Tripping Points (8)
Tripping Points #08 - "Lawlessness will abound!"
Written by Kendall Schnieder
Lawlessness will Abound!
And because lawlessness will abound, the love of many will grow cold. But those who endure to the end will be saved. Matthew 24:12-13
What did Jesus mean by "lawlessness"? Certainly we can quickly define what that means, and just as quickly point the finger at someone else as the guilty party. But what is the context that caused Jesus to quote this words at this point, and to who was He speaking? Jesus' disciples had just asked the question; "... and what will be the sign of your coming, and the end of the age?"
The first thing Jesus responded with on this question was; "See to it that no one deceives you, for many will come in My name, ...and deceive many." [ Mat 24:4-5 NASB] While this passage was being spoken to the disciples, it was recorded for born again believers in the day in which we live today, "the end of the age"...
Hunger & Thirst
Hell and Destruction are never full; So the eyes of man are never satisfied. (Pro 27:20)
What defines your Christian life?
Hunger & Thirst are basic human priorities. Those two needs take priority over every other need in life. If they are not satisfied we die. But have you ever thought about how far reaching those two needs extend into our everyday lives?
Basic human instincts. Hunger & Thirst levels the playing field for all of mankind. We all have this need in common, and it is this need that has the tendency to make devils out of each one of us. Take away the things we hunger for and contentment quickly turns into anarchy, and all of the evil that our minds can conceive will be employed on those who have less power...
Ignoring the Warnings
Back in the mid-60’s there was a TV program called “Lost in Space”. This series had a robot that could sense danger, and it was programed to sound the alarm “Danger, Danger, Danger!” That alarm was there to give a warning of imminent danger and that those that heard the warning were to wake up and prepare for whatever was going to happen. Today, governments spend billions of dollars on early warning systems so that we have time to prepare to either avoid the perceived danger or to stand and battle against it...
Traditions
And Jesus said to them, "Rightly did Isaiah prophesy of you hypocrites, as it is written: 'THIS PEOPLE HONORS ME WITH THEIR LIPS, BUT THEIR HEART IS FAR AWAY FROM ME. AND IN VAIN THEY WORSHIP ME, TEACHING AS DOCTRINES THE COMMANDMENTS OF MEN.' (Mar 7:6-7 NASB)
Tripping Points: #04 Use It or Lose It
Written by Kendall Schnieder Use It or Lose It
Jesus is saying to us today, "Take care what you listen to. By your standard of measure it will be measured to you; and more will be given you besides. "For whoever has, to him more shall be given; and whoever does not have, even what he has shall be taken away from him." (Mar 4:24-25 NASB)
Drifters
Complacency
Tripping Points are places in our journey with Jesus Christ that want to take us off of the narrow path to eternal life that Christ has designed for our personal spiritual growth and preparation to meet Him face to face.
Complacency is the feeling that we mortals get when we feel satisfied with ourselves and we want to just kick back and relax. The Tripping Point is that our minds have a perfectly designed mechanism for convincing us that "we deserve to rest" from the trials of life. However, those trials of life that tend to wear us down are what Christ wants us to overcome and be victorious and rested in our souls. The Bible tells us that we can "do all things through Christ who strengthens me" [Philippians 4:13 NKJV]. God did not give us that promise so that we can sit idle. He gave us that promise so that we can "press on to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us." Idleness causes our faith to become dead.
Those promises that God has so generously given to us are only activated as we conform to His righteousness and are obedient to His instructions. God has given each of us who place our faith in Jesus Christ, everything we need "that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who called us by glory and virtue, by which have been given to us exceedingly great and precious promises", that through these you may be partakers of His divine nature. [2 Peter 1:3-4] We have been empowered to overcome this world, but we have to do it God's way. Read the Book of James.
Read my article on "What does Obedience have to do with it" 
Tripping Points are the temptations, trials and decisions of everyday life that try to take our eyes off Jesus Christ and entice us to follow the ways of the world.
Contending for the Faith
Tripping Points is a series of short blogs which will explore the obstacles that are placed in our path which are designed to take us off the 'narrow path' God has designed for each believer. For example, the first question is what difference does it make if you become a born-again believer? The difference is HUGE! For the non-believer there is no hope, for the Believer there is hope and assurance. The results of a sinful life is eternal death, the results of salvation is eternal life. [Rom. 6:23]
The Tripping Point however, is because new believers are seldom taught the basics of our faith and belief in Jesus Christ, many today do not understand the Biblical call to faith. When we are first born-again, God gives each of us a measure of faith to first accept our sinful condition, secondly, to see our need for a Savior and third, the mandate to come to salvation through Jesus Christ alone. What happens after the point of salvation is that the new believer is allowed to believe that church attendance alone fulfills the obligation of salvation. However, God has called us to salvation for a purpose. Every believer has a talent that he is to use, we have been called to walk in the Spirit, to bear the Fruit of the Spirit and to be salt and light in this sinful world. And we can only do this by exercising our faith and allowing our faith to grow. If we do nothing our faith dies, and without faith we cannot please God. Then the big question becomes, "How many people will enter heaven that do not please God?"
These points are covered in depth in 1 & 2 Peter, James, 1 John and Jude. Re-read these books and take advantage of this great salvation that has been given to us. Learn to live in the power of the Holy Spirit that dwells in you. God has great plans for each one of us.
For more information read article "What is Faith?":
Tripping Points are the temptations, trials and decisions of everyday life that try to take our eyes off Jesus Christ and entice us to follow the ways of the world.
