Tag Archives: Faith

A Few of My Favorites!

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Over the next few weeks, I am going to re-post some of my favorite posts.

I am spending my mental energy on a bigger project right now.

So for today, enjoy A Winepress and a Warrior!

A Winepress and a Warrior

POSTED ON  BY TIM SORBO

This post is a continuation of some Old Testament people. Click on Abraham or Joseph to read the other two Old Testament posts.

Gideon. As with most of these people, their stories are filled with crazy, supernatural stuff. Angels visiting, people testing God, battles begin fought. It all seems unreal to me. But yet it is real. And that is what strikes me. These people, especially Gideon, are normal people. And by normal, I mean normal-every-day-average-unremarkable people. 

Just like me.

But before we get to the angel visit, the testing, or the fighting, we find Gideon hiding. 

He was hiding from the enemy. Why? So they would not take his wheat. The enemy of Israel was oppressing Gideon and all of Israel. For seven years this was happening. The first 11 verses of Judges 6 give us the account. It was all the Israelites could do to stay alive. They hid in caves. Their crops and livestock were under constant attack. It was bad. 

But that is what happens when, “Again, the Israelites did evil in the eyes of the Lord,”. God let the enemy invade and oppress.

Is the enemy of your soul invading and oppressing you? Are you doing evil in the eyes of the Lord? Just a thought.

Back to Gideon. He was in a winepress threshing some wheat. This picture shows an ancient winepress. The next one shows a threshing floor.

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threshing_floor

Note the difference. The threshing floor is an open area where the wind can blow easier (perhaps like the Holy Spirit?) . Gideon was in a winepress. He was trying to thresh the wheat in a secret place. Only fearful people do such things. Wheat was meant to be tossed into the air out in the open. This way, the wind could separate the wheat from the chaff. It is much more difficult if you are hiding in an enclosed space.

But that is what happens when doing evil in the eyes of the Lord. We are meant for one thing but we are doing another. Our actions are secret or hidden instead of being lived out. But if you are discouraged about that, the story is not over. 

Verse 12 shows how God feels about Gideon. Here is the verse, “When the angel of the Lord appeared to Gideon, he said, “The Lord is with you, mighty warrior.”

Boom! Gideon was not a warrior, he was in a winepress! However, God feels differently.

Your surroundings should not dictate your status. Your circumstances do not negate your christianity. Your foes can’t take away your faith.

Gideon needed a supernatural reminder of his position. I think that you and I could use reminders now and again, don’t you?

Well consider this your reminder. God created you. You are a mighty warrior! Get out of your winepress and get to the business of God.  

One of 2 things…

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Plans change. Sounds like life, doesn’t it?

If you read my post form last Tuesday, you would not be expecting any new content today.

Plans change.

Here is a link for last week so you can catch up. Summer break!

My original plan was to not post anything new until September. I wanted to focus more on a novel I am trying to write.

Plans change.

A thought came to mind while I was reading a book. I try to do this on a regular basis.

The book is entitled 33 A.D. It is the second of two in a series.

Ted Dekker, the author, blends the life of Jesus into a fictional story. I am almost done with the second book. They are really engaging and thought-provoking.

There are no spoilers here just some praise for a good read.

There is one section that describes the scene at the Garden of Gethsemane. The night before the crucifixion, Jesus and his disciples go to the garden after the last supper.

Two things take place.

  1. Jesus wept. (Luke 22)

Jesus went to God with his pain, concern, anxiety, and troubles. He knew that he was destined to be killed.

But his flesh did not want it to happen. After all, he was fully human as well as fully God.

2. Peter slept. (Luke 22)

He was tired. Maybe he was trying to stay awake but he failed. We know that later that night, he denied Jesus.

His flesh was also pulling on his mind. And he yielded to it.

When we choose to be like Jesus, we become adept at getting through trials.

If we behave like Peter, we stay inept while being tempted.

Isn’t it nice how those four words rhyme?

Jesus wept and in doing so, became adept at overcoming temptation.

Peter slept and in doing so, was inept to fighting the temptation.

We all have Gethsemane moments in our lives. Sometimes daily.

One of 2 things is happening: sleeping or weeping.

Which one are you doing?

24/7/365

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In the USA, yesterday was Memorial Day. This day (going back to the Civil War) is a day when we remember/celebrate/honor fallen soldiers.

These men and women have given their lives in service of this country.

They died so we could be free.

It is fitting that we, as a country, recognize this sacrifice.

Freedom has cost the lives of millions of soldiers throughout the years.

To experience that freedom is somewhat humbling. Even more so because I have never been in the military.

I am certainly not saying that we are perfect and that our country has it all together.

But I am thankful that I am living here.

There is another place that is experiencing freedom as well.

This place has tremendous joy. All of its citizens are perfect.

In fact, there is no crying, pain, or hardships of any kind.

You may have already guessed it but I speak of heaven.

Heaven will be my future home. This home, earth, is just a stop on the road of eternity.

The bible references heaven numerous times. So much so that there is not time in this post to look at all of those passages.

But what I do have time for is to explain why I am going to heaven.

Jesus fought and died in the ultimate war. He is a fallen hero.

His death paved the way for freedom and ultimately, heaven.

That battle is over now. Jesus is not in the grave anymore. He is risen!

The bible explains how Jesus is now in heaven preparing for us a place.

For eternity.

We will be with Him for all of time.

And so when Memorial Day comes around and we honor those who have fallen, let’s not forget the One who died for our spiritual freedom as well.

For those who have put their faith and trust in the Lord Jesus Christ, everyday is memorial day.

The Ultimate Vaccine

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Grace and mercy are fun attributes to study. Saying that God is graceful just feels good.

His mercies are new every morning. Good thoughts but even better theology.

We love to think about the positive characteristics of God.

He loves us.

Grace and mercy are right along side that love.

What about His faithfulness or kindness?

What about holiness? Surely this trait is no less important that any of the others?

I Peter 1:16 “For it is written: “Be holy, because I am holy.” ” NIV

Peter is quoting Leviticus 11:44-45.

Here are those verses:

“44I am the Lord your God; consecrate yourselves and be holy, because I am holy. Do not make yourselves unclean by any creature that moves along the ground. 45I am the Lord, who brought you up out of Egypt to be your God; therefore be holy, because I am holy.” NIV

So why does Peter quote these verses? They speak to the dietary restrictions God has originally placed on the Israelites. Does that apply to me? Today?

God is different than we are. I really didn’t even need to type that sentence. Of course He is!

And that is the point. God is holy.

The Holiness of God | God Speaks I Listen

In a word, holy means seperate.

God is separate from us. The impurity of sin does not come in contact with God because He is separate, or holy.

He is the ultimate vaccine!

Because God is holy, He and sin cannot abide in the same space at the same time.

When you turn on the light switch, the darkness goes away. The light is holy, separated from the dark.

Now, add in grace and mercy. Because God also has these traits, He desires a relationship with us.

His love compels Him to restore relationship with us.

His holiness (and our sin) prevents Him to be with us.

His grace provides a solution to sin.

His mercy envelops us back to Him.

They all work together.

We can holy like God (as Peter was encouraging us to do).

All because God is who He is!

30 Bible verses about God, Holiness Of

Accepting Jesus into our lives is the key.

Our very life depends on it.

Take all of these traits of God and let them roll around in your mind for a while.

God might just be calling you.

God bless you.

Negative is Positive

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Are you tired of hearing about COVID?

Annoyed by the mask mandates?

Have you had your nose scraped enough?

We are all in this together so hang in there!

I bring up COVID because last Saturday night, I took my son to get tested.

We went to the drive-thru and received a test kit. My son swabbed his own nose, put everything in the right bag and placed it in the collection container. It took less than 10 minutes.

And then we waited.

And waited some more.

Let me back up a little. Here is the timeline leading up to the test on Saturday night.

Thursday: son said throat was a little soar

Friday: son awoke feeling sore throat, cough, and fatigued; stayed home from school

Friday night: son still symptomatic and now, can’t really taste

Saturday morning: son couldn’t taste or smell banana

Saturday night: took son to get tested

Now you are up to date.

More waiting.

The worst part about waiting is that we excluded ourselves from a few social events.

My wife and daughter missed a wedding shower.

We all stayed home from church.

My daughter could not go to soccer practice.

We were in limbo while we waited for the test results. Everything hinged on that result.

It came back Monday afternoon. And it was negative.

That’s one test I am glad my son failed!

But it did me an idea.

There is a test that all humans have taken or will take at some point.

It is the sin test.

We are born with sin. It is our nature. So, when it comes time to take the sin test, we will test positive for sin.

Just like the COVID test, the results will be positive if we have the virus.

There is a silver lining. We don’t need to wait for the results.

We can take a sin test right now instead of waiting until we die.

Jesus is the vaccine. He eradicates sin. Blows it away! Sin has no chance.

Ephesians says we accept Jesus by faith, not by works. This is how the vaccine is administered.

There is no copay. No lines. You don’t need insurance. And no waiting for results.

So really, a negative (for sin) can be a positive (righteous in Christ).

Over the next two or three weeks, I will explore this idea of ‘testing negative for sin”.

Ideas like righteousness, salvation, grace, and hope.

Hope you don’t mind a little waiting. (Insert winking emoji here)