July 25, 2021

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THE CHURCH OF CHRIST ON M 51 S

We welcome you to our worship services this morning. We hope that you will be encouraged and uplifted by our time together. We have no creed or set of rules to force on you. We simply rely on the Bible to tell us what to do and try to copy what we read the church in the first century did. We meet here every Sunday, but we also have Zoom available for those who are interested. Just ask and we will include you in our Zoom services. Call Karl Marcussen at 574-514-1400 for information.

FAMILY NEWS

HIGHWAY CLEANUP: Thanks to everyone who helped in our highway cleanup. A lot was done before our work day of Saturday, July 17. We had wonderful support from Steve Wysinger from Buchanan, and Phil Eatey (whose family helps the Hoyt family) was a big help. Rose Marlin and Karen Hostetler from the Niles congregation also helped, and Brenda Reagan finished the work on Monday. Our next clean up is in the fall (September 25-October 3).

FOR THE NEXT TWO WEEKS: Karl and Julie will be in Florida visiting grandkids and their parents. We will be still having Zoom. For prayer requests, please call or text Julie at 574-520-2957, or e-mail Julie at juliewm@michiana.org.

Wisdom Bestows Well-Being (Proverbs 3:1-16 NIV)

My son, do not forget my teaching, but keep my commands in your heart,

for they will prolong your life many years and bring you peace and prosperity.

Let love and faithfulness never leave you; bind them around your neck, write them on the tablet of your heart.

Then you will win favor and a good name in the sight of God and man.

Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding;

in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.

TODAY'S LESSON

WHY WE DON'T TRUST GOD
John Clayton

INTRODUCTION — Proverbs 3:1-16

A. Do we believe those words?
B. Life is short — eternity is not.
C. Why are we frustrated, fearful, angry, resentful?
D. There are three “trust destroyers” to talk about.

I. THINKING LIFE SHOULD BE FAIR.

A. Prosperity is not always fair (Psalm 73:2-3).

1. What is the price of prosperity?
2. Why do prosperous people kill themselves?

B. Health problems are not based on fairness.

1. Job 1:1
2. Was it fair for Jesus to die on the cross?

C. What would happen if Christians had no problems?

II. THINKING SUFFERING IS OF NO VALUE.

A. That may be the only way we learn.

1. Proverbs 3:11
2. Psalm 119:71
3. James 1:2-3
4. 2 Corinthians 1:3-4
5. 1 Peter 5:7

B. Suffering fulfills the purpose of our existence.

1. Romans 8:28
2. John 9:3
3. Suffering will make you or break you.

C. Death is not the worst thing (Revelation 21:4).

III. THINKING EVERYTHING HAS AN ANSWER.

A. Theological answers usually do not help.

Learn to say “I do not know; I care; I love you.”

B. Deuteronomy 29:29
C. God never answered Job's basic question.

1. Job 40:4; 42:5
2. Job is a book about God, not about suffering.

IV. CONCLUSION — Trusting is when there is no reason.

A. Habakkuk 3:17-19
B. Will you trust these biblical promises?

1. Acts 2:38
2. Matthew 11:28
3. 1 Corinthians 10:28
4. 1 John 1:7

C. What are your alternatives? Satan? Humans?

(At the end John refers to this song: “Trust and Obey.”)

(During the sermon John refers to this song by Peggy Lee: “Is That All There Is?”)

THE BACK PAGE

TODAY'S LESSON IS A HARD ONE FOR ME

The sermon I am trying to present today is a hard one for me to do. I have said on occasion that the surest way for me to make sure something does not happen is to pray for it. There have been so many times in my life when I have prayed for something that seemed the right thing to pray for and it did not happen.

Several of you have heard my story about having a baby that had problems. When our son was six months old it became obvious that he had visual problems. I prayed that he would not be blind; but, after several surgeries the doctors told us that there was nothing else they could do — he was blind. Now I am praying that he would have the intelligence to overcome his blindness; but, it turned out that he not only was mentally challenged but he had cerebral palsy as well so his tremors eliminated the use of braille.

This story goes on and on, ending with the current situation of our son Tim contracting COVID-19 which has reduced him to being unable to stand up, walk, feed himself, or talk clearly. How can you trust God when repeated prayers do not seem to do any good?

I tell you all of this because I know that everyone reaing it has had similar situations. Did I get mad at God in all of this? Yes! Am I lost because I have screamed at God in frustration? Read Psalm 10 and see how David, “a man after God's own heart” responded to his struggles. “Why, LORD, do you stand far off? Why do you hide yourself in times of trouble?” Read Psalm 13:1 where David cries out “How long, LORD? Will you forget me forever?”

The things we talk about in this lesson are important. Our God understands that we are weak and have frustrations. Has your child ever gotten made at you? Did you love them less because of that? Neither does God reject us because we struggle with life.

— John Clayton

Our sign by the street!

Freedom is never free!

Sign saying from www.sayingsforchurchsigns.com.

Scripture links/references are from BibleGateway.com. Unhighlighted scriptures can be looked up at their website.