* A popular business motto is to “play to your strengths.”
* There is a lot of truth in this - doing what we’re designed to do.
* But you don’t need God when you play only to your strengths.
* The Israelites properly recognized the Amorites were stronger than they were.
* But allowing their strengths to guide them caused them to miss what God had in store.
* The Bible teaches “when I am weak then I am strong.”
* Here’s the deal - God often asks us to do things we’re NOT good at to prove His power through us.
* In this way He can test our loyalty AND He can get the glory when we obey.
* In business I had to do a lot of things I wasn’t good at, but when I did them with a heart to please God I found myself getting really good at those things.
* Fortunately I didn’t have to work in those areas forever, but the principle remains true.
* Don’t focus on playing to your strengths, focus on obeying the voice of God.
* Then trust Him to be strong through you.
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Deuteronomy 1:28-31 (3/15/18)
Play To Your Strengths
March 15, 2018 • Benham Brothers
Deuteronomy 1:1 (3/16/17)
March 16, 2017 • Benham Brothers
* Deuteronomy is Moses’ farewell speech - we should pay close attention to it. * Jesus quoted more from this book than any other. So did America’s founders. * He was addressing people who had not witnessed all the plagues and miracles God did in Egypt and on the journey through the wilderness. * So what did the greatest leader ever to live say: * 1) He reminded them of who they were. * 2) He reminded them how they got to where they were. * 3) He reminded them who God was. * 4) He reminded them of their mission. * 5) He equipped them for battle. * 6) He encouraged them to remain true to God.
Deuteronomy 1:1-4 (3/18/21)
March 18, 2021 • Benham Brothers
* Forgetfulness leads to Fearfulness which leads to Faithlessness. * Psalms 78:9-11 - “The men of Ephraim, though armed with bows, turned back on the day of battle…they FORGOT His works and the mighty wonders He had shown them.” * If you want to face your fear, then you have to REMEMBER what God has done in the past. * Two areas to remember what God has done: * 1) In YOUR past (personal history). * 2) In OUR past (collective history - the Bible, etc). * Moses is giving his farewell speech. * The people are about to enter the Promised Land, but it would involve a fight. * In order to ENCOURAGE them, Moses REMINDED them! * Courage means “to make courageous.” * Vs 1-4 - he reminded them of Og and Sihon (two names you’ll hear a lot in the OT). * Sihon was known as a might king with a strong and terrible army. * The Israelites wanted to pass thru his land, but he wouldn’t let them. * He picked the fight and God helped the Israelites kick his butt. * EX: Like David beating Lebron in one on one. * Og was a giant king who had a bed that was twelve feet long, made of iron, and weighed nearly 500 lbs. * The Israelites kicked his butt too. * Moses was reading them of God’s faithfulness in the past, which would help them walk faithfully in the present. * EX: A few years ago Tori had to speak at a conference. She was nervous. She told a friend. The friend reminded her that she had done much harder things in the past and that she’d get through this the same. She remembered she’s delivered four babies! Speaking publicly was nothing compared to that! * So what is the OG and Sihon in your life? * Look at what God has done in YOUR past. * Look at what He’s done in OUR past. * He’s got your back!
Deuteronomy 1:6 (3/15/18)
March 15, 2018 • Benham Brothers
* Moses is reminding the Israelites of their history. * The Israelites had to remain in the wilderness as punishment for their sin. * But God announced that their punishment was over and it was time to move on. * Principle - if you’re going to move in you must move on. * If you want to move into your future you must move on from your past. * The Promised Land was a good place but they had to first leave Horeb. * We need to stay at Horeb until the lesson is learned, then leave! * So many people continue to live in light of the hurt they experienced in the past. * While it’s healthy to know your history, it’s unhealthy to let it define you. * So many secular counselors want you to have something you can point to so that you don’t have to take responsibility for your situation. * God wants you to re-write your history, but you have to be willing to first move on. * Start with saying, “That’s enough - I’m not going to live there any longer.”