Rebellious Hearts (Part B)

I don't like my the natural man spiritual man knows better because the spiritual man knows the day will come will I will enter his courts with thanksgiving in my heart gaze with praise. I will know that everything is under his control and he always does. Right.

And even sweeter than that this life will pass away in the one to come his guts.

So much ahead of it cannot be.

This is cross reference radio with our pastor and teacher Rick Gaston. Rick is the pastor of Calvary Chapel Mechanicsville. Pastor Rick is currently teaching through the book of Hebrews. Please stay with us after today's message to hear more about cross reference radio, specifically how you can get a free copy of this teaching. Now here's Pastor Rick is.

He teaches through Hebrews chapter 3 and his study called rebellious hearts. I mean, I don't think the body of the sea was we but it did make them believe that pool just because a miracle takes place people fall down and become believers, what should we expect miracles. How do they become believers reason, let us reason though your sins be as scarlet, I will make them white as snow reason from Scripture and his truth. Verse 10 will find out that they never passed an opportunity to go astray is an exit ticket, but this is the straight and narrow that leads to the celestial city state had no notice and exit off ramp.

My flesh was howling. I want to satisfy always greener fields somewhere else been in the fields of God's is pastors, not as green as somewhere else.

Well, I do not know. I do not care goes the poem how far it is to anywhere. All I know is that where I am not is always the alluring spot is always something on the other horizon, not even what I am working steel. There were those slackers that you would say to them, sarcastically there waiting for the big job there was this saving themselves. They don't want to do any heavy lifting and hard work there saving themselves for the big one was mocking them. Of course always somewhere else and then we find that they will in verse 10, there were never learning the Jews in the wilderness, God's ways weren't interesting to them now as Christians you stay in Christianity long enough and apply yourself there will be seasons where interest levels will not be running as fast as you would like them to be W dragging a little bit had a ton of them along as part of the fight. Should flash then if you continue you will find out in time to overcome it and then the cycle repeats itself. Later on, but then you should be ready for a journeyman Christian someone who's seasoned in their trade knows what it's like to walk the walk. Many of the things that we will encounter too many Christian suppose that God is just a genie in the Bible and you just rub the Bible the right way and pull fee comes out and says your wish is my command. Problem with that approach is that when you find out that God is God and you're not is not your little flunky genie that some people become disillusioned with Christianity scoff, it doesn't work. I tried that it doesn't work and that is a very silly and dangerous way to live. Satan hopes that he can get as many Christians disliking God because God would not respond to their prayers, as he can get. We don't know why God so often allows this or that.

Sometimes we do. Many times we don't. But in both cases, we have to submit that's what it means to call him Lord is master and if he wants to go south then south we go if he wants to go north and north we go where whatever direction I don't like that.

Now my the natural man spiritual man knows better because the spiritual man knows the day will come will I will enter his courts with thanksgiving in my heart gaze with praise.

I will know that everything was under his control and he always does. Right. And even sweeter than that this life will pass away in the one to come his guts home much ahead of it cannot be cattle so verse nine we go. He says where your father's tested, attempted me and tried me and saw my works 40 years. 40 years of miracles will will bullet point just a few of them in a moment. Should've taken them about a month from cyanide to the promised land. Even with the large entourage that they had, but not 40 years that 40 years was self-inflicted brought it upon themselves themselves. But I am part of that was a democracy. Well, if you talking human government that's another thing. But if you're talking with God were not to have democratic rule. We have theocratic rule. God rules us is our king. It is a divine monarchy and if he says I'm going to give you this land. I want you to go in and take it then we are to follow that those 12 spies at one in the land they want to come back with commentary that were to come back and tell Moses what the enemy strong points were so that he could form his battle plan to go take the land but 10 of them decided to come back with commentary we can do this too many problems to big and the people listened to them just to hold them Old Testament law New Testament we don't do it that way. Sometimes you say unfortunately but either way majority rule overruled divine rule. Yeah, that still happens with people, the symbol of everybody wants to do it Leslie, that's fine. You want to pitch a obit which would place to go have been no fish and chips when it comes to the work of God as as a an assembly.

Then, in six different and so we consider when the majority voted 10 unbelieving spies versus the two faithful ones. They prevailed having a majority, a majority of Christians in favor of something does not necessarily make it right see it all the time we see whole denominations voting on sin what it even come to a low. Where was Phineas to lock the doors of that church drive them out of their for their assistance to not trust God that along was astounding. You can say it was miraculous, because God didn't do it, but it was astounding that they would see so much activity of God in the just dismiss it. You are encouraged to build Ebenezer stones places that you remember what God did for you that nobody else could have done because if you lose sight of his presence and his reality you are entering into some very risky waters here is some higher, some of the things they saw. They witnessed 10 plagues on Egypt. 10 of them almost a Sesame Street moment right you are seeking to count come out and count them.

They dismissed them the parting of the sea for their escape, and then the closing of the sea. Right at that moment on Pharaoh's army. Egypt is never recovered. What makes a miracles. One facet of a miracle that makes it a miracle is timing would benefit would've been to part the sea when no one was there but at that moment, God the hand of God work on behalf of his people.

They saw those daily miracles for 40 years. What will the daily miracles.

Well the Shekinah for one souls on their shoes not wearing out their close not wearing out for two and there were others, but those of the two outstanding ones and they dismissed it commonplace.

No other people had the Shekinah are over them, but they had their wants and their desires and God wasn't set I have. I'm in an unhappy relationship. I got a job I don't liken those became those things became gremlins gobbled up their belief as it was in the days of Jesus with the religious elite who refused to submit to what they were looking at because they had other things to do and God was interfering with those other things verse 10 Hebrews 3. Therefore, because of what he just said I was angry with that generation, and said they always go astray in their heart they have not known my ways lesson rebellion against God causes anger of God. Stay away from it.

Rebellion can make someone feel very strong.

You know I quit.

I got you try to try to all companies going down. Now I quit we feel the sense of surge of power every time but am so often times or something like that. We do take my business elsewhere. I'm leaving this church. You know, we can reassert ourselves. It feels so good sometimes to the flesh right out right up to the point that God says that wasn't God that did not go off the way I intended to. I wanted you to stand your ground not retreat what your flesh prevailed. Every God in Scripture is just so having come to a place with a delighted in doing the opposite of what God wanted was King simple request bring the blood sacrifices commemorate what has happened to mankind's sin, all of its horror, there was Cora who took it upon himself to go against the divine appointment. Imagine God saying okay everybody, I'm going to materialize in front of you and you know I'm God and Moses you come up Moses this is Moses he's going to be my leader and someone standing up senile. I will never submit to him I care what you say I do better than him. That's what Cora did and it was Absalom who who texted other Absalom does when did he die between heaven and earth dangling skewed by Joab Joe. It was the one man you did not want chasing you and Joab Chase Absalom God not directly was told they Absalom's partner trees was long, luxurious hair and Joab couldn't wait to get there. No questions, no conversation, just the SKU does each one of those has such potential Absalom the crown prince. He could've been in Solomon's place God Cora is one of the Levites, the prestudy could've been such a pyramid, such contributions to support Moses said the ground opened up and swallowed him. Then Cain of course when killed his own brother because he didn't like his church.

That's commentary that statement he says they've they go astray, that as they roam how many Christians tire of God's words and ways and they just stray.

Sometimes a change churches. God never said do this, they said do it so they do it there always wondering why the never being used by the Lord because he never listening to him the run from field to field Ruth. I like making this illustration from Ruth, Naomi's wisdom when she found out that Boaz was being kinder. He said she said to to Ruth, Naomi said to Ruth, make sure you are not found in any other field you better know your place and stay there until God takes the next step that is exactly what Ruth did. Ruth had so many wonderful things about her. So did Naomi is a dear my early Christian walk. I didn't like male holy arm back. I'm sorrowful now. She went to some pool experiences and with maturity and wisdom.

Well, that makes it sound like I'm admitting that at one point I did know something.

So let's just forget I said that is 11 so I swore in my wrath, they shall not enter my rest, old man who wants God to say that you see this expression of divine commitment against evil. This is something big to the Jews because swearing was big to them. Jesus said don't go swearing by the temple of the Lord on Salter don't say you know I should just say yes or no because they were so big onto this that was like a nuclear option all make make up a sweat. We Christians would elsewhere. We say yes or no. Jesus even said listen more than that.

Satan is working his reason that he says whatever Moors of Satan, so we just let our yes be yes and I know we know we just to train ourselves of the other person doesn't like it of love well here. God says I am telling you in the language you won't soon forget. So here the writer to Hebrews the saying back then when they came out of Egypt.

God was so disappointed with them that he said I am drawing a line here that I will not a raise and no one else can. They will not go into the promised land for 40 years. There judged and is telling these Jews now is saying don't you make the same mistake don't you go on to you know what say you cannot enter into what God has given to you because you like something else so they shall not enter my rest.

Rest in this case was the promised land. Rest for us as heaven and rest it will be. I spend I plan to take the first third of eternity. Just relaxing.

I don't know what I'll be going up. I don't who knows I just don't want you know, rookie classes and only okay I wrote gradual here today and want to go over some of the things that we not supposed to do while you're up here I don't. I just want know it is God imparted and what do you does anybody like those sessions were you the green guy some of the Christians. How long you been appear you just got like 600 years. So anyway borrower back to this, it won't be that way. This projecting from this life to that one not well the people who trusted God to bring them out of Egypt didn't trust God to bring them into the promised land doesn't make any sense, Egypt was such a greater enemy than the Canaanites and yet God did for them as you write on word.

Well, these Jews hear you saying the same thing God brought you into Christianity she knew was true. You could see it in your own Scripture to the Holy Spirit ministry are and now you don't believe him enough to remain with him you want to go back Peter taking up the Old Testament attracted to the forceful language. The dog returning to vomit all over gets that kind of an insult or fact well the time came when they could not into the promised land. What happened bunch of them got there muscles in the swords.

Together they decided they were going to go in anyway and that ended in disaster because their brand of disobedience was without surrender to God. There is a disobedience that is out of weakness. We all know that. But then there is one that is born of rebellion, I am against God. I am not going to do what he says and that's what Job men whose who is hardened himself against God and prospered no one so the generation that conquered the land that second generation that went into the promised land did so because they submitted to God and they are very particular about this. So much so that when the two and half tribes that were satisfied with the un-promised land east of Jordan were now going back to their territory, having help their brothers subdue the land. What did God say to them what it what what happened while they said as they were leaving. You know what we want to build a monument here in Ebenezer we would say, so that our brothers remember that went with them and they are with us and we are dedicated to largely built a memorial altar.

Well, the Jews in the promised land. They got word of this and they thought they were going activate that off altar.

Contrary to Scripture and worship that so they they called war rally they sent Phineas over there and I had a little discussion with them and they found out know this was just a memorial that no intention of sacrificing one. My point is that generation that went into that promised land. They are very serious about following the Lord submitted all they had their mistakes, no question, but for the most part. In comparison, they were very serious. We look at them we say that's what were supposed to be. I swore in my wrath, they shall not enter my rest now verse 12.

Beware brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief and departing from the living God is a universal warning watcher steps in the presence of the Lord. It is a passionate appeal the writer to that of this letter is passionate he is for the people to is very serious about his faith and his serious about their care there on collision course and he's taken steps to to to deal with this on their behalf go to just look the other way when one's businesses will find you want to go to hell go to hell, but he doesn't do that. So this passionate appeal.

He had his doubts about them. I believe this is Paul. As we discussed in the introductions, I could be wrong, but is not likely, joke Galatians Paul writing to the Galatians he said this about them because they were doing some similar things he says I would like to be present with you now and change my tone right have my doubts about you write point blank what needed to be said here just as you go around saying your Christian just because you were so solid a Christian when I was there, doesn't mean well let me put it this way, things change these kind of things don't have to change but if they do, I'm not going to join you. I'm going to reach out try to rescue you, so your nieces beware brethren using I have my doubts about you all that's been no known from the beginning, he says, lest there be any of you an evil heart of unbelief personalizing warning to everyone in every age.

This can happen to you. They had. They were or are on course for this evil heart unbelief. Not believing God. That was the case with the ancestors perished in the wilderness. They doubted that God was adequate. The doubted they didn't like his ways. He should just give us why we have the sort. Why do we have to eat manna every day.

Why can't one day be tramp the next day it's Philly mignon. Why does it have to be that no one I don't think said. That way, but that was the spirit of their rebellion at one time they did fuss with God man again. He says indwell them. They brought that on themselves. Again, the should been writing to the promised land and departing from the living God. The word here in the Greek remember for those well for those of you who don't know the New Testament was originally written in the Greek language we translate into various language is of the world. A suit with that Greek word for departing is a compound word. This is made of two Greek words to stand off or to stand apart to discontinue and so it is properly translated departing pieces is telling them less to be in you and evil heart of unbelief and leaving the place you were you're with Christ now.

Now you want to leave Christ.

That's an evil heart. You don't want to do that men are free to reject God. Otherwise, unbelief been wiped out by just make everybody believers.

A lot of Christians believe once you become a Christian, you lose your free will. I don't believe that my free will is very active and this is its choice to be with Jesus for ever.

He will never leave me nor for Satan email out things that I don't like. As we discussed what he will never leave me, and I don't plan to ever leave him by his hand in his hand only.

That will always be so. And he's promised. As Peter said Kept by God. Well apostasy.

It is willful it is intellectual. It's not only is it intellectual but it is ultimately an intellectual decision starts off emotionally. In some cases a letter like with that religion. They get to do this to get we know they get to have that we can have that United begins to feel and to finally you come to that place were you D side you going to leave Christ behind Val and he departed.

Never return Peter. He stumbled hard return Judas.

His betrayal was fueled by rejection. Peters. Peters, lack of confession cowardice at the moment was fueled by weakness was confusion and that also is very confused. Is that one point is very ready to fight for Christ, but it reached when you know what to do. Plus, he failed just that's the that's that's the way to handle that he failed but his reason for failure was born of weakness not rebellion against God in that sense, Jesus always knows who will come to him. He knows who will leave, but he doesn't cause it to drive us away. John's Gospel six verse 64.

There are some of you. Jesus said do not believe for Jesus new John writes from the beginning who they were, did not believe in who would betray him knows it all. You've been listening to cross reference radio the daily radio ministry of Pastor Rick asked Calvary Chapel in Mechanicsville, Virginia. As we mentioned at the beginning of today's broadcast. Today's teaching is available free of charge at our website. Simply log on to cross reference radio.com that's cross reference radio.com would also like to encourage you to subscribe to the cross reference radio podcast subscribing ensures that you stay current with all the latest teachings from Pastor Rick, you can subscribe cross reference radio.com or simply search for cross reference radio your favorite podcast to the next time as Pastor Rick continues teaching through the book of Hebrews right here on cross reference radio