Gods at War: god of me

Gods at War: god of me

Daniel 4:1-37

Pastor Miles

October 19, 2014

There's a part of our hearts that is thinking "why serve when I can rule"?

We buy into Satan's deception in the Garden of Eden, when he told Eve that her eyes will be opened like God's if she ate the forbidden fruit.

King Nebuchadnezzar, To the nations and peoples of every language, who live in all the earth: May you prosper greatly! It is my pleasure to tell you about the miraculous signs and wonders that the Most High God has performed for me. How great are his signs, how mighty his wonders! His kingdom is an eternal kingdom; his dominion endures from generation to generation. (‭Daniel‬ ‭4‬:‭1-3‬ NIV)

I, Nebuchadnezzar, was at home in my palace, contented and prosperous. I had a dream that made me afraid. As I was lying in bed, the images and visions that passed through my mind terrified me. (‭Daniel‬ ‭4‬:‭4-5‬ NIV)

"In the visions I saw while lying in bed, I looked, and there before me was a holy one, a messenger, coming down from heaven. He called in a loud voice: 'Cut down the tree and trim off its branches; strip off its leaves and scatter its fruit. Let the animals flee from under it and the birds from its branches. But let the stump and its roots, bound with iron and bronze, remain in the ground, in the grass of the field. " 'Let him be drenched with the dew of heaven, and let him live with the animals among the plants of the earth. Let his mind be changed from that of a man and let him be given the mind of an animal, till seven times pass by for him. (‭Daniel‬ ‭4‬:‭13-16‬ NIV)

Daniel tells Nebuchadnezzar that he is the tree that gets cut down...

"This is the interpretation, Your Majesty, and this is the decree the Most High has issued against my lord the king: You will be driven away from people and will live with the wild animals; you will eat grass like the ox and be drenched with the dew of heaven. Seven times will pass by for you until you acknowledge that the Most High is sovereign over all kingdoms on earth and gives them to anyone he wishes. (‭Daniel‬ ‭4‬:‭24-25‬ NIV)

God is giving Nebuchadnezzar a warning and a reality check.

The command to leave the stump of the tree with its roots means that your kingdom will be restored to you when you acknowledge that Heaven rules. Therefore, Your Majesty, be pleased to accept my advice: Renounce your sins by doing what is right, and your wickedness by being kind to the oppressed. It may be that then your prosperity will continue." (‭Daniel‬ ‭4‬:‭26-27‬ NIV)

1. God warns us when we take the throne of our hearts.

Pride can be very subtle:

Being defensive

Being stubborn

Refusal to admit error

Being ungrateful 

Being discontent

Am I listening to the wisdom of others?

How much time is spent inking of what other people think of me?

All this happened to King Nebuchadnezzar. Twelve months later, as the king was walking on the roof of the royal palace of Babylon, he said, "Is not this the great Babylon I have built as the royal residence, by my mighty power and for the glory of my majesty?" (‭Daniel‬ ‭4‬:‭28-30‬ NIV)

Immediately what had been said about Nebuchadnezzar was fulfilled. He was driven away from people and ate grass like the ox. His body was drenched with the dew of heaven until his hair grew like the feathers of an eagle and his nails like the claws of a bird. (‭Daniel‬ ‭4‬:‭33‬ NIV)

2. God will do what is needed to bring us to surrender the throne to Him.

God loves us too much to leave us on our own

He wants us to allow Him to reign in our hearts

God is constantly pursuing us

There is such peace when we surrender

At the end of that time, I, Nebuchadnezzar, raised my eyes toward heaven, and my sanity was restored. Then I praised the Most High; I honored and glorified him who lives forever. His dominion is an eternal dominion; his kingdom endures from generation to generation. All the peoples of the earth are regarded as nothing. He does as he pleases with the powers of heaven and the peoples of the earth. No one can hold back his hand or say to him: "What have you done?" (‭Daniel‬ ‭4‬:‭34-35‬ NIV)

Now I, Nebuchadnezzar, praise and exalt and glorify the King of heaven, because everything he does is right and all his ways are just. And those who walk in pride he is able to humble. (‭Daniel‬ ‭4‬:‭37‬ NIV)

3. In the end, we will acknowledge that God alone sits on the throne.

God alone is worthy of worship and our devotion 

He alone deserves to be the center of our lives

"Son of man, say to the ruler of Tyre, 'This is what the Sovereign Lord says: " 'In the pride of your heart you say, "I am a god; I sit on the throne of a god in the heart of the seas." But you are a mere mortal and not a god, though you think you are as wise as a god. (‭Ezekiel‬ ‭28‬:‭2‬ NIV)

We have to choose.

Who will it me?

Me or God?

Gods at War: gods of success

Gods at War: gods of success

Mark 10:17-22, Philippians 3:4-9, Luke 10:38-42

Pastor Miles

October 12, 2014

Many measures of success: money, power, politics, etc.

The gods of success appeal to our desire to control our world; it's about pride; we often find our identity in these gods of success.

HOW TO OVERCOME THE IDOL OF SUCCESS 

1. Take a good look at how you measure success.

Success is finding out about how to score points, and keeping track of that score.

Objects of pride can easily become idols and symbols of our success.

Questions to identify our idols of success (success "currencies"):

Who do you find yourself envying?

Who are you competing with?

What are you competing for?

Who are you comparing yourself with?

2. God's measure of success begins with declaring bankruptcy.

The rich young ruler is an epitome of success:

As Jesus started on his way, a man ran up to him and fell on his knees before him. "Good teacher," he asked, "what must I do to inherit eternal life?" (‭Mark‬ ‭10‬:‭17‬ NIV)

Salvation does not come from our achievements.

Salvation comes from our acknowledgment of our spiritual bankruptcy.

"Teacher," he declared, "all these I have kept since I was a boy." (‭Mark‬ ‭10‬:‭20‬ NIV)

Jesus looked at him and loved him. "One thing you lack," he said. "Go, sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me." At this the man's face fell. He went away sad, because he had great wealth. (‭Mark‬ ‭10‬:‭21-22‬ NIV)

Jesus looked into this man's heart and saw the idol that was occupying the throne of his heart, and challenged him to choose his god. This was obviously an idol that he was unwilling to give up.

Paul recognizes his past rewards and achievements were of no value in comparison with gaining Jesus Christ:

... If someone else thinks they have reasons to put confidence in the flesh, I have more: circumcised on the eighth day, of the people of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; in regard to the law, a Pharisee; as for zeal, persecuting the church; as for righteousness based on the law, faultless. But whatever were gains to me I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. What is more, I consider everything a loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them garbage, that I may gain Christ (‭Philippians‬ ‭3‬:‭4b-8‬ NIV)

Paul overcame his pride by recognizing that he was spiritually bankrupt compared to the riches that could be found in Christ:

... and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ—the righteousness that comes from God on the basis of faith. (‭Philippians‬ ‭3‬:‭9‬ NIV)

3. Daily choose our relationship with God over our measure of success.

As Jesus and his disciples were on their way, he came to a village where a woman named Martha opened her home to him. She had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord's feet listening to what he said. But Martha was distracted by all the preparations that had to be made. She came to him and asked, "Lord, don't you care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself? Tell her to help me!" "Martha, Martha," the Lord answered, "you are worried and upset about many things, but few things are needed—or indeed only one. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her." (‭Luke‬ ‭10‬:‭38-42‬ NIV)

What sort of idolatry do we see?

Martha was distracted by her to-do checklist (good things) but Mary was focused on what mattered more (best things).

Don't let the distractions of life (idols) take the place of the Lord.

He says, "Be still, and know that I am God." (‭Psalm‬ ‭46‬:‭10‬ NIV)

Choose the better thing. 

Stop. Set it (my idol) aside. Choose God.

God's at War: God of Money

God's at War: God of Money 

Proverbs 4:23, Matthew 6:19-24

Pastor Miles

October 5, 2014

Too often we measure our worth (identity) by our net worth instead of finding our worth with God.

Money can be a wonderful servant but a bad master.

HOW CAN WE PREVENT MONEY FROM BEING OUR MASTER?

1. Learn to guard your heart.

Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it. (‭Proverbs‬ ‭4‬:‭23‬ NIV)

This is the greatest and highest priority. 

Scripture warns us not to look at outward appearance but to look at the heart.

We need to protect our heart because it is so important.

Spiritually the heart is the core of our being.

All that you do flows from your heart.

"Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

...

"No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money. (‭Matthew‬ ‭6‬:‭19-21, 24‬ NIV)

We can only serve one master.

We need to recognize that God is the source of all things, including money.

2. Recognize when money becomes an idol in your life.

"Two things I ask of you, Lord; do not refuse me before I die: Keep falsehood and lies far from me; give me neither poverty nor riches, but give me only my daily bread. Otherwise, I may have too much and disown you and say, 'Who is the Lord?' Or I may become poor and steal, and so dishonor the name of my God. (‭Proverbs‬ ‭30‬:‭7-9‬ NIV)

Someone in the crowd said to him, "Teacher, tell my brother to divide the inheritance with me." Jesus replied, "Man, who appointed me a judge or an arbiter between you?" Then he said to them, "Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; life does not consist in an abundance of possessions." And he told them this parable: "The ground of a certain rich man yielded an abundant harvest. He thought to himself, 'What shall I do? I have no place to store my crops.' "Then he said, 'This is what I'll do. I will tear down my barns and build bigger ones, and there I will store my surplus grain. And I'll say to myself, "You have plenty of grain laid up for many years. Take life easy; eat, drink and be merry." ' "But God said to him, 'You fool! This very night your life will be demanded from you. Then who will get what you have prepared for yourself?' "This is how it will be with whoever stores up things for themselves but is not rich toward God." (‭Luke‬ ‭12‬:‭13-21‬ NIV)

When we assign divine attributes to money, it becomes our god.

Are we putting our trust, hope and security in money instead of in God?

Are we putting our satisfaction in money or in God?

Are we finding our identity (significance) in our finances or in God?

3. Honor God with your finances.

A. You honor God by acknowledging that everything you have belongs to Him.

David praised the Lord in the presence of the whole assembly, saying, "Praise be to you, Lord, the God of our father Israel, from everlasting to everlasting. Yours, Lord, is the greatness and the power and the glory and the majesty and the splendor, for everything in heaven and earth is yours. Yours, Lord, is the kingdom; you are exalted as head over all. Wealth and honor come from you; you are the ruler of all things. In your hands are strength and power to exalt and give strength to all. Now, our God, we give you thanks, and praise your glorious name. "But who am I, and who are my people, that we should be able to give as generously as this? Everything comes from you, and we have given you only what comes from your hand. We are foreigners and strangers in your sight, as were all our ancestors. Our days on earth are like a shadow, without hope. Lord our God, all this abundance that we have provided for building you a temple for your Holy Name comes from your hand, and all of it belongs to you. (‭1 Chronicles‬ ‭29‬:‭10-16‬ NIV)

Everything we have comes from God, and belongs to Him.

Are we being wise stewards of what God has entrusted us with? Remember, He is the owner.

B. You honor God by giving Him the "first fruits" of your work.

As soon as the order went out, the Israelites generously gave the firstfruits of their grain, new wine, olive oil and honey and all that the fields produced. They brought a great amount, a tithe of everything. The people of Israel and Judah who lived in the towns of Judah also brought a tithe of their herds and flocks and a tithe of the holy things dedicated to the Lord their God, and they piled them in heaps. (‭2 Chronicles‬ ‭31‬:‭5-6‬ NIV)

"Bring the best of the firstfruits of your soil to the house of the Lord your God. "Do not cook a young goat in its mother's milk." (‭Exodus‬ ‭34‬:‭26‬ NIV)

We do this to show that God is first in our lives.

Be sure to set aside a tenth of all that your fields produce each year. Eat the tithe of your grain, new wine and olive oil, and the firstborn of your herds and flocks in the presence of the Lord your God at the place he will choose as a dwelling for his Name, so that you may learn to revere the Lord your God always. (‭Deuteronomy‬ ‭14‬:‭22-23‬ NIV)

Giving money away is a way of acknowledging He is more important than it.

C. You honor God by having an open hand toward the needy.

Whoever oppresses the poor shows contempt for their Maker, but whoever is kind to the needy honors God. (‭Proverbs‬ ‭14‬:‭31‬ NIV)

The generous will themselves be blessed, for they share their food with the poor. (‭Proverbs‬ ‭22‬:‭9‬ NIV)

When you make this commitment, you are putting Him first in your life.