Gideon

Monday, July 7, 2008 - Ron Edmondson

Yesterday we looked at the story of Gideon in Judges 6 and 7. If you haven't read that story, read it this week. You can also hear the podcast at http://gcc.libsyn.com (There may be a delay this week getting the podcast posted due to vacations with our podcast ministry team.) To recap yesterday, we learned that God used Gideon in spite of his weakness in powerful ways. God uses unqualified people to carry out His work. Gideon was the weakest in his family, but God made him a "mighty warrior". The process for Gideon to develop a lasting courage to do God's will involved at least three steps: 1. Wrestle- Gideon had to wrestle through his own doubts, fears, and lack of faith in order to completely trust and obey God. 2. Worship- When he refocused on how powerful and real God is he fell to his face in worship. That time of worship led to the courage to obey God. 3. Win (again)- Gideon needed a confidence boost. When he placed his complete faith and obedience in God he became a lean, mean, fighting machine. His faith gave him the confidence to complete the task God called him to do and stay on that path of obedience. How can Gideon's story encourage you today?

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1 comment (Add your own)

1. anonymous wrote:: I wasn't at church this past week, but have had to wrestle with some core convictions as Gideon did. I was going to share this with one or two individuals in particular, but the Holy Spirit has convicted me this early morning and made me so uncomfortable he led me here. I have never blogged before today and never this early, please excuse if I ramble some....
Nothing seems to fire me up more than the blatant idle chit-chat of people who are shocked by the results of their self-expressed, seemingly innocent words used, to make "conversation", "get information", or the like, that do nothing to edify, but everything to destroy persons in their path. Nothig will kill a town's potential, or a church's, faster than gossip. It's appeal, however, seems to be like the appeal of a dog to its own vomit. I am hoping this blog will somehow hasten my purpose and stop the attraction, even if only temporarily.
There is a misgiving, a false-pretense of concern if you will, in this idle hearsay, this charade of self-seeking purposes that not only reflects poorly on the initiator but also erroneously on the character and efforts of others. What this does is distorts the truth and causes deceptive divisions where none are or were. I am not, and never have been a fan of idle talk or newsmongering about the private affairs of others and will continue to hold standard to that in hope that my actions exemplify my own standard and those of Christ's.
I know this letter will not stop gossip, for it has been going on for centuries and it will most certainly continue. It does however still warrant reproofing when out of control as has been my conviction of late. My original plan was to approach people personally with this reprimand, but God arrested my thoughts that what these words are trying to rebuke is the very thing that originated it in the first place and need no named author to continue the cycle. Therefore, I have taken this approach to try and control the proper dissemination of its content.
It is my prayer that as Gideon and so many others were able to refocus on God, and were led to obedience in Him we will also be, and not return to our follies but ultimately to our shared faith.

In Him,
A fellow servant
July 10, 2008 @ 10:34 AM

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