Latest / Bible Chat Devotional / March 25 - Choosing the Right Path
Transcript
- 0:02Welcome to Bible. Chat where we have.
- 0:04Devotional conversations rooted in Scripture and relevant for
- 0:07today, March 25th. Choosing the right path Life is
- 0:13full of paths. Some look exciting but lead
- 0:16somewhere painful. Some look slow and difficult but
- 0:19end in peace. In the moment, it is not always
- 0:22easy to tell the difference. That is why.
- 0:25We need God's wisdom. Without it, shortcuts can look
- 0:28attractive. Selfish ambition can feel.
- 0:31Justified. And the wrong Rd. can seem like
- 0:34the fastest way to get what we want.
- 0:37Proverbs, chapter 12. Verses 27 to 28.
- 0:40Says whoever is. Slothful will not roast his
- 0:42game, but the diligent man will get.
- 0:45Precious wealth. In the path of righteousness is
- 0:48life, and in its pathway there is no death.
- 0:51Diligence matters because it. Stays with what is.
- 0:53Good righteousness matters. Because it leads to life.
- 0:58God is showing us that how we live now shapes where we end up
- 1:00later. Then in Judges Chapter 9 we see
- 1:04Abimelech choose selfish ambition, violence and power
- 1:07over. What is right?
- 1:09His choices bring destruction not only to himself, but to many
- 1:12others. It is a painful reminder that
- 1:15sin never effects just one person.
- 1:17Wrong choices spread damage. They wound families, communities
- 1:22and futures. By contrast, the path of.
- 1:25Righteousness may seem. Slower, but it is safer.
- 1:28It may require patience, humility and self-control, but
- 1:32it leads somewhere solid. The right path is not always the
- 1:35easiest one. Sometimes it means saying no
- 1:38when others. Say yes.
- 1:40Sometimes it means doing the work instead of looking.
- 1:43For a shortcut. Sometimes it means choosing
- 1:46integrity when nobody would know the difference.
- 1:48And that is where God's presence matters so much.
- 1:52You are not left alone to figure it out.
- 1:54He is with you in every decision, every temptation.
- 1:57And every crossroads. He can give clarity when
- 2:00emotions are loud. He can give strength when
- 2:03obedience. Feels costly.
- 2:05He can keep you steady. When the wrong path seems
- 2:08popular today, think about the direction of your choices, not
- 2:13just what feels good in the moment, but where it is leading.
- 2:15The right path may not. Always be flashy, but it is full
- 2:18of life. God's way is never empty.
- 2:22It forms character, protects your heart, and blesses.
- 2:25Others through your. Faithfulness.
- 2:27Choose the path that leads to life.
- 2:28Even if it takes longer. Walking with God is always worth
- 2:32it. Let's.
- 2:33Pray Heavenly Father, thank you for caring about the direction
- 2:37of my. Life help me.
- 2:38Recognize the paths that lead to harm and give me wisdom to.
- 2:42Choose what is right. Guard me from laziness, selfish
- 2:46ambition, and shortcuts that pull me away from you.
- 2:49Strengthen me to walk in diligence and righteousness.
- 2:52Trusting that your way leads to life.
- 2:55Guide every decision I make and let my choices honor you and
- 2:58bless others in Jesus name. Amen.
- 3:03What if the most important question in your life deserves
- 3:05more than a shallow answer? Does God Exist is a powerful,
- 3:09thought provoking series that explores reality, meaning, and
- 3:12truth through reason, evidence, human experience, and scripture
- 3:17without preaching pressure or assumptions.
- 3:20Book 1, Something from Nothing, confronts the mystery of
- 3:23existence itself and asks why anything exists at all.
- 3:26Book 2, The Cause Behind the Cosmos, examines the origin of
- 3:30the universe and whether it points beyond itself.
- 3:33Book 3, Design or Accident, wrestles with order and
- 3:36complexity. Are they products of chance or
- 3:39intelligence? Book 4, The Moral Signature,
- 3:42explores why objective right and wrong may require a source
- 3:45beyond human opinion. Book 5, The God We Cannot
- 3:48Escape, considers conscience, longing, and humanity's
- 3:51persistent awareness of God. Book 6, From Reason to
- 3:54Revelation, asks whether the God who exists would also speak.
- 3:58And Book 7, Denying God, examines the internal tensions
- 4:02of unbelief and the deeper implications of rejecting the
- 4:05divine. Written in clear, accessible
- 4:07language for seekers, skeptics, students, and curious minds,
- 4:11this series invites honest reflection and careful thinking.
- 4:14If you're ready to explore the question seriously, Order Does
- 4:17God Exist on Amazon or visit prayerscripts.org today.
- 4:23Now I invite you to spend time with.
- 4:25God in today's 3. Year Bible reading plan.
- 4:29Proverbs, chapter 12. Verses 27 to 28 World English.
- 4:33Bible the Slothful. Man doesn't roast his game, but
- 4:36the possessions of diligent men are prized in the way of
- 4:39righteousness is life. In its path.
- 4:42There is no death. Judges Chapters. 8 to 9 World
- 4:45English Bible. The men of Ephraim said to him,
- 4:48Why? Have you treated us this way
- 4:50that you didn't? Call us when you went to fight
- 4:52with Midian. They rebuked him sharply.
- 4:54He said to them, What have I now done in comparison with you?
- 4:58Isn't the gleaning of the grapes of Ephraim better than the
- 5:00vintage of Abizer? God has delivered.
- 5:03Into your hand, the Princess of Midian, Orab and Zeb What?
- 5:06Was. I able to do in comparison with.
- 5:08You. Then their anger was abated
- 5:10toward him. When he had said that, Gideon
- 5:12came to the Jordan and passed. Over.
- 5:14He and the 300 men who were with him, faint yet pursuing, he said
- 5:19to the men of Sukkot. Please give loaves of bread to
- 5:22the. People who follow me, for they
- 5:23are faint, and I am pursuing after Zeba and Zalmana, the
- 5:26kings of Midian. The Princess of Sukkot said are
- 5:30the. Hands of zeba and zalmana now in
- 5:31your hand that we. Should give.
- 5:33Bread to your army, Gideon said. Therefore, when Yahweh.
- 5:36Has delivered. Zeba and Zalmana into my hand.
- 5:39Then I will tear your flesh with the thorns of the wilderness and
- 5:41with briars. He went up there to Pennell and
- 5:44spoke to them in the same way. And the men of Pennell answered
- 5:48him as the men of Sukkot had answered.
- 5:50He spoke also to the men of Pennell, saying, When I come
- 5:53again in peace, I will break down this tower.
- 5:56Now Zebra and Zalmana were in Carker and their armies with
- 5:59them about 15,000 men. All who were left of.
- 6:02All the Army of the Children of the East, for there fell 120,000
- 6:06men who drew sword Gideon went up by the.
- 6:09Way of. Those who lived in tents on the
- 6:11east of Nobah and Jagbaha and struck the army, for the army
- 6:15felt secure. Zeba and Zalmana fled and he
- 6:18pursued them. He took the 2 kings of Midian,
- 6:21Zeba and Zalmana, and confused all the army.
- 6:24Gideon, the son of Josh, returned from the battle from
- 6:26the ascent of heirs. He caught a young man of the men
- 6:29of Sukkot and inquired of him, and he described for him the
- 6:33Princess of Sukkot and its elders, 77 men.
- 6:36He came to the men of Sukkot and said, See Zeba and Zalmana,
- 6:40concerning whom you taunted me, saying, Are the hands of Zeba
- 6:43and Zalmana now in your hand, that we should give bread to
- 6:46your men who are weary? He took the elders.
- 6:49Of the city and thorns of the wilderness and briars, And with
- 6:52them he taught the men of. Sukkot he broke.
- 6:54Down the Tower of Pennell and killed the men of the city.
- 6:57Then he. Said to Zeba and Zalmana, What
- 7:00kind of men were they? Whom you?
- 7:01Killed at Tabor. They answered.
- 7:03They were like you, they all. Resembled the children of a
- 7:05king. He said they were my.
- 7:07Brothers, the sons of my mother, as Yahweh lives, If you had
- 7:11saved them alive, I would not kill you.
- 7:13He said to. Jether, his first born, get up
- 7:15and kill them, but the youth. Didn't draw his sword, for he
- 7:18was afraid because he was yet a youth.
- 7:21Then Zeba and Zalmana said, You rise and fall on us, for as the
- 7:24man is, so is his strength. Gideon arose and killed Zeba and
- 7:28Zalmana and took the crescents that were on their camels necks.
- 7:32Then the men of Israel said to Gideon Rule.
- 7:34Over us both. You, your son and your son's son
- 7:37also. For you have saved us out.
- 7:39Of the hand of Midian, Gideon said to them.
- 7:41I will not rule. Over you neither.
- 7:43Shall my son rule over you? Yahweh shall rule over you.
- 7:47Gideon said to them. I do.
- 7:48Have a request that you would. Each give me the earrings of his
- 7:51plunder, for they had golden earrings because they were
- 7:54Ishmaelites. They answered, We will willingly
- 7:56give them. They spread a garment, and every
- 7:59man threw the earrings of his plunder into it.
- 8:02The. Weight of the.
- 8:02Golden earrings that he requested was 1700.
- 8:06Shekels of gold. In addition to the crescents and
- 8:09the pendants and the purple clothing that was on the Kings
- 8:12of Midian, and in addition to the chains that were about their
- 8:15camels necks, Gideon made an F odd out of it and put it in
- 8:19offer. His city.
- 8:20Then all. Israel played the prostitute
- 8:22with it there. And it became a snare to Gideon
- 8:25and to his House. So Midian was.
- 8:27Subdued before the. Children of Israel, and they
- 8:30lifted up their heads no more. The land had rest 40 years.
- 8:33In the days of Gideon. Jarabal, the son of Josh, went
- 8:36and lived in his own house. Gideon had seventy sons
- 8:40conceived from his. Body for he.
- 8:41Had many wives. His concubine, who was in
- 8:44Shechem, also bore him a son, and he named him Abbamelech.
- 8:48Gideon, the son of Josh, died in a good.
- 8:50Old age. And was buried in the tomb of
- 8:52Josh. His father.
- 8:53In offer of the. Abbey's rites as soon as Gideon
- 8:56was dead, the. Children of Israel turned again
- 8:59and played. The prostitute.
- 9:00Following the bales and made. Bail Barith their God.
- 9:04The children of Israel didn't remember.
- 9:05Yahweh, their God. Who had delivered them out of
- 9:08the hand of all their enemies on every side.
- 9:11Neither did they show kindness to the House of.
- 9:12Jerobal, that is. Gideon, according to all the
- 9:16goodness which he had shown to Israel, Abimelech, the son of
- 9:19Jerobal, went to Shechem, to his mother's brothers, and spoke
- 9:22with them and with all the family of the House of his
- 9:25mother's father, saying, Please speak.
- 9:28In the. Ears of all the men of Shechem.
- 9:30Is it better for you that? All the sons of Jerobal, who are
- 9:3270 persons. Rule over you.
- 9:35Or that one rule over you. Remember also that I am your
- 9:38bone and your flesh. His mother's brothers spoke of
- 9:41him in the ears of all the men of Shechem.
- 9:43All these words, their hearts inclined to follow.
- 9:46Abbamelech. For they said he is our brother,
- 9:49they. Gave him 70.
- 9:50Pieces of silver out of the House of Bale Berith.
- 9:53With which Abbamelech hired Vain and.
- 9:55Reckless fellows who? Followed him.
- 9:57He went to. His father's house at OFRA.
- 9:59And killed his brothers, the sons of Jaribal being 70 persons
- 10:02on one stone. But Jotham, the youngest son of
- 10:05Jaribal, was left, for he hid himself.
- 10:08All the men of Shechem assembled.
- 10:09Themselves together with. All the House of Millow, and
- 10:12went and made Abimelech king by the oak of the pillar that was
- 10:15in Shechem. When they told it to Jotham, he
- 10:18went and stood on the top of Mount Jerusalem and lifted up
- 10:21his. Voice cried out.
- 10:22And said to them, Listen to me, you men of Shechem, that God may
- 10:26listen to you. The trees.
- 10:27Set out to anoint a king over themselves.
- 10:30They said to the olive. Tree reign over us.
- 10:33But the olive? Tree said to them.
- 10:34Should I stop? Producing my oil, with which
- 10:37they honor God and man by me and go to wave.
- 10:39Back and forth over the trees. The trees said to the fig tree.
- 10:43Come and reign over us. But the fig.
- 10:45Tree said to them, Should I leave my sweetness and my good
- 10:48fruit and go to wave? Back and forth over the trees.
- 10:51The trees. Said to the vine, Come and reign
- 10:53over us. The vine said to them.
- 10:55Should I leave my new wine? Which cheers.
- 10:57God and man and go to wave back. And forth over the trees.
- 11:01Then all the trees said to the Bramble, Come and reign over us.
- 11:05The Bramble said to the. Trees.
- 11:06If in truth you anoint me king over you, then come and take
- 11:09refuge in my shade, and if not, let fire come out of the Bramble
- 11:13and devour the Cedars of Lebanon.
- 11:16Now, therefore. If you have dealt.
- 11:17Truly and righteously, in that you have made Abbamelech king.
- 11:21And if you have dealt. Well, with Jarabal and his
- 11:23house, and have done to him according to the deserving of
- 11:26his hands for my father. Fought for you, risked his life.
- 11:29And delivered you out of the hand of Midian, And you have
- 11:32risen up against my father's house today, and have slain his
- 11:35sons, 70 persons on one stone, and have made Abbamelech, the
- 11:39son of his female servant, king over the men of Shechem, because
- 11:43he. Is your brother.
- 11:44If you. Then have dealt.
- 11:45Truly and. Righteously with Jerobal.
- 11:47And with his house today, then rejoice in Abbamelech, and let
- 11:50him also rejoice in you. But if not, let fire come out
- 11:54from Abbamelech and devour the men of Shechem and the House of
- 11:57Milo. And let fire come out from the
- 11:59men of Shechem, and from the House of Milo, and devour
- 12:01Abbamelech. Jotham ran away and fled and
- 12:05went to Beer and lived. There for fear.
- 12:07Of Abbamelech, his brother. Abbamelech was Prince over?
- 12:10Israel three years. Then God sent an evil spirit
- 12:13between Abbamelech and the men of Shechem, and the men of
- 12:16Shechem dealt treacherously with Abbamelech, that the violence
- 12:20done to the 70 sons of Jerobal might come, and that their blood
- 12:23might be laid on Abimelech. Their brother who?
- 12:25Killed them and on the men of Shechem, who strengthened his
- 12:28hands to kill. His brothers.
- 12:30The men of Shechem set an ambush for him on the tops of the
- 12:33mountains, and they robbed all who came along that way by them
- 12:36and Abimelech was told. About it, Gall.
- 12:39The son of EBD came with his brothers and went over to
- 12:42Shechem, and the men of Shechem put their trust in him.
- 12:45They went out into the field, harvested their vineyards.
- 12:48Trod the grapes celebrated. And went into the House of their
- 12:51God, and ate and drank and cursed Abbamelech Gaul, the son
- 12:55of Ebb. Said who is?
- 12:56Abbamelech. And who is Shechem that we
- 12:58should serve him? Isn't he the son of Jerobal?
- 13:01Isn't Zebel his officer serve? The men of Hammer, the father of
- 13:04Shechem. But why should we serve him?
- 13:06I wish that this people were under my hand.
- 13:09Then I would remove Abbamelech, he said to Abbamelech.
- 13:12Increase your army and come out when Zebul.
- 13:15The ruler of the city heard the words.
- 13:16Of Gaul, the son of EBD. His anger burned.
- 13:19He sent messengers to Abbamelech craftily saying, Behold, Gaul
- 13:23the son of EBD and his brothers have come to Shechem, and
- 13:26behold, they incite the city against you.
- 13:29Now Therefore, go up by night, you and the people.
- 13:31Who are with? You and lie in wait in the
- 13:33field. It shall be that in the morning,
- 13:36as soon as the sun is up. You shall rise.
- 13:38Early and rush on the city. Behold, when he and the people
- 13:41who are with him come out against you, then may you do to
- 13:44them as you shall find occasion. Abimelech rose up, and all the
- 13:48people who were with him by night, and they laid weight
- 13:51against Shechem in four companies.
- 13:53Gaul, the son of EBD, went out and stood in the entrance of the
- 13:56gate of the. City.
- 13:58Abimelech rose up and the people who were with him from the
- 14:00ambush when Gaul. Saw the people, he said to
- 14:03Zebel. Behold, people.
- 14:05Are coming down from the tops of the mountains, Zebul said to
- 14:08him. You see the shadows of the
- 14:10mountains as if they were men. Gaul spoke again and said.
- 14:13Behold. People are coming down by the
- 14:15middle of the land, and one company comes by the way of the
- 14:18Oak of Meonim. Then Zebul said to him, Now
- 14:22where is your mouth that you? Said who is?
- 14:24Abbamelech. That we should.
- 14:25Serve him. Isn't this the people that you
- 14:27have despised? Please.
- 14:29Go out now and fight with them. Gaul went out before the men of
- 14:32Shechem and fought with Abbamelech.
- 14:35Abimelech chased him, and he fled before him, and many fell
- 14:38wounded even to the entrance of the gate.
- 14:40Abimelech lived at Arima, and Zebel drove out Gaul and his
- 14:44brothers that they should not dwell in Shechem.
- 14:47On the next day, the people went out into the field and they told
- 14:50Abimelech. He took the.
- 14:52People and divided them into three companies and laid wait in
- 14:55the field and he looked and. Behold the people.
- 14:58Came out of the city. So.
- 15:00He rose up against them and struck them.
- 15:02Abimelech and the companies that were with him rushed forward and
- 15:05stood in the entrance of the gate of the.
- 15:07City. And the two companies rushed on
- 15:09all who were in the field and struck them.
- 15:12Abimelech fought against the city.
- 15:13All that day. And he took the city and killed
- 15:16the people in it. He beat down the city and sewed.
- 15:19It with salt. When all the men of the Tower of
- 15:21Shechem heard of it, they entered into the stronghold of
- 15:24the. House of Elbirith.
- 15:26Abimelech was told that all the men of the Tower of Shechem
- 15:29were. Gathered together.
- 15:30Abemlech went up to Mount Zalman, he and all the people
- 15:33who were with him, and Abemlech took an axe in his hand and cut
- 15:37down a bough from the trees, and took it up and laid it on his.
- 15:40Shoulder Then he said to the. People who were with him, what
- 15:43you have seen me do, make haste and do as I have done.
- 15:47All the people likewise each. Cut down his bow, followed
- 15:50Abemlech and put them at the base of the stronghold and set
- 15:53the stronghold on fire over them.
- 15:55So that all the people of the tower.
- 15:57Of Shechem died also about 1000 men and women.
- 16:00Then Albemlech went to Thebes and encamped against Thebes and
- 16:04took it. But there was a strong tower
- 16:06within the city and all the men and women of the city.
- 16:09Fled there. And shut themselves in and went
- 16:11up to. The roof of the tower.
- 16:13Abimelech came to the tower and fought against it, and came near
- 16:17to the door of the tower to burn it with fire.
- 16:19A certain woman cast an upper millstone on Abimelech's head
- 16:23and broke his. Skull.
- 16:24Then he called. Hastily to the young man, his
- 16:26armor bearer, and said to him. Draw your sword.
- 16:29And kill me that men not say of me a woman killed him.
- 16:32His young man thrust him through, and he died.
- 16:35When the men of Israel saw that Abimelech was.
- 16:37Dead, they each departed to his place.
- 16:40Thus, God repaid the. Wickedness of Abbamelech.
- 16:43Which he did to his father. In killing his 70.
- 16:45Brothers. And God repaid all the
- 16:47wickedness of the men of Shechem on their heads, and the curse of
- 16:51Jotham the son of Jeroble came on them.
- 16:55Thanks for joining us on Bible Chat Where Scripture.
- 16:58Meets everyday life if today's. Devotional encouraged you share
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- 17:07Until next time, stay rooted in truth, anchored in hope and
- 17:10walking. Daily with Jesus.