This is a video from the A21 website about human trafficking. Sure we all hear about the 27 million slaves in the world moderately often due to organizations like A21 and International Justice Missions. However these people aren’t just numbers, they aren’t just statistics..here let me and A21 break it down to you what, and who these numbers really represent…
“As I urged you when I went into Macedonia, stay there in Ephesus so that you may command certain men not to teach false doctrines any longer, nor devote themselves to myths and endless genealogies. These promote controversies rather then God’s work-which is by faith. The goal of this command is love, which comes from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith.” 1st Timothy, 1:3-5.
Paul is pouring his heart out to Timothy in these verses. He knows that it’s near the end of his life and he is trying to teach Timothy how to lead the church in his absence. The way he starts out this letter is essentially plain about what the center of following Christ is about. FIRST-We are not supposed to devote ourselves to endless theology trying to wrap our minds about our infinite God and put Him into a tiny little box. We are supposed to have FAITH in our Lord. He says this because it is so easy to get wrapped up in religion and controversy when we are just studying the Bible devoid of this faith. No, Paul is not saying not to study the word, he is saying don’t concentrate on which doctrine is right or wrong, concentrate on the true center of God’s work, which is FAITH. Devoid of FAITH we can do nothing for Christ, and our relationship with Him will be trampled on by our search for knowledge. Our knowledge of the Word and the Lord are supposed to be like coals, wrapping in around our faith and keeping the fire going, but NOT the source of fire itself. The innermost center of our devotion to our GOD should be focused on our FAITH in HIM and NOT in our KNOWLEDGE of HIM. This knowledge is essential for our faith to keep it going, but above all, we need to keep FAITH as the center of our walk.
SECONDLY-The goal of the faith, the goal of this command of faith we are given, the goal of our entire relationship, walk with Christ should NOT be our own betterment. It should NOT be about FINANCIAL SECURITY or GOOD EDUCATION or LEADERSHIP POSITIONS, it should NOT be about how SPIRITUAL WE LOOK, or how many GOOD DEEDS WE CAN ACCOMPLISH. Its not even to MAKE DISCIPLES. THE ENTIRE GOAL OF OUR FAITH IS TO LOVE.
LOVE.
The goal of our faith is to love. At the end of our lives we should be asking, did I love with the fullest extent I could? Did I love God with all of my heart and recklessly pursue HIM with all that I had? Did I love my neighbors, friends, family, with all of my heart because of the LOVE that Christ put in my heart? “The goal of this command is love,” The goal of the command of FAITH (In the Lord Jesus Christ) is NOT FOR OUR SALVATION, ITS FOR SOMETHING EVEN GREATER! THE OVER-BOUNDING JOYOUS AND LIFE GIVING LOVE OF OUR CREATOR GIVEN INTO OUR LIVES! Salvation is a coinciding part of this, but the true root, reason of our faith should be love. God’s love surpasses all else that we could ever experience. When we are rooted in the unequivocal love of our Creator we need nothing else in our lives, because the rest will follow as a result of this love..”which comes from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith”. We get this love from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith, yes I know that’s repetitive but I don’t think we can hear it enough. We receive this amazing love from God when we draw near to Him with pure hearts, hearts that long for nothing more and nothing less then God’s goodness. Pure-Having a uniform composition, not mixed. It means that when we draw near to God with a heart that is not mixed with our types of wants, but with one singular want, desire, for God’s love we shall receive this love that we ask for, because as HE says-When we draw near, HE SHALL DRAW NEAR TO US- and that is the kind of thing we’re talking about here. With a good conscience and a sincere faith. Notice Paul does not say a clean conscience, or a perfect conscience, he says a GOOD conscience, (being positive or desirable in nature) aka, having a heart that is POSITIVE in the goodness of God and desires His love-NOT A PERFECT HEART, but one whom desires GOD above all. Sincere faith, Paul is throwing in these little breadths of knowledge because he knows, that there are many people out there with half faith’s, not entirely sincere, but just only in it for so many parts. But if we come in this sincere faith, then we shall be rewarded with God’s OMNIPOTENT REVITALIZING and CHANGING LOVE. This is the center of our Christianity, naught else but GOD’S HEART, which ABOVE ALL is the BEST THING WORTH HAVING. I love you all, and I just have to share this with you all to remind you in this new year to keep your eye on the true prize-GOD’S LOVE- above all else you may be striving for.
more-to-life-than-books:
Did you know that there are more slaves in the world today than any other time in history?
Around the world today, 27 million men, women, and children are being forced to work as housekeepers, in factories, in fisheries, and in fields. Children who should be heading to school are instead heading…
People always ask how close they can get to sin, instead of how close they can get to Jesus.
Perhaps a sin that humbles you is better than a good deed that makes you arrogant
We ought to give thanks for all fortune: if it is “good,” because is it good, if “bad” because it works in us patience, humility, and the contempt of this world and the hope of our eternal country.
~ C. S. Lewis
I’m not married yet, and I am constantly saddened that there is not way too much you can find/own to show how much you love your girlfriend. I have the greatest girlfriend in the world. Any godly man should be able to agree with me that there are not many better gifts that God can give a man than an amazing godly woman. Its the week before Thanksgiving, we’re supposed to be taking an inventory of what we are blessed with and this is one of the first and biggest blessings in my life. I am proud to say, I love my girlfriend. It doesn’t matter who you are, if you are a man and have a girlfriend or a wife, be proud of her, tell her how much you love her, and say thanks to God for her.
