Verse of the Day 7/23

1 Timothy 4:12 Don't let anyone think less of you because you are young. Be an example to all believers in what you say, in the way you live, in your love, your faith, and your purity.   New Living Translation (NLT)

Yesterday we considered that if God has called and chosen you, He has a plan for you.  You have a mission in life, and it is not a "mission impossible".

In today's passage from 1 Timothy the Apostle Paul is teaching, instructing a young pastor.  He is challenging Timothy not to listen to what others say and think about him but to hold to the course that God has set for him and to set an example, to teach all believers, "in what you say, in how you live and love, and how you display your faith and purity.

John Newton, who wrote the famous hymn Amazing Grace wrote in his letters, "May you be taught of God--for none teaches like Him--and come forth an able minister of the New Covenant, well instructed to rightly divide and faithfully distribute the Word of truth.

In the school of Christ, you will have to learn some lessons which are not very pleasant to flesh and blood. You must learn to labor, to run, to fight, to wrestle--and many other hard exercises--some of which will try your strength, and others your patience."

If you look back at your school years you may not have enjoyed every subject every class (I'm thinking of geometry) but they were important for you to learn.  There may have been things even in classes that you generally enjoyed that you didn't like.  I loved gym class, playing basketball, football and several other things but I hated wrestling.  But they were all important and taught us something.

Some of life's lessons are not pleasant but they are important and can teach us and can help us to teach others about the love of Christ and the amazing grace of God.

The Message (below) states, "get the word out" and teach the things that we learned and experienced about the grace of God in our lives.  "Stay at your post reading scripture, giving counsel, teaching."

--   In Christ,  Mike    Folllow the Verse of the Day blog at http://mikesvotd.blogspot.com  Ephesians 1:7 In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins,  in accordance with the riches of God's grace.  NIV    

1 Timothy 4:12-14The Message (MSG)

^11-14 Get the word out. Teach all these things. And don't let anyone put you down because you're young. Teach believers with your life: by word, by demeanor, by love, by faith, by integrity. Stay at your post reading Scripture, giving counsel, teaching. And that special gift of ministry you were given when the leaders of the church laid hands on you and prayed—keep that dusted off and in use.