Who Is Your God?

Who Is Your God?

February 13, 2005

Introduction

Long ago, the devil said, “You can be God!” Today, we live in a world filled with people who believe they are God. If you were to ask them if they were God, they would look at you as if you were crazy. In no way do they think they are Almighty God, but by their lives, they act as if they are God. That is to say, they live and act as if there were no God other than themselves.

This morning, we ask the question, “Who is your God?” Does it really matter? Would it be much better for you to believe in God? Do you need to be able to give a defense for your belief in God?

Body

I. Man must decide who will be his God.

It was a decision that Adam and Eve had to make.

(Gen 3:4-6 NKJV) Then the serpent said to the woman, "You will not surely die. {5} "For God knows that in the day you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil." {6} So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree desirable to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate. She also gave to her husband with her, and he ate.

1. They immediately lost their close fellowship with God.

(Gen 3:8-9 NKJV) And they heard the sound of the LORD God walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the LORD God among the trees of the garden. {9} Then the LORD God called to Adam and said to him, "Where are you?"

2. They lost the privileges of their garden home.

(Gen 3:22-24 NKJV) Then the LORD God said, "Behold, the man has become like one of Us, to know good and evil. And now, lest he put out his hand and take also of the tree of life, and eat, and live forever"; {23} therefore the LORD God sent him out of the garden of Eden to till the ground from which he was taken. {24} So He drove out the man; and He placed cherubim at the east of the garden of Eden, and a flaming sword which turned every way, to guard the way to the tree of life.

II. Moses had a choice to make.

(Heb 11:24-26 NKJV) By faith Moses, when he became of age, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter, {25} choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God than to enjoy the passing pleasures of sin, {26} esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt; for he looked to the reward.

A. He gave up life in a palace.

B. He spent forty years tending sheep, and 40 more wandering in the desert with God’s people.

C. Pharaoh made a disastrous choice because he did not know God.

(Exo 5:2 NKJV) And Pharaoh said, "Who is the LORD, that I should obey His voice to let Israel go? I do not know the LORD, nor will I let Israel go."

1. He didn’t know the Lord, but he had opportunity to have found out.

2. He paid a dear price for not knowing God.

III. Jesus had a choice of Who would be His God.

(Mat 4:8-10 NKJV) Again, the devil took Him up on an exceedingly high mountain, and showed Him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory. {9} And he said to Him, "All these things I will give You if You will fall down and worship me." {10} Then Jesus said to him, "Away with you, Satan! For it is written, 'You shall worship the LORD your God, and Him only you shall serve.'"

Accept the devil’s offer, and there would be no Calvary.
Accept the devil’s offer, and we lose it all – eventually!
Who is the devil anyway?

(2 Cor 4:3-5 NKJV) But even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing, {4} whose minds the god of this age has blinded, who do not believe, lest the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine on them. {5} For we do not preach ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord, and ourselves your bondservants for Jesus' sake.

(2 Cor 4:4 KJV) In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them.

IV. Which God do you choose?

A. Some chose the god of self. They believe the devils lie.

(Gen 3:5 NKJV) "For God knows that in the day you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil."

1. Then you can make the rules.

2. You can decide exactly what you want to do with your life.

3. You can live as if there were no God.

B. What is life like without God?

Go to my website, click on “Why I Believe in God”, go to the bottom of that page, and click on “Does God Exist” Then click on John’s statement, “Why I left atheism.” It is an interesting story to say the least.

1. One point that John Clayton makes is that without God, he recognized no authority, not even obedience or honesty with his parents.

2. If there is no God, then there is no ultimate authority to whom we answer.

3. If there is no God, there is no hope.

(Eph 2:12 NKJV) that at that time you were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world.

V. Can you find yourself in the Bible?

A. John Clayton did.

(Psa 53:1 NKJV) The fool has said in his heart, "There is no God." They are corrupt, and have done abominable iniquity; There is none who does good.

1. John was struck by how accurately this verse described him.

2. How tragic to read such an indictment, and to only be able to say, “That’s correct!”

B. The Bible can be a great source of joy if God is our God.

(Psa 144:9-15 NKJV) I will sing a new song to You, O God; On a harp of ten strings I will sing praises to You, {10} The One who gives salvation to kings, Who delivers David His servant From the deadly sword. {11} Rescue me and deliver me from the hand of foreigners, Whose mouth speaks lying words, And whose right hand is a right hand of falsehood; {12} That our sons may be as plants grown up in their youth; That our daughters may be as pillars, Sculptured in palace style; {13} That our barns may be full, Supplying all kinds of produce; That our sheep may bring forth thousands And ten thousands in our fields; {14} That our oxen may be well-laden; That there be no breaking in or going out; That there be no outcry in our streets. {15} Happy are the people who are in such a state; Happy are the people whose God is the LORD!

1. God is the God of all comfort.

(2 Cor 1:3-4 NKJV) Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, {4} who comforts us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort those who are in any trouble, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.

2. God is the One Who gives us our hope.

(1 John 3:1-3 NKJV) Behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed on us, that we should be called children of God! Therefore the world does not know us, because it did not know Him. {2} Beloved, now we are children of God; and it has not yet been revealed what we shall be, but we know that when He is revealed, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is. {3} And everyone who has this hope in Him purifies himself, just as He is pure.

Conclusion

I. Do you know God?

II. Who is the real God of your life?

III. Is there something you need to make right with God?

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