lifting your soul to what is false

Hey guys, some of you have had questions concerning the message last sunday night at Collide. I want to #1 do a quick recap of the message and then #2 answer the questions that have been asked:

Sermon Recap -
We began by looking at Genesis 3 and the fall of man. We saw Eve in the Garden, she can eat from whatever tree she wants...except one. God had told her that if she ate of this tree she would die. Enter Satan on the scene. He comes up to Eve and he uses two tactics to lure her away from God... #1 he gets her to question what God had said. - "Did God really say _____?" #2 He shows her something that is appealing to her and makes her the offer that if she'll give up what God's offered her, she can have what he is offering her. Of course, he doesn't say it that way b/c she might catch on... he says, "If you eat of this tree you will be wise like God." so he even uses her admiration of God to draw her into what will separate her from God.

Again, #1 he gets her to question God's Truth and #2 He gets her to desire something 'greater' than what God's offered her. - this same tactic is what Satan used to tempt Jesus in Matthew.

Then we looked at Jesus' words when he said, "I am the way, the TRUTH, and the life." If Jesus is the truth, then why do we question what God says so often? God says, 'don't have sex before marriage, it'll be bad for your soul' and we say, "That's not the truth, he's holding out on us." and then we do it our own way, only to find out at some point that our way was purely foolish.

Then we looked at Psalm 24 where it says, "Who will be close to God... he who does not lift his soul to what is false." (paraphrase). The word for soul in Hebrew means, 'Desire, Lust, Appetite, Joy, etc' So what it is saying is that if you lifte your desires, your lusts, your appetites, your joy to what is false, you can't be close to God.

So we challenged you to examine your lives to find where you are doubting God and where you are lifting your souls up to something false. and to repent of those areas and to cling to the fact that Jesus is the Way the TRUTH and the LIFE. there is no other truth and there is no other life.. that was the challenge.

The questions that have been raised deal with "what does it mean to lift your soul up to what is false though." I believe we gave some good examples of this, but i want to make it really simple here...

It is NOT wrong for you to feel good when someone tells you that you look pretty (girls) or handsome (men). It's not wrong to feel proud and good about that. Encouragement is meant to make you feel good. The bible tells us to encourage others. What is wrong is when you begin to dress a certain way because you know it gets the attention you are craving. Ladies, when you wear that tight shirt or short shorts b/c they get you looks and attention and you feel good about it. men, when you dress the sharpest you can and pimp out for the purpose of getting others attention.

If you are a singer and you are on stage and lead us in worship or sing a song and people say, "Great job, that was such a blessing. You did amazing." It is not wrong to smile, feel good about yourself, and be appreciative of that. It is wrong if you get on that stage and give it everything you have for the purpose of impressing people.

It is not wrong to make a lot of money in your life, and have a nice car and a nice house and go on a vacation to a nice place. It is wrong if you have a nice car and a nice house and go on nice vacations because of the social status it brings you.

It's all in the motive. The motive of lifting up yourself to what is false. "if i could just get one more compliment, one more look, one more pat on the back." "if that guy would just notice me" "if i was just prettier, skinnier, smarter, more athletic... then people would respect me."

No, in all of life - give your appetite, desire, joy, affection, lusts to God. Strive to please him, not man. Strive for his attention and affection, not mans. Then you will draw close to him.

Ask more questions on here if you have them. I love you guys and we'll see you Sunday at Collide!