Reflecting God - Embrace Holy Living - "Now and Eternity" for Monday, 9 February 2015 Scripture: 1 Timothy 4:1-8

Reflecting God - Embrace Holy Living - "Now and Eternity" for Monday, 9 February 2015 Scripture: 1 Timothy 4:1 The Spirit clearly says that in latter times some people will turn away from the faith. They will pay attention to spirits that deceive and to the teaching of demons. 2 They will be controlled by the pretense of lying, and their own consciences will be seared. 3 They will prohibit marriage and eating foods that God created—and he intended them to be accepted with thanksgiving by those who are faithful and have come to know the truth. 4 Everything that has been created by God is good, and nothing that is received with thanksgiving should be rejected. 5 These things are made holy by God’s word and prayer. 6 If you point these things out to the believers, you will be a good servant of Christ Jesus who has been trained by the words of faith and the good teaching that you’ve carefully followed. 7 But stay away from the godless myths that are passed down from the older women.

Practices of spiritual leadership

Train yourself for a holy life! 8 While physical training has some value, training in holy living is useful for everything. It has promise for this life now and the life to come.

RG AUDIO 020915"Now and Eternity" by Author: Cindy Lowcock
Every year attendance at gym and exercise classes increase in the month of January. By the end of February, however, attendance has dropped back to a normal level. The reason for the decline isn’t because the gym is too stinky; the equipment too old or even the perceived lack of time people find they have for exercise. Rather, the decline is predominately because of a lack of motivation. Trainers say that members tend to lose focus on their goals because they are not seeing results.
The same phenomenon can take place in our attempts to develop spiritually. We experience salvation or a “mountain top” experience and our motivation for developing a Godly life increases. However, when life gets in the way our motivation begins to lessen. The goals we set for a disciplined life in God must be helpful both now and later. We must build our spiritual muscles over time. Being Godly is a way of being, but it takes intentional doing to keep ourselves in shape spiritually.
Keep your focus set on eternity.
Hymn for Today: "Take time to be holy" by Author: William D. Longstaff (ca. 1882)

1. Take time to be holy, 

speak oft with thy Lord; 

abide in him always, 

and feed on his word. 

Make friends of God's children, 

help those who are weak, 

forgetting in nothing 

his blessing to seek. 

2. Take time to be holy, 

the world rushes on; 

spend much time in secret 

with Jesus alone. 

By looking to Jesus, 

like him thou shalt be; 

thy friends in thy conduct 

his likeness shall see. 

3. Take time to be holy, 

let him be thy guide, 

and run not before him, 

whatever betide. 

In joy or in sorrow, 

still follow the Lord, 

and, looking to Jesus, 

still trust in his word. 

4. Take time to be holy, 

be calm in thy soul, 

each thought and each motive 

beneath his control. 

Thus led by his spirit 

to fountains of love, 

thou soon shalt be fitted

for service above.

____________________________