Worth Repeating - April 27, 2017

Judges 7: 13-15 Gideon arrived just as a man was telling . . . about his dream. . . . “A round loaf of barley bread came tumbling into the Midianite camp. It struck the tent with such force that . . . [it] overturned and collapsed.” His friend responded, “This can be nothing other than the sword of Gideon. . . . God has given the Midianites . . . into his hands.”  When Gideon heard the dream and its interpretation, he . . . returned to the camp and called out, “Get up! The Lord has given the Midianite camp into your hands.” (NIV)

True leadership relies on God’s attributes, not one’s own.*

All day, God has been working with Gideon to build the perfect army for defeating the Midianites. He accomplished this by reducing the number of Israelite soldiers from 32,000 to 300. This was probably not what Gideon expected, but God continued to assure him that he knows what he is doing. Finally, that night, God tells him (in so many words), “Okay. If you don’t believe me, then go down to the camp and hear what they are saying.” Gideon, while still in doubt, has been obedient so far, so he makes his way down to the camp and overhears the conversation recorded in the verses above. After all God’s assurances and personal attention, why does Gideon not believe in his victory until he overhears the guy telling about his dream? Who are these men and why would Gideon accept the one’s interpretation of the dream?

Take a look at Gideon as he went about his day, doing what God told him to do. Can we guess at Gideon’s attitude? Have you ever gone through the motions when your heart wasn’t in it? Could it be better to submit with a heart full of resentment than not to submit at all? But wouldn’t it be far better to submit as cheerfully and sincerely as we possibly can?*

Now let’s observe God’s day. He spent it arranging things so that 1) Gideon’s army would win; and 2) there would be no doubt that the victory came from him, not from the army’s strength. Throughout the day, he provided assurance that the Midianites are losers. This is our mighty God in action:  arranging affairs for our good (Romans 8: 28); assuring us that his power is at our disposal (Luke 10: 19); remaining patient in the face of our obstinacy (I Timothy 1: 16); and doing whatever it takes to make us finally realize what he’s been telling us – whether gently in Gideon’s case or not so gently as was often the case with the Israelites (and with us).

When we doubt that God is on our side, we need to remember Gideon. We need to “Get up!” and go into battle, knowing that it’s not about what we can do!

We are not sent to battle for God, but to be used by God in His battlings.*

Worth Repeating - April 26, 2017

Exodus 23: 27 “I will make all your enemies turn their backs and run.” (NIV)

We have a unique weapon of immense power the world cannot match.*

The promise in this verse was made specifically to Israel, but it is a promise we can claim as well. If you go back and read verse 22, you will see that it is not an open-ended promise: “‘If you listen carefully to what he [Moses] says and do all that I say . . .’” The promise was conditional; they had obligations to meet before they could claim it.

What are our obligations today? As Christians, it may seem that we have a long “to-do” list, as well as a longer “to-don’t” list, but it all boils down to Jesus’ two-item list: 1) love God; 2) love your neighbor (Matthew 22: 37). If you can build your life around the two greatest commandments, you won’t need a check-list to keep you on track with meeting your obligations.

I’m not aware of any earthly enemies in my life, but Satan is my spiritual enemy and he will stop at nothing to steal my soul. He will use my friends and people who wish me well; he will use the good things in my life to try and trip me up. But human enemy or spiritual enemy, no one is more powerful than God. Check your “to-do” list and watch your enemies turn their backs and run!

Jesus’ experience demonstrates that Satan can be defeated.*

Worth Repeating - April 25, 2017

I Samuel 16: 7 The Lord does not look at the things man looks at. Man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart. (NIV)

[God] sees our defects, errors, and blemishes. But he also sees our value.*

We tend to be shallow and make judgments about people based on what we see, but a person’s value is not determined by his or her outward appearance. Getting to know a person helps us change our views as we get past the exterior and get to know them “by heart.” We may forget our original assessment and see the person’s beauty as we learn to love her.

While we should not make judgments based on appearance, all we can see is what is on the outside. As a person who wants to bring glory to God, my outward appearance should say something about what’s inside me. If you can’t judge a book by its cover, why do publishers and authors hire artists to design their book covers? If you’re looking for a good adventure story, you don’t pick up a volume that is decorated with kittens and flowers, do you? A romance novel isn’t usually graced with pictures of machine guns. As God’s children, we have an obligation to present ourselves as a book that others would want to open and read. The book and its cover should present the same message.

It is a dangerous tendency to think that we have the ability to know what is in another person’s heart. Only God can look at the heart of each of us and see the beauty or the ugliness dwelling there. 

Scars on the outside simply kept score; it was the scars on the inside one had to watch out for.*

Worth Repeating - April 24, 2017

Exodus 23: 25 Worship the Lord your God, and his blessing will be on your food and water. (NIV)

The things that make God dear to us are not so much His great big blessings as the tiny things, because they show His amazing intimacy with us; He knows every detail of our individual lives.*

In Bible college we learned about God’s specifications for building and decorating the tabernacle. I thought it was a waste of time to study the colors, dimensions and materials used in the house of worship (and I was especially unenthusiastic when we had to draw a poster of the whole project). Did you know that God ordered intricate decorations for the tops of the pillars in the temple where only he could fully appreciate the workmanship?* He is the same God who told each tribe in the wilderness exactly where to camp and exactly what items to carry.* 

By the time my poster project was completed, I came to appreciate that we worship a God who cares about details. It is no small thing that the Creator of the universe is interested in the small things. What could be more basic than our food and water? How can we think that our God doesn’t care about us when he has promised, not just to provide food and water, but to bless them?

A continual awareness of God’s presence in the midst of our daily activities can keep our thoughts and actions habitually righteous.*

Worth Repeating - April 23, 2017

Psalm 86: 7 In the day of my trouble I will call to you, for you will answer me.

Psalm 116: 2 Because he turned his ear to me, I will call on him as long as I live. (NIV)

Shall God incline his ear, and stand listening to hear, and shall I hold my peace that he may have nothing to hear?*

Have you ever talked to someone who wasn’t listening? He pretended to be listening but you knew he wasn’t? How about someone who was half-listening - she heard what you said but she was reading or watching TV at the same time? When you find someone who is a good listener, don’t you enjoy talking to her?

God doesn’t just listen. He turns to listen. He doesn’t want to miss a word I say so he leans in closer in order to take in every word. He is in an attitude of listening before I start talking!

God will continue to listen to us no matter how often we come to him. We can’t wear out our welcome; there is no limit to how often we can approach him. The psalmist says he’s going to call on God for as long as he lives! C. H. Spurgeon says that we wouldn’t be happy if we helped a beggar and then that beggar turned around and hounded us, “yet doubtless it is acceptable to God that his petitioners should form the resolution to continue in prayer: this shows the greatness of his goodness, and the abundance of his patience.”*

Approach the throne of God often. Stay as long as you like. Bring your friends and your family, too.

It is always wise to go where we are welcome and are well treated.*

Worth Repeating - April 22, 2017

Luke 14: 27 “And anyone who does not carry his cross and follow me cannot be my disciple.” (NIV)

There are no uncrucified disciples.*

“I guess it’s just my cross to bear.” How often do we hear that expression? Do you ever hear it and think that somebody is exaggerating the weight of their load? In response to this sentiment, Oswald Chambers writes: “We are apt to imagine that the cross we have to carry means the ordinary troubles and trials of life, but we must have those whether we are Christians or not. Neither is our cross suffering for conscience’s sake. Our cross is something that comes only with the peculiar relationship of a disciple to Jesus Christ; it is the evidence that we have denied our right to ourselves.”*

What did Mr. Chambers mean? He is declaring that our daily burdens – however heavy they may be – are not our cross. Our cross is not even the sacrifices we make in order to live a Christian life. When we submit to carrying our cross, it is a private matter between us and the Lord. What we see that looks like cross-bearing is only an outward indication that we are carrying a cross. When I deny my right to myself, there might be some external, visible signs of the change in me, but only God knows the rebellions that my heart clings to, the idols of self that stand between me and him.

Some of Jesus’ disciples are called to more sacrifice and suffering than others, but all of us are called to give up ourselves. When you let go of yourself, your cross is not your burden but your honor as you shoulder it on the path behind Jesus and his cross.

If you will give God your right to yourself, He will make a holy experiment out of you. God’s experiments always succeed.*

Worth Repeating - April 21, 2017

I Samuel 14: 52 All the days of Saul there was bitter war with the Philistines, and whenever Saul saw a mighty or brave man, he took him into his service. (NIV)

No combination of natural abilities can compensate for a lack of personal holiness in the leader’s life.*

Being the boss has its good points but it can also be very frustrating. I remember saying (often) that if I could do it all by myself, I would. But I couldn’t. So I tried to surround myself with talented and trustworthy people who could do what I couldn’t do myself. Saul seemed to understand that a good leader needs good followers. He was looking ahead and preparing for the days that he would need a strong army.

Saul may have displayed some good leadership skills but as time went on his actions began to reveal his character flaws. Follow his career from I Samuel chapter 9, when Samuel anointed the new king; to chapter 16 where verse 14 tells us that the Spirit of the Lord had left him; to his suicide in chapter 31. You will see examples of his disobedience, his misuse of power, his lies and his jealousy.

The Kingdom of God needs dynamic leaders; we should use caution, however, in putting our faith in another human. Leadership skills can be accompanied by destructive characteristics such as arrogance, abuse of power and narcissism. It is good to have someone wiser, stronger and more charismatic to look up to in our Christian walk, but be careful about joining his army. Read the training manual for the Lord’s army. Only follow leaders who follow Jesus Christ. 

Humans are the only species that follows unstable pack leaders.*