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    living for Jesus?

    • April 18, 2010
    • Jim Campbell
    • Series: 5 things I wish I knew
     

    living for Jesus?

     1 Early in the morning, Jerub-Baal (that is, Gideon) and all his men camped at the spring of Harod. The camp of Midian was north of them in the valley near the hill of Moreh.
    2 The LORD said to Gideon, "You have too many men for me to deliver Midian into their hands. In order that Israel may not boast against me that her own strength has saved her,
    3 announce now to the people, 'Anyone who trembles with fear may turn back and leave Mount Gilead.' " So twenty-two thousand men left, while ten thousand remained. 
    4 But the LORD said to Gideon, "There are still too many men. Take them down to the water, and I will sift them for you there. If I say, 'This one shall go with you,' he shall go; but if I say, 'This one shall not go with you,' he shall not go."  
    5 So Gideon took the men down to the water. There the LORD told him, "Separate those who lap the water with their tongues like a dog from those who kneel down to drink."
    6 Three hundred men lapped with their hands to their mouths. All the rest got down on their knees to drink.  
    7 The LORD said to Gideon, "With the three hundred men that lapped I will save you and give the Midianites into your hands. Let all the other men go, each to his own place."
    8 So Gideon sent the rest of the Israelites to their tents but kept the three hundred, who took over the provisions and trumpets of the others.

     Judges 7:1-8a

     

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    God doesn’t need your help.

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     12Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed—not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence—continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling,
    Philippians 2:12

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    If, in fact, Abraham was justified by works, he had something to boast about—but not before God.
    What does the Scripture say? "Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness."[a]
    Now when a man works, his wages are not credited to him as a gift, but as an obligation.
    Romans 4:2-4

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    13  for it is God who works in you to will and to act according to his good purpose.
    Philippians 2:13

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    …Now the camp of Midian lay below him in the valley.
    9 During that night the LORD said to Gideon, "Get up, go down against the camp, because I am going to give it into your hands.
    10 If you are afraid to attack, go down to the camp with your servant Purah
    11 and listen to what they are saying. Afterward, you will be encouraged to attack the camp." So he and Purah his servant went down to the outposts of the camp. 12 The Midianites, the Amalekites and all the other eastern peoples had settled in the valley, thick as locusts. Their camels could no more be counted than the sand on the seashore.
    13 Gideon arrived just as a man was telling a friend his dream. "I had a dream," he was saying. "A round loaf of barley bread came tumbling into the Midianite camp. It struck the tent with such force that the tent overturned and collapsed."
    14 His friend responded, "This can be nothing other than the sword of Gideon son of Joash, the Israelite. God has given the Midianites and the whole camp into his hands."
    15 When Gideon heard the dream and its interpretation, he worshiped God.

    Judges 7:8b-15a

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     God has already set in motion what He’s going to do…without you.

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     33  Oh, the depth of the riches of the wisdom and[i] knowledge of God!
          How unsearchable his judgments,
          and his paths beyond tracing out!

    Romans 11:33

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    He returned to the camp of Israel and called out, "Get up! The LORD has given the Midianite camp into your hands."
    16 Dividing the three hundred men into three companies, he placed trumpets and empty jars in the hands of all of them, with torches inside.
    17 "Watch me," he told them. "Follow my lead. When I get to the edge of the camp, do exactly as I do.
    18 When I and all who are with me blow our trumpets, then from all around the camp blow yours and shout, 'For the LORD and for Gideon.' " 
    19 Gideon and the hundred men with him reached the edge of the camp at the beginning of the middle watch, just after they had changed the guard. They blew their trumpets and broke the jars that were in their hands.
    20 The three companies blew the trumpets and smashed the jars. Grasping the torches in their left hands and holding in their right hands the trumpets they were to blow, they shouted, "A sword for the LORD and for Gideon!"
    21 While each man held his position around the camp, all the Midianites ran, crying out as they fled.
    22 When the three hundred trumpets sounded, the LORD caused the men throughout the camp to turn on each other with their swords.

    Judges 7:15b-22

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     God wants you with Him.