R1098 Only A Handful In God’s Hands

Encouraging Word the Bible-based teaching of Dr. Don Wilton about the wonderful message called only a handful in God's hands were together know they were connecting with right now on our website at tewonline.org Margie at 866899 Dr. Don Wilton friends we got something very very important to deal with Osgood open your Bibles to judges chapter 7 we got to be in the Old Testament going to be in the book of Judges and chapter 7. I have a little fear and trepidation in my heart this morning because I believe that God is going to call out quite a number of you and in just a moment I'm going to ask you to clear your self in the presence of the Lord in just a moment I'm going to ask you to make a commitment before God and for some of you this is going to be a life-changing moment in the book of Judges we find a group of people called the Israelites and this nation of people found themselves gathered in my place in modern-day Israel, which is become known as the spring of Herod.

We also called Gideon Springs.

I have been there many times.

If you were to understand the layout of the land around Gideon Springs. You will understand that there are a number of humans and their all valleys. It's right on the Valley of Armageddon, the Valley of J's review. It's an ideal place for armies to camp out and we know that the final battle of Armageddon is going to be for right in this area. The Bible says that blood will flow the blood will flow from hundred and 80 mi.². It will be as high as the mouths of horses. Such will be the nature of the blood that will be shared at the battle of Armageddon.

But back in the time of Gideon the Israelites is a nation gathered together in this particular area, but they had a serious problem because they were surrounded by the enemy.

In fact, they were completely outnumbered. If you were to put the nation of Israel against the enemy the Midianites that surrounded them. It was no contest and God did something that only God can do. It reminds me of America.

This great nation in which we live.

This beloved country that we love so will we are facing an unprecedented challenge to the and the enemy has us around and spiritually our nation is on a collision course with Hill. We ought that close to becoming a true pagan nation. If you analyze what is going on in the fabric of our Democratic Republic. Satan is having his way without people and with this nation Jesus Christ as my Savior and Lord. I'm a Christian man I live this life. Like all people, but I love this country with a passion I have full grandsons.

I want my grandsons my granddaughters my children and my children's children to live in a country not just simply a country that is free, but I want them to live in a nation where they can worship the Lord Jesus Christ in the beauty of his holiness.

And if all indicators are true, 50 and 40 and 50 years from now on our current track. Even the very legislation that provides the freedom in which we live is going to provide the con restraints and restraints against the very foods which we hold sacred and beer and in the center of all of this is the message of the cross, Israel was surrounded by the enemy and God did something I want to read you the story and I want you to know today, my beloved friends that I believe with all of my heart that you and I have a fundamental part to play in saving people free parsing on to them. The wonderful good news of the gospel of Jesus Christ.

God uses people and I want to speak to you today about only a handful in God's hands and judges chapter 7 we read this early in the morning. Gideon and his men camped at the spring of Herod the camp of Midian was north of them in the valley near the hill of moray. Now the Lord said to Gideon, you have too many men for me to deliver Midian into the hand in order that Israel may not boast against me that her own strength has saved her amounts. Now to the people that anyone who trembles with fear may turn back and leave Mount Gilead. So 22,000 men left, while only 10,000 remain, but the Lord said to Gideon, there are still too many men. So take them down to the water and I will sift them for you.

There. If I say this one shall go with you, he shall go but if I say this one shall not go with you, he shall not go so Gideon took the men down to the water there.

The Lord told him separate those who left the water with their tongues like a dog from those who kneel down to drink 300 million left with their hands to their mouths all the race got down on their knees to drink Lord said to Gideon, with only 300 men that left I will Savior and give the Midianites into your hands lead all the other men go, each to his own place so Gideon St. the rest of the Israelites to their tents, but kept the 300 who took over the provisions and trumpets of the elements. Now the camp of Midian lay below him in the valley. Let's pick up at verse 15, when Gideon heard the dream and its interpretation he worship God.

He returned to the camp of Israel called out, get up Lord is given the Midianites camp into your hand, dividing the 300 manning the three companies he placed trumpets and empty draws in the hands of all of them with torches inside watch me. He told follow my lead. When I get to the edge of the camp do exactly what I do when I and all who are with me blowout trumpets, then from all around the camp, blow yours and shocked for the Lord and for Gideon and so Gideon and the hundred men within reach the edge of the camp at the beginning of the little walk just off the bed change, the God they blew their trumpets and broke the jaws of putting their hands. The three companies blew the trumpets and smashed the jaws crossing the torches in the left hand and holding their right hands. The trumpets were, they were to blow, they shouted. I sold for the Lord and for Gideon. While each man held his position around the camp all the Midianites ran crying out as they fled God gave them a great great victory last week I preached a message entitled two ways to witness and I suggested to each one of you that they're all two ways in which you and I can make a difference in our world right where we are two ways in which we can share the love of Christ. Number one that we tell someone about Jesus ourselves, and if that is problematic. Number two that we invite people to come to church and we will tell them about the Lord Jesus. Well Yep it's as simple as to the anyone here today who would be willing to tell someone about Jesus and if not is there anyone who would be willing to invite someone who doesn't know Jesus, to come to church with you and I'll tell them this is an amazing story. I want to show you what happened with Gideon and I want to be just as simple and as directors I can possibly be.

I can't tell you, my dear friends how God has spoken to my heart, if you will allow me to digress for just a minute. In our church, God spoke to us several years ago and gave to us a four point strategy worship, prepare, serve, engage four things that we believe every person who knows Jesus should do worship you need to be in worship at least once a week prepare. You need to be in a life group. If you want to grow as a believer and become strong before, provide for the journey. You must prepare. You need to get into that Sunday school life group that weekday life group at Bible study that merge life group. You must do number three Sir, you must serve in at least one capacity are you doing that. Are you doing at least just one thing for others. Just one thing. Are you serving as a deacon. Are you singing in the choir.

Are you working in the preschool are you teaching a Sunday school class are you are sure are you part of the welcoming committee are you driving that bus. Are you a team leader are you are you doing one thing to serve just one and the fourth strategy is to engage. That is to go out and to actively connect with the world in which we live. You and I have got something to say. We got someone who is in our hearts and to all of us today. Right there worshiping right now in the hangar Genesis, those of us here in the sanctuary. Those of us worshiping by way of television you got something I bought something to say I'm a Christian man. I go through life like everybody else I suffer pain.

I worry I get tired. I love bowl games. I love to be around. I drive a motor call about a family I love to live. I am experiencing life, but I have someone living in Baja and he is my is Jesus and I want you to know that Jesus Christ loves you and he will give you a certain and when it comes in your heart you try, you might like new person and you don't mind in these book in heaven.

I want you to know that. And if you don't know Jesus. You've got nothing. You'll come to the end of your life and all they will do is tell everybody about things that you have done, but you will not have left behind the things that really count in line and you cannot go to heaven outside of Jesus Christ. Forgive the eruption will be back with more of Dr. Don Wilton's great teaching adjustable missed part of today's broadcast or maybe even some of the things we are and share. You'll find them on our website with the resources of TW online.org you can listen or watch on-demand anytime that's TW online.org mallets dive back in today's great teaching with Dr. Don Wilton what you suppose God could do with a souvenir handful of us would place our lives in the hands of the Lord. What happened to Gideon. I think this is what happened.

I wanted to share with you very quickly today.

Five things that happened in the life of this nation of Israel and Gideon number one by all placed a huge challenge of folks I want you to just think about this so much I want to say to you today yes the children of Israel met when they were back in bondage in Egypt. God delivered them part of the sea provided for them. Wandered around bought them on the Moses leadership member how they conquered Jericho marched around the city walls. This is the children of Israel and hear God's people blessed so much, all surrounded by the enemy. They faced a formidable enemy, we are blessed people just think about the history of this nation, we've got something worth fighting for. The time has come in America today, that those of us who know and love Jesus Christ dying to be willing to stand up and be counted for the Lord Jesus Christ. What an illustrious history. We yet today we are surrounded enemies abroad are licking their chops the reason by licking their chops is because they know that it's not going to be what happens in Afghanistan and Iraq that is going to draw destroy these great United States of America. We can send a million troops over there to stop them on their borders, but unless you are not wise up front would be. We will never stop the enemy that is rising up from with to destroy this night by Pfister huge enemy, but I didn't read that verse, but one of the verses I didn't read was verse 12, the Midianites, the Amalekites and all the other decent people would say put in the Valley thick as locusts that camels could no more be counted than the sand on the seashore in America today. Folks in our communities. We all being faced by rising her and a plane and anger and how hostility and an open hostility toward the things of God but all Pfister huge challenge with number two, they all assembled together.

I look what happened here in the life of Gideon by all assembled together like came to the spring at Herod all be gathered together. That's worship. I think what we are doing today is exactly what we need to we need to gather together in one place.

You must worship when God's people come together. Something happens in the presence of the Lord. There are people out there who say often.

Well, I don't need to go to church. I can encounter God out there on the golf course. I know that I've made too many times on the golf course and I've also wanted where he was many times on the golf course all I don't need to go to church. I can encounter him right sitting there at like clockwork, catching fish, God is everywhere. We have a beautiful nation.

We got a beautiful country in which to live, but folks, the Bible says forsake not the assembling of yourselves together worship the Lord by all assembled together.

Number three. They all put their arm on these soldiers gathered together and they put their arm on.

They came greatest commandment is no suggestion here that any of these troops who gathered around the spring of Herod with Gideon were somewhat underdressed on prepaid see that's what Paul speaks about in Ephesians chapter 6 and verse 10 he says in order to be strong in the Lord put on the full, of God so that you can take a stand against the devil's schemes. That's what it means to prepare folks. That's what happens when you get into that life group you put on the armor of God, you get dressed properly by begin to shop at iron. You become. Five for the journey. I want a big new parents get your children into Sunday school groups. I want a big parents of teenagers get your teenagers into our discipleship groups. That's what it means to prepare, but all put on their arm, but none before they all helped others to get greatest. Have you ever wondered what it took for these men to put on their armor folks back in that context there. Rama was very interesting. It was having cumbersome, awkward, had all kinds of straps all over the place just the breastplate alone was a big old chunk of maple that had to put on the breastplate and tied behind their back.

They couldn't do it once I had the breastplate on they couldn't get down the proposed steel shoes on those ankle bracelets and things that they would weigh they couldn't get behind the head with the steel helmets that they had on the awkwardness the size of the armor that they were wary that they have to weigh in order to be able to defy the attack of the enemy and so how did they do it they will help each other. That's so, please change your thinking about serving when you serve in the name of the Lord, you are helping someone else to get greatest from the smallest to the biggest one of the things I couldn't wipe with my two sons was when they had little babies and I had to change that.

I think in fact one of them called me said dad help. I said no you do well. He wants to change her diaper. But what he wants to change a diaper.

So why do we change a diaper because we know that that's our role as parents because we love the baby. It's not even an issue, and spiritually speaking God calls us to. So one another in the Lord, what a pleasure working on to serve one another. What happened to Gideon by all Pfister huge challenge. They were surrounded by all assembled together like came to worship by all put on the armor they prepared themselves for battle. They all helped one another to get greatest. They were willing to serve someone else so that someone else could. Before provide so that someone else could be strong so that someone else could be protected so that someone else could grow up and become productive, but folks look at number five. The first four points I had by all. By all by all and by all.

Number five, only a handful went back Bible tells us that out of the thousands of people who came to worship, prepare, serve only a handful. I'm going to take you to number six.

They all reached the big powerful day of teaching precinct Dr. Don Wilton now as he steps in the studio. I pray you open your heart to what he wants to share next are you ready to give your heart and life to the Lord Jesus Christ. Why don't you pray this prayer with me right now. Dear God, I know that on the center and I know that Jesus died for me on the cross today. I repainted my sin and by faith I receive you into my heart. In Jesus name, my friend. I welcome you today into the family of God. This is exciting news. If you just prayed along with Dr. Wilton to give your life to Jesus Christ or rededicate your life to Jesus. We are so excited to celebrate with you and put some free resources in your hands it will help you grow in your faith if you give us a call right now at 866899673. Pray with you and for you would also put these resources will help you take the next steps will also connect with you on our website@twonline.org that's TW online.org why you're there, be sure and sign up for the daily Encouraging Word email from Dr. Don. It's our goal to on a daily basis bring you closer Jesus Christ by the power of God's word God's current