IQ #243 Facing the Challenge

To all brothers and sisters in Christ, be in thanksgiving for all the Creator has provided to you, give all praise and glory forever to God the Father. 

Every day of your life you are challenged in holding your commitment to Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior. Peers, family members, co-workers, non-Christians, and media of all types temp you in ways that can separate you from God’s Word. These temptations seem unnoticeable and meaningless at first but if they catch hold of you and become a part of which you are, the love of and for God will become more spiritual in nature rather than a total immersion of your heart, mind, soul and body.

Having only a spiritual acknowledgment of God separates you from Jesus Christ, who came in the flesh, so that God could be seen, heard, observed and touched. Those who were witness to His physical presence have given proof that God does exist so that you can believe in the Almighty Father in a spiritual AND physical way, and that your walk in life emulates Jesus Christ, confirming to others that you are totally committed and a true follower to God.

The apostle Paul gives this helpful advice to Timothy so that he remains solidly grounded in Christian service and to endure the difficult days and times to come:

2 Timothy 3:1-5

3 But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days. ² People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, ³ without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good, ⁴ treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God— ⁵ having a form of godliness but denying its power. Have nothing to do with such people.

Whenever you read or hear about the terrible/difficult times in the last days to come, it is in reference to the time between Christ’s ascension and His second coming.

In this current time and the culture you are living in, narcissism is quickly rising as the most dominant of those ‘sleeper’ pitfalls that has crept into our society and is causing a separation from God.  I am not referring to the secular world, but in the Christian church where the secular atmosphere has made it into the church and is incredibly obvious.

Bigger is better. Lighting, stages, bands, videos and other visual effects are a drawing card in today’s modern churches, especially with many young people. Personal agendas have taken root. Conversation has been growing more in social media than in person to person. The ‘Like’ comment and ‘Selfies’ have taken over how we build relationships and personal gratification. Personal commitments to activities outside the church have taken away the time for good and growing fellowship between its members (observe how many people come just in time and then leave as soon as the class or service has ended on a regular basis).

Fellowship in the church among the followers of Christ Jesus is a vital part of your relationship with God.

1 John 1:3-4

³ We proclaim to you what we have seen and heard, so that you also may have fellowship with us. And our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son, Jesus Christ. We write this to make our joy complete.

Yet, overall fellowship is dwindling in the church. Why?

Why is God playing second fiddle when he should be the concert master?

Facing the challenge Paul warned Timothy about is not what the world was doing but that Timothy remain steadfast in his commitment to the teachings of Jesus Christ. Have the world’s desires crept into your life, causing separation from Jesus and His true followers.

As you look in the mirror are you facing the challenge and see God being reflected in your life or are you seeing what the world is luring you toward?

Papa John 9:18:15