We have seen things occur in our nation and in the world, not just in our lifetimes but more so in recent years, that we never imagined that we would see. But with all of that I believe there are things coming to the world and to the United States that are "not yet seen” and that we, in our wildest dreams, could never imagine. In I John 2:18 the Apostle John said, “Little children, it is the last time: and as ye have heard that antichrist shall come, even now are there many antichrists; whereby we know that it is the last time.” We know that The Antichrist will bring in his one-world government, one-world, universal religion, and his one-world economy. But John also says the spirit of antichrist is already in the world and that there are those who picture the spirit and attitude of The Antichrist in this world as well. Listen to what John says in I John 4:3: “And every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God: and this is that spirit of antichrist . . . ” We need to be reaching our loved ones, our friends, our neighbors, and even strangers with the Gospel because even though we won’t be around to see some of the things that are going to take place, they will be if they don’t know Jesus as Savior and Lord. What does that have to do with our text? God told Noah “There are some things coming that you have not seen before and could never imagine. In Genesis 6:13 He warned him, “. . . The end of all flesh is come before me; for the earth is filled with violence through them; and, behold, I will destroy them with the earth.” Why did God say that? In Genesis 6:1-3 we are told, “And it came to pass, when men began to multiply on the face of the earth, and daughters were born unto them, (2) That the sons of God saw the daughters of men that they were fair; and they took them wives of all which they chose. (3) And the Lord said, My spirit shall not always strive with man, for that he also is flesh: yet his days shall be an hundred and twenty years.” The “sons of God” is a reference to the descendants of Seth, the line of faith, those who followed God. Genesis 4:26: “And to Seth, to him also there was born a son; and he called his name Enos: then began men to call upon the name of the Lord” (or be called by, identified with, the name of the Lord). The “daughters of men” refers to the daughters of those unbelievers who descended from Cain. The result of these unions, I believe, was that many of God’s people, intermarrying with the lost, were becoming just like the lost. But look at Genesis 6:8-9: “But Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord.” Why? “(9) These are the generations of Noah: Noah was a just man and perfect in his generations, and Noah walked with God.” Can you think of any other Old Testament character who “walked with God?” Enoch. Who was Enoch? He was Noah’s great-grandfather.) So God chose this one man, Noah, to live through the flood that He brought upon the earth and to go forth and replenish it after the floodwaters were gone. (Don’t ever think that your life will not matter to future generations!) And because of Noah’s faithfulness to God, he is recorded in Hebrews 11, a chapter in the Bible which many call God’s Hall of Faith, or God’s Hall of The Faithful, etc. Noah gets one verse in that chapter, but it says so much to us today. When God said to Noah, “There’s something coming that you have never seen before,” Noah believed Him and responded to Him. First we see that . . .

I. NOAH REACTED WITH FEAR.

II. NOAH RESPONDED WITH FAITH.

III. NOAH RESTED IN FAITHFULNESS (THE FAITHFULNESS OF GOD).

This morning we are going to examine “3 Things Not Preached The Bible Way In Churches Today.” Of course in this message we are not necessarily referring to every church because I believe there are still some churches where the pure, unvarnished truth of God’s Word is declared without any attempt to “round the corners” or “soften the edges” of it. And, I want to believe that this is one of those churches. But we live in a day when many preachers have become a lot like politicians and have learned the art of speaking without really saying anything. Now, I have shared with you before that part of the reason this happens is because some are afraid of the people they preach to. It’s called “job security.” “If I ‘tell it like it is’ (better yet, like God wants it told) I might be fired, or lose popularity, or offend someone of “importance” in the church. And, yes, I confess that I have been guilty of “softening” the message to some to “keep from being run off. (Also, “If I’m not here the next pastor might not love the truth as much as I do,etc.”) But listen, if we preachers don’t tell it like it is, like God wants it told, we WILL offend someone in the church . . . and His name is JESUS! The Bible is the Word of God, and it cuts to the heart. What did we read last week from Hebrews 4:12? “For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.” The Word of God is divisive! It will divide our real motives from the pretense we use to convince ourselves we are doing O.K. James (1:23-25) compares it to a mirror. Did you ever look into the mirror and not like what you saw looking back at you? If you will seriously and honestly look into the mirror of God’s Word, it may well be that what you see looking back is not the person you thought was standing there. Let me give you a brief example from the book of I John. I John 2:4 -- The Claim: “He that saith, I know him . . . ” The Condition: “. . . and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him.” I John 2:9 -- The Claim: “He that saith he is in the light . . .” The Condition: “. . . and hateth his brother, is in darkness even until now.” I John 2:6 -- The Claim: “He that saith he abideth in him . . . ” The Condition: “. . . ought himself also so to walk, even as he walked.” One’s claim to be something or do something is examined and revealed by God’s Word. One more example. Matthew 7:21 -- The Claim: “Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven . . . ” These are “religious” people trying to claim Heaven by their works. Who will enter the kingdom of heaven? The Condition: “but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.” There is a lot of preaching going on today. There is probably more access to the Word of God today than ever before - even in the midst of the moral decay of this nation - but much of the preaching is merely rhetoric. Much of it is “nice little talks,” “religious performances,” and “fair speeches (which) deceive the hearts of the simple” (Romans 16:18). And you don’t have to go to the “religious channel” on TV, or to YouTube or Facebook, or somewhere else on the internet to find it. It is going on right here, right now in this town today. And they are drawing the masses because they would rather hear soft words and comforting phrases, to hear how “good” they are, and to get a “warm fuzzy” so they can go away saying, “My what a wonderful child of God I am. He is so lucky to have me on His side.” To those who do not preach like that some will say, “I don’t like what you preach. It is too plain. I’ll go down the street and listen to Dr. Sounding Brass, or Dr. Tinkling cymbal. And much of that type of preaching is taking place is in these three areas I will mention today.

I. SIN IS NOT BEING PREACHED THE BIBLE WAY IN MANY CHURCHES TODAY!

II. SALVATION IS NOT BEING PREACHED THE BIBLE WAY IN CHURCHES TODAY!

III. SANCTIFICATION IS NOT BEING PREACHED THE BIBLE WAY IN CHURCHES TODAY!

We have already seen that Satan attacks God’s Word, the believer, and the Christian home. Today we are going to examine Satan’s attacks on the Lord’s true churches. Satan’s attacks upon the Lord’s true churches began almost immediately with the establishment of that first church. The one that Jesus started. Jesus and His disciples were constantly harassed by the religious elite of that day, the Scribes and Pharisees. Ultimately, they crucified the Shepherd and scattered the sheep. On the day of Pentecost the witnessing members of that church at Jerusalem were accused of being drunk at 9 o’clock in the morning (Acts 2:13, 15). Some said, “These men are full of new wine.” In Acts 3, 4, & 5 we see Peter and the others being persecuted, jailed, beaten, and told not to preach in the name of Jesus again. In Acts 7 we see Deacon Stephen being stoned to death for declaring Jesus. And in Acts 8:1 as we read a few minutes ago: “And Saul was consenting unto his (Stephen’s) death. And at that time there was a great persecution against the church which was at Jerusalem; and they were all scattered abroad throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria, except the apostles." Vs. 3 says, “As for Saul, he made havock of the church, entering into every house, and haling men and women committed them to prison.” Not only were the Lord’s churches attacked by persecution, they were attacked by false teachers and false teaching - perversion of the Word of God - as well. Jude wrote (Jude 3-4): “Beloved, when I gave all diligence to write unto you of the common salvation, it was needful for me to write unto you, and exhort you that ye should Earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints. (4) For there are certain men crept in unawares, who were before of old ordained to this condemnation, ungodly men, turning the grace of our God into lasciviousness, and denying the only Lord God, and our Lord Jesus Christ. Paul warned (II Corinthians 11:13-15): “For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ. (14) And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light. (15) Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness . . . ” During the Dark Ages the Lord’s people were persecuted, put into prison, and killed for their faith, their faithfulness to Christ, and their conviction of the truth. Which causes me to ask, “Do you think that in 2023 we could find many church members with that kind of faith and conviction? We can’t even get them to come to church on a sunny Sunday morning (much less a rainy one), so why believe that more than just a few would take their stand for the Lord? And Satan is still attacking and will continue to attack the Lord’s churches today. He is waging an all out war against the Lord and His churches because he knows that his time is short. Revelation 12:12: “Therefore rejoice, ye heavens, and ye that dwell in them. Woe to the inhabiters of the earth and of the sea! for the devil is come down Unto you, having great wrath, because he knoweth that he hath but a short time.” Listen as God’s Word describes our day in II Timothy 4:3-4: “For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine . . . 4 And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables.” Satan is attacking the Lord’s true churches today, and here are six of the ways he attacks.

I. HE CAUSES DOUBT ABOUT OUR MISSION.

II. HE CAUSES DISBELIEF ABOUT OUR MESSAGE.

III. HE CAUSES DISOBEDIENCE ABOUT HER MORALS.

IV. HE CAUSES DIVISION AMONG HER MEMBERSHIP.

V. SATAN CAUSES DEFIANCE ABOUT HER MAJESTY.

VI. HE SEEKS TO DERAIL OUR MOMENTUM.

The Word of God is under attack today and, in fact, has been since the beginning of creation. Satan hates the Bible when it is preached in truth and power, but he loves it when he, or men, twist it and pervert its teachings in order to lead unsuspecting souls into hell. Right now some, either because they do not know any better or because they don’t care, are preaching false messages from the very Word we have open before us. But we know that the Bible “is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart” (Hebrews 4:12). This signifies that the Word penetrates to the innermost recesses of our spiritual being just like a sword cuts through the joints and marrow of the body. Often people wonder how a preacher’s message can be so relevant to their lives. They sometimes honestly wonder if the preacher has secret information about their life. But it isn’t necessarily the preacher at all. It is the leading of the Spirit and the sharpness of the Word of God, delivering the right message, in just the right place, at just the right time. Charles Spurgeon on the Hebrews 4:12: “A sword with two edges has no blunt side: it cuts both this way and that. The revelation of God given us in Holy Scripture is edge all over. It is alive in every part, and in every part keen to cut the conscience, and wound the heart. Depend upon it, there is not a superfluous verse in the Bible, nor a chapter which is useless. While it has an edge like a sword, it has also a point like a rapier, ‘Piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit.’ The difficulty with some men’s hearts is to get at them. In fact, there is no spiritually penetrating the heart of any natural man except by this piercing instrument, the Word of God. But the rapier of revelation will go through anything.” God’s Word is both a sword and a mirror -- Ephesians 6:17 ; James 1:23-25. It is this Word that tells us of our enemy, Satan and how he attacks the Word of God. 1. He is a liar and a murderer -- John 8:44. 2. He does his best to hide the Gospel from poor, deluded, lost souls -- II Corinthians 4:3-4. 3. He roams about seeking whom he may devour -- I Peter 5:8. 4. And he will do his best to “snatch” the Word of God away from you, even this morning -- Matthew 13:3-4, vv. 18-19. There are some here this morning who will not hear this message. They may hear the words that come out of my mouth, but they will miss the message God has for them. Satan will always challenge God’s Word. He doesn’t want people to have access to it, to read it, or to understand it. But when they are confronted with it, he will always challenge it. Because the Bible tells us how our enemy works and because the Bible tells people how to be saved and escape hell, Satan has constantly and consistently attacked the Word from just about day one. The Bible records a time when the Word of God was lost in the house of God -- II Kings 22:8. From the moment the Lord established His church, there have been those who sought to misuse Scripture or take passages out of context - Jude 3-4. Satan is fully aware of the Scripture. He knows it is God’s revelation of Himself to mankind. He knows the Bible inside and out. And he knows that God’s Word is infallible and true. For that reason he causes people to question it, and he seeks to attack it. And in this message we are going to see “How Satan Attacks The Word Of God.”

I. SATAN QUESTIONS THE BIBLE’S AUTHENTICITY - VS. 1.

II. SATAN QUESTIONS THE BIBLE’S AUTHORITY - VV. 1, 4.

III. SATAN QUESTIONS AND ATTACKS THE BIBLE’S ABILITY (POWER) - VV. 4-5.

God has created only two institutions upon this earth - the home (or family) and the church. The home (family) is the first and oldest of the two. Today the term “nuclear family” is often used. "Nuclear family" is (online definition) a couple and their dependent children, regarded as a basic social unit. “Nuclear” had a long history of figurative use before its main association with “nuclear energy,” as nucleus has senses meaning “kernel” or more simply “something essential.” “The term nuclear family refers to a household consisting of a father, a mother and their children all in one household dwelling.” (Wikipedia) We are heading toward the end of this brief series of messages on “The Enemy Among Us,” and I plan to end the series with the thought, “How Satan Attacks The Lord’s Churches.” So, the question comes to mind, “How can Satan get the advantage of God’s people and thereby of His churches? Or, how can Satan destroy churches? Satan knows that if he can disrupt and destroy families, he can hurt the Lord’s work. Satan knows that if he can disrupt and destroy families, he can hinder churches. So he attacks marriages and homes (families). It is estimated today that one out of every two marriages, even among “Christians,” ends in divorce. Churches are made up of people, and more often than not those people have family members who also attend the same church. Here is a beautiful scenario. A boy and girl grow up in the same church, are saved, ultimately become boy friend and girl friend and one day get married. This ends up putting three connected families in the church. In this church we have parents and their married children, parents and their grandchildren, brothers and sisters, and aunts and uncles, and cousins . . . and that is wonderful. But when Satan attacks families and homes, he is ultimately able to cripple the churches that are made up of those families. That is one reason why he seeks to bring so many under his influence. The first thing we note is that:

I. SATAN CAUSES DOUBT ABOUT THE ORIGIN OF THE HOME (FAMILY).

II. SATAN CAUSES DOUBT ABOUT THE HOME'S ORDER.

III. SATAN CAUSES DEFIANCE ABOUT THE OPERATION OF THE HOME.

We saw last week that we who are saved have an enemy who is not of this world. His name is Satan. He is a fallen angel who was once known as Lucifer. He does not work alone. He has demon spirits (fallen angels) to do his bidding. And he is nefarious in his deeds. And Satan has a plan for every man, woman, boy, and girl in this world. That plan is to keep them from ever hearing the Gospel of Jesus Christ and to cause them to reject God’s salvation. There are many ways he does that. We have already seen some. Originally, Satan’s plan for us who are saved was the same as it was for the rest of the world, but you and I messed that up when we accepted Christ as Savior. So now his plan is to isolate you from God, from His Word, and from other believers because he knows that when believers are fellowshipping together, they are (supposed to be) building each other up in the Lord. That is why regular church attendance is so vital to your life as a child of God. As I said last week, if Satan will tempt and attack Jesus, don’t think for a moment that he will not do the same to a child of God. He may cause you to be dissatisfied with serving God at some point. You may not know why you are dissatisfied. You just think, “I don’t seem to get anything out of it,” or “The preacher preaches too long,” or “The music doesn’t satisfy me,” or the like. Sometimes you might just wake up in the morning with a bad attitude. I heard about one man that woke up one Sunday and just did not want to go to church. He said to his wife, “Give me one good reason I should go.” She said, “You’re the pastor. You have to go.” But you may wake up and be angry or upset. You don’t know why. You just feel “out of sorts.” Little things will bother you. Maybe the coffee is too weak . . . or too strong. Things just don’t seem to go right. Maybe it’s just a difficult day, and you certainly aren’t feeling the joy of the Lord. Guess who is behind it! Last week we heard about 3 ways in which Satan comes against people - oppression, obsession, and for the lost, possession. Vs. 11 of our text says, “Lest Satan should get an advantage of us: for we are not ignorant of his devices.” We pointed out last week that the word “devices” refers to “that which is thought out; a purpose; a project; a plan.” It doesn’t matter if you have been saved 5 minutes, 5 years, or 50 years, Satan has a plan “B” for your life. (Remember, plan “A” was to cause you reject Jesus.) He is persistent, patient, very methodical, and he is willing to use every method and to work long and hard to accomplish his goal. This message sets forth some tactics Satan uses to ruin our testimony, to destroy our lives for Christ and that he will use against the unsaved to cause them to reject Christ and die lost. Remember: “We are not (and not to be) ignorant of his devices.”

I. SATAN MAKES SIN LOOK ATTRACTIVE.

II. SATAN SEEKS TO STOP THE WORD OF GOD.

III. SATAN ATTACKS GOD'S PREACHERS.

IV. SATAN MISLEADS OUR YOUTH.

V. SATAN SEEKS TO GIVE THE WORLD “ANOTHER GOSPEL.”

Many today scoff at the idea of a devil and demons. They place demons in the category of mythology. Many seek to deny their existence because of the immature attitude that others have toward them. Some deny them because “educated” people don’t believe in that stuff. But we are only hurting ourselves to deny the existence of demons. I heard a story of a boxer who was getting badly beaten by his opponent. Between rounds he said to his manager, “He’s killing me out there. Throw in the towel.” His manager replied, “Aw, he hasn’t laid a glove on you.” To which the boxer said, “Then keep an eye on the referee, because somebody out there is working me over.” Someone is “doing a number” today on God’s people, on the Lord’s churches, and on our nation, and his name is Satan. Satan is not a figment of our imaginations. He is not some being preachers made up to keep people going to church. He is a real being, with all the qualities of a real person. He is the bitterest enemy of God and the evil opposite of all that God is for good. But Satan does not act alone. When Lucifer, who became Satan, was cast out of Heaven because of his rebellion against God, (Isaiah 14:12-17; Luke 10:18; Ezekiel 28:12-15) he took a third of all of the angels with him. Revelation 12:3-4 says, “And there appeared another wonder in heaven; and behold a great red dragon, having seven heads and ten horns, and seven crowns upon his heads. (4) And his tail drew the third part of the stars of heaven, and did cast them to the earth: and the dragon stood before the woman which was ready to be delivered, for to devour her child as soon as it was born.” These fallen angels are what we know today as “demons,” or “demon spirits” who do the bidding of their master, Satan. Satan is NOT omnipresent. He cannot be everywhere at the same time like God can. Therefore, he must have his “minions” do his bidding. These fallen angels have no love for God, have already rebelled against Him, and have sealed their eternity. This morning let's look at:

I. THE REALITY OF DEMONS - VS. 23.

II. THE REIGN (OR, AUTHORITY) OF JESUS OVER DEMONS -- VV. 34-35.

III. THE REALIZATION OF VICTORY BY THE BELIEVER.

A wise older preacher once told me, “When you don’t know what to preach, preach about God and about Jesus.” That has proven to be good instruction over the years, and that is what I am going to try to do today. This one verse has several things to say about the God we serve. First of all it says He is slow to anger. He is longsuffering. Psalm 86:15 says “But thou, O Lord, art a God full of compassion, and gracious, longsuffering, and plenteous in mercy and truth.” Next it says God is “. . . great in power, and will not at all acquit the wicked . . . ” Throughout the Old Testament He is called El Shaddai - the all powerful One. In the New Testament the word refers to “the all ruling One,” telling us He is the absolute and universal Sovereign. Every person will give account to Him, whether at the Judgment Seat of Christ (for the saved) or at the Great White Throne Judgment of God (for the lost). No one will escape appearing before Him or His judgment. Then Nahum says, “the Lord hath his way in the whirlwind and in the storm . . . ” He is saying, “The Lord displays his power in the whirlwind and in the storm.” "Whirlwind" speaks of a tempest, or a storm much like a tornado. "Storm" has been translated “hurricane.” It is a storm that brings terror. Just an EF1 tornado can have wind speeds up to 110 mph. EF4 or 5 storms reach wind speeds up to 200 mph. A category 1 hurricane has winds up to 95 mph; a category 5 storm’s winds can reach 157 mph or higher. These storms are just an infinitesimal demonstration of God’s great power. He is the Almighty all powerful God! But I want to lock in on the last part of this verse this morning, “and the clouds are the dust of his feet.” Clouds interest me; I enjoy watching them. Science says clouds are “a mass of water drops or ice crystals suspended in the atmosphere . . . " but Nahum says they are “the dust of his (God’s) feet.” I think of different things when studying the clouds. I consider that far beyond what I can see of the sky there is an unlimited expanse of what we call “space.” That causes me to consider Creation and how my finite mind cannot understand an eternal God Who has such great power that all He had to do was speak, and all the things I can see and the things I cannot see all came into being in an instant -- Romans 1:19-20. Which causes me to wonder how those who do not know Jesus Christ as Savior can observe Creation and not realize that there must be, there has to be a Creator. Then, that thought of faith leads me right back to God’s Word and to the Lord Jesus. It reminds me that we are saved by His grace and through faith in His only begotten Son -- John 3:16 ; Ephesians 2:8-9. Then, that thought of the Christ who came causes me to consider that He will come again. Revelation 1:7 says “Behold, he cometh with clouds; and every eye shall see him . . . ” I Thessalonians 4:16-17 tells us, “For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: (17) Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.”As I look at the white clouds in the sky I can see Him coming. So for the next few minutes I want us to consider this Almighty God who created everything - from the most distant galaxy to the nearest cloud and to understand that “the clouds are the dust of his feet.” The first thing I want us to consider is:

I. THE WAY OF GOD IS OFTEN A HIDDEN ONE.

II. GREAT THINGS WITH US ARE LITTLE THINGS WITH GOD.

III. THE MOST TERRIBLE THINGS IN LIFE HAVE NO TERROR TO A CHILD OF GOD.

How terrible it must be to hear God say, “You are not mine!” It can happen to a nation. It happened to Israel. In Hosea 1:9 God says, “Call his name Lo-ammi: for ye are not my people, and I will not be your God.” God is saying, “You have had every other god and rejected me, so I am turning you over to them.” When Israel was told that God would no more have mercy on them did not regard it, but instead they lifted themselves up with this conceited thought: “We are God’s people, and He must have mercy on us.” But God knocks their props out from under them, and disowns them. He says, “You are not my people, and I will not be your God. I will have nothing to do with you. I will not be your King, your Father, your patron and protector.” “You are not my people” = you do not act in a way that as becomes my people; you are not observant of or obedient to me, as my people should be. You are the people of whatever god you choose to serve. “Therefore I will not own you for my people and will no longer protect you.” The United States may have been at one time a nation favored by God, but not today. We have done just what Israel did - turned our backs on Him. It will happen to the lost at the Great White Throne Judgment of God. Matthew 7:21-23 they will hear, “I never knew you.” Thankfully, a child of God cannot lose his salvation, but we can get out of fellowship with Him and become estranged from Him so that His daily grace departs us and His chastisement comes upon us. And this can happen to a church. A great number of churches have turned away from God and His Word today and turned instead to the programs and ideas of men in order to produce “growth.” In Revelation chapters 2 and 3 we see 5 examples of churches that were warned by the Lord Who said in effect, “You are in danger of not being mine anymore,” and we see the sins that brought it upon them.

I. THE SIN OF LOVELESSNESS (EPHESUS) -- REVELATION 2:1-7.

II. THE SIN OF LAXITY (PERGAMOS) -- REVELATION 2:12-17.

III. THE SIN OF LIBERALISM (THYATIRA) -- REVELATION 2:18-29.

IV. THE SIN OF LIFELESSNESS (SARDIS) -- REVELATION 3:1-6.

V. THE SIN OF LUKEWARMNESS (LAODICEA) -- REVELATION 3:14-22.

Abraham Lincoln was walking with his 2 sons, and both boys were crying. A passerby asked, “What’s wrong with the boys?” Lincoln replied, “Exactly what’s wrong with the whole world. I have 3 walnuts and each boy wants two.” Our text deals with the sin of covetousness. It is probably one of the most common sins among mankind and even among those who profess Christ as Savior, and here is why. “Thou shalt not covet” is the last of the Ten Commandments, but whereas the other commandments deal with sins that originate in the heart and are expressed in physical activity, in this commandment there may be little or no evidence of covetousness. As a result, this is a sin that is rarely, if ever confessed, and it is probably the one most often broken. Fom the very beginning God said to His people, Israel, “Thou shalt not covet.” COVET is an interesting word. It simply carries the idea “to delight in.” (To desire greatly.) As it is presented here, though, it would refer to delighting in to the point of wanting something for ourselves. This word that is translated “covet” can also be translated with the word “lust.” In Romans 7:7 the Apostle Paul said, “What shall we say then? Is the law sin? God forbid. Nay, I had not known sin, but by the law: for I had not known lust, except law had said, Thou shalt not covet.” Exodus 20:17 continues: “Thou shalt not covet thy neighbour’s wife, nor his manservant, nor his maidservant, nor his ox, nor his ass, nor any thing that is thy neighbour’s.” God did not say you couldn’t admire it, you can, just not to the point of desiring it. You cannot read the Bible without finding incident after incident where men wanted what wasn’t theirs. Achan coveted gold, silver, and a Babylonian garment. Ahab coveted Naboth’s vineyard. David lusted after and coveted Bathsheba. Ananias and Sapphira coveted attention. Covetousness has been a problem as long as man has been in the world. Jesus warned against this sin in Luke 12:15 when He said, “. . . beware of covetousness . . .” And in these last days men still want what is not theirs. II Timothy 3:1-2: “This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. (2) For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous . . . ” People wonder why crime is so high. I can tell you in one word - covetousness. Thefts, robberies, embezzlements, frauds, scams all come about because people want what is not theirs without working for it or waiting for God to give it to them. And, I believe, covetousness is the one sin that affects many, if not most of God’s people today. Why do some preachers not preach “the whole counsel of God?” Covetousness. Covetousness is why some church members are not faithful or quit the church altogether. Again, in Luke 12:15 Jesus says, “Beware of covetousness.” He is saying, “Guard against every kind of greed" (COVETOUSNESS = avarice; greediness). And look at the company covetousness keeps, the sins with which it is mentioned in Scripture -- Mark 7:21-23; Romans 1:29-31; Ephesians 5:3; Colossians 3:5-7. And Peter tells us in II Peter 2:3 that covetousness is a chief tool of false teachers: “And through covetousness shall they with feigned words make merchandise of you: whose judgment now of a long time lingereth not, and their damnation slumbereth not.” Literally, “They will buy you and sell you through covetousness.” They present a picture of prosperity, giving the idea that their followers can have the same. In our text Jesus tells us about a man who was covetousness and had “I” trouble. This entire account is a warning against covetousness. Vs. 15: “And he said unto them, Take heed, and beware of covetousness: for a man’s life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth.” Many people want “things” because they believe it says something about them as a person. When people stand before God, whether at the Great White Throne Judgment or at the Judgment Seat of Christ, they are not going to be asked: 1) “What kind of car did you drive?” 2) “How big was the house you lived in - 2 or 3 bedrooms, square footage, etc.” 3) “How big was your bank account?” No, there will be one issue for the lost - “Did you accept Christ as Savior?” And there will be one issue for the saved - “Did you faithfully serve Me?” The man in our text had a lot, but he desired more. He had a desire for “overflowing abundance.” This man in Luke 12 accepted God’s blessings and hoarded them. His covetousness ultimately affected his entire being. With his mind he conceived ungodly desires. With his mouth he proclaimed his wicked thoughts. And with his hands he would attempt to carry out his covetousness plans. We are going to see in this message three great sins this man’s covetousness led to.

I. THIS MAN TOOK CREDIT FOR WHAT GOD HAD DONE - VV. 17, 19.

II. THIS MAN MADE HIS PLANS WITHOUT CONSIDERING GOD - VS. 19.

III. THIS MAN CLAIMED OWNERSHIP INSTEAD OF STEWARDSHIP OF GOD’S POSSESSIONS.