Battlefield faith (Part C)

It was one or two of them with were praising the Lord without drawing all the attention to what God is doing for me. Warm up him. Me me me me me. I love praising the Lord.

I love singing about his glory more than anything else and that's why that line. Then I shall bow in humble adoration, and there proclaim, my God, how great you are. This is cross reference radio with our pastor and teacher Rick Gaston. Rick is the pastor of Calvary Chapel Mechanicsville. Pastor Rick is currently teaching through the book of Hebrews. Please stay with us after today's message to hear more information about cross reference radio, specifically how you can get a free copy of this teaching that, here's Pastor Rick with the conclusion of his message called battlefield faith in Hebrews chapter 11 there is no one in heaven nor the will there ever amongst humans who is good enough to be there just to grace God gives us this may upset your personal pride. It's supposed to. God has much to say against personal pride, self steaming, popping yourself up you don't come to recognize your sinner before a holy God. You want to keep on comparing yourself with someone else on earth and gorditas comparing yourself to another sinner comparison will be made to Christ was sinless so that line. I'm not good enough to be saved okay. We all can say that, but that's when you leave it than you are doing like those in Jericho. The other one is all I don't know the Bible very well. You will have to know the Bible very well. You have to know enough of the truth of the gospel of Jesus Christ and it is very simple, so simple that even a child can receive it in Jesus stressed that point of such is the kingdom of heaven. And then the third point is that faith rebuffs this position. Faith does not require action, yet does is not just a theory that you side with a philosophy that you endorse.

It is a life to be lived out by faith. She not only believed she acted on, and so she put the scarlet cord on her window. According to the covenant, and she and her household was submitted to this were spared and the writer of Hebrews is telling his audience that you have a responsibility that you are covenant people.

And if you turn back from it you will suffer the consequence as Rahab would have suffered had she not acted on her faith. So wasn't enough to save your God is the God of heaven and earth.

She had to act on it now verse 32 we come to more exciting characters. We only have two hours to go so I'll try to get it all in verse 32 and what more shall I say all the time would fail me to tell of Gideon Barrick Samson Jeff. Also David and Samuel and the prophets he starts off and what more some time time would fail me.

So even though is scriptural for pastors to not have enough time to say everything they want to say it's biblical right. There he refers to four judges.judges want nobles and robes sitting in courts they rule their section of territory in the land. They were deliverers from the people of that part of the world that would come against the Jews, the people from the East Amorites, the Phyllis whoever they were, God would raise up these individuals to oversee the victories and to also rule the people he'll give us the four judges, a king that would be David. Of course, and the prophets and there you have quite a an interesting group, but the judges unlike the later prophets with the exception of strange Samson.

They all got to see their victories. The prophets did not. Jeremiah 4 Jeremiah them is what a man of God. He was, but the last we know of him. He was taken to Egypt against his will, and so much stuff. He saw that was just a failure. In contrast to the judges they were. They saw their victories that are significant and so is going to now talk first about Gideon, the frightened farmer is afraid someone is going to come and take his grain and so he's threshing wheat in the winepress, knowing what I want for me. Here they would come in hordes like locusts, the people from the East Amorites, the Midianites, they would just come in hordes like locusts and just consume everything you think would stop they would leave the people of God's starving so God would raise up judges. Another reason things got that way because the people I do not have faith that they turn to idols. He started worshiping mingling with the people.

So the Jews. They were taken out by the sword in the promised land.

It was the fake gods that was taking them out. We see this in Christianity we see Christians tinkering with things that are forbidden in Scripture and then becoming quite obnoxious and defensive about it leaven cannot be defended. Anyway, this frightened farmer would rise from his hiding place and deliver and judge the people of God. God discovered Gideon not men. There was no one except my got a good idea. We need to find somebody threshing wheat in the winepress, and he'll deliver us man could not come to that conclusion. So God is the only one that sees this man doing this and then approaches him and goes through all of the things that Gideon required to trust. I'm not so ready to say Gideon was full of doubt, because within his apparent doubt. There was the determination to be sure if I'm the launch out in this distance To be God.

I can't make any mistakes about this because the enemy will kill me. My family and wipe us out. He was determined to get it get it right. God makes habit of finding people like this, those who we would all pass by and miss.

He makes habit of plucking them out of the crowd and putting them into such a position and so before Gideon is sent as an instrument of God against the enemies of God's people. He is first sent to the enemies of thought amongst his people.

Gideon go to your father's house he's entitled, I need you to destroy it, and I need you to use his choice ball to do it. Lisa second choice ball and Gideon doesn't and it begins a revival in the land was sent to march against that which was fake about God before he could march against that which was coming against God's people. He faced war he went to war and he survived. And then there's Barrick. He is the underachieving general he should have had more glory. This one is going to be very appealing to all of us is very victorious on the battlefield, but he was cheated by on necessary doubt I'm there are doubts that is just big and hard to get around.

But then there are those doubts that you know we need to dismiss that one.

Sometimes we don't.

The encouragement this man is that while he did have doubt and he did fall short of a higher glory. He accomplished much is victorious very victorious saved the people of his day, in spite of the low altitude at that moment on that day he still did much for the Lord for his people because he had faith still.

So in other words what I'm saying is you may be called to do something and you do not hear Moses this way God wanted Moses to go without Aaron and Moses you know fussed and hemmed and hard about the whole thing. And God said fine Aaron. He can speak ill go with you so that was plan B of God. God often settles for that. What's he supposed to do if you sent. I'm gonna wait for the perfect servant that would disqualify us all. So we look at the life of Barrick and we see this lack of confidence that caused him to forfeit even more glory. And yet he still used is still victorious and that makes me say okay all right I don't always get it right but I'll take what I get right.

I will not let that cheat me what I can do. So here's the story Deborah is the judge in Israel at this time. And Barrick is going to be dispatched with his forces to bring about the great victory against Cicero, the commander of the people of Canaan, and Deborah says God's going to be with you. He says okay but I'm not going let you go with me. She says okay I'll go with you but a woman's gonna take your glory.

And he said I don't care.

You got it with me. So they go off to war. He defeats the enemy. Cicero, the commander of the Army, the enemy's forces running for his life goes into the tent of this young lady he's thirsty he's hungry he's asking for water. She gives a milk probably warm milk. At that was a because they had refrigerators that would apply to men. Well anyway he goes to sleep nice and comfortable and she takes a spike in drives it through his head and kills him say that it was supposed to say Barrick has slain Cicero does not say so we look at our lives. We see that mean you know someone else got what I was going after, but I won't let that stop me. I will continue to serve. Nonetheless, with what I do have and find my name listed amongst men like Gideon and David and Samuel and Joshua. Nonetheless quite remarkable. And then there's Samson get on the list. If you have a black marker across his name out.

That would be sinful. I am more afraid of Samson in my life than I am of Solomon in my life because I will likely never ever in this life become filthy rich as Daffy duck would say independently wealthy with the okay I lost you with the Daffy duck thing, but I think filthy rich. I think of him saying it anyhow. I won't and I don't.

I want to struggle with what Solomon struggle with but probably without it exception, every single one of us is susceptible to some charm some romantic charm. It does not have to be sexual but it will be essential. There will be some lore that pulls us that causes us to look at what God has given us as being routine and not exceptional.

And then we begin to find ourselves in places we don't belong to. Finally we blinded and enslaved. Because of our own stupidity in the faith.

Samson one small one. He's walking through a vineyard, and he meets up with a lion.

Two things about that. He was a Nazirite from birth. That meant he did not cut his hair and he did not take of the vine. Why is he in the vineyard. Why is he taking that shortcut was there not an oak grove that he could've gone through the Bible is saying he's where he doesn't belong because his faith was lacking at this time in his life and what meets him where he doesn't belong a lion that's more than rolling this once charging God allowed him to defeat the lion. Nonetheless, and then of course Samson. We know the horrible collapse that he meets with silly say why is he, then, in the list of those who have faith that I should pay attention to that I should learn what can I learn from Samson is here because God remembers the faith of the saints, not the failures. Do I need to say anything else behind that you going to be in heaven because God remembers your face not your failures. If God said hey let's parade your failures before every body and the angels will chase you out of there.

God highlights the victories of his servants here in this 11th chapter, we know.

And God knows that in between the lines that have been recorded about the life of the things we wrestle with and struggle with fears the failures the hardships the joy, the unanswered prayers. The answered prayers.

All that we have to face they face being sick of life being sick of this and sick of that having good days we really up and all of a sudden you're not the next one that I had the same stuff and yet they walk by faith in God remembers their faith, their faith outlived their lives. That's the story by faith you were saved and not of yourselves, it is the gift of God. Samson knew who God was. He never lost sight of that he lost sight of the lost his physical sight, but he knew was God was and he went out in a surge of faith God this one more time and God said okay. It is appropriate at this point to read the several verses concerning your sin and God because God's standard is high and holy and puts Tara into us. If we have to be perfect yet yet he has a way being perfect as he is making a place for us. The list of servants who will be in glory forever.

Isaiah 4325.

I even I am he who blots out your transgressions for my own sake and I will remember your sins no more. That's why Samson's here that's why Gideon is here and David and Samuel and Joshua and all the rest in Scripture and in life. God says I will blot amount for my sake because if I don't block them out. I will judge you. Psalm 103. I'm just gonna take the Old Testament once more illustrator for my point this morning someone as three-foot as the heavens are high above the earth, so great is his mercy toward those who fear him.

As far as thesis from West so far has he removed our transgressions from us.

That's what you can't find Samson shortcomings in this section he's remove them is going to do it for you when you could do it for me. The problem we have. My youngest daughter was telling me these lyrics all the songs Christian song she's been listening to and I've been pushing my buzzer as she doesn't have others when Eddie like this one because they're all about all God loves me and I'm suffering and he picks me up okay there's a place for that for sure. But when you want to get to the point about his glory when he starts singing about how magnificent he is because of you get that one right. All the others fall subject to that. It was one or two of them with a were praising the Lord without drawing all the attention to what God is doing for me to warm up him. Me me me me me. I love praising the Lord. I love singing about his glory more than anything else and that's why that line.

Then I shall bow in humble adoration, and there proclaim, my God, how great you are. That is the Christian faith that needs to be highlighted. Am not saying all the rest of the songs are bad or anything like that. I want to but I can't do it because you'll come up with a good point. I'll have to pretend I agree but I think of the points made in the use of the Sheridan art.

I have many things to say to you, but time will not allow me this beautiful one from Mike of the prophet, writing about all the mess ups in Judah, but saying let me tell you about God. In spite of these things who is a God like you is name Mica means who is like my God.

No one so he says who is a God like you, pardoning iniquity and passing over the transgression of the remnant of his heritage does not retain his anger forever because he delights in mercy.

He will again have compassion on us. He will subdue our iniquities. You will cast all our sins into the depths of the sea, how glorious is that okay tomorrow.

I blotted out like a thick cloud your transgressions like a cloud your sins returned to me or I have redeemed you see in the New Testament comes in super sizes. All these verses in Christ Jesus at Calvary and the empty tomb.

God says listen to me received the salvation and don't perish or rejected. You reap what you sow. Galatians 6 do not be deceived, God is not mocked, for whatever a man sows, that will he also reap. I am going to so salvation according to the Scripture so that I can reap salvation according to the Scripture Jephthah, we come to him very quickly if there was ever anyone there was ever a man that you could judge by his critics. It was Jeff, his critics had so much to say about him. He was born of a harlot. His stepbrothers cheated him out of his inheritance. He was socially an outcast. Had to go live elsewhere. He was going to have any sort of a life, but he was tough he was tough on the battlefield. He was he was, you know, brought at the shoulders and narrow at the hip. Everybody knew you didn't give any lip. Jeff so when they got in trouble they sent to Jeff the come help us out. Nobody can beat these bad that they said, who is the man that will deliver us, he's the man. Jeff so Jephthah comes along and he saves the day. There of course are problems with him to, but God passes over them. Sometimes God needs a no nonsense man to get it done. Nehemiah was such a character. Nehemiah said I struck them. I pulled out their beard.

There is a beauty dealt with those people that were wrong, it comes back to Jerusalem, he finds there in the precincts of the house of God is known from these pagans, the enemies of God's people do it all out. Sometimes God needs that kind of man David is the next character David always saw God's big David never saw God a small is God was not inferior he was. Not distant common or defeasible. That was David Scott and he lived that way. So there's this moment in time. David ends up in a confused state of his life he comes back to his camp with his Mendel 600 that had followed him, and he finds that the Amalekites had rated the village and taken everyone and everything.

Pick it up in first Samuel 30 verse six.

Now David was greatly distressed for the people spoke of stoning him because of the soul of the people was grieved every man for his sons and his daughters, but David strengthened himself in the Lord his God. And then what did he do he chase down the bad guys caught them got one.

Everything back no less than 24 times we read about Saul involved in trying to murder David either by his own hand for dispatching others. David lived through this violence, the stress constantly on the battlefield, he stood before Goliath and dropped him like a bad tree. That's what David did. I'm delighted he's in this list.

Love that man. David Israel was never the same after him yet and all that David did for Christians. There is a drastic difference between David Starr and the cross of Calvary can forget that David spoke of the Messiah, whom we love so much. Samuel is the next one. The man almost not born, his mother was a woman of prayer.

She was a dynamo in prayer. So much so that it influence Samuel to be a man of prayer he considered it sin to neglect prayer first Samuel 12 Samuel speaking I he was a Nazirite tooth and there is an old man.

His hair never cut no razor touched his head long wait beard and long hair and their he's preaching the word. I'm glad we don't have Nazirite valves now because if I let my hair grow I look like bozo just rolls places that bozo had hair growing and that's it. Moreover, as for me, far be it for me that I should sin against Yahweh and ceasing to pray for you, but I would teach you the good and right way. If you make a decision in ministry without seeking Christ. Are you sinning because you did not prayer leave that for you to answer it.

The pattern were given in Scripture is wonderful to books in the Scripture bear his name first and second Samuel finally says, and the prophets the prophets were those who had something to say to men because God gave them something to say to men from Elijah to Malachi.

All of these were in perfect, but their faith is remembered every single one from Joshua right through the prophets Isaiah down to Malachi, Elijah and Elisha, all of them. The unnamed property. All of these were imperfect, but their faith is remember we close with this verse. First Thessalonians 5 a but let us who are of the day be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love.

I ask you if you have something going on in your life with someone. How are you going to handle it. You do not have to do wrong to please the other person you have to do right to please Christ.

Are you going to be thin-skinned. Are you going to say going to seek the Lord for how you should respond.

Are you going to do it in your own strength to fight your battles have added but I encourage you to call upon the Lord move you've been listening to cross reference radio the daily radio ministry of Pastor Rick asked Calvary Chapel in Mechanicsville, Virginia.

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