[Biblemat] A) TAKING HEED LEST WE FALL

[J5827Sasser at wmconnect.com]

Brethren and Friends, Jim Sasser here.  A very good Wednesday
morning to each and everyone.  May God bless you and yours.
Here is an article from my ancient files:

TAKING HEED LEST WE FALL

     "Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth take heed
lest he fall" (1 Cor. 10:12).  In these few words the apostle
says so much:  that the child of God can fall from God's grace and promises; 
that there is the need to be careful to
avoid falling; and that the person who especially needs to take heed is the 
one thinking that he is secure.  In all areas of
endeavor -- physical labor, mental effort, athletic competition,
prevention and control of disease, there is the need for those
who think themselves to be strong and immune from opposit-
ion to exercise vigilance.  So it is in the realm of the spirit.

     The question from the practical side poses itself: How can
I take heed?  Here the Word of the Lord supplies the answer
that is designed by the Lord to serven not just as an answer
to the question, but also as the solution to the problem of fall-
ing.

     1. Buffeting Of The Body: -- While the word here rendered
buffit in 1 Cor. 9:27 means to bruise, the Lord is not urging
us actually to abuse our bodies.  His emphasis is upon what
the latter part of the verse refers to as "bringing it into sub-
jection," lest we become castaways.  It is extremely necess-
ary for God's people to learn self-denial, even as our Lord 
said in Matt. 16:24.  If I understand what the Lord is saying
here, He wants us to give regard to spiritual considerations,
not to the desires and concerns of the fleshly man.  One who
wrongfully hearkens to the call and cry of the fleshly man is 
preparing the ground for the seed sowed by Satan.  He must
learn to consider the body from the standpoint of its being
useful for God's purpose rather than from the standpoint of
physical gratification and satisfaction that is opposed to the
standard of righteousness.

     2. Using The Whole Armor Of God: -- Eph. 6 discusses the
armor needed for successful combat in the spiritual realm.  It
is supplied by the lord, to be used in its completeness, with 
the spiritual power that God supplies.  A use of only a part of
the complete armor constitutes a weakened effort in the battle against sin 
and a lack of appreciation for the Divine Pro-
vision.  Using the complete armor and standing in the streng-
th provided are to be don in conjunction with prayer and sup-
plication, according to vs. 18.  Is it any wonder that God's 
people so aften fail?  They fail to take heed in this matter
which is so urgent in our effort to remain faithful.

     3. Resisting The Devil: -- Active opposition is the idea of
resisting, no passive drowsiness.  God's children can best
prepare themselves for the attacks of Satan and ultimately discourage their 
continuation by open resistance to the Devil.
The promise of inspiration is that the Devil flees from such
resistance (Jas. 4:7).  The case of Jesus proves what the pro-
mise of James means.  After Jesus had steadfastly resisted
the Devil, "then the Devil leaveth Him, and angels came and
ministered to Him" (Matt. 4:11).

     In taking these measures, we take heed to ourselves, to
God and His provisions, and to the attacks of the Devil.  In
doing so, we take heed lest we fall.   ---- Bobby L. Graham in
Gospel Guide, Vol. 27, No. 10, October 1995.   </HTML>
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