Intro: Hebrews 2:1
–neglect, careless or apathy is fatal. A believer who because of
negligence… allows the truth and teachings of the Gospel to slip is in
danger of being swept downstream.
Every Christian must examine his or her life on a regular basis for the warning signs of backsliding.
No one is immune.
1. THE FOCUS OF YOUR HEART CHANGES FROM THE THINGS OF GOD TO THE THINGS OF THE WORLD.(Deut. 1:27-36 / I Kings 11:1-4)
a. Solomon began as a man who loved the Lord.
- 1) He walked according to the statutes.
- 2) He built the Temple.
- 3) He experienced God’s love, grace, and deliverance.
- 4) He was given special spiritual understanding.
- 5) He wrote some of the scriptures…. Under the Anointing of the Holy Spirit.
b. Nevertheless, Solomon became hardened by sin’s deceitfulness… he turned away from God and served other God’s:
c. Solomon’s error:
- 1) Seeking Power
- 2) Drive for worldly success
- 3) Desire to accumulate wealth
- 4) Need for sensual pleasure through compromise
- 5) Tolerance of idolatry and Sin.
2. YOU BECOME MORE CONCERNED ABOUT YOURSELF RATHER THAN THE THINGS OF GOD(WORSHIP, SERVICE TO GOD, OTHER PEOPLE ETC.) [John 6:26/ Phil. 2:4,21 / Matt. 22:37-39]
a. Scriptures:
- 1) Jn. 6:26 Jesus answered them and said, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Ye seek me, not because ye saw signs, but because ye ate of the loaves, and were filled. 27 Work not for the food which perisheth, but for the food which abideth unto eternal life, which the Son of man shall give unto you: for him the Father, even God, hath sealed.
- 2) Phil 2:21 For they all seek their own, not the things of Jesus Christ.
- 3) Matt. 22:36 Teacher, which is the great commandment in the law? 37 And he said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. 38 This is the great and first commandment. 39 And a second like [unto it] is this, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself.
b. Things we become concerned with rather than the things of God:
- 1) Pleasing ourselves & families,
- 2) Paying our bills,
- 3) Finding those relationships that seem to build our self confidence.
- 4) Finding that new job that will help us pay our bills.
- 5) Spending time trying tom get others to notice how good we are and what we can do for them.
- c. Things of God-where our focus should be:
- 1) God’s Will
- 2) Godly Character in our lives(Fruit of the Spirit)
- 3) Lost Souls
- 4) Holiness / purity of life
3. YOU NO LONGER HAVE A PASSIONATE LOVE FOR GOD AND HIS WORK.(Ps 18:1/ 119:11,16,17,105/ Hosea 6:1/ 12:6 Zech. 1:3 / Mal. 3:7)
a. Scriptures:
- 1) Ps.18:1 I love thee, O Jehovah, my strength. 2 Jehovah is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer; My God, my rock, in whom I will take refuge; My shield, and the horn of my salvation, my high tower. 3 I will call upon Jehovah, who is worthy to be praised: So shall I be saved from mine enemies.
- 2) Ps. 119:11 Thy word have I laid up in my heart, That I might not sin against thee.
- 3) Ps. 119:16 I will delight myself in thy statutes: I will not forget thy word. 17 Deal bountifully with thy servant, that I may live; So will I observe thy word.
- 4) Hosea 6:1 Come, and let us return unto Jehovah; for he hath torn, and he will heal us; he hath smitten, and he will bind us up..
- 5) Therefore say thou unto them, Thus saith Jehovah of hosts: Return unto me, saith Jehovah of hosts, and I will return unto you, saith Jehovah of hosts
- 6) Mal.3:7 From the days of your fathers ye have turned aside from mine ordinances, and have not kept them. Return unto me, and I will return unto you, saith Jehovah of hosts. But ye say, Wherein shall we return? 8 Will a man rob God? yet ye rob me. But ye say, Wherein have we robbed thee? In tithes and offerings…
b. Here’s what you and others notice:
- 1) Your Time with God dwindles.
- 2) You desire to fellowship with other Christians diminishes
- 3) You hardly ever read your Bible
- 4) Church attendance is erratic
- 5) Your giving is almost nothing.
- 6) Your heart is not in the things of God.
4. YOU QUENCH THE VOICE OF THE HOLY SPIRIT(John 16:13 / 17:17 / I Thess. 5:19)
5. YOUR LIFESTYLE BECOMES MORE SINFUL RATHER THAN MORE HOLY/PURE. (I Cor. 6:9 / Gal. 5:19-21/ Eph. 5:5 / Hew. 12:14-17)
6. YOUR CHURCH ATTENDANCE BECOMES LESS IMPORTANT TO YOU. (Heb. 10:25)
7. YOU NO LONGER RESPOND TO ALTAR CALLS. (II Samuel 12:1-13 / Is. 6:5 / Jonah 3:1-5, 10 / Lk. 18:9-14 /Acts 2:36-38 / Rev. 1:17)
God bless you and give you the Holy Spirit to make His word Prosper in your life, so that it will stand as a testimony for you!
