Sunday, June 24th, 2012 • Mission Baptist Cincinnati
We started June's Youth Sunday with congregational hymns followed by our Teen Choir singing followed by two special singers. Afterwards, our Associate Pastor comes to pulpit with a message entitled “Making Men Of Valour” from Judges Chapter 6. Pastor reads the passage and then prays for our church and for the men in our church particularly. This is a message Tim had prepared for Father's Day and he presented it today.
• Sin Had Ravaged Israel
Israel was suffering at the hands of the Midianites and God allowed it because of the sinful nature that had swept through his chosen nation. Their nation was occupied by a cruel foreign force that stole all of their harvests among many terrible things. Israel cried to God for help and God heard their cries and sent an angel to raise up a man named Gideon, a prophet to relay his message to them. This angel told Gideon that "The LORD is with thee, thou mighty man of valour."
• What Made Gideon a Man Of Valour
The answer to this question is NOTHING. The whole point is God MADE Gideon a Man Of Valour. There was nothing Gideon could do to make himself this kind of man. Pastor then poses the question to us now, "What Can We Do To Raise Up Men To Become Men Of Valour?" The answer to that question is the same, we can't do anything, all we can do is obey God and do as he has already instructed us.
Key Components Of Valour include:
• We must Recognize The Scourge Of Sin
Israel endured 7 long years of suffering under the Midianites and God sent Gideon to accuse Israel of sin and Midian was his tool for punishing them. What God wanted was repentance. Israel's cry for help was what he wanted and received. Sin has destroyed our nation as well.
• We Must Acknowledge The Source Of Our Sin
Us men must admit that even thought our problems aren't all mine, I'm responsible for it all. God calls US the spiritual head of our family. God dictates leadership responsibilities and we have no say in the matter.
• We Must Acknowledge There Is A Solution
The Solution is sometimes hard to do. Our children will resist the godly corrections God wants us to enact but it' needful! We have to gain control and discipline our children or we'll suffer the consequences.
• We Must Recognize Who We Are
When the Angel of the Lord appeared to Gideon, He initially complained about God's treatment of Israel. God responded with a command "Go in this thy might, and thou shalt save Israel from the hand of the Midianites: have not I sent thee?"
• Valour Recognizes Our Limitations
Gideon didn't quite understand who he was, saying to the Angel "Oh my Lord, wherewith shall I save Israel? He wasn't seeing the big picture, but God was about to tell him. "Surely I will be with thee, and thou shalt smite the Midianites as one man." The point God was making was, we are nothing without him. We can't do anything without God allowing it and his leadership obeyed when he calls us to do something for him. God has picked men (and women) to do many things for him. That is his way and who are we to question it? God alone opens doors for us and he alone shuts doors. We can't be who God wants us to be unless we are willing to let him "take the wheel".
• We Must Recognize What Needs To Be Done
Only by careful prayer and reading God's word will reveal to us what needs to be done. We can't wait for someone else to do this for us. God calls on Men Of Valour to attack a problem and know that God has your back to get it done.
• We Must Be Willing To Sacrifice
This means we have to follow God's lead and not put our own wants and needs before our family. Fathers must make the example and enforce the spiritual role God has laid at our doorstep.
• We Must Be Convinced Of Our Calling
We must be active members of a Bible believing church to be convinced of your calling. There is no such thing as single man doing the will of God without being fully engaged in a local church that teaches, preaches and obeys the Word of God!
• We Must Build Altars
We must have our families established in church. An Altar is where you meet and fellowship with God and serve together to please him.
• We Must Blow Some Trumpets
We should be willing to form bonds in our church with other men to determine to follow God as a team! We must witness to everyone we know about the God who created us, loved us and sent his Son to Die so we could have eternal life. It's not an option, it's a "reasonable service" that we have all been called to do.
Are you a Mighty Man Of Valour? God is looking for good men who are willing to be shaped by his hand into valourous men of God!