You should know this, Timothy, that in the last days there will be very difficult times. 2 For people will love only themselves and their money. They will be boastful and proud, scoffing at God, disobedient to their parents, and ungrateful. They will consider nothing sacred. 3 They will be unloving and unforgiving; they will slander others and have no self-control. They will be cruel and hate what is good. 4 They will betray their friends, be reckless, be puffed up with pride, and love pleasure rather than God. 5 They will act religious, but they will reject the power that could make them godly. Stay away from people like that! 2Tim. 3:1-5
If a picture is worth a thousand words, what word (the first one) that comes to mind when you look at this one? This is a screenshot from the movie "Gravity" featuring Sandra Bullock and George Clooney and while I have not yet seen the movie, I can tell you I'd like to....and the word that comes to mind for is fear, or panic, or a canned phrase..."Houston we have a problem...!" The actual quote from Captain James Lovell aboard the Apollo 13 was "Houston we've had a problem..." which is different than the present tense phrasing. The actual quote suggests that little things have been going wrong for a while, and now it's reached it's critical mass.
The Apostle Paul had mentored/disciple a young pastor Timothy and in his second letter to him he felt compelled to inform him of a problem that was up ahead. There would be people that essentially were posers....impostors (he said they'd act religious). We are currently living in the times, and have been for decades, even generations of our cultural times worsening. Just go down the list of thing Paul referenced and you may not have to look further than your own home, your own family or across the county.....but they are real, present, and palpable so what are we to do? One of THE MOST frustrating things as follower of Christ is when I see other followers of Christ MAD, ANGRY at the WORLD for acting like the WORLD. We have the tendency to EXPECT people who clearly don't know CHRIST or His principles to govern themselves like we are supposed to. Yes, I said like we are supposed to because we are too busy ridiculing, brow beating, Bible thumping the lost instead of actually loving them as we are actually commanded to.
So both phrasings work....."We've had a problem and We have a problem..." So what are we to do? We got people in love with themselves and their money. They laugh at God and make fun at those that believe in such. We have (and also ourselves are) disobedient/ungrateful children (young and grown). We consider nothing sacred (Sabbath....let's just start there). We/They can be unloving and unforgiving to the point of terminating relationships (so glad Christ didn't and doesn't terminate our relationship with Him). We/They slander others (check your twitter feeds, and Facebook shares and rants...grow up! By the way the grow up was to the said believers.....Christ wouldn't post that...so don't think He gets any glory from yours.) We/They have no self control......(Christmas....over spent did ya? Had to much to drink on New Years? You fill in the excess blank......) and the list goes on and on.......so what is one to do that is a believer? SO GLAD YOU ASKED:
Make it your goal to live a quiet life, minding your own business and working with your hands, just as we instructed you before. 12 Then people who are not Christians will respect the way you live, and you will not need to depend on others. 1Thess. 4:11-12
Over the next few days I want to walk through what our response as a group of followers of Christ should be regarding the current state of affairs.....with our first being that our Ambition/Goal should be to live a quiet life by:
1) MINDING OUR OWN LIFE (BUSINESS)!
Now before you think I am remotely encouraging or suggesting you clam up, take refuge in ignoring those outside of your property address.....I am SO NOT! What I am though saying is spend less time (to NO TIME) criticizing OBAMACARE (Affordable Health Care if I'm honoring), Your unsaved ______________________ (uh they are a child of GOD too, even if they don't know it yet...that's where you come in.), the Gov't (don't like ours.....move) ....etc. etc.....but rather make sure as for you and your house.........YOU ARE SERVING (maybe you didn't hear me YOU ACTUALLY ARE SERVING THE LORD, not yourselves) THE LORD.
Start with you....is JESUS really LORD of your life? How do you know that He is.....simple: Do you do WHAT THE BIBLE SAYS DO? Are you a TITHER? DO YOU SEEK/ATTEMPT TO ACCOMPLISH THE GREAT COMMANDMENT & GREAT COMMISSION DAILY? These are just a few.....but probably biggest because TRUST is key to the success in any of them. If you don't trust Him with your money or your life, then He's really not your LORD. So before you attempt to criticize all of the things you are FREE TO......check yourself first, then check your home.....between the two there should be a enough grace to deal with, oops....LOVE those outside of your home. LGLP2014
No comments:
Post a Comment