Thoughts on 1 TIMOTHY 1:15
by Phil Walker
(Hannibal, MO)
Hi. How was your week? Are you still with us? Are you caught up ready to start verse 16 Monday morning? I want to remind everyone that there is no legalistic requirement. Regardless of where you are or what pace you are keeping, you can still stay in the group.
It has been great to see evidence of your memorizing on memverse.com I TIMOTHY 1:1 is now in 23rd place with 3 of our verses in the top 27 and all 15 verses in the top 84!! Praise God. They also have started a group competition. We are currently in 3rd place, but destined, Lord willing, to take over first soon. When you get a chance, if you have not already, please update your profile page to put "1 Timothy Project" so that you can join our group score.
Have you been able to meditate on and/or share your thoughts about any of the 1 TIMOTHY scripture you have been memorizing? As always, we would love your thoughts on our group wall and/or discussion pages. It has been wonderful to see all the prayer requests shared and prayed for as well.
I send out a daily email devotional based on a key verse from every chapter of the New Testament. Below are my thoughts I sent out about 1 TIMOTHY 1:15. If your email inbox is not already overflowing, and you would like to receive these devotionals, please send me an email philjohn1558@yahoo.com letting me know. REVELATION 1 starts on Wednesday, and then we will start over with MATTHEW 1 on Jan 1st, 2010.
Keep in touch, and may God richly bless you as you get to know Him better and better through His Word!!
In Christ, Phil Walker
Thoughts on 1 TIMOTHY 1:15
Are you a terrible sinner, guilty to the core, with a helplessly deceitful heart? The world would say "No. You're not that bad. I mean you are nowhere near as wretched as those criminals and perverts you see on the news. You may have a few shortcomings, but most of them could probably be blamed on mistakes your parents made. You have a good heart."
The Bible on the other hand would say that regardless of what nice things your mother, your teacher, your friends, or even your preacher says of you, the truth is you are a terrible sinner, guilty to the core, with a helplessly deceitful heart! (See ROMANS 3:10-18; JOHN 3:18-20; JEREMIAH 17:9)
No wonder people don't like to read the Bible. That's downright painful (See HEBREWS 4:12-13) and even sounds cruel. It is cruel, unless it's the truth. Then to let us know our desperate condition and our absolute need for a savior is loving and to sugar-coat our sinfulness and lull us to spiritual apathy could actually be cruel.
He who has been forgiven much loves much. He who has been forgiven a little loves only a little (LUKE 7:47)
O God, we want to wholeheartedly love you!! I know that I don't come close to loving God with all my heart, soul, strength, and mind. (See MATTHEW 22:37-34) May I, like Paul, truly and deeply see myself as the worst of sinners and the recipient or a glorious, totally undeserved salvation.
