Our text is from Paul's letter to Timothy and it describes the characteristics of the church in the end times. Men will become self absorbed and consumed with themselves rather than being concerned with their fellow man. Reading this text, it is not hard to visualize the characteristics described in our world today. Our world has created an atmosphere that will facilitate the coming of the Lord. It is far too easy to let life become about us. It is an attitude we must fight that tendency every day. Life has become about us. Far too many people feel that they should be happy, and in fact that happiness is their right. Happiness is a choice, not a right. The closer we get to the end of time, the more people will become more focused on themselves than they are about each other. When life is about us, the next thing to show up is covetousness. No matter how much we have, we want more. The more that we want, then arrogance and pride come along. Our text says that men well be come blasphemers. This word does not mean to blaspheme god, it is translated to be a gossip. Paul goes on to say that children would not respect their parents. Our culture has degraded to the point that children are more disrespectful than they have ever been. Society has taught us to question all authority. Paul text describes that attitude of being unloving. Our world tells us that we do not have to love people who do not love us back. That is not how Christ loved. He loved unconditionally and without receiving anything in return. Paul prophesied these things over 2000 years ago. We can easily see all of these things in our world today. We must each look at ourselves, and guard against these things taking root in our lives. When life becomes about us, we are on the path to all the things that Paul described. When we take self out of the way, we make room for Jesus.

Our text is from Paul's letter to Timothy and it describes the characteristics of the church in the end times. Men will become self absorbed and consumed with themselves rather than being concerned with their fellow man. Reading this text, it is not hard to visualize the characteristics described in our world today. Our world has created an atmosphere that will facilitate the coming of the Lord. It is far too easy to let life become about us. It is an attitude we must fight that tendency every day. Life has become about us. Far too many people feel that they should be happy, and in fact that happiness is their right. Happiness is a choice, not a right. The closer we get to the end of time, the more people will become more focused on themselves than they are about each other. When life is about us, the next thing to show up is covetousness. No matter how much we have, we want more. The more that we want, then arrogance and pride come along. Our text says that men well be come blasphemers. This word does not mean to blaspheme god, it is translated to be a gossip. Paul goes on to say that children would not respect their parents. Our culture has degraded to the point that children are more disrespectful than they have ever been. Society has taught us to question all authority. Paul text describes that attitude of being unloving. Our world tells us that we do not have to love people who do not love us back. That is not how Christ loved. He loved unconditionally and without receiving anything in return. Paul prophesied these things over 2000 years ago. We can easily see all of these things in our world today. We must each look at ourselves, and guard against these things taking root in our lives. When life becomes about us, we are on the path to all the things that Paul described. When we take self out of the way, we make room for Jesus.

Perhaps the greatest revival in the new testament, was the one that took place in Ephesus. There were many churches birthed out of this revival and It is very likely that the Church in Colosse was one of them. According to historians, Colosse was a city that had attained a reputation for being crass and rude. It was into this environment that the gospel came and flourished. The people there were transformed by the gospel. Paul came to a group of people and tried to communicate to them that the it does not matter where they live, what matters is what lives in them. Living in Christ makes a difference. The geographic location did not define who they were. The word and promise of God is that it does not matter where we live because when we have the Lord inside of us, we are over comers. The city affected their life, but since they were in Christ, they were able to triumph over the fact that they were in Colosse. Paul offers five keys to living in the city, but not being overtaken by the city.

To live in the city, we must learn how to live in the will of God.

To live in the city we must gain wisdom and understanding

To live in the city we must adopt a manner of conduct that is different from the city.

To live in the city we must have fortitude and long suffering

To live in the city we will need joy.

Perhaps the greatest revival in the new testament, was the one that took place in Ephesus. There were many churches birthed out of this revival and It is very likely that the Church in Colosse was one of them. According to historians, Colosse was a city that had attained a reputation for being crass and rude. It was into this environment that the gospel came and flourished. The people there were transformed by the gospel. Paul came to a group of people and tried to communicate to them that the it does not matter where they live, what matters is what lives in them. Living in Christ makes a difference. The geographic location did not define who they were. The word and promise of God is that it does not matter where we live because when we have the Lord inside of us, we are over comers. The city affected their life, but since they were in Christ, they were able to triumph over the fact that they were in Colosse. Paul offers five keys to living in the city, but not being overtaken by the city.

To live in the city, we must learn how to live in the will of God.

To live in the city we must gain wisdom and understanding

To live in the city we must adopt a manner of conduct that is different from the city.

To live in the city we must have fortitude and long suffering

To live in the city we will need joy.

Greater Life Church

Greater Life Church

A simple reading of the statement in verse 21 of our text does not convey the full impact of what Jesus said that day. The amplified bible says that Jesus kept repeating "How is it that you do not understand?" What was it that was of such importance that He would keep repeating that statement? What was the message that Jesus was trying to convey to the diciples? For the answer, we must look back to earlier in the chapter to the miracle of the feeding of the 4000. After this miracle, they get into a boat to cross the sea and have forgotten to bring provision for lunch. In his teaching to the disciples, they incorrectly read his comments about leavening to be a rebuke of their failure to bring lunch. Every miracle that Jesus performed was done for the purpose of showing what He had the ability to do. It was done to show that no matter what the situation, He knew the need and was sufficient to meet the need. The message Jesus was trying to convey was clear: our needs concern Him and that He knows how to meet that need. He can take what we have and make what we need out of it. Jesus wanted to know why that in the face of repeated demonstrations of His power, that the disciples still did not understand that He could meet their needs. He never gets tired of meeting our needs. If we will but place it in His hands, He can do things with it that we cannot. He knows how to take the little we have and make it enough and more than enough. They had seen enough bread miracles that they should not have been worried about a little lunch issue. He is able; He can make a way. What is God trying to say to us? What is troubling us in our life that we do not know how to handle? With all that we have seen and all that God has done, how is it that we do not understand?

A simple reading of the statement in verse 21 of our text does not convey the full impact of what Jesus said that day. The amplified bible says that Jesus kept repeating "How is it that you do not understand?" What was it that was of such importance that He would keep repeating that statement? What was the message that Jesus was trying to convey to the diciples? For the answer, we must look back to earlier in the chapter to the miracle of the feeding of the 4000. After this miracle, they get into a boat to cross the sea and have forgotten to bring provision for lunch. In his teaching to the disciples, they incorrectly read his comments about leavening to be a rebuke of their failure to bring lunch. Every miracle that Jesus performed was done for the purpose of showing what He had the ability to do. It was done to show that no matter what the situation, He knew the need and was sufficient to meet the need. The message Jesus was trying to convey was clear: our needs concern Him and that He knows how to meet that need. He can take what we have and make what we need out of it. Jesus wanted to know why that in the face of repeated demonstrations of His power, that the disciples still did not understand that He could meet their needs. He never gets tired of meeting our needs. If we will but place it in His hands, He can do things with it that we cannot. He knows how to take the little we have and make it enough and more than enough. They had seen enough bread miracles that they should not have been worried about a little lunch issue. He is able; He can make a way. What is God trying to say to us? What is troubling us in our life that we do not know how to handle? With all that we have seen and all that God has done, how is it that we do not understand?

Wednesday Night Bible Study

We live in a time when it is sometimes difficult to tell the difference between Christians and non-Christians. We are not speaking of physical appearance, but the difference in philosophy and thoughts has blurred. Christians should live by a guiding principle that is based in the word of God. Our lives should be one that reflects Christ. The world should recognize us by our lifestyle. This way of living and conducting our life should bring glory to God. The root of righteous living is in the way we think. There in the influence of these thoughts, out life must take a direction that is pleasing to God. In our text, Paul differentiates the view of life before the spirit of God and after. After the spirit of God is in us, we should have a different view of the world. Our view of the world should be through the lens of the bible. Our world and the media want to present life to us through their lens. This lens will skew and distort the world to match cultural norms and desires and will be decidedly different from the view that God wants us to have. Bro Hughes gives us six questions to ask when viewing the world. As we go through life, we are presented with decisions and choices on what to do or not do. Where to go or not go. What to participate in and what to not participate in.

1. Where will it lead? Will it draw us closer to God, or lead away from God?

2. What will it make of me? If we do this, what will it do for us or to us. Will this make us more free, or more bound.

3. What does it look like? Does it look more like God or more like the world.

4. Will it bring glory to God?

5. Will it Benefit us to do this?

6. Is it constructive? Will we be stronger for having done this. Will it build up, or tear down.

The answers to these questions will give a clear picture of the path to choose. If it does not draw nearer to God, If it does not bring glory to God. If it will not benefit us or be constructive, we should stay away from those things

Wednesday Night Bible Study

We live in a time when it is sometimes difficult to tell the difference between Christians and non-Christians. We are not speaking of physical appearance, but the difference in philosophy and thoughts has blurred. Christians should live by a guiding principle that is based in the word of God. Our lives should be one that reflects Christ. The world should recognize us by our lifestyle. This way of living and conducting our life should bring glory to God. The root of righteous living is in the way we think. There in the influence of these thoughts, out life must take a direction that is pleasing to God. In our text, Paul differentiates the view of life before the spirit of God and after. After the spirit of God is in us, we should have a different view of the world. Our view of the world should be through the lens of the bible. Our world and the media want to present life to us through their lens. This lens will skew and distort the world to match cultural norms and desires and will be decidedly different from the view that God wants us to have. Bro Hughes gives us six questions to ask when viewing the world. As we go through life, we are presented with decisions and choices on what to do or not do. Where to go or not go. What to participate in and what to not participate in.

1. Where will it lead? Will it draw us closer to God, or lead away from God?

2. What will it make of me? If we do this, what will it do for us or to us. Will this make us more free, or more bound.

3. What does it look like? Does it look more like God or more like the world.

4. Will it bring glory to God?

5. Will it Benefit us to do this?

6. Is it constructive? Will we be stronger for having done this. Will it build up, or tear down.

The answers to these questions will give a clear picture of the path to choose. If it does not draw nearer to God, If it does not bring glory to God. If it will not benefit us or be constructive, we should stay away from those things