Based on Matthew 23:23-28

MEMORY TEXT:  “But if ye will not do so, behold, ye have sinned against the Lord: and be sure your sin will find you out” (Numbers 32:33).

Living in a sub-tropical part of a country has its advantages.  But, of course, it also has its disadvantages.  One of the advantages is that we usually have a mild winter.  One of the disadvantages is we have bugs!  My son lives two miles from our house and so comes to our house frequently to visit.  He even comes when we are not there.  He has the combination to the lock that opens the door.  He will often call and say, “Dad, I was over at the house today and borrowed your rivet tool; I hope you don't mind.”

One day he telephoned and said, “Dad, I think you might have termites.”  He went on to explain that, as he was entering in the code to get into the garage, he noticed a very small hole in the trim around the garage door.  He was not exactly inexperienced in this respect, since he had had an infestation of termites only six months before.  I had helped him solve his problem, but it never occurred to me the same might happen to us.

Later that day when I came home from work, I got an iron bar and pried off the trim where he had seen the hole.  His diagnosis was correct.  There was extensive termite damage.  And as I continued to remove the trim, the more trim I took off, the more damage I discovered.  The termites had practically eaten the entire door frame, which was six inches thick and twelve inches wide.  I decided to check the wall next to the frame.  I removed the paneling and discovered that the two-by-fours for the next seven feet of the wall had been reduced to what looked like paper.  Fortunately, I didn't find a single live termite, but the damage was extensive.

Satan works like a termite.  If we are vigilant, we will recognize where he is working.  But, like a termite, he does his best work slowly and secretly.  The small hole in the trim around the garage door was hardly noticeable.  But behind it was significant damage.  Often we know there are things in our lives that shouldn’t be there, but they seem so small we think they are not important.  Having known sin in our lives is like having termites in the walls of our houses.  If not dealt with, the damage grows and the consequences become serious.

When I discovered I had termites, I called the exterminating company.  If you know today that there are spiritual termites in your life, let Jesus kill them and repair the damage they have done.