 In today's world, we often hear the phrase, "the more, the better". We believe that strength lies in numbers, that victory is assured by having a vast army. However, in God's unique economy, the mantra often resonates as "less is more", and this profound principle is brought to life in the story of Gideon.
Our journey begins in Judges chapter 7, a part of the Bible that records a time when the Israelites were oppressed by a massive army and needed a miraculous deliverance. Enter Gideon - an unlikely hero called by God to lead an army against the oppressors, the Midianites. Initially, Gideon assembled an impressive army of 32,000 soldiers. However, God had a different plan. He told Gideon that this army was too large, expressing concern that victory would lead Israel to believe it was their strength and skill that had won the war, rather than divine intervention. So, God instructed Gideon to send home anyone who was timid or afraid. This downsizing reduced the army to just 10,000 soldiers. Still, God declared the number to be too high. Gideon was then guided to further reduce his troops based on how they drank water at a spring. After this peculiar selection process, Gideon's army was whittled down to a mere 300 men. This was a drastic downsizing from a ratio of 4 Midianites to 1 Israelite, to now having 450 Midianites for every Israelite! God had a plan, a masterstroke that was as unconventional as it was effective. Gideon was given assurance through divine signs and a dream that the victory would indeed be theirs. Gideon, now full of faith, armed his soldiers not with swords and shields, but with trumpets, torches, and clay pots. Their battle plan was simple: make a lot of noise in the middle of the night. As the 300 men blew their trumpets, smashed their pots, and shouted, the enemy was thrown into chaos. They turned on each other in their confusion, and the mighty Midianite army was defeated without the Israelites having to lift a sword. This remarkable story underscores the principle that in God's hands, "less is more". God purposely downsized Gideon's army so that the victory could only be attributed to Him. His power shines the brightest when we are at our weakest, showing us that we do not have to rely on our strength. As new believers, we can take great comfort from Gideon's story. We may sometimes feel weak, inadequate, and outnumbered in life's battles. But remember, God can use our weaknesses and turn them into His victories. We don't have to be the strongest, the bravest, or the most numerous. We just need to have faith and allow God to work through us. After all, in God's economy, less is indeed more. - Adapted from sermons preached across our 3 campuses on 7/30/23.
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For seven long years, Israel, God's chosen people, suffered at the hands of the Midianites and the Amalekites. These oppressors plundered the Israelites, stealing their crops and leaving them starved and desperate. This circumstance may remind some of us of our own situations, where we feel overwhelmed and helpless against seemingly bigger and stronger opponents.
The Israelites, out of their despair, cried out to the Lord for help. Are we not like them, crying out when we are pounded on, feeling as though we face insurmountable challenges? The Lord, in response to Israel's cries, sent a prophet to help them understand why they were facing such trials. Before a rescuer or judge was sent, a sermon was delivered. Israel needed to understand their need for a rescuer. This prophet reminded Israel of their deliverance from the grip of mighty Egypt, affirming that the same Lord could rescue them from their current oppression. However, he also highlighted their idolatry - their worship of the Amorite's false gods - as the root cause of their suffering. This led Israel from regret to repentance. As explained in 2 Corinthians 7:10, "For the kind of sorrow God wants us to experience leads us away from sin and results in salvation. There's no regret for that kind of sorrow. But worldly sorrow, which lacks repentance, results in spiritual death." The challenge for us is to discern whether we are living in regret or moving towards repentance. Despite being weak, insecure, and filled with doubt, Gideon was chosen by God to rescue Israel. The Angel of the Lord - believed to be a pre-incarnation of Jesus Christ - appeared to Gideon, calling him a "mighty hero". Despite Gideon's doubts and protests, God reassured him that He would be with him, and he would be given the strength needed to rescue Israel. When Gideon asked for a sign to affirm the truth of God's words, the Lord graciously provided it. In realizing he was in the presence of God Almighty, Gideon built an altar on the spot and dedicated it to the God of Peace. This teaches us that before we battle our enemies, we must ensure we are at peace with Jesus, having confessed our sins and donned the armor of God. The story of Gideon offers us two key lessons.
Gideon's story reminds us of our own challenges and how we can find strength in our weaknesses. It encourages us to cry out to God in our trials, understand the root causes of our struggles, move from regret to repentance, and take courage in the Lord's promise of His presence and strength. In doing so, we too, like Gideon, can become "mighty heroes" through God's power. - Adapted from the sermon preached at WLCC on 7/23/23. In a recent sermon, we explored the fascinating account from Judges 4-5, a narrative centered around God's people and their battles. But the core message wasn't so much about the physical war, as it was about the spiritual battles we face in life and God's call to conquer them.
The story isn't about Deborah as you might think. It's actually about Barak, whom God invites to step up as a warrior. Here’s the shocker: God doesn’t need us to fight His battles! Yet, He graciously invites us into His grand narrative to teach us strength, courage, and faith. He sees the warrior potential in us and calls us to step into it. In this narrative, Barak, unfortunately, refused God's invitation. He missed his chance to become the warrior God intended him to be. But as we know, God’s plans are never thwarted by human hesitance. So, He chose another - Jael - to be the unlikely hero. Here’s the takeaway: Daunting obstacles are divine opportunities to create daring overcomers. You see, God uses obstacles to shape us into overcomers. No obstacle, no overcoming. It’s that simple. And while we might see these obstacles as nuisances or roadblocks, God views them as stepping stones for us to rise above our circumstances and grow stronger in faith. You may feel God is calling you to something daunting, something that feels beyond your current capabilities, connections, or cash flow. But, understand this: God doesn't call us based on our capacity, but His. If He calls you to it, He will carry you through it. God's purpose is not to stress you out, but to stretch you, pulling you out of your comfort zone into a realm where His intervention is necessary for your success. It's not that He needs us. He wants to build us up, and with each level He takes us to, there will be new struggles to navigate. But with those struggles come divine triumphs. God's gracious call also comes with a warning. If you shy away from His calling, He can and will use someone else in your stead. However, never forget that God is a merciful deity, abounding in lovingkindness. Even when we falter, His grace is available for us to continue in our pursuit of His promise. Remember Jael, who seized the divine opportunity, and God honored her. Or consider Barak, who, despite his initial hesitation, pursued God's promise to the end. His faith, though small, did not go unnoticed. If you haven’t fully acted on God's last directive to you, be like Jael. See that challenge or command as an opportunity for God to manifest Himself. Be like Deborah, boldly displaying your faith for all to see. And if you've faltered, be like Barak. Pursue God’s promise relentlessly, for as long as you have breath, you have a divine purpose to fulfill. So, embrace your divine opportunities. Confront your daunting obstacles. They are stepping stones to becoming daring overcomers. No matter what, keep your faith strong and vibrant. Show it, share it, live it. Today is always a good day to believe God and walk in purpose! - Adapted from the sermon preached at WLCC on 7/16/23. In a world increasingly filled with excuses, it appears that people are often trying to defend or justify their actions, lessening the blame, and making apologies for what they've said or done. Excuses are something we all have and use, yet, many of our heroes in the Bible overcame their excuses and were greatly used by God.
It's been said that "excuses destroy success every time." When God is seeking to accomplish something, He's looking for willing hearts, not for those full of excuses. Here are 3 common excuses for not serving the Lord:
Interestingly, each of the first few judges in the Old Testament book of Judges had one of these excuses for not stepping up. The very first judge we read about in Judges 3, Othniel, was a mature man, possibly in his 60s or 70s when he stepped up to lead Israel against the King of Aram. At an age when most are looking to slow down, Othniel, empowered by God's Spirit, led Israel to 40 years of peace under his leadership. Othniel demonstrates that age is not a good excuse to stop serving the Lord. The second judge, Ehud, was left-handed by default. Perhaps he was born with a deformed right hand, or it might have been injured. Regardless, God chose Ehud, who could have seen his physical condition as a handicap or a disqualification, to serve as a judge. In spite of his disability, Ehud was used powerfully by the Lord to bring victory and peace for eighty years. The key here is that Ehud didn't allow his weakness to be an excuse. When we are feeling weak and humble, that's when God can do His most powerful work. Ehud didn't allow his disability to be his excuse for not serving the Lord. He understood that God was working through him to bring victory over the Moabites. Here's the point: the Judges of the Old Testament, like Othniel and Ehud, teach us invaluable lessons about not letting excuses get in the way of serving God. Whether it's age or physical disability, God's power is not hindered. He's looking for willing hearts to accomplish His will. So let's not let excuses prevent us from being used greatly by God. Instead, let's commit to serving Him in all circumstances, knowing that His strength is made perfect in our weakness! |
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These are powerful posts adapted from our pastors' weekly sermons. 
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