This past Sunday, my friend Freddie Smith preached for me thus there is not a new sermon for the podcast this week. So I am posting a sermon I preached in 2017 on the occasion of the recognition Sunday for our high school graduates. The sermon is from 2 Timothy 4 on the spiritual dangers we face today.

Of course, these concerns are not unique to our day. The spiritual dangers we face are not new to the modern area. These concerns are what prompted Paul to warn Timothy in this passage. In this sermon, I share two warnings and then encourage you to stand firm and keep the faith.

What tempts you to give up? All of us have, at some point in our lives, been tempted to give up. Sometimes it happens in the context of sports. Sometimes it seems like you just cannot get a break. Other times it seems like your opponents are so far above you that you have no hope of being competitive. Sometimes it happens in the context of work.

Maybe you are struggling to keep up with the demands of your job. or maybe the stress of your job is overwhelming you. Sometimes the temptation to give up is even more heart-wrenching than normal difficulties. It could be that those in authority are not adjudicating righteousness. It could be that your boss is treating you unfairly. It could be that others are exploiting and taking unfair advantage of you. And all of this leads to the temptation to give up.

This temptation is present in our walk with the Lord as well. Many are tempted to give up and give in to the world's demands because of the hardships and sufferings that come with following Jesus.

In this parable, Jesus teaches us how we are to pray and not lose heart.