19 Gid‘on went in, cooked a young goat and made matzot from a bushel of flour. He put the meat in a basket and the broth in a pot, brought them out to him under the pistachio tree and presented them. 20 The angel of God said to him, “Take the meat and matzot, lay them on this rock, and pour out the broth.” Gid‘on did so. 21 Then the angel of Adonai reached out with the stick he was holding, touched the meat and matzot, and fire shot up out of the rock and burned up the meat and matzot. Then the angel of Adonai disappeared before his eyes. 22 Gid‘on realized that he was the angel of Adonai and said, “Oh no! My Lord! Adonai! Because I’ve seen the angel of Adonai face-to-face!” 23 But Adonai reassured him, “Shalom to you, don’t be afraid, you won’t die!” 24 Then Gid‘on built an altar there to Adonai and called it “Adonai-Shalom”; to this day it remains in ‘Ofrah of the Avi‘ezri.
"An Altar of Peace" by Author: Tim StearmanI did a Google I did a Google seardh on the word "peace." Do you know how many results are listed? There are 179,000,000 web sites, articles, and blogs about peace available on the Internet. That’s a lot of peace! Unfortunately, peace is another one of those commodities we often talk about, but never attain. That’s not just true in our world; it’s true in our innermost selves.
Gideon was a nervous wreck–and why shouldn’t he be? He was threshing wheat when God announced that He was sending him to defeat Israel’s most fearsome enemy: Midian. After protesting that he was unworthy and incapable, Gideon still had the job. Finally, after accepting the inevitable, Gideon decided to do something religious: He prepared an offering to God. That’s when God spoke the powerful word, “Peace!” adding the assurance, “Do not be afraid. You are not going to die!” (v. 23)
Gideon had received peace and wanted to acknowledge it, so he named the altar “The LORD Is Peace” (v. 24). He had stopped talking and started walking into the future God had for him. What is your Midian?
Hymn for Today: "It Is Mine" by Elisha A. Hoffman
1. God’s abiding peace is in my soul today,
Yes, I feel it now, yes, I feel it now;
He has taken all my doubts and fears away,
Though I cannot tell you how.
Refrain:
It is mine, mine, blessed be His Name!
He has given peace, perfect peace to me;
It is mine, mine, blessed be His Name!
Mine for all eternity!
2. He has wrought in me a sweet and perfect rest,
In my raptured heart I can feel it now;
He each passing moment keeps me saved and blest,
Floods with light my heart and brow.
Refrain:
It is mine, mine, blessed be His Name!
He has given peace, perfect peace to me;
It is mine, mine, blessed be His Name!
Mine for all eternity!
3. He has given me a never failing joy,
Oh, I have it now! oh, I have it now!
To His praise I will my ransomed pow’rs employ,
And renew my grateful vow.
Refrain:
It is mine, mine, blessed be His Name!
He has given peace, perfect peace to me;
It is mine, mine, blessed be His Name!
Mine for all eternity!
4. Oh, the love of God is comforting my soul,
For His love is mine, yes, His love is mine!
Waves of joy and gladness o’er my spirit roll,
Thrilling me with life divine.
Refrain:
It is mine, mine, blessed be His Name!
He has given peace, perfect peace to me;
It is mine, mine, blessed be His Name!
Mine for all eternity!
“What I am leaving with you is shalom — I am giving you my shalom. I don’t give the way the world gives. Don’t let yourselves be upset or frightened." John 14:27
Please pray:
Please pray:
For faculty and students as they prepare for Christian ministry in Haiti.
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