Introduction:

Children often obey their parents, when they are around and do something else when they are away. Some employees work hard in the presence of their bosses, but get withdrawn to nothingness when the boss is away. So most people do not serve God in their private places when no.one sees them. They feel God does not hear, God does not see. We have been encouraged to shun eye service:

6:6 Not with eyeservice, as menpleasers; but as the servants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart;6:7 With good will doing service, as to the Lord, and not to men: (Ephesians 6:6-7)

Does God not know whether we are doing eye service? God knows what we do and could ignore us in our foolishness waiting for us on the fateful day. So follow this message.

WATCH THIS CAUTION :

6:9 And he said, Go, and tell this people, Hear ye indeed, but understand not; and see ye indeed, but perceive not.6:10 Make the heart of this people fat, and make their ears heavy, and shut their eyes; lest they see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their heart, and convert, and be healed.

6:11 Then said I, Lord, how long? And he answered, Until the cities be wasted without inhabitant, and the houses without man, and the land be utterly desolate, (Isaiah 6:9-11).

Why has God taken such hardline?. He could have been talking for long and no one cares. Yet we know God is compassionate, but why did God put them aside from hearing.

Even today some frown at this type of message.

Please let such people frown at what they do or wait upon God.

There are some human attitudes, but when a problem comes we cry and what we had been hiding is no more a secret.

THE MESSAGE :

Israel had been having victory against their enemies each time they were obedient to God. They had peace under Ehud and Shamgar.

3:30 So Moab was subdued that day under the hand of Israel.

And the land had rest fourscore years.

3:31 And after him was Shamgar the son of Anath, which slew of the Philistines six hundred men with an ox goad: and he also delivered Israel. (Judges 3: 30-31).

God had used Ehud to deliver Israel from the hands of the Philistines and the Moabites and the people had rest for 80 years.

They Could Not Keep The Peace!.

Israel held peace for 80 years after Ehud.

You know people forget the past and could enter again to deeper waters.

REIGN OF PEACE AND LAXITY

4:1 And the children of Israel again did evil in the sight of the LORD, when Ehud was dead.

4:2 And the LORD sold them into the hand of Jabin king of Canaan, that reigned in Hazor; the captain of whose host was Sisera, which dwelt in Harosheth of the Gentiles.

(Judges 4:1-2)

Like as to children,  when the leader was gone to market or a far country,  they went back to their former ways.

The Bible tells us that God sold them to the Canaanites.

THE CRY OF THE OPPRESSED.

4:3 And the children of Israel cried unto the LORD: for he had nine hundred chariots of iron; and twenty years he mightily oppressed the children of Israel.4:4 And Deborah, a prophetess, the wife of Lapidoth, she judged Israel at that time.

(Judges 4:3-4).

People who cry when they are hungry,  but will not work in the hour of opportunity will always learn through oppression.

Thus was the case of Israel, until Deborah arose at this time and God used her and Barak to  deliver Israel.Jabin  was the King of Cannaan and the captain of his host was Sisera who went to war with 900 chariots of iron. They had oppressed Israel mightily for 20 years before Deborah arose.

Barak was not ready to lead the war against Sisera until Deborah arose.

GOD GAVE ABRAHAM CANNAN.

How come it, that Cannan an inheritance to Abraham,  will mightily oppress his descendants?

For you who is reading or listening

I do not know how long you have been under that problem, but there is hope.  The children of Israel had cried to the Lord. This is not just crying but they remembered where they had gone wrong and God was bent back to rescue them.

This crying is not only of shedding tears, but of repentance and doing right before the Lord. They had inherited the idols of the Cananites.

A return to God was a return to holiness.

When we return to God He returns back to us. Prophet Isaiah in his prophetic message left this all time mercy of God as he reveals :

55:7 Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return unto the LORD, and he will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon. (Isaiah 55:7).

A Wicked Generation.

What we call wickedness may often be the contrivance of our heart. A person who lives a quiet life,  may be branded wicked because of separatism and sanctification.

A wicked man is a sinner. There is no better definition. Sin could become so grievous to the height to attract God’s physical punishment as was on Israel. We need to be very mindful of what we do, because there are consequences of sin and no one else will bear our sins except as Jesus had done already, otherwise our personal selves must bear our sins.. God will not refuse a repentant sinner forgiveness.

RETURN IS CONDITIONAL TO US.

4:1 If thou wilt return, O Israel, saith the LORD, return unto me:  and if thou wilt put away thine abominations out of my sight, then shalt thou not remove.

(Jeremiah 4:1).

It will appear that God is not compelling people to return. However, circumstance may compel some to return. You can see the “if” clause, so as a young man go ahead and enjoy yourself, but know that God will come with vengeance.

As sinning is volitional, so also is return a choice, but the consequences of our actions cannot be determined by us but by God..

The Canaanites were. mighty, but God needed to silence them using people who could be ignored.

He did not use Barak to lead the army. He chose to use women.

He used Deborah to win the war and Jael a woman to silence mighty Sisera.

God Can Sell Your Enemies to.You.

5:1 Then sang Deborah and Barak the son of Abinoam on that day, saying,5:2 Praise ye the LORD for the avenging of Israel, when the people willingly offered themselves.

(Judges 5 :1-2).

Willingly offering ourselves to God is utmost surrender to God, to obey

Him and to serve Him without any atom of infidelity.

When we willingly offer ourselves to God, He can use anything He pleases to solve our problems.

WHAT SIN BROUGHT TO ISRAEL

5:7 The inhabitants of the villages ceased, they ceased in Israel, until that I Deborah arose, that I arose a mother in Israel.

5:8 They chose new gods; then was war in the gates: was there a shield or spear seen among forty thousand in Israel?

Even with great weapons no.one can face their enemies when God has sold them out. That was the case.of Israel. Their mighty men had hidden themselves for a woman to come for the rescue.

If God will fight for you He will use who you least expect to give you  deliverance.

5:31 So let all thine enemies perish,

O LORD: but let them that love him be as the sun when he goeth forth in his might.

And the land had rest forty years.

(Judges 5:31).

Summary Of The Message.

Let us do what ever we do without eye service, whether we are worshiping God or. even a place of work because there.is.an overall judge. Wait not for trouble to come before you learn the rules. Many Israelites had died before  Deborah came for the rescue. The dead had no rules to learn in eternity.

Serve where ever you find yourself with fear and trembling.

6:5 Servants, be obedient to them that are your masters according to the flesh, with fear and trembling, in singleness of your heart, as unto Christ;

(Ephesians 6: 5).

May God bless you through this message. Amen.

Miracle Valley Sermons..
Sept 23rd 2018.
outreach.mvgm@yahoo.com
Website: www.mvgmng.org.