My Journey Journal

“But watch yourselves lest your hearts be weighed down with dissipation and drunkenness and cares of this life, and that day come upon you suddenly like a trap.”
Luke 21:34 ESV

Jesus’ admonition for His disciples is important for us today.

Prepare for Battle

We are locked in battle with being more powerful and knowledgeable than we.  Their experience is many lifetimes longer than ours and yet it is through the power of Jesus’ name and His Holy Spirit that we fight.  We encourage one another with testimony, telling of what He promises and how He delivers.  It is through prayer and walking in the Spirit that we endure and work for His kingdom.  Read more... (698 words, 1 image, estimated 2:48 mins reading time)

For this very reason, make every effort to supplement your faith with virtue,
and virtue with knowledge,
and knowledge with self-control,
and self-control with steadfastness,
and steadfastness with godliness,
and godliness with brotherly affection,
and brotherly affection with love.

For if these qualities are yours and are increasing, they keep you from being ineffective or unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.
2 Peter 1:5-8 ESV

If you wonder “For what very reason?” join the club.

In verse 3 Peter tells us

His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness ….
2 Peter 1:3 ESV  Read more... (242 words, estimated 58 secs reading time)

The Spirit of God came upon Azariah the son of Oded,
and he went out to meet Asa and said to him, “Hear me, Asa, and all Judah and Benjamin:
The LORD is with you while you are with him. If you seek him, he will be found by you, but if you forsake him, he will forsake you.
For a long time Israel was without the true God, and without a teaching priest and without law,
but when in their distress they turned to the LORD, the God of Israel, and sought him, he was found by them.
2 Chronicles 15:1-4 ESV  Read more... (431 words, estimated 1:43 mins reading time)

Reading through 2 Timothy this morning I ran across this which sounded so familiar.

“… God, 9 who saved us and called us to a holy calling, not because of our works but because of his own purpose and grace ….”
2 Timothy 1:8-9 ESV

Also stated by Paul famously in

“For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast.”
Ephesians 2:8-9 ESV  Read more... (121 words, 1 image, estimated 29 secs reading time)

God’s word, the Bible, is powerful.  Both the Jewish Testament and the New Testament tell us that God’s word is profitable.

Sometimes, however, English translations have subtle differences from the original texts.  Take for example a passage from Paul’s first letter to Timothy.

The purpose of my instruction is that all believers would be filled with love that comes from a pure heart, a clear conscience, and genuine faith.
1 Timothy 1:5 NLT

The Bible presents lists like this passage in 1 Timothy.  My question when I read this was which part is “the list?”  I see two possibilities and the difference may change what I focus on as I seek to follow Jesus.  Read more... (703 words, 1 image, estimated 2:49 mins reading time)