17 Monday Aug 2015
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Having ill will or feelings for another person is never productive. In 1 Peter 2:1 Peter says, Therefore, rid yourself of all malice and all deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and slander of every kind. When you hang onto these feelings, it does more to harm you than the person you are feeling it towards. More importantly, it is against what Jesus called us to do when He told us to love Him and to love others.
15 Saturday Aug 2015
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Today we being the first letter written by Peter, one of Jesus’ original 12 disciples. The letter was written as an encouragement to Christians who were driven out of Jerusalem and scattered throughout Asia Minor. Because of persecution, many believers kept waiting for something more from their obedience, but in 1 Peter 1:9 Peter makes things clear, for you are receiving the goal of your faith, the salvation of your soul. The ultimate goal of our faith is spending eternity in the presence of God through our salvation from Christ’s sacrifice. Everything else is icing on the cake.
14 Friday Aug 2015
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As believers we have nothing to prove to this world. It is not our job to convince others of the truth. It is our job, however, to lovingly show them the truth and allow the Holy Spirit to work in each individual’s heart to bring them into a relationship with God. Paul talks about this in Titus 3:9 But avoid foolish controversies and genealogies and arguments and quarrels about the law, because these are unprofitable and useless. Arguing with someone who does not choose to believe and see the truth is a waste of time and brings them no closer to God. We are called to do two things; love God and love others. If we focus on those two things we are obedient and help bring people closer to God.
13 Thursday Aug 2015
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There are too many believers, even churches as a whole, who teach according to their own interpretation of scripture, or what they think is in scripture. In Titus 2:1 Paul warns, You must teach what is in accord with sound doctrine. Unless we read the scriptures and know exactly what God is trying to tell us, then we are not to take liberties in interpretation and teaching. We should know what the Bible actually says before we give instruction on our individual opinions.
12 Wednesday Aug 2015
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Today we begin the book of Titus. This book was a letter written by Paul to Titus who was a Greek believer living on the Island of Crete and was one of the leaders of the church there. The purpose of the letter was to advise Titus on his responsibilities of supervising churches and as Paul’s representative in the region. While the letter was meant specifically for Titus and his work in Crete, it can serve us in understanding the requirements of leading churches today.
11 Tuesday Aug 2015
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We will always feel contentment when we are walking in God’s will. In 1 Timothy 6:6 Paul says, But godliness with contentment is great gain. When we follow God’s leading, it does not necessarily bring us happiness, but it does bring about contentment. Being a believer is not always easy, but it will always fulfill us to know we are not alone and have God by our side.
10 Monday Aug 2015
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Some sin is obvious and some is not clear until later when consequences come about. In 1 Timothy 5:24 Paul says, The sins of some men are obvious, reaching the place of judgement ahead of them; the sins of others trail behind them. In time, all sin comes to light, one way or another.
08 Saturday Aug 2015
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Having a pure life requires constant care. In 1 Timothy 4:16 Paul warns Timothy, Watch your life and doctrine closely. Persevere in them, because if you do, you will save both yourself and your hearers. We must be constantly on guard to watch against sin that can ultimately destroy us. We must also watch what we believe just as carefully and not allow society to dictate what is right versus wrong. When we look to God as our compass, He will never lead us down the wrong path.
07 Friday Aug 2015
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In today’s reading, Paul talks about church leadership and what is required. The first verse sums it all up in 1 Timothy 3:1, Here is a trustworthy saying: If anyone sets his heart on being an overseer, he desires a noble task. Church (people, not the building) leadership is a big responsibility because we serve as God’s representative. It is not a popularity contest. It requires strength of character, integrity, and most of all, a commitment to love others and serve God wholeheartedly.
06 Thursday Aug 2015
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One of the hardest things in the world is to pray when you are angry, not to mention the fact that God is displeased with us when we are angry. In 1 Timothy 2:8 Paul’s words to Timothy are, I want men everywhere to lift up holy hands in prayer, without anger or disputing. Even Jesus said that we should interrupt our prayers to make peace with others in Matthew 5:23-24. The goal is to have a good relationship with Him and others.
Daily Devotion 