For Reading and Meditation:      Proverbs 12:1-8We continue thinking about the fact that as soon as the psalmist considered the end of the ungodly, everything dropped into focus. Their true position became so clear to him that his language in the rest of the psalm indicates that he not only ceased to be envious of the ungodly but began to be sorry for them. Indeed, the same thing will happen to us too - the more we focus on the ultimate end of the unconverted, the more compassion we will feel for them. How grim and cheerless is the non-Christian view of life, especially as it relates to the end. Dr Marrett, a rationalist and head of one of the colleges in Oxford, wrote, as he neared the end of his life: "I have nothing to look forward to but chill autumn and still chillier winter and yet I must somehow try not to lose heart." H.G. Wells, who ridiculed and scoffed at Christianity with its doctrine of sin and salvation, said at the end of his life that he was utterly baffled and bewildered. The title of his last book summed up his view of things: A Mind at the End of its Tether. When he was dying, a noted atheist asked one of his relatives for a lighted candle to be placed in his hand. "Why a lighted candle?" asked the concerned relative. "Because I am afraid to go out into the dark," was the reply. How foolish to look enviously at the lifestyle of the ungodly, focusing only on their present successes and the marvellous time they seem to be having, without considering their end. We should never forget that no matter how glittering their lifestyle, the death of the ungodly is a terrible thing. O Father, let this sobering thought not only free me from envy but stimulate within me a deep concern for those who do not know You. May I be used in some way to halt the progress of someone on the road to a lost eternity. In Jesus' Name. Amen.<div class="tl-lightgrey mt20 pt20 flexbox-row-wrap jc-around"><div><div class="fs-17 fg-mustard bold center-it">AdditionalVerses</div><ul style="margin-top:0px"><li>1 Timothy 6:1-10</li><li>Psalm 49:10</li><li>Proverbs 23:5</li><li>27:24</li></ul></div>

<div><div class="fs-17 fg-mustard bold center-it">Questions to Consider</div><ul style="margin-top:0px"><li>What truth did Paul reflect to Timothy?</li><li>How does the same truth affect the way we live our lives?</li></ul></div></div>

Let a little light into your soul every day with this wonderful devotional from English pastor Selwyn Hughes.

Every Day Light with Selwyn Hughes

"Wicked men are overthrown and are no more, but the house of the righteous stands firm." (v. 7)

Few Christians take these words seriously, yet they are as truly the Word of God as John 3:16. They tell us to be satisfied with food and covering. That word "covering" includes a roof over our heads as well as the clothes we wear. In other words, we should be content with the minimum essentials and put everything above that into the work of the Lord.The man who has contentment has something that money cannot buy. E. Stanley Jones said, "Everything belongs to the man who wants nothing. Having nothing, he possesses all things in life, including life itself… He is rich in the fewness of his wants rather than in the abundance of his possessions."Years ago when Rudyard Kipling spoke to a graduating class at McGill University, he warned the students against putting a great premium on material wealth. He said, "Some day you'll meet a man who cares for none of these things and then you'll realize how poor you are.""The happiest state of a Christian on earth seems to be that he should have few wants. If a man has Christ in his heart, heaven before his eyes, and only as much of temporal blessings as is just needful to carry him safely through life, then pain and sorrow have little to shoot at; such a man has little to lose" (William C. Burns).This spirit of contentment seems to have characterized many of God's giants. David Livingston said, "I am determined not to look upon anything that I possess except as in relation to the Kingdom of God." Watchman Nee wrote, "I want nothing for myself; I want everything for the Lord." And Hudson Taylor said that he enjoyed "the luxury of having few things to care for."To some, the idea of contentment means the lack of drive and ambition. They picture the contented person as a drone or a freeloader. But that is not godly contentment. The contented Christian has plenty of drive and ambition, but they are directed toward the spiritual, not the material. Rather than being a freeloader, he works so that he can give to those who are in need. In Jim Elliot's words, the contented person is the one for whom God has "loosed the tension of the grasping hand."

With reverence, humor and skill, William MacDonald wove a daily devotional tapestry that challenges the reader to think deeply and Biblically, and apply God's Word to their lives.

Truths to Live By - One Day at a Time

"And having food and raiment, let us be therewith content." (1 Timothy 6:8)

Dr. P. J. Van Gorder used to tell about a sign over a woodworker's shop which said, "All kinds of twisting and turning done here." It is not only woodworkers that are good at that; many professing Christians twist and turn the Scriptures when it suits them. Some, as our verse says, even wrest the Scriptures to their own destruction.We are all fairly expert at rationalizing, i.e., at excusing our sinful disobedience by giving creditable explanations or assigning worthy motives to our actions. We often try to bend the Scriptures to suit our behavior. We give plausible but untrue reasons for our conduct or attitudes. Here are some examples.A Christian businessman knows that it is wrong for him to go to law against another believer (1 Corinthians 6:1-8). Yet when he is challenged about it, he says, "Yes, but he was definitely wrong, and the Lord doesn't want him to get away with it."Jane is planning to marry John, even when she knows he is not a believer. When a Christian friend reminds her that this is forbidden by 2 Corinthians 6:14, she says, "Yes, but the Lord told me to marry him so I can lead him to Christ."Glen and Ruth profess to be Christians, yet they are living together without being married. When a friend of Glen pointed out that this was fornication and that no fornicator will inherit the kingdom of God (1 Corinthians 6:9-10), Glen replied, "That's what you say. We are deeply in love with one another, and in God's sight we are married." Here is a Christian family living in luxury and splendor, in spite of Paul's admonition that we should live simply, being content with food and covering (1 Timothy 6:8). They justify their lifestyle with the pat answer, "There's nothing too good for the people of God."Or here is a covetous businessman, greedily amassing all the wealth he can. His philosophy is, "There's nothing the matter with money. It's the love of money that's the root of all evil." It never occurs to him that he might be guilty of loving money.Men try to put a better interpretation on their sins than the Scriptures allow. And when they are determined to disobey the Word, one excuse is as good (or bad) as another.

"…they that are unlearned and unstable wrest…the Scriptures, unto their own destruction." (2 Peter 3:16 b)

A little that a righteous man has is better than the riches of many wicked. § Better is a little with the fear of the Lord, than great treasure with trouble. § Godliness with contentment is great gain … Having food and clothing, with these we shall be content. Give me neither poverty nor riches—feed me with the food allotted to me; lest I be full and deny You, and say, “Who is the Lord?” Or lest I be poor and steal, and profane the name of my God. § Give us this day our daily bread. Do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink; nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food and the body more than clothing? § “When I sent you without money bag, knapsack, and sandals, did you lack anything?” So they said, “Nothing.” § Let your conduct be without covetousness; be content with such things as you have. For He Himself has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.”

Daily Light on the Daily Path or Daily Light is a Christian daily devotional scripture reading published by Bagster & Sons about 1875. It has been reprinted continually since then. It consists of brief groupings of scripture passages which speak to prominent Biblical themes—two themes (morning and evening) for each day of the year. It appends no commentary, but simply allows scripture to speak for itself.

Morning Daily Light

 One’s life does not consist in the abundance of the things he possesses. 

Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. § Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men. And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross. He who does not take his cross and follow after Me is not worthy of Me. § Christ… suffered for us, leaving us an example, that you should follow His steps. § Godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out. And having food and clothing, with these we shall be content. I have learned in whatever state I am, to be content.

Evening Daily Light

 Do you seek great things for yourself? Do not seek them. 

Consider the ravens, for they neither sow nor reap … Consider the lilies, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin … Do not seek what you should eat or what you should drink, nor have an anxious mind … Your Father knows that you need these things. Having food and clothing, with these we shall be content. But those who desire to be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and harmful lusts which drown men in destruction and perdition. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil, for which some have strayed from the faith in their greediness, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows. The cares of this world, the deceitfulness of riches, and the desires for other things entering in choke the word, and it becomes unfruitful. Let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us.

 Martha, Martha, you are worried and troubled about many things. 

My brethren, do not hold the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory, with partiality … Has God not chosen the poor of this world to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom which He promised to those who love Him? Let no one seek his own, but each one the other’s well-being. § Having food and clothing, with these we shall be content. But those who desire to be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and harmful lusts which drown men in destruction and perdition. God has chosen the foolish things of the world to put to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to put to shame the things which are mighty; and the base things of the world and the things which are despised God has chosen, and the things which are not, to bring to nothing the things that are, that no flesh should glory in His presence. Lord, my heart is not haughty, nor my eyes lofty.

 Do not set your mind on high things,but associate with the humble. 

7 For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it. 8 But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that.

For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it.<cr>1</cr>

1 Timothy 6:7

But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that.<cr>1</cr>

1 Timothy 6:8

 7 For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it.   8 But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that.  

From Wikipedia: 

The New International Version (NIV) is an English translation of the Bible first published in 1978 by Biblica (formerly the International Bible Society). The NIV was published to meet the need for a modern translation done by Bible scholars using the earliest, highest quality manuscripts available. Of equal importance was that the Bible be expressed in broadly understood modern English.

The NIV is published by Zondervan in the United States and Hodder & Stoughton in the UK. The NIV was updated in 1984 and 2011 and has become one of the most popular and best-selling modern translations.

OT: Biblia Hebraica Stuttgartensia; additional sources;
NT: UBS Greek New Testament; Novum Testamentum Graece; additional sources;

New International Version

 For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it.  But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that. 

1 Timothy 6:7-8

For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it. But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that.

 For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it.   But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that.  

Bible Verse of the Day

December 27, 2020

1 Timothy 6:7-8 NIV

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