What Kind of Example am I?

Yesterday the TV was blaring. Harry had skipped from watching the Olympics to watching motor racing (as you do if you’re male) – Aussie Super Cars qualifying races. He had the sound coming through the stereo speakers and it was all very loud – isn’t that the way you do it?!.

I had just finished making a beef casserole for tea and it was in the oven for a few hours. I was in the kitchen which is just around the corner from the lounge.

I was craving for some quiet. I could have gone for walk but it was cold outside and I was tired and still fighting a cold, so I curled up on our bed with my bible and a cosy throw.

I looked at the booklet I receive from Radio Rhema ‘The Word for Today’ and there seemed to be a whole week of devotionals focused on the one verse in 1 Timothy chapter 4. I normally like to read the whole chapter in the bible where the verse for the daily reading is from. But yesterday (the first day of this series) when I checked it, I just read it from the daily email I receive as well as the booklet, and it only had a portion of one verse.

 

Reading the whole chapter in 1 Timothy I found so much of it an encouragement in what I do here.

1 Timothy 4

 

Instructions to Timothy

4 The Spirit clearly says that in later times some will abandon the faith and follow deceiving spirits and things taught by demons. ² Such teachings come through hypocritical liars, whose consciences have been seared as with a hot iron. ³ They forbid people to marry and order them to abstain from certain foods, which God created to be received with thanksgiving by those who believe and who know the truth. ⁴ For everything God created is good, and nothing is to be rejected if it is received with thanksgiving, ⁵ because it is consecrated by the word of God and prayer.

⁶ If you point these things out to the brothers, you will be a good minister of Christ Jesus, brought up in the truths of the faith and of the good teaching that you have followed. ⁷ Have nothing to do with godless myths and old wives’ tales; rather, train yourself to be godly. ⁸ For physical training is of some value, but godliness has value for all things, holding promise for both the present life and the life to come.

⁹ This is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance ¹⁰ (and for this we labor and strive), that we have put our hope in the living God, who is the Savior of all men, and especially of those who believe.

¹¹ Command and teach these things. ¹² Don’t let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in life, in love, in faith and in purity. ¹³ Until I come, devote yourself to the public reading of Scripture, to preaching and to teaching. ¹⁴ Do not neglect your gift, which was given you through a prophetic message when the body of elders laid their hands on you.

¹⁵ Be diligent in these matters; give yourself wholly to them, so that everyone may see your progress. ¹⁶ Watch your life and doctrine closely. Persevere in them, because if you do, you will save both yourself and your hearers.

Sunday the 5th August was Media Prayer Day in New Zealand.

Today, throughout the country, Christians of all denominations are praying for the spread of the Gospel through New Zealand’s media, and for Christians working within all forms of mass media.We too will take a few minutes of today’s service to pray – and we encourage you to take time today to pray on your own.

Our church had focused on it, not just how God can be revealed through media but we also prayed for those Christians who work in the area. 

I realised this blog is part of the media out there and the fact that you are reading it means I am speaking to you and into your life. 

The daily devotionals are titled “What Kind of Example are You?” 

Some of the things said were: 

Andrew Murray wrote, 'God has no more precious gift...than a man who lives as an embodiment of His will, and inspires those around him with the faith of what grace can do.'

1 Timothy 4:12 “…set an example...” meaning 'be a role model.'

What Paul was saying to young Timothy was, 'When you talk about Jesus, people should see so much of Him in your life that they desire to know Him. When you talk about faith, the evidence of it should be so compelling that they want to live by it.'

So today let your words be faith-building, for people battle with doubt and fear.

Let your words be comforting, for people have wounds you cannot see.

Let your words be uplifting, for people get torn down by criticism and discouragement.

Let your words be calming, for God has promised to bless you if you are a peacemaker.

And let your words be character-building; that way you'll leave people better off than you found them.

So I pray as you read the posts I create through this blog, that you will see something of God in them and desire to know more.

All scripture is from the New International Version