Click Above to Listen!
A Sermon by Dr. Bob Griffin, Teaching Elder at Sovereign Grace Church
**WELCOME:
**HYMN: “Guide Me, O Thou Great Jehovah”
**SCRIPTURE: “Psalm 111 ”
**HYMN: “Jesus Died for Me”
**PASTORAL PRAYER:
**SPECIAL MUSIC: “Blessings”
**MESSAGE:
I Sam 12:11 reviews era of Judges: “And the LORD sent Jerubbaal (Gideon) and Abdon, Jephthah and Samuel, and delivered you from the hand of your enemies on every side, and you dwelled safely.”
I. DEMONSTRATING FAITH TO OVERCOME EARLY OBSTACLES
A. IN HIS FAMILY & FRIENDS
>>1. ILLEGITIMATE (Jdg 11:1)
>>2. KICKED OUT OF HOME (Jdg 11:2)
>>3. TOUGH CROWD (Jdg 11:3; I Sam 25)
B. LESSON IN FAITH FOR TODAY
>>1. NO EXCUSE ACCEPTED FOR LACK OF FAITH
>>2. NO ONE PROMISED AN EASY LIFE
>>3. GOD EXPECTS US TO WORK THRU OBSTACLES, NOT WALLOW IN IT
II. DEMONSTRATING FAITH TO OVERCOME OTHERS’ ATTITUDES
A. IN HIS TRIBE’S HOUR OF NEED
>>1. CITIZEN ARMY LOOKED FOR A TOUGH LEADER (Jdg 10:8-10,15-18)
>>2. BITTER OVER PRECIOUS REJECTION (Jdg 11:5-7)
>>3. PROVEN LEADER (Jdg 11:8)
>>4. NOT JUST GENERAL, BUT HEAD OF TRIBES (Jdg 11:9-11; Gen 31:42-50)
B. LESSON IN FAITH FOR TODAY
>>1. IN TIME OF GREAT TRIAL, GOD KNOWS OUR NEED
>>2. GOD CAN USE ANYONE WHO IS WILLING TO SERVE HIM
>>3. PAST “SMALL” ACTS PREPARE FOR NEW “LARGER” CHALLENGES
III. DEMONSTRATING FAITH TO OVERCOME ENEMY OPPOSITION
A. APPEAL TO THE ENEMY
>>1. LIVE PEACEABLY WITH ALL MEN (Jdg 11:12-13; Rom 12:18)
>>2. LIST TRUE HISTORY (Jdg 11:14-24)
>>3. WHICH GOD IS MORE POWERFUL (Jdg 11:23-24,27)
>>4. OVERTURES OF PEACE REJECTED (Jdg 11:28)
B. LESSON IN FAITH FOR TODAY
>>1. FOLLOWED SCRIPTURE
>>2. WANTED BEST INTEREST FOR EVERYONE (EVEN AMMON)
>>3. LEARNED DIPLOMACY; COUNT THE COST OF WAR
IV. DEMONSTRATING FAITH TO OVERCOME DOUBT ABOUT VICTORY
A. TRUST IN GOD FOR VICTORY
>>1. GIDEON’S FLEECE PRAYER NOT NEEDED (Jdg 11:29-31; Lev 18:21; Deut 12:31)
>>2. TOTAL VICTORY (Jdg 11:32-33; Num 30:2; Ps 76:11; Eccl 5:4-5)
B. LESSON IN FAITH FOR TODAY
>>1. COURAGE OVER FEAR AND ANXIETY
>>2. ALLOW SPIRIT OF GOD TO CONTROL AND GUIDE
>>3. HE HAD NO NEED FOR THIS VOW; BE CAREFUL OF PROMISES
>>4. VOWS ARE OF HIGHEST IMPORTANCE AND SACRED
V. DEMONSTRATING FAITH TO OVERCOME PERSONAL SACRIFICE
A. TRUSTING GOD IN KEEPING A VOW
>>1. HURTFUL VOW (Jdg 11:34-35)
>>2. SERIOUS VOW (Jdg 11:36-38)
>>3. PAYING HIS VOW (Jdg 11:39-40; Lev 27:24; Ex 38:8; I Sam 2:22)
B. LESSON IN FAITH FOR TODAY
>>1. WRONG VOW, BUT PROMISE TO GOD IS MOST IMPORTANT
>>2. IT TAKES TENACITY OF CHRACTER TO KEEP WORD AT OUR OWN HURT
>>3. GOD GIVES GRACE FOR A FUTURE THAT WE DON’T DECIDE
**CLOSING HYMN: “Take My Life and Let It Be”
**BENEDICTION: “I Timothy 1:17”
~~~RESOURCES FOR WORSHIP~~~
“GUIDE ME, O THOU GREAT JEHOVAH” by William Williams
Arglwydd, arwain trwy’r anialwch, Fi, bererin gwael ei wedd,
Nad oes ynof nerth na bywyd Fel yn gorwedd yn y bedd:
Hollalluog, Hollalluog – Ydyw’r Un a’m cwyd i’r lan.
Ydyw’r Un a’m cwyd i’r lan
Guide me, O Thou great Jehovah, pilgrim through this barren land;
I am weak, but Thou art mighty; hold me with Thy powerful hand.
Bread of heaven, Bread of heaven – Feed me till I want no more;
Feed me till I want no more.
Open now the crystal fountain whence the healing stream doth flow;
Let the fire and cloudy pillar lead me all my journey through.
Strong Deliverer, strong Deliverer – be Thou still my Strength and Shield;
Be Thou still my Strength and Shield.
When I tread the verge of Jordan, bid my anxious fears subside;
Death of death and hell’s destruction, land me safe on Canaan’s side.
Songs of praises, songs of praises – I will ever give to Thee;
I will ever give to Thee.
“JESUS DIED FOR ME” by Wm. H. Bathurst
My God when I approach Thy throne and all Thy glory see,
This is my stay and this alone, that Jesus died for me.
How can a soul condemned to die escape the just decree?
A vile, unworthy wretch am I, but Jesus died for me.
Burdened with sin’s oppressive chain, oh how can I get free?
No peace can all my efforts gain, but Jesus died for me.
My course I could not safely steer through life’s tempestuous sea,
Did not this truth relieve my fear, that Jesus died for me.
And Lord, when I behold Thy face, this must be all my plea:
Save me by Thy almighty grace, for Jesus died for me.
What glorious love, redeeming grace was shown on Calvary;
I will forever sing His praise since Jesus died for me.
“TAKE MY LIFE” by Frances Ridley Havergal
Take my life and let it be consecrated, Lord, to thee.
Take my hands and let them move at the impulse of Thy love –
At the impulse of Thy love.
Take my feet and let them be swift and beautiful for Thee.
Take my voice and let me sing always, only, for my King –
Always, only, for my King.
Take my lips and let them be filled with messages for Thee,
Take my silver and my gold, not a mite would I withhold –
Not a mite would I withhold.
Take my love; my Lord, I pour at thy feet its treasure store.
Take myself, and I will be ever, only, all for thee –
Ever, only, all for thee.
“BLESSINGS” by Laura Story
We pray for blessings, we pray for peace,
Comfort for family, protection while we sleep.
We pray for healing, for prosperity;
We pray for Your mighty hand to ease our suffering.
All the while, You hear each spoken need
Yet love us way too much to give us lesser things.
What if your blessings come through raindrops?
What if Your healing comes through tears?
What if a thousand sleepless nights are what it takes to know You’re near?
What if trials of this life are Your mercies in disguise?
We pray for wisdom, Your voice to hear;
We cry in anger when we cannot feel You near.
We doubt your goodness, we doubt your love,
As if every promise from Your Word is not enough.
All the while, You hear each desperate plea
And long that we’d have faith to believe.
When friends betray us, when darkness seems to win,
We know that pain reminds this heart that this is not our home.
What if my greatest disappointments or the aching of this life
Is the revealing of a greater thirst this world can’t satisfy?
What if trials of this life – the rain, the storms, the hardest nights –
Are your mercies in disguise?