The Power of Lullabies
Pastor of Underground Church in Iran (Muslim Country)
“It seems to me that the church in the West is under some sort of satanic lullaby.”
New Series:
LIVING WITH PURPOSE
Next few weeks
Looking at how we Discover our purpose
Today, we will look at the Idea of Purpose from a 50,000-foot view
Title: THE LULLABY OF FALSE PURPOSE
To know your part in the plan, you need to understand the LARGER PLAN
We can’t understand our purpose outside of God’s larger purpose for all things
This is what we MUST know…
God created the world ON PURPOSE and FOR A PURPOSE
We are not an accident
On Purpose = You and this world are NO Accident
- You are not a mistake
- You have purpose because all of God’s creation has purpose
Genesis 1:27
So God created man in his own image; he created him in the image of God; he created them male and female.
For A Purpose = Why did God create the World
FOR HIS GLORY
Isaiah 43:6-7
6 Bring my sons from far away, and my daughters from the ends of the earth—
7 everyone who bears my name and is created for my glory. I have formed them; indeed, I have made them.”
That means:
The ULTIMATE PURPOSE for EVERYTHING and EVERYONE is to GLORIFY GOD
This is where the Lullabies Come in
If your ultimate purpose is to Glorify God with your life, then our enemy wants to do anything he can to distract you from that purpose
What are some of the SATANIC LULLABIES in our current culture?
Satanic Lullaby of Happiness
As long as I am doing things that make me happy and feel good, then everything will be OK, and I will have purpose.
- Sexual gratification
- Laziness
- Over-eating
- Things that make us “FEEL GOOD”
- Addictions to substances and experiences
There is nothing wrong with “BEING HAPPY” unless that takes over priority
God’s purpose for your life is not to be HAPPY but to be HOLY and display His GLORY
Seeking pleasure only leads to FLEETING HAPPINESS
Seeking Holiness leads to FULFILLMENT and JOY
Ephesians 4
17 Therefore, I say this and testify in the Lord: You should no longer walk as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their thoughts. 18 They are darkened in their understanding, excluded from the life of God, because of the ignorance that is in them and because of the hardness of their hearts. 19 They became callous and gave themselves over to promiscuity for the practice of every kind of impurity with a desire for more and more. 20 But that is not how you came to know Christ, 21 assuming you heard about him and were taught by him, as the truth is in Jesus, 22 to take off your former way of life, the old self that is corrupted by deceitful desires, 23 to be renewed in the spirit of your minds, 24 and to put on the new self, the one created according to God’s likeness in righteousness and purity of the truth.
Satanic Lullaby of Power
As long as I am in charge or people who think like me are in charge, then everything will be OK, and I will have purpose.
- Political power
- Racial/national power
The Lie in the Garden
Genesis 3
4 “No! You will certainly not die,” the serpent said to the woman. 5 “In fact, God knows that when you eat it your eyes will be opened and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.” 6 The woman saw that the tree was good for food and delightful to look at, and that it was desirable for obtaining wisdom. So she took some of its fruit and ate it…
The lullaby of power speaks to a part of us that WANTS to be in charge
- Wants to BE OUR OWN GODS
1 Peter 5
5 All of you clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, because God resists the proud but gives grace to the humble. 6 Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God, so that he may exalt you at the proper time, 7 casting all your cares on him, because he cares about you. 8 Be sober-minded, be alert. Your adversary the devil is prowling around like a roaring lion, looking for anyone he can devour. 9 Resist him, firm in the faith, knowing that the same kind of sufferings are being experienced by your fellow believers throughout the world.
Satanic Lullaby of Fame
As long as I can be popular and accepted by enough people, then everything will be OK, and I will have purpose
Most kids today want to be “YouTubers”
- Our culture highly values fame
Many may not want to be “MACRO FAMOUS”
We do like being “MICRO FAMOUS”
- Social Media
Fame is giving ownership of yourself to those who don’t know you
1 Samuel 15:24
24 Saul answered Samuel, “I have sinned. I have transgressed the Lord’s command and your words. Because I was afraid of the people, I obeyed them.
With fame, others become your master
This lullaby will tell you to…
- Do whatever
- Believe whatever
- Be Whatever
- Others think you should do/believe/be
Matthew 5:16
16 In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father in heaven.
Satanic Lullaby of Accomplishment
As long as I can work hard to have the life that I want, then I will be worthwhile, everything will be OK, and I will have purpose
The American dream
- Wealth
- Success
- Status
“I can take care of myself”
“I did it MY way”
“I didn’t need ANYONE but me”
You can strive and strive, and you will still go to the grave the same as everyone else
Luke 12
16 Then he told them a parable: “A rich man’s land was very productive. 17 He thought to himself, ‘What should I do, since I don’t have anywhere to store my crops? 18 I will do this,’ he said. ‘I’ll tear down my barns and build bigger ones and store all my grain and my goods there.
19 Then I’ll say to myself, “You have many goods stored up for many years. Take it easy; eat, drink, and enjoy yourself.”’
20 “But God said to him, ‘You fool! This very night your life is demanded of you. And the things you have prepared—whose will they be?’
21 “That’s how it is with the one who stores up treasure for himself and is not rich toward God.”
Mark 8:36
36 For what does it benefit someone to gain the whole world and yet lose his life?
Don’t pursue accomplishments for yourself but for God’s kingdom
- These accomplishments are eternal
Satanic Lullaby of Personal Goodness
As long as I do good and treat others good, that means that I am good, everything will be ok, and I will have purpose.
- Spirituality
- Religion
- Secular morality
Isaiah 64
All of us have become like something unclean, and all our righteous acts are like a polluted garment; all of us wither like a leaf, and our iniquities carry us away like the wind.
Personal goodness is a satanic lullaby
Instead, we pursue God’s righteousness by being renewed
Romans 12:2
2 Do not be conformed to this age, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may discern what is the good, pleasing, and perfect will of God.
If the Pond is poisoned, then everything downstream of the pond will be poisoned as well
- We have been drinking poisoned water as a culture
- These lullabies are the poison
So, we start with the story the Bible is telling
The ULTIMATE PURPOSE for EVERYTHING and EVERYONE is to GLORIFY GOD
- You will not find true purpose outside of this
Are you allowing satanic lullabies to distract you from your purpose?