2 Timothy 1:8 "Be not thou therefore ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, nor of me his prisoner: but be thou partaker of the afflictions of the gospel according to the power of God;"
When it comes to affliction, our natural tendency is to avoid it at all costs. We want to find an easier way, a way that won't hurt, that won't cost us anything. And yet, that is exactly opposite of what we are called to as Christians.
As far as we know, at that time, Timothy was not suffering active persecution. Paul, on the other hand, was writing this from a prison, locked up in chains. All because of his faith. Being a partaker of the afflictions does not just mean that we acknowledge that someone else is being afflicted. It literally means "to suffer hardship together with one, in company with." And the end goal is the furtherance of the Gospel.
Paul wasn't telling Timothy to do this because he wanted pity. No, he knew that if we are the body of Christ here on earth, then each part ought to be connected to the other. You know when you stub your toe and your whole body automatically cares for that part of you. God wants the same for His church, His body here on earth. When one is suffering affliction, we ought to be suffering together as one.
What would it look like for you to suffer as one with fellow believers who are persecuted?
Friday, September 28, 2018
Thursday, September 27, 2018
Power, Love, Self-Control
2 Timothy 1:7 "For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind."
This is one of those verses that becomes so well-known and, sadly, as a result, loses a lot of its meaning and impact. First of all, we see that God is the One giving giving here. These positive character traits are not things we work up on own. We also see that God does not give us a spirit of fear which means that if we have it, it is coming from someplace other than God - either our sinful flesh or from our enemy the devil.
Second, most of us understand the spirit of love and the spirit of power, however what is the spirit of a sound mind? The words "sound mind" mean "discipline, self-control". It has the idea of curbing or controlling, holding oneself to one's duty.
Power, love, and self-control. Put the three together and you have one powerful combination. Am I walking in the spirit of power? Is what I do beyond my own power? Am I walking in the spirit of love? Am I sacrificially giving, living a life that demonstrates the love of Christ to all I'm around? Am I walking in the spirit of a sound mind? Do I allow the law of God to control my actions, thoughts, and words? Am I holding myself to my duty?
This is one of those verses that becomes so well-known and, sadly, as a result, loses a lot of its meaning and impact. First of all, we see that God is the One giving giving here. These positive character traits are not things we work up on own. We also see that God does not give us a spirit of fear which means that if we have it, it is coming from someplace other than God - either our sinful flesh or from our enemy the devil.
Second, most of us understand the spirit of love and the spirit of power, however what is the spirit of a sound mind? The words "sound mind" mean "discipline, self-control". It has the idea of curbing or controlling, holding oneself to one's duty.
Power, love, and self-control. Put the three together and you have one powerful combination. Am I walking in the spirit of power? Is what I do beyond my own power? Am I walking in the spirit of love? Am I sacrificially giving, living a life that demonstrates the love of Christ to all I'm around? Am I walking in the spirit of a sound mind? Do I allow the law of God to control my actions, thoughts, and words? Am I holding myself to my duty?
Monday, September 24, 2018
Neglect Not The Gift
1 Timothy 4:14 "Neglect not the gift that is in thee, which was given thee by prophecy, with the laying on of the hands of the presbytery."
A gift, generally speaking, has some sort of value. A gift that has come from God, definitely has more than value, it has purpose. Timothy had a gift, one that Paul knew had the potential to either change the world, or to remain untouched, neglected, ignored.
We know Timothy when on to be a great teacher and preacher, spreading the Gospel of Christ far and wide. From everything we know, it appears that Timothy wisely heeded Paul's advice here, taking what God gave him and putting it to good use. But perhaps that wouldn't have happened, or else it wouldn't have happened as effectively, if Timothy had not had his gift pointed out to him. Unless we look, it can be hard to spot our gift. Sometimes it takes an outside perspective to see where God has truly gifted us.
What is your gift that the world needs you to not neglect? What is that special thing that God has given you, maybe an ability, maybe a strong character trait, that the world would be worse off if you kept it hidden away? And how can you employ that in furthering God's Kingdom today?
A gift, generally speaking, has some sort of value. A gift that has come from God, definitely has more than value, it has purpose. Timothy had a gift, one that Paul knew had the potential to either change the world, or to remain untouched, neglected, ignored.
We know Timothy when on to be a great teacher and preacher, spreading the Gospel of Christ far and wide. From everything we know, it appears that Timothy wisely heeded Paul's advice here, taking what God gave him and putting it to good use. But perhaps that wouldn't have happened, or else it wouldn't have happened as effectively, if Timothy had not had his gift pointed out to him. Unless we look, it can be hard to spot our gift. Sometimes it takes an outside perspective to see where God has truly gifted us.
What is your gift that the world needs you to not neglect? What is that special thing that God has given you, maybe an ability, maybe a strong character trait, that the world would be worse off if you kept it hidden away? And how can you employ that in furthering God's Kingdom today?
Friday, September 21, 2018
Example
1 Timothy 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."
As Christians, we don't get a pass in certain areas of our lives. We are called to a higher standard, we are called to live a life that follows so closely after Christ that we are an example to be followed.
Paul lists 6 different specific areas where we are to be examples. The first is in word which just means exactly that - the words we say ought to encourage, uplift, and bring others closer to God. The second is conversation which literally means, "manner of life, conduct, behaviour, deportment." The third is in charity or love. The fourth is in spirit. This is a word with deep meanings. However, what I think Paul is getting at is that we ought to be an example in how we feel, think, and decide. The fifth is in faith, or our fervent conviction that the Gospel is true and thereby something we ought to live our life by. And finally, the sixth is in purity which has the idea of us being set apart completely from sin.
As Christians, we ought to aim for being examples to everyone we are around n the words we say, in our daily behavior, in the love we demonstrate through that behavior, in how we feel, think, and decide, in how we believe in God and act on that belief, and in how we separate ourselves from sin unto God.
It is a tall order, to be sure. However, we have the Holy Spirit within us and the power of Christ on our side. Let's do it.
As Christians, we don't get a pass in certain areas of our lives. We are called to a higher standard, we are called to live a life that follows so closely after Christ that we are an example to be followed.
Paul lists 6 different specific areas where we are to be examples. The first is in word which just means exactly that - the words we say ought to encourage, uplift, and bring others closer to God. The second is conversation which literally means, "manner of life, conduct, behaviour, deportment." The third is in charity or love. The fourth is in spirit. This is a word with deep meanings. However, what I think Paul is getting at is that we ought to be an example in how we feel, think, and decide. The fifth is in faith, or our fervent conviction that the Gospel is true and thereby something we ought to live our life by. And finally, the sixth is in purity which has the idea of us being set apart completely from sin.
As Christians, we ought to aim for being examples to everyone we are around n the words we say, in our daily behavior, in the love we demonstrate through that behavior, in how we feel, think, and decide, in how we believe in God and act on that belief, and in how we separate ourselves from sin unto God.
It is a tall order, to be sure. However, we have the Holy Spirit within us and the power of Christ on our side. Let's do it.
Thursday, September 20, 2018
Good Minister
1 Timothy 4:6 "If thou put the brethren in remembrance of these things, thou shalt be a good minister of Jesus Christ, nourished up in the words of faith and of good doctrine, whereunto thou hast attained."
Paul is rather blunt here, telling Timothy that there are those claiming to be speaking for God who are actually "...giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils; Speaking lies in hypocrisy; having their conscience seared with a hot iron;"
I find it curious that the two things that are mentioned specifically as being "lies in hypocrisy" are 1) forbidding to marry and 2) the prohibition of eating meat. I've thought over this for awhile and can't come up with a solid answer as to why these are the 2 things that are specifically mentioned. My only thought is that there were specific people saying things like this and Paul was addressing something that Timothy was currently facing.
Regardless, the principle here is clear. One of the ways we can serve as a good minister of Jesus Christ is to nourish, or educate, or form our mind around, the words of faith and of good doctrine and then do what we can to remind our fellow believers of the Truth we have learned.
Am I being a good minister of Jesus Christ today?
Paul is rather blunt here, telling Timothy that there are those claiming to be speaking for God who are actually "...giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils; Speaking lies in hypocrisy; having their conscience seared with a hot iron;"
I find it curious that the two things that are mentioned specifically as being "lies in hypocrisy" are 1) forbidding to marry and 2) the prohibition of eating meat. I've thought over this for awhile and can't come up with a solid answer as to why these are the 2 things that are specifically mentioned. My only thought is that there were specific people saying things like this and Paul was addressing something that Timothy was currently facing.
Regardless, the principle here is clear. One of the ways we can serve as a good minister of Jesus Christ is to nourish, or educate, or form our mind around, the words of faith and of good doctrine and then do what we can to remind our fellow believers of the Truth we have learned.
Am I being a good minister of Jesus Christ today?
Tuesday, September 18, 2018
4 Types of Prayer
2 Timothy 2:1 "I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men;"
Paul seems to list 4 words that are synonyms of prayer. Let's dig a little deeper into their meanings:
Supplications: "need, indigence, want, privation, penury, a seeking, asking, entreating, entreaty to God or to man. Has the idea of begging, as in binding oneself."
Prayers: "to wish; by implication, to pray to God:—pray, will, wish with the idea of doing it to the advantage of, at, near, by, to, towards, with, with regard to."
Intercessions: "a falling in with, meeting with, an interview, a coming together, to visit, converse or for any other cause, that for which an interview is held, a conference or conversation, a petition, supplication."
Giving of Thanks: "gratitude; actively, grateful language (to God, as an act of worship)."
So if I might paraphrase this verse, I would say, "Based on what I just said about holding fast to the faith, I exhort therefore, that, before everything else, you 1) recognize your need and bring it humbly before God, 2) direct your wishes and will towards God in prayer, 3) have a conversation with God where you speak about your petitions to Him on behalf of others and yourself, and 4) that you speak actively and gratefully to your God as an act of worship. Do all this for yourself and for everyone else as well."
It's a big command that Paul gives here. However, his language makes is clear that this is vital. How can I implement this kind of prayer in my own life?
Paul seems to list 4 words that are synonyms of prayer. Let's dig a little deeper into their meanings:
Supplications: "need, indigence, want, privation, penury, a seeking, asking, entreating, entreaty to God or to man. Has the idea of begging, as in binding oneself."
Prayers: "to wish; by implication, to pray to God:—pray, will, wish with the idea of doing it to the advantage of, at, near, by, to, towards, with, with regard to."
Intercessions: "a falling in with, meeting with, an interview, a coming together, to visit, converse or for any other cause, that for which an interview is held, a conference or conversation, a petition, supplication."
Giving of Thanks: "gratitude; actively, grateful language (to God, as an act of worship)."
So if I might paraphrase this verse, I would say, "Based on what I just said about holding fast to the faith, I exhort therefore, that, before everything else, you 1) recognize your need and bring it humbly before God, 2) direct your wishes and will towards God in prayer, 3) have a conversation with God where you speak about your petitions to Him on behalf of others and yourself, and 4) that you speak actively and gratefully to your God as an act of worship. Do all this for yourself and for everyone else as well."
It's a big command that Paul gives here. However, his language makes is clear that this is vital. How can I implement this kind of prayer in my own life?
Monday, September 17, 2018
Swerved
1 Timothy 1:5-7 "Now the end of the commandment is charity out of a pure heart, and of a good conscience, and of faith unfeigned: From which some having swerved have turned aside unto vain jangling; Desiring to be teachers of the law; understanding neither what they say, nor whereof they affirm."
The end of the commandment, when it is all said and done, it all comes back down to love, to charity. Paul knew this, Timothy knew this. Paul's positive admonition here makes sense, it is what we would expect. However, the contrast that he draws is perhaps a less obvious admonition.
Where would someone be if they swerved away from love out of a pure heart, a good conscience, and true faith? I would probably say selfishness and pride. However, Paul points out that those who swerved ended up in vain janglings, trying to be teachers of the law though they did not understand it. This vain, empty talk is doing nothing to build up the church, nothing to win the lost, nothing to disciple believers.
I guess the lesson here is that sometimes we don't have to fall to the "hard opposite" of a Christian virtue in order to be missing the mark. Sometimes lack of effectiveness, vanity, rooted in pride, can result in us wasting time. Which is something our enemy loves to see.
The end of the commandment, when it is all said and done, it all comes back down to love, to charity. Paul knew this, Timothy knew this. Paul's positive admonition here makes sense, it is what we would expect. However, the contrast that he draws is perhaps a less obvious admonition.
Where would someone be if they swerved away from love out of a pure heart, a good conscience, and true faith? I would probably say selfishness and pride. However, Paul points out that those who swerved ended up in vain janglings, trying to be teachers of the law though they did not understand it. This vain, empty talk is doing nothing to build up the church, nothing to win the lost, nothing to disciple believers.
I guess the lesson here is that sometimes we don't have to fall to the "hard opposite" of a Christian virtue in order to be missing the mark. Sometimes lack of effectiveness, vanity, rooted in pride, can result in us wasting time. Which is something our enemy loves to see.
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