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Introduction:
Several years ago, a stuntman named Bobby Leach went over
Niagara Falls
in a specially designed steel drum and lived to tell about it.
He did suffer some minor injuries, but he survived because he
recognized the tremendous dangers involved in the feat and did
everything he could do to protect himself from harm. A few years after
his plunge over the falls he was going down a street in New Zealand and he slipped on an
orange peeling, fell, and fractured his leg. He was taken to the
hospital where he eventually died from complications to his fall. Bobby
Leach found more danger on the sidewalk than he did in drum going over
the great Niagara Falls.
Mr. Leach's experience illustrates an important spiritual
lesson.
Often the greatest threats to our spiritual lives are things that we
usually consider small or insignificant. That is why the instruction of
verse 15 is so important.
"See then that ye walk circumspectly…"
In other words, you must stay alert and not get careless in
your walk with Christ. From our text we learn what is needed to, "walk
circumspectly".
I.
WE NEED DISCERNMENT
(V.15)
Those who walk circumspectly must be able to discern
between what is foolish and what is wise. I hope today that you know the
difference. In the teachings of Jesus we find him at times contrasting
the foolish and the wise. For example
A.
Listen And Obey (Matt.7:24-27)
What was the point Jesus was trying to make?
He was saying that the wise person listens
and obeys the words of the Savior, while the
foolish person may hear the words of Jesus, but they will not obey them.
B.
Live For The Eternal (Luke 12:16-21)
Here Jesus teaches that the wise man, lives for
the eternal and not the earthly.
C.
Prepare For His Coming (Matt. 25:1-13)
In this passage Jesus makes it clear that it is the
wise person who prepares for the Lord's
coming. To walk circumspectly we need
discernment.
II. WE
NEED DISCIPLINE (V.16)
Notice two things here.
A.
The Responsibility
We Are Given.
We must be sure to utilize every opportunity that we
have to glorify the Lord.
B.
The Reason We
Are Given.
Why are we to "redeem" the time?
Because the days are evil. Many are living in sin.
III. WE NEED
DIRECTION (V.17)
We need to understand the Lord's will.
(Illus: Acts 9:1-6 - Paul asked 2 very important questions –
expound). God did not hide His will from Paul, and He will not hide it
from you! Let me ask you. Are you yielding to the will of God? (Illus: a
minister who received a call from a church that offered him a salary
four times what he was then receiving. Being a devout man, he spent much
time in prayer trying to discern what God wanted him to do. One day a
friend met the minister's son on the street. He asked, "Do you know what
your dad is going to do?"
The boy's answer was, "Well, Dad's praying, but I’m packing!")
We are not truly yielded to the will of God if we have already made up
our minds about what we are going to do, and we are just looking for
God's approval.
A.
Gods Guidance Is
Provisional
God expects certain things from us. Unless we are
able to deliver these characteristics, we will probably remain in the
dark concerning His will.
·
Being Obedient - Can you honestly say, Wherever He Leads I’ll GO?
Why should God reveal His will to us when He knows we aren’t going to do
it anyway?
·
Being Teachable - If you aren’t teachable, and think you know it
all already, then you will probably never know His will
·
Being Yielded - God will not reveal His will to someone who isn’t
going to do it anyway. Are you willing to do His will regardless of the
cost?
B.
Gods Guidance Is
Practical
God will reveal His will in ways that will be plain
to see and understand.
·
Through Miracles
·
Through His Word
·
Though Others
·
Through His Spirit
Conclusion:
Be directed by His will. That will keep you "Walking In Step
With The Savior".
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