Saturday, July 31, 2021

Judges 7 Devotions by Stephen Taylor

Judges 7:2,3

The LORD said to Gideon, “You have too many men. I cannot deliver Midian into their hands, or Israel would boast against me, ‘My own strength has saved me.’ Now announce to the army, ‘Anyone who trembles with fear may turn back and leave Mount Gilead.’” So twenty-two thousand men left, while ten thousand remained.

Do we trust God to weed out those around us that are not intended for us? God gave Gideon a message and a mission, one that seemed too big for Gideon to complete on his own. God told him to go fight against the Midianites and bring freedom to God’s people. So after some debating and confirmation from the LORD, Gideon rallies the troops and heads out.

Yet, what does God say? He tells Gideon, “You have too many men. Now trust Me and send some of them home.” That is exactly the opposite of what we would rationally do, yet it is exactly what God commanded! God knew exactly what and how it needed to be done, and Gideon trusted and obeyed; would we? Gideon obeyed, and God moved mightily, bringing victory and glory to His Holy Name!

God will weed out those from around us that are not for us. He will remove those who aren’t supposed to be there, but we must be willing to obey and trust Him in the midst of uncertainty. He may call you to leave a lucrative business party, but trust and believe that He will reward and bless your obedience. If you’re in a dating relationship that is not of the LORD, and He calls you to step away in order to draw nearer to Him, you can bet He has the right one for you waiting in the wings.

Our God’s plans are not to destroy us but to deliver us and give us a hope and a future. He will weed our gardens, but we must stop sowing into them the very things He is removing from them. He knows things we don’t, sees things we can’t, and we must always trust that He is moving and working for His glory and the good of those who love Him and are called according to His purposes!

Romans 8:28- And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose.

God bless! I love you all, but His love is moving and shaping the very fabric of our lives! Glory, honor, and praise now and forever to Papa God, Jesus Christ our King, and the Holy Spirit!

 

Judges 7:15

When Gideon heard the dream and its interpretation, he bowed down and worshiped. He returned to the camp of Israel and called out, "Get up! The LORD has given the Midianite camp into your hands." 

 

Let me set the stage for this verse. Gideon is on a mission from the Lord to destroy the Midianites and save the Israelites. He is in a valley, grossly outnumbered and surrounded by his enemies, and what does he do? He worships the Lord right in the middle of it all! He doesn’t wait till later or even care who is looking, but instead, he bows down, in full surrender, in the midst of his enemies, down in a valley, and I bet this pleased the Lord!

 

Do we respond like this in our valleys? When the enemy is all around us, do we take the time to humble ourselves before the Lord and worship Him for Him? Our circumstances should never dictate our faith or how we worship Him! But let me tell you, there are so many ways to worship the Lord. We can do it in song, in trusting Him, in believing Him, in telling others about how and what He is doing in our lives, by serving one another, by reading His Word, and by praying! The list goes on and on. To me, it doesn’t matter as much how you worship the Lord as long as you’re worshipping Him in the Spirit and in Truth and always from the heart!

 

As I was paying this morning, the Holy Spirit brought an example to mind of my mom training her grandson to turn to the Lord in times of trouble or distress and how it is a way to worship Him! My nephew, her grandson, has some pretty bad nightmares most nights. So, my mom prays with him before bed and asks the Lord to guide and guard his dreams. My mom is teaching him that in times of trouble, he can turn to the Lord and cry out, and He will hear! And you know what? The other night, I was on the phone with her as she was putting him to bed, and he was asking her to pray with him! Do you see the seeds that are being planted there! Even if no other fruit is seen right now, those seeds are planted, and Gannon will learn that in his valleys, he can turn to the Lord and can have faith that will overcome his fear! That, my friends, is a sweet song of worship to our God!

 

I encourage you today to look around and see not your surroundings but the One who is surrounding you with His peace, love, strength, and hope, and worship Him for Who He is!

 

Psalm 125:2 - As the mountains surround Jerusalem, so the LORD surrounds his people both now and forevermore.

 

God bless! I love you all! Glory, Honor, and Praise now and forever to God Almighty, Jesus Christ, and the Holy Spirit!

 

 

 

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