Hey man, you know what the greatest thing about being able to sing a song like that is it's not just being here at South The Union on Sunday mornings we talked about that and to be able to just sing a song as beautiful as that with the words That's not the greatest thing is is to be able to sing that song about a person Who is really real like we said in our lesson Wednesday night God's not just a word that's printed on a page He's not somebody that we all profess to believe in even though we know he's really not real like maybe the Easter Bunny He's not just something that's been a part of some cultures history that's been passed down from generation through generation through Stories and this he is an actual living real person that we get together together and worship just like we're doing right now This morning isn't that wonderful? Hey man, we're gonna be reading in Matthew chapter 4 in just a moment We're gonna read just one verse there to get our thought we're gonna read verse 4 I remember listening to this comedian one time and he was talking about his mama and it's just something about Things that mama say I don't know how many times growing up when my kids I would say something and they would come back This would be their response well mama said it's always it's like there's more emphasis foot on something mama says than Then anybody else and so this comedian was talking about this with with his mom He said my mama told me one time he said when I was getting on the scuba She said boy when you get off this afternoon when you get off that scuba said 4 15 You go in that house and you lock that door and you don't open that door for nobody till I get home at 9 o'clock Do you understand me? He said yes, ma'am and I was shaking he said cuz when mama said something she mean it So he goes to school at 4 15 he gets off the scuba's he goes in that house and he locks that door just like mama See it he fixes him a peanut butter and jelly sandwich he sits down He's getting ready to watch his afternoon cartoons and all of a sudden there was a knock at the door when he he goes And who is it she said boy? This is your grandi.
He don't know what let me in. Oh, granny I can't do that My mama told me to lock this door and don't open this door for nobody boy. You better let me in that house I don't come all this way took me two buses to get here now Let me in I can't do that granny He said you welcome to sit there on that porch or you can take them two buses back home But I'm not opening this door go mama said don't open the door for nobody and when mama says something she means it He went sat back down about 30 minutes later is another knock to door he gets me so who is it? Well, it's your daddy open this door.
Oh, daddy. I can't do that boy. You got me and you got your granny sitting out here And I'm standing out here with all these groceries. Open this door right now I ain't doing that to any mama said don't open that door for nobody boy if you don't open this door right now I'm gonna tear your rear ear in a okay, daddy I understand that but you gonna have to wait the nine o'clock tonight But mama said don't open this door for nobody tonight and when mama says something she means it You know anybody like that?
I think about some of y'all probably open up to remember these EF Letting commercials remember they all broke her EF let and then they would start out somebody would say well my brokers EF letting and EF letting see it I remember one particular commercial these two guys were walking through an airport and the cameras on the M and This one guys talking about his broker. He said my broker says this is a good investment What is your broker saying here? You know the old line says well my brokers EF Hutton and EF Hutton said and then the camera starts panning out and everybody in the whole airport leaning in to hear what he Fletting said did y'all know I've got somebody better than EF Hutton I've got God and I've got God said I want you want us to read and in Matthew chapter four beginning in in verse four of just what Jesus Said about the things God says so let's stand right now as we honor the reading of God's word in Matthew chapter four We're getting in in verse four. This is what Jesus says But he answered and said it is written may and shall not live by bread alone But by every word that preceded out of the mouth of God Then if I we come to you again and we are so thankful to have you in our presence to know that that we don't have to profess You as being real but inside we just kind of really know you're not God You're as real as there's ever being anything if anything in our lives It's real it's you and you manifest that every week as we gather together and we worship you and we thank you for being present with us We pray for your Holy Spirit to keep us focused on what you say and that we would understand the importance of hanging and living by Every word that you say we ask all of this in Jesus name amen.
I want you to think about what Jesus is saying here's one verse We we know the context of it and he's being tempted in the wilderness by Satan Satan's trying to get him to do Different things and and he finally tells him he says you know what you can say what you want Satan But man shall not live by bread alone But by everywhere that preceded from the mouth of God so think of the impact that the words coming from the mouth of God Have and and really not just some words but every single word so far today. I want us to consider just these two words God said I mean what clarity there is what confidence there is what what certainty there is in just those two words God said I heard tell there was this young preacher one time and he was really trying to impress an older preacher there And he had probably heard somebody else make the statement and he said yeah, you know brother He said I'm gonna tell you God said it I believe it and that settles it any of you've heard that saying you say it all the time and that older preacher just kind of smiled at him I said so I you still got something to learn because I'm gonna tell you something God said it that settles it and That's honestly truly the way it is these two words They first came into existence are really into prominence in the very beginning of at all in the very beginning of the creation of this world And of man God said appears over ten times in just the first chapter of Genesis God said it Go it is just repeated many other times in chapters two three and four and those words God said appears throughout the Bible It appears just hundreds of times in in some form. It may be God said it may be the Lord said it may be he said with a with a capital H Why is there so much emphasis who know what God said? Why is the what God said like every word that comes out of his mouth that we truly live?
Well, that's what we're gonna talk about today We know it's that way because we're number one of just the person so we're talking about God said so who is this person that we refer to It's God God said so the person is God I want to just think about his name just a little while we refer to him as God and but honestly He has really he has many names and it just depending on whoever you're talking to and and what they consider to be a name God has anywhere from 24 to 650 names. That's a wide range of names, right? How many of you have that many names? I've got more than one just depends on how many of the other is that you know how many names I have But can you imagine anywhere from 24 to 650 names if they were just 24 names?
I mean that's a lot of names there for some of the familiar ones. There's Yahweh, Adonai, El Shaddai, Jehovah, Elohim That's just to name a few but for just today. I want to just take one. Let's take that name Yahweh And it just simply means to be it's it's the title of the self-existent one Yahweh It's the name of God himself And this is the name that God used when he told Moses He was telling Moses to go back to Pharaoh and and to speak to Pharaoh on his behalf to let his people go and Moses said Well who when Pharaoh asked me who sent me what am I to say?
This is the name that God used he said you tell him I am sent you and so it was a name that was considered so sacred That the ancient Jews weren't even allowed to utter it out loud When they said God's name out loud they would they would say Elohim which is the supreme one the sovereign one We learned this past Wednesday night just the strongest one and that's the name that they would say out loud. It's been said I don't know if it's true or not But it's been said that this name was considered so sacred and so sovereign that as they were copying the words Say the words written by Moses or some of the other writers as they were copying those words when they would come to this name of God They was considered so sovereign They would put the ink wheel down that they were using and they had one special ink wheel that they would pick up just to write that one Word the name of God so to these ancient Jews it was a very sacred name Yahweh God So just think about that name the self-existed one the supreme one the sovereign one So there's the name that we're referring to God said that person and it's but it's not just the name It's the number you see God has a number God referred to as the triune God He's a three-in-one God the God the Father God the Son God the Holy Spirit We call it the Trinity and what this Trinity and does it we often look at it as a confusing thing But something that he didn't able is God to do is this Trinity enables God to exist in all places at all times throughout all ages Because of simply of his number God exists in heaven But you know what he exists here in earth also He is as much right here with us this morning as he is in heaven That's the God that we're referring to he exists in the human world and he exists in the spirit world God has lived in in the flesh of man here on earth as well as the Father has reached into the universe God exists there in those places God has lived in the past He lives in the present and God is even living in the future This is the person that we're referencing today with these two words God said oh think about just think about the notoriety of this person God I have notoriety just simply means to be well known and believe me God is well-known God's well known just simply for who he is I want to ask you something have you ever heard someone when you've just mentioned the name God and you said God Have you ever heard anyone say who? Right I know some of y'all go off and talk about me You know she say brother Curtis you go get out there and you're gonna be talking about brother Curtis We're brother Curtis and somebody's gonna say who right we hear that about people all the time We we call them by name and somebody ask who have you ever heard anyone respond that way when they heard the name God who? No, because everybody knows who God is now There are those who profess not to believe in him, but they still don't ask who when you mention his name They know exactly who God is they're just choosing not to believe in him.
That's the notoriety in it You see God's well known just simply for who he is but also for what he's done For what he's doing and what he's gonna do you see God is known as the creator of the universe He's known as the sustainer of life He's known as the provider and the protector He's known as the merciful, but yet the just judge God is known as simply the giver of life or the living God So he's not just known by his name for who he is as God But he's known for what he has done what he's doing and yes what he's even gonna do there is God is very well known For all of these things listen to what the apostle Paul writes to the Romans concerning this notoriety of God in Romans chapter 1 beginning in verse 18 Paul writes for the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of Men who hold the truth in unrighteousness because that which may be known of God is Manifest in them for God has showed it unto them for the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen Being understood by the things that are made even his eternal power and God hit so that they are without excuse Paul is simply writing Everybody knows who God is he has been revealed to them They and because of that they are without excuse because that 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 and you see all men all men know Who God is what he's done what he's doing and what he's gonna do there are just some who choose to deny it all and not listen To what God said and I think what a shame that is and what a waste that is really what a mistake that is To deny all of that and not listen you see God. He doesn't just say stuff to be saying it He's kind of like that comedian's mama when God says something he means it He's not just suggesting something to us. He's he's giving us something that we need so God said is it's it's something not just coming from a person But it comes with a purpose think about all that God said we read our Bibles we and everything that's involved think about all that God has said I'm telling you God's not like some of us God doesn't just talk to hear himself talk Y'all know anybody like that just loves to talk They're just talking talking talking all the time really doesn't have a lot to say but man They're talking gods not that way when God's talking believe me He's got a purpose behind what he's saying in his in his talk God has said what he has said so that number one We just might simply have a law that's a word some of us may not like much But you just think of this and it's simplest form what is law? It's it's a system by which the actions of a group can be regulated or governed that's law rules whatever you want to call them It's a system by which the actions of a group can be regulated or governed you see we as human beings We don't have the ability to govern ourselves We you know maybe sometimes we think we do but we don't we don't have the ability to control our actions We simply don't have the ability to be good We got we learned this this is what God said number one God says there's nothing good within us We don't have the ability within ourselves to be good.
There is nothing good within us the apostle Paul said this of himself And we're talking about the apostle Paul. He said for I know that in me that is in my flesh dwelleth no good thing So we know that there we don't have the ability to be good our hearts are totally deceitful and Desperately are are incurably wicked. There's nothing we ourselves can do about that and Jeremiah the prophet writes the heart is Deceitful above all things and desperately wicked who can know it and then all of this wrong and all of this evil There's nothing good within us. We don't have the ability to be good our hearts are on evil all the time They're desperately wicked and then with all of this wrong and with all of this evil as we look at it within ourselves It just somehow all seems so right in our eyes Proverbs 14 12 says there is a way which seems right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death So you see without having what God said without God's law we'd be lawless We'd be without restraint So God said so that we would know some things you see God's law Shows us first of all our need for a Savior And that's really the main message of the law that he's given us that we need a Savior Paul writes this in Galatians Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us under Christ that we might be justified by faith without the law Remember we'd be thinking everything's right and there'd be no restraint within us So it's God's law shows us our need for a Savior But God didn't say all that he said just to show us our need for a Savior God's law also gives us restraint in just society as a whole You stop and think about it And you look at most of the and I'm gonna say the basic laws most of the basic laws in society today are actually based on what God is Said why is murder against the law?
Because God said why is stealing robbery against the law because God has said because God said so without God saying You see there'd be no restraint in society remember now. We don't have the ability to govern ourselves Without what God said even as it's in twine in society Every man would be doing what seemed right in his own eyes We'd have we'd have all we've stated that there's no good thing within us no good thing in the eyes of man Proverbs 21 2 says every way of a man is right in his own eyes But the Lord ponder at the hearts that that word there that's translated ponder it actually means to regulate in other words God's here Is this real and living being and he's he's regulating our hearts? We could say he's controlling or he's governing our hearts wide because man can't govern his heart He can't do it on his own but God can and so that's why God said that's the purpose behind all of this that we have You see God's law helps us live as God's people we think back to those those ancient Hebrews that were in Egyptian bondage And they had been there for 400 years it being told by the Egyptians how to live what to do what they could do and what they couldn't do And then now then they're set free By God in their release from that Egyptian bondage and they're free to be his people and as God looked at these people Even though they were his people he saw me in the flesh and he actually saw no good thing He saw their inability to govern themselves. They didn't know what was right and wrong They had always been told what was right and wrong.
He could simply could not leave it up to them So the first thing God did in this in this legendary relationship after he's lead led them out of Egyptian bondage He gives them the way he tells them how he would have them to live as his people in other words He set up some rules to live by and God sent a lot of stuff to them at that time And this was their response in actually this 1980 says and all the people entered together and said all that the Lord That's spoken we will do so God's given them his law They've agreed to do that in the New Testament Paul wrote this concerning what God had said in 2 Timothy 3 16 and 17 He says all scripture is given by inspiration of God and is profitable for doctrine for reproved for correction for instruction in righteousness That the man of God may be perfect early furnished unto all good works Did you get it? Yes this book that we have right here that preachers preach out of every Sunday that we study out of and we we we read Yes, this book right here these words were written by me But did you get what the apostle Paul said all scripture is given by inspiration of God? So yes, man wrote these words, but here's what man wrote man wrote what God said Did you see the success and and how we're able to live? It's profitable for reproved correction instruction in righteousness that the man of God may be perfect mature and thoroughly furnished in other words That we as God's people may be able to live as God's people that is the purpose behind God saying all of this that he said it's only because of what God said that we know how to live as his people God said all these things that he said that we might live that we might have law and that but also that we might live in Liberty and Liberty we know that's just simply freedom So listen to what the prophet Isaiah said concerning this message that God sends him what God said and I say a 61 one it says the spirit of the Lord God is upon me because the Lord hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the Me he has sent me to bind up the broken hearted to proclaim Liberty to the captives and the opening of the prison to them that are Bound so there's that work so God what God is saying to us so often people want to look at it And they want to have them by and said of man this God.
He's saying all this stuff He's just trying to hold me down. He just wants to keep me back. He doesn't want me to live my life It's no what God has said the purpose is that we might actually live in Liberty Listen to what James writes over in the New Testament He says but who's so looking at under the perfect law of Liberty and continue with their hymn He being not a forgetful here, but a doer of the work this man shall be blessed in his deed We when we choose to live according to what God says we are free from so many things in life We're not bound. We're not restricted Satan would have us believe that but God has said what he said that we might be free And not bound by these things like sin and its consequences We know it we we keep talking about it because it keeps being true Seeing comes with consequences.
It always comes with consequences. Sometimes they may be minor sometimes they may be major Sometimes the consequences are life-changing. You know what sometimes those consequences might be life-ending But seeing always comes with consequences. I remember Jim Carrey was in a movie and and that guy's just an idiot But he's in this movie the movie's liar liar y'all make some of y'all maybe I've seen the movie But in this movie he's a lawyer and not only is he a lawyer because of something that happens He becomes a lawyer who cannot lie.
Can y'all see where that could be a bad problem for a lawyer He's a lawyer who cannot lie It's getting in all kind of trouble and there's a scene in that movie where his secretary comes to him and he's get A phone call from one of his clients. He says here So and so is in jail again, and he's just won't your advice and he gets up on the phone He says here's my advice stop breaking the law See if you don't want to go to jail don't break the law You know what if you don't want to suffer the consequences of seeing guess what? Don't see it and that's exactly what God has said and by living according to what God has said We stay away from sin and we stay away from sins consequences remember within our hearts. There is no good thing Everything seems right in our eyes.
We can't go by how we feel we can't go by what we say or what we think But praise God he has come along and he's released us from that bondage of sin and its consequences through what he has said He's released us from sin and his deception. We refer to that a lot the Apostle Paul told the Corinthians that they were not ignorant of Satan's devices Why was that because they had what God has said you see when Satan says that sin is right? We simply know better than that When Satan gets a knot in his tail like he did with Adam and Eve y'all remember that God said thou shalt surely die Satan said Thou shalt not surely there was a knot in his tail y'all get that y'all are as bad as this when he's the night crowd when it comes to my jokes They're just too sophisticated for y'all. I guess He's so We know when Satan's got that knot in his tail and when he says something's not sin we know better You see we're not food like Adam and he were how does that happen?
Why are we that way because God said so yeah as we live according to what God said we're free from some things We're not in bondage to those things, but we're also free in some things You see we're free in the spirit of God and say it great things free 17 It says now the Lord is that spirit and where the spirit of the Lord is there's liberty Relations 516 Paul writes this I say then walk in the spirit and he shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh So here we have because God said this is how I want you to live This is what I want you to do when we do that we're actually walking in freedom Now it may be fighting against everything this flesh stands for it may feel like in this flesh We're so constricted and so restricted But we're actually walking in freedom because the spirit when we're living as God said the spirit is there in front of us As we walk through our life and he's kind of like this these buffer things Maybe some of you seen these cattle trucks and they have this special bumper on the front of these trucks They're just kind of bumping the cattle out of the way as they drive through that pasture full of cattle as we live according to what God has said We're actually walking in the spirit which means he's out there in front of us And he's like that cattle bumper and all so many things in life that would restrict us in our walk with God That would slow us down or hold us back that would actually put us in the bondage that holy spirit is just kind of moving Them out of the way as we walk freely through life walking according to what God has said Yes, God what God said has a purpose that we might have law that we might live in liberty God said simply that we might just have life You see Satan tried to lie to Jesus just like he lied to Eve And this is what Jesus said, but he answered and said it is written man Shall not live by bread alone But by every word that proceeded out of the mouth of God you see there in that terrible time of temptation Jesus refused to sin on that day he and he went on to die as our sinless Savior just like God said And before Jesus died Peter said actually said these words to that Jesus he said Lord to whom shall we go? Thou have has the words of eternal life Later in the book of Acts Peter and John are visited by this angel in this angel tells them go stand and speak In the temple to the people all the words of this life. So there is no doubt that true life Is it when what God said any other life is just in existence? We refer to the verse over in John where Jesus said meaning he said I have come not only that they might have life But they might have life more abundant in other words I've come that you might not just have an existence But that you might actually have real life a better life that's more than just in existence And so that's the purpose for which this person of God has said what are you saying?
God said so that we might have life real life in that wonderful purpose God said so on these words that God has spoken they just come with so much potential Just think of the results of what God has said what can become of what God said God said Let there be light and what happened there was light. I don't know that y'all but I'm thankful for light right And it's all because of what God said and so this is what we know of God God's in all places at all times God can do all things he is above all things and he's before all things So can you try to imagine the potential of what God has said someone who is in all places at all times? Someone who can do all things someone who who is Even before all things can you think of the potential that can things that can happen as a result of what a person like that says Well because God said We can be saved. I make that we've take that for granted.
It makes sound like a simple thing But let's put into context what we've already learned what we've discussed we as human beings now We're talking about because of what God has said we can be saved we as human beings in which there is no good thing whose hearts are desperately wicked and full of deceit in whose eyes all things seem right all of that can be changed and We can have a new heart and we can have a new sight we as human beings who were born into sin That means we were born sinners we were born already guilty and destined to die can be rescued from all of that Jesus himself He said this in John 3 17 and 18 for God sitting on his son into the world to condemn the world but that the world through him might be saved He that believe it on him is not condemned But he that believe is not it's condemned already because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten son of God Did you catch the condemned already you see that's where we're at as human beings we're condemned already We're born that way there is no chance to change anything But because God said we can be saved and you think about being condemned already as if that's not bad enough We're totally unable to do anything about it This is what Paul said in Romans 5 6 for when we were yet without strength in due time Christ died for the ungodly yet Without strength the new living translation. It says it this way while we were utterly helpless So what here we are we're living as human beings and while we were utterly helpless Christ died for the ungodly We refer to fees in chapter 2 verse and those verses through there where the writer is referring to us in a time pass And listen to what God says at that time that at that time he were without Christ being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers from the covenants of promise Having no hope we were utterly helpless if you're sitting here today without Jesus Christ as your Savior You're sitting there utterly helpless to change anything about it You can wait as long as you want to wait you can try anything and everything but you're utterly helpless You're without hope God himself is said that without hope we can be saved from all of that from death to an abundant life Because God said but not just saved because God said we can live successfully Listen to what he says to Joshua This is shortly after Joshua was appointed this new leader of these Israelites going into the promise land and God starts off It's Joshua. He says I got some advice for you Joshua And just some words of wisdom Joshua I'm fixing to tell you the secret to a successful life and then God said the book this book of the law Shall not depart out of their mouth, but thou shalt meditate there in day and night that thou may has to observe to do according All that is written there in for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous and then thou shall have good success You see God he actually wants us to be successful in life He goes home to reemphasize this really throughout their journey as God's people as you continue to read and you get over in Deuteronomy 28 one He's talking about the time where they left Egypt and he says and I and it shall it shall come to pass if thou shall Harken diligently unto the work voice of the Lord thy God to observe and to do all his commandments Which I command thee this day that the Lord thy God will set thee on high above all the nations of the earth And then for the rest of that chapter He goes on and speaks some things of them that the way their life will be if they will harken to what he has said He talks of them being a blessed people of being unknown people of just being a prosperous people as they're living life Of just just being successful people so you see we got there is so much potential in what God is said if we would just simply live According to what God has said we can live successfully so much potential there In Psalms 1 3 it just kind of sums up perfectly the life of walking according to what God said instead of what Satan said And he should be like a tree planted by the rivers of water that bring it forth his fruit in his season His leaf all shall shall not wither and whatsoever he do it shall prosper so you see there's so much potential We as hopeless and helpless human beings we can be saved And not only can we be saved we can be living successfully in satisfaction Matthew 6 33 Jesus said but seek ye first the kingdom of God and his righteousness and all these things shall be added under you All the needed things of life all the things we need in life to be satisfied We'll be added unto you if we just follow what God has said so that there's just so much potential In what God has said we talked about the person with the purpose of why he's said the things he said It's actually for our benefit. It's that we might live great and successful lives in satisfaction It all sounds so sure doesn't it?
I mean soul foolproof so easy But despite all the potential that comes from what God has said What God said is so often just overlooked are totally ignored by so many It's just refused by some and it's all because of the problem You see there there's something that's hindering the purpose and the potential of what this great person His name is God is said there's this duo I mean it's hard to imagine how could it be a problem with what God said? Where it is and it's because of this duo the this In its been at work this duo has been at work and what God has said from Genesis 3 Let's go back to Genesis 3 and let's see this duo at work start out in chapter 2 of Genesis It says in the Lord God commanded the man saying of every tree of the garden Thou may as freely eat but other tree of the knowledge of good and evil thou shalt not eat of it for in the day Thou shalt eat his thereof thou shalt surely die Then in chapter 3 here's this other character happens upon the scene the serpent informed Satan informed the serpent now the serpent was more Subtle than any beast of the field which the Lord God had made and he said unto the woman Yeah, he had God said he shall not eat of every tree of the garden and the woman said unto the serpent We may eat of the fruit of the tree of the garden But of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden God had said he shall not eat of it Neither shall you touch it lest she die and the serpent said he shall not surely die Yes praise God. We have what God has said but there's a problem It's often overlooked. It's often ignored sometimes.
It's just completely refused why because there's this duo you see We don't just have what God said we have what Satan said and did you know that's really the only two talking? I know we talk about what man said well, you know, you can't listen to what man said man said this man said that I'm gonna tell you right now anything that comes out of the mouth of man that he's just repeating either what God said or what Satan said That's what we have today. It's either what God said or it's what Satan said and this duo is at work in our lives even today always I think of God says something to us and then Satan comes along and he says something else and it's most always in direct contrast to what God said So what site Satan says all of a sudden starts causing doubt Maybe it causes some distrust in our hearts and in our minds And that's why we so often do like Adam and Eve and we do what Satan said instead of what God said So yeah, you see this duo comes with a dilemma and the this is simply the dilemma. This is what God said There's what Satan said the limit is who are we gonna believe?
Who are we gonna believe who are we gonna trust? Who's words do we listen to do we live by what God said or do we listen by what God what Satan said and by what his world has Said you see the words of one Lead to success salvation Success and satisfaction within the words of the other will lead to a hunt full field promises and unproofful lives I'm telling you right now I can look back in my fiction to be 63 years of life And I can look back at every one of those periods of unhappiness and Unsatisfaction and every one of them all down to me doing what Satan said instead of what God said I have never once in my life done what God said and been unhappy about it been dissatisfied about it one life leads to success and Happiness and great things of the other life leads to just unfulfillment and unsatisfaction in life So here's the thing we better be sure Whose words we're living by? We've got to know what to live by what God said or we're gonna live by what Satan said And so we're sitting here especially human beings and what a dilemma this is Because this duo is at work in our hearts But you see because of this duo and this dilemma that comes with it. We have got to have discernment In other words, we've got to have the ability the pro to process this information Hey come to an understanding of the truth and I just think back to this whole concept and honestly For us today, it's it we shouldn't have to be a rocket scientist to figure out the truth Who are we gonna live by what God said or we're gonna live by what Satan said in other words?
Who's telling the truth? Who do we believe? Whose words do we act upon let's go back go to what God said and what Satan said? We may eat of the tree, but God said he shall not eat of it Neither shall you touch it lest you die and Satan said he shall not surely die God said you're gonna die Satan said you're not gonna die discernment Now for Adam and Eve it may not have been that cut and dry it may not have been that easy Because you see they heard God say if you eat of this fruit of this tree You're gonna die, but they really did not know they didn't know Because no one had ever eaten of that tree and no one had ever died So as they're listening to Satan say something else no, you're not gonna die God said you're gonna die Satan says no you're not gonna die for Adam and Eve it could have been a little tricky There may have been some question there there may have been room for some doubt there because they didn't really know But for us today come on man Come on.
What is God said? You will die And what do we know today? People die Don't they old people die young people died good people die bad people die People die we've seen it we've experienced it in our lives with the loss of our loved ones. There's there is no doubt Who is telling the truth?
God said you will die if you eat of this tree and so because Adam and Eve did that and by doing that they plunged all of man Into this curse of death Wherefore as by one man seeing entered into the world and death by sin and so death passed upon all men for that all have sinned You see God said people will die and people die We know they do so yeah when it comes to what God said even today this duo is still it working our hearts still it working our lives They're still what God said and they're still what Satan said and this somehow Still causes the dilemma in our hearts even as God's people But praise God we have the discernment We have the ability to process the information and come up with what actually is the truth and it's what God is saying all the way So here's what I'm just saying you can live by what Satan said if you choose But I'm living by what God said you see what God said is the proven way is the trustworthy way So here's just a simple bottom line of this message God said it that settles it you see that older preacher in Psalms 119 89 It says forever O Lord by word is settled in heaven you see the old preacher he was right when it comes to what God has said It doesn't really matter what we believe Even as you've listened to this this morning there are no doubt probably some that a county went side that he had went sideways Mm-hmm. I don't know. I don't know how I feel about that. I don't know it doesn't matter God said it that settles it it acts You know I can think well, maybe it does actually matter if we believe it or not Because Jesus has said it's by every word of God that we truly live So maybe it really does matter if we believe it or not See our very lives our existence depends on whether we are going to believe what God has said Everything involved in that is dependent upon what God has said Well, what is God said?
Well God said we're all sinners and we're in need of a Savior He said without trusting in Jesus Christ as our Savior we're destined to spend eternity in a place called hell But praise God He's also set some other things and he said that who so ever believes in Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord will be saved from all of that God has said that you can be saved right here right now Simply by admitting you're a sinner and accepting Jesus Christ as your Savior and I'm asking you will you choose to believe what God has said And will you choose to accept Jesus as your Savior right here right now? Why does God said God has said come to me all ye who labor and are heavy laden or burdened and I will give you rest Why do we come here each week burdened down? Why do we live every day of our lives? We just existing because we're so weighed down and we're so burdened down in life when God has said just come to me Just come to me and I will give you rest What does God said?
God said you have not because you ask not What is it that you so desperately want in your life? What is it that you so desperately want in your marriage? I mean we all have something like that. We have things like that and I'm asking where you just simply believe What God has said and choose to come to this altar asking where the Randy is gonna come We're gonna stand we're gonna sing an invitation time and this invitation time is not necessarily for you to just stand there and sing Some songs and worship and man you're free to do that I worship during the invitation time but this invitation time is your time to respond to what God has said And so when you do that your needings your Jesus as your Savior your needing to be saved Choose to believe what God said come accept him right now come to this altar Lay your burdens on him Give it all to him now as we sing