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There are times that we begin things that we may not finish. Have you ever done this? Sometimes it is easy to begin a diet, but it is hard to stay on it. When you see the sweets and high calorie foods, you have a craving that is hard to squelch. I have definitely been there! But when you stay with it you are pleased with the results. The waistline is reduced, you feel better and stronger with more energy, and you are able to accomplish things that you couldn’t when you carried around the extra weight.

Christianity is a lot like that. We hear the need to leave the sinful lifestyle that we have been following and obey the teaching of our Lord in the New Testament. We gladly receive this word and are baptized. We are excited about our new found faith. But after a while the newness wears off. The old way of doing things rears its ugly head. Our friends were not part of our conversion and wonder why it is that we will not do the things that we once did—things that God does not approve of. We may even decide its okay to compromise and take part in some things. After a while we have fallen away from our Lord and are practicing the things that the “god of this world” ( 2 Cor. 4:4) has placed before us.

Demas was just such a person. In Colossians 4:14 Paul says that Demas sends his greetings to this church. He is faithful and working along side of Paul. In Philemon 23 he is described as Paul’s “fellow worker.” And then at the end of Paul’s life we read, “For Demas, having loved this present world, has deserted me and gone to Thessalonica.” 2 Timothy 4:10. The once faithful Demas has deserted Paul and gone back to the world.

How many people do you know who have done the same thing? They began well but did not “go the distance.” Perhaps there are some today that you know that need to return to the Lord. Will you help them come home?

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