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God Can Use Anyone
Contributed by Jeff Strite on Oct 19, 2014 (message contributor)
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1. The Lion Of God
Contributed on Oct 19, 2014
Quick question: Who was Othniel? Give up? Most people would. He's not all that memorable to most believers... but he was to God. God chose him to be the very first judge of Israel. But why him, and why should we care?
OPEN: “Muhammad Ali” was probably one of the greatest heavyweight boxers in the sport's history. Not only was he a skilled boxer, he was very good at self-promotion, and he’d use clever pieces of short poetry to catch the imagination of his audience. For example, before his fight ...read more
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2. The Reluctant Warrior
Contributed on Oct 26, 2014
This is a first person portrayal of the life of Gideon. What was it like to become the man that God used to free Israel from their enemies? What changes did God bring into his life, and what struggles did he face in his journey to becoming a hero of God?
(Props: Ram’s Horn; Fleece - obtained at “Joanne Fabric”. I dressed in Old Testament clothing and wore a convincing wig and fake beard. I began the sermon by singing two verses and the chorus from “He Is Jehovah” by Betty Jean Robinson.) "He is Jehovah, God of ...read more
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3. The Bad Judge
Contributed on Nov 2, 2014
God dedicated 57 verses to a wicked judge who ruled as king in Israel for about 3 years. Why would He do that? Is it possible the story of this evil man has something to us about how we should think as Christians?
OPEN: In Clay County, Kentucky there was a judge named R. Cletus Maricle. He was one of the rare judges I could find online who had been permanently disbarred. You might ask: “Jeff, why was he disbarred?” I’m glad you asked. R. Cletus Maricle was disbarred because he and 7 ...read more
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4. The Rejected Warrior
Contributed on Nov 9, 2014
If Jephthah sacrificed his daughter... how did he end up in Hebrews 11 as one of the heroes of the faith? And if he didn't, why doesn't God tell us that?
OPEN: How many of you have ever been rejected? Me too. Rejection can be hard experience for anyone, but it’s surprising to find that people we would consider famous have often been scorned by others. • For example, have you ever heard of Harrison Ford? What movies has he been in? ...read more
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5. The Heroine Of God
Contributed on Nov 30, 2014
Deborah was one of the great "she-roes" of God. What was it about her that made her a heroine in the book of Judges and what is it about her faith that got God's attention?
Someone once said that “It is important for us to recognize and celebrate our heroes and she-roes!" - Maya Angelou To that person's mind the term “she-roes” was a unique and eye-catching way to talk about heroines. And I like that word. In the Bible there are many heroes, ...read more
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6. The Super Judge Of Israel
Contributed on Dec 7, 2014
Samson is often seen as the example of how NOT to be a man of God. But Hebrews 11 lists him in the chapter of faith. So what is it about Samson and his faith that we need to learn?
"Faster than a locomotive. More powerful than a speeding bullet. Able to leap tall buildings in a single bound. Look! Up in the air! It’s a bird. It’s a plane. It’s Superman. Superman. Visitor from a strange planet endowed with powers and abilities beyond those of mortal ...read more