2014 Day 126 – 1 Timothy 5

06 Tuesday May 2014

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I was intrigued by 1 Timothy 5:18 where Paul says, For Scripture says, “Do not muzzle an ox while it is treading out the grain,”and “The worker deserves his wages.” I had to look up in a couple different places to try and gain understanding of what he was actually trying to say. What I found is completely true for our current day and time in our society where we love to knock people down. No matter how good or good intentioned a leader or person of authority is, there are always people who feel they must criticize and point out faults. This is especially true of leader and people in authority, such as pastors. The problem comes from our expectations that these people should be perfect. They are no less susceptible to sin than we are and, while they deserve our respect, they also require our constant prayer and support. If you are not regularly praying for your leaders, then you have no business criticizing and/or judging them.

2014 Day 125 – 1 Timothy 4

05 Monday May 2014

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In this morning’s reading I am reminded to place value and time into the things that have eternal value in my life and the life of others. In 1 Timothy 4:8 it says, For physical training is of some value, but godliness has value for all things, holding promise for both the present life and the life to come. While I should never stop taking care of my physical body because God gave it to me and it is the only one I have for this present life, I must always spend the majority of my time and attention on things that have eternal value. Spending time with people who I can build up in Christ and who build me up as well, are the ones I should focus on the most. People and activities that have little impact on my relationship with God and my spiritual maturity deserve little to no time or attention.

2014 Day 124 – Christian Tingle

04 Sunday May 2014

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I thought I would change things up a bit with some humor for this week’s reflection post. I hope you enjoy.

 

If you ever come across anything you’d like me to post on this blog, please feel free to contact me at dino.evangelista@gmail.com.

2014 Day 123 – 1 Timothy 3

03 Saturday May 2014

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In 1 Timothy 3:16 Paul delivers a short hymn that affirms both the humanity and divinity of Christ. Beyond all question, the mystery of godliness is great: He appeared in a body, was vindicated by the Spirit, was seen by angels, was preached among the nations, was believed on in the world, was taken up in glory. In this hymn Paul is able to reveal the mystery of godliness which is also the secret to how we become godly and how Christ set the stage for us. Through Christ we are able to live godly lives because He has given us both the example and power to do so.

2014 Day 122 – 1 Timothy 2

02 Friday May 2014

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In todays reading, Paul urges us to pray. In 1 Timothy 2:1-2 he says, 1 I urge, then, first of all, that petitions, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for all people— 2 for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness. Even though God already knows our needs and requests, He still wants to engage with us in a dialogue that expresses our need for Him in our lives. Paul also urges us to pray for those in authority over us, including rulers and governments. This is a remarkable request from Paul considering Nero was the Roman Emperor at the time (A.D. 54-68). Nero was a very cruel ruler who would later heavily persecute Christians (e.g., after Nero needed a scapegoat for the fire that destroyed much of Rome, he blamed the Roman Christians – A.D. 64). But Paul knew the importance of praying for those in authority. No matter how bad a ruler or government may be, only God can ultimately change them.

2014 Day 121 – 1 Timothy 1

01 Thursday May 2014

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This morning we begin reading the book of 1 Timothy, which is a letter written by Paul to the young early church leader Timothy. This letter is full of encouragement and instruction that can be applied by any believer today. Paul was a great encourager and teacher of young believers in the faith and he was also a great example of how we should act and feel about our relationship with Christ. One of the great things about Paul is how he was so easily moved by God’s love, mercy, and grace in his life. In 1 Timothy 1:17 Paul is so moved by God’s love that he is able to praise Him instantaneously, Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory for ever and ever. Amen. We should all be moved by our only true eternal King and by His great mercy and love for us.

2014 Day 120 – Philippians 4

30 Wednesday Apr 2014

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We all have worries about something. Whether it’s about our family, job, or friends, we all have worries in our lives. In Philippians 4:6 Paul says, Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. We must turn our worries into prayers and are thankful to God for His presence in our lives. The beauty of the life of a believer is we are never alone to face anything on our own. God is always with us and never allows us to stand in the face of our struggles without His powerful and loving presence in our lives.

2014 Day 119 – Philippians 3

29 Tuesday Apr 2014

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No matter how good we thing we are, we are never good enough to compare to the perfection which is expected from God. It is only through Christ’s sacrifice that we attain the righteousness required from God. Once we realize this truth, everything is meaningless compared to what Christ has done for us on the cross. In Philippians 3:7 Paul says, But whatever were gains to me I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. We can spend our entire lives trying to be good enough to receive enough credit for righteousness in God’s eyes. Or, we can accept the gift of salvation through Jesus whose blood allows us to experience grace from God for the righteousness we need to be in His presence.

2014 Day 118 – Philippians 2

28 Monday Apr 2014

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The life of a believer is not meant to be easy. It is also not intended to be lived alone and by our own effort and desire. God works in us through the Holy Spirit who lives in us. We must learn to experience His presence and know we are never alone. In Philippians 2:13 Paul says, for it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill his good purpose. God wants to work in us and He chooses to use us for His purpose. We must train ourselves to feel the Holy Spirit and to think and act more like Christ so we can be used for God’s glory the way He intended. The secret to a changed life is to submit to God’s control and let Him work. It also helps when we ask God to work in us through prayer and time alone with Him. It’s all about the relationship.

2014 Day 117 – Beautiful Things

27 Sunday Apr 2014

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One of the best movies I have seen recently is The Secret Life of Walter Mitty. What I loved about this movies is best described by one line “Beautiful things don’t ask for attention.” What struck me about this line is the sufficiency of the beauty of God and all He has done and created for us. While God doesn’t ask for attention, when we are honest and accepting of Him we realize He is worthy of our attention.

WalterMitty

If you ever come across anything you’d like me to post on this blog, please feel free to contact me at dino.evangelista@gmail.com.