I am at Sandy. Run Farms owned by Tim and Joanne Goggins and what a beautiful picture of harvest of sowing and reaping and and you know, this we go. And we so and we gather and there's no better weekend to see this than turning point. We can and it's one of my favorite weekends of the year because so many students are the word is being sown into their lives and we're seeing the fruit today of all the kids 8,000 students through the years that have gone to Turning Point weekend. Can you believe that?

I mean you're giving matters, it's your return on the investment of giving through Venture church so that we can reach countless students many of them now of course or in their 30s and 40s and it's changed many of their lives and their families. And today we're going to look at how to have a turning point. No matter what your age is and we're going to look at a guy that when you see this guy in Judges chapter 6 you're going to say hey, this this guy is not strong as weak. Hey, this guy is not popular. He's unknown.

Okay, this guy is not full of Faith. He's full of fear. And so if that is you today, I want you to know that God has a plan for you because that's the only kind of people God uses. I mean if you've got everything and man you are rolling and you're living in your own strength. Then you don't even need God.

So today we're going to see how Gideon has a turning point in his life That will change not only his life. But all the people in his family and in his tribe, so Judges chapter 6, if you don't open your Bible says you may have your app. You can open it there and you'll see some of the of the points that we're going to make and Judges chapter 6 verse 11. The angel of the Lord came and sat down under the oak at Oprah. That belonged to Joe Ash the abysride where the sun his son Gideon was threshing wheat in a winepress.

To keep it from the midianites and when the age of the Lord appeared to Gideon, he said the Lord is with you mighty warrior and I love that. He's hiding. And so Gideon says pardon me my Lord, but if the Lord is with us, why is all this happened to us? And we're all the Wonders that are ancestors told us about when they said did not the Lord bring us up out of Egypt. But now the Lord has abandoned us and given us into the hands of Midian.

And the Lord turned to him and said go in the strength that you have and save Israel out of the hand of Midian. Am I not sending you? And getting said pardon me Lord. But how can I save Israel? My clan is the weakest in Manasseh and I am the least in my family.

And the Lord answered him. I will be with you and I will you will strike down the midianites leaving none alive. And getting replied if I found favor in your eyes, give me a sign that it's really you talking to me. Please do not go away until I come back and bring my offering and said it before you. And the Lord said I will wait to you return.

And getting went inside and prepare the young goat from an Eva of flour. Made of bread without yeast and putting the meat in a basket and it's broth in a pot. He brought them out and offered them to him under the oak. The angel Lord said to him take the meat and the unloved leavened bread and place them on a rock and pour out the broth and Gideon did so in the angel of the Lord touched the meat of the unleavened bread with the tip of his staff and with his hand. And the fire flared up from the rock consuming the meat and the bread and the angel of the Lord disappeared.

Namaste that is an amazing story because you've got a guy that is he's literally hiding out and if you don't know the story The the background the people of God had come out of Egypt, you know that Moses LED them out of Egypt and then they got into the Wilderness and they stumbled and they fumbled around. And then Joshua took them into the promised land and the idea was how you're to go into the land and you're to take the land. Okay, it's not going to just be given to you. You're gonna have to go into the land and take the land and it's going to be some work. It's going to require faith.

And the people of God began to stumble. And and you see this happening over and over again. It's still happens today where the people of God where he says, Hey follow me. Hey listen to me obey me and I'll be with you and instead they began to turn. To other gods they got distracted.

And the midianites would come in and they would come it during the Harvest Time and they would destroy the crops that get this. They would destroy the livestock. And it was so bad that the people of God were hiding in caves. I mean they were hiding and they were hoarding all of their stuff because they were so afraid. And in that moment something happens that changes the course.

Of the lives of the people of Israel because one of the judges and I don't mean when I say judge. I don't mean somebody with a black robe one of the leaders that God begins to choose. Is a guy named Gideon? And he's a young guy. He's a teenager.

He's not an old guy. Matter of fact he's going to say that hey, I'm the least of my tribe. And see what happens with regard to attorney point the first step. Is an encounter with God? For you connect with him.

And that's what happens with Gideon. I love this because he is hiding in a wine press and he's down like this and when you're threshing wheat the idea is to be on a threshing floor where you're throwing the wheat up and and the chaff begins to be blown away and the wheat will fall to the ground but he's not doing that. He is hiding in a winepress. That's like a huge hot tub and where he's hiding and he's throwing it up we can barely get about the hot tub because he's terrified and in that moment. He has a connection with the angel of the Lord.

And you're like what is all that mean? Well, the angel of the Lord is code for Jesus in the Old Testament and and Jesus get this Jesus is sitting at the edge of the oak tree. He's sitting at the base of the oak tree. And and it reminds us that wherever we are. I mean, that's where God is.

I mean this weekend we had an amazing weekend of Turning Point weekend and it didn't happen in a church. It happened out in a field like this. Where students were having all kind of fun, but they were hearing about the word of the Lord in amazing things began to happen because people were connecting. With the Lord listen, I'm gonna tell you it's the first step in really seeing God do an amazing work in your life is to realize that a connection with God is the beginning of a change in your life. See Gideon's view of God had faded and let me tell you this when your view of God gets small.

Listen your problems get big. When your view of God gets clear. You're filled with joy. He said well, how do we change our vision of God? How do we get a bigger vision of God well like this weekend.

You spend time talking to God. You spend time reading about what he's doing in your life. You read his words man. We give you so much stuff. We give you devotions.

We give you a reading plan. All of those things are to help you connect with God so you can get a proper vision of who God is listen to what Paul says in Acts chapter 17. Where the people are worshiping all these other gods. He says you need to understand that if you seek God you will find him. Because he's not far from every one of us.

And that's what getting experienced. I mean, he's out in a field. He's out on a farm. He's out and here is Jesus sitting by an oak tree and he begins to have a connection with him and he asked a very simple question. Maybe you've asked this.

Well, if God is so great. Why are all these bad things happening? And I love that. Because Jesus says the reason those things have happened because my people are too busy to listen to me. Listen to connection with God is huge.

I love what Blake Houston he said the opposite of love. Is hurry. And when you're too busy running forward doing all the things you want to do rather than connecting with God on a daily basis. Where you're turning to other gods and maybe we all struggle with this. It's you said what if I don't bow down to foreign Gods it's what you give your time to.

It's what you give your money to it's what you worry about. You say well, how do I know that? I'm connecting with God. I want you to watch what Gideon does because after he connects with Jesus he begins to confess his doubts and fears. Hey, if you don't do that on a regular basis, where where you go?

Hey, this is you know, I need God like to come into my life and help me and show me things when you meet with God. You can't help but say hey, I'm afraid. Hey, I'm struggling. Hey, there's some things in my life that need to change. See Gideon has had lost his identity.

When Jesus said to him hello. Mighty warrior, you know what he was doing. He was simply calling him by his name. That's what Gideon means. He said listen because of all the things that are going on in your life that you've not been willing to to confess.

You're afraid you're forgotten who I am. You forgotten how great I am. Listen. I don't know what Francis Chan says. He says before you pray.

You need to take a few seconds take 20 seconds or 30 seconds. And remember who you are talking to. The God of the universe The God that made you that loves you, that's given you your identity. And again, he says well sure. Yeah, I know right?

I'm a mighty warrior. I'm the youngest in my family. My family is the smallest clan in our tribe and our tribe is a half tribe the half tribe of Manassa and he goes, hey, it's not about that you go ahead and confess all of your fears and all of your worries because I am with you. Getting his lost his way. One of the most important things you can do is to be honest about where you are.

I want you to stop right there. One of the most important things you can do is to be honest about where you are because until you're honest about where you are and you're living in reality. You can't move forward. And the best way to come into reality is have an encounter with God where you connect with him. Because when you really connect with God, you'll see things inside of you.

You've never seen before Isaiah. Isaiah chapter 6 one of my favorite chapters in the whole Bible when I said comes before the Lord, he sees the Lord high and lift it up and he doesn't say oh hey God. I'm a preacher. He says I'm a man of unclean lips. And I dwell among the people of unclean lips.

He begins to understand where he really is in his relationship with God. Listen, nobody has lied to you more than you've lied to you. Matt Chandler said that. Matt challenge an amazing preacher and said some trouble lately. But the reality is if you don't have a connection with God every single day, you won't understand where you really are.

Because when you connect with God it always leads you to confession. And when you confess then God can commission you and I love what he says to him. He says hey Gideon. Go in the strength that you have. He says go ahead get out of the wine, press or send you that's your word.

You need to get out of the wine, press you need to connect with God and realize hey, yeah, I'm afraid. Yes. I've been hiding. Yes. I've given up.

Yes. I'm discouraged. Yes. My marriage is broken. Yes, my finances are broken and you need to say hey God.

What do you want me to he says he says go you need to get up and go because I am sending you. Don't wait do the next right thing? Because God wants to use you. I mean he wants to work through you. You said well, what does he need me know you need him?

That is the beauty. I can't really expect It's Supernatural that when you say hey, I want to be used by God and I'm gonna do the next right thing. For some reason something happens in you. I mean it takes you to another level it raises the water level of the people around you David when when he came and to the vet. Maybe we came on the Mountainside and and he saw Goliath God commissioned David to take a slingshot and a rock to kill a giant.

He was 16 years old. Moses was commissioned by God to take his staff and hold it up and the Red Sea parted. That there was a young boy that was out in the crowd and he was commissioned to give his lunch. And 5,000 men. Were fed that day.

Listen little becomes much. When it's placed in the hands of God. Now I want you to I want you to understand that getting is a young guy. Getting it as weak is not strong. But when he connects with God and he confesses his fears and says I can't do that then God goes.

Okay. Now we work with that. Go in the strength that you have. Because I am with you. I don't know if you're aware of Dollar Days and some things that we've been doing as a church.

Was a really unique opportunity to take just one dollar. I mean, you know anybody can spare a dollar. And give it so that something could happen. And how if you know this but 26 of our students were able to go to Turning Point weekend because some folks a few thousand people. Gave $1.

Listen when you move. And when you give things happen when you're willing to do what little you can With what you have like Gideon man, it changes you and it changes people around you. Challenge today if you want to turning point in your life. And you don't know who you are. You don't know where you're going.

You have no confidence. Connect with God Man, he's this close. That's why I love being out here. He's not just when you come to church. He's Wherever You Are.

I mean Jesus comes and sits at the base of an oak tree. I think that is so cool. And he calls that to get in. He connects with him and says hey. Mighty warrior Hey.

And then that connection there's a confession I've got fears. I've got doubts. I'm mad. I'm sad. Because of all the things that are happening in my life and I feel like a victim.

Man when you confess those things God begins to move. He begins to commission you and call you into a new kind of life. And you don't wait till you feel like it you don't wait till when you got all the answers. He says I will be with you. I will partner with you.

I will help you. It's time to get out of your wine, press it's time to stop bellyaching and stop whining. And begin to walk with me. Listen when you connect with God and listen, you can do this. He is so near he is right there.

When you connect with him, you're going to feel like I need to confess the fact I'm afraid I'm scared. I can't do this and and he's gonna say I know you can't. So I'm gonna use you. And when God begins to use you, you know the first thing you're going to want to do. This is how you know, you've been with God.

You want to give something? You want to make a contribution? I love this about Gideon because after all that happens, the first thing he does is he says hey would you stay right here? And and I want to go I'm gonna go get an offering for you. Okay, if you're still that I really know it's you okay, I need to do something and and he begins to go and take the one goat.

He probably has left and take the little meal that he has left for the bread and the wheat and and make an offering for the Lord that made up not just like a portion like you went to Walmart and got some bread and he got a goat and he got a pot roast. No, no, no. This probably made up most of his net worth. And he brought that and he put it on the rock. In front of Jesus In Jesus, I don't know why I did this but he said hey, I'm gonna put some put the gravy on top of it and and he took his staff and he touched it and fire rose up from the Rock and consumed the meal.

You know, what's that all about? It's about God saying hey, I'm gonna ignite your faith. When you give Giving ignites the power of God. I don't understand that but it's just true. All throughout the Bible when when the Bible talks in in the Old Testament in the New Testament.

This is the kind of picture that you're looking at. Where he says I want the first I want the first fruits. I want the first day of the week. That's where it starts. I want your Sabbath in for Christians.

That means the first day of the week. I want the first day. I want the first fruits. I want the first of what you've been given of what God has given you through what you're doing with regard to earning a living. I want the first fruits.

He says I want the firstborn. That's where it gets really serious. Where he says I want you to give your first born and if you know this but in the Bible you were to give your first born son to the Lord as a sacrifice. And they could be Redeemed by giving with regard to the Lord to have them back in your home. When you put God first.

When you put his plan over your plan. The Bible says that all these other things will be added unto you. When you make him first. Things begin to happen in your life nothing changed until he gave. You said well you just asking for money.

No, I'm asking for a movement in your life. I'm asking for you to do something with regard to meeting with God because just to give because I want to give not only check this off that no. No you want to give out of encounter with God where God is working in you and you bring the offering to him because nothing happens and nothing changes until you give. I love this in second Samuel 24:24. Where David is told by the prophet to go and buy a threshing floor?

So it'd be out here to be a flat ground about 140 square feet and and he's told to go out and buy it from a certain person. And so David shows up and when he gets there the guy says no look I don't want you to buy it. I just want you to have it. I want you to take it. I want to be free.

This would be free to you so you can have this. It's a still not a deal and David says no no no, no, no. I refuse to offer God anything that cost me. Nothing and David understood the power of giving and the blessing that comes when you offer what you have. To the Lord Now I want to challenge you today at the very end here.

That the one thing you can do the one thing you can give this the most important thing you have. Is to give your life to the Lord. See, that's the that's the sacrifice. You present your body as a Living Sacrifice to the Lord. That's holy.

It's your it's a holy and acceptable gift. It's the rightful gift when you give your heart to God. These other things will fall into place. So if you're here today, or you're listening this message. And you would say hey, I want to Turning Point.

I want to change in my life. The first thing you do is you connect with God. Where he is speaking to you he is so close to you. Listen, it's always God that begins the conversation and if you feel him speaking to you in any way about your life about what's going on in your circumstance, what's going on in your family man, just pause. And have a conversation with him.

And remember who he is. He's the God of the universe. That made you and loves you. And has a purpose for your life. I want to pray for you as you prepare your hearts and I want you to connect with the Lord.

I want you to connect with him today. Okay, I mean that's why we're here. That's why we do this. That's why we give that's why we go that's why we so so we can gather. So let's pray father.

We thank you today. For the fact that you have given us everything we have. God you've given us our bodies so that we can work God you've given us mine so we can think God you've given us our hands so we could do the things you've called us to do and God today. We just simply say Is we move into this time of response as we move into next week? We want to give you the firstfruits.

We want to give you some of what you have blessed us with. So that we can honor you so that our lives can be changed and I ask this in Jesus name. Amen