Then I Cried Unto The Lord

THEN I CRIED UNTO THE LORD

TEXT: JUDGES 17:6

IN THOSE DAYS THERE WAS NO KING IN ISRAEL, BUT EVERY MAN DID THAT WHICH WAS RIGHT IN HIS OWN EYES.

INTRODUCTION:

IN TEARS TODAY I BRING FORTH MY HEART AS I LAY IT UPON THE ALTAR OF SACRIFICE OF GOD’S THRONE, (THE TRUE AND LIVING GOD OF WHICH I SPEAK IS NOT KNOWN AMONG THE NATION TODAY). HE HAS BEEN FORGOTTEN AS PEOPLE TODAY TRY TO SET OUR GOD ON A SHELF WITH THEIR BIBLE’S EVERY SUNDAY MORNING AFTER CHURCH. GOD WILL NOT BE SET ASIDE AND TAKEN DOWN AS WE SEE FIT. WE AS CHRISTIANS MUST! WE MUST! GIVE OUR HEARTS BACK TO LORD, NOT IN WORD BUT IN TRUTH. OH CHRISTIAN LISTEN TO MY PLEA GOD HAS LEFT THE BUILDING! IN OUR TEXT TODAY WE SEE THE PEOPLE OF ISRAEL DOING WHAT THEY THOUGHT WAS RIGHT IN THEIR OWN EYES. THIS VERSE IS REPEATED TWICE IN JUDGES ONCE IN 17:6 AND AGAIN IN 21:25. AT FIRST LOOK YOU MIGHT THINK WHATS WRONG WITH THAT. WELL LOOK WHAT THEY THOUGHT WAS RIGHT IN THEIR OWN EYES AS WE EXAMINE THE BOOK OF JUDGES TOGETHER.

I. MICAH DID WHAT HE THOUGHT WAS RIGHT AS HE MADE A NEW gOD IN CHAPTER 17.

HERE WE FIND MICAH WHO WAS PART OF THE TRUE GOD’S PEOPLE NOT SATISFIED WITH THE REAL THING. HE DID NOT WANT TO SERVE A GOD WHO WOULD TAKE TOTAL CONTROL OF HIS LIFE. INSTEAD HE WANTED SOMETHING HE COULD MOLD AND MAKE. A GOD THAT WOULD OBEY A MAN RATHER THAN A MAN TO OBEY GOD. TODAY AS I WANDER THIS LAND OF OURS THAT IS EXACTLY WHAT I SEE. AS I PREACH IN CHURCHES AS WELL I SEE PEOPLE MAKING TO THEMSELVES GOD’S OF THEIR OWN MAKING. LISTEN TO ME PEOPLE GOD IS NOT SLACK CONCERNING HIS PROMISES THE BIBLE TEACHES US. THIS MEANS THOSE OF PUNISHMENT AND CONDAMNATION AS WELL. IF WE DO NOT WAKE UP AND REALIZE WHAT WE ARE DOING WE WILL FIND IT WILL BE TO LATE SOON! GOD IS HERE FRIENDS WAITING TO BE CALLED UPON, WAITING TO BE LISTENED TOO! WAITING TO BE LOVED! WAITING TO BE EMBRACED! WE HAVE FORGOTTEN THE LORD. WE HAVE BUILT OUR OWN SAVIOR BE HE THE TV, MUSIC, BANK ACCOUNT OR FAME, HE IS THE ROAD TO DESTRUCTION. THE ONE TRUE GOD IS KNOCKING ON YOUR HEARTS DOORS ASKING TO COME IN.

II. MICAH DID THAT WHICH HE THOUGHT WAS RIGHT IN HIS OWN EYES AS HE BECAME A PRIEST TO HIS MOLDEN IMAGE

FRIENDS, ARE YOU AWAKE AND LISTENING TO ME? NOT ONLY DID MICAH MAKE HIS OWN GOD TO SERVE HIS OWN NEEDS HE BECAME A PRIEST TO A gOD WHO DID NOT EXSIST. OH BOY! PLEASE HEAR ME WHEN WE READ JUDGES 17 WE FIND THAT ONCE MICAH MADE THIS gOD FOR HIMSELF HE BECAME A PRIEST TO IT AND CONVERTED OTHERS TO HIS CAUSE. WHAT BREAKS MY HEART IS WHEN WE READ THE STORY WE FIND A LEVITE WHO WAS SUPPOSE TO BE A TRUE PRIEST TO THE ONE TRUE GOD TRAVELING THROUGH THE AREA WHERE MICAH LIVED. YOU WOULD THINK THE LEVITE WOULD TEACH MICAH THE TRUE PATH OF SALVATION; HOWEVER, INSTEAD MICAH CONVERTS THE LEVITE. THIS SHOULD MAKE US ALL CRY IN SHAME. FRIENDS TODAY A ROCK STAR CAN KNOCK ON YOUR DOOR AND MANY WOULD BE READY TO WORSHIP THE ROCK STAR. LET A MAN OF GOD KNOCK ON YOUR DOOR AND MOST TODAY WILL CALL THE POLICE. I KNOW I HAVE BEEN THE ONE KNOCKING ON DOORS BEFORE AND PEOPLE THREATEN ME. OUR COUNTRY HAS GONE SO FAR AWAY FROM GOD! WAKE UP! YOU CAN NOT MOLD OUR GOD INTO SOMETHING YOU WANT. YOU MUST TAKE HIM AS HE IS JUST AS HE PROMISES TO TAKE YOU AS YOU ARE.

III. MICAH DID THAT WHICH HE THOUGHT WAS RIGHT WHEN HE TRIED TO BUY A FATHER V.10

CAN YOU BELIEVE MICH HERE IN THIS STORY? HE MAKES HIS OWN gOD, BECOMES HIS OWN PRIEST, MAKES HIS OWN CONVERTS, AND BUYS HIS OWN FATHER. YOU KNOW WHAT I SEE WHEN I READ ABOUT MICAH BUYING A FATHER? I SEE A MAN WHO WANTS TO BE LOVED BUT DOESN’T WANT TO SERVE A GOD WHO GIVES STANDARDS. HE WANTS IT HIS OWN WAY. MICAH IS NOT THE ONLY ONE. WHEN YOU READ THE ENTIRE BOOK OF JUDGES YOU SEE EVERYONE DOING IT (MAKING THEIR OWN gODS). EVERYONE DOING WHAT THEY SEE AS RIGHT IN THEIR OWN EYES AND EVERY TIME ENDING UP IN A SITUATION WHERE THEY NEED TO CALL ON THE ONE TRUE GOD TO SAVE THEM. GOD ALWAYS DOES TOO! EVERYTIME YOU NEED HIM HE IS THERE REGUARDLESS OF WHERE YOU ARE HE COMES RUNNING TO YOU. SEVEN TIMES IN THIS SMALL BOOK OF JUDGES WE FIND THE PEOPLE OF GOD TURNING THEIR BACK ON HIM ENDING UP IN OPPRESSION BEFORE THEY WAKE UP. SEVEN TIMES THEY TRIED TO DO THEIR OWN WAY AND SEVEN TIMES THEY FAILED.