CONFRONTING MEDIOCRITY!

 

Thursday, November 30, 2017

CONFRONTING MEDIOCRITY!

1 Tim 4:12-16

12 Let no man despise thy youth; but be thou an example of the believers, in word, in conversation, in charity, in spirit, in faith, in purity.

13 Till I come, give attendance to reading, to exhortation, to doctrine.

14 Neglect not the gift that is in thee, which was given thee by prophecy, with the laying on of the hands of the presbytery.

15 Meditate upon these things; give thyself wholly to them; that thy profiting may appear to all.

16 Take heed unto thyself, and unto the doctrine; continue in them: for in doing this thou shalt both save thyself, and them that hear thee.

Timid Timothy had a passionate mentor in the Apostle Paul. From these verses we may gather that Timothy was intimidated by those older and more experienced. Paul urged him to be wholehearted in the exercise of his resources and gifts.

As a youth, and struggling with the call of God upon my life, I was a constant source of frustration for my pastor. Not long before his death he confessed to me that he once said: “The only way Ron Abbott will ever be closer to God is to grow an inch taller!” I suppose I deserved that because I was so wishy-washy in my practice of my faith. Now I am reaping that harvest and it is bitter.

Today there is a general slide into mediocrity and those who are average in their faith seem like spiritual giants. Worship has been deposed by entertainment and effort has been replaced by ease. Commitment has fallen to convenience. As a young preacher I was trained to withstand opposition and was prepared for martyrdom but I feel ill prepared for apathy.

1. Mediocrity must be challenged by study!

1 Tim 4:13

13 Till I come, give attendance to reading, to exhortation, to doctrine.

2 Tim 2:15

15 Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.

2. Depth must be developed through meditation!

1 Tim 4:15

15 Meditate upon these things; give thyself wholly to them; that thy profiting may appear to all.

Meditate = “to take care of, or to revolve in the mind.”

3. Commitment requires a death to selfishness!

Paul said: “give thyself wholly to them.” Don’t just dip your toes in the water. Dive into the middle of Christianity. Give it all you’ve got!

When I Survey The Wondrous Cross by Isaac Watts

Were the whole realm of nature mine,

That were a present far too small:

Love so amazing, so divine,

Demands my soul, my life, my all.

Dear Lord, the frustration I feel results from knowing that I too am not as committed as I should be. Forgive me and help me to be more wholehearted. AMEN

BOLDNESS IN THE DAY OF JUDGMENT!

BOLDNESS IN THE DAY OF JUDGMENT!

1 John 4:17-20

17 Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment: because as he is, so are we in this world.

18 There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love.

19 We love him, because he first loved us.

20 If a man say, I love God, and hateth his brother, he is a liar: for he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, how can he love God whom he hath not seen?

           Because it is appointed to man once to die and then face judgment (Hebrews 9:27), we want to approach that judgment desk with confidence and not dread. John, the beloved apostle, says love is the key. A few things stand out in our portion above.

           First, our love relationship with the Judge should drive out dread. We are “as he is” in the world. We conduct ourselves as Jesus would. That seems to be a growth process and not automatic. We study – learn – practice and then study even more before we become mature. John calls it being “made perfect in love.”

Some of us may be slow learners and require remedial studies.

           Second, God facilitates our growth by first loving us. We learn by observing His love. How He loves, when He loves, and the nature of His love are all observable in our relationship with Him. How does He treat us when we disappoint Him or when we please Him? The closer we watch Him and the more we copy Him the more mature we become.

           Finally, love and maturity are developed on the playing field of relationships. If we claim to love God but hate our brother then our claim is false.

Dear Lord, let me watch you so closely as to catch not only your actions but your motives as well. Let me pattern my life after your character and nature. Let my relationship with others demonstrate my love for you. AMEN

MY GROWNUP BIRTHDAY WISHES!

MY GROWNUP BIRTHDAY WISHES!

3 John 4

4 I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in truth.

Today is my birthday and I have already received many wonderful greetings from friends made through the years. I have been asked what I want for my birthday and, generally, I don’t need or want anything. But after some more thought I realize that there are THREE THINGS I want for all my people. Here they are.

1. I WANT YOU TO COMPREHEND THE TRUTH!

Eph 3:16-19

16 That he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man;

17 That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love,

18 May be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height;

19 And to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God.

To comprehend is from the Greek katalambano which means “to take eagerly, to seize and to possess.” This is why the minister prepares and preaches so that the veil that is spread upon the eyes and heart might be torn away to reveal the light of the gospel. Oh, I want you to comprehend the truth!

2. I WANT YOU TO CONFORM TO THE TRUTH!

Rom 8:29

29 For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren.

Rom 12:2

2 And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.

Truth apprehended is one thing but truth applied is quite another.

James 4:17

17 Therefore to him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin.

3. I WANT YOU TO COMMUNICATE THE TRUTH!

Matt 5:16

16 Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.

2 Tim 2:24-26

24 And the servant of the Lord must not strive; but be gentle unto all men, apt to teach, patient,

25 In meekness instructing those that oppose themselves; if God peradventure will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth;

26 And that they may recover themselves out of the snare of the devil, who are taken captive by him at his will.

Although the Amplified New Testament does not flow with the poetry of the King James, yet it might be helpful here.

2 Tim 2:24-26

24 And the servant of the Lord must not be quarrelsome (fighting and contending). Instead, he must be kindly to everyone and mild-tempered [preserving the bond of peace]; he must be a skilled and suitable teacher, patient and forbearing and willing to suffer wrong.

25 He must correct his opponents with courtesy and gentleness, in the hope that God may grant that they will repent and come to know the Truth [that they will perceive and recognize and become accurately acquainted with and acknowledge it],

26 And that they may come to their senses [and] escape out of the snare of the devil, having been held captive by him, [henceforth] to do His [God's] will.

AMPLIFIED

So, what do I want today? I want you to know and understand the truth, to see it clearly, to grasp it eagerly and make it a part of your life. I want you to communicate the truth to others who are yet in the same bondage which once enslaved you.

Dear Lord, grant that the gospel would be clearly presented and eagerly grasped today. AMEN

HOME FOR THE HOLIDAYS!

HOME FOR THE HOLIDAYS!

1 Sam 20:5-6

5 And David said unto Jonathan, Behold, to morrow is the new moon, and I should not fail to sit with the king at meat: but let me go, that I may hide myself in the field unto the third day at even.

6 If thy father at all miss me, then say, David earnestly asked leave of me that he might run to Bethlehem his city: for there is a yearly sacrifice there for all the family.

1 Chron 11:17-18

17 And David longed, and said, Oh that one would give me drink of the water of the well of Bethlehem, that is at the gate!

18 And the three brake through the host of the Philistines, and drew water out of the well of Bethlehem, that was by the gate, and took it, and brought it to David: but David would not drink of it, but poured it out to the LORD,

           It is hard to find the same kind of holiday homesickness that fills our hearts in the Bible. We are so mobile, and the family unit is so scattered, that we can’t find a parallel culture in the scriptures. David probably comes closest to the longings for home that are so familiar to us.

           David was a home boy and family was important to him. When Saul sought to take his life he longed to return to Bethlehem for the annual gathering of family. This homecoming revolved around church and worship. There was an annual sacrifice and everyone came home for this special occasion.

           While David was bivouacked in the field, the Philistines occupied his home city of Bethlehem. Trouble and discomfort caused him to think of home and he longed for a drink from Bethlehem’s well which was at the gate. Some of his soldiers overheard as he talked about this and broke through the lines to retrieve a drink for their homesick leader. Home and family was important to David.

           Home is where life makes up its mind. It is there-with fellow family members-we hammer out our convictions on the anvil of relationships. It is there we cultivate the valuable things in life, like attitudes, memories, beliefs, and most of all, character. Charles R. Swindoll (1934- )

           Each generation, just by living life day to day, produces nostalgic memories for the generation to follow. There is a strong tug at our heart to come home. The smell of turkey, sage, and pumpkin transports me home. A real wood fire in the fireplace may not be the most efficient way to heat a house but it is a most wonderful way to warm a heart!

           I once was the traveler and am now the destination for these holiday wanderings. All I have left of home and parents are pictures etched upon my memory. Now I am, without thinking, chiseling memories upon the hearts of my daughter and granddaughters. Other family members are widely scattered and the longing for family gatherings are difficult to fulfill. I sit, like David, longing for a drink from the family tap.

           People think it is morbid to talk of being homesick for Heaven but it is a very real condition. It is not a death wish but a longing to be gathered with family and friends. The loving Heavenly Father beckons us home and we brave the most uncomfortable conditions in our quest to arrive. One day the redeemed will receive that first hug on the threshold of home. It will be wonderful!

Matt 25:34

34 Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world:

Dear Father, satisfy those who long for home and family at this time of the year. AMEN