Deborah: Prophet, Judge, and Military Leader

Deborah, the wife of Lappidoth, is one of only five women in the Bible called a "prophet". She was the only female Judge of Israel and held court in Ephraim in a place called "Deborah's Palm Tree," where people would come to her for judgment (Judges 4:5). She held her court outside because it was improper for a woman to be alone in a house with a man.
After 20 years of oppression, God told Deborah that it was time to deliver His people once again. After receiving the message from God she called upon the warrior, Barak, telling him to organize 10,000 men the tribes of Naphtali and Zebulun. She was going to battle with the army of king Jabin of Hazor in Canaan. Barak agreed to organize the army and go to war with one condition; Deborah would have to go with him. Barak was afraid to go into battle without Deborah. He knew that Deborah's presence would guarantee victory. Such was the respect and confidence of Israel in Deborah.
Although she agreed to go with him she warned him that he would have no honor in conquering King Jabin’s general Sisera.
"However, there will be no glory for you in the course you are taking, for then the Lord will deliver Sisera into the hands of a woman" (Judges 4:8-9)
Sisera's army was very strong with nine hundred iron chariots. Once his army was at the Kishon River Deborah told Barak it was time to attack. "Now is the time for action! The Lord leads on! He has already delivered Sisera into your hand." Barak led his army down the slopes of Mount Tabor and defeated the Canaanite army as Sisera fled on foot to the Kenite camp.
After escaping slaughter by the Israelites, Sisera is killed by Jael. The woman drove a peg through his head while he was sleeping and fulfilled Deborah's prophecy that Sisera would fall to a woman.
Deborah and Barak sang a victory song that Deborah wrote in Judges, chapter 5. There was peace in the land for 40 years after the battle.
Deborah had unwavering faith in God. He used her to unite the people of Israel and lead them to victory against the Canaanites. Her role as prophetess, judge and military leader was extraordinary for a woman. No one else held this level of authority and responsibility except for Moses and Samuel. Deborah serves as an example of how God can use anyone to do His will and even change the course of history. A woman can serve as a prophet, judge or military leader if it is in God’s plan.
In our patriarchal society Deborah helps to affirm that God uses both men and women in many different roles to fulfill his plans. God is not a respecter of persons- women are as useful to Him as men are (Galatians 3:28).
Deborah did not limit God. Deborah accepted her roles as judge, prophetess, and warrior and allowed God to use her as He saw fit. God can use anyone in His plan—as long as that person yields to Him.

Healing Bible Verses

Psalm 103:2-5
Bless the Lord, O my soul, and do not forget all his benefits--who forgives all your iniquity, who heals all your diseases, who redeems your life from the Pit, who crowns you with steadfast love and mercy, who satisfies you with good as long as you live so that your youth is renewed like the eagle's.

Psalm 107:19-21
Then they cried to the Lord in their trouble, and he saved them from their distress; he sent out his word and healed them, and delivered them from destruction. Let them thank the Lord for his steadfast love, for his wonderful works to humankind.

Exodus 23:25
You shall worship the Lord your God, and I will bless your bread and your water; and I will take sickness away from among you.

Psalm 30:2
O Lord my God, I cried to you for help, and you have healed me.

Proverbs 17:22
A cheerful heart is a good medicine, but a downcast spirit dries up the bones.

Do You Study Your Bible?

Christian author Kay Arthur asked on Facebook “What are the top 3 reasons why a Christian does not study the Bible?" Within minutes, people replied to her question. Below is a summary of a some of the reasons they noted. What are your reasons?

Don’t understand how to study God’s word
Don’t have structure and know how to study the Bible
Doesn’t see the value of a Bible study
Not knowing how to study God’s word and giving up
Not understanding what they are reading in the Bible
Lack of Intimacy with God
Intimidated by God and can’t understand how to relate
They’ve never had a real experience in the presence of God
Don’t want to be convicted of sin or think about their behavior
No quiet place or time to be alone with a Bible
Too busy to study God’s word
Parents of Small Children
Taking college classes
Long work hours
Lack of commitment
Caretaker for special needs child or disabled adult
More concerned with world
Distractions
Television
Internet
Physical injury or limitations
Cost or expense of the study
Lack of Discipline
Waits until end of day then too tired to study
Laziness

We all have excuses for not participating in Bible study. Participating in Bible study puts God in the center of our lives. Take time to study the Bible and keep an open mind and heart. The Bible is one way that God directs our life.

The Pricklies

There was a confrontation between two women at Bible study today over reproof. One woman became offended and told the other woman that what she was doing was not biblical. She reacted very negative instead of receiving it with an open mind and heart. This is a great article by Nancy Wilson about correction.

No one I know really enjoys correction and reproof, and yet Scripture teaches that we are to receive it as a good thing. Proverbs 3:11-12 tells us not to despise the Lord's chastening "nor detest His correction" because it is a sign of His Fatherly love for us. Proverbs also tells us that "he who refuses correction goes astray" (10:17b) and "he who hates correction is stupid" (12:1b). 2 Timothy 3:16 clearly states that Scripture "is profitable for reproof, for correction" and God uses this to complete us, equipping us "for every good work." In other words, without correction we are ill equipped to do the good works God has prepared for us to walk in.
Most of us would agree that we are happy to take reproof from God; it's just when we receive it from fellow believers that we squawk. However, God seldom (if ever) directly corrects us (unless we see it ourselves in the Scriptures), but He does use His people as a means to admonish and instruct each other. This is the biblical pattern, whether it comes from our pastors and teachers or from our fellow Christians. The correction can come by means of a sermon, an article, a tape, a book, or directly from a person in a private conversation.
Women often react to correction in one of several, prickly, negative ways instead of receiving it as from the Lord for their good. Let me give some examples. One negative way to react is by automatically getting defensive without even hearing the conclusion of the matter or finishing the article. Proverbs 18:13 says, "He who answers a matter before he hears it, it is folly and shame to him." If you react in such a way, you may be the one who really needs to hear it. If you hear a sermon about shop-lifting and you have never shop lifted in your life, then chances are you won't be defensive about it at all. But if the topic is about anger, and you know you are sharp with your children on a regular basis, the temptation will be to start defending yourself instead of hearing the correction and finding help for your problem. Be sure to take note of your reactions, and remember that those corrections that annoy you the most may be the ones you most need to hear. Someone has said that if you throw a rock into a pack of dogs, the one that yelps is the one that got hit.
Another negative reaction is to be quick to criticize or blame the one bringing the correction. If you dismiss the speaker as pompous (Who does he think he is? Does He think he's perfect or something?) or as a crumby speaker simply because he has stepped on your toes, you may be rejecting some necessary correction that would be good for your soul. Again, check your reactions. Do you attribute bad motives to the one who brings a correction? This is a way of changing the subject so you do not have to deal with the correction.
Here's an example. Suppose someone comes to correct you about your tongue. Instead of listening and hearing the criticism out, you jump in and point out that it was really the people you told who were the talebearers, and that they should not have been carrying the gossip to the person now correcting you, or if you blame it on the people who told you in the first place. This is an old, old habit. Adam used it in the garden (She gave it to me); and Eve used it in the garden (It was the serpent).
Often if we react to a correction, we say or do things we later regret. We dismiss the person by bringing up their own (unrelated) faults; we get on the phone before we have gotten a right attitude; we fire off a letter that we should have sat on for two or three days; or we justify ourselves and assume a self-righteous attitude on the part of the person bringing the correction. Remember what Proverbs says: "He who hates correction is stupid."
One of the dangers of e-mail is that it can be written hastily and fired off with no way of retrieval. Writing something on paper takes more deliberation and care. It has to be addressed and stamped and mailed, all great delayers in the process. All these reactions to correction and reproof seem to really point to the fact that the correction must really be needed. If it wasn't needed, it would not have gotten such spectacular results!
When correction and reproof come, Christian women ought to determine to always hear it out. Pray for grace to sit still through it. Then thank the person bringing it and tell them you will certainly think about what they have said. If they are dead wrong, there is no reason for you to be defensive. This goes back to the sermon on shop-lifting. If you haven't done it, why get angry and defensive? If the correction is dead center, you only compound your fault by lashing out at the one bringing it.
If God's Word is true, correction and reproof are helpful in our growth and sanctification. A humble and meek Christian receives correction and carefully examines it before automatically rejecting it. Correction and reproof offend our pride. We do not mind seeing and correcting faults in others, but we do not want others to see or correct faults in us. This is being double-minded. Though we should be quick to overlook faults in others, we should not be so quick to overlook our own. And if we don't want others to have to correct us, we should be quick to correct ourselves.

Train up a child...

Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it.
Proverbs 22:6

3 Ways to Witness

1. Send a Christian greeting card to a lost friend. Be sure to write a note of encouragement and include a tract. Make reference to your personal experience with Jesus.

2. Offer to assist your neighbor in some special task he is attempting to do (paint house, yard work, etc.) and take the time to witness to him/her.

3. Take some lost friends fishing, golfing or some other recreational event. Make a special effort to witness to them and/or share your testimony.

Six Ways to Witness

1. Start an outreach Bible study for the purpose of inviting lost friends.
2. Wear a T-shirt with an evangelistic theme. When someone asks you about it, share the Gospel.
3. Visit the local nursing homes in your area and witness to the residents you meet.
4. Start a Sunday afternoon worship service at a local nursing home. Make sure you include an evangelistic emphasis during the service. Speak to residents one-on-one. Share your testimony and the gospel.
5. Give a lost friend a subscription to a Christian magazine. Share your testimony and the gospel.
6. Ask to set up a telephone outreach ministry for your church. Use this as an opportunity to invite people to your church, witness to them by sharing the Gospel.