Again, in these Bible histories we find that faith is always followed
by COURAGE. Caleb and Joshua were full of courage, because they were
men of faith. Those who have been greatly used of God in all ages have
been men of courage. If we are full of faith we shall not be full of
fear, distrusting God all the while. That is the trouble with the
Church of Christ to-day--there are so many who are fearful, because
they do not believe that God is going to use them. What we need is to
have the courage that will compel us to move forward. Perhaps if we do
this we may have to go against the advice of lukewarm Christians.
There are some who never seem to do anything but object, because the
work is not always carried on exactly according to their ideas. They
will say: "I do not think that is the best way to do things." They are
very fruitful in raising objections to any plans that can be
suggested. If any onward step is taken they are ready to throw cold
water on it; they will suggest all kinds of difficulties. We want to
have such faith and courage as shall enable us to move forward without
waiting for these timid unbelievers.
In the second book of Chronicles we read that King Asa had to go right
against his father and mother; it took a good deal of courage to do
that. He removed his mother from being queen, and cut down the idols
and burnt them. There are times when we have to go against those who
ought to be our best friends. Is it not time for us to launch out into
the deep? I have never seen people go out into the lanes and alleys,
into the hedges and highways, and try to bring the people in, but the
Lord gave His blessing. If a man has the courage to go right to his
neighbor and speak to him about his soul, God is sure to smile upon
the effort. The person who is spoken to may wake up cross, but that is
not always a bad sign. He may write a letter next day and apologize.
At any rate it is better to wake him up in this way than that he
should continue to slumber on to death and ruin.
You notice when God was about to deliver Israel out of the hand of the
Midianites, how he taught this lesson to Gideon. Gideon had gathered
around him an army of thirty-two thousand men. He may probably have
counted them, and when he knew that the Midianites had an army of a
hundred and thirty-five thousand he said to himself: "My army is too
small; I am afraid I shall not succeed." But the Lord's thoughts were
different. He said to Gideon: "You have too many men." So He told him
that all those among the thirty-two thousand who were fearful and
afraid might go back to their own homes, to their wives and their
mothers; let them step to the rear. No sooner had Gideon given this
command than twenty-two thousand men wheeled out of line. It may be
Gideon thought the Lord had made a mistake as he saw his army melt
away. If two-thirds of a great audience were to rise and go out you
would think they were all going.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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