A Word about Multiplying Leaders

 

Today I want to share a word about multiplying leaders, as I comment on 1 Kings 19: 15 & 16 and 19-21. This passage reads:

Then the LORD said to him, "Go, return on your way to the wilderness of Damascus; when you arrive, you shall anoint Hazael as king over Aram. Also you shall anoint Jehu son of Nimshi as king over Israel; and you shall anoint Elisha son of Shaphat of Abel-meholah as prophet in your place. So he set out from there, and found Elisha son of Shaphat, who was plowing. There were twelve yoke of oxen ahead of him, and he was with the twelfth. Elijah passed by him and threw his mantle over him. He left the oxen, ran after Elijah, and said, "Let me kiss my father and my mother, and then I will follow you." Then Elijah said to him, "Go back again; for what have I done to you? “ He returned from following him, took the yoke of oxen, and slaughtered them; using the equipment from the oxen, he boiled their flesh, and gave it to the people, and they ate. Then he set out and followed Elijah, and became his servant. 

One reality that I often remind church members about is the fact that the church is only one generation away from extinction. Until that day when our Lord returns for us, all of us in the church will sooner or later face death. No one lives forever on this earth, and since local churches consist of people who will pass away, our congregations must have new blood to be able to continue to exist and minister for the cause of Christ. A church that does not replace those who have passed on will soon pass on itself. The same is true about the leadership of God’s people. Leaders also have to be replaced, and that is the focus of our Bible passage for today.

Elijah was an anointed man of God whom He used to confront the prophets of Baal on Mount Carmel. Elijah was a powerful preacher, and he was used of God in mighty ways, but God knew that Elijah’s time of ministry on earth was finite. In fact, God had plans to bring Elijah home to heaven sooner, rather than later. Thus, God directed Elijah to call Elisha to be his apprentice, and he did so. We can learn some lessons from his obedience in this matter.

The Importance of Obedience:

First, we need to understand just how important obedience is to God. We know that God is love, and that He is gracious, but we also must remember that He is the Sovereign Lord. He deserves to be obeyed, and He requires obedience from His people. Samuel rebuked Saul’s disobedience by telling him that “rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft” and Jesus told us, “If you love me, keep my commandments.” 

We cannot know what would have happened had Elijah disobeyed God, but we do know what happened when the northern kingdom of Israel disobeyed God: they were taken into captivity by the Assyrians and they disappeared into the mists of time, never to be a nation again. Last week we saw that Moses disobeyed God and struck the rock instead of speaking to it, and as a result he was banned from the Promised Land. We need to determine in our hearts to obey our Lord and ask the for the Spirit’s help to do just that.

The Importance of a Clear Vision:

Second, we need to embrace God’s vision for our service to Him instead of our own. Yes, we must have a sense of ownership in our ministries, but our ownership must be from the perspective of a steward, not from the perspective of the master, for we are not. We are not the masters of our fate, and all that we have has been given to us by the grace of God. 

We need to remember that no one is irreplaceable, and indeed, one day we all will be replaced. We must not cling to the imaginary power we think we have, nor should we worry about our legacy here on earth. The only one we need to please, in the end, is God, and the way we do that is to embrace His vision, not ours. Peter found out this truth when he tried to rebuke Jesus but instead, he was the one brought up short and compared to Satan! We must hold the reins of our ministry firmly, but also willingly and graciously relinquish those reins when God calls another to take them.

The Importance of Multiplication:

Finally, we must intentionally multiply ourselves through investing in others, which is exactly what Paul taught Timothy in 2 Timothy 2:2, “And the things you have heard me say in the presence of many witnesses entrust to reliable people who will also be qualified to teach others.” 

Sometimes these leaders will rise to the top and are apparent for all to see, like Joshua and Caleb were for Moses, and Timothy and Titus were for Paul. Other times, we have to seek them out, the way that Samuel had to seek out David. In our example today, God told Elijah to seek out Elisha, and He will do the same thing for us today. If we seek wisdom from God, He will provide it, and we certainly need to exercise great wisdom in the multiplication of leaders. 

Elijah and Elisha are Good Role Models:

Regardless of the details, we must make the effort to find the people whom God will use to lead the church when we are long gone. And remember, none of us will live forever. 

We need to be like Elijah and be sensitive to God’s leading. We also need to be like Elijah and obey God when He does lead us. Finally, when the mantle is passed, it must to be received with whole-hearted obedience, which is something we will look at the next time we get together.

Every blessing, 

Dr. Otis Corbitt

A Word about Errant Blows

 

Today I want to share a word about errant blows, as I comment on Numbers 20:7-12. This passage reads:

Then the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, “Take the rod; you and your brother Aaron gather the congregation together. Speak to the rock before their eyes, and it will yield its water; thus you shall bring water for them out of the rock, and give drink to the congregation and their animals.” So Moses took the rod from before the Lord as He commanded him. And Moses and Aaron gathered the assembly together before the rock; and he said to them, “Hear now, you rebels! Must we bring water for you out of this rock?” Then Moses lifted his hand and struck the rock twice with his rod; and water came out abundantly, and the congregation and their animals drank. Then the Lord spoke to Moses and Aaron, “Because you did not believe Me, to hallow Me in the eyes of the children of Israel, therefore you shall not bring this assembly into the land which I have given them.”

The Good Idea Fairy:

My wife and I live in the country, and in recent weeks I have occupied myself  from time to time on Saturdays by clearing a fence line. We have a small fenced pasture in the front of our home, and a larger pasture in the rear. Our neighbors to the south have a fence along our shared property line, and so the only section of our land that is without a fence is our northern property line between the two pastures. The “good idea fairy” visited me some weeks ago, and convinced me that I needed to erect a fence along that line, and so I have been making the necessary preparations.

The problem was that the good idea fairy didn’t  realized that the new fence line would run through terrain that is essentially jungle. I was able to use a chain saw to begin the task of clearing the fence line, but because the tops of the trees and shrubs were intertwined and bound together by vines, the chain saw work resulted in what resembled a green tunnel that was not tall enough to stand in, much less built a fence under. So, I had to go old school, and I assembled various hand tools from which I could attack the green tunnel from within.

One of the tools I used was a small axe, larger than a hatchet, but smaller than the full-sized tool. I have never been good with an axe, and that was still true as I worked to open the top of the green tunnel. 

The key in using an axe is to strike the same two places over and over again. One stroke to score the log, and a second to cut out the wood leaving a notch, rinse and repeat, rinse and repeat. Soon you need to switch the the other side of the tree, take a stroke to score the log, then a second to cut out the wood leaving a notch, then rinse and repeat; you get the picture. If done properly, the tree or limb will soon be severed, leaving a clean stump and an arrow-shaped log. That is, if you hit the same two places time and again. Sadly, I often can’t.

Errant Blows:

I often found myself making errant strokes, hitting the tree in question in multiple places without effectively notching out the opposing sides of the tree. It was the logging equivalent of a death of a thousand cuts, and it frequently made a mess of the process. I have found that a few precise blows were worth much more than a flurry of wild, uncoordinated strokes. Not only does the tree get cut more quickly, it is also much less tiring for me as well. 

In the midst of my exertions in the green tunnel, God brought to mind a simple, but I think profound truth: A errant blow is a wasted blow. Flailing away at a problem or situation is no more effective and efficient than it was when I was flailing away at the undergrowth in the green tunnel. This is a lesson we can also learn from our focal passage for today.

Moses, apparently frustrated because the Children of Israel were vociferously complaining of their extreme thirst, didn’t listen when God gave him instructions to speak to the rock. Instead, he struck the rock with his staff, not just once, but twice. He didn’t miss the rock, the way I missed my mark with cutting trees, but still he made two errant blows on the rock, and significant consequences followed.

Note that God, in His mercy, provided water for the Israelites despite the errant blows. He had every right to withhold the water because Moses disobeyed, but, since we know God is love, He nurtured His people. So, Moses disobeyed, stuck his errant blows, and it was all good, right? Uh . . . no! Not at all!

Costly Blows:

God’s justice demanded that Moses and Aaron be held accountable for their disobedience, and both were banned from the Promised Land. These consequences were severe for a seemingly minor lapse. After all, the Israelites were getting on his very last nerve, so it was natural that Moses was distracted. Yet, errant blows are dangerous and we need to avoid them.

An errant blow with an axe can be dangerous and many toes have been severed  in such a manner. A errant blow in spiritual matters may lead others astray or present a bad witness for the cause of Christ. 

An errant blow with an axe can be very tiring, but an errant blow in spiritual matters may cause us to strain out a gnat and swallow a camel.

A errant blow with an axe is a wasted blow, but an errant blow spiritually is disobedience. 

The Need for Focus:

One of the most important safety factors in using any tool is to stay focused. Someone who is distracted can strike an errant blow with an axe or some other tool and cause irreparable damage to themselves or to another person. Losing our focus spiritually can also result in delivering errant blows, with untold consequences.

We need to maintain our focus and our spiritual poise. We need to maintain our trust in God and in His guidance and instructions us. God can strike a straight blow with a crooked stick, but we don’t have His supernatural powers. Let us guard our hearts and strike solid blows in faith for the cause of Christ!

Every blessing,

Dr. Otis Corbitt

A Word about Suffering

Today I want to share a word about suffering, as I comment on James 1:2-8. This passage reads:

My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing. If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him. But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea driven and tossed by the wind. For let not that man suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord; he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways.

Confession Time:

Today I have a confession to make. It is hard to admit it, but, yes, when I was younger and living at home, my family often watched “Hee-Haw” together.

For those of you unfamiliar with this television variety show, let me say that while it did showcase a great deal of talented country and western performers, it also offered an excessive amount of low-brow, hillbilly humor, which ranged from Junior Samples’ car lot gag (the phone number was “BR549”) to the cast inquiring of Grandpa, “What’s for supper?” 

One of the most popular sketches dealt humorously with the troubles of life. This segment began with a song, which had these lyrics:

Gloom, despair, and agony on me,

Deep dark depression, excessive misery.

If it weren’t for bad luck, I’d have no luck at all,

Gloom, despair, and agony on me.

Be careful, that little bit of doggerel will stick in your head and bedevil you all day, if you aren’t careful!

Truth be told, we tend to make light of trials, troubles and suffering because they are all too common in our day-to-day existence. A flat tire, a missed flight, or a malfunctioning home appliance can ruin our day. Sickness, the death of a loved one, a failed relationship, and financial woes can, if we allow them, ruin our entire lives. Sometimes we all can feel like, “If it weren’t for bad luck, I’d have no luck at all.” This is especially true in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, the social unrest of the past two years, and our current economic challenges. 

Accept the Reality of Suffering:

James gave us great guidance about how to respond to suffering in our focal passage for today. He began by telling us we must accept the reality of suffering.

The Bible is full of the stories of real people who had real difficulties living a real life on this real earth. In 1 Corinthians 10:13, Paul taught us that trials and trouble are common to all people, and we know from 1 Peter 2:18-25, that just people can suffer in this imperfect world that was marred by human sin. Suffering is real; when it comes into our lives, what should we do?

Adjust to the State of Suffering:

James went on to teach us that we must adjust to the state of suffering. We need to learn to be steadfast. The common human responses to a threat are to fight, flee, or freeze. None of those will work well with suffering because we usually have no access to the source of our troubles. If we did, we’d be able to mitigate them. Instead, James tells us to be steadfast, that is to endure our suffering. Endurance is hard for most people, that’s why there are so few marathon runners. Employers in some industries try to hire college graduates, not because they have the skills which will be needed, but because they had the endurance to complete a multi-year college degree. Skills can be taught, but not endurance and determination.

Fortunately for us, we have help with our endurance. We can be steadfast because we know God is on our side, and that He loves us and is with us. He also has prepared a “table for us in the presence of our enemies,” and He has prepared a home for us in Heaven when our suffer days are over. We need to yield to God and allow Him to help us endure.

Have a Good Attitude about Suffering:

Next, James taught that we must develop a good attitude in our trials and difficulties. We must realize that our faith is like a muscle, and that it cannot get stronger unless it is exercised and tested. This is one dimension of the truth that Paul taught in Romans 8:28, 

And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.

I remember clearly how my muscles ached after that first high school football practice after a summer of sloth, and sleeping-in. By the end of the season, however, after many practices, my muscles no longer ached. I was still as slow as molasses in wintertime, but I was stronger and healthier. If I had quit after that first practice, I would never have enjoyed the blessing of that came from the testing of my body. The same is true of the spiritual, psychological, emotional, and relational aspects of our lives when we are steadfast ins suffering and troubles.

Accelerate Forward Through Suffering:

Finally, James insisted that we must accelerate forward; that is, don’t wallow in our troubles. As baseball great Satchel Paige reportedly said, “Don’t look back. Something might be gaining on you!” 

Too often we let our memories of past events and troubles haunt us. Complicated grief is a real thing, and people trapped in it need professional help. That said, God’s plan is moving forward, and we need to move forward in our lives as well. We simply can’t move forward while looking back!

Additional Confessions:

As I close, let me admit something else. Today I am really preaching to myself. As I have often said, “I don’t do suffering well.” I suppose that few people do. Still, God can take the reality of suffering in this imperfect, sin-marred world and make something good in our lives. Let’s be steadfast and look to God for our help and our growth as we negotiate this troubled world!

Every blessing, 

Dr. Otis Corbitt

A Word about Memories

Today I want to share a word about memories, as I comment on Psalm 77. This passage reads:

I cried out to God with my voice—to God with my voice; and He gave ear to me. In the day of my trouble I sought the Lord; my hand was stretched out in the night without ceasing; my soul refused to be comforted. I remembered God, and was troubled; I complained, and my spirit was overwhelmed. Selah

You hold my eyelids open; I am so troubled that I cannot speak. I have considered the days of old, the years of ancient times. I call to remembrance my song in the night; I meditate within my heart, and my spirit makes diligent search.VWill the Lord cast off forever? And will He be favorable no more? Has His mercy ceased forever? Has His promise failed forevermore? Has God forgotten to be gracious? Has He in anger shut up His tender mercies? Selah

And I said, “This is my anguish; but I will remember the years of the right hand of the Most High. I will remember the works of the Lord; surely I will remember Your wonders of old. I will also meditate on all Your work, and talk of Your deeds. Your way, O God, is in the sanctuary; who is so great a God as our God? You are the God who does wonders; You have declared Your strength among the peoples. You have with Your arm redeemed Your people, the sons of Jacob and Joseph. Selah

The waters saw You, O God; the waters saw You, they were afraid; the depths also trembled. The clouds poured out water; the skies sent out a sound; your arrows also flashed about. The voice of Your thunder was in the whirlwind; the lightnings lit up the world; the earth trembled and shook. Your way was in the sea, Your path in the great waters, and Your footsteps were not known. You led Your people like a flock by the hand of Moses and Aaron.

INTRODUCTION: 

One of Israel’s major problems was a bad memory. Of course, sometimes our memory isn't as good as it should be either.  

Did you hear about the absent-minded professor who came back from lunch and saw the sign on his door that said “Back in 30 Minutes” and then sat down to wait for himself?

Once, my son came to me for help because had forgotten where he'd put his glasses; he was holding them in his hand!   

Have you ever had an important document that you put in a safe place, but forgot where that was?

A deacon in my home church, who had a lot of “senior moments” once said: “My rememberer is getting bad, and my forgetterer is getting good!”

The Psalmist had a good memory, however.  He remembered some things about his God in times of trouble, and they're things we should remember, too!

THE PSALMIST REMEMBERED PAST CONCERNS;

Popular theology can't handle difficulty. It says that obedient people will always prosper. It says that disobedient people will always suffer. This isn't necessarily true! For example, I know about a young Bible college student  and his wife who were in a stalled car on a railroad crossing and were hit and killed bye a train and also of the members of more than one church youth group who died in a van wreck.  We must remember that righteous people can suffer:

• Abraham, Job, and Daniel in the Old Testament.
• Peter, John, and Paul in the New Testament.
• The thousands of martyrs in the church age.
• Of course, we must not forget Jesus.

Like us, the Psalmist had troubles. We know that many of the Psalms of David express his fear, anguish and doubts. David, who may have influenced this Psalm, was persecuted by Saul, and later by his own son. Regardless, we can look at the text and see doubt, fear, frustration, and agony!

The Psalmist is not alone; we all recently have had troubles!

• Covid-19
• Confusion in society
• Conflict internationally, nationally, locally, and in our homes
• Cash crunch with the shutdown and then the inflation that followed it
• Crime

These are just a few of the things that have bedeviled us in recent years, and are visible evidence of the truth of the Scriptures that tell us:

The days of our years are threescore years and ten; and if by reason of strength they be fourscore years, yet is their strength labour and sorrow; for it is soon cut off, and we fly away. Psalm 90:10

Man who is born of woman is of few days and full of trouble. Job 14:1

THE PSALMIST REMEMBERED PRESENT COMFORT:

Even in the midst of his sorrow, the Psalmist knew that God was with him. He was like Paul, a man acquainted with troubles, but one who had confidence in God as he taught in I Corinthians 10:13 which says, 

No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make a way of escape, that you may be able to bear it.

Our God is the I Am God. He isn't the I Was God, even though He's always been. He also isn't the I Will Be God, even though He holds the future. He Is!  He is for us and with us and in us.

His presence makes all the difference in our lives When He is present, He brings immediate power. This power is available to us now!  Not in the future. We only need to turn to Him, and He will give us comfort. What will He do?

• He will give us His mercy, the ability to endure this imperfect life.
• He might deliver us from our temporal problems.
• He might want to use us to be witnesses in the midst of our troubles like Paul and Silas singing in jail in Philippi.

If we trust Him, we can sing in our difficult times!

THE PSALMIST REMEMBERED FUTURE CONFIDENCE: 

The I Am God is as much a God of tomorrow as He is of today. He is the eternal God; our troubles never will outlast Him. He is the immutable God; His love never changes. He is the redeeming God; His arm will never be shortened. We can rely upon Him for tomorrow the way we can for today.

So, how do we know, or predict what God will do? The same way a hunter locates his prey; we look back and follow His tracks. We can do this best by beginning with His word. Only after looking at His record should we view our own experiences. 

The Psalmist knew God's record:

• He knew how God had created the world.
• He knew how God had worked with the O.T. Patriarchs.
• He knew how God had worked with the Children of Israel.

Because the Psalmist been taught the past, he knew the future.

THE PSALMIST REMEMBERED ETERNAL CHARACTERISTICS:

The Psalmist knew from the Scriptures that our God is Sovereign. A king is sovereign over his nation, but some, like Herod, were subordinate to another king or emperor. Yahweh God is superior to all rulers. He is King of Kings and Lord of Lords:

Let every soul be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and the authorities that exist are appointed by God. Romans 13:1

God created this world, and He also sustains it. He owns the world; we are merely His stewards.

The Psalmist also knew from the Scriptures that our God is omnipotent. God is all powerful; there is nothing greater than He! God uses His power to build and create, not to tear down and destroy and He uses His amazing power to bless His people. Again, Paul clearly knew these same things as he wrote on Romans 8:31-38:

What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things? Who shall bring a charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies. Who is he who condemns? It is Christ who died, and furthermore is also risen, who is even at the right hand of God, who also makes intercession for us. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? As it is written: “For Your sake we are killed all day long; We are accounted as sheep for the slaughter.” Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

In addition, the Psalmist knew from the Scriptures that Our God is omnipresent. In the ancient world, people believed in territorial gods; the gods of the land were not gods of the ocean, etc. For example, the people of Jericho heard of how powerful Yahweh was, and trembled, but only Rahab would bow to Him because He was not their god.

Our God is God everywhere but the most important place that God is, for us at least, is with His people.  Jesus promised never to leave us or forsake us and He sent the Holy Spirit to empower and equip us. Again, as Paul taught in Romans 8,

For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Along with these things, the Psalmist knew from the Scriptures that Our God is omniscient. People are not as smart as they think that they are, like the old joke: Those of you who think you know it all really irritate those of us who do . . .

Paul even admitted that sometimes we don’t even know how to pray! God knows all, even the hearts of men as Jesus said in Luke 16, and Proverbs 15:11 says, 

Hell and Destruction are before the Lord; So how much more the hearts of the sons of men.

Finally, the Psalmist knew from the Scriptures that Our God Our God Is Omni-Benevolent. God is love and He cares for His people, and He is the model of a father and a shepherd. He chastens those whom He loves, and He gives them all their needs as well. The 23rd Psalm says this better than almost any other passage of Scripture, 

The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He makes me to lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside the still waters; He restores my soul.  He leads me in the paths of righteousness for His name’s sake. 

Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; for You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; You anoint my head with oil; my cup runs over.

 Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life;and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.

Conclusion:

If we are going to have any taste of the abundant life that Christ promised us on this earth, we need to follow the lead of the Psalmist. When we are forced to remember the troubles of this life, let us also remember the love, power, and presence of our God, who is our Present Help in times of trouble. If we turn to Him, armed with the Word and empowered by His Spirit, we can triumph over our troubles! 

Every blessing, 

Dr. Otis Corbitt

A Word about Selfless Service

 

Today I want to share a word about selfless service, as I comment on Joshua 10:5-15. This passage reads:

So the five Amorite kings—the kings of Jerusalem, Hebron, Jarmuth, Lachish, and Eglon—joined forces, advanced with all their armies, besieged Gibeon, and fought against it. Then the men of Gibeon sent word to Joshua in the camp at Gilgal: “Don’t abandon your servants. Come quickly and save us! Help us, for all the Amorite kings living in the hill country have joined forces against us.” So Joshua and his whole military force, including all the fighting men, came from Gilgal. The LORD said to Joshua, “Do not be afraid of them, for I have handed them over to you. Not one of them will be able to stand against you. So Joshua caught them by surprise, after marching all night from Gilgal. The LORD threw them into confusion before Israel. He defeated them in a great slaughter at Gibeon, chased them through the ascent of Beth-horon, and struck them down as far as Azekah and Makkedah.

Army Values:

I'm an old Soldier and a retired chaplain, and one of the themes which Army leaders constantly emphasized during my years in uniform were the Army Values. These are the Army's core values and they include:

Loyalty

Duty

Respect

Selfless Service 

Honor 

Integrity

Personal Courage

I think it is no coincidence that the value of Selfless Service is in the center of the list for I believe that Selfless Service is central to being a Soldier, Sailor, Marine, Airman, or Coast Guardsman. 

I believe that Selfless Service is also the focus of Memorial Day, a day in which we remember all those to have paid the ultimate price in the service of our country. I want to look at this concept today using our focal passage from Joshua 10 to give us some context. 

A Sacred Covenant:

The Children of Israel, upon entering into Canaan had been fooled by a tribe called the Gibeonites. The story is too long to relate here, but the Gibeonites had deceived Joshua into making a covenant with them. The Gibeonites would become a workforce for the Israelites, and the Israelites would provide them protection.

The day came in which the Gibeonites came under attack by the Five Kings of the Amorites. The Gibeonites called 911 and cried for help, and Joshua responded. He told his men to saddle up, and they did so. He told them that they were going to march all night, and they did so. He told them that they were going straight into an attack, and they did so. 

We can see many remarkable aspects to this story but in the interest of time I want to mention just one. 

It is absolutely remarkable that the Israelites conducted a night approach march into battle. In today’s world it would be odd if you didn’t take advantage of the dark, , but in those days, people did not venture out at night. They had no night vision googles, they had no GPS, and they didn’t even have flashlights. Yet they followed Joshua, made that night approach march, launched into an attack, and they routed their foe. 

Why did they do that? Because of Selfless Service.

A Sacred Vow:

The Army defines Selfless Service as putting the welfare of the Nation, the Army, and your comrades before your own. In this case the Israelites took extraordinary measures to put the welfare of the Gibeonites before their own welfare, or the welfare of their families.

In a deeper sense, they also did it because of the sacred vow that their nation had made to the Gibeonites. It was not just a covenant that Joshua had made, but one that all the people had made.

What does this history lesson have to do with our Memorial Day holiday?  Just this: Our nation has also made a sacred vow.  As Abraham Lincoln put it in the Gettysburg address, “Our forefathers brought forth a new nation, conceived in liberty, and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal.” 

The documents that established our nation asserted the inalienable rights that all people have to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. The United States is not just the most powerful nation on earth; it is also the first nation on earth that committed itself to protecting the freedom and liberty given by God to all people, but enjoyed by far too few in the fallen world in which we live.

We have not always gotten this task right. We have made many grievous errors in our history, but we have always moved forward in our sacred task of preserving liberty. We must continue to do so, but the imperfect world in which we live makes that a difficult, and sometimes a seemingly impossible task. We are a shining city set upon a hill, but unfortunately, that also makes us a target.

In this world live bad men who align themselves with the forces of evil to take away the liberty and freedom of people. These bad men will stop at nothing to achieve their heinous goals. They would have all peoples living in bondage to the same twisted and evil philosophies in which they have ensnared themselves. They will stop at nothing, and so they must be stopped.

Selfless Service:

This then is where we come to today. We have set today aside to honor the Selfless Service of those who put their nation, their families, and their friends above themselves. Today we honor those who cashed the check that our nation wrote in our founding documents, the ones who paid the price for the cause of freedom and justice.

We honor those who followed the example of the Israelites, who, when they were called upon to fulfill their sacred duty, did so and who went above and beyond to accomplish their mission. Today we honor those who, when their nation asked “Whom shall I send, and who will go for us,” answered in the manner of the prophet Isaiah, who said “Here am I, send me.”

All who have worn their county’s uniform know of Selfless Service. They had to leave their homes, their families, and their friends to go to places they had never heard of before. They endured the hardships of training and preparation, and they learned to live in the most difficult locations and climates. 

Yes, all who wore the uniform know the meaning of Selfless Service, but only a few know what it means to give that last full measure of service, and we honor those today who laid their lives down on the altar of freedom. They have paid the price to stop those bad men who would not in the past, and still will not today, stop at anything so that the cause of freedom might die and the cause of oppression would rise triumphant. God forbid that this ever happens!

Dedication to the Fallen and to the Future:

Our honored dead took seriously their oath to “protect and defend the Constitution of the United States from all enemies foreign and domestic.” For them it was not just a ritual or a formality of enlistment, but also a sacred duty that cost them and their families everything. So today, as we remember those fallen for the cause of freedom, let us not do so with empty words. 

Today, let us renew our own devotion to protecting liberty and freedom so that these we remember will not have died in vain. Let us vow to never waste the Selfless Service of those gave their all on the altar of freedom.

Every blessing,

Dr. Otis Corbitt

A Word about Vision

 

Today I want to share a word about vision, as I comment on Acts 16:9-15. This passage reads:

During the night Paul had a vision: there stood a man of Macedonia pleading with him and saying, "Come over to Macedonia and help us." When he had seen the vision, we immediately tried to cross over to Macedonia, being convinced that God had called us to proclaim the good news to them. We set sail from Troas and took a straight course to Samothrace, the following day to Neapolis, and from there to Philippi, which is a leading city of the district of Macedonia and a Roman colony. We remained in this city for some days. On the sabbath day we went outside the gate by the river, where we supposed there was a place of prayer; and we sat down and spoke to the women who had gathered there. A certain woman named Lydia, a worshiper of God, was listening to us; she was from the city of Thyatira and a dealer in purple cloth. The Lord opened her heart to listen eagerly to what was said by Paul. When she and her household were baptized, she urged us, saying, "If you have judged me to be faithful to the Lord, come and stay at my home." And she prevailed upon us.

Today as I share a word about vision, I am reminded of a conversation I had with my father years ago when I was a child. 

Jack of All Trades:

My dad was working on our carport, building a room divider with a counter top to install between our kitchen and our living room. As I watched him work, I was impressed in my young mind about how many things my dad could do with his hands. As he often told me, he was a “jack of all trades and a master of none," yet despite that I can’t remember any of his projects that did not turn out well.

In any case, as I was watching him work and handing him a tool when he needed me to, I asked him about the plans for the room divider. I did not see him working from any drawings and I was curious about how the design of this piece of furniture had come about. My dad just smiled, pointed to his head and said, “The plans are in here.” Then he bent back to his work.

A Clear Vision:

That was not the first or last time my father had a vision for a project, and then proceeded to carry-out that vision. Time and time again, I saw my dad ponder a project, see a solution to a problem, and then make it happen.

Come to think about it, he taught me to do the same thing; although I am not nearly as skilled with my hands as he was. Yet, his physical skills were not the vital issue with my dad’s projects. No, the key issue was vision. He saw what the future looked like in terms of a garden, a tractor shed, a room divider, or a back porch, and then he set out to realize that vision.

This is the same thing we observe in our focal passage for today. Paul had a vision that the people of Macedonia, in Europe, needed help. Of course, the best help anyone can give or get is the Gospel message, and so Paul and Silas took the Gospel to a new continent, one which was previously unreached by the church. Paul saw the Gospel penetrating Europe, and led and empowered by the Holy Spirit, he realized that vision.

I would never say that the scale and impact of my father’s visions for his projects would match the vision of Paul, but the fact is, without a vision, neither man would have accomplished what they did, size and import notwithstanding. I have heard the importance of a vision described in this way, “If you don’t see it before you see it, you’ll never see it!”

Take Off the Blinders:

What about us, today? Do we have a vision for what our churches could be like? Do we have a vision about what our individual ministries could be like? What about our families or our schools or our work places or our nation? 

So often the saying that we “can’t see the forest for the trees” applies to our lives. We go about our day-to-day existence like mules with blinders on as they walk in a circle powering a syrup mill (yes, my dad was from the country, and yes, I do live in Alabama).

We just plod along, one foot after the other, trudging through life. It doesn’t have to be that way, however.

Conclusion:

Let’s seek out God’s vision for our lives, our families, and our churches. Next, let us pray and ponder and meditate until God shows us the way to realize that vision. Then, like Paul on the grand stage of history, and like my father on the carport of our home, let’s make it happen!

Every blessing,

Dr. Otis Corbitt

A Word about a Ram

 

Today I want to share a word about a ram, as I comment on Genesis 22:6-14. This passage reads:

So Abraham took the wood of the burnt offering and laid it on Isaac his son; and he took the fire in his hand, and a knife, and the two of them went together. But Isaac spoke to Abraham his father and said, “My father!” And he said, “Here I am, my son.” Then he said, “Look, the fire and the wood, but where is the lamb for a burnt offering?” And Abraham said, “My son, God will provide for Himself the lamb for a burnt offering.” So the two of them went together. Then they came to the place of which God had told him. And Abraham built an altar there and placed the wood in order; and he bound Isaac his son and laid him on the altar, upon the wood. And Abraham stretched out his hand and took the knife to slay his son. But the Angel of the Lord called to him from heaven and said, “Abraham, Abraham!” So he said, “Here I am.” And He said, “Do not lay your hand on the lad, or do anything to him; for now I know that you fear God, since you have not withheld your son, your only son, from Me.” Then Abraham lifted his eyes and looked, and there behind him was a ram caught in a thicket by its horns. So Abraham went and took the ram, and offered it up for a burnt offering instead of his son. And Abraham called the name of the place, The-Lord-Will-Provide; as it is said to this day, “In the Mount of the Lord it shall be provided.”

The Goats of My Pasture: 

As many of you already know, for the past eight years or so, my wife and I have maintained a small herd of goats our our rural homestead. We initially acquired a buck and two does so that they could keep the grass cropped in a field I had previously been mowing. We also got them to help clear out the underbrush in a stand of trees behind that field. They have done a great job of doing both these things, and they are also entertaining to watch as well. We have been impressed by how powerful they are when butting one another. They rear back only a few inches and the lunge forward with their heads in an impressive show of strength which reminds me of a coiled spring . . .  a massive coiled spring at that.

The species of goat in our herd is the Boer goat, which was originally bred in South Africa to produce meat. As such, they have a rambunctious nature and more aggressive personalities than diary goats. They are also inquisitive, and they can get themselves in trouble. Someone told me once that they are born trying to kill themselves, and I can see that. I have rescued several of our goats who got stuck in various trees and vines, and I often have to free the smaller animals from our pasture fence.

Our smaller goats will stick their heads through the wires squares in the fence to try to reach something that they imagine is good to eat. Their horns are curved to the rear, and they easily pass through the fence moving forward. Sadly, when they try to withdraw their heads, the horns, like the barbs on a fish hook, catch on the fence and they are stuck. Then they begin bleating and crying for help. Of course, their herd members would like to help them, but they can’t, and so they are stuck until my wife or I can come free them. 

Goats are alert and wily animals when it comes to threats from predators. I have often commented to my wife about how “tactically sound” they are. When they move in a column they send the weakest adult goats forward first, so that they can flush out any threats so that the biggest goats in the rear can respond with a counterattack. They graze in a skirmish line, and they circle-up to chew their cud with 360 degree security. If they could carry a rifle and use a compass they’d be great candidates for the US Army Ranger School! :-)

As alert as they are to the threats of  predators, inanimate objects seem to have them flummoxed. Every one of our goats has gotten caught in a tree, or vine, or fence at least once, and currently, a posse of three small brown ones need to be rescued frequently. Yet, we enjoy having them, and they serve us well in trimming the grass in a portion of our property. By the way, we don’t sell our goats for meat; they are too valuable to us as gardeners!

Because we have goats, and because sheep were an important part of the economy and society were we served as missionaries in West Africa, I am always drawn to Bible passages about sheep and goats. Our passage for today is particularly interesting because it involves a ram which was caught in a bush. This passage is primarily about Abraham’s faith and trust in God, but the ram does illustrate several points.

A Humbled Ram:

First, rams are aggressive and self assured creatures, that is, until they are humbled. Our buck goat is named Buster Junior after his father. Like his father, Buster is the Alpha male in our herd, and he has tried to bully me in the past. He tried, that is, until I kicked him in the teeth. After that, I have been the Alpha creature when I am inside the gate.

In this case, a mighty and powerful ram was caught by a humble thicket of thorns or vines. The ram was trapped and brought low so that God could make use of it for His own purposes. So it is with humans also. We bluster and bully our way though life until God kicks us in the teeth and confronts us with our sin and human frailties.

We must remember that God, “resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble.” Sometimes we have to get caught in a thicket to become the people God wants us to be.

An Available Ram:

I also think that the story of this ram is a great example of a divine appointment. It was no coincidence that this animal entrapped himself just when Abraham need to make a sacrifice to God. God brought that ram there, and He caught that ram in the thicket for His purposes and for the use by Abraham. Timing, and they say, is everything, but in this case it was a “God thing!”

The Biblical record and our own personal experiences tell us that God makes appointments for us that we don’t anticipate. This is what Esther was told in that famous passage that says, 

“For if you remain silent at this time, relief and deliverance for the Jews will arise from another place, but you and your father’s family will perish. And who knows but that you have come to your royal position for such a time as this?” Esther 4:14.

Paul told us to “redeem the time,” which is another way of saying “seize the day.” When God gives us the opportunity to be used by Him, we must take it, embrace it, and pursue it with all our being.  In the case of the ram, it meant being a sacrifice, and, to be honest, we also need to willing to be a sacrifice and well. As I have often heard Dr. Chuck Kelley say, “The problem with living sacrifices is that they crawl off the altar!” 

Let’s look for those divine appointments and take full advantage of them for God’s Kingdom.

A Captured Ram:

Finally, you can run but you can’t hide. If He wants to, God will catch you like He caught this ram. The Biblical record is clear and abundant that this is the case:

God found Adam and Eve after they has sinned.

God caught Jacob when he was on the run from Esau.

God chose Saul even though he hid behind his family.

God waited on David to come in from herding the sheep.

God appointed a fish to swallow Jonah to give him time to change his mind.

God called some back country fishermen to be fishers of men.

God kicked Saul in the teeth on the road to Damascus.

God caused Peter to dream of bacon and ham and shrimp and lobster (ok, that’s a little poetic license, I will admit, but its essential correct).

The moral of the story of the ram is this, “Never run from God, because all you’ll do is get tired before you get caught.”

Conclusion:

One reason I love the Bible it that is is so real, and so relatable to our lives. Even though our modern lives are so very different than in Biblical times, God’s Word has an amazing way of shining down through the centuries to shine like a spotlight on our lives. 

Let's learn from the story of this ram. Be humble, be available, and be willing to get caught but God. Not only will we be blessed, but God will also use us to bless others!

Every blessing,

I’m Dr. Otis Corbitt