Sometimes, I'm just in need of some good ol' advice. Not deep spiritual wisdom, but honest, common sense type advice. And that's what I love about the writing of Paul. They were letters written to the people he met on his travels, whom he wanted to continue to encourage. He knew their struggles in life because he had met the same people they lived near. He had been persecuted, beaten and imprisoned by those very same difficult people. So when he wrote, his advice was spot on, an arrow directed to the target of their hearts. Simple sentences, spoken clearly as if he was right there still living among them. And his advice is still current for our lives today... this most basic daily advice. Dear brothers and sisters, honor those who are your leaders in the Lord’s work. They work hard among you and give you spiritual guidance. Show them great respect and wholehearted love because of their work. I think we are capable of this. Honoring... showing esteem and understanding to those who serve in leadership and worship within our church. And live peacefully with each other. Brothers and sisters, we urge you to warn those who are lazy. Encourage those who are timid. Take tender care of those who are weak. Be patient with everyone. This to be certain, a much larger list to accomplish. But I believe it's giving us good direction with specific action steps we can take in order to attain the peace we long for deep within our soul. See that no one pays back evil for evil, but always try to do good to each other and to all people. This, to be sure sounds obvious. But on that day when anger rises, much harder to live out in action. This is best to tackle first with prayer, asking God... to gird us with strength, to keep our lips from wrong words, to direct our path away from temptation. Always be joyful. Never stop praying. Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus. 1 Thessalonians 5:12-18 And this certainly the best advice Paul has given us... prayer wraps up the package with a tidy bow of trusting in God. Let us therefore trust fully in Him, joyfully knowing that He has a plan for us, and thanking Him, even... I know... for the difficult, as well as the easy. And then waiting in the middle. It seems, as I look back over it all, Paul has woven together many of the fruits of the Spirit into these tidbits of truth. I wonder if he wasn't just trying to help us put them into action by giving us right advice? How convenient is that? Good and godly advice that grows a harvest of fruit to nourish us for the future. Word of God train me today... To honor those whom You have placed in my life to spiritually lead me. To live peacefully with all people; to never stop praying, and to be thankful that You have a plan and a purpose for my life.
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In God we trust. It's not only the phrase inscribed on our coins. it's the motto of these United States. So do we? Trust Him, that is, with our money, Even with that which we spend in cold hard cash. For there seems to be some great distraction which stirs in the hearts of men, arguing that somehow this is offensive; demanding removal of these sort of "religious" phrases from the heritage of our country. As if taking it off our money would change our spending habits or our ethical compass. How many of those people even carry cash anymore? This is just another distraction... another way to remove the light which exposes those things people prefer to hide in darkness. When I spend money, cash or not... I don't notice, nor contemplate the phrase, In God we Trust. Yet still I do... Trust in Him. So because the light still shines, let me tilt it, turn it, dial it up a notch, even. Regardless of whether it's printed, engraved, or inscribed what of the reverse? Could it be said, that God trusts in us? Now that's actually a much more interesting question to contemplate. I'm not the first one to consider it. Actually, Paul wrote it in a letter... For we speak as messengers approved by God to be entrusted with the Good News. Our purpose is to please God, not people. He alone examines the motives of our hearts. 1 Thessalonians 2:4 NLT To be entrusted by God means that He assigned something, gave a responsibility, a charge, a passion to do His will, and carry it out. And God would only give such to one who first trusted in Him. Then he must be approved. Which means to be tested, proven, and acceptable for a task. But God takes His time in the testing. Not by proving those unworthy, rather by showing what is good, what is genuine, what is pure... like the refiner's fire of testing a metal. And this a often a lengthy process before the metals can be strong enough to be put to their full use. But Paul had clearly passed these tests. Now he encouraged those in the church to continue on, without seeking to impress people, but rather to honor God. God alone examines the motives of our hearts. Let us stop trying to change that which is stamped upon a coin seldom used. Can we be entrusted by God? This a much greater concern for men to argue... what is engraved upon our heart? For it will be tested, tried and put to the fire. Word of God train me today... To seek only to please You and not man. To pass the tests You give, becoming worthy, approved and entrusted, loyal first and only to You. |
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January 2019
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