July 2nd 2017
This Is Very Important, You Must Have Faith That You Have A Father Who Is In Heaven.
2 Timothy 3:16-17 (NIV)
All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.
Paul is writing to a young man who is starting in the profession of a pastor or church leader, and here Paul is assuring Timothy that he has a good understanding of the holy Scriptures, because he was taught to trust in the Scriptures by people he knows to be knowledgeable and well-grounded in following the Scriptures. Just before the selected verses, Paul wrote the following. But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have become convinced of, because you know those from whom you learned it, and how from infancy you have known the holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. (2 Timothy 3:14-15). Who in your life has inspired you to believe the Scriptures to have been given to mankind, by God, as the absolute truth? The Bible is not just another book to guide you through this lifetime!
Do you read your Bible every day? If your answer is yes, then that may not be enough. One of my best friends, and a personal guide for me in this life says, we must not just read the Bible, but we must study it! If you did well in school, it was because you studied the subjects, and did all the homework that was assigned. If you did not do this, then when tested, you did not score well on the tests! Life is a testing grounds, and you will not get good grades when situations in this life require you to rely on Jesus, but you do not really know Him, thus you will not know how to contact Him! Knowing about Jesus is not good enough, even atheists know about Jesus, but they do not believe Jesus was anyone special! They would not pray to Jesus, because they do not understand who He is! Do you know Jesus?
The writer of Hebrews wrote about how we must have faith that God exists before we can expect to have our prayers answered. And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him. (Hebrews 11:6). When you pray do you really think about praying to please God? Many times, when we pray, it is to ask God for some “thing!” Sometimes when we pray it is for something we want, not necessarily a need. In this land of plenty we do not often have to pray for a real need, as most of us reading this commentary do not have needs for things that are not already available to us! However, I do not believe that such a prayer is wrong! What do you think about praying for wants?
James also wrote about the need to believe as we pray that our prayer is being heard. Note in the verses from James selected he is emphasizing the idea of praying for wisdom, first. As James puts it, God will not find fault with a prayer asking for wisdom. If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him. But when he asks, he must believe and not doubt, because he who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. That man should not think he will receive anything from the Lord; he is a double-minded man, unstable in all he does. (James 1:5-8). James then emphasizes the need of having faith that your prayer is being heard. As James writes, “But when he asks, he must believe and not doubt.” If you doubt that your prayer is being heard, then you “should not think (You) will receive anything from the Lord.”
Jesus gave His disciples (us) a great message about sharing in our burdens in this life, by allowing Him to help us pull together to solve our problems and burdens. "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light." (Matthew 11:28-30). Another message Jesus left with us about praying, lets us know that God knows what we need even before we pray for His help. And when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words. Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him. (Matthew 6:7-8)
At that time, Jesus was about to teach His disciples how to pray what we now call the Lord’s Prayer. Jesus gave them this instruction, This, then, is how you should pray: Our Father in heaven! (Matthew 6:9a). This is very important, you must have faith that you have a Father who is in heaven. There is a better life awaiting you when you leave this lifetime, because you have been adopted as a child of God by your heavenly Father. Paul wrote about your adoption too! We know that the whole creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time. Not only so, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for our adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies. (Romans 8:22-23)
As children of God our freedom is not limited to just this lifetime, please thank God for His adoption of us into His realm. And for Jesus’ offer to share our earthly burdens. As we approach the July 4th holiday, AKA Independence Day, remember to thank God for the freedom and independence still available in the USA, and that God will continue to bless this nation with allowing us to remain free. This independence is only possible, if we do not forget our dependence on Jesus for true freedom, and for peace that passes all understanding!
Wishing you a
Happy Independence Day!
Your brother in life through Adam, your brother in eternity through Jesus,
Bob Moak
2 Timothy 3:16-17 (NIV)
All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.
Paul is writing to a young man who is starting in the profession of a pastor or church leader, and here Paul is assuring Timothy that he has a good understanding of the holy Scriptures, because he was taught to trust in the Scriptures by people he knows to be knowledgeable and well-grounded in following the Scriptures. Just before the selected verses, Paul wrote the following. But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have become convinced of, because you know those from whom you learned it, and how from infancy you have known the holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. (2 Timothy 3:14-15). Who in your life has inspired you to believe the Scriptures to have been given to mankind, by God, as the absolute truth? The Bible is not just another book to guide you through this lifetime!
Do you read your Bible every day? If your answer is yes, then that may not be enough. One of my best friends, and a personal guide for me in this life says, we must not just read the Bible, but we must study it! If you did well in school, it was because you studied the subjects, and did all the homework that was assigned. If you did not do this, then when tested, you did not score well on the tests! Life is a testing grounds, and you will not get good grades when situations in this life require you to rely on Jesus, but you do not really know Him, thus you will not know how to contact Him! Knowing about Jesus is not good enough, even atheists know about Jesus, but they do not believe Jesus was anyone special! They would not pray to Jesus, because they do not understand who He is! Do you know Jesus?
The writer of Hebrews wrote about how we must have faith that God exists before we can expect to have our prayers answered. And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him. (Hebrews 11:6). When you pray do you really think about praying to please God? Many times, when we pray, it is to ask God for some “thing!” Sometimes when we pray it is for something we want, not necessarily a need. In this land of plenty we do not often have to pray for a real need, as most of us reading this commentary do not have needs for things that are not already available to us! However, I do not believe that such a prayer is wrong! What do you think about praying for wants?
James also wrote about the need to believe as we pray that our prayer is being heard. Note in the verses from James selected he is emphasizing the idea of praying for wisdom, first. As James puts it, God will not find fault with a prayer asking for wisdom. If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him. But when he asks, he must believe and not doubt, because he who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. That man should not think he will receive anything from the Lord; he is a double-minded man, unstable in all he does. (James 1:5-8). James then emphasizes the need of having faith that your prayer is being heard. As James writes, “But when he asks, he must believe and not doubt.” If you doubt that your prayer is being heard, then you “should not think (You) will receive anything from the Lord.”
Jesus gave His disciples (us) a great message about sharing in our burdens in this life, by allowing Him to help us pull together to solve our problems and burdens. "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light." (Matthew 11:28-30). Another message Jesus left with us about praying, lets us know that God knows what we need even before we pray for His help. And when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words. Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him. (Matthew 6:7-8)
At that time, Jesus was about to teach His disciples how to pray what we now call the Lord’s Prayer. Jesus gave them this instruction, This, then, is how you should pray: Our Father in heaven! (Matthew 6:9a). This is very important, you must have faith that you have a Father who is in heaven. There is a better life awaiting you when you leave this lifetime, because you have been adopted as a child of God by your heavenly Father. Paul wrote about your adoption too! We know that the whole creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time. Not only so, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for our adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies. (Romans 8:22-23)
As children of God our freedom is not limited to just this lifetime, please thank God for His adoption of us into His realm. And for Jesus’ offer to share our earthly burdens. As we approach the July 4th holiday, AKA Independence Day, remember to thank God for the freedom and independence still available in the USA, and that God will continue to bless this nation with allowing us to remain free. This independence is only possible, if we do not forget our dependence on Jesus for true freedom, and for peace that passes all understanding!
Wishing you a
Happy Independence Day!
Your brother in life through Adam, your brother in eternity through Jesus,
Bob Moak
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