"And the Lord said to him, “Surely I will be with you, and you shall defeat the Midianites as one man.” ... Now Gideon perceived that He was the Angel of the Lord. So Gideon said, “Alas, O Lord God! For I have seen the Angel of the Lord face to face.” Then the Lord said to him, “Peace be with you; do not fear, you shall not die.” So Gideon built an altar there to the Lord, and called it The-Lord-Is-Peace." - Judges 6:16,22-24
The pastor at the church we attend preached a sermon entitled "Declaring Our Faith Before Our Circumstances Change". He used Gideon as an example. God told Gideon that God's presence was with him, His promises are enough, and His peace is enough.
"Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen." - Hebrews 11:1
It is in Hebrews 11 that we are reminded again of Gideon's faith. The same faith that we are encouraged to have. Faith that comes from our focus on God and not on our circumstances. It is one thing to trust that something WILL happen after it HAS happened. That is not faith. It is another to trust that something WILL before something happens. That is faith. Be careful that you don't place your trust in the world and its happenings. But trust in God no matter what happens.
I was watching the "25 best singers on America's Got Talent" on YouTube the other day. No commercials :) There was a young woman contestant who sang a song she composed "It's OK". She looked emaciated and, initially, I thought she might be anorexic. It turned out she was in a fierce battle with stage 4 cancer. Before she sang, she said something that I wanted to remember so I paused the TV and went to my computer to write it down - she said "You can't wait until life isn't hard anymore before you decide to be happy"
I agreed but would substitute "find joy by trusting in the Lord" for "decide to be happy". The reason is that joy is a fruit of the spirit and is found through a close and abiding relationship with the Father. The fruit of the spirit is independent of what happens or may happen to us. We have joy because of the Father whose presence is with us. Whose promises are enough. Whose peace is enough.
The woman passed away from her cancer before the season she appeared in ended. She didn't talk about faith or God. Leaving people to think that all we need do to overcome adversity is we just decide to be happy. But I suspect that the woman, if she was without faith, may have resolved herself to an early death - but happy? Only she knows but I suspect without faith - probably not.
Some thoughts from Psalms
"Examine me, O Lord, and prove me; Try my mind and my heart. For Your lovingkindness is before my eyes, And I have walked in Your truth." Psalm 26:2-3
"Hear my cry, O God; Attend to my prayer. From the end of the earth I will cry to You, When my heart is overwhelmed; Lead me to the rock that is higher than I. For You have been a shelter for me, A strong tower from the enemy. I will abide in Your tabernacle forever; I will trust in the shelter of Your wings." - Psalm 61:1-4
"Truly my soul silently waits for God; From Him comes my salvation. He only is my rock and my salvation; He is my defense; I shall not be greatly moved My soul, wait silently for God alone, For my expectation is from Him..... He only is my rock and my salvation; He is my defense; I shall not be moved. In God is my salvation and my glory; The rock of my strength, And my refuge, is in God. Trust in Him at all times, you people; Pour out your heart before Him; God is a refuge for us." - Psalm 62:1-2,6-8
Maybe you can think of more verses that remind us of God's faithfulness.
Think about it – Pray about it – Believe it – Walk in it. Let your light shine and give God the glory.
By Faith Alone By His Grace Alone And For His Glory Alone
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