Standing

. Youth Didn’t stop Josiah from following God

A. Paul tells Timothy, “Let no one despise thy youth” Don’t let people tell you you can’t be spiritual because you are young.

B. Any one heard “This Is That” by L. B. Hicks? It was the young people in the basement that started the move of God in that instance and many others.

2. Find the truth and stick to it no matter what

( Declined - to turn aside, to depart away from, turn in to)

1. He didn’t swerve into side tracks

2. He didn’t go back to where he had come from

3. He didn’t go to something else

A. Caleb had a different spirit

B. If you don’t stand for something you’ll fall for anything

C. Standing “SAMUEL, RING THE BELL”

I’ve mentioned Samuel before, He was a convert of Harmon Schmelzenbach in Swaziland, Africa. He was the one that was beaten so badly because he wouldn’t take the Witch Doctor’s potion after he became a Christian.

Samuel learned to read some but memorized most of the Scripture and was called to preach. When he was finally able to go out and start a church it was in Chief Umsoduga’s country . Chief was famous for one thing, he had daily fits of rage that usually ended in the death of someone by his spear. Samuel was hesitant at first to go but when Bro. Schmelzenbach told him the Chief gave them permission to build a church he went.

It wasn’t much of a church, mostly mud and thatch. Samuel his wife and the Missionary had a little dedication service and immediately started in trying to fill it. He would walk for miles every day preaching, and praying with the people. Six months later he finally had 7-8 Christians. One Sunday night with about 30 people Samuel closed his sermon and opened the altar. Of those who came down to pray was one of Chief Umsoduga wives they knelt beside her and helped her thru. Back up the mountain she went and told him, “I’m a Christian now and I won’t do the things I used to do I won’t grind your snuff for you, I won’t cook your beer, I won’t participate in your wild dances, I’m a Christian and my life is going to reflect that.”

Down the mountain flew the Chief in a rage and roared at Samuel, I don’t care what you do in this country but, You leave the people of my village out of it. “

Samuel said, “Chief this is God’s house only He has the ability to turn people away from His house, If you feel that way about the people of your village, keep them up there.”

The Chief answered back, “ Alright the chief shouted, that’s just one there’s still 27 other wives I’ll just forget that one.”

Back up to his wives the chief went. Time went on Samuel worked at the church, walking many miles preaching and praying with the people. One Sunday night Samuel closed his sermon and opened the altar. Of those who came down to pray was a second of Chief Umsoduga wives they knelt beside her and helped her thru. Back up the mountain she went and told him, “I’m a Christian now and I won’t do the things I used to do I won’t grind your snuff for you, I won’t cook your beer, I won’t participate in your wild dances, I’m a Christian and my life is going to reflect that.”

The Chief and a group of his warriors stormed down the mountain, he was beside himself. Samuel took his wife and baby and took refuge in the door of the little church. “Samuel I told you to leave my village out of it!” Roared the chief. “Yes chief, yes you did, but chief you promised you would keep the people of your village up there, now it appears you can’t control your wives and you want to blame me for it” “Okay,” said the chief, “That’s just one there’s still 26 more we’ll just forget about that one.”

Back up to his wives the chief went. Time went on Samuel worked at the church, walking many miles preaching and praying with the people. There was now 25- 30 Christians attending church. One Sunday night Samuel closed his sermon and opened the altar. Of those who came down to pray was a third of Chief Umsoduga wives they knelt beside her and helped her thru. Back up the mountain she went and told him, “I’m a Christian now and I won’t do the things I used to do I won’t grind your snuff for you, I won’t cook your beer, I won’t participate in your wild dances, I’m a Christian and my life is going to reflect that.”

That night Chief Umsoduga and about eight of his counsel men stormed down the mountain. Again Samuel grabbed his wife and baby and took refuge in the church. The Chief was beside himself with rage, it took them some time to calm him down enough to understand him when they could understand him he was yelling at the top of his lungs, “Get out of my country, it’s finished this business of God. I’ll be merciful to you since we’re related, I’ll give you exactly one week to pack your stuff and get out of my country it’s finished. If your still here next Sunday to ring this bell to gather the people I’ll be up on the mountain side together with my warriors. We’ll come down here to this church yard. We’ll pack you your wife and your baby into the church and set fire to it.”

Word began to spread like wildfire. Monday, Tuesday, Samuel walking miles preaching and praying to the people. Wednesday. He knew it would be useless to go back to the missionary, he wouldn’t be there he’d be many miles away trying to start another church. So he kept to the work the Lord had given him to do. Thursday, “What must I do Lord?” Every were he went people knew and didn’t want to get too close to him, “What are you going to do Samuel? You going to ring the bell?” “I don’t know, I’m waiting for God to tell me what to do. But if the bell rings, don’t be late for church. Friday and then it was Saturday the week had come and gone and God had not spoken. They had walked all day preaching and praying with the people. It was getting dark when they got back home that night. It was decided by his wife that she and baby would stay with him but he wasn’t leaving unless God told him to. Samuel prayed that night while the moon made it’s way from one side of the church to the other. “What must I do Lord, What should I do? If I leave what will happen to this flock that’s left behind. If I stay here and die tomorrow morning what’s going to happen to this flock?” Hour after hour.

Early Sunday morning the answer came to Samuel, “For He hath said I will never leave thee nor forsake thee so that we may boldly say the Lord is my helper and I shall not fear what man shall do unto me.”

As Samuel told his wife the answer, Jesus must have stepped into that little African church because she began to shout and wave her scarf and Samuel marched up down in that little church shouting and praising God. He had his commission, “RING THAT BELL if you have to ring it to the gates of eternity I want you to ring that bell”

After their blessing Samuel went out and found the rusty bolt that he would bang against the plow shear for a bell and dusted it off. No it wasn’t time yet but he wasn’t going to be late. Slowly the sun inched it’s way up into the sky and when It finally clicked into place and it was time Samuel took of like a shot and began beating that bell for all he was worth. They say it looked as though his feet never touched the ground. A sigh escaped from those gathered on the mountain side watching to see what would happen. Samuel didn’t hear, he was ringing the bell. The Chief and his warriors rushed to their feet and began to descend down the mountain side, Samuel didn’t see them he was ringing the bell.

Saturday afternoon the Missionary Bro. Schmelzenbach was extremely ill but as he began to pray that night for all of his preacher’s he just couldn’t get thru with Samuel so as sick as he was he rushed thru the dark night out to where Samuel and his little church was to see what the trouble was. He got there just as Samuel began to ring the bell he called out to Samuel but he never heard him he was ringing the bell. His wife pointed up the mountain side and the Missionary charged up there to meet the chief, He flew past him and told him to get out. The missionary just sat tall on his horse and held up his hands. Chaos reinged for a few moments the warriors had heard of some of the things the missionaries God had done for him and were worried he might call down fire on them or something. That’s all he needed “For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son….” He began to preach the Gospel to them they stood in amazement hour after hour from off his hose he told them the wonderful story of Jesus. Instantly a counsel man was on his feet. “I’ve never heard this story before, If it is like you say it is I refuse to be part of the burning of that church I’ll stand alone” He marched over and stood by himself the missionary saw his opportunity and said those of you that have the courage to stand with this counsel man and say what he said, stand behind him” They watched a miracle unfold. Slowly the crowd started to move. Every last person except the chief went and stood behind the counsel man. Fear filled the chief’s eyes and he said, “Never has anyone been able to make my people go against what I said it must not be you” and he went and stood behind them as well.

The missionary said, “Let’s go tell Samuel.” It was late afternoon now but do you know what Samuel was doing, He was hammering away at that bell, all day he had pounded that bell, “RING THAT BELL” They called to him, “Samuel they want to hear you preach” He preached as if his heart would break. At the close of that Sunday evening service those Swazi warriors dropped their spears and ostrich plumes and bowed humbly at the feet of Jesus. The truth is Chief Umsoduga and his warriors swooped down on that little church three different times and tore it to the ground……..and then built a bigger better church. Because Samuel took his commision and was faithful to it. “Having done all, Stand” “Ring that Bell”