SPIRITUAL DIARY FOR 4/11/2014 9:21 AM
My Worship Time Focus: The Father
as Model
Bible Reading & Meditation Reference: 1
Thessalonians 2:10
Message of the
verses: “10 You are witnesses, and
so is God, how devoutly and uprightly and blamelessly we behaved toward you
believers.”
“10 Ye are witnesses, and God also, how holily and justly
and unblameably we behaved ourselves among you that believe.” (KJV)
In Warren Wiersbe’s commentary he entitles this section
or verse “his walk,” meaning the walk of Paul. He uses the KJV in his
commentary and that is why I have added it in this SD. We can see that there is a difference in the
two translations and the NASB uses the word “devoutly” while the KJV uses the
word holy. Dr. Wiersbe points out that
this word means “carefully fulfill the duties God gives to a person.” We can be sure that this is what the Apostle
Paul did in his life. He goes on to say
that this word is also used in Revelations 15:4 and also Revelations 16:5 where
both times it is applied to the character of God.
We must remember that we are talking about the character of a spiritual
leader here, and that part of his character is to be like a spiritual father. When we look at what the Scriptures have to
say about how a father is to live we see that he is suppose to be an example to his children,
a good example to his children and so Paul was a good example to his spiritual
children at Thessalonica and he reminds this to them in this section of his
letter to them.
Paul has actually gone over some of this ground before as
he has already reminded the Thessalonicans about how he had lived his life
before them and that God was his witness to the life he lived before them. We know that Paul was dedicated to live a
life that pleased the Lord and for this he paid for it through persecution and
also accusation from those who were accusing him of doing the things he did for
profit in one way or another. Dr.
Wiersbe writes about Paul living a righteous life: “His life was also righteous. This refers to integrity, uprightness of
character, and behavior. This is not the ‘righteous of
the Law’ but the
practical righteousness that God works out I our lives as we yield to him
(Phil. 3:4-10).”
He goes on to explain that Paul’s life was unblameably or
blameless: “Literally, the word means
‘not able to find fault in.’ His enemies might accuse him, but no one could
level any charge against Paul and prove it.
Christians are supposed to be ‘blameless and harmless’ as they live in
this world (Phil. 2:15).”
Spiritual meaning
for my life today: As I look at the
life that Paul lived I can honestly say that I have a lot of improving to do in
my walk with the Lord. I am glad for the
patience of the Lord as He continues to teach me from His Word and through the
Holy Spirit who live in me. Paul said in
Romans seven that he did the things he did not want to do and the things he
wanted to do he did not do. I can relate
to this.
My Steps of Faith for Today: To do the things I want to do and not do the
things that I don’t want to do.
Answer to yesterday’s Bible
question: “Abraham” (Genesis 18:23).
Today’s Bible
question: “On what island did Paul land
after being shipwrecked?
Answer in our next SD.
4/11/2014 10:04 AM
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