The Flesh Wars Against The Good And God-ly

I wince when I read in the Old Testament how the Israelites built for themselves a golden image of a calf to worship in the wilderness. (Exodus 32:1-29)

Gone from their memory were God's tempestuous miracles in Egypt culminating but a few months back in the parting of the Red Sea and its annihilation of Egypt's pursuing army, freeing them once for all from enslavement in the land of Pharaoh. (Exodus 7-15)

How could anyone be so forgetful?

Fast forward to the New Testament, over a thousand years later, and we find an Apostle Paul still warning his young disciple Timothy about a coming time when people, "to suit their own desires, will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear." (2 Timothy 4:3) A time when "They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths." (2 Timothy 4:4)

Alas, we speak of flesh that runs counter to what is of the Spirit and what is truth.

Today is no different. The world only worsens in its fallen state. Flesh wars against the good and God-ly. Even when God is clear that truth is absolute, flesh insists that truth is only what you make of it. Even when God is clear that Jesus is the only way to the Father, flesh insists that all beliefs and religions lead to God.

Believers would do well to heed Paul and receive the same charge he gave to Timothy.

Scripture:
"In the presence of God and of Jesus Christ, who will judge the living and the dead, and in view of his appearing and his kingdom, I give you this charge: Preach the Word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage---with great patience and careful instruction. For the time will come when men will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear. They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths. But you, keep your head in all situations, endure hardship, do the work of an evangelist, discharge all the duties of your ministry." (2 Timothy 4:1-5)

Observation:
In Jesus Christ, Paul charges Timothy to preach the Word, always ready with it, correcting, rebuking and encouraging with great patience and careful instruction. These last two are very important because deception in this fallen world will only get worse, the deceivers themselves being deceived! (2 Timothy 3:13) In all this, he that preaches the Word is to keep his head in all situations, enduring adversities, continually evengelizing, faithfully fulfilling all the duties in his ministry.

Applicaton:
I, as a believer, am to preach the Word. God calls believers to constant readiness, applying His Word to correct, rebuke and encourage. He cautions Christians, myself included, to be patient and careful in instruction as decepton in the world grows worse. I am to keep my thoughts clear in all situations, to persevere inspite of hardship, to share the gospel, and to be faithful to all the responsibilities of the ministry He has called me to.

Prayer:
Holy Spirit please fill me. Cause my heart to submit all to God. Empower me so I may discharge all the duties of the ministry God has entrusted to me. Enable me through Your work to glorify my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. In Jesus' Name I pray. Amen.

June 28, 2007 entry to the personal handwritten journal I use in my quiet time with God.