Tuesday, June 21, 2011

Holiness:The Misunderstood Way to a Successful Life

I Tim 4:7-16 Says-But refuse profane and old wives' fables, and exercise thyself rather unto godliness.
 For bodily exercise profiteth little: but godliness is profitable unto all things, having promise of the life that now is, and of that which is to come.
 This is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptation.
 For therefore we both labour and suffer reproach, because we trust in the living God, who is the Saviour of all men, specially of those that believe.
 These things command and teach.
 Let no man despise thy youth; but be thou an example of the believers, in word, in conversation, in charity, in spirit, in faith, in purity.
 Till I come, give attendance to reading, to exhortation, to doctrine.
 Neglect not the gift that is in thee, which was given thee by prophecy, with the laying on of the hands of the presbytery.
 Meditate upon these things; give thyself wholly to them; that thy profiting may appear to all.
 Take heed unto thyself, and unto the doctrine; continue in them: for in doing this thou shalt both save thyself, and them that hear thee.
      Godliness is profitable IN THIS LIFE!To understand what it is lets look at it's opposite.We have no problem knowing what worldliness is because we have heard about that forever,it is the way the world operates.Well Godliness is how God operates!He has been around a while so his way must work.As we meditate and give ourselves WHOLLY to doing things God's way then and ONLY then will the benefits that come from going Gods way will begin to show and other people will see it and will begin to listen to what you have to say.If sinners don't want to hear what you have to say then maybe we aren't showing any answers to them.Maybe they are thinking I don't want to be like them,I have enough problems.
        John 14:21-23 says- He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him.
 Judas saith unto him, not Iscariot, Lord, how is it that thou wilt manifest thyself unto us, and not unto the world?
 Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him.
            The way we allow God to show up in our lives is by keeping his word in our hearts until it gives us the ability to do things His way and then he can get involved in our lives and work on our behalf.
     As we mature as belivers we should never be indistinguishable with the sinner!

Tuesday, June 7, 2011

Some Thoughts On The Old/New Testament

   Understanding when the old covenant ended and the new one began can really help understand the new testament.The new testament didn't actually begin until Jesus died and was raised to sit at the right hand of the Father.At that point his Kingdom came!Col 1:10-13 says That ye might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God; Strengthened with all might, according to his glorious power, unto all patience and longsuffering with joyfulness; Giving thanks unto the Father, which hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light: Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son.We have to renew our thinking to understand we are not like the old covenant people,we are children of the Father!Heb 2:10 and 11 says-For it became him, for whom are all things, and by whom are all things, in bringing many sons unto glory, to make the captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings. For both he that sanctifieth and they who are sanctified are all of one: for which cause he is not ashamed to call them brethren.
      The first complete new testament book is Acts.Go through and read the Gospels again with the understanding that the people Jesus ministered to and taught were under the old covenant.We don't have to pray for His kingdom to come,it's already here now,we are in it!