Quote from Forum Archives on April 29, 2013, 11:54 am

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E-pistle

FreeWay Foundation            April 26, 2013

 

"Scarecrow, Tin Man, & cowardly lion"

       

In the Wizard of Oz, Dorothy met three characters who accompanied her down the yellow brick road

to the Emerald City, where lived the Wizard:

                        1.  Scarecrow                 who needed a brain, (to think)

                       

           

 

                        2.  Tin Man              who needed a heart (to love), and

 

                       

 

                        3.  Cowardly Lion                   who needed courage (to act bravely).

 

 

BRAINLESS, HEARTLESS, GUTLESS HEROES

            1.  JEPHTHAH (Judges 11-12) is like the Scarecrow.  Brainless, he vowed to sacrifice the first thing he

saw when he returned from battle, if the Lord would make him victorious.  Unfortunately, the first thing he saw

returning from the battlefield was his beloved daughter.  He sacrificed her as a burnt offering.

MORAL:  Two wrongs don't make a right!

            2.  SAMSON (Judges 13-16) is like the Tin Man.  Heartlessly, he disregarded the feelings of others while

pursuing his own physical desires.  In fact, all the problems throughout his life were caused by out-of-control

emotions . . . many of them "affairs of the heat."  He was a profane, materialistic man, consumed by anger, lust,

and pride.  His parents had dedicated him to God's service even before his birth, and several times the Scripture

speaks of the Spirit of God coming upon Him.  However, he was so spiritually insensitive that he "did not know

that the Lord had departed from him."  (Judges 16:20)

MORAL:  Pride goes before a fall!

            3.  BARAK (Judges 4-5) is like the Cowardly Lion.  Gutlessly, he agreed to lead troops into battle only if

Deborah would accompany him, (Judges 4:8).  She agreed; victory was won . . . but not to his glory.

MORAL:  Behind every successful man is a good woman . . . with a cattle prod!

APPLICATION

            Why include these three men in Faith's Hall of Fame?  Hebrews 11:34 tells us the reason:  "Out of weakness

we're made strong."  Paul reminds us that "God has chosen the weak" I Corinthians 1:25-31 and that "When I am

weak, then I am strong," II Corinthians 12:9, 10.  Sometimes we men are like Jephthah, Samson, and/or Barak:

            1.  Like "Brainless" Jephthah – putting our work, profession, "calling" in front of our children.  Many of

us are "workaholics" – particularly ministers – who put making a living ahead of making a life for ourselves and

our children.  To paraphrase Jesus, "What does it profit a man if he gains the whole world, but loses his own

family, or what will a man give in exchange for his family?"

            2.  Like "Heartless" Samson – being controlled by appetites and physical desires.  Some of us are unable

to control anger (temper), lust, or pride.  Our "hearts" are not really into fulfilling God's destiny in our lives; we'd

rather "do our own thing."  We may deny our spiritual calling and neglect our spiritual gifting.  If we do, we'll end

up like Samson . . . a profane man, whose life ended in failure and death.

            3.  Like "Gutless" Barak - - refusing to assume our God-ordained role as spiritual leader of the family. 

Saying to the "little woman" . . . "You take the kids and go on to church," or "If you'll go , I'll go . . . but is you

don't go, I'm staying home to."  Men who shift over to their wives the responsibility for the spiritual well-being of

the children are missing their highest privilege in life.

CONCLUSION AND FINAL WORD

            Men, have you seen yourself here?  Which are you most like:  the Scarecrow, the Tin Man, or the Cowardly

Lion?  In the Wizard of Oz, these character did four things which can be instructive to us men today:

            1.  They recognized their own faults and admitted them to each other.  (James 5:16)

            2.  They banded together for mutual encouragement while they looked for help with

                 their problems.  (Promise Keepers)

            3.  They followed the right road toward help in spite of dangers, discouragements,

                 and difficulties.  (We're on the "Straight-and-Narrow" Road that leads to life

                 Matthew 7:13, 14)

            4.  They asked a "higher power" to supply what they lacked.  We come to God, who

                 supplies all our need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus."

                 (Philippians 4:19)

            A final word:  Hebrews 11:32 gives men hope that God is able to use even those of us who are brainless,

heartless, and gutless.  He is able to enlighten our minds, fill our hearts with His love, and fortify us with courage

to live well and, when the time comes, to die well.

 

 

"Testing our discipleship"

                                       (Acts 11:26)

                                           Dr. Curt Scarborough

 

1.  THE TEST OF CROSS BEARING, Luke 14:27

            "The disciples were first called Christians in Antioch."

2.  THE TEST OF OBEDIENT CONTINUANCE, John 8:31

            "Whoever does not bear his cross and come after Me

            cannot be my disciple."

3.  THE TEST OF BROTHERLY LOVE, John 13:35

            "By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you

            have love for one another."

4.  THE TEST OF FRUIT BEARING, John 15:8

            "By this is My Father glorified, that you bear much fruit;

            so you will be My disciples."

 

"Having been poor is no shame, but being ashamed of it, is."

--Benjamin Franklin

 

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