Shut My Mouth!

Scheduled Reading
Job 39:9-42:17; Psalm 106:22-28; Proverbs 22:21-23; 1 Corinthians 9:15-10:5

 Selected Passages:
Job 42 & 1 Cor 10:1-5

Job covered his mouth with his hands when he finally heard from God. He essentially said "Shut my mouth! I wish I could take back what I said." God not so gently and very firmly put Job in his place. Job responded with repentance and humility. God restored to Job more than he had to start with. Job could have responded with prideful stubbornness, but he would have forfeited the blessing and provision of almighty God.

First Corinthians 10 recounts to some degree the story of the deliverance of the Israelites from bondage to freedom as the chosen people of God. Paul also parallels the story to the story of redemption. The Israelites were in bondage to the Egyptians, we were in slaves to sin. They followed Moses through the waters of the Red Sea. We follow Jesus through the waters of baptism. As they trusted God and followed Him through Moses, He led them toward the Promised Land. We trust and follow God through the Holy Spirit as He leads us to Himself. When the Israelites lost faith and disobeyed God, the lost power and direction and ended up wandering in the wilderness for 40 years.  When we loos faith and serve our flesh rather than our God, we loose power and direction as well.

Our church is experiencing revival like I have never seen before. this account gave me pause as I considered: "Could FBCS have been wandering in the wilderness for the past 40 years?" Ask yourself "What happened in our church 40 years ago?" The year was 1970. Bro. Joe Bartlett had been pastor of FBCS since 1958.