A Marksman and a Pigeon

World War I was known as the Great war, and the war to end all wars. This horrible conflict cost Billions of dollars and millions of lives. America was spared for over two years, but eventually was pulled into the awful conflict. Perhaps the most important battle that the United States was involved in was the Meuse-Argonne offensive. During this key battle God showed His hand of intervention in two different parts of the battle. The first was the amazing exploits of Sergeant Alvin York. He was a man who loved God and hated war. He found himself almost alone during the Argonne campaign and facing a machine gun nest. He was able to get into position to pick off many of the enemy, to the point that the Germans surrendered. When the Germans came out and gave themselves up,he realized that he had captured “a tolerable few” In reality he had killed twenty-five Germans, captured 132, and silenced thirty-five machine guns. When he was asked how he was able to accomplish such a feat, he replied , ”We know there were miracles, don’t we? Well this was one. It’s the only way I can figure it”
Another event in the same campaign was the rescue of the Lost Battalion. A group of several hundred American soldiers found themselves surrounded by the enemy. To make matters worse, the American who were in another area were shelling the area right where they were. They were being killed by the big guns of their own side. The only hope for the battalion was to send carrier pigeons to give their position to the other Americans to stop the friendly fire. As the Americans sent each pigeon into the air, the Germens simply shot each one down. Finally the lost battalion was down to its last pigeon. The pigeon named Cher Ami was sent into the air, and quickly shot down. However, she got back up and flew to the other American troops, and the battalion was saved. Cher Ami had one eye gone, her breastbone smashed, and one leg shot off, but God had allowed her to make it to her destination. The Bible says that God knows even when a sparrow falls to the ground. In this case, He reached down and picked up a pigeon. God saved hundred of men using one of our nations most unusual heroes. Many times we use the excuse “God could never use me, I just don’t have any ability. If God can use an uneducated marksman, and a pigeon, he can certainly use us.

God delivers the Goforths

The Boxer Rebellion took place in China in 1900. Even though the event happened on the other side of the world, God showed His power in the lives of two American missionaries. The Boxers were native Chinese who resented foreigners in their country, and especially foreign missionaries. They began to attack the missionaries, and killed several hundred Christians. In the midst of this tragedy God showed his hand of deliverance to Jonathan and Rosalind Goforth. The Goforths were forced to flee from the city of Hankow, and travel 750 miles over twenty four days. During this trip, they were repeatedly attacked by the Boxers. When an attacker tried to cut off Jonathan Goforth’s head with his sword, the sword struck him in the neck, but with the flat edge. Another man on horseback tried to trample him. Though they were on smooth ground, the horse fell, and his body formed a barrier around Goforth until he could regain his footing. The Goforths escaped each attack and finally made it to safety . Why did God choose to save this missionary family and not all the others? God only knows the time he had set for each of us to depart this life. “It is appointed unto men once to die, and then the judgement” God not only works in the nations and on the large scale of world events, God also deals with the details of individual lives.

Two men who stood in the Gap

Ezekiel 22:30 records these tragic words, “I sought for a man among them that should make up the hedge, and stand in the gap before me for the land, that I should not destroy it: but I found none.” Throughout history, God has been looking for those who are willing to stand for truth and stay His hand of judgment. After the Civil war, God found such a leader in the person of Dwight L. Moody. D. L. Moody was brought to Christ by his Sunday school teacher Edward Kimbell in 1856. A short while later Moody was challenged by message that he heard where the speaker said that the world had never seen what God could do with a person who was totally sold out to the Lord. Moody resolved that with God’s help that he would be that man. Moody began his evangelistic ministry in 1865, and continued it until his death in 1899. He was one of the first Evangelists to recognize the importance of a great song director. He had Ira Sankey as his song leader, and together they influenced the lives of millions. At a time where our country was divided and decimated, Moody was used by God to bring Spiritual hope and healing to our land. Moody also started the Moody Bible institute which trained hundreds of missionaries that helped to make the 1800s the great century of missions.
Just as D.L. Moody’s ministry was coming to a close, God chose another man to “stand in the Gap”, and that man was Billy Sunday. Billy Sunday had been a very successful baseball player in the 1880s. One day while he was sitting outside of a bar, he was invited to the Pacific Garden Mission. He decided to go and receive Christ as his Lord and Savior. By 1895 he had dedicated his life the preaching of God’s word. Billy Sunday preached with a very powerful and athletic style of preaching. He teamed up with Homer Rodeheaver as his song leader and they were able to see at least one million people come to Christ. Billy Sunday also was known for speaking out against sin. One excerpt from one of his sermons that demonstrated this is the following; “I believe half of the professing Christians amount to nothing as a spiritual force. They go to Church, have a kindly regard for religion, but as for having a firm grip on God… and a willingness to strike hard, staggering blows against the devil, they are almost failures.” Billy Sunday definitely struck hard, staggering blows against satan throughout his ministry.
Between the preaching of Moody and Sunday, America experienced its last Great Awakening. We as a nation have not had nationwide revival since the 1920s. Today more than ever we need men to stand in the gap. Hopefully God will not have to say “I found none”.

When good men stand in God's way

During the Civil war, there were Godly Christians fighting on both sides. When the North and South would pray for God’s guidance and for victory, how could God answer the prayers of both? Was God for the North, or was God for the South? The problem with that question is that it assumes that God takes sides. God was not a Northerner or Southerner. God has had a plan for men and nations since the beginning of time. God raised up America in order to have a nation of wealth, education, freedom, and Spiritual desire, in order to fulfill the Great commission to go into all the world and preach the Gospel to every person. In the 1800s, America was in the process of fulfilling that command. The 1800s have been called the Great Century of missions. When men act in accordance with God’s will, then they can expect His aid. Therefore, the question is never whose side is God on, but rather are we doing that which is consistent with His will.
Thomas Stonewall Jackson was a Godly Christian General for the Southern army. He had led thousands of men in revival during the first several years of the war. He was also General Lee’s right hand man, who had helped Lee defeat the Northern army in almost every battle. During the battle of Chancellorsville, Jackson was out scouting the enemy lines when he was shot by one of his own men. Jackson died several days later from this unfortunate accident. General Lee was devastated by the loss of this great friend and leader. The next major battle in the Civil war was the Battle of Gettysburg. The first two days of the battle were basically a draw. The third day of Gettysburg featured the infamous Pickett’s charge. Lee ordered his men to go across an open field in order to drive the Union off Cemetery Ridge. The effort was a disaster and basically ended the South’s chances to win the war. Would Lee have decided to try the charge had Stonewall Jackson still been alive? This demonstrates a principle from Scripture, that God will remove those who stand in His way. Jackson needed to be taken home in order for the North to fulfill God’s will to keep the Union together and to end the wicked practice of slavery. Sincerity and good intentions are never enough to be sure of God’s blessing. We must constantly seek to do the Will of God by following the Word of God. Remember the Apostle Paul thought he was doing God’s will by killing Christians. God in His Grace reached down and showed him his will. If we stand in God’s way, God will remove the obstacle one way or another.

The Saratoga of the Civil war

The Civil war is considered to be one of the most significant events in United States history. It is impossible to understand America today, without understanding the events that took place during the Civil war era. There were many battles that had a great bearing on the outcome of the war. However, many historians point to the Battle of Antietam as the turning point of the war. Some have even referred to this battle as the Saratoga of the Civil war. The Battle took on great importance when Europe and especially Great Britain offered to help the South if they won the battle. If the South had won and Europe had joined them, it is very probable that the war would have turned out differently. During the Revolutionary war, the French had told the colonists they would join them if they won the battle of Saratoga. That victory changed the face of the war and helped America defeat the British. Also, President Lincoln had promised himself and God that he would issue a proclamation to free the slaves if the North won the battle. With all of these things on the line, we would expect to see God’s hand of intervention. The whole key to General Lee’s plan was to surprise the Union by attacking the Northern States. By taking the war to the North he hoped to persuade the North to give up the effort to re-unite the states. On September 13, a Union private found three cigars wrapped in papers that turned out to be Lee’s orders to one of the generals. The orders revealed Lee’s plans as to where he intended to go for the attack. Once Lee learned that his plans had been discovered by the Union, he was forced to take a defensive position at Antietam Creek. The battle was basically a draw, with both sides experiencing 12,000 casualties. Lee was then forced to return to the South, unable to accomplish anything that he had set out to do. Was it luck of chance that allowed the North to find the South’s plans? I believe that God is constantly working to bring about His will. As a result of this battle, Lincoln gave his Emancipation Proclamation and changed the North’s motivation for the war. Now they were fighting for the freedom of the slaves. Also, without the help of England and the rest of Europe, the South lost its only chance to win the war outright. The Battle of Antietam was clearly one of the greatest examples of God’s hand in American history.

God's man for God's time

“Wisdom and power belong to Him. And it is He who changes the times and the epochs. He removes kings and establishes kings.”( Daniel 2:20-21) One of the ways in which God’s hand of Providence is seen, is in His removing and establishing of leaders. Roman 13:1 states that all authority is established by God. God has been placing people in office, and removing others for millenniums. Just prior to the Civil war, America had been plagued with poor Presidential leadership. Men like Taylor, Fillmore, Pierce, and Buchanan, had done very little to keep our country from being ripped apart by the events of the 1850s. James Buchanan for instance, had decided to do nothing when he was informed that several of the southern states had left the Union. He said that he would just let the new President deal with the matter. During the crucial time of our country dividing into two parts, God raised up a man named Abraham Lincoln to bring the country back together. Lincoln was known for his honesty and strong character. He was a great student of the Bible, and often quoted God’s word in his speeches. Perhaps his most famous quote from the Bible was during the debates with Stephen Douglas; “A house divided against itself cannot stand.” (Mark 3:25) Abraham Lincoln often stated that he prayed for God’s guidance during the war, and felt that God answered his prayers. Not only did God use Lincoln to preserve the Union, but he also ended slavery. When the North won the Civil war, it marked the end of the wicked practice of one group of people owning another, just because of their color of skin. Abraham Lincoln was not perfect, and there are many who question many of his actions. However, no one can argue that he turned out to be God’s man for doing the will of God in God’s time. Today, we must keep in mind that even if we do not agree with the authority that God has given us, we still need to respect and submit to that authority as unto God.