Ex. 32:6, 1 Cor. 10:7
Exod 32:6
6 And they rose up early on the morrow, and offered burnt offerings, and brought peace offerings; and the people sat down to eat and to drink, and rose up to play. (KJV)
1 Cor 10:7
7 Neither be ye idolaters, as were some of them; as it is written, The people sat down to eat and drink, and rose up to play. (KJV)
In Moses’ day there was a lot of motion and very little reality. His generation wanted to be religious, but they didn’t want to be pure, holy, or separated. They wanted to be accepted by the God of Abraham, and at the same time, enjoy the pleasures of idolatry.
Moses found, to his dismay, that he got the people out of Egypt, but failed to get Egypt out of the people. They look to the pit which they were digged, not remembering their deliverance, but looked with longing for the world they left behind. This same attitude is the attitude Lot’s wife had when she looked back at Sodom. And the Bible tells us to “remember Lot’s wife”.
It seems to me that during all the miracles, of deliverance from Egypt, that these people could, or would, have made some kind of commitment, or consecration, or dedication to the God that delivered them. To the God that would supply their food, take care that their clothes nor their shoes would not wear out, cover them with a cloudy covering by day and a pillow of fire by night. Surely to this kind of God people could make some kind of commitment. But they, so easily, can turn their backs on the God of heaven that is interested in the lives of man on earth.
People haven’t changed any from that day to this day. It’s still easy for some people to forget the blessings of God Almighty. We are much like a pig rutting around under an acorn tree, he never once looks up to see were they are coming from, but just digs for another one. The people of our nation have all got their hands up, waiting to receive another blessing, without wanting to make a commitment to God. Mister, it’s
when you pay your tithes, that God promised to open the windows of heaven and pour you out a blessing that you’re not able to receive. It’s when people humble themselves and pray, turn from their wicked ways, that God promised to heal their land, or give revival. In fact, ALL the promises of God are conditional, or contingent. There is the “if” involved.
Pg. 2
“THE GAMES PEOPLE PLAY”
The text said, “the people eat , drink, and rose up and played. People have never stopped playing games. (attached news clipping)
And I’m afraid, “playing games” washes over into living a life pleasing to God. Some people are constantly, and continually, playing games with God.
I. ONE GAME PEOPLE PLAY WITH GOD IS CHARADES:
This is a game were you assume an identity, and ask other to “guess who”.
So we make all the right moves, like a spiritual robot, we dress the part,
oh be sure we do, we sing, and beautiful, we pray, sometimes, we give, maybe.
We make an impression, we come across with sensation, but the real me is a million miles away. I’m an actor, I’m an actress. And we do our parts well.
Jesus said in——-
Matt. 15:8-9
8 This people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth, and honoureth me with their lips; but their heart is far from me.
9 But in vain they do worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men. (KJV)
Brothers and Sisters, I believe it’s time to, put your mouth where you heart is, or, put your heart where your mouth is. Hypocrites is what Jesus call people in his day, that was being one thing, but claimed to be something else.
Matt 23:13-15
13 But woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye shut up the kingdom of heaven against men: for ye neither go in yourselves, neither suffer ye them that are entering to go in.
14 Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye devour widows’ houses, and for a pretence make long prayer: therefore ye shall receive the greater damnation.
15 Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye compass sea and land to make one proselyte, and when he is made, ye make him twofold more the child of hell than yourselves.
Pg. 3
“GAMES PEOPLE PLAY”
Matt 23:23-28
23 Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye pay tithe of mint and anise and cummin, and have omitted the weightier matters of the law, judgment, mercy, and faith: these ought ye to have done, and not to leave the other undone.
24 Ye blind guides, which strain at a gnat, and swallow a camel.
25 Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye make clean the outside of the cup and of the platter, but within they are full of extortion and excess.
26 Thou blind Pharisee, cleanse first that which is within the cup and platter, that the outside of them may be clean also.
27 Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye are like unto whited sepulchres, which indeed appear beautiful outward, but are within full of dead men’s bones, and of all uncleanness.
28 Even so ye also outwardly appear righteous unto men, but within ye are full of hypocrisy and iniquity.
(KJV)
We’re good at giving on the outside what God really wants on the inside.
II. ANOTHER GAME PEOPLE PLAY IS, “LET’S MAKE A DEAL”:
The sick, the bankrupt, the apprehended, the loser, are always ready to play this game. The marriage that’s headed to divorce, the family that’s falling apart because of adultery, the parents whose kids are rebelling, are more than ready to play this game with God.
“If God will only come to my rescue”, they bargain with God. To lots of people religion is simply bargain hunting——-getting the best deal possible.
Let me remind you folk, when God makes a deal it’s in contract form, and if you cheat, you will face the penalty. So don’t bargain with God unless you mean it.
Adam made the discovery, that when God makes a deal it’s in contract form. His deal went like this———-.
Gen 2:16-17
16 And the LORD God commanded the man, saying, Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat:
Pg. 4
“GAMES PEOPLE PLAY”
17 But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die.
(KJV)
That was the deal, man had a garden, and all God ask was for obedience and faithfulness. God didn’t ask no more than they could give.
God is prepared to listen. He listened to Jacob.—–
Gen 28:20-22
20 And Jacob vowed a vow, saying, If God will be with me, and will keep me in this way that I go, and will give me bread to eat, and raiment to put on,
21 So that I come again to my father’s house in peace; then shall the LORD be my God:
22 And this stone, which I have set for a pillar, shall be God’s house: and of all that thou shalt give me I will surely give the tenth unto thee.
(KJV)
———and God will listen to you.
God is prepared to listen, try making a deal with God, but don’t play games.
God heard Hoyt Donahoe, over forty years ago, when his wife lay dying and the baby she gave birth to, lay dying. He walked the halls in a Shreveport Hospital, and cried on his mother-in-laws shoulder, all the while making promises to God, yes making a deal with God. “God if you’ll spare my wife and little daughter, I’ll serve you.” That miracle daughter is serving God today, and has been, from a youth. But Hoyt hasn’t fulfilled his side of the bargin. Now he’s old and has allshimmers disease, sometimes he don’t even know where he is.
Mister, God will call for the terms of that deal to be met or suffer the consequences.
III. ANOTHER GAME IS, “HIDE AND SEEK”:
As long as they can hear God walking in the cool of the day, calling, “were art thou”, they feel that everything will work out favorably, or all right.
As long as they can come to church and feel that certain little tug from God they think that, it’s o k.
Pg. 5
“GAMES PEOPLE PLAY”
–So they enjoy pleasures, counting on hearing that voice.
–So they ignore prayer service and altar call, counting on hearing that voice.
–So they refuse to listen to preaching and reasoning, counting on hearing that voice.
Let me ask you sir, young person, you that are far from God, What if
he left you there? The next time you hide behind procrastination, and He seeks.
The next time you hide behind your self-righteousness, and He seeks. The next time you hide behind a hypocrite, and He seeks. What if He left you there.
Suppose He didn’t seek. BUT HE DOES.
David played this game with God, but he discovered something.
Ps 139:7-12
7 Whither shall I go from they spirit? or whither shall I flee from they presence?
8 If I ascend up into heaven, the art there: if I make my bed in hell, behold, the art there.
9 If I take the wings of the morning, and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea;
10 Even there shall they hand lead me, and they right hand shall hold me.
11 If I say, Surely the darkness shall cover me; even the night shall be light about me.
12 Yea, the darkness hideth not from the; but the night Shinto as the day: the darkness and the light are both alike to the. (KJV)
You can run, but you cannot hide.
