February 27, 2024 THAT WHICH IS LIFE INDEED
1 Timothy 6:17-19 “Instruct those who are rich in this present world not to be conceited or fix their hope on the uncertainty of riches, but on God, who richly supplies us with all things to enjoy. Instruct them to do good, to be rich in good works, to be generous and ready to share, storing up for themselves the treasure of a good foundation for the future, so that they may take hold of that which is life indeed.”
Proverbs 14:12 “There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way of death.”
We should live with the awareness that His ways or not the ways of the natural man; without the Holy Spirit’s direction, one lives according to what ‘seems’ right, but what ‘seems’ right is the way of death. It is possible even for believers to fall into the trap of living according to what seems right if they are not walking according to the Spirit. The instructions that Paul gives in the above verse is a good example; it may seem right to acquire riches so that we can have a secure future. Or, it may seem that by having good insurance, we will be protected from financial ruin in case of accident of sickness. There is nothing wrong about saving or having insurance or planning for the future-in fact, those are good things. But, it is a major mistake to put our hope in these things. I am reminded of the man who felt secure because he had built bigger barns to store all of his crops-only to find out that he would lose his life. The fact is that there is NO security other than the security we have in God. What man thinks leads to life actually leads to death. God is good; in the above verses in Timothy, God reveals to us how we find life indeed. A core truth about God is that He is a giver; He gives us all things to enjoy-He does not withhold good things from us. If we want to experience life as God designed, it’s quite simple. First, make sure our hope and our trust are in God alone. Next, be rich in good works, be generous, and be ready to share. In other words, be focused on how we can bless others-by doing so, we represent the nature of God who blesses. Certainly we are to take care of our responsibilities in life, but in all we do, we can do it as unto the Lord, with the awareness that He is our hope and He is our life. He has purchased us-we belong to Him; our life is to reflect His goodness and His grace. By being rich in good works, we are laying up a sure foundation that will stand the test. Our motive for doing good works is not to gain His approval; we dood good works because we now have been joined to Him and have been made new creations who express the nature of God to those around us.
Romans 12:2 “Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.”
Blessings, Buddy
1 Timothy 6:17-19 “Instruct those who are rich in this present world not to be conceited or fix their hope on the uncertainty of riches, but on God, who richly supplies us with all things to enjoy. Instruct them to do good, to be rich in good works, to be generous and ready to share, storing up for themselves the treasure of a good foundation for the future, so that they may take hold of that which is life indeed.”
Proverbs 14:12 “There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way of death.”
We should live with the awareness that His ways or not the ways of the natural man; without the Holy Spirit’s direction, one lives according to what ‘seems’ right, but what ‘seems’ right is the way of death. It is possible even for believers to fall into the trap of living according to what seems right if they are not walking according to the Spirit. The instructions that Paul gives in the above verse is a good example; it may seem right to acquire riches so that we can have a secure future. Or, it may seem that by having good insurance, we will be protected from financial ruin in case of accident of sickness. There is nothing wrong about saving or having insurance or planning for the future-in fact, those are good things. But, it is a major mistake to put our hope in these things. I am reminded of the man who felt secure because he had built bigger barns to store all of his crops-only to find out that he would lose his life. The fact is that there is NO security other than the security we have in God. What man thinks leads to life actually leads to death. God is good; in the above verses in Timothy, God reveals to us how we find life indeed. A core truth about God is that He is a giver; He gives us all things to enjoy-He does not withhold good things from us. If we want to experience life as God designed, it’s quite simple. First, make sure our hope and our trust are in God alone. Next, be rich in good works, be generous, and be ready to share. In other words, be focused on how we can bless others-by doing so, we represent the nature of God who blesses. Certainly we are to take care of our responsibilities in life, but in all we do, we can do it as unto the Lord, with the awareness that He is our hope and He is our life. He has purchased us-we belong to Him; our life is to reflect His goodness and His grace. By being rich in good works, we are laying up a sure foundation that will stand the test. Our motive for doing good works is not to gain His approval; we dood good works because we now have been joined to Him and have been made new creations who express the nature of God to those around us.
Romans 12:2 “Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.”
Blessings, Buddy
RSS Feed