Dear Pastor,

In the book of Judges 6:1-10, Israel is called out by God for their rebellion and idolatry. For seven years Israel was delivered into the hand of the Midianites, the Amalekites, and peoples of the East. The enemy would come in on Israel to steal and destroy their produce, their sheep, their ox, and their donkeys. They left no sustenance for Israel and the children of Israel made hideouts for themselves in dens, caves, and strongholds in the mountains. The children of Israel "cried out" to the Lord and He heard their cry (Judges 6:8-10). The Lord sent a prophet to them and the prophet reminded them of their deliverance from bondage out of Egypt and that God had driven out their oppressors and gave them their land. "But you have not obeyed My voice (Judges 6:10).

The Angel of the Lord appeared to Gideon, son of Joash, and said to him, "The Lord is with you, you mighty man of valor''. Gideon was threshing wheat in a winepress, (normally wheat was threshed out in the open), but because of fear Gideon was hiding. Gideon, like most of us, tried to beg off from the purpose and call God had on his life. God was calling him to go and save Israel and Gideon responded. "O my Lord, how can I save Israel"? Indeed, my clan is the weakest in Manasseh and I am the least in my father's house. (Judges 6: 14-25). Like we, from time to time, Gideon was fearful. I am sure that the greeting by "the Angel of the Lord" was ringing in his ears, "you mighty man of valor" (Judges 6: 1-2) Not me Lord, you have called the wrong man. I can't do it.

Why would the Angel of the Lord, (note the Angel was not referred to as an angel from the Lord, but as The Angel of the Lord, in other words, the Lord Himself), say to Gideon, ''The Lord is with you, you mighty man of (fearless) courage". (Amp. Judges 6:12). ls it possible the Lord saw something in Gideon through His eyes that Gideon didn't see in himself? Instead of a fearful coward, the Lord saw what Gideon would become. He saw Gideon through His eyes as a mighty man of courage. How does God see you and me?

Dear Pastor,

I praise God for your faithfulness and your steadfastness to the call and the purpose to which our Lord has called you.

As the clock and calendar turned to 2020, the year 2019 became history and a New Year and a New Decade is before us. A new season, so to speak, has been birthed in our lives. As we enter a new

season of life it may be a time of wonderment or maybe a time of apprehension, not knowing what the future holds. Yet one thing we know, and have faith in the One who holds the days in His hand. The New Year is an opportunity for New Beginnings. The things of last year, the heartaches, the disappointments, the victories, the defeats, the successes, the failures, the challenges, and the issues of life we will leave behind. Indeed, our Lord is a Master at using the circumstances of life to transform us day by day into the image of His Son. Pastor, are we carrying unresolved conflicts, or broken relationships from the past into the year of New Beginnings? Now is the time to bring them to our Lord.