Week Forty-Six, 2023
And after him was Shamgar the son of Anath, which slew of the Philistines six hundred men with an ox goad: and he also delivered Israel. (Judges 3:31).
Sometimes God under equips us so that when we have victory, we will know it was through him and not our power and equipment. Have you ever had that feeling that you were facing a task so overwhelming that with all you had available, you could never do what you needed to do?
Election day was fast approaching, and my name was on the ballot. As the campaign rolled on, things got nothing but worse. It was falling apart. I was sinking in the polls. Even my advisors said there was no way I could win.
I got on my knees beside my bed and prayed not to just win, but to win with such a victory that it would be so obvious that it would be God’s victory, not mine. I prayed that the resources I needed for victory would be provided by God. We won by a wide margin of victory. God showed that it was not by my might, but by his.
We learn about Shamgar in Judges 3. It was his lot to save Israel by dispatching six hundred Philistines and talk about being underequipped for the task, he had no weapons traditionally used in battles. All he had was an ox goad. It was, as it was named, a stick used to move oxen along their way. It was a wooden tool, approximately eight feet long, fitted with an iron spike or point at one end, which was used to spur oxen as they pulled a plow or cart. It often had an iron scraper at the non-pointed end to clear clods of earth from the plowshare when it became weighed down.
Ox Goad
Judges 3 begins by identifying those undefeated nations that would test Israel’s reliance on the Lord. Specifically, they would be used to test new generations of Israelites who grew up without knowing war. The nations were placed all around Israel. They were trapped and seemingly destined to fall and along came Shamgar.
Shamgar fought where and when he was – He did not give in to fear. He did not wait for better circumstances. He just took his stand for God and won the victory. Shamgar fought with what he had – No matter how weak you think your weapons are, put them in the hand of God and watch Him do great things with them.
So no matter what odds are against you, take what you have and place in God’s hand and see how he can win your battle.
SOMETIMES TRUE STORIES
A friend just bought a new high end car and your first thought is “I wonder what that cost”. The same is true when we see a newly purchased home or jewelry or fancy clothing. We always equate something’s value to the amount of money it took to buy it.
It is estimated that all the elements that make up the human body would be worth about $600. We may look at some people and think that’s way too much. Or we may look at others and think that’s a six million dollar man.
When God looks at us, however, it’s as though He was the world’s greatest artist looking at the perfect sculpture He had just made. But He not only looks at our physical self, He looks at our mind, soul and spirit.
What does God think that the whole person we are is worth? Priceless! And to show it, He sent His Son to die on a cross so that we wouldn’t have to pay the penalty for our sins. All we have to do is agree with God.
Since God thinks you’re priceless…..act like it. Rich Jensen
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“How do we put our faith to work?”
In response, these 5 things came to mind:
1) By living out day to day, moment to moment what we say we believe. That is by glorifying God through our day to day living… through our work… through our fun… even in the mundane.
2) By doing what Jesus did - loving others, helping others, sharing life with others. Not because we have to but because He first did for us.
3) By going therefore - That is, by going to make disciples. Whether next door, down the hall, across the country or around the world. Put your faith into action.
4) By loving your neighbor as your self (goes back to number 2). And who is your neighbor? Everyone – even if they don’t look like you. Overcome hate and disdain with love. Shine where you are.
5) By taking up our cross daily and following Him… loving Him with all our heart, soul, mind and strength – loving him with all that we are. Love like Jesus. See as He sees. Respond like would respond. Allow His heart to become our heart.
Let’s be clear - Faith and faith alone in Jesus Christ, the Son of God is what saves us. But as we live and grow in our faith in Him, we are called then to put our faith to work. So others can see Him in us… so others might know of His great love, grace and mercy.
Now is the time for us to shine, to be a light in a dark world… or at least our little part of it.
Marty Stubblefield
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A new study finds it costs more than $200,000 to raise a child in Florida The average family in the Sunshine State makes about $102,300 a year and LendingTree estimates that 18.5% of that goes into raising a single child
QUOTES YOU CAN USE
There is nothing in the world so irresistibly contagious as laughter and good humor. Charles Dickens
You should not honor men more than truth. Plato
Life becomes easier and more beautiful when we can see the good in other people. Roy T. Bennett
To argue with a person who has renounced the use of reason is like administering medicine to the dead. – Thomas Paine
Those who deny freedom to others, deserve it not for themselves.” – Abraham Lincoln
To forgive is to set a prisoner free and discover that the prisoner was you. Lewis B. Smedes
If the freedom of speech is taken away, then dumb and silent we may be led, like sheep, to the slaughter. – George Washington
Laughter helps you put everything into perspective. Jim Henson
The battles that count aren’t the ones for gold medals. The struggles within yourself … that’s where it’s at. Jesse Owens
There are two tragedies in life. One is not to get your heart’s desire. The other is to get it. George Bernard Shaw
People rarely succeed unless they have fun in what they are doing. Dale Carnegie
The best way to find out if you can trust somebody is to trust them. Ernest Hemingway
The universal brotherhood of man is our most precious possession, what there is of it. Mark Twain
Even if you’re on the right track, you’ll get run over if you just sit there. Will Rogers
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