Category: I Timothy

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Why?

This is the question I was asking myself this morning. Why?

Why do I write this blog each morning? Why do I get up as early as I do? Why?

The answer was clear. Because there is no other way I would rather start my day than having a quiet cup of coffee with the Lord. It brings my day into focus, gives me direction and perspective, the Word gives me wisdom and fills my heart with strength.

“Let the teaching of Christ and His words keep on living in you. These make your lives rich and full of wisdom. Keep on teaching and helping each other. Sing the Songs of David and the church songs and the songs of heaven with hearts full of thanks to God. 17 Whatever you say or do, do it in the name of the Lord Jesus. Give thanks to God the Father through the Lord Jesus.” Colossians 3:16-18 NLV

Years ago I realized that the thing I was most passionate about, the thing I desired to do the most and the thing that I felt the Lord had truly gifted me to do was to teach His word in a way that was practical and easy to understand. That’s the answer to the why do I write each morning. If I can help one person each day gain strength and understanding from God’s word than my life is truly successful.

I remember years ago I was talking with a young woman who has an amazing voice. She has a musical talent, a gift, that compels people to stop and listen. However, she was struggling. Struggling with the lack of opportunities to use her talent publicly. Her question was this. This talent I have has been given me by God, why don’t I have more occasions to use it?

I told her she has as many opportunities as she wants. She can sing while working in her yard and the neighbors may hear, she can sing in the break room at work and bless her co-workers. She can sing to her nieces and nephews. Her singing, something as simple as Jesus Loves Me, may have a life-defining impact on someone who goes on to become the next Billy Graham or the next Bill Gates.

Whatever we do, we do in the name of the Lord. Why?

To give God thanks for all He has done in our lives and to draw others to a relationship with Him.

If you’re a construction workers, a teacher, a doctor, a first responder, a student, a homemaker, a retail clerk or medical technician do all to the glory of God. Parent, child, grandparent, uncle, aunt, unemployed, fully employed, business owner or retiree do all to the glory of God.

Whatever we do, whatever we say, wherever we go we go with a mission. We use our lives to show God’s goodness to others.

Why?

“…Be an example to show the believers how they should live. Show them by what you say, by the way you live, by your love, by your faith, and by your pure life. 13 Continue to read the Scriptures to the people, encourage them, and teach them…” I Timothy 4:12-13 ERV

We each have a purpose, a God-ordained destiny. Live life for His glory!

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Pray for Our Leaders

Years ago I had the sweetest thing happen. I had been teaching a ladies morning Bible Study at our church. We had such a wonderful group of women attending, one was a young newly wed. She had recently given her life to Christ. She was so hungry to learn from God’s word.

That particular morning I had made a comment similar to this. “If you listen you can hear God’s voice anywhere; while you’re cleaning bathrooms, washing dishes or hanging out the laundry.”

She came up to me when the Bible Study was over and said she wanted to tell me what she learned that morning. She said that she had never considered the fact that I had to do housework. She had only imagined me studying – reading my Bible and praying but not doing housework. We both got a good laugh and I asked her if she thought the Lord sent angels to clean for me. We laughed again.

I think there are quite a few people out there who never really think that their pastors or leaders face life’s challenges like normal people. They somehow think that because they are pastors or teachers that life is easier for them.

No!

I was reminded of all this while reading in Acts today. The Lord ministered to Paul with these words.

“During the night, Paul had a vision. The Lord said to him, “Don’t be afraid, and don’t stop talking to people. 10 I am with you, and no one will be able to hurt you. Many of my people are in this city.” 11 Paul stayed there for a year and a half teaching God’s message to the people.” Acts 18:9-11 ERV

Paul was out on the trail, going from city to city, preaching the message of Jesus. It caused no small stir in most of the towns he went too. He was dragged into court, thrown into jail, beaten with whips, and stoned on many different occasions. His calling was not without opposition and challenges. Paul needed the Lord’s encouragement and also the prayers of those he was ministering too.

Don’t be afraid, don’t stop, I am with you! Those were the Lord’s words.

I’m also reading in the book of Joshua each morning. The Lord said the same thing to him.

“Joshua, I will always be with you and help you as I helped Moses, and no one will ever be able to defeat you.

6-8 Long ago I promised the ancestors of Israel that I would give this land to their descendants. So be strong and brave! Be careful to do everything my servant Moses taught you. Never stop reading The Book of the Law[b he gave you. Day and night you must think about what it says. If you obey it completely, you and Israel will be able to take this land.

9 I’ve commanded you to be strong and brave. Don’t ever be afraid or discouraged! I am the Lord your God, and I will be there to help you wherever you go.” Joshua 1:5-9 CEV

Be strong, be brave, don’t be discouraged. I am with you!

We need to be praying those words for the ones in authority and leadership. Our prayers bring them strength.

“First of all, I ask that you pray for all people. Ask God to bless them and give them what they need. And give thanks. 2 You should pray for rulers and for all who have authority. Pray for these leaders so that we can live quiet and peaceful lives—lives full of devotion to God and respect for him. 3 This is good and pleases God our Savior.” I Timothy 2:1-3 ERV

Pray for our pastors and their families. Pray for those who are in a place of authority and leadership. Ask the Lord to bless them. They face the same daily struggles we do. They have challenges with raising families, budgets, automobile and home repairs; life in general. Then they also have the responsibility to hear from the Lord and share his message with us.

The Lord probably won’t send an angelic cleaning lady but our prayers can help lighten the load.

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Past Present Future

God can use our past to shape our future!

Do you believe that? We all have things in our past that are painful, things we would like to forget. It’s amazing – those things that we think almost too tough to bear can be used of God to propel us into a future of blessing.

The children of Israel were went to Egypt to escape a famine. Their brother was second in command of the whole country. Then a new pharaoh took over, saw them as a threat and enslaved them. They went from being independent ranchers to making bricks for the pharaoh (probably used in the construction of the pyramids). But I think they also must have been taught other skills, fine skills, as well. Let me show you.

When we read Exodus 25-31 we find the instructions that the Lord gives Moses for the construction of the Tabernacle, His mobile home, and also for the items of worship to be used in it. God even gives instruction for the clothing of the priests. This is all very elaborate.

The items were to be made from acacia wood covered in gold, the fabric was fine linen with purple, red and blue wool. The priest’s breastplate was encrusted with fine stones in settings of silver. The incense and anointing oil were of the finest quality.

Now maybe your mind doesn’t work like mine but I had to ask, where did these brick makers get all this good stuff and where did they learn to be skilled craftsmen?

The lampstand for the Tabernacle was to be engraved from one piece of gold weighing 75 pounds. It wasn’t just a lampstand but was decorated with flowers which were also to be carved from the same piece of gold. Amazing! (By-the-way, Jesus said he was the light of the world)

“Make a lampstand of pure gold. The whole lampstand, including its decorative flowers, must be made from a single piece of hammered gold 32 with three branches on each of its two sides. 33 There are to be three decorative almond blossoms on each branch 34 and four on the stem. 35 There must also be a blossom where each pair of branches comes out from the stem. 36 The lampstand, including its branches and decorative flowers, must be made from a single piece of hammered pure gold.” Exodus 25:31-36 CEV

And then there are the curtains:
“Furnish the sacred tent with curtains made from ten pieces of the finest linen. They must be woven with blue, purple, and red wool and embroidered with figures of winged creatures. 2 Make each piece fourteen yards long and two yards wide 3 and sew them together into two curtains with five sections each. 4-6 Put fifty loops of blue cloth along one of the wider sides of each curtain, then fasten the two curtains at the loops with fifty gold hooks.” Exodus 26:1-6 CEV

I could go on and on but I would have you read it for yourself. The questions that come to mind are; where did they get the gold? Easy, Moses told the women that they were to go to their Egyptian neighbors and ask for all their gold and silver and fine goods before they left Egypt. They were so eager to get rid of the Israelites that they gladly complied.

But now answer these. Where did they learn about refining and carving gold; what about weaving the fine linen; or embroidery with gold thread or dying wool? Did you know that linen is made from flax – it would take a lot of flax to produce ten curtains fourteen yards long and two yards wide. And the flax would first have to be planted, then harvested and finally spun.

The Israelites must have served as apprentice to the Egyptian goldsmiths, silversmiths, weavers, etc. I was reading on the internet that some of the finest linen produced came from the tombs of the pharaohs in Egypt.

Now let me say again that God can take our oppressive past and use it for our blessing. They were able to use the things they learned as slaves to build a house of honor for the Lord.

What skills and talents did we develop in harsh conditions that we can now use to bring God glory? Remember, God took a religious zealot like Saul who arrested and had the early Christians killed, changed his life on the road to Damascus, gave him a new name (Paul) and had him be the message of God’s grace to the whole world.

“Christ Jesus our Lord was very kind to me. He has greatly blessed my life with faith and love just like his own. 15 “Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners.” This saying is true, and it can be trusted. I was the worst sinner of all! 16 But since I was worse than anyone else, God had mercy on me and let me be an example of the endless patience of Christ Jesus. He did this so that others would put their faith in Christ and have eternal life.” I Timothy 1:14-16 CEV

The Father isn’t wasteful – not with time, with experience, with talents or with people. He will use what we give Him and He will take our mess and turn it into His message.

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Do You Hear It?

One look at this photograph and you know what I’m going to talk about don’t you?

What do a beeping smoke alarm and the early morning hours have in common? Nothing good!!! Why is it that smoke detectors always seem to wait until the wee hours to chirp or in this case beep intermittently? Trying to tell us it’s time to change the battery but it’s unsettling to say the least…

You probably like me, at one point in time or another you have heard that little chirp coming from your smoke detector, warning you that the battery is low. Or worse yet, you have been frying bacon or burnt some toast only to have the whole thing screech its “something’s on fire” warning so loudly that the entire neighborhood can hear.

Isn’t that the way it is with “warning” devices? They interrupt the normal flow – they come with annoying sounds that set us on edge and that is their purpose. A warning has to be something loud or out of the ordinary so that we stop, look and listen!

Those in the Midwest know they have only minutes to react when they hear the tornado warning. The entire continent of Europe lived in fear of hearing the air raid signal. We hear police sirens, fire trucks and ambulances and move off the roadway when we hear their sirens.

Yes, we are programmed to respond when we hear those warnings!

The same is true in spiritual things. God gives warnings. He sent Moses to the pharaoh; Noah preached to the world during his time; Daniel’s dream told of the fall of the Medo-Persian empire; Jesus came preaching salvation, His second coming and the certainty of the last days.

“Later, as Jesus was sitting on the Mount of Olives, his disciples came to him in private and asked, “When will this happen? What will be the sign of your coming and of the end of the world?”

4 Jesus answered:

Don’t let anyone fool you. 5 Many will come and claim to be me. They will say that they are the Messiah, and they will fool many people.

6 You will soon hear about wars and threats of wars, but don’t be afraid. These things will have to happen first, but that isn’t the end. 7 Nations and kingdoms will go to war against each other. People will starve to death, and in some places there will be earthquakes. 8 But this is just the beginning of troubles.

9 You will be arrested, punished, and even killed. Because of me, you will be hated by people of all nations. 10 Many will give up and will betray and hate each other. 11 Many false prophets will come and fool a lot of people. 12 Evil will spread and cause many people to stop loving others. 13 But if you keep on being faithful right to the end, you will be saved. 14 When the good news about the kingdom has been preached all over the world and told to all nations, the end will come.” Matthew 24:3-14 ERV

“The Spirit clearly says that in the last times some will turn away from what we believe. They will obey spirits that tell lies. And they will follow the teachings of demons. 2 Those teachings come through people who tell lies and trick others. These evil people cannot see what is right and what is wrong. It is like their conscience has been destroyed with a hot iron.” I Timothy 4:1-2 ERV

Things like this are happening all around the world and even in our own country and states. It can be alarming. However, we have no need to fear or be in distress.

“Then people will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory. 28 When these things begin to happen, stand up tall and don’t be afraid. Know that it is almost time for God to free you!” Luke 21:27-28 ERV

Don’t be afraid. But also don’t become hard hearted. Some want to withdraw and hide almost paralyzed with fear while others take the attitude that it’s no big deal.

Here’s the good news. The warning signs are given so we won’t loose hope, so we won’t give up.  Life should continue on in a normal way; going to work, doing family things, getting married, raising kids. However, we need to be looking for the day that the Lord will return. Living with an expectancy, knowing that our salvation is secure in Christ and doing those things that honor Him.

The Lord is loving and patient. He wants everyone to have the opportunity to respond to His message of salvation and new life in Christ.

“The Lord isn’t slow to keep his promise, as some think of slowness, but he is patient toward you, not wanting anyone to perish but all to change their hearts and lives.” II Peter 3:9 CEB

It’s time to look up, the day of HIs coming is soon!

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Made Special

I know we all want to feel special. There is something about us that “entitles” us to the little extras. A bigger piece of pie, an extra scoop of ice cream, more money per hour at work, the bigger bouquet, the nicer car, the corner office and the list goes on.

However, I’ve never been the one to win the trophy buckle, to graduate valedictorian, be promoted to executive team or even win the state championship. But there is one thing I’ve done that puts me in the top group every time!

“Yes, God loved the world so much that he gave his only Son, so that everyone (whosoever) who believes in him would not be lost but have eternal life. ” John 3:15 ERV

Yes, I’m a member of the world – I’m an everyone! That makes me a recipient of the Father’s love and a participant in life eternal. I’m one of millions/billions of people who lived but I am one in a million in God’s eyes! He knows the number of hairs on my head, He knows when I fall and He knows my name.

“Training your body helps you in some ways. But devotion to God helps you in every way. It brings you blessings in this life and in the future life too. 9 Here is a true statement that should be accepted without question: 10 We hope in the living God, the Savior of all people. In particular, he is the Savior of all those who believe in him. This is why we work and struggle. 11 Command and teach these things.” I Timothy 4:8-11 CEV

Father God is the Savior of ALL but we have a part to play and that is we must BELIEVE in Him.

If I came to your house with a big box, wrapped in beautiful paper, tied up with a gorgeous ribbon and I had put your name on the box, would that present be yours? Well of course it would!

If you took that present and set it on the dining room table and looked at it, each day, admiring how pretty it was and how nice it was of me to bring it, would it benefit you? No, not really. It’s not until you open the gift, fully accept it, that it truly becomes yours and is a benefit to you.

Many people have seen the gift the Father brought them; the gift of forgiveness and restoration but for whatever reason have failed to open it and appropriate it for themselves.

“My dear children, I write this letter to you so that you will not sin. But if anyone sins, we have Jesus Christ to help us. He always did what was right, so he is able to defend us before God the Father. 2 Jesus is the way our sins are taken away. And he is the way all people can have their sins taken away too.” I John 2:1-2 CEV

“no matter if that person is a Jew or a Gentile. There is only one Lord, and he is generous to everyone who asks for his help. 13 All who call out to the Lord will be saved.” Romans 10:12-13 CEV

So you see if you are a whosoever, an everyone, an “all people”, the gift is yours! Accept it and take advantage of what is being given – it definitely makes you a winner!

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