exemplify-jesus

What Is Godliness? Part Three

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What has been withheld from you because you have acted independent of the Lord? We are called to exemplify Him in every aspect of our lives. Sin always leads us into ungodliness because we are acting without the Lord.

What do you lack? Psalm 34:9-10 says, “Oh, fear the Lord, you His saints! There is no want to those who fear Him. The young lions lack and suffer hunger; but those who seek the Lord shall  not lack any good thing.”

The Hebrew word for lack means one who is impoverishing himself. How do you sabotage your relationship with the Lord? One way is to not set Him first. David wrote Psalm 16. Verse 8 says, “I have set the Lord always before me; because He is at my right hand I shall not be moved.”

Godliness is acknowledging the Lord every moment of our lives. That means to include Him through our thoughts first, which will translate into our actions. 

As You Go: Preach

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2 Timothy 4:2 says, “Preach the word! Be ready in season and out of season. Convince, rebuke, exhort, with all longsuffering and teaching.” My dad’s motto was as you go ~ preach. He had a Scripture car up until he went into the rest home in June 2015. 

Still he lived his motto. He tootled around the facility in his wheelchair. His Bible was on his lap and tracks were in his pocket. This verse so typified him. I remember hearing him on many occasions say to someone, “Suffer an exhortation.” They would usually reply, “Am I in trouble?”

To exhort is to come alongside someone and strengthen them through encouragement. Barnabas was a great example. Acts 9:26-27. Acts 11:22-24. Exhortation is one of the gifts listed in Romans 12:6-8. 

2 Timothy 4:2 in the Amplified says, “…encouraging them, being unflagging and inexhaustible in patience and teaching.” I needed this reminder with my two 8th grade mentees.

God Watches Our Hearts~Part Three

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Philippians 1:27 says, “Only let your conduct be worthy of the gospel of Christ, so that whether I come and see you or am absent, I may hear of your affairs, that you stand fast in one spirit, with one mind, striving together for the faith of the gospel.”

God’s goal is that we represent Him in every aspect of our lives. David wrote Psalm 86. Verses 11-12 say, “Teach me Your way, O Lord; I will walk in Your truth; unite my heart to fear Your name. I will praise You, O Lord my God, with all my heart…” David was asking the Lord to make him wholehearted and single minded. What an example for us.

James 4:10 says, “Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and He will lift you up.” It is good to sit before the Lord and be real. He sees right through any act. He is looking for those whose heart is loyal to Him.