Page 46

20514 Man in Mirror

God called Gideon to wage war against an enemy nation, and He graciously gave Gideon several of the Universe. (See Judges 6 and 7.) Gideon assembled 32,000 troops, starting with an army that was about one-fourth the size of the Midianite force, with its 132,000 soldiers. That seems like a daunting enough task. But then God said, “If you go to battle with that many, you’ll be able to say you gained victory yourselves!” So God took the Israelites through a process of elimination, until Gideon finally led only 300 men. The “odds” went from daunting to seemingly impossible. Yet, because of faithful obedience, God empowered the 300 Israelites to rout the huge enemy force. God intentionally chose a weak man, then reduced his forces to 300 soldiers. He clearly demonstrated strength or weakness is immaterial. God’s unlimited power is available to bring about His purpose.  WEEK Week 8 44 Wednesday—November 29•God Is Not Limited The LORD said to Gideon, “You have too many men. I cannot deliver Midian into their hands, or Israel would boast against me, ‘My own strength has saved me.’” (Judges 7:2) signs to let the young man know this incredibly difficult assignment was authored by the Lord that, when it comes to our obedience, unlikely odds simply don’t matter. Even our personal What personal calling has God revealed to you? How does today’s devotional encourage you to pursue that calling? Daily Reading: Daniel 6:1–28, 2 Peter 3:1–18, Psalm 119:129–152, Proverbs 28:21–22 Thursday—November 30•Serve Right Where You Are From one man he made all the nations, that they should inhabit the whole earth; and he marked out their appointed times in history and the boundaries of their lands. (Acts 17:26) God wants us to grow exactly where He sets us. Last year I joined a new gym, so I began relating to guys around me. Soon I had engaged about 10 men in meaningful conversations. I chatted for about a month with a guy using equipment beside me. Eventually I asked where he was in his spiritual journey. He tightened up, so I smiled and asked a few more questions. He had prayed for help when he was a young man and got no answer, so he “realized it was a bunch of nonsense.” I just listened to him rant and said, “I’m sorry that happened.” A few weeks later he asked about my occupation, so I replied, “One thing I do is write books for men.” He agreed to read my most recent book. I knew God put me in that specific place, so I was looking for His specific purpose. Sometimes He isn’t asking us to change the whole world. He’s just asking us to talk to Joe or Bill or Chase, so they can understand and respond to His offer of abundant life.  WEEK Week 8 Describe three environments where you frequently go. Then prayerfully ask God, “What or who is the reason You’ve placed me there?” Record your answers. Daily Reading: Daniel 7:1–28, 1 John 1:1–10, Psalm 119:153–176, Proverbs 28:23–24


20514 Man in Mirror
To see the actual publication please follow the link above