Judges 19
1 Now in those days Israel had no king.
We can’t say in America today that we have no “king.” We have lots of them, all clamoring for our attention and devotion. We have entertainment kings, sports kings, pop culture kings, even political kings. As followers of Christ we should have only one King. If Jesus is not the King, then how can you call yourself a Christian? If you are not doing your level best to follow Jesus every day, then how can you be considered a Christ-follower? The obvious answer is, of course, you can’t.
Monday, April 6, 2009
Sunday, April 5, 2009
Pagan Women Will Do It Every Time
Judges 16
15 Then Delilah pouted, “How can you tell me, ‘I love you,’ when you don’t share your secrets with me? You’ve made fun of me three times now, and you still haven’t told me what makes you so strong!” 16 She tormented him with her nagging day after day until he was sick to death of it.
Samson had it all. Strength, fame, God’s blessing. He threw it all away by giving in to his weakness for women. Especially, pagan women. First, it was a Philistine woman whom he was to marry, then he slept with a prostitute. Now, he has set the snare for his own fall by “falling in love with” Delilah, who obviously wanted only one thing: fame and honor for bringing down the Mighty Samson. I used to feel sorry for Samson, but I have long gotten over that. He got what he deserved. Sounds cold, doesn’t it? Well, consider this: Samson did what he was supposed to and God got the glory. Even when Samson turned his back on God by getting entangled with pagan women, God used those situations for His glory. I am no less a scoundrel than Samson. Oh, I am not nearly as strong physically, and I am not entangled with pagan women, but I have a tendency to turn my back on God and do my own thing way too much. God has a tendency to use my foolishness for His glory anyway. I am just trying to make fewer mistakes along the way, and to align my will with God’s on a more consistent basis. Life is much better that way, even in the midst of trials, because Jesus is with me!
15 Then Delilah pouted, “How can you tell me, ‘I love you,’ when you don’t share your secrets with me? You’ve made fun of me three times now, and you still haven’t told me what makes you so strong!” 16 She tormented him with her nagging day after day until he was sick to death of it.
Samson had it all. Strength, fame, God’s blessing. He threw it all away by giving in to his weakness for women. Especially, pagan women. First, it was a Philistine woman whom he was to marry, then he slept with a prostitute. Now, he has set the snare for his own fall by “falling in love with” Delilah, who obviously wanted only one thing: fame and honor for bringing down the Mighty Samson. I used to feel sorry for Samson, but I have long gotten over that. He got what he deserved. Sounds cold, doesn’t it? Well, consider this: Samson did what he was supposed to and God got the glory. Even when Samson turned his back on God by getting entangled with pagan women, God used those situations for His glory. I am no less a scoundrel than Samson. Oh, I am not nearly as strong physically, and I am not entangled with pagan women, but I have a tendency to turn my back on God and do my own thing way too much. God has a tendency to use my foolishness for His glory anyway. I am just trying to make fewer mistakes along the way, and to align my will with God’s on a more consistent basis. Life is much better that way, even in the midst of trials, because Jesus is with me!
Saturday, April 4, 2009
Again
Judges 13
1 Again the Israelites did evil in the LORD’s sight, so the LORD handed them over to the Philistines, who oppressed them for forty years.
“Again.” Sigh. Yeah, this is truly a depressing section of Scripture to read. But it is important for me to remember that the consequences of disobedience are absolute. Why do we think that our “little sins” don’t matter? Why do we rationalize? Does it really make us feel better? Maybe temporarily, but judgment is coming; and the consequences for sin are coming. We need to abandon this futile way of thinking and living, and cling to our Courageous Hero Jesus. Gonna hear about Him in tomorrow’s sermon at VCC. I need a Hero to see me through the tough times ahead. I need Jesus. Praise God that Jesus is here!
1 Again the Israelites did evil in the LORD’s sight, so the LORD handed them over to the Philistines, who oppressed them for forty years.
“Again.” Sigh. Yeah, this is truly a depressing section of Scripture to read. But it is important for me to remember that the consequences of disobedience are absolute. Why do we think that our “little sins” don’t matter? Why do we rationalize? Does it really make us feel better? Maybe temporarily, but judgment is coming; and the consequences for sin are coming. We need to abandon this futile way of thinking and living, and cling to our Courageous Hero Jesus. Gonna hear about Him in tomorrow’s sermon at VCC. I need a Hero to see me through the tough times ahead. I need Jesus. Praise God that Jesus is here!
Friday, April 3, 2009
History Repeating Itself
Judges 10
6 Again the Israelites did evil in the LORD’s sight. They served the images of Baal and Ashtoreth, and the gods of Aram, Sidon, Moab, Ammon, and Philistia. They abandoned the LORD and no longer served him at all. 7 So the LORD burned with anger against Israel…
This pattern is depressing. Not just because it is ancient history, but because it is repeated by those who claim to love God to this day. The President of the United States of America has proclaimed that we are not a Christian Nation, but rather a Post-Christian Nation. It is the ONLY thing about which I have ever agreed with Barack Hussein Obama. I don’t share his radical, socialist views, nor do I think that Islam played a role in shaping this country until after Sept. 11, 2001, but I do agree that like the children of Israel in the book of Judges, Christians in America continue to do evil in the LORD’s sight (we elected a socialist, who thinks that killing babies born alive, but scheduled to be aborted is okay, now, didn’t we?). Why would we expect anything less than the anger of the LORD burning against us? I am not a prophet, nor do I claim to be one, but it is easy to see from the lessons of history that when God’s people turn their backs on Him, bad things happen. I’m afraid that bad things are very much on the way here.
6 Again the Israelites did evil in the LORD’s sight. They served the images of Baal and Ashtoreth, and the gods of Aram, Sidon, Moab, Ammon, and Philistia. They abandoned the LORD and no longer served him at all. 7 So the LORD burned with anger against Israel…
This pattern is depressing. Not just because it is ancient history, but because it is repeated by those who claim to love God to this day. The President of the United States of America has proclaimed that we are not a Christian Nation, but rather a Post-Christian Nation. It is the ONLY thing about which I have ever agreed with Barack Hussein Obama. I don’t share his radical, socialist views, nor do I think that Islam played a role in shaping this country until after Sept. 11, 2001, but I do agree that like the children of Israel in the book of Judges, Christians in America continue to do evil in the LORD’s sight (we elected a socialist, who thinks that killing babies born alive, but scheduled to be aborted is okay, now, didn’t we?). Why would we expect anything less than the anger of the LORD burning against us? I am not a prophet, nor do I claim to be one, but it is easy to see from the lessons of history that when God’s people turn their backs on Him, bad things happen. I’m afraid that bad things are very much on the way here.
Thursday, April 2, 2009
To God Be The Glory
Judges 7
2 The LORD said to Gideon, “You have too many warriors with you. If I let all of you fight the Midianites, the Israelites will boast to me that they saved themselves by their own strength. 3 Therefore, tell the people, ‘Whoever is timid or afraid may leave this mountain and go home.’” So 22,000 of them went home, leaving only 10,000 who were willing to fight.
4 But the LORD told Gideon, “There are still too many! Bring them down to the spring, and I will test them to determine who will go with you and who will not.” 5 When Gideon took his warriors down to the water, the LORD told him, “Divide the men into two groups. In one group put all those who cup water in their hands and lap it up with their tongues like dogs. In the other group put all those who kneel down and drink with their mouths in the stream.” 6 Only 300 of the men drank from their hands. All the others got down on their knees and drank with their mouths in the stream.
7 The LORD told Gideon, “With these 300 men I will rescue you and give you victory over the Midianites. Send all the others home.” 8 So Gideon collected the provisions and rams’ horns of the other warriors and sent them home. But he kept the 300 men with him.
Not by my strength, dear Lord, but by YOUR Mighty Power, will the victory be won. Father, You know the battles in which I am in the midst of fighting these days, and I pray for Your Victory to be secured, and for Your Name to receive the glory, honor and praise that You alone deserve! I will praise You in the midst of these battles for myself spiritually, for my family, and for Your Kingdom. Lord, please do not allow the focus to be on me ever, but on You always! In Jesus’ Name I pray. Amen.
2 The LORD said to Gideon, “You have too many warriors with you. If I let all of you fight the Midianites, the Israelites will boast to me that they saved themselves by their own strength. 3 Therefore, tell the people, ‘Whoever is timid or afraid may leave this mountain and go home.’” So 22,000 of them went home, leaving only 10,000 who were willing to fight.
4 But the LORD told Gideon, “There are still too many! Bring them down to the spring, and I will test them to determine who will go with you and who will not.” 5 When Gideon took his warriors down to the water, the LORD told him, “Divide the men into two groups. In one group put all those who cup water in their hands and lap it up with their tongues like dogs. In the other group put all those who kneel down and drink with their mouths in the stream.” 6 Only 300 of the men drank from their hands. All the others got down on their knees and drank with their mouths in the stream.
7 The LORD told Gideon, “With these 300 men I will rescue you and give you victory over the Midianites. Send all the others home.” 8 So Gideon collected the provisions and rams’ horns of the other warriors and sent them home. But he kept the 300 men with him.
Not by my strength, dear Lord, but by YOUR Mighty Power, will the victory be won. Father, You know the battles in which I am in the midst of fighting these days, and I pray for Your Victory to be secured, and for Your Name to receive the glory, honor and praise that You alone deserve! I will praise You in the midst of these battles for myself spiritually, for my family, and for Your Kingdom. Lord, please do not allow the focus to be on me ever, but on You always! In Jesus’ Name I pray. Amen.
Wednesday, April 1, 2009
We lost that lovin' feeling (Holy Fear)
Judges 6
22 When Gideon realized that it was the angel of the LORD, he cried out, “Oh, Sovereign LORD, I’m doomed! I have seen the angel of the LORD face to face!”
Whenever someone in Scripture realizes that they are talking with an angel of the LORD face-to-face, their immediate reaction is terror. They realize that they are in the physical presence of someone so holy that by all rights, they should die right on the spot. Why is it that we who live under the New Covenant seem to have lost our “holy fear” of the Lord? Is it because we sing “What A Friend We Have In Jesus” and forget that God is first and foremost HOLY? Is it because we have such direct access to the Creator of heaven and earth through prayer? Is it because we don’t have those literal face-to-face encounters any more? Could be any or a combination of all of these factors. It could be because we just don’t take God as seriously as the folks about whom we read in the Bible. By the time of the Judges, the children of Israel had already established the pattern of “forgetting God,” getting enslaved by surrounding peoples, “remembering God,” and getting rescued. Sadly, I believe the Church in the United States of America has been in the “forgetting God” state for several decades now. We haven’t even truly gotten to the crying out to God stage yet. Sigh.
22 When Gideon realized that it was the angel of the LORD, he cried out, “Oh, Sovereign LORD, I’m doomed! I have seen the angel of the LORD face to face!”
Whenever someone in Scripture realizes that they are talking with an angel of the LORD face-to-face, their immediate reaction is terror. They realize that they are in the physical presence of someone so holy that by all rights, they should die right on the spot. Why is it that we who live under the New Covenant seem to have lost our “holy fear” of the Lord? Is it because we sing “What A Friend We Have In Jesus” and forget that God is first and foremost HOLY? Is it because we have such direct access to the Creator of heaven and earth through prayer? Is it because we don’t have those literal face-to-face encounters any more? Could be any or a combination of all of these factors. It could be because we just don’t take God as seriously as the folks about whom we read in the Bible. By the time of the Judges, the children of Israel had already established the pattern of “forgetting God,” getting enslaved by surrounding peoples, “remembering God,” and getting rescued. Sadly, I believe the Church in the United States of America has been in the “forgetting God” state for several decades now. We haven’t even truly gotten to the crying out to God stage yet. Sigh.
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