Month: June 2014

June 30, 2014

Always Set A Good Example

God is waiting to show you the way.

God is waiting to show you the way.

6 Encourage young men to use good judgment. 7 Always set an example by doing good things. When you teach, be an example of moral purity and dignity. 8 Speak an accurate message that cannot be condemned. Then those who oppose us will be ashamed because they cannot say anything bad about us.9 Tell slaves who are believers to place themselves under their masters’ authority in everything they do. Tell them to please their masters, not to argue with them 10 or steal from them. Instead, tell slaves to show their masters how good and completely loyal they can be. Then they will show the beauty of the teachings about God our Savior in everything they do.–Titus 2:6-10 (GW)
​We should​ always take the time to encourage others. Our society is learning that most habits are “caught, not taught”. Because of that, we need to be sure our lifestyle reflects that of Jesus. We must “walk the talk”. This is true for all of us, but a higher demand is put on teachers. We must attempt to live lives that will not give others a reason to disparage the gospel. In this passage, we can substitute employers for masters and employees for slaves. Though, employees are not slaves, the employer has purchased and the employee has sold a portion of his time to the employer. Therefore, to not give all we can give on the job is stealing from our employers. As Christians, we should be the best employees in the workplace, not complaining or murmuring, but working hard to please our employers in every way, as long as it does not require us to be immoral or do anything illegal. This pleases God and draws others to Him.
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June 29, 2014

We Should Teach Others About Jesus

God is waiting to show you the way.

God is waiting to show you the way.

1 Tell believers to live the kind of life that goes along with accurate teachings. 2 Tell older men to be sober. Tell them to be men of good character, to use good judgment, and to be well-grounded in faith, love, and endurance.​ 3 Tell older women to live their lives in a way that shows they are dedicated to God. Tell them not to be gossips or addicted to alcohol, but to be examples of virtue. 4 In this way they will teach young women to show love to their husbands and children, 5 to use good judgment, and to be morally pure. Also, tell them to teach young women to be homemakers, to be kind, and to place themselves under their husbands’ authority. Then no one can speak evil of God’s word.–Titus 2:1-5 (GW)
​In Matthew 28:19-20a, Jesus told us this:
19 So wherever you go, make disciples of all nations: Baptize them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. 20 Teach them to do everything I have commanded you.(GW)
​Paul​ is encouraging Titus to do the same thing. We should all be mentors to those that are younger in the faith then we are. We should be teaching younger Christians starting with those in our household and then those that God puts in our path. There is no such thing as coincidence or a “chance meeting”. God has a plan and the people we meet are a part of God’s plan for us. God has put each of those people in our lives for a season and for a reason. The season could be as short as a few minutes or as long as a lifetime. The reason is for us to spread the Gospel and introduce others to Jesus Christ. If they already know Christ as their Savior, then the reason is for you to teach them or for them to teach us. Be attentive to the Holy Spirit, when He says speak, He will give you the correct words. Don’t be afraid of failure, God never fails and we are working for Him
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June 28, 2014

Preach the Word

God is waiting to show you the way.

God is waiting to show you the way.

1 I charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who is to judge the living and the dead, and by his appearing and his kingdom: 2 preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, and exhort, with complete patience and teaching. 3 For the time is coming when people will not endure sound[a] teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions, 4 and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander off into myths.5 As for you, always be sober-minded, endure suffering, do the work of an evangelist,fulfill your ministry.—2 Timothy 4:1-5 (NLT)
​We should always be ready​ to tell others about Jesus Christ. God puts people in our paths every day that need to hear the good news of salvation. Wherever we go and whatever we do, our lifestyle is sending a message. What is our lifestyle telling people? When people watch us, can they tell that we are ambassadors for Jesus Christ? Do our friends know that we are Christians by our actions or would they have to ask to be sure? Check everything you hear and compare its validity to the scriptures. There are false prophets that have slipped in among us and teach false doctrines, “wolves in sheep’s clothing”. If what you are listening to does not validate your salvation and encourage you to live a holy lifestyle, then you need to turn and run from it.
But thou, O man of God, flee these things; and follow after righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, meekness.–1 Timothy 6:11 (KJV)
​Do​ the work of an evangelist. Remember, the mission field starts in our homes and goes out from there.

June 27, 2014

We Must Remain Faithful

God is waiting to show you the way.

God is waiting to show you the way.

14 But you must remain faithful to the things you have been taught. You know they are true, for you know you can trust those who taught you. 15 You have been taught the holy Scriptures from childhood, and they have given you the wisdom to receive the salvation that comes by trusting in Christ Jesus. 16 All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right. 17 God uses it to prepare and equip his people to do every good work-2 Timothy 3:14-17 (NLT)
​God has given​ us the Bible, His Holy Scriptures, for instruction and guidance. They are the inerrant, immutable, eternal Word of God. They are His love letters to us. The scriptures are His letters to us, much like a wise earthly father would write in His will (testament) to his children. Only they are much better because they come from an omnipotent, omniscient Father, our God. They are also better because He sent His Holy Spirit to explain those letters to us. We can read the letters and if we have questions, we can ask the Author directly for the answer. All Scripture is inspired by God. It teaches us about salvation, truth, and how to live holy lives. If we “talk with God” and not just “to God”, His Word will correct us, teach us what is right, and prepare us to do every good work that God planned for each of us to do before the foundations of the earth were laid. Our part is “to seek first the kingdom of God and all its righteousness”. If we are faithful in doing our part, God will add “all these things to us”. Things like, knowledge, wisdom, righteousness, holiness and everything that we need for living a holy lifestyle.

June 26, 2014

Why, Lord, Why?

God is waiting to show you the way.

God is waiting to show you the way.

10 But you, Timothy, certainly know what I teach, and how I live, and what my purpose in life is. You know my faith, my patience, my love, and my endurance. 11 You know how much persecution and suffering I have endured. You know all about how I was persecuted in Antioch, Iconium, and Lystra—but the Lord rescued me from all of it. 12 Yes, and everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution.13 But evil people and impostors will flourish. They will deceive others and will themselves be deceived..–2 Timothy 3:10​-​13 (NLT)
​We hear it almost every day. Why do bad things happen to good people? Why do good things happen to bad people? Truth is that good and bad things happen to good and bad people. Is God still in charge? Why does God allow these seemingly paradoxical things to happen? Of course, God is still in charge and yes He does allow bad things to happen in good people’s lives. We can look at Job and see that this is true. God knows where we are spiritually at all times. I believe that God allows tests in our lives so that we can know where we are spiritually. The one thing we can know for sure and hang onto is this: Whatever God allows in our lives is for our benefit. Our experiences are how we learn and grow. We can be assured that God will not allow any temptation that we can not overcome and He always provides a way of escape.
​T​he temptations in your life are no different from what others experience. And God is faithful. He will not allow the temptation to be more than you can stand. When you are tempted, he will show you a way out so that you can endure.​–​1 Corinthians 10:13 (NLT)​
​God sends rain on the just and the unjust. It is not​ our business to determine who gets what, when or why they get it or don’t get it . Earthly stuff is temporary, we are to work to lay up rewards in heaven. The rest is God’s business and He always takes care of His business.
12 The wicked plot against the godly;​ they snarl at them in defiance.
13 But the Lord just laughs, for he sees their day of judgment coming
–Psalm 37:12,13 (NLT)
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June 25, 2014

Who Do We Love?

God is waiting to show you the way.

God is waiting to show you the way.

1 You should know this, Timothy, that in the last days there will be very difficult times. 2 For people will love only themselves and their money. They will be boastful and proud, scoffing at God, disobedient to their parents, and ungrateful. They will consider nothing sacred. 3 They will be unloving and unforgiving; they will slander others and have no self-control. They will be cruel and hate what is good. 4 They will betray their friends, be reckless, be puffed up with pride, and love pleasure rather than God. 5 They will act religious, but they will reject the power that could make them godly.–2 Timothy 3:1-5​a​ (NLT)
​Every​ day we see and hear about more and more evil. The spirits of discord, deception, violence and disobedience are more and more apparent and open. All of us seem to be more concerned about ourselves and our possessions and less concerned about our neighbors. We are filled with pride. Society scoffs at the idea of a God, yet our actions show that we worship our bodies, our families, our careers and our entertainment to the point of making them our “gods”. We have become an ungrateful, unloving, unforgiving nation. We take no responsibility for our own actions always blaming things on others. We say we believe in Jesus Christ but we refuse to be accountable to Him or to obey Him. We speak about religious things but we deny the power of the Holy Spirit, not allowing Him to change our lives. We need to bend our knees, ask God for forgiveness, repent and start living a lifestyle that lets the world know that we love Jesus and will remain faithful to Him.
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June 24, 2014

Don’t Get Involved in Foolish Arguments

God is waiting to show you the way.

God is waiting to show you the way.

23 Again I say, don’t get involved in foolish, ignorant arguments that only start fights. 24 A servant of the Lord must not quarrel but must be kind to everyone, be able to teach, and be patient with difficult people.25 Gently instruct those who oppose the truth. Perhaps God will change those people’s hearts, and they will learn the truth. 26 Then they will come to their senses and escape from the devil’s trap. For they have been held captive by him to do whatever he wants.
—2 Timothy 2:23-26 (NLT)
​God has given us the Holy Spirit to lead us into all truth. When we are first saved and read the Bible, we get a perception of what God wanted us to glean from His Word. As we mature, those perceptions will change, hopefully for the better. Be careful to remember that God has not yet revealed to us all the truth in His Word.
He has given us His complete, inerrant, immutable, eternal Word. That will not change, but our perception of His Word may very well change as we study. Be careful to remember that God has not given any of us a lock on the deeper meanings of each verse. The verses are clear enough to lead us, but not so transparent that one reading will give you the depth that God has put into His Word. He may open up certain passages to one and other passages to others. The one thing we can be sure is this: If we are allowing the Holy Spirit to lead us in our studies, none of the interpretations will cause conflicts in the body of Christ. Everything we receive from the Holy Spirit is designed to give God glory and eventually bring us all to heaven. Don’t waste your time arguing over Scripture, just ask the Holy Spirit for wisdom and God will give it to you liberally.

June 23, 2014

Pursue A Holy Lifestyle

God is waiting to show you the way.

God is waiting to show you the way.

20 In a wealthy home some utensils are made of gold and silver, and some are made of wood and clay. The expensive utensils are used for special occasions, and the cheap ones are for everyday use. 21 If you keep yourself pure, you will be a special utensil for honorable use. Your life will be clean, and you will be ready for the Master to use you for every good work.​ 22 Run from anything that stimulates youthful lusts. Instead, pursue righteous living, faithfulness, love, and peace. Enjoy the companionship of those who call on the Lord with pure hearts.​ .–2 Timothy 2:20-​2​2 (NLT)
​God has a plan​ for every Christian. Each of us is an original design created by the original Designer. His canvas is the universe. We are limited in how much of that we can see, but be assured His plan has been in existence since before the foundations of the earth and they will be completed,
For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago–Ephesians 2:10 (NLT)
​Whether we are gold, silver, wood or clay is not our concern. Our concern is to be prepared to carry out His plan for our lives. ​ To do this, we must remain pure and clean. We must avoid the very appearance of sin and run from things that stimulate us physically. Our focus is to be on righteous living, faithfulness, love, and peace.
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June 22, 2014

Be A Good Worker

God is waiting to show you the way.

God is waiting to show you the way.

14 Remind everyone about these things, and command them in God’s presence to stop fighting over words. Such arguments are useless, and they can ruin those who hear them.​ 15 Work hard so you can present yourself to God and receive his approval. Be a good worker, one who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly explains the word of truth. 16 Avoid worthless, foolish talk that only leads to more godless behavior. 17 This kind of talk spreads like cancer, as in the case of Hymenaeus and Philetus. 18 They have left the path of truth, claiming that the resurrection of the dead has already occurred; in this way, they have turned some people away from the faith.​ 19 But God’s truth stands firm like a foundation stone with this inscription:​ “The Lord knows those who are his,” and “All who belong to the Lord must turn away from evil.”​-​–2 Timothy 2: 14-9 (NLT)
​We​ should set the example of studying God’s Word and meditating on its meaning. Then we won’t have time for these useless arguments and idle gossip. Arguments and gossip lead people away from the truth of the Scriptures and away from salvation. We need to be able to explain the Word of truth and avoid foolish behavior. The world is watching us to see if we are walking out what we are teaching. If we are not, then sinners will not be interested in what we have to say. All this earthly religion will pass away but God’s Word will stand forever. Not the least point will be left undone. It is the foundation of the message we preach. It is not up to us to turn people from evil, God will do that if we use the words He gives us to say. We are the messengers, He is the author and the finisher of our faith.
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June 21, 2014

God Is And Will Remain Faithful

God is waiting to show you the way.

God is waiting to show you the way.

8 Remember Jesus Christ, who was raised from the dead, who is from the family of David. This is the Good News I preach, 9 and I am suffering because of it to the point of being bound with chains like a criminal. But God’s teaching is not in chains. 10 So I patiently accept all these troubles so that those whom God has chosen can have the salvation that is in Christ Jesus. With that salvation comes glory that never ends.​ 11 This teaching is true:​ If we died with him, we will also live with him.​ 12 If we accept suffering, we will also rule with him.​ If we say we don’t know him, he will say he doesn’t know us.​ 13 If we are not faithful, he will still be faithful,​ because he must be true to who he is.​—2 Timothy 2:7-13 (NCV)
​We are told in Isaiah 55:11 that God’s Word will not return to Him void but it will accomplish that which He has sent it out to do. Therefore, no matter in what situation we find ourselves, we should always be witnessing. If we listen to our Christian brothers and sisters in such places as Eritrea, China, Korea, and other countries where they are being persecuted, it seems that perhaps, the worse the situation, the more effective is God’s Word. These brothers and sisters consider it an honor to be chosen to bear the Cross of Jesus, even unto death. We need to reach that point in our spiritual walk that we would give our lives rather than deny Jesus. Paul said this:
21 To me the only important thing about living is Christ, and dying would be profit for me.–Philippians 1:21 (NCV)
We should understand that Jesus’s faithfulness brought Him to death on the cross. Should the created expected to be treated better than the Creator?
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