Month: October 2022

Judges 6:11-16, NRSV

As children of God, we have assurance that the Lord will never leave us nor forsake us. We disobey Him and fail to adhere to His word, but He is compassionate and gracious. When Israel’s oppressors overran them, they destroyed Israel’s produce, leaving them impoverished without food or any livestock. Such a dire situation will bring you to your senses. You will remember the true and living God. These disobedient, prodigal children did and cried out to Him for help (vv.3-6).

You know most of us do not want chastisement. Well, God sent a prophet in response to His wayward children’s cry. He is a prayer-answering God. However, the prophet didn’t come to simply deliver them; he came with a word of chastisement from God. He reminded them of who God is and what He had done for them. Then the angel sealed the reprimand sharply, saying, “But you have not given heed to my voice” (v.10b). Gideon was hiding from the Midianites, beating out wheat in the winepress (v.11) when the angel of the Lord appeared to him and said, “The Lord is with you, you mighty warrior” (v.12).

Gideon answered him, “But sir, if the Lord is with us, why then has all this happened to us? And where are all his wonderful deeds that our ancestors recounted to us, saying, “Did not the Lord bring us up from Egypt?” But now the Lord has cast us off and given us into the hand of Midian” (v.13).Then the Lord turned to him and said, “Go in this might of yours and deliver Israel from the hand of Midian; I hereby commission you” (v.14). He responded, “But sir, how can I deliver Israel? My clan is the weakest in Manasseh, and I am the least in my family” (v.15). The Lord said to him, “But I will be with you, and you shall strike down the Midianites, every one of them” (v.16). Trust and obey God. He is not your problem. He is the answer to your problem. He calls and commissions us for His purpose. Give Him a hand clap of praise!

Judges 6:1-10, NRSV

Scripture has told us many times of the disobedience of God’s people and the consequences as a result. Here the children of Israel did evil in the sight of the Lord, and He gave them seven years of oppression in the hands of the Midianites (v.1). We may not fear God and may choose to disobey Him, but when He removes His hand of protection, we will fear the enemy for He is not merciful and will wreak havoc in our lives. God allowed Midian to have the upper hand, prevailing in His people’s lives. They hid out in the mountains in caves and strongholds they made for themselves (v.2). Every time they planted their crops, the Midianites, who had allied with the Amalekites and the people of the east, came up against them, destroying the produce of the land. Israel had nothing to eat or any livestock. The enemy came with their camels as locusts and wasted the land as they came in. The Midianites left Israel greatly impoverished, and the Israelites cried out to the Lord for help (vv.3-6). “If you love me, you will keep my commandments” (John 14:15, ESV).

When God allowed the Midianites to oppress the Israelites, they cried to the Lord for help (v.7). The God of mercy sent a prophet to the Israelites to deliver His message to them, “Thus says the Lord, the God of Israel: I led you up from Egypt and brought you out of the house of slavery (v.8), and I delivered you from the hand of the Egyptians and from the hand of all who oppressed you and drove them out before you and gave you their land (v.9). I said to you, ‘I am the Lord your God; you shall not pay reverence to the gods of the Amorites in whose land you live.’ But you have not given heed to my voice” (v.10). If you are tired of the Midianite oppression God sent to prevail over you, repent today and return to the Lord. Give Him praise and a hand clap!

Ephesians 4:29-32, NKJV

Here Paul continues to set forth commands for believers. They must not remain the same as when under the influence of the old man. Think about it. Once you take a refreshing bath or shower, you would not put those old dirty clothes back on. You change into a fresh set. When you put on the new man, you do not want to continue wearing the old man’s clothes of unrighteousness, walking in disobedience. The change children of God make must be transformational; the new man must be very different from the old man.

In verse 29 believers are commanded to not let a corrupt word come out of their mouth. Believers should only allow words that are “good for necessary edification, or building up, that it may impart grace to the hearers.”  Believers have put on the new man of righteousness and holiness; they must remember that a good tree does not bring forth corrupt fruit (Luke 6:43a). In other words, believers are expected to build up and encourage others according to the need and the occasion, so that what you say will be a blessing to those who hear. “Do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God,” (v.30a) we are commanded. Yes, we have the tendency to sin, but because God has been so gracious to His children, why would we make Him sad by sinning? God’s Holy Spirit has sealed us for the day of redemption (v.30b).  

Children of God, we have been washed in the blood of the Lamb, transformed by the renewing of our mind; therefore, “Let all bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor, or loud quarreling, and evil speaking be put away from us, with all malice” (v.31). “And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God in Christ forgave us (v.32). Put on the New Man of righteousness and holiness and walk worthy of your calling. Give God a hand clap of praise.

Ephesians 4:23-29

Believers are new creatures in Christ, living under the indwelling power of the Holy Spirit. The redeemed of the Lord should always give Him glory for putting off the old man and putting on the new man. Since we are new creatures in Christ, we are to daily “be renewed in the spirit of your mind” (4:23). In Romans 12:2 Apostle Paul said for us not to be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of our mind. When we put on the Lord Jesus Christ, He gave us our regenerated and renewed nature, created according to God. Therefore, even though our earthen vessel is the same, our once self-centered ways “have passed away.” Our living now reflects God’s righteousness and holiness.

We do not treat each other as we did when we were that old, corrupt man. We are all members of the body of Christ;  therefore, we are to put away lying, backbiting, spreading rumors – talking that we know partially and that we do not know except what someone else told us, and we accept it as truth. Our brothers and sisters in Christ are our neighbors. We are to speak truth with them (v.25). Be angry about sin, injustice, and etc., but do not sin by being angry at the sinner. Anger could lead you to a decision of regret. Do not let the sun go down on your anger (v.26); this may be your last sunset. Do not harbor anger. That only gives the devil an opportunity to lead you into sin (v.27). Let the anger go, forgive, and trust God to take you through the situation.  

Those who once stole, you are believers; do not steal. Go to work; use your hands for what is good, that you may have something to give someone who is in need (v.28). Then he warns believers to let no corrupt word come out of their mouth; only what is good for building up others that it may impart grace to the hearers (v.29). Remember, you have put on the new man of righteousness and holiness, walk worthy of your calling.