Continuation of the Weekly Word… [5.5.21]
Judges 6:39-40: Then Gideon said to God, “Do not let Your anger burn against me as I speak only one more time. Please let me perform a test with the fleece one more time. Please, let the fleece be the only thing dry, and let there be dew on all of the ground.” So God did this during that night. Only the fleece was dry, and the dew was on all the ground.
There are times when my faith is not at the level that it should be. Can you relate? As a matter of fact, I can say with assurance that God has more faith (confidence) in me, than I do in myself. And, even more astoundingly, God chooses to use me in spite of myself. The story of Gideon in today’s passage relays this message to us as well *(Judges 6&7). Gideon is threshing wheat in a winepress. He was hiding out when the angel of the Lord showed up and proclaimed to him that he was a mighty man of valor and that the Lord was going to use him to see a victory for the children of Israel against their enemies. The Angel of the Lord said, “Gideon you are a mighty man of valor!” And Gideon said, “Who, me?” In other words, “Say what!” As A matter of fact, Gideon continually said “what” and “if” to everything that was being declared to him from the Lord. Look at the verse above. Gideon basically said, “Now get mad at me God, but I’m going to ask you one more time if your sure that I am your man.” In other words, I believe you, but I don’t believe you. It’s a matter of an underdeveloped faith. And sometimes where our faith needs to be developed the greatest, is in who we can be through Christ and in what He can do in and through us of we will just trust Him and believe Him *(have faith). It reminds of the man in the Bible who said, “I believe, but help my unbelief.” Or, how about when Jesus said to Peter, “O ye of little faith”, after getting out of the boat and walking on the water. Peter had faith or he would have stayed in the boat when the Lord bid to him, “Come.” Peter had faith, but he didn’t have faith that was bigger than the wind and the waves. Gideon had faith, but he didn’t have faith that could see himself as a mighty man of valor being victorious over the enemies of God. I have faith! But, it is still underdeveloped in so many areas. I confess, “Lord I believe, but help my unbelief.” Gideon conquered over the enemies armies with less men than he thought he needed and it all happened with some lanterns, trumpets and ceramic jars. God chooses to do things in way that can only happen if He is in the equation. When you put your faith in God, He will make a way where there is no way and He will use you in ways that you never thought possible!
Prayer: Father, today I pray for everyone that is reading this. I pray that you be with them. I pray that you will strengthen and establish their faith in a new way today. I pray that you will encourage them. I pray that you will bless them. I pray that they will find faith and confidence in you and in who they can be and in what they can do through you. I pray that their faith will be strengthened and that they will be renewed and refreshed today in their personal faith! In Jesus name, Amen.
Main Thought for the Week: Faith is powerful and faith is the beginning of all things! Without faith it is impossible to please God. The beginning of faith and the beginning of pleasing God is believing that He exists and that He is a rewarder of those that earnestly seek Him. So, does faith really matter? Yes it does! And whom and what you put your faith in matters just as much. I want you to know today that you can put your faith in God, because He is faithful!
