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February 23, 2020 1:00 pm
Harvest messages are brought to you by harvest partners to receive free email daily devotions or to become a harvest partner, please visit us online@harvest.org. Let me begin with a question are you a happy person. Some of you are very good. Excellent. But maybe there's someone listening to me right now that basically has everything they should have in life that theoretically make them happy. But yet they don't find themselves in that state. Why is that because there's a right and a wrong way to find happiness because there are two ways that we can live.
There's a right way and there's a wrong way, there are two paths that we can take in life. The broad path that leads to destruction in the narrow path that leads to life. There's two foundations you can build your life on the rock or the sinking said, and the result is will either live a happy and holy way or the miserable and un-holy way and I bring this up because some people have a false idea of what it means to be a Christian serve a caricature. You know it's pretty rare to find Christians portrayed on television programs or in movies in a positive light. Have you noticed that there were usually an exaggerated version or a completely distorted version, but people sort of think of Christians as what's the right word Lane people to live by a lot of rules and regulations.
People that don't have any fun.
People that live in perpetual boredom and I suggest you that is completely false in the opposite is actually the case. Let me illustrate. In the story of a boy who ran away from home. We often call it the parable of the prodigal son remember a father and two sons of the United son please paraphrase the data sick of living here with you.
I'm sick of the rules, the regulations all the rest of it. I want my portion of my inheritance. Now, so the father gave him his inheritance and the boy went off Olympic crazy live with hookers and drinking and all kinds of horrible decisions and and then he came to his senses and realized how messed up his life was and let me just take a little extra different paths or for a moment. If you have a prodigal child, a son or a daughter that's gone astray. Don't give up on them. Keep praying for that they can escape your presence, but they'll never escape your prayer.
Both of my sons went prodigal, and they both returned to the Lord, but it took a little bit of time and didn't return to the Lord because I pressured them into it. I didn't have an advantage being a preacher, dad, you see, it was a decision they had to make and so always keep the door open to your prodigal son, no matter what they're doing.
Always keep communication open with your prodigal daughter. Remind them that their love and you would always welcome them back home to coming back to the story in Scripture here's a boy he's come to the end of himself would listen when you get to the end of yourself. You get to the beginning of God and he is lost everything is losses. Monies lots of so-called friends who are friends of all in the Bible since he came to himself. He came to this realization.
You know what, I had a better back in my father's house so we returned home and we read when he was still a great ways off.
The father saw him and ran to him and took out a large stick beat him over and over again right now that's on my Bible, the father read to them through his arms around him and kissed him and hugged him and said welcome home son and then announce this my son was dead is alive again.
He was losses throughout. Here's the point I want to make what was that boy looking for. Apparently he wanted to wear nice clothes. Apparently he wanted to have great food, and apparently he wanted to party and one of the fine when he came back home. Oh, one of the father sake put a new robe on him only got his nice clothes. What also the one nicely. Let's have a feast and then the father around announces let's have a party. Here's my point. I'm not suggesting that chrysolite was wearing close eating food, imparting and trying to make the point that everything the boy was looking for was found in his father's house. It was there to begin with and everything you're looking for.
Live it for in life is found in your father's cells in a relationship with God.
The fact is I have more enjoyment and fulfillment in a worship service in a Bible study then I ever had in any party rights any party.
So in a sense it is a party assisted different definition of one so that point here is that everything we need is in this relationship with God. Sometimes people talk about all that they give up to follow Christ.
My responses seriously.
You did really give up all that much. Paul sums it up this way. In Philippians 3 you know everything I use the value I now see is worthless when compared with the prices gain of knowing Christ, my Lord, I discarded everything else County unit as garbage, that I may have Christ by the way, the word garbage is a very kind translation. The literal word is a word that translates to excrement's you know that is were talking through people.
Ellis agar when you walk your dog and by the way, I just read that Peter and organization for animal rights is very upset when we call our animals are pets. They should be called our companions now.
First of all, animals don't understand human language so they don't care what you call him all they care is that you pet him, put food in there � and to come out on walks rights but outside who's really in charge or we think there are pets and were their owners.
I think if you look at it from a dog's perspective, they might think you are their pet. Why would they not think that one of they do delay work and they mow the lawn. They fertilize the lawn. You know, do they make any contribution know they just sit around all day. That's what they say it's a dog's life. I think they're in control. I know you could just tell from the expression on their face when we were out serving our master also known as our dog. They may relieve himself, and I hope you're one of those people that carries little doggy bags to some people don't and I know this because I've stepped in it right so once you I know talk a lot about this will be offensive. I didn't come to church a sermon about this preacher, let me finish it as a point so when your dog does his business and you put it in the little bag know what you did you cure the bedroom and show the people check this out know you want to get rid of it as quickly as possible because it smells it's offensive that your old life before you knew Christ. Paul says that's what it's like it's dong it garbage and junk I don't want it anymore because I want to focus my attention on following him and listen to me. This is where you will find happiness. Know this might surprise you.
The Bible actually tells us there's happiness in keeping the commandments of God.
Psalm 112, one says praise the Lord blessed or happy is the man who fears the Lord, and delights in his commandment, it doesn't say happy is the man who resists them or breaks them no happy is the man of the woman who delights in them, so you don't just keep it. You delight in it. If you want to be happy and holy. You must be living a holy committed to Christ that I look about on the screen. I want you to see how it's spelled if you want to be happy and holy. You must live holy WHO LOL why committed to Christ. If you want to be holy live holy committed not halfhearted commitment and someone it's as happy as a man that does not walk in the counsel of the ungodly, nor stand in the way of sinners, nor sit in the seat of the scornful listen is the light is the lie he looks forward to it. His delight is in the law of the Lord or the word of the Lord and then it does he meditate day and night. The 10 Commandments. Why would they give will first of all, they give us absolute truth to build our lives, we can't just say we all make up our own morality as we go. We can't vote on this or reach consensus. We need a higher authority in God is given this to us in what we call the 10 Commandments but understand they're not there to make your life harder them there to make your life better there or not the bars of the key to keeping you in their barriers are protecting keeping evil out in a fight live by them. I'll be a happy person and I'll be a fulfilled person but just a footnote, no one can keep these commandments in their own ability will all break. There's only one man was ever walked the earth that is kept all 10 Commandments, and that man is me and I'll be dealing with this next Sunday my message called humility and how I found no that man is not me. There is no man or woman that's none of the only person was kept all those Commandments is Jesus the rest of us. The commandment show me that I need Jesus. They open my eyes to my shortcomings in my sinfulness. Let's review the first two commandments again. Exodus chapter 20, here's commandment number one the Lord to sign the Lord your God who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage.
It is you shall have no other gods before me commandment number two the Lord says you shall not make for yourself a carved image of any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or earth friendly, or in the water under the earth.
You shall not bow down to them nor serve them know why does God ask this of us. Here's the answer for I the Lord your God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children to the third and fourth generations of those who hate me, but showing mercy to thousands, to those who love me and keep my commandments. So commandment number one have no other gods before him. A lot of things can become gods with a small G or idols in our life and I lose anyone or anything that takes the place of God in your life.
So let me ask you this. What do you get really excited.
What get you fired up.
What are you passionate about what you think about the most dream about as you fall asleep fall asleep in your bed, or perhaps even scheme for what you passionate about that my friend is your God. Sometimes we can make ourselves. God, we can become God. Romans 126 as they treated the truth about God for a lie and they worshiped and served the thing created instead of the creator himself. I can make myself God for some people it's her body it's all about the way they look. They worship of the first Church of the perfect physique they're not here with us today.
They're working out and there taken Sophie's what they do go to their Instagram page inches. Hundreds of Sophie's close-ups of them doing the trout pout. You know what the trout pout is grossing to do this more than guys I have to succumb and bring the camera for classified have to show you.
Come closer and closer closer little that's it is dropout you will you do this girls it doesn't look good. Stop it, guys.
So, like it because if you ever do it. We have to have a talk, people decide to take Sophie. I read the other day that 250 people have died in the last few years taking selfies and dangerous places like at the edge of a cliff like oh we're 500 feet. This is a great place for a shot. Here would look what you doing no to that. But there are all about themselves. They are their own God.
For others it might be an object. You try your idle gases and get out of the car. People turn on the loan, walk away, always what's going on. Somebody dings your door.
You freak out for another person to be an object of just when this object.
This metal tonight.
The Academy Awards happening people in the film industry actors, producers, directors are all hoping for the Oscar my going to win the screen of the Oscar, even, looks like a little idol, doesn't it. I knew there is a gold statute. Everyone wants if I won the Oscar you might think. I know all achieve everything I wanted all be fulfilled. The old actor Matt Damon actually won an Oscar.
At the age of 27 for his film, good Will hunting.
He made an interesting statement in a recent interview he said he was alone with his offers a 27-year-old guy and is looking at it and he said suddenly.
I had this thing wash over me where I thought. Imagine chasing that and not getting it until you're in your 80s are your 90s with all of your life behind you and realizing what an unbelievable waste that was then, he made this statement.
Speaking of the Oscar it can fill you up if that's a whole that you have that one fella."
So Oscar gold medal object career howls. Whatever it is you want to put dirt that can become a God in your life. Listen to this. Idols are not always evil out right. The most dangerous idols are good things that are listed things that are not bad in and of themselves, but we make them more important than the Lord himself and why is it that we should not have any other gods because our God is a jealous God.
Exodus 24 doesn't mean God's insecure actually. The effect of these jealous speaks of how much he loves you he he he has this commitment is made to you and he expects you to honor the commitment you made to him in the Lord doesn't want to share you with another God wants an exclusive relationship with you is that not reasonable. I have an exclusive relationship with my wife Kathy and her with me. I illustrated this last time I said imagine their father wiping out store husband honey I'm going out on a date now with Chad by the way, I heard from a guy named Chad that didn't appreciate me using his name.
Sorry. Chad I eventually went on to say, and you know I may not even be on and I they may sleep over with C in the morning. Love you, what moronic cousin would go with that game. But what if the husband said all that's no problem at all because you know I have met a fine woman and I don't care what you do with Chad where is this woman. She's right here in the closet and he opens it up and pulls out a manager. I bought a town of them all.
I like this woman number one. She's always smiling. She even waves I can move her arm around you know and I admit she's a bit stiff but she's the perfect companion. How weird would it be would be how weird would it be for a husband to leave his wife for an object okay. How weird is it to leave the Lord for an object and that brings us of the second commandment you shall have no other graven or have no graven images verse four, or likeness of anything in heaven above, or nurse, but need to think what how could this happen. Let's talk about when it did happen back in the days of Moses and the Israelites so Moses was a great man of God was in wasn't a flawless manner. Perfect man, as we'll see later, but he was described as Moses, the man of God. Men I can think of a higher complement to be given to a person then for some it is a you know what that person is a man of God that that woman she's a woman of God. Moses was the man of God through his influence is godly influence in his personal integrity. He effectively 2 to 3 million people from churning the fulltilt idolatry in integrity is so important read an article in Forbes magazine and this statement was made quote successful come and go, but integrity is forever.
The article went on to point out that building integrity takes years and it takes only seconds to lose. Never heard of Warren Buffett, a billionaire investor. He says with these looking for some of the higher he looks for three things. Number one integrity number two intelligence and number three energy said something to think about when you're applying for a job, integrity, intelligence and energy but Buffett one on the ad but the most important is integrity. What's integrity, it's what you are on the dark if what you are when no one is watching its honesty.
Moses was a godly man, full of integrity and the reason I say this is the moment he left the scene, all hell broke loose in.
He was summoned by the Lord up to Mount Sinai to receive the commandments any (and charge his brother which was a big mistake. So I Moses is gone, the people come to Aaron and Exodus 32 we read the people said Aaron. How long is it going to take Moses to come back down from the mountain. Then they said Aaron.
Come on make up some gods that can lead us.
We don't know using what happened this fellow Moses brought us here from the land of Egypt. They're basically saying the Aaron you know that we don't know where Moses says we need something tangible we can worship right here right now so Aaron considered discouraging. This is all right bring bring all your bling to me right now all your rings, your airings everything all your jewelry and he melted it down any putting in the shape of a golden calf that mimics a census of the golden calf will he worship those back in Egypt and lots of God so sort of brought in Egyptian God and then Aaron boldly announces this is the God that brought you out of Egypt and so they stripped off their clothes and some translations of the words in their use would imply there was an orgy and they danced before the golden You think you know what would that of look like. Think of the Super Bowl halftime show that would jailer was there.
Shakira was there. That's not something to CO2 but anyway someone got excited that yeah and I will well but here here's the interesting thing. Their first title was Moses the second, The second, The golden calf was her second CD, they made him mow an idol out of Moses and we can do the same thing we can make an idol out of a person like it's finally had people you look up to spiritually. But just remember their human and they're going to disappoint you. Either the opportunity to meet a lot of very impressive godly people and to hang out with him. I'll be honest somewhere a little disappointing.
They were what I hope for others surpassed my expectations and amazed me.
But in every one of them. No matter how godly they were, they still had human foibles, they still were a person just like I am and so sometimes we put people on these pedestals and we expect them to walk on water, and what we discover the feet of clay like we do work devastated and we say hi.
I don't know if I want to be a Christian anymore pay grow up grow up. You can look up to people but don't put them on pedestals to make gods out of them there flood just like you are. These people made Moses and what God so when there God left the scene.
We did another God: God will do just fine and that's what they ended up worshiping.
So here comes Moses now dissenting from Mount Sinai. Imagine holding the 10 Commandments and what is easy. These is the Israelites breaking the first two commandments actually probably more than the first two, but at least the first two false gods were to be missing. He demands an explanation from Erin. Aaron says I know this looks bad and I know what you think and were naked in front of a false God then seen in but I can explain everything and then he offers an excuse that should be in the excuse Hall of Fame. Yet she says I'll tell you what Moses would happen was the people brought their gold. We threw it into the fire and the school calf came out so what else could we do but have an orgy will he's lying that someone happened at all.
And of course this was a very clear illustration of what happens when we put something in the place of God, and they broke the commandments of God. God is given us the standards for our own good. We can do to would our self version of God.
And here's another way that we make another God is not just a little object we make in worship. It can be amended sole change we make because were not satisfied with God as these presented in the Bible. Here's how you will know maybe one of another God before you make statements like, well, my God would never judge a person in my God would never tell a person they can live any way that they choose to live in my God hold on your God just what it doesn't sound like your God is a God of this book. Therefore it's not a real God. So you just created a false God in your own mind. It actually doesn't exist in.
Here's my question.
Can your God save you in the final day because of that fate God or that distorted God is not the true God, the new of no God. And so this is what can happen in we we can do this with the Lord himself. We break this commandment of having another God before him. When we define God as we want him to be instead of by who he is, ladies.
It would be like save your friends we not government. My husband yet, but is amazing. The 64 he looks like Jack on this is ass. And he loves to go antiquing with me reality. Her husband is 523 wears penny loafers and he works in IT. There's nothing wrong with that. There's nothing wrong with that.
That's true. Your husband is we should love your husband but the problem that you have, it seems, is that you have to reimagine your husband to love him and you should accept them as he is.
So we come to God for well I don't know. I think my God would be this way. In my God wouldn't say this thing note he comes as he is and we need to worship him and not try to change the ideas, not to change God and the Mike image. It's achieves me into his image. We get this turned around here so you know if your reimagining God and making a false God does your so-called God ever ask anything of you that you find it hard to give is your so-called God ever tell you something is wrong, never, then you probably have a false God, because if you're following the God of the Bible. There are times agenda versus nothing that's that's not easy. One I have to literally forgive the person really yes really that's what it means to be a Christian. You know there's these are trend in some restaurants is to kinda create your own meals you go AAA didn't make you hungry for AAA to sign such appointment did me the first time I went I was like perplexed what's going on here. So instead you make your own meal, all well will come to church you the one hand, I don't know. Okay, not you want rice T1 beads and we have two kinds of beans and we are pork we have chicken and we have be from all well okay so I put it all together in the cheese and then then the cilantro and then the hot sauce. It in your butt, but honestly with the time I was in my burrito was like the size of a sleeping bag. It was cute but then they went to blaze pizza you ever been there.
Make your own pizza where you were excited about food today. What's up with her and one person yellow J for the halftime show the Super Bowl and someone just scream for burrito anyway back to blaze pizza. So now you can put your own toppings on it. I thought this is great so but all goods are weirdest up on my pizza and when I needed. I thought this is a bad pizza actually like it when it's just pepperoni and cheese. I might say good with that combination. I don't know about you, I love those things together so we come to God we had all this stuff we remove other stuff that's not the way it works becomes as he is, and we should worship him for who he is. These commandments are up for own good. Some people say well you know what, I'm not into organized religion. This will be usually the same person who says my God would never save us or so. I'm not into organized religion. What the heck does that even me and a lot of people say that I'm not into organized religion. So you're into disorganized chaos will you and and here's what they really mean when they say organized religion. I'm not into commandments. I know to do absolutes. I'm not into right and wrong. I'm into what I want to be into.
But imagine if we took that same philosophy and just the light in life. Airline pilot God in the cockpit said it would do like and like all these dials and stuff.
I just imagine he would talk like that and I don't think I need to look at maps is just getting this thing and go man to get me out of the plane you're a lunatic right you have to follow the rules of aviation heard a story about a blonde lady who was flying why you laughing so funny to be a blonde lady so blonde ladies flying in the pilot keeled over and died. So she calls down the flight controller Mayday Mayday my pilot is dead. The air traffic controller said don't worry I'll talk you through this. Then he said what is your height and position. She said I'm fine for and I'm in the plane. He said, repeat these words after me.
Our father who art in heaven, all the blonde people are mad at me now.
Dear Hugh I was blonde once by the way, when I had no is given the C standards for our own protection, and we can make objects into idols to crucifix. I have crucifix secured around Kate. Nothing wrong with having a crucifix, but if I have a crucifix on the table and when I pray I get done to my knees in front of the crucifix with the candles burning what's going on here. All I these things help me to worship.
I don't think any true child of God. It was Christ living in their life should need objects to help them to worship the city now that doesn't mean you have to trash your Nativity said since Roger little angel ornaments from your Christmas tree. It's okay to have these objects of beauty, but you don't need those things to worship the true God, because Jesus said God is a spirit and those that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth, and will make like it's a religious icon. All will this will keep bad things away of good luck. I keep my crucifix in my pocket along with my rabbits foot four rabbit three-legged rabbit like why why someone call. They also limit my needs.
But you want to make some object into a good luck charm. Sometimes even with the Bible will save never put another book on top of the Bible never right in your Bible that sacrilegious.
No, please write in your Bible. I encourage you to write your Bible. I know the Bible is a powerful symbol you don't believe me just pull one out in a public place and watch what happens. I don't mean open the app on your iPad. Honey pull out a legitimate Bible with a riddance and gold pages.
People know what this book is member a few years ago we did a campaign for our crusade. It was a picture of me holding the Bible up like this and immediately there were complaints about who's that ugly manner wisely on the poster know the complaints and that was for my wife which is set know the complaints were why is he holding up a Bible.
The funny thing is he didn't say Bible in the book I was holding up a book in a minute anything, but because it was a black book.
The symbolism was understood and it offended people to see someone holding up a black book human national news story which actually worked in our favor. To be honest with you, what is in the Bible is holy.
What is in the Bible is the very words of God but don't make this book some holy object like I carried around it.
It has special magic charms.
No, no, it's just a book you have to read it. More importantly, live by what it says. That's with the power of the Bible is like a beat up Bible affect the Bible that's falling apart is usually an indication of a life that isn't so right in your Bibles use your Bibles anomic and idle out of your Bible. Don't put anything in the place of God because it will give you a false concept of what God is really like. If the image is false, and the thought of God is false, it will produce a character that is false and someone 15 verse six.
Speaking of idols. It says they have ears but they can't hear they have noses, but they can smell those who make them become like them. Listen a man or a woman will become like the thing they worship and if you worship the Lord. You become like him. It is a dumpy objective of the Christian life to become like Christ. The best thing to do is get rid of your idols whenever they are years ago I was on a cruise leading the tour footsteps of Paul land of Jesus. So we went to Israel.
We also went to Greece and we went to Ephesus which is in modern-day Turkey. And that made me hungry Turkey no. So we, the city's amazing Ephesus because you can visit it and looks very much like you did in biblical times and and you think while the apostle Paul was here and preached herein so they have an arena stadium. You can go in today that the same one that was there when Paul went there and preached well in Ephesus. They worship the God is Diana also called Artemis it was feminine deity, sort of a feminine fertility deity if you will. That's what they worship, they made a lot of money selling these little statues of Diana and does so when Paul came to town. They were alarm thinking he was going to ruin their business and the people were screaming out great is Diana of the Ephesians and a riot broke out� It all happened because they wanted a false god of the place of the true God. So I'm in this actual little stadiums begin our group was kind of exciting to think Paul might've stood somewhere around here and so I went in there was little souvenir stand, selling the little idols the little objects of Diana, so I bought one for a couple of bucks to use as an illustration and they said all the people were worshiping this little Lionel and then make my point. I just dropped it on the ground like a ridiculous well it ended up in my backpack and we got back in the cruise ship and were going to the next sport and I go to my room and my two granddaughters are there playing with the little Diana idle like it said all that's there making it talk commitments of the distinct and idle as a Grossi, I'm sorry. I meant to get rid of this. I literally walked out the deck of the ship and threw it over the side that would only do Karen and idle room. Sometimes we need to and there might be an idol in your life right. Remember, your God, is anyone or anything that takes the place of the true God.
It could be a relationship that's pulling you away from Christ because you're so concerned about what that person thinks it's more important than the Lord himself there keeping you from Jesus for another person, comedian and object something you value above all other things in and you're more passionate about that than you are. The Lord himself give your money you give your body, it can be so many things but as Matt Damon said if you make the Oscar your idle it won't fill the hole in your heart and whatever you try to fill your heart with them. It's not Jesus you're going to keep coming up empty. God wants you to be happy.
There's nothing wrong with wanting to be happy.
Just do it in the right way and the way to be happy is by knowing the Lord and then when you know the Lord he gives you his parameters he gives you the absolutes to live by and I don't do these things because I have to.
I do these things because I want to because I have this exclusive relationship with the creator of the universe. That's what it's all about and got his demonstrated this love to us in the tangible way by sending his son Jesus. What greater sacrifice to the father make that offer up his own son and the father did that for you and for me. When Jesus went and died on the cross wife for your sin, because every one of us have broken the commandments. Every one of us have sinned against God and the Lord knew there was no other way that we can enter into this relationship together. So he made the ultimate sacrifice to put the judgment that should've come upon you and upon me on his perfect son Jesus, who never sin in Christ died in our place and rose from the dead and now stands at the door of our life in Knox and he says up will hear his voice and open the door he'll commit so right now Jesus is saying I want this relationship with you.
I want to forgive you of your sin.
I want to bring you the happiness you been seeking in life and I want you to join me in heaven one day what you need to do is say Lord I want that to come into my life in a moment were going to pray and I'm going to extend an invitation for anybody here anybody watching wherever you are.
If Jesus is not living inside of you. He can come in right here right now in the mobile going to pray and I'll extend this invitation and if you need Jesus today. Please respond. Let's all pray father, thank you for loving us so much that you sent Jesus to die in our place and then the rise now. I pray for any person that is here or is watching wherever they are. If they don't know you, they don't have this relationship with you yet, let them come to you now help them to see their need for you. We pray Elinor has about and her eyes are closed and were praying. How many of you would say today, you know what Greg I been trying to fill the hole in my heart with other things, relationships, experiences, accomplishments, objects, and none of its work. I want Jesus I want him to come and fill the void in my life. I want him to come in. Forgive me of my sin that your desire. If you want Jesus Christ to come in your life if you want Christ to forgive you of your sin if you want to know that you go to heaven when you die, would you just raise your hand up right now and I'll pray for you if you want Jesus in your life today, raise your hand up, let me pray for you wherever you're sitting got bless you. Anybody else is raise your hand and saying I need Jesus in my life today.
I'll pray for you got bless you anybody else raise your hand now got bless you bless you I'm in the leaves you in a prayer all of you that raise your hand. This is for all of you watching wherever you are if you need Jesus in your life. Pray this prayer with me right now. Pray these words Lord Jesus, I know I'm a sinner but I know you're the Savior who died on the cross for me. I ask you to come in the my life and I choose to follow you from this moment forward as my Savior and Lord is my God and friend in Jesus name I pray, amen.
God bless you that pray that prayer