Month: April 2016

Re:Verse reading–Judges 4:1-22 (day two) Then Barak said to her, “If you will go with me, then I will go; but if you will not go with me, I will not go.” vs 8

The Lord was very clear in his instructions to Barak given through Deborah, but it didn’t bring peace to Barak. He knew what he was to do, and was even guaranteed a successful outcome, but he wanted insurance. He felt if Deborah would accompany them into battle it would turn out well. She went, they succeeded, but Barak had to learn a lesson in trust.

Have you ever put conditions on the Lord? Have you clearly heard from him only to continue to demand things of him? “I’ll obey, but…” This is where our lack of true faith is made evident. God will accomplish the task that you have been called to be a part of, the only question is will you put your own conditions on him, and jeopardize your blessing?

Re:Verse reading–Judges 4:1-22 (day one) 

“She used to sit under a palm tree. . .between Ramah and Bethel. . .and the sons of Israel would came too her for judgement.”–v 5.

A judge in ancient Israel was not what we normally imagine.   No black robe.  No gavel.  No bailiff or jury.  A judge was less title, more function.  In a world without established court systems, people often turned to mediators who had a reputation for fairness and godly wisdom.  They were “judges” because they established “justice” between opposing parties.  See Exodus 18 for the weary task that judging was for Moses.

In 1195 BC, a woman of extraordinary gifts was serving in this capacity.  She was a prophetess –v 1.  And when it was necessary to establish justice between nations and not just individuals, God called Deborah.

Male or female, doesn’t matter,  speak for God and be blessed! “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons (and daughters) of God.”–Matthew 5:9.

Re:Verse reading–Judges 2:1-3, 6-22 (day seven)

“They did not listen to their judges. . .when the judge died, they would turn back”–v 17, 19.

Leaders are part of God’s equation for blessing.  They lead-we follow.  They speak-we listen, umm. . .well, not always.  Sometimes, people DO what a leader says without BECOMING like him. They cooperate with the external requirement (temporarily) but never hear or internalize the deeper message.

Hearing is the highest compliment we give a leader.  We listen to His heart and share it. It is also the highest good that a leader gives to his people. One day, Peter was busy and noisy with his words and his agenda.  The Father gave him good advice.  “This is my beloved Son, listen to Him!” Mark 9:7.

As you pray this morning, will you stop (talking) and listen to the Lord and His life?  Is there a deeper message that you have not been hearing?  He is leading.  Are you listening?

 

Re:Verse reading–Judges 2:1-3, 6-22 (day five)

Josh McDowell has a well known quote on parenting.  “Rules without relationship leads to rebellion”. Perhaps the same concept applies to passing on faith in God. Maybe the young Israelite generation just saw rules (being followed) without relationship (vibrant faith being modeled and talked about by the older generation).  Result was spiritual rebellion.  See Judges 2:17.

Let’s think about our next generation:  Do they see a genuine and dynamic faith being lived out daily (joyful obedience) in the older generation?  Does our younger generation hear us talking about our experiences with God (past and present)?  (Have our children and teens heard our testimony?  Why not share it this week?). Do our children trust God to meet their needs and be worshipped above all else by what they sense and gather from being close to us on a regular basis (parents/leaders/mentors)?

The faith of the older generation needs to be seen, heard, AND sensed. All are ingredients that give great hope in passing along faith in God.

Re:Verse reading–Judges 2:1-3, 6-22 (day four)

Israel had disobeyed the Lord.  They had not driven all the peoples from the land.  God judged their disobedience by refusing to fight their battles for them.  Israel’s disobedience would have long lasting effects.

One of the saddest commentaries though is found in verse 10.  “All that generation (Joshua and the Elders who served with him) also were gathered to their fathers; and there arose another generation after them who did not know the Lord, nor yet the work which He had done for Israel.”  What had happened to Israel?  In Deuteronomy 6:7, it says, “You shall teach them diligently to your sons and shall talk of them when you sit in your house and when you walk by the way and when you lie down and when you rise up.”  Israel had failed to teach the future generations about the Lord.

What about us?  Are we teaching our sons and our daughters about the ways of God and to know Him personally?  Do we consider “religion” to be so personal that we fail to teach the truth to those behind us?  Love the Lord and teach diligently!

Re:Verse reading–Judges 2:1-3, 6-22 (day three)

“Why have you done this?”  It’s not uncommon for people to ask questions of God.  You might have expressed that thought to God just this morning.  But sometimes God asks questions of us.  When God does so, when God puts questions to us–Where are you? Where is your brother?  What have you done?–he is clearly not seeking information out of ignorance.  That much is self-evident.  What is more important, though, is the fact that God asks questions of us at all.  When God does this, he is addressing us as beings who are responsible for our actions, and beings who are capable of changing the way we think.  When God asks a question, will you act surprised?  Will you act like you don’t know what he’s talking about?

Re:Verse reading–Judges 2:1-3, 6-22 (day two)

“‘I will never break My covenant with you, 2 and as for you, you shall make no covenant with the inhabitants of this land; you shall tear down their altars.’ But you have not obeyed Me; what is this you have done?” 2:1b-2

What happens when someone in a covenant relationship breaks fellowship? Does this end the covenant? The very nature of what a covenant is should answer that for itself, and yet we still struggle with how to deal with this in our own lives. The people of Israel willfully choose to defy the instructions of their youth, Joshua, and the judges. This grievous action requires course correction, not a call to scuttle the ship. God in his  mercy made a pact with his people, and he is faithful to see it through. We, in our brokenness, will continue to find ways, like the Israelites, to break that promise. As a result we are chastised, punished, corrected, but never abandoned.

We are not born into new life only to be given free reign to our selfish ambitions. When God corrects our course it serves only to remind us of the eternal pact he made with us. Stay focused on him, and stay to course.

 

Re:Verse reading–Judges 2:1-3, 6-22 (day one)

“Therefore I also said, ‘I will not drive them out before you, but they will become as thorns in your sides.”–v 3.

It is a familiar expression.  An idiom.  You have certainly heard and probably said it.  Commonly points to a source of frustration or irritation.

Most people forget that it comes from the Bible– a word of warning from God.

He called Israel to obey. Promised His help.  Make no covenant with this world!  Be uniquely and profoundly Mine.  Only Mine!  All Mine!  When they disobeyed, He removed His power and protection from their lives.  No longer did they have power to defeat the world, instead, the world became a source of irritation and frustration to them.

Know anyone who is currently defeated and distracted by the world?  Often it comes, just as God promised it would, to believers who have never surrendered to obey Him in all that He commands.

Re:Verse reading–Joshua 23; Joshua 24:14-15(day seven)

It surprise me.  Moses chose a successor.  Joshua didn’t.  Wonder why?

He seems to have believed that Israel would stay united and prosperous as a loose confederation of tribes.  So, after his last national address, Joshua “dismissed each to his inheritance”–24:28.

It did not go well.  So long as the elders who survived Joshua lived and provided leadership, the nation served God.  See 24:31.  When they died, however, the nation began to drift.  Badly.  Written over the book of Judges is the epitaph, “There was no King in Israel, everyone did what was right in his own eyes.”–Judges 21:25.

To flourish, nations and families and churches and schools and businesses need leadership and every leader has the responsibility to identify and equip the next people who will provide it.  “And the things you have heard from me. . .entrust to faithful men who will teach others also.”–2 Timothy 2:2.

Makes me wonder what Joshua was thinking.