The Everyday Prayer

Re:Verse reading–Judges 6:1-2, 11-28, 36-40 (day three) “If the Lord is with us, why has all this happened to us?”  Note the passive construction of the question: “Why has this happened to us?”  The phrasing reveals the way Gideon and his people thought about the world: Geopolitical turbulence and social unrest just happen, and Israel is supposed to exist as a little bubble of God’s favor in the middle of all that messiness without ever affecting it.  As Isaiah made plain centuries later, however, Israel was to light the whole world so that God’s salvation would reach the ends of the earth.  Right now, though, they couldn’t even light their own nation.  With the rest of the world going to hell, can’t a nation get a little peace and quiet?  Gideon’s answer lay within his own question.  He eventually recognized that.  Will we?

Re:Verse reading–Judges 6:1-2, 11-28, 36-40 (day two)

 And it was so. When he arose early the next morning and squeezed the fleece, he drained the dew from the fleece, a bowl full of water. 6:38

Gideon wanted to be sure. God was very patient. It began with the first encounter (6:17) Gideon said “show me a sign”, and the Lord swallowed up the offering in flame. Then just to be sure he was hearing correctly Gideon asked for another sign. This time it was the dew on the fleece. God appeased the request. Then, just to be sure, Gideon made another request, this time for dew on the ground and not the fleece. God again made his power clearly known. Gideon trusted. Gideon obeyed.

At some point our bluff will be called. Have you come to the point where God has demonstrated himself through his Word, his people, or in some other way? God is patient, but at some point Gideon had to stop asking for signs and start trusting. Is it time for you to start trusting again?

Re:Verse reading–Judges 6:1-2, 11-28, 36-40 (day one) 

“The angel of the Lord . . .said, ‘The Lord is with you, O valiant warrior‘ “–v 12

There are surprises ahead for people who know God.  Many. Follow God and you will certainly make these discoveries for yourself.

Discovery 1–He knows me.  Knows who I am.  My family.  My history.  My situation.

Discovery 2–He loves me.  Largest mystery of all.  See # 1.

Discovery 3–He has a new name for me.  Knows me by my true name, my God-given identity.

Remember Simon?  Jesus meets him and says, “You are Simon the son of John, you shall be called Peter (rock)”–John 1:42.

Remember the Revelation promise?  “I will give him a white stone, a new name written on it.”–Revelation 2:17.

This week we read the story of Gideon.  Surprise!  The angel doesn’t call him Gideon. He calls him “Valiant warrior” v 13.

Wow!  I wonder what God’s name for me is.  I wonder what His name for you is.

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

“Deborah said to Barak, ‘Arise! for. . .the Lord has gone out before you.’ “–v 14.

REST is part of God’s economy.  “Be still and know that I am God”–Psalm 46:10. ACTIVITY is also part.

“Get up!” said Deborah to Barak on that history-shaping day.  “Rest is not what you need. Not now.  Get up! God is moving, you should too!”

Mirrors her personal experience.  In Chapter 5, Deborah says that things were bad in Israel, “Until I, Deborah arose, until I arose, a mother in Israel.”–v 7. History proves this point.  Nothing gets better until someone, in surrendered cooperation with God, stands up to do something about it.

As a Pastor and Leader, one thing I often hear from the Spirit is “Get up, Don!  There are tasks to do, people to reach and truths to speak.”

Couch-sitting, ease-seeking, responsibility-dodging believers never change the world.  We have been “created in Christ Jesus for good works”–Ephesians 2:10.

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

Ask any high school football player in Texas what the worst part of playing football is and he will probably say two-a-days in August.  Killers!  You’ve laid off all summer…you kept intending to work out…your high calorie diet has added a few extra pounds.  “Next year I’ll do better.”  Two-a-days are designed to prepare you for the season…many of your games will be won depending on the advance preparation you have done.

For Israel, God promised to go before them in battle.  All they had to do was be obedient to Him.  Verse 14 says, “…behold, the Lord has gone out before you.”  What a promise to have God go before you.  Don’t you want God’s spokesperson to declare to you that God has gone before you in battle?

For us, our preparation for battle is prayer.  We must bath everything we do in prayer or it is useless in God’s Kingdom work.  We can face insurmountable odds if only God has gone before us!

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

“On that day God subdued Jabin, the Canaanite king, before the Israelites.”  For such an unfaithful nation, the Israelites certainly occupied a place of favor with God.  But that is precisely the point.  God doesn’t wait until people love him first; he doesn’t look for people to become good enough to warrant his help.  God loves first.  God helps first.  And as we can plainly see, God does all this for people who don’t deserve it.  This is profoundly irritating to us.  Shouldn’t people have to meet a minimum standard to merit God’s attention?  If we can ask that question with a straight face, should people be thankful that neither you nor I are God?

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?