Love God, Hate Evil

0 (2s): Good morning. 1 (4s): Let's all stand together. Sing 4 (14m 19s): Lord. It is always a privilege and a joy to gather together as brothers and sisters in Christ. For the purpose of lifting up the name that is above every name, the name of Jesus. So Lord, we choose to just humble ourselves before you today, but we know that there's a lot more growth that we need in our lives personally. And we just want to be open to the voice of your spirit. Holy spirit, I pray that you would, as you are faithful to do all the time, just a touch our hearts, help us to understand and, and be touched by you. And Lord, we ask you father, just to rule and reign in our midst today in our lives today, we just counted a joy. 4 (15m 7s): We counted a joy to walk before you, and to know you in Jesus name, we pray God's people said, Hey, man, go ahead and please be seated. Thank you so much. Worship team. I Heather Hosanna. Good to have you guys here. So of course the first thing I have to say is happy new year. My name is Ron, and actually Steve asked me if I would share this morning, maybe a month ago or so. And so what I'm going to be sharing with you, something that's really kind of been on my heart for the last couple of months. And I, I want to tell you sort of ahead of time that parts of it are a bit serious. 4 (15m 52s): So maybe sobering, I guess, just cause of, of where we are and in time and in our nation. But I want you to know this. I am super grateful and thankful and joyful about all that God has done in 2021. It's been a great year that we just finished up and I am so optimistic and so encouraged by 2022, knowing that God has great things for us in our future. And so in the midst of, of sometimes what looks like challenging circumstances or trials and tribulations, or, you know, we face God is good all the time and he's going to press us in, move us forward, fill our hearts with joy and peace and just confidence in who we are in Christ and the things that he is doing in our lives personally, and, and what he's doing in the world, you know, in America and in the, in the world. 4 (16m 53s): So what I'll be talk about today, here's the title of the message. The title is love. God hates sin, love God hates sin, and it comes out of two scriptures. I'll give you the verses today. We won't be having the scriptures up on the monitors. Sorry about that. But I would encourage you if you have your Bible with you, go ahead and open up to the scriptures. I'm about to give you, or if you have a device, you know, get it keyed up. So we're going to be looking at Jeremiah chapter nine, Jeremiah chapter nine verses 23 and 24 and also Proverbs chapter six verses 16 through 19. So again, that was Jeremiah 9 23 and 24 Proverbs chapter six, 16 through 19. 4 (17m 35s): If you're a note taker, I'll be given out some various scripture references. Feel free to write them down if you want to. All right, Lord. Yes. We ask you to anoint your word today. Lord, your word tells us that you watch over word to perform it and it will not return void, but it will accomplish what you please thank you that your word is living. It is powerful. It is dynamic and we invite your word to have your way in us today. We pray in Jesus name. Amen. So as we grow in our walk with the Lord, we're on all on this journey just year by year, day by day, month by month, where, you know, kind of growing in our walk with the Lord and our understanding of who God is. 4 (18m 21s): One of our main goals is to learn more about the things that God loves and also to learn about the things that God hates. And in the process, we are meant to experience transformation. That's kind of that one word sort of explains the Christian experience. It's it's a life of transformation coming to love the things that God loves and hate the things that God hates. We're being conformed into his image. So I want to be very, very clear from the start. God does not hate people. God does not hate people. He loves people. God loves people. We know that, but God definitely hates evil. 4 (19m 1s): And he is against those who participate in and promote evil. What God truly hates is the destruction and the suffering and the bondage that evil brings upon people and upon nations. So today we will be looking at three things that God loves and we will be looking at seven things that God hates total of 10 things. We ready for this. Okay. So first of all, why would God loves certain things? He knows. 4 (19m 41s): God knows that these things will bring about goodness and blessing and joy into our lives personally and into our nation collectively. Secondly, why would God hate certain things? Because he knows that these things will bring about pain and suffering and destruction into our lives personally and into our nation collectively. And if unchecked, these things will bring about God's judgment as well. Israel, the nation of Israel, sort of a case in point of this as we'll look at in the future. So the interesting verse in Amos, chapter five, verse 15, it says this hate the evil and love the good as disciples of Jesus Christ. 4 (20m 30s): We are learning. We're learning to love God more and more. And so part of loving God more and more is knowing what we're going to be talking about today, knowing what he loves and knowing what he hates and then being transformed into his image. Someone has started out with the three things that God loves the word actually that she's in Jeremiah chapter nine is delights God delights in these things. So I'm reading from Jeremiah chapter 9 23 and 24. Thus says the Lord let, not the wise man boast in his wisdom. Let, not the mighty man boast in his might, but let and let, not the rich man boast in his riches, but let him who boasts boast in this that you understand that it knows me that I am the Lord who practices steadfast, love justice and righteousness in the earth for in these things. 4 (21m 26s): I delight declares the Lord. So there we see in Jeremiah chapter nine, the things that that God delights in our loves God delights in steadfast, love God, delights, injustice, God delights in righteousness. We're going to be looking at those just to affirm this in Psalm chapter 33, verse five, it says, God loves righteousness and justice and the earth is full of the steadfast love of the Lord. All right. So I want to talk about that first thing, steadfast, love it. It's defined in the Hebrew language and this is its actual definition. It's kindness. Goodness and faithfulness. 4 (22m 7s): Does that sound familiar to you? It should because it, it, it sounds like the fruit of the holy spirit. So when the holy spirit takes up residence in us, he brings about this transformation whereby the character of God is instilled in us in the believer. And so again, steadfast love kindness, goodness, and faithfulness sounds a lot like Galatians chapter 5, 22 and 23, but the fruit of the spirit is love joy, peace, patience. And here's those three words, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. And because God is love. 4 (22m 47s): I mean, not only is this character love literally his, his personage. He is love. God is love. His default is always to invite us into his love. First John chapter four, verse 16, God is love. And he abides in love, abides in God and God in him. Interesting story. This was when Moses had this confrontation with God and God was revealing his, his character to Moses in Exodus chapter 34, verse six. It says the Lord passed before him, before Moses and proclaimed the Lord, the Lord, a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness. 4 (23m 37s): So what impact should that have on our lives personally? Well, for me, it compels me to draw closer and closer to the Lord because I need to know his love. I need to experience his love and truthfully, the closer I get to him, the greater blessing that I get to enjoy my life personally, remember that Jesus was talking about, he was actually asked this question, what is the greatest commandment of all? You remember that in mark chapter 12, verse 30 says, you shall love the Lord, your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, with all your strength and you shall love your neighbor as yourself. 4 (24m 18s): So they come together. In fact, the truth is we can't actually love others until we have that love relationship with God. First, first, John chapter four, verse seven, beloved, let us love. One another for love is of God and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God. So that's the impact on my life or our lives personally. What impact should this have on our nation as a whole? So in Psalm chapter 33, verse 12, the verse says this simply this blessed or blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord. So God wants to bless us individually and corporately in our community. 4 (24m 58s): And our nation blessed is the nation whose God in the Lord whose God is the Lord in Psalm 1 44, verse 15, happy are the people whose God is the Lord steadfast love. Secondly, what else does God delight in? He delights in justice. What is justice? Justice is that, which is just and right, and true and lawful. So justice is based upon a foundation and the foundation is his rules and statutes and precepts and commandments and judgments and laws that were all revealed to the nation of Israel in Exodus and Leviticus in order to bless them and give them a foundation as a nation, as a people, Psalm chapter 19, love these verses beginning with verse seven, it says the law of the Lord is perfect. 4 (25m 60s): Converting the soul. The testimony of the Lord is sure. Making wise the simple, the statutes of the Lord are right rejoicing. The heart, the commandment of the Lord is pure enlightening. The eyes, the fear of the Lord is clean, enduring forever. The judgments of the Lord are true and righteous all together. More to be desired, are they than gold? Yes. Than much fine. Gold sweeter also than honey and the honeycomb, moreover by them, your servant is warned and in keeping them there is great reward. 4 (26m 43s): I just so appreciate the fact that in God's word, he has revealed to us initially to Israel and to us as well. What justice is the foundation for justice, his, his laws, his precepts, his commandments. And, and so we base our life upon that foundation. In fact, this is what our American system of justice originally was supposed to be based upon. It is based upon God's justice. You may have heard it said that we are a nation of laws. Have you ever heard that before? We're a nation of laws and that justice is blind, meaning it is absolutely fair. There's an interesting statue. I believe of a, of, of a woman who has a blindfold across her eyes and she's holding a balance. 4 (27m 30s): And that balance is supposed to be an example of the justice of God. It's, it's blind it. In other words, it doesn't favor show favoritism towards one person over another. And when a new president takes, he swears in as an oath of office, what is, what does he do? He actually places his hand on a Bible and he swears allegiance to our constitution and our courts, the laws that give us a foundation, which ultimately come from God again, Amis chapter five, verse 15. I read it a moment ago. Hate evil love. 4 (28m 10s): Good. And then it says, maintain justice in the courts. So what impact should this have on our lives personally, or, or maybe as a nation? So we honor God by honoring and obeying his laws as they are revealed to us in his word in the Bible. And we honor God by honoring and obeying the laws of the land. To the extent that man's law does not supersede God's law. God's law is Supreme. So God delights in justice, which is why he has revealed his law to us. I don't know how familiar you are with the Bible, but my encouragement in 2022 is to make it your goal, make it your aim, to read through the Bible in a year and don't skip anything. 4 (28m 59s): In fact, when you get into Exodus and especially Leviticus, it's kind of overwhelming because God's very meticulous and deliberate about setting out what justice is, what his law is. And, and it will bless our lives. God delights in justice, which is why he has revealed his law to us. So we, then we are responsible to keep an obey his law, which is where righteousness comes into play. So remember I said, God, delights in steadfast, love. He delights in injustice and he delights in righteousness. So righteousness simply means righteous acts. As, as we've seen that justice is the foundation that God has. 4 (29m 41s): Righteousness is our response to the foundation that God has established. So Psalm 11 verse seven says this. It says the Lord is righteous. And he loves righteousness. As God was establishing the nation of Israel, he says to them and Deuteronomy chapter four, verse one, and now, oh, Israel, listen to the statutes and the rules that I'm teaching you and do them that you may live and go in and take possession of the land that, that the Lord, the God of your fathers is giving you. So the, the, the premises, this is that as we walk in obedience to God's law, his justice, we receive the blessing as a result of that. 4 (30m 31s): And also he says this to Israel and Leviticus chapter 18, verse four, he says, you shall follow my rules and keep my statutes and walk in them. I am the Lord, your God, you shall never keep my statutes. And my rules, if a person does them, he shall live by them. I am the Lord. The Bible talks a lot about this abundant life that he wants us to experience, or part of that abundant life just simply comes from knowing and understanding what God delights in, and then simply applying that to our lives. So what impact should this have on our lives personally, Proverbs chapter 21, verse 21, it says whoever pursues, righteousness and kindness will find life righteousness and honor, Isaiah chapter 32 verse 17, the effect of righteousness will bring peace. 4 (31m 25s): And the result of righteousness is quietness and trust forever. How much do we need all those things? I want to live in peace and quietness. I want to trust in the Lord. And so this has all the effect of righteousness. Well, what impact should this have on our nation? Proverbs chapter 14, verse 34, righteousness exalts, a nation Proverbs chapter 16, verse 12 here, he's talking about leadership of a nation. The throne is established by righteousness. So we see not only the blessing on our lives, personally, as a result of walking in obedience to God's law, his word, but we see the blessing upon our nation corporately as, as well, Isaiah chapter 54, verse 14 in righteousness, you shall be established. 4 (32m 19s): You shall be far from oppression for you shall not fear. And from terror for it shall not come near you. You know, coming out of tap, coming out of 20, 20 and 2021. What would you say are main things that people are kind of walking in right now? I'd say they're walking in. What does he say here? We're walking in oppression. We're walking in a lot of fear and people are just terrified. I find by the things that are coming upon us of the unknown, God says, you know, as you walk with me in righteousness, he says, I'm going to establish you. 4 (33m 6s): I'm going to give you a firm foundation. So that you'll be far from oppression. You won't fear, and I'll keep you from terror. The things that would terrorize us. So the truth is God knows that we need help. We need help with this. So this is what he has done for us. So I love the fact that our relationship with God is not simply based on a book of rules. And that's how he chooses to reveal the truth to us. But what he's also given us, he's given us our savior, which is Christ the Lord to help us in this. He's given us the holy spirit that dwells within us so that we are able. 4 (33m 50s): So we have the power to walk in the things that I'm talking about this morning, Jeremiah chapter 23, verse five behold, the days are coming declares. The Lord, when I will raise up for David, a righteous branch, who is he talking about there? He's talking about Jesus Christ. Our Lord, the days are coming declares. The Lord, when I will raise up for David, a righteous branch, and he shall reign as king and deal wisely and shall execute justice and righteousness in the land. Now we're not fully fully there yet, but when Jesus Christ returns at his second coming, we're going to walk in that fully. 4 (34m 30s): But right now, we, as I said, we have the holy spirit. That's been given to us by faith in Christ to help us this. And this first you're very familiar with I'm sure, Isaiah chapter nine, verse seven of the increase of his government and of peace. There will be no end on the throne of David and over his kingdom to establish it and to uphold it with justice and with righteousness from this time forth and forever more. And once again, he's talking about Jesus Christ, our savior, all right. So I'm going to repeat myself just for a moment. God loves certain things. So God delights in certain things because he knows that these things will bring about goodness and blessing and joy into our lives personally, and to our nation collectively, remember, God is not against us. 4 (35m 23s): He's not against anyone. God is for us. God delights in steadfast, love justice and righteousness. All right? So here's where we transition, transition into some, some difficult things. God hates certain things. So why, why? Because he knows that these things will bring about pain and suffering and destruction and bondage into our lives personally, and into our nation collectively. And because God loves us so much, he has warned us about the consequences of heading down the path of these things I'm going to be talking about. All right. So what are the things that God hates prior to chapter six, verses 16 through 19, these six things the Lord hates, yes. 4 (36m 10s): Seven are an abomination to him. A proud look, allying tongue hands, that shed innocent blood, a heart that devises wicked plans, feet that are swift in running to evil, a false witness who speaks lies and one who sows discord among brethren. All right. So what does God hate? We're given a list of seven things here. He hates a proud look, allying tongue hands, that shed innocent blood, a heart that devises wicked plans, feet that are swift and running to evil, a false witness who speaks lies and one who sows discord among brethren. 4 (36m 51s): All right. So I want to look at these each individually. Proud look. So basically this reveals a prideful heart, a proud look, reveals a prideful heart. And, and I got to say, God hates pride. He opposes pride while why, why does God hate pride? Because pride is might sound a little odd. Pride is demonic. Pride will cause a person or a nation to stand in rebellion against God because the pride of man creates conflict and strife and the breakdown of relationships. And ultimately the breakdown of a nation. 4 (37m 33s): When I said a moment ago, that pride is demonic. Think about this. As we are told in Isaiah chapter 14, what the downfall was of Lucifer, Isaiah 14, for you have said in your heart, I will ascend into heaven. I will exalt my throne above the stars of God. I will also sit on the Mount of the congregation on the farthest sides of the north. I will ascend above the Heights of the clouds and I will be like the most high. What, what a, what a picture of pride that is. So Proverbs 13, 10 pride we're told leads to conflict. 4 (38m 17s): In fact, I would say in my, in my life, in my experience, anytime I had really a, a difficult conflict with somebody is because either I'm, I was walking in pride, I was stubborn, unwilling to budge either that or the other person was stubborn and unwilling to budge. If he's basically saying the root of conflict is pride, Proverbs chapter 28, verse 25, he was of a proud heart stirs up strife. First, John chapter two, verse 16 for all the Jews in the world. The lust of the eyes, the lust of the flesh, the pride of life is not of the father, but is of the world. 4 (38m 58s): And finally, James chapter four, verse six, God resists the proud, but he gives grace to the humble as we go through these seven points, these seven things that God hates. I want to try to bring kind of where we are the current events of our day and look at this. So as a nation statistics show, in fact for decades, maybe, maybe a hundred years or more, we've kept track. There's been groups that keep track of the number of Christians that are in America. So as a nation, we are more secular than at any time in American history. 4 (39m 38s): So they measured. They measured that by interviewing people, asking questions, you know, do you believe in God, you believe in the Bible and they have all these criteria. Basically what we see is there's a, there's a downward spiral that we, as a nation, we are more secular than at any time secular, what do I mean by that? We are unbelieving. We are atheist. We are agnostic. We, we do not have faith in God to the degree we did in the past. So what does that mean? That means this basically every man does what's right in his own eyes. So who's who was to set this standard for justice or righteousness. If God has no place in the lives of the people of our nation, I get to determine, I get to determine my basis for righteousness and truth. 4 (40m 29s): So, so I see this is where pride has its root and brings out strife and confusion. All right. So the second thing that the Lord hates, it says a lying tongue. So this is lying with the intent, the intention to deceive. So we're not talking about, you know, a white liar. We're trying to maybe protect somebody from some, no, he's talking about lying with the intent. The intention is to deceive. So why does God hate lying? Well, I'm going to say it again because lying is it's demonic. And it undermines trust between people and it leads to confusion. And it leads to the breakdown of relationships and ultimately the breakdown of a nation. 4 (41m 15s): You remember Jesus was confronting the religious leaders of his day. And this is what he said to them in John chapter eight, verse 44, he said, you are of your father, the devil and the desires of your father. You want to do when he speaks, he speaks a lie because he speaks from his own resources for, he is a liar and he is the father of lies. Why does God hate lying again? Because it brings about division Proverbs, chapter 13, verse five, a righteous man hates lying. 4 (41m 59s): Ephesians chapter four, verse 25, therefore put away lying. Let each one of you speak truth with his neighbor. We are members of one, another interesting as we look forward and as the prophecies within scripture kind of reveal, what's going to be happening in the last days in the future. There's this person who comes on the scene. Sometimes he's called the man of peace or the antichrist. When he comes on the scene, guess what? One of his main tactics will be lying in second Thessalonians, chapter two, verse nine, the coming of the lawless one, speaking of the antichrist is according to the working of Satan with all power signs and lying wonders, all right, what are we facing now? 4 (42m 51s): What is our current situation? You know, I, I just feel like in the last couple of years, it seems like we can't trust anyone. We, we can't trust our leaders. We can't trust the media. We can't trust, you know, the experts and what are we left with confusion and strife. We don't trust people anymore. Thirdly, God hates hands. That shed innocent blood. Why? Because it's murder that is to take the life of an innocent person. 4 (43m 31s): So why does God hate murder? Because it is demonic and it creates fear and confusion because murder is the destruction of human life, which is precious to God because we've been created in God's image because shedding innocent blood will ultimately bring about God's judgment upon the nation who promotes it. John chapter eight, verse 40 verse 44. Once again, Jesus is speaking to the religious leaders of his day. He said, you are of your father, the devil, and the desires of your father. You want to do, he was a murderer from the beginning. 4 (44m 12s): And of course in the 10 commandments, Exodus chapter, 20 verse 13, you shall not murder. Now, when we talk about the shedding of innocent blood, I, I I'm sorry, but I can't ignore the fact that since 1973, this is from 1973 to 2017. They measure, they count the number of abortions in the United States of America. So in that period of time from tooth at 1973 to 2017, 62,000,502, 904 abortions have occurred in our country. I'm not blaming anybody. If I blame anybody, I blame myself. 4 (44m 53s): But th th this is not about politics. We have to face the reality of our current situation. Why should we hate this? Because it is the shedding of innocent blood that taking over human life. And we hate it because God hates it. Now, as we get to the end of these seven things, I just want you to know I'm going to offer some solutions. Okay? I don't want us to be overwhelmed by this list. It is over. I trust me when I was studying this, it's overwhelming to me. And I honestly really didn't want to share this message with you today, because it is hard to hear, but I feel like God, just wouldn't. 4 (45m 35s): He wouldn't let me go a different direction. What else does God hate? He hates a heart, the devices, wicked plans. So that is a person or a group who plots evil, a person or a group who plots evil. So these are carefully laid plans intended to bring harm or injury to another person or to another person's property, or to undermine the peace and the order and the safety of a society. So why does God hate devising wicked plans? Because devising wicked plans is you can say it with me, it's demonic. And because it leads to chaos and anarchy, violence, and suffering, and ultimately it can lead to the downfall of the peace and safety and order in a community and ultimately in a nation Ephesians chapter six, verse 11, why is it demonic? 4 (46m 31s): He says this put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the Wiles of the devil. What are the Wiles of the devil wicked plans? There's a great example of this in the old Testament, in the book of first Kings chapter 21, this is a story of Ahab king Ahab, the king of Israel. And right next to the palace, there was a vineyard and it belonged to a man named Naboth and Ahab. Ahab really wanted neighbors. Vineyard was close to the palace. He said, Hey, boss, I'd like to have your vineyard. I'll, I'll buy it from you. I'll give you a better vineyard somewhere else. He says, I want to put a vegetable garden next to my palace. 4 (47m 14s): And they both said, no, no, I'm not going to do that. So Ahab went home to his palace, pouting and frustrated because neighbors wouldn't sell him or give him his vineyard. So then Jess Ebell comes on the scene. Joseph Bell says, I'll get you named boss vineyard. So she wrote number. We're talking about wicked plans. We're talking about devising wicked plans. So she wrote letters and they have his name, sealed them with his seal and sent them to the elders and other leaders of the town where they both live in her letter. She commanded call the citizens together for fasting and prayer and give neighbors the place of honor. 4 (47m 55s): And then see two scoundrels across from him who will accuse him of cursing God, and the king, then take him out and stone him to death. And that's exactly what they did to neighbors. So when Joseph Bell heard the news that named boss had been killed, she said, Hey, Hab, you know the vineyard Naboth, wouldn't sell you. Well, you can have it now because he's dead. So Ahab immediately went down to the vineyard of neighbor to claim it a person or a group who plots evil. So here's something interesting as we look to the future, once again, I'm going to be talking about this, this person that's going to come on the scene. 4 (48m 40s): He's called the antichrist. When the antichrist comes on the scene, guess what? Another one of his main tactics will be devising wicked plans. We see this in Daniel chapter eight, verse 23. And in the latter time of their kingdom, when the transgressors have reached their fullness, a king shall arise talking about the antichrist, having fierce features who understands sinister schemes. In other words, he devises wicked plans. So again, talking about sort of what we're facing in the world today, current events, one of the plotting of evil that's really grown significantly in recent years as human trafficking. 4 (49m 25s): For example, in 2021, there was a earthquake in Haiti, 200,000 people were killed in that earthquake. So the real result of the earthquake was that there were a lot of orphans, both their parents, both mom and dad were killed in the earthquake. And there's all these small children roaming the streets that have no parents. And so what these human traffickers did again, wicked plans, devising wicked plans is a set up a storefront. And the sign on the storefront said orphanage. And so good. Meaning well-meaning people would take these orphans, these children who lost their parents and bring them into this place that says orphanage on the storefront. 4 (50m 13s): And it was actually a ring for human trafficking. Another thing that God hates, feet that are swift running to evil that is creating mischief with an evil intent, creating mischief with an evil intent. So why does God hate feet? They're just swift in running to evil. You can say it with me because it is demonic. It creates anarchy destruction to people, destruction, to pop property. And ultimately it can lead to the downfall of a nation. 4 (50m 54s): Isaiah chapter 59, verse four, no one calls for justice, nor does any plead for truth. They trust in empty words and they speak lies. They conceive evil and bring forth inequity, their feet run to evil, and they make haste to shed innocent blood. Their thoughts are thoughts of iniquity wasting and destruction are in their paths. Proverbs chapter 10 verse 23 to do evil is like sport to a fool. 4 (51m 34s): Proverbs 24 8. He devises to do evil shall be called a mischievous person. All right. Back to some of the current events that we're facing right now. I'm not exactly sure how the communication is done through social media, through an app or whatever, but you've seen it on the news where the word goes out. Okay, we're going to gather together at this store and we're going to break the windows in mass. We're going to break the windows. We're going to run in. We're going to break the glass. We're going to steal the jewelry or anything that is valuable. And then we're going to run out as quickly as we possibly can, is this mob mentality feet that are swift running to evil. 4 (52m 18s): We're witnessing looting and rioting and destruction and mayhem in many of the major cities across our country. Another thing God hates. Number six of false witness who speaks lies. So earlier we talked about lying, but now there's a different level. It is a false witness who speaks lies. So why is this such a bad thing? Because it is it's demonic. And because it can destroy a person's good reputation. And ultimately it will bring down a nation's sense of justice and a nation sense of security. 4 (52m 60s): Genesis chapter three, verse one, the serpent. So this was Satan in the garden, right? The serpent said to Eve, did God really say that you must not eat the fruit from any of the trees in the garden? Of course we may eat. So she responded, of course, we may eat fruit from the trees in the garden. It's only the fruit from the tree in the middle of the garden that we're allowed to eat. God said, you must not eat it or even touch it. If you do, you will die. The serpent replied, you won't die. God knows that your eyes will be opened as soon as you eat it. 4 (53m 42s): And you'll be like, God, knowing both good and evil, a false witness who speaks lies, Exodus chapter 20 verse 16, another one of the 10 commandments. You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor. So one of the interesting things we're facing now as a nation, current events, it's the same called cancel culture. You've probably heard of it, right? And that is it's designed to destroy a person's reputation to take them out. How did they do that? 4 (54m 23s): They'll do it for political reasons. They'll do it for ideological reasons. They don't want to hear what you might have to say. If your ideology is different from theirs. So they will expose you. They will spread lies about you for the purpose of destroying your character, destroying your reputation. Finally, number seven, a person who sows discord among their, and God hates this. A person who sows discord among their brother. And why is this such a bad thing? 4 (55m 2s): Because it's demonic because it undermines trust and unity. It creates division and discord in a family to a church, to a community, to a nation. I know we're just coming out of the holidays, Christmas and new years where families commonly get together. And invariably, there's some family member that just wants to create division in the family, right? Does create drama. And what does it do? It's sows discord within that family, James chapter three, verse 14, if you have bitter envy, and self-seeking in your hearts, do not boast and lie against the truth. 4 (55m 47s): This wisdom does not descend from above. It is earthly. It is sensual and it is demonic for where envy and self-seeking exist. Confusion. And every evil thing are there. But the wisdom that is from above is first pure it's then peaceable, gentle, and willing to yield full of mercy and good fruits without partiality, without a policy. Now, the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace, Amos chapter three, verse three, how can two walk together unless they are one of Satan's schemes or plans is to sow discord to create this unity, current events. 4 (56m 37s): So we're living in a culture of division. The division could be based on race, skin, color, political views, ideology, even vaccine status. Now is a point of division. And this is being promoted incessantly. And I believe call me crazy. I feel like it's by design it's it's demonic. All right. I want to bring a conclusion to all this because I know this is a, this is overwhelming. And yet this is the, this is what we're facing. And in 2022, as I mentioned earlier, as I began, I'm very optimistic. 4 (57m 19s): I'm filled with lots of joy as we face 2022. But, but in thinking about this and how we're impacted by it right now in our day, it is not only overwhelming, but how do we respond? How do we supposed to respond to this in John chapter 16, verse eight, Jesus is speaking. And he's speaking before the day of Pentecost, when the holy spirit was given, he says, and when he, the holy spirit has come, he will convict the world of sin and of righteousness and of judgment. So how do we respond to the mayhem that we're facing right now? Basically we let God by the work and power of the holy spirit, just to bring that conviction, bring that sense of, of righteousness and justice that we're seeking. 4 (58m 9s): Just as I said in the beginning, God doesn't hate people. We don't hate people. I don't, I don't hate anybody. I'm trusting and relying on the fact that God is working in, moving in our midst to accomplish his purposes. Romans chapter eight, verse 31. How do we respond? If God is for us, God is for you. If God is for us, who can be against us? It, all these things, we are more than conquerors through him who loved us, acts chapter 17, verse 30. It says this God overlooked. People's ignorance in the past in earlier times, but now he commands everyone everywhere to repent of their sins and turn to him. 4 (58m 55s): You know, I've found as I've walked with the Lord 40 years now, there's really only one person that I can control. And that is myself. There's only one person I can judge. And that is myself. I, as I've grown with the Lord, I don't judge anybody. I only judge myself. And with that, I say, Lord, search me and know my heart and see if there's any wicked way in me and then lead me in the way of her lasting. So that's where this, this idea of repentance comes into play. So how do we respond to all these things? We trust the work of the holy spirit in our lives personally and in the world. And we just have this humble heart of repentance towards God every day. And then lastly, this is Paul's instruction and Ephesians chapter six, because honestly the things we face it truly can be overwhelming, but here's what he said. 4 (59m 45s): He said, put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the Wiles of the devil for, we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness. And they have any places, therefore take up the whole armor of God that you may be able to withstand in the evil day and having done all to stand, stand, therefore having girded your waist with truth, having put on the breastplate of righteousness, having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace and above all taking the shield of faith with which you'll be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one and take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the spirit, which is the word of God, praying always with all prayer and supplication in the spirit, being watchful to this end, with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints. 4 (1h 0m 46s): I know there's a lot there in that verse, but that's what, how God would have us respond to our current situation. I'd like to go ahead and invite the worship team to come back out again. What I want to do now is I want to sort of respond to all this. And part of responding is if by chance there's anyone here in the sanctuary or in the loft or in the patio or watching online, you've never given your life to Jesus Christ before you don't know God, but you want to know him. God has really made it so simple. If we would simply admit that we have sinned against God, there is a God in heaven who created all things. 4 (1h 1m 31s): And we admit that we have sinned against God. And secondly, we simply believe the gospel. We believe that Jesus Christ came into the world to save sinners. We believe, I believe that he went to the cross and died for my sins personally. And I know that I need him. I need Jesus to cleanse me and forgive me of my sins. And so how do I respond? I confess Jesus. I need you. I need you in my life. As my Lord, as my savior, I need to be forgiven. I need your salvation. I need the life that the abundant life that you talk about as we close with these songs, go ahead and stand. 4 (1h 2m 14s): Why don't you, if you've never done that yet, I would encourage to do that today. Invite Jesus Christ into your life to be your Lord and savior. And even while we're singing, just have this, have this conversation with God. So simple, Lord, we just thank you for the life that you've given to us in Christ. Lord, thank you that you are for us are not against us. Lord, thank you that we are more than conquerors in Christ. Jesus, thank you that you came to set the captive free and to open the prison doors, to those who are bound up. And so Lord help us to be as a positive, positive work for good in the world that we face right now. 4 (1h 2m 57s): Lord, as we see chaos and mayhem all around us, but help us not to be overwhelmed, but help us to be that force for good in the world. Help us to represent you well in the world today. Help us to love people no matter what they've done, who they are, what they believe, help us to love people in your name. We pray in Jesus name. Amen. 5 (1h 3m 29s): I sing praises to your Phrases, to your 0 (1h 3m 42s): Name 5 (1h 3m 44s): That so much. 0 (1h 3m 53s): Oh 5 (1h 3m 55s): To you. That's so great then on Your name? 5 (1h 7m 6s): Ms. Bins. oh, always flags me. 5 (1h 8m 43s): Hi. You are born in darkness. Cannot hide You crushed the Know who stands behind And goes. 5 (1h 10m 49s): B stands me. God of hate is always by my side. Cast me shot No goes before me. 5 (1h 12m 20s): I know who stands behind he is a friend goes before me stands. P .