The Coolidge examiner., 1938-07-21

courage. Joshua 19.
PRIMARY TOPIC-Why Gideon Won.
JUNIOR TOPIC-Gideon' 5 Band.
INTERMEDIATE AND SENIOR
TOPIC-The Lords Three Hundred.
YOUNG PEOPLE AND ADULT
TOPIC--A Wise General.
Who is he? What are his connec-
tions? How large an organization
does he represent? These are the
measures of the greatness of a man
which are common in the world.
Even in religious circles there is
seeking for the men with big
names" when something is to be
done. Our lesson for today reit-
crates the principle which we all
know but which we practice so little,
namely, that whatever is accom-
plished that is really worth while is
done by God and that He uses only
humble instruments-the foolish
things" the weak things" the
base things" and things which
are despised" q Cor. 1:26-29. No
flesh is to have any opportunity to
glory in His presence. If men who
are accounted great by this world
are useful to God it is only because
they are themselves humble in spir-
it and service.
Gideon came from an obscure
family in a small tribe in Israel
and was aStonished when God called
him Judges 6: :15. He asked God for
several signs to assure him that he
was the chosen instrument of the
Lord (read Judges 81, but once he
was certain he went forward, moth
ing doubling.
/. An Insignificant Army wv. 4-O {.
At first thought it seems almost
foolish to comment on this story of
repeated reductions in the size Of
Gideon's army in these hectic days
when the nations of the earth are
living for but one objective-to ere
ate fighting machine bigger and
more fully manned than that of any
other nation.
But on second thought it is just
the time for such comment. be-
cause what the nations are doing is
a perfect example of the hopeless
philosophy of men, while what eide
on did is a presentation of God S
way. These notes are being pre-
pared in a city distant from the
writer's home, where he is attend
ing a conference of national leaders
in a field of great and international
importance. A long session just con-
cluded was addressed by number
of brilliant and capable men and
wonderland the conclusion they
reached was that America was a
badly befuddled nation, lost without
a sense Of direction in a wilderness
Of incoherent and inherently con-
Trajectory theories and about to lose
its dearly bought freedom, unless
someone points the way out. The
only solutions offered were bigger
and better human programs. and
when a suggestion was made that
our need might be spiritual the dis
cussion was promptly directed in
another direction.
We need the lesson today that it
is by the seemingly insignificant
Gideon's band that victory is to be
obtained. Take courage, ye 300, rid
yourselves of the 1000 fearful ones,
let God sift out the 300 who are
not alert to the danger Of the enemy,
and then, under some Gideon who
is obedient to the command of God,
go forward to victory. You are the
hope, and the only hope of our
nation. Do not fail God in this
crucial hour.
ii. Obedience to Gods Command
wv. 1929.
After the Lord had encouraged the
heart OF Gideon by the account of
the dream of the Midianite wv. g.
lD, he and his band are sent for
ward with strange weapons and even
stranger instructions.
1t is not ours to question 'Why?"
when God tells us to move forward:
When will we learn that He knows
more than we do, and that obedience
is all we need to render unto Him?
Behold. to obey is better than to
sacrifice, and to hearken than the
fat of rams" q Sam. 15:22).
III. The Sword of the Lord and of
Gideon wv. 18, 20).
While some folk err in counting
the Lord out and making everything
depend on man, there are a few
who make the opposite error and
become fatalistic in spirit and rela-
lively useless to both God and man
because they hold an improper
view of the manner in which the
Lord works through human agen-
cies.
A man who objected to soul
winning efforts, and especially per-
sonal work, said that he believed
God could save a man if he were
alone on the top of the Alps" OF
course He could, but God does not
ordinarily work that way. 1t is the
Sword Of the Lord"-yes, but do
not forget that it is "the sword of
the Lord and of Gideon" God has
graciousIy condescended to do His
work on earth through human agen-
ciar let ,Is he ready and suhservi-