Open your Bibles to 1st Kings Chapter 9 the 1st Kings Chapter 9 we're picking back up where we left off several weeks ago in our study entitled wise among fools and because I know how I am and how forgetful we can be I want to review with you very quickly and remind you all the way back to what we started talking about in August that if anyone lacks wisdom he can ask of God and God will give freely to you the problem and having wisdom is not that God doesn't want to give it to you in fact God It wants to give you wisdom and God loves it when he's People come and ask Lord would you give me was them. So God gives us wisdom. That's when we face the problem Solomon's our example Solomon was the the guy who did write man I mean he has a dream and God comes to him and God says you can have anything you want. And Solomon says. Most think he was a maybe even a teenager at this time he says I know what I want I want wisdom because I'm going to rule these people and I'm not I don't have what it takes to do that so give me was them and God said Oh right good decision not only will I give you wisdom but I'll give you everything else that that anybody would ever want to riches and fame and and glory unlike anyone in fact you are going to have wisdom he says this you are going to have wisdom unlike anyone who had ever lived to that point or whatever lived afterwards so it sounds pretty good to that point and what we've discovered some of you have not been familiar with this portion of Scripture and what we've discovered is that it's one thing to be given was them and it is quite something else to use the wisdom you're given and truthfully even as I stand here today the Lord lays on my heart that there are some of you who have been given wisdom but you're not using it and you continue to make the same foolish mistakes all over and over again those same foolish choices God is calling. Reminding us challenging each one of us not only to ask for wisdom to receive wisdom but when we get it to use it sometimes a hear about a situation or or something well you read in the news or on t.v. Or whatever and you'll say What were they thinking apparently not wisely apparently not with wisdom. So what we've discovered as we began this study is just because you're given wisdom it doesn't mean you're going to use it. And that's a challenge that you will carry throughout your entire Christian life and you know parts of me say and this is just my opinion but there are parts of it where I say it doesn't get any easier. And every one of us who is here today is is just a. Second away from making a decision that will be about foolishness so with that as our backdrop I want to dive into. Chapter 9 where now all of the the building projects are done the Solomon's got all the materials that have arrived through Hiram they've had the big dedication service they've killed off tens of thousands of animals on the sacrifice and you remember that that Solomon has that very lengthy prayer that prayer of dedication. And you know I'm sure like you he wondered how is God going to answer my prayer will Chapter 9 gives us at least a partial answer to that look at him verse one when Solomon was finished building the temple the Lord and the Royal Palace and it achieved all he had desired to do the Lord appeared to him a 2nd time as the it appeared to him to give me on now this is fascinating and some of you who who bless you by the way as some of you who had not been aware of Solomon's full story this says he came the same way a 2nd time so I'm taking that I would die for this but I'm taking that as he's telling us that a 2nd dream occurs and God However whether it was a dream or in person or some manifestation the Lord appears to him a 2nd time and this is going to exciting what he's going to say because the 1st time he says you can have anything you want to give them I wonder what will say The Lord said to him I have heard the prayer and the plea you have made before me oh what a relief he heard his prayer and that of relief when you know God heard your prayer . I have consecrated this temple. Which you have built by putting my name there for ever my eyes in my heart will always be there that is powerful stuff from Almighty God to Solomon he says he'll always be there his eyes and his heart will always be there God says I will be faithful. God says it interesting I mean think with me historically the temples not there right now and some of us believe that there will be another temple eventually built different purpose of course in a millennial timeframe some of you don't take that literally some of you do I understand that but whatever you take about a presence of a physical temple the reality is that God says My eye is in my heart will always be there God promises a presence God promises of faithfulness that that in Israel could count on and I believe in the way I take this is to this very day but. Look at verse 4 As for you. God says here's what I'll do. Now about you. As for you if you walk before me in integrity of heart and uprightness as David your father did and do all I commanded observe my decrees and laws I will establish your royal thrown over Israel forever as I promised David your father when I said You shall never fail to have a man on the throne of Israel bug. If you or your sons turn away from me and do not observe the commands and decrees I've given you and go off to serve other gods and worship them then if Earth 67 then I will cut off Israel from the land I have given them and will reject this temple I have consecrated for my name Israel will become will then become a by word and an object of ridicule all Mung all people. And though this temple is now imposing that's one of the few things God says about the fact that temple was such an impressive building all though and though this temple is now imposing all who passed by will be appalled and will scoff and say why has the Lord done such a thing to this land of this temple and people answer because they for sake of the Lord their God who brought their fathers out of Egypt and him braced other worshiping and serving them and that is why the Lord brought all this disaster on them father. As we. As we focus in the word as we contemplate this truth that you have preserved for us and has profit for us all Scripture given by inspiration and profitable Lord I pray for spiritual profit in the lives of my brothers and sisters today Lord do something that only you can do and and some need to be arrested on the road of their spiritual journey and turned away from the path that they're heading down. Need a fresh glimpse of some lord need to get in tune with you for the 1st time in a long time whatever the work that needs to be done we committed to you I surrender to you for what you want to accomplish through your spirit of this in Jesus name then. You're listening to the real crazy rock and you rock tell them I found that one of the biggest threats to a consistent time in prayer and scripture is just plain tiredness I used to work 10 and 12 hour days and I would make a really good attempt at trying to read the Bible but by the time I got home and I was relaxed and really had my mind focused enough to read it I was just so tired I would have to just pass out and fall asleep I found that the more tired I am the more susceptible I become to temptation I need God's presence all the more so here are some practical ways to stay awake 1st get out of bed consider praying while standing or walking think to God or have your quiet time outside the most important strategy of course is to ask God for help we express our weakness in the he pours out of grace and gives us energy for the next time you begin your quiet times ask God to help you watch and pray with seeking I'm Nancy to mosque walk me. A few years ago I was caught by photo radar in Boulder Colorado. Skin fashion today I thought the light was still yellow see those lights there yellow I thought the light was still yellow and I went through the intersection and when the photo arrived at our home it showed that 116th of my bone for a was still under the light when the light turned red I think that I'd like to contest it but it was too late I paid the fine and that was it what I have learned since then is that there. As you enter the city of Boulder at the city limits signs and I haven't seen all of them but I see many of them there are signs informing you that photo radar is use I should ask how many of you have been called by photo radar and willing to admit it in church today I'm good I'm not alone. You know there are signs there that say photo radar in use. And I have learned that there is something that works much better than the signs getting caught because once you're caught you don't need the science to remind you anymore you relive it I now stop at a yellow lights in Boulder and I've actually read some online research about when they put those photo radar things in and somebody's going to debate with me about this but they can actually cause more accidents because people are nervous about whether or not they've got adequate time to go I just pray Lord let me be 1st in line whatever it is let me be 1st in line then I know to worry about anybody in front of me texting or doing what they do or the dog licking their Jake or big gulp or whatever it is it's like please lord now back to the warning signs they're meant to get people to pay attention and to follow the rules and man how cool is that they're there telling you there's photo radar here people all and yet my observation is most people ignore the warning until they get caught. God installs a warning sign for Israel as the Temple is opening up for business. God says. I'm going to do this. But I want to war and not to worry about that because He's God God says I'm going to do this but as for you I got some warnings to give you now this text actually can be rather confusing and texts like this have been used to teach all kinds of bizarre doctrines because people get confused by the covenants God makes with this people and I'm not one of the time today for you know discourse on covenant and Dispensationalism and all the rest but I want to mention a couple of things because I think this is a great text to help us see the difference because the differences found in this text 1st come in at a bench and is the Abrahamic Covenant God goes to Abraham Genesis 12 he affirms to him that because of reasons only God knows I might even use the word grace God selected Abraham and decided that he would bless him with land and seed and blessing and Israel would become a great nation and he says this to a guy who along with his wife has infertility problems or they don't have any children and God says with no conditions attached I will give you land and seed and blessing and unconditional covenant that did not depend at all on what Abraham did but rather on what God did and when that coveted is sealed later on in the book of Genesis with the cutting up of the animal and the blood sacrifice and all the rest it is God who walks through not both parties giving you the idea that God is going to keep that covenant no matter what now there's a glimmer of that here and I actually didn't see this till later in this this past week and the glimmer of it is in verse 3 when he says my eyes in my heart will always be there no conditions attached my eyes and my heart. Will Always Be There is. Its Abrahamic in its spirit in its sense but there was then also the Mosaic Covenant where God gives a covenant to Moses on Mount Sinai and you know this very well it has the standard form if then in fact we see if then in our text verse 6 but if verse 7 then if then blessings can come but they're conditioned on your choices curses mine based on what your choices if then language that you see here is not a boat terminations of God's covenant relationship with the Israelites and handing off the blessings of Lancy Doane blessing spiritually to the church because Israel blew it that's not what the Abrahamic Covenant is all about it is about land seed in blessing that is there because God is faithful but. There is if then. And the people are now presented with something that if they knew the Mosaic Covenant which I'm sure they did because they live their sacrificial life on the basis of a God saying I want to put up some warning signs some if then warning says by the way one more thing on covenants this is where the prosperity gospel people often go off the rails because they take the promises that were given to Israel and they go into this if then part and they spiritualize it as though the church is the spiritual Israel and those blessings and benefits that were intended for a literal Israel are now are through the covenant and obviously you know me by now to know that I don't believe that at all and it's a confusion over a covenant that said we have both aspects of covenant in view in this text aspect number one unconditional God's faithful no matter what is in burst 3 my eye is in my heart will always be there and then the rest of the text is if then and I don't watch you but if then sounds ominous the setting here is fascinating by the way God is answering Solomon's prayer the temple has been built the palaces are built the dedication festivities are over the wall I believe the wall around Jerusalem had been completed and a lengthy dedication prayer has been prayed and Solomon is wondering how God is going to respond will even answer the prayer and God comes to Solomon a 2nd time I believe in a dream and he says I've got some warning signs I want you to put up around the temple you can see where I'm going with this. In the same way that there were warnings there are warning signs he should enter the city of Boulder. There are warning signs on the temple and it's use. Now we're not the temple so don't try to allegorize these things and like I've said prosperity gospel foolishness and although we're not Israel we are people of God so how can these warning signs given to. Thousands of years ago about Temple worship how can these be applied to each of us as we involve ourselves in worship and I basically want to look at warnings for wise worshippers us that that's my title today and I want to see how much time we have to look at the ones that we've got here today warning number one. God's presence. He's the only thing that will make it work. You say Where are you getting that well what made the temple the miss you question what made the temple a spectacular building and my answer would be not when the cedar paneling was moved in although in their culture that was like hey guess was the paneling prate of homes baby because people want to see that that's amazing stuff it's imported but that's not what made it spectacular. Not when the precious stones were mounted Not when the precious metals pave the floor and covered the Ark of the Covenant and not even by the way when the priests started doing their priestly work Listen the day the temple became spectacular was the day God showed up in a cloud of smoke the turn back with me to chapter a verse 10 just a chapter if you still of your Bible and separate versed in Buddhism the pages. Jack. When every verse 10 when the previous withdrew from the Holy Place the cloud filled the temple of the Lord and the priest could not perform their service because of a cloud see it but me for the glory of the Lord filled his temple what happened God was there I don't get confused and we dealt with this several weeks ago don't get confused done on the presence and this manifestation of God's presence God was there in the way that God said my eyes and my her will always be there God was there you know when you have some time away like like Jan and I have had over the last 2 weeks it it gives you. It gives you time to think that I don't think other times too but it gives you more brain time down time to to just let your mind to go to what God is saying in the focus on his word and let God speak to you and stuff. And you know I'm in my 25th year here as senior pastor in this church I just saying that sounds like a dream is something that went like this and I've seen a lot in the life of a church when you stay in the same place for that long you see a lot and the you guys I've seen a lot those of you stayed stay the course that whole time and I have I had to say there have been times and I really missed or whatever but there have been times when I've had the sense that God was in it. And there have been other times I've had the sense that. That he wasn't. That with was some situations that was some developments that was some staff that was some people in the church there was. There were agendas that were not of God being there they were very much about people wanting their way in. Other stuff and it struck me that what I want to be about at this stage of my life and you know you can believe this or not is I want to be where God is doing what God is called me to do and I wanted to be about him and his presence or I don't want to I don't want to spend any time in it all mere human enterprise and I think churches can be mere human enterprise. I could be mere human enterprise with all the songs in their worship and praise on the thing that is all that I can that could be all and to say something that supports that here with my 2nd warning in just a moment. What makes a temple great presence a lower man. What makes a church great presence the Lord God at work. What makes a ministry great what makes a Christian family great the presence of the Lord What makes a peer a church minister a great the presence of the Lord God is there and God is working and God is doing something that only God can do and when you hear about it or when humans make observation of it you say man that had to be God There is no other explanation I love knowing that God is working I low knowing that it's an enterprise of God and not mere human action exercise in energy because of his mere human exercise and energy I am I'm Tucker doubt I'm done. I don't have the energy for that anymore. But if it's about what God is doing it's about how God is moving man Count me in that's that's the only thing left for me that's the only thing left that I want to be a that I want to be about at this stage of my life now building big buildings or big enterprises or numbers or all that kind of stuff I mean you get a little taste of some of that stuff and you realize that on satisfy. The edges multiplies your stuff. As tools to what God wants to do absolutely. As as an able most to how God wants to work. But man. Just just a bunch of people you know. Their jobs and benefits and. Songs are going to get to saying. You know stick a fork in me man. I know that's all metaphor but you know what I could think of. But when God's in it. You just get that little chill on the back of your neck and you just see. It we all know what those moments are like. Stay up to date with the real truth. On Twitter at my Tracey rock and also. At the real Tracy. Is Your Life directed by what you know are by what you feel. This summer I saw a wise mom correcting her son is he fought hard for a toy that he wanted but was in his sister's possession the mom knelt down looked her son in the eye and said Son we act on what we know not on what we feel now what do you know the boy slowly looked up and said I know that my sister is more important than this toy and that God is kind and I need to be kind like God and share with my sister I was amazed at how quickly truth helped that little boy get his eyes off of himself and corrected his behavior how about you are you letting the truth of who God is and what he has said determine your thoughts and behavior let's choose to lean into the truth of God's word today I'm Andrea Griffith wife mother and follower of Jesus for one cry dot com. That. I heard we Strobel tell above about one this past week. Is the sum you know the name Lee Strobel the Strobel was a hard driving reporter for The Chicago Tribune an atheist then believe in God and was so you know so intense about his his disbelief in God He decided to study Christianity to. Prove that it was wrong and in the process if you go to Chris did . Talk about God at work and he was still working at the Chicago Tribune when and had become this amazing evangelist that continues to this day I believe he has the gift of angels I'm actually and this is from this is from a book titled The unexpected a venture that He's co-written with Mark Middleburg Anyway he says one average in routine day I was packing up my briefcase to working at Chicago Tribune at this time and I was getting ready to leave the newspaper when I felt the nudging of the Holy Spirit was like God was telling me that I needed to go into the business office and invite my friend who was an atheist coworker to come to Easter at my church he said I had the strong impression that God wanted me to do this since the impression seemed so strongly rise I figured something dramatic was going to happen I walked into the business office and I looked around and up the whole area was empty except for my friend who was sitting at his desk I thought this is perfect God God planned this I reminded him that Easter was coming up and I asked him if he would want to come to church with Leslie and me and he turned me down cold said 9 understand that I asked if you was interested at all in spiritual matters he said truthfully no. I asked of you any questions about God again not really I talked about why the resurrection was so important but he clearly was not interest that with all of my evangelistic overtures being installation down I was beginning to get a little embarrassed why was he so disinterested in talking about spiritual matters if God had indeed been prodding me to go and talk with him finally I stammered Well I guess if you ever have any questions I guess you know where my desk is and I walked. He said What was that all about I couldn't understand why he was so adamantly resistant. Still as far as I know today in fact he remains a skeptic Fast forward several years. By this time I was a teaching pastor will create community church in suburban Chicago after I spoke on Sunday morning a middle aged man came up shook my hand and said I just want to thank you for the spiritual influence you've had in my life Strobel says well that's nice but truthfully who are you. He said let me tell you my story a few years ago I lost my job I didn't have any money I was afraid was going to lose my house so I called a friend who runs a newspaper and said you have any work for me and he said can you tile floors Well I'd tile my bathroom wall so I said Sure I can and he told me that we need some tiling done at the newspaper if you can do that well we can pay you so one day not long before Easter I was on my hands and knees behind a desk in the business office of the newspaper fixing some tiles when you walked into the room I don't think you even saw me I was hiding behind the desk you started talking about God and Jesus and Easter and the church to some guy who was in there and he was not interested at all but I was crouching there listening in my heart was beating fast and I started thinking I need God and I need to go to church as soon as I left I called my wife and said Honey we're going to church this Easter she said You're kidding me I said No I we are so we ended up coming to church at Easter and my wife my teenage son and I all came to faith in Christ I just wanted to think. I was dumbstruck he wrote who could have forseen that except the amazing grace of God I had heard him tell the story this week and then I got a copy of it to bring it to you today I was so moved by the reality. That God was present. And I'm sure as you hear that story and each group has responded the same way you go oh. What's that like yes God was present. And and with that makes us want to do is witness to somebody and maybe look under desks and see I don't know I mean what that makes us want to do is he's be plugged into what God is doing and where God is warning number one God's presence makes it work Warning Number 2 God's priority is your heart look at verse 4 Chapter 9 verse 4 he says as for you if you walk before me if your Bibles open read it with me in integrity of heart stopped there. Some in hearts like David when I said that and I was thinking that this week I thought I mean really thought of a little child king who definitely had a heart after God a heart like David and some had flawed hearts like Saul who was all about himself. You know it occurred to me that God really wants to see only one diagnostic test for you he wants to see the condition of your heart he wants to give you a spiritual e.k.g. I know a little bit about physical E.K.G.'s I've had some heart issues through the years and I'm very familiar with the routine of having an attendant come into the cardiology waiting room and. And are in the in the doctor's area in the room where you're waiting for the doctor and she comes in as you've got this machine and it's got all these leads and electrical leads and she says you know pull up your shirt and you put the lead here and leave here and leave here and leave here leave here she puts one down here she puts one here she takes the wires and begins to attach them they're all color coded and she's Ok remain very still this won't take long and she presses a button 15 seconds maybe and she gets this little print out she tears it off I came to the point where I had so many of these I would say has a look at it can I take a look at it you know not on the doctor's got to do this so she would leave in one hour later the doctor would come in with a little. Getting. But that did happen a few times. Because I wanted to know what one of the condition of my are words 2 you want to know how a condition of your are when you're struggling with our issues because that's the big deal there's nothing more important. If your heart's not right nothing's right. You can live without a limb or an eye or any year or other parts of the body but the heart. Oh how I wish through the years. That we could have you know I'm in the middle of no other situation at the church about whatever Oh I wish that I could say to somebody lay on this table and raise your shirt. And here's the. E.k.g. You have somebody in there pressing the buttons. And get the read out. And then come down to my office and give me the readout. And then an hour later I walk down to the person's office. And say it's your heart dude. God's priorities your heart let me give you some verses. Proverbs 2326 this is a proverb probably written by Solomon on behalf of the Lord my son give me your heart and let your eyes observe my ways that's pretty straightforward isn't it 1st Samuel 167 you all know this one man looks at the overt appearance but God does what he looks at the heart Deuteronomy 65 Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength if the if the spiritual e.k.g. Was attached to your hard today would we see. What would we see there some of you would look at and say oh man so he would look at and say I don't care I would think there is always a percentage like that some of you say I know it's not right who some of you under the conviction of the Holy Spirit with God as your convict or would say oh change my heart. Make it ever true change my heart may I be like you you are the Potter I am the clay mold me and make me this is what I pray change my heart oh god make it ever true change my heart oh God May I be like you. Some of you need our change today. Some of you wondered away. You're on the wrong path man. You're worship is about routine and trying to impress people and the art of the deal and your service is for you it's narcissistic It's not about wanting to serve the Lord or matter what it's about you . You're giving you're paying the bill and you like the tax deduction and that's it. Your marriage. You're not even there you are you pulled out you know you're there physically but you've. Said I'm not doing this anymore. You found ways around a man you found ways to be busy and to be gone and to do all the other stuff. You've got a heart problem. There is there is nothing when Solomon hears from the Lord and you want to hear from the Lord we all do when Solomon hears the Lord God 1st says here's what here's what I'm going to do. And by we want to hear that yes and then he says but as for you there's something there's something about you there's something about the condition of your heart. There's something about what's going on there that's not right and it is time for you to take a look. And if you will. You know some of you have animosity in your heart towards someone in this in this church family some of you have family dynamics where your heart is not right to remember your family some of you got some stuff going on and man you know it occurred to me we just need a hard cleansing time here today. You'll be the ones who will determine whether or not that will happen if you yield to the to the Spirit of God and what he's saying and what he wants to do in you. I've got more illustrations in the clock is ticking so let's get on the Warning Number 3 Warning Number One God's presence makes it work don't don't try to do it without relying on God and His presence there because if you're going to do it was just not going to work to God's priorities your heart 3 God's promises are always kept Now I don't know some of you might say upon hearing that and it sounds like a warning to May God's promises are kept sounds like an encouragement often we consider God's promises a comforting and encouraging thing a Though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death I will fear no evil for the hour when the gods a way of me I will never leave you are for sake you cast all your care upon me for I care for you God cares for us but sometimes listen knowing that God keeps His promises can bring fear why because God makes more than one kind of promise. We all prosperity gospel guys they all love to go to the good ones. They go cherry picking the good ones and write books and build huge churches and major inner prizes on the promises that make you happy. But not all God's promises are like that you say wound you lost me there I am what are you saying Well how about this one. But if you or your sons turn away from me and do not observe the commands or degrees I've given you will go off to serve other gods and worship and then I will cut off Israel from the land I've given them. That's a promise. And I will reject this temple I have consecrated for my name. Israel will become a by word and object to ridicule among all peoples. And all those temples posing all passed by will be appalled and scoff and say why is Lord done such a thing people say well it's because they are. God's promises for you I'll cut you off from the land all reject this temple all turned this into an object to ridicule let people know the price tag for failing to follow God. And by the way history reveals this is exactly going. To. Give you a dancing give. Me in. A bayonet. And you're listening to the real Tracy rock can I get it. Were Rascal Flatts did you know that suicide is the 2nd leading cause of death for you ages 10 to 24 in our nation but the good news is that suicide is preventable that's why we've joined the Jason Foundation in a national campaign to prevent youth suicide a friend can make a big difference for a person who may be struggling thoughts of suicide someone you know may need a friend be one visit Rascal Flatts be one dot com Try to get some way. Jesus I read this week Jesus relentlessly undermines all that is not God to make room for the God who has redeemed our hearts. God's promises regarding judgment will not sell a lot of books will not play well real well in a church setting and as a part of his sermon they create a lot of tension and a lot of this ease among the saints. Because nobody wants to think about it. Well you know. I know that you know I should be faithful in my marriage but I'm just going with my own I'm just following my true feelings Well you know I know it says that we ought to you know says that we. Give to the Lord more blessed to give than receive the times are hard and you know I don't think I have to do that all that other people to. You know it's somebody saying well. You know you're in the Old Testament man you know I'm a New Testament Christian Ok glacial 6 that's in the New Testament Beano the sieved God is not mocked whatever person so that will be also reap you know we've lost the we've lost our grip on this message I grew up with this and you scared and liver autumn a growing on trees like you know but but we've swung the pendulum and we just pushed it over here as though you can live anywhere you want to live and there's no consequences for it it's not true. You know when Paul's talking about New Testament when Paul's talking about. The Lord's table and I seeing you know eat and drink wordly because if you don't you know he you're going to drink damnation yourself and then he says for this cause many are weak and sickly among you and many sleep metaphor for death among you. There's consequences in that and I asked in Safira New Testament. Say when I saw this land over give you all or you sure you can you know oh yeah we're going all should lie about things like that why not. Because in this instance you're lying to the Holy Spirit and God in His omniscience and sovereignty and providential judgment decided this is intolerable you're dead both of you. Warning Number 3 God's promises are always kept. Trying to scare you today I'm trying to I'm trying to invite you to consider the warnings that there might be on your life right now as you're engaging yourself in in worship and trying to live for the Lord and all the rest don't don't play with your playing with fire men do not play with this. This isn't just some game this is serious business and you know God God's calling us to holiness in our day. So you know we become this you know and I use this as a metaphor this Desperate Housewives society Desperate Housewives culture and the sitcom. You know or Christianity or something is like what happened to us man with the last warning number for God For him it's pluralism and again I'm out of time but says what's pluralism Well pluralism is thinking you can have more than one god just so you know there there's only one he says in verse 6 other God he says in verse 9 other guys by the way 1st of the 10 Commandments and this occurred to me last year as I ask you guys too how many of you don't do it but how many of you think you can take out a piece of paper right now and write down the 10 commandments in order all 10 of them. Oh man we have said Christians a gentleman went on their take I want to be growing on board at all and I say I think probably are people here that can't even reciting all 10 of them. Christians come to church every week homework for you this week write down the 10 Commandments on a little a 3 by 5 card or on your screen saver or somewhere and put them where you can find them and recites them once a day just to refresh your memory and the 1st one is no other gods no other gods there are no other gods now our critics tell us that this makes God sound like this narcissistic it's only me it's all about me kind of God Let me just tell you something they are that that is a lie rooted in the out of the pit of hell from Satan the author. God says no other gods because one there aren't really and they are there. To hear that there aren't really any all there and true he knows the only satisfaction to the deepest need of your life will be a relationship with them the true living God and he's trying to get you there he's trying to keep you connected to the only one who will satisfy you to they only want to meet the deepest longings of your life some of you see this no other gods thing you think well I was Old Testament and idolatry and that was them and this is now what is idolatry idolatry is treating what is not a whole 2 minutes as though it were all to whenever we deem a particular relationship or goal an absolute necessity I am most proud of this we are in danger of idolatry according to Martin Luther whatever your heart clings to and relies upon that is your god and idol is something within creation that is inflated to function as a substitute for God. Let me tell you something a life centered on God. All ways lead to the emptiness always. A life not centered on God and this is what this is what the warning is God saying you guys I've given you I mean I've seen you guys but he's saying I've given you all to that wisdom. Comment all to wisdom those although wisdom says they if you use it it says stay with God stay faithful him stay serving here stay in reliance of the pendency upon him the just live by faith in the air. Don't go that direction because when you go that direction you're thinking of God told Israel this might happen they were warned but they 1st got here and we know the history on it trying to keep them from Yardy know how this turns out but they 1st saw a god anyway. And the irony is that Israel as a by word continues to this very present day. Anti Semitism is still rampant Mahmoud Ahmadinejad denies the Holocaust and suggest that Israel should be wiped from the map what's what's happening in all of this Israel rejected God and went after other gods and experience because that word at the end of the disaster that he promised. Here's my punchline and we'll pray and go. Away start in worship. Doesn't guarantee a wise finish. A wise start in worship Solomon started with wisdom how the ultimate. But that doesn't guarantee a wise finish. Talking with a pastor friend one of the Sundays we were gone we were in is visiting this church in another state and we had some time afterwards we talked about you know stay in the course as a pastor and go in for the long haul stuff any he said means that I have a friend who's just written something has done some research in our particular denomination he's concluded one his research has one in 20 pastors who starts out finishes well. Talk about pastors. In worship does not guarantee. But here's the warnings. God's presence makes it work because priority is your heart God's promises kept and God prohibits pluralism. Live with wisdom make the right choices if you've got to do something about your condition today do it before the day is over for the glory of God Let's pray. I want you to stand with me you've been very patient today thanks for your patience I know it's been a long haul here stand with me and I want to pray. And I'd like to be that little chorus that I'm sure 90 percent of you know change by heart Oh God make it ever true change my heart. May I be like you and that will be our prayer and then we'll close to. Change. May. Change. May be. Your the Potter and the clay you. Make me this is what I. Mean we the. Same phrase change. May. Change. As as we leave today and head out into the rest of it is for the day if there's someone there who needs to do business with you to confess their sand turn around to repent. To start To Jesus. Heavenly Father thank you so much for passed a Bill thank you for allowing him to fold thank you for Him in truth. The truth. For you we're thankful for the listeners here at the real Tracy rock we pray that you ask them abundantly thank you thank you thank you love until next time keep your feet on the rock. The preceding program. Tracy rock your tune 70 Cale teach e-commerce City Denver k o t t h d and streaming worldwide at 6. N e k l t t dot com Are you radio active. Mind this is Matt Wyatt from the money $67.00 a jail t.v. With a reminder that Christian radio depends on you the programs you enjoy and that ministers or you need your support they need you to be a prayer warrior for them but they also need you to be a financial warrior for them no matter the gift large or small regular giving or one time gift the next on your favorite teacher or program is on the air make sure you get their information and then help keep Christian radio strong by sending them your prayerful and financial support be radioactive. This is am 6 of kale t.t. And kale g.t. H.d. Come or should be done in no f.m. At 95 point one and streaming will watch it 670 Cayle t.t. Dot com. Today and family talk. Welcome everyone to this Friday edition of family talk I'm Dr James Dobson then today's program like all the others that we air are produced by James Dobson Family Institute thank you for joining us today and for standing with this ministry you know in the last 100 years there's been a growing hatred toward religion around the world especially Christianity Jesus said it would be that way he said in this world he shall have trivialization that be of good chere because I've overcome the world according to research compiled by the organization opened doors one in 9 Christians around the world experiences persecution and sets the year 2017 over 4100 fall. Hours of Christ were killed for their faith and another $2600.00 falsely imprisoned that's probably an understatement because we don't know all the persecution that's taking place but those are sad statistics and as I said the killing and the persecution are an even greater pace today well today we're going to talk about that and that she listened to a conversation that featured a couple that has experienced this severe suffering firsthand their names are Andrew and Norene Bronson you may recognize them from the headlines following Andrew's release from a Turkish prison by the trumpet ministration in a moment you're going to hear an interview with the Brunson's that was conducted by my colleague Dr Tim Clinton who recorded it at the 2019 Western Conservative Summit Andrew Norene will talk about Andrew's just trial and subsequent time in prison my prayer is that this broadcast will move you frankly we all need to be concerned about it then we'll open your eyes to the problem of persecution that's still going on globally here now is Dr Tim Clinton on this edition of family talk. You know Jesus told us that our walk is followers would not be easy some would be criticized despised hated in.