Thursday, June 30, 2016

DO WHAT IS GOOD

Titus 3:1-2 Remind your people to submit to the government and its officers. They should be obedient, always ready to do what is good. They must not speak evil of anyone, and they must avoid quarreling. Instead, they should be gentle and show true humility to everyone.

God wants us to live in peace. He doesn't want us to live on the edge, always riled up about something. We may not like or agree with all that is going on around us, but we should strive to live well in our world. It is easy to dislike the world we live in and those who rule in it. But, unless there is obvious misuse of power and abuse of those who rule over us, we are to be law-abiding citizens who strive to do good.

It is a good thing for us to pray for our leaders. Instead of always finding fault with them, we should pray for them. We should leave the judging up to the Lord who alone is able to judge the heart. Our duty is to do good and pray for them.

It is a good thing for us to not participate in gossip and degrading discussions. It is easy to speak evil of people we don't know. God knows what we talk about and He will hold us accountable for it.

It is a good thing for us to be gentle and show true humility to everyone. It is good, but it is not easy. Our sinful nature does not act that way. It takes a lot of determined effort on our part to resist the temptation to be driven by selfish ambition and pride. It is a battle that we are never completely freed from. The more we live in Christ, the more likely it is that we will win far more battles than we lose. The most effective way to change the world we live in is for the body of Christ to live godly lives consistently in the world. We are commanded to be a holy people.

Are you praying for those who rule over you? The list would include your leaders in government, at work, in the church, or perhaps even at home.

Are you living a godly life outside of the church? Does your life reflect Christ in such a way that you are making a difference in your world? You may be the only true witness for Christ someone will ever have.

Wednesday, June 29, 2016

INDULGE IN GRACE, NOT SIN

Titus 2:11-14 For the grace of God has been revealed, bringing salvation to all people. And we are instructed to turn from godless living and sinful pleasures. We should live in this evil world with self-control, right conduct, and devotion to God, while we look forward to that wonderful event when the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ will be revealed. He gave his life to free us from every kind of sin, to cleanse us, to make us his very own people, totally committed to doing what is right.

There are those amongst us who seem to think it is alright to accept sin in our midst. There is a very loose attitude about sin because we are a people of grace and not law. We don't get too concerned about sinful practices, after all it is a matter between the individual and God. We tend to accept sin so that we don't disrupt the peace. Right conduct before God is preached and taught, but often not held up as a mandate for living. We know better and should do better.

Jesus did not die for our sins to let us get by with sinning. He gave His life to free us from every kind of sin. He forgives us to purify us. Jesus does not take a neutral stand on sin. He hates it. It is what put Him on the cross. Our sin is what Jesus had to take upon himself, even though He had never known sin before. Sin is the only thing that can drive and keep Jesus away from us.

It is our Lord's will that we would be totally committed to doing what is right. My question for you today is, "How committed are you to doing what is right before God?" It is not okay with God for us to tolerate sin in our lives. God has revealed His grace to us so that we would turn away from sin and its pleasures and live godly lives before Him. Even though we are surrounded by sinful pleasures, we dare not indulge in them. Exercise self-control, live right before God, be devoted to Him alone, and live in anticipation of the coming of Christ to take us home.

Tuesday, June 28, 2016

CORRECT TEACHING

 
Titus 2:8 Let your teaching be so correct that it can’t be criticized. Then those who want to argue will be ashamed because they won’t have anything bad to say about us.

It is imperative for our own souls and for the sake of others that our teachings be correct and above reproach. It is so easy to fail at this. We don’t study well enough and pray over what we study to get a proper knowledge of the Word. We often let our own ideas determine how we interpret and apply the Scriptures. We readily accept as true what others tell us without examining the Word for ourselves to see if it is true. We tend to not think too deeply about what we read. We do not ask the Holy Spirit to guide our thinking as we think over the Word. We tend to not put Scripture into the context of Scripture for a proper understanding of it. In other words, we don’t invest the time we need in the Word to make sure our teaching is correct. We are spiritually lazy.

It is good for the soul to make time for Bible studies. We can learn much from others by sitting under their teachings. We can learn much from the thinking of others as the Word is discussed. We can examine our understanding in light of the understanding of others and correct our thinking as needed. It is good for us to discover how the Word is being applied in the lives of others. The more time we spend in fellowship over the Word, the better chance we have of getting it right.

Correct understanding of the Scriptures leads to correct application which diffuses the arguments of those who would seek to find fault with us. Let the Lord guide you in all your thinking as you learn from the Scriptures that which is true.

Monday, June 27, 2016

LIVE YOUR TEACHINGS

Titus 2:6-7 In the same way, encourage the young men to live wisely in all they do. And you yourself must be an example to them by doing good deeds of every kind. Let everything you do reflect the integrity and seriousness of your teaching .

We need to take responsibility when teaching others. We need to encourage those who follow us to live wisely in all they do. One of the biggest problems that we have today is that our young people have not been taught the essential things that produce wisdom in them and have not been encouraged to seek them. Most young people have pretty much had to fend for themselves when it comes to things that really matter in life.

We need to take responsibility for the kind of an example we are setting for those who follow us. Our young people learn best by watching those who are teaching them. They are perceptive and know by watching whether or not we really believe what we teach. Consistency in living a godly life is essential for our teachings to have any value at all. When what we say is backed up by what we do, others take note and are encouraged to believe that they can do it too.

We only have one chance to influence future generations to follow the Lord. We must not shirk our responsibility before God. How we live not only affects our own souls, it affects the souls of all those who follow us. Let us strive to always be encouragers of the faith of others and not discouragers. Let us be careful how we live. We are influencers of others, whether we think we are or not.

Sunday, June 26, 2016

PROMOTE RIGHT TEACHING

Titus 2:1 But as for you, promote the kind of living that reflects right teaching.

The Apostle Paul is telling Titus to promote a lifestyle that is consistent with sound doctrine. He is saying that if we are not living godly lives then we aren't living what we are teaching and preaching. There is no middle ground where we can justify not doing what we know God says for us to do. If we are not living holy lives, we are not living in obedience to God and we are not in fellowship with God.

It is not easy to always do what we know God commnads us to do. Holy living is indeed a very difficult life to live because we are living in a sin-infected world with by nature sinful hearts. We are naturally drawn to sin and the only way we can resist it is to willfully seek Christ's help. We must determine in our hearts and minds to do what is right before God instead of what our flesh desires. We must resist the temptation to compromise what we know is right. We must keep our eyes fixated on Christ and not on the allurements of sin. It takes great determination to do what is right before God and no one does it perfectly all the time.

The key to practicing what we preach is to keep our souls saturated with God's Word and spend much time in close communion with God. We must read the Word of God with open hearts and minds, ready to listen and learn from God. We must desire to grow in holiness. We must refuse to let things into our hearts and minds that are not beneficial for our soul's well-being.

The reward for living a life that reflects right teaching is being richly blessed by God both here and in heaven. Our failure to do it is the absence of God's fellowship and blessings both now and forever.

Saturday, June 25, 2016

A PURE HEART

Titus 1:15-16 Everything is pure to those whose hearts are pure. But nothing is pure to those who are corrupt and unbelieving, because their minds and consciences are defiled. Such people claim they know God, but they deny him by the way they live. They are despicable and disobedient, worthless for doing anything good.

Actions put meaning to words. How we live matters. How we live reflects what is in our hearts. For those who have pure hearts, all that they do and say will be consistent with their purity. It doesn’t mean we will be perfect little angels, but it does mean we will consistently live what we profess to believe. The character of Christ will be evident in our lives. Our words and actions will be honorable and pleasing to Him.

The issue is what does purity mean as it is fleshed out in our lives? I believe it means a lot of things and probably will vary from one person to the next, but one thing that all pure people have in common is the desire to live submissively and obediently to Christ. It is wanting to be like Christ in character and nature. It is striving to win the battle over sin. It is staying connected to Christ at all times. It is understanding that apart from Christ ruling our hearts, we can do nothing that is pleasing and acceptable to Him.

A pure heart has a real problem with sin. Sin is repulsive and an effort is made to avoid it. A pure heart is moved to repentance when one stumbles and falls into sin. It is guilt ridden over sin. It is always looking to be more holy before God.

If you don’t have a pure heart, everything you say and do is defiled in God’s eyes. You may look good on the outside, but inside you are a mess. A defiled heart is an outcast; there is no place in God’s kingdom for him. No matter how it may appear, all the work of a defiled heart is worthless and does nothing good for the soul. A pure heart makes a man good and acceptable to God.

Friday, June 24, 2016

FIGHT TO THE FINISH

II Tim. 4:6-8 As for me, my life has already been poured out as an offering to God. The time of my death is near. I have fought a good fight. I have finished the race, and I have remained faithful. And now the prize awaits me---the crown of righteousness that the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give me on that great day of his return. And the prize is not just for me but for all who eagerly look forward to his glorious return.

I don't know about you, but I live with these verses in mind. I don't know when the Lord is going to take me home to heaven. Until He does, I must continue to do what He has given me to do. Each day I live draws me closer to that day. I know that what lies before me in heaven is the prize the Lord has prepared for me, and I want to be able to accept it in humility knowing I have finished well. The crown of righteousness awaits all who faithfully live righteously here on earth. I will get my crown, I trust you can say the same thing.

We are in a fight, and it would do well for us to never forget it. The life of a Christian is not an easy life. Satan is a bully and he is always looking for a fight. He is stubborn and does not take no for an answer. He relentlessly keeps throwing punches at us in an attempt to knock us down and out. He is determined to win the battle for our souls. In order to fight a good fight, we must train well, study his moves, and plan well our defenses and attacks. We must not think of ourselves more highly than we ought to but instead recognize that we must rely on the Lord to help us fight our battles.

We must never give up in this race of life. It is a marathon and faithfulness to Christ is an absolute must until we cross the finish line. What awaits us is the completion of our salvation. We will be able to stand before God clothed in the righteousness of Christ. We will join all those who are faithful to Christ when He comes for the church and go home with Him to heaven.

How are you doing? Are you fighting a good fight? Are you running a good race? Are you confident that when the Lord does come for you that He will find you to be faithful and that you will be ready to go to heaven with Him?

Thursday, June 23, 2016

FIGHT THE GOOD FIGHT

 
II Tim. 4:7 I have fought a good fight. I have finished the race, and I have remained faithful.

Do you like a good fight? Most people would prefer not to fight. We teach our children to settle their differences in other ways because we learned the hard way that when people fight, someone will get hurt. We knew that there was a good possibility that it would be us as a child growing up it, and it often was us, that got hurt. We now see fighting as a sign of immaturity. There are better ways to resolve conflicts than fighting. Yet, fighting is a normal part of living.

There have been wars amongst men for centuries. We don’t like it, but accept it as part of life on earth. Power drives people to want to conquer those who don’t like them or who threaten them. A vast horde of humanity loses their lives because of war. Sometimes war takes on physical form and sometimes it is verbal in nature.

Great damage is done when people fight each other with words. Psychological and emotional scars are left that plagues the soul for years to come if not resolved. Some people are very good at fighting with words.

There is also a fighting that takes place over the soul of man. There is a constant battle everyone fights over the integrity of his soul. Every believer constantly is at war with the forces of evil. No one can escape this fight. If you are not in a spiritual war, you are not living right with God.

Live in such a way that you can say with Paul that you have fought a good fight, that you have finished what you started when you came to Christ, that you have been faithful to the end. Don’t let Satan get the upper hand; resist him daily. It’s not an easy fight to win, but it is a very winnable fight when you live submissively and obediently to Christ.

Wednesday, June 22, 2016

SUFFERING FOR THE LORD

II Tim. 4:5  But you should keep a clear mind in every situation.  Don't be afraid of suffering for the Lord.  or at bringing others to Christ.  Complete the ministry God has given you.

Let's think clearly about this verse for a moment.  Most who are reading this today do not suffer much for the Gospel.  Things are changing daily in our world and it is becoming more and more common, but for the most part, there is little real suffering going on in the church.  Because most of us have lived free from suffering, we fear it and don't appreciate it's value to our faith.  We do, however, seem to have fear when it comes to sharing our faith and bringing others to Christ.

Many of us are way too concerned about what others will say or do.  We remain silent because we don't want to be put on the spot, ridiculed, or perhaps harmed because of our witness.  Some do not share their faith because they don't want to come across as foolish due to their lack of Biblical knowledge.  They fear being asked questions they can't answer.  There are some who know they don't live what they claim to believe and fear they will be called hypocrites. 

Paul admonishes Timothy to not let fear stop him for doing what the Lord wants him to do.  We are to complete the ministry God has given us to do.  No matter what it is, we must step out in faith and simply do it.  We must believe what we proclaim about God being with us and enabling us.  We must display our love for the Lord by serving Him.  What matters is not the momentary consequences of our obedience, but the eternal consequences if we don't.  God richly rewards those who obey Him and serve Him in what He has given them to do. 

Tuesday, June 21, 2016

PEOPLE DON'T LISTEN

II Tim. 4:3-4  For a time is coming when people will no longer listen to right teaching.  They will follow their own desires and will look for teachers who will tell them whatever they want to hear.  They will reject the truth and follow strange myths.

It is here, right now.  People for the most part do not listen to right teaching, nor do they want to.  They buy into all sorts of false teachings, but refuse to change their minds about Biblical truth.  They will listen to those things which make them feel good and do not require much out of them.  They want teachings that suit their thinking.  They want others to do their thinking for them. 

People want teachers who will tell them what they want to hear instead of what they need to hear.  Those who stick to the Word of God and do not compromise it for the sake of the people they serve are getting fewer and fewer.  People want an easy road to heaven and gravitate towards those who promise it.  They want to hear those things that excite them instead of those things which challenge and change them.  People are quickly becoming anemic as far as holy living is concerned.  They are quick to chase after anything but the truth of God's Word.

We need to be very discerning in these last days.  We need to be sure we examine the things we hear with the Word of God.  We need to listen with critical ears letting only the Word of God be the standard whereby we live.  We need to be wise enough to dismiss and not pay attention to those who teach another Gospel.  We need to hold them accountable if they are in our churches.  We must not give people what they want; we must give them what they need in order to be made holy, a people after God's own heart.

Saturday, June 18, 2016

PREACH THE WORD OF GOD

II Tim. 4:1-2 And so I solemnly urge you before God and before Christ Jesus---who will someday judge the living and the dead when he appears to set up his Kingdom. Preach the word of God. Be persistent, whether the time is favorable or not. Patiently correct, rebuke, and encourage your people with good teaching.

You do not have to be a preacher in order to preach the Word. Each of us have a responsibility to tell others what God says. We are obligated by God to share what we know and to live what we know. God will hold us accountable for our witness, or lack thereof. We talk about what excites us. We want others to know what really matters to us. We are not shy about sharing our opinions on earthly matters. Our failure to talk about our faith and God"s Word is a testimony to how little we really value God and His Word. If we value our relationship with God as we ought, we cannot fail to share it with others. Period.

We need to persistent in our witness. It's not a one-time deal. We easily back off when someone rejects our testimony and don't bring it up again. Instead we ought to be determined to continue to be a witness for Him. We don't know when the heart is ready to hear. We don't know when the time is favorable or not. We are not knowledgeable or wise enough to know when it's "the" right time. Therefore, we must continue to share our faith whenever we have opportunity. Sometimes are more uncomfortable than others, but we should never let our comfort dictate our witness. The readiness of the soul for eternity is of greatest importance in life and our witness may be the turning point for someone. Tell others what God has done for you.  Tell them what God says.

Preach the Word.  Preaching requires preparation. In order to preach well, you must know your material well. Good teaching comes from proper understanding and proper understanding comes from good connections with God and the study of His Word. If we know what we are talking about, we can confidently witness with patience. We can instruct others with a clear understanding of God's directives. We can correct, rebuke, and encourage others with boldness because we know that it is the mind of God and not our own.

I solemnly urge you today to be a preacher, a proclaimer, of God's Word. People you know desperately need to hear about your faith in Christ, our Savior. People desperately need to know about Jesus, our Lord. Who will tell the people in your life if you don't?

Friday, June 17, 2016

ALL SCRIPTURE IS INSPIRED BY GOD

II Tim. 3:16-17 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 straightens us out and teaches us to do what is right. It is God’s way of preparing us in every way, fully equipped for every good thing God wants us to do.

All is a key word in this passage of Scripture.  All means all.  There is nothing in God’s Word that is not inspired by God.  There is no part of it that is not useful to us for our spiritual growth.  There is much we can know and understand and there are some things that are beyond our ability to grasp.  It all is given to us by God so that we can become a holy people before Him.  If we dismiss or neglect any part of it, we are losing out on valuable lessons the Lord wants us to learn.  We must read the Word with a clear understanding that God is the author of it.  We must read it with the intent of learning what God wants us to learn and apply to life.

Because God is the author of the Scriptures, it is powerful and effective.  Read it with an open heart; it leads us into godliness.  It reveals to us our sin and leads us into repentance.  If we are not often led into repentance when we read it, then we are not reading it correctly.  If it doesn’t challenge us to a deeper walk of faith, we are not reading it correctly. 

A humble heart before God who really wants to please God will consistently read and study the Scriptures.  It is impossible to please God and ignore His Word.  He uses His Word to teach us that which is true and to prepare us for effective service.  He uses His Word to equip us for every good thing He desires for us to do.  When we are not saturated by the Word of God, we mess things up pretty good.  God cannot bless the work of those who do not let the Word guide them.

Wednesday, June 15, 2016

REMAIN FAITHFUL

II Tim. 3:14-15 But you must remain faithful to the things you have been taught. You know they are true, for you know you can trust those who taught you. You have been taught the Holy Scriptures from childhood, and they have given you the wisdom to receive the salvation that comes by trusting in Christ Jesus.

This is an interesting statement that the Apostle Paul made to Timothy.  They did not have available at that time the New Testament writings.  Timothy’s teacher was Paul.  Paul was absolutely certain that what he had taught Timothy was the truth.  He had personally been guided by the Holy Spirit.  He was trustworthy and he had proven it time and time again.  What he declared was backed up by what was written in the Old Testament writings.  Timothy was raised in a godly home and knew that what he had learned was true. 

The result of having been raised in a godly home where the Word was taught and lived, was that Timothy gained the wisdom he needed for salvation.  The Spirit of Christ took the Word and implanted it into Timothy’s heart and he grew up to become a leader in the church.

We must never minimize the importance of sowing the seed of God’s Word whenever we can.  You don’t know who will hear the Word, receive it and be saved.  It is equally important that we ourselves remain faithful to the Word we have been taught.  As we mature in faith we may discover different ways to understand and apply it for ourselves, but we must never let the Word slip away from us. 

Like Paul, we should be so tuned into the Spirit that we can know for certain that we are on track in our knowledge and understanding of truth.  We should be able to confidently tell others to listen to us for we can be trusted with telling the truth.  When we are faithful to the Word, the Lord will use us for His glory and honor.

Tuesday, June 14, 2016

STAY AWAY FROM RELIGIOUS PEOPLE

II Tim. 3:5 They will act as if they are religious, but they will reject the power that could make them godly. You must stay away from people like that.

The church is full of religious people.  There are a lot of people who believe in their heads the Gospel message.  They preach and teach truth.  They act well amongst each other.  They have all the appearances of being genuine followers of Christ.  They even are “good” people outside the church building.  Yet, most people in the church have a very real problem; they reject the power that could make them godly.

Godliness is not an easy thing to accomplish.  It takes a lifetime of work.  It requires us to be faithful students of God’s Word, faithful in prayer and faithful in our application of what the Lord teaches us.  Godliness can never be obtained by human effort alone.  We must allow the Lord to have His rightful place in our lives.  We must live humbly before Him and obey Him in all things.  We must be willing to let the Spirit change the way we think and live.  We must not resist the promptings of the Spirit to move closer to God.  We must never grow complacent in faith.  We must always be growing as we yield to the Lord’s working in our lives.

The admonition of Paul to stay away from religious people is a hard thing to do.  Most of the people we know are religious.  So, is Paul saying to avoid the people of the church?  I don’t think that is what he means.  What Paul is trying to get us to see is that we should not have close connections to people who are not going anywhere spiritually.  We need to be close to those who will help us and not hinder us in our pursuit of godliness.  We need people who will push us and not drag us down.  We need to be with people who are striving to be godly in their own lives.  Godliness is mandated by God for all believers and those who are not pursuing it are living in sin. 

It is not a message we want to hear, but it is what God says over and over again in His Word.  Anything less than holiness of heart is not acceptable to God.  Christ makes us holy and that holiness is then seen in how we live in every aspect of our living.

Monday, June 13, 2016

FOOLISH, IGNORANT ARGUMENTS

II Tim. 2:23 Again I say, don't get involved in foolish, ignorant arguments that only start fights.

Fighting over words is foolishness. Only those who are immature will get sucked into it. Arguing with someone you don't agree with accomplishes nothing but creating a rift between you. We get emotional with our convictions and allow our emotions to drive us instead of our heads. We tend to forget that we will not convince anyone of anything while they have their defenses up. We dig our heels into the sand and will not listen when we feel our convictions are being threatened. It is not our role to convince anyone of truth. Only the Holy Spirit can do that, and He can't do that when we have stirred up the pot.

No one has perfect knowledge, not even you. We now see through a glass darkly. Because of our limited capacity to understand the things of God, we will always be able to learn new things. Some things we think we know are refined over time as our maturity in Christ grows. No matter how well grounded we may be, we learn new things as the Spirit works in our lives. He leads us to sometimes change our thinking on things. So, we need to be careful how much we hold onto in our
understanding of truth. There are some things that are undeniable and true for all believers for all time, and there are some understandings of truth that the Spirit changes in us as we grow in Christ.
It is foolish to hold onto and argue about things that are not clearly spelled out in Scripture. The church has been divided over details for centuries and you or I are not going to settle the issues. We must realize that there are reasons why there are so many different church bodies worshiping the same Lord we do but in different ways. If there was no room for different understandings, the Lord would have fixed it a long time ago.

Wisdom would teach us to let those things go which are not essential to faith. Hang onto your convictions with an open heart and mind. Listen to the Spirit if He is changing your thinking on some things. But, whatever you do, don't be argumentative over things. It will not change anyone and it will only prevent you from having godly fellowship with others. Agree to disagree agreeably on non-essential matters and let the love of Christ bind you together as one to the glory and honor of our Lord.

Saturday, June 11, 2016

RUN FROM LUST

II Tim. 2:22 Run from anything that stimulates youthful lust. Follow anything that makes you want to do right. Pursue faith and love and peace, and enjoy the companionship of those who call on the Lord with pure hearts.

Run; don’t walk from anything that stimulates youthful lusts.  Don’t pause to think about it, just run.  If you take the time to think about it, it may be too late to get away.  Make up your mind beforehand that you will not hang around where you will be tempted to lust.

Follow anything that makes you want to do what is right.  Fill your mind and heart up with those things that stimulate your desire to become holy and pleasing to God.  He who lacks a passion for spiritual growth lacks it because he chooses to seek after sinful things rather than godly things.

Pursue those things that stimulate your soul and cause you to want God’s presence in your life.  Faith must be an action verb in your life; you live it and not just talk about it. Love must be an active force in your life.  You must choose to love God, others and yourself on a daily and consistent basis.  Peace must be your goal as you relate to God and others.  Fellowship with others who are seeking God with pure hearts is essential for your spiritual well-being. 

Living a life that pleases God doesn’t just happen.  It takes a commitment of heart.  It requires work and sacrifice.  It is a way of life that never changes.  We must seek to be right with God always.  He is our primary focus in life.  Losing your focus on Christ is a slow death for your soul.

Friday, June 10, 2016

GOD'S TRUTH STANDS FIRM

II Tim. 2:19 But God’s truth stands firm like a foundation stone with this inscription: “The Lord knows those who are his’ and “Those who claim they belong to the Lord must turn away from all wickedness.”

There is no foundation worthy of building our lives upon other than God’s truth.  A life built on any other foundation is weak and will crumble in the midst of the storms of life.  It is imperative for a healthy walk with God to stay grounded in the truth of God’s Word.

The Lord knows who are His and who aren’t.  We are easily fooled by the appearance of others.  We cannot see the heart of man and so we must be very careful when we make judgments about their hearts.  We can even fool ourselves about ourselves.  Just because we live like a child of God, believe the Bible to be true, pray and go to church doesn’t mean we are children of God.  These things are important and should characterize a believer’s life, but they do not make us a child of God.  A child of God is one who sincerely confesses his sin before Christ, asks Him for forgiveness and then lives like it.  No one will make it to heaven by bypassing the cross.

Those who are truly children of God will turn away from all wickedness.  There will be an obvious changing of lifestyles, both publicly and privately.  There will be conscious choices made daily to turn away from sin.  There will be a desire to not sin.  There will be consistency in the way he does what is right before God and shuns what is evil.  There will be consistency in his desire to grow in the grace and knowledge of Christ. 

A child of God MUST turn away from all wickedness.  He is compelled to do so because the Spirit is at work in him to make him holy.  You cannot be a child of God and live in fellowship with Satan.  You will hate sin and be determined to be a victor over it instead of a victim of it.

Thursday, June 9, 2016

AVOID GODLESS DISCUSSIONS

II Tim. 2:16 Avoid godless, foolish discussions that lead to more and more ungodliness.

If a spiritual conversation does not help to enhance spiritual understanding and growth, then avoid it.  It is non-productive to debate Scripture simply because we know we are right on how we interpret it and we are not willing to see it any other way but how we have been taught and believe.  We are defensive by nature and are not open to a different way of seeing things.  It is best to not get into discussions that we are not willing to learn from.  It is true within church circles and especially true in the world.

Non-believers who are more interested in picking a fight over truth rather than listening to it will never let truth lead them to godliness.  It is a waste of time to try and argue people out of darkness.  The only way godless people will ever come into the Light is through the convicting work of the Holy Spirit.  Rather than get into discussions with them that go nowhere, we should pray for them and ask the Lord to convict them of sin.

Godless discussions are those where the mind shuts out any consideration of God.  The ears may hear, but the mind doesn’t listen.  It is futility at its best.  No matter how convincingly truth may be presented, if the hearer doesn’t have ears to hear, it won’t get through.  The heart is hardened and will do anything it can to deny the truth.  

People will pay more attention to how we live than what we say.  Godless discussions can be shut out and refuted, but living Christ-like lives cannot be.  Unless our living backs up what we say, we will not be heard.  People will respect what you say when they learn to respect your life.

Wednesday, June 8, 2016

GOD'S APPROVAL

II Tim. 2:15 Work hard so God can approve you. Be a good worker, one who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly explains the word of truth.

It takes hard work to get to the point where you can correctly handle the Word of God. The Scriptures are not easy reading. You cannot read them like you might a novel or a newspaper. The mind and heart of God are very deep and require great effort on our part to even begin to understand. The Spirit helps us to understand many things, but He never goes deeper or faster than we can handle.

Much harm is caused by those who have a superficial knowledge of the Word. Many things are taken out of context and misapplied to suit personal tastes. Many times people will use the Word for their own advantage and purposes. Many things are taught that go contrary to the nature and heart of God. Many things spoken of by God are overlooked and never talked about. Many blessings of God are missed because of our ignorance or misuse of the Word.

We must commit ourselves to working hard at our quest for understanding of God, how we relate to Him, and how we relate to the world we live in. We are limited by our capacity to learn because we are human and not God, but we can do a much better job of it than we usually do. It takes a lot of hard work to become a worker who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth.

How much effort do you put into growing in your understanding of the things of God? In an age in which many churches are cutting back on what they require of their people, we must be all the more diligent. We must take advantage of the many resources God gives us to learn. There is no valid excuse for us to be slothful in our efforts to be worthy servants of our Lord. Understanding never is gained by looking at a Bible that does nothing but gather dust between Sundays.

Tuesday, June 7, 2016

STOP FIGHTING OVER WORDS

II Tim. 2:14 Remind them of these things, and command them in God’s name to stop fighting over words. Such arguments are useless, and they can ruin those who hear them.
Paul wanted Timothy to remind the church that the most important issue in life is one’s relationship with Christ.  Seeking Christ in His holiness trumps every other endeavor in life.  He then wanted Timothy to intervene and stop the fruitless arguing going on in the church. 
We don’t know what was being said to create such a ruckus, but evidently it was disrupting the fellowship of the church.  People were taking a stand contrary to what others were taking.  It probably had something to do with interpretation of how to best live out the faith.  They didn’t have the written Scriptures that we do today, so it had to be more with practice than doctrine. 
Fighting over words has plagued the church ever sense its formation.  The reason why the church couldn’t stay together as one church was because people simply couldn’t stay in fellowship with those who disagreed with them.  The need to be right trumped the need to live right with each other.  People have struggled with the concept of agreeing to disagree agreeably for centuries.  We talk a lot about grace, but we are poor to practice it with those we don’t agree with.
If as much energy were to be spent living out faith in a lost world as we spend on trying to be right, we would revolutionize the world for Christ.  Arguing over Scripture is useless and a waste of time and energy.  Seldom will anyone be convinced they are wrong through argumentative discussions.  We dig our heels in and won’t listen to anyone who disagrees with us.  We let our emotions drive us and not reason.  Arguing just drives people away from each other and often ruins the faith of those who observe it. 
The love of Christ ought to bind us together and not tear us apart.  When we get into an argumentative mindset, we are not being driven by the love of God.  We are not living what we preach and unless we repent, all we will do is to damage or destroy the fellowship of the brethren that should be the way of life in the church. 

Monday, June 6, 2016

FOLLOW GOD'S RULES

II Tim. 2:5 Follow the Lord’s rules for doing his work, just as an athlete either follows the rules or is disqualified and wins no prize.
We have our own ideas on how things should be done.  Sometimes our ideas are in agreement with other people’s ideas and sometimes they are not.  We tend to want to do things our way.  Experience teaches us that when we follow the rules established by others who have already been where we are at and found them to work, we are better off.  It is never a good idea to make up our own rules as we go along in life.
When we follow the Lord’s rules, we are following one who has the knowledge and wisdom to know what is best for us.  He knows all the details of how to best live to get the best results.  He knows the end from the beginning of all things and has established the guidelines for us to get there.  He IS the way and wise is he who does things His way.  We cannot know God’s rules unless we read His rule book, the Bible, and study it well.
The rules of the Lord can be summed up simply in this: live a holy life before God.  All that God desires for us to do is to be a holy people.  A holy people are an effective witness for Him in the world.  They are the movers and shakers of the Kingdom.  They are the ones who get the work of the Kingdom done.  They are the ones who are truly blessed by God.
Failing to become holy before God is lethal for the soul.  God commands it for His children and all who fail to pursue it are disqualified for the race of life.  Their souls may be saved, but they will never be winners.  Seek holiness in your life and great will be your reward in heaven.

Sunday, June 5, 2016

PASS IT ON

II Tim. 2:2  You have heard me teach many things that have been confirmed by many reliable witnesses.  Teach these great truths to trustworthy people who are able to pass them on to others.

The Gospel message was never meant to be hoarded.  We are to learn it well from others and teach it well to others.  We know the Gospel is true when we see it at work in others.  It's not enough to just hear it preached and taught; we need to see it lived as well.  When the two mesh together, we know indeed that it is true and necessary for us to live. 

Paul mentions reliable witnesses.  It is important that we listen to those whom we know are reliable.  We need to be cautious when listening to people we don't know anything about in their personal lives.  It is easy to be fooled by what people say so as much as it is possible, strive to discern a person's reliableness before ingesting what they say.

Once we learn what we need to know, we are to in turn pass it on to others who are trustworthy, people who are sincerely wanting to learn the truths of the Gospel.  It is not possible for us to know another's heart, but we can usually tell whether or not a person really is interested in learning the truth. 

Our goal should always be to keep the flame burning.  It is essential for the cause of Christ to instill the Gospel message in each new generation.  The more we pass it on, the more people will be brought into the Kingdom of God.  Disciples make disciples. 

Saturday, June 4, 2016

GUARD YOUR GIFTS

II Tim. 1:14 With the help of the Holy Spirit who lives within us, carefully guard what has been entrusted to you.

We can't do it alone. We need the Spirit's help if we are going to effectively protect that which God has revealed and given to us. Left alone, our sinful nature will take that which we have and cause us to misuse or abuse it. We are easily influenced by our sinfulness and must not ever think we don't need God's help at keeping ourselves pure in thought and deed.

The Spirit lives in every believer, but I wonder just how much we allow the Spirit to really live in us. What the Spirit is capable of doing and producing is amazing. We limit His work in us. His work includes pointing us to Christ, presenting truth in a way we can understand, producing fruit in us that others can see, and putting gifts in each of us so that we can serve the Lord more effectively. The Spirit gives us all the resources we need to live holy and productive lives before God.

We must not take for granted His presence and power. We must let Him work freely in us and with His help protect that which has been entrusted to us. No matter how far along you are in faith, make it a priority in your life to cooperate with the Spirit as He works in you to make you a workman that does not need to be ashamed. Let Him change you and lead you into godliness so that you will be a servant whom the Lord can say, "Well done, with you I am well-pleased."

He who fails to carefully guard his walk with the Lord and all that is entrusted to him will soon fall into sin.

Friday, June 3, 2016

GUARD YOUR FAITH

II Tim. 1:12 And that is why I am suffering here in prison. But I am not ashamed of it, for I know the one in whom I trust, and I am sure that he is able to guard what I have entrusted to him until the day of his return.

Paul was a powerful witness for Christ. Everywhere he went he made sure that he preached and taught the truth about Jesus. Some people accepted his message and many didn’t. Those who rejected Paul’s message often rejected him. They would go out of their way to make life miserable for Paul because they themselves were miserable. They would make Paul suffer physically in ways that most of us will never have to experience. Paul was in prison when he wrote this letter simply because he would not shut up. He was compelled to preach and teach the Word of God.

Paul considered it a privilege and joy to be in prison for the sake of the Gospel. He felt like he did because he was totally committed to Christ. He loved Him as much as any man could possibly love Him. He was not ashamed of the life he lived because he knew that to the best of his ability he was living right before God. Paul was absolutely confident that his life was not in vain, that God was pleased with him and would keep him safe in Him not only in this life but in death as well.

The issue that we must consider as well is how confident we are that we are living a life in Christ that pleases God. In light of God’s Word, are you living a consistent, godly life? Are you living a life that pleases God, or do you have things that you are ashamed of? Are you absolutely sure that God is protecting your soul and will welcome you into His presence some day?

If there is any doubt at all in your mind today about the life you are living, today is the day that you need to get things straightened out with God. Don’t put it off. The longer you mess around the farther away from God you will drift. He wants you to know that you know that all is well with your soul. Entrust your soul to Him who is the keeper of the soul and you will never be disappointed.

Thursday, June 2, 2016

GOD'S PLAN TO SAVE US

II Tim. 1:9 It is God who saved us and chose us to live a holy life. He did this not because we deserved it, but because that was his plan long before the world began--to show his love and kindness to us through Christ Jesus.

No one can save himself from God's wrath. No one can earn their way into God's favor. No one can live a holy life on their own. There is absolutely nothing we can do that is going to help us be a child of God. We are saved and made holy by what Christ does for us. Period.

Why would Jesus do what He has done for us? He loves us eternally and before He ever created anything, He made the decision to make it possible for us to be saved. God knew what it would take for us to be made holy before Him and committed himself to doing it. He knew before He created us that we would reject Him and spurn His love. He knew that sin would captivate our souls and condemn us to hell. He knew that only He could change our sinful hearts and make us holy. Because He created us in His own image to be the objects of His love and to have fellowship with Him, He made the decision to come to earth to die for our sins at Calvary.

There is no greater display of love than the love God showed us through the life, death, burial and resurrection of Jesus. Jesus is God's display of love for all humanity for all time. No one can love God and live for Him apart from Jesus. Calvary makes it possible for us to to saved and made holy before God. Jesus is the ONLY way we can have life in God for all of eternity.

Wednesday, June 1, 2016

POWER, LOVE AND SELF-DISCIPLINE

II Tim. 1:7-8a For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love, and self-discipline. So you must never be ashamed to tell others about our Lord.

God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, so why do we have it? Why is it that we are afraid to share the Gospel with those outside of the church? Why do we avoid conversations that require us to take a stand for the Gospel? Fear does not come from the Lord, so guess where it comes from.

God gives us the power to speak out for Him. We don’t speak out because we don’t have it; it’s because we don’t claim the power we have or use it. We have it, but we don’t cooperate with God and use it. We think too much about the circumstances and not enough about what we can do through Christ who gives us the strength and power to obey Him.

Perhaps another reason why we aren’t being active witnesses for Christ is that we lack genuine love for the lost. Let’s be honest; a lack of love for people plagues us. If we truly love others as Christ loves them we would care that they are lost and going to hell. If we were motivated by love we would do what we could do to help them see the Light and be saved.

Another thing that holds us back is we lack self-disciple. We do not train ourselves to be witnesses for Him. We are sloppy in our spiritual disciplines and thus too self-centered. We need to discipline ourselves in the things of God and if we do we will want to share Him with others.

We should never be ashamed to tell others about Christ. We should always count it a privilege to be the Lord’s mouthpieces. Let us be bold, put to use the power of God within us, and boldly be witnesses for Christ with both our words and deeds.