{"id":302417,"date":"2011-12-06T12:00:00","date_gmt":"2011-12-06T17:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/wp-stage.familylife.com\/www\/podcast\/%series%\/depending-on-god\/"},"modified":"2011-12-06T12:00:00","modified_gmt":"2011-12-06T17:00:00","slug":"depending-on-god","status":"publish","type":"podcast","link":"https:\/\/wp-stage.familylife.com\/www\/podcast\/familylife-today\/depending-on-god\/","title":{"rendered":"Depending on God"},"content":{"rendered":"","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Are you depending on God to see you through?<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":91,"featured_media":294104,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_seopress_robots_primary_cat":"","_seopress_titles_title":"","_seopress_titles_desc":"","_seopress_robots_index":"","inline_featured_image":false,"_uag_custom_page_level_css":"","episode_type":"","audio_file":"https:\/\/web.familylifetoday.com\/fl2011-12-06.mp3","podmotor_file_id":"","podmotor_episode_id":"","cover_image":"","cover_image_id":"","duration":"00:","filesize":"25.83M","filesize_raw":"27085536","date_recorded":"","explicit":"","block":""},"categories":[2822],"tags":[4929,4722,4159],"podcast_series":[7843],"cwp_profile":[3379],"series":[2101],"class_list":["post-302417","podcast","type-podcast","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-growing-in-your-faith","tag-christian-life","tag-christianity","tag-gospel","podcast_series-you-are-not-who-you-used-to-be","cwp_profile-priscilla-shirer","series-familylife-today"],"acf":[],"episode_featured_image":"https:\/\/wp-stage.familylife.com\/www\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1001\/2024\/09\/FLT-Podcast-Cover-2-508x508-3.jpg?w=508","episode_player_image":"https:\/\/wp-stage.familylife.com\/www\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1001\/2023\/02\/image-scaled.jpg","download_link":"https:\/\/wp-stage.familylife.com\/www\/podcast-download\/302417\/depending-on-god","player_link":"https:\/\/wp-stage.familylife.com\/www\/podcast-player\/302417\/depending-on-god","audio_player":null,"episode_data":{"playerMode":"light","subscribeUrls":{"apple_podcasts":{"key":"apple_podcasts","url":"https:\/\/podcasts.apple.com\/us\/podcast\/familylife-today\/id212174303?mt=2&app=podcast","label":"Apple Podcasts","class":"apple_podcasts","icon":"apple-podcasts.png"},"google_podcasts":{"key":"google_podcasts","url":"","label":"Google Podcasts","class":"google_podcasts","icon":"google-podcasts.png"},"spotify":{"key":"spotify","url":"https:\/\/open.spotify.com\/show\/0j5UaKdQOHQCuo1bt0ebEm","label":"Spotify","class":"spotify","icon":"spotify.png"},"youtube":{"key":"youtube","url":"","label":"YouTube","class":"youtube","icon":"youtube.png"}},"rssFeedUrl":"https:\/\/wp-stage.familylife.com\/www\/feed\/podcast\/familylife-today","embedCode":"<blockquote class=\"wp-embedded-content\" data-secret=\"3jmi3hV2nd\"><a href=\"https:\/\/wp-stage.familylife.com\/www\/podcast\/familylife-today\/depending-on-god\/\">Depending on God<\/a><\/blockquote><iframe sandbox=\"allow-scripts\" security=\"restricted\" src=\"https:\/\/wp-stage.familylife.com\/www\/podcast\/familylife-today\/depending-on-god\/embed\/#?secret=3jmi3hV2nd\" width=\"500\" height=\"350\" title=\"&#8220;Depending on God&#8221; &#8212; FamilyLife\u00ae - A Cru Ministry\" data-secret=\"3jmi3hV2nd\" frameborder=\"0\" marginwidth=\"0\" marginheight=\"0\" scrolling=\"no\" class=\"wp-embedded-content\"><\/iframe><script>\n\/*! This file is auto-generated *\/\n!function(d,l){\"use strict\";l.querySelector&&d.addEventListener&&\"undefined\"!=typeof URL&&(d.wp=d.wp||{},d.wp.receiveEmbedMessage||(d.wp.receiveEmbedMessage=function(e){var t=e.data;if((t||t.secret||t.message||t.value)&&!\/[^a-zA-Z0-9]\/.test(t.secret)){for(var s,r,n,a=l.querySelectorAll('iframe[data-secret=\"'+t.secret+'\"]'),o=l.querySelectorAll('blockquote[data-secret=\"'+t.secret+'\"]'),c=new RegExp(\"^https?:$\",\"i\"),i=0;i<o.length;i++)o[i].style.display=\"none\";for(i=0;i<a.length;i++)s=a[i],e.source===s.contentWindow&&(s.removeAttribute(\"style\"),\"height\"===t.message?(1e3<(r=parseInt(t.value,10))?r=1e3:~~r<200&&(r=200),s.height=r):\"link\"===t.message&&(r=new URL(s.getAttribute(\"src\")),n=new URL(t.value),c.test(n.protocol))&&n.host===r.host&&l.activeElement===s&&(d.top.location.href=t.value))}},d.addEventListener(\"message\",d.wp.receiveEmbedMessage,!1),l.addEventListener(\"DOMContentLoaded\",function(){for(var e,t,s=l.querySelectorAll(\"iframe.wp-embedded-content\"),r=0;r<s.length;r++)(t=(e=s[r]).getAttribute(\"data-secret\"))||(t=Math.random().toString(36).substring(2,12),e.src+=\"#?secret=\"+t,e.setAttribute(\"data-secret\",t)),e.contentWindow.postMessage({message:\"ready\",secret:t},\"*\")},!1)))}(window,document);\n\/\/# sourceURL=https:\/\/wp-stage.familylife.com\/www\/wp-includes\/js\/wp-embed.min.js\n<\/script>\n"},"uagb_featured_image_src":{"full":["https:\/\/wp-stage.familylife.com\/www\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1001\/2024\/09\/FLT-Podcast-Cover-2-508x508-3.jpg",508,508,false]},"uagb_author_info":{"display_name":"kfairris@familylife.com","author_link":"https:\/\/wp-stage.familylife.com\/www\/author\/kfairrisfamilylife-com\/"},"uagb_comment_info":0,"uagb_excerpt":"Are you depending on God to see you through?","meta_box":{"show_notes":"","transcript_url":"https:\/\/transcript.familylifetoday.com\/fl2011-12-06.pdf","transcript_content":"<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Bob:<\/strong>\u00a0 Do you ever feel like the odds are against you in life?\u00a0 Priscilla Shirer says, \u201cWhen you feel that way, you\u2019re right where Gideon was and right where God wants you to be.\u201d\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Priscilla:<\/strong>\u00a0 So, He says to them, \u201cYou have too many at your disposal.\u201d\u00a0 He begins to dwindle down the army not once\u2014two-thirds left the first time\u2014but, then, a second time until Gideon only has 300 men left.\u00a0 Now, the ratio is 450 in the valley to one on the mountainside.\u00a0 God looks at them with that type of disparity in the ratio and says, \u201cNow, you\u2019re ready.\u201d\u00a0 These are what I like to call the Paradoxical Principles of the Prince of Peace.\u00a0 \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Bob:<\/strong>\u00a0 This is <em>FamilyLife Today<\/em> for Tuesday, December 6th.\u00a0 I\u2019m Bob Lepine, along with the President of FamilyLife\u00ae, Dennis Rainey.\u00a0 Today, we\u2019ll hear some of those Paradoxical Principles of the Prince of Peace from Priscilla Shirer.\u00a0 Stay tuned.\u00a0 \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tAnd welcome to <em>FamilyLife Today<\/em>.\u00a0 Thanks for joining us on the Tuesday edition.\u00a0 You know that old expression, \u201cThe apple does not fall far from the tree\u201d?\u00a0 \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Dennis:<\/strong>\u00a0 In this case, Tony Evans\u2019 daughter didn\u2019t fall very far from the tree.\u00a0 In fact, her tree\u2014boy, it\u2019s a pretty good tree because\u2014Tony better step back.\u00a0 \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Bob:<\/strong>\u00a0 His daughter is a pretty good Bible teacher.\u00a0 A lot of our listeners have been to hear Priscilla.\u00a0 She\u2019s taught with Beth Moore and with Kay Arthur in a variety of settings.\u00a0 Folks have been out to hear her.\u00a0 They know she understands the Scriptures, and she explains them clearly.\u00a0 In fact, she was in our office not long ago and gave a message for our staff on the life of Gideon; and we\u2019re going to hear Part Two of that message here in just a few minutes.\u00a0 \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tBefore we get to that, we wanted to let our listeners know about some of what is happening around here at FamilyLife and some of the things we\u2019re really excited about.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Dennis:<\/strong>\u00a0 We\u2019ve got some cool things coming up in the next few weeks and months here on <em>FamilyLife Today<\/em>.\u00a0 We\u2019ve got\u2014Tim and Kathy Keller are going to be giving a message.\u00a0 We had Mark and Grace Driscoll share about their new book and what God had done in their marriage.\u00a0 Bill Bennett is going to come join us.\u00a0 Then, if you need a laugh or two, we\u2019re even going to have Tim Hawkins back by popular demand.\u00a0 \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tWe\u2019re in the process of developing a brand-new <em>Passport to Purity<\/em>\u00ae resource for the parents of pre-teens; and Keith, you\u2019ve worked on this.\u00a0 Keith is our chief engineer and coffee boy.\u00a0 (Laughter)\u00a0 He brings me coffee here on <em>FamilyLife Today<\/em>.\u00a0 \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Bob:<\/strong>\u00a0 What a dignified title.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Dennis:<\/strong>\u00a0 He\u2019s a true professional.\u00a0 Keith, you\u2019ve been working on <em>Passport to Purity;<\/em> and you think it is better than the old one.\u00a0 How much better?\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Keith:<\/strong>\u00a0 Exponentially.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Dennis:<\/strong>\u00a0 Exponential.\u00a0 Some folks aren\u2019t going to believe that, but it\u2019s got brand-new music\u2014lot of fun in this.\u00a0 It\u2019s still a hard-hitting preparation for the adolescent years for a young person\u2014a young lady or a young man who\u2019s 10,11, 12\u2014about to move into adolescence.\u00a0 \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tBarbara and I are working on some books.\u00a0 She\u2019s working on a book on forgiveness, also, a book called <em>Letters to My Daughters<\/em>.\u00a0 That\u2019s going to be a hot one.\u00a0 I\u2019m working on a book for the parents of teenage boys to prepare your junior high or senior high son for overly-aggressive girls.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Bob:<\/strong>\u00a0 They are out there.\u00a0 Let me tell you.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Dennis:<\/strong>\u00a0 They are out there.\u00a0 Bob, you are working on a new video series.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Bob:<\/strong>\u00a0 Yes.\u00a0 We\u2019ve taken your book, <em>Stepping Up<\/em>, and we\u2019re developing a video series for men to call them to step up and embrace God\u2019s design for manhood.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Dennis:<\/strong>\u00a0 As you know, our goal is to move from impacting just millions of people to tens of millions by unleashing a movement of HomeBuilders, who change homes all across the nation.\u00a0 That\u2019s a lot to happen.\u00a0 Because of everything that is going on, a number of families have heard about this.\u00a0 They\u2019ve decided to help put up $2.5 million in a matching fund that will match every gift up to that amount in the month of December.\u00a0 \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tThe cool thing is other families are thinking about adding to that 2.5 million, and we think it could grow all the way up to potentially $5 million.\u00a0 To take advantage of this matching gift that\u2019s been established, we need listeners to give $25, $50, $100, $1,000, or more to help us take full advantage of this matching gift.\u00a0 \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tQuite honestly, we need more listeners to join with us than we\u2019ve ever had at any point in our history.\u00a0 <em>FamilyLife Today<\/em> is a listener-supported broadcast.\u00a0 When you give to this match, you are helping to keep <em>FamilyLife Today<\/em> on the air.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Bob:<\/strong>\u00a0 Of course, when you make a donation in December, your donation is matched dollar for dollar.\u00a0 So, if you can help us take advantage of this matching-gift opportunity, all you have to do is go to FamilyLifeToday.com, click the button that says, \u201cI Care\u201d and make an online donation; or call 1-800-FL-TODAY to make a donation over the phone.\u00a0 \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tWe do appreciate your partnership with us and your support of the ministry\u2014particularly, here at the end of the year.\u00a0 That means a lot to us.\u00a0 We look forward to hearing from you.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tI know that you\u2019re looking forward to hearing from Priscilla Shirer with Part Two of the message that we\u2019re going to feature today.\u00a0 This is a message from Judges, \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tChapter 7\u2014the story of Gideon.\u00a0 \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tIn Part One of the message, Priscilla talked about how God changed Gideon\u2019s name as a sign that God was really changing Gideon in the process.\u00a0 She didn\u2019t get very far past Judges, Chapter 7, verse 1.\u00a0 She found a lot to look at in those opening verses of Judges, Chapter 7.\u00a0 So, here with Part Two of her message is Priscilla Shirer.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Priscilla:<\/strong> [recorded message] There\u2019s something else I saw in this very first verse.\u00a0 It says, \u201cJerubbaal (that is, Gideon) and all the people who were with him, [they] rose early and camped beside the spring of Harod.\u201d\u00a0 \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tLet\u2019s just talk for a moment about this spring that Gideon camped by.\u00a0 You all know that there were 32,000 men that went with Gideon to camp and prepare for battle because the Midianites were coming again.\u00a0 They were preparing for this very famous battle that you read about here in Judges, Chapter 7.\u00a0 Gideon takes his men, and they camp at a spring called Harod.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tThis spring was a very famous spring.\u00a0 In 1 Samuel, Chapter 28, Saul also went to this particular spring to prepare for battle against the Philistine army.\u00a0 So, this is a place where lots of people prepared for war because it seemed like a great place to take your men.\u00a0 \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tI\u2019ll tell you why.\u00a0 Number one:\u00a0 It was a fresh body of water.\u00a0 It was an effervescent pool of water that was formed from a fall that was spilling out from the side of this mountainside.\u00a0 So, there was a great, fresh body of water where troops could be refreshed and prepared for battle.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tNow, because it was a fresh body of water, it is very likely that there were so many nutrients in the water that that also meant that there was lots of fresh vegetation that was surrounding the body of water.\u00a0 So, they had food.\u00a0 They had water.\u00a0 Seemed like the perfect place to be.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tNot only that, this spring was on the side of Mount Gilboa.\u00a0 It looked out over the valley.\u00a0 From this vantage point, they could get a clear view of their enemies\u2014which in later verses we find out\u2014were in that particular valley.\u00a0 \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tHere they were on the side of a mountain.\u00a0 They could see if there was any transformation or moves on the camps below with the Midianites.\u00a0 So, they were in a great place to be refreshed and a great place to see their enemies.\u00a0 It would seem like the perfect place for Gideon, the leader of the 32,000, to take his men to prepare for battle; but there\u2019s a problem.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tIn the original language, the word, harod, means \u201cto tremble\u201d.\u00a0 It means fear.\u00a0 Gideon\u2014think about it\u2014takes his men to prepare for battle and camps them out at a spring called \u201cFear\u201d.\u00a0 \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tI wonder that, if left to your natural devices, your natural tendencies in your flesh, where are the places that you would normally let yourself go?\u00a0 I don\u2019t mean that you don\u2019t feel fear, or you don\u2019t feel the intimidation, or you don\u2019t feel the insecurity; but you know what it is to feel something and to let yourself go there.\u00a0 \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tWhen you\u2019re not the same person that you used to be, there are just some places that you just ought not to go anymore\u2014some places where you and I just have no business being.\u00a0 If the Enemy were to have his way with us, what he would like is for you and I to go to those places where we have no business going.\u00a0 They\u2019re called strongholds, where he takes a hold of you in some area of your life where you are vulnerable\u2014some place where you have no business going.\u00a0 \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tYou go there just long enough.\u00a0 You give the Devil an opportunity, and he will place a stronghold in your life and in mine; so that, we are not functioning in a way that is conducive to the brand-new identity that we have been given in Him.\u00a0 When you\u2019re not the same person that you used to be, you have no business going where you used to go.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tWhat is interesting about this\u2014and you all know this story\u2014that when God begins the dwindling process, that we\u2019ll talk about in a moment, where He takes the army.\u00a0 He cuts it down, not once but twice in number.\u00a0 \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tThe very first set of parameters that He places around the dwindling process is that He says to the guys, \u201cListen, Gideon, why don\u2019t you send home everybody who is afraid?\u201d\u00a0 Two-thirds of the army goes home.\u00a0 Twenty-two thousand people leave Gideon.\u00a0 Is it any wonder should Gideon have been surprised that so many people left because of fear when he had camped them out at a spring called Fear?\u00a0 Could it be that it had something to do with where he, the leader, had taken them?\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tI want to ask you, as a leader\u2014and, my friend, you are a leader.\u00a0 If you are a father, or a husband, you are a leader.\u00a0 If you are a mother with small children\u2014you always thought you\u2019d be the president of IBM; but now, you are the president of HOME; and you\u2019re trying to figure out if there is any value in what it is that you are doing, which you know that all those little people that are looking at you all day\u2014the little fingers, the little toes, the little noses, the little toys\u2014my friends, you are a leader.\u00a0 Wherever it is that you go, they\u2019re going there, too.\u00a0 \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tWherever it is that you camp, wherever it is that you settle into, you need to know that there are people that are watching you that are going\u2014on your job, in your ministry.\u00a0 Listen, you are a leader that people are watching.\u00a0 Where you go, other people will be following.\u00a0 \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tIn your neighborhood, you may be the only Christian family in your neighborhood.\u00a0 Don\u2019t move to another neighborhood!\u00a0 God has specifically and purposefully divinely designed that you would be set in that particular neighborhood; so that, people would have somebody to look at that\u2019s worth following.\u00a0 \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tIf you are on a job, where you are the only Christian on that job, don\u2019t go get a new job!\u00a0 You\u2019re the light in the midst of that darkness; so that, there will be somebody that goes somewhere that is worth other people following.\u00a0 You and I are the leaders that God has specifically placed in our sphere of influence; so that, we will take people to places that are worth going to.\u00a0 \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tNot only is it interesting for us to think about it from that perspective, but we also need to consider this, \u201cAre you hanging around people that are going places worth you going to?\u00a0 Are you with people that are taking you to places where you have no business being?\u201d\u00a0 So, I want to ask you, \u201cWho are the people that you are around?\u00a0 Are they taking you to a place worth going?\u00a0 Are they taking you to a place that is not worth going?\u201d\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tFriendship has got to be more.\u00a0 Accountability has got to be more than just someone that is nice to go golfing with, or go to Starbucks\u00ae with, or to go shopping with, ladies.\u00a0 It\u2019s got to be somebody who\u2019s holding our arms up, who\u2019s keeping us accountable, who\u2019s helping us to realize that we are not the same people that we used to be.\u00a0 So, we have no business going where we used to go.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tThe third and final thing I want to share with you.\u00a0 Verse 2 says, \u201cThe Lord said to Gideon, \u2018The people who are with you are too many to give Midian into their hands.\u2019\u201d\u00a0 Now, this is a very interesting line.\u00a0 He says to Gideon, \u201cThe people who are with you are too many for Me to give Midian into your hands.\u201d\u00a0 \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tThis is an interesting statement because 32,000 men sounds like a lot, except that the Midianites\u2014we find out later\u2014have 135,000 in the valley.\u00a0 So, the 32,000 are looking down into the valley at 135,000.\u00a0 The ratio was four in the valley to one on the mountainside.\u00a0 \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tFrom this perspective at the spring of trembling\u2014from this vantage point\u2014it seemed to the children of Israel, the text says, that there was a swarming brood of locusts in the valley.\u00a0 They were completely overwhelmed.\u00a0 They sensed that they were completely outnumbered.\u00a0 \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tIs there any wonder, by the way, from this vantage point\u2014wherever you camp out\u2014is the vantage point with which you will see the enemy.\u00a0 Wherever you are, wherever you station yourself, whatever posture you take that will be the vantage point, the perspective you take on the crisis that may enter your life.\u00a0 You\u2019ve got to determine, \u201cHow do I want to see what\u2019s coming?\u201d and then position yourself in a place that will allow you to have that particular perspective.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tGod looks at the underdog, 4 to 1.\u00a0 The one that\u2019s outnumbered, and He says, \u201cYou\u2019ve got too many people with you.\u201d\u00a0 Now, that just doesn\u2019t make sense.\u00a0 God\u2019s economy is all off.\u00a0 I don\u2019t know if you\u2019ve noticed or not, but sometimes the things that the Lord will share with us are normally backward to us.\u00a0 They normally don\u2019t quite go with what it is that makes sense to our minds.\u00a0 \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tCould it be Isaiah 55:8, \u201cThat His ways just aren\u2019t like ours; His thoughts, they just don\u2019t do what our thoughts do?\u201d\u00a0 High as the heavens are above the earth, that\u2019s how high His thoughts, His ways\u2014that\u2019s how high they are above us.\u00a0 These are what I like to call the Paradoxical Principles of the Prince of Peace:\u00a0 When He takes what we think is accurate and turns it on its head and, then, says, \u201cCome on and follow Me.\u201d\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tHe says to them, \u201cYou have too many at your disposal.\u201d\u00a0 He begins to dwindle down the army not once\u2014two-thirds left the first time\u2014but, then, a second time until Gideon only has 300 men left.\u00a0 Now, the ratio is 450 in the valley to one on the mountainside.\u00a0 God looks at them with that type of disparity in the ratio and says, \u201cNow, you\u2019re ready,\u201d because when you are not the same person that you used to be, you have no business going where you used to go.\u00a0 You just don\u2019t need everything that you think that you need.\u00a0 \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tDo you know, sometimes when we\u2019re outnumbered, when we\u2019re outmatched\u2014not in people necessarily like Gideon was\u2014but when you don\u2019t have the emotional reserves to hang in there with your marriage anymore, when you feel like you just don\u2019t have the financial resources to start that business or the ministry that God is calling you to start, when you feel like your patience quota has completely run out and you have nothing left in your reserves to be able to handle that particular relationship\u2014\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t\u2014when you feel like, \u201cLord, I don\u2019t have the time; I don\u2019t have the talents; I don\u2019t have the gifting to do what it is that You are asking me to do.\u00a0 I\u2019m completely outnumbered, God, and not just on a 4 to 1 ratio.\u00a0 Lord, I am completely outnumbered, 450 to 1.\u00a0 I mean, Lord, I\u2019m not even in the running.\u201d\u00a0 God says, \u201cYou\u2019re exactly where I want you\u201d because then, we get to experience what Paul wrote down in the second book of Corinthians.\u00a0 He said, \u201cIn my weakness\u201d\u2014he says, \u201cI boast in them.\u00a0 I like them.\u00a0 I\u2019m content with my weaknesses\u201d because when I\u2019m outnumbered 450 to one, that\u2019s when I get to see how strong my God is, when I get to see Him supernaturally work in and through my weaknesses.\u00a0 \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tThat\u2019s what makes the Christian life such an adventure.\u00a0 It\u2019s not when we\u2019re up against stuff we can handle in our own resources\u2014\u201cWhat\u2019s exciting about that?\u201d\u00a0 It\u2019s when were outnumbered; it\u2019s when we\u2019re completely maxed out.\u00a0 It\u2019s when we\u2019ve done everything we can, when we\u2019ve spent all of our time, our money, our resources, our skill, our talent.\u00a0 We have just done in our natural ability all we can do; and then, God kicks in.\u00a0 \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tWe\u2019re in the God-margin\u2014where we\u2019re in front of the Red Sea.\u00a0 Unless God divides this thing, we\u2019re just going to be completely in trouble.\u00a0 Then, we get to stand back and see Him divide the Red Sea and let us walk across on dry ground, and Pharaoh\u2019s army gets swallowed up after us.\u00a0 When we get to see the supernatural operating in our lives\u2014that is the adventure of the Christian life.\u00a0 \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tThe tragedy is\u2014like my friend\u2014Christine says, \u201cWe pray for miracles\u201d\u2014I mean, we, Christians\u2014we beg God for miracles, but then we all also pray to stay out of circumstances in which a miracle will actually be required.\u00a0 We pray that God will do big stuff.\u00a0 Then, nobody wants to be in a situation where He actually needs to do something big.\u00a0 \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tWhen He says to you, when He impresses upon your heart, when He convicts you to:\u00a0 hang-in in the marriage, to be the mom that God has called you to be, to be the dad that God has called you to be\u2014when He challenges you to start that ministry, to prepare to start that business, to partner up with this person, and you know, \u201cLord, if I start this Bible study, you know I\u2019m not a speaker right?\u00a0 You know I\u2019m not.\u00a0 I can\u2019t stand in front of people and speak.\u00a0 Are you crazy, God?\u201d\u00a0 \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tYou remember that when you feel outnumbered, that\u2019s when He\u2019s invited\u2014it\u2019s a golden sealed invitation for you to step into the God-margin and see what He does when you don\u2019t have everything you think that you need.\u00a0 \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tThese are the lessons of Gideon.\u00a0 So many more, but these are the lessons that the Lord has challenged me with.\u00a0 I\u2019m not the same person I used to be; so, I don\u2019t need to handle circumstances the same way I used to.\u00a0 If I\u2019m not the same person that I used to be, I have just no business going to places I used to let myself go.\u00a0 If God is for me, who in the world can be against me?\u00a0 So, I don\u2019t need all the stuff that I thought I needed to be successful; I just don\u2019t need it.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tGod said to Gideon the exact same thing He says to you and me: Chapter 7, verse 7, \u201cI will deliver you with 300.\u201d\u00a0 My friends, you are better off with God\u2019s 300 than your 32,000 any day of the week.\u00a0 His 300, empowered by His Spirit, will give you more favor and more victory than your own personal\u2014or my own personal\u201432,000 could give us any day of the week.\u00a0 \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tSo, just like He says to Gideon in that verse, \u201cGo ahead and let go of the other people.\u201d\u00a0 He said, \u201cGideon, don\u2019t be afraid.\u00a0 Whoever is leaving, you let them leave because my 300 is all you need.\u201d\u00a0 So, my friends, if there is anything that you feel like God is asking you to go ahead and let go of; don\u2019t be afraid.\u00a0 Let it go because His 300 is all you really need anyway.\u00a0 (Applause)\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Bob:<\/strong>\u00a0 [studio]\u00a0 Well, again, today we\u2019ve been listening to Part Two of a message from Priscilla Shirer, a message from Judges, Chapter 7, about the life of Gideon.\u00a0 I have a sense there may be some listeners who\u2019d say, \u201cI\u2019d like to hear that again.\u201d\u00a0 Of course, you can go to FamilyLifeToday.com and download the programs, or you can order a copy of the message on CD if you\u2019d like to.\u00a0 It really was a great message.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Dennis:<\/strong>\u00a0 It really was.\u00a0 I have to believe, Bob, that there is a listener right now who needs to step into the God-margin.\u00a0 They\u2019re outside of it.\u00a0 They know they need to step into it.\u00a0 They\u2019ve been playing it safe, and it\u2019s time\u2014sorry to use the phrase\u2014but it\u2019s time to step up.\u00a0 It\u2019s time for you, by faith, to step out, take God at what His Word promises\u2014\u201cthat He\u2019ll deliver you, He\u2019ll be with you, He\u2019ll go ahead of you, and He\u2019ll provide,\u201d and see if He uses you.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tI have to tell you.\u00a0 I\u2019ve not done this perfectly\u2014nobody has.\u00a0 Forty-one years ago\u2014actually 42 years ago, matter of speaking\u2014I stepped out to start to work with high school kids.\u00a0 I would never in my wildest imagination have thought God would take me in a route to work with high school kids for five years so I could see the impact families were having on young people.\u00a0 \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tThen, take me to seminary.\u00a0 Then, help be a part of launching FamilyLife.\u00a0 Then, kind of step back and stay out of the way of what God wanted to do in raising up an army\u2014a movement of HomeBuilders across the country that are going to make a difference in literally tens of millions of homes in the years to come.\u00a0 \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tIf you\u2019re not in the God-margin, what\u2019s keeping you from going there?\u00a0 Let\u2019s go!\u00a0 I won\u2019t get this right, but Helen Keller made a statement.\u00a0 She said, \u201cLife is either an outright adventure, or it\u2019s a dull, boring experience.\u201d\u00a0 Why would you want to embrace a dull, boring experience when God has a filet, medium rare\u2014with b\u00e9arnaise sauce cascading over the edges of that steak?\u00a0 He has a steak for all of us to experience, but it demands that we step out in faith and obey Him.\u00a0 Will you do it?\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Bob:<\/strong>\u00a0 That\u2019s a good challenge, a good word.\u00a0 I was sitting here thinking about the fact that we haven\u2019t said much about the upcoming FamilyLife <em>Love Like You Mean It Cruise\u00ae <\/em>that\u2019s going to be happening in February.\u00a0 We\u2019ve got a lot of folks who are signed up.\u00a0 In fact, it\u2019s either sold out, or it\u2019s on the cusp of being sold out.\u00a0 I\u2019m not sure which it is yet, but Priscilla is going to be with us on the <em>Love Like You Mean It Cruise<\/em> that we are planning to do in February of 2013.\u00a0 \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tI\u2019m just thinking with Christmas coming up, there may be some folks who go, \u201cYou know, that\u2019d be a good Christmas gift.\u201d\u00a0 \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Dennis:<\/strong>\u00a0 Great gift.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Bob:<\/strong>\u00a0 Plan ahead.\u00a0 I mean, I know it\u2019s now a year and a few months away from when the cruise will set sail; but actually, if you sign up now for the cruise in 2013 and you want to make monthly payments on that, the payments will be a little bit lower.\u00a0 So, that\u2019s a good way to go.\u00a0 \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tGo to our website, FamilyLifeToday.com.\u00a0 There is more information about how you can get registered for the 2013 <em>Love Like You Mean It Cruise<\/em>, Valentine\u2019s week, February 2013.\u00a0 Again, go to FamilyLifeToday.com for more information about how you can join us for that event; or call toll free 1-800-FL-TODAY.\u00a0 We can get you more information when you contact us.\u00a0 \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tDon\u2019t forget, Priscilla has a book that she has written called <em>The Resolution for Women<\/em>.\u00a0 It\u2019s a great book about what God\u2019s calling is for a woman\u2019s life.\u00a0 Go to FamilyLifeToday.com for more information about how to get a copy of the book; or call us, again, at 1-800- \u201cF\u201d as in family, \u201cL\u201d as in life, and then the word, \u201cTODAY\u201d.\u00a0 \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tA quick reminder\u2014Dennis mentioned this at the beginning of today\u2019s program\u2014we have some friends of the ministry who have very generously agreed to match the donations that we receive during the month of December on a dollar for dollar basis.\u00a0 Every donation that comes in will release matching funds to help support <em>FamilyLife Today, <\/em>up to a total of $2.5 million.\u00a0 \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tIn fact, we\u2019ve started to hear from some other friends who have said, \u201cWe might want to add to that total.\u201d\u00a0 If that happens, we\u2019ll let you know.\u00a0 We\u2019re waiting to hear back from some of those folks.\u00a0 \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tEven at $2.5 million, we\u2019re going to need as many of our listeners as possible to consider making a year-end contribution to support <em>FamilyLife Today<\/em>.\u00a0 So, would you think about going online or calling us and making as generous a donation as you possibly can?\u00a0 When you do, you\u2019re donation will open up the matching-gift fund.\u00a0 The same number that you donate will be released to us from that matching-gift fund, up to a total of right now $2.5 million.\u00a0 We do hope to hear from you.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tAgain, you can donate online at FamilyLifeToday.com, or you can donate by calling 1-800-FL-TODAY.\u00a0 We just want to say, \u201cThanks,\u201d in advance for your support of the ministry and whatever you are able to do with a year-end gift for <em>FamilyLife Today<\/em>.\u00a0 \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tWe want to encourage you to be back with us tomorrow when we\u2019re going to meet a guy who today spends a lot of time counseling married couples who are facing real challenges in their marriage.\u00a0 One of the reasons he\u2019s so good at what he does is because he had a lot of things in his own marriage he had to figure out the hard way.\u00a0 We\u2019ll introduce you to Doyle Roth on tomorrow\u2019s program.\u00a0 Hope you can be here for that.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tI want to thank today\u2019s engineer, Keith Lynch, and our entire broadcast production team.\u00a0 On behalf of our host, Dennis Rainey, I'm Bob Lepine.\u00a0 We will see you back tomorrow for another edition of <em>FamilyLife Today<\/em>.\u00a0 \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<em>FamilyLife Today<\/em> is a production of FamilyLife of Little Rock, Arkansas.\u00a0 \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tHelp for today.\u00a0 Hope for tomorrow.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tWe are so happy to provide these transcripts to you.\u00a0 However, there is a cost to produce them for our website.\u00a0 If you\u2019ve benefited from the broadcast transcripts, would you consider <a href=\"http:\/\/wp-stage.familylife.com\/www\/donate\">donating today<\/a> to help defray the costs?\u00a0 \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tCopyright \u00a9 2011 FamilyLife.\u00a0 All rights reserved.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<a href=\"http:\/\/wp-stage.familylife.com\/www\/\">www.FamilyLife.com<\/a>\u00a0 \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t\t1\n\t\t\t\t<\/p>","theme_header_position":"","post_header_is_sticky":"","is_header_overlay":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/wp-stage.familylife.com\/www\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/podcast\/302417","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/wp-stage.familylife.com\/www\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/podcast"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/wp-stage.familylife.com\/www\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/podcast"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wp-stage.familylife.com\/www\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/91"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wp-stage.familylife.com\/www\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=302417"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wp-stage.familylife.com\/www\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/294104"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/wp-stage.familylife.com\/www\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=302417"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wp-stage.familylife.com\/www\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=302417"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wp-stage.familylife.com\/www\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=302417"},{"taxonomy":"podcast_series","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wp-stage.familylife.com\/www\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/podcast_series?post=302417"},{"taxonomy":"cwp_profile","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wp-stage.familylife.com\/www\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/cwp_profile?post=302417"},{"taxonomy":"series","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wp-stage.familylife.com\/www\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/series?post=302417"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}