"STIR YOUR FAITH"

"Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another"

HEBREWS 10 : 25

    Philip Haille went to the little village of Le Chambon, France to write about a people who, unlike other villages, had hidden their Jews from the Nazis. He wondered what caused them to risk their lives to do such extraordinary good.

    He interviewed people in the village and was overwhelmed not by their extraordinary qualities, but by their ordinariness. They were not an unusually bright, quick-witted, brave, or discerning people.

    Haile looked for possible connections between the citizens' lives to find the reason they had done what no other French town had done. In the end, the author concluded that the one factor uniting them to do good was their attendance at the little church.

    Sunday after Sunday they heard the sermons of Pastor Trochme. Over time became the courage from God to do it. When it came a time for them to act boldly as on the day the Nazis came to town they quietly did what was right.

    One elderly woman faked heart attack when the Nazi come  to search her house. She told Haille about her personal dramatic ploy. "Pastor always taught us that there comes a time in every life when a person is asked to do something for Jesus. When my time came, I Just knew what to do." 

    There were two strong beliefs that gave the citizens of this town inner strength of steel. First, they knew spiritual strenght together in Christ was greater than any foe they Faced. Even in times of war, they did not forsake gathering. Second, they took the Word of God into their hearts in an active way knowing God would bless them when the principle of their faith were reflected in their behavior.

    The strength and courage Haille discovered in the people of Le Chambon was a result of simple obedience to God never to stop meeting together to worship and hear His Word. When extreme difficulty came their way, their unity in the faith was a habitual part of their everyday lives.

    Thank God today for a church where you can receive strength and courage. If you don't go to church, ask the Lord to lead you to the body of believers just right for you. And stir your faith.