{"id":481,"date":"2020-12-01T09:15:17","date_gmt":"2020-12-01T09:15:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ariseestherconference.com\/?p=481"},"modified":"2021-01-13T14:41:08","modified_gmt":"2021-01-13T14:41:08","slug":"living-on-the-cutting-edge","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ariseestherconference.com\/?p=481","title":{"rendered":"Living On The Cutting Edge"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

By Sheri Schofield<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The road leading toward our home in the mountains crosses a cattle grid that makes a huge, clanging noise whenever a car drives over it. For the past month, I have noticed two teenage ground squirrels perched on the long metal bars. I know they are teenagers not only because they are only half-grown, but also because of their behavior. As I approach the grid, I slow down and try to dodge the little ground squirrels. They can hear and see me coming, but they stay on top of the bars until just before my tires touch the metal then they duck at the very last second. I get it now: these teenage ground squirrels are adrenaline junkies! They want to live on the edge and feel the thrill of near-death experiences! They love the feel of all that metal clanging and shaking around them! For them, it\u2019s like going to the circus and riding the hammer or the roller coaster, or trying to ride a bull at the rodeo.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

King Saul\u2019s son, Jonathan, was like that. He loved living on the edge, out where he took his faith to the limits in win-or-die-trying situations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Philistines, constant enemies of Israel, had been raiding the land, robbing people of food, livestock and possessions. Jonathan couldn\u2019t stand it! He and his troops attacked them. But that just stirred the Philistines up even more, and the problem got worse. All Israel was frightened. Many fled to the mountains and hid in caves, and King Saul, Jonathan\u2019s dad, was distinctly upset about his son\u2019s actions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But Jonathan learned that the Philistines were camped at Micmash. He told his armor-bearer to go with him to spy on the Philistine camp and see what God might do. \u201cPerhaps the LORD will act in our behalf. Nothing can hinder the LORD from saving, whether by many or by few.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cDo all that you have in mind,\u201d his armor-bearer said. \u201cGo ahead; I am with you heart and soul,\u201d (1 Samuel 14:6,7, NIV).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Jonathan said, \u201cCome on, then; we will cross over toward them and let them see us. If they say to us, \u2018Wait there until we come to you,\u2019 we will stay where we are and not go up to them. But if they say, \u2018Come up to us,\u2019 we will climb up, because that will be our sign that the LORD has given them into our hands,\u201d I Samuel 14:6-10, NIV.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Philistines mocked them and told them to come up. So Jonathan and his armor-bearer did. The two men immediately killed twenty Philistines! Then God sent a panic that filled the entire Philistine army, and they all fled!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I once stood as Jonathan did, in imminent danger, looking at an impossible battle, but knowing that God could give me victory. Should I or should I not fight? I remembered that D. L. Moody had once said, \u201cThe world has yet to see what God can do with a man fully consecrated to Him.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I echoed that thought and said aloud, \u201cThe world has yet to see what God can do through the woman<\/em><\/strong> who is sold out to Him.\u201d I moved forward into battle . . . against an enemy no one had ever beaten . . . and God gave me an incredible victory. My actions resulted in a new law that now protects many others.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you are facing an impossible battle, know this: God gives victory to those who step forward in faith and trust Him. Take your faith to the limits! See what God will do!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThis is what the LORD says to you, \u2018Do not be afraid or discouraged because of this vast army. For the battle is not yours but God\u2019s\u2019, 2 Chronicles 20:15, NIV<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

By Sheri Schofield The road leading toward our home in the mountains crosses a cattle grid that makes a huge, clanging noise whenever a car drives over it. For the past month, I have noticed two teenage ground squirrels perched on the long metal bars. I know they are teenagers not only because they are … Read More about Living On The Cutting Edge<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":525,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_genesis_hide_title":false,"_genesis_hide_breadcrumbs":false,"_genesis_hide_singular_image":false,"_genesis_hide_footer_widgets":false,"_genesis_custom_body_class":"","_genesis_custom_post_class":"","_genesis_layout":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[17,15,16],"class_list":{"0":"post-481","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-uncategorized","8":"tag-bible-event","9":"tag-victory","10":"tag-workshop-leader","11":"entry"},"featured_image_src":"https:\/\/ariseestherconference.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/woman-1149911_640-1-1-600x400.jpg","featured_image_src_square":"https:\/\/ariseestherconference.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/woman-1149911_640-1-1-600x426.jpg","author_info":{"display_name":"ariseesther","author_link":"https:\/\/ariseestherconference.com\/?author=1"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/ariseestherconference.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/481","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/ariseestherconference.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/ariseestherconference.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ariseestherconference.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ariseestherconference.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=481"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/ariseestherconference.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/481\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ariseestherconference.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/525"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/ariseestherconference.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=481"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ariseestherconference.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=481"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ariseestherconference.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=481"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}