Is the Bible an 'Iffy' Book? — Shane Idleman

Conditional Promises and God's Sovereignty

Acts 19 verse 15 the title of the message is is the Bible an iffy book. There's going no. I can't believe that Shane. Why are you even bringing up this message. Is the Bible an iffy book well? It's not an iffy book if you think of iffy as You know questionable, and you can't really bank on it.

Then that was that is not a good title for a message obviously, but I'm talking about a different kind of iffy. I'm talking about the if that means you could it could go this way or this way. It's iffy you could it could go this way.

Or it could go this way in the Bible in that regard is actually a very iffy book in In relation to God saying if you do this I will do this if you do this I will do this if you do this this will happen, so there's a lot of conditions in the Bible now.

Here's a challenge. I believe 100 in God's sovereignty. That God is in control right not Obama not Trump. Not North Korea gonna do something not China not Russia. God is sovereign. The he governs the affair.

Yeah, you can clap for that one. That's a good one to clap for. The the Bible says that God God governs the affairs of men. He is the ultimate say he has the ultimate authority. Nothing will fall outside of his sovereignty.

You're not catching God by surprise. He's not saying oh I never thought that would happen. What am I gonna do now, but We also know that our choices have consequences. Now how that all works together.

I'll let the theologians argue that I just know that they are both true that when the Bible says if my people Our sign says it if my people will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and Turn from their wicked ways, then I will heal their land.

I will restore and I will rebuild if so in that regard it is an iffy book last week we were at acts 1915 when the evil spirit, there's an evil spirit that came inside a person and This group of people tried to cast out the evil spirit and the evil spirit actually said to them Jesus I know and Paul I know but who are you?

Then the evil spirit working through the man jumped on to this group of people. Beat them up and they left naked and wounded and that's actually what happens To us when the enemy wins when the enemy comes in and we something happens.

We leave there ashamed and wounded because of the enemy. The last week's message was don't arm the enemy. We can arm the enemy you can actually put an ak -47 in his hand. You can put an ammunition a box of ammunition in his hand.

12-gauge slug. I don't care what you call it. You can give him ammunition. You can arm the enemy or you can take away that ammunition. That was last week and I want you to go and online and listen to that if you get a chance.

The Fear of the Lord and the Magnification of Jesus

So that brings us right into verse 17. So when this whole event became known to all the Jews and the Greeks dwelling in Ephesus. The whole city of Ephesus was in an uproar because of this so fear fell on them and the name of the Lord Jesus was Magnified so the fear of the Lord fell on a group of people and the name of the Lord Jesus was magnified.

That's what we try to do at this church as well. We try to push that name. We try to magnify that name. We worship that name. We are here because of that name and it's interesting you can talk to people about God.

I do it quite often and you will not ruffle too many feathers from time to time now. If you talk with somebody who doesn't believe there's a God you will but a lot of people. With different countries, especially or different backgrounds, they'll say there's a God, you know, he's within all of us the man upstairs or the inner the inner Dwelling of God is in me and we're you know, this New Age type of talk and there's a God for this.

There's a God for that. I believe there's in a cosmic something and but when you name the name of Jesus Christ. That that's when the conversation gets a little divided. That's when it gets a little heated.

You can talk about a concept of God, but when you narrow it down to the Lord Jesus Christ. That's when even demons tremble at that name. The reason is simple. God and Philippians says that God has highly exalted him.

He has given him a name above every name. Therefore at the name of Jesus Christ every knee will bow and every tongue will confess that he is Lord. So it's not open for negotiation. That you're not gonna you're not gonna you're not gonna win this fight if you're not on that side.

So when you mention the name Jesus it brings to mind. Submission and surrender and wait a minute. I'm not the Lord of my own life. I'm not the master of my own destiny. I'm not the captain of this ship.

No, sir. You are not there will become a day when you will bow your name and every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ. You are Lord. So when you mention that. That's why they say you can't mention him in the schools.

You can't pray in Jesus's name at City Council meetings. I mean you can pray in the name of the oak tree out front and that doesn't offend anybody. But when you that's why because there is a spiritual realm and the spiritual realm is okay.

Until that name is brought up. They have to submit to that name. They are defeated because of that name so same thing happened here the name of the Lord Jesus was magnified and Many who had believed came confessing and telling their deeds.

Repentance and the Evidence of New Birth

So when a person believes really believes in Jesus Christ, I'm not talking about a concept or yeah I think he really existed, but they believe they've been born again. They've been transformed. They will confess they will repent and actually a sure sign of somebody who has truly been born again is this fruit of repentance.

Have you ever found an orange on an apple tree. Thorn bush thorns on a grape bush and the Bible talks about why because there's fruit of repentance. See a lot of people cry, but it's because they've been caught.

Not because they've truly repented because when a true a person truly sees their need for a Savior they turn to Christ Jesus. Changes them they're born again. I have to confess. I have to repent. I have to fix what I have broken and I've talked and talked to enough men and Enough women who have caused harm in their marriage, and they say they are repentant, but they're not they're too busy.

Shifting the blame and making excuses and trying to jockey for position to prove they're not wrong. So many times the tears are tears that I've got caught. Tears that my reputation is going to be tarnished tears that I'm gonna lose half my income.

See that's not repentance. Repentance is always about restoration. So if you if you believe that you've repented and you believe the gospel. Have you really is there fruit is there the fruit of repentance.

So they were. Doesn't mean you go around crying and confessing right that's all I'm saying, but you try to gosh. I've ruined a lot of lives. I've hurt people. I I want to fix that. How can I fix that how can I make that?

Renouncing Occult Practices

Better. I now have the heart of Christ pumping with inside of me, and I have to reconcile with those I've injured. I have to to fix things that I've broken. That's just a sign of repentance. Also many of those who had practiced magic brought their books together and burned them in the sight of all.

I Would just encourage you. I don't know why I didn't think of this first service, but I would encourage you to do that as well. I Would encourage you to do that as well. You might say well Shane nobody has magic books really.

Do we have things that are not of gods? They're not godly. Do we are we involved in things and I took a picture of the street on 50th Street. I posted that tarot card reading. You know and and getting our fortune told and horoscopes and opening that door for the enemy I just saw I mean it broke my heart.

I don't know what it's like a V's Craigslist or something where they're selling this big Wooden Ouija board in the comment. Oh, how cool how much is it Mike? Are you serious? But see we don't know sometimes that is playing with the wrong side of the coin.

That's the dark side. That's the element that's opening the door to satanic activity. And so I would encourage you throw out those things in your home that are not Glorifying God that are actually false gods and false systems of belief because many times we want to hang on to it.

Don't we? We want to hang on to that. I don't want to get rid of everything. Can I keep this little God and in these people like us today? We need to throw out we need to get rid of there's how many of us should go through our movie collection.

Oh. Let's bring this home a little bit CDs. Then me what we listen to. We won't we want to hold on to these things. And we shouldn't want to hold on to darkness. But there's something in us sometimes that one wants to hold on To things that are not good for us.

So they did this in the sight of all they were not embarrassed another sign of true confession. That's why we have baptisms. We're having eight baptisms after this service. So if you want to get baptized, yeah clap.

That's a good one, too. But if you want to get baptized Then let us know it's it's a step of obedience. It's not something. Oh, I'm not sure and people say I'm not ready for that yet. Well, what what does that mean?

There's not stages, you know, like really here's what they're saying I like the idea of Jesus, but I'm gonna continue to live how I want and I love my sin. And I'm not ready for baptism yet because they know that's the next step right?

That's okay. Now that means I'm serious I'm making a public profession of my faith, but throughout the Bible you'll see belief and public profession of their faith. They go they go hand in hand. It's it's you're not gonna find where they say I'm not ready for that I don't want to do that.

Now. I understand people are nervous and sometimes children, you know, they're not there's a time for they're not ready. Yes parents. I think we need to look at our kids. You know, you're not quite ready that you don't understand it yet.

It's not just jumping in a swimming pool like your friends did you have to understand baptism? And that's what I just want to throw that out there think about that I'll just wear this if you wear your clothes, I'll wear this and we'll just we'll baptize you and we don't want to wait.

Here's what most people say I've had people say I'll wait till next month and then they're not here next month in the next month and you'll wait six Months to a year and sometimes it doesn't happen. So think about that make a public profession in front of people that I want to get baptized.

I did as a kid or I did it in in Maybe a church that says you have to be baptized as an infant as a child. I've never really done it as an adult and and I didn't really know what it meant. And it really what it means it's a representation of my old life death burial and the resurrection.

It's a Christ my old life. I'm coming up into the newness. It's it's a baptism. It reflects a repentance a change of heart. It's mainly it just a sign to show people we are publicly declaring who Jesus is.

So when they threw all their magic into the fire. They counted up the value of them and it totaled 50 ,000 pieces of silver so the Word of the Lord grew mightily. Basically, they gave up millions of dollars of magic or whatever.

It was the witchcraft the sorcery they threw all that into the fire. There was full commitment and you know it right when you make that decision to follow Christ. It's Christ. It's all or nothing many times.

Full Surrender and Christian Obedience

But sometimes we don't get there. We're like I like it Shane, but I'm not quite ready and I don't want to beat you up too bad this morning. I also want to encourage you. I don't think anybody follows Christ perfectly.

I haven't found that way yet. Now if you think that is you talk to me after the service because we're gonna look at some scriptures. We struggle in this thing we call life. It's not about perfection. It's about direction the direction of our heart.

But there should be something in us that wants to give up all. And follow him and I don't mean sometimes people start thinking Oh sell my house sell everything not necessarily. I'm Get rid of that desire to hold on to everything and to give it up and let let God have everything in your life.

That's why I preach on full surrender and full repent and fully surrendering our lives. It's not about giving and selling everything. It's about him having everything. Does he have our finances? Does he have our marriage?

Does he have our? Everything have we fully surrendered, but then there's an interesting topic fear fell. Fear fell on them now. I know what you're thinking. Fear is a bad thing and we don't like fear, but it's actually a good thing.

Right you fear your kids running in the street, so you'll tell them don't go in the street. Right we fear sharks, so we don't go way out in the water. Sometimes that can be a good thing or my son I've caught him playing on that big metal box by the sidewalk.

This says 12 ,000 volts on it, and it's it's humming. You know making a noise. That's it you don't play with that bring give me back that screwdriver bring you we're not. We're not playing with that big box, or if you fear.

Your spouse may leave if you don't change your attitude. The way you live that might be a good thing right if you fear your kids are gonna grow up resenting you because you're you. Become a mean dictator you might change the way you parent.

See fear can be a wonderful motivator. God has given it to us. And it's not this fear of an abusive father right throwing down the lightning bolts. I'm gonna hit us on top the head whenever we're it's it's a it's a it's a reverence for who God is a reverence for God Who created everything.

A reverence for a God who created you and he wants a relationship with you in this? Respect and this these guardrails that he set Through the canyons of life we have a respect and a reverence for that.

But any time we overemphasize one area of biblical truth to the exclusion of other we become Unstable and we can sink. You can sink in your walk with God if you become unstable. Have you ever seen a boat with all of the load at the back end?

Thousands and thousands of pounds at the back end you probably haven't because the boat would what? Sink so they usually put the load down at the bottom and they even it out. Same thing with God's Word.

You can't just have on this this fear God side right and I'm just gonna preach. I'm gonna spit a little bit and I'm gonna be loud and I'm gonna talk about hell and fire and damnation the judgment God the Fear of God and we leave here and just beat up with the Word of God.

Now there are churches like that. It's just fear and condemnation and damnation. Hell's fire if you know how hot it is. How hot is the Sun and you know, and you're just The people. But then what's this side right the cheap grace the the loving God is just love and graceful and he is.

But if we just focus on this and that fear stuff for the that's for other people we don't like that. We just we just concentrate on God's love and grace and we continue just to sin. We don't care. We're not scared of God.

We he wants us to sin. He winks at us when we sin. He doesn't really care. It's all about the love and then you become very unstable and unbalanced and you will sink. So the balance is always in the middle with God's Word the fear of God, but the love of God the wrath of God, but the grace of God.

The holiness of God, but the mercy of God we see both clearly taught by Jesus himself. So I'm gonna talk about a few if he's a few ifs and I'm only gonna present the entree. So you go out and have the whole meal later.

Trusting God's Promises

Do you study this topping and look at the promises of God? CH Spurgeon said this in the same way the Sun never grows weary of shining. Nor a stream of flowing. It is God's nature to keep his promises.

Therefore go immediately to his throne and say do as you have promised. See as Christians as a Christian you can go to God and say Lord do as you promised. Your word says this and I'll be honest with you.

I tell you I tell him this just about every Sunday God. You've got to move in this place. You've called me you put this church together. You promise you'd see it through you promise that the gates of hell would not prevail.

I'm holding you to this because if I get up there with you without you, I'm going to be a blubbering Idiot not making any sense. God you I'm holding you to it. You did this you created this mess. Not a mess right you created this that's the flesh goes there sometimes but Lord you created this what's that?

What that what do women say now women? It's something about a mess. Hot mess. Yeah, I'm have you created this this this wonderful thing God. You've called all these people. You've done this so you are going to honor your promise and I'm not.

I'm not like, you know belittling. I'm actually just walking in that strength. There's a lot of strength in that trust me. You try coming up with something new every Sunday. This is not gonna happen. And I love people go home and that was great.

I can't wait till next week. I'm like, I have no idea what I'm talking about next week. Then next week. Oh, that was I can't wait. I'm bringing back friends next week. I'm like, oh my god friends. This is a never-ending thing, but God promised God will pull out of the wells of our hearts and begin to minister to people in a powerful way.

Seeking God With All Your Heart

So you can hold them to those promises. What promise is for me shane? That's great for you pastoring. But oh, there's there's plenty in there. If my people applies to you too if my people if you'll humble yourself and seek his face not his hand seek his face.

And pray and humble yourself and turn from that sin god says i'll hear from heaven i'll heal your marriage i'll heal your life. If you seek me with all of your heart, you will find me. So take god to the bank on those on hard days god.

Your word says right here if I seek you I will find you god. I'm gonna sit here all morning if that's what it takes. I'm gonna seek you with all of my heart but god in my fallen depravity in my human nature.

I need help. God your word says this and he will never never let you down. It might not happen overnight. It might not take five minutes. Sometimes it's travailing and persevering. And that word i've explained it before but maybe it's important again.

If you seek me it's bakash, I believe in the hebrew in the old testament. It's like finding something that has been lost. You have to find it. I lost my son at the fair many years ago. Still bad dreams or bad thoughts about the fair and this I know exactly where it's at over by the kids area by the restroom.

He's gone. And there's thousands of people right a hundred just and everything changed. I was hungry. I'm not anymore. Where's I had to find him? I had to seek him. That's the same word. Because see sometimes we forget seek guy.

I read the I read a five-minute daily devotional. I put on air one. I sought him today. That's not seeking. That's wonderful. But seeking god is a heart like a deer that pants. Has to find that brook has to find that water.

That's the seeking god. I have to find you. Yeah that that might that might that might mean Giving up a meal or two that day fasting. Seeking him. Some of you know, I told a few of you. I went on a seven-day water fast two weeks ago, and you will not die.

I found out you will not die the first two days are hell but after that God begins to you're not as hungry anymore and you begin to desire the things of god. The flesh isn't put into submission. You begin to just cry during worship and god begins to come alive the bible because it's seeking god.

God, I need to hear from you. I've got some big prayer requests out there god I need to hear from you. And god will answer those because I hold him to his word this isn't god says if you seek you might find.

If you pray and put me first, I might add these things to you seek ye first the kingdom of heaven and if you're lucky I'll add these things. It's it's you take him to the bank and that that actually is great faith.

God loves jesus loves great faith. When you say i'm trusting you and your word i'm walking in faith god loves that that honors him and his word. But if you say i'm not really sure I don't know i'm doubting I'm complaining i'm bickering.

You ever get caught in that complaining bickering mode. Don't leave me hanging up here, right? Remember the children of israel were not able to go into the promised land because of that. It's that bad.

Complaining and bickering now we all have seasons of that. I'll probably have a season this week, right? But if you take it to the cross you repent of it. So here's a few iffies before I get it too too long-winded here.

Wisdom and Guidance Through Reverence

Wisdom and guidance. Does anybody in this room need wisdom and guidance? Yes. Amen. Most of the prayer requests back there are for wisdom and guidance. Psalm 25 14. The secret of the lord is with those who fear him.

If you fear him proverbs 3 7 do do not be wise in your own eyes fear the lord and turn from evil. Wise in our own eyes. It's what we think what we want what we desire. And that can puff us up. Can it the more the more the more we get the more we learn the more prouder we become.

Peace, Prosperity, and Obedience to God's Commands

And the more we begin to to think that these are our ideas. What about peace and prosperity? Deuteronomy 5 29. Oh that they had such a heart in them that they would fear me and keep all my commandments always.

That it may be well with them and with their sons forever. Oh that they had a heart within them. Isaiah 48 18 if only if only you had paid attention to my commands. Your peace would have been like a river your well-being like the waves of the sea.

Do you lack peace this morning? Do you lack peace? Think about this. Have you committed your ways to him? If only you had paid attention to my commandments. See, here's the interesting about god's word society.

Makes it out to be an old archaic book of do's and don'ts. But what I see it as and what I've said before it's the guardrail on that hill. It's the guardrail through the canyons of life. See it doesn't prevent me from enjoying life.

It actually perfects protects me from falling. If you follow my commands. See, it's it's for our well-being. But the enemy comes in plants thoughts. It says now you're not going to have fun. And i'll talk to people all the time.

They're caught in alcohol. They're caught in drug. They're caught in a bad lifestyle. And I tell them about it goes. I don't want to do that. I can't have fun anymore. You're suicidal. You're on xanax and oxy and you're hungover.

You don't know who you slept with and you're in you're depressed and suicidal. You're gonna lose all the fun. How does that how does that play out? But see but when we're trapped in sin. When we're trapped in that lifestyle.

We always run back to the thing we think think brings the deliverance, but it doesn't. It leads us further into bondage. And then we go back to that temporary relief and go back into bondage back into that temporary relief and back into bondage.

But god's commandments see it's not. It's it's so interesting you look at the big one for young adults is is is Purity before marriage. Oh, that's so archaic. No, that's a wonderful thing because you trust your spouse.

I go you ran around on everybody else and me you're going to be running around too. You can't sleep at night. You don't wonder if they're coming home. You don't you live and I know people they live in constant fear of the spouse cheating or leaving on them because they weren't Honoring god's word initially.

So now they've got a life messed up because they didn't honor god in that area or giving. Giving the area of tithing money your church doesn't want to talk about that, right? But it's a wonderful way for god to begin to bless and prosper us as we give back to god.

But we don't pressure people in these areas. Careful peace and prosperity. Peace is found in safety comfort and assurance, right? Safety comfort and assurance there's peace. It's not peace looking at the news thing.

North korea can reach us. That's not peace, right? Look what's going on civil unrest. There's no peace in the things of this world. The bible says I will keep him in perfect peace whose heart whose mind is steadfast on me.

God says if you keep your mind steadfast on me, I will keep you in perfect. Peace. Now we make a mistake with that word. Perfect. We think we should never ever ever ever suffer with from depression anxiety or fear.

That's not what it says. Perfect peace is complete peace peace that comes back around peace that you will fight the flesh and you will win. When I get fearful sometimes. Right, you can bring your mind back to peace.

Keeping your mind. I mean, I don't even want to get off on this, but that's one thing. I just hate about the media right now. And facebook and the news. And the reason I keep preaching is because nobody's doing it.

On facebook everybody's preaching all the horror all the this all the this all this and and we're inundated. We're inundated. And we love it the the raw the news. That makes us fearful like a horror movie and we wonder why we're struggling spiritually because our mind is not kept steadfast on him.

That's what it says here if you keep your mind on me and what I just said earlier jeremiah 29 13 If you seek me, you will find me. If you seek me, you will find me. This is a promise. I don't see. I don't know where anybody most of you I know but a lot of you I don't know.

And I don't know where especially the balcony. I can't really see you up there. But if you seek god, you will find him. It applies to all areas if you're a believer. If you're a believer and you're struggling or you just need some you know, god, I need to know.

If you're there i've got some questions if you seek him. You will find him or if you've drifted from him say you're the prodigal son. You've drifted from god if you seek him you will find him in a new way.

He'll bring you back home. He'll bring you back to a loving relationship with him. If you don't know him if you don't know if you've never not known god before he says if you seek me. You will find me.

Either way you're covered. It's see the problem is never on god's side. The problem is never on god's side. Yeah, let's clap for that one, too. That's that's three. But people get mad they're mad at god they're blaming god how could god and they stay.

In this they stay in the state of not seeking him. The problem is never on god's side. When it comes to worshiping and worship he desires a relationship. And even the person who's drifted from god or you don't know who god is you've never repented and believed in christ.

You've heard of him. You know who he is. But god just says if you do this if you do this. And here's the thing we can't understand. I've gotten debates before on this topic if god is so good, right? How could he allow if god is this why doesn't he just do this if god?

Why does I have to why do I have to repent. Why why doesn't god here's why? God and my son asked me a question at dinner. I was like, oh, hmm. Is there something god can't do? Well, what do you mean by can't.

No, he can't. Well, he can't lie. Well, that means god can't do something. Well, no, he can't lie because it goes against his nature. It goes against his character. So god technically couldn't lie because it would go against who he is now technically could he.

I don't know. We'll talk about this another time. But my point is when he set truth into motion. When he set here's here's if all these ifs right when that became truth. The words he spoke and the word became truth and dwelt among us in christ.

You he can't undo that. So when he says man must call on me and must repent and believe. Well, that's not true. Let me make you repent and believe let me do he truth has already been set in motion. So we are product of actually our own environment with the adamic nature when adam fell and it caused the world to go in chaos.

God's truth has been set in motion. So we must repent and believe if you do this if you do this so god can't supersede. The will that he already put in motion. So how can a loving god allow this. He can allow this because he gave man free choice.

The big one 9 11 when that happened people how could god do this? How could god cause this? And many of these things we don't understand but we know that evil man given full reign. He's he can make choices that will affect others.

That's what free will is. If not, we're all puppets and that's not a loving relationship. If you put a gun to your spouse's head and you say you love me. Okay. Okay. Okay. Does that love? Or for puppets.

You know you design your your your kid has a little barbie say, okay, this barbie's gonna love me all the days of this barbie's life. And you put it, you know in this barbie that that's what that's what people want.

Knowing and Testing God's Will

They want the puppet. They really don't want it. But that's what they're they're mad at god about because how can a loving god do this? What about knowing god's will. Does anybody want to know god's will.

Paul said in romans 12. I beseech you. Oh clapping. This is a this is a clapping congregation this morning. I'll tell you what. If anybody do you want to know god's will paul said I beseech you. He basically said paul said I beg you so be like me doing this guys.

I beg you I beg you present your bodies. I kind of do this already. I think huh? I beg you present your bodies as living sacrifices. Holy to god be not conformed to this world. But be transformed by the renewing of your mind that you may prove.

What is that good and acceptable will of god? If you do not conform yourself to the world, but conform yourself transform your mind to god's thoughts. You'll know his will so if. See what what's god's will if you do this?

What's god's will if you do this? We don't want to do the ifs. We just want to know the will. Now I bring this example up up a lot. But I think it's it's perfect because it fits a lot of times people are who are getting married want to know.

Is this god's will? Right. Is this god's will? I usually say well first. First. Don't keep sleeping together. Well that Shane that doesn't matter. We want to know his will. Well, here's we know this will right here.

We move out get get back on track. Well, this is god. Why we don't that's not we just want to know. But are we supposed to be married? We'll start with what you do know. See how we see how we get it mixed up.

We want god to show us his will. He says start back you go back to where I told you we said no, I don't want to go back here. I want to know your will in this area go back. Go back be not conformed to this world.

But be transformed by the renewing of your mind and you may prove that word prove means to test. To examine to scrutinize to see whether a thing is genuine or not. Is it just me? Or their thoughts planted and you're like, I don't know.

Is that god or is that just me? That's why I often say a good thing isn't always a god thing. You don't know. Is it god? Is that really you? And that's the best way if you get your mind back on him if you focus on him again, he will begin to Show you what his will is and many times his will doesn't come right away, right?

We want to know today lord what your will and and sometimes it's it's waiting and and uh, There's a couple things i've been praying about that that I don't even know if it's god's will. And even good things one was a radio station.

We were on locally 91 .9 like rich crest and victorville and this whole valley sent me an email and they said oh. We're we're selling our station to a hispanic station. I'm like, oh, okay. How much does it cost to buy a radio station?