1 Timothy 4:14-16 Neglect not the gift that is in thee, which was given thee by prophecy, with the laying on of the hands of the presbytery. Meditate upon these things; give thyself wholly to them; that thy profiting may appear to all.Take heed unto thyself, and unto the doctrine; continue in them: for in doing this thou shalt both save thyself, and them that hear thee. We have our gifts and we exhort, build up and encourage the Body with those gifts. But the gifts do not take the place of HIS WORD! They do not step outside of the final admonishment Paul gives to Timothy. Take heed unto thyself and to doctrine . As the parable of the person who criticizes the speck in anothers eye and GOD tells them to take the beam out of their own eye before criticizing so to we see the example of making sure that we are on solid ground as HIS servant first. LINE it all up with Scripture. Proverbs 14:12 There is a way which seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death. Proverbs 16:25 There is a way that seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death. Pharaoh surely thought he knew what was right. He had his speakers of the day and the messages that he wanted to hear from them. None of which was true. My point is self directed most of all and to the Body as a whole. We are blessed as a people when we cling to the doctrine of Divinity! The Doctrine of the Cross! The unwavering, infallible WORD of Almighty GOD! No matter how many different prophets say something is going to happen, my first action is to pick up the Word. Therein rests my peace! Therein are my answers! Hope does not come from man much less Peace coming from the lips of man as he predicts based on opinion more than he recites Truths based on GODs facts! Some have stated that they dont see the Body being afraid or in fear of the events of End Times .(as opposed to HIS purposes for judgment. But there are countless. I was one of them. I realized all the discussion about perceptions and assumptions were distracting the BOdy from simple worship and just waiting on HIM...not trying to figure out what HE didnt tell us plainly anyway. Are there levels of preparation that are man defined which I must attain to or am I permitted to trust in my GOD with a whole heart and an undivided mind? Praise the LORD that no book nor commentary was written that HAD to accompany the Bible so that we would be prepared!!Thus, those who fear RIGHTLY are those who stand and serve in awe of HIM! Let us share the WORD humbly then for encouragement and exhoration and wisdom....and not use the WORD as an instrument of subjective, directional means as though our dreams and visions are interchangeable with Sovereigntys Scriptures. Amen and amen.Errantly SpokenThe way of an arrow is straightly assumedas direct without wavering slightly.The way of HIS servant is also presumed to be serving as CHRIST would most likely.Yet such things are taken for granted each dayas though no other options are present.The Lost are then channeled by arrows of claywho proclaim errant things most insistent.Take heed then to doctrine JEHOVAH resounds! for MY way is both straight and quite narrow.To MY words compare all whose appeal is loudfor they speak not as I but as Pharaoh.As HIS servant in your service,WVW Jasnoch 1/22/081 Timothy 4:6-16 Matthew Henry Commentary on this at BlueletterBible.org.
_________________Whitney