| Chapter 19 Study to Show Thyself Approved III II Timothy 2:15 says, "Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of the truth.". If we just glance at that statement, as we have many times, we don't see how profoundly deep it really is. What does it mean when you are told "study to shew thyself approved unto God"? How many times have we resolved to read the Bible on a steady basis, only to have that resolve melt away after awhile? When we start a steady diet of scripture, there always seems to be a stream of interruptions that occur. Also, if we treat scripture reading as a daily chore, we end up in a pride of production stance. Statements like, "I don't care if you have an emergency, this is my time for personal devotions and no one or no thing interferes with that time.", are callous, pride filled, selfish and unchristian. What do I base that statement on? I John chapter 4: "Beloved believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world. Hereby know ye the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God: And every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God: and this is that spirit of antichrist, whereof ye have heard that it should come; and even now already is it in the world. Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you than he that is in the world. They are of the world: therefore speak they of the world, and the world heareth them. We are of God: he that knoweth God heareth us; he that is not of God heareth not us. Hereby know we the spirit of truth, and the spirit of error. Beloved let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God. He that loveth not knoweth not God: for God is love. In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him. Herein is 153 _______________________________________________________________________________ love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins. Beloved if God so loved us, we ought also to love one another. No man hath seen God at any time. If we love one another, God dwelleth in us, and his love is perfected in us. Hereby know we that we dwell in him, and he in us, because he hath given us of his Spirit. And we have seen and do testify that the Father sent the Son to be the Saviour of the world. Whosoever shall confess that Jesus is the Son of God, God dwelleth in him, and he in God. And we have known and believed the love that God hath to us. God is love; and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him. Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the day of judgement: because as he is, so are we in this world. There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love. We love him, because he first loved us. If a man say, I love God, and hateth his brother, he is a liar: for he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, how can he love God whom he hath not seen? And this commandment have we from him, That he who loveth God love his brother also.". Jesus said that he had to do his Father's will, and in all things, He was singularly devoted to worship of God the Father. Based on the scripture just quoted we have seen that Jesus interrupted his worship in heaven to come into this world to tend to our emergency, and yet, all the while He still worshipped God the Father. How then, can the statement mentioned above, square itself in this light? I don't believe it can. I am beginning to believe that even if we are in prayer, and are interrupted, God will understand and bless us if we will close our prayer, tend to the interruption, and then return to the prayer. If we don't do that then the resentment begins to build, and we fall into a 'How dare you' attitude. And all of a sudden we find ourselves in the position of not loving our brother. It would appear that we need to be extremely careful, when studying to show ourselves approved. We have seen a pitfall already and haven't even 154 _______________________________________________________________________________ |
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