Struggle Reflections

Are there any patterns of rebellion and struggle in your life?  What does your personal life pattern look like when it comes to sin and wandering from God?  What is one step you can take to begin to break that pattern?

Sunday Recap

What a beautiful Sunday!

Together, as one united congregation, we took a moment to remember the saints who have gone before us.  During the sacrement of Communion, people took turns lighting candles on the altar...  Remembering loved ones they have lost, or lighting a candle in honor of someone struggling now.

65 candles were lit.  And it was stunningly beautiful.

So much love and celebration of life.  So much remembering and sharing stories.  Passing on the memories of lives well lived.

Thinking About Chapter 8

Some reflection questions as you read Chapter 8:

1.  God used Israel's enemies to turn them back to God.  Have you ever had a painful or dangerous experience that led you back to God?

2.  Deborah's military leader was named Barak, which means "lightening" or 'flashing sword."  Did he live up to his name?  Describe a time when fear held you back from living up to the name "Christian."

3.  In the evil days after Joshua, "every man did what was right in his eyes."  In a pluralistic society, why is it dangerous when everyone gets to pick their own definition of right and wrong?

4.  What are some characteristics of Deborah that make her a good role model for young women?

5.  The angel of the Lord greeted Gideon as a mighty warrior though he was from the weakest clan and of the least in his family (p 89).  Do you tend to define yourself by your weaknesses or by the potential God sees in you because God is with you?

6.  Samson's strength did not make us for his moral weaknesses.  When has a strength of yours been insufficient to overcome your conditions?

7.  In examining Samson's marriages, what takeaways would strengthen yours?

8.  Think of some of the prayers in this chapter, such as Gideon's or Samson's.  What does this teach us about prayer?

When Your Mistakes Land You In Front Of A Judge

Have you ever had to own up for something you did wrong? Maybe you remember sneaking out to see an
R-rated movie and then confessing the truth to your seething parents after you crept in the house past
curfew. Or maybe, more recently, you lied to your boss and had to face the consequences once you were
found out.

We have all had to come face-to-face with an authority and own up to what we’ve done wrong. Palms
sweat, stomach twists and turns. It can feel like you’re going before the judge in a court martial.

Judges elicit a sense of fear, don’t they? They never call you in for something you have done right.
We think of them as someone who harshly tells us what we did wrong. And they seem to be everywhere
these days on television. There’s Judge Judy and Hatchett. Mathis and Christina. Judge Brown.

Then there are some judges you may not know. They even have a book in the Bible with their name on
it. Judges. These judges appeared on the scene to help sort out right and wrong. They also helped people
get out of trouble.

God’s people kept putting themselves into a never ending cycle of disobedience, discipline, declaration
of wrong, and deliverance. Judges like Deborah and Gideon and Samson helped them find their way back
to God.

What did the people do that was so bad they needed judges? Two things. First, they failed to put God first
in their lives (Judges 1:28). And secondly, they did not teach their children to know God (Judges 2:10).
These two “sins” led to their downfall and ruin.

Are you making the same mistakes they made? If so, you have a judge that can help you––Jesus.

The good news is that when he “calls” you into his office after you’ve messed up, you will look up to see
your judge’s face and see your savior there.

Battle Actions

In the course of talking about Chapter 7 of The Story, God might have brought to your attention an area of your life where you have given in and stopped swimming against the current of our world.  It is not that you don't care, but you are being swept downstream in the wrong direction.  If you felt such a conviction, make a commitment to take specific steps to follow God's will, resist temptation, and begin your battle against this particular area of sin or apathy.  Find a friend who will pray for you and keep you accountable to keep up the good fight.

The Battle Begins - Chapter 7 Recap

Why, in the upper story, is God giving the Israelites the land of Canaan?

1.  God is not so much giving it to Israel as God is taking it away from the Amorites because of their wickedness (Genesis 15:16).  The conquest of Israel may seem unfair and brutal, but it reflects the justice and righteousness of God who steps in and removes detestable wickedness.

2.  God wants to establish God's name, in order to give the Israelites an identity in an identifiable land, and to make God's self known to the surrounding nations.

Application for this week?

God wants to make God's name known in our community, which God does through God's relationship with us, God's church.  God is inviting us to be strong and courageous as we face this giant vision!

Right now, St. Paul's UMC is living out the vision of a unified community, a community seeking to be in the Book together, a community seeking to pray together, and reflect God's glory to the world - Together.  How are you living this out in your personal life - and are you sharing it with your family, friends, neighbors?

Be strong and be courageous!

Joshua Reflections

Joshua teaches us three ways to prepare for battle:  Be people of the Word.  Pray.  Reflect God's Glory. 
Take a moment to think about how these steps are lived out in your daily life...

How can I go deeper into God's Word and follow it with great passion in my daily life?

What steps can I take to make more space for conversation with God in my normal day, especially when I am facing battles?

When people look at me, in a normal day, do they see that I am a follower of Jesus?  What can I do to live and think in ways that will identify me more closely with the Savior?