WEBVTT 00:00:02.560 --> 00:00:05.200 Thank you for joining us on the CCW podcast. 00:00:05.440 --> 00:00:11.119 Make sure you connect with us on social media to stay up to date on ministries and events happening at CCW. 00:00:11.359 --> 00:00:15.039 We hope you're encouraged, inspired, and motivated by today's message. 00:00:15.359 --> 00:00:16.719 Find out how to connect with us. 00:00:16.960 --> 00:00:19.039 Keep listening after the message ends. 00:00:36.000 --> 00:00:39.359 What's your favorite meal that mommy cooks? 00:00:44.320 --> 00:00:45.840 I'm gonna go with broccoli. 00:00:48.399 --> 00:00:49.359 All the time? 00:00:49.679 --> 00:00:50.640 Not all the time. 00:00:50.799 --> 00:00:51.439 And lettuce. 00:00:51.679 --> 00:00:52.960 Broccoli, lettuce. 00:00:53.200 --> 00:00:54.399 Makes your mom laugh. 00:00:57.359 --> 00:00:58.320 Oh no. 00:00:59.119 --> 00:01:01.119 Well no, she I don't know. 00:01:01.600 --> 00:01:03.280 What makes your mommy mad? 00:01:08.239 --> 00:01:11.920 He always hits she wouldn't want this. 00:01:14.560 --> 00:01:21.760 Um she likes to she just relaxes. 00:01:22.959 --> 00:01:24.799 Oh, that's how she bought me girl for John. 00:01:31.280 --> 00:01:41.599 And I didn't catch the ball, and she like told you your sister can catch a ball better than he can, and then like started laughing at me. 00:01:42.719 --> 00:01:43.840 I love you, mom. 00:01:45.760 --> 00:01:52.159 Happy mother said, Happy mother, and I will love you, and I love you. 00:01:52.799 --> 00:01:55.920 I don't mind saying I get her a bice. 00:02:02.959 --> 00:02:03.599 Amen. 00:02:04.480 --> 00:02:06.000 That was cute, wasn't it? 00:02:07.040 --> 00:02:08.960 Thank you for our children. 00:02:09.280 --> 00:02:12.159 Thank you for being a mom, those that are here. 00:02:12.319 --> 00:02:15.520 We celebrate you today in uh man. 00:02:15.680 --> 00:02:16.960 Where will we be? 00:02:17.360 --> 00:02:28.560 If you take your Bibles out and turn them to Judges chapter 4, thank you, Amanda, for sharing how you shared. 00:02:28.719 --> 00:02:33.120 And um we love you at this church, and we hope you feel celebrated. 00:02:33.280 --> 00:02:39.439 I will echo the things that were said, and if today is hard for you, our hearts are here. 00:02:39.840 --> 00:02:46.319 Uh, we pray for you, and I know that for some in our church family, they've had a loss this year. 00:02:46.479 --> 00:02:54.960 Uh there's people that are going through difficult circumstances, um, and some here, uh whatever it may be. 00:02:55.840 --> 00:03:04.400 Um, and I'm sorry, and we want to walk with you, and I pray today that you'll leave here very encouraged by what God has to say to you. 00:03:04.560 --> 00:03:08.080 But I found this this week and I thought this was fun and cute. 00:03:09.120 --> 00:03:11.199 Some things you'll never hear from mom. 00:03:12.319 --> 00:03:15.919 How on earth can you play that video game from so far back? 00:03:16.159 --> 00:03:18.719 Please get closer to the screen. 00:03:20.000 --> 00:03:22.000 Just leave all the lights on. 00:03:22.159 --> 00:03:25.039 It makes the house way more cheery. 00:03:26.479 --> 00:03:28.240 Let me smell that shirt. 00:03:28.719 --> 00:03:29.280 Yep. 00:03:29.919 --> 00:03:32.719 Got a few more days before we need to wash that. 00:03:34.080 --> 00:03:39.520 Well, if Johnny's mom says it's okay, then that's good enough for me. 00:03:39.840 --> 00:03:40.400 Right? 00:03:40.800 --> 00:03:44.159 The curfew is just a general time to shoot for. 00:03:44.240 --> 00:03:46.960 It's not like I'm running a prison around here. 00:03:48.319 --> 00:03:50.159 I don't have a tissue, Billy. 00:03:50.319 --> 00:03:51.520 Just use your sleeve. 00:03:51.680 --> 00:03:53.120 That'll be fine. 00:03:54.479 --> 00:03:56.240 This one I love. 00:03:56.400 --> 00:03:58.479 Don't bother with that jacket. 00:03:58.639 --> 00:04:01.120 You wouldn't want to lug that thing around all day. 00:04:01.360 --> 00:04:02.960 It won't get that cold. 00:04:03.759 --> 00:04:08.159 In my house, it could be 70 degrees out, and Heather says, get your jacket. 00:04:08.560 --> 00:04:09.840 Get your jacket. 00:04:10.240 --> 00:04:13.520 No, Billy, you don't have to eat all your vegetables. 00:04:13.680 --> 00:04:15.199 Save some room for candy. 00:04:16.879 --> 00:04:20.480 Well, thank goodness for moms, right? 00:04:21.279 --> 00:04:28.720 I know that my mom is watching today, and uh, I want to say uh from my heart, thank you, mom. 00:04:29.120 --> 00:04:32.480 My mom encourages me when she's discouraged. 00:04:32.560 --> 00:04:38.800 She'll turn that hat on, and it doesn't matter what's going on in her life, uh-huh. 00:04:39.920 --> 00:04:42.240 She'll take the time to encourage me. 00:04:42.399 --> 00:04:45.279 She would defend me to the ends of the earth. 00:04:45.519 --> 00:04:50.480 Um, my mom has fought for me at my worst and prayed me through. 00:04:50.720 --> 00:04:53.439 And uh I've realized this in aging. 00:04:53.680 --> 00:04:57.360 No one can love a child like a mother can. 00:04:57.920 --> 00:04:59.600 There's nothing like it. 00:04:59.920 --> 00:05:17.199 And uh I've seen that in my wife, and I want to say to her the way that you love the kids, endlessly and selflessly, day after day, early mornings and late nights, and every room mom ever she's been. 00:05:18.560 --> 00:05:37.600 Uh she spent this year and last year as a track booster president, not because she loves track, because she loves our daughter, and is about to be the football hospitality, whatever that is, but not because she loves football, because she loves my sons. 00:05:38.720 --> 00:05:47.360 And when I think about all that, and she does that loving this church and loving the Lord, and all while looking so good. 00:05:48.800 --> 00:05:51.040 Girl, how do you do it? 00:05:51.600 --> 00:05:53.519 But thank God for our moms. 00:05:53.759 --> 00:06:01.920 Well, and considering this, I gave this message one title, but if I could go back and change it, it would be uh Deborah's song. 00:06:02.720 --> 00:06:03.920 Deborah's song. 00:06:04.079 --> 00:06:09.759 Every mom has a song, and I want you to keep that in mind as we go through that this morning. 00:06:10.000 --> 00:06:14.240 Point number one is this the working of an exceptional servant. 00:06:14.480 --> 00:06:15.839 Let me pray. 00:06:16.879 --> 00:06:22.560 Father, we love you, and we are so thankful for your goodness to us. 00:06:22.879 --> 00:06:33.920 We thank you, God, for every mother in this room, uh, for every lady in this room, and for the honor that you give us to celebrate today. 00:06:34.079 --> 00:06:42.720 Lord, I pray for those who have a struggle, who have a hurt, and Lord, I pray that you would fill the gaps in their heart like only you can. 00:06:43.040 --> 00:06:53.120 God, I pray that you would use this word of God to penetrate our hearts and help us to see areas where we need changed, where we need better, where we need to grow. 00:06:53.360 --> 00:06:55.120 We love you, Lord, in Jesus' name. 00:06:55.360 --> 00:06:56.000 Amen. 00:06:56.319 --> 00:06:59.759 The working of an exceptional servant, look at Judges chapter 4. 00:06:59.839 --> 00:07:02.240 We're gonna read verses 1 through 5. 00:07:03.279 --> 00:07:08.639 It says, When Ehud was dead, the children of Israel again did evil in the sight of the Lord. 00:07:08.879 --> 00:07:14.560 So the Lord sold them into the hand of Jabin, king of Canaan, who reigned in Hazor. 00:07:14.879 --> 00:07:19.439 The commander of his army was Sisera, who dwelt in that place. 00:07:19.680 --> 00:07:30.399 And the children of Israel cried out to the Lord, for Jabin had 900 chariots of iron, and for twenty years he had harshly oppressed the children of Israel. 00:07:30.720 --> 00:07:42.480 Now, Deborah, a prophetess, the wife of Lapidith, was judging Israel at that time, and she would sit under the palm tree of Deborah between Ramah and Bethel and the mountains of Ephraim. 00:07:42.720 --> 00:07:46.560 And the children of Israel came up to her for judgment. 00:07:46.720 --> 00:07:49.519 Letter A is this a woman who represented. 00:07:49.759 --> 00:07:54.959 We're introduced to Deborah during this time of great oppression. 00:07:55.360 --> 00:08:04.560 That word is Lahatz, the word for oppression, and it means to squeeze, literally to push back, to put in a corner. 00:08:04.800 --> 00:08:09.360 And Israel has gone through 20 years of this type of oppression. 00:08:09.600 --> 00:08:19.360 Psalms 56, 2 uses the same word, and in that context, it says, My enemies would daily swallow me and oppress. 00:08:19.680 --> 00:08:24.560 This, granted, is a self-inflicted oppression. 00:08:24.959 --> 00:08:45.200 You see, Judges, when you read the book of Judges, this roller coaster of Israel living for God for a season, and then Israel falling away, turning to idols, falling away from God, and then God sending oppression, and then Israel recanting, and Israel getting right, and it's this roller coaster all through the book. 00:08:45.360 --> 00:08:51.120 And it's a constant, a continual trying to go their own way. 00:08:51.600 --> 00:08:54.960 Anybody ever live going in this pattern? 00:08:55.200 --> 00:08:58.240 Continually trying to go their own way. 00:08:58.720 --> 00:09:05.759 The great philosophical group, Fleetwood Mac, said, You can go your own way. 00:09:06.159 --> 00:09:09.919 You can go your own way and call it another lonely day. 00:09:10.799 --> 00:09:16.879 It said this in the words, I'd give you my world, but how can I when you won't take it from me? 00:09:17.120 --> 00:09:18.639 You can go your own way. 00:09:18.879 --> 00:09:25.840 Well, God loved Israel too much to allow them to continue going their own way. 00:09:26.080 --> 00:09:32.399 Now it took Israel 20 long years, but if you notice, Israel cries out. 00:09:33.519 --> 00:09:35.519 Twenty years they went on. 00:09:35.759 --> 00:09:39.120 Now, moms, this beckons a hard question. 00:09:40.320 --> 00:09:41.840 What really is love? 00:09:43.039 --> 00:09:50.960 If you read 1 Corinthians 13, it's on some of y'all's walls, it says love bears all things, believes all things, hopes in all things. 00:09:51.840 --> 00:09:53.279 What really is love? 00:09:54.240 --> 00:09:57.440 Israel kept trying to go their own way. 00:09:57.600 --> 00:10:00.480 We were having this conversation in the car yesterday. 00:10:00.720 --> 00:10:08.240 If you have to be faced with your child hitting rock bottom, would you be able to do that? 00:10:09.840 --> 00:10:12.240 God allows Israel oppression. 00:10:12.320 --> 00:10:12.559 Why? 00:10:12.720 --> 00:10:14.320 Because God hates Israel? 00:10:14.639 --> 00:10:18.480 Because God wants Israel to hit rock bottom and feel the pain. 00:10:18.799 --> 00:10:19.919 God loves. 00:10:20.000 --> 00:10:26.879 This is his beloved, but I want you to understand that enabling your child to sin is not love. 00:10:28.080 --> 00:10:30.720 Enablement is entrapment. 00:10:32.879 --> 00:10:34.480 What is love to you? 00:10:34.720 --> 00:10:37.519 Well, I want you to see just a piece, a line. 00:10:37.600 --> 00:10:39.440 I said I'd call this Deborah's song. 00:10:39.600 --> 00:10:45.759 If you go to Judges chapter 5, verse 8, the song of Deborah is Judges 5. 00:10:46.320 --> 00:10:52.080 This is a line that she begins to sing about what's happened. 00:10:52.240 --> 00:10:53.200 Judges 5, 8. 00:10:53.279 --> 00:10:54.720 They chose new gods. 00:10:54.879 --> 00:10:56.639 Then there was war in the gates. 00:10:56.720 --> 00:11:01.120 Not a shield or a spear was seen among 40,000 in Israel. 00:11:01.519 --> 00:11:03.840 She said they chose other gods. 00:11:04.639 --> 00:11:10.399 Ladies, is it clear in your home without any doubt who God is to you? 00:11:11.200 --> 00:11:13.200 Who God is in your home. 00:11:13.440 --> 00:11:18.559 Would you let your kid hit rock bottom because you love them? 00:11:19.679 --> 00:11:20.960 God does here. 00:11:22.480 --> 00:11:24.000 But I want you to see something. 00:11:24.240 --> 00:11:28.720 When Israel cried out, immediately God provided. 00:11:28.960 --> 00:11:31.120 When they turned, guess what? 00:11:31.440 --> 00:11:32.399 God was there. 00:11:32.639 --> 00:11:37.759 When the prodigal came running home, guess who he met on the pathway? 00:11:40.960 --> 00:11:42.080 God was there. 00:11:42.960 --> 00:11:45.360 What did God send Israel when they cried? 00:11:45.519 --> 00:11:48.159 Well, he sent them a Deborah. 00:11:48.720 --> 00:11:49.840 He sent them a Deborah. 00:11:49.919 --> 00:11:51.519 That's where we meet Deborah in this story. 00:11:51.600 --> 00:11:54.480 And the word Deborah means a bee. 00:11:55.600 --> 00:12:01.279 It signifies industry and resourcefulness, and that's why they called her Deb B. 00:12:02.639 --> 00:12:04.879 Dad joke on Mother's Day. 00:12:06.240 --> 00:12:07.679 Bad joke, dad joke. 00:12:07.759 --> 00:12:08.320 I don't know. 00:12:08.639 --> 00:12:10.320 Callie's shaking her head. 00:12:10.559 --> 00:12:13.600 But I learned something just looking at this resourcefulness. 00:12:13.759 --> 00:12:19.120 We learn a few things from bees that I think are biblically applied. 00:12:19.279 --> 00:12:26.240 Number one, a bee will do anything and everything to keep their hive protected by keeping it clean. 00:12:26.639 --> 00:12:29.039 Are we protecting these hearts? 00:12:29.279 --> 00:12:29.759 Why? 00:12:29.919 --> 00:12:31.440 For that liquid gold. 00:12:32.080 --> 00:12:35.360 Number two, bees know their purpose. 00:12:35.600 --> 00:12:38.720 There's nurse bees, scout bees, and queen bees. 00:12:38.799 --> 00:12:42.639 And they're all living every day in their purpose. 00:12:43.279 --> 00:12:47.440 Well, we see number three, bees love to serve. 00:12:47.759 --> 00:12:55.360 Bees routinely give their life to protect that hive, to protect that liquid gold. 00:12:55.840 --> 00:13:02.960 Number four, bees have to be good team players to create that honey. 00:13:03.279 --> 00:13:07.039 Did you know that honey never expires? 00:13:08.240 --> 00:13:09.360 Isn't that crazy? 00:13:09.519 --> 00:13:11.919 Think about all the food that you keep at home. 00:13:12.080 --> 00:13:15.120 If you go through your cupboards right now, you're gonna find something expired. 00:13:15.279 --> 00:13:16.559 Some of you have been eating on it. 00:13:16.639 --> 00:13:17.679 I'm sorry. 00:13:18.399 --> 00:13:20.159 But honey never expires. 00:13:20.720 --> 00:13:23.440 Think about what the bee does and why they protect something. 00:13:23.519 --> 00:13:25.279 And I got thinking about that. 00:13:25.840 --> 00:13:28.080 Mamas that do all this work. 00:13:29.279 --> 00:13:31.120 We got liquid gold. 00:13:31.360 --> 00:13:35.039 If you will be a clean vessel, this heart will be clean. 00:13:35.200 --> 00:13:40.639 If we'll be a team player, if we'll know our purpose and serve, we're protecting something very valuable. 00:13:40.879 --> 00:13:42.879 Deborah was a worker bee. 00:13:43.120 --> 00:13:46.480 Well, it says that she was a prophetess. 00:13:47.279 --> 00:13:51.919 A prophetess is one who was intimately acquainted with God. 00:13:52.799 --> 00:13:57.200 In the Bible, there's less than 100 prophets or prophetesses. 00:13:57.360 --> 00:13:59.279 And Deborah's one of them. 00:13:59.759 --> 00:14:11.600 The likes of Moses, Elijah, Daniel, Isaiah, John the Baptist, and Deborah's on a list with a who's who of people in the Bible. 00:14:12.399 --> 00:14:19.600 1 Corinthians 12 says God appointed some apostles, prophets, teachers, pastors, evangelists. 00:14:19.919 --> 00:14:22.720 Deborah was God's representative. 00:14:24.080 --> 00:14:27.600 A prophet was God's mouthpiece for a season. 00:14:27.840 --> 00:14:28.799 Here you go, moms. 00:14:28.960 --> 00:14:30.720 Moms are a mouthpiece. 00:14:32.159 --> 00:14:36.080 You ever seen a mad mama when her kids are upset? 00:14:36.720 --> 00:14:39.600 Try to not make them a mouthpiece. 00:14:40.080 --> 00:14:40.879 You ever seen this? 00:14:41.039 --> 00:14:44.000 She may float like a butterfly, but she stings like a bee. 00:14:44.960 --> 00:14:46.480 Mamas are coming. 00:14:47.039 --> 00:14:50.720 And Deborah was a mouthpiece for God in this season. 00:14:50.960 --> 00:14:53.519 Well, I want you to go back to her song. 00:14:54.879 --> 00:14:56.879 This tells a lot about where she is. 00:14:57.039 --> 00:15:05.440 Deborah was a representative for God in this season, this time, but in Judges 5, verse 7, line of lines right here. 00:15:05.600 --> 00:15:08.399 It says, Village life ceased. 00:15:08.720 --> 00:15:13.440 It ceased in Israel until I, Deborah, arose. 00:15:14.000 --> 00:15:16.639 Arose a mother in Israel. 00:15:17.039 --> 00:15:18.320 The mother of Israel. 00:15:18.559 --> 00:15:21.120 Talk about a line from a song. 00:15:21.360 --> 00:15:22.639 Everything ceased. 00:15:22.879 --> 00:15:24.159 The village was dead. 00:15:24.399 --> 00:15:25.279 Everything done. 00:15:25.440 --> 00:15:26.480 Now, I love music. 00:15:26.559 --> 00:15:27.919 How many of you love music? 00:15:28.080 --> 00:15:28.399 Okay? 00:15:28.720 --> 00:15:30.559 I grew up and there was a small season. 00:15:30.720 --> 00:15:34.480 My kids hear it enough from me, but I was a DJ for a little season of time. 00:15:34.639 --> 00:15:34.960 Okay? 00:15:35.200 --> 00:15:41.440 And about three summers ago, at the Lazy River at the beach, I became the DJ again. 00:15:41.600 --> 00:15:48.080 I didn't go in there thinking I was going to become the DJ, but I brought my little outside music box and I started playing. 00:15:48.159 --> 00:15:49.679 Listen, no, it's not what you think. 00:15:49.840 --> 00:15:54.320 I do love some music, but it's like glorified wedding songs, okay? 00:15:54.480 --> 00:15:59.840 And I started playing songs, and people would go around to Lazy River, and they're like, Yeah, all right, play that again. 00:15:59.919 --> 00:16:02.240 And I started getting requests, right? 00:16:02.399 --> 00:16:10.240 So I had to upgrade my Pandora from the commercial version because I couldn't play commercials, and I paid the$12, and now I was really into it, and I want to show you. 00:16:10.399 --> 00:16:11.840 My brother-in-law was there with me. 00:16:12.080 --> 00:16:15.679 Look, this is my official beach shirt, Sir Rick Salat. 00:16:16.000 --> 00:16:16.240 Okay? 00:16:16.480 --> 00:16:17.759 Chika, chicky, chicky. 00:16:18.960 --> 00:16:20.879 I love music, okay? 00:16:21.039 --> 00:16:23.679 And you'll hear that through sermons and stuff. 00:16:23.759 --> 00:16:27.039 But as I thought about that, there are some really iconic lines. 00:16:27.200 --> 00:16:28.159 I want to ask you to help me. 00:16:28.240 --> 00:16:29.120 It's Mother's Day. 00:16:29.200 --> 00:16:31.600 So, moms, look at them if they're not helping, okay? 00:16:31.840 --> 00:16:35.600 If I start a line from a song, most of you could finish it. 00:16:36.080 --> 00:16:37.360 I'm just gonna test you, see if you can do it. 00:16:37.440 --> 00:16:44.639 If I say, I got sunshine, lean on me. 00:16:46.639 --> 00:16:47.519 There you go. 00:16:47.679 --> 00:16:49.120 This one's harder. 00:16:49.840 --> 00:16:55.759 Just a small town girl living in a you guys are on it. 00:16:55.840 --> 00:16:57.360 I heard some kids really hitting it. 00:16:57.519 --> 00:16:59.120 Alright, y'all help me because I grew up in Delaware. 00:16:59.200 --> 00:16:59.519 How about this? 00:16:59.759 --> 00:17:00.799 Stop, collaborate. 00:17:01.679 --> 00:17:03.679 We got some vanilla ice here. 00:17:03.919 --> 00:17:04.559 Alright. 00:17:06.319 --> 00:17:14.400 Deborah's song said life ceased until a mama arose. 00:17:14.960 --> 00:17:17.200 Y'all see what she picked to say. 00:17:17.519 --> 00:17:22.240 She didn't say a prophetess until a woman arose. 00:17:22.400 --> 00:17:24.720 Not until anything else. 00:17:24.799 --> 00:17:26.000 She could have said a judge. 00:17:26.079 --> 00:17:30.799 She said, when a mother arose, all the mama say, Amen. 00:17:31.920 --> 00:17:34.559 Does life cease in your house without you? 00:17:35.759 --> 00:17:42.799 Heather took Callie to Golf Shores for the track and a season state finals the other week. 00:17:43.039 --> 00:17:46.799 And I gotta tell you, me and the boys understood the roles. 00:17:47.359 --> 00:17:49.200 And uh it was this. 00:17:49.519 --> 00:17:51.279 We were to survive. 00:17:51.680 --> 00:17:54.720 We had six days to survive. 00:17:55.119 --> 00:18:04.000 And I'm gonna be honest, like I think I think they went easier, like I think they behaved better than if mom were home because they knew what was going on. 00:18:04.240 --> 00:18:10.480 Like they were they were helpful to me, and and but it was the deal was the whole place was different. 00:18:10.640 --> 00:18:14.480 And they knew for us to survive, we had to be in this together. 00:18:14.720 --> 00:18:16.880 And uh, like this is the way things were. 00:18:17.279 --> 00:18:22.720 And I went through the house and it was like, you know, it was sunny all week, but it was gray in the house. 00:18:22.960 --> 00:18:24.720 Like the towels were stiffer. 00:18:24.799 --> 00:18:26.160 You know what I'm talking about? 00:18:26.640 --> 00:18:29.599 Like everything just seemed different in the house. 00:18:29.680 --> 00:18:32.000 I know the food was bland, okay? 00:18:32.240 --> 00:18:35.599 Even the dog was walking around with what seemed like a new limp. 00:18:37.039 --> 00:18:39.440 We all hung our heads and we made it through. 00:18:39.599 --> 00:18:47.359 And, you know, by the time we got to Saturday, I'm telling you, both boys asked me a few times, what time did mom say she was coming home? 00:18:47.519 --> 00:19:00.799 We're all like antsy and like, and she walked through the door, and I promise, she walked through the door, and there was like, oh, everything got better immediately. 00:19:00.960 --> 00:19:02.960 It was just brighter, it was cheery. 00:19:03.200 --> 00:19:05.759 It was like this, this is what they do. 00:19:05.920 --> 00:19:08.720 And and moms, it is what you do. 00:19:08.880 --> 00:19:10.000 I know you know it. 00:19:10.240 --> 00:19:13.200 I know they're looking for you as soon as you get up out of bed. 00:19:13.359 --> 00:19:16.240 I know when you're young, they find you and you're in the bathroom. 00:19:16.480 --> 00:19:17.759 We just need you. 00:19:18.000 --> 00:19:18.880 It's the truth. 00:19:19.039 --> 00:19:22.079 And what Deborah says has been true for generations. 00:19:22.319 --> 00:19:25.920 Life ceased until a mother arose. 00:19:26.079 --> 00:19:27.920 And I know they sniff it and smell you out. 00:19:28.000 --> 00:19:29.119 They know you rise up. 00:19:29.359 --> 00:19:31.839 I know they're there and they're waiting, but it's the truth. 00:19:31.920 --> 00:19:32.640 It's biblical. 00:19:32.720 --> 00:19:33.279 Here it is. 00:19:34.480 --> 00:19:35.440 Letter B. 00:19:36.319 --> 00:19:40.720 She was this woman that represented, but letter B, she was a woman who resolved. 00:19:40.960 --> 00:19:43.839 Look at verse 4 of chapter 4. 00:19:44.960 --> 00:19:50.000 It says, Deborah Prophetess, the wife of Labedith, was judging Israel. 00:19:50.160 --> 00:19:53.359 Not only was she a prophetess of mouth, she was a judge. 00:19:53.599 --> 00:19:55.200 She was a righteous judge. 00:19:55.359 --> 00:20:00.720 John 7 24 says, Do not judge by appearances, but with right judgment. 00:20:01.039 --> 00:20:02.079 Righteous judgment. 00:20:02.160 --> 00:20:07.599 You hear phrases like this a woman's intuition, motherly discernment. 00:20:07.839 --> 00:20:08.960 I thank God. 00:20:09.200 --> 00:20:11.440 Heather keeps me out of a lot of trouble. 00:20:11.599 --> 00:20:15.440 And it's just things that she picks up on that I'm not even thinking about. 00:20:15.599 --> 00:20:17.119 But it's this discernment. 00:20:17.680 --> 00:20:20.880 God chose Deborah to be a judge. 00:20:21.200 --> 00:20:22.720 And look at this. 00:20:23.039 --> 00:20:24.319 This is interesting. 00:20:24.640 --> 00:20:32.480 As a prophetess and judge, she sits in the ranks, and I think this is accurate of only Samuel and Moses in the Bible. 00:20:32.799 --> 00:20:36.400 Samuel, Moses, and Deborah are prophets that were judges. 00:20:36.799 --> 00:20:42.160 When you think about a judge, what do you think makes for a good judge? 00:20:42.480 --> 00:20:48.720 What would be things that would go through your mind that as you sat before a judge that you would want in them? 00:20:49.119 --> 00:20:49.440 Merciful. 00:20:49.839 --> 00:20:56.240 Yeah, merciful, temperament, moral compass, right? 00:20:56.400 --> 00:21:03.440 Morality, you would want them to be fair, uh impartial, uh, have good integrity and character. 00:21:03.759 --> 00:21:06.319 Deborah was one of the twelve. 00:21:07.519 --> 00:21:11.519 One of the twelve judges in all of Israel. 00:21:11.839 --> 00:21:14.640 That was before the monarchy that Israel began. 00:21:14.720 --> 00:21:16.319 It began a system of kings. 00:21:16.480 --> 00:21:18.640 But Deborah was one of twelve. 00:21:18.960 --> 00:21:21.519 And she sat and she resolved. 00:21:22.319 --> 00:21:29.920 Under Deborah's rule, this is important, Israel had one of its longest periods of godliness. 00:21:30.480 --> 00:21:32.880 One of its longest periods of peacefulness. 00:21:33.039 --> 00:21:33.359 Why? 00:21:33.519 --> 00:21:43.440 Because a judge is able to mediate in circumstances, able to bring rationale in circumstances, able to speak sense when spirits are tempered. 00:21:43.680 --> 00:21:46.559 She evidently was a peacemaker. 00:21:46.799 --> 00:21:49.039 And the Bible says, hear this. 00:21:49.599 --> 00:21:50.559 Blessed. 00:21:51.119 --> 00:21:53.200 Happy are the peacemakers. 00:21:53.680 --> 00:21:55.279 Are you a peacemaker? 00:21:56.079 --> 00:21:57.599 I want you to think on that. 00:21:57.839 --> 00:21:59.680 There's a situation in 1 Samuel. 00:22:00.319 --> 00:22:05.440 Chapter 25 that I think is interesting, and I want you to turn there. 00:22:05.759 --> 00:22:07.839 1 Samuel chapter 25. 00:22:09.359 --> 00:22:14.400 David and a man named Nabal come across each other. 00:22:14.480 --> 00:22:16.480 And Nabal's a bit of a scoundrel. 00:22:16.559 --> 00:22:20.720 In fact, his wife even calls him a scoundrel in 1 Samuel 25. 00:22:21.200 --> 00:22:30.160 But David has 600 men, and they're out on the fields, and Nabal has men out shearing the sheep. 00:22:30.400 --> 00:22:37.119 And David and his 600 men offer protection of his men while this is going on. 00:22:37.680 --> 00:22:48.319 And when that's taken a while, David sends his men out to ask for some provisions to Nabal, some food, some things to get by. 00:22:48.480 --> 00:23:00.000 And when he sends his men for those provisions, Nabal kind of laughs and he says, What am I to give you bread that are for me and my men and all this? 00:23:00.079 --> 00:23:02.880 And I want you to see 1 Samuel 25, 11. 00:23:05.279 --> 00:23:06.960 Look at what it says. 00:23:07.279 --> 00:23:14.960 Shall I take my bread and my water and my meat that I have killed for my shears and give it to men whom I don't even know where they're from? 00:23:15.200 --> 00:23:20.640 So David's young men turn on their heels and they go back and they tell David what's happened. 00:23:21.359 --> 00:23:22.880 Look at verse 18. 00:23:23.200 --> 00:23:26.079 David says, Mount up, boys. 00:23:26.480 --> 00:23:28.079 Look at verse 18. 00:23:29.279 --> 00:23:31.599 David is coming and he's coming for a fight. 00:23:31.759 --> 00:23:45.839 Then Abigail, which is Nabal's wife, made haste and took 200 loaves of bread, two skins of wine, five sheep already dressed, five seas of grain, one hundred clustered of raisins, all this food. 00:23:46.559 --> 00:23:50.079 And she said to her servants, Go on before me, I am coming after you. 00:23:50.240 --> 00:23:52.400 But she did not tell Nabal. 00:23:52.559 --> 00:23:54.480 Look at verse 23 through 25. 00:23:54.880 --> 00:23:56.160 This is Abigail. 00:23:56.640 --> 00:23:58.319 Remember what's looming. 00:23:58.480 --> 00:24:07.839 Now when Abigail saw David, she dismounted quickly from the donkey, fell on her face before David, and bowed down on the ground. 00:24:08.000 --> 00:24:14.240 So she fell at his feet and said, On me, my Lord, on me, let this iniquity be. 00:24:14.319 --> 00:24:18.480 And please let your maidservant speak in your ears and hear the words of your maidservant. 00:24:18.640 --> 00:24:26.880 Please let not my Lord regard this scoundrel, Nabal, for as his name, so is he. 00:24:27.359 --> 00:24:33.759 Nabal is his name, and folly is with him, but I am your maidservant, did not see the young men of my Lord whom you sent. 00:24:34.799 --> 00:24:39.599 And we see in this circumstance this peacekeeping woman. 00:24:39.839 --> 00:24:41.839 Did you did you did you check the scene? 00:24:42.000 --> 00:24:44.640 This is like something from Mission Impossible, right? 00:24:45.119 --> 00:24:52.640 The horse is going, she dives off, falls on her face, wipes off her face, and she presents, right? 00:24:52.960 --> 00:24:54.799 Like she's jumped off a moving vehicle. 00:24:54.960 --> 00:24:56.960 I jumped off a moving vehicle once. 00:24:57.279 --> 00:24:59.119 Maybe that's what's wrong. 00:24:59.519 --> 00:25:00.079 I don't know. 00:25:00.240 --> 00:25:01.039 Never mind. 00:25:01.680 --> 00:25:07.920 But verse 33, it says, Because of the wisdom of Abigail, that peace is kept. 00:25:08.640 --> 00:25:10.480 She's a peacemaker. 00:25:10.799 --> 00:25:13.680 Godly mothers make a peaceful home. 00:25:14.480 --> 00:25:24.240 This woman's intuition, she saw ahead of something, and instead of there being a battle, instead of there being all this life loss, she saw the need and met the need. 00:25:24.400 --> 00:25:25.839 She's a peacekeeper. 00:25:26.079 --> 00:25:30.160 By the way, the opposite causes much strife. 00:25:30.880 --> 00:25:35.279 You've heard the term a busy bee or stir in the pot. 00:25:36.880 --> 00:25:38.640 Someone who gossips. 00:25:39.200 --> 00:25:41.039 I want to tell you something about gossip. 00:25:41.200 --> 00:25:46.079 If somebody is gossiping to you, they will gossip about you. 00:25:49.279 --> 00:25:56.640 Proverbs 25, 24 said, it's better to live in the corner of a rooftop than with a quarrelsome woman. 00:25:57.680 --> 00:25:59.920 Deborah was a mediator. 00:26:00.079 --> 00:26:01.440 She was a peacekeeper. 00:26:01.680 --> 00:26:06.000 And it is proved by the 40 years of rest under her leadership. 00:26:06.319 --> 00:26:09.680 She was a leader that had a vision for peace. 00:26:10.319 --> 00:26:14.400 She would sit under that palm tree and judge and mediate. 00:26:14.720 --> 00:26:20.240 And I was thinking about that, that peacekeeping, that discernment, that being able to judge. 00:26:20.400 --> 00:26:23.599 Paul lists discernment as a spiritual gift. 00:26:24.559 --> 00:26:26.000 How do we better that? 00:26:26.160 --> 00:26:38.559 Hebrews 5.14 says this solid food belongs to those who are full age, those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil. 00:26:40.240 --> 00:26:41.039 Bible. 00:26:41.279 --> 00:26:43.440 How do we exercise better discernment? 00:26:43.680 --> 00:26:46.960 Hebrews says, by having lots of solid food. 00:26:47.279 --> 00:26:51.759 This intake, ladies, men, biblical discernment comes through a lot of this intake. 00:26:51.920 --> 00:27:03.680 Hebrews 4.12 says, The word of God is quick and powerful and sharper than any two-edged sword, and it is this sword that it is a discerner of the intents, discerner of the intents and thoughts of my heart. 00:27:03.839 --> 00:27:06.079 How do I get better at being discerning? 00:27:06.240 --> 00:27:10.640 I'm putting in this book, this word of God, and it will grow. 00:27:10.799 --> 00:27:14.880 James 1.5 says, if any of you lacks wisdom, cry out. 00:27:15.519 --> 00:27:17.119 Call on God for wisdom. 00:27:17.200 --> 00:27:22.160 And so we're in his book and we're in prayer and we're asking God for that growth. 00:27:22.400 --> 00:27:31.519 Well, she was a woman who represented, but she was also, secondly, this morning, winning with extraordinary support. 00:27:33.599 --> 00:27:36.559 Look at verse 6 through 8 in Judges 4. 00:27:38.880 --> 00:27:50.559 Then she sent and called for Barak, the son Abonon from Kadesh in Naphtali, and said to him, Has not the Lord God of Israel commanded, go and deploy troops out Mount Tabor. 00:27:50.720 --> 00:28:01.279 Take with you ten thousand men of the sons of Naphtali and the sons of Zebulon, and against you I will deploy Sisra, the commander of Jaban's army, with his chariots and his multitude at the river. 00:28:01.440 --> 00:28:01.839 Verse 8. 00:28:01.920 --> 00:28:08.480 And Barak said to her, Hear this, If you will go with me, then I will go. 00:28:08.720 --> 00:28:12.240 But if you will not go with me, then I will not go. 00:28:13.039 --> 00:28:16.240 Letter A is this woman who was respected. 00:28:16.960 --> 00:28:23.119 Barak says to her, she calls on Barak, evidently a military commander, captain. 00:28:23.279 --> 00:28:24.880 Baric was a strong man. 00:28:25.039 --> 00:28:27.039 And she says, We have to go and fight. 00:28:27.119 --> 00:28:29.519 We have to get ahead of this battle that's coming. 00:28:29.759 --> 00:28:35.440