1. If we are honest we have to admit that we all occasionally fail to listen as attentively as we should.

2. "Are you listening to me?!"

3. This text is one that commands us to set up and listen.

4. Why? What I’m about it say is really important."

5. If we do not heed, then unbelief leads us away from the living God.

6. Christians are to look after themselves, and we are to help others along the way. Gal. 6:1-2.

7. We are commanded to exhort one another day by day.

8. An exhortation is not an argument; it is not an explanation.

9. It is an appeal that comes red-hot from the heart of one soul to another.

10. Not many Christians obey this command

11. Altogether too often we exhort our brethren behind their backs by exposing their faults in the presence of others.

12. We are not called to exhort our brother tomorrow or next week or next year, but today, because there is danger of his being hardened by the deceitfulness of sin.

13. The deceitfulness of sin; when it gets into the heart it works in every direction to damn, blight and ruin.

14. DEFINITION" By Apostasy or apostatize we mean to lose or leave the faith.

15. Examples in scripture Gal. 5:4; 2 Pet. 2:20-22; Heb. 4:6-8.

16. PROPOSITEN: God's prescription preventing Backsliding and Apostasy is - keep busy for the Lord; keep thinking, keep talking, keep loving.

A. "Idle hands are the Devil’s workshop."

(1 Timothy 5:11-14 NKJV) But refuse the younger widows; for when they have begun to grow wanton against Christ, they desire to marry, {12} having condemnation because they have cast off their first faith. {13} And besides they learn to be idle, wandering about from house to house, and not only idle but also gossips and busybodies, saying things which they ought not. {14} Therefore I desire that the younger widows marry, bear children, manage the house, give no opportunity to the adversary to speak reproachfully.

(1 Timothy 6:20-21 NKJV) O Timothy! Guard what was committed to your trust, avoiding the profane and idle babblings and contradictions of what is falsely called knowledge; {21} by professing it some have strayed concerning the faith. Grace be with you. Amen.

(2 Timothy 2:16-18 NKJV) But shun profane and idle babblings, for they will increase to more ungodliness. {17} And their message will spread like cancer. Hymenaeus and Philetus are of this sort, {18} who have strayed concerning the truth, saying that the resurrection is already past; and they overthrow the faith of some.

B. Tom Tonkery, "The mule can kick or he can pull, but he can’t do both at the same time."

C. When the Jews wanted someone to do evil things to Paul they found evil idle men in the market.

(Acts 17:5 NKJV) But the Jews who were not persuaded, becoming envious, took some of the evil men from the marketplace, and gathering a mob, set all the city in an uproar and attacked the house of Jason, and sought to bring them out to the people.

D. Do you want a POSITION in the church or an opportunity to serve?

E. Diotrephes caused great trouble because he wanted preeminence instead of to serve

(3 John 1:9-11 NKJV) I wrote to the church, but Diotrephes, who loves to have the preeminence among them, does not receive us. {10} Therefore, if I come, I will call to mind his deeds which he does, prating against us with malicious words. And not content with that, he himself does not receive the brethren, and forbids those who wish to, putting them out of the church. {11} Beloved, do not imitate what is evil, but what is good. He who does good is of God, but he who does evil has not seen God.

F. Only Christ is to have the preeminence.

(Colossians 1:18 NKJV) And He is the head of the body, the church, who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in all things He may have the preeminence.

A. Paul knew the best safeguard that could be afforded to the Saint who is beset on every hand by evil, so he said; Philippians 4:8

1. Thinking on the true, keeps out the false.

2. Thinking on the honorable things, keeps out the dishonorable.

3. Thinking on the pure, keeps out the impure.

4. Thinking on the lovely, keens out the ugly.

5. Thinking on that which is of good report, keeps out that which is of evil report

6. Thinking on the virtuous, keeps out the vile.

7. Thinking about the Lord Jesus, will keep us from dabbling in the Devil's business.

B. The Shopping center built over a city dump. They reclaimed the land by dumping good dirt on the garbage. We need to overwhelm the bad thinking with the good.

1. These are people running all over with their little garbage trucks full of bad thoughts. If you can't avoid these people keep covering their bad thoughts over with good ones.

2. But avoid this kind of negative people if at all possible

(1 Corinthians 15:33 NKJV) Do not be deceived: "Evil company corrupts good habits."

C. If Christ fills our minds, it will make us to be blameless, and harmless, children of God without blemish in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom ye are seen as light in the world

(Philippians 2:5 NKJV) Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus,

(Philippians 2:15 NKJV) that you may become blameless and harmless, children of God without fault in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world,

A. Peter sets us a good example in Acts 2:40. "With many other words he exhorted the,"

B. Barnabas, son of exhortation, practiced what his name signifies. Acts 11:22-24.

C. Paul, after suffering severe stoning, kept up the good work and returned to exhort the brethren to continue in the faith. Acts 14:21-22

D. Paul shows his love and concern in his exhortation I Thess. 2:11-12, I Tim. 2:1.

E. Paul urged and exhorted Christians to admonish the disorderly, encourage the fainthearted, support the weak and be longsuffering toward all I Thess. 5:14-22.

F. When someone turns to you exhort him don't be a garbage truck.

A. Jesus gave the greatest precautionary measure known to man in

(Matthew 22:37-40 NKJV) Jesus said to him, " 'You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.' {38} "This is the first and great commandment. {39} "And the second is like it: 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself.' {40} "On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets."

B. It will save us from ever loving the world.

(1 John 2:15-17 NKJV) Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. {16} For all that is in the world; the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life; is not of the Father but is of the world. {17} And the world is passing away, and the lust of it; but he who does the will of God abides forever.

C. Denying ungodliness, by loving Him, we will abstain from worldly lasts live soberly, righteously and godly in this present world.

(Titus 2:11-13 NKJV) For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men, {12} teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in the present age, {13} looking for the blessed hope and glorious appearing of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ,

D. Loving the Lord will cause us to abstain from worldly lusts that war against the flesh.

E. Even Jesus came to serve not be served Mk, 10:45-

F. ILLUSTRATION

One winter when the Roman emperor Licinius was persecuting the Christians, his Thundering Legion was stationed at Sebaste. Because 40 men in that company had declared themselves believers, they were sentenced to spend the night naked on a frozen pool. A large fire was kindled in a house nearby, and food and a warm bath were prepared for any who would renounce their faith.

As daylight faded, 40 warriors continued to resist in spite of the bitter cold—some walking quickly to and fro, some already sleeping that sleep which ends in death, and some standing lost in prayer. These words arose to Heaven, “O Lord, 40 wrestlers have come forth to fight for Thee. Grant that 40 wrestlers may gain the victory!”

Finally, one of them could endure the suffering no longer. He left the others and went into the house where Sempronius and his men were on guard. But still the petition went up from those able to speak, “O Lord, 40 wrestlers have come forth to fight for Thee. Grant that 40 wrestlers may gain the victory!” Their prayer was answered. Sempronius the centurion was touched by his comrades’ bravery, and the Holy Spirit moved upon his heart. Declaring himself a Christian, he went to the frozen pond and took the place of the one defector. When the long night was over, 40 glorious spirits, Sempronius among them, had entered into the presence of Christ.

If severe testing or persecution arises, will you, will I, be faithful to Christ? By His grace may we be able to say, “Let God be glorified, ‘whether it be by life or by death’” (Phil. 1:20). - H.G.B.

Our Daily Bread, November 14

 

David E. Parks