Blessings

BLESSINGS

1Ti 4:7 But refuse profane and old wives' fables, and exercise thyself rather unto godliness.

1Ti 4:8 For bodily exercise profiteth little: but godliness is profitable unto all things, having promise of the life that now is, and of that which is to come.

1Ti 4:9 This is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptation.

1Ti 4:10 For therefore we both labour and suffer reproach, because we trust in the living God, who is the Saviour of all men, specially of those that believe.

1Ti 4:11 These things command and teach.

1Ti 4:12 Let no man despise thy youth; but be thou an example of the believers, in word, in conversation, in charity, in spirit, in faith, in purity.

1Ti 4:13 Till I come, give attendance to reading, to exhortation, to doctrine.

1Ti 4:14 Neglect not the gift that is in thee, which was given thee by prophecy, with the laying on of the hands of the presbytery.

1Ti 4:15 Meditate upon these things; give thyself wholly to them; that thy profiting may appear to all.

-To understand this expression it is necessary to know that the apostle alludes here to the gymnastic exercises among the Greeks, which were intended as a preparation for, their contests at the public games. They did this in order to obtain a corruptible or fading crown, i. e, a chaplet of leaves, which was the reward of those who conquered in those games; Timothy was to exercise himself unto godliness, that he might be prepared for the kingdom of heaven, and there receive a crown that fadeth not away

Exercise train

Godliness – reverent devout holy

Profitable- helpful or serviceable, that is, advantageous ophellō (to heap up, that is, accumulate or benefit); gain:

The way some people talk, living for God doesn't pay off in this life.

But notice that it said, "...godliness is profitable... having promise

of the life that NOW IS..." (v.8). That's present tense.

You see, too many times Christians think only about being blessed in

the life that is to come. They'll say things like, "Well, when we all

get to Heaven...... and thank God, that will be a great day. But these

folks seem to imply that the promises of God are all for over there in

the next life.

I CORINTHIANS 3:9 For we are labourers together with God: ye are God's husbandry, ye are God's building.

That's a little bit blind to us because that word "husbandry" doesn't

mean so much to us today. But one modern translation reads, "ye are

God's garden." Another translation said, "ye are God's farm."

Well, you expect a farm to produce, don't you! You expect a garden to

produce! You expect it to be profitable. There wouldn't be an profit

in planting a garden or tilling and working a farm if it didn't produce

anything.

Friends, godliness is not a hindrance to success. Godliness is exactly

the opposite. It's profitable unto all things!

First, godliness can ensure protection in your life.

If you are God's - if you belong to Him - then you ought to expect Him

to take care of you. That doesn't mean you're to act foolish and still

expect God to protect you. But if you are His and you're living for

Him, you can rely on His keeping power, knowing godliness always pays

off. It will ensure divine protection.

Thank God, if you're a Christian, you are His; you belong to Him. The

Apostle Paul said to the Church at Corinth, "What? know ye not that

your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye

have of God, and ye are not your own?" (I Cor. 6:19).

So, you see, you don't belong to yourself; you're not your own. You've

been bought with a price, and you belong to God (I Cor. 6:20). Since

you're not your own, you ought to endeavor to please the One who owns

you - the One to whom you belong! And as you live for Him, you ought

to expect Him to take care of you.

The Lord didn't say the going was always going to be smooth. In fact,

He said, "MANY are the afflictions of the righteous: but the Lord

delivereth him out of them all' (Ps. 34:19). When you serve God, He

delivers you "out of them all"!

Now that word "afflictions" is translated from the Hebrew, and it also

means troubles and trials. In other words, we could read Psalm 34:19,

"Many are the troubles and trials of the righteous, but the Lord

delivers him out of them all."

In Psalm 91 God said, "He shall call upon me, and I will answer him: I

will be with him IN TROUBLE; I will deliver him, and honour him" (Ps.