Latest / Bible Chat Devotional / March 24 - Courage to Stand and Follow

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March 24 - Courage to Stand and Follow · Bible Chat Devotional

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Welcome to Bible Chat, where we have devotional conversations
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rooted in Scripture and relevant for today, March 24th.
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Courage to stand and follow. There are moments in life when
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you feel too small for what is in front of you.
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Too weak, too inexperienced, too uncertain, too ordinary.
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Maybe you know what is right, but standing for it feels
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intimidating. Maybe you sense God leading you,
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but following Him feels risky. It is in moments like those that
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courage becomes more than a feeling.
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It becomes a decision to trust God more than your fear.
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Proverbs chapter 12 verse 26 says the righteous is a guide to
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his neighbor, but the way of the wicked leads them astray.
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That means your life is not just about you.
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Your choices point somewhere. The way you live, speak,
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respond, and decide can influence the people around you
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for good or for harm. Then Psalm chapter 36, verse 5
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says Your steadfast love, O Lord, extends to the heavens
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your faithfulness to the clouds. Before God calls us to stand, He
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reminds us of who He is. He is faithful.
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His love is steady. His character does not shift
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with our emotions, and in Judges chapters 6 to 7, Gideon is a
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perfect example of someone who felt unqualified.
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He doubted, hesitated, and questioned, Yet God called him
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forward and showed him that victory would not come through
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numbers or human confidence, but through God's strength.
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That is still how God works. He often calls people who feel
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inadequate so they will learn to rely on Him.
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Courage is not having No Fear. Courage is moving in obedience
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while leaning on the faithfulness of God.
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It is standing when compromise would be easier.
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It is speaking truth when silence would feel safer.
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It is following God when you do not have all the details.
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And the beautiful part is this. You do not have to manufacture
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that strength by yourself. God gives it.
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Gideon did not become brave because he suddenly believed in
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himself. He became brave because God was
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with him. That is the source of courage
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for you too. Your example matters.
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Someone is watching how you respond under pressure, how you
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treat people, how you handle fear, and whether you trust God
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when things feel uncertain. So stand, follow, trust.
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Even small acts of obedience can become guiding lights in someone
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else's darkness. Let's pray.
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Heavenly Father, thank you for your steadfast love and
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faithfulness. When I feel small or
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unqualified, remind me that you are with me.
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Give me courage to stand for what is right and to follow
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where you lead. Let my choices guide others
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toward truth and hope. Teach me to trust your strength
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more than my fear, and help me walk in obedient faith each day.
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In Jesus name, Amen. What if the most important
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question in your life deserves more than a shallow answer?
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Does God Exist Is a powerful, thought provoking series that
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explores reality, meaning, and truth through reason, evidence,
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human experience, and scripture without preaching pressure or
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assumptions. Book 1, Something from Nothing,
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confronts the mystery of existence itself and asks why
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anything exists at all. Book 2, The Cause Behind the
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Cosmos, examines the origin of the universe and whether it
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points beyond itself. Book 3, Design or Accident,
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wrestles with order and complexity.
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Are they products of chance or intelligence?
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Book 4, The Moral Signature, explores why objective right and
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wrong may require a source beyond human opinion.
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Book 5, The God We Cannot Escape, considers conscience,
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longing, and humanity's persistent awareness of God.
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Book 6, From Reason to Revelation, asks whether the God
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who exists would also speak. And Book 7, Denying God,
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examines the internal tensions of unbelief and the deeper
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implications of rejecting the divine.
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Written in clear, accessible language for seekers, skeptics,
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students, and curious minds, this series invites honest
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reflection and careful thinking. If you're ready to explore the
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question seriously, Order Does God Exist?
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On Amazon or visit prayerscripts.org today.
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Now I invite you to spend time with God in today's three-year
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Bible reading plan. Proverbs Chapter 12 Verse 26
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World English Bible. A righteous person is cautious
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in friendship, but the way of the wicked leads them astray.
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Psalm Chapter 36 World English Bible for the chief musician by
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David, the servant of Yahweh. A revelation is within my heart
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about the disobedience of the wicked.
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There is No Fear of God before his eyes, for he flatters
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himself in his own eyes too much to detect and hate his sin.
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The words of his mouth are iniquity and deceit.
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He has ceased to be wise and to do good.
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He plots iniquity on his bed. He sets himself in a way that is
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not good. He doesn't abhor evil.
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Your loving kindness, Yahweh is in the heavens.
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Your faithfulness reaches to the skies.
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Your righteousness is like the mountains of God.
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Your judgments are like a great, deep Yahweh.
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You preserve man and animal. How precious is your loving
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kindness, God, The children of men take refuge under the shadow
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of your wings. They shall be abundantly
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satisfied with the abundance of your house.
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You will make them drink of the river of your pleasures.
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For with you is the spring of life.
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In your light we will see light. Oh, continue your loving
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kindness to those who know you, Your righteousness to the
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upright in heart. Don't let the foot of pride come
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against me. Don't let the hand of the wicked
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drive me away. They're the workers of iniquity
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are fallen. They are thrust down and shall
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not be able to rise. Judges, chapters six to seven
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world English Bible. The children of Israel did that
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which was evil in Yahweh's sight.
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So Yahweh delivered them into the hand of Midian. 7 years the
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hand of Midian prevailed against Israel, and because of Midian
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the children of Israel made themselves the dens which are in
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the mountains, the caves and the strongholds.
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So it was when Israel had sown that the Midianites, the
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Amalkites and the children of the East came up against them.
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They encamped against them and destroyed the increase of the
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earth until you come to Gaza. They left no sustenance in
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Israel and no sheep, ox or donkey, for they came up with
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their livestock and their tents. They came in as locusts for
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multitude. Both they and their camels were
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without number and they came into the land to destroy it.
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Israel was brought very low because of Midian and the
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children of Israel cried to Yahweh.
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When the children of Israel cried to Yahweh because of
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Midian, Yahweh sent a prophet to the children of Israel, and he
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said to them, Yahweh, the God of Israel, says, I brought you up
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from Egypt and brought you out of the House of bondage.
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I delivered you out of the hand of the Egyptians and out of the
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hand of all who oppressed you, and drove them out from before
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you and gave you their land. I said to you, I am Yahweh your
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God. You shall not fear the gods of
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the Amorites in whose land you dwell, but you have not listened
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to my voice. Yahweh's Angel came and sat
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under the oak, which was an offra that belonged to Josh the
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Abbey's rite. His son Gideon was beating out
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wheat in the wine press to hide it from the Midianites.
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Yahweh's Angel appeared to him and said to him, Yahweh is with
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you, you mighty man of valor. Gideon said to him, Oh my Lord,
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if Yahweh is with us, why then has all this happened to us?
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We're all his wondrous works which our fathers told us of
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saying, Didn't Yahweh bring us up from Egypt?
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But now Yahweh has cast us off and delivered us into the hand
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of Midian. Yahweh looked at him and said,
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Go in this your might and save Israel from the hand of Midian.
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Haven't I sent you? He said to him, Oh Lord, how
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shall I save Israel? Behold, my family is the poorest
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in Manasseh, and I am the least in my father's house.
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Yahweh said to him, Surely I will be with you, and you shall
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strike the Midianites as one man.
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He said to him, If now I have found favor in your sight, then
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show me a sign that it is you who talk with me.
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Please don't go away until I come to you and bring out my
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present and lay it before you. He said, I will wait until you
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come back. Gideon went in and prepared a
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young goat and unleavened cakes of an efer of meal.
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He put the meat in a basket and he put the broth in a pot and
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brought it out to him under the oak and presented it.
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The Angel of God said to him, take the meat and the unleavened
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cakes and lay them on this rock and pour out the broth.
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He did so. Then Yahweh's Angel stretched
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out the end of the staff that was in his hand and touched the
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meat and the unleavened cakes and fire went up out of the rock
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and consumed the meat and the unleavened cakes.
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Then Yahweh's Angel departed out of his sight.
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Gideon saw that he was Yahweh's Angel and Gideon said, alas Lord
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Yahweh, because I have seen Yahweh's Angel face to face.
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Yahweh said to him, Peace be to you, don't be afraid, you shall
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not die. Then Gideon built an altar there
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to Yahweh and called it Yahweh is peace.
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To this day it is still in offer of the Abbey's rights.
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That same night Yahweh said to him, Take your father's bull,
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even the second bull, seven years old, and throw down the
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altar of Baal that your father has, and cut down the ashra that
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is by it. Then build an altar to Yahweh
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your God, on the top of this stronghold in an orderly way,
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and take the second bull and offer a burnt offering with the
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wood of the ashra, which you shall cut down.
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Then Gideon took ten men of his servants and did as Yahweh had
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spoken to him, because he feared his father's household and the
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men of the city. He could not do it by day, but
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he did it by night. When the men of the city arose
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early in the morning, behold, the altar of bail was broken
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down, and the ashrae was cut down.
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That was by it, and the second bull was offered on the altar
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that was built. They said to one another, Who
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has done this thing? When they inquired and asked,
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they said, Gideon, the son of Josh has done this thing.
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Then the men of the city said to Josh, Bring out your son that he
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may die because he has broken down the altar of Baal, and
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because he has cut down the ashra that was by it.
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Josh said to all who stood against him, Will you contend
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for Baal, or will you save him? He who will contend for him, let
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him be put to death by morning. If he is a God, let him contend
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for himself, because someone has broken down his altar.
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Therefore on that day he named him Jarabal, saying, Let Baal
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contend against him, because he has broken down his altar.
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Then all the Midianites and the Amalekites and the children of
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the East assembled themselves together, and they passed over
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and encamped in the valley of Jezreel.
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But Yahweh's spirit came on Gideon, and he blew a trumpet,
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and Abizar was gathered together to follow him.
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He sent messengers throughout all Manasseh, and they also were
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gathered together to follow him. He sent messengers to Asher, to
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Zebulun, and to Naftali, and they came up to meet them.
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Gideon said to God, If you will save Israel by my hand as you
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have spoken, behold, I will put a fleece of wool on the
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thrashing floor. If there is dew on the fleece
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only, and it is dry on all the ground, then I'll know that you
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will save Israel by my hand as you have spoken.
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It was so, for he rose up early on the next day and pressed the
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fleece together and wrung the dew out of the fleece, a bowl
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full of water. Gideon said to God, Don't let
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your anger be kindled against me, and I will speak but this
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once. Please let me make a trial just
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this once with the fleece. Let it now be dry only on the
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fleece and on all the ground let there be dew.
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God did so that night, for it was dry on the fleece only, and
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there was dew on all the ground. Then Jerobal, who is Gideon, and
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all the people who were with him, rose up early and encamped
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beside the spring of Harrod. Midian's camp was on the north
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side of them by the hill of Moor in the valley.
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Yahweh said to Gideon, The people who are with you are too
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many for me to give the Midianites into their hand, lest
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Israel brag against me, saying, My own hand has saved me.
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Now therefore proclaim in the ears of the people, saying,
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Whoever is fearful and trembling, let him return and
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depart from Mount Gilead. So 22,000 of the people returned
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and 10,000 remained. Yahweh said to Gideon, There are
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still too many people, bring them down to the water and I
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will test them for you. There it shall be that those
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whom I tell you this shall go with you, shall go with you, and
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whoever I tell you this shall not go with you shall not go.
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So he brought down the people to the water, and Yahweh said to
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Gideon, Everyone who laps of the water with his tongue like a dog
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lapse. You shall set him by himself.
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Likewise everyone who bows down on his knees to drink.
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The number of those who lapped, putting their hand to their
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mouth was 300 men, but all the rest of the people bowed down on
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their knees to drink water. Yahweh said to Gideon, I will
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save you by the 300 men who lapped and deliver the
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Midianites into your hand. Let all the other people go,
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each to his own place. So the people took food in their
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hand and their trumpets, and he sent all the rest of the men of
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Israel to their own tents, but retained the 300 men.
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And the camp of Midian was beneath him in the valley.
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That same night Yahweh said to him, Arise, go down into the
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camp, for I have delivered it into your hand.
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But if you are afraid to go down, go with Pura your servant,
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down to the camp. You will hear what they say, and
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afterwards your hands will be strengthened to go down into the
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camp. Then went he down with Pura his
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servant, to the outermost part of the armed men who were in the
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camp. The Midianites and the
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Amalekites and all the children of the East lay along in the
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valley like locusts for multitude, and their camels were
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without number, as the sandwich is on the seashore for
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multitude. When Gideon had come, behold,
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there was a man telling a dream to his fellow.
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He said, Behold, I dreamed a dream, and behold, a cake of
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barley bread tumbled into the camp of Midian, came to the tent
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and struck it so that it fell, and turned it upside down so
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that the tent lay flat. His fellow answered, This is
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nothing other than the sword of Gideon the son of Josh, a man of
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Israel. God has delivered Midian into
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his hand with all the army. It was so when Gideon heard the
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telling of the dream and its interpretation that he
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worshipped. Then he returned into the camp
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of Israel and said, Arise, for Yahweh has delivered the army of
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Midian into your hand. He divided the 300 men into
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three companies, and he put into the hands of all of them
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trumpets and empty pitchers with torches within the pitchers.
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He said to them, Watch me and do likewise.
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Behold, when I come to the outermost part of the camp, it
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shall be that as I do so you shall do.
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When I blow the trumpet, I and all who are with me.
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Then blow the trumpets also on every side of all the camp, and
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shout for Yahweh and for Gideon. So Gideon and the 100 men who
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were with him came to the outermost part of the camp in
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the beginning of the middle watch, when they had but newly
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set the watch. Then they blew the trumpets and
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broke in pieces the pitchers that were in their hands.
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The three companies blew the trumpets, broke the pitchers,
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and held the torches in their left hands and the trumpets in
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their right hands with which to blow.
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And they shouted the sword of Yahweh and of Gideon.
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They each stood in his place around the camp, and all the
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army ran and they shouted and put them to flight.
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They blew the 300 trumpets, and Yahweh set every man's sword
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against his fellow and against all the army.
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And the army fled as far as Bait Shita, towards Zahra, as far as
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the border of Abel Mahala by Tabith.
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The men of Israel were gathered together out of Naftali, out of
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Asher and out of all Manasseh, and pursued Midian.
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Gideon sent messengers throughout all the Hill Country
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of Ephraim saying Come down against Midian and take the
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waters before them as far as Bait, Bera, even the Jordan.
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So all the men of Ephraim were gathered together and took the
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waters as far as Bate, Bara, even the Jordan.
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They took the 2 Princess of Midian, Orab and Zeb.
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They killed Orab at Orab's rock and Zeb they killed at Zeb's
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wine press as they pursued Midian.
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Then they brought the heads of Orab and Zeb to Gideon beyond
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the Jordan. Thanks for joining us on Bible
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Chat, where Scripture meets everyday life.
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conversation. Until next time, stay rooted in
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truth, anchored in hope, and walking daily with Jesus.