you
All right, we're in judges chapter number seven as I mentioned
We're gonna go over chapter seven this evening and we're continuing with the story of Gideon. Obviously as I mentioned
Two weeks ago or so that the next couple chapters really talk about and highlight this character this judge in this book
referred to as Gideon and
there's a reason for this because he had to exercise a lot of faith and the exploits that he was doing for God and
Chapter six. We really see when God calls
Gideon and the exploit that he does of tearing down that the image of bail at his father's house and
basically
Getting the guts to go out and actually deliver God's people from the hand of the oppressor in chapter 7 now
We get into one of the greatest stories in the Bible, which is Gideon's 300 men the real
300
This is the real 300 you said which is the fake 300?
Well, the fake 300 is a Spartan 300 that everyone talks about from 7 479 BC
Okay, and you know if you study history
It's always gonna have this slant and it's favorable to the Spartans and the Leonidas and his 300
How many ever heard of Leonidas and his 300 how many saw the movie?
Hey, we got some honest people here. All right, great
Everyone's all yeah. Yeah, that was great
First of all, the movie is a kiss. It's not great. I'll just be honest with you. The movie is a complete fraud
Okay, and sorry to say that to you, but it's true. It's a complete fraud
It's an exaggerated story
They try to make Leonidas seem as though he's like some sort of hero of Thermopylae and Sparta
But nothing could be further from the truth. First of all, Leonidas and his in his 300 are a bunch of fags
That's number one
Okay, Spartans were known for being sodomized or a bunch of reprobates and that's why they were good at fighting by the way
It's because of the fact that they had no regard for life
All right, and that's why they're able to just they practice infanticide
They practice genocide
They're just a bunch of wicked people that God judged
And in fact, one of the last thing that Leonidas supposedly said right before they died is tonight. We shall dine in Hades
Well, he had one part of that correct. They were gonna be in hell, but they weren't dining in Hades
I mean, they're gonna burn in Hades where the worm dieth not and the fire is not quenched
So that's the fake 300 which by the way
The 300 that squad of 300 was actually like a suicide squad
Okay, and they're not really telling the entire truth because it was 300 that died and then you had the Athenians who came and kind
Of backed them up afterwards and that's how they were able to win the war against the Medo-Persian Empire
But that isn't necessarily very heroic is it and here's the way that story works is that it just gets better with time
So it becomes more exaggerated as the years go by
So just keep that in mind right as the years go by people begin to add more
Facts to it and what they're trying to do is immortalize
Leonidas and his Spartan 300 and kind of bury who they really were the Spartans were wicked
Okay, and as opposed to God's 300
Gideon's 300 these were actual men who loved the Lord led by the man Gideon who was a man of God and
None of the 300 perish and in fact, it was literally 300. Okay. It wasn't like a 300 squad
They were fighting at a peninsula, you know this narrow place and they had all these battle tactics where you know
They had to make sure it was like, you know, a three-day fight and most of them perished
No, it was 300 and 300 came in 300 went out
Hey, the Spartan 300 had to wait for the enemy to come to them
The Medo-Persian had to come to them the Gideon's 300 went to the enemy
Because upon this rock I will build my church and the gates of hell should not prevail against it. My gates is a defending
Thing
Thing there that it's supposed to keep the enemy out
So that shows us that God's people are supposed to be on the offense. It's not on the defensive
so that's one of the differences between
You know
Leonidas is faggot 300 guys who are burning in hell
They're burning hell for thousands of years and the real 300 Gideon's 300 you say well
How come no one knows about Gideon's 300 the real the same reason why no one knows about the true men of God
Throughout history, you know, the true churches and the ones who have gone soul-winning and preached the Word of God
I've done great exploits for the Lord, you know, these people are going to be hidden in history
but the reality is they are recognized of God though and
Here's the thing, you know, Leonidas wanted to become immortalized as much as he could and you know, yeah
He's remembered thousands of years later, but these 300 will be remembered for all of eternity
You know, they're forever ingrained in the Word of God they're part of the Bible
This is the real 300 right here. Now look at verse number one of chapter 7
It says then
Jerubal who is Gideon and all the people that were with him rose up early and pitched beside the well of Herod
So that the hosts of the media nights were on the north side of them by the hill of Mora in the valley now
Let me first of all remind you that
Gideon is called
Jerubal because of the exploit that he did in chapter number six if you go to chapter six in verse 32
Or excuse me verse 28 says 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 was by it and the second bullet was offered upon the altar that was built skip down to verse 32
Therefore on that day
He called him Jerubal saying let Baal plead against him because he had thrown down his altar
So we see that his name represents a man who stood against Satan who stood against the devil who stood against evil
That's why he was named that he did a great exploit by doing that and he was really risking a lot by doing that wasn't
he not because he tore down the image of Baal in his father's house and
Obviously we see earlier in the chapter in chapter 6 that he did it by night
He was a little fearful
But the fact remains is that he did it and that's why he's named that now look at verse 2 of chapter 7
It says in the Lord said unto Gideon the people that are with thee are too many for me to give the Midianites into their
Hands lest Israel vaunt themselves against me saying mine own hand hath saved me
Now this is where you will find out why Gideon is in the Hall of Faith in Hebrews chapter 11
Because of the fact that he's going up against an army that is without number doesn't mean there's an infinite amount of soldiers
It just means that there's so many of them. It's just like innumerable. Okay, it's a lot and
Gideon at this point from what we can tell on this chapter had
32,000 men and you know what? Maybe he he was going up against the people who was approximately that much or maybe even a little more
But God is basically saying goes that's too many people
Thirty two thousand is way too many people and the purpose of really dwindling down the numbers was trifled
And that's what we're gonna talk about in this next couple moments number one
The reason he wanted to dwindle down the numbers is because he said lest Israel vaunt themselves against me
Now, what does that word font means it means to boast?
So in other words, we can kind of basically estimate that those 32,000 were maybe a formidable
Unit of numbers in comparison to those whom they were fighting against so if they were to beat the media nights
You know if they were to beat them and conquer them they had the temptation to say that's because we have 32,000
You know, we're good soldiers. We know how to fight we go to war and God's like that's not the kind of mentality
I want my people to have
You know and in like manner we as God's people should never have that mentality
Then when a great exploit is done we see a lot of people say
Oh, you know a lot of things are being done in the city of Los Angeles in the city of Omani
We should never vaunt ourselves against the Lord and say oh it's because God chose me because I'm XY and Z
You know, it's because I'm so great or it's because I read my Bible. I'm so godly
No, in fact the battles of the Lord's you see the horse is prepared for the day of battle
But the against the day of battle, but it's the victories of the Lord
We need to make sure that we recognize that yeah, there is preparation
Amen
And the flip side of that there's people who don't prepare at all and the reason God doesn't bless them
The reason God doesn't honor them
The reason God doesn't come through is because they're not even doing anything on their own in to make sure they prepare for it
Now I want to go start a church read your Bible be faithful learn some leadership skills do that
Which is your responsibility to do and therefore when God uses you you can't bond yourself against the Lord
Because of the fact that you know, God gets all the glory because we're nobody
You know people look at us as like, oh man, the LA Church is like the gangster church or you know, it's just in LA
That's okay. Because when great works are done, they'll say man God's doing a great work
It's not Bruce Mihia. It's not anybody else. It's God who's doing it and that's exactly what we want
Why do we want that? Well, as long as the glory keeps going to God God will keep honoring us
God will continue to bless us. God will continue to give us great success
And that's what we want. We never want to vaunt ourselves against the Lord
We never want to brag as the temptation was for these gentlemen right here
It says lest Israel vaunt themselves against me saying mine own hand had saved me
You know humility is recognizing that your success was based upon God and others. Just remember that
Humility is recognizing that your success is based upon
God and those who invested in your life
even those who maybe are your enemies or maybe who don't like you anymore because of your
Association with the new IFB with Pastor Anderson or whatever it may be, you know
It should be that you still honor those who have helped you in times past. So why should I do that? Because that's humility
So you don't vaunt yourself against the Lord by just say well I brought myself here
I'm the one who saved myself from this, you know
Army here or whatever may be
So that was the number one reason right there is he didn't want them to be prideful
You know, he wanted to recognize that yeah all the other wars and all the other armies. They need to know how to fight
They need to know how to swing a sword. They need to know how to
You know a hand-to-hand combat they need to know how to go into battle, but you guys don't need to know that
You guys need to just depend on the Lord and obey God that's what we need to do
You know, it's like today they'll say, you know, oh if you want to be a pastor you got to go to Bible College
You know or you got to go to Bible Institute
For those for those Spanish speakers out there, you know, he needs to do though
You got to go to Institute or you got to go to Bible College
Okay, and and you got to you know, follow their format
If not, you can't be a pastor, you know, that's kind of like the world's way, right?
That's the way of the heathen actually, you know
but if we do it God's way why because if they if we do it that way then it's just like what's because I got a
Degree and you know, yeah, I'm a master of theology. I'm a master of Israel and that's why I don't know these things
You know, I got a pass I'm a pastoral major or whatever may be and they and here's the thing most of those guys who
graduate from Bible College, you know
Don't know diddly-squat about the Bible
I've known a lot of people throughout the years. They graduated from Bible College
Spent four years five years six years of Bible College and they don't they don't even know the basics
Don't know about salvation. They can give you a clear testimony
They know how to how to get people saved and all how to soul win, but as far as doctrine is concerned
No, nothing, you know, but hey, they're a Bible College student
In fact, I remember years ago not too many years ago a few years ago
Someone in this in this room here was a discussing doctrine with one of the these Bible College students
Okay, and they're discussing, you know end times Bible prophecy something about you know preacher poster or something like that. And
and
I heard them discussing this right and this person who was in this room in this room was
Discussing this with the Bible College student and I overheard them and I was just like I want to butt it
I just want to but I don't know what's going on. And this is before I really talked to this person who's in this room
Yeah, everyone look back at David. That's what I'm talking about, right?
so
The guy who's there, you know, he's obviously upset and later on we found out that he this guy's like a major hyper dipstick
major hyper dipstick
Okay, he loves this this fixationalism that's what he loves and
You know, he's like he goes to me he goes Bruce
Tell this guy
refer him to David
He's like that. We're gonna be raptured before the tribulation
Like he thought I was just gonna bring the hammer down on on on David and obviously this guy didn't know I was poster
And you know David didn't really know me from from from anybody else from Adam
And he's trying to explain to me like he's just like oh look
Can I show you and I look at David and I was just like look
the Bible says
No, because he was the one of his main arguments is like Matthew 24 is to the Jews, you know
although the the preacher rhetoric and I said
Mark 13 and he you know the guy he stands next to me, you know against like like David and
He go and I said the Bible says in Mark 13 what I say unto you I say unto all
And then the guy he's staying next to me is all
He's all are you post trip I said, let me just show you from the Bible
And I said look Matthew 24 and I was trying to explain it from Matthew and I wasn't like rude about it
I wasn't mean to him and I was just let me show you from the Bible
I was like look you always got to look at context. Okay, chip
Which is his name. I was he got look at context chip
I said, do you know what context is and this is what he told me
He said this how are you gonna ask me that?
I'm a Bible college student
Well, shut my mouth
I'm sorry
You know, like I didn't know I was his teacher. I was one of his teachers
okay, and I wasn't teaching them that crap by the way and
You know at that point I was like this guy's an idiot. This is this is the poster boy
For Bible college students right there. That's the kind of mentality that they have
well, how are you gonna tell me that I'm a Bible college student and
Actually you made yourself look even worse
because you don't even know something as basic as this and
That's the kind of mentality that we don't want to have you know, where we place ourselves in a position where you know
We can vaunt ourselves not just against the Lord but against everyone else we boast right
He that glories let him glory in the Lord
Okay
So that was the one reason right here that we see here in chapter 7
Chase the rabbit there, but you know, it's true. That's what Bible college does
It just makes you proud. It gives you a
really nice paper
That they printed at Staples
With really nice borders really nice
Typography and good fonts and it's nice and thick and you put it in the frame and you hang it over your wall
That's all it is. I can make you one if you want
I can make a I can make it a pastoral theology degree for everyone here. It's not hard at all
Very easy, okay
So there we see the try one of the trifle purposes is that they would vaunt themselves they would brag against the Lord
But also he wanted to minimize it because what do we have here? We have
32,000 soldiers and then it dwindles
22,000 leave dwindles to 10,000 then
9,700 leaving he's only left with 300. Okay. Now why is that? Well look at verse number three
It says now therefore go to proclaim in the ears of the people saying
whosoever is fearful and afraid
Let him return and depart early from Mount Gilead and their return of the people 20 and 2,000 and there remained
10,000 so he said all right, let's purge this a little bit anybody who's scared
Can just go home and then 22,000 are like man. I was hoping you'd say that
Like I'm going home, you know and they take off now
I'm not sure if they knew this. I'm not sure if Gideon knew this
I'm not sure if Israel knew this but what God was doing here is basically
Reinstating the law of Moses once again because this is exactly what they were supposed to do anytime
They went to war go to Deuteronomy chapter number 20 if you would Deuteronomy chapter number 20. Hold your place there in
Judges Deuteronomy chapter number 20
Deuteronomy chapter 20 is
Instruction of when Israel's
If they went to battle, there's a couple things that they had to do
It's not like all of Israel just went to go fight and even those who are formidable or they knew how to go to war
there are some certain qualifications and
Stipulations that were placed upon them if they wanted to go out and fight look at Deuteronomy chapter 20 verse number 1
It says well now goes out to battle against thine enemies and see his horses and chariots and a people more than now
Be not afraid of them
For the Lord that God is with thee which brought thee up out of the land of Egypt now
They needed verse 1 in chapter 7 of judges
Because 22,000 just left and they need to remember this and say hey, they're more than you but don't be afraid
Right, it's like us today. There's more of God's enemies out in the world than us. Is there not?
But we shouldn't be afraid
You know, you have a lot of Christians today who are scared
They're scared. They're afraid of the persecution. They're afraid of the affliction. They're afraid of the media
They're afraid of the sodomites out of all people
The freaking Chihuahuas of this world
They're scared of these beasts. There is like man, you know
Have you no stones?
You know the Bible tells us here be not afraid of them. Why for the Lord that God is with thee
And if God be for us who can be against us?
It's not saying like if God's is for us that no one's gonna be against us. It's saying who that matters
Can be against us because if God is with you who cares who's who's all right God is with you
You know who cares who's against you you and God make the majority
That's the way that works
Looking first number two and it shall be when you're come nigh into the battle
Look what it says here that the priest shall approach and speak unto thee. I like this
So when they're supposed to go to fight
Before they go into battle the priest comes and then he lays this out for them
It says here and shall say unto them verse three hero Israel you approach this day into battle against your enemies
Let now your hearts faint fear not and do not tremble neither be terrified because of them
So he's like don't be afraid, you know, don't let your hearts faint. Don't tremble. Don't be terrified
He's just covering all all aspects right for the Lord your God is he that goes with you to fight for you against your
Enemies to save you know what that shows me
well, the priests of the Old Testament were like the spiritual leaders and the spiritual leader is supposed to get up and
exemplify boldness
exemplify trust in the Lord
exemplify confidence right to instill confidence in the people in
Order for them to go out the battle, but that's not the kind of leadership we have today
We have the type of leadership that pastors get up and they don't instill boldness in their people
They don't instill confidence. In fact, they they instill a cowardice spirit
tolerance
You know, you know, I look the homosexuals
It's an abomination
It's an abomination, but you know what we gotta love them we gotta love them
He doesn't the people who say I don't believe that
They're just scared
Little sissies little pansies little pussyfooters is what they are
That's what they are. They're scared. By the way, that's not a bad word pussyfooter just means that they're sissies. Okay
You
know, they're just scared of
What might happen unto them if they actually take a stand for God is what it is
And unfortunately what they do is they instill fear in the hearts of the people as well
Because the fact of the matter is is most of most of those congregations, you know, they know it's disgusting
They know it's anti Bible
But you know what they see man. My leader looks afraid
And if my leaders afraid
I'm afraid now
Because if the spiritual leader is scared, he's the one who's supposed to be reading the Bible. He's supposed to be the man of God
Then that instills fear in them as well
But I like this priest don't be afraid fear not don't tremble. It's trouble. You're just shaking
You know when we have to throw people out of the church the two fags no one was trembling on that Sunday
I'll tell you that much. In fact, if they were trembling it was because of adrenaline
I came like literally at 930 and like all the guys were outside ready to fight
I mean ready to defend and ready to handle business with a smile on their face a cup of coffee in one hand
And a taser gun in the other. No, I'm just kidding
It was exciting for them
But that's the kind of atmosphere we have at our church not a fearful
Now it's gonna happen what so what do we do it's just shaking no, it's more like
You know, yeah, let's go
Now obviously we don't want to have a fighting spirit a physically fighting spirit
And sometimes we have to tone that down a little bit
But I rather have someone who is not afraid than someone who is and doesn't even show up to church because they're too scared
You know, they hear we're gonna throw someone out. I was just like I'm not going on that date
I'm skipping that day right there. I'm gonna get sick on that day
I'm gonna get sick. I'm gonna have the flu. My hair is gonna hurt, you know all that other stuff fear
Not do not tremble neither be ye afraid because of them for the Lord your God is he go verse 4 that goeth with you
To fight for you against your enemies to save you and the officers shall speak unto the people saying
What man is there that hath built a new house and that's not dedicated it
Let him go and return to his house lest he die in the battle another man dedicated. That's pretty nice of them
Right. He's like look if you have a house, but you haven't dedicated you should go back
You shouldn't be fighting for six and what man is he that hath planted a vineyard and it's not yet eaten of it
Let him also go and return into his house lest he die in the battle and another man eat of it
I mean God is gracious
So we put all all that work into doing that vineyard and then you know
Your your brother's gonna end up marrying your wife and then eating of your vineyard
No, you go home and eat of your vineyard because you worked hard for that. That's a blessing
Amen verse 7 and what man is there that betrothed a wife and that's not taking her
Let him go and return into his house lest he die in battle and another man take her because that's exactly what's gonna happen
He's like look if you just got engaged
Don't go fight. I know you're you're zealous for the Lord. You need to go and be with your wife
That's that's for you verse 8 and the officers shall speak further unto the people and they shall save
What man is there that is fearful and faint-hearted?
Let him go and return into his house. Why lest his brethren's heart faint as well as his heart
So the main reason why he would tell them hey if you're fearful go home
Was because he didn't want God did not want them to influence the other people in that battle
Because he knows the propensity of people who are fearful is to influence others to become fearful as well. Hey
Fear is contagious
It's contagious
Cuz then you know people who are fearful they exaggerate everything don't they?
You know, the boogeyman becomes a lot bigger Chupacabra. I mean when Chupacabra first came out
He was just a little Mexican hairless Chihuahua and then after a while these shirts were coming out
I don't know when I'm talking about Chupacabra. Okay, it's just
Mexicans have all kinds of
cool stories
La Llorona, you know
Chupacabra means goat sucker. That's what it means
It was this monster
That was like killing all these cows and goats and sucking out their blood and it went from like being this little mole rat
Hairless mole rat to being this gigantic monster. I remember literally as a kid buying a shirt at the swap meet
Because that's where that's where all hispanics go to get their clothing and socks
And you know I gained a shirt and like the Chupacabra was this huge monster was like all buff had like a pack and stuff
and
Literally people made them out to be why because people who are afraid exaggerate everything, you know, I
Saw this funny mean
A little bit of or someone sent it to me and it's like it said
my pile of clothes on the chair
during the daytime
You know, I just sort of showed a normal pile of clothes and he said my pile of clothes at 3 a.m
In the morning, it was like some demons in there, you know, cuz like when you wake up in the words like man
Is that a person or is that my pile of clothes over there, you know?
but why because
Fearful people tell him I'll call him back
Fearful people
exaggerate everything don't they and
What it what causes that their heart causes that okay their heart causes them to exaggerate to imagine things that are not really there
And God knows the propensity of a heart of a person that if they're fearful
They're gonna try to instill fear in other people as well. So maybe there's a guy who's just like gun hoe
He's like let's fight God's gonna deliver them into our hands and you bring this other guy. I don't know man. They're without number
I'm all in this but I'm a little scared
Why this is like because there's there's a bunch of there's more than them than us we can die
And then the guy starts questioning him himself, you know, like man should I do this?
You know
so that's the reason why those who are fearful and faint-hearted were to go because they didn't want their brethren's heart to faint as
their heart
Now go back to judges if you wouldn't
So he's reinstating that law again
He's saying look anytime you go to battle anytime you go to war
Make sure you give a big open back door to those who are fearful and faint-hearted and it's not like they're ungodly people
They're not bad people if they're if they're just afraid they just can go home because God is not necessarily thinking about them
He's thinking about those who are bold
Who can be potentially affected by them?
Okay, because look fear is contagious, but so is boldness
And if you get 300 guys who are all bold that's all you need
Because you all feed off of each other. You're all confident in the Lord and if there's a slight fear in your heart
It's boosted by the boldness of other people within that 300 is it not?
You know, I guarantee you maybe there was someone who was fearful when that whole debacle took place a couple weeks ago
But you know what as soon as they got around the guys, they're they're good to go
They were like, I'm not afraid anymore. These guys aren't scared. I'm not scared and then boldness
Was instilled, you know, and that's how it ought to be. That's not bad. That's not you know, sissy of them
That's how it would needs to work
Where boldness is instilled by our brethren when we provoke others to good works a good work is to be bold in the Lord
okay, and we need to in the Lord's battle a men and
This war that we're in we need to be bold so let's they bond themselves as they brag
He wanted to reinstate the law again remove those who are afraid lest they should tempt others to be fearful as well
Look what it says in verse number four in the Lord said unto Gideon the people are yet too many. Oh, man
So put yourself in Gideon's shoes. He's like man 22,000 just walked away. I mean you got to really think about those numbers
He's just like bye guys like
That's a lot
We're only left with with you know
10,000 or whatever, you know
and
God comes back to him and says that's still too much
Are you?
Oh, you mean too much that laughing goes? No too much that stayed
That's still a little too much. He's like what see now you're starting to realize why he was a man of faith
Because you know what he did everything that God told him to do
It's like well, I prefer 32,000 now we have 10,000. He's still saying that's too much. Okay, I'm just gonna trust God
without having Hebrews 11
Without having judges chapter 7 yet, right without having any of the Bible other than you know, the law
Genesis through Deuteronomy
He's stepping out in faith and obeying God
It says now therefore go to proclaim or excuse me verse 4 and the Lord said unto Gideon the people are yet too many
Bring them down into the water and I will try them for thee there and it shall be that of whom I say unto thee
This shall not go with thee the same shall go with thee and of whomsoever I shall say unto thee
This shall not go with thee the same shall not go
So this is a little different purging we see here because the first purge was basically God coming and telling him
Hey reinstate the law once again, if they're afraid go home gives them the option this time
He's not telling them that he's gonna dwindle the numbers even more
this time God says
Bring them down to the water and I'm gonna try them there
So this is more of an individual testing for the people who are already there
Okay, and what is the test? Let's read on so he brought verse 5
So he brought down the people into the water and the Lord said unto Gideon
Everyone that lappeth of the water with his tongue as a dog lappeth him shall thou sit by himself
Likewise everyone that boweth down upon his knees to drink verse 6 and the number of them that lapped
Putting their hand to their mouth were 300 men
So this was a little bit keep reading here, but all the rest of the people bowed down upon their knees to drink water
so what was the test he goes right let him go down to the river and
Naturally, they're gonna want to get water because they're thirsty and that's my test for them
So those who actually get down and you know, they basically grab the water and they drink what are they doing? They're not
Drinking it like a dog drinks it where they just you know drink out of the river because at that point they can't see anything
Right, whereas the others are scooping it up and they're bringing it to their mouths
Now I'm sure they're both thirsty and the guys who are on their knees just shoving their head in the water and drinking
They're thirsty. The other guys are thirsty too. The difference is these guys they're vigilant
We can actually say that they're actually selfless or yeah selfless
Why is that because they're doing it in that manner because obviously they need to drink water
They need to hydrate themselves, but they're also thinking of their camp
Like man, everyone's drinking water. They're good guys drinking like a dog, you know
They're just kind of sipping up the water and they're not they're not paying attention
I'm gonna watch out for these guys
because if we all do it like that the enemy can come and we can get overtaken get destroyed and
That's how God tried them
That's a cool test
Because it was a natural test to see what people are naturally inclined to do in a situation like that
Even though there is no enemy even though there were not an enemy's camp these people in spite of the circumstance
Behaved the same exact way that they were gonna behave when they're actually fighting
They were vigilant. They were aware. They were selfless. They were thinking of their soldiers their partners
That's what they were doing and God said all right, and by the way, only 300 did that
9700 all drink like a dog
300 were the ones who are actually looking out for those nine thousand seven hundred people. They're very small amount. Okay, and
That's a good quality to have
Vigilance to watch right or how about this just to be selfless?
To make a decision based upon not just how it benefits you but how will it benefit those around you and
That takes a special quality right to not only think upon yourself, but think upon what the decisions you make
How will that affect my church?
How will that affect the brothers and sisters in Christ?
You're drinking up the water, but you are you're also looking you're drinking up the water and you're doing it in such a way
You're making that decision. You're you're you're fulfilling your need
But you're also doing in such a way that you're taking others into account
You know when you hear a sermon preach you not only apply to yourself you think about how you can help your brethren to
Apply it as well
Right or you apply the sermon, but you apply it in such a way that you want to be a blessing to someone else
So it's not like you're just benefiting from it
What can I do to be a blessing to someone else and this is a quality that's important for Christians to have amen
Because our life is meant to be lived for others
Not just lost people
The brethren as well
Brothers and sisters in Christ. We always need to take them into account
be considerate of one another when we make our decisions and
Often that takes just spiritual growth
Okay, because you know just as a baby is selfish and just wants everything for me myself and I and all that
You know Christians can be that way, too
Where they just when they first start off it's just they need to just kind of survive
They're coming to church because they want to learn the Bible, you know
They want to learn the doctrine they want to learn how to sew in it and that's good
But we got to get to a point in our Christian lives where we grow beyond that and now it's not about me
It's about others. It's about investing in others
It's about the decisions I make and how will they will hide how they will affect my children my wife my husband
You know my family. How is it gonna affect others lap?
But bring your hand up to your face to your mouth
Yeah, fulfill your need when you're pretty when you're hearing the preaching when you come to church, enjoy it
Enjoy the singing listen to the preaching apply it grab that water and bring it to your mouth. Make sure you're watching as well
right and
Another way we can apply that is just that to be vigilant right when we come to church we come to have a good time
man
We don't come with the intention of I think I'm gonna throw someone out today
Unless I already know beforehand or whatever, you know or like man. I really hope I get to throw someone out today
I really hope I find some reprobates there
No, I come to church with the intention of just seeing the brothers maybe a couple visitors
We have a good time hearing the preaching of God's Word getting our faces ripped off
Seeing some good hymns
Talking about doctrine
You know fellowshipping
But you know what we take that water and bring it to our mouths and we keep looking we don't just come
Just like run just don't pay attention to anything
And you come on your face is just drenched, you know, hey drink up the water
But bring it up to yourself
Always be aware. Hey when you come if you have children be aware of your for your children's sake, right?
You're here you're talking to the parents your
Fellowshipping but you don't want what I do and luckily I have my wife to help me as well
I'm fellowshipping but my my eye is like looking at Bruce see where he's running making sure that I keep an eye on him
Okay
You know, oh, this is faithful. We're about the church. Yeah, but you just never know, right?
We don't know
And now I mean in my opinion this is like the safest place in the world
Other than my home
Right. This is the safest place in the world
But you know what just because it's a church doesn't mean I'm just gonna trust my son going into some room
Some dark room if I know there's an adult there or something
Even if I even if there isn't an adult there, you know, I'm still I'm gonna tell him Bruce get out here
So as I'm ripping on John MacArthur in our conversation, you'll hear me just veer off and just yell my son's name every once in a while
Why because I'm drinking the water of fellowship, but I'm bringing it up to my mouth and then watching
Oh, that's too much work. That's what we got to do. This is the day and age in which we live
This is the day and age in which we live we can't be careless
and just though, you know
I know I know parents and other churches who just let their kids run into the parking lot and
Just hang out with every Tom Dick and Harry under the Sun
Let every adult grab them and take them and take them fuck forget that
They're drinking like these guys that the nine thousand seven hundred
What's in church what can happen in church churches were infiltrators like to come into
To take advantage of people and I don't think we have an infiltrator here right now
Okay, but you know, I'm still not gonna allow my son because it just takes one it takes five seconds
To destroy the life of your child
It's all it takes to ruin their life for the for the rest of their life to just completely destroy them
It's all it takes
You know, so
We need to make sure that we're like the 300 who actually bring the water up to ourselves and not be careless
You know and this is just how we should live life in general not on edge obviously, right not going around suspecting people
Obviously right not going around suspecting people just
vigilant
just aware not
Careless making sure that we're always watching even when we're having fun, right?
Hey, I'm thankful that there were some vigilant people at the park on that 4th of July. Hey, man
Well, all of us are drinking from the water
There's other guys who are just like man
I don't know about these guys and it raised the question and then that's how that whole debacle end up coming to come into play
But that's how we always have to be. Okay. Hey when you're out soul winning preaching the gospel
We're focused on what Sony?
But you need to be aware, too
You need to pay attention
Hey ladies, ladies, you need to pay attention where you're out there
Because sometimes ladies can be naive just be honest
Naive and sometimes they don't pay attention
Hey when you ladies when you knock on a door and a guy answers and you're giving them the gospel and he invites you in
Don't go in
Never go in. Oh, but you look so nice and you know, it's just I don't care what he looks like
You know, that's what they call wolves in sheep's clothing
Don't just go in, you know, I got pepper spray
Yeah, but here's the thing you may have pepper spray. But as soon as that door is closed and locked
You can have as much pepper spray as you want
You don't know how many people are in there. Hey when you drink the water of soul winning bring your hand up to your mouth
You know watch out for dogs. I
Know that's practical but that's true. Isn't it? Not when you go up to when you go past
sorry for the Corridos and the banda and
Some of you just completely ignored everything I'm saying. They're just going it's just taking you back. Is it not?
And
I'm having a hard time bringing the water up to my mouth right now because I keep it's distracting me
So when you go out, you know, you gotta be aware of the dogs, don't you not do you not?
don't just walk in the gate and
Just like go up to the door. Don't even look around you
Well, God will protect me. Yeah, but you gotta show something. You gotta have wisdom
Well, I'm willing to die whenever okay, then go get eaten by a pit bull if that's what you want then
I'd rather have a more honorable death than that
Well, I'm willing to give it all for Jesus me too. That's why I want to keep knocking doors
So I want I like to stay alive to do that
Okay, that's how you do more for God is by staying alive
Now if someone come and takes your life, that's different obviously
But I'm talking about, you know, just practical things where you don't you don't have to be reckless
When you go to a gate you shake it
Well, not me brother. I don't care. All right, then I'm going so any with you and I'm sending you in first
And once that pit bull runs out
I'm grabbing you by the shirt and just using you as my shield and I'm gonna tell you remember how you say you didn't care
right
Wiggle the gate knock on it
Do one of those I'm serious and then you walk in and even when you walk in
Look around if there's cars look under the cars
I'm serious. This works
Look under the cars and look when I go out with my sowing partner if the house is a little deep
You know what? I mean by there's like it's really in there
Let's say if I go out with Marcos
We go there and it's his turn to go knock. I stand afar off
And I'm keeping an eye out because if there's a dog I'm out. I'm leaving him
See you sucka, and I'll just play
You know sacrifice yourself for me
I
I'm serious. I stay back a little bit if there's a driveway. He can't see the driveway
I purposely stand afar off to see if there's a dog or something and it's also a good opportunity to scare your soul winner
You know Katie like oh, there's a document there just I got you, you know
But I'm just being aware. You're just taking up the water and you're bringing up, you know, be aware of what's going on
Look and that's why I'm not spending a lot of time on this, but this is good
That's why we have look ladies don't just go
tonight
Don't just leave and go get in your car by yourself
The rule is take two guys with you
pick two any two
Okay, because unfortunately there's a lot of stinking disgusting pedophiles
You know, I've been seeing on the news coming through Omani. They're not from I don't believe they're from Omani
They come from other cities coming to Omani and I've been seeing a lot of that on the news
But you know what? Thank God for the city of Omani. I see some some hoods on that Instagram page
It's like Omani hates pedophiles and they're always posting stuff like hey ladies. You got to be careful. You got to be careful
You know, there's some sick perverts out here
Okay, they're always trying to get girls to come into their car or whatever, you know
So you said what do I do? Well number one get you some guys to go with you
But even if you're in broad daylight pay attention
Get
That cup get that water and bring it to your mouth
I know there's this your euphoria that you have when you leave church is like man church is so great and all this but you
Got to pay attention
We have to make sure that we're paying attention
Being vigilant we're watching
Spent a lot of time with that
But I think it was necessary
look at verse 7 and the Lord said unto Gideon by the
300 men that lapped will I save you and deliver the Midianites into thine hand
And let all the other people go every man unto his place
So that the people took vittles in their hand and their trumpets and he sent all the rest of Israel every man unto his
tents and retained those 300 men and the host of Midian was beneath him in the valley and
It came to pass the same night that the Lord sentence or sentence him arise
Get thee down unto the host for I've delivered it into thine hand
But if thou fear to go down go thou with furor thy servant down to the holes now I find that interesting
Because of the fact that earlier in the chapter he said if you're afraid go home
But here we see that God knows that Gideon is afraid
This shows me one thing right here. It shows me that those who
You know, it could be that even these 300 were also afraid but there's a big difference between those who are afraid and those who?
Afraid but they still step out in faith in spite of being afraid
Because Gideon took furor with them which shows us that he's afraid and look that's a scary thing to do
He's like you go down to the camp of the Midianites and I just want you to listen to them
It's like there's like they're without number. I'm the leader if I go down there and they catch me
Who knows what they're gonna do right and God basically tells them? Well, if you're afraid you go with furor
And go down there and just do as I tell you that takes a lot of faith obviously
But it shows that he was still fearful. So it's not bad necessarily to be fearful
What's bad is that you keep that fear from obeying God?
You allow that fear to keep you from obeying God
Because we all get afraid every once in a while
But you got to make sure that in spite of fear you do that
Which is right in the side of the Lord no matter what and if you still struggle with that
You get furor you get the brothers in the church you get around some bold brethren. They'll help you become bold
look what it says in verse 11 and now shall hear what they say and
Afterwards shall thine hands be strengthened to go down into the host
then when he down with Europe his servant unto the outside of the armed men that were in the host and the Midianites and the
Amalekites and all the children of the East lay along in the valley like grasshoppers for multitude and their and their camels
Were without number as the sand by the seaside for multitude. Okay, so that's a lot of people and
When Gideon was come behold, there was a man that told a dream unto his fellow
So there's a reason why God is sending Gideon down into the camp
If you notice there's like a pattern with Gideon. He always needs like a sign doesn't he? You remember the previous chapter?
he needed a sign the fleece and
The the the broth that was you know, the flesh that was consumed in the fire by the angel of the Lord
You had the miracles of the fleece, etc
But here we see that God is telling like go down and what's the miracle that he's gonna see?
One of the soldiers talking about a dream of Gideon overcoming them basically
And he says there in verse 13 when Gideon was come behold
There was a man that told a dream unto his fellow and said behold I dreamed a dream and lo a cake of barley bread
tumbled into the host of Midian and came into the tent and smote it and it fell and
overturned it that the tent lay along and his fellow servant
Excuse me fellow answered and said this is nothing else save the sword of Gideon the son of Joash a man of Israel
For into his hand hath God delivered Midian and all the hosts. This is a pretty cool miracle
Who's oh, I don't see anything special about that. What's so many? What's so miraculous about that? He just got finished saying
That the host of many were as grasshoppers that were without number
That means there's a grip of them and they just so happen to stumble upon the one guy who's actually talking about him
That's a miracle
Tens of thousands of soldiers he stumbles upon a conversation about him
It's like for example, let's say you go to the LAX to go catch a flight
You just so happen to be happy
You stand behind a line of someone who knows who you're on. They're like, they're like gossiping about you. What are the chances of that?
right
it's a miracle and the reason why is because of the fact that he's
Instilling more boldness into the heart of Gideon by having him hear that it's like dang these guys are actually scared
Because if they're saying this there has to be probably more that are saying this as well
You know verse 15
and it was so when Gideon heard the telling of the dream and the interpretation thereof that he worshipped and returned into the host of
Israel and said arise for the Lord had delivered it into your hand the host of Midian and he divided 300 men into three
Companies, he put a trumpet in every man's hand with empty pitchers and lamps within the pitchers and he said unto them look on me
And do likewise. So what is he doing here? He's exercising leadership
He's saying look God is delivered into our hands. This is what you do. You do what I tell you to do
You do as I do
Look on me and do likewise and behold when I come to the outside of the camp
It shall be as I do so shall ye do when I blow with the trumpet
I and all that are with me then blow ye the trumpets also on every side of all the camp and say the sword of
the Lord and of
Gideon
so Gideon and the hundred men that were with them came unto the outside of the camp at the beginning of the middle watch and
They had but newly set the watch and they blew the trumpets and break the pitchers that were in their hands now
I believe there's a dual meaning to verse 18 of the sword of the Lord and of Gideon because of the fact it's
Exemplifying that it's not only God who's gonna deliver them
But God requires a man to lead them and that's where the principle of having one man as a leader comes into play, right?
but another reason why I believe he's saying this is because I'm guessing
Because verse 14 of that conversation of Gideon. He's probably thinking other people are saying this so he's saying look
Let's feed into that the sword of the Lord and of Gideon
So those people who heard that rumor in verse 14, they're like, oh man, it's actually happening
The dream was right. Here's the fulfillment of that dream because it's not just the sword of the Lord. It's of Gideon
That's the guy that other dude was dreaming about
Sounds kind of weird verse 19. So Gideon
Where we at actually?
verse 20 and the three companies blew the trumpets and break the pitchers and held the lamps in their left hands and the
Trumpets in their right hands and to blow withal and they cry the sword of the Lord and of Gideon and they stood every man
And his place round about the camp and all the hosts ran and cried and fled and you see at the remainder of the chapter
Basically, what's happening is they break these lamps with those buckets and they blow the trumpets and they make themselves bigger than they really are
That's what they do
So they use a lot of wisdom this tactic that made them basically seem like a far greater army than what they really were
Now even though he exercised wisdom, even though he used these strategic battle schemes in order to win
We obviously understand that was Gideon
But you know what?
It's also the sword of the Lord because this could have not been done unless God had raised up Gideon for such a time as this
And it took so it took a lot of faith
We're gonna finish right there because I'm over time. So what's the story with Gideon right here?
We see a great exploit being done
We see is we see his ordination so to speak in the chapter prior where God comes and he calls him and he kind of
Proves himself by throwing down that image of Baal and by seeing the miracles but chapter 7 is where the battle takes place
He went from 32,000 men to 300 men. He exercised faith and there were victorious and all 300 lived
Not like the Spartan faggoty 300 men who died are in hell today. Okay, the wall of Gideon's men eventually died
Yeah, but they're alive forevermore
Man and thank God for that. Let's pray and we'll be dismissed father
We thank you for the story of Gideon the real 300 not as though the wicked pagan
reprobate Spartans
but true men that
Believed in you and they trusted you and had a leader to lead them in this great exploit against the media nights
And these men who were vigilant may they may have been fearful, but they didn't act upon their fear
In fact, they they acted in spite of it
They weren't fearful to draw back
But rather to go forward and I pray that you'd help us as your people as a church to exemplify these 300 men
May we be counted as the 300?
Gideon's 300 the Lord's 300 Jesus Christ is 300
Here in LA that we would not be fearful
That we would have boldness that we would be vigilant and just trust in you
And I pray God that you'd continue to help us to do great works for the end in Jesus name we pray. Amen