God created everything with order.
• The moon reliably follows a cyclical pattern.
• The planets all orbit in an established, orderly way.
• The Seasons come and go in an arranged and expected fashion.
Such order in the universe is not an accident but rather that the God of the Bible is a God of Orderliness.
He did not create a universe that is chaotic or in a haphazard manner.
• Scientists discern patterns and “laws” in nature because of the orderliness that the Lord placed within creation.
• God is a God of order because such an attribute is an integral part of His character.
• Within His very being, the Lord is orderly and is always consistent.
God being a God of Orderliness what does that mean to us as a church?
He certainly does not want His church to be a place of DISORDER!!!
For example, Paul wrote to the Corinthian believers in I Corinthians to instruct them the proper way of worship.
Regrettably, the Corinthian believers had been conducting themselves in an unruly and chaotic manner during their worship SERVICE.
Instead of being orderly in the way they exercised their gifts, multiple believers would speak at the same time without any interpretation.
Look at 1 Corinthians 14:27-28 If any man speak in an unknown tongue, let it be by two, or at the most by three, and that by course; and let one interpret. But if there be no interpreter, let him keep silence in the church; and let him speak to himself, and to God.
When Paul uses the word SPEAKING IN TONGUES the word tongues mean languages.
It is not this gibberish that some claim is tongues today.
If God is not a GOD OF CONFUSION, then why is that you can have a congregation where all speak English and someone so called speak in tongues that nobody understands and then someone claims they interpret what they said.
If everybody speaks in English, WHY NOT SPEAK IN ENGLISH TO START WITH?
According to Acts 2 the Christians had a variety ethic GROUPS.
HOW DO WE KNOW?
Look at Acts 2:8-13 And how hear we every man in our own tongue, (Not the gibberish we hear today) wherein we were born? Parthians, and Medes, and Elamites, and the dwellers in Mesopotamia, and in Judaea, and Cappadocia, in Pontus, and Asia, Phrygia, and Pamphylia, in Egypt, and in the parts of Libya about Cyrene, and strangers of Rome, Jews and proselytes, Cretes and Arabians, we do hear them speak in our tongues the wonderful works of God. And they were all amazed, and were in doubt, saying one to another, What meaneth this? Others mocking said, these men are full of new wine.
Notice, the congregation also consisted of a variety of ETHICS GROUPS and the Bible tells us they all heard them speak in their OWN LANGUAGE
• On the day of Pentecost everything was done proper and 3,000 got saved.
• But later in the New Testament in the book of Corinthians it was CONFUSION and God is not the author of CONFUSION.
This is why Paul wrote to them.
Notice, in first Corinthians when it talks about UNKNOWN TONGUES in the King James Bible it is in ITALICS.
Why?
Because the writers of the KING JAMES VERSION were honest enough, they wanted you to know UNKNOW TONGUES is not in the original transcript. Someone else added UNKNOWN TONGUES!!!
The word TONGUES IS LANGUAGES.
Illus: That would be like our English congregation and our Spanish congregation meet together for worship service at the same time.
The English congregation speaks English, and the Spanish speaks in Spanish.
• The English needs someone to interpret to the Spanish
• The Spanish needs someone to interpret the English.
Or else the service will be utter chaos.
Apparently, the problem was so bad that it had the potential to make the church appear unappealing to unbelievers who would visit their services.
1 Corinthians 14:23 If therefore the whole church be come together into one place, and all speak with tongues, and there come in those that are unlearned, or unbelievers, will they not say that ye are mad?
For this reason, Paul had to correct and teach the Corinthians church about the proper order in worship.
This instruction from Paul was not based on his own desire for tidiness in worship, but rather 1 Corinthians 14:33 For God is not the author of confusion, but of peace, as in all churches of the saints.
He gives the same instructions to the prophets (Pastor)
Look at the following verses he gave to the congregation.
1 Corinthians 14:29-33 Let the prophets speak two or three and let the other judge. If anything, be revealed to another that sitteth by, let the first hold his peace. For ye may all prophesy one by one, that all may learn, and all may be comforted. And the spirits of the prophets are subject to the prophets. For God is not the author of confusion, but of peace, as in all churches of the saints.
From the beginning of time, the Lord crafted all creation with order and harmony.
Evidently some must have been saying they had to speak when the Holy Spirit moved on them.
Paul said, No! “The spirits of the prophets are subject to the prophets.”
God is a God of ORDERLINESS!!!
Let me illustrate…
For example, when He set the sun and moon in place, God made two great lights.
• The greater light (sun) to govern the day for man to work.
• The lesser light (moon) to govern the night for man to sleep.
It works this way 365 days a year so we can organize our life when TO WORK AND WHEN TO SLEEP.
Both the sun and moon were created to provide structure to life on earth, which is “governed” by the separation between night and day.
God is a God of orderliness always!!!
Illus:For example, when former President Jimmy Carter was president, the economy was in terrible shape.
• Despite a sluggish economy, inflation reached as high as 14.8%
• Interest rates reached as high as 18% during the period 1977-1981.
• By 1985-1990, this contributed to the failure of Savings and Loan associations which had many bad loans, especially in real estate.
Why?
For two reasons…
1) Because the president showed no leadership and investors did not know how to invest
2) Business did not know to EPAND OR DECREASE.
IT WAS CHAOS IN THIS NATION!!!
God is a God OF ORDER AND YOU CAN DEPEND ON HIS ORDERLINESS DAILY!!!
For example, the Lord always keeps…
• His promises (2 Peter 3:9), NOT SOMETIME BUT EVERY TIME!!! How could we have ORDER in our life if He didn’t!
• The Lord never lies (Titus 1:2; Hebrews 6:18), NOT SOMETIME BUT EVERY TIME!!! How could we have ORDER in our life if He didn’t!
• He never changes (Hebrews 13:8). NOT SOMETIME BUT EVERY TIME!!! How could we have ORDER in our life if He didn’t!
We can build our lives around the Lord because He is a GOD OF ORDERLINES!
Every day God runs this universe and three-hundred-sixty-five days a year everything is IN ORDER.
Illus: If God was like some today who are not orderly, he would be saying,
• "Oh no, I forgot to hang the sun out today!"
• "Now where did I put all those stars?"
• Where is Jupiter and Mars?
• "It is spring, and I have not made the first flower bloom. I'm just going to have to skip spring this year!"
But the God of the Bible is not that way at all. We live every day with perfect confidence, knowing every day everything is under the control of A GOD OF ORDER!!!
Illus: It is because of this that man is able to make the mathematical computations to guide space vehicles to the moon and other destinations in outer space.
The scientists know that somewhere there is a God of Orderliness that keeps everything under complete control.
Because God is a God of order, His followers should demonstrate the same attitude in their lives and worship.
(1) Some live their lives according to the motto, "Everything has a place, and everything must be in its place."
Illus: A man BY THE NAME MR. HARTWELL who operated a small engine repair shop in Columbia, South Carolina had a good business, and it amazes people that he can work with so many little greasy engines and still keep his shop so clean and in order. Every nut and screw have its place, and it is usually in its container, and he keeps his hands and clothes clean.
In fact, he is so organized that when he needs anything he can go instantly to where it is located and fined it.
Then we know others who have TOTAL DISORDER in their lives, and they spend about half of their time trying to find things that are covered under the different heaps that have accumulated over the years.
WHY IS IT SIGNIFICANT that we come to understand that God is a God of order?
Because the more we become like Him, the more our lives will become orderly, instead of being in disarray!
Our lives will reflect …
• We consistently attend church - NOT SOMETIME BUT ALL THE TIME!!!
• We consistently make time daily to spend time in prayer and the Word of God. NOT SOMETIME BUT ALL THE TIME!!!
• We consistently witness to the lost every opportunity we have. NOT SOMETIME BUT ALL THE TIME!!!
• We consistently tithe. NOT SOMETIME BUT ALL THE TIME!!!
• We consistently attend Sunday School. NOT SOMETIME BUT ALL THE TIME!!!
• We consistenly Pray daily and read our Bible. NOT SOMETIME BUT EVERY day!!!
Many churches today are in DISARRY because their life is not in NOT IN ORDER.
For example:
Illus: The church in Corinth was in total disarray. It was famous for confusion and chaos, so Paul wrote to them and said that "...God is not the author of confusion..."
That is, Paul was saying that the devil was causing the confusion in the Corinthian church and if their lives reflected the God of the Bible, they would have order IN THEIR LIVES AND CHURCH, NOT DISORDER!!!
• In other words, all the confusion they had was not from God. Their testimony and their lives were a disgrace to the kingdom of God.
• Paul was telling them that their lives did not exemplify the Lord Jesus, instead they were bringing glory to Satan, who is the author of confusion!
Illus: Christians have let the devil trick them into getting their lives so muddled and cluttered with the world no one can ever tell that the God they serve is a God of order in their lives.
Illus: We all have the same number of hours in a day to live our lives.
• Those who serve the God of order and have their lives in order, serve the Lord every day BRINGING GLORY TO GOD.
• But some have allowed the devil to fill their lives with so many things they have practically allowed the devil to squeeze God out of their lives.
Let me show you what I mean!!!
There are several ways the devil has cleverly brought disorder to the lives of believers.
HOW?
I. THROUGH THEIR MARRIAGES.
Illus: Before a couple get married, they spend a lot of time together. A LOT!!!
In fact, they are almost inseparable before they got married, they enjoyed each other’s company ahead of everything else in their life.
After they are married the devil starts to fill their life with other things.
Not sinful things, just other things.
Illus: For example, we had a repair man to worked on our air-condition lately at the church. The pastor was talking to him, and he mentioned he did not want to retire because he had things he enjoyed doing and he said his wife had things she enjoyed doing.
He said, in fact, she has things she wants to do, and I don’t think she want me around the house getting in the way of these things she wants to do.
This is so true, this couple that one time was inseparable and spend their life together one time the devil has filled their life with other things that separates them.
And now we have CHAOS in the home
WHY?
Because now he had rather…
• Be Hunting with his hound dogs
• Be fishing with his buddies
• Be golfing with his pals
• Be at the car races with all the drunks
• Be watching football with the football fanatics'
Be anywhere but to be home with her, and one time they had rather be with each other than anywhere else.
But God said in Genesis 2:18 "...It is not good that the man should be alone..."
What inspired the God of heaven to say such a thing?
In His wisdom, he created marriage.
But when you see all the CHAOS in marriages in this land you would think it was the BIGGEST MISTAKE God ever made when He made woman for man.
God is a GOD OF ORDERLINESS, but many marriages have allowed the devil to allow so many things in their lives they do not have time for each other the way it was when they were dating.
God of ORDERLINESS said IT IS NOT GOOD FOR MAN TO BE ALONE.
Not only is that a spiritual fact, but it is also a scientific fact!!!
Illus: It has been proven over the years that married men live longer than single men.
Most men would not argue that fact - they know if anyone had to depend on their cooking skills they would not live very long!
Seriously, it is easy to understand why so many marriages across this land are in trouble, it is because the people do not have this GOD OF ORDERLINESS IN THEIR MARRIAGE.
• Once they were INSEPARABLE but now, she has her life, and he has his life.
• What use to be important is no longer important to them.
It is no longer ODERLINESS between HUSBAND AND WIFE PUTTING EACH OTHER FIRST.
It also a problem in the home with children.
Illus: The little girl goes to school and some are taught:
• From a book by Leslea Newman, called "Heather Has Two Mommies," which promotes lesbianism.
• From a book by Michael Willhoite, the boy is taught about, "Daddy's Roommate," that promotes homosexuality.
• And if that does not confuse them enough, they come home to a traditional home only to find MOMMY and DADDY FUSSING and CUSSING all the time.
• Then they go to church and hear the preacher preach on the joys of married life.
They have to be confused by all the mixed signals that are hitting them from every side.
Illus: When one little boy, who came from a home where there was a lot of conflict, heard his teacher say, "Marriages are made in heaven," he said, "Yea, and so are thunder and lightning."
Yes, marriages are made in heaven, but God wants Christians to learn how to live them here on earth peacefully and in ORDER.
God is a GOD OF ORDER and GOD EXPECTS US TO HAVE OUR HOMES IN ORDER.
• Making time for each other
• Making time for God
Illus: Suppose I bought a Ford and had a lot of trouble with it. In no way would that mean that all Fords were trouble, but it just so happened that I got a REAL LEMON.
Suppose, little children who have ears and in front of their children, constantly hear "Ford cars are not worth having," or "Fords squeak and rattle."
What do you think would happen!
You guessed it!
Most likely their children would grow up thinking they should never get a Ford.
It is the same with marriage.
All over this nation we have people saying, I AM WILLING TO SHACK UP WITH THE OPPOSITE SEX BUT I NEVER WANT TO GET MARRIED.
Their idea is when CHAOS come into the relationship, I want to be able to walk away.
I have never been able to figure out why these people are always putting the other mates down.
No one forced them to marry the person they married. And what makes them think they are so special!
Illus: Someone said, "A mother may hope that her daughter will get a better husband than she did, but she is convinced that her son will not get as good a wife as his father did."
Our lives should reveal that we serve a GOD OF ORDER, not a GOD OF CONFUSION.
Christian couples should be role models to the children that it not good for a man to be alone.
We should do everything we know to do to protect the SANCTITY OF MARRIAGE. GOD CREATED IT AND GOD HAS NEVER CREATED ANYTHING BAD!
When I think of protection, I think that…
Illus: Most people have a difficult time placing eye drops in their eyes. Why? Because as soon as the drop leaves the bottle the eye lids snap shut. They do not give the fluid time to touch the eyeball.
Do you know why?
Because they are there to protect us from having anything enter our eyes that should not be there, and they do everything they can to keep foreign debris and bright light out.
We Christians know that chaos and confusion should not penetrate our marriages, and we should be doing everything we can to keep that from happening.
God is not the author of confusion but a GOD OF ORDERLINESS!
SATAN HAS BROUGHT CONFUSION TO THE MARRIAGES OF CHRISTIANS.
Also…
II. SATAN HAS BROUGHT CONFUSION TO THE LIVES OF CHRISTIANS THROUGH THEIR MONEY.
Col. 3:1-2 says, "If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth."
It might be good if I was to read that verse 5 or 6 times for Christians to grasp what God is telling them. Because some Christians have a hard time that God’S Word teach Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth."
• When men seek the things of the world they become like the world.
• When men seek God, they seek the God of order, and their lives become like His.
Not only do we see that the devil, who is the author of confusion, has brought chaos and confusion to Christians in their MARRIAGES, but also in their FINANCES.
If you ask the average man on the street today if he needs more money to live on, without hesitation he will tell you that he does.
Listen, the problem with most people is not that they need more money. They just need to quit WANTING SO MUCH.
The world is set up to make us want MATERIAL THINGS.
Illus: Every time I go to Lowe’s and walk down these long isles of merchandise it seems like as I pass these material things they have voices saying to me, DON’T YOU WANT ME. ALL YOU HAVE TO DO PULL OUT YOUR CRDIT CARD AND I CAN GO HOME WITH YOU!!!
I go down the next isle and these same voices are begging me to take them home with me.
Illus: In America because people want so much both husband and wife have to work to pay the bills for all the things they lust for.
IT HAS NOT ALWAYS BEEN THAT WAY!!!
• It used to be the dad went to work to pay the bills.
• Mom stayed home and took care of the house and raise the children.
But today because people want so much, they both have to work. They live from week to week owing everything they make and then some because they want so much.
Illus: You could give some a five hundred dollar raise on the week and they would soon bring their bills up to meet their income level. THE MORE THEY MAKE, THE MORE THEY SPEND.
• These are like these crazy politicians in Washington that do not know when to quit spending.
• It seems that many people have never been able to comprehend that once they spend all they have, they no longer have it. They are now broke!
• Then they cannot figure out why they are broke even though the reason is simple - they got rid of their money as fast as they got it.
Illus: One of the best games I know that families should play together is a game called monopoly. Everyone starts out with the same amount of money, but some do not last very long because they buy everything they can on the board, then soon they start losing everything they have bought.
That is all right when people are playing a game, but sad to say, that is the way some operate in real life.
Illus: People like that remind me of the story of the Indian chief who was known for his lavish lifestyle. On one occasion he drove to Las Vegas and started spending his money on everything he saw, then gambled away what little was left. He had a wad of money at first, but soon every bit of it was gone.
He drove to Mt. Charleston, nearby, and sent up a smoke signal to his tribe asking for more money. Before they could signal back some scientists from the Atomic Energy Commission detonated an atomic charge in the desert and a tremendous cloud of smoke rose from the earth and darkened the sky.
When the chief saw that, he sent this message back, "All right, don't send the money, but you don't have to scream!"
Well, many Christians are constantly having the bill collectors holler at them because their life is a financial mess.
Illus: Someone said, "It is very appropriate for many to have eagles on their dollars, it symbolizes how swiftly they fly away."
Why does Satan want to bring FINANCIAL chaos into the lives of believers?
There are at least two reasons:
A. It will affect the couple’s MARRIAGE.
Most marriage counselor will tell you that the number one cause of most divorces has to do with FINANCES.
Illus: Before they got married, they would go on dates and have a good time together.
Once they got married, they look around and start coveting things that other couples have so they go on spending sprees.
It never crosses their minds to stay within their budgets because they do not even have a budget.
Then comes the day they receive a letter from a credit company telling them they have been pre-approved for up to $5,000 at only 17.9% interest if they will fill in the application and return it to the lending company.
Instead of feeling insulted that someone would think they were so mentally unbalanced that they would sign for the loan, they are thrilled to death to have a credit card.
As soon as they get it, they run it up to the max.
After doing this several times one day they see an advertisement on television telling them how easy it is to combine all their bills under one loan.
All they have to do is go to the office, fill out an application and the same day they will be loaned thousands of dollars to pay off all their bills at only 21% interest.
Well, the bills pile up and all day long the bill collectors have been knocking on the door and the telephone has been ringing off the hook and the husband comes home tired from a hard day on the job and the wife has had all she can take of having to face the bill collectors and soon they head for the divorce courts.
Why?
They have become slaves to their creditors, and they blame each other.
They cannot date anymore!!!
Illus: They do not have enough money to buy a hamburger without taking what belongs to the creditors.
Listen, if you consider marriage to be something good, then do not let the devil cause chaos in your life by letting your OUTGO become more than your INCOME.
When there is no ORDER in the home FINANCIALLY it will affect the marriages
Also...
A. It will affect their church.
There are Christians all over this nation whose lives are in FINANCIAL DISARRAY.
THEIR SPENDING IS OUT OF ORDER!!!
The devil knows he has them exactly where he wants them.
They cannot give to the work of God even though they know they should, so the work of God suffers because they take His money to pay their bills they have run up as a result of their LUST FOR THINGS.
Some say, "Preacher, pray for me to get a raise so I can make more money."
Suppose they get a job that pays more money, then what happens?
God knows it would not help because they would just go out and buy up to the new income level which still would leave no money to give to the Lord.
Every church in America could be doing two to three times more for the Lord if God's people's FINANCES WERE NOT IN SUCH DISARRAY so they had more to give.
The devil, who is the author of confusion, has muddled up their finances so bad that they cannot represent the God of the Bible who is a God of orderliness.
Not only does the kingdom of God suffer, but eternal rewards are lost that might have been gained had they had money to give to God's work.
Their problem is not that they do not have enough money. Their problem is that they COVET TOO MUCH.
The God of the Bible IS A GOD OF ORDERLINESS that says, "Thou shalt not covet..."
That is, do not let Satan cause you to love things instead of loving the Lord your God so much you have to steal God’s tithes to pay your bills for all the thing you lusted for.
Conclusion:
God is a GOD OF ORDER.
And if you have chaos in your life, it is because YOU HAVE ALLOWED the devil to caused it, not God.
Each Christian here is an AMBASSADOR representing God and God's kingdom and we cannot do that unless we have order in our lives.
If the one you serve is a god of DISARRAY, you do not know the God of the Bible.
HE IS A GOD OF ORDER and once you come to know Him your life will reflect His ORDER, not chaos and
confusion.
SATAN HAS BROUGHT CONFUSION TO THE LIVES OF CHRISTIANS.
HOW?
I.THROUGH THEIR MARRIAGES.
II. THROUGH THEIR MONEY
