God Will Understand

   Brethren, I'd like to read just a couple of paragraphs or so from an article that Dr. Winnell wrote in the November, December 2009 Tomorrow's World magazine. And it's entitled End Time Religious Deception.

   End Time Religious Deception. I don't know how many have read it, but let me just read a little bit from it. When Jesus' disciples asked him, what will be the sign of your coming and of the end of the age?

   He replied, Take heed that no one deceives you, for many will come in my name and will deceive many. And Jesus and his disciples repeatedly warned that religious deception would be a major issue as the world approached the second coming of Jesus Christ. Evidence is building in our modern society that indicates these ancient prophecies are coming alive today day, and the stage is being set for their ultimate fulfillment in the years just ahead.

   As the end of this present age approaches, you can avoid being deceived if you take the time to study the Bible and learn what it actually says. Scripture exhorts us: test all things, hold fast what is good.

   And Jesus Christ stated, If you abide in my word, you are my disciples indeed. And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall set or shall make you free. Widespread religious deception is prophesied to occur as the end of this age approaches.

   If you know what is coming and how it will come, and if you remain alert and look to God's word for guidance, you will not be deceived. Now, as we all realize, there are various aspects, you might say, of deception. Maybe we have not really associated religious deception with self-deception.

   Sometimes we sort of focus on deception coming from outside of our way of thinking or outside of our associations, but sometimes we don't really focus on the self, that deception could come so easily from within. We could be deceived, that we can deceive ourselves in principles and in imaginations.

   Those things could easily occur if we are not very, very careful. Example: There are many holidays, as we all know, and observances as we are into that season. And they are held around the globe, not just here in the United States.

   And many are done in the name of God the Father and Jesus Christ, our elder brother. Or at least it is felt that they have God's approval in celebrating these days, regardless as to the origins. It doesn't really matter.

   And so many are deceived. Many are deceived. A writer by the name of Henri Emile wrote this in a journal in the year 1866. 1866, quote, We are always making God our accomplice that so we may legalize our own iniquities, end of quote. Very well put, I think.

   We are always making God our accomplice, that so we may legalize our own iniquities. Amazing. Insight, I feel, into a very critical aspect of human reasoning.

   Many decisions are made daily by individuals, while thinking that those decisions are not only understood by God, but that those decisions are accepted by God. Day in and day out, each of us are required to make decisions in many, many different areas of our lives. So I'd like for us to take a look at the topic that I've chosen: God will understand. God will understand. Many people have even reasoned with regard to their presumptuous sins that God will understand.

   Go about their day-to-day activities feeling that God will understand, regardless as to what decisions they make, what conclusions they arrive at. But will God understand our self-justifications for our own attitudes, our own behaviors, and our own sins? Will he really understand?

   Will he eventually come around to see things from our viewpoint? Will he ever want to understand it from our viewpoint? Most certainly God will understand, but his understanding may not necessarily be what many feel it will be, or it is at this particular time. Let's look at a familiar scripture that we've probably got memorized in the book of Isaiah. In Isaiah chapter 55, again, it's an old scripture that we have, we meaning church.

   You've heard it read many, many, many times. I'm sure you've read it many, many times. Isaiah 55:8.

   For my thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways my ways, says the Eternal. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts. Very interesting.

   The Living Bible translates part of that verse: says, This plan of mine is not what you would work out. This plan of mine is not what you would work out.

   Keel and Delech commentary, commenting on these verses, has this to say: the appeal to leave their own way and their own thoughts and yield themselves to God the Redeemer and to His Word is now urged on the ground of the heavenwide difference between the ways and thoughts of this God and the despairing thoughts of men and their aimless, complex, diverse ways. Huge difference that is being pointed out.

   God's ways are simple for us to understand. And God's word makes it very clear. It doesn't say that they are simple and easy to do, but they are simple to understand.

   We make them more difficult. We make them more complex. When we put our disparaging thoughts, complex, diverse human reasoning into the mix.

   Matthew Henry has this to say, commentating on the same verses here in Isaiah: The wicked are urged to forsake their evil ways and thoughts and to return to God, that is, to bring their ways and thoughts to concur and comply with His. For He says, My thoughts and ways are not as yours. Yours are conversant only about things beneath.

   They are of the earth, earthy, but mine are above, as the heaven is high above the earth. And if you would have proved yourselves true penitents, yours must be so too, and your affections must be set on things above. Talking about a change in attitude, a change in orientation, those things are being addressed. And we know that that is what you and I made a contract with our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ that we would do upon baptism. We said that I'm giving myself to you to use as you see fit.

   I no longer own myself. I am yours, bought with a price. But you see, human reasoning influences self-justification and is one of the most binding or blinding, if you want to put it that way, traits of all human beings.

   And we most certainly realize that it is all fueled by pride. It is fueled by pride. In the Old Testament, the Hebrew word that is translated pride in most places is translated presumptuous.

   Presumptious. Notice in the book of Psalm, if you'd go with me, please. Psalm 19.

   Psalm 19. I think that we all realize that the days ahead, just ahead of us, will become increasingly more difficult. As God's word tells us.

   And if we are to be prepared and if we are to be a part of God's ruling government when Jesus Christ reestablishes it on this earth, then we need to take heed, I think, myself included. Put me at the head of the class. I need it more than you.

   We need to take heed as to what we are doing with our energies and efforts at this time, because I don't think it's going to be a cakewalk. I really don't. Based upon what's in this book, Psalm 19:12, who can understand his errors? Cleanse me from secret thoughts. Keep back your servant also from presumptuous sins.

   And let them not have dominion over me, then I shall be blameless, and I shall be innocent of great transgression. The word presumptuous here in verse 13. Is contrasted with the secret faults that are mentioned in verse 12.

   The Hebrew word for presumptuous or pride that is used here is zeed, z-e-e-d, from which presumptuous is translated. And in its basic sense, it means that which is boiling, swelling, inflated, that which is proud, that which is arrogant. It indicates shameless sinfulness.

   It's the attitude behind the self-justification that God will understand. You see, that whole mindset is fueled by pride. Fueled by pride.

   The prevailing thought in verses 12 and 13 is that of pride. And the references, especially to sins that proceed from self-confidence and from self-reliance on one's own strength. The word does not mean open sins or flagrant sins.

   It's not what's being addressed, but it is more concerned with those sins that spring from self-reliance or from pride. The psalmist's prayer is mainly that he might have the right distrust of himself. Do we look at it that way?

   Do we see that? You know, maybe I'm wrong. Maybe I do need to take a look at how I respond in certain areas, how I am living my life in certain areas, how I view certain subjects.

   Maybe I should take a look at that. So that's what the psalmist is saying. He's asking that he might have the right distrust of himself and might not have an improper reliance on his own power.

   To not only restrain him from the commission of sin, but he's also asking to be able to recognize sin that sometimes we can't see because of our human restrictions. Now, what is our mindset when we sometimes think God understands and when we comment or even think that God will understand?

   Now, why am I saying these things because, like many other ministers, we hear different comments made to us, such as it was almost sunset just before the Sabbath. And I felt that I'll just finish this work up so that my boss won't get upset, even though it will keep me here a little while after the Sabbath begins. God will understand.

   He knows I need this job. He'll understand. This is what we're talking about how these things get started, you see. I can't go to the feast this year because I may need my second tithe to pay my bills or to repair my car. God will understand.

   I know that I shouldn't get involved in these real heated debates and arguments, shouldn't get drunk, shouldn't smoke. I know it's not good for me, but I'm working on it. You see, God understands.

   I won't be at Sabbath services because I've got visitors. Got visitors. So I've got to spend time with my visitors.

   Don't have many opportunities to spend time with them. God understands. You see, brethren, the list is endless.

   It's endless. And so very many of us attempt to justify our own actions and human reasoning. That's what we're talking about. God will understand. Does he understand?

   One of the greatest deceptions that mainstream Christianity has convinced people of, and I'm sure we realize this, is that God loves us just the way we are. That's what is taught in mainstream Christianity. God loves us just the way we are.

   But the truth is, that he requires that the old worldly man be totally replaced by the new righteous man. If we remember the baptismal counseling that we had prior to baptism, that was covered. That was covered.

   And that's what is being talked about. When we go through the Passover service and we go through the days of Unleavened Bread, all of these. Different aspects of changing is covered.

   Talks about putting what off the old self, becoming, okay, a new man, meaning a changed nature. In other places, it's called a new creature, a new creation. And it refers to the condition after our hearts are changed, after that change takes place.

   But right now, we're in the process, we're in that process. We have new feelings. We have new principles. We have new desires. We have a new and a different way of thinking.

   And we have a new and a different way of acting. Not perfectly, but we're growing in that direction. A different way of reasoning.

   We don't reason like we used to reason. We don't see things like we used to see things. We don't view it from that worldview, but we're striving to view it from God's perspective.

   Through God's eyes. It means that we have discarded or we are striving to discard our old principles and practices and in everything that pertains to moral character. We become new.

   We become new. Again, it's a process. It doesn't happen overnight, but you can see the changes as they are occurring.

   It also means to rid ourselves of excuses, self-righteousness, and self-justification, not holding on to an attitude of God will understand. God will understand. Can't we see where that will lead if we continually embrace that statement, that mindset?

   God will understand. We ought to be an example. That's what we're called to be an example.

   A witness of Jesus Christ, ambassadors representing Him, God the Father, their way of Life. In Job 15, we know that Eliphaz, we know the story, Job 15, Eliphaz was answering Job's claims in chapters 12 through 14. He was answering his claims to be wise.

   And Eliphaz replied that Job's attitude was manifested more or less in his incoherent choice of words. The words that he was using, okay, the conclusions that he was drawing. And Eliphaz wanted him to understand that those words alone that he was using was proof, sufficient enough to expose his lack of wisdom.

   That's what he was trying to get across to his friend. He was telling him that a wise man would not be guilty of just mere talk. Of using language that conveyed no ideas.

   Job had been rambling. We know the story. And in the previous chapters and to Eliphaz, this showed his confusion of mind, just like many today.

   I'm not talking about in this room necessarily, but I'm talking about this society. Confusion. There is confusion.

   We can see all the different splinter groups, the different options that are available out there, there's confusion. And so, this is what is being addressed here: Job 15:1.

   Then Eliphaz, the Timonite, answered and said, Should a wise man answer with empty knowledge and fill himself with the east wind? Should he reason with unprofitable talk or by speeches with which he can do no good? Yes, you cast off fear and restrain prayer before God.

   That is the mindset of God will understand. You cast off fear. You've got the wrong fear of God, the wrong respect for God. Okay? And restrain prayer before God. For your iniquity teaches your mouth, and you choose the tongue of the crafty.

   And in verse 6, your own mouth condemns you, and not I. Yes, your own lips testify against you. Okay?

   The reply that Job made to the arguments of his friends in previous chapters is what's being addressed. And it was referred to as empty or vain knowledge. And some Bible margins have knowledge of wind.

   The wind, of course, is used to represent aimless changing, as we know the wind does, it can change. Very drastically, quickly, in all types of directions, swirls in many situations. And here it is used as a metaphor of remarks that were unproductive, remarks that were being made by Job as being pointless and irrelevant to the situation that was at hand.

   Yet some today use words to try and justify their positions and their human reasoning. And you know, Individuals will go to great lengths at times trying to explain their point of view, their understandings, their reasonings, their rationale. Then Eliphaz asks: Should a man fill his mind with insignificant arguments or reasonings?

   As useless as the East Wind is for food? Interesting comment. We can't eat the wind.

   So he's comparing those words to the wind. Of no use. And he said that one fills himself with mere wind and then blows it out under the pretense of delivering proverbs of wisdom.

   And that person's mind feels as though there's a lot of wisdom being said, being put forth. But to the listener, it's just like wind. That's what Eliphaz was trying to get him to see.

   Now, you've probably heard comments that, well, you know, I don't necessarily see it that way. You know, it's not my interpretation. But the wind used in verse 2 to express a raging wind, okay, of the Middle East is also referring to one that is stifling and a wind that is destructive to vegetation.

   That is the wind that's being described here. And it passed over immense deserts, as we know the region there, and was characterized by severe dryness and heat. And Job had been making excuses without backing it up with substance or without facts.

   And therefore, Eliphaz says that his words were like that east wind that he was describing. And then in verse 4, fear refers to the fear or reverence of God. Job had not maintained a proper admiration or a proper respect for his Creator in his arguments.

   You see, it's not that he didn't feel somewhat, okay, some fear, some respect for God, but in his arguments, his words, his presentations, he was not expressing that respect, that admiration, that fear. He had defended principles and made assertions that implied disrespect to God. And we see some of this in Job's words in that previous chapter.

   Notice in chapter 14. Chapter 14. And in verse 19 (Job 14:19): As water wears away stones, and as torrents wash away the soil of the earth, so you, who's he talking to?

   So you destroy the hope of man. You prevail forever against him, and he passes on. You change his countenance and send him away.

   We see the negative attitude of Job, don't we? At this particular point, right? He was showing a lack of the right fear of the great creator God. And he didn't realize it at the time. But that's what he was doing.

   And that's why Eliphaz was trying to get him to see it. And so in Job 15, we read where Eliphaz was not concerned, you might say, as much to what was personal with Job. That's not what he was looking at, but to Job's principles in general.

   That's what he was focusing on, his principles. Eliphaz was not accusing Job of losing all reverence for his Creator, but that if Job's arguments continued in that same direction, they would lead him to eventually come to the point of losing all of his fear of God. Now, that is an extremely dangerous predicament to allow ourselves to get into, for we know that God's word teaches us that a little leaven leavens the whole lump.

   As God is makes it so clear. He gives us seven days during the Days of Unleavened Bread to focus on that particular.

   Now, Job was indirectly accusing God of not being fair. And in doing this, Job was showing a lack of the right and the proper fear of God. And the lesson that we can learn is not to get into that same mindset, not to let that occur, happen to us.

   Now, there are those who say, Yeah, it wouldn't happen to me. I have an individual, a deacon in God's church, that tells me that all the time. Oh, no, I'm not concerned about that.

   I say, What does Paul say about take heed lest you fall? Oh, no way, not me. That's dangerous.

   That is dangerous. So dangerous. And you see, in verse 5, okay, Job was being accused of distorted reasoning.

   And Eliphaz accused Job of resorting to immature thinking, such as a child may use, instead of arguing his case with godly wisdom and sincerity and emotional maturity. And Eliphaz is saying that Job's position was a very clever work of art, very clever work of art, designed to make his friends feel sorry for him and to get them to recognize his righteousness and his devotion to God.

   Now, by painting this presumed inaccurate picture of how he reasoned that God works, this is Job's mind, Job unintentionally gave a distorted view of the government of God. Very distorted view. And we realize that he later came to see that his position was wrong.

   God helped him to see that. And then Job was horrified at his own attitude. He was horrified. But you see, the lesson for you and me is not to let our attitudes get to that point. That's why God inspired it to be left here for our own inspiration and encouragement.

   Now, if we are not careful, we could use this same human reasoning and we could accuse God of not caring enough about us. It happens. Satan is very, very clever, more so than you and me, all combined. And he will get us into that attitude if we're not very, very careful. And so we self-justify our own shortcomings by reasoning that God doesn't really care about our lesser sins.

   That's what it means about God will understand. We think that the lesser sins God doesn't care about. But the little things we do, whether they're righteous or unrighteous, they do count in God's eyes.

   They do count. He does care about what we do, whether it's great or whether it's small. And this is what our Creator wants you and me to see as we make self-examinations, hopefully on a daily basis.

   I often use the example, and you've heard it, I'm sure, from others or read it, or you're aware of it before you heard it. About an aircraft in flight. You see, an aircraft is flying, say, from Kansas City to New York, and all he has to do is get one degree off course.

   It'd never get to New York. So the pilot has to constantly make course corrections to make sure he's headed in the right direction. And so that pertains to you and me.

   As we walk this walk and this path that we're called to walk, we have to daily make course corrections. Self-examinations, always looking and always willing to purge out sin and those attitudes that do not agree with what our Creator wants us to have at this particular time. Willingly accepting correction.

   Many individuals have a big problem with that. You know, I'm called often for counseling. Individuals seem to take it so lightly, so lightly.

   But you see, there's a growing process, isn't there? Because it doesn't seem rational to them, the counseling that they're getting. See, they're depending upon human reasoning.

   No, it doesn't make sense to me. I'm going to continue doing it this way, you see. And many individuals, I think, don't do it intentionally.

   I think they unintentionally respond the way they do to correction and to counseling because it is a growing process. Notice in the book of Luke, if you turn with me, Luke chapter 16.

   Luke 16, we're talking about an attitude of not feeling that God pays attention to the lesser things, lesser sins, lesser attitudes. In Luke 16:10, we read, He who is faithful in what is least is faithful also in much. And he who is unjust in what is least is unjust also in much.

   So, what is that saying? That God does pay attention to everything that we do: small, the little things, as well as the big things. He sees them all.

   Now, when we stop obeying God and we begin to make excuses for It. We're leaving ourselves wide open to be deceived. That's what Dr. Winnell was talking about in that article. Now, again, I'm sure you've heard all types of comments, but I am giving excuses like, okay, I stayed home from services because I had a tiring week and I needed to get some rest. God will understand.

   Now, I use these as examples because there are so many, many more out there. But you see, it normally starts with certain areas where maybe it seems rational, maybe it seems okay.

   But you see, that's not from God's perspective. One individual that I called, not here, not even in this area, I had missed him a couple of Sabbaths, and then the second Sabbath that he missed, I called him just to see how he was. I didn't know if he He needed help, or if he had some health problems, or what, I just called to see how he was.

   He said, I was stuck at the train station for several hours on Friday night. Didn't get home to two or three o'clock in the morning. Therefore, I was drained, just didn't have it, needed to get some rest.

   But you see, God understands. God understands. Is that so? Is that so? God says, What? There shall have what?

   You shall have no what. Other before me, okay, paraphrasing, but you don't put anything before him, you put him first. At baptism, we are read and we are explained.

   Luke 14, where it says, he who comes to me must what? Love less, mother, father, sister, brother, everything, even our own lives. That's what he's talking about.

   Before you make this commitment, know what God expects. And you say, Well, Ready for baptism? I see exactly what you're talking about.

   But then, when we're stuck at the train station to two or three o'clock in the morning for whatever reason, then that gives us justification not to go to Sabbath services. God will understand. But you see, brethren, yes, God does see.

   He sees all of it. What was it that Eliphaz accused Job of? He said, You cast off fear.

   You cast off fear, and that fear that he was speaking of is referring to the proper fear of God. The proper fear of God. Not fearing that, you know, a bolt of lightning is going to come down if we don't do anything, but fear of not making it to the next life, not being a part of God's kingdom.

   That is what Eliphaz was talking about. Job did have the fear of God. God before his major trials began.

   We know the story. We can read about all of that in the first two chapters of Job, where God actually said that Job was a man who feared him. But Job had some growing to do in recognizing the right and the proper fear of God, as I know I do, and I believe we all do.

   In Isaiah 55, we are told that our thoughts and our ways are not yet. As God thinks and acts. It is a process, but not yet.

   It is a process, and He wants us to understand it is a process and that He will help us to get there with His help and His guidance. He will ensure that we will get there. Yet we have a role to play, as we all understand.

   And we are told in many places how to start that process. In one place, back in the book of Isaiah, if you turn with me, Isaiah 55. Isaiah 55.

   He tells us how to begin the process. Isaiah 55:6, seek the Eternal while he may be found.

   Call upon him while he is near. Let the wicked forsake his way and the unrighteous man his thoughts. Interesting, isn't it?

   The unrighteous man, his thoughts. Let him return to the Eternal, and he will have mercy on him and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon. Now, that doesn't indicate to me that we just continue down the road that we're headed, regardless as to what our mindset is, regardless as to what our physical, obviously physical, our spiritual state is.

   It doesn't matter. It says that there's something that we Must do. We don't continue to practice the same things that we practice without asking ourselves if this is right in God's eyes.

   Is this right in God's eyes? Is this what He wants for me at this particular time, in this particular situation? Is this what He expects?

   Rather than an attitude, a mindset of God understands, He understands, and so we just continue like that pilot. You know, he's out there on course, hitting 030, heading straight, you know, for the North Pole. In New York, you know, you've got to do a little hitch to the right, you know.

   But he just continues on. So he'll never make it to New York. So you see, God wants us to be in that type of a mindset because he cares for us.

   And he didn't call us, Mr. Armstrong used to say, he didn't call us because he necessarily just likes us. He calls us because he has something for us to do, God is concerned about his whole creation, and he wants you and me to teach mankind his way of life, his way of life. And we are the first fruits. So he's teaching us, training us, testing us, so that we can teach mankind.

   Tremendous calling, tremendous responsibility, and he doesn't want us to fail. And so, therefore, he's given us all this guidance in this book to tell us how to get there.

   But you see, that human nature fights. It fights and it fights and it fights. We don't want to do it God's way.

   Why? Because human nature says I know better, I feel better, understand better. You know, I can reason things out.

   Don't need anybody telling me anything. And he wants us to fully understand that that is Satan. And Satan wants us to fall.

   Okay, now. Most mainstream, as we all know, Christians, misinterpret the principle of God's abundant pardoning. Because many think and say that God will understand and he will pardon me.

   They may not say it in those words, but that is their reasoning. They think all they have to do is repent later. See?

   Not now, later. It's the way they feel. When it is more convenient time for them to repent.

   Just before Christ returns or just before they die. And we see that throughout mainstream Christianity. It's an altar call, okay?

   So, depending on the circumstances in each individual's lives, that determines whether they'll answer that altar call or not, you see. How serious they are, how threatened they may feel. But you see, that's not the way God works.

   Because he doesn't send, as I said earlier, a bolt of lightning down when our ways, okay, displease him. And because he remains silent doesn't mean that he approves or he forgives our actions right on the spot. It's not what is being said.

   It's not what God says. That's not what he feels. Now, as we read in verse 7 of Isaiah 55 (Isaiah 55:7), the first step we must take is to forsake our way.

   Forsake our way in order to seek and fear God. The Hebrew word for thoughts includes all that is the object of thought as well as the thought itself. Okay?

   What is the motivation behind the thought? It's what God looks at. Maybe sometimes we don't think about that.

   But what is the motivation behind the thought? What is actually causing us to think that way? And the idea is that we must abandon our worldly purposes of life.

   See, we are ambassadors for what? Mr. Meredith encourages us to look what?

   At the big picture. Look beyond this life. Look beyond this life.

   Not try to hang on, hold on to things in this life. Why am I saying that? Because that's what Jesus Christ said he did.

   He didn't hang on to being God, He gave it up for you and me. He gave up everything.

   Now, why should we give up our purposes for life? Because God's plan is different for us. He has a different plan for us.

   He has a better plan that we can muster or come up with. We can't even think about this plan. That's what He tells us in Isaiah 55.

   See, this plan of mine, you wouldn't figure it out this way. And when we were baptized, we said that we would accept his plan and that we would abandon our plan.

   We would abandon it, whatever it was. Whatever it was. Philippians chapter 2.

   Philippians 2. Philippians chapter 2. And in verse 5.

   Philippians 2:5. Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus, who being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God. Now, that word robbery translated from the Greek word, which means something to be held onto or to be equal to.

   Who being in the form of God did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, but made himself of no reputation, taking the form of a servant. And coming in the likeness of men and being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross. Our God is a holy God, and our thoughts are equally as important as our actions.

   That's what He wants us to understand. No one can obtain God's favor who is not ready to abandon His own opinions, his own pride, his own vanity, his own plans of pleasure-seeking, and his purposes for this life, this physical life.

   And he has to abandon everything that is opposed to God. So instead of saying or thinking, God will understand, he approves of what I think, what I do, we should say. And truly mean it that God's will be done.

   God's will be done. Now, God not only doesn't recognize our thoughts to be like His if we sin, if we're on a different page than He is on, He says He doesn't even know us if we have that type of an attitude. Notice Luke chapter 13. Luke 13. Luke 13. In Luke chapter 13.

   Luke chapter 13 and in verse 22. Luke 13:22. And he went through the cities and villages teaching and journeying toward Jerusalem.

   And then one said to him, Lord, are there few who are saved? And he said to them, Strive to enter through the narrow gate, for many, I say to you, will seek to enter and will not be able. When once the master of the house has risen up and shut the door, and you begin to stand outside and knock at the door, saying, Lord, Lord, open for us.

   And he will answer and say to you, I do not know you where you are. From, and then you will begin to say, We ate and drank in your presence.

   You know, we attended Sabbath services, we went to the feasts, we attended the activities that were held, went to Bible studies, and you taught in our streets. But he, the master, will say, I tell you, I do not know where you are from. Depart from me, all you workers of iniquity.

   There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth when you see Abraham and Isaac and Jacob and all the prophets in the kingdom of God and yourselves thrust out. It is truly amazing how far we will allow Satan to go in causing us to deceive ourselves, to deceive ourselves into believing that our actions and our words are always appropriate. It is true.

   God will most certainly understand. But not necessarily the way that we think. God knows the way of the righteous.

   But the way of the ungodly, he says, will all pass away. It will all pass away. Psalm 50, if you turn with me, please.

   Psalm 50. The way of the ungodly will all pass away.

   Pride and vanity is a dangerous thing, very dangerous thing. Glory seeking, status-seeking, very, very dangerous. And our Creator wants us to be aware of that.

   You see it very evident today in what is happening in the life of Tiger Woods. I heard it, comments made. Describing his situation in the news this past week as it is the greatest fall from grace in the history of sports.

   And I think there's a lot of truth to that. But you see, when you let arrogance and pride fuel your every thought and your every action, you see what happens thinking that you're much greater than you really are. That's what occurs.

   That’s what occurs. Psalm 50. Psalm 50:5, we read: Gather my saints together to me, those who have made a covenant with me by sacrifice. How many times do we think, do we feel, do we hear others?

   Not even go there in addressing a sacrifice that may be made in a certain situation they are faced with, certain ailment that they may be experiencing, a certain problem that they may be having, or certain help for other individuals within the congregation, within the community, within their families. Sacrifice. Jesus Christ gave up everything for you and me.

   But you see, there are individuals who call the ministry. And they say, where are your services held? And so I say, in independence, don't you have anything closer?

   Not willing to make a sacrifice. That's so sad. When if you're really being led by God's Spirit and you really feel as though you have found the truth, you mean to tell me you can't drive for 30 minutes or even one hour?

   That is so sad. So sad. Gather, my saints, God says, those who have sacrificed in putting off the old man, those who have made and are making a sacrifice for these precious jewels that God has given to us, that he has made available to us, this way of life, this plan, eternal life.

   Spirit beings in his coming kingdom. Those individuals, God says, gather them who have made a sacrifice in loving the brethren. Not just talking the talk, but walking the walk.

   Loving the brethren. Doesn't matter what their situation is. If we are in a position to help, God expects us to help.

   Doesn't matter who it is, doesn't matter what they've done. What can we do to make someone else's life a little better. That's what God wants us to have: that attitude.

   What can we do? We've got many people that are unable to care for themselves in God's church. We have individuals that can do a little, more difficult.

   They run into more difficulties in other areas. But God wants us to be thinking about those individuals, praying, yes, but also doing. Do we sacrifice?

   Do we sacrifice? God says, gather my saints, those who have changed, those who are making a change, striving to change, those who have allowed him to fashion and shape their conduct and their character. He says, gather my saints, and certainly not those who choose their own words, not those who choose their own interpretations, and not those who choose their own ways.

   Very interesting. But then notice verses 16 and 17. But to the wicked God says, What right have you to declare my statutes or take my covenant in your mouth, seeing you hate instruction and cast my words behind you?

   Now we know the story here that Asap is speaking out against the nation's hypocritical living. And although these evil individuals were assembled with those who love God. They were there with the saints, gathered together.

   But you see, he knew their evil ways. And of course, God knew the evil hearts of those who were meeting there, gathering with the saints. But they still sinned flagrantly in God's eyes.

   They obviously didn't think that they were sinning as some do today. Don't see the sin, just a little thing.

   God understands. Surely that's not a sin. Then in verses 18 through 21, the psalmist selected several examples of their wickedness, their wickedness that they were performing.

   While appearing righteous, they tolerated and they took part in deception. They tolerated theft and adultery. And also, slander is mentioned.

   Slander is mentioned. God warned them not to confuse his patience with his approval. He said, Please don't confuse my patience with my approval.

   God says that his silence did not mean that he agreed with their actions. Instead, he rebuked them directly to their face. In this particular case, Psalm 50:18.

   When you saw a thief, you consented with him. And have been a partaker with adulterers. You give your mouth to evil, and your tongue frames deceit.

   You sit and speak against your brother. You slander your own mother's son. These things you have done, and I kept silent.

   You thought that I was altogether like you, but I will reprove you and set them in order. Before your eyes. Interesting.

   The God of creation sees it all, the little and the big, but He's a patient God, hoping that we will repent. In verse 21, the idea is that they thought or imagined that God was just like themselves in their thinking. See, God understands.

   See, they thought He was on the same sheet of music with them and their way of thinking. And this false impression motivated their actions because of their thoughts.

   Their conduct and their words matched the thought to be good that they had created in their own minds. So therefore, they thought their thoughts were good. Yet, what they thought was good in reality was evil.

   It was evil when looking at it from God's perspective. Totally contrary to godliness, you see. But you see, in their minds, they were thinking that God understands.

   God understands. That is, they thought that God would be satisfied with their forms of religion and that all he required was the proper offering of sacrifice according to their views, according to their views of the nature of religion. What they felt religion should be.

   Again, God will understand was their motivating mindset. They believed that God did not care about principle, He didn't care about justice, He didn't care about pure morality and sincerity, agape love, attitude. Why?

   Because they didn't care about it themselves. They didn't care about it themselves. They thought He would not be strict.

   In punishing sin, or that he wouldn't be strict to correct them if they simply kept up their forms of rituals, continued doing what they were doing. And they also thought that as long as they went through the outward actions of looking pious, as many choose to do, or looking righteous, acting righteous, then God would accept that alone, that he would understand. But notice in verse 22.

   Now consider this: you who forget God, lest I tear you in pieces, and there be none to deliver. Whoever offers praise glorifies me, and to him who orders his conduct aright, I will show the salvation of God. God commands us to order our conduct aright, to change from what we are into what he is.

   Again, it's a process, but we're to be actively striving with all of our being to make that change. Now, vanity, pride, so dangerous, so dangerous. I have always admired Tiger Woods' ability on the golf course, but those individuals that know me deeply, that have been around me for years, will testify to the fact that I have always said that he's one of the most arrogant individuals I've ever seen. I've always thought that, even while he was having so much success, I always felt that way, always did, even though I admired his abilities. And you see, it's coming to fruition, isn't it?

   It's come to light. And that is what our Creator wants you and I to understand, you and me. Wants us to understand that we're only a step away from that attitude because of Satan's power.

   It is Satan who encourages us and pushes us in the wrong direction. And he really wants you and me to be a part of his kingdom. And he also wants you and me to truly understand, brethren, who he is, God.

   He wants us to know who he is. And when we know who he is. We develop an awe and a reverence that manifests itself in obedience.

   It manifests itself in humility. All of a sudden, we don't think ourselves as being too big or too smart or too intelligent or too successful. Those things don't mean anything to us because we know who's pushing the swing, it's God.

   Proverbs 2:5 equates the fear of the Eternal with the knowledge of God. Let's turn to Proverbs chapter 2, if you would. Proverbs chapter 2.

   Proverbs 2:1, My son, if you receive my words and treasure my commands within you, so that you incline your ear to wisdom and apply your heart to understanding, yes, if you cry out for discernment and lift up your voice for understanding, if you seek her as silver and search for her as for hidden treasures, then you will understand the fear of the Eternal and find the knowledge of God. For the Eternal gives wisdom.

   From his mouth comes knowledge and understanding. He gives wisdom from his mouth, and he gives knowledge, and he gives understanding. And the fear of God produces practical results.

   That's what he wants us to understand, as it did with the all-field sailors who offended, or who offered, I should say, sacrifices. And when God gave the law to Israel through Moses, the command to fear the Eternal occurred repeatedly, constantly, often coupled with the command to obey God's laws, his statutes, his commandments, and his judgments. And this fear of God is absolutely necessary to a true Christian's faith.

   In fact, there are well over 100 references to the fear of God, all in a positive sense, of fear and obedience being linked together, fear and obedience. To fear God or be God-fearing is a synonym of being a follower of Jesus Christ.

   And the fear of God is a deep and a heartfelt continuing respect for Him. It is not one that just comes and goes, it is always present. Always growing, always a part of our every being.

   And the actions most frequently associated with the proper fear of God are serving God, serving God, serving His people, obedience to His commandments, and there are many others. But those are certainly among those actions, having such a great awe, you might say, and respect for our Creator. And when we do, it motivates us where we want to please him in everything.

   And when we're motivated to please him in everything, we fear to sin because we don't want to destroy that relationship. We don't want to destroy that relationship. Again, and I hate to keep using the same example, but it's a good example, I think.

   If Tiger Woods had the right respect for his family, for his fans, for his sponsors, for everything that caused him to be in the position he was in. He wouldn't have done what he did. Wouldn't have done it.

   Now, there are those that make excuses and say, well, you know, everybody's doing that. You know, he just got caught. Well, God understands, right?

   That's the way we think. The fear of the Lord is linked to wisdom and is part of the covenant between God and his people. Let's look at a final script.

   No, it's not a final one. Maybe one more after this one. Psalm 25. Psalm 25. Psalm 25. Psalm 25.

   And in verse 14, Psalm 25:14. The secret of the Eternal is with those who fear Him, and He will show them His covenant.

   Interesting. He will show them His covenant. God grants us understanding, and He reveals the terms and the conditions of our covenant.

   To fear God is to be in awe, as I said, and in reverence to Him and to trust him. It means to hate evil and sin and to love righteousness. And God's word states that, do we believe that?

   Do we believe that God wants us to hate evil and he wants us to hate sin and he wants us to love righteousness? He wants us to believe that. He offers us the solution to all our problems for our own good.

   We are beneficiaries for our own good. And we decide whether or not to take him upon it. In a sense, you might say, he's made us free moral agents.

   We can choose life or death, good or bad, blessings or curses. It's up to us. So we can't blame him for what is occurring in our lives because he said he'll deliver us out of all of it, whatever it is.

   We have the choice of eternal life or we have the choice of death, blessings of cursings, of God's way of life or Satan's way of life. And all these contrasts lead to one core element.

   One core element. The choice, in a nutshell, if you will, is to fear God or to not fear God. The fear of God is manifested in our attitude.

   As obedience, as reverence, as awe, and as love. Now we'll look at a final scripture in the book of Ecclesiastes. Ecclesiastes chapter 12, again, a scripture that we've probably got memorized.

   Ecclesiastes 12:13. Now we know that Solomon talked about his entire life, all that he had gone through, all that God had done for him, all that God had offered to him, set before him, and the choices that he made. And so, here in verse 13, he's summing it up.

   He said, Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter. Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole duty of man. The Amplified Bible translates that last part of that verse as, This is the full original purpose of man's creation?

   Fear God and keep his commandments. You see why Solomon encourages you and he encourages me, brethren, to consider, to remember the covenant that we made with our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. And what will help us to remember that covenant, as Solomon says, Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter, which is: God truly does understand, and He wants you and me to understand.

   I certainly hope this has been helpful.