Judges 6-7 Hope in the Hood

March 20th, Judges 6-7

       This story reminds me of the kids in the neighborhood of our church. Like the story we try to proclaim "the Lord is with you." Gideon's response, "If the Lord is with us, why has all of this happened to us? And where are all of his wonderful deeds that our father's proclaim to us." The Egyptian hand has been replaced by the hand of the Midianites so who cares??!!
       Futhermore, I am the least in my father's house in the clan that is the weakest in Israel, what am I going to do? For an added glimpse into the life of your typical Israelite child, Gideon was asked by God to tear down his father's altar to Baal and the Asherah pole next to it. How does Gideon and other children have a chance when their parents have an altar on their own property? How do some of the kids we minister to in our neighborhood have a chance when their parents last choice is worship of the King of all Kings and the Lord of all Lords. We need people to help us proclaim truth to people in our neighborhood.
       The good news is this...God's promise to Gideon and the answer to his weakness is simply God's promise of "I will be with you." Our strength comes from God's presence with us. In the midst of God's presence with Gideon, he tore down the altar and built one to God. Parents, family, neighbors notice these things and wanted to kill Gideon for it. Gideon's dad stood up for him and said if Baal is real he can fight for himself, let's see what he will do...wait for it...Oh yeah, he's not real...moving on!
       You remember the fleece. Before you get in over your head it's nice to know God is with you!! You remember the whittling down of Gideon's men. 22,000 are too afraid so they go home. 10,000 become 300 because of how they take a drink. Here's your fighting force, 300 verses what is described as a valley of locusts. The least, the powerless, the hopeless, can see great things with the power of God going before us.
       Please pray for the community we serve. It's filled with the god of addiction. Children we reach out to grow up in homes filled with altars to gods that steal life. Pray for the power of God to step in and change things that we can't and that our trust of Him would bear fruit and we would give Him all the glory.

Judges 1-2 I'm Sorry

March 18th, Judges 1-2

       Patterns are cool. Visually, I love a photo down a fence row where item after item forms a pattern. A cool old building where the design includes stones cut the same way and built in a unique repeated pattern.At the same time I don't really like formal gardens as they feel too stiff and rigid. They follow the pattern to closely and their is no freedom. Patterns can be good and patterns can be oppressive.

       Here's the patterns for the book of Judges. It too is a pattern that is not pleasing...

1. People abandon God

2. God punishes them by raising a power to oppress them(a power they were supposed to drive out and   didn't).

3. People cry out to God for deliverance

4. God raised up a Judge to take care of the situation

Over and over and over and over again. Israel is addicted to this sin in particular. The sin of worshiping other Gods. Like taking another drink, getting another high, buying another item, looking at pornography, gossiping about others or hating instead of loving... the Israelites seem to be willing to swap the worship of the one true God for the worship of any other god at the drop of a hat.

       Like the friend of an addict, God can only bring it up so many times before he has to let the natural course of action find it's way. Ever feel helpless watching your friends demise? God certainly knows how it feels.

        God I'm sorry for the ease with which I stop worshiping you and find other ways to feel validated. I'm sorry for using others and things and achievements to tell me I'm valuable rather than cashing in all my chips at your feet, allowing you to be my hope, rock, fortress, refuge, strong tower and the lover of my soul who loves without condidtion.