Friday, October 30, 2009

NTC Day 40: Luke 19, 1 Timothy 4-6 // Special Double Devotional!

1) 1 Timothy 5:17 says "The elders who direct the affairs of the church well are worthy of double honor, especially those whose work is preaching and teaching". This month is Pastor Appreciation Month, so make sure you thank Pastor Lee for all the work and godly leadership he puts into Redeemer Church!

2) “Train yourself for godliness”. All to often I think that godliness will come easily and naturally. Just read the Bible and pray once in a while and *poof* I’m godly. But the way Paul talks about godliness, he makes it sound like it’s . . . work. Like it’s hard. Like we must “toil and strive” to attain it.

As an American, I am accustomed to everything instantly. The Internet. My food. And I am accustomed to everything easy, for a price at least. But godliness is not instant and it is not easy. It’s like preparing for a marathon, but there are no steroids I can take to make this easier.

This is one reason Paul called the believers to not give up meeting with one another. The church serves to bear one another's burderns. We sharpen each other "as iron sharpens iron". But just like a diet and exercise regimine, it is only as effective as the trainee is committed. So how is the exercise of your "spiritual muscles" going? How is your diet (i.e. the things you are putting into your heart and mind)? The church exists to encourage and help the believer in the training process. After all, we are all in this together.

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