Unsung Heroes

“And what shall I more say? for the time would fail me to tell of Gedeon, and of Barak, and of Samson, and of Jephthae; of David also, and Samuel, and of the prophets.” - Hebrews 11:32

I've been writing about Biblical characters who were used of God to make a positive impact in this world. We studied some well-known people like Abraham and Moses. Also, we've thought about lesser-known men like Enoch and Josiah. These were men of faith that were used greatly by the Lord to make a difference in this world.

As we think about their lives, it is easy to feel overwhelmed. How many people do we know that we'd put on the same level as Moses or Abraham? I can only speak for myself, but I don't belong in such a class of men. Yet I find it refreshing to know that God uses people of all backgrounds. Regardless of your educational background, financial situation or professional credentials, God can use you. But I need to clarify something. He can use us if we don't get too big for Him to use us. Let me explain.

When we think about making a difference, there will always be a temptation to seek the spotlight. Pursuing the applause of men is a counterproductive motive. So many fall into this trap. They want to make a difference --- as long as they get public credit for what is accomplished. Such pride is shunned by our Lord. The Bible says that God resists the proud but gives grace to the humble. Moses, for instance, was known for his meekness, and God used him. It was his pride that kept him from entering the promised land. Our usability is contingent upon an humble attitude that leads us to realize our frailties and seek God for help. In such a situation, He alone gets the glory.

The Bible has many stories of unsung heroes. Some are named but get little attention from us. Others are unnamed, remaining obscure in spite of God's involvement.

The writer of Hebrews gives us a summary of heroes in the 11^th chapter of the epistle. As the chapter winds down, the writer goes into a list of people who were valiant and victorious in the faith. Many of these are not named in the text.

Let's be honest. Most of the people reading this will never be famous. Our names will never mentioned in history books. Yet it is better to make a positive difference in obscurity than to be well-known for all the wrong reasons.

If you really want God to use you to make a positive difference, you have to leave your pride and reputation at the door. God specializes in using humble people who seek to glorify Him.

President Ronald Reagan is credited for saying, “There is no limit how much good you can do if you don't care who gets the credit.” Glory seekers tend to grab the attention of others, sometimes taking credit for the accomplishments they didn't even do. Such vanity is empty and useless.

I'd rather be a positive difference-maker than a glory-grabbing hypocrite who does nothing for anyone else. Politicians fight over who gets credit for economic good news. They are just as quick to blame others if the news is bad. No wonder we have so little respect for politicians. Let's resolve to never be like that.

Be an unsung hero in your home, work, church and community. Others may wish to take the credit for what you do, but keep in mind that God sees it all. The deeds we do, especially in secret, will ultimately be rewarded by Him.

In heaven, the unsung heroes won't be unsung anymore. God will honor and reward them. I want to be among that crowd, don't you?

Ultimately, all the glory belongs to only One. Let's work for His glory each day!

When Revival Came

“And Hilkiah the high priest said unto Shaphan the scribe, I have found the book of the law in the house of the Lord. And Hilkiah gave the book to Shaphan, and he read it. And Shaphan the scribe shewed the king, saying, Hilkiah the priest hath delivered me a book. And Shaphan read it before the king. And it came to pass, when the king had heard the words of the book of the law, that he rent his clothes.” - 2 Chronicles 22:8, 10-11

As humans, we tend to overestimate what we can do for ourselves and we underestimate what God can do with us. It is wrong for us to assume that our gifts, talents and abilities are a substitute for God's mighty touch. Truly, our gifts, talents and abilities are on loan from Him, to be used for His glory. It is tragic when we take God's blessings for granted or use them for selfish reasons.

It may seem impossible for God to use one man to change an entire nation, but God did this with a man named Josiah. Josiah did not grow up in a godly home. In fact, his forefathers were just like everyone else at the time --- pagans. Yet God did something radical through this man. Josiah was used to make a powerful difference in his country.

Josiah became king of Judah at an early age. When he was 26 years old, a turning point occurred in his life and reign. While doing maintenance work to the temple, the high priest found a copy of the law. When the law was read, Josiah rent his clothes in profound concern. This led to a great revival in the land of Judah.

The revival under Josiah occurred as God moved in response to three things:

1. REVELATION

First of all, the Word of God was read. Revival began in Josiah's day when they found and read the book of the law. I feel that the 21st century church has drastically underestimated the power of God's Word. It is true that flashing lights and colorful entertainment will draw a crowd, but it takes the Word of God to change lives. The Word of God is always an important component of revival. If we want to see genuine revival here in America, it will require preachers, deacons and lay members to all return to the Bible. The preaching of the Word needs to be an important part of churches once more. We need to revive Bible reading, Bible study and Scripture memorization in our own lives. We need to return to the Word.

2. REPENTANCE

Secondly, when the law was read, Josiah rent his clothes. This act of repentance marked a time of real change. When Josiah heard the law read, he knew that he and his people were guilty of violating that law. The repercussions of their sin was terrifying. When a person is faced with the guilt of his sin, repentance should be the result. Repentance is a change of mind that leads to a change of direction. Things were about to change in the land of Judah because of the king's repentance. Today, repentance is needed in America. It needs to begin among those in spiritual leadership. For the most part, a church's spiritual condition mirrors that of its pastor. Pastors need to repent. Deacons need to repent. Sunday School teachers, Christian workers and the average church member needs to practice Biblical repentance. The lukewarmness of our times needs to give way to fiery zeal. We need to be about our Father's business once more. There has never been a genuine revival that did not include repentance. Too many church members are expecting sinners to repent, but refuse to repent themselves.

3. RENEWAL

Finally, Josiah re-instituted worship in Judah once more. They observed the Passover, among other things. They put away their idols and returned to God. They experienced a time of refreshing. Revival had come. The people got back to sincere worship once more. As I write this, our world unsettled because of war in the Ukraine. Here in America, we are suffering from inflation, Covid and uncertainty. We have deep divisions that separate us. Things look rather bleak right now. In the American Church, the situation looks dire. There are too many empty pews in America. Churches have little influence on the culture. There is overt pressure on ministers and ministries to compromise with the world. We need revival right now in America.

God brought revival to Judah through one young man, Josiah. Don't underestimate what God may do with you. It could be that He will use you as a catalyst for revival in your home, church and community --- maybe even the world.

Here's the inescapable fact. God doesn't need us, but we desperately need Him.

The King And His Kingdom

“And when he had removed him, he raised up unto them David to be their king; to whom also he gave their testimony, and said, I have found David the son of Jesse, a man after mine own heart, which shall fulfil all my will. Of this man's seed hath God according to his promise raised unto Israel a Saviour, Jesus.” - Acts 13:22-23

After the tyrannical reign of Great Britain, George Washington and others had the wisdom to organize the American nation under a democracy rather than a monarchy. Looking back, this decision is considered to be a key to America's rise to prominence.

While monarchies are very few in our world, we are tempted to think that the concept of a monarchy is old-fashioned, stale and fruitless. Of course, the key to a monarchy's success is the quality of king or queen that occupies the throne.

When Israel asked for a king, the request was met with opposition by its unofficial leader, Samuel. God reminded Samuel that their request was actually a rejection of deity. Israel's appeal for a king was a rejection of God Himself. Nevertheless, God permitted them to have a king. Their first king, Saul, started out with a great deal of success. However, as time went on, his reign turned into a disaster. Saul had rejected God and overstepped his authority. Saul ultimately rejected the word of the Lord through his disobedience. God finally rejected Saul and his reign.

In his place, the humble shepherd boy, David, was selected. David became the greatest king Israel would ever know. David was a difference maker. He was a valiant and victorious warrior. Under his leadership, Israel became a great nation. The impact of his reign is still respected by millions today.

Why was David such a great king?

1.  HIS HERITAGE

First of all, unlike his predecessor, David was from the tribe of Judah. God had already chosen the tribe of Judah to be the proper tribe for a king to come from. “The scepter shall not depart from Judah,” was the prophecy given by Jacob long before. You see, Saul was man's choice for king, but David was God's choice.

2.  HIS HUMIILITY

Next, David was noted to be “a man after God's own heart.” David had humility. He sought God. He worshiped God. He praised God. David was unashamed of his faith in the Lord. Often, He sought the Lord before going into battle. God was his delight.

3.  HIS HELP

David was a man of courage. He was the only Israelite that had the courage to stand before Goliath and win. But make no mistake about it. The victories that we attribute to David really should be credited to God. It was God who made David a mighty warrior. It was God who chose David as king. It was God that led him to victory after victory. To us, David seemed to be a great man, yet it was his God that truly was great.

David reigned as king. His kingdom was a successful kingdom. Yet his mighty reign was just a foreshadow of a King to come. Jesus Christ, the Lion from the tribe of Judah, came to earth to ransom fallen men. He was the One who was born, “King of the Jews.” Through faith in Christ, we enter His kingdom. Yet this King is coming again. One day, this King will establish an earthly kingdom. This kingdom is likened unto David's but will be far superior. Jesus Himself will reign as King of this kingdom. Unlike David's kingdom, our Lord's kingdom will be eternal.

Jesus taught us to pray, “Thy kingdom come, thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.” He told us, “Seek ye first the kingdom of God and his righteousness.” We should seek more than a conservative government.  Instead we are told to seek a kingdom to come. Jesus is the King of that kingdom.

At times, it seems this world is spiraling out of control. Yet we know that God is still in control. The King is coming soon! The old hymn summarizes it best:

The kingdom is coming, O tell ye the story,

God's banner exalted shall be!

The earth shall be full of His knowledge and glory,

As waters that cover the sea!

The Reluctant Leader

 “There shall not any man be able to stand before thee all the days of thy life: as I was with Moses, so I will be with thee: I will not fail thee, nor forsake thee.” - Joshua 1:5

Often when a man graduates with a business degree, he feels ready to lead a corporation. Sometimes a seminary graduate feels that he should pastor a mega-church immediately upon graduation. There is great disappointment, however, when the first leadership position is something small and unappealing. Quite honestly, a college degree does not fully prepare a man to lead a multi-million dollar enterprise. There needs to be wisdom and experience that can only come by “paying your dues.” Placing an inexperienced man in a great leadership position will place the organization and its people in peril.

Spiritual leadership is much more difficult than business leadership. In business, a leader has great tools at his disposal to get things done. He can motivate his employees with perks, bonuses and raises. Under-performing employees can be motivated to improve with the threat of termination. Spiritual leadership does not always include such tools. Instead, leaders must model, inspire and correct with limited human resources. A spiritual leader needs divine guidance and wisdom in leading people.

Joshua was not a man with great leadership ambition. Even though he was personally chosen to succeed Moses, he seemed apprehensive to the call. Throughout Joshua chapter 1, we find God continually encouraging Joshua in his new role. Why would God need to give such encouragement? The answer is simple. Joshua needed it.

Joshua was a reluctant leader. It is one thing to be a student, learning from afar. It is another thing to have the huge burden of leadership placed on your shoulders. Power hungry people fail to appreciate the burden of responsibility a leader must bear.

A second problem for Joshua came in the form of intimidation. Think of all the great miracles that occurred during Moses' leadership. It was during Moses' leadership that the plagues and miracles occurred in Egypt. Moses was the one divinely chosen to lead the enormous exodus from Egypt. The parting of the Red Sea, the provision of manna and other miracles occurred as Moses led the people. How would you like to follow a leader like that?

A third problem was the expectation of the people. You see, it is tough to follow a popular, successful leader. When Paul “Bear” Bryant retired as Alabama's football coach in the early 1980's, it was tough for his successor to fill his shoes. Most people even forget who that coach was. Ray Perkins followed Bryant, but he never lived up to the level of success that Bryant had. It is difficult to follow a successful leader.

Though Joshua was reluctant to lead, God gave him an awesome promise: “There shall not any man be able to stand before thee all the days of thy life: as I was with Moses, so I will be with thee: I will not fail thee, nor forsake thee.” Wow! Notice three things that God gave to Joshua. God gave Him his power, “There shall not any man be able to sand before thee all the days of thy life,”; Joshua would have God's presence, “... as I was with Moses, so I will be with thee,” and Joshua had God's promise, “I will not fail thee, nor forsake thee.”

Consider the leadership of Joshua for a moment. It's true that Joshua never had the same accomplishments as Moses. But think about what did occur under Joshua's leadership. He led Israel to cross the Jordan River. Israel defeated Jericho under his leadership. The sun actually stood still as the Israelites fought the armies of five Amorite kings. Joshua led Israel to conquer the land. The land was divided to the Israelites under his supervision. No, he didn't have the same accomplishments as Moses, but Moses didn't have the same accomplishments as Joshua did either. Their work, while similar, had differences. God kept His Word with Joshua. God faithfully led Joshua to victory in the promised land.

When God calls a person to a specific work, there is often reluctance to obey. Our reluctance usually has to do with the perception we have of ourselves. We know our weaknesses, our past failures and our flaws. We know that we are incompetent apart from God. That is how Joshua felt. Like Joshua, we need to turn our focus from ourselves and our weakness, and look unto the One who is calling us. God is able to do what we cannot do. With His leading, great and miraculous things can take place. It happened with Moses. It happened with Joshua. It can happen with us.

Joshua may have started out as a reluctant leader, but ultimately his life became a testimony of what God can do through weak people.

He can do the same with us.

The Man Who Refused To Compromise

 “By faith Moses, when he was come to years, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter; Choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season; Esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt: for he had respect unto the recompence of the reward.” - Hebrews 11:24-26

When we think about difference makers in the Bible, one of the first names to come to mind is Moses. Moses was a key figure in the Old Testament. He is credited for writing the first five books of the Bible. He is the man that God chose to lead the Israelite exodus from Egypt. Moses is the man that God gave the law to. After all these years, Jews and Christians look back to Moses and honor him for his incredible leadership.

Moses had a rough start to life. As an Israelite child, he was under condemnation of death. Instead, his life was preserved in the household of Pharaoh's daughter. Moses grew up with all the advantages of Egypt's best. He probably had nice clothes, proper training and a strong education. While these things helped Moses, they did not define him. Instead, his life took an amazing turn as he came into adulthood.

From the Scriptures, we learn four things about Moses that set him apart and led him to be the great leader of the Israelite exodus.

1. HIS CHOICE

First of all, Hebrews 11:24-26 states, “By faith Moses, when he was come to years, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter; Choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season; Esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt: for he had respect unto the recompence of the reward.” As an adult, Moses made a choice to stand with his suffering brethren. Can you image the temptation he had to stay in Pharaoh's home and enjoy all the luxury? Yet Moses made the courageous decision to leave there. Today, few are willing to leave the allurements of sin. Not many are willing to suffer along with the people of God, even though eternal glory awaits those who do. Moses refused to compromise. Let's follow his example.

2. HIS CALLING

Secondly, he had a divine call at the burning bush. He didn't seek the call. In fact, he tried to run from the call. Ultimately, he obeyed God. The Lord used him to make an impact that would be memorialized forever in the pages of God's Word. Moses was a called man. He was a man who had a divine unction to carry out an impossible task.

3. HIS COMMUNION

Next, Moses had close communion with God. From the burning bush unto his death, Moses had an intimate relationship with God. Exodus 33:11 says, “And the Lord spake unto Moses face to face, as a man speaketh unto his friend.” That is a remarkable testimony. When a man walks with God, he is unique. Few men really have an intimate walk with the Lord, but Moses did. No wonder he lived an uncompromising life.

4. HIS COMMITMENT

Finally, Moses had opportunities to stray from his calling, but he remained firm. Despite the complaints of the people, uprisings from rebels and insurmountable obstacles, Moses stayed faithful. He refused to compromise his walk with God or his calling.

Today, Christians are being pressured to compromise. This pressure is getting stronger and stronger. To make things worse, even some in the church are calling for us to compromise. Like Moses, let us stand firm on the Word of God. Refuse to compromise with the world. Let us hold to Biblical convictions regardless of the cost.

The lure of the world may seem tempting at times, but we need to remember that glory awaits those who follow Jesus. Let's bear the cross so we can win the crown.

From Slavery To Significance

 “But as for you, ye thought evil against me; but God meant it unto good, to bring to pass, as it is this day, to save much people alive.” - Genesis 50:20

For several weeks now, I've been writing about difference makers. We are studying about those who were used of God to make a powerful impact for the glory of God. We've already studied the lives of Enoch and Abraham. Today we are concentrating on the life of Joseph.

A lot of people live drab, uneventful lives. That can't be said of Joseph. Joseph was the Old Testament great-grandson of the patriarch, Abraham. He had a great family heritage. However, his life became a series of challenging events that Joseph had little or no control over.

Some think that a man is the victim of his circumstances. Joseph contradicts that belief. In fact, Joseph shows us that circumstances merely reveal the character of a man.

When his brothers carelessly sold Joseph as a slave, Joseph's life went on an incredible journey that only God could orchestrate. Yet every time something positive appeared to happen to Joseph, unexpected events seemed crush it all. He rose to prominence in Potiphar's house --- then was falsely accused of attempted rape and wrongly imprisoned. There in prison, he interpreted dreams for the chief butler and baker. There seemed to be a glimmer of hope for Joseph when the chief butler was restored to his position. Joseph had asked the chief butler to speak on his behalf, hoping that this would get him released. Instead, the chief butler forgot him. Only after a long delay and the occurrence of Pharaoh's dreams would the chief butler remember Joseph. Joseph's interpretation of Pharaoh's dreams and the subsequent advice he gave, brought Joseph to the precise place he needed to be … at the right time.

God used Joseph to make a difference in Egypt. But Joseph was also used to save his own family and the Jewish heritage. Joseph turned out to be one of the greatest difference makers of the Old Testament. Later, after his father's death, Joseph told his brothers, “But as for you, ye thought evil against me; but God meant it unto good, to bring to pass, as it is this day, to save much people alive.” Rather than retaliating against his brothers, he lovingly showed mercy. The years of loneliness and discouragement were used of God to prepare Joseph for leadership. He went from slavery to significance.

There are four things that made Joseph so special.

1. FAITH

First of all, Joseph was a man of faith. Like his father, grandfather and great-grandfather, Joseph was recognized in Hebrews 11, the Hall of Fame of Faith. It would have been easy to get depressed and give up after all the adversity Joseph endured. Yet his faith kept him going.

2. FIDELITY

Secondly, Joseph was a man of integrity. He had the opportunity to have an affair with Potiphar's wife, but refused. I don't think Potiphar's wife was unattractive. A person of influence and wealth, like Potiphar, would probably have a beautiful wife. In spite of the temptation, Joseph refused to compromise.

3. FORTITUDE

As I wrote before, Joseph persevered in spite of adversity. This character trait is uncommon in our day. Americans tend to be very emotional and swayed easily by events around them. Joseph was steadfast in the storm. Are we?

4. FAITHFULNESS

Joseph seemed to make the best out of every situation he was in. When he worked for Potiphar, his faithfulness brought him advancement. Even when he was imprisoned, Joseph gained the respect of the jail keeper because of his conduct. In this fickle society, we need more faithful men and women.

God used Joseph to make an enormous difference. The journey of his life was planned and fashioned by the Lord. This journey had plenty of deep valleys and dark times. But when it was over, it was obvious that God had brought him to the right place, at the right time. The rest is history.

Joseph's journey to significance required him to spend years in prison. Only God could take him from the prison to the palace. When we read the story of Joseph, we must admit that God was in control.

God is in control. Your life may not involve slavery or a prison, but God has brought you through many experiences. He has uniquely positioned you among family, friends and acquaintances so that He may work through you to impact them.

Yes, we're tempted to brag on Joseph for all he did, but we are really giving credit to the wrong One. God is to be praised for all that happened in and through Joseph's life.

The same is true for us.

The Man Who Believed The Unbelievable

"Now the Lord had said unto Abram, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father's house, unto a land that I will shew thee.” - Genesis 12:1

At first glance, God's call to Abram doesn't seem so spectacular. The Lord told Abram, “Get thee out of thy country … unto a land that I will shew thee.” Like others since him, Abram and his wife were going to move. But Abram's situation was much different from those before or since him. He was not forced to move because of political oppression. Neither was he required to move because of military aggression. He didn't even move because of an economic recession. Neither was his move due to spiritual persecution. Instead, he was going to move because God told him to. Furthermore, his situation was different because God didn't tell him in advance where he was going.

Abram, who would later be renamed Abraham, believed the unbelievable. To leave home without any other prompting than God's call was unthinkable. When we read the story, we fail to appreciate what Abram did. Imagine the following conversation:

HUSBAND: Wife, we are moving.

WIFE: Where are we moving to?

HUSBAND: I don't know.

WIFE: You don't know?

HUSBAND: No.

WIFE: Why are we moving? Are we being forced out?

HUSBAND: No, we are moving simply because God told us to.

WIFE: God told you to? And He didn't tell you where we are going?

I think you catch the drift of this conversation. If you were to have the same conversation with your spouse, there would be a great deal of tension wouldn't there? Now you understand how great Abram's faith really was. Consider Abram and his reaction to God's demand.

First of all, Abram was on speaking terms with God. He heard God's call. It was clear. It was unmistakable. It was undeniable. Yet for a human, the call seemed unbelievable. It would not be the last time God would speak to Abram. God still speaks through His Word. Are we listening?

Also, Abram obeyed God. He simply did what God commanded him to do. Think about this for a moment. God commanded him to do something that made no earthly sense. Yet He believed that God knew what He was doing. He believed that God should be obeyed. Later, He believed God for the unbelievable again when he was told that his wife would bear him a son, even when she was past child bearing age. Even later, when this child grew, Abraham would be commanded to offer his only son as a sacrifice. You know what Abraham did? Exactly what God told him to do. It was an unbelievable demand, yet He believed God. At the last moment, God intervened and provided a ram as a sacrifice instead of Isaac. Over and over again, Abraham believed God for the unbelievable.

Abraham was a difference maker whose influence is still being felt today. His legacy is amazing, including millions of decedents. Because Abraham believed the unbelievable, God honored him, including him in the great hall of fame of Faith, Hebrews 11. Abraham was a difference maker because God made a difference through his life.

The journey Abram began in Genesis 12 seemed to have no end. Yet Hebrews 11:10 tells us that Abraham, “... looked for a city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God.” The city that Abraham went looking for was not here on earth. His real home was in heaven. If you are a follower of Christ, we are told that one day we will sit down and dine with Abraham in heaven. Abraham had left behind all worldly possessions in search of something infinitely better. He now enjoys it.

God still requires people to believe the unbelievable. It is unbelievable that a virgin would conceive and have a child. It is unbelievable that this child would be God in the flesh. It is unbelievable that He would grow up to live a perfect life and perform great miracles. It is unbelievable that He loved us so much that He ultimately went to a cross and died, paying our sin debt. It is unbelievable that He'd rise again the third day. It is unbelievable that He'd ascend back to heaven and there would make intercession for us. It is unbelievable that He is coming again for all who believe in Him. It is unbelievable that He will take us to heaven, where we'll abide with Him forever.

God calls us to believe the unbelievable today. Do you believe?