Tag Archives: 1 timothy 4

Greg Laurie – An ABC Culture

 

I know all the things you do, and I have opened a door for you that no one can close. You have little strength, yet you obeyed my word and did not deny me. —Revelation 3:8

I have never seen a greater biblical illiteracy than we see in the church today. So many go to church, but they want to be entertained. They want to be dazzled. And they want everything except the Word of God.

One thing that has always been at the forefront of Harvest Ministries is the teaching of God’s Word—without apology. Why is this important? Because one of the signs of the last days is apostasy. People living in the end times are going to fall away from the faith. According to 1 Timothy 4, “The Holy Spirit tells us clearly that in the last times some will turn away from the true faith; they will follow deceptive spirits and teachings that come from demons” (verse 1). Knowing God’s Word and keeping His Word will fortify you against that.

As we get closer and closer to Christ’s return, it will be more and more difficult to be a Christian. Things are going to get spiritually darker in our world. Today in America, we live in what I would describe as an ABC culture: anything but Christ. People are cool with whatever you want to believe—unless it is the Bible and unless it is Jesus Christ. Then suddenly you are in trouble. Suddenly you are the bigoted one. You are the narrow-minded one. You are the intolerant one. You are the hateful one. And it is just because you believe that the Bible is true, and you want to live for Jesus Christ. God will give you the strength to live this life, but you will be opposed.

So whether you want to go high-tech or low-tech, read God’s Word. Know God’s Word. And more importantly, keep God’s Word.

Joyce Meyer – It’s Not About Age

 

Let no one despise or think less of you because of your youth, but be an example (pattern) for the believers in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith, and in purity.—1 Timothy 4:12

Timothy, Paul’s “spiritual” son in the ministry, was very young, and he was fearful and worried about what people thought of his youth. Paul told him to let no man despise his youth. It really does not matter how old or young a person is. If God calls someone to do something, and they have the confidence to go forward, nothing can stop them.

How you respond to your age and, for that matter, how others respond is really up to you. We all age in years, but we don’t have to get an “I’m too old” mindset. Moses was eighty years old when he left Egypt to lead the Israelites to the Promised Land. Confident people don’t think about how old they are; they think about what they can accomplish with the time they have left. Remember, confident people are positive and look at what they have, not what they have lost.

Even if you are reading this book and let’s say you’re sixty-five years old and feel you have wasted most of your life doing nothing—you can still start today and do something amazing and great with your life.

Lord, You used people of all ages throughout the Bible, and You can use me. Today is a new day, and I am excited about what You have for me to accomplish. Amen.