“What Are You Doing?!?” – FBC Morning Light (1/19/2024)

Well, a good Friday morning to you, coming up on another weekend in January, and looking forward to the Lord's Day this coming Sunday. Just a reminder, we have begun, a couple weeks ago we began a new series in the adult Sunday school class on the book of 2 Corinthians, continuing that this Sunday, Lord willing.

Church Schedule and Upcoming Ministry Plans

I'm back in the book of Galatians in our Sunday morning series of messages, and this Sunday afternoon we're doing afternoon services through January, February, and March, and this Sunday afternoon we have our church's annual meeting at 1 o 'clock, so we have in the morning service at 10 .30, and after service, lunch together, and then at 1 o 'clock we'll have a time of singing and devotions and our annual meeting on this Lord's Day.

Well, if you're in the area and can come, we certainly invite you to come join us at Faith Baptist Church this coming Lord's Day. Well, today in our Bible reading plan, we're reading in Job chapters 8 through 10, and we have another instance where one of Job's, quote, friends is, quote, comforting him, this time Bildad, and dealing with Job's response.

Bildad's Materialistic View of God's Blessing

If I could summarize Bildad's whole way of thinking as he speaks in chapter 8, it seems that Bildad has a very materialistic, formulaic approach to God's blessing. It works like this, don't sin, do right, and you'll know prosperity.

If you don't experience prosperity, and by that we're talking about material prosperity, physical health and well-being, if you're not experiencing that, you're instead suffering some kind of calamity, well then, you're living in sin.

It's a very simplified, simplistic, I should say, materialistic, formulaic approach to God's blessing, as if the blessing of God always comes in a material form, and the lack of God's blessing is always seen or evidenced by a lack of material stuff.

And, of course, this is very problematic, because here's Job. Go back to chapter 1, and God's own testimony of Job is, he's a man that fears God and eschews evil, and there's nothing blameworthy in him, and yet here he is.

He's not experiencing material prosperity, he's lost everything. He doesn't even have his health, he's lost that too. So, Bildad, because of his materialistic, formulaic approach to God's blessing, he can only conclude one thing, you are living in sin.

Well, that's a wrong conclusion, but that's the way he's thinking, and there are people who think like that even today, perhaps there's some degree in which you think like that. I'm not suggesting for a minute that we should not fear God, we should worship Him, regardless.

Of our...

I'm saying we should fear Him, and trust Him, and walk with Him, and obey Him, regardless of material, physical, quote-unquote, prosperity. So Bildad got that all wrong. But then, in chapter 9, I want to zero in on a question that Job asks.

When he first, he recounts a few things that are true about God. He speaks of God, and says that God alone spreads out the heavens, He treads on the waves of the sea, He made these constellations, the Bear, Orion, the Pleiades, and the Chambers of the South.

He does great things, God does great things, past finding out, yes, wonders without number. If He goes by me, I do not see Him. If He moves past, I do not perceive Him. If He takes away, who can hinder Him?

Then he asks this question, who can say to Him, what are you doing? Who can say to God, what are you doing? Indeed, indeed, who can, in such an accusing tone of voice, speak to God and say, what are you doing?

As if somehow, what God is doing is out of line, as if somehow, what God is doing is not a good thing, as if somehow, what God is doing is not something that I think He should be doing. In other words, I'm saying, I know better than you God, what do you think you're doing?

No man can say that. You can, but not legitimately, who indeed, really, can say, what are you doing? What are you doing? God has His purposes, God has His plan. God does what God does for God's purposes and for His ultimate glory.

When it comes to His people, like Job was one of His people, God does what He does for His glory, for God's glory, and for the ultimate good of His people. Let's be encouraged by that, and maybe today you find yourself going through an experience of life that, well, it's not Job's totally, but it's in that direction.

Let me encourage you, don't shake your fist to God and say, what are you doing? Instead, humble yourself before God and say, oh Lord, what are you doing? What are you wanting to teach me? How do you want me to grow?

Trusting God's Purposes in Suffering

Better way to approach it. So our Father and our God, we do thank you today for who you are, and thank you that you always do what is right. And Father, I thank you for the reminder of who we are in relationship to who you are.

May we live in that light today, we pray in Jesus' name and for His sake, amen. All right, well listen, have a wonderful weekend, and get together with God's people on the Lord's Day. Fellowship and worship the Lord together.

A good day.