Graves' This and That

As I am wading through Judges, my most unfavorable book of the Bible other than dear Leviticus, I keep looking for a hero to emerge.  I am so grateful for even a Gideon.  How I can identify with him before the fight:  insecure, inferior, fearful, and questioning.  The angel spoke, "The LORD is with you, mighty warrior."  Can't you just see Gideon looking around to see who is speaking to him and who would say something so absurd considering Gideon's self perception.  I find it so foolish that knowing what God speaks is Truth about me, but how often I move into well practiced lying self-talk.  Could it be that I have practiced lies so long that even the words of the ALMIGHTY are powerless?   I can give Gideon grace.  He did not have Scripture and the indwelling Holy Spirit .  His experiences were real because his nation was being ravaged by the Midianites and the Amalekites. He had reasons to be fearful as he hunkered down in the wi...

Each year as I begin the reading of Judges, I well recall the last statement of the book. "Everyone did as he saw fit".  Israel had no king, Joshua has died, generations have past and the present generation is in the quagmire of idolatry, raiders who plundered them, and they "forsook" God.  Amazing that when an individual, much less a nation, forsakes God that we have a mere thought that we will be healthy in mind and heart, that we will make wise decisions, and that our families will be whole physically, spiritually, emotionally, and economically.  What a lie and a deception that we have bought hook, line, and sinker! Joshua reminded Israel that God had kept every promise that He made to Israel and that they would experience His blessing if they continued to be obedient and to model what they had been taught to their legacy.  Painfully, I read the newspaper, see the daily news, and check out social media to see the perspective prevailing today.  I am appalled...

I love those passages that remind me that because someone prayed, I have experienced knowing the Lord Jesus as my Savior and Lord these 63 years.  In Isaiah 63: 5, the Lord speaks, "I looked, but there was no one to help; I was appalled, but there was no one to uphold; so my own arm brought me salvation, and my wrath upheld me." Another passage from Ezekiel 22:30, " And I sought for a man among them who should build up the wall and stand in the breach before me for the land, that I should not destroy it, but I found none." How I love the fact that the Lord Jesus's life was poured out for me!  I am appalled that He was counted with the transgressors and yet He took the sins of ALL of us that God placed on Him and because of His willingness to become the sin sacrifice, He has made intercession for us rebellious ones by His death.  The breach that separated God from me, my sin, Jesus's sacrifice brought my reconciliation, my peace, and my healing/bondage from...

In ministry, giving birth to a class and feeling led of the Lord because of a need I see, and waiting to "see" if it is going to catch hold and draw others is challenging.  Yesterday, was THE DAY!  The questions begin to arrive and swirl within my heart and head: Did you hear the LORD about this opportunity? Is this the direction you need to take?  No one is interested, duh, that is why no one came!  Walk away and just admit this was not a good idea!  You are too old, who wants to listen to two old seniors? Why take on a challenge at this season of life? Catch the strategy?  Discouragement and giving up is one of his better strategies.  Trusting in personal perceptions colored by the crayons of the "ole man within", my default mindset, and the crayons of the evil one whose basic nature is to lie and deceive. he has an agenda and he knows me and my ole default mindset. he prefers that I walk away, just sit and soak, and not be available to the purpose...

I wonder, have we figured out and recognized the strategies that are on the agenda of the evil one in regard to each of us, personally ?   Many strategies are subtle and then some are screamingly blatant.  his (I refuse to capitalize the evil one or his personal pronouns) most effective strategy is keep you and me so busy that we are wearied, drained, and maybe too exhausted to spend time in the Word and prayer for refueling time because "we don't have time!" Our Model, the LORD JESUS in Luke 4-5 begins His ministry in Galilee, teaches with great authority, heals Peter's mother-in-law, provides a miraculous catch of fish, heals a man with leprosy, heals a paralyzed man, eats with a bunch of sinners at Matthew's home, and the harried pace continues.  We come to chapter 6 and verse 12, "One of those days Jesus went out to a mountainside to pray, and spent the night praying to God." Even the GOD-MAN knew being divine and human was draining and exhausting....