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Source: https://www.sermonindex.net/speakers/murray-mccandless/shammah-a-man-that-stood/
Now, if you were to put a theme song over what really has been before me in coming to this conference, I guess it would be one that is not in our hymn book, but it is that hymn, Stand Up, Stand Up for Jesus, Ye Soldiers of the Cross.
So we're going to read again about a man that was standing in 2 Samuel, chapter 23. 2 Samuel, please, chapter 23. 2 Samuel, chapter 23, and verse number 11. Of course, as you realize, we're in this tremendous list of David's mighty men.
Verse number 11 of 2 Samuel 23, and after him was Shammah, the son of Ege, the Harite, and the Philistines were gathered together. Now, let me just stop there. That's telling you something, that even the enemies of God's people understand how important it is to be united just with what we've been hearing.
So the Philistines were gathered together into a troop where there was a piece of ground full of lentils, and the people fled from the Philistines. That was God's people that were doing that. Verse 12, but he, that's this man Shammah, stood in the midst of the ground and defended it, and slew the Philistines, and the Lord wrought a great victory.
That's the only time you have that expression, particularly in that chapter. Now, over to Ephesians, please, in chapter 6. Ephesians in chapter 6, verse 13. Ephesians 6 and verse 13,. Wherefore, take unto you the whole armor of God, that ye may be able to withstand in an evil day, and having done all, to stand.
Stand therefore, having your loins girt about you with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness, and your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace. Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked.
And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. Now, not that I would cover both of those passages, but maybe just in my mind connecting them so you can see what is before me this afternoon.
It is one thing to be like a Jeshua and to stand up. It is another thing to do in the language of Ephesians chapter 6, and having done all, to stand. There were those at the beginning of their Christian experience that stood so well.
Stood so well. It's not that way today, just let me say. Things have come into their lives, things that they didn't expect that literally maybe overwhelmed them. Things that they considered were bigger than they were.
And like they were, sin is always bigger than I am, and it's bigger than you are too. And the result of that is they no longer stand. Now, I want to come to this man, Shammah. I want you to notice very simply some very elementary things, nothing new, nothing is going to really blast you out of that chair this afternoon.
But just to look simply at a man that makes this list of David's mighty men, and what not just to make the list, but to do the work. Here was a man, and there was no doubt in Israel, and there was no doubt among the enemies, the Philistines, where he stood.
And he had reason to stand. Now, you see, I would be wrong for me to ask you this afternoon, first of all, what are you standing for? I must ask you first, who are you standing for? And when I understand, and when you understand who I am standing for, you'll understand what I am standing for.
In other words, the point is this. Yeah, a field of lentils, as it was, there was someone that was far more important to Shammah than a field of lentils. It was David. What gave that field value was to whom it belonged.
And for that reason, this man, Shammah, would take his stand. I have a friend of mine that things got difficult and got a job as a flag man on the road. He told me, and I think I can understand it. I have to admit to you, I have a new sympathy for a flag man when I see him.
To me, you know, he stands there with a flag and stop or go or whatever, and, you know, it doesn't look that hard. He said, you know, it was the longest days of my life. More than that, it was the hardest.
He said, the hardest thing to do is to just stand. Now, some that have been in military exercises know a lot more about that than the speaker does, but the need of just being able to stand. Now, I want to notice four things about this man.
First of all, what was a priority? Then it was personal. It took presence. And it took perseverance. But there was something that had to begin even before that. Something that would mark this man, Shammah, the same that will mark you and I if we're going to stand for God.
It had to start, brother. It had to start. And it will stop with attitude. It depended on his attitude. Now, listen, he could look at what Israel do, what were Israel doing? They were taking off. Till he came on board, they were running away.
The passage tells you that. Now, it's interesting when you go to the chronicle passage, and maybe I should have taken the time to read that. When you go to the chronicle passage, you'll understand that it says there, and they stood, they stood in the midst.
With who, may I say? With Shammah. So, you see, the courageous act of one man will influence others. Now, we've been hearing about Peter from John chapter 21. Ask your question. How long did it take a good man to take six men astray?
Now, I know you can defend the fishing exercise, his little trip and all that. I'm not being hard on Peter, but how long did it take? An overnight decision. An overnight decision. Then it's the next day, and he says, I'm going fishing.
And very quickly, six others rise to the occasion. How long does it take a man like Daniel to influence three, just three, in a right direction? Took years. Took years. That tells me something very important for all of us to understand.
So quickly, so easily, we can be taken away from the focus and the purpose for which I am standing and influence others also. I call it the permanence of the imprint. You know, it is true that people may seem ungrateful.
They can act irresponsible. They can even ignore your reminders. They can forget your word of caution, your advice, but they can never erase your influence. Is that clear? They can never erase your influence.
My influence amongst men and younger men that I labor with in the gospel is so lasting that it's terrifying. I can say things. I can give them suggestions. I even intend to say this, but I go into the
I'm working with men that are a lot younger than I am. I'm very thankful for these men. And quite often, when we start off, the first thing they will say to me, they'll say, now, Mr. McCandless, please, please, it would be a kindness.
I must tell you what all of them usually say. It would be a kindness. If there's something I need to be told about, please tell me. And on the back of that, they say, we know you're going to do it anyhow.
Surprise, surprise. Do you know what I go back to those younger brethren and say? If there's anything you can help me with after over 30 years in the work, I'd be glad to hear about it. And I mean it with all my heart.
Never, I hope never, brethren, I reach the age or stage in life where I can't listen to the advice even of younger men. They're tremendous help. They are. We are so richly blessed. And even with those that are maybe not in full-time work, only because they have left to go back to Jackson would I take the liberty of saying this.
And he and I are very good friends. And I know David will not mind me saying this. There was a young man that worshiped in your meeting this morning. And I'm sure that 90 of the people didn't know who he was.
The way that you identified David Stewart was by the way that he walked. Because obviously he's got a, he has a great disability. That's hereditary. That runs in his family. David is a very intelligent boy.
The oldest of five boys. His brothers, younger brothers have got saved in meetings that Scott McLeod and I have had. Lovely family. His grandfather was Floyd Stewart. Now here is a boy and you would just watch how he would come into that row of chairs and just his movements and you could say, boy that's a real challenge to move around like that.
Do you know what David has been doing for the last three months? Are you with me? That boy that rose to his feet and worshiped God, do you know what he's been doing the last three months? He's been down in southern Texas working with others in Ross Fenstone in the gospel.
Do you know what he's doing now? He's with Andrew Baker who he came to this conference with and Peter Shett doing the same thing in Jackson. You say, you don't mean going door to door. I mean going door to door.
You say, well what happens when he falls? Andrew picks him up. John Meakin and I stood back in tears on Friday. We watched him go down. He tried to hide it. Big Andrew stepped over and he just grabbed that boy and picked him up.
He smiled and on he went. Brother, I'm speaking to a lot that have two healthy strong legs that carried you into this auditorium this morning and carry you into that local assembly. What are you using those legs for?
Don't me tell you what they were given to you for? I didn't come to Garneville to beat up on your sports games. I'm here to tell you that the first thing they were given to you for was for you to rise to your feet and bless God for his son.
How can you hold your seat when a boy like that can do it? Christianity is serious business, brethren and sisters. We remember that Mr. Hudson that went to China with the inland mission told the story of a one-legged school teacher that came from Scotland to join Hudson Taylor in his ministry, in his missionary work.
And that was back before things were as easier going now than they were maybe then. Hudson Taylor, that big great pioneer looked at him and he said, he said, may I ask you a question? He said, go ahead.
He said, why would you be coming here thinking you can work in China with one leg? The rest is history. You can read about Mr. George Scott. He looked Mr. Taylor in the face and he said, well, I don't see the people with two legs coming.
Hudson Taylor embraced him. He said, God bless you, my man. What was this man Shama doing with his two legs? Just what he could do. He's not listed as among the great singers. He's not listed among other feats that these mighty men did.
And maybe there were some that looked at that, ah, him in that patch of ground. But you understand with him, it was a priority. There was an attitude here and his attitude was right. It was unflinching.
You can assail him with all you want to tell him. Here's a man and he just stood. And more than that, as I say, when you go to the Chronicle passage, he was joined by others. And so easily that happens, doesn't it?
I'm sure, I don't think our brother Tim McCauley is here today, but he would tell you that when it comes to the Seed Sowers. It just takes one or two here and pretty soon there's others in the seat. Well, yes, we'll go too.
But it did take somebody to initiate it. And here's a man that was just prepared. Well, if I've got, he wasn't going out simply to wear his badge and stand alone, but he says, I got to do that. I'm prepared to do it because it belongs to David.
You say, well, you know, little field of lintels. Listen, brothers and sisters, when it comes to God's things, there's nothing I can call little. Now I know in John chapter 12, the Lord Jesus spoke of a little flock.
He's not speaking of it in his diminutive value that way, but he's speaking of it as that like a diamond that has preciousness. And value, when it comes to the things of God, here was a field and it was marked by fullness, but the enemies knew it too.
And the enemies understand. They understand that if they could bring that little company of God's people here on Washington Street to its knees and drive it out of existence, they would do it. Don't you think they haven't tried?
Do you know why they haven't been successful? Because God has preserved them through men who have been willing like Shammah to stand. It was a priority. Whatever he would leave at home, whatever he had to say goodbye to, here was something that became a priority in his life.
Shammah was not one of those men that twisted in the wind. He wasn't the kind of man that if you wanted to know his mind, you had to go and ask the last person he spoke to. He wasn't the boy that got out the political manual and said, now next step would be what?
No, no. This man stood tenaciously and guarded victoriously what belonged to God. It was a priority. Not only does there have to be attitude, but as I've already covered, there had to be appreciation.
You see, what I will stand up for, I cannot, I would find it very, very difficult to stand up for things I don't appreciate or stand up for someone I don't appreciate. I mean, we have those that are close to us and somebody tries to take them down or attack them, we rise right away to their defense.
Why? Because we have an appreciation for that person that maybe someone else doesn't have. This man had an appreciation for David that maybe Israel had forgotten. Let me ask you today, is there appreciation in your heart for the heavenly David?
Sure there is. There has to be. Is that appreciation starting to wan? Is it today what it was a year ago or the last time you were here at a Garneville conference? How about our brethren and sisters back home?
Well, you say, we haven't got too much to protect. There's not much left. Well, it's maybe because there wasn't somebody like Shammah long ago. But there's still enough to protect. God has given you the equipment, all that you needed.
I never understand. I've never really told so much what this man was defending it with. But there's a great slaughter. It says that he defended and slew the Philistines and the Lord wrought a great victory.
When it comes to other men, it's the jawbone of an ass. It's a sling. It's a sword. It's whatever. But you know how this man protected it? Not only as a priority, but it was something that was personal.
He stood. Now we can become, it's interesting, there's a hard line to find, isn't there? Some of us are tremendous delegators. In other words, we delegate everything to the point where we don't do anything.
Tremendous delegators. And there are others that they can't trust anybody to do it. So they do it all. They can't delegate anything. Now this man, Shammah, says that he stood. Sometimes our thinking isn't, what shall this man do?
Rather than, what am I doing? Listen, dear brother, dear sister, you maybe are sitting here this afternoon. You're saying, well, now wait a minute. I cannot get up in that assembly. I'm speaking to brethren and I can't minister like so-and-so.
I can't be this and I can't be that. Do you know who the best person you'll ever be? Just yourself. Just yourself. Do you know the hardest person to be? It's yourself. Because sometimes we masquerade.
Sometimes we just can't take the mask off and stand up for who we are. Here was a man, his name was Shammah, and he was just himself. He was just Shammah. But he got a hold of something that because of the day and the conditions of the day that others were letting go.
And it would have been very easy to let this go, but not this man. He would stand there. Paul wrote to the Colossians, did he not? Remember he said to them in chapter 2, for though I be absent in the flesh, yet am I with you in spirit, joy and beholding your order.
Your order. As he goes on to say, and that word there is taxi. It's a military term. It means shoulder to shoulder. In other words, there they were in Colossians and they stood. Thank God they stood. Thank God there was a testimony there.
Thank God there were those that understood the teaching of the Apostle later in the Ephesian Epistle when he said, and having done all to stand. So there was priority. It was something that was personal.
More than that, there was presence. You know, you couldn't protect what was David's by just singing about it. You know, sometimes, and I know I was speaking about the hymns that have been given to us.
I appreciate them deeply. Be honest with you, brother. Aren't there times when it kind of is tongue in cheek that we sing some of those verses? We say, I mean, a lot of those verses, we are singing something that is way beyond our experience.
And I'm only speaking for myself. This man understood that to protect this, I've got to be there. It wouldn't be just too practical to say, brother, that to protect what is of God's in Garneville or the various assemblies around here from Wisconsin and Iowa, anywhere, that you can protect it by being there.
Make sure you're one of the Christians that the saints really are surprised. And the brethren will say something like this. Boy, what's happened? They're always here. They're always here. You know, sometimes someone will say, you know, listen, I can't be there, but I'm going to be there in spirit.
And they'll say, oh, wait a minute. That's very nice. But preaching to spirits is a little hard. And they say, well, I'm with you there. You know, I'm with you there in my prayers. Well, that's good. Good to have that too.
But boys, isn't there something like having someone there with the right hand of fellowship to support you and to stand with you? There was not only presence, but there had to be perseverance. You know, we just read this in a verse or two.
We said, well, there's a field of lentils. And there's a man that said, belongs to David. Oh, I'm going to defend it. It's interesting. We're not told how big the field was. And we're not told how long it took to defend it.
I'm not told, well, this is the day he started. And this is when he concluded. Maybe you're saying today, well, you know, I'm just wondering how long we're going to be able to carry on where we are. You ever heard of a little assembly up in Sherman, Michigan?
I had for a number of years. And I have to admit to you how many times they had. I know Brother Dan's been there many, many times. And I'm appreciative of that. And other brethren have. I was there for the first time last fall.
We were sitting. You know who the brother is in his kitchen with his wife and family. And he was not telling us this. We were, Brother Scott McCloud and I were kind of prying it out of him. Was it at least two, if not three years, that man carried on alone?
And he said, at any time, I was ready to quit. Well, we said, why did you keep going? He said, the sisters here wouldn't let me stop. You go up there today and you'll thank God they didn't. They just joined him.
Sister, can I encourage you as much as I can from my heart today? You come into the assembly. You take your place. On Tuesday, you maybe teach school with somebody and they tell you about speaking at their church.
And they say, what do you do? Oh, we don't speak where I go to. But I want to encourage you. We are so thankful for you. I hope our brethren constantly convey and express in a very personal way to you our deep appreciation of you.
We could not have testimony. We could not have assemblies as we know them without you. That's not preacher talk. That is coming from the bottom of my heart. Now, where he stood. It's interesting that when you go to the Chronicle passage again, it says he stood in the midst.
In other words, he didn't run around this field and protecting his borders. This country has a new title for immigration. It's Homeland Security and Border Protection, or the other way around, Border Protection.
And of course, those borders next to where I live are very, very much protected by aircraft or whatever to make sure there's nobody illegally entering this country. But here's a man and he's standing in the center of it, if you would.
And he's defending it. Why the center? Well, can I give it just a very simple application? Where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them. For me, divine presence is found in the midst.
Those closest to him, his power, his supply are those that can protect it. You might protect a country from its borders, but you don't protect this from its borders, brethren and sisters. It's protected by hearts that are devotedly linked to Christ.
This was protected by a heart that was undeniably and devotedly linked to David. And that's where he stood. Where do you stand today? I spoke to brethren, somebody where I had been for a while. And I said, referred to one brother, said, so how's he doing?
Brethren looked at each other. One of them said, well, he's hanging in there. Spoke to another brother, said, what's he doing? Well, hanging on. So they're hanging in there and they're hanging on. Does that sound like standing?
Does that sound like protecting much? No, no. Here was a man, not only did it take attitude and appreciation, but it took some activity. I mean, the Lord wrought the victory, but as the Corinthian passage reminds us, it was through this man that he wrought that victory.
Though the instrument we are not told, how it was done is not given to us. How big the field did not really matter to us, but it was simply that belonged to David. And that's why it is told, we are told where he stood.
When he stood, he stood when everybody else is fleeing. Isn't that the language of the Psalmist, Psalm 9? He said, why say ye unto my soul, flee ye as a bird to your mountain. In other words, out of here.
If the foundations be destroyed, what can the righteous do? That's the context that it's given in. Take off, leave it. Everybody else is leaving. What I ask you today, your closest friend told you tomorrow morning, we're leaving the assembly.
What would you do? What would you do, sister? What would you do, brother? Would you say, I'm sorry, but we have no plan of that. One of my closest friends, when he announced that to me, he said, listen, I want everything between you and I to be the same.
I said, my dear brother, I'm sorry. As much as we might try, it'll never be the same. You turn your back on what is precious to God. You have turned your back on me as well, because from the word of God, I am precious to him.
The place where his honor dwells is precious to him. Go in for it, brethren and sisters. Dear young Christian today, I thank God for every young believer here today and every older believer. All are needed.
All have to be appreciated. God give us men and women, brethren and sisters that will not only stand up, but will continue to stand. You know, when I come to the Ephesian passage, it's interesting, but there's conflict.
It's interesting to notice the ways by which the apostle Paul was strengthened in his experience. Four ways by which Paul was strengthened. First of all, he was strengthened by his company. That's Acts chapter 9.
Not too far do you get from conversions day, and you'll find the apostle there with the saints, those early believers, going in and out with them, and he says he received strength. He was strengthened by his company.
Always remember, dear child of God, older ones or younger ones today, we are either strengthened or weakened by the company that we keep. Now, I know they can be believers anywhere. But we are either strengthened or weakened by them.
He was strengthened by his company. Second, Timothy was strengthened by his convictions. Paul says the things that, remember what he writes, the things that thou hast heard of me among many witnesses, the same commit thou to faithful men that shall be able to teach others also.
Many witnesses. The convictions. But you know, there's something else that gave him great strength. Here's what he says. He says, I have learned in whatsoever state therewith to be content. I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.
It's likely one of the biggest challenges of Christian experience, or just in life itself, isn't it? To be contented. Just to be contented. That spirit of discontent. We live in a very discontented world.
We live in a world that knows nothing about contentment or satisfaction. We live in a world that is on edge and is literally out of control in every aspect. Isn't it nice to come among believers? There they are.
They're not living much. They're maybe not driving much. And they're not earning much. But they're contented. They're not worried about what somebody else is doing or where somebody else is going. But they're contented.
That's a strong believer. Now a believer could have nothing of this world's good and be a very discontented believer as well. I'm just not saying that those that don't have nothing are the only ones that are contented.
But it's a tremendous source of encouragement. But there's something else. That's why I read the Ephesians passage. Ephesians chapter 6. There's something else that strengthened us and Paul had learned it from experience.
It is conflict. Now I do not mean conflict among us as God's people. I mean a warfare that is going on outside. A world that literally has no time for us. A world that is not interested in our ways and will seek to do anything, anything it can, to derail us or take us off the path or take us from the field or take us from standing for that which is important to God.
Let me encourage you just as I conclude. May God send home from this Garneville Conference with the ministry, all the ministry that we have heard, brethren and sisters, younger and older, that are really going to assess their situation and in their closet and in the quietness of their soul, confess to God.
Yes, Lord. I have not stood like I could have. And I am not standing as I should. God help me. God strengthen your ankle bones. Where will that come from? Singing another song? That will come. The source of that has to come from this book.
And as you read this book, it will give you a deeper appreciation for the one that you're standing for and the place that you are standing in. It will come alive with value that you didn't see before.
Because obviously this man was not going to stand for something that didn't really have any value to it. He understood its value. He stood in the midst of the ground, defended it, slew the Philistines, and the Lord wrought a great victory.
Full of lentils. Listen, at thy right hand there is fullness forevermore. Remember when it comes to the things of God, there is a fullness, brethren. Our own weakness, our dryness, our emptiness is a result of our departure, of our coldness, of our being away from God.
I hope these few remarks speak to your heart like I trust they have spoken to mine. As if I don't speak from experience up here, brethren and sisters, what I'm telling you this afternoon or trying to teach or speak from this platform won't go any further than these microphones are from my mouth.
It'll just be the mouthing of words. This has to have first spoken to me. This has got to send me home realizing in a physical way, in a spiritual way, in a moral way, there's a whole field there you can go into.
But what? Having done all to stand.