Author: Scott Lane

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

“Then Gideon said to God, “If You will deliver Israel through me, as You have spoken,”  

Can you see the trust and faith forming?  Gideon is understanding God’s word more and more. Now, he’s beginning to apply it to his life. Gideon is connecting the dots between understanding and application. And, he’s asking the Lord to help.

What have you learned recently from God’s word?  New direction, new insight, conviction, correction, new facet of God’s character?  Now, it’s time for application.  The hardest step- Where spiritual growth culminates.  Will you ask the Lord to help?

Re:Verse passage – Judges 6:22-35 (day five)  “Then Gideon built an altar there to the Lord and named it The Lord is Peace. To this day it is still in Ophrah of the Abiezrites.”  “The Lord said to him, “Peace to you, do not fear; you shall not die.”
It was a moment that shaped Gideon’s life. An intimate and intense encounter with the Lord. Gideon recognizes the sweet presence and mighty power of the Lord (God told him to not be afraid). God speaking to him.  To him. Led to obedience and courage from Gideon.
In my Facebook feed these days the “memories” that pop up are mostly from Youth Camps and Mission Trips that I was a part of for so many years.  The memories are sweet and are reminders of the same kind of moments- in God’s presence and in awe of His power. These memories shape my hopes and prayers today. I find myself simply asking God to meet with me rather than do anything for me. If He will, courage and obedience are possible. And that’s the only reason- God’s presence- power, peace, grace, joy.
Will you pray first and foremost for an encounter and interaction with the Living God?  Day by day?  Moment by moment? That will be the source of courage and obedience.

Re:Verse passage – Judges 6:1-16 (day five). He said to Him, “O Lord, how shall I deliver Israel? Behold, my family is the least in Manasseh, and I am the youngest in my father’s house.”
Gideon’s response to the Lord at first glance seems like a bunch of excuses. I guess to some degree it is. But, if you look a little deeper, what you may sense and see is that Gideon had forgotten his identity- loved by God, rescued by God, in covenant with God, accompanied by God. So, the Lord begins to remind him of his identity- I am (will be) with you. Jesus does the same thing in the New Testament to His followers- “I will never leave you or forsake you”. When God’s promised presence helps us shape our identity, we begin to find hope, courage, potential, and joy. We must first remember who He is and the promises He has made to us.
“Do not fear, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name; you are Mine! When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; And through the rivers, they will not overflow you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be scorched, Nor will the flame burn you. For I am the Lord your God, The Holy One of Israel, your Savior;” Isaiah‬ ‭43

Re:Verse passage – Judges 4:4-23, 5:7, 24-27 (day five)

“She said, “I will surely go with you; nevertheless, the honor shall not be yours on the journey that you are about to take, for the Lord will sell Sisera into the hands of a woman.” Then Deborah arose and went with Barak to Kedesh.”

“Deborah said to Barak, “Arise! For this is the day in which the Lord has given Sisera into your hands; behold, the Lord has gone out before you.”

Is there anything that will or could happen today (trips, conversations, decisions, etc.) that the Lord has not “gone before” and will not be present with you as you experience or participate in?

Deborah’s source of joy, courage, and faithfulness is found in this truth.
For those who are anxious or uncertain about today or the future… God goes before. For those who are reluctant to follow the Lord in obedience, God goes before. For those lacking joy, courage, hope, and strength, God goes before.  And from the promise of His great accompanying love, wisdom, and sovereignty, we find confidence and conviction to walk “forward”daily, serving Him with hope and joy.

Re:Verse passage – Judges 3:11-30 (day five)  “But when the sons of Israel cried to the Lord, the Lord raised up a deliverer for them, Ehud the son of Gera, the Benjamite, a left-handed man. And the sons of Israel sent tribute by him to Eglon the king of Moab.”
I am indebted to commentator Michael Wilcock for help with understanding and explaining the Hebrew language. Verse 15 is not telling us that Ehud was a “lefty” per say.  Instead, the language is telling us that he could not use his right hand. Deformed? Paralyzed? We don’t know.  This language is telling us that most people (including Eglon) focused on his limitations.  What we do know is that Ehud was faithful/trusting and used what he had been given to serve God.  The “withered” right hand allows him access to an enemy leader. It also further demonstrates the power and purposes of God.  The Israelites must trust God in using someone they themselves saw as limited and an unexpected hero.  Sound familiar?

Isaiah 53- “For He grew up before Him like a tender shoot, And like a root out of parched ground; He has no stately form or majesty That we should look upon Him, Nor appearance that we should be attracted to Him. He was despised and forsaken of men, A man of sorrows and acquainted with grief; And like one from whom men hide their face He was despised, and we did not esteem Him.”

1 Corinthians 1- “For consider your calling, brethren, that there were not many wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble; but God has chosen the foolish things of the world to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to shame the things which are strong, and the base things of the world and the despised God has chosen, the things that are not, so that He may nullify the things that are, so that no man may boast before God.”

Re:Verse passage – Judges 2:11-20, 3:5-11 (day seven)

“All that generation 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. Then the sons of Israel did evil in the sight of the Lord and served the Baals…”

Words of warning and words of sobering truth. Words of challenge and caution (for those that have an ear to hear). FBCSA has two significant and potentially life-changing opportunities for the next generation in our church- Youth Camp and Vacation Bible School. The Lord will entrust our church with the task of evangelism and discipleship to teenagers and children. Will WE be faithful to serve, lead, share, minister, and love the next generation?  “How then will they call on Him in whom they have not believed? How will they believe in Him whom they have not heard?”
‭‭Romans‬ ‭10.

We have been given at least these two chances. Let’s pray!  Let’s volunteer! Let’s be faithful to the Lord and to the next generation!

“One generation shall praise Your works to another, And shall declare Your mighty acts.” Psalms‬ ‭145:4‬

Re:Verse passage – Judges 1:1-2, 8-13, 20 (day five). “Then Judah said to Simeon his brother, “Come up with me into the territory allotted me, that we may fight against the Canaanites; and I in turn will go with you into the territory allotted you.” So Simeon went with him.”

As we begin our study of Judges, I am reminded of several thoughts and insights from Jerry Bridges. “God wants us to walk in obedience—not victory. Obedience is oriented toward God; victory is oriented toward self.”
“It is time for us Christians to face up to our responsibility for holiness. Too often we say we are “defeated” by this or that sin. No, we are not defeated; we are simply disobedient! It might be well if we stopped using the terms “victory” and “defeat” to describe our progress in holiness. Rather we should use the terms “obedience” and “disobedience.” When I say I am defeated by some sin, I am unconsciously slipping out from under my responsibility. I am saying something outside of me has defeated me. But when I say I am disobedient, that places the responsibility for my sin squarely on me. We may, in fact, be defeated, but the reason we are defeated is because we have chosen to disobey.”

The book of Judges is about God’s desire for obedience and His rescue and redemption. A good lesson for me to continually consider- my obedience and desire to serve and follow the Lord.