Learn From Gideon, 25

~ God Doesn’t Think The Way We Do ~

The Biblical account of the life of Gideon provides for one of the most interesting character studies in all of Scripture.  In this series we will discover practical lessons for living the Christian life today.  

Scripture  ~  “But the Lord said to Gideon, ‘The people are still too many; bring them down to the water, and I will test them for you there.  Then it will be, that of whom I say to you, “This one shall go with you,” the same shall go with you; and of whomever I say to you, “This one shall not go with you,” the same shall not go’” (Judges 7:4).

Learn From Gideon  ~  22,000 of the 32,000 were “fearful and afraid.”  Gideon’s army was downsized from 32,000 to just 10,000! 

1. God doesn’t think the same way we do, “‘For My thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways My ways,’ says the Lord.  ‘For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways, and My thoughts than your thoughts’” (Isaiah 55:8-9).
2. It is God who chooses.  “You are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light” (1 Peter 2:9).  “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ, just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love” (Ephesians 1:3-4). 
3. God wants us to be and stay humble.  “Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men, and being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross” (Philippians 2:7-8).

concluding comment  ~  We learn about Gideon primarily from Judges 6-8, but also Isaiah 9:1-7, and Hebrews 11:1-3, 32-34.

~ Robert Lloyd Russell, ABUNDANT LIFE NOW

NOTES:

(1)     The current TOP 10 ALN posts are listed at the very bottom of this home page.

(2)     There is an INDEX of all ALN posts accessed by scrolling down the left column.

(3)     You may LINK to any ALN posts on your own blog or website. 

(4)     You may COPY any ALN post, but please credit ALN as the source by prominently displaying the following statement:  Reprinted from “Abundant Life Now,” a free blog which offers inspiring moments, thought-provoking comments, and solid Biblical insight at http://RobertLloydRussell.blogspot.com/ .

10 Commandments Today, 13of14

~ Jesus Christ Sends The Enabler ~

Introduction  ~  Jesus Christ said He did not come to do away with the Law but to fulfill the Law.  “Do not think that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets.  I did not come to destroy but to fulfill.  For assuredly, I say to you, till heaven and earth pass away, one jot or one tittle will by no means pass from the law till all is fulfilled.  Whoever therefore breaks one of the least of these commandments, and teaches men so, shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven; but whoever does and teaches them, he shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven” (Matthew 5:17-29).

Jerry Bridges in his book Transforming Grace has a very succinct chart on the differences between the Law as given by Moses and the Law as explained by Jesus Christ.  In it he contrasts “The Old Way of the Law” versus “The New Way of Grace.”  Here is his summary:

External Code (law)  ~  The moral precepts of God are only an external code of conduct.  The law commands obedience but provides no inclination or desire to obey.

Internal Response (grace)  ~  The moral precepts of God are written on our hearts as well as being an external code.  The Spirit inclines our hearts and gives us a desire to obey.

Commanding (law)  ~  The law commands but gives no enabling power for obedience.

Enabling (grace)  ~  The Spirit enables us to obey the law’s commands.

Hostility (law)  ~  Because of our hostility to God’s law before our conversion, the commands of the law actually provoked and incited us to sin.

Delight (grace)  ~  The Spirit, by removing our hostility and writing the law on our hearts, actually causes us to delight in God’s law.

Fear (law)  ~  The law produces a legalistic response to God.  We try to obey because of a fear of punishment for disobedience or in order to win favor with God.

Gratitude (grace)  ~  The Spirit, by showing us God’s grace, produces a response of love and gratitude.  We obey, not out of fear or to earn favor, but out of gratitude for favor already given.

Working (law)  ~  Under the law, we perform in order to be accepted by God.  Since our performance is always imperfect, we never feel completely accepted by Him.  Thus, in our Christian life, we always work from a position of weakness.  We work to be accepted, but feel we never quite make it.  

Relying (grace)  ~  The Spirit bears witness with our spirit that we are accepted by God through the merit of Christ.  By relying solely on His perfect righteousness, we feel accepted by Him.  Thus, in our Christian life, we work from a position of strength, because we have been accepted through Jesus, and through Him, we have “made it.” 

Conclusion  ~  Notice that in each of the above sections the key to New Testament obedience is the indwelling Spirit of God.  When Jesus Christ left this earth to return to His Father He sent the Holy Spirit as our enabler! 

“But now I [Jesus, the Christ] go away to Him who sent Me, and none of you asks Me, ‘Where are You going?’  But because I have said these things to you, sorrow has filled your heart.  Nevertheless I tell you the truth.  It is to your advantage that I go away; for if I do not go away, the Helper [Holy Spirit] will not come to you; but if I depart, I will send Him to you.  And when He has come, He will convict the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment: of sin, because they do not believe in Me; of righteousness, because I go to My Father and you see Me no more; of judgment, because the ruler of this world is judged.  I still have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now.  However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth; for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak; and He will tell you things to come.  He will glorify Me, for He will take of what is Mine and declare it to you.  All things that the Father has are Mine.  Therefore I said that He will take of Mine and declare it to you” (John 16:5-15). 

~ Robert Lloyd Russell, ABUNDANT LIFE NOW

NOTES:

(1)     The current TOP 10 ALN posts are listed at the very bottom of this home page.

(2)     There is an INDEX of all ALN posts accessed by scrolling down the left column.

(3)     You may LINK to any ALN posts on your own blog or website. 

(4)     You may COPY any ALN post, but please credit ALN as the source by prominently displaying the following statement:  Reprinted from “Abundant Life Now,” a free blog which offers inspiring moments, thought-provoking comments, and solid Biblical insight at http://RobertLloydRussell.blogspot.com/ .

Life, 4of5

~ Life And The Spirit of God ~

Life Imparted By The Spirit (regeneration)  ~  “Nicodemus said to Him, ‘How can a man be born when he is old?  Can he enter a second time into his mother’s womb and be born?’  Jesus answered, ‘Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God.  That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.  Do not marvel that I said to you, “You must be born again.”  The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear the sound of it, but cannot tell where it comes from and where it goes.  So is everyone who is born of the Spirit’” (John 3:4-8).

Life Imparted By The Spirit (worship: God-ward)  ~  “But the hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for the Father is seeking such to worship Him.  God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth” (John 4:23-24).

Life Outflowing Through The Spirit (testimony: man-ward)  ~  “On the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried out, saying, ‘If anyone thirsts, let him come to Me and drink.  He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.’  But this He spoke concerning the Spirit, whom those believing in Him would receive; for the Holy Spirit was not yet given, because Jesus was not yet glorified” (John 7:37-39).

~ Robert Lloyd Russell, ABUNDANT LIFE NOW

NOTES:

(1)     The current TOP 10 ALN posts are listed at the very bottom of this home page.

(2)     There is an INDEX of all ALN posts accessed by scrolling down the left column.

(3)     You may LINK to any ALN posts on your own blog or website. 

(4)     You may COPY any ALN post, but please credit ALN as the source by prominently displaying the following statement:  Reprinted from “Abundant Life Now,” a free blog which offers inspiring moments, thought-provoking comments, and solid Biblical insight at http://RobertLloydRussell.blogspot.com/ .