I'm so glad to all of you here today, you are each a blessing!
Heavenly Father,
We pray that as we hear Your message today, which will come from the Word of God, our faith will be increased. We ask, Father, that You would use Your word which is living and active and sharper than any double edged sword to rightly divide us, even to the quick of our soul and spirit, joint and marrow. Use Your word, O Lord, to expose the thoughts and the attitudes hidden deep within our hearts that are not pleasing to You.
In Jesus' Name
Amen
Who here likes tofu?
Well, I've got a little Tofuology for you today..
(laughing)
Tofuology: The study of tofu, a fermented soy milk made into a form usable as a replacement for meat and/or dairy products. It is a versatile way to deceive spouses and children into thinking and feeling that they are actually consuming carnivorous substances, if its prepared properly and seasoned appropriately.
Aren’t you glad that when it comes to the Word of God you're getting the real thing?
(smiling)
I've called the message today:
Are You Living For Man or For God?
Our text today is from 2 Corinthians 6:
"Do not be unequally yoked together with unbelievers. For what fellowship has righteousness with lawlessness? And what communion has light with darkness? And what accord has Christ with Belial? Or what part has a believer with an unbeliever? And what agreement has the temple of God with idols? For you are the temple of the living God. As God has said:
“I will dwell in them
And walk among them.
I will be their God,
And they shall be My people.”
Therefore
“Come out from among them
And be separate, says the Lord.
Do not touch what is unclean,
And I will receive you.”
“I will be a Father to you,
And you shall be My sons and daughters,
Says the Lord Almighty.”
2 Corinthians 6:14-18
So, Are You Living For Man Or For God?
Don’t misunderstand me ….. when we live for God….
we will bless mankind and minister to man, however, when we live for man and man is our god, the world is our kingdom, then we will become a curse to mankind….
Church, that is what has happened to our culture…. man worships man, and the result is corruption and destruction ….. plain and simple!
Let's get this thing back on course with God’s way…. the Biblical way!
Belial is simply another name for the devil.
What fellowship does Jesus Christ have with the devil?
Zero… zilch, nada … NONE!
This does not mean that we don’t witness and that we can't have associates or friends, that are unsaved but it does mean that we don’t run with the world, talk like the world, act like the world, and party with the world!
"Come out from among them And be separate," says the Lord.
It all comes down to who you are living for… God or man.
If you are living for man, your very world will soon crumble…
But if you are living for God, your foundation is strong!
It may shake, but it will not crumble!
You will have eternal life!
"Do not be unequally yoked together with unbelievers."
What does this even mean?
It means, we are not supposed to compare ourselves with this world!
It doesn’t matter if your neighbor has a house 3 or 4 times the size of yours and drives a 2019 Bentley and you drive a 1978 Chevette It makes no difference!
"And He said to them, “Take heed and beware of covetousness, for one’s life does not consist in the abundance of the things he possesses.”
Luke 12:15
Jesus said that!
When we are truly converted, we will want to keep a safe distance from the ungodly influences of this world!
You can’t enjoy the pleasures of sin and the pleasures of the Kingdom of God at the same time…
Here's the deal:
We all must make a choice to make!
Which way we will have it but let me clue you in on something:
God will not allow both!
This kingdom business is different than anything this world has to offer and we are not willing to sell our souls for any personal gain…..we must live for Him alone!
Man’s ways lead to disappointment…
God’s ways lead to a truly fulfilled life!
A lover of truth cannot run with this world and be in a safe place!
We may live in the world, but we are not of this world!
It has always been a struggle getting people to the house of God, even in the early church it was a constant struggle, but they came because the early church worked hard at it.
This is where the church today is falling short!
I have been hearing about a number of preachers, in various denominations that are taking a stand and after many years, have decided to leave their denominations.
They starting out fresh; where they are not bound by politically correct by-laws that prevent them from preaching the whole council of God…
My hat is off to these wonderful men who still have enough courage to take a stand against sin and standing up for teaching the whole Word of God!
May they find the full truth of Acts in Jesus Name!
I don’t understand how people can remain content in religious darkness…. If there is any thing in life that is of the utmost importance… It is seeking the Lord!
Seek Him with your whole heart until you find Him!
If you seek Him He will be found!
You seek for man’s solutions and leave disappointed, but I can promise you that when you seek the Lord…..
He will never disappoint you!
"You shall keep My Sabbaths and reverence My sanctuary: I am the Lord.
‘Give no regard to mediums and familiar spirits; do not seek after them, to be defiled by them: I am the Lord your God."
Leviticus 19:30-31
Saul tried it God’s way and the outcome was total disaster!
but David did things God’s way and the result was blessing.
David would have had even more blessing if it wasn’t for Bathsheba and numbering the people.
At least David was a man after God’s own heart…. he did his best to steer the people into spiritual matters…. through praise and worship…. that is where it is at!
If you set your heart to please man and not God, then you are setting yourself up for failure…..but if you will make up in your heart tonight that nothing will stand in your way to please the Lord, then you are setting yourself up for a great life that you can be thankful for!
God will make a way when it seems like there is no way…God will make a way for you to do His will, God will make a way for you to walk in His ways…. God will make a way for you to understand His directions for your life!
Our hats are off to all who labor in the true Kingdom of Jesus Christ. They have sold themselves out to doing a work that is foreign to many minds…it is the work, however, that will keep lasting when all of man’s work is done and forgotten, you will not forget God’s work…. can you imagine the joy of seeing somebody in Heaven that you won to God and having them run to you near the throne and to have them hug you and say, “Thank you for witnessing to me and for leading me to Jesus!” Thank you for taking the time to love me! That is what living and working for God is all about!
David refused to be reduced to being a man pleaser!
He wanted to be a God-pleaser!
It all comes down to churchianity vs. Christianity: which do we want: we choose true Christianity! We choose the Christianity of the Bible:
Church, there are some people who warm a pew, but who don’t want to hear the truth… they'd just assume rather hear about the latest comic strip or movie latest revue, some sit there and trim their nails in church…. they never lift their hands, they never walk down the aisle to an altar, they never weep or fall out in the spirit.
I remember, when the Lord first hit me with the call of service.
It was a powerful moment in my life, literally life changing!
Even those closest to me, questioned my calling..
Some people were asking if "I was sure it was God."
Some people came up to me asking me if it was "because I wasn’t getting enough sleep."
(laughing)
Oh man... I look back and get a good chuckle
While I appreciated their concern for my health, and apparently mental health, I wasn't the least bit concerned!
I am, however, concerned at times that we all too easily forget how to catch hold of a genuine burden for the work and ways of God and enter in to some old fashioned Holy Ghost travail!
(It means painful or laborious effort)
The church of England, as nice as it may sound, the Anglican church, experienced a shift in the 1800’s because there were those who became discontent with churchianity….
They were studying their Bibles and realized that some vital aspects of the Christian life were missing…..their actions became sin in the eyes of the Anglican church…they became guilty of Christian love…. they became guilty of the same thing Paul and Silas did: After having cast out the evil spirit of divination from the woman, her masters became extremely upset because they saw that their financial gain was being overthrown….
their apple cart was turned over, so they caught Paul and Silas and drew them into the marketplace unto the rulers.
"And they brought them to the magistrates, and said, “These men, being Jews, exceedingly trouble our city; and they teach customs which are not lawful for us, being Romans, to receive or observe.”
Acts 16:20-21
Paul and Silas were beaten, and thrown into prison…
it was not a pretty nor a pleasant sight…
How would you like to be punished for doing the right thing?
It happened to the early church…. they did what was right and unpopular all the time…. and they paid a price for it, but they gained a reward reserved for the righteous that the wicked will never be allowed to partake of!
The jailer was to keep Paul and Silas in stocks….a devise that held their feet.
Church, Satan will do everything he can to try and thwart your walk with the Lord!
The awesome wonder of it all is that NOBODY can stop the power of genuine prayer offered up to the Lord, NOBODY!
Paul and Silas prayed and sang praise…always a good thing to do!
The other prisoners could hear the praise….
What a great way to witness!
All of a sudden….. there was a great earthquake…..
God will shake this world!
Its gonna happen!
The foundations of the prison were shaken… what happens when you get at the foundation… all the doors were opened….. as long as Satan can keep your foundation on the wrong things he knows the doors to freedom won’t be opened in your life….
Many builders today have some problems with their foundations on new building and the result is that they could not open the doors
in some cases, even finish the building for that matter until the foundations problems were solved!
But whether a building or your spiritually:
You gotta get the foundation right first ….
One God, Holy Spirit, water baptism in Jesus Name, Holiness….
then you can expect the doors of blessing, signs, wonders, and miracles, and prosperity to open wide!
When you pray, praise and worship and give your life to Jesus Christ, I want you to know that it will not only loose your own bands, but it will loose others around you!
That is exactly what happened in that prison!
When you live for God and not man, things begin to click in your life!
The prison guard became so distraught that he was going to kill himself with his own sword, this dude thought he was going to be killed anyway because he was responsible ….
but Paul yelled to him…… don’t do it!!!! We are all here!
"Then he called for a light, ran in, and fell down trembling before Paul and Silas. And he brought them out and said, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?”
Acts 16:29-30
Church, when the Lord is working, it will lead to people being saved!
"So they said, “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved, you and your household.” Then they spoke the word of the Lord to him and to all who were in his house. And he took them the same hour of the night and washed their stripes. And immediately he and all his family were baptized. Now when he had brought them into his house, he set food before them; and he rejoiced, having believed in God with all his household."
Acts 16:31-34
Part of believing is getting baptized!
In closing...
I can tell you that it wasn’t just a mental acknowledgement either!
To believe is to act upon the promises of God…..the greatest promise is to receive the baptism of the Holy Spirit!
We must understand the importance of confidence in our faith and salvation!
Many people today lack confidence. We place our confidence in our Almighty Creator, Jesus Christ, and we must allow that confidence to carry over into our own spirit, our own lives, so that we can draw from it.
The devil wants to kill your faith, derail your destiny, and devour you!
But greater is He that is in you than he that is in the world!
And now may the Lord bless you and keep you;
the Lord make His face shine upon you,
And be gracious to you;
The Lord lift up His countenance upon you,
And give you peace.
Now and forever, in Jesus' name
Amen
Brian Monzon Ministries