Stockton Baptist Church
MAX. He was the nicest of guys and a great neighbor. For some 30 years, he brought the newspaper over to my mom and dad. They sat, drank coffee, watched the morning news, and chit-chatted. Living outside the country for 20 years, we didn't see Max often—until we moved back in 2014. Years previously, he had attended the local Baptist church, but hadn't gone to church for a long, long time. My heart was burdened for him as he was then in his 90s. The main wedge between him and God was his inability to believe a "good God" could let children be born with disabilities. The real issue was his rejection of God's sovereignty - or that God has the right to do as He chooses. So, is God REALLY in control? Does God know what he's doing? Thankfully, YES! In fact, it's a comfort to my soul. Job serves as an amazing example of faith and trust. Job said, "When I lie down I say, ‘When shall I arise?’ But the night is long, and I am full of tossing till the dawn. My flesh is clothed with worms and dirt; my skin hardens, then breaks out afresh. My days are swifter than a weaver's shuttle and come to their end without hope. Remember that my life is a breath; my eye will never again see good" (Job 7:4-7). Life was unbearable. But despite all of the staggering suffering that God allowed Job to go through at the hand of Satan, he came out of the fog at the end and proclaimed, "I have treasured the words of his mouth more than my portion of food. But he is unchangeable, and who can turn him back? What he desires, that he does. For he will complete what he appoints for me" (23:12-14). God gave Job grace to accept the suffering and to eventually come through it with an even deeper submission to Him and His right to do as He deems best. Sadly, to my knowledge, Max never did bow to God's sovereignty. Where are you today? I trust that you, too, stand with Job, and know that God makes no mistake no matter the hardness of life.
Our lesson this week from Chapter 10 of The Story tells of one such prophet, Samuel. Samuel was born to a woman, Hannah, who up to the time of Samuel’s birth, had been barren. Hannah’s promise to God if she had a son was to dedicate him to God. She followed through on her promise.
When he was a young man, Samuel was called by God. Actually, he was called by God a number of times before Eli was able to tell him how to answer the call. When he does answer God, he is prepared to do what he was asked.
Still in the book of Judges, we find that “in those days, Israel had no king. Everyone did as they pleased.” The Israelites were defeated time and again by their enemies and they felt that if only they had a king, they would surely overcome. We then learn in Samuel 8, the elders of Israel told Samuel, “You are old, and your sons do not walk in your ways, now appoint a king to lead us, such as all the other nations have.”
It actually was not Samuel that the people rejected, it was God. Samuel told the people what would happen when a king was appointed, but the people were hard-headed and this “prediction” by Samuel was rejected. So God told Samuel to give them what they asked for. Now, isn’t that something that many of us have heard in our lifetimes? Sometimes we just have to learn our lesson the hard way.
Israel had lost their purpose. Their purpose was not to rule the world, but it was to lead others to God. Saul was chosen to be their king, but he did things on his own and eventually it would lead to his demise. The same thing can happen to us if we lose our purpose and decide that we know better than God.
In today’s uncertain world, fear can lead to deception, and deception leads to sin. Fear is leading many people today. God has promised us in James 4:10, “Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up.” We cannot let fear ruin our lives. God’s will will always be done. Our challenge is to do the will of God.
First Christian Church in Plainville will continue to offer online services through You Tube and Facebook for all who want to stay in touch and in the Word.
