Jay Strack tells the story of E.V. Hill:

Edward Victory Hill was born and raised in Sweet Home Texas.
Born to a single mom in the great depression.
Another woman he called Momma led him to Christ when he was 11 years old.
After high school she bought him new clothes, gave him $5 and a bus ticket.
He arrived at Prairie View College with $1.90. He needed $83 to register. He stood in line with only his Momma’s prayers and promises.
At the front of the line the woman asked his name. “I’m E. V. Hill.” Dr. Drew heard his answer and told him the university has granted you a 4 year scholarship, room and board, and $30 a month expense money.

E. V. Hill became close friends with Billy Graham and was invited to the White House for prayer.

E. V. Hill came out of nowhere and used what he had and did all he could do.
There’s another man in the Bible who lived just like E. V. Hill. His name was Shamgar.
The 3 principles we learn from his life revolutionized the lives of men and women around the world.

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Shamgar lived at a time when violence and political instability created desperate conditions in Israel.

The law of the land was non-existent. Everyone lived according to their own set of rules.

“…everyone did what was right in his own eyes.” Judges 17:6

There were no moral or legal restraints upon evil so that people were afraid to travel the main roads. They traveled back alleys and secret passages to avoid murderers and thieves that terrorized the main roads.

The Philistines took advantage of the lawlessness of Israel. They invaded often with no legal restraint to keep them away. One man said, “enough is enough.”

Shamgar was not a soldier. The passage suggests he was a farmer.
He was a farmer who could not accept the status quo.
He could have excused himself.
I am not a political leader,
I am not a military leader,
What can a simple farmer do?

What does it mean to start where you are?
Do not wait until tomorrow, for tomorrow may never come.
Don’t weep over yesterday. It is gone forever.
God has given you the opportunity of another day.
When is the best time to plant a fruit free?
10 years ago. When is the second best time? TODAY

Grasp the importance of the Sacred now.
Don’t mope about because you are too old or too young.

“If you take too long deciding what you’re going to do with your life, you‘ll find that you’ve already done it.”

Every one of us is writing our obituaries today.

Shamgar once having made up his mind to do something, looked for something to do it with.
All he found suitable for fighting was a long wooden rod with a sharp point at one end; an ox goad.

However, he had handled this ox goad every day of his life. It may be awkward in someone else’s hands, but in his it was like a third arm.
He took what he had and used it to serve God.
What do you have?

Your dreams – God will direct your thoughts according to your purpose.

Your desires – What do you long to see happen?
Dreams come from the outside and desires are from within. With desire comes energy.

Your abilities – What have people told you that you do well? Use it for the glory of God.

Some where there is a vitally important task that isn’t getting done.

On April 21, 1855 a man walked into a shoe store in Boston. To the clerk he said “Young man, Jesus loves you.” That boy gave his heart to Jesus. His name was Dwight L. Moody.

Dwight L. Moody encouraged a young preacher in England to come to America and preach. F. B. Meyer preached to packed auditoriums all over America.
Wilbur Chapman heard Meyer and decided to become an evangelist.

Meyer preached and led a baseball player to Christ. His name was Billy Sunday. Sunday became a great evangelist. He so moved a group of Christian businessmen in North Carolina that they organized a revival and invited Mordecai Ham to preach.

At the end of one of Ham’s messages a lonely and confused young man walked forward and gave his life to Jesus. He was Billy Graham.

Application

Look for divine appointments. Keep your spiritual vision clear.
Listen for the voice of God in others.
Don’t let the unknown stop you from the undiscovered.
Everyday is a new adventure.

You were known before you were created. You were born at exactly the right time for your purpose.

Start Where You Are, Use What You Have, Do What You Can!

It is obedience, not abundance that God blesses.

5 loaves, 2 fishes.