Join host Rick Hughes on The Flatline as we delve into the realities of faith, religion, and self-deception. Discover the concept of the Forward Line of Troops and uncover the ten problem-solving devices derived from the Word of God. This episode challenges listeners to reflect on their beliefs and motivations, pushing for a transition from a mere appearance of faith to a genuine spiritual experience free of manipulation and deceit.
Welcome to the Flatline with your host, Rick Hughes. For the next 30 minutes, you’ll be inspired, motivated, educated, but never manipulated. Now, your host, Rick Hughes.
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Good morning and welcome to the Flatline. I’m your host, Rick Hughes, and for the next few minutes, stick around. 30 minutes of motivation, some inspiration, some education, and obviously no manipulation. We don’t try to con you. We’re not hustling money. We’re not asking you for anything. We simply want to give you some information that would help you verify as well as identify the plan of God for your life. And if I can do that and you want to orient and adjust to the plan, well, that’s up to you. Our show is called The Flot Line, F-L-O-T. It stands for the Forward Line of Troops, F-L-O-T. What we’re doing is showing a military analogy. A forward line of troops is like a military main line of resistance. And the forward line of troops includes 10 unique problem-solving devices found in the Word of God. Nothing unusual, nothing different. That’s never been discovered before. They’ve always been there. But when you learn these 10 problem-solving devices, they operate as a main line of resistance. And that means that they’ll stop the outside sources of adversity from ever becoming the inside source of stress. That’s why we say adversity is inevitable, but stress is optional. We have a lot of material available for you. We have all our books that we published. All that’s available on the website. That’s rickhughesministries.org. rickhughesministries.org. Now, don’t type in Richard Hughes. You’ll get a different person, rickhughesministries.org. You can go there, and you can order our books, our transcripts, the different things that we offer, bookmarks, or you can give us a call at 800-831-0718, 800-831-0718. I’m not a counselor. I am a Bible teacher. I’m an evangelist, so don’t call me for counseling. That’s not what I do. But if you want to order something, you can give us a shout, and we’ll try to get it right on out to you as quickly as possible. All the transcripts are available from years past, 2019, 2020, 2021, and working on 2022. We have a new promise book we’ve just put together with God’s promises, a much smaller version than we had in the past. People are loving these books, and so they’re available. And give us a call. Give us a shout if you need it. The Word of God says in Proverbs 3, 13 through 15, how blessed is the man that finds wisdom and the man who gains understanding. For her profit, that’s wisdom, is better than the profit of silver or and her gain, that’s wisdom, better than fine gold. She, that’s wisdom, is more precious than jewels, and nothing you desire compares with her. I love to teach you the wisdom of the Word of God. That’s called divine viewpoint. The opposite of divine viewpoint is simply human viewpoint. human viewpoint is what does the world say about it? Or what does some fabricated writer say about you should do about a situation? I can only tell you what the Bible says you should do about a situation. And the situation I want to talk about today is an unusual phenomenon. Some of you might not have heard of it. If you’re up in the fifties or sixties, you might not know what I’m talking about, but most young people know this term right off the bat. I want to talk to you about how you catfish God sometimes. What does that mean, catfishing God? What does that mean? Well, the term catfishing refers to when a person takes information or images typically from other people and uses them to create a new identity for themselves. A synonym would be deceiving or misleading. A catfishing is misleading a person. deceiving a person. And when I refer to someone catfishing God, I’m referring to an individual who claims to be something that he or she is not actually, that’s not that person. I am referring to a person who claims to be something that he or she is not. And that person is obviously trying to deceive God. However, unfortunately, that doesn’t work. For example, Matthew 7, 21 says, Not everyone who says to me, Lord, Lord, shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of my Father in heaven. So the only way to get into heaven is to do the will of the Father. And what is the will of the Father? In John 6, 40, Jesus said, this is the will of the one who sent me, that you believe in me whom he has sent. It is possible that there are preachers that won’t be in heaven. It is possible there are church members that won’t be in heaven. It is possible they prayed and they’ve given money and they’ve said, Lord, Lord, this and Lord, Lord, that. But they’ve never gone through faith alone in Christ alone. It’s not faith plus your baptism. It’s not faith plus your good works. It’s not faith plus turning over a new leaf. It’s faith alone. That’s why the Bible says, for by grace are you saved through faith. And it’s a gift of God, not of works, unless anyone should brag about it. It’s so hard to understand that. Because we want to help God. Like if you’re flying in an airplane, one of my daughters just flew in to visit this weekend from California with our grandson. And how ridiculous would it have been for her to get out and try to push the plane across the country? You just sit in the plane and enjoy the ride. And that’s the way faith is. You can’t help God. He doesn’t need your help. The Lord Jesus Christ has already handled it all. So all we have to do is, by faith, Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ. You say, that sounds too simple. John 3.16 says, for God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son so that whoever would believe in him should not perish but have everlasting life. It couldn’t be any more simpler than that. He that believes in him shall not perish but have everlasting life. But it is possible that some people say, I believe in Jesus Christ. I call him Lord, but I’m not going to heaven. What’s that about? It’s because they don’t work it on faith alone and Christ alone. It’s not believe plus something. It’s believe, believe, and that’s all. So if you try to take works like church membership plus belief, they cancel out each other. Faith and works cancel out each other. And what this verse is saying is only the one that does the will of the Father, which is in heaven, will get into heaven. And that’s to believe in the Lord Jesus Christ. You can do that right now. You can simply pray and say, Father, I’m believing that Jesus Christ is your anointed son. I want to accept him as my savior. That’s it. That’s all you have to do. Sounds too simple, doesn’t it? You know why? Because he paid the price already. Those people who try to catfish God are religious types. And unfortunately, they think God will be impressed with their legalistic lifestyle. You know, God, I don’t drink. And God, I don’t smoke. And God, I don’t chew. And God, I don’t run around with those that do. So God, I’m really a good person. I don’t do this and do that. And unfortunately, you look at yourself in the mirror and you think you’re something you’re not. That’s what arrogance does. The arrogant person has an unrealistic self-image because he thinks he’s something that he’s not. And if he has an unrealistic self-image, He has unrealistic expectations. And up there in that verse I just gave you, Matthew 7, 21, there are unrealistic expectations. Many who say to me, Lord, Lord, will not enter the kingdom of heaven. That’s an unrealistic expectation. Just because you say, Lord, Lord, doesn’t mean you’re going to heaven. Only those that do the will of the Father believe in the Lord Jesus Christ. So religious self-righteous legalism will not get you to heaven. Giving up bubble gum won’t get you to heaven. The only way that you will ever get to heaven is through Jesus Christ, God’s Son. That’s why he said, I am the way, I am the truth, and I am the life, and no man comes to the Father but by me. But unfortunately, the Bible declares every good deed you do, every good deed we manufacture is nothing but a filthy rag in God’s eyes. I would embarrass you if I gave you the literal Hebrew translation of filthy rag. Some of you listening actually know what that means. But it’s something that’s not very nice, so we just say a filthy rag and leave it at that. Listen to the verse. Isaiah 64, six. We are all like unclean things, and all our righteousnesses are like filthy rags. We all fade as a leaf, and our iniquities like the wind have taken us away. So every good deed you do to try to impress God, every good deed you do to try to impress God doesn’t work. It’s a filthy rag in God’s eyes. God, why? Why? What’s the deal about that? Why has God so hard to please? Well, because he’s perfectly righteous. excuse me. He’s so perfect and so holy that the Bible actually declares you cannot see God and live. Did you know that? And some of you say, I sure would like to say God better not Exodus 33, 20, but he said, you cannot see my face for no man shall see me and live. This was a statement made by God to Moses and Moses had requested to see God in all of his glory. And in Exodus 33, 20 through 23, this is what God said. You cannot see my face for no man shall see me and live. So the Lord said, here’s a place by me and you can stand on this rock and it shall be while my glory passes by that I will put you in the cleft of the rock and I will cover you with my hand while I pass by. And then I will take away my hand. You shall see my back, but not my face. So any individual who is naive enough to arrogant enough to think they can catfish God, deceive God, and convince God they are righteous is kidding themselves because God can spot a phony pony immediately. 2 Chronicles 16.9 says, The eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth to show himself strong on behalf of those whose heart is loyal to him. So God can see what you’re thinking. That’s his omniscience. The religious crowd, unfortunately, often demonstrate this self-righteousness and this self-deception. Jesus warned in Matthew 7, 15, beware of false prophets. These are the religious people. They come to you in sheep’s clothing. Oh, brother, oh, brother, we love the Lord, brother. But inwardly, the Bible says they are ravening wolves. That’s the canine clergy. The religious self-righteous person is convinced that that he’s impressing God by means of his lifestyle. I pray that’s not you. I pray you’re not trying to do that. The only way to enter the family is by means of faith in the person of Christ, not your membership, not your baptism, not your extreme morality. Listen carefully. Listen. Second Corinthians 521, for he, that’s God, made him, that’s Christ, who knew no sin and to be sin for us so that we might become the righteousness of God by means of him. That’s how you equal God’s righteousness through Christ. Romans 5, 8, for God demonstrated his love towards us and that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Much more than having now been justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him. It’s only through Christ, no other way. A deceiver only deceives himself. The catfishing person who’s trying to deceive God will only deceive himself. Again, Matthew 7, 22 through 23. Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in your name? In your name, have we not cast out demons? In your name, have we not done many wonderful works in your name? And then I will say to them, I never knew you. Depart from me, you who practice lawlessness. Here is an extreme example of the self-righteous catfisher who says he’s going to trick God and deceive God into letting him into heaven because they cast out demons in his name. They did works in his name. And he said, I never knew you. I never knew you. What does that mean? They were never in the royal family of God. Well, how do you get into the royal family of God? You must be born again, Jesus said. He said, it’s born again, John 3. Nicodemus didn’t understand that. He was in the physical family of God. He was a Jew. He was a Pharisee. But he wasn’t in the royal family of God. He wasn’t born again. And Jesus told him he had to be born again. Are you in the royal family of God? Have you been born again? Have you put your faith alone in Christ alone? Not faith plus church membership. Not faith plus good works. Not faith plus anything. Faith plus what Christ did and only what Christ did. There will be a big reveal. This will all be brought out. Revelation 20, 11 through 15. Then I saw a great white throne. and him who sat on it from whose face the earth and the heavens fled away, and there was found no place for them. And I saw the dead, small and great, standing before God, and the books were opened. And another book was opened, which is the book of life. And the dead were judged according to their works, there you go, by the thing which were written in the books. Now notice the difference between book and books. The sea gave up the dead who were in it, Death and Hades delivered up the dead who were in them, and they were all judged, everyone according to his works. Then death and Hades were cast into the lake of fire, and this is the second death. Anyone not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire. What is the book of life? Your name is written in the book of life when you’re born. If you die without having believed in the Lord Jesus Christ, you died the first death. You’re either going to die twice or be born twice. It’s up to you. The first death is physical. The second death is cast into the lake of fire. The first birth is your physical birth. The second birth is your spiritual birth. And when the Bible says written in the books, these are all the good deeds, this is where you have a chance to vindicate yourself. This is where you have to say, but wait a minute, I was a member of this church and I did this for the church and I gave this money and look what all I did. He’s going to tell you, I never knew you. I never knew you. Does he know you today? Have you put your faith alone in Christ alone? The book of life is, if you die having believed in Christ, your name is not blotted out of the book of life. But if you die without believing in Christ, your name is blotted out of the book of life and you have died the first death. And the second death is being cast into the lake of fire. Where do I get that? Death and Hades were cast into the lake of fire, verse 14, Revelation 20. This is the second death. So either you’re going to be born twice or you’re going to die twice. The books of works and the book of life. Books of works and the book of life. So in the end, the liar is exposed and God will be vindicated. But it did not have to be that way. In 2 Peter 3, 8 through 10, Peter wrote these words, but beloved, do not forget this one thing. that with the Lord one day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years is what? Like one day. And the Lord is not slack concerning his promises, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering towards us, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance. Not willing that any should perish. It’s not God’s will for you to go to the lake of fire. That’s why it says God so loved the world. He doesn’t want anybody to perish. He made a tremendous sacrifice. He who knew no sin being Christ was made sin for us. He didn’t do it. He wasn’t the one that needed to be on the cross. It’s you and I, it was our sin that put him there. And it is God’s will that you come to believe that when it says come to repentance, it means to change your mind. You’ve been an unbeliever. You become a believer. Listen, God is long suffering. He’s given you every opportunity. The fact that you’re listening to me speak this morning may be an indication you needed to hear this. What have you been putting your faith in? Have you been saying, well, I hope I’m going to heaven. I’m sure trying to go to heaven. Well, you’re in trouble right there. You can’t try to go to heaven. That doesn’t work. You’re either going to go to heaven or you’re not going to go to heaven. You’re either believed in Christ or you didn’t believe in Christ. Trying to go to heaven is you trying to impress God with your works. That’s you catfishing God. That’s you deceiving God. Not going to happen. But what about the Christian deceiver? Is there such thing as a Christian deceiver? A person who has believed in Christ, a person who is born again, a person who is indeed saved, but that person tries to catfish God? Acts 5, 1 through 11. Listen carefully. A certain man named Ananias and his wife Sapphira sold a possession, and they kept back part of the proceeds, and his wife was aware of it. And they brought a certain part of that and laid it at the feet of the apostle. And Peter, being alerted to this by the Holy Spirit, said, Why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit and to keep back part of the price of the land for yourself? While it remained, was it not your own? And after it was sold, was it not under your own control? Why have you conceived this thing in your heart? You have not lied to men, you lied to God. He tried to catfish God right there. So Ananias, hearing these words, fell down and breathed his last breath and died right there on the spot. So great fear came upon all those who heard these things. And the young man rose up, wrapped him up and carried him out and buried him. About three hours later, verse seven, acts five, his wife came in not knowing what had happened. And Peter said, tell me whether or not you sold the land for so much. And she said, Oh yeah, yeah. For that much. Yes. And Peter said to her, well, how is it that you’ve agreed together to test the spirit of the Lord? In other words, you and your husband went in this thing together. Look, the feet of those who buried your husband are at the door and they will carry you out also. And immediately she fell down at his feet and died. The young man came in and found her dead, carried her out and buried her by her husband. And so a great fear came upon the church and upon all those that heard those things. What are those principles that we’re to learn from something like this? What does all that mean? Here’s what it means. Don’t lie to God, point one. If you’re a Christian, don’t lie to God. Ananias and his wife pretended to be big-time givers, over-the-top givers. Oh, they wanted the attention of the church, when in reality they sought to deceive the church and deceive the apostles. But God, the Holy Spirit called their hand. So number one point, don’t lie to God. Don’t act like you’re something you’re not. And then number two, the sin of the death is a real discipline for the Christian who’s a liar and a deceiver. Hebrews 12, six through nine tells us about this. Excuse me. If you endure chastening, God deals with you as with sons. For what son is there whom a father does not chasten? But if you are without chastening, all of which all have become partakers, then you are illegitimate and not a son. Furthermore, we’ve had human fathers who corrected us and we paid them respect. Shall we not much more readily be in subjection to the father of spirits? and live and live and live. Did you hear that? And live Proverbs 15, 10, harsh discipline is for him who forsakes the way and he who hates correction will die. If you’re a child of God, you can expect discipline when you sin warning, discipline, intense discipline, maybe even dying discipline like Ananias and Sapphire experienced. the sin unto death. But warning discipline is much easier when God warns you, maybe through a message the preacher brings, maybe through something you read in the Bible, maybe through something you saw on a billboard, maybe through something you saw on television, but God warns you, stop doing that. Stop, quit it, stop. And you didn’t listen. You went ahead and did it anyhow. You tried to deceive people. You tried to deceive God. Didn’t work. And intense discipline, it gets tougher. Warning discipline doesn’t hurt you, but intense discipline is when God gives you the attitude adjustment. He takes you out behind the woodshed. This is where there’s no pain, no gain. This is where God brings the hammer down. Why? To break you down and get your attention. to bring you to the point of rebounding and confessing your sin to him, 1 John 1, 9. But if that doesn’t work, if you react instead of responding, and that’s what a lot of people do when they get under discipline, they react and they get mad and they get angry and they don’t respond by confessing their sin, turning away from it. If that doesn’t work, then there’s the sin unto death. And that’s not a very nice thing to see. If you’re currently catfishing God, deceiving God, trying to trick God, I recommend you rebound now while you’re still alive. Unfortunately, the deceiver is a double-minded person. James 1.8 says a double-minded person is unstable in all of his ways. That’s like you can’t get a thought together. You always want to do one thing, you do the other thing. You can’t have a double soul, two souls. You can’t think divine viewpoint and human viewpoint at the same time. And I’ve seen people try to do it. Numbers 32, 23, in regards to this confessing your sin. If you do not do so, then take note. You have sinned against the Lord and be sure your sin will find you out. Be sure your sin will find you out. The sin of the death is not a nice way to die. It’s extreme suffering, regret, anger, hopelessness. Maybe you’re already in that destructive cycle. I don’t know. The Bible says in Romans 8, 13, if you live according to the flesh, you will die. But if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live. Rebound, problem-solving device number one, can cleanse you from your hidden sin. I mean, you may look holy at church, may look like you got on your Easter Sunday best clothes. You may look holy and self-righteous. You might appear faithful to your pastor, faithful to your spouse, but you are not fooling God. Remember that. You are not fooling God. You cannot catfish God. Isn’t it time you got off this kick your own and admitted your sin? I knew a man, a good friend, and he got involved in a Ponzi scheme. He was double-minded. He shouldn’t have done it, but he did. And when he got caught, a person that you would never, ever in a million years think would have done that was convicted of a crime of embezzling close to $100 million. Now, what that did is that, of course, brought him terrible discipline because he didn’t rebound and get out of it. But it also gave Satan an opportunity to impugn the name of God. This is what I want you to listen to. Do not give Satan an opportunity to impugn God’s name by being a deceiver. Don’t do that. Because if you fail… and you’re a Christian and you deceive and you get caught and then Satan says, uh-huh, uh-huh, there’s one of those great Christians over there. See what kind of great Christian that is? Is that you? If you’re in a hidden sin, if you’re deceiving your church, if you’re deceiving your wife, if you’re deceiving your spouse, your children, admit it to God first and turn away from it as quickly as you can. Don’t mess around. Your life depends on it. I hope you’re paying attention, and I hope you’ll come back next week, same time. Until then, this is your host, Rick Hughes, saying thank you for listening to The Flatline.
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Thank you for listening to The Floodline with your host, Rick Hughes. If you’d like to contact Rick, please write to him at P.O. Box 100, Cropwell, Alabama, 35054, or online at www.rickhughesministries.org.
