DONT GET CARRIED AWAY - Francis Chan

Kevin's heading off to Haiti today so I thought we would just pray over him yeah shrim down even more I like that I wanted to look more like you good good good this is my friend Kevin member here at Cornerstone he's heading off to Haiti and you're going with the score internet and some of you guys might know Kevin he was the former former GM of the Dodgers and when they weren't real good but um verifying for the human humility is Bernie sure that's that's what I do um you're going over with score international what once you tell us a little bit about them because uh we're supporting score international as a church part of the Haiti money is going to go towards them tell them what's a scores total thank you score is a ministry sports ministry that's been in Dominican Republic for 25 years and what we do is we take baseball players coaches supplies into Dominican and we teach the kids how to play baseball and and in improve their skills but mainly we're there to show them the love of Christ the compassion of Jesus and just love on them well with that relationship in Dominican Republic which is right next door to Haiti we have some relationships that we've developed there of pastors local churches some orphanages and when I get there I'll get there tomorrow morning and then we're flying supplies and we've had some friends donate small cargo planes so we're going to be flying food and medical supplies in and taking in money as well and score is it's been a real encouragement to me I've been blessed to be on the board for about seven years now and and they're all about Jesus in showing the love of Christ being doers of the word not hearers only so we'll be down there I'll be down there for a week and again we've we've had we've taken in about eighteen thousand pounds of supplies already into port-au-prince and then another area called Jacmel which is south of port-au-prince that's on the coast so we're going to focus on those two places and then there's another place right on the Dominican Haiti border called Germany which is a lot of the refugees are fleeing out of Haiti and there's some hospitals there whether well there now hospitals temporary just people come in for surgeries and to get treated medically so we'll be there as well so I just asked for your prayers it's a blessing to be a part of this church this body of Christ because you guys are doers of the word and you're an example to to so many people and an encouragement and a lot of people know of Cornerstone and Frances and this is based out of Chattanooga Tennessee it's a lot of good old southern boys that are going down there so we don't not many of us speak Creole Haitian Creole some speak Spanish but we just believe that we want to put God on display we want to magnify him and we do that by showing the love and compassion of Jesus Christ just to serve the Haitians it's cool you know I went to a Uganda with Kevin and when everyone started speaking Swahili he would answer them in Spanish you can try that again I went that worked out pretty well oh sure no but you know beyond beyond what it was hilarious but um beyond what what we'll be doing in Haiti what's what's been really cool and like this week he got interviewed on ESPN radio and you know because of his baseball background and he just laid out the gospel and explained why he was going over there and they actually asked him to kind of report to them from Haiti and you know they're just kind of baffled why is this guy giving his life to something like this now and and we in this room know why and but I want to pray not just for his ministry there but also his ministry back here in the States as he reports back that people will be impacted and see the gospel in action so let's pray father thank you for my brother Kevin thank you for his love for you God I prayed she would fill him with your spirit in a supernatural way while he's over there even on the flight over there everything God he just keep in step with your spirit may he use him as a representative of us Lord and our love for the people there God give him wisdom compassion just a supernatural ability to minister to needs and and just learn when he comes back lord I just pray that you would give us further direction as a church that's how we can bless these people and serve them so God now just be with him take him over there and bring glory to the name of Jesus Christ through Kevin and Jesus name we pray amen thank you bro [Applause] you guys know uh you guys know Bill Lucas right one of our community pastor is central one clap form it's about what he deserves no bill is uh there you go you guys know bill bill is Phil is one of my favorite people on this planet and I want to tell a bill story a lot of bill stories out there and but um when he was a kid he was telling me the story about they grow very very very poor and but his mom saved for like two months to buy him this little watch that he wanted because he's you know he's a little kid he says one watch where you open it up and it would sing Yankee Doodle Dandy and he just really wanted it and so his mom you know just want to surprise him and just work and save and was able to give him this watch either for Christmas or his birthday and and bill gets to school a couple days later you know shows it off to all his friends but then one day a kid comes into class with a couple of doughnuts and bill goes oh can I have one of those the kid goes what would give me it feels like doughnuts look so good because you can have my watch for two doughnuts and so he's just so excited you know gives him the watch and starts eating these doughnuts ha it just felt so good tasted so good but then when he just ate the last bite he just like what did I just do it's just that thought of okay now I got to face my mom and tell her I traded that for two doughnuts and he's even to this day is like wow that was so dumb what did I just do you ever do that in life were you you do something and you're not thinking about what you're letting go of what you're ruining what you're screwing up you just see that immediate pleasure and then you're done you just go what did I just do what did I just do I can't go back now I've gone too far I I think the ultimate in that is think about what it must have felt like for Adam and Eve imagine you're impaired you're walking in the garden everything is perfect and God is walking there with you I mean intimacy with your Creator everything is perfect and then one choice and and imagine when they were banished from Eden imagine once the earth was cursed and everything else what would it feel like to be them at that moment now going we can't get back we can't go back everything's change everything's different what did we just do what do we just do see that it's been the plan of the enemy from the beginning that we would exchange make the stupid exchange that the dumbest exchange we could ever make and walk away from our God and pursue something that's lesser and yet the truth is is you we all know okay everyone in this room we all have different weaknesses right and different things that tempt us you know some it's more you know it's a substance abuse you know not just more to others as a gambling thing others is a sexual thing others is a financial thing but there's all these things that just are so attractive and at the moment and truth is is it there it's it's a blast whatever that vise is for you it is a rush it is a thrill but at the end of the day you just go what did I just do and what did I give up for that there's an exchange that takes place and Satan would want nothing more than for you to make that exchange so at the very end you stand before God in all of his glory and you see this majestic amazing being and all the riches of heaven and go what did I just do I just passed on all of that because something tempted me you know when we finished up second Peter I just want to remind you the last two verses of 2nd Peter that we read is as you therefore beloved knowing this beforehand take care that you are not carried away with the error of lawless people and lose your own stability but grow in the Grace and knowledge of our Lord and Jesus Christ to him be the glory both now and to the day of eternity amen he says you guys make sure you don't get carried away as as lawless people people say you know what forget the commands of God you know God is God really did God really say it see how it's the same lies ever since the beginning it's lawless people come on you can have both you can just come and he says make sure you don't get carried away make sure you don't get taken away and when I was reading that passage a couple weeks ago I thought gosh you know here he is talking to his friends because you therefore beloved and I just think man I can think right now even a faces of people that used to be in this room you know people that were here and then and they sang with us and they they nodded their heads to the messages and go yeah yeah yeah but then something you know took him away and it wasn't like a better theology it wasn't a more intelligent theology it was a desire and then they went out and tried to find people lawless people would say hey no it's okay to do that keep pursuing that it's okay and they found teachers to tell them what they wanted to hear and and I just get so sad you know and and the sad thing is is I know that some of you aren't going to be with us in a year you won't be with us next week you'll get carried away by something and it's like ah do you understand what you're giving up you know I uh it's just just last night just last night a few hours ago you know I was with my oldest daughter the other kids were asleep it's just my daughter and I and my wife was well actually she was playing bingo at the Catholic Church anyways um I think that's hilarious I just wanted to try it so uh so it's just me and my oldest and you know you know that uh this is funny that that you know when you put your kids to bed and you're you watch them sleep and there's just something like so it's like oh look at that you know and then I'm down there and everything was just good and I was like right you can play some songs on the piano and sing to me and and she started singing starts making up songs for laugh and then she starts seeing these worships songs and I'm just sitting there comes up on a blanket my daughter's singing to me and you know worshiping God and I'm just going everything's so good right now you know then we just sat on the couch and we talked for another half hour hour and just laughed and just talked about life and just talked about family talk about God go it see how good it is right now because right now at least today everyone's walking with the Lord and our family and we're all going in the same direction you know the Jews they used to greet each other with the phrase Shalom you know meant peace but it was more than just peace it was it was like a wholeness like everything is just right and it's like wow this is so good everything is just right and then thinking about this passage like God don't ever let me get carried away okay it is so good to have a clear conscience before you right now so just be intimate with you and and to pray to you and know that you're listening to me and to see the answer to prayers it's good to be walking with you and there's nothing that I'm trying to hide and it's just here it's all out in the open you know everything and and it's good this is good everything's good shallow man and don't let me make that stupid exchange because I am dumb enough and there are things on this earth where you look at it and you're not thinking about throwing everything away you're just thinking about that moment and he says so be careful take care take care other versions say be on your guard that you're not carried away but but the idea of take care is you take care of yourself so you see sometimes I think okay I got a I got to protect these people and that's partially my job so from up here as well as I can you know I try to protect through the teaching and theology and then there's pastors and Shepherds at the church that try to get to know you and spend time with you you know in your life and try to protect you but at the end of the day and you have other Christian friends family members whatever but bottom line you have to take care of yourself you got to figure it out yourself you got to guard yourself as what the Bible says that's why we're emphasizing you know this next month and you really need to be reading the Bible by yourself okay on your own you've got to be promise you if you do not pray and read the Bible on your own you will fall you will be carried away and Danny life go what what just happened it doesn't matter how many people are holding you accountable or calling you or how many times you go to different church services if you don't have that time alone with God I would not be here if I did not have that time alone with God I would be an absolute mess and that's where your head and that's why we're saying you know what you've gotta guard yourself you got it because it's about your own relationship with God we open up this book see right now I could say something go out that's his interpretation but when you open it up and you go and is what it says there's just nowhere to hide and you talk to God and and and this whole idea of being carried away I guess I've just been really sad this week I think about some of these people I'm going man you do you understand what you gave up do you understand what you gave up Romans chapter 1 is where we're going to be for the next few weeks it's this chapter I don't know if we'll go through the rest Romans but there's just one passage that for the last month or so I felt like God wanted me to share with you and and it's in it's the end of Romans chapter 1 and you need to know I've been fasting and praying for you that you would really understand this passage it's I think it is so necessary for our day and age and I've spoken on this in the past I probably preached it you know here here's the interesting thing and this is why I fasted I prayed and I take this morning very seriously the next few weeks tonton I don't do it all the time but 10 years ago I preached Romans chapter 1 and there wasn't a whole lot of resistance wasn't a real big deal I'm going to preach it today and it's going to be a big deal because our world has changed and this is going to cause a stir for some of you this will be your last Sunday for somebody this is the last podcast you're going to watch because a lot has changed in last 10 years it's crazy to me the 10 years ago I could preach this no big deal I preached today it's going to cause a stir and I try to think what would it be like if I preached at 10 years from now will I even be able to legally preach this 10 years from now I doubt it but you need to know I still will and I pray to God that I have the boldness to stick to whatever he says I should say no matter if it's popular or not and if it lands me in prison if it kills me big deal the Bible says don't fear those who can destroy the body and do nothing to the soul fear him who can destroy both body and soul in hell and so understand it's um it's an intense time to talk about some of these issues but God hasn't changed the world is going to change the question is is the church going to change with it Romans chapter 1 fact would you stand with me because this is the Word of God romans chapter 1 starting in verse 18 for the wrath of god is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth for what can be known about God is plain to them because God has shown it to them for his invisible attributes namely his eternal power and divine nature have been clearly perceived ever since the creation of the world in the things that have been made so they are without excuse for although they knew God they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him but they became futile in their thinking and their foolish hearts were darkened claiming to be wise they became fools and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images resembling mortal man and birds and animals and creeping things therefore God gave them up in the lusts of their hearts to impurity to the dishonouring of their bodies among themselves because they exchange the truth about God for a lie and worshipped and served the creature rather than the Creator who is blessed for ever amen for this reason God gave them up to dishonorable passions for their women exchanged natural relations for those that are contrary to nature and the men likewise gave up natural relations with women and were consumed with passion for one another men committing shameless acts with men and receiving in themselves the due penalty for their error and since they did not see fit to acknowledge God God gave them up to a debased mind to do what ought not to be done they were filled with all manner of unright evil covetousness malice they're full of envy murder strife deceit maliciousness they are gossips slanderers haters of god insolent insolent haughty boastful inventors of evil disobedient to parents foolish faithless heartless ruthless though they know God's decree that those who practice such things deserve to die they not only do them but give approval to those who practice them father help us to love and yet also stand on your truth in Jesus name Amen you can have a seat rather than typically how I'll go verse-by-verse we're going to kind of just jump around and once you to see the context of this passage and we'll be doing that for the next couple of weeks and let me say there are a lot of things addressed in this passage a lot of different sins and all of them cause us to be worthy like the Bible says we deserve to die we deserve the separation from God and I know in this room there's struggles in these different areas and and and I really struggle with this because I don't ever want to be one of these guys it's all happy about the wrath of God I am NOT but I've noticed myself changing over the years and I noticed myself being more and more scared to say certain things because it's not politically correct and and I was just confessing that before the Lord going Lord I want to keep that love and compassion and yet I don't want to ever back down from your word and I scare myself sometimes God don't let me back down give me that courage because I don't want to be one of those cowardly that the Bible talks about at the judgement I don't want to be one of those where Jesus says you know what you confess me you confess all of me you confess everything I teach everything I stood for because you know what and I'll confess you before my father in heaven but you deny me on that earth and I'll deny you before my father in heaven there is a choice and I recognize sometimes I desire to be like two too much and I go kinda I can't be popular according to scripture I can't be popular with you and the world not everyone's going to love me so I've got to choose and yet at the same time it's not with a great joy that I tell people that they're in sin it's what the sadness I mean seriously this week it broke my heart thinking about people who walked away from God and made that exchange and going it's so not worth it I know he seems like everything I know he seems like such a great guy and it could be it's just he's just not worth it he's not worth it I know she looks good and aa man and as he's treating you better it's just not worth it I know you're not doing well financially and I it's just it's just not worth it though nothing's worth it is so good to be near God it is so good to just be at peace and go I know my Creator I love him he loves me he's with me see the passage here says the wrath of God is revealed now first of all some of you in this room have a problem with the wrath of God you maybe were taught God's not allowed to get angry and pour his wrath out on the world and yet everything in history shows us that he does and he has poured out his wrath but now typically when we think of his wrath this is the interesting thing about this passage typically when we think of his wrath we think of Sodom and Gomorrah right you know let's just that find that either it just burns you know we think of Moses and and Pharaoh and oh you're not gonna let my people go watch my wrath get poured out on you we think of the whole earth when God was grieved that he made the earth and and he just floods the whole thing you think of Revelation revelation just the whole book of Revelation is just the wrath the wrath and all these catastrophes every but but but when he talks about the wrath here because he's saying the wrath of God is revealed or is being currently it's being revealed you can see the wrath of God on this earth he's not talking about lightning and fire and brimstone and plagues necessarily what he's talking about here is is a it's a different type of wrath it's the wrath of abandonment where God says you don't want me fine here I'll let go and let you do whatever you want to do I'm done with you you want your sin yeah oh you want to do whatever feels good okay go go just do whatever feels good I've been trying to hold you back up and try to bring you to myself but you keep pursuing this wanting this and God fine just as fine just go have a tell me how it works out for you it's it's and as I read it I thought wow then that's as horrible I mean if you really think I never thought about it but really the worst thing God Almighty could do to me right now is leave me to myself let me think about that for those of you who know God and know how good it is could you even imagine what if God says okay you know what forget it you want to be alone you don't want to follow me go I'm done with you I tried to picture that in my mind like God just going okay Francis I'm done with you so now I'm just down here on the earth by myself I also got my friends and everything else but what what do you do try to go have fun try not to die should I just look good and make some money and entertain myself can you imagine what it what a what a hell that would be to be separated from him and really that's what this wrath is about here is this abandonment that I hike a while that is the worst thing you could do to me God it's just giving over the the word here you see it over and over God gave them up God gave them up God gave them up it's the idea of you possessing something and then you just say okay no now you possess it you own it it's it's like okay my car here's the keys you know what it's yours you own it you want it you can have it it's that idea of him saying to us you know what you don't want me to own you you want to just take care of yourself let me give you over to yourself okay here you can have you can have your life do what feels good forget me don't honor me don't think about me just go go go and he explains and look what happens to these people but he explains that his the wrath of God it's it's it's it's it's justified no one's going to come before God at the end of their lives and go well I didn't know you existed according to this passage it says the wrath of God is being revealed against all their godless and unrighteousness of men why it says it says who by their unrighteousness they suppress the truth it's not that people don't know truth and what's right or wrong it's like they don't want to think about it they suppress it they push it away because it says for what can be known about God is plain to them because God has shown it to them did you know that that what can be known about God you know God exists you just do now you may suppress that truth and push it away further and further further and at some point God is finally going to say fine you don't want to believe that I exist don't believe that I exist you can just believe that you came from nowhere and that's his wrath he's going to let you believe is it he says you claim to be wise but you're really becoming foolish he says a you know by their they suppress the truth because what can be known about God is plain to them because God shown it to him his invisible attributes his eternal powers divine nature have been clearly perceived clearly perceived ever since the creation of the world in the things that have been made so they are without excuse this is not a popular thing to say today because there are many people who say no no there's the creation it all it all evolved it's it's it took a long time but we got here and and that's the truth and you're ignorant you're foolish for believing that there's a creator and what God says in his word which I believe is now you can look at nature you can look at everything and you know that I made it it doesn't matter how many years of school you heard it fed to you look around and if you don't believe in me it speak as you don't want to believe in me and you've decided to suppress the truth meanwhile the rest of us who believe in God we see God in all of nature and we see him everywhere and everything man I I looked at the mirror this you know this week I thought Wow amazing you know but seriously where I thought not not like hush I'm so much better than you although but it is it's it's but more just like man have you ever just look at it we take so many things for granted like man the way I can deal stuff and like thinking to taste things neat things you know hot it's really good or you know just just to see and to hear and smell the laughs and and even like crying and like you know good tears bad tears but how does that just show up you know the love and the relationships and you just go okay this is ridiculous god you're and everything and absolutely everything how could anyone deny you or or when you see it your child being born you just go okay forget it that is just over the top now how can anyone not believe in you I just love you know going anywhere and looking at his creations you guys a drive around at all yesterday and see the snow on the mountains and everything Green is just like ah you know with every every sunrise sunsets like god I see you and everything everywhere and and and and God says yeah yeah everyone can and anyone can it's just and they do but they suppress it they don't want to believe in me and and in verse 21 it says though they knew God they didn't honor him as God you know that there's a God and and and he didn't give thanks to him didn't thank God for making them they they don't they did you know they don't look in the mirror then go god this is amazing you gave me life you let me exist on this planet he goes but rather than honoring him and saying okay so someone must have made me how does he want me to live instead he says they don't give thanks they don't honor but it said they'd be come feudal futile in their thinking and their foolish hearts were darkened they just start thinking in a futile way like well I'm going to think that it's all about me and everything centers around me and my feelings and that that's why in verse 22 is is claiming to be wise they became fools claiming to be wise they became fools they claim that the most intelligent the wisest people in the world that have figured out that they don't need this God he doesn't exist and God says others so foolish life scripture says the fool says in his heart there is no God it's not wise it's not the most intelligent thing to believe that all of this came from nothing and so God says I'll give you over you want to believe that I'll give you over to your thinking you just go ahead and believe that no one created you and then he says you know you don't want to you don't want to honor me you just want to please yourself there in verse 25 is because they exchanged the truth of God for the lie and they worship and serve the creature rather than the Creator they worship here's that here's the crux of it they wanted to worship the creature not the Creator they want to go you know no it's not about what you want it's about what I want it's about what I and we all have this temptation that the throw off the authority throw off the one who made us not honor him not give thanks to him but just go okay now that I've been created it's all about me and what I want to do it's about self worship that's what it always comes down to and he says okay if you don't you want to just please yourself you just go ahead you'd rather just worship yourself because I'll let you worship and it says that he gave them over to this depraved mind and it's it's to this point where they start making these idols and they start they exchange the Bible says they exchange the glory of the immortal God for these images okay you gotta understand and again here's another thing that is not right to say but but I'm but it's biblical it's not right to say in our culture I should say it's foolish to make an idol if people all around the world making idols and it's just absolute foolishness a silliness Isaiah 44 talks about that I remember in Isaiah 44 where God says how do people not figure out that they chopped down a tree they cut it in half half of the wood they used to bake bread and keep themselves warm and then the other half they're going to chisel out an idol and then bow down to it and say you made me and he just he just he just ridicules that idea like people will literally do this why because they've suppressed the truth of God and God says fine you want to believe that I don't exist you want you know I'll make you so foolish that you'll start chomping down trees and bowing down to them you don't want to believe in God I'll leave you lost he said and it's it's letting go he gives them over to that type of thinking and that's where that type of thinking leads you and that's why he even says in Isaiah 44 verse verse 18 about those who make those idols he says they don't know they don't discern for he has shut their eyes so they can't see in their heart so they can't understand business no one considers nor is their knowledge or discernment to say half of it I burned in the fire I also baked bread on its coals i roasted meat and I've eaten and shall I make the rest of it an abomination shall I fall down before a block of wood it feeds on ashes a diluted heart has led him astray and he cannot deliver himself or say is there not a lie in my right hand he says he's holding that idol even though the rest of it he just cooked his meat over and has turned to ashes and he's going to bow down to this and he can't recognize the lie that's in his hand he can't recognize the lie in his right hand see it's this depraved mind that just goes yeah there's no God and it's really a suppressing of the truth because you want to believe that okay fine just believe you came from nowhere in fact you want to worship yourself you own a worship created things once you go ahead and worship that block of wood I'm going to make you so foolish you'll actually carve something out of metal you know of gold or out of wood and then go after you make something you're going to say you made me he goes go ahead that's where it's going to go you don't you want to believe in me I'll have you carving things out of wood and out of metal and then bowing down to them that's his wrath go ahead worship something else worship yourself see they exchanged the law exchange the truth the things that are good see the commands of God people don't want to live under the commands of God they think it's a bad thing and so what God says is God says you you want to believe that there's no right or wrong and right or wrong is is that whatever you think in your heart then go go just do everything you feel like doing okay it feels good do it you want to I'll let you do it okay I'm done fighting them I'm done trying to preserve you and show you how good I am and how great it is to be under my law under my command under my rule under my security you want to be on your own go go do everything that pleases you whatever feels good do it fine I'll let you go tell me how it goes for you he goes but what's going to happen is it says you'll you'll start believing that things that are unnatural are fine as part of the curves it's part of the wrath as you're going to start believing that it's natural for two men to lie together everything the way God designed when he created and created this earth in the order and the way everything works you're going to go so far from me in my commands that some of you will actually feel like no that's fine that's okay and it talks about how the women exchanged the natural relations the way that God created it rejected that and became inflamed for one another the same thing would happen to the men and he says you'll see the penalty in themselves the way they pay for it is they actually just go against the nature of God and believe that it's natural now he goes on with the list and I don't want to single out that that one issue but the Bible does put that as a separate issue because he's trying to explain the natural law in the natural way that God created things but then he goes beyond that and he says since they didn't see fit to acknowledge God God gave them up to a debased mind to do what ought not to be done they were filled with all manner of unrighteousness evil covetousness is no covetousness is it's when you see what someone else has and you want it I was a nice car wish it was mine it's a nice house I wish I house like that it's a nice shirt thank you it's just you know but but these are things that will become acceptable they're evil covetousness malice envy murder strife deceit maliciousness they're gossips slanderers haters of god insolent haughty boastful inventors of evil disobedient to parents foolish faithless heartless ruthless though they know god's decree that those who practice such things deserve to die they not only do them but they give approval to those who practice them this is not only it's not that they just do these things then they're ashamed no they do them they get to the point where they go no this is the right way to live and they give approval to other people who live this way and he says just just go down this road God saying you know what you want that fine I'll give it over to you and then this list I know some of these you know you thought I didn't know that was such a big deal I know that was such a big deal it's a big deal and and any understand these are these are things that God sing man don't you understand under my protection in my kingdom in my world and in the way I designed you these things wouldn't exist you wouldn't love those things you wouldn't pursue those thing because it's better without it it's just better and any he names some of the things that he says gossip because you ever been in a circle of friends where you probably are in a circle of friends where everyone gossips about each other they tell you the garbage about other people and guess what they do when they're away from you you really think you're the one friend that no one gossips about know isn't it fun being in those circles where everyone just talks behind each other's back he says you guys want to gossip go gossip see where it gets you you guys want to deceive each other you want to lie that's fun you have friends that you just you never know when they're telling you the truth great friends huh and they lie to you then you can lie right back to them get them back and then we just lie back and forth to each other no one really knows the truth about each other he'll just do it do it fine you want to like go go go go go deceive each other see where it gets you hate you want to hate you want to murder doesn't feel good to hate sometimes it does isn't it because get yeah just keep hating see where the bitterness gets you you know one of my favorite things to do I love hanging out with crotchety old men there's been angry their whole life aren't they just the greatest just so pleasant to be around just mad at this mad at that all I just want to hang out with you because you're just mad you just hate because well what good is this it's killing you you want to go into these things that you don't want the disobedient to parents did you know that was on the list disobedient to parents I love babysitting kids who don't listen don't you don't you love it in the mall you see a kid throwing a tantrum throwing things at her pen it's just beautiful just lights up the room it just goes on this list and goes Mia don't you understand you you want to do that do that because you know if you're going to pursue those things let me just get get your mind here here I'll let go and I'll give your mind over that mind that I created to serve me you know and then to live by my moral law I'll let you to believe that all these things are okay okay and then what's going to happen the wrath of God you'll see the wrath of God what's going to happen God lets these people go okay fine do all of that you know what sleep around do what you want stuff and then then see what happens then you'll be filled with a world full of people who are unfaithful broken homes people that are neglecting their kids abusive to them you'll be surrounded by all these druggies and murderers and liars and thieves and then you'll then you'll ask the brilliant question where is God in all of this and the answer he left because give it enough time God will give you exactly what you want you want to keep pushing them away he finally just says you know what the wrath of God is on you you just go okay okay believe that I don't exist that's right it's all came from nowhere oh you know what when are you getting to worship yourself once you worship that block of wood while you're at and once you bow down to it and try to feed it some food you genius you know and you wanna you want to go on in your sin here go go on in your sin just go go go go you know what kill murder rape because that feels good all that stuff feels good and let's just see where it gets you see God says that's my wrath that's a it's a different look of his wrath where he says this is going to get you nowhere man you guys and that's such a sad phrase when it says they exchanged the glory of the immortal God it traded me you see that in Scripture over and over again where God looks at Israel and go entreated me what was wrong with what I was doing I thought it was a good god I thought I gave you the good manzai keep your world away I wanted it to be everything I gave you I loved you I would I forgave you of all of your sins and my son died on a cross because my rap I had to pour my wrath out on someone's I poured out on him I give you that you can be forgiven I tell you about this eternal Kingdom where there's no more tears no more pain no more goodbyes forever and ever you can have all of the riches everything can sit on the throne with me and you walk away and you trade it for something either that you're going to you're going to partake in afterwards go what did I just do I exchanged the glory of the immortal God for that I'm telling you she is not worth it he is not worth it it is not worth it nothing is worth it and my guess is while most of you in this room you're here because you agree with that I'm willing to bet there are a lot of you though that while you would never exchange it you're kind of deceiving yourself because you're holding on to certain things and believing you can have both your going I'm not rejecting God no but by holding on to what God says is wrong you are rejecting him you're making a choice the Bible has never allowed people to have both it's that lukewarm idea because be hot or cold lukewarm I'm going to spit you out of my mouth Jesus was very clear and mark on the book of Mark chapter 8 verse 34 is is calling the crowds and with his disciples he said to him if anyone wants to come after me let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me for whoever would save his life will lose it but whoever loses his life for my sake and the gospel's will save it for what does it profit a man to gain the whole world and forfeit his soul Jesus look I know there are a lot of things in the world I know the world looks great and there's a lot of things that could bring you pleasure he goes but don't you understand if you come after me because I believe I'm worth it I believe I'm great enough that if you want to come after me you're going to have to deny yourself you got to stop believing that it's all about you and whatever feels good and this whole thing of well you are to want me to be happy no it's about denying yourself yeah there are things that seem very natural and seem like they would be fun and absolutely they would be fun and they would bring you a ton of pleasure but Jesus says deny those things I'll give you something better deny yourself pick up your cross follow me because because what you're going to do you can try to hold on to everything he goes if you try to hold on to it what do you do you you're going to end up losing your life and he goes in what's it worth what's it worth to you so at the end of your life you got all this stuff and you're all comfortable and you you know got to indulge and every pleasure you wanted but he says then you forfeit your soul Jesus come to me I'll show you life I'll show you real life and that's what I was trying to explain like last night just going this is it Jesus they don't ever want to leave this I don't ever want to get out of your circle it's a beautiful beautiful thing to be in the will of God be filled with his spirit and I understand I I said some difficult things today and it was hard to say him wasn't hard ten years ago but it's hard and but I don't I don't ever want to sacrifice this peace I feel right now with God in the room like thanks Francis you said what you're supposed to say and it's like okay god that's all I need I don't care I don't care what anyone else says and I want to live that way and someday it's going to pay off and it's going to be difficult to stand for some of these things some of you you're holding on to something and I maybe this is the morning you let go and maybe this is the morning you realize it's just not worth it the scariest thing about God is given enough time he'll give you exactly what you want don't push him away anymore Bibles us today today is the day of salvation you can be forgiven of everything and if you can hear my voice and get in your heart right now that is not too late for you but if you reject it and you keep pursuing and going further down this there comes a point when God says I'll just give you over to depraved mind a debased mind I want you to go bow down to that block of wood while you're at it and all that just breaks my heart guys I hope you guys don't get carried away it's a crazy world out there in there there's just so many things that at the moment they sound so good just like Adam and Eve its it's really no different so maybe today as the worship team comes up you you just need someone to pray with maybe maybe you say I never decided to follow Jesus and and yet your message up there that's hard do I have to believe all of that yeah it's part of following God I don't want to make any I don't want you to be deceived by that if you decide to follow Jesus it'll be one of those difficult things you will do it will be the most difficult thing for you to do especially as the world goes on because you can't I see for me one of my sins is I like to be liked and as a sin or not I just like it and and so you realize well if I stand for the things of God I will be hated and rejected and emma is he worth it to me and I want you to know that's one of the decisions you got to make for me I go yeah absolutely he's worth it doesn't mean it's not hard but he's worth it I understand I will not be popular with God and with the whole world and if you want to give that up and follow Jesus today I will say this greatest thing I've ever done my life - and you can get baptized and die to the old Jew and come out a new person and have God's Spirit come into you and enable you to live the way he wants you to even if the rest of the world goes a different direction we have power over that and we thank God for that so it's worshiping you

Channel: venetable

Views: 67,197

Rating: 4.8763328 out of 5

Keywords: Francis, Chan, Crazy, Love, Forgotten, God

Id: nApKW7lsMbI

Length: 51min 51sec (3111 seconds)

Published: Sun Jan 30 2011