Rom 1:21 (NIV) For although they knew God, they neither glorified Him as God nor gave thanks to Him, but their thinking became futile and their foolish hearts were darkened. In order to keep from admiring people who have money, possessions, positions, popularity, prestige, pleasure, and accomplishments by using people to get them, you will need to learn how to resist their “appearance” of success. If you believe these people have something to teach you, then you will open the door rather than close it. This verse is giving you your reason to reject their appearance of success.

Although they knew God: They may have so hardened their conscience that they can no longer hear God; but, they knew God. Don’t let all their bold talk, hard selling, and condescending tones cause you to forget that what may be known about God is plain to them, because God has made it plain to them.

You need money in order to buy the things you NEED. But, your relationship with God is very dependent on how you go about getting it. Mat 6:24 (NIV) No one can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot SERVE both God and Money. You need to keep your focus on what is important; pray that God will help you want to serve Him and not the wealth and success of this world.

Rom 1:20 (NIV) For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities--His eternal power and divine nature--have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse. Creation is available for everyone to observe and allow it to provide them proof of God’s existence. But, the more you spend your time listening to these people’s arguments, sales presentations, reasoning, and “proofs,” you will have your vision narrowed and you will forget what you saw. These people started out where you are; they knew! But, as they stopped allowing God’s creation to show them His wonderful works, they turned inward.

For although they knew God, they neither glorified Him as God nor gave thanks to Him: God’s creation isn’t just beautiful, it is very functional. All the foods, light, air, warmth, supplies, and resources came from God. God invented water, air, animals, trees, vegetables, birds, electricity, metals, soil, fish, physics, and humans. None of these things existed until God thought them up, designed them, and created them. These wicked people can take advantage of them, take them for granted, and attribute them to random circumstances. But, they should be giving God the glory for it all.

But their thinking became futile: All you have to do to resist heading in this direction is to obey Philippians 4:8: Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable--if anything is excellent or praiseworthy--think about such things (NIV). God’s creation will give you plenty of Philippians 4:8 types of thoughts to think. That will empower you to resist failing to give glory and thanks to God. You mind will be filled with true, noble, right, pure, lovely, admirable, excellent, and praiseworthy thoughts.

And their foolish hearts were darkened: Whether it was caused by wanting to be rich, popular, powerful, or were seeking pleasure, they directed their attention to evil things. If God gets in the way of what you want, it is vital that you take it to Him immediately. If you focus your eyes on the wrong things, you bring darkness into your mind, your heart, and your life. Mat 6:22-23 (NIV) The eye is the lamp of the body. If your eyes are good, your whole body will be full of light. But if your eyes are bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light within you is darkness, how great is that darkness! As you resist looking at, focusing on, and imagining things the Bible speaks against, you keep darkness out of your life.

Rom 1:22 (NIV) Although they claimed to be wise, they became fools: It all started back at the beginning where they decided to prove to themselves that God didn’t exist. They narrowed their view of God’s creation and picked a few animals and fish to look at. Instead of constantly looking at the whole creation, they boiled it down to some things they could manipulate. They pulled themselves and as many people as possible away from the mighty work of God and started writing books. They provided themselves with credentials, positions, prestige, influence, and notoriety. But, they became fools because they convinced themselves and many other people of a lie.

Rom 1:20 (NIV) For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities--His eternal power and divine nature--have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse. God’s creation is still available for people who want to look at, examine, interpret, and establish the truth. There are more than enough evidences that they can look at and know it had to come from God. They can still repent and God will heal their mind and heart; but that is up to them. John 12:43 (NIV) For they loved praise from men more than praise from God.