“Therefore let anyone who thinks that he stands take heed lest he fall.”  
1 Corinthians 10:12  

We saw in the last message this verse’s warning.  Today let’s see what some verses of Scripture are telling us concerning taking heed and the exhortations to keeping of oneself.  Please be sure to read each in context for clarity.

Have you ever followed the ‘take heeds’ in the Gospels; how one is to conduct oneself?  These are Jesus’ words! 

Matthew:    
“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.”  Matthew 6:1

Speaking of children, Jesus tells His disciples in Matthew 18:10,
“Take heed that you do not despise one of these little ones, for I say to you that in heaven their angels always see the face of My Father who is in heaven.”  (Read Vs. 1-10 for the meaning of this statement.)

To His disciple questions concerning what will take place before His return Matthew 24:4-5 says,
“Jesus answered and said to them, ‘Take heed that no one deceive you.
For many will come in My name, saying, ‘I am the Christ and will deceive many.’”  (Read the whole of Chapter 24 as He tells of the great tribulation.)

Mark:
Jesus speaking to the multitude, 
“If anyone has ears to hear let him hear.
Then He said to them, ‘Take heed what you hear.  With the same measure you use, it will be measured to you; and to you who hear, more will be given.’”  Mark 4:23-24

Mark 13:9 and 33,
“But watch out for yourselves, for they will deliver you up to councils, and you will be beaten in the synagogues.  And you will be brought before rulers and kings for My sake, for a testimony to them.
And Vs. 33,
“Take heed, watch and pray; for you do not know when the time is.” 

Luke:
“Therefore take heed how you hear.  For whoever has, to him more will be given; and whoever does not have, even what he seems to have will be taken from him.”  Luke 8:18

“The lamp of the body is the eye.  Therefore, when the eye is good, your whole body also is full of light.  But when your eye is bad, your body also is full of darkness.
Therefore take heed that the light which is in you is not darkness.”  
Luke 11:34-35

Jesus speaking to the multitude,
“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

In Luke 21:8 we see the warning as in Matthew 24:4,
“And He said: ‘take heed that you do not be deceived.  For many will come in My name’ saying ‘I am He.’ and ‘The time has drawn near.’  Therefore do not go after them.’”  

Both Paul and Peter gave take heed warnings.  You can check them out:
Colossians 4:17; 1 Timothy 4:16: 2 Peter 1:19

Here are some Scripture exhortations that tell us to ‘keep ourselves’.
Deuteronomy 4:9 when Moses gathered the people to hear the word of the Lord,
“Only take heed to yourself, and diligently keep yourself, lest you forget the things your eyes have seen, and lest they depart from your heart all the days of your life.  And teach them to your children and your grandchildren.”

“Keep your heart with all diligence,
 For out of it spring the issues of life.”  Proverbs 4:23

These we words in the letter to the brethren Gentiles in Antioch, Syria, and Cilician,
“For it seemed good to the Holy Spirit, and to us, to lay upon you no greater burden that these necessary things:
That you abstain from things offered to idols, from blood, from things strangled, and from sexual immorality,  If you keep yourselves from these, you do well.”  
Acts 15:28-29

James 1:27 tells us,
“Pure and undefiled religion before God and the Father is this:  
To visit orphans and widows in their trouble, and to keep oneself unspotted in the world.”

The closing verse of 1 John 5 is verse 21 and says,
“Little children keep yourselves from idols.  Amen.”

I close with Jude 20-21,
“But you beloved, building yourselves up on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Spirit, keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life.”
Amen