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Judges 15

 

Judges 15 (NKJV)

 

14 “When he came to Lehi, the Philistines came shouting against him. Then the Spirit of the LORD came mightily upon him; and the ropes that were on his arms became like flax that is burned with fire, and his bonds [b]broke loose from his hands.

 

Well, chapter 15 is certainly action-packed! Samson decides to go back and claim

his ishsheh” the Hebrew word which can mean woman or wife. Because Samson huffed and puffed off in a rage, her status was unclear, and this ancient Hebrew word has two meanings. Things did not go as he expected, so his actions release a destructive chain of events from tying jackals’ tails together with a lit torch attached and destroying the wheat fields of simple farmers, to his former ishsheh and her father being burned to death, to the slaughter of a random number of Philistines, to 3,000 Israelites arresting Samson and doing the Philistines job for them instead of fighting them and driving them out of their land.

 

In this drama, we do not read of the Spirit of the LORD coming upon him until verse 14., giving him greater strength. He snaps new ropes which bind him and uses a fresh donkey’s jawbone- one that which not dried out from the sun and brittle- to slaughter 1,000 Philistines. The root word for donkey and heap is the same, which helps to make some sense of his poem in verse 16. He stacked several heaps of corpses. Samson acknowledges who won the battle and begs the LORD for water. God provided water for Samson similarly to the way He did for the wandering Israelites.

So how is this very gruesome chapter applicable to today? The true source of Samson’s strength was not because he was a Nazarite. The Spirit of the LORD came mightily upon Samson in the last two chapters enabling him to do unheard things. Fast forward to Acts 1:3, and Jesus tells his disciples to wait for the Promise of the Father, the fulfillment of Joel chapter 2. This same Spirit who “came mightily upon” Samson lives in us today because of Jesus. While it is improbable, we will break ropes that bind us or slay a battalion with the jawbone of a donkey; we have the same Power living in us to break the strongholds of sin which binds us and defeat Satan’s grip on our lives. I don’t know about you, but that makes me want to shout!

 

Prayer: Heavenly Father, You gave us the Promise, the Power of Holy Spirit. He lives in us, guiding us, protecting us, strengthening us. What a gift! We don’t have to walk in the defeat like the Philistines, we walk in the victory of the resurrected Jesus. We walk in the power of the Holy Spirit. We walk in the assurance of Your Word that tells us we will have life everlasting. We are not yet perfect, but will be one day. We are not defeated. We are victorious. We are children of the Most High God.! We give you honor and praise and glory. In the name of Jesus, we pray. Amen.


 

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Judges 14

 

 

Judges 14 (NKJV)

3” Then his father and mother said to him, “Is there no woman among the daughters of your brethren, or among all my people, that you must go and get a wife from

the uncircumcised Philistines?”

 

And Samson said to his father, “Get her for me, for [a]she pleases me well.”

 

4 “But his father and mother did not know that it was of the LORD—that He was seeking an occasion to move against the Philistines. For at that time the Philistines had dominion over Israel.

In verse 25 of the previous chapter, we read, “And the Spirit of the LORD began to move upon him at Mahaneh….” In verse 4, we benefit from the written word explaining what Samson’s parents did not know. Again, in verse 6, we read, “And the Spirit of the LORD

came mightily upon him…” and again in verse 19. I will be the first to admit verse 19 is a challenging verse because the LORD directed this. Also, in chapter 14, we find one of Samson’s was famous riddles. When his “first wife’s” tearful nagging resulted in solving

the riddle, it was the beginning of Samson’s extreme dislike of the Philistines and proved

costly to them.

 

The Old Testament contains difficult passages to comprehend, like this chapter. The Israelites were God’s chosen people. He was orchestrating a way to relieve them of the influence of this pagan culture. In the New Testament, He made a way for us to be

relieved, unburdened, and purified of our sins. I am thankful to be under the Covenant!

 

Prayer: Lord, it is sometimes difficult for Your children to understand Your Word. You are omnipresent, omniscient, and omnipotent. There is no one like you, Yahweh. I ask You to provide insight and application as we read this chapter because You have told us Your thoughts are not our thoughts. Speak to us, heighten our senses so we can glean the message You want us to learn and apply it to our lives. In the precious name of Jesus this prayer is presented to You. Amen.

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Judges 13

 

Judges 13 (NKJV)

 

17 ”Then Manoah said to the Angel of the LORD, “What is Your name, that when Your words come to pass we may honor You?”

 

What a contrast between chapters 12 and 13! The Israelites are on the wash-rinse- repeat cycle. However, we have insight for God’s next judge. This story is like the stories of Abraham and Sarah, Elkanah and Hannah, and Zechariah and Elizabeth. Manoah and his wife, who remains unnamed. She has been unable to conceive a child. Chapter 13 is a dialogue with Manoah, his wife, and a heavenly being. The phrases used for the message bearer are intriguing. We find “the Angel of the LORD,” “the Angel of God,” and “a Man of God.” Capitalized pronouns are used for or by the heavenly messenger. In verse 18, we read, “And the Angel of the LORD said to him,” Why do you ask My name m seeing it is wonderful?” We find cross-references to the word wonderful in Genesis 32:29 and Isaiah 9:6. The verse in Isaiah is especially poignant as we celebrate Advent. This visit to Manoah and his wife was extraordinary as the LORD had specific plans for their son.

 

We will be entering a new year very soon. Spend some quiet time with God, asking Him to reveal His plans for you – involvement in a new ministry, leading a Bible study, volunteering with one of our mission partners in 2022. Journal your thoughts and for those of you who have not begun journaling as part of your spiritual journey, take it from someone who fought it for a long time; it is now an integral part of my faith journey. As part of journaling, be sure to journal God’s responses and/or answers. In Isaiah 43:19, we read, “Behold, I am doing a new thing….” In the words of Rev. J.D. Walt, behold means to pay attention, bring every one of your faculties to this”. Find the 2022 new thing God wants to do in and for you!

 

Prayer: Oh Lord, a new year brings excitement and so many new possibilities. You have given this verse in Isaiah to many at New Hope. We know you are doing a new thing in Your church. We want to be attuned to Your specific plans for our lives and how You want to use us for the furtherance of Your kingdom in 2022. Show us, Lord, show us!

Give us clarity to know, not think or have doubt, but to KNOW how we are to serve you in 2022. In Jesus name, Amen.

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Judges 12

 

Judges 12 (NKJV)

7 “And Jephthah judged Israel six years. Then Jephthah the Gileadite died and was buried among the cities of Gilead.”

 

The book of Judges contains chapters that are bewildering for 21st-century readers. In chapter 12, the focus is on the friction between Jephthah and Ephraim. Ephraim was the largest of all the tribes and perhaps a bit arrogant. They felt slighted when not asked to join in the battle, the same as with Gideon. However, Gideon’s tactic was more diplomatic, and Jephthah’s tactic was the more aggressive one of a warrior. Ephraim made the mistake of threatening to burn his house down with him in it. The final straw was the insult Ephraim hurled at the Gileadites, and Jephthah’s army ruthlessly annihilated 42,000 Ephraimites.

 

The subject of Jephthah’s vow in chapter 11, resulting in the sacrifice of his daughter (which has sparked exhaustive theories by researchers) and the slaughter of fellow Israelites in chapter 12, some academics believe to be the reason he had leprosy. The reference to his burial in verse 7, according to an excerpt from an ancient commentary, “Because he was stricken with leprosy as a punishment, his death was lingering, and his limbs fell off one by one, and were buried in different cities where they happened to drop off.” This may or may not explain the phrase “buried among the cities of Gilead.” The New King James uses the word cities, as do other translations, while some translations use cities, towns, or give a city name.

Jephthah served as a shophetim or judge for only six years in comparison to the norm of 20-80 years. The Holy Spirit anointed Jephthah for His purpose in the battle with the Ammonites. However, when he was not under the guidance of the Holy Spirit, he committed unthinkable sins.

 

Prayer: Heavenly Father, we have been given the Holy Spirit to guide us, but sometimes we fail to call upon You or follow Your promptings. Forgive us when we fall short and do not follow, for your ways are better than ours. We can be slow learners, but You are a patient and holy Father, and for this, we are most grateful. You are the Alpha and Omega, the author and finisher of our faith. We thank you for Your Son, Jesus, in whose name we offer this prayer. Amen.

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Judges 11

Judges 11 (NKJV)

 

11 Now Jephthah the Gileadite was a mighty man of valor, but he was the son of a harlot; and Gilead begot Jephthah.

29 Then the Spirit of the LORD came upon Jephthah, and he passed through Gilead and Manasseh, and passed through Mizpah of Gilead; and from Mizpah of Gilead he advanced toward the people of Ammon.

32 “So Jephthah advanced toward the people of Ammon to fight against them, and the LORD delivered them into his hands. 33 “And he [a]defeated them from Aroer as far

as Minnith—twenty cities—and to [b]Abel Keramim, with a very great slaughter. Thus the people of Ammon were subdued before the children of Israel.

Jephthah was a social outcast because he was an illegitimate son of a prostitute. His half- brothers did not want to share their inheritance with him. He fled to the land of Tob, where he gained quite a reputation with a band of men described as worthless, outlaws, desert pirates, depending upon the translation read. Jephthah earned a reputation as a mighty warrior.

In verse 29, we read, "Then the Spirit of the Lord came upon Jephthah," the Hebrew world ruach meaning the Spirit of God or the LORD. It implies that the Spirit overcomes so powerfully that man becomes especially obedient to God. Jephthah immediately went from being a leader of a band of desert pirates to a judge called by God. In verses 32 and 33, we learn of his military success. If you fast forward to Hebrews chapter 11:32-33, you will see Jephthah listed in the Faith Hall of Fame. Verses 31 and 34-40, shall we say, are perplexing and the subject of much discussion and disagreement by very learned scholars of Judaism and Christianity. The important application is the role of our Helper, the Holy Spirit.

Jephthah was a flawed man, just as we are. He mixed pagan practice with the Law. As believers under the Covenant of the New Testament, we, too, fail just as Jephthah did. It is God's will that we are obedient to Him and follow His Word. As children of the Covenant, we receive the gift of the Holy Spirit who hovered over the waters at creation, anointed Jephthah, and is our Helper.


Prayer: LORD, Your Word contains many stories of social outcasts. Our name is engraved in the palms of your hands. We are not here by accident. We are made in Your image, no matter what the world may say. You love us unconditionally and extend mercy and grace to us. You sent your one and only Son, whose birth we celebrate during this season to redeem us. You have a purpose for our life. Help us to be sensitive to the Holy Spirit’s guiding of our one and only earthly life. In Jesus name, Amen.

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Judges 10

Judges 10:10-16 (NKJV)

10 And the children of Israel cried out to the Lord, saying, "We have sinned against You, because we have both forsaken our God and served the Baals!"

11 So the Lord said to the children of Israel, "Did I not deliver you from the Egyptians and from the Amorites and from the people of Ammon and from the Philistines? 12 Also the Sidonians and Amalekites and [c]Maonites oppressed you; and you cried out to Me, and I delivered you from their hand. 13 Yet you have forsaken Me and served other gods. Therefore I will deliver you no more. 14

"Go and cry out to the gods which you have chosen; let them deliver you in your time of distress."

15 And the children of Israel said to the Lord, "We have sinned! Do to us whatever seems best to You; only deliver us this day, we pray." 16 So they put away the foreign gods from among them and served the Lord. And His soul could no longer endure the misery of Israel.

Well, well, well, the people Moses called stiff-necked had to learn the hard way-again! God made a covenant with them at Mt. Sinai. The Israelites belonged solely, totally to God. However, they decided they could coexist instead of doing the hard thing, the right thing, and obeying God. Once again, they did what was evil in God's eyes, leaving Him totally out of the sphere of worship and committing blatant idolatry. There were seven groups of deities mentioned earlier in the chapter. God's response to them in verses 11 through 14 is slightly tinged with sarcasm and sounds a lot like an exasperated parent. And, once again, like a wayward child, reaping what they sowed, they put away the false gods, but they endured 18 years of misery.

We tend to rationalize our actions and behavior. We slowly drift and excuse thoughts, words, deeds contrary to the Word, to the point we become unmindful of our behavior. This suggests the old analogy of a frog in a pot of water… So how do we not continue the pattern of the Israelites? We do this by spending time in the Word, meditating, journaling, asking the Holy Spirit to shine his light in the shadow where we have lost sight of our idols, and confess, stay connected with other believers in a connect group, and join others in an accountability band as Wesley teaches us. We have these New Testament passages to remind us: "If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. (1 John 1:9) and Be [a]sober, be [b]vigilant;

[c]because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour." (1 Peter 5:8)

Prayer: Lord Jesus, it is so easy to the specks in the Israelites eyes, yet not the planks in our eyes. Holy Spirit shine your light in our dark and dusty corners so that we can confess our sins. We thank you for the forgiveness of our sins through the atoning blood of Jesus. Nudge us when we start to stray so that we do not become numb to our actions and fall short of Your best for us. In the name of Jesus, whose birth we celebrate, Amen.

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Judges 9

 

Judges 9 (New King James Version)

3 And his mother's brothers spoke all these words concerning him in the hearing of all the men of Shechem; and their heart was inclined to follow Abimelech, for they said, "He is our brother." 4 So they gave him seventy shekels of silver from the temple of Baal-Berith, with which Abimelech hired worthless and reckless men; and they followed him. 5 Then he went to his father's house at Ophrah and killed his brothers, the seventy sons of Jerubbaal, on one stone. But Jotham the youngest son of Jerubbaal was left, because he hid himself. 6 And all the men of Shechem gathered together, all of Beth Millo, and they went and made Abimelech king beside the terebinth tree at the pillar that was in Shechem.

 

 

Judges chapter 9 is one of the more difficult chapters in the Old Testament. However, the Bible is God's Word, and while some things are challenging to us, there is always life application for His Word, which is the same yesterday, today, and forever.

Going back in Old Testament history, Shechem was where God made his covenant with Abraham, where Jacob settled, a designated city of refuge, the place where Joshua renewed the covenant, and where the tribe of Ephraim settled. At the end of Joshua chapter 16, we read that the Israelites did not drive the Canaanites out of the land as God commanded. In Judges 9, We find the result of the Israelites disobedience in not removing them from the Promised Land. God's chosen people were adversely affected by Abimelech. Abimelech, the wicked madman who received silver from a pagan temple of Baal and his hired band of marauders. Mercilessly they killed 70 members of his own family.

So, what do we glean from Judges chapter 9? God is still on his throne, nearer than our next breath, in control, always watching even if we choose to ignore him or not take His Word seriously, He is sovereign, and he still judges sin. We may think we are getting away with it; however, Old Testament history demonstrates otherwise. We find similar heeding in the New Testament in Galatians 6:7: "Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap.

Prayer: LORD, it is so easy to shake our heads at the Israelites' disobedience, yet how many times are we guilty of the same thing, guilty of not following your instructions? You know what is best for us. Forgive us when we have thought our way is better, easier, or are just as obstinate and stubborn as the Israelites and do not follow your plan for our lives. Thank you for your grace and mercy that is never failing. In Jesus' name, ,Amen.

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Judges 8

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Judges 8:22-26, The Israelites said to Gideon, “Rule over us—you, your son and your grandson—because you have saved us from the hand of Midian.”

But Gideon told them, “I will not rule over you, nor will my son rule over you. The Lord will rule over you.” And he said, “I do have one request, that each of you give me an earring from your share of the plunder.” (It was the custom of the Ishmaelites to wear gold earrings.)

They answered, “We’ll be glad to give them.” So they spread out a garment, and each of them threw a ring from his plunder onto it.  The weight of the gold rings he asked for came to seventeen hundred shekels, not counting the ornaments, the pendants and the purple garments worn by the kings of Midian or the chains that were on their camels’ necks.  Gideon made the gold into an ephod, which he placed in Ophrah, his town. All Israel prostituted themselves by worshiping it there, and it became a snare to Gideon and his family.

There is so much to say about this chapter!  Obviously, the people were highly impressed with Gideon because of his victory over the Midianites.  But this leads to some problems.  First issue - victory is credited to Gideon rather than God.  This isn't a good start.  Second issue - the people want Gideon to be king without any consultation with God.  In a theocracy (which Israel was supposed to be), kingship should be a result of divine intervention.  Third issue - the earring thing is not going to end well.  Gideon gathers a lot of gold and essentially makes an idol (he calls it an ephod but it's basically an idol) with the gold donations.  Gideon has this great opportunity to lead the people to follow God and live according to the law.  For whatever reason, he doesn't.  Worldly temptations get in the way.  Like so many men of God in the Bible, Gideon doesn't end well. 

Let's pray...

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Luke 1-2

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Luke 2:16-20,  So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger.  When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them.  But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart. The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told.

 

The angels notified the shepherds of Jesus’ birth and they rush off to see the newborn King.  The shepherds were really good evangelists, sharing with the young parents everything that the angels had said.  He would be Messiah and Lord and bring peace to those on whom his favor rests.

 

Mary knew her child would be special.  In Luke 1:32-33, the angel appears to her and says this of her baby, “He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over Jacob’s descendants forever; his kingdom will never end.”  Between the angels’ message and the shepherds’ visit, I can only imagine what is going on within Mary.  How does a young girl, delirious with lack of sleep from travel and childbirth, even begin to wrap her brain around such significant truth about her child?

 

Today’s focus verses say that she treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart.  

 

On this Christmas Day, are you pondering the wonder and treasure of Christmas? 

Jesus is not merely a sweet baby who was laid in a manger, he is:

Emmanuel

Savior

Messiah

Lord

Word made flesh

Master

King of Kings

Prince of Peace

Wonderful Counselor

Mighty God

Son of the Living God

Light of the World

Lamb of God

Redeemer

Bread of Life

Holy One of Israel

My Lord and my God.

 

Who is he to you?

 

Let’s pray…King of Kings and Lord of Lords, we praise you on this Christmas Day! 

 

 

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Matthew 1-2

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Matthew 1:1-16, This is the genealogy of Jesus the Messiah the son of David, the son of Abraham:

Abraham was the father of Isaac,

Isaac the father of Jacob,

Jacob the father of Judah and his brothers,

Judah the father of Perez and Zerah, whose mother was Tamar,

Perez the father of Hezron,

Hezron the father of Ram,

Ram the father of Amminadab,

Amminadab the father of Nahshon,

Nahshon the father of Salmon,

Salmon the father of Boaz, whose mother was Rahab,

Boaz the father of Obed, whose mother was Ruth,

Obed the father of Jesse,

and Jesse the father of King David.

David was the father of Solomon, whose mother had been Uriah’s wife,

Solomon the father of Rehoboam,

Rehoboam the father of Abijah,

Abijah the father of Asa,

Asa the father of Jehoshaphat,

Jehoshaphat the father of Jehoram,

Jehoram the father of Uzziah,

Uzziah the father of Jotham,

Jotham the father of Ahaz,

Ahaz the father of Hezekiah,

Hezekiah the father of Manasseh,

Manasseh the father of Amon,

Amon the father of Josiah,

and Josiah the father of Jeconiah and his brothers at the time of the exile to Babylon.

After the exile to Babylon:

Jeconiah was the father of Shealtiel,

Shealtiel the father of Zerubbabel,

Zerubbabel the father of Abihud,

Abihud the father of Eliakim,

Eliakim the father of Azor,

Azor the father of Zadok,

Zadok the father of Akim,

Akim the father of Elihud,

Elihud the father of Eleazar,

Eleazar the father of Matthan,

Matthan the father of Jacob,

and Jacob the father of Joseph, the husband of Mary, and Mary was the mother of Jesus who is called the Messiah.

 

Be sure to read through this full genealogy of Jesus.  Sometimes, we have the tendency to skip over these long lists of relatives but this one is really special.  That’s the only reason I read through those hard names! In a totally male-dominated, patriarchal culture, there are five women listed in this genealogy.  This should make us stop and reflect. 

 

Take a moment and look for their names. The women include Tamar, Rahab, Ruth, Uriah’s wife (Bathsheba), and Mary.  There was something exceptional about each of these women: several were foreigners, one was a prostitute, a few engaged in what would have been considered questionable behavior, and two (that we know of) got pregnant out of wedlock.  These are things that were basically unacceptable in their culture and time.  Most of these things would have rendered these women as outcasts in their communities.  And they are all part of Jesus’ family line!  What a beautiful picture of God’s grace.  Jesus, Savior of the world, did not come from a perfect family line but rather one that was messy, broken, and filled with outsiders.  In a world that valued insiders, Jesus’ family tree demonstrated God’s love to all.

 

What does your family tree look like?  No matter how broken or messy, Jesus’ love and grace is bigger, stronger, and more powerful.  God can use your family for his glory.

 

Let’s pray…Lord Jesus, You are so good.  We thank you for redeeming us, our families, and our world.  Help us demonstrate even but a small amount of your grace those around us.  In Your Name, Amen.

 

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John 1

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John 1:14, The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.

 

God's Word in the Old Testament was his self-expression.  Here, the apostle John is referring to the Word as God's ultimate self-expression, Jesus Christ.  If we are to know God, we need to look at Jesus.  Jesus is God and God is Jesus. 

 

God loved the world so much that he provided a way for all of us to know him and be reconciled to him.  God took on human form and moved into our neighborhood.  God walked and talked among his people, demonstrating the full extent of his love.  We have seen the Father through the life of the Son. 

Let's take a moment and read this classic Christmas text from Matthew 1:18-24 and then we will return to today's focus verse, This is how the birth of Jesus the Messiah came about: His mother Mary was pledged to be married to Joseph, but before they came together, she was found to be pregnant through the Holy Spirit. Because Joseph her husband was faithful to the law, and yet did not want to expose her to public disgrace, he had in mind to divorce her quietly.

But after he had considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, “Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.”

All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet: “The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel”(which means “God with us”).

Jesus was Immanuel, meaning God with us.  Christmas is not simply about a little baby being born and laid in a manger.  Christmas is about God coming down to be with his people, to live among us, and to demonstrate the full extent of his love.  Everything that Jesus did, from healing people, feeding people, loving the poor and the outcast, dying on a cross, and defeating death through the resurrection, illustrated God's incredible, amazing love for his people.  We could go much deeper than that, there is certainly a great deal more to say, but I'm going to stop there for today.  Spend some time in prayer and simply think about the wonder of the incarnation.

 

Let's pray...God, Thank you for taking on human form, enduring suffering and shame, to demonstrate your love for us.  Christmas came at just the right time 2000 years ago and it's coming at just the right time now.  We need you.  We need to experience and know your love and grace.  Thank you, Jesus.  In Your Name, Amen.

 

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Isaiah 53

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Isaiah 53:4-6, Surely he took up our pain and bore our suffering, yet we considered him punished by God, stricken by him, and afflicted.  But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was on him, and by his wounds we are healed. We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to our own way; and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all.

 

When Jesus was born, the Hebrew people had been waiting for thousands of years for the Messiah, the one who would provide healing and reconciliation.  Life was really dark; they lived under Roman oppression and they were beginning to lose all hope.  Had God forgotten about them and the promises he made?  The time between the testaments was pretty dreary.  But God's timing is always perfect and at just the right time, God revealed himself again through the person of Jesus Christ.

 

The ancient Hebrews were hoping for a warrior king to come and save them from the Roman Empire, but God sent Jesus, a humble carpenter from a humble village in Israel.  While it wasn't what they were seeking, Jesus was exactly what they needed, what we all needed. Jesus was the full expression of God in human form and through his life and ministry we get a glimpse of what life under the reign of God is like.  They were expecting war and they got amazing love instead.

 

I'm taking some time getting to today's focus verses but I thought it was important to provide the context. Isaiah, 700 years before Jesus was born, provides this messianic prophecy about the crucifixion and its significance. This was God's plan all along. Jesus was exactly what was needed and he came at just the right time. Jesus hung on a cross and was pierced and crushed for our sins.  We can be at peace and reconciled to a holy God because Jesus took on the punishment for our sins.  What does love look like?  Jesus Christ.

 

I John 3:16 reads, This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers and sisters. 

 

Let's pray...Lord Jesus, Thank you for your sacrifice.  Thank you for your amazing love.  As you demonstrated extravagant love to us through the cross, help us point others to you by being even but a small reflection of your amazing love.  Help us see people through your eyes.  More of you, less of me.  In Your Name, Amen.

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I Thessalonians 5

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I Thessalonians 5:1-3, 8-10, Now concerning how and when all this will happen, dear brothers and sisters, we don’t really need to write you. For you know quite well that the day of the Lord’s return will come unexpectedly, like a thief in the night. When people are saying, “Everything is peaceful and secure,” then disaster will fall on them as suddenly as a pregnant woman’s labor pains begin. And there will be no escape...But let us who live in the light be clearheaded, protected by the armor of faith and love, and wearing as our helmet the confidence of our salvation. For God chose to save us through our Lord Jesus Christ, not to pour out his anger on us.  Christ died for us so that, whether we are dead or alive when he returns, we can live with him forever. 

Possibly because they were experiencing so much persecution, the Thessalonians were very interested in knowing when Jesus' second coming would occur.  Paul tells them two things they needed to hear:  their persecutors will be judged AND in the meantime, living in faith, hope, and love, is the best way to prepare for the next step of their Christian journey.  Jesus will come suddenly, like a thief in the night.  But they have nothing to fear as God's children.  Those who reject the Gospel will face God's wrath but the believers will be protected and get to live with Jesus for eternity. 

 

Paul isn't trying to prophecy here or provide some kind of timeline for the Thessalonians. This is purely pastoral encouragement for them.  Jesus was pretty clear - no one knows the time, only the Father.  In Matthew 24:36, Jesus says, “However, no one knows the day or hour when these things will happen, not even the angels in heaven or the Son himself. Only the Father knows." Despite these words, people have tried making predictions for thousands of years.  I hear people today say, "Well, these must be end times because of this or that."  My personal opinion is that isn't for us to know or say.  Our responsibility is to take Paul's advice to the Thessalonians and live in faith, hope, and love, pointing others to Jesus and living like people with Good News.

 

Let's pray...Almighty God, We don't know what we don't know.  Help us not worry about the future but simply live the way you have called us to live.  Give us the motivation and courage to share your Good News with others.  We know that you love and care about all people and want them to be part of your fold.  Help us see people through your eyes.  More of you, less of me.  In Jesus' Name, Amen.

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I Thessalonians 4

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I Thessalonians 4:13-14, Brothers and sisters, we do not want you to be uninformed about those who sleep in death, so that you do not grieve like the rest of mankind, who have no hope.  For we believe that Jesus died and rose again, and so we believe that God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in him.

 

Apparently, the Thessalonians had presented this question to Paul, "What happens to those who die in Christ?"  There must have been some deaths in the church since its founding, which would naturally lead to such a question.  Paul reinforces his teaching about the resurrection and Jesus' second coming.  He refers to the dead as "those who sleep in death," which is fairly common in both Jewish and Greek writing.  But we should note that this doesn't mean the soul is asleep after death.  New Testament texts clearly demonstrate that for believers the soul is alive while the body waits for the resurrection of all believers. 

 

Jesus' physical resurrection is the central defining feature of Christianity.  It proved his divinity, it clearly demonstrated Jesus' victory over death, it proves that we serve a living God, and it foreshadows our own bodily resurrection when Jesus returns.  Because of the resurrection, we can be assured that this earthly life is not all there is; we get to spend eternity with Jesus.  I am reminded of Jesus dying on the cross next to the two thieves.  One accepts Jesus in his dying hour and Jesus proclaims, "I assure you, today you will be with me in paradise." Yes, we get to be with Jesus when we die AND yes, we still will get to be part of the future resurrection of believers.  Both are sources of great hope and joy.  The Thessalonian church needed to hear it and we do too! 

 

Let's pray...Lord Jesus, We believe in you.  We trust you.  We give you our lives.  Thank you for the hope you offer each of us.  In Your Name, Amen.

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I Thessalonians 3

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I Thessalonians 3:6-9, But Timothy has just now come to us from you and has brought good news about your faith and love. He has told us that you always have pleasant memories of us and that you long to see us, just as we also long to see you. Therefore, brothers and sisters, in all our distress and persecution we were encouraged about you because of your faith. For now we really live, since you are standing firm in the Lord.  How can we thank God enough for you in return for all the joy we have in the presence of our God because of you?

 

Paul and Silas very much wanted to visit the Thessalonian church and encourage them in their persecution.  But over and over again, it didn't work out.  They were frustrated and concerned about the welfare of the new believers.  While they had previously warned the Thessalonian church that persecution was unavoidable, they still feared for their well-being. 

 

Eventually, they send Timothy to visit them and instruct them in the faith as needed.  Timothy brought back good news, as the Thessalonian church was becoming more mature in their faith.  Despite their challenges, the new believers were remaining strong in faith and continuing to demonstrate love toward those inside and outside the church.  This pleased Paul and Silas very much.  They experienced joy knowing that the faith of the Thessalonians remained strong and vibrant.  They thanked God for their perseverance and endurance.

 

The early church had such a different perspective than we do regarding persecution.  They saw persecution as inevitable; it was simply something that believers had to endure.  It doesn't appear they feared being persecuted either.  They knew that as followers of Jesus, their message would be met with opposition.  In the Western church of today, we tend to fear persecution and rejection.  We hesitate to share the Gospel message because we might offend someone, someone might say something mean to us, or we might get rejected.  These seem incredibly minor compared to the persecutions of the Thessalonians or other believers around the world today who risk everything to share the Gospel with others. 

 

Let's pray...God, fill us with holy discontent.  Give us the courage and motivation to share the Gospel with others.  Provide opportunities this week, today even, for us to share the Good News of Jesus with people around us.  Help us not shy away due to fear but boldly proclaim who you are.  In Jesus' Name, Amen.

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I Thessalonians 2

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I Thessalonians 2:4, On the contrary, we speak as those approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel. We are not trying to please people but God, who tests our hearts. 

 

The authors start out chapter two by discussing their motives for preaching the Gospel message.  They have pure motives and have no desire to trick people into becoming converts, which must have been an issue in the day.  Gaining converts at any cost suggests manipulation and the desire to look successful before others.  But their main concern was pleasing God, not people.  That does not mean that the Gospel message isn't pleasing to people, because it certainly is, but that wasn't their main reason for sharing it.  God had called them to this and they were being obedient. 

 

Unfortunately, throughout the course of history, Christians haven't always had such pure motives in sharing the Gospel.  Evangelism has often occurred with a Bible in one hand and a sword in the other.  I think Paul, Timothy, and Silas, would be appalled at how far people representing the Christian faith have gone to simply gain converts, without concern for the hearts of people.  As twenty-first century believers, we get to stand on the shoulders of those who witnessed well and those who made a terrible mess of it.  And yet, we are still called to share the Gospel with others with pure motives.  Guided by the Holy Spirit rather than our own prideful motivations, we are called to share the source of our hope.  Just as Paul and friends write in this chapter, our core motivation must be to please God.  It's great if other people are pleased as well with the message, but that isn't our primary purpose.  It's simply all about Jesus.

 

Let's pray...Lord Jesus, How much we mess things up!  We have not been good ambassadors for you.  We have allowed pride, greed, and sin of all kinds to seep into the church and lead people away from you.  God, I pray that we will have pure motivations.  Give us courage to share the Gospel message with pure and sincere intentions that are pleasing to you.  In Your Name, Amen.

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SOAP Pastor Vicki Harrison SOAP Pastor Vicki Harrison

I Thessalonians 1

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I Thessalonians 1:2-3, We always thank God for all of you and continually mention you in our prayers. We remember before our God and Father your work produced by faith, your labor prompted by love, and your endurance inspired by hope in our Lord Jesus Christ.

 

This is a pastoral letter from Paul, Timothy, and Silas, to the church at Thessalonica.  The authors are together in Corinth when they get the news of how faithful the Thessalonians have been in spite of intense persecution.  This is a letter of encouragement.

 

It was normal in an ancient letter to include some kind of prayer for the recipient after the greeting.  We see that in today's focus verses.  The authors state that they continually thank God for all the people in the church, and that they remember them before God because of their work produced through faith and love and their endurance inspired by hope in Jesus.

 

I am most intrigued by the line "endurance inspired by hope in our Lord Jesus Christ." Endurance is the ability to keep going, to persevere, in the face of difficulty and suffering.  We don't know exactly what kind of persecution the Thessalonian Christians were facing but it must have been pretty bad.  And Paul was worried about them.  They were new believers - how would they withstand these hardships?  Would their faith crumble or strengthen?  Apparently, they remained strong and steadfast, despite their limited experience in the faith.  This idea of endurance through hardship becomes a virtue in the early church.  Here is the important part: their endurance was not a result of some kind of internal emotional strength or resolve but was due to their hope in Jesus.  Their hope was rooted in the second coming of Jesus, which will become a theme throughout this letter.

 

Think about your own life.  How would you rate your endurance in the face of hardship?  While we don't face the same kind of persecution as the Thessalonian church, we still deal with other challenges.  Especially at this time of year, things can seem really heavy.  How is your faith grounded in the hope of Christ? 

 

Let's pray...Lord Jesus, We need you.  This world is hard and exhausting.  We need to remain focused on you; true hope and joy are rooted in you and you alone.  Help us be beacons of hope for those in our families and communities this season.  More of you, less of me.  In Your Name, Amen.

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Judges 7

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Judges 7:4-8, But the Lord said to Gideon, “There are still too many men. Take them down to the water, and I will thin them out for you there. If I say, ‘This one shall go with you,’ he shall go; but if I say, ‘This one shall not go with you,’ he shall not go.” So Gideon took the men down to the water. There the Lord told him, “Separate those who lap the water with their tongues as a dog laps from those who kneel down to drink.” Three hundred of them drank from cupped hands, lapping like dogs. All the rest got down on their knees to drink. The Lord said to Gideon, “With the three hundred men that lapped I will save you and give the Midianites into your hands. Let all the others go home.” So Gideon sent the rest of the Israelites home but kept the three hundred, who took over the provisions and trumpets of the others.

Gideon started with roughly thirty-two thousand troops from four different tribes.  That may seem like a lot to us but it was really a drop in the bucket compared to the massive Midianite army.  And yet, God says it’s too many men.  So God gives instructions to thin out the troops, first by telling those who are scared of the fight to go home and then by separating the men by how they drink water from a stream. 

God knew his people well – with a large army, they would take the credit for the victory.  By the time God finished with his instructions, only three hundred Israelites remained to fight.  Now, it seems almost like a suicide mission against the Midianites EXCEPT the God of the universe is on their side.  There is no earthly fighting force that can even get close to God’s power.  And there would be no question – the victory was totally and completely belonged to the Lord.

How many people need to be reminded today that there is no earthly force greater than our God? 

Let’s pray…Holy God, You are all-powerful, all-mighty, and all-knowing.  Nothing on earth comes close to you.  Help us not be deceived by the things of this world but trust you totally and completely.  In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

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SOAP Pastor Vicki Harrison SOAP Pastor Vicki Harrison

Judges 6

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Judges 6:14-17, The Lord turned to him and said, “Go in the strength you have and save Israel out of Midian’s hand. Am I not sending you?”

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

The Lord answered, “I will be with you, and you will strike down all the Midianites, leaving none alive.”

The cycle begins once more.  It's almost painful to read this, as we can predict what's going to happen.  Deborah dies and the people once again do evil in the eyes of the Lord.  God allows the Midianites to overtake the Hebrew people and the Midianites are incredibly cruel and oppressive.  The Midianites destroy the Israeli crops and their livestock.  The people are hungry and weak so they cry out to God for help.  This time, God calls Gideon to be a judge.

 

Today's focus verses are part of Gideon's call story.  An angel of the Lord finds Gideon threshing wheat in a winepress, hidden from sight.  He had to go somewhere away from the destructive eye of the Midianites.  The angel greets him with a "Welcome, brave warrior" kind of message.  You can kind of picture Gideon looking around, "Are you talking to me?" He goes on to say that his clan is the weakest in Israel and he is the weakest in his family.  How in the world can God be sending him to save his people?

 

Then God tells him something he needs to hear, something we all need to hear, "It's not about you!"  God needed to remind Gideon that his weakness was irrelevant.  He could lead his people to victory over Midian but it wasn't about his skill or strength, it was about what God could do through him.  But Gideon had lots of doubt, he didn't believe God could or would do such a thing.  So Gideon tests God (read through the whole chapter to find out more) and God demonstrates that he was very serious - God chose Gideon.

 

Do you need a reminder that it isn't about you?  It isn't. It's about what God can do through you.

 

Let's pray...God, You are all-powerful, all-knowing, and filled with love and mercy.  Thank you for choosing us to participate in your work in this world.  We know that on our own, we can do nothing; in your power, though, anything is possible.  Amen.

 

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Judges 5

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Judges 5:31, “So may all your enemies perish, Lord!  But may all who love you be like the sun when it rises in its strength.”

 

The Song of Deborah recorded in this chapter is a beautiful example of an ode of triumph, a typical ancient Hebrew poem which eloquently records the events of chapter 4 (when Deborah led the Israeli people to victory over the Canaanites).  In Hebrew, there would be a staccato-like emphasis in every line.  Much of the effect is lost in translation to English.

 

The conclusion to the poem, today's focus verse, pulls it all together.  Yes, Deborah, Barak, and others were instrumental in defeating the Canaanites, but in the end, the victory belonged to God.  Those who oppose the Lord will perish and those who love the Lord will be blessed.  If only the Israelites remembered this.

 

Let's pray...Lord, Help us remember that all good things come from you.  As we celebrate the season, help us keep you as our focus.  When we get distracted, pull us back.  We need you.  More of you, less of me.  Amen.

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