Diligent

DEVOTION
1 TIMOTHY
DILIGENT
1 Tim 4:15-5:1
15 Be diligent in these matters; give yourself wholly to them, so that everyone may see your progress. 16 Watch your life and doctrine closely. Persevere in them, because if you do, you will save both yourself and your hearers. NIV
Diligence is by far a trait worthy of having. I think it is easy to become distracted by other issues and thus wander from be diligent to the things that matter. I know what my calling is and I do believe I am being diligent most of the time, although I know that I do not give myself wholly to those these which matter all the time. I do spend time simply enjoying my life, yet I also think that even in enjoying life I can live my life out loud in my speech, life, love, faith and purity. I can still exercise the gift God has bestowed upon me in all I do. I think I am fairly good at watching my life and doctrine. I will not be moved from the position of this truth I know to be right. So many wolves in sheep’s clothing have infected way too many with false teachings and doctrines, with just enough of the truth to sound right, but are so wrong. I am strong against such falseness, because I know the truth. God has been so clear as to the correct way the approach life and its purpose. I must stand my ground in these matters and speak out against these false beliefs. One of the great false teachings of that time was being spread by those who wanted the gentiles to become Jews in the body before becoming Christians in the heart. Man invented rules and regulations placed upon others I believe were for the sake of control. Certainly misguided regulations and this still is happening today. I will not be persuaded even by fine sounding arguments from the pure truth of the Gospel message and as to how God desires my life to be. I will not put any trust in the things of man, but I will put all my trust in God. This I will absolutely be diligent about and give myself wholly to. This I will watch in my life. I will persevere in them without any question, for I know the truth. Sure, others might try to tell me I am narrow minded or closed minded to their humanistic philosophies on life, mainly because I am. Why such I be persuaded to believe their ways? Man has always tried to replace God with man, making man the center of things rather than God. If I dismiss the ways of God, I do not have to be accountable to him, but only to myself. That is just so wrong, I could never agree with it. I know the truth, the pure beliefs of scripture, the correct doctrine of God and I will be saved and I pray those who hear my voice, read my words will understand and sense the Spirit working in them, bringing them to the truth as well. Of this I will be diligent.