Deborah (11.21.2021)

Weakness into strength. Deborah was a woman judge for God. She was an amazing woman living in the midst of faithless men. Her walk with God brought about some amazing victories for Israel and delivered the nation from a time of severe discipline and desperation. Deborah demonstrated how to turn weakness into strength.

4 Now Deborah, a prophetess, the wife of Lappidoth, was judging Israel at that time. 5 She used to sit under the palm of Deborah between Ramah and Bethel in the hill country of Ephraim, and the people of Israel came up to her for judgment. 6 She sent and summoned Barak the son of Abinoam from Kedesh-naphtali and said to him, “Has not the Lord, the God of Israel, commanded you, ‘Go, gather your men at Mount Tabor, taking 10,000 from the people of Naphtali and the people of Zebulun. 7 And I will draw out Sisera, the general of Jabin’s army, to meet you by the river Kishon with his chariots and his troops, and I will give him into your hand’?” 8 Barak said to her, “If you will go with me, I will go, but if you will not go with me, I will not go.” 9 And she said, “I will surely go with you. Nevertheless, the road on which you are going will not lead to your glory, for the Lord will sell Sisera into the hand of a woman.” Then Deborah arose and went with Barak to Kedesh.

Judges 4:4-9 ESV

Peter (11.07.2021)

Peter was an impetuous natural-born leader picked by Jesus to be one of His close followers.  He had many good points as a follower but lacked faith. A very necessary ingredient to please God. Jesus taught Peter a lesson on the Sea of Galilee one dark and stormy night. Peter’s moment with God enabled him to see the reality of faith.

“Immediately he made the disciples get into the boat and go before him to the other side, while he dismissed the crowds. And after he had dismissed the crowds, he went up on the mountain by himself to pray. When evening came, he was there alone, but the boat by this time was a long way from the land, beaten by the waves, for the wind was against them. And in the fourth watch of the night he came to them, walking on the sea. But when the disciples saw him walking on the sea, they were terrified, and said, ‘It is a ghost!’ and they cried out in fear. But immediately Jesus spoke to them, saying, ‘Take heart; it is I. Do not be afraid.’

And Peter answered him, “Lord, if it is you, command me to come to you on the water.” He said, “Come.” So Peter got out of the boat and walked on the water and came to Jesus. But when he saw the wind, he was afraid, and beginning to sink he cried out, “Lord, save me.” Jesus immediately reached out his hand and took hold of him, saying to him, ‘O you of little faith, why did you doubt?’”

Matthew 14:22-31

Gideon (10.24.2021)

Gideon was a judge in Israel in a difficult time. Life for God’s people was characterized by cycles – disobedience, discipline, desperation, and deliverance. We meet Gideon in one of those times of discipline.  And Gideon meets God in a moment that challenges him to come out of hiding and take a stand for righteousness for the Lord. God caused a great deliverance through him.

Gideon was a judge in Israel in a difficult time. Life for God’s people was characterized by cycles – disobedience, discipline, desperation, and deliverance. We meet Gideon in one of those times of discipline.  And Gideon meets God in a moment that challenges him to come out of hiding and take a stand for righteousness for the Lord. God caused a great deliverance through him. And the angel of the LORD appeared to him and said to him, “The LORD is with you, O mighty man of valor.” And Gideon said to him, “Please, sir, if the LORD is with us, why then has all this happened to us? And where are all his wonderful deeds that our fathers recounted to us, saying, ‘Did not the LORD bring us up from Egypt?’ But now the LORD has forsaken us and given us into the hand of Midian.” And the LORD turned to him and said, “Go in this might of yours and save Israel from the hand of Midian; do not I send you?” And he said to him, “Please, Lord, how can I save Israel? Behold, my clan is the weakest in Manasseh, and I am the least in my father’s house.” And the LORD said to him, “But I will be with you, and you shall strike the Midianites as one man.”

Judges 6:11-16 ESV

Hagar (09.12.2021)

Many feel as though God has dealt them a bad hand in life, even though they try to follow Him. We can question, does God even care about those who are oppressed, marginalized, or abused? We will look at the story of Hagar to see how God showed up in her darkest moments and gave her hope for the days ahead.

“So she called the name of the LORD who spoke to her, ‘You are a God of seeing,’ for she said, ‘Truly here I have seen him who looks after me.’” – Genesis 16:13 ESV

Elijah (09.05.2021)

Elijah had a great heart for God.  However, his zeal led him to be burned out, discouraged, and want to quit on God. An encounter with God away from the whirlwind of life brought amazing changes. We will look at the story of Elijah to see how God works with those who just want to give up.

“But he himself went a day’s journey into the wilderness and came and sat down under a broom tree. And he asked that he might die, saying, ‘It is enough; now, O LORD, take away my life, for I am no better than my fathers.” And he lay down and slept under a broom tree.’” – 1 Kings 19:4-5a ESV

Rooted in Love (08.22.2021)

We, as believers, can live our lives rooted in the truths discussed within Ephesians, and experience the blessing of knowing Christ and His love. Knowing God’s love and living in it is the essence of the Christian life.

“Therefore remember that at one time you Gentiles in the flesh, called “the uncircumcision” by what is called the circumcision, which is made in the flesh by hands— remember that you were at that time separated from Christ, alienated from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers to the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world. But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ. For he himself is our peace, who has made us both one and has broken down in his flesh the dividing wall of hostility by abolishing the law of commandments expressed in ordinances, that he might create in himself one new man in place of the two, so making peace, and might reconcile us both to God in one body through the cross, thereby killing the hostility. And he came and preached peace to you who were far off and peace to those who were near. For through him we both have access in one Spirit to the Father. So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone, in whom the whole structure, being joined together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord. In him you also are being built together into a dwelling place for God by the Spirit.” – Ephesians 2:11-22 ESV

Rooted in Salvation (08.08.2021)

The blessing of God’s salvation is the core belief of who we are as believers. We cannot earn it, we don’t deserve it, but because of His great love He offers this gift to all men. When we accept this gift, we realize that we have new life and that we do not need to work for God’s approval – we work out of His approval.

“ For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them. – Ephesians 2:8-10 ESV

Rooted in Strength (07.25.2021)

Jesus has been given authority over all things and is reigning over the universe. Understanding the preeminence of Jesus Christ and how the very power that raise Him from the dead is now at work in us who believe gives us strength to continue on in this life when things get hard.

“far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and above every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the one to come. And he put all things under his feet and gave him as head over all things to the church, which is his body, the fullness of him who fills all in all.” – Ephesians 1:21-23 ESV

Rooted in The Spirit (07.11.2021)

The blessing of God’s Spirit gives us great confidence in the hope we have in heaven. With the Spirit in our lives, we can walk with confidence in God’s leading of us in our obedience to Christ.

“In him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, who is the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it, to the praise of his glory.” – Ephesians 1:13-14 ESV

Rooted in Hope (06.27.2021)

The blessing of God’s hope for our future teaches us that we were not simply brought into a relationship with God in this life, but that we have a future home with Him forever in His presence. As we understand our inheritance reserved for us, we will live this life not for the world, but for God’s purposes.

 

“In him we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to the purpose
of him who works all things according to the counsel of his will, so that we who were
the first to hope in Christ might be to the praise of his glory.“ – Ephesians 1:11-12 ESV