Bible Reading: Judges 13-15
Judges 15:18-19 And he was sore athirst, and called on the Lord, and said, Thou hast given this great deliverance into the hand of thy servant: and now shall I die for thirst, and fall into the hand of the uncircumcised? 19 But God clave an hollow place that was in the jaw, and there came water thereout; and when he had drunk, his spirit came again, and he revived: wherefore he called the name thereof Enhakkore, which is in Lehi unto this day.
God's calling on a man's life is a powerful thing. Samson is one of the most spoiled, rotten kids in the Bible (in my opinion). He was obstinate and talked back to his parents.
Judges 14:2-3 And he came up, and told his father and his mother, and said, I have seen a woman in Timnath of the daughters of the Philistines: now therefore get her for me to wife. 3 Then his father and his mother said unto him, Is there never a woman among the daughters of thy brethren, or among all my people, that thou goest to take a wife of the uncircumcised Philistines? And Samson said unto his father, Get her for me; for she pleaseth me well.
He disobeyed God. Not only was he not to marry a Philistine woman, but he was raised a Nazarite and was not to touch a dead body. However, he took honey from the carcass of a lion and his weapon of choice against the Philistines was the jaw bone of an ass.
And yet, God used him mightily and answered his prayers. When he was thirsty, God clave a hollow place in the rock at Ramathlehi and caused water to flow so Samson could drink.
God is amazing in his love, longsuffering and mercy toward his people. Thank God that in Christ he does not give us what we deserve, but gives us grace upon grace.
It is not that I dislike Samson. It is that I am more like him than I want to admit. I do not advise taking God's grace in vain. However, I continually stand amazed at God's gracious dealings with his children.
Thank you Jesus!
In Christ,
Rody
Wednesday, April 4, 2012
Tuesday, April 3, 2012
His soul was grieved for the misery of Israel
Bible Reading: Judges 10-12
Judges 10:16 And they put away the strange gods from among them, and served the Lord: and his soul was grieved for the misery of Israel.
God is longsuffering. He has incredible patience with his people. We wants us to be wholly committed to him, heart and soul. He knows that we are frail and like sheep in need of a Shepherd. Praise God that he knows this and does not deal with us as our sins deserve, but he deals with us in kindness and mercy.
During the time of the Judges in Israel, the people once again began to worship the false gods of the inhabitants of the land of Canaan.
Judges 10:6 And the children of Israel did evil again in the sight of the Lord, and served Baalim, and Ashtaroth, and the gods of Syria, and the gods of Zidon, and the gods of Moab, and the gods of the children of Ammon, and the gods of the Philistines, and forsook the Lord, and served not him.
This displeased the Lord greatly and he delivered the children of Israel into the hands of the Philistines and the children of Ammon. They invaded Israel and plundered them. Finally, Israel began to cry out to God for deliverance.
Judges 10:10-14 And the children of Israel cried unto the Lord, saying, We have sinned against thee, both because we have forsaken our God, and also served Baalim. 11 And the Lord said unto the children of Israel, Did not I deliver you from the Egyptians, and from the Amorites, from the children of Ammon, and from the Philistines? 12 The Zidonians also, and the Amalekites, and the Maonites, did oppress you; and ye cried to me, and I delivered you out of their hand. 13 Yet ye have forsaken me, and served other gods: wherefore I will deliver you no more. 14 Go and cry unto the gods which ye have chosen; let them deliver you in the time of your tribulation.
Wow! God said if you want to worship those gods, then cry to them for deliverance. However, Israel continued to cry out to God and they confessed their sin.
Judges 10:15 And the children of Israel said unto the Lord, We have sinned: do thou unto us whatsoever seemeth good unto thee; deliver us only, we pray thee, this day.
God saw their desire to return to him and their genuine confession. He heard their cry and sent them deliverance. It is truly amazing that God is so merciful and gracious. He is loving and kind. He hears our cry and forgives our sin. When we are unfaithful and sin against him, he promises.
1 John 1:9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
Why does he do this?
1 John 1:7 But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.
He forgives us because the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanses us from all sin. Have you strayed from the Lord? Confess your sin to him and cry out to him. He will have compassion on you and he will forgive. He knows your misery and he is grieved because of it. He wants you to walk in victory!
In Christ,
Rody
Judges 10:16 And they put away the strange gods from among them, and served the Lord: and his soul was grieved for the misery of Israel.
God is longsuffering. He has incredible patience with his people. We wants us to be wholly committed to him, heart and soul. He knows that we are frail and like sheep in need of a Shepherd. Praise God that he knows this and does not deal with us as our sins deserve, but he deals with us in kindness and mercy.
During the time of the Judges in Israel, the people once again began to worship the false gods of the inhabitants of the land of Canaan.
Judges 10:6 And the children of Israel did evil again in the sight of the Lord, and served Baalim, and Ashtaroth, and the gods of Syria, and the gods of Zidon, and the gods of Moab, and the gods of the children of Ammon, and the gods of the Philistines, and forsook the Lord, and served not him.
This displeased the Lord greatly and he delivered the children of Israel into the hands of the Philistines and the children of Ammon. They invaded Israel and plundered them. Finally, Israel began to cry out to God for deliverance.
Judges 10:10-14 And the children of Israel cried unto the Lord, saying, We have sinned against thee, both because we have forsaken our God, and also served Baalim. 11 And the Lord said unto the children of Israel, Did not I deliver you from the Egyptians, and from the Amorites, from the children of Ammon, and from the Philistines? 12 The Zidonians also, and the Amalekites, and the Maonites, did oppress you; and ye cried to me, and I delivered you out of their hand. 13 Yet ye have forsaken me, and served other gods: wherefore I will deliver you no more. 14 Go and cry unto the gods which ye have chosen; let them deliver you in the time of your tribulation.
Wow! God said if you want to worship those gods, then cry to them for deliverance. However, Israel continued to cry out to God and they confessed their sin.
Judges 10:15 And the children of Israel said unto the Lord, We have sinned: do thou unto us whatsoever seemeth good unto thee; deliver us only, we pray thee, this day.
God saw their desire to return to him and their genuine confession. He heard their cry and sent them deliverance. It is truly amazing that God is so merciful and gracious. He is loving and kind. He hears our cry and forgives our sin. When we are unfaithful and sin against him, he promises.
1 John 1:9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
Why does he do this?
1 John 1:7 But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.
He forgives us because the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanses us from all sin. Have you strayed from the Lord? Confess your sin to him and cry out to him. He will have compassion on you and he will forgive. He knows your misery and he is grieved because of it. He wants you to walk in victory!
In Christ,
Rody
Monday, April 2, 2012
Whether is better for you
Bible Reading: Judges 8-9
Judges 9:2 Speak, I pray you, in the ears of all the men of Shechem, Whether is better for you, either that all the sons of Jerubbaal, which are threescore and ten persons, reign over you, or that one reign over you? remember also that I am your bone and your flesh.
Gideon had seventy sons by his wives and one son by a concubine. the son of the concubine was from Shechem and he made a proposal to the men of Shechem. Would it be better to have all of Gideon's sons to reign over them or to have him? They said it would be better to have him. So they gave him money and made him a ruler and he killed all his brothers!
Judges 9:5-6 And he went unto his father's house at Ophrah, and slew his brethren the sons of Jerubbaal, being threescore and ten persons, upon one stone: notwithstanding yet Jotham the youngest son of Jerubbaal was left; for he hid himself. 6 And all the men of Shechem gathered together, and all the house of Millo, and went, and made Abimelech king, by the plain of the pillar that was in Shechem.
Why do men want a man to be their king? Why was Israel not content with God as their king? I honestly don't know the answer to these questions. It is because of our sin nature obviously, but we should learn from Israel and from the history of the world.
The situation with Abimelech is a typical one. He gave the people a choice, but both options were ungodly. God had never told them to choose a king. God raised up judges for them, but they had God as their king and his Word as their law.
Since then we have been presented the same dialectic many, many times. Two choices, both of which are ungodly. Leadership is a very difficult thing.
What's the answer? Follow Jesus and pray for the leaders in your land!
1 Timothy 2:1-6 I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men; 2 For kings, and for all that are in authority; that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty. 3 For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour; 4 Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth. 5 For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus; 6 Who gave himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time.
In Christ,
Rody
Judges 9:2 Speak, I pray you, in the ears of all the men of Shechem, Whether is better for you, either that all the sons of Jerubbaal, which are threescore and ten persons, reign over you, or that one reign over you? remember also that I am your bone and your flesh.
Gideon had seventy sons by his wives and one son by a concubine. the son of the concubine was from Shechem and he made a proposal to the men of Shechem. Would it be better to have all of Gideon's sons to reign over them or to have him? They said it would be better to have him. So they gave him money and made him a ruler and he killed all his brothers!
Judges 9:5-6 And he went unto his father's house at Ophrah, and slew his brethren the sons of Jerubbaal, being threescore and ten persons, upon one stone: notwithstanding yet Jotham the youngest son of Jerubbaal was left; for he hid himself. 6 And all the men of Shechem gathered together, and all the house of Millo, and went, and made Abimelech king, by the plain of the pillar that was in Shechem.
Why do men want a man to be their king? Why was Israel not content with God as their king? I honestly don't know the answer to these questions. It is because of our sin nature obviously, but we should learn from Israel and from the history of the world.
The situation with Abimelech is a typical one. He gave the people a choice, but both options were ungodly. God had never told them to choose a king. God raised up judges for them, but they had God as their king and his Word as their law.
Since then we have been presented the same dialectic many, many times. Two choices, both of which are ungodly. Leadership is a very difficult thing.
What's the answer? Follow Jesus and pray for the leaders in your land!
1 Timothy 2:1-6 I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men; 2 For kings, and for all that are in authority; that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty. 3 For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour; 4 Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth. 5 For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus; 6 Who gave himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time.
In Christ,
Rody
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