Never Too Early – Distortion / 1 Tim. 4:12-16

Ever felt worthless, or like you had no purpose?

Ever wished you were older, or better in a certain area of your life?

Then you probably have let the distortion of this world cloud the way you look at your life and very nature.  The world tells us to be all we can be, and then turns around and points it’s finger in our faces, and tells us to sit down and shut-up.  It fills our minds so full of crud about how we are to be perfect.  The most beautiful, most talented, most athletic, smartest, etc…

In reality that mind frame is crippling today’s youth.  It instills insecurity in our lives, and leaves us helpless with a sense of failure.

>>> SUICIDE <<<

Oh, it seems like such a simple solution, but in reality it is a device of Satan with permanent consequences.

“The rate of teenage suicide in the United States remains comparatively high in the 15 to 24 age group with 3,971 suicides in 2001 and over 132,000 suicide attempts in 2002, making it the third leading cause of death for those aged 15 to 24.” – Wikipedia

These numbers are estimated to have doubled from 2002-2009.  Out of the thousands of teen suicides every day, each of these consist of teenagers from all sorts of backgrounds.

Suicide is a result of distortion.

• What is emotional/spiritual distortion? 1 Tim. 4:1-2
• Is your life filled with distortion?
• What do you think some of the signs of distortion are?
• Have you bought into distortion?
• Is the distortion getting louder?
• Do you feel yourself slipping away from God, and into a life of distortion?
• What can, or are you doing about it?

There is hope. Apostle Paul wrote to young Timothy here in 1 Timothy 4 about the distortion amongst the people in Timothy’s culture.

Here are some key principles to eliminating distortion out of our lives: 1 Tim. 4:12-16

• Let no man despise your youth
• Be an example to others
• Give attention to reading God’s Word
• Do not neglect the gift that is in you.
• Give yourself entirely to these things – that your progress my be evident
• Take heed to yourself and doctrine – save both yourself and others.

You will never find peace from the distortion in your life, until you commit yourself to living a life that glorifies God, and you can start today by making that commitment, and discover that gift that is in you.

Take “Spiritual Gifts Survey” – Lifeway Christian Resources