Transcription downloaded from https://yetanothersermon.host/_/church4u/sermons/86580/take-heed/.

Disclaimer: this is an automatically generated machine transcription - there may be small errors or mistranscriptions.
Please refer to the original audio if you are in any doubt.


[0:00] How long has it been since your home had a building inspection?

[0:14] ! Every building could do with a building inspection from time to time.! I want to point to you some take hands in the Bible.

[0:25] The first of these three is take hands to your building. Now this building has not been here all that long but if you take a close look and start to see it's already falling apart.

[0:36] It's already starting to crack and show its signs of wear and tear and age. A bit like me. Things grow old, don't they? And they start to grow faulty and start to crack.

[0:49] And we need to take head to the building. In 1 Corinthians 3, spiritually speaking, we see how our lives are like a construction project.

[1:01] And each one of you, each one of us is building a life. You are building a life block by block, day by day, moment by moment. You are constructing something with your life.

[1:13] Some of you are much younger than me. Some are somewhat older. All of us are building something, day by day. Building something out of our lives. We're construction workers, if you like. Laborists together with God.

[1:26] So how are you building? It's an important question. So these three take hands we're going to look at tonight. The first one is take heed how you build.

[1:37] How are you building? 1 Corinthians 3 from verse 10 it says, According to the grace of God which is given unto me as a wise master builder, I have laid the foundation, and another buildeth thereon.

[1:50] But let every man take heed how he buildeth thereon. Paul says, I'm a master builder. I've laid the foundation, another builds thereon.

[2:02] But let every man take heed how he buildeth thereon. It matters on what we are building. On what we are building. There's some areas around Adelaide particularly with clay soils that you've got to make sure the foundation's right.

[2:17] I know Julie and I, the first house we had built together was at Burton. We had to have an extra build up over the foundation because of the clay soil there.

[2:28] And the foundation had to be sure. What are you building your life upon? Is it a foundation that is sure that will stand the test of time?

[2:39] Is it a sure foundation or is it a shaky foundation? Is our life built on that foundation on which we can rely, that foundation which is made to last?

[2:51] Or is it a foundation that will not stand up to the test of time? Every day you are building your life. We read on from verse 11 it says, For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid which is Jesus Christ.

[3:10] Now if any man build upon this foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble.

[3:22] Six different kinds of building materials are mentioned here. One day your life will be shown for what it is. Verse 13 Every man's work shall be made manifest.

[3:38] In other words revealed. For the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire. And the fire shall try every man's work of what sort it is.

[3:51] So we are building, there are some six building material types talked of here. A day is coming when the substance, the material that we are building will be revealed of what sort it is.

[4:06] It will be revealed by fire. Friends there is time coming when our works will be evaluated. They will be inspected as it were. As a building inspector would inspect the building and sign it off as complying with that which is of quality construction.

[4:25] And we likewise will have the building project that is our lives evaluated. So we ought to take heed how we build. Our lives are going to be tried by fire.

[4:39] It goes on in verse 14 If any man's work abide which he hath built there upon, he shall receive a reward. If any man's work shall be burnt, he shall suffer loss.

[4:52] But he himself shall be saved, yet so as by fire. Now the word of God tells us that the fire is surely coming. A fire is surely coming and it will reveal the condition of what we are building.

[5:09] What will your life's work be? At the judgement seat of Christ. It will be revealed for what it is. Everything will be stripped away.

[5:21] Everything will be laid bare, revealed. Some will be embarrassed in that day. When we stand in the Saviour's perfect holy presence.

[5:32] All the word, hay and stubble will be burnt up. And I was saying just this morning to someone, it will just be like, we've just got a pile of ashes in our hands for the life we've lived.

[5:46] What a tragic thing to be a Christian, save yes, but our work's burnt. And nothing to show for the life we've lived. Just word, hay and stubble that will disappear in a puff of smoke as it were.

[6:03] What could this mean? We could relate that it could refer to the things of human effort and energy, of human invention.

[6:16] And vain works. Works done in a fleshly way. Works done to be seen of men. Works done without the right motive, without the holy impulse behind them.

[6:29] Vain works. Your life's work can be wood, hay and stubble. Just like straw. Just very consumable items.

[6:42] Or it can be gold, silver, precious stones. Something sparkling and beautiful. What will it be for you? Some of what we have invested our life in will come forth as gold.

[6:56] The fire will just make it look even brighter and more glorious. It will come forth as gold, pure, purified from impurities.

[7:07] Take heed how you build. Take care. It's important how we build our lives. Some people think, as someone put it, Well, praise the Lord.

[7:19] I'm glad I don't have to account for anything when I go to heaven. There is now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus. They forget the second part of that verse.

[7:30] Who walk not after the flesh and such like. But they think, praise the Lord, there's no condemnation. I'm just enjoying this free ride to glory on the glory train.

[7:42] But it says, we shall all appear before the judgment seat of Christ. Romans 14, verse 10. That's telling words, isn't it? All means all.

[7:55] Now you can look it up in the Greek. It still means all. There's no getting around it. It's there in black and white. In three letters. A-L-L. All. All means all. We shall all appear before the judgment seat of Christ.

[8:09] We can't get around it. And everybody that's in this room today will appear before him. That's it. That's daunting to think of, isn't it? Really. We ought to be mindful of that.

[8:21] As we live the lives that we live here below. That one day the reckoning time will come. And every single one of us will appear before the judgment seat of Christ.

[8:32] Now the good news about this judgment is that according to verse 15 of 1 Corinthians 3. We see that everyone at this judgment time will be saved.

[8:45] There's no doubt of your salvation here. About the works that shall be tried and shall be made manifest. At this judgment time, the judgment seat of Christ, which is only for believers, only for those who are saved.

[9:02] You are saved. The Lord Jesus doesn't judge you for your sin. If you're a Christian, your sin was paid way back when you first trusted Christ.

[9:13] And really at Calvary's Hill, it was paid. It was paid there and you cashed in as it were when you trusted Christ as your Lord and Saviour. And so at that moment, at that point, all your sins were paid for in full.

[9:26] And the judgment against your sins was vented in full there at Calvary's Hill at the cross of Christ as he bled and died and expired for us and rose again.

[9:38] And that's something we ought to be very mindful of. And that's something we ought to be very mindful of. Fellow believer, your works will be judged. And so believers, we ought to be mindful of that.

[9:55] We will be rewarded for the deeds that we have done. But are they deeds that are done with the right motive? Are they deeds that are done to honour and glorify our Lord?

[10:06] They will be gold, silver, precious stones. You know, the word tells us, lay up for yourselves treasure in heaven. Live in such a way that your life will be worthy of him.

[10:18] And that's not to say even if we live a solid Christian life, we've really got anything to lay claim for. Because really, it's the least we can do, isn't it? We're unprofitable servants.

[10:29] This is the least we can do. Is to do our level best for his kingdom and seek to honour him and please him with our life. Live a life that's worthy of him. So take him, it says.

[10:41] Take him. What are some of the things that we ought to avoid building into our lives? One of those you could say is hypocrisy. Hypocrisy.

[10:52] Our Lord rebuked those who trusted in themselves. In Luke 18 verse 9. The context there is the two people going to pray. And the Lord Jesus, it says, he spoke this parable to certain which trusted in themselves.

[11:08] That they were righteous and despised others. Luke 18 verse 9. Some trusted in themselves. Now, I don't know about you, but I can't even trust myself.

[11:21] You know, it's true that you can't, you know, don't put your trust in man. So that means everybody else, but you can't even trust yourself, can you? When it really boils down to it, don't put your trust, your confidence in the flesh.

[11:35] And this is what the supposedly righteous Pharisees did. They trusted in themselves. What a shame. They're putting their trust in the wrong place. And Matthew 16 verse 6, it says that the Lord Jesus says, Take heed, there's those words again, take heed and beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and of the Sadducees.

[11:56] The Lord Jesus says, take heed, watch out for this, take care of this, look out for this, take heed and beware of the leaven. The leaven, you know, that insidious work that infiltrates them and contaminates them has that impact of leaven, as it were, of the doctrine of the Pharisees.

[12:16] So for some of the building materials of their lives are just a vain show. The Lord Jesus says, take heed again. In fact, he says it quite a few times, we're only touching on some. Matthew 6 verse 1, it says, the Lord Jesus says, take heed that you do not your arms before men, arms speaks of giving.

[12:34] Take heed that you do not your arms before men, to be seen of them, otherwise you have no reward of your Father which is in heaven. You know, some make a show of their giving and they brag on them.

[12:48] Better not to have done it. Do it in secret. Let your giving be in secret. You know, the Bible has got some secrets in it. There's some top secrets here and they're good secrets to have.

[13:00] Secrets that you and I should have. Some secret things that are good for a Christian to have. Not secret sins, but I guess, what's the opposite of sins? Secret good things. Secret good things.

[13:11] It says, the Lord Jesus says, take heed that you don't do your giving to be seen of men. Otherwise, there's no reward for you. And he says the same about praying and about fasting.

[13:22] Take heed, he's saying, take heed that your arms, that thine arms may be in secret. Matthew 6 verse 4. Matthew 6 verse 6, it says, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet.

[13:36] When thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret, and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly. So, you're praying too. You're praying should be something in that private, secret, personal prayer time, that God will reward you openly for at that time.

[13:56] And Matthew 6 verse 18, it goes on about, that thou appear not unto men to fast, but unto thy Father which is in secret. And thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly.

[14:09] So, what's God going to reward openly? The things that we do in secret. Those blessed things that you do as a Christian believer that you don't get any praise and acknowledgement for by men or by show to others.

[14:20] Those things that you do in secret, God says he's going to reward you openly. Prayer, fasting and giving. Take heed, take heed.

[14:31] Watch out for pride. Now sometimes we can do good things with the wrong motive and this woodhane stubble. In building a life we need to take heed to ourselves.

[14:42] Take heed lest we get puffed up with pride. Now I was kind of joking this morning that everyone's got to line up with my beliefs for them to be accurate and right.

[14:53] And I guess we all have times when we think like that. But we can all get puffed up with pride and think that my way is the only way and everyone else is in false doctrine. We can get puffed up with pride.

[15:05] Sometimes we can get supposed great head knowledge that we get too inflated an opinion of ourselves, don't we? Isn't that true? I know that's true of me.

[15:16] You know, sometimes, you know. 1 Corinthians 8 verse 1 it says, Knowledge puffeth up, but charity edify. In other words, charity builds up people.

[15:27] Knowledge just puffs up yourself. You just get an inflated kind of ego. Sometimes we can think we've arrived and there's no more we can learn. Knowledge puffs up.

[15:38] You know, you might have your theology down pat. Absolutely. You know, ABC. Absolutely all totally doctrinally, pristine, accurate.

[15:50] There's absolutely no deviation. You've got it absolutely 100% right. Knowledge puffs up. We can get so right that we miss what's really right. Our hard attitude.

[16:01] And we can get proud. Here's another take heed. In 1 Corinthians 10 verse 12 it says, Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall.

[16:13] If you think you stand, well, you better watch out. Because you've got to take heed lest you fall. If you think you're just, everyone else is falling apart and you've got it all just right.

[16:24] When you think that you stand, take heed lest you fall. And another thing about this taking heed in relation to others is that sometimes even when someone is in downright error, where we've got to discipline them.

[16:40] And this is, sometimes it does happen and sometimes it is necessary. In Galatians 6 verse 1 it says, Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual restore such a one in the spirit of meekness, considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted.

[16:58] So, it's interesting isn't it? Someone's overtaken in a fault, it's absolutely crystal clear, they've sinned, they've done the wrong thing. We that are spiritual, hopefully, we are the ones who go and restore them and try to bring them back to right belief and practice.

[17:16] Watch out for yourself while you're doing it. Watch out for yourself. And do it in a spirit of meekness. This can happen in church discipline where the spirit of meekness is lacking. It's all about under my thumb.

[17:29] The spirit of meekness must be that attitude that occupies us because all of us are just as inadequate and just as weak. And we need to treat others with that meek spirit.

[17:41] The meek spirit is very important. So every believer's work is going to be tried by fire. Fire will determine of what kind of material that it is. The Lord Jesus is going to judge every believer's work.

[17:53] We can think there's numbers of crowns in the Bible. It speaks of the crown of joy as to those who witness. That's 1 Thessalonians 2 verse 9. Those who faithfully witness the gospel will have a crown of joy.

[18:06] There's a crown of righteousness given to believers who've kept the faith through severe temptation. 2 Timothy 4 verses 7 through 8. Paul says to Timothy, there's a crown of righteousness laid up for you.

[18:18] There's a crown of life spoken of in James 1 verse 12 for those who faithfully persevere through trials. There's a crown of glory for those who feed and minister to the flock.

[18:31] There's lots of crowns spoken of. And the Bible speaks of throwing crowns at his feet as well. So one could imagine that really all praises to him ultimately anyway.

[18:43] But friends in this time while we're living here now, it's mindful for us to take hand. Take hand how you build. Choose your building materials carefully. Will you choose the right building materials?

[18:57] It's very, very important. Now we've got a builder here in our midst who can tell us the right building materials to use. I know there was a time that I was looking for some wood for a building project and stamped on this wood it said not for construction purposes.

[19:14] There's some wood that's counted as not strong enough isn't there Stuart? There's some wood that's not up to the par, it's not up to the standard to build a building. To build a structure with. And I was reading lately too in North Korea apparently they build buildings really fast.

[19:29] Very, very fast. And there's some question about how long such buildings are going to last. Because they've just put them up in a rush without the necessary preparations.

[19:40] We can make the mistake of building a life without the right materials. And yet rather let's build as the men and women of God of old. Here's a story of one such man of God.

[19:53] David Brainerd was a young American who died at the age of 28. 28. All he possessed was a cowhide he wore with a rope tied around it. Used to ride over the Susquehanna River, however they say it, to fire the Indians.

[20:09] And David had this severe case of tuberculosis and he only weighed about 95 pounds. And his diary said this, I got up this morning and the Indians were still committing adultery and drinking and beating their tom-toms and shouting like hell itself.

[20:26] I prayed from a half hour after sunrise to a half hour before sunset. There was nowhere to pray in the Indian camp. I went into the woods and knelt into the snow and it was up to my chin.

[20:38] No, he didn't have a heater with him or anything else. He was just there in the frigid snow, tuberculosis and all. And he continued, I wrestled in prayer until a half hour before sunset.

[20:51] I could only touch the snow with the tips of my fingers. The heat of my body had melted the snow. What an amazing testimony of intercessory prayer. And this is a preacher who's quoting this.

[21:03] He says, Well, God pity us. God pity us. We can't even get people into our churches to pray. We have velvet cushions on the seats and nice stuff on the floor so our darling little knees won't get hurt.

[21:16] David Brainerd, Praying Payson, John Hyde, Reece Howells. When God put the fire to their devotional life, I don't think there will be anything lost. It won't be word hay and it won't be stubborn.

[21:29] Friends, there's people who are living the life. And we should be stirred by the example of such men and women of God. Read some good Christian biographies of the men and women of God of past history.

[21:42] Read Fox's Book of Martyrs and see those who loved not their lives unto the dead. They were willing to take the martyrs place.

[21:54] You're constructing a life today. Day by day, block by block by block. You're constructing a life. Take him to your building, number one.

[22:05] Second point, take him to your Bible. Take him to your Bible. Another take him. In Psalm 119 it says, Ten many years ago, Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way?

[22:19] By taking heed their tune according to thy word. Psalm 119 verse 9. This was written some 3,000 years ago. But these words are still true for today.

[22:31] They're still true for today. How can a young man cleanse his way? By taking heed their tune according to the word of God. It's still true today. How can we live clean in a dirty, dirty world that's ever more so?

[22:46] Take heed to your Bible. Take heed to your Bible. Only the washing of the word can cleanse the soul of its dread defilement. Only the word of God and its soul saving message has the power to affect that washing that we need.

[23:07] That deep soul cleansing action. No philosophy or self help guru can bring you this cleansing. No new age idea can save you and cleanse your innermost heart.

[23:23] David memorised the word. He said, Thy word have I here in my heart, That I might not sin against thee. O how I love thy law, And it is my meditation all the day.

[23:35] God's word brings great cleansing power. In Ephesians 5 verse 26 it says, Of the church that he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word.

[23:50] And the Lord Jesus when he spoke to his own disciples he says, Now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you. John 15 verse 3.

[24:02] We need that cleansing today in this foul world. We need something to cleanse our hearts. Now ye are clean through the word that I have spoken unto you says our Lord.

[24:17] In 2 Peter 1 verse 19 it says that we have a more sure word. A more sure word. There is an assurance here for us. In 2 Peter 1 verse 19 it says, We have also a more sure word of prophecy.

[24:33] Where unto ye do well that ye take heed as unto a light that shineth in a dark place, Until the day dawn and the day star arise in your hearts.

[24:45] We have a more sure word of prophecy. So firstly take heed to your building. The building that is your life. Secondly take heed to your Bible.

[24:58] And thirdly take heed to your beliefs. Take heed to your beliefs. In 1 Timothy 4 verse 16. Paul says to Timothy, Take heed unto thyself and unto thy doctrine.

[25:11] unto thyself and unto thy doctrine continue in them for in doing this thou shalt both save thyself and them that hear thee take heed unto thyself and unto the doctrine continue in them for in doing this thou shalt both save thyself and them that hear thee let's not be afraid people of God let's not be afraid to stand up for what we believe in to stand up for the truth what we stand for is important firstly take heed to yourself you know sometimes we can make the mistake of everybody else is wrong in some way or other but I'm okay I'm alright Jack you know she'll she'll be right no worries with me you know it's easy isn't it but what does it say let a man examine who himself let a man examine himself look at yourself take heed to yourself you know there's needful times where we might bring correction I'm not denying that and it's needful and important there's correction there's discipline and such things but what does the word say to you and to me it says take heed to thyself thyself that singular me you thank heed to yourself take heed to yourself firstly I say I say I say do you know that you know that you know I'm saying today that is the first question are you truly say truly say be sure of that be sure of that be sure of that now today for time and eternity be sure be sure that you're side and that assurance doesn't come by feelings or a particular moment or a particular ritual or something that happened some religious event but it's faith it's faith do you trust him have you trusted him have you trusted him are you truly say be sure of that firstly then go on go on as a Christian go on on on in your Christian life don't be a Christian who stays stagnant and static Paul says take heed unto yourself and unto the doctrine it's important we get our doctrine right that it is right that it is rightful right doctrine teaching matters what we teach matters some things we do not teach but some things we teach against that gets people's backs up sometimes but it's needful doctrine needs to be sound and declared it doesn't mean we make a point of picking on every controversial matter to differ with others on but we need to make sure it's sound doctrine and saving doctrine doctrine that's according to salvation doctrine that talks about the faith that saves faith that saves it's faith that saves it's not faith plus that saves there's some churches that teach it's faith plus equal salvation that's wrong it's not faith plus something that saves us now some say it's faith plus baptism so unless you're unless you're baptized you're not saying well the thief on the cross wasn't baptized you know there's numbers of situations where the baptism doesn't say of itself it's purely a witness now some say it's faith plus you've got to do so many good works and and you've got it if at any time you disobey then you lose it and you go back to square one you're unsaved again so some people think oh I was saved today and I lost it

[29:06] I lost it once and then regained it and lost it and got it again no it's no way you're saved once once for all he saves once he saves us at one time and he gives us what's called eternal life eternal means eternal everlasting when you're saved you're saved for time and eternity can a christian be disobedient yes he can god chastise his disobedient children they're still his children they're still his children they're not unadopted or somehow unborn again if you're his child you're saved we ought to live like it mind you and god forbid that we should take um take a foolish stand and think we can just live how we please but there is some good things to add to your faith let me read things you know this is a familiar text in 2 peter 1 2 peter 1 there's some good things to add to your faith so whilst you're saved you have faith you believe in jesus as your lord and savior that's the starting point and but don't leave it there there's some things to add to your faith in 2 peter 1 from verse 5 there's things to add to your faith peter says besides this giving all diligence add to your faith virtue and to virtue knowledge and to knowledge temperance and to temperance patience and to patience godliness and to godliness brotherly kindness and to brotherly kindness charity for if these things be in you and abound they may you that you shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our lord jesus christ saving faith saving doctrine it's doctrine that's sound god's saving truth be where it's preached and believe where people are saved by his mercy and grace we're living in a time of doctrinal chaos and confusion you know the popular preachers by and large i'm not knocking all of them but by and large many of the popular preachers are um printing a lot of um confusing things that are i believe quite doubtful and and and dangerous the bible speaks at a time when there'll be a veritable famine of hearing the words of the lord and doctrine is sadly neglected in these days today and you know some people have said to me and i i preached on something and i named some names and then someone came up to me right after that message and says oh i listened to so and so and she's really good she's a really good preacher don't they get it you know something goes it goes in one ear and it doesn't penetrate the gray matter in between there's some teachers that are false teachers uh there's some doctrine that is not sound doctrine it's false doctrine it's false doctrine there's a lot of doctrine that abounds that is false doctrine and we see much of that today and i believe the days are coming brothers and sisters when persecution will arise for those who care about the truth enough to believe it and practice it and proclaim it and hold it fast in mark 13 verse 9 another take heed the lord jesus says but take heed to yourselves for they shall deliver you up to councils and in the synagogues you shall be beaten and you shall be brought before rulers and kings for my sake for a testimony against them the time is coming the time is coming take heed to yourselves take heed make sure you're saved as the starting point there's trouble on the horizon and i was just reading some news articles of late you know the the economic meltdown that's that's kind of imminent over planet earth in the u.s and in many countries there's there's a lot of

[33:16] really great concern in the secular sense about the economic realities of planet earth today let alone the spiritual ones and friends we're coming to a tipping point i believe that there is trouble on the horizon and brothers and sisters we've really got to wake up to ourselves and realize that these are i believe certainly uh the the closing chapters of planet earth yeah in in the history before his coming so we ought to take a look at the take heed take heed take heed to your doctrine is it the true gospel the doctrine that saves is it the gospel you know 1 corinthians 15 you know that christ died was buried and rose again from the dead this is the gospel that we preach it's the true gospel that saves it's the resurrection hope that we have that christ died was buried and rose again and we too can know his saving grace his saving power is it sound doctrine the doctrine that delivers a faithful gospel message and that cares about believers cares about the lost who are doomed and damned that we want to declare the message to sound doctrine sound doctrine sound doctrine sound doctrine sound doctrine means that we care about the truth we care enough to tell people the truth and and matthew 18 verse 6 it says of people it says whoso shall offend one of these little ones which believe in me it were better for him that a millstone were hanged around his neck and that he were drowned in the depth of the sea and it goes on in verse 10 of matthew 18 take heed this is from the lips of our lord take heed that you despise not one of these little ones for i say unto you that in heaven their angels do always behold the face of my father which is in heaven there's little ones that believe now and we try as a church to care for the youngsters in our midst but also the young christians too we want to take heed that we don't cause young christians to stumble we don't want to we don't want to cause young christians to stumble we don't want to cause christians who might be weak in their faith they might be weak in their faith they've got a lot of growing to do haven't we all take heed to them take heed to yourselves because we should not cause them harm we want to look out for one another being a christian is looking out for one another so that when you come to church and you see someone oh that person looks like a weak christian or a you know maybe a maybe they're not really living the christian life and sometimes we can look down on other people but god says take heed but despise not one of these little ones these little ones that says in verse 6 which believe in me we need to love one another love one another even those that that we might not feel comfortable with humanly speaking love one another and so sound doctrine is important and it's interesting this the word sound means healthy you know the same word is translated in lec 5 31 the lord jesus says they that are whole need not a physician but they that are sick but they that are sick and this word whole is the same word sound they that are whole need not a physician if you're whole if you're well you don't need a doctor if you're sick you do and this word sound sound doctrine literally means healthy teaching healthy teaching it's whole it's whole it's healthy if it's according to god's word the same word sound is translated whole or you could say healthy when the prodigal came home and the father had killed the fatted calf it says he did that because he had received him safe and sound luke 15 27 so the prodigal

[37:20] was received you know he smells a bit like a pig but he was safe and sound he was well he was okay in his health and so he was restored to the father's home and you know think of it today brothers and sisters today all the emphasis on wellness on health wellness health and fitness and even the prosperity preachers jump on that bandwagon you know health wealth and prosperity now the whole world is all geared up about being physically fit physical fitness and wellness and healthy diets and oh you've got to watch what you eat is a gluten-free you know oh you know whatever it might be healthy eating plans and you've got to check that all the wording on the packets to make sure oh i can't have that one it's got this particular preservative in it healthy food choices people go mad about healthy food choices health assessments workouts and therapy and following exercise regimes and they're just health nuts what about healthy teaching the teaching that we hear ought to be healthy it ought to be sound sound healthy sound doctrine doctrine that will make us will be good for us will be healthy doctrine the opposite of that is sick doctrine so some doctrine is not not healthy it's not healthy it's not sound we're going to be discerning as uh christian people to check everything test everything prove everything hold fast that which is good so let's get this right take heed to yourself personal singular yourself and your doctrine particularly as we approach the coming of the lord jesus christ we're warned of a time coming when there'll be an escalation of latter-day doctrinal deceptions and we talked to this some weeks ago matthew 24 verse 4 jesus answered and said unto them take heed that no man deceive you the lord jesus says to you to me take heed look out we need to be prayerful now 13 33 take ye heed watch and pray for you know not when the time is take heed watch and pray friends these are the days of the bible says i'm not i'm not saying exactly that these are the perilous times but i could conceive that these are the perilous times if not the perilous times we're at the threshold of the perilous times that the lord jesus says will come these are days when we ought to take heed and consider all of these matters we've talked about today we ought to be on the alert the lord jesus says in mark 13 35 watch ye therefore for you know not when the master of the house cometh at even or at midnight or at the cock crowing or in the morning lest coming suddenly you find you sleeping so watch and pray is what he says so let me come to a close here our beliefs our doctrine matters watch out for how you live let's be honoring the lord in all the practical ways that we can do let's watch out for ourselves watch out take heed beware of covetousness our lord says in luke 12 15 there's many areas in luke 21 34 he says take heed to yourselves lest at any time your hearts be overcharged with surfeiting and drunkenness and cancer this life so that that day come upon you unawares he says here the context of luke 21 is of the end times again you know we know what the world wants to do they get plastered paralytic off their faces with drugs or drink and if we're not careful we can follow suit and there's many christians who they think they can

[41:24] take heed to yourselves jesus says our lord he says take heed that you don't uh you could uh put it don't get weighed down with all the cares of this life with self-indulgence with worldly cares with drunkenness these are challenging days they call for soberness so let me come to i said before i know but i'll say it again i'll come to a close uh take heed to your building take heed to your building you're building a life is it on the right foundation are you using the right materials will you be a word hey stubble christian nothing to show for a life lived will it all be in vain because it was all just a pretense will your work stand the fire to come let me read this poem to you his plan for me his plan for me think of these words they're somber words when i stand at the judgment seat of christ and he shows his plan for me the plan of my life as it might have been had he had his way and i see how i blocked him here and checked him there and i would not yield to my will to his will there be grief in my savior's eyes grief though he loves me still would he have me rich and i stand there poor stripped of all but his grace while memory runs like a hunted thing down the paths i cannot retrace lord of the years that are left to me i give them to thy hand take me and break me and mold me to the pattern that thou hast planned his plan for me he's planned for me you know we can look back on life and think how i could have been stronger there was a young minister sitting by the bedside of a dying man you know i've been there and sat with people i've sat with people and it makes you think when you do that and he sat with this man this friend of his that was dying and as they talked of going to be with the lord tears filled the eyes of his dying friend and the young minister said he thought he was going he was afraid to die and he attempted to speak encouraging words to his friend but his friend replied i'm not afraid to die i'm ashamed to die he went on to say that although christ was his savior he had lived for himself and now he had to meet the lord empty-handed his life was word hay and straw stoggle what a tragic situation if you've got less of a life to live than you really think you have you know how easy it is to boast of tomorrow and you may not even see it what a tragic situation to be empty-handed saved yes saved yet lacking what could have been what could have been of faithful service you could have rendered it says of some in 1 john 2 28 and now little children abide in him that when he shall appear we may have confidence and not be ashamed before him at his coming it says a son that there's a risk that they will be ashamed before him at his coming these are telling words aren't they some will be ashamed to meet the lord because there'll be so little to show for their lives lived they'll be saved but there'll be no reward for some their works in judgment will be burnt up in judgment burnt up life is brief make it count take your hand to the building of your life take it to your bible it's god's message for you don't neglect it it's the most short word of prophecy

[45:26]  by it cleanse your mind and life let the washing of water by the word doesn't that sound beautiful the washing of water by the word it's refreshing it'll um satisfy that that past soul take him to your bible take him to the word of god and let it wash and refresh your life and thirdly take him to your police to your beliefs see god and search the scriptures get alone with god grapple with these theological complexities that face you till you get it sorted with god get in the word and seek his will seek his face in these days of doctrinal compromise we need doctrine that is healthy for our soul that'll do our soul good take heed take heed let us pray any ending