Judges 13-15, Self Trust

“Samson said to them, “This time I will be blameless  when I harm the Philistines.””

‭‭Judges‬ ‭15‬:‭3‬ ‭CSB‬‬

https://bible.com/bible/1713/jdg.15.3.CSB

Samson was using his own plans to take vengeance on the Philistines.  How many times to I take things into my own hands.  It may not be taking vengeance agains someone, but I definitely try to solve problems without bringing God into the plans or better yet, asking what God would have me do!  Lord, help my first impulse to be to come to you in every problem or decision!

Judges 10-12, Godless Reputation

 “Ibzan, who was from Bethlehem,  judged Israel after Jephthah and had thirty sons. He gave his thirty daughters in marriage to men outside the tribe and brought back thirty wives for his sons from outside the tribe. Ibzan judged Israel seven years, and when he died, he was buried in Bethlehem.”

‭‭Judges‬ ‭12‬:‭8‬-‭10‬ ‭CSB‬‬

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What a horrible time to live as an Israelite.  Leaders come and go with nothing good to say about any of them, constant fighting and God is no where to be seen.  Lord, allow my life to be shaped by You so that if anyone remembers me, You are a prominent part of my story!

Judges 8-9, God vs Self

 “In this way, God brought back Abimelech’s evil #— #the evil that Abimelech had done to his father when he killed his seventy brothers.”

‭‭Judges‬ ‭9‬:‭56‬ ‭CSB‬‬

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When God is leading His people and they are obedient, incredible things unfold…yet when people are leading toward their own goals, destruction and devastation quickly follow.  Lord, I want to follow You rather than lead.  Help me to hear Your voice and pursue You only!

Judges 6-7, Not Strategy

 “The Lord said to Gideon, “You have too many troops for me to hand the Midianites over to them, or else Israel might elevate themselves over me and say,  ‘I saved myself.’”

‭‭Judges‬ ‭7‬:‭2‬ ‭CSB‬‬

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I can relate with scared Gideon here, feels too small and weak and incapable of the task that God puts before him.  He plans, strategizes and very successfully recruited an entire army…but God know those things will get in the way of people seeing the truth of God being the one to save them…not Gideon.  Lord, help me to trust You and not my own plans.  You alone are worthy and can be trusted in every situation.

Joshua 3-5, Own Way

 “The Israelites again did what was evil in the Lord’s sight. He gave King Eglon of Moab  power over Israel, because they had done what was evil in the Lord’s sight.”

‭‭Judges‬ ‭3‬:‭12‬ ‭CSB‬‬

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This whole book is so disappointing because it is decade after decade of Israel following their own logic, being overthrown by their neighbors, the. Turning to God for help and freedom…on repeat.

Lord, help me follow You, where ever You lead.  Help me to recognize when I am following my own logic and ignore You.  Empower me to surrender in every decision to Your way!

Judges 1-2, Fast Falling

 “The Israelites did what was evil in the Lord’s sight.  They worshiped the Baals  and abandoned the Lord, the God of their ancestors, who had brought them out of Egypt. They followed other gods from the surrounding peoples  and bowed down to them. They angered the Lord,  

I did this to test Israel and to see whether or not they would keep the Lord’s way  by walking in it, as their ancestors had.” ”

‭‭Judges‬ ‭2‬:‭11‬-‭12‬, ‭22‬ ‭CSB‬‬

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The things the God does to help us see that we need Him and are better off when we follow Him are incredible.  It’s crazy to me how quickly this happens as I read about the Israelites, but in reality it happens even faster in my life.  Lord, keep my eyes focused on You and help me to follow You only!

Joshua 22-24, Lead Well

 “Israel worshiped the Lord throughout Joshua’s lifetime and during the lifetimes of the elders who outlived Joshua  and who had experienced all the works the Lord had done for Israel.”

‭‭Joshua‬ ‭24‬:‭31‬ ‭CSB‬‬

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Worship continued in the right direction for Joshua’s lifetime and as long as the elders he led lived…what a great reputation, what an impactful leader!  Lord, help me to live in a way that reminds people of who You are.  Help me lead in a way that points directly to You winsomely!