Good Morning Everyone,
Our theme for this month: “Excellence”
Our Bible verse for today: “Flee from youthful passions and pursue righteousness, faith, love, and peace, along with those who call on the Lord from a pure heart.” 2 Timothy 2:22 (HCSB)
Our thought for today: “Just live a simple life of faithfulness.”
Most of us know the story of Helen Keller. She was blind and deaf and therefore went through life without being able to see or hear. And yet, amazingly, she learned how to interact well with the world around her. She communicated well through touch, signs, and writing and she lived a life that was rich and full and which many others have since found inspiring.
Just like us, Helen wanted to live the best life possible, but she often felt hindered by her limitations and she longed to be better and do more than she could. Eventually she wisely realized that, “I long to accomplish a great and noble task; but it is my chief duty to accomplish small tasks as if they were great and noble.”
That right there is the key to living an “excellent” life by God’s estimation. We are to simply focus on doing small things well. We are to live simple lives of faith, honoring God and blessing others in the normal ebb and flow of our regular daily lives.
In 2 Timothy 2:22 the Apostle Paul offers us some simple advice that captures the essence of what Helen wrote about. When he says we are to “flee youthful passions” he’s saying that we are to grow to maturity in our faith. Just apply yourself to spiritual growth.
He counsels us to pursue things like righteousness, faith, love, and peace. Those are godly values – Christlike characteristics – which are lodged deeply in our hearts and then show themselves in how we interact with the people and with the world around us.
And he tells us to do it “along with those who call on the Lord with a pure heart.” In other words, surround yourself with others who are also striving for godly excellence in how they live. This is a reference to the age-old truth that you become like those you associate with. So if you want to be a man or woman who is striving to live a life that is filled with godly excellence, then associate with others who are living that way too.
The best place to find such people is in a good church family. Today is Saturday, tomorrow is Sunday. The people of God in towns and cities across the nation will be gathering together in their churches. I encourage you to gather with them. If you’re in the area of Crossville, Tennessee then I invite you to join us at Oak Hill Baptist Church. We’re located at 3036 Genesis Road in Crossville. Sunday school beings at 9:00 and Worship at 10:00. I can’t think of a better group to associate with.
God Bless,
Pastor Jim
Oak Hill Baptist Church 