Monday, February 21, 2011

Entrusted Series: "Dealing With Discouragements"

What to do when you feel discouraged about the spiritual climate around you?
2 Timothy 3:1-9
• It brings discouragement when people have…

Misplaced love (love for idols)
-lovers of self (think of self first)
-lovers of money (greedy)
-lovers of pleasure rather then lovers of God (sin give pleasure)

An unrealistic view of self
-proud & swollen with conceit
-arrogant (glorifying self & thinking I call the shots)
-without self control (I can handle this)
-ungrateful (don’t give praise to Jesus)
-unholy (unlike Jesus)
-unappeasable (nothing makes us happy but we think it will)

Disregard for others
-slanderous (talking about and back stabbing)
-heartless (lack of concern for others)
-brutal
-abusive (mentally, emotionally spiritually & physically)
-disobedient to their parents (that can be discouraging)
-not loving good (rejoicing in sin)
-treacherous & reckless (being in a relationship with this person just takes its toll, volatile)

Confused spiritual beliefs
-appearance of godliness but denying the power (religious)
-lead people that are struggling away from the truth (the are dangerous to the weak)
Vrs 6 there is a danger… “capture” did you know that one of the Mormon’s openers if you say you are a Christian is? “That is true but we have more of that truth” Another Testament of Jesus Christ.

-learning new things but never truth based (is knowledge power?) People like Depock Chopra
-oppose the Godly. In every chapter of this book Paul names at least 2 names Chap 1 Hermongenes & Phygelus Chapter 2 Hymenasus & Philetus Chapter 4 Demas & Alexander. All these people were leading others away from the truth. Every generation will have people who will rise up as teachers that will stray others from the faith. I believe it is paving the way for the Anti-Christ

Vrs 8 Jannes and Jambres looked like they had something going good but they really were against the truth Ex 7 an example of how people will try to mimic Godliness but in their own power they will be unsuccessful, they were trying to things on their own. Staff, blood, frogs Ex 8:19 gnats…”the finger of God”

• To deal with these discouragements…understand this.

1. It is going to happen because we are in the “Last days” Vrs 1 (prepare ourselves, choose to do and say things that have some degree of Gospel importance) Jesus said they hated Him first.

2. Avoid those people if possible Vrs 5 (the concept I want to instill in all of us here is this, don’t let it get you down, if you need to change your situation, maybe that is what God is pressing on you to do, some people think that just because they are sticking it out in a situation it must be God’s will)
Vrs 5b “Avoid such people” How can I avoid them??? They go to church here, they live in my house. Jesus ran off and avoided they crowds at times

3. People will oppose you Vrs 8 (sometimes you try to avoid but they seek you out and oppose you, like when you are kid and people make fun of you…I am just minding my own business but they seem to find me) The religious leaders opposed Jesus

4. They will not get far Vrs 9 (Jesus is the winning team, the beauty of His justice is that He puts an end to those who do not trust Him) Jesus knew what the end result was

5. They will be made known Vrs 9 (Jesus takes care of all situations eventually, exposes) The word “folly” here is also used in Luke 6:11 and it carries the idea of being so enraged that you cannot clearly think about what is going on. The account in Luke 6:11 when Jesus healed the man on the Sabbath started the authorities in the plot to kill Jesus. And interestingly enough we find in 1 Cor 2:8-9 their foolishness brought forth God’s ultimate plan.

Can we “understand this” on our own? No
When you are discouraged think about the beautiful truth of Jesus and what He did and look for solace in Him. In the face of huge discouragement from the very people He mad rebelling against Him He was willing to die for them and us.

We can only deal with our discouragements through Jesus.

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