Devos 365

Judges 9:1-21 1 Now Abimelech the son of Jerubbaal went to Shechem to his mother’s relatives and said to them and to the whole clan of his mother’s family, 2 “Say in the ears of all the leaders of Shechem, ‘Which is better for you, that all seventy of the sons of Jerubbaal rule over you, or that one rule over you?’ Remember also that I am your bone and your flesh.” 3 And his mother’s relatives spoke all these words on his behalf in the ears of all the leaders of Shechem, and their hearts inclined to follow Abimelech, for they said, “He is our brother.” 4 And they gave him seventy pieces of silver out of the house of Baal-berith with which Abimelech hired worthless and reckless fellows, who followed him. 5 And he went to his father’s house at Ophrah and killed his brothers the sons of Jerubbaal, seventy men, on one stone. But Jotham the youngest son of Jerubbaal was left, for he hid himself. 6 And all the leaders of Shechem came together, and all Beth-millo, and they went and made Ab...

For the last 80 weeks, we have taken up a Psalm for the Friday devotional. This week, we take a departure. Last night in one of my small group Bible Studies we were reading Daniel 9 and I was struck to the heart at the appropriateness of the reading for us today; especially in the U.S. where we are facing (finally) an end to the presidential election cycle. It has been a difficult several months for this nation. We are battered and defeated by the entire process. But I believe that God is calling out to us with a loud voice; we have but to turn back to Him and listen. These verses from Daniel seemed to hit the mark. I have omitted the specific references to Jerusalem and kept the prayer more generic than it was originally written. But these words have power and if more Christians prayed them with intensity and intentionality, I believe God would hear and heal our land. Frankly, we have nowhere else to turn. It is past time to turn back to God with hearts of repentance and beg Him for ...

Judges 8:22-35 22  Then the men of Israel said to Gideon, “Rule over us, you and your son and your grandson also, for you have saved us from the hand of Midian.” 23  Gideon said to them, “I will not rule over you, and my son will not rule over you; the Lord will rule over you.” 24  And Gideon said to them, “Let me make a request of you: every one of you give me the earrings from his spoil.” (For they had golden earrings, because they were Ishmaelites.) 25  And they answered, “We will willingly give them.” And they spread a cloak, and every man threw in it the earrings of his spoil. 26  And the weight of the golden earrings that he requested was 1,700 shekels of gold, besides the crescent ornaments and the pendants and the purple garments worn by the kings of Midian, and besides the collars that were around the necks of their camels. 27  And Gideon made an ephod of it and put it in his city, in Ophrah. And all Israel whored after it there, and it be...