Bible Chapter: Judges 3 & 4

Because the Bible is practical, here are some statements to get you thinking.

1.  Write one or two key thoughts that come from today’s reading.
    God is love.  God is pure and holy.  God wants a people who love Him and live holy lives.  It seems that God’s people down through the ages live a roller coaster spiritual experience -- up and down continually.  This is the story we see in the book of Judges.  Apostasy (abandoning belief) seemed to come so easily. This was followed by bondage to heathen nations.  Then they would finally call out to God and He would deliver them.  This cycle continues today in the church world.  People get excited about God and then they get lazy spiritually and get drawn to sinful lifestyles.  False doctrine comes in and the church proclaims teachings that are far from the Bible.  Spiritual decline comes too easily.  People compromise their relationship with God.
    In these chapters we see examples of how God raised up leaders to bring the nation back to serving God.  God overcame the enemies in supernatural ways.  This truth is expressed in 3:10 where it says the Spirit of the Lord came upon him.  As the power and presence of God came on the judges, they were supernaturally used to lead the people in victory over enemies and back to God.

2.  What can I apply in my life from the reading?
    Probably the only place where roller coasters are fun is in an amusement park.  They are dangerous in a spiritual journey.  The picture we should display is a slow and steady climb.  Believers in Jesus should live a consistent increase in our knowledge of and relationship with God.  While we are not able to live a perfect life, we should not be in a continual up and down cycle.  We must be consistent in our beliefs and they must be solidly based on the Bible.  Beliefs in God are not based on opinion polls.  Even if the majority calls for something different, Christ-followers must reject anything that compromises God’s eternal truths.
    A very sad statement is the passage that says the Israelites did evil.  They intermingled with the heathen, marrying them and bringing heathen culture in to their families.  God had so clearly told them not to do this.  I see this happening in the church world today.  People are entering in to relationships with sinners that don’t bring the sinner to Jesus, but pull the believer away.  These kinds of relationships must be avoided at all costs.

3.  How can I help someone?
    I sense this book is talking especially to those who declare themselves to be followers of God.  The powerful lesson is for all to get as close to God as they can and obey all the directions He has given.  Any temporary pleasures derived from compromise don’t come close to being worth the price a person will pay.