“Now you, man of God, run from these things; but pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance, and gentleness. Fight the good fight for the faith; take hold of eternal life, to which you were called and have made a good confession before many witnesses.” (1 Timothy 6:11-12 CSB)
Paul wrote a couple of pastoral letters to his “son in the faith” Timothy to encourage him and help him be more effective in his ministry. Toward the end of the first letter, he gave Timothy a lot of good practical advice. In these particular verses the advice was particularly good.
The first direction he gave was to run away from temptation. What’s the best way to handle temptation? Run. Don’t hang around. Run away as fast as you can. Keep clear of it in the first place if you can.
The second direction is to pursue what is right. Evaluate your lifestyle and choose intentionally to pursue the kind of life that is filled with values that are right, values like godliness, faith, love, endurance, and gentleness. These are really good, and they help someone live a life of positive influence.
The third direction is to fight the good fight for the faith. This is not an encouragement to be aggressive and go out looking for a fight. It just means to be a person who defends the Christian faith, who takes a stand with Christ and for Christ, and will not back down when non-believers become critical of the faith.
The fourth direction is to keep things in the perspective of the eternal. Eternity should be the backdrop for everything we do.
The fifth direction is to keep your word. Whatever word you give in public is a word you need to keep in public and in private. Keeping your word is a testimony to integrity, and integrity is as important to the function of this world as air is to the human body.
Maybe in Paul’s practical directions to Timothy, each of us may also find an encouragement for our lives today.
Lord, Help us to live through this day in ways that will bring honor to You. Amen.
Friday, September 28, 2007
Thursday, September 27, 2007
Simplify
“Lord, my heart is not proud; my eyes are not haughty. I do not get involved with things too great or too difficult for me. Instead, I have calmed and quieted myself like a little weaned child with its mother; I am like a little child.” (Psalm 131:1-2 CSB)
There is something to be said for simplicity. Life can become a convoluted maze at times, full of complexity, so that the simplification of life can have a huge appeal. There are many who might say, “I would love to simplify my life, but I’m not sure if I can, and I’m not sure how.”
The first step toward simplifying life is to get the right orientation. You first have to confirm where you are in your relationship with God. The last verse of Psalm 131 reads, “Put your hope in the Lord, both now and forever.” A jumbled life begins to take on a clearer order when Jesus is Lord of that life. As Paul said in Colossians, in Christ all things “hang together.” He actually used the analogy of a key ring with all the keys hanging on it in order. Sailors once used the North Star to get their bearings in order to navigate difficult journeys, and many still do. So, when we orient our lives to the constancy of the Lordship of Christ, the pieces of life begin to come together, and we find life a little easier to navigate.
The next step toward simplifying a life is to realize that there are some complexities in life that are beyond your comprehension and your ability to manage. We come to this realization when we understand and accept our limitations. That does not mean that we avoid life’s difficulties altogether or bury our head in the sand like the proverbial ostrich. We still must face them. But with regard to some of life’s complexities, our limitations are those of a child. Sometimes we are not really capable of understanding. Some things only God can know or understand, such as “why?” Simplification gets stronger when like a child we trust God.
Father, Today may our lives be fully oriented toward You and Your sovereignty, and may we come to a deeper understanding of our human limitations and trust You in those complex situations that are beyond our capabilities. Amen.
There is something to be said for simplicity. Life can become a convoluted maze at times, full of complexity, so that the simplification of life can have a huge appeal. There are many who might say, “I would love to simplify my life, but I’m not sure if I can, and I’m not sure how.”
The first step toward simplifying life is to get the right orientation. You first have to confirm where you are in your relationship with God. The last verse of Psalm 131 reads, “Put your hope in the Lord, both now and forever.” A jumbled life begins to take on a clearer order when Jesus is Lord of that life. As Paul said in Colossians, in Christ all things “hang together.” He actually used the analogy of a key ring with all the keys hanging on it in order. Sailors once used the North Star to get their bearings in order to navigate difficult journeys, and many still do. So, when we orient our lives to the constancy of the Lordship of Christ, the pieces of life begin to come together, and we find life a little easier to navigate.
The next step toward simplifying a life is to realize that there are some complexities in life that are beyond your comprehension and your ability to manage. We come to this realization when we understand and accept our limitations. That does not mean that we avoid life’s difficulties altogether or bury our head in the sand like the proverbial ostrich. We still must face them. But with regard to some of life’s complexities, our limitations are those of a child. Sometimes we are not really capable of understanding. Some things only God can know or understand, such as “why?” Simplification gets stronger when like a child we trust God.
Father, Today may our lives be fully oriented toward You and Your sovereignty, and may we come to a deeper understanding of our human limitations and trust You in those complex situations that are beyond our capabilities. Amen.
Wednesday, September 26, 2007
Waiting and Hoping
“I wait for the Lord; I wait and put my hope in His word. I wait for the Lord more than watchmen wait for the morning.” (Psalm 130 5-6 CSB)
Most people find waiting to be no fun at all. Who likes to wait in line to check out? Who likes to wait for a car to be repaired? Who likes to wait for the busy signal to stop when you’re trying to call someone? Who likes to wait for healing to take place? Answer: Noboby. At least, no one in their right mind really likes having to wait. We generally prefer to get our gratification sooner rather than later.
And yet, waiting is such a normal part of life. In fact, life is rather filled with waiting. And one of life’s greatest values is intertwined with waiting, the value we call “hope.”
The psalmist evidently had had some turns handling the night watch. A watchman is one who stands guard, watching for any approaching danger, while others are trying to get some sleep. The watchman would like to sleep, too, but he knows that the lives of his family, friends, and neighbors may well depend on his vigilance.
When the night watchman’s eyes grow accustomed to the dark, he can see quite a bit, but even so there are shadows and dark movements all over the place. It is not easy to distinguish the movement of an enemy from the shadows made by a tree blown by the wind. Tired, sleepy, and lonely, the watchman waits for one thing – the morning light. The light brings safety, the ability to distinguish, and – for the watchman – some rest and relief. He has no doubt that the morning will come. He just wishes it would hurry up and come, but in the meantime he waits.
The biblical idea of hope is not the usual idea that many people have. Many think of hope as wishing for something, but it has nothing to do with wishful thinking. In the Bible, hope is looking toward a future event that is certain. It is out there because God said it is. As a watchman knows the sun will rise, those who hope – in the biblical sense – know that the promises of God are already out there in the future, and our simple task is to wait for their fulfillment.
So, we hope in God’s word, that is, in the promises He has made, and for now we wait for their fulfillment.
Lord, We find it difficult sometimes to wait, but we know that this is a normal part of what it means to have hope. Our hope is in You and in Your word. Amen.
Most people find waiting to be no fun at all. Who likes to wait in line to check out? Who likes to wait for a car to be repaired? Who likes to wait for the busy signal to stop when you’re trying to call someone? Who likes to wait for healing to take place? Answer: Noboby. At least, no one in their right mind really likes having to wait. We generally prefer to get our gratification sooner rather than later.
And yet, waiting is such a normal part of life. In fact, life is rather filled with waiting. And one of life’s greatest values is intertwined with waiting, the value we call “hope.”
The psalmist evidently had had some turns handling the night watch. A watchman is one who stands guard, watching for any approaching danger, while others are trying to get some sleep. The watchman would like to sleep, too, but he knows that the lives of his family, friends, and neighbors may well depend on his vigilance.
When the night watchman’s eyes grow accustomed to the dark, he can see quite a bit, but even so there are shadows and dark movements all over the place. It is not easy to distinguish the movement of an enemy from the shadows made by a tree blown by the wind. Tired, sleepy, and lonely, the watchman waits for one thing – the morning light. The light brings safety, the ability to distinguish, and – for the watchman – some rest and relief. He has no doubt that the morning will come. He just wishes it would hurry up and come, but in the meantime he waits.
The biblical idea of hope is not the usual idea that many people have. Many think of hope as wishing for something, but it has nothing to do with wishful thinking. In the Bible, hope is looking toward a future event that is certain. It is out there because God said it is. As a watchman knows the sun will rise, those who hope – in the biblical sense – know that the promises of God are already out there in the future, and our simple task is to wait for their fulfillment.
So, we hope in God’s word, that is, in the promises He has made, and for now we wait for their fulfillment.
Lord, We find it difficult sometimes to wait, but we know that this is a normal part of what it means to have hope. Our hope is in You and in Your word. Amen.
Tuesday, September 25, 2007
He Could Have
“’He saved others,’ they said, ‘but he can’t save himself! He’s the King of Israel! Let him come down now from the cross, and we will believe in him.’” (Matthew 27:42 Scofield Study Bible)
The scoffers never really got it. These men were supposed to be the spiritual leaders of Israel, but they never perceived the truth. Jesus applied the prophecy of Isaiah to them which said that they would be ever seeing but never perceiving.
The taunts of these leaders of Israel were nothing more than that. They said they would believe if Jesus came down from the cross. This statement rings hollow, because these were the same folks who said that Jesus cast out demons by the prince of demons. People who are determined to not believe are not going to believe, regardless of any parameters they may set. So their taunts were just taunts. They would never believe.
The reality is that Jesus could have easily come down from the cross. He could have called on 12 legions of angels, but what would that have accomplished? What needed to be accomplished was being accomplished already on the cross. That was something far bigger, far more encompassing than the immediate situation revealed. Jesus was achieving the possibility of the redemption of mankind, and that required that He remain on the cross to take upon Himself the sins of mankind, so that the possibility of the forgiveness of sins might be offered to the world.
While it pains us to think of all the suffering Jesus endured through the crucifixion, we also come to the realization of gratitude that we have now been made right with God through the blood of Jesus, through faith in Him. For this we are eternally grateful.
Lord, What You did for us is almost beyond believe, unimaginable. Yet, You remained on the cross so that we might know You and know what a life of fulfillment is really like. We thank You. Amen.
The scoffers never really got it. These men were supposed to be the spiritual leaders of Israel, but they never perceived the truth. Jesus applied the prophecy of Isaiah to them which said that they would be ever seeing but never perceiving.
The taunts of these leaders of Israel were nothing more than that. They said they would believe if Jesus came down from the cross. This statement rings hollow, because these were the same folks who said that Jesus cast out demons by the prince of demons. People who are determined to not believe are not going to believe, regardless of any parameters they may set. So their taunts were just taunts. They would never believe.
The reality is that Jesus could have easily come down from the cross. He could have called on 12 legions of angels, but what would that have accomplished? What needed to be accomplished was being accomplished already on the cross. That was something far bigger, far more encompassing than the immediate situation revealed. Jesus was achieving the possibility of the redemption of mankind, and that required that He remain on the cross to take upon Himself the sins of mankind, so that the possibility of the forgiveness of sins might be offered to the world.
While it pains us to think of all the suffering Jesus endured through the crucifixion, we also come to the realization of gratitude that we have now been made right with God through the blood of Jesus, through faith in Him. For this we are eternally grateful.
Lord, What You did for us is almost beyond believe, unimaginable. Yet, You remained on the cross so that we might know You and know what a life of fulfillment is really like. We thank You. Amen.
Monday, September 24, 2007
Redemptive Thoughtfulness
“Joseph remembered his dreams about them.” (Genesis 42:9 CSB)
Joseph was about 17 years old when his brothers sent him off into slavery in Egypt. He pleaded for them to not do that, but they had had enough of his arrogance and insolence. Rather than kill him, they sold him into slavery. When the famine came to Egypt, however, and Joseph was by then in charge of managing the food stores for all Egypt, his brothers one day showed up at his door. At this time Joseph was about 30 years old, married, and had a couple of children. His life was doing quite well, and he had had time for the painful memories to be placed well in the back of his mind. Until that day, at least.
We sometimes have the idea that Joseph never really thought about what happened all that much, and that he was pretty much redemptive about everything throughout. We think that in part because he later made a statement to his brothers that they intended it for evil, but God intended those events for good. In reality, however, it appears to be somewhat different.
When his brothers showed up, Joseph recognized them, but they did not recognize him. He treated them harshly at first, on the pretense of accusing them of being spies. He put them in prison. He released them after three days, and told them that he would keep one of them in prison until they returned with their youngest brother, Benjamin, to prove their sincerity. He selected Simeon.
Joseph was in the midst of exacting some revenge on his brothers, and he had both the power and the right to do so based on what they had done to him, in terms of the laws of the day at least. However, there is that little statement quoted above, “Joseph remembered his dreams about them.” Presumably, this is the dream where their sheaves of grain bowed down to his.” It would seem that this was the point where God began to speak to Joseph about His purposes for allowing him to go into Egypt. Likely, God began to show Joseph the redemptive purposes He had in mind for his father and all his other family members. Over the next months he had further opportunity to reflect on the events of his life, and that fact that God had placed him at this high government position, and that is the point where he very likely began to see things more clearly.
All of us probably have had events in our lives that we have not understood. We may have been angry at God and toward others who hurt us. We may not have understood why God would allow those events to come our way. What we need to understand, however, is that the God we serve is capable of redeeming any and every situation if we will allow Him to. And it is in the redeeming of the situation that we begin to see a glimpse of the redemptive power of God. When we begin to reflect and think about our life events with the Spirit of God guiding us, some truth begins to come into focus, eventually at least, and we then reach a point where we can move forward in trusting God’s purposes for us.
Father, We confess that we do not always understand Your purposes, but we know You and we trust You. And for that reason, we trust Your redemptive purposes as well. Amen.
Joseph was about 17 years old when his brothers sent him off into slavery in Egypt. He pleaded for them to not do that, but they had had enough of his arrogance and insolence. Rather than kill him, they sold him into slavery. When the famine came to Egypt, however, and Joseph was by then in charge of managing the food stores for all Egypt, his brothers one day showed up at his door. At this time Joseph was about 30 years old, married, and had a couple of children. His life was doing quite well, and he had had time for the painful memories to be placed well in the back of his mind. Until that day, at least.
We sometimes have the idea that Joseph never really thought about what happened all that much, and that he was pretty much redemptive about everything throughout. We think that in part because he later made a statement to his brothers that they intended it for evil, but God intended those events for good. In reality, however, it appears to be somewhat different.
When his brothers showed up, Joseph recognized them, but they did not recognize him. He treated them harshly at first, on the pretense of accusing them of being spies. He put them in prison. He released them after three days, and told them that he would keep one of them in prison until they returned with their youngest brother, Benjamin, to prove their sincerity. He selected Simeon.
Joseph was in the midst of exacting some revenge on his brothers, and he had both the power and the right to do so based on what they had done to him, in terms of the laws of the day at least. However, there is that little statement quoted above, “Joseph remembered his dreams about them.” Presumably, this is the dream where their sheaves of grain bowed down to his.” It would seem that this was the point where God began to speak to Joseph about His purposes for allowing him to go into Egypt. Likely, God began to show Joseph the redemptive purposes He had in mind for his father and all his other family members. Over the next months he had further opportunity to reflect on the events of his life, and that fact that God had placed him at this high government position, and that is the point where he very likely began to see things more clearly.
All of us probably have had events in our lives that we have not understood. We may have been angry at God and toward others who hurt us. We may not have understood why God would allow those events to come our way. What we need to understand, however, is that the God we serve is capable of redeeming any and every situation if we will allow Him to. And it is in the redeeming of the situation that we begin to see a glimpse of the redemptive power of God. When we begin to reflect and think about our life events with the Spirit of God guiding us, some truth begins to come into focus, eventually at least, and we then reach a point where we can move forward in trusting God’s purposes for us.
Father, We confess that we do not always understand Your purposes, but we know You and we trust You. And for that reason, we trust Your redemptive purposes as well. Amen.
Friday, September 21, 2007
A Heart Directed
“May the Lord direct your hearts to God’s love and Christ’s endurance.” (2 Thessalonians 3:5 CSB)
Some days are more difficult than others, some less encouraging than others. We never really know sometimes what we will wake up to in the day as it unfolds. We would like to wake up to a sunshiny day every day, feeling great, walking ever onward ever upward, face to the sun. We do have days like that, but we also have days when things can go terribly wrong. Such events are not necessarily of our own doing. They just come, and some of those events can pulverize us. So, what then?
Paul’s solution is a good one. When incidences come that seem to hurt or destroy more than help or develop, “may the Lord direct your hearts to God’s love and Christ’s endurance.”
God’s love is solid. It is something called “agape.” This kind of love is not the emotional, sentimental type. It is the kind that is action-oriented and focused on the one who is the object of that love. It is love that produces results. When days come with difficulties beyond your control, may the Lord direct your heart to God’s love.
Christ’s endurance demonstrates that “agape.” He could have come down from the cross and mustered 12 legions of angels, just by willing it. But instead, He endured the beating, the crucifixion, the pain, and the humiliation of it all. Whatever problems came, whether on that day or on any day, He set the example of endurance. So, when some difficulties come into our day, may the Lord direct our hearts to Christ’s endurance.
Lord, We place our hearts in Your hands. In each day that we live, please direct our hearts to Your love and to Jesus’ endurance. Amen.
Some days are more difficult than others, some less encouraging than others. We never really know sometimes what we will wake up to in the day as it unfolds. We would like to wake up to a sunshiny day every day, feeling great, walking ever onward ever upward, face to the sun. We do have days like that, but we also have days when things can go terribly wrong. Such events are not necessarily of our own doing. They just come, and some of those events can pulverize us. So, what then?
Paul’s solution is a good one. When incidences come that seem to hurt or destroy more than help or develop, “may the Lord direct your hearts to God’s love and Christ’s endurance.”
God’s love is solid. It is something called “agape.” This kind of love is not the emotional, sentimental type. It is the kind that is action-oriented and focused on the one who is the object of that love. It is love that produces results. When days come with difficulties beyond your control, may the Lord direct your heart to God’s love.
Christ’s endurance demonstrates that “agape.” He could have come down from the cross and mustered 12 legions of angels, just by willing it. But instead, He endured the beating, the crucifixion, the pain, and the humiliation of it all. Whatever problems came, whether on that day or on any day, He set the example of endurance. So, when some difficulties come into our day, may the Lord direct our hearts to Christ’s endurance.
Lord, We place our hearts in Your hands. In each day that we live, please direct our hearts to Your love and to Jesus’ endurance. Amen.
Thursday, September 20, 2007
Delusional
“They perish because they did not accept the love of the truth in order to be saved. For this reason God sends them a strong delusion so that they will believe what is false, so that all will be condemned – those who did not believe the truth but enjoyed unrighteousness.” (2 Thessalonians 2:10b-12 CSB)
“They,” in the verse above, is those who choose to follow Satan and his representative, referred to as “the lawless one.” Paul says that these folks are perishing as the result of their decision to not accept a love of the truth about God and sin. Because they made that choice, God allowed strong delusions to come their way that actually increased their disbelief and accentuated their rejection of the truth, bringing even greater condemnation. Those who choose to disbelieve the truth go further and even “enjoy” unrighteousness.
You may have noticed that society and culture in America can seem at times almost extremely enamored with itself. Nearly anywhere you turn, you see examples of people in the limelight who wish to flaunt their enjoyment of sin in the public eye. It many respects it even appears to be promoted as the “new standard” for American life, and huge numbers of people appear to have bought into the lie.
The Bible makes it very clear that people who follow a life of sin, thinking that God is OK with it and doesn’t really mind, are deluded. God does not like sin. He will forgive sin when people turn to Him in repentance and faith and seek His forgiveness. The Bible promises us that He will forgive us. But that does not mean that God is OK with sin. Sin – our sin – is what put His Son on the cross.
God does not want us to buy into the lie that is placed on our plates every day from a godless media (television, radio, newspaper, etc), and from people who think it is all right to liberalize lifestyles so that people can be encouraged to do anything they want to do and believe it is all right. God seeks to build in the hearts of people a love for the truth, and love for the truth results also in a desire to follow the way of truth and not be deceived by those who are on the broad path that leads to destruction.
The delusion is there. Many choose to believe it, mainly because they want to do whatever they want to do without consequence. Those who are wise open their eyes to the truth of God. When they do, they find Him.
Lord, Help us today to follow You in the way You are going. Amen.
“They,” in the verse above, is those who choose to follow Satan and his representative, referred to as “the lawless one.” Paul says that these folks are perishing as the result of their decision to not accept a love of the truth about God and sin. Because they made that choice, God allowed strong delusions to come their way that actually increased their disbelief and accentuated their rejection of the truth, bringing even greater condemnation. Those who choose to disbelieve the truth go further and even “enjoy” unrighteousness.
You may have noticed that society and culture in America can seem at times almost extremely enamored with itself. Nearly anywhere you turn, you see examples of people in the limelight who wish to flaunt their enjoyment of sin in the public eye. It many respects it even appears to be promoted as the “new standard” for American life, and huge numbers of people appear to have bought into the lie.
The Bible makes it very clear that people who follow a life of sin, thinking that God is OK with it and doesn’t really mind, are deluded. God does not like sin. He will forgive sin when people turn to Him in repentance and faith and seek His forgiveness. The Bible promises us that He will forgive us. But that does not mean that God is OK with sin. Sin – our sin – is what put His Son on the cross.
God does not want us to buy into the lie that is placed on our plates every day from a godless media (television, radio, newspaper, etc), and from people who think it is all right to liberalize lifestyles so that people can be encouraged to do anything they want to do and believe it is all right. God seeks to build in the hearts of people a love for the truth, and love for the truth results also in a desire to follow the way of truth and not be deceived by those who are on the broad path that leads to destruction.
The delusion is there. Many choose to believe it, mainly because they want to do whatever they want to do without consequence. Those who are wise open their eyes to the truth of God. When they do, they find Him.
Lord, Help us today to follow You in the way You are going. Amen.
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