Serving God Hedonistically

Satan, Heathens, Religious, for Religion Sake, all lack the same one thing.

We have been talking about the fact that you are a member of a Secrete Society call FOG. The Family of God. As a member, you are a COG, or a Child of God. We talked about how you must first be selected, and accept the invitation to join. We talked about Membership and Conduct. Then we talked about how God wants you to operate. He wants you to work in secret. When you give tithes and offerings, do good works, Pray, Fast, ETC, God says, do so in private.

You see, God is not concerned with you doing things for your benefit. He is not interesting in your Pride. Jesus tells us, over and over again, if you do things for the glory and praise of men, then you shall have your reward. We are do serve God, regardless of what man thinks. We are to love Him above all. Then we talked about Matthew 6:7. Some of you may have heard this for the first time ever.

Then Jesus said this, "But when ye pray, use not vain repetitions, as the heathen do." Stop. Read that again. "But when ye pray, use not vain repetitions, as the heathen do." What does the word, Heathen, mean? Pagan, Infidel, Idolater, Heretic, Unbeliever, Disbeliever, Nonbeliever, Atheist, Agnostic, Skeptic. It means, Unsaved. Now, read that again. Jesus just said, Do not Pray in vain repetitions as the Unsaved do.

Why would unsaved people be Praying? I didn't say it. Jesus did. Then we talked about the scariest, most terrifying, at least in my opinion, Passage, in the entire Word of God.

Matthew 7:

21 Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.

22 Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works?

23 And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.

Really think about that. Jesus just told us, that there will be those, that spend their entire life, doing good works, in the name of Jesus, and He will say, "I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity." REALLY think about that. What does that mean? How can people do good works, in the name of Jesus, and not be saved? They lack one thing.

Many are under the false presumption, that as long as you know God, you will get to Heaven. Jesus takes it a bit further here, and says, many also think as long as they know Him, they will get to Heaven. Well?

Job 1:

6 Now there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the Lord, and Satan came also among them.

7 And the Lord said unto Satan, Whence comest thou? Then Satan answered the Lord, and said, From going to and fro in the earth, and from walking up and down in it.

8 And the Lord said unto Satan, Hast thou considered my servant Job, that there is none like him in the earth, a perfect and an upright man, one that feareth God, and escheweth evil?

9 Then Satan answered the Lord, and said, Doth Job fear God for nought?

10 Hast not thou made an hedge about him, and about his house, and about all that he hath on every side? thou hast blessed the work of his hands, and his substance is increased in the land.

11 But put forth thine hand now, and touch all that he hath, and he will curse thee to thy face.

12 And the Lord said unto Satan, Behold, all that he hath is in thy power; only upon himself put not forth thine hand. So Satan went forth from the presence of the Lord.

Again in,,,

Job 2:

1 Again there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the Lord, and Satan came also among them to present himself before the Lord.

2 And the Lord said unto Satan, From whence comest thou? And Satan answered the Lord, and said, From going to and fro in the earth, and from walking up and down in it.

3 And the Lord said unto Satan, Hast thou considered my servant Job, that there is none like him in the earth, a perfect and an upright man, one that feareth God, and escheweth evil? and still he holdeth fast his integrity, although thou movedst me against him, to destroy him without cause.

4 And Satan answered the Lord, and said, Skin for skin, yea, all that a man hath will he give for his life.

5 But put forth thine hand now, and touch his bone and his flesh, and he will curse thee to thy face.

6 And the Lord said unto Satan, Behold, he is in thine hand; but save his life.

7 So went Satan forth from the presence of the Lord, and smote Job with sore boils from the sole of his foot unto his crown.

Lucifer, Son of the Morning. The First Angel. Loved by God above all others. Lucifer, now known as Satan, The devil, is not some red faced, pitchfork holding, tail wagging, demon, straight from the pits of Hell. He is what he is. An Angel. The first and fairest of all.

Isaiah 14:

12 How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! how art thou cut down to the ground, which didst weaken the nations!

13 For thou hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north:

14 I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the most High.

15 Yet thou shalt be brought down to hell, to the sides of the pit.

16 They that see thee shall narrowly look upon thee, and consider thee, saying, Is this the man that made the earth to tremble, that did shake kingdoms;

This is the whole reason Hell was ever created. It was never intended to be for man. Jesus tells us in

Matthew 25:

41 Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels:

Jesus tells us He was there at the fall.

Luke 10

18 And he said unto them, I beheld Satan as lightning fall from heaven.

So? Who is Satan? He is not a demon, nightmarish, thing out of a horror movie. If he was to walk into a Church today, MANY would fall at his feet thinking he was Jesus Himself. Now ask yourself this, is He saved? He has seen God face to face. He has seen Jesus face to face.

Matthew 4:

1 Then was Jesus led up of the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil.

2 And when he had fasted forty days and forty nights, he was afterward an hungred.

3 And when the tempter came to him, he said, If thou be the Son of God, command that these stones be made bread.

4 But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.

5 Then the devil taketh him up into the holy city, and setteth him on a pinnacle of the temple,

6 And saith unto him, If thou be the Son of God, cast thyself down: for it is written, He shall give his angels charge concerning thee: and in their hands they shall bear thee up, lest at any time thou dash thy foot against a stone.

7 Jesus said unto him, It is written again, Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God.

8 Again, the devil taketh him up into an exceeding high mountain, and sheweth him all the kingdoms of the world, and the glory of them;

9 And saith unto him, All these things will I give thee, if thou wilt fall down and worship me.

10 Then saith Jesus unto him, Get thee hence, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve.

11 Then the devil leaveth him, and, behold, angels came and ministered unto him.

Satan lacks the same, one thing, that many lack. He does not posses the same, one thing, that a Pagan, Infidel, Idolater, Heretic, Unbeliever, Disbeliever, Nonbeliever, Atheist, Agnostic, Skeptic, and simply Unsaved person lacks. Love.

You see, God IS Love. Without Love, you cannot be saved. "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life." Jesus said, "Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends." Jesus IS Love. Without receiving that gift of Love, and Loving God, you will in no way enter into the Love of God and everlasting life with Him in Paradise.

You can do all the good works you chose to do. You can be a good little {Insert Religion Here} all you want. You can do all the good you want to do. You can even do so in the name of Jesus. But does this mean you are Saved?

Many "serve God" in such a way, that they may profit from it. Pastors in Churches, driving around in expensive cars, live in Mansions, wear expensive Suits. Where are the Tithes and Offerings really going? What are they doing to feed the hungry, heal the sick, give sight to the blind? What does the Church do under their leadership? Anything? Of for self gain?

What are you doing to serve the Lord? Are you going to Church to show others you love God more than they? Remember the story Jesus told us about the Pharisee, and the Publican.

Luke 18:

9 And he spake this parable unto certain which trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and despised others:

10 Two men went up into the temple to pray; the one a Pharisee, and the other a publican.

11 The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, God, I thank thee, that I am not as other men are, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican.

12 I fast twice in the week, I give tithes of all that I possess.

13 And the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a sinner.

14 I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other: for every one that exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted.

A Pharisee is a highly Religious person. A Publican is a Greek, a lot of times, a Tax Collector for Roman. A Sinner, that most likely had no or little knowledge of Religion. Yet Jesus said, the publican was forgiven and blessed, and the Religious guy, that was doing everything right, save one thing, he did not have love, was not. A true Child of God would first ask forgiveness of their sins, then pray for the Sinner next to them. That is Love. But instead, he despised the Sinner. That is not love. Love is the key. Look what Paul tells us.

1 Corinthians 13:

1 Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal.

2 And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing.

3 And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing.

4 Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up,
5 Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil;

6 Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth;

7 Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things.

8 Charity never faileth: but whether there be prophecies, they shall fail; whether there be tongues, they shall cease; whether there be knowledge, it shall vanish away.

9 For we know in part, and we prophesy in part.

10 But when that which is perfect is come, then that which is in part shall be done away.

11 When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things.

12 For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known.

13 And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity.

Charity is Love. What Paul tells us here is without Love, you have nothing. No matter what other gifts you may possess, and no matter whatever else you do, without Love, you truly have nothing. This is why Jesus tells us we need to "Love your neighbor as yourself." Simply because "Love suffereth long, and is kind; Love envieth not; Love vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up, Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil; Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth; Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things. Love never faileth:"

It is not enough to "serve God" or "follow Jesus" or be Religious. You must have Love. If you love your Neighbor, you will not lie to them, hate them, abuse them, steal from them, greatly desire something they possess, cheat on them with their Spouse, and of course, you will not kill them.

Are you "serving God" hedonistically? Are you being a good little {insert Religion here} so that you will receive power and position? So you will receive praise by man? Jesus tells us, you have your reward. Or are you serving God out of pure Love. Do you have the Love of God. These are questions only you can answer.

Do you know Jesus as your Savior? Have you been adopted into the Family of God? If not, say this Prayer. Right now. Wherever you may be. Say it in your own words, and do not doubt in your heart. God will hear you. He will send the Spirit of Life to you. Let us Pray..

"Oh heavenly Father, Lord God. I am a sinner. I know this. I know there is nothing I can do to change that. But I know you can. I accept Jesus's sacrifice for me. I repent my sins. Please send the Spirit of Adoption into my life. Help me to get to know the real you. Save me. Please. In the name of Jesus, Amen!"

That's it. It really is that simple. Now go tell someone what you have just done. "That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved." {Romans 10:9} You need to find a Church that God leads you to, and be Baptized the way Jesus said to be. You are now a Child of God. A new Creature. You "have put off the old man with his deeds, and have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him." {Colossians 3:10}

If you want to tell me, or comment, question, give testimonials, or just say "Hi," the Email is opntalk@gmail.com

The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Ghost, be with you all. Amen. {2 Corinthians 13}