Today’s Readings: Judges 17:1‐18:31, John 3:1‐21, Psalm 104:1‐23, Proverbs 14:20‐21

His Words: Judges 17: 5 And the man Micah had a shrine, and he made an ephod and household gods, and ordained one of his sons, who became his priest. 6 In those days there was no king in Israel. Everyone did what was right in his own eyes…  13 Then Micah said, “Now I know that the Lord will prosper me, because I have a Levite as priest.”… 18:27 But the people of Dan took what Micah had made, and the priest who belonged to him…

Alter location in the Hebrew temple to Yahweh in Dan

my words: God’s Word told Israel that they should not make any images of worship and the priests could only approach him through sacrifices in the temple in Jerusalem.  However, they did what was right in their own eyes and expected him to bless it.  On our Israel trip, we saw a Hebrew temple to Yahweh located in the city of Dan.  How could they be so blind, to disobey the God they were trying to worship in the very act of their worship?

Apply:  I want to look at my life and see where my worship of God does not line up with his Word.

How do you know when you have gotten off track in your worship of God?

Today’s Readings: Judges 15:1‐16:31, John 2:1‐25, Psalm 103:1‐22, Proverbs 14:17‐19

His Words: Judges 16:15-17 And (Delilah) said to him, “How can you say, ‘I love you,’ when your heart is not with me? You have mocked me these three times, and you have not told me where your great strength lies.” And when she pressed him hard with her words day after day, and urged him, his soul was vexed to death. And (Samson) told her all his heart, and said to her, “A razor has never come upon my head, for I have been a Nazirite to God from my mother’s womb. If my head is shaved, then my strength will leave me, and I shall become weak and be like any other man.”

View of the valley where Samson grew up from Beth Shemesh

my words:  Context – Delilah has already asked Samson the source of his strength three times, he has lied to her, and she has immediately tried to use his words against him and remove his strength.  If he could think clearly in the face of temptation, Samson could see that Delilah is trying to destroy him.  Yet, he gives in and tells her the real source of his strength.

Apply: It is extremely difficult to think clearly in the face of temptation.  I see three things that would have helped Samson and should help us.

1. Recognize what sin is doing and can do to you.  Look at what the end result of falling into the temptation will be.  Accountability can help us with this.
2. Flee the temptation.  It seems crazy that Sampson is still showing up at her house when he knows Delilah is trying to destroy him.  How often do we do the same?
3. Decide how you will respond to temptation before you are exposed.  If you cannot remove yourself from the temptation, decide on your response before you are pressured.  Samson could not think clearly when Delilah was pushing him.  Do we think we are stronger than Sampson?

What has helped you in your battles against sin?

Today’s Readings: Judges 13:1‐14:20, John 1:29‐51, Psalm 102:1‐28, Proverbs 14:15‐16

His Word: Proverbs 14:15 The simple believes everything,
but the prudent gives thought to his steps.

My words: Do you believe the world too much?

• Do you believe everything you read?  Are you monitoring what you are reading?
• Do you believe everything you hear?  Do you check what you hear against reputable sources?

Do you give thought to your steps?

• Prudent – wise or judicious in practical affairs, careful in providing for the future
• Have you thought and prayed through your future?  Check out this excellent post for ways to be intentional about your life plan.
• When was the last time you fasted over your steps?  Praying over my job and my marriage are two of the more meaningful moments in my spiritual life.

Apply: I need to think about where I’m going.

What helps you to live on purpose?

Today’s Readings: Judges 11:1‐12:15, John 1:1‐28, Psalm 101:1‐8, Proverbs 14:13‐14

John 1:4 – In him was life, and the life was the light of men.

Observations:

• Him = Word = Creator = Jesus
• In Jesus was life.
• The life found in Jesus was light of men.

Do we truly believe that in Jesus we have life and we have it abundantly (John 10:10)?  Do we fully trust that eternal life is to know Jesus (John 17:3)?  If we did, we would live life differently and our life would be the light of men.

Apply:  I want to focus on the life found in Christ.

What keeps you from pursuing the life that Jesus offers?

Today’s Readings: Judges 9:22‐10:18, Luke 24:13‐53, Psalm 100:1‐5, Proverbs 14:11‐12

Luke 24: 27, 32, and 45, 27 And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he interpreted to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning himself…  32 They said to each other, “Did not our hearts burn within us while he talked to us on the road, while he opened to us the Scriptures?”…  45 Then he opened their minds to understand the Scriptures.

What must it have been like to have Jesus interpret the Scriptures for you?  Could it be that we have something even better?  He left to send us the Holy Spirit to live in us and to be our constant teacher.

Apply: I want to give the Holy Spirit the opportunity to open my mind to understand the Scriptures.

Has your heart ever burned within you as you listened to someone interpret the Bible?

Today’s Readings:  Judges 8:18‐9:21, Luke 23:44‐24:12, Psalm 99:1‐9, Proverbs 14:9‐10

Proverbs 14:10 The heart knows its own bitterness,
and no stranger shares its joy.

Are you self aware?  Do you realize the condition of your heart?  Are you harboring bitterness?  Are you finding true joy in the Lord?  Today I was encouraged by an All Pro Dad (recommended) blog post to find Joy.  Check it out here.

Apply:  I want to focus my heart on the JOY of the Lord.

What brings you true joy?

Today’s Readings: Judges 7:1‐8:17, Luke 23:13‐43, Psalm 97:1‐98:9, Proverbs 14:7‐8

Judges 7:2 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.’”

The Spring of Herod

Observations:

• God did not want to work through an army of many.
• If the people were victorious with many, they would boast in themselves instead of in God.

In most areas of my life, I try to gather as many qualified men for battle as possible.  In my ministry at camp, I am always praying that God would stack my team with a lot of incredibly talented and Godly young adults.  God often chooses to use the least of these to do the greatest things.

Apply:

I want God to use me in areas where I cannot boast in my own strength.

Can you testify of a Gideon victory in your own life?

Today’s Readings: Judges 6:1‐40, Luke 22:54‐23:12, Psalm 95:1‐96:13, Proverbs 14:5‐6

Judges 6:11-12  Now the angel of the Lord came and sat under the terebinth at Ophrah, which belonged to Joash the Abiezrite, while his son Gideon was beating out wheat in the winepress to hide it from the Midianites. And the angel of the Lord appeared to him and said to him, “The Lord is with you, O mighty man of valor.”

Observations and thoughts:

• Gideon is beating out wheat (normally done on a threshing floor so the wind could blow off the chaff) in a winepress (usually underground to keep the wine cool – see pic below).
• Gideon is hiding.
• The angel’s first words to him are: “The Lord is with you, O mighty man of valor.”

Winepress in Maresha

What?  Gideon is prepping food in hiding.  If anything, I am expecting God to rebuke him for hiding or acting timidly.  Instead, the Angel speaks identity into Gideon.  He comments on his position with God and his personal character.  “The Lord is with you, O mighty man of valor.”

Application:  I want to speak identity into my family, friends, and co-laborers in ministry.

Who has God used to speak identity into your life?

Today’s Readings:  Judges 4:1‐5:31, Luke 22:35‐53, Psalm 94:1‐23, Proverbs 14:3‐4

Judges 5:2  “That the leaders took the lead in Israel,
that the people offered themselves willingly,
bless the Lord!

Observations:

• When leaders lead, God gets glory
• When followers offer themselves willing, God gets glory

Application:

I need to understand my role in every situation.  When God has given me a position of leadership, I need to lead.  When God has placed me in a position to follow, I need to offer myself willingly.

Why do we struggle to function within our roles?

Today’s Readings: Judges 2:10‐3:31, Luke 22:14‐34, Psalm 92:1‐93:5, Proverbs 14:1‐2

Today being Easter, I’m going to bend my blogging rules and talk about something God showed me in the Easter narrative a few chapters ahead of our reading in Luke.

Context: After the women went into the tomb, they did not see Jesus’ body and were “perplexed.”  Two angels appear and say:

Text: Luke 24:5b-8  “Why do you seek the living among the dead? ⁶ He is not here, but has risen. Remember how he told you, while he was still in Galilee, ⁷ that the Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men and be crucified and on the third day rise.”

⁸ And they remembered his words.

We live in a Christian culture that does not remember God’s words.  I hear the angels saying: “What are you looking for.  You knew this was going to happen.  He told you so.  Don’t you remember?”

It is interesting that the women need to be reminded of what Jesus said relating to his death and resurrection in order to remember.  It would seem like after Jesus died, they would be clinging to what he said about his resurrection.  However, they needed to be reminded to remember.

Apply: Look for things that remind us of God’s words.

What jumped out to you in the Easter story today?