Hello Family let us pray together,
Heavenly Father, thanks be given to You for our bountiful blessings of this day. Father we rejoice in these gifts and share them in ways with others who we see may be less than blessed in our lives. Father stand beside us and keep us focused on the importance of things in our lives knowing that You placed us where we are for a reason, for the task at hand and the work shall not be complete until victory is fully in hand. In our days of sickness and weakness be with us Father and bind up our frailties so we may become healthy and strong yet again to push onward with You. Although our lives can and do grow confusing allow us to see clearly when it may yet seem the darkest, for we know Your way is the light. Protect us from our enemy Father who attacks to destroy what You are building. Though we may grow weary of the journey, we fully understand the reward is worthy of the effort. The corners of the earth are our goal Father and we shall not rest until they be touched. In the name of Christ Jesus we pray….AMEN.
Welcome again Family, we are at a time when I feel we are so close to victory, one can almost reach out and touch it….but is it over yet, not quite. Many are starting to feel weary of the journey and yes even from the battles, no I’m not always talking about physical battles, but instead, battles of the mind. When you contemplate the story of Gideon in the verses below you will come to realize what “exhausted but still in pursuit” meant and why the angel of the Lord spoke to Gideon the way he did. He had but a band of 300 men with him who had just successfully annihialated the army (120,000) of Midian but Gideon did not see a clear victory as yet. Although tired and hungry his small army pushed across the Jordan River to take care of 15,000 remnants of their Midianite enemies along with their leaders Zebah and Zalmunna.
What an example of sheer exhaustion coupled with sheer determination that stemmed from his appointment from the Lord. They had pushed the Midianites across the river, but Gideon wouldn’t settle for that natural barrier as making things safe enough for Israel, largely because the Midianite leaders were still at large. So instead Gideon and his small army chose to continue the press not settling until the job was completely done. Gideon’s actions made him a mighty man of God, his refusal to allow physical discomfort to compromise the goal.
Here we find ourselves poised it feels like, ready to press onwards towards near victory, but are we exhausted and hungry as well? This is the time to exercise caution, a time when comfort might become our greatest enemy. Even our so-called friends may not be offering a helping hand, but instead looking on skeptically to see if we are going to make it through this final test of time. Remember the comfort zone is for those who believe they are exempt from pain but are denied any further progress at the same time. Stay with your focus and spiritual passion upon the victory, this will allow you to finish the job appointed to you, because God has too much invested to simply settle for mediocrity. Stay the course, finish the race, the reward will be just.
When Gideon came to the Jordan, he and the three hundred men who were with him crossed over, exhausted but still in pursuit. Then he said to the men of Succoth, "Please give loaves of bread to the people who follow me, for they are exhausted, and I am pursuing Zebah and Zalmunna, kings of Midian. "And the leaders of Succoth said, "Are the hands of Zebah and Zalmunna now in your hand, that we should give bread to your army?" Judges 8:4-6
And the Angel of the Lord appeared to him, and said to him, "The Lord is with you, you mighty man of valor!" Judges 6:12
Go in Peace
Blessings to you all
Aloha
Randy
