Christian Life Lessons from Baptist Preacher
Rev Wendell

HELP CAN COME FROM STRANGE PLACES


Proclamation:

“Howbeit Sisera fled away on his feet to the tent of Jael the wife of Heber … And she … gave him drink, and covered him … Then Jael … took a nail … and took an hammer … and smote the nail into his temples, and fastened it into the ground; for he was fast asleep and weary. So he died.” Judges 4:16-22 (KJV)

"... Except I shall see in His hands the print of nails, and put my finger into the print ..." (John 20:25)

This is for "Footprints In The Sand"
(Poem, Author Unknown)
A person walking on the beach with God leaves two sets of footprints in the sand except during the times when God is carrying them.

Explanation:

These are the words of God which were written by the prophet Samuel under the influence of The Holy Spirit of God. After the death of Joshua and his generation of elders the next generation did evil in the sight of The Lord. (Judges 2:10-13) God let them loose in battle and be plundered by their enemies. After the Israelites were subjected to the king of Mesopotamia for eight years, The Lord raised up Othniel to be their judge and deliverer. (Judges 3:7-10) Othniel judged Israel for forty years. When he died the Israelites again did evil in the sight of The Lord and He let Eglon king of Moab overpower them. They were subjected to Eglon for eighteen years before God sent Ehud to judge and deliver them. (Judges 3:11-15) After Ehud died the children of Israel again did evil in the sight of The Lord. Then The Lord let them be subdued by Jabin king of Canaan for twenty years before He sent Deborah, a prophetess to judge and deliver them. (Judges 4:1-5) She called Barak to command the army, told him what The Lord had commanded, but he would not go into battle unless she went with him, and so she did. (Judges 4:6-9) Together Deborah and Barak and the Israelite army won many battles (Judges 4:10-16) but they had help killing Sisera the commander of Canaanite army from Jael the wife of Heber the Kenite. (Judges 4:17-24)

Application:

All too often we think that we can handle things by ourselves only to later learn that we need help. Our help comes from The Lord, (Psalm 121:2) and He can use whomever He wants to be the vehicle of our aid, friend or foe. Here God uses Deborah the prophetess to help Barak defeat the Canaanites and deliver the children of Israel. She was the messenger from The Lord and he would not go into battle without her. (Judges 4:8) They defeated the Canaanite army but Sisera their commander fled on foot to a place he thought was a safe haven only to be killed there by a woman. (Judges 4:21) The Bible is filled with examples of the people of God needing help. Usually the help is needed to get them out of a situation that they got themselves into by being disobedient. The same is true for us today. We need to pray for God’s help.

"... The Spirit of God descending like a dove ..."
(Matthew 3:16)

GOD SENT JUDGES TO DELIVER HIS PEOPLE

Proclamation:

“And when the children of Israel cried unto The Lord, The Lord raised up a deliverer to the children of Israel, who delivered them, even Othniel the son of Kenaz, Caleb’s younger brother.” Judges 3:9 (KJV)

"That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised Him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.
For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation."
(Romans 10:9-10)

"Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven."
(Matthew 5:16)

Explanation:

These are the words of God which were written by the prophet Samuel under the influence of The Holy Spirit of God. After the death of Joshua and his generation of elders, the next generation did evil in the sight of The Lord and worshiped the idol gods of the nations around them and this angered The Lord. (Judges 2:10-13) God let them loose in battle and be plundered by their enemies. The Israelites were soon in great distress and God raised up judges to save them. (Judges 2:14-16) When The Lord raised up a judge He was with the judge and saved them from their enemies as long as the judge was alive. However, when the judge died the children of Israel returned to their corrupt ways worshiping other gods. (Judges 2:18-19) After the Israelites were subjected to the king of Mesopotamia for eight years, The Lord raised up Othniel, son of Kenaz who was Caleb’s younger brother, to be their judge and deliverer. (Judges 3:7-10) Othniel judged Israel for forty years. When he died the Israelites again did evil in the sight of The Lord and He let Eglon king of Moab over power them. They were subjected to Eglon for eighteen years before God sent Ehud to judge and deliver them. (Judges 3:11-15)

Application:

Unfortunately, most of us only do that which is right for a little while after we repent from our wrongdoings, then we return to our sinful ways. And, just like the children of Israel, we repeat this pattern over and over again. Thankfully, we serve a very forgiving God who takes us back time and time again after we mess up and confess. We do not deserve His goodness, mercy, and grace which appear to be limitless. If we do not change, at some point I am sure that our sincerity will be called into question. Hopefully, on that fateful day, we will not hear Him say, “… I know you not … depart from Me, all ye workers of iniquity.” (Luke 13:27) Since we are His people, and we are called by His name, let us humble ourselves and pray, and seek His face, and turn from our wicked ways while He still hears us. (2 Chronicles 7:14) Let us sincerely pray for His help to change, and not just use vain repetitions of words we have heard prayed. (Matthew 6:7) We also need to sincerely pray for one another for we all need help and the sincere prayer of the righteous is effective. (James 5:16)

"If My people, which are called by My name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land."
(2 Chronicles 7:14)

THEY DID THAT WHICH WAS EVIL IN THE SIGHT OF THE LORD

Proclamation:

“And also all that generation were gathered unto their fathers; and there arose another generation after them, which knew not The Lord, nor yet the works which He had done for Israel. And the children of Israel did evil in the sight of The Lord, and served Baals.” Judges 2:10-11 (KJV)

"... Did ye never read in the scriptures ...?"
(Matthew 21:42)

"Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me."
(Psalm 51:10)

Explanation:

These are the words of God which were written by the prophet Samuel under the influence of The Holy Spirit of God. Moses led the Israelites out of Egypt, across the Red Sea, (Exodus 14:21-22) to the edge of the promise land. (Exodus 16:35) Because of their lack of faith, that generation wandered in the wilderness for forty years until the adults all died. (Numbers 14:16) Joshua then led their children, the next generation, across the flooded Jordan River into the promise land (Joshua 3:15-17) and through a series of victorious battles over the inhabitants of the promise land. (Joshua 12:1-24) Then he divided the lands that they conquered among the tribes of Israel, (Joshua 13:8 to 19:51) and that generation served The Lord God. Joshua died at the age of one hundred and ten. The children of Israel continued to serve The Lord as long as the elders who were with Joshua and who outlived him were alive. (Joshua 24:31) Having conquered the nations to the south and the north, the Israelites then waged war against the nations to the east and west. They were successful in battle but they did not destroy the people or drive them out of the lands. (Judges 1:1-13 and 17-36) When the elders of Joshua’s generation died off, the next generation did not know The Lord God or what He had done for their parents and grandparents. This new generation of Israelites did not serve The Lord God as their ancestors had done, they did evil in the sight of The Lord. (Judges 2:10-13)

Application:

It is our responsibility as believers to teach our children, the next generation, about The Lord God and all that He has done. (Leviticus 10:11, Deuteronomy 6:7, and Proverbs 22:6) It is our job to raise up our children in the fear and admonition of The Lord. (Ephesians 6:4) We should not only tell them about His ways, but we should be living examples of His Holy Word. Our children should see in us that which we expect them to exemplify. It is our job to train our children in the ways of The Lord. (Proverbs 22:6) If we do not teach them the ways of The Lord God, then we should not be surprised when they stray from Him and begin to follow the world and do that which is evil in His sight.

"Train up a child in the way he should go; and when he is old, he will not depart from it."
(Psalm 150:6)

GOING FORTH FROM VICTORY TO VICTORY

Proclamation:

“Now these are the kings of the land, which the children of Israel smote, and possessed their land on the other side Jordan toward the rising sun, from the river Arnon into Mount Hermon, and all the plain on the east … all the kings thirty-one.” Joshua 12:1-24 (KJV)

"In the beginning was The Word, and The Word was with God, and The Word was God."
(John 1:1)

"For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope."
(Romans 15:4)

Explanation:

These are the words of God which were written by Joshua under the influence of The Holy Spirit of God. In this twelfth chapter, Joshua records the kings, and the land over which they reigned, which the Israelites were victorious over. (Joshua 12:7-24) Beginning with Jericho, Joshua and the Israelites were victorious over the kings of thirty-one lands. (Joshua 12:24) As the Israelites conquered these lands in succession, they went from victory to victory to victory.

Application:

It is easy for us to be negative and to focus upon the bad times, and on our losses. However, some of our losses were to teach us a lesson, (2 Corinthians 12:7) or they were our punishment for our disobedience. (Joshua 7:2-5 and 7:12) The Lord God has promised us the victory through Jesus, The Christ. (1 Corinthian 15:57) All we have to do is believe in Him and obey His Holy Word, and we will be victorious. When The Lord God is with us, our enemies will not be able to stand against us. (Joshua 1:5) He will fight our battles for us. (2 Chronicles 32:8) If The Lord God is with us, who can stand against us? (Romans 8:31) We will be victorious if we do all things His way. If we believe and pray; trust and have faith in Him; read, study, and live by The Holy Word, then we will enjoy victory after victory, in this life and the next one. The Lord God is omnipotent! He already has the victory. (1 Chronicles 29:11, Psalm 98:1 and Isaiah 25:8) As believers we are born again, and whatsoever is born of God can overcome the world, and that is the victory. (1 John 5:4)

"And they said one to another, 'Did not our heart burn within us, while He talked with us by the way, and while He opened to us the scriptures?' "
(Luke 24:32)

FOLLOW THE WORD OF GOD COMPLETELY

Proclamation:

“And The Lord said unto Joshua, ‘Be not afraid because of them; for tomorrow about this time will I deliver them up all slain before Israel; Thou shall hough their horses, and burn their chariots with fire.’ So Joshua came, and all the people of war with him, against them … and they fell upon them. And The Lord delivered them into the hand of Israel … And Joshua did unto them as The Lord bade him …” Joshua 11:6-9 (KJV)

"Thus will I bless Thee while I live; I will lift up my hands in Thy name."
(Psalm 63:4)

"Rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ's sufferings; that, when His glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy."
(Psalm 119:105)

Explanation:

These are the words of God which were written by Joshua under the influence of The Holy Spirit of God. When Jabin, king of Hazor in the north, heard what Joshua and Israel had done to the southern kingdoms, he sent word to all of the kings of the northern kingdoms to join him against Israel. (Joshua 11:1-5) The Lord God told Joshua not to be afraid because He was going to deliver them all into his hand. So Joshua and his men of war attacked and defeated the armies of the northern kingdoms who had come against them. He utterly destroyed them as The Lord had told him to do. (Joshua 11:6-9) Then he proceeded to destroy all of the other cities to the north and all of the people therein. The Israelites took all of the spoils of the cities and their cattle but they did not spare any of the people. (Joshua 11:10-14) Joshua took control of all of the land that The Lord had promised Moses, and he gave it to Israel as an inheritance according to their tribal divisions and the land had rest from war. (Joshua 11:15-23)

Application:

Joshua followed the directions which The Lord God had given to him. He did not deviate from them at all. Unfortunately for us, today many believers follow only parts of God’s Holy Word and only some of His commands. We want Him to bless us but we do not want to obey His Word. Jesus, The Christ, said, “If you love Me, keep My commandments.” (John 14:15) He said, “… he that keeps My commandments loves Me and shall be loved by My Father, and I will love him and manifest Myself to him.” (John 14:21) The Lord does not want us to be halfheartedly for Him. He wants nothing to do those who are “lukewarm” towards Him. (Revelation 3:16) It is time for us to go “all in” and love Him with all of our heart, soul and mind. (Matthew 22:37, Mark 12:30, and Luke 10:27)

"They helped every one his neighbor; and every one said to his brother, 'Be of good courage.' "
(Isaiah 41:6)

THE DAY THE SUN STOOD STILL

Proclamation:

“Then spake Joshua to The Lord in the day when The Lord delivered up the Amorites before the children of Israel, and he said in the sight of Israel, ‘Sun, stand thou still upon Gibeon; and thou Moon, in the valley of Ajalon.’ And the sun stood still, and the moon stayed, until the people had avenged themselves upon their enemies … And there was no day like that before it or after it …” Joshua 10:12-14 (KJV)

"Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful. But his delight is in the law of The Lord; and in His law doth he meditate day and night."   (Psalm 1:1-2)

Explanation:

These are the words of God which were written by Joshua under the influence of The Holy Spirit of God. After hearing about what the Israelites had done to Jericho and Ai, all of the kings west of the Jordan joined forces to wage war against Israel. However, the Gibeonites had made peace with Israel. (Joshua 10:1-5) After Gibeon was attacked, Joshua and his men of war went to the aid of the Gibeonites. They slaughtered a large number of their enemies but a lot of them fled and they chased them. (Joshua 10:6-10) The Lord God rained down large hailstones from heaven on the five armies of the Amorites and killed more men with hail than Joshua and the Israelites did with swords. (Joshua 10:11) However, in order to completely defeat all five armies, Joshua prayed that the sun would stand still until they had totally annihilated their enemy. The Lord God caused the sun to stop and stay in the middle of the sky for about a full day. (Joshua 10:12-14) While the fighting was going on, the five kings hid in a cave. When Joshua learned of this he had the cave sealed until they had defeated their armies. When all of the fighting was done, Joshua brought the kings out of the cave, killed them, hanged them from five trees for a day. Then threw their bodies into the cave where they had hidden and sealed the cave. (Joshua 10:16-27) Afterwards, Joshua and his army attacked and defeated all of the surrounding kingdoms until he had subdued the entire region from Kadesh Barnea to Gaza and from Goshen to Gibeon. (Joshua 10:28-43)

Application:

There are those who do not believe that God stopped the movement of the entire universe for a day. The Bible records that Jesus, The Christ, said “… with God all things are possible.” (Matthew 19:26 and Mark 10:27) God is all powerful. He created the heavens and the earth out of nothing by speaking them into existence. (Genesis 1:1-19) He also parted the Red Sea and allowed the children of Israel to cross it on dry land, (Exodus 14:21-22) and then drowned Pharoah’s army in it when they attempted to pursue them. (Exodus 14:26-30) Nothing is impossible for God. (Jeremiah 32:17) He can fight our battles if we only believe.

"Let everything that hath breath praise The Lord. Praise ye The Lord."
(Psalm 150:6)

PEOPLE WILL LIE TO YOU

Proclamation:

“And they went to Joshua unto the camp at Gilgal, and said unto him, and to the men of Israel, ‘We be come from a far country; now therefore make ye a league with us.” Joshua 9:6 (KJV)

"Delight thyself also in The Lord; and He shall give thee the desires of thine heart."
(Psalm 37:4)

"Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me."
(Psalm 51:10)

Explanation:

These are the words of God which were written by Joshua under the influence of The Holy Spirit of God. After hearing about what the Israelites had done to Jericho and Ai, all of the kings west of the Jordan joined forces to wage war against Israel. However, the Gibeonites decided to resort to deception. They pretended that they were from a far away country and had travelled a great distance. They dressed the part and Joshua fell for the hoax. They did not go to The Lord in prayer prior to making the agreement with the Gibeonites. (Joshua 9:14-15) Three days later the Israelites learned that they had been fooled and that the Gibeonites were their neighbors. Israel did not attack them but made them wood cutters and water carriers in service to the whole assembly. (Joshua 9:16-26)

Application:

We should pray about all things, large or small. In fact, we ought to always pray and pray without ceasing. (1 Thessalonians 5:17) Bad things happen to us when we get involved in something without first going to God in prayer. The Bible teaches us not to put our trust in man for in him there is no hope. (Psalm 146:3) Man will lie to us, deceive us, beguile us, take advantage of us, and lead us astray and therefore man is not to be trusted. We should trust in The Lord and not even in our own understanding. (Proverbs 3:5) It is much better to put our trust in The Lord than in man. (Psalm 118:8) We will go much farther with God than we will with man. (Isaiah 40:31)

"I will praise Thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; marvellous are Thy works ..."
(Psalm 139:14)