Sundays

1^st Timothy Three

            Defintion of a Bishop;

 

            Qualifications of an Overseer.

In this chapter it timothy speaks to men about the qualifications of a “position”.

Being this Bishop

It is good to want this position, but you must be blameless, husband of one wife, termperate, sober minded, of good behavior, hospitable, able to teach, not given to wine, not violent, not greedy for money, but gently, not quarrelsome, not covetous.

                        Having these qualities are necessary

                        To serve these are necessary.

Timothy explains how if you don’t have the control of your own household how you can be expected to tend the sheep of Gods church.

                        A lot of these qualifications may seem legalistic to some, but for those that represent the church of God must go about their lives in a way that is glorifying to him.  That brings him glory, not being drunk with wine, being temperate and sober minded.  These things will allow the follower of Christ to be blameless.

 

 

1^st Timothy Four

            Definition of Apostasy;

I don’t really know the definition of apostasy, but judging from the first few verses it seems like its talking about those that proclaim the name of Jesus but don’t express it in the ways that God has intended it to be.

           

Verse four and Five; For every creature of God is good, and nothing is to be refused if it is received with thanksgiving; for it is sanctified by the word of God and prayer.

Earlier it talks about forbidding to marry, restrcitions from someone, and the commanding to abstain from foods.  So someone or some organization will restrict the people of God to not eat or not have the blessings that the Lord has given, but what Timothy says is that everything in this world, even the bad things in life “ “ are supposed to be for the good of his people.  Wine for instance, was meant not to be drunk but to drink.  I think because wine long ago was much cleaner then water and had to be the beverage of choice because there was nothing cleaner.  But now, that has all changed.  And it is about the motive that you go in every situation.

            Exercising yourself towards godliness

The profit you receive from physical exercise is a little but from godliness you receive the promise of life, from now and forever. 

Timothy speaks of the acceptance to that challenge, godliness…

For to this end we both labor and suffer reproach because we trust in the living God, who is the Savior of all men, especially of those who believe.

Afterwards it is said to teach these commands, because its worth it.

 

            Let no one despise your youth,

                        He says that because Timothy was sent to the church in Ephesus,

                        But even as a young boy he strived to be an example to believers in

word, conduct, love, spirit, faith, and in purity.

 

As an older member in your church you should pray and prophecy for those that serve, younger, or anything. 

                        Reference to Chapter 2; praying for all men.

A living for the Rule.

Set your hearts on things above, 

for you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God.

put to death; sexul immorality, impurity, lust ... 

you use to walk in these ways in the life you once lived. 

YOU MUST RID YOURSELVES of all such things.

take off your old self.

clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience.

forgive as the Lord forgave you.

be thankful.

wheter in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus.

In the Last chapter of collosions all these things really struck me?  I dont really know why i wrote it like this this time.  Maybe because these are the things i felt God was speaking to me about.  Is this the life that i live, have i died? am i living?  Needing to put on the clothing of the characteristics of the Lord is a good thing, we need to always cltohe ourselves with things that are better than us so that we can improve.  

and in all things be thankful. 

The Remains, of Something

Looking into Romans; 11

God did not reject his people, whom he foreknew.  Dont you know what the Scripture says in the passage about Elijah - how he appealed to God against Israel: "Lord, they have killed your prophets and torn down your altars; I  am the only one left, and they are trying to kill me"? And what was Gods answer to him?  "I have reserved for myself seven thousand who have not bowed the knee to Baal."  So too, at the present time there is a remnant chosen by grace.  And if by grace, then it is no longer by works; if it wer, grace would no longer be grace.

The remnants that God saw, or reserved is something that amazes me.  At this time, Baal being an idol or another God was worshipped amongst the Israelites.  But God saw them.  Even throughout the sacrifices that were being sacrificed among the believers of the Lord God, God saw them.  As Paul says in the scripture about Gods answer being, i have reserved for myself seven thousand who have not bowed the knee to Baal gives me encouragement to keep on fighting.  Steadfast, this is what i want, to remain in the grace of God.  I often times forget so quickly the grace of God, learning about grace first was sort of a double edged sword for me.  I LOVED the fact that God loved me, sort of selfish in a way.  But my heart had untangled more and more my heart became a fortress of darkness.  Grace was something i took for granted, and feared that when I went to live on with the Lord for eternity he would say to me before I entered, I never knew you is a fear of mine.  But i'm pretty sure those are the devils words.

=)Sacrifice is what i need in my life, if not my life is worth nothing because this life is nothing except a fragrance to the Lord.

God, i need you.

Because of This

Romans Chapter One; Verses 24-26

Therefore God gave them over in the sinful desires of their hearts to sexual impurity for the degrading of their bodies with one another.  They exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshiped and served created things rather than the Creator - who is forever praise.  Amen.  Because of this,  God gave them over to shameful lusts.  EVen their women exchanged natural relations for unnatural ones.

Becuase of this, sinful desires, sexual impurities ... these things that perverse and invade our minds take us away from the very truth that God has given us, Himself.  Everyday, and i mean EVERYDAY i sin, and on my heart its tough.  Thinking that ive exchanged the best for the worst not saying that when the time comes it will be right but thinking of it now, God needs to be my first priority.  When i look at this chapter and the heading for these particular verses it says Gods wrath against mankind.  When i read that and think of wrath at the smae time i imagine like an unbelievable pain, maybe a pain that involves bloodshed and millions of people.  But in a way the wrath that Paul talks about in this chapter is the wrath that God gave them over to their sinful desires.  We have control, and we have screwed it up.  We have fallen into a trap and we cant get out.  I know that in my life ive fallen into so many traps, even now ive fallen into a trap, maybe one that i cant get out of bceause of my own pride, selfishness but in some way i know that as i grow closer to the heart of the Lord, i know that i wont live to please myself or put mysefl up but to raise him up through the relationships we have etc.

Application; let go of my own pride, who needs it. WOrk it.

Sigh,

Give to Caesar whats Caesars, and God what is Gods.

The title of what im writing about is part of another section in Mark Chapter twelve but it is the same concept.  Its about the parable of the tenants and it comes from verse 1-7 and its about our sinful nature.

the scripture says,  A man planted a vineyard.  He put a wall around it, dug a pit for the winpress and built a watchtower.  Then he rented the vineyard to some farmers and went away on a journey.  At harvest time he sent a servant to the tenants to collect from them some of the fruit of the vineyard.  But they seized him, beat him and sent him away empty handed.  The he sent another servant to them; they struck this man on the head and treated him shamefully.  He sent still another, and that one they killed.  He sent many others; some of them they beat, others they killed.  He had one left to send, a son, whom he loved.  He sent him last of all, saying, They will respect my son.  "But the tenants said to one another, 'this is the heir. Come, let's kill him, and the inheritance will be ours.'

Thats where this devotion starts.  Where it says come, lets kill him, and the inheritance will be ours.  The farmers attitude isnt far from mine i guess.  Somewhere along the way or maybe the whole way ive lost sight of who owns what.  My sinful nature covers my eyes to make me believe that i have the authority of my life, whether i die today or tomorrow is seen to me as my choice.  But Gods ultimate plan for me does not include, involve, my own thought process.  The farmers killed or beat every single servant that was sent to them to collect the harvest or an offering of the mans mercy to even build a vineyard, which to me is the earth.  A place where it is plentiful enough to receive from, we have forgotten the creator in many times and forget to offer him everything, all that we have.  This attitude for myself is what i need to rid myself of.  This selfishness that is self seeking for my own glory and pride.  THe reason why the farmers have killed the servants was to receive the inheritance or the glory of it all.  When it comes down to that it is not a love that looks towards the Lord.  I need to start being a farmer that is kingdom centered, not Paul Choi centered.  God centered, not to feed my heart centered.

Application, to make it my prayer that i would have a kingdom perspective in my life.  For this motto to be alive for me "The Truth will make me move".

The wrong things in the wrong places.

Devotional; from Mark 11; 15-17

On Reaching Jerusalem, Jesus entered the temple area and began driving out those who were buying and selling there.  He overturned the tables of the money changers and the benches of those selling doves, and would not allow anyone to carry merchandise through the temple courts.  And as he taught them, he said "Is it not written: "My house will be called a house of prayer for all nations' but you have made it a den of robbers.

there were a lot of things in Chapter that was directed towards my own life at this particular time.  My struggles, humility is a big thing.  The colt that Jesus rode on is the thing that shows me the humility i must have in entering anything.  I could say that in my own life i am a big shining ball of light, but what is that purpose for.  What is my purpose before the story of Jesus entering the temple he tells this barren Tree that produces no fruit that no fruit shall be eaten from you, giving it no purpose.  This fruit tree later on whithers away later on in the chapter.  Looking at my own life im kind of at a difficult position.  What to do, what to do.  My whole heart right now is not in serving and next year i do not plan to serve in the conventional ways, i.e. leading praise.  But its difficult, the position i'm in because if i dont serve then my purpose here is worthless.  If i do not build up the kingdom of God i could be that withering tree, no purpose no life.  Being saved by the grace of God and not living according to it could definitely bring me trouble.  

As i looked at the verses from Mark, i see myself as one of those robbers in the den.  Jesus calls those that sold dovers and money changers a robber.  I dont exactly sell doves, but metaphorically speaking my heart does sell things which i get paid in return by the things that i need in worldly standards.  My sinful heart gets fed by compliments, the love i am showed, the friends i make but in my life that cant be it.  My life regardless of these people i meet needs to be for the glory and progress of the Kingdom.  Im not needed, for sure, who am i to say anything like that.  But as someone that gets paid by the love of the father and an eternal life that gives me all that i need i need to act more like someone thats greatful and gets paid for those things.  I need to stop selling "doves" and start selling the love of Christ.

Application; start giving, not receiving.

Rules? WHAT RULES!

From what i read, its from Mark 10; Verse 2-5

the word  says, Some Pharisees came and tested him by asking, "Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife?"  They said, "Moses permitted a man to write a certificate of divorce and send her away."  It was because your hearts were hart that Moses wrote you this law," Jesus replied. 

hmm Laws, i broke the law a couple weeks ago by parking in a handicap space.  I break them everyday whether they are the laws of this world (Still authorized and used for the power of God to reach lives) and the laws of God which was shown to us by people like Moses, Jesus and other influentials in the bible.  I cant help to think though, why were these laws made doesnt it just mkae life a little bit harder.  For me, wont it make me think even more legalistically then i already do.  its NOT BY WORKS paul is what i tell myself, its not about what you have done but its what Christ has done.    These days, im realizing my heart, i shuold be transparent right i think other people see the weaknesses within me... i think.  Bitterness, anger, pride, selfishness, hatred, negativity, lust, and so many other things.  Even as im writing this its hard, as i sing praises to Him it gets more and more difficult.  We struggle, but i count. i count over and over my own wrongs against the creator.  WHY IS IT SO DIFFICULT FOR ME to even struggle, when Paul talks about fighting the good fight shouldn't i be fighting and struggling, although my situation is totally different from His.  Im dying, dying in this world that ive created inside the world thats perfect, the one i was reborn in.  I feel like a broken pen, the ink spills and im messing up this picture.  Isnt that a terrible feeling, the grace of God be here.  Im hurting, struggling, and i dont really know why.  Is it the sin, the discouragement in my life that i cant really feel??? am i even struggling, or is this a cry for help, for attention.  For this need to fill my heart. 

Laws, laws, laws, i hate them at least.  It puts restrictions on us, restrictions that we feel like we dont need.  But there put on us because we as sinful people do not know the difference between right and wrong.  Our world as we know it is crumbling, like sodom and gomorah were falling into wretchedness as we speak.  Destruction? is it amongst us, i feel like it is.  The lines have been blurred, lines that we are crossing.  We need laws because our hearts are hard Jesus says, to what extent are they hard, what are the reasons.  Hardness comes from apathy, and i feel like i have that.  Laws are needed, i need to abide by them.  I am a hell deserving sinner but i am pardoned by the blood of Christ which makes me thankful... right.  SEE! thats where my contradictions in my life comes.  How much hypocricy can i live in before i can truly die to myself.  Why do i try to live by these standards and could never come out. NEVER! its so hard this Christian life.  Sometimes i want to give up, but then i dont because i know that He is with me, there are those that are praying for me, trying to encourage me, I need more of Jesus. 

application, get out of this negative outlook on life, live more positively.  Know that whatever i do He still loves me, and Go.