The Attributes of God:

Following the Right Compass 2 Timothy 3:1-12. “Now you followed my teaching conduct, purpose, faith, patience, love, perseverance.”                   We live in confusing times when it seems there are many views regarding moral truth.  We live in a world where Alice’s  (i.e., Alice in Wonderland) dream has become a reality. Alice describes her world in the story: “If I had a world of my own, everything would be nonsense.  Nothing would be what it is because everything would be what it isn’t.  And contrary-wise, what it is wouldn’t be, and what it wouldn’t be, it would.”  We live in a world where what used to be wrong has become right, and what formerly was right is not condemned as wrong.  How do we determine direction and perspective in a confused world?               ...

Reading Scripture Rightly 2 Timothy 1:14-19 “Be diligent to present yourself approved to God as a workman who does not need to be ashamed, accurately handling the word of truth.”                   Just as important as reading the Bible is interpreting and reading it correctly. From the original words penned by the authors under the inspiration of God to our modern translations, there are very few errors or distortions, so when we read our English Bible, we can have absolute confidence that it remains the word of God.  Most error comes in not from the process of transmitting the text from the hand of Paul to our hands today.  Where the gregarious errors enter is in our handling and reading of the Bible, when we change the meaning of the words to fit our own bias and to justify our actions and opinions.  In this passage, Paul reminds Timothy that his most important task ...

Advancing the Gospel even in Suffering 2 Timothy 2:1-13 “Remember Jesus Christ, risen from the dead, descendant of David, according to my gospel, for which I suffer hardship even to imprisonment as a criminal; but the word of God is not imprisoned.”                   As Paul was writing his final letter to Timothy, he was writing when the church faced severe persecution and opposition. Nero had already descended into madness and brutality.  He would become known for his cruelty and his persecution of Christians, whom he would use as human torches in his gardens to provide light for his parties.  It was a time when Christians would face intense persecution throughout the Roman Empire.  Paul himself likely became a victim of Nero’s persecution and hatred of Christians.                  ...

Gaining Perspective 2 Timothy 1:8-14 “For this reason, I also suffer these things, but I am not ashamed, for I know whom I have believed, and I am convinced that He is able to guard what I have entrusted to Him until that day.”                   The sage in Ecclesiastes 7:2  writes words that seem strange and out of place.  As he examines all the struggles and challenges in life, he states, “It is better to go to the house of mourning  than to go to the house of feasting because that is the end of every man, and the living takes it to heart.” We like to avoid talking about death and the sense of finality it brings. No one ever goes to a funeral because they want to.  We go because we want to be a support to the family and express our respect and appreciation for the person who passed away.   When we confront death, we gain a whole new perspective on...

The Lost Art of Contentment 1 Timothy 6:6-10 “But godliness actually is a means of great gain which is accompanied by contentment.”                   The most challenging quality to possess is contentment.  We can obtain and extol many excellent qualities, but the ability to be genuinely content is perhaps the most difficult virtue to discover. We can demonstrate love, find joy, and have patience towards others, but to be genuinely content with all that we have in the present is elusive and fleeting.  When we think we have attained it, our eyes fasten upon something we want, and we become discontent until we obtain it.                    As Paul closes out his instructions with Timothy, he reminds Timothy of a vital lesson everyone must learn, including pastors and those in ministry....

Maintaining Our Spiritual Health 1 Timothy 4:6-10 “For bodily discipline is only of little profit, but godliness is profitable for all things, since it holds promise for the present life and for the life to come.”                   The global fitness industry continues to grow at an incredible rate.  It is estimated that in  2022, the fitness industry generated a market value of 104 billion dollars and that by 2030, it is projected to grow to $202 billion.  In the United States, the fitness industry has a value of 40 billion dollars in 2023.  The millennials are specifically known as the “wellness generation” as they place health as one of their top priorities. Indeed, there is value in taking care of our physical health and well-being.  Paul himself affirms the value of physical discipline when he states that bodily discipline has some profit....

The Wonder of Extravagant Grace 1 Timothy 1:12-17 “It is a trustworthy statement, deserving full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, among whom I am foremost of all.”                   It is easy to become ensnared by the past. Past mistakes and sins can become our proverbial ball and chain, dragging us down into the pit of guilt and shame. However, Scripture teaches that no sin is beyond the grace of God's forgiveness, no matter how horrific in our eyes.                   In our mental picture of Paul, we see him as the stalwart of faith. Paul remains the champion of theologians for his ability to capture into words the complexity of our understanding of God and His salvation.  Whether Paul was sharing the gospel with rough sailors or confronting intellectual giants on...

The Danger of Distractions 1 Timothy 1:1-11                    In our quest to follow our faith, it is easy to become derailed by the distractions of the insignificant. Instead of focusing on obedience to God’s word and His moral law, we can become ensnared by people's opinions.  As Paul is writing to Timothy, his protégé and a young pastor starting in ministry, Paul warns him of the dangers of “strange doctrines and myths and endless genealogies.”  Throughout the writings of Paul, we find two different false teachings in the church. The first error is legalism, which incorporates rules and regulations not found in Scripture into the Christian life.  These are grounded in traditions and principles not found in Scripture but ones that we make essential in our faith.  The second error is liberalism.  This involves rejecting and denying the Biblic...

Who we associate with is who we will become. 2 Thess. 3:6-15 “Now we command you, brethren, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you keep away from every brother who leads an unruly life and not according to the traditions which you received from us.”                   Throughout the scriptures, we are warned about the kind of people we associate with and the type of friends surrounding us.  The people we associate with and spend all our time with will influence how we act, think, and live our lives.  In this passage Paul is not forbidding any association with those who do not follow Christ.  This would not only be impossible, but it would also be counterproductive to our mission.  We are called to reach people with the gospel, which requires building relationships with others.  Paul warning us to be intentional and careful about who influence...

What are we to Pray for. 2 Thess. 3:1-5 “Finally, brethren, pray for us that the word of the Lord will spread rapidly and be glorified just as it did also with you and that we will be rescued from perverse and evil men, for not all have faith.” When we pray, what do we pray for? Take some time and reflect upon the requests that you bring to God. Much of our prayer centers on our physical needs. We pray for God’s protection from harm. When sick, we pray for His healing touch. We pray for others who are experiencing physical problems. Certainly, this is valid and encouraged by God (James 5:13). We also rightfully pray for wisdom and strength during times of difficulty and trials (James 1:1-5). But how do we pray for our spiritual leaders, the pastor, the board, and the church's ministries? As Paul closes his letter, as he often does in all his epistles, he expresses his prayer for the people he is writing to and asks them to pray for him. In these requests, we not only discover how t...

The Foundation of A Christian Life 2 Thess. 2:13-17 “But we should always give thanks to God for you, brethren beloved by the Lord, because God has chosen you from the beginning for salvation through sanctification by the Spirit and faith in the truth.”                   In a confusing world filled with contradictory views and people questioning Biblical truth, how do we know what truth is and what God genuinely desires for us?   Where do we turn to discover what is true? While we want to know God and follow His purpose, we struggle to understand His purpose. Having encouraged the believers to stand firm in the face of opposition and having warned them of the danger of deception, Paul now points them to the truth.  Truth and wickedness are irreconcilable.  God judges people by allowing them to be deluded in their thinking and to believe what is false. However, for...

Relax, God’s in Control 2 Thess. 2:1-13 “Now we request you, brethren, with regard to the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our gathering together to Him, that you not be quickly shaken from your composure or be disturbed either by a spirit or a message or a letter as if from us to the effect that the day of the Lord has come.”                     We live in a time of rapid change, uncertainty, and disagreement where people live in fear.  No longer is there any moral consensus, so people of every political or moral ideology fall prey to the fear that our world and culture are moving on a downward spiral toward oblivion.  Fear is the opposite of faith, and when our focus shifts away from God and his word, we no longer have a foundation for security.                   As strong as the ...

The Hope of Certainty 1 Thess. 4:13-18 “But we do not want you to be uninformed, brethren, about those who are asleep so that you will not grieve as do the rest who have no hope.”                   When confronted with the certainty and reality of death, I can leave us overwhelmed with a sense of powerlessness and hopelessness. Of all the events that happen in life, there is no more certain and disruptive than death.  When it strikes, it always comes unexpectedly, leaving us with a sense of powerlessness and hopelessness. With all our technology and advancements in medicine, we can only delay death for a short season, but in the end, we are ultimately powerless. For many people, death is the one topic we avoid talking about or even thinking about.  We believe that if we ignore it, it will go away.  But it does not. It still strikes with impunity.    ...

Preachers and Listeners Pt 2 1 Thessalonians 2:1-13 “For this reason we also constantly thank God that when you received the word of God which you heard from us, you accepted it not as the word of men, but for what it really is, the word of God, which also performs it work in you who believe.”                   What do we expect when we go to church on Sunday and listen to a message?  When we listen to a sermon, we expect the pastor to have carefully prepared the message that he is going to give.  We trust that he has studied the passage and prayerfully considered how it might relate to our lives.  We would be concerned if he got up on a Sunday, just randomly picked a passage, and then said he was going to talk about it without any preparation or study. We expect a pastor to be prepared when he enters the pulpit. What we often fail to recognize is that there are two pe...

Good Preachers and Good Listeners (Pt 1) 1 Thess. 2:1-13 “But just as we have been approved by God to be entrusted with the Gospel, so we speak, not pleasing men, but God who examines our hearts. …For this reason, we also constantly thank God that when you received the word of God which you heard from us, you accepted it not as the word of men but for what it really is: the word of God, which also performs its work in you who believe.”                   Communication is always a two-way dialogue.  Not only does it involve a person speaking, but it also involves the other person listening to what is said. So when we listen to a message, how do we not only evaluate what the pastor is saying, but how do we listen to what is being said? It's crucial for us to not only question if the preacher is preaching what is true, but also to engage in self-evaluation and ask, am I a good listener? ...

Following the Right Role Models 1 Thessalonians 1:2-10 You also became imitators of us and of the Lord, having received the word in much tribulation with the joy of the Holy Spirit, so that you became an example to all the believers in Macedonia and in Achaia.”                   Who we emulate is who we become.  Everyone has people they admire and look up to, who serve as examples.  Many of these role models are based upon what we like and want to become, and we follow them because they have achieved success in areas we desire to excel in or affirm values we uphold.  Our role models may be a person we know, a public figure we admire, or an author we read. They can have a positive influence as they challenge us to improve or be negative role models because they affirm the values that lead us in the wrong direction.  In other words, our role models can affirm b...

Living a New Life Colossians 3:1-17 “Therefore, if you have been raised up with Christ, keep seeking the things above, where Christ is, seated on the right hand of God.  Set your mind on things above, not on the things that are on earth.”                   What does it mean to be a Christian, a follower of Jesus?  This is the fundamental question we all must answer.  For some, it means going to church on Sunday and being a member of a local church.  For others, it involves engaging in the social problems confronting our society.  For others, being a Christian is about following religious rules and regulations.  While there are some elements of truth in each of these statements, Paul paints a different picture.  Being a follower of Christ involves a complete and radical shift in our worldview and understanding of life itself....

The Foundation for All Truth Colossians 2:8-15 “See to It that no one takes you captive through philosophy and empty deception, according to the tradition of men, according to the elementary principles of the world, rather than according to Christ.”                   The most critical question today is the question of truth—or, to put it even more succinctly, the basis by which we determine what is true. C.S. Lewis wrote, “You never know how much you really believe anything until its truth or falsehood becomes a matter of life and death to you.” How do we determine what is true in a world of conflicting viewpoints, especially when it becomes a matter of eternal consequence?                   For Paul, truth was not just a philosophical question to be debated.  For him, it was literally a matter of li...