Take heed why you do good deeds. "Take heed that you do not do your charitable deeds before men, to be seen by them. Otherwise you have no reward from your Father in heaven" (Matt. 6:1). We must do good things to others, not for personal praise, but because God commands it and because we love others.

Take heed that no one misleads you. "Take heed that no one deceives you" (Matt. 24:4). We must always be on guard to be sure no one deceived us, that we do not follow false doctrine, false teachers, etc. And that we do not take a lie for the truth of God's word.

Take heed what you hear. Did Jesus say that? Yes He did, in Mark 4:24 - "Take heed what you hear." Christ does not want us to follow every idea that is popular. He didn't. We must have a mind like His (Phil. 2:5) which is closed to many popular things and closed to all sinful things. Be careful what you hear!

Take heed that your light is the right kind of light. "Therefore take heed that the light which is in you is not darkness" (Luke 11:35). Christians are to be a light to the world around us ("you are the light of the world" - Matt. 5:14), but we must be sure our "light" is from God (James 1:17).

Take heed that you are not covetous. "And He said to them, 'Take heed and beware of covetousness, for one's life does not consist in the abundance of the things he possesses'" (Luke 12:15). So very many today are caught up in thinking if they can just gain enough things then they will be happy and enjoy life more. Jesus said, "Take heed," the purpose of life is not to gain an abundance of things. Life's purpose is to glorify God, please Him, and go to Heaven.

Good News, 7/1/2001