Courtney Gilmore As a child growing up in the church, the answer to almost any question was God, Jesus, or the Bible. Those are the magic words in church, right? No matter what the teacher asked, if you said one of those three words, you would get credit.
As adults, those are still good answers. But since we have grown, our list has, too. Pray, church, believe, faith, and blessed are good ones that we often use. But do we say them because we know that’s the right answer and think we will get credit, or do we mean it?
Are you a Christian? – Yes, I believe in God and Jesus. (There’s three in one. Extra credit!)
How are you doing? – I’m blessed. (I could have said good or lucky, but blessed is a church word)
I’m sorry you are going through that. I’ll pray for you. (But will we?)
No money; laid off; Relationship in shambles; Confused; Worried; Scared; Lonely – Then, have faith. Go to church. Read the Bible. Pray. God. Jesus. (6 out of 7)
I’m not making fun. These are the right things to say. They are true. God is the answer. Jesus is the only way. The Bible is His Word, and it has the answers. Prayer is powerful. The church is the Bride and Body of Christ. We are most certainly blessed. Then, without belief and faith, none of the rest matters. But do we mean it?
Do we live like God is the answer and Jesus is the way? Do we treat the Bible like it is God’s Word to us? If prayer is powerful and the church is made up of God’s people, are we consistent in reading and attending. Do we act on our beliefs or just say the right things?
Gideon
Gideon knew that God had taken him, an ordinary man just trying to make a living, and made him Israel’s deliverer. He knew how doubtful he had been and how much encouragement God had to give before he would act. Gideon understood that he had no part in Israel’s victory. God had reduced their army until they were outnumbered 450 to one. Then, the Lord made the Midianites defeat themselves.
So, when asked to be their king, Gideon professed God to be the only King they should serve. Yet he stood in a place of honor and created a symbol that drew them away from God anyway. Gideon used his newfound fame to collect a harem and father an empire.
Maybe Gideon really thought he was rejecting the kingship because that is what he said. He may not have been aware of the obvious distraction the golden ephod would bring. He probably had no intention of worshipping it or drawing the rest of the nation away from God in that way. The women were a nice reward, and the children a natural consequence. Surely, there was nothing wrong with having a big family. Then, by the time he named his son Abimelech, meaning “my father is king,” he probably still thought he was righteous because he had not taken the title himself. Surely, just giving a little nod in that direction would not hurt anything.
It Is All of God
It is easy to see Gideon’s faults, but are we really much different? God has called each of us from our sin and weakness and given us the strength to be useful for His Kingdom.
You, He made alive, who were dead in trespasses and sins, in which you once walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit who now works in the sons of disobedience, among whom also we all once conducted ourselves in the lust of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, just as the others.
But God who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved, and raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, that in the ages to come He might show the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. By grace, God saved you through faith. It is not of yourselves, but the gift of God. It is not of works, lest anyone should boast.
Ephesians 2:1-9
He has encouraged us in our fear and doubt and equipped us for every good work.
It is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure.
Philippians 2:13
Every victory we have ever had is because of Him. We have no power in ourselves. Yet, knowing and even professing all this, we may still be prideful and take glory for ourselves instead of directing it to God.
God is the King
Only fear the Lord and serve Him in truth with all your heart. Consider what great things He has done for you.
1 Samuel 12:24
It is easy to say God is the King, but do we serve Him or our own selfish desires?
Since Christ suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves also with the same mind. For he who has suffered in the flesh has ceased from sin, that he no longer should live the rest of his time in the flesh for the lusts of men, but for the will of God. For we have spent enough of our past lifetime in doing the will of the Gentiles (those who do not know God) – when we walked in lewdness, lusts, drunkenness, revelries, drinking parties, and abominable idolatries.
1 Peter 4:1-3
We may say we have no right to rule ourselves, but do we act like we are in charge, doing what we please instead of submitting to His ways?
Do not let sin reign in your mortal body that you should obey it in its lusts… Do you not know that to whom you present yourselves slaves to obey, you are that one’s slaves whom you obey, whether of sin leading to death or of obedience leading to righteousness? But God be thanked that though you were slaves of sin, yet you obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine to which you were delivered. Having been set free from sin, you became slaves of righteousness.
Romans 6:12-18
If we say God is our King, we must treat Him like our ruler and serve Him in all we do. Being the King means He is the Lord. Do not just profess Him as your Lord. Make Him the Lord of your life.
He Deserves the Glory
Also, if God is our King, we cannot take the glory for ourselves. If our goal is to receive glory from others, we will not receive it from God. Even worse, we will draw others to ourselves and away from Him.
When you do a charitable deed, do not sound a trumpet before you as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and the streets, that they may have glory from men. Assuredly, I say to you, they have their reward. But when you do a charitable deed, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, that your charitable deed may be in secret. Then, your Father, who sees in secret, will Himself reward you openly.
Matthew 6:2-4
But when our actions are public, then they should point others to God and not ourselves.
Let your light so shine before men that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.
Matthew 5:16
Serve your King faithfully and focus on pleasing God above all else. Everything we gather for ourselves on this earth will not last. Only the things of God are eternal.
All that is in the world – the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life – is not of the Father but of the world. The world is passing away, and the lust of it. But he who does the will of God abides forever.
1 John 2:16-17
Live Up to Your Words
Examine your life to see if your actions line up with your words. If you say you are a Christian, then you are saying you are a Christ-follower. So, follow Him. Make Him your Lord and King. Let God be the answer to all life’s questions. Don’t just say you believe. Place your faith in Him. Walk in the ways of Jesus. Pray, read your Bible, and go to church. Get to know Him. Develop a relationship with God and His people. Be His hands and feet. Then, live like the Lord has blessed you. You would be nothing without Him.
But remember, not to say these things to get credit for yourself. Instead, use your words and deeds to point others to Him. As the King, He deserves all the glory.
Links
This is an excerpt from “Who is the King?” as taught on YouTube, Podcast, and written on Substack. Read the beginning of the lesson for free. Or read it in its entirety, along with previous lessons over Deuteronomy, Joshua, and Judges, for $6/month or $60/year. Once subscribed, you’ll receive one lesson each week after that by email. Cancel anytime.
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