MAN SEES THE LIMITATIONS, GOD SEES THE OPPORTUNITIES.
By Wade Martin Hughes, Sr. Kyfingers@aol.com (YouTube: Wade Hughes)
TEXT: 1 Corinthians 1:27 But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty; 28 And base things of the world, and things which are despised, hath God chosen, yea, and things which are not, to bring to nought things that are: 29 That no flesh should glory in his presence.
WHAT ARE WE TEACHING OTHERS?
I recently heard the story of a German shepherd that was expecting little ones. She ran out in front of a car and injured her back legs. The doctor said she would heal but it would take a long time. The dog had her litter of puppies.
When their eyes were open, the mother loved the puppies. As the mother walked she would drag her hind legs behind her and pull with her front legs. The owner observed the puppies as they learned to get around. All of the puppies were dragging their rear legs. The owner feared they had been injured in the accident. The vet x-rayed them and he found there was nothing wrong with them. They had full use of their rear legs. The vet explained, they watched their mom drag her rear legs and their actions were learned by observing the momma German shepherd. WHAT EXAMPLE OF FAITH ARE WE TEACHING?
GOD RAISES UP THE SECOND JUDGE OF ISRAEL IN A TERRIBLE DARK DAY OF OPPRESSION. GOD’S PLAN TAKES WHAT MANY CONSIDER THE WEAK… TO DO THE GREAT. GOD HAS A PLAN IN THE MIDST OF SUFFERING. GOD‘S PLAN: GOD HAND PICKS THE MOST UNLIKELY HERO. VICTORY COMES THROUGH THE WEAK.
Judges 3:12 And the children of Israel did evil again in the sight of the LORD: and the LORD strengthened Eglon the king of Moab against Israel, because they had done evil in the sight of the LORD.
Judgment comes. KING EGLON RULED MOAB AND WAS VERY MEAN TO ISRAEL. EGLON RULED JERICHO. EGLON ABUSED ISRAEL AND HE SEEMED TO BE PROPSPERING. IN ISRAEL’S SUFFERING THEY BEGAN TO CRY TO GOD IN THEIR SUFFERING. The people of Israel cry out to God: PLEASE SEND A DELIVERER. The smallest tribe of Israel was BENJAMIN. There is a left-handed man named EHUD. 18 years Israel became slaves.
Remember, Ehud the left handed was considered a handicap as it was a token of unworthiness and unskilled. KING EGLON WAS OPPRESSIVE FOR 18 YEARS.
Judges 3:13 And he gathered unto him the children of Ammon and Amalek, and went and smote Israel, and possessed the city of palm trees. 14 So the children of Israel served Eglon the king of Moab eighteen years.
Weakness of left hand… GOD SHARES HIS GLORY WITH NO ONE.
Judges 3:15 But when the children of Israel cried unto the LORD, the LORD raised them up a deliverer, Ehud the son of Gera, a Benjamite, a man lefthanded: and by him the children of Israel sent a present unto Eglon the king of Moab.
EGLON --- EHUD… DAGGER ON RIGHT SIDE BECAME AN ADVANTAGE.
Judges 3:16 But Ehud made him a dagger which had two edges, of a cubit length; and he did gird it under his raiment upon his right thigh. 17 And he brought the present unto Eglon king of Moab: and Eglon was a very fat man.
EHUD HAD A SECRET… EGLON MEET GOD’S MAN. --- EHUD HAD A MESSAGE FROM GOD… IN PRIVATE
Judges 3:19 But he himself turned again from the quarries that were by Gilgal, and said, I have a secret errand unto thee, O king: who said, Keep silence. And all that stood by him went out from him.
GOD IS SENDING OUT A CLEAR MESSAGE. LET US RETURN TO GOD AND BE WILLING TO BE USED OF GOD.
Judges 3:20 And Ehud came unto him; and he was sitting in a summer parlour, which he had for himself alone. And Ehud said, I have a message from God unto thee. And he arose out of his seat. 21 And Ehud put forth his left hand, and took the dagger from his right thigh, and thrust it into his belly:
DELIVERANCE COMES… THE YOKE BREAKS--- THE LORD
Judges 3:24 When he was gone out, his servants came; and when they saw that, behold, the doors of the parlour were locked, they said, Surely he covereth his feet in his summer chamber. 25 And they tarried till they were ashamed: and, behold, he opened not the doors of the parlour; therefore they took a key, and opened them: and, behold, their lord was fallen down dead on the earth. 26 And Ehud escaped while they tarried, and passed beyond the quarries, and escaped unto Seirath. 27 And it came to pass, when he was come, that he blew a trumpet in the mountain of Ephraim, and the children of Israel went down with him from the mount, and he before them.
GOD IS NOT LOOKING FOR THE WISE OR THE STRONGEST. DON’T OVERLOOKED THE ANSWER … EHUD WAS WILLING… GOD USED HIS LIMITATIONS… GOD USES A HANDICAPPED MAN, THAT WAS FAITHFUL. 10,000 DEAD. THE DELIVERER CAME. GOD USES WHO HE CHOOSES. IT IS NOT WHO WE ARE --- IT IS WHOSE WE ARE. GOD DELIVER US.
Judges 3:28 And he said unto them, Follow after me: for the LORD hath delivered your enemies the Moabites into your hand. And they went down after him, and took the fords of Jordan toward Moab, and suffered not a man to pass over.
29 And they slew of Moab at that time about ten thousand men, all lusty, and all men of valour; and there escaped not a man. 30 So Moab was subdued that day under the hand of Israel. And the land had rest fourscore years.
GOD RAISE UP THE THIRD JUDGE OF ISRAEL IN A DARK TIME IN HISTORY. OX-GOAD --- GOD USES ORDINARY PEOPLE IN DARK DAYS. THE PEOPLE FORGET GOD AGAIN --- EHUD’S VICTORY WAS POWERFUL. FOR 80 YEARS ISRAEL RETURNED TO GOD WHOLE HEARTEDLY --- THEN THE SAME OLD STORY RETURNS. SIN AND BACKSLIDING RETURNS. GOD RAISES UP AN EVEN MEANER ENEMY: THE PHILISTINES… raid and terrorize.
We find an ordinary man with extra-ordinary faith. There was a farmer. The farmer had a farmer son. He was not a trained soldier. He had no weapons, not swords, no offensive or defensive weapons. SHAMGAR HAD NO WEAPONS BUT HE HAD SOMETHING. SHAMGAR HAD FAITH. ONE BY ONE SHAMGAR LAUNCHED HIS FAITH. 600 PHILISTINES CAME TO ATTACK AND STEAL GOD’S PROVISIONS. Shamgar was empowered by faith in God… one lone man standing at his post of duty. Shamgar was willing and stood to defend his village. Shamgar’s message is short and sweet. By faith refuse to focus on how big the enemies and obstacles are. Refuse to focus on the flesh’s ability. By faith stand boldly before the enemies of God.
Judges 3:31 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.
Are we willing to stand and fight alone? ONE PERSON CAN TURN THE TIDE.
GOD IS LOOKING FOR WILLING VESSELS TO LAUNCH OUT IN FAITH…
Isaiah 6:8 Also I heard the voice of the Lord, saying, Whom shall I send, and who will go for us? Then said I, Here am I; send me.
Isaiah 60:22 A little one shall become a thousand, and a small one a strong nation: I the LORD will hasten it in his time.
GOD TAKES OUR HANDS AND CONTRIBUTIONS… WE MUST OFFER WHAT WE HAVE, OUR LOVE GIFTS, TALENTS, AND EFFORTS ---THE GIFT OF WHAT WE HAVE --- WHAT LITTLE WE HAVE --- COUPLE BY TRUSTING GOD BY FAITH. IF WE TRUST GOD’S PLANS --- GOD PROVIDES MORE THAN ENOUGH… THE FAITH IDEA MUST BE LAUNCHED.
THE VALUE OF THE GIFT.? GIVING IS MEASURE BY THE HEART WHAT IS MORE SIGNIFICANT? MY PART CAN’T MAKE A DIFFERENCE? THIS LADY HAD LITTLE MONTETARY GIFTS BUT GOD CENTERED FAITH.
A little child’s dandelion, it is not the gift rather the hand and heart of the giver.
Mark 12:41 And Jesus sat over against the treasury, and beheld how the people cast money into the treasury: and many that were rich cast in much. 42 And there came a certain poor widow, and she threw in two mites, which make a farthing. 43 And he called unto him his disciples, and saith unto them, Verily I say unto you, That this poor widow hath cast more in, than all they which have cast into the treasury: 44 For all they did cast in of their abundance; but she of her want did cast in all that she had, even all her living.
THEY GAVE FROM THEIR SURPLUS, THE WIDOWGAVE HER ALL. The chicken and pig discussed what they would eat for breakfast? The chicken suggested eggs and bacon. The egg is dedication, the bacon would be total commitment.
THIS IS SO STUPID, AN OLD SENILE PREACHER SAYS SHOT THE ARROWS OUT THE WINDOW? SO WHAT CAN LITTLE THINGS COST? SEVERAL SUGGEST TO THE NEW KING, JOASH, YOU SHOULD VISIT THE OLD PREACHER ELISHA? THE OLD PREACHER IS DYING. WE SEEM TO FORGET WHAT HALF-HEART SERVICE COST…
2 Kings 13:15 And Elisha said unto him, Take bow and arrows. And he took unto him bow and arrows. 16 And he said to the king of Israel, Put thine hand upon the bow. And he put his hand upon it: and Elisha put his hands upon the king's hands. 17 And he said, Open the window eastward. And he opened it. Then Elisha said, Shoot. And he shot. And he said, The arrow of the LORD'S deliverance, and the arrow of deliverance from Syria: for thou shalt smite the Syrians in Aphek, till thou have consumed them.
LITTLE IS MUCH? LITTLE FAILS TO SEE THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THE SITUATION. THE PRICE TAG IS PARTIAL DELIVERANCE.
JOASH MISSED HIS OPPORTUNITY FOR A TOTAL VICTORY --- IS THIS A LITTLE THING?
2 Kings 13:18 And he said, Take the arrows. And he took them. And he said unto the king of Israel, Smite upon the ground. And he smote thrice, and stayed. 19 And the man of God was wroth with him, and said, Thou shouldest have smitten five or six times; then hadst thou smitten Syria till thou hadst consumed it: whereas now thou shalt smite Syria but thrice.
Today in the Middle East is a battle where total deliverance was never granted. JOASH SHAME ON YOU.
QUIT SITTING ON THE SIDE LINES? QUIT SITTING IN THE WINDOW. EUTYCHUS DID NOT SEE HOW IMPORTANT THE MOMENT WAS… THE SERMON AT TROAS. ONE OF THE GREATEST PREACHERS AND WRITERS OF ALL TIME IS ANOINTED AND DECLARING GOD’S WORD. SURE THE PREACHER IS LONG WINDED, HE WILL NEVER BE THIS WAY AGAIN.
Acts 20:7 And upon the first day of the week, when the disciples came together to break bread, Paul preached unto them, ready to depart on the morrow; and continued his speech until midnight. 8 And there were many lights in the upper chamber, where they were gathered together. 9 And there sat in a window a certain young man named Eutychus, being fallen into a deep sleep: and as Paul was long preaching, he sunk down with sleep, and fell down from the third loft, and was taken up dead. 10 And Paul went down, and fell on him, and embracing him said, Trouble not yourselves; for his life is in him. 11 When he therefore was come up again, and had broken bread, and eaten, and talked a long while, even till break of day, so he departed.
12 And they brought the young man alive, and were not a little comforted.
LITTLE IS MUCH IF GOD IS IN IT --- BY KITTIE L. SUFFIELD, 1924
IN THE HARVEST FIELD NOW RIPENED, THERE IS A WORK FOR ALL TO DO;
HARK! THE VOICE OF GOD IS CALLING, TO THE HARVEST CALLING YOU.
LITTLE IS MUCH WHEN GOD IS IN IT, LABOR NOT FOR WEALTH OR FAME;
THERE IS A CROWN AND YOU CAN WIN IT IF YOU GO IN JESUS NAME.
DOES THE PLACE YOU’LL CALLED TO LABOR, SEEM TOO SMALL AND LITTLE KNOWN?
IT IS GREAT IF GOD IS IN IT, AND HE WILL NOT FORGET HIS OWN.
WHEN THE CONFLICT HERE IS ENDED, AND OUR RACE ON EARTH IS RUN,
HE WILL SAY, IF WE ARE FAITHFUL. WELCOME HOME, MY CHILD WELL DONE.
CONCLUSION; my friend you are needed in the harvest field. SMALL CONTRIBUTIONS AND EFFORTS CAN BE SIGNIFICANT WHEN WE FOLLOW GOD’S PLAN. What may seem insignificant in man’s eyes can have much meaning and power under God’s tender mercies, grace and power. Remember Samson and the donkey’s jaw bone? Remember Gideon from 30,000 to 300? Remember SHAMGAR deliver Israel with an ox goad? We must never underestimate the opportunities that small deeds can change people. We must learn aqto be dependent on the Holy Spirit. He who can be trust with little things can be trusted with much.
Matthew 25:21 His lord said unto him, Well done, thou good and faithful servant: thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord. 23 His lord said unto him, Well done, good and faithful servant; thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord.
His servant, Wade Martin Hughes, Sr. Kyfingers@aol.com (YouTube: Wade Hughes)
1 Corinthians 1:27 But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty; 28 And base things of the world, and things which are despised, hath God chosen, yea, and things which are not, to bring to nought things that are: 29 That no flesh should glory in his presence.
