Welcome, friends! I want to remind you how much God loves you. He thinks of you constantly and waits for you to think of him. We're going to continue our conversation with him by moving into the second letter to Timothy (1:1-7). Taking in God's Word is like a Monster energy drink for your soul! Here's what I hear God impressing on my mind today:
For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love and self-discipline. So do not be ashamed to testify about our Lord.... (v. 7-8)
I find it much easier to preach to hundreds than to talk to my next door neighbor about Jesus. Somehow, the stakes seem higher. There is an important relationship at stake. And people expect to hear about Jesus at church. They aren't necessarily anticipating their neighbor telling them about him out in the yard. I'm pretty sure most believers can relate to these feelings of wanting to point their friends and neighbors and other acquainances towards Jesus, yet somehow holding back more often than not.
God is saying, "I see the lack of confidence in you when it comes to speaking of me. You're thinking of all the things that could go wrong. You need to dwell on all that could go right! Don't you know that I have called you to be my representative to other people? I can and will use you to bring others to a restored relationship with me. Your focus is too much on yourself. Of course you aren't adequate for such a high calling! That's why I sent the Holy Spirit to live within you. Rely on him for help.
"Here is what the Holy Spirit will bring into the scenario: He'll give you spiritual power. Yes, power. You have it within you! It's something that people will sense in you as you interact with them. They will be either drawn to it or repelled by it. You can't control them. But you have the power to lead those who are seeking something more.
"He will also fill you with my love. The most important part of helping others find me is authentically loving them. People can tell whether you do or don't, and it makes all the difference. Let me fill you with love for that neighbor, that lady at work. Bringing someone to faith in my Son is three parts love and one part explanation.
"Testifying about how I've touched your life is only compelling when it rings true. No one expects perfection out of you, but they will notice whether you are actually different than the average Joe or Josephine. If you are surrendering daily to the leadership of the Holy Spirit, he will bring self-discipline to your life in the best sort of way. You'll watch yourself and live compellingly, winning the admiration of those you want to influence.
"So receive my Spirit and embrace him! He will replace your timid approach to witnessing with a new sense of confidence. And you will discover a new level of joy and excitement about sharing your faith."
Father, I'm thinking right now about that person that I have been wanting to talk to about you. Please fill me now again with your Holy Spirit. I claim the power that you have put within me. By your grace, I will love that person and seize my next opportunity to put in a word for you. Fill me with the humble confidence of knowing you are working through me. Amen.
Saturday, December 10, 2011
Thursday, December 8, 2011
Got "Gold Fever" Yet?
What a beautiful day! Thursday is not quite so bad at the Mall as the weekend, but it is still bad enough during this particular season of the year -- the Christmas season. The lights glitter, the bejeweled things sparkle, the decorations beckon, and the craze gets into our heads before we know it. It often gets to be a lot more about getting than giving, about returning gifts to those who we know are giving a gift to us, about "stuff," than about anything to do with true giving from the heart of love at all.
Today this is Katrinka writing over thoughts taken from 1 Timothy 6:17-21. Please stop and read through this passage again. There is much to consider here.
Got a savings account? It is a good thing to have, important, but often we fail to replenish it after we have to dip into it, right? Well, God is telling us to get our heavenly savings account filled with the things that are really life-saving and vital so that when the end of our time comes, we will have resources that will be a gift to our Lord and that we can enjoy eternally. The "how" is in the verse above -- be rich in good works, ready to share what we have with others. Have I made any deposits to this account lately, or have I only been thinking of the lists of stuff that I want others to give to me? Am I going to be the GIVER or the GIFTEE?
Today this is Katrinka writing over thoughts taken from 1 Timothy 6:17-21. Please stop and read through this passage again. There is much to consider here.
"Charge them that are rich in this world, . .
The main subject of these verses is how to handle wealth. Now many of us think we do not even have to read further...after all, we are definitely NOT rich! But think again. Just being an American citizen usually means that we live in the upper 10% of the world's population in regards to wealth. That is somewhat staggering to think about! So perhaps we should stop and re-read the verses again more thoughtfully, applying them to ourselves this time?
...that they be not highminded, . . .
Do I look down on others who do not have as much stuff as I do? Do I feel superior if my car or my house or my clothes are more expensive than others? Do I feel that I should receive extra services or attention because of my job status or my corporate ownings? Do I consider myself successful just because I am able to afford the biggest and best electronics or belong to that special group of people who are in "my class"? Maybe it is only that I look with disgust and disapproval at the homeless addict standing by the side of the road with a sign? In any event, do I think higher of myself than I should think just because of education or financial security? Soul searching....
Command them not to trust in uncertain riches, but in the living God, who gives us richly all things to enjoy.
In a nutshell, here it is...riches are UNCERTAIN. You know it pretty well, as I do, since the last few years our lives have been shaken by a roller-coaster stock market, big problems with Social Security and more taxes with less tax breaks. Food costs more, a movie ticket costs a lot more, medical costs have mushroomed, and our savings vanish, our investments melt away like ice on a hot Texas summer day.
In a nutshell, here it is...riches are UNCERTAIN. You know it pretty well, as I do, since the last few years our lives have been shaken by a roller-coaster stock market, big problems with Social Security and more taxes with less tax breaks. Food costs more, a movie ticket costs a lot more, medical costs have mushroomed, and our savings vanish, our investments melt away like ice on a hot Texas summer day.
Just when people think they have the world by the tail, it turns into a scorpion tail and bites! Yes, that rope is not one that will carry you and me over the chasms of life that fall away into bottomless pits. Uncertain riches are never the answer at all.
Only God, our loving, caring, involved-in-all-we-say-do-and-think-Father remains CHANGELESS, dependable, and providing. It is our Father in Heaven who gives us freely the blessings of every day. All comes from Him! He makes His sun to rise on the just and the unjust, and that is good think because not one of us is perfect in any sense of the word. How thankful and humble we should be in the light of this knowledge! We never have a reason to lift up ourselves over others, when we are everyone dependent on God and His mercy, blessings and salvation. Living in a trusting relationship with Him is the one thing that brings safety and security in this uncertain world!
In this way they will lay up treasure for themselves as a firm foundation for the coming age, so that they may take hold of the life that is truly life. (v. 19)
Got a savings account? It is a good thing to have, important, but often we fail to replenish it after we have to dip into it, right? Well, God is telling us to get our heavenly savings account filled with the things that are really life-saving and vital so that when the end of our time comes, we will have resources that will be a gift to our Lord and that we can enjoy eternally. The "how" is in the verse above -- be rich in good works, ready to share what we have with others. Have I made any deposits to this account lately, or have I only been thinking of the lists of stuff that I want others to give to me? Am I going to be the GIVER or the GIFTEE?
It is really nice to know that we are both! "It is more blessed to give than to receive," according to Jesus. When I give to others, my heart is blessed and I receive such joy and peace from the very act! When we give, it has a way of coming back to us in the most unexpected ways, far more than we have given in the first place! And---no matter what---we can NEVER out-give our Father in Heaven! No matter how much we give, even to the point of sacrificial giving, He find ways to return it to us in ways that outstrip anything we could have ever done or given.
Thank you, beloved Father, for your greatest Gift of all, Jesus our Savior! What a great example you have given us on how to think about "stuff" in this world. Your Son had no place to lay His head while He was here, and yet, you have made Him sit on your right hand and reign over all the earth! Bless us Lord with a humble, giving and caring heart. Thank you for the riches we have in life and for our hope of Heaven in the end. In Jesus' name we ask it, Amen.
Wednesday, December 7, 2011
Chasing What Counts
Welcome! God is waiting to speak his truth into our hearts today. Let's listen carefully from 1 Timothy 6:11-16. This is what I hear him saying . . .
Chris (you put your name), you are not of the world. You belong specially to me. Remember that you live on a higher level. Don't chase what the world is chasing. It's a wild goose chase! I look down and see most people chasing their tails, never catching what they so eagerly pursue. And that's because they don't know how to get what they most want.
Here's what I want you to pursue instead. Start with a life anchored in your personal relationship with me. My grace alone can provide everything you need! Be fully present with me.
From there, chase the goal of becoming the man inside that I created you to be. As you stay close to me, you will become more like me. Chase nobility, integrity, compassion--they are worth catching!
And trust me more. Our whole relationship is based on you realizing that I'm fully trustworthy. I'm faithful. So have faith. Let the difficulties of life deepen your trust instead of weakening it.
And don't forget to love. Love is the essence of life. You can have everything money can buy and still be empty without love. And I'm not talking about what American culture has reduced "love" to. They scarcely have a glimpse of the real thing anymore. Pursue real love. True love. Fully-committed and self-giving love. The more you give, the more you will receive. It's so much better than anything else you could possess!
And don't give up. The world weighs on you. I can see it in your posture and in your eyes. You are burdened down. Let go of some things. Let go of everything and entrust it to me. I'm not saying quit. Quite the opposite. Don't ever quit living. Don't ever stop loving. Don't ever stop trusting me. Don't get down on yourself and buy into the lie that you can't. There is one who would like you to believe that. But it is not me. Learn to be mentally tough. Stand up and be strong. I have given you my power when yours fails. Persevere, Chris! Your journey is far from completed. I'm counting on you!
One last thing...don't let the frustrations roughen you. Keep your gentle spirit. Treat the ones you love most with the greatest sensitivity and kindness, not the least. Pursue that gentleness because if you don't, the bruises and disappointments of life will make you prickly. No one likes to cuddle up to a cactus! And they need to feel your gentleness for their sake, too. With but a word you can raise their spirits or dash them.
I am with you in all of this, Chris. Don't worry about chasing the stuff on the TV commercials. It's pricey and otherwise pretty cheap. You want a rich life, don't you? Pursue the things I've told you about with all you've got. Put your sweat there. It won't make me love you any more than I already do, but attaining these qualities will be the glory and joy of your life!
But you, man of God, flee from all this [greed], and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance and gentleness. . . . Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called . . . (v. 11-12)
[Your comments are welcome below! And I am praying a special blessing on anyone who shares this post on their Facebook page!]
Chris (you put your name), you are not of the world. You belong specially to me. Remember that you live on a higher level. Don't chase what the world is chasing. It's a wild goose chase! I look down and see most people chasing their tails, never catching what they so eagerly pursue. And that's because they don't know how to get what they most want.
Here's what I want you to pursue instead. Start with a life anchored in your personal relationship with me. My grace alone can provide everything you need! Be fully present with me.
From there, chase the goal of becoming the man inside that I created you to be. As you stay close to me, you will become more like me. Chase nobility, integrity, compassion--they are worth catching!
And trust me more. Our whole relationship is based on you realizing that I'm fully trustworthy. I'm faithful. So have faith. Let the difficulties of life deepen your trust instead of weakening it.
And don't forget to love. Love is the essence of life. You can have everything money can buy and still be empty without love. And I'm not talking about what American culture has reduced "love" to. They scarcely have a glimpse of the real thing anymore. Pursue real love. True love. Fully-committed and self-giving love. The more you give, the more you will receive. It's so much better than anything else you could possess!
And don't give up. The world weighs on you. I can see it in your posture and in your eyes. You are burdened down. Let go of some things. Let go of everything and entrust it to me. I'm not saying quit. Quite the opposite. Don't ever quit living. Don't ever stop loving. Don't ever stop trusting me. Don't get down on yourself and buy into the lie that you can't. There is one who would like you to believe that. But it is not me. Learn to be mentally tough. Stand up and be strong. I have given you my power when yours fails. Persevere, Chris! Your journey is far from completed. I'm counting on you!
One last thing...don't let the frustrations roughen you. Keep your gentle spirit. Treat the ones you love most with the greatest sensitivity and kindness, not the least. Pursue that gentleness because if you don't, the bruises and disappointments of life will make you prickly. No one likes to cuddle up to a cactus! And they need to feel your gentleness for their sake, too. With but a word you can raise their spirits or dash them.
I am with you in all of this, Chris. Don't worry about chasing the stuff on the TV commercials. It's pricey and otherwise pretty cheap. You want a rich life, don't you? Pursue the things I've told you about with all you've got. Put your sweat there. It won't make me love you any more than I already do, but attaining these qualities will be the glory and joy of your life!
But you, man of God, flee from all this [greed], and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance and gentleness. . . . Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called . . . (v. 11-12)
[Your comments are welcome below! And I am praying a special blessing on anyone who shares this post on their Facebook page!]
Tuesday, December 6, 2011
Contentment
As I sit here, bible in hand, I am hearing the words that God is speaking to me about the blessings he gives. I am reading 1 Timothy 6:1-10. Will you read with me? This is Michele sharing with you on this Tuesday morning. Hope you all had a fabulous Monday! As you read this passage be sure to take in whatever God may be pressing upon your heart and share with us at the end what that is. This is what I'm hearing him say to me:
Yet true godliness with contentment is itself great wealth....So, if we have enough food and clothing, let us be content. (v 6, 8)
I've been a single parent for a very long time. Therefore, I have had to live accordingly. This has sometimes meant going without things I think may make me happy. I have had to be very disciplined with my finances and be content with what I have. That's not always easy for a woman! But....I have never had to go without the essentials in my life, nor has my son. God has provided very well for us through the years.
Simplicity and contentment is the key! If we spend our lives trying to be like everyone else or wanting more and more, we will end up in a big heap of discontent. Who wants that? True godliness focuses on our Lord and realizing that he will always provide for us. What he gives is just what we need.
For the love of money is the root of all kinds of evil. And some people, craving money, have wandered from the true faith and pierced themselves with many sorrows. (v. 10)
Do you ever wonder why people steal? Why individuals rack up all kinds of credit card debt just to have stuff? Why the economy is struggling so? Why are "get rich quick" schemes are so popular? GREED! Everyone wants what they want when they want it. This world makes it so easy to fall into that trap. Everywhere we look we see advertisements for credit cards with high limits and low initial interest rates, easy to get loans so we can purchase the things we've "never been able to have before", or we spend we spend thousands of dollars on lottery tickets because we all know someone who's won and we want the same opportunity. A perfect recipe for financial destruction!
Wanting more and more is the complete opposite of contentment. When we focus solely on money and what we have, we aren't trusting in the one who really is our provider. Instead we are keeping our eyes on ourselves and God's word clearly states that this will pierce us with many sorrows.
I don't know about you but I'm all about keeping my sorrows few!!
Lord, we need your help! It's so easy to fall into the cancer of greed. Our world is filled with lies about what will bring us happiness. Give us eyes and ears that only see and hear truth. Help us not to be deceived. We love you and want to live for you. Help us to find true contentment in your ways! We love you! Amen.
Now, it's your turn to share. Tell us what you took away from this passage. We love to hear your comments!
Yet true godliness with contentment is itself great wealth....So, if we have enough food and clothing, let us be content. (v 6, 8)
I've been a single parent for a very long time. Therefore, I have had to live accordingly. This has sometimes meant going without things I think may make me happy. I have had to be very disciplined with my finances and be content with what I have. That's not always easy for a woman! But....I have never had to go without the essentials in my life, nor has my son. God has provided very well for us through the years.
Simplicity and contentment is the key! If we spend our lives trying to be like everyone else or wanting more and more, we will end up in a big heap of discontent. Who wants that? True godliness focuses on our Lord and realizing that he will always provide for us. What he gives is just what we need.
For the love of money is the root of all kinds of evil. And some people, craving money, have wandered from the true faith and pierced themselves with many sorrows. (v. 10)
Do you ever wonder why people steal? Why individuals rack up all kinds of credit card debt just to have stuff? Why the economy is struggling so? Why are "get rich quick" schemes are so popular? GREED! Everyone wants what they want when they want it. This world makes it so easy to fall into that trap. Everywhere we look we see advertisements for credit cards with high limits and low initial interest rates, easy to get loans so we can purchase the things we've "never been able to have before", or we spend we spend thousands of dollars on lottery tickets because we all know someone who's won and we want the same opportunity. A perfect recipe for financial destruction!
Wanting more and more is the complete opposite of contentment. When we focus solely on money and what we have, we aren't trusting in the one who really is our provider. Instead we are keeping our eyes on ourselves and God's word clearly states that this will pierce us with many sorrows.
I don't know about you but I'm all about keeping my sorrows few!!
Lord, we need your help! It's so easy to fall into the cancer of greed. Our world is filled with lies about what will bring us happiness. Give us eyes and ears that only see and hear truth. Help us not to be deceived. We love you and want to live for you. Help us to find true contentment in your ways! We love you! Amen.
Now, it's your turn to share. Tell us what you took away from this passage. We love to hear your comments!
Monday, December 5, 2011
The Real You Bleeds Through
Happy Monday! Come on, it's possible! If you are letting God speak his good news into your heart, you'll have joy even on a Monday. I'm sitting down with God and my Bible for a conversation. Come and join us in 1 Timothy 5:17-25. Bear in mind that the whole passage is regarding the appointment of church leaders. It may be a little more challenging to make a personal application. Let's see what God might want to say to us.
The first thing that jumps out at me is the encouragement to pay good pastors well (v. 17-18)! Somebody please listen and pass it on to your church finance people! The second thing that really resonates with me is the caution about not appointing people to leadership hastily (v. 22). That one has come back to bite me before! Nothing messes up a good church like delegating leadership to the wrong kind of person. The difficult thing is that it can take time before a person's true colors begin to show. He or she may appear at first to be everything you would want in a leader. But only later do you begin to discover the character issues and self-promoting motives they have.
The sins of some men are obvious, reaching the place of judgment ahead of them; the sins of others trail behind them. (v. 24)
Maybe that's what is most applicable to us all here. The point is that the holes in some people's character may be veiled at first and not surface until later. But surface they will. That's a good reason to take your time in dating relationships. A person can only put their best foot forward for so long before their real self starts to take over. So be sure to give enough time for that natural relaxing to take place. Then you can see who this person really is.
The statement above is also a good warning for me if I have become comfortable with sin in my life. We may think that we can keep it undercover, that no one will know. But whether our sins are up front and hit people in the forehead before they even get a chance to know us, or whether our pet evils trail behind us hiding in the shadows, we can't keep them hidden forever. They just have a way of getting discovered. Herman Cain and Pastor Eddie Long are dealing with that reality in the most embarrassing and painful way right now.
It's not skeletons that I want people to stumble across when digging around in my closet. It's the good deeds that I didn't tell anyone about.
In the same way, good deeds are obvious, and even those that are not cannot be hidden forever. (v. 25)
Holy Father, show me anything in my life that needs to be cleaned out. I want the blessings that come with holiness and godliness. I want the joy and the peace that a clean conscience provides. Thank you that in Jesus I am forgiven and that I now have the Holy Spirit's power to defeat the power of temptation. Amen!
Don't be silent. What is God saying to you? He often speaks through other people, meaning he may speak to someone through you! Comment below (sign in first or choose "Anonymous" from the "Comment as" menu). And please give us some love on Facebook by clicking the "f" icon below.
The first thing that jumps out at me is the encouragement to pay good pastors well (v. 17-18)! Somebody please listen and pass it on to your church finance people! The second thing that really resonates with me is the caution about not appointing people to leadership hastily (v. 22). That one has come back to bite me before! Nothing messes up a good church like delegating leadership to the wrong kind of person. The difficult thing is that it can take time before a person's true colors begin to show. He or she may appear at first to be everything you would want in a leader. But only later do you begin to discover the character issues and self-promoting motives they have.
The sins of some men are obvious, reaching the place of judgment ahead of them; the sins of others trail behind them. (v. 24)
Maybe that's what is most applicable to us all here. The point is that the holes in some people's character may be veiled at first and not surface until later. But surface they will. That's a good reason to take your time in dating relationships. A person can only put their best foot forward for so long before their real self starts to take over. So be sure to give enough time for that natural relaxing to take place. Then you can see who this person really is.
The statement above is also a good warning for me if I have become comfortable with sin in my life. We may think that we can keep it undercover, that no one will know. But whether our sins are up front and hit people in the forehead before they even get a chance to know us, or whether our pet evils trail behind us hiding in the shadows, we can't keep them hidden forever. They just have a way of getting discovered. Herman Cain and Pastor Eddie Long are dealing with that reality in the most embarrassing and painful way right now.
It's not skeletons that I want people to stumble across when digging around in my closet. It's the good deeds that I didn't tell anyone about.
In the same way, good deeds are obvious, and even those that are not cannot be hidden forever. (v. 25)
Holy Father, show me anything in my life that needs to be cleaned out. I want the blessings that come with holiness and godliness. I want the joy and the peace that a clean conscience provides. Thank you that in Jesus I am forgiven and that I now have the Holy Spirit's power to defeat the power of temptation. Amen!
Don't be silent. What is God saying to you? He often speaks through other people, meaning he may speak to someone through you! Comment below (sign in first or choose "Anonymous" from the "Comment as" menu). And please give us some love on Facebook by clicking the "f" icon below.
Friday, December 2, 2011
Alone in This World
Happy Friday to all of you! There's nothing better than hearing from God to start our day. I, Michele, am focusing today on 1 Timothy 5:1-16. The topic of this reading is caring for widows and this is what I hear God saying to me:
Take care of any widow who has no one else to care for her. But if she has children or grandchildren, their first responsibility is to show godliness at home and repay their parents by taking care of them. This is something that pleases God. (v. 3-4)
These two verses speak to my heart because my parents took in my grandmother, who was a widow, and cared for her when she could no longer care for herself. My mother spent most of her time, outside of her regular occupation, caring for my grandmother. She also eventually removed herself from the outside workforce to care for her full time. It was no easy job, physically or emotionally, but she did it anyway out of love for her mother. That pleased God!
I currently work in a hospital and see patients every day who may have no one to help care for them. Maybe they have never had children or they have no living family members. I can't fathom being alone in this world, but they live their lives this way. It breaks my heart to hear the stories of loneliness and isolation that some people experience. In some cases, God has given these individuals a handful of very good friends, neighbors, or a church who's members help as much as possible. There are others who resonate with the fact that they will live out the rest of their days in a nursing home in order to be cared for.
Praise God that there are facilities, church ministries, friends, neighbors, and/or family members who will step up and help to care for those who have no one else. God commands us in this reading to care for our parents and grandparents or any widow who has no one else to do so. I don't believe this excludes widowers but Paul chose to focus on widows because women generally did not have a means of supporting themselves.
I commend my mother and all of you who are reading this and have given of your time and/or resources to care for someone else who was/is otherwise alone in this world. That is an act of obedience and very pleasing to God!
God, give us obedient hearts when it comes to loving and caring for those who are alone and in need. Put in our hearts an overwhelming compassion for the isolated and alone, especially our family members. Move us to service for you, Lord. We want to please you! Amen
Please share your comments or experiences with us. We love to hear from you! You can even share this on your facebook page. Just click on the "f" icon and it will take you directly to your facebook page. You certainly don't want to keep this to yourself, it just may bless someone you know!
Take care of any widow who has no one else to care for her. But if she has children or grandchildren, their first responsibility is to show godliness at home and repay their parents by taking care of them. This is something that pleases God. (v. 3-4)
These two verses speak to my heart because my parents took in my grandmother, who was a widow, and cared for her when she could no longer care for herself. My mother spent most of her time, outside of her regular occupation, caring for my grandmother. She also eventually removed herself from the outside workforce to care for her full time. It was no easy job, physically or emotionally, but she did it anyway out of love for her mother. That pleased God!
I currently work in a hospital and see patients every day who may have no one to help care for them. Maybe they have never had children or they have no living family members. I can't fathom being alone in this world, but they live their lives this way. It breaks my heart to hear the stories of loneliness and isolation that some people experience. In some cases, God has given these individuals a handful of very good friends, neighbors, or a church who's members help as much as possible. There are others who resonate with the fact that they will live out the rest of their days in a nursing home in order to be cared for.
Praise God that there are facilities, church ministries, friends, neighbors, and/or family members who will step up and help to care for those who have no one else. God commands us in this reading to care for our parents and grandparents or any widow who has no one else to do so. I don't believe this excludes widowers but Paul chose to focus on widows because women generally did not have a means of supporting themselves.
I commend my mother and all of you who are reading this and have given of your time and/or resources to care for someone else who was/is otherwise alone in this world. That is an act of obedience and very pleasing to God!
God, give us obedient hearts when it comes to loving and caring for those who are alone and in need. Put in our hearts an overwhelming compassion for the isolated and alone, especially our family members. Move us to service for you, Lord. We want to please you! Amen
Please share your comments or experiences with us. We love to hear from you! You can even share this on your facebook page. Just click on the "f" icon and it will take you directly to your facebook page. You certainly don't want to keep this to yourself, it just may bless someone you know!
Thursday, December 1, 2011
You Matter to Someone
God loves you, and so do I! Let's listen for a word from him to help guide us through today. Sit and soak in 1 Timothy 4:9-16 with me. Take a few minutes and let it resonate in your heart. Is there something that you most need to hear right now?
Do not neglect your gift. . . . Be diligent in these matters; give yourself wholly to them, so that everyone may see your progress. (v. 14-15)
As I read this today, I know that, like Timothy, I have been given certain spiritual gifts by the Holy Spirit. Every believer has been given at least one. My primary gifts are preaching and leadership. What are yours? If you don't know, there are some tools to help guide you in some self-assessment. But the best way to discover your gifts is to experiment with serving in different areas. Once you find something that feels meaningful and right for you, you can work on developing those gifts.
God is emphasizing to me that he doesn't want me (or you) to neglect the gifts he has given us. He gave them to us for a reason. And that reason is to use them to make a difference. I saw the movie Hugo recently. It was an amazing movie! It makes the point that the world, and particularly humanity, can be compared to a huge machine. In machines there are no spare parts. There are neither too many nor too few. There are just enough parts to enable the machine to function as it should. I have a purpose and so do you. Scripture teaches that. If I neglect my giftings, I am missing the purpose for which God created me.
The chapter ends with this statement:
Persevere in them, because if you do, you will save both yourself and your hearers. (v. 16)
Using my gifts, fulfilling my purpose in this life, is a very important matter. Doing what God has called me to do may very well be the key to freeing someone else. Because I do what I'm supposed to do, someone else may be saved from a broken, empty life. We are all connected. Someone out there needs me to do what I do. And what's more, I need me to do what I do. By exercising my God-given gifts, I am saved from a meaningless, purposeless existence in which my only objective is to make money and have some fun.
God, please give me the opportunity to use my gifts. I don't want to neglect them. I have been diligent in using them in the past. I have persevered in using them even when I didn't feel I had it in me. Now I need you to open a door for me to use them again. For those who haven't discovered their gifts or have neglected them, please impress on them how important their gifts are to someone out there and to the legacy of their own lives. Amen.
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Do not neglect your gift. . . . Be diligent in these matters; give yourself wholly to them, so that everyone may see your progress. (v. 14-15)
As I read this today, I know that, like Timothy, I have been given certain spiritual gifts by the Holy Spirit. Every believer has been given at least one. My primary gifts are preaching and leadership. What are yours? If you don't know, there are some tools to help guide you in some self-assessment. But the best way to discover your gifts is to experiment with serving in different areas. Once you find something that feels meaningful and right for you, you can work on developing those gifts.
God is emphasizing to me that he doesn't want me (or you) to neglect the gifts he has given us. He gave them to us for a reason. And that reason is to use them to make a difference. I saw the movie Hugo recently. It was an amazing movie! It makes the point that the world, and particularly humanity, can be compared to a huge machine. In machines there are no spare parts. There are neither too many nor too few. There are just enough parts to enable the machine to function as it should. I have a purpose and so do you. Scripture teaches that. If I neglect my giftings, I am missing the purpose for which God created me.
The chapter ends with this statement:
Persevere in them, because if you do, you will save both yourself and your hearers. (v. 16)
Using my gifts, fulfilling my purpose in this life, is a very important matter. Doing what God has called me to do may very well be the key to freeing someone else. Because I do what I'm supposed to do, someone else may be saved from a broken, empty life. We are all connected. Someone out there needs me to do what I do. And what's more, I need me to do what I do. By exercising my God-given gifts, I am saved from a meaningless, purposeless existence in which my only objective is to make money and have some fun.
God, please give me the opportunity to use my gifts. I don't want to neglect them. I have been diligent in using them in the past. I have persevered in using them even when I didn't feel I had it in me. Now I need you to open a door for me to use them again. For those who haven't discovered their gifts or have neglected them, please impress on them how important their gifts are to someone out there and to the legacy of their own lives. Amen.
Please comment below and share this post on Facebook! (To comment, sign in at the top right of the page or just choose "Anonymous" from the "Comment as" menu. To post to Facebook, click the "f" button below and sign in to your Facebook account.)
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