Fearless: Gideon Courage for Wimps

Fearless: Gideon  Courage for Wimps

Do you remember sissy tests growing up?  We used to do the stupidest stuff like rubbing the back of your hand with an eraser until it bleeds, knuckle fighting, hand slaps, shooting bottle rocket fireworks at each other.  As I look back at things it seemed pretty stupid to do those things.  Abe Kuhn even told me about a guy who his mother helped in the hospital that she worked in who was drunk and was dared to put a fire work in his mouth and it exploded adn he lost almost half of his face.  We do some pretty dumb stuff and call them "sissy tests".  In the Bible Gideon a man who God really used started off as a wimpy sissy.  How do I know Gideon this man of God started off as a wimp? The angel of the Lord met him in a winepress where he was sifting wheat. You are supposed to press grapes in a winepress not sift wheat. The bible even says he was hiding from the Midianites Israel's oppressors (Judges 6:11-12)

Gideon the wimp became courageous and fearless by asking God to reveal himself by passing three sissy tests Gideon asked God to pass.  He became courageous not because He was a courageous guy, but because He saw God was a great God!

Sissy test #1:
Is this really you God? (Judges 6:16-17 angel of the Lord burns up an offering, fleece: Judges 6:36-40)

• The angel of the Lord revealed His power to Gideon by burning His sacrifice
•  The Lord showed Gideon it was really him in making the fleece dry and wet
• Gideon's confidence in God started to grow

Sissy test #2
Are you really gonna use me God? (cutting down the Asherah pole at night judges 6:27)

• Gideon was scared to follow God's directions to cut down the Asherah pole so He did it a night
• Later on His father had to come to His defense. Gideon Hardly stood up for Himself

Sissy test #3
Are you sure you only need 300 God?

• God delivering Midian into their hands with rams horns and torches 
• They started out with 32,000 men they went down to 10,000 men and finally down to 300 men
• These seemed like good odds for God 300 men with torches vs. an army as many as a swarm of locusts or as many as the sand on the seashore (Judges7:2)

How is God showing you his greatness and overcoming your fear.  If you are honest you and I are really wimps at heart, and are totally afraid in so many ways.  We need to put God to the test and see how great and big he is, and our fear will slowly disappear.  

Fearless: Deborah and Jael

Fearless: Deborah and Jael (Judges 4-5)
Two women who delivered Israel were fearless because they were zealous (marked by active interest and enthusiasm) for God in three actions

1. Deborah listened to God

• Under the palm tree of Ramah she listened to God and judged the people with what God was saying to them (Judges 4:5) As helpful as technology is sometimes I have to turn my phone off to hear from God.  
• Have you ever had to just turn everything off and listen.  Silence is a spiritual discipline, and we should practice it more often

2. Jael acted on behalf of God

• Jael invited Sisera (an evil King) into her tent and killed him with a tent peg!  She took the tent peg and a hammer and drove the tent peg through his temple and into the ground, OOOWWWWW! (Judges4:17-24)

• I think of Jael and I think of maybe a modern day Jael in the famous missionary Gladys Aylward.  She lived from 1902-1970 saving children in China.  She traveled from London to Peking which is 5,000 miles on the trans Siberian railroad, adopted nearly 200 children and fled to the mountains to protect them when the Japanese invaded China.  What is God making you zealous for like Jael was for the deliverance of Israel.  What if we were as serious about our sin as Jael was about delivering Israel from a wicked King?  Would we take a tent peg through the head of our sin and kill it?

3. Deborah worshipped God (when he acted)

• Deborah wrote a song about how God acted (Judges 5:1-end) She gave credit to God as being the sole mover in this deliverance (5:2-5)

• Worship: sometimes we don't worship God because we don't really believe that God is the prime mover in our deliverance from sin. We think that we have a part in our own deliverance. Worship demands we believe that that God has wrought a miracle in our deliverance from sin!  These two awesome women of the Bible believed God had delivered Israel and they worshiped Him for it.

U2 Oakland Coliseum Show

I went to the U2 Concert last night at the Oakland Coliseum. I have to say it might have been the most spectacular stadium show I have ever been to.Here are some picture and thoughts to follow at the end.

Simone and Me at U2

I am not one to try to create controversy or put people on pedestals...o.k. maybe I am, and maybe I will. U2 got together in 1976 (the year I was born), and released their first album “Boy” in 1980. Since "The Joshua Tree" they have been on the fast track. I remember seeing them when I was in high school at Williams-Brice Stadium in Columbia, South Carolina when I was 16 or 17 years old.  And since that time I know they have not ever not done a “Stadium” tour.  That means basically have been playing every time they do a show to 60,000-80,000 people for the past twenty years!  That is incredible! The thing that most struck me, besides the awesome music and lights, (oh and by the way have you seen the stage!!!) was their uncanny ability to connect with everyone in the stadium.  That has really defined their career.  Someone asked me today, “What makes them so appealing?”  I think it is actually a Biblical principle that makes them appealing.  They are “all things to all men” (1 Corinthians 9:22).  Their lyrics are so appealing and so inviting everyone feels like they have experienced what U2 has experienced (The music is pretty awesome too).  But for the sake of context the rest of the passage says, “To the weak I became weak, that I might win the weak; I have become all things to all men, so that I may by all means save some.”  This passage of scripture is not talking about just relating to people just to relate to people.  I do think U2 is so popular because they do relate to people becoming “all things to all men” (thus the name U2), but have they won people to Christ with their music?  I do know they are Christians and they have shied away from the pedestal that I am trying to put them on, and I actually thank them for that, but how have they fulfilled this passage.  I have been encouraged by their Scripture laced songs (like Yahweh).  I did not come to Christ through their music I have just been encouraged in the faith.  So I wonder if there are people out there who have come to Christ through their music in some way or another.  Please comment and let me know how you might have been won to Christ through the awesome music or lives of U2.  

FEARLESS: JOSHUA

Fearless: Joshua

Joshua became fearless because he trusted in God's ability In four areas

1. He trusted in God's plan (Jericho 1 and Jericho 2) Marching around the city of Jericho every day for seven days and then blowing trumpets is a pretty ridiculous battle plan, but as veggie tales tells he trusted in that plan, oh I mean as the Bible tells us. (numbers 14:6-10 Josh 6:1-7) What are some pretty ridiculous things that God asks us to do? Why do we think they are ridiculous? Do we think they are ridiculous because we don't want to do them or are they ridiculous because God is mainly testing our faith?

2. He trusted in God's presence (tent of meeting exodus 33:11) He really believes that God will go with them into the land that he promised to them. I think of Jesus in Joshua's story when Jesus promises the disciples and us that, "I will be with you until the end of the age" in what ways do you feel God's presence? What are you trusting God for until the very end of the age? Take time to meet with God in your tent of meeting regularly, Seek encounters with Him to be affirmed of His presence with you.

3. He trusted in God's courage (be strong and very courageous Josh 1:6-7;9). When I was a youth pastor in Lexington, South Carolina I would have an appointment with a student once a week and we would go out to eat at a different fast food joint every week. Our purpose was to learn how to share Christ with the employees at those places. It took a little bit of courage. But God gave it to us every time. We were able to share with someone almost every time and God came through with a great deal of courage. What is one area you need to trust Christ in to have courage? What is he asking you to do that takes a little more courage than you have to give? Lean on His courage like Joshua did.

4. He trusted in Gods law (1:6-8). What is one area of obedience right now that is hard to trust God with. What I mean is, what is one way that you are having a hard time obeying God in right now? I will be honest I am having a hard time right now being patient with people. I am asking God every day to give me His love and kindness toward people. Ask God to give you his righteousness and he will do it!

The Promise of Jonadab a great Fathers Day Gift

This is a book that my dad wrote about dads and having a vision and desire for a godly lineage. Amazon has it for $8. For that price you have enough money left over to get you dad a swell tie too! Click on the picture on the right to go to amazon and order it.

FEARLESS: MOSES

Fearless: Moses
Moses became fearless because he built three habits in his life

Habit #1: He listened to God
(burning bush Exodus 3:1-9 tent of meeting Exodus 33:7-11 all the times he listened to God to accomplish the plagues in Egypt)
Lydia my two year old daughter knows ABC's but sometimes she doesn't listen and gets it confused like when Lydia was potty training she confused counting and ABC's. Simone my wife thought to help her she would count to ten to get her to go potty and on the count of ten she would go, but after she counted to ten Lydia said "no more ABC's Mommy".  Lydia had it wrong because she didn't listen.  We also need to listen and especially to build habits of listening to God.
Building habits of listening to God
a. Taking time for silence
b. Taking time for worship
c. Taking time to Chew on the word (cows chew the cud to receive the nutrients so should we chew on the word to receive all that God has for us.  Meditating on a verse that speak to you is helpful)

Habit #2: He sought encounters with God
(burning bush Exodus 3:1-9; tent of meeting Exodus 33:7-11; Mt Sanai Exodus 19:2-9)
a. Taking retreats: One time I took a weekend retreat as a part of a prayer class.  At first it was awkward, but I warmed up easily in the silence, and by the end of the weekend I did not want to go home I wanted more of God. Retreats and silence before God will always grow a hunger for him.  Simone (my wife) also experienced a weekend retreat where she was ready for lightening to strike and God to speak clearly and loudly, she only felt His gentle presence in the steady crash of the waves on the beach, and through that He showed her His faithfulness.  We need these experiences like Moses did in seeking encounters with God.  How and when do you seek encounters with God (post some creative ideas in the comment section)?

Habit #3: He grew in humility before God
"Moses was the most humble man on the face of the earth" Numbers 12:3.  It sounds like a pretty high standard to live up to.  It's kind of like me saying, "I'm the most humble person I know". "God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble" (James 4:6-10 and 1 Peter 5:5-6) How does humility make you fearless? if God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble then you can become fearless because you know God is on your side and does not oppose you. But if on the other hand you are proud, God will oppose you that should make you very very afraid!
Practical ways to build humility in your life
1. Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought to (Philippians 2:1-4)
2. Look at others as better than yourself
3. Avoid things that grow pride in your life (or make you feel better or more accomplished than others)
So maybe I will stop blogging...? Or, Lord help me see this a a blessing for readers to grow in their faith.  Until Next Time...

Fearless: Joseph

We just started a series at GENERATION 24/7 on Sundays called FEARLESS

about the fearless characters in the Bible. I am posting my simple notes for Joseph. I hope they encourage you.

Fearless: Joseph
Joseph was fearless in the face of God's favor (which didn't look like favor it looked like trial) in three different situations

Situation #1: Being sold into Slavery
Genesis 37:28 20 He was sold for twenty shekels of silver about $3500-$4,000 current value which would have split ten ways between ten brothers into about $400 per brother! Pretty sketchy of brothers to sell your little brother for $400. I know sometimes you might want to get rid of a sibling but aren't they maybe worth more to you than your XBOX 360? Wait don't answer that.
When you think of slavery what do you think of? I think of Amistad and the horror that slaves went through. This must have not been very fun for Joseph, but He endured through and God turned it into favor

Situation #2: Becoming slave to Potiphar
Genesis 37:36 Sold to Potiphar
Genesis 39:2 The Lord was with Joseph, so he became a successful man (still a slave). And he was in the house of his master, the Egyptian

Genesis 39:4 So Joseph found favor in his sight and became his personal servant; and he made him overseer over his house, and all that he owned he put in his charge.

As you see, Joseph became very successful, but notice how this came about. It wasn't because Joseph was "Ridiculously gooooood loooooking" (shameless Zoolander line dropping) but because "The Lord was with Joseph". As Romans 8:28 says God was turning this for Joseph's good and God's glory.

Situation #3: Being thrown into prison
Genesis 39:21-23 "But the Lord was with Joseph and extended kindness to him, and gave him favor in the sight of the chief jailor...and whatever he did, the Lord made to prosper"
He was thrown into prison so that he could become second in command in Egypt and save Gods people
Genesis 45:1-9 Joseph says to his brothers "you meant this for evil, but God meant it for good". God turned the life of Joseph around for good

What are the areas where God is giving you favor, but it might not look like favor at the moment. In fact it might look like a trial, difficulty, or temptation. Know that God is "turning all things for your good and His glory to all who are called according to His purposes". Trust him through the trial until he gives you victory like he gave Joseph.