Prayer
– Lord God, You have given me…us all…the greatest compliment for just creating
us…and for loving us, and preparing a home for us in the future. Your love is
evident not only in Your creation—but in the greatest sacrifice of all times…Jesus.
Thank you.
If
you keep yourself pure, you will be a special utensil for honorable use. Your
life will be clean, and you will be ready for the Master to use you for every
good work. Run from anything that stimulates youthful lusts. Instead, pursue
righteous living, faithfulness, love, and peace. Enjoy the companionship of
those who call on the Lord with pure hearts. 2 Timothy 2:21-22 
Is there anything more pure?
White rose--symbol of purity.ds
Meditate.
Consider God’s guidance in scripture. Run.
I
recently had the compliment of the lifetime… “Hey, Lady. Do you date?” That is
what a guy recently yelled at me as I was entering the Post Office. “No. I’m
married.” I shouted back as I held up my left hand, showing my wedding band.
What a pick-up line! One I’d never heard before in my 74 years of life! My
husband has had a good laugh from that story—as he has shared it with many of
our friends and family. I should have said, “I only date my husband!” but I
wasn’t thinking quickly enough—just flabbergasted at the mere thought of
someone asking me such a question!
Run. Run
from anything that stimulates youthful lusts. I’m not much on running—but I
can walk quickly and that is just what I did after I responded to the “Hey,
Lady” inquiry. No “youthful lusts” involved. Enjoying the companionship of
other faithful Christians, including my family and friends, is the joy of my
life. Just being in their presence gives me peace.
Paul wisely
advices Timothy to seek out “righteous living”—holiness, “faithfulness, love,
and peace.” These are not all the fruit of the Spirit, there are some missing
qualities. Note that some of the values for the fruit of the Spirit are that
same as those in the letter to Timothy.
But the Holy Spirit produces this
kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness,
goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. There is no law
against these things! Galatians
5:22-23 (Underlined indicated those qualities that link today’s focus scriptures.)
The best
advice anyone ever given is like that that Paul gave to Timothy: pursue
righteous living. Righteous is holiness. Holiness is what God desires and
expects for us. Holiness is purity in thoughts, words, and deeds.
As for us, we can't help but thank
God for you, dear brothers and sisters loved by the Lord. We are always
thankful that God chose you to be among the first to experience salvation—a salvation
that came through the Spirit who makes you holy and through your belief in the
truth. 2
Thessalonians 2:13
It is the
Holy Spirit that makes us holy as we express our gratitude to our Savior Jesus
Christ.
Decision
time each day. Are you experiencing salvation? Are you choosing to express your
gratitude to the Lord? Through Paul, Jesus taught…
Be thankful in all circumstances,
for this is God's will for you who belong to Christ Jesus. - 1 Thessalonians 5:18
Verse
of Salvation ~ For the LORD has chosen Jerusalem; he has desired it for his
home. "This is my resting place forever," he said. "I will live
here, for this is the home I desired. I will bless this city and make it
prosperous; I will satisfy its poor with food. I will clothe its priests with
godliness; its faithful servants will sing for joy. Psalm 132:13-16
© 2024 Text, photos, and illustrations by Mickey M. Hunacek. All
rights reserved.
All scripture quoted from the New Living Translation (NLT) unless
otherwise noted.
New Living Translation copyright © 1996, 2004, 2007 by Tyndale
House Foundation.
Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream,
Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Biblical search from Blue Letter Bible - http://v3.blueletterbible.org/search.cfm.
Books by Mickey M.
Hunacek
Available as e-books or paperbacks at Amazon.com
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