Take heed to yourselves, that your heart be not deceived 0
Tonight we had a progressive dinner with the students of Vision, the student ministry at our church in Alpharetta. We had a wonderful time. Many times when people say something to me along the lines of “it is good you always have something going on for the teens, it keeps them out of trouble” I only partially agree with their statement. Keeping our teenagers safe and clean is only one part of our missions mandate. If our commission was only safety and being clean then I would wrap them in bubble wrap and put them in a closet. However, we must train them to be establish in the Word, equipped for ministry and exported to the uttermost part sof the world.
With that being said I know that Halloween can be a very critical night in the life of a teenager. So many teenagers will partake in drug or alcohol use tonight. Many, many teenagers will lose their virginity which is quickly followed by their feelings of lose of value. I did not want that for out teenagers. By no means am I saying that every teen or adult that was not at a church sanctioned event tonight was involved in gross sin or any sin at all. However, many are, will, and have tonight crossed a line they will not see again until they are in their late twenties and get tired of life on the wild side.
Take heed to yourselves, that your heart be not deceived, and ye turn aside, and serve other gods, and worship them;
Tonight God spoke to me concerning the issue of my heart. After having an event to help protect the heart of some teenagers God said to me through His Word “Take heed to YOURSELF, that YOUR heart be not deceived”. He went on to say that if my heart is deceived “I will be turned aside” from serving Him. If I am not serving Him with my full heart I will begin to “serve other gods” and service leads to the “worship them”.
Here is how I have been challenged:
1. Take heed to myself… I need to be fully away of who I am in Christ and who I could be in the flesh. I do not need to underestimate the evils of this world of the desires of my flesh.
2. I need to take heed to my self so that I am protecting my heart. It is like taking a stress time or an MRI. I need to evaluate my life and check up on my heart, because out of it will come all the issues of life.
3. I am as able to lose the life and ministry the Lord has given me as easily I am able to have my heart deceived. Any deception in my heart is a giant step away from God’s will for my life.
4. Regardless of geography of ministerial location if my heart is turned I can serve other Gods. I do not need shrines, altars, or idols. All I need to turn to other God is a turned heart.
5. Service leads to worship for the holy and the unholy. I would not imagine myself worhshipping other God however there are thousands or decisions I could make a day that would lead me down this path by serving other gods.
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