Intoxicated With The Things Of The World
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1Co 10:21 Ye cannot drink the cup of the Lord, and the cup of devils: ye cannot be partakers of the Lord's
table, and of the table of devils.
Mt 13:22 He also that received seed among the thorns is he that heareth the word; and the care of this
world, and the deceitfulness of riches, choke the word, and he becometh unfruitful.
This is a true story - it actually happened. In a large American city, a man was walking late at night. He
wandered into a construction site and fell into a large hole and was injured. He filed a lawsuit against the
construction company. The attorney for the construction company argued that the site was well marked -
there were plenty to signs saying "keep out", and "danger - construction site".
The man argued that the signs were insufficient because he was too drunk to read them.
I wonder how many people will stand before God at the judgment and say, "But Lord, I didn't know. I didn’t
see the signs. I was busy. I was distracted."
The problem is - we are intoxicated with the things of the world. We're too busy with worldly things to pay
attention to spiritual things.
1Jo 2:15 Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of
the Father is not in him.
The fact is - we must choose. Which world are you going to join? Which world are you going to pour
yourself into?
Josh 24:15 . . . choose you this day whom ye will serve . . .
1Cor 10:21 Ye cannot drink the cup of the Lord, and the cup of devils: ye cannot be partakers of the
Lord's table, and of the table of devils.
Mt 6:24 No man can serve two masters . . . Ye cannot serve God and mammon.
Treasures & Hearts
Mt 6:21 For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.
We all have a common problem - we become attached to our possessions. It's very natural. People tend to
determine their value by how much they possess. But what is the value of a man? What makes a person of
value? Money? Possessions? Riches?
Ec 5:10 He that loveth silver shall not be satisfied with silver; nor he that loveth abundance with increase:
this is also vanity.
Vanity is emptiness. Riches and possessions are temporary. They do not satisfy. Many have labored for
worldly things only to find that once they had them they were not satisfied. We have a bad habit of realizing
these things too late.
Charles Spurgeon said, "Worldliness is a preoccupation with ease and affluence. It elevates creature
comfort to the point of idolatry; conveniences become necessities of life. Worldliness is reading magazines
about people who live hedonistic lives and spend too much money on themselves and wanting to be like
them."
Ps 62:10 . . . if riches increase, set not your heart upon them.
Note the warning to Israel:
De 6:10 And it shall be, when the LORD thy God shall have brought thee into the land which he sware
unto thy fathers, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, to give thee great and goodly cities, which thou
buildedst not,
De 6:11 And houses full of all good things, which thou filledst not, and wells digged, which thou diggedst
not, vineyards and olive trees, which thou plantedst not; when thou shalt have eaten and be full;
De 6:12 Then beware lest thou forget the LORD, which brought thee forth out of the land of Egypt, from
the house of bondage.
Israel fell because they forgot this advice and did set their hearts upon their worldly possessions. They
became intoxicated with the things of the world.
1Ti 6:17 Charge them that are rich in this world, that they be not highminded, nor trust in uncertain riches,
but in the living God, who giveth us richly all things to enjoy;
Pr 23:5 Wilt thou set thine eyes upon that which is not? for riches certainly make themselves wings; they fly
away as an eagle toward heaven.
Ps 39:6 Surely every man walketh in a vain shew: surely they are disquieted in vain: he heapeth up riches,
and knoweth not who shall gather them.
Consider the rich young ruler:
Luke 18
18. And a certain ruler asked him, saying, Good Master, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?
19 And Jesus said unto him, Why callest thou me good? none is good, save one, that is, God.
20 Thou knowest the commandments, Do not commit adultery, Do not kill, Do not steal, Do not bear false
witness, Honour thy father and thy mother.
21 And he said, All these have I kept from my youth up.
22 Now when Jesus heard these things, he said unto him, Yet lackest thou one thing: sell all that thou hast,
and distribute unto the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come, follow me.
23 And when he heard this, he was very sorrowful: for he was very rich.
Why was he sorrowful? Because possessions were important to him.
Satan always appeals to the flesh, because the flesh wants gratification now.
What do you desire? What fills your heart and mind? Is it the things of God or the things of the world?
table, and of the table of devils.
Mt 13:22 He also that received seed among the thorns is he that heareth the word; and the care of this
world, and the deceitfulness of riches, choke the word, and he becometh unfruitful.
This is a true story - it actually happened. In a large American city, a man was walking late at night. He
wandered into a construction site and fell into a large hole and was injured. He filed a lawsuit against the
construction company. The attorney for the construction company argued that the site was well marked -
there were plenty to signs saying "keep out", and "danger - construction site".
The man argued that the signs were insufficient because he was too drunk to read them.
I wonder how many people will stand before God at the judgment and say, "But Lord, I didn't know. I didn’t
see the signs. I was busy. I was distracted."
The problem is - we are intoxicated with the things of the world. We're too busy with worldly things to pay
attention to spiritual things.
1Jo 2:15 Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of
the Father is not in him.
The fact is - we must choose. Which world are you going to join? Which world are you going to pour
yourself into?
Josh 24:15 . . . choose you this day whom ye will serve . . .
1Cor 10:21 Ye cannot drink the cup of the Lord, and the cup of devils: ye cannot be partakers of the
Lord's table, and of the table of devils.
Mt 6:24 No man can serve two masters . . . Ye cannot serve God and mammon.
Treasures & Hearts
Mt 6:21 For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.
We all have a common problem - we become attached to our possessions. It's very natural. People tend to
determine their value by how much they possess. But what is the value of a man? What makes a person of
value? Money? Possessions? Riches?
Ec 5:10 He that loveth silver shall not be satisfied with silver; nor he that loveth abundance with increase:
this is also vanity.
Vanity is emptiness. Riches and possessions are temporary. They do not satisfy. Many have labored for
worldly things only to find that once they had them they were not satisfied. We have a bad habit of realizing
these things too late.
Charles Spurgeon said, "Worldliness is a preoccupation with ease and affluence. It elevates creature
comfort to the point of idolatry; conveniences become necessities of life. Worldliness is reading magazines
about people who live hedonistic lives and spend too much money on themselves and wanting to be like
them."
Ps 62:10 . . . if riches increase, set not your heart upon them.
Note the warning to Israel:
De 6:10 And it shall be, when the LORD thy God shall have brought thee into the land which he sware
unto thy fathers, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, to give thee great and goodly cities, which thou
buildedst not,
De 6:11 And houses full of all good things, which thou filledst not, and wells digged, which thou diggedst
not, vineyards and olive trees, which thou plantedst not; when thou shalt have eaten and be full;
De 6:12 Then beware lest thou forget the LORD, which brought thee forth out of the land of Egypt, from
the house of bondage.
Israel fell because they forgot this advice and did set their hearts upon their worldly possessions. They
became intoxicated with the things of the world.
1Ti 6:17 Charge them that are rich in this world, that they be not highminded, nor trust in uncertain riches,
but in the living God, who giveth us richly all things to enjoy;
Pr 23:5 Wilt thou set thine eyes upon that which is not? for riches certainly make themselves wings; they fly
away as an eagle toward heaven.
Ps 39:6 Surely every man walketh in a vain shew: surely they are disquieted in vain: he heapeth up riches,
and knoweth not who shall gather them.
Consider the rich young ruler:
Luke 18
18. And a certain ruler asked him, saying, Good Master, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?
19 And Jesus said unto him, Why callest thou me good? none is good, save one, that is, God.
20 Thou knowest the commandments, Do not commit adultery, Do not kill, Do not steal, Do not bear false
witness, Honour thy father and thy mother.
21 And he said, All these have I kept from my youth up.
22 Now when Jesus heard these things, he said unto him, Yet lackest thou one thing: sell all that thou hast,
and distribute unto the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come, follow me.
23 And when he heard this, he was very sorrowful: for he was very rich.
Why was he sorrowful? Because possessions were important to him.
Satan always appeals to the flesh, because the flesh wants gratification now.
What do you desire? What fills your heart and mind? Is it the things of God or the things of the world?