Month: February 2011

While We Wait For Christ

Believing that Christ’s return for believers is to happen soon, I have been asking Jesus what I should be doing until then.  This lesson is what I have learned.  I hope it encourages you.

satan’s full court press during the last days.

• The god of this world wants you to know it!  1 Peter 5.8-9 warns of his roar being heard by all people.
• his goal is to lure unsuspecting people to follow himself and to cause fear in those who resist.  1 Peter 4.3-5 describes the peer pressures we and our children experience.
• Apostle Paul describes life without Christ in Ephesians 4.17-19,

Galatians 5.19-21, and 2 Timothy 3.1-7.

• 2 Corinthians 4.3-4 and Jeremiah 13.10 explain how this can happen.
• What evidence of satan’s deceptions have you experienced or observed?  Do you agree with 1 John 5.18-19?  See 1 John 3.8-9 and 1.9 also.

We must be steadfast and unmovable.

• Titus 2.11-14 was the original ‘just say no’ to satan; 1 Peter 5.8-9, too.
• Paul encourages the right clothing for resisting, in Ephesians 6.10-18.  What are the assured end results in verse 11 and 16?  Is the converse true, as well?  Be encouraged, also, by 2 Corinthians 10.3-6 and

Philippians 2.9-11.

• 1 Corinthians 10.12-13 and 2 Peter 1.2-4 give us God’s escape route from satan’s attempts.  Consider, also, the pathway in verses 5-10 and the result at the end of verse 10.  See Hebrews 10.35-39 also.
• Others are depending upon you, as Isaiah 35.3-4 states.  We are to defend them, too.

Looking for our Lord Jesus.

• 1 Peter 1.13-16 says that Christ will be our reward for living holy lives.  Life with Him is the ultimate gift, even now! 

See Colossians 2.2-3, 9-10; 1.15; 1 Corinthians 1.24, 26-31.

• Don’t be distracted by other voices than your Good Shepherd.  How would you word the test in 1 John 4.1-6?  When would you use this test?  How do 2 John 7-10 and 3 John 11 help to explain this?
• Hear the voices of others who looked to Jesus and consider His steadfastness, as you read Hebrews 12.1-4.

Overcome satan until you see Jesus!

• Faith is the victory that overcomes the world, as John wrote in 1 John 5.4-5.
• He reminds us of this further in Revelation 12.11.
• So, practice James 4.7!
• Consider Moses’ question of God in Exodus 33.16 and God’s reply in 34.10.  The world is waiting to see this from us.  Are you ready?

He is coming soon!  Luke 21.28.  Praise God!!!

While We Wait For Christ

Believing that Christ’s return for believers is to happen soon, I have been asking Jesus what I should be doing until then.  This lesson is what I have learned.  I hope it encourages you.

satan’s full court press during the last days.

• The god of this world wants you to know it!  1 Peter 5.8-9 warns of his roar being heard by all people.
• his goal is to lure unsuspecting people to follow himself and to cause fear in those who resist.  1 Peter 4.3-5 illustrates this.
• Apostle Paul describes this in 2 Corinthians 4.3-4, Ephesians 4.17-19, Galatians 5.19-21, and 2 Timothy 3.1-7.
• What evidence of this have you experienced or observed?  Do you agree with 1 John 5.18-19?

We must be steadfast and unmovable.

• Titus 2.11-14 was the original ‘just say no’ to satan; 1 Peter 5.8-9, too.
• Paul encourages the right clothing for resisting, in Ephesians 6.10-18.  What are the assured end results in verse 11 and 16?  Be encouraged, also, by 2 Corinthians 10.3-6.
• 2 Peter 1.2-4 gives us God’s escape route from satan’s attempts.  Consider, also, the pathway in verses 5-10 and the result at the end of verse 10.
• Others are depending upon you, as Isaiah 35.3-4 states.  We are to defend them, too.

Looking for our Lord Jesus.

• 1 Peter 1.13-16 says that Christ will be our reward for living holy lives.  Life with Him is the ultimate gift!
• Don’t be distracted by other voices than your Good Shepherd.  How would you word the test in 1 John 4.1-6?  When would you use this test?  How does 2 John 7-10 help to explain this?
• Hear the voices of others who looked to Jesus and consider His steadfastness, as you read Hebrews 12.1-4.

Overcome satan until you see Jesus!

• Faith is the victory that overcomes the world, as John wrote in 1 John 5.4-5.
• He reminds us of this further in Revelation 12.11.
• So, practice James 4.7!

He is coming soon!  Luke 21.28

Praise God!!!

Overcoming Change

Overcoming change can have one of two meanings.  Either it overwhelms you; or you overwhelm it.  Apostle Paul had heard of the breach in sound doctrine being taught in the Ephesian church and knew that time was of the essence.  Like rotting fruit in a basket, other people were being infected by the heresy taught by the few.  So, Paul instructed Timothy to overcome the change that sought to overwhelm the Gospel of Jesus Christ.  This may explain why you are in you current context.  Consider Isaiah 55.5.

Change means destructive contrast.

• 1 Timothy 1.3-4 discuss the heresy, and verse 11 identifies its target.  Remember that the origin and end of heresy is discussed in Isaiah 14.12-15.  And, the process of such deception is revealed in Jeremiah 13.10.
• Paul has already written about the heresy to believers at Colosse, in Colossians 2.8.  Note how this was being lived out in Ephesus, in 1 Timothy 6.3-5.
• The heresy in Ephesus was stronger because the city was the center for the worship of fertility   that they identified with the Greek goddess of moon worship, Diana (Roman goddess Artemis).
• Acts 19.21-41 shows the ferocity of the artisans who merchandised items of worship to the gullible populous.
• Paul and Barnabas had found Lystra (Acts 14.8-18) and this region of Asia Minor overrun by such mythology.  It must be uprooted!
• Such heresy could only be overwhelmed by the truth of the Gospel!
• Consider 1 Timothy 1.18-20 and 4.1-3.
• Acts 17.30-31 gives Paul’s argument against similar heresies at Mars Hill in Athens, Greece. 

Perhaps, he is remembering this when he writes Romans 1.18-23.

Change means constructive contrast.

• 1 Timothy 4.7-8 gives Paul’s instruction to Timothy in the face of heresy.  Simply stated: have nothing to do with heresy, but train yourself to be godly!
• Paul probably was remembering his words in Romans 12.1-2 while writing to Timothy.  Transforming your mind is the first requirement; your body will follow.  Transforming occurs when philosophies of men are displaced by the truth from God.
• Godly authority is the foundation of transformation.  God has given you the authority over demons and expects you to use it.
• Jesus’ disciples could not have accomplished Matthew 10.7-8 without authority.                              Similarly, in Luke 10.17-20, Jesus applauds their use of authority.

• Paul’s understanding of his authority over demons is seen from Acts 13-28, during which time he wrote to Timothy.  Authority was his practice and, I believe, was trained into Timothy as well.  You cannot overcome without it.
• 1 Timothy 4.9-5.2 is how Timothy should train himself.  Pay attention to each instruction; it builds muscles for different uses.  Also read 1 Timothy 6.11-12, 20-21.
• Jude 20-21 adds prayer to godly training: trapping erroneous thoughts for replacement with godly promises which are truth.

You are Timothy on assignment to confront relativism, mysticism, and other heresies that the Holy Spirit points out in your context.

Engage the fight with the assurance of Matthew 10.19-20 and Hebrews 13.5-6!

Keep looking up for Jesus; Luke 21.28.  Praise God!