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As I have once again considering the letters to Timothy I am amazed about a few things. 1 Timothy 4:1,2 has captured my imagination with all that is unfolding around us right now.
The phrase doctrines of demons deserves a closer look. The original language (Greek) appears to amplify that these are the teaching instructions (we are being educated) of evil spirits of destiny (demons).
“But the Spirit explicitly says that in later times some will fall away from the faith, paying attention to deceitful spirits and doctrines of demons, by means of the hypocrisy of liars seared in their own conscience as with a branding iron…” – 1 Timothy 4:1,2/New American Standard
And from the Message: “The Spirit makes it clear that as time goes on, some are going to give up on the faith and chase after demonic illusions put forth by professional liars. These liars have lied so well and for so long that they’ve lost their capacity for truth.” – Timothy 4:1,2/The Message
This can help me/us to pray about both COVID and the election fraud which seems to have occurred. It tells me why the educating process in our culture looks the way it does.
Consider the worldly fables (4:7/short story narratives with nothing behind them) which have arisen in our culture in just the last 50 years. There are many – but consider these: social justice, abortion, sexual impurity, there is no God, there are no absolutes, the world is grey – not black and white, gender ID, all roads lead to the same destination, there is no evil (hell) and there is no ultimate good (heaven), data defines us, and we ARE gods. And these are just a few popular core narratives.
It is almost as though we are willing to throw God’s Word over-board for cheap novels which speak to our itching ears (2 Timothy 4:3). The branding iron part explains our hardness of heart. We are seared by burning. We have exchanged our God identity for that of another master. We are being branded by and for a new owner. God forgive us and deliver us from evil.
The Rx?
2 Timothy 4.1-5
“I solemnly charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who is to judge the living and the dead, and by His appearing and His kingdom: preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort, with great patience and instruction. For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but wanting to have their ears tickled, they will accumulate for themselves teachers in accordance to their own desires, and will turn away their ears from the truth and will turn aside to myths. But you, be sober in all things, endure hardship, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry.”
Selah.
Serious stuff.
I do not believe that the election was rigged. There has been only accusations and not any shred hard evidence to prove to the contrary based on court testimony and other facts. Trump by his inability to admit defeat based on his extreme ideology of postive thinking (ala Norman Vincent Peale) has been in his family tree for many years. I do not wish him any ill will as we are commanded by the scriptures: ” Remind them to be subject to rulers, to authorities, to be obedient, to be ready for every good deed, to malign no one, to be uncomtentious, gentle, showing every consideration for all men. Titus 3:1-2
Romans 13:1-10 is very explicit about our response concerning authority. Our focus is to find the snakes in the church body not in the world. Those within the body were the enemies of God, Paul and the truth of the scriptures. They are the ones that try to lead us to lies by twisting the scriptures based on their own perversions. Titus 3:9. We are to have our thoughts based on things above and not on things below by looking for every opportunity to share the gospel and not get wrapped in worldly debates and conspiracy theories.
Amen Dennis. Amen.