“As I urged you upon my departure for Macedonia, remain on at Ephesus so that you may instruct certain men not to teach strange doctrines, nor to pay attention to myths and endless genealogies, which give rise to mere speculation rather than furthering the administration of God which is by faith. But the goal of our instruction is love from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith.” 1 Timothy 1:3-5
The apostle Paul tells us that in the “later times” there will be believers who abandon the Christian faith and adopt false doctrines. This is how apostasy entered the early church. Many turned away from the truth of God. Despite eyewitness accounts of Christ’s resurrection and the authenticity of the apostle’s message, apostasy (falling away from God’s truth) surfaced in the early church and spread rapidly.
Christ has equipped us to face every scheme of Satan. Taking our position before the throne of God as His children and putting on His armor are two of the most important elements in spiritual warfare (Eph. 6). Never trust human intuition when it comes to spiritual matters. If something doesn’t line up with the Word of God, avoid it (2 Tim. 3:1-5)!
Apostasy’s primary target is the church. Many find this difficult go accept, but it is true. Satan’s chief goal is to weaken and destroy the testimony of the body of Christ. Ask God to make you keenly aware of your moral environment. Avoid false philosophies and anything that leads you away from Christ and into deception by keeping God’s truth constantly before.
When your conscience is defiled, nothing is sacred and nothing is pure.
Thursday, September 8, 2011
Wednesday, September 7, 2011
The Danger of Drifting
“Let no one say when he is tempted, ‘I am being tempted by God;’ for God cannot be tempted by evil, and He Himself does not tempt anyone. But each one is tempted when he is carried away and enticed by his own lust. Then when lust has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and when sin is accomplished, it brings forth death. Do not be deceived, my beloved brethren. James 1:13-16
Taking the small, inflatable raft, he went out just beyond the wave break where he could relax and enjoy the coolness of the ocean water. He had left his glasses with his wife on the beach. Though his vision was blurry, he kept telling himself, “I can still see the shore.” Soon, the sound of the lifeguard’s horn and shouts of onlookers signaled that he had drifted out into dangers water, never feeling the silent pull of the ocean’s undertow.
Sin often operates this way in the life of a believer. Satan begins by tempting us to deviate only slightly from God’s principles. Then he watches for our reaction. Do we find sin palatable or nauseating? Spiritual drifting begins with the words, “I know I probably shouldn’t do this, but I don’t see any harm in doing it just once.” Before you drift into harm’s way and away from the fellowship of God, ask Him to surface any area of sin you may be harboring.
Very few of us successfully resist rationalized sin the second time around. The man who eats a hot fudge sundae and concludes that it doesn’t make him fat is deceived. Make the wise choice to obey and avoid the danger of drifting.
God’s principles are for application by everyone in every circumstance.
Taking the small, inflatable raft, he went out just beyond the wave break where he could relax and enjoy the coolness of the ocean water. He had left his glasses with his wife on the beach. Though his vision was blurry, he kept telling himself, “I can still see the shore.” Soon, the sound of the lifeguard’s horn and shouts of onlookers signaled that he had drifted out into dangers water, never feeling the silent pull of the ocean’s undertow.
Sin often operates this way in the life of a believer. Satan begins by tempting us to deviate only slightly from God’s principles. Then he watches for our reaction. Do we find sin palatable or nauseating? Spiritual drifting begins with the words, “I know I probably shouldn’t do this, but I don’t see any harm in doing it just once.” Before you drift into harm’s way and away from the fellowship of God, ask Him to surface any area of sin you may be harboring.
Very few of us successfully resist rationalized sin the second time around. The man who eats a hot fudge sundae and concludes that it doesn’t make him fat is deceived. Make the wise choice to obey and avoid the danger of drifting.
God’s principles are for application by everyone in every circumstance.
Tuesday, September 6, 2011
Remember Whose You Are!
“What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin so that grace may increase? May it never be! How shall we who died to sin still live in it? Or do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus have been baptized into His death? Therefore we have been buried with Him through baptism into death, so that as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, so we too might walk in newness of life. For if we have become united with Him in the likeness of His death, certainly we shall also be in the likeness of His resurrection, knowing this, that our old self was crucified with Him, in order that our body of sin might be done away with, so that we would no longer be slaves to sin; for he who has died is freed from sin.” Romans 6:1-7
Most of us have heard how a frog can be boiled to death without any resistance. Placed in a cool pot of water on a cooking surface, the frog remains content and unsuspecting as the heat beneath is increased. His internal temperature rises with the temperature of the water until finally he is boiled alive!
Abraham and Lot were given a choice about the land they would occupy. Lot, seeing the lushness of the Jordan Valley, chose the richness of Sodom while Abraham settled in the land of Canaan. Greed and lust fueled Lot’s desires. F.B. Meyer writes: “The younger man (Lot) chose according to the sight of his eyes. In his judgement he gained [everything] but the world is full of Lots - shallow, impulsive, doomed to be revealed by their choice and end.”
Lot never considered the character of the inhabitants of the land. He adopted a casual view of their sin. And in doing so he failed to realize the effect their presence would have on his relationship with God.
Have you adopted God’s perspective on sin, or do you have an indifferent attitude toward that which is unholy before a holy God? Don’t risk being lulled into deadly spiritual lethargy by the complacency of our society. God hates sin and calls us to do the same.
Sin is out of character for who we are in Christ.
Most of us have heard how a frog can be boiled to death without any resistance. Placed in a cool pot of water on a cooking surface, the frog remains content and unsuspecting as the heat beneath is increased. His internal temperature rises with the temperature of the water until finally he is boiled alive!
Abraham and Lot were given a choice about the land they would occupy. Lot, seeing the lushness of the Jordan Valley, chose the richness of Sodom while Abraham settled in the land of Canaan. Greed and lust fueled Lot’s desires. F.B. Meyer writes: “The younger man (Lot) chose according to the sight of his eyes. In his judgement he gained [everything] but the world is full of Lots - shallow, impulsive, doomed to be revealed by their choice and end.”
Lot never considered the character of the inhabitants of the land. He adopted a casual view of their sin. And in doing so he failed to realize the effect their presence would have on his relationship with God.
Have you adopted God’s perspective on sin, or do you have an indifferent attitude toward that which is unholy before a holy God? Don’t risk being lulled into deadly spiritual lethargy by the complacency of our society. God hates sin and calls us to do the same.
Sin is out of character for who we are in Christ.
Monday, September 5, 2011
Called to Obey
“Then Moses and the Levitical priests spoke to all Israel, saying, ‘Be silent and listen, O Israel! This day you have become a people for the LORD your God. You shall therefore obey the LORD your God, and do His commandments and His statutes which I command you today.’” Deuteronomy 27:9-10
Jesus always dealt firmly with sin. He exposed the problem, presented the truth, and expected obedience. He confronted those trapped in sin and admonished them to “go and sin no more” (John 8:11; 5:14). His words were swift and to the point. They never deviated from God’s original plan of purity and holiness. He knew procrastination was the Devil’s folly. Those who wait to obey experience heartache and pain.
The rich young ruler did not follow Jesus because he valued his material possessions more than his walk with God. In contrast, nothing could equal the joy of the Samaritan woman as she responded in obedience to Christ.
How do we avoid divine discipline? Obedience. The moment God puts His finger on something in your life - deal with it. Don’t wait. The reason the Samaritan woman gained such freedom and joy was because she seized the moment by believing Christ would meet all her needs. She responded in obedience and gained eternal life.
Confess any sin and in repentance turn away from that which fouls up your fellowship with God. Then by His grace go forward in life cleansed and purified.
Obeying God begins with the fact that He is our life.
Jesus always dealt firmly with sin. He exposed the problem, presented the truth, and expected obedience. He confronted those trapped in sin and admonished them to “go and sin no more” (John 8:11; 5:14). His words were swift and to the point. They never deviated from God’s original plan of purity and holiness. He knew procrastination was the Devil’s folly. Those who wait to obey experience heartache and pain.
The rich young ruler did not follow Jesus because he valued his material possessions more than his walk with God. In contrast, nothing could equal the joy of the Samaritan woman as she responded in obedience to Christ.
How do we avoid divine discipline? Obedience. The moment God puts His finger on something in your life - deal with it. Don’t wait. The reason the Samaritan woman gained such freedom and joy was because she seized the moment by believing Christ would meet all her needs. She responded in obedience and gained eternal life.
Confess any sin and in repentance turn away from that which fouls up your fellowship with God. Then by His grace go forward in life cleansed and purified.
Obeying God begins with the fact that He is our life.
Sunday, September 4, 2011
His Grace is Adequate
“Trust in the Lord and do good;
dwell in the land and cultivate faithfulness.
Delight yourself in the Lord;
and He will give you the desires of your heart.
Commit your way to the Lord,
trust also in Him, and He will do it.
He will bring forth your righteousness as the light
and your judgment as the noonday.” Psalm 37:3-6
I read about a woman who at the age of thirty-four faced divorce and thoughts of being on her own once again. Surrounded by guilt, loneliness, and confusion, her sense of hopelessness led to drug addiction. But even in this depressing darkness, Jesus came to her.
A neighbor began to show a genuine interest in her life. One day their conversation turned from mundane matters to God and His eternal love. She wondered how anyone, especially God, could love her. Her neighbor provided the evidence in God’s Word of His unconditional love and forgiveness. A the age of thirty-eight, she prayed to receive Christ as her Savior. From that point on, she was determined to live and uncompromising life before God.
At first it was difficult. Old friends and abusive habits had cut deep and stubborn ruts into her life. Still, she refused to yield to any hint of sinful behavior, and God honored her faithfulness by freeing her physically an emotionally.
God breaks sin’s power at the point of salvation. However, consequences of our wrong decisions may linger. Regardless of your circumstances, Jesus remains your eternal Advocate before the Father, and His grace is adequate for every situation you face.
“...Commit your way to the Lord...”
dwell in the land and cultivate faithfulness.
Delight yourself in the Lord;
and He will give you the desires of your heart.
Commit your way to the Lord,
trust also in Him, and He will do it.
He will bring forth your righteousness as the light
and your judgment as the noonday.” Psalm 37:3-6
I read about a woman who at the age of thirty-four faced divorce and thoughts of being on her own once again. Surrounded by guilt, loneliness, and confusion, her sense of hopelessness led to drug addiction. But even in this depressing darkness, Jesus came to her.
A neighbor began to show a genuine interest in her life. One day their conversation turned from mundane matters to God and His eternal love. She wondered how anyone, especially God, could love her. Her neighbor provided the evidence in God’s Word of His unconditional love and forgiveness. A the age of thirty-eight, she prayed to receive Christ as her Savior. From that point on, she was determined to live and uncompromising life before God.
At first it was difficult. Old friends and abusive habits had cut deep and stubborn ruts into her life. Still, she refused to yield to any hint of sinful behavior, and God honored her faithfulness by freeing her physically an emotionally.
God breaks sin’s power at the point of salvation. However, consequences of our wrong decisions may linger. Regardless of your circumstances, Jesus remains your eternal Advocate before the Father, and His grace is adequate for every situation you face.
“...Commit your way to the Lord...”
Friday, September 2, 2011
When God Disciplines
“But a man must examine himself, and in so doing he is to eat of the bread and drink of the cup. For he who eats and drinks, eats and drinks judgment to himself if he does not judge the body rightly. For this reason many among you are weak and sick, and a number sleep. But if we judged ourselves rightly, we would not be judged. But when we are judged, we are disciplined by the Lord so that we will not be condemned along with the world.” 1 Corinthians 11:28-32
Many times we can sense the Holy Spirit warning us against a certain action even before we do it. Yet we persist, and as a result our fellowship with Him cools. When this happens, we need to remember that God always offers restoration and forgiveness to those who come to Him. He never disciplines us out of anger.
True humility and a contrite heart are proven pathways to God’s forgiveness. Don’t believe Satan’s lie when he tells you God is mad at you and will not forgive you. God’s anger is vented toward sin itself. And while sin has consequences, God’s love for the sinner is unconditional.
Do take the divine discipline of God seriously. Know that it is based in His eternal love for you - endure and submit to it. Sin, regardless of the form it takes, has repercussions. However, the love of God is stronger still. No matter how deeply entrenched your sin, God can deliver you.
Many times we can sense the Holy Spirit warning us against a certain action even before we do it. Yet we persist, and as a result our fellowship with Him cools. When this happens, we need to remember that God always offers restoration and forgiveness to those who come to Him. He never disciplines us out of anger.
True humility and a contrite heart are proven pathways to God’s forgiveness. Don’t believe Satan’s lie when he tells you God is mad at you and will not forgive you. God’s anger is vented toward sin itself. And while sin has consequences, God’s love for the sinner is unconditional.
Do take the divine discipline of God seriously. Know that it is based in His eternal love for you - endure and submit to it. Sin, regardless of the form it takes, has repercussions. However, the love of God is stronger still. No matter how deeply entrenched your sin, God can deliver you.
Thursday, September 1, 2011
Facing Life’s Unknowns
“Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. For by it the men of old gained approval. By faith we understand that the worlds were prepared by the word of God, so that what is seen was not made out of things which are visible. By faith Abel offered to God a better sacrifice than Cain, through which he obtained the testimony that he was righteous, God testifying about his gifts, and through faith, though he is dead, he still speaks. By faith Enoch was taken up so that he would not see death; and he was not found because God took him up; for he obtained the witness that before his being taken up he was pleasing to God. And without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is and that He is a rewarder of those who seek Him.” Hebrews 11:1-6
A delayed promotion, an unreached goal, a broken relationship - some of life’s inexplicable turns. Many of the saints mentioned in Hebrews 11 knew firsthand about life’s unknowns. Many others also had the opportunity to witness God’s hand at work as He rolled back the waters of the Red Sea, defeated enemy armies, and proved faithful when times of trial and tribulation struck. The test of faith is not merely in trusting but in trusting God when all hope has disappeared.
One of the ways God tests our faith is by allowing life’s unknowns to invade our lives. Samuel anointed David as king over Israel. Yet nothing was mentioned about having to wait years before he sat on Israel’s throne. Thanks to life’s unknowns, David was forced to leave his family and friends and live like a common criminal on the run from a jealous and mentally impaired king. At any point he could have proclaimed his frustration, but David went beyond bitterness and self pity to claim the goodness of God. He realized God’s ways were not the ways of man.
All of life’s unknown are perfectly within God’s sovereign control. If He has give you a promise, cling to it. He will do exactly what He has said He will do (1 Thess. 5:24).
Eyes of faith see God even when darkness tries to invade the light.
A delayed promotion, an unreached goal, a broken relationship - some of life’s inexplicable turns. Many of the saints mentioned in Hebrews 11 knew firsthand about life’s unknowns. Many others also had the opportunity to witness God’s hand at work as He rolled back the waters of the Red Sea, defeated enemy armies, and proved faithful when times of trial and tribulation struck. The test of faith is not merely in trusting but in trusting God when all hope has disappeared.
One of the ways God tests our faith is by allowing life’s unknowns to invade our lives. Samuel anointed David as king over Israel. Yet nothing was mentioned about having to wait years before he sat on Israel’s throne. Thanks to life’s unknowns, David was forced to leave his family and friends and live like a common criminal on the run from a jealous and mentally impaired king. At any point he could have proclaimed his frustration, but David went beyond bitterness and self pity to claim the goodness of God. He realized God’s ways were not the ways of man.
All of life’s unknown are perfectly within God’s sovereign control. If He has give you a promise, cling to it. He will do exactly what He has said He will do (1 Thess. 5:24).
Eyes of faith see God even when darkness tries to invade the light.
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