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Judges 6 (5/14/14)

Gideon

May 14, 2014 • Benham Brothers

vs 3 - The Midianites would wait until Israel had sown their crops before they stole them.
The Israelites had to do the work but they coudln't enjoy the fruit of their labor - same as Cain.
When we disobey God we find that our work will not satisfy. We cannot enjoy the fruit of our labor.
vs 11 - Gideon was threshing wheat when God showed up.
Gideon was being faithful in a common job before God called him to do something uncommon.
The Marketplace Training Ground - David, Amos, Peter, Gideon, Jesus.......
All of these men were trained for "vocational" kingdom work by doing "marketplace" work.
vs 12 - God knows us even better than we do!
God called him valiant because He knew what was going on in Gideon's heart.
I'm sure Gideon was beating the wheat while pretending he was killing the Midianites!
God also believed in Gideon before Gideon believed in himself - God knew what He was going to ask Gideon to do so Gideon needed to believe that he could do it (we need to do this with our kids).
vs 13 - Gideon's response revealed a selfless heart.
Gideon didn't ask God to explain why He thought Gideon was so valiant.
Gideon's concern was about his people and their depravity - this revealed a selfless heart.
God will stand with us to help us when we are fearful, as Gideon was, but He will stand against us to resist us if we are selfish and prideful.
vs 14 - God told him to go "in this his strength."
The same strength he saw in Gideon as he was threshing wheat he needed to now go and thresh the Midianites.
What had been played out in Gideon's heart was now going to be played out in Gideon's life!

Judges 1 (4/12/18)

April 12, 2018 • Benham Brothers

* The Israelites had ownership of the land but they did not possess it. * They had the power and the authority, but they refused to walk in authority and use their power. * They “could” not take the land because they “would” not. * Why? * 1) They were slothful and cowardly. * 2) They were covetous - they wanted the Canaanites’ labour and money would do them more good than harm. * 3) They pitied those who would lead them astray - they didn’t have the proper view toward the dangers of idolatry. * 4) They didn’t truly believe they could defeat them.

Judges 1:19 (4/13/17)

April 13, 2017 • Benham Brothers

* Luke 9:1 - God has given us two things: * Power - the “ability” to do something. * Authority - the “right” to do something. * As Christians we have BOTH! * ** Side note - Judas had authority as well. * In Judges 1:19 we see that the Israelites owned all the land, but they didn’t possess all of it, so they couldn’t enjoy it. * They “failed” to drive them out because they “refused” to do it. * The Israelites had the authority and power to possess the entire land, but they didn’t. * Judges 1:27-36 - all of these tribes went from defeat to defeat. * We walk in defeat when we cease to walk in faith. * Judges 2:1-3 - the reason they couldn’t drive out the inhabitants - they hadn’t done their part by staying set apart from the people. * If we do our part God will do His part.

Judges 3:1 (4/12/18)

April 12, 2018 • Benham Brothers

* God turned the Israelites failure of driving out the Canaanites into something that could be positive. * For the Israelites who didn’t know how to fight it would teach them how to be warriors. * This is a picture of what we are to do with sin - drive it out! * This will require a FIGHT. * The Israelites had to learn to be militant and so do we.