(Part 8) "Physical training is good, but..."

“If we were to put as much energy into our spiritual life as an athlete does into their training for a temporary competition, we will grow and accomplish much for God and His Kingdom.”

After our sermon a couple weeks ago about “going deeper”, there was an evident need for a series on 1 Timothy chapter 4 on how to practically “go deeper” and have a foundational Christ-like mindset through the Biblical Christian habits that Paul instructed to Timothy as he trained him up to have a Christ minded ministry. 

The goal in this series is to understand the “Godly Values” that Paul gives to Timothy as we try to continue to shape that same Christ-like mindset in our own lives as we chose to have a deep relationship with God today.

A great American Evangelist of the 1800s, Charles Finney use to preach on this scripture to Pastors and Preachers and titled his sermon: “Preacher, Save Thyself!” I believe that as we look at Christianity in the world today that I can preach a similar sermon as we look at God's Word this morning on “Christians, Save Yourselves!”.

This sermon is needed today because when you look at Christianity today, it does not any longer line up with our doctrine. Moral problems, Idolatry, consumerism, complacent christianity and other unbiblical conduct has destroyed the church and Gods Servants.  We need to take spiritual inventory of our lives.

Paul gives a very similar warning to the Elders of Ephesus, that leads us to look at what happened in that church in its letter from John in Revelation. Ephesus warning from Paul as well as God's chastisement in the Revelation letter show that we today need to keep a close watch on our relationship with the Lord.

We need to KEEP WATCH, PERSEVERE, and ENCOURAGE the body of believers as well as pursue the lost.