A MAN NAMED JED
A LIFE GOD BLESSES
Come and listen to a story 'bout a man named Jed
Poor mountaineer barely kept his family fed
Then one day he was shooting for some food,
And up through the ground come a bubbling crude
A man named Jed … Remember you are CREATED by God and are created in the IMAGE of God
Ps 139:14 -- and I praise you because of the wonderful way you created me … of this I have no doubt.
If we are to live a life God blesses, we must begin by remembering one foundational truth: WE ARE NOT GOD. This life is not about us. It is about God. We are a work of His hand, His creation.
If we are to live a life God blesses, we must also recognize that, as a creation, we are not the master of all we survey. In the movie Titanic, Jack Dalton (Leo DiCaprio’s character) says, “I am the king of the World”. However, if we are to be blessed by God we must realize that, in fact, we are NOT ”the king of the world.” A life that is to be blessed should recall that basic fact of life.
Gen 1:26a (Msg) -- God spoke: "Let us make human beings in our image, make them reflecting our nature.
We were made in God’s image. What does that mean? Certainly we don’t all LOOK like God. What traits does being made in God’s image consist of?
-
Knowledge. Col. 3:10 (NIV) says, …put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge in the image of its Creator.
-
Holiness. In Eph. 4:24 (CEV) we are told, … You were created to be like God, and so you must please him and be truly holy.
-
Righteousness. Eccl. 7:29 (NLV). See, I have found only this, that God made men right, but they have found many sinful ways.
Poor mountaineer … Be HUMBLE and GENTLE
Col. 3:12 (CEV) -- God loves you and has chosen you as his own special people. So be gentle, kind, humble, meek, and patient.
J. Oswald Sanders noted that humility should be an ever-increasing quality in our life. The life of the Apostle Paul suggests such a progression:
-
In 1 Corinthians 15:9 he refers to himself as “the least of the apostles”.
-
By the time he writes Ephesians 3:8 he is “the least of all the saints”.
-
Toward the end of his life he writes to Timothy (1:15) that he is “the chief of sinners”.
The importance of being humble comes from the fact that it is part of the character of God. Look at Ps. 113:5–6 (NASB) Who is like the LORD our God, Who is enthroned on high, Who humbles Himself to behold the things that are in heaven and in the earth? God is incomparably high and great, but He humbles Himself to take notice the things He created.
Mt 5:5 (CEV) -- God blesses those people who are gentle. The earth will belong to them!
Jerry Bridges suggests five strategies for obeying the biblical injunctions about gentleness:
-
Make others feel at ease by being sensitive to their opinions and ideas.
-
Show respect for the personal dignity of other people.
-
Avoid blunt speech and abrupt manner. Be sensitive to how others react to your words, considering how they may feel.
-
Don't be threatened by opposition.
-
Do not belittle, degrade, or gossip.
Barely kept his family fed … Don’t be ashamed to admit to a SIGNIFICANT NEED
Ps 70:5 (CEV) -- I am poor and needy, but you, the LORD God, care about me. You are the one who saves me. Please hurry and help!
The Old Testament book of 2 Chronicles tells a story of faithfulness in chapter 20. Judah is about to be invaded by a “multi-national” force. King Jehoshaphat calls the people together to pray because, as he says in verse 12 (Msg), O dear God, won't you take care of them? We're helpless before this vandal horde ready to attack us. We don't know what to do; we're looking to you.
The prayer Jehoshaphat prayed is an excellent prayer.
-
He acknowledges God, gives Him the glory, and takes comfort in that.
-
He makes mention of God’s promise to hear and help them when they cried to Him.
-
He pleads for justice against the enemy.
-
He professes his entire dependence upon God for deliverance.
In verse 15 God answers: Listen, King Jehoshaphat and all who live in Judah and Jerusalem! This is what the LORD says to you: 'Do not be afraid or discouraged because of this vast army. For the battle is not yours, but God's. When God says, “the battle is not yours, but Mine”, He means it. All the people of Judah had to do was go out to prepare for battle and start singing and praising God. Before the enemy even approached Judah, God had destroyed them. Actually, He had them to destroy themselves. So thoroughly, in fact, that not a one survived.
He was shooting for some food … Be FAITHFUL to do your part
I Corinthians 16:13 (Msg) -- Keep your eyes open,hold tight to your convictions, give it all you've got, be resolute.
The story is told that Andrew Jackson's boyhood friends just couldn't understand how he became a famous general and then the President of the United States. They knew of other men who had greater talent but who never succeeded. One of Jackson's friends said, "Why, Jim Brown, who lived right down the pike from Jackson, was not only smarter but he could throw Andy three times out of four in a wrestling match. But look where Andy is now." Another friend responded, "How did there happen to be a fourth time? Didn't they usually say three times and out?" "Sure, they were supposed to, but not Andy. He would never admit he was beat -- he would never stay 'throwed.' Jim Brown would get tired, and on the fourth try Andrew Jackson would throw him and be the winner."
Picking up on that idea, someone has said, "The thing that counts is not how many times you are 'throwed,' but whether you are willing to stay 'throwed'." We may face setbacks, but we must take courage and go forward in faith. Then, through the Holy Spirit's power, we can be the eventual victor over sin and the world. The battle is the Lord's, so there is no excuse for us to stay "throwed"!
The Old Testament Book of Judges recounts the story of Gideon. He was chosen by God to save Israel from their enemy, Midian. In Judges 6:14 (NIV) God told Gideon to Go in the strength you have and save Israel out of Midian's hand. Am I not sending you? For Israel to be saved from their enemies would require a lot more than Gideon’s own strength. Midian was a powerful enemy with a large armed force. The people of Israel were so scared of them that Gideon; this so-called “mighty warrior”, was threshing grain in a wine press so the Midianites wouldn’t find him and steal the grain. But God gave him a job to do, and encouraged him that he could actually do it.
God’s ways are not always our ways. Remember that the Israelites defeated the city of Jericho by obeying God and doing nothing more than marching around it for 7 days and blowing a few trumpets. In this case, God had Gideon pare down Israel’s army from 30,000 to 300, and then gave the victory. God’s ways are not always our ways. He doesn’t ask us to understand WHY things happen, or HOW He will act. He simply wants us to keep going forward in the strength we have—the strength He gave us.
When up from the ground came a bubbling crude … You will be BLESSED for faithfulness
Ps 119:2 (Msg) -- You're blessed when you follow his directions, doing your best to find him.
How’s this for being blessed by being faithful?
-
Failed in business: age 22
-
Ran for Legislature—defeated: 23
-
Again failed in business: 24
-
Elected to Legislature: 25
-
Sweetheart died: 26
-
Had a nervous breakdown: 27
-
Defeated for Speaker: 29
-
Defeated for Elector: 31
-
Defeated for Congress: 34
-
Elected to Congress: 37
-
Defeated for Congress: 39
-
Defeated for Senate: 46
-
Defeated for Vice President: 47
-
Defeated for Senate: 49
-
Elected President of the United States: 51…
That's the record of Abraham Lincoln.
How about this example?
-
Smallest and youngest of 8 brothers
-
Anointed to become King
-
Picked on and bullied by his brothers
-
Hired to do a job by the current King
-
King attempts to kill him—several times
-
Lives much of his early life on the run, in fear of his life
-
Leaves his own country to live in the land of his country’s enemy
-
Finally becomes King, only to have his own son stage an attempted coup
-
Commits adultery and murders the husband of his mistress
-
Prevented from building a Temple to God because of his warrior past
-
Referred to as a “man after God’s own heart”
That was the life of Israel’s King David
Or maybe this one?
-
No beauty or majesty to attract me to Him
-
Despised and rejected by me
-
A man of sorrows
-
Despised and rejected
-
Took up my infirmities
-
Carried my sorrows
-
Pierced for my transgressions
-
Crushed for my iniquities
-
The punishment that brought me peace was upon Him
-
Wounded for my healing
-
My sin was laid upon Him
-
Oppressed and afflicted
-
Led like a lamb to the slaughter
-
Cut off from the land of the living
-
Assigned a grave with the wicked, though He was innocent
-
Did not consider equality with God something to be grasped
-
Made Himself nothing
-
Took on the very nature of a servant
-
Humbled himself
-
Obedient to death–even death on a cross
-
Therefore God exalted Him to the highest place and gave Him the name that is above every name ...
that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow (Is 53, Phil 2)
Jesus is our ultimate example of faithfulness. He was faithful to complete the task laid before Him All He asks that we do likewise. Not all of us are called to preach. Not all are called to be oversees missionaries. Not all of us are called to full-time vocational ministry. But we are all called to something.
But, wherever we serve, we are to follow the example of Jesus and be faithful to the task set before us.