Who Do You Worship?

Welcome to God, committed to encouraging you to put God first, while viewing life the window in the Bible. Now, in honor of the one and only true God, the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. Let's join Wayne see Thomas for today's message greetings in the name of our great Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. My name is Brian Thomas and is always is a joy honor and a privilege to join you each week and I want to thank you for tuning in.

I want to begin today with a question. The question is what or who do you worship even if you were not so call religious even if you are a person who identifies yourself as an atheist you say well I don't believe there is a God. I don't do the religion thing.

I don't worship. I want to challenge you today. I'm going to make the argument today that you do worship we all worship and that is because God created us to worship you created us. It is in our spirit to do so is just a matter of identifying who or what it is that you worship so want to draw your attention to the book of John chapter 4 verse 24 where we find the texts God is spirits and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth.

I am so grateful to be a part of a church that is the local assembly that I attend that gives genuine worship is embrace and it just runs throughout the church and is not something that is done for show but it is true, since your worship to our Lord.

When the word goes forth from the pit that we give honor to the God of the Bible.

Everyone stands in unison to give honor to him and and some people will lift their hands and praise some people will lift our voices for a highly unusual war. Thank you Jesus. Some people will clap their hands, but praise goes up in worship as we give honor to our Lord and I just love it because not all churches in brace worship.

I've been to some services in which it is frowned upon. If anyone were to really give worship to our Lord. And so I love the fact that when I gather together with his body of believers that we are going to give genuine heartfelt worship to our great Lord and the great thing about it is doing this with my family, my children and my wife because children are watching these see what their parents are doing. They take note of it in and you know even children at a very young age. They may not understand it all, but that is how they are learning their being trained and we had an incident a few weeks ago in church, in which my children. I was standing there giving praise to our Lord. We all were standing in the sun was to my left and my daughter was to my rights, my wife was to her rights and I noticed my sons with a glance pass me a couple times and I turned to him and II asked him as is everything okay in easy look into his sister which is my daughter he said is she giving praise to the Lord just wanted to make sure this. He also was praising because he knows that's what we do and my children are 11 and 12 years old, but already they are giving worship and praise to our great Lord and one of the things that I notice is my son. In particular, he seems to take the lead for me. He seems to really watch me and what I'm doing and so when I stand and give praise and worship he stands and gives praise and worship when I lift my my hands in my arms and adoration to Lord he does the same thing and so that is why it is so important that we have in worship service. Understand that during this time of covert a lot of churches have been close there various times and am not here to to debate on that, but it's that is why it's reported that we come together and worship in person. You just can't do that at home doing a virtual service and I know some may say well you know we can stand at home and give worship trouble. Yes, it can be done but is not the same with the entire body gets together and everyone is giving praise and worship to our great Lord and so is a beautiful thing to be able to do that with our fellow brothers and sisters in Christ and with my wife and with my children. As we all give praise and worship to our great Lord. But the thing about worship is we often think about it in terms of something that we do in a church service.

Physical outward expressions, but it goes beyond physical expression. The book of Exodus 3414 says for you shall worship no other God for the Lord, whose name is jealous is a jealous God in the commands to the Israelites, God equated the worship of false gods to running after harlots. Sexual immorality is something that God uses throughout the Scripture to convey going after idol gods which ultimately is going after Satan. Because either you're worshiping God or you worshiping Satan.

All of these idol gods are pointing to Lucifer pointing to the devil and so God uses that as an expression to convey that that is what it is like.

So when you're living your life with sexual immorality.

What you are doing is symbolic of rejection of our great Lord God in heaven. The God of the Bible and instead worshiping the devil I saw a few weeks ago, the Duke UNC basketball game. Now the morning of that game which is on a Saturday, I was not watching television, but I heard this account that was told about what happened now for anyone that is in this local area. You know how big the Duke UNC basketball game is that is a huge robbery and as a matter fact it goes beyond just as local area. Here we are in North Carolina.

It is nationwide, everybody knows about the Duke UNC basketball game but on this particular day, a couple weeks ago. The students lined up or camped out at 4 AM. Alright so they are getting prepared at 4 AM for this game.

Now the doors did not open until 9 AM so we're talking about five hours and what actually was going on is because the game is something I started to 6 PM but anyone is not familiar. ESPN has this show called College Game Day and they'll go to the sites aware of the big game of the day is going to be and they will air from there.

So the pep rally style of an event, and so the students lined up again.

They were camping out.

They lined up at 4 AM to get into the arena. The Dean Smith Center, when the doors open at 9 AM and the students Ray and Ian and they would run over top of some who would fall in and they were just all excited and and just ready for this. This great events and as I'm hearing this and thinking to myself, who do you worship, remember that the Scripture that I just read said God is a jealous God. He has a righteous jealousy. Imagine that it's you were at home as a husband and you're watching television and your wife gets more excited about a man on television than she does over you or imagine that you notice your wife gets excited when she peeks out of the window she sees the neighbor walking across the yard. How would that make you feel or imagine as a man, you go out to dinner in your wife is there with you in another man walks body and she seems to be more interested in him and excited about him this year is about you. Her husband, so how do you think it means God for you when we are all excited about these things of the world we don't show that kind of excitement for him. Do we run into church or do we Dragon leads. Now don't get me wrong I'm not advocating necessarily to literally run in the church because the way things are happening now.

Someone may think that you are up to no good. Security may intercept you thinking that you're you trying to bring some harm because is not normal to see that what I am advocating is that in your spirit and in your heart. Are you excited when it's time to to go to church on Sunday mornings are you excited when it's time to go to the Bible study during the week because you see the world runs to everything, but God and that's idolatry.

The world learns to gain their excited about that. But we are to worship in spirit and truth and the truth is that only God deserves worship and you know when it comes to sports I have to be honest with you, the, the older that I gets, the harder it is for me to watch sports. Now let me be clear and I've said this many times before. Sports is not wrong in love itself. I played sports in school. I do watch the games but because so many now make an idol out of sports almost feel guilt by association.

When I see that the millions of dollars being spent on football stadiums. When I when I see the millions of dollars that are being spent on basketball arenas and in just the again enormous amount of money coaches getting paid 34 $5 million. Players getting paid in the professional leagues over $100 million contract when I when I see these things I'm thinking about all that how that money could go toward evangelism. All that money that can be used toward kingdom building is almost feel guilt by association, to be honest with you, and it is gotten to the point that I may still tune into a game, but I just don't get the same kind of enjoyment.

The same kind of entertainment and that is what it is, folks. Borski is entertainment has no redeeming value to life.

If you take sports away. Contrary to what a lot of people may believe life will carry on just fine, but it's we so many in our society lifted up on a pedestal. I see women falling all over themselves and getting all excited and trying to get with the man simply because he's famous for being able to play a sports and I say that's idolatry. We should not do that we should worship only our God in spirit and in truth and if you are more excited about a game then you are about God, you are worshiping the game, you will worshiping entertainment for that matter anything that is that you put more value to then God is something that you have made an idol.

I want us to be excited about time without a little what I want us to be excited when it is time to go to church.

I wanted wanted to be excited when it's time for Bible study.

My household, my family, we have morning Bible study devotion at 7 AM and we had an incident a few days ago in which my children my kids date they were Dragon leads and for whatever reason they showed up it was 702 they know Bible study starts at 7 AM.

Now didn't bring down the hammer right away. I let them know I said hey we are supposed to be here prepared and ready and excited. It's about hearing from our Lord at 7 AM mass and now this can this happens again there want to be consequences is going to be punishments because we should be excited about our Lord. We run into things of the world.

We should run to our Lord when it's time to worship him when it's time to praise him when it's time to hear from him because he's deserving of all the glory is deserving of all the honor he is deserving of all the praise. So were going to Paul's for a brief announcement that I'm going to come back with more about who you worship. Don't go away you are tuned into God first program you're listening to Brian Thomas only got more wine please visit God, not horse around the library.

There you will find articles and messages available as MP3 downloads on various topics such as salvation, Bible marriage lesson is just to name a few. Also, sign up for our monthly newsletter and visit our web store visit God back to the program and Brian Thomas and today we are talking about who or what do you worship and again as I said at the outset I want us to really be honest with ourselves and ask ourselves the question, are we giving worship to God. Were we giving worship to other things.

Other things in our lives that we have made idols rather than God, because the book of Exodus chapter 20 verse three says you shall have no other gods before me. But it's unfortunate that many have put other things before God and I want to be clear, I've been guilty of this in my life I've had times in my life, even when it comes to sports when I look back and as a UNC basketball fan, I had a time early on in which will I was in an adult but early on in my my my working career in which the UNC Tar Heels date they lost the basketball game and I was so bent out of shape about it there when I went to bed that night.I do not want to get up the next morning and go out to work to face my colleagues I was I was that down and out about the game and the Holy Spirit convicted me, because the Holy Spirit said to me in my spirit. Seriously, is it that important.

These young men running up and down a a basketball court in shorts and attain top drippings orange ball and the one that can put this orange ball through the scoop.

The most number of times that dictates whether you're going to have joy in your day. You're not.

And I realize I had made an idol out of sports and so I'm speaking from experience, and that is why I want to challenge others to not do the same thing because we do that again if it if those things have more weights in our lives than God does, then we are having other gods before him. God says that we are not to do that.

That breaks the heart of God that disappoints you and I know that what I'm about to say is probably going to get me into some trouble with some people.

But many people worship a lot of things that are not God in the time that we're living in now is that it seems as though many are worshiping covert shots.

I was watching a service online a church service in which there was a lady there speaking and she was there to encourage the people there to take the covert shot. I want to read to you what she stated out I want to give the quote word for words you can know exactly what she said.

She stated quotes Jesus saved our souls, but we can't look to him to save us from covert. We have to save ourselves."

I was blown away by that I was truly left speechless, but he really will more time for anyone who missed it, she said, quote Jesus saved our souls, but we can't look to him to save us from covert. We have to save ourselves." And again this is in reference to her urging people to take the shot.

Now I'm not here to make a debate or a discussion as to whether you should take a shot or not. That is a personal decision that is between you and God. And I feel like it is something that should remain personal and private, whether things are really troubles me is the way in which this kind of stuff is been made so public in our society today is divided so many people, even within families, but what I do want to state that we as that's you put more faith in the shots then you do in God because again we are to worship in spirit and in truth and the truth of the matter is I will Lord has all the power I will Lord has power over covert. He has more power than that, shots. He has more power than the disease. He has more power than anything that is is because he is the supreme creator of all things.

He is the supreme being. So there is nothing that is too big for him, but I've heard preachers even say I'm protected now because I have my shot in my boosters as if to say, will if you do not have that you would not be protected. So I'm asking the question, what about God do do you think the God protect you.

Do you think he watches over you. Do you think that he can heal you even if you were to get sick. But it seems as though people are putting more faith into other things than they are into God.

Folks, we are to worship him in spirit and in truth. We have to be honest with ourselves. Are we putting more value are we putting more faith into other things.

Then we are into God who is it that you worship you worship money or do you worship sex entertainment power, food, sports, maybe a spouse I see so many people that it seems as though it is there single mission in life to find a mate.

It seems as though they throw out all their values they hold to no convictions as long as it means they can get that man that they are so desperately seeking and enfolds that's idolatry. We are not supposed to put that type of emphasis on finding someone to have as a romantic interest. Yes, the Bible says God said clearly in the beginning, be fruitful and multiply, and so we are to do that.

That is a live. God is giving you the gift of celibacy. Now there are some that do have the gift of celibacy God has made it so that they were created to be single for a purpose that does happen but barring that, we are created to be fruitful and multiply, and to do that within the context of God's commands. That means getting married. We ought to do it within marriage. Unfortunately it seems as though most of society today has chosen to do it outside of marriage because we receive these percentages of of of children born outside of marriage is continues to go up and up. So people are living as if they are married even though they're not and I see people that again is like their their golden life is that if they don't find that that's that person that that husband or that wife that all is loss and it should not be that way we should live our lives and dedication to our Lord. We should live our lives to again it worship him and to put him first and when the time is right in his time and we focus on him, then he will send that special woman to marry and he will send that special husband to marry.

But even when you find that person they don't cut they don't come before God. God comes first, he comes before that wife he comes before that husband comes before your children because some people worship their children and and what I see just so pervasive in society today.

Years people worshiping themselves. I've never seen a time like it, in which, when you don't have to do is look at social media look at Facebook and you see how much people love themselves. People constantly taking selfies pictures of themselves and and posting them online so that people would look at them so that they can get attention in the Bible said that they would come in the last days as a people will be lovers of sales and that that is exactly what we see in the simply another way of saying people will be worshipers of themselves. People only care about number one I want all the attention I want.

Was mine's not about being selfless and giving up something sacrificing something in your life so that you can make someone else happy. But you concerned about yourself when you do that you are worshiping. So I want to challenge you today is God first here in our program. God first Bible Fellowship. We encourage people to put God first in all things.

The question is ease God first in your life was the first thing on your mind when you wake up in the morning. What is the last thing on your mind with you when you go to sleep is a God. Now if you are going through a major illness or something like maybe the loss of a job. I can understand that the initial shock of those things can cause you to when you wake up first thing in the morning.

Those things can be on your mind. Those things can be on your mind when you go to bed at night, but it did.

Even in the midst of that excuse to come a point in which, when you give it over to God and you say, God, I'm just trusting you in this, then he should be was on your mind. First, and he should be was on your mind when you go to bed at night but but what consumes your thoughts. What consumes your mind. I see people that when it's time to go on a leisure trip. Leslie and amusement Park, Busch Gardens Carolinians or where to go to vacation if and when the day comes when the alarm clock goes off their excited. They hop out of bed and they they have a smile on their face and their getting dress you have to tell anyone hurry up let's go let's go on vacation. People are excited about it. But then on Sunday morning when the alarm clock goes off for church here groans on Sunday morning when the alarm clock goes off your costly hitting the snooze button on Sunday morning when the alarm clock goes off you get up Dragon you don't have a smile on your face. You morning your groaning and it is time to get ready to go to the house of the Lord again.

How does that make God feel how you think that makes our great Lord for you that you are excited to go to an amusement park but when it comes time to go.

Worship him Dragon you're dreading it. You don't want to get up. Do you rush through church service. What I mean by that is if you're attending church. Are you there and just wanted to hurry up and get it over with so you can go about your day, or if you are one of those who is actually participating. Maybe you're up front you're in the pool. Are you rushing through it just to get it over with two to check the box to say okay we got through church and then you go home and you spent hours watching the game or watching a movie or TV show.

This hurts the heart of God. Folks think about all he's done for us. Think about if it were not for God coming to this earth in the form of a man that is Jesus Christ God the sun and dying for our sins we would be heading for eternal damnation.

We would all be lost and how do we thank him. We thank him. So many of us. By putting more weight and more value into things other than him into things of the world. And again it breaks his heart, so I want to challenge you to be a worshiper of God. Don't get me wrong I am not saying that we cannot enjoy other aspects of life. God is the one who blesses us, even with being able to participate in entertainment. I don't think God is anti-sports, but it has its place in life.

God wants us to have a spouse. He wants us to to enjoy food he wants us to and enjoy sex as husband and wife but again everything comes in its proper place does not come before God. We cannot put so much weight into it that we worship it.

So again we are to worship in spirit and in truth and we are to give glory and honor to our great Lord in all things and so I want to again challenge today hear what I'm saying.

Examine your heart to examine yourself and be honest with yourself and I want to challenge you on Sunday morning when it is time to get up and go to church. I want you to be excited that alarm clock goes off. I want you to get up and immediately start getting dress and a smile in your face or think about how is going, how great is going to be when you get there you were lifting your hands and you are giving praises to God, you are thinking him just because of how great is even putting aside all the great things he's done for us, but simply because of who he is. He deserves the honor of the glory to worship and praise. I want you to be excited about it to give worship to our Lord so if your answer to the question of who or what do you worship if it is not God want to challenge you today to repent and then turn to our God. Give him worship because he's worthy of all the glory. All the honor and all the parties were all out of time for this week I want to thank you again for 20 men. Please go back next time. As we continue to encourage you to put God first, while viewing life through the window of the Bible until they remember to pray for peace of Jerusalem, less God's great nation of Israel to the only wise God be glory. Jesus Christ, forever. Amen.

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