Sermon "Surviving the End Times: Guard Your Heart" by Rick Shabi, July 4, 2020

and I said at that time we had three statements from the Bible to help us survive and to grow during the time so that when Jesus Christ returns we're ready we're ready for his return the time is not well we see it very very very amande at the time is now to be working on those those things so last week we talked about stirring up the spirit Fanning the flames of the Spirit it's something we have to do no matter how long we've been in the church no matter how solid we might think no matter how established we might think we're in the church there's something that we need to do all the time and we talked about revelation 2 and the message of the Church of Ephesus where God said hey you've been doing a lot of the things but you know what you go but need to go back to your first love you need to be doing things and you need to be that you need to have the zeal that you have when you first came into the church in the first one you first started following me and if we're honest with ourselves all of us that applies to every single one of us no matter how little or how long we've been in the church we need to stir that up and fan those flames you'll remember two that we talked about a couple of above all else versus last week and one of those was above all else you know the love of the Brethren Peter Peter told us at in 1st Peter 4 I believe it was yea first Peter 4:8 above all else love the Brethren you know this is what we what we're working toward when God says above all else or put this first he doesn't mean forget the commands he doesn't mean forget the way of life you've been taught that's necessary but you know what we need to be growing into those things so we talked about that versus one of the twelfth points that we looked and how what would could we do to stir up the spirit to fan the flames and the things that we need to be working toward because as we're Fanning those flames we will become more and more the congregations that God wants us to become we just have to kind of do the things that he said we also looked at a verse in James and James 5:12 where he said above all else and he's talking about you like your yes be yes and your no be no but practice the things you know make yourself do the things that you need to do it takes discipline God will open our minds to it but we have to be doers of the word and not hearers he'll help us here and we hear when we're at services and listening to sermons and whatever we do but we have to be we have to have the discipline to do it so we talked about a couple of above all else versus last week and this week as we go into the second point of things we need to be aware of got another above all else verse we want to turn to so let's turn to proverbs 4 and read a series of scripts a series of verses here in proverbs 4 the last seven or eight of them here in proverbs 4 proverbs 4 verse 20 I was just gonna read the one verse I was gonna turn to but this morning I thought you know what it's always good for us to read the context in any words we read in the Bible the instructions that were given to to put them into our minds in verse 20 a proverbs 4 says my son give attention to my words incline your ear to my sayings don't let them depart from your eyes keep them in the midst of your heart you can see what Solomon is saying these are words God's God is saying to you and me for they are life to those who find them and health to all their flesh keep your heart with all diligence for out of it spring the issues of life put away a deceitful mouth and put perverse lips far from you let your eyes look straight ahead and your eyelids eyelids look right before you keep your eyes on the kingdom keep looking forward don't go to the left don't go to the right keep your eyes forward don't dwell they actually says let all your ways be established don't turn to the right or to the left and remove your foot from evil words that we should be reminding of our ourselves of as we go through life and some difficult times that we're going through now maybe not so much difficult physically but certainly spiritually this has been a trying time for God's people and a time when we are should be establishing ourselves and looking to God and getting to know ourselves better and where we stand with God as we look at it through his eyes so the first I want to look at and hone into them this morning is verse 23 and they're in the Oh in the King James it says keep your heart with all diligence for out of it spring the issues of life when you look at the Hebrew words that are translated there the way they are it really means above all else put this first let me read to you what some of the newer translations how they how they put that verse 23 above all else guard your heart for everything you do flows from it above all else guard your heart there's a lot packed into that verse I could probably spend the next hour just talking about that first alone and all the implications of it because it's something that defines us what is our heart now let me give you a definition from the Bible dictionary on the heart in the Old Testament it says it's used this word Hebrew 38:20 and the Strong's is used figuratively very widely for the feelings the will and the intellect likewise it is the center of anything our heart it is who we are it's at the core of who we are and that's what God is interested in he's interested in our words but our words better match our heart he's interested in our actions but our actions better matches what's in our heart he's interested in what we think what we think should be reflective of what our heart is above all else guard your heart guard it keep it protect it because God has given us a very a very the most valuable thing he could give us let's look at the New Testament Philippians 4 last week we ended on Philippians 4 verses 6 and 7 so let's go right back there as we continue today and verse 4 in Philippians 4 and verse 6 it says be anxious for nothing but in everything by prayer and supplication with Thanksgiving always be grateful for what God has done in our lives there's always things to be grateful for by prayer and supplication with Thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God say don't worry about things the same things Jesus Christ said in Matthew 6 right don't worry about these things be anxious for nothing give it to God he knows our needs before we do trust in him cast your cares and concerns on him and ask him in prayer with Thanksgiving and verse seven and the peace of God which surpasses all understanding will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus keep close to him pray to him as you yield to him and as he grows him his spirit in you the peace of God that surpasses all understanding the peace that you can't even understand until you feel it until you have God's Holy Spirit it'll guard your hearts it'll guard your hearts you know the New Testament when the word that's translated hearts there is even more detail than the Old Testament when you look at the Greek word translated heart there that's pretty long it says it's the center and seat of spiritual life the heart is the soul or mind as it is the fountain and seat of thoughts passions desires appetites affections purposes and endeavors it is the seat of understanding and the faculty and seat of intelligence it is the seat of will and character it's everything it's who we are it defines us so when God says love me with all your heart and all your soul he's not saying something that we should take lightly our heart is our essence and he is very concerned about our hearts and he looks at our hearts you know and before we were baptized before God called us we had a heart that was evil right Jeremiah 17 turned back to Jeremiah 17 to kind of just get a picture of ourselves every single human being not just some of us but all of us Jeremiah 17 verse 9 tells us who we were right verse 9 the heart is deceitful above all things deceitful above all things that's the heart we had before God called us that's the heart that has to be weeded out and has to be transformed and head to a new heart that God gives us doesn't happen overnight God gives us the the beginnings of it and we have to work at it we have to make the choices it's built our hearts by the choices that we make the things that we do the self-denial that we that we enact in our lives the heart is deceitful above all things and desperately wicked now deceitful means it fools us we might think that we're really good people before we came in church you know why I did this look I help my neighbors out I was willing to give whatever God says it's deceitful look at the things that you do compared to what my will is for you it's desperately wicked we were all resistant you know there's people who still have an attitude of resistance they hear some things think I don't want to do that or that doesn't apply to me and I'm special you know maybe all of us thought that at some point in time even while we're in the church and I think my sir the circumstances are different than everyone else's God understands now you know what we were told in in the Old Testament when God was bringing Israel out of Egypt it's the same law for the stranger and the native-born Israelite you know what it's the same law for everyone regardless of your circumstances the heart is deceitful and can deceive us into thinking we're doing okay God's okay I've got an exemption on that one or that's a little sin that you know I that that isn't that important it's not affecting anyone No God's looking for a transformation of the heart who can know it well God can know it verse 10 he says I I the eternal search the heart I test the mind even to give every man according to his ways according to the fruit of his doings you know our heart our heart will be revealed and God will give us what we what we sow in this life but we have to go into the into this and recognize at our core in all our lives whether we grew up in the church or whether we came in you know at whatever age it was in our core in our lives our hearts are wicked our hearts are deceitful our hearts will mislead us that's the natural man that's the carnal man that's the same thing Paul said in Romans 8:7 when he says the carnal mind is enmity against God and cannot be subject to him right we all felt that maybe at times we when we hear things we think not me I don't know if I want to go there and we have to kind of ask god help me to yield soften my hearts let me understand that and begin to apply what you want in my life but God searches our hearts he wants our hearts to become what he wants them to become he wants us to be in his kingdom he wants to give us eternal life he wants to give us everything he has planned for us that it tells us in first Corinthians we can't even imagine it hasn't even entered into our hearts what that is but that's what God wants for us but we have to show him we want it to by doing the things right it's up to us he'll give it he makes it possible but we have to do we have to do the things and sometimes it's very difficult to do the things and see ourselves and tell ourselves no we can't do that anymore let's turn back to the song you know we see we see David King David talking about the heart and he's very eloquent in his his words and when we understand how important it is and we can see King David God said here's a man after my own heart over the course of his life he made mistakes his heart deceived him but then when and he followed God God said here's a man after my own heart in Psalm 139 in verse 23 look what David says you know these are words that he really means they're not just words that he wrote down because they sound good well if we say I'm God wants to see that we really mean what we're saying if we are to say the same thing that David said in 139 verse 23 search me O God and know my heart you know my heart I want you to know what's in me try me and know my anxieties and see if there is any wicked way in me and lead me in the way everlasting see what David was saying it's like I know there's still this heart there's still parts of me that are resistant to you that aren't obeying you that our aren't yielding to you or whatever it is there's parts of me that are there search my heart let me know because he was willing I'll change anything I'll work on it it may not be easy but I'm willing to sacrifice me to be the way you want me to be because he had his eyes straightforward he had his eyes on the promises of God the same way you and I do and if we're good we're going to survive the end times we need to be aware of our heart we need to be working on it now we need to be building it now at the same time we need to be guarding it so that we aren't being counterproductive in what we're what we're doing let's go back to Hebrews four to the New Testament the author of Hebrews it has a very insightful verse here when it talks about our heart and how we will how we can kind of measure it what what's the measuring stick for our hearts well we have to be honest with ourselves we have to kind of like take the blinders off and not deceive ourselves into thinking it's okay I hear these things but it's not me it's not that important verse 12 of Hebrews four says for the word of God that's the word you've got sitting there in your Bible that's the word you hear that's ABBA services and Bible studies and other times that you might hear the word of God the word of God is living it's powerful it's sharper than any two-edged sword piercing even to the division of soul and spirit see how deep it gets even to the division of soul and spirit right down into our bones right down into our being everything that we are piercing even to the division of soul and spirit and of joints and marrow everything the very core of who we are and it is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart we want to know whether our thoughts are intense are the heart that God wants you can just pick up the Bible don't sugarcoat it read it you know and as we talked about last week if you see something repent return to God return to his way that's what he's called us to do so we're baptized you know God God tells us to get a new heart let's go to back to first Samuel I always I always like this this first back here because even in the New Testament when God gave the select few that he did his Holy Spirit for the purposes that he wanted them to have at that time it kind of gives us a picture of what he does with us you know we know that when we're baptized we we should have repented we recognize our faults we're turning to God and we're saying I'm gonna do things your way from now on I reject myself I reject the way I things I used to do I have to be taught so we're like babies we talked about that we have to relearn not relearn we have to learn God's Way and we have to learn the way to do things well here's Samuel you know and in 1st Samuel it's there Saul he's selected as the first king of Israel and God gives him his Holy Spirit and at verse 9 of 1st Samuel 10 says this it says so was when he had turned his back to go from Samuel that God gave him another heart God gave him another heart and all those signs came to pass that day and then he was out there prophesying with the people who were you know preaching God's Word and everything he gave him a new heart that's what God does to us he gives us a new heart when we're baptized but that heart has to be exercised that heart has to be developed where it grows and how it grows is what we choose to do every day of our life do we keep doing things the way we used to do it do we keep doing things maybe change for a while and then go back to the way we did before like Paul is talking about or revelation is talking about to the church at Ephesus it's something that we have to be cognizant every day and think oh no that's the way I used to do it so easy to fall back into the way we used to do things the way we used to think the way we used to communicate excuse me but we can't do that you can write down Ezekiel 1831 where God tells Israel get yourself a new heart get yourself a new spirit do it because why would you die Oh Israel God has given us life he's given us the words of life that's what his promise is he says get a new heart get a new spirit he's already given those to us but it's up to us it's up to us to develop them second Thessalonians second Thessalonians 3 and verse 5 secondly is three verse five now prayer that we can pray for each other and pray that we prayer that we can pray for ourselves too Paul writes to the Thessalonians here he says in verse five now may the Lord direct your hearts may the Lord direct your hearts into the love of God and into the patience of Christ may God direct your hearts you know we can help each other we can pray for each other may God direct our hearts into the love of God and later we'll read the verse in in in second John that says the love of God is keeping his Commandments it's yielded to him it's being obedient to him it's doing the things that he wants us to do but there's that word patience that we read in the context of guarding our hearts in Philippians 4:6 and 7 now through the patience that God gives us we will guard our hearts we'll talk a little bit about guarding our hearts but what do we need to guard our hearts against you know I could we could talk a whole sermon or two on developing our hearts and in fact just about every sermon you hear is gonna talk about how to develop your hearts you just have to be thinking and listening and not just having the words go in one ear and out the other but taking them to heart and looking and saying do I do what I'm hearing have I grown dull of hearing are there words that I keep hearing but are they just kind of like bounced off of me anymore because I've heard them so many times and sometimes we just need to kind of look at those words and change them up a little bit like stirring up the spirit Fanning the flames of the Spirit you know guarding guarding our hearts is keeping our hearts secure keeping it under lock and key if we have something if we have something that's really valuable if you've got you know a pot of gold in your house you're probably going to keep it under lock and key right you're gonna guard that pretty you're gonna guard that pretty closely you're gonna make sure no one guests of that that shouldn't get to it and when we look at our hearts and we're regarding our hearts that's the same thing God wants us to do you keep those under locking you keep those secure you don't allow anyone to just come in and change the heart or have access to it you guard it you guard it and we've heard some of the things that we guard it with the Word of God making sure that we understand it doing the things that God said understanding what our old heart is and what our natural tendencies are you know as we look at what we have to guard ourselves guard our hearts against I've got number one listed here us ourselves right because there is a way of thinking that we used to have it's so easy to fall back into that you know Hebrews 12 verse 1 says the sin that does so easily beset us that before we even know what we're doing we're doing things the way we used to do it and have to catch ourselves or there's a way of thinking or habits that we have that you know something happens and all of a sudden we find ourselves doing something we think wait no no that's not me anymore that was supposed to be put aside that was the old me that's not the new heart that God wants me to have so we have to guard ourselves against ourselves and remember the heart is desperately wicked the heart is deceitful it will mislead us if we only look to ourselves if we're just kind of processing everything through our thoughts and our minds that's a problem that's a problem we have to guard ourselves against our own thinking our old way of thinking I got number two are our own understanding you know we can have we can do the physical things wrong we could have sins beset us we can have our you know we can kind of look at some things in the Bible and all of a sudden our own understanding the way we want to interpret those verses the way we want to hear those things it's like oh I think that makes sense in proverbs 3 verse 5 says don't lean to your own understanding don't lean on it lino and God you know I said Hebrews 12:1 our own old sins and our old habits that can come back into us even our old means of our old means of communicating you know we all have to learn as we learn in the book of our mouth our mouth and price said what comes out of your mouth is indicative of your heart you know so so you know we have to kind of work on what comes out of our mouth but it starts in working on our hearts I got number four number four the influence of friends and family the influence of friends and family you know they can have an effect on us first Corinthians 15:33 says evil cup of evil company corrupts good habits no one's saying we shouldn't have contact with people or have relationships with with our old friends that see things differently but watch the influence watch what's going on don't don't let them get into your mind don't let them think this is okay you know we live in it we live in a time now that's so easily for that to happen right when you look at what's going on in the world around us kind of all these things and all these influences everywhere everywhere everyone's trying to tell us what we should think everyone let's tell us what's wrong you know what's wrong with our thinking what's wrong with the way we live and certainly there's things to take to heart and examine ourselves with but you know what the litmus test is God that's where we go don't let people influence the way you think let God influence the way you think let his Holy Spirit influence the way you think don't compromise don't get lacks don't become apathetic don't go back to your old way of how it was before and if you see yourself doing it or if you see your friends or spouse doing it correct them pull them back don't mince words bring them back to where they need to be and don't let them let go of what what it is that God has called them to and offered to us and of course the influence of the world we could talk about too and let that let's talk about that let's let's turn to a couple verses on the influence of the world Luke 21 you know as we as we look ahead between now and then it's not going to get easier if Ike use that term it's not going to go back to the way it was before there's going to be increasing challenges to everything that we hold dear increasing challenges to everything that we stand for and it's gonna be ramped up you know God is merciful and that little things happen that we build our steps we build our character we build our determination to not fall and then the next trial comes and we're able to withstand that and God builds those things in us as we're conscious of what we're doing and making those decisions in verse 34 Christ and his words Luke 21 says take heed to yourselves pay attention to yourself lest your hearts be weighted weighed down with carousing drunkenness and the cares of this life so easy to go back to the way it was before you don't have to come you don't have to come to weekly Sabbath services anymore right I mean now we can just do it on then we can just do it at home until this thing passes and we have our halls open up or we can have them you know 100 percent attendance again very easy to sleep back into that and have the Sabbath day become just another day of the week God says don't do that Jesus Christ says take heed be aware when he says take heed he beans this is a warning this is what's gonna happen you know your heart your heart is going to deceive you into this and you're gonna think this okay this okay and whatever but be aware what your heart will do if it's not guarded with the truth that God has given you take heed don't let the cares of this life be weigh you down and that day come on you unexpectedly it's gonna be a very sorrow sorry day for some people when that day comes and they realize I wasted all that time I didn't do what I knew to do over in first John first John 3 verse 15 he says don't love the world or the things in the world if anyone loves the world the love of the father is not in him doesn't mean we shouldn't live in the world doesn't mean we shouldn't enjoy the physical things of life doesn't mean that we don't work doesn't mean that it's wrong to have material possessions and enjoy them don't make that your priority don't be that where your heart is your heart needs to be where God is he's the one who put us in this world he's the one who says make your way in here and grow in character by the resistance and the self-denial that we practice every day don't love the world if anyone loves the world the love of the father is not in him for all that's in the world you know there's that little word all again when God says all he doesn't mean well most he like we might he says all all that is in the world the lust of the flesh the lust of the eyes the pride of life it's not of God it's of the world what can you learn from the world the things not to do anything in the world that you learn any of the opinions any of that stuff that's going on you know be aware of what it is and the world is passing away and we see that happening before our eyes in our lifetimes well our lifetimes as whatever God determines the time is and the world is passing away and the lusts of it but he who does the will of God abides forever he who builds the heart he who asks God to search my heart let me know my intense and motives and let me take the effort to make the effort to change those with your Holy Spirit because that's the only way our hearts can ever change so giving in to lawlessness listening to the things that are going on and the arguments that are out there and everything that's just seems in some cases so senseless you know it's not a better way it's not a better way than God's Way it's the world's way and it won't work the world is passing away don't be influenced by it be influenced by God so we could talk about all those things and there's probably more you could add to that as well but there is one major thing in the that God warns us about as we approach the end times that we need to be aware of and he mentions it many many many times let's go back to Matthew 24 and see it in Christ's own words he brings that up two or three times in the Olivet prophecy and it's throughout the New Testament over and over and over again Matthew 24 and down at the end near the end of the well now let's begin in verse 5 actually Matthew 24 verse 5 he says for many will come in my name saying I am the Christ and they'll deceive many there were people who were living you know in the Paschal John's time we read you know 2nd and the 3rd John people who left the church they were deceived and some of them were deceivers because they weren't guarding their heart they kind of were alive leaning to their own understanding and doing things that the way that they wanted to excuse me again says so many will come in my name and they will deceive many in verse 11 he goes through the four horsemen basically in verse 11 then many false prophets will rise up they will deceive many just for those of us in the church how many do we know that have been deceived over the years and have thrown away the truth of God for some deception because they didn't love the truth and because it didn't become part of their heart that they were guarding down in verse 23 in verse 22 he says for the elects sake those days will be shortened and if anyone says to you look here's Christ or there don't believe it for false Christ's and false prophets will rise and show great signs and wonders to deceive if possible even the elect even the elect it's going to be so so impressive it's going to be so hard to resist that even the elect Christ says it's not going to be simply you don't have to keep the Sabbath anymore that's an easy one to resist you're not to keep the holy days anymore that's an easy one to resist that's not true boy whatever happens between now in the return of Jesus Christ even the elect even the elect could be deceived that means we better know the truth that must be in our heart and we better use the time now to be doing that and he says in verse 25 look I told you this beforehand I don't want you to be taken by surprise this is a warning be prepared know what's going on know what you believe put it in your heart and keep it there and keep it under lock and key don't let someone come in and take it away therefore verse 26 if they say to you look he's in the desert or don't go out or or look he's in the inner rooms don't believe it it's gonna seem really plausible it's gonna seem really really true but he says don't believe that for us the Lightning comes from the east and flashes to the west so also will the coming of the Son of Man be now he tells us how he will be coming to earth he's not gonna be hidden in an inner room someplace that we have to go and find him the whole world will see him as we talked about here on Wednesday every eye will see him so don't be deceived no no what the Bible says lock it in your hearts and keep it there you know today one of the one of the words that I guess one of the phrases that has been coined is fake news right everyone's heard of fake news and I guess one way you can couch what's going to happen in the future is fake prophets and fake Gospels right so fake news we all know what fake news is and you know that that's and we have a lot of it in the world today every once in a while you know I listen to world news and I'll hear things and I'll find my mind going in one way and every once in a while I'll go and look at another Channel and see what that channel has to say and it's like oh I didn't know that so it's not maybe totally fake news but it's selective news what I as broadcaster wants you to think and what you to know so it's very dangerous to just be listening to one channel all the time and I've talked to some people who have and it's caused them some depression and what don't believe everything you hear on TV don't believe every opinion that you hear on TV check it out sometimes listen to other sides so you get the whole story on what's going on because more so than any time that I've been alive news is more this is what we want you to believe and we will take everything and give it to you in that so that we can influence your mind and fluence your heart get you angry too whatever it is listen but pay attention and just don't don'ts don't fall prey to it fake gospel fake teachers fake prophets are even more dangerous and increasingly I mean ever since Jesus Christ was here you can read about it you know down through the ages of the New Testament church Paul back in the early and church in Ephesus he was talking about fake teachers fake people who were gonna come in and take him away as he was leaving that church in Ephesus in acts 20 he said I don't want to leave because I know that after I leave there's gonna be fake teachers come in he said false prophets fake teachers come in what are they gonna do they're gonna try to take you away they just kind of want to build their own congregation they want you to just see things the way they do and he said you know what even in your own congregation even with from in there's going to be people who have new ideas that are going to take you away if they can they're fake they're fake preachers they're fake they're fake Passos it's important it's important for us to know the Bible so that you can choose that you can see what the truth is versus the fake teaching or the false teaching you know 1st Corinthians that that book was written to a church in Corinth that was going off track a little bit they were losing what the track of what the meaning of the laws were and so Paul as he finds out about these things has to correct them you have to do this this is the way you do things you know the Apostle John in 2nd and 3rd John he says do the things you were taught from the beginning don't water them down don't salt them don't don't flavor them in a different way don't think that's not important anymore we're in the 21st century we don't do things and listen everything I hear in the world and everything I hear on the news and everything my friends are saying yeah it does kind of seem like we might be out of step with things don't believe that that's fake it's not truth that's fake news that's fake gospel that's fake preachers ours is in the Word of God no matter how out-of-date in the world's eyes it is because the world's heart does not God's heart and our heart has to be what God has you know in Galatians Paul said to that to the people there who were called into the church they believed they were given a new heart they were baptized and What did he say I marvel at how soon you've departed from the gospel what happened to those people they were influenced by others they kind of listened they didn't have it under lock and key and it began to affect what they thought what they did and he had to come in and say you're you're departing you're losing it you're believing the fake gospel you know Ephesians four we talked about the church many times how God sets it up and that's the body through which he grows us and develops us and that he wants us to be individually where he works with us and as a body as well that we work together to become the house in the temple that he wants us to become and what he says there in Ephesians 4 is that that we are taught that we are no longer that we are no longer people who are carried away by every wind of doctrine you know there's all sorts of winds of doctrine in the world today there are gonna be even more compelling winds of doctrine between now and the return of Jesus Christ if we aren't situated and if where our heart isn't established if we don't know the truth if we have doubts and we're allowing those things to come in I would say you know call me call someone in the church talk get to know what the Bible is if start doing what the Bible says because it's all going to happen find the truth and hold on to it you know in all three of his epistles the Apostle John that were written near the end of his life he talks about false false Gospels fake Gospels fake preachers if you look to whole books as we approach the book of Revelation are dedicated to false teachers and false prophets that's just how compelling the influence is going to be as we approach the end time Jesus Christ said many many will be deceived and it's going to be so compelling that even the elect could be deceived and it's interesting as we head toward the book of Revelation the way the Bible is laid out today that we have two chapters that are totally dedicated to this fake gospel fake preachers and fake teachers let's look let's look at a couple of those because God is warning us and he's giving us time to see well who we are and to make sure we are guarding our hearts so the second Peter 2nd Peter and the other book that's totally dedicated that is the little book of Jude one chapter but here we are in 2nd Peter let's begin it in Chapter 1 and verse 13 we could see what Peter is saying here he he kind of even says some words that as I was looking at these verses this week kind of sound like some of the stuff we've been talking about in verse 13 he says yes you know he goes through the first verses and he kind of talks about the traits that we as Christians need to develop and verse 13 he says yes I think it's right as long as I'm in this tent as long as I'm in this physical body to stir you up by reminding you you know we as people need to be reminded we have to kind of we have to stir it up we have to kind of remember who we are and encourage each other too as it says you know in in Hebrews 10 I think it's right as long as I'm in this temporary body here to stir you up by reminding you knowing that shortly I must put off my tent just as our Lord Jesus Christ showed me moreover I will be careful to ensure that you always have a reminder of these things after my decease and he did right here's a letter here's an epistle it's there that even we're reading it more than just the people that are there today and you know as we talk about these things that occurred to me we have a record of these things that are said in church I mean today we may not have epistles that are being bound into the Bible but they're sermons on the web from the church that teaches the truth the whole truth from the Bible there are booklets that you can read there's the Bible that you can read that's right there in front of you we have those reminders of the things that maybe once in awhile we look for those things and then not think not just choose something that we find titillating but something that might be corrective and instructive and and and peek harked a little bit of what we need to do for we did not follow verse 16 we didn't follow cunningly devised fables we didn't believe fake news when we were preaching this gospel to you we didn't follow cunningly devised fables when we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ but we were eyewitnesses of his majesty for he received from God the Father honor and glory when such a voice came to him from the excellent glory this is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased and you remember in Matthew 17 he said hear him hear him listen to him and we heard this voice which came from heaven when we were with him on the holy mountain and so we have the prophetic word confirmed which you do well to heed God has opened your mind to truth you look at this Bible and you know what it says God's given us the same spirit that when we read these words we know what they mean and some you know some we progress into and we talk about it and we dig into it to know what God says and Peter is saying listen we've got the prophetic words from the Old Testament confirmed I saw it that's what I'm preaching to you I haven't departed to the right or left which you will do which you do well to heed that's a warning as a light that shines in a dark place the truth of God is a light that shines in a dark dark dark world God's led you to that light don't ever wander from it don't wander back into darkness that is a huge message that God would have us have us be aware of do you would do well to heed as a light that shines in a dark place until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts keep going keep moving on keep your hearts keep your eyes on God knowing this first the newer translations say says in verse 20 above all else know that no prophetic nope that no prophecy of Scripture is of any private interpretation boy there's a lot of prophets out there aren't there I can go on the internet and I can look at everything in Revelation and find every imaginable thing that everyone has every thought this is what this means and this is what that means and and on and on and on no prophecy is ever by private interpretation you know there's a danger as I mentioned as we go into the book of Revelation that we've all kind of speculated at some of the things because God gives us the outline of what's going to happen we might speculate on what it is that's going to happen and those kings can kind of become doctrine in our minds after a while if we let them stick up there if we let them be in there too long and it's fine to speculate it's fun to speculate and say what it is but always remember it's gonna be God's will and he does things far different than we as humans would do and that we hold to what the prophecies say and let God interpret the Bible the Bible interprets itself and God will opened our minds to the interpretation of is as as it is here listen to the truth and don't go searching for other truth that titillates your own personal interests fine to do that if you're that if you're that but be guarding your heart that that doesn't sink in because Satan uses any tool he can any tool he can to take us away from the truth for some it's one thing for another it's something else for some it's so this is prophecy I'm gonna listen to this and I'm gonna listen to this guy and I want to believe this and boy that's that appeals to me and all of a sudden we find people who are off doing their own thing verse 21 he says for prophecy never came by the will of man prophecy never came by the will of man but holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit and he goes into chapter 2 verse 1 he says there were also false prophets there were fake prophets among the people even as there will be fake teachers among you who will secretly bring into such destructive heresies even denying the Lord who bought them and bring on themselves Swift destruction secretly deceptive right kind of just introduce something a little bit here's my idea on that now I'll whisper it to this person and this person yeah.well all agree on that yeah that sounds really good that must be what the that must be what that it is and all of a sudden you've got a problem on your or your hands all everyone and many will follow their destructive ways because of whom the way of truth will be blamed go back to our old way listening to man rather than listening to the Bible listening to our own hearts our own understanding rather than listening to the Bible listening to the truth looking at the Bible keeping ourselves closed understanding what's going on and under and doing the truth because in verse 3 we have what the key to all these things is by covetousness they will exploit you deceptive words what do they want they want their own way they want you to have their opinion and those who are deceptive will give you what they want you to hear but you can't do that you can't listen to that you can't lend yourself to your own understanding they're looking to win you covetousness you're the prize by covetousness they will exploit you with deceptive words for a long time their judgment hasn't been idle and their destruction doesn't slumber let's drop down to verse 7 here there's another sermon in 4 or 5 and 6 but let's look at the first two words here first three words of verse four and pick it up in verse seven for if God verse seven delivered righteous lot who was oppressed by the filthy conduct of the wicked lot lived in a time like us right he was oppressed by the filthy conduct of the wicked you know he saw it all around him in Sodom and Gomorrah we see it on TV we hear it in broadcasts we hear it among our friends we hear it you know touted as this and that and whatever we live in the same time lot did who was oppressed by the filthy conduct of the wicked for that righteous man dwelling among them tormented his righteous soul from day to day by seeing and hearing their law deeds that's us we hear and see lawless deeds every day whenever we click on a TV program anymore likely it's gonna have some lawless deeds that are going on in it and yet you know a lot would see it playing out in real life we see it on a tube we hear it on the Internet we might hear someplace else and notice what it says his soul was tormented tormented as he saw those things our our souls tormented when we see those things or have we become callous to him are they just everyday life now this guy the way life is not a big deal because we just carry we keep hearing it over and over and over again even to the point we might think well they have a point they don't have a point they don't have a point it's what the Bible says is right not what man or the world says is right he goes on to verse 9 the Lord knows how to deliver the godly out of temptations and to reserve the unjust under punishment for the day of judgment and then beginning in verse 10 he kind of gives some of the traits of these people that we can belong to look out for when we see false prophets or someone coming to us with a different gospel or we're turning on the internet or turning on TV and find ourselves being lured or our friends saying this and that and whatever he says especially those who especially those who walk according to the flesh in the lust of uncleanness and they despise Authority their presumptuous their gonna take things into their own hands they're gonna do kind of just as put themselves up where they shouldn't be they are presumptuous they are self willed you're not gonna change their mind they're gonna do and keep marching forward with exactly the way they're gonna do things no one's gonna tell them any different they are presumptuous self-willed they're not evil or they're not afraid to speak evil of dignitaries and talks about you know angels don't even do that they don't bring a reviling accusation against us before God or them against God you know they would have every right to say you know what look what so this person did over here no they don't even do that so maybe if we've got these filing accusations that we are are giving to each other or we see us and any of those things we might be looking at our heart than thinking oh that wicked deceitful heart is is coming through again but these like natural brute beats me made to be caught and destroyed speak evil of the things they don't understand and that's a word for today too when you look at fake news may not even understand I mean on all sides right not just one or the other does anyone really understand the whole thing and they will utterly perish in their own corruption and receive the wages of unrighteousness as those who counted pleasure to carouse in the daytime they are spots they are blemishes carousing in their own deceptions while they feast with you that's some tough words those are words that you know we need to be aware of and pay attention to as we head toward the time because there are people what they want to do in their covetousness is they want to win you you're the prize right God wants us and he wants us to yield to him but Satan wants us to not for good he just simply wants us to not follow God he wants to win us so death is our lot so that we don't have the opportunity that God has given us you know we talk about our hearts and we talk about our treasures and we keep them under lock and key why would we do that why do we have locks on our doors why do we keep valuables and says-- why do we have why do we have safe-deposit boxes at at banks why do we do those things we want to keep them safe then we want to keep them from the thieves right the thieves who would come in and take away those valuable things remember what John said back in John 10 actually what what Christ said the John wrote in John 10 as Christ is talking about he's the only way in he's the only way into the flock and that his sheep would know his sheep in verse 10 while we read verse 9 of john 10 i'm the door if anyone enters by me he'll be saved and will go in and out and find pasture but the thief verse 10 that though that the one who wants to steal the sheep the thief doesn't come except to steal and to kill and to destroy i've come that they might have life and they might have it more abundantly so we have christ who's here to give life but we have the thief and we see that continuing through scripture that is here to steal from us the thief satan his influence in people us as we might allow things to happen in our lives and in our thoughts that could help that would make in our covetousness I think I know more I don't have to do that and the fact that I'm hearing that I might have to do that I have to have people to support me so I'm going to get my little Posse together and we're going to form our own group that says we don't have to do that well Pat each other on the back there's a thief that works in so many ways there's the thief that has been at work from the time that Jesus Christ started the church down through the New Testament and that will increase down until the time of Jesus Christ returns but it will become more and more difficult to resist as the time comes we have to be aware we have to be preparing ourselves we have to be doing the things that God called us to do and not allow the thief to come in and steal our treasure our hearts the most valuable thing that we have let's go back to the book of Jude just read a few verses in the book of Jude leading in to the way the Bible is arranged today into the book of Revelation let's just read a few of the verses in here and see that he pretty much parallels what Peter said pretty much parallels what the Apostle John said who was alive you know longer than the rest of the Apostles up into the 90s and to whom was given the book of Revelation to record Jude verse 3 says beloved while I was very diligent to write to you concerning our common salvation I found it necessary to write to you exhorting you to contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all delivered to the Saints you know this is what I'm doing contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all delivered to the Saints contend earnestly for that work at it make it part of your priorities every day and then he says why why we need that we can't just rest on our laurels we can't just say I believe in God and knows everyone change my mind oh I think we would all say that I think everyone who has ever left the church said that at some point in their life I would never leave the church I would never leave the truth I know the truth I would never leave God and yet how many over the years have left because they didn't guard their hearts they weren't prepared they allowed themselves go back to their old hearts and he says in verse 4 do this for certain men have kept crept in unnoticed who long ago were marked out for this common condemnation ungodly men who turned the grace of our God never discount the grace that God has called us into the undeserved pardoned the undeserved favor that we all live under the way that he works with our lives that everything is does is designed to bring us to his kingdom and to develop us into who he wants us to be it's an all-encompassing thing in our lives they turned the grace of our God into lewdness and deny the only Lord God and our Lord Jesus Christ how do you deny the Lord God it isn't just saying I reject Jesus Christ you deny him by not doing the things that he says right that's what Christ said why do you call me Lord Lord and not do the things I say when you don't do the things I say you've rejected me you've denied me and there are people was like well you know what I'm not gonna do that anymore I don't care how God said I want to do it my way I'm not gonna follow what God said because I'm better than that I know more than that but I want to remind you verse five though you once knew this hmm reminding I want to remind you though you once knew this that the Lord having saved the people out of the land of Egypt afterward destroyed those who didn't believe so he's saying you know I've called you I've given you life you got to do something with it you got to be working you got to be guarding your heart you got to be building your heart you got to be doing the things that God called us to do drop down to verse 8 again he begins to talk about these people that come in that can can lure us away that can can cause the problems what are some of the traits that we can look at these dreamers defile the flesh they reject Authority they speak evil of dignitaries yet Michael will read in verse 9 year the Archangel and contending with the devil when he disputed about the body of Moses didn't there bring it bring against him a reviling accusation but simply said the Lord rebuke you but these speak evil of whatever they don't know it's the same thing Peter said you know we ought to get the whole story sometimes sometimes we find ourselves in this trap all the time someone tells you something you think I know what they're doing wrong I've already made my mind up about what they're doing and then you hear the other side of the story you think oh man it's not at all what it seems like I've just gotten part of the story just like watching fake news and sometimes fake Gospels indicate fight fake teachers do the same thing I'll just tell you what you need to hear to lead you to my opinion they speak evil of whatever they don't know whatever they know naturally boy when we read the word naturally that's us right carnal mind natural human mind whatever they know naturally like brute beasts and these things they corrupt themselves woe to them they've gone the way of Cain have run greedily in the error of Balaam for profit and perished in the rebellion of Korah how a rebellious nature a resistant nature an attitude of that doesn't apply to me who are you to tell me what to do yeah those are all natural things from time to time you run into them you know God God is the one who tells us what to do first well these are spots in your low feasts while they feast with you without fear serving only themselves all about them they are clouds without water carried about by the winds late autumn trees without fruit twice dead pulled up by the roots raging waves of the sea foaming up their own shame wandering stars for whom is reserved the blackness of darkness forever 4:16 they are grumblers complainers walking according to their own lusts they want what they want they're not yet to the point where they'll deny self to do what God wants I want to do what I want it always comes down to that walking according to their own lusts and they mouth great swelling words flattering people to gain advantage you know the type we've run into them it's a way of the world but you beloved remember the words which are spoken before by the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ how he told you there are D mockers in the last time who would walk according to their own ungodly lusts Oh that'll be people who would say really do you really believe look everything goes back to the way it was before you really want to believe that you've been waiting for all of your life for this Jesus Christ our return do you really think that's going to happen that's gonna people that say that mock it make you feel like you're a fool to believe that don't fall prey to it know what you know it's locked in your heart and keep it in your heart these are sensual persons they're all about themselves what can please them who cause divisions not having the Spirit I think Peter and Jude give us some pretty good ideas of what to look for when we see these things happening and even more so and even when we see the beast power of Revelation when he's up there espousing his great things what is it about he's all about himself beware understand keep it in the MA keep it in your mind lock it in your hearts that you aren't deceived by any of these things well it'll be more interesting as we approach the end time but we're warned as Christ said see I told you beforehand I've told you beforehand what to do so what do we do what do we do how do we guard our hearts let me summarize here a little bit we can look at the first point here in Jude 20 Jude 20 talks about all these things and these deception that's going to go on he says but you beloved building yourselves up on your most holy faith build your heart build your faith build your understanding take the opportunity that God has given us and he's opened up things recently you know that are a benefit to all of us every single one of us Sabbath services have always been a benefit the weekly Bible studies are a benefits as we do things differently in the Bible study than we do in Sabbath services they're there to build us up that we understand these things that we can discuss these things and that we can build them into our lives build yourselves up in your most holy faith praying in the Holy Spirit I talked about praying last week praying in the Holy Spirit keep yourselves in the love of God you know John tells us in a couple of books back in the second pistol of John and verse six he says this is love that we walk according to his commandments this is the commandment that as you have heard from the beginning you should walk in it what you were taught keep doing don't change it don't modify it don't eliminate it don't think it's past time do it the way you were taught from the beginning do the things and go back to the first love go back to the Bible do those things keep yourselves in the love of God looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life keep your eyes keep your eyes on the goal don't forsake the things that God has given us the opportunity to do as if you think it's unnecessary for any of us okay let's go back to another point Matthew 24 kind of recapping here Matthew 24 Christ's words here Matthew 24 verse 42 24 42 watch ok keep our eyes open don't get lulled to sleep thinking that everything is gonna be ok things are gonna return to normal everything will go on just as it always has right the mockers who say it's gonna get back to normal we just need to wait to time don't have to worry about anything watch therefore for you don't know what hour your Lord is coming but know this that if the master of the house had known what hour the thief would come in he would have watched and not allowed his house to be broken into be aware the thief is ready to break in anytime you give him the opportunity the thief is always at the door waiting for the opportunity for you to leave the door open so he can come in and he can take away everything don't let that happen watch and know the time is near and keep your heart under lock and key you know look no i'ma go I'll turn back there in the middle I'm you finished first 44 therefore he says you also be ready for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you don't expect we don't know could be years from now could be very quickly we don't know but you know what our job is be ready keep our hearts under lock and key guard them build them develop them know that you know get close to God fanned the flames and be ready let's turn back to second John again second John 10 one of the ways to guard our hearts right says don't let the thief don't let the thief in second John 10 and 11 tells us in this area of false prophets okay we got influence we've got TV you know you can actually maybe go home this afternoon and breathed the first part of Ephesians two that talks about you know Satan is the Prince of the power of the air he's the influencer now what we watch and what we see on there it's of his influence read through the first six or seven verses there and get a picture of what's going on in the world and don't forget it verse 10 of 2nd John 10 says if anyone comes to you and doesn't bring this doctrine don't receive him into your house nor greet him for he who greets him shares in his evil deeds you know what John is saying there to the people he saves keep keep what you do the beginning he's saying guard your heart don't even let these people in if they're bringing a different gospel than you know that you've been taught that you believed in that you accepted that you were baptized into don't even listen to them because their only purpose for being is that they will take you away now that doesn't mean if someone comes knocking at your door don't let them in and sit down and have a conversation with them don't have them on the Internet don't turn on their TV programs and think what's going on I'm gonna listen to them listen to God's Word don't let them in because when you let them in you are letting the thief in and you are in danger don't ever forget it and how many have let the thieves in and they have had everything that God has called them to stolen away from them don't let it be any one of us if you have questions you come and ask someone you go back to the Bible and you look at it you be following the truth and only the truth and the third point in guarding our heart James 5 we often go back to the book of James anymore but here James 5 and verse 7 he says therefore be patient brethren remember Philippians 4:6 the patience of God the peace of God will be there therefore be patient brethren until the coming of the Lord wait for him don't think he's not coming don't think just because it's not when you thought or someone else thought that he's not coming therefore be patient until the coming of the Lord see how the farmer waits for the precious fruit to the earth waiting patiently for it until it receives the early and latter rain you also be patient and he says while you're being patient establish your hearts for the coming of the Lord is at hand for the coming for the coming of the Lord is at hand it is closer today of course than it has been in our time any time in our lives but events show much closer than we might have thought back in February perhaps so scarred our hearts let me close in Psalm 84 sound 84 verse 5 and says blessed is the man whose strength is in you yeah blessed is well our strength is in God when our confidence is in him when we realize our strength comes from him his holy spirit builds us and guides us blessed is the man whose strength is in you God not in ourselves not in someone else but in you whose heart whose heart our core is set on pilgrimage remember we're on a pilgrimage here to the kingdom of God to the return of Jesus Christ to his millennium we live in this world we work in this world we abide by God's law in this world God blesses us in this world is it's his intent that we live in this world we build character while we're in this world never forget that you guard your heart that you're on your way to God's kingdom and the only way to get there is through him and by keeping your heart keeping your heart safe for him

Channel: United Church of God Orlando

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Keywords: church, end times, prophecy

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Length: 70min 0sec (4200 seconds)

Published: Sun Jul 05 2020