House of Judah Ministries
1970 Parker Road
St. Louis Mo 63136
Pastor James Thomass Jr.
It’s not what you know but who you know
Judges 6:11-12 (KJV)
11 And there came an angel of the LORD, and sat under an oak which was in Ophrah, that pertained unto Joash the Abiezrite: and his son Gideon threshed wheat by the winepress, to hide it from the Midianites.
12 And the angel of the LORD appeared unto him, and said unto him, The LORD is with thee, thou mighty man of valour.
(touch your neighbor and ask them who is your corner man)
Many times great speakers and orators will draw from the life of David or the life of Paul to demonstrate great faith in GOD. They will often use the life of Moses to demonstrate the power of GOD. However there are two people in the bible who struggled with their faith (touch the person behind you and say I want new faith) Paul understood this in his writings to the churches that is why in Romans 10:17 So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God. See I hope I can help someone this morning the devil likes to try to play tricks or mind games if you will , with us and tell us oh you are not this or you are not that but to GOD be the glory. It’s not what you know but rather who you know that will get you saved, and keep you saved . It’s not what you or I know about Jesus rather it is how well you or I know Jesus for myself that will keep you saved. (Tell your neighbor I want to know more about my Jesus) You can speak with the fluency and conviction that does not mean you know Jesus you can preach with the most impressive of dialect that does not mean you know Jesus. You can possess the credentials of a thousand colleges that does not mean you know Jesus. That however may mean you know of Jesus but does guarantee that you know Jesus. As a matter of fact if I read my bible correctly Paul told the church of Ephesus in Corinthians 1:27 But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty; (say use me Lord) This morning we find ourselves visiting Gideon. Gideon is hiding while beating flour. He has to hide because of fear of Israel’s enemies.
At that time Israel could not use the regular threshing floors for fear of their enemies attacking them. Israel had no grapes to make wine with because the
Enemies had taken all the vineyards. Israel had no grapes to make wine with so Gideon new they would not look for him there.
The problem with Gideon is that he is youngest son of the poorest family,
Of the weakest tribe in Israel. Gideon thought the Lord dialed the wrong number. (what a resume) Isn’t it funny how the Lord will find us hiding and running from him. Tell your neighbor use me Lord. Now if you look closely at the verse it says the angel of the Lord this is not an angel of the Lord but rather one of the GOD head Jesus we already know that whenever the Lord manifest himself in the flesh that, that is a form of Jesus. Look at how the Lord addresses Gideon by calling him a mighty man of valor.
Gideon answer to GOD was hold up wait a minute. Gideon asked a question
A lot of us ask GOD if you are with us why all this hardship. Wait a minute Lord you can do this you are all powerful you don’t need me.
Gideon ask where are all the miracles our father saw. I heard about you I heard how you held the sun and the moon still for Joshua. I heard how
You parted the red Sea for Moses I heard how you led your people through the wilderness. Friends have told me how you lead my people by cloud in the day and by fire at night. I heard how you spoke to Moses in the burning bush, I even head how you held back the waters so Joshua could cross the Jordan river but where have you been.
Psalms 77:9 (KJV)
9 Hath God forgotten to be gracious? hath he in anger shut up his tender mercies?
Job 30:20 (KJV)
20 I cry unto thee, and thou dost not hear me: I stand up, and thou regardest me not.
Gideon said I heard about you but why have you left us now. The Lord answer was go in thy might and thou shall save Israel. I can just hear Gideon
Saying to himself Lord did you not hear me can you hear me. I know I already said I’m the youngest child of the poorest family and I belong to the smallest and weakest tribe in isreal. You must have missed something.
That’s what we do the Lord gives us a charge or a duty and we get nervous
Lord you can’t be telling me to go over and pray for that person you can’t .
Be telling me to give that person my last you must be talking to someone else. Lord I don’t have much but you want me to give my last. I don’t have
anything but you Say keep giving anyway I done already gave my last dime
I have given all me time what more can I do. (Touch someone and tell them God wants to bless you) Don’t worry if GOD gives you something to do he is going to provide you with what you need to get it done. If he tells you to give your last he will provide you with more to give he only wants us to trust him.The Lord told Gideon in verse 16 surely I will be with thee. I will Surely I will carry you through. Surely I will deliver your enemies surely I am the same today yesterday and forever more. (Somebody say surely)
Romans 8:30-31Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified.
Gideon says yes Lord I heard what you said but wait a minute I’m not so sure. I hear you talking to me but I’m still not so sure about what you want
Now comes the next phase of doubt uh, uh Lord show me a sign work a miracle I know you say I’m healed I know you word says I’m healed
But I’m not so sure I don’t feel any different did I fail to mention Lord I don’t have a college education uh did I forget to tell you that I have problems at home Lord did you know me and my wife or husband, are not getting along. Lord are you sure are you really sure people say I’m to young People say I’m to old.
I can’t talk right I can’t sing the best I stumble over my words I can’t remember to call the scriptures up at will I have a problem when I pray.
I’m reminded of story I read said there was a famous Baptist college university that needed to raise funds well they invited all the greatest
Baptist preachers and greatest orators and instructed them to bring a sack lunch with them, Men and women of substance with their phd’s and their ddd’s that a doctorate in divinity and they had doctor so and so and bishop so and so there. well Everyday they invited a great speaker to the college school of theologyone day they invited a certain great theologian who was in fact a educated man he had a doctorate he spoke for two and half hours quoting book after book and scholar after scholar saying there was no such thing as there resurrection and history had no proof of Jesus raising from the dead.
He said it was religious mumbo jumbo rhetoric he then asked if there were any questions. Well After about thirty seconds a little old grey haired dark skinned preacher stood up way off in the backDocta Tillich, I got one question," he said as all eyes turned toward him. He reached into his sack lunch and pulled out an apple and began eating it. "Docta Tillich ..." CRUNCH, MUNCH ... "My question is a simple question, "CRUNCH, CUNCH ..."Now I ain’t never read them books you read ... "CRUNCH, MUNCH ... "and I can’t recite the Scriptures in the original Greek ... " CRUNCH, MUNCH ... "I don’t know nothin’ about Niebuhr and Heidegger ..."CRUNCH, MUNCH . He finished the apple.
"All I wanna know is: This apple I just ate-was it bitter or sweet?" Dr. Tillich paused for a moment and answered in exemplary scholarly fashion: "I cannot possibly answer that question, for I haven’t tasted your apple."
The white-haired preacher dropped the core of his apple into his crumpled paper bag, looked up at Dr. Tillich and said calmly, "Neither have you tasted my Jesus."The 1,000 plus in attendance could not contain themselves. The auditorium erupted with applause and cheers. Dr. Tillich thanked his audience and promptly left the platform Isaiah 41:10 10 Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness.I heard Gideon say Lord, Lord, Lord not me . But I heard the voice of the Lord call Gideon jerubbal you know when God get’s ready to move he hasTo change somethings well, well Gideon it’s time to move. (Touch your neighbor tell them blow your trumpet)the bible says the spirit of the Lord came upon Gideon, blow your trumpet I’ll send you who you need. The people gathered when Gideon blew his trumpet everybody start coming people started gathering.Gideon said I heard about you I read about you but Lord oh Lord I need to know for myself. I need to know for myself that you will comfort me in the Hour of my distress.I need you Lord… I need you right now… I need you guide me…..say yeah lead me help me to make it through. I need peace lord I need my peace back (Touch somebody tell them I need my peace back)Lord I need you right now Lord I need my joy back(say Lord I need you) Jesus I need you ain’t you glad he looked beyond our faults and saw our needs
