04/09/21 FOLLOW THE LEADER #5 (1 Sam.14:6-23)

NOW, We’re READY for the Main Scripture passage: 1 Sam.14:6-23 !

3.APPLY (HOW Does It WORK?)

1 Sam.14:6 (ESV) Jonathan said to the young man who carried his armor, “Come, let us go over to the garrison of these uncircumcised. It MAY BE that the LORD will work for us, for NOTHING CAN HINDER the LORD from saving by MANY or by FEW.”

WOW! READ that again!

WHAT? 1 Commander and 1 Armor-Bearer against an Army of 100K’s!?

Sounds like Shadrach, Meschach and Abednego in Dan.3:16-18.

1 Sam.14:8 (ESV) Then Jonathan said, “Behold, WE will CROSS OVER TO THE MEN, and WE will SHOW OURSELVES TO THEM…”

Jonathan’s Plan—Faithful or Foolhardy?! JUST ASK: IS IT GOD’S PLAN?!

JONATHAN: GODLY Leaders… Called by and Trust GOD 100%

They Know When, Where and How to March Forward; Attempt God-sized Projects; EXCITED, Confident; Minor Failures and MAJOR GOD-ORDAINED VICTORIES; And …

04/05/21 FOLLOW THE LEADER #4 (1 Sam.14:6-23)

BACKGROUND (1 Sam.13) continued…

13:8-14 — Saul offered an unlawful sacrifice; Samuel announced that God had rejected Saul as king (and chosen a Godly Leader)!

SAUL: An UNGODLY Person — Called by and Trusts MAN (UNGODLY Decisions 4X+)

Casual, Carnal, Cultural Faith — Just Goes Through the Motions; Man-sized Projects; Confused, Afraid, Reluctant; Minor Successes and Great Failures

13:15 — Saul’s army had shrunk to 600 men! BAD NEWS!

BEFORE COVID, ~95% of American churches were in SERIOUS TROUBLE. Only 1 out of 20 churches NOT in Trouble. And NOW it’s MUCH WORSE! Experts say we should expect about HALF of those NOT now attending church (for whatever reasons) will NEVER RETURN! Sounds like BAD NEWS to me!

13:19-22 — ALL the Blacksmiths were Philistine! Saul and Jonathan had the ONLY Swords and Spears in ALL Israel! From “BAD TO WORSE!”

14:4 — Jonathan was between a Rocky (or Slippery: Bozez) and a Thorny (Seneh) Place! [ Two nearly vertical crags! ]

Today WE Americans, Christians, Baptists, and SBC members seem to be “Between a ROCK and a HARD PLACE!” Something needs to change—nearly everyone agrees. But WHAT? When it comes to God’s Church, I Suggest that the Truths of God’s Word, the Bible can NEVER be changed. BUT EVERYTHING ELSE is UP FOR GRABS, SUBJECT to CHANGE! We MUST EXPECT and EMBRACE CHANGE!

It’s TIME for CHANGE — Deliberate Change, Dramatic Change, Dynamic Change, DIVINE CHANGE!

TAP your WRIST (watch), then make a Triangle (~Greek letter Delta—for CHANGE) and say, “It’s TIME for CHANGE!” Repeat that with me. Again!

This is NO TIME for Maintaining the Status Quo; NO WAIT and SEE; NO TIME for that Most Pitiful Excuse, “We’ve Never Done It This Way Before!” (the Motto of the Dying Church!) IT’S TIME FOR CHANGE!

04/02/21 FOLLOW THE LEADER #3 (1 Sam.14:6-23)

1.READ (WHAT Does It SAY?) PLEASE, check it out for yourself!

2.EXAMINE (WHAT Did & Does It MEAN?)

BACKGROUND (1 Sam.13)

13:2 — BRAND-NEW King Saul chose 3,000 troops and assigned 1,000 to Jonathan, his young son and commander.

13:5 — The Philistines prepared to attack Israel with ~30,000 chariots, ~60,000 horsemen and “a multitude” of troops! [ NO word for “million” in OT Heb. or NT Grk. !? ]

HEBREWS: DIVIDED! In TROUBLE! (13:6-7) Scripture says they were HARD PRESSED, HIDING (in Caves, Holes, Rocks, Tombs and Cisterns); Deserting, Defecting, Scattering; ALL TREMBLING!

Jesus said, “… No city or house DIVIDED against itself will stand.” (Mat.12:25)

The Israelites were facing perhaps the MOST DESPERATE circumstances ever—even darker than those we face in America today!

03/29/21 FOLLOW THE LEADER #2 (1 Sam.14:6-23)

Studying the Scripture now, let’s see how the Hebrews won a God-sized victory in the face of DIRE CIRCUMSTANCES and OVERWHELMING ODDS. Let the Holy Spirit speak to your heart. Ask Him to show you, tell you what HE wants YOU to do. I’m EXCITED to see WHAT GOD WILL DO!

But, first, I want to INTRODUCE you BRIEFLY to my FAVORITE technique for PREPARING to TEACH, PREACH or STUDY ANY Bible passage: It’s an ACRONYM… R.E.A.P.: READ, EXAMINE, APPLY, PROVE

1.READ (WHAT Does It SAY?)

2.EXAMINE (WHAT Did & Does It MEAN?)

3.APPLY (HOW Does It WORK?)

4.PROVE (PUT it into PRACTICE in Your PERSONAL Life, Family, Job, Church)

TRUST ME; IT WORKS! It’ll revolutionize your ability to understand and obey God’s Word. I URGE YOU—GIVE IT A TRY!