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Today is Wednesday March 24, 2010 and we are reading through the Bible in a year. Today's message comes from the reading of the Book of Judges, chapters 6 & 7. If you would like to read the chapters along with us here online you can Click Here to read them or copy & paste this URL onto your browser: http://www.readytofollow.com/bible-march-24

Title: Bible Study: Put God To The Test
As Christians, no matter how faithful we are to God, at times, we can become a little distant from God, especially during adversity. We begin to question why God has placed this burden upon us and even wonder if He is even around. However, in the midst of a world full of corruption and chaos, God is, in fact, with all who have accepted His Son, Jesus Christ, into their lives. Sometimes adversities come our way to strengthen us and bring us closer to God, for instance, we may never understand the death of a loved one, but God knows what is best for us and goes beyond the surface to help His child the best way He knows how. If that means He brings one home to Him before Jesus comes than He rather see a little bit of grieving than a lot of pain and suffering. God takes care of His children and gives them the best life He can while here on earth and even a greater life in heaven. Praise God!

We mess up though when we choose to follow our own will rather than God's, such as the case with the Israelites. As long as they followed God's will He was right there with them and blessed them, but if they did evil He turned His back on them. “And the children of Israel did evil in the sight of the LORD: and the LORD delivered them into the hand of Midian seven years. And the hand of Midian prevailed against Israel: and because of the Midianites the children of Israel made them the dens which are in the mountains, and caves, and strong holds.” - Judges 6:1,2. The Israelites were forced to live in dens and caves in order to flee from the Midianites. It was not until they called for God's help that He sent Gideon, a prophet, to help them defeat the Midianites. “And the angel of the LORD appeared unto him, and said unto him, The LORD is with thee, thou mighty man of valour. And Gideon said unto him, Oh my Lord, if the LORD be with us, why then is all this befallen us? and where be all his miracles which our fathers told us of, saying, Did not the LORD bring us up from Egypt? but now the LORD hath forsaken us, and delivered us into the hands of the Midianites. And the LORD looked upon him, and said, Go in this thy might, and thou shalt save Israel from the hand of the Midianites: have not I sent thee? And he said unto him, Oh my Lord, wherewith shall I save Israel? behold, my family is poor in Manasseh, and I am the least in my father's house.” - Judges 6:12-15. God assured Gideon that He was with them and would help them defeat the Midianites. Gideon questioned God and asked Him, if you are with us then why are we going through all this suffering, prove to me that You are with us. Now, it is okay to ask God questions and seek His guidance during adversity, He wants us to communicate with Him. The sad thing is that most people flee from God during adversity instead of seeking Him and unfortunately more adversity comes until we realize that we need Him. How can we expect God's blessings if we continue to live in sin? It is one thing to take the steps needed to better ourselves and remove sin, it is another to deliberately do it, expecting God's blessings simply by saying a prayer. God knows our hearts and knows when we are sincere in seeking forgiveness or just mocking Him.

Gideon put God to the test, “And Gideon said unto God, If thou wilt save Israel by mine hand, as thou hast said, Behold, I will put a fleece of wool in the floor; and if the dew be on the fleece only, and it be dry upon all the earth beside, then shall I know that thou wilt save Israel by mine hand, as thou hast said. And it was so: for he rose up early on the morrow, and thrust the fleece together, and wringed the dew out of the fleece, a bowl full of water. And Gideon said unto God, Let not thine anger be hot against me, and I will speak but this once: let me prove, I pray thee, but this once with the fleece; let it now be dry only upon the fleece, and upon all the ground let there be dew. And God did so that night: for it was dry upon the fleece only, and there was dew on all the ground.” - Judges 6:36-39. God is always with us and we can ask Him to give us proof that He is with us, believe it or not, He still proves Himself today. He wants to show us miracles, He wants to show us that He hears us, but we must first have that faith in Him and respect Him. We can not just go to God in anger and disrespect to get Him to answer us, doing that only prolongs suffering. Think about it. Have you ever had someone demand that you do something? We are not so quick at getting it done, are we?. Or have you ever been driving down the road and someone rushes behind you, trying to intimidate you and get you to go faster? You tend to want to go slower, right? Well, God is the same way, if we are being rude and pushy, He will just slow down. He is very patient and will not hesitate to teach us a little bit of patience.

Now, once God proves Himself it is time for us to prove to Him that we trust in Him and seek His will. It was time for Gideon to be put to the test, they were about to go into battle with the Midianites, God reduced the Israelite army down to three hundred men. Three hundred against thousands, but Gideon trusted God to deliver them and He did. The Israelites took back control and God delivered the Midianites into their hands. “And the three hundred blew the trumpets, and the LORD set every man's sword against his fellow, even throughout all the host: and the host fled to Bethshittah in Zererath, and to the border of Abelmeholah, unto Tabbath. And the men of Israel gathered themselves together out of Naphtali, and out of Asher, and out of all Manasseh, and pursued after the Midianites. And Gideon sent messengers throughout all mount Ephraim, saying, come down against the Midianites, and take before them the waters unto Bethbarah and Jordan. Then all the men of Ephraim gathered themselves together, and took the waters unto Bethbarah and Jordan. And they took two princes of the Midianites, Oreb and Zeeb; and they slew Oreb upon the rock Oreb, and Zeeb they slew at the winepress of Zeeb, and pursued Midian, and brought the heads of Oreb and Zeeb to Gideon on the other side Jordan.” - Judges 7:22-25. It is only when we seek God's will that He will bless us. In order to prove Himself the Son of God, Jesus did not rush to save a man named Lazarus when his sisters called for Him to come and heal him. It was actually not until Lazarus died that He came to prove Himself. “Then said Jesus unto them plainly, Lazarus is dead. And I am glad for your sakes that I was not there, to the intent ye may believe; nevertheless let us go unto him.” - John 11:14,15. Jesus is saying that if I just went there to heal him no one would believe it was me, but if I raise him from the dead they will know that this is only from God. God proves Himself in order to show us that we must trust in Him first to see His blessings. Every day I ask God to show me that He hears my prayers and sometimes I get no answer, but when I do it is amazing. If you have questions, God will answer them. Just stay faithful and trust in Him, He will prove to you that He hears you, but you have to prove to Him that you hear Him also. He loves you and wants to bless you, but before He does He wants to know that you love Him. Praise God for His love!

Enjoy the rest of your day/night and week,
God Bless You, I am praying for you,
Christina

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