TIGHTEN THE CAP BACK ON THE BOTTLE
ECCLESTIASTES 10:1
(1) Dead flies cause the ointment of the apothecary to send forth a stinking savour: so doth a little folly him that is in reputation for wisdom and honour.
I would like to start off my sermon tonight by telling you a story of my youth.
Now to do that, we must first go WAY BACK…
When Marcia and I were dating I use to wear a particular cologne. (Blue Stratos)
I would often leave that cologne opened in my car with hopes of adding to the scent.
I use to leave the cap off the bottle in the car.
After a while of doing that, the scent would eventually evaporate.
The cologne would lose its strength.
Many times we as Christians find ourselves in this same shape.
We loosen the cap a little and our Strength begins to fade away.
The cap becomes lose and the perfume looses her scent.
I feel like the Lord is much pleased in my sermons direction tonight.
I feel as though it may be needed by some of us.
In addition, it may one of my shortest sermons. So many of you too may enjoy.
The title of my message tonight is simply,
"TIGHTEN THE CAP BACK ON THE BOTTLE."
CHRISTAINS START OUT STANDING TALL FOR CHRIST
First there is Repentance, Forgiveness, Acceptance of Christ.
· We Repent of our sins. (Admit)
· We ask Christ forgiveness. (Humble ourselves for cleansing)
· Through faith we then believe Jesus has saved us. (Become born again)
Next, you want to do things for the Lord.
· Prayer
· Fasting
· Study (Bible Reading)
· Church Attendance
· Witnessing to the Lost
We can’t stand sin or evil and we will stand against it
· Movies (Such cussing, nudity, etc.)
· TV & Radio (Turn the channel on the radio or turn the T.V. off)
· Friends and parties (Don’t associate ourselves with drunkards, whores, etc.)
· Any other form of sin (Just flat plan hate Sin!)
We battle through life but keep on marching for the Lord
(Different kinds of battles)
· Drug abuse (Perhaps a loved one)
· Verbal abuse (Ridiculed on the job or in the home)
· Sexual abuse
· Failures in any endeavor (job closings-we just keep on going)
· Sins that continue to haunt us (past sins that stay on our minds)
· Physical abuse (Spouse mistreating you)
All of these type of battles but we stand strong!
For years we battle for our Lord!
And for some of us, we’re still standing! AMEN?
I started out 6 years ago this October 9th, 2001 serving the Lord and I intend to keep fighting Satan and his forces until mine end!
How about you?
OFTEN, MANY CHANGE AFTER YEARS OF WALKING CLOSE WITH THE LORD
Just look around.
Where are they now?
There are those who give in and find another path along the way.
They are those who start out right, but end up wrong.
SONGS OF Solomon 2:15
(15) Take us the foxes, the little foxes, that spoil the vines: for our vines have tender grapes.
You say, "Brother Jimmy, what are these foxes?"
Foxes are SINS!
And honey, Sins will destroy you!
If we are not careful, a little fox can come into our lives and destroy us!
What will happen is these Little Foxes, (Sins) will begin to eat away at our character.
· One starts to tell Little White Lies (Fishin’ Stories)
· Perhaps one may start to Compromise Their Beliefs so to Fit In with the crowd (Eyebrow rings, Nose rings, Etc)
· Greed takes over better judgment
· Lust (Tune in to Baywatch to fantasise over the Bikin’s)
· Bad Attitudes towards Everything and Everybody (Constant Complaining)
· Putting first, first (Inconsiderate of Others)
· Disrespecting God’s House & God’s Anointed (In & Out during preaching)
These are just a few of the little foxes that destroy the vine.
It doesn’t happen all at once.
When you first open up that cologne its fragrance doesn’t evaporate all at once.
But it looses its fragrance a little at the time.
I need to say this,
Once you have opened the bottle, you are on your way of losing your strength!
(When you begin to play with the Devil, you begin to loose strength in the Lord.)
Samson began to play with the Devil.
Samson began by loosening the cap.
Samson eventually removed the cap and lost all his strength!
If we are not careful, we too can loose our strength!
When we see that the cap is loose on the bottle, we need to "Tighten It Back Up!"
Look at the bottle and see if its loose, you will know.
Are you still:
· Praying as you once did?
· Fasting?
· Study (Bible Reading)
· Coming to all the Church Services as you once did?
· Witnessing to the Lost?
If you do not have that same desire you once had;
If you are not doing some of the same things you once did;
chances are its time to "Tighten The Cap Back Up On The Bottle."
How about your bottle?
Has the cap on your bottle become loose?
Yes, mine too sometimes will get a little loose.
But you know what I do when I discover it?
I tighten it back up!
None of us are perfect, but we are to "Strive to be Perfect."
If we are not doing that, we are just not right with God.
NOT ONLY WILL WE BEGIN TO LOSE OUR STRENGTH, BUT WE WILL BEGIN TO STINK
Text scripture:
(1) Dead flies cause the ointment of the apothecary to send forth a stinking savour: so doth a little folly him that is in reputation for wisdom and honour.
How many of you enjoy being around anything that stinks?
If we fail to wash our feet what happens? (They began to stink)
If we fail to brush our teeth, what happens? (They began to stink)
If we eat those Spots, what happens?(Our clothes begin to stink)
If our lives start to fail for God, we begin to stink.
I say it’s time to "Tighten The Cap On The Bottle!"
Come on now, you with me?
I say it’s time to "Tighten The Cap On The Bottle!"
If we lost it, get back that:
Standard we once had!
Conviction we once had!
Love we once had!
Commitment we once had!
Hunger we once had!
Fire we once had!
If we don’t tighten the bottle, all the good we have done will mean nothing.
If you want to:
· Have a Good Reputation
· Be counted As Wise
· Be Used of God in His Kingdom
· Be a Man or Woman of Honor and Character
You got to keep the Flies Out!
You got to "Tighten The Cap On The Bottle."
Check the seal on it and see if it has been broken.
See if the Cap has been loosed any.
And if we find any weakness in it;
If we find anywhere it has been tampered with;
"TIGHTEN THE CAP BACK ON THE BOTTLE"
Asst. Pastor, Rev. James W. Bryant
of the DILLON CONGREGATIONAL HOLINESS CHURCH
copyright 2000 by James W. Bryant
