Lamps, Automobiles and Man

Why does an oil lamp need oil? (because they were made that way)

Why does an automobile need gasoline?

Why does a man or women need God?

Long ago someone discovered that oil had the potential to release energy as light. It only needed some kind of devise to allow it to do so.

So this someone began molding clay and finally came up with a shape and design which became the means by which the potential in oil could be released as light.

Many years later another someone discovered that gasoline had the potential to release energy as heat. It only need a devise to allow it to do so.

Several men worked with far more effort than our lamp maker, and created the first internal combustion engine, which allowed the tremendous potential in gasoline to be release as heat energy.

Long ago God decided He would create a being called Man

Genesis 1:26-27New Living Translation (NLT)26 Then God said, “Let us make human beings[a] in our image, to be like us. They will reign over the fish in the sea, the birds in the sky, the livestock, all the wild animals on the earth,[b] and the small animals that scurry along the ground.”27 So God created human beings[c] in his own image.    In the image of God he created them;    male and female he created them.

Like the potter and the engineer, God specifically designed Man so that the divine potential - the very light and energy of God - could be released in terms of human behavior to produce righteousness and godliness on earth.

For that and only that reason were we so engineered

Psalm 139:13-14New International Version (NIV)13 For you created my inmost being;    you knit me together in my mother’s womb.14 I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made;    your works are wonderful,    I know that full well.

Fearfully and wonderfully - those are God terms Nothing else in creation is so labeled

We are the only living, breathing creatures on earth who were created to be the direct servants of the Lord God

We were made by God for God Awesome!!

Without oil, a lamp cannot produce light

Without gasoline, an engine cannot produce energy

Without God, man cannot function. In fact, he malfunctions!

What happens when you detach oil from a lamp? Still have a lamp but is it of any value? Nick-nack, gets dirty and dusty, old and crackedBut it does not do what it was designed to do

What happens when you detach gasoline from a car? You still have a car, but is it of any value to you? Sit in driveway Polish it every day so it looks good Sit behind the wheel and go "Vroom"But it does not move, or take you anywhere. Useless!

What happens when you detach a man or woman from God?

You still have a man or woman on your hands, but he or she does not act like one!

That is the world we live in today

Populated by countless thousands of men and women who have lost or never had what it takes to be a man or a woman.

If you don't put oil in a lamp but say "Produce Light!" Unreasonable, Illogical

If you don't put gasoline in a car, but say "Go!" Unreasonable, Illogical

Tell a man or woman without God to "Be Good" or godly. Unreasonable. Illogical

But the world tries everyday

Laws

Rules

Regulations

History

Examples to follow

The world says, "Study these, obey these and be good!" Slap their wrist with a ruler and say, "Behave!"

But the world leaves out God. Unreasonable, Illogical

You see the results every day, in every riot, every terrorist bombing, every carjacking, every murder, every sexual molestation of a child, every time a gossip opens their

mouth or their smartphone to destroy another person with false and hurtful words, every crime committed every hour of every day.

There are thousands of laws, thousands of regulations, well-meaning leaders - but these things do nothing to stop the tide of madness. They all fail, because God is not in the men and women who commit these crimes.

How many countless government programs costing us trillions of dollars have failed miserably because God was not even considered in their planning or implementation. Too many people have believed the lie that man is basically good. But we know better.

Jeremiah 17:9Amplified Bible (AMP)9 The heart is deceitful above all things, and it is exceedingly perverse and corrupt and severely, mortally sick! Who can know it [perceive, understand, be acquainted with his own heart and mind]?

David knew the truth

Psalm 51:5New Living Translation (NLT)5 For I was born a sinner—    yes, from the moment my mother conceived me.

We desperately need God to fix all that is broken

Here is where the Bible comes in. It is not just a religious textbook full of "Do's and Don'ts", rules, and regulations, history, and laws and examples to follow, it is much, much more.

2 Timothy 3:16New Living Translation (NLT)16 All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right.

2 Peter 1:20-21New Living Translation (NLT)20 Above all, you must realize that no prophecy in Scripture ever came from the prophet’s own understanding,[a] 21 or from human initiative. No, those prophets were moved by the Holy Spirit, and they spoke from God.1 Corinthians 2:13New Living Translation (NLT)13 When we tell you these things, we do not use words that come from human wisdom. Instead, we speak words given to us by the Spirit, using the Spirit’s words to explain spiritual truths.[a]

Hebrews 4:12New Living Translation (NLT)12 For the word of God is alive and powerful. It is sharper than the sharpest two-edged sword, cutting between soul and spirit, between joint and marrow. It exposes our innermost thoughts and desires.

The Bible is the direct, divine revelation of how man and woman are to function. It is our instruction manual, written by God to show us how to do His will here on earth.

The Bible is always the best choice, because it is from God, and hold specific wisdom and guidance for each person who reads it!

It is real, living, and it is vibrant

It is God speaking, teaching, leading, inspiring, convicting, and always uplifting; even when it drives us to tears!!

Take the Gospel! Did you know it was all about putting God back into man?

The Gospel serves God's best interest, not ours!!

Sure, we benefit (I certainly call salvation a benefit!!) but God is the Creator, and we are just Creatures. We serve God.

The purpose of the redemptive act of Jesus Christ was so that we can be reconciled to a Holy God and serve Him as we were designed to do!

John 14:6New Living Translation (NLT)6 Jesus told him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me.

No one comes to the Father

No one can be a vehicle of God's righteousness

No one can be what he or she was engineered to be

Without Jesus Christ!

The Gospel was Not written to keep man out of hell - it was written to get heaven into man!

With Christ in us, we can then do the job for which we were created.

Let's look at 2 Cor 5:17-20 from the Amplified Bible

2 Corinthians 5:17-20Amplified Bible (AMP)17 Therefore if any person is [ingrafted] in Christ (the Messiah) he is a new creation (a new creature altogether); the old [previous moral and spiritual condition] has passed away. Behold, the fresh and new has come!18 But all things are from God, Who through Jesus Christ reconciled us to Himself [received us into favor, brought us into harmony with Himself] and gave to us the ministry of reconciliation [that by word and deed we might aim to bring others into harmony with Him].19 It was God [personally present] in Christ, reconciling and restoring the world to favor with Himself, not counting up and holding against [men] their trespasses [but cancelling them], and committing to us the message of reconciliation (of the restoration to favor).

20 So we are Christ’s ambassadors, God making His appeal as it were through us. We [as Christ’s personal representatives] beg you for His sake to lay hold of the divine favor [now offered you] and be reconciled to God.

If we see our role on this earth any other way, if we fail to see the Bible and the Gospel for what God gave them to us for - maybe we need to re-examine our lives.

You know, God created animals with an intricate and amazing "computer program" called instinct. It is unwavering and full-proof

We live in the PacificNW -Salmon

Bees - in hive some feed the young, some feed the queen, some fan their wings to cool the hive, workers gather pollen - each doing exactly what they were created to do - controlled by instinct

What about the new puppy. We recently watched 8 puppies being born. Amazing! Where was the first place they headed? The nipple. Who taught them that. Who taught the mother dog to do all she did?

planned parenthood

the local health department or DSHS

No God taught them!!

A cougar in the wild, finds a den at the right time, delivers her cubs, licks the mucous from their nose and mouth so they can breath. Who taught her?

God did

God equipped every animal with its own unique program. This program controls the behavior of the animal. It governs the animal. Instinct,

created by God, governs the behavior of every animal on earth - except one!

Man was created to be governed by God - to be the vehicle which manifests God's light and energy and love

But God also gave man the freedom to choose, not by instinct, but by free will

1 John 4:8Amplified Bible (AMP)8 He who does not love has not become acquainted with God [does not and never did know Him], for God is love.

God is love.

The only thing which can compliment love is love, pure love. We were created to love God, but true love can only be expressed by the exercise of a totally free will.

Love cannot be compelled! "I order you to love me and love me now!!!"

God is not a despot or dictator. We were created to love Him back, but God could not create a man or woman to love God without creating a man or woman who could exercise totally free will to do so.

We are the only members of the Animal Kingdom given the right to choose our relationship to a Holy God - creature to Creator.

When all other animals do what they do, they do it because they MUST.

I said earlier that we were designed to be governed by God. He gave us an amazing brain, a gift which, even to this day, the greatest scientists and researchers cannot fully explain how it works. But it is a brain designed for a man or woman who is governed by God. To use the brain apart from God will result in ungodly occurrences

In the late 1930's there arose in Europe a brilliant leader and politician. He was smart, clever, and had an uncanny ability to interpret the political and social environment, and put into action plans that took maximum advantage of every situation. His brilliant rhetoric built loyalty and brotherhood. He secretly created the most fantastic military the world had ever seen. At one time he controlled over one third of the world. The result of the use of this man's brain resulted in the deaths of over 35 million men, women and children; over 20 million in the Soviet Union alone. Over 6 million Jews were killed in the horrible, yet ingeniously efficient concentration camps. When it was all over, the nation he led lay in utter ruin.

How many human beings would have lived to raise their children, see their grandkids, live life to the full, if the brain of Adolf Hitler had been controlled by God.

How different would our world be today.

Imagine if every man, woman, boy and girl alive today would allow their brains to be used as they were designed, under the control of God. Imagine the difference in Thurston County if everyone in this room would allow God full control.

Why is it that Subaru's seem to always be covered with bumper stickers. "Free Tibet", "Love the Mother", and my favorite, "Visualize World Peace"

The driver does not seem to understand that world peace cannot be visuslized. One must let God, the only source of peace, to manifest Himself through Jesus Christ in us. Without God, peace will always be just a vision.

John 14:27Amplified Bible (AMP)27 Peace I leave with you; My [own] peace I now give and bequeath to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Do not let your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid. [Stop allowing yourselves to be agitated and disturbed; and do not permit yourselves to be fearful and intimidated and cowardly and unsettled.]

The mess the world has created all started that day long ago when man believed the devil's lie that man could be man without God, even could be a god himself.

Genesis 3:1-5New Living Translation (NLT)

3 The serpent was the shrewdest of all the wild animals the Lord God had made. One day he asked the woman, “Did God really say you must not eat the fruit from any of the trees in the garden?”2 “Of course we may eat fruit from the trees in the garden,” the woman replied. 3 “It’s only the fruit from the tree in the middle of the garden that we are not allowed to eat. God said, ‘You must not eat it or even touch it; if you do, you will die.’”4 “You won’t die!” the serpent replied to the woman. 5 “God knows that your eyes will be opened as soon as you eat it, and you will be like God, knowing both good and evil.”

Be a man or woman without God!

That is like suddenly in a split second, all 80,000 bees in a hive somehow deciding, simultaneously, that they could be bees without instinct. Feeders would stop feeding - "Let the little suckers feed themselves" Cooling bees would stop fanning - the hive would begin to melt Worker bees would stop gathering pollen, and begin to carry little signs around the hive that read, "Workers of the world unite"

Every bee for themselves Total anarchy Total disaster The hive would die.

This is exactly what is happening in our society, and our world, todayMan, woman, boy and girl, trying to live, to do their "own thing" - without God

We have had our share of riots, terrorism, and a myriad of other bad behavior around the world. I bet some of you even said that some of the people were acting like animals.

Never say that. The animals deserve better!!

How many here have ever seen a drunken alcoholic horse laying in the gutter rolling around in his own vomit?No. Only man does that without GodHave you ever seen a drug addicted dog blowing out his brains with crack cocaine?No. Dogs are not that stupid. Only man is without God.And even if a dog would ever do such a thing, would he do it as a puppy? No!But in America today some statistics tell us that 3 out of 5 children will try drugs before they 13

Man - regardless of age - without God

Richard and Melissa's Pit bull, Jade, recently had 8 puppies. Although messy they are the sweetest little dogs and Jade has been a great mother.At no time did Jade even consider destroying her puppies before they were born.Only man, without God, would do such a thing.

It is time God be taken seriously. We must see the descriptions of Christian living laid out in the Bible as behaviors we were designed to have, not things we MUST do! We live the Christian life to show Jesus Christ that we are serious about our love and gratitude for HimGodliness is our job. It is our duty to the one who saved us.

I realize that many Christians feel like they are not going anywhere, not serving Jesus Christ, not being what we were designed to be. It is safe to say everyone in this room has had such feelings at some time in their lives. It is certainly true for me.

Maybe it is a perception of loneliness, or powerlessness brought on by our paying too much attention to the world with all its hype and ridiculous social demands.Or is it because the fullness of God has invaded every crevise of our existance that we find ourselves so dissatisfied with the way we have run our lives?

Let me ask you a very important question!Do we as Christians with Jesus Christ as God living inside each of us have any less going for us than Jesus Christ, as man, did with God, as the Father, living inside Him?

No! we have no less power!

The great A.W. Tozer says,"The Christian is a Holy rebel loose on the world, with access to the throne of God. Satan never knows from what the direction danger will come!"

That's us!Then why the difference in the quality of life? Attitude! Jesus Christ had the attitude of total, absolute, unquestioning obedience to, and dependence on God the FatherThe world today sees such a concept as stupid, weak, restaining. because life is "all about me" But that is what separates a Christ like quality of life from a life being much less than we were designed to be.Christ is the exampleJohn 5:30Amplified Bible (AMP)30 I am able to do nothing from Myself [independently, of My own accord—but only as I am taught by God and as I get His orders]. Even as I hear, I judge [I decide as I am bidden to decide. As the voice

comes to Me, so I give a decision], and My judgment is right (just, righteous), because I do not seek or consult My own will [I have no desire to do what is pleasing to Myself, My own aim, My own purpose] but only the will andpleasure of the Father Who sent Me.

John 8:29Amplified Bible (AMP)29 And He Who sent Me is ever with Me; My Father has not left Me alone, for I always do what pleases Him.

3 Romans 15:3New Living Translation (NLT)For even Christ didn’t live to please himself. As the Scriptures say, “The insults of those who insult you, O God, have fallen on me.”[a]

Jesus allowed the great, loving, living presence of God to direct every stepThat is the same great, loving, living power in every Christian today, a power we ignore and stumble and bumble through life trying to do it our way, following the world and its senseless, warped, useless values.If we really want quality of life, we have to begin to realize our dependence on God

We have all felt our failure. I certainly have! It is that emptiness we feel, that ache, that nagging voice we hear, as we try to do the impossible alone. That is the Holy Spirit saying to us "Friend, why are you wasting so much time and energy trying to solve God-level problems using man-level solutions." It is attitude. What a source of pain and sorrow What a source of power and peaceWhen I was in the Army we were always told that attitude determines behavior Good attitude - Good Behavior Bad attitude - Bad behaviorMaybe! Look at Luke 16:15

Luke 16:15Amplified Bible (AMP)15 But He said to them, You are the ones who declare yourselves just and upright before men, but God knows your hearts. For what is exalted and highly thought of among men is detestable and abhorrent (an abomination) in the sight of God.

You see we can camouflage our attitude and feelings to one another. Our behaviors may not be what we really are. But we were created by God. He knows where we truly behave. In our hearts, our souls. It is as if he designed a window in us so he can see directly into our heart, and detect every motive.

By whatever we do say, or think, we are saying something to God I love you I hate you I could care less. Its none of your business. I don't need you. I can do it myself. "Don't you know I'm a self-made man"(Did you know that the concept of a self-made man shows the real danger of using unskilled labor!)For example, take tithing. When we consider our tithe and how we are going to support Gods ministries he placed here on earth, we communicate something to HimI love you. Here is what you have commanded and what you have verified in my heart to return to you for your work here on earth'I could care less, but I want to keep you happy so here is $50 to hold you for a week and to take the edge off my conscienceI hate you. All this money talk. I have a new car payment and we are off to Disney World. There just is nothing for you. Sorry!

You know, you are communicating something right now!

Earlier we found that we share the same Godly power that our Lord did when he was on the earth.That fact should bring some trepidation, but also great Joy. But for many, it just does not!

Why are we not using this power. Why are we not being what we were designed to be. Why do we continue to communicate anything other than love to our God? An old friend and preacher from Greenville, SC, explained it to me once You accept Jesus Get the Holy Spirit You ain't gettin no more of it You just got to empty yourself of the world and give that Spirit room to spread out

I believe that, painfully. Not so many years ago I had my Spirit trapped about knee levelBut now it is just past my heart. I look forward to the day when it totally consumes me, because that will mean I am in heaven! But I still plan to empty myself more and more until that day.I still have a lot of world in me. My lips still remember far too many vulgar words learned in US Army motor pools, where men and women tried to fix vehicles long past their useful age.I still have a temper which flairs up when i sense a threat to my plans for the day.I still really want a Corvette, one with a monster engine and 6 speed manual tranny.I won't bore you with my list. I am sure each of you could produce one yourselves.

God laid 2 verses on my heart years ago.

1 John 2:15-17Amplified Bible (AMP)15 Do not love or cherish the world or the things that are in the world. If anyone loves the world, love for the Father is not in him.16 For all that is in the world—the lust of the flesh [craving for sensual gratification] and the lust of the eyes [greedy longings of the mind] and the pride of life [assurance in one’s own resources or in the stability of earthly things]—these do not come from the Father but are from the world [itself].17 And the world passes away and disappears, and with it the forbidden cravings (the passionate desires, the lust) of it; but he who does the will of God and carries out His purposes in his life abides (remains) forever.

Philippians 4:6-9Amplified Bible (AMP)6 Do not fret or have any anxiety about anything, but in every circumstance and in everything, by prayer and petition ([a]definite requests), with thanksgiving, continue to make your wants known to God.7 And God’s peace [shall be yours, that [b]tranquil state of a soul assured of its salvation through Christ, and so fearing nothing from God and being content with its earthly lot of whatever sort that is, that peace] which transcends all understanding shall [c]garrison andmount guard over your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.8 For the rest, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is worthy of reverence and is honorable and seemly, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely and lovable, whatever is kind and winsome and gracious, if there is any virtue and excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think on and weigh and take account of these things [fix your minds on them].9 Practice what you have learned and received and heard and seen in me, and model your way of living on it, and the God of peace (of [d]untroubled, undisturbed well-being) will be with you.

Sometimes it helps me to take God's Word and see what He did not say'"Finally Brethren, whatever is foolishness, whatever is risqué and filled with sexual innuendo, whatever is immoral, whatever is tainted and obscene, whatever is vulgar and sexually suggestive, whatever is a distortion of the truth, if there is anything worldly and worthy of Godly scorn, let your minds dwell on these things."God did not say that.But when you consider what we Christians read, watch on television ( Spartacus), see at the movies and what we talk about at work or at school, and the music we listen to, you would thing that God did say that. And if you look at verse 9 there is a great promise.

If we are feeling weak and powerless and afraid If we are feeling that we are not being all God made us to beIf we find our minds being more controlled by the world than by God

Well it is our fault - yours and mineGod gave us the choice, and with that, - accountability-If we are not letting God have control,-If we are not allowing Jesus Christ to be the driving force in our lives,-If we are not making daily choices with God in mind,-If we are not in the Word everyday We will almost always choose wrong. Remember - without God's control, we are out of controlAny pilot will tell you when the plane is out of control, you feel powerless, weak and afraid

Don't you agree that power, strength and confidence are better alternatives

That is what Jesus offers us - good things, rich thingsAnd all these very good things are available free of charge! No gimmicks. No misleading advertisements. No coupons needed. No special sales, and certainly never a "going out of business" sale.

Matthew 7:7New Living Translation (NLT)7 “Keep on asking, and you will receive what you ask for. Keep on seeking, and you will find. Keep on knocking, and the door will be opened to you.

Revelation 3:20Amplified Bible (AMP)20 Behold, I stand at the door and knock; if anyone hears and listens to and heeds My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and will eat with him, and he [will eat] with Me.

Many people who try to rationalize away their need for Christ often ask questions such as "If your God is so great, how come He allows people like Adolph Hitler, or Stalin, or Saddam Hussein, to do what they did?"

The answer is simple and I hope you memorize it - Because He loved them

He loved them enough to give them a choice.

You see, God has made a promise. He has given us His perfect plan, and God is no liar, for He cannot lie. God is immutable, unchanging. God's plan was there for Hitler as it is for each of us, and for the rest of the world.

That Plan - Accept Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord and thereby give control of our lives to God

Or reject, ignore Jesus Christ, and give control of our lives to the world

Those of us who know, love, and follow Jesus as Lord and Savior have been given a gift whose value can never be measured - Jesus put God back into us

Our effectiveness for God and our quality of life here on earth depend solely on what we do with this precious gift.