Happy New Year 2016 to everyone. Waine and I are in Thomaston and enjoying the few days off that we have had. It is nice and quiet and restful. I actually slept to 7 AM this morning which is rare these days. The weather has been in the 70's for most of the last 2 weeks. It also rained everyday for 2 weeks and so the plants don't know what to do. They are trying to bloom but not doing a good job of it. I can't believe that I have been posting since Mother's Day weekend 2009. That's remarkable to me. We have finished Thessalonians and I am moving on to 1 Timothy verses 1-20..
"Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the command of God our Savior and of Christ Jesus our hope, To Timothy my true son in the faith: Grace, mercy and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord.
As I urged you when I went into Macedonia, stay there in Ephesus so that you may command certain people not to teach false doctrines any longer or to devote themselves to myths and endless genealogies. Such things promote controversial speculations rather than advancing God’s work—which is by faith. The goal of this command is love, which comes from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith. Some have departed from these and have turned to meaningless talk. They want to be teachers of the law, but they do not know what they are talking about or what they so confidently affirm. We know that the law is good if one uses it properly. We also know that the law is made not for the righteous but for lawbreakers and rebels, the ungodly and sinful, the unholy and irreligious, for those who kill their fathers or mothers, for murderers, for the sexually immoral, for those practicing homosexuality, for slave traders and liars and perjurers—and for whatever else is contrary to the sound doctrine that conforms to the gospel concerning the glory of the blessed God, which He entrusted to me.
I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who has given me strength, that He considered me trustworthy, appointing me to His service. Even though I was once a blasphemer and a persecutor and a violent man, I was shown mercy because I acted in ignorance and unbelief. The grace of our Lord was poured out on me abundantly, along with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus. Here is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners—of whom I am the worst. But for that very reason I was shown mercy so that in me, the worst of sinners, Christ Jesus might display His immense patience as an example for those who would believe in Him and receive eternal life. Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory for ever and ever. Amen.
Timothy, my son, I am giving you this command in keeping with the prophecies once made about you, so that by recalling them you may fight the battle well, holding on to faith and a good conscience, which some have rejected and so have suffered shipwreck with regard to the faith. Among them are Hymenaeus and Alexander, whom I have handed over to Satan to be taught not to blaspheme." Amen and may God add a blessing to the reading and hearing of His Word.
Paul is writing to Timothy, a young minister in Ephesus, to remind him how to teach the young church members in Ephesus. Everyone at the time were "young" Christians either learning how to live through Faith as opposed to the law (Jews) or how to live through Faith and not through paganism (Gentiles). Learning to live with God through Christ requires all of us to shed all those old beliefs of Right and Wrong and turn our hearts and minds to God through Christ. We have to change our way of thinking because as Christ states "As a man or woman thinks SO IS HE OR SHE". Paul is reminding Timothy to help the early Christians of Ephesus to CHANGE THEIR THINKING!
As Christians we should remember that WE ARE ALL SINNERS SAVED BY GRACE AND GRACE ALONE. It is not by works should any man boast. God has been dealing with mankind for a long time. He knows us coming and going. He knows how shallow we are as humans. How sin has made us wicked, immoral and judgmental. Those qualities have to be crucified daily until the Fruits of the Spirit become the norm in our lives.
I have a problem with ANGER. I am never slow to anger HOWEVER I am now in a position that I have to practice daily, becoming slow to anger. I daily have at least 100 chances every day to exercise my Faith and not my anger and IT IS HARD. I can't just tell people what I think or feel concerning their mistakes because then I wouldn't have any staff or patients. I have to let the mercy and love of God shine through and let me tell you I am not there yet. I have recognized though that I have a problem in this area and now I can let God through Christ correct this problem. I do not have the power to correct it myself and I recognize that Satan uses this weakness in me daily.
The Good News is that God loves me despite this fault and the many others I have. When I focus on that I am humbled and no longer angry. I think I have found the meaning of "take the pole out of my eye first before I focus on the thorn in the eye of my brother or sister". I also know when I am able to give my anger to God daily, I will move on from this phase in my life to another phase of my development before I am called home. The blessing in all of this is that Christ never leaves my side as I carry each of my crosses to the Throne of God through Grace and are able to leave them there. Hallelujah! God loves me just the way I am. He also loves you Just the Way you are and wants you to love yourselves "just the way you are".
Now may the Lord bless you and keep you. May the Lord make His face shine on you and be gracious to you. May the Lord turn His face toward you and give you peace.
Happy New Year.
Stephanie
