II Timothy 2: 4-7
No soldier in active service entangles himself in the affairs of everyday (civilian) life, so that he may please the one who enlisted him as a soldier.
And also if anyone competes as an athlete, he does not win the prize unless he competes according to the rules.
The hard-working farmer ought to be the first to receive his share of the crops.
Consider what I say, for the Lord will give you understanding in everything.
Paul gives Timothy three very different and varied examples of life-styles: The Soldier, The Athlete, and The Farmer; demonstrating that the attitudes of graciousness, sound doctrine, obedience to the rules and patience, as well as discipline, self-control and perseverance under hardship, are all applicable to every life-style and mode of living.
The Fruit of the Spirit, as listed in Galatians 5:22-23 do not discriminate as to path of life. No matter if we live an active or sedentary life, whether our talents bring us into the arena or the library, the halls of government or the halls of academia, we are all to pursue sound Doctrine, obedience to that Doctrine, and always put God first.
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
Sunday, January 15, 2017
Saturday, January 14, 2017
All Will Worship
Psalm 148: 13
Let all of these praise the Lord's Name
Because only God's Name is high over all.
Only God's majesty is over Earth and Heaven.
"All these" are what verses 1 through 12 have been listing.
All in Heaven: His angelic messengers, His angelic military forces;
all that are in the Heaven of Space--all the stars, sun, moon, waters above the sky.
From the Earth: Sea monsters, ocean depths;
Weather: Fire, hail, snow, smoke, stormy wind that obeys Him.
All the geography: Mountains, hills, trees; all the animals; wild and tame and what creep along the ground and fly in the sky.
And all the people: from the Kings, princes and rulers down to the common who are old and young.
"All these," all of Creation, will one day "praise the Lord's Name." Most of these already bring glory to our Maker, by obediently doing what they were made to do. Only demons and Mankind choose to rebel against God's good rules for living in this age.
But when Jesus returns, all of the whole Creation--including Angelic beings who sinned and all of Mankind who refused God's offer of Salvation--will bend the knee and worship and praise Him Who is High over All, Whose Majesty is over Earth and Heaven. (See also Isaiah 45:23; Romans 14:11; and Philippians 2:10-11.)
Are you now "bending the knee" and acknowledging that Jesus is Lord, the Lord God of the Old Testament, Who is the Creator and Lawgiver, and the Sacrificial Lamb of God Who took our place in Death so He could give us His Life, and will return soon to this Earth as the Lion of the Tribe of Judah and the King of the World? Or are you waiting for His return, to be compelled to admit the Truth of Who Jesus is and what He has done?
He is either your Savior or He will be your Judge, your choice. My prayer is if you have yet to choose to seek His Truth, and been led to acknowledge that He took Your place on the Cross, then may you now make this decision, no matter what you think it may cost you. Nothing is equal to the wonder and joy of knowing Him (not just knowing about Him). I will enjoy being the first to welcome you into God's own Family, after the Angels' party for you in Heaven.
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
Let all of these praise the Lord's Name
Because only God's Name is high over all.
Only God's majesty is over Earth and Heaven.
"All these" are what verses 1 through 12 have been listing.
All in Heaven: His angelic messengers, His angelic military forces;
all that are in the Heaven of Space--all the stars, sun, moon, waters above the sky.
From the Earth: Sea monsters, ocean depths;
Weather: Fire, hail, snow, smoke, stormy wind that obeys Him.
All the geography: Mountains, hills, trees; all the animals; wild and tame and what creep along the ground and fly in the sky.
And all the people: from the Kings, princes and rulers down to the common who are old and young.
"All these," all of Creation, will one day "praise the Lord's Name." Most of these already bring glory to our Maker, by obediently doing what they were made to do. Only demons and Mankind choose to rebel against God's good rules for living in this age.
But when Jesus returns, all of the whole Creation--including Angelic beings who sinned and all of Mankind who refused God's offer of Salvation--will bend the knee and worship and praise Him Who is High over All, Whose Majesty is over Earth and Heaven. (See also Isaiah 45:23; Romans 14:11; and Philippians 2:10-11.)
Are you now "bending the knee" and acknowledging that Jesus is Lord, the Lord God of the Old Testament, Who is the Creator and Lawgiver, and the Sacrificial Lamb of God Who took our place in Death so He could give us His Life, and will return soon to this Earth as the Lion of the Tribe of Judah and the King of the World? Or are you waiting for His return, to be compelled to admit the Truth of Who Jesus is and what He has done?
He is either your Savior or He will be your Judge, your choice. My prayer is if you have yet to choose to seek His Truth, and been led to acknowledge that He took Your place on the Cross, then may you now make this decision, no matter what you think it may cost you. Nothing is equal to the wonder and joy of knowing Him (not just knowing about Him). I will enjoy being the first to welcome you into God's own Family, after the Angels' party for you in Heaven.
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
Friday, January 13, 2017
God's Reputation
II Kings 19: 14
After Hezekiah received the letter from the messengers and read it, he went up to the Lord's Temple and spread it out before the Lord.
God will always defend His own Name, His reputation. Hezekiah spread out before the Lord the whole letter, that equated the Lord God of Israel with all the idols that Sennacherib and his predecessors had conquered and destroyed. They did not realize that the Lord is the God Who created and sustains us all, and all those other gods, the idols, were not gods at all.
So God sent His prophet Isaiah to tell Hezekiah that He heard his prayer, and was answering in such a way that Sennacherib would go down and be destroyed in a humiliating way, revealing God's power and authority. Because God will always defend His own reputation.
I must always remember that God's reputation is the only one I need to be concerned for, not necessarily my own. My own reputation is only important in relation to God's, as my life is to reflect God's goodness and glory.
May my life be an accurate testimony of God's character, in what He has done in my life, and wants to do in other lives, also.
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
After Hezekiah received the letter from the messengers and read it, he went up to the Lord's Temple and spread it out before the Lord.
God will always defend His own Name, His reputation. Hezekiah spread out before the Lord the whole letter, that equated the Lord God of Israel with all the idols that Sennacherib and his predecessors had conquered and destroyed. They did not realize that the Lord is the God Who created and sustains us all, and all those other gods, the idols, were not gods at all.
So God sent His prophet Isaiah to tell Hezekiah that He heard his prayer, and was answering in such a way that Sennacherib would go down and be destroyed in a humiliating way, revealing God's power and authority. Because God will always defend His own reputation.
I must always remember that God's reputation is the only one I need to be concerned for, not necessarily my own. My own reputation is only important in relation to God's, as my life is to reflect God's goodness and glory.
May my life be an accurate testimony of God's character, in what He has done in my life, and wants to do in other lives, also.
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
Thursday, January 12, 2017
God's Thought List For Us
Philippians 4:8
Finally, brethren, Here it is, dear family members; listen up now.
whatsoever is true, What conforms to the actual reality as God made it.
whatsoever is honorable, Principled, honest, ethical, noble.
whatever is right, Appropriate, proper, suitable, legitimate.
whatever is pure, Authentic, unadulterated, unmixed, genuine, clean.
whatever is lovely, Beautiful, charming, agreeable, graceful, pleasant.
whatever is of good repute, Good reputation, good character, moral, chaste modest.
if there is any excellence Greatness, perfection, good quality, virtue.
and if anything worthy of praise, Compliment, recognition, ovation, commendation, esteem.
let your mind dwell on these things.
This is God's "thought list" for us all. We are to focus on the positive, and let the negative fade into the background.
Will Durant said, "The mind is formed by what it takes in." Also, it is said, "You are what you eat." The food I eat is the building blocks of my body. My media consumption determines the state of my mind and heart.
What would change if I filtered my reading and watching through this list: is it true? honorable? right? pure? lovely? Does it have a good reputation? Is it excellent? worthy of praise?
If not, then why would I want to waste my time on it?
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
Finally, brethren, Here it is, dear family members; listen up now.
whatsoever is true, What conforms to the actual reality as God made it.
whatsoever is honorable, Principled, honest, ethical, noble.
whatever is right, Appropriate, proper, suitable, legitimate.
whatever is pure, Authentic, unadulterated, unmixed, genuine, clean.
whatever is lovely, Beautiful, charming, agreeable, graceful, pleasant.
whatever is of good repute, Good reputation, good character, moral, chaste modest.
if there is any excellence Greatness, perfection, good quality, virtue.
and if anything worthy of praise, Compliment, recognition, ovation, commendation, esteem.
let your mind dwell on these things.
This is God's "thought list" for us all. We are to focus on the positive, and let the negative fade into the background.
Will Durant said, "The mind is formed by what it takes in." Also, it is said, "You are what you eat." The food I eat is the building blocks of my body. My media consumption determines the state of my mind and heart.
What would change if I filtered my reading and watching through this list: is it true? honorable? right? pure? lovely? Does it have a good reputation? Is it excellent? worthy of praise?
If not, then why would I want to waste my time on it?
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
Wednesday, January 11, 2017
Isolationism
Proverbs 18:1
An unfriendly man pursues selfish ends; he defies all sound judgment.
"An unfriendly man," isolationists, loners.
"pursues selfish ends," care only about themselves, are selfish.
"defies all sound judgment," lash out at common sense, rage against the common good.
When I isolate myself from others, I am deliberately ignoring their needs in favor of my own selfishness, defensiveness, self-pity. I make myself unavailable to God to be His hands to do His work, and His feet to go to others I am uniquely gifted to help. When I isolate I am robbing God's church of what God intends to channel through me.
O my Father, please teach me to hear Your quiet voice deep in my spirit, and obey instantly. Don't let me ignore it, or put it off until I forget. Please help me to come out of myself to be Your servant, focusing only on You and what You are telling me how to live my life. Continue to work in me and through me an on me, to make me more and more into the very image of Your dear Son. Thank you for already accepting me into Your beloved, as my Savior and Lord is.
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
An unfriendly man pursues selfish ends; he defies all sound judgment.
"An unfriendly man," isolationists, loners.
"pursues selfish ends," care only about themselves, are selfish.
"defies all sound judgment," lash out at common sense, rage against the common good.
When I isolate myself from others, I am deliberately ignoring their needs in favor of my own selfishness, defensiveness, self-pity. I make myself unavailable to God to be His hands to do His work, and His feet to go to others I am uniquely gifted to help. When I isolate I am robbing God's church of what God intends to channel through me.
O my Father, please teach me to hear Your quiet voice deep in my spirit, and obey instantly. Don't let me ignore it, or put it off until I forget. Please help me to come out of myself to be Your servant, focusing only on You and what You are telling me how to live my life. Continue to work in me and through me an on me, to make me more and more into the very image of Your dear Son. Thank you for already accepting me into Your beloved, as my Savior and Lord is.
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
Tuesday, January 10, 2017
Procrastination
James 4: 17
Remember, it is sin to know what you ought to do and then not do it.
This is procrastination. I think we all may be guilty of this "falling short." How many times have I known I need to do something, then put it off. I have been the "queen of excuses." I have an excuse for everybody, no matter what they've done, I can think of some excuse for why they did it. But I also "explain away" a lot of the wrongs I've been guilty of.
I have decided to have no more excuses for what I've not done that I could. I have determined to listen to God's whispers and nudges, and not discount them as my imagination.
I still refuse to judge others harshly, but still excuse them, so they can have another chance to do right. I can do this because I am not responsible for others, and I am to love mercy. I will let the Maker and Lawgiver mete out whatever disciplines will bring them back to Him; or the judgments He knows they deserve.
O my Father, let me hear Your voice and recognize it, and obey instantly. I know this will not be easy for me, but I trust You, and I trust Your Spirit in me that communicates so gently with my spirit. Strengthen me, Father, to always love and serve You with my whole heart, soul, mind and strength.
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
Remember, it is sin to know what you ought to do and then not do it.
This is procrastination. I think we all may be guilty of this "falling short." How many times have I known I need to do something, then put it off. I have been the "queen of excuses." I have an excuse for everybody, no matter what they've done, I can think of some excuse for why they did it. But I also "explain away" a lot of the wrongs I've been guilty of.
I have decided to have no more excuses for what I've not done that I could. I have determined to listen to God's whispers and nudges, and not discount them as my imagination.
I still refuse to judge others harshly, but still excuse them, so they can have another chance to do right. I can do this because I am not responsible for others, and I am to love mercy. I will let the Maker and Lawgiver mete out whatever disciplines will bring them back to Him; or the judgments He knows they deserve.
O my Father, let me hear Your voice and recognize it, and obey instantly. I know this will not be easy for me, but I trust You, and I trust Your Spirit in me that communicates so gently with my spirit. Strengthen me, Father, to always love and serve You with my whole heart, soul, mind and strength.
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
Monday, January 9, 2017
Wisdom
James 3: 17-18
But the wisdom that comes from Heaven is first of all pure.
Pure: not alloyed; clean; not mixed with anything.
It is also peace-loving,
To love peace is to appreciate the quietness that comes from not meddling in others' lives, and allowing them their own choices; and not letting them meddle in our lives, either: Live and let live.
gentle at all times,
Not harsh or loud or brash.
and willing to yield to others.
Considering others' preferences as having priority over our own preferences.
It is full of mercy
God's mercy is not receiving the punishment we deserve; when we have mercy on others, we also are not considering the negative they deserve, but granting them another chance to do right.
and good deeds.
Good deeds would be those that God had planned before time for us to do in the power of His Holy Spirit Who lives in us.
It shows no partiality
Completely just and fair, not influenced by a bribe or favor.
and is always sincere.
Honest, transparent, with integrity.
And those who are peacemakers
Those who do the work of promoting peace where it is needed.
will plant seeds of peace
Will lay a foundation that others can build on to promote more peacefulness.
and reap a harvest of goodness.
Goodness: everything that is good in every area of living.
God's wisdom is how He built this world, and He designed it to run on Love--His love for us and ours for one another. This is a list of some of the qualities of His wisdom, as practiced faithfully by us toward one another. The more we can be like God, and live our lives according to His character, then the more we will reap a harvest of blessing in this life, and spend eternity with Him as His children who display our Parent's traits.
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
But the wisdom that comes from Heaven is first of all pure.
Pure: not alloyed; clean; not mixed with anything.
It is also peace-loving,
To love peace is to appreciate the quietness that comes from not meddling in others' lives, and allowing them their own choices; and not letting them meddle in our lives, either: Live and let live.
gentle at all times,
Not harsh or loud or brash.
and willing to yield to others.
Considering others' preferences as having priority over our own preferences.
It is full of mercy
God's mercy is not receiving the punishment we deserve; when we have mercy on others, we also are not considering the negative they deserve, but granting them another chance to do right.
and good deeds.
Good deeds would be those that God had planned before time for us to do in the power of His Holy Spirit Who lives in us.
It shows no partiality
Completely just and fair, not influenced by a bribe or favor.
and is always sincere.
Honest, transparent, with integrity.
And those who are peacemakers
Those who do the work of promoting peace where it is needed.
will plant seeds of peace
Will lay a foundation that others can build on to promote more peacefulness.
and reap a harvest of goodness.
Goodness: everything that is good in every area of living.
God's wisdom is how He built this world, and He designed it to run on Love--His love for us and ours for one another. This is a list of some of the qualities of His wisdom, as practiced faithfully by us toward one another. The more we can be like God, and live our lives according to His character, then the more we will reap a harvest of blessing in this life, and spend eternity with Him as His children who display our Parent's traits.
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
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