“Neglect not the Gift”...the Wayfarer 2/1/14

“Neglect not the Gift”
2/1/14

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

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

(1Timothy 4:13&14)

Today we go, once more to the writings of Paul for guidance for conduct while we live among others, who do not believe, and for strength in our own belief that is so easily corrupted by our associations that are a normal part of our society.

Paul, in this epistle, addresses Timothy, giving him proper doctrine to teach and preach as he goes out to build on and increase the Church.

This Guidance was necessary, because invariably, old habits of the heathen teachings were being introduced by those being taught, which in fact defiled the purpose of the Church.

“These things write I unto thee, hoping to come unto thee shortly:

But If I tarry long, that thou mayest know how thou oughtest to behave thyself in the house of God, the pillar and ground of truth.

And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness; God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into glory.”

(1Timothy 3:14-16)

Paul warns Timothy of the need to establish a firm root in the true doctrine of Christ Jesus, because of the things that will attempt to destroy that doctrine and replace it.

“Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils;

Speaking lies in hypocrisy; having their conscience seared with a hot iron;

Forbidding to marry, and commanding to abstain from meats, which God hath created to be received with thanksgiving of them which believe and know the truth.

For every creature of God is good, and nothing to be refused, if it be received with thanksgiving:

For it is sanctified by the word of God and prayer.

 If thou put the brethren in remembrance of these things, thou shalt be a good minister of Jesus Christ, nourished up in the words of faith and of good doctrine, whereunto thou hast attained.”

(1Timothy 4:1-6)

Those latter times spoken of by Paul are upon us! Many have departed from the faith and give heed to the seduction of the spirits which, through the teachings of the “isms” deny the truth of the doctrine of Christ and supplant it with doctrines of the devils mentioned.

The lies spoken in hypocrisy are flaunted from the airwaves, teaching that gay and lesbian unions are acceptable, and not the abomination they were and are called by our Lord through both testaments given us.

It is troubling to go on line to a social network and find postings that glorify God sandwiched between postings that glorify those very abominations that are posted by the same people who have been deceived into believing that whatever is politically correct at the moment is all right with God.

They do so because the conscience given them, that moral turpitude and adherence to the true doctrine that was never established within them, has been seared from them by the harangue that evil is not evil, it is only equality and tolerance.

Jesus told us that the word of God, His laws were immutable and unchanging. What was sin… is sin. What was abomination… is abomination. No amount of sugar coating makes poison acceptable to the body, and no amount of refusal to acknowledge something that is contrary to the teachings and laws of God makes sin acceptable to him, but instead intensifies and promulgates that sin and separates us from the love intended for us by Him. Again to quote a previous sermon, it is what it is!

“But refuse profane and old wives fables, and exercise thyself rather unto godliness.

For bodily exercise profiteth little: but godliness is profitable unto all things, having promise of the life that now is, and of that which is to come.”

(1Timothy 4:7&8)

Refuse profane teachings! The doctrine of TRUTH is the only acceptable venue to achieve salvation.

All the fables, and heathen teachings passed down from generation to generation, all the superstitions that we have been warned about in both testaments, all the rehashed teachings from the past that teach the complete independence and ability of man to attain perfection through his own devices are in fact profane and to be avoided, and refuted by that TRUTH!

Today, we find the rise of the, “Occult”, hedonism, false science, false religions, feel good philosophy, psychedelic “experiences”, a call for tolerance and equality, a call for “social justice”, and “New Age” thinking, all denying that very truth.

This is far from new. It is in fact as old as society itself.

If one look to the history of mankind, there is nothing that is being touted as new and better that has not been tried or taught before that succeeds in providing what they would promise.

Nation after nation has fallen victim to all the teachings and slanderings of God’s Word, and each that does so fails! Each society that reverts to heathenism reverts eventually to lawlessness and chaos, the rule of law of the strongest and loudest, removing all semblance of civilization and any ability to coexist with our fellow man, much less to coexist with the God many claim to serve with their “new” philosophies and religions, so loved by Lucifer, whose hatred for this special creature so loved by God, called man, continues, as he continues to deceive and attempt to separate us from that love, as he separated himself from that love by attempting to place himself as equal to that God.

Body and soul, we are creatures that possess both. The body is temporal and temporary, by nature corrupt, and easily led to the pleasures that destroy both that body, and that soul. The soul is not temporal, nor is it temporary, but eternal.

Many take great pains and pride in that temporary body, that they see in a mirror and the impression it makes on those around them.

They devote much energy and time to the maintenance of that body, and its pride, or its pleasures and wants while ignoring completely the soul it contains.

The soul needs constant attention and far more place of honor and pride be given it than that body.

It is the soul that comprises who and what we are, the body is merely a vessel containing it.

“This is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptation.

For therefore we both labor and suffer reproach, because we trust in the living God, who is the Saviour of all men, specially of those that believe.

These things command and teach.

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.

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

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

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

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

(1Timothy 4:9-16)

Those who have true concern for that soul, and the souls of those they love will indeed suffer reproach, despite their labor, which is of a necessity given if that soul is not to be lost to Lucifer’s wiles.

That reproach comes from those who have succumbed to those wiles, who have believed his lies, who serve him willingly in return for bodily pleasure and earthly treasure while denying the existence of that soul, whether they state that denial or only exhibit it through their belief system and action.

Their denial of God and all that is right will continue in its cloak of “tolerance” and of “equality” and of peace (which is another lie, as they constantly war with God, and all who believe in Him, and cannot be satisfied by anything less than the eradication of His teachings and extermination of any and all of faith) and of “new” and better things than that which has been given us through that TRUTH I speak of.

Jesus told us that he came not to bring peace to the world, but a sword.

He warned us of the divisions that would come between those who believe, and those refusing to believe.

If you have any concern for the soul of those around you it is time to take up that sword and defend  to the death your belief and faith in Christ Jesus.

It is time for any claiming Christianity to give attendance to Him, read and know His teachings, exhort those teachings and expound them to the reachable and teachable, counter all the false doctrine that comes only from Lucifer himself by way of the lies and deceptions believed by a majority, and refuse the attempts of that majority to quash and stifle that TRUTH still available to those who will hear and comprehend it and:

“Repent for the kingdom of heaven is at hand”

I close in prayer once more that no one I reach neglect the gift that has been given them, that no man refute nor refuse that gift offered them, that at least some meditate on the things given us in the scripture for the benefit of an eternal soul, and give themselves wholly to Christ Jesus instead of the isms and other shiny allures offered by the father of lies whose only goal is the utter destruction of the eternal soul each is invested with.

I pray that those calling themselves preachers, or leaders of any kind search the scripture, take heed to it and continue in its doctrines, and not those of man, and teach others to do the same.

2 Timothy 1:12 King James Version (KJV)

¹² For the which cause I also suffer these things: nevertheless I am not ashamed: for I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day.

I remain that same simple sinner saved by grace through faith as always yet and still a soldier in His service with sword drawn and with no intent to sheathe it until the battle is done.

Amen and Amen.
.the Wayfarer