Day 145: The "Almost Persuaded" Syndrome
Read: Acts 26:24 - 32
Let me start off by asking you a question. How many of you have fallen
victim to the "I am Almost Persuaded" syndrome? You know what I am talking about... it
is when you have a bad cold and almost make it to the store before it
closes… it is when you almost invest in that stock that has quadrupled
in the last two weeks… it is when you almost forgot to remember your
anniversary… it is when you were almost persuaded and you almost took that chance and well, I think you get the idea now so you fill in the blank for that. It is Agrippa asking: 'Paul, have you so quickly moved on from defending yourself to
trying to persuade me to become a Christian'? Agrippa - Almost persuaded to radically change his life?
Most of the time, being afflicted by the "Almost Persuaded" syndrome adds up to
no more than a little inconvenience, minimal monetary loss, an
uncomfortable nights sleep spent on the couch, or a rethinking of
priorities in your life. However, I want to look at a biblical example
where the "Almost" syndrome will cost you greatly. Now please read verse
24 'Festus (interrupting): You’ve gone crazy, Paul! You have read one
book too many and have gone insane! One could wonder just who in this
passage was almost on the brink of insanity - Paul or Festus? Here was a
man that didn’t understand the value of “advanced planning” when it
came to his own soul. Was Festus almost persuaded?
He was a
prefect example of what Christ was talking about when He said "For what
profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own
soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul" (Matt 16:26)?
Festus was "almost persuaded" to give up everything (riches, power, control, prestige) but he
neglected making a decision on one the most important thing; his eternal destination. Looking back over our lives, there were those decisions that we made that totally changed the direction of our lives.
For me it was when I boarded the plane for Great Lakes, Illinois and
Navy Basic Training. I almost turned around to look back at my parents, with it almost persuaded to surrender my will to move on.
Each choice that we
make has the potential to impact me either for the positive or
negative. Some choices that I made worked out and were good, others fell
apart and were not so good. And it is the same with your life. You have
probably made some great decisions that you're proud about, but on the
other hand, you also have made some bad choices that you regret. But in
order for it to become a decision there is one key component; you have
to act on it. Just thinking about it is not enough. Just saying "I was
almost persuaded to ..., but didn't because ..." almost leaves too much room for regret. Festus, almost persuaded by Paul's Testimony to save his eternal soul? And you? Almost Persuaded?
Let Us Pray:
Dear Lord,
I almost admitted that I am a sinner. I almost admitted that I have
done many things that would not please you. I have lived my life for
myself. I can almost bring myself to say that I am sorry and I repent. I am almost ready to ask you to forgive me. I almost believe that you died on the cross for me, to save me. I almost believe
You did what I could not do for myself. I am almost ready to come to
you now and ask you to take control of my life, I am almost ready to
give it to you. Lord, I am so close to almost asking you to help me to
live every day in a way that pleases you. I am almost ready to say I
love you, Lord, and I am almost ready to say thank you that I will spend
all eternity with you. Lord, help me to recover my sanity, to overcome
my 'almost' belief. Help me to cross the 'almost' bridge to Your Glory.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HZvBhSStIOs
Toby Mac: lose my soul
www.youtube.com
christian music
Read: Acts 26:24 - 32
Let me start off by asking you a question. How many of you have fallen victim to the "I am Almost Persuaded" syndrome? You know what I am talking about... it is when you have a bad cold and almost make it to the store before it closes… it is when you almost invest in that stock that has quadrupled in the last two weeks… it is when you almost forgot to remember your anniversary… it is when you were almost persuaded and you almost took that chance and well, I think you get the idea now so you fill in the blank for that. It is Agrippa asking: 'Paul, have you so quickly moved on from defending yourself to
trying to persuade me to become a Christian'? Agrippa - Almost persuaded to radically change his life?
Most of the time, being afflicted by the "Almost Persuaded" syndrome adds up to no more than a little inconvenience, minimal monetary loss, an uncomfortable nights sleep spent on the couch, or a rethinking of priorities in your life. However, I want to look at a biblical example where the "Almost" syndrome will cost you greatly. Now please read verse 24 'Festus (interrupting): You’ve gone crazy, Paul! You have read one book too many and have gone insane! One could wonder just who in this passage was almost on the brink of insanity - Paul or Festus? Here was a man that didn’t understand the value of “advanced planning” when it came to his own soul. Was Festus almost persuaded?
He was a prefect example of what Christ was talking about when He said "For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul" (Matt 16:26)? Festus was "almost persuaded" to give up everything (riches, power, control, prestige) but he neglected making a decision on one the most important thing; his eternal destination. Looking back over our lives, there were those decisions that we made that totally changed the direction of our lives. For me it was when I boarded the plane for Great Lakes, Illinois and Navy Basic Training. I almost turned around to look back at my parents, with it almost persuaded to surrender my will to move on.
Each choice that we make has the potential to impact me either for the positive or negative. Some choices that I made worked out and were good, others fell apart and were not so good. And it is the same with your life. You have probably made some great decisions that you're proud about, but on the other hand, you also have made some bad choices that you regret. But in order for it to become a decision there is one key component; you have to act on it. Just thinking about it is not enough. Just saying "I was almost persuaded to ..., but didn't because ..." almost leaves too much room for regret. Festus, almost persuaded by Paul's Testimony to save his eternal soul? And you? Almost Persuaded?
Let Us Pray:
Dear Lord,
I almost admitted that I am a sinner. I almost admitted that I have done many things that would not please you. I have lived my life for myself. I can almost bring myself to say that I am sorry and I repent. I am almost ready to ask you to forgive me. I almost believe that you died on the cross for me, to save me. I almost believe You did what I could not do for myself. I am almost ready to come to you now and ask you to take control of my life, I am almost ready to give it to you. Lord, I am so close to almost asking you to help me to live every day in a way that pleases you. I am almost ready to say I love you, Lord, and I am almost ready to say thank you that I will spend all eternity with you. Lord, help me to recover my sanity, to overcome my 'almost' belief. Help me to cross the 'almost' bridge to Your Glory.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HZvBhSStIOs
Toby Mac: lose my soul
www.youtube.com
christian music
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