Dear Christian friends:

You who ride the city buses know the sign "Watch Your Step" which is often printed on the doors. We who drive and ride in cars often see signs along the road warning us to drive carefully. We need such signs to warn us about dangers ahead. Such warning signs prevent terrible accidents and save lives.

In our text this morning St. Paul, too, has a warning sign for us. But it is not a road sign. It is a warning for us Christians to be careful as we travel on our way through this sinful world. Like the driver on the highway, we Christians need this warning from St. Paul or we may lose our soul. So let us consider our text and hear Paul's admonition:

"The days are evil" verse 16. "Look carefully then (therefore) how you walk _ _ _ because the days are evil." Perhaps you think that we are not living in evil days. You say, "We have nice cars, nice homes, fast jets, space ships and good times. You may therefore think that you are not living in evil days. But nice clothes does not mean that a man has a nice heart. He who wears nice clothes often has much sin in his heart and does much wickedness secretly or in the dark. Beautiful, fast cars are not good in themselves alone. It depends on who drives the car and where he goes. He who drives a beautiful car and drives fast to a gambling club or sin house, to get drunk and do adultery is not good. And today many use their fast beautiful cars chiefly to do sinful pleasure.

How many use their fast cars to do good? How many help bring someone to church? How many drive fast to visit the sick in hospitals and institutions. How many use their cars for church work?

Yes, although we have many wonderful machines to make our life easy and comfortable yet we have much sin. F.B.I. reports that crimes increased 10% during 1963. Also here among the deaf we see and find much evil: gambling, drunkenness, adultery by both married and unmarried. I am shocked to hear how many deaf live unclean sex lives.

So Paul's warning to us Christians is very necessary: "Look carefully therefore how you walk, not as unwise (foolish) men but as wise, _ _ _ because the days are evil. Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is and do not get drunk with wine, for that is debauchery, (leads to dirty sex deeds)"

So we need to watch our step and not fall into the temptations and ways of this sinful world. But how can we watch? Paul tells you how to watch your step. He says "Be wise - know what the Lord's will is" First you must know God's will, His Commandments.

3rd Commandment - Remember the Church Day keep it holy.
4th Honor your Father and Mother and all over you.
5th Don't kill, Don't get angry. Don't hate or revenge.
6th Don't commit adultery. Know God's will about how to
keep your body and sex holy.
7th Don't steal.
8th Don't lie or gossip.
9th and 10th Don't be jealous
11th Missions, Stewardship pledging support church and charities.

Many of you know the Lord's will, but still fail to do it. Yes, we are weak and have our old sinful nature still.

So Paul says don't be drunk with wine. Don't be filled with liquor, but be filled with the Spirit, speak to one another in psalms and hymns, and spiritual songs, singing and making melody to the Lord with all your heart.

This means don't sing jazzy, sexy dance songs, but sing songs of praise and thanks to Jesus our wonderful God and Savior. Join the church choir and learn some beautiful hymns. This will help you to be filled with the spirit. Will help you to watch your step!

Another thing to help you watch your step: Be thankful to God for all things. We easily thank God for good health. We must also learn to thank Him when sick. During sickness and hard times many church members complain and become bitter against God. Watch your step! God lets troubles happen to draw us nearer to Him in faith and prayer.

"Nearer My God to Thee Nearer to Thee
Even through it be a cross that leadeth me"

That's why Paul says to "give thanks in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ." In Jesus God has proved His great and wonderful love to us sinners and forgives our sins.

He who spared not His own Son, but sacrificed Him on the cross for us. He will surely give us nothing but what is good for our soul's eternal salvation.

So "always" and for everything give thanks. It will help you to watch your step and not fall into Satan's traps. The days were evil in Paul's time and they are evil today for the Christian every day is an evil day because he lives in an evil world and he has an old evil nature, so Watch your step!

Sing and pray and praise God. Give thanks always for all things in Jesus name.

Amen.