’10,’ Part 2: No Other Gods - II

The following message from Pastor Greg Laurie is made possible by harvest partners, helping people everywhere know God check out virtue our website for Christian women go to harvest.org/virtue Lords is usually of no other gods before we bring physical moment of having another dog before him wanting God as we want him to be someone of said God created man in return. Pastor Greg Maurice's, we need to remember God is God's. James we get this turned around and ran admirals and generals Capt. Col. Sgt. It's a chain of command. And there's never any doubt your wage and glory help Christians realize their basic essential truth clearly. Today we are studying instruction from a Y with a will. First of all, the gibbous absolute truth to build our lives, we can't just say we all make up our own morality as we go. We Vote on this or reach consensus. We need a higher authority in God is given this to us in what we call the 10 Commandments but understand they're not there to make your life harder them there to make your life better or not the bars of the key to keeping you in their barriers of protection. Keeping evil out and up. I live by them. I'll be a happy person and I'll be a fulfilled person but just a footnote, no one can keep these commitments in their own ability will all break. There's only one man was ever walked the earth that is kept all 10 Commandments, and that man is me and I'll be dealing with this next Sunday my message called humility and how I found no man is not me.

There is no matter woman that some of the only person was kept all those Commandments is Jesus the rest of us.

The commandment show me that I need Jesus. They open my eyes to my shortcomings in my sinfulness. Let's review the first two commitments again in Exodus chapter 20 years commandment number one the Lord to sign the Lord your God who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage. It is you shall have no other gods before me commandment number two the Lord says you shall not make for yourself a carved image of any likeness of anything that's in heaven above, or earth friendly, or in the water under the earth. You shall not bow down to them nor serve them know why this got us the syllabus. Here's the answer for I the Lord your God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children to the third and fourth generations of those who hate me, but showing mercy to thousands, to those who love me and keep my commandments. So commandment number one have no other gods before him.

A lot of things can become gods with a small G or idols in our life. For some people it's their body it's all about the way they look. For others it might be an object. You try your idle objects career howls. How weird would it be to leave the Lord for an object and that brings us of the second commandment you shall have no graven images verse four, or likeness of anything in heaven above, or nurse need to think what how could this happen.

Let's talk about when it did happen back in the days of Moses and the Israelites so Moses was a great man of God was in wasn't a flawless manner. A perfect man, as we'll see later, but he was described as Moses, the man of God. Men I can think of a higher compliment to be given to a person then for some it is that you know what that person is a man of God that that woman she's a woman of God. Moses was the man of God through his influence is godly influence in his personal integrity. He effectively get 2 to 3 million people from churning the fulltilt idolatry and the reason I say this is the moment he left the scene, all hell broke loose and he was summoned by the Lord up to Mount Sinai to receive the commandments and he (and charge his brother which was a big mistake. So I Moses is gone, the people come to Aaron and an exit is 32 we read the people said Aaron. How long is it going to take Moses to come back down from the mountain. Then they said Aaron.

Come on make up some gods that can lead us. We don't know what happened. This fellow Moses brought us here from the land of Egypt. They're basically saying the Aaron you know that we don't know her.

Moses says we need something tangible we can worship right here right now so Aaron said discouraging. This is all right bring bring all your bling to me right now all your rings, your ear rings everything all your jewelry and he melted it down any put it in the shape of a golden calf bulimics a census of the golden calf will he worship those back in Egypt for lots of God so sort of brought in Egyptian God and then Aaron boldly announces this is the God that brought you out of Egypt and so they stripped off their clothes and they danced before the golden calf. So here comes Moses now dissenting from Mount Sinai. Imagine holding the 10 Commandments and vortices see these is the Israelites breaking the first two commitments actually probably more than the first two, but at least the first two false gods were to be the thing he demands an explanation from Erin. Aaron says I know this looks bad and I know what you think can were naked in front of false God then seen in but I can explain everything and then he offers an excuse that should be in the excuse Hall of Fame.

Yet she says I'll tell you what Moses what happened was the people brought their gold. We threw it into the fire and the school calf came out so what else could we do but have an orgy was he's lolling that someone happened at all. And of course this was a very clear illustration of what happens when we put something in the place of God, and they broke the commandments of God. God is given a C standards for our own good.

We can do to it ourselves version of God. And here's another way that we make another God is not just a little object we make in worship. It can be amend soul change we make because were not satisfied with God as these presented in the Bible. Here's how you will know maybe you of another God before you make statements like, well moderate God would never judge a person and my God would never tell a person they can live any way that they choose to live in my God hold on your God just what it doesn't sound like your God is a God of this book. Therefore it's not a real God. So you just created a false God in your own mind that actually doesn't exist in.

Here's my question in your God save you in the final day because of that think God or that distorted God is not the true God knew of no God. And so this is what can happen in we we can do this with the Lord himself. We break this commandment of having another God before him. We define God as we want him to be instead of by who he is, ladies. It would be like save your friends may not government. My husband yet, but he's amazing.

The 64 he looks like Jack on this is's and he loves to go antiquing with me reality.

Her husband is 523 wears penny loafers and he works in IT. There's nothing wrong with that. There's nothing wrong with that.so your husband is we should love your husband but the problem that you have, it seems, is that you have to reimagine your husband to love him and you should accept them as he is. So we come to God's it will.

I don't know. I think my God would be this way. In my God wouldn't say this thing note he comes as he is and we need to worship him and not try to change the ideas, not to change God and the Mike image.

It's a change me into his image. We get this turned around here so you know if your reimagining God, a making a false God does your so-called God ever ask anything of you that you find it hard to give this your so-called God ever tell you something is wrong number, then you probably have a false God is, if you're following the God of the Bible. There are times agenda versus nothing that's that's not an easy one.

I have to literally forgive the person really yes really that's what it means to be a Christian. You know there's even a trend in some restaurants is to kinda create your own meal as you go AAA didn't make you hungry for AAA to sign such appointment didn't mean the first time I went I was like perplexed what's going on here so it said you make your own meal, all well what kind of tortilla the one hand, I don't know.

Okay, not you will rise to wannabes and we have two kinds of beans and we are pork we have chicken and we have be from a well okay so I put it all together in the cheese and then then the cilantro and then the hot salsa and yell but but honestly by the time I was done my burrito was like the size of a sleeping bag. It was cute. Then they went to blaze pizza you ever been there. Make your own pizza where you were excited about food today. What's up with so now you can put your own toppings on it. I thought this is great joy but all goods are weirdest up on my pizza and when I needed. I thought this is a bad pizza actually like you want to just pepperoni and cheese and munching good with that combination. I don't know about you, I love those things together so we come to God we had all this stuff we remove other stuff that's not the way it works. It comes as he is, and we should worship him for who he is to Greg Laurie will have the second half of his message in just a moment, everybody Greg Laurie here in finding you to join me every weekend for what we call Harvest at Home. It's a church service. It's a worship service. It's a Bible study and its wherever you wanted to be in your home in your car sitting on a beach walking down the street watching it on your phone wherever you are taking with you to be ministered to every weekend. Join us Harvest at Home@harvest.org will were basing our study on the 10 Commandments today. Found in Exodus chapter 20 Pastor Greg's message title 10 part two. No other gods these Commandments are up for our own good. Some people's it will you know what, I'm not into organized religion. This will be usually the same person who says my God would never say that sir so I'm not into organized religion. What the heck does that even me and a lot of people say that I'm not into organized religion. So you're into disorganized chaos with you into and here's what they really mean when they say organized religion. I'm not into commandments. I noted you absolutes. I'm not into right and wrong. I'm into what I want to be into but imagine we took that same philosophy and just the light and life airline pilot God in the cockpit said it would do you like then let go. These dials and stuff.

I just imagine he would talk like that and I don't think I need to look at maps is just getting this thing and go man to get me out of the plane you're alluding to cry.

You have to follow the rules of aviation heard a story about a blonde lady who was flying away laughing as if I need to be a blonde lady so blonde ladies flying in the pilot keeled over and died.

So she calls down the flight controller Mayday Mayday my pilot is dead. The air traffic controller said don't worry I'll talk you through this. Then he said what is your height and position. She said I'm fine for and I'm in the plane.

He said, repeat these words after me.

Our father who art in heaven, one people are mad at me now dear, you. I was blown once by the way, when I had no is given a C standards for our own protection, and we can make objects into idols to crucifix I crucifix. I carried around nothing wrong with having a crucifix, but if I have a crucifix on the table and when I pray I get down to my knees in front of the crucifix with the candles burning is and what what's going on here. All I these things help me to worship. I don't think any true child of God was Christ living in their life should need objects to help them to worship the city now doesn't mean you have to trash your nativity sets and throughout your little angel ornaments from your Christmas tree. It's okay to have these objects of beauty, but you don't need those things to worship the true God, because Jesus said God is a spirit and those that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth, I will make like it's a religious icon. All will this will keep bad things away of good luck.

I keep my crucifix in my pocket along with my rabbits foot four rabbit three-legged rabbit like why why someone called. They also about my needs, but you want to make some object into a good luck charm.

Sometimes even with the Bible will save never put another book on top of the Bible never right in your Bible. That's sacrilegious. No, please write in your Bible.

I encourage you to write your Bible. I know the Bible is a powerful symbol you don't believe me just pull one out in a public place and watch what happens. I don't mean open the app on your iPad finally pull out a legitimate Bible with a riddance and gold pages.

People know what this book is member a few years ago we did a campaign for our crusade. It was a picture of me holding the Bible up like this and immediately there were complaints about who's that ugly man a YC on the poster and that was for my wife which is set another complaint for why is he holding up a Bible. The funny thing is he didn't say Bible in the book I was holding up a book in a minute anything, but because it was a black book. The symbolism was understood and it offended people to see someone holding up a black book became a national news story which actually worked in her favor.

To be honest with you, what is in the Bible is whole.

What is in the Bible is the very words of God but don't make this book some holy object like I carried around and it has special magic charms. No, no, it's just a book you have to read it. More importantly, live by what it says. That's with the power of the Bible is like a beat up Bible. In fact, a Bible that's falling apart is usually an indication of a life that isn't so right in your Bibles use your Bibles anomic and idle out of your Bible. Don't put anything in the place of God because it will give you a false concept of what God is really like.

If the images false, and the thought of God is false, it will produce a character that is false and someone 15 verse six. Speaking of idols and says they have ears but they can't hear they have noses, but they can smell those who make them become like them. Let's in a manner a woman will become like the thing they worship and if you worship the Lord. You become like him. It is not the objective of the Christian life to become like Christ.

The best thing to do is get rid of your idols, and there might be an idol in your life right now. Remember, your God, is anyone or anything that takes the place of the true God. It could be a relationship that's pulling you away from Christ because you're so concerned about what that person thinks it's more important than the Lord himself there keeping you from Jesus for another person can be an object something you value above all other things in and you're more passionate about that than you are.

The Lord himself give your money you give your body and whatever you try to fill your heart with events, not Jesus, you're going to keep coming up empty. God want you to be happy. There's nothing wrong with wanting to be happy. Just do it in the right way and the way to be happy is by knowing the Lord that when you know the Lord he gives you his parameters he gives you the absolute kilobytes that I don't do these things because I Do I do these things because I want to because I have this exclusive relationship with the creator of the universe. That's what it's all about God, his demonstrated this love to us in a tangible way by sending his son Jesus would greater sacrifice to the father make that offer up his own son and the father did that for you and for me. When Jesus went and died on the cross wife or your sin, because every one of us have broken the commandments.

Every one of us have sinned against God and the Lord knew there was no other way that we can enter into this relationship together. We made the ultimate sacrifice to put the judgment that should've come upon you and upon me on his perfect son Jesus, who never sin in Christ died in our place and rose from the dead and now stands at the door of our life and knocks these visible hear his voice and open the door he'll come in. So right now Jesus is saying I want this relationship with you. I want to forgive you of your sin.

I want to bring you the happiness you been seeking in life and I want you to join me in heaven one day what you need to do is say Lord I want that to come into my life in a moment were going to pray and I'm going to extend an invitation for anybody here, wherever you are. If Jesus is not living inside of you. He can come in right here right now the mobile going to pray and I'll extend this invitation and if you need Jesus today. Please respond. Let's all pray father, thank you for loving us so much that you sent Jesus to die in our place and then the rise now. I pray for any person that is here or is watching wherever they are. If they don't know you, they don't have this relationship with you yet, let them come to you now help them to see their need for you.

We pray for Greg Laurie important prayer and if you'd like to make a change today in your relationship with the Lord. Pastor Greg will help you in just a moment before we wrap up today here on a new beginning. If you weren't able to hear the whole presentation today from Pastor Greg you can go online for a replay.

Just go to harvest.org and look for the title X part two. No other gods or for CD copy. Call 1-800-821-3300.

That's 1-800-821-3300 and then we want to make available a book about a momentous act of heroism that took place during World War II, the author, John Irwin writes about his own grandfather, so the morning was April 12, 1945 my grandfather radio operator onboard B-29 super fortress disorient was trying to understand what had phosphorus spewing everywhere on the planet spoke as I was rolling around the plane just in front of an had a choice to make, that he may be the defining moment of his life and be a moment that with fine my life as well. As his grandson. It's a gripping story is told in a brand-new book called beyond valor, John's grandfather Henry read Irwin would be awarded the Congressional medal of honor our nation's highest military honor and we're happy to have John with us today. John's a good friend of course a film director having directed.

I can only imagine Woodlawn, I still believe in many others. In John one thrill to write this book about a story you've known since you were a kid you know it's interesting about my grandfather is like when I was seven years old and I was I was around that age and I held the medal of honor and and he said over my shoulder. Freedom isn't free. While I had no concept of what he meant. Yeah. So I think a lot of the times grandparents should know beyond just loving you crank that my mom and dad.

I love it.

They been the best grandparents and in the and in a better night for kids and in the 11 to 3 and so grandparents are our assets is helpful to God for.

But you know, beyond just the love and you know and I'm bored.

They spoil my kids gladly got her job John that I words reclaim you spoil all disorder symptoms which gives us a date which is great. It's good. Anyway, you know, I think even though I was not yet in a place to really value and understand his story. Those words were still there when I needed them and I think that if you speak truth to your grandkids and in bite-size snippets. Just trust that when the time is right. Those seeds will will sprout and that's what happened in my life and and United. I finally when I was ready to understand what he meant. Those memories were there and they came flooding back, and so just trust that even if, in the moment you know they don't understand they will will later were talking with John Irwin about his new book, beyond valor, a World War II story of extraordinary heroism, sacrificial love in a race against time. It's hot off the press and would like to make a copy of this riveting book available to you were sending it to say thank you for your investment in making these daily programs available. Pastor Greg dedicates these half hours to teaching believers from the word and sharing Christ with those who don't yet know the Lord and your investment helps us reach further and touch more lives so can be Kantian with your donation right now will be glad to send you the new book called beyond valor.

Just 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 Pastor Greg.

You mentioned how someone can become a Christian was just a simple prayer.

Yes, maybe somebody would like to do that right now. Could you help them with that.

Sure, I'd love to a simple prayers right affect. I would like to just pray a prayer and I would ask you to pray it after me right now. Pray these words learn Jesus. I know that I am a sinner but I also know that you are the Savior because you dine in the cross for my sin and he rose again from the dead. Jesus come into my life and forgive me of every sin I've ever committed. I choose to follow you from this moment forward. Thank you for hearing this prayer.

Thank you for answering this prayer Lord, and I pray all of this in Jesus name, amen.

If you just pray that prayer and meant to a want to the know on the authority of Scripture God Almighty has heard your prayer, and he will answer this prayer. You are now a newly minted child of God. So congratulations, you've made the right decision and welcome to the family of God. I want to send you a special gift because of that prayer. You've just pray it's called the new believers growth packet and then it is a copy of the New Testament in a very understandable translation called the new living translation. It also is filled with hundreds of notes that I wrote that will encourage you in this commitment you made to follow Christ and there's some other outstanding materials in this little packet.

I'll send you as well so order your copy today and let me be the first to see the you congratulations and welcome to the family of God and to get that new believers growth packet. Just contact us and will be glad to send it right out. You can write a new beginning. Box 4000, Riverside, CA 92514 or call 1-800-821-3300 � 1-800-821-3300 or go online to harvest.org and click the words know God when next I will continue with Casterbridge practical look at the biblical wisdom found 10 Commandments in this message is called what's the big deal with God's name.

Join us next time you beginning and possible by harvest partners, helping people everywhere know God sign up for pastor grades free daily email devotions and harvest.org