Wow, the statement that there is no such thing as coincidence, only
divine intervention is a truth that I am fully realizing in this season of
life. Various experiences, including this
Bible study, are truly showing me…nix that a better statement is they are opening my
heart to refinement. David and I are
participating in a marriage class at church, the information coming from it
combined with the kids’ take-home sheets, Bro. Luke’s sermons and this Bible
study are all working together in perfect accord…feeding my mind and heart in a
way that was much needed.
I encourage you to become involved in a group Bible study if you have the
opportunity. Personal study is
wonderful, but the insight gained when fellowshipping with others who truly
know the Word is also wonderful to be a part of!
Take-aways from the Week 1 Recap:
- We too often make decisions based on our limited supplies instead of God’s boundless resources.
- We need to truly believe in the omnipotence of God, live out our belief acting in faith that He will provide.
- We need to quit allowing satan to use our “iron chariots” to prevent us from living out God’s will for our lives (we were designed to be His witness –in our homes, in our communities, in our nations, in this world). Iron chariots can be anything…in my opinion many “iron chariots” have a common connector – insecurity.
- Partial obedience is ALWAYS a temptation. We should be vigilant in making sure we do not confuse our mindset with God’s mindset. God is COMPLETELY loving and COMPLETELY faithful.
- In our world, just as in Gideon’s day, people are doing what is right in their own eyes. As Christians, our truth is God’s truth. Jesus tells us He is the way, the truth and the life. We need to be purposeful in reading and memorizing God’s Word, we need to arm ourselves with it daily and arm our children with it. Each day is a spiritual battle and God’s word is sharper than a two edged sword. We need to be able to say God’s Word says, not “I think you shouldn’t or should…”
- Sin is sin. Believing in Jesus and truly surrendering your heart, dying to self daily, doesn’t make an easy road, it doesn’t make the perfect life…it does mean that you should turn from sin and exercise true repentance…seek forgiveness
- We need to set aside time to truly learn God’s Word, not take it out of context or pick and choose which verses we want to apply to a situation.
- Christians are to be set apart, not of this world. Yet, are we? Do others know us by the love we show, the type of love we show? Scripture tells us to do everything without complaining (BIG OUCH for me…really working on this. I love Nancy Leigh DeMoss and one of her broadcasts had a statement out dwelling on the positive. This doesn’t mean we are naïve, that we ignore the things that are wrong or that we turn a blind eye to sin. But, do we fuel gossip and ill will with our actions and conversations? Or do we squelch it? Do we try to find the positive in the situation and then do what we can to change the negative? I am so thankful for Rhonda Senn Peters and her friendship and example. She truly embodies this characteristic.
- Are we forming covenant relationships? Are we investing in our church family? Do we work to unite the church body (not just our home church)? Voddie Baucham made a comment “Brothers should be able to disagree with one another and still be brothers” in discussing a matter on his blog. How true is this statement and perhaps I am over simplifying in the following but it is my opinion…our methodology across various denominations may be different, but our truth as Christians is one and the same – Jesus Christ. John 14:6 -Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”
With Gideon, and throughout the Bible, God chose the flawed…not randomly,
not on accident, He INTENTIONALLY sought
the flawed individual. And through these
flawed individuals, and us if we let him, they lived out (WE CAN LIVE OUT) 2 Corinthians
12:9 –
But He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me.
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