Category: II Timothy

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On Solid Ground

Where are you standing today? Is your footing sure?

Hiking the hills, it’s imperative that you know where your next step needs to be. The terrain is covered with undergrowth and brush and the rocky ground can cause your foot to give way without any notice.

The same holds true in life.

If you are standing on a unsure foundation undoubtedly you will slip and fall. But when the foundation is sure, you are secure.

“But the foundation that God has laid is solid. On it is written, “The Lord knows who his people are. So everyone who worships the Lord must turn away from evil.” II Timothy 2:19 CEV

Jesus referred to a house on a solid foundation (rock) in a parable and then went on to say that the rock was the Word of God.

“Anyone who comes and listens to me and obeys me 48 is like someone who dug down deep and built a house on solid rock. When the flood came and the river rushed against the house, it was built so well that it didn’t even shake. 49 But anyone who hears what I say and doesn’t obey me is like someone whose house wasn’t built on solid rock. As soon as the river rushed against that house, it was smashed to pieces!” Luke 6:47-49 CEV

I love the old hymn that says the same. It was written by a man named Edward Mote in the 1800’s – it has a very true message for today.

My hope is built on nothing less Than Jesus’ blood and righteousness; I dare not trust the sweetest frame, But wholly lean on Jesus’ name. When darkness veils His lovely face, I rest on His unchanging grace; In every high and stormy gale ,My anchor holds within the veil. His oath, His covenant, His blood Support me in the whelming flood; When all around my soul gives way, He then is all my hope and stay. When He shall come with trumpet sound, Oh, may I then in Him be found; Dressed in His righteousness alone, Faultless to stand before the throne. Refrain: On Christ, the solid Rock, I stand; All other ground is sinking sand, All other ground is sinking sand.

When we put our hope and trust in Jesus, we will find our footing is secure on the Solid Rock!

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Which Child Are You?

About a week ago now, we had an interesting FaceTime call with our youngest daughter and three youngest grandchildren. It was so good to see all their faces.

However, each one of them had a different reaction to seeing Besta and Pappy on screen. Our youngest wanted to be the one holding the screen, kissing our faces and touching us.

Our grandson, who had just been picked up at school, wanted us to see all his papers with his good grades. He wanted us to see how much he was learning.

Our middle granddaughter was shy and didn’t want to be on camera. She peeked at us occasionally but was happy to be tucked out of view behind her Momma.

Those three reactions got me to thinking about how we relate in our relationship with our Heavenly Father. Some of us are so grateful for all He has done for us. We are constantly praising Him and expressing our love.

“44 He turned toward the woman and said to Simon, “Have you noticed this woman? When I came into your home, you didn’t give me any water so I could wash my feet. But she has washed my feet with her tears and dried them with her hair. 45 You didn’t greet me with a kiss, but from the time I came in, she has not stopped kissing my feet. 46 You didn’t even pour olive oil on my head, but she has poured expensive perfume on my feet. 47 So I tell you that all her sins are forgiven, and that is why she has shown great love. But anyone who has been forgiven for only a little will show only a little love.” Luke 7:44-47 CEV

Then, there are those of us who do all we can to encourage others and see that we are walking in all that the Father has planned for us. We aren’t serving the Father to gain His love, we already have that. We want Him to know that we are doing our best with all we have.

“Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth.” II Timothy 2:15 NIV

And finally, there are some of us who are timid and shy when it comes to our relationship with the Father. We are uncertain about coming into His presence. We need to be coaxed and encouraged. We need to be reassured that the Father’s presence is a safe place and we can be ourselves.

“16 So whenever we are in need, we should come bravely before the throne of our merciful God. There we will be treated with undeserved kindness, and we will find help.” Hebrews 4:16 CEV

What a great example these three little ones were to me!

I have been like all three of them in my relationship with the Lord. So, let me ask you…which child are you?

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Some Gave All

“As a good soldier of Christ Jesus, accept your share of the troubles we have. 4 A soldier wants to please his commanding officer, so he does not spend any time on activities that are not a part of his duty.” II Timothy 2:3-4 ERV

As we draw near to Independence Day, my heart is filled with gratitude for all those who have served selflessly in our military. The gift of freedom that they have fought and died to preserve is priceless.

Valley Forge. Battle of New Orleans. Shiloh. Gettysburg. The Alamo. San Juan Hill. Flanders Field. Pearl Harbor. Normandy. Korea. Viet Nam. Desert Storm. Iran. Afghanistan.

These battles have tested our country’s resolve almost to the breaking point and still our flag waves.

I love this country and I’m patriotic and proud to call America my home. I don’t approve of some of the things that have been done in this nation, but I still believe there is no better place on earth to live.

Dave and I watch lots of movies on the history of our country. We want to know the legacy of the men and women who fought so valiantly to protect the freedoms we have. The other day we watched one on the Battle of San Juan Hill.

It was July 1, 1898, one hundred twenty-three years ago, when our forces went to Cuba to stop the tyranny of Spain in that country. Over 140 men died and another 1000+ were wounded. The American men were greatly outnumbered by their enemies’ forces, but they fought on to liberate the Cuba nationals.

Sad to say but our nation’s brave history isn’t talked about much anymore. I, for one want to use this weekend as a time of remembrance and resolve. I proudly display the red, white and blue of our flag and stand to sing our national anthem.

I am thankful that God saw fit to see that I was born in such a land – a land of the free and home to the brave.

God bless America
Land that I love
Stand beside her
And guide her
Through the night with a light from above

From the mountains
To the prairies
To the oceans white with foam

God bless America
My home, sweet home

Thank a soldier for their service and thank God for our freedom!

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Behind Closed Gates

The last few days have been filled with much activity. Moving from one campground to the next. Breaking camp and setting up again, all the while wondering how long this temporary relocation will be.

We are here with the hosts of nine different campgrounds. We are safe and that is what is important. There have been many words of encouragement, hugs and conversations regarding our current circumstances.

Do you remember the old western movies when people traveled by wagon train from St. Louis to “the West”? We are neighbors depending on neighbors, assisting where we can – providing extra muscle in lifting heavy bar-b-ques or ice chests, providing an extra stick of butter for a cake or just offering a chair under the awning for a chance to visit.

We are not certain of what each day will bring but we are here together. 

“…But God is your teacher, and he will not continue to hide from you. You will see your teacher with your own eyes. 21 If you wander from the right path, either to the right or to the left, you will hear a voice behind you saying, “You should go this way. Here is the right way.” Isaiah 30:20-21 ERV

Dave has helped me and we believe we have found a place, not far from our campground, where we can drive and get a signal that allows me to post this blog each morning. It has definitely been a trial and error process.  But if this morning is successful then we should be able to continue with this plan for as long as needed.

I want to encourage each one of us to always be ready to share the love of Jesus in each day’s circumstance. It is important that we are prepared to give an account for the peace and assurance that we have in Jesus.

“Tell everyone God’s message. Be ready at all times to do whatever is needed. Tell peple what they need to do, tell them when they are doing wrong, and encourage them. Do this with great patience and careful teaching.” II Timothy 4:2 ERV

It is a joy to share with you all each morning. I’ve missed it the last couple of days!

I am praying for all of you and trust that your faith and trust in the Lord is growing each day.

“ You accepted Christ Jesus as Lord, so continue to live following him. 7 You must depend on Christ only, drawing life and strength from him. Just as you were taught the truth, continue to grow stronger in your understanding of it. And never stop giving thanks to God.” Colossians 2:6-7 ERV

This is a day filled with many opportunities. Follow the Lord’s leading and be a blessing.

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I Know…

I know:

  1. the artist of this wonderful landscape
  2. the author of the world’s best seller
  3. the world’s largest cattle rancher
  4. the wisest man in the world
  5. the most compassionate person to have ever walked the earth
  6. Him and I call Him Father

Some times we get so focused on what we don’t know we forget to center in on Who we know.

“I say this because all of God lives in Christ fully, even in his life on earth. 10 And because you belong to Christ you are complete, having everything you need. Christ is ruler over every other power and authority.” Colossians 2:9-10 ERV

When feelings of inadequacy come, and they will, it’s important that we are firmly established in who we are in Christ.

The Apostle Paul writes that we are complete in Christ, having everything we need!

He couldn’t have written this if it weren’t true. That’s the thing about the Bible, every verse is true. God doesn’t allow any exaggeration, half-truth, misrepresentation or bald-faced lie of His word. He pointed these things out everytime someone acted in such a way.

“You have known the Holy Scriptures since you were a child. These Scriptures are able to make you wise. And that wisdom leads to salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. 16 All Scripture is given by God. And all Scripture is useful for teaching and for showing people what is wrong in their lives. It is useful for correcting faults and teaching the right way to live. 17 Using the Scriptures, those who serve God will be prepared and will have everything they need to do every good work.” II Timothy 3:15-17 ERV

God’s word provides us with all we need for every situation but there is one catch. Ready? We have to read it to know what’s in it. Simple but true.

“My people are being destroyed because they don’t know me.” Hosea 4:6 NLT

Let’s put it this way. If someone put $10,000 in your checking account but you didn’t know it, you would continue to operate on the balance you thought was available. But once you went on-line to view your account or received your statement in the mail your outlook would be entirely different. You would probably contact the bank to verify that the deposit was actually meant for you and not fradulent but once assured of that you would spend and/or save the money because it is rightfully yours.

God has given us something so much greater than that. He has given us Himself and placed all of who He is in Christ for our benefit! Reading His word gives us that knowledge.

There’s one more thing I feel you should know before I close:

“For I know that nothing can keep us from the love of God. Death cannot! Life cannot! Angels cannot! Leaders cannot! Any other power cannot! Hard things now or in the future cannot! 39 The world above or the world below cannot! Any other living thing cannot keep us away from the love of God which is ours through Christ Jesus our Lord.” Romans 8:38-39 NLV

And now, you know too!

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A Plentiful Crop

I grew up in the small agriculture-based town of Yuma, Arizona. When I was in school, we learned about the 4 C’s of Arizona: cattle, citrus, copper, and cotton. Three of those four were in abundance in Yuma County. My family was not involved with agriculture, but it was the passion of my heart.

About six years after Dave and I were married we had the opportunity to manage an alfalfa production farm for an absentee owner. We had over 900 acres in irrigated crop. The weather in central Arizona is perfect for growing hay. The river loam soil is rich with nutrients, water is plentiful and the weather during the summer had the crop ready to cut and harvest every 21 days. We were busy!

It was while we lived here that I learned to appreciate the parables Jesus taught about sowing seeds in a field. I understood the importance of planting good seed and making sure the ground was well prepared before planting. It needed to be well-watered and fertilized once the seeds began to grow…

Alfalfa is a crop that is planted every seven years. The plants need to be cut right before they flower to retain the highest protein content possible. You have heard the old saying, “Make hay while the sun shines” well in Arizona we say “you can’t make hay in the sunshine”. The highest quality of hay has the alfalfa leaves on the stem, if the hay is too dry when it is baled the leaves fall off and the quality decreases. So, we would wait for the evening dew before we started baling. The dew added just enough moisture to the cut hay and the leaves would stay attached during the baling process. Most of our baling time was between midnight and 3 am. Dave and I laugh now, forty years later, as we sit on the patio and feel the evening dew. We know it is almost time to bale.

This seed that is planted once every seven years will grow to the flower stage about every 21 days in the summer and every 28 days in the Spring and Fall. We would cut the hay about ten times per year; for seven years that makes seventy cuttings. That’s a very productive seed.

“Endure suffering along with me, as a good soldier of Christ Jesus. 4 Soldiers don’t get tied up in the affairs of civilian life, for then they cannot please the officer who enlisted them. 5 And athletes cannot win the prize unless they follow the rules. 6 And hardworking farmers should be the first to enjoy the fruit of their labor. 7 Think about what I am saying. The Lord will help you understand all these things.” II Timothy 2:3-7 NLV

This industrious agriculturalist is persistent day and night. If he does not tend to his crop there will be no harvest. His diligence not only benefits him and his family but is also a blessing for his neighbors and community.

God’s Word is like that alfalfa seed. When planted, watered and cared for it will produce an abundant harvest.

“For just as the heavens are higher than the earth, so my ways are higher than your ways and my thoughts higher than your thoughts. 10 ‘The rain and snow come down from the heavens and stay on the ground to water the earth. They cause the grain to grow, producing seed for the farmer and bread for the hungry. 11 It is the same with my word.  I send it out, and it always produces fruit. It will accomplish all I want it to, and it will prosper everywhere I send it.’” Isaiah 55:9-11 NLV

May I encourage you to plant God’s word in the soil of your hearts. It will produce a bountiful harvest!

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Winners!

Yesterday a lot of people watched two teams of athletes compete in a football game. To be honest, I only watched a little bit. I’m not a fan but I do know the rules of the game. I also know the rules to the game of life.

“Athletes in a race must obey all the rules to win. ” II Timothy 2:5 CEV

The Apostle Paul compared an athlete to the Christians he instructed. They were familiar with the Olympic games. They had been schooled in athletic achievements in the same way that they had learned the writings of Homer, Socrates, and Aristotle. These converts were unfamiliar with the writings of Moses, King David, Isaiah and the prophets so the Apostle Paul needed to reach them in a relatable way. Athletics was a good choice.

Like the soldier from yesterday’s blog, an athlete also had to be thoroughly trained and disciplined.

Our family has some runners. Their dedication amazes me. They begin training months in advance of a competition. Their conditioning is progressive. They start with short training runs and gradually increase their distance. This builds muscle and develops stamina.

They are also conscious of what they eat and drink. Plenty of water and foods that the body can use to build muscle and burn fat. Days off are few and far between when they are training. In one word, they are dedicated…

I remember when our oldest daughter was competing in her first Ironman 70.3. We were there to cheer her on. The competition started with a 2.2-mile open water swim, followed by a 55-mile bike ride in the hills of her community and ended with a 13.1-mile run. When she passed us at one checkpoint during the bike portion, we could tell she was struggling. Her Dad called to her “We don’t quit. Keep going. You have got this”. She said those were the words she heard in her head for the next 30 miles as she peddled along. She had mechanical problems and some physical issues that she had to battle through but battle through she did. We were all there as she crossed the finish line. She was exhausted but exhilarated. She had finished the race!

We are also surrounded by a great cheering squad, it’s those who have died and are waiting in heaven. They cheer us on as we run this race called the Christian life.

“Do you see what this means—all these pioneers who blazed the way, all these veterans cheering us on? It means we’d better get on with it. Strip down, start running—and never quit! No extra spiritual fat, no parasitic sins. Keep your eyes on Jesus, who both began and finished this race we are in. Study how he did it. Because he never lost sight of where he was headed—that exhilarating finish in and with God—he could put up with anything along the way: Cross, shame, whatever. And now he’s there, in the place of honor, right alongside God. When you find yourselves flagging in your faith, go over that story again, item by item, that long litany of hostility he plowed through. That will shoot adrenaline into your souls!” Hebrews 12:1-3 MSG

Our example is Jesus.

He experienced all the temptations and trials that we do. He did this so He could identify with us and show us that with God’s help we can be victorious like He was. He ran the race He was called to run. He was able to endure life’s hardships because He could see the finish line and the celebration there.

His life is our example and inspiration. The Holy Spirit is our trainer and coach. The heavenly Father is waiting to award us the Crown of Life and we will hear Him say “Well done” when we cross the finish line.

We are winners! Don’t Quit!

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Basic Training

Over the past several weeks I have shared with you teachings on who we are in Christ. The lessons we learn are like a spiritual “boot camp”.

“You have often heard me teach. Now I want you to tell these same things to followers who can be trusted to tell others. 3 As a good soldier of Christ Jesus you must endure your share of suffering. 4 A soldier wants to please his commanding officer, so he does not spend any time on activities that are not a part of his duty.” II Timothy 2:2-4 CEV

There are two major characteristics of a good soldier, discipline and obedience. The skills of marksmanship, navigation, physical endurance, and technical savvy can all be learned but without discipline and obedience those skills will fail.

A good soldier learns to follow orders as soon as they get to boot camp. This is the foundation for all their other training. A soldier must be willing to listen and obey or they could lose their life or the lives of their squadron.

Life for a recruit centers on discipline. They are told when to get up and go to bed, when to eat and what to eat, when to run and how far. It is a time of training. The orders are just that, they aren’t suggestions, recommendations, or choices. This is training!

Jesus was approached by a Roman officer, a soldier, who asked for his servant be healed. This story is an example for us to follow.

“When Jesus was going into the town of Capernaum, an army officer came up to him and said, 6 ‘Lord, my servant is at home in such terrible pain that he can’t even move.’

7 ‘I will go and heal him,’ Jesus replied.

8 But the officer said, ‘Lord, I’m not good enough for you to come into my house. Just give the order, and my servant will get well. 9 I have officers who give orders to me, and I have soldiers who take orders from me. I can say to one of them, ‘Go!’ and he goes. I can say to another, ‘Come!’ and he comes. I can say to my servant, ‘Do this!’ and he will do it.’

10 When Jesus heard this, he was so surprised…13 Then Jesus said to the officer, ‘You may go home now. Your faith has made it happen.’ Right then his servant was healed.” Matthew 8:5-13 CEV

Jesus was amazed by this officer’s understanding of orders. He recognized that Jesus had authority over sickness and all He needed to do was speak the command and it would be done. This Roman captain of the guard had complete faith in the authority of a directive issued by the Son of God.

We have a book filled with the “words of God”. The Bible was written for our benefit. It provides us with all we need to thoroughly furnished for every good work. (IITimothy 3:17)

Good soldiers obey the words spoken by their commanding officer. We should obediently follow the words Jesus has given us to live by.

“You have words that give life that lasts forever. 69 We believe and know You are the Christ. You are the Son of the Living God.” John 6:68-69 NLV

The discipline and training we receive from God’s word are for our good.

“God always makes it possible for Christ to lead us to victory” II Corinthians 2:14 CEV

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A Little Discipline

Yesterday we were with our youngest grandchildren, it was so much fun! There was lots of laughter and then there was a scuffle and our granddaughter pinched her brother. Quickly “Dad” stepped in and took the situation in hand. Correction was needed and given.

Today we will see how God disciplines us. The Bible tells us He disciplines the ones He loves…

Like all good parents, our heavenly Father will correct us and bring discipline into our lives. A child without correction and discipline is, quite frankly, a spoiled brat.

“But you have forgotten that the Scriptures say to God’s children, ‘When the Lord punishes you, don’t make light of it and when he corrects you, don’t be discouraged. 6 The Lord corrects the people he loves and disciplines those he calls his own.’

7 Be patient when you are being corrected! This is how God treats his children. Don’t all parents correct their children? 8 God corrects all of his children, and if he doesn’t correct you, then you don’t really belong to him. 9 Our earthly fathers correct us, and we still respect them. Isn’t it even better to be given true life by letting our spiritual Father correct us?

10 Our human fathers correct us for a short time, and they do it as they think best. But God corrects us for our own good, because he wants us to be holy, as he is. 11 It is never fun to be corrected. In fact, at the time it is always painful. But if we learn to obey by being corrected, we will do right and live at peace.” Hebrews 12:5-11 ERV

We receive discipline because we are true sons of God and the Lord loves us. For years, religion taught that discipline comes through sickness, accidents or losing that which we love the most.

But that is not true. That’s not who God is!

How would we feel if people went around accusing us of giving our children the flu, measles, or cancer because we were disciplining them? What if they said we caused our child to have an accident of some sort to teach them a lesson? To put it mildly, we’d probably be fighting mad!

Well, the religious world has been accusing God of doing that very thing for generations. In fact, they have even accused Him of killing children, teenagers or those in their prime of life to save them from a life of sin or to bring others to salvation. A loving father would never subject his children to such treatment. There was only one life required for salvation and Jesus filled the bill!

Imagine how God’s heart must break when He hears those things being said.  God said His Word was given for our discipline and correction. In Jesus’ own ministry He never used physical abuse to correct His disciples; every rebuke or correction was based on the Word.  

Have you ever read a verse of Scripture or heard a message that pricked your heart? In my experience that hurt more than any spanking I physically received. After correction from the Word, it becomes our responsibility to accept that chastisement and correct our ways. It is the Word that will perfect us and equip us through and through.

“All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right. 17 God uses it to prepare and equip his people to do every good work.” II Timothy 3:16-17 NLT

May I encourage you not to ignore God’s word when it brings correction. His discipline prepares and equips us for EVERY good work!

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Beautiful & Useful

Recently our daughter was telling her dad and I the story of a couple vintage clocks she has in her home. One is a grandfather clock, with Westminster chime, that we had inherited from Dave’s grandfather. The other is antique mantel clock which her uncle had inherited upon his mother’s death.

Our daughter received our grandfather clock when we were moving from Idaho to Montana quite a few years ago and then she received the mantel clock from her uncle about five years ago. Both clocks had fallen into disrepair. Neither would chime correctly and so they sat silent.

Beautiful but not useful.

A while back she called a man who specializes in vintage and antique clock repair. He came to her home and examined each clock. He said they each needed a little love and a little adjustment. In about an hour both clocks were chiming correctly and keeping time.

Beautiful and useful!

As she told us the story she was in tears. She was so happy to have them working the way they were intended. He went on to tell her how to care for them properly and said they would continue to work for a long time without any further need for repair if she followed his instruction.

What they had needed was the touch of a master’s hand. There wasn’t anything hopelessly wrong with the mechanics of the clocks but without the knowledge to correctly adjust each one they would have remained silent.

Isn’t that the way it is with us? Through the stresses of life we either get wound too tightly or we ignore the important inner workings of our heart, our soul and we go silent or worse yet we chime at the wrong time and mislead those who hear us.

“In a large house there are things made of gold and silver. But there are also things made of wood and clay. Some of these are used for special purposes, others for ordinary jobs. 21 The Lord wants to use you for special purposes, so make yourself clean from all evil. Then you will be holy, and the Master can use you. You will be ready for any good work.

22 Stay away from the evil things a young person like you typically wants to do. Do your best to live right and to have faith, love, and peace, together with others who trust in the Lord with pure hearts. 23 Stay away from foolish and stupid arguments. You know that these arguments grow into bigger arguments. 24 As a servant of the Lord, you must not argue. You must be kind to everyone. You must be a good teacher, and you must be patient. 25 You must gently teach those who don’t agree with you. Maybe God will let them change their hearts so that they can accept the truth.” II Timothy 2:20-25 ERV

The Lord has chosen us to be useful for special purposes. The Master will clean our hearts, making us new and ready for good work. We also have a part in this process. We need to stay away from things that will stop us from being effective.

The clocks I told you about will be silenced once again if they don’t receive a loving touch every few days. Likewise, we need the Father’s touch on our lives continually so that faith, love and peace chime clearly for all to hear.

We can be beautiful and useful. Fit for the Master’s use.

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