The Time Of The Judges- Part 4

God used a woman to deliver the Israelites from their enemy- the mighty Canaanite army with almost a thousand iron chariots! But they only remembered to serve God for 40 years.
Judges 6:1-6- And the children of Israel did evil in the sight of the LORD: and the LORD delivered them into the hand of Midian seven years. And the hand of Midian prevailed against Israel: and because of the Midianites the children of Israel made them the dens which are in the mountains, and caves, and strong holds. And so it was, when Israel had sown, that the Midianites came up, and the Amalekites, and the children of the east, even they came up against them; And they encamped against them, and destroyed the increase of the earth, till thou come unto Gaza, and left no sustenance for Israel, neither sheep, nor ox, nor ass. For they came up with their cattle and their tents, and they came as grasshoppers for multitude; for both they and their camels were without number: and they entered into the land to destroy it. And Israel was greatly impoverished because of the Midianites; and the children of Israel cried unto the LORD.
This time the enemy not only came after the Israelites, but they also started to destroy the Promised Land! The Hebrew children were now begging God to save them and their land.
Judges 6:11-12- And there came an angel of the LORD, and sat under an oak which was in Ophrah, that pertained unto Joash the Abiezrite: and his son Gideon threshed wheat by the winepress, to hide it from the Midianites. And the angel of the LORD appeared unto him, and said unto him, The LORDis with thee, thou mighty man of valour.
Isn't that funny?! God sends an angel to talk to a man that is hiding, and the angel calls him a mighty man of valor! God not only sees what we are; he sees what we will become. Gideon wasn't a man of valor at this point in his life, but he would become that!
Judges 6:13-14- 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. 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?
Gideon wanted to know why the Lord hadn't sent someone to deliver them yet. He, obviously, knew about the past judges.
That's when God told him that he was going to be the next judge. How do you think he reacted?
Judges 6:15-18- 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. And the LORD said unto him, Surely I will be with thee, and thou shalt smite the Midianites as one man. And he said unto him, If now I have found grace in thy sight, then shew me a sign that thou talkest with me. Depart not hence, I pray thee, until I come unto thee, and bring forth my present, and set it before thee. And he said, I will tarry until thou come again.
This begins a long line of doubt that God has to overcome in Gideon. You see, Gideon didn't think that God could use him. He was from a poor family that hadn't done anything notable. They were considered "small" in the eyes of the Hebrew children.
But, God likes to use small things. He likes to use the things that people consider "unworthy".
God didn't seem to get mad at Gideon for asking for signs over and over again. He just answered him.
Judges 6:19-21- And Gideon went in, and made ready a kid, and unleavened cakes of an ephah of flour: the flesh he put in a basket, and he put the broth in a pot, and brought it out unto him under the oak, and presented it. 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. 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.
Maybe, Gideon didn't realize that he was talking to an angel. Do you know why he probably didn't know? Because angels look like men- they don't have wings or long hair. They aren't the women looking things with wings that people think about. You may have met an angel and not even known it!
Hebrews 13:2- Be not forgetful to entertain strangers: for thereby some have entertained angels unawares.
Judges 6:22-23, 25-26 - 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. And the LORD said unto him, Peace be unto thee; fear not: thou shalt not die. And it came to pass the same night, that the LORD said unto him, Take thy father's young bullock, even the second bullock of seven years old, and throw down the altar of Baal that thy father hath, and cut down the grove that is by it: And build an altar unto the LORD thy God upon the top of this rock, in the ordered place, and take the second bullock, and offer a burnt sacrifice with the wood of the grove which thou shalt cut down.
God had answered one of Gideon's questions. God, now, wanted to see if Gideon would obey Him. He told Gideon to tear down the false idol in their town that people were worshiping and to build an altar to Him in it's place.
Judges 6:27- Then Gideon took ten men of his servants, and did as the LORD had said unto him: and so it was, because he feared his father's household, and the men of the city, that he could not do it by day, that he did it by night.
Gideon didn't become the mighty man that God saw him as just by one encounter with an angel. He feared the people that worshiped Baal. But, he was willing to obey God! So, he took some servants and went at night.
Judges 6:28-31- And when the men of the city arose early in the morning, behold, the altar of Baal was cast down, and the grove was cut down that was by it, and the second bullock was offered upon the altar that was built. And they said one to another, Who hath done this thing? And when they enquired and asked, they said, Gideon the son of Joash hath done this thing. Then the men of the city said unto Joash, Bring out thy son, that he may die: because he hath cast down the altar of Baal, and because he hath cut down the grove that was by it. And Joash said unto all that stood against him, Will ye plead for Baal? will ye save him? he that will plead for him, let him be put to death whilst it is yet morning: if he be a god, let him plead for himself, because one hath cast down his altar.
The people of the city got so mad that they wanted to kill Gideon. They went to his dad and demanded that he send his son out to die.
But, Gideon's dad said, "If Baal is a god, then he should be able to kill on his own." And he saved his son's life.
Don't you think that's a good question? If you're worshiping something, shouldn't it be able to take care of it's own problems? If it can't take care of it's own self, how is it going to take care of you?
Judges 6:33-34- Then all the Midianites and the Amalekites and the children of the east were gathered together, and went over, and pitched in the valley of Jezreel. But the Spirit of the LORD came upon Gideon, and he blew a trumpet; and Abiezer was gathered after him.
The enemy had got together to battle God's people. When you see different nations getting together to go after God's people, you'd better not join them! You had better watch out! Because God does take care of His people!
Gideon had obeyed God, and now God was turning him into the Mighty Man of Valor that He saw in him.
Judges 6:36-38- And Gideon said unto God, If thou wilt save Israel by mine hand, as thou hast said, 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. 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.
Gideon still needed God to prove to him that he was going to the battle with him. So, he asked for a sign- let the fleece be wet, but the ground be dry. And God showed him the sign.
Judges 6:39-40- 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. And God did so that night: for it was dry upon the fleece only, and there was dew on all the ground.
Gideon still wasn't certain. So, he asked God for another sign- let the fleece be dry, and the ground be wet. And God showed him that sign, too.
I think that God knew Gideon would obey him, no matter how crazy the task seemed. God didn't mind proving Himself to Gideon, because He knew Gideon would also prove himself to God!

The Time Of The Judges series coloring pages

The Time Of The Judges- Part 3

Ehud had just saved the Israelites from the fat king, Eglon of Moab. They lasted 80 years without turning their backs on God, but eventually, they started to worship idols again. It seemed that every time the judge wasn't around to remind them of God's goodness in saving them that they sinned.
Judges 4:1-3- And the children of Israel again did evil in the sight of the LORD, when Ehud was dead. And the LORD sold them into the hand of Jabin king of Canaan, that reigned in Hazor; the captain of whose host was Sisera, which dwelt in Harosheth of the Gentiles. And the children of Israel cried unto the LORD: for he had nine hundred chariots of iron; and twenty years he mightily oppressed the children of Israel.
This new enemy had almost a thousand iron chariots. He used these to keep the children of Israel as his servants for 20 years! The captain of this enemy army was Sisera.
Judges 4:4-5- And Deborah, a prophetess, the wife of Lapidoth, she judged Israel at that time. And she dwelt under the palm tree of Deborah between Ramah and Bethel in mount Ephraim: and the children of Israel came up to her for judgment.
Most of the time, God uses men to spread his message. But this time the men wouldn't listen, so God used a women named Deborah.
Judges 4:6-7- And she sent and called Barak the son of Abinoam out of Kedeshnaphtali, and said unto him, Hath not the LORD God of Israel commanded, saying, Go and draw toward mount Tabor, and take with thee ten thousand men of the children of Naphtali and of the children of Zebulun? And I will draw unto thee to the river Kishon Sisera, the captain of Jabin's army, with his chariots and his multitude; and I will deliver him into thine hand.
God had already called Barak to go fight against this dreadful enemy. But, Barak would go. So God told Deborah to call Barak and tell him what God said. Barak didn't want to go to war and lead the battle all by himself.
Judges 4:8-9- And Barak said unto her, If thou wilt go with me, then I will go: but if thou wilt not go with me, then I will not go. And she said, I will surely go with thee: notwithstanding the journey that thou takest shall not be for thine honour; for the LORD shall sell Sisera into the hand of a woman. And Deborah arose, and went with Barak to Kedesh.
Barak said he would only go to battle if Deborah went with him. Because of his cowardice, he would not be the one to defeat the captain Sisera. His punishment would be that a woman would defeat the leader of the enemy army.
Judges 4:10-17- And Barak called Zebulun and Naphtali to Kedesh; and he went up with ten thousand men at his feet: and Deborah went up with him. Now Heber the Kenite, which was of the children of Hobab the father in law of Moses, had severed himself from the Kenites, and pitched his tent unto the plain of Zaanaim, which is by Kedesh. And they shewed Sisera that Barak the son of Abinoam was gone up to mount Tabor. And Sisera gathered together all his chariots, even nine hundred chariots of iron, and all the people that were with him, from Harosheth of the Gentiles unto the river of Kishon. And Deborah said unto Barak, Up; for this is the day in which the LORD hath delivered Sisera into thine hand: is not the LORD gone out before thee? So Barak went down from mount Tabor, and ten thousand men after him. And the LORD discomfited Sisera, and all his chariots, and all his host, with the edge of the sword before Barak; so that Sisera lighted down off his chariot, and fled away on his feet. But Barak pursued after the chariots, and after the host, unto Harosheth of the Gentiles: and all the host of Sisera fell upon the edge of the sword; and there was not a man left. Howbeit Sisera fled away on his feet to the tent of Jael the wife of Heber the Kenite: for there was peace between Jabin the king of Hazor and the house of Heber the Kenite.
Even though Barak was a coward, God still kept his promise. The Israelite army defeated the mighty Canaanite army. But Sisera got away. He went to the tent of one of Moses' in-laws, Heber.
Heber wasn't home, but his wife Jael was.
Judges 4:18-20- And Jael went out to meet Sisera, and said unto him, Turn in, my lord, turn in to me; fear not. And when he had turned in unto her into the tent, she covered him with a mantle. And he said unto her, Give me, I pray thee, a little water to drink; for I am thirsty. And she opened a bottle of milk, and gave him drink, and covered him. Again he said unto her, Stand in the door of the tent, and it shall be, when any man doth come and enquire of thee, and say, Is there any man here? that thou shalt say, No.
Jael got him all comfortable, and gave him some milk to drink. Then she told him she would be a lookout while he slept.
Judges 4:21-24- Then Jael Heber's wife took a nail of the tent, and took an hammer in her hand, and went softly unto him, and smote the nail into his temples, and fastened it into the ground: for he was fast asleep and weary. So he died. And, behold, as Barak pursued Sisera, Jael came out to meet him, and said unto him, Come, and I will shew thee the man whom thou seekest. And when he came into her tent, behold, Sisera lay dead, and the nail was in his temples. So God subdued on that day Jabin the king of Canaan before the children of Israel. And the hand of the children of Israel prospered, and prevailed against Jabin the king of Canaan, until they had destroyed Jabin king of Canaan.
Jael waited until Sisera was asleep, and then she killed him. She went outside and called Barak to come see that he was dead.
Deborah and Barak and all Israel rejoiced in songs and worship to the Lord.
Judges 5:31b- And the land had rest forty years.

The Time Of The Judges series coloring pages

The Time Of The Judges- Part 2

After the death of the wilderness children, the Israelites started to forget their promise to God. They started to worship idols.
Judges 3:7-8- And the children of Israel did evil in the sight of the LORD, and forgat the LORD their God, and served Baalim and the groves. Therefore the anger of the LORD was hot against Israel, and he sold them into the hand of Chushanrishathaim king of Mesopotamia: and the children of Israel served Chushanrishathaim eight years.
When things started to get bad, someone reminded them that they were to worship the Lord God. And they would start to cry to Him to save them.
Judges 3:9-11- And when the children of Israel cried unto the LORD, the LORD raised up a deliverer to the children of Israel, who delivered them, even Othniel the son of Kenaz, Caleb's younger brother. And the Spirit of the LORD came upon him, and he judged Israel, and went out to war: and the LORD delivered Chushanrishathaim king of Mesopotamia into his hand; and his hand prevailed against Chushanrishathaim. And the land had rest forty years. And Othniel the son of Kenaz died.
Each time God would save them, they would be good and obedient until the judge died. Othniel was the first judge, and he judged for 40 years. But not long after his death, they started to worship false gods again.
Judges 3:12-14- And the children of Israel did evil again in the sight of the LORD: and the LORD strengthened Eglon the king of Moab against Israel, because they had done evil in the sight of the LORD. And he gathered unto him the children of Ammon and Amalek, and went and smote Israel, and possessed the city of palm trees. So the children of Israel served Eglon the king of Moab eighteen years.
This time it took 18 years before they repented and begged God to save them. So, God send a second judge.
Judges 3:15-19- But when the children of Israel cried unto the LORD, the LORD raised them up a deliverer, Ehud the son of Gera, a Benjamite, a man lefthanded: and by him the children of Israel sent a present unto Eglon the king of Moab. But Ehud made him a dagger which had two edges, of a cubit length; and he did gird it under his raiment upon his right thigh. And he brought the present unto Eglon king of Moab: and Eglon was a very fat man. And when he had made an end to offer the present, he sent away the people that bare the present. But he himself turned again from the quarries that were by Gilgal, and said, I have a secret errand unto thee, O king: who said, Keep silence. And all that stood by him went out from him.
The enemy king, Eglon, was a very fat man! And God called Ehud, a left handed man, to deliver Israel from this fat king. Ehud had a plan. He pretended that he had a secret to tell the king, and the king made everyone leave.
Judges 3:20-24- And Ehud came unto him; and he was sitting in a summer parlour, which he had for himself alone. And Ehud said, I have a message from God unto thee. And he arose out of his seat. And Ehud put forth his left hand, and took the dagger from his right thigh, and thrust it into his belly: And the haft also went in after the blade; and the fat closed upon the blade, so that he could not draw the dagger out of his belly; and the dirt came out. Then Ehud went forth through the porch, and shut the doors of the parlour upon him, and locked them. When he was gone out, his servants came; and when they saw that, behold, the doors of the parlour were locked, they said, Surely he covereth his feet in his summer chamber.
Ehud stabbed the king in his fat belly. This Eglon was so fat that the dagger disappeared into the fat. Ehud ran out of the room and locked the door. This gave him time to get away, because the servants wouldn't open the door to check on the king if it was locked.
After a long time, the servants decided to go in and check on their king.
Judges 3:25-30- And they tarried till they were ashamed: and, behold, he opened not the doors of the parlour; therefore they took a key, and opened them: and, behold, their lord was fallen down dead on the earth. And Ehud escaped while they tarried, and passed beyond the quarries, and escaped unto Seirath. And it came to pass, when he was come, that he blew a trumpet in the mountain of Ephraim, and the children of Israel went down with him from the mount, and he before them. And he said unto them, Follow after me: for the LORD hath delivered your enemies the Moabites into your hand. And they went down after him, and took the fords of Jordan toward Moab, and suffered not a man to pass over. And they slew of Moab at that time about ten thousand men, all lusty, and all men of valour; and there escaped not a man. So Moab was subdued that day under the hand of Israel. And the land had rest fourscore years.
Ehud led an army against Moab and defeated this enemy. The people served the Lord for 80 years this time.
They worshiped God for a long time because there was a third judge that God sent to keep them doing right.
Judges 3:31- And after him was Shamgar the son of Anath, which slew of the Philistines six hundred men with an ox goad: and he also delivered Israel.
It had been aver a hundred years of serving idols, being punished by enemies, repenting and turning to God, and God sending judges to help save them. How long do you think this was going to go on?

The Time Of The Judges series coloring pages

The Time Of The Judges- Part 1

Joshua has died. The Israelites were in the Promised Land. They knew what their possessions were. While Joshua was leading them they defeated 31 kingdoms, but there was still more land to obtain and more enemies to defeat.
Judges 1:1-2- Now after the death of Joshua it came to pass, that the children of Israel asked the LORD, saying, Who shall go up for us against the Canaanites first, to fight against them? And the LORD said, Judah shall go up: behold, I have delivered the land into his hand.
God told Judah to go fight first. Judah asked Simeon to fight with him, and together they went to battle the city of Bezek.
Judges 1:5-6-  And Judah went up; and the LORD delivered the Canaanites and the Perizzites into their hand: and they slew of them in Bezek ten thousand men. And they found Adonibezek in Bezek: and they fought against him, and they slew the Canaanites and the Perizzites.
God had won a great victory for Judah that day.
God was showing the Israelites that He would help them to accomplish His will if they would follow and obey Him like they promised.
Judges 1:8- Now the children of Judah had fought against Jerusalem, and had taken it, and smitten it with the edge of the sword, and set the city on fire.
Judah had possession of the kingdom of Adonibezek and now they had taken Jerusalem.
Caleb was the only man from the wilderness that was still alive. He had been told by God that he could have the possession of his choosing because he was faithful. But, he was a very old man now!
Judges 1:12-13- And Caleb said, He that smiteth Kirjathsepher, and taketh it, to him will I give Achsah my daughter to wife. And Othniel the son of Kenaz, Caleb's younger brother, took it: and he gave him Achsah his daughter to wife.
Caleb's nephew, Othniel, was a brave young man. He fought against Kirjathsepher and won the battle. For his courage, Caleb let him marry his daughter.
Judges 1:16-  And the children of the Kenite, Moses' father in law, went up out of the city of palm trees with the children of Judah into the wilderness of Judah, which lieth in the south of Arad; and they went and dwelt among the people.
The bravery that Moses showed was rewarded to his father-in-law. Judah allowed that family to come live with them in their possession.
The Israelites fought hard to obtain their promised possessions.
Judges 1:17-20- And Judah went with Simeon his brother, and they slew the Canaanites that inhabited Zephath, and utterly destroyed it. And the name of the city was called Hormah. Also Judah took Gaza with the coast thereof, and Askelon with the coast thereof, and Ekron with the coast thereof. And the LORD was with Judah; and he drave out [the inhabitants of] the mountain; but could not drive out the inhabitants of the valley, because they had chariots of iron. And they gave Hebron unto Caleb, as Moses said: and he expelled thence the three sons of Anak.
The children who were thought to be too young to withstand the enemy in Moses' days were now a mighty army. They were defeating enemy armies and giants!
But, not all of the children of Israel kept their promise to the Lord. They began to get lazy and allow the people of the land to live among them, instead of fighting them.
Judges 2:1-2- And an angel of the LORD came up from Gilgal to Bochim, and said, I made you to go up out of Egypt, and have brought you unto the land which I sware unto your fathers; and I said, I will never break my covenant with you. And ye shall make no league with the inhabitants of this land; ye shall throw down their altars: but ye have not obeyed my voice: why have ye done this?
God was going to test the Israelites again. He wanted to see if this new warrior generation would obey him. And they did for a little bit.
Joshua 2:7, 10- And the people served the LORD all the days of Joshua, and all the days of the elders that outlived Joshua, who had seen all the great works of the LORD, that he did for Israel. And also all that generation were gathered unto their fathers: and there arose another generation after them, which knew not the LORD, nor yet the works which he had done for Israel.
Somewhere along the way, the people forgot to tell their children about the miracles of the land of Egypt. They left off the amazing tales of crossing the Red Sea and the Jordan River. Eventually, they  no longer talked about the awesome battle of Jericho, or the time the sun and moon stood still. Their children didn't know the Lord, and they were surrounded by people who worshiped false gods.
Judges 2:11-13- And the children of Israel did evil in the sight of the LORD, and served Baalim: And they forsook the LORD God of their fathers, which brought them out of the land of Egypt, and followed other gods, of the gods of the people that were round about them, and bowed themselves unto them, and provoked the LORD to anger. And they forsook the LORD, and served Baal and Ashtaroth.
God had told their fathers that He would turn against them and punish them if they started to worship idols. And God always keeps His promises.
Judges 2:14-19- And the anger of the LORD was hot against Israel, and he delivered them into the hands of spoilers that spoiled them, and he sold them into the hands of their enemies round about, so that they could not any longer stand before their enemies. Whithersoever they went out, the hand of the LORD was against them for evil, as the LORD had said, and as the LORD had sworn unto them: and they were greatly distressed. Nevertheless the LORD raised up judges, which delivered them out of the hand of those that spoiled them. And yet they would not hearken unto their judges, but they went a whoring after other gods, and bowed themselves unto them: they turned quickly out of the way which their fathers walked in, obeying the commandments of the LORD; but they did not so. And when the LORD raised them up judges, then the LORD was with the judge, and delivered them out of the hand of their enemies all the days of the judge: for it repented the LORD because of their groanings by reason of them that oppressed them and vexed them. And it came to pass, when the judge was dead, that they returned, and corrupted themselves more than their fathers, in following other gods to serve them, and to bow down unto them; they ceased not from their own doings, nor from their stubborn way.
Each time God would bring enemies upon them they would promise to do right and obey if He would deliver them. God would use men called "Judges" to help the Israelites win their battles. But, every time He allowed them to defeat an enemy, they slowly forgot their promises and started to worship idols again.
Judges 3:1-4- Now these are the nations which the LORD left, to prove Israel by them, even as many of Israel as had not known all the wars of Canaan; Only that the generations of the children of Israel might know, to teach them war, at the least such as before knew nothing thereof; Namely, five lords of the Philistines, and all the Canaanites, and the Sidonians, and the Hivites that dwelt in mount Lebanon, from mount Baalhermon unto the entering in of Hamath. And they were to prove Israel by them, to know whether they would hearken unto the commandments of the LORD, which he commanded their fathers by the hand of Moses.
God was going to use these enemy nations to see if the children of Israel could learn to obey Him.

The Time Of The Judges series coloring pages

Believer's Heritage- Robert E Lee

For those who would go off and say that General Lee was a horrible person who owned slaves, please, get some old books on the subject and read about him. His life's story has been changed by modern writers to support a political agenda. Lee wrote in 1856, "Slavery is a moral and political evil", and his wife violated Virginia Law by teaching slaves to read the bible.

 General Lee was opposed to slavery. He called it a "moral evil." He never purchased a single slave and the slaves he inherited from his father-in-law, he freed. Which is more than can be said for the numerous Union generals who owned slaves. General Lee was also opposed to secession. He was offered the job commanding the Northern Army, but he declined because, as a Virginian, he could not bring himself to march an army against his home and his sons. Tell me: would you do differently? Would you take up arms against your family? Is that such a simple choice? Can you really not appreciate the complexity of the situation that General Lee faced?General Lee was widely respected on both sides. Read the accounts of his surrender at Appomattox to understand just how highly regarded he was by the men who actually did the fighting. He was one of the greatest Generals this country ever produced, and he was a man of honor and dignity. General Grant recognized that, his soldiers recognized that, Lincoln recognized it, yet we today, in modern times, cast him aside as a racist and a traitor. Disgraceful.We can talk about the political causes of the Civil War, but it cannot be disputed that the men who actually fought did so to protect their countries. Southerners considered their states to be their countries first. We may not understand that nowadays, but sometimes a bit of historical perspective is necessary. You know, the same historical perspective we afford to the slave-owning Founders, such as Jefferson, who not only owned slaves but desecrated the Bible and created his own. Yet we put these evils aside and build monuments to him. Can we not then put the Civil War in context and allow a great man like Robert E Lee to be remembered and honored, as both his compatriots and his enemies honored him?

- Matt Walsh 

A fairly common sight throughout the south is the image of Confederate General Robert E. Lee portrayed on t-shirts, bumperstickers, license plates,  caps, etc. However, although Lee is one of the South's greatest heroes, it is very uncommon to find a southern man who knows very much about him as an individual. Historians have much to say about Lee's leadership qualities and his military genius, but they are far too silent about his greatest quality- the fact that he was a God-fearing Christian.
Lee's chaplain at Washington College once said, "If I ever came in contact with a sincere devout Christian- one who, seeing himself to be a sinner, trusted alone in the merits of Christ, who humbly tried to walk the path of duty, 'looking unto Jesus' as the author and finisher of his faith, and whose piety constantly exhibited itself in his daily life that man was Robert E. Lee." General Lee himself once said, "My chief concern is to try to be an humble, sincere Christian."
Yes, Robert E. Lee was a fine southerner, a great military commander, and a true gentleman, but why? What was it that made Lee such a man? The very source of his greatness is too often overlooked.
The Lord Jesus Christ was the source of General Lee's greatness. Robert E. Lee possessed that abundant life that Jesus spoke of in John 10:10: "The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly."
By the grace of God, Lee graduated second in his class at West Point in 1829, and, to this very day, he is the only West Point graduate to never receive a single demerit. This high and noble honor came to Lee, not by accident, but because of the abundant life that he enjoyed through a personal walk with his Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.
Lee was a man who never used profanity, and he often corrected those who did. He wouldn't tell or listen to a dirty joke, and, so far as we know, tobacco and alcohol never touched his lips. Friend, how would you like to be remembered in such a way? How would you like your children to say, "I never heard my father use a profane word" or "My grandfather was a godly Christian. Never once did I know him to smoke, chew tobacco, drink, or gamble."?
About the Bible itself, Lee once said, "There are things in the Old Book which I may not be able to explain, but I fully accept it as the infallible word of God, and receive its teachings as inspired by the Holy Spirit." Once another occasion he said, "In all my perplexities, the Bible has never failed to give me light and strength." Can you honestly make such statements? IS God's Word, the Bible, your source of light and strength? It certainly should be because Psalm 119:130 says, "The entrance of thy words giveth light; it giveth understanding unto the simple." Jesus said, "It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God." (Matthew 4:4) Do you live by the word of God, or do you live after your own selfish desires?
Robert E. Lee was also a faithful church-going Christian. Regardless of the difficulties, even during the war years, Lee always did his best to attend worship services somewhere. Today the average man does his best to avoid every worship service possible! Being a Bible-believing Christian, General Lee was well aware of the truth found in Hebrews 10:25: "Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching." Friend, do you follow the godly example of Robert E. Lee, or do you set a bad example for others to follow?
Lee's battle strategy at Gettysburg turned out to be an utter failure, and over 50,000 Americans lost their lives. The humble general's response was, "I will take all the responsibility." He wasn't too proud to confess that his plans were lacking and that his decision to invade Pennsylvania led to further loss of life and suffering. Yet, today one must look far and wide to find men of character who will own up to their errors and take full responsibility for their actions. This is especially true in regards to personal salvation. Most men tend to think that they are basically good and that God will accept them because they aren't as wicked as they could be, not as wicked as some people. Yet, the Bible declares otherwise: "For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God." (Romans 3:23) Romans 6:23 says, "For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord." Friend, the Bible doesn't say that you are good. The Bible says that you are NO GOOD, and that you will die in your sins, and that you will be sentenced to a burning hell because you were too proud to confess that you were a sinner in need of salvation. Revelation 20:15 says, "And whosoever was no found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire." The Bible doesn't say "whosoever wasn't good was cast into the lake of fire". The Bible says that your name must be written in the book of life in order for you to escape eternal damnation. Revelation 13:8 calls this book "the book of life of the Lamb." The Lamb, of course, is the Lord Jesus Christ, the one who shed His blood, died, was buried, and then rose again for you- so that you could receive Him and be saved. John 1:12 says, "But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name." Just as you would reach out and receive a gift from someone, God wants you to reach out from your heart and receive Jesus Christ as your own Lord and Saviour. Romans 10:9-10 says, "That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation."
In General Lee's later years at Washington College, he spoke to his old chaplain friend and said, "Oh, doctor, if I could only know that all the young men in this college were good Christians, I should have nothing more to desire... Our great want is the revival which shall bring these young men to Christ.." Robert E. Lee wanted to see young men saved and living for God. In other words, he wanted to see men following his very own example. General Lee, a man who once refused to sell his name to a real estate company, would be heartbroken to see how his name and image si being misused today. Many southern men wear caps or t-shirts with Lee's image on them, yet they make no attempt to follow the godly example that he set for us all. Is this  not hypocrisy?
Friend, this information was given to you by someone who cares for you, someone who wants your life to mean something for God, someone who wants you to have inner peace and joy that only Jesus Christ can give, someone who doesn't want you to end up in hell one day! Why not give up on yourself and receive Jesus today?
Romans 5:8-9 says, "But God commendeth his love towards us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him. You can be justified by the blood of Jesus Christ! All of your sins can be washed away, and you can start a whole new life! Revelation 1:5 says, "...Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood."
Consider the powerful words of Hebrews 9:14: "How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?" It says through the eternal spirit- if God's Spirit is speaking to your heart about salvation, then the blood of Jesus Christ is present and available to you right now. There is no other way to become a child of God and escape the damnation of hell. You must be born again (John 3:3) by God's Spirit, and this can only be done by being washed in the blood of Jesus Christ.
Romans 10:13 says, "For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved." Why not confess to God right now that you are a sinner, and ask him to wash all your sins away? Claim his word and trust him today.

- James L Melton

Who's Son Are You? (video sermon)

If This Should Be My Last Year (poem)

If this should be the last year
That I shall know on earth,
I would not want to spend it
In carelessness and mirth.

I would each passing moment
Might glorify my Lord,
That I might know Him better
And feed upon His Word.

I would be more in earnest
Seeking for the lost,
As one redeemed by Jesus,
Bought at such a cost!

I would grow ever like Him,
Whose name I have confessed;
I would be more compassionate
To those who are distressed.

And this may be my last year,
I cannot tell for sure;
But I would live as if it were,
His "Well done" to secure.

-H. A. Ironside