These are verses that relate to 1 Tim 4:7 - Exercise yourself toward godliness... 1 Tim 3:16 - "And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness..." Conclusion - Godliness is a great mystery in the Word of God. It continues in this first in describing specific aspects of the ministry of our Lord. This verse is preceded by Paul explaining why he wrote the epistle: so that they'd know how to behave themselves IN the church of God. 1 Tim 6:11 - "But thou, O man of God, flee these things; and follow after righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, meekness." Conclusion - These are fruits of the Holy Spirit but here we're encouraged to 'follow after' them. So, it's encouraging us to follow after the fruits of the Holy Spirit. 1 Tim 6:12 - "Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, whereunto thou art also called, and hast professed a good profession before many witnesses." Conclusion - It describes FAITH as the FIGHT. It describes profession of the faith and eternal life as the qualifying factors for fighting. 1 Tim 1:4 - "Neither give heed to fables and endless genealogies, which minister questions, rather than godly edifying which is in faith: so do." Conclusion - We will be edified in godliness by faith. Acts 24:16 - And herein do I exercise myself, to have always a conscience void of offence toward God, and toward men. Conclusion - Paul's EXERCISING had its end in have a clean conscience. He exercised himself towards godliness in that his conscience would be clear with 2 parties: (1) God, and, (2) men. Hebrews 5:14 - But strong meat belongeth to them that are of full age, even those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil. Conclusion - Maturing to full age in Christ and having a sense of discernment comes from EXERCISING senses by reason of USE. Titus 2:11-12 - For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men, Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world; Conclusion - The grace of God powers self-discipline and exercise; grace teaches us; This grace leads/teaches us to deny ungodliness and lusts and drives us to live like Christ. Verse 14 goes on to tell of how Jesus is the one to do it: "that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto humself a peculiar people, zealous of good works."
Indirect verses: 2 Tim 3:5 - "Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away. " Conclusion - We have the power and form of Godliness in Christ Jesus through salvation. 2 Tim 3:12 - "Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution." Conclusion - We should live godly in Christ Jesus.
I recently sat and heard the story of a young 24-year-old woman and her family who were homeless. I sat on their blanket and listened as she poured her frustrations out. Intervarsity Christian Fellowship minister to the homeless weekly and provide food and water for them.
Her children are working-age, yet she's 24. She started early because she had cervical cancer at 12 and was afraid she'd never have children. Her and her family were out on the streets homeless and have had to survive some pretty rought and tough times. Most of the harder stuff she told me I'm reserving typing because it might be too personal to let out publically. One thing I did want to share was that her surrogate father was taking care of her and her children. He was black, she was white - they didn't look like they were related. But, he adopted her and has known her since she was a toddler. The ministries come out to give the homeless and the poor food. The 24-year-old has an ankle fractured in 3 places. So, she can't get up and get food for herself. And, the ministries wont give a double portion to one person. So, Roy has had to give his food to his daughter, going without food for days. When they sleep, people may steal their things. Her ankle brace and pain medications as well as her vitamins were stolen from her. She's in pain over her ankle without medications. It needs to be broken again and reset into a place where it could heal properly, but they're without healthcare being homeless and the free clinics aren't equipped to handle her needs. The police drive them away every morning at 5. They have to be constantly on the move. If she gets up to go to the bathroom the others yell at her, trying to think about her healing leg, and tell her to sit down. They have no resources or places to go. Christian ministries help them as best as they can, but without adequate healthcare, they are really suffering. Her father's wife had surgery and their greatest fear is that they discharge her, where she'd go to the streets with an open wound and possibly be reinfected. And what's worse is that there are others in the street struggling with addictions that get irrational when under the influence and beat on the others. She's been beat plenty of times and has the scars to prove it. Even on her face. If she tries to defend herself, the police will arrest her, too. All she can do is take the beating. Such is their plight... She said, "Red is my favorite color, because it's the color of Jesus' blood." I wont let my left arm know what good my right arm did that night, but she received a bible. I hope that she will read it and know the mercy and grace found only in Jesus Christ that the world cannot provide.
Christian ministry is so powerful. Jesus said we're the lights of this world. Not 'this little light of mine,' but the light of the world (like the sun). The Church is powerful through the Holy Spirit and can really bring light to darkened areas of this world. I intend to start with their medical needs.
Please pray that God will reveal His call on me to do Missionary Medicine, and provide a door of opportunity into a medical school to be equipped with the knowledge I'd need to bring the Gospel to darkened areas that need to hear the Gospel (even through a translator). Pray that God will reveal His will for me on Global Health Issues and Medical Missions, evangelism, and missionary work. Pray that God will show me what He wants me to do about going to medical school. And raising a family. Pray for homeless families like the one I described. Pray for them to know the comfort that comes with being in Jesus. Pray that the Church can continue to help them with their physical needs.
There will always be many who love Christ's heavenly kingdom, but few who will bear his cross. Jesus has many who desire consolation, but few who care for adversity. He finds many to share his table, but few who will join him in fasting. Many are eager to be happy with him; few wish to suffer anything for him. Many will follow him as far as the breaking of bread, but few will remain to drink from his passion. Many are awed by his miracles, few accept the shame of his cross. -Thomas A. Kempis
"Whoever...has tasted of the love of Christ, and has known, by his own experience, the need and the worth of redemption, is enabled, yea, he is constrained, to love his fellow creatures. He loves them at first sight, and, if the providence of God commits a dispensation of the gospel and care of souls to him, he will feel the warmest emotions of friendship and tenderness, while he beseeches them by the tender mercies of God, and even while he warns them by his terrors" - John Newton
I heard John Piper quote John Newton in a sermon of his doing a biography of John Newton. One thing I didn't know about Newton was that he was a slave himself, which must have been the means by which his heart changed towards the slavery of Africans by God's providence. And John Piper says about him, "He loved [the lost] at first sight." I wish my heart would beat that way again. I once had compassion for lost souls that would bring me to great tears. I would pray constantly in classes for my fellow classmates to come to Christ. Then, "compassion-fatigue& quot; set in. Satan, through a series of events tried to take me out at the knee and stop me from doing evangelism, as it would seem. I got several death threats where I worked. I became enbittered and would say things like, "I wish God would send us all to hell so that we would get what we deserved." I was hit by Romans 3 which declares There is none righteous, no, not one. There is none that does good. It destroyed any humanism I may have had (fortunately), but ruined my God-given heart for lost souls. I want to bear again what the Lord Jesus bore in His heart for the others around Him, which He felt all His life, because even from age 12 He was "All about [His] Father's business."
I want to see others the way Jesus Christ sees them, by the bible. I want my first response when looking upon someone not to be criticism or disgust or assessment, but the genuine tenderheartedness that Jesus had in His heart.
