“COMPLACENCY”

JUNE 22, 2008

New Life Bible Church

Allen McLauchlin, Pastor

"Moab has been at ease since his youth; He has also been undisturbed on his lees, Neither has he been emptied from vessel to vessel, Nor has he gone into exile.  Jeremiah 48:11

"And it will come about at that time That I will search Jerusalem with lamps, And I will punish the men Who are stagnant in spirit,  Zephaniah 1:12

COMPLACENCY: When spiritual growth is not a  top priority in ones Christian life.

Note:  A complacent Christian has become a lukewarm Christian.

So, because you are lukewarm--neither hot nor cold--I am about to spit you out of my mouth.  Revelation 3:16

CAUSES  FOR COMPLACENCY 

1.  When a Christian doesn’t desire a closer walk/fellowship with the Lord.

Since you trust in your deeds and riches, Jeremiah 48:7a

Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already been made perfect, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me.  Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead,  I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.  All of us who are mature should take such a view of things. Philippians 3:12-15

 No, I beat my body and make it my slave. 1 Corinthians 9:27

I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of sharing in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, Philippians 3:10

2.  When a Christian becomes too stubborn  and selfish to listen to God’s voice.

"Make her drunk,  for she has defied the LORD.  Jeremiah 48:26

Because they( Moab) have rejected the law of the LORD.  Amos 2:4

Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with him, and he with me. Revelation 3:20

So Eli told Samuel, "Go and lie down, and if he calls you, say, `Speak, LORD, for your servant is listening.'" So Samuel went and lay down in his place. The LORD was with Samuel as he grew up, and he let none of his words fall to the ground. 1 Samuel 1:9,19

When you are assembled in the name of our Lord Jesus and I am with you in spirit, and the power of our Lord Jesus is present. (LISTEN TO HIS VOICE) 1 Corinthians 5:4

3. When a Christian has too much pride to admit past failures.

We have heard of Moab's pride--  her overweening pride and conceit,  her pride and her insolence--  but her boasts are empty. Isaiah 16:6

And you have become arrogant, and have not mourned…                            1 Corinthians 5:2

When pride comes, then comes the fall.  Proverbs 11:2

The Pharisee stood up and prayed about  `God, I thank you that I am not like other men--robbers, evildoers, adulterers--or even like this tax collector.  I fast twice a week and give a tenth of all I get.'  "But the tax collector stood at a distance. He would not even look up to heaven, but beat his breast and said, `God, have mercy on me, a sinner Luke 18:11-13

FINAL NOTE: But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in your salvation,  2 Peter 2:18,1 Peter 2:1