Community Devotions

Perception vs Reality

Judges 6:12; 14-15, "12 And the angel of the LORD appeared to him and said to him, “The LORD is with you, O mighty man of valor.”…14 And the LORD turned to him and said, “Go in this might of yours and save Israel from the hand of Midian; do not I send you? 15 And he said to him, “Please, Lord, how can I save Israel? Behold, my clan is the weakest in Manasseh, and I am the least in my father’s house."

Whose report do you believe? What happens when our perception contradicts the truth of God’s reality? Often times our  perception i.e. “our reality” is opposite and antithetical to God’s reality which is ultimate truth. Gideon’s perception is that he is from the weakest tribe in Manasseh and he is  the"runt of the litter" in his family (MSG). But God’s reality is much different! The truth is when God saw Gideon threshing wheat in hiding, God saw him and greeted him, “GOD is with you, O mighty warrior!” What is seen is that Gideon was in fact from the weakest tribe and was the least in his family but what is unseen is that He is a mighty warrior! God being atemporal (existing and functioning outside of time) sees Gideon for who he really is and the mighty man of valor that he is becoming.

I believe in the report of the Lord! I believe in his economy of choosing the weak and foolish things in this world to shame the wise. Just as he chose Israel because they were the least of all the nations and Gideon as the weakest in his family he chose me so that he might receive all the glory. Function in the multiplication by subtraction: God multiplied his glory & fame when he subtracted Gideon’s army from 22,000 soldiers to 300 men so that Gideon would know in their heart of hearts that it was all God! Points of application:

 - When I stumble in sin: believe the report that I am forgiven, perfect and flawless because of his grace and finished work on the cross.

 - When I miss the mark in my leadership and church performance, believe the report that it is God’s kingdom and He is advancing it for his glory!

Heavenly Father,

Thank you for loving me inspite of me! Thank you for grace that’s undeserved and love that is unconditional! Help me to “prepare my mind for action” (1 Peter 1:13) and stand strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus! Strengthen me Holy Spirit to walk in and live out in the reality of your truth. When my heart begins to wander and stray in my perception or other’s expectations correct me Jesus! May I always believe in the report of the Lord. Help me to lead with myself, my marriage and family and your church with truth and grace.

Perfected by the Spirit

¹ O foolish Galatians! Who has bewitched you? It was before your eyes that Jesus Christ was publicly portrayed as crucified. ² Let me ask you only this: Did you receive the Spirit by the works of the law or by hearing with faith? ³ Are you so foolish? Having begun by the Spirit, are you now being perfected by the flesh? - Galatians 3:1-3

Being called a fool or acting foolishly is a very serious thing in the bible. From the classic, “The fool says in his heart, “‘There is no God.” (Ps. 14:1) to Jesus’ stern warning in Matt. 5:22, “whoever says to his brother, “‘You fool!’ will be liable to the hell of fire”. One can even make an argument that the purpose of wisdom literature (Psalms, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes) is to live in wisdom so that one doesn’t become a fool. Paul a master of the Old Testament understood the biblical severity of being foolish and emphatically describes the Galatian churches as foolish. Why? Because they were deserting the good news of the gospel (1:6). They started in the spirit and were foolishly thinking that they were being perfected by the flesh.

Jesus in the beginning, Jesus in the middle and Jesus in the end. I need to rewind back to my moment of salvation and remember completely being overwhelmed by the free gift of undeserved grace to save a sinner like me—that was grace. I received the spirit by hearing with faith (3:2). Somehow along the way if I don’t default to the gospel my relationship with God can be based on my performance i.e. my obedience, doing my devotion, living for Him in my strength. Navigate to the true north of lavished grace in Christ. Rest in the Christ’s perfect work on the cross on my behalf. Walk in the Spirit and work out with fear and trembling what the Spirit is working in my life (Phil 2:12-13).

Heavenly Father,

Please forgive my foolishness. You are faithful to complete what you started. You saved me by your Spirit and you are perfecting me by your Spirit. Thank you that through your Son at the cross it is indeed finished. May I rest in your work and be obedient to your Spirit’s working. Help me to lead myself, my family and your church to stand strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus. I love you. Maranatha!