Judges 6:15 - Weakness

“Pardon me, my lord,” Gideon replied, “but how can I save Israel? My clan is the weakest in Manasseh, and I am the least in my family.” Judges 6:15

How do you see yourself? Are you a winner? Are you strong and confident? These are traits seen as important. To get to the top of your game/career, you have to have these qualities. These are what make the people who are the upper echelon of society. But are they important to God? God can use anyone. He can use the strong and he can use the weak. Sometimes he chooses to use the weak so his power can be seen all the more. Gideon is made a judge for the Israelites not because of his strength, but because of his weakness. He didn't even have great faith because he asks God for several signs to reassure him and possibly those around him that he, Gideon, was to lead this battle to defeat the Midianites.

Lord, Thank you for loving us and using us regardless of our strength or weakness. Please help us to listen for your calling and be open to doing your will. Amen.

1 John 3:19-20 - Doubting hearts

This is how we know that we belong to the truth and how we set our hearts at rest in his presence: If our hearts condemn us, we know that God is greater than our hearts, and he knows everything. 1 John 3:19-20

This was a confusing passage for me. And when I come to a confusing passage I usually check with commentaries to find some clarity. Even one of the commentaries said, "A very difficult passage." I liked this summary best:

The force of 1 John 3:19-20 may be thus summed up: ‘By loving our brethren in deed and truth we come to know that we are God’s children and have His presence within us, and are enabled to meet the disquieting charges of conscience. For, if conscience condemns us, its verdict is neither infallible nor final. We may still appeal to the omniscient God, whose love implanted within us is a sign that we are not condemned and rejected by Him.’ (Link)

So, most of 1 John shows us what a Christian is like and not like. This passage assures us that even though sometimes our heart makes us think, "I am no good, I'm not worthy to be a part of God's family," the truth is that out hearts are not very reliable and God is more powerful than our heart. If we have given our lives to Christ and live like we belong to that truth, we are part of God's family regardless of the doubts of our heart.

Lord, Thank you for giving us clear instruction about how to live as your children. Please help us to overcome the doubts of our heart. Amen.

Ephesians 3:20-21 - Plunder

Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.

I've had an epiphany, and aha moment. God has been bringing me to this point for several months and the last few days have made it clear. I tried to share this with a ladies class last night and I think I realized that aha moments may be difficult to translate to others who have not been walking your journey, but here it goes. The process of seeking healing may even be more important than actually receiving healing. We all have one or many strongholds, right now my stronghold of focus is food issues. My sisters and I have been reading the book Breaking Free by Beth Moore. At the end of the book she states that our motivation may have been to find deliverance, but hopefully we will find more of the deliverer. She also talks about the idea of plunder and that when the Israelites left the slavery of Egypt, the Egyptians gave the gold. God gives us more than what we've asked for. In fact, God can even give us plunder if he does not give us healing right away or ever. Perseverance in study and prayer gives us a closer connection and relationship with God. Dealing with our stronghold will help us to have mercy on others who are dealing with their stronghold. And if we do receive healing, that's just the icing on the cake and gives more plunder because now we have an amazing story of healing to share with others.

Lord, thank you for plunder. Thank you for the things you do that go above and beyond what we ask for. Please help us to persevere in our struggle against our stronghold. Amen.

Psalm 114:4 - God's power over the physical earth

the mountains leaped like rams,
     the hills like lambs.

Psalm 114 is surely one that was a favorite with children. It is short and includes phrases like the verse for today. The premise is the joy the Lord displayed when his people left Egypt and his power over the physical earth. I have often said. God has complete control over the physical earth. We think of a rock as a hard, unchangeable object, but for God, it can become a pool of water ( v.8) The things we think of as impossible are not just possible, but easy for God.

Lord, thank you for demonstrating for us your control over the earth. Please help us to give you control of all areas of our earth and life. Amen.

Psalm 93:3-4 - Pounding Waves

The seas have lifted up, Lord,
     the seas have lifted up their voice;
     the seas have lifted up their pounding waves.
Mightier than the thunder of the great waters,
     mightier than the breakers of the sea—
     the Lord on high is mighty.

I thought this was such a beautiful passage. Reading these verses has the pattern of ocean waves breaking on the shore. David was such a great writer! This holiday week, I know several people who are spending time near the ocean. If you are, listen to the waves crash on the beach as you read this passage. If you are not near the beach, watch or listen to this video while you read the passage, then imagine yourself at the beach. The Lord on high is mighty!

Lord, thank you for your beautiful word. Please help us to relish in the glory of your word. Amen.

Ocean Waves You Tube Video
(There will probably be a commercial first.)

Psalm 68:4 - Riding on the clouds

Sing to God, sing in praise of his name,
     extol him who rides on the clouds;
     rejoice before him—his name is the Lord.

I am an actor and an artist: a creative person. I appreciate creative writing and this psalm is full of beautiful word pictures. I love the image of God riding on the clouds. (I am picturing something like a cowboy on a bucking bronco.) There are so many things to praise God for and the Psalms give us things to praise God for we would never even think of.

Lord, thank you for the creative imagery of your Word. Please help us to continue to find new beauty in your Word every day. Amen.

Psalm 46:10 - Exalted above politics

He says, “Be still, and know that I am God;
     I will be exalted among the nations,
     I will be exalted in the earth.”

I know some people have very strong political views. It is a great privilege for us to get to take a part in our political system, but we have to remember God is in control. He is over all. No one political figure or even political party exudes more power than God. Verse 8 says, "Nations are in uproar, kingdoms fall; he lifts his voice, and the earth melts." I think it is good for us to care who governs our nation and participate in the political process, but don't allow our passions to cause us to sin or be angry. On the eternal scale of things, our politics are nothing.

Lord, thank you for being in control. Please help us to put our politics in proper perspective, Amen.

Psalm 36:5 - God is big

Your love, Lord, reaches to the heavens,
     your faithfulness to the skies.

God is big. He is bigger than me and my problems, bigger than America and it's problems, bigger than the world and it's problems. God is omnipotent, all powerful. He is omnipresent, everywhere. He is omniscient, knows everything. But with all this bigness, he still cares about me and my problems. He loves each and every one of us. Amazing!

Lord, thank you for being so big. Please help us to know that you love us no matter what. Amen.

1 Thessalonians 1:4 - Chosen

For we know, brothers and sisters loved by God, that he has chosen you,

Chosen by God. What a powerful thought. God has chosen us to be his children. The following verse tells how we can know we have been chosen: "because our gospel came to you not simply with words but also with power, with the Holy Spirit and deep conviction." The gospel isn't something we have to convince ourselves is true, we can feel our conviction, it's power and the Holy Spirit living in our lives.

Lord, thank you for making us a part of your family. If we don't feel your power, Holy Spirit and deep conviction, help us to reevaluate our conversion story. Amen.

Click here to view a video of this post.

1 Kings 19:11-12 - A whisper from God

The Lord said, “Go out and stand on the mountain in the presence of the Lord, for the Lord is about to pass by.”

Then a great and powerful wind tore the mountains apart and shattered the rocks before the Lord, but the Lord was not in the wind. After the wind there was an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake. After the earthquake came a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire. And after the fire came a gentle whisper. 

There is gentleness in silence and whispers. In our relationship with God, we don't hear him audibly, but the connection is still there. He hears us and knows everything about us.

Lord, thank you for being so powerful, yet so gentle with us. Please help us to feel that you are there and connected to us. Amen.

Genesis 18:14a

Is anything to hard for the Lord?

We have to remember God created this earth. He is also master over it. Things that seem amazing and supernatural to us are nothing for God. He put physical laws and limitations on this earth, but he is not bound by them. He can do anything. Sarah laughed at the prospect of something happening that was outside of her sphere of knowledge and understanding. How do we react? Do we have faith God can do anything?

Lord, help us to fully believe in you and have faith that you can do anything your will desires. Amen.