Relegated and Marginalized – Part 1

1 Timothy 4:15-16 “Meditate on these things; give yourself entirely to them, that your progress may be evident to all. Take heed to yourself and to the doctrine. Continue in them, for in doing this you will save both yourself and those who hear you.” 

This week, Michael writes that Jesus often repeated what he said to his disciples.  The word of God needs to be reinforced over and over. The word “meditate is defined in the 1828 Webster’s Dictionary as: To dwell on any thing in thought; to contemplate; to study; to turn or revolve any subject in the mind; appropriately but not exclusively used of pious contemplation, or a consideration of the great truths of religion. To meditate means to focus the mind deeply for a period of time ... to think about it over and over. 

The “journey of life” is taken one step at a time. A Sabbath day's journey was the distance that one person could walk on the Sabbath day. The Word of God is a lamp unto our feet and a light unto our path. We can only see the step in front of us as we walk with the Lord, one step at a time. We don't know what tomorrow will bring ... but He does.  We cannot make a promise for tomorrow. However we can commit to the next step.  Then when we look back on our journey of life, we can reflect on what's really important. For most men and women, what's important is to perform well ... to work hard day after day to support our family. Upon reflection near the end of life, many people say that they would have worked less and spent more time with their family and the ones they love.

Oswald Chambers said, "When the crisis comes and courage is required, God expects his people to be the reliable ones. The crisis has come." A crisis is a time when action must be taken to avoid a catastrophe, a complete breakdown, a calamity ... a radical change for the worse. In the last times there will be cataclysmic events that will be difficult to bear. However as the Apostle Paul said, The Lord’s strength is made perfect in my weakness, His grace is sufficient for me.

God gives us opportunities to rise to the challenge to press toward the mark of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus. Men and women in each generation have a choice to accept God's challenge or to be marginalized, relegated, and exiled into oblivion. In every generation there are "men who won't lead and women who won't follow." People who fall into the devil's snares of this world are taken captive by the enemy at their will.  God allows crises and tribulations so that men and women are confronted with a stark choice: to either trust in the Lord with all their hearts and lean not unto their own understanding or to allow the devil and his minions to marginalize and relegate them into insignificance.

When God’s people rise up and believe the truth of the Word of God, the society will flourish. The encouragement is to "hold your ground." Our call to arms is, "This is the hour of battle. This day we fight, we bid you stand in His power, you people of God." As people of God, we're called to influence the world. The devil's ploy is that the world would influence us. Either we're active or passive. Either we actively engage in the spiritual battle or we will be defeated when we become passive targets. Casual Christians are casualties in the spiritual battle. For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against spiritual wickedness in high places.