Friday, February 27, 2015

Active commands found in Hebrews

1. Give the more earnest heed to the things which we have heard. (2:1)
2. Consider the Apostle and High Priest of our profession, Christ Jesus. (3:1)
3. Exhort one another daily. (3:13)
4. Let us therefore fear, lest, a promise being left us of entering into his rest, any of you should seem to come short of it. (4:1)
5. Labour therefore to enter into that rest, lest any man fall after the same example of unbelief. (4:11)
6. Hold fast our profession. (4:14)
7. Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace. (4:16)
8. Follow them who through faith and patience inherit the promises. (6:12)
9. Draw near [to God] with a true heart in full assurance of faith. (10:22)
10. Hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering. (10:23)
11. Consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works. (10:24)
12. Exhort one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching. (10:25)
13. Call to remembrance the former days, in which, after ye were illuminated, ye endured a great fight of afflictions. (10:32)
14. Lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us. (12:1)
15. Run with patience the race that is set before us. (12:1)
16. Look unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith. (12:2)
17. Consider him that endured such contradiction of sinners against himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds. (12:3)
18. Lift up the hands which hang down, and the feeble knees. (12:12)
19. Make straight paths for your feet. (12:13)
20. Follow peace with all men, and holiness. (12:14)
21. Look diligently [for sin]. (12:15)
22. Let brotherly love continue. (13:1)
23. Entertain strangers. (13:2)
24. Remember them that are in bonds, as bound with them; and them which suffer adversity, as being yourselves also in the body. (13:3)
25. Be content with such things as ye have. (13:5)
26. Remember them which have the rule over you, who have spoken unto you the word of God: whose faith follow, considering the end of their conversation. (13:7)
27. Offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of our lips giving thanks to his name. (13:15)
28. Do good and communicate. (13:16)
29. Obey them that have the rule over you, and submit yourselves. (13:17)
30. Pray for us. (13:18)
31. Suffer the word of exhortation. (13:22)

Wednesday, February 25, 2015

Active commands found in Titus

1. Speak the things which become sound doctrine. (2:1)
2. Aged men: be sober. (2:2)
3. Aged men: be grave. (2:2)
4. Aged men: be temperate. (2:2)
5. Aged men: be sound in faith, charity, and patience. (2:2)
6. Aged women: be in behavior as becomes holiness. (2:3)
7. Aged women: teach good things.(2:3)
8. Young women: be sober. (2:4)
9. Young women: love your husbands. (2:4)
10. Young women: love your children. (2:4)
11. Young women: be discreet. (2:5)
12. Young women: be chaste. (2:5)
13. Young women: be keepers at home. (2:5)
14. Young women: be good. (2:5)
15. Young women: be obedient to your own husbands. (2:5)
16. Young men: be sober minded. (2:6)
17. Young men: show yourself a pattern of good works. (2:7)
18. Young men: in doctrine show uncorruptness, gravity, sincerity, sound speech, that cannot be condemned. (2:8)
19. Servants: be obedient to your own masters, please them well in all things. (2:9)
20. Servants: show all good fidelity. (2:10)
21. Deny ungodliness and worldly lust. (2:12)
22. Live soberly, righteously, and godly. (2:12)
23. These things speak, and exhort, and rebuke with all authority. (2:15)
24. Let no man despise you. (2:15)
25. Be subject to principalities and powers. (3:1)
26. Obey magistrates. (3:1)
27. Be ready to every good work. (3:1)
28. Be gentle. (3:2)
29. Show all meekness to all men. (3:2)
30. These things affirm constantly. (3:8)
31. A man that is a heretic after the first and second admonition reject. (3:10)
32. Learn to maintain good works for necessary uses. (3:14)

Monday, February 16, 2015

Active commands found in II Timothy

Keep in mind that the epistles to Timothy were to a specific pastor, in a certain place, at a particular time. Therefore, many of the commands are to particular groups of people (pastors, widows, deacons' wives, servants, etc.) and are not for all people everywhere to obey. That being said, we can all learn from these commands and if you happen to fall into one of the unique groups, the command is indeed still for you today!

1. Stir up the gift of God which is in thee. (1:6)
2. Be thou partaker in the affliction of the gospel. (1:8)
3. Hold fast the form of sound doctrine. (1:13)
4. That good thing which was committed unto thee keep by the Holy Ghost. (1:14)
5. Be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus. (2:1)
6. The things you have heard of me commit to faithful men who will be able to teach others. (2:2)
7. Endure hardness as a good soldier of Jesus Christ. - 2:3
8. Charge them before the Lord not to strive about words with no profit that only subvert the hearers. (2:14)
9. Study to show thyself approved unto God. (2:15)
10. Shun profane and vain babblings. (2:16)
11. Let everyone that names the name of Christ depart from iniquity. (2:19)
12. Flee youthful lusts. (2:22)
13. Follow righteousness, faith, charity, peace, with them that call on the Lord. (2:22)
14. Avoid foolish and unlearned questions. (2:23)
15. Be gentle unto all men, apt to teach, patient, in meekness instructing those that oppose themselves. (2:24-25)
16. Continue in the things which you have learned and been assured of. (3:14)
17. Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all long-suffering and doctrine. (4:2)
18. Watch in all things. (4:5)
19. Endure afflictions. (4:5)
20. Do the work of an evangelist. (4:5)
21. Make full proof of your ministry. (4:5)

Sunday, February 15, 2015

The humility of Joshua

Josh. 3:7 And the LORD said unto Joshua, This day will I begin to magnify thee in the sight of all Israel, that they may know that, as I was with Moses, so I will be with thee.
Josh. 3:8 And thou shalt command the priests that bear the ark of the covenant, saying, When ye are come to the brink of the water of Jordan, ye shall stand still in Jordan.
Josh. 3:9 And Joshua said unto the children of Israel, Come hither, and hear the words of the LORD your God.
Josh. 3:10 And Joshua said, Hereby ye shall know that the living God is among you, and that he will without fail drive out from before you the Canaanites, and the Hittites, and the Hivites, and the Perizzites, and the Girgashites, and the Amorites, and the Jebusites.
Josh. 3:11 Behold, the ark of the covenant of the Lord of all the earth passeth over before you into Jordan.


Note here how Joshua takes the influence that God gives him with the people and uses it to increase their faith in God. Although God tells Joshua that the parting of the Jordan would be the means by which he would cause Joshua to be magnified in the eyes of the people, Joshua turns right to the Children of Israel and tells them that this would be the means by which they would know that God was among them and would not fail to drive their enemies out before them. The selflessness that was exhibited here by Joshua should be an example for all of us. How easy would it have been for Joshua to turn right around and say, "God has told me that he will part the Jordan in order for me to be magnified in your eyes!" However, he had a mind of service toward the people, to do what was best for them, and he knew that what was best for them was always more of God. More faith in him, more love for him, more obedience to him, and more trust in his words. If God's plan was for Joshua to be magnified in the eyes of the people, there was no reason for Joshua to grandstand or pontificate, God can and will accomplish his plan without our egotism.
What a lesson in humility and service is here to be gained for us, how often is our first priority on making sure we look good or we get our due instead of doing what is best for others, particularly the children of God? Let us commit to be more like Joshua by using whatever influence or respect we have with others to point them back to Christ, if we use it simply to make ourselves feel better or to increase our material wealth we have prostituted one of the good gifts of God, and using what could have been used to glorify God as a means of glorifying ourselves makes us guilty of idolatry!