Tag Archives: Gideon

Baal Worship.

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Deutsch: Der Baal Tempel in Palmyra im Dezembe...

Deutsch: Der Baal Tempel in Palmyra im Dezember 2009. English: The Temple of Baal in Palmyra in December 2009. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

The Lord has set me in harness.  With skillful hand He directs me in the straight ways of the plow.  “Rip up the land.”  He has commanded me.  He is with me to tear at the ways of baal (The worship of man’s rebellion toward God and his love for the works of his own hands.) among the members of men who inhabit the same day as I.

You who worship the ways of man in every wicked way come to me.  Argue what you will.  Your ways will not stand before His wisdom and Righteous ways.  You sacrifice your children to every wicked way.  You do as you please and are not satisfied with the wickedness you already retain.  “More rebellion!”  This is the battle cry of man today.  It has been prophesied from thousands of years past.  You will seek out all that is wicked in increasing violence.  And you will consider yourself righteous because He allows you to have your fill of what your hand can create.  In this rebellious way you consider that strength belongs to you.  All lasting strength belongs to the Living God in His Son Jesus!  But you will refuse to acknowledge this.

There was a young man who is like what the Lord has given to His servant.  The young man’s name is Gideon.  Listen to the testimony of that young man.  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.”  (Judges 6: 14, 15)

Listen to what Gideon said.  He confessed that he was the least in the least clan.  Yet the Lord sent him to rip at the enemy of His people.  I am of those who are the least in the world; full of wickedness and depravity.  And of those wicked men I was the lesser of them all.  But now He has set my feet on strong ground and has commanded me to rip at the wickedness of all men.

You think you will stand on the day of judgment.  All the while you chase after every evil thing you can lay your filthy hands on.  What restrains you now is the society around you.  But you will fall away into oblivion on the day your soul is judged.  Righteousness has escaped your heart.  The Righteousness of God has not entered into your ways.  And you will be found false before the perfect Living God.  This restraint you trust in, the acceptable laws of man around you, will begin to fall into chaos soon.  Then what restraint will you find to restrain your desire for filthy ways?

I warn you as one who draws the plow over your desirable meadows.  There will be good seed planted.  And you will marvel at the edible crop which grows from among you.  For now you have no taste for the food of God.  You think what you provide for yourself is sufficient.  Your food is sweet to your wicked tongue.  But it is the sweetness of poison that you embrace with all your heart.  You consider that God will harm you.  And you hate His ways with all the strength you can gather.  You have no taste for what is Good.  You call good evil, and evil good.  What will come of this behavior?

Present yourself to Him before He comes to take you from this place of testing.  If you do not, you will be destroyed.  The fruit of sin does not provide God’s desire among men.  At the harvest of souls such men will simply be cast away, as one might throw away rotten grapes.  Where is the compassion when you toss out your garbage?  Do you love what you are willing to throw away to the stinking heap of refuse?  Do you shed tears as men come to take what you do not want?  No!  Unless you turn your heart to Him, this will become your fate.  Be wise and listen.

By His Grace.

Why Write?

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English: The Psalms scroll, one of the Dead Se...

Image via Wikipedia

This morning I am wondering why I write these things.  Few read them, less care, most are irritated that I would point a finger so often and intently at sin.  Then I have relationships in my life to deal with.  There are many who do not subscribe to the harsh elements of the Lord’s teachings.  They would desire that the Lord simply save all mankind, regardless each man’s standing with sin or holiness.  It’s a puzzle to me why I continue to write.

One reason to write is that there are very few who will take a serious and active stand against the wickedness of man.  I would guess there are many reasons for that; shame, fear, unbelief, ignorance, and even a hatred for what is good.  So I write to fill the gap that they leave.

Another reason I write all these things is because they are true.  God has spoken all that man needs to know to be saved.  There are blessings to be had for those who listen to His warnings and obey.  And there are promises for those who remain in wickedness, unbelief, and hatred.  I will face Him soon enough, as will all men, and I don’t want to say, “I didn’t because . . .”

I write these things because of Elijah, Moses, Enoch, Gideon, Chuck Swindoll, Herman Wilson, Peter, Luke, Matthew, and the list can go on for a very long time.  They gave their lives, reputation, and earthly places for the Gospel.  Surely they pondered why they would risk everything for the sake of a message that few would hear, let alone respond favorably.

In the end, I write because the Lord Jesus is worthy of these words!  I do not write for me.  I write for the sake of my Lord, commander, and God.  May He bless the words with fruit as He sees fit.  In the mean time, I write.

Being Used as a Warrior

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6Now the number of those who lapped, putting their hand to their mouth, was 300 men; but all the rest of the people kneeled to drink water. 7The LORD said to Gideon, “I will deliver you with the 300 men who lapped and will give the Midianites into your hands; so let all the other people go, each man to his home.”(Judges 7)

There are those who will bow to traditions of men in their pursuit of God.  And there are those who will inspect what is known about God with a keen eye.  Though I will refrain from saying that all who rely on hearsay regarding the things known of God can not belong to the Lord, I will gladly say that those who inspect the Lord’s knowledge with a bend to understanding are those who are used mightily by the Lord.

Though God is quite able to affect His will without the use of men, I find that His desire is to accomplish His salvation of men by using men.  Would you be used by the Lord to help Him in this work?  Then present yourself to the Word of God with a keen eye.  Inspect what you read.  Understand your position in the Word.  And listen to Truth. 

We note that the others were sent home.  They were still His people.  But they were not chosen to fight in the coming war.  Want to enter the battle for souls?  Then follow their example.  It was God Himself who acknowledged that those 300 were fit for battle under His Mighty Hand. 

 37 Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’  38 This is the first and greatest commandment. 39 And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ 40 All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.” (Matthew 22)

If you would be prepared to serve the Lord then position yourself to do what Jesus said.  The more you devote to Him the more you can be used.  Only, prepare yourself with Truth.  And abandon every possible lie.

By His Grace.