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Deuteronomy chapter 12 this evening get back in To the book here. We're gonna start there in verse 1 where it says These are the statutes and the judgments when you shall observe to do in the land Which the Lord God of your fathers giveth thee to possess it all the days that you live upon the earth Ye shall utterly destroy all the places where in the nations which he shall self possess serve their gods upon the high mountains upon the hills and upon every green tree and He shall overthrow their altars and break down their pillars and burn their groves with fire you shall huge and you shall hewn down of the graven images of their gods and Destroy the names out of the men of that place. You shall not do so on the Lord your God So, of course This is God giving them the commandments of how they're toward treat the heathen gods of the people Who live in the land that they're going in to possess and you know, it's pretty obvious here from this these few verses that you know God is not an all-inclusive God. The God is not for this what we would call today Ecumenicalism and if you don't know what ecumenicalism is basically that's the doctrine of That that promotes the cooperation and better understanding among different religious denominations Aimed at universal Christian unity. So this is something that we see taking place in our day where People are saying hey doesn't matter if we're Protestant or for Catholic, you know for Baptist or Presbyterian or Lutheran You know, we're all worshiping the same God. It's all the God of the Bible So let's just put aside our doctrinal differences and let's just get along and of course notably if we know Anything about the Catholic Church this was something that took place. I believe back in the 60s I'm no expert in the Catholic Church, you know history But it was a fairly might have been 50s or 60s where they had Vatican II Where they began to roll out this doctrine where they're gonna say hey, you know, we're gonna we're gonna be more inclusive You know and you see that more and more now to the point where you even see The Pope, you know, he's he's hanging out with you know The imams and every in the in the monks from the Buddhist temple and everything that he's you know it's a it's become a very ecumenical religion and That's why it's so difficult today is sometimes to to get people saved when we go out You know, we think about the Mormons when we knock on the doors in these Mormon neighborhoods, especially up in the Mesa area You know that they'll say And I'll ask me are you Christian and they'll say yeah, well, oh great you go to church anywhere I go to the church of I'm an LDS, you know, I go to the Church of Latter-day Saints You know, and so you're saying well Technically, you're not a Christian then you're a Mormon But it's it's become so ingrained in our culture and everybody's thinking that hey Mormon is Christian, you know Jehovah Witness is Christian Catholicism is Christian that this all is just falling under this huge umbrella of what we call Christianity today and You know, we have to be on guard for that because God, you know, God is not for this ecumenical Philosophy God is a God who you know cares about doctrine, you know, why why else did he give us an entire book? You know explaining all the things about him and about how he wants things done and how we should Conduct ourselves and worshiping him and and everything like that I mean the Bible says that you know that all scriptures given by inspiration of God is profitable for doctrine, right? So we should be paying attention to what it says. We shouldn't just put aside a doctor. We'd say like like baptism People will say today. Well, what does it really matter? You know that if they're sprinkling nor if they're dunking, you know If they're doing it when they're infants or when they've come to a you know Whether or not they have come to a saving knowledge of Christ as a matter. Is it really that important? Is it more important than we just all get along? Well, no because you know, it's pretty important to God when you know He's got John the Baptist demonstrating how it's to be done, you know, and there's and it all it just leads not just one area There's just so many other areas where people want to blur the lines or doctrine Or just remove them or just turn a blind eye and say well, it's not that important Important thing is that we just all learn to get along The problem with that is that you start, you know Like like we've seen over and over again. Is that the bad make the good bad, you know If we start dropping our standards say well, you know, it's okay if we hang out with Methodist Church and you know We all serve the same God and and you know, we all we all believe the Bible and and so on and so forth Well, you know what? They're the ones that are letting you know The sodomites behind the pulpit and letting the women behind the pulpit They're the ones that are going to start ushering in all these these false doctrines And if we're not careful if we don't put up these walls of separation and say no You know, this is what the Bible says and we're not gonna budge on it and we refuse to compromise if we don't do that You know, that's when people can start to sway and and and and people start to compromise in their beliefs So you say oh boy God takes a real harsh stand here on these on these heathen gods I mean, what about just putting in a museum for posterity sake and you know, we could look back and Future generations could could you know admire these these these these heathen pagan gods or whatever, you know They people want to do today, you know, like they do over it. Where was that years ago? I remember it was a big deal All these people were just up in arms about the fact that when I think was in Afghanistan The Muslims came in there and they blew up some you know thousand year old Carving of Buddha on some cliff and everyone's just losing their minds over it Like I can't believe they do that. I say well, I'm not for the Muslims But hey, you know, at least they've got some convictions about what they believe, you know They probably cuz you know, they believe they don't believe but they read and understand the Old Testament Well, I don't say they understand it, but they definitely try to adhere to it to some degree They probably read that and we're like, hey, we shouldn't have these heathen gods, you know, and You know, I'm not of course saying that was that were hey yay Muslims or anything like that, you know they believe in a false god to you know, but That's the stand God took on it here. I mean, I mean he was all about, you know, overthrowing their altars Just tearing them up. No, they're just destroying and breaking their pillars Burning their groves with fire. I mean he's promoting you going out and being arson when it comes to these things You know committing arson and when you when it comes to these heathen gods This is how strict stream God a stand takes on it and we you know, we call it extreme but it's only because the world has gone so far from it and saying you know, what God is a god of Separation he's not for ecumenicalism Because if we know our Bibles and we know what's gonna happen in the end times That the Beast is gonna call it, you know, the the second piece is gonna call all the worship the image of the Beast You know that the all everyone's going to worship one God in the in the last days And we're heading towards a one-world religion and God is not for a one-world religion You know, he is when it's his religion, you know He's he's all for when Christ comes there will be a one-world religion when Christ comes and sets up his throne and rules with a rod Of iron, you know, then then we'll have a theocracy bit. That'll be a right one But God in the meantime, you know He's not for us just dropping our standards just to just for the sake of peace and getting along Because you know the warning and we as we've read many times so far in Deuteronomy is that if we do those things You know, we're like they're likely to end up Influencing us for the worse and that's what we see happening with the children of Israel in fact But what this shows us is that you know, God it's a god of separation that God wants us to be different He doesn't want us to all just You know throw our all our hat in the same ring He wants us to stand our ground and he wants us to have a difference God is a god of separation and if you would turn over to Matthew chapter 10 So really what you see here is that you know separation, you know is necessary on two fronts It's separation is necessary on two fronts. Okay one separation is necessary for salvation Okay. Now what do I mean by that? I don't mean you have to live a separated life in order to get saved Okay, but you have to believe solely on Jesus Christ all your faith has to be in Jesus you can't put your faith in Jesus and So and so you can't put your faith in Jesus and your good works. It's it's Jesus or nothing You know, he's so he is for he is a god who is for separation and when it comes to salvation You have to you know, deny everything else You know, if you're if you're if you're trusting in your works, you have to turn from that if you're trusting in you know You know Muhammad or the Pope or whoever you have to turn from those those dead idols under the Living God and And that's the type of separation that you need to have It's all on Jesus and nothing else and we're living in an age today where everyone just wants to add Jesus They want to keep all their other false beliefs and just put Jesus there with them And just say oh, yeah, I believe this and this and of course Jesus has a place to you know Of course, I you know, I'm not gonna exclude him for my you know smorgasbord of Religious views that's not how it works. God. I mean, did we not read Deuteronomy chapter 12? God says no Take all those elements off the shelf and put Jesus there alone That's the kind of separation that we need to have when it comes to salvation Jesus saith unto him in John chapter 14 I am the way the truth the life not a low anyway Not you know, not some form of life not a source of life the life the way And no man cometh unto the Father but by me So nothing's changed, you know, the God of the Old Testament is still a God of the New Testament and he still you know It insists on being exclusive when it comes to him being God. We can't have Jesus and whatever else It's him and nobody else look there in Matthew chapter 10 verse 34 He said think not I am come to send peace on the earth. I came not to send peace but a sword Now I know it's during the Christmas season and we all want to sing You know peace on earth and goodwill to men and certainly that is a message that's in the Bible That there one day will be peace on earth But in the meantime Jesus saying look I came here to send a sword and not a physical sword not a call to physical arms that we're gonna go out and you know, and Take over a government and set up some, you know religious hierarchy here on earth He says for I am come to set a man in variance against his father and his daughter against his mother And the daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law I don't think that they needed any help to begin with but you know It's there and man's foes shall be they of his own household. So God is a God of separation God is a God of division. He's not going to share his glory with another He's not gonna you know, let somebody else, you know get in on the the glory that's due him because he's the only true and living God so we see that separation is necessary for salvation if you're gonna try to go up any other way Jesus said you're the same as a thief and a robber you have to come in through the gate through the door There's no other way in he is the way of salvation So not only is it the separation in that sense? But it's also separation is necessary for the blessing of the Christian life They say well I've separated myself unto Jesus Christ in the sense that I put all my faith in him for salvation and you're saved Well, amen but you know separation goes beyond that and this is when it becomes real work is when you're gonna live a Separated life unto Christ and I'm not saying, you know, we need to join a convent We need to all just pack up and go buy 40 acres, you know in Alabama or somewhere where some wherever they're all Is it Missouri? I think is where they all go now and where they buy all the land and start their Their cults and we're all just gonna live on the same property and you know and just shun the world and everything like that No, that's not what we're preaching But Jesus said to be in the world but not of the world, you know So we need there needs to be a separation in the way we live our life, you know We're not gonna adopt the world's philosophies when it comes to you know How we're gonna live our life and all the areas that encompasses, you know, marriage child rearing education You know entertainment the things that we do with our spare time Well, we're gonna invest in you know, all of these things, you know, there's it comes There's no part of your life that the Bible doesn't touch and that God has a way for you to live your life So we need to know what those things are and understand that God has a God of separation, you know you can't just keep your the the altars of your old life and the the pillars of your sin and the groves of All your bad habits and and and have a blessed life too. God says no, you got to clear all that out and that takes work and Then be separated unto me and I will begin to bless you if you would go over to 1st Corinthians chapter 10 So separation is necessary not only for salvation but separation is also essential for a Being living a blessed Christian life We read about this a few weeks ago in 2 Corinthians 6 where it says you're going to chapter 10 in 1st Corinthians where it says be not unequally yoked with unbelievers for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness and What communion hath light with darkness and what Concord hath Christ with Belial which is another name for the devil? Or what part hath he that believeth with an infidel or what agreement hath the temple of God with idols You're the temple of the Living God as God hath said I will dwell in them and walk in them and I will be their God and they shall be my people Verse 17 wherefore come out from among them and be separate, you know That's a command in Scripture that we should be separating from every false way in our life and we should be separating ourselves unto Christ and Really, you know you say well what what's the big deal what if I choose not to you know? What if I choose to just continue living my old worldly sinful life and never cleaning myself up and I know I'm saved We know that's true. That's not going to change but I'm just going to continue to live an unseparated life I'm just going to continue to be worldly in all my ways have all my old, you know Relationships that are just wicked and all of that. Well, you know what that's going to do is it's going to provoke God to jealousy It's not like God's just gonna go oh you have it your way Okay, you know I tried No, it's gonna provoke God to jealousy look there in 1st Corinthians chapter 10 verse 20, but I say that the things which is dental Sacrifice they sacrifice to devils and not to God So why is God telling them in Deuteronomy chapter 12 to go in there? Just wipe all this out Because whether they realize it or not, they're sacrificing those things to devils like literal demons devils Fallen angels, you know these people back in Deuteronomy chapter 12 these these heathen of that land, you know They probably thought they had their in their imagination. Oh, these are these are gods. This is a form of God They don't realize it's a fallen wicked evil, you know demon that they're worshiping. That's what's saying here He's saying look when you sacrifice under the your under these these things You're sacrificing unto Devils and not to God and I would not that you should have fellowship with Devils You cannot drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of Devils you can't have it both ways You know and so many Christians get caught up in this they have one foot in the world and one foot living for the Lord one foot in church so to speak and you know what the world and the world that rather in order the world and and living the Christian life are miles apart and That's why Christians walk like this They don't want they well Why am I not making very much progress as a Christian? Because you got one foot in the world and you got one foot in church You're saying over here on this side. Oh, you know Sunday and when and Thursdays or whatever, you know, I'm in church I'm living for the Lord, but the rest of the week, you know, I'm doing all all the things I shouldn't be doing and And you're trying to walk like this And so it's no wonder when you stumble and fall. It's no wonder that you're not making the progress you could be making And he says look you can't have it both ways You can't drink at the can't go to the Lord's table with the devil's cup and say hey, how's it going? You know, he's gonna he's not gonna go with that So he goes on and says look at verse 22. Do we provoke the Lord to jealousy? Are we stronger than he? That's a that's questions. We should probably ask ourself if we find ourselves in that position where we're not living a separated life Ask yourself. Well, are you provoking the Lord to jealousy? You know what the answer is? Yes And if that's the case, then you need to ask yourself are we stronger than he You know and understand that, you know If you resist God, he's gonna resist you, you know that God resisted the proud but giveth grace under the humble So, you know when you're when you're not separating you're living a separated life when you're allowing these old idols of your life these old sins and habits and and worldly things That God disapproves of when you just let that remain in your life and even relationships Even you know, that's the hard thing But you know, especially this time of year I hear about it so often where people are saying, you know We used to go to our family Christmas. We used to spend time with their parents, but now the the You know, the gay cousin is there the fag cousin. I shouldn't use that word gay. She's the word fag. That's what they are He's showing up, you know with his with his his husband and their adopted child You know that happens, you know, I just heard about that somebody was telling me about it You know what? How could you go? How could you go to that as a Christian knowing what you know about the Word of God? And go there and be around that you can't how could you expect to enjoy yourself? No way. It couldn't happen I mean I would if that happened, you know If I showed up and they unknowingly and to a family event like that and somebody like that showed up I would lose it. I would probably just leave before I lost it, but I wouldn't stick around and And and say because here's the thing you say well I'll just go but I won't say anything silent as it silences agreement Just by you going is like oh, they're gonna think whether you agree or not. They're gonna think oh, they're okay with this You know, that's why we had to make a decision. Hey, we're not gonna go to family functions where there's booze That's every family function in my family In my extended family not at home. Don't worry about what I'm doing a Christmas. We're keeping it clean You know, there's gonna be some honey glazed ham. That's about as indulgent as we're gonna get You know, I might get some grape juice Who knows but when you make that stand you say hey, but I can't and you know continue on in these worldly Relationships that God disapproves of that's where the rubber meets the road in the Christian life. That's when it gets real You know and people they don't want to make that separation because that's difficult And I mean, it's I'm not saying it's easy I'm just saying it's necessary if you're going to live that Christian life if you're gonna move on or You're gonna provoke God to jealousy. So you decide which one's worse, but ask yourself this are you stronger than he? And you say well, why is God jealous? Why does God expect that from me because he owns you because you're his Because he bought you with the price Which is what it says there in 1st Corinthians chapter 6 if you want to turn back there 1st Corinthians chapter 6 Well, I just don't think it's fair that God can just you know You know make these demands and say that we should you know, why did Jesus have to send a sword? Why couldn't he come with a you know a ukulele And just serenade us You know, why didn't why did he just show up with a feather duster and and tickle our toes or something? He showed up with a sword for a reason because he wanted to see and he says look if you follow me There's gonna be separation There's gonna be and it's gonna affect every it's gonna affect your house a man's foe shall be they of his own house Now Praise God if you've grown up in a Christian home where everybody's saved and everybody loves the Lord and is living for the Lord That's great. You know, I didn't have that growing up, but I sure am enjoying raising some kids I'm sure enjoying starting that in my family And you know I'm looking forward to the fact that I'm gonna have some children and some grandchildren that they're not gonna have to make some of the Decisions that I had to make You know in my Christian life that they're gonna be able to they're gonna be able to come over to grandpa Corbin's You know and with all their cutlery little cousins and not have to worry about whether or not I'm gonna break out the Jack Daniels Or I'm gonna have the fag cousin over, you know and just say what's your problem, you know? And that's how it goes and it you know, it's true Look here. He says in first Corinthians chapter 6 verse 18 flee fornication every man every sin that a man doeth is without the body But he that committed fornication sent against his own body What know you not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you which you have of God and He are not your own People need to let that sink down on their ears Why does God get to make all these demands on me? Why does God get to say do this don't do that because you're not your own verse 24 year bought with the price You know, what was that price? It was as the blood of a lamb, you know, precious blood of a lamb It was the blood of Christ So God, you know, he's a God we see right here that he does not He does not just share, you know his glory with another he doesn't leave space for us to just kind of sneak in You know our little heathen practice over here that you know I know I'm saved but I'm still gonna go to mass on Christmas with with grandma because that's just the way we did You know don't do that You know, that's that's giving glory to another and God doesn't God says no you're done with that We're wiping this out and why does he do that because he's a jealous God and he bought you and he wants all the glory for himself and he's He has every right to it. So and he goes on here and you know when he starts to do he God just demonstrate he's demonstrating here what his exclusiveness that he is God alone that there is none else That that there is no other God besides him and he does that by what demanding the destruction of all other false gods He doesn't say, you know, hang on to him, you know, he says he wants their names wiped out from the earth I mean, we don't even know a lot of their names some of them We do just because they go back and start worshiping him But I guarantee you there's just multitudes of false gods that these people worship their names just forgotten You know, they're they're gone and that's the way God wants it because God didn't even want their names to be the names of these false gods to be on The lips of his people says don't even breathe their names You know in praise obviously if you're having conversation we have to talk about it But he's saying look now he's demonstrating that he is exclusive that he is God alone and The other way that he does that is not just by the destruction of these false gods But notice also in verse 5 that God Linets the place of sacrifice when he says look you're gonna wipe out these other gods and then you're gonna worship me and notice in verse in those in those verses He's saying you're gonna destroy Verse 2 all the places were in the nations. He shall possess served other gods So it wasn't that these these nations just were going to one place They had a multitude of places They had the high places the groves so on and so forth They they had a multitude of places that they would go and worship these false gods and God is saying look He's showing that he is exclusive that he alone is God not only by wiping them out But when he says and then you're gonna worship me he limits it to one place He says you're gonna come to where I am and you're gonna worship me in one place Look there in verse 5 where he says but the place which the Lord your God shall choose out of all your tribes to put his name there even unto his habitation shall ye seek and thither shalt thou come and thither shall you bring your burnt offerings and your sacrifices and your tithes and heave offerings of your hand and your vows and your freewill offerings and the firstlings of your herds and of your flocks and thither you shall bring your burnt offerings and your Sacrifices and your tithes and he I'm repeating in verse 6. Sorry that was a Copy paste mistake, but you could see there like God's saying it's gonna be one place and you're gonna have to bring all this stuff there He's saying look you're gonna bring your heave offerings of your own hand your vows your freewill offerings The firstlings of your flocks the burnt offerings the sacrifices the tides I mean, wouldn't it be just a lot more convenient if God just said, you know, we're just gonna put up I'm just you can worship me in all these different places whichever one's closest to you You can just bring that stuff there because remember back then they didn't they didn't have you know The they didn't have the 15 passenger Ford e350 XLT model like we do, right? he couldn't just back up, you know, the you know, the the one-ton box truck and Load all this stuff up and just have a nice casual drive over there, you know stop and get yourself a little cappuccino on the way This was work they had to load all this stuff up and wagons and on beasts of burden and cart it down there I mean this took planning this took, you know cost time Finances there with that. I mean that the actual, you know, nuts and bolts of carrying this out were difficult They were inconvenient is what they were for some people And you know what it shows us is the Lord is a concern with his worship being convenient for us God didn't say and I apologize for it being so difficult. No, he did that on purpose He wants it to be inconvenient. He wants it to be difficult Well, not necessarily difficult, but he wanted it to cost us something is what I'm getting at You know, it took effort to get to the tabernacle back then didn't it because there was only one Because God's exclusive and that's what he's showing him. So look, I'm the only one there's nowhere else to go This is it if you want to get with the true and living God, this is the place to be at the tabernacle You know and that can show that we could apply that today say bring that it's into today's, you know Apply it into our to our world today Well, how about the fact that you know, they had a lot of false gods back then, right? They were dime a dozen their false gods. I mean we read there they were every high place. They had him everywhere and You know what today in the same sense, there's an ecumenical church in every corner in America You want to go find a church? I mean we could we could put a blindfold on you spin you out and send you out the door You'd run into one eventually. They're everywhere. I Mean we go to we go to these other, you know, you go to these different parts of the country There's there's churches there every other corner Baptist churches Presbyterian churches You know and it was all whatever name your whatever flavor you like. It's out there and you can go have it and it's gonna be easy That's it's the same way today But does that mean all those people are preaching the right thing? Does it all mean that they're all got the right gospel? That they're all teaching the true way of salvation and even the ones then are they actually teaching you sound doctrine? Giving you the meat of the word or they just you know Just some fun Center, you know, a lot of them might have the right gospel, but then you go in there and it's just like Hey, this is how you get saved come back next Sunday I'll tell you how to get saved then come back Sunday after that So I had to get saved and then Sunday after that say I had to get saved and then Sunday after that I had to get saved that's what some of these churches are like and Or they're or they're bringing in some just some worldly program I remember when I before I got in a Baptist Church before I you know I was I was looking and searching and I went to this this, you know, the what do they call it? It was Bay Point just any church that has point in it. Look out city point Bay Point cross point There's all these point churches, you know, it's your point you the other way Now, I'm sure there's a Baptist Church out there with point. That's good. Don't don't go railing on them But you know, I went to this Bay Point and I remember their Christmas service there and it was the last service I went to I went there and they were meeting in a high school auditorium hundreds of people's in there and They're in the stage It lights up and this teenage girl comes out in a baller as she was a ballerina and and dressed You know dressed as like ballerinas dress, which is immodest Hello, and they went out there and dances her dance for Jesus And now little miss so-and-so is gonna come out and treat us to a special dance in honor of the Lord And I remember just looking around going how many men are in this place right now? Just lusting after this just looking at this this young woman dressed up like that. I said man This is this isn't worshiping God. This is a joke And I was last time I ever went same place before that they're bringing in, you know, they're they're they're going to r-rated movies They're showing r-rated movie clips. Nothing, you know explicit to illustrate their sermon And I can remember it was some I'm gonna date myself here. It was some Julia Roberts movie was my best friend's wedding I've never seen it except for when I went to that church. I Saw that much of it and they're like, who's you see here how this character was envious and covetous of her friends Blessing that came in her life and you know, God doesn't want us when other people are just this soft-spoken Little ditty, you know, maybe they had salvation, right? But they didn't I mean they didn't have anything else right and that certainly wasn't pleasing to God They'd be bringing in this worldly trash and trying to teach God's people Why don't just open up the book? I mean that are you that star? You can't find something out about covetous out of the Bible. You can't teach people about that using God's Word I'm gonna end up going off on a rant if I'm not careful But what the point I'm trying to make is those churches are everywhere in America Now how many independent fundamental Baptist churches are there that are actually got are right on the gospel and are actually doing the great are Actually trying to do what God told us to do and reach the world with Christ Few and far between you know, I'm not saying there aren't any other ones in Tucson. I hope there is You know and I'm sure that there is, you know, I've never been to them I've heard that there's others that have soul winning programs that are King James only praise God, but we're in the minority You know and and here's here's what I'm getting at is that You might have to go to the distance to serve God Physically, you know, you might you know, you might have the church across the street and it's real easy to get there But you know, it's the United Methodist, you know Church of the above, you know, Our Lady of the Abomination over there or whatever Some wicked ungodly church bringing all kinds of damnable heresy. Oh, but it's close You know and they got a nice song service You know, they got ballerinas over there You can catch up in on the latest r-rated movie might be a fun time But is it what God wants? You know, if you want to get in the right church, you might have to actually go the distance Literally might have to put some miles on the wheels, you know, you might have to you know You re up the the warranty on your vehicle and say well, you know what? It's gonna be another 20,000 miles a year if we're gonna go to church You know and I thought I saw a great example of this when I was in pure words Baptist Church down in Houston this last Weekend, I think you know, there was several families there But I think only one of them lived within 15 minutes. Everybody else was driving like an hour. I mean Houston's huge It's hard to put a church in a city that big put it in the right spot and please everybody Without with its locality. You just can't do it. It's impractical We're real close to this group of people. We're gonna be even farther from this group of people There were people driving an hour and a half. There was a people driving there two three hours every week to get to church How many churches do you think they passed on the way? That they could have just pulled in and say well I went to church and check it off Maybe even Baptist churches, but they're dead as a doornail if they're even right on anything at all They're they're a dime a dozen and that what God is showing us here by putting the tabernacle of one place Is that God is not worried about inconvenience you knew when it comes to worshiping him Because God went out of his way didn't he? I mean Jesus sure went out of his way for our sake when he left heaven and came down here and lived among men and died the death that he did I mean he certainly went the distance for us and And then we go. Oh, I gotta drive. I hear people all the time. Well, you guys are like 30 or 45 minutes away from us I'm thinking you city slicker 30 45 minutes when I lived in Michigan everything was 30 or 45 minutes. You were happy if it was 30 Oh, it's only 30 minutes. Oh great You know Everyone lives in the city if it's not within 10 minutes. Oh, that's too far It's like what in the world is wrong with you? You know, I don't understand it But people those they'll just not go to church because they will you know say well, you know I don't want to have to get up that early on Sunday and and just drive more than 30 minutes to anywhere Well shame on you if that's your attitude and you know, that's not gonna fly with God You're not gonna go to heaven. God's like why weren't you in church? Why didn't you learn to serve me? Why did you grow? Well, you were the only church was 30 minutes away. It's 45 minutes away was our way. Oh, I didn't yeah, you're right Sorry about that Well, you get a pass No way God's me like so and you know there's no excuse and You know and I and that's what I love about our brand of churches is that people make the distance they go the distance They go the extra mile literally, you know miles and they get here And because the problem today is that there's just too many people out there They want a no-cost Christianity and there's plenty of churches out there. That's exactly what they'll give you You can show up come as you are leave as you were it won't cost you nothing and you can pat yourself on the back And say I'm living for living for the Lord and too many people out there want that they want this no-cost Christianity I don't know if you're I should have kept have you kept something in there in the New Testament Go back to Matthew chapter 13 Matthew chapter 13 What did Jesus say in Matthew 10? We were reading earlier going to Matthew 13 He said he that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me He that loveth son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me and he that taketh not his cross and followeth after me Is not worthy of me He said he that findeth his life shall lose it and he that loseth his life for my sake shall find it There's too many Christians up today. They don't want to lose their life They don't want to lose it for Jesus sake they don't want and I'm not saying, you know Lay their life down literally and you know lose their head or something or be persecuted I'm saying they want to stay selfish. They want to make life all about them. They don't want to make it about serving God They don't want to be inconvenienced by God. They don't want to be inconvenienced by the church They don't like when the preacher gets up and preaches on their sin They don't like it when when somebody says thus say it the Lord They don't like the commandments of the Word of God and so they just give up on it and they just say well I quit Then it costs too much. It's inconvenient and You know what? That's not the example of Scripture So if we're looking for a no-cost Christianity that you're not looking for a biblical Christianity Because biblical Christianity will cost you something every time it's the example of Scripture from cover to cover I Mean we could start we could start with Abraham, you know God comes to Abraham and says hey leave your father leave your kindred behind and go into a strange land that thou knowest not And when you get there, then I'll tell you what's going on. I Mean people who can't go 30 45 minutes an hour to church. You think they're gonna make that journey? No way, but that's biblical Christianity And when we go to the scripture we see that anyone who has ever been used by God To any degree has paid a price for it. They've paid the price and You know, we can hit one example would be the Apostle Paul. I mean it was possible Paul I mean arguably you could say the greatest Christians ever lived that we know of Author of more books in the New Testament than anybody else I mean it saw did miracles preach great sermons let thousands to the Lord started churches everywhere Just a powerhouse for the Lord, but did he not pay a price? He paid a price Being stoned to death shipwrecked beaten multiple times Suffering, you know perils in the deep peril of his own countrymen You know you naked destitute poor Not knowing where he's gonna lay his head down not knowing where his next on that guy suffered for Christ, but he's also used So, I mean I could just imagine his reaction to some Christians that he would run into today Where they're like, well, you know Paul They wanted me to go 30 minutes across traffic on a midweek service I mean, I would just get there in time for the first song Paul You expect me to suffer like that? I Mean, can you imagine Paul's reaction to that like oh you you poor thing you poor little deer. I'm so sorry You had to go through that It's it's but people have this attitude. They want to know cross Christianity and it's just not biblical. It's not the Bible friend. I Mean you could talk about David go back go to Hebrews chapter 12 If you recall the story of David when God, you know government when when he numbers the people and God says hey I'm gonna I'm gonna judge you for doing this, you know, he sins and he says, you know, you can have pestilence you can have the wrath of man and He says and And he chooses the the angel the Lord comes right and the pestilence and he's killing The people of Israel and and David laments and says, you know, I'm the one who sinned the sin Well, what have these sheep done and God, you know repents and he go and tells him to go to hey go to the threshing hope floor where the angel stood and That's where are you are you? Aruna Aruna was there and he said wherefore is my lord the king come to his servant so he's coming to this threshing floor where this guy was and David said to buy the fleshing floor of thee to build an altar unto the Lord that the plague may be stayed from the people so he's coming to buy this threshing floor from him and Are you? Aruna said to David Let my lord the king take and offer what seemeth good unto him behold here be oxen and burnt sacrifice and Threshing instruments and other instruments for the oxen for wood. So he's not only willing to just Just give all these things. He said all these things did Ariana Excuse me, Aruna unto as a king give unto the king And said unto the king the Lord thy God accept thee so he's saying look here it had the threshing floor You know what you want to make a sacrifice. Here's the here's the plow Here's all the instruments that we use to bring in the harvest use that to burn the oxen and have a sacrifice I mean just giving this to David as a king gives unto a king Which is an interesting phrase? but he says uh But what does David say? Oh, thanks. Appreciate that and just do it. No if you recall the story David says nay, but I will surely buy it of thee at a price Why is that? Why did David say why didn't he just accept the gift? I mean was very generous. I Mean, I don't even think there would've been anything wrong with that, but this just shows the type of heart that David had He said I will buy it of thee at a price and he says neither will I offer burnt offerings unto the Lord of God Unto the Lord my God of that which just cost me nothing He says look, I'm not gonna offer a sacrifice in the guy when does it cost me anything? What kind of a sacrifice is that? Could you even really call it a sacrifice? I mean what think about how we use that word today, you know I'm gonna make a sacrifice. It means it's gonna cost you something You know, you're gonna give up something might be money on your pocket you might you might be your time You might be inconvenienced, you know You're sacrificing your time your energy your resources to do something for somebody else And that's what David's heart was he says look I'm gonna I want to be inconvenienced for God I want it to cost me something That's the heart he had and that's the heart that anybody that's ever done anything for Jesus Christ Has had a heart that's willing to say I want it to cost me something you know those people and pure words and other people people even in this church who go to great lengths to be here and And sometimes I wonder why? Preaching but just kidding. Well, you know, I'm like those people are they're glad to be there and They're you know, why else would they make that trip? they want to be there and they're happy to be there and And and they have joy, you know why because they're serving God and it cost them something they're making an effort You know it that's the way it is in life anything that's that that's worth doing should cost us something You know if it's just you know, they're saying easy come easy go You know if it comes easy, it's gonna go easy But when you toil for something when you put effort into it when it costs you something it becomes dear unto you becomes precious It becomes a sacrifice and that's the kind of attitude we have to have when we serve God That's the attitude that Paul had it's the attitude that David had and not only that It's the attitude that Jesus Christ had Look there in Hebrews chapter 12 verse 2 looking unto Jesus the author and finish of our faith. He's saying look here's your example Christ For who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross? Despising the same shame and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God For consider him that endured such contradiction of sinners against himself lest ye be wary to minds and faint in your minds Look at verse 4 and ye have not resisted unto blood striving against sin Look, I don't care what the Christian life is costing you What it is how inconvenience you are. You have not resisted unto blood strike at sin You haven't I mean some people might but I doubt anyone in this room has gone to that length He's comparing it to what Christ went through Despising the shame of the cross. He endured a cross for our sake have we resisted unto that Have we have we resisted not doing the will of God to the point where we ended up, you know crucified Striving unto blood no and Paul says that he have not striving against sin Well, the Christian life's just so hard tell it to Jesus Go tell him about how hard your life is now, I'm not I'm not making life of people's trials and tribulations. They are hard But let's not get an attitude of just oh, it's so difficult I just don't know but you know people begin to despair and they just use that as their spiritual excuse to get out and to really and to excuse themselves from living the Christian life and You know what? Well go you haven't resisted unto blood and when you get there Then you can then you can talk to the Lord about it then maybe then maybe God might might lend you near there Bible says in Proverbs if thou fate in the day of adversity that strength is small, you know What's gonna stop what it's gonna take to stop you in the Christian life What is it gonna take to stop you? An hour and a half round trip that does it for some people. Well, I would serve God but that it's too far you know the inconvenience of Look and I'm not and I don't want anyone to get the impression that I don't that I You know feel like I'm inconvenienced for coming down here. It's my job to come down here I love coming down here, but that's an hour and a half both ways and to me It's like going to get a jug of milk at this point Really? It is. It's just I make that drive. I could do a blindfolded not that I have Right, but I mean, I'm I better be careful what I say there. But you know, I'm weaving in and out. I'm doing night now I'm just kidding But you know, I here's the thing. I tell some people that like also do you live in Tucson? You know, I got I go to visit these other churches. I tell them what I'm doing They say also do you live in Tucson? No, I live in Phoenix Well, how far is Tucson from Phoenix? Well from this door to that door and faithful word in Tempe. It's 102 miles A little factoid you don't get anything else tonight. You got that Right. It's about an hour and a half give or take with traffic and how fast you go And I don't recommend speeding on the ten, you know nine you're fine ten you're mine just remember that That's what the that's when I was always I always abide by that rule and it's worked so far but But I mean I say that people go wow That's so far, you know, then I think a pastor Jonathan Shelley who goes from Dallas Fort Worth to Houston once a week Which is four hours one way You know what I bet he's glad to do it I'm not saying he doesn't get he probably gets weary probably gets tired I'm sure it's not easy on the flesh. But you know what? It's what we're here to do to sacrifice To have God cost us something have it cost us something to serve God and when he gets there Just like when I get here, you know, well, I came all this way. You might as well do something for God We might as well make it count because this is precious unto us That's the example the Bible says in Proverbs 13 the desire accomplished is sweet to the soul the desire accomplished is sweet to the soul Isn't it nice when you work really hard at something and you finally complete it? I Mean whatever area it is, you know, you could think about, you know, we got a lot of younger people that are you know That are in school, you know, you got some big tests coming up You got a cram you got a study you got to put all these hours in You got to not go out with a friend you can't got to not enjoy that extra hour of video games or whatever it is Whatever fun you had you to put that aside and really work on this to make sure you get a good score Man, when that good score comes back, is that not sweet to the soul? You know we any area of life when we think about child rearing It'd be just so easy to just just let the kids raise themselves and just raise another spoiled brat You know, but it's parents who want to get it done, you know, they get after there they teach they instruct they Correct, they love they're patient they're kind they're firm they do all this hard work And then when they turn out a good godly Christian young person tell me what that's going to be sweet to the soul The desire accomplished but you know what it didn't come easy. It wasn't convenient and anything in life That that that is worth having is not going to come easy Because it's challenging and that is the Christian life it's not convenient. And in fact, it's challenging It's not convenient and in fact, it's challenging I got to move on here I know i'm going long here, but go back to deuteronomy. We'll get into verse seven And a 30-some verses The challenging christian life is a rewarding life That's what we need to understand tonight. Why does god say hey one place? This is the only place you're going to worship me when you get over there It's going to be a challenge for you to get there because when I got there it meant something to them it cost them something And it was a challenge and i'm glad the christian life is challenging i'm glad it's not easy easy is boring And we I mean, yeah, it might be it might be nice sometimes But easy is usually boring you get it gets dull fast We want a challenge in life You know, the christian life is challenging and i'm glad it is He says there in verse seven and therefore and there you shall eat before the lord your god and you shall rejoice You know, so it's like hey when you get there don't have this I made it. Well, i'm here. He says when you get there rejoice, you know, I made the church today Well how much longer You know, is that the attitude we have when we walk through the the the doors of god's house Or do we rejoice say hey i'm with god's people Let's sing. Praise unto our god. I'm going to listen to preach somewhere to god. I'm going to learn something from the bible today You know and one thing I I heard and just so much of what I heard down in uh pure words is just resonating with me and when I read this is that Those people were glad to be there and some people are like, yeah, we drive two hours to get here, but they weren't like We drive two hours to get here They're like, hey, we don't i'm like they weren't they didn't come to me. I'm so like I was trying to bum a ride back to the hotels what's going on? I'm like, so which way do you live how far and you know because I didn't want any convenience anybody I don't think just because I come to town. Everyone's got their life's got to stop. They got to pander to me But they go we know we live uh, we live north. I'm like, oh how far about two hours? That's how they said it. I'm like you wouldn't believe how far we go two hours. Can you believe that? You know And when somebody said I can't remember what they said And they're like, but you know what? At least we got a great church to go to They were just glad to go to church somewhere Because what's the other option? What if that church wasn't there? What if this church wasn't here? Where would you go? It's it's uh, it's a jungle out there It really is you don't know, you know, you know what you're gonna get anymore You know, you can get some anyway Who knows? I don't want to go off The point being you know, it might be a challenge, but it's rewarding. Okay, you know, you might have to go that extra distance But when you get there, it's going to be rewarding. You're going to do what you're going to rejoice And he goes on to verse eight. You should not do all the things that you uh, we do here this day Every man whatsoever is right is in those eyes And he goes on let's just jump down to verse 12 and he says and he shall rejoice before the lord your god And he says look when you get there You're going to rejoice and ye and your sons and your daughters and your men servants your maid servants the levite that is within your gates For as much as he hath no part or inheritance with you He said take heed thyself unto thyself not to burn offerings in every place that thou seest But in the place which the lord shall choose in any of thy one of thy tribes There shalt thou offer thy burnt offerings and there shalt thou do all that I command thee So god is like look it's not convenient convenient when you get there and when you get there I'm going to tell you what to do and you're going to do it And that's the way it is today. You know, we get here and the preacher gets up and says let's say it the lord And you go man, I drove an hour to get my face ripped yep You know, I think that's bad try moving 2 000 miles across the country to get your face ripped That's what I did And I left michigan thinking some like some hot shot Because I was just a you know, uh, you know A big fish in a small pond and you get out there you get around people who actually know the word Again, or a preacher who actually you know, preaches the whole council of god And doesn't you know, you know is no respecter of persons and you start to feel about this big You know the pastor gets up and starts ripping on your sin You know, like I drove 2 000 miles for the future to make me look like a dummy in front of my wife Good night, and you know what he says rejoice be glad Because it's going to challenge you it's going to make you better The bible says in psalm 122. I was glad when they said to me let us go into the house of the lord Oh that every child would know that verse every sunday morning It's time to go to church Not that it's ever questioned in in most people's houses They know but hey get in we're late where you know, well, I don't know. Maybe you're not late We got to go. We don't want to be late, right? The kids Here we go again I don't know. Maybe it's just because mine are still real young man. They they look and they love that dress They say to me, you know, dad, we love going to tucson because they got we got our friends down there They say but that drive That drive dad. I say well, what's wrong with the drive you get in and on the way back like oh, yeah You know Are we is that our attitude? When you know sunday morning rolls around it's time to go to church I was glad when they said to me, let us go in the house of the lord He said one thing of I desire to the lord that will I seek that I might dwell in the house of the lord All the days of my life How's that for three three to thrive All the days of my life to behold the beauty lord acquired his temple You say well, I don't know. It's just sometimes it's just such a drag to get the family to get in the car to get over here But so far You know, I know what it's like to struggle with car seats I hate those things I hate them You know And in everything that comes along we have to pack up a family and get get somewhere And you know what I never do though, well, it's such a drag That I got to go to tucson and serve god With people that love god You think that's a drag to me? No way Love it I look forward to it excited about it. I was excited right in the sermon. So I can't wait to get down there and preach it Because my heart's right with god And if coming to church and being inconvenienced by god is a drag to you your heart's not right with god That's the way it is And just remember we'll move on here You know, we have to be willing to suffer the reproach the inconvenience, but also the reproach Especially this time of year, you know of of being the churchy one in the family, right? You know, he's the one that got religion as they say You know, well jesus suffered the reproach of the cross, you know Bible says wherefore jesus also that he might sanctify the people with his own blood Suffered without the gate. Let us go forth therefore unto him without the camp bearing the reproach So, you know when you be able to be willing to bear that reproach, you know again, especially to those around us And I think especially this time of year to our immediate family You know, what do you mean you don't drink anymore? What do you mean you're not gonna? You play beer pong, you know What do you mean you're not gonna smoke this with me Whatever it is What what do you mean you don't want to hear any more dirty jokes? You love, you know, you love uncle so-and-so's dirty jokes It was the highlight of the christmas season every year right What do you mean you're not going to be there because of church I remember when I started that the whole i'm going to church i'm going to be there And i'm not saying if you're not here three times a week that you're not right with god But i'm saying some people that getting here one time a week can be a real struggle And you know, sometimes we let things become more of a priority to us than church But sometimes you know when we decide you know what i'm going to be in church no matter what? When you decide that and that's the decision people have to make that they're going to be in church no matter what? Because life's going to come up and when you decide that I mean i'm not saying you know when you get sick, please if you get sick stay home. Don't come make me sick Don't come make everybody else sick And then next week there's even less people here. Okay, if you're sick stay home But i'm saying, you know You stubbed your toe when you got out of the bed then we're okay go to church You know Or we say hey, nothing's going to get in the way You know, hey, you know your nephew's having a birthday party Sunday, it's going to start at 10 30. It's going to go all day. Oh, sorry. I got to go to church that day You know that's going to cause reproach They're going to go. Oh Excuse us For bothering you for inconvenience you they'll get the message eventually if you're consistent But it brings their approach doesn't it to those around you? But you know what god's not worried about inconvenience you god's not caught and not worried about making me you have a little bit of reproach for going to church It might get you that weird weird look Oh, you got to go to church every sunday the neighbors see you pulling out again In that in that big vehicle with all those kids There goes those church people again. Oh, it's wednesday, you know, seven o'clock almost they must be on their way to church again You know, they were just there sunday twice. I don't you know Don't bother Inviting them to the you know, the neighborhood potluck that day because they won't be there because they're church people You know and some people they just that that's too much from i don't want to be considered a church person You know, it might get you the weird look, but you know what? When you're pulling out of the driveway and the neighbors are watering their lawn on sunday morning And then you go see ya When you get here, there's joy. There's rejoicing Who cares about the weird look from the weird neighbor? right And people think oh it's such a drag it's so hard to get there and they forget how good church really is You know if it really is drag you're not getting out of it. You know, you should probably search your heart because It should be a place that you come to and rejoice even if it even conveniences you I mean look here in verse 15. Tell me if this doesn't sound like a baptist church Notwithstanding thou mayest kill and eat flesh and all thy gates right always about eating them baptist Whatsoever thy soul lusteth after according to the blessings of the lord thy god What you giveth thee the unclean and the clean may eat thereof as the robe look as the heart and so on and so forth And then he says only that shalt not eat the blood you shall pour on the water on the earthless water verse 17 Thou mayest not eat within thy gates the tithe of thy corn or of thy wine or thy oil or the first things of the herds of thy flock or if any of thy vows with thou vowest nor freewill offerings or heave offerings of thy own hand, but thou Uh, but thou must eat them before the lord thy god in the place which lord thy god shall choose thy son and thy son, uh thy son And thy daughter and they may in sovereign so on and so forth So god's saying look it's not like you don't get to eat the rest of the time But you're going to bring the tithe and the offering and everything to the place. I determine You know, he's talking about tithing there And he's saying look you're going to bring it to me You know, that's the one thing about that's one thing about tithing is that it gets you in church You know, I'm not going to go off on tithing I preached a whole sermon on tithing a few months back but You know, here's a little perspective on it because some people think this can be a real thing for people when it comes to tithing You know and people oh here you go. Here goes the preacher again about money. I never preach about money up. You're hardly ever Give me a break You know your money perish with you if you got a problem with it But here's here's some perspective because I remember when I first started tithing. I don't know if I made some some, you know Grumbling remark to another brother in christ or something, but he said hey just remember this god lets you keep 90 At least it's not the other way around Where god's like, how about you give me 90 and you keep 10? Right. Well, at least god doesn't do that You know, he's saying look you get to eat all this other flesh but just bring the tithe would you get it in there And god lets us keep it. It could be the other way around and think about the benefit from the tithe Did you know that we all benefit from the tithe? It's not just the preacher. It's just not the pastor and the deacon and people that aren't staff That yeah, it pays their salary because everyone has a right to earn a living and this is work believe it or not But you know everybody benefits from it I mean think about the fact that we even get to have a preacher You know that he gets to bring, you know Solid, you know meaty sermons that edify the body of christ Those don't write themselves You know, it takes hours of writing and studying dedication of of of digging in and you know Taking heed of the word and and then not neglecting the word, you know of being with it You know having a preacher how about having a building? Doesn't pay for itself takes the tithe Those nice comfy chairs that you have takes the tithe, you know And you know He says there in verse 19 take heed to thyself that thou forsake not the levite as long as thou livest upon the earth So he's saying look don't forget to go and pay your tithe Don't forget to get there and and bring the offerings because back then the levite he counted on it He didn't have an inheritance among the brethren. He didn't have land, you know, he was counting they were they were gonna They were gonna be uh, they were gonna minister in the tabernacle the things of god setting it up bringing it down all the service thereof and the singing and the teaching of the word of god and Making the sacrifices that was a full-time job And god's saying look if you if you neglect that you're forsaking your brother you're forsaking the levite and you're forsaking god's house And people are guilty of this today when they forsake church, you know this house church movement And their number one gripe is that they they anyone who wants to sit on a church and what they go after is the tithe Because you're hard-pressed to find any church that doesn't Preach that you should tithe So if you can just say well tithing I don't believe in tithing anyone that preaches tithing. I can't go to their church You've just eliminated yourself from 99 of all churches And now it's going to be you and a couple buddies in your living room and you're going to call that church And just remember this when it comes to the tithe god wants the tithe not the preacher You know, I I don't have any problem. I could do this and go work a full-time job and be glad to do it And i'm thankful that you know, I go to a church where this is my job I pinch myself every morning and say is this really my life. Am I really this blessed that I get to do this And i'm very grateful for it, but I wouldn't have any problem if you know Had to move down here and become the pastor and go work a full-time job. I'd be glad to do it Just remember it's god that wants to tithe Even when you're robbing god when you say well, we're not going to tithe. We're not going to go to church, you know I'm kind of going off the tithing. I said I wouldn't but I did Verse 20. He says when the lord thy god shall enlarge thy border as he promised thee and shall say I will eat Flesh because the lord thy soul long with the flesh thou mayest eat flesh whatsoever thy soul lusteth after so, you know, it's not like god is just Telling them you're going to bring all this stuff and it's going to be hard And you're not going to enjoy it and you're going to just watch that leave. I'd sit there and eat it in your face, right? You say no, you know, you're going to get there and god's going to allow you to enjoy the fruits of your labor God's going to let you eat with the levite. That was what went on back then You know, they got to go there and it was for the poor It was for the levite and they themselves got to partake of it And that my friend is the old testament potluck right there And the same thing goes on today. We're having how many functions that we had were hey the church paying for this Hey the church paying for that, you know, it all comes out of the tithe so You know, i've gone long already probably just wrap it up right there. But you know God is not against you succeeding and enjoying the fruits of your labor. That was my next point But let's just go ahead and close the word of prayer