Phil. 2:12 Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling; …
As we put a close to 2013 and look forward to the year to come as
believers in Christ this is always one of the best times of year to take a look
at some key areas of our life and make sure we are on track with God. This is a
major part of working out our own salvation with fear and trembling. We cannot
work out someone else’s salvation, and we know we don’t work for our salvation,
but once we are saved, there is a work to do, for we are now to work out the
salvation we have been given.
We are to do so with fear, absolute awe, reverence, and respect for
our God. Trembling refers here to an awareness of God’s presence in our life
for when people were aware of His presence they often trembled. So if we are
going to show respect and reverence for God, then we are going to examine our
life and make sure we are showing respect to Him by being obedient to God as
Paul states here that the Philippians were in fact doing so. So I want to share
with you this week five key areas we should examine that have to do with
working out our salvation.
1. WHAT ARE
YOU FOCUSED ON
Heb. 12:1
Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses,
let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let
us run with endurance the race that is set before us,
Heb. 12:2
looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that
was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at
the right hand of the throne of God.
We need to make sure we are pursuing God and that in doing
so the burning passion of our heart each day is to simply get to know Him
better. Even as elementary as that is, many believers are not passionately
pursing getting to know God, which is what the heart of Christianity is all
about. What we are doing with our life says a lot about what we are pursing.
Notice Paul states here that we must lay aside every weight and the sin that so
easily ensnares us, looking unto Jesus the originator and the finisher of our
faith.
The phrase “looking unto” means to turn away from
everything else, and focus on one thing. If we are focused on our relationship
with the Lord, then that will be seen by what we do with our time. There are
many weights that pull us back from pursuing our God. These weights pull us
away from the Word of God, prayer, church, Christian fellowship, etc., and for
many they don’t even realize it is happening. Think about how much time people
devote in their life to television, Internet, social sites, and hobbies, yet
they say they don’t have time to read the Word or come to church. All these
things in and of themselves are not necessarily bad, but what we are doing with
our time reveals what our hearts are really pursing. There is nothing better in
life than getting to know God intimately and personally, but like any
relationship that takes time with Him.
We must also lay aside the sin that so easily ensnares us.
There are sins that may have us, or sins that we have them. The sins that may
have us are strongholds and can be broken, but there are sins that we hold onto
that we could lay aside any time we want. Those are the one’s that so easily
ensnare us. Sin is the result of desires in the flesh that we become enticed
with. We must adjust our focus to the Lord and lay every such sin aside for
they are only going to hurt our life and our relationship with God. If we walk
in the spirit, obeying the Word of God, we will not fulfill the lusts of the
flesh.
2.
LEAVE THE PAST BEHIND – DON’T’ GO BACK TO EGYPT
Heb. 11:15 If they had been thinking with [homesick] remembrance of that
country from which they were emigrants, they would have found constant
opportunity to return to it.
This scripture refers to those who had come out of Egypt,
which is a type of the world, and if those who entered the promise land would
have kept thinking about what they had in Egypt, they would have returned and
not entered the promise land. Make sure you are not thinking like the world.
Keep your mind renewed to the Word of God. Find out and keep meditating on who
God says you are, and what God says you have. If you don’t deal with your
thought life and you keep looking back to the ways of the world and that
becomes the focus of your thinking, you will not enter into all that God has
promised you in this life.
3. EXAMINE
WHAT YOU ARE HEARING, SEEING, SAYING, AND DOING
Prov. 4:20
My son, attend to my words; consent and submit to my sayings.
Prov. 4:21
Let them not depart from your sight; keep them in the center of your heart.
Prov. 4:22
For they are life to those who find them, healing and health to all their
flesh.
Prov. 4:23
Keep and guard your heart with all vigilance and above all that you guard, for
out of it flow the springs of life.
Prov. 4:24
Put away from you false and dishonest speech, and willful and contrary talk put
far from you.
Prov. 4:25
Let your eyes look right on [with fixed purpose], and let your gaze be straight
before you.
Prov. 4:26
Consider well the path of your feet, and let all your ways be established and
ordered aright.
Prov. 4:27
Turn not aside to the right hand or to the left; remove your foot from evil.
If you take time to examine these verses you will see that
we are told to watch what we hear, see, say, and do. This is what determines
the course your life is taking. What you hear, see, say, and do, you think
about. If you don’t pay attention to these areas of your life then evil will
win. If you don’t think so take a look at Ephesians 5:15-16, for Paul states
the days are evil. If you don’t redeem your time you will automatically be
influenced by evil. Too many believers live their lives out publically in front
of everyone, especially on social sites. When you do you get all kinds of
responses given to you, most of which even though the intent is good, it is not
biblical and in line with scripture. Christians don’t realize that in reading
and listening to such things you then ponder them in your mind and this is not
guarding your heart. I have watched believers ignore what I am telling you and
they continue to watch movies filled with trash, listen to music full of the
world, and listen to friends that don’t give them godly counsel. Scripture is
very clear on this subject and a simple way to say it is garbage in, garbage
out. It is our choice, not Gods as to what we hear, see, say, and do.
4. EXAMINE
YOUR MONEY
Matt. 6:19 “Don’t store up treasures here on
earth, where they can be eaten by moths and get rusty, and where thieves break
in and steal.
Matt. 6:20
Store your treasures in heaven, where they will never become moth-eaten or
rusty and where they will be safe from thieves.
Matt. 6:21
Wherever your treasure is, there your heart and thoughts will also be.
The word “treasure” here refers to the place where we keep
our money. Many believers don’t like this subject, but again scripture is very
clear. God is not actually after your money, God wants your heart, and He wants
to see us use our resources to reach the lost with the gospel. As Jesus goes on
to state in verse 24 of this same chapter you cannot serve God and mammon. I used
to serve mammon just like everyone has at one time or another in their life. I
found out it is better to serve God. If we want to keep our heart where it
needs to be, we must make sure we are not serving money, but in fact doing with
our money what the Bible clearly states.
If you believe in the kingdom of God you will invest in
the kingdom of God. Jesus, Paul, Peter, James, and all the disciples had to
have money to preach the gospel. As Paul told the Philippians in writing to
them they were the only church that consistently gave to help him preach the
gospel. Because they had done so he declared that His God would in turn supply
all their need according to His riches in glory. If our money is right with God
our heart is right with God.
5.
FAST AND PRAY TO GET GOD’S PLAN
Matt. 6:17
But you, when you fast, anoint
your head and wash your face,
Matt. 6:18
so that you do not appear to men
to be fasting, but to your Father who is in the secret place; and your Father
who sees in secret will reward you openly.
Fasting and praying is a great way to begin the New Year seeking God
and putting your flesh aside so you can get God’s plan for your life. Proverbs
19:21 declares that there are many plans in a man’s heart, but the Lord’s
counsel will stand. As you set time aside to seek God in that secret place,
drawing close to Him, He will reveal His counsel to you. God’s plans always
work, so take time to seek Him through prayer and fasting. He will reward you
openly. Take a look at these areas in your life and you can be ready for all
God has for you in the New Year.
See You Again Next Week For More
“Weekly Wisdom”
May God’s Best Be Yours!
Pastor Darryl Baker
