Prayer: Father, give me eyes to see You, ears to hear You, and a heart which is completely Yours. Amen.
Reading: Judges 7 key: vs. 14-15 “His companion answered and said, “This is nothing less than the sword of Gideon son of Joash, a man of Israel—God has delivered Midian and all the camp into his hand!” Now when Gideon heard the account of the dream and its interpretation, he bowed in worship. Then he returned to the camp of Israel and said, “Arise! For Adonai has given into your hand the camp of Midian.” TLV
Attention: We like to tell stories to children or adults. Stories just make the content more believable. The way we tell stories and the lenses we use to see the stories influence the way we perceive and interpret them. The longer I study Scripture, the more I see a continuum and a constant throughout Genesis to Revelation. We like to emphasize certain of the Bible characters and how they accomplished remarkable things by faith. But whose story, is it?
The One constant is Adonai. It is His story. Notice today’s key verse says, “God has delivered Midian and all the camp into his (Gideon’s) hand.” From Noah, to Abraham, to Moses, to Jacob, to all the judges in the book of Judges, to David, to Revelation, we are reading His story. He created the world and is delivering those who choose Him over other gods.
Gideon, like those I mentioned above, were chosen by God and used as instruments of His glory. He anointed and delivered their enemies into their hands. In the hands of God, only three hundred men with lanterns, pitchers, and a shofar (a ram’s horn, used in battle and worship), put the army of Midian to flight. God caused the confusion which defeated the Midian army and 300 soldiers performed mop up duty.
Throughout Scripture, men and women accomplished amazing things with the aid and power of God. However, they did not do it in their own power. Are you trying to do life in your own power? Consider the theocratic governance of Adonai with the Old Testament Israel. Was He faithful in protecting them from their enemies? Yes. Were they faithful in obeying Him? No. Thus you will see a cycle through the remainder of the book of Judges. The cycle goes like this; Bnei-Yisrael disobeyed, God sent a judgement (adversary, oppressor), the people cried out to God, He heard and sent a deliverer (a judge), they delivered Israel from the oppressor, peace prevailed for the life of the judge, once the judge passed away, the cycle started over.
Maybe you have experienced something similar in your life and today is the day to repent and turn back to God (Adonai). Perhaps there are things happening in your life which are oppressing you. The purpose of the oppression is to turn your eyes toward God and turn your life back to Him.
Today is the day. Turn back to Adonai. He waits with open arms.
Action: I choose today to repent of my rebellion and turn back to Adonai.
Yield: I choose today to yield to the Spirit of God which is moving within me to respond to Adonai.
Engage: I choose today to engage with the Holy Spirit in establishing an obedient lifestyle unto Adonai.
Relationship: I choose today to confirm my surrender to Adonai.
Prayer: Father, I tried much of my life to do on my own. I repent of my rebellion and waywardness. I ask You to take over the controls. I embrace a Theocratic lifestyle. You are in control. Order my steps today I pray. In the name of Yeshua. Amen.
Memory Verse: Psalm 32:8 “I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go. I will give counsel—My eye is on you.” TLV
Music Video: Phil Wickham—I Believe https://youtu.be/d7PRGMQxNcM
Remember, “Abide in Yeshua, today!”