Real Life Radio

David J: Today, on Real Life Radio.

Jack Hibbs: False worship led them to disaster. And when you're not seeing God and all of his splendor in worship according to the Bible, you're slipping. And what happens is you begin to gravitate toward things. We have them enshrined in our hearts and they become idols and they begin to consume our time, our energy, our efforts.

David J: This is Real Life. Welcome to Real Life Radio with Pastor Jack Hibbs. I'm David J. Thanking you for joining us today as we listen, learn, and are challenged by God's word, the Bible. You know, when it comes to social media, we can either use it for our benefit or allow ungodly philosophies, opinions, and world views to bog us down with content that really doesn't come from a place of love and hope. We often fail to realize the influence social media has upon our lives. So, if you're looking for a social media source that promotes biblical truth, simply head over to our website jackhibbs.com.

Now, once you're there, you'll find Pastor Jack's podcasts, YouTube channel, Facebook, Instagram, Real Life Radio programs, and a whole lot more. Again, our website is jackhibbs.com and it's there you'll find easy access to all that Pastor Jack has to offer, including our Real Life mobile app for your smartphone or tablet. That's at jackhibbs.com. On today's edition of Real Life Radio, Pastor Jack continues his series now called First Samuel and a message titled When the Glory Has Departed Part Two. Now, Samuel of the Old Testament was a man dedicated to God as Israel's last judge and the first of the prophets who is now called by God to warn Israel of its impending judgment.

You see, as we learned in part one, Israel's extreme poverty toward the things of God has caused spiritual decay in the hearts of the Jewish people. It's a critical condition that starts with the individual, then the family, and then finally the nation. So, today Pastor Jack teaches that true spiritual worship toward God is not only scriptural, it's Christ exalting, renewing, and truly humbling. When we consider the heavens, how can we not want God's glory to fill our hearts and our minds? Now, with this message called When the Glory Has Departed Part Two, here's pastor and Bible teacher Jack Hibbs.

Jack Hibbs: This question will be asked. It's always asked. What if we were able to touch the ark? Would it kill us like in the movie? Like when Uzziah touched it also? When David was moving, would it kill us? Would it fry us? The answer is a simple no. If we found the ark of the covenant, we could lift the lid up and look at the Ten Commandments and pull out the manna and look at Aaron's rod that had budded, that almond staff. Well, why wouldn't why wouldn't it why not? I mean, it killed people of the Old Testament time when they touched it.

Why not? Because the glory has departed. God doesn't dwell between those cherubim covered in gold on earth anymore. The New Testament has come, the New Covenant in his blood. It's not in the old economy of the Old Testament. The old has been fulfilled in the new. But they called out for the ark instead of the God of the ark. They set their eyes upon a thing, an icon, a symbol of God. That's a dangerous thing. In Romans chapter one verse 25, the Bible says, these exchanged the truth of God for the lie and worshipped and served the created things rather than the Creator who is blessed forever.

That's a very dangerous thing. When you turn your back on God and begin to worship the things that God has made, it's very common. I I think outside of Jesus Christ seated on our hearts, every human will do that. Every human will do that. Every human's doing it. If Jesus is not enthroned on your heart, something will be. But false worship will always lead someone astray. Look at Rome, Romans chapter one verse 22 starting there, Romans 1:22. It says, professing to be wise, they became fools and changed the glory of God or the glory of the incorruptible God into an image made like corruptible man.

Now, listen to this. And birds, I mean, they they made images of birds and four-footed beasts. They made images of those and creeping things. You got to read that backwards. It's evolution. I mean, what do people worship when they don't worship God? They worship evolution. Everything under thereof. Look, read it backwards. Creeping things. The evolutionist tells us, oh, we all came from creeping things. Then four-footed beasts, dinosaurs and the like, and then birds. They learned how to fly. And then a man. Interesting. You You stop worshiping God. You stop worshiping things. Verse 24 of Romans chapter one, therefore God has also given them up to uncleanness and the lust of their hearts to dishonor their bodies among themselves.

These exchanged the truth of God for the lie and worshipped and served the created things rather than the Creator who is blessed forever. For this reason, God gave them up to vile passions. Cuz once that sled friend starts sliding, it goes. For even their women exchanged the natural use of a woman and burned in their lust for one another and men with men committing that which is shameful. Sounds like West Hollywood. And receiving in themselves the penalty of their error which was due. And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, so God gave them over to a debased mind to do those things which were not fitting.

Wow, how come? All because of false worship. False worship led them to disaster. And when you're not seeing God and all of his splendor in worship according to the Bible, you're slipping. And what happens is you can begin to gravitate toward things. We have them enshrined in our hearts and they become idols and they begin to consume our time, our energy, our efforts, our money. When I sit down at the end of the month and go through the book, the checkbook, where have my resources gone? How much have I invested in that which will cause me to receive eternal dividends?

Oh, I'm faithful to to check the stock market. I'm faithful to check the you know, the report at the end of the quarter. But am I faithful to see how I have invested in the kingdom of God? And those things will last. Those dividends will come back in heaven. Tragically, most Christians don't believe that. Well, what should true worship look like? It certainly should be scriptural for one thing. We know that. It should be attractive. Did you know that? True worship should be attractive. What do we mean by attractive? When the world comes in through these doors or, you know, the way the earth is shaken, maybe God's going to knock down these walls and we'll be able to worship and the world will look on through these walls.

And they should be able to drive by or or come down the street and say, whoa, stop the car. Stop the car. What is going on over there? I want to just check that out. Our worship of God should be attractive to the world. They should say, man, that's cool. We had somebody not too long ago get saved during the communion service when the music was going on, the worship. You guys were singing and praising the Lord and they flipped out. I don't mean they flipped out. They fell in love with the Lord. And they got saved that night and they had their First Communion all in one night.

We should have grabbed them and baptized them right then and there too, huh? That That would have been then thrown right up to heaven and raptured them right out of here. Should be attractive. It should be Christ exalting. Some so-called Christian worship songs or praise songs you can't figure out if they're singing it to Jesus or to their boyfriend. It's so vague. True worship will exalt the Lord Jesus Christ. True worship will be humbling. That's that's wonderful to think. True worship is humbling to us. And of course, it will be renewing. Strengthens us. In Psalm chapter eight verse three, Psalm eight three and four says, when I consider your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars which you have ordained, what is man that you're mindful of him or the son of man that you'd even visit him?

Wow. Did anybody see a couple weeks ago that huge huge ring that ring around the moon? Anybody see that? Was that spectacular? That's the biggest one I've ever seen. And how stupid we looked at. We were standing in the back yard and we're all looking up. Look like lunatics. Until you focus on what we're looking at. It was just glorious. Here's a full moon with I don't know what you call them. We grew up calling them moon dogs. I don't know what they're really called. I need to look it up. It is brilliant, you know, and it's there and Does the grandeur of God cause you to be humbled and to be in awe and to be renewed?

Like last night driving down Chino Hills Parkway at the corner of Chino Hills Parkway and Grand, we had to pull over and stop because of the hail that was pelting us at that intersection. And immediately you thought like I did, Job talks about this. This is what Job talked about. When God instructed Job on the hail that God creates. Got a phone call today. From the 6,500 ft level up in San Bernardino Mountains, a friend of mine Jeff was calling and he said, we've got 6 and 1/2 ft of snow. We've got 300 teenagers up here that's been here since Friday.

They're stuck. Pray for us. Tremendous. Can you look at the heavens? Do we ever stop to look anymore? We need to slow down and consider the heavens, the work of his hands. Man, I tell you, some of the greatest worship ever has been when you're driving down the freeway and you see a sunset. You almost start bawling. You know what I mean? I mean, I don't want to get too weird into this stuff, but it affects your heart. And all you see you look at it you just go, God, you're good. And it's it's almost like he was I know he's not, but it's almost like he was starving for the worship.

God, you're good. And he just goes here, take it, take it, blessing, go, here, here, scoop and you're in the car and it's just like You know, it's amazing. He loves to be worshipped. And if you've entered into true spiritual worship, you love to worship. He loves the worship and you love to give the worship. It's a beautiful thing. In Psalm four verse four, the Bible says, stand before the Lord in awe and do not sin against him like quietly upon your bed in silent meditation. You just lay down there. Wow. God, you're awesome. The second consideration under this point, there will be no spiritual worship in a declining person's life or a declining church when the glory has departed.

Why? Because there'll often be this self-promoting worship that takes place. Man-centered, emotionally based. And And it will cost nothing. That is it's not sacrificial. Self-promoting worship. Listen, worship will not be a priority. It'll be something that people say, I'll just skip that part of the church service today or tonight. It's just worship. As long as I get there on time before the message begins or And a lot of people, I know this is true, a lot of people juggle. They juggle. What I mean by that is they they're trying to figure out I don't want to go in there for the worship because it's too convicting.

I don't think they're Christians by the way. This is my opinion, but I could be wrong. They don't want to worship God, but they they they feel this need to come to church. They don't want to worship God. They want to be careful that they they get into the service, but then they don't want to come at the wrong time and get stuck during the offering. So, they don't know what to do. I don't I don't I don't give God any money and I don't want to sing them a song, but I do want to do my Christian thing.

And they it's on a guilt deal. It's weird.

Guest (Male): You're listening to Real Life with Pastor Jack Hibbs. To learn more about this ministry or to catch up on some previous episodes, go to jackhibbs.com. That's jackhibbs.com. And now, let's get back to today's message. Once again, here's Pastor Jack.

Jack Hibbs: Self-centered life is a sign of the glory having departed from someone. Philippians 3:17 says, brethren, join in following my example, says Paul, and note those who so walk as you have us as a pattern. For many walk of whom I've told you often and now even tell you weeping that they are the enemies of the cross of Christ whose end is destruction, whose God is their belly, and whose glory is in their own shame, who set their mind on earthly things. Self-centered, disguised in worship. Psalm 100 verse four and five. God says, enter into his gates with thanksgiving and into his courts with praise.

Be thankful to him and bless his name for the Lord is good. His mercy is everlasting and his truth endures to all generations. Isn't that great? Enter into his courts with thanksgiving or enter into his gates with thanksgiving and into his courts with praise. Say, well, gosh Jack, if we had a court and we had gates, I would do that. Well, we have metal these metal gates. The doors swing on them. That's the gates for now. Okay? The court this is going to be the court. Wouldn't it be wild if God required this of us?

He He wouldn't do this because then that's prostitution. Did you know that? That would be prostitution. He's not into that. That would be spiritual rape if God says, worship me. No, he instructs us in the word that we might learn and come in through the gates into the court with thanksgiving and praise. And so many times we have to be careful when the glory is departing from our lives, where we're no longer standing in awe of God, we'll come walking through these doors just like Eeyore in Winnie the Pooh. Our heads hanging, our snouts just about off the ground.

They're barely. And the ushers, you know, I have I have a seat for you right here. I'll find it. All by myself. Praise the Lord. You say, man, the glory is departed. You look like Eeyore. You sound like him too. No passion. It's gone. Tragic. Isaiah 55:12 says, for you shall go out with joy and be led out with peace. The mountains and the hills shall break forth into singing before you and all the trees of the field will clap their hands. Now, listen. A person whose the glory has departed, the first thing they say about that verse is trees don't have hands.

They get all funky on you. Mountains and hills they can't rejoice. But when someone is walking with the Lord and their spirit-filled life, you know what? It just seems like everything's praising God. You can go to the beach and the waves are praising him. You can look at some little bug and he's crawling in the sand and it's man, look at this bug. It's the hand of God. Everything. I mean, those kinds of people spirit-filled like that they're crazy to be around. And it's really funny. You can't depress them. They're just like those those punching clowns, you know, that you hit that come right back up.

And look, your car just got fired. Oh, shucks. I have to get a new one I guess. Praise the Lord. Oh, look, somebody just stole your bike. Oh, that was I've had that bike since I was 5 years old, but hey, oh, praise the Lord. Man. They see God in everything to the point where they see trees clapping their hands. Of course, trees don't have hands. But they got a lot of leaves. And I think in the millennium when that Isaiah 55 is fulfilled, you're going to hear trees clap their leaves. I don't know how that's going to sound.

I think sometimes on a windy day, we get a little hint, but it's going to be awesome. Can't wait. I've never heard a mountain or hills sing, but somehow something's going to come out of those things in the millennium that's going to give God glory. And thirdly, under this point, when the glory is departed and there's no longer spiritual worship, there's what happens the most and certainly is the most embraced and that's what I called surrogate worship. And surrogate worship is replacement or substitute worship. What What do we mean by that? People fall into a church rank and file.

They sit down and a choir and I'm not against choirs, but a choir starts to sing or the band begins to play and no one says a word. They don't say anything. They don't sing anything. They They're thinking that you know what? They're singing and And so many people in this condition think that the choir is singing for their enjoyment. Isn't that hilarious? But the choir sings. I wouldn't say what I'm about to say. I heard it said from a a pastor that I was listening to in a conference. It was very convicting. I'll just say that this other guy said it cuz he did.

It was so convicting. He said, you know, you got the worship group. They're singing and you sit there and you don't enter in. And then you've got the the pastors throughout evangelizing trying to save the world, but you don't enter in. And you got the homeless and there's servants within the church and they're out meeting the needs of the homeless, but you never enter in. And he said, wouldn't it be right if heaven should come and they all go in, but you don't get to enter in? And I didn't like that when I heard that.

The church is not the pastors. The church is not the deacons. The church is not the worship group. These are servants to equip you to be fulfilled in your Christian life, to bring you into the fullness of God. Very important. We're going to end here. At this rate, um, we'll be teaching this in the millennium. Next week we'll pick it up in our third step of the of the Ten. And I have to tell you, last time together I thought we were going to get through all Ten in one night. I really did. Father, we do want to be people who are guilty in these days of worshiping.

We want to be guilty of loving you. We want to be found guilty of you being the object of our passion, of our desire. Lord, as uh the song was saying, I don't remember when, but it was quite a few years back that says something along the lines that if we were arrested for being a Christian, would there be enough evidence to convict us? Father, we pray, Lord, that as we look to this very serious and tragic chapter First Samuel four, that we would be a people who would learn to go home even tonight and put a log on the fire of our worship.

And Lord, that we might ignite more fully the flame of your word. May we be a church and a people, Lord, dedicated to your Bible that we can touch and feel and dedicated, Lord, to worship that we can simply express and we have to trust you to hear and to receive it. We ask that prayer. In Jesus' name, Lord, we pray. Amen.

David J: Pastor and Bible teacher Jack Hibbs here on Real Life Radio with his message called When the Glory Has Departed Part Two. Thanks for being with us today. You know, this message is part of Pastor Jack's series called First Samuel. It's a series highlighting the prophet Samuel who was called by God during one of Israel's darkest ages to bring the people back to the heart of true worship and we'll continue on the next edition of Real Life Radio.

Guest (Male): So, as you heard from our broadcast, Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life. And if you'd like to know what a commitment to Christ can mean in your life personally, we would love to help you out with that. Go to jackhibbs.com/knowgod. That's k n o w God. And there you'll be guided through what a commitment to Christ can mean in your life and the freedom that you'll find in knowing God. Don't miss out. That's the know God tab at jackhibbs.com.

Jack Hibbs: Hey everyone, it's almost impossible to keep up with what's going on in the world today. I think we've all come to that realization. My goodness, just the news regarding Israel and Israel's neighborhood. We're looking at what's going on in North Korea. We're seeing what's happening in China and other parts of the world. It's just overwhelming, but I want to encourage all of you. Be in the word of God now and more systematically than ever before. In fact, as we are in this season, I want to encourage you to join me actually at 5:00 a.m. Pacific time, 5:00 a.m.

Pacific time. And whatever time zone you're in, you can join me at my Facebook page live for 5 minutes as we are praying together with people all around the world and you can leave your prayer request right there. You can leave it in the comment section and people will be praying for you. So, listen, with all that's taking place in the world, you don't have to walk through this alone. There'll be others with you to pray with you and love on you, but friends more than ever, if you draw near to Jesus and practice the presence of God more and more, and it means you're going to have to turn some things off and minimize the distractions, you will see some pretty miraculous things start to happen in your life.

So, I encourage you to do that very thing. So, listen, 5:00 a.m. you can do it West Coast time, 5:00 a.m. for those of you who are in Cape Town, South Africa, it's 3:00 in the afternoon. And, uh, listen, we'd love to have you and even if you can't be with us live, you can always view it, pray with us, and leave your prayer request there at the comment section.

David J: The Lift Daily Prayer that's every day on Pastor Jack's Facebook page. That's at 5:00 a.m. Pacific time, so don't miss it. Make it a habit if you would. Come get prayed for and join Pastor Jack in the word. That's the Lift Daily Prayer every day this year on Pastor Jack's Facebook page. Be sure to join us. You'll enjoy it. This program is made possible by the generous contributions of you our listeners. Visit us at jackhibbs.com. That's jackhibbs.com. Until next time, Pastor Jack Hibbs and all of us here at Real Life Radio wish for you solid and steady growth in Christ and in his word.

We'll see you next time here on Real Life Radio.