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Tough Love Is Holding Myself Accountable
Timothy, guard what has been entrusted to your care. Turn away from godless chatter and the opposing ideas of what is falsely called knowledge, which some have professed and in so doing have wandered from the faith. Grace be with you. - 1 Timothy 6:20
Paul loved Timothy as a son. In fact he calls him his “son in the gospel.” As a father he is concerned that Timothy does well. Paul had given Timothy the great responsibility of leading the church at Ephesus and being a concerned father in one place he instructed Timothy to carefully watch his life so that those who are older do not despise his youth. In this passage Paul is teaching Timothy to hold himself accountable to the gifts of ministry and responsibility that he had been given. We often think of tough love as the love which holds others accountable, but tough love begins with ourselves. Do we love the other in our life enough to commit ourselves to accountability? Are we willing to guard our thoughts and examine them often to see if we are developing patterns of thinking that will affect the way we treat others? Paul warns Timothy to turn away from godless chatter and faulty arguments. The Message has a great way of presenting this passage; “And oh, my dear Timothy, guard the treasure you were given! Guard it with your life. Avoid the talk-show religion and the practiced confusion of the so-called experts. People caught up in a lot of talk can miss the whole point of faith.” Hold yourself accountable in your words and your thoughts. That’s a tough job that only you can do. Prayer: Lord, I like to argue the fine points that sometimes get to the place of splitting hairs over inconsequential issues. Forgive me of that and grant me the grace to focus only on the truly important issues of the faith. Amen. Message: Tough love begins with ourselves. Do we love the other in our life enough to commit ourselves to accountability? Are we willing to guard our thoughts and examine them often to see if we are developing patterns of thinking that will affect the way we treat others? Affirmation: I hold myself accountable to God and responsible spiritual leaders so that my thoughts and actions do not contradict what I speak. Reflection: Does God’s love truly move us to accountability? What do you think the Message meant by, “Avoid the talk-show religion?” Give some thought to some signs that you might be avoiding accountability. Want the whole book? It's free, just register below: Love… The Command Which Calls Us To Sacrifice
My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this; that he lay down his life for his friends. You are my friends if you do what I command. - John 15:12-14
Love that does not call us to invest ourselves in the lives of others is not love at all – it is just a self gratifying emotion. I think sometimes we miss the point of love. We love another, or others, because of what they do for us. Sometimes we look at others and say something like, “I sure do love them, look at how they give.” That may be appreciation, but it probably is not love. Many people fall in love because of the way another person responds to them, but when the other person stops responding in the same way the love begins to grow cold. That is human love. God’s love, the Greek word is agape, is love that is not about self but it is about other. It is this love that calls us to invest ourselves in others as we sacrifice our own desires and ambitions. As Jesus was calling his disciples to love one another he explained that to do so would require sacrifice, and it might require the supreme sacrifice; laying down our life for another. That is agape (love). It is not only a willingness to sacrifice for another, but it is the action of giving ourselves to others with no expectation of return for ourselves. It is truly a love that can only come from the one who has already given more than anyone else could ever give for his friends. Prayer: Lord, all too often I use the word “love” loosely. In fact so much so that it has lost its meaning. Grant me the grace to truly love you and others with the kind of love that is empty of my own desires and ambitions and is focused upon others. In Jesus name, amen. Message: Love that does not call us to invest ourselves in the lives of others is not love at all – it is just a self- gratifying emotion. God’s love, the Greek word is agape, is love that is not about self but it is about other. It is this love that calls us to invest ourselves in others as we sacrifice our own desires and ambitions. Affirmation: Love for others goes beyond self-gratifying emotion. It is a strong desire to help others and to see them blessed. Reflection: Can you think of some ways the word “love” is used loosely? Do you think the word looses its meaning when it is used that way? This is just one devotion out the book of 31 devotions on Love, a Virtue of the Spirit. You can have the entire book absolutely free, it is our ministry gift to you. Just register below to get the book. The Kingdom Of Eternal Peace
The Spirit and the bride say, “Come!” And let him who hears say, “Come!” Whoever is thirsty, let him come; and whoever wishes, let him take the free gift of the water of life… He who testifies to these things says, “Yes, I am coming soon.” Amen. Come, Lord Jesus. – Revelation 22:17-21
There was a relationship that man had with God in the garden that man has been driven to duplicate ever since the fall and he has had very little success. The best man has been able to do is produce a cheap imitation. All of the religions of the world, including self-realization movements, have had the objective of restoring the inner peace we all desire and to be reconciled with God. But both religion and self-realization have failed to accomplish lasting peace. I once stood on the door-step of a young lady who had just told me that, “My life is just fine, thank you very much.” This young lady had it all together. She had a good job, a nice house, good clothes, and probably a lot of friends. What more could she want? I looked her in the eye and said, “I have talked to hundreds of people and I have yet to find one who doesn’t know Jesus Christ and who has perfect peace in the depths of their heart.” With that she invited me in to tell her more about Jesus. There is a special place inside all of us that is put there by God. That special place can only be filled by God himself. Without him that place is empty and we feel empty. We will try just about anything to fill that place and gain perfect peace, but it can’t be done without knowing Jesus Christ. All the religions of the world cannot give one in a lifetime what knowing Jesus can give in a moment. He not only gives us perfect peace in this life, but he has prepared a place for us that will give us perfect peace with him forever. Jesus is coming soon. Prayer: I thank you Jesus for giving me the peace I could not find on my own. Grant me the grace to continue in your peace as I walk this journey of faith. It is in your name, Jesus, that I ask. Amen. Message: All the religions of the world cannot give one in a lifetime what knowing Jesus can give in a moment. He not only gives us perfect peace in this life, but he has prepared a place for us that will give us perfect peace with him forever. Jesus is coming soon. Affirmation: Jesus is coming soon. My trust is placed in that hope. My assurance of that hope being true is the peace he gives me. A peace greater than the circumstances of life. Reflection: Jesus is the final link in the chain of restoration God has been constructing since the fall of man in the Garden of Eden. It is through faith in him that we are given the hope of eternal peace. What has been the objective of all the religions of the world? Why haven't they been successful reaching their objective? How is Christ the answer? Get your free devotional - just fill in the form below. The Returning KingDo not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God, trust also in me. In my Father’s house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am. – John 14:1-3 The hope of believers since the beginning of the faith has been the eternal home which awaits the faithful. However, the disciples did not understand that when Jesus spoke the words John records in our verse today. Even at this time, shortly before his crucifixion, the disciples were looking for a literal earthly kingdom to be established with them as the 12 leaders, just as there were 12 tribes of Israel. After seeing the miracles, and hearing the teachings of Jesus, the disciples still didn’t get it. In fact, when Jesus was taken to be judged they ran and hid. Peter denied him then disappeared. They gathered in a room questioning what they would do now that their venture was over. Finally, after the resurrection, Jesus revealed himself to them. Their faith began to grow, and then he was being taken from them again. They watched as he ascended to heaven and an angel appeared to them and told them, “This same Jesus, who was taken from you into heaven, will come back in the same way you have seen him go into heaven” (Acts 1:11). They realized what Jesus meant when he said, “I go to prepare a place for you.” They knew then that there would be a time that the king would return. Now they must go to Jerusalem and wait for the promise of the Father. When the Holy Spirit came upon them, bringing with him the kingdom anointing, the disciples realized that now the kingdom was theirs to build until he returns. Our hope is in his return, his hope is in our faithfulness to kingdom anointing and purpose. God, through our faith in Christ, has given us a hope and we have this hope as an anchor for our souls - Hebrews 6:19 Prayer: Lord, grant me faith to continue serving you in the hope of that eternal home. In Jesus name. Amen. Message: When the Holy Spirit came upon them, bringing with him the kingdom anointing, the disciples realized that now the kingdom was theirs to build until he returns. Our hope is in his return, his hope is in our faithfulness to kingdom anointing and purpose. Affirmation: Jesus is returning and I am patiently awaiting his arrival. I am committed to working until he comes. Reflection: Is it possible that the return of Christ is in two stages? First, he returns as Holy Spirit to indwell believers and second he returns to bring his followers into the eternal kingdom. Do you like what you just read? You can have an entire book of devotions at no cost to you. It is our ministry gift to you. Just fill in the form below with your name and email address then click, "Yess-Send It." Be Blessed. Man Fails The Choice Test
When the woman saw that the fruit of the tree was good for food and pleasing to the eye, and also desirable for gaining wisdom, she took some and ate it. – Genesis 3:6
When God formed man from the dust and breathed life into him man was perfect. He was a spirit man in a fleshly body. The only life he knew was the breath, or Spirit, of God that was breathed into him. Man was created body, spirit and soul, but his soul was dormant at creation. His body was from the dust of the earth and his spirit was from the breath of God. The life in the body came directly from the breath of God. This thing we call “life” that is in man is the eternal spark that God ignited with his own breath. As long as man lived in innocence he was dominated by his spirit man. He walked and talked with God without any resistance. His flesh was guided by his spirit and his spirit was fully given to God. That was man’s state of existence in innocence. However, God had also given man a soul at creation. The purpose of soul seems to be to answer the cravings of the flesh. As long as the soul lay dormant and man was guided by his spirit, he continued in innocence. God warned man about the fruit of the tree of knowledge of good and evil because he knew that the knowledge of evil would awaken the soul. When man becomes awakened to the pleasures of evil his soul begins to dominate the spirit and leads man to fulfill his desires. The serpent appealed to the human side of mankind. He addressed the needs and desires of the flesh. When Adam and Eve listened to the serpent their soul person began to have desire. When the soul person saw what was desirable to the flesh they traded their innocence for the empty promises of their soul man. Living in the kingdom frees us from soul dominance and releases the spirit man to pursue righteousness. “Those who live according to the sinful nature have their minds set on what that nature desires; but those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires. The mind of sinful man is death, but the mind controlled by the Spirit is life and peace” (Romans 8:5p6). Prayer: Father, it is so easy to live after the flesh, but grant me grace to live in the spirit. In Jesus name. Amen. Message: Living in the kingdom frees us from soul dominance and releases the spirit man to pursue righteousness. “Those who live according to the sinful nature have their minds set on what that nature desires; but those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires. Affirmation: I am no longer dominated by my soulish nature which leads to death but I am submitted to the spirit man which leads to life and peace. Reflection: There seems to be a fine line between the soul and spirit in man and the words themselves seem to be used interchangeably. Can you explain what is the "soul" of man and what is the "Spirit" of man? This month of devotions on the King and His Kingdom is something you won't want to miss. Beginning with creation and moving through Abraham and Moses on to the birth of Christ and finally the eternal kingdom. To get the book free of charge and absolutely no obligation, just fill in the form below with your name and email address then click "Yes - Send It" God Created Man With A Free Will
Then God said, “Let us make man in our own image, in our likeness, and let them rule over the fish of the sea and birds of the air, over the livestock, over all the earth, and over all the creatures that move along the ground.” – Genesis 1:26
In all the creation of God it is only the earth that has life as we know it. God has appointed man to be caretaker of the earth and the life that is on it. That is an aspect of the kingdom of God that we do not speak enough about. God has given man the responsibility of protecting and caring for the earth, its resources and the life that is in it. The entire creation of God is an expression of his love and grace. We look at it all and are awed by the magnificence of His handiwork. Yet, when we look at the earth around us and the life that it sustains, we too often think of them in terms of how they can serve us. The environmentalists and the animal activists have a point. God created the earth to be self sustaining and all of the rest of creation cooperates with him. It is only man that arbitrarily kills off life for his own pleasure and destroys the eco-system for his own consumption. God created man with the potential to be in unity with his own mind and to be a reflection of his own glory. It was God’s choice to create man in his own image. Man was created with a free will and he was influenced by his spirit person – the part of him that was in the image of God. Man had no “soul” knowledge, that is, he had no experience outside of the God influence. God’s desire was to have an object of love – and you can’t truly love, in the agape sense, an inanimate creature, or a mind-slave who has no will of their own; so God created man with free will. It was the choice of man to pursue life on his own terms. As man experienced life on his terms his “soul” nature was awakened and his soul became the dominate influence in his life. The soul is that part of our nature which drives us to satisfying the desires of our physical nature. It is often called our fleshly, or sin nature. The kingdom God intended in creation is recreated in the hearts of those who trust Christ. We can choose Christ or not – it’s up to us. Prayer: Lord, grant me repentance to being resistant to your plan and give me the grace to surrender to you. In Jesus name. Amen. Message: God created man with the potential to be in unity with his own mind and to be a reflection of his own glory. It was God’s choice to create man in his own image. God’s desire was to have an object of love – and you can’t truly love in the agape sense an inanimate creature, or a mind-slave who has no will of their own; so God created man with free will. It was the choice of man to pursue life on his own terms. Affirmation: God gave me the freedom to choose and I have chosen to follow him. Reflection: How does the free will of man play into the story of the fall? Why do you think that man, given the choice, will usually choose to gratify his own desires rather than being committed to a higher purpose? This month of devotions on the King and His Kingdom is something you won't want to miss. Beginning with creation and moving through Abraham and Moses on to the birth of Christ and finally the eternal kingdom. To get the book free of charge and absolutely no obligation, just fill in the form below with your name and email address then click "Yes - Send It" The Kingdom Begins
In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters. – Genesis 1:1-2
Our understanding of God begins with Genesis 1:1, “In the beginning God…” Before creation there was God. Before time there was God. The beginning of our understanding of God is that He Is; He is Eternal: He existed before there was a sun, moon and stars with which to mark time. The next thing we learn about God is also in Genesis 1:1, “…God created the heavens and the earth.” We cannot understand this statement by human reason because all of man’s logic is based on his relationship with time and matter – it is impossible for us to understand those things that transcend time and matter, except as God reveals himself. We don’t understand how God just “spoke” the worlds into existence, but that is what he has revealed to us. After the creation there is much speculation as to what took place. Some feel that the original creation was just a “rough draft” and God later finished it off. Some believe that God created all of the universe complete and beautiful but a war in heaven caused the desecration of earth and Genesis records a “re-creation” of sorts. We don’t know what really happened we just know God created the heavens and the earth. In the process of creating, God created man. Man was the crowning jewel of creation. It was to man God intended to reveal his love and it was for man he created the earth. This was the beginning of the kingdom of God. The kingdom of God is simply this; God enabling the spirit of man to be in full fellowship with himself without restraint or any hindrances. Keep that thought in mind as we explore the King and his kingdom. It is in God’s plan that that the life enjoyed in the Garden of Eden by Adam and Eve is to be repeated in the lives of those who believe in Jesus as the Christ, the Son of God. All that was lost when man sinned in the Garden is regained through faith in Christ. Yes, even death, the final effect of the original sin, will be done away with at the time our restoration is complete and we stand before Him. Prayer: God, you are awesome in creation and in the revelation of who you are. Give me wisdom to understand your purposes. Amen. Message: Man was the crowning jewel of creation. It was to man God intended to reveal his love and it was for man he created the earth. This was the beginning of the kingdom of God. The kingdom of God is simply this; God enabling the spirit of man to be in full fellowship with himself without restraint or any hindrances. Affirmation: I am in the kingdom of God and I stand before an open door to the best heaven has to offer. Reflection: God's kingdom on earth began with the creation of man. How did what Adam and Eve did in the garden affect the kingdom and God's plan for the kingdom? This month of devotions on the King and His Kingdom is something you won't want to miss. Beginning with creation and moving through Abraham and Moses on to the birth of Christ and finally the eternal kingdom. To get the book free of charge and absolutely no obligation, just fill in the form below with your name and email address then click "Yes - Send It" The Cost Of ServiceThen Paul answered, “Why are you weeping and breaking my heart? I am ready not only to be bound, but also to die in Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus.” - Acts 21:13 Some time back I clipped an article from the newspaper that told the story of a young woman, Karen Watson, who had gone to Iraq to serve as a missionary. While there she was killed when her car was ambushed by insurgents. Here is a paragraph from the article: Watson, 38, was aware of the danger. In a letter to her pastor that was meant to be opened in the event of her death, she wrote: “To obey is my objective. To suffer is expected. His glory will be my reward.” The apostle Paul could not have said it better, and he did say, “I am ready not only to be bound, but also to die in Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus.” Paul, like Karen Watson, had a vision of a higher calling. A person cannot deny himself until he gets a vision of a higher calling – and that is to be the norm for believers. These servants of God discovered that once committed to the Lordship of Christ there is no returning to the lordship of self. We must live with the realization that our old way is dead and buried. Our life is now hidden in Christ. Prayer: Lord, I am challenged today to live as Karen Watson:” To obey is my objective. To suffer is expected. His Glory will be my reward.” Grant me the grace to live it out. In Jesus name, amen. Message: The apostle Paul had a vision that was beyond hope in this life alone. That vision caused him to deny himself, endure persecution, and look toward eternity. A person cannot deny himself until he gets a vision of a higher calling – and that is to be the norm for believers. Affirmation: I am committed, like Paul, am I am willing to endure all that I must go through in order to fulfill His purposes for me. Reflection: Countless men and women have given all so that we could have the privilege to be participants in the abundant life of the kingdom of God. Are you willing to commit unreservedly to the kingdom? To get a full month of devotions at no cost just fill in the form below with you name and email address: The Cost Of SacrificeThe king replied to Araunah, “No, I insist on paying you for it. I will not sacrifice to the Lord my God burnt offerings that cost me nothing.”- 2 Samuel 24:24 David had sinned and as a result a terrible judgment had come upon Israel. An angel of death had been sent to bring judgment upon the people for David’s sin. Finally David cried out, “Enough! Withdraw your hand. I am the one who has sinned and done wrong. Let your hand fall upon me.” In answer the Lord told David to make a sacrifice at the place where the plague stopped. It was land owned by Araunah. David offered to buy the land and Araunah wanted to donate it. David responded to Araunah with these words; “I will not sacrifice to the Lord my God burnt offerings that cost me nothing.” The price paid for his sin was great and David could not make a flippant offer to the Lord that had not cost him something. My friend, the price for our sin was greater yet, and there is no price that can be placed on our salvation – but it will cost us everything. Offering to the Lord what cost us nothing is disrespecting the price he paid for us. We too often emphasize the free gift of salvation and as a result those who claim it have not realized its cost. Easy believism produces easy living Christians. Jesus said, “If a person will be my disciple he must deny himself”(Matthew 16:24). Sacrificing our will is the cost of this faith walk. What has your walk cost you? Prayer: Lord, help me to fully realize the price that was paid for my salvation and give me the grace to give back to you all that I am and ever hope to be. In Jesus name, amen. Message: Offering to the Lord what cost us nothing is disrespecting the price he paid for us. We too often emphasize the free gift of salvation and as a result those who claim it have not realized its cost. Easy believism produces easy living Christians. Affirmation: I am committed to paying the price of self-sacrifice so that I might continue in peace with God. Reflection: Why do you think David would not accept the land as a donation? What do you feel God expects us to give to him as a sacrifice? What was Jesus talking about when he said that his followers must deny themselves? The Daily God Walk devotional is a ministry to the body of Christ. We offer a month of devotions free of charge to anyone who asks, and we also have additional resources. 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December 2020
AuthorPaul Smith: Husband, Grandfather, father, writer, preacher, pastor, servant of God... and hopefully thought of as a Christian. Take A Knee In Prayer Challenge
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