App
#4—God is Not Worthy
Fred R. Coulter
- PDF | Audio | [Up]
[Transcript begins at 11:51]
You all have your books—Satan's Ten Most Believable Lies—and even though I've read this and marked it up, just going over it and re-reading it for the sermon I get so much out of it the second time, it's incredible!
Satan's most believable lie #4, 'God is not worthy' of my worship and my loyalty, and when you say the statement that God is not worthy what are you saying by that statement? What is the opposite that you are believing if you say that? You're saying something else; I have other things more worthy than God! This is really one of the central things at the heart and core of human nature.
I won't worship a God Who will kill children! I have heard that before, but what if He can resurrect them?
pg. 45—Satan's Ten Most Believable Lies:
Revolution is always built on ideology….
You can spend hours just going over that statement. Ideology is an idea, a belief.
…Give people something to believe, and they will join your cause.
Very profound statement! That's what Hitler did. That's what Sadam Hussein is trying to do right now.
The roar of cannons is the final outgrowth of a doctrine that produces new convictions, motivating the participants to revolution. Revolutions would never come to pass if there were not revolutionary ideas first. Each revolution in history began with propagandists promoting a concept with which they motivated others.
The point is that ideas have consequences….
Therefore, when you're looking at things like the pornographic music that we have today, it has consequences—right? Yes, it does! Therefore, you see the fallacy in the freedom of speech when it's given free reign to evil. But in the hands of men, you've got to have freedom of speech. But the evil will sooner or later predominate.
…External activities come to pass because of concepts or convictions, held in the heart, which motivate the will and produce actions….
That's why people in poverty think they have a right to steal, because they have been told that 'since you live in poverty and are deprived you have no control over yourself—which is the propaganda, which leads them to believe that they have a right to take.
Isn't that what Saddam Hussein is saying. 'Look at all these other rich Arabs, and they aren't sharing with me. Therefore, I'm going to take it.' This is our ideology.'
…When the Hitlers, Mussolinis, and Jim Joneses of the world want to activate people, they must first ideologize them….
That's why the whole school system is so corrupt today. How do you think that Satan is going to get in to be worshiped by the whole world? First they're going to be deluded into it! Yes, indeed, the ideology is coming!
…They first tell them not what to do, but what to believe….
That becomes absolutely profound! This is why anything to do with the religion, Bible or God becomes very profoundly important for those who do the teaching and preaching.
…If they can cause a false view of life to take root within a heart…
Of course, we need to emphasize the heart, because that's where it goes.
…dangerous and destructive actions can be carried out by otherwise normal people. False ideas, when acted upon, produce ruinous results.
Very well written!
p 46—Satan has the same intention; he would like to turn the whole world into a cemetery. If the fourth point in Satan's doctrinal structure were believed and practiced by all nations, we would see exactly that result….
What's going to happen when Christ returns? Nearly the whole world is going to be a cemetery! Why? Because the whole world is going to worship Satan and they're going to fight Christ!
Through the news, movies, television productions, newspapers, schools, and people, I want you to watch out for the ideas and ideology that is going to lead to a one-world government, a global leader and the producing of some kind of styles or different forms of Satan-worship. It's already taking place!
…Indeed, the Bible teaches that there is coming a time when all the world will rebel against God. Satan's doctrine? God is not worthy to rule the universe. Revolution then is appropriate for Satan….
Job is a very interesting book, and he gives quite a bit of really terrific insight in several of these things about Job.
Job 1:1: "There was a man in the land of Uz… [We have today the movie The Wizard of Oz] …whose name was Job. And that man was blameless and upright, and one who feared God and turned aside from evil. And there were born to him seven sons and three daughters. And his possessions also were seven thousand sheep and three thousand camels, and five hundred yoke of oxen, and five hundred female donkeys, and a very great household, so that this man was the greatest of all the men of the east. And his sons went and feasted in their houses, each one on his day. And they sent and called for their three sisters to eat and to drink with them. And when the days of feasting were concluded, Job sent and sanctified them, and rose up early in the morning and offered burnt offerings according to the number of them all. For Job said, 'It may be that my sons have sinned and cursed God in their hearts.' Thus Job continually did so" (vs 1-5).
- Job cannot impute righteousness to his sons, because he may do that.
- Job himself was perfect in the letter of the law.
Now comes the point, v 6, "Now, there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the LORD. And Satan also came among them. And the LORD said to Satan, 'From where do you come?' Then Satan answered the LORD and said, 'From going to and fro in the earth, and from walking up and down in it.' And the LORD said to Satan, 'Have you considered My servant Job, that there is none like him in the earth, a blameless and upright man, one who fears God and turns away from evil?' And Satan answered the LORD and said, 'Does Job fear God for nothing?'" (vs 6-9).
A very interesting statement—isn't it? And one that people are hooked on continuously! What I want to do is also ask:
- Why do you worship God?
- Why do I worship God?
- Why should anyone worship God?
Satan says, "…'Does Job fear God for nothing?'" In other words, Job has a lot of good reasons to fear You, God!
Verse 10: "'Have You not made a hedge around him, and around his house, and around all that he has on every side? You have blessed the work of his hands, and his possessions have increased in the land. But put forth Your hand now, and touch all that he has, and he will curse You to Your face.'" (vs 10-11). Because, God, You are not worthy to be worshiped unless you always give something to them. Many people feel that same way. Unless they have all the goodness of God—the good things that God gives—why should they worship Him?
p 47—"Does Job fear God for nothing?" states the devil's fourth doctrine. This satanic question implies the inner core of the infernal ideology that motivated the rebellion of Satan against God. Stan in effect is saying, "No one who is free to do otherwise will ever serve God except for what he gets out of it. Therefore, God is not worthy to rule the universe and is not intrinsically deserving of love and loyalty from anyone….
Because God is God and God is what He is and Who He is—is what he's saying.
"…Only mercenaries will do His bidding….
Interesting! Think about that! Only if you are bribed to worship God, hired to worship God, will you worship God.
"…Men will appear to serve God but only because of the temporal rewards, not because He invites their loyalty."
What is one of the things—and we discussed this time and time again, so this rang a bell in my mind:
- Why have a lot of people come into the Church of God? To see what they can get out of it!
Tell me some of the things they think they can get out of it:
- they can get money in relief
- healing is another one
- to escape
- What is the most base thing that appeals to people? There is a way of escape!
You scare the living tar out of them about the things at the end-time that are going to take place, which is true. So, they come into the Church to save their skins rather than worship God! This really gets down into the heart and core as to why we believe what we believe!
One mercenaries will serve Him! Here Satan delivers the most obscene insult possible before the throne of God. He attacks the very quality of the Godhead and implies that no person will do what is right just because it is right and Godly, but only because it is materially profitable. He asserts that only the temporal is significant; the Divine and eternal have no significance. God is not worthy to rule the universe, and He retains control only because He was there first!….
How many times have you heard that? How much has modern society based upon that rather than Truth?
Do you know what they're doing to the history books now? We are going to de-emphasize the European source of the beginning of America! We don't like those white people who were here first! But if you say anything—you white people—against any other race or people, you're racist! But we will say it to your face time and again, and yea, we will force you to change, because you were here first.
Once you understand this, you can just strip away all of the vanity and all of the lies and all the stupidity that comes along. White people, on the other hand, said, 'We have a Divine right to destroy all other people. Of course, that's not what God said. So, everybody is a sinner—right? What does Rom. 3 say? All have sinned and come short of the glory of God, and there is not one who is righteous—no, not one!
Of all the years I've been in the ministry I think this book has really given more insight into not only understanding the Bible from a broader perspective, but it's given insight in how to handle all of these foolish arguments that people have. Why do you worship and serve God?
…He, by accident of chronological priority, has the material resources to pay off unwilling and untrusting subjects. No one will serve God who is free to do otherwise.
We can learn a valuable lesson from this satanic statement, for from this question, we receive a clue as to the purpose for which man was created in the first place….
It think this is a profound insight right here!
…When Lucifer declared himself against God, he set up a polarity of truth in the universe. He accused God of being unjust. God could, of course, have insisted on His justice. However, under His own rules, He must have a witness to that justice. The purpose, then, for the creation of man is to witness to the justice of God, to prove by his life and loyalty, that God is just and intrinsically worthy.
It makes it far more profound in preaching the Truth of God—doesn't it?
We are here to prove that God is true….
Whether we're in the Church or not, we're still proving that God is true—isn't that right? You can do nothing against the Truth of God, which means, you can do nothing against God.
- God is God!
- God is Truth!
- God is love!
So, even if you lie, what do you do? You testify to the Truth of God! On what is lie based upon? First of all, it's got to be compared with what is true, otherwise, you don't know it's a lie. Even if someone does something contrary to the Scriptures, they are still saying by what they are doing it's a testimony that God is right! That's really quite a powerful concept when you understand it.
p 48—Who is this God whose Truth and justice is being assaulted by this fourth satanic doctrine?
It talks about the High, Holy, Eternal God! When you really understand it, this makes the Word of God far more powerful than we have really given credit; though we have not said it's not powerful, and though we have not said that it is not true. We know it's true, but this makes it even far more binding in that sense:
Isaiah 57:15: "For thus says the high and lofty One Who inhabits eternity; Whose name is Holy…" That's why God cannot lie. How could you ever had the support of the universe by something that is a lie? It's impossible! That's why it's impossible for God to lie, because He's Holy. Not that there's something there making Him so He won't. If you view God that way then you're viewing Him strictly from a human perspective.
"…'I dwell in the high and Holy place, even with the one who is of a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble…'" (v 15).
Now I'm going to read the list (from the book) of some of things that the Bible says about God—which are absolutely true—and no one can go against this. They may try; they may vilify God. They may rebel against God. And one of the things that's we've been proved for—not only is God is just, true, and right, but also to show how absolutely wrong Satan is. It says about God:
Glorious (Exo. 15:11)
Merciful (Exo. 34:6-7)
Compassionate (2-Kings 13:23)
Righteous (Ezra 9:15)
Invisible (Job 23:8-9; Col. 1:15)
Upright (Psa. 25:8)
Eternal (Psa. 90:2)
Holy (Psa. 99:9)
Immutable (Psa. 102:27)
Gracious (Psa. 116:5)
Good (Psa. 119:68)
Omniscient (Psa. 139:1-6)
Omnipresent (Psa. 139:7)
Unsearchable (Psa. 145:3)
Omnipotent (Jer. 32:17)
Perfect (Mat. 5:48)
Incorruptible (Rom. 1:23)
Wise (Rom. 16:27)
Faithful (1-Cor. 10:3)
Immortal (1-Tim. 1:17)
Love (1-John 4:8, 16)
That's why we need to worship God!
That is why the Jews have it totally, completely and absolutely wrong when they say that 'if you keep the commandments you are going to be blessed and therefore, that why you need to keep the commandments, which is only part of the story. Part of the story then is not the truth! Why do you worship God? Because He is God!
John 14:15: "If you love Me… [That's what it all has to be based upon. You love God because God is God! And Christ is Christ!] …keep the commandments—namely, My commandments." Too many times the Church of God gets the cart before the horse. You keep the commandments, and therefore, your keeping the commandments shows that you love God. It's the other way around. If you love God—because God is God—and regardless of the circumstances you continue to love God, that's why you keep His commandments.
God, sure enough, has said to remember the Sabbath Day, to keep it Holy. Absolutely true! We should! We do! That's why we're here, and today is Saturday, not Sunday.
When, regardless of the circumstances, you worship God and you love God—because God is God—then you're doing what is right.
Let's look and see what happened when this exercise took place with Satan against Job. I can tell you all one thing, none of us have ever gone through anything close to this. So, when you read and study the book of Job, just put yourself, mentally, in his shoes and see how you would have held up. There are a lot of people who would have given up—had all these things happened just in the first chapter—on God.
Job 1:11: "'But put forth Your hand now, and touch all that he has, and he will curse You to Your face.' And the LORD said to Satan, 'Behold, all that he has is in your power. Only do not lay your hand upon him.' And Satan went forth from the presence of the LORD. Now there was a day when his sons and his daughters were eating and drinking wine in their oldest brother's house. And there came a messenger to Job and said, 'The oxen were plowing, and the donkeys feeding beside them. And the Sabeans fell upon them, and took them away. Yea, they have killed the servants with the edge of the sword. And I only have escaped alone to tell you.' While he was still speaking…" (vs 11-16). Before this servant had gotten the words out of his mouth.
"…there also came another and said, 'The fire of God has fallen from the heavens… [Interesting statement—isn't it? Where did that fire come from? Not from God, but Satan!] …and has burned up the sheep and the servants, and destroyed them. And I only have escaped alone to tell you.' While he was still speaking, there also came another and said, 'The Chaldeans formed three bands and swooped down upon the camels, and have carried them away, yea, and have killed the servants with the edge of the sword. And I only have escaped alone to tell you.' While he was still speaking, there also came another and said, 'Your sons and your daughters were eating and drinking wine in their oldest brother's house. And, behold, a great wind came from the wilderness and struck the four corners of the house, and it fell upon the young men, and they are dead. And I only have escaped alone to tell you'" (vs 16-19).
Verse 20: "And Job arose, and tore his robe, and shaved his head, and fell down upon the ground and worshiped. And he said, 'Naked came I out of my mother's womb, and naked shall I return there. The LORD gave, and the LORD has taken away. Blessed be the name of the LORD.' In all this Job did not sin, nor charge God foolishly" (vs 20-22).
You can think of how many instances that people have given up on God because of circumstances, or because of a man, or because of a minister. Nothing compared to this! He was wiped out! So, if Job was doing it just for the material things, he would have given up.
Why do you keep the commandments of God? Because you love Him! and You believe Him! That's why when the people came to Jesus and said, 'Lord, show us the work of God that we may work the work of God.' And Jesus said, 'This is the work of God that you believe on Him on whom He has sent!' Belief! That's where it all resides!
Since this has to do with the heart, let's look at some Scriptures concerning that.
(go to the next tract)
Psalm 10:3: "For the wicked boasts of his heart's desire, and blesses the covetous but despises the LORD. Through the pride of his countenance the wicked will not seek God… [he only wants the physical, material things] …in all his thoughts there is no place for God. His ways prosper at all times. He is haughty, and Your judgments are far from him. As for all his enemies, he sneers at them. He has said in his heart, 'I shall not be moved; from generation to generation, I shall never be in adversity.' His mouth is full of cursing and deceit and fraud; under his tongue are mischief and iniquity. He sits in the hiding places of the villages; in the secret places he murders the innocent. His eyes are on the watch for the helpless. He lies in wait secretly like a lion in his den. He lies in wait to catch the helpless; he catches the helpless and drags him off in his net" (vs 3-9). Bringing him into these things; sucking him into this terrible, evil and monstrous way.
Verse 10: "He crouches and bows down, and the hapless fall into his mighty grasp." Isn't it interesting? What did some of the people on the street in Ammon, Jordan, say today about Saddam Hussein? He's speaking the truth and he speaks like the simple Arab on the street! Fully taken in with all of his propaganda. Just fits right in there. Satan also had that propaganda.
Satan also did this with the angels. Let's see the ideology; let's see the cause. In order to have a rebellion, you must have a cause—right? Satan had a cause!
Isaiah 14:12: "How you are fallen from the heavens, O shining star, son of the morning! How you are cut down to the ground, you who weakened the nations! For you have said in your heart…" (vs 12-13)—by what he believed. And we know from Rev. 12 that he got a third of the angels to follow him. He said in his heart:
"…'I will ascend into the heavens, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God; I will also sit upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north. I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the Most High [God]'" (vs 13-14). They believed it! Those that followed him believed it! That he would be like God!
Then the ideology and revolt and everything that took place, because he said "…in his heart…" That's why it's so very important what we really believe! That's why Christ went through what he went through. This is going to open up another whole avenue of thought toward why Christ did what He did. Why He said the things that He said to different people.
Luke 6:45: "The good man out of the good treasure of his heart…" Let's stop and think about what God wants to do with our hearts. He wants to put His laws and commandments in our mind and write them on the tablets of our heart!
As a man thinks in his heart, so he is. That's the reason why we need the Spirit of Truth, the Word of God and to continually worship God, because of what God is, because of Who He is. Not just what we get out of it alone.
Verse 45: "The good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth that which is good; and the wicked man out of the wicked treasure of his heart brings forth that which is wicked; for out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks. And why do you call Me, 'Lord, Lord'… [which is coming out of the mouth] …but you do not practice what I say?" (vs 45-46). To me that becomes far more profound. It makes us ask:
- Why do I pray?
- Just for me?
- Why do I study?
- Just for me?
- Why do I come to church?
- Why do I want to be a Christian?
- Because God is God and by His intrinsic love and by his intrinsic being you worship God?
- Is that it?
If that's where you're headed, then that's right. That's why when you read Matt. 13 about the parable of the sower, there are other people who are exposed to the Truth who did not respond because they have other things or ideas get in the way—correct?
That's why God wants us to love Him with all our heart, mind, soul, being and strength! That is really the only solution. You've heard this saying, and it was even joked about in the church we went to, 'they're accusing us of brainwashing you.' We all need our brains washed—don't we? In effect they were in many different instances—right? Right! Unless you point people to God as God—in all power, might, mercy and goodness—resides in him and not an organization and men, then you are brainwashing them.
Here is what happens to so many 'religious' people who don't worship God, because God is Who He is and what He is, so therefore, problems arise.
James 1:8: "He is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways." I submit that there are a lot of people who fit into that category that they are double-minded. Not just fighting their human nature, but they are coming to God, not because God is God, but what they're going to get out of it, rather than what God has called them to do.
Here is another basic Scripture, Matthew 7. It's amazing how some of these basic Scripture just really open up. Matthew 7:21: "Not everyone who says to Me, 'Lord, Lord,' shall enter into the Kingdom of Heaven; but the one who is doing the will of My Father Who is in heaven." What is the will of God? That you worship, serve and love Him, because God is God, and there is none other! That's why!
Verse 2.: "Many will say to Me in that day, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy through Your name?…'" Did a lot of preaching; did a lot of things; predicted the future. 'I wrote 50 years ago that Europe would rise again.' So what! God said it thousands of years ago!
"'…And did we not cast out demons through Your name? And did we not perform many works of power through Your name?' And then I will confess to them, 'I never knew you. Depart from Me, you who work lawlessness'" (vs 22-23). Why do they "…work lawlessness…"? Because they're not loving God! They're taking part of God and using it to their own advantage.
p 49-50—This satanic doctrine has important implications for us. The basic fact of the universe is that God is love and truth. Therefore, every person who does what is right—no matter what the consequence—commits the witness of his life…
Interesting phrase—isn't it?
…in favor of God and against the devil. Every person who tells the truth despite the absence or impossibility of material reward is functioning as an individual made in the image of God.
This book is loaded with fantastic statements like that—absolutely filled with it.
Satan has asserted that God, in His essential being, is not worthy to be the absolutely prior Person in the universe. Satan espouses the false doctrine that ultimate truth and the final value of the universe is resident in some other place or person beside the Godhead. He suggests that God is able to create only an artificial magnetism or loyalty toward Himself because of His gifts and not because of the finality of His Person.
Those are some really weighty words!
Ultimate truth, according to the devil, is not in God Himself. Because of this, he advances the argument that a person's final motivation will be within himself, not within the Person of his God. He advocates the notion that we will not commit ourselves to truth in the objective sense, but only to an alternate object which is our final truth, or profit.
'God, I will serve you with…'
'Lord, why do you do this to me; I don't deserve this.'
He suggests that the objective Truth of God is a sham and that no person will in any way commit himself to it except for personal profit. Final Truth, therefore, is not resident in God, but it is resident in personal advantage.
Let's look at the church that is persecuted. When viewed from what we're covering right now, Revelation 2:8: "And to the angel of the church of the Smyrneans write: These things says the First and the Last… [because God is; because of Who He is; because of Who Christ is. It's talking about Christ.] …Who was dead but is alive. I know your works and tribulation and poverty (but you are rich)…" (vs 8-9). They did not come into the Church of God because of what could gain vs the Laodiceans. They are a testimony that God is God and they are rich in spite of their physical circumstances.
How many of us would say if we were called to this—and I asked myself as well—to these circumstances: poverty, tribulation "…and the blasphemy of those who declare themselves to be Jews and are not, but are a synagogue of Satan" (v 9). Now they're going to be persecuted, chased and killed by the very function of the synagogue of Satan, because Satan thinks that if he does that to them, they will renounce God. After all, no one serves God unless there is profit in it.
So, God says, v 10: "Do not fear any of the things that you are about to suffer. Behold, the devil is about to cast some of you into prison, that you may be tried; and you shall have tribulation ten days. Be faithful unto death, and I will give you a crown of life." That's the ultimate value and worth that God is going to give. The physical things here don't count! That doesn't mean that we go out and get rid of them all right now. But that means that we don't set our hearts on them.
pp 50-51—Once again, the proper conduct of our lives, if we are to live to the honor of our God, has to do with our relationship to this word truth. Our lives are Godly or satanic, depending on whether we do or do not commit ourselves to the existence of an objective value outside of ourselves….
Who is God! Then he gives an awful lot here concerning truth: telling the truth, doing the truth.
Truth is so greatly emphasized in the Bible because it is so representative of God Himself. He is called "the true God" (2-Chron. 15:3). He gives us "true laws" (Neh. 9:13). His Word is "true from the beginning" (Ps. 119:160). "A true witness delivers souls" (Prov. 14:25). Jesus Christ is the Truth (John 14:6; Matt. 22:16). He is the "true Light" (John 1:9). He is the "true bread" (John 6:32). He is the "true vine" (John 15:1), and He is the only true way to the God of Truth (1-John 5:20). God solidly identifies Himself with truth. Therefore, he who is on the side of truth is on the side of God.
How shall we respond to this truth, which is the basis of the universe?….
By contrast, we are reminded that Satan is a liar from the beginning, that there is no Truth in him. Because he rejected the pillar and ground of Truth, namely the Person of God Himself, Satan became a murderer and a deceiver, the embodiment of all that is untrue.
When Satan asserts that God is not worthy in Himself to rule the universe, and therefore, the standard of our lives must be some [thing] other than God's Truth, he is describing the tragic situation in our present world. How many millions live a lie; that is, they live for some reason other than loyalty to Truth, to the Person of God Himself? Every person who lives primarily for material gain, pleasure, applause, even altruism, is committing himself to a principle that is essentially satanic.
Satan asserts that no will serve God for Himself alone…
because He will bribe them or give them different things.
The life of every person is built on a first principle. If that first principle is something other than the intrinsic worth of God Himself, that life is oriented in a satanic direction. Before the throne of God, Satan attacks the first principle and declares that no one will serve God for Who He is, only for what he can get out of it.
God will only be served by those who profit from it. How broadly is the satanic doctrine being practiced?
1-Timothy 6:3: "If anyone teaches any different doctrine, and does not adhere to sound words, even those of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the doctrine that is according to Godliness, he is proud and knows nothing. Rather, he has a morbid attraction to questions and disputes over words, from which come envy, arguments, blasphemy, wicked suspicions, vain reasonings of men who have been corrupted in their minds and are destitute of the Truth—men who believe that gain is Godliness. From such withdraw yourself' (vs 3-5).
Verse 10: "For the love of money is a root of all evils…" Evil has to have a root some place—doesn't it? Who are we to be rooted in? Rooted and grounded in the Truth! Who is the true vine? Jesus Christ is the true vine of whom we then are a part! The evil comes with the love of money!
This next paragraph on p 52 is most profound. It applies to circumstances that we knew in the Church in the past, but I want you to think of Raj Nei; I want you think of the Catholics; I want you to think of every religion or movement that does this:
We who live in this confused religious scene do well to be warned from the Word of God concerning the religious mercenaries, those who presumably serve God, but are actually dedicated to material gain. In the name of God, some have separated trusting souls from their money, and in the process, promoted personal wealth through religious exploitation. Their clever promises and adroit manipulations have led distressed and needy souls to press money into their hands that should have gone to buy food for their families. These religious promoters promise blessing, healing, even prosperity, but not without a stated or strongly implied price. The ministry of some is well described by Paul…
—which I just read, 1-Tim. 6:5. Isn't that true? People taken advantage of.
I've heard ministers tell people—when they told people that they had to tithe 30% and their taxes were 40%—that they should trust God and they went broke trusting God, because it was merely to get money. That money was not used where it should have gone. When co-worker letters were going out pleading and begging because they're millions behind, mansions were being built. That has happened with every one of them. How did they build St. Peter's? We will give you indulgences so you will go to heaven. Put your money in the coffer. That's what St. Peter's is built on.
What were the pyramids built on? Slave and work and put these pyramids for the tomb of your king, and you will go to heaven! Now we have a 'holy jihad' in the Middle East. Fight, die to the glory of Allah! I mean, all these things just become so clear, it's incredible! We will see how Satan used this temptation against Jesus:
Luke 4:5: "Then the devil led Him up into a high mountain and showed Him all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time. And the devil said to Him, 'I will give You all this authority, and the glory of them all; for it has been delivered to me, and I give it to whomever I desire. Therefore, if You will worship me in my presence, all things shall be Yours'" (vs 5-7). That's the philosophy of the devil—isn't it? Worship me and I will give you the world! Material gain in exchange for worship.
Verse 8: "But Jesus answered and said to him, 'Get behind Me, Satan; for it is written, "You shall worship the Lord your God, and Him only shall you serve."'" You don't serve Him because of what you may receive. You worship and serve Him—and Him only—because of Who He is! I don't know about you, but that helps make my faith a lot stronger! It helps give me a whole lot more conviction in these things, because now I can clearly see some of these things that have been brought upon people.
pp 53-54—The church in the Western world should well heed the instances in Scripture where material things grew up to turn the people of God away from the purpose of God.
Solomon! The greatest example of how material things then became the goal rather than serving God.
This was the story in the history of the nation of Israel and was the reason for the recurring judgment from God upon this nation. The history of the church also brings us the tragic, recurring story of repeated spiritual treason by the religious establishment. Virtually every church or religious movement begins with dedicated people who give the total of their spiritual and material powers, even unto death, to advance the kingdom of Christ. Then the classic story unfolds. Dedication produces success, and success, prosperity. Prosperity then inevitably diminishes spiritual fervor, and the hand of the blessing of God is lifted from a once fruitful spiritual effort.
Then he quotes Rev. 3:14-19 about the Laodiceans. Because rather than worshipping God, the people served God for what they can get, because they have lost the spiritual drive and power and energy that comes from God just to serve Him because of what He is. Which is why, when you analyze all the things we are here to do, it functions primarily on several key things.
Matthew 6:33: "But as for you, seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you." But beware when they're added to you, that they don't become the object of your worship or the total center of the focus in your life.
Verse 34: "Therefore, do not be anxious about tomorrow; for tomorrow shall take care of the things of itself. Sufficient for the day is the evil of that day."
That's why we seek the Kingdom of God first. I will leave you with this one thought and I will ask the question to myself as well as you:
- Why do I serve God?
- Because God is Who He is?
or
- Because I can get what I think God should give me?
All Scriptures from The Holy Bible in its Original Order, a Faithful Version by Fred R. Coulter
Scriptural References:
- Job 1:1-11
- Isaiah 57:15
- John 14:15
- Job 1:11-22
- Psalm 10:3-10
- Isaiah 14:12-14
- Luke 6:45-46
- James 1:8
- Matthew 7:21-23
- Revelation 2:8-10
- 1 Timothy 6:3-5, 10
- Luke 4:5-8
- Matthew 6:33-34
Scriptures referenced, not quoted:
- Romans 3
- Matthew 13
- Revelation 3:14-19
Also referenced: Book:
Satan's Ten Most Believable Lies by Dave Breese
FRC: bo
Transcribed: 1-17-13
