from Luke chapter 18. Oh, this is a hard one, because sometimes we get weary in praying. You ever get weary in praying for things? Keep bringing up the same thing. Still praying for them. Who is it? The missionary Cary. What's his first name? John. I wanted to say John. No, no, it's not John. That's the apostle. Who is that? William Carey, yeah, okay, he labored for how many years, 60 years almost before he had one conversion. I mean, can you imagine going back to the mission board and, well, give me, let's have your statistics so we can really pray, you know, know that things are right and you're there. No conversions this year. You know, going back every year and giving the same report, no conversions. So sometimes we're like that, we're knocking, knocking, knocking. Well, Luke chapter 18, Jesus says, here's the parable, here's the story, here's the thing I want you to notice in Luke chapter 18, verses 1 through 8, that you might always pray and not lose heart. Ouch! If you're losing heart, here's the story today. Here's what Jesus says. There was a certain city, a judge, who neither feared God nor respected man. And there was a widow in that city who kept coming in to him saying, give me justice against my adversary. For a while he refused, but afterwards he said to himself, I neither fear God nor respect man, yet because this widow keeps bothering me, I'll give her justice so that she will not beat me down with her continual coming. And the Lord said, hear what the unrighteous judge says. Will not God give justice to his elect who cry to him day and night? Will he delay long over them? I tell you, he will give justice to them speedily. Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on the earth? So the question is, will you be faithful in your praying? Do you need to have an automatic answer in order to keep praying? The answer is no. You're doing it because the Spirit is leading you, because the promises call you, ask and it shall be given you, seek and you shall find. Your care is moving you because you care about your children, okay? And then the response that we understand that Jesus said, when he comes back, if he came back today, would he say that you've been faithful in praying for your children? Wow. more on that in a moment, but let's look at Job's motivation. It goes back to verse one. There was a man in the land of Uz whose name was Job that was a man who was blameless and upright, one that feared God and turned away from evil. Job had a relationship with God. He feared God. It was an awesome relationship because he had an awesome respect for God. He loved God. He wanted to do what was right by him. It says in Proverbs 28, blessed is the one who fears the Lord always. Proverbs 14 says the fear of the Lord is the thousand of life, and he says, by steadfast love and faithfulness, iniquity is atoned for, and by fear of the Lord, one turns away from evil. So there's a, when you talk about your children, there's a fear of God. There's an awesome respect and an awe of God that he has called you to do this for your children. put it this way, if you don't pray for your children, who will? Okay, now we understand there's people like our church body here that pray for those on the breastplate of remembrance and I know there are a lot of children on the breastplate of remembrance and there are people that are praying through that breastplate of remembrance daily and thank God for that, but God is calling all of us in this respect out of fear for him. In awe of him, we do what he says. But he also had a fear for his children. Notice he says, for Job said, it may be that my children have sinned and cursed God in their hearts, thus Job did continually. It's interesting that he says to curse God. It's actually the word to curse is actually the same word as to bless. And so as I was reading on John Calvin on this, as he was pointing out, he says, actually, the blessing that they were, it wasn't that they were cursing God, but they weren't blessing God. He deserved to be blessed, you know, it says in Psalm 103, bless the Lord, O my soul, and all that is with me, bless his holy name, speak well of him. So they may not have actually cursed God, although that is possible too. Sometimes you eat and drink, you say things you don't really know you're doing or want to do. Sometimes they get people loose tongues, right, and say things. But I believe with this, just stop and think about it. Okay, at a time when they should have been blessing God, they were so bent on consuming that they didn't bless God, and so basically that's a sin. where it says in the book of Psalm 139, search me, O God, and know my heart, and try me, and know my thoughts. See if there's any grievous way in me, and lead me in the way of everlasting. That would be like what Job is doing for his children. Search them, O God. See if there's anything in them that is not right, and give them repentance, and receive my sacrifice of atonement on their behalf. Because we understand to hold back from God, the praise that is due his names, it says in Romans chapter 1 verse 21, people knew God, they didn't honor him of God or give thanks to him, but they were futile in their thinking. In verse 28 it says, they did not see to acknowledge God, and God gave them up to a debased mind. That's where a lot of disobedient children are. Maybe they're not cursing God, maybe they are, but maybe they're just not obeying God. Maybe they're not acknowledging God, who he is. OK? So it's interesting where Paul writes and says, at the end of Philippians chapter 3, he says, their end is destruction. Their God is their belly, and their glory is their shame, with mine set on earthly things. All right. Let's talk about some practicality here of Job doing, it says, those last words, thus Job did continually. What did he do continually? He did on a regular basis. And the first thing he did was to rise up early in the morning. Okay, you know that I'm going to say that, right? Anybody want to join me at four o'clock in the morning? All right. So, rising up early in the morning is a demonstration of your willingness to do without that which is needed. You need sleep. Job needed sleep. By the way, how did he get up early in the morning? I don't think he had an alarm clock. I mean, they were relying upon the sundial, right? I don't think it works at night, right? So they got up at daybreak, but obviously he was up before that. He was rising up early in the morning. This is important stuff. So the rising up early in the morning is kind of like fasting. You need to sleep, but you need time with God more. Or fasting is, I need to eat, but I need time with God more than eating. Wasn't it interesting that Jesus said, if anyone will come after me, let him take up his cross daily? And what, deny himself? Self-denial. There's no problem sleeping. But if you want, this is laid on your heart as a burden, you're willing to do without sleep, to get up, to seek God for it. It's not a manipulation with God. It's to show God, you're serious. Just like fasting. When Jesus did heal the son of the man who came to Jesus and said, if you can do anything, heal my son. And Jesus says, all things are possible to him that believes in the Son. The man says, well, I believe, and help my unbelief. When Jesus healed the young man, the disciples came to him after and said, how come we couldn't cast him out? And Jesus says, this one comes out, and I like how the King James says, because the ESV says this comes out by much prayer. Well, that's true, but King James says this comes out by prayer and fasting. My old seminary professor, Dr. Doug Keller, used to say that prayer is like reaching out and putting one hand on the throne of God. Fasting would be like, putting both hands upon the throne of God. In other words, I drop everything that I'm doing, every need that I have. This is more important. I hope that we would fast for God to do a great revival in Christ's community, Presbyterian Church, and beyond. But nevertheless, he rose up early. He rose up early, and Job persevered. He did this continually. I just want to end with a little illustration that Jesus gave about when he was teaching on prayer and said, which of you who has a friend will go to him at midnight and say, friend, lend me three loaves. For a friend of mine has arrived on a journey, and I have nothing set before him. And he will answer from within, do not bother me. The door is now shut, and my children are with me in bed. I cannot give up, get up, and give you anything. And Jesus goes on to say, and I tell you, though he will not get up and give him anything because he is his friend, yet because of his impudence, or as it says in the King James, his importunity, his continually knocking, okay, that he will rise up and give him whatever he needs. And Jesus concludes with this, I tell you, ask and it will be given you. Seek and you will find. Knock and it will be open to you. For everyone who asks, receives. Everyone who seeks, finds. And the one who knocks, it will be open. Just keep asking. Wow. Job didn't refrain from bringing his children to the Lord. I love that. All 10 children he brought to the Lord, continually. He prayed for his children. He offered atonement to his children. You offer atonement by seeking the atonement, the atoning blood of Jesus Christ to shadow them and cover them. You intercede for them, standing in the gap for them, saying, Lord, be merciful to them. You stand in the gap, you bring them before God continually, and you don't give up, because you care for them. You don't give up because God has done so much in your life and you have an awesome respect for him and his word and his promises. Job willingly sacrificed with a focus on atonement. He just willingly brought a sacrifice, but he was motivated by a fear of God himself and a fear for his children as a form of interceding for his children. And Job was serious enough to get up and then to persevere. I thought of this this week as I was preparing this. Job did this and is continuing on in chapter one when Satan comes before God and God says, have you considered my servant Job? And Satan accuses Job of being fearful of God and doing what he says because God had hedged him about. And God gave him permission to take everything. And he lost everything. And he lost his children. I'm just thinking about the comfort that Job had of being so persistent with God on behalf of his children. So persistent to bring them before God in a consecrated way to make atonement for them. You know, when parents lose their children, it's really hard. And I have tried to comfort many families when someone has lost a child. That's tough. But there's a sense of comfort to a parent that has been very faithful about praying for their children. Faithful about being ready to labor with their children. You may not know the results in your lifetime. It may be after you're gone. or somewhere along the way that God reaches down and changes their heart. And all of a sudden, the things that you were saying all those years start to make sense. They may not have a chance to come back and say that to you, but I believe that somehow you understand the comfort that is found in your obedience to God in these matters. Let's pray. Father, thank you for the comfort of your word. Thank you for the comfort that we received from Job and his faithfulness to you and to his children. Oh, that we might be so faithful, and wherever this message goes in the hearts of the people here, however you use it, Lord, how I pray for families, particularly for parents who have wayward children, that you would work mightily in those children. Oh, God, bring them to their knees in repentance. We are so encouraged by by Joe Yeager coming to you. Lord, it's an answer to prayer, and we're so thankful. Lord, there are others, there are others that we're praying for, and we pray that you would do a mighty, mighty work and change their hearts. Oh God, nothing is too hard for you, nothing. And so we ask you to be merciful as we pray in Jesus' name, amen.