Transcription downloaded from https://sermons.crossbridgemt.org/sermons/58878/having-the-right-view-of-god/. Disclaimer: this is an automatically generated machine transcription - there may be small errors or mistranscriptions. Please refer to the original audio if you are in any doubt. [0:00] I greet you in the name of Jesus this morning. It is good to be here. I appreciate the word that has come already. [0:13] And there's a verse there in those chapters. I don't think you read it, but it says, The Lord is with you while you be with him. [0:24] You know, we have the Lord within us, but if we reject what he is saying like Asa did and we depend on ourselves, then what? [0:39] You know, the prophet said, God is with you if you are with him, but if you are not with him, he's not with you. And it's no different for us today. [0:53] You know, last Sunday we heard about knowing God and God leads us and some of that has been with me. You know, I gave you a quote last Sunday, and this has been with me all week. [1:14] A wrong view of God becomes idolatry. It leads into idolatry. I've been pondering this this morning, and that quote is from A.W. Tozer, and I might have more from him this morning. [1:36] But how do we, you know, we think of idolatry, and no, we don't have idols. [1:48] We don't have an idol here that we bow down to. We never have. We never will. We never will. You know, like in the Old Testament, it says how they go out and they chop down a tree, and they carve out an idol, they plate it with gold or silver, and they bow down to it and they worship it. [2:10] We would never do such a thing. But how do we view God today? Who is God to you? [2:22] You know, I've been challenged with this, this same statement. A wrong view of God leads you into idolatry. [2:37] If you, if we have a wrong view of who God is, and we pursue that, and we allow that to work in us, and we establish our life on that, we will create a God that is not the true God. [3:00] We'll be looking at some of that as we go along. But turn with me to Jeremiah chapter 10. And I want to see, I want to, well, we'll just see how the Lord directs us. [3:16] I say, let's be honest with you, did not come together as I would usually hope, but I trust in the Lord that he will have a word for us today that will come, and it will be together as he desires. [3:39] I have a question for you. What comes into your mind when you think about God? What comes when you think about God? [3:50] What comes to your mind? You know, A.W. Tozer says that that is the most important thing about you. [4:02] The very most important thing about us is how we view God. Who he is to us. When you think of God, what do you think of? [4:15] How is God in your thinking? Because how you view God, that is how you will serve him. That is how you will allow him to lead you. [4:32] And there's many examples in the Bible, and there's many in history that we could talk about and look at. But my mind went to Adam and Eve. [4:44] You know, they were in a perfect setting. They were in the Garden of Eden, and everything was perfect. Well, here comes Satan. [4:56] And what did he do? He planted an idea in Eve, the thought that God was different from how she knew him. [5:09] And when she accepted that thought, is when she partook of the fruit. [5:21] And today, there is no shortage of the devil coming and bringing wrong thoughts, bringing suggestions, bringing questions about God. [5:36] You know, he still works the same as he always has. He will come with the question, yea, hath God said? Did God really say that? [5:47] Is that really who God is? Is that really who God is? How do you view God? Well, let's read here. In Jeremiah, chapter 9, verse 23, Thus saith the Lord, Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom, neither let the mighty man glory in his might. [6:13] Let not the rich man glory in his riches. But let him that glorieth glory in this, that he understandeth and knoweth me, that I am the Lord, which exercise loving kindness, judgment, and righteousness in the earth. [6:33] For in these things I delight, saith the Lord. How do you know God? Do you know him as a God who is a loving God? [6:46] How about the others that are mentioned here? I am the Lord which exercise loving kindness. You know, we live in a day when this is, this is stress so very much, the love and the grace of God. [7:03] And all of that is true. God is a God of love. God is a God of grace. But God also works judgment and righteousness in this world. [7:18] And when we have an unbalanced view of who God is, we create a God in our mind that is not the true God. [7:30] And we are led away unto an idol that we have created in our own mind. Isaiah chapter 6. [7:47] Here we have Isaiah. You know, and it's very interesting. This chapter starts out in the year that King Uzziah died. [8:00] I saw also the Lord sitting upon a throne. You know, and I wonder, and I believe, might be Bert Clendenin that brings this out, but he, but, you know, he mentions that the year that Uzziah died. [8:20] You know, Isaiah, God had called him to be a prophet. God had called him to be a prophet. [8:32] But as long as our eyes are on an earthly ruler, as long as our eyes are on King Uzziah, then we are looking to him instead of to God. [8:47] And we can do the same thing today. We can look, we can look at, at, at former President Trump for our salvation. [9:00] He's not our Savior. You know, God might use him in a great way in this country. We don't know. [9:11] But, God is the one that we need to look to. God is the one that, that is in control. control. And God is the one that we need to have our focus on. [9:28] So, when King Uzziah died, Isaiah's eyes may have been on Uzziah before that. We don't know for sure, but they could have been. [9:39] But, once Uzziah was out of the way, I believe Isaiah realized that God is our only hope. And his eyes were focused upon the Lord God, Jehovah. [9:55] And he says, I saw the Lord sitting upon a throne high and lifted up. And his train filled the temple. Above it stood the seraphims. [10:05] Each one had six wings. With twain he covered his face. With twain he covered his feet. With twain he did fly. And one cried unto another and said, Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts. [10:20] The whole earth is full of his glory. And the post of the door moved at the voice of him that cried and the house was filled with smoke. Then said I, woe is me for I am undone because I am a man of unclean lips and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips for mine eyes have seen the King the Lord of hosts. [10:47] You know, I believe that once we see who our Lord is, once we see the awesomeness of the God we serve, once we see that he is in control of all things, once we see that he desires to use us as a church, you know, and we'll look at some of that as we go along, but our God is an awesome God. [11:14] Our God is an unchanging God and we must see him for who he is and we must have a correct vision of our God and who God is. [11:28] Well, Isaiah here, I believe he was in awe. I believe he, when he saw God in this way, it was something he had never comprehended before. [11:43] You know, he knew God, he had been taught about God, he had studied about God, but all of a sudden here he was, here he was and he saw this vision of Almighty God, the Holy God. [12:00] the seraphims, they cried, holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts, the Lord of hosts, the Lord of armies, the armies of heaven. [12:19] Our God is the Lord of all. The whole earth is full of his glory, the whole earth is still full of the glory of the Lord. [12:32] You know, Satan, he's trying to steal the glory, he's trying to darken the glory, he's trying to, you know, and he's deceiving this world that the whole world lieth in wickedness, but God has a glorious church and if we will be that church, he will use us. [12:54] If we will have a proper view of God, he will use us, he will fill us with his power, he will dwell within us and he will use us. Do we see him? [13:10] How do we see God this morning? Is he the holy God? Is he, you know, be ye holy for I am holy. That's a command to us that we must be holy. [13:25] How do we become holy? It is by, by allowing him to live within us and to cleanse us and to set us free and to make that new man of us. [13:36] You know, and, and as we yield to him and as we walk with him, he will take us on. You know, it's, you know, being born again and, and, and entering into that and, and even, you know, having the spirit of God within us, it's just the beginning. [13:57] But it's a, I believe it's a daily walk for the rest of our life. I say, let's, let's go to Jeremiah, Jeremiah chapter nine. [14:14] You know, we read these two verses. I don't want to read verse 25 yet. Yeah, we read these verses. [14:29] Maybe we should look at them again. You know, how many of us think we are wise? You know, hopefully we are wise in knowing that the only thing we have that avails anything is of God. [14:50] You know, the wisdom of this world is foolishness in the sight of God. He says, let not the wise man glow in his wisdom, nor the mighty man in his might, or the rich man in his riches. [15:11] But if we, but let us glory in that, in that we understand and we know God. [15:25] How do we know God? Do we know God? Do we know God? Can he lead you? [15:37] You know, last Sunday we were challenged about knowing God. we were challenged about being led by God. Now let's read verse 25. [15:52] Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, that I will punish all them which are circumcised with the uncircumcised. [16:02] you know, another version says that those, you know, Israel was circumcised, but they were living as the uncircumcised. [16:14] Today, we claim to be the children of God. We claim to be the church of God. Are we living that life? Are we living an uncircumcised life? [16:28] Uncircumcised, it's a life that is, the word doesn't want to come, a life that is not harnessed, a life that is not under the control of God. [16:45] we live in a day when Satan has brought much false doctrine, much false teaching. [17:05] You know, the grace of God, it has appeared to all men. The grace of God is very real. It is why we are here today. [17:17] But the grace of God does not overlook your sin that you refuse to repent of. In Isaiah chapter 40, here he's talking about the greatness of God. [17:41] And the verse 12 says, who has measured the waters in the hull of his hand and meted out heaven with a span and all of that. [17:58] You know, who has directed the spirit of the Lord or being his counselor has taught him. But I'm going to read a few verses here. Let's start in verse 17. [18:11] All nations before him are as nothing. They are counted to him less than nothing and vanity. To whom then will ye liken God or what likeness will ye compare unto him? [18:28] The workman melteth a graven image and the goldsmith spreadeth it over with gold and casteth silver chains. [18:38] He that is so impoverished that he has no oblation chooses a tree that will not rot. He seeketh unto him a cunning workman to prepare a graven image that shall not be moved. [18:58] You know, it's always been the human heart to look to something greater, to look to someone greater, but the human heart has also rejected God. [19:22] And so in our searching humanity, humanity has followed other gods and made idols to worship. [19:36] idols after the imagination of the heart. Like I said before, we do not do that. [19:49] We do not make a graven image and set it up in our living room and worship it. But is there something in your heart that you're worshiping today instead of the true God? [20:03] Is there something in your heart today that is keeping you from seeing who the Holy God is, high and lifted up? And his train filled the temple. [20:17] There's no room for anything else. There's no room for self. There's no room for anything but that which is of God. His train filled the temple. [20:29] In the New Testament, we will read where it says that we are the temple of God. You are the temple. The Spirit of God lives within his people. [20:42] And there's no room for anything else. There's no room for self. There's no room for us to devise anything other than the true God. [20:55] But it is the heart of man to come up with something other than God. the nations there as nothing. [21:08] They're counted to him less than nothing. They're less than a drop in the bucket. The small dust of the balance. That's the nations of this world. [21:21] And he asks the question, to whom then will ye liken God? Or what likeness will ye compare unto him? You know, there's nothing that we can compare our God to. [21:34] But yet, the heart of humanity is always deluding who God is and changing who God is to suit their own lifestyle, to suit their own desires, to justify the sin in their hearts. [21:53] but our God, our God, he is alive. [22:07] Our God will stand forever. Our God is in charge of the universe. Yes, wickedness abounds, but there's a day coming. [22:20] there's a day coming when his judgment will come upon all ungodliness. The idolatrous heart assumes God is other than he is. [22:40] You know, whenever you allow your heart to see God as anything different from what he is or who he is, it's idolatry. [22:55] It is idolatry. When we assume God to be someone that he is not or something that he is not, always this will in our mind conform God to the image of what we think. [23:27] Yeah, I believe this world, I believe the professing Christian church is full of idolatry. Satan has found a way to bring false doctrine, to bring false teaching, to ask the very question he asked Eve, has God really said, is that actually who God is? [23:52] Is that actually what he said? You know, Nedeb and Abihu, they offered strange fire to the Lord. You know, they, I believe they were on a spiritual high. [24:05] They, you know, they were chosen of God to work there and to offer sacrifices and to burn incense to God and they came up with this great idea. [24:19] We'll make it a little better than what we're already doing. And they offered according to their own thinking. And what happened? [24:29] They were slain before the Lord. They had a thought and that thought said, God is different from what we have been taught. [24:43] God is different from what Moses said. And that thought was idolatry and it killed them. [24:56] Ananias and Sapphira, what made them lie to the Holy Ghost and to Peter that day? Wasn't it a thought that said, God? [25:11] God, it really doesn't matter to him. That thought killed them that day. You know, we don't fall over dead in our day. [25:25] But I believe those thoughts and those actions, they kill just like they did them. But they kill in a spiritual sense. Ananias and Sapphira, they died spiritually and physically. [25:44] Today, I believe we have many people in professing Christian churches, professing to be followers of Jesus, but they have compromised their serving idols and they are dead. [25:59] Psalm 50. we have here, we have here an account of a wicked man. [26:14] In verse 16, it says, But unto the wicked God saith, God is talking to the wicked. It says, What hast thou to do to declare my statutes, or that thou shouldest take my covenant in thy mouth, seeing thou hatest instruction, and castest my words behind thee. [26:47] I believe God is talking to much, to many, many professing Christians in these verses. people who might declare the word of God and talk about Jesus, the Savior of the world, but in their heart they reject what God is saying. [27:19] They reject the holiness of God. They reject the justice of God. They only want the love of God, but they reject the justice of God and His judgment. [27:36] when thou sawest the thief, thou consentest with him. [27:51] You've been a partaker with adulterers, thou givest thy mouth to evil, and thy tongue frameth deceit. Thou sittest and speakest against thy brother, thou slanderest thine own mother's son, these things hast thou done, and I kept silence. [28:12] Remember, this is God speaking. He's talking to this evil person who's been doing these things. He says, these things have you done, but I kept silence. [28:26] Thou thoughtest that I was altogether such and one as thyself. this phrase, just look at this phrase. [28:43] The person that harbors iniquity in his heart, the person that has a different view of God, the person that justifies the sin that he's living in. [28:58] I believe this is to him and this is one of the things that happens to them, is that they think God is just like I am. [29:18] They think God is just like me. you know, Ananias and Sapphira, they thought God would accept them. [29:31] They thought God wouldn't know. I don't know what they thought, but they thought they would be okay. Native and Abihu, they thought they could offer something different from what God had demanded and commanded and it would be okay. [29:51] it would glorify God. This man, in his wickedness and in his wicked heart, he is still acknowledging God and he's teaching the word of God and God says, I kept silence, but you think that I am just like you because I have not spoken, I have not said what I think about you. [30:21] but the day is coming. Let's read the rest of this verse, but I will reprove thee and set them in order before thine eyes. [30:40] God is a God of judgment and his judgment will come. will come. Now consider this, ye that forget God, lest I tear you in pieces and there be none to deliver. [30:57] Whoso offereth praise glorifieth me, and to him that ordereth his conversation aright, will I show the salvation of God. [31:08] God, you know, we live in a day when praise is a big thing. People are pushing praise. [31:19] I believe that if a man that is not clean, that, you know, here he says, whoso offereth praise glorifieth me. [31:32] But he continues on and he says, to him that ordereth his conversation aright. I believe that the man who is not living right, his praise is not accepted by God. [31:50] Not at all. Not at all. Okay, now let's move on. 2 Corinthians 6. [32:02] You know, in chapter 5, he talks about being a new creation, a new creature in Christ Jesus. Old things are passed away, all things have become new. And how God has given to us the ministry of reconciliation. [32:18] And we then as workers together with him beseech you all so that you receive not the grace of God in vain. Now let's start reading 1 Corinthians in verse 14. [32:33] Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers. For what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? What communion hath light with darkness? [32:47] What concord hath Christ with Belial? What part hath he that believeth with an infidel? What agreement hath the temple of God with idols? [32:58] For ye are the temple of the living God as God has said I will dwell in them and walk in them and I will be their God and they shall be my people. [33:13] Wherefore come out from among them and be separate saith the Lord and touch not the unclean thing and I will receive you and will be a father unto you and ye shall be my sons and daughters saith the Lord almighty having therefore these promises dearly beloved let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit perfecting holiness in the fear of God you know before we before we talk about that I want to read another verse in first Corinthians 3 16 and 17 know ye not that ye are the temple of God and that the spirit of God dwelleth in you if any man defile the temple of God him shall [34:14] God destroy for the temple of God is holy which temple ye are let no man deceive himself if any man among you seemeth to be wise in this world let him become a fool that he may be wise for the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God for it is written he taketh the wise in their own craftiness you know the wisdom of this world rises up against our God it does yes but notice what he said here he said know you not that you are the temple of God don't you know this do we know today that we are the temple of God if we if we have been born again and we have been birthed into this church the church of Jesus Christ if we if we have become partakers of him then he dwells within us we are the temple of [35:21] God and the spirit of God dwells in us and he asks the question here know you not don't you know this fact don't you know this if not why not is it because you don't know this God is it because you only have head knowledge about him but you don't really have him in your hearts how is it today but he goes on he says if any man defile the temple of God him shall God destroy because you are this temple we are this temple and he warns us to not defile the temple of God and you know we immediately we think of sins of the flesh smoking and drinking and adultery and all of that and that is true that is true but in 2nd [36:25] Corinthians 7 verse 1 we just read this he says having these promises let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit perfecting holiness in the fear of God perfecting holiness in the fear of God let's cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit how do we sin the sins of the spirit I believe those are sins that we commit without actually in the body physically doing something I believe I believe that if we allow Satan to bring into our mind the wrong view of God the very thing you know the thing I've been talking about it contaminates it defiles and if we allow that defilement to to fester and to work in in our in our heart and in our mind it will it will bring forth death to those round about us but not only that [37:48] God will turn against us also he will destroy us if any man defile the temple of God him will God destroy but here in 2nd Corinthians he warns us to not be unequally yoked with unbelievers why because it will bring defilement it will bring defilement into our life what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness you know you can't come to church on Sunday morning and worship the Lord and then go live an unrighteous life the rest of the week it doesn't work that way not at all what communion hath light with darkness what concord hath Christ with Belial with Satan there is there is no agreement there is no well he asked the question what agreement hath the temple of [39:01] God with idols you can't you can't serve two gods the double minded man he's unstable in all his ways and the man that that isn't sure where he stands the man that that wants to stand for right but then he wavers and he falls he's unstable in all his ways we must stand for truth and right and then God yes God will dwell within us and his power will work through us and we can overcome the wicked one and we can be a true testimony of Jesus Christ in this lost and dying world first Timothy you know there's yes there's so much we could look at yet Ephesians says we are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets [40:06] Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone in whom all the building fitly framed together groweth unto a holy temple in the Lord you know all of us together Peter talks about lively stones we are lively stones in this spiritual temple and he's fitting us and putting us into our place that we will be in that temple a lively stone that he can use in his kingdom all the building fitly framed together groweth unto a holy temple in the Lord in whom ye also are built together chapter chapter two and verse 15 study to show thyself approved unto [41:29] God a workman that needeth not to be ashamed rightly dividing the word of truth rightly dividing the word of truth we live in a day when Satan there's no shortage of him coming and asking but is that really what the word of God says is that really what God meant look looky here doesn't it mean this couldn't you know and he goes on and on and he brings confusion he brings confusion and he brings division and he he comes and he he deceives the people what does he tell us here he tells us to study I believe to study this word to read this word to read books that we know have been written by authors that have walked with [42:36] God study to show thyself approved to God a workman that does not need to be ashamed is there anything in your life you need to be ashamed of is there anything you're trying to hide rightly dividing the word of truth but shun profane and vain babblings they will increase into more ungodliness shun those things those you know many words but very little edification no life no life shun that run away from it he's talking of false teachers he says their word will eat as do with a canker of whom is hymenaeus and philetus he names two of them who concerning the truth have erred saying that the resurrection is past already and overthrow the faith of some you know we look at that here were men saying that the resurrection is past already and there were people following them you know we look at that well we don't have that problem today but there's many other things there's many other false doctrine there's many other you know satan has come along with such a flood of false doctrine and false teachings you know and you don't have to fall completely for it all he cares is that that you're contaminated that you give ear to something and you're influenced by it and soon you will have a wrong view of God but if we will stand for truth and right verse 19 nevertheless though some fall by the way though the faith of some is overthrown nevertheless the foundation of God stand assured having this seal the Lord knoweth them that are his and let everyone that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity the foundation [45:17] Jesus Christ the chief cornerstone it standeth firm he will not he will not be removed the stone that the builders reject that he has become the head of the corner and he will always be the head of the corner and it doesn't matter what false doctrine comes it doesn't matter who turns against our God or who turns against us if we're walking with God we're always we can always stand on this sure foundation knowing that it will always be there for us to stand on it will always be there for us to stand on now in first Timothy chapter three and verse 15 he says but if I tarry long that thou mayest know how thou oughtest to behave thyself in the house of God now he's talking about about coming together in the church of God coming together as a church but how all right let's read the rest how thou oughtest to behave thyself in the house of God which is the church of the living [46:44] God the pillar and ground of the truth so he says here that you might know how you ought to act in the church in the house of God but then he describes the church and he tells us who the church is what it is says it is the church of the living God and it is the pillar and ground of the truth what's he saying there a pillar and ground the foundation I believe what he's saying here is that our God our God works through the church the church of Jesus Christ today in this world is how God works in this world he is chosen you know he when he when Jesus left he he commissioned the disciples to take the gospel into all the world he filled them with the spirit of God that they would have power to be witnesses so God has chosen to work through his church and the church is the custodian of truth in this world if the church were not here where would people find truth today if there were no people of [48:39] God here if there was no one standing on the word of truth today where could anyone in this world find truth it would not be here this world would be totally in deception it would be a totally demon possessed world God works through the church and that foundation of Jesus Christ stands sure and he's building his church on that foundation and it is the church of Jesus Christ is how God brings the truth of the gospel to this lost and dying world it is through the church that the world can be reconciled to God almighty it is through the church that God works to take the gospel to the ends of the earth the church of the living [49:55] God the pillar and ground of the truth the foundation the very foundation of truth in this world is the church it is found in the church of Jesus Christ that is why that is why the devil tries so hard to get you to compromise that is why he tries so hard to dilute the truth that is why he tries so hard to get us to accept another another Jesus one that is just all grace and no judgment verse 16 and without controversy great great is the mystery of godliness god was manifest in the flesh justified in the spirit seen of angels preached unto the gentiles believed on in the world and received up into glory great is this mystery of godliness [51:20] Jesus came in the flesh Jesus was god in the flesh and he came and he lived here as a man justified in the spirit seen of angels preached unto the gentiles believed on in the world and received in the glory hallelujah and we are here today because of him and because this gospel went out into all the world the spirit the spirit and the some shall depart from the faith giving heed to seducing spirits and doctrines of devils that's what we've been talking about seducing spirits doctrines of devils we face them all the time yes we do but will we stand firm will we will we stand firm for truth or will we compromise perilous times you know 2nd [52:38] Timothy says know also that in the last days perilous times shall come you know he warns us over and over again of the day that we're living in yes I believe that one of the great dangers of our day is what James talks about here in the first chapter in the book of James he says in verse 21 he says lay apart lay aside all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness lay aside all those things that argue against God lay aside all those things that defile lay aside anything that hinders you in your [53:43] Christian walk and receive with meekness the engrafted word which is able to save your souls receive with meekness this word of God receive with meekness this word you know how do we receive it with meekness I believe well let's read here what he says he says to be doers of the word and not hearers only deceiving your own selves for if any be a hearer of the word and not a doer he is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a glass and he looks in the mirror and then he goes his way and he forgets who he was do we receive the word of God in meekness or do we hear the word of [54:48] God and then go our way and forget what we've heard how is it do we cleanse ourselves do we allow the word of God to cleanse us even as Ephesians says he would cleanse us by the washing of the water of the word he wants to present to himself a glorious church not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing how is it with us are we compromised today or are we faithful as a custodian of the truth of the gospel are we faithfully rightly dividing the word of truth are we faithfully standing on the foundation that is sure you know what was that verse that [55:57] God knows those that are his God knows where you stand God knows what you've allowed in your heart God knows if you are standing for truth or if you listen or given ear or given place to some false teacher some false doctrine something that is not the truth of the word you know false teachers don't necessarily come teaching something so far different but they use the Bible to bring their false doctrine wrongly dividing the word of truth instead of rightly dividing the word of truth how is it with us today are we are we truly a temple of the [57:09] Holy Ghost are we a temple of the spirit of God are we allowing our temple to be defined let's allow him to search us and to show us where we've compromised where we've given place to voices that will lead us astray you know those voices are that we're bombarded by voices that will maybe 90% will be good but then there will be some false we're bombarded with that but let us stand for truth let us not defile the temple let us not allow false teaching false doctrine to defile our temple but let us stand firmly on the firm foundation in we're happy not sins [58:49] Arkansas to speak but let no proyect no that may please think about maps knock on the way hip into we're doing but let