the Bible is fire. A man never amounts to
anything until he catches fire.

The proportions are worth noticing here. Thirty-two thousand were
_volunteers_. A third of that number are _courageous_ volunteers. About a
thirty-third of these, less than a hundredth of the original, are
_hot-hearted, courageous_ volunteers.

This is Gideon's Band; three hundred young men fresh from the farm, who
were _willing_, and _courageous_, and _hot-hearted_, all heart qualities.
They stood every test. They had faced a foe that humanly they had no
chance to overcome, and because of God's call they were not only willing,
and stout-hearted, but intense in their desire to get at the fighting.

Then under Gideon's leadership they were well fed, and organized; they
proved individually faithful in the thick of the fight, and they pushed
persistently on even when bodily tired out. And the nation knew a great
victory over its enemies, and a time of prosperity for years after.

God is still sifting men for service. He will use gladly every man who is
willing to be used. When a man stands the first test well, there comes a
second. That, stood well, means others. These are our promotion tests. He
lets those who stand all testings into the thickest of the fight and up to
the highest heights of victory.

Master, help us to endure every test as seeing Him who is invisible.

Footnotes

[1] 1 John i:1.

[2] 2 Corinthians iii:18.

[3] Frances Ridley Havergal.

[4] Exodus xxi:2-6, Leviticus xxv:39-43; Deuteronomy xv:12-18.

[5] Psalm xi:6-8; Hebrews x:5-7.

[6] Isaiah 1:4-6.

[7] John v:19, 30; vi:38, 57; vii:16-17, 28; viii:28, 29.

[8] John Sullivan Dwight.

[9] Mark i:41; Matthew ix:36; Mark vi:34 (with Matthew xiv:14);
Matthew xx:34; xv:32; Mark v:19; Luke vii:13; x:33; xv:20

[10] Daniel xii:3.

[11] James v:19.

[12] Proverbs xi:30.

[13] Luke v:10.

[14] Acts xvii:6.

[15] 1 Thessalonians iv:11; 2 Corinthians v. 9, Romans xv:20.

[16] Attention is directed to a strong helpful address on "Money," by Rev.
A. F. Schauffler, D.D., in "The Student Missionary Appeal," published by
the Student Volunteer Movement for Foreign Missions.

[17] Luke xvi:9.

[18] Psalm cxix:54.

[19] Psalm xxx:5.

[20] Psalm lv:22.

[21] Psalm lxviii:19.

[22] I Peter v:7.

[23] 1 Corinthians v:9-12.

[24] Judges iii:15-30.

[25] Judges iii:31.

[26] Judges iv:4-16; v:1.

[27] Judges iv:17-24.

[28] Judges vi and vii.