Religion Can’t Satisfy Your Soul

“Repent therefore of this your wickedness, and pray God if perhaps the thought of your heart may be forgiven you. For I see that you are poisoned by bitterness and bound by iniquity.” ACTS 8:22-23

 

PONDER THIS

PRACTICE THIS

Do you know why so many churches have trouble? They are inhabited by bitter people who are in bondage. These people have met religion, but they’ve never met Jesus. They have never been broken at the foot of the cross. They’ve never laid their pride in the dust. They have come into a church, not for what they can give, but for what they can get. The Spirit of God is not in these people, and they are troublemakers everywhere they go because their religion has never satisfied them, and it never can. They are disillusioned, they have unfulfilled desires, they got into religion for the wrong reason, and they never find satisfaction. Everywhere they go, they’re like Simon, full of bitterness and full of bondage. As Jesus reminded, those who know Him are not characterized most by bondage but by freedom.

What are some wrong reasons people might seek God today?

How can you know you are seeking Jesus for the right reasons?

LWF Dr. Adrian Rogers 

Bible Study

Hebrews 12:15-16

[15] See to it that no one fails to obtain the grace of God; that no “root of bitterness” springs up and causes trouble, and by it many become defiled; [16] that no one is sexually immoral or unholy like Esau, who sold his birthright for a single meal.

Ephesians 4:3-6

[3] eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. [4] There is one body and one Spirit—just as you were called to the one hope that belongs to your call—[5] one Lord, one faith, one baptism, [6] one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.

Colossians 3:14-15

[14] And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony. [15] And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful.

Isaiah 58:6-8

    [6] “Is not this the fast that I choose:

        to loose the bonds of wickedness,

        to undo the straps of the yoke,

    to let the oppressed go free,

        and to break every yoke? 

    [7] Is it not to share your bread with the hungry

        and bring the homeless poor into your house;

    when you see the naked, to cover him,

        and not to hide yourself from your own flesh? 

    [8] Then shall your light break forth like the dawn,

        and your healing shall spring up speedily;

    your righteousness shall go before you;

        the glory of the LORD shall be your rear guard.

Caused to Return

Cause us to return, O Lord, that we may return! (Lamentations 5:21, my translation)

There is no hope for God’s people unless God causes them to return from their sliding and leaping into sin and unbelief.

The book of Lamentations is the bleakest book in the Bible. God himself had decimated the apple of his eye: Jerusalem.

The Lord gave full vent to his wrath; he poured out his hot anger, and he kindled a fire in Zion that consumed its foundations. (Lamentations 4:11)

He has killed all who were delightful in our eyes. (Lamentations 2:4)

The Lord has afflicted her for the multitude of her transgressions. (Lamentations 1:5)

So how does the book end?

It ends with the only hope there is:

Cause us to return, O Lord, that we may return! (Lamentations 5:21)

That is my only hope — and your only hope!

Jesus said to Peter, “Simon, Simon, behold, Satan demanded to have you, that he might sift you like wheat, but I have prayed for you that your faith may not fail. And when you have turned again, strengthen your brothers” (Luke 22:31–32).

Not if you return. But when you return. I have prayed for you! You will return. And when you do, it will be my sovereign grace that brought you back from the precipice of apostasy.

Christian, this is true for you. This is your only hope of perseverance in faith. Glory in it.

Christ Jesus is the one who . . . is at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for us. (Romans 8:34)

He will cause us to return. Therefore, “to him who is able to keep you from stumbling . . . be glory, majesty, dominion, and authority, before all time and now and forever” (Jude 1:24–25). Amen!

John Piper 

When Wonders Lead You the Wrong Way

“But there was a certain man called Simon, who previously practiced sorcery in the city and astonished the people of Samaria, claiming that he was someone great, to whom they all gave heed, from the least to the greatest, saying, ‘This man is the great power of God.’” ACTS 8:9-10

 

PONDER THIS

Don’t be deceived or dazzled by the power of false religion. It is real. Pharaoh’s magicians performed miracles when Moses performed miracles of God. As we think about counterfeit Christianity, it is important that we not be dazzled by it. If some magician, some soothsayer, some astrologer, some necromancer, or fortune-teller comes and does things that you cannot understand, don’t go trailing after him because you say, “Well, I know it’s real!” That is the point. It is real. That doesn’t mean to follow it; it means to flee from it. Just because there is a sign or a wonder, does not mean the thing is from God. We should always come back to the Scripture to see what it says about such signs and about how God reveals Himself. The things of God always point back to God.

What are some examples you know of signs or wonders that are not of God?

How can you seek to prepare yourself to know if things you see in the world are of God or not?

PRACTICE THIS

Spend time reading through Acts 8:9-25 to see the difference between the signs Simon performed and those of the apostles. Consider how this might help you discern the truth about signs you witness in the world.

LWF Dr. Adrian Rogers 

Bible Study

Hebrews 7:25

[25] Consequently, he is able to save to the uttermost those who draw near to God through him, since he always lives to make intercession for them.

Romans 8:1

[1] There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.

1 John 2:1-4

[1] My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin. But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous. [2] He is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the sins of the whole world. [3] And by this we know that we have come to know him, if we keep his commandments. [4] Whoever says “I know him” but does not keep his commandments is a liar, and the truth is not in him,

Mark 16:19

[19] So then the Lord Jesus, after he had spoken to them, was taken up into heaven and sat down at the right hand of God.

How to Repent

If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. (1 John 1:9)

A vague, bad feeling that you are a crummy person is not the same as conviction for sin. Feeling rotten is not the same as repentance.

This morning I began to pray, and felt unworthy to be talking to the Creator of the universe. It was a vague sense of unworthiness. So I told him so. Now what?

Nothing changed until I began to get specific about my sins. Crummy feelings can be useful if they lead to conviction for specific sins. But vague feelings of being a bad person are not usually very helpful.

The fog of unworthiness needs to take shape into clear dark pillars of disobedience. Then you can point to them and repent and ask for forgiveness and take aim with your gospel bazooka to blow them up.

So I began to call to mind the commands I frequently break. These are the ones that came to mind.

Love God with all your heart, soul, mind and strength. Not 95%, but 100%. (Matthew 22:37)

Love your neighbor as you love yourself. Be as eager for things to go well for him as you are for things to go well for you. (Matthew 22:39)

Do all things without grumbling. No grumbling — inside or outside. (Philippians 2:14)

Cast all your anxieties on him — so you are not being weighed down by them anymore. (1 Peter 5:7)

Only say things that give grace to others — especially those closest to you. (Ephesians 4:29)

Redeem the time. Don’t fritter away the minutes, or dawdle. (Ephesians 5:16)

So much for any pretensions to great holiness! I’m undone.

This is much worse than vague, crummy feelings. Ah, but now the enemy is visible. The sins are specific. They’ve come out of hiding. I look them in the eye. I’m not whining about feeling crummy. I’m apologizing to Christ for not doing specific things that he commanded.

I’m broken, and I’m angry at my sin. I want to kill it, not me. I’m not suicidal. I’m a sin-hater and a sin-murderer. (“Put to death what is earthly in you,” Colossians 3:5; “Put to death the deeds of the body,” Romans 8:13.) I want to live. That’s why I’m a killer — of my sin!

In this conflict, I hear the promise, “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9). Peace rises.

Now, prayer feels possible and right and powerful again.

John Piper 

When God’s Brushstrokes Don’t Make Sense

“Now about that time Herod the king stretched out his hand to harass some from the church.” ACTS 12:1

 

PONDER THIS

Have you ever watched a painter put his colors on canvas? He’s splashing the colors on that canvas, and he’s mixing this. He says, “I think a little more yellow, yeah.” And you watch, and you think, “Man, that guy’s so good; how does he do that?” But then he will reach in, and he’ll get some colors, and he’ll go, “Shoosh!” And you think, “Oh no, you ruined it!” He put some big old splashy thing on it, and you think, “Mister, you really messed up—let’s see how you’re going to get out of this.” And then, suddenly, it just comes together. It’s a masterpiece!

Sometimes we look at what God does, as He puts His colors on the canvas, and we say, “Lord, you’re really doing good.” And then suddenly God just goes, “Shoosh!” And we think, “Lord! You have messed things up.” Have you ever felt that way? That may have been how the Early Church felt when Herod began his attack. “God, how did You let this happen?” Just because things are not making sense to you, do not think that they don’t make sense. And just because you can’t see God working doesn’t mean He is not.

Do you remember a time you felt like God was not working but later recognized that He was?

How can these moments, both from our own experience and as recorded in Scripture, help us to remain faithful to God when it is hard to see how He is working?

PRACTICE THIS

Write down an area in which you are looking for God to work, but you’re not seeing it yet. Take time to pray over this, asking the Lord to give you continued faithfulness as you wait for Him.

LWF Dr. Adrian Rogers