Living in the Light of Eternity
Part 2
As we continue on this morning with Part 2 of this series,
It would be wonderful if I could tell you that the devil give up when you turned your life to God.
He admits defeat and he gives up.
I’d like to tell you that but I can’t.
I can tell you that you can have power over every power of the enemy!
I can tell you biblically that you can overcome every one of the devil’s tricks and traits.
You can have an experience where you can stand unmovable.
Not moved by the power of Satan.
But with all of that, my friend, we have to own the fact that when we turn our lives over to God, we as it were changed uniforms, we’re in another army.
According to the bible there are two armies out here and we’re in another army.
And the devil doesn’t give up.
My friend, he has one thing in mind, that’s to knock us out and he does a great way at work in this day and time.
We know there was a day when Christianity suffered more outward persecution, Aman, persecuting fires and heads being cut off and such.
And it looked like it might develop to the place where we’ll see some of that again before Jesus comes.
But, my friend, over the years of late, the devil has been able to do a greater work by persecuting the spirit of man, by troubling the mind of a Christian.
My friend, the rosters will show in heaven that he has knocked out more people, caused more people to give up in the battle by just troubling them in their minds.
Breaking them down spiritually.
Step by step, than he ever did by bringing outward persecution on the body of Christians.
In the 73rd Psalm David or the Psalmist had this problem that many people have.
Even as late as yesterday I ran into people having problems with the devil putting thoughts in their minds.
Giving them false equations, false ideas.
And I just want to tell you something this morning.
We’ll never get our thoughts straightened out.
Only in one way, coming right back to the blessed old book.
Well, somebody said what happened to the Psalmist.
Psalm 73:1
1 Truly God is good to Israel, to those whose hearts are pure.
2 But as for me, I came so close to the edge of the cliff!
My feet were slipping, and I was almost gone.
In other words, he was ready to back slide, lose out with God.
How come?
3 For I envied the proud when I saw them prosper despite their wickedness.
4 They seem to live such a painless life; their bodies are so healthy and strong.
5 They aren’t troubled like other people or plagued with problems like everyone else.
6 They wear pride like a jeweled necklace, and their clothing is woven of cruelty.
7 These fat cats have everything their hearts could ever wish for!
The Psalmist is telling you just exactly the battle that people still have today.
One of the ways that the enemy moves on a Christian.
Getting you to look at people in sin.
And because you can’t get a true picture with your own understanding, he will begin to tell you they are getting along good.
They have more than I have.
They don’t have the battles to fight against wrong.
They just give in to wrong and everything is well with them.
In other words, the devil is selling you on the thought that it really doesn’t pay to serve God.
It pays to serve the devil!
He is just working in different words than in Jesus.
He tempted Jesus in the same points but he came right out straight with his word.
He wanted Jesus to bow down and serve him.
Be a servant of the devil.
And so the devil words on the Psalmist just like he did people today.
He said in verse 8 They scoff and speak only evil; in their pride they seek to crush others.
9 They boast against the very heavens, and their words strut throughout the earth.
10 And so the people are dismayed and confused, drinking in all their words.
In other words, if they get out and gossip a little and talk as they ought not, when they get back in the house of God, God takes a word and then thrashes them.
11 “Does God realize what is going on?” they ask.
“Is the Most High even aware of what is happening?”
12 Look at these arrogant people enjoying a life of ease while their riches multiply.
But people out here get by, they are never chastened for it.
In other words, the devil is building up something in the mind and the thing he is trying to build up is the thought that it don’t pay to serve God.
You have less problems, less burdens, you get along better in the world if you just give up and become a servant of Satan.
And the Psalmist said he almost slipped. What do you mean?
He almost give up and just decided he would become as servant of Satan.
In verse 13 Was it for nothing that I kept my heart pure and kept myself from doing wrong?
14 All I get is trouble all day long; every morning brings me pain.
See, every one of God’s children he loves, he chastens.
And I want to say it right now he don’t chasten you just to be chastening you.
He chastens us for our good.
Brother, God’s correction is for our good. I’m telling you that this morning.
So he said if I say I’ll speak thus behold, I should offend against the generation of thy children.
When I thought to know this it was too painful for me.
In other words it was more than I could bear. More than I could think on. What?
Here I am trying to live for God and every move I make wrong I get chastened.
God straightens me out. He brings me to a close standard.
And out here is the world. I’m making sacrifice for God.
I am suffering for God’s cause and out here is the world of sinners and they are not suffering at all.
They can say anything they want to. Do anything they want to.
They never get chastened and he said the thought had worked on my mind until I was ready to give up.
He said in verse 16 when I thought to know this it was too painful for me until I went in to the sanctuary of God.
Until, brother, I want to say again this morning.
Right here is another good reason why we must not neglect the assembling of ourselves together.
Why?
The devil will sell you something out there.
Too many people got the idea that man just set up a program of going to church.
No, my friend, assembling at the house of God where the word is preached is of dire necessity.
But here is a man, a Psalmist, that had mighty nigh slipped, the thought was too painful, too heavy for him to bear until he went into the sanctuary then understood I therein.
Surely though did set them in slippery places.
Though cast them down in destruction.
How they are brought into desolation in the moment they are utterly consumed with their tears as a dream when one awakened.
Oh, Lord, when thou awaketh thou shalt despise their image.
My friend, just mark it down. My friend, the way of the wicked today.
God is stirred. The Bible said he is angry with the wicked every day.
But one of these days he will awake in judgment and he will despise the thought of them.
And they will be classed into everlasting destruction into the lake of fire and burneth forever and ever and ever where the worm dieth not.
Where there is no escape.
I say this morning, my friend, we can get caught in the clutches of the devil just like the Psalmist did and he can put up another good argument.
But, my friend, when we go to the house of worship, when we begin to look at it through the eye of God.
And I want you to see the Bible this morning of something more than just a Holy Bible laying on your shelf.
Right here is the eye of God.
Brother, through this glass we can see thing like God sees them.
We can see things as they really are.
My friend, through our own judgment, through our own ideas, by the work of the enemy if we’re not careful we’ll form some false conclusions about things. Amen.
Oh, I don’t believe it. I’ll just bring one up that’s promised.
Unless there is strict preaching coming right along on the wrong of Babylon it is not very long until even God’s people, good people will begin to say, well I don’t see so much wrong in false religion.
Now, brother, if you don’t seen nothing wrong in false religion, you need to take another look through the glass and see how God says it is.
I’m just using that as an illustration how we’ll form our own conclusion if we get away from this glass.
They will have you feeling this morning that one religion is as good as another. Amen.
He’ll have you feeling this morning that one way is as good as another.
He’ll have you feeling this morning coming down a little more individually that we can just have our own thoughts about some things.
He’ll have you feeling that you can have a conscience feeling and a conscience matter over something the word of God teaches plainly.
Here is the glass we look through.
This will straighten us out.
The Psalmist had fallen to false conclusion.
And the devil that worked on him to the place that his feet was slipping.
He was ready to give up. Amen.
Didn’t believe it really paid to serve God.
Well, friend, we need to realize there is an end to the road we’re on.
And that end that we’re going to land in is an eternal end.
We’re going to a place where we’ll never move. We’ll never change.
Peter tells us plainly it is better to suffer for well doing than for evil doing.
Now, you may get by now and all of you can see.
You don’t need me to preach to you.
That justice and straight judgment is being removed from our land.
The laws are being converted day by day to turn the criminal loose.
And make the person honest pay.
And it will wax worse and worse and we’ll see it get worse and worse as time goes on.
And the farther we go the more the righteous is going to have to suffer.
Come on. And the enemy will come right around and say it just isn’t right.
Just not right for you to suffer.
Come, it’s just not right for you to suffer.
When you are right and out here there’s people so wrong and they don’t suffer and you are doing right and you suffer, you just might as well face it, you’re going to have to suffer.
But it is better to suffer for right, right here than to suffer forever and ever and ever through the ceaseless age of eternity for wrong.
I’d rather have Abraham speak to me like he did or speak like he did about Lazarus when the rich man, down in hell opened up his eyes.
He got a real vision then. He saw the end as it really is.
And right away wanted some mercy to relieve his suffering where there is no mercy.
When he couldn’t get no mercy for himself, he wanted a missionary to go back and preach to his five brethren to wake them up and not let the devil deceive them farther.
Less they, too come to this awful place. Do you know what Abraham said?
Son, during your life you had the good things.
You didn’t allow the flesh to suffer any.
You lived good and had the good things in life.
And now you’re suffering.
In life, Lazarus suffered.
He took the hard way and now he is comforted.
Now, it’s one way or the other.
See, there is just something about every one of us.
Let’s face it, it’s built right in us.
That wants to take the path of least resistance.
Take the way where the flesh don’t have to suffer.
But I say in the face of it we better look and see.
We better look through this glass and see just exactly how God feels about some of these things and the way we take.
I don’t think there can be a better example if you will allow me a few more moments to be found of one who weighed all things in the light of eternity.
Oh, there is many.
We mentioned some and there is many more we can mention but I just want you to quickly look with me again this morning at Moses.
He really weighed things in the light of eternity.
I pray that God will help us.
In Hebrews 11th chapter, the 24th through the 27th verses by faith Moses when he come to years refused to be called the son Pharaoh’s daughter.
Choosing rather to suffer the affliction with the people of God than enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season.
Esteeming the reproach of Christ. Greater riches than the treasures in Egypt.
Now, why would he make such decisions as that. Now, let’s face it.
You and I make such decisions as that.
There would be people that claim to be Christians that say you are unwise. Amen.
Oh, now don’t say that. I saw men turn down good employment.
Much more ways than they make it.
But was going to move them to a place where they couldn’t get their soul fed.
Going to deprive them of the service of God.
They turned it down and I saw others that claimed to be Christian.
Think it was unwise.
I am going to tell you this morning we better let the spirit of God check us out because some of us may be nearer to the break of eternity than we realize.
Better get rid of that thought that you are going to live until you are 75 or 80.
God hasn’t promised that.
You may have lived your days out already.
Tomorrow may be your going home day.
Moses was greatly tempted.
Oh, I know sometimes when you preach these things, especially to young people, they say, well, he didn’t have anything to give up.
You study, my friend, the word of God and you will find that he had much to give up.
He was greatly tempted.
He was put in Hebrews here for our example, our encouragement, our strength.
Our health. He was greatly tempted with the things of time.
I think that is the way of the world today to give up on God and not go God’s way.
I say he was tempted with the things of time.
Basically three things, that are most esteemed by men and pursued by them.
I just want to point something here. Choice reveals our character.
See, you now what character is.
Reputation is what you build up and what you’ve got people thinking you are.
But character is what you really are.
What God sees you are.
And character Moses, every one of us would agree, Moses would reveal his character in this choice.
When he came to years and we realize in that time he had to be 30 years old to be of age, when he came to years he made a choice and I say again choice reveals character.
There is no better sign of character than the manner in which a man makes serious decisions.
I say a man reveals his character when he makes serious decisions.
And, friend, to be really serious about his decision in the things of God, he judges in the light of duty rather than in pleasure.
When it comes down to be real serious about the things of God and making decisions we make that decision in the light of duty rather than of pleasure.
We make it in the light of the future rather than the present.
How it will benefit is in the future. See, we have to face facts this morning.
There is children that’s far off from God.
Hard to reach, and many of them are there because the decision the father and mother made.
These decisions, my friend, are serious decisions. Why?
They now only affect their own soul but they affect their posterity, they are far reaching, they have influence.
Oh, I don’t believe it.
How many has been encouraged and how many will be encouraged again this morning by decision.
A young man named Moses made.
There is no doubt when the records are unfolded in heaven no doubt there will be thousands, maybe hundreds of thousands that will testify they were ready to give up!
But they read about Moses’ decision and the gallant stand that he took for God and encourage them to make the decision that they ought in the way they ought.
So he was tempted by three things that all of us, that the devil will use on people yet today.
Somebody said, what was it? First of all leisure.
Verse 24 when he was called to years, he refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter.
My friend, God help us, there is something about his flesh right here that would seek the easiest route. Amen.
Oh, I don’t believe it, come on now, could you truthfully say to me that you wouldn’t wish that your job would come up with a three day week and a five day pay?
Come on, anybody that don’t want that would fight against, stand up.
There is something about this fellow I don’t believe it.
Some men, all they can talk about is the day they retire.
Only got 3 months to go, only got 6 months to go. Amen.
There is nothing wrong with retirement.
I’m not talking against that.
But I’m merely saying there is something about us right here that if we’re not careful it will raise up quickly to take the leisure side.
Here, he refuses to be called a son of Pharaoh’s daughter.
What good that meant? He never had to work a day in his life.
All he had to do is just hobnob, with the high ranking officials of the castle.
But he refused that.
The second thing he was tempted with that we are, verse 25, is pleasure.
Rather than enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season, the third thing he was tempted with was treasure.
Esteeming the riches of Christ, greater than the treasures of Egypt and those are three vital points that the devil will work on people yet today.
Leisure. What are you looking for?
Looking for a place where I can take it easy! Pleasure!
We’re in a pleasure mad world.
The devil, my friend, greatest advertisement is to move in the things that will bring pleasure to the flesh.
Treasure, oh the treasures that were Egypt.
My friend, he was tempted with the possibility as all of you know, of becoming the greatest potentate in the world of his time.
He refused, the scripture said, to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter.
If he had owned the fact that he was Pharaoh’s daughter’s son then he would have been next to the throne.
He would have become a Pharaoh himself but he refused that.
I want you to stop with me a moment here. I know the time is slipping way.
But people today begin to pet themselves. All the pressure.
I have been offered such an exalted position.
You haven’t begin to offer a thing that Moses was.
I don’t care who you are.
And I’ll go farther than that.
There is nobody in this building will ever be offered the position as high as he was.
I don’t think we got any presidents setting here.
We pet ourselves today, all the pressure. The pressure is so great.
You haven’t felt any yet. Amen.
My friend, he was offered a high position just as sure as we are here.
But he refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter.
I want you to see something right here. We need to face facts.
It costs much to break from the destiny that is arranged for us.
I want to say this morning the devil is arranging plans for every one of us.
God knows I’m not speaking against retirement in any way.
I don’t know why the Lord even brought it to mind because I surely don’t have it on my notes.
But there is a danger. Brother, Florida and some of those positions in places are full of retired.
Some of them even retired preachers that were on fire for God and used of God.
But have allowed the enemy in their last years of life to take them far off from the standards of the gospel.
And how do they work it through leisure?
Somebody said all we need is some time. Well, time is fine.
You know me well enough to know that I teach that we never want any one category of life overstep the other.
We try to never let the program of the church become so in bondage to you that you don’t have time for family life and the other kind of life.
But I am saying, my friend, leisure time can do damage to us. Amen.
I am running short and we need to close here and pick up on part 3 next week.
