Podcasts about midianites

Regardless of the era, Israel has been hated and warred against. History shows this during the biblical era of the Philistines, the Canaanites, the Midianites and the Amalekites. In modern times, anger against the Jewish nation has been fueled by the rampant spreading of antisemitism through entities such as Hamas, Hezbollah, Iran, Turkey, or Islam. Did you know more resolutions against Israel have come before the United Nations than any other nation in the world? Did you know that the vast majority of the world's nations are regularly voting against Israel? This is a nation only the size of New Jersey, yet they've been despised and warred against throughout all of human history. Under such international pressure, it's truly a miracle that Israel has survived. Why all the hatred? Why have all these forces been unable to destroy Israel? The answer lies in the fact that this is not a battle of flesh and blood, but this is a spiritual battle that has ensued from the beginning ...

Regardless of the era, Israel has been hated and warred against. History shows this during the biblical era of the Philistines, the Canaanites, the Midianites and the Amalekites. In modern times, anger against the Jewish nation has been fueled by the rampant spreading of antisemitism through entities such as Hamas, Hezbollah, Iran, Turkey, or Islam. Did you know more resolutions against Israel have come before the United Nations than any other nation in the world? Did you know that the vast majority of the world's nations are regularly voting against Israel? This is a nation only the size of New Jersey, yet they've been despised and warred against throughout all of human history. Under such international pressure, it's truly a miracle that Israel has survived. Why all the hatred? Why have all these forces been unable to destroy Israel? The answer lies in the fact that this is not a battle of flesh and blood, but this is a spiritual battle that has ensued from the beginning ...

Our Spiritual Growth (1) (audio) David Eells – 6/3/26 Glory of a Child Peter - 03/04/2008 (David's notes in red) In a dream, I found myself sitting at the side of a road, on the curb, and it was gloomy and dark. There were two gray wolves or beast-like creatures with massive fangs that subtly approached me from behind. (The beasts or wolves represent wicked men: (Luk.10:3)... I send you forth as lambs in the midst of wolves. (Ecc.3:18)... It is because of the sons of men, that God may prove them, and that they may see that they themselves are but as beasts.) They tried attacking me, but I don't remember if I tried to fight them off. What I do remember is that I ran into a dull red mini caravan, which so happened to be on the road, for protection and safety. (The van may represent a means of mobility having protection and safety. The dull red color represents the blood of Jesus.) As I was shutting the passenger door, one of the beasts lunged at me, but I managed to slam the door on it. (Enclosed in the blood) As a large portion of its body was caught in between the closed door, it suddenly morphed into a naked man inside the van (I could only see the upper body). This man had streams of blood running down from all over his body. (The persecutors wear as their works the blood of the saints. Eze.22:4 Thou art become guilty in thy blood that thou hast shed, and art defiled in thine idols which thou hast made.) During the entire time, I was panicking and fearful for my life and trying to survive. (David: As I have meditated on this dream, I see that the first man above is the natural man who is in total fear of losing his old life at the hands of the wicked. His reactions are natural but not based on the Word. The man below is the spiritual man, who is 'Christ in you' and whose actions are based in the Spirit and faith in the blood of Jesus. Together these make up who we are. We can choose to be led by either man, but the latter preserves life and promotes the Kingdom of God in and around us, making us safe. A confirmation that these two men are Peter, is that they are both sitting upon the curb.) Then my attention was suddenly drawn outside the van to a child who was sitting on the curb. (Mar.10:15) Verily I say unto you, Whosoever shall not receive the kingdom of God as a little child, he shall in no wise enter therein.) He had a large volume of golden curly hair. (Golden hair represents submission to the Lord [1Co.11:3-16] which strengthens us and sets a crown of glory upon us. (Jdg.16:17)... if I be shaven, then my strength will go from me, and I shall become weak, and be like any other man. The blessings of the Lord, riches, honor and life [Pro.22:4] are set upon His people as a crown of fine gold [Psa.21:3]. The child was sitting curled up in a ball (Representing humility and weakness; (2 Cor.12:9)...my power is made perfect in weakness.... (Jer.13:18)... Humble yourselves, sit down...), with his arms wrapped around his knees and with only his eyes to be seen. His eyes were emphasized, and I believe they were large and beautiful. (This represents spiritual eyes. (Son.4:1) Behold, thou art fair, my love; behold, thou art fair; Thine eyes are [as] doves behind thy veil... Doves represent seeing as the Holy Spirit does. We must see that we have been saved and sanctified. (2Pe.1:3) seeing that his divine power hath granted unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that called us by his own glory and virtue). The lower part of his face (chin, mouth, nose) was tucked in behind his knees. (When attacked, we are not to defend ourselves by speaking foolishly. (Ecc.5:2) Be not rash with thy mouth, and let not thy heart be hasty to utter anything before God; for God is in heaven, and thou upon earth: therefore let thy words be few. (Isa.7:4)...Take heed, and be quiet; fear not.) He was innocent and harmless. He was clean. (He represents Christ in you, the spiritual man.) After I had finished observing, I noticed the same two beasts sneaking up behind him. At this point, there was no awareness of the man being in the van. (The spiritual man is not in danger and gives us a good example that we should not be in fear.) As I was still locked in the van for my own protection, I was filled with fear, yelling and screaming from the top of my lungs, trying to warn the child that he may run into the van. (Fear and anxiety, both a reflection of unbelief, only locked or bound me in the van. I was without any peace; I only had uncontrollable fear and anxiety. We must give in to the spiritual man and hold fast to the Gospel). I was hitting the window of the van to get his attention. He acknowledged me but didn't make the slightest movement, just sitting very still. (Exo.14:13)... Fear ye not, stand still, and see the salvation of the Lord, which he will work for you to-day: for the Egyptians whom ye have seen to-day, ye shall see them again no more for ever.) The beasts lunged at him, and there was still no movement on his part. The beasts were trying to bite him, but they couldn't get a grip. Their teeth were sliding off him. The beasts swung their claws at him, but there was no critical damage, only tiny scratches on the child, which were brought to my attention. (Innocence and submission to the Lord are his defense. (Pro.10:2)... righteousness delivereth from death.) Again, I was aware that I was still in the van, but I was also outside in the child's presence. The child still remained in the same sitting position as I had described and remained still for the entire time. He said nothing and didn't react in any way to defend himself. The beasts couldn't harm him. (Mat.5:39) ...resist not him that is evil: but whosoever smiteth thee on thy right cheek, turn to him the other also.) Suddenly, I looked behind this scene, and I noticed in the distance a small white house on a green grassy mount. (The house the spiritual man lives in is Christ [Heb.3:6]. We are to abide in Him, the Word, the secret place of the Most High.) In front of this house, there was a woman in a white robe inviting me, or beckoning, to partake of something. (The Bride's invitation to partake of the protection of resting in the (Psa.91) Passover by abiding in Christ.) The dream ends. I had the impression, maybe during or after the dream, that this lady looked like my Godmother (I come from an Orthodox Christian religion). Peter's Interpretation The woman in the white garment/robe who resembled my Godmother may very well be reflected by: (Pro.6:20) My son, keep the commandment of thy father, And forsake not the law of thy mother. The commandments of the Father, based on the New Testament, are life eternal (Joh.12:50), to believe in the name (meaning in Greek: “nature, authority, and character”) of Jesus Christ and love one another (1Jn.3:23). (Of course, the Word defines the steps of love.) I find that these commandments are united to be the same with one another. The law of the mother, based on the New Testament, is the law of faith (Rom.3:27), law of the Spirit of life (Rom.8:2), and the law of Christ (Gal.6:2). Like the commandments, these laws are the same with one another and can be united. Based on the order of events of the dream, I believe the child represents a manifestation and the fruit of the law of faith, of the Spirit, and of the commandments of the Father. All of these are certainly Christ. The child's characteristics and nature reveal the principles of living by faith and the Spirit of life in Christ, which are one with the commandments of the Father. If we submit to the Lord, remain humble, restrain our tongue, and see through our spiritual eyes or senses, we will be walking in Christ, fulfilling the spiritual laws (of faith and of the Spirit of life) and the commandments of the Father. All these spiritual laws are represented by the woman in the white robe who appeared to be my Godmother. She is associated with the white house on the grassy hill or mount. It may have seemed she was inviting me to partake of what was in the house, which is Christ. Just as that little child is associated with the woman, he must have been partaking from that house as well. If the woman represents all the spiritual laws and the commandments of the Father, she must also represent the spotless, blemishless Bride who is in perfect obedience to the laws and commandments of the Father. The Bride is the Word of God, who has manifested Jesus Christ. Her white robe must represent the righteous acts of the saints (Rev.19:8). The righteous acts are works of faith -- walking in the Spirit and not in the flesh. The child and the Bride are one nature because they manifest the wisdom of God, the Word of God; hence, Jesus Christ. Only as a 'child' can we enter the kingdom (Mar.10:15) and only those who walk in the Spirit. Those who are likened unto a child walk in the Spirit. One verse can describe this dream: (Exo.14:13) And Moses said unto the people, Fear ye not, stand still, and see the salvation of the Lord, which he will work for you to-day: for the Egyptians whom ye have seen to-day, ye shall see them again no more for ever. Whenever we are in tribulation or trial of any form, we should fear not, stand still, and see the salvation of the Lord. Use our imagination, see it spiritually, believe what the Word says about you. Rest. He has already saved you. Humble yourself, and He shall never forsake you because He is your Father. A father never forsakes his child (Psa.18:2; 94:12-14). (Mat.7:11) If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your Father who is in heaven give good things to them that ask him? Thank you, Father, for Your grace and love! I pray that this dream has helped you renew your mind and imagination of who we truly are in Christ. May God bless you all.   Fighting the Old Man Eric - 10/11/2006 (David's notes in red) In a dream, I was in a classroom, and an old man was teaching the class. (We can't let the old man teach, which in Christianity is most often the case. The class includes ourselves and all who associate with us.) He said to the class, “I don't like that Eric guy. I'm going to challenge him to a wrestling match.” (If we let the old man speak through us, he will gain confidence and strength against us and he will bring us under the curse.) Then he got up and came over to my desk and, looking down on me, said a second time, “I challenge you to a wrestling match”. He was about 7 feet tall, so I followed him outside. (The giant of our old life will challenge us and lead us into battle.) I noticed that nobody in my class was interested in watching the fight. (Most onlookers don't even know the battle between the spirit and flesh is going on inside us.) When I got outside, everything seemed deserted like a ghost town so we walked over to a playground. (As far as man is concerned, we are all alone in this battle.) We began to fight, and he threw a wild right swing at me and missed. (The right side symbolizes spirit, and the arm symbolizes power. This is a fight of spiritual power; the evil spirits in our flesh against the power of the Holy Spirit within us, joining together with our spirit.) I swung back with an uppercut, but missed his jaw because of his height. Then he got me in a headlock but I broke free and grabbed him in a headlock, and he also broke free. (The flesh and spirit taking turns controlling the mind is a double-minded life.) Then we separated and began to circle each other like two wrestlers. We cried out as warriors would cry in a battle and smashed into each other as two sumo wrestlers, but being equally matched in strength, we were both unable to get an advantage. We wrestled like this for what seemed like an hour, and finally we disengaged from each other, very exhausted. (In order to win this battle we must repent of our sins and confess them, which conquers the old fleshly man. 1Jn 1:9  If we confess our sins, he is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. Then we must believe the promises of our crucifixion and life in Christ, which strengthens the spiritual man. Without this, there will be no spiritual victory, only exhaustion. (Gal.2:20) I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I that live, but Christ living in me...) Looking over, he said to me, “I think this is a draw”. Replying, I said, “I think you are right”, so we both proceeded back to the class, and he announced to them that the battle was a draw. (We can't afford to believe or speak that there is a draw for this leaves us unevenly yoked to the old man in a lukewarm life.) He then said arrogantly, “Eric stood up to me, but I have friends in high places, and I'm going to bring trouble for Eric; you wait and see!” (Gal.5:17) For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; for these are contrary the one to the other; that ye may not do the things that ye would.) Suddenly, I found myself walking in a city I've never seen before. Somehow, I understood I was walking to my house. I remember the whole city was white, both buildings and cars, but the people walking around were dressed in black. (The unseen “kingdom of God has come nigh” but the people are walking in darkness.) When I arrived at my house, police lines were blocking my way. All manner of law enforcement officers were there. (If we don't beat the old man but leave him in control of the class, we break God's law and have to pay the penalty.) One who appeared to be in charge came up to me and asked, “Are you Eric?” I answered, “Yes, I am, but sometimes I'm not sure”. (We never really know who we are until the old man is dead.) He then said, “You are evicted, and you have to walk around in the street”. (The carnal man has taken over our house.) So then I looked toward heaven and cried out, “Lord, what am I to do without a house?” Then the dream ended. (This is a good teaching the Lord has given to us through Eric. We either put to death the old man, or we eventually lose controlling interest in this house we call a body, and maybe even the house we call a home. A more primitive lifestyle, enforced by the beast, is coming to the Church as a whole because of this lukewarm draw.)   In Weakness We Win M.W.- 10/14/2008 (David's notes in red) In a dream, I was at a football game. I was part of a team. We were wearing white jerseys, and my teammates were younger kids, for the most part. I remember thinking when I saw my younger teammates, We are going to get killed! The field was on a hill, and it seemed like we were at a higher elevation. As we approached the field, I saw a sign that had the opposing team's name on it. The sign read “ASU”, which is Arizona State University, but during the dream, I didn't think about that; I just noticed “ASU”. If you look up their mascot, you will find that it is the Sun Devils; it is a picture of a devil with a pitchfork. So it was us versus the ASU Sun Devils. Right before the kickoff, I remember being very anxious and again thinking that this might not go well. At first, the field was muddy because I remember our uniforms having some mud on them. We received the ball first and, on a series of plays, marched down to the end of the field of the Sun Devils. I remember that as we moved toward their goal line, it seemed like I was a lot bigger than the ASU players. On the last play that scored the touchdown, I remember thinking, 'Should I play quarterback and maybe throw the ball?' Instead, it was a running play, and I was running just ahead of the running back blocking. It was interesting because I was a grown man, and it was like I was blocking little kids. I blocked several opposing players during the last play, and we scored. It started raining about then, and the Sun Devils forfeited the game. The score was 7-0. After we scored, we were so excited, and it was disappointing to see them forfeit, but it was a relief in a way. I remember watching the last van loaded with gear pull away in the rain and head down the hill. Many are wondering just before the big tribulation game against Satan's fearsome team, how such a small, weak, and immature-looking bunch on God's side could possibly survive, much less win. God's “power is made perfect in weakness.” “Not by might and not by power but by my spirit, saith the Lord.” It is “by my Spirit,” or another way to say it, it is the rain, the Latter Rain, and our weakness that will cause the enemy to forfeit the game. Remember Gideon's army, which God whittled down to 300 men so that in their weakness they would take on an army that was said to be, “like locusts for multitude; and their camels were without number, as the sand which is upon the sea-shore for multitude.” And what was God's reasoning? (Jdg.7:2) And Jehovah said unto Gideon, The people that are with thee are too many for me to give the Midianites into their hand, lest Israel vaunt themselves against me, saying, Mine own hand hath saved me. (3) Now therefore proclaim in the ears of the people, saying, Whosoever is fearful and trembling, let him return and depart from mount Gilead. So, children are the best to go against the enemy like little David went before Goliath. (Mat.18:3) and said, Verily I say unto you, Except ye turn, and become as little children, ye shall in no wise enter into the kingdom of heaven. (4) Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child, the same is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. We must be children in our own strength but wise beyond our years in God's strength. (1 Cor.14:20) Brethren, be not children in mind: yet in malice be ye babes, but in mind be men. (Eph.6:10) Finally, be strong in the Lord, and in the strength of his might. (11) Put on the whole armor of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. (12) For our wrestling is not against flesh and blood, but against the principalities, against the powers, against the world-rulers of this darkness, against the spiritual [hosts] of wickedness in the heavenly [places]. (13) Wherefore take up the whole armor of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and, having done all, to stand. (14) Stand therefore, having girded your loins with truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, (15) and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace; (16) withal taking up the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the evil [one]. (17) And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God: (18) with all prayer and supplication praying at all seasons in the Spirit, and watching thereunto in all perseverance and supplication for all the saints. The Battle begins... My daughter had a dream, too. She and her grandmother were on a big roller coaster ride, which, in the natural, is scary and goes up and down, which represents the conditions many are about to endure. In the dream, I went up into a tower that overlooked a city. (Zion is called “the tower of the flock” and represents the Bride who will be over the rest of the people of God, as in Esther.) She said that I had a very serious look on my face. I was watching over the city, which I was charged to do by the military. (God's Generals will set watchmen for the enemy.) She joined me in the tower, but later she did go back to the roller coaster. The people in her dream were barefoot. (The Church will return to her primitive roots by not departing from the original Word given. Like Moses, they will take off their shoes to not be separated from Holy Ground.)   The Lord Shows His New Models Amos Scaggs - 12/07/2008 (David's notes in red) In a dream, I was in a large showroom of a national car company. They were planning and redecorating for a promotion that would be so spectacular it would top any that had been done in the past, and it would keep escalating once it started. (The Lord is about to come out with His new models to show everyone what they, too, can drive. I believe the first-fruits Man-child ministry will be this demonstration. Jesus appeared to show what regeneration looked like.) I had my work done and books organized on my shelves, waiting to see what was going to transpire from this. (We've done the studying and put it in order. Now we are waiting to see what the Lord will show.) I knew it was going to be the biggest thing the world had ever seen, and it was only the first part of the year. I thought, since this is so early in the year, what will the end of the year look like? (The words, “What will the end of the year look like?” implies that something great will grow from this. The baby is born but matures quickly. Many models will be duplicates, symbolizing a revival. In Revelation chapters 12 & 14 the 144,000 man-child body will be duplicates of Jesus to do the greater works He spoke of.) As I was wondering what to do next, I met the Governor, whom I knew. (Jesus will govern from the throne in His earthly body of end-time Davids in a repetition of His-story. (Isa.9:6) For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. (7) Of the increase of his government and of peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to establish it, and to uphold it with justice and with righteousness from henceforth even forever. The zeal of Jehovah of hosts will perform this.) As I was concerned about what to do next, the Governor said, “Don't worry about a thing. Watch me and you will be doing the same things as I do very soon.” (The Governor is a role model and is coming in His Man-child company to be a role model for others to follow in His same steps. (1Jn.2:5) but whoso keepeth his word, in him verily hath the love of God been perfected. Hereby we know that we are in him: (6) he that saith he abideth in him ought himself also to walk even as he walked. The Governor said, “This is what I have planned; this is the beginning”. (The words, “this is the beginning,” imply many vehicles will be produced like these models, meaning a revival will spread from here.) I also thought I had something to do with the Buick showroom. David Buick was an inventor and also formed the Buick Mfg. Co. He and William Durant formed the Buick Motor Co., which is now known as General Motors. Durant was a productionist, and Buick was a perfectionist. Buick left the company in 1906 (because it fell short of his expectations) and died broke in 1929. Had Buick been able to keep his shares in 1921, he would have been worth $10 million and today it would be incalculable. Kind of reminds me of Jesus. (He was also a perfectionist, desiring quality not just quantity in His models. He was disappointed in the direction the early Church took and lost His shares in it. He lost out to the productionist's assembly line Christianity mentality.) Buick was quite the ingenious type who had it all but died broke and still formed a new thing that no one had seen before (but we will see Jesus' new thing again very soon :0).   Invincibility in Jesus G. W. - 11/20/2010 (David's notes in red) I was in a dream where David Eells and I were in the same house. He was explaining to me that we can get into a car crash and nothing will hurt us. I understood him to be teaching about faith. He then said, “Let's go down this hill to try it out”. We both agreed that we would get into this white truck. It began rolling violently down from the top of the hill. We both were outside of the truck cab in the bed -- I was in the front, and David was toward the back. All of a sudden, we both flipped off. David went backward, and I went forward. As it approached me, the nose of it was facing the ground while the bed of the truck was in the air. I knew that the back section was coming right at me, but I had plenty of time to get out of the way. Instead, I just lay there and watched this disaster come toward me. The whole weight of the truck came crashing down on my midsection. As I looked down, I wondered if this truck had cut me in two, but I felt no pain. David came over and pulled me out from underneath. I stood upon my feet, completely whole. David said, “It can't hurt your rib cage”. Naturally speaking, this seemed impossible; however, I realized that I never felt fear as the disaster unraveled. I had been given a dream very similar to this about invincibility a couple of years ago. Jesus and the Two Witnesses had this gift until it was their time to go. Jesus said, “No man takes my life; I lay it down”. We truly have God's protection if we abide in Him, just as Psalm 91 says. So this is not just a gift to the Man-child but something the Davids, as Man-childs, will teach to the saints, as the dream above appears to say. Some will enjoy this until the Lord comes. This invincibility can take many forms. Around the time of this dream, I was driving home from a meeting at night. I wasn't particularly sleepy, just slightly. As I got close to my house, I suddenly found myself waking up out of a sound sleep, seeing headlights bright in my face. Without thinking, I jerked the wheel to the right and swerved quickly into my own lane, just in time to miss the oncoming car. I was amazed that I could have been asleep at the wheel because I didn't even remember feeling tired enough to have to fight it off. I realized that this was supernatural and that the Lord had shown me that He would protect me without my even knowing about it. It was seconds before it would have been too late to miss a head-on collision. I also noticed, as G.W. did, that I never felt fear. After receiving G. W.'s dream, my daughter, Deborah, and I were on the porch swing talking. It was a common bench-type steel swing. It had a chain coming down from a wooden frame on each end of the bench to an S-hook. From there, a chain went to the front bottom of the bench, and another went to the back top of the bench on each end. As we spoke, I was suddenly thrown backward on my back on the deck, but my head slammed into the metal top of the AC unit, which was off the deck, but the top stuck up about six inches higher than the deck. It was with such force and noise that one would have thought my neck would have broken or my head crushed. On my side of the bench, as one chain held the front bottom, the other that held the back came out of the S-hook. This caused my side of the bench to flip violently backward. My daughter was holding on to her side with her legs wrapped around the bench seat. When she heard the noise and saw me down there, she asked, with big eyes and loudly, “Are you all right?” As I reached up to brace her, I was surprised to be able to say, “I'm just fine”. I then laughingly said, “The Lord said He would give His angels charge over me, lest I dash my foot against a stone, but He didn't say anything about my head”. She asked again, “Are you sure you're alright?” I said, “I'm sure”, as I reached back to feel the back of my head and felt no pain nor even a bruise. As I stood up, I realized that indeed the angels had perfectly protected my head and neck, which easily could have been broken. I never felt any fear, just joy. My daughter said, “There is no blood on the back of your head”. I said, “There isn't even a bruise”. As I began to examine the bench and chain, I saw something even more supernatural. The chain that came loose was in perfect shape, like new, with no wear and no broken links. It was the kind of chain most often used on swings. Each link had a partner, and they were stitched in the middle so that if one link broke, it was still tied to one more link. I was amazed to see there was no broken link. Naturally speaking, this would mean the chain had to come out of the S-hook. However, I examined the S-hook, and it was still closed in the S where the chain was missing. “WOW”, I said, “this is supernatural”. The chain could not be put back in the S because it was still closed up, so I grabbed a screwdriver to spread it open so the chain could be reinserted, but I could not pry it open at all; it was too thick to bend. So I put the S next to the post that held the swing and hammered the screwdriver into the S to spread it so I could put the chain in it. I had to drive it in about 3/4” to get it open enough. How did the chain get out of the S-hook? Only supernaturally! I thought, either the devil just tried to kill me and failed due to Father's faithfulness, or the Lord was just showing me He was keeping me safe. I am sure both were true. I indeed had been in a crash, and the Father kept me perfectly. PTL! By the grace of my God, I have been shot at, at close range by a professional assassin, but my angel slapped the bullet down as he told me. The one who sent the assassin confirmed this. In a wreck, I was thrown from a car going 70 mph, slid about 70 feet on concrete without a scratch, with witnesses. My tractor flipped on the side of our mountain and was going to roll, but impossibly straightened back up with me still in the seat. I believe in Father's guardian angels! More recently, Michael and I were unhitching a back blade, a heavy piece of steel, from the tractor. I got off the tractor and was standing about 15 feet from the blade. Michael was on the other side releasing it, and supernaturally it came flying very fast straight at my head. It hit me right on my nose with force and knocked me back another 10 feet to the ground. Michael said he knew I was dead, but to his surprise, I jumped to my feet like nothing had happened. I told him that what I felt was a finger on my nose pushing me to the ground very fast. My angel, no doubt. In the natural, because of the speed at which it came at me, I would have been dead anyway, but I never felt any pain or incurred any damage. Some of this was because the faction had come together to throw witchcraft at me, but failed. Many of them are dead now. Do you find it hard to believe that spiritual powers, good or bad, can take authority over the natural laws, as seen with this S-hook, my head and neck? Many have been learning that they have authority over physical laws concerning the body and laws of nature, through faith and the spoken Word. In the testimony section of our site are multitudes of testimonies of the saints' healing machinery, bodies, cars, and other physical things, changing weather, changing minds, etc. Jesus taught His disciples to take authority over the laws of nature and to teach others to do so because they are not under the curse. (Gal.3:13) Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law, having become a curse for us; for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree: (14) that upon the Gentiles might come the blessing of Abraham in Christ Jesus; that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith. (Mar.11:23) Verily I say unto you, Whosoever shall say unto this mountain, Be thou taken up and cast into the sea; and shall not doubt in his heart, but shall believe that what he saith cometh to pass; he shall have it. (24) Therefore I say unto you, All things whatsoever ye pray and ask for, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them. (And repent of any sin so you will have power.) (25) And whensoever ye stand praying, forgive, if ye have aught against any one; that your Father also who is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses. (26) [But if ye do not forgive, neither will your Father who is in heaven forgive your trespasses.] Jesus commanded His disciples to make disciples of all the nations and teach them to obey all things He taught them, even unto the end. (Mat.28:19) Go ye therefore, and make disciples of all the nations ... (20) teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I commanded you: and lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world. Now we, as His disciples, must teach disciples to obey all the teachings of Jesus and take authority over the physical laws of the curse to proclaim the Gospel. Amen.

This summer Pastor is starting us off with characters of the Bible that we learn from, not because of how great they are, but how great God used their faith. This week we begin with Gideon, a mighty man of valor.Key ScriptureJUDGES 6:11-1611 Now the Angel of the Lord came and sat under the terebinth tree which was in Ophrah, which belonged to Joash the Abiezrite, while his son Gideon threshed wheat in the winepress, in order to hide it from the Midianites. 12 And the Angel of the Lord appeared to him, and said to him, “The Lord is with you, you mighty man of valor!”13 Gideon said to Him, “O [c]my lord, if the Lord is with us, why then has all this happened to us? And where are all His miracles which our fathers told us about, saying, ‘Did not the Lord bring us up from Egypt?' But now the Lord has forsaken us and delivered us into the hands of the Midianites.”14 Then the Lord turned to him and said, “Go in this might of yours, and you shall save Israel from the hand of the Midianites. Have I not sent you?”15 So he said to Him, “O [d]my Lord, how can I save Israel? Indeed my clan is the weakest in Manasseh, and I am the least in my father's house.”16 And the Lord said to him, “Surely I will be with you, and you shall [e]defeat the Midianites as one man.”

Audio Transcript How are we this morning? Excellent. All right. It's my privilege to bring the word to you this morning, so let's get into it. Recently I read a story about a young man who never wanted to be a soldier. He had no visions of fame or ambitions of glory. When his father announced that he'd secured him an appointment to West Point, the boy protested. He wanted to be a farmer or perhaps work the river trade. But his father was not a man to be argued with, and so the 17 year old boarded a coach east. Sick with dread, he got off to a rough start. Through a clerical error, his name was copied incorrectly and it would stick permanently. He hated the academy. He finished 21st of 39 cadets, distinguished only in horsemanship and mathematics. The Mexican War found him a reluctant quartermaster, competent, but unnoticed afterward posted to lonely garrisons on the Pacific coast. Far from his wife Julia and the children he barely knew, he began to drink. In 1854, facing either court martial or resignation over his drinking, he resigned his commission in disgrace and went home with empty pockets. What followed were the worst years of his life. He tried farming on land his father in law gave him outside St. Louis, and the crops failed. He hauled firewood through the city streets in a worn army overcoat, occasionally passing former West Point classmates who looked away embarrassment. He pawned his gold watch one Christmas to buy presents for his children. He tried bill collecting and was terrible at it. He tried real estate and failed at that, too. By 1860, at 38 years old, he was working at a clerk in his younger brother's leather goods store in Galena, Illinois, earning $800 a year. He was a man whose life, by every visible measure, had failed. Then Fort Sumter fell. The quiet clerk who couldn't sell harnesses turned out to understand something that most West Point polished generals did not. The war was not about elegant maneuvers or reputation, but about pressing forward relentlessly, accepting losses and refusing to stop. Donaldson, Shiloh, Vicksburg, Chattanooga, the Wilderness, Appomattox. The failures had taught him things that successful men never learned. What it was to be underestimated, to be written off, to keep moving even when the odds looked long. The boy who didn't want to be a soldier, the the lieutenant who resigned in shame, the farmer who failed, and his brother's store. Hiram Ulysses Grant, or as the West Point Clerk mistakenly wrote, U.S. grant, ended the war as General of the armies, the man who had saved the Union and later President of the United States. It turned out that the long road had been the training. Weeks before his death, Grant wrote the preface to his personal memoirs, saying, man proposes and God disposes. There are but few important events in the affairs of men brought about by their own choice. Most of us at some point will know what it is to be in our own wilderness. We will know what it is to wait, to wait through years that seem to lead nowhere, to feel forgotten by God, to look out at a landscape that gives no sign that he is at work. And we will be tempted in those years to conclude that nothing is happening, that God has misplaced us, that our life is being spent in vain. This morning, as we come to a passage in the Book of Exodus that speaks directly into that experience. It is the story of 40 silent years in the life of Moses and 400 silent years in the life of Israel. It is the story of a God who appears to all human eyes to be doing nothing. And it is the story of how, beneath that silence, he was doing everything. So if you would with me open your Bibles, please, to the Book of Exodus. And this morning we're going to finish chapter two, verses 11 to 25. One day, when Moses had grown up, he went out to his people and looked on their burdens. He saw an Egyptian beating a Hebrew, one of his people. He looked this way and that, and seeing no one, he struck down the Egyptian and hid him in the sand. When he went out the next day, behold, two Hebrews were struggling together. And he said to the man in the wrong, why do you strike your companion? He answered, who made you a prince and a judge over us? Do you mean to kill me as you killed the Egyptian? Then Moses was afraid and thought, surely the thing is known. When Pharaoh heard of it, he sought to kill Moses. But Moses fled from Pharaoh and stayed in the land of Midian. And he sat down by a well. Now, the priest of Midian had seven daughters. And they came and drew water and filled the troughs to water their father's flock. The shepherds came and drove them away. But Moses stood up and saved them and watered their flock. When he came home to their father, Reuel, he said, how is it that you have come home so soon today? They said, an Egyptian delivered us out of the hand of the shepherds, and even drew water for us and watered the flock. He said to his daughters, then where is he? Why have you left the man? Call him that he may eat bread. And Moses was content to dwell with the man. And he gave Moses his daughter Zipporah. She gave birth to a son, and he called his name Gershom, for he Said I have been a sojourner in a foreign land. During those many days. The king of Egypt died and the people of Israel groaned because of their slavery and cried out for help. Their cry for rescue from slavery came up to God, and God heard their groaning. And God remembered his covenant with Abraham, with Isaac and with Jacob. God saw the people of Israel and God knew. Let's pray. Father. May the words of my mouth and the meditations of our hearts this morning be acceptable in your presence. Lord, I pray, after my words are long forgotten, that your word would be remembered. Jesus name. Amen. Exodus is an epic of God's love and redemption of his people. Every scene reads like an action novel. The baby in the basket, the burning bush, the plagues, the angel of death. The parting of the Red Sea, the thunder and lightning around Mount Sinai, the covenant with the Almighty. Before we dive into our text, we must read Exodus rightly. We have to read it Christologically, that is, in relation to Jesus Christ, who is our perfect sacrifice, who saved us out of our bondage to sin and delivered us into a right relationship with God. When Jesus appeared to his disciples on the road to emmaus in Luke 24:27 Records beginning with Moses and all the prophets, he interpreted to them in all the scriptures the things concerning himself. If Jesus started with Moses when describing himself, perhaps we can also we also read it historically. Scholars debate whether the Exodus took place around 1446 BC or around 1260. Good evidence exists for both dates and ancient Israel did not work with an absolute calendar the way we do. But what matters for us this morning is not the precise year, but the fact that it is history, not myth. The renowned Old Testament scholar Nahum Sarna observed that no nation would invent for itself and then faithfully transmit for thousands of years an inglorious origin story of slavery, grumbling and and idolatry. Israel did not flatter itself into existence. This happened. Exodus 2:11 to 25 sits at 1 of the great hinge moments of redemptive history. The book opens with the sons of Jacob settling in Egypt under the protection of Joseph. But there arose a new king over Egypt who did not know Joseph. What begins as refuge becomes bonding. Hebrews multiplied, and Pharaoh, fearing them, enslaved them and decreed that every male child be cast into the Nile. Into that decree Moses is born. Wes laid out for us last week that Moses mother hides him, his sister watches over him, and then Pharaoh's daughter draws him out of the water. He grows up in the palace, Stephen tells us in Acts 7:22 that he was instructed in all the wisdom of the Egyptians and was mighty in his words and deeds. And that is where our passage begins. The structure that we will use this morning breaks down into four movements. Verses 11 to 14 Moses takes matters into his own hands. Verses 15 to 17 Moses flees and is shaped at a well. 18:22 Moses is welcomed and becomes a sojourner. 23 To 25 While Moses tends sheep, Israel groans and God acts. Start with 11 to 14. Moses has grown. Now the infant in the basket has become a man in Pharaoh's court, raised as Egyptian royalty. How much did he know about his true background growing up? Wes mentioned last week that Moses mother was allowed to nurse him. So did they still have a relationship? Certainly possible. There are so many unanswered questions. Did he live with a divided heart for years? Did he spend endless nights pleading with Pharaoh? Was he embarrassed by his background and didn't want to believe it? We have no idea. What we do know is that he was raised to be a prince of Egypt. But by the time he was 40, he knew exactly who he was and who his brothers and sisters truly were. Were. One day he goes out to his brothers, the Hebrews, and he looks on their burdens. And what he sees he cannot unsee. An Egyptian beating a Hebrew, one of his own. He looks this way and that, and when he sees no one watching, he strikes. Strikes the Egyptian down and buries him in the sand. Now this raises a nagging question for me. If Moses was a member of Pharaoh's household in the royal family, so to speak, why would he have feared killing someone? Wouldn't a royal be able to kill a lowly Egyptian taskmaster with little to no reprisal? This goes into the historical context at the time. Exodus 1:8 says, now there arose a new king over Egypt who did not know Joseph. Commentators note that this likely indicates a dynastic change. A new royal house with no political or familial loyalty to the previous regime. In fact, during either time period, you believe royal houses at that time were very politically unstable, with different factions having different claims to the crown. The princess who had adopted him was almost certainly aging or dead. And the reigning pharaoh would have viewed an adopted Hebrew with suspicion, not affection. And the man Moses killed was not a slave. He was an Egyptian official, a representative of Pharaoh's economic and political authority. This is crucial. In ancient Egypt, killing a Hebrew slave was something an Egyptian could do with little consequence. But a member of the royal household killing one of Pharaoh's taskmasters. This probably would not have looked so much like murder. It would have looked like the potential beginning of an insurrection. The next day, Moses goes out and this time he finds two Hebrews fighting each other. He steps in to make peace, and the man in the wrong rounds on him with words that must have cut deeply. Who made you a prince and a judge over us? Do you mean to kill us as you killed the Egyptian? And Moses is afraid. The secret is out. Beneath these interactions is something deeper that the New Testament helps us understand. The writer of Hebrews tells us this whole episode began in faith. By faith. Moses, when he was grown up, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter, choosing rather to be mistreated with the people of God than to enjoy the fleeting pleasures of sin. He considered the reproach of Christ greater wealth than the treasures of Egypt, for he was looking to the Reward. That's Hebrews 11:24-26. When Moses walked out of the palace, he was not slumming, he was choosing. He looked at the gold of Egypt on the one hand and the suffering of God's people in the other. And he chose the suffering. That is faith. So what went wrong? Well, it can be summed up in the next phrase. He looked this way. That a long line of preachers have lingered over those words and noticed what was missing. As Chuck Swindoll says, he looked east, he looked west, he looked over his shoulder, but he didn't look up, did he? He looked in both directions horizontally, but he left the vertical completely out of it. Moses was a man with a true call, but a glance still fixed on the ground. Here is the heart of the problem. Moses tried to bring about by his own hand what God had promised to bring about by his covenant. The deliverer was right, the cause was right, the method was wrong, and the time was not yet. And the proof is what he is in what he does next. He hides the body in the sand, as if sand could keep a secret from God. Within a day, the rumor was loose. Within a week, Pharaoh wants him dead. Three things to take from these opening verses. First, a true call from God does not exempt a man from from the discipline of God's timing. Moses had the right cause and the right collar. But he ran ahead. And it will take 40 years in the desert to refine him. Second, hidden sin is a poor investment. Sand is a thin grave. What God means to expose, no man can keep buried. Third, there is mercy for those with juvenile or immature faith. John Calvin's pastoral word on this passage is really helpful. Even the obedience of the saints, stained as it is by sin, is still sometimes acceptable to God through his mercy. So Moses runs, but God was not finished with him. He was only beginning verses 15 through 17. Verse 15 begins with collapse. However noble Moses motives may have been, when he took matters into his own hands, he was outside the will of God. And yet God still had a plan for him. This is one of the great promises of Scripture. God uses sinners for his glory. It's the only kind he has to work with. When you read the heroes of the faith, they read a lot more like a Alcoholics Anonymous meeting than a catalog of superheroes. I can almost see them in a church basement, sitting in a circle on folding chairs, sipping bad coffee, introducing themselves. Hi, I'm Abraham and I'm a liar who pimped out my wife. Hi, I'm Jacob. I'm a deceiver and I'm a thief. How? Hi, I'm Samson and I'm a lust addicted vow breaker. Hi, I'm David. I'm an adulterer and a murderer. Hi, I'm Jonah and I'm a racist runaway. Hi, I'm Peter and I'm a coward who denied my Savior. Hi, I'm Moses and I'm a murderer. When Janet and I lived in Atlanta, we had a pastor who was fond of saying that God doesn't look for ability, he looks for availability. God uses broken people because it's his strength, it's his wisdom, it's his power, and it's for his glory. God would be using Moses, but he had some seasoning yet to experience. Verse 15. When Pharaoh heard of it, he sought to kill Moses. But Moses fled from Pharaoh and stayed in the land of Midian. There's no firm consensus on where exactly Midian was, but the traditional and most widely accepted location is in northwest Arabia, east of the Gulf of Agapa, in what is now northwestern Saudi Arabia. The Midianites appear to have been a semi nomadic people, so Midian may refer to an area where the tribe ranged rather than a specific location. Calvin, commenting here, sees in Moses flight not cowardice, but the sovereign hand of God, breaking a man down before he builds him up. Calvin's instinct is that the Lord put his servant through a long banishment precisely so that he would learn humility and dependence, because the work for which he was designed was greater than human strength could compass. 40 Years of palace training had to be matched by 40 years of desert undoing. Augustine, in a different connection, spoke of being in the region of unlikeness that far country, where the soul learns who it is by losing what it had. Moses, sitting by that well is in the region of unlikeness. Verse 15 ends noting that Moses, obviously exhausted, sat down by a well. One of the beauties of Scripture is the inclusion of what so often to us seems like pointless details. But wells, as it turns out, is an important location in the Bible, specifically, if you are looking for a wife. In Genesis 24, Abraham's servant meets Rebekah, Isaac's future wife, at a well. In Genesis 29, Jacob meets Rachel at a well. This time, who is Moses going to meet? Verses 16 and 17. Now, the priest of Midian had seven daughters, and they came and drew water and filled the troughs to water their father's flock. The shepherds came and drove them away, but Moses stood up to save them and watered their flock. Moses is once again faced with injustice. Has he learned anything? A group of young women have come to the well to draw water, and a group of shepherds is going to give them a hard time. Moses, again courageously rises to their defense. Already we see clues that he is learning from his past mistakes. The text does not record that he killed the shepherds, and not only that he served the young women by watering their flock. For the first time, he was learning what it was to be a deliverer. He stands firm for what is just and begins to practice true leadership, which is born out of service. It would have been unthinkable at the time for a man to perform a menial task for women. But Moses stooped to serve. And by learning to serve, he was learning to lead. For all God's leaders are servants. He, in time, the one who is the true and better. Moses would himself kneel and wash 12 pairs of dirty feet and tell his disciples that whoever wants to be great must be a servant of all. Service is always one of the first courses in God's leadership training. Anyone who aspires to spiritual leadership, especially in the church, should begin by finding a place of humble service. If you travel to my alma mater, Wheaton College, one of the most striking little buildings on campus is the Marion E. Wade center, which houses the largest collection of C.S. Lewis writings in the world. Its namesake, Marian Wade, was an American businessman and founder of the large company Servicemaster. Wade was a man of deep faith who established a tradition called six weeks on the front lines. Every future executive at the company would spend six weeks scrubbing floors on hands and knees, doing the work of those they would later lead. Wade believed that those who refused to serve had no business leading. One of the other blessings of servant leadership is that when kids watch authentic service from their parents, it has a tendency to be passed down through the generations. The other founder of Service Master was a gentleman by the name of Ken Hanson. Ken's son, Walter Hanson, when he grew up, would move to Cleveland. He started a little church in his living room. And it grew, and it grew to about a thousand. In 10 years, the church would grow into what is now called Parkside Church. And if that name rings a bell, it would be because it's the church that Alistair Begg just retired from. It's amazing how these things pass down. Moses is being molded. Though he must feel lost and alone, God is right there, directing the most salient detail, refining his champion. God creates this dress rehearsal. The stage is a backwater. Well, the cast is seven anonymous girls, but the script is the same script that would one day be played out at the Red Sea. This is how God so often works. CS Lewis, in his collected letters, wrote that the great thing, if one can, is to stop regarding all the unpleasant things as interruptions of one's own or real life. The truth is, of course, that what one calls the interruptions are precisely one's real life, the life God is sending one day by day, Moses thought his real life had ended at the border of Egypt. In fact, his real life was just beginning in Midian. There are seasons of our lives where it seems to have been derailed, where the calling we thought we had has collapsed and we find ourselves sitting by a well in some unfamiliar place. The temptation is to read those seasons as God's absence. But this text invites us to read them as God's curriculum. The God who is going to deliver Israel is at this very moment teaching his deliverer how to stand up for seven helpless women at a watering trough. Nothing in your wilderness is wasted. Turn to verses 18 to 22. The daughters return home and their father called Ruel here or Jethro elsewhere, most likely the same man. So don't get confused. Very common at the time for there to be multiple names for somebody. And he asked why they're early, and they say, an Egyptian delivered us. It's a quietly ironic line. Moses has gone out to deliver Hebrews and was rejected as a meddling Egyptian. He flees to Midian and is received as a generous Egyptian. The man cannot escape his identity, and yet his identity is not what God will make of it. Ruel rebukes his daughters for leaving the man unhosted. Call him that. He may eat bread and Moses is brought in. Verse 21 simply says Moses was content to dwell with the man. The Hebrew verb here ya all carries the sense of consenting, of being willing, even of resigning oneself. Moses is not striving anymore. He has come to the end of his striving. He sits down and he stays. The Book of Acts tells us that 40 years passed between Moses flight to Midian and his encounter with God at the burning bush. D.L. Moody is often quoted as saying Moses spent 40 years in Egypt learning to be something. 40 Years in the desert learning to be nothing. And 40 years in the wilderness proving God to be everything. Philip Reichen notes that whenever we are tempted to grow impatient with God's timetable for our lives, we should remember Moses, who spent two years of preparation for every year of ministry. Zipporah is given to Moses as a wife and a son is born. Moses names him Gershom new meaning I have become an alien in a foreign land. The name comes from the Hebrew verb garash, which means to drive out or expel. It may refer to Moses own experience of being driven out of Egypt. It also sounds like the Hebrew words ger and sham, which is a pun that means an alien there. Every time Moses speaks his son's name, he confesses that he does not belong. Midian is not home. Egypt is not home. He is a man between worlds. The Puritans loved this theme of sojourning. John Owen described the believer as a stranger and a pilgrim traveling through a country not his own, with his heart fixed on a city whose builder and maker is God. Jonathan Edwards preached a famous sermon called the Christian Pilgrim, in which he said that the true Christian travels on through this world as a wayfaring man and looks not upon any of the enjoyments of this world as his own. GK Chesterton, with his usual paradox, put it this way. How can we contrive to be at once astonished at the world and and yet at home in it? The answer of Scripture is that we cannot. Not fully, not yet. We are pilgrims. Gershom is the name of every saint. But notice Moses, sojourning is not a punishment, it is a preparation. RC Sproul emphasized that the entire 40 year sojourn in Midian was God's way of thinking. Moses for leadership, a man trained only in Pharaoh's court could not lead Israel through Pharaoh's wilderness. But a man who had himself become a shepherd of sheep in that very wilderness could one day shepherd God's people through it. The geography of Midian is the geography of the Exodus. Route. The skills Moses learned watering Reuel's flock are the skills he would use leading Israel's flock. God was not killing time. God was forging an instrument. And Moses doesn't know he names his son after his displacement. He doesn't name him soon to be deliverer or heir of promise. He names him Sojourner. The man cannot see what God is doing. Alistair Begg has spoken movingly of how God's people are very often in the dark about the brightness of God's plan for them. Moses is in the dark, but the brightness is gathering. If you are a Christian, you are a Gershom. You are a sojourner in a foreign land. The disquiet you feel, the restlessness, the sense that this world is not home is not a defect of your discipleship. It is a feature of it. CS Lewis spoke of this often when he talked about the pilgrim longing in Mere Christianity. He wrote, if we find ourselves with a desire that nothing in this world can satisfy, the most probable explanation is that we were made for another world. The long ordinary years in which it seems nothing of eternal weight is happening to you are very likely the years in which God is doing his deepest work. Verses 23 and 20 through 25. And now the camera pulls back, just like in a movie. We get a break from the action in Midian and the screen flashes. Meanwhile, back in Egypt. Verse 23. During those many days, the king of Egypt died and the people of Israel groaned because of their slavery and cried out for help. 40 Years have passed. A Pharaoh has died, another has come. Nothing has changed for Israel. They are still in chains. Bricks still must be made, whips still fall. And from those brick fields raises a sound. The text uses the strongest words in Hebrew for it. A groaning, a crying, a shrieking that goes up out of the dust. Where does the cry go? To all human eyes, the cry goes nowhere. Pharaoh doesn't hear it. The Egyptians don't hear it. Moses doesn't hear it. And then come four of the most precious verbs in the Old Testament. Their cry for rescue from slavery came up to God, and God heard their groaning. And God remembered his covenant with Abraham, with Isaac and with Jacob. God saw the people of Israel, and God knew. God heard. God remembered. God saw. God knew. John Piper has called these four verbs the Gospel before the Gospel, the announcement hundreds of years before Bethlehem that the God of heaven is not a deistic clock maker, but a covenant father who hears the groaning of his enslaved children. Each verb carries a war world. God heard, not merely overheard, the Hebrew implies attentive, responsive, hearing the cry that no human ear answered, the cry that seemed to die in the air over the Egyptian sky. The cry arrived at the throne of heaven. The silence of God is never the deafness of God. When his people cry, he hears with the ears of a father. God remembered. This does not mean that God had forgotten and now recalled. To remember in the covenantal sense is to act upon a prior commitment. When Scripture says God remembered Noah, the next thing is that the waters subside. When it says he remembered Hannah, the next thing is that she conceives. When it says he remembered his covenant with Abraham, the next thing is the Exodus. God's remembrance is the prelude to his deliverance, the covenant he made 400 years before. I will be a God to you and to your offspring after you has not faded. He was about to honor it. God saw. The verb is the same verb used in Genesis 1. And God saw that it was good. It is the verb of attentive, evaluating, sight. He saw the bruises, he saw the broken backs. He saw the widows, the unburied babies. There is no suffering of his people that is hidden from him. The Scottish divine Samuel Rutherford, writing from his imprisonment in Aberdeen, often returned to the image of God as the watchman over Israel, who never slumbers, whose people's tears are gathered in heaven long before they fall to the ground. God sees and God knew. Interestingly, the verb stands alone in the Hebrew. There is no object God knew. Some translations may supply one. God knew their condition, but the Hebrew leaves it bare. Why? Perhaps because what God knows here is larger than any object can contain. He knows their pain, he knows their bondage, he knows their names, and he knows what he is about to do. Jonathan Edwards taught that every act of God in history is the unfolding of a purpose conceived before time began. God knew. While Moses sits in Midian thinking he had been forgotten, and while Israel cries in Egypt, thinking that they have been forgotten, neither has been forgotten. God is doing two things at once. In Midian, he is shaping his deliverer. In Egypt, he is hearing their cries. The two threads are converging towards a burning bush in the next chapter. But neither Moses nor Israel can see it. Yet Augustine in his Confessions, wrote this sentence. Thou, O Lord, wert more inward to me than my most inward part and higher than my highest. That is the God of Exodus 2. He is closer to Israel's groaning than the chains on their wrists. He is closer to Moses weariness than the dust on his sandals. He is not far off. He is not distracted, he is at work. Four thoughts to close. First, be still and know that he is God. What we are very often is people who run ahead of God. Moses is not alone in this. Abraham had the promise of a son and and couldn't wait until he took Hagar. And the household of faith has lived with the consequences ever since. Jacob had the blessing already promised to him, but couldn't wait, and so he stole it with a goatskin and a lie. Peter had a lord he loved and couldn't bear to see him arrested. So he drew a sword in Gethsemane and cut off a man's ear. The pattern is older than Moses, and it is as new as this morning. The right cause can be pursued in the wrong way and the wrong time. Bradley Gray puts it bluntly. Nothing good happens when you get ahead of God and take matters into your own hands. Second, the silence of God is not the absence of God. 40 Years passed in Midian and 400 years in Egypt before God spoke from the bush. But not one of those years was empty. God was hearing, he was remembering. He was seeing, he was knowing. If your life feels like a wilderness right now, if you have been sitting by your own well in Midian waiting for a word from heaven that just doesn't come, take this passage and press it to your heart. The silence is not absence. The God who shaped Moses in obscurity is shaping you now. In his 1967 book Spiritual Leadership, J. Oswald Sanders quoted this anonymous poem. When God wants to drill a man and thrill a man, and skill a man. When God wants to mold a man to play the noblest part, when he yearns with all his heart to create so great and bold a man that all the world shall be amazed. Watch his methods, watch his ways, how he ruthlessly perfects whom he royally elects. How his hammer he hammers him and hurts him and with mighty blows converts him into trial shapes of clay which only God understands. While his tortured heart is crying and he lifts beseeching hands, how he bends but never breaks when his good he undertakes, how he uses whom he chooses and with every purpose him by every act induces him to try his splendor out. God knows what he's about. Third, your sojourning has a destination. Moses named his son Gershom because he felt the foreignness of his life. But the foreignness was not the end of the story. It was the prelude to a calling. The writer of Hebrews tells us that all the saints acknowledged that they were strangers and exiles on the earth. They desired a better country. That is a heavenly one. Your pilgrimage is not a pointless one wandering. It is a movement towards a country God has prepared for you. Fourth, and most importantly, the God who heard Israel has heard you in a fuller way still. The end of Exodus 2 is a foreshadowing. The four verbs heard, remembered, saw new, find their final fulfillment not at Sinai, but at Calvary. There the Father heard the cries of his people. There he remembered the covenant he had made before the foundations of the world. There he saw his Son lifted up between heaven and earth, bearing the groaning of every enslaved soul in his own body. And there he knew in a way only the triune God could know the cost of redeeming a people for himself. If God heard Israel groaning under Pharaoh and he sent Moses, how much more has he heard your groaning and sent his son? The exodus from Egypt is the shadow. The exodus from sin and death is the substance. And the same four verbs hover over the cross. Today God hears your cries that come up from the dust of this fallen world. God remembers his covenant with you. God sees you right now in this room, in your struggle, in your brokenness. And God knows exactly what he's doing. Let's pray. Father, thank you for this text. Father, thank you for your covenant with us. That you know us, that you love us, that you see us, that no prayer goes unheard, no silence is a waste. And that wherever we are in our life, whatever burdens we are carrying, that you're right here. That you are molding us and you are creating us in just the way that you had planned for us before the creation of the world. Thank you for who you are. In Jesus name, amen. The post Moses Flees to Midian – Exodus 2: 11-25 appeared first on Red Village Church.

The sermon centers on the transformative power of obedient faith through the story of Gideon, illustrating how God uses the fearful and seemingly inadequate to accomplish mighty works. Despite Israel's apostasy and seven years of oppression under the Midianites, God calls Gideon—a man hiding in fear—to be a deliverer, affirming him as a 'mighty man of valor' not for his strength but for his potential in divine purpose. Gideon's journey from hesitation to obedience—first in offering a sacrifice, then in dismantling his father's altar to Baal, and finally in leading a tiny army of 300—reveals that true courage is not the absence of fear but faithfulness in the face of it. The miraculous defeat of the vast Midianite army, achieved through divine strategy and the psychological impact of Gideon's faith, demonstrates that God's strength is made perfect in weakness. Ultimately, the message calls believers to embrace obedience, even when fearful, trusting that God can use humble, faithful surrender to bring about national revival and spiritual transformation.

God's Mercy With Gideon's Doubt by Autumn Dickson The book of Judges records a time period in which Israel had no centralized prophet. There was apostasy and partial restorations as the Israelites would sway into worshipping like the Canaanites did. The Lord sometimes sent judges to help Israel against their enemies. These judges were charismatic, military leaders. Some of the judges would save all of Israel; other judges were more regional. Gideon was one of these regional judges, primarily protecting Manasseh, Asher, Zebulun, Naphtali, and Ephraim. Gideon is interesting because he struggled with his faith in the Lord, and yet, the Lord was merciful. There are plenty of instances in the scriptures where the Lord doesn't seem to respond to that very well. Right after the Red Sea parted, the Israelites demanded a sign of Moses to show his favor with God. They were complaining and challenging Moses to show a sign. The place was named Massah as a memorial to their lack of faith. When Zechariah was told that his wife would have a son, he didn't believe it because she was old. He was struck as a mute. Thomas the apostle was likewise rebuked for his lack of faith. Gideon receives not just one, but multiple signs from the Lord. The angel burns up his offering to the Lord. His blanket is covered with dew while the ground is dry one night; his blanket is dry while the ground is wet one night. As he stands in the camp with his 300 men to go against the Midianites, the Lord encourages him to go spy on the Midianites and see what they're saying in order to receive comfort. He does so and overhears a Midianite sharing a dream in which a barley loaf came and flattened a tent. The Midianite's companion interprets it as God helping Israel defeat them. Here is Gideon's response. Judges 7:15 And it was so, when Gideon heard the telling of the dream, and the interpretation thereof, that he worshipped, and returned into the host of Israel, and said, Arise; for the Lord hath delivered into your hand the host of Midian. Multiple signs! God continually blesses Gideon and gives him signs to encourage him along. In fact, Gideon didn't even ask for the last sign. The Lord just gave it to him, and He gave it to Gideon in a powerful way. It would have been one thing to send a dream to Gideon about defeating the Midianites. It would have been easy for Gideon to wonder if it was just wishful thinking. In comparison, hearing the mighty Midianites have a dream and interpret it as defeat by the Israelites was much more powerful in calming Gideon's fears. So why did Gideon get multiple signs while others seem to be rebuked for asking for the same thing? I think there are a lot of reasons because the Lord works according to individual circumstances, but I want to talk about two potential reasons that can be applied in our own lives as we work to approach the Lord. The first reason the Lord was willing to work with Gideon is because the Lord is wise enough to understand that Gideon didn't have much of a relationship with the Lord. The fact that his father had a Baal altar implies that Gideon's family had fallen into idolatry. How much did Gideon know about God? We know Gideon had some knowledge of God because he asks about the deliverance from Egypt, but how much had Gideon experienced God? There's a difference. How much could the Lord reasonably expect Gideon to trust Him? The Lord knew Gideon, but did Gideon know the Lord? The Lord isn't looking for blind, obedient dogs. He is looking to have a true relationship with us. The fact that Gideon was cautious about running into danger isn't a sign that Gideon is faithless; it is more an indication that Gideon did not yet know the Lord. So what does this teach us about our own lives? The Lord will not begrudge us the time it takes to learn how to trust Him; He doesn't mind allowing us to approach Him until we've built up a number of encounters and start to understand His character. David fought off two wild animals before he fought off Goliath. We recently read about Moses whose trust in the Lord was extremely fragile in the beginning; Moses grew to the point where he encouraged the Israelites to have faith in the face of certain death even though he did not yet know the plan for rescue. The Old Testament gives us a front row seat to watching people experience the Lord and grow in their trust of Him. In contrast, imagine a powerful stranger coming up to you and saying, “Trust me.” When you ask them why you should trust them, they respond with, “Because I told you to.” Um…what? You may not immediately hate them or be wary of them, but you're not going to give them your darkest secrets or social security number (or hopefully you won't…). The Lord understands that He is a stranger to us; He is the one who put the veil there. He understands that we need experiences with Him before we're ready to run into danger when He asks. Once again, He isn't looking for blind, obedient dogs. He wants His children to be wise and consciously and voluntarily choose Him. He gave Gideon experiences because Gideon likely hadn't had many previously. He was patient with Israel. He was patient with Moses. The Lord has no problem being patient. If He seems impatient in specific scenarios, we can usually assume it's for the benefit of the person He is working with. He is trying to get their attention or get them moving. Which leads me to my second reason: The Lord allowed Gideon to approach Him multiple times for signs because Gideon's heart was soft. Over and over and over and over and over we read about the Lord responding with intensity in response to a hard heart and responding with mercy and encouragement to a soft heart. Gideon's heart was obviously soft. Look at this verse. Judges 6:17 And he said unto him, If now I have found grace in thy sight, then shew me a sign that thou talkest with me. Gideon approaches the Lord so humbly. When the angel gave him a sign, Gideon immediately built an altar unto the Lord. That night, Gideon went and took down the altar of Baal according to the direction of the Lord. We see this multiple times with Gideon. He approaches the Lord in humility and asks for help knowing the truth. Gideon was willing to follow the truth and power and peace; Gideon was just trying to make sure he was looking in the right direction before moving forward. It is only when we've closed our heart off to that truth and power and peace that the Lord shakes the earth to reach us. I think of the Egyptians that saw all the same signs as the Israelites but didn't bother to ask whether they should follow after the same God as the Israelites. I think of Rahab and her people. The Canaanites were all terrified, but it didn't change who they put their faith in. Only Rahab was willing to follow the Israelite God and was spared because of it. You would think that people would open their eyes and ask, “Is there something here?” You would think that they would pause long enough and open their hearts so that the Lord could speak to them. Gideon asked, but Gideon was likewise prepared to follow through. This was part of why the Lord was so willing to encourage him along. I testify of a Lord that responds with wisdom. He knows what He is doing. He will not condemn us for approaching Him for reassurances if we're doing so with the intent to follow after Him. He doesn't even condemn us when we struggle; His intensity is not a sign of condemnation. It's a sign of God's love in trying to reach us! However the Lord is working in your life, you can take it with the perspective that He is trying to do what's best for you. I'm grateful for a Lord who is wise and can train me so purposefully and deliberately. Autumn Dickson was born and raised in a small town in Texas. She served a mission in the Indianapolis Indiana mission. She studied elementary education but has found a particular passion in teaching the gospel. Her desire for her content is to inspire people to feel confident, peaceful, and joyful about their relationship with Jesus Christ and to allow that relationship to touch every aspect of their lives. Autumn was the recipient of FAIR's 2024 John Taylor Defender of the Faith Award. The post Come, Follow Me with FAIR – Judges 2–4; 6–8; 13–16 – Part 2 – Autumn Dickson appeared first on FAIR.

Strengthened by Grace! "But he said to me, 'My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.' Therefore, I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me. 2 Corinthians 12:9 In our battles, both seen and unseen, we are often reminded that grace is our unwavering companion. As we reflect on Gideon's courageous conquests against the Midianites, we realize that he was not a warrior by nature, but a man chosen by God despite his insecurities. Like Gideon, many of us face giants daily — doubts, fears, and obstacles that seem insurmountable. Yet, 2 Corinthians 12:9 assures us, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” It is through our vulnerabilities that God's strength radiates, lifting us above our circumstances. When courage wanes, we can still find refuge in Ephesians 6:10, which calls us to be “strong in the Lord and in His mighty power.” This is a promise we can cling to, for our strength is not our own; it is a divine gift that empowers us to fight the good fight of faith. As we navigate this life's battles, we might often feel like we're standing alone. However, just as God assured Gideon with His presence, He stands with us, whispering encouragement amid chaos. Hebrews 13:9 says, "Do not be carried away by all kinds of strange teachings. It is good for our hearts to be strengthened by grace, not by eating ceremonial foods, which are of no benefit to those who do so." May we all leave today empowered by the truth that we are strengthened by Grace! In moments of despair, our hearts should be strengthened by grace. This grace is an overflowing fountain, available to all who call upon His name. Let us be reminded that our struggles are not signs of abandonment but invitations for grace to intervene. Like Gideon, we can declare victory not through our might but through His enduring strength. "In weakness, His strength shines brightest." This truth is not only inspirational but deeply rooted in the experiences of countless saints who have walked before us. They have faced trials, yet their testimonies echo God's faithfulness through every season of life. When we are anchored in His grace, we can face our giants with a heart full of faith and confidence. Amen. 2 Timothy 2:1 says, "You therefore, my child, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus." Amen. Prayer for the day! Heavenly Father, we come before You with hearts of gratitude, thanking You for the unmerited favor that strengthens us. As we face the challenges ahead, let Your grace be our fortress. May our weaknesses be transformed into platforms for Your glory. Help us to remember that our strength comes from You alone. In Jesus' name, Amen.https://maglife.org

A multicolored robe, two bold dreams, and a frustrated, angry, jealous family.We open Genesis 37 and slow down long enough to feel the tension behind the famous story of Joseph. The details matter here, we see favoritism that stings every day, jealousy that compounds over time, and a household where anger simmers until it boils over.We read the passage in both the King James Version and the NIV, then reflect on why a “scandalous” family narrative can still be deeply encouraging. Joseph's brothers strip him, throw him into a pit, and sell him into slavery for twenty pieces of silver. It is a brutal reminder that people can choose sin, cruelty, and betrayal, even toward their own.And yet, we lean into a central thread of biblical encouragement; God is not surprised, God is not powerless, He works through broken circumstances to fulfill His bigger plan.From there, we bring it home with practical Christian application. What do we do with envy before it turns into action? How do we keep faith when life feels like a pit and the future looks stolen? And how do we think about purpose when our current situation seems to contradict our calling?If this reflection helps you, subscribe, share it with a friend who needs hope, and leave a review so more people can find us.===Genesis 37:2-11, 23 & 24a and 28  -  King James Version2 These are the generations of Jacob. Joseph, being seventeen years old, was feeding the flock with his brethren; and the lad was with the sons of Bilhah, and with the sons of Zilpah, his father's wives: and Joseph brought unto his father their evil report.3 Now Israel loved Joseph more than all his children, because he was the son of his old age: and he made him a coat of many colours.4 And when his brethren saw that their father loved him more than all his brethren, they hated him, and could not speak peaceably unto him.5 And Joseph dreamed a dream, and he told it his brethren: and they hated him yet the more.6 And he said unto them, Hear, I pray you, this dream which I have dreamed:7 For, behold, we were binding sheaves in the field, and, lo, my sheaf arose, and also stood upright; and, behold, your sheaves stood round about, and made obeisance to my sheaf.8 And his brethren said to him, Shalt thou indeed reign over us? or shalt thou indeed have dominion over us? And they hated him yet the more for his dreams, and for his words.9 And he dreamed yet another dream, and told it his brethren, and said, Behold, I have dreamed a dream more; and, behold, the sun and the moon and the eleven stars made obeisance to me.10 And he told it to his father, and to his brethren: and his father rebuked him, and said unto him, What is this dream that thou hast dreamed? Shall I and thy mother and thy brethren indeed come to bow down ourselves to thee to the earth?11 And his brethren envied him; but his father observed the saying.23 And it came to pass, when Joseph was come unto his brethren, that they stript Joseph out of his coat, his coat of many colours that was on him;24 And they took him, and cast him into a pit.28 Then there passed by Midianites merchantmen; and they drew and lifted up Joseph out of the pit, and sold Joseph to the Ishmeelites for twenty pieces of silver: and they brought Joseph into Egypt.Send us Fan MailBuzzsprout - Let's get your podcast launched!Start for FREEInstacart - Groceries delivered in as little as 1 hour.Free delivery on your first order over $35.Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.Support the show===Please join my team in spreading The Word around the whole world by donating via CashApp at $TheChristQuarter.  Thank you!

Daily Dose of Hope May 20, 2026   Name of God:  Jehovah Shalom – The Lord Is Peace Scripture:  Judges 6:11-24   Prayer:  I come before you today, laying down my anxieties, my fears, and the heavy burdens of the day. Lord, you know the exact situations and unseen battles that are causing turmoil in my heart. Right now, I invite Your presence into my mind, my body, and my home. Forgive me for the times I have allowed the noise and chaos of this world to distract me from Your unwavering faithfulness. I ask that You quiet my spirit and replace my restless thoughts with the perfect peace that passes all human understanding. Guard my heart and mind. Remind me that you are in control and help me to surrender my need to figure everything out on my own. In Jesus' Name, Amen.   Welcome back to the Daily Dose of Hope, the devotional and podcast that complements the New Hope Church daily Bible reading plan.  We are currently in a study on the names of God in the Old Testament.  Remember, names held a great deal of significance in the ancient world, indicating aspects of someone's identity, character, and purpose.  Certainly, it is the same with God.  God has many different names, all of which demonstrate one aspect of His character.  Today, we are focusing on Jehovah Shalom, which means the Lord is Peace.   The title Jehovah Shalom occurs only once in the Bible, in Judges 6.24, Then Gideon built an altar there to the Lord and called it, The Lord Is Peace [Jehovah Shalom].   As we know, the name Jehovah means God or Lord, while the term shalom refers to soundness, completeness, harmony and the absence of strife. It is best described by our English word, peace.   Judges is such a hard book to read.  The boundaries and guardrails that God put in place were ignored and things were violent and chaotic.  The time of the Judges was a 350 year period in Isreal's history when people did what was right in their own eyes.  That never works out well.  We are too selfish.  Our inner compass fails us.  We need direction, specifically God's direction.    During this time, God's people were worshiping other gods and sinning against the Lord and other people.  When things got really, really bad, God would lift his hand of protection and the people would be conquered by a foreign power.  That foreign power would oppress Israel and make things absolutely unbearable.  Then, the Jewish people would cry out to the Lord and He would send a judge.  The purpose of the judge was to save the people and defeat the foreign power.  Once the foreign power was defeated, Israel had peace.  They remembered God.  And this lasted as long as the judge was alive, but after the judge died, the whole cycle began again.  At this particular juncture, Israel was oppressed by the Midianites, who left them hiding in caves, without food, livestock, or working tools. Hungry and terrified, they cried out to God for help. He reminded them that their disobedience caused their troubles, but He also sent them a judge, Gideon. Although the Lord commissioned Gideon to save Israel, he felt weak and incapable. Because of his lack of confidence and fear, Gideon asked for a sign. Witnessing the food he prepared for the angel miraculously consumed by fire, Gideon was filled with even greater fear.  He had seen the Angel of the Lord face to face!  The immediate divine response was this, Peace be to you. Do not fear, you shall not die. As a result of these words, Gideon's heart was filled with confidence and courage. He experienced peace in the truest sense. Building an altar to the Lord, he called it Jehovah Shalom or the Lord is Peace. His encounter with the God of Peace had taught him that he was not alone. We live in a world in which peace is often elusive.  There is war, conflict, and division.  We are plagued by depression, grief, anger, or anxiety.  We are all Gideon hiding from the Midianites.  The truth is that the only way to experience true peace is through God.  Jesus Christ, the Prince of Peace, offers us a peace that passes understanding.  Even in the midst of the most difficult of circumstances, we can experience an inner peace that defies worldly explanation.  Jesus' presence = peace.  Spend some time praying to Jehovah Shalom today.  Where are you lacking confidence?  Where do you need peace? Blessings, Pastor Vicki  

The David Alliance TDAgiantSlayer@Gmail.com  Garth Heckman Driving with Kim in the car when we were first married. I pulled a gun on a guy in a corvette!  I was on my way to Youth Group - I was the youth pastor.   Judges 6  11 Then the angel of the Lord came and sat beneath the great tree at Ophrah, which belonged to Joash of the clan of Abiezer. Gideon son of Joash was threshing wheat at the bottom of a winepress to hide the grain from the Midianites. 12 The angel of the Lord appeared to him and said, “Mighty hero, the Lord is with you!” 13 “Sir,” Gideon replied, “if the Lord is with us, why has all this happened to us? And where are all the miracles our ancestors told us about? Didn't they say, ‘The Lord brought us up out of Egypt'? But now the Lord has abandoned us and handed us over to the Midianites.” 14 Then the Lord turned to him and said, “Go with the strength you have, and rescue Israel from the Midianites. I am sending you!”         1. He Was Living in Poverty and Oppression For seven years, Israel had been brutally oppressed by the Midianites, Amalekites, and other eastern peoples. The oppression was so severe that the Israelites had abandoned their homes in the valleys to live in dens, caves, and strongholds in the mountains (Judges 6:2). The invaders would sweep through the land like locusts, destroying crops and slaughtering livestock. The text notes that Israel was "brought very low" because of Midian. Gideon wasn't a wealthy noble or a ruling judge; he was a victim of a devastating, nationwide economic and military siege.   2. He Was Hiding in a Winepress When the Angel of the Lord finds Gideon, he is threshing wheat in a winepress (Judges 6:11). Why this matters: Wheat was traditionally threshed in an open, elevated area (a threshing floor) so the wind could blow away the chaff. A winepress, however, was a pit dug into the ground or carved into rock. Operating out of fear, survival and panic.     3. He Was From an Insignificant, Idol-Worshipping Family   4. He Was Battling Deep Skepticism and Grief Gideon's immediate reaction to the Angel's blessing ("The Lord is with you, mighty warrior") is not pride, but bitter skepticism. He looked at his current reality and concluded that God had abandoned them:   The Irony of the Title When God calls Gideon a "mighty warrior," Gideon is: In hiding (not in battle) Doubting God's presence (not acting in faith) Belittling his own status (not displaying courage) The title was prophetic. God was not validating Gideon's current resume; He was naming the potential that He was about to unlock through His own power.       When the Angel of the Lord appeared to Gideon in Judges 6:12 and addressed him as a "mighty warrior" it was a statement of what God would do through him, not a description of who Gideon currently was.   He saw what he would do - which in turn is who he would be - in turn is who He really was in Gods eyes!      Can an egg fly? Can a puppy protect you?  Can an acorn shade, protect and feed thousands of animals? Can a spark destroy city?    We see an egg - God sees an eagle! We see a puppy - God sees the Rottweiler that attacked the sex predator who ran into the Childs yard.  We see an acorn - God sees The Foret de Trancais 26,000 acre forest We see a spark - God sees the Chinchaga fire burning 4.2 million acres.    Do you think when Jesus saw the disciples arguing over who would be the greatest, when Peter would deny him, when Thomas would doubt him, when they would not understand simple scripture, when they could not heal a boy, or worried over storms, food or religious leaders… HE SAW THEIR STORY! You will all be so committed and change the world so powerfully that they will need to Kill you to stop you! And you will be honored to give your life for me!      How does Jesus see us? We are salt We are light We are friends We are secure in him We have overcome the world We will do greater works then Jesus We will have rivers of living water flow out of us We will tread on serpents, scorpions, nothing will hurt us We are plugged directly into him He is always with us We will crush the serpents head We are the head and not the tail We wear a robe of righteousness We are more than conquerors    EVEN WITH THE DISCIPLES… JESUS WOULD BE DISAPPOINTED IN THEM - BUT NEVER REJECT THEM OR GET ANGRY AT THEM OR SHAMED THEM. Rather he would Ask a question Correct their perception And never reject them.      2 Kings 6 The King of Aram is mad and thinks there is a traitor. It is Elisha… Go kill him.  -  14 So one night the king of Aram sent a great army with many chariots and horses to surround the city. 15 When the servant of the man of God got up early the next morning and went outside, there were troops, horses, and chariots everywhere. “Oh, sir, what will we do now?” the young man cried to Elisha. 16 “Don't be afraid!” Elisha told him. “For there are more on our side than on theirs!” 17 Then Elisha prayed, “O Lord, open his eyes and let him see!” The Lord opened the young man's eyes, and when he looked up, he saw that the hillside around Elisha was filled with horses and chariots of fire.      -  Its right there!  What is? Your answer - it's right there. You just can't see it.  **Yesterday I was praying and seeking Gods wisdom on finances… he pointed to my kitchen table and showed me a stack of money… he said its right there. You just can't see it… but its there.     You might think you can't see it because you are in the dark… no you are not in the dark, you are in the preparation phase which can feel like the dark.   The Chinese Bamboo Tree (your example) Spends the first 5 years growing almost nothing above ground while developing a massive, deep root system. In the 6th year, it can grow 80–90 feet in just 6 weeks.   The Saguaro Cactus Grows extremely slowly — often only 1–2 inches in the first 10 years. It can take 30–40 years before it even grows its first arm. Then, once established, it can live 150–200 years and reach 40–60 feet tall.

The story of Gideon reveals how God often works through impossible circumstances to demonstrate His power. When Gideon assembled 32,000 soldiers to fight the Midianites, God reduced his army to just 300 men to ensure Israel wouldn't boast in their own strength. Using unconventional weapons - clay jars, torches, and trumpets - God's small army created such confusion that the enemy defeated themselves. This teaches us that God does His most powerful work when we feel least equipped, using our brokenness like clay jars to let His light shine through and defeat darkness.

This powerful exploration of Judges chapters 8 and 9 takes us deep into the tragic story of Gideon and his son Abimelech, revealing how easily we can drift from God's leadership to our own agendas. We witness Gideon's transformation from a God-appointed deliverer into someone pursuing personal vengeance and glory, ultimately creating an idolatrous ephod that led Israel astray. The message confronts us with an uncomfortable question: what little kings have we crowned in our lives? Whether it's the pursuit of financial security, social approval, career success, or political leaders, we're challenged to examine where we've placed our ultimate trust. The contrast between worldly leaders and Jesus is stark and sobering. While Gideon used his power to threaten and harm his own people, and Abimelech murdered seventy brothers to seize power, Jesus laid down His life for us. The fable of the trees seeking a king is particularly profound—the fruitful olive tree, fig tree, and vine all refused to abandon their God-given purposes to rule, but the worthless bramble eagerly accepted, offering only thorns and destruction. This mirrors our own temptation to crown things that can only hurt us while rejecting the One who truly provides life. The call here is clear: dethrone the false kings, remove the crowns from our fears and insecurities, and recognize that there is only one true King—Jesus, who wore a crown of thorns so we could wear a crown of glory.ChaptersChapter 1: Introduction: The Tragedy of Rejecting God as King0:00 - 5:11We explore the book of Judges and examine how Israel repeatedly ran from God's leadership, seeking worldly leaders instead, while God continued to send help despite their unfaithfulness.Chapter 2: Gideon's Heart Shifts from God to Self5:11 - 14:49After defeating the Midianites, Gideon's heart shifts from following God's direction to pursuing his own agenda, responding with manipulation and vengeance rather than giving God glory.Chapter 3: The Making of an Idol and the Rise of Abimelech14:49 - 27:18Gideon creates an idolatrous ephod that leads Israel astray, lives like a king while denying the title, and his illegitimate son Abimelech murders his brothers to seize power.Chapter 4: Jotham's Fable and the Bramble King27:18 - 39:32Jotham tells a prophetic fable about trees seeking a king, where fruitful trees refuse but the worthless bramble accepts, warning that Abimelech and Shechem will destroy each other.Chapter 5: The Only True King: Jesus Christ39:32 - 46:09In stark contrast to failed worldly leaders like Abimelech, Jesus is the one true king who conquered sin through sacrificial love, dying on the cross so we could find true rest and righteousness.

Judges 6:1-6 (KJV) And the children of Israel did evil in the sight of the LORD: and the LORD delivered them into the hand of Midian seven years. 2 And the hand of Midian prevailed against Israel: and because of the Midianites the children of Israel made them the dens which are in the mountains, and caves, and strong holds. 3 And so it was, when Israel had sown, that the Midianites came up, and the Amalekites, and the children of the east, even they came up against them; 4 And they encamped against them, and destroyed the increase of the earth, till thou come unto Gaza, and left no sustenance for Israel, neither sheep, nor ox, nor ass. 5 For they came up with their cattle and their tents, and they came as grasshoppers for multitude; for both they and their camels were without number: and they entered into the land to destroy it. 6 And Israel was greatly impoverished because of the Midianites; and the children of Israel cried unto the LORD.

Text: Deuteronomy 6-8; 15; 18; 29-30; 34 Supplemental Text: The Third Thousand Years chapter 20 BYU Lecture 23: Finally, the Lord declares that Israel is now ready to enter Canaan, the Promised Land. Moses is 120 years old and is in the last year of his life. He has also recently lost Aaron and Miriam. Moses takes the hosts of Israel on a march towards the east of the Dead Sea, avoiding the Anaks. Along their march, God instructs Moses not to fight against three groups or tribes: the Edomites (children of Abraham through Esau, known today as Arabs), nor the Moabites or Ammonites (both groups descended from Abraham through Lot). The story of the fallen prophet Balaam is told and how he colluded with the Midianites to corrupt the youth of Israel. Moses is told that he is allowed to see the Promised Land but he cannot enter it. In his final 30 days of mortality, Moses devotes himself to record the book of Deuteronomy – God's Laws. Moses is translated and Joshua takes the lead as the Israelites march into the promised land. The miracle of the river divided. Manna is now stopped. Joshua puts all Israel under covenant to God by circumcising the men and then marches around Jericho and the walls fall.

The story of Gideon in Judges 6 reveals how God works through our weaknesses and calls us to trust His word rather than demand signs. Israel had fallen into a cycle of disobedience, oppression, and crying out to God, leading to their subjugation under the Midianites. God chose Gideon, an unlikely hero who was hiding and threshing wheat in a winepress, calling him a mighty man of valor despite his fears. After receiving confirmation through miraculous signs, Gideon was commanded to tear down his father's altar to Baal, which he did at night out of fear. Though Gideon asked for additional signs through his famous fleece tests, this actually demonstrated a lack of faith rather than wisdom. God's grace covered Gideon's weaknesses and doubts, showing that His presence is sufficient for whatever He calls us to do, even when it seems impossible.

This powerful exploration of Judges 6 and 7 reveals how God transforms our weakness into His strength through the story of Gideon. We discover that the entire Bible is fundamentally a covenant document, a binding agreement between God and humanity that threads from Genesis to Revelation. The message challenges us to recognize that our greatest struggles often stem from spiritual compromise rather than external circumstances. Like ancient Israel hiding in caves from the Midianites, we sometimes find ourselves in bondage because we've tried to live with one foot in God's kingdom and another in the world's values. Gideon's journey from fearful wheat-thresher to mighty warrior illustrates a profound truth: God doesn't call the equipped, He equips the called. When God addresses Gideon as a mighty man of valor while he's literally hiding in fear, we see divine irony that reveals God's vision for us exceeds our own self-perception. The reduction of Gideon's army from 32,000 to just 300 men demonstrates that God delights in impossible odds because they showcase His power alone. This isn't just ancient history but a living pattern for our lives today. When we're weak, His power is made perfect. The new covenant we live under through Christ solves the core problem of all previous covenants: it depends entirely on God's faithfulness, not ours. We stand secure not by our performance but by His blood and His unwavering commitment to us.Chapter 1: Understanding the Biblical Covenants0:00 - 9:10An exploration of how covenant is the foundational thread running through the entire Bible, from Genesis to Revelation, revealing God's binding agreement with humanity.Chapter 2: Israel's Cycle of Disobedience and Oppression9:10 - 17:48We see how Israel's covenant unfaithfulness led to seven years of Midianite oppression, demonstrating what happens when we compromise God's Word and live in disobedience.Chapter 3: God Calls and Equips Gideon17:48 - 30:29We witness God calling the fearful Gideon, hiding in a winepress, as a mighty man of valor and providing him with multiple confirmations of His presence and calling.Chapter 4: God Reduces the Army and Builds Faith30:29 - 40:24We observe how God reduced Gideon's army from 32,000 to 300 men to ensure Israel would not boast in their own strength but recognize that victory comes from God alone.Chapter 5: Victory Through God's Power and Application for Today40:24 - 48:59We learn how God gave Israel miraculous victory through 300 men with trumpets and torches, and we apply these lessons to our own lives regarding faithfulness and dependence on God.

Life isn't always going to get easier, but God can always offer you peace. Solutions may not come today, but peace can. Oh what a place to find yourself in life when you realize peace can be yours precisely where you are with things exactly as they are. You don't have to live so upset, so stressed, so unsettled and so unsure. The name you need to call on is Yahweh Shalom. Yahweh, as we know from the beginning of our study of the names of God, is the covenant, relationship, promise up-holding name God reveals of himself. It is the name we speak with our breath. The name we have called on every moment of our lives by simply inhaling and exhaling. YHWH. Shalom, a word we often translate as peace – but in reality, it's so much deeper than just peace. Shalom is a state of wholeness, completion and restoration. It's a state where things are exactly as they are meant to be. Yahweh Shalom, a mighty and holy God who assures us with him things are exactly as they are meant to be. Now that is peace. I may not understand it. I am not in control of it. I don't see how it's all going to work out. But Yahweh Shalom understands completely. Yahweh Shalom is in total control. And Yahweh Shalom sees precisely how it's all going to work out, and he's predetermined that it will work out for good according to his eternally good plan. Yahweh Shalom, the God of Peace, invites his beloved girls to trust him knowing he's got you and he's got this. Your stress is unnecessary. Your worry is unwarranted. Your ‘freak-out' is unfounded. Plain and simple, when you have a God like Yahweh Shalom, you would be foolish to not accept his peace in every situation. He will create the path for your feet. He will carry the burden for you. He will ensure the battle is won. You can trust the God of Peace. This name is introduced in scripture in the book of Judges, chapter 6. The previous chapters are a series of God's people, the Israelites, being rescued by God, then forgetting God and going astray. They would fall into slavery to evil Kings and live miserable lives. Each time their lives would get worse and worse until finally they cried out to God again for help. Then God would rescue them, restore them, and bring them peace again. But over time, they would fall back into old ways and wander away from God in a life of self and sin. Chapter after chapter, generation after generation, it continues. They're in trouble and they suffer – until they just can't suffer any longer and they call out to God – God rescues and restores – life gets better – then they wander again, forgetting God – Life gets worse, and then they're right back to trouble and suffering again. Through these chapters in Judges, sometimes we see God's people waiting a few years before calling out to God – other times we see them waiting for 20 years. Each time, as long as they waited to call on God for help, the suffering continued and life got worse. But each time they turned to God and called on him for help, he restored their peace. Without fail, as long as they delayed calling on God, their rescue and peace would wait. But also without fail when they cried out to God, he would help. The question is, why would they wait so long? Why wait 8 years? Why wait 20 years? Oh my goodness, WHY ARE YOU WAITING? This will NOT get better without God. He's waiting on you to call out to him! But, there's danger in our pre-conceived notion of what it might mean for things to “get better”. Getting better doesn't always mean fixed – getting better can mean peace in the mess and joy on the journey you didn't expect to be traveling. My family has been in a less than favorable situation for 7 years. Life with our family is far short of anything I imagined it would be. It's not what I would wish for, but let me tell you what it is … IT'S FULL OF PEACE. I'm no longer upset, angry, hurt or empty in the waiting. I have nothing but peace because we've called on God and that's what he brings. You may think calling on God immediately fixes the situation – sometimes it does, and sometimes it doesn't. But calling on God always brings his presence, and with his presence comes an unspeakable peace. The truth is, I don't have to have this situation fixed to feel peace and joy … Yahweh Shalom has given me everything I need. I can trust he's making it right. I can trust he sees what I do not see and he is actively involved to make things exactly as they should be. Here's the truth – our God holds eternity. He's not on your timeline. He's not in a rush. He has all the time in the world to make things exactly as they should be … and he is! What he offers you and I in that process in PEACE every time we call on him. So, back to our story in the book of Judges. God's people were stubborn, always straying away from God in between getting saved, continually going back to old ways of self and sin, until they finally cry out to God again for help. By chapter 6 we find the Israelites 7 years into their current unbearable struggle of life. They were hunted and haunted by their enemies and now resorting to hiding in caves for survival. Life was the hardest it had ever been for God's people – all while God was just waiting for them to turn back to him. Judges 6:6, “So Israel was reduced to starvation by the Midianites (their enemies). Then the Israelites cried out to the LORD for help.” FINALLY – why would they wait so long? For the same reason you would wait so long. You're just sure you can make things work, until nothing works for you. You're sure this is just the way life is going to be, so you settle in to the normal of life just sucking. You discount God's power to change it for you, so you forget you can call on him. Until finally, you just can't take it anymore and God is your only way. Here's what happens when they call out on God after 7 years of waiting … God responds. He sends help. This is where an angel is sent by the LORD to a young man named Gideon who is just trying his best to gather a little bit of food and hide it so his family can survive. These conditions were absolutely as bad as they could possibly be. That's where God meets Gideon. And it's here the LORD says to Gideon, “The Lord is with you, mighty warrior.” Then the LORD said to him (verse 16), “I will be with you. And you will destroy the Midianites.” Wow, what a promise from God to a young man who from the smallest clan and the least in his family , in a suppressed land struggling to simply survive, hiding in caves and starving to death. It was an impossible promise after 7 years of life getting worse and worse. But they had finally cried out to the Lord, and this was their answer. A promise of freedom, restoration, wholeness. And this is where Gideon, a small young man who was nothing but absolutely normal and easily overlooked, calls God ‘Yahweh Shalom – the God of Peace'. Had the battle been fought yet? No. Had the enemy been destroyed yet? No. Had the people even been given food to eat yet? No. But God had brought peace. Peace BEFORE the situation changed. Peace BEFORE the promise was fulfilled. Peace BEFORE peaceful conditions. While their families were still hiding in caves – while their crops were all stolen – while they were in survival mode – God brought PEACE. Peace that assured them God was making everything as it should be. Peace that God heard their cry, God was moving on their behalf, God was for them and not against them. Their enemies were still there. The oppression had not ended. But when Gideon personally encountered God, he walked away with PEACE. Peace that comes before the victory – before the change – before it's fixed – before you have an answer. What I've found in my own 7 year journey of waiting is that peace can exist before circumstances change. The world will tell you peace comes when the diagnosis changes, when the relationship heals, when the bills are paid and when the uncertainty ends. That's nothing but counterfeit and circumstantial peace. The moment you encounter the next problem, that peace will fade. But the peace offered by Yahweh Shalom is strong and steady before the change, before the fix, before the shift, and regardless of next. Jesus says in John 14:27, “I am leaving you with a gift – peace of mind and heart. And the peace I give is a gift the world cannot give. So don't be troubled or afraid.” If you've ever experienced the gift of his peace, then you know it simply doesn't make sense, but it's real. Philippians 4:7 tells us that God's peace “exceeds anything we can understand.” And by golly, that's exactly right! Yahweh Shalom says, “My peace can hold you perfectly BEFORE anything changes.” God's peace is strong enough to exist in unfinished, unhealed, and uncertain situations! I know, because I'm in the middle of it and yet I have immeasurable PEACE. It's here for you too, my sister. Don't wait for things to get worse. Don't wait until you just can't go on. Don't wait until you're a shriveled up piece of who you once were. Don't wait until fear has taken your identity and anxiety has crushed your spirit. CALL ON YAHWEH SHALOM NOW! His peace is truly available to you right now! Peace isn't pretending everything is okay. Peace is knowing God is still with you even when it's not. There's divine stability for you here in God's peace. Follow Pamela on Instagram – https://instagram.com/headmamapamela Or Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/pamela.crim Find out more about BIG Life – http://biglifehq.com

What we place next to God, our kids learn to place above Him.In the fourth week of our Bad Parents series, we walk through the full arc of Gideon's life — from a frightened farmer threshing wheat in a winepress, to the unlikely judge who routed the Midianites with 300 men, torches, and clay pots, to the cautionary turn at the end of his story. Along the way we see how faith grows step by step… and how compromise sneaks in the same way.A few things worth sitting with:* Faith is just believing what God says about you is true.* Even shaky faith can take a step.* Compromise isn't always wrong — but what we set beside God can quietly become a snare for the next generation.* Jesus didn't almost rise. He rose completely.

In Judges 6, Israel's disobedience opened the door to oppression—and the Midianites devastated the land year after year, leaving God's people harassed, hiding, and hopeless (Judges 6:3, 5). It took seven long years before Israel humbled itself and cried out to the Lord (Judges 6:6). In today's episode of the MY Devotional Podcast, Dr. Michael Youssef draws a sobering parallel to our own time: when adults fail to model faithful obedience, the next generation often learns to retreat—running and hiding from the “Midianites” of their day rather than standing firm in God's strength. But God's pattern with Gideon still holds: before He delivers His people from external threats, He must deliver them from internal unbelief. Dr. Youssef calls believers to welcome God's gift of revival through confession and repentance, then to cling to the Lord, rest in His strength, and show the next generation what it looks like to “stand up and be counted.” If you're burdened for the future of your family, your community, or your nation, this devotional will re-center your hope: God can still rescue, but He begins by reshaping hearts. Prayer: God, forgive us for the poor example we have set for the next generation. I pray that my generation would humble itself before You before it's too late. Help us show our children what it means to stand up for Truth instead of being overrun by our culture. I pray in the name of Jesus. Amen. “Keep watch over yourselves and all the flock of which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers. Be shepherds of the church of God, which he bought with his own blood” (Acts 20:28). Learn more in Dr. Michael A. Youssef's sermon Beware of Spiritual Amnesia, Part 3: LISTEN NOW Scripture Focus: Judges 6:1-6 The voice you hear on the MY Devotional podcast is digitally generated with Dr. Youssef's permission. If today's devotional stirred a question, burden, or need for prayer, you don't have to walk through it alone.

Our reading today begins by wrapping up the account of Deborah and Barak after Sisera's defeat. It's not long, however, before Israel turns, once again, to worship idols. The false gods of Baal and Asherah were meant to bring fertile crops and prosperity, but they only bring despair and a fractured relationship with the One True God. During a period of oppression by the Midianites, the Lord speaks to a young man named Gideon and calls upon him to destroy his father's idolatrous altars. Later, the spirit of the Lord envelops Gideon as he gathers troops for battle. The Lord then reduces the number of men who will go to battle to just 300 so that Israel will not forget the power of God and His merciful deliverance. Judges 5 - 1:01 .  Judges 6 - 7:28 .  Judges 7 - 16:49 .  :::Christian Standard Bible translation.All music written and produced by John Burgess Ross.Co-produced by the Christian Standard Bible.facebook.com/commuterbibleinstagram.com/commuter_bibletwitter.com/CommuterPodpatreon.com/commuterbibleadmin@commuterbible.org

When trouble is on the horizon, it can be hard to trust in God's promises and to believe He has a plan for us.The book of Judges in the Old Testament gives us an awesome example of trusting God in the story of Gideon.God called Gideon to lead Israel into battle with the Midianites, who had a sizable army of 135,000 men. Gideon gathered an army of 32,000 men to battle with the Midianites, but despite odds in favor of the enemy, God told Gideon there were too many men in his army. Through a selection process, God whittled the Israelite army down to just 300 men.Though Gideon was afraid, he trusted God to fulfill His promise. And God told Gideon they needed a smaller army so people would know God won the battle, and not some large army.The night of the battle, Gideon and his servant snuck into the camp of the enemy and overheard the telling of a dream. The two Midianites interpreted the dream to mean that Gideon's small army would wipe out their larger army.Reassured, Gideon returned to camp to begin the battle. The Midianites were so frightened, many of them began fighting and killing one another, thinking that Gideon's army was all around them.Proverbs 3:5 says, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding.”Gideon trusted God's plan, even when he didn't understand. Because of his faith, God helped Gideon and the Israelites to conquer the Midianites with an army a fraction of the size of the enemy's.Let's pray.Lord, you are mighty to save. Help us to trust you in every battle. We love you and believe you have a plan for us. Give us courage to face the challenges in our lives, knowing you are here with us, and you have a good plan. In Jesus' name, amen. Change your shirt, and you can change the world! Save 15% Off your entire purchase of faith-based apparel + gifts at Kerusso.com with code KDD15.

Our reading today begins by wrapping up the account of Deborah and Barak after Sisera's defeat. It's not long, however, before Israel turns, once again, to worship idols. The false gods of Baal and Asherah were meant to bring fertile crops and prosperity, but they only bring despair and a fractured relationship with the One True God. During a period of oppression by the Midianites, the Lord speaks to a young man named Gideon and calls upon him to destroy his father's idolatrous altars. Later, the spirit of the Lord envelops Gideon as he gathers troops for battle. The Lord then reduces the number of men who will go to battle to just 300 so that Israel will not forget the power of God and His merciful deliverance. Judges 5 – 1:13 .  Judges 6 – 7:22 .  Judges 7 – 16:49 .  Psalm 72 – 23:15 . :::Christian Standard Bible translation.All music written and produced by John Burgess Ross.Co-produced by Bobby Brown, Katelyn Pridgen, Eric Williamson & the Christian Standard Biblefacebook.com/commuterbibleinstagram.com/commuter_bibletwitter.com/CommuterPodpatreon.com/commuterbibleadmin@commuterbible.org

This is a very famous story – Gideon's brilliant victory over the Midianites, but it is also at the same time a story about God's brilliant war against human pride.Scripture is clear that the fundamental tyranny is sin, and pride is the root sin. Israel turned away from God because of pride and became enslaved to the Midianites. As we have turned away from God in our American pride, we have increasingly been enslaved to many corruptions.When we cry out to God for deliverance, we must recognize that there is often more that God needs to deliver us from than we realize – and pride is one of our great cancers.The Text: “Then Jerubbaal, who is Gideon, and all the people that were with him, rose up early, and pitched beside the well of Harod: so that the host of the Midianites were on the north side of them, by the hill of Moreh, in the valley…” (Judges 7:1-25)King's Cross Church is a member congregation of the CREC in Moscow, ID. Visit our website at https://kingscrossmoscow.com.Follow us on Facebook: https://facebook.com/kingscrossmoscow.

Like many great leaders, Gideon does not finish as strong as he begins. He is still listed in Hebrews 11 as one of the great heroes of faith, but there is clearly a decline in faithfulness over the course of his life.The relative faithfulness of Gideon points to the perfect faithfulness of Christ and is a clear reminder and warning of the need to keep our eyes fixed on Him, to pursue holiness throughout our entire lives, to not grow weary in doing good, to fight sin and chase it all away.The Text: “And the men of Ephraim said unto him, Why hast thou served us thus, that thou calledst us not, when thou wentest to fight with the Midianites?...” (Judges 8:1-35)King's Cross Church is a member congregation of the CREC in Moscow, ID. Visit our website at https://kingscrossmoscow.com.Follow us on Facebook: https://facebook.com/kingscrossmoscow.

Today, Will is joined by Thomas Nelson as we continue our study through the book of Judges.

Sunday School is a 2026 sermon series examining the classic stories of the Bible that every kid and adult should know, and what they meant to us now. In this message, Pastor Candace Pringle explroes the second part of the story of Gideon defeating the Midianites, from Judges 7-8.

Join us on a verse-by-verse study through the Book of Judges. This week continues the story of Gideon and his famous battle against the Midianites. 

Today's readings.. (Numbers 31), (Proverbs 22), (John 4) Today's chapter in Numbers (31) tells us about the death of Balaam and of those who accepted his counsel that the only way to combat the Israelites – was not by force – but by seducing them into immorality.  They took his advice and put it into practice and it had worked!  But now God acted!Our chapter starts, “The LORD spoke to Moses, saying, ‘Avenge the people of Israel….” Leading Moses to say, ‘Arm men from among you for war, that they may go against Midian to execute the LORD's vengeance” [v.1-3] The result is the kings of Midian are slain “and they also killed Balaam the son of Beor with the sword”We then read that it was “on Balaam's advice” [v.16] that the Midianites had sent in women that “caused the people of Israel to act treacherously against the LORD … and so the plague came among the congregation …”   So Balaam is killed and all those immoral leaders as Moses acted to “execute the Lord's vengeance.” This “vengeance” is seen many times in the Old Testament both against Israel's enemies and against Israel itself when they themselves lapsed into immorality.   The same applies to spiritual Israel. that is, those who claim to follow Christ but whose way of life brings dishonour to Christ's name, just as unfaithfulness by natural Israel brought dishonour to the LORD's name. How easy it seems to be for both Jews and Christians to deceive themselves into thinking God will not deal with them when they slip into immoral ways of living.  Balaam of all people, who had had such contact with God, as we read in chapters 22 to 24 should have had a fear of God!  But ‘No'!  Sadly the history of Christianity shows too many examples of similar failures. Look back at some blunt words of Paul we read last week in Galatians!  “Do not be deceived God is not mocked, for whatever one sows, that will he also reap.  For the one who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption, but the one who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life.   And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up.” [6 v7-9] Balaam sowed the seeds of his own destruction although he had had so much contact with the true God.  A lesson to us – what are we sowing?  What will we reap? 

Courage is not the opposite of fear, it is acting _____ ______________ ______ our fears. In our spiritual journey there is always a call to move ________________. [Proverbs 3:5-6] Trust in the Lord with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding. [6] Seek his will in all you do, and he will show you which path to take. Faith will always ___________________ fear. [Romans 10:17] So faith comes from hearing, that is, hearing the Good News about Christ. [Matthew 14:25-31] About three o'clock in the morning Jesus came toward them, walking on the water. [26] When the disciples saw him walking on the water, they were terrified. In their fear, they cried out, “It's a ghost!” [27] But Jesus spoke to them at once. “Don't be afraid,” he said. “Take courage. I am here!” [28] Then Peter called to him, “Lord, if it's really you, tell me to come to you, walking on the water.” [29] “Yes, come,” Jesus said. So Peter went over the side of the boat and walked on the water toward Jesus. [30] But when he saw the strong wind and the waves, he was terrified and began to sink. “Save me, Lord!” he shouted. [31] Jesus immediately reached out and grabbed him. “You have so little faith,” Jesus said. “Why did you doubt me?” The Two Reasons the Other Disciples Didn't Step Out They were _____________. They preferred the _____________ of the boat. [2 Timothy 1:7] for God did not give us a spirit of fear, but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind God isn't calling us to the safety of a boat, but to the ___________________ of stepping out! Don't let a __________ __________ hold you back! [Judges 6:14] Then the Lord turned to him and said, “Go with the strength you have, and rescue Israel from the Midianites. I am sending you!”

In today's reading from Judges, Fr. Mike talk about Gideon's story, and points out how the people began to worship the object Gideon had created to glorify God, instead of worshipping the living God. In Ruth, he highlights the role of kinsman-redeemer and how Jesus is the ultimate fulfillment of that role. Today's readings are Judges 6-8, Ruth 3, and Psalm 135. For the complete reading plan, visit ascensionpress.com/bibleinayear. Please note: The Bible contains adult themes that may not be suitable for children - parental discretion is advised.

Israel has just defeated Midian and they entire community is getting ready to cross the Jordan into the Promised Land and begin their military campaign against the inhabitants of the land. When the tribes of Reuben, Gad, and the half tribe of Manassah, see that the land of the Midianites is good for cattle, they ask if they can settle there. Moses wrongly assumes that they are trying to avoid going to war with their brothers, opting instead to settle outside of the Promised Land and break rank from the others. By the end of the conversation, they cut a deal with Moses, assuring him that they, too, will go to war with the rest of Israel before coming back to settle in the land. Numbers 32 - 1:02 .  Numbers 33 - 7:52 .  Numbers 34 - 13:54 .  Psalm 58 - 17:39 .  :::Christian Standard Bible translation.All music written and produced by John Burgess Ross.Co-produced by the Christian Standard Bible.facebook.com/commuterbibleinstagram.com/commuter_bibletwitter.com/CommuterPodpatreon.com/commuterbibleadmin@commuterbible.org

"Avenge the people of Israel on the Midianites." In one of the most difficult chapters of Scripture, God commands Israel to execute judgment on Midian for leading them into idolatry and sexual immorality at Baal Peor. The war is total, the plunder is divided, and purification rites cleanse those who fought. This chapter confronts us with the holiness of God and the severity of sin. It also points forward to the final judgment when Christ will return to make all things right.  The Rev. Dr. Matthew Tassey, pastor of Redeemer Lutheran Church in Shawnee, OK, joins the Rev. Dr. Phil Booe to study Numbers 31.  To learn more about Redeemer Lutheran, visit redeemershawnee.org. The Book of Numbers is far more than an ancient census report. It is the story of a people learning to trust God in the wilderness, and failing, and finding grace anyway.  In this series, host Pastor Phil Booe and guest pastors walk through the Old Testament book of Numbers chapter by chapter. We follow Israel from Sinai toward the Promised Land, through grumbling and rebellion, fiery serpents and a talking donkey, faithless spies and faithful priests. The journey is hard, the failures are many, and God remains faithful to a faithless people.  These ancient accounts point us to Christ. The bronze serpent lifted on a pole points to the cross. The rock struck for water points to the one struck for us. The high priest whose death frees the manslayer points to the Great High Priest whose death sets us free forever. Join us as we discover that the wilderness has more to teach us than we ever expected.  Thy Strong Word, hosted by Rev. Dr. Phil Booe, pastor of St. John Lutheran Church of Luverne, MN, reveals the light of our salvation in Christ through study of God's Word, breaking our darkness with His redeeming light. Each weekday, two pastors fix our eyes on Jesus by considering Holy Scripture, verse by verse, in order to be strengthened in the Word and be equipped to faithfully serve in our daily vocations. Submit comments or questions to: thystrongword@kfuo.org.

God is giving Moses final instructions to hand down to the Israelites because Moses is about to die at the Lord's hand. Our reading opens with instructions on three festivals which are to be held in the seventh month. This is followed by instructions on how one should consider the validity of vows made to the Lord under different conditions. Finally, God instructs Moses to go to war with Midianites as retribution for the Peor incident, when the women incited the men of Israel to sleep with them in worship to their fertility god, Baal. Turns out that was led by Balaam, the same Balaam who spoke oracles from the Lord against Moab. Balaam is slaughtered along with the Midianites, and after defeating Midian, Israel begins to divide the spoils of war. :::Christian Standard Bible translation.All music written and produced by John Burgess Ross.Co-produced by the Christian Standard Bible.facebook.com/commuterbibleinstagram.com/commuter_bibletwitter.com/CommuterPodpatreon.com/commuterbibleadmin@commuterbible.org

In this Bible Story, Gideon leads Israel’s people into victory over the Midianites with only 300 men. Peace then reigns in the land for over forty years. This story is inspired by Judges 7-8. Go to BibleinaYear.com and learn the Bible in a Year.Today's Bible verse is Judges 7:7 from the King James Version.Episode 63: The once cowardly Gideon is now commander of a rather large Israelite army. So large in fact, that God refuses to use the whole army, lest they think it was their might that saved the day. Soon God had whittled down the army to a mere 300 men and with that 300 men we see a reminder that it is not by our might but by God’s that rescue and salvation happen.Hear the Bible come to life as Pastor Jack Graham leads you through the official BibleinaYear.com podcast. This Biblical Audio Experience will help you master wisdom from the world’s greatest book. In each episode, you will learn to apply Biblical principles to everyday life. Now understanding the Bible is easier than ever before; enjoy a cinematic audio experience full of inspirational storytelling, orchestral music, and profound commentary from world-renowned Pastor Jack Graham.Also, you can download the Pray.com app for more Christian content, including, Daily Prayers, Inspirational Testimonies, and Bedtime Bible Stories.Visit JackGraham.org for more resources on how to tap into God's power for successful Christian living.Pray.com is the digital destination of faith. With over 5,000 daily prayers, meditations, bedtime stories, and cinematic stories inspired by the Bible, the Pray.com app has everything you need to keep your focus on the Lord. Make Prayer a priority and download the #1 App for Prayer and Sleep today in the Apple app store or Google Play store.Executive Producers: Steve Gatena & Max BardProducer: Ben GammonHosted by: Pastor Jack GrahamMusic by: Andrew Morgan SmithBible Story narration by: Todd HaberkornSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In Judges chapters 6–9, God calls Gideon to deliver Israel from the Midianites, giving Israel victory with a small army, but later Gideon's son Abimelech seizes power and brings conflict and destruction.Read the WHOLE Bible with me! Subscribe so you don't miss an episode. If you appreciate what is happening on this channel, please like, comment and most importantly, share this everywhere you can so we can bring as many people as possible with us on this Bible reading journey. GOD IS SO GOOD!Here is a link to all of the worship songs I have finished the Bible readings with. Worship with me!https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLv0l3ExigVUcMr6ja88bC607BoR1EaQuF&si=e1HfJdRXr4LSdU7WHere is the link to read the WHOLE Bible with me on YouTube: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLv0l3ExigVUdyHEiJ2X2tFvXNINmLMs7O&si=FM_Od_qVefeWU1kYDo you want a Bald Headed Country Boy t-shirt? You can find them on my website with the link below.https://baldheadedcountryboy.com/

In this Bible Story, Gideon, a cowardly and weak man, finds strength in God. He is filled with enough bravery to summon an army against the Midianite horde and go into battle. This story is inspired by Judges 6. Go to BibleinaYear.com and learn the Bible in a Year.Today's Bible verse is Judges 6:37 from the King James Version.Episode 62: Israel lived in peace for a time, worshiping God for his rescue of their lives but slowly the worship of idols again invaded their worship and as it did, so did the darkness of oppression. Midianites soon began pillaging and plaguing the Israelites, so much so that they needed to hide their food under tents and in wine presses. In one of these wine presses stood the man who God would use to save Israel, Gideon, a man who teaches us that God can use the weakest and most self-doubting person to accomplish His will and save His people.Hear the Bible come to life as Pastor Jack Graham leads you through the official BibleinaYear.com podcast. This Biblical Audio Experience will help you master wisdom from the world’s greatest book. In each episode, you will learn to apply Biblical principles to everyday life. Now understanding the Bible is easier than ever before; enjoy a cinematic audio experience full of inspirational storytelling, orchestral music, and profound commentary from world-renowned Pastor Jack Graham.Also, you can download the Pray.com app for more Christian content, including, Daily Prayers, Inspirational Testimonies, and Bedtime Bible Stories.Visit JackGraham.org for more resources on how to tap into God's power for successful Christian living.Pray.com is the digital destination of faith. With over 5,000 daily prayers, meditations, bedtime stories, and cinematic stories inspired by the Bible, the Pray.com app has everything you need to keep your focus on the Lord. Make Prayer a priority and download the #1 App for Prayer and Sleep today in the Apple app store or Google Play store.Executive Producers: Steve Gatena & Max BardProducer: Ben GammonHosted by: Pastor Jack GrahamMusic by: Andrew Morgan SmithBible Story narration by: Todd HaberkornSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

How can we know the will of God? Gideon conducts an interesting experiment by "laying down a fleece." Is this a practice we should continue? In this study of Judges 6, we learn... How to avoiding both paralysis and mysticism in our decision-making How the Midianites bullied a nation The jealousy of God Gideon's fleece Five principles of decision-making Thanks for listening! For a complete list of sermons please visit the sermon hub page on my blog.

Jeremiah’s Prophecy and Zedekiah’s Dilemma The sermon focuses on Jeremiah chapter 37, highlighting Jeremiah’s role as a prophet and King Zedekiah’s struggle to heed God’s word. Jeremiah was appointed by God to deliver the truth, even when it was unpopular. He had to remain in Jerusalem and witness its destruction. He felt compelled to continue preaching despite facing opposition. Zedekiah reigned during a time of siege by the King of Babylon, Nebuchadnezzar. Nebuchadnezzar besieged Jerusalem with 200,000 men. Zedekiah and his people did not listen to Jeremiah’s warnings. Zedekiah’s Wavering Faith Zedekiah sought Jeremiah’s prayers but struggled to accept God’s message. He asked Jeremiah to pray for them. Jeremiah told him God’s judgment was inevitable. Zedekiah hoped for deliverance from Egypt, but Jeremiah warned against relying on them. Other prophets were saying Babylon would be gone in two years. Jeremiah insisted that God’s word would prevail. Zedekiah secretly consulted Jeremiah, asking if there was any word from the Lord. Jeremiah confirmed that there was a word. The message was that Zedekiah would be delivered into the hands of the King of Babylon. The Unchanging Word of God The sermon emphasizes the consistency and trustworthiness of God’s word. Examples from the Bible illustrate that God does not change his mind. Adam was warned about eating from the forbidden tree. God promised Abraham that he would be the father of many nations. Abraham was asked to sacrifice his only son, Isaac. The word of God is the power of God unto salvation. It is the truth that remains constant. Moses and the Exodus The story of Moses is used to further illustrate the unwavering nature of God’s word. Moses was instructed to lead the Israelites out of Egypt. Despite Pharaoh’s resistance, God remained committed to delivering his people. The Passover lamb and the blood on the doorposts symbolized salvation. The word of God trumps human opinions and stands firm. It is forever settled in heaven. People are accustomed to being told what they want to hear. David, Gideon, and the Power of Obedience Examples from the lives of David and Gideon demonstrate the power of obedience to God’s word. David faced Goliath because God told him to. Gideon defeated the Midianites with a small army because God instructed him. Gideon initially had too big of an army, so God reduced it to 300 men. The army broke pitchers, held up lights, blew trumpets, and cried, “The sword of the Lord and of Gideon.” The enemy soldiers killed each other. Jeremiah stood alone in proclaiming God’s message. Other prophets offered a more comforting but false narrative. Zedekiah sought a different message from Jeremiah, hoping God had changed his mind. Zedekiah’s Final Choice and Its Consequences Jeremiah warned Zedekiah that surrendering to the King of Babylon was the only way to save himself and the city. God always offers an opportunity for repentance. Despising God’s word leads to inevitable consequences. Zedekiah feared the Jews more than God and refused to surrender. He was afraid of being seen as a coward. The Babylonian army broke through the gates and captured Zedekiah. Zedekiah was forced to watch his sons being murdered before his eyes. His wives were also killed. He was then blinded and taken to Babylon, where he died. The Relevance of God’s Word Today The sermon concludes by emphasizing the importance of adhering to God’s word in the present day. The world is becoming increasingly intolerant of biblical truth. The word of God remains the ultimate authority. It offers promises of salvation and blessings for those who obey. The unchanging nature of God’s word provides a foundation for future generations. It will remain true even after everyone in the congregation is gone. Zedekiah sought something new, but the word of God is the best and most enduring truth. Pastor Tommy commits to continuing to preach the word of God. It has the power to save and transform lives. An invitation is extended for those who need to confess their sins and seek forgiveness.

Join us this week as we unlock practical keys to overcoming & Pressing Beyond Fear straight from Judges 7:1. We are discussing Gideon's intense battle with fear at the spring of Harod—a place whose very name means "trembling" or "fear" in Hebrew. Fear hit hard: 22,000 of Gideon's 32,000 soldiers abandoned the fight against the Midianites because they were trembling with terror (Judges 7:3). Yet in this "valley of trembling," when everything seemed impossible, God didn't remove the fear—He met Gideon right in it. Tune in to discover God's wisdom for Pressing Beyond Fear. His power is made perfect in our weakness (2 Corinthians 12:9), and He has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power, love, and a sound mind (2 Timothy 1:7). This word will inject an adrenaline of faith and the courage you need to face your own overwhelming odds.  Fear may be present, but God's power in us is greater!  Be of good courage, God will strengthen you.

Who are the unexpected heroes who helped save Israel's future deliverer, and what does their courage reveal about God's plan? Dr. Krystal Pierce explores Exodus 1-3, highlighting Jehovah's covenant power, Moses's struggle for identity, and the faithful women who preserved the prophet who would lead Israel to freedom.YOUTUBE: https://youtu.be/u41LHmJSXAQALL EPISODES/SHOW NOTESfollowHIM website: https://www.followHIM.coFREE PDF DOWNLOADS OF followHIM QUOTE BOOKSNew Testament: https://tinyurl.com/PodcastNTBookOld Testament: https://tinyurl.com/PodcastOTBookBook of Mormon: https://tinyurl.com/PodcastBMBook  WEEKLY NEWSLETTER https://tinyurl.com/followHIMnewsletter  SOCIAL MEDIA Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/followHIMpodcast Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/followhimpodcastTIMECODE:00:00 Part 1 - Dr. Krystal Pierce02:41 Episode teaser05:20 Bio07:17 Come, Follow Me Manual and Exodus begins10:59 The Hyksos and then a new king 14:40 The Hebrews build storage cities and miraculously multiply18:59 Crushing the Hebrew's spirits and mud bricks21:40 Has the Lord abandoned us?25:42 Righteous leadership suffers also26:31 Midwives save the Hebrews31:20 Female Heroes35:18  Moses's family 38:19 Moses's ark40:17 A fourth woman saving Moses and the Israelites42:28 Jehovah is merciful43:46 Miriam and women as symbols of Jesus Christ46:60 Moses's first forty years49:22 Moses is taught his identity53:21 Midianites and liminal spaces57:12 Moses and a sixth woman who saves58:58 the Lord hears their suffering and remembers covenants1:01:09 Melted mud brick bottom and Jethro1:04:23 A burning bush1:07:38 Holy vs profane spaces1:08:54 Moses is His son and will deliver Israel1:12:36 Land of milk and date syrup1:14:03 End of Part 1 - Dr. Krystal PierceThanks to the followHIM team:Steve & Shannon Sorensen: Cofounder, Executive Producer, SponsorDavid & Verla Sorensen: SponsorsDr. Hank Smith: Co-hostJohn Bytheway: Co-hostDavid Perry: ProducerKyle Nelson: Marketing, SponsorLisa Spice: Client Relations, Editor, Show NotesWill Stoughton: Video EditorKrystal Roberts: Translation Team, English & French Transcripts, WebsiteAriel Cuadra: Spanish TranscriptsAmelia Kabwika: Portuguese TranscriptsHeather Barlow: Communications DirectorSydney Smith: Social Media, Graphic Design "Let Zion in Her Beauty Rise" by Marshall McDonaldhttps://www.marshallmcdonaldmusic.com

Join us for this week's sermon!Whether you're seeking hope, direction, or a deeper connection with God, this message is for you. Each week, we open God's Word together to find truth, encouragement, and strength for the journey.

The sermon, centered on Gideon's transformation from a fearful, ordinary man to a fearless instrument of God, illustrates how divine power operates through human weakness and imperfect faith. Drawing from Hebrews 11 and the narrative in Judges 6–8, it emphasizes that God uses broken, humble individuals not because of their strength, but because of His sovereign grace and presence. Key themes include the necessity of private faithfulness—evidenced in Gideon's destruction of his father's idols—patience in God's timing, and the testing of faith through trials, such as the fleece incident, which reveal that God honors even struggling faith. The sermon underscores that true power comes not from human numbers or ability, but from divine intervention, as seen in the miraculous victory of 300 men over 135,000 Midianites, demonstrating that God's strength is made perfect in weakness. Ultimately, the message calls believers to embrace their inadequacy, trust God's promises, and step into obedience, knowing that God's glory is magnified when human effort is surrendered to His will.

The narrative of how God uses Gideon to defeat the Midianites and Amalekites is one of the amazing moments in the Old Testament story. This is the God who promised to fight on behalf of His people, defeating their enemies in glorious ways so that He alone would get the credit. Gideon gathers an army of over 32,000 men to go fight. But this is not God’s plan, and through a process of elimination, pares the army down to 300 timid men—a force in no way sufficient to defeat these joined enemies. The story gets even crazier from there, as the warriors go out to fight with torches, pots, and trumpets, not swords and spears. But this is how God brought deliverance for His people in a way that guaranteed He would get the glory. It is amazing what God will do when those who serve Him do not care who gets the credit. This story confronts us with an amazing truth: that God uses the weak to shame the strong so that no human being may boast in the presence of God. Our God is still the God of victory; yet, He always fights for us so that we experience the blessings and He gets the glory.

Moses lived in the wilderness for forty years among the Midianites. During this time, God transformed and prepared him for the task ahead - freeing his people from Egypt.

Click here for the DRB Daily Sign Up form! TODAY'S SCRIPTURE: Numbers 30-31; Mark 9 Click HERE to give! One Year Bible Podcast: Join Hunter and Heather Barnes on the Daily Radio Bible, a daily Bible‑in‑a‑year podcast with 20‑minute Scripture readings, Christ‑centered devotion, and guided prayer.This daily Bible reading and devotional invites you to live as a citizen of Jesus' kingdom, reconciled, renewed, and deeply loved. TODAY'S EPISODE: Welcome to the Daily Radio Bible for March 2nd, 2026! On this sixty-first day of our journey through the Bible, Hunter guides us into the heart of scripture, reading from Numbers chapters 30 and 31, and Mark chapter 9. Today's passages explore the nature of vows, the consequences of agreements, and the fierce battle against the Midianites. In the Gospel of Mark, we witness Jesus' transfiguration on the mountain, a dramatic healing, and powerful teachings about faith, humility, and combating sin. Hunter draws thoughtful connections between Old Testament laws and Jesus' words, showing how our need for freedom from sin is met by going to the Father and confessing our burdens. The episode is wrapped with heartfelt prayers for the listeners, encouragement to be instruments of peace, and reminders of God's unwavering love. Stay tuned for reflections, community shoutouts from Michael McClatcher, and invitations to join this growing circle of faith. Whether you're new or a regular, today's journey invites you to experience grace, hope, and belonging at the heart of God's word. TODAY'S DEVOTION: He frees us from the agreements of sin. In Numbers 30, scripture starts with instructions that might seem obscure. There's guidance about vows and how a married woman or an unmarried daughter might be released from a binding agreement—by bringing it to her father or husband, who could nullify it if they did not approve. It was simple: freedom from obligation came through someone in authority. In Mark 9, Jesus confronts sin with equally strong language. He says, "If your hand causes you to stumble, cut it off." He isn't advocating literal amputation, but rather using powerful words to emphasize the seriousness of sin's grip. Sin, Jesus shows us, operates like a contract, a vow—an insidious agreement between ourselves and the parts of us that are prone to wander. Sin says to the hand, "Do this and I'll reward you with that." Sin bargains with the eye, "Look here and you'll gain something." We make these agreements, often without realizing, and they bind us. But severing limbs is not the answer. The answer is severing the vows and contracts we have unwittingly made with sin. And the way to do that is the way shown in Numbers 30: we bring our vow to the Father. We confess to Him the promise, the contract that is ruining our lives—and He, our good Father, is the one with the authority to nullify it. He breaks the contract. He releases us from sin's power and control. This is not about magic words; it's about what God has done in sending His Son. Jesus paid the price for our sin. He met the demands of the agreement, and He alone has the power to free us from the bonds we've created. He is the one who can tie those deceitful contracts to a millstone and throw them into the sea. Are you trapped in the grip of sin? Take every agreement you've made—all the bargains, all the lies—and bring them to your Father. Confess them. Your confession doesn't change God's attitude toward you; it changes you. It wipes your eyes clear to the truth of your being: that you belong to Him. Regardless of sins committed, God will never cease to be your Father. He has united Himself with us once and for all through Jesus Christ—His incarnation, death, resurrection, ascension. Jesus has defeated sin, death, and the grave. Sin blinds our eyes to the reality that we are swept up into something new, but confession is our way of seeing again. On the cross, Jesus broke the power of every agreement. Let us return to the Father and remember who we are in the Son—free, alive, hopeful, and full of love. That's the prayer that I have for my own soul. That's the prayer that I have for my family, for my wife and my daughters and my son. And that's the prayer that I have for you. May it be so. TODAY'S PRAYERS: Lord God Almighty and everlasting father you have brought us in safety to this new day preserve us with your Mighty power that we might not fall into sin or be overcome by adversity. And in all we do, direct us to the fulfilling of your purpose  through Jesus Christ Our Lord amen.   Oh God you have made of one blood all the peoples of the earth and sent your blessed son to preach peace to those who are far and those who are near. Grant that people everywhere may seek after you, and find you. Bring the nations into your fold, pour out your Spirit on all flesh, and hasten the coming of your kingdom through Jesus Christ our Lord, Amen.   And now Lord,  make me an instrument of your peace.  Where there is hatred let me sow love. Where there is injury, pardon.  Where there is doubt, faith. Where there is despair, hope.  Where there is darkness, light.  And where there is sadness,  Joy.  Oh Lord grant that I might not seek to be consoled as to console. To be understood as to understand, to be loved as to love.  For it is in the giving that we receive, in the pardoning that we are pardoned, it is in the dying that we are born unto eternal life.  Amen And now as our Lord has taught us we are bold to pray... Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name, thy kingdom come thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven, give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our tresspasses as we forgive those who trespass against us, and lead us not unto temptation, but deliver us from evil, for thine is the Kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen. Loving God, we give you thanks for restoring us in your image. And nourishing us with spiritual food, now send us forth as forgiven people, healed and renewed, that we may proclaim your love to the world, and continue in the risen life of Christ.  Amen.  OUR WEBSITE: www.dailyradiobible.com We are reading through the New Living Translation.   Leave us a voicemail HERE: https://www.speakpipe.com/dailyradiobible Subscribe to us at YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@Dailyradiobible/featured OTHER PODCASTS: Listen with Apple Podcast DAILY BIBLE FOR KIDS DAILY PSALMS DAILY PROVERBS DAILY LECTIONARY DAILY CHRONOLOGICAL  

Gideon is a fascinating character. When he is introduced in the Book of Judges, he is anything but a brave and mighty warrior. As a result of their idolatry and abandoning God, the Hebrew people have been handed over to their enemies, the Midianites, who treat them horribly. Midianites were notorious for stealing crops and livestock, so the Hebrews were hiding in caves and mountain dens, helpless and cowering. From there they cried out to the Lord. First, God sends a prophet with the Word of the Lord to the nation. This is followed by the Angel of the Lord appearing to Gideon, who is also afraid. Yet, the messenger from God addresses Gideon as a mighty warrior, and from his hiding place, God invites Gideon into His story. The story of Gideon is unique; but, embedded in the story is a reminder that God saves people and then invites them into His mission. He doesn’t work through the most courageous and powerful; rather, God acts in and through people who are often the last person we would choose. The difference is His presence. When God is with us, well, there is nothing that can’t be done.

Still in the Nation Era, we dive into the time of the Judges, a period marked by a cycle of rebellion and deliverance. We explore the significance of the judges and their role as leaders and deliverers of the nation, empowered by God. The episode delves into the consequences of Israel's disobedience, their abandonment of God, and the worship of false gods. We also focus on the story of Gideon, a notable judge who experienced God's miraculous intervention in defeating the Midianites through just 300 men. Despite judges raised up by God to deliver the people, the cycle of rebellion and deliverance continues.Bible ReadingsJudges 1:27-36Judges 2:1-23Judges 7:1-23Support the showRead along with us in the Bible Brief App! Try the Bible Brief book for an offline experience!Get your free Bible Timeline with the 10 Steps: Timeline LinkSupport the show: Tap here to become a monthly supporter!Review the show: Tap here!Want to go deeper?...Download the Bible Brief App!iPhone: App Store LinkAndroid: Play Store LinkWant a physical book? Check out "Bible Brief" by our founder!Amazon: Amazon LinkWebsite: biblebrief.orgInstagram: @realbiblebriefX: @biblebriefFacebook: @realbiblebriefEmail the Show: biblebrief@biblelit.org Want to learn the Bible languages (Greek & Hebrew)? Check out our partner Biblingo (and use our link/code for a discount!): https://bibli...

Sometimes God's call comes when life feels impossible. Dr. Tony Evans explains how God equips ordinary people to do extraordinary things, and how faith in the small things prepares us for life's biggest battles.

Sometimes God's call comes when life feels impossible. Dr. Tony Evans explains how God equips ordinary people to do extraordinary things, and how faith in the small things prepares us for life's biggest battles.