PLEASE READ THIS FIRST: Judges 11-12
What do you sense the Lord saying to you in this passage?
“Then the Spirit of the Lord came on Jephthah.” (Judges 11:29)
When I think of the fruit of the Spirit, the name Jephthah does not come to mind.
And yet he is considered one of the heroes of faith (Hebrews 11:32).
To me this reminds me again of God’s amazing grace.
God still partners with humans for His kingdom purpose.
God does not approve of war, murder, dysfunctional families or child sacrifice.
God did not ask for, nor was He pleased by, the death of Jephthah’s daughter.
God hates sin and immorality, yet He still works with us to help us and the world.
If God didn’t, none of us would be here.
God steps into the mess to become our human messiah in Jesus.
Jesus shows us what a Spirit-filled human ought to be like.
We look to Jesus, not Jephthah, for our ideas about life in the Spirit.
Jesus leads us not by taking lives, but giving His life for us!
Jephthah was the best Israel could find at the time.
But now the Jesus has come, we follow Him and live by His Spirit!
PRAYER
Lord, how can You put up with us. And yet because You did, I am alive now to know You better. Fill me with Your Spirit, so that I can give life and not take life!
God sure used unconventional actors as judges to rescue Israel: their backgrounds, family situations and actions – reveals how God can use persons of questionable lineage to achieve His ends. Jephthah leans on the Lord and then makes a very stupid vow that he carries out in regards to his daughter. The thought of his daughter being sacrificed to God irks me – seems to indicate little knowledge of who God is (child sacrifice is not what God wants) and the danger of making vows. For me, I make commitments that I fail on and confess them to the Lord. That is the God that I know – who grants me grace through Jesus.
God uses people His wonders to perform. He continues to raise leaders among the peoples so that they return to His way. And today . . .
We still need to walk in His Way – in His SonShine. We must be Spirit driven, Spirit Led. And in order to do that I need to dress myself this day once again with His armour so that I am driven to do His will – not mine. I need to be intune with Him as I live this day in His presence. Others need to see Christ Jesus living in me.
Spirit of the Living God
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Spirit of the living God
Fall fresh on me
Spirit of the living God
Fall fresh on me
Break me, melt me, mold me fill me
Spirit of the living God
Fall fresh on me