Continue Thou

II Timothy 3:14-15 "But continue thou in the things which thou hast learned and hast been assured of, knowing of whom thou hast learned them; And that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus."

I have a friend, whom the Lord has blessed with a great many talents. One of those is the gift of song writing.  Two of the songs she has written, have become very close to my heart, as I grow older and learn more about the grace and mercy of God. The songs are titled, "Keeping Grace" and "Goodly Heritage." Both tell a story of being born into a home with parents that are already born again, and being raised to know the Lord, thus becoming a child of God at an early age. I am doing them very little justice really, they are tremendous songs that have touched my heart, over and over. 

I, like the author of these songs, was blessed to be born in to a Christian home, raised by Godly parents, and taught by example to serve the Lord. Thus, coming to know the Lord at an early age. I was able to hear some of the greatest preacher's while growing up. I was able to glean from many a Godly woman in my life, especially my mother.  Though I am grown now, I am still able to hear good, sound Gospel preaching at my own church, Faith Baptist. My pastor also has in other great preacher's and evangelists on occasion, so the Word of God (KJV 1611) is preached openly and without reservation, and I am blessed to hear it, and glean from it. By God's grace, I plan to continue to serve Him, and hear what He has for me, and try to be what He wants me to be, until He calls me home. 

So what's my point in all this? By God's grace, I want to grow better, more and more, every day. It is not enough to just learn what is right, you have to continue in it. You have to persevere to the end. Just as Paul is telling Timothy here to stick to the truth of the word, and it would protect him from the snares of the devil. It will keep you from being lured away. Also to remember who had taught him - - "knowing of whom thou hast learned them" - - not evil, wicked men, but men who had experienced the power of God and knew the truths they had taught him. He also reminds him - - "And that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures."  In order to know the things of God, you must know His Word. What a joy! What a blessing, to know the Scriptures from your childhood!!! That is when true learning begins. 

"It is a great happiness to know the certainty of the things wherein we have been instructed." 

(Matthew Henry) 

So if you have been blessed, as I, by growing up in a good, Godly home - - Be thankful. Praise the Lord for it, and CONTINUE in the things that you were taught. It is a blessing. It was by God's grace you weren't born to a drunkard, or drug addict, or even worse! Praise God that He has saved many from those places, but you and I, through NO GOODNESS OF OUR OWN were graciously spared. Like the song says, "No righteousness nor good have I, that I could glory in. Amazing grace, has kept me from, what I might have been." (words from "Keeping Grace" written by Leah Sandlin)