Week 4

Our discussion focused on 1 Timothy 4:6-16. Lo and behold, yet another speaker on Discipleship Library covered the same content. http://turret2.discipleshiplibrary.com/A296.mp3

Paul' s letter to young Timothy was a bar raiser, for sure. In ten verses he pre-empted whatever excuses were pre-loaded, "too young, they won't listen to me..." boo hoo. Listen, little brother, this is about words of faith, sound doctrine, but more than understanding the facts of obedience, it's about building our relationships through obedience. Treating obedience as a verb, not a noun. Of course, I'm speaking of obedience to God first.

However, we seem to resist obedience in every facet of our lives. Bill Cosby does a bit on the wedding vow to love, honor and the oft-forgotten, obey. Alas, Mr. Shakespeare, we can't even to our own selves be true. Missed appointments, tardiness, failed workout programs, diets, quiet times, scripture memory, the list goes on.

We keep laying rail for our life to run on, create a dozen or so switches, computerize our switching mechanism, plan our schedule to match Dutch efficiency, then immediately head, ATV-style, off the very tracks we just laid. What's up with that? Cue Dana Carvey's church lady. Could it be? Satan?

Well, consider that for a moment. What was the fall all about? Was it based upon the false syllogism that God's plan is restrictive, and restriction's bad and therefore God's plan's bad? Surely if you eat that fruit you won't die.

Is it as simple as that? Should we try doing one thing with flawless obedience before we try to master 2 with varied obedience. Maybe. I'd love to hear your thoughts, men.