Bobby Bosler: Welcome to the Thee Generation Podcast. I’m Bobby Bosler and I’m speaking to you today from Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin. But our guest is someone you’re familiar with, Caleb Reed.

I won’t say much more except to say, Caleb, take it away.

Jim Van Gelderen: Well, hello. This is Caleb Reed. I am recording from Green Bay, Wisconsin, home of the Cheeseheads.

I’m up here with Dr. Jim VanGeldren, he and the team. My wife and I will be with him for a few more weeks. And then we have a little baby on the way, so we’re going to have to cut off at the end of September to go back and welcome into life a new little baby boy.

So anyways, we are up here with Dr. Jim and got an opportunity to record this podcast. And I want to share some thoughts with you that the Lord has been challenging me with. It’s some passages I read from the scriptures just a few weeks ago.

And here’s the scenario. Have you ever found yourself watching the world and having thoughts like this? Boy, I wish I could wear that.

Boy, that looks like a pretty awesome movie coming out here in a month. And I wish I could go see that. Now, maybe you wouldn’t admit that out loud, but inside, you know, that’s what you thought.

Man, I wish I could go do those things. And that commercial makes that beverage look so good. Or, or man, that music video, ah, that life looks so enticing.

They look like they’re having so much more fun and more freedom than I am. Have you ever found yourself with those thoughts? I have.

There’s, there’s been times where I’ve thought that way. I was reading in Psalm 94 just a few weeks ago, maybe two weeks ago, and I came across this passage, and this is a theme that is repeated throughout Psalms. We’re going to start in Psalm 94.

The psalmist cries out and he says, How long shall the wicked triumph? How long shall they utter and speak hard things, and all the workers of iniquity boast themselves? They break in pieces thy people, O Lord, and afflict thine heritage.

They slay the widow and stranger and murder the fatherless. Yet they say, the Lord shall not hear, neither shall the God of Jacob regard it. Do you get the idea that there’s a group of ungodly men and women who seem like, at least to the psalmist’s perspective, it seems like they get away with everything.

And yet the psalmist writes, he that planted the ear, shall not he hear? He that formed the eye, shall not he see? He that chastiseth the heathen, shall not he correct?

And he that teacheth man knowledge, shall not he know? The psalmist is reminding the reader as well as himself that, boy, the God of eternity, who made the eye, who made the ear, who has all knowledge, he’s not stumped. He’s not surprised.

He knows what the ungodly man is doing. and he’s not going to get away with it. Psalm 1 is another place where we see the same theme repeated.

Of course, you know Psalm 1, blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful, but his delight is in the law of the Lord. And so we see the contrast between the righteous man and the ungodly man. At the end of Psalm 1, this is said of the ungodly, they are like the chaff, which the wind driveth away.

Therefore, the ungodly shall not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous. For the Lord knoweth the way of the righteous, but the way of the ungodly shall perish. Psalm 94, Psalm 1.

They both give a description. It seems like the ungodly has something going for them, but their end is sure. Psalm 73, I think, really gives a great perspective.

The psalmist writes out multiple verses where he describes how it seems like in a very initial temporary perspective that the unwicked and the godly seem to prosper in everything. And it seems that they thoroughly enjoy their sin without any consequence. It seems like the ungodly gets to enjoy everything the world has to offer.

And from our perspective, from our limited temporal perspective, it just seems like they get away with it. They can wear those things and it’s not a problem. They can flirt and flaunt themselves and it’s not a problem.

And for young ladies, it seems like that ladies can flaunt themselves and guys are attracted and they’ve got great relationships and it’s fun and they get to do things that all of us desire. And they go watch these movies and it seems like they have a fun time and they can drink alcohol and it looks like it’s enjoyable and they can cuss and swear and it looks like they just have a great time.

And yet at the end of Psalm 73, the psalmist writes this, For all the day long have I been plagued and chastened every morning. If I say I will speak thus, behold, I shall offend against Thee Generation of thy children. When I thought to know this, it was too painful for me.

This is what he’s saying. He says, I’m watching the wicked. And it’s like everything inside me burns with desire for what they have and also just a disgust with the fact that they’re getting away with it.

And it just does not seem right. They get away with it. They get away with it.

They get away with it. He says, when I thought on this, it was too painful for me. Verse 17, until I went into the sanctuary of God, then understood I their end.

You know, friend, it’s true. The devil is a master at manipulating and changing the truth and making what seems so good to be awful and making what is truly sinful seem to be so delightful. And yet the psalmist recognizes, when I went into the sanctuary of the Lord, then I recognized the wicked’s end.

And here’s what he’s saying. When I got a glimpse of who God is, when I spent time in the presence of the almighty, all-fulfilling, merciful, tender, wonderful Father, when I came into the presence of God, then I saw the end of the wicked. And they are as the chaff that the wind bloweth away.

He says in verse 22, he says, so foolish was I and ignorant. To think that the wicked had something to offer, so foolish was I and ignorant. I was as a beast before thee.

Nevertheless, I am continually with thee. You see, young people, every single one of us at some time or another, myself included, we’ve been enticed. We’ve been tempted to be drawn away and to believe the sneaky, deceptive lies of the devil.

And that is, boy, the world’s got something to offer. Man, look at them. Man, look at the way they dress.

Look at the way they listen to. I like that music. Man, I just, couldn’t I listen to that?

Couldn’t I dress that way? Couldn’t I go there? Couldn’t I watch that and get away with it?

Because it seems like they do. Until I went into the sanctuary, until I got a glimpse of who God was, and then I recognized their end. You see, friend, the wicked and the ungodly, they perish.

And I’m not just dealing with eternity in hell, but any characteristic, lifestyle, choice, viewing, habits that we have or are a part of, if it stems from ungodliness, the end thereof is death. And the end is miserable. The end is as gravel in our mouths.

But until we spend time in the presence of the Lord and until we spend time with the Lord, we don’t often see that end because it’s so deceptive. But here’s the key, young people. If you find yourself just, God admit, you’re being drawn to what seems like the good life.

It just seems like those people get away with it. It just seems like that might be better. Take some time to talk with the Lord.

Take some time to spend time in God’s word. Take the time to know God. and their end will be revealed.

And you will find as scripture bears out over and over and over again that the ungodly are not so. But the way of the righteous man is the way of walking with the Lord. And I want to challenge a young person as God has reminded me over and over again, their life is not at all it’s cracked up to be.

In fact, they are masking deep hurt, insecurity, fear, and frustration because the life that they are living, the ungodly life, does not yield joy, peace, forgiveness, everlasting healing, everlasting eternity. It doesn’t yield that. No, in fact, it only yields frustration, bitterness, anger, anxiety.

The way of the ungodly is not so, Oh, so foolish an eye and ignorant. But when I went into the presence of God, then I understood their end. And I remembered where true life is.

Remember Psalm 1611. In thy presence is fullness of joy. At thy right hand are pleasures forevermore.

Remember, young person, as God reminds me often, don’t get caught up. Don’t get caught up thinking that the devil and the world has something to offer. Their end is bitter as wormwood.

But the end of walking with Jesus is joy, peace, comfort, righteousness, fellowship. Walking with Jesus is so much better. Our end is eternal joy.

Amen. Thanks so much for that, Caleb. You know, young person, you will never regret living a life of total surrender to God and total dependence on his power to reach the world with the gospel of Jesus Christ.

Our end is sure as well. Thank you so much for that, Caleb, and thanks for listening.