Amazing

Ruth 2: 12

May the LORD, the God of Israel, under whose wings you have come to take refuge, reward you fully for what you have done.

Here is a young woman that proclaimed to her mother-in-law that wherever she went, she would go; that your people will be my people and that your God will be her God. Wow…what a proclamation of faith and who this young woman was in her journey.

Ruth was a loyal woman that loved deeply and trusted with all her heart in a God that she was her in-laws, but in a God that she decided she wanted for her own. A God that she took refuge under – Our God.

Do we live a life in our bitterness like Naomi did that other young women still see Our God, Our Savior and they want Him for themselves? Naomi isn't talked a lot about other than her bitterness, her sadness, her unhappiness, but she must have lived a life that God still showed through to this young woman. God must have still shined through Naomi even in the difficult times, because this young woman left all that was familiar to her and found refuge in the God of Israel. Isn't that amazing?

Isn't it amazing that even Ruth that wasn't familiar with the God of Israel still felt like she could take refuge in HIM? I love this story because indeed he rewarded her fully she was a part of the lineage of Jesus Christ! God is so amazing!

Sweet blessings,

Debbie

Let’s Make a Deal

Judges 11: 29 -40

Today, I was captured right off the bat. A story of a sacrifice that I've overlooked in the past, a story much like Abraham and Isaac, but this one had a different ending. Please take the time to read the whole story for yourself!

Let's make a deal went through my small brain reading this story. How often have you tried to make a deal with God? You know Lord if you just get me through this appointment with good news I promise that I will teach in Sunday school from now on. Lord, if you will just get me out of this bad situation, I promise I will never do this again. Knowing full well that you will not be able to teach Sunday school from now on and the possibility is that you will do something again.

Well Jephthah made a vow that if God would give him victory over the Ammonites then he would give whomever walked out of his house to him in a burnt offering. Several things got my attention right here...1) God would have been upset at the beginning of these words this was pagan to offer human sacrifice 2) who did Jephthah expect to walk out of the house – his wife, mother-in-law, cousin, he had to know somebody that lived in the house was who he was talking about!

Trust such a small word with such big meaning. If Jephthah would have trusted God in the beginning and not tried to make a deal this would not have happened. Fact is that if he would have trusted God he would have had victory and his daughter. Instead, the ultimate sacrifice was made with his daughter. Many question this story, but I don't. I believe that first off God was upset that Jephthah would have made such a vow and would have allowed this to happen for many reasons. First, the lack of trust and faith in God to give him victory. Second, this was a pagan ritual and God really would not have been pleased. Don't make a vow to God unless you intend to keep it.

Why wouldn't it have been easier to say Lord, I'm afraid. Help me with this battle. You know me I cannot do this without you. Trust and honesty with the Lord and this story would have had a much happier ending much like the Abraham story. Do you see the difference Abraham trusted the LORD with his son's life and Jephthah didn't trust the Lord with a battle much less his child…he was a dealmaker, not a leader of the people and follower of the LORD.

I'm still intrigued with who he expected to walk out of the house…Who do you think was okay to sacrifice? What a story to teach us to trust in the LORD always!!!

Trusting,

Debbie

Who wins the battles?

Judges 7: 7

The LORD told Gideon, "With these 300 men I will rescue you and give you victory over the Midianites. Send all the others home.

Well the team of 33,000 was taken down to 300 before the fighting started. Imagine you have a fighting crew of 33,000 with those odds its looks great, things are falling into place for the team. Gideon had to feel pretty good until He got word send the ones afraid to fight home ~ well 22,000 left immediately.

Still the team had 10,000 good men ready to fight. When God says ~ still too many…Why? God told Gideon that the people would believe they won the war because of their own strength, so God wanted no doubt in anyone's mind about who would win this battle. Only He would win the battle.

How often have we let ourselves think you won a battle and all along God won the battle? It saddens me to think that because of our human egos that swell on a moment's notice that God must continually remind us who really wins these battles in our life. I'm guilty…I admit it…It saddens me, but things will be going along great and I'm thinking wow Deb you are doing some pretty good stuff and quickly I am reminded that it is not me. Absolutely it is God and that He is just letting me tag along on this journey He called me to walk!

Forgive me Father for the times that I forget to shout from the top of my lungs to the tips of my toes who it is that truly wins my battles! My Father in Heaven fights for me daily and He also wins the battles – it's not me…Thank you Father for loving me in spite of me and for fighting my battles.

Forgiven,

Debbie

IF

Judges 6:36 -37

…If you are truly going to use me to rescue Israel as you promised, prove it to me in this way. I will put a wool fleece on the threshing floor tonight. If the fleece is wet with dew in the morning but the ground is dry, then I will know that you are going to help me rescue Israel as you promised.

 

If…If…If..

Think about it - If these walls could talk, If I could fly, catch me if you can, If I had wings…IF, IF, IF…

I picture myself sitting in Gideon's spot talking to an Angel of God that he already had already tested and then I want more proof. Not just one time but several tests that he ran on God.

We are all put through test to get through school, jobs, life in general, but this is special, isn't it? Gideon wanted God to prove without a shadow of a doubt that HE WAS GOD and God did. Only our loving Father would do just like Gideon requested so that Gideon would feel God's power and might and follow through with God's desires.

Ask God whatever it is that you need to know. God is big, God is huge and HE is ALL POWERFUL. He wants to show us HIS Power and MIGHT! So go ahead be like Gideon and make a request. It is so wonderful when God shows up to answer!

Requesting,

Debbie