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Introduction:
Stepping closer to eternity is stepping closer home! It
has been said: "Home is where the heart is". But when the heart is
separated from home then the heart must be filled with desires about
home. We are not home yet, but our heart is filled with dreams - desires
- intentions about home. If our heart is aimed at home, our steps or
walk will be in direction of the heart's desires. On our journey home:
there will be
-
days of
blessings
- days of
buffetings
-
days of
sunshine
- days of
storms
-
days of
great mountains of
glory - days of great valleys of
grief
-
days of
blessings
- days of
burdens
One day we will take our last step (earthly
grace to eternal glory) John 5:24
"verily, verily, I say
unto thee, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me,
hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation, but is
passed from death to life" Do you remember the day
(all things become new?) There was a new desire, destination,
determination in our walk. Like newborn babies (physical), there are:
-
Beginning
steps: first word, first crawl, first step
-
better
steps: what a joy when daddy took the training wheels off the bike
·
Building
steps: used to crawl to daddy, now we can walk into His presence
We can shout because hell is behind us! If we
are to shout because Hell is behind us, we must:
I.
RECALL SOME
TREASURES
(1 Pet.1:3-9)
A.
The
Gift
Of Salvation
-
a divine
gift (unspeakable, miraculous, indescribable) (from a heart of love
John 3:16)
-
a divine
deliverance (from life of bondage) (slave to a son) (confusion to
contentment) (prison of Satan to pleasures of Savior) (wrath of God
to wonders of Grace) (horrible pit to heavenly places) "bless
the Lord and forget not all His benefits"
B.
The
Grandeur
Of Salvation
II.
REMEMBER SOME
TRUTHS (I Pet.2:2-3)
A.
I Need
Energy
B.
I Need
Enlightenment
(must be taught right if we are to live right)
Church must have balanced diet (evangelize
the sinner - equip the saints) grace for my steps - mercy and
forgiveness for my stumbles
C.
I Need
Encouragement
The needs of the soul are met at Calvary and
ongoing needs are met by commitment, communion, and consecration. The
fleshly nature can be defeated by the same means, (Rom. 12:1) "I
beseech you, therefore, brethren, that ye present your bodies a living
sacrifice" The soul must have daily
communion
with Savior and the soul must have a daily
conference
with the flesh (who's the CEO - who's running this outfit) (no
communion, no conference, you will suffer defeat, doubt, discouragement,
and defilement)
III.
REFUSE
SOME TRASH
(1Pet.2:1)
A.
The Can Of
Complaining
If you don't understand, don't complain. If
there were an eleventh commandment, I believe it should be "Thou shalt
not complain" Why? "He knoweth the way through the wilderness" (Rom 8:
28)
B.
The Can Of
Criticism
Criticism will make you unlovely, un-liked,
unhappy and unused. The most miserable people in church are ones who
criticize - find fault in others (I know they are not reading the Word,
because the Word is a mirror, that reveals self) note: the people you
are criticizing are between you and God, therefore they must be closer
to God than you are!
C.
The Trash Can Of
Condoning
(Heb.12:1 "sin which doth so easily beset us")
Some Christians now condone fornication,
adultery, and homosexuality. Maybe it’s because chickens have come home
to roost. It’s somehow different when it is your children, family,
friends (difference between preference and conviction).
When the Spirit and the Scriptures, show us a
weight of sin which is hindering us, deal with it, put it away, bury it,
forsake it, and don't look back! No use to bury it, if you are going to
dig it up tomorrow.
Conclusion:
If our heart is aimed at home, our steps or walk
will be in line with God and His Word. We’re to near home to let up now!
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