What I have learned from Gideon...

God calls us when HE is ready. I will never be strong enough, good enough, or wise enough...but God is. He will decide what to do with me. With God I am enough.

God prepares me and uses my abilities. God used Gideon's quiet years in the cave to prepare his heart for leadership. He plunked a boy from a herd of sheep to teach him how to use a sling shot on predators...preparing him to slay a giant. Spiritual giants spent lots of quiet time in communion with their Lord. He placed a baby in a basket...in a river...to allow a young man to see up close and personal both sides of an Egyptian/Israelite struggle. He used a barn, a feed trough, and two wide eyed young people to provide for the birth of a King...a Savior for all humankind.  He prepares us for His use in the most unexpected ways. Don't ever underestimate what our God is planning for your life!

God uses the weak. God uses us in spite of our limitations. God uses us even when we fail. I am convinced that God loves surprises. What joy it must bring Him to see His weakest child overcome the strong. With God there are no limitations. Failure is only practice for getting it right...He lifts us up. He dusts us off and helps us straighten our shoulders. He emboldens us to try again...this time relying more on Him than ourselves. He rejoices when we get it right...knowing we have finally figured it out. We need HIM. He is our strength.

Finally, even the strong can fall...and they will without God. Over and over we see the Israelites slide back into sin. Sometimes when we read the Word we scratch our heads in wonder. Why didn't they get it? How dumb can you be? But...we are so much like them. The Evil One is never blatant. Evil never comes knocking boldly on your door announcing himself. He sneaks in. He pretends to be a friend. He is the giver of lovely gifts. He wraps lies in truth and confuses us. Without a continual walk wearing our spiritual armor we are exposed to the flaming arrows of Satan.

Finally, be strong in the Lord and in His mighty power. Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil's schemes. Ephesians 6:10

Flannel Flat Stanley going to war...

Do you remember when you were little in Sunday school and the teacher showed you the flannel story of the full armor of God? Standing in all the flannel glory was a figure simply clothed and as the teacher spoke of each piece of gear she begin to arm the flat Stanley for battle. I even remember buying a plastic armor at a Christian bookstore for my little youngster so he could fight righteous battles with pretend armor. I think we might have messed up!

Over and over in God's word he says to us...you don't need any of that stuff. I AM your armor. Of course, when a soldier is engaged in an earthly struggle with a physical enemy he needs his earthly body as protected as it can be. But in Judges when God is preparing Gideon for battle...He is the general. They have no need for battle gear. All they need is a horn and some pots. God just confuses the enemy around midnight with loud horns and breaking pots. God has no need for battle gear...he just asks for a trusting heart. Wasn't it the same with David? David in his tender youth was wise enough to know that he needed no heavy burdensome armor...that God was his protector. So...God provided a slingshot to slay an awkward near sighted giant. Moses found himself lacking in confidence so God just simply provided a staff...just a little something to hang on to like a security blanket. The power was never in the staff...

Our battles are spiritual battles. Our weapons are spiritual weapons. But it is impossible to go into a spiritual battle if I am weighed down with earthly stuff. I wonder if my waist is girded with the belt of gossip or rumors. What if I am wearing the breast plate of pettiness? Are my feet planted firmly with fear? Am I dragging around a shield of doubt? Do I wear a helmet of unbelief while I wave around a sword of man's counsel? Is my mind dull and wandering with thoughts of earthly things? If so, I will never be able to extinguish the flaming arrows of the evil one.

Perhaps we should return to our Flat Stanley flannel graph and flip our lesson. Begin with the soldier burdened with all his armor...and remove one piece at a time reminding children that we worship a HEAVENLY God. We are fighting in spiritual realms. We need to shed the heaviness of earthly armor to open our hearts and our minds to God. God wants his children to be armed with His Holiness...and that my friends lightens your load.



Ephesians 6:13-18 Therefore, put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requiest. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints.

What are they saying behind your back?

There is a little section about Gideon that I don't want to overlook. God tells Gideon that He will deliver the Midianites into his hands...but God realizes Gideon is still in need of a bit of encouragement....so He tells Gideon to take his servant Phurah, head on down and check out what the Midianites are saying. Now listen to this...the Bible gives us such imagery. The Bible says the Midianites and the Amalekites lay along the valley like grasshoppers for the multitudes, their camels were without number, as the sand by the sea. In plain Texas talk...there's a bunch of 'em! Now Gideon and a few of his boys are sneaking around listening...and he hears a Midianite fellow telling his buddy about a bad dream he had...and the buddy explains to him he must have been dreaming about Gideon, the son of Joash...remember the Asher pole....it earned puny Gideon a big bad reputation! They are scared to death of him. They are having nightmares about HIM. This is all Gideon needed...just that little push of encouragement to get him going. He stood up a little taller, puffed his chest out, and without hesitation said...Let's go get 'em, boys! (Texas style...I can't help myself)

We must never doubt the power of our words for good or for bad. As a teacher I witness often how the turn of a phrase or a tone can break a spirit. Encouraging words and words of affirmation can be so powerful...and plant a seed in a heart. Have you ever been walking by and overhead a conversation about you...they had no idea you were listening? Don't you lean in to hear a little better....holding your breath hoping it will be good? What if you hear something fabulous? Maybe someone exaggerates your abilities. Doesn't it just make you want to be as fabulous as they believe you are? So inside you are grinning from ear to ear...you stand a little taller...maybe you walk away whistling or humming a tune. You try a little harder...you want to be all they believe you can be!

Let's promise each other that we will be cheerleaders for one another. We will strive to be encouragers...believing in each other...expecting the best. Youngsters yearn for it. Middle schoolers (that weird age) are desperate to feel appreciated and noticed. High schoolers are hungry for adulthood....hungering for someone to recognize their strengths, their talents, their gifts, their possibilities. Young parents need to hear they are doing a lot right. Exhausted parents of teens need an encouraging word coupled with a pat on the back or hug. The elderly just want someone to be acknowledge they existed and achieved....somebody to remember they weren't always so wrinkled and slow. So when someone hears me talking about them behind their back....they should walk away...a little taller...with a lighter step and a song in their heart. From my mouth...never should be heard a discouraging word! (It's that Texas thang...)

Never take a knife to a gun fight...well, unless you have GOD!

The Midianites were camel-riding marauders. They were desert dwelling bullies...they had been kicking sand in the face of the Israelites for a while. They were scary...and there was a bunch of 'em! God was there for His chosen people once again...when they cried out to Him. He picked his weakest man from the weakest tribe to face the enemy. So Gideon (after some convincing) gathered the troops...a whopping thirty-two thousand! God...who never does anything we expect...tells Gideon that is just too many!

Why? Because if they defeat the Midianites...they will get all puffed up thinking THEY were the ones that defeated this army. THEY are only going to be victorious because of GOD. So...Gideon announces if anyone trembles with fear...go home. Twenty-two thousand leave! Good grief...talk about jumping ship. Down to ten thousand men now...Gideon is probably feeling worried but...sort of ok. Then God says...this is still too many. Uh...what?

Don't you see, Gideon? I'm fighting this battle for you. I AM your secret weapon. I'm just including you so you won't feel left out. You have a dog in this fight so you need to be IN the fight WITH ME. You have been invited to hang out with ME...GOD! This whole battle scene that I am about to reveal to you is on MY terms. I AM! I created each hair on each head...on both sides. I flooded the earth. I parted the Red Sea. I placed the stars and the moon in the sky. Your whole fleece object lesson was laughable! I created the fleece, the dew, YOU! I'm about to demonstrate my power to my people one more time...it will be another story you can tell your children. SO, Gideon...I don't really need any men...or you. But...I want you by MY side as we go into this "battle".

After separating the men who lap with their tongues when they drink water from their hands...this army is whittled down to three hundred men. Gideon then passes out trumpets and empty jars with torches inside. Just after the guard changed...Gideon's army led by God...blew their trumpets. THEN they just sat back and simply watched as the army of Midian fell into panic and confusion...killing each other and falling back into a disorderly retreat. Not one man had to draw a sword to defeat the enemy. When God is your general and He is planning the strategy...well, it is down right amazing.


My battles are not so exciting. But I wonder why I try so hard to go to battle alone...when I have a mighty God that will defeat the enemy for me? Why do I wait to call on Him? Why am I surprised when He shows up in the most unexpected ways? God doesn't need me to fight battles for Him...or for me. He is the great 
I AM. It is a relief really. It gives me a great deal of 
peace to know that He is my defender, my protector, 
my Father...and I need not be afraid.

I'm hiding out, Lord. But...if you give me a sign...

I tend to be a hermit. Seriously... I love my home. It is not big but just right. It is warm and cozy. And because my job requires that I deal with lots of different people at all ages and stages...sometimes, I find myself running away, shutting the doors, and hiding out. I don't sin too much when I am alone...I hide from Satan and his temptations. You can't tempt me if I retreat to four walls. I can just be. In Gideon's story however, Gideon was hiding from the real life-threatening evils of the oppressive Midianites.  Gideon found a good hiding spot in the mountains where he could farm in secret and protect his family.

In Sara Young's Jesus is Calling she reminds us that our desire to lead a risk free life is a form of disbelief. Ouch! In order to follow God wholeheartedly one must relinquish the tendency to play it safe. Ouch...again! Gideon was very comfortable in his safe little hiding place on the mountain...threshing his wheat and feeding his family. He was not sinning...in fact, God was using that quiet mountain time to prepare him for battle. Threshing wheat gives a fellow lots of time to think...and ponder...some serious time with God.

When God does appear to Gideon...he challenges God to give him proof. This is pretty bold of Gideon...but I totally get it.  "Now...who are you and what did you say you wanted ME to do? Well...how about a sign? Just so I am totally sure it is YOU that is asking ME. Just want to make sure you have the right address..."

God must sigh. But...the fleece thing is no big deal for God. Really, I'm surprised Gideon couldn't come up with something better than the whole wet fleece, dry ground thing. God responds...but just to make totally sure Gideon asks Him to flip it...ok...this time how about dry fleece, wet ground? God sighs (my insert) and just for Gideon's reassurance He responds one more time. Demanding the extra signs was a form of unbelief. Fear just needing more confirmation. Don't you think Gideon really knew?

Don't we sometimes really know when God is prodding us? But yet we hesitate. We retreat. We go hide in our house. We ask for some visible sign to give us the push we need. He must sigh...and whisper...."Go to my words that I have revealed to you. Over and over through many stories in the Old and New Testaments and the many verses of encouragement I have revealed My love, My desires, My sacrifice, My personality....Me. My Words are calling to you...read them, say them...live by them and be at peace."

"Be still, and KNOW that I AM GOD; 

I will be exalted among the nations, 

I will be exalted in the earth."

  Psalm 46:10

"I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go;

I will counsel you and watch over you." 

Psalm 32:8

Clark Kent becomes SUPERMAN!

God loves an underdog...it's when He does His best work! In chapter six we see a timid, fearful Gideon. God asks him to take down the idol of Baal and to cut down the Asherah pole beside it. Gideon rounds up ten buddies...and because he is afraid they sneak around at night to do the deed. Word spreads it was Gideon and his bunch that destroyed Baal.  An angry mob wants him killed...but his fast thinking dad, Joash, challenges the men...in a mocking tone..."If your Baal is so great...let him do his own fighting!" And...guess what...nothing happens. No surprise...stone statues don't do much. But what did happen is Gideon's reputation changes...his name becomes Jerub-Baal...meaning Baal Fighter!

Fearful Gideon

Don't you just love it? Can't you just see it? Folks whispering..."Look, it's Baal Fighter!" Clark Kent takes off his glasses...sweeps his cap around his shoulders and takes on all the bad guys. It is a common theme of many tales...the weak become strong. Whimpy guy takes on the bully...whimpy guy through a series of fortunate events wins. In the Word...over and over we see men of God transformed...when that happens God assigns them a new name. The Gideon of chapter six is not the Gideon of chapter seven. He has changed. With God he has become courageous. He walks a little taller...he speaks with a new boldness. He is not the same person. Crisis changes us.

Let me say it again...just in case you missed it! Crisis changes us...forever.  It is designed by God to change us. The valley we walk through...changes our perspective. The sports world coined the phrase "no pain, no gain"...reminding us that building mental and physical strength comes through hard work and effort...stretching our capabilities and muscles. It is painful. With each growth spurt as a Christian....you can guarantee it's beginning is rooted in human crisis. Often through devastating events we find our passion, our calling or our place to serve. When we are weak...we find we are walking closest to God. While clinging to Him...He leads us where He wants us to go. He renames us. He whispers...you are not you...you are now new...who I always knew you could be.

I wonder what God would rename me after a crisis? I wonder...maybe I might be Defender of Little Ones....or Seeker of Truth....Fighter for Family....I want my new transformed name to be one of strength and boldness for my King! I pray I would live with passion and renewed commitment to my God.

Gideon...Jerub-baal
Baal Fighter! 

When I am weak...He is strong!

The three chapters in Judges about Gideon are so full of good stuff it is hard to even know where to begin. God loves surprises! I wonder if He gets a twinkle in His eye right before He exhibits His glory to His children. When Sara laughed...I imagine God chuckled too. She doubted...but He knew that only when a barren belly bore a babe that the world would have no doubt that God's power provided renewed health, energy, and youth for a 90 plus woman to become a new mom. Then there is the time He plucked a young boy from a herd of sheep to face a nine foot giant...with a sling shot! Over and over God uses the weak to display His strength. It is as if He smiles and says...."Stand back...give me some room...now watch this!" Do you doubt who is in control?

As we read Judges 6 we find the Israelites have fallen (again!) They completely turned away from God...so for seven years the Lord allowed them to fall into the hands of the Midianites. The Midianites were powerful and oppressive! They ravaged the Israelites. Once again when in trouble...the Israelites call out to God for help. He was always there...just waiting to be asked. No crisis is ever powerful enough to place you out of the hands of God!

Who did God tap out to lead this rebellious bunch...insecure, timid, small in stature...and fearful Gideon. And do you know how God approached him? He appeared as an angel and said, "The Lord is with you, mighty warrior." God called Gideon a mighty warrior! He wasn't...not yet! God loves to make the impossible possible...and the improbable probable. God always sees the heart of his children...he pays no attention to all that other stuff. God is always more interested in changing our hearts instead of our circumstances. He is not interested in our size, our age, our features, our handicaps...He sees what we do not see...because He knows HIS plan for our lives. Doesn't that just give you chills?

I wonder what God sees in me that I don't see? The word tells us that when we get to heaven we won't need our earthly bodies. They are just a shell for our spirit. Yet the word also tells us that when we get to heaven we will recognize each other. Do you suppose it will be because we will recognized by our hearts...the heart that God always sees? I wonder what phrase God would use to call me? I pray that in all circumstances my ears will be open to hear and my eyes will be open to see God's plan for me...because I know that I am weak and puny...but HE is strong.