Tuesday April, 20 2021 Devotional
"The aim of our charge is love that issues from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith." - 1 Timothy 1:5
The goal of the teaching of the Apostles (which is recorded in Scripture) and of all the teaching in the Christian Church, is love. Not just developing warm, fuzzy feelings; the goal is that we love each other the way that God loves us.
This kind of love doesn’t come out of our sinful flesh. It isn’t found in the World. It will only develop in an atmosphere characterized by three things: a pure heart, a good conscience, and a sincere faith; and in that atmosphere it will flow naturally.
So if we want to see real love in our congregation, in our marriage or our family or our community, we need to pay attention to the teaching of God’s Word, and concentrate especially on developing purity in our hearts, on keeping a clean conscience, and keeping a sincere faith in God’s Word of forgiveness for Jesus’ sake.
Do you wonder sometimes why we don’t spend more time talking about other things in church: politics, or current events, or social issues? It’s because the goal of our teaching is love that issues from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith.
Lord, keep my heart firmly trusting in Your Word. Help me develop and keep a pure heart and a good conscience as I follow You, so that godly love will issue naturally from my heart. Let Your own character and personality be seen in me as I follow You, in Jesus’ name. Amen. Pastor Dan Giles