Hello sisters in Christ!
This is the only day we have to live to please Him. Yesterday is gone and well tomorrow isn't even promised so let's seek to please the One who loved us and died for us while we were yet sinners, today. He is a wonderful example for us to follow too. It may be easy to love those who love you but what about those who hate you and treat you wrong? Well Jesus died for you and me while we were yet sinners. And sin is worthy of His wrath and everlasting destruction and death. But instead He offered us life! Let us walk in newness of life as those who are alive from the dead! We are not children of darkness but of the light!
For ye were sometimes darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord: walk as children of light:Ephesians 5:8
Ye are all the children of light, and the children of the day: we are not of the night, nor of darkness. Therefore let us not sleep, as do others; but let us watch and be sober.1 Thessalonians 5:5-6
I was also pondering how it is a good thing to look at the qualifications for those who were to be overseeing the saints when there were groups of them in those days and perhaps there is somewhere still today God knows. The saints are few. Obviously it is a position not to take lightly and the one ordained needed to have a good track record of blamelessness. And while it is talking about men of course, as women don't have these roles, we can still see some examples of what we are to strive for for our Lord.
For this cause left I thee in Crete, that thou shouldest set in order the things that are wanting, and ordain elders in every city, as I had appointed thee:
If any be blameless, the husband of one wife, having faithful children not accused of riot or unruly.
For a bishop must be blameless, as the steward of God; not selfwilled, not soon angry, not given to wine, no striker, not given to filthy lucre;
But a lover of hospitality, a lover of good men, sober, just, holy, temperate;
Holding fast the faithful word as he hath been taught, that he may be able by sound doctrine both to exhort and to convince the gainsayers.
Titus 1:5-9
This is a true saying, If a man desire the office of a bishop, he desireth a good work.
A bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife, vigilant, sober, of good behaviour, given to hospitality, apt to teach;
Not given to wine, no striker, not greedy of filthy lucre; but patient, not a brawler, not covetous;
One that ruleth well his own house, having his children in subjection with all gravity;
(For if a man know not how to rule his own house, how shall he take care of the church of God?)
Not a novice, lest being lifted up with pride he fall into the condemnation of the devil.
Moreover he must have a good report of them which are without; lest he fall into reproach and the snare of the devil.
Likewise must the deacons be grave, not doubletongued, not given to much wine, not greedy of filthy lucre;
Holding the mystery of the faith in a pure conscience.
And let these also first be proved; then let them use the office of a deacon, being found blameless.
Even so must their wives be grave, not slanderers, sober, faithful in all things.
Let the deacons be the husbands of one wife, ruling their children and their own houses well.
For they that have used the office of a deacon well purchase to themselves a good degree, and great boldness in the faith which is in Christ Jesus.
These things write I unto thee, hoping to come unto thee shortly:
But if I tarry long, that thou mayest know how thou oughtest to behave thyself in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth.
1 Timothy 3:1-15
The elders which are among you I exhort, who am also an elder, and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, and also a partaker of the glory that shall be revealed:
Feed the flock of God which is among you, taking the oversight thereof, not by constraint, but willingly; not for filthy lucre, but of a ready mind;
Neither as being lords over God's heritage, but being ensamples to the flock.
1 Peter 5:1-3
That's some good truth laid out for those who are striving to please the Lord in all things too. The Lord have mercy on us where we fall short but we must keep going and never use His grace to sin wilfully. We have been warned what happens to those who sin wilfully in 1 Corinthians 10 and Hebrews 10 for a few examples, let alone Ananias and Sapphira. So let us strive on to perfection! Keep walking in the truth my sisters! We will reap if we faint not! Rejoice in hope and keep going sisters! Love to you in the Lord.
🌿🌹🌿🌺🌿🌹🌿🌺🌿🌹🌿🌺🌿🌹🌿
Find the path to eternal life explained here.
My biblical clothing shop here.