OPEN HEAVENS Devotional – Friday
September 9th 2016
TOPIC: GODLINESS AND
CONTENTMENT
Memorize: But godliness with
contentment is great gain. 1stTimothy 6:6
Read: 1st Timothy
6:6-10,
6 But
godliness with contentment is great gain.
7 For we
brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out.
8 And having
food and raiment let us be therewith content.
9 But they
that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and
hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition.
10 For the
love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they
have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.
Bible in one year: Jeremiah
32:1-33:13, Psalms 53-54
MESSAGE
Godliness implies a kind of
reverence for or devotion to God which produces a practical awareness of God in
every aspect of life. True godliness is a way of life that permeates every
aspect of life, from appearances to actions. A godly person cannot help but
transmit and radiate godliness in a way that anybody who comes in contact with
him or her will immediately feel the presence of God. Consequently, deceptive
godliness in speech or action is not compatible with the Word of God. According
to 2nd Timothy 3:5, apparent godliness may not be genuine;
the passage calls it “Having a form of godliness”. Meanwhile Titus 2:11-12 says:
“For the grace of God that
bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men, teaching us that, denying
ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly,
in this present world;”
From the above passage, it is
clear that godliness can be interpreted as a measure of the level of
sanctification of a child of God. The Bible in a few cases used the term
“walking with God” to indicate the level of godliness of some fathers of faith.
Examples of godliness in the Bible include Enoch in Genesis 5:24:
“And Enoch walked with God:
and he was not; for God took him” And Noah in Genesis 6:9:
“…. Noah was a just man and
perfect in his generations, and Noah walked with God.”
God demanded godliness from
Abraham in Genesis 17:1
“… I am the Almighty God; walk
before me, and be thou perfect.”
And Abraham in turn confirmed
compliance in Genesis 24:40 with the statement.
Other examples of godliness
include Simeon in Luke 2:25, Anna in Luke 2:37, and Cornelius in Acts
10:2. Therefore, godliness is mandatory as an evidence of knowing God and being
known by Him.
According to 1st Timothy
6:6, godliness should be accompanied by contentment. The Bible teaches that
sorrow for sin is a sign of godliness and godly living demands self-discipline.
The benefits of godliness cannot be over emphasised, 1st Timothy
4:8 tells us that godliness is profitable unto all things, both in this
life and in eternity. Today’s memory verse emphasises that godliness with
contentment brings great gain. It is also a sure defence against covetousness
and all manners of trials and temptations which is the main source of
backsliding and apostasy in the Church of God today. May the Lord have mercy!
Prayer Point
Father, please give me the
grace to live above covetousness and greed in Jesus’ name.
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