http://countrysidechurchofchrist.sermon.net/main/main/21379152
Judges Chapter 18:1-21 Date: 5-5-19 Pastor Reggie Webb
Title: “Micah’s Micah’s and Danita’s Spies and their report The Abduction of Micah’s Priest”
Consider the lilies of the field… Matt 6:28
thedailylily.com 
What I take away from this sermon is that Micah’s priest was always lured by money and fame.
Five spies did evil.
The tribe of Dan, one of the tribes who were thought to follow God looked on from a distance at the gate 600 in number and said nothing, along with a Priest who said so little the evil doers kept on doing evil.
God saw…….. God listened….God will act.
A scene played out today! Scary!
Thanks Pastor Reggie for opening up the scripture and showing me that what I might read over very very quickly really is so important.
As I listened I was note taking. I thought I would just share a few phrases from my notes. Many things to think about.
Steal, thief- very little could be done about it, priest stood helpless-and told to be quiet don’t say a word. Little children and family in front…in case someone come after them…
One thing that stood out to me from Pastor Reggie’s teaching was that the tribe of Dan ‘had a big problem’. They had not occupied the territory God had given to them. Pastor Reggie said they were “caught in a squeeze between the Amorites and the Philistines and Judah to the south”. God expected them to take and occupy. He had given them the responsibility to drive out the Canaanites, but “they were not willing to do that for whatever reason”. Instead of “confessing their lack of faith asking the Lord for His assistance”, they decided they wanted to find a new home to live in and sent out spies to seek one out. However, we learned that that was not God’s plan or His will.
Not very good at all Debi! This should be a wake-up call for people like some well like me. Get God’s plan and follow God’s plan.
There is a word found a number of times in God’s Word, unbelief…”[ The Disciples Commissioned ] Afterward He appeared to the eleven themselves as they were reclining at the table; and He reproached them for their unbelief and hardness of heart, because they had not believed those who had seen Him after He had risen.”
Mark 16:14 NASB
Guess we might say we believe, have faith, etc. but the proof is in the results/fruit.
Sara, your writing about unbelief above stirred something in my memory from a book you had shared/given me years ago by Ruth Paxson called “Life on the Highest Plain.” As I went searching for the phrase related to unbelief I found a couple of things that I think pertain. She said, “Unbelief is never due to inability. It may be due to unwillingness.”
Sara, you said above, “Guess we might say we believe, have faith, etc. but the proof is in the results/fruit.”
That made me think that this next portion Paxson wrote relates (and it also contains the phrase I was trying to remember regarding unbelief).
“But man is not a silent, inactive creature. His thoughts are expressed in words; his instincts are translated into actions; so if the fountain is corrupt, then that which flows out from it will be correspondingly corrupt. The inner nature manifests itself in outward acts. The hidden desires of “the old man” come to the surface in deeds. Covetousness grows into theft; deceit becomes falsehood; impurity of thought and desire manifests itself in sins of the flesh; unforgiveness and hatred crystallize into revenge and murder; fear becomes fretting; unbelief shades off into worry; dislike degenerates into backbiting; impatience becomes nagging; dissatisfaction and discontent clothe themselves with murmuring and complaining; self-righteousness slips into censoriousness; pride takes on the color of boastfulness; envy becomes slander; ambition arms itself for war; selfishness grows into oppression; and jealousy attempts to end its torment in suicide or homicide.”
Great teaching Debi! So happy you remembered Paxton’s book! She knew how to paint truth like a raging storm and shortly delivers a rainbow.
I’m reading, studying and making notes. Thank you for remembering.
Shew…. that is certainly a list of things to ponder from Paxton’s book.
I agree, Tammy.
As I thought about this that Paxton said, “dissatisfaction and discontent clothe themselves with murmuring and complaining; “, I was reminded of something Pastor Reggie taught. It was from his teaching, “Jephthah’s defeat of the Ephraimites 2-4-19”. Apparently the tribe of Ephraim were known or characterized by their complaining and whining. Pastor Reggie took their example and explained to us that “If we are guilty of complaining all the time, we have a serious character flaw.”
I think that similar to what Paxton is saying above in her list.
Looks what Philippians 2 says:” 12 Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed—not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence—continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, 13 for it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill his good purpose.
14 Do everything without grumbling or arguing, 15 so that you may become blameless and pure, “children of God without fault in a warped and crooked generation.”[c] Then you will shine among them like stars in the sky 16 as you hold firmly to the word of life. And then I will be able to boast on the day of Christ that I did not run or labor in vain. 17 But even if I am being poured out like a drink offering on the sacrifice and service coming from your faith, I am glad and rejoice with all of you. 18 So you too should be glad and rejoice with me.” Can anyone help me here? Does it really say “do EVERYTHING without grumbling or arguing”?
My Bible said ‘everything’ also, Tammy.
As I thought on that, I remembered some guidelines some of us learned at a Daily Lily Retreat when we studied Sara’s book, “The Four Bees, Finding Your Spiritual Gifts”. In “Lesson Three, Doing Power”, we learned how to combat complaining. It was Rule #1: Bee Thankful! We were asked if we were “grateful for the beautiful buds of your gifts?” Sara asked, “Are they being fully appreciated, or are you beginning to complain about them?” “A house divided against itself cannot stand.”
She went on to say that if our attitude was not good we may need to “reframe our thinking”. I think the following excerpt may help us with the “EVERYTHING” you shared from Philippians 2.
“You can be a spiritual surgeon to your attitude and do major surgery on it. Our Lord told us to be thankful (Psalm 105:1; Psalm 95:2) That is house rule #1. He had a good reason for telling us that, for attitude comes from gratitude or another way, gratitude is an attitude. Your attitude is changed by the measure of thankfulness and gratefulness and faithfulness that you possess. Whatever measure of gratitude and thankfulness you have will be manifested in your attitude.”
Thanks, Debi for reminding me of the lesson at The Daily Lily retreat and Sara’s book: “The Four Bees, Finding Your Spiritual Gifts.” Great lesson to reread and study.