The Goal Of Our Instruction

I've really been stuck in 1 and 2 Timothy lately. There is just so much richness there! Sometimes I look at the Word and think, "How can I say this any different? There is just no improving it obviously, and any comparison or allusion dulls it!" So today let's just soak in the first few verses of 1 Timothy 1. But instead of reading it as "the Bible", read it as a letter from God to you: It brings it much closer to home. Place your name instead of Timothy's, for the Spirit penned this to you as well. So join me as I read 1 Tiffany...

1 Timothy 1:2-11*

To _________, my true child in the faith.
Grace, mercy, and peace from God the father and Christ Jesus our Lord.


As I urged you.....remain "where you are" so that you may command certain people not to teach other doctrine or to pay attention to myths and endless genealogies. These promote empty speculations rather than God's plan, which operates by faith.


Now the goal of our instruction is love from a pure heart, a good conscience, and a sincere faith. Some have deviated from these and turned aside to fruitless discussions. They want to be teachers of the law, although they don't understand what they are saying or what they are insisting on. 


Now we know that the law is not meant for the righteous person, 
   but for the lawless and rebellious, 
   for the ungodly and sinful, 
   for the unholy and irreverent, 
   for those who kill their fathers and mothers, 
   for murderers, 
   for the sexually immoral and homosexuals, 
   for kidnappers, liars, perjurers, 
and for whatever else is contrary to the sound teaching based on the glorious gospel of the blessed God that was entrusted to me (and you).


*Everything which is in quotations, underlined, italicized, and placed in bold is of my own doing and not Scripture. They were placed there for emphasis.

Looking Back

Since today is the last day of 2009, I'd like you to think on either the lesson you've best learned from God this year, or perhaps one defining thing that has happened in your walk with God.

Mine? This blog! I can't believe how much a part of my life this has become. I've felt for years that God wanted me to write, I just never knew how or had the courage to follow through. This blog has taught me so much. Everything it contains are things I am learning. After all we retain information better when teaching it rather than just reading it. So I'm learning a lot! The verse that spoke the loudest to me on this matter was 1 Timothy 1:12. It is my banner flag for this year:


"I give thanks to Christ Jesus our Lord, who has strengthened me, because He considered me faithful, appointing me to the ministry."


How would you define 2009 in your life?

Blessed Are: The Merciful

Blessed are those who are merciful, because they will be shown mercy.
Matthew 5:7

What does it mean to have mercy? Is it just another word for compassion, or something more?

Both have an element of forgiveness in them, yet I believe that in general humans show compassion easier than mercy. Compassion heavily involves the emotions of the heart. If we feel sorry for, love, or are able to empathize with someone, we tend to forgive them and do nice things for them without much effort. Mercy on the other hand, is still an attitude of the heart, but is rooted in obedience and love for God. In other words, you can have mercy on someone you don't care for at all because you care so much for God.

Now, the tricky thing about mercy is that just because we portray it, doesn't mean we have it. Proverbs 12:10 says, "A righteous man cares about his animal's health, but even the merciful acts of the wicked are cruel." Though the wicked man showed what he considered to be mercy out of obedience to law, or whatever ruled him, but it was still considered to be cruel. His mercy was rooted in obedience, yet not at all in love.

So how does that work concerning the mercy we will receive? Some of it between humans is that old cliché "What goes around, comes around." God however, will show us mercy instead of justice, when we show mercy to others. The law He is obeying is His own. 

"Let your eyes be turned to me, and have mercy on me, as it is right for you to do to those who are lovers of your name." Psalms 119:132 (BBE)

"...For I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children to the third and fourth generations of those who hate Me, but showing mercy to thousands, to those who love Me and keep My commandments." Exodus 20:5b-6 (NKJV)


We will receive mercy when we show mercy, and one of the blessings we will receive from the Lord is His faithful and loving mercy while still in this life. Why? Paul says it best...


"But I received mercy because of this, so that in me, the worst of them, Christ Jesus might demonstrate the utmost patience as an example to those who would believe in Him for eternal life." 1 Timothy 1:16