Those that will not be

8 Oct 2011 In: Worth Repeating

Those that will not be tilled as fields, shall be abandoned as rocks

- John Calvin

Go in the strength you have

7 Oct 2011 In: Meditations
A Bible story from Judges 6:

Midian, a tribe descended from a son of Abraham by Keturah, had won against Israel by destroying their crops and herds. Israel cried to the Lord and he sent a prophet to remind them: "It was I who brought you up from Egypt… out of the house of slavery." The prophet's words would have called to their remembrance the Law: "I [am] the LORD thy God, which have brought thee out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage. Thou shalt have no other gods before me" (Ex. 20:2, 3) etc.

The prophet exhorted for God: "I delivered you from the hands of the Egyptians and from the hands of all your oppressors, and dispossessed them before you and gave you their land, and I said to you, 'I am the LORD your God; you shall not fear the gods of the Amorites in whose land you live. But you have not obeyed Me.'"

Gideon had heard the prophet's words but not understood. So, when the angel of the Lord appeared to him and said, "The LORD is with you, O valiant warrior", Gideon replied, "…if the LORD is with us, why then has all this happened to us?"

It was a case where the Lord did not require full understanding. It was a time for action and for shaking off discouragement. Perhaps hunger had dulled the mind. God will help us anyway.

The LORD turned to him and said, "Go in the strength you have and save Israel out of Midian's hand. Am I not sending you?"

It is good to know the Lord "shall not judge after the sight of his eyes, neither reprove after the hearing of his ears:…" (Isa 11:3b) He sees deeper than our faults and walled hearts, straight through to his undying intention to help us.

He will send us on exploits too great for our strength and we will do all things through him who gives us strength. (Phil 4:13)

We can count on Him.

Are you weary?

I know that you can do all things; no plan of yours can be thwarted. Job 42:2


Video of the Month

I Will Serve TheeFriends of Jesus Choir, Rwanda.


Video of the Quarter

The Navy Hymn sung by The USNA Glee Club. Pray for our troops.

Theme Scripture— Ruth 1:16, 17: “Don't urge me to leave you or to turn back from you. Where you go I will go, and where you stay I will stay. Your people will be my people and your God my God. Where you die I will die, and there I will be buried. May the LORD deal with me, be it ever so severely, if anything but death separates you and me.”

Ruth’s solemn vow to break all ties with her past and to commit her heart to Naomi, the person of her deepest affection, are a whole expression of true love. That is why they are used at times in marriage ceremonies. Often, wedding guests don't realize that these Bible verses were spoken by a daughter-in-law to her departed husband's mother, who also was a widow.

Ruth’s words promised the greatest possible loyalty: She would follow Naomi, stay with her, adopt her kinsmen as her own, worship and love the God of Israel as her own, die in Naomi's land, and be buried there.

Then, after saying this and perhaps realizing that she might fail in her vow, she prayed that the LORD would punish her if ever it was broken.

Christian sisters, let us strive to love each other and God with this same intensity, and pray that the LORD will uphold our good intentions.

The widget will pop up a new window to display answers on Studylight.org for your general Scripture search.

About the author

Anne Turner is a pseudonym because some Bible Study materials present true stories about people who desire to remain anonymous. For example, see the God Remembered Abraham Preface. Anne is a member of the Associate Reformed Presbyterian Church.

Month List

Calendar

<<  May 2013  >>
MoTuWeThFrSaSu
293012345
6789101112
13141516171819
20212223242526
272829303112
3456789

View posts in large calendar
Sign in