Judges 8

What stood out today:  

1 Now the Ephraimites asked Gideon, "Why have you treated us like this? Why didn't you call us when you went to fight Midian?" And they criticized him sharply.

10 Now Zebah and Zalmunna were in Karkor with a force of about fifteen thousand men, all that were left of the armies of the eastern peoples; a hundred and twenty thousand swordsmen had fallen.

22 The Israelites said to Gideon, "Rule over us—you, your son and your grandson—because you have saved us out of the hand of Midian."
 23 But Gideon told them, "I will not rule over you, nor will my son rule over you. The LORD will rule over you."

27 Gideon made the gold into an ephod, which he placed in Ophrah, his town. All Israel prostituted themselves by worshiping it there, and it became a snare to Gideon and his family.

 33 No sooner had Gideon died than the Israelites again prostituted themselves to the Baals.

My Response:  God You are amazing!  You defeated 135,000 soldiers with 300 Israelites.  Gideon is amazing to lead such an army.  Also, Gideon is flesh, weak, flawed and worships a gold Ephod and leads his whole family astray.  And what a legacy, no sooner had Gideon died than the Israelites went right back to idol worship.  Jesus, we so need you as a present day saviour.  Jesus, who am I compared to Gideon?  I am nothing apart from You, just a withered branch torn from the vine.  Jesus, You alone have the words of LIFE, You alone are the Word of LIFE.

Judges 7

What stood out today: 

3… 'Anyone who trembles with fear may turn back and leave Mount Gilead.' " So twenty-two thousand men left, while ten thousand remained.

 7 The LORD said to Gideon, "With the three hundred men that lapped I will save you and give the Midianites into your hands. Let all the other men go, each to his own place."

15 When Gideon heard the dream and its interpretation, he worshiped God. He returned to the camp of Israel and called out, "Get up! The LORD has given the Midianite camp into your hands."

 22 When the three hundred trumpets sounded, the LORD caused the men throughout the camp to turn on each other with their swords. The army fled to Beth Shittah toward Zererah as far as the border of Abel Meholah near Tabbath.

My Response:  This story and so many other stories show your faithfulness and your power, Your willingness and Your ability.  Lord Jesus, You fight for and with Your people.  We are engraved in the palms of Your hands; nothing and no one can snatch us out of your hand.  I, too, worship You!

 

Judges 6

What stood out today: 

11 The angel of the LORD came and sat down under the oak in Ophrah that belonged to Joash the Abiezrite, where his son Gideon was threshing wheat in a winepress to keep it from the Midianites.

15 "But Lord," Gideon asked, "how can I save Israel? My clan is the weakest in Manasseh, and I am the least in my family."

22 When Gideon realized that it was the angel of the LORD, he exclaimed, "Ah, Sovereign LORD! I have seen the angel of the LORD face to face!" 

23 But the LORD said to him, "Peace! Do not be afraid. You are not going to die."

34 Then the Spirit of the LORD came upon Gideon, and he blew a trumpet, summoning the Abiezrites to follow him.

My Response:  Lord, You are so patient.  You engage and stick with Gideon till he gets it; till he gets You.  Jesus I love how you reveal Yourself, I so look forward to seeing you “face to face.”  To look into Your eyes, to see Your smile, to behold Your glory and beauty.  I love the parallel to the New Testament:  I am sending you, peace, I will be with you, You will not die, the Spirit will come upon you and be in you.  Jesus, You certainly are the same yesterday, today, and forever.  You are YHWH of Exodus 3:14. You are the Alpha and the Omega, the One who is, who was, and who is to come, the Almighty of Revelation 1:8.

Judges 4 & 5

What stood out today: 

4 Deborah, a prophetess, the wife of Lappidoth, was leading Israel at that time.

9 "Very well," Deborah said, "I will go with you. But because of the way you are going about this, the honor will not be yours, for the LORD will hand Sisera over to a woman." So Deborah went with Barak to Kedesh,

21 But Jael, Heber's wife, picked up a tent peg and a hammer and went quietly to him while he lay fast asleep, exhausted. She drove the peg through his temple into the ground, and he died.

5:2 "When the princes in Israel take the lead, 

       when the people willingly offer themselves—
       praise the LORD!

31 "So may all your enemies perish, O LORD!
       But may they who love you be like the sun
       when it rises in its strength."
      Then the land had peace forty years.

My response:  Lord God, this is an important passage!  The time of the Judges was a confused and dark time for Israel.  We live in a similar time.  Your church has lost relevance with the culture.  Leadership is weak, people are in chaos.  Yet you are still present and active and working through whoever You choose.  It does seem as even Deborah knows You want to work through Barak and not her, yet she is willing and braver than Barak.  I love vs 5:2;  it seems to resonate with what the leaders in the grassroots have been crying out for, “When will the princes lead?”  They want the elders/princes to lead as a team.  We all want to work together as the body of Christ.  We all want Your enemies to perish by becoming Your friends.  We all want to rise together in Your strength and shine like the Son – Lit up by Christ, Glorifying God – in all ways possible, in everyway imaginable.  Jesus, what is our redemptive potential?

Judges 3

What stood out today: 

1 These are the nations the LORD left to test all those Israelites who had not experienced any of the wars in Canaan 

2 (he did this only to teach warfare to the descendants of the Israelites who had not had previous battle experience)

 7 The Israelites did evil in the eyes of the LORD; they forgot the LORD their God and served the Baals and the Asherahs. 

8 The anger of the LORD burned against Israel so that he sold them into the hands of Cushan-Rishathaim king of Aram Naharaim, to whom the Israelites were subject for eight years. 

9 But when they cried out to the LORD, he raised up for them a deliverer, Othniel son of Kenaz, Caleb's younger brother, who saved them.

12 Once again the Israelites did evil in the eyes of the LORD, and because they did this evil the LORD gave Eglon king of Moab power over Israel. 

13 Getting the Ammonites and Amalekites to join him, Eglon came and attacked Israel, and they took possession of the City of Palms.

14 The Israelites were subject to Eglon king of Moab for eighteen years.

15 Again the Israelites cried out to the LORD, and he gave them a deliverer—Ehud, a left-handed man, the son of Gera the Benjamite. The Israelites sent him with tribute to Eglon king of Moab.

My response:  Lord God, You are so faithful and good.  You orchestrate battles that You might show Yourself strong, in fact, Almighty!  Even our enemies, even our disobedience you use for our good and Your glory.  You alone are wise in all your ways.  Lord Jesus, You are the ultimate deliverer.  I am so grateful that You are just a prayer away.  When anyone cries out - be they lost or saved - You move to rescue.  You raise up a deliverer.  You send “the Spirit of the Lord” to a leader.  When that leader steps out in your anointing we all see amazing things.  Mostly You displaying Your great power and love toward those whom You have placed Your favor.  Father God, would You give me more grace, would You fill me with Your Holy Spirit?  I am weak, I am dust, I am only a man.  You alone are my strength.  Jesus, you say “ask, seek, knock” and “how much more will your father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask Him?”  Father I am asking in Jesus’ name; fill me, anoint me.  Lord Jesus, I can do nothing apart from You…

Judges 2

What stood out today:

1 The angel of the LORD went up from Gilgal to Bokim and said, "I brought you up out of Egypt and led you into the land that I swore to give to your forefathers. I said, 'I will never break my covenant with you, 

2 and you shall not make a covenant with the people of this land, but you shall break down their altars.' Yet you have disobeyed me. Why have you done this? 

3 Now therefore I tell you that I will not drive them out before you; they will be thorns in your sides and their gods will be a snare to you." 

4 When the angel of the LORD had spoken these things to all the Israelites, the people wept aloud, 

5 and they called that place Bokim.  There they offered sacrifices to the LORD.

6 After Joshua had dismissed the Israelites, they went to take possession of the land, each to his own inheritance. 

7 The people served the LORD throughout the lifetime of Joshua and of the elders who outlived him and who had seen all the great things the LORD had done for Israel. 

8 Joshua son of Nun, the servant of the LORD, died at the age of a hundred and ten. 

10 After that whole generation had been gathered to their fathers, another generation grew up, who knew neither the LORD nor what he had done for Israel. 

11 Then the Israelites did evil in the eyes of the LORD and served the Baals. 

22 I will use them to test Israel and see whether they will keep the way of the LORD and walk in it as their forefathers did." 

23 The LORD had allowed those nations to remain; he did not drive them out at once by giving them into the hands of Joshua.

My response: God what a sad chapter.  But You are still in it.  You show up in the beginning and you are there in the end allowing the evil to be a thorn in their side and to test them.  This makes me think of Paul in 2Cor 12:7, “There was given me a thorn in my flesh a messenger of Satan, to torment me.”  It makes me think of Ed Welch talking about the alcoholic that the battle is believing a lie, a false God.  Worse, as we worship it – give it value – we are making an unholy alliance an unholy covenant.  Jesus, with your new covenant: a new heart, a new identity, a new purity, a new power; are we able to take all the land?  What is our redemptive potential?  It seems Paul could not go all the way…  In fact he was given a thorn in the flesh.  And You said, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.”  So is that it?  Are we to walk as wounded people; leaning into You, Your power, Your grace; as Jacob walked with a limp?  It certainly keeps us in a posture of “we” with the lost.  One beggar showing another beggar where to get bread.  Jesus, You are the bread of LIFE…  You are more than enough…

 

Judges 1

What stood out today:

Judges 1:1 After the death of Joshua, the Israelites asked the LORD, "Who will be the first to go up and fight for us against the Canaanites?"

2 The LORD answered, "Judah is to go; I have given the land into their hands."

28 When Israel became strong, they pressed the Canaanites into forced labor but never drove them out completely.

29 Nor did Ephraim

30 Neither did Zebulun

31 Nor did Asher

33 Neither did Naphtali…

My Response: Well God, they start out well by inquiring of You. They go and only take part of what you gave them; “but they never drove them out completely.” And the end of the chapter just echoes, clan after clan, city after city, they did not take all that you had given them. Why? Why did they not? Why do we not? “Rick, what is holding you back?” Jesus, is it that we do not believe You have given the whole land? Do we question your goodness, and hesitate to kill every person/sin? Do we get comfortable, complacent with most of the land and not work hard to get the whole thing? Jesus, You are the lion of the tribe of Judah; as You lead out first and I follow may we take the whole land. Let us rout out every sin, let’s take the whole LIFE, for Your glory!

Joshua Review

What stood out today:
1:9 Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go."
5:13 Now when Joshua was near Jericho, he looked up and saw a man standing in front of him with a drawn sword in his hand. Joshua went up to him and asked, "Are you for us or for our enemies?"
5:14 "Neither," he replied, "but as commander of the army of the LORD I have now come."
7 … So, Holy Spirit, destroy whatever is within or among me “that is devoted to destruction.” Extract and destroy all the tentacles of sin that are so deeply entrenched. In Hebrews 4:12-13 You say, “12For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. 13Nothing in all creation is hidden from God's sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give account.” Yes God! I love what You are doing!!!
10 … I want the perfect, yielded, surrendered obedient LIFE of Christ. I want Jesus and His abundant LIFE more than anything else.
15 … Lord, it seems there is much we can do with common grace – that is, out of our everyday relationship with you. There seems times when you bring us to situations where our spiritual gifting and natural talents are not enough. Then we have the choice: try harder, or pause and pray and fast and watch You. Lord, I feel like I am working too hard. I feel like I might not be resting in You enough.
16 … What areas of sin are determined to stay? What is my redemptive potential? What difficult areas are yet to be taken, like the “forested hill country?”
18 … I am moved by Your question, “How long will you wait to take hold of the Land that the Lord… Has given you?” “Rick, what are you waiting for? My life has been given for you and to you. What are you waiting for - to let Me live it through you?” Jesus, I have no answer… My answer is nothing. Whatever is holding me back is an illusion, or worse an idol, a false god, a nothing. “Rick, go watch Nooma again #20 - Shells”
* I like Rob’s slow walk, his measured pace
* “Rick, what you are doing and ask why are you doing it?”
* “Rick, what are the shells filling your hands that are keeping you from taking hold of the star fish?”
* What have you said yes to?
21: 45 Not one of all the LORD's good promises to the house of Israel failed; every one was fulfilled.
“Rick, it’s never done; its eternal. There will be a time when sin is no more. But even then its not over. That is just when the unhindered good times begin.”
22: 5 But be very careful to keep the commandment and the law that Moses the servant of the LORD gave you: to love the LORD your God, to walk in all his ways, to obey his commands, to hold fast to him and to serve him with all your heart and all your soul."
Jesus, I am so far from keeping Your commandments and laws and ways. I am struck by the central theme in Ted Tripps book Shepherding a Child’s Heart:
That we are dearly loved
That God has high expectations
That we are radically ruined, severely compromised by sin.
That Jesus came to pay the penalty, and lives that we have hope by life in Him and His life in ours.
Jesus, help me that my obedience would stand the tri-focal inspection of God. That I am not just doing the “what He says” but also the “why” and the “how;” for His Glory and by Your power. Help me to keep a posture of “we.” Help me walk with my brothers as one who is severely wounded by sin too…

My response: Lord God, so many good and precious promises and you are faithful to keep them. Thank you for all the time you have invested with me. Thank you for speaking so often and clearly. Jesus, as You help me, I will yield and surrender and walk this life out with You. So have your way. I am looking forward to the adventure. I love You Jesus, I trust You more… I will be strong and courageous and not be afraid…

Joshua 23 & 24

What stood out today:
6 "Be very strong; be careful to obey all that is written in the Book of the Law of Moses, without turning aside to the right or to the left.
10 One of you routs a thousand, because the LORD your God fights for you, just as he promised. 11 So be very careful to love the LORD your God.
24:14 "Now fear the LORD and serve him with all faithfulness. Throw away the gods your forefathers worshiped beyond the River and in Egypt, and serve the LORD.
15But if serving the LORD seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your forefathers served beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you are living. But as for me and my household, we will serve the LORD."
31 Israel served the LORD throughout the lifetime of Joshua and of the elders who outlived him and who had experienced everything the LORD had done for Israel.

My response: Jesus I hear you saying to me “Be very strong.” “Be very careful to obey everything.” “Be very careful to Love the Lord your God.” I love the question, “Choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve?” As Israel said, they would serve and love the Lord. In verse 19 Joshua said, “You are not able to serve the Lord. He is a Holy God; He is a jealous God.” It is so true we can’t: serve, obey, or love God to the level that He requires. This is a proof text for Wayne Barber’s words, “I never said you could; I always said I would.” Yes Jesus, we are witnesses against our own selves. You are the only One who can live the LIFE and You must live it through me. Jesus, as You do, may I finish strong by Your strength, for God’s glory. May it be said of me and my household; “They served the Lord throughout their lifetime and into the next generations.”

Joshua 22

What stood out today:
1 Then Joshua summoned the Reubenites, the Gadites and the half-tribe of Manasseh.
3 For a long time now—to this very day—you have not deserted your brothers but have carried out the mission the LORD your God gave you.
5 But be very careful to keep the commandment and the law that Moses the servant of the LORD gave you: to love the LORD your God, to walk in all his ways, to obey his commands, to hold fast to him and to serve him with all your heart and all your soul."
10 When they came to Geliloth near the Jordan in the land of Canaan, the Reubenites, the Gadites and the half-tribe of Manasseh built an imposing altar there by the Jordan.
34 And the Reubenites and the Gadites gave the altar this name: A Witness Between Us that the LORD is God.

My Response: Jesus, here again are a number of things that stand out. “For a long time you have carried out the mission of the Lord.” We are on mission with You. As the Father has sent You; You are sending us. And it is for a very long time, 2000 yrs… I love the reminder again to “be very careful to keep the commandment…” Jesus, I am so far from keeping Your commandments and laws, and ways. I am struck by the central Gospel theme in Ted Tripp’s book Shepherding a Childs Heart:
1) That we a dearly loved.
2) That God has high expectations.
3) That we are radically ruined, severely compromised by sin.
4) That Jesus came to pay the penalty, and lives that we have hope by life in Him and His life in ours.

Jesus, help me that my obedience would stand the tri-focal inspection of God. That I am not just doing the “what He says” but also the “why” and the “how;” for His Glory and by Your power.

And then, “the imposing altar” that the Reubenies, Gadites and half tribe of Manesseh built, and how that concerned the other 10 tribes of Israel that You would be offended. They remembered Achan’s sin and Peor, that the sin of one has consequences for the whole community. Jesus, how does this apply today, with our country, with Bucks County Furniture? “Rick, I have given you ways to deal with individuals: Micah 6:8 and Matthew 18.” Yes Jesus, the Israelites did this too, they went and talked first. Jesus, help me this week as we help Bill and John. Help me walk with my brothers as one who is severely wounded by sin too…

Joshua 21

What stood out today:
1 Now the family heads of the Levites approached Eleazar the priest, Joshua son of Nun, and the heads of the other tribal families of Israel
2 at Shiloh in Canaan and said to them, "The LORD commanded through Moses that you give us towns to live in, with pasturelands for our livestock."
3 So, as the LORD had commanded, the Israelites gave the Levites the following towns and pasturelands out of their own inheritance:
43 So the LORD gave Israel all the land he had sworn to give their forefathers, and they took possession of it and settled there.
44 The LORD gave them rest on every side, just as he had sworn to their forefathers. Not one of their enemies withstood them; the LORD handed all their enemies over to them.
45 Not one of all the LORD's good promises to the house of Israel failed; every one was fulfilled.

My Response: God why do the family heads have to ask for their portion? Yet, I am glad to see Joshua’s response. Obedience has tangible results. The Israelites gave many towns and pasture lands to the Levites. Verses 43-45 are so cool as Israel obeys, You are faithful. Twice You say, “The Lord gave… just as He had sworn.” Twice You say, “Not one.” And finally in verse 45, “Not one of all the Lord’s good promises to the house of Israel failed; everyone was fulfilled.” If only the story ended here, “and they lived happily ever after.” Father God there are many places in scripture –the high points – that I wish we could just stay there: the garden before the fall, the time between David and Solomon. Jesus, I’ll bet you did not want to come off the mount of transfiguration. God, You alone know what is best. You alone know when it’s finally done. “Rick, it’s never done - it’s eternal. There will be a time when sin is no more. But even then it’s not over. That is just when the unhindered good times begin.” Thank you, Jesus. Thank you for today. Thank you for that GOOD day when You make all things new. “Rick, till then we have work to do.”

Joshua 19 & 20

What stood out today:
19:1 The second lot came out for the tribe of Simeon, clan by clan. Their inheritance lay within the territory of Judah.
10 The third lot came up for Zebulun, clan by clan: The boundary of their inheritance went as far as Sarid.
17 The fourth lot came out for Issachar, clan by clan.
24 The fifth lot came out for the tribe of Asher, clan by clan.
40 The seventh lot came out for the tribe of Dan, clan by clan.
47 (But the Danites had difficulty taking possession of their territory, so they went up and attacked Leshem, took it, put it to the sword and occupied it.
20:1 Then the LORD said to Joshua:
2 "Tell the Israelites to designate the cities of refuge, as I instructed you through Moses,
3 so that anyone who kills a person accidentally and unintentionally may flee there and find protection from the avenger of blood.

My Response: Jesus, so much land and so many towns, such a great victory and gift to Israel. You are so faithful to your covenant promises. You alone follow through. You even set up cities of refuge. What a great pointer to You! Reminds me of Psalm 91:1, “He who dwells in the shelter of the most high will rest in the shadow of the Almighty.” I also think of Hebrews 11:6, “You reward those who earnestly seek You.”