Mighty Warrior

A series on the Judges of Israel
 – Gideon from the tribe of Manasseh
(Click on the link below to read the verses.)
Judges 6 

[The book of Judges is a roller coaster ride. It’s about the history of Israel following their entry into the Promised Land. Unfortunately, Israel went through cycles of rejecting God and then repenting. Each time, the Lord saved them by raising up a leader who was called a judge. In this series, we will be looking at some of these judges to learn about God’s character as well as our own.]

  

¹ The Israelites did evil in the eyes of the Lord, and for seven years he gave them into the hands of the Midianites.    NIV

 

Bam! Just like that! The cycle started again! Only this time, the Lord didn’t oppress Israel through an occupying nation, but instead through a nation of nomadic herdsmen that invaded the lush Jezreel Valley, the breadbasket of Israel. Like clockwork, when Israel was harvesting their crops, the Midianites would invade.

 

⁵ These enemy hordes, coming with their livestock and tents, were as thick as locusts; they arrived on droves of camels too numerous to count. And they stayed until the land was stripped bare. ⁶ So Israel was reduced to starvation by the Midianites. Then the Israelites cried out to the Lord for help. NLT

 

Because the Midianites were so cruel, the Israelites hid in the “mountain clefts, caves and strongholds”, especially when they were harvesting crops. Such was the case for Gideon who was hiding in a winepress to harvest his wheat.

 

An angel of the Lord appeared and spoke to Gideon saying, “The Lord is with you, mighty warrior.” Gideon was anything but a “mighty warrior”. He saw himself as a fearful farmer. A man whose clan was the weakest and whose family worshiped Baal. He even accused the Lord of abandoning Israel. Here’s what the Lord said.

 

¹⁴ Then the Lord turned to Gideon and said, “Go with the strength you have, and rescue Israel from the Midianites. I am sending you!”            NLT

 

Gideon needed reassurance. Therefore, he asked the angel to show him a sign that it was the Lord who was speaking to him. It was a small step of faith, but Gideon was “going with the strength you have”.

 

Following this, the angel gave Gideon a challenge. He told Gideon to tear down his father’s altar to Baal and the Asherah pole. Because he was afraid of his family and the townspeople, Gideon did it at night. Still, he took a huge risk. This step of faith brought him closer to being ready to fulfill the angel’s title of “mighty warrior”.

 

As the Midianites and their allies gathered in the Jezreel Valley, the Spirit of the Lord came upon Gideon. He called the Israelites to prepare to fight. But even then, before Gideon was willing to go to battle, he twice asked the Lord for a sign.

 

Gideon was no different than you or me. He was afraid to take risks; to step out in faith; to lose control. He saw himself as the world saw him, not as the Lord saw him. He let the culture around him shape his life. Despite this, when he was called and sent by the Lord, he obeyed.

 

¹⁶ The Lord said to Gideon, “I will be with you. And you will destroy the Midianites as if you were fighting against one man.”      NLT

 

The Lord doesn’t want a mighty warrior. He wants us to “go with the strength you have” and in the knowledge that the Lord will be with us.

 

Copyright 2024 Joseph B Williams

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To Do List

A Series on Lent
Jesus prays for the disciples & all believers
 (Click on the link below to read the verses.)
John 17 

[Lent is a 40-day season of personal reflection through prayer, fasting and giving in order to prepare your heart to celebrate the Lord’s Resurrection at Easter. We will be following Jesus through the Gospel of John as he enters Jerusalem for Passover, and the ensuing events that led up to his trial, crucifixion and resurrection.]

Are you a list maker? Do you create a “to do list” to be organized? Do you create a shopping list when you go to the grocery store? Do you have a standard list of things to pack when you go on a vacation? If you answered yes to all of these… I’m glad, because we do the same thing in our house.

 

Jesus was running out of time! For the past three years, he had been an itinerant rabbi walking throughout Israel from Galilee to Judea. He had been healing the sick, feeding the hungry and teaching anyone who would listen.

 

Mainly, he taught a small group of committed followers which included the twelve disciples. But it was crunch time. Jesus would be going away to his Father soon, and it was critical to communicate certain things to the disciples. You might say he had a “to do list”.

 

In John 17, Jesus prays his longest recorded prayer. Much of it focused on Jesus being sent by God and in turn, sending the disciples. During his final hours, he begins praying by defining eternal life. Not in terms of going to heaven, but in terms of a relationship.

 

³ Now this is eternal life: that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent.          NIV

 

Then he prays for God’s protection of his disciples.

 

¹¹ Now I am departing from the world; they are staying in this world, but I am coming to you. Holy Father, you have given me your name; now protect them by the power of your name so that they will be united just as we are.          NLT

 

However, his prayer for protection is not so that they can hide in a locked room or return to their former lives. It’s to sanctify them, to set them aside for the special purpose of going into the world to spread the Good News.

 

¹⁸ Just as you sent me into the world, I am sending them into the world. ¹⁹ And I give myself as a holy sacrifice for them so they can be made holy by your truth.                     NLT

 

Jesus’ prayer was not only for his disciples. It was for us too. Like the disciples, we are called to a relationship with Christ. And he has sent us into the world to share that relationship with others.

 

Maybe a “to do list” will help you get started.

 

Copyright 2023 Joseph B Williams

 

 

When a Light Bulb Goes On

A Series on New Testament Stories
A man born blind
(Click on the link below to read the verses.)
John 9:1-12; 35-41 

[The Bible is mostly made up of stories. Stories about people’s lives, the struggles they faced and their faith, or lack of it. In this series we will be looking at some of those people in the Gospel of John. We’ll try to learn from their stories about who God is, how he worked in their life and how that applies to us today.]

  

As a teenager, there were times when I would ask my Dad to help me with my homework. Usually it was some math problem. But he wouldn’t just give me the answer. Instead, he would help me to figure it out for myself.

 

I really don’t know how he did that, but he was very good at it. He probably asked me some leading questions that got me thinking a certain way and then, BAM! A light bulb would go on in my head.

 

The story about the man born blind is preceded by the entirety of chapter eight being focused on an escalating conflict. Jesus is arguing with the spiritually blind Pharisees about who he is, where he comes from and who they are.

 

Jesus is pretty blunt! He calls them liars and accuses them of being children of the devil. The argument reaches a climax when Jesus claims to be God. Yet, no light bulb goes on in their head. In fact, they pick up stones to kill Jesus.

 

When Jesus sees a man born blind, his disciples, who during the whole conflict with the Pharisees were mysteriously quiet, all of a sudden ask him whose sin resulted in this man being blind.

 

³ “It was not because of his sins or his parents’ sins,” Jesus answered. “This happened so the power of God could be seen in him.              NLT

 

He then proceeded to make mud from spit and clay, put it on the man’s eyes and sent him to the Pool of Siloam. As a result, even though the man had lived in darkness all of his life, he was able to see.

 

But because he was healed on the Sabbath, he got involved in yet another conflict with the Pharisees. This resulted in him being thrown out of the synagogue.

 

Following this, Jesus sought him out and asked if he believed in the Son of Man. When the man realized that this was Jesus, he believed and worshiped him.

 

Have you ever had an epiphany experience where God opened your eyes and the light bulb went on? For the man born blind, it happened both physically and spiritually.

 

However, this story is not only about a blind man seeing, but it’s also about being sent. Jesus said this to his disciples.

 

 ⁴ We must quickly carry out the tasks assigned us by the one who sent us. The night is coming, and then no one can work. ⁵ But while I am here in the world, I am the light of the world.”                NLT

 

God sent Jesus, the light of the world, to bring sight to the blind man. Jesus sent the blind man to the Pool of Siloam to open his eyes. Siloam is a Hebrew word that means “to be sent”.

 

In the same way, when the light bulb goes on because Jesus has opened our eyes, he sends us to share with others so that they too might see that same light.

 

Copyright 2023 Joseph B Williams

 

Band of Brothers

Reaching Higher: A Series on My Journey of Discipleship

Luke 6:12-13; Mark 6:7-13

(Use the link below to read the verses.)

https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Luke%206%3A12-13%3B%20Mark%206%3A7-13&version=NIV;NLT

[Preface: This series is autobiographical to the extent that it is loosely based on my spiritual journey. In some ways, you could compare it to the stock market with a gradual overall increase, but many ups and downs; even a crash or two. Through it all though, the Lord has loved me and been with me the whole time. I hope you find my journey encouraging, but also, that the Lord might speak to you through it.]

 

At the end of the summer of 1971, when I decided to drop out of college and stay in East Lansing, I didn’t have a clue what I was going to do, or where I would even live. Thankfully though, the church I attended owned a house that they rented out to young men.

 

 

This house became known as the Hagadorn House because it was… well… on Hagadorn Road. The other guys in that house, and in our college fellowship group, soon became my closest friends.

 

We lived together, ate together, worshiped together, prayed together and played together. In fact, our softball team was called… The Hagadorn Brothers. We became a Band of Brothers.

 

¹² One day soon afterward Jesus went up on a mountain to pray, and he prayed to God all night. ¹³ At daybreak he called together all of his disciples and chose twelve of them to be apostles.        NLT

 

Even though this was early in Jesus’ ministry, he had a large following; possibly as many as the 120 disciples that are mentioned in Acts 1:15. From this group, Jesus chose, and appointed, his apostles. Apostle means “one who is sent with a special mission”.

 

⁷ Calling the Twelve to him, he began to send them out two by two and gave them authority over impure spirits… ¹² They went out and preached that people should repent. ¹³ They drove out many demons and anointed many sick people with oil and healed them.            NIV

 

These men became a Band of Brothers who spent all their time together, day and night, for three years. They experienced highs like, healing the sick and driving out demons; as well as lows like arguing over who was the greatest, and completely rejecting Jesus at his hour of greatest need.

 

We all need a Band of Brothers, or Sisters, to laugh and cry with; to support one another in the good times and in the bad; to do the work of the Lord together. Like the Apostles, we have also been chosen and sent on a mission; a mission to love and serve others, and to share the love of Christ.

 

Who is in your Band?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A Family Reunion

John 20:19-22

(Use the link below to read the verses.)

https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John%2020%3A19-22&version=NIV;NLT

 



This past weekend, we had a family reunion in Blowing Rock, NC. Our time together was a lot of fun that included going to the Mystery Hill where my grandkids loved seeing a ball roll uphill. They also went panning for gem stones and visited The Blowing Rock.

 

However, some of our most enjoyable times together were spent sitting on the deck of our mountain rental house with Grandfather’s Mountain in the distance. Talking, laughing and crying while we relaxed together on the deck was memorable.

 

The verses in John 20 also tell a story of a reunion. But this reunion, was under far different circumstances than the one my family had in Blowing Rock.

 

The disciples didn’t know what to expect. Jesus had recently been crucified by the Jews, so they were understandably afraid of them. But then, some had claimed to see Jesus. If that was true, why hadn’t he appeared to all of them? Was he angry with them? Was he really even alive? If so, what should they do?

 

When Jesus did appear, he could have shamed them for rejecting him in his time of greatest need. He could have let them suffer a little longer before appearing to them. He could have chewed them out for sitting around afraid, doing nothing. He could have laid out their strategy for world evangelism. He could have given them a big pep talk. Instead, he did none of these.

 

²¹ Jesus said, “Peace be with you! As the Father has sent me, I am sending you.” ²² And with that he breathed on them and said, “Receive the Holy Spirit”.           NIV

 

The crucifixion had dealt a great shock to the disciples. They were heading in one direction when the crucifixion stopped them dead in their tracks. Their family reunion was the jump start they needed to get them off the couch and onto the playing field moving in the right direction.

 

John’s words ring out over the millennia to us. Like the disciples, Jesus gives us peace no matter what is happening in our lives; he sends us into the world to share his Good

News; and gives us the power of the Holy Spirit to achieve his mission.

 

We have been sent with peace and power.

 

 

Whom Shall I Send?

Matthew 28:16-20

(Use the link below to read the verses.)

https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew%2028%3A16-20&version=NIV;GNT

  

Do you remember where you were on September 11, 2001? I do. I was in a meeting when one of the members got word of a plane flying into the World Trade Center. According to the History Channel website, President George W Bush spoke to America that night from the Oval Office declaring:

 

“Terrorist attacks can shake the foundations of our biggest buildings, but they cannot touch the foundation of America. These acts shatter steel, but they cannot dent the steel of American resolve.”

 

Later, in a reference to the eventual U.S. military response he declared, “We will make no distinction between the terrorists who committed these acts and those who harbor them.”

 

As a result, the United States military was sent to oust the Taliban regime in Afghanistan and destroy Osama bin Laden’s terrorist network. With the authority of President Bush, our men and women engaged in this mission.

 

¹⁸ Jesus drew near and said to them, “I have been given all authority in heaven and on earth. ¹⁹ Go, then, to all peoples everywhere and make them my disciples: baptize them in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, ²⁰ and teach them to obey everything I have commanded you.     GNT

 

With these words, Jesus sent his disciples into action; into battle really. He could do this because all authority had been given to him. It was with that authority, that the disciples turned the world upside down.

 

Being “sent” is a very familiar concept in the Bible. God sent Abraham to a land he had never seen. God sent Moses to Egypt to lead His people. The prophets were sent to speak God’s word. God sent Jesus to bring salvation. In turn, Jesus sent his disciples to make disciples. And now, God sends you and me.

 

He sends us to our work place; to our neighborhood; to our church; to our community; and to our family. Wherever we are, there we have been sent to make disciples with the promise that Jesus will be with us always.

 

⁸ Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, “Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?” And I said, “Here am I. Send me!”                       Isaiah 6:8 NIV

 

 

It’s time for us to go now. For we have been sent.