Where is your confidence?

[EricH]

During my quiet time today, I was reading 1 Chronicles 5-8. Lots of names. Sometimes we can be tempted to just scan this type of stuff because it is "dry". But God really spoke to me.

In 1 Chronicles 5:18-26 the writer "interrupts" his listing of names, in order to describe some "background" on some of the names he just mentioned. This "interruption" caused me to pay attention. In this background information, the writer describes 2 different groups of people:

The sons of Reuben and Gad and half the tribe of Manasseh had 44,760 warriors who could serve in the army-- men who carried shield and sword, drew the bow, and were trained for war. They waged war against the Hagrites, Jetur, Naphish, and Nodab. They received help against these enemies, and the Hagrites and all their allies were handed over to them, because they cried out to God in battle. He granted their request because they trusted in Him. They captured the Hagrites' livestock-- 50,000 of their camels, 250,000 sheep, and 2,000 donkeys-- as well as 100,000 people. Many of the Hagrites were killed because it was God's battle. And they lived there in the Hagrites' place until the exile.

1 Chronicles 5:18-22 HCSB

This first group of people were the combined armies of Reuben, Gad, and the half tribe of Manasseh. Notice that they were well trained and equipped:

1. They were well equipped

2. They were well trained

3. They were well skilled

If any group of people could have trusted in their own power and abilities, it should have been them. And indeed they won the battle. But notice the reason for their victory:

They received help against these enemies... because they cried out to God in battle. He granted their request because they trusted in Him

These people, even though well trained and prepared, still saw their primary hope for success to be in God. They did not go in to battle without preparation. They still prepared, but they understood the role of their own abilities in relation to God.

The second group of people were the heads of the ancestral houses of the half tribe of Manasseh who settled in the region from Bashan to Baal-hermon. Notice what happended to them and why:

The sons of half the tribe of Manasseh settled in the land from Bashan to Baal-hermon (that is, Senir or Mount Hermon). They were numerous.

These were the heads of their ancestral houses: Epher, Ishi, Eliel, Azriel, Jeremiah, Hodaviah, and Jahdiel. They were brave warriors, famous men, and heads of their patriarchal families. But they were unfaithful to the God of their ancestors. They prostituted themselves with the gods of the nations God had destroyed before them. So the God of Israel put it into the mind of Pul (that is, Tiglath-pileser) king of Assyria to take the Reubenites, Gadites, and half the tribe of Manasseh into exile. He took them to Halah, Habor, Hara, and Gozan's river, where they are until today.

1 Chronicles 5:23-26 HCSB

Notice what they had going for them:

1. They were well respected

2. They were well connected

3. They were well confident

Yet in spite of all they had going for them they were defeated in battle and sent into exile by the Assyrians. Notice why this happened:

But they were unfaithful to the God of their ancestors. They prostituted themselves with the gods of the nations God had destroyed before them.

These men, who had all of the advantages, chose to trust in the culture that gave them fame and power, rather than in God. They put there trus in the gods of the age

Where is our trust? Do we do our best to make sure we are prepared and then trust in God's provision, or do we place our trust in our position, power and fame (and other gods of the culture) to deliver us? Do we worship God, or our own abilities and the vaolues of our culture? Where is your confidence?

[traveller]

Good study EricH! It is amazing how God puts powerful guidelines even inside common lists.

[WayneB]

But God really spoke to me.

Don't ya' just love it when that happens?

Where is our trust? Do we do our best to make sure we are prepared and then trust in God's provision, or do we place our trust in our position, power and fame (and other gods of the culture) to deliver us? Do we worship God, or our own abilities and the vaolues of our culture? Where is your confidence?

All excellent questions to meditate on DAILY to remind ourselves of the one and true Source of our salvation. I say daily because as long as we walk in this flesh, we will be tempted to place our trust in ourselves rather than relinquish CONTROL to Almighty God. If we do not remind ourselves daily that we are to seek HIS will, it is too easy to fall back into the trappings of the flesh.

Thanks Eric for sharing!

[Matthitjah]

Bless you brother,

That was very edifying and a reminder to daily seek Gods strength and not our own. No matter where we stand.

Peace,

Dave

[Guest]

O taste and see that the LORD is good: blessed is the man that trusteth in him.

Psalms 34:8

[shepherdsgrace]

I thought of Luke 11: 5-8 when I read your comments on the scripture.

5And He said to them, Which of you who has a friend will go to him at midnight and will say to him, Friend, lend me three loaves [of bread],

6For a friend of mine who is on a journey has just come, and I have nothing to put before him;

7And he from within will answer, Do not disturb me; the door is now closed, and my children are with me in bed; I cannot get up and supply you [with anything]?

8I tell you, although he will not get up and supply him anything because he is his friend, yet because of his shameless persistence and insistence he will get up and give him as much as he needs.

Jesus is telling us here that God answers the cry of his people not because of anything but the fact that we have the heart to cry out to him. Of course in that heart will be the faith and belief that is required. It is faith that prays and cries out to God. It is faith that perseveres and persists. It is faith that has the courage to call out to the Great I AM and say "give out of your abundance to me". It is faith that knows He will answer.

[Everlasting127]

God's Revelation is truly prophetic and personal. Thanks for sharing your vision. The connection to today is real, and what the book is speaking is in line with the truth. Going our way in the fullness of God, without admonishing God, cannot be. Did you ever think about writing a book to communicate this to a great number of people? It is right in line with current events.

Just A thought

____________

Blessings,

Everlasting

Moon over Key Biscayne

[oakleaf]

my confidence in the LORD is unwaivering but my confidence in my self is down to zero....oak

[Everlasting127]

Psa 101:2 I will behave myself wisely in a perfect way. O when wilt thou come unto me? I will walk within my house with a perfect heart.

Everlasting,

Moon Over Key Biscayne

[Sconzy]

During my quiet time today, I was reading 1 Chronicles 5-8. Lots of names. Sometimes we can be tempted to just scan this type of stuff because it is "dry". But God really spoke to me.

In 1 Chronicles 5:18-26 the writer "interrupts" his listing of names, in order to describe some "background" on some of the names he just mentioned. This "interruption" caused me to pay attention. In this background information, the writer describes 2 different groups of people:

The sons of Reuben and Gad and half the tribe of Manasseh had 44,760 warriors who could serve in the army-- men who carried shield and sword, drew the bow, and were trained for war. They waged war against the Hagrites, Jetur, Naphish, and Nodab. They received help against these enemies, and the Hagrites and all their allies were handed over to them, because they cried out to God in battle. He granted their request because they trusted in Him. They captured the Hagrites' livestock-- 50,000 of their camels, 250,000 sheep, and 2,000 donkeys-- as well as 100,000 people. Many of the Hagrites were killed because it was God's battle. And they lived there in the Hagrites' place until the exile.

1 Chronicles 5:18-22 HCSB

This first group of people were the combined armies of Reuben, Gad, and the half tribe of Manasseh. Notice that they were well trained and equipped:

1. They were well equipped

2. They were well trained

3. They were well skilled

If any group of people could have trusted in their own power and abilities, it should have been them. And indeed they won the battle. But notice the reason for their victory:

They received help against these enemies... because they cried out to God in battle. He granted their request because they trusted in Him

These people, even though well trained and prepared, still saw their primary hope for success to be in God. They did not go in to battle without preparation. They still prepared, but they understood the role of their own abilities in relation to God.

The second group of people were the heads of the ancestral houses of the half tribe of Manasseh who settled in the region from Bashan to Baal-hermon. Notice what happended to them and why:

The sons of half the tribe of Manasseh settled in the land from Bashan to Baal-hermon (that is, Senir or Mount Hermon). They were numerous.

These were the heads of their ancestral houses: Epher, Ishi, Eliel, Azriel, Jeremiah, Hodaviah, and Jahdiel. They were brave warriors, famous men, and heads of their patriarchal families. But they were unfaithful to the God of their ancestors. They prostituted themselves with the gods of the nations God had destroyed before them. So the God of Israel put it into the mind of Pul (that is, Tiglath-pileser) king of Assyria to take the Reubenites, Gadites, and half the tribe of Manasseh into exile. He took them to Halah, Habor, Hara, and Gozan's river, where they are until today.

1 Chronicles 5:23-26 HCSB

Notice what they had going for them:

1. They were well respected

2. They were well connected

3. They were well confident

Yet in spite of all they had going for them they were defeated in battle and sent into exile by the Assyrians. Notice why this happened:

But they were unfaithful to the God of their ancestors. They prostituted themselves with the gods of the nations God had destroyed before them.

These men, who had all of the advantages, chose to trust in the culture that gave them fame and power, rather than in God. They put there trus in the gods of the age

Where is our trust? Do we do our best to make sure we are prepared and then trust in God's provision, or do we place our trust in our position, power and fame (and other gods of the culture) to deliver us? Do we worship God, or our own abilities and the vaolues of our culture? Where is your confidence?

This is wonderful