Thursday, May 18, 2017

Today's Passage - Hebrews 11:32-24

Hebrews 11:32-34
 
And what more shall I say? I do not have time to tell about Gideon, Barak, Samson and Jephthah, about David and Samuel and the prophets, who through faith conquered kingdoms, administered justice, and gained what was promised; who shut the mouths of lions, quenched the fury of the flames, and escaped the edge of the sword; whose weakness was turned to strength; and who became powerful in battle and routed foreign armies.
 
The author of Hebrews lists the heroes of faith here. From a human perspective, these people were not considered outstanding in their time. However, they were willing to place their weaknesses in the hand of God and God's strength can be manifested through their weaknesses. Gideon was threshing wheat in a winepress when God called him. People usually thresh wheat outdoors, so why was Gideon in a winepress? It was because he was afraid of the Midianites. Hence when the angel appeared to him and called him "mighty warrior", Gideon was looking around and wondering, "How can I be the mighty warrior? If I were a mighty warrior, I would not be hiding in the winepress threshing wheat." However, God called Gideon and he later led the Israelites to defeat the Midianites.
 
The same with Barak. When he faced the Sisera army, he was afraid of going into battle. He came to the prophetess Deborah and said, "If you go with me, I will go; but if you don't go with me, I won't go." Can you imagine an army general telling a woman that? No wonder Deborah told him, "Because of the course you are taking, the honor will not be yours, for the Lord will deliver Sisera into the hands of a woman." Barak was not a mighty warrior, but he was willing to come before God in obedience. In the end, God used Barak to wipe out the Sisera army. Samson was also a weak person. Delilah deceived him multiple times, yet he continued to be tricked by her. In the end when he was captured, he repented and prayed to God for help. God ultimately gave Samson strength to defeat the Philistines. In the same way, David was not an outstanding man. When Samuel went to David's father's home to anoint the king, he asked David's father to bring out all his sons. When Samuel said, "None of these are to be king, do you have another son?"  This was when David's father remembered that he had a young son named David. David was not a prominent person, but was accepted by God. We often see our own weaknesses, but when we are willing to give ourselves to God and allow Him to use us, we can be strengthened by God. God's strength will be made perfect in our weaknesses. May God increase our faith so that we can live in dependence on Him each day.
 
Pray with Pastor Tong
 
Lord, we thank you that your strength is made perfect in our weaknesses. When we depend on you by faith, we can experience your victory and blessings in our lives. I thank you and pray in the victorious name of Jesus, Amen! 
 
 
  

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