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1 comments | Thursday, April 26, 2007

Today I read from the following books;

JUDGES 6:1-40
LUKE 22:54-23:12
PSALM 95:1-96:13
PROVERBS 14:5-6

Today is Judges it talks about the Israelites AGAIN going against the lord and worshiping false gods. They had again been run over by their enemies the 'Midianites'. It states that the Midianites were ruthless and would swarm their camps like locusts and destroy every living thing, even their crops and animals.

Again the Israelites cried out to God in agony. They prayed for his forgiveness and help in getting them out of this torture. So God again sent them a prophet. The angel of the lord came and sat down under a tree and talked with a man named Gideon. He explained that God has done all this for the Israelites but they continue to disobey him. He told Gideon that God will be with him, and that he is to strike down the Midianites.

- This is living proof that our God is a forgiving god. Were talking about a single group of people that have come and gone from the lord SEVERAL times now over a course of several generations and still the Lord is helping them out. They cry out to the Lord and he answers. I have heard people say that they have done so many wrong things in life that they don't believe God would ever forgive them, or would ever listen to them. This is proof that it is never too late to start talking to God. He is a forgiving God and loves you no matter what. -

Gideon seemed a little worried for his life, he asked several times over the course of 3 days (or at least it mentions 'The next day' 3 times) for proof that God is really God and telling the truth to him. First he asks the angel to stay there while he goes and brings an offering. The angel agrees. Gideon goes and slaughters a lamb and bakes yeast-less bread and broth and brings it to the Angel. The Angel asks him to put it on a nearby rock. Then the Angel taps the offering with his staff and it bursts into flames, and at that time the Angel disappears.

Then Gideon tears down the false Gods alters and builds an alter to the Lord but gets threatened by the Israelites for doing so. He ends up arranging a army to go and fight but still wants assurance that God is really with him, so he puts a wool Fleece on the ground and asks God to soak it with dew. In the morning he was able to pour a bowl of water from the dew soaked fleece. But that wasn't enough so he asks the lord that if it is really Gods will for him to fight, for the lord to make the ground covered in dew but the fleece completely dry. Again the next morning it is done. So he finally realizes it's gods will.

- This seems pretty unbelievable to me, not that it happened, but that Gideon would really demand so many tests of God. God for some reason went along with Gideon and answered his requests but I would like to think that if an angel of God came to me and set my offering on fire right before me like magic that, that would be enough for me to be live that the Lord is really with me and that I should obey what he said. But I've never been in that position so I can't really say I would do it differently. -

In Luke today it tells the story where it left off yesterday. Jesus was taken away and is not in the main priests chamber where he is beaten and ridiculed. He is threatened and questioned but he stands strong. He is transferred from one king to another because neither seem to want to pull the trigger. Both kings 'Pilate' and 'Herod' were enemies before this but bringing Jesus down brought them together as friends.

They dressed Jesus in a 'elegant robe' and mocked him. Meanwhile Peter is in the courtyard. 3 separate people recognize him and question him saying that he is 'one of them' and that he was with Jesus. He denies it three times. On the 3rd time the rooster crows while he is denying Jesus. Just then he looks up to see Jesus staring right at him and he remembers what was said to him. He remembers that Jesus told him he was going to deny him and he actually did, he left and cried "bitterly."

- It should be no surprise to Peter that he did that. Everything that Jesus said came true, you would think that as a follower of Jesus he would have seen that. And you would have especially think that after denying Jesus the first time that he would realize what was said to him is coming true, but it is what it is I guess. I can't imagine going through all that, then looking up and seeing Jesus stare right at you, and know that he knows you just denied ever even knowing him. His feeling of betrayal must have been so strong. -

The proverbs for today is; PROVERBS 14;5-6 "A truthful witness does not deceive, but a false witness pours out lies. The mocker seeks wisdom and finds none, but knowledge comes easily to the discerning."

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0 comments | Tuesday, April 24, 2007

Today I read from the following books;

JUDGES 2:10-3:31
LUKE 22:14-34
PSALM 92:1-93:5
PROVERBS 14:1-2

Today's reading was intense. Judges talks about the Israelites becoming corrupt. It mentions that the whole generation previously written had gone by the new generation did not know the lord. They worshiped false idols and inter married with other people both of which was strictly forbidden when God gave the land to the Israelites.

It says that God became angry and delivered them into the hands of their enemies, which is what he warned them about if they ever turned their backs on the lord. It goes on to say that they cried to God out of their suffering and he heard them, he assigned a leader or "Judge" named Othniel who went to war and freed Israel from their enemies. But after Othniel died the Israelites became corrupt again and started worshiping false gods, so God again gave them over to their enemies. They again cried to God for help and he assigned them another Judge named Ehud. Ehud it says was a "Left handed man" The Israelites sent him with a tribute, which was a double edged sword that he strapped to his right thigh. He went to the king of Moab who was a fat man, and said he had a secret message for him. The king ordered all his servants out of the room.

- I can't describe the next part any better than it is written so I am going to write it here word for word. -

"Ehud then approached him while he was sitting alone in the upper room of his summer palace and said, 'I have a message from God for you.' As the king rose from his seat, Ehud reached with his left hand, drew the sword from his right thigh and plunged it into the king's belly. Even the handle sank in after the blade, which came out his back. Ehud did not pull the sword out, and the fat closed in over it. Then Ehud went out to the porch, he shut the doors of the upper room behind him and locked them."

-Whoa, that is pretty intense. That would make one heck of a action scene in a movie... -

It then goes on to explain that he returned, blew a horn and the Israelites gathered. He spoke to them about what God had ordered him and they went to war, God handed their enemies over to them.

In Luke today it talks about the passover where Jesus ate with the 12. He mentions that, that will be the last time he will drink or eat before he "finds fulfillment in the kingdom of God." He tells them that one of them will betray him (we already know who that is...) and tells Peter that he will betray Jesus 3 times before "the rooster crows".

- There were some amazing stories today. -

The Proverbs for today is; PROVERBS 14:1-2 "The wise woman builds her house, but with her own hands the foolish one tears hers down. He whose walk is upright fears the Lord, but he whose ways are devious despises him."

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