SMBC Preaching Conference - Live Blog (attempt)

Hi y'all,

I'm currently at the 1st evening session of the SMBC Bienniel Preaching Conference.

This is my attempt at getting some live blogging going :P

Tonight's speaker is Bryan Chapell who will be preaching an expository sermon.

---

7.50pm
SMBC principal David Cook interviewing Rev Barry Morris who has recently been diagnosed with cancer.

Barry says that he hopes to use his current circumstance as an opportunity to witness to people.

8pm
Bryan Chapell is now speaking. Will be going through the story of Gideon in Judges 7.
"If the heroes of the Bible make you feel useless, then you need Gideon"



8.10pm
Gideon is threshing wheat in the winepress shows that he's afraid (Jg 6:7).

Gideon questions God for their current circumstances (v13).

Gideon in his cowardness asks God for a sign after being called by God to take on 135,000 Midianites. God does (v20-21).

Gideon questions God again in his cowardice and asks for a sign (v36-37). God again answers (v38).

8.20pm
We all know what it means to 'know God' but still be afraid. But even when Gideon was afraid, God was still using him. Even when you are afraid, God is with you. We can see this in Gideon.

God uses a frail little army of 300 to take on the 135,000. We are not "useless" but "used" for God's purposes.

8.30pm
In chapter 8, Gideon says no to being king as God is king, yet his son's name is Abimelech (ch 9) - means "my father is king".

Gideon took a lot of the plunder from the victory that God gave him and turns it into an idol (vv22-27). The people of Israel gave glory to the ephod instead of God.

"Even if we are useless we are not beyond the purpose of God." Even the flawed character of Gideon.

Bryan tells a moving story of how his brother, who has mental age of 7-8, became a Christian in jail, and prayed for his separated parents to get back together again. And they did.

God can use the weak and cowardly, he has experienced this first hand.


---

End.