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The Silent Killer

1 John 2:15-17

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1 John 2:15-17

“Do not love the world nor the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. [16] For all that is

in the world, the lust of the flesh and the lust of the eyes and the boastful pride of

life, is not from the Father, but is from the world. [17] The world is passing away, and also its lusts; but the one who does the will

of God lives forever.”

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Mark 8:35-37

“"For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake and the gospel's will save it. [36] "For what does it profit a man to gain the whole world, and forfeit his soul? [37] "For what will a man give in

exchange for his soul?”

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What is the Silent Killer?

• Over commitment to worldly concerns & pursuits.–Lifestyles today place many

responsibilities on us.

–Many of us are overcommitted.

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What is the Silent Killer?

• How many of us are letting our spiritual lives be slowly choked out?–Matthew 13:7

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Matthew 13:7

“Others fell among the thorns, and the thorns came up and choked them out.

…. 22 "And the one on whom seed was sown among the thorns, this is the man who hears the word, and the worry of

the world and the deceitfulness of wealth choke the word, and it becomes

unfruitful.”

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What is the Silent Killer?

• Over commitment to worldly concerns & pursuits.

• How many of us letting spiritual lives be slowly choked out?

• How many Christians here are running on spiritual empty?

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Over commitment > indifference

• Satan’s subtle, yet effective weapon.  –Revelation 3:15-17

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Revelation 3:15-17

“'I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot; I wish that you were cold or hot. [16] 'So because you are lukewarm,

and neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of My mouth. [17] 'Because you say, "I am rich, and have become wealthy, and have

need of nothing," and you do not know that you are wretched and miserable and poor

and blind and naked,”

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Over commitment > indifference

• No time or desire for study & meditation on God’s word.–Bible is a treasure.

–Psalm 119:11-16

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Psalm 119:11-16

“Your word I have treasured in my heart, That I may not sin against You. [12]

Blessed are You, O Lord; Teach me Your statutes. [13] With my lips I have told of All the ordinances of Your mouth. [14] I have rejoiced in the way of Your testimonies, As much as in all riches. [15] I will meditate on Your precepts And regard Your ways.

[16] I shall delight in Your statutes; I shall not forget Your word.”

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Psalm 119:18

“Open my eyes, that I may behold Wonderful things from Your law.”

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Psalm 119:33-34

“Teach me, O Lord, the way of Your statutes, And I shall observe it to the

end. [34] Give me understanding, that I may observe Your law And keep it with

all my heart.”

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Psalm 119:97-99

“O how I love Your law! It is my meditation all the day. [98] Your

commandments make me wiser than my enemies, For they are ever mine. [99] I have more insight than all my teachers,

For Your testimonies are my meditation.”

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Psalm 119:125

“I am Your servant; give me understanding, That I may know Your

testimonies.”

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Psalm 119:127-130

“Therefore I love Your commandments Above gold, yes, above fine gold. [128]

Therefore I esteem right all Your precepts concerning everything, I hate every false

way. [129] Your testimonies are wonderful; Therefore my soul observes them. [130]

The unfolding of Your words gives light; It gives understanding to the simple.”

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Matthew 5:6

“Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall

be satisfied.”

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Over commitment > indifference

• Less time & energy to attend and participate in worship–Psalm 122:1

“I was glad when they said to me, "Let us go to the house of the Lord."”

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Over commitment > indifference

• Less time & energy to attend and participate in worship–Maybe we are at worship, but so

tired can’t sing, stay awake, etc.

–Maybe we run consistently late to Bible class or worship.

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Over commitment > indifference

• More emphasis on the physical than the spiritual.–How hungry are we for the spiritual?

–Is it a deep, burning hunger?

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Over commitment > indifference

• Waning efforts to win souls to Christ.–Everyone’s responsible to spread

the gospel • Mark 16:15-16

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Mark 16:15-16

“And He said to them, "Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all

creation. [16] "He who has believed and has been baptized shall be saved;

but he who has disbelieved shall be condemned.”

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Matthew 28:19,20

“Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all

that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the

age.”

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Over commitment > indifference

• Waning efforts to win souls to Christ.–Everyone’s responsible to spread

the gospel

–Difficult to spread the gospel under these circumstances?• Acts 8:4

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Acts 8:4

“Therefore, those who had been scattered went about preaching the

word.”

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How to Successfully Fight

• Become well rooted & grounded in Jesus–Colossians 2:6-7

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Colossians 2:6-7

“Therefore as you have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him, [7] having been firmly rooted and now

being built up in Him and established in your faith, just as you were

instructed, and overflowing with gratitude.”

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How to Successfully Fight

• Become well rooted & grounded in Jesus

• Be anchored to the truth–Ephesians 4:14-15

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Ephesians 4:14-15

“As a result, we are no longer to be children, tossed here and there by

waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, by craftiness in deceitful scheming; [15]

but speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in all aspects into Him who is

the head, even Christ,”

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How to Successfully Fight

• Become well rooted & grounded in Jesus

• Be anchored to the truth

• Work on having a steadfast hope–Hebrews 6:18-19

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Hebrews 6:18-19

“so that by two unchangeable things in which it is impossible for God to lie, we

who have taken refuge would have strong encouragement to take hold of the hope set before us. [19] This hope

we have as an anchor of the soul, a hope both sure and steadfast and one

which enters within the veil,”

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How to Successfully Fight

• Become well rooted & grounded in Jesus

• Be anchored to the truth• Work on having a steadfast hope• Build self discipline.

–Spiritual growth is important–1 Peter 2:2

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1 Peter 2:2

“like newborn babies, long for the pure milk of the word, so that by it you may

grow in respect to salvation,”

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Matthew 4:4

“But He answered and said, "It is written, 'Man shall not live on bread

alone, but on every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God.'"”

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2 Timothy 2:15

“Be diligent to present yourself approved to God as a workman who

does not need to be ashamed, accurately handling the word of truth.”

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1 Timothy 4:13, 15-16

“Until I come, give attention to the public reading of Scripture, to exhortation and teaching. …”

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1 Timothy 4:13, 15-16

“… 15 Take pains with these things; be absorbed in them, so that your progress

will be evident to all. [16] Pay close attention to yourself and to your

teaching; persevere in these things, for as you do this you will ensure salvation

both for yourself and for those who hear you.”

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Mark 8:35-37

“For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake and the gospel's will save it. [36] "For what does it profit a man to gain the whole world, and forfeit his soul? [37] "For what will a man give in

exchange for his soul?”

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