Need a SIGN like Gideon's FLEECE ? .... Judges 6

Placing a fleece before The LORD....

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 Title: Mother Stories from the Old Testament

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The Importance of Gideon's Fleeces

When Gideon put forth fleeces asking The LORD for confirmation of His+ will, many men's lives were at stake, as well as their defenseless wives and children.

   

Israel's oppressors, the Midianites, were ruthless towards the Israelites.  The Israelites were hiding out, living in caves ( 6:2-6 ). It seems this fear was based in reality,  substantiated by the treatment the people of Israel had been receiving. [ Chapter 7 points out that great fear also.]

Any Other Examples ?

We know, though, that The LORD did NOT honor OTHER folks who asked , " How can this be?"  ... such as Zachariah who was struck dumb because he did not believe the Word of the LORD to him via Gabriel. 

Part of growing requires TRUST... a foundational, personal security ... that HE+ will do it,  that HE+ will perform exactly what HE+ says HE+ will do... and whatever HE+ requires us to do, HE+ WILL ALSO PERFORM! 

Why Did the Fleeces "Work" for Gideon ?

Gideon seemed to be a man after GOD'S own heart, like David was. And, Gideon was so very, very humble and little in his own eyes, endearing himself unto The LORD.  

Also,  Gideon had asked earlier for a sign that he himself had found grace in The LORD'S eyes in verse 19, and The LORD honored that request .

The Key to Answered Prayer

The key to everything that happened in Judges 6 , included putting forth the fleeces 2 times, is found in verse 6:34. 

[ Courtesy of Biblegateway.com ]

  ³⁴ But the Spirit of the Lord came upon Gideon, and he blew a trumpet; and Abiezer was gathered after him.  

Even more striking is the Hebrew of  verse 34 of Judges 6:  

" And the SPIRIT of JEHOVAH clothed GIDEON ( with HIMSELF ) " … 

The "with HIMSELF" is understood in the verse, according to JP Green’s Interlinear.

Needing a SIGN for Confirmation

of The LORD'S Will ? 

We are always desiring The LORD to give us a CERTAIN AND SURE sign of confirmation, if we need to do something. The more major the decision, the more we yearn for certainty about it, right?  

The problem is: signs are easily duplicated by satan to a doubting heart, and mankind is easily duped. 

There IS a way to know The LORD'S Will, however, and The LORD shows us how to do this in Judges 6. 

However, Gideon’s 2 fleeces, as miraculous as they were, ARE NOT THE MAIN message in Judges 6 that The LORD wants us to see ! 

Two Main Points 
--- not fleeces --- 
in Judges 6 

The First:  OBEDIENCE 

One of the MAIN points of this chapter reveals the utter obedience no matter the cost , on Gideon's part.  

Gideon must have determined inwardly to obey WHAT THE LORD TOLD HIM TO DO . 

And, Gideon obeyed The Word with his whole heart, even unto death,  and The LORD knew it... hence the blessings that followed.   

The Second:  REMOVING SIN

The OTHER main point was that SIN had to be knocked down, shredded asunder, and burnt as an offering unto The LORD (vs 26 ) before... yes, before... any deliverance would be forthcoming. 

In order to do that, Gideon had to go against his own father's household and the men of his own community !  In order to shred the enslavement to sin in his own father's household, Gideon  had to lay his own security and well-being on the altar  too.

Do we realize HOW HARD that was, since he was the youngest, least-in-authority son of his father?  In addition to that... he used his father's bullock for a sacrifice ! Without asking Dad !

Do we take into account that Gideon likely jeopardized his entire family's lives by angry towns-folks when he destroyed the grove and altar / pillar of Asherah ? Israel was involved in idol worship and its accompanying immorality. 

 THIS IS THE TRUE LESSON  of this passage...   

SIN must be forcibly and determinedly removed  .... before The LORD will grant any victory..... and indeed, any request.

Yes, ( yawn, ho-hum, ) we "know"  we must remove sin...  

... but we fail to realize when our troubles pile up and our requests are going awry that HE+ sees something in our midst that is dis-pleasing to HIM+. 

Something that is stifling our growth. 

Something that is hindering our nearness to HIM+. 

   

HE+ wants THAT “something” removed. And furthermore, HE+ will not budge until we remove it.

It is STILL TRUE... 

 "No good thing will HE+ withhold 

from those who walk uprightly,"  

  

GIDEON WON GOD'S APPROVAL !

GOD showed HIS great good approval to Gideon and granted him his requests because Gideon FACED CERTAIN DEATH in order to obey GOD. 

Gideon worked immediately and effectively to remove the sin in their midst,  which could have cost Gideon his life.

This is why it is SO IMPORTANT to read the Scriptures.  Men are fallible but The WORD of The LORD is not, and it usually explains itself , if we will just let it reign over the thoughts of man.

If we could simply still our own thoughts and WAIT upon the blessed HOLY SPIRIT,  HE+ will reveal the real message of  Scriptures to us.

Instead of being enraptured by putting out fleeces, then, our focus should be to REMOVE the sinful things from our midst that we have drifted into, in order to fight against sin within our own lives. 

Then  --- and only then ---  would we be able to hear and know ... and yes, even ABLE to follow ... the Will of The LORD for our lives. 

 We do not need fleeces; we need repentance.

Deep, utter, cleansing repentance of our motives and priorities... our double-mindedness... our sneaking ways of serving Self.

 No, we do not need fleeces.  

We need oneness with GOD. 

We need to walk in ONENESS with The LORD JESUS… so closely that our hearts throb in unity with HIS+ heart , in unity with His+ Will.

His+ thoughts replacing our thoughts. 

His+ desires, our desires.

His+ concerns, ours.

Then, there will be no desire to put out fleeces because there simply will be no need to do so.  

  

THIS is the true lesson of Gideon in Judges 6.

Let us pray: 

O LORD JESUS CHRIST!  I call THEE+ "LORD, LORD," but I set my own priorities.  

Forgive me, LORD, and renew a right spirit within me. I turn over to THEE+ my plans, my desires, and yes, even my daily concerns.  

Turn my heart to do Thy+ Will, O CHRIST.  Make  me ONE WITH THEE+, precious SAVIOR.  

Then, LORD, I will know that I please THEE+... THOU+ joy of my heart. 

In the Name of THE FATHER

WHO created me;

HIS Beloved SON+

WHO+ saves me;

And the blessed HOLY SPIRIT, 

WHO sanctifies me. 

Amen.

  

Passover Meditation #16 for the Lenten Season 2012

~ ~ ~  The Door of the Cross ~ ~ ~

COME unto ME+,

all ye that labor

and are heavy laden,

and I+ will give you rest.

Take My+ Yoke upon you

and learn of ME+;

for I+ am meek and lowly of heart:

and ye shall find rest

unto your souls.

For My+ Yoke is easy,

and My+ burden Light.

Matthew 11:28-30

HEADSTRONG... an Ugly Word

We put ourselves in harm's way when headstrong . We can know for sure that we are definitely OUT of the LORD'S Will when we are headstrong.  We are moving in DIRECT OPPOSITION to HIM+ when we are moving headstrongly  through life, in our decisions, in our  attitudes. We don't even have to guess if we are doing right or wrong: we are doing wrong.

+  +  +

Do not confuse determination with headstrong. Be determined to move AWAY from being headstrong. Instead, be unshakably determined to move towards ME+ ... and make your unruly flesh and uncontrollable mind MIND ME+ . You will have to deal with yourself as a naughty child.

Operating in a headstrong manner moves you ALWAYS AWAY from ME+. 

I+ was not headstrong.  I+ was determined to do My+ FATHER'S WILL, not My+ own.  I+ will tell you this:

ALL headstrong paths are wrong...

from secret thoughts and accusations

through words spoken in haste,

in anger, and in jest ...

through actions. 

Sanctify you thoughts. Sanctify your words. Be not headstrong, My+ Child. 

NO... you cannot do something because "other Christians" are doing it. I+, I+ AM your Example+ ... not others.

So forsake your headstrongness. Teach your children to forsake their headstrong ways... by both word and example.

COME ! Be like ME+

It takes strength to turn a roaring bull from its path. You are like that bull.

Do you think

it is easy

to be lowly

and meek

?

.

It takes strength to be lowly and meek... more strength than what you've got.  This is one of the hardest battles you will ever fight because the ENEMY IS WITHIN; you have to fight against yourself. But, be of good cheer: I+ will help you !

.

Find your strength

in ME+.

.

COME !

.

Be lowly and meek

. 

.... and STRONG ...

. 

in ME+.

A WORD from The LORD...

The days are close at hand

when sorrow shall fill this land.

MY+ people are drowning

in a sea of goods,

in a sea of lies.

Their hands are filled with pleasures

and their hearts are full of Self.

No-one shall see GOD

if he does not do MY+ Will.

Gadgets, conveniences, eye-pleasures

are consuming the thoughts of MY+ people.

Learn to live simply.

Learn to sit quietly

in MY+ stillness.

I am the TRUE LIFE...

not modern conveniences !

+  +  +

A Word from Sister Judith Hannah:

Throughout the month of July, I have been away from the computer to minister to my Mother, who has been diagnosed with Congestive Heart Failure.  Although there is no known cure, dietary changes can enable a person to live more active with a better quality of life.

Changing dietary patterns is not a welcome effort, however, amongst the elderly !

I am thankful for the prayer support I had during the time I spent in my childhood home and thus, was kept victoriously during the various spiritual battles that occur in such a setting; my birth family is not saved.  

I glory in The LORD'S  great salvation... so rich and freely given... to every person who humbles himself and repents, whether rich or poor. What a treasure we've been given, in these earthen vessels of ours!

Bless GOD: FATHER, SON+, and HOLY SPIRIT! Amen.

~ ~ ~

DO MY+ WILL....

Do MY+ will.

Make no provision for your flesh... neither for your emotions nor for your fears... nor for your desires.

.

These all come from illusions.

.

ILLUSIONS DESTROY YOUR PEACE.

ILLUSIONS DESTROY YOUR JOY.

ILLUSIONS DESTROY YOUR SOUL.

.

Trust ME+;

the enemies of GOD thought to destroy ME+

... their only hope...

for the sake of  their illusions.

. 

Stay in reality with ME+.

.

Do MY+ will.

Do MY+ will.

Do MY+ will.

+  +  +



What CHILD+ is This?

...While shepherds watch are keeping.

~

Advent 2010

Meditation #4

The shepherds kept their watch ... all through the night. They did this to guard the flock around the clock. Thus, there were those ever-ready men who were awake and on the watch when the Angels appeared unto them, announcing the Advent of their long-awaited MESSIAH+.

~

"What, could ye not watch with ME+ one hour? "

~

"Watch

and pray

that ye enter not into temptation:

the spirit indeed is willing

but the flesh is weak."

~

Do we set aside time to watch and pray,

even one hour,

with Our LORD

... so that HIS+ concerns become our concerns?

... so that HIS+ Will becomes our will?

... so that HIS+ mind will be in us?

~

OR...

Do we think that it just "happens"

that we will somehow know

the mind of CHRIST,

HIS+ will,

HIS+ concerns?

~

Do we think that we are so strong that we can circumvent HIS+ admonishment to "watch and pray" ?

~

Do we think that HIS+ words

that the "... flesh is weak... "

do not apply to us?

~

The "flesh is weak" is what HE+ said to those who walked with HIM+ daily, seeing HIM+ in the flesh, hearing HIS+ words and teachings, watching HIS+ miracles unfold.

~

What would HE+ say to us, today?

~

Do we TRULY think we can spend most of our waking hours

taking care of the temporal ...

yet reap spiritual discernment

and the knowledge of HIS+ will ?

~

"What, could ye not watch with me one hour? "

+ + +

Whose child are you ?

The Battle Against SELF-WILL...

~ or~

An ADVENT Message for us

to "Prepare Ye the Way of The LORD"

.

It was a sweet card... a Christmas card from an old school chum with the appropriate message about the birth of Our SAVIOR on it. She signed it with "love and prayers" because she fancies herself to be a Christian, having come through a battle with cancer with the help of The LORD.

.

So glad she is for the Hand of The LORD touching her life that she has found energy for a new life... by locating a man "who has her interests now" and buying a house together with "her new friend" ... outside the bounds of holy matrimony. Because she is beyond the age of child-bearing, all is well... she thinks.

.

Now, she was un-churched growing up and although she is a mother, grand-mother, and great-grandmother, my old school chum DOES know the difference between right and wrong.

.

The real problem is she calls herself a Christian.

.

Her man friend, whom I do not know, was raised in the Roman Catholic church. At least he knows that confession and repentance are needed before taking of The LORD'S Body and Blood at Communion.

.

In another situation, a young man was a musician in a local church. He loved to play on Sundays. They love to have him. His dear mother, a Christian anointed with the HOLY SPIRIT, confided to me that this son is doing well, out of jail, off drugs and alcohol. The only problem is that he is choosing not to live with Mom but rather with his girl friend.

.

The minister of his church counseled him about unrepentant sin. But, the young man wouldn't turn from it. So, the church forbade him to play for the worship service [ Bless GOD! ] ... and the minister cried! He urged him, however, to keep on coming to church, but the young man is toying with it.

.

The real problem is he calls himself a Christian.

.

In yet another situation of a totally different caliber, a Godly, well-seasoned and experienced church leader is pursuing a building scheme to establish his ministry with a name. At one point, this minister LEFT the helm of a huge church in order to reach out to the little poor unreached tribes. Everyone scoffed at him, but Pastor followed The Will of GOD. He now has more than 200 native missionaries under his wing, going to the unreached tribes.

.

What happened to this dear Pastor? He became ambitious and full of Self-Will. Problems soon developed as he pursued his will and not GOD'S will. Many words of warning have been lovingly given him. Several Christians have now distanced themselves from him and his ministry. Certain shipwreck is looming on the horizon if this Pastor pursues his self-willed course.

.

The real problem is that he calls himself

following CHRIST JESUS.

.

In all of these cases, Self-Will is ruling. In all of these cases, the delusion is strong that the pursuit of Self-Will will bring happiness.

.

The TRUTH is that Self-Will

will destroy anyone...

...in the Kingdom or out.

The pursuit of GOD'S WILL

is the only way

to avoid certain destruction.

.

That is why a daily, private, disciplined time of worship and Scripture reading is so important: it will open one's ears to know His+ Will. That is why seasons of repentance practiced by the ancient church are important for us to re-install today.

.

The original intent of the not-so-ancient Advent Season was to establish a season of repentance for the Church awaiting the Incarnation remembrance*. Anything to bring to mind repentance from the human condition is GOOD.

.

We all need it.

.

O HEAVENLY FATHER, we have erred from Thy Way like lost sheep. We have wandered too far from Thy Fold. We have allowed our hearts to lie to us about "what" makes us happy. Help us to worship THEE+ in Spirit and in Truth in the inner man. Turn us again, O LORD GOD of HOSTS, and we shall be saved.

+ + +

*[ We KNOW this day was arbitrarily chosen for less-than-holy purposes. Even so, we unite with the Western Church in remembering the Incarnation of Our LORD simply so the Church's witness to the Unredeemed ones doesn't become more confused than it already is. ]

Those 3 WILLS of GOD....

...that ye may prove

what is that good,

and acceptable,

and perfect,

WILL of GOD.

Romans 12:2
.

At a church picnic last summer, I happened to be sitting near a group of older teen-agers / young adult sisters. One of them was sharing an experience, a situation, that had befallen her and she was troubled and unsure if she had done the right thing. In the midst of their youthful but serious discussion, I heard one of the sisters offer comfort from the Word of GOD.

.

In brief, she said there is a GOOD WILL of GOD and then, there is that ACCEPTABLE WILL of GOD , and thirdly, there is that PERFECT WILL of GOD.

.

So, in case one misses that perfect WILL of GOD, one should be okay if he or she does either HIS GOOD WILL or HIS ACCEPTABLE WILL ! They all nodded and agreed this was so, for wasn't this so in the Scriptures and teachings that they heard ?

.

Aha! So now, Christendom, there are 3 ... yes, three... possible "WILLS of GOD" for any given situation.

.

? ? ?

.

Is this rightly dividing

the Word of GOD?

.

From Romans 12:1 and 2 ~

.

I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of GOD,

that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice,

holy, acceptable unto GOD,

which is your reasonable service.

.

And be not conformed to this world:

but be ye transformed

by the renewing of your mind,

that ye may prove what is that

good,

and acceptable,

and perfect,

Will of GOD.

.

Even a school child can look at these verses, specifically the last phrase of verse 2 of Romans 12, and see that WILL is SINGULAR, not plural. There are NOT 3 different "wills" of GOD in CHRIST JESUS concerning us.

.

The trouble develops NOT because of misunderstanding the grammar. The trouble... and deliberate teaching ... develops because of the REJECTION of our cross. Not HIS+ cross... our cross.

.

What is being rejected is exactly what is written in this very verse, directly above the "3 Wills-of-GOD" phrase: and be not conformed to this world.

.

Christians become a target for oppression and torments when they ignore this instruction by the Apostle Paul, written under the inspiration of the HOLY SPIRIT.

.

The next phrase in this verse says: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind.

.

How do we "renew" our mind SO MUCH SO that we become transformed ? We learn to separate ourselves from the world's values and the world's systems. Yes, it is GOOD to change our manner of dress so that we give a visible witness of CHRIST. It is good to cease going to movies and worldly concerts and doing other activities (perhaps on the computer ?) that do not reflect CHRIST JESUS.

.

But the KEY to renewing our mind is to REJECT the world's values with which we have all been raised ...and replace those values with HIS+ values, what HE+ considers important. For example, when we are in the office, do we learn how to crush others down and exalt our own prowess? Or, do we learn how to speak well of others and promote them, instead?

.

Do we point our children to ways of worldly success... or are we content to point them to CHRIST and teach them how to work honestly as UNTO CHRIST... no matter what line of work they prepare to do?

.

As we learn NOT to conform (to the world) ourselves, our lives, our dress, and our values that we teach our children, AND REPLACE THESE VALUES with HIS+, then we will have our mind "renewed."

.

And, when we renew our mind in this way, we will be transformed into HIS+ likeness and image, in our heart.

.

When we Christians walk in MATURITY and take seriously the need to be transformed by the renewing of our mind, then we will indeed prove what is that ONE...

GOOD, PERFECT, and ACCEPTABLE

WILL

of

GOD

in CHRIST JESUS concerning us.

.

At that point, we Christians may be able, in SPIRIT and in Truth, to actually present our bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is our reasonable service.

.

However ~ until we separate our values and our activities and our ways from the world, we will NOT be renewed in our minds... regardless of how many Scriptures we read... and we will NOT be transformed into HIS+ likeness and image.

.

Worse, we will not be able to rightly divide the Word of GOD and will end up teaching and confusing the young CHRISTIANS with absurd renderings ...which will allow them to snuggle up to the world and change nothing.

.

So when the CHURCH

teaches

AGAINST the Word of GOD,

is it not ripe for judgment?

.

This is but ONE instance of the organized church going directly against the plain teachings of the Apostles and the PLAIN and STRAIGHTFORWARD Words of CHRIST,

and instead teaching for doctrines the compromising thoughts of men.

.

When this happens over and over again....

the Church is ripe for chastening of a severe nature, and judgment begins at the house of GOD, not the house of sinners.

THINK on this....

.

+ + +

.

In the name of The FATHER,

Whose Will was to send forth HIS Beloved SON+

to deliver us from sin and death;

In the name of The SON+

Who+ fulfilled the Will of His+ Heavenly FATHER;

In the name of The HOLY SPIRIT,

Who enables us

to fulfill the Will of CHRIST.

Amen