Manna for Your Morning

“Sir,” Gideon replied, “if the LORD is with us, why has all this happened to us? And where are all the miracles our ancestors told us about? Didn’t they say, ‘The LORD brought us up out of Egypt’? But now the LORD has abandoned us and handed us over to the Midianites.” — Judges 6:13 (NLT) The question is not “why?” or “what?” It is “WHO?” No matter how devastating circumstances may appear, remember that Yahweh is with you and He is faithful to bring you through all of your troubles. He Himself has said, “I will never fail you. I will never abandon you.” “When you go through deep waters, I will be with you. When you go through rivers of difficulty, you will not drown. When you walk through the fire of oppression, you will not be burned up; the flames will not consume you. For I am the LORD, your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior…” (See Hebrews 13:5 & Isaiah 43:2-3 NLT) Many hardships and perplexing circumstances confront the righteous, but the LORD rescues him from them all....

Then Gideon said to him, “O my lord, if Yahweh is with us, why then has all this happened to us? And where are all His wondrous deeds which our fathers recounted to us, saying, ‘Did not Yahweh bring us up from Egypt?’ But now Yahweh has abandoned us and given us into the hand of Midian.” — Judges 6:13 (LSB) We may sometimes wonder “ why? ” certain things are happening to us, but the more important thing is “ WHO ” is with us in the midst of all the trials and tribulations. As Yahweh told Gideon in Judges 6:16 (AMP), He will certainly be with you. And if God is for us, who can be [successful] against us? (See Romans 8:31 AMP) When you go through deep waters, He will be with you. When you go through rivers of difficulty, you will not drown. When you walk through the fire of oppression, you will not be burned up; the flames will not consume you. (See Isaiah 43:2 NLT) And thanks be to God, who always leads us in triumph in Christ… (See 2 Corinthians 2:14 NASB1995) And Yahweh did not abando...

Gideon said to Him, “O my lord, if the LORD is with us, why then has all this happened to us? And where are all His miracles which our fathers told us about…?” — Judges 6:13 (NKJV) In the midst of difficult and adverse situations, you may not understand “why?” but you do know WHO. The LORD is the One who will bring you through. Many hardships and perplexing circumstances confront the righteous, but the LORD rescues him from them all (Psalm 34:19 AMP). He is the One working on your behalf to give you a future and a hope. WHAT is the Victory! Oh, sing to the LORD a new song! For He has done marvelous things; His right hand and His holy arm have gained Him the victory (Psalm 98:1NKJV). Thanks be to God who always leads us in triumph in Christ!

When the angel of the LORD appeared to Gideon, he said, “The LORD is with you, mighty warrior.” — Judges 6:12 (NIV) “Pardon me, my lord,” Gideon replied, “but if the LORD is with us, why has all this happened to us?” At some point in our lives, many of us have probably asked God this same question. Gideon went on to say that the LORD had abandoned them. But notice that the angel of the LORD didn’t give place to Gideon’s misplaced perspective. The LORD turned to him and said, “Go in the strength you have and save Israel out of Midian’s hand. Am I not sending you?” (Judges 6:14). Instead of wallowing in self-pity and misery, stay focused on the mission at hand and GO in the strength of the LORD, you mighty man or woman of God. You have been sent with a purpose! The LORD is with YOU!

Then they journeyed… and the soul of the people became very discouraged on the way. And the people spoke against God and against Moses: “Why have you brought us up out of Egypt to die in the wilderness? ” — Numbers 21:4-5 (NKJV) Many of the people of Israel died from fiery serpents because they complained against the LORD (Numbers 21:6-7). When you become discouraged and don't understand “why?” God has allowed something to happen in your life, let no unwholesome talk come out of your mouth (Ephesians 4:29, NIV). Do all things without complaining and disputing, that you may become blameless and harmless, children of God without fault in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world, — Philippians 2:14-15 (NKJV)

Then Mary said to the angel, “How can this be, since I do not know a man?” — Luke 1:34 (NKJV) When the angel told Mary she would conceive in her womb and bring forth a Son, her first response was to ask how. When we are presented with difficult situations, that seem impossible, our first inclination may be to ask God, how He is going to work it out. Sometimes, we even wonder when? When is that promise going to manifest in our lives. What is more important than knowing how or when is knowing WHO. We serve a great big God and nothing is too difficult for Him. With our God, the blind see, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the poor have the gospel preached to them (Luke 7:22). For with God nothing will be impossible (Luke 1:37). Amen!

His disciples asked Him, Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he should be born blind?  — John 9:2 (AMP)  I suppose it's human nature to want to point fingers and place blame. That started in the Garden of Eden with Adam and Eve. Adam blamed his sin on the woman God gave Him and Eve blamed the serpent (Genesis 3:12-13). However, the response Jesus gave the disciples takes our focus away from placing blame to a more productive approach. Jesus answered, “It was not that this man or his parents sinned, but he was born blind in order that the workings of God should be manifested (displayed and illustrated) in him.”  (John 9:3) With that response in mind, we can now ask ourselves, “ What can I do, to let love cover a multitude of sins?” (1 Peter 4:8) Or, “ What actions can I take, in this situation, that the glory of God should be revealed?”