2 Timothy 1:13-15 – You Are in Danger – Bible study

2Timothy 1:13-15 You Are In Danger I want to invite you to listen to several texts this morning for they give to us a warning. 2Tim 4:10 For Demas hath forsaken me, having loved this present world, and is departed unto Thessalonica; Joh 6:66 From that time many of his disciples went back, and walked no more with him. Matt 26:56 But all this was done, that the scriptures of the prophets might be fulfilled. Then all the disciples forsook him, and fled. Acts 13:13 Now when Paul and his company loosed from Paphos, they came to Perga in Pamphylia: and John departing from them returned to Jerusalem. What do all of these texts show us? They all show us Christians quitting. While we do not know anything else of Phyellus and Hermogenes, Demas had been a loyal follower of Jesus and His servant. \#Phm 1:24, Col 4:14\ \#John 6:66, Matt 26:56\ – Do not record the curious forsaking Jesus but some of Jesus disciples forsaking Him. \#Acts 13:13\ The John who is mentioned is John Mark, the disciple who will get his life right with God and write the gospel of Mark; yet for a time, he walked away from his service in Jesus. All of these texts show us Christians quitting on God. You are in danger, Christian. In danger of what? In danger of quitting on God. Understand that for most, quitting does not happen all at once. have watched hundredsif not thousandsquit on God. I have seen far more quit on God than continue on God. 1. For most, quitting happens in steps, not all at once. People start missing the Wednesday service, then a few Sunday servicesnot in a month or two but slowly. To be honest, they do it so slowly that most just get used to NOT seeing them in church. Once you are not expected to be there, quitting becomes so much easier. 2. At the same time, they stop reading their Bibles, stop praying, start getting more preoccupied with other things, sometimes even good things like family, or traveling, repairs around the house, and of course work. 3. Then, before they knew it, their priorities had just changed. God just wasnt among them anymore. They may realize it. Some dont. 4. At that point, the devil can get into those fallen Christians and start them back on the road to their old life, to their wicked sins. He may not take them that far. He has them out of church. He has ruined their testimony. Their church, their place of service, has lost an important member. Satan may be happy with that, but may not. He may want to take them to the very dregs of sin once again. Again, this is what happens to Christians. I remember one lady that came in and out of this church probably a half dozen times or more. She would come, get under conviction, make a profession of faith or rededicate her life, struggle against sin for a few months, then go through the cycle that I just described. We would visit her, pray for her, counsel her, but down the tubes she would gotime after time. She did not have follow that path, but she did. What can be done to keep Christians straight? Let me give you some thoughts. I. Get in. A. I am talking about getting into Gods kingdom, being saved. 1Jo 2:19 They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would no doubt have continued with us: but they went out, that they might be made manifest that they were not all of us. 1. That verse has a lot of words with several different truths contained in them. 2. Let me pull out one truth and boil it down to just a few words. a. They did not stay because they do not belong. b. "They went out" because "they were not of us." 3. That is hard but it is Bible truth. 4. The reason most people leave the church, the Word of God, and Jesus Himself is because they were never saved at all. B. The church is full of false professors of a faith they do not own. 1. It is not that they got saved and lost it. They never got saved. Mt 7:23 And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity. Mt 25:12 But he answered and said, Verily I say unto you, I know you not. Lu 13:27 But he shall say, I tell you, I know you not whence ye are; depart from me, all ye workers of iniquity. 2. It is for this reason, God gives so many admonitions to test and verify the validity of our salvation. 2Co 13:5 Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove your own selves.. 1Co 11:31 For if we would judge ourselves, we should not be judged. 1Jo 3:20 For if our heart condemn us, God is greater than our heart, and knoweth all things. C. How can I know whether I am saved or not? 1. There is only one proof that I know of. 2Cor 5:17 Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new. 2. It is the changed life. 3. If there has been no change in your life, there has been no Christ in your life. 4. The only proof that you have ever been saved is that you are 100% surrendered to Jesus Christ right now. 5. Anything else than total surrender leaves some room for doubt about your salvation. D. However, at the same time, I admit that Christians quit on God too. 1. The best I can tell, every one of those texts that I read about people quitting was talking about Christians. 2. If you are not living for God, surrendered and serving, but somehow you are convinced that you are saved, I would change this counsel to you somewhat. II. Get serious. A. Get serious about living for God. B. I will tell you the thought that hit me and made me get serious for Jesus. 1. I do not remember the day or the time or even the place that this thought came to me, but I remember it coming and I remember the effect it had. 2. The thought God gave to me was this, "If what this Book says is true, it demands my all." a. If there is a heaven. b. If there is a hell c. If I am going to stand before God and be judged for what I did in this life d. If my eternity will be determined by how I live my life e. Then Jesus Christ demands and deserves my all. C. You think on that for a while and see if it does not effect you. 1. Read \#1Cor 3:12-17 , 2Cor 5:10-11, Matt 24:46-47\. 2. Ask yourself what kind of reward you are going to get. 3. Ask yourself if you are comfortable living for all eternity with God and all of heaven knowing what you did and did not do for Jesus in the years you had. III. Get into the Word. A. No Christian stands a chance of staying straight who does not get into the Word of God. Psalm 119:105 Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path. Pr 6:23 For the commandment is a lamp; and the law is light; and reproofs of instruction are the way of life: 2Pe 1:19 We have also a more sure word of prophecy; whereunto 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: B. I hear some talk about "not understanding the Bible," about "how it is difficult." 1. Of course it is at first. 2. You are a Babe in Christ and this is the Word of God. 3. You have never been so ignorant of anything in your life as Gods Word. a. You would stand a better chance reading a foreign language and understanding it or of comprehending the most complex of all mathematical formulas. b. You are going to have to grow into understanding the Bible. C. Read the Bible to get what you can understand, not to get discouraged over what you cannot. 1. If you read for an hour and only get one single truth from the Bible, read it. 2. Quit attempting to be a doctor of theology when you have even enrolled in nursery school yet. 3. In my case, I was blessed to be cast into Bible college when I did not know a thing about the Bible. a. Reading through the Old Testament for the first time because I was forced to do soand coming to realize that Israel split. It tore me up! b. Sitting in chapel and being embarrassed and ashamed that when the chapel preacher announced his text as being in 1John, I turned to Big John not even knowing there was a 1, 2, 3 John. c. Every day, day and day, being forced to read the Bible, listen to preachers preach, and hearing conversations where everyone knew more about the Bible than I did. d. But gradually, I learned. (1) I learned what a concordance was and how to use it. (2) A Naves Topical Bible was given to me and I began to see that the same topics were discussed in several places of the Bibles. e. And one day it dawned on me. I dont have to believe the Bible because of what everyone else was telling me it meant. I can read it and see what it says for myself. 4. Forty-two years later, this Book is still impacting my life and it can and will impact yours if you will read it, study it, and obey it. IV. Get into prayer. James 4:2 ye have not, because ye ask not. Mt 7:7 Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you: 8 For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened. A. Earnest prayer for specific direction is work but prayer is also a joy. 1. Dont feel you must always attack prayer like it is a fortress to be conquered. 2. Talk to God like a Friend to be enjoyed. 3. Talk to God like a Counselor from whom you are seeking advice. 4. Talk to God like a Companion who is teaching you. 5. Talk to God like a Confident who will keep your secrets. B. Talk to God about 1. Your parking places. 2. Your schedule for the day. 3. Your fears, your frustrations, your failures, but also your joys, your desires, and your goals. C. Always talk to God with an open mind and an open spirit. 1. Conversation always flows in both directions. 2. Dont just rattle on. Stop and listen. 3. Take your Bible with you when you pray and talk for awhile and read for a while. 4. Let God put thoughts into your mind. D. God will speak to you if you will speak to Him and give Him an opportunity. V. Get into church. Heb 10:25 Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching. A. You can neglect and insult the local church all you like but there is one primary reason why God gave Christians the church – to help them. 1. The world may be attacking the church today but the saints have been neglecting it for as long as I can remember. 2. I have never seen a strong, sound Christian who is not a part of a local church. The fact that they are not a part of a local church makes it virtually impossible that they are both strong and sound when the Bible tells them to be! B. I know churches have their faults. 1. Some are under the direction of unqualified, carnal pastors. 2. Some are fragmented, divisive, and spiritless. 3. But if godly, spirit-filled Christians cannot find a godly. spirit-filled church to join, they can always start one. a. A church does not have to be big. b. A church does not have to own property. c. A church does not have to have programs. d. But a church does have to have God there. C. Once God is present, the church can become what God called it be. 1. What is that? 2. A church is. a. a witness to the lost. b. a bulwark against sin. c. a nursery to the newborn. d. a school to the growing. e. a haven to the weary. f. a supply to the serving. g. a hospital to the injured. h. a rehab to the fallen. i. a shelter to the battered. j. a refuge to the aged. k. a solace to the saints. l. a glory to the Savior.