For Youth Sunday at our church Brother Carl Cartwright opened our service with a song titled "How Great is Our God."
We followed with a prayer and another song for Brother Randy Richardson, who had a birthday. We are very blessed to have such a devoted youth leader.
Brother Carl Cartwright blessed us with the old song "There is a River." Thank God for that river of life offered to all who believe.
Pastor Bob Cartwright opened his message with the statement, "Do we really depend on God?" His text was found in the 1st chapter of Job. Job was a real example of what is meant by depending on the Lord. The story of Job is full of unbelievable losses. He was a very wealthy man with camels, sheep, oxen and donkeys. He had a wonderful family, seven sons and three daughters. God was the center of Job's life and he was obedient to the laws of God.
One day Satan sought to discredit Job, by telling God that if he was allowed to take down the hedge that God formed around Job and his house, he would find that Job would curse him. To prove the loyalty of Job, God told Satan that he could take all from him but he wasn't allowed to take his life. Satan started his battle against the man of God. Before he was done he had taken Job's wealth, his family, and caused his body to be covered with boils.
Job's reply to the events that Satan brought was "naked I came into this world and naked will I go unto the Lord." Then he showed the love he had for his master by saying, "the Lord giveth and the Lord has taken away, blessed be the name of the Lord." In verse 22 he shows his great strength and faith in God.
Through all this Job did not sin, nor did he blame God for his losses. He was truly a man of courage, during all this his friends, and even his wife, came to him and said "why should you suffer so, curse God and die." What a help they were!
We are so quick to give advice when we see someone in a rough place in their spiritual life. We are to be an encouragement when our family and friends are going through trials. We need to direct them to the one that they can depend on at all times. In Proverbs 3:5-6, we are told to trust in the Lord with all our heart and lean not unto our own understanding. We should acknowledge God in all ways and he will direct our path.
How many times do we say "I have faith and I depend on the Lord," then do it our way. We will admit God's way is the best after we fall on our face. In Luke 6:38 we are promised that we will be blessed according to the manner in which we give to others. So why do we so often fret when things look so hopeless? Lift up your head and talk to the one who can change even the unchangeable.
It looked as though all was lost to Job -- but he never wavered. In the book of 2nd Timothy we are warned that our work is to study God's word and keep his commandments to show ourselves a workman unto God. If we do this we need not be ashamed. Job could lift up his eyes to the Lord without feeling any remorse for he had obeyed him even when all seemed to be lost.
So we are surprised again at the goodness of God, in Job 42:10 the reward given to one who depended on the Lord was that in the end of his life Job had twice as much as he did in the beginning. Can you be that patient through trials or do you say "God where are you, have you forsaken me"?
We have to honor him through the valleys as well as on the mountain tops.
Where is your trust on a day-to-day basis?
In closing Pastor again reminded us that faith and depending on God will bring you through the darkest times.
We would love to have you visit us at the Cove in Lanagan. We will make you so welcome that you will feel that you've been a part of our family for a long time. We write these words to encourage you and hope in some way we can touch the hearts of God's people. When times are tough just remember Job and you will feel blessed.
Religion on 06/18/2015