Sunday, February 9, 2020

* Gideon proves God


Joan Boney ... apostle/prophet 

Judges 6:33-40    Then all the Midianites and the Amalekites and the children of the east were gathered together, and went over, and pitched in the valley of Jezreel.

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


And he sent messengers throughout all Manasseh; who also was gathered after him: and he sent messengers unto Asher, and unto Zebulun, and unto Naphtali; and they came up to meet them.

And Gideon said unto God, If thou wilt save Israel by mine hand, as thou hast said,  Behold, I will put a fleece of wool in the floor; and if the dew be on the fleece only, and it be dry upon all the earth beside, then shall I know that thou wilt save Israel by mine hand, as thou hast said.

And it was so: for he rose up early on the morrow, and thrust the fleece together, and wringed the dew out of the fleece, a bowl full of water.

And Gideon said unto God, Let not thine anger be hot against me, and I will speak but this once: let me prove, I pray thee, but this once with the fleece; let it now be dry only upon the fleece, and upon all the ground let there be dew.


And God did so that night: for it was dry upon the fleece only, and there was dew on all the ground.

***


Gideon did not have a Bible.

We do!

I suggest we pray, asking God to show us the truth, and whenever possible prove the situation by that which the Bible says.

As a new Christian, I was confronted by the question of receiving the Holy Spirit.

I took the New Testament and read every scripture pertaining to receiving the Holy Spirit.  

By the time I was finished, I felt the question was proved by the scriptures on the subject.


***


I had a young friend who was 10 years younger than I.

Bill was considering whether or not to marry a divorced woman. He was raised Catholic and in those years the Catholic's said the man could not marry a divorced woman.  I think they, Catholic church, has changed their doctrine since the early 1970's.  

(That can be a problem.  Churches change their doctrine while the Bible does not change.  Prove your doctrine by Bible, not by your churches.  For the Bible, the Word, is that which we will be judged by at the judgment seat of Christ.  II Corinthians 5:9-11) 

Bill said to God, "If I am to marry this divorced woman, let the next car blink it's lights."  The car blinked it's lights.  Bill married the divorced woman.

Later I saw this scripture:

Jesus said:  Whosoever shall marry her that is divorced committeth adultery.  (Matthew 5:32) 

(At the time this happened to Bill, I was not a Christian and I did not know the scriptures of Matthew 5:32 & I Corinthians 7:10-11)

To me the Bible is a sure thing.  I'd rather have proof from Bible, although I can deal with a word given by God by HIS Spirit in the form of a thought provided that word does not conflict with scripture in the New Testament.

I met a woman who said she was offered a job in Baghdad.  She was at her neighbor's house and there was a book on the coffee table about Baghdad.  She took this to mean she should take the job in Baghad.  This woman was not a Christian at that time.

I like my proof to be more stable than this and I consider the Bible to be stable for I have strongly proved the scriptures in the past many times.

***

It is like David dressing in Saul's armor before going out to fight the giant Goliath.  We have to prove that in which we believe.  

I Samuel 17:38-52   And Saul armed David with his armour, and he put an helmet of brass upon his head; also he armed him with a coat of mail.

And David girded his sword upon his armour, and he assayed to go
(hesitated to go for he had not tested: determined the content or quality of);   for he had not proved it. 

And David said unto Saul, I cannot go with these;  for I have not proved them. And David put them off him.

And he took his staff in his hand, and chose him five smooth stones out of the brook, and put them in a shepherd's bag which he had, even in a scrip; and his sling was in his hand: and he drew near to the Philistine.

And the Philistine came on and drew near unto David; and the man that bare the shield went before him
(before Goliath).

And when the Philistine looked about, and saw David, he disdained him: for he was but a youth, and ruddy, and of a fair countenance. 


And the Philistine said unto David, Am I a dog, that thou comest to me with staves? And the Philistine cursed David by his gods.

(Their gods have no power.) 

And the Philistine said to David, Come to me, and I will give thy flesh unto the fowls of the air, and to the beasts of the field. 


Then said David to the Philistine, Thou comest to me with a sword, and with a spear, and with a shield: but I come to thee in the name of the Lord of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom thou hast defied.  



This day will the Lord deliver thee into mine hand; and I will smite thee, and take thine head from thee; and I will give the carcases of the host of the Philistines this day unto the fowls of the air, and to the wild beasts of the earth; that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel. And all this assembly shall know that the Lord saveth not with sword and spear: for the battle is the Lord's, and HE will give you into our hands.

And it came to pass, when the Philistine arose, and came, and drew nigh to meet David, that David hastened, and ran toward the army to meet the Philistine. 

(David didn't hesitate or shy away from the enemy.  David ran toward the enemy.)

And David put his hand in his bag, and took thence a stone, and slang it, and smote the Philistine in his forehead, that the stone sunk into his forehead; and he fell upon his face to the earth.

So David prevailed over the Philistine with a sling and with a stone, and smote the Philistine, and slew him; but there was no sword in the hand of David. 

Therefore David ran, and stood upon the Philistine, and took his (the Philistine's) sword, and drew it out of the sheath thereof, and slew him, and cut off his head therewith. And when the Philistines saw their champion was dead, they fled.
And the men of Israel and of Judah arose, and shouted, and pursued the Philistines, until thou come to the valley, and to the gates of Ekron. And the wounded of the Philistines fell down by the way to Shaaraim, even unto Gath, and unto Ekron.


*** 

I know this about the Bible.

II Timothy 3:16-17   All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:  That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works.

I can trust God through the Holy Spirit by the Bible.

Have you proved your doctrine by the New Testament Bible?


*****