Ites, Yikes!
September 20th, 2007 | by Ed |It’s been awhile–a long while–since I’ve blogged. I’ve been getting divine signs that I need to post a blog. I even got a piece of mail sent to the church address; it was addressed to “Pastor Ed Blogs.” No kidding!
So, here’s a bit of an update….
I recently started a series of messages on the Book of Judges. That’s right….Judges. That’s in the Old Testament, where the pages of your Bible are still stuck together.
We’re finding that the period of history in Judges is amazingly like our own (everyone did what was right in his own eyes). For a book that is 3,000 years old, it’s amazingly contemporary. God’s commission to the Israelites was to drive out the “Ites” and possess the land (their inheritance). Likewise, God wants us to drive out the “Ites” in our own lives that are keeping us from entering into the fullness of our spiritual inheritance.
What’s the big ugly Canaanite that’s sitting right in the middle of your inheritance? You have to drive him out because he’s a determined bugger that won’t leave if you just ask him politely.
Judges 1 is the story of how tribe after tribe compromised its faith and failed to drive out the “Ites.” But, this coming Sunday, we’re going to look at someone who went head-to-head against the three most feared “Ites” in the entire land of Canaan. In fact, these “Ites” were descendants of the legendary Nephilim.
Do you know who it was who drove out these giants? He wasn’t even an Israelite; he was a Kenizzite (another “Ite”). His nickname was “Mad Dog.”
Anyway, we’re going to discover this Sunday that he had a “3-D Faith,” that enabled him to drive out the “Ites.” Yikes!
One Response to “Ites, Yikes!”
By Victor Emeliantsev on Sep 24, 2007 | Reply
Pastor Ed,
I haven’t yet received my DVD for last Sundays message, but since you have used movie titles so far, it’ll be, “Guess Who’s Comming To Dinner.” A Canaanite, Hittite, or God forbid, a Jebusite.
Pastor, you teaching has transformed my OT reading. As a result, the Holy Spirit has often gently, and I emphasize gently, convicted me of how much I resemble the vine I was grafted into.
I still reflect on your messages about Abraham, Moses, and David. Powerful. You teach each equally well, but few can make the OT so relavent. I thank God for you.
The NT teachings in Philippians, James, and Matthew, to name a few, still afftect how I approach my Bible study. There was another great series, about how to get spiritually fit. My favorite single sermon was, “Life In The Penalty Box.” I’ve shared that with quite a few people.
Thank you for the message of Grace you share. Mullens, the guy who wrote “Our God Is An Awesome God” wrote a song that included the truth, “and when I fall, let me fall on the grace that first brought me to you.”
I know you like puns. Here’s a great one the Statler Brothers wrote and sang, about when Jesus was choosing His disciples, “and for eternal revenue Matthew is cashing in.”
God continue to bless you, and thank you for your faithfulness.