Faithful People - 1

Faithful People - 1

Subject - Faithfulness and Obedience Brings Blessings

by Rick Welborne

Judges 6:1‑6-16 (NKJV) 

1 Then the children of Israel did evil in the sight of the LORD. So the LORD delivered them into the hand of Midian for seven years, 

–The children of Israel had to hid from the Midianites in dens, caves, and strongholds which were in the mountains. They would come and destroy whatever crop they had and take their animals.

–The enemy would come to destroy the land...the economy...sound familiar?

6 So Israel was greatly impoverished because of the Midianites, and the children of Israel cried out to the LORD. 

7 And it came to pass, when the children of Israel cried out to the LORD because of the Midianites, 

8 that the LORD sent a prophet to the children of Israel, who said to them, "Thus says the LORD God of Israel: 'I brought you up from Egypt and brought you out of the house of bondage; 

9 and I delivered you out of the hand of the Egyptians and out of the hand of all who oppressed you, and drove them out before you and gave you their land. 

10 Also I said to you, "I am the LORD your God; do not fear the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you dwell." But you have not obeyed My voice.' " 

11 Now the Angel of the LORD came and sat under the terebinth tree which was in Ophrah, which belonged to Joash the Abiezrite, while his son Gideon threshed wheat in the winepress, in order to hide it from the Midianites. 

12 And the Angel of the LORD appeared to him, and said to him, "The LORD is with you, you mighty man of valor!" 

13 Gideon said to Him, "O my lord, if the LORD is with us, why then has all this happened to us? And where are all His miracles which our fathers told us about, 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 Midianites." 

14 Then the LORD turned to him and said, "Go in this might of yours, and you shall save Israel from the hand of the Midianites. Have I not sent you?" 

15 So he said to Him, "O my Lord, how can I save Israel? Indeed my clan is the weakest in Manasseh, and I am the least in my father's house." 

16 And the LORD said to him, "Surely I will be with you, and you shall defeat the Midianites as one man." 

–V 13 - Gideon...If the Lord is with us, why - Listen to this question and see if you can relate on any level. This can give us insight of why as a nation or as individuals we are going thru so much junk.

–Many of us, I am sure, have wondered where God’s miracles are. We hear of miracles in third world countries and where persecution is prevalent but why not us? 

1. Maybe it is time for us to have an honest discussion with God like Gideon did. 

--Have any of you ever had an honest discussion with God and said, “Why has all this happened to us…to me?”

–Maybe we should be compelled to ask the questions to each other - What is going on...with unanswered prayer? With what appears to be judgment and maybe even wrath?

–Why is it that we are not seeing God manifest His mighty power among us? One thing is for sure, “If we are keeping score...we are definitely losing!” We pray for so many and seeing so little results.

–Why is it we see and hear in third world countries of healings and miracles? Someone suggested that maybe we have learned to depend on everything except God in America.

–Maybe we do not trust God to heal us because we can depend on doctors and medicine and technology.

–Maybe we have learned to trust the government, our parents, or others to meet our needs. Some go from church to church taking advantage of good hearted people who love to give. Sad!

–Why are our children rebelling...why are my finances in such disarray...why is our country in such a mess?

2. Maybe it is time for us to boldly come before God’s throne and ask Him some difficult questions. 

--Have any of you ever asked God, “Where are all Your miracles that we have heard about?”

–How many of you would love to see God once again do signs and wonders in the middle of His people again.

Have we become so carnal that we cannot hear from God or receive from His hand?

–How many of you are sick of being tired and tired of being sick...are we being attacked by the enemy or have we made ourselves vulnerable to him because of our lifestyles?

Judges 6:1 (NKJV) 

1 Then the children of Israel did evil in the sight of the LORD. So the LORD delivered them into the hand of Midian for seven years, 

–Could it be that America has done evil in the sight of the Lord and now our enemy seems to be thriving… Rogue nations so close to getting nuclear weapons...our own nation moving further and further away from God.

–God, why are we in such a mess and where are your miracles? We are weary of being ran over by the enemy of our souls.  Where are you, God?

Judges 6:6-10 (NKJV) 

6 So Israel was greatly impoverished because of the Midianites, and the children of Israel cried out to the LORD. 

7 And it came to pass, when the children of Israel cried out to the LORD because of the Midianites, 

8 that the LORD sent a prophet to the children of Israel, who said to them, "Thus says the LORD God of Israel: 'I brought you up from Egypt and brought you out of the house of bondage; 

9 and I delivered you out of the hand of the Egyptians and out of the hand of all who oppressed you, and drove them out before you and gave you their land. 

10 Also I said to you, "I am the LORD your God; do not fear the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you dwell." But you have not obeyed My voice.' " 

3. Maybe it is time for us to be faithful followers of Christ. 

–Do you suppose God was saying to Israel...you have not been faithful to me and that is obvious by your lack of obedience.

–We are and will be challenging you to be faithful in your life and in your giving to God.  I think God was doing the same in Malachi:

Malachi 1:6‑10, 14 (NLT) 

6 The LORD of Heaven’s Armies says to the priests: “A son honors his father, and a servant respects his master. If I am your father and master, where are the honor and respect I deserve? You have shown contempt for my name! “But you ask, ‘How have we ever shown contempt for your name?’ 

7 “You have shown contempt by offering defiled sacrifices on my altar. “Then you ask, ‘How have we defiled the sacrifices?’ “You defile them by saying the altar of the LORD deserves no respect. 

8 When you give blind animals as sacrifices, isn’t that wrong? And isn’t it wrong to offer animals that are crippled and diseased? Try giving gifts like that to your governor, and see how pleased he is!” says the LORD of Heaven’s Armies. 

9 “Go ahead, beg God to be merciful to you! But when you bring that kind of offering, why should he show you any favor at all?” asks the LORD of Heaven’s Armies. 

10 “How I wish one of you would shut the Temple doors so that these worthless sacrifices could not be offered! I am not pleased with you,” says the LORD of Heaven’s Armies, “and I will not accept your offerings. 

14 “Cursed is the cheat who promises to give a fine ram from his flock but then sacrifices a defective one to the Lord. For I am a great king,” says the LORD of Heaven’s Armies, “and my name is feared among the nations! 

–God was saying (is saying) you are not showing honor to My Name...How?  When you bring your offering (your sacrifice) you don’t give Him your best...you are doing the opposite.

9 “Go ahead, beg God to be merciful to you! But when you bring that kind of offering, why should he show you any favor at all?” asks the LORD of Heaven’s Armies.  Wow!

–God is saying, “You are not being faithful to me...why should I be faithful to you?”

10 “How I wish one of you would shut the Temple doors so that these worthless sacrifices could not be offered! I am not pleased with you,” says the LORD of Heaven’s Armies, “and I will not accept your offerings. 

–Someone has done a study about giving...members (leaders) who are not being faithful to God...not only not your best...not at all...God says shut the doors. Why would God bless us?

–Pastor, times are tough...since when has how tough the times are determined whether we are obedient and faithful to God or not.

–Since some are already ticked...let me continue: God is looking for faithful people...obedience in our marriages. The church looks so much like the world. 

Malachi 2:13‑16 (NLT) 

13 Here is another thing you do. You cover the LORD’s altar with tears, weeping and groaning because he pays no attention to your offerings and doesn’t accept them with pleasure. 

14 You cry out, “Why doesn’t the LORD accept my worship?” I’ll tell you why! Because the LORD witnessed the vows you and your wife made when you were young. But you have been unfaithful to her, though she remained your faithful partner, the wife of your marriage vows.  

15 Didn’t the LORD make you one with your wife? In body and spirit you are his. And what does he want? Godly children from your union. So guard your heart; remain loyal to the wife of your youth. 

16 “For I hate divorce!” says the LORD, the God of Israel. “To divorce your wife is to overwhelm her with cruelty,” says the LORD of Heaven’s Armies. “So guard your heart; do not be unfaithful to your wife.” 

–Since I am already out there...let me continue!

Malachi 3:6‑10 (NIV) 

6 "I the LORD do not change. So you, O descendants of Jacob, are not destroyed. 

7 Ever since the time of your forefathers you have turned away from my decrees and have not kept them. Return to me, and I will return to you," says the LORD Almighty. "But you ask, 'How are we to return?' 

8 "Will a man rob God? Yet you rob me. "But you ask, 'How do we rob you?' "In tithes and offerings. 

9 You are under a curse‑‑the whole nation of you‑‑because you are robbing me. 

10 Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. Test me in this," says the LORD Almighty, "and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that you will not have room enough for it. 

--Listen to how God says He will respond when we decide to be faithful to God:

Malachi 3:16‑18 (NIV) 

16 Then those who feared the LORD talked with each other, and the LORD listened and heard. A scroll of remembrance was written in his presence concerning those who feared the LORD and honored his name. 

17 "They will be mine," says the LORD Almighty, "in the day when I make up my treasured possession. I will spare them, just as in compassion a man spares his son who serves him. 

18 And you will again see the distinction between the righteous and the wicked, between those who serve God and those who do not. 

--God was wanting to use Gideon and He is wanting to use us. He wants us to be faithful and, when we are, the victory is waiting for us. Listen to His promises of faithfulness. 

Judges 6:14-16 (NKJV) 

14 Then the LORD turned to him and said, "Go in this might of yours, and you shall save Israel from the hand of the Midianites. Have I not sent you?" 

15 So he said to Him, "O my Lord, how can I save Israel? Indeed my clan is the weakest in Manasseh, and I am the least in my father's house." 

16 And the LORD said to him, "Surely I will be with you, and you shall defeat the Midianites as one man." 

–Listen to Jesus’ response to faithfulness and obedience and how it gets His attention:

John 14:15,21,23 (NKJV) 

15 "If you love Me, keep My commandments. 

21 He who has My commandments and keeps them, it is he who loves Me. And he who loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I will love him and manifest Myself to him." 

23 Jesus answered and said to him, "If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our home with him. 

--If we love Him we will do what He says…I guess the opposite would be true…if we do not love Him, we will not keep His commandments.

--If we love Him we will be loved by His Father, and of course, by Him. Listen to this promise…I will manifest myself to Him. What a promise!

--This last “if” was just copy and paste: If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our home with him.