Cindy T

What is God's answer to Gideon's self-image? (6:16) Does this spiritual principle apply to our lives as Christians? Can you recall any New Testament passages that teach the same principle? What is an appropriate prayer to pray in light of what God has taught you from this passage? God's answer is the same yesterday, today, and forever ..."I will be with you." He promises thoughout the bible to be with us. His strength is made perfect in our weaknesses. II Cor. 12:9 Jesus said, "without me, ye can do nothing." John 15:5 Great and mighty God, Father of all the earth, creator and lover of my soul, Your Word says You are with me always, even unto the end of the world. Lord, may I see through Your eyes and completely embrace the divine purpose You have placed on my life that I may glorify You. Help thou mine unbelief, Lord that I may walk in all that You have called me to do. Let not my own vision or that of the enemy rob me of the highest honor in this life. May I seek Your precious face and accept Your perfect will, purpose, and plan for my life. Your Word says You will complete the good work You've begun in me and that if I abide in You and You in me, together we can do anything, for nothing is impossible with God. Let me look to You for all things for You are my source and my strength. May my steps be ordered by the Lord and my thoughts be established according to Your Word, that I may do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me. May my life be a living sacrifice unto You, for You are alone are worthy, Lord. Amen

The Lord saw Gideon as a "mighty warrior" because He knew His plans for him. Gideon's vision was limited by his own flesh; therefore he saw only that he belonged to the 'weakest' clan and that he was the 'least' in his family. We often see through our own eyes and act on what we see. If we could get just a glimpse of what God sees, we would be more likely to act on faith and step out in the things God has for us. I see myself as a wife, mother, and employee, often times struggling to make it through each day. God sees me as a blood-bought, spirit-filled child of the Most High who can do ALL things through Jesus Christ! There are times when I see through God's eyes and feel like I could conquer the world, but most often my own vision determines my direction and my victories. Constantly soaking in the Word of God is the only way to change how we see ourselves. The more we meditate on God's view of us and what His Word declares us to be, the more we will be convinced and begin to walk in the identity of who we 'really' are. "But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise, and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty." I Cor. 1:27

The Israelites were oppressed because they began to worship the gods of the Ammorites -- this is the first commandment, "Thou shalt have no other gods before me" (Exodus 20:3). God will allow hardships and even oppression in our lives to bring us back to Him, He is a jealous God and a consuming fire. Although we don't build graven images from wood or iron, we still have many gods before the Lord. For some it's money, power, wealth; for others it may be knowledge, popularity, or even other people. Anything we desire more than God is an idol. But God is full of mercy and grace. At their cries, he sent a prophet to let them know where they had strayed and then commissioned Gideon to "strike down" the Ammorites on their behalf. I'm continually amazed when I read the story of the Israelites. They sinned over and over and over again. Yet God, in His great love and unending kindness, saves them again and again. And so He is with us. He is just and holy, and there are consequences for sin, but He is also merciful and full of love for his people. He is quick to forgive when we are truly humbled and broken before Him. He is an awesome God!

Question 1: In what way does Gideon blame God for his troubles in 6:13? Gideon questioned God's absence in their time of trouble, thus putting the blame on God. This is not the first biblical example of blaming others for one's own faults. When God asked Eve what she had done after eating from the tree of good and evil, she responded by putting blame on the serpent. And Adam did the same thing -- he blamed 'the woman' for his own disobedience. Is Gideon's Assessment accruate? Gideon felt abandoned by God, but God was not the cause of the situation the Israelites were in. God promised to be with them and protect them and provide for them if they would obey all His commandments. The Israelites had not kept their side of the bargain. We often expect God to fulfull His promises in our lives even when we are not willing to do our part. Why do we blame God?I think it's part of our sin nature to put the blame anywhere but where it really belongs, and that is with us. Pride is a bondage that won't allow us to admit to our own shortcomings (Psalm 73:6). What's the danger and how can we stop short of this in the future? In blaming God -- or someone else -- we take the focus off of ourselves. It is only in examining our own heart that we see who we really are. And it's only after seeing ourselves in God's light that we desire to change. But if we can't admit we make mistakes then we don't need God to work in us. Hard-heartedness is what kept the Isrealites from inheriting the promised land for 40 years.

Hi, I'm excited to begin this study with such a diverse group. This is my first online bible study, and I'm already looking forward to many more.

Hi all, my name is Cindy and I'm from Kentucky. I'm looking forward to studying the Word with all of you and hearing what you have to offer.