Last month, I outlined seven dangers we face. This month, I outline seven more dangers.
Unaccountable Time—The need for a Christian mentor/friend
A danger here is that too many hours of unaccountable time can lead to trouble.
A Christian mentor/ friend can help us read and apply God’s Word to our life. And the friend also helps protect our reputation. The friend helps us spot and avoid unwise decisions, blind spots, and road mines which if we stepped on, kaa-boom our Christian witness at home or work is maimed or destroyed. Or kaa-boom, our marriage is maimed or destroyed.
I discuss the need for a Christian mentor/ friend in my May 2020 blog found here
Motivation
We need motivation to get up in the morning and keep us going throughout the day. The danger is relying on external motivation from society such as recognition and fear instead of internal motivation from God. External motivation is unreliable and fleeting as it can change in a second. But God’s internal motivation is reliable and enduring as it does not change. And one way internal motivation comes is from working on all tasks with enthusiasm, as working for the Lord and not for men.
Position, Power, and Wealth
Men’s three pursuits: position, power, and wealth. A danger here is that our position and power will someday vanish along with our wealth as there are no pockets in a coffin. Then what?
The antidote for men’s three pursuits is Jesus. Even if what motivates us is position, power, and wealth, Jesus has already satisfied all three. Position—believers are already seated with Christ in the heavenly places (Ephesians 2:6). Power—believers have Christ’s powers in them (Ephesians 1:19). And wealth—believers are recipients of the riches of his glorious inheritance (Ephesians 1:18).
Loss of Purpose
God did not create us only to consume resources that serve just ourselves. A danger here is that if we do not live according to the way God created us to live, we will miss out on true, lasting happiness and joy with its accompanying state of inner peace.
At pages 26-32 in my book Created For Greatness, I discuss God’s five purposes and five callings that tell us how to live the way God created us to live.
Also, I discuss our purpose in my July 2021 blog and our “gifts” to serve others in my December 2021 blog. My blogs appear in my webpage located at equipyourfamily.com
Loss of Confidence
A danger here is loss of self-esteem coupled with fear and anxiety. Because our confidence has a “great reward” (Hebrews 10:35), God’s Word tells us not to “throw away” our confidence.
In Chapter 2 of my book, I discuss how to ensure confidence and thereby continue peak performance through life’s ups and downs. Also, in Chapter 8, I discuss how to manage fear and anxiety.
Ignoring the Holy Spirit
A danger here is loss of benefits from all the things The Holy Spirit does. See my October 2021 blog. Also, read my September 2020 blog on Power—where we get it, and how we use it.
Early in my Christian walk, I learned that some motivational speakers and writers provided helpful information on what to do and how to do it, but they were unable to supply me with the daily power to apply what I learned, and soon I became discouraged. We need the power of the Holy Spirit to do what we can’t do on our own power.
The Holy Spirit provides more power than we could ever ask for or think about (Ephesians 3:20). In fact, God’s Word tells us not to try and muscle our way through life. Specifically, God’s Word says, “…Not by might, nor by power, but by my Spirit, says the Lord of hosts” (Zechariah 4:6).
Not Creating and Maintaining a Powerful Prayer Life.
In its simplest terms, prayer is talking with God. A danger is ignoring that God’s Word tells us to develop the habit of praying throughout the day (1Thessalonians 5:17). I discuss creating and maintaining a powerful prayer life in Chapter 10 of my book.
For me, just one of the many reasons why I want to maintain a daily personal relationship with Jesus during my prayer life is the fact that in him are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge (Colossians 2:3).