Hebrews 3 12 15 12 Beware NKJV brethren

Hebrews 3: 12 -15 12 Beware, (NKJV) brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief in departing from the living God; 13 but exhort one another daily, while it is called “Today, ” lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin. 14 For we have become partakers of Christ if we hold the beginning of our confidence steadfast to the end, 15 while it is said: “Today, if you will hear His voice, Do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion. ”

Perfecting Holiness • We are halfway through our year and halfway through our theme-centered lessons • We continue to concentrate on the idea of “Perfecting Holiness” • Our challenge is trying to find practical ways we can accomplish this here in the 21 st century

Perfecting Holiness • It would be easier if perfecting holiness were a one-time thing • If we could push ourselves to do it and then just coast from there • The problem is that once we’ve set our lives apart for service to God, Satan is constantly trying to win us back

Perfecting Holiness • There is a daily consideration that must be given to keeping ourselves holy • The Hebrew writer was concerned with Christians who were in danger of leaving their holiness behind • Hebrews was written to urge those Christians not to go back into what they came out of

Perfecting Holiness • Amongst all he writes, we see the following in 3: 13… • “but exhort one another daily, while it is called ‘Today, ’ lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin. ” • On any given day we could give our lives back over to Satan

Perfecting Holiness • So how do we maintain our holiness on a day to day basis? • How do we keep ourselves from falling back into our old way of living? • Here are some things today that can help us as we seek to perfect holiness each and every day…

Seize the Day • A friend had a sticker on the back of his truck that read “Carpe Diem” • It’s a Latin term meaning “seize the day” • Today is the day that we need to be concerned with; making sure we are doing what God wants today

Seize the Day • “Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble. ” (Matt. 6: 34) • Today is a challenge in and of itself; we must be very aware of this truth • “Give us this day our daily bread” (Matt. 6: 11)

Seize the Day • Notice that the early church was together “daily” • “So continuing daily with one accord in the temple…” (Acts 2: 46) • They certainly understood the need to perfect holiness every day!

Stay Focused • Perhaps this goes along with the last point… • We need to keep our mind focused on what is most important…eternity • A lack of focus and concentration can harm us in our pursuits in this life perhaps as much as anything else

Stay Focused • Paul reminds us to look at the things that are not seen, which are the eternal things (II Cor. 4: 18) • As stones were being hurled at his body, Stephen looked to and cried out to the Lord (Acts 7: 55 -60) • Hebrews 12: 1 -2 reminds us to look to Jesus, who also remained focused

Don’t Settle • People often lose their reward because they settle for what this world has to offer • We often don’t stop to think about how God’s reward for us (that yet unseen) is so much better than the best this world can offer • The Bible describes an inheritance far better

Don’t Settle • We’re all aware of the choice Moses made (Heb. 11: 24 -26) • Even Christ left a home in heaven to come and suffer for us • We must remember our suffering is only temporary and well worth it concerning the reward we seek

Fill Your Day With God • The best way to keep evil out of our heart is to fill it with good • The best way to keep evil out of our day is to fill it with good • Our day should begin with God; waking up to pray and read our Bibles

Fill Your Day With God • We should end our day with God; with prayer and reading our Bibles • Then we should fill in the time in between with God; praying, serving, and in the Word • We should meditate on all the good things as Paul instructed (Phil. 4: 8)