Today’s Podcast
Today’s Scriptures
Today’s Bible reading plans include:
Ready – 1 Timothy 4:6-16
Set – 1 Timothy 3-4
Go! – 1 Timothy 1-4
1 Timothy 4:6-16
6 Place these truths before the brothers and sisters. If you do, you will be a good servant of Jesus the Anointed, raised and fed on words of true belief, trained in the good instruction you have so clearly followed. 7 Reject worldly fables. Refuse old wives’ tales. Instead, train yourself toward godliness. 8 Although training your body has certain payoffs, godliness benefits all things—holding promise for life here and now and promise for the life that is coming. 9 This statement is worthy of trust and our full acceptance. 10 This is what we work so hard for! This is why we are constantly struggling: because we have an assured hope fixed upon a living God who is the Savior of all humankind—especially all of us who believe.
11 So go out and insist on these things. Teach them. 12 Don’t let anyone belittle you because you are young. Instead, show the faithful, young and old, an example of how to live: set the standard for how to talk, act, love, and be faithful and pure. 13 Until I get there, make sure to devote yourself to the public reading of Scripture, to exhortation, and to teaching. 14 Don’t neglect the gift that was given to you through the prophecy spoken when the company of the elders laid their hands on you. 15 Cultivate all these practices; live by them so that all will see how you are advancing and growing. 16 Take care of yourself, concentrate on your teaching, and stick with these things. If you do, then you will be effective in bringing salvation to yourself and all who hear you.
Today’s Devotional
From today’s background scripture God might say:
You hear all kinds of churches coming into existence today. They share all kinds of messages. Many give you messages you like to hear so you’ll feel good about yourself. In some instances, you should feel good about yourself, but only after you acknowledge that everyone is first and foremost a sinner, lost and separated from Me unless they repent of their sins.
I don’t like the fact that everyone has sinned, but it began with Adam and Eve. They taught their children selfish instincts and those lessons have passed through the generations without interruption. Everyone wants their own way until they finally come to the realization that their way doesn’t work. You can’t find the peace you’re looking for until you abandon yourself and let Me take control of your life. That’s the way I created the world.
You might not like that I created it that way, but it’s My world and that’s how it is. Hey, I’m God. I can do what I want with My world. And what I did was make a way for you to get over your selfish desires. I made a way for you to come back to Me. I became like you so you would know I understand what it’s like to live in your shoes and then I died for you to pay the penalty for your sins. That wasn’t fair either, but it’s My world and I can do what I want. I’m God. And I want you back.
But I want you to want to come back to Me. I won’t make you. And therein lies the rub. There are too many today who way they want to come back to Me, but don’t like the rules I make. They don’t like the fact that I am holy. They want to preach the grace and mercy side of Me, but want to wish away the wrath that comes from My holiness in supressing evil in the world. There is that side of Me, too, if I am to remain a holy God. I cannot be only grace and mercy if I remain holy. I must also pour out wrath on wickedness.
So how do you know if the church you attend is in line with Me? How do you know if they just teach what you want to hear or really teach My word? How can you guard yourself against the false prophets My representatives always warn about in their writings?
It’s really pretty simple. Do two things consistently and you’ll figure out the counterfeits. You’ll know whether your church is sound in doctrine if you do these two things. Ready? First, read and study My word every day. Read it from cover to cover. Don’t just pick your favorite verses and pull them out of context. Read chapters and books at a time. Get the story I’m trying to tell you through My prophets and apostles. My word does not contradict itself. The theme is the same from Genesis 1 to Revelation 22. The Bible is My story of redemption for you (insert your name in that pronoun).
Second, pray. As you read My word again and again, you will begin to pray fervently. Your prayers may begin for yourself, but as My word is absorbed into your life you’ll begin to pray My will for your life and for the lives of others. You’ll find yourself absorbed by the concepts in My word and as they transform your mind, your prayers will help you discern truth from falsehood.
Do those two things faithfully, read My word and pray, and you’ll know if your church is true to Me and My word. You’ll know if it’s a place that will feed your soul or take you to troubled waters. Be careful in these last days. It’s important to you, your family, and friends. Know you can trust the leaders where you worship.
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