[Pastor Ralph]

Q5. (1 Timothy 6:20-21) How can we guard the faith without becoming narrow, backward-looking people who oppose all change, and complain about "what things are coming to"? How can guards be at the same time positive, loving, and pleasant to be around?

[Elwood C O'Dell]

We need to remember that change comes. “What is politically correct this decade is considered naïve in the next decade.” We need to stick to the true “Gospel as taught by Christ and his apostles and turn away from the quest to be hip and up-to-date with every philosophical or theological trend.”

How can we be positive, loving, and pleasant to be around? Perhaps a good place to start would be to remember the prayer of St. Francis of Assisi.

Lord, make me an instrument of your peace,
Where there is hatred, let me sow love;
where there is injury, pardon;
where there is doubt, faith;
where there is despair, hope;
where there is darkness, light;
where there is sadness, joy;
O Divine Master, grant that I may not so much seek to be consoled as to console;
to be understood as to understand;
to be loved as to love.
For it is in giving that we receive;
it is in pardoning that we are pardoned;
and it is in dying that we are born to eternal life.

[charisbarak]

We are to keep growing in our relationship to Christ.
Speak the truth. Share God's Word. Watch to see that His Word is handled correctly.
Help others grow. Evangelize through giving, supporting, or being missionaries. Ask God for wisdom in all things.

Be joyful, praising God, thankful, praising God each day!!


You know, you cannot buy any of the fruit of the Spirit!! Strive for fruit!! Praise God!

[iam4-1god]

Q5. (1 Timothy 6:20-21) How can we guard the faith without becoming narrow, backward-looking people who oppose all change, and complain about "what things are coming to"? How can guards be at the same time positive, loving, and pleasant to be around?

We must stay in the Word. We must stay in prayer. Knowing what the Bible says, and talking to God and asking questions is really the best way to avoid the pitfalls. Knowing what we believe, and refusing to be tossed and turned around by all the various doctrines that are making the rounds in these times is the only way to avoid being lead astray. Read the Bible for yourself. Ask the Holy Spirit to help you understand what is being said. Talk it over with other believers that study the Bible themselves, and want to know the truth. Don't take anyone elses word for what the Bible says.

[kenny]

Q5. (1 Timothy 6:20-21) How can we guard the faith without becoming narrow, backward-looking people who oppose all change, and complain about "what things are coming to"? How can guards be at the same time positive, loving, and pleasant to be around?

We live in an ever changing world but must understand that we as the church play as big a role in the changes as anyone else. So if these changes seem to be getting away from us we should be asking ourselves why? As long as the changes conform to the teaching in the gospel there is no reason to complain or to go along with them.

We can guard the faith simply by portraying how good our Lord is to us on a day to day basis. Remember growth is change so as we grow in our walk with the lord we move forward and things change. let us be the instigators of change instead of waiting around to oppose change that happens around us.

The gospel was written with great changes in mind so don’t be afraid to step out and help make them happen. Don’t tell the Lord how big the problem is; tell the problem how Great the Lord is! Our future is great so tell everyone about it

[hanks]

Q5. (1Timothy 6:20-21)
How can we guard the faith without becoming narrow, backward-looking people who oppose all change, and complain about "what things are coming to"?
How can guards be at the same time positive, loving, and pleasant to be around?
I live in a country rife with corruption and amongst the highest crime rate in the world. It is so easy to become negative about what is happening to our people. The only way to counter all this negativism is to put our trust in God. We have to put our trust in His promises, His faithfulness, His goodness, and His mercy, amongst many other. We serve a mighty God!!

[JanMary]

Q5. (1 Timothy 6:20-21) How can we guard the faith without becoming narrow, backward-looking people who oppose all change, and complain about "what things are coming to"?

Shun the godless chatter, politically correct thinking which permeates nearly all media today, and stay focused on the Word of God every day, yielding to the work of the Holy Spirit in all that we do, think, and say. Darkness is exposed and chased away by light. We are to reflect His Light through our lives so that those in the darkness can be drawn to Him.

We are commanded to be salt, and salt's purpose is to preserve, protect, save, support, sustain, season. We are commanded to be light. We derive our light from His presence within us, and we are to shine so that others may see our good works and glorify God in Heaven....we have a choice then. We can lose our saltiness through becoming like the world, and we can refuse to shine, or we can be both to a dying world.

Joseph was both salt and light, first to just his family, then to those at Potipher's house, in prison, and finally to the saving of his entire nation....while sustaining Egypt....because he guarded the faith and never wavered in belief in the promise God had given him.

How can guards be at the same time positive, loving, and pleasant to be around?

When we walk in the light, we bring Jesus to those around us....and Who is more positive, loving and pleasant to be around than Jesus? He tells us to speak the truth...in love.

[Stan]

Q5. (1 Timothy 6:20-21) How can we guard the faith without becoming narrow, backward-looking people who oppose all change, and complain about "what things are coming to"? How can guards be at the same time positive, loving, and pleasant to be around?

By continueing to study as Paul told Timothy to show your self approved. If we continue to study God will strengthen our faith and make us stronger in living the life that Jesus wants for us. We guard our faith through prayer and being with other God fearing Christians and leading others to know Him.

[JustJeff]

The agape love of Christ cannot change. Without it we are empty vessels subject the the mechanics of the flesh. With it we are new every morning and our message is always fresh and postive. It comes with the Holy Spirit.

[Patriciaa]

Q5. (1 Timothy 6:20-21) How can we guard the faith without becoming narrow, backward-looking people who oppose all change, and complain about "what things are coming to"? How can guards be at the same time positive, loving, and pleasant to be around?

We need to determine weather proposed changes are actually God's in God Word or man's ways of doing things. We need to pray, study the Word and know what God teaches in His Word. We need to show love to all even those with whom we disagree and lovingly and calmly be able to explain what we believe and why we believe this. Standing for the truth does not mean to be quarrelsome and unkind. God's Word is based on love and therefore we need to love others as we stand faithfully.

[Delivered]

Q5. (1 Timothy 6:20-21.) How can we guard the faith without becoming narrow, backward-looking people who oppose all change, and complain about "what things are coming to"?
First, the scripture tells me that the gate of salvation is narrow, and to many it appears as backward, not very scientific, but my faith tells me different. The best way I can guard my stand on the faith, is to stay in God's word. Faith is found in the word, and the more I read and study the word, the more I see faith building up in me, ready to put faith into action.

I know there are many people who do not believe in the rapture, many do not believe in the flood, many do not believe in the resurrection, etc.

Our children are being taught in our schools the theory of evolution, trying to disprove our faith that God Almighty created the heavens and the earth; As we parents try to teach our children the truth, society is there trying to make us out as a backward, ignorant people. Stay in the word, stay in faith is very important, very important indeed.

How can guards be at the same time positive, loving, and pleasant to be around?
I do not give ground to those who want to argue God's word. If they are hungry, I love discussing God's word with them, even if we see things differently.

Well, I will have to be honest with you, I have become bold in the Lord and I am tired of all the progress Satan has made in this world, with his lies and deception; to some, I may not come across to the world as pleasant, or loving, as I stand FIRM on God's word: For those who believe a lie, do not like to hear the truth.

I think we have been too concerned with not appearing to be a loving people as we stand firm on the word of God, and therefore, we have allowed Satan to take ground in our country. We need to be more like Christ, when he threw the money changers out of the Temple.

[McCollum]

Q5. (1 Timothy 6:20-21) How can we guard the faith without becoming narrow, backward-looking people who oppose all change, and complain about "what things are coming to"? How can guards be at the same time positive, loving, and pleasant to be around?

Galatians 5:22, By the fruit in us will produce and show that the Holy Spirit is in control of our lives . Love, joy, peace, paitence, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control, and their is no conflict with being plesent to be around when the Sweet Sweet Spirit of God is in control all and everything about Him is positive.

[servant for Christ]

Q5. (1 Timothy 6:20-21) How can we guard the faith without becoming narrow, backward-looking people who oppose all change, and complain about "what things are coming to"? How can guards be at the same time positive, loving, and pleasant to be around?

We can guard our faith by staying in the word, staying close to God, and by listening to his voice. The true gospel. They can be positive, loving, and pleasant because they are of God. It is what he has given us.

[sahala p.s.]

Q5. (1 Timothy 6:20-21) How can we guard the faith without becoming narrow, backward-looking people who oppose all change, and complain about "what things are coming to"? How can guards be at the same time positive, loving, and pleasant to be around?

We can guard the faith without becoming narrow, backward-looking people who oppose all change, and complain about "what things are coming to" in a way that while we guard the faith and live our lives in Christ we too keep increasing our knowing of Christ and open ourselves to the leading of the Holy Spirit, which may lead us to the change in the way we worship or serve God or respond God’s calling. The change is maybe of applying new or contextual knowledge, skill, methods and tools in teaching and learning the Gospel’s message and teaching, which they are developed by following the change of culture or era

Guards can be at the same time positive, loving, and pleasant to be around in a way that, based on our faith, we do good things taught by the true Gospel and tell the Gospel to others in gentleness and respect

[smurf1948]

Q5. (1 Timothy 6:20-21) How can we guard the faith without becoming narrow, backward-looking people who oppose all change, and complain about "what things are coming to"? How can guards be at the same time positive, loving, and pleasant to be around?




pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance and gentleness if we are these things then people will see us as God wants them to and they will seek what we have. These things and keeping God sovereign will guard the faith.

[nerraw20]

Q5. (1 Timothy 6:20-21) How can we guard the faith without becoming narrow, backward-looking people who oppose all change, and complain about "what things are coming to"? How can guards be at the same time positive, loving, and pleasant to be around?

This is a very convicting question sinceI fail too many times in this area. I would think it is helpful to focus more on the promises that are coming for us who are in Christ. Talk more about the truth than the lies of the culture.

[nerraw20]

Q5. (1 Timothy 6:20-21) How can we guard the faith without becoming narrow, backward-looking people who oppose all change, and complain about "what things are coming to"? How can guards be at the same time positive, loving, and pleasant to be around?

We need to make sure its really the truth we are guarding and not false knowledge. This question is convicting to me because I have been a complainer too many times. Our focus should be on whats lovely and true more than what we think is messed up. Also it is good to make sure we are not quarrelsome and contentious.

[Mrstoler]

Q5. (1 Timothy 6:20-21) How can we guard the faith without becoming narrow, backward-looking people who oppose all change, and complain about "what things are coming to"? How can guards be at the same time positive, loving, and pleasant to be around?

We guard the faith by studying the Word of God and hiding it in our hearts. Trusting in God who inspired the writers to write His instructions to us, and our faith in God should be so strong that no one can change our minds about what God has said in His word. We as guards can be positive, loving and pleasant to be around if we do our job with the right attitude that God requires of us. We should guard with a loving, pleasant and positive attitude towards God people, but at the same time stand firm to what you believe and trust God to lead and guide you as you guard the faith.

[emmaus]

We can guard the faith by taking nothing away from the word of God or adding anything to it. The word of God is God Himself, that is scared and we protect it. We have love, joy, peace and the rest of the fruits of the spirit in our hearts when we are Christians.

[Commissioned]

Pastor Ralph, on 02 February 2009 - 12:54 PM, said:

Q5. (1 Timothy 6:20-21) How can we guard the faith without becoming narrow, backward-looking people who oppose all change, and complain about "what things are coming to"? How can guards be at the same time positive, loving, and pleasant to be around?

We can guard the faith without becoming narrow, backward-looking people who oppose all change, and complain about "what things are coming to" by applying God's Word to today's circumstances and Jesus and His apostles taught the gospel, applying the word to present "truth." Truth doesn't get old, what was true in the days when Christ walked the earth in the form of human, is still true today and is needed to bring man to faith and trust in Christ. The same is true for being positive, loving and pleasant; give the pure word of God, live by God's precepts and you will please both God and man.