“And Gideon made an ephod of it and put it in his city, in Ophrah. And all Israel whored after it there, and it became a snare to Gideon and to his family.” – Judges 8:27

Unfortunately, Gideon began to believe his own press. God had done extraordinary things after choosing Gideon to lead Israel. The nation was saved, set free, and united. Rather than be humbled by the awesome activity of God, Gideon became impressed with himself. Despite a display of false modesty, he allowed himself to become the center of Israel’s attention, lived like a king, and introduced false worship that infected himself and his family.

Rather than condemn the foolishness of Gideon, let us learn from him. After all, most of us are fairly ordinary people who happen to be loved, adopted, and empowered by the same extraordinary God! Which means, that after God does something amazing through us, we’re easily tempted by all the praise that naturally flows our way. Be very careful to keep your eyes on Jesus, no matter what. Keep pointing those who applaud you or pat you on the back toward the Lord. There’s nothing wrong with enjoying the blessings of a faithful life, but make sure you actually keep living that faithful life.

Remember John 15:1-11. As a follower of Jesus, all true and lasting fruit comes only through your connection to Him. Apart from Him, you can do nothing that will endure for eternity. Never let people get confused about Who or how you did amazing things. And never let false modesty replace genuine humility in Christ. #FollowJesus

“And the Lord said to Gideon, ‘With the 300 men who lapped I will save you and give the Midianites into your hand, and let all the others go every man to his home.’” – Judges 7:7

Why did God send thousands of able-bodied soldiers home and leave Gideon with just 300 for the battle? To make it very clear Who was actually saving Israel! To keep people, including Gideon, from thinking they did it all themselves. To instill faith in a generation that had lost their way spiritually. To bring not only physical freedom to Israel but spiritual freedom through renewed faith in the Living God.

This is still God’s agenda. He yearns to see revival throughout the world, including in this country. He desires for people to be set free from bondage to sin, the world, and the devil through new life in Jesus Christ. He will once again do wonders to accomplish this. Believe in it and pray for it to happen! Pray for revival and renewal because the day is coming. When it does, you can be sure God will once again make it clear that it isn’t by anyone’s hand or talents but His Own! Pray and #FollowJesus

“And he said to him, ‘Please, Lord, how can I save Israel? Behold, my clan is the weakest in Manasseh, and I am the least in my father’s house.’” – Judges 6:15

It’s easy to understand Gideon’s question. After all, he was an unimpressive individual from an unimpressive family. Not notably brave. Not notably clever. Not notably strong. How could he possibly lead the fight to set his people free??? God’s answer is very clear in the next verse – it isn’t about the person. It’s about the Living God with that person!

God often does His most extraordinary works through ordinary people willing to do whatever He asks them to do in His power and presence. With God’s Spirit in us, there’s nothing a follower of Jesus can’t accomplish if it’s God’s will. Just because he or she can’t possibly do something in their own abilities and resources doesn’t mean God can’t do it through them. So, what about you? What might God be calling you to do in His power and presence? Do you know? Have you asked?

If you have some idea of what God might want you to do for His Kingdom, are you doing it? Are you willing to do it? Are you willing to do it in His power and presence (not your own)? Are you still wondering like Gideon did how God could possibly do it through you? Don’t worry so much about that last part. If God is calling you to do something, simply draw nearer to Him and answer His call! #FollowJesus

“But Ananias answered, “Lord, I have heard from many about this man, how much evil he has done to your saints at Jerusalem. And here he has authority from the chief priests to bind all who call on your name.” But the Lord said to him, “Go, for he is a chosen instrument of mine to carry my name before the Gentiles and kings and the children of Israel.” – Acts 9:13-15

Only Jesus can turn His greatest enemy into His greatest evangelist! Jesus took Saul of Tarsus, a zealous Pharisee who hated Him and His followers, and He flipped Saul right around. In a moment, the overwhelming reality of Jesus’ holy and glorious presence pulled Saul off the wrong path and onto the right path, transforming his enormous knowledge and zeal into an asset for Christ’s Kingdom. In the history of the church, there has been nobody else like Saul. However, Jesus is always working to turn enemies into evangelists!

There’s so much we can learn from this. We see the grace of Jesus illustrated as He loves and calls a man who’d been tormenting, torturing, and killing followers of Jesus. Saul did nothing to earn Christ’s forgiveness and inclusion in His kingdom, but Jesus gave it to him anyway. Saul would later call himself “the foremost of sinners” while marveling at the grace of Jesus. We also see how Jesus doesn’t just look for the most talented person already on His team. He calls and qualifies people from every walk of life, including His enemies. Once they trust in Him, they’re radically changed and suitable for service to King Jesus. Such was the case for Saul, who quickly began preaching the good news of Jesus Christ after his baptism.

We also see how difficult it is for Christians to believe that the Gospel has truly changed someone they fear or hate. Even though we believe the Gospel, it can still be a struggle to believe Jesus could love and save certain people. We can be skeptical of the very miracle that has saved us. And yet, we must believe. We must cling to the hope of the Gospel, praying and trusting that Jesus can turn around even His most hardened opponent. We must trust in the Lord, His power, and His wisdom in choosing and appointing those He selects. So, whom should you be praying for? What enemy of the faith are you praying Jesus will turn into a great evangelist? Take your time and pray right now. #FollowJesus

“And Saul approved of his execution. And there arose on that day a great persecution against the church in Jerusalem, and they were all scattered throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria, except the apostles.” – Acts 8:1

Back in Acts chapter 1, Jesus told His followers to go tell people about Him throughout Judea, Samaria, and the rest of the world. However, after a considerable amount of time had passed, the entire Christian movement was still concentrated in Jerusalem. It’s hard to blame them for this. They loved being together and their fellowship was beautiful! Then, persecution broke out. Suddenly, Jerusalem wasn’t such a comfortable place anymore. Suddenly, the followers of Jesus had no choice but to go out to Judea and Samaria.

Just like that, the command of Jesus finally began moving forward. Just like that, the Great Commission was under way. Just like that, Christians went and made disciples in Judea and Samaria. The Gospel finally began to advance throughout the world. Why? Because of persecution!

This is a powerful lesson and reminder to us. Though we’d all prefer comfort and safety, that rarely helps move the church forward. History reveals that the church thrives best and the Gospel spreads fastest whenever and wherever it is uncomfortable, unwise, and unsafe to be a Christian. Why? Because then Christians must rely on God, His Spirit, and His power rather than themselves, their resources, and their power. When we’re genuinely yielding our lives to the Spirit’s power, remarkable things happen in the world!

The simple reality is that comfort and peace are terrible temptations for churches and their members. They make it very hard to keep the main thing the main thing. After all, there are so many delightful distractions to which we quickly grow attached. So, perhaps, if we’re serious about completing the Great Commission, we need to pray for a bit less comfort and safety for believers and a bit more boldness and dependence on Holy Spirit power. Are you ready to pray like that? #FollowJesus