There are two verses that have been strongly laid on my heart since before the first of they year.
2 Timothy 3:16-17 - All scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righeousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.
2 Timothy 4:2 - Preach the Word; be ready in season and out of season, correct rebuke and encourage - with great patience and careful instruction.
"...so the man of God may be..."
Isn't this what we are striving for as a Christian? To be a man of God? It's what I am striving for. To not just be known as a man of God, but to live the life that a man of God would live. To me these verses are key. The scripture is so useful. I see more and more relevance in scripture to my life and the lives around me the more I focus on and study it. There doesn't seem to be a situation where the scripture doesn't have something to say.
We need training to be a man of God and we need to be ready at all times. I learned just this last week that I can't take time away from my training and my preparation. I did and I wasn't ready when a brother needed help. I need to be ready at all times, I must be ready at all times if others are going to be looking to me for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training.
Pressing into Jesus, learning and studying are things we must continue to do. It needs to not become something we do in this life, but how we live in this life. It needs to become second nature; that is when we will be ready both in and out of season. God bless!
Wednesday, February 24, 2010
Monday, February 15, 2010
Valentine's Day - Or how we should be everyday?
In Ephesians 5 in the context of "Be imitators of God" Paul instructs wives and husbands regarding how they should treat each other. I think that we too often overlook everything in Ephesians 5 prior to the part about wives and husbands, but it adds so much significance to what he is telling us.
Ephesians 5:1-2 - Be imitators of God, therefore as dearly loved children, and live a life of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.
To start in this way is huge. In fact if we were to live out these verses would we need any of the rest? To love as Christ loved us means that we love unconditionally, with all of our heart.
In verses 3-20 Paul then gives instructions on what not to be and what we should be. Examples include: no hint of sexual immorality, no hint of greed, no obscenity, no foolish talk or coarse joking, live wise, don't be a fool, sing and make music in your heart, give thanks to God for everything, etc... Please read it for yourself.
Then...
Ephesians 5:21 - Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ.
This is important, because no matter what follows...we know that we are to submit to one another out of our deep love (our reverence) for Christ. At this point is there any reason to go on? This is what we have got to do marriage. In this context please read for yourselfs the remaining verses which ends with:
Ephesians 5:33 - However, each one of you also must love his wife as he loves himself and the wife must respect her husband.
This statement is so tied to how we are wired. Men you need to love your wives, wives you need to respect your husband. Men if you don't love your wife and be considerate of her she will not repect you. Women, if you don't respect your husbands he will not truely love you. This is the point of submission...we need to offer the other what it is they need...in order to get what we need.
So should we wait for Valentine's each year to show our love for each other? Should Valentine's day be the only day we submit to the needs of our wives and husbands? No. We should be be serving, loving and submitting to each other daily in our reverence of Christ and what he did so unselfishly for us all. Valentine's day should be the day when we push that which we should do every day over the top!
Ephesians 5:1-2 - Be imitators of God, therefore as dearly loved children, and live a life of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.
To start in this way is huge. In fact if we were to live out these verses would we need any of the rest? To love as Christ loved us means that we love unconditionally, with all of our heart.
In verses 3-20 Paul then gives instructions on what not to be and what we should be. Examples include: no hint of sexual immorality, no hint of greed, no obscenity, no foolish talk or coarse joking, live wise, don't be a fool, sing and make music in your heart, give thanks to God for everything, etc... Please read it for yourself.
Then...
Ephesians 5:21 - Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ.
This is important, because no matter what follows...we know that we are to submit to one another out of our deep love (our reverence) for Christ. At this point is there any reason to go on? This is what we have got to do marriage. In this context please read for yourselfs the remaining verses which ends with:
Ephesians 5:33 - However, each one of you also must love his wife as he loves himself and the wife must respect her husband.
This statement is so tied to how we are wired. Men you need to love your wives, wives you need to respect your husband. Men if you don't love your wife and be considerate of her she will not repect you. Women, if you don't respect your husbands he will not truely love you. This is the point of submission...we need to offer the other what it is they need...in order to get what we need.
So should we wait for Valentine's each year to show our love for each other? Should Valentine's day be the only day we submit to the needs of our wives and husbands? No. We should be be serving, loving and submitting to each other daily in our reverence of Christ and what he did so unselfishly for us all. Valentine's day should be the day when we push that which we should do every day over the top!
Monday, February 8, 2010
Psalm 27
1 The LORD is my light and my salvation-whom shall I fear? The LORD is the stronghold of my life-of whom shall I be afraid?
2 When evil men advance against me to devour my flesh, when my enemies and my foes attack me,
they will stumble and fall.
3 Though an army besiege me, my heart will not fear; though war break out against me, even then will I be confident.
4 One thing I ask of the LORD, this is what I seek: that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to gaze upon the beauty of the LORD and to seek him in his temple.
5 For in the day of trouble he will keep me safe in his dwelling; he will hide me in the shelter of his tabernacle
and set me high upon a rock.
6 Then my head will be exalted above the enemies who surround me; at his tabernacle will I sacrifice with shouts of joy; I will sing and make music to the LORD.
7 Hear my voice when I call, O LORD; be merciful to me and answer me.
8 My heart says of you, "Seek his face!" Your face, LORD, I will seek.
9 Do not hide your face from me, do not turn your servant away in anger; you have been my helper. Do not reject me or forsake me, O God my Savior.
10 Though my father and mother forsake me, the LORD will receive me.
11 Teach me your way, O LORD; lead me in a straight path because of my oppressors.
12 Do not turn me over to the desire of my foes, for false witnesses rise up against me, breathing out violence.
13 I am still confident of this: I will see the goodness of the LORD in the land of the living.
14 Wait for the LORD; be strong and take heart and wait for the LORD.
http://www.biblica.com/bible/verse/index.php?q=psalm27&niv=yes
2 When evil men advance against me to devour my flesh, when my enemies and my foes attack me,
they will stumble and fall.
3 Though an army besiege me, my heart will not fear; though war break out against me, even then will I be confident.
4 One thing I ask of the LORD, this is what I seek: that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to gaze upon the beauty of the LORD and to seek him in his temple.
5 For in the day of trouble he will keep me safe in his dwelling; he will hide me in the shelter of his tabernacle
and set me high upon a rock.
6 Then my head will be exalted above the enemies who surround me; at his tabernacle will I sacrifice with shouts of joy; I will sing and make music to the LORD.
7 Hear my voice when I call, O LORD; be merciful to me and answer me.
8 My heart says of you, "Seek his face!" Your face, LORD, I will seek.
9 Do not hide your face from me, do not turn your servant away in anger; you have been my helper. Do not reject me or forsake me, O God my Savior.
10 Though my father and mother forsake me, the LORD will receive me.
11 Teach me your way, O LORD; lead me in a straight path because of my oppressors.
12 Do not turn me over to the desire of my foes, for false witnesses rise up against me, breathing out violence.
13 I am still confident of this: I will see the goodness of the LORD in the land of the living.
14 Wait for the LORD; be strong and take heart and wait for the LORD.
http://www.biblica.com/bible/verse/index.php?q=psalm27&niv=yes
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