We should not kid ourselves, God created us to love, but we cannot truly love God if we are in love with the world.
1 John 2:15-17: Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, love for the Father is not in them. For everything in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—comes not from the Father but from the world. The world and its desires pass away, but whoever does the will of God lives forever.
When we love Him as we ought to, there will be little room within our hearts for this world or what it has to offer. But, when our love for Him wanes, then something else will fill its place. When you and I choose a path through life that leads us gradually away from the Lord and steadily toward the world, we should not be surprised when we wake up one day and find ourselves miles away from the Lord, and a long way from where we thought we'd end up.
Think for a moment about the Prodigal Son, Luke 15:11-24. When he left the father’s house, he was just looking for a good time. He just wanted to live it up for a few days. But, before too many days had passed, he found himself in a place he could never have imagined. He learned the lesson that we all need to remember, “Sin will take you farther than you want to go; keep you longer than you want to stay; and cost you more than you want to pay.”
When you and I choose to walk in the “broad way ” of sin and not in the “narrow way” of righteousness, we should not be surprised when our path leads us far away from the Lord, chills our heart and moves us deep into sin!
When we feed the flesh what it wants, we will find that its appetite continues to grow beyond our control. It will demand more than we can ever give it! Be careful what you allow into your life. It might be your pleasure today, but it may become your master tomorrow! Sunday's sermon notes spoke of being careful about who and what you yoke yourself to.
Conclusion: Demas was a man who could not govern or control himself. As a result, he found himself far away from the Lord in a backslidden condition. Did Demas ever make things right with the Lord? We are not told, so we do not know for certain. But, if he did, then he had to make a total change in his life and mind. He would have had to turn away from the world and renew his love relationship with God. He would have had to repent, meaning to turn completely away from the world.
Where did you find yourself today? Has this week's message resonated with your heart? Are the cold tendrils of sin trying to wrap themselves around your heart? If you can see yourself beginning to go down the slippery slope toward sin, it is never too late to turn back to the Lord. He will receive you and forgive you.
Perhaps, as you have been reading this week, you have realized that you are not even saved today. If that is the case, He will forgive you and receive you into His family, if you will come to Him. Perhaps you have someone in your life and you love them, but you can see them beginning to take the wrong path in life. I challenge you to go before the Lord and lift their name up to God in prayer.
Amen.
Showing posts with label govern. Show all posts
Showing posts with label govern. Show all posts
Tuesday, May 17, 2011
Sunday, May 15, 2011
Control yourself (Part 4)
What's the point of all of this?
Text: Philemon 1:24
As believers, we need to learn the lessons that are given to us throughout the pages of the Bible. David fell into sin when he entertained temptation in his life. See 2 Samuel, chapter 11. Samson fell while he was sleeping. We need to work hard to keep our relationship with Jesus in good order! Perhaps Demas became guilty of trying to do the work of the Lord in the power of the flesh, in his own strength and not relying on the Lord. Whatever happened in his life, whatever has gone wrong, or hasn't gone the way he had hoped, and maybe even prayed...whatever it is, he began a slow, steady turn away from the Lord.
We must be on our guard constantly to not let this happen in our lives!
Illustration: Acts 20:9 tells us about a young man by the name of Eutychus who fell asleep while listening to Paul preach. The Bible says that he fell out of a third floor window and died. Paul went down to him and by the power of God raised him back to life again. But, I want to let you in on a little known theological truth. Here it is: Do you know why Eutychus fell out of the window? You don’t want to miss this point. He fell because there was more of Eutychus hanging out of that window than there was of Eutychus hanging in! It was a gradual process, but it cost Eutychus his life. Don’t let the same thing happen to you.
Backsliding starts subtly. You begin to miss a Wednesday Bible study here and there, you skip a few meetings, you start skipping Sunday school and before you know it, you are out of church. You miss a day or two praying and studying your Bible and before you know it, your mind isn’t on the Lord, but on the things of the world. You start to pay more attention to what the worldly people are doing, start to feel like you might be missing out on some of the fun, and before you know it, you are in trouble.
The devil never lays all of his cards on the table, but he comes slyly by enticing the heart and the mind, and before you realize it, you are in serious trouble! Just ask David. Just ask Samson. Just ask some of the people who used to come to church, or have returned after being away.
YOUR DIRECTION ALWAYS DETERMINES YOUR DESTINATION - 2 Timothy 4:10
Illustration: If I wanted to leave here (Indiana) and travel to California, I can take I-80/90 West. That road will take me in the right direction to get to California. However, I cannot take I-80/90 and go to Florida. I cannot take I-80/90 and get to Philadelphia. The road I take will always determines where I will end up!
The same is true in the spiritual realm and that truth is illustrated by the life of Demas.
The last reference to Demas in the New Testament tells us that he abandoned Paul and went back to the world. Evidently, the temptations and pull of the world proved greater than his commitment to the Lord and he eventually fell away. No doubt this started in the life of Demas in a very subtle manner. Maybe he just allowed his heart to grow colder and colder until his love for the world eclipsed his love for God. Whatever happened, Demas chose the wrong path somewhere along the way and ended up in a place that he never intended to be.
[conclusion, Tuesday...]
Text: Philemon 1:24
As believers, we need to learn the lessons that are given to us throughout the pages of the Bible. David fell into sin when he entertained temptation in his life. See 2 Samuel, chapter 11. Samson fell while he was sleeping. We need to work hard to keep our relationship with Jesus in good order! Perhaps Demas became guilty of trying to do the work of the Lord in the power of the flesh, in his own strength and not relying on the Lord. Whatever happened in his life, whatever has gone wrong, or hasn't gone the way he had hoped, and maybe even prayed...whatever it is, he began a slow, steady turn away from the Lord.
We must be on our guard constantly to not let this happen in our lives!
Illustration: Acts 20:9 tells us about a young man by the name of Eutychus who fell asleep while listening to Paul preach. The Bible says that he fell out of a third floor window and died. Paul went down to him and by the power of God raised him back to life again. But, I want to let you in on a little known theological truth. Here it is: Do you know why Eutychus fell out of the window? You don’t want to miss this point. He fell because there was more of Eutychus hanging out of that window than there was of Eutychus hanging in! It was a gradual process, but it cost Eutychus his life. Don’t let the same thing happen to you.
Backsliding starts subtly. You begin to miss a Wednesday Bible study here and there, you skip a few meetings, you start skipping Sunday school and before you know it, you are out of church. You miss a day or two praying and studying your Bible and before you know it, your mind isn’t on the Lord, but on the things of the world. You start to pay more attention to what the worldly people are doing, start to feel like you might be missing out on some of the fun, and before you know it, you are in trouble.
The devil never lays all of his cards on the table, but he comes slyly by enticing the heart and the mind, and before you realize it, you are in serious trouble! Just ask David. Just ask Samson. Just ask some of the people who used to come to church, or have returned after being away.
YOUR DIRECTION ALWAYS DETERMINES YOUR DESTINATION - 2 Timothy 4:10
Illustration: If I wanted to leave here (Indiana) and travel to California, I can take I-80/90 West. That road will take me in the right direction to get to California. However, I cannot take I-80/90 and go to Florida. I cannot take I-80/90 and get to Philadelphia. The road I take will always determines where I will end up!
The same is true in the spiritual realm and that truth is illustrated by the life of Demas.
The last reference to Demas in the New Testament tells us that he abandoned Paul and went back to the world. Evidently, the temptations and pull of the world proved greater than his commitment to the Lord and he eventually fell away. No doubt this started in the life of Demas in a very subtle manner. Maybe he just allowed his heart to grow colder and colder until his love for the world eclipsed his love for God. Whatever happened, Demas chose the wrong path somewhere along the way and ended up in a place that he never intended to be.
[conclusion, Tuesday...]
Saturday, May 14, 2011
Control Yourself (Part 3)
THE DOWNWARD SLOPE IS GRADUAL, BUT SLIPPERY - Colossians 4:14
Text: Philemon 1:24
Illustration: There is a story about a man who fell to his death from the face of Stone Mountain in Georgia. It seems that this man had climbed to the top of the mountain on one of the hiking trails. When he got to the top, he wanted to peer over the edge, so he began to move slowly in that direction. Since the top of the mountain was rounded, he was too far down the face of the steep mountain before he realized it. When he tried to go back up, he found the face too steep to climb. He clung to the side of the mountain unable to go either up or down until all of his strength ran out and he fell to his death.
When we first met Demas, he was serving alongside Paul and he was commended for his service. When he is mentioned here, he is still with Paul, but something seems to be wrong now. There are no glowing words of commendation. The Bible simply says “…and Demas.” It seems that Demas was still reporting for duty, still putting a good face on things, but his heart was not in it like it used to be. This change in his heart will soon show up in the rest of his life. The day will soon come when Demas will walk away from the work of the Lord.
I am sure this was a slow process in the life of Demas. I do not believe that he woke up one morning and said, “I think I’ll become a backslider today.” No, it was far more subtle. Perhaps Demas allowed himself a little leeway here and then a little there and before he realized it, he was under the control of his passions and not under the control of the Spirit of God. He learned the harsh lesson that “A little leaven leaveneth the whole lump,” Galatians 5:9.
One of our first problems is that we listen to the temptation of the flesh. Then, the next three steps follow shortly thereafter, and they are "easy."
B – We believe the deception of the flesh. In our spiritual world something has happened. Deception and belief have joined together, and sin is conceived.
A – We act out the sin. Now, it moves beyond contemplation to implementation.
D – We discover death, which is the consequence of our sin. It’s the same for Demas as it is for you and me. It is not physical death, but death of a much more subtle kind. Death to a tender conscience. Death to sensitivity to the Holy Spirit. Death to usefulness in the kingdom of God.
Isn't this how it is for most of us? Sin does not become full blown in an instant of time. It is something that grows insidiously until it consumes our very lives. This is the lesson of James 1:14-15. When you start down the pathway of playing around with sin and temptation, you will find that it is a slippery slope with a very hard stop at the bottom!
[more tomorrow...]
Text: Philemon 1:24
Illustration: There is a story about a man who fell to his death from the face of Stone Mountain in Georgia. It seems that this man had climbed to the top of the mountain on one of the hiking trails. When he got to the top, he wanted to peer over the edge, so he began to move slowly in that direction. Since the top of the mountain was rounded, he was too far down the face of the steep mountain before he realized it. When he tried to go back up, he found the face too steep to climb. He clung to the side of the mountain unable to go either up or down until all of his strength ran out and he fell to his death.
When we first met Demas, he was serving alongside Paul and he was commended for his service. When he is mentioned here, he is still with Paul, but something seems to be wrong now. There are no glowing words of commendation. The Bible simply says “…and Demas.” It seems that Demas was still reporting for duty, still putting a good face on things, but his heart was not in it like it used to be. This change in his heart will soon show up in the rest of his life. The day will soon come when Demas will walk away from the work of the Lord.
I am sure this was a slow process in the life of Demas. I do not believe that he woke up one morning and said, “I think I’ll become a backslider today.” No, it was far more subtle. Perhaps Demas allowed himself a little leeway here and then a little there and before he realized it, he was under the control of his passions and not under the control of the Spirit of God. He learned the harsh lesson that “A little leaven leaveneth the whole lump,” Galatians 5:9.
One of our first problems is that we listen to the temptation of the flesh. Then, the next three steps follow shortly thereafter, and they are "easy."
B – We believe the deception of the flesh. In our spiritual world something has happened. Deception and belief have joined together, and sin is conceived.
A – We act out the sin. Now, it moves beyond contemplation to implementation.
D – We discover death, which is the consequence of our sin. It’s the same for Demas as it is for you and me. It is not physical death, but death of a much more subtle kind. Death to a tender conscience. Death to sensitivity to the Holy Spirit. Death to usefulness in the kingdom of God.
Isn't this how it is for most of us? Sin does not become full blown in an instant of time. It is something that grows insidiously until it consumes our very lives. This is the lesson of James 1:14-15. When you start down the pathway of playing around with sin and temptation, you will find that it is a slippery slope with a very hard stop at the bottom!
[more tomorrow...]
Friday, May 13, 2011
Control Yourself (Part2)
How we finish is just as important as how we begin.
Text: Philemon 1:24
How many times have we seen this truth at work in our churches? A person will come to the altar, pray a prayer, stand up tell the church they have been saved, and they take off like a shot from a cannon. But, a few months later, or a couple of years later, they are nowhere to be found! What happened? They have forgotten, or perhaps were never taught that how we finish is just as important as how we begin!
Recently we have heard Jesus talk about this kind of person in the Parable of the Sower, Luke 8:13, “They on the rock are they, which, when they hear, receive the word with joy; and these have no root, which for a while believe, and in time of temptation fall away.” He is talking about that person who hears the Word gets all excited about it and starts out to go with the Lord, but when trials, temptations and troubles come, they fall away. They are kind of like a bottle rocket. A lot of sizzle, a lot of flash, a lot of noise, and then they are gone! We might call them a flash in the pan.
Jesus even had this kind of person among His Disciples. I am certain that all of the other disciples thought Judas Iscariot was a saved man. They must have trusted him; after all, they let him carry the money for the group. But, Jesus knew something about Judas that the rest of them did not know. Here is what Jesus said about him, “Jesus answered them, Have not I chosen you twelve, and one of you is a devil? He spake of Judas Iscariot the son of Simon: for he it was that should betray him, being one of the twelve,” John 6:70-71.
So, what can we learn from this part of the life of Demas? Here are a couple of things you can take to the bank.
1. Be absolutely sure you come to Jesus the right way in the beginning. That is, be sure you are saved. How do we accomplish this?
Acts 16:31- They replied, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved—you and your household.”
John 6:37-40 - All those the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never drive away. For I have come down from heaven not to do my will but to do the will of him who sent me. And this is the will of him who sent me, that I shall lose none of all those he has given me, but raise them up at the last day. For my Father’s will is that everyone who looks to the Son and believes in him shall have eternal life, and I will raise them up at the last day.”
Rom. 10:9 - If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.
Rom. 10:13 - for, “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”
You can’t meet Jesus just by joining the church or by being baptized. You don’t come to know Him only by doing good things or by becoming a better person. You must be born again, John 3:3, 7.
Jesus replied, “Very truly I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God unless they are born again. You should not be surprised at my saying, ‘You must be born again.’ 2. Understand that the Christian race is a marathon and not a sprint. God did not save us for a life of ease, or so that we can lazily float off to heaven after a few days. There will be some trials and troubles along the way. What I am trying to say is that we need to settle in for the long haul and run this race with patient endurance,
Heb. 12:1-2 - Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.
Heb. 3:12 - See to it, brothers and sisters, that none of you has a sinful, unbelieving heart that turns away from the living God.
3. Take the time to encourage others in their own race. There are some people around us today that are struggling. How do I know? Well, their church attendance isn’t what it should be. If they aren't coming to worship, then they probably aren't praying or studying their Bibles like used to. They are y likely having a difficult time making it. Those who are running the race well should be taking the time to be an encouragement to them, Gal. 6:1-2. " Brothers and sisters, if someone is caught in a sin, you who live by the Spirit should restore that person gently. But watch yourselves, or you also may be tempted. Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill thew of Christ."
Others may be young in the Lord. They too need an encouraging word. Listen to Hebrews 3:13 and do it!
"But encourage one another daily, as long as it is called “Today,” so that none of you may be hardened by sin’s deceitfulness."
4. Remember that even if you did start out right, you can always fall along the way!
1 Cor. 10:12 - "So, if you think you are standing firm, be careful that you don’t fall!"
Pro. 16:18 - "Pride goes before destruction, a haughty spirit before a fall."
Matt. 26:40-41 - Then he returned to his disciples and found them sleeping. “Couldn’t you men keep watch with me for one hour?” he asked Peter. “Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.”
It can happen to any of us, and has probably already happened in all of our lives....
[more tomorrow...]
Text: Philemon 1:24
How many times have we seen this truth at work in our churches? A person will come to the altar, pray a prayer, stand up tell the church they have been saved, and they take off like a shot from a cannon. But, a few months later, or a couple of years later, they are nowhere to be found! What happened? They have forgotten, or perhaps were never taught that how we finish is just as important as how we begin!
Recently we have heard Jesus talk about this kind of person in the Parable of the Sower, Luke 8:13, “They on the rock are they, which, when they hear, receive the word with joy; and these have no root, which for a while believe, and in time of temptation fall away.” He is talking about that person who hears the Word gets all excited about it and starts out to go with the Lord, but when trials, temptations and troubles come, they fall away. They are kind of like a bottle rocket. A lot of sizzle, a lot of flash, a lot of noise, and then they are gone! We might call them a flash in the pan.
Jesus even had this kind of person among His Disciples. I am certain that all of the other disciples thought Judas Iscariot was a saved man. They must have trusted him; after all, they let him carry the money for the group. But, Jesus knew something about Judas that the rest of them did not know. Here is what Jesus said about him, “Jesus answered them, Have not I chosen you twelve, and one of you is a devil? He spake of Judas Iscariot the son of Simon: for he it was that should betray him, being one of the twelve,” John 6:70-71.
So, what can we learn from this part of the life of Demas? Here are a couple of things you can take to the bank.
1. Be absolutely sure you come to Jesus the right way in the beginning. That is, be sure you are saved. How do we accomplish this?
Acts 16:31- They replied, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved—you and your household.”
John 6:37-40 - All those the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never drive away. For I have come down from heaven not to do my will but to do the will of him who sent me. And this is the will of him who sent me, that I shall lose none of all those he has given me, but raise them up at the last day. For my Father’s will is that everyone who looks to the Son and believes in him shall have eternal life, and I will raise them up at the last day.”
Rom. 10:9 - If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.
Rom. 10:13 - for, “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”
You can’t meet Jesus just by joining the church or by being baptized. You don’t come to know Him only by doing good things or by becoming a better person. You must be born again, John 3:3, 7.
Jesus replied, “Very truly I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God unless they are born again. You should not be surprised at my saying, ‘You must be born again.’ 2. Understand that the Christian race is a marathon and not a sprint. God did not save us for a life of ease, or so that we can lazily float off to heaven after a few days. There will be some trials and troubles along the way. What I am trying to say is that we need to settle in for the long haul and run this race with patient endurance,
Heb. 12:1-2 - Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.
Heb. 3:12 - See to it, brothers and sisters, that none of you has a sinful, unbelieving heart that turns away from the living God.
3. Take the time to encourage others in their own race. There are some people around us today that are struggling. How do I know? Well, their church attendance isn’t what it should be. If they aren't coming to worship, then they probably aren't praying or studying their Bibles like used to. They are y likely having a difficult time making it. Those who are running the race well should be taking the time to be an encouragement to them, Gal. 6:1-2. " Brothers and sisters, if someone is caught in a sin, you who live by the Spirit should restore that person gently. But watch yourselves, or you also may be tempted. Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill thew of Christ."
Others may be young in the Lord. They too need an encouraging word. Listen to Hebrews 3:13 and do it!
"But encourage one another daily, as long as it is called “Today,” so that none of you may be hardened by sin’s deceitfulness."
4. Remember that even if you did start out right, you can always fall along the way!
1 Cor. 10:12 - "So, if you think you are standing firm, be careful that you don’t fall!"
Pro. 16:18 - "Pride goes before destruction, a haughty spirit before a fall."
Matt. 26:40-41 - Then he returned to his disciples and found them sleeping. “Couldn’t you men keep watch with me for one hour?” he asked Peter. “Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.”
It can happen to any of us, and has probably already happened in all of our lives....
[more tomorrow...]
Wednesday, May 11, 2011
Control Yourself (Part 1)
Text: Philemon 1:24
Today, I want to introduce you to a man named Demas. He is a man mentioned only three times in the whole New Testament, but the three short verses that mention his name reveal a man who wandered far away from the Lord he once loved and served. It is interesting to note that the name Demas means “The governor of the people.” He is one among many in the Bible, who did not live up to their name, for he was a man who could not even govern, or control, himself.
As we get to know Demas a little better, we will see ourselves as well. That is a good thing, because there are many of us who have wandered away from that place of closeness and intimacy with God. Through exploration of Demas' life, I would like to share three simple principles that will help us keep from ending up like him. Why do we need to review this? We need to be reminded because we are human, and it is all too easy to slip back into our baser nature. We are all prone to wander away from God. The principles gleaned from the life of Demas can help us to keep from doing that!
Point #1: A PERFECT START DOES NOT PROMISE A PERFECT ENDING
Illustration: In 1936, the Olympic Games were held in Berlin, Germany. Hitler thought that this would be the perfect showcase for his “Aryan Race.” However, Hitler was surprised by the performance of Jesse Owens, an African-American athlete, along with several and others. Among the true surprises of that Olympics was the defeat of the heavily favored German Women’s 400 meter relay team by the underdog Americans. When the starting gun sounded, the Germans quickly went ahead of the Americans and held first place until the baton was passed to the last runner. The Germans had a seven yard lead, but the anchor runner dropped the baton and the Germans were disqualified. The German team had executed a perfect start and had run a good race, but, in the end, they learned the terrible truth that a perfect start does not always promise a perfect ending.
When we first meet Demas, he is called a “fellowlabourer” by the Apostle Paul. This phrase literally means, “A companion in the work.” We find Demas mentioned along with Luke, Mark and Aristarchus. All three of these men were well know in the early church. Mark wrote a Gospel that bears his name, as did Luke. Luke also is the author of the book of Acts. Aristarchus served time in prison with Paul (Col. 4:10). All of them were traveling companions of the great Apostle. From this it would appear that Demas was well known, well respected and well liked during this portion of his life and work. But, as close as Demas was to Paul and as much as he grew in the Lord, apparently it did not last. For in 2 Timothy we read these words, “Demas hath forsaken me, having loved this present world,” 2 Tim. 4:10.
This happens to many of us, and it happens all the time. We are caught up in the zeal and enthusiasm of the moment. As we encounter frustrations and setbacks, we lose some of that enthusiasm, some of that shine gets knocked off the "perfect" plan we had at the beginning. We begin to question ourselves, our faith, and God...
We have no record of how Demas came to know the Lord Jesus as his Savior. But, it would appear that all those around him thought he was the real deal as well. But, the time came when Demas fizzled out as a servant of the Lord. He was going along well, but he burned out and fell out. His life illustrates a principle that many of us would rather not have to live by: How we finish is just as important as how we begin.
[ more tomorrow...]
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