Live Like You're Dying

 ⁶For I am already being ^(O)poured out as a drink offering, and the time of ^(P)my departure has come.

 ^7(Q)I have fought the good fight, I have finished ^(R)the course, I have kept ^(S)the faith;

 ⁸in the future there ^(T)is laid up for me ^(U)the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on ^(V)that day; and not only to me, but also to ^(W)all who have loved His ^(X)appearing.

2 Timothy 4:6-8


Paul is continuing to encourage Timothy in this letter.  He's telling him that God's appointed him to be a minister but that comes with much struggles so be strong, be on guard and never give in to temptations.  This passage comes at the end of Paul's days on earth.  He was in prison making the most out of his remaining time.  He didn't waste one moment of his days.  We have to fight the good fight all the way to the end because our crown in before the righteous Judge in heaven, not here on earth.


Again I mention the book, "Crazy Love."  In chapter 2 we're told to really think about our lives and why we're here for only a fraction of a moment in God's story.  Death is right around the corner and we need to focus on God's purpose for us in our sliver of time.  It's not about me!  I need to take the same posture as Paul and live like I'm dying.  I cannot live thinking I'm invincible anymore... there is no tomorrow.  In small group, I asked everyone to live the next 7 days like they were our last... good reminder in 2 Timothy on how.


Father, forgive me of my ways.  Help me to trust You no matter what the world is saying.  Strengthen me as I seek how to live my last remaining days here with the fire and drive to honor and glorify You.  Thank You for granting me one more day.  In the most precious, eternal name of Christ Jesus I pray, Amen!

Be Content

 ^6(M)But godliness actually is a means of ^(N)great gain when accompanied by ^(O)contentment.
 ⁷For ^(P)we have brought nothing into the world, so we cannot take anything out of it either.
 ⁸If we ^(Q)have food and covering, with these we shall be content.



1 Timothy 6:6-8


Paul is addressing Timothy in this letter.  He's trying to make a statement that what you have is God blessed, it's enough for what you were called for.  He also mentions that loving money is the root of all sorts of evil.  We know Timothy was young at the time of the letter so Paul was no doubt trying to encourage him to remain focused as he ministers amongst rich men.  


We too get distracted and fall into discontentment.  We look at our neighbor with envy a lot of times and compare gifts.  This cannot happen!  I do this all the time unfortunately.  I need to be satisfied... not only satisfied, I need to be thankful and appreciative of what I have.  And it's not really mine to begin with, it's God's provisions until I'm done in this world and ready to be with Him in eternity.  I need to come to every blessing with the same attitude and appreciation.


Father God, thank You for blessing me with all things for Your glorification and not mine.  I get distracted and believe the lies when I start thinking it's about me.  Help me to overcome this stronghold and submit to Your authority.  Amen.

God Doesn't Create Junk

 ⁴For ^(J)everything created by God is good, and nothing is to be rejected if it is ^(K)received with gratitude;

 ⁵for it is sanctified by means of ^(L)the word of God and prayer.

1 Timothy 4:4-5


Paul was making reference to the hypocrisy of liars, who advocated abstaining from certain foods.  The very thing that was proved clean through Christ Jesus was being brought up again by these men interfering with believers' faith.  The simple statement "everything created by God is good" is so true.  Are knives that kill innocent people good?  Yes, when used in a way that benefits God's people.  It's not a matter of judging what God creates as being good or bad, it's about how people steward this His good creation.  Even the things the devil intended for evil can be used for good, His purposes.  It's our stewardship of God's good that's in question.


As I read this chapter I was trying to think of any possible things that's been created that is bad.  What about cancer, disease, natural disasters?  All of these are greater than just one person's poor choices so how does it fit?  God created our bodies, the elements and everything else.  But somewhere from the fall of man to now we, as a people, messed things up.  Look at the original design and how long people lived?  They didn't have the disease that we have now.  Failure to steward our health and the earth has slowly caught up with us and just because we don't know all the details doesn't mean that we're not suffering the consequences.  Moving forward we need to accept the hand we've been dealt and  steward all good things well.


Father God, thank You for all creation.  You made everything so beautiful even though we've destroyed so much.  Help us to see Your beauty in everything we see no matter what the state of our consequences shows us.  Help us to see as You intended and use us for Your purposes to restore life & love back into each of Your blessings.  In the matchless name of Christ Jesus I pray, Amen!

Prepared and Willing

 ^5(I)Conduct yourselves with wisdom toward ^(J)outsiders, ^(K)making the most of the opportunity.
 ^6(L)Let your speech always be with grace, as though seasoned with ^(M)salt, so that you will know how you should ^(N)respond to each person.



Colossians 4:5-6


Paul is concluding his letter to the Colossians by reminding us that God uses us to talk to people as new creations in Christ; especially those who don't know Him yet.  We are the arms, legs and voices for God so we can't forget our purpose, to spread to Gospel through our giftings.  But we cannot be lukewarm in doing so, we need to prepare our hearts by intentional work.  We need to spiritually transform ourselves through the renewing of our minds.


As much as I want to do this, I struggle with it.  Not because I don't see the reason for it, it's because I feel unequipped.  When I first became this new creation in Christ I felt this way.  Then I felt a little more prepared, then a season of ready and willing with where I was.  But since then there's been a gradual decline, not in preparedness but in willingness.  I'd use excuses that passes the buck onto someone else or that I convince myself I'm too busy or I can do it later.  I need to straighten out my thoughts and heart to be ready to serve in any capacity, in any storm.


Father God, thank You for being there for me reminding me of why I was put on this planet and this time.  Help me to open my eyes to the lost around me as well as transforming my heart through Your commands.  Help me to love unconditionally with fullness of grace.  In the wonderful name of Christ Jesus I pray, Amen! 

Near Sightedness

 ¹²Now I want you to know, brethren, that my circumstances ^(AC)have turned out for the greater progress of the ^(AD)gospel,
 ¹³so that my ^(AE)imprisonment in the cause of Christ has become well known throughout the whole ^[a]praetorian guard and to ^(AF)everyone else,
 ¹⁴and that most of the brethren, trusting in the Lord because of my ^(AG)imprisonment, have^(AH)far more courage to speak the word of God without fear.



Philippians 1:12-14


Paul also writes that as long as the Gospel is spread then he can rejoice.  Rejoicing in the fact that the Gospel was preached and better yet, heard.  We need to always think big picture, especially in the valleys of our life.  It's easy to focus only on our immediate struggles and question God based off our own limitations.  But we need to refocus our lenses and see it from God's perspective as best as possible while filling in the gaps with His promises through faith.  We should rejoice in our sufferings!


I have near sightedness, big time.  I have a hard time seeing beyond my nose because I want it done my way according to my timetable.  This just won't cut it.  To steal a thought from Francis Chan's "Crazy Love" book, our minds are like a soda can and God's knowledge is like an ocean.  We can only hold so little and because we're maxed out we define Him by that.  We need to understand the little we have only in the context of His promises and teachings.  I need to always calibrate on Him, not me.


Father God, thank You for blessing me with my little soda can.  Even more, I thank You that that's not all and that You have a huge reservoir of You!  I pray Lord with every breath that I continue to see You in awe and amazement!!!  Love You Jesus, Amen! 

Sin Cannot Glorify Him

3But immorality or any impurity or greed must not even be named among you, as is proper among saints;

4and there must be no filthiness and silly talk, or coarse jesting, which are not fitting, but rather giving of thanks.

5For this you know with certainty, that no immoral or impure person or covetous man, who is an idolater, has an inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God.

Ephesians 5:3-5

We all know that sexual immorality, impurity, greed is bad and sinful but I believe the emphasis here is HINT OF. We all know sin doesn't come dressed in flashy clothes. It comes dressed up as a sheep among us, ready to attack. Sin comes to us in subtle forms that lie and deceive; sometimes confusing it as God's voice. We need to hold true to His commands and not our rationalizations.

In this season of life it's easy to get confused on what's the best thing to do. I take a situation and convince myself it's ok to do this or that because the end result will glorify God. Really?! Does any type of sin, even the relatively small ones in our own minds? No sin can honor God! I have to trust and believe that a seemingly hopeless situation will make Him happy.

Father God, thank You for blessing me along the whole way. This message today provides hope when my hope shifted to worldly methods. I pray that I'm reminded of Your ways, the Truth. Love You Jesus!! Amen!


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