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...we pray always for you...(v11)
The wicked, through the pride of his countenance, will not seek [after God]: God [is] not in all his thoughts.
How often do we think about the things of God? And, when we think about anything, is God really in it? If God is not in all of our thoughts, then we are like the wicked man.
I'll stay on task when I pray, so that my mind doesn't wander onto other thoughts.
Therefore to him that knoweth to do good, and doeth [it] not, to him it is sin.
You know, sin is not just bad things that we do. It is also sin when we do not do something that we should.
Here's an encouragement to simply do the things that we know we should do.
Nevertheless God, that comforteth those that are cast down, comforted us by the coming of Titus;
I want to be the Lord's servant, like Titus, that I would bring messages to the Lord's people that would fill them with exceeding joy, even in the midst of all kinds of trouble.
When I'm getting ready to speak to the Lord's people, I'll consider how I can bring them a message of comfort.
Now we exhort you, brethren, warn them that are unruly, comfort the feebleminded, support the weak, be patient toward all [men].
This verse shows several special ways to edify various types of brethren, but it ends with one thing that applies for everybody: ...be patient toward all.
(v14b)
I will be patient with all of my brethren, regardless of whether they are unruly, feeble-minded, weak, or anything else. Instead of responding the wrong way to them, I'll pray about the situation and trust the Lord to take care of it, so that I can rejoice anyway.
...godly sorrow works repentance...(v10)
the children of the lightshould live together with Christ
I will praise [thee], O LORD, with my whole heart; I will shew forth all thy marvellous works.
The first part of this verse says, I will praise [thee], O LORD, with my whole heart...
. We should look forward to worshiping the Lord in front of other people. We shouldn't just praise the Lord like it's a duty or a chore, but we should enjoy doing it, and do it with gladness.
That I may shew forth all thy praise in the gates of the daughter of Zion: I will rejoice in thy salvation.
I'll ask the Lord for His help in my life, with the aim of praising Him for his deliverance.
As sorrowful, yet alway rejoicing; as poor, yet making many rich; as having nothing, and [yet] possessing all things.
The beginning of this verse says, As sorrowful, yet alway rejoicing...
. When troubles arise in our lives and we are sad, then we should stand strong for the Lord. We should not give up.
And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.
When I have failed to follow my schedule 100% of the way, then I won't give up on it. I will still do what I can, to get done the things that I should.
And that ye study to be quiet, and to do your own business, and to work with your own hands, as we commanded you;
That ye may walk honestly toward them that are without, and [that] ye may have lack of nothing.
Let's be enthusiastic and diligent to do the things that are in front of us, to do. It is not in vain, there is a point to it. If we simply work diligently on the things that we have to do, then we are going to have everything that we need.
Even when my schedule has started to get off track, I'll keep doing what I can to keep my schedule, with new motivation.
But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, [and] easy to be intreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy.
Notice that it says, without hypocrisy.
If we're talking to other people about how they shouldn't be doing certain things, because they are sin, then we shouldn't also be participating in the same things, even "a little bit."
Lay hands suddenly on no man, neither be partaker of other men's sins: keep thyself pure.
The end of this verse says, neither be partaker of other men's sins: keep thyself pure.
As a matter of fact, the first thing that James 3 said about the wisdom from above, is: But the wisdom that is from above is first pure...
(James 3:17)
Be not ye therefore partakers with them.Ephesians 5:11
And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove [them].
What is man, that thou art mindful of him? and the son of man, that thou visitest him?
We shouldn't think our situation is something that we have gotten for ourselves by some greatness of our own. If the Lord made heaven, earth, space, and all of the creatures, and if He made all elementary materials and even our own lives, then we would have to be fools to think that we could be, have, or accomplish, anything, without Him.
I'll keep a humble perspective about my job.
Therefore if any man [be] in Christ, [he is] a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.
Sometimes, we can be reminded of our past, and start to worry that we still have the problems that we have already confessed and repented of. It is an amazing encouragement that the Lord has completely transformed us, including healing the old sinful desires of our heart.
If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us [our] sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
In this case, it says that He will ...cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
I'll take comfort in the fact that the Lord has cleansed me from, the unrighteous motivations that I have repented from in the past.
For what thanks can we render to God again for you, for all the joy wherewith we joy for your sakes before our God;
We should look at reaching out to people, in Christ, as a great joy, not as a chore. We should greatly look forward to going out to people and helping them with their spiritual condition.
Night and day praying exceedingly that we might see your face, and might perfect that which is lacking in your faith?
I'll pick a couple of people that I'm going out to, to pray for their spiritual condition all the time.
Knowing therefore the terror of the Lord, we persuade men...(v12a)
And one of you say unto them, Depart in peace, be [ye] warmed and filled; notwithstanding ye give them not those things which are needful to the body; what [doth it] profit?
We shouldn't just pray for things and not do anything about them. If there's obviously something that needs done in a situation, and we are able to do it, then our prayer should be accompanied by action.
This made me think of how, sometimes, we pray for the Lord to help us do the right thing (like getting up on time in the morning). But then, when it is time to make the decision whether to do the right thing, sometimes we don't even try very hard, (if at all), to do it. That does not make sense. If we are going to pray to ask the Lord for His help to do something, then we also need to put our heart into getting that thing done.
I will praise the LORD according to his righteousness: and will sing praise to the name of the LORD most high.
We should praise the Lord and sing praises to Him, like this.
I'll think of praise songs to sing, that mention the Lord's righteousness and how high He is.
For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding [and] eternal weight of glory;
Let's take comfort in this: our momentary suffering for Christ is nothing compared to the awesome everlasting future that it brings.
While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen [are] temporal; but the things which are not seen [are] eternal.
I'll live in the constant realization of the reality of the resurrection, so that I don't give up when living for Christ gets a little bit hard.
...we preach not ourselves...
Persecuted, but not forsaken;(v9a)
For all things for your sakes...(v15a)
...a far more exceeding, eternal weight of glory;(v17b)
For here have we no continuing city, but we seek one to come.
The disciples had some people, power, and popularity, at some points in the New Testament; they could have pursued politics, or sought to establish their own great civilizations, then, if they had thought that was what the Lord wanted them to do. We should not be taken up with imagining how we could build some great company or organization in this present physical world. We should pursue the eternal things of the Lord's heavenly kingdom.
The LORD hath heard my supplication; the LORD will receive my prayer.
We should have this same kind of confidence, that the Lord will answer our prayers.
When I pray, I'll also thank the Lord in advance, for what He is going to do.
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