Learn From Gideon, 50

~ Gideon Left a Legacy ~

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 are discovering practical lessons for living the Christian life today.

Scripture  ~  “But there’ll be no darkness for those who were in trouble.  Earlier he did bring the lands of Zebulun and Naphtali into disrepute, but the time is coming when he’ll make that whole area glorious—the road along the Sea, the country past the Jordan, international Galilee.  The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light.  For those who lived in a land of deep shadows—light!  Sunbursts of light!  You repopulated the nation, you expanded its joy.  Oh, they’re so glad in your presence!  Festival joy!  The joy of a great celebration, sharing rich gifts and warm greetings.  The abuse of oppressors and cruelty of tyrants—all their whips and cudgels and curses—is gone, done away with, a deliverance as surprising and sudden as Gideon’s old victory over Midian.  The boots of all those invading troops, along with their shirts soaked with innocent blood, will be piled in a heap and burned, a fire that will burn for days!  For a child has been born—for us!  The gift of a son—for us!  He’ll take over the running of the world.  His names will be: Amazing Counselor, Strong God, Eternal Father, Prince of Wholeness.  His ruling authority will grow, and there’ll be no limits to the wholeness he brings.  He’ll rule from the historic David throne over that promised kingdom.  He’ll put that kingdom on a firm footing and keep it going with fair dealing and right living, beginning now and lasting always.  The zeal of God-of-the-Angel-Armies will do all this (Isaiah 9:1-7, The Message).

Learn From Gideon  ~   Long after Gideon was gone from this life he was remembered, in fact he is remembered today such as in this series of 52 posts. 

1. As a teenager I heard a saying which I have never forgotten: “Don’t sacrifice the permanent on the altar of the immediate.” 
2. Many are familiar with the concept of not letting the urgent drive out the important.
3. The Christian martyr Jim Elliot is known for his many pearls of wisdom recorded in his personal journal.  The best known is: “He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep in order to gain what he cannot lose.”  
4. Jesus spoke to this: “Jesus said to His disciples, ‘If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me.  For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it.  For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul?  Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul?  For the Son of Man will come in the glory of His Father with His angels, and then He will reward each according to his works’” (Matthew 16:24-27).

Challenge For Us  ~  If you would die today, what lasting legacy would you leave behind?

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/ .

Revelation of God, 3of7

Revelation of God, 3of7 

~ Special Revelation, 1of3 ~

7-Step Progressive Revelation  ~  The word revelation essentially means revealing.  God has, is, and will, reveal Himself to man in seven distinctive stages.  This progression occurs during three distinct major categories: General (or Natural) Revelation, Special Revelation, and Applied Revelation.  This series will focus on this unfolding seven step progression. 

Special Revelation  ~   Special Revelation refers to God intervening in man’s life on earth in ways that provide more specific information about God than can be obtained from General Revelation. 

3—God Revealing Himself on Tablets of Stone (The 10 Commandments)  ~  “Then the Lord said to Moses, ‘Come up to Me on the mountain and be there; and I will give you tablets of stone, and the law and commandments which I have written, that you may teach them.’  So Moses arose with his assistant Joshua, and Moses went up to the mountain of God.  And he said to the elders, ‘Wait here for us until we come back to you. Indeed, Aaron and Hur are with you.  If any man has a difficulty, let him go to them.’  Then Moses went up into the mountain, and a cloud covered the mountain” (Exodus 24:12-15). 

“And when He had made an end of speaking with him on Mount Sinai, He gave Moses two tablets of the Testimony, tablets of stone, written with the finger of God” (Exodus 31:18). 

“Then the Lord said to Moses, ‘Write these words, for according to the tenor of these words I have made a covenant with you and with Israel.’  So he was there with the Lord forty days and forty nights; he neither ate bread nor drank water.  And He wrote on the tablets the words of the covenant, the Ten Commandments” (Exodus 34:27-28). 

~ 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/ .

Revelation of God, 2of7

~ General Revelation, 2of2 ~

7-Step Progressive Revelation  ~  The word revelation essentially means revealing.  God has, is, and will, reveal Himself to man in seven distinctive stages.  This progression occurs during three distinct major categories: General (or Natural) Revelation, Special Revelation, and Applied Revelation.  This series will focus on this unfolding seven step progression. 

General Revelation  ~  The general revealing of God is the revelation of God to all mankind universally.  There are two categories of General (or Natural) Revelation—in this post we look at the second of these.   

2—God Revealing Himself through Conscience (Garden of Eden forward)  ~  “So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree desirable to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate.  She also gave to her husband with her, and he ate.  Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together and made themselves coverings.”  [Clearly they have a conscience.]  “And they heard the sound of the Lord God walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the Lord God among the trees of the garden.  Then the Lord God called to Adam and said to him, ‘Where are you?’  So he said, ‘I heard Your voice in the garden, and I was afraid because I was naked; and I hid myself’.”  [Clearly actions were taken because of their conscience.]  “And He said, ‘Who told you that you were naked?  Have you eaten from the tree of which I commanded you that you should not eat’?” (Genesis 3:6-11).

“For as many as have sinned without law will also perish without law, and as many as have sinned in the law will be judged by the law (for not the hearers of the law are just in the sight of God, but the doers of the law will be justified; for when Gentiles, who do not have the law, by nature do the things in the law, these, although not having the law, are a law to themselves, who show the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience also bearing witness, and between themselves their thoughts accusing or else excusing them) in the day when God will judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ, according to my gospel” (Romans 2:12-16).

~ 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/ .