Friday 13th February 2009

1 Timothy 1, Galatians 6:14-16

Before you speak ask yourself, what I'm about to say:

1. Is it completely true? Am I exaggerating?
2. If I'm mentioning someone, would I feel just as comfortable if that person was present?
3. Do I really need to say this? Does it promote others, build people up, inspire, strengthen or affirm?

Neglecting to maintain a pure heart

This is probably the most important warning that Paul gives.

Proverbs 4:23 says "Above all else, guard your heart, for it is the wellspring of life."

The King James version puts it like this "Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life."

'Keep' means to watch, guard, keep, to preserve, guard from dangers or guard with fidelity.

'diligence' means to guard, office, prison, ward, watch.

This proverb has a double emphasis on guarding. Equivalent would be "make sure you do absolutely everything in your power to guard"

Another version says "Guard your heart above all else, for it determines the course of your life."

It's not the class you were born into, not the education you received, not the job you are in now, the friends you have, time you give to the church, or how much of the Bible you know, but the condition of your heart that determines the course of your life.

How much effort are you putting into protecting your heart from disappointment or offence from getting in?

Bitter or better

My friend Andy Hawthorne always said to me when tough stuff or unfair things happened "Well Carl, you can either let this make you Bitter or Better. Which one are you going to choose?"

The choice to react to disappointment, offence, rejection or pain positively or negatively rests with me and me only. Only I can make the decision to let it fester or let go of it and refuse to allow it to direct my future.

So make the choice today to do all that you can to prevent your faith from being shipwrecked. Focus on loving Jesus above all, watch what comes out of your mouth and do all you can to guard your heart.

The opinions expressed in this article are not necessarily those held by Cross Rhythms. Any expressed views were accurate at the time of publishing but may or may not reflect the views of the individuals concerned at a later date.

Carl Belcher
Operations Manager
Ground Level Network
Lincoln
www.groundlevel.org.uk

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Reader Comments

Posted by Ted in Wisconsin @ 15:46 on Sep 4 2018

You say: "I remember listening to a really wise guy talking about spiritual maturity and this is what he said..."

I'd rather study and know what the Word of God says about spiritual growth and maturity, and that requires a lengthy study of it and requires far more than what you've presented. I recommend the One Year Discipleship Course - 52 Lessons in Christian Living (Way of Life Literature) as a start, which itself has four lessons specific to the growth and maturity, but really all 52 are pertinent to loving Jesus by His standard of keeping His commandments. (John 14:15)

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Posted by carilyn in california @ 01:33 on Jun 27 2018

I wish that when I was growing up, there had been more sermons about how Christians can lose their salvation and that it is indeed possible for a born again Christian to wind up in hell,...

Ways a Christian can wind up in hell:

(1) Deliberately continuing sin with knowledge of the truth:
Hebrews 10:25-30
(2) Turning away from God
Hebrews 6:4-8
(3) Not abiding in His Word and in Church attendance:
(not reading Bible daily or regularly)
John 15:5-6
(4) Sowing to the flesh and reaping destruction:
Galatians 6:8
(5) Narrow is the way that leads to eternal life:
Matthew 7:13-14
Narrow way = do the opposite of what your sinful nature feels like doing, take up the cross. Kingdom of heaven taken by force violently (putting to death sinful desires)
(6) Diligence to obey the word
James 1:21 - receive with meekness the engrafted word, which is able to save your souls.
(7) Losing salvation:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M1VIL4cCN0c
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VErocgTw_m8
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LlXBW1VQluc
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x6I9JJyhXd4

The narrow way of salvation:
(1) Read God's word and apply it to your life through SOAP devotional study,
(2) Develop fruit of spirit
(3) Repent and confess all sin, weed out sin from garden of heart
(4) Holiness and obedience to leading of Spirit, walk by faith not by sight.
(5) Do the opposite of what you feel like doing = put to death sinful nature, (take kingdom of heaven by force = violently put to death sinful desires and feelings)

Please preach the narrow way of obedience to God's word as the true way to salvation.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nnM_NtZfQTM

Matthew 7:21
Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.

https://www.evangelicaloutreach.org/can_salvation_be_lost_os as.htm

Shipwrecked,

carilyn

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Reply by Ted in Wisconsin @ 14:49 on Sep 4 2018

The only way a Christian can end up in hell is if he was never saved. (John 10:28) Salvation means being born again with a spirit that will seek to faithfully serve Him.
(Eph 2:10) Though a Christian may lose his reward, he is saved from everlasting wrath. (1 Cor. 3:15)

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Posted by just a nobody in earth @ 06:09 on Dec 1 2011

part 1
take your focus off of yourselves. christ died for you 2000 years ago. he knew you, and your sins before you were even born. and he still paid for them. they're paid for in full. the more you focus on your sins and continual failings, the more you'll continue to sin and fail. the focus is on you, not on what was accomplished on the cross. EVERYTHING was paid for already. your sins have been forgiven, just accept the free gift. take it, God is offering it to you. IT IS FINISHED. the only way someone will ever be set free from the "law of sin and death" is to focus on Christ more and less upon himself. "rightly divide" the word of truth (kjv). read romans through philemon for the grace doctrines that were meant for us today, in this age of grace. if you live under the law, you will be judged by the law. Christ walked the walk according to the law, perfectly, in our place, because he knew we couldn't do it. ever. the law was given as a schoolmaster, to point out our sins, and to point us to the Savior, who did it all for us. that's why when we accept his forgiveness, he takes our sins upon himself, and gives us HIS righteousness in their place.

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Posted by just a nobody in earth @ 06:07 on Dec 1 2011

part 2
it's about HIS faithfulness to us.if we loose faith, he is still faithful to us, because he can't deny himself. he is who he is, and he keeps us in those scars on the palms of his hands. nothing that exists can wipe us off those scars. they are there for us. and there is nothing satan can do to tear us out of those scars. they are permanent, just like we are. "RIGHTLY DIVIDE THE WORD OF TRUTH" and you will learn the difference between living in guilt and condemnation under the law, and the freedom of grace. berean bible society helps many many people come to understand their freedom in Christ, and it truly is liberating. but then again, it is the TRUTH that sets you free after all. i was there, i struggled greatly under doctrines that only condemned and made it seem impossible to be set free from the fear, condemnation, judgement of the law. coming to understand grace was the only thing that helped set me free. some may scoff at dispensationalism, but it truly is the key to understanding the bible and the age of grace we live in today. best wishes to all who read this and continue to seek for the truth that will set them free.

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Posted by Amir in Saudi Arabia @ 20:33 on Jul 9 2011

I can't agree more with you, when a church, or an individual, start losing the focus on the person of a Christ, he is going to end in all nonsense that would not build him and those around him. And, Victory over sin is all about confessing it to the Lord, and letting him do the work by submitting to his word. God Bless you, great article.

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Posted by JAMES FLETCHER in OHIO @ 16:37 on Apr 13 2011

I THINK AS MEN WE ALL FALL INTO THE TRAP OF REPEATED SINS. I SAY TO MYSELF IF I HAD NO SEX DRIVE I WOULD PERFECT. IT IS THE BATTLE THAT EVERY CHRISTIAN MAN FACES.I AM SINGLE NOW AND TEMPTATION IS ALL AROUND AND THE FLESH IS WEAK.CONFESSING A SEXUAL SIN TO GOD IS VERY EMBARASSING.IT IS BETTER TO MARRY THAN TO BURN.WELL DUE TO MY SITUATION I DO NOT HAVE THAT OPTION.GOD HELP ME.I LIKE WOMEN.I WISH THIS FEELING WOULD GO AWAY.I WOULD LOVE TO BE PERFECT HERE AND NOW.BEING SINGLE AS A CHRISTIAN IS TOUGH IN THAT RESPECT FOR A MAN.I TELL MYSELF IF I WERE JUST A LITTLE OLDER I PROBABLY WOULD NOT THINK ABOUT IT BUT I DO NOT KNOW THAT FOR SURE.GOD HELP US ALL AS MEN.

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Posted by Pat Nastasi in Tallahassee Florida @ 01:54 on Aug 16 2010

I truthfully accept what God has told me here of how someone can shipwreck their faith. There is no once saved always saved here. But I have made the mistake of lying to someone tonight. I have made so many mistakes it's not funny. God forbid I continue in my sins. I have been growing in Christ but I keep making mistakes and I hate it. I hate it. I grieve the Holy Spirit every time I sin. I have been taking on some extra jobs to make a little more money and I haven't been reading like I once did and I have been tired. I still pray and read but not like before. Sin is of the devil and I'm NOT to practice sin, especially where the book of Hebrews says, if we willfully sin there is no longer a sacrifice. That scripture scares me and some others do to. But anyway, please write me back. Pat

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Reply by Carl in Lincoln @ 15:49 on Aug 16 2010

Hi Pat,

Thanks for being so honest and vulnerable. I understand how you're feeling and more importantly so does God. They say that nine tenths of the way to dealing with a problem is admitting that you have one, so don't beat yourself up over messing up, but recognize that it's God who has convicted you that you've made a mistake. He only convicts us so that we can come back to Him and receive forgiveness and be restored. It means that He is still very much working in your life and committed to your relationship with Him. 1John1:9 says, "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness." My prayer for you is that now you have openly confessed, you will know that YOU ARE FORGIVEN. Jesus asks that we repent, which simply means to turn around from our wrong doing. You may need to tell the person you lied to of what you did and simply say sorry. We all slip up, but it's those that refuse to stay down that make it. God's peace and love to you Pat, keep going :)

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Shipwrecked Faith

1 Timothy 1, Galatians 6:14-16

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