As we continue our focus on God, marriage, and family, our Pastor Teacher Landis Fisher has prepared another installment on the theme discussing how even through the myriad of ways we are grouped in families these days, which vary from family to family, the amazing power of God and His sovereignty always emerges to become a blessing to each one who calls on His name, regardless of what went on to make their family situation whatever it is, even if it is a Fickle situation. Listen in as our teacher presents this installment into this interesting topic in a message which he has titled: “Learning From Famous Fickle Families”
Old Testament Scripture Reading: 1Samuel 1:1 – 8 (KJV)
1Sa 1:1 Now there was a certain man of Ramathaimzophim, of mount Ephraim, and his name was Elkanah, the son of Jeroham, the son of Elihu, the son of Tohu, the son of Zuph, an Ephrathite:
1Sa 1:2 And he had two wives; the name of the one was Hannah, and the name of the other Peninnah: and Peninnah had children, but Hannah had no children.
1Sa 1:3 And this man went up out of his city yearly to worship and to sacrifice unto the LORD of hosts in Shiloh. And the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, the priests of the LORD, were there.
1Sa 1:4 And when the time was that Elkanah offered, he gave to Peninnah his wife, and to all her sons and her daughters, portions:
1Sa 1:5 But unto Hannah he gave a worthy portion; for he loved Hannah: but the LORD had shut up her womb.
1Sa 1:6 And her adversary also provoked her sore, for to make her fret, because the LORD had shut up her womb.
1Sa 1:7 And as he did so year by year, when she went up to the house of the LORD, so she provoked her; therefore she wept, and did not eat.
1Sa 1:8 Then said Elkanah her husband to her, Hannah, why weepest thou? and why eatest thou not? and why is thy heart grieved? am not I better to thee than ten sons?
New Testament Scripture Reading: Acts 16:1 – 3 (KJV)
Act 16:1 Then came he to Derbe and Lystra: and, behold, a certain disciple was there, named Timotheus, the son of a certain woman, which was a Jewess, and believed; but his father was a Greek:
Act 16:2 Which was well reported of by the brethren that were at Lystra and Iconium.
Act 16:3 Him would Paul have to go forth with him; and took and circumcised him because of the Jews which were in those quarters: for they knew all that his father was a Greek.
Transforming Power Statements:
1) The Scriptures reveal all different types of family situations that existed, many of which were not the typical kind that God originally designed, and even from the beginning the “Ideal Family” had suffered a great deal of turmoil after the fall of Adam introducing what I am referring to as “Famous Fickle Family ” situation from which we can learn as we examine the many and ever increasing number of family situations that we are dealing with today.
2) The snapshot that we are looking into today shows one such family, that of the Prophet Samuel, in which we can learn from this “Famous Fickle Family” that no matter what kind of different / whacked situations have come about from the non-standard decisions someone else has made that God will come right into the midst of a situation to accomplish His desires and He is there for everyone who calls on His name regardless of their situation.
3) Even in New Testament times there was cultural mixing that created a rift for some in the “Famous Fickle Family” of Timothy who was born into a “mixed family situation” with his mother and grandmother being Jews but his father was a Greek; nevertheless God’s will was still accomplished and his giftedness was used for the up-building of the Church.
