The World

is certainly a Population wise the world is a big place But I was also thinking The world in its power is a bad place So I'm going to I'm going to have something for everyone here. I Know normally when people speak we are at a conference like this in ministry. We're speaking to the believers But I want everybody to listen because there's going to be something for everyone I Want to speak just in a short while on the world So I want to say one thing if you are not saved in this meeting You are part of a wicked condemned world and We who are saved are not of the world.

We have been saved from it but we are in the world and so there's going to be something for everyone so so it put away the Games or anything like that because this is a very very serious subject and I we need to pay close attention to it So I'm going to just look at a few subjects a few few verses 1st. John chapter 2, please 1st. John chapter 2 If there is one thing that will take us away Then I know we have three great enemies as the people of God We have the flesh that is always with us and again though where the believer is not said to be in the flesh Positionally the flesh is in us We still have this war there is also the devil and there is also the world three great enemies and the world of the devil Uses the world to attract us the bling right the shiny objects the attractiveness the flesh needs an outlet and So the world presents that as well to us in terms of its attractiveness now in 1st.

John chapter 2 and verse 16 1st. John chapter 2 and verse verse 15 actually Love not the world Neither the things that are in the world If any man love the world the love of the father is not in him for all that is in the world and here is a basically a The consistency of the world in which we live now. He is not writing just to make this clear There are different aspects of the world.

There is the material aspect of the world there is that world which has been created and Interesting when you go back to the book of Genesis, you will see in the beginning God created the heavens and the earth But what would happen shortly is That Adam who had dominion over the earth That scepter is now passed from his hand Under the dominion of Satan the devil and then the earth and its material aspect now takes on a uniquely decadent dark moral and spiritual aspect so that the earth becomes the world in systems that now Emanate from the darkness of the power and the dominion of Satan We were hearing about tentacles an optic octopus that has tentacles Satan now is the prince of this world The prince of the power of the air and so this world that we live in has been literally Saturated it has been surrounded. It is Permeated it is Pulsing it is powered energized by the God of this world That is the world that we live in that is the world that you who are not saved are part of and So John writes and he says love not the world It's interesting that that he doesn't say hate the world Then interesting doesn't say hate the world. He just says love not the world But let me turn that around this world that we live in as believers will have absolutely no compulsion about hating you Hating God in fact the Lord Jesus said that the world hates me and it will hate You it will hate you for the man that we are linked with it will hate you For the message that you bring to it and while Christians believers in in any age Believers in any age are to be respectable and often liked because of the character that we should have In fact, it says that in the book of Acts that that they had favor with all the people acts chapter 2 Once we bring the message that you've been hearing once we present the truth of Sinners that are on a collision course meeting the God that will judge them for their sins That the division that exists the separation that exists we are targeted They're hated Never lose sight of that John says love not the world and then he brings in these three things in verse 16 for all that is in the world the lust of the flesh the lust of the eyes and the pride of life three things and They go right back to the beginning Right back to the Garden of Eden You remember that when it comes to Eve remember when Satan came the serpent came to her and he is Presenting now these three things Right when she was told they were told not to eat of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil But it says what did it say? It says that she saw first of all she saw and she looked and it was palatable It would how does she know what it tasted like? How did she know but it was already there Eric? She was longing and the devil was presenting that and now there is it tastes good.

There's a lust of the flesh It looks good Was pleasant to the eyes lust of the eyes and It was one to make her wise it was going to elevate to promote self at the expense of Disobedience to the Word of God So you have the three ingredients there right in the Garden of Eden right at the very beginning and as one has said So successful and so palatable was the recipe that Satan presented at the beginning. He has never had any reason to change And so you have these three things presented to us now notice one more thing As he says the pride of life is not of the father, but is of the world and the world passes away and The lust thereof but he that do with the will of God abideth forever. What a great contrast chapter 4 Chapter 4 and verse 10 pardon me Sorry, John is writing now to to the Christians to try the spirits these spirits now that are sent into The world verse 1 beloved believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God How do we do that through the Word of God the Word of God gives us discernment? Gives us direction as to what is right.

What is wrong? What is of God? What is of the devil? there is a there is a contrast between two worlds the kingdom of God the kingdom of Satan the kingdom of darkness We who are saved have been translated out of the kingdom of darkness into the kingdom of the son of his love and What has happened is now the world in which we live in its character in its consistency in its command and control is Under the dominion of Satan the Lord Jesus came When he came Satan knew did everything to oppose could not and So the Lord Jesus now we are under those who are saved are in his kingdom under his government in his world and so there is a collision a tension between two worlds That is going on right now And so John is writing about that let's go over to the book of James chapter 4 James chapter 4 James chapter 4 James is writing about some of the very things that our brother Jim was bringing before us that will seek to destroy or at least At least to to affect the that bond that we have been brought into and the unity Verse 1 from whence come wars and fighting among you come they not even hence even of your lusts that war in your members Talking about the flesh now, but then let's go to verse 4 ye adulterers and adulteresses If you read that I think most texts would simply give us you adulteresses and so he says know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God Whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God Those are very serious very very divisive words Those are fighting words Believers here anyone walking on the edge anyone straddling friends with the world Welcoming it looking at it. Not really seeing it for what it is be very very careful Friendship with the world is enmity with God Revelation chapter 11 Just two more passages revelation chapter 11 There are many passages we could read, but I want you to get a little bit of a glimpse the character of what the the Word of God how God Points to us toward this world and what it is revelation 11 Now we are in the tribulation period in chapter 11 and verse let's go down to verse 7 and When they that is these two witnesses that will testify during the tribulation period When they shall have finished their testimony the beast the Antichrist that ascended out of the bottomless pit shall make war against them and Shall overcome them and kill them and their dead bodies shall lie in the street of the great city Which spiritually is called Sodom and Egypt? Where our Lord was crucified was the Lord Jesus crucified in Sodom or Egypt no He's saying this is the character of the world it is crucified our Lord It is hated our Savior the Savior that loves you and loves me so much this world Crucified hates him We must never lose sight of that Galatians chapter 6 for the final reading Galatians chapter 6 We sometimes saying with the children three crosses standing side by side and we're speaking in the song About the the Lord Jesus and the two thieves, but there are three crosses There are actually are The first one is the cross that the Lord Jesus died on the actual cross The second one is the cross that Paul refers to as I have been crucified with Christ But there is a third cross and it is here in Galatians 6 and verse 14 God but God forbid that I should glory save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ by whom the world is Crucified unto me and I unto the world 1932 there was a man named Aldous Huxley Aldous Huxley was a philosopher a writer and He is actually was the grandson. He was the grandson of Thomas Huxley a great proponent sadly of Darwin is Darwinian ism of evolution and He wrote a book called brave new world and in this book brave new world he wrote a 1932 actually of a technologically advanced future a Society where people were both indoctrinated by the state they were Pharmaceutically anesthetized and they were genetically bred They were thoughtless they were mindless they were will this brave new World there's nothing new about it Nothing new about it Interestingly Huxley died on the same day that CS Lewis died how differently those two men departed brave new world That is the world in which we live isn't it a world that is anesthetizing minds Talking about genetics talking about things that people are doing talking about engineering all that science is God God is dead Nietzsche proclaimed that years ago and someone someone wrote on a billboard one time and they crossed it out They said Nietzsche's dead sign God very very true I Want you to think just in a very short time.

I'm just gonna be the introduction of the world the introduction of the world We went back to Genesis chapter 1 Genesis 2 and 3 where now Satan now has dominion Over what God has created everything has been changed now the curse is here Satan now is in control as it were and There are systems now that are being Propagated promoted Powered Cain goes out build cities the world of metallurgy music materialism worship Babel created systems that now Weave their way the human body is made up of different types of systems right cardiovascular system the skeletal system the muscular system the digestive system All these different systems, but they work in together in one body That's what's happening in the world in which we live There are systems that that move throughout There is the religious system There's the entertainment system There are various systems the political systems that sadly that which God even has originally ordained To be for the protection and the promotion of what is right Because of who we are and because of satanic power has been so corrupted It is actually destructive to what is right and it rewards that which is wrong This is the world dear believers that we live in do not lose sight of that do not shut your eyes to that we do that at our peril and We need to be awakened we need to be called back with men that need to stand on these platforms and in assemblies that will give the clarion call to remind believers that we often fall asleep to the reality that this world and Friendship with it is In opposition to God this world we need to be reminded. It is not our home. It's not our home.

Thank God To build the biggest home you want, but you know what you really don't keep in mind dear brother sister. You don't live here. You're saved This world is hostile hostile to God This world has crucified our Lord Jesus Hated our Savior This world hates us This world hates God this world hates his word There is this world targets through satanic power This world targets believers Targets Christians targets what is of God isn't it interesting right now is it isn't it so telling? that the world in its Transgender and all its type of presentations of twisted perverted thinking and teaching and directives wants the Christian To change our worldview that is based on the Word of God, but it's not forcing other religions to do that.

I Don't hear of governments calling on Muslim the Muslim world to change the Quran and their view But they are wanting us this world I read Revelation 11 as well to remind us that this world is What is going to spawn and produce the Antichrist? Through satanic energy and that's the world in tandem together is going to produce the man of sin God's man has been rejected There's coming a day when he won't be but right now he is and So we have the introduction of these things. I want you to think Now of the seduction not the introduction now of the world which I have just given you But I want you to think of the seduction of this world. It is subtle.

It is extremely subtle And it will use almost an erosion It will draw people into it It's like a quicksand that will suck people down and draw them. It is attractive. It is appealing Maybe there's someone today.

I don't know. Maybe I'm speaking to someone today and you are on the edge of Being drawn right into it and you can't lose your soul. Thank God, but you can lose your testimony you will lose your power you will lose your influence and You can even be used then to draw others with you Keep that in mind the world in which we live is very very seductive It appeals to the senses the word sensual is that which appeals to the senses the seeing the lust of the eyes sensory perception feeling When it comes to these things we read about those three primary aspects that the world uses the lust of the flesh the lust of the eyes the pride of life and when we look at that the opposite of Worldliness in its seductive power is what? Holiness The opposite of worldliness and being drawn away to this world and to the God of this world is holiness to be drawn away into to him and to God and to his kingdom and So there is this again this dynamic this tension between two worlds Worldliness emphasizes self It promotes self holiness promotes God and The death of self That's why I read that Not only is the world crucified I have been crucified as well the death of self so that the world wants to appeal to that the flesh Responds to it and the devil knows it and make no mistake about it I'm speaking to a people to an audience here that I have met there's many different faces But I'll tell you what the devil using this world knows exactly what the chink in your armor is He knows exactly what triggers what trips your trigger if I could use that what draws you away He has he has an arsenal a plethora of possibilities to draw people away to attract He knows your weakness You know for some it may be something as innocuous as video games And you think what's the harm in that? I'm not harming anybody Maybe it's the computer I can use it for good But pretty soon you're in a rabbit hole and you're going down side and you look at your watch and it's three hours all of a Sudden and where did the time go? And now we've become guilty of time-wasting and we're drawn away and the time that we should have and could have spent in self-denial we are spending in self-promotion and It will take us away Where will our effectiveness be in the gospel? Where will our ability now come to give worship to God? You know, what is happening? The world is Attracting and it's robbing us.

It's robbing God and it's very attractive It's the bling You know, there are creatures right now in this world That they use color There are fish There are creatures in the sea that use the attractiveness of color. It's a beautiful thing to draw in their prey and As the prey comes in and all of a sudden now, it's it's stung Venom Snatch a grab and it has its prey The world is like that. Maybe it's a world of relations and there are people we were hearing about relationships dating courting Maybe there's someone here today and you and you have struggled and you have you have You long to have a relationship and you wonder why am I not? Why is there no one and the devil knows and he uses the world and he brings one of his children a child of the devil a child of this world to draw you in and There is an attractiveness and there seems to be in a just as just an interest Don't fall for it.

Maybe there's some pursuit something maybe it's money-making and The attractiveness and the bling is held out there The world is very seductive and you find now you are working your fingers to the bone and time that you could have spent that Job is now sucking away, but it's legitimate because you have to earn money to survive. Don't you survive? No, you don't want to survive do you you want to You want to self-promote You want to present because that's what the world holds out to you. That's the standard That's the keeping up with the Joneses and the Smiths and the and you go on and on and keep going you can name a hundred Different names with a hundred different consonants or vowels.

It's seductive It promotes self it uses the senses What is the opposite of that? Well, we've been hearing about it at this conference the word of the Living God Word that when we are willing Let me say something else. It's not just the Word of God. It's the Word of God that is unsheathed It's literally the spoken word.

It's the the written word made applicable It's not it's not It's not the Bible just like this It's the Bible that's opened it's the Bible that's taught and it's the Bible and and God expects let me say something else The world wants and the devil wants us to just to sit here and keep our ears closed to things When you hear ministry Are you gauging the speaker on how he speaks on what mistakes he makes on if he oh, he made a mistake there He quoted a he quoted a Zechariah and it was really Malachi and he caught him and you go on and on and think Do you take do I take the word that is unsheathed from this platform? And do I apply it then? Do I allow it to cut to convict? See the world doesn't want that you see because that's the secondary the last big contrast because the world appeals to the soul the sensual the seat of affections and The devil uses that Whereas God wants to speak to our spirits it is very very seductive Self-promotion You know what Hebrews chapter 13 ends with the writer to the Hebrews has been speaking to the people there Seeking to warn them to tell them to draw them away from what was the only God-given religion ever That this world has ever known Judaism He is presenting Christ in his superiority all along the way Christ in his sacrifice We were hearing about that my brother mentioned that yesterday How does he end that letter? Some have suggested it's an addendum to the end of the letter chapter 13. I would suggest not It is the capping of the letter. It is the end of the letter and what he says there Let us go forth therefore unto him him the man that this world hates The man that this world despises Let us therefore go forth unto him is this world keeping you back from him that is what it's designed to do bearing his reproach We don't want reproach Who does? Who does and it is one thing there are people who who bring upon themselves reproach? for what they do I think of the Amish and They wear their black clothes, and they do things like that And and they're just I remember telling an Amish man once we were having gospel meetings down in Virginia And I said you know when people think of you.

They don't even think of Christians. They just think of Amish It's another thing to bear his reproach for obedience to Christ for for Living how he did for being the way he was when he was here What did he do when he was here? well What is one thing that he did he called he called he called sorry for the expression a spade a spade He made the expression he called out hypocrisy He made clearly that there was black and white there is absolutism. It's not relativism We are living in a world situation ethics if the if the season if the the situation presents itself then do it The greater good the Lord Jesus did not allow that the Word of God does not allow that He called that out.

He challenged society He said if any man will follow me let him take up his cross and follow me Are we willing to do that take up his cross you know what that will mean deny yourself When a person took up a cross it was a public denouncement It was a public proclamation that there is a dead man that man is as good as dead Are you dear brother or sister as Are you not only as good as dead are you alive in Christ because a lot of us are living As if we know nothing about the cross as if we know nothing about reproach There are believers that that that they will look more like the world than the world itself That they will talk more like the world than the world does you would never know they were a believer Would the Lord Jesus do that would he act like that We we taunt and we look at rather we hold out these these New Testament Saints the Apostle Paul Peter James John and we look at them as paradigms. You know what all of them died for their faith We can't live for our faith because the world is sucking us dry and we're legitimizing it And I am speaking to myself first Because it is a battle and When we lose sight of Christ and we lose sight of his world and we turn and we get more attracted to this world There is a drawing power of the bling it is seductive It is deceptive a Christian is someone who follows Christ What is an assembly? Because assemblies sadly we're We're buying into some of this we want new methods new measures. We want attractive things.

We want to draw in. What is an assembly? Well, I know you all know the word because it's been said about a million times Ekklesia But you know what that means, right an Ekklesia. I know we don't speak Greek, but I'm sure you've heard it You've read it if you haven't and you're in an assembly.

I don't know why you don't know it then it means a called-out Company a called-out Company, it is answered a call a call from a call to a call out of what does that mean brethren? It means we have been called out of the world we have been called to the Lordship of Christ to what to who a rejected man that this world hates so is it any wonder if it hates us and If you are very popular in this world, then you better ask yourself why because he was not The Word of God isn't it's a really good question to ask yourself Called out so that the assembly is not to be a place where singles meet, you know And you look at some of these boards and some of these, you know, it's not to be a gymnasium It's not to be a restaurant You know, we're we're we're we're we're presenting this to the to the community and we're doing that the assembly is temple of God It is a called-out company It is an object of hatred from the world's perspective it is not for us to seek to be popular if you are seeking that as an either an Individual believer or as an assembly if there are leaders in the assemblies here and you are seeking that you are wrong Biblically, it's not a place for entertainment It's not a place to show movies I Was shocked I I was I was coming out of a restaurant and and I saw an ad on a billboard and I and and for a moment I looked I looked and I was shocked there was a church in this community and they had said Super Bowl Sunday and They were having a special service so that everybody could come and watch the Super Bowl because Super Bowl is always on a Sunday And then I thought before before that thought left my mind I thought well I know of it of at least one assembly that canceled her gospel meeting because of Super Bowl Sunday and you shake your heads brethren It could be us. It could be us if we lose sight of what the world is and Who he is Let it not let not this world in its philosophies In its thinking in its directives in its drive In its motivation and in its activities. Let it not govern us That is why we need teaching clearly from the Word of God that not only Exposes what the world is but what the world does We need and teaching like this When we hear it when I hear it if we are true believers, it should ring in our hearts There should be a resonating power in the truth of the Word of God because the Spirit of God dwells in us individually as well as in the individual company of believers and If there is not a ring to your heart if you do not long If you do not long and I do not long for that man that is rejected today to have his rightful place Then there's something wrong if you want your place if you think that that place should be in this world and in terms of popularity if you think that the church's mission and your mission is to show your neighbors and everybody else that you're a normal guy and A normal place and we're just like them You have missed out on what being a Christian is if your involvement and your influence and your sphere is all about the things of Entertainment and the television and the movies and and the enter the entertainment industry is godless It is satanic Hollywood is an absolute blasphemous machine That pushes out thing and there are believers that they're spending their Friday nights They're spending their Saturday nights, and they're they're immersed in these things And I listen I am NOT on a tirade here Okay, I am I have I have measured out and thought of what I'm going to say to them, but there is such It seems to be a wholehearted movement of us as the people of God And maybe it just might be some mixed multitude, too.

I don't know but there isn't there seems to be an Unfounded attraction For worldly methods and worldly living and worldly things that are not only diluting but destroying testimonies of God That should be marked out in Characteristic of that which is heavenly that which is holy That which is godly there is a rhythm in the world and I'm not a I'm not a there are people here today that are involved in music Nothing wrong with music. It's the right kind, but there is a beat in Music a rhythm, and it's called syncopated rhythm and Syncopated rhythm is is kind of a rhythm that it's it's offbeat you know Like that right, and it's kind of an offbeat rhythm It's interesting that most of the music Rock music and other music it actually has that kind of a beat Let me tell you something. Maybe you don't know this, but when I went I remember sometimes working out when we when I was in college, and we would we would go in the weight room, and we'd lift weights and Interesting rock music would be often playing in the background you do this you can try this This is this is a legitimate thing here.

It is a scientific fact When you play that kind of music the music that that carries the message often immoral irreligious Blasphemous when you listen to that and that music carries that beat It weakens the mind it weakens the will You only have to listen to some of the lyrics to think that the people who produced it have very weak minds And what we found out that there were the fellows who were normally able to lift a lot more in bench Maybe three 350 or whatever when they put that music on they weren't able to lift that much you want to try an interesting experiment hold your hand out and Let somebody apply force you try to resist and have them Have them push your hand down Do it without that music on? Then play something with a syncopated rhythm and have them do the same thing you know what will happen your hand will just go like this it has an effect on the on our system and It weakens us neurologically Your nerves control your muscles that is exactly the rhythm of the world that you are in The rhythm the beat of the world is seeking to erode to take away your resoluteness your resolve to weaken the mind the crucifixion of the world I'll end with this God has said this world I Have made a public display Of what this world is to me In its control in its character the world has been crucified This world has done this to my son This is what I have done to this world. It has been dead. It's a dead thing You want to hold a dead thing? You hold the world It's dead crucified and that's the future of it That's the future of it as Opposed to that the Bible John tells us that we are overcomers 1st.

John chapter 2 we have overcome We're on the winning side the world is lost the world isn't just merely Breaking down. It's broken down the world isn't just passing away. It's passe and done God is saying in the reckoning of God in the purpose of God it is crucified That is why there will be a new heaven and a new earth So that the very systems that have permeated this world will be actually done away with Purged that which is Now versus that which is eternal that which is old versus that which is new that which is linked with death Versus that which is linked with life that which is linked with Satan versus that which is linked with Christ you younger ones You who are saved? Nail your colors to the mast Live before those friends that my brother was talking about let them ask.

Why do you live the way you do? Why do you act the way you do? What are you living for? What are you and you can tell them? There will be power in that Now your colors to the mast And you know what you won't have to worry about well What do I do if they ask me to go here or ask me to go there? There are some that you will gladly go along you go along already You're not too far gone Don't go stop going Stop being part of that group That they're going to hell and they don't love your Savior and they are children of the devil Be an influence make an impact But don't go along and you know what you live like that way And you won't have to worry about your friends like how do you get out of this situation? How do you how do you how do I you know? How do I escape? You know what'll happen? They won't include you It'll be like Moses remember when it came to Mount Moses that he pushed different things and at the Word of God and Pharaoh finally said get out You get out. We don't want you here That's what'll happen I'm gonna read one poem my brother read a poem. I'm was interesting when you read it I I am NOT one for poetry, but I want to read you this and I will end with this It is actually a poem about the world and it's called the young Christian But it could be for any Christian young middle aged or older it was written by a woman named Margaret Morrow It's wonderful to see when when sisters recognize us because I will say this it is especially difficult for you women You Christian women it's easier for us men far easier It is harder When I take my hat off And I pray for I pray for you Because it is difficult Reproach The way you carry yourself your deportment your demeanor being demure Not being assertive not being flirtatious Not not not putting yourself out there For men to view and look at and want not not not being that forward type of a no God values that So I'll just read this.

I'm not gonna read the whole poem, but the whole hymn, but it says this I Cannot give it up this little world. I know The innocent delights of youth the things I cherish so It's true. I love my lord and want to do his will But oh, I may enjoy the world and be a Christian still Those things belong to youth and are its natural right? My dress my pastimes and my friends the merry and the bright my father's heart is kind He will not count it ill that my small corner of the world should please and hold me still and yet Outside the camp It was there my Savior died It was the world that cast him forth and saw him crucified Can I take part with those who nailed him to the tree and where his name is never praised is that the place for me? No world I turn away Though thou seem fought fair and good that friendly outstretched hand of yours is stained with Jesus blood If in thy least device I stoop to take apart all unaware thine influence steals God's presence from my heart shame on me that sought another joy than this or Desire a heart at rest.

I desire a heart at rest with thee could crave for earthly bliss These vain and worthless things I put them all aside His goodness fills my longing soul and I am satisfied Lord Jesus Let me dwell outside the camp with thee since thou since thou art there Then there alone in peace and home for me Thy dear reproach to bear I'll count my highest gain Till thou return my banished King to take thy power and reign