Writer's Pic

TIMES

OF THE

SIGNS

1 Timothy 2:1-2  “I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men; For kings, and for all that are in authority; that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty.” 

This admonition to Timothy finds a significant application to us today. While partisanship is difficult to lay aside for most of us; leading a quiet and peaceable life calls for prayers no matter what our political bend may be. Living a quiet, peaceable and simple life is difficult during any year.

The economic affects of the past five years have had a definite impact on the lives of most Americans as well as people of other countries in a very negative direction. Many of us can relate to the complications being caused by the uncertainties of the economics of our day. Many people have lost their homes, their jobs, and their retirement. Those in authority have contributed in both economic directions, positive and negative. There’s just more negative apparent at this time. It then stands to reason that prayers for those in authority are definitely in order. However, even economic stability does not guaranty a quiet and peaceable life.

COMPLICATIONS

It is sad to observe the presence of chaos in most of our lives. Do you think chaos is too strong a word to use?  Would complicated work better? Somewhere between chaos and complicated is an area of concern in most all of our lives. Through our parents and grandparents we have learned of the tremendous changes they were forced to endure during their lifetime. While they may have suffered the brunt of so many complications of the past generations; a brief survey will reveal just how chaotic our lives are, even today.
 
  • Husbands, wives and children have all but given up on spending time together and are now somewhat satisfied with a vague idea termed quality time. Husbands and wives go their separate ways in search of fulfilling their individual needs. Parents wrestle with how to best provide for the educational needs of their children; while balancing the cost incurred through home, private, or public schooling?
  • Blended families present a multi-stratum of complications begging a Solomon’s approach for solutions. Which of our lives is not affected by what we once considered a soaring divorce rate but have become so accustomed to as to give but a passing shrug? If not our immediate home: our parents, our siblings, and many of our friends are dealing with the chaos caused and nurtured by divorce.
  • The homes we live in are no longer the simple dwellings of past years and gladly so in some instances. However, the systems installed in our homes often lead to chaos rather than the quiet and peaceable life we were promised and envisioned at the start. The need for a systems approach seems to prevail in every area of our homes; heating, cooling, cleaning, lighting, video, audio. Everything seems to work great at least while it is remains under warranty. Our homes and automobiles no longer require repairmen; ( repair person) they require technicians. People in stores are no longer termed clerks, now they are called associates.
  • There are ever so many complications in our every day life at home, at work, and all places in between. Chemical spills are not limited to the far reaches of Alaska. They often occur in our back yard. Pollution concerns the average citizen of this day. Emissions and the green house effect are real dangers to our immediate environment. Job security seems to be a phrase of another era.

TECHNOLOGY

Technology has promised to make our lives less complicated. It has surely added to the medical benefits, but who can afford it or even the insurance which once protected us from catastrophic expenses? Computers enable us to work and shop at home but are not as easy for some of us as for others to work with.  It is now possible to stay connected at all time through beepers, cell and digital phones, faxes, and lap top computers. Crowded highways and skyways regularly contribute to tension leading to road-rage and ulcers. This technology seems to have greatly enhanced our lives but is that ultimately better and less complicated?

I do not know what percentage of Americans still attend church. Not many years is was in the sixty percent range. I doubt if that prevails today; 2011. Those Americans might  have one or two total hours a week to spend in corporate worship (church) and that is all they have for the social aspects of their religious endeavors. Some even feel angry and even bitter at the church, yea even at God for adding to demands on our time through the various programs offered by the church. When pastors and other church leaders inadvertently make us feel guilty for putting the church at number four or five on our list of priorities, it becomes easy to ignore the admonition given in

Hebrews 10:25; “Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching."
.

 
************

KNOWLEDGE

INCREASE

  • Daniel 12:4 “But thou, O Daniel, shut up the words, and seal the book, even to the time of the end: many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall be increased.”
It is not this writer’s intention to encourage anyone to throw away their cell phones and computers or to join a commune and check out of society completely. Each new generation before us has been faced with the challenge of dealing with priorities, time constraints, economics, and new technologies. We are no different. Maintaining a proper balance in our homes and environments becomes an individual challenge for us all. A kind of chaos can be realized within the phrase, running to and fro.
  • 2 Timothy 3:1-7 This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come…For men shall be lovers of their own selves…Having a form of godliness …ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth.
The chaos of our time is closely linked by Paul to self-love: self-love in the presence of a form of godliness and education. All of this is covered in the prophecy which Paul wrote to Timothy. A better snapshot of our day could ill be found. The answers to our dilemma are complex to say the least. When we are able to see God as not giving us just one more thing to do and begin to see ourselves as the ones who have so complicated our lives and jammed our schedules, then we are probably on the cusp of uncomplicating our existence.

Jesus saw the multitudes as sheep without a shepherd. Mark 9:34 To at least some degree I suggest that we do not really want a shepherd any more than we want a Lord in our lives. It is as if we have a mess in our lives; much the same as my desk in my office; but do not want anyone else messing with our mess. If you were to attempt to straighten up my mess you would destroy my system. We have become so accustomed to the chaos in our lives that we’d rather not be bothered with solutions offered, no matter how well meaning the author. “Take heed how you walk,” Ephesians 5:15-17 NASB is a great idea but hard to flesh out. As we have seen before, the complications in our lives affect every area; so don’t mess with our mess.

 

COME UNTO ME

Jesus invites (Matthew 11:28) “Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.”

Perhaps, at least to me, it is easy to understand how the people to whom Jesus was actually talking could “come to him”. They were there. He was approachable. He gave them encouragement, blessed their children, healed their sick.

However "come unto me" might be hard to apply in my day. How do I “come to Him” in the midst of the chaos of my life?
  • I Peter 1:8 “Whom having not seen, ye love; in whom, though now ye see him not, yet believing, ye rejoice.”
I have never seen Jesus but I do love Him. How can that be? It becomes a matter of faith: the type of faith which comes by hearing, which comes by the word of the Lord. (Romans 10:17) Faith is the victory that overcomes the world. (I John 5:4) Enhancing our faith can diminish the chaos in our lives. Coming to Jesus in faith, casting our burden on Him in faith is good.

DOUBLETREE

We do live in complicated times! Much of our lives are filled with confusion and chaos. But to be very honest, that is due in large part to the choices we have made and the paths we have taken. Solomon gave some sound advice:
  • Trust in the Lord with all your heart And do not lean on your own understanding.6 In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He will make your paths straight. Proverbs 3:5-6 (NASB)
This seems to me to offer a recipe for answered prayers and day to day living. The idea is built around structure; a structure that is built on trusting God and inviting Him into every aspect of our lives. Ah but the problem is; leaning on our own understanding. Many of us have degrees, but lack the understanding it takes to approach and un-complicate our lives. We need the strengthening of the Lord. i.e. I can do all things through Him who strengthens me. Phil 4:13 (NASB)

We need to share his doubletree. Do you know what that is? (A doubletree is a crossbar on a wagon, carriage, plow, to each end of which the singletrees are attached when two horses are harnessed abreast.) When Jesus said:
  • "Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest.29 "Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and You will find rest for your souls. 30 "For My yoke is easy and My burden is light." Matt 11:28-30 (NASB)
this is the picture I see in my mind. I see the two of us linked together. He will help me not get ahead of myself. He will help me to be steadier. He will show me how to ignore so much of the chaos around me and concentrate on the journey. I see myself yoked to the Lord so we can pull the loads in life together. 

 
************