Welcome to Delight in Grace. The Teaching Ministry of Rich Powell. Pastor of Grace Bible Church in Winston-Salem. Deuteronomy 32 describes not only the story of Israel. but of mankind throughout all time.
a loving God, seeking to pour out life and love on man. A people who become enamored with God's gifts, over God himself. The disaster and emptiness man opens himself up to Again and again. Do we want God's stuff? Without him?
Do we allow his good gifts to become idols. Thankfully, God doesn't leave mankind in this vicious cycle. but provides Christ. This is part four of a message first preached on january twenty sixth, twenty twenty five. It's part of a series from Deuteronomy titled, It is Because the Lord Loves You.
To hear the whole message or others in this series, visit www.delightinggrace.com. That's the new covenant. That's for us. As Jesus said, this blood, this cup is the new covenant in my blood. That's why he gave his life.
So we wouldn't have to end up the same way Israel did. As we conclude this morning, I want you to contemplate some things with me. We're going to bring this home. This is the so what now, okay? This is where you really need to put your seat belts on.
Contemplate this. How easy is it? To want. God's stuff. Without him.
And that stuff. can include Persons. A wife, a husband, son, daughter. Boyfriend, girlfriend? It can include persons, it can include possessions.
It can include physicians. If I lose this, I won't know what to think of myself. It can also include pleasures. How easy it is to want God's stuff. Without him.
Here's the kicker. Good. And all this stuff that God blesses us with They're good things, right? They are good things. But here's the problem.
Good things can become idols to us. All the blessings that Israel had, good things from God. And those good things became idols to them. They weren't bad things. until they became idols.
Your life is replete with good things. All of them blessings from God. Have any of them become idols to you? Because you want God's, and here's what happens. How do I know when something becomes an idol to me?
I need Yeah.
Now sometimes that's true, right? But is it? I need this, or I must have, and you fill in the blank. Or if I don't have X. then I can't.
Be happy. I can't be joyful. I can't live life. And here's a test. Here's a test.
I have to review this often. I've said it before. I'm repeating it again. Because we're dealing with idols of the heart. We see the people of Israel and the Colossal example of their idolatry.
Because They didn't need God. How do I know when something becomes an idol? A particular relationship, a husband, a wife, a child. How do I know when something has become an idol? By how I act when it's taken away from me.
How do I respond when it's taken away from me? A possession. A position, pleasures. How do I act when it's taken away from me? Or I lose it, or if I'm told I can't have it.
Robert Deeds was a major general retired. In the U.S. Army, he recounts back when he was 15 years old playing on the football team in high school. And he was about ready to go in, and the coach says, he sends in, he doesn't call Deed's name, he calls somebody else. He says, go in and take this position.
And Deeds looks at his coach. He says, Coach, what's up? He says, he is faster and stronger than you. I'm going to let him play this one. Finish the game.
And deeds was bitter. Sitting at a restaurant. He sees the coach come in, gets up and walks out.
Now he's playing a basketball game. He sees his coach come in and sit down and watch the game. And he's just bitter about it. And it just eats him alive. That position became an idol to him, didn't it?
Our hearts are idle factories. All these are good things. They are blessings from God. But they can become idols. When they replace him.
And what happens What happens is when a good thing becomes an idol Here's what happens, then we devote ourselves. to acquire them or to keep them. We devote ourselves to acquire them or to keep them. That's how you know something has become an idol to you. They become our security and our satisfaction, so therefore, I must have, or don't you even think about taking that from me.
And sometimes we say that to God, don't we? Don't you even think about taking that from me. Here's the truth. The title of today's message is Ascribe Greatness to Our God. Idols Ascribe smallness to God.
Idols ascribe smallness to God. We could be so busy acquiring and maintaining and protecting our idols that we miss. Redemptive opportunities that God sets before us, and then we're just living for ourselves instead of being instruments in the Redeemer's hands. Or it could be In a particular moment you sense God to be distant. Right?
We've all experienced that probably from time to time, but he's not the one that changes. We do, right? But let's hang with me here a second, okay? Here's possibly what could could happen. I'm not saying this is the way it is every time, but this is what could happen.
Could it be that you've been counting on his stuff? A person A pleasure. A position? Possessions. You've been counting on his stuff for your security and said, and you've been pursuing.
Yes, stuff. And then when the stuff doesn't deliver What are you doing? God, where are you? Could that be? It could.
God is in the business of growing your faith. And what is He doing here to Israel? He chastises them for their growing for their faith to grow. Hebrews points that out pretty clearly, doesn't he? Ascribe greatness to our God.
That's what we need to be pursuing to ascribe greatness to our God. And growing faith is this. In the context of the message this morning, growing faith is the process by which God removes idols. that inhibit or distract your trust in him. Is your faith growing this morning?
Is God working on your heart this morning? Is your faith growing? Yeah. Hebrews. Says it very well.
He disciplines us for our good that we may share his holiness. Let's confess, first of all, this morning that our hearts are idle factories. Is it possible that here recently you have said, God, don't you dare take that from me? Do you have? a sensed need for God in your day to day.
I hope it's not a situation where, oh, yeah, I gotta make time for my devotions. Do you realize how arrogant that sounds when you talk about the God of creation who made you and redeemed you? And we feel like we need to have somehow make time for him. God is good. At surgically removing the idols from our hearts.
He's faithful that way. Let's let him work in that. I'm going to have some soft music playing here for just a minute, and the elders will be standing at the back doors. I want you to be honest before God this morning. Lord, these are the idols.
of my heart. Uh And if there are idols Confess them to God. Ask him to take them, ascribe greatness to God, and the elders are standing at the back doors. You're welcome if you want to pray with one of them. You're welcome to do that.
Not gonna bring attention to you at all. Let's just take a couple moments and ask the Lord to search our hearts. Father, you know our hearts. You're simply asking us to confess the same thing. Father, may we be a people this morning that ascribe greatness.
to you. And as we ascribe greatness, Father, we do so by removing the idols from our hearts. Things that inhibit our faith. You are great. Nothing else can be our security or our satisfaction, Father.
Thank you for the work that you are doing among us. As we leave this place, Father, as we have sung so well this morning. May may we live. the greatness of God. Because indeed you are great, Father.
Thank you that you are kind and merciful and gracious as you have dealt with your people this morning. Pray in Jesus' name. Amen. You've been listening to Delight in Grace, the teaching ministry of Rich Powell, pastor of Grace Bible Church in Winston-Salem. To hear this message and others, check out www.delightandgrace.com.
to discover how to live by grace. Tune in with us on weekdays at 10 a.m. Yeah.
