Neglect of God’s warnings.

You and Peter’s denial of Jesus..

John  18:15 And Simon Peter followed Jesus, and so did another disciple: that disciple was known unto the high priest, and went in with Jesus into the palace of the high priest.  18:16 But Peter stood at the door without. Then went out that other disciple, which was known unto the high priest, and spake unto her that kept the door, and brought in Peter.  18:17 Then saith the damsel that kept the door unto Peter, Art not thou also one of this man’s disciples? He saith, I am not.  18:18 And the servants and officers stood there, who had made a fire of coals; for it was cold: and they warmed themselves: and Peter stood with them, and warmed himself.  18:19 The high priest then asked Jesus of his disciples, and of his doctrine.  18:20 Jesus answered him, I spake openly to the world; I ever taught in the synagogue, and in the temple, whither the Jews always resort; and in secret have I said nothing.  18:21 Why askest thou me? ask them which heard me, what I have said unto them: behold, they know what I said.  18:22 And when he had thus spoken, one of the officers which stood by struck Jesus with the palm of his hand, saying, Answerest thou the high priest so?  18:23 Jesus answered him, If I have spoken evil, bear witness of the evil: but if well, why smitest thou me?  18:24 Now Annas had sent him bound unto Caiaphas the high priest.  18:25 And Simon Peter stood and warmed himself. They said therefore unto him, Art not thou also one of his disciples? He denied it, and said, I am not.  18:26 One of the servants of the high priest, being his kinsman whose ear Peter cut off, saith, Did not I see thee in the garden with him?  18:27 Peter then denied again: and immediately the cock crew.

Peter’s denial of Jesus was a major sin, with eternal consequences.

Matthew  10:33 But whosoever shall deny me before men, him will I also deny before my Father which is in heaven.

2 Timothy  2:11 It is a faithful saying: For if we be dead with him, we shall also live with him:  2:12 If we suffer, we shall also reign with him: if we deny him, he also will deny us:  2:13 If we believe not, yet he abideth faithful: he cannot deny himself.

But then we see the magnanimity of our Lord,  that whosoever come to Him, He will not cast out.

John  6:37 All that the Father giveth me shall come to me; and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out.

Let us learn from the mistake of Peter and also the magnanimity of our Lord that has not changed.

Romans  15:4 For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope.

1 Corinthians  10:11 Now all these things happened unto them for ensamples: and they are written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come.

It is because multitude of people inside and outside of the church refused to heed the timely warnings of God in the Bible,  many have suffered permanent disabilities, setbacks and even damnable eternity. 

None of these shall be the portion of everyone of us, but then let us give required attention to the warnings of the Lord in the Bible, to avoid regrettable consequences.

Luke  22:31 And the Lord said, Simon, SimoIsaiah 48:17 Thus saith the LORD, thy Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel; I am the LORD thy God which teacheth thee to profit, which leadeth thee by the way that thou shouldest go. 48:18 O that thou hadst hearkened to my commandments! then had thy peace been as a river, and thy righteousness as the waves of the sea:n, behold, Satan hath desired to have you, that he may sift you as wheat:  22:32 But I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not: and when thou art converted, strengthen thy brethren.  22:33 And he said unto him, Lord, I am ready to go with thee, both into prison, and to death.  22:34 And he said, I tell thee, Peter, the cock shall not crow this day, before that thou shalt thrice deny that thou knowest me.

Luke  22:54 Then took they him, and led him, and brought him into the high priest’s house. And Peter followed afar off.  22:55 And when they had kindled a fire in the midst of the hall, and were set down together, Peter sat down among them.  22:56 But a certain maid beheld him as he sat by the fire, and earnestly looked upon him, and said, This man was also with him.  22:57 And he denied him, saying, Woman, I know him not.  22:58 And after a little while another saw him, and said, Thou art also of them. And Peter said, Man, I am not.  22:59 And about the space of one hour after another confidently affirmed, saying, Of a truth this fellow also was with him: for he is a Galilaean.  22:60 And Peter said, Man, I know not what thou sayest. And immediately, while he yet spake, the cock crew.  22:61 And the Lord turned, and looked upon Peter. And Peter remembered the word of the Lord, how he had said unto him, Before the cock crow, thou shalt deny me thrice.  22:62 And Peter went out, and wept bitterly.

Matthew  26:31 Then saith Jesus unto them, All ye shall be offended because of me this night: for it is written, I will smite the shepherd, and the sheep of the flock shall be scattered abroad.  26:32 But after I am risen again, I will go before you into Galilee.  26:33 Peter answered and said unto him, Though all men shall be offended because of thee, yet will I never be offended.  26:34 Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, That this night, before the cock crow, thou shalt deny me thrice.  26:35 Peter said unto him, Though I should die with thee, yet will I not deny thee. Likewise also said all the disciples.  26:69 Now Peter sat without in the palace: and a damsel came unto him, saying, Thou also wast with Jesus of Galilee.  26:70 But he denied before them all, saying, I know not what thou sayest.  26:71 And when he was gone out into the porch, another maid saw him, and said unto them that were there, This fellow was also with Jesus of Nazareth.  26:72 And again he denied with an oath, I do not know the man.  26:73 And after a while came unto him they that stood by, and said to Peter, Surely thou also art one of them; for thy speech bewrayeth thee.  26:74 Then began he to curse and to swear, saying, I know not the man. And immediately the cock crew.  26:75 And Peter remembered the word of Jesus, which said unto him, Before the cock crow, thou shalt deny me thrice. And he went out, and wept bitterly.

To avoid the undoing of Peter, please always harkening unto the Lord.

Proverbs  1:33 But whoso hearkeneth unto me shall dwell safely, and shall be quiet from fear of evil.

Proverbs  8:32 Now therefore hearken unto me, O ye children: for blessed are they that keep my ways.  8:33 Hear instruction, and be wise, and refuse it not.  8:34 Blessed is the man that heareth me, watching daily at my gates, waiting at the posts of my doors.  8:35 For whoso findeth me findeth life, and shall obtain favour of the LORD.  8:36 But he that sinneth against me wrongeth his own soul: all they that hate me love death.

Isaiah  48:17 Thus saith the LORD, thy Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel; I am the LORD thy God which teacheth thee to profit, which leadeth thee by the way that thou shouldest go.  48:18 O that thou hadst hearkened to my commandments! then had thy peace been as a river, and thy righteousness as the waves of the sea:

John  10:27 My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me:  10:28 And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand.  10:29 My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father’s hand.

In the same way Peter trivilised the timely warning of our Lord, so many people inside and outside of the church are trivilizing the warnings the Bible, even  today.

This they are doing to their own disadvantage.

Listen to some warnings in the Bible spoken by our Lord Jesus Christ and the blessed Holy Spirit.

The broad road 

Matthew  7:13 Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat:  7:14 Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.

False prophets.

Matthew  7:15 Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves.  7:16 Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles?  7:17 Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit.  7:18 A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit.  7:19 Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire.  7:20 Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them.

The will of God.

Matthew  7:21 Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.  7:22 Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works?  7:23 And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.

Our Father in heaven.

Luke  12:5 But I will forewarn you whom ye shall fear: Fear him, which after he hath killed hath power to cast into hell; yea, I say unto you, Fear him.

Divorce and remarriage.

Mark  10:10 And in the house his disciples asked him again of the same matter.  10:11 And he saith unto them, Whosoever shall put away his wife, and marry another, committeth adultery against her.  10:12 And if a woman shall put away her husband, and be married to another, she committeth adultery.

Neglect of watching.

Matthew  26:41 Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation: the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.

Mark  13:37 And what I say unto you I say unto all, Watch.

Luke  21:34 And take heed to yourselves, lest at any time your hearts be overcharged with surfeiting, and drunkenness, and cares of this life, and so that day come upon you unawares.  21:35 For as a snare shall it come on all them that dwell on the face of the whole earth.  21:36 Watch ye therefore, and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man.

Warnings from the blessed Holy Spirit.

Law abiding.

1 Peter  2:13 Submit yourselves to every ordinance of man for the Lord’s sake: whether it be to the king, as supreme;  2:14 Or unto governors, as unto them that are sent by him for the punishment of evildoers, and for the praise of them that do well.

Romans  13:1 Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers. For there is no power but of God: the powers that be are ordained of God.  13:2 Whosoever therefore resisteth the power, resisteth the ordinance of God: and they that resist shall receive to themselves damnation.  13:3 For rulers are not a terror to good works, but to the evil. Wilt thou then not be afraid of the power? do that which is good, and thou shalt have praise of the same:  13:4 For he is the minister of God to thee for good. But if thou do that which is evil, be afraid; for he beareth not the sword in vain: for he is the minister of God, a revenger to execute wrath upon him that doeth evil.  13:5 Wherefore ye must needs be subject, not only for wrath, but also for conscience sake.  13:6 For for this cause pay ye tribute also: for they are God’s ministers, attending continually upon this very thing.  13:7 Render therefore to all their dues: tribute to whom tribute is due; custom to whom custom; fear to whom fear; honour to whom honour.

Divorce

Romans  7:2 For the woman which hath an husband is bound by the law to her husband so long as he liveth; but if the husband be dead, she is loosed from the law of her husband.  7:3 So then if, while her husband liveth, she be married to another man, she shall be called an adulteress: but if her husband be dead, she is free from that law; so that she is no adulteress, though she be married to another man.

1 Corinthians  7:39 The wife is bound by the law as long as her husband liveth; but if her husband be dead, she is at liberty to be married to whom she will; only in the Lord.

Temptation.

Proverbs  1:10 My son, if sinners entice thee, consent thou not.

Outright disobedience.

Proverbs  1:22 How long, ye simple ones, will ye love simplicity? and the scorners delight in their scorning, and fools hate knowledge?  1:23 Turn you at my reproof: behold, I will pour out my spirit unto you, I will make known my words unto you.  1:24 Because I have called, and ye refused; I have stretched out my hand, and no man regarded;  1:25 But ye have set at nought all my counsel, and would none of my reproof:  1:26 I also will laugh at your calamity; I will mock when your fear cometh;  1:27 When your fear cometh as desolation, and your destruction cometh as a whirlwind; when distress and anguish cometh upon you.  1:28 Then shall they call upon me, but I will not answer; they shall seek me early, but they shall not find me:  1:29 For that they hated knowledge, and did not choose the fear of the LORD:  1:30 They would none of my counsel: they despised all my reproof.  1:31 Therefore shall they eat of the fruit of their own way, and be filled with their own devices.  1:32 For the turning away of the simple shall slay them, and the prosperity of fools shall destroy them.  1:33 But whoso hearkeneth unto me shall dwell safely, and shall be quiet from fear of evil.

Instructions from God.

Proverbs  4:13 Take fast hold of instruction; let her not go: keep her; for she is thy life.

Proverbs  14:12 There is a way which seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death.

1 Corinthians  16:13 Watch ye, stand fast in the faith, quit you like men, be strong.

Not loving the world.

1 John  2:15 Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him.  2:16 For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.  2:17 And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever.

False teachers.

Romans  16:17 Now I beseech you, brethren, mark them which cause divisions and offences contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned; and avoid them.  16:18 For they that are such serve not our Lord Jesus Christ, but their own belly; and by good words and fair speeches deceive the hearts of the simple.

2 John  1:8 Look to yourselves, that we lose not those things which we have wrought, but that we receive a full reward.  1:9 Whosoever transgresseth, and abideth not in the doctrine of Christ, hath not God. He that abideth in the doctrine of Christ, he hath both the Father and the Son.  1:10 If there come any unto you, and bring not this doctrine, receive him not into your house, neither bid him God speed:  1:11 For he that biddeth him God speed is partaker of his evil deeds.

Not loving by the entirety of the Lord.

Revelation  22:18 For I testify unto every man that heareth the words of the prophecy of this book, If any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book:  22:19 And if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book.

The good Lord shall help you in Jesus name.

Proverbs  1:33 But whoso hearkeneth unto me shall dwell safely, and shall be quiet from fear of evil.

Let us pray.