Brother Josh says . . .
~Something to start each day by~
Psalm 71
1In thee, O LORD, do I put my trust: let me never be put to confusion.
2Deliver me in thy righteousness, and cause me to escape: incline thine ear unto me, and save me.
3Be thou my strong habitation, whereunto I may continually resort: thou hast given commandment to save me; for thou art my rock and my fortress.
4Deliver me, O my God, out of the hand of the wicked, out of the hand of the unrighteous and cruel man.
5For thou art my hope, O Lord GOD: thou art my trust from my youth.
6By thee have I been holden up from the womb: thou art he that took me out of my mother's bowels: my praise shall be continually of thee.
7I am as a wonder unto many; but thou art my strong refuge.
8Let my mouth be filled with thy praise and with thy honour all the day.
9Cast me not off in the time of old age; forsake me not when my strength faileth.
10For mine enemies speak against me; and they that lay wait for my soul take counsel together,
11Saying, God hath forsaken him: persecute and take him; for there is none to deliver him.
12O God, be not far from me: O my God, make haste for my help.
13Let them be confounded and consumed that are adversaries to my soul; let them be covered with reproach and dishonour that seek my hurt.
14But I will hope continually, and will yet praise thee more and more.
15My mouth shall shew forth thy righteousness and thy salvation all the day; for I know not the numbers thereof.
16I will go in the strength of the Lord GOD: I will make mention of thy righteousness, even of thine only.
17O God, thou hast taught me from my youth: and hitherto have I declared thy wondrous works.
18Now also when I am old and greyheaded, O God, forsake me not; until I have shewed thy strength unto this generation, and thy power to every one that is to come.
19Thy righteousness also, O God, is very high, who hast done great things: O God, who is like unto thee!
20Thou, which hast shewed me great and sore troubles, shalt quicken me again, and shalt bring me up again from the depths of the earth.
21Thou shalt increase my greatness, and comfort me on every side.
22I will also praise thee with the psaltery, even thy truth, O my God: unto thee will I sing with the harp, O thou Holy One of Israel.
23My lips shall greatly rejoice when I sing unto thee; and my soul, which thou hast redeemed.
24My tongue also shall talk of thy righteousness all the day long: for they are confounded, for they are brought unto shame, that seek my hurt.
About Victory Leaders' and Gleaner Bands
The Victory Leaders' Band department oversees the needs of today's youth. Psalms 78:4-7 says, "...shewing to the generation to come the praises of the Lord, and his strength, and his wonderful works that he hath done. For he established a testimony in Jacob, and appointed a law in Israel, which he commanded our fathers, that they should make them known to their children: That the generation to come might know them, even the children which should be born; who should arise and declare them to their children: That they might set their hope in God, and not forget the works of God, but keep his commandments."
For each auxiliary God has provided a specific ministry to help accomplish the work. For the Victory Leaders Band, the purpose is:
1.To evangelize the youth
2.To establish young people through Bible study and prayer
3.To inspire young people to raise funds for the printing of the gospel
4.To train young people to serve the Church and assist the program of God
5.To train young people for Christian service
6.To be a channel through which the local church is able to reach new people
History of the VLB
It is essential that youth receive training which will enable them to be of service to God and His Church. God has provided the Victory Leaders Band to be that channel through which young people can become equipped for duty. Realizing this necessity, the Questions and Subjects Committee of 1928 made the following proposal:
"We believe our young people could be far happier in the service of the Lord, of far greater value to the work of the Church, and themselves rooted and grounded in the Church, if they were organized into band for prayer, for Bible study, for Christian service."
The Questions and Subjects Committee of the 47th Annual Assembly in 1952 made the following recommendation:
"We recommend that the membership of the Victory Leaders Band be confined to all people from twelve to thirty-five years of age."
Gleaner Ministries
The "glean" means to gather what has been left behind by the reapers; to collect with patient labor. Ruth was a gleaner of grain. "And she went, and came, and gleaned in the field after the reapers..." (Ruth 2:3). Also, her patient labor is shown in verse seventeen, "So she gleaned in the field until even, and beat out that she had gleaned: and it was about an ephah of barley...". An ephah is equal to about a bushel.
Within The Church of God the word gleaners is used in reference to children up to the age of twelve. It is within the Gleaner Band that early training of our children begins. In the Gleaner Band services in the local church, children are taught to worship, pray, give in offerings, and be of service to God and His Church. The funds raised by the Gleaners help in raising Victory Leader Band funds. When children are present, every local church should be having regular Gleaner services in conjunction with the Victory Leaders service.
