WEBVTT 00:00:06.320 --> 00:00:32.670 Frank Osa was a 34-year-old in Quebec, Canada, and he was on his way to work as a manager of a brake shop, and he pulled up to a red light, and as he was sitting at the red light, he says, he tells a story of himself that two questions popped into his mind. 00:00:33.075 --> 00:00:37.543 The first question was, why do we go to work? 00:00:38.445 --> 00:00:41.625 And the second question is, why do we have businesses? 00:00:42.195 --> 00:00:48.404 And he said, as he sat there at the red light, one word popped into his mind money. 00:00:52.035 --> 00:00:55.274 And as a 34-year-old man at the time, he said, you know what? 00:00:56.683 --> 00:01:01.154 I'm tired of going to work and I'm tired of working for someone else's business. 00:01:02.039 --> 00:01:07.168 I'm gonna figure out how to make fake money. 00:01:09.960 --> 00:01:24.405 So at a red light in Quebec, Canada, Frank Barza began the journey a becoming the greatest counterfeiter in the history of the United States. 00:01:26.865 --> 00:01:28.634 He counter... did someone say amen into that? 00:01:28.849 --> 00:01:29.139 Yeah. 00:01:36.914 --> 00:01:40.275 Ilya, you start praying for that person, whoever that was out there, please. 00:01:46.400 --> 00:01:53.655 He ended up counterfeiting 250 million US dollars, and this was in recent history. 00:01:54.044 --> 00:02:08.865 With the watermark and everything else, and he sold them at a discount to crime, indicates all around the world for the nice cool sum of $50 million. 00:02:10.664 --> 00:02:22.963 He was eventually caught and the consequences of his crime were that he had to pay a fine of $1,500. 00:02:24.028 --> 00:02:32.968 And spend six weeks in jail and he got to keep the other 50 million minus $1,500 of his money. 00:02:34.949 --> 00:02:35.938 How is that possible? 00:02:37.378 --> 00:02:52.313 It's because he was so good at counterfeiting that he had another$200 million stashed away somewhere, and the US government decided that it would be better to make a deal with him than ever risk the chance. 00:02:53.084 --> 00:02:55.843 Of this counterfeit money getting out into the world. 00:02:57.193 --> 00:03:07.873 As a result of that, Frank Bosa now refers to himself as the counterfeit God, as a counterfeit God. 00:03:08.864 --> 00:03:19.123 But I wanna take you to a land far, far away, and a long, long time ago to introduce you to the beginnings of the true counterfeit. 00:03:19.724 --> 00:03:33.614 God, not the counterfeit God of the United States or the Count greatest counterfeit of the United States, but the true counterfeit God, his name was shining one, but probably most of you know him by the Latin name. 00:03:33.614 --> 00:03:43.634 That was eventually given to him, Lucifer, and some of you simply know him as Satan or the Devil, and this being the shining one, he was a resident. 00:03:44.188 --> 00:03:47.759 Of heaven, but he wasn't just any angelic resident of heaven. 00:03:47.759 --> 00:03:51.628 He was the supreme angelic resident of heaven. 00:03:52.289 --> 00:04:01.379 The Bible tells us in Ezekiel chapter 28 that he was the anointed guardian cherub, that, that he was the signate of perfection. 00:04:01.379 --> 00:04:07.049 In other words, that word signate means that he was the example of perfection amongst all the angels. 00:04:07.618 --> 00:04:15.718 In other words, when that guy walked by, the angels looked at him, the other angels looked at him and said, man, we wanna be like the shining one. 00:04:15.718 --> 00:04:18.658 We wanna be like Lucifer. 00:04:19.454 --> 00:04:23.324 Scripture tells us that he was full of beauty and wisdom. 00:04:24.074 --> 00:04:31.214 God, his creator said, I placed you on the mountain of God and you walked in the midst of the stones of fire. 00:04:31.214 --> 00:04:36.884 In other words, he walked and he, he mingled with God with the Godhead. 00:04:38.444 --> 00:04:41.774 But Lucifer had his red light moment. 00:04:42.944 --> 00:04:45.464 He was headed to work one day as the supreme Cher. 00:04:47.939 --> 00:04:50.459 And said, what is the purpose of my work? 00:04:54.990 --> 00:05:02.759 And something inside of Lucifer made the decision at that red light moment. 00:05:04.469 --> 00:05:12.689 I don't just want to work for God, I want to be God. 00:05:15.029 --> 00:05:22.800 And so he began to establish himself as a replacement for God as a counterfeit God. 00:05:22.800 --> 00:05:24.480 Here's how the Bible describes it. 00:05:24.779 --> 00:05:33.449 In Isaiah chapter 14, speaking of the shining one of Lucifer, you said in your heart, I will ascend to heaven above the stars of God. 00:05:33.599 --> 00:05:35.040 I will set my throne on high. 00:05:35.040 --> 00:05:38.384 I'll sit on the mount of the assembly in the far reaches of the north. 00:05:39.074 --> 00:05:41.024 I will sin above the heights of the cloud. 00:05:41.204 --> 00:05:45.524 I will make myself like the most high. 00:05:45.584 --> 00:05:48.853 I will make myself God. 00:05:49.034 --> 00:05:55.363 Frank Barrow said his red light moment said, I'm gonna figure out how to make fake money. 00:05:55.634 --> 00:06:02.204 Lucifer, his red light moment said, I am going to make myself God. 00:06:02.834 --> 00:06:07.423 And the shining one became Satan, not. 00:06:08.084 --> 00:06:12.074 Frank Vero to the counterfeit God, but the true counterfeit God. 00:06:12.373 --> 00:06:34.024 And the Bible tells us in Revelation chapter 12 and verse four, that Satan was so good at counterfeiting himself at, at per placing himself as someone who should be honored and worshiped and followed, that he was so gifted in this, in his counterfeiting efforts, that a third of the angels of heaven said, yes, this is a guy we should follow and that we should worship. 00:06:36.394 --> 00:06:41.103 But Satan was not satisfied with just getting his peers to worship him. 00:06:41.673 --> 00:06:59.223 He looked all over the universe and he saw a, a planet that was created, a newly created planet that seemed to have the special favor of God upon it, with humans, with beings that were made in the image of God and the likeness and the, the character of God. 00:06:59.493 --> 00:07:03.389 And, and, and Satan said, I want them to worship me also. 00:07:05.028 --> 00:07:11.149 That new creative planet was Earth and there were just two human beings living here at the time. 00:07:11.418 --> 00:07:16.819 Adam, a man named Adam, and a woman named Eve the first created human beings. 00:07:17.118 --> 00:07:29.748 These aren't fictional characters, although I know that there are people that have tried to make the first few books of, of Genesis as just fictional stories to set up the broader conflict, but these were real people. 00:07:30.048 --> 00:07:30.949 They existed. 00:07:31.533 --> 00:07:35.103 In a setting and in a context that we cannot even fathom. 00:07:35.528 --> 00:07:40.533 We, we may try to imagine it, but, but it is beyond our comprehension. 00:07:41.043 --> 00:07:51.213 They lived in a place called Eden that was absolutely perfect and, and when I say perfect, I don't mean like, oh, this house is perfect for us. 00:07:51.213 --> 00:07:51.993 We have to buy it. 00:07:52.788 --> 00:07:57.829 And I, I don't mean like, oh, I went to Hawaii, and someone says to you, how was it? 00:07:57.829 --> 00:07:59.658 And you say, oh, it was perfect. 00:07:59.838 --> 00:08:04.428 No, this was truly perfect, a perfect place. 00:08:05.028 --> 00:08:14.118 And Adam and Eves themselves were perfect, not like Mary Poppins is practically perfect in every way. 00:08:14.718 --> 00:08:17.149 They were truly perfect, not like. 00:08:17.928 --> 00:08:19.788 What I heard at a wedding last week. 00:08:20.028 --> 00:08:28.548 I was at a wedding and, and I heard some, some bridesmaids and some groomsmen get up as they do to make the toast and, and I heard these types of statements. 00:08:28.759 --> 00:08:31.129 You are absolutely perfect for each other. 00:08:31.278 --> 00:08:34.009 You found your perfect one for each other. 00:08:34.879 --> 00:08:39.259 You know that Twitter painted moment that you got in that, in that, in that early moment. 00:08:41.059 --> 00:08:45.769 No, these people were actually perfect and they were perfectly made for each other. 00:08:45.769 --> 00:08:50.509 Probably the only couple in history ever perfectly made for each other. 00:08:52.278 --> 00:09:05.059 So many perfects that you'd think one plus one would equal two, and yet perfect plus perfect resulted in imperfect. 00:09:06.545 --> 00:09:25.835 And that is because by this point in time, we don't know how long it took, but by this point in time, Satan had perfected his craft of deceptions, his counterfeiting scheme, so much so well, that he was able to deceive these two perfect beings on earth. 00:09:28.235 --> 00:09:31.055 And the Bible says that Satan came down to earth. 00:09:31.565 --> 00:09:33.903 And he took on the form of a serpent. 00:09:34.264 --> 00:09:39.159 Now, before you roll your eyes, because this seems very fictional, he took on the form of a serpent serpent. 00:09:39.980 --> 00:09:43.250 Let's remember that we are talking about supernatural beings. 00:09:43.250 --> 00:09:56.360 We are talking about supernatural creatures and, and we can't even understand the realm and the power that they operate in, but the Apostle Paul confirms that indeed, Satan took on the form of a serpent. 00:09:56.540 --> 00:10:01.580 In two Corinthians chapter 11 and verse three, Paul wrote the serpent deceived Eve. 00:10:02.403 --> 00:10:14.105 And in that same chapter, Paul tells us in chapter 11 and verse 13 that Satan is able to disguise himself, even to disguise himself as an angel of light. 00:10:14.464 --> 00:10:22.764 He's able to take on the aspects of other beings and to be, to be, to appear as something that he is not. 00:10:23.304 --> 00:10:29.903 I hope it is not so, but I would find it highly unlikely that there is not someone in this space that is not. 00:10:30.729 --> 00:10:35.949 Had an encounter with a counterfeit demon or a counterfeit Satan. 00:10:36.609 --> 00:10:42.669 Maybe it's through someone who thinks they have seen a dead relative come and speak to them. 00:10:43.599 --> 00:10:54.429 This is one of Satan's classic counterfeiting operations to appear as someone we love to engage with us. 00:10:55.209 --> 00:10:58.329 Or maybe it's just someone that you've interacted with and you don't even realize. 00:10:59.289 --> 00:11:04.599 But they've been a counterfeit to try to lead you astray from God and his truth. 00:11:05.589 --> 00:11:06.849 He does it even to this day. 00:11:08.139 --> 00:11:10.449 But Satan appeared in the garden as a serpent. 00:11:10.449 --> 00:11:15.009 The Bible tells us that the serpent was crafty, not crafty. 00:11:15.249 --> 00:11:19.359 Like you like to do crafts, but crafty like cunning, treacherous, deceitful. 00:11:21.609 --> 00:11:24.009 And Genesis three, one tells us that this serpent. 00:11:24.609 --> 00:11:26.859 Deceived Adam and Eve. 00:11:26.859 --> 00:11:28.299 And how did he do this? 00:11:29.229 --> 00:11:33.669 He did this through a counterfeit, A counterfeit. 00:11:34.389 --> 00:11:40.269 There was a tree in the garden of Eden and that tree looked like all the other trees in the Garden of Eden. 00:11:41.469 --> 00:11:42.909 And that tree had fruit on it. 00:11:43.239 --> 00:11:46.479 And the fruit on that tree looked like all the other fruit. 00:11:46.959 --> 00:11:50.919 In the Garden of Eden, but there was something different about this tree. 00:11:50.919 --> 00:11:54.969 God had said, don't eat the fruit from that tree. 00:11:55.929 --> 00:11:58.959 But Satan came with a piece of that fruit as a serpent. 00:11:58.959 --> 00:12:15.459 He came to Eve and, and he held that, that fruit to Eve, and he offered it to her and he said, look, it's just like all the other fruit, but here's what Satan did, and this is how Satan's counterfeiting schemes work oftentimes. 00:12:16.149 --> 00:12:23.769 Satan doesn't just offer a counterfeit, but he offers a counterfeit with a bonus. 00:12:25.028 --> 00:12:26.500 Otherwise, that fruit wouldn't be tempting. 00:12:26.799 --> 00:12:28.059 I don't need to eat that piece of fruit. 00:12:28.059 --> 00:12:42.278 I can have the exact same fruit over here, but Satan says to her, no, this fruit, if you eat this fruit, it looks like all the rest, but actually it will make you wise. 00:12:42.429 --> 00:12:43.480 It'll make you. 00:12:43.974 --> 00:12:50.304 Like, God, it seemed better than the real thing. 00:12:52.434 --> 00:12:58.314 I think of Satan, Satan's counterfeits, like knockoff purses in New York City. 00:12:59.514 --> 00:13:06.264 Now, I'm not gonna ask any of you if you bought these goods and are supporters of organized crime and the trafficking of human beings. 00:13:06.264 --> 00:13:07.524 I won't get into that right now. 00:13:10.254 --> 00:13:13.224 I mean, not to make you feel guilty, just just something to think about. 00:13:16.149 --> 00:13:30.340 But I was reading an article about the billions of dollars that these counterfeit purses make because they have become so good at making them look just like the real thing, and they're on a blanket on a side street. 00:13:30.340 --> 00:13:35.980 In New York City is a Louis Vuitton purse, and I could pick it up. 00:13:36.504 --> 00:13:45.144 And I can smell it, and it smells like a real Louis Vuitton and it looks like a real Louis Vuitton and it feels like a real Louis Vuitton. 00:13:45.355 --> 00:13:48.804 And now even the name is actually spelled right, real Louis Vuitton. 00:13:52.824 --> 00:13:53.934 But it's a counterfeit. 00:13:54.384 --> 00:14:01.044 But this counterfeit has a bonus instead of being a thousand dollars. 00:14:01.854 --> 00:14:03.384 It's $50. 00:14:03.653 --> 00:14:04.374 Someone said 30. 00:14:04.374 --> 00:14:04.914 Okay, 30. 00:14:09.024 --> 00:14:10.403 Is that the same person that Amen. 00:14:10.403 --> 00:14:11.214 The counterfeit money? 00:14:11.514 --> 00:14:11.934 I don't know. 00:14:17.244 --> 00:14:18.474 And that's how Satan works. 00:14:19.014 --> 00:14:23.814 He offers you something that looks just like the real thing, but he says, oh, but there's a bonus to it. 00:14:24.714 --> 00:14:25.884 There's a bonus to it. 00:14:27.084 --> 00:14:28.403 And the Bible says that. 00:14:29.454 --> 00:14:38.244 Adam and Eve saw that the tree was good for food and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was to be desired to make one wise. 00:14:38.454 --> 00:14:44.903 And so she took of its fruit and ate of it, and she also gave some to her husband who was with her and he ate. 00:14:46.044 --> 00:14:49.494 And this was the first sin by a human on this earth. 00:14:49.494 --> 00:14:53.844 And it was all because they fell for a counterfeit lie. 00:14:54.684 --> 00:14:55.494 A counterfeit lie. 00:14:56.829 --> 00:15:01.509 And that counterfeit set up our whole world for the mess that we are in. 00:15:01.749 --> 00:15:15.249 And even though we have this story in the Bible, and then hopefully, even though, hopefully we're all grounded in the Bible, yet all of Usin continue to chase after these counterfeits of Satan. 00:15:15.759 --> 00:15:21.939 Just like Adam and Eve did, and, and someone may ask, well, well, how have I fallen for the counterfeits of Satan? 00:15:21.939 --> 00:15:26.769 'cause sometimes when we think of the counterfeits of Satan, we think about these big grand conspiracies. 00:15:27.099 --> 00:15:28.419 Here's how we fall for it. 00:15:28.509 --> 00:15:31.659 The Bible says, all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God. 00:15:31.749 --> 00:15:37.744 And folks, every sin is a counterfeit offer from Satan. 00:15:38.514 --> 00:15:40.794 About something that God has offered to you. 00:15:41.454 --> 00:16:06.774 Every sin is a result of a counterfeit that Satan has created and Satan has become so good at counterfeiting folks that he has made us into partners in his counterfeiting scheme because we call the counterfeit lies. 00:16:07.164 --> 00:16:12.264 And the evil that counterfeit is good in our lives. 00:16:13.074 --> 00:16:15.264 Lemme just give you a few examples from the Bible. 00:16:16.254 --> 00:16:21.504 If you have your Bibles, you can turn to the book of Exodus chapter 32, the book of Exodus chapter 32. 00:16:23.964 --> 00:16:34.434 This story is about the children of Israel, God's people, and this man Moses, who was the leader of God's people at the time. 00:16:35.439 --> 00:16:44.379 Was up on a mountain actually visiting with God, and he left all the people under the care of his older brother who was to be the religious leader. 00:16:44.919 --> 00:16:45.519 Aaron. 00:16:46.464 --> 00:16:53.724 And Moses was up there for a long time talking with God and spending time with God and, and getting instruction from God and the people down. 00:16:53.724 --> 00:16:55.764 Waiting in the valley below became restless. 00:16:55.944 --> 00:17:09.804 And in Exodus chapter 32 and verse one, the Bible says, when the people saw that Moses was delayed to come down from the mountain, the people gathered themselves together to Aaron and they said to him, up, make us Gods who shall go before us? 00:17:10.193 --> 00:17:16.104 As for this, Moses, the man who brought us up outta the land of Egypt, we do not know what has become of him. 00:17:16.523 --> 00:17:27.264 So Aaron said to him, take off the rings of gold that are in the ears of your wives, your sons, and your daughters, and bring them to me so that all the people took off the rings of gold that were in their ears and brought them to Aaron. 00:17:27.624 --> 00:17:36.534 And he received the gold from their hand and fashioned it with a cra, a a, a graving tool, and made a golden calf. 00:17:37.554 --> 00:17:38.724 Lemme just pause right there. 00:17:39.624 --> 00:17:42.384 This moment to me is just kind of humorous in the Bible. 00:17:42.533 --> 00:17:47.604 And the reason why it's humorous is not because I think it's great that they were creating this idol to worship. 00:17:47.874 --> 00:17:53.634 It's humorous to me because it, it is so like human nature. 00:17:55.583 --> 00:18:05.828 In just a few verses later, we're not gonna read it, but in just a few la verses later, Moses comes down the mountain and he is upset and Aaron says, Hey, hey, don't, don't be upset with me. 00:18:07.419 --> 00:18:09.098 He said, I mean, I don't know what happened. 00:18:09.098 --> 00:18:13.178 I just got all this gold suddenly and I threw it in a fire and then out popped this calf. 00:18:15.158 --> 00:18:16.598 And here the Bible is saying no, no. 00:18:16.598 --> 00:18:17.379 They, they made it. 00:18:17.379 --> 00:18:28.948 It's, it's, it's, it's, it's like us as human beings, we say, we, we say, I, I don't know how that, candy disappeared. 00:18:28.948 --> 00:18:32.129 I mean, I only took one piece and then suddenly all the rest of it was gone. 00:18:32.129 --> 00:18:32.968 Mom or dad? 00:18:32.968 --> 00:18:33.479 I don't know. 00:18:33.749 --> 00:18:35.009 I don't know how that happened. 00:18:35.819 --> 00:18:38.879 You know, they, this, this, this is that aspect. 00:18:38.879 --> 00:18:43.139 I don't know how it happened, but he says this to them, but then what happens next? 00:18:43.139 --> 00:18:43.739 Look at this. 00:18:43.919 --> 00:18:45.119 These are your gods. 00:18:45.149 --> 00:18:50.729 And the people said, this is what the people said after he had made and fashioned this idol for them. 00:18:52.048 --> 00:18:54.479 The people said, these are your gods. 00:18:54.479 --> 00:18:58.408 Oh, Israel, who brought you up out of the land of Egypt? 00:19:00.118 --> 00:19:01.348 Remember what I said? 00:19:02.398 --> 00:19:12.778 Satan creates counterfeits and he's gotten us to partner with him by looking at the situation and deciding we're gonna call. 00:19:12.778 --> 00:19:14.218 What is evil? 00:19:14.638 --> 00:19:15.148 Good. 00:19:17.489 --> 00:19:22.259 Oh, and Aaron suddenly realizes, oh man, I've made a mistake here. 00:19:22.798 --> 00:19:26.698 Because now they're, they're saying this calf is a God. 00:19:27.119 --> 00:19:38.159 And he said, so what I'm going to do is I'm gonna repurpose this counterfeit image and I'm going to say it's of God. 00:19:38.939 --> 00:19:42.778 And so Aaron says to them, Aaron says to them. 00:19:44.389 --> 00:19:54.919 After they say, these are your who, who come out of the hand of or out of Israel, who brought us out of Israel, Aaron says to them, tomorrow shall be a feast to the Lord. 00:19:55.129 --> 00:20:03.859 And they rose up early the next day and offered burnt offerings and brought peace offerings, and the people sat down to eat and drink and rose up to play. 00:20:04.278 --> 00:20:09.859 In other words, he says, you know, I know it's a counterfeit, I know it's not real, so I'm going to appropriate it to God. 00:20:09.859 --> 00:20:12.079 I'm gonna, I'm gonna make it like a God. 00:20:13.384 --> 00:20:17.463 I'm gonna make it acceptable, taking that counterfeit of God and make it acceptable. 00:20:18.693 --> 00:20:24.933 Moses came down from the mountain and verse 30, Moses speaks very clearly what has happened here. 00:20:25.323 --> 00:20:30.423 He says, you have sinned a great sin. 00:20:31.233 --> 00:20:33.243 Such stories in the Bible are many. 00:20:33.243 --> 00:20:35.764 We could go to the, to the Book of One Kings. 00:20:36.200 --> 00:20:38.149 And the story of Ome King. 00:20:38.509 --> 00:20:41.149 Ome is a man that is chosen by God. 00:20:41.359 --> 00:20:45.529 God said to Solomon, you have not followed me as your father. 00:20:45.529 --> 00:20:46.399 David followed me. 00:20:46.399 --> 00:20:51.470 Therefore, I'm going to take away part of your kingdom and I'm going to give it into another's hands. 00:20:51.740 --> 00:21:03.919 And so he takes away part of the kingdom of Israel and he gives it to Jarome, and he says, Jarome, you are now the ruler of this part of Israel, and as long as you walk in my ways, I will be with you. 00:21:03.919 --> 00:21:05.059 I've established you. 00:21:06.064 --> 00:21:09.934 And King Gerome is grateful and he says, we should worship God. 00:21:09.994 --> 00:21:11.644 We should honor God. 00:21:12.154 --> 00:21:13.355 And he says, but wait a second. 00:21:15.544 --> 00:21:25.744 If they go down to Jerusalem as God has told them to do and worship him, then they might be tempted to go back to Judah and I'll lose my power. 00:21:27.365 --> 00:21:32.194 And so he says, why don't I establish a new way to worship God? 00:21:32.314 --> 00:21:34.294 We're still worshiping God, but we can do it. 00:21:34.744 --> 00:21:38.554 In a new way so that I can keep my power. 00:21:39.124 --> 00:21:46.204 And the Bible tells us in one Kings chapter 12, that he established two places of worship, one in Bethel and one in Dan. 00:21:46.204 --> 00:21:49.564 And I've been to the, the place of worship in, in Dan. 00:21:49.954 --> 00:21:56.583 It's right up along the border of Lebanon and Israel, and that is a war and torn area Now. 00:21:56.899 --> 00:21:59.059 But, but it is a beautiful spot. 00:21:59.059 --> 00:22:09.439 You walk through this path with, with all this lush greenery, and there's this beautiful water that runs through it that goes down and feeds into the river Jordan, and eventually into the Sea of Galilee. 00:22:09.769 --> 00:22:15.198 It looks like a beautiful and a wonderful place and a serene place to worship God. 00:22:15.468 --> 00:22:20.659 And yet it wasn't the true place of worship that God designated. 00:22:21.093 --> 00:22:31.234 It was a counterfeit, but Jibal said, why don't we make this acceptable by saying that we are worshiping God here? 00:22:32.404 --> 00:22:33.484 Why would it be wrong? 00:22:33.964 --> 00:22:41.343 And one Kings chapter 12 and verse 30 says, then this thing became a sin to the people of Israel. 00:22:43.444 --> 00:22:45.814 It's a counterfeit, but it, but isn't it good God? 00:22:45.814 --> 00:22:46.744 Isn't it appropriate? 00:22:46.744 --> 00:22:46.954 God? 00:22:46.954 --> 00:22:48.125 Aren't I doing the right thing? 00:22:48.125 --> 00:22:49.774 God, I'm still worshiping you. 00:22:50.254 --> 00:22:52.323 It's not what God asked. 00:22:52.323 --> 00:22:53.614 It's a counterfeit. 00:22:54.244 --> 00:22:57.903 We can remember Gideon, you know about Gideon in the Bible. 00:22:57.964 --> 00:23:07.114 Gideon starts off a little bit weak, but then he grows stronger in his faith builds and, and he eventually defeats the enemies of God with 300, only 300 soldiers. 00:23:07.683 --> 00:23:09.153 He defeats the enemies of God. 00:23:09.153 --> 00:23:11.974 You can read about this in the Bible, in the Book of Judges chapter eight. 00:23:13.009 --> 00:23:25.343 And the people come to Gideon after all of these victories and they say to Gideon, rule over us, you, your sons, and your grandson also for you have saved us from the hand of Midian. 00:23:26.224 --> 00:23:31.534 And Gideon says to them, I will not rule over you, and my son will not rule over you. 00:23:31.774 --> 00:23:34.654 The Lord will rule over you. 00:23:34.774 --> 00:23:35.554 The Lord. 00:23:35.554 --> 00:23:37.744 And the Lord alone is ruler. 00:23:37.744 --> 00:23:39.814 And we would say, yes, Gideon, awesome. 00:23:40.024 --> 00:23:41.194 Praise God. 00:23:41.194 --> 00:23:42.095 You are right. 00:23:43.534 --> 00:23:47.794 But then Gideon said to them, but let me make this request of you. 00:23:49.414 --> 00:23:51.904 Why don't every one of you bring your earrings? 00:23:53.089 --> 00:23:56.958 From the spoil and all a sense like, no, Gideon, we see where this is going. 00:23:56.958 --> 00:23:57.769 Don't do this. 00:23:58.189 --> 00:24:21.528 You just said the Lord is one, but he's saying, but you know, it might be nice to have, even though I know that the Lord is rule over, it might be nice to have something just to help us remember that the Lord is ruler and the Bible says that they brought their earrings to him and Gideon made an EOD of it and put it in his city in Oprah, Oprah. 00:24:22.534 --> 00:24:23.224 Did I say Oprah? 00:24:23.224 --> 00:24:30.364 Sorry, Oprah was named after this, but her grandma just spelled it it wrong on the birth certificate. 00:24:30.604 --> 00:24:45.274 A little bit of inside history for you, but the next line is so sad and all Israel hoarded after it there, and it became a snare to Gideon and to his family here. 00:24:45.304 --> 00:24:50.884 Here's what I want you to understand from all these stories, good, sincere. 00:24:51.409 --> 00:25:09.169 Godly individuals, followers of God, men chosen by God, and yet they embraced aspects of the counterfeits of Satan and it became a stumbling block to them and to others. 00:25:10.759 --> 00:25:20.294 And we folk, when we choose sin in our lives, we do likewise, and each one of us. 00:25:21.379 --> 00:25:41.929 Probably in some way or another have built little counterfeits in our lives that we have appropriated as good and acceptable to God when actually they are stumbling blocks and snares and sources of harm in our lives. 00:25:42.559 --> 00:25:45.019 And we may say, well, we don't, we don't make idols for ourselves. 00:25:45.049 --> 00:25:45.710 Yes, we do. 00:25:46.460 --> 00:25:49.730 Lemme give you two examples, just from. 00:25:50.419 --> 00:26:07.399 The Christians I know and in the Christian world in which I live, the example, the first example is from our most intimate relationships and the greatest intimacy within our closest relationships, marriage and specifically the gift of sex. 00:26:07.578 --> 00:26:19.009 God gave sex as a gift to us to be experienced in the confines and the context of marriage between a man and a woman, and it's a gift. 00:26:20.718 --> 00:26:35.599 But Satan has come along and he does not deny that sex is good, but he offers a counterfeit, and with a counterfeit, he puts forth what, what would seem to be a bonus. 00:26:36.708 --> 00:26:38.599 He said, this is such a good gift. 00:26:38.929 --> 00:26:41.479 Everybody should be deserving of this gift. 00:26:42.948 --> 00:26:47.448 Sex doesn't have to be exclusive between a man and a woman in marriage. 00:26:48.364 --> 00:26:50.734 Saying comes along and says, you're right. 00:26:50.734 --> 00:26:51.814 It is good. 00:26:52.234 --> 00:26:58.714 So why don't you just enjoy it with whomever and wherever and whenever you want. 00:27:00.364 --> 00:27:02.764 This is an idol that we have built in our day. 00:27:03.125 --> 00:27:04.264 That's not my words. 00:27:04.323 --> 00:27:17.104 That's Paul's words from Colossians chapter three and verse five, where he says, sexual immorality is idolatry, and this includes premarital sex, extramarital sex. 00:27:18.333 --> 00:27:24.064 It includes, it includes sex between people of the same gender. 00:27:25.054 --> 00:27:30.753 It includes pornography, and just not to let anybody off the hook to quote Jesus. 00:27:31.114 --> 00:27:33.544 It includes the lust in our hearts. 00:27:34.983 --> 00:27:41.433 It includes the lust in our hearts, and yet our world says these counterfeits are good and needed. 00:27:42.889 --> 00:27:53.419 And that many of these sexual immoralities are actually loving gifts from God and many good people that I know and that I love. 00:27:53.479 --> 00:28:05.239 People that I see in communities of faith have said, yes, I think these are from God, and they should be open to anybody and everybody no matter what. 00:28:08.494 --> 00:28:13.114 But they're counterfeits that Satan has set up to begin to become snares in our lives. 00:28:13.323 --> 00:28:33.769 Let me, let me give a second example and this second example May, may step on a few more even toes in here, and I apologize if I get too close, but, but many of us have fallen for the counterfeit idol of work. 00:28:36.424 --> 00:28:45.214 Of work and we call busyness as work. 00:28:49.083 --> 00:28:55.894 Now, we know that Paul says that if someone's not willing to work, they should not eat. 00:28:58.234 --> 00:29:01.204 And so we say, well, Lord, we're, we're doing what you told us to do. 00:29:01.234 --> 00:29:03.208 You, you gave us the work to do and we should do a work. 00:29:07.234 --> 00:29:21.854 But we've made that an idol and can I step on even a few more toes here or maybe get close to stepping on some toes here, especially in the context of this community and this church just, I love you all and I am guilty too. 00:29:26.464 --> 00:29:30.544 Good, sincere men and women that love the Lord. 00:29:31.384 --> 00:29:43.323 Have rationalized that as workers for the church, it is okay to establish the counterfeit work of Satan as truly from God. 00:29:43.713 --> 00:29:47.764 And they are busy beyond what God calls them to do. 00:29:50.389 --> 00:29:59.044 And so they sacrifice their health and their families and they rationalize it in the name of serving the Lord. 00:30:00.093 --> 00:30:23.644 And the Lord's Church because we all have to work until our fingers are ground down to the bone and the soles of our shoes are gone until Jesus comes and they travel too much and they don't get adequate sleep and they don't have a healthy diet and they don't get enough sunlight and they don't balance work and recreation and they don't get exercise. 00:30:25.279 --> 00:30:25.909 Why? 00:30:26.569 --> 00:30:34.429 Because they've fallen for a counterfeit God that places thy identity in their work rather than in Jesus. 00:30:35.629 --> 00:30:42.169 27 in verse two, and we read it like this. 00:30:42.259 --> 00:30:47.119 It is vain that you rise up early and go late to rest. 00:30:48.619 --> 00:30:48.948 You know what? 00:30:48.948 --> 00:30:52.609 I looked up in the Hebrew and you know that word, we translate vain. 00:30:53.269 --> 00:31:01.669 You know what it says, it is an idol that you rise up early and go late to rest. 00:31:01.999 --> 00:31:07.399 Eating the bread for anxious toil for he gives his beloved sleep. 00:31:08.629 --> 00:31:11.569 It's an idol and it's a counterfeit fit. 00:31:14.448 --> 00:31:16.489 Folks, we all have these struggles. 00:31:16.489 --> 00:31:18.139 We all have these challenges. 00:31:18.979 --> 00:31:20.509 Counterfeits are everywhere. 00:31:21.198 --> 00:31:34.649 We sometimes of Adventists get way too obsessed with the counterfeit conspiracy theories that are out there not realizing that Satan is attacking each of us with these subtle counterfeits in our lives. 00:31:34.649 --> 00:31:37.109 And we have stumbled and we have chased after those. 00:31:37.559 --> 00:31:43.229 And the reason why we're doing this series is yes, we're going to talk about the four global. 00:31:43.279 --> 00:31:47.359 Counterfeits that are going to come upon this earth in the last days of earth history. 00:31:47.359 --> 00:31:50.809 And we're gonna talk about how those also personally relate to us. 00:31:50.899 --> 00:32:04.879 But I wanna remind us that, that we are facing counterfeits even now in our own personal lives, and we need to ask the Lord to, to give us strength against those, to prepare us for the greater counterfeits that are going to come. 00:32:05.359 --> 00:32:06.724 The Bible says that that. 00:32:07.364 --> 00:32:18.764 In, in Second Thessalonians that as we get closer and closer to the time of the end, that the power of the lawless one, the power of the enemy, the power of Satan is only going to increase. 00:32:18.914 --> 00:32:30.734 Ellen White says that the power of the temperature as is, is tenfold stronger in her day than it was in the days of the Apostles, and he's only getting stronger and stronger as we go along. 00:32:31.454 --> 00:32:33.374 And so we need to be aware. 00:32:33.974 --> 00:32:36.194 Of these counterfeits that are around us. 00:32:36.254 --> 00:32:56.054 But sometimes we're so busy looking out there and saying, oh, the counterfeit church and the counterfeit government and the counterfeit day of worship, that we don't realize that in our own hearts, we've made space for counterfeits that are undermining God's work in us and strengthen us even now, and we need to be mindful of that. 00:32:57.674 --> 00:33:03.314 And I tell you this, not to scare you or not to make you feel guilty. 00:33:03.929 --> 00:33:22.619 I tell you this because I'm convinced above one thing above all other things that I know to be true because I have experienced in my life Jesus is in love with each one of you, and he came to this earth to show you the true picture of God. 00:33:22.619 --> 00:33:30.989 He came to this earth and died on a cross so that you would see what love and perfect love and a perfect life would look like. 00:33:32.700 --> 00:33:39.029 So that you would know the truth, and as the Bible says, the truth will set you free. 00:33:42.269 --> 00:33:48.119 We don't look at the counterfeits to be able to say, oh, look it over there, the boogeyman, or Look it over there, the boogeyman, or look it over there. 00:33:48.119 --> 00:33:48.599 The boogeyman. 00:33:48.869 --> 00:34:00.329 We know the counterfeits and we try to discern the counterfeits to remind us to remind us that we don't want any part of that. 00:34:01.034 --> 00:34:09.345 We wanna be solely with the one who loves us enough to come to this earth and die for us. 00:34:10.575 --> 00:34:17.414 And so as we move into the next four parts of this sermon series, and we're going to the book of Revelation, please keep that in mind. 00:34:18.120 --> 00:34:30.809 As we're going to talk about some aspects of the global challenges that we'll face, please don't just become obsessed with those things and figuring out, is there a chip in my head somewhere that's been subtly planted there by 5G or something like that? 00:34:30.960 --> 00:34:32.550 Don't think about those things. 00:34:34.680 --> 00:34:46.620 Think about am I making space for Satan to create in me his image, or am I allowing the Lord to create in my heart his image? 00:34:48.840 --> 00:34:50.850 A week from tomorrow, I'm running a marathon. 00:34:51.630 --> 00:34:52.890 It'll be my 10th marathon. 00:34:52.890 --> 00:34:58.289 And for those of you who, who don't know this, and I'm gonna tell you this because sometimes people come up to me and say, how far is this marathon? 00:34:58.800 --> 00:35:02.430 All marathons are the same distance, 26.2 miles. 00:35:03.180 --> 00:35:15.059 And yes, I'm about to do my 10th of those, but when I run marathons, I try to have a, a thought in my head so that when things get tough, as I, as I'm going along the run, there will be something that I can remember. 00:35:15.150 --> 00:35:21.809 And so for each of these sermons, I'm gonna give you like, a kind of a little thought to run with into your next week as you think about the message. 00:35:21.990 --> 00:35:24.900 My last marathon, the, the thought in my head. 00:35:25.289 --> 00:35:29.369 Was this, when I came to tough spots, Christina's had three kids. 00:35:29.490 --> 00:35:31.349 That's more painful than what I'm doing. 00:35:31.500 --> 00:35:32.220 Keep going. 00:35:34.050 --> 00:35:34.949 Truth, truth. 00:35:35.519 --> 00:35:37.920 When my legs hurt, Christina's had three kids. 00:35:38.039 --> 00:35:39.630 That's more painful than what I'm doing. 00:35:39.780 --> 00:35:40.559 Keep going. 00:35:40.949 --> 00:35:45.068 I don't know what my mantra will be for next Sunday but it'll be something. 00:35:45.068 --> 00:35:46.690 But here's what I want you to think about. 00:35:46.690 --> 00:35:52.599 As you run into this next week with this sermon, I want you to have this. 00:35:54.340 --> 00:35:56.410 Thought or question that you put before God. 00:35:57.460 --> 00:36:01.269 God, what are the counterfeits in my life that I'm not seeing? 00:36:02.380 --> 00:36:06.970 Help me to see those and please take those away from my heart. 00:36:08.650 --> 00:36:09.670 That's that's your thought. 00:36:09.880 --> 00:36:12.369 Lord, what are the counterfeits in my life that I don't see? 00:36:12.700 --> 00:36:15.519 Help me to see those and take them from me. 00:36:16.300 --> 00:36:18.250 So this week you remember nothing else. 00:36:18.250 --> 00:36:19.150 Pray that prayer. 00:36:19.240 --> 00:36:22.030 Lord, what are the counterfeits in my life? 00:36:23.649 --> 00:36:27.999 That I don't see help me to see them and take them from me. 00:36:28.689 --> 00:36:32.169 Lord Jesus, I thank you so much that you are a great and a loving God. 00:36:32.169 --> 00:36:48.249 You've given us the word of God to help us to discern right from wrong, but even when we discern right from wrong, we will still struggle unless we are focused on you, Jesus. 00:36:50.349 --> 00:36:51.099 So Lord. 00:36:51.849 --> 00:37:13.298 This week as you show us the counterfeits in our lives that we're struggling with, Lord, we pray that you'll give us the strength to give those counterfeits to you, and we pray, Jesus, that we'll trust you and your power to overcome all those things in our life and in the world beyond we thank you Jesus. 00:37:13.298 --> 00:37:15.278 In your name, amen. 00:37:16.514 --> 00:37:16.804 Amen.