"10 You, however, have followed my teaching, my conduct, my aim in life, my faith, my patience, my love, my steadfastness,
11 my persecutions and sufferings that happened to me at Antioch, at Iconium, and at Lystra-which persecutions I endured; yet from them all the Lord rescued me.
12 Indeed, all who desire to live a godly life in CHRIST JESUS will be persecuted,
13 while evil people and impostors will go on from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived.
14 But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have firmly believed, knowing from whom you learned it
15 and how from childhood you have been acquainted with the sacred writings, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in CHRIST JESUS.
16 All scripture is breathed out by GOD and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness,
17 that the man of GOD may be complete, equipped for every good work."
GOD has a way of leaving little doubt in our minds of HIS SOVEREIGNTY and control over our lives! Today I had planned to do a study on how GOD REVEALS certain things to us, sometimes in small increments, on HIS timing to grow us into vessels that will bless HIM. Romans 9:18 "So then HE has mercy on whomever HE wills, and HE hardens whomever HE wills" was a scripture that was going through my thoughts.
While studying in that vein, my thoughts were continually swayed to how certain scriptures STICK in my mind with no explanation. One can only speculate how many letters from Christians were written in the first century that are not included in The HOLY BIBLE. Certainly there were many good writings by eloquent authors with a tremendous education that were omitted from The HOLY BIBLE due to lack of Divine "INSPIRATION"!
The King James Version of 2 Timothy 3:16 says "All scripture is given by "INSPIRATION" of GOD". The English Standard Version point blank states that GOD "breathed out" words to teach, reproof, correct, and train mankind to be what HE called us to be. One definition of the word "INSPIRATION" is "a DIVINE influence directly and immediately exerted upon the mind or soul". How exciting, yet humbling, it would be to realize that GOD would use the efforts from one's hands to bless and mold the lives of countless people in the future.
My experiences over the years are filled with GOD's intervention, guidance, and direction. One might describe HIS presence as "INSPIRATION"! HE loves you just as much! Acknowledging HIM for what HE has done in our lives is doing is part of "Thou shalt have no other GOD's before ME" (Exodus 20:3). We need take the time to fully understand WHO our GOD is, and just how much HE loves us. The enemy wants us to be consumed with being a financial success or other goals, while GOD wants us to be a Spiritual success! Finances and goals come and go, but "INSPIRATION" is DIVINELY influenced!
Just as GOD has "mercy on whomever HE wills", without GOD intervening in a life that individual has a good chance of having their heart harden. FATHER, I pray that my heart will continually have mercy shown on my life, and I will reflect that "INSPIRATION" or DIVINE INFLUENCE in all I do!
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