March 2018 - GraceAndWorks

The Apostle Paul was an amazing man. In his early years, he persecuted Christians. Then on his way to Damascus his life took a 180% turn. He went from persecuting Christians to teaching and preaching Christianity. While working in God’s Kingdom, he was left for dead, shipwrecked, imprisoned, afflicted, and persecuted. At the end of his life (66-67 A.D.) he wrote 2nd Timothy. Timothy was one of the workers that helped Paul and was a close friend of Paul’s. The instruction that Paul gives Timothy had a lot of insight and applies to us as Christians today.

In the 3rd Chapter of 2nd Timothy, Paul tells Timothy what was coming in the last days. It is truly astonishing how accurate he was for today’s world.

Paul starts this Chapter off by saying, “Know this that in the last days perilous times will come.” He leaves no doubt about what was to come. In verse 2, Paul lays out exactly what he was talking about. 1) Men will be Lovers of themselves, 2) Men will be lovers of money, 3) Men will be boasters,  4) Men will be proud, 5) Men will be blasphemers, 6) Men will be disobedient to parents (And God the Father), 7) Men will be unthankful, 8) Men will be unholy, 9) Men will be unloving, 10) Men will be unforgiving, 11) Men will be slanderers, 12) Men will be without self-control, 13) Men will be brutal, 14) Men will be despisers of good, 15) Men will be traitors, 16) Men will be headstrong, 17 Men will be haughty, 18) Men will be lovers of pleasure, rather that lovers of God, 19) Men will have a form of godliness, but denying it’s power. Then Paul gives the instruction to: “Turn away from such people!” In verse 7 he says, “Men will always be learning, but never able to come to the knowledge of truth.” These men will resist the truth; Men of corrupt minds, disapproved concerning the faith.

Verse 10, Paul tells us how not to get entrapped in foolish ways. He tells us to, “Carefully follow my doctrine, manner of life, purpose, faith, longsuffering, love, and perseverance.”

Verses 12,13, and 14 states that Christians who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution. But evil men and imposters will grow worse and worse, deceiving and being deceived. We must, as Christians, continue in the things we have learned and been assured of, knowing from whom we learned them.

Written 1950 years ago, this is the world today. Don’t get caught up in it!!

Have a good day all. SMILE God loves YOU!!

I wish it was that easy, don’t you? How many times have you said “I’m sorry” and got no response? Completely disregarded. Blown off. No response. No action. No reaction. You think to yourself, what just happened? It takes a big person to know they are wrong and an even bigger person to say “I was wrong and I’m sorry.” It has come to me that it is almost surprising to hear, “You’re forgiven.” We are all imperfect and make mistakes. We hurt feelings of others, sometimes, without even knowing. There are times we hurt someone on purpose-“To get even.” Scriptures tell us that God says, “Revenge is Mine.” So why do we take it upon ourselves? It has also come to me that it is surprising to hear, “I’m sorry.” It seems people think to themselves–yeah right! Maybe they don’t believe the person saying “I’m sorry.” The scriptures tell us, “If you can’t forgive, how do you expect your Father to forgive?”

I’ve had a couple instances recently where I’ve told someone “I’m sorry” and got no response. I don’t understand why. It hurts me to know or find out later my actions have hurt someone. I was raised to care about others and their feelings. I’ve been told I’m too sensitive. Really?? I wonder what that means. Are YOU not sensitive when you’ve been wronged or you have wronged someone else? Maybe it’s the society we live in today. Maybe it’s the all for me and I don’t care about you, that’s going on in the world today. One, I apologized for offending them and they told me they weren’t offended. However, a few moments later they turned their back on me and wouldn’t even say goodbye. I sent an e-mail later on and apologized again and got no response. What more can I do? Wash my hands of the situation and move on is all I can see to do. I know some or all of you have been in these types of situations before and it is heartbreaking and extremely frustrating . I don’t have an answer. I wish I did. I wanted to share this, so those of you in similar situations know you are not alone. This happens more regularly than one thinks.

The greatest command God gave us is to love your neighbor as you love yourself. God also says, “If you don’t love your brother, how can you love Me?”

SMILE God loves YOU!! Have a good day all.

Remember this, my dear friends! Everyone must be quick to listen, but slow to speak and slow to become angry. Human anger does not achieve God’s righteous purpose. (James 1:19-20)

Don’t give in to worry or anger;
it only leads to trouble.
(Psalm 37:8)

People with quick tempers cause a lot of quarreling and trouble. (Proverbs 29:22)

Keep your temper under control; it is foolish to harbor a grudge. (Ecclesiastes 7:9)

But now you must get rid of all these things: anger, passion, and hateful feelings. No insults or obscene talk must ever come from your lips. (Colossians 3:8)

If you become angry, do not let your anger lead you into sin, and do not stay angry all day. (Ephesians 4:26)

People with a hot temper do foolish things; wiser people remain calm. (Proverbs 14:17)

But I promise you that if you are angry with someone, you will have to stand trial. If you call someone a fool, you will be taken to court. And if you say that someone is worthless, you will be in danger of the fires of hell. (Matthew 5:22)

Get rid of all bitterness, passion, and anger. No more shouting or insults, no more hateful feelings of any sort. (Ephesians 4:31)

But keep away from foolish and ignorant arguments; you know that they end up in quarrels. As the Lord’s servant, you must not quarrel. You must be kind toward all, a good and patient teacher, who is gentle as you correct your opponents, for it may be that God will give them the opportunity to repent and come to know the truth. (2 Timothy 2:23-25)

Is it time to put away sin in our lives? It’s hard to do that if we don’t understand what sin is. The following verses deal with what sin is:

John 5:14 Afterward Jesus findeth him in the temple, and said unto him, Behold, thou art made whole: sin no more, lest a worse thing come unto thee.

Romans 12:9 Let love be without dissimulation. Abhor that which is evil; cleave to that which is good.

Romans 12:10 Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love; in honor preferring one another;

1 Corinthians 15:34 Awake to righteousness, and sin not; for some have not the knowledge of God: I speak this to your shame.

2 Corinthians 7:1 Having therefore these promises, dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.

Galatians 5:13 For, brethren, ye have been called unto liberty; only use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by love serve one another.

Galatians 6:1 Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual, restore such a one in the spirit of meekness; considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted.

Ephesians 5:3 But fornication, and all uncleanness, or covetousness, let it not be once named among you, as becometh saints; 4 Neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor jesting, which are not convenient: but rather giving of thanks.

Ephesians 5:11 And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove [them].

Colossians 3:5 Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth; fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness, which is idolatry:

1Thessalonians 5:22 Abstain from all appearance of evil.

2Timothy 2:19 Nevertheless the foundation of God standeth sure, having this seal, The Lord knoweth them that are his. And, Let every one that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity.

2Timothy 3:2 For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, 3 Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, 4 Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God; 5 Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away.

James 1:16 Do not err, my beloved brethren.

James 1:21 Wherefore lay apart all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness, and receive with meekness the engrafted word, which is able to save your souls.

1 Peter 2:1 Wherefore laying aside all malice, and all guile, and hypocrisies, and envies, and all evil speakings,

2Peter 3:17 Ye therefore, beloved, seeing ye know [these things] before, beware lest ye also, being led away with the error of the wicked, fall from your own stedfastness.

1 John 5:16 If any man see his brother sin a sin which is not unto death, he shall ask, and he shall give him life for them that sin not unto death. There is a sin unto death: I do not say that he shall pray for it.

3John 1:11 Beloved, follow not that which is evil, but that which is good. He that doeth good is of God: but he that doeth evil hath not seen God.

Don’t let sin get between you and God.

SMILE God loves YOU!!
Have a good day all.