October 13 Scripture (Judges Chapters 6-8; Judges 6:12
Continuing with heroic Old Testament testimonies to God’s power, we read, the story of Gideon. For a concise history, visit this informative website. I discovered in my research:https://biblehub.com/q/summarize_gideon%27s_bible_story..htm.
Judges chapter 6:12 introduces Gideon, as he is visited by God’s angel: Then the Angel of the LORD appeared to Gideon and said, ‘The LORD is with you, O mighty man of valor. Just as in other heroic stories, Gideon was not a warrior, yet God used him to defeat the Midianites and save the Israelites.
One interesting part of the story is when Gideon destroyed his father’s idols to Baal worship. Another is the wet-dry fleece test which proved God was with him. In a fascinating story, the victory of only 300 men over the Midianites was miraculous. Basically, Gideon engineered a fake attack and frightened the Midianites into killing each other! You’ll enjoy reading this story in three chapters of Judges. Sometimes God chooses unlikely heroes
Prayer:
Lord, You know I’m no hero, but that’s what Moses, Gideon, and others said, too. But, Lord, I am open to Your divine encounters if I can be of service to You, bringing others to faith encounters and directing them to Jesus. I still believe in miracles, because You can empower anyone to accomplish Your purposes. Even today, people from humble circumstances arise to serve You in their lifetimes. Are You calling me to be a modern-day Gideon, or Deborah, (Judges chapters 4-5) or just one who loves You and wants to serve Your kingdom? Show me Your will for my life. I am Yours. More importantly, show me who You want me to be. Amen.
October 14 Scripture (Joshua 1:1-4 )
After the death of Moses the servant of the Lord, the Lord said to Joshua the son of Nun, Moses assistant. ‘Moses my servant is dead. Now therefore arise, go over this Jordan, you and all this people, into the land that I am giving to them, to the people of Israel. Every place that the sole of your foot will tread upon I have given to you, just as I promised to Moses.
When God says, “Go!” His people answer, (or, they could end up in the belly of a whale like Jonah!) God made it clear to Joshua that he was to take the Jews who had wandered in the desert for forty years, finally to enter the Promised Land. God fulfills His promises, are sure, by providing leadership, a vision, and the abilities Joshua needs. As our worship leader, Dr. Paxson Jeancake reminds us, “God does always choose the equipped; but He equips the chosen.”
This is proven repeatedly in the Bible. Did Joshua know anything about toppling the walls of Jericho? But when God said to march around the city and on the last day to shout and blow their trumpets, “the walls came a’tumblin’ down!” (slave spiritual) When God says, “Go!” we’d better listen, for He is the greatest of possibility-thinkers!
Prayer:
Almighty God, you’ve nudged me to begin projects, to pick up and move, to finish a masters’ degree, to marry the person You brought to complete me. You closed and opened doors. You planted me or uprooted me, or sent the advisor I needed when the time was right. I submitted to You just as Joshua did, and trusted Your guidance. Have I become what You wanted me to be? Now, nearing life’s end, You still can use me for Your Kingdom’s benefit if You’d like. Amen.
October 15 Scripture (Read Job Chapter 1, verses 1-12)
Job was in mourning. He had lost lands, wealth, family…everything. Then Job arose and tore his robe and shaved his head and fell on the ground and worshiped. And he said, ‘Naked I came from my mother’s womb, and naked shall I return. The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away. Blessed be the Name of the Lord.’
In all this, Job did not sin or charge God with wrong
Satan and God had a “conversation.” Satan told God that Job had never been challenged or cursed. God knew Job’s heart, just as He knows ours. He allowed Satan to take Job’s fortune, his children, everything he had achieved, but not to take His life. So, Satan went to his dastardly work, trying to get Job to denounce the goodness of the Lord. Satan’s plan, backfired. Even in disaster, Job kept his faith and followed God’s will. This is an object lesson for us. The result, God restored Job’s life and fortune. It is a faith story worth honoring here.
Prayer:
Lord, I do not always see the outcome as You do. I do not understand why Beethoven, a genius musician, was deaf. I do not comprehend why Joni Eareckson Tada is paralyzed. I cannot fathom the horrid consequences of wars, disasters, death. But, with insight given to people like Mr. Fred Rogers’ mother, to look for the good in the results, or to listen to the symphonies Beethoven wrote, knowing he would never hear them performed, or read Joni’s books, written tediously with a pen in her mouth to know that even when things do not go “right” in my eyes, You, Lord, increase my faith when disasters strike or when I learn life lessons later which show Your guiding hand in it all. Give me sight and insight. Amen.
October 16 Scripture (Psalm 145:14-20)
The Lord upholds all who are falling and raises up all who are bowed down. The eyes of all look to You, and You give them their food in due season. You open Your hand. You satisfy the desire of every living thing. The Lord is righteous in all His ways and in all His works. The Lord is near to all who call upon Him in truth. He fulfills the desire of those who fear Him, He also hears their cry and saves them. The Lord preserves all who love Him; but all the wicked He will destroy.
This and Psalm 103 attest to the Lord’s closeness to His people. Verses 3-5: Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all His benefits, Who forgives all your iniquity, Who heals all your diseases, Who redeems your life from the pit, Who crowns you with steadfast love and mercy, who satisfies you with good things so that you’re your is renewed like the eagle’s.
What an awesome God we serve; He loves us more than we can possibly imagine. So, why is it we are so reticent to mention God in our every conversation? Why is it we feel self-conscious when we pepper our speech with, “Let me tell you what God did for me today?” Yes, we have a story to tell, to shout from the housetops, to include in our emails and posts on Facebook. And yes, as an octogenarian, I keep volunteering for things, knowing my failing strength in myself is lacking, yet God does daily renew my strength.
Prayer:
Lord God, Almighty, I praise You for using me to tell others ‘How Great Thou Art!’ Use me, even now, mightily. Amen.
October 17 Scripture (Galatians 3:28)
There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is no male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. (The following hymn is on this theme.)
Paul is trying to explain that the Jews were judged under the law, but Jesus fulfilled the law and the prophets, and the law never saved anyone. We cannot have a “do it yourself” religion of rule-following. Full atonement never comes. We are unable to “be perfect,” in God’s sight. We needed, and indeed have, a perfect sacrifice, and we know Jesus as the law’s fulfillment. We are justified by faith, not under the law.
I’ve heard it preached that when we get to heavenly judgment and we are asked, “Why should you enter heaven? we do not list things like, “I never murdered or stolen, I have fulfilled all the commandments, I went to church every Sunday, I gave to the poor…etc.” NO! Our answer is, “Jesus paid it all!” “Jesus saved me!” “I am a follower of Jesus!”
Prayer:
Heavenly Father, Prince of Peace, Holy Spirit, help me live my eternal life here on earth by walking in faith, blessing You for sending me clouds of witnesses, Your Holy Word, Bible-believing churches, and Your guiding within my soul, so that I can truly attest that ‘Jesus Paid it all.’ You use all even me in advancing Your kingdom. No one has a “label.” Thank You, Jesus for paying the price for me. I am Yours in good standing because Christ is my Savior. I need no other in this life or in the next. I love to listen and sing, ‘I Depend on You’ by Don Moen. It blesses me mightily. Amen.
October 18 Scripture (Psalm 65: 9-13)
You visit the earth and water it, You greatly enrich it, the river of God is full of water, You provide the grain for so You have prepared it. You water its furrows abundantly, setting its ridges, softening with showers, and blessings its growth. You crown the year with Your bounty. Your wagon tracks overflow with abundance. The pastures of the wilderness overflow, the hills gird themselves with joy, the meadows clothe themselves with flocks, the valleys deck themselves with grain, they shout and sing together for joy.
Once again, as in the covenant promise to Noah, another Old Testament hero for whom God prepared a very special “herdsman” task, God provides the seasonal changes which produce all that is needed for our beautiful earth to produce crops in their season. Autumn is here, our barns are filled, our grocery stores’ shelves are abundantly stocked, wheat sheaves and pumpkins appear at our food stands, and we are enriched once again by God’s blessings in abundance.
Prayer:
Lord, this Psalm is so beautiful in its revelation of Your provision for me. Too often I take things for granted. I remember the Covid times when fear overtook me, when I experienced, perhaps for the first time ever in my life that I’d run out (of toilet paper, for heaven’s sake!) of what I’d always thought was my right. I needed a reality check. I needed to think about nations of the world where abundance is not the norm, where a woman’s whole day is filled with acquiring just enough to prepare for a day without water or fresh food to feed her family. Today, let me
continuously thank You for my blessings freely given to Your people. It is all a God Thing! Thank You, Lord. Amen.
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