The Danger of Disregarding God

Q: What does the Bible say about forsaking God?

Forsaking God leads to eternal destruction and separation from His grace. The Bible warns that those who forsake God forsake all good, both in this life and in eternity. In Isaiah 65, the Lord states, 'You are they that forsake the Lord, that forget my holy mountain.' This charge emphasizes the severe consequences of abandoning the worship and acknowledgment of God. Additionally, Romans 1:20-21 illustrates that failing to glorify God when we have knowledge of Him leads to darkened hearts and ultimately to God's judgment. The act of forsaking God often stems from worldly distractions, pursuits, and a refusal to respond to His call.

Q: How do we know God's judgment is true?

God's judgment is affirmed by His Word and the reality of unrepentant hearts. God's judgment is based on His divine justice and the willful disregard of His calls to repentance. Isaiah 65:12 states, 'Therefore will I number you to the sword, and you shall all bow down to the slaughter,' indicating that those who persist in rebellion will face inevitable consequences. The consistent biblical theme is that God is just and His judgments are irrevocable, demonstrating His sovereignty. Notably, Romans 2:6 emphasizes that God will repay each person according to what they have done, confirming the truth of His judgments against those who choose to do evil.

Q: Why is worshiping God important for Christians?

Worshiping God is essential to acknowledge His sovereignty and grace. Worship is fundamental for Christians as it reflects our recognition of God's authority and grace in our lives. The neglect of worship, as mentioned in Isaiah 65:11-12, is indicative of a heart that has forsaken God. Worship not only provides fellowship with other believers but also serves as a means of grace in which we respond to God’s love and mercy. Hebrews 10:25 encourages believers to not forsake the assembling together, emphasizing that worship strengthens the faith of the community and helps believers endure the trials of life by focusing on the truths of the gospel.

Q: What is the danger of disregarding God's Word?

Disregarding God's Word leads to spiritual hardening and eventual judgment. Disregarding God's Word is a perilous state that results in spiritual hardness and separation from divine grace. As seen in Isaiah 65:12, ignoring the call of God and choosing to do evil is a deliberate choice that brings about judgment. This theme is echoed in John 12:48, where Jesus speaks of the serious ramifications for those who reject His teachings. The repeated warnings of God’s messengers serve to highlight the urgency of responding positively to His Word, as refusing to heed His voice leads to a hardened heart and ultimately eternal consequences. Those who frequently resist God leave themselves prone to judgment without remedy.

Q: How does God's mercy relate to judgment?

God's mercy offers grace, but persistent sin leads to judgment. God's mercy is intricately woven into his dealings with humanity, offering grace to those who repent and turn to Him. However, this mercy does not absolve one from judgment if they choose to live in rebellion. Isaiah 65:11-12 illustrates that while God extends His grace, those who refuse to repent and instead choose evil will face the consequences of their actions. Romans 2:4 reminds us that God's kindness is meant to lead us to repentance; however, continual rejection of that mercy leads to a heightened accountability and, eventually, divine judgment. In His mercy, God calls us to Himself, yet we must respond with faith to avoid the wrath that follows unrepentant hearts.

Q: Why is the concept of election important in sovereign grace theology?

Election underscores God's sovereignty and choice in salvation. The doctrine of election is fundamental to sovereign grace theology, highlighting that salvation is primarily God's initiative. Ephesians 1:4-5 states, 'He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world,' emphasizing that God's choice is not based on human merit but on His sovereign will. This truth provides believers with assurance of their standing before God, that their faith is rooted in His election rather than their own efforts. Understanding election compels Christians to praise God for His grace and to approach worship with humility, recognizing that it is not of ourselves but entirely the work of God's mercy, as affirmed in 2 Timothy 1:9.

Isaiah 65 again. Isaiah 65. I want to pick up right where
I left off this morning. My last word to you this morning
was a word of warning, and the warning is this. Those who refuse
to hear and obey God's call in the gospel, court his judgment. and his everlasting wrath. Hold
your hands here in Isaiah 65 and listen for just a minute.
He that being often reproved, hardeneth his neck, shall suddenly
be destroyed, and that without remedy. And the destruction is not physical
destruction. Man may be destroyed, that is,
under the wrath of God, and as sure for hell as if he were already
there, while he's sitting right where you're sitting. I'll give
you an example. Back in the book of 2nd Chronicles,
you don't need to turn there, but in 2nd Chronicles, chapter
36, Jeremiah the prophet of God Speaking from the mouth of the
Lord came warning to the people, speaking the words of God. And
we read in verse 15, the Lord God of their fathers sent to
them by his messengers. He sent his messengers rising
up betimes and sending because he had compassion on his people
and on his dwelling place. But they mocked the messengers
of God. and despised his words, and misused
his prophets, until the wrath of the Lord arose against his
people, till there was no remedy. Ralph Barnett years ago preached
a sermon called the Hounds of Hell, and in that message He
preached as only Roth could preach, describing how that in eternal
damnation, the damned will forever be tormented by the vivid remembrance,
by the vivid, vivid recall of every message they've heard,
of every message of grace, of every message of salvation, of
every message from God's faithful servant. and the torments of
hell will be increased because constantly the face of that preacher
and the voice of that preacher and the word of God preached
will constantly accuse the damned. He that being often reproved,
hardeneth his neck, shall be cut off, shall suddenly be destroyed,
and that without remedy. Now I want us to read this evening
Isaiah 65, verses 11 through 16. And I want, if God will enable
me, to preach to you on the subject. Ye are they that forsake the
Lord, that forget my holy mountain, that prepare a table for that
truth, and that furnish the drink offering unto that number. Therefore
will I number you to the sobered. and you shall all bow down to
the slaughter, because when I called, you did not answer, when I spake,
you did not hear, but did evil before mine eyes, and did choose
that wherein I delighted not. Therefore thus saith the Lord
God, Behold, my servants shall eat, but you shall be hungry,
Behold, my servants shall drink, but you shall be thirsty. Behold,
my servants shall rejoice, but you shall be ashamed. Behold,
my servants shall sing for joy of heart, but you shall cry for
sorrow of heart, and shall howl for vexation of spirit. And you
shall leave your name for a curse unto my chosen, for the Lord
God shall slay and call his servants by another name, that he who
blesseth himself in the earth shall bless himself in the God
of truth. And he that sweareth in the earth
shall swear by the God of truth, because the former troubles are
forgotten, and because they are hid from mine eyes. Now without further introduction,
lest I should turn your attention away from the word of God, I
want us to look at this passage of scripture, and let me show
you three things. I'll speak with utter simplicity.
My outline will just be these words. First, we will look at
a charge, and then we will consider a choice, and then we will look
at a contrast given in the passage. First, in verses 11 and 12, the
Lord God lays five solemn charges against many women who shall
be numbered to the sword of his wrath. Five solemn charges. Now, here's the indictment God
draws up. It is a five-fold indictment,
a charge which God makes against those who shall perish under
his wrath. First, he says in verse 11, ye
are they that forsake the Lord. What a solemn charge. I cannot
imagine a more solemn indictment being made against a When men
and women forsake God, when men and women forsake God, they forsake
all good. Did you hear that? When a man or woman forsakes
God, he forsakes everything good for himself, for his family,
for everyone he influences. He forsakes all good for time,
and for eternity. He not only forsakes that which
is good, but he courts temporal and everlasting destruction for
himself and all who are influenced by him. I want you to look at
a couple of passages of scripture in this regard. Turn to Romans
chapter one. Romans chapter one. Now, there
are many, many reasons, many, many reasons why men and women
forsake God. Many reasons why Folks raised
up under the gospel, raised up with some influence of the gospel
on their lives, just gradually decide that they've had enough
of it, and they forsake God. Some because of worldly care. They just get too much involved
in this world. Some because of worldly entertainment
and pleasure. They just, they want to have
more fun in life. Some because of the lust of their
flesh. because of doctrine. They just simply cannot endure
anymore that doctrine that's so opposing to their flesh. But
whatever the reason is, when men forsake God, when men and
women forsake the living God, they court destruction. Look
here in Romans chapter 1 and verse 20. The invisible things
of him from the creation of the world are clearly being understood
by the things that are made, even his eternal power in Godhead,
so that they are without excuse. Because that when they knew God,
that is, when they knew what God had shown of himself, just
his power that is Godhead, when they knew God, they glorified
him not as God. I recognize I'm talking to some
folks here who know God and some who just know God like these
folks. You have some revelation of God. You know truth from error. You
know some things that are just right, and yet you don't glorify
God. You refuse to acknowledge God,
refuse to bow to Him. When they knew God, they glorified
Him not as God. Neither were thankful, but became
vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was dark.
because they wouldn't acknowledge God. They wouldn't glorify God.
They wouldn't, they wouldn't bow to God, professing themselves
to be wise. They became fools, and changed
the glory of God, of the incorruptible God, into an image made like
unto corruptible man, and to birds and four-footed beasts
and creepy things. Wherefore? Do you see that word? Wherefore? What's the cause of
the best Wherefore, why is it that men behave like they do?
How is it that men and women act like they do? Wherefore,
God also gave them up to uncleanness, through the lust of their own
hearts, to dishonor their own bodies between themselves, who
changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshiped and served
the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen. For this cause, God What happened? They forsook God. They forsook
that which God had plainly revealed concerning himself. They forsook
that which was plainly attested in their hearts and in their
consciences, and they said, no God for me. All right, God said,
I won't bother you if you get somebody else. Ephraim is joy to his eyes. Leave
him alone. Jeremiah, don't pray for this
people, I won't hear you. Don't ask me to bless this people,
I won't bless them. Don't ask me to be merciful to
this people, I'll have no compassion on them. Those are God's words. Those are God's words. Why? They forsook him. They forsook
him. Look in John chapter 6. John
chapter 6. Our Lord Jesus had been preaching
about redemption and election and sovereign mercy. He'd been
preaching to men about faith in Christ and the necessity of
a vital union of faith with him. And in verse 60, many therefore
of his disciples, many people just like you and me, his disciples,
folks who professed faith in him, folks who claimed to follow
him, folks who said, all right, we're going to follow Jesus of
Nazareth, we're going to hear his words, we're going to believe
him. Many of his disciples, when they heard this, that is, when
they heard his message, they said, this is a hard saying.
Who can hear it? Verse 66, from that time, many
of his disciples went back and walked no more within. Folks
do it all the time, Bobby. Do it all the time. You are they that forsake the
Lord. And I'll tell you what usually
happens. It's not always. It's quite possible for a man
to forsake God and stay right in the house of God. It's quite
possible for a man to forsake God and stand in a pool of pit
and preach three times a week. And I'll tell you what commonly
happens. Those who forsake God, forsake his worship. Read the
next line. Ye are they that forget my holy
mountain. God's holy mountain, of course,
refers to Jerusalem, the place where God established the throne
of his king, the place where God established his temple, the
place where God established his altar, the place where God established
his worship. He said, you are they that forsake
the Lord, you are they that forget my holy mountain. Those who forget
God's house, those who forget God's worship, forget the privileges
and the responsibilities they have, having the opportunity
to sit in God's house and worship the living God, those who forget
are themselves people who have forsaken God. Now, I recognize
some folks say, well, that's a tough judgment to make. You
can't know that. You don't know whether a man's
saved, whether he's not. I didn't say it, God did. God did. A man or woman who does not worship
God in the public assembly of God's saints, when he has opportunity
to do so, does not know God. Now that's just plain, plain
as the nose on your face. It's as plain as the nose on
your face. I know people in this day, in this age, They think
that they can have God on their terms, and have God any way they
want to, and behave any way they want to with regard to the things
of God, and give God a little tip once in a while, he'll be
pleased. But I'm telling you folks who forsake God's worship
have forsaken God. Let's look in the Scriptures.
Turn to the book of Hebrews. Hebrews chapter 10. Hebrews the
10th chapter. I know people find all kinds
of excuses. Men got more excuses for not attending the worship
of God, not attending the house of God, not fulfilling any sense
of responsibility toward the worship of God, they got more
excuses than you can imagine. You hear everything under the
sun, everything under the shining sun. Talking to someone just
recently, he said, well, I just kind of got out of the habit
of going to church. That's the problem, it's just
a habit. That's the problem, it's just a habit. Folks who
worship God come to worship God because they got to heaven. Folks
who worship God come to hear of God because they got to hear
from Him. Folks who worship God come to His altar because they
recognize they must have a sacrifice and they must find someone who
will stand between them and God. Folks who worship God come because
they got to heaven. They got to heaven. Look here
in Hebrews chapter 10 verse 25. The Apostle says, not forsaking
the assembling of yourselves together as the manner of some
is. Now, I've heard this text of Scripture used to encourage
folks to go hear some Arminian. After all, if you don't have
a good church, better go to a bad one. No, that's not what it's
talking about. That's not what it's talking
about. It's talking about folks, buddy, just like you and me.
We have the opportunity right here of assembling with God's
saints. He said, don't you forsake that. Don't you forsake that.
As the manner of some is. but exhorting one another, and
so much the more, as you see the day approaching." Now look
at the reason he gives. For if we sin willfully, what
on earth is that talking about? It's talking about assembling
around the altar of God, not a physical, material altar. It's
talking about assembling in God's name with God's people, worshiping
Christ the Lord, the only sacrifice for sin. If we leave healing,
After that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there
remaineth therefore no more sacrifice for sins. No more. They went
out from us, John said, but they were not of us. For if they had been of us, they
would no doubt have continued with us to this day. And then
thirdly, back here in Isaiah 65, The Lord says, he or they
that prepare a table for that truth. They that furnish the
drink offering unto that number. Now, this charge is interpreted
by many to be in reference to the worship of Jupiter and of
Mercury, to the worship of the sun, the moon, and the star.
Others think it refers to the worship of fortune or of luck,
superstition, of nature. Whatever it is, it's referring
to idolatry. And of course, all of those things
certainly are applicable in our day, in our society. It's amazing. It is utterly amazing how that
men today have, because they simply will not bow to God's
word, because they simply, they'll have anything other than God's
revelation. Men will bow down and worship
stumps. That's what the basis. Now, I recognize environmentalism
is all right. It's a good thing to conserve
soil. It's a good thing to conserve water, all those things. But
the basis of the environmental movement is nothing on this earth
but worshiping stumps. It's worshiping this earth. It's
nothing but worshiping this earth. Men and women dare to imagine
that somehow Mother Earth is the mother of everything. God
created this earth, thank you. We will worship stars, we'll
worship our lucky stars. That's where the phrase comes
from, thank your lucky stars. Talk like that's utter blasphemy.
It's utter blasphemy. Men and women will do anything
and they will act utterly religious anyway except in the worship
of God. You prepare a table for that
truth. The indication is just a host
of gods, a host of idols. You'll prepare a drink offering
for these gods that you would worship. What he's talking about
is simply the neglect of God, the despising of God, and turning
aside to other gods, any other gods. Whatever the form of idolatry
is that is intended here, those who worship other gods spare
no expense and no effort. no expense and no effort. You,
uh, I tell you what, study sometimes, particularly the history of pagan
religions. Go down to Mexico and go over
the Magian ruins, those poor Indians, and they were poor people.
They still are just poor people, but they built these huge pyramids,
and they had these These fine, fine pieces of various vessels
in which they would offer sacrifices to their gods. And they make
great, great labor to build altars to their gods. And talk about
cost? They bring their children, their
sons and daughters, and offer them in sacrifice to their imaginary
deities. They were devoted to their gods.
They were sold out to their gods. Sold out in utter darkness. And
yet, when I read of these, these who offered, prepared a table
to their troops, prepared a drink offering for their gods, their
devotion ought to shame us. And I'm not talking to you, I'm
talking to me. Their devotion, Bob, ought to
shame us for our niggardly attempts at worshiping God. We think we're
going to worship God Almighty. We're going to come and And we're
going to serve God Almighty. We call it serving the Lord.
We come sing a little song, give a little money, and go our way
and forget it. Next month we might come back.
We might not. We may give ourselves a little more time and decide
again to come in the house of God and smile and sing His songs. And we might not. We may open
His Word. We may not. It doesn't really
matter. We're serving the Lord. Oh no. No. Service to God involves
something to do with devotion. Devotion. I tell you what, now don't do
it. I'm just illustrating truth. You try Rex working away from
home for months at a time and just call in and report every
week or two and say hello and talk about being devoted to your
wife and family. It doesn't wash. It doesn't wash. And yet we just kind of offer
God a little, just a little hand there, Just whatever it is that's
convenient, whatever it is that costs us nothing, whatever it
is that we can't use for anything else, whether it's time, money,
gifts, whatever it is, we'll give God the, give Him the scraps.
You think God's going to take it? Read the book of Habakkuk. Read the book of Malachi. Oh
no, God's not going to take it. God's not going to receive it.
Go offer these things, your spoiled sacrifices to your king, see
if he'll have them. David said, when he came to buy the flesh
of the Lord, he said, I will not take it from you for nothing.
For I will not worship God with that which cost me nothing. And I'm going to tell you something.
You can't either, and neither can I. You can't worship God
without cost. Can't do it. This business of
faith in Christ, involves consecration. These men and women here in Isaiah
with the word of God in their hands, with the prophet of God
in their streets, with the name of God on their lips, these Jews
did exactly what their descendants are doing today. They worshipped
and served other gods and dared presume that they were honoring
God and would be accepted by God. But even base idolatry is
not the worst of their Look at the next thing. When I called,
you did not answer. When I spoke, you did not hear. Oh, nothing in the world can
be compared with the horrible evil of willful base infidelity. It is a horrible thing to forsake God. Now listen to
me. It is a horrible thing to forget
God's house is worship. It is a horrible thing to worship
other gods. But if I understand this book
right, there's nothing evil in this world to compare with hearing
and disregarding God Almighty. Nothing in the world can be compared
with this kind of infidelity. Now I want to speak so that you
understand me. Some of you are here, my friends,
and you sit here week after week, and you sit here in smug, self-righteous
infidelity. You hear the word, you hear the
gospel, and you, oh that's good, that's good, that's right, that's
right. But you refuse to obey. You vainly imagine that God smiles
upon you, Because you're not a drunk, a harlot, whoremonger,
pimp, pusher, prostitute. You're not one of those folks
from the gutter of society, but rather, you know, we're upstanding
people. We're the kind of folks that
everybody would be proud to be kin to us. And you presume guardians. You're mistaken. You're mistaken. There's nothing in this world
more swiftly going to bring judgment upon your soul than to hear and
refuse to obey God Almighty. Oh, Jerusalem, Jerusalem, how
often would I have gathered these and gathered their chickens under
her wings, and you would not. Behold, your house is left unto
you desolate. I'll leave you alone. You see, when men and women reject
God's messenger and God's message, it's not the prophet they reject.
Samuel, you remember when Samuel said, Lord, they've rejected
me? The Lord said, Samuel, they haven't rejected you, they've
rejected me. They've rejected me. They haven't
despised your word, they've despised my word. Those who will not hear
God's word, who despise God's stretched out arm, disregard
God himself as he presents himself in the gospel. He's spoken. And I'm convinced he speaks to
you. Some of you who are yet without faith, God speaks to
you. And he speaks to you in such
a manner that you know God's doing the speaking. I don't have
any question. Every once in a while, God will
call his word to come to you with unusual force. And you've
heard God speak. You've heard God speak. And you'll
either bow to it, and be broken by it, or you'll stiffen your
neck, and you'll be hardened by it. But you've heard God speak. You know the difference. I don't
have any question about it. Everybody's sitting here. You
know the difference between hearing me preach and hearing God speak
by the word. Don't have any question about
it. I have no doubt that there's not a person sitting in this
building tonight, I dare say with very few exception anyway,
who has not heard God speak personally to them by the word. And you
ignore the word. And then God speaks by his providence. You had some experiences in life,
sickness, death, friend killed, barely escaped from death, and
God warns you, one more time, one more time. Your time's appointed,
and you're gonna meet God in church. and God speaks. And for
a minute you're just, oh, I've got to do something. I've got
to, I've got to, I've got to find some way to find God Almighty. I've got to have Him. But you
go home and you forget. Put it out of your mind. Pay
no attention to that. Maybe you'll speak some other
time. God speaks by His Spirit. And your conscience echoes everything
he says. And you say, I don't have time
to bother with God now. I don't have time to be concerned
with God now. And then the Lord says, you did
evil before my eyes. You harden your heart and you
run to do evil. You see what I mean? You did
evil before my eyes. You convince yourself, maybe,
I doubt it, but maybe you convince yourself, you convince folks
around you, you convince neighbors and friends, family, that the
evil you do, you know, it kind of splits up over you and takes
you by surprise, but no, you're willful, deliberate, malicious,
High-handed rebellion against God. High-handed rebellion against
God. Before my eyes. Before my eyes. So that the evil you do is not something secreted away
that God doesn't see. high-handed rebellion of rebels
against God Almighty. Now your contempt and disregard
for God will be the cause of your everlasting ruin. Look at
verse 12. Therefore, therefore. You see it? Always reason for
God's judgment. Always reason for God's judgment.
will I number you to the sword, and you shall bow down, every
one of you, you shall all bow down to the slaughter." Three things are here affirmed
about God's judgment. God's judgment is just. I'll number you to the sword,
just like a shepherd numbers his sheep as he brings them into
the fold, with the rod he numbers his sheep and counts them, and
then they're all brought in safe into the fold. God Almighty says,
I will number you to the sword. I'll number you for destruction.
And God's judgments are irresistible. You shall bow down to the sword. Be not resisted. Be not resisted. You will bow down to it, acknowledging
that it's right. Now here's the second part of
the message, a choice. I'm not going to spend much time
here, but I can't fail to direct your attention to this fact.
Our text reveals that man's ruin is the result of his will. In verse 11, The scripture says, in the latter
part of the verse, that you did evil before mine eyes, and did
choose. You made a choice. You did choose
that wherein I delighted not. Now, you will never be saved
by your will. You will never be saved by your
choice. You will never be saved by your
decision. If God bids you to your free
will, you will certainly be destroyed and damned by it. Yea, they choose
that wherein I delight it not. And I stress this because I want
you to understand the horror, the horror of the idolatry of
our day in which men worship at the altar of their free will,
their imaginary free will. I'm not some wild-eyed crackpot.
I'm talking to you with sanity from the scriptures. Free will
religion is the religion of Lucifer. Read the 14th chapter of Isaiah.
Do you know what Lucifer said? Do you know what Satan said when
he rebelled against God? He said, I will be as the most
high God. I'll take over. I will. That's the religion of Lucifer.
It is that constant exercise of my will, giving myself power
and myself dominion over God himself. And I lay that charge
at the door of all promoters of free will religion. They are
the servants of Lucifer, and their doctrine is the doctrine
of Lucifer. Man's will, secondly, was the
culprit in the crucifixion of our Lord. Do you remember what
the Scripture says about Pilate's decision? Pilate delivered Jesus
to their will. Pilate, willing to please the
people, released Barabbas and delivered to them Jesus to be
crucified. And thirdly, it is your will
which chooses that that will destroy you, that in which God
does not Oh, may God intervene and arrest
you by his sovereign will. May God be pleased to save you
from your imaginary will, to save you from yourself, for your
will will choose tradition rather than scripture every time. Your
will will choose sin rather than righteousness every time. Your
will will choose works rather than grace every time. Your will
will choose anything in religion rather than Christ every time.
And then in the last verses of the text, verses 13 through 16,
we have a contrast. The Lord tells us that he will
make a distinction between his people and the rest of the world. Now get this first. The distinction
is God's doing. Who maketh thee to differ from
another? What do you have that you haven't
received? Why is it that you believe in another who doesn't?
Why is it that you continue in faith Another one doesn't. Why?
Why is it that you seek the Lord God? Another doesn't. Why is
it that you hear the word, and your heart's convicted of sin,
and you ask God, God, be pleased to restrain the evil that's in
me? Another hears the word and says, how dare that man talk
to me like that? What's the difference? The Lord makes a distinction.
He made it in eternity. He made it at Calvary, and He
makes it in time. He chose some people, He redeemed
them, and He calls them. make the things that differ from
another? What hast thou that thou didst not receive, now if
thou didst receive it? Why dost thou glories, if thou
didst not receive it?" This is the distinction that's manifest
in time, and the distinction that shall forever and universally
be manifest in eternity, both to the righteous and to the wicked.
Here is one clear distinction. Believers are God's willing servants. Unbelievers are rebels. Therefore thus saith the Lord
God, Behold, my servants shall eat, but you. You rebels. You who choose that which I do
not delight. You who do evil in the sight
of the Lord. You high-handed rebels against
me. There's the distinction. Believers
are God's willing servants. They bow to his word. They just
bow to it. I don't know any way to put that
except to say it. Many women who buck against God's
word don't know God. They just don't know it. I'm
not sorry. I'm telling you the truth. They
don't know it. Men read the word of God and they swell up like
toads and Oh, they're not God's people. No, sir. God's people
bow to his word. They bow to his will. They bow
to his ways. They surrender to him. Here's
another distinction. It is a very great distinction
between the believer and the unbeliever in this world. Believers in Christ find satisfaction
and contentment. and enough in Him. They do. They do. I don't mean
they don't struggle with it. We do. We struggle with lust
like everybody else does. We struggle with wanting more
like everybody else does. We struggle with grabbing for
stuff like everybody else does. But believers find satisfaction
and contentment. We find enough in Christ. Look
at what it says. Behold, my servants shall eat, but you shall be hungry. Behold,
my servants shall drink, but you shall be thirsty. Behold,
my servants shall rejoice, but you shall be ashamed, confused,
confounded. Behold, my servants shall sing
for joy of heart, but you shall cry for sorrow of heart. and
shall howl for vexation of spirit. I have learned, in whatsoever
state I am, that I wish to be content." That's what Paul said. Content with what? Christ. Content
with what? Grace. Content with what? Salvation. Content with what? Everything.
Everything? For everything's yours. You're
Christ. Christ is God. All things are
yours. Why shouldn't you be content?
You shall eat, eat the word of his grace, eat the word of God,
the green pastures of his word. Drink, drink from the fountain
of living water. You shall rejoice and say, satisfaction. That's what he's talking about,
satisfaction. Christ is enough. David said, my soul was as a
weaned child. I cannot honestly say that. There
are too many things here that I'm not weaned from yet. But
I can honestly say this, it's as a weaning child. God is graciously
doing the weaning. And He will wean us of this world.
Believers find satisfaction in Christ. They just find satisfaction
in Him. are never satisfied. Never. They're not satisfied with God's
grace. They're not satisfied with God's gospel. They're not
satisfied with God's providence. They're not satisfied with God's
provisions. They're not satisfied with their
state and their lot in life. They're not satisfied with what
God does. They're constantly, constantly
howling and weeping because they're so miserable. Not believers. No. Believers are satisfied. And that's the way it will be
in eternity. Drink and rejoice and sing. And the unbeliever will be hungry
and thirsty and filled with sorrow and wail. Because in eternity, God's saints will have Everything
we truly want to absolute perfection and fullness. Everything we truly want. The
unbeliever, your hearts are just filled with lust. I want more. I want more! Give me more! Your hearts will still be filled
with lust. You'll hunger, but not eat. You'll
thirst, but not drink. You will see the feasting of
God's saints, but you can't eat. The drinking of God's saints,
but you can't be refreshed. You'll see the joy of God's saints,
but you can't anticipate. Unbelievers are cursed in everything
they are and in everything they do, now and forever. Believers are blessed. Blessed in everything. So blessed of God that even,
Bobby, when it looks like we're cursed, we're blessed of God. Blessed of God. Read the text.
This is what it says. And you shall leave your name
for a curse to my chosen. For the Lord God shall slay thee,
and call his servants by another name. That he, that he who blessed
himself in the earth, shall bless himself in the God of And he
that sweareth in the earth shall swear by the God of truth, because
the former troubles are forgotten, because they're hid from thine
eyes." Believers are called by and blessed
under a new name of grace. And honestly, I don't know what
the new name is. It could be a number of things.
Some have suggested it's the name Christians. They were called
Christians first at Antioch. Maybe, maybe. Some have suggested
it is the name Sons of God. Behold what manner of love the
Father hath bestowed upon us that we should be called the
Sons of God. Now that's certainly included.
Maybe it's this name Hephzibah. The Lord delights in her. Arbula,
the Lord is married to her. Perhaps it's the name Jehovah
Sidkenia, the Lord our righteousness. For this is the name wherewith
she shall be called, God's church, his saints. Jehovah Sidkenia,
the Lord our righteousness. So that we look up to God. Here we are in this earth. We
look up to him. And we declare ourselves to our
hearts. Oh, you're looking at a man blessed
of God. Blessed of God. Blessed to all
the intents of the word! Blessed! Blessed of God, who
is the God of truth. That is to say, the basis of
God's blessing us is His truth and justice. Why would God Almighty
bless something like Bobby Estes of Merrill Heart? Why? Why would
God Almighty bless something like Don Fortner? I'll tell you
why. Because God Almighty has received
in our stead perfect obedience and perfect satisfaction through
Christ our substitute, the God of truth, who said, The soul
that sinneth in shall die. The God of truth said, who said,
Walk before me and be thou perfect, that I will receive thee. That
God has blessed us. He blessed us for His name's
sake. And this everlasting blessedness
will be made manifest. You read Luke 16. There was a
rich man and Lazarus. And the rich man
died and went to hell. Lazarus was carried away by the
angels of God and they were hanging whistles. And the rich man in
hell lifted up his eyes. Hell would be bad enough you
couldn't see Lazarus. But this distinction is a distinction
though it may not be known by men on this earth, it shall be
known universally forever. When God Almighty puts everything
in its true light. Lazarus, blessed. Thou art tormented. God saves, blessed. The rebel,
tormented, just now. Now look at verse six, take the
last part of it. Here's the blessedness of grace
and glory. Because the former things, the
former troubles, are forgotten. Maybe that's talking about our
troubles in this world. Maybe it's talking about our
troubles before we were converted. Maybe it's talking about our
sins. Maybe it's talking about all that. I think it's talking
about all that. The former troubles are forgotten,
and they're forgotten, because they're hid from thine
eyes. We forget them. They bring us no trouble. They
bring us no sorrow. They bring us no weeping, because
God has hidden My sins will one day no longer cause me to weep. My troubles will one day no longer
cause my heart to ache. Those things will be forgotten,
everything, because all my sin hid from God's And the very consequences
of sin shall be removed from God's hand. And so the Lord again
stretches out his hands and he says, behold me. Behold me and live forever. Turn from me.

The Danger of Disregarding God

What does the Bible say about forsaking God?

How do we know God's judgment is true?

Why is worshiping God important for Christians?

What is the danger of disregarding God's Word?

How does God's mercy relate to judgment?

Why is the concept of election important in sovereign grace theology?

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The Danger of Disregarding God

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