Sun.’s Devo - You Must Be Born Again

Read: Judges 17:1-18:31; John 3:1-21; Psalm 104:1-23; Proverbs 14:20-21 How quickly the children of Israel turned to sin and carved idols. Micah lived in Ephraim with his mother. He confessed to her that he had stolen 1,100 silver coins from her. She was so happy to get the money back, she dedicated it to the Lord and sent her son with 200 pieces of silver to the silversmith to make them a carved image and a metal image. They built a shrine and made an ephod for their household gods. Micah ordered one of his sons to become their priest. Everyone did what was right in their own eyes. There was no king in Israel which means that God was not their king. *** A young Levite came their way looking for a place to serve. Micah brought him into his home and treated him as a son. He let him become their priest. *** Meanwhile, the tribe of Dan had still not taken their land from the enemies. They were traveling to their inheritance to scout out the land. They came to Micah’s house and saw that he had a Levite priest. They coveted Micah’s gods, the ephod, and the Levite. *** The men of Dan found a secluded town of the Sidonians that was wealthy and had no dealings with anyone else. They brought back the report to the rest of their tribe and 600 of them went to take the city. *** They stopped by Micah’s house and stole all his gods and his ephod. They asked the Levite to come and be a priest over their tribe and he agreed. *** Micah chased them and protested what they had done, but it was their 600 warriors, against him and his household, so he had to let them go. *** They attacked the city of Laish by surprise and killed all its inhabitants, then they burned the city with fire. They rebuilt the city and lived in it and named it Dan. They set up the carved images. The young priest, whose name was Jonathan, was their priest until the land went into captivity. Jonathan was the son of Gershom, Moses’ son. *** In John, there was a Pharisee named Nicodemus. He came to see Jesus at night and told him that he knew he was a teacher from God because no one could do the things he was doing unless God was with him. Jesus told Nicodemus that unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. Nicodemus was only seeing the things Jesus was doing, he was not seeing Jesus as the Messiah. Nicodemus, who was a teacher of the law could not understand that Jesus was telling him that his spirit must be born again. *** Jesus told him that God sent him to the world because God loves the world and wants everyone to be saved, not condemned. But, the light that has now come to the earth would condemn those who loved darkness. This light would expose what they did in darkness. But, those who walk in the light will be drawn to the light and understand that Jesus came from God. *** Lord, may you expose the evil in the world and the sin that is in us. May we learn truth so we can be totally set free to manifest your goodness in the earth.

Sat.’s Devo - Samson - The Story of Redemption

Read: Judges 15:1-16:31; John 2:1-25; Psalm 103:1-22; Proverbs 14:17-19 When Samson had cooled down after the wedding party, he went back to get his bride. When he found out her father had given her to another man, he felt justified in what he was about to do to the Philistines. He took 300 foxes and tied torches to their tails, then he lit the torches and let the foxes run through their fields. It was the time of the wheat harvest which means it was around the Feast of Weeks or Pentecost. The fire burned up their stacked grain, their standing grain and their olive orchards. *** Pentecost is associated with the spreading of the fire of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is also associated with the oil. In the story of Samson it was a time of the burning of the harvest of the evil. In the New Testament it was the time of setting on fire the hearts of the righteous. Spiritual warfare is also a theme of Pentecost. *** When the Philistines found out who had burned up their fields and why, they went and burned the woman and her house. Samson then when and struck the ones who killed his fiancé and then went and stayed in the cleft of the rock in Etam. *** Three thousand men came from Judah to reason with Samson and remind him that the Philistines ruled over them and he was stirring up trouble of them. Samson told the Israelites not to kill him, but to turn him over to the Philistines. They bound him with new ropes and gave him over to the Philistines. When the Philistines came to take Samson, the Spirit of the Lord came upon him and the ropes melted off his hands. He found a fresh jawbone of a donkey and killed 1,000 of them. *** We see another Pentecost theme. When God gave the law to Moses on the first Pentecost, three thousand lost their lives because they made the golden calf. In the New Testament, on the day of Pentecost, three thousand were saved out of the kingdom of darkness into the kingdom of light. In the story of Samson, three thousand from Judah came to Samson to reason with him. Later will read that three thousand were killed. *** After the battle of one against a thousand, Samson was very thirsty and cried out to the Lord. God opened the hollow place in Lehi and it poured out water. *** Then, Samson went down to Gaza, another Philistine royal city and spent the night with a prostitute. When the Philistines learned he was there, they set an ambush for him. They planned to kill him in the morning. But, Samson left at midnight and ripped the gates the city out of the ground and carried them and set them on top of at the hill in front of Hebron. The gates of hell were not going to prevail against Samson! *** Samson fell in love with a woman from Sorek who would become his downfall. The lords of the Philistines came to Delilah and bribed her with 1,100 pieces of silver to find out the source of Samson’s strength. It took a while, but she finally drug it out of him. His strength was in his Nazarite vow not to cut his hair. *** She got him to sleep in her lap and had the barber come in and shave off his seven locks of hair. Then he was easily captured. They gouged out his eyes and put in prison. *** In prison, his hair began to grow and his strength grew with it. The Philistines planned to offer a great sacrifice to Dagon their god and bring out Samson to show how their god had given Samson to them. They brought out blind Samson to tease him as their entertainment. He asked the guard to let him feel the pillars that the house rested on. The house had about 3,000 men and women watching. *** Samson cried out to the Lord for vengeance and prayed for strength. As he pushed on the pillars, the whole house came down and killed three thousand. He killed more in his death than in his life. Jesus, also, killed more of his enemies in his death than in his life. *** In John, it was the third day. There was a wedding in Cana and Jesus and his disciples were invited to attend. They ran out of wine and Jesus mother came to Jesus to do something. Jesus didn’t think his hour had come but his mother thought differently. *** Jesus obeyed his mother and told the servants to fill the six stone water jars, that were used for Jewish purification rites, with water. Then he told them to draw some of it and take it to the master of the feast. When he tasted the wine, he said that most people served the good wine first. When the people are good and drunk they bring out the poor wine, but you have saved the good wine till now. *** This was Jesus first public miracle. *** It was the time of the Passover and Jesus went to Jerusalem. He found the money-changers who sold sacrificial animals to the people. They were in the temple. Jesus made a whip of cords and drove them out and overturned their tables. He told them that his Father’s house was not a house of trade. When the Jews asked Jesus for a sign to show them how he had the authority to do such things, Jesus told them, “Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.” They didn’t understand this and said it took 46 years to build this temple, how would he build it back in three? They would find out later that he was speaking of his body. *** During the feast, many came to believe in Jesus. But, Jesus knew he couldn’t trust the hearts of man. *** Lord, may we have your heart that is trustworthy. May we ever be thankful for the miracle of salvation.

Fri.’s Devo - Jesus, the Ladder to God

Read: Judges 13:1-14:20; John 1:29-51; Psalm 102:1-28; Proverbs 14:15-16 Israel went into idolatry again, so the Lord gave them over to the Philistines who oppressed them for 40 years. *** God was ready to begin delivering Israel. God went, in angel form, to a barren woman married to Manoa from the tribe of Dan. He told her that she would have a son. She was to drink no wine or strong drink and eat only what was clean. He would be born a Nazarite and stay one until he died. He would begin to save Israel from the Philistines. *** She told her husband what the angel had said. Manoa prayed that the angel would return and tell him what the mission would be for their son. The angel did return and told him just what he had told his wife. Manoah wanted to feed the angel, but God told him that he could offer a burnt offering, instead. Manoah asked the angel what his name was so that when what he said happened, he could honor that name. God told him that his name was a wonderful secret. Then he wondrously disappeared into heaven in the flames of the sacrifice. *** Manoah’s wife did have a son and they named him Samson which means “little sun.” When you think of God being “the Sun,” then Samson was His light dawning on the earth. We are God’s little suns and we are to walk in the power of the Lord like Samson did. *** Samson liked to hang out in the Philistine towns and fell in love with a Philistine woman. When he told his parents, they were not happy he had chosen a Philistine woman instead an Israelite, but they agreed to go meet her and her family. On their way, a lion attacked Samson. The Spirit of the Lord came on him and he tore the lion apart with his bare hands. He told no one about it. *** When Samson returned he saw the dead lion beside the road, and bees had made honey in its carcass. He scraped some of it and ate it. This gave him an idea about a riddle for his wedding. *** At the wedding feast, Samson proposed his riddle to the 30 friends. He gave them 7 days to answer it, and the loser would give the winner 30 linen garments and 30 changes of clothes. *** Around the fourth day, when they still hadn’t figured out his riddle, the men went to Samson’s fiancé and told her that if she didn’t tell them the answer, they would burn her and her father’s house down. She nagged Samson day after day till he finally broke on the last day and told her. She quickly told her friends and they brought their answer to Samson. *** Samson knew where they had gotten their answer and was so mad, he went to Ashkelon and killed 30 men and took their clothes and brought them to the 30 “friends.” Then he went home very angry. The woman’s father gave Samson’s fiancé to his best man to wed. *** In the New Testament, John had just told the Pharisees that he was not the Christ, but the Christ was coming. The next day, John saw Jesus and proclaimed, “Behold the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!” This was the man he was talking about the day before. He told them how when he baptized Jesus, he saw the Spirit of God descend on Jesus and remained there. *** The next day, John saw Jesus again and told his two disciples that he was the Lamb of God. John’s two disciples then began following Jesus. When Jesus noticed them following, he asked them what they were looking for. One of these men was Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother. Andrew went and got Peter and when Jesus saw Peter he told him he would be called Cephas which means “a stone.” *** Just like Samson was the little sun, Peter was the little stone from Jesus, who was the Rock. *** The next day, Jesus went to Galilee and found Philip to be his disciple. Philip went and got Nathanael, but Nathanael was hesitant when he learned Jesus was from Nazareth. When Jesus told Nathanael he had seen him under the fig tree, this meant something so profound to Nathanael that he professed that Jesus was the Son of God. Jesus told him he would see greater things than that. He would see heaven opened and God’s angels ascending and descending on the Son of Man. *** Remember when Jacob saw angels ascending and descending on the ladder. Jesus is the ladder between heaven and earth. He is the only way to God. *** Lord, thank you that we have a ladder to you and his name is Jesus. Thank you that you have called us to be your disciples, your children and your friend.

Thurs.’s Devo - The Word

Read: Judges 11:1-12:15; John 1:1-28; Psalm 101:1-8; Proverbs 14:13-14 Gilead was the founder of his town. He had many sons from his wife and one son named Jephthah, from a prostitute. Jephthah was a mighty warrior but the sons of Gilead’s wife threw Jephthah out of the house because they didn’t want to share their inheritance with him. *** The Ammonites came up against Israel to defeat it, so the elders of Gilead went and brought Jephthah back to help. They promised him he could rule over them if he would help them fight. Jephthah agreed and sent a message to the king of the Ammonites asking him why he was coming to fight them. He explained that he was coming to get his land back from when Moses led the people out of Egypt. Moses had fought the king of Sihon and took his land and drove them out. They wanted it back, peacefully. *** This land had been occupied by the Ammonites and the king of Sihon, but when they waged war on Moses, God gave it to the Israelites. The tribes of Gad, Manasseh and the half tribe of Manasseh lived in their land now. Jephthah told the king that they should possess the land God gives them and the Ammonites should possess the land their god, Chemosh gives them. But, God had given Israel this land. *** The king of Ammon wouldn’t listen to Ahimelech. The Spirit of the Lord was with Jephthah as he took his army to meet the Ammonites. Jephthah pledged that when God gave him victory over the Ammonites, he would sacrifice to him the first thing that came out of the door of his house, thinking it would be an animal. *** God did give him a great victory and when he returned home, the first thing to come out of his house was his only daughter. She came out with her tambourine, dancing. *** Jephthah was distraught and told her what he had vowed. She asked for two months first to go wander the mountains and mourn the fact that she would never become a wife and a mother. She took some friends with her, then returned and he sacrificed his daughter to the Lord. *** Keep in mind, this was the days of the judges where man did what was right in their own eyes. *** After Jephthah’s great victory and sad ending, the people of Ephraim came to fight against Jephthah because he hadn’t invited them to fight with them against the Ammonites. Jephthah told them he did ask them to help and they had refused, so he did it himself and God gave him the victory. *** Now, Jephthah had to fight the army of Ephraim. They took the fords of Jordan that had belonged to Ephraim. The Gileadites refused to allow anyone from Ephraim to cross over the Jordan. They would make them say the word Shibboleth and if they could’t pronounce the “h”, they would know they were from Ephraim and kill them. They killed 42,000 Ephraimites at this ford. *** Jephthah judged Israel for 6 years then died. Ezban judged the next 7 years, and Elon the next 10. After him Abdon judged Israel for 8 years. *** We start reading John today, which begins the same way Genesis does. John explains that Jesus was with God from the beginning when he created the earth. When God said, “Let there be light,” he was referring to Jesus as the light. *** John was sent by God to witness to the people about this light, the true light, who was Jesus. He said the world wouldn’t receive Jesus, but those that did, would have the right to be his children. These were the people who were born of God. *** Jesus was God’s Word that became flesh and lived on earth among people. He showed us what the Father was - full of grace and truth. *** The Jews sent priests and Levites to ask John if he was the Christ. He said that he was not the Christ or a prophet, but a voice, crying in the wilderness to get their lives straight and make a way in their hearts for the Christ. When they asked him why he baptized, if he was not the Christ or a prophet, and he said that there was one coming who was much more worthy. He would baptize, not with water, but with fire. *** Lord, thank you for your baptism. May you baptize us fresh with your fire and your power.

Wed.’s Devo - A Turn of Events

Read: Judges 9:22-10:18; Luke 24:13-53; Psalm 100:1-5; Proverbs 14:11-12 The leaders of Shechem had agreed to let Abimelech kill Gideon’s sons and rule over them, but God was not pleased. After three years, God sent an evil spirit between Abimelech and the leaders of Shechem to punish them for killing Gideon’s sons. The leaders robbed from anyone coming their way and Abimelech found this out. *** A new man, Gaal, moved to Shechem and the leaders liked them. He hosted a huge party and didn’t invite Abimelech. At the party, Gaal told the men that if he was in charge, he would get rid of Abimelech. *** Zebul, the ruler of Shechem reported what Gaal had said to Abimelech. He suggested that Abimelech do a surprise attack against Gaal early the next morning. When Gaal came to the city that next day, he stood at the entrance of the gate of the city and told Zebul that it looked like people coming down from the mountaintops. Zebul told him it was just shadows so he would’t have time to stage a counterattack. *** When Abimelech’s men got close enough for Gaal to see who they really were, Zebul said, “Where is your mouth now, you who said, ‘Who is Abimelech, that we should serve him.’” Now, Gaal and his men had to fight them. Abimelech chased him and his men out of town and forbid them to live in Shechem. *** The next day, people in the city came out to the field and Abimelech ambushed them and killed them. He razed the city of Shechem and sowed it with salt. *** The leaders of the Tower of Shechem heard what had happened and had entered the stronghold of El-berith. Abimelech had his men gather brushwood and set it on fire, killing everyone in the tower. One thousand men and women died in the tower. *** Then Abimelech went to Thebes and captured it. The people fled to their tower for refuge. Abimelech was making a fire to burn it down like he had done in Shechem, but a woman threw a millstone down from the tower and it fell on Abimelech’s head, crushing his skull. He had his armor-bearer kill him so he wouldn’t die by the hand of a woman. *** Abimelech had reaped what he sowed and the curse of Jotham had come upon the men of Shechem for killing all the sons of Gideon. *** Another judge rose up to save Israel whose name was Tola from Issachar. He judged Israel for 23 years. *** Then Jair from Gilead judged Israel for 22 years. After him, Israel did evil and gave themselves to worship Baal, Ashtaroth, and the gods of the nations they were told to defeat. God was so angry, he gave them over to the Philistines who oppressed them for 18 years. *** They finally cried out to the Lord to save them, but the Lord was done with saving them. He told them to go cry out to the gods they had chosen to serve over him. When the Lord said this, the people got serious and put away their false gods and served the Lord. *** God saw their repentance and the oppression they were under. The Ammonites encamped in Gilead against the people of Israel. Israel’s leaders met at Mizpah and discussed finding a man to lead them to battle. *** In Luke, Jesus had died and rose from the dead. Two of the men, who were returning from the Passover, were on their way to Emmaus which was about 7 miles from Jerusalem. They were discussing the Passover and Jesus’ death on the cross. Jesus walked up beside them and asked them what they were talking about. *** The two men, told of how Jesus had died on the cross and they had thought he was the Messiah. Then, the women had found his tomb empty and angels told them that Jesus was alive. *** Jesus then told them what all the prophets, starting with Moses had said about this very day. When they arrived at Emmaus, they urged Jesus to come stay with them for the night. He agreed and as they sat to eat, he took the bread and blessed it. When he broke it and gave it to them, their eyes were opened and they recognized him. He suddenly disappeared. They were so excited they immediately got up and returned to Jerusalem to tell the disciples. *** As they were telling the disciples, Jesus appeared and stood with them. He told them not to be depressed, this was all part of the plan. He ate with them and explained through scripture what had happened and why. Now, they would be his witnesses to the world. But, they were to wait in the city until he gives them power from heaven. *** He led them out to Bethany and blessed them then departed and told them to meet him in Jerusalem. *** Lord, it is amazing how quickly you can turn our sorrow to joy. May we remember that everything works for the good for those who love the Lord and are called to his purposes.

Tues.’s Devo - He is Alive!

Read: Judges 8:18-9:21; Luke 23:44-24:12; Psalm 99:1-9; Proverbs 14:9-10 Gideon captured the kings of Canaan, Zebah and Zalmunna and asked him what them men that they killed at Tabor looked like. They described Gideon’s brothers. Now, he had to kill them. He told his young son to kill them and when he couldn’t do it, he did the task. He took the moon-shaped ornaments from the necks of their camels which were idolatrous objects depicting Astarte. *** Then the men of Israel asked Gideon to reign as their king. Gideon told them that he and his sons would not reign over them, the Lord would. But, then he asked for everyone to give them the earrings from their spoil and made a ephod which the people worshiped. By the mercy of God, they had rest for 40 years from their enemies. *** Gideon had many wives, 70 sons and a concubine who had a son named Abimelech. As soon as Gideon died, Israel turned back to worshiping Baal and made Baal-berith their god. They forgot what God and Gideon had done for them. *** Abimelech went to Shechem where his mother was from and stirred up an insurrection against the sons of Gideon. They gave him 70 pieces of silver out of their temple to Baal so he could hire some men to go with him to Ophrah and kill all 70 of Gideon’s sons. Jotham, the youngest son escaped. *** Abimelech returned to Shechem where they made Abimelech their king. Jotham came and stood on Mt. Gerizim and rebuked them for treating Gideon’s family so wrongly since they had delivered them from the Midianites. He pronounced a curse on Abimelech and the leaders of Shechem. He then fled to Beer and lived there. *** In Luke, Jesus was on the cross and around noon the sky went totally dark for three hours. The curtain in the Temple was torn from the top down. Jesus committed his spirit to the Lord and died. The centurion present realized that this man was surely innocent. The crowds realized this also and went home beating their breasts in repentance. The women who had followed Jesus stood at a distance watching all of this unfold. *** Joseph of Arimathea was a member of the council. He was a righteous man who was looking for the kingdom of God and had believed in Jesus. He went to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus. He took him down from the cross and wrapped his body in a linen shroud and laid him in his own tomb. It was about time for the Sabbath to begin so the women followed and saw where Jesus was laid so they could return and bring spices for his body. *** The day after the Sabbath, the women arrived with their spices and found the stone to his tomb had been rolled away. When they went in they saw two angels in all their glory. The angels asked them why they were looking for the living among the dead. He was not here but had risen. Had not Jesus told them he would die and rise on the third day? Then the women remembered what Jesus had said t. They ran to tell the men, who didn’t believe them, but Peter ran to the tomb and found nothing but the linen cloth where Christ had been laid. *** Lord, thank you for the Resurrection! Thank you for the Holy Spirit that helps us believe. Thank you that you are in us and bear witness to the truth. Help us to have courage and great discernment today and in the days ahead.

Mon.’s Devo - Battles - Physical and Spiritual

Read: Judges 7:1-8:17; Luke 23:13-43; Psalm 97:1-98:9; Proverbs 14:7-8 Gideon took his army and camped south of the Midianites. God told Gideon he had too many in his army because they would boast that they won in their own strength. God wanted them to know that He was the one who was delivering them so they wouldn’t repeat their sinning. God told Gideon to announce that if they were afraid, they were free to go home. Twenty-two thousand went home. *** There were still too many people, so God had Gideon take them down to the stream. The men who brought the water up to their mouth with their hands could remain. The ones who lapped like dogs were to leave. With 300 men, God would save them. *** That night, God sent Gideon down to the camp of the Midianites to listen to what they were saying, to encourage him. He took Purah his servant. The Midianites and the Amalekites were spread out like locusts there were so many of them. They listened while a man told his fellow soldier that he had had a dream the night before where a cake of barley tumbled into the camp of Midian and struck their tent and it fell. The tent tumbled upside down, then lay flat. The other soldier interpreted his dream as meaning Gideon and his army would totally defeat them because God had given this land to them. *** When Gideon heard this, his fears were gone and he worshiped the Lord. He went back to the camp and divided the men into three groups of one hundred each. He gave them trumpets and empty jars with torches inside the jars. He told them that when he blew the trumpet, they were to blow their trumpets and shout, “For the Lord and for Gideon.” *** They surrounded the enemies camp and when Gideon blew his trumpet, he smashed his jar and shoutes. The light appeared. His men did the same, then the next group did the same. Then the last group did the same. The enemy were awakened out of their sleep and totally confused. They ran out of their tents and began fighting each other, probably because they couldn’t see and they were so confused. They fled toward the Jordan River into the land of Ephraim. *** Gideon called out the men from Naphtali, Asher, and Manasseh to pursue them. He told the men of Ephraim that they were coming their way so they could help capture the two princes of Midian, Oreb and Zeeb. The men from Ephraim killed Oreb on his own rock and killed Zeeb at his own winepress. Then they brought their heads to Gideon. *** The men of Ephraim were mad a Gideon for not calling them to fight with them. When Gideon explained that they helped bring down the princes of the armies, which was huge, they were satisfied. *** After the battle, Gideon brought his army across the Jordan into Succoth. They were tired and hungry. Gideon asked the men of Succoth to please feed his men as they were on their way to pursue the kings of Midian, Zebah and Zalmunna. The men of Succoth refused to feed them, so Gideon promised to flail them with thorns and briers when he came back through. *** Next, they came to Penuel and asked for food. When they refused to feed his men, Gideon promised to come back through and break down their watch tower. *** They continued to pursue the kings who had fled with their army. Gideon attacked the army and Zebah and Zalmunna fled. Gideon pursued the kings and finally captured them which threw the army into a panic. *** Gideon returned the way he had come. He captured a man from Succoth and found out from him the 77 names of the officials and elders of Succoth. He took them and flailed them with the thorns and briers from the wilderness, then he went to Peniel and knocked down their tower, just as he had promised. *** In Luke, both Herod and Pilate found Jesus innocent. Pilate wanted to punish Jesus and then release him but the crowd yelled for him to release Barabbas to them instead. Barabbas was in prison for actually doing what they had accused Jesus of doing. He was the insurrectionist and the murderer, Jesus was the reformer who gave life. *** Pilate tried to reason with the Jews, but they were adamant. They wanted Jesus crucified. Finally, Pilate washed his hands of the whole matter and gave them Jesus to do with as they pleased. *** They led Jesus to his death and grabbed Simon of Cyrene to carry his cross behind Jesus. Many followed Jesus mourning and crying for him. Jesus turned to them and told them not to weep for him but for themselves and their children. Because the day was coming when it will get so bad, they will want to die. *** Jesus was hung between two criminals where he was mocked and ridiculed. An inscription was placed over him that read, “This is the king of the Jews.” *** One of the criminals joined in the ridicule and told Jesus to save himself and them if he was indeed the Christ. The other criminal rebuked him saying they were receiving death because they deserved it, but Jesus had done nothing to receive his death. He asked Jesus to remember him when he came into his kingdom. Jesus told him that he would be with him that day in Paradise. *** Lord, thank you that when we are facing powers greater than us, you encourage us to lean on the power that is above all powers. You gave both Gideon and Jesus victory over more than the powers on the earth, but powers in the heavenlies. May we trust in your power to fight all our enemies.