Calling and Courage, Part 2

Today on Summit life with Judy Greer, God's work.

His greatest works are not behind us. They are ahead of us probably summer church. We can we read God. While we talk about how awesome the most benefit is a Billy Graham also must've been in the days of the great awakening during the days of the Reformation or in the days of the early church. Why, because God wants to work in our generation that courage is one of the least talked about Christian virtues that courage is central to all the others.

During the next half-hour.

We'll discover how God took a man like Gideon man full of fear and doubt and transformed him into one of the greatest leaders of Israel and the great news today is that when God transforms our generation.

He'll use ordinary men and women just like Gideon or me. You he is just looking for those willing to step up and take the lead. Now if you miss any of the messages in this study called broken saviors. Be sure to catch up right away Judy Greer.com right now let's rejoin Pastor JD for part two of our message titled calling encourage look at a story today in Judges chapter 6 that explains you where courage comes from how you get it and how you maintain it for the week in the series called broken saviors of your Bible. Judges chapter 6 to see a guy get this was not courageous but he is somebody that God made into somebody courageous. He made them, and what you wrote and what you're going to see is that God doesn't reward courage and people God gives courage to people.

Chapter 6 verse one after Deborah was there when All-Star wonder woman judge last week. If you remember after she died, the people Israel did what was evil in the side of the Lord and the Lord gave them into the hand of Midian seven years and the people of Israel cried out for help to the Lord. When the people of Israel cried out to the Lord to make out of the Midianites. The Lord said a prophet to the people of Israel and the prophet said to them, thus says the Lord, the God of Israel, high ledger from each of our brought you about slavery. I drove all your oppressors from before you and give you their land that I said to you.

I'm the Lord your God. You shall not fear, but you have not obeyed my voice so I will. The angel takes a seat by the street.

Oprah, while Gideon was beating out weed and the winepress to hide it from the Midianites. Why would Gideon choose a winepress as a place to thresh wheat. What tells you is what because he is afraid he is hiding in all, the point is, this is no Jack Bauer.

This is no Chuck Norris. This is no Nicolas Cage verse 12 the angel of the Lord appeared to him and said to him, the Lord is with you all mighty men of valor, God is not describing him as he is God is describing him as how he will be verse 13, the Gideon said to him two questions or more employees are the Lord is really with us why that is all this happened us. The Lord turned to him and said no and this might have yours and save Israel from the hand of Midian do not.

I send you God's answer. The Gideon is were all my wonderful deeds. Gideon why I'm about to do them through you to verse 15 Gideon said to Jesus, please, Lord, how can I save Israel but will knock your client is the weakest in Manasseh and on the lease in my father's house and I'm I'm cowering a hole for crying out loud. Verse 16 the Lord said to him, but I will be with you and you will strike the Midianites as one man. Verse 17 Gideon said to him, if now I have found favor in your eyes, show me a sign that you speak with me. So the angel tells Gideon to go prepare some food to get inputs on the table means that the staff and burst into flames.

The angel disappears and Gideon says okay but for the moment. Verse 25 that night. The Lord says to him, pulled on the altar of bail that your father has built an altar to the Lord your God on the top of the stronghold there so Gideon took 10 of his servants. It did with the Lord had commanded him because he was too afraid of his family and the men of the town to do it by day. The little coward did by night or the next morning everybody gets up and says what happened to our God miss my said Gideon that it was all Mao last night Mrs. let's kill Gideon verse 31, but Joash was Gideon's father said all who stood against Gideon if bail really is a God want you a bail fight for himself. Verse 32.

Therefore, on that day. Gideon was called Jerry Bell that is to say, let bail defend himself well. After this, verse 33, the Midianites launch a massive assault on Israel at which point angel God reappears to Gideon and tells him to mount a resistance against this assault and Gideon says okay God again. How can I be sure you're going to do this and then Gideon comes up with his own brilliant idea.

I'm gonna put this animal skin.

This fleece out on the ground if you're really with me. Then in the morning.

Let the ground be Drive… Please be soaking wet. Verse 38 and it was so we arose early the next morning and squeeze the police run and not do from the fleas to fill a bowl of water for Gideon so wait a minute waiting.

I got it was way too easy.

What I meant to say. I meant to say was let the ground the wet and the fleas be Drive that would be a real miracle, verse 40, and God did so, that night and only the fleece was dry and all the ground there was due. What can we learn about courage and calling from the story. What can we learn about courage and confidence to remedy five things number one we learn that God does not call the Brady makes Ray McCall when God comes to you. He never starts with what you are. You start with what he intends to make you a Christ. So he looks at a man cowering in a hole and he says none of valor, stand up number two. The story shows us that we are the activity of God in our generation got answered Gideon's question God want you doing awesome stuff in our generation like you have our grandparents with a statement Gideon how I'm here to use you for the activity of God to others as you know, the last charitable call Jesus continued in the idea.

I got that title from acts 11, where Luke, who is a writer VAX is also the right of the gospel of Luke opens up acts this way in the form of book that I wrote the gospel of Luke. I recorded all that Jesus began to do it to teach and explain that began to doing to teach implies that Jesus is continuing to do with the deeds in the book of acts is it's not that in the Gospel of Luke, Jesus was the one doing and teaching, and now in the book of ask. It is the church that is doing and teaching in his place, is that Jesus was at work in his flesh and blood of the gospel of Luke, but he is just as much a work in his body, the church now in the world. The idea is that Jesus is continuing what he does in the world. He is continuing his ministry through you and he does that by means of spiritual gifts that he gives to every believer PC.

I believe very much but God's work and his greatest works are not behind us. They are ahead of us and I believe some church we can weary God by always talking about how awesome it must of been in the days of Billy Graham how awesome it must of been in the days of the great awakening during the days of the Reformation or in the days of the early church.

Why, because God wants to work in our generation and you see I'm a dad of children and my children Lord will in one day grow, but have children. I God move in their lives and in their children's lives, also in a nation that seems to be on our race backwards into hell and I'm also in a world where there are still 2.2 billion people that have never heard the name of Jesus in their 6000 unreached people groups. So I believe that God's greatest work and not something that we talk about in the past.

We look forward to in the future.

We are the activity of God in this generation.

And I will not for one second believe that we are here to coast until the rapture. I believe that we are here to see the kingdom of God through us in the world like no generation has seen and I will never give that up and were always good. Keep pushing for that because we are the activity of God in this generation. You are asking God why are you active in my family want you active in the workplace want you active on my campus my college campus and maybe what God is saying to you this weekend is you are my answer to that prayer. I put the spirit of God and use of be the conduit of my power. Number three. The story teaches us that revival starts at home.

Gideon's first assignment was to get rid of the island.

His father's house.

You see before you into battle of the enemies around you.

You gotta throw off the enemies within you. Because these idols will weaken you and make you ineffective and what God has for you is why I got any idols in my house is because you don't understand what an idol is for Gideon's family. These were things that they worship instead of God. They had forsaken God and just given themselves idols. These idols were things they worship. Listen, in addition to God I never rejected God they just substantiated God with idols that guaranteed other things that they felt like they needed. So there was an idol to guarantee rain and there was an idol of bailment guaranteed fertility again is one in the place of God. They were, in addition to God.

Now we hear that we say will that's her silly ancient superstitions thought you put idols and statues up on your is the point where do you have places that you are sure you can trust God so you have other things that act as a backup in your life you need to sure signs of an idol. Anytime you see any one of these two things about the way they always go together. You would always know there's an idol there anytime you see one of these two things in your lives of the metaphor uses their like smoke from a fire.

You can see traces low back down upon the altar of unbelief in your life. Here they are disobedience and anxiety. For example, many people do not feel like they can trust God in the area of relationships by God.

You're also meant everything. I believe that, but I've also got to be happily married if I'm going to be happy in life you don't seem to be provided in the way that want at the moment. So I'm off to take that area in our own hands and so they compromise in relationships we have people who are with people they should not be with. We have people who were leaving their marriages walking out in hopes of a better one because this is just not something they can trust God with.

We have other people to feel like they could be happy without a certain income so they will cheated their business.

They will cheat on their taxes. They will harm their family by working all the time but I refuse to be generous when God tells them to be generous.

Disobedience is a sure sign of an idol.

Disobedience is always accompanied by anxiety so you're worried about your ability to hold on your relationship or to get water to fold on your finances. Maybe you worry about your kids all the time because you feel like you just can't trust God with them. Disobedience and anxiety are smoke from the fires of unbelief and before God can never really use you in the mission is gotta go to war against your idols because you will never do well battle with the enemy is outside of you until you going to war, the ones within you.

Number four the story shows us the courage is not the absence of fear. Courage is following God in the midst of fear God's one line answer Gideon's fear, his one line answer to Gideon sense of inadequacy as I am with you.

That's what is one line answer to every feeling of fear and inadequacy.

So I really only got one question for you on this. What would your life be like in any situation that makes you afraid if you knew God was with you before you went into the surgery.

An angel appeared at your side just that I want you to know that I am with you and I will be with you under the knife and I'll be with you when you wake up.

If you went into a new job and on the first day of that new job.

God says to you at the breakfast table. I'm going with you. This job if you entered into a new relationship on the first day. God said I'm with you if you begin a new ministry and God said go because I am with you if you knew you were supposed to talk to somebody about the gospel and made you nervous before you open your mouth God just grabbed her hand and said I want you to know how to be in you speaking I want to be beside you.

I am with you if you're dealing with a problem in your home with your marriage or your kids. God says to you, go and be courageous because I am with you. That's God's one line answer to everything, like Isaiah 43 says is a God, whatever he sends us into God knows where this walk with us through the flames. One line answer to everything. I am with you. Maybe that's what you needed to hear today.

This is the MetLife and will be right back with the rest of our teaching in just a moment. I wanted to tell you a little about our new resource.

You know sometimes we have big question about life pain about God himself and we need to know how to get solid answers in these difficult moments in our newest resource pastor Jenny quickly answers some of those questions that keep us up at night. You may recall volume 1 of this book called honest questions quick answers from two years ago some copy of that first book available as well. If you missed getting give a gift today by calling 866-335-5220 or go online to Jeannie Greer.com and reserve this resource today. Now it's return for the final limit of today's teaching containing share a bunch articles this week about how to overcome fear. Most of them secular things is true about all these articles about how to overcome fear. Fear from secular perspective is also the same thing you learn to control your fears. You learn to banish fearful thoughts from your mind. Gotta find a happy place as a goose club or whatever it is that you makes you feel call on its stock how to me how opposite the Bible's counsel with fear is the Bible doesn't tell you to close your eyes to anything the Bible tells you to open your eyes to something greater.

Don't stop thinking about what you afraid start thinking about the God's presence is greater than all of these fears that are around you see that leads us to a final question that is Gideon's question, how do we know that God is with us.

We found favor I was Gideon's question. That's number five. The cross is our wet fleece. Gideon asked God to prove he was with Emma making a fleas weapon. The ground was dry I mentioned a moment ago that this concept is and so abuse we give God his random litmus test of Ruby wanted to do something I will confess you is more than once. As late as of my sophomore year of college that I stood on the basketball court with a basketball at half-court say God is you want me to ask her out if this relationship is commanded marriage because afterwards I go in I did that with different girls and one time I was so wanting it to work out that I shot nine times from half-court, hoping the guy would make one going on in this and I'm serious. I'm not saying that you should never see confirmation on a decision that you make. I will tell you, but if you do seek some kind of confirmation that are to be like one part out of a thousand, and what goes into making a decision. The bigger parts are Scripture prayer. The Council of other believers. I'm not saying you never do that. What I'm saying is that's not the main point of what's going on here.

First of all Gideon knew this was unwise you not know that in verse 39 look at it. Gideon asked God not to be angry at it is a completion would be to this new one wives.

Secondly, Gideon wasn't asking what decision to make.

You knew what he was supposed to do what Gideon was asking listen was confirmation that God was with him and that God was in control. We have something much better than a wet fleece that shows us that God is indeed a control and I God is on our side and that is the cross of Jesus Christ in the cross of Jesus Christ we see God is indeed in control because we see that in the worst moment in history when evil looked like it was winning when people were doing the most horrible things God commandeered the situation to turn it to our salvation and what that means. Paul tells us, is it that God was at work controlling that situation for good. Don't you think that in various parts of my life.

God is also turning what others intend for evil into the good of my life and into God's great plan for me that's what it means. It also shows me the cross shows me that God is on my side because I see that while I was still a sinner. Christ died for me and I see that if God did not turn his back on me and I was wondering as a child and putting nails in his hands and his feet that God will not turn on me now that I've his child so I know to the cross. Gideon did not know and that is God will never leave me. God is fully control and God could not be against me because of what Jesus is done. That's what gives us courage.

I have my favorite verse on courage in the Bible. First John 418 there is no fear in love, perfect love casts out drives out fear. First, for fear stricken from it has to do with punishment fears not been perfected in love. Fear has to do with punishment, we see something that makes us afraid and we feel vulnerable and that sense of vulnerability goes back to the first thing that happened when we send in regard to being that is, we felt exposed and our nakedness. We felt vulnerable result afraid. And so in our lives we clothe ourselves with the security of a good job. We clothe ourselves with the security of a good reputation or a good relationship but any point we are aware that any of those close might be ripped away. But in the cross we see that God has clothed us irrevocably with his love and his presence. And when you understand that perfect love drives out any fear because you know God's love is think about the different ways God's love is perfect. God's love is perfect in its intensity and its constancy and its efficiency and its sovereignty with God's perfect love.

What else could there be to be afraid of. So when they're getting ready to go into the promised land thoughts as to the number 2320. There is no sorcery that can succeed against Jacob see the people I call her for going there with the people bigger on what if they have more powerful magic than we do. What if you Lord Baltimore is on their side and and and they're gonna put a curse. I got you shut up about it. Who cares of Lord Baltimore is on there somehow mention his name to the name is nothing my name is bigger than his name and there's no sorcery that he could give us can overcome that Psalm 5611 in God I trust this day that I somehow be afraid.

Why, because what good man do to me what you may do that would override the plans of the Almighty God. The answer is nothing. If you are afraid about anything is because you've lost touch with one of those four dimensions of the perfect love of God, you either have lost touch with its intensity and its constancy you lost touch with the fact that God loves you with a perfect love. God sought you when you were his enemy got major child promises because Christ was forsaken for you that you never say can you lost touch with its efficiency you think of something else.

You gotta have money relationship think I got have that to know it sufficient. You lost touch with the sovereignty you've lost touch with the fact that there is not one stray molecule in the entire universe that God is not commandeered for his glory. Your good in his plan.

True courage comes from the presence and the promises of God in the presence of the promises of God are given to us in Christ is what God wants you to know this weekend. As you go is that he goes with you and then the fire will touch you when Jesus gave his disciples what we call the great commission was dangerous to go all throughout the world and you're gonna preach Christ to people tonight to try to kill you. We fail to notice sometimes is what he says right before he tells him that it's amazing. Gideon is going all the nations, and preach the gospel, and behold I am with you until the end of the age. The great commission. Listen to this grows out of the great announcement the commission to go comes out of the announcement that he goes with God is sending you some of you into various things. Some of you to ministry assignment. Some of you it is a conversation some of you it is a trial and what God says is go my son, my daughter be a mighty man or woman of valor because I am with you. Gotta sending you somewhere I can tell you exactly what he says to you, listen to my voice and hear his promise and that God first. Paul says St. righteous one is a God. I don't feel like a saint out of the garage is one God says I know I see you for what you are, but also see with the resurrected Christ is making you and I see what you are in him saint of God.

Let go of the past and walk in the future.

He says my ambassador my ambassador means I will provide for you. I will send you on a mission where I will provide for you your my ambassador, my son or my daughter I'll never leave you or forsake you.

He says you are going to be a mighty man of valor, be strong and courageous and go into this place for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go you see virtues like courage don't grow out of our personality, not something we work out through learning enough Scripture virtues like courage flow from our identity in Christ virtues like every virtue, courage does not lead us closer to salvation. Courage comes from our salvation.

So do not look to your courage to give you identity in Christ to your identity in Christ to give you courage identity. Christ is given as a gift is in the promises of God are you a coward. Join the club joined the club and believe in the promises of God because God doesn't call reward the brave. He makes brave the call.

Your courage will come from your identity in Christ. The back that God is with you the perfect love that can never be separated from you. Where is the Holy Spirit. Where is he, beckoning you to follow. Time for women to step up to the plate to take the mantle to let God work through them as they lead God's people.

You're listening to Senate line pastor and Bible teacher Jeannie Greer okay JD in our newest resource you take some time to answer a lot of questions over the very broad range of topics.

When you hope it will take away from this new, but this book is pretty different from a lot of the resources that we offered her namely in that it's done in the same style as my other podcast asked me anything right. Take a challenging or difficult question that that were often asked, as believers, and I attempt to give you you short talking points of how to think about the answer and how to share it with somebody else. The idea is that when were faced with difficult questions and we will be in the apostle Peter tells us to be ready to answer those we need to to do be able to answer them in a way that's not overly complicated. In a way that is seasoned with grace. We want to be able to give reasons and be able to remove obstacles for people who just for whatever reason. One of these questions becomes an obstacle to their being able to bully and so is one of the things I love to do is to help remove obstacles while preaching here on Summit life and preaching the gospel. This can be a part of the hard work of of winning semi to Christ by night by taking out some of the big objections that may have about about the Christian faith, and I think this resource will help you do that this is a second volume we offered volume 1, a couple of years ago. If you go to JD Greer.com and give you instructions on how you can get volume 2 and volume 1 of their still copies of that left you can get these and I think it will help you whether you're trying to answer a question to your cat or I trying to answer question for your own heart for a neighbor that's asking you just go to JD Greer.com and you can grab a copy today will get you a copy of the most recent volume of honest questions and answers today with our donate to support this program. You can also request to add-on volume 1. If you miss it a couple of years ago Senate line on the radio and online my listeners like you. You are hearing our program got a friend of the ministry. Maybe even have got to think for the methods give today and remember to ask volume 2 honest questions think answers 33 526-335-5224.

You can Jenny and request this resource online here.com JD G. R.I mile even if it be sure to listen again Wednesday. We will hear more from JD that he chanted fingers here on Summit