How to Avoid Spiritual Regression

Introduction and Class Guidelines

0:04 This adult Sunday school class was held on December 30th, 1984, at the Trinity Baptist Church in Montville, New Jersey. Now those of you who regularly attend upon the ministry of the word in this place know that normally you would be sitting under the ministry of Professor Martin, who is presently leading us in a very profitable study of the epistle to the Hebrews. However, from time to time it becomes my privilege as well as responsibility to lead this combined adult class, and when I do, I usually seek to use it as a forum to discuss matters of practical pastoral concern, concerns either introduced by you in the form of questions or notes passed to me indicating that you have a subject you feel ought to be discussed, or subjects. The subjects introduced by me and then discussed by us all with our Bibles open before us. And this morning we're going to take that latter course. I wish to introduce and lead a discussion on a very practical, and I think you will be convinced with me, a very relevant subject.

1:23 But before I introduce the subject and open up the discussion, I want to give a few guidelines for the conducting of our class. I would remind those of you...

1:32 who are with us over a long period, and for those who may be visiting with us, inform you that our goal in the class format is not the airing of personal opinions. The late Dr. A. W. Tozer, with tongue in cheek, defined a symposium as the pooling of our ignorance.

1:55 Well, that could also be a synonym for much that is called a forum for discussion of Christian themes, and business. biblical issues. Our goal is not the airing of personal opinions. The scripture tells us that in the public gathering of God's people, 1 Corinthians 14, all things are to be done unto edification, that is, the building up of the people of God. And since it is truth, and truth alone which nourishes the souls of God's people, then our concern, even in an open forum format, is not the airing of personal opinions, but the sharing of God's holy truth. And secondly, we need to understand that in doing this, this is not a public forum, but it's an exercise of the church family here at Trinity. Now, we always welcome into every public gathering of God's people, 1 Corinthians 14, all things are to be done unto edification, meeting those who are not members of the family, who are our guests. And on behalf of the entire congregation, I personally extend to you a warm welcome into our midst, and we trust that your

3:08 presence with us will be unto edification. However, when it comes to making contributions and the raising of questions, we would appreciate it if we would acknowledge that this is a family gathering, essentially and primarily, and we would ask that you respect our desire that the contributions and questions be raised from our membership only. Now, we do that not because we want to put down our guests, but because we can assume that those who are members are asking their questions and making their contributions within the basic framework of the doctrinal perspective that they have confessed in becoming members. Furthermore, just in terms of social politeness, I know the names of our members, and I know the names of the members of the church family, and I know the names of the when a hand is raised, I can recognize such a person by name. And there have been a few times in the past when visitors have been amongst us who have either been so desirous of sharing a perspective or so pressured with a given question, and sometimes, I'm ashamed to say, I think so insensitive to just common social mores that they have put me in a very embarrassing situation. I did not want to put down a visitor and a stranger, yet if I were to put down a visitor and a stranger, I didn't. I'd be put down in the eyes of my own people for tolerating the foolishness that they

4:30 spoke. Now, that's not a very enviable position. That's between the rock and a hard place or even a harder place. And so, as your elders met last night, we sharpened up our policy in these open forums, and we have determined that it would be unto maximum edification if in these sessions only those who are members of the church would contribute by way of questioning and questioning questions or contributions when they are sought. All right, so much then for what I'm doing here and how I propose to lead the class this morning. Now, the subject that I want to introduce is this. How to avoid spiritual regression during a holiday season, vacation, or a day off from our normal work. How to avoid spiritual regression. That's just a fancy term for

Establishing the Relevance of Spiritual Regression During Holidays

5:24 backsliding. How to avoid spiritual regression during a holiday season, Christmas, New Year's, etc., vacation, or a day off from normal work. Now, there is something assumed in my question, is there not? And what am I assuming in raising this issue? Someone tell me, what am I assuming?

5:49 Someone tell me. All right, Jay? Jay has said that I'm assuming that spiritual regression is a real possibility, not in general, but in specific connection with holiday seasons, vacations, or days off from normal work. Now, if I'm assuming something that isn't true, everything I've prepared into which I'm trying to guide you, I might as well tear it up, throw it out the window, and say any questions on general biblical themes. So now we've got to establish the relevance of my subject. Now, that means you've got to get honest. With judgment day honesty, as I asked my first question, and my first question is this. How many of you have found, as a general rule, not every single time, not in every single instance, but how many of you have found, as a general rule, that holidays, vacations, and days off have often resulted in spiritual regression? I want you to raise your hand. Okay, so it's a relevant subject then. Okay, very good.

Factors Contributing to Spiritual Regression

7:00 I can keep my notes. And we don't need to change the subject. Now that we've established the relevance of our subject, let us attack the subject with at least two or three more questions that will form the framework of what I trust will be, to each one of us, at least part of the biblical answer to the question, how can I personally, one of those who raised his hand, how can I personally avoid some regression, in a holiday season, vacation, or a day off from normal work? So, that brings us then to this next question that is foundational to wrestling with this subject, and it is this. What are the specific factors which often contribute to spiritual regression in these times? What are the factors that contribute to spiritual regression during that tendency, which many of us have acknowledged we know all too well? Then we've got to start by analyzing what is it that contributes to and

8:25 causes spiritual regression during these times? And I want you now to think before you speak. Not much of this, I'm sure. Repentance begins with thinking. Revelation chapter 2. Remember, from whence thou art fallen, and repent, and do the first works. So, an element of sober reflection is involved in all exercises. So, you tell me what factors in your own experience and observation, specific factors, not just general things, the devil, the flesh, but specific factors contribute to spiritual regression, not all the time, but in a very special way, in a holiday season, a day off, and in vacation periods. All right, Mr. Gergeles? All right, a change of schedule. How does that, in a specific way,

9:28 Mr. Gergeles, contribute to spiritual regression? What is there about a change of schedule that is connected with spiritual regression? All right. So, one of the factors involved in this change of schedule or routine, you've mentioned one of the specifics, is lateness in rising. All right, is there anything wrong with sleeping in a little later? When you have a vacation or a day off, I mean, isn't that part of the purpose, to get some rest? Is God some kind of a cruel taskmaster who resents the fact that you get an extra hour or two of sleep in a vacation or a day off? What's the relationship between this lateness of sleep and

10:22 spiritual regression? God put his servant Elijah to sleep, woke him up enough to have an angel feed him, and put him back to sleep. He needed a vacation, and he gave him lots of sleep on his vacation. At least, that's what I read in my Bible. I read in my Bible, and I read in my Bible, and I read in my Bible, and that's what God did. His servant was worn out from great spiritual and physical expenditure of energy, and got discouraged, and what did God do? God didn't send him on a 50-day fast. God put him to sleep, and then woke him up, fed him, and put him back to sleep. That was you reading your Bible. That's what I read in mine. So, what's the connection between this and spiritual regression? Assuming it, I'm sure, but we want to state it explicitly. All right, Mr. Spence?

11:09 Okay.

11:12 Often, then, you slip, then, into a more normal routine, and if you've blocked out those early morning hours for quiet time alone with God, and sleep has consumed them, so you leap right into off to shopping, doing projects you've got planned for your day off, or for your vacation, visiting here, visiting there, etc. So, there is, then, an undermining of the ordinary, necessary means of grace because of the change in your life. So, what's the connection between this and spiritual regression, and the change of schedule? Would you say that answers to your experience? Okay. All right. What other factors? Not only vacations, but holiday seasons, days off. What are some of the other specific factors that contribute to spiritual regression? Pat, and then Jim?

12:19 All right. So, what you're saying is that we have a tendency, if we are given a legitimate opportunity, to change our schedule. So, what's the connection between this and spiritual regression? We have a tendency to relax our spiritual watchfulness. Is that what you're saying? If I'm hearing you rightly. All right. And what happens when we relax our spiritual watchfulness? The relaxation of watchfulness, and we're sort of anticipating what was going to come in the next question. Try to hold these things in their proper categories. All right. A relaxation of spiritual watchfulness, which leaves us more vulnerable to the attacks of the enemy of our souls. All right. Other specific factors. All right. Jim?

13:07 All right. So, another specific factor is the change of circumstances may make, in vacations particularly, change of even physical circumstances. Change of physical circumstances may make it difficult to even find a place to be alone.

13:59 That's why we let women speak here. That's right. A vital contribution for some of you, especially for many of you women. Times of holidays, vacations, and days off for your husband become times of intensified, remember, marriage, so that's a very, and you see, if a husband is dwelling with his wife according to knowledge, and nurturing, and cherishing her, he's not going to be either willfully,

15:16 indifferent, or ignorant of this principle. But he's going to take steps to make sure that she doesn't regress spiritually while he's having extra time to be alone with God. So, when we come to some of the antidotes, we need to keep that in mind. All right. Some other factors now that contribute to regression in these times. All right. Gary, I believe you had your hand up before, so we'll recognize and come back to you, Henry. Yes. All right. Often in these times, we have a more concentrated, if so, what you're

16:13 going to do and not do. At what point, and drank with publicans and sinners, and yet it is said of him, he was wholly harmless, undefiled, and separate from sinners. He that saith he abideth in him ought to walk as he walks. Where do those lines cross?

16:36 We obviously miss it because we become defiled because of this more concentrated exposure to this interaction. What did I say was next? Oh yes, Henry. All right. Then let's come on back. Someone else had a hand up over here. Do you have a different thing? Yes, Sens.

17:04 Well, you can say it loud, isn't that? Too much what? Too much eating. We're skirting this issue. Usually, there is more food available, prepared for special occasions, and again, if we read our Bibles, there is a biblical doctrine of feasting. There is a biblical doctrine of feasting. Feasting is not sinful. Having special foods prepared in special amounts for special occasions is, for anyone to say it is, Paul says such a doctrine is a doctrine of demons. The first forms of heresy came of attacking the dignity and the sanctity of God-given appetites. So you read in 1 Timothy 4 that doctrines of demons will be spawned which deny that we should eat certain foods, that we should deny a normal God-given sexual expression within the bounds of God-given sanctions such as marriage, or I should say in marriage, period.

18:20 And can't take the position feasting under any circumstances is wrong. However, the Bible does condemn gluttony. Not in ordinary days, in ordinary seasons. God never relaxes his condemnation of the sin of gluttony.

18:41 In fact, it's interesting when Jesus warns about the things that will turn people's hearts away from the kind of expectancy for his return that will render them unprepared. Do you remember what he warns against in Luke 21 in verse 34? Take heed to yourselves, lest perhaps your hearts of spiritual be overcharged with surfeiting, banqueting, excessive eating, and drunkenness, excessive drinking, and Marthaism, the cares of this life. Now notice he says your heart, but that's what that text says, doesn't it? That's what my Bible says. Your heart can be...

19:33 Become overcharged with surfeiting. Well, wait a minute. My food goes into my belly, not my heart. Ah, yeah, but you put too much food in your belly, and you're doing something to the seat of your spiritual life.

19:45 You're sinning against God. You're wounding your conscience, and when you've wounded your conscience, you've cut yourself off from communion with God. And if you're a true child of God, then you become miserable to live with. And then usually a miserable Christian sins in terms of being quick, short, short-fused.

20:05 Quick-tempered, grousey, grumpy, and it gives birth to all other kinds of sin. So Jesus said, beware, lest your hearts be overcharged with surfeiting, with drunkenness. Now you see, if Jesus had taught his followers that the imbibing of alcohol under any circumstances was sin, why would he have to tell them, beware, lest your hearts be overcharged with drunkenness?

20:30 You see, the position that teetotaling is a moral mandate simply will not stand up to the test of Scripture. Right. A person may choose to be a teetotaler for good and wise reasons, and thank God we've got people in this congregation who have vowed before God to be teetotalers till they die. But we don't regard them stronger or weaker for that.

20:51 We regard them as wise in terms of knowing themselves and their own potential for sin. But Jesus still warns his own people, beware, lest the heart be affected with surfeiting, means banqueting, drunkenness, and Marthaism. Right. The cares of this life.

21:09 Three things that in a special way can be aggravated and to which we can be unusually exposed in a season of feasting, a season of banqueting, holidays, not so much days off, but vacations. And so we've got to put in here excessive food and drink already with the matter of Marthaism, the cares of this life. Some other things that contribute to spiritual regression. Dottie, you had your hand up raised before.

21:44 A devotion. For instance, on Saturday morning, I used to like to listen to the client's creation program on WFME. But when it was over with, I realized that I wasn't having my devotions that morning. That's just a type of holiday.

22:15 So now you might even listen to music on WFME. I think, well, this will take the place of my devotions. All right. The temptation, then, with that change of schedule.

22:25 Sort of a subheading of that is to rationalize about weak substitutes for really having first-hand dealings with God. That if you try to rationalize about them in an ordinary day, your own sophistry would blow up in your face and you'd say, come off it. Who are you trying to kid? But the fact that it's a different day lends some credibility to it.

22:45 I think that's the point you're making, Dottie. Yes. And we're more liable to sophistry and subtlety on a day off or on a vacation time or a holiday. But I think that's really a subheading under here.

22:59 Certain holiday seasons leave us more vulnerable to worldly philosophy, underscoring particularly Christmas with its obsession with things and the spending of money and what I can get and what I can accumulate. So we could put that, let's see, how can we express that? On certain holidays, we're exposed to exposure to...

23:39 Concentrated doses. Concentrated doses of the world.

24:00 And, you know, there's like a shield that goes up when you're living with the Lord and you're communion with Him. Because you've been going around feeling the emotions through some of these times. And what happens to the person who lives on the crest of his emotions? Sooner or later, he's going to have a what?

24:19 One word. A what? What I'm fishing for. A crack.

24:33 And it goes on like we had a crack. All right? And that's what they call it? People that are living...

24:38 Living for a high and they come down off their high, they crash.

24:45 What they do is floating around on the so-called lovely, ebullient Christmas spirit or holiday spirit or vacation spirit. And you're really not having communion with God in the Holy Spirit. And what happens? You get up and you've got a rainy day.

25:03 It's heavy and, boy, you come down from that thing. Boom. Just like that. You dive on the deck.

25:09 You hit and when you hit and splat, everyone around you gets splattered. Because you come down...

25:16 You come down off this high. That's right. So that's a very good point. How are we going to put that on the board?

25:22 The... The...

25:23 Here to... Too much on our emotions in such seasons.

25:29 Okay? Danger...

25:31 He's up. He's got...

25:34 Okay, there we go. Danger...

Further Factors: Media Consumption and Disrupted Routines

25:44 Significant factor. Yes, David. I wondered who again was going to be on.

25:54 That is one of the things. Greater...

25:56 Here's a man who's out to work to catch the 645 or the 712 or the 730. He doesn't have to worry whether or not he ought to watch. This, that, or the other on the television. He's out of the house and he ain't home till 6 o'clock.

26:23 But now he's got a day off. So he figures, you know, I'm mental diverse and I'll just watch a little TV. He doesn't know what's on. He doesn't have a TV guide.

26:34 He's not selected. He just keeps his feet up, turns the TV on. And before long...

26:41 Shouldn't be... But, you know, I'm mature.

26:44 I can take that. And he starts to rationalize. And by the end of the day, what's happened? He's got a conscience spattered with all kinds of mud.

26:54 And either... He tries to rationalize and just slough it all off.

26:59 And say, well, I'm just really being overly legalistic. Or he's going to have to have dealings with God and with Christ and with the blood of cleansing. He's going to have to have renewed repentance because of the abuse of his TV. And it may be in two areas.

27:24 What for?

27:31 Meddling here. You know what next Monday and Tuesday are, don't you?

27:37 Don't you? And some of us, who because of the pressure of responsibilities, can watch very little college football on Saturdays throughout the fall. When New Year's comes, we can get it up to our ears. From, what, about 12 noon on New Year's Day till the last game is over somewhere around 11 o'clock at night.

28:00 And now they're stretching out the various bowls to two or three weeks before and after. And so the whole matter of the biblical doctrine of let all moderation is with regard to how...

28:16 So David's point is well taken. That holiday seasons, days off, and vacations expose us in an unusual way. Some of you harried mothers, be thankful. At least that's one thing you don't need to worry about, see?

28:32 So your responsibilities can be a means of grace to keep you from sin. So that may help you when you feel so harried to say, at least I ain't sinning like my husband's in there.

28:50 All right, yes, Gene?

29:04 All right, so the disruption from our normal framework, that would be another subheading, I think, under the... The disruption of our normal schedule and our normal associations geographically.

29:16 And the whole matter of saying, well, I'll probably end up being disappointed if I go here, there, simply to spend the Lord's Day without seeking to gather with God's people. All right, any other significant factor that we've overlooked here? Jonathan? All right, so now we're getting down to some of the principles that we'll need to come to grips with.

29:52 So if I can hold that off, Jonathan, because you've really stated what is my final practical directive. Plan the...

29:59 The time to reflect commitment to the constants and sensitivity to the variables. That's my little formula. So you've already anticipated it, so can I hold off? Just in the sense of trying to keep this thing in some kind of order and moving the class to where I hope to go.

30:13 All right, any other significant factor now? Yes.

30:28 Yeah. All right, those of you who have families, you know that there's nothing relaxing about long trips in a car with little kids unless you have those rare exceptions. Now, I marvel. Some people have these kids.

30:41 You put them down anywhere with a little book or a little something to scribble on and they're oblivious to the rest of the world for one hour, two hour. They'll sleep in a car and the rest...

30:51 We don't know what that's like. We didn't have any kids like that. All due respects to one of them who's here. Sorry, didn't mean to forget you, son.

31:01 But we didn't have kids like that. He belongs to someone else now, so I'm trying to think of someone else. It's a separate entity now. It's amazing how quickly you get adjusted to that.

31:13 So I don't think of him as part of the family. He's left us to cleave. No, that's right. That's right.

31:20 But that's another whole subject. We won't get into that. Okay. All right.

31:24 Some of the draining is another very specific and concrete and significantly different one that hasn't been mentioned because I do want to move along and not just be on the negative. Charlie, the differing schedule leaves us vulnerable to undercut the matter of our devotional exercise. Well, I'm sure others could be added, but we're within 20 minutes of zero hour and I don't want to leave us hanging in the air. All right. So now...

The Biblical Approach: Replacing Negative with Positive

32:15 What I want to do, having laid out together some of these 10 specific ways in which spiritual regression occurs, the factors which contribute to it during vacations, holiday seasons, to reverse the pattern and to make the... Not simply asking what can we do to regression, but what can we do to seize these times to be the occasion of specific and positive progress. And why do I ask? Why do I ask the question that way? Because that's the way the Bible approaches ethical issues.

33:11 For example, turn to Ephesians chapter 4. Now we'll begin to get into specific scriptures. In Ephesians chapter 4, notice how the apostle treats the problem of a Christian who's still tempted to thievery, pre-Christian experience, part of his pre-Christian lifestyle. He may have been pilfering paperclips from the office, money from the petty cash, or it may have been larger pilfering, but he still hasn't gained complete victory over his pilfering, his stealing.

33:53 Now, what does God say to him? Verse 28. Ephesians 4, 28. Let him that stole steal no more.

34:04 Let him cease his morally negative activity. But rather, let him labor, working with his hands the thing which is good, that he may have.

34:21 So you see, God is not only interested in negating and canceling the morally negative activity. God wants it replaced with its opposite virtue. He's to stop this, and he's to cultivate the ability so to work as to have it to give to others. Now you find the same perspective in verse 29.

34:45 Let no corrupt speech proceed out of your mouth. Well, there's a sure way to obey that. Just never say anything. Just keep your mouth shut.

34:54 In all circumstances, apart from asking for something needful for your own sustenance, keep your mouth shut. But that isn't what the text enjoins. Notice. Let no corrupt speech proceed out of your mouth, but such as is good for the building up as the need may be, that it may give grace to them that hear.

35:15 We're not to be content that our speech is not corrupt. We must strive to have speech that gives, positive edification. And that's the pattern all the way through Scripture. So as we attack this ethical problem, how can I secure, by God's grace, my times of vacation, holidays, and days off?

35:37 It must be not simply with the mentality that they do not become times of regression, but how can I get them under God's times of positive, spiritual? That should be our concern. You see the principle now in Scripture? Now then, I throw it out to you.

Biblical Convictions: No Truce with Enemies, No Alteration of Demands

35:57 What can we do? And my suggestion is that we think of our answers in two categories. There are certain biblical perspectives that need to be kept in our minds, and then the practical direction.

36:18 What are some of the biblical convictions that need to be brought to mind on the threshold of a day off, a vacation, and a holiday season? What? What biblical perspectives will particularly help us to make spiritual progress in these seasons? What are some of the convictions that we have as Christians that need to be brought into conscious focus at such times?

36:47 Can you think of them? Yes, George?

36:54 Establish priorities ahead of time? Let's sort of write these off in the margin. I think the ones that I've put down in the order I have them will eventually come in, and so I'll, since I've already tried to think them through and arrange them in some order, let me put them here as you give them to me. Establish priorities, key word, ahead of time.

37:16 Something else. Yes, Jim?

37:26 All right. Could we summarize that by saying we must commit in the fear of God?

37:56 Okay. That even as we approach God's norms for what is sin and what is virtue do not change. The unchangeableness of God's law. The unchangeableness of the law God condemns on Monday.

38:14 He condemns on Monday whether it's a holiday. Or whether it's an ordinary day. If something is sin, it is sin at any time. Constant recognition that we are purchased properly.

38:36 Okay? With a price. 1 Corinthians 6.20.

38:42 All right?

38:47 Excellent. Our spiritual and what? Physical needs. Our basic needs do not change.

38:54 Basic, needable, or constant.

39:03 For today we fresh manna, even on holiday.

39:07 Yes, Rich? That's true. Amen. Amen.

39:18 Amen.

39:20 Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen.

39:21 Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen.

39:22 Amen. Amen. All right? That there is no holiday in the Christian life.

39:27 Okay. There is no holiday. Good. Well, I'm sure we could bring in many such things.

39:33 Let me lay them out as I've thought them through. And I think you'll see that all of these are included at least in principle. My suggestion is that, first of all, the biblical convictions that we need to bring to mind fall under two categories. Number one, be consistent and fresh.

39:54 that Satan, indwelling sin, and the world declare on these special days.

40:08 When one of the two warring parties says, I put my arm between now and next Monday. A bilateral truce is one where the two parties meet at a conference table and they say, look, this fighting of each other and all the rest getting rough, let's declare for three days we stop fighting. We'll lay down arms, we'll agree to it. Now, if you can get the devil and the world to sit down and make a truce with you and say, let's come to an agreement that for between December 24th and January 2nd, the devil will leave you alone.

40:49 The flesh will go on a vacation. Well, then you can afford to act as though those things are not out to do what they are prepared and determined to do at all other times. What is the devil determined to do at all other times? Well, according to 1 Peter 5.8, your adversary, the devil, walketh about and there's no parenthesis saying except on holidays, days off and vacations. He walks about as a roaring lion seeking whom he may devour. He does this continually. And what about the world?

41:19 It is continually attempting to squeeze us into its mold. Romans 12.2, let not the world squeeze you into its mold. It is constantly squeezing and it doesn't release its grasp because it looks at the calendar and says, oh, holiday come up, I'll just declare, declare a little period of neutrality and I will not seek to take Christians and conform them to my patterns and likewise with the flesh.

41:46 Galatians 5.17 says, the flesh is lusting against the spirit and the spirit is lusting against the flesh and these two are contrary the one to another. Parenthesis, except on holidays, vacations and days off. It doesn't say that.

42:02 Now that's reality, Christians. That is reality. That is reality.

42:10 And the person who doesn't reckon with that reality is off in a never-never land. He'll suffer for it. He'll suffer for it. So as we approach days off, holiday seasons, vacation times, face them with the renewal of this conviction, this biblical conviction, that Satan, indwelling a sin in the world, declare no on these occasions.

42:37 And then secondly, be convinced, that there is no alteration of the fundamental ethical demands of the gospel. Be convinced as you approach a holiday season that there is no alteration of the fundamental, the baseline, the changeless ethical demands of the gospel. That is the demands that come down upon your shoulders because you stand under the gracious, redemptive mercies of God, in Jesus Christ. And what are those demands?

43:17 Matthew 22, 36 to 40. To love this God who has redeemed you in Christ with all your heart, mind, soul, and strength, even on holidays. And to love your neighbor as yourself, even on holidays. You see how that touches you husbands?

43:31 If holidays bring an extra burden on your wife and you're loving your wife as yourself, will you act as though the holidays do not bring an extra burden on her? If you do, you're violating the second great commandment. The mandate to nourish and cherish your wife is not negated, suspended, or canceled because it's New Year's.

43:52 And if you do not show a willingness to pitch in and bear some of that burden, you are violating a fundamental gospel duty. The great command, Matthew 22. The great priority, Matthew 6, 33. Seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness.

44:10 On holidays, yes. Vacation days, yes. Now what that means, in specifics, we'll come to some of the principles as we have the time. But that priority never changes.

44:21 The great pursuit, Hebrews 12, 14. Pursue holiness without which no man will see the Lord. Except on holidays, vacations, and days off? No.

44:32 The great pursuit is never to change. You're to be as thirsty to be a holy man or woman on a holiday as you are on the Lord's day.

44:42 The great command never changes. Love God with all your heart, your neighbor as yourself, the great priority to seek first the kingdom of God never changes. The great pursuit never changes. And the great climate of your life is to be what?

44:55 1 Peter 1, 15 and 17. As He which hath called you is holy, be ye holy in all manner of conversation. And if you call on Him as Father, who without respect of person judges every man, pass the time of your sojourning in fear. We read in the book of Proverbs, Be thou in the fear of God all the day.

45:15 The great climate, the climate of life is never to be altered, even in a holiday, on a day off or during a vacation. So, what we need to do, and no one can do this for us, going over them here this morning won't do it for you. As you face the next couple of days, try to put some of these things into the hopper of today's meditation and reflection. And see if it doesn't make a radical difference in terms of what happens over the next couple of days on this New Year's weekend.

Practical Directives: Plan Time with Constants and Variables

45:50 Be convinced that your enemies declare no truth. The world, the flesh and the devil are going to be as active, even more active, because of your increased vulnerability over the next few days. And then be convinced that there's no alteration of the fundamental ethical demands of the gospel. Now, within that framework, what are some of the practical directives that under God can help us to make spiritual progress in times that, alas, too often, have been the occasion of spiritual regression?

46:22 What are some of the practical things? Well, here's my little formula. Alright? I'm going to give you a formula.

46:29 The guy that's always saying there ain't no formulas is going to give you one. Alright. But this formula is simply trying to capture the biblical principles. Here it is.

46:40 Plan time to reflect commitment to the constants and sensitivity to the variables. Plan. There's a block of time, whether it's three weeks vacation, whether it's a day off, whether it's three days off over a holiday weekend. Plan.

47:09 There's the key word. If you simply wake up on your day off saying, oh well, I want to feel like doing it. And you sort of wait for some impulse. You're waiting for something, like the guy waiting for the perfect wave and then he's going to get up on you.

47:25 You're just sort of floating out there offshore on your surface, surfboard, waiting for the perfect wave. Well, suppose the first wave is one gendered by your remaining corruption.

47:36 What a way to start. By the stirring up of your indwelling sin, it'll be a wave of aversion to prayer.

47:45 So you won't go to your Bible and you won't pray. Now you've left yourself vulnerable to all other kinds of waves. You see? So the key issue is this.

47:54 Plan the time so as to reflect commitment to the constants. And what are those? Well, we've considered them. The great command, the great priority, the great pursuit, and the great climate of life.

48:10 That means, instead of getting up at 5.30 or 6.00 or 6.30 as I normally do, I'm going to sleep till 8 o'clock.

48:18 However, from 8 to 9,

48:24 and from 9 to such and such, I'm going to have time to pray with my wife or with my family, whatever it is. You make plans. Spoils a day off that.

48:37 In an unplanned manner, that day will be the mother's day. That day will be the mother's day. That day will be the mother's day. That day will be the mother of sin.

48:43 God has made us like Himself. He's a God of plan and a God of order who does in time what He's purposed in eternity. We're to be His image bearers. What we do in time is to reflect not what we purposed in eternity, for we are not from eternity, but what we rationally purpose to do in the light of our biblical mandates and directives.

49:08 So plan the time to reflect commitment to the constants that means you don't do any unguarded, unstructured TV watching. You don't leave yourself vulnerable to these things. You don't leave yourself vulnerable to gluttony and just eating whatever's in sight all throughout the day. You don't leave yourself vulnerable to those sins.

49:32 The constants are there. So in your prayer time, what will you do? You will especially concentrate your prayers to be kept from the very sins that will in an unusual way be put before you in the way of temptation. Lord, help me to enjoy your good gifts of food and drink without the excess that will turn my heart away from you.

49:56 You see? Lead us not into temptation. You take that general petition and you make it concrete in terms of the specifics. So plan the time to reflect commitment to the constants.

50:09 That means as the head of a household, as you plan your vacation, where in that vacation time are you going to be able to carry on your family worship? Where are you going to be able to carry on your time of devotions with your wife? Plan it as you get into your new circumstances. You look over the physical surroundings, the schedule if you're with people, and you organize the situation so that the priorities have their proper place.

50:38 Plan to reflect commitment to the constants and sensitivity. To the variables. God's given you a day off that you might get some of your projects done around the home. Spend a little more time with your wife.

50:56 Spend some quality time with the children. Get some extra rest. Consider the variables and structure them into the time as well. But this is something that you must do.

51:11 And do it without having a guilty conscience. There is nothing wrong with eating more at a New Year's dinner. There is nothing wrong with eating more at a New Year's dinner. There is nothing wrong with eating more at a New Year's dinner.

51:18 There is nothing wrong with eating more at a New Year's dinner. Then you eat ordinarily for your evening meal. Feasting is not sinful. Gluttony is.

51:26 Now where's the line? It is for me.

51:32 And some of you perhaps are rationalizing because the scales are telling you that you ain't quite adjusted the line right.

51:40 Hmm? Now that's good to have a check on ourselves. But you see, this is something you must do. You say, but I'd like something more.

51:47 No. We're all a bunch of legalistic heart and Pharisees and we want somebody to spell it all out for us in a nice little neat checklist. No. You must live in the fear of God in terms of what that means for you.

Conscience, Moderation, and the Cost of Carelessness

52:00 For some people to do on a day off what I do would be sin.

52:05 For me not to do it, I believe for me it's sin. You say, what's that? None of your business.

52:15 You see, that's the issue. I must determine for me. You must determine for you. Now if you tell me that something that clearly violates a thou shalt or a thou shalt not of God, you can do it with a good conscience.

52:29 Then I say you need to get your conscience straightened up with the Bible. But in broad areas we are left to our own liberty before God. We are Christ-free men and women. May I suggest that in doing this, look to the end of the day and say what will bring me to it with a good conscience and what will bring me to it with a bad conscience.

52:54 Now you football addicts, let me ask you, how many of you have ever been able to sit down and turn on the first bowl game and watch clean through until you were cross-eyed and red-eyed at 11 o'clock at night and go to bed with a good conscience? Anyone? I've gone to bed with a bloodied conscience when I've done it in the past.

53:13 Now you can't do it because why? You know that even physically and emotionally you've burnt yourself out for the next day. You get up the next morning and you have a football hangover. Right?

53:24 Come on, admit it. How many have known what a football hangover is the day after New Year? Okay, got a few honest men here. That's right.

53:31 And the same is true with anything that is done to excess. So you've got to make these decisions deliberately, rationally, prayerfully before God. You say, Pastor, you've spoiled the whole idea of a day off when you talk about planning and looking to the end of the day and all the rest. All right?

53:50 If having a good conscience is too much trouble for you, I doubt you're a Christian.

53:56 If having a good conscience is not precious enough for you to plan and think, I doubt you're a Christian. If you're such a slave of good feelings that the idea of a little responsible planning irritates you, then what do you know of what our brother mentioned, taking up your cross daily and following Christ? If your Christianity is so devoid of that kind of responsible living, I wouldn't give you a nickel for it and I wouldn't want to die with it and I wouldn't want to go to judgment with it. And my friend, you're going to die and you're going to go to judgment and I hope you die and go to judgment with something better than a Christianity that has no place for rational, prayerful, thoughtful reflection, even on the threshold of holidays, days off, and vacation. I don't want to spoil your fun. I want you to come back from your vacation rested,

54:47 refreshed, full of joy, and of the Holy Ghost, and happy. Now, is anything wrong with that? I think that's a pretty good motive. I don't want you to have to meet me with some forced grin saying, oh, I had a great time, and inwardly...

55:02 No. Inwardly, your conscience is screaming and you say, oh, if I really were honest, I'd tell the pastor it was right. My wife and I were at each other's throats and that kid...

55:16 Huh?

55:18 That's what will be the fruit of careless, unplanned, unstructured, unprioritized, days off, vacations, and holidays. Well, I hope you agree with me that this is a very relevant subject and I trust you found this time profitable, but I've gone already four minutes beyond my time. You had so much material under the first heading. You pushed me to get through the last two headings.

Conclusion and Prayer

55:41 Well, let's pray and ask God to help us in these things. Our Father, we confess in your presence that so often we have brought ourselves by spiritual sloth and carelessness into a state that has resulted in our own detriment and the robbing you of glory that is due to you. And we would with shame confess our sin. And we pray in a very special way that the things we've considered this morning will be written upon the fleshy tables of our hearts by the power of the Spirit and that even as we face tomorrow, Tuesday, that many will be able to testify that there was a radically different fruition from this New Year's holiday season. That we and our wives and our husbands and our families may enter the New Year with a good conscience, with renewed vision of the glory of Christ and the significance of our part in advancing His kingdom. O Lord, bless our most light, happy moments, our times of feasting and laughter, that in all of them

57:07 our Lord Jesus Christ may be our welcomed guest, that in a very real sense, as He joined in the laughter and the joy of that wedding feast in Cana of Galilee, so He may be with us in the feasting about our tables, in the laughter in our living rooms, and in all of our legitimate recreation, interaction, may He be present and may He smile and may we not grieve Him away. Hear our prayer and receive our thanks for Your Word, which is an adequate revelation of Your will, even for such practical concerns as these. Thank You for giving us Your Word. Give us grace to obey it.

57:50 We ask in Jesus' name. Amen.