A Simple Warning
Notes
Transcript
Turn to and read Proverbs 7:1-5; 21-27.
I would like you to remember that in the opening chapters of the book of Proverbs we see a battle that is being fought between wisdom and foolishness. At stake is the simple young man.
For at the window of my house I looked through my casement,
And beheld among the simple ones, I discerned among the youths, A young man void of understanding,
This young man is described as simple and as being void of understanding. Another way to accurately describe this young man is that he open to being easily influenced by others.
We are all susceptible to being influenced by others.
In this battle between wisdom and foolishness, what is the weapon of choice? Words.
My son, keep my words, And lay up my commandments with thee.
That they may keep thee from the strange woman, From the stranger which flattereth with her words.
This same battle - the battle between wisdom and foolishness - is being waged countless times each day. It is a battle that each of us face daily. The weapon being used today is the same weapon. Words.
During our missions revival, I shared the fact that we have had to discontinue our support of one of our missionaries, the Pak Family, because they have changed their doctrinal position (specifically their doctrinal position on the end times). The Pak Family were BIMI missionaries so I had the opportunity to discuss the situation with Bro. Maldoff while he was here. He shared with me that, when questioned, Bro. Pak shared that his change in doctrinal position began as a result of watching YouTube videos of a preacher that I am familiar with.
As I have done in the past, I must caution you - all of you. You must be careful with what you allow your mind to feed on through books, podcasts, social media, etc. There has never been a time in history when so much “information” has been available to mankind. We must be discerning! No one is exempt from this warning!
According to one source, Amazon lists over 32 million books for sale.
According to Forbes magazine, there are over 800,000 active podcasts with over 54 million episodes currently available.
Each month, 70 million new posts appear on WordPress blogs alone.
300 hours of video are uploaded to YouTube every minute!
Almost 5 billion videos are watched on YouTube every single day.
Ladies and gentlemen, that’s a lot of words floating around!
Turn to and read 2 Timothy 4:1-4.
Hey! Guys in the sound booth! Do not show the following verse slides until I’m ready!
For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears;
And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables.
“…after their own lusts...” Suppose you were “questioning” whether it is biblical to tithe or not. If you did a Google search on the subject, you would get a lot of results that went both ways: Yes it is biblical and No it is not. If your “heart” is already leaning away from tithing, then you are likely going to spend your time reading those articles which say “No” it is not biblical. With the over-abundance of information that is out there it is extremely easy to “heap” to yourself “teachers, having itching ears.” From there you will “turn away [your] ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables.
By the way, the example that I gave regarding tithing? I have had that exact scenario play out in my office with a couple who, as they began having some financial difficulties, began to question whether they should tithe or not. They began “searching” on the internet. By the time they came to me they had already made up their minds to leave the church.
What is the answer? I go back to Proverbs chapter 7. Turn to and read Proverbs 7:1-3.
I believe the answer can be summed up in Colossians 3:16:
Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.
Can it be said of you that you allow the word of Christ to dwell in you abundantly?
Allow me to give you one last warning as we close tonight. Turn to and read Ephesians 4:11-14.
Hey! Guys in the sound booth! Do not show the following verse slide until I’m ready!
That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive;
If those warnings were needed in the first century, they are even more needed in the 21st century. That’s why you need God’s Word; that’s why you need a local church family - not an “online” church; that’s why you need a pastor who will “preach the Word!”