Dedicated To The Men of God Who Preach the Word of God As It Is To Men As They Are

"Preach The Word"

2 Corinthians 13:5 says, A Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove your own selves. Know ye not your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you, except ye be reprobates?@

Before us is a verse of Scripture that calls for an examination or an exam. The word Aexamine@ means to carefully scrutinize, to closely observe, or to investigate for the purpose of evaluation.

I recall when I was a boy, tests and exams in school were not a very welcome thing. Of all the tests I dreaded when I was in high school, algebra tests were what I most dreaded. The algebra teacher who tried to teach me was not extremely successful in her efforts, to say the least.

Rather than being careful, Satan is out to make us careless in our daily lives. If you go back to the Garden of Eden, you find the Devil there seeking to bring Adam and Eve to the point of carelessness----which would lead to disobedience in divine matters. That same devil is still going about like a Aroaring lion@ (1 Pet.5:8) seeking whom He may devour. The word Adevour@ means Ato drink down@ or Ato swallow up.@ More clearly said, Satan is up to no good. He always has been and always will be.

Do not allow Satan to bring you into a state of carelessness, recklessness, and presumption in your life.

Recently a camera I bought had this instruction with it. They read the followingCAMake sure you take a picture with the camera for a test, before you count on it making an important, one time picture.@ It takes a test, an examination, to be sure something will do what it is suppose to do----that it will hold up when the times comes you must depend upon it.

I believe what the Apostle Paul is saying in our text verse is thisClook at yourself to make sure you really belong to Jesus. They should have known that Jesus was in them, unless they were not real Christians at all. Paul knew he was a Christian when he applied the tests he should have, but he wanted the people in Corinth to make sure they knew they were saved and that there was evidence to back up their profession. The people were testing the Apostle Paul, but he suggests to them they would be wise to examine themselves rather than to examine him. He knew when the proper testing was given that some of them would come short of being a genuine, true child of God.

God has led me to challenge you to test some things in your own personal life and see how you stand in regard to them. As we take the tests be open and honest as to where you really are in relation to the matters I am going to being before you. We are going to look into about five areas of our lives in this message today.

2 Corinthians 13:5 issues the challenge, AExamine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove your own selves.@

Some folks think they are saved who really are not born of God.

Never forget that Satan is a deceiver. As the old expression goes, he tries to Apull the wool@ over your eyes and trick you about your salvation, your service, and your supplication. He wants people to think they are saved, who are really not born again, so he can use them to miss heaven and populate hell.

James lets us know that Atrue faith@ is evidence by our works. Here is what James says about it: A James 2:18, AYea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: shew me thy faith without thy works, and I will shew thee my faith by my works.@ If your works do not back up your profession, then it is a sham or counterfeit religious experience. Works do not provide the basis for your entrance into heaven, but if you are really heaven bound, you evidence that with the right kind of life in your daily walk. I am not saying you will reach the point that you will not sin as a Christian, but I am saying that if you are a Christian you cannot persist in wrong doing continually. You will either be so miserable you cannot continue, or God will take you to the woodshed----divine chastisement will set in on the life of the Christian who is out of the will of God (Heb.12).

The Apostle John in the Book of I John gives us some tests to see if we are in the faith or whether we are not a genuine believer. I will quickly list several of these:

1 Jn. 1:3,4 says:

3 And hereby we do know that we know Him, if we keep His commandments.

4 He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him.

5 ......Hereby we know that we are in Him.

If you are not seeking to obey the Lord in what you do in daily life, then you have no right to claim to be a born-again child of God.

B. If you are saved you will not practice sinning.

1 Jn. 3:6-7 states:

6 Whosoever abideth in him sinneth not: whosoever sinneth hath not seen him, neither known him.

7 Little children, let no man deceive you: he that doeth righteousness is righteous, even as he is righteous.

I did not say you would not sin, but you will not make it a practice of sinning. The word in your King James Bible rendered Asinneth@ is so suggestive as you think about the Greek New Testament tense of the word. It is present tense, which suggest that is speaks of linear action or a practice. It declares to us that the one who goes on sinning day in day out, month in month out, year after year, delving in the same sin, is not truly a child of God. I did not originate that truth, the Bible says it is so!

1 Jn. 3: 8 makes it clear that the one who practices sinning is of the devil. AHe that committeth sin is of the devil@ (1 Jn. 3:8). If you keep practicing some particular sin and will not turn from it, you are of the devil. The devil is your father not God.

1 John 3:14 reminds us, A We know that we have passed from death unto life, because we love the brethren. He that loveth not [his] brother abideth in death.@

This verse does not say that you will approve of everything about everybody, but it does say there will be love in your heart. If you do not have love in your heart toward fellow believers, you are called a Amurderer@ (1 Jn.3:15) and do not have eternal life, no matter how many religious terms you may know.

Hatred has no place in the life of a child of God.

1 John 3:24 teaches, A And he that keepeth his commandments dwelleth in him, and he in him. And hereby we know that he abideth in us, by the Spirit which he hath given us.@

If the Holy Spirit of God is in you, peace, love, joy, will be a part of your daily living. There will be a Arestrainer from sin@ inside of you if you are a child of God.

All saved people have the Holy Spirit, but He does not always have all of Him.

1 John 4:6 declares, AWe are of God: he that knoweth God heareth us; he that is not of God heareth not us. Hereby know we the spirit of truth, and the spirit of error.@

Saved, born again people will want to hear the truth taught and preached.

Why? The believer has faith and faith is the victory that overcomes the evil world system. The person who is dominated by this evil atmosphere of rebellion, greed, lust, dope, drugs, and alcohol, is overcome by the evil system, and stands in need of a new birth from God Almighty.

How do you stand when your life is tested in light of what the Apostle John says? Are you genuine or counterfeit? Are you really born of God or have you just thought you were because you make some profession of faith somewhere in your past? You are a wise person if you will examine yourself to see if you are really in the faith or whether you are not.

When you are truly saved, it changes your life. Old things pass away, sinful things are put behind you, and all things become new. After conversion, you begin to walk in a newness of life.

Jesus taught a whole hearted, all out surrender to Himself.

In Luke 14:33 Jesus said, A So likewise, whosoever he be of you that forsaketh not all that he hath, he cannot be my disciple.@ We know Christ is not telling us it is wrong to own a nice automobile, a piece of property, nice car, friends, etc., but He does mean for us to know if He calls upon us to give up a friend or some material possession, of which He does not approve, we should be willing to co-operate with His wishes for us.

There are four things I am going to mention to you today that should be on your priority list as far as commitment goes.

1 Thess. 5:17 says, APray without ceasing.@ That is not a suggestion. It is a command.

Charles Haddon Spurgeon of England, known as the APrince of Preachers@ said, A If the royal and divine Son of God cannot be except from this rule of asking that he might have, you and I can not expect the rule to be relaxed in our favor. Why should it be? If you may have everything by asking and nothing without asking. See how vital prayer is!@

Do you pray any at all during the day?

How much do you pray a day?

How much do you pray in comparison to how much you watch T.V. or participate in your favorite hobby?

How much do you pray when things are going good in your life?

About everybody will call upon God when things are going badly.

We need to be more committed to prayer. It is untold what God would do if we would pray more about our nation, our homes, our church. Prayer looks to God as the source of blessing and help.

Hell is defeated, demons are driven back, needs are met, and glory is manifested as we pray to our Heavenly Father.

The presentation of what? The tithe and the offering.

Malachi 3:10 says, A Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in mine house, and prove me now herewith, saith the LORD of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that [there shall] not [be room] enough [to receive it].@

We have people who work on Sunday, who are not able to be here a lot of Sundays out of the month, but they are faithful to send the tithe and offering when they are absent. What a shame that others who come about every service, do not appreciate the ministry of the church to their lives enough to obey God in the matter of the tithe.

I read somewhere about a man to came to visit his pastor. He told the pastor, A My tithe is a problem. When I made only fifty dollars a week, it wasn=t that much trouble to drop in five dollars in the offering plate. Now that I have a much larger income, I can=t spare the large amount of tithe that would be my portion now. I wonder if you could help me with this problem?@

The pastor said, AI think I can. Let=s pray about it.@ The pastor began to pray and said, ALord, Bill=s tithe is a problem to him because he makes so much money. I pray that you will give him business reverses, reduce his income, so tithing won=t be a problem.@

The man interrupted the prayer and said,@ Wait a minute pastor, I think I can tithe without it being a real problem.@

Heb. 10:25 says, ANot forsaking the assembling of ourselves together as the manner of some is.@

There are at least 156 opportunities a year you have to come to the church house for services.

1. How many times did you miss this past year?

2. What did it take to get you to miss?

Aunt Sue or Uncle Alfonzo coming by?

Was it a T.V. program that caused you to miss church?

Was it poor planning and allotment of your time?

3. Is church Aimportant enough@ to you?

It should not be just important but important enough to get you there when the doors are open.

PrayerBpresentationBplace of worship

Psalms 119:9 says, AWherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way? by taking heed [thereto] according to thy word.@

How much do you read your Bible every day?

1. It will keep you out of sin.

2. It will guide your life.

3. It will warm your heart.

4. It will rebuke your wrong-doings.

5. It will reveal Jesus, who He is and what He can do for you.

How important is the Bible to your life?

Century after century- still it stands.

Dynasty after dynasty- still it stands.

Kings are crowned and uncrownedBstill it stands.

Despised and torn to pieces, still it stands.

Storms of hate swirl about it, still it stands.

Atheists rail against it, still it stands.

Profane and prayerless people belittle it, still it stands.

Unbelief abandons it, still it stands.

Thunderbolts of wrath smite it, still it stands.

The flames are kindled about it, but still it stands.

ConversionCCommitment

The Bible says, AAnd some having compassion, making a difference@ (Jude 1:22). ACompassion@ means Ato help the afflicted and bring help to the wretched.@

Compassion is seen in the parable of the Good Samaritan.

30 And Jesus answering said, A certain man went down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell among thieves, which stripped him of his raiment, and wounded him, and departed, leaving him half dead.

31 And by chance there came down a certain priest that way: and when he saw him, he passed by on the other side.

32 And likewise a Levite, when he was at the place, came and looked on him, and passed by on the other side.

33 But a certain Samaritan, as he journeyed, came where he was: and when he saw him, he had compassion on him,

34 And went to him, and bound up his wounds, pouring in oil and wine, and set him on his own beast, and brought him to an inn, and took care of him.

35 And on the morrow when he departed, he took out two pence, and gave them to the host, and said unto him, Take care of him; and whatsoever thou spendest more, when I come again, I will repay thee.

36 Which now of these three, thinkest thou, was neighbour unto him that fell among the thieves?

37 And he said, He that shewed mercy on him. Then said Jesus unto him, Go, and do thou likewise.

The church that gets the job done in this world for the Lord is the compassionate churchBone that can be moved by the needs of others.

That includes material needs, but primarily spiritual needs.

I am not referring to professional bums, but where there is

a genuine need.

ConversionCCommitmentBCompassion

The Great Commission is given to us some 5 times in the Bible. Every time it is given there is a different emphasis:

(Matt. 28:18-20; Mk. 16:15; Luke 24:47 ; Jn. 20:22; Acts 1:8)

In Matt. 28:18-20 it involves:

A. Going AGo Ye@

Are you going out to win others? How hard are you working at it or are you doing it at all?

ATo observe all things@

Abaptizing them@

Are you being obedient in trying to evangelize the world?

That starts at home and goes from there. A boat ride or an airplane trip does not make a person a missionary. The missions desire must be in the heart!

When we Ago@ we can expect the Alo.@ The commission starts out with the Ago@ and ends with the promise of the Alo.@ What is the lo? Jesus said, ALo I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world.@ There is blessing for the one that goes out to seek to point others to the Lord.

ConversionCCommitmentBCompassionBCommission

By this I refer to what you say. Some folks just do not know how to use their tongues. Many have tongues full of poisonB

those tongues being more poisonous than the bite of a serpent and more foul that the water in a sewer.

Ja.3:1-10

& My brethren, be not many masters, knowing that we shall receive the greater condemnation.

2 For in many things we offend all. If any man offend not in word, the same is a perfect man, and able also to bridle the whole body.

3 Behold, we put bits in the horses' mouths, that they may obey us; and we turn about their whole body.

4 Behold also the ships, which though they be so great, and are driven of fierce winds, yet are they turned about with a very small helm, whithersoever the governor listeth.

5 Even so the tongue is a little member, and boasteth great things. Behold, how great a matter a little fire kindleth!

6 And the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity: so is the tongue among our members, that it defileth the whole body, and setteth on fire the course of nature; and it is set on fire of hell.

7 For every kind of beasts, and of birds, and of serpents, and of things in the sea, is tamed, and hath been tamed of mankind:

8 But the tongue can no man tame; it is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison.

9 Therewith bless we God, even the Father; and therewith curse we men, which are made after the similitude of God.

10 Out of the same mouth proceedeth blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not so to be.

There is a couple of folks here this morning whose mouths are full of poison and set on fire of hell. You need to use your tongue right instead of downing God=s men, the deacons of this church, and the church itself.

You destroy people=s confidence in your when you are always on the attack when it comes to God=s church and God=s men. You did your own social grave when you do that!

Someone saved, answer to prayer, someone=s testimony, etc.

Our speech should build up God and His church.

Speak that which will build up or Aedify@ other believers.

The gospelBwhat God has done that the unbeliever might hear and believeBthat God might use it to goad or prick the sinner, bringing him to repentance and faith.

Have you been honest as you listened?

How is your grade when you examine yourself as to your conversion, your commitment, your compassion, your commission, and your conversation or your tongue?

Do you know you are saved after careful examination?

Christian--let=s give us best in the things of God because our time is running out. Work for the night is coming, when man's work is done.

Sermon From Dr. Tom Walker

Site created by Tom Walker