GIDEON'S SPEAK AT MORING SERVICE

George Shockley of the local chapter of the Gideon's International came and shared with the church the need of reaching the world for Christ. He said that 1 bible every 2 seconds is giving to someone in the world by a Gideon. The Gideons place bibles in Schools, Hospitals, Jails, Motels, in the arm Forces. Anywhere they are allowed they give Bibles. Their motto is Isaiah 55:11 So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it. Brother Shockley told several stories were this was exactly what happened.

BACKGROUND

The Gideons International ("Gideons") was founded in 1899 and serves as an extended missionary arm of the church and is the oldest Christian business and professional men's association in the United States of America. In response to the emergence of more than 2,000,000 readers in the world each week creates an unprecedented need for reading material. This offers a challenge to Christians to supply the tremendous void by making available God's Word. This is a primary function of The Gideons--placing and distributing Bibles and New Testaments in the human traffic lanes and streams of national life. Gideons as laymen, stand shoulder to shoulder as "missionaries" of local churches and their pastors in going to the four corners of the world to win others for the Lord Jesus Christ.

History
In the autumn of the year 1898, John H. Nicholson of Janesville, Wisconsin, came to the Central Hotel at Boscobel, Wisconsin, for the night. The hotel being crowded, it was suggested that he take a bed in a double room with Samuel E. Hill of Beloit, Wisconsin. The two men soon discovered that both were Christians, and that John Nicholson, as a 12-year-old boy, had promised his dying mother that he would read God's Word and pray daily. It had been his custom for many years to read the Bible before retiring for the night. They had their evening devotions together, and on their knees before God the thoughts were given which later developed into an association. On May 31, 1899, they met at Beaver Dam, Wisconsin, concluded to band Christian commercial travelers together for mutual recognition, personal evangelism, and united service for the Lord. They decided to call a meeting in Janesville, Wisconsin on July 1, 1899, in the Y.M.C.A. Only three men were present at that meeting: John H. Nicholson, Samuel E. Hill, and Will J. Knights. They organized with Hill as president, Knights as vice president, and Nicholson as secretary and treasurer. Much thought was given to what the name of the association should be, and after special prayer that God might lead them to select the proper name, Mr. Knights arose from his knees and said, "We shall be called Gideons." He read the sixth and seventh chapters of Judges and showed the reason for adopting that name. Gideon was a man who was willing to do exactly what God wanted him to do, regardless of his own judgment as to the plans or results. Humility, faith, and obedience were his great elements of character. This is the standard that the Gideon association is trying to establish in all its members, each man to be ready to do God's will at any time, at any place, and in any way that the Holy Spirit leads. In view of the fact that almost all of the Gideons in the early years of the association were traveling men, the question quite naturally arose regarding how they might be more effective witnesses in the hotels where they were forced to spend so much of their time. One suggestion was that a Bible might be placed at the reception desk in each hotel so that the patrons would have the privilege of borrowing it if they wished. It also occurred to these men that this would be a silent witness remaining in these hotels when they were elsewhere. This question of advanced activities, as they called them, was carefully considered in the Cabinet meeting held in Chicago, October 19, 1907. One trustee went so far as to suggest that The Gideons furnish a Bible for each bedroom of the hotels in the United States. He commented," In my opinion, this would not only stimulate the activities of the rank and file of the membership, but would be a gracious act, wholly in keeping with the divine mission of the Gideon Association." This plan was adopted by the convention at Louisville, Kentucky, in 1908. It is interesting to note that the practice of the churches contributing to the support of the Gideon Scripture program originated with a pastor. Just two months after the 1908 Louisville Convention, a state convention convened in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. National Secretary Frank Garlick and Mr. A. B. T. Moore attended a meeting of the Ministerial Union, and after their program they asked if Brother Garlick could address the ministers on the work of the Gideon Association. He spoke of the needed Bible distribution, and at the close of his 10-minute address, Mr. Moore's own pastor, Dr. E. R. Burkhalter, First Presbyterian Church, arose and moved, "...that Gideon Bibles be placed in all local hotels and that the Union be responsible for the funds." The motion was unanimously carried and a committee appointed to apportion the cost to the churches, according to their strength. Thus the idea of the Gideon ministry as an "extended arm" of the church came into being, and the church took an initial stand to give financial support to the Bible placement program. The Gideon association praised God for the revelation of His plan whereby the local church would supply the needed funds.

There are several ways in which Christians can provide the Word of God through The Gideons. These include cash gifts, securities, life insurance, Memorial Bibles, or a bequest through a will or Revocable Trust.

FAITH , HEBREWS 11:1

Brother John's sermon yesterday delt with the importantance of living by Faith. His text, taken from Hebrews chapter 11,makes it plain that one must have faith to please God. 1 Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.

1. His first point made it clear that if we are ever going to get anything from God it will be throught Faith. We must first believe that God will give us what we need and many times what we want.
2. It is impossible to please God without faith. Hebrews 11:6 But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him. Hebrews tells us that we must believe that God is, and that He is a rewarder of them that seek Him. Not just seek Him but diligently seek Him.(Marked by persevering, painstaking effort) 11:5 By faith Enoch was translated that he should not see death; and was not found, because God had translated him: for before his translation he had this testimony, that he pleased God. In this passage Luke tells us that because of Enoch's faith he pleased God. What a wonderful legacy. To be known throughout the ages as having pleased God. Brother John asked the question of those in attendance,"does your walk please God?" That is a very important question.
3. In Hebrews 11:7 By faith Noah, being warned of God of things not seen as yet, moved with fear, prepared an ark to the saving of his house; by the which he condemned the world, and became heir of the righteousness which is by faith. Through Faith Noah became the heir of righteousness. He preached for 120 years warning the world that God was going to destroy the world with a flood and because of this Hebrews tells us that He obtained righteousness. Just remember that it had never rained before this time. Noah moved in faith to warn the world of things that was going to happen.
4. The last point Brother John brought was the importance of believing that Jesus died for all men. Unless we believe that Jesus died for all our sin we cannot see Heaven. It is the shed blood of Christ that gives us eternal life. It is through FAITH that we can know this!!!! Brother John made it very clear also that Jesus is coming again. We believe this through faith.

What one must do is simply believe, through the eyes of FAITH,what God has told us in His word and it will please God!!

SLIDE SHOW EVERYONE AT VICTORY

CHAD SELLERS DURING SPRING REVIVAL