The Monday Memo from John Stanko

423: Fleeced

If you are like most people, you want to know if your ideas and actions are sanctioned by the Lord.  Thus you may seek for a sign of confirmation before you act, and that whole process is called putting out a fleece before the Lord.  That concept was first introduced in the story of Gideon, so let's look at that now and see if there are any lessons we can learn from what Gideon did and why he did it.

FLEECED

God appeared to Gideon and appointed him the one to deliver Israel from the Midianites.  This directive was not what Gideon was expecting so he asked God on three separate occasions to give him a sign that it was indeed the Lord who was guiding his steps.  Here is one of those instances:

Gideon said to God, "If you will save Israel by my hand as you have promised- Look, I will place a wool fleece on the threshing floor. If there is dew only on the fleece and all the ground is dry, then I will know that you will save Israel by my hand, as you said." And that is what happened. Gideon rose early the next day; he squeezed the fleece and wrung out the dew—a bowlful of water. Then Gideon said to God, "Do not be angry with me. Let me make just one more request. Allow me one more test with the fleece. This time make the fleece dry and the ground covered with dew." That night God did so. Only the fleece was dry; all the ground was covered with dew (Judges 6:36-40). 

So you see from that passage that a fleece before the Lord was just that for Gideon:  it was a sheep's skin that once was drenched with dew and once wasn't. Gideon chose that sign and God chose to respond. It would be nice if God would respond to every request for confirmation like He did in this instance, but He usually doesn't. Why is that?

It's because most requests are made not in faith but in unbelief and God does respond very well to those who don't trust Him in the first place.  When that happens, they get the response that Jesus gave to the Jews.  Let''s look at that now.

NO SIGN, SORT OF

Then some of the Pharisees and teachers of the law said to him, "Teacher, we want to see a miraculous sign from you."He answered, "A wicked and adulterous generation asks for a miraculous sign! But none will be given it except the sign of the prophet Jonah (Matthew 12:38-39).

Notice that Jesus didn't really say that there would be no sign.  He just said it would be a sign of God's choosing and that sign was that Jesus would be raised from the dead after three days, just like Jonah was delivered after three days in the big fish.  The problem with asking for a sign today is that a sign has already been given:  Jesus is alive!

You see, if God can raise the dead, then He can do anything!  He can help you start your business, publish your work, find you a job or fund your missions trip.  When you say, "Oh God, I need a sign to let me know whether or not this is something you want me to do," you run the danger of asking because you don't really believe you can do what you are being asked to do.

The Lord asked Gideon to lead a battle against insurmountable odds and Gideon needed that reassurance because many lives were on the line.  Most of us won't ever face that kind of challenge.  Yours is much less demanding, so the knowledge that God raises the dead assures you that God can do anything, especially helping you to do what's in your heart.

Perhaps this week you need to stop procrastinating in unbelief while putting out a fleece, which will never be answered.  Rather be looking for ways to do what is in your heart to do.  When you do that, God will send you all the confirmation you need at every point.  Have a great week!

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KENYA VIDEOS:  If you haven't already, I invite you to watch two short videos that I shot at the orphanage I visited in Kenya a few weeks ago. The children sang me a song and the founder said a brief word of thanks.  Once you watch them, read the post below and do what your heart moves you to do to help these children and others like them.

THE SOPHIA FUND & THE DEBORAH FOUNDATION:  I announced two wees ago a new initiative in time for Christmas that will allow you to help me open learning centers all over Kenya.  We will start small, but will deliberately work to help the orphans in Kenya learn how to love books and learning.  You can play an important part in making this happen.  To read all about it, go to my blog to see my latest post or go to my Facebook page.  I need books and educational toys and I need you to help me get them. I will figure out a way to get them to Kenya.  You just figure out a way to get them to me. 

This morning I got two bags of books, shoes, bubbles and games in church, and I know they are the firstfruits of much to come.  One woman told me she cried when she read about the Deborah Foundation and is organizing her friends and neighbors to have a book party.  She also asked if she could help raise money to help get all the stuff over to Kenya.  Of course I told her that she could.  What's more, I would appreciate if you would be creative and think of ways to help this project go forward.

I also need help to continue feeding the orphans and widows there from The Sophia Fund.  When you do your Christmas shopping and giving this year, please remember The Sophia Fund and The Deborah Foundation.  I know you will be blessed when you do. 

422: Lessons in Courage

Has fear ever prevented you from doing something you wanted to do?  Has fear been an excuse not to do something that you needed to do?  If you are human, then the answer to both those questions is a resounding "Yes!"  Yet you may be waiting for an absence of fear before you act and that will never happen.  You need to learn to function in the midst of fear if you are to be a person of purpose.  Let's go back to Gideon's life again this week to see how he handled his fear to become a hero of the faith.

HIDING OUT

When we first meet Gideon, he is hiding from the Midianites, trying to eke out some food for his family in the midst of their oppression:

The angel of the Lord came and sat down under the oak in Ophrah that belonged to Joash the Abiezrite, where his son Gideon was threshing wheat in a winepress to keep it from the Midianites. When the angel of the Lord appeared to Gideon, he said, "The Lord is with you, mighty warrior" (Judges 6:11-12).

God identified Gideon as a mighty warrior, yet Gideon saw himself as a poor farmer who was working for minimum wages.  The first lesson in how to deal with fear is:  You can't always trust the perspective you have of yourself.  The way out of that problem is to learn to trust what someone else sees in you, such as a friend, mentor or coach. 

Then Gideon uttered the standard complaint when confronted with a seemingly impossible task: 

"But Lord, " Gideon asked, "how can I save Israel? My clan is the weakest in Manasseh, and I am the least in my family."The Lord answered, "I will be with you, and you will strike down all the Midianites together" (Judges 6:15-16).  

The second lesson is to remember that you are not alone. You and God make up a majority no matter what. 

NIGHT TIME RAID

So then God gave Gideon his first assignment to tear down his father's altars to a false god.  Gideon obeyed, but notice how he did it:

 So Gideon took ten of his servants and did as the Lord told him. But because he was afraid of his family and the men of the town, he did it at night rather than in the daytime (Judges 6:27).

Gideon did what he had to do, but he did in a way that worked for him.  He went at night because he was afraid.  The important thing, however, is that he obeyed.  That is the third lesson:  He acted even though he was afraid.  He didn't wait for his fears to go away; Gideon did the best he could to obey the Lord and God helped him.

This leads me to ask you the questions: What are you afraid of?  What is hindering you from moving forward to fulfill your dreams and purpose?  What can you learn from Gideon that can help you this week to do something, even if it's at night or in a way that is less than noble?  The important thing is that you learn how to act even though you may be afraid, for fear is not a good excuse to disobey what God has put in your heart to do.  Take courage this week and see what you can do in spite of your fears. 

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KENYA VIDEOS:  I invite you to watch two short videos that I shot at the orphanage I visited in Kenya a few weeks ago. The children sang me a song and the founder said a brief word of thanks.  Once you watch them, read the post below and do what your heart moves you to do to help these children and others like them.

THE SOPHIA FUND & THE DEBORAH FOUNDATION:  I announced last week a new initiative in time for Christmas that will allow you to help me open learning centers all over Kenya.  We will start small, but will deliberately work to help the orphans in Kenya learn how to love books and learning.  You can play an important part in making this happen.  To read all about it, go to my blog to see my latest post or go to my Facebook page.  I need books and educational toys and I need you to help me get them. I will figure out a way to get them to Kenya.  You just figure out a way to get them to me. 

One sister, who is confined to a wheel chair, presented me with an abacus for the children this morning in church.  I was so blessed by her thoughtful and selfless generosity.  Thank you, Chloe, for your gift and may the Lord move on many others to follow your example!

I also need help to continue feeding the orphans and widows there from The Sophia Fund.  When you do your Christmas shopping and giving this year, please remember The Sophia Fund and The Deborah Foundation.  I know you will be blessed when you do. 

421: Face-to-Face

Have you ever wished that God would speak to you face-to-face so you could know what to do?  Doesn't that sound like it would make serving and obeying God much easier?  Well, that's not necessarily true that a direct encounter would be a good thing. To prove my point, let's take another look at Gideon, whose life we began to study last week.

CAN WE TALK?

One day Gideon was busy trying to eke out a living when the Lord appeared and spoke to him:

The angel of the Lord came and sat down under the oak in Ophrah that belonged to Joash the Abiezrite, where his son Gideon was threshing wheat in a winepress to keep it from the Midianites. When the angel of the Lord appeared to Gideon, he said, "The Lord is with you, mighty warrior" (Judges 6:11-12).

What was Gideon's response?  Was he in awe and didn't know what to say?  Did he worship?  Did he ask the Lord what He wanted him to do? No, he did none of those things.  Instead he basically said, "Can we talk?"  Gideon took the opportunity to complain and tell the Lord how bad things were in his life! 

Gideon had a direct word and appearance from the Lord, but he was so preoccupied with his situation that he didn't treat it like the special event that it was.  Then the Lord revealed why He had come and what He wanted Gideon to do:

The Lord turned to him and said, "Go in the strength you have and save Israel out of Midian's hand. Am I not sending you?" "But Lord," Gideon asked, "how can I save Israel? My clan is the weakest in Manasseh, and I am the least in my family" (Judges 6:14-15).  

Again, Gideon turned God's directive into a time to complain, telling the Lord why he, Gideon, could not be the one to do what the Lord was saying.

IT DIDN'T MATTER

It didn't matter to Gideon that he received a direct word from the Lord.  He was so hung up on his circumstances and limitations that he could not see how God could use him.  A visit from God almost turned into a bad experience for Gideon.

I am sure you have never done what Gideon did in this instance, but if you have, can you see that even a visitation from God isn't always the answer to your spiritual inactivity?  Once you have a negative attitude, you can't even hear from the Lord!  So this week, put yourself in Gideon's place and ask the Lord if you are acting like Gideon in any area of your life. If you are, then find out what God has been saying that you just can't hear because of your heart attitude. The good news is that Gideon went on from this encounter with the Lord to do great things and you will, too.  Have a great week!

Feel free to write a comment to this entry on the site where it is posted.

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THE SOPHIA FUND & THE DEBORAH FOUNDATION.  I announced today a new initiative in time for Christmas that will allow you to help me open learning centers all over Kenya.  We will start small, but will deliberately work to help the orphans in Kenya learn how to love books and learning.  You can paly an important part in making this happen.  To read all about it, go to my blog to see my latest post or go to my Facebook page.  I need books and educational toys and I need you to help me get them. I will figure out a way to get them to Kenya.  You just figure out a way to get them to me. 

I also need help to continue feeding the orphans and widows there from The Sophia Fund.  When you do your Christmas shopping and giving this year, please remember The Sophia Fund and The Deborah Foundation.  I know you will be blessed when you do. 

420: A Double Lock

Have you ever thought or said, "If only I knew that God wanted me to do this or that," or "If only God would speak to me, then I would do it!"?  While it sounds logical and spiritual, it isn't necessarily true, as we will see in this Memo.  Who do you think I will pick from the Bible as a character to prove this point?  If you guessed Gideon, you guessed correctly.

IT CAN'T BE ME!

In Judges 6, we see that the angel of the Lord came to give Gideon his assignment of liberating the Jews from the Midianites. Yet Gideon engaged the angel in conversation, explaining why he (Gideon) could not be the one.  I'm sure you have never done this, but Gideon felt that circumstances were too awful and he was too insignificant to do what God was sending him to do.

Perhaps you have calmly explained to God and others the reasons why you are not the one to accomplish some great purpose.  You have pointed out that you are too young, too old, the wrong gender, undereducated and inexperienced.  Even though you too may have had an angel of the Lord visit you, you have dismissed the call as irrelevant, saying something similar to what Gideon said:  "But Lord." Gideon asked, "How can I save Israel?  My clan is the weakest in Manasseh, and I am the least in my family" (Judges 6:15).  So it isn't always the case that if God were to speak to you, you would know and automatically do His will and purpose.

A DOUBLE LOCK

God shared with Gideon two keys to success.  Those keys worked for Gideon and they will work for you.  The first key is found in Judges 6:14: "Go in the strength you have and save Israel out of Midian's hand. Am I not sending you?" Gideon felt like he needed more strength if he was to go; the Lord told him to go in the strength that he had and it would be enough.

You can insert many words in that verse and they would all be keys to purposeful success.  "Go in the time you have; go in the wisdom you have; go in the knowledge you have; go with the gifts you have; go in the faith you have; go with the money you have."  You won't get any more of anything until you create the need for it, so it's best to start right where you are today and obey God with what you have now.

The second key is in verse 16: "The Lord answered, "I will be with you, and you will strike down all the Midianites together."  When God speaks to you to do something, you become partners with God.  You and God always comprise an insurmountable majority, no matter how improbable your success may seem to you at the start.

So there you have it.  It may not be enough for God to speak to you, for your bias against yourself and your abilities may try to overrule God.  If you are to go and do anything, you must go in the strength you have today, but you can go in the confidence that God goes with you.  If you can remember to use those keys this week, I know you will have a turnaround week.

    Feel free to write a comment to this entry on the site where it is posted.

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RETURN HOME:  As I write this, I am packing in Kenya to head for home.  It was a great visit but I am ready to get back to work at home.  I visited the ministries who are receiving The Sophia Fund money and I was pleased with what I saw.  I will have a report for you soon.

I am also planning to start what I am calling The Deborah Foundation, which will begin to establish children's libraries and learning centers around Kenya.  I will announce a special Christmas promotion when I will ask you to buy an educational toy or book for the children (ages 8 and under) and send it me.  I will then transport them over and set up three such centers next year.  Watch this space for more information in the weeks to come of how you can buy a toy for the Kids in Kenya.  

And don't forget to give your $5 or more to The Sophia Fund.  When you see the pictures and read my report, I know you will see what a good investment it is and how much good it is doing.