Remember this! In the last days there will be many troubles, because people will love themselves, love money, brag, and be proud. They will say evil things against others and will not obey their parents or be thankful or be the kind of people God wants. They will not love others, will refuse to forgive, will gossip, and will not control themselves. They will be cruel, will hate what is good, will turn against their friends, and will do foolish things without thinking. They will be conceited, will love pleasure instead of God, and will act as if they serve God but will not have his power. Stay away from those people.
Wow! So much food for thought in these few verses! It says there will be many troubles because of people doing these things. It's easy to see the truth of this. There are so many troubles I've seen and experienced because people are like what is listed in this passage. I can so easily point to times I've experienced pain because others have done these things! But as always, instead of judging others, I need to look deep within my own heart.
How many times have my troubles stemmed from my own character defects? And how am I to stay away from "those people" when some of these things are things I do myself! I don't want to be found in this group of people! Yet, while some things in this list don't apply to me, too many do. Unfortunately, I've seen times when I wanted my own pleasure rather than doing something God was telling me to do. And I've certainly seen myself do foolish things without thinking. There have been times when I've been proud, and times when I have forgotten to be thankful. And there are times I do not experience God's power fully in my life. Is it because of these character defects?
Father, forgive me! You know me and you know my heart. Please cleanse me and make me COMPLETELY yours! I am so grateful, Father for your power at work in my life, and that you have promised to see the work you have started to completion! Thank you, Father!
Wow. There's a lot of food for thought there, too:
And yet, as I think of this promise, it too begins to convict me. It's embarrassing to admit, but too often, I have a challenge with finishing what I start. I've come to realize how often I work on a task until it is 90% or 95% complete and then decide it's "good enough for now." For example, when cleaning the kitchen, I might get the dishes dealt with, but decide not to sweep the floor. Or I might clean in my office, and stop when I have a small stack of things that need to be gone through. Or maybe I'm cooking and do most of the clean up but leave that one dish that needs to be hand-washed. Whatever it is, too often I leave some little thing undone so the task is not truly finished. I'm so glad God won't do that with me! I'm so glad I can be confident that He will see the work in me done to completion!
Perhaps I can use this knowledge to encourage me to complete my own tasks. Perhaps, instead of leaving one small piece undone, I can, as I finish that last little bit of whatever task I am working on, spend my time thanking God for the work He is doing in my life and that I can trust he will see it to completion. I LOVE that idea! Seen this way, completely finishing my tasks is like a prayer of gratitude!
Thank you, Father, for your gentleness with me. Even when you convict me and point out something in me that needs attention, you do it in a loving way and with the full promise that I can depend upon YOUR strength and guidance to achieve the change that is needed - that it is YOU that works within me both to will and to do your good pleasure (Phil 2:13). Like a good parent, teaching me - your child, you even manage to make the work FUN! I am so grateful, Father!
How many times have my troubles stemmed from my own character defects? And how am I to stay away from "those people" when some of these things are things I do myself! I don't want to be found in this group of people! Yet, while some things in this list don't apply to me, too many do. Unfortunately, I've seen times when I wanted my own pleasure rather than doing something God was telling me to do. And I've certainly seen myself do foolish things without thinking. There have been times when I've been proud, and times when I have forgotten to be thankful. And there are times I do not experience God's power fully in my life. Is it because of these character defects?
Father, forgive me! You know me and you know my heart. Please cleanse me and make me COMPLETELY yours! I am so grateful, Father for your power at work in my life, and that you have promised to see the work you have started to completion! Thank you, Father!
Wow. There's a lot of food for thought there, too:
". . . being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus." (Phil 1:6 NIV)I am SO glad for the promise that God will complete the good work He's started in me. It's so easy to get discouraged sometimes when I see how far short of God's ideal I fall, and these words are such a comfort at these times.
And yet, as I think of this promise, it too begins to convict me. It's embarrassing to admit, but too often, I have a challenge with finishing what I start. I've come to realize how often I work on a task until it is 90% or 95% complete and then decide it's "good enough for now." For example, when cleaning the kitchen, I might get the dishes dealt with, but decide not to sweep the floor. Or I might clean in my office, and stop when I have a small stack of things that need to be gone through. Or maybe I'm cooking and do most of the clean up but leave that one dish that needs to be hand-washed. Whatever it is, too often I leave some little thing undone so the task is not truly finished. I'm so glad God won't do that with me! I'm so glad I can be confident that He will see the work in me done to completion!
Perhaps I can use this knowledge to encourage me to complete my own tasks. Perhaps, instead of leaving one small piece undone, I can, as I finish that last little bit of whatever task I am working on, spend my time thanking God for the work He is doing in my life and that I can trust he will see it to completion. I LOVE that idea! Seen this way, completely finishing my tasks is like a prayer of gratitude!
Thank you, Father, for your gentleness with me. Even when you convict me and point out something in me that needs attention, you do it in a loving way and with the full promise that I can depend upon YOUR strength and guidance to achieve the change that is needed - that it is YOU that works within me both to will and to do your good pleasure (Phil 2:13). Like a good parent, teaching me - your child, you even manage to make the work FUN! I am so grateful, Father!
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This blog is simply a sharing of my "daily bread" - my daily walk with God. If something I've said has touched your heart, or sparked a new thought, I'd love to hear from you.