Coffee With The Lord

You may have heard someone say this about another person: “They have a good reputation – they’re as good as their word.” What a complement!

Several things in my Bible reading this morning reinforced the truth of that statement… especially as it relates to God. He has a great reputation – He is true to His word!

First, this morning I read these words… Psalm 119:140… “Your promise is well tried, and your servant loves it!”

Joshua reminded God’s people, Israel as they were about to enter the Promised Land, “Not one word of all the good promises that the Lord has made to the house of Israel has failed; all have come to pass!” (Joshua 21:45)

Then these words of Jesus came to mind: “The one who is faithful in a very little is also faithful in much, and the one who is dishonest in a very little is also dishonest in much.” (Luke 16:10) I know that the context here is of Jesus giving His disciples instructions regarding how they should steward material thing or handle “mammon” (money). But it also applies to God… He is the One who is the personification of faithfulness – He is faithful in much and little!

Apostle Paul declared, “All the promises of God find their ‘Yes!’ in Him (i.e. Christ). That is why it is through Him that we utter our ‘Amen!’ (‘Yes! Let it be so!’) to God for His glory!” (2 Corinthians 1:20)

God is faithful! He keeps His promises! My grandfather, Bede LeRoy Shirley, told me “God is faithful, LeRoy! He’s as good as His word! He keeps His promises!” My mother, Vera Constance Shirley Bartel, told me the same thing (and my dad, Ewalt Bartel, reaffirmed it with his heavy German brogue … ‘Ya, das true – das goot!”). They found it to be true in every aspect of their lives! I’ve personally found it to be true in my life, as well! God is faithful! He’s as good as His word! He keeps His promises! I’ve affirmed this truth to my children… and I’m depending on them to tell their children, and their children to tell their children…

So this morning this is what I said personally to God…“Your promise Lord is well tried, and your servant loves it!” (Psalm 119:140)

If you were “in charge” who would you choose to tackle an “impossible” task? What would be your strategy for victory?

My Bible reading this morning addressed that topic (and I observed several important lessons on the subject in the process). The story in the Bible? Gideon in the book of Judges – chapters 6-7.

First of all, Gideon – God’s choice. The armies of Midian were a formidable adversary and enemy! They harassed Israel mercilessly and had a huge military force. Who would God choose to lead Irael to a military victory? Not the person we would choose! He chose Gideon – an inexperienced farm boy… Here it is: “Gideon threshed wheat in the winepress, in order to hide it from the Midianites. And the Angel of the Lord appeared to him, and said to him, ‘The Lord is with you, O mighty man of valor!’ … Gideon responded, ‘O my Lord, how can I save Israel? Indeed my clan is the weakest in Manasseh, and I am the least in my father’s house!’” (6:11-12,15) How like God that is! Apostle Paul declared, “Consider your calling! Not many wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble are called! But God has chosen the foolish things of the world to put to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to put to shame the things which are mighty…that no flesh should glory in His presence… as it is written, ‘He who glories, let him glory in the Lord!” (1 Corinthians 1:26-31) …And believe me, Gideon is NOT the only example of God’s choice not being like ours in the Bible!

Secondly, fear and doubt must be overcome – victory only comes by trusting the Lord! The Lord assured Gideon, “Surely I will be with you and you shall defeat the Midianites as one man!” and Gideon responded, ‘Show me a sign that it is You who talk with me!’” (6:16-17) And here is where the well-known account of “Gideon’s Fleece” comes in (6:36-40)… It was God mercifully reassuring Gideon and buttressing his faith.

Third, the strategy for victory must be God’s strategy, not ours. “And the Lord said to Gideon, ‘The people who are with you are too many for me to give the Midianites into their hands, lest Israel claim glory for itself against Me, saying ‘my own hand has saved me!’” (And then, the fearful among the soldiers were permitted to go home – 22,000. Only 10,000 remained!) Then another test and culling of the armed forces (based upon the seemingly foolish criteria of how they drank water from a stream)… Only 300 remained! And the strategy? Believe it or not, It involved the use of trumpets, empty pitchers, and torches inside the pitchers. Gideon told the 300, “Watch me and do likewise; watch, and when I come to the edge of the Midianite camp you shall do as I do: When I blow the trumpet, I and all who are with me, then you also blow the trumpets on every side of the whole camp and cry, ‘The sword of the Lord and of Gideon!’” (7:16-18).

And the result? “When the three hundred blew the trumpets, the Lord set every man’s sword against his companion throughout the whole camp; and the army fled!” A mighty, incredible victory!

Listen, the Lord may choose YOU to engage the enemy and win an incredible victory for His kingdom! Believe His promises, trust His word, and allow Him to build your faith! And finally, don’t simply depend on human strategies and insight – God given strategies are best and when obediently obeyed, result in incredible, miraculous victories!

A challenge to myself and other fellow “Christians!” “If you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if there is any comfort from His love, if any common sharing in the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, then make joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and of one mind! Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each to the interests of the others. In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus!” (Adapted from Philippians 2:1–5 NIV)