Where Does My Help Come From? (Psalm 121)

There’s a lot going on in the world today. Life can be so busy, at such a frenetic pace. We can

sometimes get ourselves into a mess and wonder how we got there, the struggles, the anxieties, the heartaches and sorrows. Things get so complicated and confusing at times we wonder what to do. How do I deal with this? What am I going to do about that?

Where can I find someone to help me with this?

Where can I find some help? Where does my help come from?

When we don’t know what to do or what to say we can look to the Psalms. We can look to them as prayers. We can pray the Psalms.

They offer us a place to turn when we don’t know where else to turn. They are a great source of calm, solitude and reflection. They can give us a sense of peace when we read of God’s love, God’s mercy, and God’s grace.

The Book of Psalms can offer us insights into the emotional quandaries of life. David spent quite a bit of time pondering the big questions of life and recorded them for us.

Today we’re going to study just one of those Psalms, Psalm 121. It’s just eight verses but offers a message of hope, faith, and trust.

Psalm 121 is one of 15 Psalms known as the “Psalms or Songs of Ascent” (Psalm 120 – Psalm 134). Mr. Smith gave a very good sermon on these entitled, “The Song of Ascents” on Oct 8, 2016. Available on the UCG website.

[Book - A Long Obedience in the Same Direction: Discipleship in an Instant Society by Eugene H. Peterson]

These Psalms were sung as pilgrims ascended the mountain on their way to Jerusalem for the Feast days. Jerusalem’s elevation is 2,474 feet, just shy of half a mile high. Denver is known as “The Mile-High City”. Jerusalem is just half that. As they traveled, at each level they would sing the next Psalm of Ascent.

We can also look at these Psalms as us coming out of the world and journeying towards the Kingdom of God, towards the New Jerusalem.

The Psalms of Ascent begin with Psalm 120, at the beginning of their journey. They find themselves in hostile territory sojourning amongst the barbarous, savage, and uncivilized people that dwelt outside of Palestine. Their journey ends in Psalm 134 where they’ve arrived in the house of the LORD saying,

Behold, bless the LORD, All you servants of the LORD, Who by night stand in the house of the LORD! Lift up your hands in the sanctuary, And bless the LORD. The LORD who made heaven and earth Bless you from Zion! (Psa 134:1-3 NKJV)

 Our journey feels like that sometimes, doesn’t it? More and more like that lately. We’re pilgrims, sojourners, in a strange land we hardly recognize anymore, among those who hate peace, always contentious, and quick tempered, looking for someone to blame for their troubles. We seek the Kingdom of God where we’re going, to dwell at last in peace with our LORD.

Psalm 121, the second of those Psalms, is sometimes called, “The Traveler’s Psalm”. They’ve left their homes and have begun travelling through the hot, dry wilderness, over the hills towards Jerusalem.

That’s where our focus will be today. Please turn with me now to Psalm 121.

When we’re in need of help, where do we look? We often look around us, at our surroundings, at the people in our lives, the institutions, the governmental entities, anybody, depending on how desperate we are. We look all around us, anywhere. Where can I find help?

Psa 121:1-8 NKJV

(1)  A Song of Ascents. I will lift up my eyes to the hills—From whence comes my help?

The King James reads this way – “I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh my help.”

As the pilgrims get out on their journey away from the safety of their homes, they look around and suddenly everything looks strange. They can no longer see the familiar surroundings where they live. Perhaps they’re uncertain which way to go. Like we are sometimes in life.

It’s as if David is implying that his help comes from the hills, or he’s expecting someone to come over the hills to help. Or perhaps he’s looking to the hills to provide refuge. The mountains can be a great place to hide but the hills are also the lair of bandits and wild animals, a place of uncertainty and danger.

But the New King James corrects the punctuation. “I will lift up my eyes to the hills (full stop). From whence comes my help? It’s a question.

You can picture him gazing out over the horizon, looking upon the hills all around. Out in the open, travelling in those days, you were vulnerable to attack, whether by wild animals, or thieves looking to do you in. If you were to receive any assistance, that too would come in the form of someone riding in over the hills.

Where’s my help? Where’s the cavalry riding in to save the day?

There’s no one coming over the hills to help. Where am I going to find someone to help now?

The hills, in those days, were where the heathens set up their altars to pagan gods, where they set up their shrines and groves to practice their worship of false deities.

Perhaps this is a spiritual question. As he looks out over the hills, would he expect spiritual help to come from these?

Finally, he stops looking all roundabout him and instead looks up. He’s looked all around. He’s looked within, looked at his own inadequate means. What can his feeble band of pilgrims made up of women and children, people of all ages, young and old do? How can they possibly protect themselves against a band or marauders or a pack of wild animals? Spiritually speaking, how could any of them expect help to come from Baal, or Asherah, or some other false god?

“Where’s my help? What am I going to do?” “Which way do I go?”

Then, he remembers, “Oh wait!” My help comes from the LORD! The One Who made heaven and earth, and the hills. The Eternal, the Self-Existent One. He’s suddenly reminded from whence his help has always come and he finds the way. “The way, the truth, and the life.”

Psa 121:2 NKJV  My help comes from the LORD, Who made heaven and earth.

Which LORD?

Psa 146:5-6 KJV  Happy is he that hath the God of Jacob for his help, whose hope is in the LORD his God: Which made heaven, and earth, the sea, and all that therein is: which keepeth truth for ever:

Why is this significant? This isn’t just anyone he’s talking about. This is THE LORD, the living God! The One Who made heaven and earth, and all that therein is!

All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made. (Joh 1:3 KJV)

This is THE LORD! Not only is God the Maker of heaven and earth but He also sustains it. What does that mean?

Col 1:16-17 KJV(16)  For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him:
(17)  And he is before all things, and by him all things consist.

…upholding all things by the word of his power. (Heb 1:3)

God not only made everything but He holds it together. Without Him the cosmos would spin out of its orbit and fly off into outer darkness. Who else has that kind of power? Who has the power to set the moon and the stars in their orbit and the power to hold them in their place?

The point that David is making is, God is able. He has the power, the power to help. He’s the One Who made heaven and earth and all that is therein and by Him all things consist upheld by the very word of His power!

It doesn’t matter how big your problem is, God has not only offered His help but He is able to extend it.

The One to Whom we pray, the One whom we ask for help is the Creator God. He is the Sustainer God. He is the One who has the power, the One in Whom we place our confidence. In God We Trust.

(Psa 125:1-2 KJV) They that trust in the LORD shall be as mount Zion, which cannot be removed, but abideth for ever. As the mountains are round about Jerusalem, so the LORD is round about his people from henceforth even for ever.

Continuing now in verse 3 of Psalm 121, we listen in as he’s having this inner dialogue with himself. He’s reminding himself who God is and how He can always be counted on.

Psa 121:3 NKJV  He will not allow your foot to be moved; He who keeps you will not slumber.

He knows you - the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Matt 10:30; Luke 12:7  

God knows you. He knows what you’re going through. He’s watching over you. God is faithful. He will not allow you to be tested beyond your strength, to be pushed past your limit, but will make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it.  (1Cor 10:13)

God is your loving Father. Don’t you think He’s concerned about you and what you’re going through? God has even placed His angels about you.

He will not allow your foot to be moved…

Psa 91:11-12 KJV  For he shall give his angels charge over thee, to keep thee in all thy ways.  (12)  They shall bear thee up in their hands, lest thou dash thy foot against a stone.

He will keep the feet of his saints, and the wicked shall be silent in darkness; for by strength shall no man prevail. (1Sa 2:9 KJV)

They who keep sound wisdom and discretion shalt thou walk in thy way safely, and thy foot shall not stumble For the LORD shall be thy confidence, and shall keep thy foot from being taken. (Pro 3:23, 26 KJV)

His saints will be sure-footed, standing on solid ground.

Psa 121:4 NKJV  Behold, He who keeps Israel Shall neither slumber nor sleep.

He who keeps you does not slumber. He’s the same God who keeps Israel, ALL of Israel, He’s the One. He’s the keeper of all Israel and I am a member of Israel. And we are Israel today, aren’t we?

Gal 6:16 KJV  And as many as walk according to this rule, peace be on them, and mercy, and upon the Israel of God.

He tells us again that our God doesn’t go to sleep on you. Your God, my God, the God of Israel never sleeps. He never even dozes off.

My wife and family laugh at me when I nod off in front of the TV. Some of the noises they say I make, I don’t know.

But God never gets tired. He never gets bored. He never naps, even for a second, unless He’s watching golf.

Even in the loneliest darkest hour of the night, He’s always there because He doesn’t sleep, He doesn’t slumber.

You don’t need to stay up all night worrying. You don’t need to stay up all night walking the floor over your little one, or walking the floor over some sickness you don’t know what to do about, or a bill that needs to be paid or whatever has you worried and anxious.

God knows you’re concerned. If you’re concerned, He’s concerned. Give it to Him. Let Him worry about it. He’s going to be up all night anyway.

The very same God who created the universe, who loves you, who never sleeps nor slumbers will take care of it. Give it to Him. Trust him.

Remember the story of Elijah and his showdown with the prophets of Baal on Mt. Carmel? The story is in 1 Kings chapter 18.

Remember what happened? An altar was built and the contest was that whoever’s god set the altar on fire and burnt up the offering was the true god. The 450 prophets of Baal and 400 prophets of Asherah went first. They loaded up the altar and began to appeal to their god. All morning until noon they prayed and leaped on the altar. No response. They continued calling on their god and cut themselves until the blood rushed out. Still no response.

What did Elijah do?

Elijah mocked them and said, "Cry aloud, for he is a god; either he is meditating, or he is busy, or he is on a journey, or perhaps he is sleeping and must be awakened." (1Ki 18:27 NKJV) 

You’ve got to be really confident and certain that God is with you to do this, because he was next.

At the time of the evening sacrifice it was Elijah’s turn. He loaded up the altar and had water poured all over it. Water that was extremely scarce due to the drought.

And he prayed to God, our God, who made heaven and earth, who never sleeps, who never slumbers.

1Ki 18:36-39 NKJV(36)  And it came to pass, at the time of the offering of the evening sacrifice, that Elijah the prophet came near and said, "LORD God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, let it be known this day that You are God in Israel and I am Your servant, and that I have done all these things at Your word.
(37)  Hear me, O LORD, hear me, that this people may know that You are the LORD God, and that You have turned their hearts back to You again."

Just 63 words.

(38)  Then the fire of the LORD fell and consumed the burnt sacrifice, and the wood and the stones and the dust, and it licked up the water that was in the trench.
(39)  Now when all the people saw it, they fell on their faces; and they said, "The LORD, He is God! The LORD, He is God!"

This is the God we worship. This is the God we pray to. He never sleeps. He never slumbers. He’s always there. He hears our prayers, whether they be long or just 63 words. He hears our prayers.

Psa 121:5 NKJV  The LORD is your keeper; The LORD is your shade at your right hand.

The LORD is our keeper. He’s the One. He’s ever present at our right hand.

He’s our Keeper = our Shepherd, He is still our Shepherd, and we shall not want.

The LORD is your shade

Now I’m certain this doesn’t mean the LORD is “throwing shade” as it’s meant today. I had heard this phrase before but I didn’t know what it meant. I had to look it up. So, I turned to the authoritative source of all things cool and relevant, the Urban Dictionary.

Urban Dictionary - "Throwing Shade"

To diss [or disrespect] someone without actually saying their name but making it obvious that that's who you are talking about

Somebody says: “Some people are huge gossips.”

Everyone: ** looks at you **

You: “Are you throwing shade at me?!?”

So, I’m sure that’s not what it means. Sometimes it’s just as good to know what something doesn’t mean.

In this case, it means shade from the scorching heat, the heat of the desert wilderness. These are pilgrims traveling through the open arid land to go up to Jerusalem. It’s hot, the sun can be scorching out in the open like that. Remember the pillar of cloud by day when he led the Israelites out of Egypt? The LORD was their shade, and David’s reminded of that.

It’s also spiritual shade. 

He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty. (Psa 91:1)

Psa 121:6 NKJV  The sun shall not strike you by day, Nor the moon by night.

The sun shall not strike you by day. Strike you, as in smite you to do you harm, like a sunstroke.

Nor the moon by night. You won’t be struck by the moon either. Have you ever thought of being struck by the moon? Being moonstruck.

At that time, it was believed that changes in the moon caused people to act crazy, like a lunatic.

Mat 17:14-15 KJV(14)  And when they were come to the multitude, there came to him a certain man, kneeling down to him, and saying,
(15)  Lord, have mercy on my son: for he is lunatick, and sore vexed: for ofttimes he falleth into the fire, and oft into the water.

Lunatic, and lunacy – from the word, “lunar” meaning moon.

The Literal Translation of the Holy Bible, the LITV, phrases it this way, “for he is moonstruck”

Adam Clarke - One who was most affected with this disorder at the change and full of the moon. In this case, the devil intended to hide himself under the appearance of a natural disorder, that no supernatural means might be resorted to for his expulsion.

We still talk about the lunacy around us today, don’t we and how some people act like lunatics. They act like they’re not in their right minds. We see somebody driving like a lunatic and we ask, “is there a full moon tonight?”

The LORD will protect us from true lunacy, that of demonic possession.

Psa 121:7 NKJV  The LORD shall preserve you from all evil; He shall preserve your soul.

He shall preserve you from all evil, from all evil.

Here he goes from the specific protections to the general. He doesn’t say we won’t encounter difficulties along the way. He doesn’t say we won’t stub our toe, or experience loss or trials in the physical sense, but that he will protect us from evil, spiritual wickedness in high places. These things will never be able overtake us spiritually and separate us from the love of God.

God never promised us that if we would just follow him and his way of life that our life would be without trials. He never promised that we would never stumble. He never promised we would never experience illness, or an accident, or sorrow over the death of a loved one. He never promised that if we would just follow him life would be a bowl of cherries.

Our walk with Him is not a life of quiet solitude like Henry David Thoreau's Walden Pond or a stroll through the Garden of Eden but rather time and chance happen to us all. (Ecc 9:11) It rains on the just and the unjust. (Mat 5:45)

There was a song written by Joe South around 1967 or so and though Joe South, Billy Joe Royal, and others had recorded it first, it never really took off until a little 23-year-old girl born in Grand Forks, North Dakota named Lynn Anderson released it in October of 1970.

The song was called “Rose Garden” and it hit number one on the U.S. Billboard country chart for five weeks, reached No. 3 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 pop chart as well. It became a hit around the world. The opening lyrics went like this –

I beg your pardon,

I never promised you a rose garden

Along with the sunshine,

there's gotta be a little rain sometime

Many others have recorded the song since then but none reached the success of Lynn Anderson’s version. Her version of "Rose Garden" remains among the most successful crossover recordings of all-time.

God never promised us a rose garden either. We’re subject to the same struggles in life, the same pressures, the same heartaches as everyone else. But the difference is the LORD is with us. God is with us. There’s a greater purpose being worked out as we go through our trials and heartaches of this life.

We know that each step we take, each breath we breathe, we are preserved by God. We know we are accompanied by God. We know we are ruled by God.

Imagine for a moment what it must be like for those who are not. How do they cope? How do they make sense of it all without the truth that we have tucked away inside of us that preserves our souls?

We know that no matter what, God is with us, that God is watching out for us. No matter what happens in this physical life, God will preserve us and keep us from evil.

The LORD is on my side; I will not fear: what man can do unto me. (Psa 118:6)

God promises us that if we are one of His, and stay close to Him that he will keep us from evil. He will put a hedge about us. He will hide us under his wing from the Evil One.

He will preserve our souls, the “nephesh,” the inner man. 

The LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living [nephesh] soul. (Gen 2:7)

Regardless of what happens to us, God will preserve our soul.

Psa 97:10 KJV  Ye that love the LORD, hate evil: he preserveth the souls of his saints; he delivereth them out of the hand of the wicked.

Regardless of the situation, we can rest in our inner man, calmed and strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man as Paul says in Ephesians 3:16, because we know that God, who knows us and loves us has a purpose and place for us and places a hedge about us.

Ships don’t sink from the water all around but by the water that gets inside. Similarly, we don’t sink from the evil and corruption all around unless it gets inside.

Nothing can happen to us without God’s express permission. Remember Job. Satan had to get God’s permission before he could afflict Job.

No matter what happens we know it is God’s will, that all things work together for good for those who love God and are called according to his purpose. (Rom 8:28)

He has the power to preserve, to put a hedge about, to guard, protect

Psa 121:8 NKJV  The LORD shall preserve your going out and your coming in From this time forth, and even forevermore.

Anybody feel like that’s all you ever do? Our house, it seems, is just a place where we come in to prepare to go out again.

Going out and coming in. We have a little Cairn Terrier, a little dog at home, named Abby. If you’re home during the day, it seems that’s all she does. You get up and let her out. Get up and let her back in. “Let me out so I can come back in.” All day long. I feel like a doorman. That’s my job.

Remember when Solomon was about to become King and God came to him and said, “Ask what I shall give thee.”?  Solomon said, “I am but a little child: I know not how to go out or come in” so therefore give him an understanding heart to judge the people rightly. (1Ki 3:7)

And the speech pleased the Lord, that Solomon had asked this thing and He gave him the wisdom he needed to go out and to come in, judging rightly.

The Psalm tells us God will preserve us even in the mundane, routines of our everyday lives, in our going out and in our coming in.

God cares about everything in your life.

O LORD, I know that the way of man is not in himself: it is not in man that walketh to direct his steps. (Jer 10:23)

Hold up my goings in thy paths, that my footsteps slip not. (Psa 17:5)

A man's heart deviseth his way: but the LORD directeth his steps. (Pro 16:9)

Sometimes it seems that life has become so routine that we do the same things every day just so we can get up and do it again the next day like the dog going in and out.

We get up in the morning, go to work, work all day, come home, eat dinner, go to bed, just so we can get up in the morning, go to work, come home, eat dinner, and go to bed again. Not knowing if we’re making any progress or not. It seems like we’re not going anywhere. It’s the same old, same old.

In the meantime, somehow our kids grow up, and we get older, and seemingly have little to show for it.

Hopefully, along the way we’ve imparted God’s truths to our children in our going out and in our coming in.

And thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up. (Deu 6:7; 11:19)

When you go out and when you come in, though you be weary, and dog tired, the truths of God are imparted to your children along the way by the example you set.

God tells us to weary not in well doing for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not. (Gal 6:9)

When we come into the Truth, we give our lives over to God and Christ saying, “I can’t do this anymore. I’ve tried it my way and my way doesn’t work.” We repent, we’re baptized, we receive God’s Holy Spirit, and in humble submission, we turn control of our lives over to God to walk in newness of life.

Do you ever self-sabotage just for the sake of something different? Do you ever intentionally go off the rails just for the sake of variety? The day to day becomes so boring and mundane, that you have to do something to shake things up a bit even though we know better.

Sometimes we take the reins of our life back, in our own stubbornness and our own self-will, and we go our own way. I don’t know why I’d ever want to do that again but I do. I do things I know I shouldn’t and don’t do the things I know I should.

Just like Paul. Even Paul had the same issue. I imagine we all do.

But God preserves us even when we are not aware of it. As I look back on my life and all the stupid things I’ve done, sometimes I wonder how I managed to live this long. Truth is, I didn’t manage it. It’s obvious when I look back over my life, that there were times, for whatever reason God, or one of His holy ones, managed it for me.

God’s grace and a praying mother is all I can figure.

And like a loving father, our heavenly Father allows us to go our own way, make our own choices no matter how painful it must be to watch.  But watch, He does, even watching over us at times, protecting us from our own folly, preserving us for His own purpose.

How frustrating it must be for God to watch us veer off the path he’s set for us. We ask Him to direct our steps, direct our going out and our coming in in His paths yet we veer off course, sometimes leap off course, without rhyme or reason.

But know this, the LORD shall preserve your going out and your coming in from this time forth, and even forevermore.

God cares. He’s watching over you the whole time. He’s molding you. He’s shaping you. He’s engraving you with His own image. God will not let go of you until he sees his work through to the end.

Php 1:6 KJV  Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ:

God will never give up on us if we don’t give up on God. He will never leave us nor forsake us. (Heb 13:5) Even in the middle of all our folly. Even in the middle of our worst trial. Nothing can separate us from the love of God.

Rom 8:38-39 KJV(38)  For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come,
(39)  Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

When we’re going through a trial and wonder, “What am I going to do?”. “Where can I find help to deal with this?”

Remember the inner dialogue of Psalm 121. Remember all the things the LORD has done and say,

“My help comes from the LORD, the Maker of heaven and earth.”

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You Are A Leader

Who do you consider a great leader? Whose name comes to mind when you think of someone who is a leader? The President of the United States? Abraham Lincoln? Or John F. Kennedy? Or Ronald Reagan? Maybe the CEO of a well-known corporation? Warren Buffet or Jeff Bezos of Amazon, for example. Maybe a champion of civil rights like Martin Luther King, or Nelson Mandela, or even Ghandi. Maybe someone like Winston Churchill or a military leader like Douglas MacArthur or going back even further, Alexander the Great.

On a more personal level, maybe you’ve worked for someone you admired in your company who was a leader. Maybe there was a high school coach or a teacher who inspired you.

Whoever it is, we all have a vision of what a great leader looks like. We may have a hard time relating to people of greatness but we all know people who are in a position of leadership, good and bad.

You may or may not see yourself as a leader. We tend to think of leaders as those who are in charge by virtue of their position or who take charge by virtue of circumstance. Some have trained and studied to be a leader all their lives. Others may have had leadership thrust upon them.

The Bible tells the stories of several “reluctant leaders”. People who became a leader who didn’t want to be a leader but God chose them. He selected them to lead at that time, in that situation.

The first one that you might think of was Moses. When he was called, he said, “Who am I? Who’s going to believe me? Who’s going to believe the LORD appeared to me? Besides, I not that eloquent. In fact, I am slow of speech and have a slow tongue.” He made every excuse he could think of until God became angry with him and he agreed to send his brother Aaron with him to do the talking. (Exo 3 & 4)

But we’re going to take a look at another man, one who is not such a prominent figure as Moses. He too who was reluctant to be a leader and unsure of himself but with God’s help he conquered a nation and became the leader of it.

Gideon

We read the story of Gideon in Judges chapters 6 through 8. The Israelites had again turned away from God after 40 years of peace brought about by Deborah’s victory over Canaan, the Midianites and Amalekites. God gave them over into the hands of the Midianites for seven years of oppression. God then called Gideon to deliver them.

Jdg 6:11-17 KJV

(11)  And there came an angel of the LORD, and sat under an oak which was in Ophrah, [north of Jerusalem between Samaria and Galilee] that pertained unto Joash the Abiezrite: [of the tribe of Manasseh] and his son Gideon threshed wheat by the winepress, to hide it from the Midianites.

(12)  And the angel of the LORD appeared unto him, and said unto him, The LORD is with thee, thou mighty man of valour.

[Gideon didn’t see himself as a mighty man of valor, but God did.]

(13)  And Gideon said unto him, Oh my Lord, if the LORD be with us, why then is all this befallen us? and where be all his miracles which our fathers told us of, saying, Did not the LORD bring us up from Egypt? but now the LORD hath forsaken us, and delivered us into the hands of the Midianites.

(14)  And the LORD looked upon him, and said, Go in this thy might, and thou shalt save Israel from the hand of the Midianites: have not I sent thee?

(15)  And he said unto him, Oh my Lord, wherewith shall I save Israel? behold, my family is poor in Manasseh, and I am the least in my father's house.

(16)  And the LORD said unto him, Surely I will be with thee, and thou shalt smite the Midianites as one man.

(17)  And he said unto him, If now I have found grace in thy sight, then shew me a sign that thou talkest with me.

Jdg 6:20-24 KJV

(20)  And the angel of God said unto him, Take the flesh and the unleavened cakes, and lay them upon this rock, and pour out the broth. And he did so.

(21)  Then the angel of the LORD put forth the end of the staff that was in his hand, and touched the flesh and the unleavened cakes; and there rose up fire out of the rock, and consumed the flesh and the unleavened cakes. Then the angel of the LORD departed out of his sight.

(22)  And when Gideon perceived that he was an angel of the LORD, Gideon said, Alas, O Lord GOD! for because I have seen an angel of the LORD face to face.

(23)  And the LORD said unto him, Peace be unto thee; fear not: thou shalt not die.

(24)  Then Gideon built an altar there unto the LORD, and called it Jehovahshalom: [The LORD is Peace] unto this day it is yet in Ophrah of the Abiezrites.

Gideon was emboldened for a time and tore down the altars to Baal and destroyed the groves. But when the men of the city and the surrounding area gathered to capture Gideon and kill him, he lost heart. Even though 32,000 men had gathered in his defense to square off against the Midianites, his faith faltered.

He returned again to the LORD for reassurance.

Jdg 6:36-40 KJV

(36)  And Gideon said unto God, If thou wilt save Israel by mine hand, as thou hast said,

(37)  Behold, I will put a fleece of wool in the floor; and if the dew be on the fleece only, and it be dry upon all the earth beside, then shall I know that thou wilt save Israel by mine hand, as thou hast said.

(38)  And it was so: for he rose up early on the morrow, and thrust the fleece together, and wringed the dew out of the fleece, a bowl full of water.

(39)  And Gideon said unto God, Let not thine anger be hot against me, and I will speak but this once: let me prove, I pray thee, but this once with the fleece; let it now be dry only upon the fleece, and upon all the ground let there be dew.

(40)  And God did so that night: for it was dry upon the fleece only, and there was dew on all the ground.

There were 32,000 men of the tribes of Manasseh, Asher, Zebulun, and Naphtali gathered on Gideon’s side and God down-selected them to just 300 men of valor. God didn’t want them to exalt themselves thinking that they had saved themselves by such a large force, but to glorify God instead.

Gideon had asked for and was provided 3 signs that God would be with him – the fire out of the rock, the fleece wet, and the fleece dry. Now God gave him another personal sign, one that was irrefutable. God gave it without being asked and it was the final sign that heartened him to take action.

Jdg 7:13-15 KJV

(13)  And when Gideon was come, behold, there was a man that told a dream unto his fellow, and said, Behold, I dreamed a dream, and, lo, a cake of barley bread tumbled into the host of Midian, and came unto a tent, and smote it that it fell, and overturned it, that the tent lay along.

(14)  And his fellow answered and said, This is nothing else save the sword of Gideon the son of Joash, a man of Israel: for into his hand hath God delivered Midian, and all the host.

(15)  And it was so, when Gideon heard the telling of the dream, and the interpretation thereof, that he worshipped, and returned into the host of Israel, and said, Arise; for the LORD hath delivered into your hand the host of Midian.

Commentary by F. B. Meyer –
Gideon asked for the sign of the fleece, but God, without his asking, gave him that of the barley-cake. It was only barley-bread, the cheapest and commonest kind of food, but it overthrew a tent. Gideon was quick to recognize the symbol of his weakness and helplessness, but he recognized also the presage of victory. Lying there in the moonless night, with his head toward that tent, he worshiped and hastened back to his camp.

Gideon and his 300 men rolled into the camp of the Midianites at the beginning of the middle watch, so about midnight, blowing trumpets and breaking pitchers with fire in them, shouting, “The sword of the LORD and of Gideon!” The Midianites were so surprised and frightened that they jumped out of their tents, cried out and fled.

God proved without a doubt that He was indeed with Gideon. Gideon subdued the Midianites and the men of Israel chose him to rule over them for forty years of peace. Though he saw himself as the least in Manasseh, God saw his potential to become, to become a leader.

Now we may not be called to be a Gideon. But do you think God called us for no other reason than to just be in His Kingdom? You think God called you just to be?

He didn’t call us to just be! He called us to become!

To become kings and priests. To take that talent He gave us, however little or great it may be, and develop it. Not to bury it in the dirt, in fear and timidity, afraid that someone would make fun of us. But to take whatever talent God gave us and make the most of it!

He chose you to be in His Kingdom for a reason. No one else has your exact experiences. No one else has your precise make up, your DNA. He needs you! He needs you because of your shortcomings. He needs you because of the things that have happened to you, because of what you’ve been through.

Someone in the Kingdom will need somebody like you to tell them of God’s glorious gospel; to tell them of God’s plan for them. Who better than someone who’s been through similar experiences, who’s had similar doubts and fears?

If you don’t take the baton when He hands it to you and run with it, he will have to find someone else. The person he needs to bring His healing ministry to those suffering souls who live through the Tribulation will come from somewhere else if necessary.

But He chose YOU!

What did Esther’s uncle Mordechai tell her when the decree was ordered to kill all the Jews? Esther found herself in a unique position to put a stop to it, to make a difference. What was her attitude?

Est 4:14-16 NKJV

(14)  For if you remain completely silent at this time, relief and deliverance will arise for the Jews from another place, but you and your father's house will perish. Yet who knows whether you have come to the kingdom for such a time as this?"

(15)  Then Esther told them to reply to Mordecai:

(16)  "Go, gather all the Jews who are present in Shushan, and fast for me; neither eat nor drink for three days, night or day. My maids and I will fast likewise. And so I will go to the king, which is against the law; and if I perish, I perish!"

She loved not her life unto death. She was willing to lay down her life! If I perish, I perish!

I can’t say whether or not you and I will be called upon to take on an entire army with just 300 men or to stand up to a world leader and put our lives on the line for our brethren. But I know what we were not called to do. We were not called to just be. We were called to become leaders.

Kings and priests are leaders, are they not? Of course, they are and so will we be in God’s Kingdom.

Rev 5:10 KJV  And hast made us unto our God kings and priests: and we shall reign on the earth.

You may not feel you are qualified to be a leader at all. Nevertheless, you are a leader whether you know it or not, whether you want to be a leader or not. I’m here to tell you, you are a leader already.

Why do I say that?

You are a leader now if even only one person follows you.

Whether you are in a position of leadership at work or not, you’re still a leader. Whether you’re in a position of leadership at church or not, in your community or not, you’re still a leader.

Whether you know it or not, there are people who look to you for leadership and guidance and example. They look to see how you're handling the situation at hand. They watch you to see how you’re holding up each week.  And all too often, our example becomes their standard, however feeble it may be.

One day we'll find out what our influence has been and it will cause us great joy and astonishment as well as sorrow and disappointment in ourselves that we had not done better.

You are a leader because you represent God and Christ to your family, to your brethren, and to the world. We're either leading people to Christ and the Kingdom or away from Christ and the Kingdom by our actions and attitudes. 

Do you want to be a king without the benefit of any training?

Do you want to be a priest without the benefit of any training?

That’s why we’re here. We each have our unique training protocol to follow and lessons to learn. One is no better than another. We will each minister to those for whom we are uniquely trained and qualified.

You are a leader. So, you might as well embrace it and build on it. All too often we don’t because we don’t want to. We don’t want to because with leadership comes responsibility. With leadership comes accountability.

All too often we don’t want to be the leader because we don’t want the headache of dealing with people, dealing with the confrontation, dealing with the ridicule. As the leader, there’s always someone who disagrees with you. There’s always someone who thinks things should have been done differently.

Now, they don’t want to be the leader. They don’t have all the answers. They’re just certain that you don’t. They take potshots from the cheap seats, criticizing and insulting those in charge but they don’t want the responsibility. They don’t want to be the leader.

The Man in the Arena –

Theodore Roosevelt’s life shows us that hard work, tenacity, and a desire to do the right thing can get you far in life. He delivered a speech at the Sorbonne, in Paris, on April 23, 1910. In the most memorable section of his 35-page “Citizenship in a Republic” address Roosevelt captured his life philosophy in just a few sentences.

The section of the speech has become known as, “The Man in the Arena”. It tells us that the man we should praise is the man who’s out there fighting the battles, even if those battles end in defeat. In our day, when cynicism and aloof detachment are considered hip and cool, Teddy Roosevelt reminds us that those who overcome are those “who spend themselves in a worthy cause.”

The speech could just as easily be entitled, “Citizenship in the Kingdom.” We are not meant to sit idly by to be entertained by pastors, elders, and deacons. We are to get involved, to continually grow in grace and knowledge by exercising diligence to make our calling and election sure and to prepare to serve the Lord of Hosts in the Millennium and into Eternity. We’re not to be cold and timid souls, lukewarm observers, who expect others to do for us while we watch.

What does God’s word tell us would happen in regards to leadership in these crucial, critical times at the end of the age?

Isa 3:4-7 NirV (New International Reader’s Version)

(4)  The LORD will make young boys rule over all of them. Mere children will govern them.

(5)  People will crush one another. They will fight against each other. They will fight against their neighbors. Young people will attack old people. Ordinary people will attack those who are more important.

(6)  A man will grab hold of one of his brothers at his father's home. He will say, "You have a [suit]. So you be our leader. Take charge of all of these broken-down buildings!" [let these ruins be under your control]

(7)  But at that time the brother will cry out, "I can't help you. I don't have any food or clothing in my house. Don't make me the leader of these people."

Who would even want to be President of the United States today? Who wants to subject themselves to the scrutiny, the criticism, the vehement opposition, the attempts to destroy your reputation, that comes no matter what you do? So, we get the leaders we deserve. We get leaders who are the basest of men, as Daniel 4:17 tells us. Who else would want the job?

But we, brethren, are a different kind of leader. We are the heads of our families. We are leading others to the truth, to God and Christ. We are all leaders now and in the future world tomorrow in the Kingdom.

We will remember our experiences we had in this life. We will remember the lessons we learned in this life. We will carry those with us as spirit beings, as kings and priests and be able to apply those lessons as we minister to others in the Kingdom. 

Dr. Brene Brown, research professor at the University of Houston and author of the book, Dare to Lead, put it this way –

So, we need to embrace our challenges now. We need to continually step outside our comfort zone and learn new things, try new experiences. This takes courage. I’m not talking about monumental courage, not life and death courage, though we may on rare occasions be called to that. No, I’m talking about the courage to take baby steps in the direction of stretching ourselves even if just a little. We all can push ourselves to be just a little better than we are today.

We are all soldiers of Jesus Christ. Regardless of our rank, whether we are a 4-star general or a private with no class, we are all soldiers of Christ. (2Tim 2:3) 

Heraclitus was a philosopher in 5^th century BC. He said this about soldiers of war. Here’s what he had to say about soldiers –

Now we have about 100 people in here today.

We don’t all have to be the one, but we can all strive to be a spiritual warrior. Regardless, of our circumstance or our health, we can all be warriors in prayer and in spirit. We can all rise in the ranks and fight the good fight of faith. By continually applying the lessons we learn and doing the things we know we should, we can lift ourselves out of the ranks of the mediocre Christian, out of the ranks of the lukewarm, and be good soldiers of Christ.

There are many qualities of an effective leader. I want to speak today about one aspect of leadership in particular, one that is essential to all others.  

That quality is discipline.

To be good and faithful soldiers of Christ we must discipline ourselves to do those things necessary to development righteous character. To be good disciples, we must be disciplined.

Former Navy Seal, Jocko Willink, wrote the following in his book, Discipline EqualsFreedom:

Discipline: The root of all good qualities. The driver of daily execution. The core principle that overcomes laziness and lethargy and excuses. Discipline defeats the infinite excuses that say, "Not today, not now, I need a rest, I will do it tomorrow."

Today it seems everyone is looking for a hack, the shortcut, the easy way.

There is no easy way. Christ told us, in this life you will have tribulation. (John 16:33) Embrace it. There’s no escaping it. Acknowledge it as a fact of life and learn from it.

… we glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation works patience;  (4)  And patience, experience; and experience, hope: (Rom 5:3-4 KJV)

If we are to become men and women who are strong in the faith, we must become men and women of discipline. It starts there. We take up our cross daily. We fight the battle daily to grow in grace and knowledge. We fight daily to contend for the faith once delivered to the saints. We stand in the gap. And it takes discipline.

To do what needs to be done, when it needs to be done, regardless of how we feel takes discipline.

If we are leaders, and we are, then we need to develop that kind of discipline to prepare us for whatever comes our way.

If you don't think you can be that disciplined it is because you haven't decided to be disciplined. YET.

So, how do you become disciplined or increase your self-discipline?

You make the decision to be. You make the commitment to be.

Embrace self-discipline - the cold unwavering, objective certainty of your decision to be a man or woman of discipline.

Like Paul in Lystra, though stoned, and left for dead, he got back up and turned around and went back into the city, because that was the mission. Do you think he felt like it? No, but he did it because that was the mission. Discipline.

We all know there are certain areas of our lives where we need to do better.

When I gave this talk in Men’s Club last May, I gave each of them a blank piece of paper to write on but that wasn’t practical today with so many of you. So, if you have a notebook where you’re taking notes, I want you to write these words centered at the top of the page or if you’re in the middle of the page somewhere, that’s fine but leave room to add to it later. Write these words -

What If I Had My Act Together?

Starting with number 1, finish the sentence, “If I had my act together, I’d…”

I did this exercise last December. Even at my age, I still don’t have my act together. I had said for years “one day”. Well I finally had enough!

 Here are a few items on my list –

·       I’d study the Bible for at least 1 hour every day

·       I’d exercise 4 days a week

·       I’d eat nutritious food every meal in proper amounts (more protein, no bread, no sugar)

·       I’d read 1 physical book every 2 months.

·       I’d listen to 1 audio book minimum every month

There are about 20 items on the list but the others are too personal to share.

One of the items may be that you want to serve in church in some way. I know things may seem like they’re locked down and all the duties have been assigned and there’s no room for you. But not so. We’re always willing to help others learn to serve. Just ask.

And men, if you want to learn more about becoming a leader, I encourage you to come to one of our Men’s Club meetings. You don’t have to speak if you don’t want to. It’s been restructured around building leadership qualities in each of us in a supportive environment and less about becoming a spokesman. And ladies, I encourage you to attend the Ladies Brunch where topics central to your interests are explored and discussed.

After you finish your list take it to God in prayer. Go over each item with Him and make sure you’re in alignment with God’s will and ask for His help and His blessing.

Then start to act as if you had your act together. You must act as if these things are already a part of who you are. Act as if this is who you are now.

For example, when offered dessert, rather than saying, “No thanks, I’m trying to stop eating sweets,” say, “No thanks, I don’t eat sweets, or I’m not a dessert person.”

It’s all in how you see yourself. How you see yourself in Christ.

How would you act if you had God’s Holy Spirit inside of you to help you, to lead you and guide you, to direct your path every day?

You do!

Joh 14:10-20 KJV

(10)  Believest thou not that I am in the Father, and the Father in me? the words that I speak unto you I speak not of myself: but the Father that dwelleth in me, he doeth the works.

(11)  Believe me that I am in the Father, and the Father in me: or else believe me for the very works' sake.

(12)  Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father.

 (16)  And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever;

(17)  Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you.

(18)  I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you.

(19)  Yet a little while, and the world seeth me no more; but ye see me: because I live, ye shall live also.

(20)  At that day ye shall know that I am in my Father, and ye in me, and I in you.

You have Christ in you! You’re not in this alone!

We have the Spirit of God the Father and Jesus Christ in us! We should act like it! Act as if! You have Christ in you! Act as if! That’s faith!

Read your list weekly or daily even, to ingrain it in your mind.

I know not all of you will do this. That’s just how some of us are. But those who do, I promise you, you’ll be rewarded. You’ll be more determined. You’ll be more disciplined.

I hear people tell me all the time, "I'd like to study the Bible more but I don't have time." 

My answer – "Get up 30 minutes earlier. Now you have time."

We all have 24 hours in the day. If we don't have time to study the Word of God, we don't have a time problem. We have a priority problem. We make time for what's most important to us. 

Whatever it is on your list you just do it; as if you had your act together.

YOU STUDY THE BIBLE AN HOUR EVERY DAY

YOU WORK OUT CONSISTENTLY 4 DAYS A WEEK

YOU STOP EATING SUGAR

YOU READ ANOTHER BOOK

Who's in charge here? You or your body?

Even Paul spoke of disciplining his body and bringing it into subjection.

(1Cor 9:27)

Are we always going to be strong? Of course not.

Are we always going to be motivated? Of course not.

Are we always going to be positive? Of course not.

But I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me! (Php 4:13)

We’ve been given the Holy Spirit of the Creator of the Universe to help us!

There will still be times when we do falter. But we confess our failures, repent, and get right back to it. We continue to fight the good fight of faith.

We don’t give up! We don’t turn back!

Brethren, we are in the fight of our lives! We do battle every day against the forces of darkness in this world. It's a continuous struggle for hearts and minds beginning with our own.

But be of good cheer. Christ has overcome the world! (Joh 16:33)

You ARE a leader. Let’s be disciplined leaders. Men and women of strong faith. Developing godly character by exercising discipline and yielding to God’s Holy Spirit.

Instead of saying, “One day.” Say, “This is Day One. And it starts today!”

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