NorthStar Community Daily Devotional

March 9

Scripture focus: Repeat these basic essentials over and over to God's people. Warn them before God against pious nitpicking, which chips away at the faith. It just wears everyone out. Concentrate on doing your best for God, work you won't be ashamed of, laying out the truth plain and simple. Stay clear of pious talk that is only talk. Words are not mere words, you know. If they're not backed by a godly life, they accumulate as poison in the soul. Hymenaeus and Philetus are examples, throwing believers off stride and missing the truth by a mile by saying the resurrection is over and done with. 2 Timothy 2:14-18 The Message

I’m currently working on a team with several other churches. We’re coordinating a recovery ministry conference. When you read this, for better or worse, that event has come and gone. But some of the lessons I’ve learned working with my new friends will last forever.

One of our team members has a saying, “Don’t bring up a problem unless you’re prepared to offer a solution.” I love his philosophy, especially since I’ve seen him practice what he preaches.

It’s a whole lot easier to point out problems than to become an integral part of a solution. Let me encourage us all – don’t chip away at the faith of others.

Walking by faith is hard enough without us pecking on each other along the route.
My friend is really smart, and sometimes he notices limitations and problems before the rest of our team gets there in our thinking. But all of us appreciate the fact that he never highlights a problem without providing a flashlight. His willingness to tell the truth without pious nitpicking has blessed our team immensely.

May we hand out flashlights to all that seek to walk by faith…and for those in our life who are not yet convinced about matters of faith, may we do our best to not discourage their seeking by acting all pious (without truly living a godly life).

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