Character Studies - ElectronicGospel

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II. Practical ApplicationA. A Lesson on Character1. with the onslaught of situation ethics and humanistic morality, the subject of individualcharacter is one that needs some attention2. the concept of virtue must never change, though the world tries to alter it to accommodatenewly acceptable sin3. we don’t know what Caleb looked like, but we know exactly who he was and that there is noman we would rather have on our side in a fight than him (he is trustworthya. the kingdom of God today needs men and women who can be proven trustworthy andabove compromising the ideals of the Bible in the face of all pressureb. in his Book of Virtues, Bill Bennett lists these (self-discipline, compassion, responsibility,friendship, work, courage, perseverance, honesty, loyalty and faithc. you can find every one of those in Caleb and you ought to nurture them all in yourself4. stir up the gift of God you have received, salvation, and show your gratitude by sharing themessage you once heard with someone else (Second Timothy 1:6-8)a. the devil is a giant and the only weapon of any use against him is the sword of the spiritwhich you have in your laps right now (Ephesians 6:14-17)b. wage war on him so as to win (Second Corinthians 10:4-5)c. translate the ideals of Christianity to your own life and then make them growB. Courage1. the twelve spies all saw the exact same thing; the only difference was that each was lookingwith a different pair of eyesa. Paul asks the Corinthians, “Do you look at things according to the outwardappearance?” (Second Corinthians 10:7)b. ten of the spies did only that, while Joshua and Caleb looked with the eyes and hearts offaith; that faith gave them indomitable courage2. although 85 years old, Caleb was yet fighting the good fight of faith with spiritual eyesightunblinded by time and clarified by experience (Second Corinthians 4:13-18)3. this is the courage brought by faith (Romans 8:31-39)C. Dedication1. Caleb was going to take on a mountain where the terrain is exceedingly difficult but therewards are extraordinarily valuable2. he did it knowing God would be at his side, leading him all the way3. we will also have to climb mountains and overcome thema. just as the number of men who attempt to scale Mt. Everest is far greater than the few whosucceed, so the number of men who attempt to overcome the devil is greater than those who dob. it could be a personal weakness such as all have, an addiction of some sort, a difficult taskor a door of opportunity that has been opened and must be traversedc. how can I be strong and courageous like Caleb? (Ephesians 3:16-21)ConclusionHave virtue and courage like Caleb and overcome your own mountains.24! Jeff S. Smith
Deboraha character study by Jeff S. SmithIntroductionThe judges of the Old Testament preceded the monarchy in Israel and served an important role betweenthe patriarchs and the kings. Judges did more than judge; they were military leaders who directed thenation out of apostasy and decline. The fourth judge is remarkable in many respects, not the least ofwhich is that she was a woman. Few women ever served God in such a lofty position as Deborah, amarried prophetess. I wonder what her husband thought about her occupation. In this lesson, we will takenote of Deborah’s career and then consider some ways in which women can assume their proper godlyrole today.DiscussionI. Deborah, the JudgeA. Cycle of Apostasy (Judges 4:1-3)1. the judges period shows Israel lacking a rudder and any consistency because she was failingspiritually to uphold the Law of Moses in her heart2. time and again she falls into apostasy, suffers poverty and despair and then is delivered byGod’s chosen judge3. Deborah arrives on the scene after Ehud is dead and the Hebrews are returned to sin andcaptivity, crying out for Jehovah’s deliveranceB. Under the Palm Tree (Judges 4:4-9)1. Deborah holds court under a palm tree in the mountains of Ephraim2. using her gift of prophecy, Deborah tells Barak that it is time he lead his armies to free theIsraelites from slavery (it is not right for you to resist your duty3. but Barak recognizes something special in her and compels her to come along for the battle4. because of this, he is denied the glory of victory; Deborah tells him a woman would be theheroine insteadC. The Battle is Won1. Barak and his armies rout the enemy, but their leader, Sisera escapesa. he ends up in the tent of a woman named Jael, who lulls him to sleep with some warm milkand then kills him with a tent peg through the templeb. eventually, Israel escapes their master altogether2. Deborah and Barak compose the melancholy song of praise to God (Judges 5:6-9)3. Deborah never forgot her femininity, but the strength of her character and courage is a modelfor anyonea. she is an exceptional lesson to women in the church who have been led to think that theirplace is severely limited and that they can really do nothing important in God’s serviceb. in the hands of the saintly woman are many vital tools and obligationsII. What is a Woman To Do? (Titus 2:1, 3-5)A. Take a Moral Stand (Ephesians 5:1-15)1. throughout our nation’s history, it has most always been women who recognized moraltragedies and did something about it (child abuse, alcoholism, pornography2. while so many men were involved or unconcerned, their wives forced them to consider thehorribleness of the situations and together, they made a change3. sadly, we don’t have many women like that anymorea. the women who speak the loudest nowadays are shouting for their right to murder innocentunborn childrenb. they are joining in the men when it comes to drinking and pornographyc. so many are bowing down to the fashion industry’s exploitation of the female anatomy4. the world (cf. and especially, the church) needs women to take a moral stand, to say likeDeborah that the current condition is not right and must changeCharacter Studies! 25
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. later in life, we see Herod Antip
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2. this Aaronic priesthood executed
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4. that more acute, more spiritual,
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A. Concern For Others, Even Servant
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8. afterward, Pilate permitted Jose
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D. A Student1. the eunuch is in fac
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a. it was no more a blessing to dwe
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language, creating different tongue
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. it is not hard to imagine that th
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C. Pointing at The Antichrist1. a f
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Sufficient cause for the unpopulari
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2. and so the wisdom of the magi wa
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courier it to Paul and it became to
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illions of souls from benefiting is
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17:15-21)2. the birth was announced
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. Thomas insisted that he would onl
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esteem, wondering what we will do w
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its soothing aroma and pain-relievi
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and both began to return once he wa
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led to the execution of innocent Na
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government or of an occupying power
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a. the other bureaucrats turned him
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II. Some ApplicationsA. Decisive Th
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or friendship at all (First John 3:
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c. Antipas was part of the tennis m
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3. Silas begins and ends his Bible
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26Brown, Driver, Briggs and Geseniu
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