Chapter 3:
As you read the first six verses what comes tom mind: Today’s newspaper? Your school? Your workplace? Your friends? Your self? Those who say the Bible isn’t relevant must have skipped over this section, even though it was written nearly 1950 years ago! Paul sets forth quite the list of character traits that described not only his people at the time, but us today as well:
- Lovers of themselves (check)
- Lovers of money (check)
- Boastful (trying to look better than I am - check)
- Proud (check)
- Abusive (evil speech – check)
- Disobedient to their parents (ask your parents – check)
- Ungrateful (not usually but…..check)
- Unholy (duh – check)
- Without Love (family affection first – check)
- Unforgiving (hold grudge – check)
- Slanderous (Pastor’s message this week – check)
- Without self-control (I deny myself very little – check)
- Brutal (I’m sure I’ve been – check)
- Not lovers of the good (lose my focus – check)
- Treacherous (traitor – not sure, but – check)
- Rash (careless, just ask Jean – check)
- Conceited (see #4 – check)
- Lovers of Pleasure (put myself before things of God – check)
- Having a form of godliness (before Jesus – check)
Ok – So I’m guilty of them all. How about you? If you said no, then you blew at least number 3! Anyway, this is a convicting list, and one that would throw me into depression if verse 10 didn’t start with “You, however,….” GREAT words! Direction, not perfection is the key here. God knows we’re ALL guilty of these at times, but when they begin to define our lives, that’s a problem.
So what is the solution? Paul writes:
- Follow His example: (10-11) Paul went thru some pretty tough stuff and endured!
- Expect tough times: (12-13) Ok, so how many of us have verse 13 as a memory verse? Not the kind of verse we put to memory, yet just as true.
- Keep on keepin’ on: (14) Much of the Christian life is the daily grind of saying no to our selfish desires & temptations from the enemy and instead following the ways of the Lord.
- Let God’s Word… (15-16) Its gives eternal life and wisdom!
o Teach me – God’s ways are not my ways.
o Rebuke me – Bible constantly smacks me in the face when my heart or actions are wrong.
o Correct me – Sets me on the right course.
o Train me – It’s like a spiritual workout!
- Why? So God can use me! (17) Completely gives me all I need to serve the Lord!
SO WHAT?!
*Take the list at the beginning and go through it. Circle the top two things you’d like God to help you with. Commit them to prayer & practice over the next 30 days and watch God do some great things!
*What has the Bible taught you lately? How has it rebuked & corrected you? How are you being trained by it?
*If you’re a believer in Christ, take a moment right now and thank God that you are new creation, that you are being transformed and fro the fact that He will complete the good work He began in you & me!!!
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