Contend for the Faith - Part 2

Good Morning,

For the sake of those who missed yesterday’s post, this morning I will repeat the first few paragraphs from yesterday about protecting sound doctrine.

As we begin 2024 (an amazing thought in itself),  I am concerned about keeping our ministry and faith based upon sound doctrine.   For the last three decades, we have stood for the truth of the Scriptures; but never doubt that Satan's hatred for the church is undaunted by our steadfastness. He will attack and seek to move people out of the soul winning, Bible-believing church through one means or another.

Paul, Timothy, and Titus spoke of sound doctrine.

2 Timothy 4:3 “For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears;”

Titus 1:9 “Holding fast the faithful word as he hath been taught, that he may be able by sound doctrine both to exhort and to convince the gainsayers.”

Titus 2:1”But speak thou the things which become sound doctrine:”

Now to new material.

At church, I have been talking much about prayer and fasting.  To be honest, these two doctrines are very unpopular.  To some Christians, simply attending church is okay.

Hebrews 10:13 “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.”

Some Christians are content to attend church, but reading the Bible is difficult. Some people will simply not do it; they prefer a pastor/teacher who will only teach the Bible so they can ignore their Bibles throughout the week.  

Some people do not mind if the pastor prays in church or at a wedding or funeral, but do not ask them to pray on their own.  You see, these things make a man feel small, inadequate, and lacking self-reliance - and, yes,  all that is true.  These believers do not like the feeling of inadequacy, so many of them will simply live without Bible study, prayer, or fasting because these practices are not what they WANT to do.  

Many men are uncomfortable with the spiritual world, embracing a Spirit, or talking to a Person they cannot see or touch.  We are dead men, living with a newly-born Living One (John 3:3).  The old dead man does not want to talk to a spiritual person or to miss meals while seeking favor of the Divine Person - he finds these things very uncomfortable.  Fasting for a blood test is more than acceptable, but fasting for a closeness to God causes one to enter the realm of discomfort. Often, people think the solution is to find a pastor who will teach the Bible but not talk about personal prayer or fasting.  We read it earlier:

2 Timothy 4:3 “For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears;"

Many people will search for a pastor or teacher who tries to say what the audience wants to hear. These ministers never dreamed of practicing what Paul commanded Timothy:

2 Timothy 4:2 "Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine."

What would happen if I turned our church service into a prayer meeting for half the time and preaching for the other half?  We would lose much of our congregation. 

Saying, “No,” to the flesh and resisting the carnal, dead world around us is uncomfortable - this is how to cause the “old man” to die.  Living a crucified life and surrendering to the spiritual life is obtained by saying, “Yes,” to the new man.

Even the disciples asked Jesus to teach them how to pray (not to learn to preach).  Prayer is vital.  Prayer is urgent.  Prayer is the life blood of the church.

Luke 11:1 "And it came to pass, that, as he was praying in a certain place, when he ceased, one of his disciples said unto him, Lord, teach us to pray, as John also taught his disciples.”

Think about numbers in the crowd.  Many people attend church or a school ball game, but a much smaller number will attend Wednesday Bible study, and fewer still will attend soul winning.  Now count those who attend prayer meetings - this number is the lowest spiritual denominator.  The more spiritual the activity and the more humbling the event, the fewer will show up to join. 

We must contend for the faith and labor to maintain "sound doctrine." 

Pastor