Lelia,

Ys, that was the battle where Gidion fought the midianites with only 300
men.  Between that and going out with only torches and pitchers, it was a
real test of faith for Gidion and his men.



JulieMelton
visit me at
www.heart-and-music.com
Keep smiling!





>From: lelia <[log in to unmask]>
>Reply-To: lelia <[log in to unmask]>
>To: [log in to unmask]
>Subject: Re: Fruit Flavored
>Date: Tue, 20 Sep 2005 05:34:07 -0600
>
>Phil and all, speaking of standing remember that one battle where all they
>had to have was some pots candles and there voices and the battle was
>fought/  I think God said its not your battle its mine and all they did was
>stand there and they won.
>
>
>--
>Lelia - I_love_my_husband
>----- Original Message -----
>From: "Phil Scovell" <[log in to unmask]>
>To: <[log in to unmask]>
>Sent: Monday, September 19, 2005 7:00 PM
>Subject: Fruit Flavored
>
>
> > This isn't exactly finished so it won't be on my website for a few days.
> > I
> > thought this might be of some encouragement to someone.
> >
> > Peaches and Sourer Cream
> >
> > By Phil Scovell
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >     A close friend of mine recently told me about his peach tree.
> > He has only lived in this house for a couple of years.  His wife
> > left him several months ago after divorcing him.  No, she claims
> > to be a Christian.  He bought the house, although he couldn't
> > afford it, to try and save his marriage.  That's like having
> > children to save, or otherwise improve your marriage; it doesn't
> > work.
> >
> >     His peach tree, for the first time, had a single peach
> > hanging from one of its branches.  For some reason, someone
> > planted the tree in the front yard.  He has never seen peaches on
> > it before this season.  No, he does nothing about pruning or
> > anything else so you can't expect more than one peach each year I
> > suppose.
> >
> >     Every day he came home, he checked the peach and watched it's
> > progress of growth and ripening.  His moth watered as his
> > sensitive nose picked up the scent of the low hanging fruit.  He
> > couldn't wait until it was perfectly ripe so he could enjoy its
> > flavor.  He continually watched it daily with great anticipation
> > and desire in his heart.
> >
> >     finally the peach was ready to be picked, at least according
> > to how it looked, and as he climbed from his work truck and
> > walked to the tree that day, he saw that the peach had fallen from
> > the branch and lay on the ground, half squashed and rotting.  I
> > had just purchased a box of 18 pounds of tree ripened peaches from
> > western Colorado where the peaches are so sweet and juicy, you
> > could stick a straw into one and suck the peach dry.  I gave him
> > one to replace the one he had lost.  I tried suggesting he take my
> > peach home and tape it to the low branch and watch it for a couple
> > of days to make up for his loss but he preferred to eat the peach
> > without taking a chance.
> >
> >     Have you ever felt that way spiritually?  You've lived your
> > life dedicated to God in hopes of harvesting a blessing, just one
> > little meaningful blessing, due to your faithfulness to God and
> > then the worst happens, at least it sure feels that way.  To top
> > it all of, somebody tosses in some sour cream on top of your
> > singular peach of a blessing.  Your child dies, your best friend
> > forsakes you, you get cancer, your favorite pet has to be put to
> > sleep, you lose your job, your son or daughter runs away, your
> > baby dies at birth, your mate of 25 years divorces you, Your wife
> > has an affair, your 16 year old daughter becomes pregnant, a
> > sister refuses to speak to you any longer, you are permanently
> > disabled due to a car crash, prayers fail to be answered, both
> > your parents die, money runs short, bills pile up, your church
> > turns against you, a letter of audit from the IRS arrives in the
> > mail, you lose a credit card, your car gets stolen, or, the worst
> > of all, you suddenly realize you are growing old.  Yes, I left out
> > dozens of other possibilities.  Now there is no hope of the single
> > peach ever being enjoyed and all you wanted is just one good peach
> > of a blessing in your life time.
> >
> >     This is a common trick of the Enemy.  He wants us to thing we
> > only get one good thing from God, normally it is our salvation,
> > and from then on, God's arm of blessing falls short.  This is
> > real, of course, because God really doesn't love you all that much
> > in the first place.  Oh, sure, God loved you enough to barely save
> > you but He isn't interested in the rest of your life and that's
> > why He doesn't provide for you in other ways.  In fact, your lack
> > of received and experienced blessings is likely due to the fact
> > you really didn't become born again in the first place.  You are
> > that lone peach that fell from the branch.  You are separated from
> > God now and lay rotting and your life is turning to mush.  Can you
> > see the progression of deceitfulness the Enemy employs?
> >
> >     In Ephesians chapter 6, we are told to put on the whole armor
> > of God.  One of the most interesting aspects of this passage is
> > related to the command to "Stand."  What a weird way to do battle.
> > Stay fixed and rooted to one place?  Nothing like being a target.
> > Don't charge, don't take ground, don't move forward, and don't
> > engage in battle?  I have never heard of such a battle plan but
> > there it is, big as life, stand where you are.
> >
> >     Furthermore, we are told to wear all the battle garb but the
> > armor isn't apparently for doing battle.  If we are commanded to
> > stand still, it is obvious to me that the armor is warn for
> > defensive purposes and not offensive.  This is especially true
> > when it comes to taking the shield of faith.
> >
> >     The Apostle Paul says, "Above all, taking the shield of
> > faith."  Really?  Why would that be?  Faith, your faith, is not an
> > offensive, or attack, weapon.  In fact, the shield is no weapon at
> > all.  The Sword of the Spirit most certainly is but not the
> > shield.  Paul says, if you don't have anything else, you do have
> > the shield of faith and with that shield, you can defend yourself
> > from "all," not just some, but all the fiery darts that come from
> > Satan.  Think of it this way.  In battle, you most certainly don't
> > stand still, fixed and rooted, in one place.  If you do, you are a
> > dead duck.  Furthermore, you don't throw your shield at the
> > enemy.  If you do, you end up with no protection.  Likewise, you
> > don't bang the Enemy over the head with your shield of faith.
> > Yet, according to Scripture, all we are required to do is stand;
> > with the shield of faith and it does all the work of protecting
> > us.
> >
> >     I know I am repeating myself but again, we must view the
> > shield as defensive and not offensive.  The shield isn't made for
> > attack but for defense.  Yes, I realize this goes against the
> > grain of all the faith teaching we have heard.  The reason for
> > this aspect of defensive faith is related to the knowledge that
> > Jesus has already won the battle.  "then why am I getting so beat
> > up?" you may ask.  Could one of the answers be that you are
> > always moving?  Could one of the answers possibly be that you
> > haven't learned the battle is one so staying fixed in one place is
> > all you need to do?  Could it be that you have your faith screwed
> > on backwards and you've been throwing your shield of faith rather
> > than just standing behind it?
> >
> >     A shift in circumstances is a great battle tactic the Enemy
> > uses to try and get us to spiritually flinch.  Doubts, fear, old
> > resurrected guilt, shame, grief, personal condemnation, anger,
> > pride, bruised emotions, self judgment, intimidation,
> > manipulation, domination, sin, sorrow, sadness, relational
> > conflict, deceitfulness, control, unforgiveness, depression, and
> > rejection are all but a few of devices the Enemy uses to change
> > how we feel and think.  If he can do that, change our feelings or
> > shift our thinking off center, he can deceive us royally.
> > Imbalance is the name of his game.
> >
> >     The question is, "Where do we stand?"  If the battle is the
> > Lord's as the Scriptures proclaim, where ever we are is where we
> > stand.  If you will stand right where you are at any given moment
> > of life, you will find that is the same place Jesus is standing,
> > too.  As you stand in that place, look and see what Jesus is
> > holding in His hand.  I bet it will be a peach.  Do you suppose
> > that was the forbidden fruit Adam and Eve ate?  Just thinking out
> > loud.
> >
> >
> > Where there is pain, there is belief.  Truth has no pain.
> > www.SafePlaceFellowship.com