Honey From The Rock

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Honey From The Rock
Psalm 81:16

"Sweet Stuff From God's Word"

A daily Bible study with Victor Knowles
Copyright 2007

Life and Doctrine

This entry was posted on 06-21-2007 and is filed under Devotional.

"Watch your life and doctrine closely. Persevere in them, because if you do, you will save both yourself and your hearers" (1 Tim. 4:16 NIV).

Those who handle the Word of God must be very careful to keep a sharp eye on two things: their personal life and their doctrinal teaching. Satan is working to make sure one of them trips you up. We must always make sure that our behavior matches what we are teaching. In other words, "practice what you preach."

It is easy to slide into loose living or loose teaching. So we need to do constant personal inventory. Am I a pure vessel for God? Is my teaching in line with the apostles' doctrine? So Paul tells Timothy to "take heed" to himself and his teaching and to "continue" to do this self-inventory and self-testing. Why? To "save both yourself and your hearers." What a tragedy it would be if both proclaimer and audience would be lost!

Prayer: Loving Father, keep us on the narrow way that leads to life everlasting. Help us to give constant attention to our life and doctrine. May we never disappoint You or imperil others by loose living or loose teaching. Through Christ we pray.