Here are some good posts on parenting:
Fathers (and Mothers), Do Not Provoke Your Children! – Tim Challies
7 Ways Parents Unfairly Provoke Our Children – Tim Challies
Seven Principles for Angry Parents Disciplining Angry Children – Kevin DeYoung
Prayer Quote of the Week
What if the main object in God’s idea of prayer be the supplying of our great, our endless need – the need of himself?
– George MacDonald
Reflections on Judges 6-8
Again, Israel is oppressed because of their sin. When they cry out to God, God raises up a man named Gideon. Note:
- God’s presence – When God calls Gideon, Gideon responds that he is a nobody – how can he save Israel? God responds – “But I will be with you.” Gideon is indeed a nobody, but with God he can do all that God calls him to do. We too are nobodies on our own, but with God we can do all that he calls us to do. What is God calling you to do?
- Fear – God tells Gideon to break down the altar to Baal. Gideon obeys, but he does it at night because he is afraid. Do you hide your relationship with Christ because you are afraid of what others will think? Are you willing to take a stand for Christ for all to see? God is with you. When God calls you to take a stand for him, be strong and courageous like Joshua – not fearful like Gideon.
- Trusting God – Gideon calls an army together to fight the Midianites. An army of 32,000 shows up. God whittles it down to 300 men. Why? Lest Israel trust in themselves rather than God to bring about deliverance. And with 300 men the Midianite army is routed, and Israel is saved. Are you trusting in yourself to get you through your problems or are you trusting in God to help you? Either way, you may have work to do, but who are you trusting in to bring success?
Classic Quote
If the soul of the believer is in a healthy condition, he will take occasion to frequently come into God’s presence on purpose to have communion with him.
– A. W. Pink
Judges 6-10: Learning from Gideon
(6) How does Gideon respond to God’s call for him to save Israel v15)? When have you felt this way?
What assurance does God give Gideon (v16)? Why does this assurance make all the difference?
(6) God tells Gideon to tear down the altar to Baal. When does he do it, and what does that tell you about Gideon?
Can you identify with Gideon? When are we tempted to hide our good deeds or our relationship with God?
(6) Gideon calls an army together, and then seeks another sign. What does this tell you about his faith?
Should we lay out fleeces before the Lord?
(7) How does God whittle Gideon’s army down to 300 men? Why?
When are we tempted to boast in ourselves instead of God?
(7) Gideon’s army surrounds the enemy, but again Gideon is afraid. What does God do to give him courage?
How can we find courage from God to overcome our fears?
(7-8) How does God defeat the Midianites? When have you seen God bring victory using your weaknesses?
(8) The people want to make Gideon a king. How does he respond? Why are we prone to look to men instead of God?
What does Gideon ask for and receive? Why is this a problem?
Later Gideon names one of his sons Abimelech which means “my father is king.” What does this suggest? Why are we so tempted to rule over others?
In summary, what major lessons can we learn from Gideon’s life?
Sermon Songs: Ephesians 5:22-33
Consider Christ our Savior Head
He leads us for our good
We follow Him raised from the dead
Obey Him as we should
Consider Jesus and His love
His life for us He gave
To cleanse and present us above
The Bride He came to save
He loves and feeds and nourishes
In Him we’re satisfied
He cares for us and cherishes
Now in His love abide
Consider Christ – with Him we’re one
To Him we do belong
In all of life – cling to the Son
And turn from all that’s wrong
(To the tune of “O God Our Help In Ages Past”)
Current
So many Christians are trying to figure out whether to vote for Trump or a third party in November. Here is a helpful collection of posts from various viewpoints that explore the issues involved:
Why I Don’t Think You Must Vote for the Lesser of Two Evils– Dan Doriani (TGC)
Evangelical Views of the 2016 Election: Ethics and Theology Professor on Why Trump is the Best Candidate for President – Norman Geisler (CT)
Evangelical Views of the 2016 Election: Evangelicals, We Need to Start Looking Beyond the Candidates – Ronnie Floyd
4 Evangelicals, 4 Different Ways to Consider Trump – Trevin Wax (RNS)
Trump’s Moral Character and the Election – Wayne Grudem
Cultivating Your Prayer Life
In How Can I Cultivate Private Prayer, Joel Beeke’s third way to take hold of yourself is to speak with sincerity in prayer. He notes Psalm 62:8 which calls for us to pour out our heart to God. We cannot just mouth words; the heart, indeed our whole being, is to be involved.
Beeke expands on this thought by quoting Thomas Brooks:
God looks not at the elegancy of your prayers, to see how neat they are; nor yet at the geometry of your prayers to see how long they are; nor yet at the arithmetic of your prayers, to see how many they are; nor yet at the music of your prayers, nor yet at the sweetness of your voice, nor yet at the logic of your prayers; but at the sincerity of your prayers, how hearty they are.
So how hearty are my prayers? Am I simply mouthing requests without feeling? Going through the motions of praying through my prayer list?
Or am I crying out to God for help? Am I groaning for his intervention? Pleading for his grace and mercy? Rejoicing in his blessings?
Where is my heart? And where is yours?
Prayer Quote of the Week
When God intends great mercy for his people, the first thing he does is to set them a praying.
– Matthew Henry
Classic Quote
The more a person loves, the closer
he approaches the image of God.
– Martin Luther
Brian J. Mikul 