Meditation: Joan Boney
A few days I was meditating in the following scripture ...
I Tim. 1 ... As I besought thee to abide still at Ephesus, when I went into Macedonia, that thou mightest charge some that they teach no other doctrine, 4Neither give heed to fables and endless genealogies, which minister questions, rather than godly edifying which is in faith: so do.
5Now the end of the commandment is charity out of a pure heart, and of a good conscience, and of faith unfeigned: 6From which some having swerved have turned aside unto vain jangling; 7Desiring to be teachers of the law; understanding neither what they say, nor whereof they affirm.
I was surprised when I looked up the word fable ... I had always thought of this being a type of fairy tale. But other definitions of the word fable are: to fabricate or invent a story ... And I recalled how often I've heard people in churches and pastors do this. They often "invent a story" about the Bible and when I look up the passage of scripture after they tell the story I find what they said it just not true ... the have made up things and added to the word of God with their imaginations ... or they have misused the scripture.
We are told not to give heed to "fables" ...
A woman years ago was teaching a Bible class and she taught that each of the rings holding the veil of the tabernacle had a special meaning and she went on to tell the meaning. All this was just made up by her. Not only was the story a fabrication it was very boring. And it had no edification at all for the church.
Everything done in the church or even done as we share things of God with another should be to edification.
Edify means:
- instruct or improve (in things of God)
- build ("edifice") in the faith
- strengthen spiritually
Recently a man was emotionally telling me of a Bible teaching he had heard. I listened and then I told him this teaching was not of God. There was no power at all in the teaching ... The teaching was nothing but fabrication of words which made that teacher seem like something but I knew it was not of God for there was no real power, no edification.
I shared what Paul said as follows:
I Cor. 2 ... And I, brethren, when I came to you, came not with excellency of speech or of wisdom, declaring unto you the testimony of God. 2For I determined not to know any thing among you, save Jesus Christ, and him crucified. 3And I was with you in weakness, and in fear, and in much trembling. 4And my speech and my preaching was not with enticing words of man’s wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power: 5That your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God.
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Meditation: Pam Padgett
Psalm 119:63 I am a companion of all them that fear thee, and of them that keep thy precepts.
companion:
- one with whom one travels
- a person who shares the experiences of another
- literally means "one who breaks bread with another"
fear:
- reverence (deep respect and reverence for)
- awe (reverential respect mixed with fear or wonder)
precepts:
- general rule intended to regulate behavior or thought
Can be companion with those going in the same way...
... led by the Holy Spirit
... nourished by the word of God
... desire to please and God, obeying His word, knowing HE is worth of all praise, has all power, and cares for us as a Father cares for His children
... try to do according to what is right in the sight of God
We can "travel" together on this earth, share things of God with each other and exhort one another,
functioning together in the body of Christ as God has fit us together
Although I try to deal well and honestly with those going other ways, speak as led by the Holy Spirit to them, and help them when there
is opportunity, I can't go in same way they go, for we are led
by different spirits, going different ways, seeking different things