Reading: I Timothy 3
My Verse: "If I am detained, you may know how people ought to conduct themselves in the household of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and stay (the prop and support) of the Truth" (3:15).
This is an amazing verse. Paul here tells us the church is a household, a pillar and the stay or as the ESV states it the "buttress of the Truth." Basically, this verse is stating that the church is all important to those of us that believe and to the world. We, as Christians, must be a part of a church body for that is what keeps us from straying. We must also look to how we behave while in church for that is why Paul wrote this that, "you may know how people ought to conduct themselves in the household of God."
I also like how it is so clearly stated here that the church is of You, Lord God. You are the supreme authority of the church - "the church of the living God." And You are a living God! You dwell with us in the form of the Holy Spirit. And because You are a living God, then church should be a dynamic, exciting place - a place that we as followers of You want to be!
Oh, Lord God, You have entrusted the church to be that place where Your gospel is held up before the world. If only we each as members of the church would keep this vital role in mind. We have such a great responsibility! For many people the only way they get anything of the gospel is by observing the lives of Christians. Am I representing You and Your Truth as I should? Oh, Lord God, help me to ever keep in mind as Paul admonishes us how I should conduct myself "in the household of God."
You call us to worship You Lord, by gathering together with other believers. (Hebrews 10:25) And we should meet with great expectations of Your blessing on us as we raise our spirits up to You in worship. It is in this worship, this gathering together of believers in church that we can truly be of one mind as You call us to be. (I Cor. 1:10) It is also only in worship that we can experience as Foster puts it, "an inward fellowship in the power of the Spirit." This is what helps us to be united and so together form a strong pillar for Your church. I love that visual of each of us having a part in holding up the Truth before the world. Yes, we must meet to worship with great expectations of not only Your blessings but also of the part we play in that worship.
I am so thankful to be a part of this "church of the living God." I pray that I do my part to be a "buttress of the living Truth." I like how Calvin Miller put it. "Your life and mine are where God is now doing His writing." And this is for all the world to see!
" And great and important and weighty, we confess, is the hidden truth (the mystic secret) of godliness. He [God] was made visible in human flesh, justified and vindicated in the [Holy] Spirit, was seen by angels, preached among the nations, believed on in the world, [and] taken up in glory" (3:16)
Ditat Deus - God Enriches!
My Verse: "If I am detained, you may know how people ought to conduct themselves in the household of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and stay (the prop and support) of the Truth" (3:15).
This is an amazing verse. Paul here tells us the church is a household, a pillar and the stay or as the ESV states it the "buttress of the Truth." Basically, this verse is stating that the church is all important to those of us that believe and to the world. We, as Christians, must be a part of a church body for that is what keeps us from straying. We must also look to how we behave while in church for that is why Paul wrote this that, "you may know how people ought to conduct themselves in the household of God."
I also like how it is so clearly stated here that the church is of You, Lord God. You are the supreme authority of the church - "the church of the living God." And You are a living God! You dwell with us in the form of the Holy Spirit. And because You are a living God, then church should be a dynamic, exciting place - a place that we as followers of You want to be!
Oh, Lord God, You have entrusted the church to be that place where Your gospel is held up before the world. If only we each as members of the church would keep this vital role in mind. We have such a great responsibility! For many people the only way they get anything of the gospel is by observing the lives of Christians. Am I representing You and Your Truth as I should? Oh, Lord God, help me to ever keep in mind as Paul admonishes us how I should conduct myself "in the household of God."
You call us to worship You Lord, by gathering together with other believers. (Hebrews 10:25) And we should meet with great expectations of Your blessing on us as we raise our spirits up to You in worship. It is in this worship, this gathering together of believers in church that we can truly be of one mind as You call us to be. (I Cor. 1:10) It is also only in worship that we can experience as Foster puts it, "an inward fellowship in the power of the Spirit." This is what helps us to be united and so together form a strong pillar for Your church. I love that visual of each of us having a part in holding up the Truth before the world. Yes, we must meet to worship with great expectations of not only Your blessings but also of the part we play in that worship.
I am so thankful to be a part of this "church of the living God." I pray that I do my part to be a "buttress of the living Truth." I like how Calvin Miller put it. "Your life and mine are where God is now doing His writing." And this is for all the world to see!
" And great and important and weighty, we confess, is the hidden truth (the mystic secret) of godliness. He [God] was made visible in human flesh, justified and vindicated in the [Holy] Spirit, was seen by angels, preached among the nations, believed on in the world, [and] taken up in glory" (3:16)
Ditat Deus - God Enriches!
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