Encounter: Make space to read or listen to Judges chapters 6-8 and then do a reflective reading of chapter 6 underlining words or phrases that shimmer for you.
Only three men were present at the meeting in Janesville: John H. Nicholson, Samuel E. Hill, and Will J. Knights. They organized with Hill as president, Knights as vice president, and Nicholson as secretary and treasurer. When it came time to decide the name of the Association, the men held a special prayer time to ask that God might lead them to select the proper name. After, Mr. Knights arose from his knees and said simply, “We shall be called Gideons.” He then proceeded to read the story of Gideon from the sixth and seventh chapters of Judges.
Founded in 1899, The Gideons International serves as an extended missionary arm of the church and is the oldest Association of Christian business and professional men in the United States of America.
It has been over 100 years since The Gideons International placed the first Bible in a hotel room in Montana. Through the grace of God and through the loving support of the local church and countless donors, more than 2 billion Bibles and New Testaments have been placed through our Association.
The distribution of our first billion Scriptures by Gideon members spanned 93 years (1908 to 2001). Distribution of our second billion, however, was completed in just 13 years (2002-2015). On average, more than two copies of God’s Word are distributed per second and over one million Bibles and New Testaments are distributed every four days. *
AND IT ALL BEGAN WITH ONLY 3 MEN ON THEIR KNEES PRAYING FOR GOD'S GUIDANCE!
What bravery it must have taken to begin destroying the strongholds of the enemy by His Word. And yet their size did not seem to be the focus. Like Gideon clothed in the power of the Spirit with only 300 men against an enemy camp that was like a swarm of locusts filling the valley...too many to count, they too heard the Lord say to them, I am with you mighty heroes! Yet these were just businessmen with a passion to reach men for Christ which they knew would then effect the whole family.
Sunday we will spend some time in the story of Gideon to draw out some lessons from this unlikely hero. In embracing these lessons from Gideon, we can find the courage to face our own challenges. By recognizing our potential, confronting our doubts, taking small steps, trusting in God’s power, and leading with humility, we too can live bravely and make a meaningful impact. Let Gideon's story inspire you to be a beacon of courage in your own life.
Be Brave,
Pastor T
Reflect: What does bravery mean to you? How does Paul describe it in 2 Timothy 1:7. What lesson does Chapter 7 teach us especially as a smaller congregation with a formidable task of reaching our city with the gospel? Gideon was just an ordinary man, not a warrior. How was God developing his leadership along the way?
Spiritual Practice: This week is the practice of giving. Reach out to the Gideons and make a donation for more Bibles to be made available around the world.
Gather: Share with one another an experience you had when you needed to be brave. Share something in your life that is requiring you to be brave. Pray for one another to seek God's strength and presence for the courage you need.
*excerpt taken from https://www.gideons.org/about
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