“As soon as Gideon died, the people of Israel turned again and whored after the Baals and made Baal-berith their god. And the people of Israel did not remember the Lord their God, who had delivered them from the hand of all their enemies on every side,and they did not show steadfast love to the family of Jerubbaal (that is, Gideon) in return for all the good that he had done to Israel.” Judges 8:33-35 (ESV) When you trace the journey of the people of Israel, you will notice a pattern of obedience, rebellion, discipline, and repentance. God blesses obedience and God disciplines disobedience. The people of Israel would obey God for a season and then allow the tug of rebellion to captivate their attention. Instead of worshiping the Lord their God, they would digress into idolatry. As a follower of Jesus Christ, the Apostle Paul identified the tug of rebellion that originated in his sinful nature. Even though he was born again and filled with the Holy Spirit, Paul had to perpetually combat the cravings of the sin nature. “For I know that nothing good dwells in me, that is, in my flesh. For I have the desire to do what is right, but not the ability to carry it out.For I do not do the good I want, but the evil I do not want is what I keep on doing. Now if I do what I do not want, it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells within me.” Romans 7:18-20 (ESV) How do you triumph over the tug of rebellion? Walk in full surrender to the Lordship of Christ. Acknowledge your total dependency upon the Lord to empower you to live in victory. Run from sin and run to Jesus as you practice instant obedience. Riding HIS Wave, Stephen Trammell Lead Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell
Category: Gideon
“The Lord said to Gideon, ‘The people with you are too many for me to give the Midianites into their hand, lest Israel boast over me, saying, My own hand has saved me.’” Judges 7:2 (ESV) Gideon considered his clan to be the weakest in Manasseh and himself the least of his father’s house. He did not feel qualified to lead the charge to defeat the Midianites. God confirmed His will through a fire, a fleece, and a formula. Gideon prepared a sacrifice and God sent an angel of the Lord. “Then the angel of the Lord reached out the tip of the staff that was in his hand and touched the meat and the unleavened cakes. And fire sprang up from the rock and consumed the meat and the unleavened cakes” (Judges 6:21 ESV). Gideon asked for additional clarification by asking God to fill a wool fleece with dew while keeping all the ground dry. God performed the miracle and Gideon wrung enough dew from the fleece to fill a bowl with water. The fleece was used again to test the validity of God’s will. This time, Gideon asked God to let the fleece remain dry while allowing there to be dew on all the ground. God performed that miracle. The formula God chose for Gideon demonstrated God’s power in the midst of Gideon’s weaknesses. The formula involved reducing Gideon’s army from 32,000 to 300. Gideon and his army of 300 won the victory! God’s way to victory does not always line up with our logical thought process. In our humanity, we tend to judge our circumstances from our limited point of view. God’s ways are higher than our ways (Isaiah 55:9). The victory over our sin, our death, and our dilemma was won God’s way through the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus! Riding HIS Wave, Stephen Trammell Lead Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell
“As soon as Gideon died, the people of Israel turned again and whored after the Baals and made Baal-berith their god. 34 And the people of Israel did not remember the Lord their God, who had delivered them from the hand of all their enemies on every side, 35 and they did not show steadfast love to the family of Jerubbaal (that is, Gideon) in return for all the good that he had done to Israel.” Judges 8:33-35 (ESV) When you trace the journey of the people of Israel, you will notice a pattern of obedience, rebellion, discipline, and repentance. God blesses obedience and God disciplines disobedience. The people of Israel would obey God for a season and then allow the tug of rebellion to captivate their attention. Instead of worshiping the Lord their God, they would digress into idolatry. As a follower of Jesus Christ, the Apostle Paul identified the tug of rebellion that originated in his sinful nature. Even though he was born again and filled with the Holy Spirit, Paul had to perpetually combat the cravings of the sin nature. “For I know that nothing good dwells in me, that is, in my flesh. For I have the desire to do what is right, but not the ability to carry it out. 19 For I do not do the good I want, but the evil I do not want is what I keep on doing. 20 Now if I do what I do not want, it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells within me.” Romans 7:18-20 (ESV) How do you triumph over the tug of rebellion? Walk in full surrender to the Lordship of Christ. Acknowledge your total dependency upon the Lord to empower you to live in victory. Run from sin and run to Jesus as you practice instant obedience. Chronological Bible Reading Plan: (Day 92: Judges 8-9) Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell
“The Lord said to Gideon, ‘The people with you are too many for me to give the Midianites into their hand, lest Israel boast over me, saying, My own hand has saved me.’” Judges 7:2 (ESV) Gideon considered his clan to be the weakest in Manasseh and himself the least of his father’s house. He did not feel qualified to lead the charge to defeat the Midianites. God confirmed His will through a fire, a fleece, and a formula. Gideon prepared a sacrifice and God sent an angel of the Lord. “Then the angel of the Lord reached out the tip of the staff that was in his hand and touched the meat and the unleavened cakes. And fire sprang up from the rock and consumed the meat and the unleavened cakes” (Judges 6:21 ESV). Gideon asked for additional clarification by asking God to fill a wool fleece with dew while keeping all the ground dry. God performed the miracle and Gideon wrung enough dew from the fleece to fill a bowl with water. The fleece was used again to test the validity of God’s will. This time, Gideon asked God to let the fleece remain dry while allowing there to be dew on all the ground. God performed that miracle. The formula God chose for Gideon demonstrated God’s power in the midst of Gideon’s weaknesses. The formula involved reducing Gideon’s army from 32,000 to 300. Gideon and his army of 300 won the victory! God’s way to victory does not always line up with our logical thought process. In our humanity, we tend to judge our circumstances from our limited point of view. God’s ways are higher than our ways (Isaiah 55:9). The victory over our sin, our death, and our dilemma was won God’s way through the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus! Chronological Bible Reading Plan: (Day 91: Judges 6-7) Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell