Following the trail… In His Word
I
began reading in Titus chapter 2 and 3 today.
I
decided to look it up in a different translation. ,and so I went to my Bible
App. Upon opening it I saw the scripture of the day and read it.
Instead, we will speak the truth in love, growing
in every way more and more like Christ, who is the head of his body, the church.
Ephesians 4:15
I read it and thought, Okay we speak the truth in love… that’s hard
enough to get a good bite of because it is not easy to speak the truth in love
the way it is put here; but, it is not just what that way saying because it started
with “Instead”.
So I had to look and find out why it said instead; instead of
what?
So I looked it up and found this just before it;
Then we will no longer be immature like children. We won’t be
tossed and blown about by every wind of new teaching. We will not be influenced
when people try to trick us with lies so clever they sound like the truth.Ephesians 4:14
Great! So I found that we were do speak the truth in love, instead
of being tossed by every wind and wave, every idea of doctrine or idea of what
we should believe that tricks people into doing things because it sounds like
the truth. That w will need to be mature Christ like people who follow Christ
not man.
This can cover so much in the world! Look around you and what do
you see? Self proclaimed Christians who tell us if we send in money we will get
a healing, or if we do what they say we will get rich. The truth is that we
need to look to the Word of God and follow His direction for how to live a good
life doing what He wants us to do. But
then I noticed…”Then we will…” So what
comes before this? What else is there to this scripture I wondered to myself?
Now these are the gifts Christ gave to
the church: the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, and the pastors and
teachers. Their responsibility is to equip God’s people to do His work and
build up the church the body of Christ. This will continue until we all come to
such unity in our faith and knowledge of God’s Son that we will be mature in
the Lord, measuring up to the full and complete standard of Christ. Ephesians
4:11-13
Okay, yes I see, now I am getting the
whole picture. We are, as the church, given gifts in the form of people;
prophets, the evangelists, pastor and teachers. These people some of whom may
be us, are to equip and build up the body of Christ, the church. When they do
this we all can come together in unity in our faith and knowing Christ Jesus
God’s Son and then we will be those mature in the Lord people measuring up to
the full and complete standard of Christ! Okay so we will be right in God’s
eyes! Then…. okay I get it! Do you?
I have had such a fun time
reading today’s daily read, thank you Bible App that gave me a good study. I
think we need to remember that our daily reads are not just to read through it
and get on with our day but to think on it. To digest it, to follow God’s
rabbit trails and find out what He wants us to do with it.
So what can we do? Go back and read from the beginning of Chapter
4! Live a life worthy of our calling. Humble, gentle, patient, making
allowances for each others faults because of our love. Work together with all
our hearts to keep the peace in a united group of Christians.
Therefore I,
a prisoner for serving the Lord, beg you to lead a life worthy of your calling,
for you have been called by God. Always be humble and gentle. Be patient with each other, making
allowance for each other’s faults because of your love. Make every effort to keep yourselves
united in the Spirit, binding yourselves together with peace. For there is
one body and one Spirit, just as you have been called to one glorious hope for
the future. There is one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and
Father of all, who is over all, in all, and living through all. However, he
has given each one of us a special gift through the generosity of Christ. Ephesians 4:1-7
When we link up together with other like minded believers we are
able to live at peace and share God’s love with those around us. If we are
bickering and fighting over dumb stuff how is that going to present ourselves acceptable
to God? How will that give someone a reason to come to join us?
Lets make it a plan to work together for the good of the Kingdom
by being one in Christ; holy and acceptable to His purpose. Looking at the beginning of this chapter I see
it begins with “Therefore”… here we go on another adventure!
Dear Heavenly Father, thank you for your rabbit trail today! Thank
you for the chance to study out the words and follow backwards through the word
to find the answer to what it is there fore is always a fun adventure. Help us
to continually seek out Your direction in the Word, in Jesus name, amen.
Suggested reading: Ephesians 4: 1-32, Ephesians 5:1-33, Titus 3:1-14
and Titus 2:1-15.