GIDEON, MAN OF PRAYER?

AND A BOLD INTERCESSOR AT THAT?

That does sound strange, using the noun “boldness” in reference to Gideon!

In fact, he is usually characterized as “cowardly.”

But note the following facts about the man:

He dismantled a false god’s altar that was in his own Father’s back yard! Judges 6:25-27 tells the story in detail. Gideon here could have been killed for his deed!

He gathered an army for God to use in defeating the dreaded Midianites, perennial enemies of Israel. An army of 32,000 men. Bold enough to do this, Gideon was.

He then “cut” his army down to 10,000 men, merely at the command of God! Sounds bold to me.

Then again, the drinking or “lapping” water episode, Gideon was will to fight a formidable enemy with only 300 men! See Judges 7:6.

And, if you remember, Gideon “visited” the enemy “camp,” on sort of a reconnaissance mission. What a bold move that was, a General acting like a scout! Judges 7:10-15 provides the background.

Then the attack itself. Three hundred men (against thousands), ready to fight, offensively. And Gideon right in the middle! Three hundred trumpets, three hundred pitchers (earthen ones), each with a burning “lamp” hidden in it! Then suddenly (the element of surprise) … noise, light, the “appearance” of multitudes of warriors!

And God gave the victory!

I consider Gideon’s actions anything but cowardly!

Yes, even though he “balked” when God first approached him!

Yes, even though he needed a “fleece” episode in the middle of it all.

Gideon, so bold he is almost rash!

What made the difference in Gideon?

From hesitant to head-strong?

I say, PRAYER!

A few words from God, “heard” during Gideon’s times of communion, heard during prayer.

Word for word: “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?” Judges 6:14

And another example, as Gideon “talked” with God, “prayed” we would say, he heard the Lord: “Peace be unto thee; fear not: thou shalt not die.” Judges 6:23, Peace from God, and Assurance of Victory!

These are transformative, folks!

And the “conversation” Gideon overheard in the “recon” mission: “Then went he (Gideon) down with Phurah his servant unto the outside of the armed men that were in the host. And the Midianites and the Amalekites and all the children of the east lay along in the valley like grasshoppers for multitude; and their camels were without number, as the sand by the sea side for multitude. 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. 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. 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.” Judges 7:10-15, amazing!

That would have emboldened anyone!

Note too that Gideon just “worshipped” the Lord!

“Bowed down” and paid homage!

Here’s my point today.

Prayer empowers one with boldness to serve the Lord!

Prayer indeed made Gideon bold.

Prayer made Daniel bold.

Prayer made the Disciples bold, after Pentecost especially.

Prayer made Paul bold.

And prayer will make us bold as well!

— Dr. Mike Bagwell

 

 

 

I find Joshua to be more a man of “action” than “prayer.” Yet he did pray, learning the value of that spiritual discipline from Moses, no doubt. For example, we know Moses loved to pray and commune with God at a certain place, the “Tabernacle.” Joshua tagged along, apparently!

“And all the people saw the cloudy pillar stand at the tabernacle door: and all the people rose up and worshipped, every man in his tent door. And the LORD spake unto Moses face to face, as a man speaketh unto his friend. And he turned again into the camp: BUT HIS SERVANT JOSHUA, THE SON OF NUN, A YOUNG MAN, DEPARTED NOT OUT OF THE TABERNACLE.” Exodus 33:10-11

Joshua loved to spend time with God, to pray!

Also Joshua accompanied Moses to the Mount of God, at least on occasion. Or at least further up the Mount (with Moses) than any other human did. “And Moses rose up, AND HIS MINISTER JOSHUA: and Moses went up into the mount of God.” Exodus 24:13

More time, close to God … very close!

But the “apex” of Joshua’s prayer life may have been at a “low” time in Israel’s history! Just after the miraculous victory at Jericho, for example. Their next “city” to conquer was so small, “Ai” by name, that only a few soldiers were needed. Victory was a sure thing!

But, alas, defeat resulted!

Thirty-six Jews died that day, unexpectedly, inexplicitly!

Now watch Joshua pray. “And Joshua rent his clothes, and fell to the earth upon his face before the ark of the LORD until the eventide, he and the elders of Israel, and put dust upon their heads. And Joshua said, Alas, O Lord GOD, wherefore hast thou at all brought this people over Jordan, to deliver us into the hand of the Amorites, to destroy us? would to God we had been content, and dwelt on the other side Jordan! O Lord, what shall I say, when Israel turneth their backs before their enemies! For the Canaanites and all the inhabitants of the land shall hear of it, and shall environ us round, and cut off our name from the earth: and what wilt thou do unto thy great name? And the LORD said unto Joshua, Get thee up; wherefore liest thou thus upon thy face? Israel hath sinned, and ….” Joshua 7:6-11

What praying!

It is emotional, ripping clothing and falling to the ground and putting dust on the body!

It is protracted, a long time, until the evening!

It is inquisitive, Lord “WHY?”

It is concerned for God’s Honor, “Thy Great Name” will be demoted!

It is answered, “Get up, Israel has sinned,” reported the Lord!

And a price had to be paid, sin punished.

Then victory once again ensued!

A Lesson in Prayer, for sure.

Bringing all one’s burdens, problems, questions, puzzles … to the Lord!

Seeking His Wisdom!

“Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.” Proverbs 3:5-6

Precisely what Joshua did.

We can do the same!

— Dr. Mike Bagwell

 

 

MOSES … LESSON 2

Moses, the man of God (called this 6 times in the Old Testament), was also a man of prayer. He spent vast amounts of time in God’s Presence. Communing with the Lord.

Today’s Lesson focuses one aspect of Moses’ life of holiness, life of prayer. He was around God so much that … he began to internalize some of the very characteristics of the God he loved so deeply and served so faithfully!

He started being like God in ways!

Mind you, he did not become divine.

Just godly.

Here’s our Text. Note the capitalized clauses.

“And it came to pass, when Moses came down from mount Sinai with the two tables of testimony in Moses’ hand, when he came down from the mount, that Moses wist not that THE SKIN OF HIS FACE SHONE while he talked with him. And when Aaron and all the children of Israel saw Moses, behold, THE SKIN OF HIS FACE SHONE; and they were afraid to come nigh him. And Moses called unto them; and Aaron and all the rulers of the congregation returned unto him: and Moses talked with them. And afterward all the children of Israel came nigh: and he gave them in commandment all that the LORD had spoken with him in mount Sinai. And till  Moses had done speaking with them, he put a vail on his face. But when Moses went in before the LORD to speak with him, he took the vail off, until he came out. And he came out, and spake unto the children of Israel that  which he was commanded. And the children of Israel SAW THE FACE OF MOSES, that THE SKIN OF MOSES’ FACE SHONE: and Moses put the vail upon his face again, until he went in to speak with him.” Exodus 34:29-35

The man’s face was literally bright, radiant, shinning!

Visibly, noticeably so!

He had been so much in God’s Presence (a Hebrew word picture that actually means “in the Face” of God) … that God’s GLORY impacted Moses as well!

His countenance radiated the Aura of the God he adored!

I think personally that I too have been around a few people in my lifetime who were so prayerful, so close to God … that their faces seemed to “hint” of His Presence as well!

By the way, verse 29 told us that Moses did NOT know his face was shining! He was that humble, that God-centered and not Moses-centered!

Yes, this is yet another reason to be people of prayer, to spread the Beauty of our Lord everywhere we go.

Did anyone else in Scripture reflect this degree of God?

Yes, Stephen did!

As he was testifying (and being martyred for his faith) his enemies were amazed. “And all that sat in the council, looking stedfastly on him, saw his face as it had been the face of an angel.” Acts 6:15

Jesus too, of course.

The Mount of Transfiguration we call it now. Three Gospel writers tell of the Event.

“And was transfigured before them: and his face did shine as the sun, and his raiment was white as the light.” Matthew 17:2

“And as he prayed, the fashion of his countenance was altered, and his raiment was white and glistering.” Luke 9:29

Luke tells us this happened “as Jesus prayed!”

Oh, how we need a whole generation of Believers who have radiant, smiling, pure faces, reflecting godliness in their lives!

And, really, Second Corinthians 3:18 teaches us the possibility of such an occurrence in each of our lives. “But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord.”

Wow!

The greatest miracle of prayer may not be the delightful (and numerous) answers that daily come our way. The Best Thing of All might be the CHANGED LIVES PRAYER PRODUCES within our souls! AND ON OUR FACES, TOO!

Trading my “gloom” for His “GLOW!”

Pray, folks, pray!

— Dr. Mike Bagwell

 

 

 

MOSES … LESSON 1

Yes, more may be recorded of Moses’ prayer life than any other Old Testament character. He is constantly talking to the Lord! From his initial call to serve (at the Burning Bush) to His pre-announced day of death (at Mount Nebo) … prayer saturated the man’s ministry. In fact, prayer surrounded his very birth!

But for our current study of Moses’ prayer life, two events must be selected. Hopefully two of the most illuminative situations in his whole time on earth, regarding prayer of course.

Moses, one day praying for the ten thousandth time (or would it be the hundredth thousand time?), asked Almighty God:

“Now therefore, I pray thee, if I have found grace in thy sight, SHOW ME NOW THY WAY, that I may know thee, that I may find grace in thy sight: and consider that this nation is thy people. And he (God) said, MY PRESENCE SHALL GO WITH THEE, and I will give thee rest. And Moses said unto him, If thy presence go not with me, carry us not up hence. For wherein shall it be known here that I and thy people have found grace in thy sight? is it not in that thou goest with us? so shall we be separated, I and thy people, from all the people that are upon the face of the earth. And the LORD said unto Moses, I WILL DO THIS THING THAT THOU HAST SPOEKN: for thou hast found grace in my sight, and I know thee by name. And he said, I beseech thee, SHOW ME THY GLORY. And he (the Lord) said, I WILL MAKE ALL MY GOODNESS PASS BEFORE THEE. And I will proclaim the name of the Lord before thee.” Exodus 33:13-19

What a prayer!

Specifically here Moses beseeches the Lord for two things, or is it just one?

“Show me now Thy Way!”

The verb “to show” is “yada” in Hebrew. It means “to know,” personal intimate cognizance. “MAKE ME TO KNOW THY WAY, O LORD!”

And the noun “way” is “derek,” meaning “road, journey,” (“way” in that sense), but also meaning “one’s manner, habits, character!” Not just knowing “part” of a Person, but the Whole Personality involved!

But look how the prayer is answered, God says:

“My Presence shall go with thee.”

Wow!

The noun “presence” is “paniym,” literally meaning “Face!” (Reminds me of a verse just prior to our Text, Exodus 33:11. “And the LORD spake unto Moses face to face, as a man speaketh unto his friend.”)

Thus I deduce, “If I ask for knowledge of God’s Ways … He will come along on the journey and personally demonstrate His Ways!”

This, folks, may be a real “secret” to prayer!

Then Moses prayed (in our Text today) further:

“Lord, show me Thy Glory.”

And the Lord immediately answers again!

“I will show thee My Goodness.”

Which I suggest is the same Tenet of God’s Character. His Glory IS His Goodness! There is no goodness apart from the Glory of God! “Glory” (“kabod” in Hebrew) and “goodness” (“tob” in Hebrew) so blend that they are summary descriptions of the very Essence of God. Even when God judges sin … such action is a function of His Glory and Goodness!

Here’s my point today.

Moses does NOT pray for a new pair of shoes, sandals.

He asks for GOD!

Knowledge of God.

Intimacy with God.

The Presence of God.

No wonder he is then also called the “friend” of God! Remember  Exodus 33:11. “And the LORD spake unto Moses face to face, AS A MAN SPEAKETH UNTO HIS FRIEND.”

Hungry for God!

By the way, Moses did not ask for sandals, literally. But look what God did: “I have led you forty years in the wilderness: your clothes are not waxen old upon you, and thy shoe is not waxen old upon thy foot.” Deuteronomy 29:5, God gave them long-lasting shoes anyway!

Reminds me of Matthew 6:33. “But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things (like shoes and clothes, material things) shall be added unto you.”

Knowing God!

The most noble purpose of all our praying!

— Dr. Mike Bagwell

 

 

 

 

What kind of man was Abraham?

To be able to (nearly) argue with God, without getting in trouble? (“Lord, if there are 50 righteous men in Sodom, would You spare that City? How about 45? Maybe 40?” All the way down to, “Maybe 10?”)

What kind of man was Abraham?

To want to build an altar (of worship and of prayer) at every major stopping place in all his travels, all his life? That “hungry” to talk to His God!

What kind of man was Abraham?

To (essentially) get his “Sodom” prayers answered? The place was not spared, not at all. The fire fell! BUT Abraham’s loved ones (Lot his nephew and some of Lot’s family) were miraculously rescued (angelically escorted) out of that doomed location before the judgment hit! That’s a “yes” to the essence of Abraham’s Sodom intercession! He did not get specifically what he asked. But he did get what he wanted!

Again, what kind of man (or woman) has the “ear” of God like that?

The Bible gives us several “hints” as to Abraham’s character.

First of all, the man was “obedient.”

Read with me Genesis 12:1. “Now the LORD had said unto Abram, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father’s house, unto a land that I will shew thee.” This is a command.

Now Genesis 12:4, just three verses later. “So Abram departed, as the LORD had spoken unto him.” This is obedience to that command! That alone helps get one’s prayers answered, obedience!

Second, Abraham clearly loved God! Watch the way he acts when the Lord showed up at his house one day, an Old Testament appearance of the pre-incarnate Jesus Christ. Notice how Abraham gets excited when the heavenly Guests appear! “And the LORD appeared unto him in the plains of Mamre: and he sat in the tent door in the heat of the day; and he lift up his eyes and looked, and, lo, three men stood by him: and when he saw them, he ran to meet them from the tent door, and bowed himself toward the ground, and said, My Lord, if now I have found favour in thy sight, pass not away, I pray thee, from thy servant, Let a little water, I pray you, be fetched, and wash your feet, and rest yourselves under the tree: and I will fetch a morsel of bread, and comfort ye your hearts; after that ye shall pass on: for therefore are ye come to your servant. And they said, So do, as thou hast said. And Abraham hastened into the tent unto Sarah, and said, Make ready quickly three measures of fine meal, knead it, and make cakes upon the hearth. And Abraham ran unto the herd, and fetcht a calf tender and good, and gave it unto a young man; and he hasted to dress it. And he took butter, and milk, and the calf which he had dressed, and set it before them; and he stood by them under the tree, and they did eat.” Genesis 18:1-8, hospitality par excellence for the Lord! (Whereas when 2 of these same Men appeared at Lot’s house, none of this lavish welcome is observed, just the required minimum of kindness!)

YOU TELL ME WHAT GETS YOU MOST EXCITED, I WILL THEN TELL YOU WHAT YOU TRULY LOVE!

Third, Abraham was a “friend” of God’s! That’s a prayer-booster, for sure! Read Isaiah 41:8 here. “But thou, Israel, art my servant, Jacob whom I have chosen, the seed of Abraham my friend.” Also read James 2:23 here. “And the scripture was fulfilled which saith, Abraham believed God, and it was imputed unto him for righteousness: and he was called the Friend of God.”

Fourth, God “trusted” Abraham, him being so faithful in character! He (Abraham) was a dependable follower of the Lord. Listen to God: “For I know him (Abraham), that he will command his children and his household after him, and they shall keep the way of the LORD, to do justice and judgment; that the LORD may bring upon Abraham that which he hath spoken of him.” Genesis 18:19, wow! He will rear his family in a godly manner, living right all the while! Yes, one’s everyday character helps augment one’s power in prayer. “The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.” James 5:16, note what I’ve underlined.

Dear Readers today, concerning Prayer it’s not as much the “what” (we ask) or the “how” (we word those things) … but the “who” (is praying) that counts most of all!

That’s why in this series of Lessons on prayer we are focusing on great men and women who could get in touch with God! This is to be a “biographical” study of prayer, answered prayer.

More tomorrow, Lord willing.

Probably Moses.

He prayed too!

— Dr. Mike Bagwell