When your life is on the line...

What will YOU do?I found this article Dated on Thursday, April 26 entitled, "A letter to the Global Church from The Protestant Church of Smyrna."The City of Izmir (Smyrna) - The article begins by saying,"Smyrna is an ancient city (today known as Izmir in Turkey) that was founded at a very early period at a central and strategic point on the Aegean coast of Anatolia. It was the second city to receive...

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A Practical Way to Share Your Faith

I'm not joking. I was in Bank of America today and standing in line studying my Greek vocabulary cards. Then the lady in front of me said, "Next in line, please!" So I proceeded to her window and handed her my checks. I didn't really do anything abnormal and I wasn't acting any different than I usually do.Then the lady said, "Do you live out here?" I answered, "Yes, I'm studying out here." She said,...

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This is IMPERATIVE

As we continue our look at 1 Timothy 4, I would like to bring to your attention six verses this morning:1 Timothy 4:11-16 1 Prescribe and teach these things. 12 Let no one look down on your youthfulness, but rather in speech, conduct, love, faith and purity, show yourself an example of those who believe. 13 Until I come, give attention to the public reading of Scripture, to exhortation and teaching....

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Pornography Wickedness

I have been informed over the past few weeks that Southern California, specifically, a city in Los Angeles, is the headquarters for the pornographic media distributed throughout the whole world. I have heard this before and I've been told that these people are spoken of as if they were just a "normal...

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Go to the Gym Baby!

Paul notes in this fabulous section in 1 Timothy:1 Timothy 4:7-9 7 But have nothing to do with worldly fables fit only for old women. On the other hand, discipline yourself for the purpose of godliness; 8 for bodily discipline is only of little profit, but godliness is profitable for all things, since...

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What is Real Biblical Forgiveness?

You may be surprised. Biblical forgiveness is absolutely foreign to our culture. What you may think of when you think of "forgiving" someone or someone asking you for "forgiveness" may be vastly different than the biblical concept of forgiveness. I would like to attempt to explain it simply this morning....

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Prayer for the Gospel to Run

2 Thessalonians 3:1 Finally, brethren, pray for us that the word of the Lord may spread rapidly and be glorified, just as it did also with you; It is in this text that Paul asks the Thessalonians for prayer that the word of the Lord mayspread rapidly. The word literally means "to run."Let us pray for...

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Training Your Mind as a Servant of Christ

I would like to encourage you today as I myself have been encouraged from my study in 1 Timothy 4 this morning. It is in this marvelous section that Paul writes:1 Timothy 4:6-8 6 In pointing out these things to the brethren, you will be a good servant of Christ Jesus, constantly nourished on the words...

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Apostates from 1 Timothy 4:1-5

As of late, we have been going through the book of 1 Timothy at a fairly slow rate. I would like to speed this up so I could get through the rest of the Pastorals! :=)This morning, we continue where we left off last time with Paul in the first verses of 1 Timothy four and his prediction that in the...

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Directions for Singing in Church

John Wesley has directions for singing. Did you know that? His Directions for Singing are found in the front pages of most Methodist hymnals. It reads as follows:1. Learn these tunes before you learn any others; afterwards learn as many as you please.2. Sing them exactly as they are printed here, without altering or mending them at all; and if you have learned to sing them otherwise, unlearn it as...

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Trying to Uphold the Sanctity of Life

Almost every major newspaper today leads with the news that the Supreme Court reversed course on abortion on Wednesday, upholding the federal Partial-Birth Abortion Ban Act in a 5-to-4 decision that promises to reframe the abortion debate and define the young Roberts court.Here is what the New York...

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Israel...Still Around?

I was reminded once again today in my Exegesis of Zechariah class that God still has a plan for the nation of Israel. The ethnic, Jewish, descendants of Abraham are still in God's plan. Supercessionism (or replacement theology) is a faulty hermeneutic of the Scriptures. This concept is also found elsewhere in Scripture. Take these verses for example: Jeremiah 31:33-36 33 "But this is the covenant...

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One Impactful Book

Last night I just finished one book that has been on my "to-read" list for quite some time (and unfortunately, my "to-read" list just gets higher and higher and higher). I have about four more books that I intend to read before the wedding day (May 12) in addition to all the seminary work but I think...

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A little transition for 'ol G-poppa

I am looking in my closet right now and I have only three articles of clothing there. I have one pair of dark gray dress pants, one white collared dress-shirt and one pair of blue-jeans.That's kind of sad eh? I am moving and I am so "discombobulated" (is that a word?) with all my stuff being scattered...

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Apostates from the Church

1 Timothy 4:1-2 But the Spirit explicitly says that in later times some will fall away from the faith, paying attention to deceitful spirits and doctrines of demons, 2 by means of the hypocrisy of liars seared in their own conscience as with a branding iron, In this text, Paul writes that the latter times some will aposteisontai from the faith. The idea chronologically is that the "latter times" refers...

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Little Miss "Julie" Carrying Quite a Load

If you happened to see "Julie" (that is, the honorable name given to my 1997 White Honda Civic with 140,000 miles on it) driving down the 5 freeway with all the boxes, mattresses, couches, desks, bookcases, blah blah blah swaying in the wind and you were a little nervous - let me assure you, it all...

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Can You Handle It?

Today, G-poppa is moving all the big stuff to our new apartment. It is a very nice apartment. It is a two-bedroom, two-bath with a big living room. Of course, it has a kitchen, which I am very excited about :=)This will be me by the end of the day - but I'm in no way boasting... ;-)So I hope that today...

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The Mystery of Godliness

One of the greatest hymns in all of the Bible is this one found in the New Testament in Paul's letter to Timothy:1 Timothy 3:16 16 And by common confession great is the mystery of godliness: He who was revealed in the flesh, Was vindicated in the Spirit, Beheld by angels, Proclaimed among the nations, Believed on in the world, Taken up in glory. Before we get into the actual hymn, the introductory...

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The Church of the Living God

Here we come in our study in 1 Timothy to the purpose of the book. Paul states it outright in chapter three:1 Timothy 3:14-15 14 I am writing these things to you, hoping to come to you before long; 15 but in case I am delayed, I write so that you may know how one ought to conduct himself in the household...

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A Husband's Decision-Making

Of course this whole concept of "biblical husbanding" has been on my mind as of late, for I'm getting married in 33 days :=)As I'm working my way through Stuart Scott's book, The Exemplary Husband, I came across a great quote last night that I want to share with you:Here, Scott is speaking in regards...

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The Dangerous Sin of Pride

In writing to young Pastor Timothy in Ephesus, Paul tells him that an elder must not be:1 Timothy 3:6-7 6 and not a new convert, lest he become conceited and fall into the condemnation incurred by the devil. 7 And he must have a good reputation with those outside the church, so that he may not fall into reproach and the snare of the devil. It is amazing to do word studies on these words and the wealth...

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An Encouraging Note on the Believer's Hope

1 John 3:1-2 See how great a love the Father has bestowed upon us, that we should be called children of God; and such we are. For this reason the world does not know us, because it did not know Him. 2 Beloved, now we are children of God, and it has not appeared as yet what we shall be. We know that, when He appears, we shall be like Him, because we shall see Him just as He is. Excerpt from...

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The Power of the Word of God

I am going to deviate from my 1 Timothy devotional just this morning because I want to share with you what I recognized this morning in my study in the book of Acts. I have been reading through the book of Acts and trying to focus on the preaching of the Apostles. That is, how did Peter, Paul, Stephen...

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Can We Really Live Up To These Standards?

By way of introduction, Paul tells Timothy that:1 Timothy 3:1 It is a trustworthy statement: if any man aspires to the office of overseer, it is a fine work he desires to do. If there is a man who aspires to be an overseer (Lit. episkopos), it is a good work he desires to do. The word for 'aspires' is orego which means "to stretch oneself out in order to touch or grasp something." Furthermore, this...

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Falling in the Ministry...Hard!

Joe Thorn's blog is worthy of a good, slow and contemplative read...Read it HE...

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Monday/Tuesday of the Passion Week

Did you know that in the Passion week of our Lord, that Monday and Tuesday he was controlling the Temple area? It was only on Sunday when people hailed him as King as he approached and entered Jerusalem on a donkey that they shouted "Hosanna, Blessed is He who comes in the Name of the LORD." It is these same people that will cry out "Crucify, Crucify! in a matter of days to put him on a cross.Why...

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Men, Step Up to the Plate!

In this section, Paul gives specific attention to the role of women in the public worship service, that is, the corporate assembly of believers (cf 1 Tim 3:14-15).Here is what Paul says:1 Timothy 2:9-10 9 Likewise, I want women to adorn themselves with proper clothing, modestly and discreetly, not with braided hair and gold or pearls or costly garments; 10 but rather by means of good works, as befits...

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