BASIC TRAINING FOR CHRISTIANS 5

Galatians 6:4 But let every man prove his own work, and then shall he have rejoicing in himself alone, and not in another.

 I believe that this means that we are to keep a constant watch on our own actions and not on others.

 A long time ago all of my bosses happened to be out of town at one time.  Even though I was several people down on the totem pole it left me in charge.  I was amazed at how often someone would come to me and complain about what another worker was doing or was not doing.  My answer to them was, "You are only responsible for your job.  They are responsible for theirs." I am not sure that it sunk in but I was certainly glad when the bosses all made it back in.  I'm not sure I could have lasted more than that week.

 We should take a self examination on a regular basis.  How is my prayer life?  How is my Bible study?  How am I ministering to others and How am I being a witness.

 If we all do that, everything else will fall into place.  We are only capable of doing what we can do.  If we are spiritual leaders we do have an obligation to teach and exhort others but it is important that we get our own lives in order first.

Feel free to email me at

shilohkosciusko@gmail.com with questions, comments or even suggestions for further devotional studies.

If you know of someone new to the Kosciusko area and would like for our church to visit them please let us know.  Our prayers are that this devotional ministry will be an outreach to bring people into a closer relationship with Jesus.  I do appreciate you taking the time to read these devotionals and please keep us in your prayers.

BASIC TRAINING FOR CHRISTIANS 4

Galatians 6:3 For if a man think himself to be something, when he is nothing, he deceiveth himself.

 There are a lot of people fooling themselves if this is the case.  Some people seem to forget where they came from.  I remember a story by Jerry Clower about a man that had done well and was as he said, "puttin' on airs" and someone said about him, "I don't know what he's so proud of.  I knew him growin' up and they were so poor they had to eat so many turnip greens that you had to tie a kerosene rag around his ankles to keep the cut worms from getting him."

 I can't vouch for the validity of that story but I have known many people who seemed to have forgotten where they came from.  As a matter of fact they have forgotten it so much that they have no compassion on those who are now where they used to be.

 I know where I came from.  I came from the depths of sin.  I was saved by God's grace and even then I ran from God's calling until I was completely out of fellowship with Him.  I have no right to ever think of myself as anything special.  None of us do.  If we are special it is because of having Jesus influence in our lives.  Jesus is special.

Please feel free to contact me by email at

shilohkosciusko@gmail.com with questions, comments or even suggestions for further devotional studies.

If you know of someone new to the Kosciusko area and would like for our church to visit them please let us know.  Our prayers are that this devotional ministry will be an outreach to bring people into a closer relationship with Jesus.  I do appreciate you taking the time to read these devotionals and please keep us in your prayers.

BASIC TRAINING FOR CHRISTIANS 3

Galatians 6:2 Bear ye one another's burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ.

 Jesus bore the burden of our sins on the Cross when He died in our place.  While we can not bear the burden of others sins we can help them with the burdens in life.

 We can share their sorrow and share their grief.  We can pray for them during trying times and difficult situations.  We can offer all sorts of support when they are burdened.

 An encouraging word goes a long way when someone is discouraged.  Knowing that people are praying for them gets many people through a long and terrible illness.  Mainly, knowing that someone really cares makes life much better.

 We all go through rough spots and hard times but it is much easier going through them if you know you are not going through them alone. We we are to walk with Jesus and we know that Jesus will never leave or forsake us, then we should never leave or forsake one another.
  

Please feel free to contact me by email at

shilohkosciusko@gmail.com with questions, comments or even suggestions for further devotional studies.

If you know of someone new to the Kosciusko area and would like for our church to visit them please let us know.  Our prayers are that this devotional ministry will be an outreach to bring people into a closer relationship with Jesus.  I do appreciate you taking the time to read these devotionals and please keep us in your prayers.

BASIC TRAINING FOR CHRISTIANS 2

INTRODUCTION:

Galatians 6:1 Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual, restore such an one in the spirit of meekness; considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted.

 Temptation seems to be stronger in the world today than it has ever been before.  Maybe it is because we don't have a Christian society or a Christian government to help fight against the destructiveness of sin.  Temptation can be found everywhere, even in our own homes by way of television and other media.

 One has to be very strong to resist every temptation and sometimes we need others to hold us accountable and to call things to our attention that could be distracting us from our Christian walk.  Sometimes one of our Christian brothers or sisters will stumble and if we are not careful we will be critical of them.  It is important for us to be there to help them, to encourage them and to pray for them...not to criticize and gossip about them.

 There have been many times that I have seen Christians being overly critical of someone who has fallen to temptation give in later to the same temptations themselves.

 Living with the temptations of this world is hard.  We need each other.  We need forgiveness and we need to forgive.  We need encouragement and prayer much more than we need to be criticising one another.

  

Please feel free to contact me by email at

shilohkosciusko@gmail.com with questions, comments or even suggestions for further devotional studies.

If you know of someone new to the Kosciusko area and would like for our church to visit them please let us know.  Our prayers are that this devotional ministry will be an outreach to bring people into a closer relationship with Jesus.  I do appreciate you taking the time to read these devotionals and please keep us in your prayers.

BASIC TRAINING FOR CHRISTIANS 1

INTRODUCTION:
Galatians 5:25-26 If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.(26) Let us not be desirous of vain glory, provoking one another, envying one another.

 As I was preparing to write my devotionals for the week I was studying and Galatians Chapter 6 sort of jumped out at me.  As I read it over again I thought that these are just some basic truths that we need to know as we strive to serve Jesus.

 I went back a few verses and realized that the last two verses of chapter 5 actually were a good introduction.  Usually I plan my devotionals so that I can write 5, one for each weekday that I post devotionals.  These might take a few days longer.

 Sometimes we need to just go back through some of the basic steps in our Christian life an reinforce what we already know.  The main thing for us to understand is we should not walk in the flesh but in the Spirit.  It is not about us or about how others feel about us...it is about Jesus Christ and how we represent Him.

 I hope you receive a blessing from this series of devotionals and I ask that you pray for me as I prepare them for you.

Please feel free to contact me by email at

shilohkosciusko@gmail.com with questions, comments or even suggestions for further devotional studies.

If you know of someone new to the Kosciusko area and would like for our church to visit them please let us know.  Our prayers are that this devotional ministry will be an outreach to bring people into a closer relationship with Jesus.  I do appreciate you taking the time to read these devotionals and please keep us in your prayers.

BEING BOLD 4

WE SHOULD PRAY FOR BOLDNESS TO WITNESS

Ephesians 6:19 And for me, that utterance may be given unto me, that I may open my mouth boldly, to make known the mystery of the gospel,

 Most of us are a little timid about sharing the plan of salvation with others.  Possibly we are afraid of being rejected.  Just remember that it is not us they are rejecting but it is Jesus.  It is their decision whether to accept Him or to reject Him.  It is our obligation to present that choice to them.

 Spreading the gospel is not something Jesus gives us as an option.  It is a command to all believers.  We might not be as bold as we should be because we have neglected this command so much.

 The more we tell others about Jesus, the easier it becomes.  The easier it is, the more bold we will be in spreading the good news that Jesus saves.

Please feel free to contact me by email at

shilohkosciusko@gmail.com with questions, comments or even suggestions for further devotional studies.

If you know of someone new to the Kosciusko area and would like for our church to visit them please let us know.  Our prayers are that this devotional ministry will be an outreach to bring people into a closer relationship with Jesus.  I do appreciate you taking the time to read these devotionals and please keep us in your prayers.

BEING BOLD 3

WE MUST BE BOLD IN OUR PRAYER LIFE

Hebrews 4:16 Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.

 I think too many of us have a timid prayer life.  We mumble and mutter like a child asking for something we are afraid we might not receive.  We sometimes act as if we are afraid that God might be too busy to listen to our prayers.

 This verse tells us that we are to go boldly to God's throne of grace.  Not because we are deserving of His blessings but because we have access through His Son Jesus, and that makes us joint heirs with Him.  He wants us to come as a child would come to a father.

 He knows our hearts and the thoughts and intents of our hearts anyway so we might as well go ahead and talk to Him about it.  I don't mean that we should be disrespectful.  Far from it.  Boldness does not mean that we shouldn't be humble before Him.  We do need to go often, and we need to go openly to Him.

 Every blessing we have is a result of God's marvelous grace.  That grace should enable us to go boldly to His throne and make our petitions as well as offer our praise and thanksgiving.

Please feel free to contact me by email at

shilohkosciusko@gmail.com with questions, comments or even suggestions for further devotional studies.

If you know of someone new to the Kosciusko area and would like for our church to visit them please let us know.  Our prayers are that this devotional ministry will be an outreach to bring people into a closer relationship with Jesus.  I do appreciate you taking the time to read these devotionals and please keep us in your prayers.