The Covetous Nation

Dr. Mike Murphy
November 10, 2015

Every day they past beside each other on the street, but they might have well lived in two different cities.  Each day they locked eyes, but with each glance they never saw the other..  Though they shared the same first name, they lived in two different worlds in society’s eyes.  They were the same age, and had grown up within a few miles of each other.  So much they had in common, but so little keep them a world apart.

James managed one of the top investment firms in the city.  In the twenty years since college, he had achieved it all.  A top paying job.  A luxury penthouse in one of the world’s tallest towers.  He had traveled the world, seen sights that most only dreamed to see.  His nights were filled with a celebrity crowd, the world’s most famous people he knew by their first name.  To most of society, he had it all.  But to James, he did not have near enough. He wanted so much more, and did not have the time for anyone or anything that could not bring him more.  

It was for this reason, he never gave a second glance to the other James. A poor man of the streets that could offer him nothing.  A man unworthy of a second glance or a minute of his time.  A man he could care less about.  A poor, “common” man in his eyes, that was not deserving of his attention as he passed by him each day.

The other James, stood holding a sign in protest, standing in front of the investment firm each day.  He would wave his sign and shout at all who entered. He hated all who walked through the doors, without ever knowing anything about them.  He did not care to glance into their eyes, all he could see was the tailored suits and the fancy outfits as they entered the building. His hate would allow him to see, they had what he deserved, what society owed him.

Once, he had so much more, but all he once had meant nothing to him. He had a wife and a young daughter.  A promising job, and a bright future.  But in his eyes, the job meant nothing.  He always felt the job owed him more than it offered, unwilling to put in the effort so he could achieve more.  He soon found himself moving from job to job, always finding a reason to leave each.  Soon, the bills began to mount, and his wife’s patience worn thin.  She grew tired of the constant complaints, and the uncertainty that James brought to the lives of her and their daughter.  One day, she had enough, taking their daughter and leaving James.  He never gave them a second thought, immersing himself in his anger. He found it easier to blame society than to blame himself.  Easier to hold a sign each day protesting what society had not given him.  Finding it easier to complain than to change.

One James, driven by the consumption of his greed.  Only concerned for himself, not his fellow man.  The other James, obsessed by the anger of his envy. Unable to love, unable to appreciate what he had.  Both living life, without living. Both seeing, without seeing. Both feeling, without feelings.  Both a part of the covetous nation.

If you ask those around you to name the Ten Commandments, most can name you several.  They know what the Lord tells us about murder, adultery, and theft.  But few can name for you the Tenth Commandment, “You shall not covet”. Ask most, and they cannot even tell you what covet means.  So just what does covet mean?  And why is it so critical this generation take to heart this commandment again?

There is two places we can find the Ten Commandments listed in God’s Word , and the Hebrew word for covet is different in both.  In Deuteronomy 5:21, it is “to crave, to long for with a controlling passion ”.  In Exodus 20:17, the word means “to desire, to see as your own”.  From the Hebrew word used in Deuteronomy 5:21, we get our word greed..  Greed meaning, “an intense and selfish desire for something”.  From the other Hebrew word in Exodus 20:17, we get our word envy.  Envy meaning, “a feeling of discontent or resentful longing for someone else’s possessions, to desire  as one’s own the belongings of another”. Both words, together, make up the word covet, meaning “to desire something you should not have”.  

Covet is a strong desire, a desire that is driven from within.  When we look at most of the Commandments, we see they address the physical act, such as theft, murder, fornication.  Covet, on the other hand, addresses the mind, the heart, and the spirit.  Covet should be viewed the same as how Christ described lust(Matthew 5:28), it is an act of the mind that can lead to an act of the physical. Both being just as sinful and just as deadly. Covet shows us that the desire can lead us to as many problems as the action.

At their very core, both greed and envy are focused on the love of one’s self, without concern for those around us.  Greed will always lead someone to cast aside all others so they can have what their heart desires.  Greed will lead someone to justify any action so they can obtain the desires they have set in their heart.  Envy will always lead the person to move beyond a longing glance, it will turn their heart to resentment and to hatred.  Leading the person to also justify their own actions, by asking society and God bitter and spiteful questions.  Asking society, “Why am I not entitled to have all they have?”   Asking God, “Do You not love me enough to give me what You gave them?”

Once both greed and envy take root in a society, history shows us that demise is soon to follow.  Greedy and envious individuals, are people who are far more likely to be discontent, people far more likely to commit crimes and to turn on their fellow man. Both greed and envy are more than just simple sin, they quickly become idolatry(Colossians 3:5). Deceiving tools in Satan’s hands to turn man’s focus away from the purpose and plan God has for each of us.

Although listed as the last of the Ten Commandments, covet is far from the least of the Commandments.  Covet comes with a lifetime of potential heartache and regret.  Covet is a ‘trigger sin”, often leading us to other sin.  It is a sin that rarely stands alone, usually joined, by one or all of the other Commandments.

The Lord told us not to covet as one of the Commandments, because He knew that a body filled with covetousness, has a mind that is no longer focused on Him.  Covet places blinders on the individual, not allowing him to look outwardly, only allowing them to see inwardly.  Covet is selfish by nature, allowing you to only concentrate on yourself, without regard for the needs or rights of those around you.  It is for this reason, covet calls justification its’ best friend.

It is for good reason the Bible refers to covetousness as idolatry. Covetousness, by its’ very nature, is all consuming.  Whatever the person is coveting becomes the most important thing in that person’s mind, everything else comes in second.  Covet will consume them, and every rule and law that stands between them and what they covet will become an afterthought.  Every action then becomes justified, becomes it stands between them and what they feel they deserve.  And if God, his laws and His purpose, stand between the person and what they covet, He too will find himself being pushed aside.  It is for this reason that God’s Word tells us to be without covetousness(Hebrews 13:5), because the Lord knows that a covetous person is blinded from finding their way to the foot of the Cross.

As we look around us today, we see a world that is filled with covetousness.  And sadly, our nation is becoming gluttonous with it.  How often do we hear today the battle cries of covetousness?  “If you want it, you should have it”.  “You can never get enough”.  “Live for today, for tomorrow you will die”. “As long as I am happy, nothing else matters”.  Words we hear each day, but words that feed on every infection of our soul.  Nowhere we look in this world, can we look away from covetousness.  From work to social, from entertainment to politics, covetousness now consumes us.  Covetousness does not care which corporation, actor, or politician speaks its’ name, it only care that its’ name is spoken. Covetousness does not belong to a political party, it only cares about the outcome of the politics.  It will befriend either political party, as long as it can find its’ way into control.

History shows us that Satan has no better friend that covetousness.  Covet found a way to place its’ name on many of the pages of the Bible.  When Adam and Eve bite the apple, covet was there.  When the Tower of Babel was raised, covet stood proud.  When David called for a census, covet was next to him, encouraging him.  And when they nailed Christ to the Cross, covet smiled.  As covet looks at us today, he continues that smile as he watches the greed and envy that has consumed us.  Greed that would lead us to pass a suffering man on the street without regard or compassion.  In fear that it might take a second of our time, or cause us to remove a dime from our pockets.  Envy that would lead us to protest in the streets with hatred in our eyes.  In fear that someone might have more than we have, without any appreciation of all God has given us.  A covetousness that blocks from our eyes the other nine commandments.  A covetousness that does not let us hear Jesus speaking the words, “Love one another, as I have loved you.”.

Where true love is found, covetousness will never be able to find a home.

Once Bitten......

Dr. Mike Murphy
November 5, 2015

“God Prefers Kind Atheists Over Hateful Christians”.

This message would have troubled me, but would have passed quickly from my mind if not for who posted it.  It was not posted on a anti-Christian site, or on one the media finds popular.  It was posted on a church sign.  The sign of a church which is a part of a popular and well known denomination.

If the church sign did not bother me enough, the replies bothered me even more.  I read the responses of many, those who praised what the sign had to say.  The support of those who deny Christ, did not surprise me.  But the praise of those who claimed to speak for Christ sent chills up my spine.  I read the words of church leader after church leader applauding the sign, telling all how they would also be placing the message on the sign of their church.  

The message is filled with so many problems, but two immediately jump out at me.  First, what is a “hateful Christian”?  A person who follows Christ that is also filled with hate?  A believer in Christ is filled with Christ, therefore, can never be filled with hate. God’s Word tells us, “Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God; and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God.  The one who does not love does not know God, for God is love.”(1 John 4:7-8). To be filled with hate, is not to be filled with Christ.  There is no room in our body for both.

When Christ was asked what we must do to inherit eternal life, Christ answered that we are to love the Lord with all our heart, all our soul, all our strength, and all our mind(Luke 10:25-28).  In other words, we must love God with all our being, with all our thoughts and in all our actions.  Without love, we cannot know God, and we cannot experience God, for God is true love.  The kindest atheist in the world cannot know true love, because they do not know God.  As cannot a hateful man who claims to follow Christ, because they are not filled with the love of Christ.  God knows both, but each word He speaks tells us that He prefers neither, as both reject Him.  Eternity is waiting for those who love God, sadly not for those who deny Him or hate Him.

Second, the statement implies that the “kind atheist” is in higher standing. In other words, with enough kind acts, one can earn their way into heaven, and into the preference of God.  Although this is a message that sells well to the masses, it is not a message that God has ever spoken.  To accept this message is to deny God’s Word, and to deny the purpose for why Christ came to this earth. Our salvation depends solely upon Christ.  He, alone, is our Savior from sin(John 1:29), and He is the perfecter of our faith(Hebrews 12:2). Christ did all the work! There is no work for salvation left for us to do, only acceptance.

God’s Word tells us, “For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that is not of yourself, it is a gift from God; not the result of works, so that no one may boast.”(Ephesians 2:8-9).  Salvation is a gift, not something we can earn.  And even if we could earn it, how much work would it take?  And how would we ever know we had done enough?  Simply put, we could not.  Work can only be an outcome of our faith, not a prerequisite for it.  Our work reflects Christ in us, and shows Christ to this world.  True faith has Christ as its’ focus, and the work He did on our behalf(Matthew 11:28-29).  We must never forget, if work was required for salvation, and salvation was not a gift, then it could never be described with the words grace and mercy(Romans 11:6).

Besides these two obvious problems, another problem also lies in the message on the church sign.  A problem that has not only taken prominence in our society, but one that has slithered into the doors of our churches.  A problem that is as old as time, but one that stills comes at us new everyday.  A problem that answers to many names like justification, rationalization, and vindication.  But a problem whose true name will always be situational ethics.

Situational ethics teach us that the morality of the act is to be determined by the situation one finds himself in.    Many teach that situational ethics and moral relativism are one and the same, but they could not be more confused. Moral relativism sees no right and no wrong.  Whereas situational ethics sees right and wrong as ever changing, determined by the chosen outcome of the circumstances. Ethics are therefore determined by the needs found in each situation.

Since man was formed, situational ethics has been our way of justifying our own actions.  A way of placing our own thoughts and logic on an equal basis with God’s teachings. Situational ethics becomes a way for man to determine right and wrong without the wisdom of God, a way for man to decide for himself what is lawful and what is sin.  In recent years, we have watched as this philosophy has found its’ way into our sanctuaries, and into our teachings, Through our willingness to compromise with the world, the Church now finds itself looking to its’ own logic to justify what is right and what is wrong.

So quickly, the Church has been willing to forget what God’s Word tells us about situational ethics.  Three principles from the Bible make it clear that ethics cannot be situational.  First, for situational ethics to hold true, God’s Word would have to untrue.  Situational ethics would tells us that the Bible is filled with errors that man needs to correct. If God is perfect and flawless, as we believe He is, then His Word would also have to be perfect and flawless.  Without error.  For us to try to change even one word would mean that we were judging God, judging His perfection, and placing ourselves in a more perfect situation than the Lord. For us to do this, we have to ignore our own limitations, our own imperfections. No matter how hard we may try, we can never make ourselves more perfect than the Perfect One who created us.

Second, if God is perfect, then only He can define what is right and what is wrong. How can we better determine what is right, than the One who set all things right?  Right and wrong cannot be defined by us, but only by the very nature of God.  For the perfect example of this, we need only to look at God’s love.  The Bible tells us that God is love(1 John 4:16), and we see that love each day in the very nature of God.  We see the selflessness of His love in all He has done for us, and all He continues to do for us each day.  But if we look at situational ethics, we do not see the selflessness, but the selfishness.  Situations decided by what best meets our own needs.  Situations determined by our own logic and our own heartlessness.  Situations that answer the need of today, but fails to recognize the needs that only God can see tomorrow.

Third, situational ethics fail to recognize the sovereignty of God. Situational ethics determine and define morality by the circumstances and surroundings we find ourselves in. The Bible teaches us that morality is determined and defined by God’s sovereignty, as God not only made us, but everything around us.  Only the One who has seen and commanded all, has the authority to govern all, the ability to determine and to define right and wrong.

It all comes down to one simple question, a question that has been asked throughout history.  Who will set the standards by which we will live by?  Will we look to God for that standard, or will we look to the world for that standard?  God is the same today as He was yesterday, and will be the same tomorrow(Hebrews 13:8).  The standard He sets is consistent.  But the standard the world sets is every changing.  What the world sees as just today, it might describe as unfit tomorrow, then might view as just again the next.  It is from this ever changing standard that situational ethics feeds and grows.  Under situational ethics, right and wrong becomes nothing more than personal opinion.  And ultimately it leads to a place where no man can live, where no man can survive.  The ultimate outcomes of situational ethics tells me, what I see as right or wrong in my personal situation, can never be denied me.  Words that should sound familiar. Because like situational ethics, they are words that are as old as time.

Situational ethics takes itself back to a place in the Garden.  When a serpent convinced Eve that with one bite, she would be like God.  Today, we still hear that serpent speaking, seeking to convince man to just take one bite.  But once bitten, it is too late to realize that the fruit was poison.  Now spreading decay through our bodies, destroying our very being.  Eroding the wisdom of God from within us, leaving us with nothing more than our own faulty logic, and our own failed foolishness.  Leading us to behave in strange ways. Acting outside of how the One who created us, intended for us.  Causing us to justify our own actions, to glorify our own sins.  Leading this world to define morality without God. Leading this Church to speak words the Lord has never spoken.  And leading us to to post messages on church signs the Lord has never thought.

Praying you will not put yourself in a position to ever be bitten.

This Church's Psalm

Dr. Mike Murphy
September 14, 2015

“If you could spend the day with anyone from history, who would it be?”.  

How many times have we heard this question asked?  And each time we hear it, we hear another answer to the question that makes us think about it again.  The answers to this question pour out of us.  We hear the names of history from Julius Caesar to Abraham Lincoln.  We hear the names of the Bible from Abraham, Moses, to John.  We hear the names of discoverers and literary minds, like Da Vinci, Aristotle, and William Shakespeare. And still others give us the name of a lost one or relative they would like to spend just one more day with. There is no wrong answer.  Each of these we could talk to all day.  And at the end of the day, we would still have questions left.

For me, a name that few think of stands out above all others.  The name of an ordinary man that God used to accomplish extraordinary things.  A man that few history books mention, but every nation of western civilization has been influenced by.  A man who changed the world in his day, and through his lineage, the world was changed forever.  If I could spend the day with one person from history, I would spend that day with David.

So why David?  David was a man who truly sought the heart of God.  David knew he was far from a perfect man, but he knew the only place that perfection could be found.  We find a lot of each of us in David, at least I know I see a lot of myself.  David would often let the world influence him, and often he let his pride drive him.  But with each step he strayed from the path the Lord had laid out for him, he never lost sight of that path.  Each time David found himself off that path, he would reach with all his might for the One Hand that could pull him back to that path again.  David knew that Hand well, he knew every movement of that Hand.  It was a Hand that had held him so often, he knew every crevice and wrinkle in that Hand.  A Hand that had rescued him more times than he could count.  Although David had often found himself a wanderer from the Lord’s path, deep in the soul of David lied a desire to please the One who had saved him.  The desire the Lord has placed in my own soul, leaves me with questions I have for David that a single day could never answer.

In each of the words that David wrote, we see that desire.  A desire that not only brought him close to the Lord, but a desire that gave David a glimpse of the wisdom of the Lord.  You cannot read the Book of Psalm and not feel that desire within every word. Seventy-three of those psalms carry David’s name, and the New Testament attributes two more of the psalms to David also.  In all, seventy-five times his words move you and touch you like no other.  David brought the love of God off the pages, surrounding you with a mercy and grace that can only be found in that love.  The passion in David’s words do not just bring us to our knees, they keep us on our knees.  His words humble us.  His words comfort us.  His words encourage us.  And his words lead us.

Of all the books of the Bible, I often find myself reading the Psalms more than all the others.  And the more I grew in Christ, the more I cherish each word of every psalm. No book of the Bible teaches us more about worship.  No book shows us more our need for a Savior.  No book teaches us more about God’s love and mercy.  And no book of the Bible is more prophetic  I have often told those who want to know more about Christ to start by reading each of the Gospels, so they will know who Christ was and why Christ came to this earth  I then suggest they read the Psalms, so they will understand why we all so desperately needed for the Lord to send Christ.   

Each psalm not only shows us where the Lord desires for us to be, but paints for us a picture of where we are now.  Each psalm lays our realities at the feet of the Lord, and it shows us the love, mercy  grace, and understanding of where we now stand.  As I look around me today, and I think about the current state of the Church, the words of David speak to me.  The words of a psalm stands out in front of me, and it offers me hope.

Psalm 40 is a psalm that few have ever taken the time to read and study. But anyone who takes the time, will feel the words of David grab their heart and fill their mind. Most see it as a psalm of patience, but the words of David tell us so much more.  The word “patiently” is actually not a word that exist in Hebrew.  It is a word that is only implied.  It is a word  that is filled with and connected to heroism.  A word of solace and strength.  A word of wisdom, that requires our action in order to see that wisdom.   A word that brings us to the exact place God needs us to be.

“I waited patiently for the LORD to help me, and he turned to me and heard my cry. He lifted me out of the pit of despair, out of the mud and the mire. He set my feet on solid ground and steadied me as I walked along.  He has given me a new song to sing, a hymn of praise to our God. Many will see what he has done and be amazed. They will put their trust in the LORD “  Psalm 40:1-3.

The old saying, “when you find yourself in a hole, stop digging” could have been found in David’s words.  A pit in David’s day was a place you never wanted to find yourself in.  A pit was a place where elements were taken from the earth.  A place where prisoner were often left to do the lowest of manual labor.  You could never get your footing in a pit, as you were constantly shoveling the earth below you.  And often rain would come suddenly, trapping those in the pit, leaving them to face a horrible death.  It was said that prisoners would often be found without skin on their fingers when these storms came.  They would raise their arms, clawing at the top of the pit, trying to pull themselves out as the rains filled the pit.  But the mire and mud that lined the pit would never allow them to get a grip, always finding themselves growing weaker as they fell back in. 

Often, the pit shows us just how far we are from God, and reminds us of where we would be without the Lord.  The horrors we would face on our own, surrounded in a pit of our own mires with no way out.  But when we call to God, we find the only Hand that can pull us from the pit.  A Hand that can lift us from our despairs.  A Hand that can place us on solid ground, and give us the strength to walk away from the pit.  A Hand that can remove us from the prison we have created for ourselves, and teach us a new song as that Hand frees us.  And as those around see us free, we have the perfect opportunity to tell them about the One who has freed us.

“Oh, the joys of those who trust the LORD, who have no confidence in the proud or in those who worship idols.  O LORD my God, you have performed many wonders for us. Your plans for us are too numerous to list. You have no equal. If I tried to recite all your wonderful deeds, I would never come to the end of them.  You take no delight in sacrifices or offerings. Now that you have made me listen, I finally understand — you don’t require burnt offerings or sin offerings. Then I said, ‘Look, I have come. As is written about me in the Scriptures:  I take joy in doing your will, my God, for your instructions are written on my heart.’” Psalm 40:4-8.

In David’s day, the people sought forgiveness and redemption through the sacrifice that was done in the Tabernacle.  But God showed David, if these sacrifices were being done just for sacrifice sake, they were meaningless.  They accomplished nothing.  Today, we often see the Church doing the same that David warned us about.  Often we watch as as Communion is given, tithes are paid, but they are done for ritual sake.  They are meaningless.  They are not being done for God, but for self.  This rituals can never satisfy us, only God alone can.  If we just do the rituals the only thing we are truly safricing is our will, our joyous will to follow and serve the Lord.  Rituals can take away the joy we find in that willingness to follow and serve Him.  Without our willingness, the Word of God is taken out of our heart and placed back on a piece of paper.  

A thousand years before He came, David knew that Christ’s sacrifice alone was sufficient, and there is tremendous joy to be found in His sacrifice.  No ritual can bring us a greater joy, and no ritual can fulfill what that Cross accomplished.  No ritual can ever nail itself to that Cross, and no ritual can place in your heart a desire to serve Him.

“I have told all your people about your justice. I have not been afraid to speak out, as you, O LORD, well know.  I have not kept the good news of your justice hidden in my heart; I have talked about your faithfulness and saving power. I have told everyone in the great assembly of your unfailing love and faithfulness.  LORD, don’t hold back your tender mercies from me. Let your unfailing love and faithfulness always protect me.  For troubles surround me— too many to count! My sins pile up so high I can’t see my way out. They outnumber the hairs on my head.  I have lost all courage.”  Psalm 40:9-12.

When we accept Christ in our heart, we reflect Christ in our lives(2 Corinthians 4:6). Our heart is not big enough to contain Christ, and His image shows in our actions and in each of our words.  And as we shout from the rooftops about Christ, no one hears our voice louder than the one who cannot stand to see the reflection of Christ.  The name of Christ serves as a shrill echo in Satan’s ears, and Satan will do everything in his power to silence those sounds. He will do his all to have the world mock you, hoping to embarrass you.  And if he cannot embarrass you, then he will look to have this world silence you.  But you have One thing on your side that all the world’s weapons cannot penetrate. You have an armor of courage, that is covered in the love that the Lord has for you. That armor serves as a microphone this world can never silence.  An armor that serves as a protection that Satan’s lies can never pierce.

“Please, LORD, rescue me! Come quickly, LORD, and help me.  May those who try to destroy me be humiliated and put to shame. May those who take delight in my trouble be turned back in disgrace.  Let them be horrified by their shame, for they said, ‘Aha! We’ve got him now!’  But may all who search for you be filled with joy and gladness in you. May those who love your salvation repeatedly shout, ‘The LORD is great!’  As for me, since I am poor and needy, let the Lord keep me in his thoughts. You are my helper and my savior. O my God, do not delay.”  Psalm 40:13-17.

As we look around us today, we watch as this world drifts farther and farther from the morals and values God gave us.  And as you look into the eyes of this world you see a distant stare.  A stare that we may well see drift even farther away.  With each word we hear the world speak to the Church, we watch as hate fills the air, and we see venom spit from this world’s mouth.  The world feels like they have the Church in its’ “Aha” moment, thinking to themselves how they now have us.  What they do not realize, is they only have us right where the Lord needs us!  Trying times are only a call for us to try a little harder.  To reach a little farther.  And to speak a little louder.  Now is not the time for us to cower, now is the time for us to stand.  Paul told us, “Be on guard. Stand firm in the faith. Be courageous. Be strong.”  1 Corinthians 16:13.  The Greek word used here for “stand firm” means “to stay on point, to persist”.  This is where the wisdom of our patience kicks in.  This is where our trust in God takes action.  Not just calling us to speak the words, but to show this world why Christ is our only hope.  These were the very moments that defined David.  The moments when he knew that he alone would never be enough.  But with Christ by his side, he was more than enough to change the world around him.  David knew that in his most imperfect state, could still be found his most perfect hope.  That is a hope with perfect timing, that is never delayed.  A hope that will never leave you in the mire of a pit.  A hope that jumps off the page every time you read God’s Word.  A hope that is still found in each of our prayers. And a hope that still knocks on the door of every heart.

Church, quit digging!  You may have distanced yourself from the Lord, but you are far from being out of His sight!  Reach up and grab hold of the only Hand that can pull you from this pit!  Plant your feet on the solid ground of the Rock, and stay on point!  Do not let this world see you following rituals, let them see the joy you have found in His sacrifice. Surround yourself in God’s armor, and shout with a voice that will again have Satan covering his ears.  This world may mock you, but it can never silence you.  This world may tell you that all your choices have made you who you are.  Remind them, only one choice has made you, only one choice can ever define you.  You chose to follow Christ!  And it is a choice that will outlast this world, a choice that lets you smile at eternity.  And whether He returns today, tomorrow, next year, or the next decade, stand firm on that choice.  Let His patience lead you, guiding you to the wisdom of heroic actions. Leading you to the exact place the Lord needs you to be.  Find strength in that patience Church.  The strength to let this world know, without Christ, this world will never claw its’ way out of the pit!

I pray each of you will be a man or woman after God’s own heart!

The Brutus Deception

Dr. Mike Murphy
August 11, 2015

As Steve entered the doors, he could not help but feel a little giddy.  He had grown up in a small church, and he cherished the time the Lord had allowed him to serve as the pastor of a small church.  As his wife Amy and himself made their way to one of the old wooden pews, his mind went back to a time a few months before.

He served that small church with a passion.  Even being a bi-vocational pastor, he found that he spent more time at the church each week than he did at his regular job.  After working each day, he would do the things the Lord had called him to do with the church each night.  Many a night, supper came while he viewed the late news.  There was just so much work to do in the little church, and with just sixty-eight members, most of that work fell on his shoulders.  But it was work he cherished, and he would not have had it any other way.

In that moment, he remembered the day they had left the church.  Amy had received a job offer in another city they just could not refuse.  One of the church leaders had been called by God, taking classes in theology, and was prepared to take over the role of pastor. He had no doubt the church was in good hands, and that God was in control.  But with each day, he still missed his little church.

As they settled into a new house, and both got accustomed to their new jobs, one of their neighbors invited the two of them to church on the coming Sunday.  Their neighbors explained that it was a small church, only about seventy-five members.  They also told them that the pastor of the church had recently left, and they would be having a guest pastor speak that Sunday.  But the words did not matter to Steve, he never heard another word after they were told it was a small church.  He could not wait to be in a familiar place, surrounded by people who knew the name of everyone who walked through the door.  A place where people prayed for each other by name, knowing the needs of the people who sat in the pews in front and behind them every Sunday.  He missed what he had left behind, and longed to find it again.

As Steve and Amy sat down in the pew, he could feel something was just not right. They were the only visitors there that morning, but only a couple of people took the time to come up to them, to welcome them.  He soon noticed it was not just them, that most were distant as they entered.  Quickly walking to the pew, with little to say.

As the announcements started, Steve received an even bigger surprise.  He heard the head of the church board address the church.  He listened to the brashness and boldness with which he spoke, proclaim that God had told him alone what the church should be.  He told those there that Sunday morning what  the church needed, how each there needed to dedicate themselves to helping fix the church up, to make the repairs the church was in need of.  Steve heard the man then go on to say this was work he just did not do, but would be there to watch as the rest worked away. 

Steve listened as the board leader continued to speak, proclaiming his plans for the church. He plans for how the music should be performed, and how each worship service should go.  He told all there how the little church was the best keep secret in town, and that with his vision, all would be able to share this secret with everyone in the town.

As the announcements ended, the board leader called on the congregation to greet those around them, to welcome each.  Only two others came to welcome Steve and Amy, and neither of those was the board leader who had just spoke so boldly.  Steve began to wonder if this little church was really the town’s best kept secret, or just a secret that no one in the town wanted to speak about.

Steve sang each of the hymns, and placed his tithing in the offering plate.  He sat quietly as the guest pastor gave an amazing sermon that morning.  But it was a sermon Steve never heard, he just could not get out of his mind all he had already heard and seen. As they left the service that morning, Steve and Amy knew this would be one “secret” they would never speak of again.

The story of Steve and Amy is obviously a fictitious one.  But when we look closely at many of our churches today, we realize there are a lot of facts in this fictitious story.  We watch today as many of our ministers and church leaders do more to serve their own interest, than spending their time developing their ministries and their churches into what will serve God’s interest.  We watch as they do this with straight faces, and passion in their voices.  Proclaiming a vision that God has given them.  But it is a vision that the eyes of God has never seen.

Many of these ministers and church leaders do this without even knowing what they are doing.  Paul warned us that a day would come when some would depart from the faith, following deceitful spirits who would be sent only to deceive as many as they could(1 Timothy 4:1).  Today, we watch as those words from Paul are being fulfilled.  We watch as many of our church leaders look to lead this Church down a path that our Lord has never walked.  A path filled with darkness. A path on which many of these leaders think they see light, but the light they see is a light reflecting from one who is masquerading as an angel of light(2 Corinthians 11:14).  A path they are deceived to follow, and a path they seek to have the rest of us follow.  A path that is only filled with deception.

When we think of deception, many thoughts come to mind, many definitions can be given.  I like one that is simple.  Deception is when someone thinks what they are doing is right, but in reality, what they are doing is completely wrong.  When we think of stories of deception, no greater story comes to mind than the Ides of March, the story of Julius Caesar and his close friend Brutus.  A story of deception that set a standard for betrayal.  But what most who read the story do not realize, Brutus believed what he was doing was right.  He did not see what he did as betrayal, but as protecting Rome.

Brutus was raised in a prominent family of Rome, and his mother was actually the half sister of a famous Roman, Cato the Younger.  She would also become the mistress of Julius Caesar.  Brutus’ uncle was a member of the Roman Senate, and the connection between Brutus and Caesar went deep.

When civil war broke out between Pompey and Caesar, Brutus actually took the side of Pompey, and lead forces against Caesar in the battle.  Despite this, Caesar ordered his troops to take Brutus alive, not to kill him, and as the fighting persisted, Brutus was captured.  After the battle, Brutus wrote Caesar apologizing for his actions, for fighting against him in battle.  Caesar not only immediately forgave Brutus, but pulled him into his inner circle, giving him a position of prominence in his administration.

A short time later, many in the Senate began to fear where Caesar’s power was leading, fearing he would make himself a dictator.  They convinced Brutus of their fears, and soon Brutus joined their cause.  They decided that on the Ides of March, the 15th of March, they would follow through with their plans to assassinate Caesar, eliminating from Rome the power that Caesar had amassed.

As Caesar entered the Senate that day, the knives were drawn.  Caesar blocked the first attempt upon him, but on seeing Brutus with his knife also raised, Caesar fell to the ground and covered his head with his toga.  The attack was said to be so vicious that many wounded themselves and the others attacking.  It is reported that Brutus actual suffered wounds to his hand and to both his legs.

The Senate immediately looked to clear itself, and passed amnesty for the assassins. Although cleared of the charges, the people of Rome were outraged. Brutus, along with the others, were forced to flee the city. Brutus soon found himself in Cretes, far from the life he had known in Rome.

As Octavian overcame Mark Antony, and was proclaimed the Consul of Rome, he immediately reversed the orders of the Senate, proclaiming those who had assassinated Caesar as murders.  Upon hearing this, Brutus sprung into action.  He felt he had done what was needed to be done to protect Rome, and had led Rome in the direction it needed to go. Brutus knew that the forces of Octavian were weakened, and raised 17 legions to march on Rome.  Upon hearing this, Octavian made peace with Antony, and their combined forces equaled 19 legions in preparation for Brutus.  The two sides met in what is known as the Battle of Philippi, and Brutus suffered defeat.

Seeing he was defeated, Brutus fled to the hills with only 4 legions left. Realizing the end was near, Brutus ran into his own sword, committing suicide.  As he faced his death, it is recorded that Brutus cursed the gods for betraying him, not realizing his own actions had betrayed himself.  Brutus never came to realize that his own deception had led to one of the greatest acts of betrayal the world would ever know.

We can see the similarities between many church leaders today and Brutus.  They think they are serving the Church, but in reality they are only serving themselves.  And in the end, much like Brutus, their own actions will betray them.  So often we hear them telling us to stand, to put on the armor of God so we can face the forces of evil(Ephesians 6:1).  What they do not realize, they are not calling on the Church to cover ourselves in God’s armor, but actually calling on us to take up arms against God.

God’s Word tells us, “Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they come from God,”(1 John 4:1).  So when we test those who speak as leaders of the Church, how can we test their spirit?  How can we know what that spirit should be saying to us?  And what direction should that spirit be leading the Church today?

Many verses of the Bible speak to the qualifications of what a church leader should be, and others describe for us what our leaders should do.  But no verse speaks to the spirit a church leader should have and show more than the verses Paul gave us in 1 Corinthians 12:12-30.  Here Paul is calling on us to be the body of Christ.  Reminding us that we hold the gifts of Christ, and we often represent Christ for all the world to see.  In order for us to be the body of Christ, we must do the things we saw Christ do.  We must do the things that Christ would do if He was standing in front of us in this world today.  So if Christ was here today, what would He be doing?  The answer can be found in each word of the Gospels. He would teach God to all who would listen with a passion, a passion we saw Him teach the disciples each day.  Preparing them each day to take His message into a world that greatly needs to hear that message.  We would never see Him standing still, or glued to a pew.  He would not wait for the people to come to Him, but He would go out to the people, showing them firsthand why He was the only truth this world will ever need. And as He reached out to each of them, He would touch and change their lives, looking for every way He could to bring the message of God to their lives each day. If Christ was walking this earth today, I know without a doubt, He would be doing the exact same things He did when He walked this earth almost two thousand years ago.  And each day, He would be teaching us to do the same things He called Peter, John, Andrew, James, and the rest of the disciples to do then. 

One of those disciples, Peter, sums this up in a verse we so often use.  “But sanctify Christ as Lord in your hearts, always being ready to make a defense to everyone who asks you to give an account for the hope that is in you, yet with gentleness and reverence”(1 Peter 3:15).  The first thing Peter tells us is to sanctify Christ in our heart.  In other words, the Holy Spirit is at work in our lives, setting us apart so the Lord can use us in amazing ways.  His Word is at work and alive in us, making us more like Christ each day.  And as He sanctifies us, He prepares us to teach that faith, to defend that faith, and to share that faith. Offering the fellowship that faith teaches us to share with others, so their faith may also grow.  And taking that faith into the world around us, so that others may know what we know, see what we see, and gloriously believe what the Holy Spirit has led us to believe.

That is where it must start for each minister and church leader, with the teaching, fellowship, and outreach that Christ taught when we was walking among us.  They must look to guide the Church in truth, spiritually mature enough to recognize that truth and to teach that truth to all who will hear(Acts 15:1-29). They must be warriors of prayer, finding themselves on their knees more often than standing in front of the congregation(James 5:16).  They must be willing to put the good of others above their own desires, looking to humbly and willfully fill the needs of the congregation(1 Peter 5:1-4).  And they must teach the truth in God’s Word, showing all the wisdom and authority of His Word, ministering to all through His Word(Acts 6:1-6).  Those leaders we do not see doing these things, are not doing the things that Christ called our church leaders to do.  The voice they claim to have heard is not the voice of God.  The vision they claim to have been given, was created in their own minds.  And the spirit that speaks to them, is not the Holy Spirit.

I have said these ten words many times, but they are words that so often need repeating.  It is time the Church started acting like the Church.  It is time our church leaders first learned to follow, following in the footsteps of Christ.  It is time they cleaned the deception from their ears so they can again hear what the voice of God sounds like.  And it is time they wiped the filth from their glasses, so they can again see what the reflection of Christ looks like.

But so many of our ministers and leaders stand today at the pulpit, looking back at the sanctuary doors, watching closely so they can see as Christ enters. They stand there with knife in hand, convincing themselves they are doing exactly what the Church needs. So filled with the spirit of deception they cannot see the disaster that awaits them.  They stand waiting to hear two words that I pray no one will ever have to hear Christ say.  Et Tu?(You Too?)

Praying our church leaders will again first find themselves as followers.  Followers of Christ.

What Is Hell?

Dr. Mike Murphy
March 3, 2015

Spring can be a hectic time for a florist.  Between the holidays, the weddings, the new formed relationships, and all the other occasions, spring can keep their delivery trucks constantly running.  With all the extra business, it is inevitable that mistakes are going to be made.  But as the florist looked at the mix-up in the two orders, he knew this was a mistake he would not soon forget.

Two deliveries, that had been sent to the opposite locations.  The first was easy enough to explain, but the other one, he did not even know where to begin. On the first delivery, a wife had received flowers from her husband who was away on a trip to Florida, and wanted to let her know he was thinking of her.  As she opened the card, it read, “With Deepest Sympathy”.  The wife found the card confusing, but at least the flowers were gorgeous!

The other delivery was to a funeral home, going to the family of a local businessman who had recently passed away.  As his recent widow opened the card, everyone around her could see the blood rushing out of her face.  The card simply read, “It is so much hotter here than I expected.  Wish you were here with me, but so look forward to seeing you again very soon.”

We all so easily joke about hell, and we see the term used so loosely today. We see it made fun of in comedy skits, and we see it shown jokingly on the comic pages.  But how much do we really know about hell?  How much of what we hear about hell is actual truth, and what is the fantasy on men?  What does our image of hell show us, and what does the Bible say about it?  When we look at the truth, we quickly find that hell is no joking matter.

Is hell real?

Recent polls show that far more people today believe in heaven than in hell. This should not surprise us, as when you ask ten pastors about hell, you will get fifteen different answers.  It has also become commonplace in the Church today, to not speak of hell.  Many simply avoid the controversy of it, others will quickly proclaiming it is nothing more than the fantasy of man. That a loving God would never punish people in such a horrible way.  But if you actually read your Bible, you will soon learn that hell is just as real as heaven.  

God’s Word explicitly and with great detail tells us of the reality of hell, and the eternal consequences that we face when we do not accept Christ, and seek Him for the atonement of our sins.  His Word tells us that we have all sinned(Romans 3:23), that our sin causes us to be separated from a just God(Isaiah 59:2), and that the just punishment for that sin is death(Romans 6:23).  Since God is an eternal being, the separation that sins causes must also be eternal, meaning a place is needed for those who did not seek forgiveness of those sins that Christ alone brought this world.  That place is what we call hell.  

Christ’ own words tell us of the reality that death brings(Matthew 25:46), both the joys and the horrors.  Those who have rejected Christ will be made aware of these horrors, and they will come to acknowledge the perfection of God’s plan of salvation(Psalm 76:10).  Those who have rejected Christ will one day know that their choice alone placed them in this torment(Deuteronomy 32”3-5).  Hell is real!  And those that find themselves there will know the reality of what they face, and will only have their own actions to blame.

God’s Word teaches us that when we die we go to be with the Lord if we have placed our faith in Christ(2 Corinthians 5:8), and if not, we will go into punishment for our sins(2 Peter 2:9).  Despite many not wanting to face the truth of the situation, death leaves us with only two options, salvation or damnation.  And also despite what many may want to say, the Bible states clearly that in no other name but Christ can we be saved(Acts 4:12),  Anyone who refuses the name of Christ, and does not receive His name, cannot be saved, damning themselves to the torment that hell will bring.

God is all loving, and His greatest desire is that no one will ever face the horrors that hell will bring(2 Peter 3:9).  It was for this reason that God made the ultimate and perfect sacrifice for each of us.  He came to this world, giving His own life, so that we would never has to face the torment of hell.  But as God is all loving, He is also just, and that justice demands an eternal hell.  The fact unfortunately is, not all evil is punished while we are in this world, therefore an eternal punishment for our sins must exist.  In God’s sovereignty, hell is demanded, as without it there could be no final victory over evil.  Our free will also requires it.  If we can freely choose to accept or to reject the Lord, then there must also be an outcome and an aftermath to those choices.  And finally, the Cross commands an eternal hell, as Christ did not pay the ultimate price for us without reason.  

We must always remember, not one single passage in God’s Word says that we will receive a second chance after death.  Those many chances come while we live this life, we can accept Christ today or deny Him eternally.  We can choose to forever be in His presence, or we can freely choose to forever place ourselves outside His welcoming arms.  Finding ourselves in the midst of the horrors that await us outside of those arms.

Where is hell?

We often picture hell as a place below the earth that is filled with an eternal fire.  The truth is, no one knows exactly where hell is.  Many have speculated throughout the years, but it is just that, speculation.  The Scriptures simply do not tell us the geological location of hell.  Hell may have an actual location in this universe, or it may be in a dimension that is different from anything we now know.  

Throughout the Bible, many words are used to describe hell, but all come back to a place of great regret and torment, a place Christ describes with the terms “outer darkness; there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth”(Matthew 8:12). Outer darkness suggest a place without light, beyond the very light that God created in forming this world(Genesis 1:2).  A place without the Light of this world(John 8:12).  A place void of the beauty that light shows us.  A place where no light could ever brighten the constant and relentless gloom or the torment that will surround those there.  Total darkness, not only void of light, but beyond the reach of light.  A place our finite mind may not be able to fully grasp, but a place we are better off not ever having the personal vision to be able to define.

Scripture tells us that at our death, our souls go to a place of holding until the time of the final judgment.  For us that believe, that place is directly in the presence of the Lord, a place we refer to as Heaven(Luke 23:43, Philippians 1:23).  For the unbeliever, their souls also going into a place of holding, a place of torment we refer to as hell.  The book of Luke tells us the story of a rich man who is being tormented immediately after his death, and of the agony he finds himself in(Luke 16:19-31).  It is after this temporary realm, that the unbeliever will also face a final judgment, and will be forever cast into the lake of fire(Revelation 20:11-15).  The lake of fire is the final hell, the eternal destination where unbelievers and those who have rebelled against the Lord, both angelic and human(Matthew 25:41), will face an everlasting experience of agony and torture.

The Bible tends to indicate that the bodies of those cast into this judgment will be one without humanity, a body that is full of nothing but death.  This is what is referred to as the “second death”, being cast into the lake of fire, forever separated from the Lord(Revelation 20:14).  This second death will bring to the unbeliever a body that will forever be in the fire, feeling the anguish and the torture, but a body that will not be consumed.  Tissue that perpetually burns and regenerates to be burned again.  A body that is unlike our earthly bodies design for this world.  A body that is designed specifically for the torment of hell.  A body that is designed specifically for wherever the horrors of hell will be,

Is Satan in charge of hell?

There is a simple one word answer to this question. No!  We have a terrible misconception that Satan and his demons are now in hell torturing the souls of those there. This is a story, nothing else.  One based on the thoughts and ideas of man, not based on one word of Scripture.  Satan is not in charge of hell, God is!  The Bible tells us that Christ holds the keys of hell(Revelation 1:18), and that He has absolute control over it.

God created hell and sees everything that goes on there.  The Bible clearly tells us that God created all things(Colossians 1:16), and all things would include hell.  Hell, and those there, may not stand in His presence, but God knows everything that is presently going on there.  The final hell, the lake of fire, was created by God as a punishing place for Satan and his demons also(Matthew 25:41), not as a kingdom for him to rule over.

So if Satan is not residing over hell now, where is he?  At this very moment, Satan is here, roaming the earth, looking to separate as many from God as he possibly can(1 Peter 5:8).  Christ referred to Satan as the “prince of this world”(John 14:30), looking to devour man, and lead as many as possible to be disobedient to God.  Satan’s workplace is the earth and the realm that surrounds it.  He knows well that the day is coming when Christ will cast him into the lake of fire, and he is looking to take as many with him as he possibly can.

Hell.  A word that shows us our need for another word, Savior.  Unfortunately, this world today sees the word Savior as just as radical a word as hell.  The world must begin to see, Savior is not a word for those in need of a moral uplifting, or those in need of nothing more than a little guidance.  It is a word for those who are lost at sea without a sail, without hope of survival as the waves crash over them. Savior is a word for all those who find themselves on the path to hell.  Savior, a word like hell, we should never look at as a joking matter.  Savior, the only word that you will ever find that is truly fireproof.

Praying each of you will never be able to paint a picture of hell.