A Chapter a Day...

Seriously, reading a chapter of the Word of God a day will change your life! Please join me in this challenge as we start off with the book of Ephesians and move on from there.

Challenge 1: Read one chapter each day and pick the one verse that spoke to you the most...blog it and write why it stood out to you.

Friday, March 4, 2011

2 Timothy 3

12 Yes, and everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution.
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What does this look like? Anyone who wants to live a godly life will suffer persecution. I do not know if this is normative scripture or descriptive--as in was he specifically speaking to the people of that time (descriptive) or to us as well (normative)? I think that it was written more for the people of his time...because if not, then it seems to me that we must be doing something wrong--because none of us can say we suffer persecution.

I think the real question is....and we discussed this in D-group this week---"Are we willing to suffer for the sake of the Gospel?" Everything might be nice now and it might be easy for us to follow Christ...but are we making sure we are following Christ, not because it is easy, but because we love him and will give our lives for the glory of his name? Think about that guys!

5 comments:

  1. 10-11 You, however, have followed my teaching, my conduct, my aim in life, my faith, my patience, my love, my steadfastness, my persecutions and sufferings...

    Do I, do you, live a life worth following? Are the things we take part in each and every day things worth exporting to the world? See Paul was not only not ashamed of his manner of life, but he urged others to walk as he walked. Can you or I actually say that? Listen to this again:

    my teaching, my conduct, my aim in life, my faith, my patience, my love, my steadfastness, my persecutions and sufferings

    Every aspect of Paul's life was worthy of exporting. He was definitely not perfect but he was a man who was living in complete freedom under the grace of God and it was reflected in every part of his life. We need to look at our lives and cut out everything that is not bringing God glory and is not worthy of imitation an dlive in the freedom that God has given us!

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  2. 16 All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness,
    2 Timothy 3:16

    Incredible. Everything in the bible is from God. Interesting to think about, because at the time Paul was writing this it was not part of scripture it was just a letter. But every time we read the bible it is like we are listening to god speak. That is one reason why it is so important for us to read the bible everyday.

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  3. Don’t be naive. There are difficult times ahead. As the end approaches, people are going to be self-absorbed, money-hungry, self-promoting, stuck-up, profane, contemptuous of parents, crude, coarse, dog-eat-dog, unbending, slanderers, impulsively wild, savage, cynical, treacherous, ruthless, bloated windbags, addicted to lust, and allergic to God. They’ll make a show of religion, but behind the scenes they’re animals. Stay clear of these people.(the Message)

    Well deng, it feels like that time is now. I feel like I fit under each and every category set fourth for people to stay away from. Grace is great, but after receiving the Grace there must be a change of heart that reflects the Joy and passion that our new heart feels towards God. Recently I have experienced the relapeses to my old heart and it is terrible.

    Thank you Lord for being forever faithful

    All is Great in Yahweh

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  4. 12 "In fact, everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted."

    These are very harsh words, but I believe there is so much truth to them. It is plain and simple: it is not easy living a godly life. There is so much in this world that tempts us to sin and to go against God's will, but He will reward us for sticking to his path, no matter how many times we stumble so long as we get back up and continue to serve him. It is a long and difficult path, but our Lord is worth way more than we could ever imagine and living for Him is the only way.

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  5. 5 having a form of godliness but denying its power.

    Although this verse is referring to people in the end times I think that we often don't realize the power of God. God loves us and has given us the incredible gift of being his children. I don't thin many of us, myself included can really grasp this and the power that we have in Christ.

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