April 8-Meditating on God’s Word
Here is the passage for the week:
Judges 6:7-12, When the Israelites cried out to the Lord because of Midian, 8 he sent them a prophet, who said, “This is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: I brought you up out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery. 9 I rescued you from the hand of the Egyptians. And I delivered you from the hand of all your oppressors; I drove them out before you and gave you their land. 10 I said to you, ‘I am the Lord your God; do not worship the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you live.’ But you have not listened to me.†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. 12 When the angel of the Lord appeared to Gideon, he said, “The Lord is with you, mighty warrior.â€
Praying the Word: “Lord God, You listen when we cry out to You. No matter how far we’ve gone off track, You willingly respond to the desperate cries of our hearts. Often You send someone to give us aid just as you sent this prophet to remind them of how good You are and how far they had fallen away from You. If we are going to get better, we need to know the truth. We need to know our true condition if healing is going to occur. Please speak such truth into my life today. Help me to listen and receive it. I desire to be fully surrendered and will only be if I know where my life isn’t under Your Lordship. Help me to hear Your promise that You are with me. Help me to hear the name You give me to show the potential I have and to elevate me beyond my own fear and anxiety. Thank You Lord for hearing my cries. Amen.â€
April 9-Meditating on God’s Word
Write out the Scripture.
Judges 6:7-8a, When the Israelites cried out to the Lord because of Midian, 8 he sent them a prophet,
Observe what it is saying.
God answered their desperate plea because of the horrific circumstances in which they found themselves. God answered by sending a prophet to speak the truth to them. Often God answers our agonizing prayers by sending someone. Maybe, the person is a health professional to help solve a medical or emotional need. Maybe, the person is a stranger or acquaintance who offers the right words to give you the guidance you need. Maybe, the person is a family member or friend, who sticks close to you through your trial. Maybe, the person(s) is your small group who supports and prays with you. So, when we cry out to God for help, we need to carefully look and listen to those who come into our lives that we might pay attention to what they say.
Relate it to your life.
God often sends help through others so I need to be observant and listen to what they say.
Do something.
“Lord Jesus, thank You for hearing my cries by sending the person(s) I need to help me. Amen.â€
April 10-Meditating on God’s Word
Write out the Scripture.
Judges 6:8b-9, “This is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: I brought you up out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery. 9 I rescued you from the hand of the Egyptians. And I delivered you from the hand of all your oppressors; I drove them out before you and gave you their land.
Observe what it is saying.
In response to their pleas for help, God sent a prophet who reminded them of what the Lord had previously done for them. They had forgotten how good God had been in pouring out His blessing. When we forget the faithfulness of our God, that’s when we position ourselves to go astray and do our own thing that often is in rebellion to God. If the enemy can get us to forget how vital God’s deliverance is, then he has won a major battle in the war for our souls. So, we need to be careful to practice weekly worship, daily devotions, and significant service to keep our memories from failing us and our lives from falling away from the Lord we love.
Relate it to your life.
I cannot spiritually afford to forget Christ’s work of salvation in my life.
Do something.
“Jesus, keep me faithful by helping me to remember all of Your saving works. Amen.â€
April 11-Meditating on God’s Word
Write out the Scripture.
Judges 6:10, I said to you, ‘I am the Lord your God; do not worship the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you live.’ But you have not listened to me.â€
Observe what it is saying.
The prophet continued to remind the embattled Israelites of the message God had spoken to them before they inhabited the Promised Land. He had clearly identified Himself as their God and instructed them not to turn their hearts to the fake gods of the people who lived there before them. Guess what? They didn’t listen. They failed to pay attention to God’s most important word. It’s number one on the Top 10 Commandments. It’s what Jesus quoted, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart, mind, and strength.†Let’s be honest. Are we really doing this?
Relate it to your life.
Scripture clearly tells that God, who is fully revealed in Jesus Christ, is to be worshiped alone.
Do something.
“Jesus, show us where we have put other gods above You and convict us to change. Amen.â€
April 12-Meditating on God’s Word
Write out the Scripture.
Judges 6:11, 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.
Observe what it is saying.
To once again demonstrate the fear that had gripped the nation, we find a specific example of how they tried to cope with this terror. In an attempt to hide the wheat and himself from the Midianites, Gideon was threshing in a winepress, a pit carved out of rocky ground. Normally threshing floors were located in exposed areas so that the wind could easily blow away the chaff. Was this an appropriate response to his fear? I could easily see myself doing the same. What are our coping mechanisms to deal with fear? Are they healthy or detrimental to our well-being? Where does God fit in to the picture when dealing with my fears?
Relate it to your life.
My response to fear gives me an insight into my relationship with God.
Do something.
“Jesus, when I face my fears, may I turn to You and find renewed strength and hope. Amen.â€
April 13-Meditating on God’s Word
Write out the Scripture.
Judges 6:12, When the angel of the Lord appeared to Gideon, he said, “The Lord is with you, mighty warrior.â€
Observe what it is saying.
The angel's words seemed out of line with Gideon’s hiding. Gideon himself will later challenge their validity as well. However, the key promise of all Scripture is given, “The Lord is with You.†This promise is the foundation for encouragement, literally, the giving of courage. Just as Moses was given the same assurance so Gideon would be called upon to deliver the Israelites out the hands of their powerful enemy. Gideon was called a "mighty warrior," not because of his current position but because of what God saw in him and could do through him. The difference between the fearful Gideon and the warrior Gideon is the potential with the powerful presence of God.
Relate it to your life.
We become spiritual warriors through the presence and power of the Holy Spirit.
Do something.
“Jesus, I welcome the full potential of Your presence in every aspect of my life. Amen.â€
Here is the passage for the week:
Judges 6:7-12, When the Israelites cried out to the Lord because of Midian, 8 he sent them a prophet, who said, “This is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: I brought you up out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery. 9 I rescued you from the hand of the Egyptians. And I delivered you from the hand of all your oppressors; I drove them out before you and gave you their land. 10 I said to you, ‘I am the Lord your God; do not worship the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you live.’ But you have not listened to me.†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. 12 When the angel of the Lord appeared to Gideon, he said, “The Lord is with you, mighty warrior.â€
Praying the Word: “Lord God, You listen when we cry out to You. No matter how far we’ve gone off track, You willingly respond to the desperate cries of our hearts. Often You send someone to give us aid just as you sent this prophet to remind them of how good You are and how far they had fallen away from You. If we are going to get better, we need to know the truth. We need to know our true condition if healing is going to occur. Please speak such truth into my life today. Help me to listen and receive it. I desire to be fully surrendered and will only be if I know where my life isn’t under Your Lordship. Help me to hear Your promise that You are with me. Help me to hear the name You give me to show the potential I have and to elevate me beyond my own fear and anxiety. Thank You Lord for hearing my cries. Amen.â€
April 9-Meditating on God’s Word
Write out the Scripture.
Judges 6:7-8a, When the Israelites cried out to the Lord because of Midian, 8 he sent them a prophet,
Observe what it is saying.
God answered their desperate plea because of the horrific circumstances in which they found themselves. God answered by sending a prophet to speak the truth to them. Often God answers our agonizing prayers by sending someone. Maybe, the person is a health professional to help solve a medical or emotional need. Maybe, the person is a stranger or acquaintance who offers the right words to give you the guidance you need. Maybe, the person is a family member or friend, who sticks close to you through your trial. Maybe, the person(s) is your small group who supports and prays with you. So, when we cry out to God for help, we need to carefully look and listen to those who come into our lives that we might pay attention to what they say.
Relate it to your life.
God often sends help through others so I need to be observant and listen to what they say.
Do something.
“Lord Jesus, thank You for hearing my cries by sending the person(s) I need to help me. Amen.â€
April 10-Meditating on God’s Word
Write out the Scripture.
Judges 6:8b-9, “This is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: I brought you up out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery. 9 I rescued you from the hand of the Egyptians. And I delivered you from the hand of all your oppressors; I drove them out before you and gave you their land.
Observe what it is saying.
In response to their pleas for help, God sent a prophet who reminded them of what the Lord had previously done for them. They had forgotten how good God had been in pouring out His blessing. When we forget the faithfulness of our God, that’s when we position ourselves to go astray and do our own thing that often is in rebellion to God. If the enemy can get us to forget how vital God’s deliverance is, then he has won a major battle in the war for our souls. So, we need to be careful to practice weekly worship, daily devotions, and significant service to keep our memories from failing us and our lives from falling away from the Lord we love.
Relate it to your life.
I cannot spiritually afford to forget Christ’s work of salvation in my life.
Do something.
“Jesus, keep me faithful by helping me to remember all of Your saving works. Amen.â€
April 11-Meditating on God’s Word
Write out the Scripture.
Judges 6:10, I said to you, ‘I am the Lord your God; do not worship the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you live.’ But you have not listened to me.â€
Observe what it is saying.
The prophet continued to remind the embattled Israelites of the message God had spoken to them before they inhabited the Promised Land. He had clearly identified Himself as their God and instructed them not to turn their hearts to the fake gods of the people who lived there before them. Guess what? They didn’t listen. They failed to pay attention to God’s most important word. It’s number one on the Top 10 Commandments. It’s what Jesus quoted, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart, mind, and strength.†Let’s be honest. Are we really doing this?
Relate it to your life.
Scripture clearly tells that God, who is fully revealed in Jesus Christ, is to be worshiped alone.
Do something.
“Jesus, show us where we have put other gods above You and convict us to change. Amen.â€
April 12-Meditating on God’s Word
Write out the Scripture.
Judges 6:11, 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.
Observe what it is saying.
To once again demonstrate the fear that had gripped the nation, we find a specific example of how they tried to cope with this terror. In an attempt to hide the wheat and himself from the Midianites, Gideon was threshing in a winepress, a pit carved out of rocky ground. Normally threshing floors were located in exposed areas so that the wind could easily blow away the chaff. Was this an appropriate response to his fear? I could easily see myself doing the same. What are our coping mechanisms to deal with fear? Are they healthy or detrimental to our well-being? Where does God fit in to the picture when dealing with my fears?
Relate it to your life.
My response to fear gives me an insight into my relationship with God.
Do something.
“Jesus, when I face my fears, may I turn to You and find renewed strength and hope. Amen.â€
April 13-Meditating on God’s Word
Write out the Scripture.
Judges 6:12, When the angel of the Lord appeared to Gideon, he said, “The Lord is with you, mighty warrior.â€
Observe what it is saying.
The angel's words seemed out of line with Gideon’s hiding. Gideon himself will later challenge their validity as well. However, the key promise of all Scripture is given, “The Lord is with You.†This promise is the foundation for encouragement, literally, the giving of courage. Just as Moses was given the same assurance so Gideon would be called upon to deliver the Israelites out the hands of their powerful enemy. Gideon was called a "mighty warrior," not because of his current position but because of what God saw in him and could do through him. The difference between the fearful Gideon and the warrior Gideon is the potential with the powerful presence of God.
Relate it to your life.
We become spiritual warriors through the presence and power of the Holy Spirit.
Do something.
“Jesus, I welcome the full potential of Your presence in every aspect of my life. Amen.â€
Posted in Daily Devotionals