"I" is for Instruction..
Being instructed and guided by Gods wisdom. In Proverbs chapter 4: 7-13, Solomon admonishes his son with all his ability to get wisdom. As it says, "Wisdom is the principle thing." Meaning it is the choicest fruit to God's understanding. Particularly stated in verse 13, Solomon says for his son (David), "To take firm hold of instruction, do not let go; keep her, for she is your life." (Other references; 2 Timothy 3:16, Proverbs 8:33, Proverbs 12:1) I am provoked to thinking about a hanging onto a rope for dear life. Psalm 32:8,"I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go, I will guide you with mine eye."
"N" is for Nobility.
In Acts 17:11, there were the Bereans who took the scriptures and searched them after Paul and Silas spoke. The verse said that they were more "noble" than those in Thessolonica. Noble basically means one who has high morals and character or comes from a stately position or rank. We all know from what the word already tells us that we are of a "royal priesthood." 1 Peter 2:9 says, "But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. " It is hard to consider us of royalty or of a "kingship" with a inheritance in this world that we live in today, but we have one that is to come. But we are considered blessed because we are his chosen. Psa 33:12, " Blessed is the nation whose God is the LORD; and the people whom he hath chosen for his own inheritance."
Act 20:32, " And now, brethren, I commend you to God, and to the word of his grace, which is able to build you up, and to give you an inheritance among all them which are sanctified."
"T" is for Testimony or Testify.
John 5:39, " Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me." Today as we see so many people who are taken to court for one thing or another, or see someone accused of a crime, to establish the truth. The testimonies of witnesses is crucial in getting at the facts and revealing the actual events as they occurred. What does our lives testify of? Do people see Jesus in us? And what can I do to be more ready to witness to someone. How can I become a living testament?
The word "testify" means, 1) to be a witness, to bear witness, i.e. to affirm that one has seen or heard or experienced something, or that he knows it because taught by divine revelation or inspiration, 1a) to give (not to keep back) testimony, 1b) to utter honorable testimony, give a good report, 1c) conjure, implore. God's word clearly is a testimony of who Jesus is and the Heavenly Father.
Psa 19:7, "The law of the LORD [is] perfect, converting the soul: the testimony of the LORD [is] sure, making wise the simple."
"E" is for Example
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." We see today coming out of Hollywood so many worldly examples that seem to plague the movie industry with immoral behavior. With the standards set within those that seem to be leading the country in the acts that are against what this country is founded upon, God's word. Such as sex outside of marriage and homosexuality, violence and the encouragement to be disrespectful to parents from TV sitcoms like "Bart Simpson," "Beavus and Butthead."
We've become numb to its bombardment upon our living room couch How can we be an example to those around us? How can we be an example to our family members, our boss or fellow employees, the neighbors, our community and our church, even to our closest friends? What can we do to now if we feel we are not the example to those mentioned?
The next verse basically mentions what we are to do. 1Pe 2:21, " For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps." We are to "follow in his steps" leaving us the example of his life upon this earth. Luke 9:23 is one of my favorite verses that spoke fathoms to me as a believer. I needed to "take up my Cross daily and follow him." That was something I did not get until I asked the Lord what did that mean. It was to completely die to myself and "yield" the rights of my life to the cause and the message of the Cross of Jesus. It cost Jesus his own life for my sake. He bought and paid for it with his own blood. As in that song, "He paid a debt I did not owe and I owe a debt that I could not pay." What are things I can do to begin following Jesus example? (Ephesians 4:22)
"G" is for 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." Sometimes godliness is defined like being good person and going to church and or in keeping the golden rule, do unto others as you would have done unto you and just being a good parent to my child. But in the verse above "godliness" speaks of being "profitable unto all things" It is living by faith according to Gods will and purpose for our life, knowing and doing the will of God. That's the kind of life is profitable and prosperous. Moses gave the people of Israel a commandment for them to,"turn not to the right hand or to the left, that thou mayest prosper."(Joshua 1:7b)
It is hard for us to really see doing it Gods ways as being profitable because we cannot attain rewarding things to possess or hold.(example: an athlete gaining the popularity of the world) We are visual and goal oriented people. We look for personal gain and satisfaction only to fulfill the passions of this physical body. We long for acceptance and immediate approval by our peers and by those we share our life with on a daily basis. But in the end it only remains but a short while and soon that begins to burn away becoming not enough for our increasing appetite to be loved and accepted.
Godliness denotes the fear of God and in having an attitude of submission and obedience to his authority. Godliness refers to Gods righteousness being manifested in our lives. We are to be living out his truths which is to say keep his word and Commandments that we may live long and prosper. That can be a difficult task for most if not all of Christians of today because of the peer pressure to "keep up" with fast pace of our busy lives.
Paul stated in the book of Philippians 3:12-14, that he followed after apprehended or pursued satisfaction with all his might and straining every spiritual muscle to attain, lay hold of or possess being conformed to the image of Christ. Verses 13&14 say that he did not count himself to have apprehended but that he forgot what was behind, "reaching forth" to those things, which were before him. The believer is not to be bogged down with past failures and sins but to strive for "the high calling" of Christlikeness.
"R" is for being Real
I was watching a talk show the other day of people who wanted to be like a famous actor, or actress that they admired. The whole stage was filled with individuals who had "makeovers" to have themselves look like their idol. It seems so hard for us to "be real" with ourselves and accept who we are and were created to be. When as a teenager even I would close my door to my room and feel that behind that door I was myself yet I never really knew who I actually was. We all struggle with being real. So many times we have felt another's rejection or maybe in school growing up we were ridiculed for being different even if we wore "weird looking glasses." Those things impacted us as we coped with trying to discover who we were
As adults we still are caught up with that facing the mirror as we brush our teeth and comb our hair. God peers into our hearts and does not judge us on our outward appearance but our inward condition. ) We believe that we have to be this "beauty queen" with Barbie doll figures and be super mom's to our children and over achiever at our jobs to gain acceptance and approval.
"He that walketh uprightly and worketh righteousness and speaketh the truth in his heart."Psa.15: 2. Favour with the Lord is attainable. For he will bless the righteous with his favour and surround them with a shield. (Psa.5: 12) As Children growing up we used to run to our parents maybe after we might have helped little sister out of the bath tub or maybe straightened our room thinking how proud mom and dad would be of us to see how good we are. This is love that is conditional. I had learned only recently that I did not need to work hard for Gods love but that he already loved me. I believed that I had to work to keep it but never realized that I had it. God gave his son to die for us. That became the highest form of love.
What is certain for me is there is nothing I can do or be like to ever lose the love of God the Father. I take comfort in that it helped me realize that I can be forgiven in my failures and my shortcomings in my everyday living. Knowing that I can come to a Holy Lord and be myself before him without restraint for I am his child no matter how you look at it.
"I" is for Inspiration
We all are inspired by something in our life.
2 Timothy 3:16," For all scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness."
"T" is for Truth
I have heard that" all truth is Gods truth." This is of course a fallacy because that would mean that under the umbrella of God the cults could exist and be correct. "He who walks uprightly and works righteousness and speaks the truth in his heart." Psalm 15:2 Integrity of heart is speaking not what we believe to be truth but that we know to be truth and not in our minds but in our hearts. When I think on the word "integrity" I picture a piece of metal as in Gold or Silver. Each type of metal has its own composition and chemical structure.
When it is purified it has to endure tremendous amounts of heat to get to its purest form. With each pass of going through this flame the "dross" or impurities surface and are cleared off for another pass through the flame once again. As the metal cools the "integrity" or strength of that metal is improved. As we are tested and tried daily, what we are made of inside will surface. Sometimes standing behind a little old lady in a grocery store and watching as she gets all of her coupons and you have to be at the church for a banquet or a fellowship.
What is our usual reaction to this? Or when we are driving down the busy intersection and get behind a car that just slows down as he enters it and the light turns red on you. What are our words much less our thoughts to that person? David said in Psalms 25:21, for integrity and rightness would preserve his life because he placed his trust in God. (Psalm 26:1-3)
"Y" is for Yielding
Well last but not least comes the latter part of integrity, yielding. This is associated with the much-dreaded word, "submission." What is it about that word we do not like? Is it because we think of being in slavery to our husbands and our parents? So much has been taught on being submissive To either our parents and husbands that we do not always look at the fact that Jesus surrendered his life and yielded his rights for our sake so that we might have life and have it more abundantly. Now your thinking, " that was Jesus and he was perfect not me." Yes precisely the point. He set the "example" for us to live by. A seed when it is planted in the ground must but die first before life begins in it. Like as in the story of the "seed sower" in Mark 4:8 and the seed fell upon good ground that it did bring forth -good fruit. Paul exhorts in Romans to "yield ourselves unto God" as an instrument to be used of him. We are usable and can be moldable by God. If we but yield to our lives and our trust to God he will see to our needs.
