Welcome to OCC online! Here's what you'll find new or updated for this third week in May:
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Prayer at Kaye's Every Tuesday - 10:00 a.m.
7806 Gravenstein
Thursday Night Open Worship Every Thursday - 7:00
Osoyoos Christian Centre
42 Finch, Osoyoos
For more info: 250-495-2550
- Good Word by Pastor Joseph. Another section of our journey through 1 Samuel (stay on this page, below)
- Book Giveaway (stay on this page, below)
- Announcements, Current Events - NEW - Bible Study! (stay on this page, below - end of post)
- "Stop Comparing!" (From the Heart tab, top of this page)
- Free computer wallpaper (The Gallery tab, top of this page) - preview below!
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Pastor Joseph Fernandes
We continue with our look at I Samuel chapter five.
We last looked at the following position:
If we read through that passage quickly then it’s easy to
miss the significance of this simple statement and its impact. “Yahweh was
defeated by another god!”
Let’s take a look at verses 1: “Then the Philistines took
the ark of God and brought it from Ebenezer to Ashdod.” Here’s what I would like to
suggest to you, that battle had not ended in Ebenezer but instead it
shifted to Ashdod. It may have ended in defeat in Ebenezer but it will continue
in Ashdod. The difference however is that God enters the battlefield in Ashdod
and vindicates his name and his people in the process.
I Samuel 5:2-4 states: “When the Philistines took the ark of
God, they brought it into the house of Dagon and set it by Dagon. And when the people
of Ashdod arose early in the morning, there was Dagon, fallen on its face to
the earth before the ark of the Lord. So they took Dagon and set it in its
place again. And when they arose early the next morning, there was Dagon, fallen
on its face to the ground before the ark of the Lord. The head of Dagon and
both the palms of its hands were broke off on the threshold; only Dagon’s torso
was left of it.”
In verse two I believe what we see in essence is a show-down
between deities. One the one side you have Yahweh the God of the Israelites and
on the other Dagaon the god of the Philistines. The venue for this showdown is none
other than Dagon’s temple – his home turf so he has the advantage. This may
seem like an awkward description to you but if you’re an Israelite that has seen
one on one combat I believe that this is picture that you would see. In verse 3
we see round one between the two battling deities and Yahweh is the victor as
Dagon falls before him. The battle continues in verse 4 and Yahweh wins again -
only the torso of Dagon is left after his hands and head were severed.
Don’t miss this picture – this is not meant to be seen as anything
less than a merciless dismemberment of Dagon – when God says that he will have
no other gods before him he not was joking around.
In Ebenezer the Philistines won on Israel’s home turf which
meant that Dagon beat God on his own turf. Although the Philistines thought
that they were taking the ark of God back to Ashod as a spoil of victory, they
were in fact only bringing the battle back to Dagaon’s home turf and there he
is defeated. In battle against Dagon, Yahweh acts in a calculated, exact way as
he mercilessly dismembers Dagon and vindicates himself as the one true God and
in doing so he vindicates his people too.
I wonder what this story says about the battles that we fight
in our life?
I wonder have you ever found yourself defeated; admitted there
was something in your life that prevented God from moving on your behalf, much
like the Israelites when they fought the Philistines? Is there something here
for us, that even when we fail in our
own strength and we lose the battle, that God will redraw the battle lines and
fight on our behalf? I think so.
God wants us to walk
and live in victory! I have no doubt,
and this is the life that we need to
continually strive and struggle for because only then are we truly free and victorious.
However, if you feel that you’ve failed, trust that God will
not leave you alone and He will have a show-down with the enemy on your behalf.
On the flip side of this we need to
remember that God will not allow any other god before him.
I think this is a good story for us to think about as we
look in our own lives to see if we have erected idols before Him - whatever
they may be. If our lives are his temple
he will not have any idols before Him.
Blessings,
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Book Giveaway!
And, as we are only ONE post away from our 100th blog post at OCC Women Online
- (post meaning how many times we have put information on this blog and updated
it) we have another book giveaway for this coming week.
Product Description
WARNING: This
is not just another book on evangelism. It's a simple idea of evangelism through
friendship first, and the opportunities to share your faith that follow. It will
bring friendships you already have to a new levels, and create opportunities for
new, authentic friendships with those you will eventually meet. OUT: Evangelism
as sales pitch, as conquest, as warfare, as ultimatum, as threat, as proof, as
argument, as entertainment, as show, as monologue, as something you have to do.
IN: Disciple-making as conversation, as friendship, as influence, as invitation,
as companionship, as challenge, as opportunity, as conversation, as dance, as
something you get to do. You're more ready for this than you realize, and so are
your friends!
From the Back Cover
WARNING: This
is not just another book on evangelism. This book contains fresh, encouraging,
challenging, groundbreaking, and doable ideas you’ll want to share with your
pastor, your small group or class, your board, or your parachurch organization.
OUT: Evangelism as sales pitch, as conquest, as warfare, as ultimatum, as
threat, as proof, as argument, as entertainment, as show, as monologue, as
something you have to do.
IN:
Disciple-making as conversation, as friendship, as influence, as invitation, as
companionship, as challenge, as opportunity, as conversation, as dance, as
something you get to do.
You’re more
ready for this than you realize, and so are your friends!
So, how YOU get your name into the draw for this week's book? Simply
comment (look at the bottom of this post for the COMMENT button) on our blog or
email us at occwomenonline(at)gmail{dot}com and request to either put your name
"in the hat" or alternately sign up for our weekly newsletter which lets you
know whats happening at OCC each week on our blog and for special events!
Please, invite a friend or two (or your congregation) to sign up! We also
welcome your church to place event notices on our blog as well.
*****
CURRENT EVENTS, ANNOUNCEMENTS
Prayer at Kaye's Every Tuesday - 10:00 a.m.
7806 Gravenstein
NEW!!
Bible Study
Every 2nd Thursday, beginning May 26th
7:00 - 8:00 p.m.
We will begin with the book of Mark. Materials provided though we encourage you to bring you to bring writing materials and of course, your bible!
Thursday Night Open Worship Every Thursday - 7:00
Osoyoos Christian Centre
42 Finch, Osoyoos
For more info: 250-495-2550
An intimate time of prayer - personal, community, government and worldwide for the Lord to meet spiritual and physical needs. Bring a friend!
Mariposa Christian Ministry Mariposa Gardens
8816 97th Street, Osoyoos
Sundays at 2 pm
Mariposa Christian Ministry Mariposa Gardens
8816 97th Street, Osoyoos
Sundays at 2 pm
We welcome you to join us if you are able to assist with your musical talent or to help with fellowship! Email us for more info: occwomenonline@gmail.com
