Tag: Example

Posted in Bible study, Journey Through The Word, She, Volume 1

Deborah

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Adapted from the study ‘She, volume 1, p. 21-22

Read: Judges 4 & 5

God’s Word tells us that Deborah was a prophetess, the wife of Lapidoth, and that she judged Israel.

  • Which of those things surprises you the most and why?
    • For me, it is that she (a woman) “judged Israel,” and that she judged for forty years (5:31), and during that time: “the land had rest.” Please understand, for me – this isn’t said with an attitude of, “look what a woman can do”, but rather it is about remembering that God chooses and appoints those He wants to use and empowers them to accomplish the thing which He has purposed for them to do. We only have to be ready and surrender to His call.

It is helpful to know that not all prophets, or in this case prophetesses, were judges; nor were all judges prophets. However, here in Judges 4:4, Deborah is recognized as both. Which the “She” study guide points out, p 21:

  • The fact that she was a prophetess means that “the Lord had gifted her with the ability to discern the purposes of God and declare it to others.”
  • As for the fact that she was a judge, according to Judges 17:6… “She judged in a time when men did that which was right in their own eyes.”
    • It may surprise you to know that while Deborah was the only woman Judge over Israel recorded in the Bible, she was not the only prophetess. The Bible lists many others, including:
      • Old Testament:
        • Miriam: (Moses’ sister, leader in worship)
        • Deborah: (Judge and prophetess)
        • Huldah: (Confirmed Josiah’s discovery of the Law)
        • Isaiah’s wife: (Unnamed, gave prophetic names to sons)
        • Noadiah: (False prophetess who tried to stop Nehemiah)
      • New Testament:
        • Anna: (Prophesied about the infant Jesus in the Temple)
        • The four daughters of Philip: (Prophesied in Caesarea)
        • Other Mentions/Traditions:
      • Jezebel: (False prophetess in Revelation).
      • Some traditions also include Hannah (mother of Samuel) or Abigail (wife of David) as prophetesses, though not always explicitly titled as such in Scripture.

I share this not to distract from Deborah, but to remind us that God is not bound by cultural norms … but can raise up who He chooses – and does so always with a purpose. Why is this important? Because, as women, we must understand that God calls not just men, but women, to lead. We must be surrendered and ready to serve where and how He leads us. I particularly appreciate this quote from the study guide: “She led by faithfully doing as she said she would do.” Friends, wherever God has called you and whatever He has called you to do, may we do so, determined to give Him all the glory. May we also, like Deborah, “faithfully fix our heart upon the LORD, rejoicing and singing praise to the LORD among the people, making known through our celebration the greatness of our God and of His works and provisions on our behalf.

“For thou art my rock and my fortress; therefore for thy name’s sake lead me, and guide me.”

Psalm 31:3
Reflection and Application:
  • What is most interesting to you about Deborah?
  • What can we learn from her and apply to our own lives?
  • How can you be/are you a leader?

I invite you to leave a reply below or at today’s Journey Through the Word FB post.

The More We Know

Deborah was one of the judges of Israel during a time of oppression. …The Lord spoke through her as she held court under a tree called “the Palm of Deborah” in Ephraim. …Deborah was Israel’s only female judge. Some scholars have suggested that her position as judge was itself a judgment on the weak-willed men of Israel. Because Israel’s men were unfit to judge, God chose a woman for the job, partly to shame the men who should have taken the leadership. Other commentators believe that Deborah’s role as judge was a sign of God’s comforting presence in the midst of His oppressed and downtrodden people. …We can see that God’s power is what matters, regardless of the instrument He chooses to use. Man or woman, strong or weak, confident or hesitant – all are strong when they are moved by God’s Spirit and filled with His strength. We can also see in Deborah a picture of God’s tender care for His people. As a mother cares for her children, so Deborah led and nurtured Israel (Judges 5:7). – For more on Debora, visit https://www.gotquestions.org/life-Deborah.html

I also found it interesting and worth noting that Deborah wasn’t listed only as a prophetess and judge but as the “wife of Lapidoth”. This means that she not only had the demands of judging Israel and making known the purposes of God to the people, but she also bore the responsibility of caring for her husband and home. It is also worth noting that nothing else is said about Lapidoth in the Bible, but as one commentary pointed out, we do know he married a godly wife and can only imagine that, with the demands of God’s calling on her life, he was a supportive husband. 🦋

I invite you to scroll down and leave a comment … or join the discussion at Journey through the Word

Posted in Bible study, From the Insideout, Journey Through The Word, LGG Study, Living In Community, Not Made to Be Alone, Quiet Time

Christ Our Example

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Today’s Reading: Philippians 2:1-11 / SOAP: Philippians 2:3-5

Understanding Humility

In any given dictionary you will find humility defined something like this … “a modest or low view of one’s own importance, humbleness, the state of being humble.” Most of these definitions are followed by a sentence structured around the word in the hope of making the definition clear. However, there is no clearer illustration of humility than what we are reading in Philippians today, specifically verses 3-8. What I love about Paul – is he doesn’t simply instruct the believers to let their actions be motivated by or in humility but he includes the perfect illustration in the person and actions of Christ.

Instead of being motivated by selfish ambition or vanity, each of you should, in humility, be moved to treat one another as more important than yourself. Each of you should be concerned not only about your own interests, but about the interest of others as well. you should have the same attitude toward one another that Christ Jesus had., who though He existed in the form of God did not regard equality with God as something to be grasped, but emptied himself by taking on the form of a slave, by looking like other men, and by sharing in human nature. He humbled himself, by becoming obedient to the point of death – even death on a cross!

Philippians 2:3-8

Christ-like Humility

To this day I still remember the first day that I read this passage with any real knowledge or understanding and it still makes the same aww-inspiring impact on me when I read it today. What a beautiful perspective it puts on the love and actions of Jesus Christ on our behalf. From the humble cradle in the animal stall to the garden prayer, and the nails, thorns, and cross Christ was the ‘poster-child’ for humility – and we are called to have that same attitude. His attitude was one that”

  • wasn’t motivated by selfish ambition or vanity but –
  • was – steeped in humility and therefore –
  • even though He was God in the flesh He didn’t demand to be treated like God – but instead
  • He emptied Himself of His rightful authority and took on the form of a servant
    • by looking like other men
    • by sharing in human nature and –
    • humbling Himself and becoming obedient to death on the cross

Putting Away

Thus – if we are going to have the same attitude as Christ, we must practice humility – namely, by putting away any selfish ambitions or vanity. We must treat one another better than we treat ourself. we must be truly concerned about others – for only then is there any hope for our attitude to mirror the servant heart of Christ.

Response to God’s Word

Father, I ask again today for an attitude like that of Christ – a servant’s heart, an obedient spirit that puts Your will above my own or anyone else’s. I know this is Your will for me and for all of Your children. In Jesus’ name and power – and in accordance with Your will – I pray, Amen!

Love God Greatly

Be sure and check-out Wednesday’s blog post from the Love God Greatly team –

Posted in Bible study, LGG Study

Gospel of Mark: Wk 4, Wednesday -To Serve

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READ: MARK 10:32-52; SOAP: MARK 10:45

Jesus Again Predicts His Death

They were now on the way up to Jerusalem, and Jesus was walking ahead of them. The disciples were filled with awe, and the people following behind were overwhelmed with fear. Taking the twelve disciples aside, Jesus once more began to describe everything that was about to happen to him. 33 “Listen,” he said, “we’re going up to Jerusalem, where the Son of Man will be betrayed to the leading priests and the teachers of religious law. They will sentence him to die and hand him over to the Romans. 34 They will mock him, spit on him, flog him with a whip, and kill him, but after three days he will rise again.”

Jesus Teaches about Serving Others

Then James and John, the sons of Zebedee, came over and spoke to him. “Teacher,” they said, “we want you to do us a favor.”

36 “What is your request?” he asked.

37 They replied, “When you sit on your glorious throne, we want to sit in places of honor next to you, one on your right and the other on your left.”

38 But Jesus said to them, “You don’t know what you are asking! Are you able to drink from the bitter cup of suffering I am about to drink? Are you able to be baptized with the baptism of suffering I must be baptized with?”

39 “Oh yes,” they replied, “we are able!”

Then Jesus told them, “You will indeed drink from my bitter cup and be baptized with my baptism of suffering. 40 But I have no right to say who will sit on my right or my left. God has prepared those places for the ones he has chosen.”

41 When the ten other disciples heard what James and John had asked, they were indignant. 42 So Jesus called them together and said, “You know that the rulers in this world lord it over their people, and officials flaunt their authority over those under them. 43 But among you, it will be different. Whoever wants to be a leader among you must be your servant, 44 and whoever wants to be first among you must be the slave of everyone else. 45 For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve others and to give his life as a ransom for many.”

Jesus demonstrated in everything He did, every action He made, every person He encountered, every conversation He had, that He had us in mind. While He could have demanded that others bend down to serve Him and meet His every need, He was the One who knelt down beside the lowly, drew near to the outcast, sat with sinners, and washed the feet of others.

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He is the example we are to follow. His life of service is the standard He desires for us.’

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Posted in Quiet Time

John 13:1-17

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Today’s Scripture: John 13:1-17 (S.O.A.P. John 13:14-15)

Question of the Day: Why do you think Jesus chose to wash the feet of His disciples?

Washing the Disciples’ Feet – Just before the Passover Feast, Jesus knew that his time[a] had come to depart[b] from this world to the Father. Having loved his own who were in the world, he now loved them to the very end.[c] 2 The evening meal[d] was in progress, and the devil had already put into the heart[e] of Judas Iscariot, Simon’s son, that he should betray[f] Jesus.[g] 3 Because Jesus[h] knew that the Father had handed all things over to him,[i] and that he had come from God and was going back to God, 4 he got up from the meal, removed[j] his outer clothes,[k] took a towel and tied it around himself.[l] 5 He poured water into the washbasin and began to wash the disciples’ feet and to dry them with the towel he had wrapped around himself.[m]

Then he came to Simon Peter. Peter[n] said to him, “Lord, are you going to wash[o] my feet?” 7 Jesus replied,[p] “You do not understand[q] what I am doing now, but you will understand[r] after these things.” 8 Peter said to him, “You will never wash my feet!”[s] Jesus replied,[t] “If I do not wash you, you have no share with me.”[u] 9 Simon Peter said to him, “Lord, wash[v] not only my feet, but also my hands and my head!” 10 Jesus replied,[w] “The one who has bathed needs only to wash his feet,[x] but is completely[y] clean.[z] And you disciples[aa] are clean, but not every one of you.” 11 (For Jesus[ab] knew the one who was going to betray him. For this reason he said, “Not every one of you is[ac] clean.”)[ad]

 So when Jesus[ae] had washed their feet and put his outer clothing back on, he took his place at the table[af] again and said to them, “Do you understand[ag] what I have done for you? 13 You call me ‘Teacher’ and ‘Lord,’ and do so correctly,[ah] for that is what I am.[ai] 14 If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you too ought to wash one another’s feet. 15 For I have given you an example[aj]—you should do just as I have done for you. 16 I tell you the solemn truth,[ak] the slave[al] is not greater than his master, nor is the one who is sent as a messenger[am] greater than the one who sent him. 17 If you understand[an] these things, you will be blessed if you do them.

After Thoughts