Liz’s Morning Devotional based upon Upper Room
October 13, 2021
Read 1 Timothy 3:1-17
1 Understand that the last days will be dangerous times. 2 People will be selfish and love money. They will be the kind of people who brag and who are proud. They will slander others, and they will be disobedient to their parents. They will be ungrateful, unholy, 3 unloving, contrary, and critical. They will be without self-control and brutal, and they won’t love what is good. 4 They will be people who are disloyal, reckless, and conceited. They will love pleasure instead of loving God. 5 They will look like they are religious but deny God’s power. Avoid people like this. 6 Some will slither into households and control immature women who are burdened with sins and driven by all kinds of desires. 7 These women are always learning, but they can never arrive at an understanding of the truth. 8 These people oppose the truth in the same way that Jannes and Jambres opposed Moses. Their minds are corrupt and their faith is counterfeit. 9 But they won’t get very far. Their foolishness will become obvious to everyone like those others. 10 But you have paid attention to my teaching, conduct, purpose, faithfulness, patience, love, and endurance. 11 You have seen me experience physical abuse and ordeals in places such as Antioch, Iconium, and Lystra. I put up with all sorts of abuse, and the Lord rescued me from it all! 12 In fact, anyone who wants to live a holy life in Christ Jesus will be harassed. 13 But evil people and swindlers will grow even worse, as they deceive others while being deceived themselves. 14 But you must continue with the things you have learned and found convincing. You know who taught you. 15 Since childhood you have known the holy scriptures that help you to be wise in a way that leads to salvation through faith that is in Christ Jesus. 16 Every scripture is inspired by God and is useful for teaching, for showing mistakes, for correcting, and for training character, 17 so that the person who belongs to God can be equipped to do everything that is good.
Good Morning! Prepare yourself for your journey!
I have experienced many kinds of travelers in my life. Those who have studied the maps and the guides, and those who just head out the door without any preparation. How do you prepare for trips?
Several years ago, we discovered the joy of traveling to the Outer Banks, particularly Okracoke. If you have been to Okracoke, you know that you must travel by ferry to the island, and the trip depending upon how hurricanes have shifted the sand in the channel it may take up to an hour to make the journey from Hatteras Village. Okracoke is a delightful vacation destination devoid of all the chain restaurants, grocery stores, and markets that typically exist wherever we live.
When we prepared for these special trips to Okracoke, we would plan out our menus and pack any of the essentials to prepare the meals we wanted to enjoy while staying on the island. This included bringing the correct spices, cooking tools, and special pans that would make the job easier. We knew that we would have delicious seafood from the local market to be the centerpiece of our meals. It may sound like we were a bit obsessive with our preparation, but for us because we planned well our journey was more enjoyable.
In this passage in 1 Timothy, we are reminded that we need to follow the ways that we were taught and continue to read scripture and stay on our path as we travel on our journey of faith. Sometimes things are difficult and we will be tempted to leave the path, but lean on what you know. Prepare yourself to serve others and share God’s love along your journey. Plan and prepare through reading the scriptures which are inspired by God. It’s okay to be obsessive with your training, so that you may develop a strong foundation that will help you weather any storms that may arise.
Loving God, Thank You for loving us. We are often so consumed by our daily lives that planning and preparing for the future does not seem possible. Help us to set aside time to study Your Word and share our lives with you. In Jesus’ name, we pray. Amen
Thought for the day: Meditating on the word of God will equip me for my life’s journey.
Thy Word will light our paths! Let it shine! Pastor Liz
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