PJP2 PROLOG 160801 PROLOG Focus -

1 Timothy 1:17 (ESV/emphasis added/jaj)...."To The KING Of The Ages, Immortal, Invisible, The ONLY God, Be Honor And Glory Forever And Ever.  Amen."

PJP2 PROLOG POST 160801 - 1 Timothy 1:12-17 (ESV/emphasis added/jaj)...."I Thank HIM WHO Has Given me Strength, Christ Jesus our Lord, Because HE Judged me Faithful, Appointing me To HIS Service, THOUGH formerly I was a blasphemer, persecutor, and insolent opponent.  BUT I Received MERCY Because I had acted ignorantly in unbelief, And The GRACE Of our Lord Overflowed For me With The FAITH And LOVE That Are IN Christ Jesus. The Saying Is Trustworthy And Deserving Of Full Acceptance, THAT Christ Jesus Came Into the world To SAVE sinners, of whom I am the foremost.  BUT I Received MERCY For THIS Reason, That In me, as the foremost, Jesus Christ Might Display HIS Perfect Patience As An EXAMPLE to those who Were To BELIEVE In HIM For Eternal LIFE.  To The KING Of The Ages, Immortal, Invisible, The ONLY God, Be Honor And Glory Forever And Ever.  Amen."....

How I readily Identify with both Timothy and Paul.  As I draw closer to retiring from AD/AF, I feel somewhat like Paul who, writing to encourage his young friend (and fellow pastor), working to encourage and strengthen Timothy (who was facing all kinds of challenges in his church).  I also, though, feel like Timothy, as I prepare to enter God's Next Adventure that He has Planned for Team Johnson.  I also, though, very much (especially in today's Passage Of the WORD Select) relate to Paul's Confession - "The Saying Is Trustworthy And Deserving Of Full Acceptance, THAT Christ Jesus Came Into the world To SAVE sinners, of whom I am the foremost.  BUT I Received MERCY For THIS Reason, That In me, as the foremost, Jesus Christ Might Display HIS Perfect Patience As An EXAMPLE to those who Were To BELIEVE In HIM For Eternal LIFE."....

AH-HA!  How so very True I know this is in my own life.....

So....for our Prayer today.....Permit me to employ our Holy Spirit's Inspired WORD to Paul as a SIP (Scripture Inspired Prayer) for us.....

1 Timothy 1:12-17 (ESV/emphasis & paraphrase added/jaj)....O Lord Jesus, Holy Spirit, Father God, we Thank You!  It is You WHO Has Given us Strength.  You and You Alone, O Lord, God The Fahter's Christ, No ONE else BUT Jesus our Lord.  Holy Spirit, we Are Thankful, Because You Judged us Faithful, and Appointed us To YOUR Service.  Father God, even though formerly we were blasphemers, persecutors, and insolent opponents to You and Your Way.  BUT, Praise You Lord Jesus, Because of Your Grace we Received MERCY.  Because we had acted ignorantly in our sin and unbelief.  O Holy Spirit, Your GRACE Overflowed For us With The FAITH And LOVE That Follow By our Surrender and Acceptance IN Christ Jesus, our Lord and Savior.  Father God, Indeed Your Saying Is Trustworthy And Deserving Of Full Acceptance: "THAT Christ Jesus Came Into the world To SAVE sinners"....(Of whom we are the foremost.)  O BUT Lord Jesus, we Thank You for we Received MERCY For THIS Reason - That In us, as the foremost, You, O Lord Jesus Christ, Might Display YOUR Perfect Patience As An EXAMPLE to those who do Not Yet Know You, BUT IF and WHEN they Were To BELIEVE In HIM, they Too would Attain Eternal LIFE.  O Lord Jesus, Holy Spirit, Father God - To You, The KING Of The Ages, Immortal, Invisible, The ONLY God, Be Honor And Glory Forever And Ever.  Amen and Amen....jaj