Pastor Steve used the story of Jephthah in Judges 11 to illustrate where we run into problems in the Christian life. Most of our troubles come from thoughts concerning what is happening to us now, what will be, or what has been.
Jehpthah was the son of a harlot, who lived in his father's house. As he grew older, his half brothers drove him from the family home. He ended up in Tob (in Ammon). When Ammon started picking on his brothers about their land, they begged Jephthah to help them out. In return, he would become their leader.
He had one problem: Will what I face now defeat me in the future. The Scriptures tell us that the Spirit of the Lord came upon him, but how many of you know that you can still say things and make decisions not in line with God's Word? Jephthah proved he knows the Word of God. Yet, he makes a foolish promise to the Lord. He says he will sacrifice the first one that comes from his house if he is successful in defeating the Ammonites.
Lo and behold, his only child, a daughter, is the first one to meet him. He's horrified and sad. Since human sacrifice was forbidden under the law, he dedicated her to the house of the Lord. She never married or bore children.
Sometimes we try to make deals with God. "God if you do this for me, I'll read my Bible every day." "God, if you just heal me, I'll go wherever you want me to go." We are convinced God wants something in exchange for His blessings.
God performs His Word to show us His love, demonstrate His power, fulfill His promise, and accomplish His plan. Our faith is what accesses His promises.
To hear this message in its entirety, check out the sermon player on the website. There's a lot more good stuff in the message, but space does not permit a transcript.
If you're looking for a church home, you're welcome to visit Zoe Christian Fellowship, 1111 Easton Rd., Warrington, PA.
No comments:
Post a Comment