In today's chapter reading, we see a couple of examples of "gas lighting". I was not able to address this topic in part one of my take away revelations from today's bible reading plan. However, it was too juicy to leave on the table. So, here goes.... there is a testimony at the end. Gas lighting can come from enemies who are trying to use psychological warfare in an attempt to make you embrace their attack. Gas lighting can also come from those who bring attacks but who are "supposed" to be your friends and allies. In today's reading, we have an example of each type of gas lighting along with an example in each case of accurately discerning what was occurring. 1) The first example comes from an enemy in Judges 11:12-27. 2) The second example in Judges 12:1-3, is what I would call friendly fire" because it comes from one with whom you are supposed to be in allegiance (a friend or co-worker). 3) There is also a third example of gas lighting in yesterday's reading in Judges 8:1-3 from "friendly fire". TESTIMONY... Several years ago, I had a court case and one of my key witnesses was a victim of gas lighting. She was a seasoned believer so I shared Judges 12:1-3 with her and explained that it was a scriptural picture of what she was experiencing. Her job required her to investigate elder abuse and she had been assigned to a pending complaint. The individuals being investigated had the audacity to gas light her (try to make her feel guilty for doing her job) based upon the fact that she had some type of prior personal history with them even though it was a very slight prior personal history. She was also experiencing a conflict of interest based upon the prior personal history with the individuals she was assigned to investigate - It would have been wise for her to ask her supervisor to reassign her based upon the potential for a conflict of interest - an investigator needs to be completely impartial and unbiased. This would have spared her this gas lighting situation.

Hey Fam, If your entire community was being attacked - wouldn't it be nice if an advocate stepped in and said, "why are you attacking me? - why have you come to my community? - If you mess with this community, you mess with me" ! We see an example, in Judges 11:12, of what it looks like for someone to say, when you mess with them, you mess with me. The text is quoted below from the KJV easy read version. "And Jephthah sent messengers to the king of the children of Ammon, saying, What have you to do with me, that you are come against me to fight in my land?" The battle commander is saying, this is my family - these are my people - I am in relationship with them - if you mess with them, you mess with me. I believe this is the heart of Jesus - The gospel of Jesus Christ is based upon Jesus stepping into our battle !!! In other parts of scripture, we see examples of Jesus taking it personally when someone was persecuting his Body (the church). For example, in Acts 9:4-5, Jesus Himself states to Saul, on the Damascus road, "Why are you persecuting me?" We are the Body of Christ as set forth in 1 Corinthians 12: 12-27. ON A DIFFERENT NOTE ..... I gleaned other revelations from today's reading as well - Specifically, I saw multiple examples of "gas lighting" in today's reading. Gas lighting can come from enemies who are trying to use psychological warfare in an attempt to make you embrace their attack. Gas lighting can also come from those who bring attacks but who are "supposed" to be your friends and allies. In today's reading, we have an example of each type of gas lighting along with an example in each case of accurately discerning what was occurring. More to share on this point - Stay tuned for PART 2 later today. SIDE NOTE - The version of the bible you use matters. In my opinion, as it relates to the points made regarding Judges 11:12, it makes a difference.. Please note that some versions of the bible use the word "us" and "our" in Judges 11:12 as opposed to "me" and "my".

🔹 FEBRUARY 1–3 Feb 1 – Genesis 1–4 | Psalm 1 Feb 2 – Genesis 5–8 | Psalm 2 Feb 3 – Genesis 9–11 | Psalm 3 & Psalms 71 + 91 🔹 FEBRUARY 4–9 Feb 4 – Luke 1–4 | Psalm 4 Feb 5 – Luke 5–8 | Psalm 5 Feb 6 – Luke 9–12 | Psalm 6 Feb 7 – Luke 13–16 | Psalm 7 Feb 8 – Luke 17–20 | Psalm 8 Feb 9 – Luke 21–24 | Psalm 9 🔹 FEBRUARY 10–16 Feb 10 – Acts 1–4 | Psalm 10 Feb 11 – Acts 5–8 | Psalm 11 Feb 12 – Acts 9–12 | Psalm 12 Feb 13 – Acts 13–16 | Psalm 13 Feb 14 – Acts 17–20 | Psalm 14 Feb 15 – Acts 21–24 | Psalm 15 Feb 16 – Acts 25–28 | Psalm 16 🔹 FEBRUARY 17 Feb 17 – Jude + 1 Peter 1–5 + | Psalm 17 🔹 FEBRUARY 18–23 Feb 18 – Joshua 1–4 | Psalm 18 Feb 19 – Joshua 5–8 | Psalm 19 Feb 20 – Joshua 9–12 | Psalm 20 Feb 21 – Joshua 13–16 | Psalm 21 Feb 22 – Joshua 17–20 | Psalm 22 Feb 23 – Joshua 21-24 | Psalm 23 🔹 FEBRUARY 24–28 Feb 24 – Judges 1–4 | Psalm 24 Feb 25 – Judges 5–8 | Psalm 25 Feb 26 – Judges 9–12 | Psalm 26 Feb 27 – Judges 13–17 | Psalm 27 Feb 28 – Judges 18–21 | Psalm 28

When we think of Samson or maybe see AI generated images of him we see this jacked man with a strong physical appearance. I envision him being a man of normal stature. Otherwise it wouldn’t have been such a mystery where he was drawing his strength from. Scripture is clear that Holy Spirit came upon him mightily! “And the Spirit of the LORD came mightily upon him, and he rent him as he would have rent a kid, and he had nothing in his hand: but he told not his father or his mother what he had done.” ‭‭Judges‬ ‭14‬:‭6‬ ‭KJV‬‬ “And the Spirit of the LORD came upon him, and he went down to Ashkelon, and slew thirty men of them, and took their spoil, and gave change of garments unto them which expounded the riddle. And his anger was kindled, and he went up to his father's house.” ‭‭Judges‬ ‭14‬:‭19‬ ‭KJV‬‬ “And when he came unto Lehi, the Philistines shouted against him: and the Spirit of the LORD came mightily upon him, and the cords that were upon his arms became as flax that was burnt with fire, and his bands loosed from off his hands. And he found a new jawbone of an ass, and put forth his hand, and took it, and slew a thousand men therewith.” ‭‭Judges‬ ‭15‬:‭14‬-‭15‬ ‭KJV‬‬ “And Samson called unto the LORD, and said, O Lord GOD, remember me, I pray thee, and strengthen me, I pray thee, only this once, O God, that I may be at once avenged of the Philistines for my two eyes. And Samson took hold of the two middle pillars upon which the house stood, and on which it was borne up, of the one with his right hand, and of the other with his left. And Samson said, Let me die with the Philistines. And he bowed himself with all his might; and the house fell upon the Lords, and upon all the people that were therein. So the dead which he slew at his death were more than they which he slew in his life.” ‭‭Judges‬ ‭16‬:‭28‬-‭30‬ ‭KJV‬‬

Hey fam, I note in Judges 4:7, Deborah, the Prophetess/Judge gave Barak, the military leader a Word from the Lord - the Israelites had cried out to the Lord because the enemy had oppressed them for 20 years. The Word of the Lord was that Barak was to take 10,000 men and go against the oppressive army - the Lord's promise what that God was going to give the enemy and the leader into Barak’s hands. Instead of receiving and obeying the Word of the Lord, Barak replied, in verse 8, as follows, "And Barak said to her, If you will go with me, then I will go: but if you will not go with me, then I will not go.". The rebuke from the Lord to Barak was instantaneous in verse 9 as follows: "And she said, I will surely go with you: notwithstanding the journey that you take shall not be for your honor for the Lord shall sell Sisera into the hand of a woman." My takeaway revelation is that we need to move out smartly when we receive a Word from the Lord. In my opinion, verse 9 was a rebuke. My reading of verse 9 is that God was going to honor Barak, in his role as a military leader, and the honor he did not receive. The Lord still accomplished His purpose, but Barak did not get the honor the Lord intended for Him to receive. I want everything God has for me - I don't want to leave anything on the table - God is smarter than I am. If God says He is going to give the enemy into my hands, I need to put the whole of my weight on God (on his faithful character) and move out. The key is getting a Word from the Lord - Read Your Word each day and expect God to speak to you from His Word about your current circumstances. #HaveFaithInGod #FearNot