Before my ears had heard of you but now my eyes see you.

-Job 42:5

The Lord blessed the latter part of Job’s life more than the former part. He had fourteen thousand sheep, six thousand camels, a thousand yoke of oxen and a thousand donkeys. And he also had seven sons and three daughters. The first daughter he named Jemimah, the second Keziah and the third Keren-Happuch.

-Job 42:12-14

...and their father granted them an inheritance along with their brothers.

-Job 42:15

Nowhere in all the land were there found women as beautiful as Job’s daughters, and their father granted them an inheritance along with their brothers. After this, Job lived a hundred and forty years; he saw his children and their children to the fourth generation. And so Job died, an old man and full of years.

-Job 42:15-17

  

Aha Moment:

A moment of sudden realization, inspiration, insight, recognition or comprehension.

-Stephen Covey

A thought becomes an action; an action becomes a habit. The habit shapes our character, and character decides our destiny.

-Stephen Covey

Exegesis vs Isegesis.

“Get out of”   vs  “Put into.”

  

In the life of Gideon, God has given us seven resolutions that lead to Human flourishing.

   

Resolution 1:

I will see the unfortunate events of my life as faith builders leading to the greatest accomplishments of my life.

     

The Israelites did evil in the eyes of the Lord, and for seven years he gave them into the hands of the Midianites. Because the power of Midian was so oppressive, the Israelites prepared shelters for themselves in mountain clefts, caves and strongholds. Whenever the Israelites planted their crops, the Midianites, Amalekites and other eastern peoples invaded the country. They camped on the land and ruined the crops all the way to Gaza and did not spare a living thing for Israel, neither sheep nor cattle nor donkeys. They came up with their livestock and their tents like swarms of locusts. It was impossible to count them or their camels; they invaded the land to ravage it. Midian so impoverished the Israelites that they cried out to the Lord for help.

-Judges 6:1-6

Everyone did what was right in his own eyes.

-Judges 21:25

The angel of the LORD came and sat down under the oak in Ophrah that belonged to Joash the Abiezrite, where his son Gideon was threshing wheat in a winepress to keep it from the Midianites. When the angel of the LORD appeared to Gideon, he said, ‘The LORD is with you, mighty warrior.’

-Judges 6:11-12

Gideon replied, ‘If the LORD is with us, why has all this happened to us? Where are all his wonders that our fathers told us about when they said, 'Did not the LORD bring us up out of Egypt?' But now the LORD has abandoned us and put us into the hand of Midian.’

-Judges 6:13

Tear down your father’s altar to Baal and cut down the Asherah pole beside it. Then build a proper kind of altar to the Lord your God on the top of this height.

-Judges 6:25b-26a

Yes, but how can I be sure you will help me? My clan is the weakest in Manasseh, and I am the least in my family.

-Judges 6:15

The LORD turned to him and said, ‘Go in the strength you have and save Israel out of Midian's hand…’

-Judges 6:14

God nowhere reprimanded Gideon and was very compassionate in giving what his faithlessness requested.

‘The Lord who delivered me from the paw of the lion and from the paw of the bear will deliver me from the hand of this Philistine.’ And Saul said to David, ‘Go, and the Lord be with you!’

-1 Samuel 17:37

  

God will take advantage of every opportunity to build our faith and every opportunity to demonstrate His faithfulness to His word!

  

The battles of our lives cannot be won in our wisdom and our strength. The battle belongs to the Lord. Therefore, God must do whatever necessary to rid us of our self-sufficiency and create a trust and dependency on Him.

  

God does His best work in us when we are on the ropes and things seem un-possible!

  

Deep troubled waters either destroy you, or you learn to swim to the surface and ride the waves of some of the most thrilling, exhilarating times of your life.

The Lord turned to him and said, ‘Go in the strength you have and save Israel out of Midian’s hand. Am I not sending you?’ ‘Pardon me, my lord,’ Gideon replied, ‘but how can I save Israel? My clan is the weakest in Manasseh, and I am the least in my family.’ The Lord answered, ‘I will be with you, and you will strike down all the Midianites, leaving none alive.’

-Judges 6:14-16

You can live on bland food so as to avoid an ulcer, drink no tea, coffee or other stimulants. You can go to bed early, stay away from nightlife, avoid all controversial subjects so as to never give offence. You can mind your own business, avoid involvement in other people’s problems, spend all your money only on necessities and save all you can. You can still break your neck in the bathtub, and it will serve you right.

-Eileen Gruder

And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.

-Romans 8:28

All things: Comprehensive. No restrictions or limits.

Work Together: Sunergeo (Greek): Synergism: working together of various elements to produce an effect greater than, and often completely different from, the sum of each element acting separately.

He led you through the vast and dreadful wilderness, that thirsty and waterless land, with its venomous snakes and scorpions. He brought you water out of hard rock. He gave you manna to eat in the wilderness, something your ancestors had never known, to humble and test you so that in the end it might go well with you.

-Deuteronomy 8:15-16

You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives.

-Genesis 50:20

To take otherwise harmful and unjust decisions and produce something beautiful and extremely beneficial.

This is life. It can’t define you. You enjoy the good times and you gotta be able to take the bad times. When you step into the arena..the consequences can be historic losses, tough losses, great wins, and you have to deal with it. And that’s the job.

-Tony Bennett

Shall we accept good from God and not trouble?

-Job 2:10

Unfortunate events have a minimum negative impact on those who believe in a Sovereign God who is always working His plan.

  

Live by this resolution:

Resolution 1: I will see the unfortunate events of my life as faith builders leading to the greatest accomplishments of my life.

  

  

  

  

  

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