1. Wisdom from the Mishnah
Avot 2:8 He [Hillel] used to say: The more flesh, the more worms;
the more wives the more witchcraft; the more maidservants
the more lewdness; the more manservants the more thievery.
[However] the more Torah, the more life; the more study, the
more wisdom; the more counsel, the more understanding;
the more charity, the more peace.
One who has gained a good reputation, has gained it for his
own benefit; one who has gained himself Torah knowledge, has
gained himself the World to Come.
a. Prosperity produces Illnesses (due to overindulgence) and sinful activity -- what many refer to as "The Good Life"
b. Study of scripture -- the truly good life
* Increased relationship with God
* Good deeds to others
* Rewards in this life and the world to come
2. Physician: "I have discovered the kingdom of God in the tissues of the body. The right thing morally is always the right thing physically."
3. Romans 1.28-32
I. A Godless Culture
A. Removes God (1.21-25)
[From Courthouse; School House; Church House? -- Abuses of grace, etc.; SCOTUS to decide on Public Prayer at Government Facilities
a. Regarding His Presence -- attempting to remake God in our image; danger of being too "friendly" with Yeshua (Jesus)
b. Regarding His Proclamation
1) Replace Truth with Lies
2) Ignore Truth
29 Being then God's offspring, we ought not to think that the Deity is like gold, or silver, or stone, a representation by the art and imagination of man. 30 The times of ignorance God overlooked, but now he commands all men everywhere to repent, 31 because he has fixed a day on which he will judge the world in righteousness by a man whom he has appointed, and of this he has given assurance to all men by raising him from the dead." Acts 17.29-31
c. Regarding His Person
1) Many Faceted Diamond -- Love/Consuming Fire
2) Like the Merciful quality -- Allowed Adam to live hundreds of years after his sin; Noah's generation was given 120 years; our generation????
3) Dislike the Just Quality -- Judgment IS coming with consequences -- Romans 2.7-8
4) One preacher said, "Preaching today is more therapeutic than prophetic."
5) Feel good mode; ego stroking
6) Warnings are needed -- Some warn by Observation (personal and otherwise); some by revelation (scriptural study)
B. Exalts Man -- 1.25
1. Self-Worship
2. Satan's ploy "Be as smart as God" really means -- Become God (Genesis 3.5)
["Even God can't sink Titanic."
3. No restrictions if you are God
4. God's response:
Proverbs 3.34 (cf. James 4.6; 1 Peter 5.5 "opposes proud")
Toward the scorners he is scornful, but to the humble he shows favor.
C. Minimizes Sin (1.28-32)
1. Lower standards increases sin -- Judges 21.25
2. Rationalization increases sin -- "No one is perfect"
3. Being Politically Correct increases sin -- PC = No "Sin"
* We: "Alternate Lifestyle or Sexual Preference"; God: ""Sin/Abomination"
* We: "Sexually Active"; God: "Fornication"
* We: Chemically Dependent"; God: "Drunkenness"
* We: "Child has Oppositional Defiant Disorder Syndrome"; God: "Disobedience"
4. A Deceptive Heart increases sin
A.W. Tozer once said that he had seen many terrible things in 63 years; the worst that he saw was his own heart.
The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately corrupt; who can understand it?
Jeremiah 17.9
5. The Escalation of the Downward Spiral
a. To the deepest depravity
b. Continued sin -- Note how neutral things have been used for sinful activities -- TV; Internet; Cell Phones;
c. Honoring Sinners -- Celebrities
d. Bad News -- deserve death
II. A Godly Counsel (Romans 2.1-11)
A. Prideful Condemnation of Others
1. Must inspect the fruit -- "By fruit know them"
2. Passing judgment on others judges ourselves -- Matthew 7.1-4
"Judge not, that you be not judged. 2 For with the judgment you pronounce you will be judged, and the measure you give will be the measure you get. 3 Why do you see the speck that is in your brother's eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye? 4 Or how can you say to your brother, 'Let me take the speck out of your eye,' when there is the log in your own eye?
3. Repentance is Necessary -- no Exceptions -- 2.4
[Rabbi Eliezer had a discussion with his disciples and said, "Repent one day before you die." His disciples responded, "How can we do that? Who knows on what day he will die?" Then Eliezer said, "All the more reason to repent today, because you might die tomorrow!"
B. Yet There is Always Hope (2.7-8)
1. All unchecked sin leads to the wrath of God and death
2. Hope in seeking God (vv. 7, 10)
a. Not manipulation to get a blessing/heaven
b. Seeking GOD
c. Seeking OTHERS to bless
1. Prayer Restriction
This is a statement that was read over the PA system at the football game at Roane County High School, Kingston, Tennessee by school Principal Jody McLoud, on September 1, 2000.
"It has always been the custom at Roane County High School football games to say a prayer and play the National Anthem to honor God and Country.
Due to a recent ruling by the Supreme Court, I am told that saying a prayer is a violation of Federal Case Law.
As I understand the law at this time, I can use this public facility to approve of sexual perversion and call it an alternate lifestyle, and if someone is offended, that's OK.
I can use it to condone sexual promiscuity by dispensing condoms and calling it safe sex. If someone is offended, that's OK.
I can even use this public facility to present the merits of killing an unborn baby as a viable means of birth control. If someone is offended, it's no problem.
I can designate a school day as earth day and involve students in activities to religiously worship and praise the goddess, mother earth, and call it ecology.
I can use literature, videos and presentations in the classroom that depict people with strong, traditional, Christian convictions as simple minded and ignorant and call it enlightenment.
However, if anyone uses this facility to honor God and ask Him to bless this event with safety and good sportsmanship, Federal Case Law is violated.
This appears to be inconsistent at best, and at worst, diabolical.
Apparently, we are to be tolerant of everything and anyone except God and His Commandments.
Nevertheless, as a school principal, I frequently ask staff and students to abide by rules that they do not necessarily agree. For me to do otherwise would be inconsistent at best, and at worst, hypocritical. I suffer from that affliction enough unintentionally. I certainly do not need to add an intentional transgression.
For this reason, I shall render unto Caesar that which is Caesar's and refrain from praying at this time. However, if you feel inspired to honor, praise and thank God, and ask Him in the name of Jesus to bless this event, please feel free to do so. As far as I know, that's not against the law -- yet."
AND ... one by one, the people in the stands bowed their heads, held hands with one another, and began to pray. They prayed in the stands. They prayed in the team huddles. They prayed at the concession stand. And they prayed in the announcer's box. The only place they didn't pray was in the Supreme Court of the United State's of America -- the seat of "justice" in the one nation under God.
2. Bad News ends where it began -- 1.18
3. Remember True Power is in GOOD News -- 1.16-17
