Sunday, November 3, 2013
am
Success! We often
talk about spiritual success, and it is something we need to emphasize.
We need to understand those
things that will lead to spiritual success – knowledge, purity of heart,
prayer, the importance of the church in your life, etc.
But it is sad reality that many fail spiritually.
Some completely leave God, but others live lives of mediocrity
which in God’s eyes is equally a failure.
God has no tolerance for the lukewarm, hypocritical, compromising
or willfully ignorant Christians.
The consequences of leaving God are serious – Heb. 10:26-31, 2
Pet. 2:20-22, etc.
Because of this, we ought to continually be concerned about
spiritual failure. While we
emphasize things that lead to success, sometimes it is helpful to look
at that which leads to failure.
Understanding what leads to failure can help us avoid those
pitfalls, and thus enhance our chance of success.
In our lesson this morning we want to notice some things that
will lead to spiritual failure.
a.
Procrastination means to
willfully put something off until later, or to hesitate in doing what
needs to be done.
b.
Acts 24:25 – Felix put
off responding to the preaching of Paul.
There is no indication he ever obeyed.
c.
Matthew 25:2-13 we read
of 5 foolish virgins who failed to prepare for the coming of the
bridegroom. The result was
they were left out of
d.
Genesis 19:16 – Lot,
“lingered” when told to leave Sodom.
Because of that he was in danger of being destroyed along with
Sodom. But the messengers
from God took him by the hand and led him out of the city with his wife
and 2 daughters, because of the Lord’s mercy.
e.
Procrastination is often
the product of one hesitating to deal with something that needs to be
done but is unpleasant.
i.
It is often the product
of laziness – Prov. 26:13-16, “The lazy man says, “There is a lion in
the road! A fierce lion is in the streets!” As a door turns on its
hinges, So does the lazy man on his bed. The lazy man buries his hand in
the bowl; It wearies him to bring it back to his mouth. The lazy man is
wiser in his own eyes Than seven men who can answer sensibly.”
ii.
It is often an
indication of one’s priorities being wrong – consider Lot and Felix
above.
iii.
It is often an
indication of indecision – one who fails to make up his mind.
But the Bible says one who is double-minded is not pleasing to
God (Jas. 1:7-8, 4:8)
f.
As Christians, we are
commanded to be industrious.
i.
We are to use our time
wisely – Eph. 5:15-16
ii.
Prov. 6:6-8 – “Go to
the ant, you sluggard! Consider her ways and be wise, Which, having no
captain, Overseer or ruler, Provides her supplies in the summer, And
gathers her food in the harvest.”
“The hand of the
diligent will rule, But the lazy man will be put to forced labor.”
(Proverbs 12:24)
“He who is slothful
in his work Is a brother to him who is a great destroyer.” (Proverbs
18:9)
iii.
Now is the time of
Salvation – Rom. 13:11, 2 Cor. 6:2
g.
When we procrastinate we
might lose opportunities that may never again be available.
We may not be able to fully achieve what we could if get busy
from the outset. It is in
such things that we find failure.
Heb. 3:12-13 – Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your
heart…
a.
It is a huge problem in
our society and it is an attitude that is often present in the Lord’s
body. Rather than taking responsibility for one’s own conduct, the find
others to blame.
b.
Genesis 3:10-13 – it
happened after Adam and Eve sinned.
c.
1 Samuel 15:15, 21, etc.
when King Saul blamed the people for his failures.
d.
We have to take
responsibility for ourselves and our actions.
2 Cor. 5:10 says we shall each give account for ourselves
Gal. 6:5 says, “For each one shall bear his own load.”
Matthew 7:3-5 tells us to remove the plank from our own eye before we
concern ourselves with the speck in our brother’s eye.
e.
When we blame others, we
fail to address that which is wrong and needs to be corrected in our own
lives. The result is
failure! And if it involves
our eternity – the consequences will be eternal.
a.
Another problem we have
to be very concerned about.
In our society, far too many do not take responsibility for their own
conduct. Sometimes they
blame others, but often they just make excuses.
An excuse is a supposed reason for doing or not doing something.
Often it is a less than truthful reason.
Those who habitually make excuses are destined to failure because
they will NOT get done what is expected of them.
b.
Gen. 3:10-13, in blaming
others, including God and Satan, Adam and Eve both made excuses.
c.
Luke 14:15-20 Jesus
speaks the parable of a great supper where they all began to make excuse
for not coming – brought land, brought livestock, just married.
The master was angered.
d.
Luke 9:57-62 – some put
off following Jesus
e.
Matt. 25:24-25 – the one
talent man made pathetic excuses.
f.
Excuses never work in
God’s eyes. He knows your
real motives and your real conduct.
g.
But how many fail to do
what they should and make excuses to justify their failures.
And the bottom lies is – when all is said and done (and excused)
what NEEDED to be done still remains undone!
a.
There is something to be
said about stability. As
Christians we ought to be firmly grounded and not easily swayed. (Eph.
4:14, Col. 1:23) BUT,
we should not be so stubborn that if we are shown that we are wrong, we
refuse to change. Yet, there
are many who are content to be where they are and don’t want to be
challenged to change when it is needed.
b.
As Christians we are to
always be studying and growing.
Maturity means changes will happen.
The audience of the Hebrew letter were rebuked for their failure
to mature. (Heb. 5:12-6:1)
c.
Stubbornness is
dangerous!
Israel was condemned for being “stiff-necked” (Ex. 33:5)
Proverbs 28:14 “Happy is the man who is always reverent, But he who
hardens his heart will fall into calamity.”
Romans 2:4–6, “Or do you despise the riches of His goodness,
forbearance, and longsuffering, not knowing that the goodness of God
leads you to repentance? But in accordance with your hardness and your
impenitent heart you are treasuring up for yourself wrath in the day of
wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God, who “will render
to each one according to his deeds”:”
Heb. 4:7 says, “again He designates a certain day, saying in David,
“Today,” after such a long time, as it has been said: “Today, if you
will hear His voice, Do not harden your hearts.””
d.
Rom. 12:2 speaks of
being transformed which means changing.
If one refuses to change when error is identified he will fail
spiritually.
a.
We are dealing with
spiritual matters. While we
have great responsibilities ourselves (see all previous points and you
can add many others), we need God’s strength!
PRAYER is an avenue God has provided us to go to Him with our
cares and concerns. If we
fail to utilize this avenue, we are setting ourselves up for failure.
b.
Jas. 5:16-18 speaks of
the effective fervent prayer of the righteous man.
c.
Luke 18:1 finds Jesus
teaching us to always pray and to not lose heart.
d.
Phil. 4:6-7 – be anxious
for nothing, but with prayer and supplication let your requests be made
known to God.
e.
Heb. 4:14-16 tells us to
come boldly before the throne of grace
f.
1 Pet. 5:7, casting all
yours cares on Him for He cares for you.
g.
For many this is a
weakness that we must overcome.
a.
Without saying much
about this (because we have addressed it so often), if we love the world
and the things in the world, we are going to fail spiritually.
b.
When Israel demanded,
“Give us a king” it was a desire to be like the world more than serving
God – 1 Sam. 12:19-25. And
it put them in grave danger.
The warning of Samuel proved to be true.
c.
Jesus said we cannot
serve2 masters – Matt. 6:24 You cannot serve God and mammon
d.
James 4:4 tells us that
friendship with the world is enmity with God.
Who do you associate with and who you NOT associate with?
What types of activities do you spend your free time with?
Are you driven more by materialism than spirituality? Etc.
e.
We have to put to death
that old man if we are to serve God! “But you have not so learned
Christ, if indeed you have heard Him and have been taught by Him, as the
truth is in Jesus: that you put off, concerning your former conduct, the
old man which grows corrupt according to the deceitful lusts, and be
renewed in the spirit of your mind, and that you put on the new man
which was created according to God, in true righteousness and holiness.”
(Ephesians 4:20–24)
And thus we can see some things that will lead to spiritual
failure. As we learn what we
ought to do, let us equally learn what we ought NOT to do.
Our spiritual success depends on it.
1 Pet. 3:8-12. Think
about it!