May | 27 | Sissies or Soldiers?

Key Word:- COURAGE

Title:- Sissies or Soldiers?

Psalm 58:6-8
O God, break off their fangs. Tear out the teeth of these young lions, Lord. Let them disappear like water into thirsty ground. Make their weapons useless in their hands. Let them be as snails that dissolve into slime and as those who die at birth, who never see the sun..

In America I am sure that my Southern friends will forgive me this morning for referring to the birth today of a most famous daughter of America in 1819, Mrs Julia Ward Howe.

Anti-slavery activist, sufferagette, and Unitarian, I might not agree with all of her theology or her politics, but the poem she penned on visiting the Union Army of the Potomac is inspiring. To the tune of ‘John Browns Body’, the ‘The Battle Hymn of the Republic’ became the marching song of the Union Army and an inspiration to countless millions. Though the first three stanzas are marvellous, the last two stanzas surpass them all when they say:

He has sounded forth the trumpet

that shall never call retreat
He is sifting out the hearts of men

before His judgment-seat
Oh, be swift, my soul, to answer Him!

be jubilant, my feet!
Our God is marching on.

In the beauty of the lilies

Christ was born across the sea,
With a glory in His bosom

that transfigures you and me:
As He died to make men holy,

let us die to make men free,
While God is marching on.

I have been witness in my lifetime to some of the greatest new worship songs I have ever heard. They move me from earth to heaven in prostrate adoration and so they should, for He is worthy. However friends, amongst all this glorious worship, the church militant seems to have laid down its weapons, seems to have retired from the field before the final battle, seems to have failed to finish off the enemy, cut the head from Goliath and stamp the serpent thoroughly under its feet. Friends, look you. In all our ‘New Worship Experience,’ where are the war songs of the mighty men of God the All-mighty? Where are the fierce ‘Lion Like Men’ of the greater David? Where are the great hearts of this day? Who will break the enemy ranks and draw water from the well of Bethlehem for King Jesus today? Are all we have in our ranks today, simply sissies with a dream? History maker fakers? Surely not? What about you? Are you a song singer or a real history maker? Faker of maker? What are you today?

Stop singing like a Sissie man! Enough of this hold me, stroke me, feel me, touch my hair and tell me that you love me rubbish! For God’s sake! For His kingdoms sake! Grow up man, get up, and go up to some mountain and take it for Jesus, take it with Jesus, take it because of Jesus. Stop the singing and start the soldiering, maybe then you’ll have something to sing about. In the meantime I wonder if God is simply saying, “Just shut up!”

“Rise up O Men of God, have done with lesser things, give heart and soul and mind to God to serve the King of Kings!”

Listen:- For You have armed me with strength for the battle; You have subdued under me those who rose up against me. You have also given me the necks of my enemies, So that I destroyed those who hated me. Psalm 18:39-40

Pray:- Teach my hands to make war, make my arms strong to bend the bow of bronze, grant me the shield of Your salvation, and Your right hand to uphold me. By Your gentleness, make me great. Enlarge my path beneath my feet that I might not slip up in the pursuance of my enemies, until each one is overtaken and thoroughly destroyed by both Thee and me! Amen.