Stay Centered

I Timothy 1:4-10

Apparently some people have been introducing fantasy stories and fanciful family trees that digress into silliness instead of pulling the people back into the center, "deepening faith and obedience. The whole point of what we're urging is simply love, uncontaminated by self-interest and counterfeit faith, a life open to God.

So many issues we discuss and pursue as Christians have the potential to cause us to digress from the center of Jesus' commandments to us, which is love working itself out in deepening faith and obedience.

If I keep this simple truth at the forefrunt of my mind and make it the plumbline for the teaching I hear, I will avoid wandering off and taking others with me. Paul warns that when we are diverted from the heart of Jesus' message we're in danger of shipwrecking our faith. I'm concerned about the current movement of seeking signs and wonders as we are given clear warning that this is one way God will test our hearts to prove our faith and obedience is focused on His commandments. 2 Thess 2:11 warns that because people didn't receive the love for the truth, God will send a strong delusion that they would believe a lie. In Mark 13:11 Jesus warns that false prophets will rise up performining many signs and wonders that if it were possible, even the very elect should be deceived.

Thank you for your Word and your Spirit that leads us to the truth. Enlighten my darkness, and if there be any thought or way in me that isn't true, I ask you to reveal it to me.