100:00:00,000 –> 00:00:05,520Nothing is more naive…200:00:05,920 –> 00:00:09,340Nothing is more calculated to lead you into failure300:00:09,340 –> 00:00:11,860than for you to walk through your life in this world saying,400:00:11,880 –> 00:00:15,520oh, this won’t affect me. What I watch doesn’t make any difference to me.500:00:16,700 –> 00:00:21,639Some of us are hopelessly naive about the infecting power of sin.600:00:21,700 –> 00:00:24,180Oh I can handle this, we say.700:00:24,219 –> 00:00:28,400Welcome to Open the Bible with Pastor Colin Smith. I’m David Pick.800:00:28,860 –> 00:00:30,940I’m glad you could join us today and Colin,900:00:31,059 –> 00:00:33,860I think that’s a temptation that’s common for all of us.1000:00:33,919 –> 00:00:39,680Yeah. Well the words of Jesus watch and pray so that you do not enter into temptation.1100:00:40,119 –> 00:00:42,599And you know, you’re absolutely right. It is for all of us.1200:00:42,799 –> 00:00:45,240There’s never a time when a Christian grows out of this.1300:00:45,340 –> 00:00:48,520You don’t come to a place of Christian maturity or Christian leadership1400:00:48,560 –> 00:00:53,220where you no longer need to watch and pray so that you don’t fall into temptation.1500:00:53,939 –> 00:00:56,459In fact, those who are trusted with spiritual leadership,1600:00:57,259 –> 00:01:00,099we need to be especially watchful all the more.1700:01:00,680 –> 00:01:04,839A man called Richard Baxter wrote a very compelling book to pastors1800:01:05,459 –> 00:01:11,000in which he said, watch yourself because Satan has a special eye on you.1900:01:11,360 –> 00:01:15,599If he can cause you to fall, what a rout he will cause2000:01:16,160 –> 00:01:19,000amongst all of God’s people and that’s of huge importance.2100:01:19,180 –> 00:01:22,400And unfortunately, we’ve seen that play out far too many times.2200:01:22,400 –> 00:01:26,260That’s true and that’s why all of us need to watch and to pray.2300:01:26,320 –> 00:01:28,279The Bible is such a practical book.2400:01:28,279 –> 00:01:30,620It doesn’t speak in a sort of spiritual vagueness.2500:01:30,860 –> 00:01:35,720It gives to us clear strategies, clear directions so that we may be able2600:01:35,720 –> 00:01:39,139to walk in the power of the Spirit and in a way that’s honoring to Jesus Christ.2700:01:39,360 –> 00:01:41,800That’s what today’s message is all about.2800:01:41,820 –> 00:01:47,099It’s entitled Watch Yourself and it’s taken from Jude verse 23.2900:01:47,160 –> 00:01:49,180So join us in your Bible if you can.3000:01:49,400 –> 00:01:50,379Here is Colin.3100:01:50,500 –> 00:01:55,059I want to ask three very simple questions to try and open this theme up together.3200:01:55,459 –> 00:01:58,080First, why do you need to watch yourself?3300:01:58,959 –> 00:02:02,080Second, what is it that we need to watch particularly?3400:02:02,080 –> 00:02:06,379And then thirdly, very practically, how is it that we go about this business of3500:02:06,379 –> 00:02:09,399watching why do you need to watch?3600:02:10,259 –> 00:02:11,259Three reasons.3700:02:12,399 –> 00:02:18,300First watch because other people have fallen.3800:02:18,339 –> 00:02:25,779Now we all know stories about good Christian people who have fallen into serious sin.3900:02:28,720 –> 00:02:33,860Let the sins of others be a warning to you.4000:02:35,539 –> 00:02:41,639The Bible says, if you think you are standing firm, be very careful that you don’t fall.4100:02:42,080 –> 00:02:47,500Others have fallen into sin, it is naive for you to say it can’t happen to you.4200:02:49,259 –> 00:02:56,039Second, watch because your flesh is weak.4300:02:56,039 –> 00:03:00,080Now remember Jesus’ words to the disciples in the Garden of Gethsemane.4400:03:00,080 –> 00:03:05,860Watch and pray so that you will not enter into temptation, and you remember what he said after that.4500:03:05,860 –> 00:03:12,559The Spirit is willing but the flesh is weak.4600:03:12,559 –> 00:03:14,320Remember Galatians 2.204700:03:14,320 –> 00:03:19,419I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me.4800:03:19,419 –> 00:03:26,320And the life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God who loved me and gave himself for me.4900:03:26,320 –> 00:03:28,960So there are two realities about this Christian life.5000:03:28,960 –> 00:03:32,100One, it is a life of faith in the Son of God.5100:03:32,100 –> 00:03:35,679Two, it is a life lived in the body.5200:03:35,679 –> 00:03:39,899That’s why the Christian life is such a struggle, isn’t it?5300:03:40,100 –> 00:03:47,740For as long as you are in the body, you will experience the pool of all kinds of temptations,5400:03:47,740 –> 00:03:52,380to pride, to laziness.5500:03:52,380 –> 00:03:54,779One of the sins of the body.5600:03:54,779 –> 00:03:57,059Greed.5700:03:57,059 –> 00:03:59,020Now there is no avoiding this battle.5800:03:59,020 –> 00:04:02,820As long as you are in the body, as long as you are in this world, you will be living5900:04:02,820 –> 00:04:07,139a life of faith in the Son of God on the one hand, but you’ll be living it in the body6000:04:07,139 –> 00:04:09,399and that is why it will always be a struggle.6100:04:09,399 –> 00:04:16,920And if you know your own flesh, then you will understand why you need to be watchful.6200:04:16,920 –> 00:04:21,899Third watch because you have an enemy.6300:04:21,899 –> 00:04:27,8391 Peter 5 and verse 8, be self-controlled and alert because your enemy, the devil prowls6400:04:27,839 –> 00:04:33,640around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.6500:04:33,640 –> 00:04:37,700And remember that Satan is the master of deception.6600:04:37,700 –> 00:04:43,140He does not attack at the obvious place.6700:04:43,140 –> 00:04:50,679He’ll look for where you’re not watching.6800:04:50,679 –> 00:04:54,279Watch because others have fallen.6900:04:54,279 –> 00:04:58,579Watch because you know the nature of your own flesh.7000:04:58,579 –> 00:05:00,600Watch because you have an enemy.7100:05:00,600 –> 00:05:02,559And he’s looking for someone to devour.7200:05:02,559 –> 00:05:04,720I mean he’s not going to devour all of us here.7300:05:04,720 –> 00:05:07,399He’s looking for someone.7400:05:07,480 –> 00:05:09,500Someone who’s not watching.7500:05:09,500 –> 00:05:12,500Is that you?7600:05:13,279 –> 00:05:17,160I think these are very strong reasons why we desperately need to watch.7700:05:17,160 –> 00:05:19,760Secondly, what is it that we need to watch?7800:05:19,760 –> 00:05:25,660I want to be very clear here that the issue that Jude is addressing is not the issue about7900:05:25,660 –> 00:05:27,920falling from salvation.8000:05:27,920 –> 00:05:30,200He’s not suggesting that that is possible.8100:05:30,200 –> 00:05:33,760It is the issue of falling into sin.8200:05:33,760 –> 00:05:39,839The issue that as a Christian believer you have to watch, is not that you might be lost8300:05:39,839 –> 00:05:42,540but it is that you might become useless.8400:05:42,540 –> 00:05:45,679It is that your testimony may be compromised.8500:05:45,679 –> 00:05:51,700It is that your ministry, your life, what you offer into the hand of Jesus Christ may8600:05:51,700 –> 00:05:54,600be undercut.8700:05:54,600 –> 00:05:58,059The Apostle Paul in the New Testament uses three pictures just to make this clear.8800:05:58,059 –> 00:06:00,940There are three very dramatic pictures.8900:06:01,239 –> 00:06:05,779The first in 1 Corinthians in chapter 3 is the picture of a fire.9000:06:05,779 –> 00:06:10,140You can think of your life’s work as being like putting up a building.9100:06:10,140 –> 00:06:14,220But says the Apostle Paul in 1 Corinthians in chapter 3, after that enormous amount of9200:06:14,220 –> 00:06:22,119work and that huge investment of your life of ministry, you need to know before you start9300:06:22,119 –> 00:06:26,880putting up this building of your ministry life that what you build is going to be tested9400:06:26,880 –> 00:06:27,899by fire.9500:06:27,899 –> 00:06:30,500This is 1 Corinthians in chapter 3.9600:06:30,540 –> 00:06:35,059And if you know that what you’re putting up is going to be tested by fire then that will9700:06:35,059 –> 00:06:40,899help you to choose the materials with which you build so that they will withstand a fire.9800:06:40,899 –> 00:06:46,459So, he says, for example, extending this picture, don’t build with wood or hay or straw because9900:06:46,459 –> 00:06:49,820anything made of these materials obviously won’t last.10000:06:50,559 –> 00:06:51,559Now that’s the picture.10100:06:51,559 –> 00:06:57,820And what he’s saying is this, wouldn’t it be a terrible thing if all that you have put10200:06:58,079 –> 00:07:09,000into serving Jesus Christ ended up not counting for anything in eternity because though you10300:07:09,000 –> 00:07:14,899were saved, your life’s work was wasted.10400:07:14,899 –> 00:07:23,959I want to offer a life into the hands of Jesus Christ so I want to do it in a way that will10500:07:23,959 –> 00:07:30,859survive that judgment of the last day in which my work is tested by fire.10600:07:30,859 –> 00:07:33,320Secondly there’s the picture of the gymnasium.10700:07:33,320 –> 00:07:37,480This is in 1 Corinthians and chapter 9 at the end of the chapter where Paul says, I10800:07:37,480 –> 00:07:42,500do not run like a man running aimlessly, I do not fight like a man beating the air, but10900:07:42,500 –> 00:07:47,720I beat my body and I make it my slave so that after preaching to others I may not myself11000:07:47,720 –> 00:07:49,519be disqualified for the prize.11100:07:49,519 –> 00:07:53,880Do you see that healthy fear that even the apostle Paul has?11200:07:54,540 –> 00:08:00,299And he says I’ve been preaching to others, I’ve been on all these great missionary journeys11300:08:00,299 –> 00:08:07,079but I’m focusing on disciplining my own self because I don’t want to get up into heaven11400:08:07,079 –> 00:08:11,799and find out after all this ministry that I was actually disqualified from the prize.11500:08:11,799 –> 00:08:19,839Imagine putting yourself into the effort of boxing contests, throwing everything at it11600:08:19,839 –> 00:08:23,119only to be disqualified.11700:08:23,119 –> 00:08:29,500Running a marathon and coming in first, only to be told that your run didn’t count.11800:08:33,020 –> 00:08:39,080Third picture is the picture of the desert, it’s from 1 Corinthians and chapter 10.11900:08:39,080 –> 00:08:45,119Paul reminds us of how God brought his people out of Egypt and his purpose was that they12000:08:45,119 –> 00:08:50,679would enter into the land of Canaan, but of course they disobeyed God and they were not12100:08:50,679 –> 00:08:56,340ready to pursue his command, and so a whole generation, because they were disobedient12200:08:56,340 –> 00:09:02,140to the Lord, spent their entire lives just wandering around in the desert.12300:09:02,140 –> 00:09:06,280In 1 Corinthians 10 verse 11, we’re told, these things happened as examples.12400:09:06,280 –> 00:09:08,419They were written down as warnings for us.12500:09:08,419 –> 00:09:14,320Let him who thinks he stands take heed, lest he fall.12600:09:14,320 –> 00:09:18,460Here is what we have to watch out for.12700:09:18,479 –> 00:09:28,400Watch out that you don’t end up with a ministry that brings no reward.12800:09:28,400 –> 00:09:34,559Watch out that you do not end up pouring yourself into a life that ends up disqualified for12900:09:34,559 –> 00:09:37,280the prize.13000:09:37,280 –> 00:09:42,659Watch out that you do not end up pouring all kinds of energy into a life that spiritually13100:09:42,659 –> 00:09:47,080goes nowhere in advancing the purpose of God.13200:09:48,080 –> 00:09:52,520For any of these things would surely be to someone who’s sincere about following Jesus13300:09:52,520 –> 00:09:55,799Christ an absolute disaster.13400:09:57,859 –> 00:10:04,320And so then, to what we most need to grasp, how do you watch?13500:10:04,320 –> 00:10:08,520We’ll get back to here, just how we watch, in a moment.13600:10:08,520 –> 00:10:13,400You’re listening to Open the Bible with Pastor Colin Smith and a message called Watch Yourself,13700:10:13,479 –> 00:10:19,159part of our series Keeping Yourself In Spiritual Shape – Seven Workouts for a Healthy Christian13800:10:19,159 –> 00:10:20,719Life.13900:10:20,719 –> 00:10:24,580If you ever miss one of our other series, you can always catch up, or go back and listen14000:10:24,580 –> 00:10:32,880again, online at our website openthebible.org.uk I know many of you listen to podcasts, and14100:10:32,880 –> 00:10:36,580we’re excited to tell you about a new podcast for Open the Bible.14200:10:36,580 –> 00:10:41,479It’s a companion to Pastor Colin’s book Hike Through the Bible.14300:10:41,479 –> 00:10:46,900Each week I’ll read a chapter from the book, and then I get to discuss it with friends.14400:10:46,900 –> 00:10:52,859So if you join us on the podcast, in 50 weeks we’ll cover 50 chapters of the Bible together,14500:10:52,859 –> 00:10:57,799and in a year, you’ll have hiked through the entire Bible story.14600:10:57,799 –> 00:11:02,940If you think hiking sounds like hard work, don’t worry, I promise you this hike will14700:11:02,940 –> 00:11:05,340be an easy, gentle piece.14800:11:05,340 –> 00:11:13,359There’s a link to the podcast and lots more information on our website at openthebible.org.uk.14900:11:13,359 –> 00:11:16,440Back to The Message now, here again is Colin15000:11:16,440 –> 00:11:22,080Watch out that you do not end up pouring all kinds of energy into a life that spiritually15100:11:22,080 –> 00:11:28,260goes nowhere in advancing the purpose of God.15200:11:28,260 –> 00:11:32,479And so then, to what we most need to grasp.15300:11:32,520 –> 00:11:34,460How do you watch?15400:11:34,460 –> 00:11:36,539How do you watch?15500:11:36,539 –> 00:11:38,539Three things very simply.15600:11:38,539 –> 00:11:42,460The first, recognize the danger of infection.15700:11:42,460 –> 00:11:48,440Hating even the clothing corrupted by sinful flesh.15800:11:48,440 –> 00:11:52,799Now, in order to understand precisely what Judas is saying here, it’s important to realize15900:11:52,799 –> 00:11:58,219that there’s some background in the Old Testament where there were laws that were to protect16000:11:58,219 –> 00:12:01,859the spread of disease among God’s people.16100:12:01,859 –> 00:12:07,440So that for example in Leviticus 13 we’re told that if a person had leprosy, they would16200:12:07,440 –> 00:12:12,780essentially quarantine for obvious reasons so that the disease did not spread to the16300:12:12,780 –> 00:12:15,059rest of the community.16400:12:15,059 –> 00:12:19,659The leper we’re told in Leviticus 13 was to wear torn clothes, in other words that made16500:12:19,659 –> 00:12:23,799them easily identifiable, they used to ring a bell and say unclean, unclean.16600:12:23,799 –> 00:12:26,460All of that is in the Book of Leviticus.16700:12:26,520 –> 00:12:33,739But then something else, the clothes that were taken from the leper after his condition16800:12:33,739 –> 00:12:43,239was identified were according to the Old Testament law to be burned for obvious reasons lest16900:12:43,239 –> 00:12:47,099any infection be passed on through contact with them.17000:12:47,099 –> 00:12:52,000Now that is the background to Jude’s statement here, notice what he says, the clothing stained17100:12:52,000 –> 00:12:55,500by corrupted flesh.17200:12:55,500 –> 00:13:02,820Just as there was a danger of infection by contact with the leper’s clothes, so you17300:13:02,820 –> 00:13:07,179have to understand that as you go out into the world of high school or the office or17400:13:07,179 –> 00:13:11,760wherever it is and we are to go out into the world and we are to reach out to people and17500:13:11,760 –> 00:13:15,719snatch them from the fire, and we are to be merciful to others, we are giving ourselves17600:13:15,719 –> 00:13:20,640to ministry, we talked about that last week but at the same time you must recognise the17700:13:20,640 –> 00:13:22,159danger of infection.17800:13:22,159 –> 00:13:29,599Be very careful as you live your life in the world that the spirit of the world does not17900:13:29,599 –> 00:13:32,940infect you.18000:13:32,940 –> 00:13:39,559Do you recognise the danger of infection, of your soul in this world in which you live?18100:13:39,559 –> 00:13:48,200See nothing is more naive, nothing is more calculative to lead you into failure than18200:13:48,200 –> 00:13:52,080for you to walk through your own life in this world saying this won’t affect me, what18300:13:52,080 –> 00:13:56,640I watch doesn’t make any difference to me.18400:13:56,640 –> 00:14:03,200Some of us are hopelessly naive about the infecting powers of sin, oh I can handle this18500:14:03,200 –> 00:14:04,880we say.18600:14:04,880 –> 00:14:06,320Stupid.18700:14:06,320 –> 00:14:07,719Stupid.18800:14:07,719 –> 00:14:15,859I live in a world where I need to be protected against infection.18900:14:15,859 –> 00:14:20,280Sin is a power that can attach itself to my soul.19000:14:20,400 –> 00:14:23,520That’s why Jesus says watch.19100:14:23,520 –> 00:14:29,099That’s a whole different mindset from what some of us have.19200:14:29,099 –> 00:14:34,000Second, once we’ve understood the danger in that way, examine yourself.19300:14:34,000 –> 00:14:39,280Here’s the second strategy for watching ourselves.19400:14:39,280 –> 00:14:40,700Examine yourself.19500:14:40,700 –> 00:14:45,460Let a man examine himself, the Apostle Paul says.19600:14:45,460 –> 00:14:48,520Examine yourselves.19700:14:49,020 –> 00:14:52,780It’s a very important theme in the Scripture, but it’s one that really has gotten out of19800:14:52,780 –> 00:14:59,320vogue in terms of our current practice in evangelical circles.19900:14:59,320 –> 00:15:07,080Make it your regular practice, a spiritual discipline to do a thorough search of your20000:15:07,080 –> 00:15:16,419soul, to give a clear examination on a regular basis of your interior life to see if there20100:15:16,419 –> 00:15:22,039is anything displeasing to God that is hidden inside you.20200:15:22,039 –> 00:15:27,840Now, in order to do this effectively you need a checklist, and there are a number of ways20300:15:27,840 –> 00:15:28,840of doing this.20400:15:28,840 –> 00:15:32,239But if you simply say, you know, are there any sins inside of me?20500:15:32,239 –> 00:15:37,039You’re not likely to find very much, because you don’t even know what you’re looking for.20600:15:37,039 –> 00:15:40,119It’s just too vague, it’s just too general.20700:15:40,119 –> 00:15:44,659So one way of doing this, for example, would be to take the Ten Commandments and just to20800:15:44,719 –> 00:15:49,880go through them one by one, and then to explore your own interior life and to see if there20900:15:49,880 –> 00:15:54,859are any seeds of any of these things beginning to grow in you.21000:15:54,859 –> 00:15:58,359Another would be that just as you read the scriptures every day, every time you identify21100:15:58,359 –> 00:16:02,780in the scriptures line by line something that God says is wrong and that we should turn21200:16:02,780 –> 00:16:09,900away from or flee from, use that as an immediate stimulus to ask yourself honestly, is there21300:16:09,900 –> 00:16:13,059any evidence of that in me at all?21400:16:13,059 –> 00:16:16,140A third way that’s creative is you might like to work with a friend on this.21500:16:16,140 –> 00:16:20,419You might like to say, and this is quite a good way actually of building some accountability,21600:16:20,419 –> 00:16:26,260give me a list of sins that you think would be worthwhile me looking for inside my own21700:16:26,260 –> 00:16:27,260soul.21800:16:27,260 –> 00:16:28,260And I’ll give you a list as well.21900:16:28,260 –> 00:16:31,780And just come up with a couple of lists.22000:16:31,780 –> 00:16:35,820Let me give you some suggestions.22100:16:35,859 –> 00:16:46,780Saying the name of God in vain, crude and vulgar conversation, enjoying unclean jokes,22200:16:46,780 –> 00:16:55,940cruelty towards other people, especially the weak and the vulnerable, cynicism, greed.22300:16:55,940 –> 00:17:00,539Any trace of that at all?22400:17:00,539 –> 00:17:02,000Bitterness?22500:17:02,000 –> 00:17:03,780Pride?22600:17:03,919 –> 00:17:08,599These things are much more dangerous to your soul than SARS might ever be to your22700:17:08,599 –> 00:17:15,319body. I was asked this week to preach on the subject of the dangers of an22800:17:15,319 –> 00:17:20,979inflated ego at the free church conference. So I’ve been thinking22900:17:20,979 –> 00:17:29,219throughout the week of that one verse in Peter, God opposes the proud but he gives23000:17:29,459 –> 00:17:34,780grace to the humble. Think about that, God opposes the proud23100:17:34,780 –> 00:17:40,239doesn’t even say that if I become proud God will bypass me it says that if I23200:17:40,239 –> 00:17:44,619become proud God will raise his hand and I’ll continue all my activity but his23300:17:44,619 –> 00:17:49,260blessing is not going to be upon it because God’s blessing is not given to23400:17:50,219 –> 00:18:01,099and eternity will reveal it you see his grace is given to the humble the23500:18:01,099 –> 00:18:03,939missionary leader come up to me afterwards and he just he had been23600:18:03,939 –> 00:18:09,260moved it had spoken to him he said if God were to oppose what I’m doing I’m23700:18:09,819 –> 00:18:19,920that’s how dangerous pride is to ministry the humble received the grace23800:18:19,920 –> 00:18:26,180of God see if the proud person thinks that he’s achieving all kinds of23900:18:26,180 –> 00:18:32,939glorious things but actually he’s making much less progress than he thinks and24000:18:32,939 –> 00:18:37,020on the last day there will be nothing of lasting value to show in the presence of24100:18:37,780 –> 00:18:42,280God I’ll go out and smoke that is why of course there will be many surprises in24200:18:42,280 –> 00:18:52,939heaven Jesus said the first will be last and the last will be first and we24300:18:52,939 –> 00:18:57,859may well find ourselves wondering on the last day why so many people we have24400:18:57,859 –> 00:19:05,300never heard of are receiving such rich rewards from the throne of Jesus24500:19:05,319 –> 00:19:14,599while others who we always thought were front-runners in the kingdom seemed to24600:19:14,599 –> 00:19:25,900be far down the line and empty-handed. God opposes the proud. So if I am wise I24700:19:25,900 –> 00:19:33,660will go hunting for pride or greed or lust or any of these sins I’ll go24800:19:33,660 –> 00:19:38,640hunting for them in my soul like our troops are hunting for weapons of mass24900:19:38,640 –> 00:19:44,300destruction in Iraq.’ Because their whole mentality is if there are any of these25000:19:44,300 –> 00:19:51,900things here we’ve got to find them and destroy them. And if there are any of25100:19:51,900 –> 00:19:57,739these things in your soul you’ve got to find them identify them locate them and25200:19:57,859 –> 00:20:05,660destroy them. That’s how the New Testament speaks to us put to death the misdeeds25300:20:05,660 –> 00:20:09,420of the body. Why? Because the spirit of God lives within you. It’s how you live25400:20:09,420 –> 00:20:18,640the Christian life. So recognize the risk of infection. Examine yourself make this25500:20:18,640 –> 00:20:22,880a regular part of your spiritual discipline your walk with God it’s so25600:20:22,900 –> 00:20:27,380important. Don’t examine yourself in a vague general way, look for specifics,25700:20:27,380 –> 00:20:35,000hunt them. And lastly and very briefly reflect on the cross. Notice25800:20:35,000 –> 00:20:41,800how Jude speaks so powerfully about hating. Hating sin not not hating sinners25900:20:41,800 –> 00:20:46,280not hating other people but hating sin now that’s such a hard thing to do26000:20:46,479 –> 00:20:57,680because there is an appeal that sin has to our flesh. And how do you hate what26100:20:57,680 –> 00:21:04,780appeals to a part of you? And there’s only one way to do that and it’s this26200:21:04,780 –> 00:21:14,359see what it did to Jesus and as much as you really love Jesus you begin to26300:21:14,780 –> 00:21:22,040hate sin. The Lord Jesus Christ died for our sins. He didn’t just die for sins in26400:21:22,040 –> 00:21:27,420general. He died for your sins. The ones we’re talking about here in particular.26500:21:27,420 –> 00:21:43,339That pride forced a thorn into his head and if you can make that connection and26600:21:43,339 –> 00:21:50,079understand it as the Bible explains it you will cut that sin out of your life.26700:21:50,079 –> 00:21:56,520When I survey the wondrous cross on which the Prince of Glory died my26800:21:56,520 –> 00:22:05,400riches gain I can’t but loss and poor contempt on all my what pride that’s the26900:22:05,400 –> 00:22:12,579only way to do it is to survey the cross to bring it into the frame of what it27000:22:12,579 –> 00:22:21,939did to Jesus. Then I’ll pour contempt on it. A healthy Christian has an27100:22:21,939 –> 00:22:26,459appropriate fear of sinning because he knows his own flesh. He also has an27200:22:26,459 –> 00:22:33,800appropriate hatred of sin because he sees what it did to Jesus.27300:22:33,800 –> 00:22:40,880So to others show mercy mixed with fear hating even the clothing stained by corrupted flesh.27400:22:41,020 –> 00:22:46,219When you do that you will be able to look up into the face of Jesus27500:22:46,219 –> 00:22:52,119and know that he will keep you from falling.27600:22:52,660 –> 00:22:56,400Well, this is Pastor Colin and here’s the challenge that I want to give you27700:22:56,400 –> 00:23:03,479from the message today. Are you being realistic about the power of temptation27800:23:03,479 –> 00:23:09,680about the danger of falling? Are you watching yourself carefully in the way27900:23:09,680 –> 00:23:14,939that you live today? Has it really got into your mind and into your heart that28000:23:14,939 –> 00:23:21,579other people have fallen? And your flesh is weak and you have an enemy who is the28100:23:21,579 –> 00:23:29,260devil seeking to devour you and he is after you and your safety is in Jesus28200:23:29,260 –> 00:23:36,359Christ and today you must walk with him? Well there’s protection in Jesus Christ28300:23:36,920 –> 00:23:41,640but there’s the call that comes from Christ. That you should walk wisely and28400:23:41,640 –> 00:23:46,699that you should walk with him. The message today boils down to this. There’s28500:23:46,699 –> 00:23:51,880real danger and there’s real protection and our protection is in Jesus Christ.28600:23:51,880 –> 00:23:57,839Absolutely that’s an important warning, but also you’ve left us with that word28700:23:57,839 –> 00:24:03,400of encouragement and hope. This message is called Watch Yourself and it’s part28800:24:03,500 –> 00:24:08,160of our series Keeping Yourself in Spiritual Shape. Seven workouts for a28900:24:08,160 –> 00:24:13,520healthy Christian life. If you missed any part of today’s message, or indeed any of29000:24:13,520 –> 00:24:18,359the previous messages, they’re all available to listen to free online at29100:24:18,359 –> 00:24:24,880our website openthebible.org.uk. Also available as a podcast and those are on29200:24:24,880 –> 00:24:29,920all the main podcast sites search for Open the Bible UK or follow the link29300:24:30,280 –> 00:24:35,079from our website. If you’re a regular listener you know that Open the Bible is29400:24:35,079 –> 00:24:39,180supported by the generous financial support of our listeners, and if that’s29500:24:39,180 –> 00:24:43,119something you’ve been considering doing, this month if you’re able to set up a29600:24:43,119 –> 00:24:47,400new direct debit to the work of Open the Bible in the amount of £5 per29700:24:47,400 –> 00:24:52,680month or more or a one-off gift of £50 or more, we’d love to say thank29800:24:52,680 –> 00:24:56,859you by sending you a copy of Pastor Colin’s new book Ike Through the Bible29900:24:57,020 –> 00:25:02,099which is a brilliant way of finding your way right through the Bible. Full details30000:25:02,099 –> 00:25:05,920and to give online come to our website Openthebible.org.uk30100:25:05,920 –> 00:25:11,699For Open the Bible and Pastor Colin Smith, I’m David Pick, and I hope30200:25:11,699 –> 00:25:18,739you’ll join us again next time on Open the Bible30300:25:18,739 –> 00:25:24,520The Bible tells us that God is the Father, Son and Holy Spirit so which30400:25:24,520 –> 00:25:31,619member of the Trinity is your Savior? Find out next time on Open the Bible