Write Your Own Passage!

Greetings,

The Bible is filled with fascinating passages like this one:

“Jael, the wife of Heber, the Kenite, most blessed of women is she, favored above all women who dwell in tents! Sisera asked for water, and she gave him milk in a dish fit for lords. And then she took a tent peg in her left hand and a worker’s hammer in her right, and she struck Sisera.  She broke and battered his head; she pierced his temple, and he dropped dead” (Judges 5:24-27). 

Sisera was the captain of a mighty enemy army, and he was greatly feared in Israel.  But in the verses above we learn that he was overthrown by a gal. That’s right.  After a brutal battle where Sisera saw his defeat coming, he abandoned his troops and landed in Jael’s tent. She recognized the enemy, and she was willing to fight.  Jael was a mighty woman who brought victory! 

If I could write my own passage it would say this:

“Yenise, wife of Jorge, the New Jerseyan, most blessed of women is she, favored above all women who live in Westchester.  The enemy came close to her dwelling, and she met him head-on.  He tempted her and her family, and she prayed for them not to fall for it.  Then she chose prayer as a way of life for every single obstacle and trouble that headed their way, and she struck that enemy down.  She broke every single plan he had for destruction in the mighty name of Jesus, and victory was hers and her family’s!”

Now go write your own passage!

Our Victory Song~

Tuesday greetings ~

Remember how at the beginning of Deborah's story Barak was hesitant to lead his army of 10,000 unless Deborah went with him?  She agreed because she wasn’t afraid to get in the fight, and this goes to show us all that women can be powerful in their families, jobs, and communities.  There is nothing wrong with that, but in this case God had already clearly said the enemy would fall, yet Barak wanted Deborah to come along anyway.  When God calls us to take the lead—man or woman—and we waffle, there is a price to pay.  In this case, Barak learned that ultimately, the leader of the opposing army, Sisera, would die at the hands of a woman.  Ouch!

And this is where our story picks up.  Sisera had “escaped on foot,” leaving all his troops to die.  He “ran to the tent of Jael, the wife of Heber the Kenite, because Heber’s family was on friendly terms with King Jabin of Hazor.”  Sisera was the commander of King Jabin’s army, so Sisera, no doubt, felt confident that if Heber’s family was on friendly terms with the king, he would be safe.

Judges 4:18-20 “Jael went out to meet Sisera and said to him, "Come into my tent, sir. Come in. Don't be afraid." So he went into her tent, and she covered him with a blanket.”

“Please give me some water," he said. "I'm thirsty." So she gave him some milk from a leather bag and covered him again.” "Stand at the door of the tent," he told her. "If anybody comes and asks you if there is anyone here, say no."

Perhaps Sisera felt doubly safe in the tent of a woman, especially one so courteous and comforting. 

But…

Judges 4:21 “When Sisera fell asleep from exhaustion, Jael quietly crept up to him with a hammer and tent peg in her hand. Then she drove the tent peg through his temple and into the ground, and so he died.”

After this amazing victory – when Israel’s enemy was justifiably crushed – the people broke out in songs of joy. 

My prayer for us today is the last line of that victory song:

Dear Lord, “May all Your enemies perish, O Eternal One!  But may we who love You be like the sun, rising and going forth with power!”  AMEN!!!

GO! Rise up! Attack!

Tuesday greetings,

Today we continue our adventure with Deborah…

We are at the point where Barak and his 10,000 troops are about to come face to face with Sisera, all his men, and 900 chariots fitted with iron.  In Judges 4:14 Deborah gives Barak one final encouraging push, “GO! Rise up! Attack! This is the day the LORD has given Sisera into your hands.  Has not the LORD gone ahead of you?”

I must stop here and do my happy dance!

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I’m back!

The LORD has gone ahead of us all.  He knows what the future holds; He knows what we need. He knows what our children need.  What our spouses need.  What our families and businesses need…

Other verses say, “The LORD has already gone out ahead of you,” “The LORD has taken the lead,” and God is marching before you.”  

I want to be like Deborah.  She knew Sisera had a more powerfully equipped army, but not as powerful as God.  She told Barak to get up and go.  I want to be able to tell people, using exclamation points, to move, get going, do what you have to do.  Don’t be afraid.  God is way ahead of you, and He has you covered.  Face your fears because God has already stared them in the face and won.   

One of the reasons we pray is because God has already seen our future.  He is the only One Who can fill our hearts with the blessings we need to go through life.

PRAYER: Dear Lord, No matter where we go, You are there.  You are in the lead, and we gladly follow.  Your way leads to life, joy, peace, faith, and hope.  Victory is ours because You have gone ahead of us.  You know what we need.  Send those heavenly blessings our way today. In Jesus’ name, AMEN~

Not Afraid to Fight!

Thursday greetings!

Today I am excited because we get to explore the story of a powerful woman in the Bible.  Examples of brave, determined, female leaders always provide just the right dose of inspiration, and it shows us that we can do whatever we need to do with Jesus helping us. 

In Judges chapter four we learn of Deborah.  She was the judge of the entire nation of Israel.  She was not a judge in the sense of trying cases, but rather, that is what rulers who were in charge over the needs of the people were called, and any Israelite seeking help would go to her.  In chapter four we read that they had been suffering horribly under an evil army commander named Sisera and had cried out to God for help.  The Lord, in turn, guided Deborah as she prepared to act.

Judges 4:7-8 “She sent for Barak son of Abinoam from Kedesh in Naphtali and said to him, ‘The Lord, the God of Israel, commands you: Go, take with you ten thousand men of Naphtali and Zebulun and lead them up to Mount Tabor.  I will lead Sisera, the commander of Jabin’s army, with his chariots and his troops to the Kishon River and give him into your hands.’”

This is one tough gal! God directed her to call upon a man named Barak to raise an army.  I find it impressive that she was so resolute.  Imagine me giving orders to recruit 10,000 men to go fight.  Actually, I like giving orders, and so maybe I would find it easy to point fingers and bark out commands.  But what’s more incredible is that Sisera was a leader of a vast army himself with “nine hundred chariots fitted with iron,” as part of his arsenal.  And yet Deborah herself was willing to get in the fight.  “I will lead Sisera…and give him into your hands.”  Ever had someone tell you, “Do as I say and not as I do?” Deborah is the complete opposite of that.  She put her money were her mouth is, and her actions provide the powerful truth of the day:   

GODLY WOMEN ARE COURAGEOUS AND NOT AFRAID TO GET IN THE FIGHT!

PRAYER: Dear Lord, Thank You for reminding us—especially us women—that we have the ability and responsibility to get in the fight for those enemies that come against us and our families.  Show us what we need to do to safeguard our families.  Keep us alert to anything or anyone who would try to do them harm.  Our first line of defense is to pray.  So we pray right now for Your blessings, guidance, wisdom, and protection over ourselves and those we love.  In Jesus’ mighty name, AMEN~  

Confronting Matters Head On~

Tuesday greetings, dearest brothers and sisters, may our Lord mightily bless us today according to His unparalleled generosity!

Judges 4:21 “But Jael, Heber’s wife, picked up a tent peg and a hammer and went quietly to Sisera while he lay fast asleep, exhausted. She drove the peg through his temple into the ground, and he died.”

  

Friday’s prayer was a blessing to us all, but one particular part raised a bunch of eyebrows: “If necessary, You will help me hammer a tent peg in the temple of my enemy.” That line is straight out of the Bible; “She drove the peg through his temple into the ground, and he died.”

Sisera was a cruel army commander who had been oppressing the Israelites, and he had it coming.  Nevertheless, I am not suggesting physical violence, but there is a broader application here.  When we are praying about a matter, let us be relentless in our petitioning, supplication, intercession, crying out, pleas, beseeching, entreaties, and requests until the matter is settled.  Sometimes, to see a prayer through, requires bravery, strength, guts, determination, and the willingness to confront matters head-on (no pun intended).

And each part of this story is a mighty blessing to me because women were at the helm.  We will explore this in the next few DEVOs, but for today, let us rejoice.  We can pray about any struggles we have until they die.

PRAYER: Dear Lord, I praise Your mighty name.  Help me to deliver a death blow to this particular problem ________________.  Help me put a tent peg straight through its temple so that it never rears its ugly head ever again against me or those I love.  In Jesus’ name, AMEN~