Alright, we're in Judges chapter number 6 this evening and as I mentioned we're skipping
chapter 5 because of the fact that chapter 5 is the song that Deborah wrote regarding
the events that took place in chapter number 4 and we basically, last week we used chapter
5 as a commentary on chapter number 4 so I basically was going back and forth so now
we're going to chapter 6.
In chapter 6 we get into one of the more famous characters in the book of Judges also known
as Gideon.
Now Gideon is a pretty prominent character in the book of Judges and one of the reasons
we know that is because of the fact that the book of Judges actually spends 4 entire chapters
just on him alone and most of the judges for example you would think Samson should have
a lot of chapters but he actually only has 3 and Jephthah I believe has 2 or 3 but Gideon
for sure has 4 with the fourth one actually talking about Abimelech his son and his exploits
and how that relates to Gideon and the sins that Gideon committed thereafter.
Now these chapters are great because every single chapter 6, 7, 8 and 9 all have great
stories and chapter 6 as we read of course talks about the miracle of the fleece it talks
about how God chose Gideon it shows Gideon tearing down the image of Baal and then chapter
7 you have the famous story of Gideon and his 300 men where he had 32,000 men to begin
with then they were dwindled down to 22,000 then 10,000 then 9,700 and all the way down
to 300 people and so it kind of goes to show you why Hebrews 11 highlights him as being
a man of faith right?
He's in the hall of faith, Gideon is in the hall of faith and every single chapter at
least 6 through 8 kind of expresses that, shows that you know showing that he trusted
God even with 300 men to take down the medianites etc and then chapter 8 is basically where
we see the decline of Gideon where he begins to kind of go into idolatry he causes the
children of Israel to stumble and to go whoring after the ephod that he creates from the gold
earrings that he basically collects from the people and then chapter 9 is where we
see is the senate of Bimelech slaughtering and murdering 70 of his sons and so we'll
get into that in a couple weeks but we're in chapter 6 tonight look at verse number
1 it says the children of Israel did evil on the side of the Lord big surprise there
right?
And the Lord delivered them into the hand of Midian seven years so 40 years after you
have 40 years of peace from Deborah and Barak they do a great exploit they kill Sisera and
then you have 40 years of peace but then you have the children of Israel obviously after
the death of Deborah and Barak going into idolatry doing evil on the side of the Lord
that's what that's referring to going into idolatry and then what does God do?
God again chastens the children of Israel by allowing them to be overcome, plundered
and destroyed by a foreign nation we see that in verse number 1 look at verse 2 it says
in the hand of Midian prevailed against Israel and because of Midian the children of Israel
made them the dens which are in the mountains and caves and strongholds so this oppression
that we see here being taken place by the Midianites is a little different from what
we've seen in times past with the other judges why is that?
Well let's keep reading it says in verse 3 and so it was when Israel had sown that the
Midianites came up and the Amalekites and the children of the east even they came up
against them and they encamped against them and destroyed the increase of the earth till
thou come unto Gaza and left no sustenance for Israel neither sheep nor ass nor ox.
So what did we see here well this oppression is a little different than what Sisera was
doing in chapter 4 and 5 why is that because the oppression that we see in chapter 4 and
5 was more of a physical harming of the people right you see in chapter 5 verse 30 have they
not sped have they not divided the prey to everman a damsel or two we see slavery taking
place right under the rule of these people prior to the 40 years but in chapter 6 the
oppression is a little different you say what is it well the Midianites and obviously the
Amalekites and the other surrounding nations are actually taking their resources even to
the point where the children of Israel have to move into the mountains and to the dens
to basically sow behind the backs of the Midianites you know to try to gain sustenance and fruit
and substance but then what do you see is the Midianites come along with the Amalekites
and the other nations and they come and just take everything that they work for so picture
this you know you're sowing seeds you're getting your strawberries and your corn and you know
your fruits and everything you need to sustain your family to live a normal life and then
finally you get that crop finally you get that that substance and then the enemy comes
and just takes it all I mean that's a horrible way to live right wait wait a minute isn't
that what happens today right with taxes right you work all the way and then the government
comes and just kind of plunges you away anyways that's a sermon for a different day but here's
actually a lot worse because they just take everything and you think you say well that's
what they do to me too yeah they take everything but they move into the mountains and caves
and strongholds so they can grow something that they can eat so they can sustain their
families and the Bible says that when they sow the Midianites come the Amalekites the
children of the east even they came up against them and camped against them verse four and
destroyed the increase they take it from them and the earth and then it says they don't
have anything not even sheep or ox nor ass so this isn't just vegetation they're taking
this is their livestock and of course in those days that's what they would use for at times
they would use that as finances so they even took their their livestock their their their
crops everything and then it says in verse number five for they came up with their cattle
in their tents and they came as grasshoppers from multitude you think of you know those
images that you've seen of locusts just completely destroying crops that's how that's the that's
the image that's being portrayed here it says for both they and their camels were without
number a lot of people a lot of a lot of people there and they entered into the land to destroy
it and Israel was greatly impoverished because of the Midianites and the children of Israel
cried unto the Lord so we see that Israel's in a state of poverty now is it because they're
serving God though is it because they're being just persecuted for for serving God because
they believe the Bible they're obeying God's Word no in fact this is God punishing them
so God is punishing them via the Midianites and the other surrounding nations and he's
doing it by using poverty now by the way go with me if you went to Deuteronomy chapter
28 if you would Deuteronomy chapter 28 hold your place there in judges go to Deuteronomy
chapter 28 now here's the thing is this should come as no surprise to the Israelites because
of the fact that this was foretold beforehand in the book of Deuteronomy but you know why
they don't understand this to begin with is because they're not obeying God's Word they're
not referencing the law they're not going back to the law of Moses so a lot of the stuff
that's coming upon them as you see Gideon say it's like where are all the promises it's
like well the nation is disobeying God and God told you that this would happen to you
if you go serve other gods God told you if you start committing idolatry and start transgressing
the law of the Lord if you don't obey his word that he's going to allow these things
to happen now God's chastisement can come through you know killing and war and the death
of women and children but in this case we see that it comes through this matter of poverty
now look at Deuteronomy 28 and look at verse number let's see here verse number 16
go to verse 14 actually it says and thou shall not go aside from any of the words which I
command thee this day to the right hand or to the left to go after other gods to serve
them but it shall come to pass if thou will not hearken into the voice of the Lord thy
God to observe to do all his commandments and his statutes which I command thee this
day that all these curses shall come upon thee and overtake thee now from verses 1-15
you see God actually expounding upon the blessings that they're going to get if they obey God
so basically what he does thereafter is he just reverses it and he says if you don't
obey me then these blessings will actually turn into a curse look at verse 16 cursed
shall be shall thou be in the city and cursed shall thou be in the field you say well what's
the significance of that well you see in chapter 6 that they moved to the dens and
the caves thinking that the curse will go away if they just move away from the land
that they inherited right does that happen no it's kind of like today when people try
to run away from their problems and they're like well I'm just gonna leave I'm just gonna
move to another state your problems are gonna follow you buddy because the problem is not
what your outside circumstances the problem is you that's the problem the problem is is
that you're disobeying God the problem is you're living in disobedience to God's word
so what happens well cursed shall thou be in the city and cursed shall thou be in the
field so no matter where you go God's chastisement is not limited to one location it can follow
you anywhere okay verse 17 cursed shall be thy basket and thy store cursed shall be the
fruit of thy body referring to children right and the fruit of thy land the increase of
thy kind and thy flocks of thy sheep cursed shall thou be when thou comest in and cursed
shall thou be when thou goest out so they could easily reference that and say oh okay
so this is why this is happening to us this is why median is destroying us and we can't
even grow anything anything that we sow it just seems to go away it seems to be blown
away and the enemies seem to come and just take everything why well because we're cursed
that's why so it doesn't matter if we're in the city if we're in the field God's hand
of chastisement is everywhere against them we see that also in the New Testament when
it comes to the Jews do we not go back to Judges chapter 6 actually go to Malachi chapter
3 if you would let's continue to look at this principle here Malachi chapter 3 Malachi chapter
3 I'm gonna read to you from Haggai chapter 1 and verse number 5 it says here now therefore
thus saith the Lord of hosts consider your ways ye have so much and bring in little ye
eat but you have not enough you drink but you are not filled with drink ye clothe you
but there are there is none warm and he that earneth wages earn its wages to put it into
bags with holes I mean think about that it's just like you work a day's wage a week's wage
you get all your money you put it in your pocket and then there's a hole and just goes
through right that's the that's the image that he's getting here and the reason this
is taking place is because they're disobeying God so look you said what's the application
for us today brother my here we'll look at Malachi chapter 3 because we believe in tithing
amen Malachi I only got like two amen's on now what's going on I'm just kidding well
after this I'll get more amen's after we finish reading this verse 8 says will a man rob God
yet ye have robbed me but ye say wherein have we robbed thee in tithes and offerings ye
are cursed with the curse for ye have robbed me even this whole nation bring ye all the
tithes into the storehouse that there may be meat in mine house and prove me now here
with saith the Lord of hosts if I will not open you the windows of heaven and pour you
out a blessing that there shall not be room enough to receive it verse 11 and I will rebuke
the devourer for your sakes and he shall not destroy the fruit of your ground neither shall
your vine cast your fruit before the time in the field saith the Lord of hosts so he
says look if you tithe this is the condensed version right here you tithe I'll bless you
if you don't the devourer is going to come and get you who's the devourer well obviously
it's Satan but it's Satan's minions through the avenue of well for the yeah the government
but you see like for example in chapter 6 it was through the medianites right and look
I believe this I believe that this happens right here I believe and the reason I believe
is because I've seen it in my personal life girl you know when I was a babe in Christ
and I didn't really take this thing serious I saw the devourer in my life you said well
did someone come and just rob you no but you know what financial needs came up all of a
sudden out of nowhere when I didn't have the finances for it and look sometimes we need
to look at financial judgment or find financial troubles as judgment and you say well I think
I'm right with God then you know what you take it as opportunity to say well God is
testing me right now to see if I will keep the commandments of the Lord or not right
God allows you to go through trials and difficulties so you can examine yourself to see if you
are right with God if you have a right heart towards God and if you pass the test you say
well I think I'm right with God I'm doing everything I'm supposed to do then guess what
God is just testing you but if you can point to something in your life to say well I know
I'm in sin I know I'm not tithing I'm not in church I'm not doing what I'm supposed
to be doing then you know what you need to take that as a for sure confirmation that
God is probably judging your finances because of it he said why my finances was probably
because he's hitting where it hurts you know giving you a sickness probably hasn't got
your attention yet so you know what God does you know the Bible says that where your treasure
is there where your heart be also and unfortunately our our wallets are they have this imaginary
stream that's like umbilical cord that's attached to our hearts you know once you mess
with the money then it's just like ah God what are you doing it's like I'm judging you
that's what I'm doing you know and I'm not saying that if you know you say well I'm going
through financial troubles and I still tithe well examine other areas in your life are
you under authority are you involved in some secret sin is there something that you know
for a fact that you're involved in that is displeasing to God maybe God's allowing your
resources to be eat up he's allowing the median eyes to come and take your resources to get
your attention but look if you go through the list you say well no I feel like I'm right
with God I believe I am then amen God's just testing you and he's trying to teach you contentment
amen he's trying to teach you to be content with the things that you have he's trying
to teach you to to to you know mind those things which are above none of the things
which are in this earth is teaching you to have an eternal mindset not to be so temporal
minded and it's only a season right go back to judges chapter six but that's not the case
for the Israelites here the Israelites are being judged I mean judged in the city judged
in the field they so someone else comes and just takes it away and they're just they're
crying they're they're going through hardships they're going through a lot of oppression
here because they can't even eat the Bible says in verse six that they're greatly impoverished
right but at the end of the day it's what they get I mean God told them in Deuteronomy
chapter 28 that this would happen to them if they forsook the Lord so don't look at
chapter six is aw poor you know Israelites aw man that's so sad they're worshiping false
gods they're worshiping Baal the devil it's not like they're just out they're not serving
anything they they're forsooking God and they're forsaking God and they're serving a false
God I mean God's they're lucky that God's not doing worse than to them right but he's
hitting it where it hurts because he's allowing them he's allowing them to feel hunger to
perish to famish and to be judged so that's what we see we see their condition in verses
one through six now verses seven and thereafter we see a reiteration of the cycle that we've
seen all these chapters look at verse number seven it says and it came to pass when the
children of Israel cried unto the Lord because of the medianites that the Lord sent a prophet
unto the children of Israel which said unto them thus saith the Lord God of Israel I brought
you up from Egypt and brought you forth out of the house of bondage and I delivered you
out of the hand of the Egyptians and out of the hand of all that oppressed you and draped
them out from before you and gave you their land and I said unto you I am the Lord your
God fear not the gods of the Amorites in whose in whose land you dwell but ye have not obeyed
my voice so he's saying he's basically telling them hey I already told you that you can overcome
these people I already promised you this long time ago in fact I took you out of the land of
Egypt with a strong hand I did all those miracles so it's not like I'm incapable of delivering you
for the medianites the reason this has come upon you is because of your disobedience so you're
basically saying hey what's going on it's not my problem it's not because the Lord is slack
concerning his promises it's not because his hand is slagging me in his ear heavy it's because of
your disobedience okay that's what he's telling them there verse 11 says and there came an angel
of the Lord this is referring to I believe talking about Jesus Christ what they would refer to as a
pre-incarnate Christ it says and there came an angel of the Lord and sat under an oak which was
in offra that pertain unto Joash the a B a B as a right excuse me and his son Gideon threshed wheat
by the winepress to hide it from the medianites so he they cry out to God and God comes through
God comes to Gideon and what is Gideon doing well he's the Bible says here these threshing wheat by
the winepress to hide it from the medianites so he's involved in this oppression right not he's
not doing it but he's a he's it's being done unto him to the point where he has to thresh wheat by
the winepress now you look up a wine press back in those days it's very large so you can see how
you can hide from that and just kind of do it behind their backs to try to get something out
of that verse 12 it says in the angel of the Lord appeared unto him and said unto him the Lord is
with thee thou mighty man of valor and Gideon said unto him oh my Lord if the Lord be with us why
then is all this befallen us now think of the wording that he's using here because Gideon is
wrong here you know he says Gideon said unto him oh my Lord if the Lord be with us God didn't say
he was with the nation of Israel what did he tell him in verse number 12 the Lord is with thee so
he's not with the nation he's with Gideon you know obviously he didn't catch that when he first said
it but he's saying I'm with thee you know why because the Lord is not with nations you know
who the Lord is is what the individuals found within the nation oh God is with America no he's
with the individuals who believe in his word who are saved who are Christians who believe in the
King James Bible who are doing soul winning who are living in life that's pleasing unto the Lord
he's with them not with the nation God bless America you know ain't God we trust on the dollar
bill well first of all I don't even use dollar bills because the New World Order's conditioned
me to use credit cards and debit cards I haven't seen the dollar bill quite some time but here's
the thing that God on the dollar bill is not referring to the God of the Bible it's referring
to the God of this world and God is not with that nation God is with the individuals you know we're
not this patriotic church where you know it's just like we have the the Babylonian flag here
you know God bless America no we want America's going to hell in a handbasket okay and all the
nations that forget God the wicked shall be turned into hell and all the nations that forget
God and that includes America but you know what the individuals found within America God I believe
God is with me I believe God is with you I believe God is with Bible believing Christians who are
seeking to win people to Christ who are adhering to the King James Bible that's who God is with so
you know we look at all the nonsense and the disarray around us we can't say as Gideon said
oh my lord if the Lord be with us oh hold on brother me here what's that you know you got a
mouse in your pocket I'm with you not with the nation so we can't base what's going on in the
nation off of what we do because we're just one generation we're seeing the fruits of what happens
when the men of God of yesteryear don't stand up for the Word of God then we are a byproduct of a
bunch of compromising pastors and churches who chose not to take a stand to do the things right
according to God's Word and you know what now we have to suffer the consequences you said what
about them well they're in heaven you know they're ashamed now I'm sure but they're in heaven but you
know we have to reap those those consequences but you know what the Lord is with us the Lord is with
thee oh what about those homos that came in threaten you guys hey the Lord is with us you
know I'm not scared of any fag with the purses in we're gonna come and beat you up and blankety
blank this blankety blank that Lord is with us amen amen and look get used to it yeah because
that's gonna happen for years on end and they're not only gonna threaten me they're gonna threaten
you and that's where the rubber meets the road amen amen don't let that keep you from coming to
church or from doing things for God hey you know don't count your life dear unto you amen if you
perish you perish we have everlasting life but you know what we know for a fact that God is with us
the Lord is with us the Lord is not with the nation the Lord is with us as individuals right
so he says there in verse number 13 and Gideon said unto him oh my Lord if the Lord be with us
why then is all this befallen us because your nation is disobedient you guys are wicked
and where be all his miracles which our fathers told us of saying did not the Lord bring us up
from Egypt ain't that funny so their fathers told them about all the good things that God would do
for them but he did they didn't manage to convey all the bad things they would do if they disobeyed
you know so they basically their fathers had this positive only message to them right
he's like what about all those miracles it's like yeah he should have told you about all the
curses too he should have told you about all the bad things that are gonna happen to you if you
don't obey the word of the Lord but instead look there's nothing new under the Sun and in like
manner today we have pastors who want to preach a positive only message they only want to talk
about the blessing of the Lord but they don't balance it out with the cursing of the Lord and
look we don't want to be a doom and gloom church but you know in order to function correctly in
order for us to have the right perspective we have to understand that there's blessings and there's
cursings blessings keep us motivated they keep us loving the Lord cursings keep us keeps us in check
keeps us in the fear of God right we need both so they only talk about the miracles miracles
which our fathers have told us saying did not the Lord bring us up from Egypt but now the Lord has
forsaken us and delivered us into the hands of the mena nights well no correction you forsook
the Lord and then the Lord forsook you you know draw nigh to God and he'll draw nigh unto you hey
but you know what if you forsake God God will forsake you even as individuals today God can
forsake you now obviously we can't lose our salvation we understand that we can never lose
our salvation I give unto them eternal life and they shall never perish but there could come a
point where God's powers no longer on your life well you could he could actually treat you as an
enemy the adulterers and adulteresses right he that is a friend of the world isn't is that
enmity with God you could become an enemy of God in the sense of you're just obeying God you're
just living in blatant sin you're not repentant and what what does God have to do he has to bring
the media nights to come and check you right by the way the correction confirms that you're his
child right where we at verse 14 and the Lord looked upon him and said go in this thy might and
now shall save Israel from the hand of the so he just completely ignored everything he just said
the mighty man of valor is like well you know why aren't you with us and he's just like go in thy
might just completely ignored everything he just said and just picked up where he left off on him
being a mighty man of valor what he's saying is just like I'm just gonna ignore everything
you're just saying right now go in this thy might and now shall save Israel from the hand of the
media nights have not I sent thee look if God is sending us we know for a fact that we're gonna be
able to accomplish it right if he's commissioning us to do it verse 15 he said unto him oh my Lord
wherewith shall I save Israel behold my family's poor Manasseh and I am the least in my father's
house so getting this kind of basing whether he can accomplish this task this commission based
upon his resources so he's like I don't I'm poor I'm broke I'm we're the most broke family in Manasseh
like what are we gonna do like they keep taking away our stuff well you know what victory conquering
is not based upon the goods that we have or the resources that we have right it's based upon our
obedience he says there in verse number 16 and the Lord said unto him surely I will be with thee
and thou shall smite the media nights as one man and he said unto him if now I have found grace in
thy sight then show me a sign that thou talkest with me now verse 17 he basically is looking for
confirmation that God is actually sending him okay he's like saying just give me some sort of sign
and then you see verses 18 through 21 where he brings them the cakes and the flesh and the the
soup and what does he do or the the broth he puts them upon the rock and the angel the Lord Jesus
Christ he stretches out his staff he lights the the flesh on fire and that's basically the the
the confirmation the sign that he gives him that he's with them now this is not the first time that
Gideon asked for this right this is something that Gideon again asks for in verse number 36
says and Gideon said unto God if thou be with if thou will save Israel by my hand as thou was said
behold I will put a fleece of wool in the floor and if the do be upon the fleece only and if it be
dry upon the earth beside then shall I know that thou will save Israel by my own hand as thou has
said so he asked for some pretty difficult things he's like look I'm afraid of fleece you know the
the fleece of a sheep I'm put on the ground and he says if the dew falls on the fleece only and
not on the grass it's confirmation so he doesn't he goes okay one more don't be mad at me please I
just want to double-check this time you know put the dew on the grass and not on the one for sure
okay at that point I know and he does it and he doesn't get mad at Gideon now look let's read verse
17 again it says and he said unto him if now I have found grace in thy side then show me a sign
that thou talkest with me now he wants a sign why doesn't he just go to the Bible why doesn't he just
go to the New Testament why can't he just go to the Gospels or or the book oh that's right because
it doesn't exist that's right you know Gideon is in a time where he probably only has the first
five books of the Bible so why is he asking for a sign because he doesn't have a complete Bible
you said where are you going with this you know a lot of people today they still require a sign
and they'll use examples like Gideon to say you know oh you know people ask for signs in the
Bible you have people who didn't have the Bible duh the Bible is the complete revelation of God's
Word we have 66 different books that has all the guidelines doctrines and and and statutes that we
need in order to make proper decisions he gives us the guidelines we can we have the free will
to choose to make what decision we want based upon those parameters and those guidelines we
have the Bible in fact the Bible says all Scripture is given by inspiration of God and
is profitable for doctrine for proof for correction and what instruction in righteousness
the Bible tells us that he's given us everything that pertains to life and godliness so we as New
Testament Bible believing Christians save people we don't need a sign from heaven right we don't
need a fleece we don't need the broth and the flesh to be burned up we don't need Jesus to come
to us right because he's plainly told us what we need to do within his word and look it's funny
that people seek for a sign today you got these Charismatics and Pentecostals and these Benny
hen type charlatans that deceive a lot of people and they teach people you know look for that sign
look for all these signs but they don't even take time to actually read the Bible cover to cover
they don't even know half not even a quarter not even nickels worth of the Bible yet they want some
revelation outside of the Bible to confirm something you know well you know the Bible
tells us that an evil and adulterous generation seeketh after a sign and there shall no sign be
given to it but the sign of the Prophet Jonas for as Jonas is three days and three nights in the
whale's belly so shall the Son of Man be in the heart of the earth that's the only sign that God
gives right but notice that he says a little evil and adulterous generation seeketh after a sign why
is that well the Bible tells us in James chapter 3 that this wisdom descended not from above but
is earthly sensual devilish you see things that pertain to the Bible faith requires not evidence
right it's evidence of things not seen as the Bible puts it faith is basically we don't see it
but we believe it by faith someone who is sensual in other words requires them to believe something
based upon their senses sensual senses right they have to see it they have to hear they have to have
concrete evidence in order to know that it's there and that's why it's the evil and adulterous
generation in fact he in Matthew chapter 12 where he states that he's telling that to the Pharisees
and look you know I remember years ago when I was on tour group we went to a church in Central
California I remember the name of the church and we stayed at the pastor's house we were with like
a tour group leader and I remember we would stay sometimes at the pastor's house and we fellowship
with him ask him questions and I remember he was like going back and forth with our with our leader
and this guy was he was a weirdo that was out of his mind she went because he talked about signs
all the time and I'm not talking about the movie okay signs like literal he believed he would base
all kinds of crazy decisions that he made in his life based upon a sign he's like Lord if you want
me to get this job allow the Sun to rise with a peak ish kind of like these weird crazy things
and look most of them is just like dude the sun's gonna rise allow the Sun to rise you know at this
time and then you could look it up on your phone when the sun's gonna rise and it'll come up was
like that's confirmation right there he would ask for all kinds of crazy signs and you know what he
was he was evil and an adulterous person for wanting to see those signs why because at that
point he's completely disregarding what the Bible says you know look when we first moved here you
know you have Garrett Kershway that reprobate let him be anathema who pointed at the fact that we
were on Tyler and Elliot right I'm sure he saw that as a sign and that the the restaurant the
corner was called the one you know what there's wicked people out there that I'm sure we'll be
like see that means you guys are gonna go apostate you're in it you're evil and an adulterous
generation is what you are there there's such thing as there's a such thing as a coincidence
a hap as the Bible puts it right things that by chance tend to happen that way but you know
what people do they take it as a sign you know what does the sign mean it simply means proof
right well that's proof right there you guys are you guys are you know associated with that evil
pastor Anderson I just proof right there oneness and Elliot and Tyler shut up go watch freaking
what's this guy the Walter Cronkite and his you know zodiac sign observing show you know they
want to see signs and wonders and all that and look go with me if you would to go to Luke 21 if
you would Luke 21 I'm chasing a rabbit but it's a good rabbit we'll skin it kill it and then move
on but look the Jews seek after a sign but the but the Greeks seek after wisdom but we preach
Christ and him crucified you know so these people who try to look for signs they need to read the
Bible where Jesus said no sign shall be given it because everything is accepted by faith and look
at Luke chapter 12 verse number oh I'm sorry Luke chapter 21 I'm in Luke chapter 12 verse number
7 it says and they asked him saying master but when shall these things be and what sign will
there be when these things shall come to pass and he said take heed that you be not deceived for many
shall come in the name in my name saying I am Christ and the time draweth near go ye not
therefore after them go to 2nd Thessalonians if you would 2nd Thessalonians chapter number 2
2nd Thessalonians chapter number 2 so it's funny he they ask him what shall the sign of that coming
be and then he follows up with it saying take heed that you be not deceived why is that well
look at 2nd Thessalonians chapter number 2 and verse number 7 it says for the mystery of iniquity
does already work only he who now letteth will let until he be taken out of the way and then shall
that wicked be revealed whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth and shall
destroy with the brightness of his coming this is referring to the Antichrist right and times
Bible prophecy verse 9 even him who's coming is after the working of Satan with all power and
signs and lying wonders verse 10 and with all deceivableness of unrighteousness and them that
perish because they receive not the love of the truth that they might be saved for this cause God
shall send them strong delusion that they should believe a lie that they all might be damned who
believe not the truth but have pleasure in unrighteousness so when it talks about the
evil and adulterous generation that's actually a real generation that's actually gonna come to pass
in the future keep in mind that the world the Bible tells us that the world the the love of
many is shall wax cold right well it's gonna be at its worse in the end times and that makes sense
because in the end times you have the masses following the Antichrist over his signs and lying
wonders you know the abomination of desolation that's set up they they want to believe on him
they become reprobate so look what I'm saying is this is that we should never be the type of
Christians they want to sign for something sometimes it's just coincidence that things
happen look obviously sometimes the hand of God is on something but we don't consider that to be
a sign we consider that to be just the hand of God you know the steps of a good man are ordered
by the Lord and he delighteth in his way God orders our steps as we read his word as we're
walking in the spirit but you know what you can't take the sunrise as a sign to say oh I need to
that's for sure I got to get a divorce God told me you know through this sign God if you just put
this you know if you make this bird fly this way if I see one black bird today that's a sign that
you want me to quit my job that's stupid how about you just like read the Bible and see that the
Bible actually tells us that if a man does not work neither should he that's your sign you know
why you know I just think I have this feeling that God wants me to divorce this guy my husband
and I asked for a sign and the sign was that if it rained or if it's sprinkled today did you watch
the did you watch the weather news yes I did but if you watch the if the if the ray if it rains
today it's confirmation I'm gonna get divorced no why don't you read the Bible over the Bible
actually says that God hateth putting away that's called adultery that's all you need but you know
what you don't want to because you're an evil and an adulterous you're part of that evil and
adulterous generation the secret after a sign we the reason Gideon did is because he didn't have
a Bible and notice God didn't get mad at him right he did it in verse go back to Judges chapter 6 he
did it in verse 18 he did it in verse 37 and he did it in verse 39 and he didn't get mad at Gideon
at all why because Gideon did not have the full revelation of God as of yet he was requiring a
sign from God so I went on a rant for a while but it's true though you know people do you know look
we are saved by hope but hope that is seen is not hope the Bible says there you go look at verse
number 18 depart not hence I pray thee until I come unto thee and bring forth my present and set
it before thee and he said I will tarry until I'll come again of course we see him doing that verse
19 look at verse 21 it says an angel the Lord put forth the end of it of the staff that was in his
hand and touched the flesh and the unliving cakes and there rose up fire out of the rock and consumed
the flesh and the unliving cakes then the angel of the Lord departed out of his sight no and by
the way I believe verse 21 is confirmation that this is Jesus Christ because of the fact he has
a staff which is a tool that's used by what a shepherd we know that he is the chief Shepherd
right look at verse 22 and when Gideon perceived that he was an angel of the Lord Gideon said alas
Oh Lord God for because I have seen an angel of the Lord face to face that shows right there that
that's talking about Jesus Christ I'm talking about God the Father because if it was God the
Father he would have just fell down dead he would just probably just disintegrated okay it says
there in verse 23 and the Lord said unto him peace be unto thee fear not thou shalt not die
then Gideon built an altar there unto the Lord and called the Jehovah shalom unto this day it
is yet in Afra of the ABS rights and it came to pass the same night that the Lord said unto him
take thy father's young bullock even the second bullock of seven years old and throw down the
altar of Baal that thy father hath and cut down the grove that is by and build an altar unto the
Lord thy God upon the top of this rock and in the ordered place and take the second bullet
you know and offer a burnt offer excuse me burnt sacrifice with the wood of the grove which thou
shall cut down all right so what do we see here he goes all right this is the first thing you're
gonna do go tear down the images that your father has and look this is a difficult thing probably
for him to do okay now he does it amen I mean look what it says in verse number 27 then Gideon
took ten men of his servants and did as the Lord had said unto him and so it was because he feared
his father's household and the men of the city that he could not do it by day and that he did
it by night so let me ask you does he go to his dad's house is like get out of the way dad this
Virgin Mary is wicked pay the bills by the way you know that's not what he does he fears God
but he also fears his dad his household and in fact he does it by night so you know what he
doesn't do he doesn't try to usurp his father's authority by going in there rebuking his dad that
his dad's not right with God you know where application I'm going with this and now do you
you know we as children should never rebuke our parents even if they have false beliefs look
especially if you're not paying the bills right you know you're not paying the bills you're not
putting groceries in the cabinets you're not feeding your clothes by the money that your dad
purchased or your mom and you're over here rebuking your parents for their idolatry well
you know what as long as you live under their house just shut up you don't have to worship
the Virgin Mary or Buddha or whoever else false God bailed that they might have there now this
is Gideon's test because of the fact that God specifically told Gideon now look we need to
distinguish between what God actually verbally tells people and what he tells us through his
word some people have a hard time with that you know a bunch of idiots that we threw out on Sunday
you know bozo a and bozo B or should we say bozo a and bozo F for fag we threw them out and let me
just tell you why let me just get this off my chest okay we threw this idiot out his dad both
of them are idiots but the dad was he obviously the apple doesn't fall far from the tree when it
comes to idiocy the dad didn't get baptized and you know he gave me a testimony of a salvation it
sounded pretty decent and I said would you like to get baptized today he's like no I'm gonna get
baptized about my friend I'm like all right whatever you know I'm thinking maybe his friends
a pastor or something then I I direct my attention to the Sun and I say hey do you want to get
baptized like yeah and I thought to myself well let me check on this guy's salvation first I
assumed that he was saved and I asked him for salvation and he basically repeated what his
dad said but when I asked them if he wanted to get baptized the dad interrupted and said no I'm
gonna baptize him and I was just like you're gonna baptize him I'm like first of all you're
not even baptized yourself let alone you're not even ordained to be baptized who ordained
John the Baptist that's what he told me and I was like God well God ordained me oh I'm sorry
tell me of the time that God actually came to you with an audible voice right like he came to
Jeremiah like he came who ordained Paul Jesus Christ well there you go oh I'm sorry when was
the time when you're on the road to Damascus and Jesus came down and knocked you off your high
horse and gave you that vision and had that whole dissertation in Acts chapter 9 so they
automatically take like the vision that Jesus gave to Paul and just put themselves they just insert
themselves into Paul's doesn't work that way we need to distinct you know you we need to do if
I'm talking to John I'm not talking to hike if I address John everyone should have enough common
sense that I'm not talking about hike all right but there's people out there that take every
single commandment that people give now look if there's a commandment of the Bible that God gives
to a man and you see you can back it up with other portions of scriptures where God commands
his people just in general there you go but you know what that is not one of them you know I'm
sorry so what desert did you spend time in before you came out and started preaching and make
straight paths the way of the Lord that's not the first thing you told me first thing he said
to me when I came out there I was like hey how's it going you're rough man you are rough that's the
first thing he says to me and I'm look those guys chose a bad day to come start crap at this church
a bad I'm really like nice and I'm lenient and I try to give people the benefit of the doubt but
on Sunday I was on edge man all in a bad mood throughout some fags you know from our church
and then these idiots want to come up and talk stupid stupidity just vain jingling thinking
they're not gonna get kicked out talking about how God ordained him to baptize someone you know
I don't know where I was going world was that oh okay so where was I going with that someone help
me what was my last thought I don't have notes here what throwing down the altars okay so this
is oh yeah okay thanks got my got my memory job so here he commands Gideon to actually throw down
the altar right now look if you're the man in your house you need to throw down your own altars if
that's what you're doing right and if you're the one paying the bills and guess what your teenagers
have some wicked you know idols or altars of famous singers or basketball players that are
wicked and guess what you're supposed to go into that room and tear it down well you know I'm not
if you're the man to the house that's what you're supposed to do put your foot down well you don't
have teenagers you don't know what it's like but here's the thing the Bible doesn't give us what
age a father's supposed to tell or not tell unless they're out of the house and they're married
already you know dads are supposed to go and if they have some wicked posters some worldly stuff
going on throw them away there's this altar called the Xbox where everyone just gathers around just
worships I saw those I saw the wives elbowing there it yeah there's a lot where you can say
about that right the altar video games but you know what he did this in such a way that he wanted
to obey God he did it by night obviously showed that he was fearful but he was fearful of his
father's household but he ended up doing it look look what it says in verse 28 and when the men of
the city arose early in the morning behold the altar of Baal was cast down and the grove was cut
down that it was that was by it and the second bullet was offered upon the altar that was built
and they said one to another who had done this thing and when they inquired and asked they said
Gideon the son of Joash had done this thing then the men of the city said unto Joash bring out thy
son that he may die because he hath cast down the altar of Baal because he hath cut down the grove
that was by it and Joash said unto all that stood against him we plead for Baal we save him he that
will plead for him let him be put to death whilst it is yet morning if he be a god let him plead for
himself because one hath cast cast down his altar so look fortunately his dad Joash I don't know
what's going through his mind he's probably thinking man my son has some guts maybe we
should get rid of Baal and the son came and he did it by night and he's like you know what I'm
for what he did and look if you have some parents who have some like idols in their house you know
the thing to do is not cast down the idol the thing to do is to cast down some imagination so
you can give them the gospel how about that too often we try to reform our family members before
we actually try to win them to Christ we try to make them the way we are teach them about the
Jews post trip that the Catholic is a wicked institution and try to preach to them all these
things when they're the natural man to receive it not the things of the Spirit of God so why don't
we win them first and look babes in Christ are guilty guilty of this I know because I did that
too as a baby in Christ and often we're guilty of just preaching to them and condemning them but
they're not even saved and you wonder why they don't want to listen to you later on you know
because they knew how rude you were what a jerk you were to them what a pompous bratty just self
righteous hypocrite you are and they don't want to listen to you so here's the here's the advice
try to win them first and when you win them they have the Spirit of God living within them so we
tell them hey we got to get rid of this wicked virgin married idolatry crap they're like hey
you're right you could show them from the Bible you can show them from the Bible they'll see it
and they'll say you're right they'll be like Joe ash well you know you're right son let's get rid
of this thing and by the way I like what looks like Joe has got some got some umph he's like
well you know bill who's gonna save him are you guys gonna save him why doesn't he go after
Gideon it's kind of like what what Elijah did to the prophets you know is he gone away into a
foreign country is he asleep he's basically mocking them therefore on that day he called
him Jerubal saying that bail pled pled against him because he had thrown down his altar then
all the media nights and the Amalekites and the children of the East were gathered together and
went over and pitched in the Valley of Jezreel but the Spirit of the Lord came upon Gideon and
he blew a trumpet and Abaazir was gathered after him and he sent messengers throughout all Manasseh
who also was gathered after him and he sent messengers unto Asher unto Zebulun and unto
Naphtali and they came up to meet them now look and by the way back to like teenagers and respecting
their parents look even if your parent is saved you have no right if you're living under the roof
and they're paying your bills to try to correct them well I need someone to correct once you get
married and then you can work on that you know why don't you actually get married get a wife
get children and then you can rule over that faction right there if you want but you know
if you're living under your parents roof and they're not your stripe of Christianity you have
no right to go and try to rebuke them and correct them well I know more Bible than them so what they
took care of your bottom for you know however many years show some respect and we have a deficiency
of respect amongst young people towards their parents today a massive deficiency and you know
what it you know what it is they need some spankings is what it is they need some whoopings that's what
worked in my household a nice good old-fashioned whooping you know what the whoopings that I got
were not the whoopings that the Bible tells you to do I got it worse I don't really look like this
that's what they need you know oh you know they're just older they need a whooping is what they need
and I'm sick and tired of running to teenagers these pompous little bratty teenagers young adults
who obviously did not get enough whoopings growing up and look if that's you this is what you do grow
up show some respect don't act like a know-it-all respect your parents there should not be in this
church a deficiency of respect towards the older people towards the parents and look you should
not respect another elder over above over and above your own parent you know that's called
hypocrite we try to act all nice and respectable towards the leaders or towards other older people
in the church but you treat your your dad and your mom like trash when you guys go home it ought not
to be that way you know that's called being a hypocrite we need to make sure that we're respectable
in church and we raise our children to be respectable okay and if they're living under
your home you're paying the bills and providing the the gas money or you know the the food or
whatever you know you have the right to require that of them and look you're doing it for their
sake so that they don't grow up being bratty people because there's people out there in the
30s and 40s that are still jerks and bratty you know why because they're jerks and brattys when
they were 19 17 15 and 10 years old that's the way it works okay so anyways that's pretty much
it so the spirit of God comes upon Gideon he blows his trumpet he gathers all the people around him
and they get ready for that battle you know Gideon at this point thinking man I got 32,000 with me
we're gonna win this battle unbeknownst to him it's gonna dwindle a lot from that you know he's
only gonna have 300 and that's why he's a man of faith amen let's bow our heads and have a word of
prayer father we thank you so much for your word thank you for the life of Gideon and he's an
encouragement it should be an encouragement to all of us that when the odds are against us it
doesn't matter how many we have on our team with God we make the majority and we're gonna see that
next next week I pray God that you'd help us to to have faith Lord and Lord if we have a parent or
someone who we live with who maybe is not saved and maybe there are idolaters but we live under
their rule maybe they provide for us help us to be discreet wise as serpents and harmless as doves
then we meet you to ruin the win them to Christ and not try to just get them to reform their ways
without being saved and I pray God that you'd help us to do so we love you so much and we thank you
pray these things in Jesus name amen