God Calls Gideon

“And the LORD looked upon him, and said, Go in this thy might, and thou shalt save Israel from the hand of the Midianites: have not I sent thee?” (v. 14).
It was during the Friday night missions service at the annual camp meeting in Petersburg, Michigan. The missionary leader had preached. Now he was appealing to everyone, especially young people, to offer themselves to God for Christian service.
A large number of people responded by going to the altar and front of the tabernacle. I was a preteen in that service fifty years ago and was one of many who responded to the invitation. When I offered myself to God, He responded by calling me into His ministry. The assurance of His call has inspired and impelled my life since that day.
Gideon had a “God moment.” The angel of the LORD who met with Gideon was probably Jesus Christ himself! This is what theologians call a theophany — an Old Testament appearance of Jesus.
The message of the Lord was clear and specific. Gideon was to rescue Israel from the Midianites. Gideon was very confident of His inability to be used by God, but God assured Him of His presence.
Someone said, “God doesn’t call the equipped; He equips the called.” While God does often use people who have natural abilities, He seems to specialize in gifting people who have few natural gifts but who surrender themselves to His call. (Mark D. Avery)
Are you listening? Will you hear when God speaks to you?
2018-06-20T09:00:04+00:00June 20th, 2018|Categories: Opening the Word|Tags: , , |0 Comments

Do You Squander God's Gifts?

In "God's Word for Today" David Woods writes:

There is something to be said for simply stopping to enjoy the beauty of God's creation. For example, when you stand on the rim of the Grand Canyon, it is proper to feel a quiet awe. Furthermore, the beauty of God's law is like a sweet perfume. Yet if awe is our only response, we squander the privileges afforded us by the gifts of God. The holiness of God's works and God's Word should inspire our desire to share His holiness. When we recognize the beauty of God's creation and God's Word, it is like bright sunlight revealing stained cloth-ing that had gone unnoticed in the darkness or artificial light.

Source: Studies in the Psalms: Adult Teacher's Insights, page 13.

2016-09-10T09:00:00+00:00September 10th, 2016|Categories: Lesson Highlights|Tags: |0 Comments

Responding to the Gifts of God

Lesson 2 - September 11, 2016
Focus Text: Psalm 19:1-14
Central Truth: While all people are blessed by God's gifts, the truly blessed are those who respond positively to those gifts.
Objective: By the end of this lesson my students should be able to identify at least three ways they can respond positively to the gifts they have received from God. 
Lesson Outline:

  1. The Gift of Creation (Psalm 19:16)
  2. The Gift of Revelation (Psalm 19:711)
  3. The Gift of Cleansing (Psalm 19:1214)
2016-09-05T09:00:00+00:00September 5th, 2016|Categories: Weekly Lesson Summaries|Tags: |0 Comments

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