Trail of Destruction

Re:Verse passage – James 1:13-18 (day seven)

Then desire when it has conceived gives birth to sin, and sin when it is fully grown brings forth death. vs 15 (ESV)

Desire is a snowflake. Seemingly innocent and charming, dancing in the wind as it makes its decent from the clouds. It lands harmlessly on top of a mountain, finding a home amongst other snowflakes of desire. As these snowflakes pile up, it is evident that the mountain can no longer contain the energy of this mass. It begins to roll slowly down the mountain. As it rolls down the mountain, it picks up more snowflakes and in turn gains steam. Faster, faster the mass is growing. It is now out of control barreling its way down the mountain leaving a trail of destruction in its wake…

Desire and sin left unchecked in our hearts can lead to this type of disaster. When we let it pile up, we risk it leaving a trail of destruction not only in our own lives, but in the lives of those around us.

What is Our Reward?

Re:Verse passage – James 1:1-12 (day seven)

Blessed is a man who perseveres under trial; for once he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life which the Lord has promised to those who love Him. vs 12

As a junior in high school sitting in my Sunday School class at FBC Lubbock, broken leg from a football injury, broken hearted from a recent breakup, I gaze past the teacher to to see a poster on a wall with James 1:12 written across it. In my juvenile frame of mind I come to the conclusion in that moment that this is the pinnacle of trials. This had to be what James was talking about. Broken hearts and broken legs. If I can just persevere through this trial, the Lord will reward me. I will be back on that football field and will have a new girlfriend! So I claimed James 1:12 as MY verse.

I tell this true story for several reasons. One, now that I work with teenagers, I find great humor in my narrow mindset, but even in adults, we can still become preoccupied in the moment of our own struggles to not see the struggles of those around us. Two, we often believe that our reward for enduring trials is going to be provided to us in terms of earthly success, but the “crown of life” is not a king’s crown. Rather, it is peace and assurance knowing that we are children of the King and our reward is beyond this world.

Came and Stood and Called

Re:Verse passage – Judges 2–8; 1 Samuel 3:1-11 (day seven) 

Then the Lord came and stood and called as at other times. vs 10

I love how this one short sentence shows us an in depth look into the nature of God. Look at this combination of action verbs: He came and stood and called. God is personal. He wants to be active and present in our lives. Look also at the modifier: as at other times. God is patient and persistent. Though Samuel didn’t get it the first few times, God didn’t give up on Him. He kept on coming and standing and calling. He was waiting for Samuel to hear and respond back to Him.

Do you think God is doing this for us? Do you think He is coming and standing and calling out to us? Is it possible that in the busyness of our lives we are mistaking His voice for that of the people and things we serve in the moment? God is personal, patient, and persistent. He hasn’t given up on you, He is just waiting for you to respond!

Narrative

Re:Verse passage – Judges 8:18-34 (day seven)

His concubine who was in Shechem also bore him a son, and he named him Abimelech. vs 31

The Bible is Divinely inspired and written over thousands of years. Throughout that time, various authors use many different genres to communicate God’s Word. Judges falls into the category of historical narrative. What is the point of a narrative? To tell the story. There is no fluff, no frills, no beating around the bush. It is “straight to the facts.” In narrative we don’t get to hear the author tell us point blank, “Gideon made some poor choices.” That wasn’t his point. He was just stating the facts. However, if we catch the context clues, we can see that the author is foreshadowing the consequences that come from Gideon’s poor choices. The son of a concubine, Abimelech, is going to be a thorn in this family tree. Sometimes it may seem like the Bible doesn’t condemn our heroes for their sinful behavior, but the narrative is just showing us the facts. It’s our job to interpret the facts in context of what else we know to be true about God. Isn’t the Bible cool?

No I in Team

Re:Verse passage – Judges 7:23-24, 8:1-9 (day seven)

“When I return safely, I will tear down this tower.” Judges 8:9

Pride goes before destruction… Proverbs 16:18

If you have ever played some sort of organized sport, you have probably heard a coach say, “There is no I in team.” Why is this phrase so popular in athletic circles? Tell me, do you think kids who are playing basketball in their driveway are imagining themselves sitting on the bench while someone else shoots the game winning shot? No, they are imagining being the one who hits the buzzer beater and being carried off on their teammates shoulders!

It is human (sinful) nature to want to be in the limelight (pride). Especially once you have gotten a taste of success, you begin to crave it! Coaches fight this attitude in their players, because self centered play in sports can destroy a team. Similarly, self centered leadership can destroy an organization. Gideon has tasted success, but he is beginning to let that success change his leadership.

Your Battle

Re:Verse passage – Judges 7:12-22 (day seven)  

“Each stood in his place around the camp; and all the army ran, crying out as they fled.” vs 21

Imagine yourself as one of the soldiers in Gideon’s army. Imagine the confusion as you watch 32,000 fellow soldiers dwindle to 10,000 then again to 300. Imagine the feeling in the pit of your stomach as you marched up on a camp of 100,000+ with only a jar of clay, a trumpet, and a torch. Imagine the relief as you watch your battle be fought for you right before your eyes.

How many of you didn’t have to imagine this? How many of you have lived it? You found yourself asking “God what are you doing?! I don’t see your plan!” Then you begin to fret because you feel ill prepared for the task at hand, only to be relived when you see God had already fought your battle for you.

“The Lord will fight for you while you keep silent.” Exodus 14:14

“Cease striving and know that I am God.” Psalm 46:10

Love > Fear

Re:Verse passage – Judges 7:1-11 (day seven)

Now therefore come, proclaim in the hearing of the people, saying, ‘Whoever is afraid and trembling, let him return and depart from Mount Gilead.’” So 22,000 people returned, but 10,000 remained. – Judges 7:3

This was actually Law. Deuteronomy 20:8 ordered the officers to give permission for men to leave the battlefield if they were afraid “so that he might not make his brothers’ hearts melt like his heart.” Not only was God dwindling the army so that He may be glorified, but He was strengthening the mental health of this group. God knew that fear can become toxic. The spiritual enemy uses fear as a weapon to derail the plans that God puts on our heart. By making the group smaller, God purged the camp of toxicity so that the group that was left would trust Him and obey with confidence. 1 John 4:18, “There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear.” 

Patience

Re:Verse passage – Judges 6:36-40 (day seven)

My initial reaction to this passage is to ridicule Gideon. How could he doubt God after everything God has already done? He has already asked God prove Himself by  performing a miracle (17-22) then Gideon asks for another miracle, not once, but twice! Isn’t this the type of mentality that Jesus  addressed in the Pharisees? “An evil and adulterous generation seeks after a sign; and a sign will not be given it, except the sign of Jonah.” Matthew 16:4

Then my wife said to me, “Isn’t it cool how patient God is with Gideon?!”

I realized in that moment that I am Gideon. I may not demand signs, but time and time again I act as if God hasn’t miraculously provided for me. I continually doubt His plan and try to do it my own way. God is patient with me and waits for me to see His plan. Because of that patience I get to experience His love in a whole new way.

Get to Work

Re:Verse passage – Judges 6:22-35 (day seven)

Last week we saw Gideon questioning the existence of the Lord (vs 13). How does God respond? He uses Gideon to disprove the existence of other gods (vs 31).  Gideon asks for God to work. God puts Gideon to work.

Gideon was also complaining about being the low man on the totem pole (vs 15). How does God respond? He puts Gideon in charge of thousands of warriors (vs 34-35). Gideon complains. God give Gideon responsibility.

Gideon then asked God to prove that this was all real (vs 17). How does God respond? The Spirit of God rests on Gideon (34). Gideon asks God for sign. God makes Gideon the sign for others.

Be careful what you ask for. God has a knack for putting the solution to our problems back on our plate. How will you respond? Will you continue to complain, or will you take responsibility, get to work, and let God shine through you?

Bad Things and Good People

Re:Verse passage – Judges 6:1-16 (day seven)

Why do bad things happen to good people? I would expect that everyone has pondered on this question in their faith journey. Why would God allow for wicked to prevail while the good people continually end up in bad circumstances? Why does the mother of three get cancer? Why did that drunk driver live while the teenager he hit is now in a coma? Why did the man who had been loyal to the company for 20 years get laid off? They were Christians. They prayed. They went to church. They all echo Gideon in verse 13, “O my lord, if the Lord is with us, why then has all this happened to us?”

Bad things are a product of the brokenness of this world. Not that any one person deserves a harsher life on this earth due to their sin, but because of humanity’s sin, this earth will never function as it was intended. Bad things happen to non-christians too. Where Christian’s hold the advantage is that we know the best is yet to come…

For momentary, light affliction is producing for us an eternal weight of glory far beyond all comparison. 2 Cor 4:17