1 Timothy 1:12
12 And [kai] I thank [echo] [charis] Christ [Christos] Jesus [Iesous] our [hemon] Lord, [kurios] who [ho] hath enabled [endunamoo] me, [me] for [hoti] that he counted [hegeomai] me [me] faithful, [pistos] putting me [tithemi] into [eis] the ministry; [diakonia] KJV-Interlinear
12 I thank Christ Jesus our Lord,
who has strengthened me, because He considered me faithful, putting me into
service; NASB
Strength comes from
truth.Faith comes from truth. Both strength and faith are not products of
wishes or empty prayer or from the efforts of others, but are developed through
the systematic daily study of the Word of God.
When you were born,
what did you know?Nothing! You as an infant,
had to be taught.As a toddler, as a
teenager, even as a young adult, all that you know was from the teaching of
others. There is nothing in your foundation of life that originated from
yourself alone.
It is the same with
your spiritual life, but somehow people get the idea that all they need do is
read the Bible and the understanding automatically comes to them. Not so.
Remember one very
important principle in life, this world, this life is
not about you, but about the conflict between God and evil. And in that way, evil will do anything it can
to derail your spiritual life, even to the point of confusing you through
numerous translations of the Bible.
Satan has no respect for God, for people, or
the scriptures. And if he can skew
things even just a little, he will, in order to bring confusion into your mind.
Therefore, your initial
education in faith must come through a qualified instructor. And through the ministry of the Holy Spirit,
you will easily be able to distinguish the truth from the false. But only if you approach your studies objectively. Preconceived ideas and bias, even stubborn
opinions can disrupt your entire spiritual life.
Paul was biased to the maximum
initially in his life, but God trained him through the scriptures, and through
the apostles, and brought him to the point that he became the leading authority
in doctrine, in his generation.
Paul was self-righteous
and a murderer, but grace turned his life around.
You presumably are not
as hard core as Paul was initially in his life.
How much easier would it be to turn your life around? Only your stubbornness, only your arrogance,
only your indifference will prevent you from fulfilling this verse in your
life.
Paul was strengthened
through doctrine.Pauls faith grew through doctrine. Paul became useful to God, not because of his
personality, not because of his do-gooder approach to life, not because of his
opinion of himself, but because of the doctrine that was resident in his soul,
and for no other reason.
Paul was taught, and Paul
studied constantly, and in that regard, Paul was obedient to God. And because Paul was prepared, repeat because
Paul was prepared (in Gods eyes, not in his own eyes), then he became useful
for service in Gods plan, not Pauls.
Unfortunately the Christian
world is filled with indifference, or opinion, and not enough students of the
Word.Does God have to lean down and
tell you to go to class every day?Does
God have to push you, as a parent constantly reminds their children of their
responsibilities?
As adults, each person
is obligated to see for themselves, what they must be doing each and everyday of their life.
And Bible study is the single priority that all should accept and make a
part of their daily routine.
But how many ignore
this?How many find excuses of not having
the time?How many have other more
important things to do?How many just don t
get around to it?
And what in this life
is more important that your preparation of the next life?
Paul had the drive, the
desire, the hunger to be the most that he could be. Do you? And if not, why not?
Jesus Christ created
this universe. Jesus Christ controls
history.Jesus Christ is the all
powerful, sovereign master over all that is.
How important would it
be to you, for Him to think of you as worthy for His service, worthy for
participation in His plan?
How much effort is it
really, for you, without anyone looking over your shoulder, without anyone
reminding you every day, to open up your Bible every day, to engage in a daily
study every day, to keep a notebook of your own, so that you can learn and grow
and become in Gods eyes (not in your eyes), a worthy person for participation
in His plan for all of humanity?
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are a Facebook member, then please join the Bible Study Group that best suits
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