We had wonderful music worship again this morning. Pastor delivered his sermon which I will title: “His Way or Our Way?” He used the rather harsh story of Judges 19 and 20 where the Levite’s concubine was horribly abused in the town of Gibeah in the territory of Benjamin. When the other tribes of Israel sought to punish the tribe of Benjamin they attacked first without seeking God’s permission, although they did seek some input as to which tribe should go first. After two devastating battles they finally approached God with the correct question: ‘do we go into battle again or cease?’ Only then did God reply “Go up, for tomorrow I will deliver them into your hand.” Judges 20:28.
The point of the story and Pastor’s question: “Do we plunge forward with our own plans, seeking God to bless them?” Or, do we stop and ask God: “What is Your Will? How do You want me to proceed?” We need to be careful to seek God’s Way instead of trying to live “our way”.
My added concluding comments:
God’s way is so much purer and better for us.
Judges 19:1 starts: “In those days, when there was no king in Israel...”
The story is closed by Judges 21:25: "In those days there was no king in Israel: every man did that which was right in his own eyes."
As commentator/Pastor Wayne D. Turner says: "When people do that which is right in their own eyes, it's not usually right in God's eyes."
This is a nice praise song to go with today's message.
Show Me Your Way, by Hillsong
Verses for Today:Show Me Your Way, by Hillsong
Proverbs 21:2-3 NIV
2 A person may think their own ways are right, but the Lord weighs the heart.
3 To do what is right and just is more acceptable to the Lord than sacrifice.
Help me each morning Lord to seek Your Will for the day and not my own. I give thanks for Your grace and mercy that are new every morning.
