Joan Boney ... apostle/prophet
Prior to the coming of Jesus, Jesus said we would see the following:
Lk. 21 ... And there shall be signs in the sun, and in the moon, and in the stars; and upon the earth distress of nations, with perplexity; the sea and the waves roaring; 26Men’s hearts failing them for fear, and for looking after those things which are coming on the earth: for the powers of heaven shall be shaken. 27And then shall they see the Son of man coming in a cloud with power and great glory. 28And when these things begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads; for your redemption draweth nigh.
Signs in the sun, and in the moon and in the stars ...
When we see these signs, it signals the near by coming of Jesus ... we will be at the door when we see these signs in the sun, in the moon, and in the stars ... These will be to us like the leaves on the trees after a winter. When we see those leaves begin to come we know that spring is very near. Jesus says: Behold the fig tree, and all the trees; 30When they now shoot forth, ye see and know of your own selves that summer is now nigh at hand. 31So likewise ye, when ye see these things come to pass, know ye that the kingdom of God is nigh at hand. Lk. 21
(Providing daily encouragement for the body of Christ by the Spirit of God to help the church in the end times.)
Tuesday, February 18, 2014
Monday, February 17, 2014
Scripture: Shared by body of Christ
James 4:8 ... Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse
your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded.
Exhortation: Joan Boney ... apostle/prophet
We draw near God through prayer and through Bible reading and through thinking (and doing) things told us in the Bible.
We correct ourselves and our way by the Word of God. We wash ourselves by the Word.
We know the world speaks all manner of wickedness. We hear it on TV. It is in newspapers. It is spoken on the street as we pass by.
Drawing near to God is a deliberate act ... it is a deliberate choice on our part.
At the end of each daily blog, we have been adding a list of Bible chapters and recommend that we read these. This just helps us to spend more time with God and in HIS way. This is a good investment.
As the world around us becomes more and more wicked and evil, we need to turn from the wickedness and fill ourselves with the wonderful acts of godly people in the Bible, thinking upon those things. By this we endure. As we witness the victories in the Bible, God is predominate in our minds. It is very helpful to us. These humans can seem so big and powerful. But they are as nothing in the sight of God. Why do we make them to be so much? Fill yourself instead with God's examples and the humans will diminish.
Exhortation: Joan Boney ... apostle/prophet
We draw near God through prayer and through Bible reading and through thinking (and doing) things told us in the Bible.
We correct ourselves and our way by the Word of God. We wash ourselves by the Word.
We know the world speaks all manner of wickedness. We hear it on TV. It is in newspapers. It is spoken on the street as we pass by.
Drawing near to God is a deliberate act ... it is a deliberate choice on our part.
At the end of each daily blog, we have been adding a list of Bible chapters and recommend that we read these. This just helps us to spend more time with God and in HIS way. This is a good investment.
As the world around us becomes more and more wicked and evil, we need to turn from the wickedness and fill ourselves with the wonderful acts of godly people in the Bible, thinking upon those things. By this we endure. As we witness the victories in the Bible, God is predominate in our minds. It is very helpful to us. These humans can seem so big and powerful. But they are as nothing in the sight of God. Why do we make them to be so much? Fill yourself instead with God's examples and the humans will diminish.
Difference between Abel & Cain's offerings
Joan Boney ... apostle/prophet
Heb. 11:4 ... By faith Abel offered unto God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, by which he obtained witness that he was righteous, God testifying of his gifts: and by it he being dead yet speaketh.
Why did God accept Abel's offering and reject Cain's offering?
Abel's offering was offered by faith.
There is a big difference between offering something because you feel you have to do this and giving because you have such gratitude to God in your heart.
And we give ourselves to God by faith.
It is the heart behind the gift that is important.
Heb. 11:4 ... By faith Abel offered unto God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, by which he obtained witness that he was righteous, God testifying of his gifts: and by it he being dead yet speaketh.
Why did God accept Abel's offering and reject Cain's offering?
Abel's offering was offered by faith.
There is a big difference between offering something because you feel you have to do this and giving because you have such gratitude to God in your heart.
And we give ourselves to God by faith.
It is the heart behind the gift that is important.
Sarah judges God to be faithful
Joan Boney ... apostle/prophet
Here is the essence of faith ... God speaks ... the person believes ... and the person also knows God is able to do that which HE promises and HE is faithful to do that which HE promises.
Sarah had no child and yet God promised Abraham that he would have descendants as the sand of the sea in number.
Then the angel spoke that Sara would have a child. Sara was 90 at that time. She laughed. But she knew God was faithful to do what HE said ...
Then in Hebrews 11, we read that Sara judged God faithful ...
Heb. 11:11 ... Through faith also Sara herself received strength to conceive seed, and was delivered of a child when she was past age, because she judged him faithful who had promised.
Sara wanted a child. But it was not this wanting that brought the strength to bear the child. That which brought the strength was Sara hearing the word spoken by the angel concerning the matter. And after the word came, Sara knew God was faithful to perform that word.
It is the same with us today. We hear the word from the Spirit of God and faith comes into our heart. First there comes the word on the issue. Then faith.
At the end of the daily writings, we are now listing Bible chapters to encourage you to read more Bible. Something happens to us when we read these entire chapters. The presence of God fills us as we choose to focus on HIS word. By listing these chapters, we give more opportunity to encourage us to fill ourselves with more of the word of God. You could find chapters by yourself. But will you? Or do you find you are reading more Bible since we began listing these chapters with each daily section of writing on the blog. The blog is a bit like God's daily newspaper. We read the various writings and then we read all these chapters for ourselves. I find good fruit comes when I read these chapters. I think you will find that also. It is simply fruit we might not have had if left to our own devices and to the pull of the world and the many options present by events of the world.
Here is the essence of faith ... God speaks ... the person believes ... and the person also knows God is able to do that which HE promises and HE is faithful to do that which HE promises.
Sarah had no child and yet God promised Abraham that he would have descendants as the sand of the sea in number.
Then the angel spoke that Sara would have a child. Sara was 90 at that time. She laughed. But she knew God was faithful to do what HE said ...
Then in Hebrews 11, we read that Sara judged God faithful ...
Heb. 11:11 ... Through faith also Sara herself received strength to conceive seed, and was delivered of a child when she was past age, because she judged him faithful who had promised.
Sara wanted a child. But it was not this wanting that brought the strength to bear the child. That which brought the strength was Sara hearing the word spoken by the angel concerning the matter. And after the word came, Sara knew God was faithful to perform that word.
It is the same with us today. We hear the word from the Spirit of God and faith comes into our heart. First there comes the word on the issue. Then faith.
At the end of the daily writings, we are now listing Bible chapters to encourage you to read more Bible. Something happens to us when we read these entire chapters. The presence of God fills us as we choose to focus on HIS word. By listing these chapters, we give more opportunity to encourage us to fill ourselves with more of the word of God. You could find chapters by yourself. But will you? Or do you find you are reading more Bible since we began listing these chapters with each daily section of writing on the blog. The blog is a bit like God's daily newspaper. We read the various writings and then we read all these chapters for ourselves. I find good fruit comes when I read these chapters. I think you will find that also. It is simply fruit we might not have had if left to our own devices and to the pull of the world and the many options present by events of the world.
Sunday, February 16, 2014
Scripture: Shared by body of Christ
Philippians 4:6-8 ... Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. 7 And the peace of God, which passeth all
understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. 8
Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are
honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure,
whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if
there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.
Exhortation: Joan Boney ... apostle/prophet
Recently someone sent in Phil. 4:7-8 and omitted verse 6. We added verse 6.
You cannot present verse 7 without verse 6 ... The peace comes as a result of doing verse 6.
When we "let our requests be made known unto God" ... then "the peace of God" keeps our heart.
When we do verse 6, verse 7 is by-product of our action.
We take all our concerns to God in prayer, laying out those cares before God.
Exhortation: Joan Boney ... apostle/prophet
Recently someone sent in Phil. 4:7-8 and omitted verse 6. We added verse 6.
You cannot present verse 7 without verse 6 ... The peace comes as a result of doing verse 6.
When we "let our requests be made known unto God" ... then "the peace of God" keeps our heart.
When we do verse 6, verse 7 is by-product of our action.
We take all our concerns to God in prayer, laying out those cares before God.
We, who believe, are taught by God
Joan Boney ... apostle/prophet
Jn. 6 ... Jesus said ...No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him: and I will raise him up at the last day. 45It is written in the prophets, And they shall be all taught of (by) God. Every man therefore that hath heard, and hath learned of (from) the Father, cometh unto me.
Those people chosen by God to be HIS people are taught by God. God puts HIS truth into the hearts of HIS people so when we hear others speak we know truth from deception because we have been taught by God.
It is not that we are taught about God by others. We are taught by God HIMSELF.
And every one who belongs to God hears directly from God and therefore has learned from the Father and the ones who learn from God come to the Word of God.
It is not done by scholarly study as one would do in a language class in college.
In spiritual matters God simply chooses HIS people and puts truth into their hearts and into their minds. This is the new covenant church.
Heb. 8 ... For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, saith the Lord; I will put my laws into their mind, and write them in their hearts: and I will be to them a God, and they shall be to me a people: 11And they shall not teach every man his neighbour, and every man his brother, saying, Know the Lord: for all shall know me, from the least to the greatest. 12For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their iniquities will I remember no more. 13In that he saith, A new covenant,
Several years ago, I was given the following dream: A war was going on and we couldn't tell our army from the enemy because we all wore the same clothing. So we were given a password. When we spoke that password we could recognize each other.
So many people today say they are Christian. They say, Jesus is Lord. But when we speak the word of God to them they do not understand what we are saying. They have a "form of Godliness" as Paul spoke of in II Tim. 3 ... but they are not really taught by God and they are not HIS people.
Those who really belong to God are taught by God. They have learned from God HIMSELF for God has put the truth into their hearts and minds. Heb. 8 & Heb. 10
And Jesus says no man can come to Him unless the Father draw him. (Jn. 6:44)
We are truly the elect of God just as the children of Israel in the OT were the elect of God, the people chosen by God to be HIS people.
It is not of ourselves nor of our will but by the will of God. Romans 9
Acts 2:47 ... And the Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved.
Jn. 6 ... Jesus said ...No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him: and I will raise him up at the last day. 45It is written in the prophets, And they shall be all taught of (by) God. Every man therefore that hath heard, and hath learned of (from) the Father, cometh unto me.
Those people chosen by God to be HIS people are taught by God. God puts HIS truth into the hearts of HIS people so when we hear others speak we know truth from deception because we have been taught by God.
It is not that we are taught about God by others. We are taught by God HIMSELF.
And every one who belongs to God hears directly from God and therefore has learned from the Father and the ones who learn from God come to the Word of God.
It is not done by scholarly study as one would do in a language class in college.
In spiritual matters God simply chooses HIS people and puts truth into their hearts and into their minds. This is the new covenant church.
Heb. 8 ... For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, saith the Lord; I will put my laws into their mind, and write them in their hearts: and I will be to them a God, and they shall be to me a people: 11And they shall not teach every man his neighbour, and every man his brother, saying, Know the Lord: for all shall know me, from the least to the greatest. 12For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their iniquities will I remember no more. 13In that he saith, A new covenant,
Several years ago, I was given the following dream: A war was going on and we couldn't tell our army from the enemy because we all wore the same clothing. So we were given a password. When we spoke that password we could recognize each other.
So many people today say they are Christian. They say, Jesus is Lord. But when we speak the word of God to them they do not understand what we are saying. They have a "form of Godliness" as Paul spoke of in II Tim. 3 ... but they are not really taught by God and they are not HIS people.
Those who really belong to God are taught by God. They have learned from God HIMSELF for God has put the truth into their hearts and minds. Heb. 8 & Heb. 10
And Jesus says no man can come to Him unless the Father draw him. (Jn. 6:44)
We are truly the elect of God just as the children of Israel in the OT were the elect of God, the people chosen by God to be HIS people.
It is not of ourselves nor of our will but by the will of God. Romans 9
Acts 2:47 ... And the Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved.
Bible chapters
Please read the following:
Philippians 4
Matthew 24
I Thess. 5
John 6
Hebrews 8
Hebrews 10
2 Timothy 3
Romans 9
Acts 2
Philippians 4
Matthew 24
I Thess. 5
John 6
Hebrews 8
Hebrews 10
2 Timothy 3
Romans 9
Acts 2
Saturday, February 15, 2014
Scripture: Shared by body of Christ
Hebrews 4:14-16 ... Seeing then that we have a great high priest, that
is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our
profession. 15 For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched
with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like
as we are, yet without sin. 16 Let us therefore come boldly unto the
throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in
time of need.
Exhortation: Joan Boney ... apostle/prophet
Grace is basically the ability to endure ... God gives us grace in the midst of problems on this present earth. We continually call on God for help. Jesus overcame in every temptation. Jesus knows what we feel like. Jesus is able to provide help. So we call on HIM in prayer. We boldly come to the throne of grace for help. And we are helped in time of need.
Exhortation: Joan Boney ... apostle/prophet
Grace is basically the ability to endure ... God gives us grace in the midst of problems on this present earth. We continually call on God for help. Jesus overcame in every temptation. Jesus knows what we feel like. Jesus is able to provide help. So we call on HIM in prayer. We boldly come to the throne of grace for help. And we are helped in time of need.
Bible chapters
Please read the following:
Hebrews 4
Philippians 4
1 Thessalonians 4
Romans 1
Matthew 24
Luke 17
1 Thessalonians 5
Hebrews 10
2 Peter 2
Psalm 36
Genesis 9
Genesis 18-19
Hebrews 4
Philippians 4
1 Thessalonians 4
Romans 1
Matthew 24
Luke 17
1 Thessalonians 5
Hebrews 10
2 Peter 2
Psalm 36
Genesis 9
Genesis 18-19
Friday, February 14, 2014
Scripture: Shared by body of Christ
Isaiah 46:4 ... And even to your old age I am he; and even to hoar hairs
will I carry you: I have made, and I will bear; even I will carry, and
will deliver you.
Exhortation: Joan Boney ... apostle/prophet
A few days ago, this scripture caught my attention:
Heb. 11:11 ... Through faith also Sara herself received strength to conceive seed, and was delivered of a child when she was past age, because she judged him faithful who had promised.
Sarah judged God to be faithful.
Do we judge God to be faithful.
We are told in Isa. 46 that God will carry us to our old age. He will bear us. He will deliver us.
And we have another scripture where we are promised that God will be our guide even unto our death ... Psa. 48:14 ... as long as God leaves us on this earth HE will be our guide. Do we judge God to be faithful to do what HE says ... Do we believe God will guide us even to our death? Will HE show us what to do when we are old and helpless? Will we still be able to function with the wisdom of God? Do we believe this? Or do we think we will need someone else care for us? What do we believe? What do the scriptures tell us?
Do we judge God to be faithful to do what HE says HE will do?
Exhortation: Joan Boney ... apostle/prophet
A few days ago, this scripture caught my attention:
Heb. 11:11 ... Through faith also Sara herself received strength to conceive seed, and was delivered of a child when she was past age, because she judged him faithful who had promised.
Sarah judged God to be faithful.
Do we judge God to be faithful.
We are told in Isa. 46 that God will carry us to our old age. He will bear us. He will deliver us.
And we have another scripture where we are promised that God will be our guide even unto our death ... Psa. 48:14 ... as long as God leaves us on this earth HE will be our guide. Do we judge God to be faithful to do what HE says ... Do we believe God will guide us even to our death? Will HE show us what to do when we are old and helpless? Will we still be able to function with the wisdom of God? Do we believe this? Or do we think we will need someone else care for us? What do we believe? What do the scriptures tell us?
Do we judge God to be faithful to do what HE says HE will do?
Secret to endurance
Joan Boney ... apostle/prophet
Several years ago, I heard the following from the Holy Spirit: "There is a secret to endurance. I will show you."
As the iniquity increases around us, we cannot afford to focus on the iniquity. If we focus on the iniquity we will be pulled down by the lack of justice.
What we must do is to make our minds focus on the following:
Phil. 4:8 ... Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.
Injustice of this world can pull us down.
We build ourselves up in the faith by focusing on Bible examples and words we have heard from the Spirit of God.
We cannot live in negative and overcome.
I'm sure there are certain things on TV that we are better off not watching for they would fill us with negative things and things opposite to faith in God. There are people we best avoid because we know their conversation and it is an evil report and not good. We have to control our minds concerning making plans for tomorrow. Jesus might return tonight! And we remember Jesus saying: Take no thought for the morrow. Mt. 6 We learn to focus on today and to be content with having food and clothing. I Tim. 6 Rejoice that God has provided for us today! That is godly.
We labor to enter into HIS rest. Heb. 4 And it is a labor.
Several years ago, I heard the following from the Holy Spirit: "There is a secret to endurance. I will show you."
As the iniquity increases around us, we cannot afford to focus on the iniquity. If we focus on the iniquity we will be pulled down by the lack of justice.
What we must do is to make our minds focus on the following:
Phil. 4:8 ... Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.
Injustice of this world can pull us down.
We build ourselves up in the faith by focusing on Bible examples and words we have heard from the Spirit of God.
We cannot live in negative and overcome.
I'm sure there are certain things on TV that we are better off not watching for they would fill us with negative things and things opposite to faith in God. There are people we best avoid because we know their conversation and it is an evil report and not good. We have to control our minds concerning making plans for tomorrow. Jesus might return tonight! And we remember Jesus saying: Take no thought for the morrow. Mt. 6 We learn to focus on today and to be content with having food and clothing. I Tim. 6 Rejoice that God has provided for us today! That is godly.
We labor to enter into HIS rest. Heb. 4 And it is a labor.
Gideon used by God to deliver Israel
Pam Padgett ... teacher
In the book of Judges we have a wonderful account of God calling, instructing, strengthening, and using Gideon to first deal with the altar of Baal his father had, and then to deliver Israel from the Midianites.
The children of Israel did evil in the sight of God, and God had turned them over to the Midianites who greatly impoverished Israel. When Israel cried out to God for help, He sent a prophet who spoke to them of the evil they had done ...
Judges 6:7 And it came to pass, when the children of Israel cried unto the Lord because of the Midianites, 8 That the Lord sent a prophet unto the children of Israel, which said unto them, Thus saith the Lord God of Israel, I brought you up from Egypt, and brought you forth out of the house of bondage; 9 And I delivered you out of the hand of the Egyptians, and out of the hand of all that oppressed you, and drave them out from before you, and gave you their land; 10 And I said unto you, I am the Lord your God; fear not the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but ye have not obeyed my voice.
An angel was also sent to Gideon, telling him that God had called him to save Israel from the Midianites ...
Judges 6:11 And there came an angel of the Lord, and sat under an oak which was in Ophrah, that pertained unto Joash the Abiezrite: and his son Gideon threshed wheat by the winepress, to hide it from the Midianites. 12 And the angel of the Lord appeared unto him, and said unto him, The Lord is with thee, thou mighty man of valour. 13 And Gideon said unto him, Oh my Lord, if the Lord be with us, why then is all this befallen us? and where be all his miracles which our fathers told us of, saying, Did not the Lord bring us up from Egypt? but now the Lord hath forsaken us, and delivered us into the hands of the Midianites. 14 And the Lord looked upon him, and said, Go in this thy might, and thou shalt save Israel from the hand of the Midianites: have not I sent thee? 15 And he said unto him, Oh my Lord, wherewith shall I save Israel? behold, my family is poor in Manasseh, and I am the least in my father's house. 16 And the Lord said unto him, Surely I will be with thee, and thou shalt smite the Midianites as one man.
Gideon asked that it be confirmed to him that it was an angel of the Lord who spoke with him. This was done in a way that Gideon knew the angel was from God ...
Judges 6:20 And the angel of God said unto him, Take the flesh and the unleavened cakes, and lay them upon this rock, and pour out the broth. And he did so. 21 Then the angel of the Lord put forth the end of the staff that was in his hand, and touched the flesh and the unleavened cakes; and there rose up fire out of the rock, and consumed the flesh and the unleavened cakes. Then the angel of the Lord departed out of his sight. 22 And when Gideon perceived that he was an angel of the Lord, Gideon said, Alas, O Lord God! for because I have seen an angel of the Lord face to face.
That night Gideon was instructed to deal with his father's altar of Baal. The altar of Baal and the grove by it which Gideon's father had were destroyed, and an altar to God was built in the ordered place with a burnt sacrifice of his father's second bullock offered using wood cut down from the grove. ...
Judges 6:25 And it came to pass the same night, that the Lord said unto him, Take thy father's young bullock, even the second bullock of seven years old, and throw down the altar of Baal that thy father hath, and cut down the grove that is by it: 26 And build an altar unto the Lord thy God upon the top of this rock, in the ordered place, and take the second bullock, and offer a burnt sacrifice with the wood of the grove which thou shalt cut down. 27 Then Gideon took ten men of his servants, and did as the Lord had said unto him: and so it was, because he feared his father's household, and the men of the city, that he could not do it by day, that he did it by night.
When the men of the city found all that Gideon had done, they sought to kill him. But they were not allowed to harm Gideon. Interestingly, Gideon's father Joash (who had the altar of Baal and grove Gideon destroyed) stopped them, saying that if Baal was a god, let him deal with having his altar destroyed ...
Judges 6:28 And when the men of the city arose early in the morning, behold, the altar of Baal was cast down, and the grove was cut down that was by it, and the second bullock was offered upon the altar that was built. 29 And they said one to another, Who hath done this thing? And when they enquired and asked, they said, Gideon the son of Joash hath done this thing. 30 Then the men of the city said unto Joash, Bring out thy son, that he may die: because he hath cast down the altar of Baal, and because he hath cut down the grove that was by it. 31 And Joash said unto all that stood against him, Will ye plead for Baal? will ye save him? he that will plead for him, let him be put to death whilst it is yet morning: if he be a god, let him plead for himself, because one hath cast down his altar.
Instead of Baal being worshiped, the altar of Baal and grove were destroyed. But God was worshiped as Gideon did all he was instructed.
Then the Spirit of God came upon Gideon, and Gideon sent for men from the tribes of Manasseh, Asher, Zebulun, and Naphtali. And Gideon asked God to confirm that HE would save Israel from the Midianites by his (Gideon's) hands. Two confirmations were given, as Gideon asked.
Then Gideon and the men he had called went near to where the Midianites were. But God said there were too many men with Gideon, for they may think they had defeated the Midianites by their own strength. God instructed Gideon to send back anyone who was fearful and afraid. When Gideon did this 22,000 returned, leaving only 10,000 men with Gideon. This was still too many people. God identified the men who were to go with Gideon by how they lapped water. Instead of using the 32,000 men initially gathered together, God would save Israel from the Midianites with only 300 men.
Judges 7:2 And the Lord said unto Gideon, The people that are with thee are too many for me to give the Midianites into their hands, lest Israel vaunt themselves against me, saying, Mine own hand hath saved me. 3 Now therefore go to, proclaim in the ears of the people, saying, Whosoever is fearful and afraid, let him return and depart early from mount Gilead. And there returned of the people twenty and two thousand; and there remained ten thousand. 4 And the Lord said unto Gideon, The people are yet too many; bring them down unto the water, and I will try them for thee there: and it shall be, that of whom I say unto thee, This shall go with thee, the same shall go with thee; and of whomsoever I say unto thee, This shall not go with thee, the same shall not go. 5 So he brought down the people unto the water: and the Lord said unto Gideon, Every one that lappeth of the water with his tongue, as a dog lappeth, him shalt thou set by himself; likewise every one that boweth down upon his knees to drink. 6 And the number of them that lapped, putting their hand to their mouth, were three hundred men: but all the rest of the people bowed down upon their knees to drink water. 7 And the Lord said unto Gideon, By the three hundred men that lapped will I save you, and deliver the Midianites into thine hand: and let all the other people go every man unto his place.
Although there were only 300 men with him, God provided a way for Gideon to be strengthened in going against the Midiantes. Gideon heard a man in the enemy's camp tell a dream, and its interpretation was given which showed that God delivered Midian into the hand of Gideon ...
Judges 7:9 And it came to pass the same night, that the Lord said unto him, Arise, get thee down unto the host; for I have delivered it into thine hand. 10 But if thou fear to go down, go thou with Phurah thy servant down to the host: 11 And thou shalt hear what they say; and afterward shall thine hands be strengthened to go down unto the host. Then went he down with Phurah his servant unto the outside of the armed men that were in the host.
12 And the Midianites and the Amalekites and all the children of the east lay along in the valley like grasshoppers for multitude; and their camels were without number, as the sand by the sea side for multitude. 13 And when Gideon was come, behold, there was a man that told a dream unto his fellow, and said, Behold, I dreamed a dream, and, lo, a cake of barley bread tumbled into the host of Midian, and came unto a tent, and smote it that it fell, and overturned it, that the tent lay along. 14 And his fellow answered and said, This is nothing else save the sword of Gideon the son of Joash, a man of Israel: for into his hand hath God delivered Midian, and all the host.
15 And it was so, when Gideon heard the telling of the dream, and the interpretation thereof, that he worshipped, and returned into the host of Israel, and said, Arise; for the Lord hath delivered into your hand the host of Midian.
Gideon divided the 300 men into three companies, with trumpets, empty pitchers, and lamps in the pitchers. As the three companies did as Gideon told them, the Midianites fled ...
Judges 7:16 And he divided the three hundred men into three companies, and he put a trumpet in every man's hand, with empty pitchers, and lamps within the pitchers. 17 And he said unto them, Look on me, and do likewise: and, behold, when I come to the outside of the camp, it shall be that, as I do, so shall ye do. 18 When I blow with a trumpet, I and all that are with me, then blow ye the trumpets also on every side of all the camp, and say, The sword of the Lord, and of Gideon.
19 So Gideon, and the hundred men that were with him, came unto the outside of the camp in the beginning of the middle watch; and they had but newly set the watch: and they blew the trumpets, and brake the pitchers that were in their hands. 20 And the three companies blew the trumpets, and brake the pitchers, and held the lamps in their left hands, and the trumpets in their right hands to blow withal:and they cried, The sword of the Lord, and of Gideon. 21 And they stood every man in his place round about the camp: and all the host ran, and cried, and fled. 22 And the three hundred blew the trumpets, and the Lord set every man's sword against his fellow, even throughout all the host: and the host fled to Bethshittah in Zererath, and to the border of Abelmeholah, unto Tabbath.
Before just 300 men of Israel, the great multitude of the Midianites cried and fled, for God had delivered them into the hands of Gideon. And the men of Israel overcame the Midianites, including their princes and kings.
Judges 8:28 Thus was Midian subdued before the children of Israel, so that they lifted up their heads no more. And the country was in quietness forty years in the days of Gideon.
Gideon heard what to do and confirmed the instruction was from God. Then he did as he was instructed by faith. And God strengthened Gideon when he feared, helping him to act. As Gideon did as he was instructed by God, Israel was delivered by the power of God.
In the book of Judges we have a wonderful account of God calling, instructing, strengthening, and using Gideon to first deal with the altar of Baal his father had, and then to deliver Israel from the Midianites.
The children of Israel did evil in the sight of God, and God had turned them over to the Midianites who greatly impoverished Israel. When Israel cried out to God for help, He sent a prophet who spoke to them of the evil they had done ...
Judges 6:7 And it came to pass, when the children of Israel cried unto the Lord because of the Midianites, 8 That the Lord sent a prophet unto the children of Israel, which said unto them, Thus saith the Lord God of Israel, I brought you up from Egypt, and brought you forth out of the house of bondage; 9 And I delivered you out of the hand of the Egyptians, and out of the hand of all that oppressed you, and drave them out from before you, and gave you their land; 10 And I said unto you, I am the Lord your God; fear not the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but ye have not obeyed my voice.
An angel was also sent to Gideon, telling him that God had called him to save Israel from the Midianites ...
Judges 6:11 And there came an angel of the Lord, and sat under an oak which was in Ophrah, that pertained unto Joash the Abiezrite: and his son Gideon threshed wheat by the winepress, to hide it from the Midianites. 12 And the angel of the Lord appeared unto him, and said unto him, The Lord is with thee, thou mighty man of valour. 13 And Gideon said unto him, Oh my Lord, if the Lord be with us, why then is all this befallen us? and where be all his miracles which our fathers told us of, saying, Did not the Lord bring us up from Egypt? but now the Lord hath forsaken us, and delivered us into the hands of the Midianites. 14 And the Lord looked upon him, and said, Go in this thy might, and thou shalt save Israel from the hand of the Midianites: have not I sent thee? 15 And he said unto him, Oh my Lord, wherewith shall I save Israel? behold, my family is poor in Manasseh, and I am the least in my father's house. 16 And the Lord said unto him, Surely I will be with thee, and thou shalt smite the Midianites as one man.
Gideon asked that it be confirmed to him that it was an angel of the Lord who spoke with him. This was done in a way that Gideon knew the angel was from God ...
Judges 6:20 And the angel of God said unto him, Take the flesh and the unleavened cakes, and lay them upon this rock, and pour out the broth. And he did so. 21 Then the angel of the Lord put forth the end of the staff that was in his hand, and touched the flesh and the unleavened cakes; and there rose up fire out of the rock, and consumed the flesh and the unleavened cakes. Then the angel of the Lord departed out of his sight. 22 And when Gideon perceived that he was an angel of the Lord, Gideon said, Alas, O Lord God! for because I have seen an angel of the Lord face to face.
That night Gideon was instructed to deal with his father's altar of Baal. The altar of Baal and the grove by it which Gideon's father had were destroyed, and an altar to God was built in the ordered place with a burnt sacrifice of his father's second bullock offered using wood cut down from the grove. ...
Judges 6:25 And it came to pass the same night, that the Lord said unto him, Take thy father's young bullock, even the second bullock of seven years old, and throw down the altar of Baal that thy father hath, and cut down the grove that is by it: 26 And build an altar unto the Lord thy God upon the top of this rock, in the ordered place, and take the second bullock, and offer a burnt sacrifice with the wood of the grove which thou shalt cut down. 27 Then Gideon took ten men of his servants, and did as the Lord had said unto him: and so it was, because he feared his father's household, and the men of the city, that he could not do it by day, that he did it by night.
When the men of the city found all that Gideon had done, they sought to kill him. But they were not allowed to harm Gideon. Interestingly, Gideon's father Joash (who had the altar of Baal and grove Gideon destroyed) stopped them, saying that if Baal was a god, let him deal with having his altar destroyed ...
Judges 6:28 And when the men of the city arose early in the morning, behold, the altar of Baal was cast down, and the grove was cut down that was by it, and the second bullock was offered upon the altar that was built. 29 And they said one to another, Who hath done this thing? And when they enquired and asked, they said, Gideon the son of Joash hath done this thing. 30 Then the men of the city said unto Joash, Bring out thy son, that he may die: because he hath cast down the altar of Baal, and because he hath cut down the grove that was by it. 31 And Joash said unto all that stood against him, Will ye plead for Baal? will ye save him? he that will plead for him, let him be put to death whilst it is yet morning: if he be a god, let him plead for himself, because one hath cast down his altar.
Instead of Baal being worshiped, the altar of Baal and grove were destroyed. But God was worshiped as Gideon did all he was instructed.
Then the Spirit of God came upon Gideon, and Gideon sent for men from the tribes of Manasseh, Asher, Zebulun, and Naphtali. And Gideon asked God to confirm that HE would save Israel from the Midianites by his (Gideon's) hands. Two confirmations were given, as Gideon asked.
Then Gideon and the men he had called went near to where the Midianites were. But God said there were too many men with Gideon, for they may think they had defeated the Midianites by their own strength. God instructed Gideon to send back anyone who was fearful and afraid. When Gideon did this 22,000 returned, leaving only 10,000 men with Gideon. This was still too many people. God identified the men who were to go with Gideon by how they lapped water. Instead of using the 32,000 men initially gathered together, God would save Israel from the Midianites with only 300 men.
Judges 7:2 And the Lord said unto Gideon, The people that are with thee are too many for me to give the Midianites into their hands, lest Israel vaunt themselves against me, saying, Mine own hand hath saved me. 3 Now therefore go to, proclaim in the ears of the people, saying, Whosoever is fearful and afraid, let him return and depart early from mount Gilead. And there returned of the people twenty and two thousand; and there remained ten thousand. 4 And the Lord said unto Gideon, The people are yet too many; bring them down unto the water, and I will try them for thee there: and it shall be, that of whom I say unto thee, This shall go with thee, the same shall go with thee; and of whomsoever I say unto thee, This shall not go with thee, the same shall not go. 5 So he brought down the people unto the water: and the Lord said unto Gideon, Every one that lappeth of the water with his tongue, as a dog lappeth, him shalt thou set by himself; likewise every one that boweth down upon his knees to drink. 6 And the number of them that lapped, putting their hand to their mouth, were three hundred men: but all the rest of the people bowed down upon their knees to drink water. 7 And the Lord said unto Gideon, By the three hundred men that lapped will I save you, and deliver the Midianites into thine hand: and let all the other people go every man unto his place.
Although there were only 300 men with him, God provided a way for Gideon to be strengthened in going against the Midiantes. Gideon heard a man in the enemy's camp tell a dream, and its interpretation was given which showed that God delivered Midian into the hand of Gideon ...
Judges 7:9 And it came to pass the same night, that the Lord said unto him, Arise, get thee down unto the host; for I have delivered it into thine hand. 10 But if thou fear to go down, go thou with Phurah thy servant down to the host: 11 And thou shalt hear what they say; and afterward shall thine hands be strengthened to go down unto the host. Then went he down with Phurah his servant unto the outside of the armed men that were in the host.
12 And the Midianites and the Amalekites and all the children of the east lay along in the valley like grasshoppers for multitude; and their camels were without number, as the sand by the sea side for multitude. 13 And when Gideon was come, behold, there was a man that told a dream unto his fellow, and said, Behold, I dreamed a dream, and, lo, a cake of barley bread tumbled into the host of Midian, and came unto a tent, and smote it that it fell, and overturned it, that the tent lay along. 14 And his fellow answered and said, This is nothing else save the sword of Gideon the son of Joash, a man of Israel: for into his hand hath God delivered Midian, and all the host.
15 And it was so, when Gideon heard the telling of the dream, and the interpretation thereof, that he worshipped, and returned into the host of Israel, and said, Arise; for the Lord hath delivered into your hand the host of Midian.
Gideon divided the 300 men into three companies, with trumpets, empty pitchers, and lamps in the pitchers. As the three companies did as Gideon told them, the Midianites fled ...
Judges 7:16 And he divided the three hundred men into three companies, and he put a trumpet in every man's hand, with empty pitchers, and lamps within the pitchers. 17 And he said unto them, Look on me, and do likewise: and, behold, when I come to the outside of the camp, it shall be that, as I do, so shall ye do. 18 When I blow with a trumpet, I and all that are with me, then blow ye the trumpets also on every side of all the camp, and say, The sword of the Lord, and of Gideon.
19 So Gideon, and the hundred men that were with him, came unto the outside of the camp in the beginning of the middle watch; and they had but newly set the watch: and they blew the trumpets, and brake the pitchers that were in their hands. 20 And the three companies blew the trumpets, and brake the pitchers, and held the lamps in their left hands, and the trumpets in their right hands to blow withal:and they cried, The sword of the Lord, and of Gideon. 21 And they stood every man in his place round about the camp: and all the host ran, and cried, and fled. 22 And the three hundred blew the trumpets, and the Lord set every man's sword against his fellow, even throughout all the host: and the host fled to Bethshittah in Zererath, and to the border of Abelmeholah, unto Tabbath.
Before just 300 men of Israel, the great multitude of the Midianites cried and fled, for God had delivered them into the hands of Gideon. And the men of Israel overcame the Midianites, including their princes and kings.
Judges 8:28 Thus was Midian subdued before the children of Israel, so that they lifted up their heads no more. And the country was in quietness forty years in the days of Gideon.
Gideon heard what to do and confirmed the instruction was from God. Then he did as he was instructed by faith. And God strengthened Gideon when he feared, helping him to act. As Gideon did as he was instructed by God, Israel was delivered by the power of God.
Bible chapters
Please read the following:
Hebrews 11
Philippians 4
Matthew 6
1 Timothy 6
Hebrews 4
Isaiah 46
Psalm 48
Psalm 147
Judges 6-8
Hebrews 11
Philippians 4
Matthew 6
1 Timothy 6
Hebrews 4
Isaiah 46
Psalm 48
Psalm 147
Judges 6-8
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