December 2, 2022 GOOD AND ACCEPTABLE
1 Timothy 2:1-6 “First of all then, I urge that entreaties and prayers, petitions and thanksgiving, be made on behalf of all men, for kings and all who are in authority, in order that we may lead a tranquil and quite life in all godliness and dignity. This is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. For there is one God, and one mediator also between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, who gave Himself as a ransom for all, the testimony borne at the proper time.”
This passage of scripture is profound, but also beautifully simplistic. In our culture of being busy about whatever, the endless pursuit of what we think will make us happy, the overload of information, many find themselves far removed from simplicity; culturally speaking, perhaps there is more confusion and a sense of emptiness than ever before. As believers, we are not bound to live according to the culture; we have been transferred to the kingdom of God where we can live life from God’s perspective. That is an amazing opportunity for us! We live in the world and we have certain responsibilities, but we are not of the world. God does not burden us; He came that we might have life to the fullest. As believers, we must remember that God desires all men to be saved; it is good for us to pray to that end-pray for all men, for kings, and for all who are in authority-“that we may lead a tranquil and quite life in all godliness and dignity.” In the world, there is much division and conflicting beliefs regarding religion; but the good news is that there is one, and only one, mediator between God and man, Christ Jesus. That in itself simplifies. In our prayers, we often have many request, and that is good; but in our prayers, let us give thanks for all that God has done and is doing, and thank Him for giving Himself as a ransom for us. If we are to live life as God designed, then our view of God-our understanding of Him-must be in accordance to His word in which He reveals truth. If we embrace God’s word as the foundation of our life, then our thoughts, our desires, our intentions, and our actions will be pleasing to God and we will enjoy life to the fullest.
1 Peter 3:15-16 “But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who ask you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect, keeping a clear conscience, so that those who speak maliciously against your good behavior in Christ may be ashamed of their slander.”
Blessings,
Buddy
RSS Feed