Good Morning Everyone,
Our theme for this month: “Playing by the Rules”
Our Bible verse for today: “Pay close attention to your life and your teaching; persevere in these things, for by doing this you will save both yourself and your hearers.” 2 Timothy 4:16 (HCSB)
Our thought for today: “Make a positive impact on others.”
God calls us to live lives that honor Him and which have a positive impact on all those around us. It’s a common Biblical theme which is restated frequently all throughout the Bible, both in the Old and New Testaments.
To show us what that looks like, in the Bible God also gives us examples of such men and women to serve as models for us. Abraham, Joseph, Moses, Joshua, Deborah, Ruth, Samuel, Elijah, Esther, Isaiah, Jeremiah, Jesus of course, Mary, Paul, James, and Timothy, just to name a few.
In each of their cases the way they lived brought honor to God and had a positive impact on those around them. People were paying attention. They were watching and listening and being influenced by the way those godly men and women conducted themselves.
This past Sunday in our church we took a few minutes to honor one our men who has had a significant impact in our community. He is an ordained minister who makes his living as a High School teacher and he is the head basketball coach for the boy’s basketball team. The previous week he had celebrated is 100th win as a coach. But more than just being an effective and winning coach, he uses his position to build into the lives of the young men on his team. He takes the time and makes the effort to really get to know them and to build a deep relationship with them. He offers them counsel about life issues, and he models for them how a godly man conducts himself.
The Apostle Paul had a relationship like that with young Timothy. Timothy was Paul’s protégé. Paul built into Timothy’s life. He taught him, counseled him and modeled for him how to live a life of integrity which was pleasing to God and which would impact others in a positive way.
This is what God expects of His people. We are to be salt and light in the world interacting with others, blessing them, and modeling for them how a godly man or woman lives. This is one of the primary ways God draws people to Himself – through the good example of those who already belong to Him.
One of the rules for Kingdom living is to live in such a way that your words and your actions bring honor to God and have a positive impact on others.
God Bless,
Pastor Jim
Oak Hill Baptist Church 