‘10’, Part 1: No Other Gods - II

The following message from Pastor Greg Laurie is made possible by harvest partners, helping people everywhere know God, you want to hear from you.

Would you consider emailing me you can reach me at greg@harvest.org again that's Greg harvest.org and you can also make me one of your friends on Facebook and drop me a comment what you get excited about what you think about the moment what you dream about playing for perhaps came for, what are you passionate about is your pastor Greg Laurie is making the Lord God work on is the pathway to settle content if you will put God first in your life. I promise you all the authority of Scripture. Everything else will fall into its rightful place for balancing. Sometimes it feels like the tires bouncing down the roadway steering wheel wobbled library. Wonder if you're losing control, fire store can adjust that balance and give you a smooth ride today on a new beginning.

Laurie shows is just a life well your life is wobbling feels a little out of control like you pulled in no commitments together. Doug here in Exodus 20 starting in verse two commandment number one I am the Lord your God who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage. You shall love no other gods before me. That's commandment number one no other gods before him. Commandment number two you shall not make for yourself a carved image, or any likeness of anything that is in heaven above the earth beneath or in the water under the earth, nor shall you bow down and serve them bribe the Lord your God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children of the third and fourth generations of those who hate me, showing mercy to thousands, to those who love me and keep my commandments out commandment number two no carved image that you bow down before commandment number three Exodus 20 verse seven. Don't take the name of the Lord in vain. Commandment number four versus 8 to 9. Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy.

Commandment number five verse 12 honor your father and mother on commandment number six you shall not murder. Commandment number seven verse 14 you shall not commit adultery commandment number eight you shall not steal. Verse 15 commandment number nine verse 16 you shall not bear false witness against your neighbor. Of the word.

You shall not lie. And finally, commandment number 10 verse 17 you shall not covet your neighbor's house or his wife is male servant or female servant, nor his ox, or his donkey, nor anything that is your neighbor there.

It is the 10 Commandments, the commodes are broken into two sections not five and five as we might assume, but actually for inset the first four commandments have to do with our relationship with God. The final six commandments have to do with the relationship with other people. So if I love God will follow my heart, soul and mind. I'm not getting have another God before him. I'm not going to bow down before a graven image, I'm not going to take his name in vain, and honor seven.

If I really love my neighbor as I love myself. I'm not going to show them I'm not going to steal from them. I'm not gonna lie to them or covet what belongs to them. I think Augustine summed it up perfectly when he said love God and do as you please see if I love God, as I ought to love God. I will naturally want to do the things that please God. That's what he was really safe. So let's focus on the first commandment. That's all the time.

We have is to do only one commandment in this message. Commandment number one Exodus 20 verse three thou shall have no other gods before me. You think you've ever broken that commandment.

The survey revealed that 76% of all Americans consider themselves completely true to the first commandment.

So do you think that's accurate that most of us have never broken the First Amendment.

I suggest you we broken up more than we may realize because everything starts with the place of God in your life because you will end up serving what you worship member would Jesus was tested by Satan in the wilderness. The Bible says that the devil showed him all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time. I'm not even sure how that played out, but we know that Satan the devil is described in the Bible is the God of this world, the prince of the power of the air who rules over the demon forces right now Jonah since the devil said this.

This is my stuff in it belongs to me. Interestingly, Christ did not dispute it. I don't know, became a glimpse into the future. But whatever was the doublethink.

This is all my stuff in Jesus. I know why you come you come to die on the cross and purchase back what was lost in the garden to be a minute think you would deal.

You cannot refuse that Godfather imitation alert settings as I'll give it to you. You can have it on a silver platter. You don't have to dine across. You don't have to go through any but I'll give you what you come for there's my condition. He says I want you worship me. Jesus says thou shall worship the Lord God and him only shall you serve.

Wait, what the devil didn't say anything about service. He said just worship me momentarily. Worship me.

But Jesus said only worship God because you will serve him. In other words he's saying you'll end up serving what you worship. See.

So what is on the altar of your life is of the greatest importance, but here the Lord will gives him the motive for keeping the commandments.

The motive verse two. I the Lord your God who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage. God does not start by threatening or scaring them. He starts by reminding them of what kind of God.

He was a loving, caring God who delivered them from bondage and misery.

You might say well that's great for them. They were slaves in Egypt, will he you were a slave to we all were to send on our way to help. But God loved us so much he sent his only begotten son to die on the cross for our sin. We turn from our sin believed in Jesus.

Thus we have so much appreciation for all that the Lord has done. Therefore, it should be our privilege and pleasure to see come to live a life that is pleasing to him, not because we have to, but because we get to see you don't obey the Bible because you have to feel bad because you want to. And the reason you want to because of all that God is done for you, you love him because he first loved you. That's what the Bible says Jesus did not say keep my commandments. And I'll love you. He said if you love me you'll keep my commandments. So before the Lord tells him what he wants them to do. He says hey check it out. Look at what I did for you so this should be your way to rust spot. My love for him is a response to his love for me. Kathy and I as we mentioned, we been married for 46 years I have certain expectations of her.

She is certain expectations of me. God is to say he wants an exclusive relationship is I want to share you with other gods any more than your husband wants to share you with other men. How would it sounded wife says door husband hunting I'm going out on a date now with Chad I don't know why pick Chad seem like the right name.

Chad something sketchy about the name. Another thing you have all the chads rise up in anger against me. Is anyone here named Chad sorry Ted as I can tell you your great guy, your wife. There, keep your eye on Chad anyway I digress. But if the whites and him going on a date with Chad tonight honey on I probably will be home tonight I'll see in the morning. That's crazy can have that you need. Faithfulness in the marriage on of the valves that you make in a marriage. The Lord says I want the same thing because what I am a jealous God will gods a jealous God. Hello, someone's insecure because not insecure. He says I've done this for you. I wanted exclusive relationship with you and I don't want to share you with anybody else look to want your spouse to be faithful to you is a reasonable thing in a way you're a jealous parent, you want the best for your child.

The very word jealousy speaks of ownership. You were connected, you're my child and God saying I'm your father and I want you to be faithful to me. So don't have any other gods before me or Greg Laurie will have the second half of this message in just a moment were so thrilled when we hear from listeners that join us from every background, every profession, every age I just want to let Sarah think of how God has these TCM issues in my family are originally from Southern California we moved to Texas when I was 12 to nature.

I am also a fan of your good friend fella comes music. I'm praying for you.

Well, it's really great to know that Pastor Craig's teachings are reaching this young man many more like him. Would you like to share your story. If so, email Pastor Greg his email address is great@harvest.org doing today that's great@harvest.org today. Pastor Greg is presenting a practical look at the first of the 10 Commandments don't have any other gods before him. Let's continue. What is it mean to have another God before you know we think of an idol worshiper is someone going prostrate before some carved image together that would be an idol worshiper for sure that something only form of idolatry. The epistle of first John we read the words little children, keep yourself from idols. There's a lot of things that can become idols in your life. Listen to this. An idol is anyone or anything that takes the place of God in your life. Then repeat that an idol is anything or anyone that takes the place of God in your life. So the question is who or what is your God. Everybody has a God, even an atheist has a God that say they don't but they do.

Maybe there God is himself. Maybe there God is erring theism, but they have the deity they have someone or something they gobble for that is on the altar of their life. How do you determine who your God is okay question what you get excited about it.

Don't want to join a bed in the morning what you think about the most.

What you dream about plan for perhaps came for what do you spend most of your money on what are you passionate about.

That is your God the most of us would sale the Lord is my God will good opiates, but sometimes we can put other things in his place beside do. We may, it's who we ultimately serve sometimes your God with a small gene to be something that's not necessarily bad, but it's out of its rightful place idols are not always evil out right. Listen, the most dangerous idols are good things that are twisted, you can make an idol out of your family would imply a good hello Noel, you can make your family more important than God. We should focus on our family. Yes, we sure about the Lord has to be number one. The Lord's number one. Everything else falls into its proper place.

God is more important than even your marriage.

God is more important than your kids God's more important than anything God is more important in your career. Sometimes he will make a career.

The God of their life. And yes, you should work hard and do what you can, but God needs to be in the number one position. So many things that can choke the word of God out in our life. And again I emphasize they're not always bad things so sure their sinful things that can be booze or drugs are illicit pleasures. Those can all become idols in your life, but it can be good things out of proportion. Jesus said it this way and what we call the parable of the sower. Remember, you talk about a sower that through his seed out and some seed fell on ground and began to grow, but it was choked out by weeds and he said in Matthew 1322 the seed sown among weeds represents a person who receives the message they receive the message but listen. Life's busy distractions is divided hard and is impatient for well result in subjugating the kingdom message to prevent him from bearing spiritual fruit that you hear that lies busy distractions or something wrong with your career. Nothing wrong with your schedule. Nothing wrong with all the things were engaged in each and every day, but don't let them become God in your life and push the true God out of your life. As a result keep God in the number one position if you will put God first in your marriage if you will put God first in your finances if you will put God first in your singleness if you will put God first in your career. I promise you on the authority of Scripture. Everything else will fall into its rightful place, put him first because Jesus said, first the kingdom of God right which means the rule and reign of Christ in your life. The kingdom of God. Seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness and all these things shall be added to you, what things what you're going to eat what you're going to wear what you're going to drink ready to go to school who you're going to marry everything you need a life it'll all find its proper place. Sometimes we let things take the place of God. Classic example is the rich young ruler of the sky hadn't made young man climbed his corporate ladder had a tricked out chariot was lowered extra big wheels had a latte cruises up to Jesus hating Jesus what must I do to inherit eternal life. You think Jesus was that many are like such an awesome dude. I want you on my team right now are you you're good for my image. Come on guys got a bunch of fishermen that I need you. By the way can we use your chariot. Jesus is the very opposite. He says okay I'll tell you what is paraphrase buddy sell all that you have.

Take the money given to the poor, and follow me, and you have eternal life. Sky couldn't do it. He went away sorrowful, why did Jesus say that by the way, Jesus never said that to anybody else. I'll tell you what he said because Jesus being God to look right leg. Guys heart and he could see if this stuff that the owner maybe I should say his stuff that owned him and so Jesus was effectively saved, if you want to follow me. You got to get this out of the position that it's in right now and I need to be the Lord of your life. And this man couldn't do it. What's holding you back from Christ to somebody else. Jesus might say you need to terminate that relationship. That thing is killing you spiritually to another. You might say menu need to give up the advice of that thing you're doing.

You can live that way anymore.

But listen will become of the commandments of God. So we quickly discover I can live up to these commandments, I broken these commandments, and you broken these commandments in the Bible says if you offend in one point of the law, you're guilty of all of it while it wasn't on that. But here's the good news 2000 years ago God sent his son Jesus to die on the cross, and take the full penalty of our sin upon himself in the Bible even says he took the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which is a King James way of saying all the laws etc. centered and he nailed them to the cross we did that for you because the the law, the commandments don't make me holy. They show me I'm not holding there like a moral mirror overlooking the magnifying mirror that's alarming. This meant Ramon as a kid I like an old man and I noticed that when they see they missed catches like what's wrong with these people.

Now I have a magnifying mirror and I looked in and I say oh this a couple places that nine with the elegant God's mirror and I realize I fall short with the good news is it's not there to make me feel miserable. Inserted drive me into the open arms of Jesus who will forgive me of every sin committed. Yes, Jesus died on the paid the price for our sin rose again from the dead know he stands at the door of our life and the nonsense is a full hear his voice and open the door he will come in and I want to ask you. In closing, have you asked Jesus to come into your life.

But if it were your last day today tonight tomorrow if you're a Christian, you don't have to live in fear of death. It doesn't mean you look forward to it, but it means you're ready and means you're prepared prepared to meet your God, and I ask you that right now. Are you prepared to meet God because heaven is a prepared place for prepared people told to destroy before about tombstone and somebody was walking through this great garden. They saw the writing on the tombstone which have these words pause no stranger as you pass by as you are now so once was.

I is I am now so you shall be so prepare for death and follow me, someone reading that tombstone was overheard to say to follow you is not my intent until I know which way you went right.

Are you prepared for eternity. So how do you prepare you admit to God you're a sinner and you invite Christ into your life will forgive you of your sins and the commitment you broken and he'll start changing you from the inside out.

And if you haven't done that yet you can do it right here, right now he's just a prayer away the moment were going to pray together. I'm going to extend an invitation to you, wherever you are.

Everyone in this room wherever you are.

This is for you. This is your moment to get right with God and asked Jesus to come into your life if you need to do this, do it now, don't put it off. This is your day, the day of salvation. Let's pray father I pray now for every person here every person watching and listening wherever they may be.

If they don't know Jesus yet. Let this be their moment of decision. Their moment where they pass from darkness to light the moment where they pass from unbelief to belief help the Lord to see their need for you help them become to you now. We ask in Jesus name for Greg Laurie invitation to get your heart right with God. And if you like to do that today. Pastor Greg will help you in just a moment before today's addition of a new beginning. Concludes if you missed any portion of today study a message called 10 part one no other gods you can hear the whole program again online@harvest.org, or download an MP3 or even order CD again go to harvest.org or call 1-800-821-3300.

That's 1-800-821-3300, then we want to recommend a brand-new book about a real-life hero. The authors, our friend John Irwin and it's the story of how his grandfather was awarded the Congressional medal of honor during World War II for his heroism. When a live phosphorus bomb began spewing 2000° flames inside of a B-29 super fortress off the coast of Japan. The plane was in a dive crash of the ocean or the entire plane was going to swing on the Bombay and instead of saving himself in his superhuman act of strength for the inmates is just seconds through it now and smoke cleared the plane and they pulled up 300 feet just seconds from disaster didn't just save 12 K say generations of our family when they hear the day, our grandchildren, he would say never forget John is with John of course is the director of many movies including, I still believe I can only imagine, and is now the author of this new book about his grandfather's heroism, but it seems the main point of the book, and correct me if I'm wrong, is that it was deeper than that is not that the World War II experience made him what he was, it's that it revealed what kind of a man he was explained that's executive right I got really interested in just the psychology of these heroic acts. Who is able to, you know, grab a bomb and marched to the front of the plane and even MI and oh and was able to jump on a grenade or just do these extraordinary things like Desmond Doss enough and that for the movie X origin and just keep going back and it was very interesting. I was talking to Gary Luttrell who was president of the middle of our society time at their Museum in Charleston on the aircraft carrier and the medal of honor museum and I just said I asked in a question like how do you decide to do these things and he said something so interesting.

He said it's not a decision. It's a moment where it's too quick to be able to decide. So what's Evers in your character is just revealed in that moment and in the moment that is too quick for a decision you know you find out who you really are and I thought that was so interesting because Mike with my grandfather. You know he had had such a pattern in his life. His dad died so early, of sacrificing his own needs for the needs of those that he loved and in every instance, I feel like love of country, is what made them join but love of each other is what empowers these extraordinary acts. It really is doing these things because you love the person beside you yes and I thought that was interesting in and in a moment too quick to decide that character that he had was revealed and he did what he always did, which was to sacrifice his own needs and and his own well-being and and you know what was nearly his own life. For those people around him and to save them and I thought that was very interesting and very relevant to our time and we live in a very narcissistic time and any other thing that I thought was interesting was Gary said you your generation like America's nation bound together and held together by ideas and ideals and by faith and any dissent you know your generation has no concept of what the medal of honor is and what it means and what got going above and beyond the call of duty means and how important that is to the fabric of our nation and society does a lot to learn, just through studying heroes and what empowers them to do what they do. Folks if you want to read a powerful inspiring story, a real page turner. As they say, but not a fictional work, a true historical story, but told in a powerful way by expert storyteller John Irwin that you want to order a copy of this brand-new book, beyond valor that we will make available to you for your gift of any size. They help us continue to bring the gospel to people and teach the word of God. The people all around the world and it's right it's such an inspiring book and we hope you'll request a copy from us today and thanks so much for your investment in this important work of teaching believers and sharing Christ with those who don't yet know him so sent a generous donation today and be sure to ask for this brand-new book beyond valor. You can write a new beginning.

Box 4000, Riverside, CA 92514 or call 1-800-821-3300.

That's 1-800-821-3300 or go online to harvest.org and by the way the book is scheduled to be released on August 18.

We have some advanced copies available right now, so be the first to own a copy of beyond valor and then Pastor Greg another seminar audience who felt God speaking to them today through your message and want to make a change in their relationship with the Lord. Could you help them with that. Yeah, you know, Dave.

The Bible says whoever will call upon the name of the Lord will be saved so I will lead you in a prayer we you will be doing just that. Calling on the name of the Lord solicit if you want your sins forgiven. If you want to know that when you die you will go to heaven if you want Jesus Christ to come into your life and take away your guilt and your shame. Then just stop what you're doing and pray this prayer with me right now pray this after me if you would, Lord Jesus, I know that I am a sinner. I have broken your commandments. I have fallen short of your standards but 2000 years ago you died on the cross for me, then you rose again from the dead. So Jesus come in the my life and be my Savior and my Lord and my God, my friend. I choose to follow you from this moment forward.

Thank you for calling me and accepting me and for giving me in Jesus name I pray, amen and amen adolescent. If you have just prayed that prayer along with Pastor Greg and you've meant those words. Sincerely, God is heard you and forgiven you of your sin and we want to send you some materials to help you as you begin your new life as a follower of Christ, it's a collection of resources called the new believers growth packet will send it without charge. If you made a first time commitment to the Lord today.

Just ask for it when you write a new beginning. Box 4000, Riverside, CA 92514 or call 1-800-821-3300. That's 1-800-821-3300 or go online to harvest.org and click the words know God.

Next time more insight from God's top 10. Join us for another practical look at the 10 Commandments. Next time you beginning with Pastor Greg Laurie possible by harvest partners, helping people everywhere know God sign up for pastor grades free daily email devotions and harvest.org