Posts Tagged ‘spite’


Under Gods Command
Gideon 

Judges 6:14-16 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?”  “But Lord, “Gideon asked, “how can I save Israel? My clan is the weakest in Manasseh, and I am the least in my family.” The LORD answered, “I will be with you, and you will strike down all the Midianites together.” 

“I will be with you,” God told Gideon, and God promised to give him the strength he needed to overcome the opposition.  In spite of this clear promise for strength, Gideon made excuses.  Seeing only his limitations and weaknesses, he failed to see how God could work through him.

Lets bring it home: Like Gideon, we are called to serve God in specific ways, Although God promises us the tools and strength we need, we often make excuses.  But reminding God of our limitations only implies that he does not know all about us or that he has made a mistake in evaluation our character.  Don’t spend time making excuses.  Instead spend it doing what God wants. 


Under Gods Command

John 16:31-33 “You believe at last!” Jesus answered. “But a time is coming and has come, when you will be scattered, each to his own home. You will leave me all alone. Yet I am not alone, for my Father is with me. I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.

As Christians, we should expect continuing tension with an unbelieving world that is “out of sync” with Christ, his gospel, and his people. At the same time, we can expect our relationship with Christ to produce peace and comfort because we are “in sync” with him.

The disciples scattered after Jesus was arrested. Jesus accepted their statement of faith even though he knew their weakness. He knew they would have to grow into people whose words and lives matched even to the point of death. He takes us through the same process. How well are you living out what you say you believe about Jesus?

Jesus summed up all he had told them this night. With these words he told his disciples to take courage. In spite of the inevitable struggles they would face, they would not be alone. Jesus does not abandon us to our struggles either. If we remember that the ultimate victory has already been won, we can claim the peace of Christ in the most troublesome times.