Morning Musings with the boys at breakfast...
Often, the moment you turn your back to someone or something, something or someone is going to be out of place. I'm beginning to realize, slowly but hopefully surely, why Paul was constantly telling the recipients of his many letters to
"be alert...beware...watch out..be vigilant..."
God's # 1 enemy, Satan, never takes a holiday. When he can get an edge in, a toehold, foot hold and eventually, stronghold, in a person's life, he'll go for it! Thank God though, that our Heavenly Father never ever sleeps! And God is omnipotent and omnipresent, unlike Satan who has to have his demon minions do much of his work.
However, as children of the Most High God who never "slumbers nor sleeps" (Psalm 121:4), we need to be 'on guard' with our armor of God in place and with prayer unceasing for our God, who is ever present, to help in time of trouble" (Psalm 46:1) to come to our aid. We need to know God and His Word thoroughly and put it into daily practice.
You see here in 1 Timothy 6:3-10 there is more about false teachings and the results produced, that of: controversies, quarrels, envy, strife, malicious talk, evil suspicions, and constant friction. This is the enemy's work sowing his tares.
When we know and understand sound instruction, godly teaching and the truth of our Lord Jesus Christ, this is our guard and 'weapon' against the wiles of the devil. We will be able to discern falsehood from the truth more readily when it shows itself even subtly.We need to live in peace with all men as much as possible. (Romans 12:18).
Some churches have split on even very petty things, not even having to do so much with doctrine but with controversies. Sometimes due to peoples' preference of music type or of which version of the Bible is the 'right' one to use. (Granted some may be better than others but we shouldn't be legalistic nor quarrelsome about it.)
Refer back to verse 1 where it talks about God's name and the sound teaching being slandered. Often the way we behave as a child of God can bring shame and a bad reputation to God and His children. Hence we cannot be too careful. Always be on our guard against this.
Let us not be taking sides with this reasoning or that! It's not nice. It's not good. It is traumatic. Don't take your eyes off Jesus.
Keep your eyes on Jesus and sound doctrine and godliness. Of course the false doctrine/teaching must be addressed--painful; stressful; necessary. But be sure it is false teaching and don't get entangled in the controversies and quarrels, etc. Getting involved in trivials takes our focus away from Jesus and our time and effort and energies won't be used for the furtherance of His kingdom. We would be divided and conquered by God's enemy Satan and Satan would feel he'd gotten the victory.
Perhaps some are teaching the false doctrines out of the love of money. They want to get rich and don't care too much how they can accomplish that goal. "For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil." (1 Timothy 3:10). We too can easily get caught up in this and turn ourselves away from our faith.
Like I've said before, my sons, God's enemy and ours will use anything and everything to turn us away from God our Savior and from following after Him. Satan doesn't care less how he does it.
Godliness (verse 6) is truth and becoming more like Jesus. It is characterizing our life with the fruit of the Holy Spirit: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self control". There is no law against these. (Galatians 6:22).
Contentment (verse 6) is about having food enough to scare away hunger and clothing enough to keep us modest.
Godliness plus contentment, verse 6 says, equals "great gain". Not necessarily rolling in the dough ($$) but there would be less stress (don't have to worry about losing it to thieves or on the stock market) and because our focus is on Jesus Christ and not on the $$ we can also have peace from God.
We don't have to worry about falling into traps of temptation from such as "get rich quick schemes". These types of schemes, in turn, could bring trouble upon oneself and ones' family.
Was it the love of $$ that caused those so-called-brothers to stir up strife and controversies? It's somewhat unclear in this passage but could be part of the reason. Whatever the reason, it sadly, caused them to wander away from faith.
Cling to Jesus, keep your eyes on Him. Know God. Know God's Word. Be alert and vigilant. Keep the faith. Don't give Satan even a teeny, tiny toehold. "Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil's schemes....Be strong in the Lord and in His mighty power." (Ephesians 6:11, 10). We need God's help but we must work in tandem with Him and shoulder our responsibility for ourselves, our family and among God's family. May God be with you and bless you.
~ERC 2016~
No comments:
Post a Comment