Debt...

Scripture:

Philemon 1:19 (ESV)

 I, Paul, write this with my own hand: I will repay it—to say nothing of your owing me even your own self.

Devotional:

Philemon is a short book in the Bible.  It consists of one chapter with twenty-five verses.  I am focusing on one verse.  For some reason verse 19 stands out.

Everyone of us has a debt.  We have the debt of sin.  Romans 3:23 (ESV) “for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,”.  Let’s look at other debts.  We might owe someone a favor.  Someone might owe someone else a service or even money.  If you have bought a house or car you owe a bank or lender money.  Some have student loans. 

Have you ever had that loan or owe someone and couldn’t repay it?  Onesimus owed a debt he could not pay.  As best as I know there was nothing he could do to repay or pay off his debt.  Paul steps in and pays it.  He declares the value Onesimus is to him.  Paul appeals to Philemon to forgive and receive Onesimus not as a bondservant or slave but as a 

friend, coheir and brother in Christ. 

It is true, we can never repay the debt of sin.  There is someone willing to pay your dept of sin for you.  There is someone who will go before God and plead on your behalf.  Jesus is our savior.  Jesus has paid our debt of sin.  All we need to do is accept the payment.  Jesus had provided a way for us to be in the presence of God.  Not as a sinner but as a coheir of Christ. 

Being Submissive

Being Submissive…

Scripture:
Titus 3:1-2(ESV)

Remind them to be submissive to rulers and authorities, to be obedient, to be ready for every good work, to speak evil of no one, to avoid quarreling, to be gentle, and to show perfect courtesy toward all people.

Devotional:

Being submissive can be hard.  Let’s face it at times it can be very difficult.  People, OK me, can really struggle with this one.  Then add being joyful in all things.  Thessalonians 5:16-18 (GNT) “Be joyful always, pray at all times, be thankful in all circumstances…”  What a double whammy…  we should be joyful in our submission, is that right?    I think so.  I think that is exactly how we should be.

I don’t know about you, but I find it difficult to be submissive to others.  Especially if the person is, how to put it um…, let’s just say someone not so very pleasant it can be impossible to be submissive.  At least we know God is the one with ultimate authority.  He is in complete control of all things.  It is in this that we can find our true joy, yes it can be difficult.  It is knowing God is who we are truly being submissive to that we can be submissive to those in authority here on earth. 

When we (I) cannot be submissive, or find joy, I must remind myself of God.  I need to shift my focus.  It isn’t the here and now that is important, in our circumstances.  What is important is the finish line, our final goal, which is heaven.  Focusing on that can help with the here and now. 

My encouragement to all of us is to, as Paul says, fight the good fight, run the race to win.  How do we win?  Being the best disciples of Christ that we can be.  To constantly grow and become a better disciple.  Part of that is to go and make disciples of all nations.  That is what is truly important.  That is how we can be submissive and find our joy…

Matthew 28:19-20 (ESV)

Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.

Stay The Course

Scripture:

1 Timothy 6 (vs3-5 copied here, ESV)

If anyone teaches a different doctrine and does not agree with the sound words of our Lord Jesus Christ and the teaching that accords with godliness, he is puffed up with conceit and understands nothing. He has an unhealthy craving for controversy and for quarrels about words, which produce envy, dissension, slander, evil suspicions,  and constant friction among people who are depraved in mind and deprived of the truth, imagining that godliness is a means of gain.

Devotional:

Today's Bible reading is 2 Timothy chapter 2.  Lately I have just been reading a chapter a day.  Sometimes I will do a devotional from a devotional, there are several good ones out there.  But mostly I am just reading a chapter a day.

Paul stresses in the truth of the Gospel.  Stay clear of false teachings.  Today with information being thrown at us from so many different sources so fast it is easy to be distracted.  So today let us both stay focused on the truth and on Christ.  Let us share the true Gospel with others.  We can get so caught up in minor little details that we lose site of what is important.  Some teach more than what is in the Bible.  They would have you believe that faith alone is not enough.  Other’s might teach that Christ is not the only way.  Other’s might take away from the truth.

Bottom line is that we must be grounded in scripture, have firm foundation in the truth.  We cannot stray to the right or to the left.  Let us all keep our focus upon God and Jesus.  Let us help one another stay on course…

Faith, Trust, Alliances

Scripture:
Hosea 8:5-7 (ESV)

I have spurned your calf, O Samaria.
    My anger burns against them.
How long will they be incapable of innocence?
For it is from Israel;
a craftsman made it; it is not God.
The calf of Samaria
   shall be broken to pieces.

For they sow the wind,
    and they shall reap the whirlwind.
The standing grain has no heads;
    it shall yield no flour;
if it were to yield,
    strangers would devour it.

Devotional:

Idols, worshiping false gods, making poor alliances, trusting in the wrong people or things, does any of this sound familiar?  How often have you or I been there done that?  The Jewish people put their trust, hope, and alliances in the wrong places.  They built idols to worship.  As a result, look what happened.  They became a conquered people.  Other nations could not save them.  The gods they worshiped could not save them.  Hosea is giving them warning of their follies and what the consequences will be.

Have you ever thought about the people you hang out with?  What about those you turn to and trust?  Are we trusting and blindly putting faith in another god?  In today’s fast pace society it is really easy to get caught up in everything going on around us.  I know I tend to get caught up in technology.  I love playing with new stuff.  If I am not careful, I can put too much into money or material things.  After all, if you need something just go buy it.   If you want it purchase it.  With too much wealth it would become too easy to not trust in God for my provisions.  We can also put our trust in the wrong people.  It is important to seek council from the right person.  We become like those we are around the most.  That is why it is important to make sure we are around Godly men and women.  In doing so we gain more wisdom and help hold one another accountable.  Together it is easier to stay on the right course.  With the wrong crowd it is easy to stray off course.

Hosea gives us a lot of insight on many things.  Today focus on two things.  First who is it you are with the most, your alliances?  Second what do you put your faith and trust in?  Are you choosing wisely?  It isn’t too late to make changes…