Gideon and Wool

Gideon’s story has many facets that I find interesting. First he tried to talk God out of choosing him.

And he said unto him, Oh my Lord, wherewith shall I save Israel? behold, my family is poor in Manasseh, and I am the least in my father's house. (Judges 6:15 KJV)

Just as He chose David, the least of his father’s sons, He chose Gideon.

Second, Gideon followed God’s instructions – but not openly in the daylight, nor alone, but trying not to be noticed:

Then Gideon took ten men of his servants, and did as the LORD had said unto him: and so it was, because he feared his father's household, and the men of the city, that he could not do it by day, that he did it by night. (Judges 6:27 KJV)

He tested God, and God responded. Not just once, he did it again.

Behold, I will put a fleece of wool in the floor; and if the dew be on the fleece only, and it be dry upon all the earth beside, then shall I know that thou wilt save Israel by mine hand, as thou hast said. And it was so: for he rose up early on the morrow, and thrust the fleece together, and wringed the dew out of the fleece, a bowl full of water. And Gideon said unto God, Let not thine anger be hot against me, and I will speak but this once: let me prove, I pray thee, but this once with the fleece; let it now be dry only upon the fleece, and upon all the ground let there be dew. And God did so that night: for it was dry upon the fleece only, and there was dew on all the ground. (Judges 6:37-40 KJV)

God tested Gideon, too. God wanted both Israel and the Midianites that the battle’s outcome was in His hands.

And the LORD said unto Gideon, The people that are with thee are too many for me to give the Midianites into their hands, lest Israel vaunt themselves against me, saying, Mine own hand hath saved me. (Judges 7:2 KJV)

Three hundred men were chosen – the others went home. God completed His plan to save Israel and let the people know He was the salvation.

How often do we live as Gideon? When have we turned down God’s ministries saying, “Oh, no, I couldn’t possibly. Get someone who is qualified.” Instead, we should allow God to qualify us.

How often do we test God? “If God will do [thus] I will do [so.]” Why isn’t it easy just to say, “Yes, I’ll do it.”

Finally, how often do we give God the credit? That is His glory – to give Him credit for what is accomplished. Instead, we pray, God responds – and we go about our business as usual, forgetting to thank Him.

Instead, we forget – just as Israel forgot Gideon, and His Lord, their God.

And the children of Israel remembered not the LORD their God, who had delivered them out of the hands of all their enemies on every side: Neither shewed they kindness to the house of Jerubbaal, namely, Gideon, according to all the goodness which he had shewed unto Israel. (Judges 8:34-35 KJV)

I call upon us all – remember, and thank God.

Gideon and Wool

Decisions, Decisions, again

A seventh-grader who visited our Sunday School class said it was a dare. We were dared as children, too. “Betcha can’t …” jump that fence; climb that tree, swing that high? What were the dares we faced as young teens. The dare to her was to have sex. Her baby was due in January.

How can we tell which decisions will be life altering? Hindsight is good. We can look back and say “Wow, when I did that it changed everything!” Doesn’t help in making a decision today, though.

Marriage, career, home – life altering decisions. Too often we don’t research or plan for them. People marry with the idea that if it doesn’t work, they’ll split, if they marry at all. Careers are based on what jobs are open when one is looking. Homes are based on what is desired instead of what can be paid for. Life altering decisions, made on a single day’s values.

Isaac’s sons provide such an example. As the first-born, Esau was in line to inherit. He had the birth right to his father’s material goods, and was his father’s favorite.

And Isaac loved Esau, because he did eat of his venison: but Rebekah loved Jacob. (Genesis 25:28 KJV)

Always a problem in families, this making of favorites. Jacob wanted what Esau had, and found a way to achieve it. Esau made a decision based on momentary hunger that changed lives forever.

And Jacob said, Sell me this day thy birthright. And Esau said, Behold, I am at the point to die: and what profit shall this birthright do to me? And Jacob said, Swear to me this day; and he sware unto him: and he sold his birthright unto Jacob. Then Jacob gave Esau bread and pottage of lentiles; and he did eat and drink, and rose up, and went his way: thus Esau despised his birthright. (Genesis 25:31-34 KJV)

Do any of our decisions appear as foolish? Are we living today with decisions made earlier that we thought were unimportant? Ones that had consequences we really knew, but ignored?

Are we as spiritually shortsighted? Do we ignore eternal implications for pleasures that last a short time? Are our decisions based on self and now rather than God and eternity? Which decision would you rather live with ten years down the road?

Instant gratification has become the order of the day. “If it feels good, do it” has been shortened to “Just do it.”

Consider just one regretted decision for a moment. Was it based on an immediate want? How would you change it now?

Regrettably, we don’t get ‘do overs’ that clears consequences they way God clears our sins. We must live through the consequences of decisions based on temporal desires. Some of those consequences are long term. Satan can work with them to keep us separated from God if we allow him to do so.

That decision is up to us. Accept God’s cleansing of our sins. We all have them, you know.

If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. (1 John 1:8-9 KJV)

For we have heard the truth.

And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever. (1 John 2:17 KJV)

Detail from "Esau Sells His Birthright for Pottage of Lentils", from "Figures de la Bible" Illustrations published by p. de Hondt in 1728 (Wiki Commons)

Saith The Lord

Do you doubt that it is God’s Word? It took more than two thousand years to be written, and in that written form has held together for longer than two thousand more.

From Genesis through Revelation there is one single phrase that ties all of this together. In 815 verses we find “saith the Lord.” The first comes with Abraham and Isaac.

And said, By myself have I sworn, saith the LORD, for because thou hast done this thing, and hast not withheld thy son, thine only son: (Genesis 22:16 KJV)

Moses spoke the words to Pharaoh. Joshua spoke the words to Israel. Again and again the words spoken and written. Through the books of the kings, the histories, the prophecies, into the epistles of Christ’s disciples. Jeremiah and Ezekiel have more than any other books. Some books do not contain the phrase, yet they carry the same message.

In the final book, He tells us again who He is.

I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending, saith the Lord, which is, and which was, and which is to come, the Almighty. (Revelation 1:8 KJV)

The phrase is used in the New Testament mostly in citing verses from the Old. It comes to mind that Jesus had no reason to use the phrase. When He spoke, it was the Lord speaking!

When He said: Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me. (John 14:6 KJV), He means it.

Faith is important throughout the Bible. We should be able to respond as the blind men did to Jesus’ question.

And when he was come into the house, the blind men came to him: and Jesus saith unto them, Believe ye that I am able to do this? They said unto him, Yea, Lord. (Matthew 9:28 KJV)

Do we believe that He is able? God’s ability is on display throughout the Bible. My favorite promise is:

… lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen. (Matthew 28:20b KJV)

However, that verse is out of context and is incomplete without the first part:

Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, (Matthew 28:20a KJV)

Even the whole verse is split off – incomplete without the previous verses.

And when they saw him, they worshipped him: but some doubted. And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: (Matthew 28:17-19 KJV)

Doubt crops up often. Don’t give it a home. Build faith on God’s fulfilled promises in His word.

The Prodigal's Mother

My blogger friend, Glenys, often has essays that touch my heart. This one certainly did. The poem is about the mother of a prodigal son. The biblical prodigal son’s mother isn’t even mentioned. She wasn’t a part of the parable, but he was born to a woman and such mothers exist today.

When their child is separated from the family, whether it is the heavenly family or from the earthly family, too, moms are in pain.

Of course, all mothers experience pain for their children. In so many ways they do not understand the child. Mary experienced that early.

But Mary kept all these things, and pondered them in her heart. (Luke 2:19 KJV)

There was a lot to think about over that past year. Betrothal, an angel, Joseph, Elizabeth, travel, Bethlehem, shepherds, with more to come. Lots of things to ponder, and this was truly a child of God. Everyday ordinary mothers ponder over their sleeping children still today, with much less fanfare, much less surety for the future.

She and Joseph raised Him right.

And the child grew, and waxed strong in spirit, filled with wisdom: and the grace of God was upon him. Now his parents went to Jerusalem every year at the feast of the passover. And when he was twelve years old, they went up to Jerusalem after the custom of the feast. (Luke 2:40-42 KJV)

I wonder who kept Him those years before He was twelve. Who did Mary trust with her child? She trusted Him enough not to watch Him every moment, which can bring fear.

But they, supposing him to have been in the company, went a day's journey; and they sought him among their kinsfolk and acquaintance. And when they found him not, they turned back again to Jerusalem, seeking him. And it came to pass, that after three days they found him in the temple, sitting in the midst of the doctors, both hearing them, and asking them questions. (Luke 2:44-46 KJV)

She trusted Him later in life, too.

And when they wanted wine, the mother of Jesus saith unto him, They have no wine. (John 2:3 KJV)

A faithful son, He took care of her request. And there never was a doubt about His relationship to our heavenly Father.

But what about mothers of the prodigals? These women who pray without ceasing. Who bend their knees before God and pray for their children:

That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love, May be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height; And to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God. (Ephesians 3:17-19 KJV)

Won’t you pray with her? Move her from her knees to leaping with joy and headed for the kitchen to prepare that fatted calf?

(Wikipedia Commons: The Return of the Prodigal Son (1886-94)

from the series The Life of Christ by James Tissot, Brooklyn Museum)

Faithful

Our refrigerator has water and ice dispensers in the door, but don’t try to use them without asking. I’ll tell you that the water doesn’t work, and I’ll tell you whether Beloved Husband has put ice in the holder. Neither work automatically. Same with our friend’s refrigerator. The water dispenses, but not the ice.

My son-in-law was without the use of his vehicle for a few days. The water pump wasn’t working. He used his wife’s car to go to and from work; she used ours when she needed to run an errand. It helps to have a spare available.

Same with a spare tire – very handy to have on hand when a tire fails. Blowout, slow leak, worn treads. Somewhere along the line, replacement is necessary.

Another replacement for us recently was a hot water heater. Ours ceased providing hot water on a consistent basis – sometimes hot, sometimes not. The last straw was when we were faced with hot wiring and a small flashing fire.

All of the above failed. They ceased to faithfully function properly. None of them made that decision, it was simply a mechanical failure of a manufactured item. None of them decided it was too hard to do nor did they have something else to do.

So why, then, are people no more faithful than these goods? Why is it they can explain away not attending services at the church that accepted their membership request.

Each of them walked down the aisle, took a welcoming hand and requested membership in the church to which they belong. The phrase that comes to mind is they attend enough to show interest, but not enough to get involved.

And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works: Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching. (Hebrews 10:24-25 KJV)

We need to know our fellow worshippers in order to provoke love and good works. That’s something that cannot be done at a distance.

For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them. (Matthew 18:20 KJV)

While we do have the Holy Spirit with us at all times, all places, there is a special promise for when we gather in His name. Neglect the gathering? For what reasons?

And daily in the temple, and in every house, they ceased not to teach and preach Jesus Christ. (Acts 5:42 KJV)

The disciples went daily to the temple, daily taught and preached Christ, but they also met on the first day of the week. Would we have stayed through Paul’s sermon?

And upon the first day of the week, when the disciples came together to break bread, Paul preached unto them, ready to depart on the morrow; and continued his speech until midnight. (Acts 20:7 KJV)

If so, why can’t we spend an hour in church on Sunday morning? Return for another hour on Sunday night? Why aren’t we interested in Wednesday teaching and prayer services?

He that is faithful in that which is least is faithful also in much: and he that is unjust in the least is unjust also in much. (Luke 16:10 KJV)

Just and Unjust

We were on our way home from a June vacation in Colorado, moving through the center of the Texas panhandle. The skies were partly cloudy when I saw the rain ahead of us. Past what you see in the photo, the shower stopped as quickly as it started. The first verse that came to mind was:

That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust. (Matthew 5:45 KJV)

Not that I knew of either person under that short shower. In fact, that land might not have held a structure of any kind. Neighbors there were scarce.

Jesus’ words were part of the Sermon on the Mount. People often think of this sermon being given to the multitude, sitting on the side of a mountain, with Jesus above them on a hillside. I ask you to again look at the first few verses. In fact, pick up the last verse of the previous chapter, too:

And there followed him great multitudes of people from Galilee, and from Decapolis, and from Jerusalem, and from Judaea, and from beyond Jordan. And seeing the multitudes, he went up into a mountain: and when he was set, his disciples came unto him: And he opened his mouth, and taught them, saying, (Matthew 4:25 - 5:2 KJV)

What I envision is Jesus going up into a mountain and his disciples came. Not the multitudes. It is to those called to His service that hear how followers should live.

After the “Be Attitudes”, visions of salt, light and explanation of the law, He speaks of our enemies, defining their treatment.

Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbour, and hate thine enemy. But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you; (Matthew 5:43-44 KJV)

Peter carried the message away with him that day and wrote of it later.

Not rendering evil for evil, or railing for railing: but contrariwise blessing; knowing that ye are thereunto called, that ye should inherit a blessing. (1 Peter 3:9 KJV)

Do we? The way to be certain is to place that person on a prayer list. If there is someone specifically identifiable as an enemy, that harbors hate, Christ Himself requires that we pray for them.

What would that prayer be? Vengeance? Nope, that belongs to the Lord. The simplest is to pray that God will hold them in His hand. That God’s will be done in their lives. That God will soften their hearts and they will come to know His love.

What better way for a person to change? What a blessed way for us to have a part in that change.

Disorderly

Many diseases display physical symptoms. Some symptoms appear to be more than one disease. Beloved Husband’s hands were obviously shaking as though he were losing muscular control. The first thought was that this was a symptom of Parkinson’s, a progressive disease.

Instead of worrying about was it was and what would come next, a trip to Dr. Mac got us an appointment with a gentleman who appeared to be Marcus Welby. Honestly! For those of you too young to recognize the name, sorry. Tall, slender, tailor-fitted suited, a sculptured head of white hair, a demeanor designed to acknowledge ability and provide assurance.

A few tests and a diagnosis that has proven true – BET (Benign Essential Tremors.) There is no cure, but the progression is very slow and there is medication that helps.

There are symptoms displayed in other things that require attention. A leaking faucet let’s us know attention is required. The scratch of metal-to-metal bears investigation. A fragrance of heated wiring sends us looking for the source. These are all symptoms.

Paul describes a symptom in his epistle.

Now we command you, brethren, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye withdraw yourselves from every brother that walketh disorderly, and not after the tradition which he received of us. (2 Thessalonians 3:6 KJV)

He’s not talking about the unsaved. He’s not talking about a family member. He’s talking about the Christian sitting in the pew at church.

Disorderly covers a multitude of possibilities.

Matthew Henry’s Bible commentary states these disorderly brethren do not “ ,,, govern themselves according to the rules of Christianity, nor agreeably to their profession of religion; not according to the precepts delivered by the apostle, which they had received, and pretended to pay a regard to. Note, It is required of those who have received the gospel, and who profess a subjection to it, that they live according to the gospel. If they do not, they are to be counted disorderly persons.”

The sad thing is that this has applied to my own life. There have been times I did not live according to the gospel. I did not attend church regularly. I did not speak of my faith to others. Both of those are expected of Christians. I lied. That is not expected of Christians, no matter how “white” the lie might have been. Revelation 21:8 does not omit the white lies of convenience.

These disorderly people also are described in another verse.

For we hear that there are some which walk among you disorderly, working not at all, but are busybodies. (2 Thessalonians 3:11 KJV)

That’s not confined to ladies, dear gentlemen. And there are remedies when the diagnosis is confirmed.

And if any man obey not our word by this epistle, note that man, and have no company with him, that he may be ashamed. Yet count him not as an enemy, but admonish him as a brother. (2 Thessalonians 3:14-15 KJV)

Don’t ignore the disorderly – even within ourselves. Take time to study this third chapter with some commentaries, while looking into our own eyes before removing motes from others.

(Wikipedia Commons: Gustave Doré - Miguel de Cervantes - Don Quixote - Part 1 - Chapter 1 - Plate 1

"A world of disorderly notions, picked out of his books, crowded into his imagination".)