Live the Word Bible Studies

Welcome to Live the Word

I'm happy you have visited this site, where my goal since 2001 has been to help people all over the world understand and then apply the word of God in their lives. If you look on the right hand side of this blog site, you will see the name of each book in the New Testament, where you will find what I call a devotional commentary for every verse in those books. My goal was not to do a technical study, but rather a practical one that presented not only insights, but also questions and recommendations to help you apply or live the word. I have now published those studies in book form, but it's time to expand my work with something new (pictured here are two of my commentary covers, and they are all available in paper or Kindle format through Amazon).

Once I completed the New Testament, I wanted to continue my Live the Word series but wasn't sure how. For several years, I had the idea to develop a Purpose Study Bible, similar to others on the market like The Spirit-Filled Bible, The Leadership Bible, The African Bible, and The Student Bible. Each one of those incorporates insights about a particular topic right in the Bible itself, providing a convenient and easy-to-use commentary. I have been teaching on the topics of purpose, creativity, goal setting, time management, and faith since 1991, and have gained insight and often taught about or written about those topics from a biblical perspective.

For the remainder of my days, I want to share what I have learned with my readers on these five topics I have labeled the five Gold Mine Principles, and this format seems like an economical way to do so (since I'm not ready to undertake publishing a Bible) and a good next step for the Live the Word series. This particular study began with Genesis and is moving in an orderly fashion through the rest of the Old Testament. Should I live long enough, I'll finish the Old Testament and then move on to the New.

I also want to learn from my readers, so I invite you to post comments to supplement, adjust, or augment what I have written. My goal, however, isn't to make us all experts on what the Bible has to say about purpose or creativity or goals or faith, but rather to help us become people of purpose, for as Jesus said, "Now that you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them" (John 13:17). That's why my commentaries are called Live the Word, for that is what we are expected to do once we know it.

I hope you enjoy reading these studies as much as I enjoy writing them, and I hope you will be an active participant by sharing your own insight and testimonies. Thank you, and may the Lord bless the reading and study of His word!

Purpose Study Bible 285: Samson

The Angel and Manoah and His Wife / Pieter Lastman (1617)

We move on from Gideon this week to begin a new series looking at the life of Samson, one of the more unusual characters in the Bible. Before he was born, the angel of the Lord appeared to his mother:

“You are barren and childless, but you are going to become pregnant and give birth to a son. Now see to it that you drink no wine or other fermented drink and that you do not eat anything unclean.You will become pregnant and have a son whose head is never to be touched by a razor because the boy is to be a Nazirite, dedicated to God from the womb. He will take the lead in delivering Israel from the hands of the Philistines” (Judges 13:3-5).

The angel's appearance was sovereign, random, and unexpected, for Samson's parents were not priests or prophets. The child was assigned the role of a Nazirite, an unusual designation that involved a person vowing not to cut their hair or drink wine for the duration of their vow—which in Samson's case was to be for a lifetime. 

Samson's parents were given notice of what their son's purpose was to be, just like Moses' parents. That's because God wants you and yours to know His will; otherwise, how can you be expected to do it? Do you have an idea of what your children's purpose is? Do you know yours? What price are you willing to pay to find out? What price are you willing to pay to fulfill it?

In coming lessons, we will learn why a Nazirite were forbidden to have fermented drinks or trim their hair, but for now, ask God for clarity concerning your purpose or help those closest to you find and walk in theirs.

Purpose Study Bible 284: A Gold Ephod

With this entry, we will finish our look at Gideon's life, which has been a treasure trove of insight into all five of the Goldmine Principles. In this final lesson, we once again look at Gideon's creativity:

And he said, “I do have one request, that each of you give me an earring from your share of the plunder.” (It was the custom of the Ishmaelites to wear gold earrings.) They answered, “We’ll be glad to give them.” So they spread out a garment, and each of them threw a ring from his plunder onto it. . . . Gideon made the gold into an ephod, which he placed in Ophrah, his town (Judges 8:24-25, 27).

When Gideon the the people, he did so without charge, but then he asked them for one thing as payment: an earring they had taken from the spoil of the enemy from each person. The people were only too glad to comply and gave Gideon a small fortune in gold earrings. After that, Gideon took the earrings and made them into a golden ephod, a garment the priest was to wear.

We don't know why Gideon chose to create the ephod and we don't know what it looked like. But first Gideon had to see this ephod in his mind and then asked for the resources he would need to create one. After that, he either fashioned it himself or secured the services of someone who could make it. The lesson is that Gideon used his creativity to make a memorial of his and his family's service during this period in the country's history. (Even though Israel went on to worship this ephod, we are not told that this was the reason Gideon created it.)

How are you using your creativity these days? Are you envisioning something that doesn't exist and then taking steps to make it a reality, like poetry, clothing, a book, a business, or a painting? Are you using your creativity to memorialize God's goodness, something like a family celebration, a special outing or trip, or some tangible item like a sculpture or room decoration?

God gave you your creativity to use—creatively. Gideon went from a timid farmer to a mighty leader and used his creativity along the way to ask God for unique confirmations and then to devise never-heard-of battle strategies. The result of all that was a great victory for God's people. Now it's your turn to do the same—deploy your creativity in the service of your God-assigned purpose. It's time to make your own ephod.

Purpose Study Bible 283: How Others See You

Remember when we first met Gideon? He complained to the angel that he was insignificant, a powerless man from a small tribe and clan. Yet after the battle to free Israel, look at how his enemies saw him and his family:

Then Gideon asked Zebah and Zalmunna, “The men you killed at Tabor—what were they like?” “Like you,” they replied. “They all had the look of a king’s son.” “They were my brothers, the sons of my own mother!” Gideon exclaimed (Judges 8:18-19, NLT).

Others saw Gideon and his family as champions with the look of royalty. Yet their thinking, or at least that of Gideon, spoke of low self-esteem and poor self-image. God had to help him adjust his thinking to match the reality of who he was and how others saw him. God may be trying to do the same thing for you.

How do you describe yourself, or at least think of yourself? Are you royalty in God's house, or insignificant and powerless? How would others say they perceive you? Do you know? Do you care to find out? Will you accept what they say if it is more positive than the self-image you have?

Often others can see you and your strengths, which you take for granted. Hearing what they have to say and being willing to adjust your self-image to theirs can be a key to you being more confident in who you are—who God made you to be. Do you want to be like the Gideon we first met or the one we encounter here in Judges 8? The choice is yours, but your goal should be to see you as God does, and that may very well be reflected in what others see that you can't—or won't.

Purpose Study Bible 282: Faith Talk

After Gideon's initial victory, he moved with his army of 300 to finish the job and completely defeat Israel's enemy. When he tried to enlist some local leaders to help him, they refused, causing Gideon to tell them,

“Just for that, when the Lord has given Zebah and Zalmunna into my hand, I will tear your flesh with desert thorns and briers.” From there he went up to Peniel and made the same request of them, but they answered as the men of Sukkoth had. So he said to the men of Peniel, “When I return in triumph, I will tear down this tower" (Judges 8:7-9).

Don't focus on what Gideon promised to do to them, but consider his boldness and courage he exhibited when he vowed to return. When we first met him, he complained that he and his family were the smallest and most insignificant, which were the reasons he thought he could not possibly be the one to do what God was asking. He needed multiple confirmations that God was with him and speaking to him.

However, in these two instances, Gideon was bold and full of faith. He was going into battle but was so confident of his survival and success that he promised to come back and punish the people who refused to help. Like Abraham in Genesis 22, Gideon promised that he would "return in triumph," a statement of faith and confidence in God's ability to preserve and protect him.

Paul wrote in 2 Corinthians 4:19, "It is written: “I believed; therefore I have spoken.” Since we have that same spirit of faith, we also believe and therefore speak." How is your faith talk these days? Are you like the first version of Gideon—tentative and unsure—or this new, improved version—confident and bold? What are your words telling others (and God) about your faith in the God of your creative purpose?

Your productivity and success are in God's hands, but He still needs your cooperation as you build, fight, write, learn, or go. It's time your image of yourself matched the one God has of you, and that is one of a victorious, successful servant of the Most High God.

Purpose Study Bible 281: No Family Support

God had used Gideon to defeat Israel's enemies but one of the tribes benefiting from the victory wasn't all that happy:

Now the Ephraimites asked Gideon, “Why have you treated us like this? Why didn’t you call us when you went to fight Midian?” And they challenged him vigorously. But he answered them, “What have I accomplished compared to you? Aren’t the gleanings of Ephraim’s grapes better than the full grape harvest of Abiezer? God gave Oreb and Zeeb, the Midianite leaders, into your hands. What was I able to do compared to you?” At this, their resentment against him subsided (Judges 8:1-3).

Gideon was of the tribe of Manasseh and the Ephraimites were their relatives, since the tribes' namesakes, Manasseh and Ephraim, were Genesis Joseph's sons. Instead of rejoicing and offering congratulations, however, Ephraim took Gideon to task for not including them in the battle. Of course, God was the One who had chosen the warriors He wanted to go with Gideon, so Ephraim's problem really wasn't with their brother; their problem was with God Himself.

When you begin to make progress in your creative purpose, sometimes people closest to you are threatened by your growth and may not be your most ardent supporters. If that happens, remember how Gideon handled their complaint. He did so humbly and diplomatically, but he did not change course or include them in his future plans. In a sense, he shrugged it off and moved on.

Are some people you expected to support, celebrate, or encourage you not responding as you expected? How are you you handling this painful and disappointing scenario? Are you trying harder to win their approval, or are you carrying on with the work God has given you to do?

You shouldn't expect a parade or a bouquet of flowers from anyone when you do God's will, even those closest to you. It's nice if that happens, but whether it does or not, your focus needs to be on one thing and one thing only: being true to who God made you to be and what He gave you to do.

Purpose Study Bible 280: Listening to Others

Gideon had asked for a sign and God gave it to him. Then God offered him another sign but Gideon had move out and go down to the enemy's camp to receive it:

During that night the Lord said to Gideon, “Get up, go down against the camp, because I am going to give it into your hands. If you are afraid to attack, go down to the camp with your servant Purah and listen to what they are saying. Afterward, you will be encouraged to attack the camp.” So he and Purah his servant went down to the outposts of the camp.

Gideon arrived just as a man was telling a friend his dream. “I had a dream,” he was saying. “A round loaf of barley bread came tumbling into the Midianite camp. It struck the tent with such force that the tent overturned and collapsed.” His friend responded, “This can be nothing other than the sword of Gideon son of Joash, the Israelite. God has given the Midianites and the whole camp into his hands.” When Gideon heard the dream and its interpretation, he bowed down and worshiped (Judges 7:9-11, 13-15).

This confirming sign came through other people, which is how God often sends a sign to you. Perhaps you have received a compliment all your life about something: "You're so easy to talk to, you have such a good sense of color usage, I enjoy hearing you speak, etc." You haven't thought much about it, but could those be prophetic messengers coming to confirm God's will just like the men talking in the enemy camp were doing for Gideon?

What compliment or comment have you regularly heard about yourself from others? What clues could or does it have to help you understand your creative purpose? Are you willing for God to send you some messengers now to give you insight into how they see you? Can you be open to the fact that what they tell you is how God sees you? Gideon had to go down to the camp and listen to what the people were saying. Now it's your turn to listen in as others talk about you too.

Purpose Study Bible 279: "For the Lord and for Gideon"

“Gideon and His 300” (1907), Providence Lithograph Co.

Once Gideon got over his fears and insecurities as the leader who was to set his people free, he became quite creative in his leadership style.

Dividing the three hundred men into three companies, he placed trumpets and empty jars in the hands of all of them, with torches inside. "Watch me," he told them. "Follow my lead. When I get to the edge of the camp, do exactly as I do. When I and all who are with me blow our trumpets, then from all around the camp blow yours and shout, ‘For the Lord and for Gideon'” (Judges 7:16-18).

First, he asked the angel of the Lord for a confirmation that He was God's messenger when they met. Then he requested a sign which involved the fleece and the dew. Finally, Gideon asked for one more confirmation, and God allowed him to overhear someone who had a dream of a barley loaf striking the Midianites—the loaf representing Gideon and his army.

After God's will was confirmed, Gideon became a creative genius as a military leader, coming up with the plan to utilize his out-manned army in such a way that the enemy would be surprised and overwhelmed, thus defeating themselves. Once timid, Gideon boldly told his men to "watch me" and then to shout his name, along with God's, as the army's battle cry.

Like Gideon, are you bold in your approach to life and purpose? Do you devise creative strategies to accomplish the tasks God has assigned you to do? Are you waiting on God to do what He expects you to do? Are you willing to put yourself "out there" for people to watch for direction and inspiration? God is still looking for people who are willing to be purpose champions for others. I encourage you to make yourself available to be one of them.

Purpose Study 278: A Fleece

God was asking Gideon to do things he had never done before, including putting his life and the lives of others in danger, and he was apprehensive and fearful. Therefore, he asked God for multiple confirmations that what he was hearing was truly from God. Here's one of those requests:

Gideon said to God, “If you will save Israel by my hand as you have promised—look, I will place a wool fleece on the threshing floor. If there is dew only on the fleece and all the ground is dry, then I will know that you will save Israel by my hand, as you said.” And that is what happened. Gideon rose early the next day; he squeezed the fleece and wrung out the dew—a bowlful of water (Judges 6:36-38).

This incident gave the name to a common phrase "putting out a fleece." It's refers to any petition asking God for a miraculous or unusual sign to confirm His will. In Gideon's case, God provided the sign on three occasions and Gideon went on to lead his people to victory, confident of God's presence and help.

While appropriate on occasions, the constant demand for a sign is not an act of faith but of unbelief. During Jesus' ministry, the Jews demanded a sign and He responded, “A wicked and adulterous generation asks for a sign! But none will be given it except the sign of the prophet Jonah" (Matthew 12:39). The sign of Jonah is His resurrection and we now have that as our sign if we are looking for a fleece.

If God raises the dead, He can do anything. He can provide money, resources, open doors, healing, and deliverance from your enemies. When He asks you to write, build, study, speak, go, or do, you don't need a sign. You already have one. However, God knows your heart and if He is giving you a "stretch" goal or task that is out of the ordinary, He will confirm it with a sign—something that is meaningful for you.

But if you're considering writing poetry, doing missions, being generous, or some other simple faith act that is already described in His Word, then asking for a confirmation is not appropriate. You should simply act in obedience and not wait.

Where have you been demanding a sign from God, confident you were doing so in faith, but only to be revealing your unbelief? To think that God would be required to give you constant confirmation is to ignore what Jesus said to the Jews: You have a sign, the sign of Jonah. It's time to stop asking God to jump through hoops before you consent to act. Faith requires action, so find a way to do something today and stop blaming your inactivity on God not giving you a confirming fleece.

Purpose Study Bible 277: Be Among The 300

To further reduce his army, the Lord directed Gideon to do the following:

When Gideon took his warriors down to the water, the Lord told him, “Divide the men into two groups. In one group put all those who cup water in their hands and lap it up with their tongues like dogs. In the other group put all those who kneel down and drink with their mouths in the stream.” Only 300 of the men drank from their hands. All the others got down on their knees and drank with their mouths in the stream. The Lord told Gideon, “With these 300 men I will rescue you and give you victory over the Midianites. Send all the others home.” So Gideon collected the provisions and rams’ horns of the other warriors and sent them home. But he kept the 300 men with him (Judges 7:5-8).

Some believe the 300 were chosen because they did not kneel to drink, while the others were comfortable kneeling, having knelt to other gods. Then there are those who say the men who knelt and drank were not vigilant to keep their head up to watch for an attack as a good soldier should do. Those explanations are plausible, but perhaps there is another reason why the 300 were chosen?

Those 300 men didn't conform to how the other 9,700 men were drinking. It took a little more effort and it was messier the way they did it. But they were about to fight a battle against a formidable enemy army with only pitchers and torches, so God was looking for warriors who didn't do things like everyone else—men who were comfortable with their distinctiveness.

Where are you trying to conform to how you should think, work, or express your creative purpose? Where are you resisting your own individuality and thus doing things as others expect them to be done? 

God made you unique for a reason, and expects you to function according to the 'operating system' He has installed in you. Don't kneel to the way things have always been done, but instead be true to who you are. Have the courage to flow in your unique style wherever and whenever you work, play, worship, or create.

Purpose Study Biblel 276: Disqualified

God had Gideon take the first step to reduce the army to the number of soldiers the Lord wanted:

"Now announce to the army, ‘Anyone who trembles with fear may turn back and leave Mount Gilead.’” So twenty-two thousand men left, while ten thousand remained (Judges 7:3).

God used fear as the first means through which they would limit the fighting men. And when you think of it, fear is still the great divider among God's people, often separating those who will talk about what they are going to do for the Lord and those who actually do it. If you look at the numbers, sixty-eight percent of the 32,000-man army was disqualified from fighting. Why? Because they were afraid. More than two-thirds of the men who had assembled disassembled when Gideon gave them permission to leave.

And how many of God's people are not in the battle today because they are afraid? Of course, only God knows. But the more important question is: Are you afraid? Where is fear keeping you from being in the front line of God's purpose for you? Where are the people of God missing out on the best of your creative purpose due to your fear? Those questions are easy to answer because God is ready to help you see you—if you are ready to ask for help.

We'll see in the next lesson that God wasn't done whittling down the army to a few hundred men, but the first reduction was massive when fear was the determining factor of whether they stayed or went. Fear is still an important, deciding factor in your own walk of purpose and you will have to deal with it one way or the other—you'll have to overcome it or you'll have to go home.