Wednesday, November 26, 2008

Wednesday's Devo - What's in my Eye?

Read Judges 21
This chapter is a story of redemption. God restoring after war and devastation. All Israel has promised not to give their daughters to a Benjamite to marry. Those who fight are mourning the loss of their brother Benjamin. They must have felt like I do when I hear another preacher has lost his church because of an affair, or another Christian marriage has broken up, or another Christian has decided to go after the things of the world. But, read verse 6. They repented
for Benjamin their brother. How sweet is that? Then they tried to find a solution for them to carry on their inheritance which would mean they would need women to marry. The other tribes had sworn they would not let any of their women marry Benjamites. This was a problem since most of their women had been killed in battle.
But before tending to that, they got rid of the sin in the camp. There was one group that didn't come out to fight. They sent 12,000 men to wipe out all except for the young virgins. The line of Jabesh-gilead was now stopped. "Jabesh-gilead" means a dried testimony. That just about explains what happened to their testimony - it dried up. If we don't fight for something we will have lived in vain.
Next they went to the Rock of Rimmon where some of the Benjamites had fled. I quess that was like running to the altar and holding on the horns for mercy. They gave these men the young virgins they had gotten in Jabesh-gilead, but there wasn't enough for every man. But, they remembered that Shiloah had a festival every year where the young virgins would come out and dance. They told the men to hide in the vineyards till the women came out to dance, then go get one. What a surprise for the women!!! Gives a new meaning to "being swept off your feet."
They did just that and took them back home to start building back Benjamin's inheritance. Notice the last line: "In those days there was no king in Israel; every man did that which was right in his own eyes." That line is like God's disclaimer: '"this is man's way, not My way."
I sure don't want God to say that over my life: "she had no king, so she did what was right in her own eyes." This story seems so barbaric, so unfair, and so unGod. And it is, because what is right in our own eyes is always barbaric, unfair, and unGod. God, we seek your ways, your heart, your thoughts. We want to have you as our King and do everything that is right in Your eyes.

Tuesday, November 25, 2008

Tues. devo - I'm glad I don't live in the Old Testament

Read Judges 19-20
Israel is living in a time when "every man did what was right in their own eyes." I don't enjoy reading these chapters because it makes me sick to read what happened to that poor concubine. Women were treated like property: used and abused. A Levite is traveling with his concubine and comes to the Benjamite town of Gibeah, where he needs to stay for the night. An old man takes him home with him but when the men of the town found out there was a stranger in town they want him handed over to them to sexually abuse. The are homosexuals. The man gave them his concubine instead. (How inhumane!!!) These wicked men of Gibeah took her and abused her all night. The next morning they found her dead body at the door of the house and her hands on the threshold. When she wouldn't get up the man took her home and cut her body into 11 pieces and sent them to all the tribes of Israel except Benjamin. He rallied all of them to go fight this Benjamite town. The whole tribe of Benjamin chose to fight for this town.
The first two days of battle, the Benjamites won even though the Israelites had asked for God's blessing. By the third day, the Israelites were pretty discouraged. They fasted, prayed, offered sacrifices, and God told them they would win today. They drew the Benjamins away from the city and caught the city on fire. Israel won the victory.
Sometimes we have to keep fighting even when things don't look promising. There are some strongholds that "hold" on very "strongly". When the disciples couldn't cast out a deaf and dumb demon (Mark 9:17-29) Jesus said, "This kind come forth by nothing, but by prayer and fasting." Isaiah 58 says that fasting undoes heavy burdens, breaks yokes, and lets the oppressed go free.
Lord, give us a tenatious spirit to keep fighting against all odds. Show us when we need to fast, when we need to fight, and when we need to just be still and let you fight for us. In everything, we trust you.

Monday, November 24, 2008

Monday's Devo - Samson vs. John the Baptist

Read Luke 1:5-17
I know Samson is finished, but I have to bring up an interesting discovery I made. I have found that the Bible is full of dualities. Two people will have so much in common, yet turn out completly opposite. (Jacob and Esau, Adam and Jesus, Isaac and Ishmael) I see this mirror image in Samson and John the Baptist. Both were born to women who were barren till God spoke life into their womb. Both parents were visited by an angel from the Lord and told not to eat or drink anything from the vine. Both were dedicated from the womb. Now things get different. Samson was put under a strict Nazirite vow. It was the epitome of living "under the law." He was to live all his life under this strict law. The law didn't make him a godly man, in fact, it did just the opposite. Religion makes you a Pharasee - good on the outside, but dead on the inside. Samson followed the strict law of the Nazirite (until Delilah) and broke all the others. He went after prostitutes, hung out with the heathens, murdered for revenge, destroyed property, etc., etc. The only time we see him calling out for God is in the end so he could "avenge his two eyes."
John the Baptist was filled with the Holy Ghost from the womb. His mission was to turn the hearts of the children of Israel to the Lord. He was to give the spirit and power of Elijah. Samson had super natural strenth; John had Supernatural power. Both came from God: one natural, one spiritual. That is the main point about the Old and New Testament. The Old Testament is about laws that man cannot keep. The New Testament is about God's spirit who can give you power to overcome our flesh.
Samson brought fear and terror everywhere he went. John brought joy and salvation. I can't imagine what it was like to live in the Old Testament without a Bible and without the Holy Spirit. I am so thankful to be living now.
We have a mirror image. It is ourself. We have the "old man" and the "new man". The old man tries to follow God's laws with little success. The new man falls on the mercy of God and is strengthened with God's power to walk with God. The new is so much better. Romans is all about these two that war against each other. Lord, kill our flesh that your life might be resurrected in us.

Saturday, November 22, 2008

Friday Devo - Vow Fulfilled

Read Judges 16:21-31
Normally, a Nazirite makes a vow for a certain amount of time then is free. After he has fulfilled his vow he goes to the entrance of the Tabernacle and offers sacrifices to the Lord. Then the Nazirite shaves their head and the hair is placed on the fire under the sacrifice. The priest puts some of the sacrifice into the hands of the Naiarite. After this ceremony the Nazirite may drink wine again.
Samson was different because he was to be a Nazirite till he died. If a Nazirite comes into contact with a dead person, then the hair he has dedicated will be defiled and has to be shaved. That is what happened to Samson, he chose to associate with the dead - Deliah; so his head was defiled. It had to be shaved. Delilah had just the right barber. The Philistines put out his eyes, brought him to Gaza (which ironically means "strong") and bound him with fetters of brass. Brass is from a Hebrew word that means "from the red color of the throat of a serpent when hissing". Satan was certainly hissing when he delivered Samson over to the Philistines. His eyes had been used to get him in trouble in the past. He admired way too many women with them. His eyes won't be troubling him anymore. He was made to grind in the prison house.
However, God is a redeeming God. While Samson was grinding in the prison house, his hair began to grow. The Philistines were celebrating their fish god, Dagon for delivering them from their enemies, mainly Samson. After a few too many drinks, they called to have Samson brought out so they could taunt him. A much humbler Samson came out and called out to God to give him strength to avenge him of his eyes. He stood in the entrance of the building and took the pillars and brought the roof down. He became the sacrifice, that his vow would be fulfilled. He killed more Philistines in his death than in his life.
Samson is always a sad story to me because although Samson was dedicated to God, he never seemed to accept it or make it a goal. Instead of embracing his calling to start delivering the Israelites from the Philistines, he was motivated by revenge and rage. And instead of wanting a relationship with God, he had a lot of relationships with harlots. It does prove that the gifts of God are without repentence. (Ro. 11:29) They don't depend on our devotion or anything we do.
I pray that we use our gifts for God with great joy and devotion. May we enjoy our jouney with God and all the ways he choses to use us. Purify our hearts O God!

Friday, November 21, 2008

Friday Devo - Vow Fulfilled

Read Judges 16:21-31
Normally, a Nazirite makes a vow for a certain amount of time then is free. After he has fulfilled his vow he goes to the entrance of the Tabernacle and offers sacrifices to the Lord. Then the Nazirite shaves their head and the hair is placed on the fire under the sacrifice. The priest puts some of the sacrifice into the hands of the Naiarite. After this ceremony the Nazirite may drink wine again.
Samson was different because he was to be a Nazirite till he died. If a Nazirite comes into contact with a dead person, then the hair he has dedicated will be defiled and has to be shaved. That is what happened to Samson, he chose to associate with the dead - Deliah; so his head was defiled. It had to be shaved. Delilah had just the right barber. The Philistines put out his eyes, brought him to Gaza (which ironically means "strong") and bound him with fetters of brass. Brass is from a Hebrew word that means "from the red color of the throat of a serpent when hissing". Satan was certainly hissing when he delivered Samson over to the Philistines. His eyes had been used to get him in trouble in the past. He admired way too many women with them. His eyes won't be troubling him anymore. He was made to grind in the prison house.
However, God is a redeeming God. While Samson was grinding in the prison house, his hair began to grow. The Philistines were celebrating their fish god, Dagon for delivering them from their enemies, mainly Samson. After a few too many drinks, they called to have Samson brought out so they could taunt him. A much humbler Samson came out and called out to God to give him strength to avenge him of his eyes. He stood in the entrance of the building and took the pillars and brought the roof down. He became the sacrifice, that his vow would be fulfilled. He killed more Philistines in his death than in his life.
Samson is always a sad story to me because although Samson was dedicated to God, he never seemed to accept it or make it a goal. Instead of embracing his calling to start delivering the Israelites from the Philistines, he was motivated by revenge and rage. And instead of wanting a relationship with God, he had a lot of relationships with harlots. It does prove that the gifts of God are without repentence. (Ro. 11:29) They don't depend on our devotion or anything we do.
I pray that we use our gifts for God with great joy and devotion. May we enjoy our jouney with God and all the ways he choses to use us. Purify our hearts O God!

Thursday, November 20, 2008

Thurs. Devo - Flirting with Evil

Read Judges 16: 1-20
Samson and Delilah; who has not heard of the lovers? "Delilah" means the vine of grapes. (Aren't grapes one of the things Samson was not suppose to eat?) She was bribed by the Philistine lords with 1100 pieces of silver to find out the secret of his strength.
First he told her that if she bound him with 7 new cords that hadn't been dried. (A Nazarite can't eat new grapes or dried.) But that didn't work. Next he told her to bind him with new ropes that have never been occupied. (A Nazarite can't eat anything made of the vine tree, from the inside of the unripe or new grape to the outside peel.) He broke these off like threads. She's still whinning... so he tells her to weave the 7 locks of his head with the web. (If a Nazarite accidentally come into contact with a dead person he has to shave his head on the 7th day.) Is Samson trying to give her subtle hints? When this didn't work she resorted to pure female manipulation: "How can you say you love me...when you haven't told me where your great strength lies?" She nagged him and nagged him till she finally wore him down and he told her. He could have told her about breaking any law of the Nazarite, but he chose the one about the hair. In the Nazarite laws (Numbers 6:7) it says, "that the consecration of his God is upon his head." Christ is our head and we are the body.
When Delilah saw that Samson had told her all his heart, she sent for the Philistine lords. She made him sleep in her lap and had his hair cut. They tormented him and watched as his strength left him. I wonder what that looked like? "Tormented" in the Hebrew means "to brow-beat". So they spoke curses over him. Words are powerful. Then she woke him up telling him that the Philistines were upon him. He got up like always and didn't even realize his strength had left him. He had gotten so caloused to the presence of God that he didn't recognize he had lost it.
Samson flirted with sin till he finally got swept away by it. How many times do we stay in situations where we are being whittled down by the world or Satan and just continue to stay there thinking we can be strong. Samson's pride blinded him to Delilah's deception. They say, "Sin will take you further than you meant to go, keep you longer than you meant to stay, and cost you more than you meant to pay." How true. In the end his discernment was so weak, he didn't even know God had left him.
Lord, show us where we are tempting evil. Give us a glimpse of your holiness to bring us back to the light. Let us be quick to turn and repent. We love you.

Wednesday, November 19, 2008

Wed Devo - From Death to Life

Wed. Devo
Read Judges 13
"And the children of Israel did evil AGAIN in the sight of the Lord; and the Lord delivered them into the hand of the Philistines 40 years....not again!?! So there is this man named Manoah and his wife who is barren. Ever notice how so many of the women in the Bible are barren women? Sarah, Rebecca, Rachel, (the wives of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob). Then Elizabeth, the mother of John the Baptist in the New Testament. It is like being barren is a prerequisite for having a son that will be used greatly of God. As I meditated on this I realized that we are all barren before God visits us with His spirit and gives us life. Before that we cannot reproduce life. Once He is in us we give forth life everywhere we go.
This angel appears to Manoah's wife (apparently her name was not of significance) and told her she was going to conceive a son who was going to be a Nazarite from birth. He would deliver Israel from the Philistines. A Nazarite is a person separated unto the Lord. He can't drink wine or liquor, or eat grapes, raisins or anything unclean. He can't cut his hair, or come near a dead body, even if it is someone in his immediate family. He is to be holy to the Lord. (Num. 6)
Manoah missed the meeting with the angel so he asked for another one because he had some questions. God's angel came back and answered all his questions. Then, Manoah offered a sacrifice and the angel consumed it with fire and disappeared in the fire. How is that for the dramatic!
His wife got pregnant and conceived Sampson which means "a ray of sunlight". Then in the last verse it says , "And the Spirit of the Lord began to move him at times in the camp of Dan between Zorah and Eshtaol. "Zorah" means a stinging hornet and Eshtaol means "intreaty". So it looks to me like God is saying that in between the times of his judgement (the stinging hornet) and their calling out (intreating) to Him that God began to move in their midst.
Lord, you saw us in our barrenness and put life in us through Your son, Jesus. We are so grateful. Let all that we do birth life to those around us. Let us be a ray of sunlight in someone's life today.

Tuesday, November 18, 2008

A Little with God is a Lot!

Tues. Devo -
Read Judges 7:1-25
In verse 1 they camped by the well of Harod. Interestingly "Harod" means fountain of trembling. It was here that God told Gideon to tell the ones that were afraid to go home. Out of 32,000; there remained 10,000. God then told Gideon to come down to the water and He was going to weed out more. God only wanted 300 which is probably just enough to encircle the Midianite camp. God knew none of these men were going to have to fight, but they were going to need great courage to trust God to do what God was going to ask them to do.
I can't imagine what was going through Gideon's mind at this time... 300 against millions!!! How was God going to do this? God was so merciful to Gideon and knew he needed another "word" to encourage him. He told him to go down to the Midianite camp that night and just listen to what was being said. He did and heard a man talking about a dream he had dreamed. A piece of bread tumbled down into the Midianite camp and destroyed the camp. They knew that this was Gideon, to whom God was going to give victory over them. That piece of bread was the word of God, the bread of life that God sent down to defeat them.
Gideon went back, full of God's strength and called an attack. He gave each man a trumpet, a clay jar and a torch to go inside the clay jar. They surrounded the camp. Gideon blew his trumpet which probably woke them up then the rest of them blew there trumpets. What a sound!!! I bet they were scared spitless! Then they heard a huge bang as all the men broke their pitchers then a huge blast of light. I bet they thought aliens had landed. They jumped out of bed and ran around killing themselves. Gideon's army pursued them and the rest of the soldiers that were not with Gideon chased them and killed them.

Monday, November 17, 2008

Monday's Devotion - Repentence Precedes Deliverance

Read Judges 6:27-40
In verse 26 God told Gideon to build an altar out of the wood from the grove he was to cut down. This grove was the altar of Baal and Ashtorah. He did it at night because he was afraid of his own people. When they woke up the next day and found out who did it his father is the one who stepped up to defend him. He doesn't sound like a "might warrior" yet... still a little timid, afraid of man.
In order for God to be able to deliver the Israelites He dealt with their sin first. Repentence precedes deliverance. Their sin was following other gods. Once Gideon cut them down by the root, God was able to do His part, which is the miraculous part. And Gideon emerged a different man.
It verse 34 we find a different Gideon because the "Spirit of the Lord" came upon him. He blew a trumpet (he made a sound with his mouth) and Abiezer was "gathered after him." "Ezer" is a word that describes the Holy Spirit. It means our "helper". "Gathered after him" means the Holy Spirit cried out for him. He had his back. Gideon called for men out of Asher, Zebulun, and Naphtali. That is he took with him Asher: joy and righteousness. Zebulun: his intimacy with God. Naphtali: his warrior spirit.
Then he asks for confirmation. He always gets a bum wrap for his fleeces but I don't think we have understood this correctly. God never got mad at him for asking for a sign. God is patient and honors his request. I think it is always wise to seek counsel, confirmation, etc. when God has given us an assignment. Gideon's decision was going to affect many lives and he wanted to be sure before he leaped. Proverbs has a lot to say about seeking counsel. Gideon didn't go to his friends for counsel, he went straight to God for his answer. God loves this. It is all about the relationship and Gideon was developing an intimate trust in God.
If you can't seem to defeat your enemy, maybe you left out the stage where you cut down your idols and repented. Or maybe you need to gather the strength of the Holy Spirit around you. Have you girded yourself with joy, intimacy with God, and the confidence to use the Word of God? If you have done all this and you are still afraid, ask God for a sign. He is with you and will hear your request and answer you.

Friday, November 14, 2008

Friday's devo - God's Economy

Friday Devo -
Read Judges 6:11-26
The Midianite armies came in like locusts, killing all their livestock, eating or burning all their fields so that they were reduced to poverty. Gideon is hiding oout in the winepress threshing his grain, which is not where you would normally thresh grain. A winepress is underground and hidden. This is where the angel finds him. The angel calls him a "mighty man of valor". I'm sure Gideon did not feel like he was a mighty man in any way. He was a hungry, scared, lonely man with little hope for his people or his family. God always sees us as what He can do through us; not as we are in ourselves. He is mighty and can be mighty through us. All we have to do is obey. Gideon's response is so typical: "Who am I? My family is poor and I am the least of my family." Notice how God loves to choose the least likely. Remember when Samuel was looking for the next king of Israel and God sent him to Jesse who brought out his 7 sons. God told Samuel not to look on the outward appearance because God looks at the heart. After all 7 had passed in front of Samuel and God said "no" to each of them. He asked Jesse if he had another son. Jesse remembered David, the youngest who was out tending the sheep. Samuel told him to go get him. When he saw him God said, "Arise, anoint him for this is he."
Look at who Jesus chose for his disciples: most of them were the lowest of society. This should encourage us. If we think we are worthy, we need to humble ourselves. If we think we are unworthy, we need to put our confidence in God and GO.
In vs. 19 when Gideon perceived that he was talking to the angel of God he went and killed a goat and made unleavened bread and prepared broth. A big sacrifice seeing they were starving. Later in vs. 25 he kills a young bull. God always asks of us what we think we need. They needed food. But most of all, they needed to be free from their enemy. A sacrifice needs to cost us something for it to be a sacrifice. God was going to give them back much more than they lost.
What do you need God to do for you? What is he asking from you? Our church is going through a building program in the midst of financial disaster in our country. I love it!!! Whose economy are we a part of? I am in God's economy and have invested in His savings program. He never, never, never runs out of money, oil, land, food, gas, or anything. He is my banker and I will not let the world's economy rob me of my peace.
Lord, give us your vision of our future. Let us see "the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living."

Thursday, November 13, 2008

Thursday's devotion - Vicious Cycles

Read Judges 6:1-10
The children of Israel are repeating their vicious cycle: they turn away from God, God sends enemies and hard times to drive them back to him, they call out to God, he delivers them. What a tragedy.
Why can't they just stay close to him? Why do they have to turn to Baal and Ashtorah all the time? You would think they would learn their lesson.
This sounds a little too familiar. I can find myself sidetracked by my schedule, worries about my kids, you know: those little foxes. Song of Solomon talks about the little foxes that spoil the vines. I don't have to fight turning away from God completly, I just have to fight the distractions like the temptation to worry or get stressed. Jesus said, Don't worry about tommorrow because tomorrow has enough to worry about. There has to be a road we can travel on that is above all this. There is! It's called "walking in the spirit and not fulfilling the desires of the flesh". Jesus sent us the Holy Spirit to lead us into all truth. When we get busy in our routine of stress: look up! There is a higher road. Jump up on it. It is the road of peace, joy, and fulfillment. Jesus walks on that road and is a constant companion.
Lord, grow us beyond the cycle of the Israelites. We want to consistently walk with you, putting all our cares on you because you care for us. Make us like little children in our faith, but men in our strength. We love you.

Wednesday, November 12, 2008

Wed. Devo - We win!!!

Read Judges 5: 19-31
We have a lot to cover today! This battle is fought where the very last battle: the Battle of Armaggedon will be fought. Let's look at the similarities:
1. vs. 19 - the enemy gets to take no spoils. In the last battle the enemy will be thrown into the lake of fire. Rev. 20:9-10.
2. vs. 20 - this is a spiritual battle that will be fought in the heavens and also in the earth. In the last battle fire will come down from heaven and devour the enemy. Rev. 20:9.
3. vs. 24-27 - WE WIN!!! Jael acts as God. She nails Sisera's temple to the ground. "Temple" means "evil". She puts to death evil and sin with a nail. Rev. 20: 14 says that Death and Hades were cast into the lake of fire.
Back to our story: Sisera's mother is waiting for him to come home. When he doesn't, she decides it is because he is busy dividing the spoil among his men. She dreams of when he will walk in and adorn her with beautiful robes. She is deceived. The devil is the biggest deceiver. He promises us things he never intends to deliver. He has no friends and is loyal to noone, even his own demons. He will tempt you to hold on to a dream that he never intends to fulfill. God is the exact opposite of that. He promises something then moves heaven and earth to fulfill it. What has God promised you that has not come to pass? Hold on to it. Find a promise in God's Word and hold on to it.
I love the last verse. "May all those who love you rise like the sun in all its. power." Lord, help us to shine the fullness of your light today.

Tuesday, November 11, 2008

Tues. devotion - When the Roll is Called...

Read Judges 5:13-18
So down they came to fight- the few against the many; the poor against the rich; the people against warriors. Roll call: Ephraim, Benjamin, Naptali, Zebulun, Issachar. All here. Where is Rueben, Gilead, Dan, and Asher.
Didn't God tell them that when there was a battle against any tribe - they were all suppose to come help. So why didn't they come? Well, it seem there was great indecision in the tribe Rueben. They just couldn't all agree so they sat home and life went on as usual. I guess they would catch it on the 6:00 news. Gilead didn't want to cross the Jordan. Dan was too busy watching the beautiful sunset over the ocean - safe in the harbors.
So who are we when it comes time to fight, go on a mission trip, help the poor, work in Toys or Tots, go speak a kind word to someone who is friendless or alone. Are we like Rueben who just couldn't decide whether he wanted to or not. "Surely someone else will do it. They don't need me." May be so, but you need them, and they do need you. If you leave decisions up to how you feel - you will probably choose to default. "The spirit is willing but the flesh is weak!!!" Or are we like Gilead who let his obstacles keep him from getting there. It is not the easy path to follow Jesus, but it is always the most fulfilling. Or, what about Dan? Is your life so comfortable and planned that you don't want to disturb it? If you don't - God will and you won't like it. The Christian life is meant to be an adventure! You don't want to miss it. Or, are we like Zebulun and Naptali who risked their lives on the heights of the battlefield. They laid it all down for Jesus and won.
Lord, we want to lay it all down for you. We want to risk it all for you. Put your spirit in us so that we will march in your power and bring down strongholds and defeat your enemies! Thank you, God for your unfailing kindness to us.

Monday, November 10, 2008

Monday's Devo. Purified Water

Read Judges 5:10-12
We are reading the song of Deborah and Barak after their great defeat. The song is calling out to the rich: "the ones who ride on white donkeys" and to the poor: "the ones that walk along the road." It is begging them to listen to the village musicians as they sing songs about what God had done for them in the past. They knew that if the people were reminded of all the wonderful ways God had delivered them from in the past, they would have courage to march as an army down to the city gates to fight for their freedom.
In verse 12 the spirit of God is telling Deborah to wake up and proclaim victory and Barak to wake up and lead the army in victory. In the OT they didn't have a literal Bible to read, but they had songs that had been written and recorded so they could recall what God had done in the past. These songs were their Bible. The minstrels were the singing prophets of their day. It is the same today. Our modern day minstrels are singing their prophesies. The prophets of the world are singing about love, broken hearts, disappointment and bitterness. If you listen to them you will learn to close your heart to love, or open it to the wrong kind of love. Either way you lose. If you listen to God's musicians you will be uplifted in your spirit and be drawn near to the heart of God. In our story, the musicians were found at the watering holes. Heb. 10:22 says, "Let us go right into the presence of God with sincere hearts fully trusting him. For our guilty consciences have been sprinkled with Christ's blood to make us clean and our bodies have been washed with pure water." Eph. 5:26 tells us that this water is the Word of God.
What are you listening to? Is it giving you power in your spirit to walk with God or is it feeding your flesh to want what the world has. God wants you to walk in freedom and love but you have to choose Him.
I pray that we would choose You today. Change our desires to be your desires. Change our hearts to hunger after the pure water of your Word. Walk with us and cause us to hear your voice. We are thirsty for You.

Friday, November 7, 2008

Friday's devo - War in the gates

Read Judges 5:6-9
"in the days of Shamgar"... Shamgar was a judge before Deborah who had killed 600 Philistines with an ox goad and delivered Israel. His name means: the desolate dragged away. There must have been a lot of fear and unsafety because the people didn't walk on the main highways but took the winding side roads when they traveled. There had ceased to be a real leader till God raised up Deborah. God's people had chosen to follow "new gods" as if God was not enough. When they did this they had war in their gates. Deborah cries out asking if there is a sword or shield in the 40,000 Israelites. She then praises the leaders that rose up to fight.
So what does that mean to us. We don't live in the days of Shamgar... or do we? Do we not see the desolate resorting to drugs, sex, gambling, suicide, divorce, etc. Have we hidden the Jesus in us out of fear and intimidation and not taken him on the main highways of our lives? Have we chosen new gods of fame, fortune, idols, music, sports. When we do we have war in our gates. Our gates are our eyes, ears, mouth. What we allow in our "gates" guide our decisions. If we feast on Miley Sirus we will porbably not make the right decisions about how to dress, walk or talk. Do you have your shield and your sword. The Bible says our shield is our faith. What has our heart? Our sword is the Word of God. It is powerful if you use it.
But, praise God the leaders rose up to fight! That can be the Jesus in YOU! Find just one verse in the Bible that speaks to your situation and use it. You will be amazed at what power God will give you through it. I have a good one for you: Phillipians 4:8 "Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise. " God bless your walk today.

Thursday, November 6, 2008

Read Judges 5:1-5
Last night we talked about how Deborah, Barak, and Jael defeated Sisera. This chapter is the song Deborah and Barak sang about the battle. In vs. 2 they are praising God for the victory he gave them and for the people who freely offered themselves. Barak couldn't fight this battle without the people who volunteered to risk their lives and fight. We are in a battle for righteousness in a very evil world. It is so important that we stand together like we did last night, praying for each other and standing with each other when we are going through a hard time. Most of the time no one notices what we do, but it doesn't mean it is not important.
At church we are also going through a fast. I encourage you, if you have not gotten in on the fast yet, that you jump in. Pray about what God wants you to offer Him. Maybe it's your music he wants you to put down. Maybe it's food. Whatever it is do it willingly. That was what a free offering was all about in the OT. They were required to bring certain burnt offerings and sin offerings at certain times each year, but the free-will offering was not required. They gave it when they wanted to.
Verse 4 tells how 10,000 men on horses defeated many more men and 900 iron chariots. God sent earthquakes and rain. Iron chariots don't roll very well in the mud. It would be like driving a car and blowing 3 tires. They were swerving all over the place and very frustrated. Verse 5 says that the mountains melted. So the ice on top of the mountain melted and the water came flowing down like a river. Romans 1:18 says that Gods shows his anger from heaven against wicked people. He definitely did that a lot in the OT. Rain, thunder, hail, lightning, floods; all to show his power. This is a great illustration of how God will go to great lengths to help us win our battles over sin, strongholds, and our enemy.
What is your part in God's army? What is the battle you are in right now? What does God want you to do next? Is there anything you would want to freely give him? These are all questions God can help you answer.
I pray that God will be so near to you that you can feel his arms around you. May you be able to climb up in his lap and give him all your pains and weights. God, I ask that you speak clearly to each one of us and show us the plan you have for us and what it is that we can do next. Help us know how to fight our battles. Be our leader and strong tower. We love you with all our hearts.

Wednesday, November 5, 2008

Jael's moment in history - Wed. devo

Read Judges 4
Once again Israel has sinned and is turned over to an enemy, the king of Hazor who had been oppressing Israel for 20 years. His name is Jabin which means intelligent, discerning, understanding. His army commander is Sisera who had 900 iron chariots. Pretty impressive being that Israel had none.
Deborah was a prophetess and a judge in Israel at the time for Israel. She lived in Ephraim. Her name means "a bee." She called Barak out to lead 10,000 men from Naptali and Zebulun. Barak means "a bright flashing sword. Naptali and Zebulun mean "abiding" and "wrestling".
Deborah is going to draw Sisera to the river Kishon which means "to set a trap". And deliver them to his hands. Barak agrees to go and Deborah tells him that this battle is not for his honor because God is going to sell Siseral into the hand of a woman. How humiliating for Sisera - to die at the hand of a woman.
Judges 4 11-24
Heber - a sorcerer from the descendant of Cain, had severed himself from his own people and was living out by himself. He showed Sisera where Barak was so Sisera went after him. Deborah told Barak that this was the day God had delivered Sisera into your hands so Barak went down and fought. God troubled, vexed, disturbed, Sisera and all his chariots so that Sisera got off his chariot and ran. Barak chased and killed all of Sisera's men. But Sisera went to the tent of Jael. Her people were on his side. Jael means "to be valuable and useful". She covered him with a mat to hide him and gave him some milk. He told her to stand watch while he slept. She took a tent nail and a hammer and drove the nail into his temples all the way to the ground.
When Barak came looking for Sisera, she showed him. (Read the last vs. 24) We keep fighting our enemies till they are gone.
Our enemy is alway intelligent. We fight him with the sword of the spirit which comes from abiding and wrestling with God. Deborah stands for a member of the body. We are part of an intricate society called the Body of Christ where everyone knows their part. Deborah knew her part and did it. Everything happened just as God had told her it would. Barak was just a fighter, doing his part. He didn't quit when he found out a girl was going to get the glory for killing Sisera. He did what his part was. He fought the battle. Jael was on the enemies's side. She fought from there. She was strategically to do her job. God has people in the enemies' camp. There were Christian soldiers in the Nazi prison camps that helped the Jews. God has his people everywhere. There are also Satan's people planted in Christian churches, organizations, etc. Jesus said not to try to weed them out but to wait till the harvest and let God separated the wheat from the tares.

Tuesday, November 4, 2008

Cities of Refuge Tues Devo

Read Joshua 20
Cities of refuge. This is one of my favorite things to study. I have been interested in them for years and still don't fully understand their significance, but here is a little I have come to understand.
These cities were for people who accidentally killed someone and have no eye-witness. They can run to these cities and be safe until they stand before the congregation for judgment and until death of the high priest. Then they are released and free to go. What a great picture of what Jesus did for us.
Until Jesus came into our lives we were murderers, liars, sinners and didn't even know our sin. God kept us in his city of refuge until we came to the truth. When we realized the High Priest had died for us and we came to the realization that we were sinners; we subjected ourselves to his judgement and we were set free. Now we can walk this earth free from the "avenger of blood" that once had the right to judge us. Jesus took all the penalty of our sin and did away with it on the cross.
Want to go deeper? I asked God one night before I drifted off to sleep, "Where did the people in the OT go after they died?" I woke up to this in my head: "cities of refuge." I remembered my question the night before and realized God was answering my question. I got up and started studying again about the cities of refuge. I realized that when God-fearing people in the OT died, God had "cities of refuge" under the earth where they stayed until "the death of the High Priest". When Jesus died and was buried he went and preached to them and delivered them out of bondage. He "led captivity captive." After Jesus came back to walk the earth, many other people who had died came back and walked the streets of Jerusalem also. Jesus was the first fruit to rise from the earth, but he brought many with him.
Lord, thank you that you still have "cities of refuge" where we can go and hide away until we repent and apply your blood to our sin. Help us not to stay in these cities long but appropriate your death and go free. Help us to lead many out of bondage into freedom.

Monday, November 3, 2008

Can the Jebs

Joshua 15-19 is all about how the tribes divided the land and went in and settled in their portion alloted them. Sadly, many tribes didn't drive out all the Jebusites, or the Canaanites or whoever was there. It reads that they still remain there today because it was their choice to become weary of fighting and just put up with them. Sometimes they made them their slaves which meant they still had to feed them and take care of them. I wonder what the Jebusites and Canaanites are in my life. "Canaanites" means to humiliate or make you bend your knee. They sound like accusers, which sounds just like the "accuser of the brethren".
Rev. 12:10 says that "the accuser of our brethren is cast down, which accused them before our God day and night." The devil is always looking for an ear he can speak into. He says things like, "you can't expect God to use you after what you did." "Surely you don't think God told you to say that, remember how you got mad and lost your temper?" "You're not good enough." ETC. We are suppose to "cast down imaginations, and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, and bring into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ." 2Co 10:5.
The Canaanites had iron chariots! Isn't it interesting how these intimidating thoughts come in droves. One thought leads to another. "Chariot" in the Hebrew means a team; the upper millstone. Everytime the word "millstone" is mentioned in the Bible it is being cast somewhere: either down, into the sea, or around someone's neck and then cast into the sea. So that is what we need to do to millstones the devil tries to put on us. They need to be cast down.
Another enemy left in the land were the Jebusites. In the Hebrew they meant "to trample; tread down under foot; be poluted". God hates mixture and that is what the enemies did to the Israelites. They wanted them to add their gods in with THE God. When we start adding in other gods we become poluted. James 1:27 says that 'Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, to visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world.
Lord, show us what we have allowed in our life that keeps us from being pure and holy. What have we allowed into our lives that has polluted our soul and intimidated our walk. Help us identify it and cast it out. Be our strong tower today.