https://www.unitedbyprayer.com/.../willing-to-share-the... Being an 'elder' or an 'overseer' in the Church is an honorable position, and those discharging this duty have to be ones of integrity who demonstrate certain attributes, skills, gifts, and graces, together with a character in line with Paul's instructions in this letter to Timothy. Although there are many more qualities that Paul lists in later verses connected with a person's spiritual maturity, their reputation in the community, behavior at home, relationship with their family, and the ability to act with self-restraint whether alone or in company, this verse deals specifically with the important issues of a person's moral attitude, ethical behavior, and spiritual maturity. Although the characteristics of an overseer, which are clearly laid out in this verse, and the essential qualities Paul lists in this passage, are of the highest ethical, moral, and spiritual standard possible, they are, in reality, the qualities and characteristics towards which we should all strive. God is holy, and He is perfect, and as His children we are called to be both holy and perfect, not in our own strength, but by the power and wisdom of the Holy Spirit. May we each take to heart the need to be above reproach in our words and actions, faithful in all of our relationships and interactions with others and temperate, prudent, respectable, and hospitable, at home and in the wider community. May we all study to show ourselves approved unto God, be Willing To Share The Good News Of The Gospel of Christ with others, and be ready and able to give a biblical answer to anyone who asks us about the hope we have in Christ.

https://www.unitedbyprayer.com/united.../our-good-shepherd. In this verse, we hear an echo of John's prophetic words: "This is the sacrificial lamb of God, Who takes away the sin of the world." In this passage, we catch a glimpse of the approaching Cross, where the good Shepherd will lay down His life for the sheep, and not only for the lost sheep of the house of Israel but also for His other sheep which are outside the fold. Our Good Shepherd is not only the One Who guards and guides, feeds and protects us, but He is also the sacrificial offering Who laid down His life for the sheep. Ever since the exodus from Egypt, innocent lambs were sacrificed to make atonement for the sins of mankind. Mankind's sins however, were only covered until the promised Messiah would arrive on the scene. Prophets, priests, and kings foretold of the coming Good Shepherd of Israel Who would also become the sacrificial offering for the sins of the whole world. In the past, it was an innocent little lamb who died as a temporary covering for human's guilty sins, but here we read that it is the innocent Shepherd (God incarnate) Who lay down His sinless life for all lost and guilty sinners who will trust in the name of the only begotten Son of God.

https://www.unitedbyprayer.com/.../we-are-to-be-nourished... Today huge numbers of alternative dogmas and ideologies, are being offered in place of sound biblical teaching.. Today there are also an increasing number of self-appointed prophets and apostles who dish out their own brand of extra-biblical revelation in preference to standing on the plain teaching of Scripture and there are an increasing number of diverse cults, creeds and false teachers that distort the character of God, dethrone the Person Christ and dismiss His Work on the cross as irrelevant or unimportant. We Are To Be Nourished On The Word Of God. We are to practice biblical precepts and scriptural principles if we are to become spiritually disciplined mature believers, who have their senses trained to discern good and evil. To do so means that we are to die to self and look to Christ alone.. It requires that God's Word dwells in us richly, day by day and that we are quick to avoid all evil and do that which is good. We are to walk in spirit and truth, abide in Christ and He in us so that in the power of the Holy Spirit we may bring forth much spiritual fruit to the glory of God. As maturing Christians we should desire an increasingly intimate relationship with our Lord and set our hearts on things above and not on the things of this earth. We are to remember that we are in Christ, we died to our old sinful past, and our life is now hidden with Christ in God. We are to rejoice that Christ, is our life. We are to pray without ceasing and in everything give thanks.

https://www.unitedbyprayer.com/.../build-each-other-up-in... We are all called by God to be holy and set apart unto Him but we are also called into fellowship with our Christian brothers and sisters in Christ. We are urged to be of the same mind and the same judgment. The divisions and disunity that was evident within the Corinthian church so long ago, is equally conspicuous in the Body of Christ today, and Paul lovingly exhorts each one of us to agree amongst ourselves so that there is no disharmony, disagreement, or dissention amongst us. This call for singleness of heart is founded upon the name of the Lord Jesus Christ Himself, and not our preferred preacher or favored ministry. We are to develop the same attitude of heart toward each other that Christ Jesus has for us so that with one mind and one voice we may glorify our God in heaven, and our Savior, Jesus Christ our Lord.In a time when there are ever deepening divisions in the world, how important it is to love our brothers and sisters. Let us be those who Build Each Other Up In Love, encouraging and comforting each other as we see the day approaching. May our love for each other flow out into the world so that unbelievers may see our love, be drawn to Jesus, and enter into a saving knowledge of our loving Savior.

https://www.unitedbyprayer.com/unite.../that-they-may-be-one Unity in the Body of Christ can be threatened and destroyed from within. False doctrine and distorted scriptural truths can invade the Church, and trivial dissensions and petty disputes can also be a destructive element that causes disunity. Christ earnestly prayed for unity before He died: "That They May Be One..." The Lord Jesus, calls on us all to be like-minded, having unity in the spirit and the love of Christ in our hearts, being of one accord, encouraging others and demonstrating tender-compassion in humility of heart towards one another. But mercy, truth, and unity, only comes when we have the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God, and the fellowship of the Spirit flowing through our inner beings, it is only as we are yielded to the Holy Spirit that we will prosper. Let us be diligent to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace, with all our brothers and sisters. May the patience, humility, gentleness, and love we show to each other be known to all, as together we walk to have what our God wants for Us, One Nation Under God.

https://www.unitedbyprayer.com/.../gods-free-gift-of... Every single person who trusts in the Lord for salvation will be accepted, and none will be cast away. Salvation has been made available to all who exercise their free-will and come to Christ for God's Free Gift Of Salvation. Everyone who comes to Christ is given the assurance that: "The one who comes to Me (by grace though faith) I will certainly not cast out." But it is human's free will choice to do so. God does not choose to save some and damn others; that is a damnable lie. All are given the same offer of salvation. Those who are saved are simply those who have chosen to believe God's Word and by faith have trusted Christ as Savior, while those who perish are simply those who have chosen to reject God's free gift of grace. But ALL that the Father gives to Christ will come to Him, and not one who comes to Jesus for salvation will be cast away.

https://www.unitedbyprayer.com/.../the-truths-contained... The Lord Jesus was not dishonoring the people in His earthly family, but was demonstrating that the only way to get close to God is to make Him the most important Person in our lives. We do this as we carry out His Word. In the same way that Christ's delight was to do the will of His Father, so we should be filled with our love for the Lord Jesus, that no one is more important in our life than Him. Nothing is of greater significance than gaining a deeper knowledge of Him, obeying His Word, doing His will, and remaining faithful in the task He has given us to do. There is a strong emphasis in this passage, on the importance of reading, learning, knowing, applying, meditating, and inwardly digesting The Truths Contained In The Word Of God. It is only as we hear His Word and carry out His will, that we are enabled to draw closer to Him and increasingly enjoy communion with Him and with our Heavenly Father. As believers, we are all members of His heavenly family but this passage makes it clear that those closest to Jesus are the ones that hear His Word and do it: "My mother and My brothers are those who hear the Word of God and do it.

https://www.unitedbyprayer.com/.../without-the-lord-we... Not only is salvation given to all who believe on the Lord Jesus Christ as a free gift of God's grace, but His ongoing favor is readily available to every believer, as we journey along the path of life. Having been born again of the Spirit, we are called to trust in the Lord with all our heart, and we also have a biblical responsibility to walk in His ways and humble ourselves before Him. Humility is a fruit of the Spirit that should be exhibited in every life that lives godly in Christ Jesus, but there is much misunderstanding about biblical humility and what it means to humble one's self before the Lord. Humility is not disliking who you are or demeaning yourself in front of others. It is not a deliberate exhibition of self-humbling in order to get others to applaud your achievements, nor is it a wringing of hands or a constant declaration that you are a very very 'humble' person! The ones who truly humble themselves in the sight of God are the ones who makes themselves lowly of heart before the Lord, by admitting the greatness of our God and acknowledging His majesty. It is confessing that Without The Lord We Can Do Nothing. It is trusting Him in all things and relying on Him to carry out the good work that He has prepared for us to do in His power and for His glory. May we live in the way that Lord requires of all His children. May we submit to God and single-mindedly draw close to Him and humble ourselves in His presence, for His greater glory.

Give Thanks For The Great Gift Of Our Lord Jesus Christ. https://www.unitedbyprayer.com/.../give-thanks-for-the... We live in a fallen world where sin has irreparably blemished God's glorious creation, and where the devil is always seeking to devour us. Suffering for the sake of Christ is the inevitable consequence of trusting the Lord Jesus for our redemption. We can even rejoice in our suffering, because when our faith is tested God will be with us, and His grace is perfected in our weakness and our helpless estate. In the end, God will perfect, conform, strengthen, and establish us in every good word and work and we will receive an unfading crown of glory. What a powerful reminder of the glory of our Heavenly Father, Who is always there for us, and to Whom we can always turn for strength and comfort: Let us take a moment to consider the importance of our praise for God. We are called to glorify Him and to speak His praises continually. May we take every opportunity to give Him the praise and worship He deserves, He is the source of all good things. Let us also Give Thanks For The Great Gift Of Our Lord Jesus Christ, He and He alone is the One Who makes our relationship with God possible. He is our Sovereign Lord Who has given us the ultimate example of love and sacrifice. Let us always remember to give Him the praise, honor, glory, and blessing He deserves:

https://www.unitedbyprayer.com/.../enrich-the-lives-of... It was through suffering that the Lord Jesus Himself learned willing obedience to the Father and it is through the same pathway that we too grow in grace and come into deeper knowledge of Him. We are all ministers of the good news of the gospel of Christ to the people that God has placed within the sphere of our lives and each of us are living epistles that God can use to speak into the lives of others. We can also commend ourselves as servants of God as we face our own afflictions, hardships, distresses, and poverty in the power of the Spirit, with patient endurance and rejoicing in the hope set before us. We can Enrich The Lives Of Others as we point them into the pathway of peace. May we choose, from this day forward, to rejoice in our suffering, and count it all joy when we meet trials of any kind, knowing that when we are weak, He is strong, to the glory of the Father forevermore.

https://www.unitedbyprayer.com/.../we-confess-our-sins-to... The full and final sacrifice for ALL sin was paid at the Cross, and although past, present, and future sins of Christians are forgiven forever, one single sin removes us from fellowship with the Father. If we are guilty of one post-salvation sin, we forfeit our communion with Christ until We Confess Our Sins To Him. Though positionally secure, and still a child of God, sin removes every born-again child of God from enjoying fellowship with our Father, until we confess our unrighteousness. Christ DIED to pay the price for our sins. Our inherent SIN and our committed SINS. Those who are in Christ are no longer under God's condemnation, nor are we required to atone for our sin through a sacrificial system. We are delivered from the PENALTY of sin, because Jesus took the punishment that we deserve. But also, believers are delivered from the POWER of sin. We are given the Holy Spirit's power to live a righteous life, and not to be tempted into sinning. We have received the life of Christ and the Holy Spirit. We are enabled to abide in Him and He in us, through the power of the Spirit. Praise GOD that as Christians we are not under the BONDAGE of the Law of Moses, but are under the LIBERTY of the Law of Grace. The Law of the Spirit of Life. As such are called to walk in spirit and truth, to live as Christians and to remain in fellowship with our heavenly Father and to the glory of God.

https://www.unitedbyprayer.com/.../our-riches-are-found... These awesome words that fell from the lips of the Lord Jesus confound the minds of many today, just as they astonished Christ's disciples when they were first uttered. It was after Jesus addressed a wealthy young man on the issue of his riches being the obstacle he faced if he wanted to enter the kingdom of heaven, that the disciples asked, "who then can be saved?" Jesus had challenged the young man to sell all he had, and give the proceeds to the poor. His love of money caused him to go away with a sorrowful heart, for he had many great possessions. How careful the wealthy man or woman should be, that he or she relies on God as Savior, and not on his or her accumulated riches. How important that the good man or woman does not rely on their works, but trusts in Christ. How careful the poor man or woman should be, that he/she does not develop an envious attitude towards their wealthy neighbor, but trusts in God to provide for both their temporal and eternal needs. How important that we ALL recognize our spiritual poverty and that Our Riches Are Found Through Our Faith In Christ. The impossible task of our eternal salvation was made possible by God. So too, the impossible task of living a godly life in our own strength, is only possible when a man or woman looks to Him and relies on Him alone.

https://www.unitedbyprayer.com/.../faith-in-the-power-of... We base our faith on the Word of God. If God were a liar, (and He is NOT), then our faith would be founded on a very flimsy foundation. However, one of God's characteristics is truth, and the Lord Jesus Himself, reinstated one very important fact: "I AM the way. I AM the truth - I AM the life. nobody comes unto the Father, but by Me." Because our former life died with Him at the point of salvation.. our new-life-in-Christ, which we received at salvation, will also live with Him. If we endure in this life and overcome, by Faith In The Power Of The Holy Spirit, we will also reign with Him. Should we deny the Lord, He also will deny us the rewards that we could have earned. But if we are faithless to Him, nevertheless, He will remain faithful to us, He cannot deny Himself. God cannot go back on His Word. The Lord can never contradict His character. Here is trustworthy saying that all God's children should heed. It is both an encouragement and a warning to all of us. If we died with Him, we will also live with Him. If we endure, we will also reign with Him. If we deny Him, He also will deny us and if we are faithless to Him. He remains faithful to keep His promises to us, the Lord our Savior cannot deny Himself.

https://www.unitedbyprayer.com/united.../seek-to-honor-god In many church assemblies today, there is much emphasis on the gifts of the Holy Spirit and though the gifts of the Spirit are wonderful and exciting, if they are not administered in love, they are of little worth and can even become abused and destructive. Spiritual gifts from the Spirit are bestowed on every child of God, but they are a privilege that must be used wisely. When abused by the carnal believer, that can cause confusion in the Body of Christ and deliver a distorted message. The gifts of the Spirit are to be managed under God's authority. Gifts must flow from the fruit of the Spirit, which is rooted in LOVE and which overspills into joy, peace, long-suffering, gentleness, goodness, faithfulness, meekness, and self-control. Let us Seek To Honor God in the way that we practice whatever gift or gifts the Spirit has graciously bestowed upon us and let us do it in LOVE.

https://www.unitedbyprayer.com/.../all-we-need-for-life... We are warned in many places in Scripture not to be deceived.. especially in the area of testing, trials and temptation. We are not to be deceived about the source of sin and its consequences and we are to be particularly careful of being led astray from the truth of God's word into justifying our own, self-authenticated, ungodly acts and lustful pride.. rather than taking personal responsibility for our own words and actions. How easy it is to blame God or hold others accountable for the problems we face instead of taking responsibility for our own life and choices. How quickly we can reverse biblical truth to justify our own ungodly acts and sinful propensities by making the excuse that we are a victim of our circumstances or a casualty of our heredity or genes or simply by accusing God of giving preferential blessings to others, while He ignores our need and causes us pain as we willingly swallow Satan's deceptive bait. We are also to stop assuming that we deserve God's blessings, because we are such good people. This is also a deception from the enemy and a distortion of the truth of God's word, there are none that are good, not even one. The plain truth is that none of us deserve any blessings from the Lord but in His goodness and grace He has blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places and given us All We Need For Life And Godliness. It is all by His grace through our faith in Christ, Who is our life. Hold fast to the truth of God's word and maintain an unshakable trust in the sovereign character and eternal goodness of our good and gracious God, that we simply trust in His Word of truth.

https://www.unitedbyprayer.com/.../willing-to-learn-the... Everyone who is justified is called to spiritual maturity through a life-process of sanctification. Every believer who is justified will also be glorified. Everyone who is saved is POSITIONALLY sanctified, but they should also travel along a path of PROGRESSIVE sanctification. Sadly, not all believers reach and maintain spiritual maturity, because sin causes fellowship with the Father to be broken. Sin causes maturing Christians to regress into spiritual infancy, sin separates us from God. Only when sin is confessed by a believer, is fellowship restored. When lessons have been learned and fellowship is restored and maintained, God always brings us into closer communion with Himself. We will not only hear His voice saying, "this is the way, walk in it," but He will guide us with His eye, teach us greater truths, extend our understanding of Himself and deepen our intimacy in a very precious and personal way. May we learn this important lesson, keep a short rein on sin, and be ready and Willing To Learn The Lessons God Has To Teach Us. May we allow His counsel to lead us in the decisions we make in life. When we delight ourselves in the Lord HE gives us the desires of our heart.

https://www.unitedbyprayer.com/.../we-are-to-love-and... We are no longer under the curse of the Law, for Christ was made a curse for us, at Calvary. Rather, we are under the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus which... by faith in Him, has set us free from the law of sin and of death. There are those that abuse the freedom we have in Christ during this dispensation of the grace of God. Some seek to turn the wonderful freedom we have in the Lord Jesus, into an opportunity to indulge in sin that is detrimental to our spiritual growth, disastrous to our Christian witness, and dishonoring to the Lord Jesus Who bought us with His own blood. Once we have been saved and set free from sin, by faith, we become a new creation in Christ. Although our sin nature is still resident within our mortal flesh, we have received power from on high to mortify our egocentric self and to keep our sin nature nailed to the Cross and we can do this through the power of the Holy Spirit Who lives in us and guides us towards the good and away from the evil. We have spiritual armor to protect ourselves from the ravages of the flesh and we have been given God's grace to stand fast in this evil day and resist the devil and all his worldly temptations. We Are To Love And Serve One Another in the same way that Christ loved us and gave Himself for us.

https://www.unitedbyprayer.com/united.../the-promise-of-god Many use this verse as an evangelism verse for the unsaved, but in reality, like all the seven letters in the book of Revelation, this is a warning to the Church of Christ (saved believers who are part of His Body and Bride). This verse is written to the one that has already been justified, made righteous through believing on that the Lord Jesus Christ Who died on the Cross as their own sin substitute, His death paid the price for all sin. The Promise Of God is that everyone that is justified will unquestionably be glorified, when the Lord Jesus comes. Justification is a past action which happened at the point that we were saved. Glorification is future, at the point when we are taken to heaven. Both are promised to those who believe on the Lord Jesus Christ. In His great love for all His children, the Lord continues to plead with every one of His born-again children to yield to the call of his voice and live godly in Christ Jesus:

https://www.unitedbyprayer.com/.../god-has-given-us-all... The Word of God is not only our plumb-line for truth but also should be our handbook for life and living. All Scripture has been written for our learning, but the New Testament gives specific guidance and instruction on living the Christian life in this Church dispensation. God Has Given Us All We Need For Life and godliness, and we have been given the holy Scriptures which provide clear teaching on how to walk in spirit and truth and why we should abide in Christ and He in us. The instructions earlier in the book of James, cover a wide range of topics that enable the believer to live a life that is honoring to the Lord. It helps us to deal with trials and temptations in a godly manner. It warns of the futility of doubting God's Word and reminds us of the beautiful fruit that comes from a spirit of truth, patience and grace. He warns against conceiving sin in our heart and the devastation that can be caused by an unguarded tongue. He exposes the dangers of allowing partiality to influence our judgement about other people, and teaches on faith, works, justification and sanctification. James also teaches about the effects of true and false wisdom , the cause of covetousness and its righteous cure. Here in this verse, the apostle simply explains to his readers the consequences of knowing what is godly and honorable in the sight of the Lord, and yet refusing to carry it out. Therefore, he warns, to the one who knows the right thing to do yet does not do it, to him it is sin.

https://www.unitedbyprayer.com/unit.../the-lord-is-my-helper. If only our faith were simpler and we were more childlike, we would take all that God says in the Scriptures and simply trust in His Word, that's called FAITH! Faith is simply maintaining confidence in all God says. It is believing that His Word is true. It is trusting that the Lord will honor His pledges and promises. It is when we have come to that point where we simply trust in the truth of His Word and believe all that He has told us in Scripture, that the natural progression of every Christian should be to say with utter confidence, “The Lord Is My Helper; I will not be afraid." and to believe it to be true! When, by faith, we have such an assurance of the truth of God's Word, even when things appear to the contrary, we discover that life falls into its correct perspective. The wonderful truth is that nothing can separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus and that he is faithful to keep all His promises to us.