|
Thanks for being with us this whole month in our devotional writing as we focused on the heroes mentioned in Hebrews 11. Let's dive right in with our "Monday thru Friday" approach again this week! MONDAY... Hebrews 11:33 "By faith, these people overthrew kingdoms, ruled with justice, and received what God had promised them. They shut the mouths of lions..." OK, the first three phrases seemed a little vague. It could've been quite a few folks in the Old Testament. But that last phrase tipped it all off…"SHUT the mouths of LIONS! One of the favorite Bible stories of every kid is "DANIEL in the Lions' Den". Again, let me remind you that the online Saddleback's STORIES of the BIBLE are awesome with grandkids nearby! Daniel had survived in EXILE with great political impact, as he was promoted to being a high official in a foreign land. Much like our good friend up in Indianapolis, the Secretary of State, DIEGO Morales. His family and our family came to southern Indiana in March 1999. We migrated from Las Vegas and Diego from Guatemala. He and our son Nate became good friends real quickly at Silver Creek. And Diego was a great part of our fellowship at Northside for a long time. I love to see when God blesses people who love Him, who are given more CIVIL responsibility, knowing they will reflect the heart of God in how they serve. Daniel SERVED well, went vegan, impressed every king he ever served under, and passed on some tremendous PROPHECY from the Lord through the writing of Scripture. As you pray today, take a moment to lift up some PUBLIC servants that you know have a great heart & faith. Ones like Daniel, who was AT RISK among the lions. Now if you remember how he got there, it was because he refused the mandate to NOT PRAY. He was much like Peter and John when they were told to BE QUIET about Jesus and in Acts 4, their response was, "we cannot keep quiet about what we have seen and heard"! And then for emphasis, Peter added, "and in case you're wondering, we will be obeying GOD, rather than MEN!" That was Daniel's spiritual example as well in a foreign land and an ungodly culture. (For further reading, check out Larry Osborn's book, "Thriving in Babylon".) May we be bold, respectful, and God-fearing people who faithfully stand for "BIBLICAL convictions" even when they have "POLITICAL implications"! TUESDAY... Hebrews 11:34 "...quenched the flames of fire, and escaped death by the edge of the sword. Their weakness was turned to strength. They became strong in battle and put whole armies to flight." SHADRACH, MESHACH. & ABEDNEGO were the ones "quenching the FIERY flames" in Daniel 3. They not only refused to bow down to Nebuchadnezzar's idol at the threat of being thrown into the fiery furnace, but they also said that God was able to deliver them and EVEN IF GOD DIDN'T, they wouldn't bow down! One of the most powerful expressions of our faith is when we don't demand that God deliver us, but that we still believe in Him no matter what! Just as Job said when he had lost everything, "Even if He slays me, yet will I trust Him!" These 3 Hebrew young men were friends with Daniel and together, they INTEGRATED so well into a foreign culture. Isn't it incredible they came out of the fiery furnace, unsinged and the King put his faith in God! Sometimes all the Lord needs is for us to STEP UP so He can SHOW OFF and change the hearts of the people around us! ESTHER was the Jewish girl who won the Miss Persia beauty contest and had the opportunity to intervene for God's people helping them all "ESCAPE death by the EDGE of the SWORD". In Esther 4:14, the message from her cousin Mordecai was to remind her that God had brought her to royalty "for such a time as this". Her response, was to fast with her Ladies Bible Study for 3 days and then go to the king as providentially led by God. Her words are powerful, acknowledging it was not lawful for her to do that, but she simply added her resolve, "and if I perish, I perish". One of my favorite sermons I heard long ago had a simple outline about Esther… She REMEMBERED who she was… She SHARED what she had… And she WENT for BROKE! Typically the mark of great godly leaders is they are called to risk everything they HAVE for God's purposes. The next phrase today, "their WEAKNESS was turned to STRENGTH", could very well represent the great grandmother of king David, a lady named RUTH. She has a book named after her in the Old Testament. She was the daughter-in-law of a lady named Naomi. She was a "holy heroine" and the fact that she wanted to be a part of God's family rather than her own godless country was what set her apart. Her phrase to her mother-in-law when she was given permission to go back home and rebuild her life as a young woman was equally incredible. She simply told Naomi to please not ask her to leave, but wherever she went, she'd go with her. Where she would stay, Ruth wanted to stay as well. That Naomi's God would become her own God and that she'd hope to be buried wherever her mother-in-law was buried. And the King James Version is beautiful when it's read at a wedding… "Entreat me not to leave thee...for whither thou goest, I will go... and whither thou lodgest, I will lodge…thy people shall be my people and thy God, my God. And whither they diest, I will die and there will I be buried". Yep...Bill Shakespeare, even on his best day couldn't touch that! Ruth was a great woman of FAITH drawn to a loving God through the visible love & FAITH of her mother-in-law. Now I believe I previously mentioned in this devotional series Deborah, who was a judge and the lady Jael, who was the woman responsible for killing the enemy in Judges, chapter 4 and 5. So for the sake of time, let me give them a "high 5 from a distance" acknowledging, I believe, they are the ladies respectively in the two phrases who "became strong in battle" (Deborah) and "put whole armies to flight" (Jael). Now this covers quite a bit today… Tremendous bravery, incredible loyalty, and two ladies, with great initiative...one who led an army into battle...and the other, who finished off the bad guy with her bare hands (and she had a pretty sharp tent peg & big hammer). Let's ask each other today... Is God calling for your COURAGE? Is He calling you to be more LOYAL? Or is He asking you to take INITIATIVE? Don't overthink it… Don't over pray it… Let your words be few.... And let your deeds be true... More courage...more loyal...more initiative? Love you guys... WEDNESDAY... Hebrews 11:35-36..."Women received their loved ones back again from death. But others were tortured, refusing to turn from God in order to be set free. They placed their hope in a better life after the resurrection." The ladies are popping up all over the place this week as great heroes of FAITH! This lady is not only nameless in Hebrews 11, but she was also nameless in the telling of her story in 1 Kings 17 and simply known as "the WIDOW from Zarephath". Her phrase here in Hebrews 11 is the one who "RECEIVED her DEAD back". She interacted with Elijah, one of our major prophets. She was the widow that God miraculously instructed to feed Elijah. The story has miracle upon miracle...a continuous supply of flour and olive oil in her containers until the rain & crops came again...and even when her sick son who died being brought back to life through God's power. It took a very serious & specific prayer and Elijah stretching himself out over the child 3 times. This woman had INCREDIBLE faith! She gave up her last meal for Elijah because he was a man of God. God's mighty work always costs us something as a sign of our belief! Now the other phrases today, "TORTURED, refusing to turn from God to be set free, jeered, their backs cut with WHIPS, and CHAINED in prison", could point to quite a few others. But since this is a New Testament book, I'd like to suggest there might have been a resonating thought with the apostle PAUL. He really had gone through quite a few of those types of sufferings. He was left for dead...went through shipwreck... and in Romans 8, makes quite a list of the things he'd experienced and yet never despaired! It's always intrigued me in Acts 9, after he was blinded on the Damascus Road by the great light and the voice of Jesus, that his "follow up person", named Ananias, had some reservation about visiting him as a "hot prospect" for church attendance! It's really meaningful to hear the conversation. Ananias says, I don't think I wanna make this visit because I've heard he beats up a lot of our people! But the Lord told Ananias, it's all right. You're gonna be safe. And then God said something that really captured me. The Lord said, "I want to show him how much he will suffer for My name". Now that's a ministry we don't have many sign up for. Saul, who became known as Paul, most likely had the name change because "Saul" was such a Jewish name and "Paul" was a Gentile name, the group to Paul was primarily called to reach. Just like George to Jorge'...John to Juan...Saul to Paul. And since he was so HIGHLY OFFENSIVE to Jewish people, a little change of address and change of name might not hurt a thing. But did he have incredible faith and WILLINGNESS to truly suffer for the name of Jesus! So as we get ready to pray today… What jumps out at you? Are you a lady who needs a miracle? If so, don't be afraid to ask. Don't be afraid to step out in faith and obey. Or are you a guy that perhaps is in the midst a heartache and suffering as Paul did from time to time and you could sure use the fellowship of friends, like Barnabas or Silas as peers... or Timothy & Titus as protégés. .. or Aquila and Priscilla as hard-working, God-loving dear friends? Don't be afraid to reach out. God has more for us to do while we're here. But you have to be LOOKING for it . Or you have to RECOGNIZE when God comes looking for you! Bless you dear friends... THURSDAY... Hebrews 11:37..."Some died by stoning, were sawed in half, and others were killed with the sword. Some went about wearing skins of sheep and goats, destitute and depressed and mistreated. They we're too good for this world, wandering over deserts and mountains, hiding in caves and holes in the ground." Now the first phrase today indicates someone was killed by STONING. In Acts 7, the story of STEPHEN, who was the first New Testament martyr is recorded in great detail. If you could read that chapter it would do you a lot of good today. If you could MEMORIZE that chapter you'd have a good handle on the HISTORY of Israel! What a spiritual speech! Stephen was a man willing to stand up and speak up. The price was high, but look at the standing ovation from Jesus he got, just before he lost consciousness and went to heaven. Now that's going out in a blaze of glory! If you read in the first part of Acts 8, you'll see that all the believers were SCATTERED except for the apostles. They spread out all over Judea and Samaria. And even though they had seen the first life taken for the CAUSE of the GOSPEL, they were soon to be bolder than ever in their proclamation of who Jesus was and what He alone had done for the world! May God raise up among us those with the passion that Stephen had for the Lord! Now the next phrase, "SAWED IN HALF", doesn't indicate WHO in Scripture, but does in secular history in that time. The person in the Bible, who died in this particular way, most Bible scholars would agree, was ISAIAH. He was a prophet of the Lord under the King Manasseh. Isaiah actually served under several Kings, but Manasseh was very EVIL and known for these types of extremely ruthless, & senseless executions. Isaiah served so faithfully. His vision of the Lord in chapter 6 is incredible! There are so many PROPHECIES of the Messiah in his book. And it took a lot of FAITH to keep doing day after today what he did in approaching the people, inviting them to repent and return back to the God of all creation. Now James, in the New Testament would be next on the list and his death is referred to in Acts 12:1-3 for our next phrase of "THOSE KILLED BY THE SWORD". King Herod Agrippa began his persecution of the Church about this time. And he started with James, the brother of John with the SWORD. The Bible says he saw how much that pleased the Jewish people, so he also arrested Peter & intended to display his execution at Passover. But when Peter went to jail, the church PRAYED very EARNESTLY for him. And God initiated the first "JAILHOUSE ROCK". James was the first apostle to go and it happened only 4 chapters after Stephen being martyred. As the other disciples faced this violent future, I wonder what kind of questions they ask each other? WHO will be next? HOW could we have prevented this? WHY did God let this happen? It was getting more real for each of them. The INNER CIRCLE of Jesus had now been penetrated. Just a side note that I'm guessing many of you already know...apart from Judas taking his own life…and John, the beloved disciple who got "life in prison"....all the other apostles died a very harsh death. Peter was CRUCIFIED upside down, history tells us. Thomas began a ministry in India and was thrust through with a SPEAR. And the list goes on. What great FAITH! What great SACRIFICE! It appears in our culture, more persecution of some type will soon be following those who take a strong stand on biblical truth. A simple "NOD TO GOD" is not a threat to the gates of hell. The Bible is clear in that things will get much harder as the WOKE folk attempt to CHOKE out the HOPE of the world, Jesus. The spiritual battle going on will SURFACE more & more. I pray you're "putting your ARMOR on daily". The book of Revelation says the martyrs CRY OUT to God asking Him, "HOW LONG it will be until He avenges their blood?" Please know I'm not trying to make things overly scary right now, but just take a look around. Isaiah 5:20-21 says, "What sorrow for those who say that EVIL IS GOOD and good is evil, that DARK IS LIGHT and light is dark, that BITTER IS SWEET and sweet is bitter. What sorrow for those who are WISE IN THEIR OWN EYES and think themselves so clever." We are in that day. Most of us our age really can't quite imagine it yet and it’s a troubling thought that OUR kids are having to raise THEIR kids in a culture that DISCREDITS the true living God in the mainstream more all the time. And that leads us to the thoughts that we talk about tomorrow. Love you guys.... Be praying every day.... Be confident and know that God is still in control of the world He made, although it's marked heavily by the "SINFULNESS OF SELFISHNESS" to which we have all contributed according to Romans 3:23. May we allow Him to use us to TURN THE EYES and HEARTS of people back to Him as we try to finish well together... FRIDAY... Hebrews 11:38-39..."All these people earned a good reputation because of their faith, yet none of them received all that God had promised. God had something better in mind for us, so that they would not reach perfection without us." No more big heroes to try to figure out who God Is talking about in this verse today. They all have been incredible to take it closer look at. I love the last sentence in this chapter…"God had SOMETHING BETTER in mind". He did for them as He does for us. Now I knew we needed them to pave the way for us. I knew we would need some tall shoulders to stand on. But I don't think in terms of THEM needing US. But that's what the Bible says! All of us from the New Testament on....need the Old Testament folks....and they need us. We're needed to complete the FULL FAMILY of God. In Romans 1, Paul says, "I'm not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, because it's the power of God saving everyone who believes--the Jew first and also the Gentile." We need each other. We need the different churches, to reach different folks, who begin different missions and and start different ministries....all in the name of the One who UNIFIES us in the name of His Son, Jesus. The Old Testament people LED US to Him and we in our era are to LEAD OTHERS to Him. And that always happens best when we don't let our "LINES of DISTINCTION become WALLS of DIVISION"! But that might be a another talk...for another week! May the Lord bless each of your days this week … May you come together with His people on the weekend to joyfully celebrate... And may we bring out the HERO of FAITH in each other! george
|
