Hymns: Pg. 42 Teach Me Thy Way, O Lord, Pg 43 Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus, P17 God Is Always Near Me

Hebrews 11:32e (KJV)

32 And what shall I more say? for the time would fail me to tell of David …

David’s Faith

OUTLINE

(1) Courageous – Overcomes Fear to Do the Will of God

INTRODUCTION

David was a man who sought to do the will of God for His honour and glory leaving a legacy for his son Solomon as a man of faith who prepared the nation and resource to build a house for the worship of the living and true God.

We pick up this scene at dedication of the first Temple in Jerusalem in 1 Kings 8:10-11, 12-21[1].

1 Kings 8:10-11 (KJV) 10 And it came to pass, when the priests were come out of the holy place, that the cloud filled the house of the LORD, 11 So that the priests could not stand to minister because of the cloud: for the glory of the LORD had filled the house of the LORD.

20And the LORD hath performed his word that he spake, and I am risen up in the room of David my father, and sit on the throne of Israel, as the LORD promised, and have built an house for the name of the LORD God of Israel. 21 And I have set there a place for the ark, wherein is the covenant of the LORD, which he made with our fathers, when he brought them out of the land of Egypt.

(1) Daily Devotion

Since 1 January 2018, the church has begun on the study on the Book of Proverbs both on our Sunday sermon and with the daily devotional “Go for the Life that Wins! – … let us run the race with patience… Looking unto Jesus …” by Denis Gibson. It is my prayer that we will take time for daily devotion to cultivate a vibrant spiritual life according to the will of God.

Hebrews 12:1-2 Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.

Hymns: RHC 441 Faith Is the Victory, 450 To the Work!, 401 Yield Not to Temptation

Hebrews 11:32d (KJV)

32 And what shall I more say? for the time would fail me to tell of Jephthah …

Jephthah’s Faith

OUTLINE

(1) Put God’s Work Before Self

INTRODUCTION

Jephthah means “He doth open or set free”. He was described as a Mighty Man of Valour (Judges 11:1).

Judges 11:1 (KJV) 1 Now Jephthah the Gileadite was a mighty man of valour, and he was the son of an harlot: and Gilead begat Jephthah.

The first time this term “mighty man of valour” is used was on Gideon in Judges 6:12, describing a man of courage, boldness and bravery, a Spirit-filled man (Judges 11:29). The terminology used here is not just military in nature but can refer to a person of repute or one who has standing in the community – a responsible person. In this context, however, it is likely his reputation built on his military success.

But Jephthah was the outcast. An Illegitimate son driven from his father’s household (Judges 11:2), the son of a harlot.

Jesus Healed the Blind

John 9:1-7 (KJV) 1And as Jesus passed by, he saw a man which was blind from his birth. 2 And his disciples asked him, saying, Master, who did sin, this man, or his parents, that he was born blind? 3 Jesus answered, Neither hath this man sinned, nor his parents: but that the works of God should be made manifest in him. 4 I must work the works of him that sent me, while it is day: the night cometh, when no man can work. 5 As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world. 6 When he had thus spoken, he spat on the ground, and made clay of the spittle, and he anointed the eyes of the blind man with the clay, 7 And said unto him, Go, wash in the pool of Siloam, (which is by interpretation, Sent.) He went his way therefore, and washed, and came seeing.

The man, blind from birth, was gloriously healed by Jesus. This is an inspiring text for our spiritual strengthening.