Protect Your Purpose

The second dog I had was named Lucky, I don’t know why I called him that… I guess I needed extra luck with all my gambling fiasco at that time (show photo of Lucky)

I personally love dogs, while my wife did not until…

I personally love dogs, my wife

Now that we have Milo & Millie (show photo of Milo & Millie)

The Bible said something about Dogs

And it is the one thing that I hate about dogs. Listen...

Proverbs 26:11 MSG

11 As a dog eats its own vomit, so fools recycle silliness.

Recycle meaning brought back to life

Old things that is made new

Old habits in a new life

No one pours new wine into old wineskins, it will burst!

Let’s take a look at another translation… NLT

Proverbs 26:11 NLT

11 As a dog returns to its vomit, so a fool repeats his foolishness.

Proverbs

Repeats, in other words, re-do, re-enact

There’s a quote by Steven Denn that goes, “You can never make the same mistake twice because the second time you make it, it’s not a mistake, it’s a choice”

May kasabihan din sa wikang tagalog na ang sabi, “pagpasok mo sa pinto at nauntog ko, aksidente yun, ngunit paglabas mo sa mismong pintuang iyong pinasukan at nauntog ka pa din, eh katangahan na yun!”

Ano ba sa English ang “Katangahan”? foolishness! O di yun!

Foolishness means lack of wisdom discretion

There’s a quote by Steven Denn that goes, “You can never make the same mistake twice because the second time you make it, it’s not a mistake, it’s a choice”

When I was in Vegas over the weekend, I needed to make a choice

We were in Vegas last weekend to celebrate Anton’s 18th birthday

Maybe you’ll ask, of all the many beautiful cities in America, why Vegas?… The so called sin city!

Well, I brought my son and his friends (show photos of Anton & Friends) to Vegas not to purposely expose them to an environment that portraits a buffet of sin, but because of 2 things

Aj was there for a training

Pacquiao has a fight

After having dinner with my sons and my daughter-in-law, I hanged out at the lobby of Cesars Palace where I was staying at compliments of my dear ate Lina & Kuya Ato, to wait for my nephew Ronnie, who was flying in late Friday night from LA

While I was there surrounded with the sights and sounds of the casino, I was thinking (show photo thinking), am I going to gamble, am I going to drink?

I don’t have money on me! All I have was my credit card that I use for gas and food when I’m Uber driving

After a long while of thinking, I was not praying, I was just thinking, I stood up and looked for an ATM machine, one of the casino employee was so quick to show me where the ATM was, so I went to it and inserted my credit card (show photo ATM waiting)

While waiting for my transaction to be processed, there was a little sign on the ATM that says, “Know when to stop, before you start”

And then the machine prompted me if I wanted to proceed, I will be charged $80 for a $1,000 cash advance! Man! That’s a whooping 8%! (show photo of ATM prompt)

I have not gambled, yet I will already lose $80???

That made me rethink the choice that I was about to make! I chose to cancel the transaction!

I choose to cancel the transaction

My nephew arrived and we met up with Ate Lina and Kuya Ato for some late night chinese

After calling it a night, I started walking back up to our room when a young girl walked along side with me and struck a conversation, she goes, I saw you back there earlier, you were carrying your forehead with your eyes closed and it looks like you’re lonely and could use a company… can I tuck you in bed tonight???

It was not a total surprise for me because I know I was in Vegas. So I just politely said NO thank you and doubled my steps to the elevator

As I got into my room, my wife called me and we had a conversation.

Praise God for His Spirit and His words that He stored in my heart that I was able to PROTECT MY PURPOSE

For a LIFE WELL LIVED you have to Protect your Purpose

Previously this month, I talked to you about the 5 Purposes of God for our lives

God wants you to center you life around Him. And that’s WORSHIP

God wants you to learn to love His family. And that’s FELLOWSHIP

God wants you to cultivate spiritual maturity. And that’s DISCIPLESHIP

God wants you to contribute something back. And that’s MINISTRY

God wants you to tell others about His love. And that’s WITNESSING OR EVANGELISM

I’d like to thank Pastor Mike for expounding one of the five purposes during my absence last Sunday when he spoke about the Purpose of Christ that amplified the purpose of witnessing and evangelism

For a LIFE WELL LIVED you have to Protect your Purpose

All of these five purpose are of equal importance, none of them are inferior to each other.

If you want to live healthy, you need to keep a balance diet. You have to live out these 5 purposes

If you want to stay

If you want to be spiritually

The only reason why Pastor Mike is giving more importance and emphasis to evangelism or witnessing is because this is our purpose in life that we can no longer do in heaven!

So we have to do it now, and we have to do it always while we are still here on earth.

For a LIFE WELL LIVED you have to Protect your Purpose

You have to protect your witness! Your testimony!

Our key verse today was from the old testament and it was quoted by Apostle Peter

While you open your Bible to the letters of Peter let me tell you something about these letters that was written by Silas for Peter, who was a fisherman that became an apostle and leader of the early church

These letters was written sometime in 64-65 AD

It was intended to encourage christians who are undergoing suffering, giving them instructions to respond christianly to their persecutors and urging them to live lives worthy of their calling

In these letters, clearly, apostle Peter was talking to believers and not to the unbelievers, and if you are a believer, then these letters are also intended for you

In , the apostle was discussing the matters concerning false teachers and their destruction

2 Peter 2:13–14 NLT

13 Their destruction is their reward for the harm they have done. They love to indulge in evil pleasures in broad daylight. They are a disgrace and a stain among you. They delight in deception even as they eat with you in your fellowship meals. 14 They commit adultery with their eyes, and their desire for sin is never satisfied. They lure unstable people into sin, and they are well trained in greed. They live under God’s curse.

2 Peter 2:13-14

2 Peter 2:22 NLT

22 They prove the truth of this proverb: “A dog returns to its vomit.” And another says, “A washed pig returns to the mud.”

But why do dogs go back to their own vomit?

Why washed pigs returns to the mud?

Why christians living new lives in Christ returns to old ways of the world?

Pleasures of their flesh

Their doctrines are not solid

The guardrails are not in place (biblical life principles)

Salvation is not authentic

HOW CAN I PROTECT MY PURPOSE?

I started with a dog I’ll end it with a dog, in Filipino the word is “ASO”

I WILL BE ALERT AT ALL TIMES

1 Peter 1:13 NIV

13 Therefore, with minds that are alert and fully sober, set your hope on the grace to be brought to you when Jesus Christ is revealed at his coming.

1 Peter 4:7 NIV

7 The end of all things is near. Therefore be alert and of sober mind so that you may pray.

The Greek word used here is SOPHRONEO, meaning be sensible, be reasonable, quick to perceive, be watchful and prompt to meet danger or emergency

The word “alert” was used 9 times in the Bible, and 3 of which is found in this letter of Peter

In our church vision the word alert is used

"To Glorify God by building communities that are spiritually healthy, morally upright, physically fit, mentally ALERT, emotionally happy and financially stable. To share His love to the un-churched, un-loved, un-inspired, un-motivated and especially to the believers of Jesus Christ.”

Peter is certain of the return of Jesus

Believers are called to live in confidence and anticipation of the consummation of God’s work in Christ

This is referred to as eschatological hope

Mark said be alert, be on guard for you do not know when the time will come

Christians are to live pure lives in their pagan communities

In his letters, Peter gives examples of the christians difference.

Orgies, drunkenness and idol-worship are some things of the past , they are replaced by clear minds and self-controlled lives which are devoted to love & service to God

I WILL REMAIN SOBER IN EVERY SITUATION

1 Peter 4:7 NIV

7 The end of all things is near. Therefore be alert and of sober mind so that you may pray.

1 Peter 5:8 NIV

8 Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.

1 Peter 5:8

The Greek word used here is NEPHO, be sober, to not be drunk, be self-controlled

The word “Sober” was used 7 times in the Bible, and 3 of which is found in this letter of Peter

The New Testament uses both “Satan” and “devil” as terms for the chief figure of evil in the Bible.

The Hebrew term Satan used in the OT means “adversary”

Peter alerts his audience to the devil’s constant threat to the people of God

That’s why we have to remain sober at any circumstances

I WILL STAY OBEDIENT TO YOUR WORDS

1 Peter 1:13–14 NIV

13 Therefore, with minds that are alert and fully sober, set your hope on the grace to be brought to you when Jesus Christ is revealed at his coming. 14 As obedient children, do not conform to the evil desires you had when you lived in ignorance.

The Greek word used here is HYPAKOE, meaning obedience

The word “Obedient” was used 13 times in the Bible, and 2 of which is found in this letter of Peter

Peter said do not conform to the evil desires you had when you lived in ignorance

Obedience is one thing that we all continue to struggle with, and this will go on until we finish the race

Obedience to God is when our soul, mind and body are aligned to God’s will for us

Last week my wife started complaining about Anton’s car not running smooth and steady as it should

The culprit is the worn out wheels

She took it in the tire shop, got new set of tires and aligned the wheels. Now, Anton’s car is pleasant to ride on again

Not unless we align our soul, mind and body to God, our lives will continue to wiggle

No matter how smoothly paved the road God is taking us to, if we are no aligned, if we are not obedient to Him, it will be a rough ride

Let’s pull up the all the scriptures we gleaned on this morning

1 Peter 4:7 NIV

7 The end of all things is near. Therefore be alert and of sober mind so that you may pray.

1 Peter 5:8 NIV

8 Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.

1 Peter 1:13–14 NIV

Noticeably, you fill one word common to all the statements of Peter

It’s the word MIND… encircle that word in your Bible

Our body is created to perform multitude of tasks, but before anything happens, it all starts in the mind

MIND means My INternal Decision

Our minds works 24/7. Even while our bodies are resting, our minds are still working

It is the central command center of our human body system

It’s like the pentagon for the US Armed Forces

It acts based on what it is fed

If you get wrong information, you will respond wrongly

The tool of the enemy is deception

We must not give the devil a foothold ()

We must not give the devil a position usable as base or further advance

We must expose the lie of the enemy

We must face his lies and uncover the truth

Now, let me close by reading to you some rich information from the writings of Paul

READ FROM MY BIBLE

Colossians 3:1–17 NIV

Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God. When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory. Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry. Because of these, the wrath of God is coming. You used to walk in these ways, in the life you once lived. But now you must also rid yourselves of all such things as these: anger, rage, malice, slander, and filthy language from your lips. Do not lie to each other, since you have taken off your old self with its practices and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge in the image of its Creator. Here there is no Gentile or Jew, circumcised or uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave or free, but Christ is all, and is in all. Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity. Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful. Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom through psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts. And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.

CLOSING

We are all prone to temptations

The more you are into doing the works of the ministry, the more that temptations will come on you

Jesus Christ, after He was baptized and ready to start His ministry here on earth, He was tempted in the wilderness

We must not give the devil a foothold ()

We must not give the devil a position usable as base or further advance

We must expose the lie of the enemy

We must face his lies and uncover the truth

We must not go back to our vomit just like the dogs

We are washed clean by the blood of Jesus, we must not go back to the mud just like the pigs

Let us build around lives around the purposes of God, and not build the purposes of God in our lives

PRAYER

Holy Spirit help us to “Be Alert at All Times”

Help us to “Remain Sober in Every Situation”

Help us to “Stay Obedient to Your Words”

Related Media

Related Sermons