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7MARCH2014BODYOFCHRISTNEWSAndBaraksaidtoherIfyouwillgowithmethenIwillgobutifyouwillnotgowithmeIwillnotgoJudges48ItisnoteworthythatBarakislist-edamongtheheroesoffaithinHebrews1132-34NIVwithothercourageous.MenlikeGideon...SamsonJephthahDavidSamuelandtheprophetswhothroughfaithconqueredkingdomsadministeredjusticeandgainedwhatwasprom-isedwhoshutthemouthsoflionsquenchedthefuryoftheflamesandescapedtheedgeoftheswordwhoseweaknesswasturnedtostrengthandwhobecamepowerfulinbattleandroutedforeignarmies.Thereforeweknowhewasamanofcourage.ThereforetheremusthavebeenmoretohisaskingofDeborahtogointobattlewithhimthanmeetstheeye.Letusseeifwecandiscoverwhatitwas.WhoWasDeborahDeborahwasoneofthemostunusualwomentobefoundinthewholescopeofBiblicalliterature.CertainwomenwereempoweredtobringtogeneralattentionspecialmessagesfromGod.Therewereknownasprophetesses.Deborahbecamearevolutionarylead-erinIsrael.SheapproachedBarakandurgedhimtoleadanarmyagainstIsraelsoppressors.Notonlythatbutalsohermagnetismandforceoflead-ershipweresuchthatBarakrefusedtogointobattleunlessshewaspresentduringtheconflict.TheStateofIsrael.Israelwasinthethroesofatwenty-yearperiodofdecline.AfterthedeathoftheGod-fearingjudgeEhudIsraelhadnostrongleader.HerenemiestheCanaanitesweresuperiormilitarily.HoweverthemostimportantfactorinIsraelstwenty-yeardeclinewastheattitudeofthepeopletheyhadforgot-tenGod.Onlywhentheyreturnedtohiminrepentanceandobediencedidtheirdismaldeclineend.Weareoftenmystifiedwhenweturnthecornerafterhavingbeendisobe-dientunfaithfuloruncommittedtoGodthatourtroublescontinue.InourmindswhenweturnthecornerturnbacktowardsGodthatallthingsoughtimmediatelytogetbetter.ThebookofJudgesisagoodreminderthatwhatwesowwereapthatwemustfightsomebattlesbeforewecanseeandexperiencethelightofvictory.Whendisobediencetakesrootsinsooftenbecomesentangledinourlivesthatreliefdoesnotcomeimmediately.DoYouHaveADeborahAtYourSideSomestudentsthinkBarakshowedalackoffaithandcouragewhenheinsistedthatDeborahgowithhimothersthinkheshowedcommendableprudence.ThiswastheLordsprojectandDeborahwastheLordsprophet-ess.ShecouldsupplytheLordsdirec-tionforeverystepofthecampaign.RegardlessofhismotivationBaraksconditionalreplytoDeborahifyoudontgowithmeIwontgowasanunfittingresponsetoacommandfromGod.PerhapsBaraksimplywantedtobeassuredofthedivinepresenceinbattlerepresentedbyHisprophetess-judgeDeborah.Ihaveoftensaidthatwomenmakeyourchurchspiritualbutmenmakeyourchurchstrong.Ihaveoftenalsosaidthatamanwhofailstolistentotheadviceofhiswifeisdestinedforfailure.Godhasputtogetherwomeninsuchawaythattheyaredifferentfrommen.Weoughtnottothinkoftheiropinionascontrarybutascomple-mentarytoourown.IhaveaDeborahatmyside.MywifeMelviaseesandsensesthingsthatIdonot.MyrightfulplaceisasspiritualleaderofmyhouseholdIacceptitandoperateinit.HoweverIrecognizethatwhenGodwaspassingoutwis-domanddiscernmentthathedidnotstopwithmen.LikeBarakweneedtobeoutfrontonthebattlefieldtakingthebruisesandbumpslumpsandlacerationsbutweneedsomeonewhoisstandingwithusontheLordsside.Whenwelookatthewickednessofourworldthepropensitytocompro-miseandcallwrongrightandrightwrongthereisagreatneedformentotaketheirrightfulplace.WeneedmenwhowillnolongersayImtoobusywithmyworkbusinessfamilyfriendsandfun...togetinvolvedwithspiritualactivities.ImsorryIwouldliketohelpbuttherearenotenoughhoursintheweek.Youknowhowitis.Thisisnotunreasonablebecausemanypeoplearedesperatelybusy.Howeverthesamemanwillmaketimeforgolfsportsfishingandpartyactivitiesandwillnevermissbeingthere.Hisfriendsdonothavetocallandremindhimbecauseheislookingforwardtotheday.Theproblemwithsuchamanisnottoofewhoursintheweek.Theproblemiswithhisheart.Hehasnoappetiteforthatwhichisspiritual.Thatissadnotonlysadbutitissinful.WhenspiritualrealitiesfailtoexciteamanwhoprofessestobeaChristianorwhentheneedsofothersfailtomovehim.Itisasignthatsome-thingiswrongwiththeirheart.WhenwelookformentotaketheirrightfulplacesuchamanmaynotmakethetelevisionnewsorbelistedinWhosWhoandmayneverreceiveearthlyaccolades.Howeverthiskindofmanisthesaltoftheearth.nHeisthehealingtonicofsociety.nHeisbuildingthespiritualfabricofhishome.nHeisquietlyrearinghischildreninhonestyandholiness.nHeispayinghisdebts.nHestandsonhisownfeet.nHesupportshisfamily.nHehelpshisneighbors.Youcancountonthisman.Heisresponsible.Hemayhaveset-backs.Hemayoperateunderhandi-caps.Howeverhedoesnotwhinenordoeshecomplain.Aboveallheneverblamesothers.Heisanunderstandingman.Hehaslearnedtoputhimselfintheplaceofothers.Hisfaithisreal.Itisnotmake-believe.Itisnotjustamatterofhavinghisnameontherollofachurch.HemayhavehisshareofdoubtsbutdeepwithinhimselfhesensestherealityofGod.Hehon-estlyseekstolivebythetruthofJesusChrist.Godgiveusmenwhowilltaketheirrightfulplace.Godgiveussur-renderedmen.Godcandosomuchwithasurrenderedman.HecantakeaSaulandturnhimintoaPaul.Hecancomeintoalifeandchangeitcompletely.WhenChristcalledthedisciplesStraightwaytheyforsooktheirnetsandfollowedHim.Mark118.ThechurchneedsmenwhowillleavetheirnetsandfollowChrist.Thechurchneedssuchmentoday.nTheChurchneedsmenwhowilltakeChristseriously.nTheChurchneedsmenwhowillgivetoGodhiswholelife.nTheChurchneedsmenwhowilltakeinitiativeforChristandrisktheirlivesfortheirSavior.GodgiveusmenwhowillgivetheiralltoJesus.Godiscallingmentodaytoriseupandtakeourrightfulplace.Wearethehopeofourchildren.Wearethehopeofourfamilies.Wearethehopeofsociety.WecanbethementhatGodislookingfortostandforrightandtruth.WecanconfidentlystandtakeourrightfulplacebecauseJesusstoodinplaceforus.MybrothercanGoddependonyouWillyoutakeyourightfulplaceGodsquotaisone.WithjustonemanGodcanchangealife.WithjustonemanGodcanchangeahome.WithjustonemanGodcanchangetheworld.WillyoubethatmanMenTakeYourRightfulPlaceRev.WilliamT.GolsonJr.SERMONByRev.WilliamT.GolsonJr.WilliamT.GolsonJr.MDivisPresidentoftheGreaterMetroDenverMinisterialAlliance.Wearethehopeofourchildren.Wearethehopeofourfamilies.Wearethehopeofsociety.