Tiny But Mighty

TINY:

The Israelites did what was evil in the sight of the Lord. So the Lord handed them over to Midian seven years, 2 and they oppressed Israel. Because of Midian, the Israelites made hiding places for themselves in the mountains, caves, and strongholds. 3 Whenever the Israelites planted crops, the Midianites, Amalekites, and the people of the east came and attacked them. 4 They encamped against them and destroyed the produce of the land, even as far as Gaza. They left nothing for Israel to eat, as well as no sheep, ox, or donkey. 5 For the Midianites came with their cattle and their tents like a great swarm of locusts. They and their camels were without number, and they entered the land to lay waste to it. 6 So Israel became poverty-stricken because of Midian, and the Israelites cried out to the Lord. 

Christian Standard Bible (Nashville, TN: Holman Bible Publishers, 2020), Jdg 6:1–6.

While reading this passage I couldn't seem to get passed the word “Poverty- Stricken” I use Logos app to further my studies and when I went to Logos app and to read the passage I highlighted the word “ Poverty- stricken” and it said:

Hebrew word for “ Poverty-Stricken” : LEMMA דלל be or to become little, tiny weak

I went back to the video you sent me and the lady said “ I hear the Lord say “Tiny but Mighty”

Tony Evens CSB BIBLE COMMENTARY: JUDGES 6:1-6:

Sadly, over time Israel again did what was evil, so the Lord handed them over to Midian . The oppression grew so bad that they had to hide in caves . Their enemies destroyed their crops and wasted the land until the people of Israel were poverty-stricken. This happened because God was no longer covering them since they had departed from his covenant. It’s a reminder that when we stray from the Lord, he will sometimes allow a crisis in our lives to compel our return.

Tony Evans, The Tony Evans Bible Commentary (Nashville, TN: Holman Bible Publishers, 2019), 270.

Judges 6:1

over time Tiffany (Israel) again did what was evil

the Lord handed Tiffany over to Midian(desires)

-Romans 1:24-28 CSB: 24 Therefore God delivered them over in the desires of their hearts to sexual impurity, so that their bodies were degraded among themselves. 25 They exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshiped and served what has been created instead of the Creator, who is praised forever. Amen. FROM IDOLATRY TO DEPRAVITY 26 For this reason God delivered them over to disgraceful passions. Their women exchanged natural sexual relations for unnatural ones. 27 The men in the same way also left natural relations with women and were inflamed in their lust for one another. Men committed shameless acts with men and received in their own persons the appropriate penalty of their error. 28 And because they did not think it worthwhile to acknowledge God, God delivered them over to a corrupt mind so that they do what is not right.

Christian Standard Bible (Nashville, TN: Holman Bible Publishers, 2020), Ro 1:24–32.

Tony Evens Commentary Bible CSB:

Romans 1:24–32 What is God’s response to this nonsense? God delivered them over (1:24). That phrase appears here three times (1:24, 26, 28), and it shows God taking his hand of restraint off, essentially saying, “You want to do life without me? You’ve got it.” As a result, God gives them over to the lifestyle of their choosing. This is the passive wrath of God at work in history. He lets you experience the built-in negative consequences of living independent of him. But when we [exchange] the truth of God for a lie (1:25), we end up degraded among [ourselves] (1:24).

Romans 1:26–27 Sex has always been one of humanity’s favorite idols. But when sex becomes a god, lust reigns. So we find men and women exchanging natural sexual relations for unnatural ones (1:26). God, then, allows us to come up with all kinds of sexual lusts, but the result is a mess. Broken homes, broken hearts, sexually transmitted diseases—all are the fallout of letting lust rule. Moral degradation is the result of the abandonment of God and his righteous standards in both an individual’s life and in society.

Romans 1:28-32 It gets worse. When people reject God, God delivers them over to a corrupt mind (1:28). Thus, instead of acting sane, they act like people who have gone stark raving mad. The worst part is that they still assume they are thinking clearly. You can know a person or a culture has descended into ultimate corruption when people give public and legal approval to sin. Paul lists twenty-four ways godlessness leads to madness. This is a catalogue of societal breakdown, filled with greed, murder, and deceit (1:29). We look around at our culture and say, “How did things get so crazy?” Paul answers: as a society, you asked to be free from God. This is what you get

Tony Evans, The Tony Evans Bible Commentary (Nashville, TN: Holman Bible Publishers, 2019), 1118.

Judges 6:2:

The oppression grew so bad that they had to hide in caves

(the mental battle your going through is the oppression and its gotten so bad to where you want to run and hide and I believe thats Why your job doesn't feel easy and you want to move to Georgia. but that won't change anything. You adding more on your plate is not going to fill you, moving to Georgia is not going to change your circumstances or make things better for you. You have to sit with God and wait for him. that’s fasting and praying isnt working he removed his hand from you. )

Judges 6:3-5

3 Whenever the Israelites planted crops, the Midianites, Amalekites, and the people of the east came and attacked them. 4 They encamped against them and destroyed the produce of the land, even as far as Gaza. They left nothing for Israel to eat, as well as no sheep, ox, or donkey. 5 For the Midianites came with their cattle and their tents like a great swarm of locusts.

(There is chaos in the house you try to plant peace and sow kindness but your enemies destroy it every time you plant it. the kids destained (contempt for you) it reminds me of David:

SHIMEI CURSES DAVID

1 Samuel 16:5–11

 When King David got to Bahurim, a man belonging to the family of the house of Saul was just coming out. His name was Shimei son of Gera, and he was yelling curses as he approached. 6 He threw stones at David and at all the royal servants, the people and the warriors on David’s right and left. 7 Shimei said as he cursed, “Get out, get out, you man of bloodshed, you wicked man! 8 The Lord has paid you back for all the blood of the house of Saul in whose place you became king, and the Lord has handed the kingdom over to your son Absalom. Look, you are in trouble because you’re a man of bloodshed!” 9 Then Abishai son of Zeruiah said to the king, “Why should this dead dog curse my lord the king? Let me go over and remove his head!” 10 The king replied, “Sons of Zeruiah, do we agree on anything? He curses me this way because the Lord told him, ‘Curse David!’ Therefore, who can say, ‘Why did you do that?’ ” 11 Then David said to Abishai and all his servants, “Look, my own son, my own flesh and blood, intends to take my life—how much more now this Benjaminite! Leave him alone and let him curse me; the Lord has told him to.

Christian Standard Bible (Nashville, TN: Holman Bible Publishers, 2020), 2 Sa 16:5–11.

Judges 6:6

Their enemies destroyed their crops and wasted the land until the people of Israel were poverty-stricken

( this thing has token a toll on you so much so that you are weaken.) God is whooping you for your transgressions. BUT!!!

The Israelites cried out to the Lord

BUT MIGHTY:

Romans 12:2 “Do not be conformed to this age, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may discern what is the good, pleasing, and perfect will of God.”

Tony Evens Bible Commentary:

Once we offer ourselves to God, our relationship to the world is altered. Paul urges us not to be conformed to this age, meaning the world system that leaves God out, but to be transformed by the renewing of [our] mind. Notice that both commands are passive. We aren’t conforming or transforming our minds. Someone else is. When God has all of us, and when the world has none of us, God does the work of renewing our confused minds. He brings our thoughts in line with his own so that we think God’s thoughts after him (see 1 Cor 2:16). God has a goal in renewing our minds. This renewal allows him to merge his thoughts with our thoughts so that he can bring his plans into our lives. He calls it the good, pleasing, and perfect will of God. God has a purpose and a plan for each of our lives—one that finds us when we are fully surrendered. But as we’ll see in the following verses, that purpose isn’t just about us.

It is through God’s mercy that we still have a chance

Tony Evans, The Tony Evans Bible Commentary (Nashville, TN: Holman Bible Publishers, 2019), 1136.

Psalm 123 “A song of ascents. I lift my eyes to you, the one enthroned in heaven. Like a servant’s eyes on his master’s hand, like a servant girl’s eyes on her mistress’s hand, so our eyes are on the Lord our God until he shows us favor. Show us favor, Lord, show us favor, for we’ve had more than enough contempt. We’ve had more than enough scorn from the arrogant and contempt from the proud.”

Tony Evens Commentary Bible CSB:

The psalmist looks to God, the King of creation, the one enthroned in heaven, for provision and help (123:1). As a servant looks to his master, so the people of Israel looked to the Lord to be favorable toward them (123:2). Though their enemies had shown them contempt, they were confident that God could reverse their circumstances (123:3). Thus, the psalmist prays repeatedly, show us favor. If the Lord grants you favor, no one can stand against you. Psalm 124

GOES BACK TO: Romans 12:2 “Do not be conformed to this age, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may discern what is the good, pleasing, and perfect will of God.”

Joshua 1:5–9 “No one will be able to stand against you as long as you live. I will be with you, just as I was with Moses. I will not leave you or abandon you. “Be strong and courageous, for you will distribute the land I swore to their ancestors to give them as an inheritance. Above all, be strong and very courageous to observe carefully the whole instruction my servant Moses commanded you. Do not turn from it to the right or the left, so that you will have success wherever you go. This book of instruction must not depart from your mouth; you are to meditate on it day and night so that you may carefully observe everything written in it. For then you will prosper and succeed in whatever you do. Haven’t I commanded you: be strong and courageous? Do not be afraid or discouraged, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.””

God isn’t asking you this is a command

When we except God as our Lord and Savior we enter into a covenant wit him a covenant is a contract and God’s law is the contract:

Tony Evens Bible Commentary CSB:

Exodus 20:3 “Do not have other gods besides me.”

This rule means you are to treat no other person, place, or thing in your life like God. He is not to be your chief God; he is to be your only God. Sometimes business contracts have exclusivity clauses. Such a clause requires that the persons entering the agreement engage in an exclusive relationship with each other—having no competing loyalties and no competing contractual obligations that could in any way hinder their own partnership. The first commandment is an exclusivity clause. The Lord alone is to be God in your life. Notice that this is the first commandment. You can’t get this one wrong and expect to proceed to the other nine with success. A baseball player might hit an inside-the-park homerun, getting around every base before the other team can throw him out. But if he actually missed tagging first base, it doesn’t matter if he touched second, third, and home. He’s still out. If there is ever anything in your life other than God that you look to or depend on as your source of well-being, satisfaction, or deliverance, then you are serving another god. Get commandment one wrong, and you’ll fail at obeying all the rest. Notice too that there is an implicit promise in the first commandment. Though you are not to have any other gods besides him, you are to have him. False gods can do nothing. But the Lord is self-existing, all-powerful, all knowing, and full of grace and mercy to help weak and unworthy sinners. He alone is able to save from hell, deliver from crises, and bless with his kingdom promises. Why would you rather serve anyone or anything else?

Tony Evans, The Tony Evans Bible Commentary (Nashville, TN: Holman Bible Publishers, 2019), 126–127.

Tony Evans, The Tony Evans Bible Commentary (Nashville, TN: Holman Bible Publishers, 2019), 570.

WE HAVE TO CAST AWAY OUR IDOLS REBUKE BALL!!!!

CHAT GPT: Baal symbolizes anything that competes for God’s place in our lives. Just as Israel struggled with idolatry, people today can be tempted to put material wealth, success, or worldly desires above their devotion to God. The Bible calls believers to reject false idols and remain faithful to the Lord (1 Corinthians 10:14).

1 Corinthians 10:14–20 “So then, my dear friends, flee from idolatry. I am speaking as to sensible people. Judge for yourselves what I am saying. The cup of blessing that we bless, is it not a sharing in the blood of Christ? The bread that we break, is it not a sharing in the body of Christ? Because there is one bread, we who are many are one body, since all of us share the one bread. Consider the people of Israel. Do not those who eat the sacrifices participate in the altar? What am I saying then? That food sacrificed to idols is anything, or that an idol is anything? No, but I do say that what they sacrifice, they sacrifice to demons and not to God. I do not want you to be participants with demons!”

Tony Evens Bible Commentary CSB:

In light of the help that God provides in the midst of temptation and trials, Paul urges them to flee from idolatry (10:14). He reminds them of the intimacy Christians are able to share with Christ through Communion. The cup represents the blood of Christ, and the bread represents the body of Christ. When we partake of it together, we are sharing in a special time of spiritual intimacy with Christ (10:16–17). But some of the Corinthians were apparently attempting to share in the Lord’s table and the table of demons (10:21) by partaking of Communion and also eating with unbelievers who were sacrificing to idols in pagan temples. Though idols are not truly gods, Paul contends that demons stand behind them (10:19–20). A sacrifice offered to a false god, then, has actually been offered to a demon. You cannot draw closer in intimacy with Christ and experience his kingdom blessings, while at the same time drawing closer to demonic activity (10:21). These believers were attempting to have it both ways by participating in both meals. But, Paul contends, they would only succeed in provoking the Lord to jealousy, causing him to discipline them and withhold his blessings.

Tony Evans, The Tony Evans Bible Commentary (Nashville, TN: Holman Bible Publishers, 2019), 1164.

Christian Standard Bible (Nashville, TN: Holman Bible Publishers, 2020), 1 Co 10:14–22.

So what should we do? What is the conclusion?

SELF GOVERNANCE!

WORDLY:

Self-governance means the ability of a person, group, or nation to rule or manage itself without external control. It involves making decisions independently, setting rules, and maintaining order without relying on outside authority.

BIBLICALLY:

In a biblical sense, self-governance refers to an individual’s ability to live righteously by submitting to God’s authority rather than being controlled by external forces or sinful desires. It aligns with the biblical concept of self-control, which is a fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23).

Key Biblical Aspects of Self-Governance:

    1.    Submission to God’s Authority – True self-governance is not about doing whatever one pleases but about aligning one’s life with God’s will. Proverbs 3:5-6 reminds believers to trust in the Lord rather than leaning on their own understanding.

    2.    Self-Control and Discipline – Paul speaks about governing oneself like an athlete in a race, exercising discipline to win the prize (1 Corinthians 9:24-27). This means resisting temptation, making wise choices, and living a life that honors God.

    3.    Moral Responsibility – In Deuteronomy 30:19, God gives Israel the choice between life and death, blessing and curse, urging them to choose life by obeying His commands. This demonstrates that people have a responsibility for their actions and their consequences.

    4.    Spiritual Accountability – Romans 14:12 says, “So then, each of us will give an account of ourselves to God.” Self-governance in a biblical sense means recognizing that one’s actions are accountable to God, not just to human authorities.

    5.    Freedom Through Christ – Biblical self-governance is not about independence from God but freedom through Christ to live righteously (Galatians 5:1, John 8:36). True freedom is found in obedience to God, not in lawlessness.

Conclusion:

Biblical self-governance means living under the guidance of the Holy Spirit, exercising self-control, and taking responsibility for one’s actions while submitting to God’s will. It is about being free in Christ to choose righteousness over sin, wisdom over folly, and obedience over rebellion.

You are stronger than you think BUT because you are not reading your word. The flesh is weak but once you read God’s word you become strong (MIGHTY) in the spirit!

Joshua 1:5–9 “No one will be able to stand against you as long as you live. I will be with you, just as I was with Moses. I will not leave you or abandon you. “Be strong and courageous, for you will distribute the land I swore to their ancestors to give them as an inheritance. Above all, be strong and very courageous to observe carefully the whole instruction my servant Moses commanded you. Do not turn from it to the right or the left, so that you will have success wherever you go. This book of instruction must not depart from your mouth; you are to meditate on it day and night so that you may carefully observe everything written in it. For then you will prosper and succeed in whatever you do. Haven’t I commanded you: be strong and courageous? Do not be afraid or discouraged, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.””

God Loves YOU! 1. **Hebrews 12:6** – *"For the Lord disciplines the one he loves, and chastises every son whom he receives."* (ESV) 2. **Proverbs 3:11-12** – *"My son, do not despise the Lord’s discipline or be weary of his reproof, for the Lord reproves him whom he loves, as a father the son in whom he delights."* (ESV) 3. **Revelation 3:19** – *"Those whom I love, I reprove and discipline, so be zealous and repent."* (ESV) 4. **Job 5:17** – *"Behold, blessed is the one whom God reproves; therefore despise not the discipline of the Almighty."* (ESV) 5. **Deuteronomy 8:5** – *"Know then in your heart that, as a man disciplines his son, the Lord your God disciplines you."* (ESV) 6. **Psalm 94:12** – *"Blessed is the man whom you discipline, O Lord, and whom you teach out of your law."* (ESV) 7. **1 Corinthians 11:32** – *"But when we are judged by the Lord, we are disciplined so that we may not be condemned along with the world."* (ESV)