Everything Sacred

 Everything Sacred - by Greg Laurie – www.harvest.org Some time later, God tested Abraham’s faith —Genesis 22:1 https://harvest.org/resources/devotion/everything-sacred-2/- Listen In their later years, God blessed Abraham and Sarah with a child, Isaac, whose name means “laughter.” Isaac was a physical representation of everything sacred to Abraham’s heart, the covenants that God made. He was the physical link to the coming Messiah. And Abraham watched this little childgrow into a young boy and then into a strong young man. We don’t know for certain, but perhaps Isaac began to fill the spot that Abraham had previously reserved for God because the Bible tells us that God tested Abraham. God said to him, “Take your son, your only son—yes, Isaac, whom you love so much—and go to the land of Moriah. Go and sacrifice him as a burnt offering on one of the mountains, which I willshow you” (Genesis 22:2 NLT). Even then, Abraham had his priorities right. He was willing to give up Isaac to the Lord, believing that, if necessary, He would resurrect him from the dead. Of course, we know the rest ofthe story. At the last moment, God spared Isaac. And Abraham passed the test. In his book The Pursuit of God, A. W. Tozer commented, “To the wondering patriarch [God] now says in effect, ‘It’s all right, Abraham. I never intended that you should actually slay the lad.I only wanted to remove him from the temple of your heart that I might reign unchallenged there.’” Could it be that someone has become an idol in your life? Is there someone who is more precious to you than God Himself? It isn’t that God would take this individual away as much as He wants to rule and reign in your heart. The Bible gives us God’s reflection about how the people of Israel once pursued Him. God said, “I remember how eager you were to please me as a young bride long ago, how you loved me and followedme even through the barren wilderness” (Jeremiah 2:2 NLT). In other words, “Remember how it was when we were still in the honeymoon phase, in the early days?” He continues, “For my people have done two evil things: They have abandoned me—the fountain of living water. And they have dug for themselves cracked cisterns that can hold no water at all!” (verse 13 NLT). Their first mistake was withdrawing from Him, the fountain of living waters, the One who could satisfy their deepest needs. And then it was only a matter of time until they found broken cisterns,wells dug in the rocks that couldn’t hold water. Let’s heed the warning of Scripture to believers living in the last days. Let’s refuse to allow anyone or anything to become idols in our hearts. The best antidote to idolatry is a passionatelove relationship with Jesus Christ. When He is the Lord of our lives and we’re cultivating fellowship with Him, we won’t run after other gods. Any pursuit you go after that takes God’s place in your life won’t satisfy you. Let Him be your Lord. Let Him be your God. ---------------------- Bewareof False Teachers �Ye therefore, beloved, seeing ye know these things before, beware lest ye also, being led away with theerror of the wicked, fall from your own stedfastness.� (2Peter 3:17) Peter�s final epistle, especially chapters 2 and 3, is the classic New Testament passage on the false teachers that would plague the church in the �last days� (v. 3). In addition to the characteristics listed in the introductory verse, 2:1 (e.g., slipping insurreptitiously heretical teachings and denying the redemptive work and lordship of Christ), a number of their attributes are predicted for our guidance. They will �wrest the scriptures� (3:16), distorting their meaning to conform to their own philosophical preferences. This involves using �feigned words� (2:3)�that is, plastic words, with devious meanings to make them say what their users wish to convey. They may well be very eloquent and seductive in their speech �when they speak great swelling words of vanity� (2:18). They will deny the doctrine of special creation and the judgment of the worldwide Flood (3:5-6), teaching instead that �all things continue as they were from the beginning of the creation� (v. 4), and will scoff at the second coming. They �despise government� and are �presumptuous� and �selfwilled...not afraid to speak evil of dignities� (2:10). They both practice and defend immoral acts, �having eyes full of adultery� (v. 14). Yet they maintain their religious ties because they have hearts �exercised with covetous practices� (v. 14), seeing nothing evil in taking money for personal gain from thosewhose faith they seek to undermine. This is, indeed, a fitting description of many modern liberal theologians, religious bureaucrats in the big denominations, �New Age� preachers, college teachers of religion, etc. Although this is not a pleasant subject, Christians urgently need to awaken towhat is happening and �beware�! HMM --------------------------------- Bewareof False Teachers �Ye therefore, beloved, seeing ye know these things before, beware lest ye also, being led away with theerror of the wicked, fall from your own stedfastness.� (2 Peter 3:17) Peter�s final epistle, especially chapters 2 and 3, is the classic New Testament passage on the false teachers that would plague the church in the �last days� (v. 3). In addition to the characteristics listed in the introductory verse, 2:1 (e.g., slipping insurreptitiously heretical teachings and denying the redemptive work and lordship of Christ), a number of their attributes are predicted for our guidance. They will �wrest the scriptures� (3:16), distorting their meaning to conform to their own philosophical preferences. This involves using �feigned words� (2:3)�that is, plastic words, with devious meanings to make them say what their users wish to convey. They may well be very eloquent and seductive in their speech �when they speak great swelling words of vanity� (2:18). They will deny the doctrine of special creation and the judgment of the worldwide Flood (3:5-6), teaching instead that �all things continue as they were from the beginning of the creation� (v. 4), and will scoff at the second coming. They �despise government� and are �presumptuous� and �selfwilled...not afraid to speak evil of dignities� (2:10). They both practice and defend immoral acts, �having eyes full of adultery� (v. 14). Yet they maintain their religious ties because they have hearts �exercised with covetous practices� (v. 14), seeing nothing evil in taking money for personal gain from thosewhose faith they seek to undermine. This is, indeed, a fitting description of many modern liberal theologians, religious bureaucrats in the big denominations, �New Age� preachers, college teachers of religion, etc. Although this is not a pleasant subject, Christians urgently need to awaken towhat is happening and �beware�! HMM ---------------------------------- MeltedMountains �For a fire is kindled in mine anger, and shall burn unto the lowest hell, and shall consume the earth withher increase, and set on fire the foundations of the mountains.� (Deuteronomy32:22) Here in the Song of Moses we find a mention of the foundations of Earth�s mountains being set on fire. Micah picks up and expands on this theme, saying, �Hearken, O earth�the mountains shall be molten under him.�For the transgression of Jacob is all this, andfor the sins of the house of Israel� (Micah1:2, 4-5). What does the Lord mean by describing such a terrifying scene? If Earth�s mountains literally melt, then surely nothing would remain of this place. Such descriptions match others of judgment day. For example, Jesus said, �As therefore the tares are gathered and burned in the fire; so shall it be in the end of this world� (Matthew13:40). But would the Lord burn up the whole world�s mountains merely for Israel�s sins? Isaiah suggests an answer. He wrote, �Let the earth hear, and all that is therein.�For the indignation of the LORD is upon all nations.�Their slain also shall be cast out; and their stink shall come up out of their carcases, and the mountains shall be meltedwith their blood� (Isaiah34:1-3). Here the Lord melts mountains because of the wicked nations. God�s patience with both rebellious Jews and rebellious Gentiles will reach its limit. �The earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up� (2Peter 3:10), but the good news is that anyone can escape such judgment. �Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death untolife� (John5:24). Jesus endured the heat of God�s wrath toward sinners so that anyone who trusts in Him can receive everlasting life. BDT -------------- Jesusand Jonah �Now the LORD had prepared a great fish to swallow up Jonah. And Jonah was in the belly of the fish threedays and three nights.� (Jonah1:17) The Bible�s most famous �fish story� has been the target of skeptics for hundreds of years, but it was confirmed by none other than the one who Himself prepared the great fish: �For as Jonas was three days and three nights in the whale�s belly; so shall theSon of man be three days and nights in the heart of the earth� (Matthew12:40). Jonah might actually have died and gone to �hell.� �Out of the belly of hell [Hebrew Sheol] cried I,� said Jonah, �and thou heardest my voice� (Jonah2:2). The testimony of Jesus was similar: �Thou wilt not leave my soul in hell [i.e., Sheol]; neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to see corruption� (Psalm16:10; also Acts 2:27). Jonah also prayed: �Yet hast thou brought up my life from corruption, O LORD my God� (Jonah2:6). His prayer ended: �Salvation is of the LORD� (v. 9), and this is the very meaning of the name �Jesus.� Thus, 900 years before Christ died and rose again, Jonah might have died and risen again, a remarkable prophetic type of the mighty miracle that the Lord would accomplish one day to bring salvation and life to a world dead in sin. Only the power of God coulddirect a prepared fish to save Jonah, then three days later allow him to preach repentance and salvation to the lost souls in Nineveh. Then, finally God Himself, in Christ, died on a cross for the sins of the world, and it took the infinite power that createdthe very universe itself to bring His own soul back from hell and, three days later, to rise again. This is �the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe, according to the working of his mighty power, which he wrought in Christ, when he raisedhim from the dead� (Ephesians1:19-20). Truly, �a greater than Jonas is here� (Matthew12:41). HMM --------------------------- The Subtle Trap of Idolatry - by Greg Laurie � www.harvest.org These things happened as a warning to us, so that we would not crave evil things as they did, or worship idols as some of them did. �1 Corinthians 10:6�7 https://harvest.org/resources/devotion/the-subtle-trap-of-idolatry-2/- Listen Everyone has a god. Even atheists have something they believe in. That god may be themselves. It may be a possession. Or, it may be a career. But everyone has something they live for, somethingthat gets them up in the morning, drives them on, and gives their lives a sense of meaning. The question is, who or what do you believe in? The Lord wants to rule and reign in our hearts. And He wants everything else in our lives to be a distant second to Him. He wants our primary passion, excitement, and purpose to be a lovefor Him. The apostle Paul said, �To me, living means living for Christ� (Philippians 1:21 NLT). That should be the motto of every Christian. It�s something that we all should be able to say. An idol is anything or anyone that takes the place of God in our lives. It�s anything that would begin to crowd our relationship with God and become more important to us than God Himself. Writing to the church in Corinth, Paul referred to a specific instance in the lives of the Israelites when they worshipped the golden calf. He wrote, �These things happened as a warning tous, so that we would not crave evil things as they did, or worship idols as some of them did� (1 Corinthians 10:6�7 NLT). The children of Israel had seen God work in dramatic ways. They saw God deliver them from the land of Egypt with a number of miracles that He performed on their behalf. He turned the NileRiver into blood, sent plagues of lice and frogs, and even killed the Egyptians� firstborn sons. Then, when they began their journey, God opened the Red Sea for them, and they crossed on dry ground. Afterward it closed behind them, drowning the Egyptian army in the process. In addition,the Lord provided a miraculous navigation system: a huge cloud guided them during the day, and a fire in the sky directed them at night. And every morning when they walked outside their tents, a breakfast of manna was waiting for them, supplied by the Creator Himself. But despite all these miracles, the people turned theirbacks on God and engaged in full-blown idolatry. The problem was their faith was shallow. Thus, they were fickle. And from the moment that Moses left their midst to meet with God on Mount Sinai, it was only a matter of time until they startedlooking for something to take his place. So, the plan for the golden calf was devised, and the Bible tells us about the horrible results. Certainly, miracles and supernatural phenomena do not guarantee a mature faith that will resist the temptations in our paths. Sooner or later, we must take personal responsibility for ouractions and our sins and call them what they are. Let�s guard ourselves from the subtle trap of idolatry. Let�s not allow anyone or anything to take precedence over Jesus Christ in our hearts. -------------------------------- The Power of the Comforter �Nevertheless I tell you the truth; It is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not away, the Comforterwill not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send him unto you.� (John 16:7) The privilege of declaring the gospel to the unsaved becomes a delightful use of the �power of God� (Romans 1:16), speaking the words of God to a heart thathas been prepared by the trifold ministry of the Holy Spirit, who will �reprove the world� (John 16:8) of the following things. �Of sin because they believe not on me� (v. 9). All sin of every person can be forgiven (1 John 2:2). The only sin that irrevocably condemnsis unbelief (John 3:19), or more accurately stated, conscious rebellion against the ministry of the Holy Spirit as He convicts men of their need for salvationthrough Christ. Rejecting that message is �blasphemy� and is unforgivable (Matthew 12:31). �Of righteousness, because I go to my Father, and ye see me no more� (John 16:10). Now that the Lord Jesus has gone up to heaven, there is �nonerighteous, no not one� (Romans 3:10) on Earth�including you and me. The Holy Spirit must convince men that righteousness does exist. Otherwise, there wouldbe no possibility of understanding why we need to be saved. �Of judgment, because the prince of this world is judged� (John 16:11). Some have suggested that the �prince� is Satan. I think not. There is noneed to convince us that evil Lucifer needs to be condemned. However, that the sinless Son of God was condemned on Calvary for your sin and mine, now that needs supernatural convincing. HMM III -------------------------- No Compromise - by Greg Laurie � www.harvest.org For a time is coming when people will no longer listen to sound and wholesome teaching. They will follow their own desires and will look for teachers who will tell them whatever their itchingears want to hear. �2 Timothy 4:3 https://harvest.org/resources/devotion/no-compromise-2/- Listen There was a time when we were bombarded by a one-sided view of God as an angry deity, ready to throw people into the open fires of Hell. People complained about too much hellfire-and-brimstonepreaching. But when was the last time anyone has heard a hellfire-and-brimstone message? Sadly, the sermon �Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God� that Jonathan Edwards preached in 1741 would not be allowedin many churches today. Many people have gone too far in the other direction, teaching that God is an all-loving, benign, supreme being that doesn�t seem to have any opinions about the way we live. The assumptionis that as long as we�re true to ourselves, then it�s okay with Him. He accepts us the way we are. We like the qualities of God, such as love, forgiveness, and compassion, and the incredible fringe benefit of eternal life in Heaven. On the other hand, we�re appalled by a God of holinesswho desperately loves us yet requires repentance as well as trust, a God who promises to judge those who refuse to come to Him on His terms. Others look at God as some kind of pagan deity who simply needs to be appeased. They think that if they go through religious rituals, they�ve done their part, and they can build up creditfor sinning that week. People can follow that god as much as they want. But that is not the God of the Bible. When we start picking and choosing the things about God that appeal or do not appeal to us, we are not only diminishing our view of who God is but also believing and teaching a false gospel. Some preachers today offer weak, watered-down proclamations in the name of the gospel. They tell you to believe, but they don�t tell you to repent. They tell you there�s a Heaven, but theydon�t tell you there�s a Hell. And they tell you there�s forgiveness, but they don�t tell you there�s repentance. If we don�t include those things, then it isn�t the gospel. We cannot edit the gospel according to what we like or don�t like. It�s for us to share it as God gave it. Otherwise, we strip thegospel of its power and effectiveness. We cannot control what happens in the world. But at the same time, we cannot allow the belief system of a secular society to influence the way we believe. The idea is not to conform ourselvesto the world�s way of thinking. It is not to bend the Bible to the culture. When we desperately want to please everyone and not offend anyone, we will fail to make an impact on our culture. When we start tampering with the essentials of our faith, such as the Bible, the gospel, and the nature of God Himself, we are making God into a different image. The God of the Bible does love us and accept us as we are. But the God of the Bible also wants to change us. He wants to conform us into the image of Jesus Christ. ------------------------ Let�s Talk About It - by Greg Laurie � www.harvest.org For he has set a day for judging the world with justice by the man he has appointed, and he proved to everyone who this is by raising him from the dead. �Acts 17:31 https://harvest.org/resources/devotion/lets-talk-about-it-2/- Listen Jesus, the very personification of love, talked a lot about Hell. In fact, He spent more time than anyone else in the Bible talking about Hell. Therefore, we don�t want to steer clear of thissubject. To avoid this topic is a big mistake, even if it makes us uncomfortable. We do, however, want a biblical understanding of what the Bible says. Ironically, the word hell is one of the most frequently used words in the English language, yet it is one of the subjectswe talk about the least. When the apostle Paul spoke on Mars Hill, he concluded his message by saying, �God overlooked people�s ignorance about these things in earlier times, but now he commands everyone everywhereto repent of their sins and turn to him. For he has set a day for judging the world with justice by the man he has appointed, and he proved to everyone who this is by raising him from the dead� (Acts 17:30�31 NLT). Jesus talked about judgment. Paul talked about judgment. The apostles talked about judgment. The Bible talks about judgment. And we need to talk about it and have a proper understanding ofwhat it�s about. Some would say that it isn�t loving to talk about these things. Actually, it�s the most loving thing we can do. Let�s say, for instance, that you�re walking down the street and see a housethat is on fire. You see people inside, but they don�t realize what is happening. Would it be a loving thing to just keep walking? Of course not. The loving thing would be to do everything you can to warn the people inside. In the same way, if we believe what the Bible says about Hell and judgment, then we�ll recognize that people are facing judgment. And because we love them, we�ll want to talk to them aboutit and explain it. The Bible is very clear in pointing out that at some point, our lives on Earth will end. Scripture tells us in Ecclesiastes, �For everything there is a season, a time for every activity underheaven. A time to be born and a time to die� (3:1�2 NLT). That time to die may come much later than we expected. Or it may occur much sooner. That is why the Bible reminds us to number our days and recognize how few they are (see Psalm 90:12). Death is the great equalizer. It comes to everyone. And after death, according to the Bible, there are two destinations: Heaven or Hell. We decide now, not later, where we will go. After death,there won�t be any chance to decide. Yet there are thousands of chances before. And you decide where you will go. As Christians, we should talk about life after death and Heaven and Hell because the Bible does. And if we really believe there is an afterlife and a final judgment, if we really believe thatwe will be held accountable for things that we say and do, then it will affect the way we live. --------------------------------------- ThanksBe Unto God �But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.� (1Corinthians 15:57) There are innumerable things for which we could�and should�give thanks to God. But there are three notable gifts mentioned by Paul in his letters to the Corinthians in which he was led to use this particular exclamation: �Thanks be to God.� We shall do wellto look at these great blessings and then�like Paul�pour out our own thanks to God for them! The first is in our text above, giving thanks for God�s gift of victory. And what victory is that? �Death is swallowed up in victory� (v. 54), and death has lost its terrible sting for the believer, for Christ conquered death forever when He died for our sinsand rose again. The second is similar yet goes beyond even the first gift: �Now thanks be unto God, which always causeth us to triumph in Christ, and maketh manifest the savour of his knowledge by us in every place� (2Corinthians 2:14). We are not only blessed by victory over death but also victory in life! By the indwelling presence of the Spirit of Christ, we are enabled to triumph over circumstances and �shew forth the praises of him who hath called [us] out of darknessinto his marvellous light� (1 Peter 2:9). But the greatest gift of all is Christ Himself! Therefore, we join with the apostle Paul as he exclaims, �Thanks be unto God for his unspeakable gift� (2 Corinthians9:15). �For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life� (John3:16). The value of this gift is beyond language to describe, �unspeakable and full of glory� (1 Peter 1:8). The Lord Jesus Christ is both our Creatorand Savior, giving us triumphant peace and joy in life and eternal victory over death. Thanks be unto God! HMM -------------------------------- Singand Give Thanks �Sing unto the LORD, O ye saints of his, and give thanks at the remembrance of his holiness.� (Psalm30:4) When we remember God�s holiness, then remember how the mighty seraphim in the heavenly temple are continually crying out �Holy, holy, holy, is the LORD of hosts� (Isaiah6:3), then further remember the prophet�s prayer acknowledging to God that: �Thou art of purer eyes than to behold evil, and canst not look on iniquity� (Habakkuk1:13), and then still further remember that, as Paul said: �For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing� (Romans 7:18), wecan only marvel at the infinite mercy and grace of God. He has not only forgiven our sins, saved our souls, and promised us eternal life, but He also �daily loadeth us with benefits, even the God of our salvation� (Psalm68:19). What can we do except to perpetually �sing unto the LORD,...and give thanks,� as David exhorts us in our text for today. But how can this be that a God who is too pure and holy even to �look on iniquity� promises unworthy creatures such as us that �goodness and mercy shall follow [us] all the days of [our lives]: and [we] will dwell in the house of the LORD for ever� (Psalm23:6)? How can that be? This could not be, of course, were it not for the incredible love of God in Christ, who �hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God� (1Peter 3:18). �The chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed� (Isaiah 53:5). �While we were yet sinners, Christ diedfor us� (Romans 5:8). Therefore, �Be ye thankful....singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord. And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him� (Colossians3:15-17). HMM ------------------------- It�s No Joke - by Greg Laurie � www.harvest.org Then death and the grave were thrown into the lake of fire. This lake of fire is the second death. �Revelation 20:14 https://harvest.org/resources/devotion/its-no-joke-2/- Listen People are selective when it comes to the subject of God and the afterlife. They like the idea of a God who is loving, completely accepting, and tolerant. People can go along with a deitylike that. But they don�t like the notion of a God who is also just. And they reject the idea that God would send some people to Hell, or at least a lot of people they know. They would like to thinkthat certain people will be in Hell for the horrible crimes they�ve committed. But they don�t expect themselves or family and friends to end up there. Yet Hell is a real place for real people. And according to the Bible, Hell is a miserable place of torment and separation from God that lasts for eternity. As Timothy Keller pointed out in The Reason for God, �In our culture, divine judgment is one of Christianity�s most offensive doctrines.�[1] When you bring up this topic, people get upset. Maybe one reason is widespread misinformation about Hell. It certainly is not a party place. And it is absolutely not a joke. If it were, Jesuswould never have talked about it in the way that He did. Most of the biblical teaching on Hell comes from Jesus Himself. He spoke about it more than anyone else in the Bible. And He spoke about it in a very specific way. More than half of the parablesJesus told relate to God�s eternal judgment of sinners. We cannot pick and choose things in the Bible that personally appeal to us and then throw the others aside. We can imagine, as John Lennon famously sang, that Heaven and Hell don�t exist.But that won�t change the fact that they are real. The Bible tells us there are two deaths: one is physical and the other is spiritual. In Revelation 20:14 we read, �Then death and the grave were thrown into the lake of fire. This lake offire is the second death� (NLT). The next chapter also mentions the second death: �But cowards, unbelievers, the corrupt, murderers, the immoral, those who practice witchcraft, idol worshipers, and all liars�their fate isin the fiery lake of burning sulfur. This is the second death� (21:8 NLT). The second death this is speaking of is Hell. If you are born once, you will die twice. You are born physically, and you will die physically. And then you will face the second death and eternal separation from God. But if you are born twice, you will die once. You are born physically, and you are born again spiritually when you put your faith in Christ. You will face only the first death (unless, ofcourse, the Rapture happens in your lifetime). Scripture tells us that the second death is what we should fear. God has given us a free will, so where we spend eternity is really our choice. Not everyone will be saved in the end�only those who have put their faith in Jesus Christ. [1] Timothy Keller, The Reason for God: Belief in an Age of Skepticism (New York: Penguin Publishing Group, 2008),71.