Godliness - transliterated from Hebrew: eusebeia
1 Tim 6:3-6
If anyone advocates a different doctrine and does not agree with sound words, those of our Lord Jesus Christ, and with the doctrine conforming to godliness, he is conceited {and} understands nothing; but he has a morbid interest in controversial questions and disputes about words, out of which arise envy, strife, abusive language, evil suspicions, and constant friction between men of depraved mind and deprived of the truth, who suppose that godliness is a means of gain. But godliness {actually} is a means of great gain when accompanied by contentment.
1 Tim 3:11
But flee from these things, you man of God, and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, perseverance {and} gentleness.
It is separate from righteousness.
1 Tim 3:16
By common confession, great is the mystery of godliness: He who was revealed in the flesh, Was vindicated in the Spirit, Seen by angels, Proclaimed among the nations, Believed on in the world, Taken up in glory.
It is the gospel, played out in our lives.
Acts 3:12
(same word: eusebeia)
But when Peter saw {this,} he replied to the people, "Men of Israel, why are you amazed at this, or why do you gaze at us, as if by our own power or piety we had made him walk?
It is piety, or the act of revering God.
Acts 10:12
(same word: eusebeia)
a devout man and one who feared God with all his household, and gave many alms to the {Jewish} people and prayed to God continually.
It is the act of being devout.
From 1 tim 6:3-6, we can be devout/pious/Godly, but without contentment, it is something to be despised! But with contentment, it is great gain! Question is... how do we get that contentment?
I say it's from the cross (1 tim 3:16). It is the gospel! Christ died for our sins. He has given us a gift that, number one, is undeserved, and, number two, could not be acquired without him. I can be content with only food and covering (later in 1 tim 6:7) because Christ was content with death! Praise the Lord for his mercy towards me, the sinner, transgressor of his law.
Sunday, February 7, 2010
Sunday, December 13, 2009
Praise the Lord for he is good!
I've been busy with school, family, friends, and... the birth of my daughter. Sorry I haven't had time to blog, but I now have found some time. Let me set the scene: Piper's asleep next to me; Rachel's asleep in the bedroom; twenty or so kids are playing on the front deck of the house next door, which I now have a great view of because of the feng shui we performed on the living room; I have read through half of The Gospel According to Mark, a sunday tradition; I have been sick for the past few days, but I feel better today, though... (well Piper was asleep; now she's with Rachel) ... I missed pot luck dinner with the Body here @ North Hinds; I'm listening to some good hymn music (come thou fount, currently); the Lord has indeed blessed me life, breath, and everything else (i.e. Piper, Rachel, family, friends, his word).
So I've been studying faith (I know... I was studying that over a month ago) and I've found a lot of cool stuff that shows me how to live my life concerning faith, or pistis as the Greeks would say.
3 Practical Applications that I have seen:
1 Our love for man should not be held in partiality (James 2:1&8-9), meaning that I should not any man above another, save the Lord Christ. I am not to hold different levels of love for different people.
2 By faith I am to abide in Christ (1 John 2:28 & 1 Peter 1:7), meaning that I am to read his word daily (Deuteronomy 17:19-20 & John 14:23), Rejoice Always, pray continually, give thanks in ALL things (1 Thessalonians 5:16-19), and anything else that the Lord brings to my attention in his word.
3 I am to be sober and resist the devil's temptations by faith (1 Peter 5:8-9). Other verses that I am reminded of are 1 Peter 1:13 and Ephesians 6:16.
I was also reminded today, while reading Mark 4:26-29. Those in the kingdom are called to plant seeds. Food for thought: What is a seed? What is the kingdom?
I've been busy with school, family, friends, and... the birth of my daughter. Sorry I haven't had time to blog, but I now have found some time. Let me set the scene: Piper's asleep next to me; Rachel's asleep in the bedroom; twenty or so kids are playing on the front deck of the house next door, which I now have a great view of because of the feng shui we performed on the living room; I have read through half of The Gospel According to Mark, a sunday tradition; I have been sick for the past few days, but I feel better today, though... (well Piper was asleep; now she's with Rachel) ... I missed pot luck dinner with the Body here @ North Hinds; I'm listening to some good hymn music (come thou fount, currently); the Lord has indeed blessed me life, breath, and everything else (i.e. Piper, Rachel, family, friends, his word).
So I've been studying faith (I know... I was studying that over a month ago) and I've found a lot of cool stuff that shows me how to live my life concerning faith, or pistis as the Greeks would say.
3 Practical Applications that I have seen:
1 Our love for man should not be held in partiality (James 2:1&8-9), meaning that I should not any man above another, save the Lord Christ. I am not to hold different levels of love for different people.
2 By faith I am to abide in Christ (1 John 2:28 & 1 Peter 1:7), meaning that I am to read his word daily (Deuteronomy 17:19-20 & John 14:23), Rejoice Always, pray continually, give thanks in ALL things (1 Thessalonians 5:16-19), and anything else that the Lord brings to my attention in his word.
3 I am to be sober and resist the devil's temptations by faith (1 Peter 5:8-9). Other verses that I am reminded of are 1 Peter 1:13 and Ephesians 6:16.
I was also reminded today, while reading Mark 4:26-29. Those in the kingdom are called to plant seeds. Food for thought: What is a seed? What is the kingdom?
Monday, November 2, 2009
Faith (How do we know what it is?)
Knowing that our lives are short in comparison to eternity (Psa 39:5), I acknowledge that I can't know anything apart from the Lord. I'm not even sure what faith is, but I know that I can find out about it in the word of God!
Below are a few verses that I have found the Greek word, pistis, the word for faith, in the new testament (concordances are great!):
God requires faith:
Matt 23:23; Mark 11:22; Luke 7:50, 8:25, 18:8; Acts 20:21; Rom 1:17, 11:20, 14:22-23
God gives faith:
Luke 17:5, 22:32; Acts 14:27, 15:9; Rom 12:3-6; 1 Cor 12:9
These are very encouraging to me to know that all I have to do to find faith is to pray and look to what God has already given to establish faith. Faith come by hearing the words of Christ (Rom 10:17)!
Below are a few verses that I have found the Greek word, pistis, the word for faith, in the new testament (concordances are great!):
God requires faith:
Matt 23:23; Mark 11:22; Luke 7:50, 8:25, 18:8; Acts 20:21; Rom 1:17, 11:20, 14:22-23
God gives faith:
Luke 17:5, 22:32; Acts 14:27, 15:9; Rom 12:3-6; 1 Cor 12:9
These are very encouraging to me to know that all I have to do to find faith is to pray and look to what God has already given to establish faith. Faith come by hearing the words of Christ (Rom 10:17)!
Saturday, October 10, 2009
Praise be to God!
Been reading numbers... some pretty cool stuff in there... God definitely wanted Israel to do exactly what he told them to do... usually they didn't do it... so they'd get plagued or some other punishment... Thank the Lord for Christ's death and sacrifice, so that no longer does God requires us to be sinless. We just can't do it!
All we have to do is believe in Christ (John 3:36)! But true belief does not result in "believing" Christ, becoming merely hearers of the word and not doers (James 1:22). It begins with asking Christ for a repentant heart. This repentance leads to acts that are done to please the Lord, not to get to heaven (Matt 3:8; Luke 3:8; Eph 6:6). Thank the Lord that he spells it out for us in his word!
Rachel and Piper and doing well these days. Rachel's worried that she's not big enough (thinking that Piper is not big enough), but last night it looked like Piper was playing basketball inside Rachel's belly! My hope is in Christ that he might call Piper to repentance just as he has Rachel and I. I look forward to a life of teaching and leading both Rachel and Piper and any other children that the Lord allows us to keep.
Praise be to God from whom all blessings flow!
All we have to do is believe in Christ (John 3:36)! But true belief does not result in "believing" Christ, becoming merely hearers of the word and not doers (James 1:22). It begins with asking Christ for a repentant heart. This repentance leads to acts that are done to please the Lord, not to get to heaven (Matt 3:8; Luke 3:8; Eph 6:6). Thank the Lord that he spells it out for us in his word!
Rachel and Piper and doing well these days. Rachel's worried that she's not big enough (thinking that Piper is not big enough), but last night it looked like Piper was playing basketball inside Rachel's belly! My hope is in Christ that he might call Piper to repentance just as he has Rachel and I. I look forward to a life of teaching and leading both Rachel and Piper and any other children that the Lord allows us to keep.
Praise be to God from whom all blessings flow!
Thursday, October 1, 2009
Who should I follow? Why JC of course!
Romans 14:22
"The faith which you have, have as your own conviction before God. Happy is he who does not condemn himself in what he approves. "
Ecclesiastes 12:11-12
"The words of wise men are like goads (a pointed spear, used to direct animals), and masters of {these} collections are like well-driven nails; they are given by one Shepherd. But beyond this, my son, be warned: the writing of many books is endless, and excessive devotion {to books} is wearying to the body."
John 14:26
"But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all that I said to you."
1 John 2:27
"As for you, the anointing which you received from Him abides in you, and you have no need for anyone to teach you; but as His anointing teaches you about all things, and is true and is not a lie, and just as it has taught you, you abide in Him."
Matthew 15:3
"Why do you yourselves transgress the commandment of God for the sake of your tradition?"
Mark 7:10
"Neglecting the commandment of God, you hold to the tradition of men."
"The faith which you have, have as your own conviction before God. Happy is he who does not condemn himself in what he approves. "
Ecclesiastes 12:11-12
"The words of wise men are like goads (a pointed spear, used to direct animals), and masters of {these} collections are like well-driven nails; they are given by one Shepherd. But beyond this, my son, be warned: the writing of many books is endless, and excessive devotion {to books} is wearying to the body."
John 14:26
"But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all that I said to you."
1 John 2:27
"As for you, the anointing which you received from Him abides in you, and you have no need for anyone to teach you; but as His anointing teaches you about all things, and is true and is not a lie, and just as it has taught you, you abide in Him."
Matthew 15:3
"Why do you yourselves transgress the commandment of God for the sake of your tradition?"
Mark 7:10
"Neglecting the commandment of God, you hold to the tradition of men."
Thursday, September 10, 2009
Our Call to Teach
John 14:16-17,26;16:5-14
We have the holy spirit if we believe on Christ!
1 John 2:26-27
The Holy spirit teaches us through God's word!
Hebrews 5:7-12
Bam! Who is called to teach? We are are called to teach. Do you know the elementary principles of the Gospel? (Hebrews 6:1-2)
Matthew 28:18-20
Christ has called us to teach.
2 Timothy 2:24-25
Paul tells us how to teach.
REMEMBER. It is all to be done in Love with Love!
We have the holy spirit if we believe on Christ!
1 John 2:26-27
The Holy spirit teaches us through God's word!
Hebrews 5:7-12
Bam! Who is called to teach? We are are called to teach. Do you know the elementary principles of the Gospel? (Hebrews 6:1-2)
Matthew 28:18-20
Christ has called us to teach.
2 Timothy 2:24-25
Paul tells us how to teach.
REMEMBER. It is all to be done in Love with Love!
Tuesday, September 1, 2009
Broken with Perserverance
I came into Architecture studio thinking that people's lives were going to be changed by God just as soon as I was able to tell them of the Love of God and the peace of Christ. It just seems that this is not happening. I am finding that God may be using this to build perseverance in me. I see that in Romans 8:28-29, All good things work for good to those who are called to God's purpose, being foreknown and predestined to be conformed into the image of Christ. As far as I can tell, I think that God is testing to see if I will continue to speak his name and not become worn down by despair. If anyone has examples of this from the Word and other scripture that might encourage me, please share.
Christ has Died for our sins and risen for our salvation! There is no refuting that. If a man foretells his death and resurrection and then fulfills his prophesy, I know I will trust him to be faithful at his word. Praise Christ for giving me freedom so that I might not be bound by a yoke of slavery again (gal 5:1)!
Christ has Died for our sins and risen for our salvation! There is no refuting that. If a man foretells his death and resurrection and then fulfills his prophesy, I know I will trust him to be faithful at his word. Praise Christ for giving me freedom so that I might not be bound by a yoke of slavery again (gal 5:1)!
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