1Tm5

Widows have a special place in the heart of God and should have a special place in our hearts as well. God's church is to be a place where godly widows feel cared for and loved.

The church is God's family. God's people are to treat and care for each other like family. If our churches are not providing and caring for each other, we are not functioning as God desires. 

Christian living is not just about caring for ourselves and reaching the lost. It is about caring for others in the church and especially those who are placed in vulnerable positions.

1Tm4

"Pay close attention to your life and your teaching; preserver in these things, for by doing this you will save both yourself and your hearers."

What do we pay attention to? What do we work hard at? Is it what we do? Is it what we know and teach? Right behavior comes from a right understanding of truth. Paul encouraged Timothy to know what he believes, to teach the truth and to live the truth. Someone is always looking to us for leadership. Are we providing it?

Paul encouraged Timothy to be an example in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith and in purity! These are great challenges for us all. Set the pace in these areas. Be an example to others who believe.

1Tm3

"Great boldness in the faith" comes from faithful service to the Lord. The longer one serves, the more bold they become in its significance.

In this chapter Paul is talking about the importance of character in church leadership. Qualified leadership, marked primarily by character, is essential to a healthy, fully functioning church. Quality leadership is at the foundation of a healthy church. When leadership lacks character the church suffers.

Serving as a church leader is not easy. In fact, it is difficult. One benefit of serving in this way is "great boldness in the faith". That boldness come through faithfully serving the truth. The more we serve, the more confident we are in "Who" we are serving and the truth of the gospel.

We should all find a place to serve in our local church. It matters. For the church and for us.

1Tm2

Pray for those who don't believe today to come to a believing faith! God's desire is for "everyone to be saved". Yet the bible clearly teaches that most will not be.

Paul lived his life to share the good news with everyone he came in contact with. His desire was that they would be saved! Most of the time he was rejected, but often God did something amazing when he shared. The same is true of us.

Don't let the possibility of rejection keep us from sharing. Especially don't let rejection keep us from praying for others. If we love someone, we should want their salvation more than any other thing.

Let's keep praying for the salvation of others.

1Tm1

The closer we draw to Christ, the more acutely we are aware of our own sinfulness. We never totally escape our desire to sin until we leave this body and world.

Paul, late in his life wrote these final books to his "true son in the faith" Timothy. In this book he describes himself as the "worst of sinners". He didn't say he WAS the worst! He said he IS the worst. Compared to what? He definitely would have not been the worst in comparison to anyone here. We would have likely considered him "the least sinful".

Paul's closeness to Christ only made him more aware of his sin. The closer he got, the more aware he was of how far he was away. Yet his desire was to pursue Christ even harder! He knew it was the best way to live his earthly life.

What is our desire?

2Th3

How important are right friendships in our relationship with Christ? I would say they are vital. We tend to become "like" the people we choose to be with.

In this passage Paul urges believers to "keep away from" and "not associate" with "brothers" who do not follow his teaching. He went on to say, "Don't treat him as an enemy but warn him as a brother." But what is the context? What were these brothers doing?

In the direct context it seems like they were "not working" but free loading on others. They were not doing their part to make the whole better. They were not following Paul's instructions or his example. Possibly they were "all talk and no action" kind of people.

Be the kind of christian other christians don't have to avoid.

2Th2

Salvation comes only through God's Spirit. It is that same Spirit that makes us "holy". 

We cannot save ourselves and we cannot make ourselves righteous before God. Salvation and righteousness are gifts from God through His Spirit. We receive these gifts when we believe.

Jesus is coming back. Paul is clear on that. He is also clear on "who" will be delivered from destruction when that happens...Only those who have believed and put their faith in Jesus.

I am so glad that God has given us such a wonderful gift!

2Th1

Fire and brimstone! These terms used to describe bible teaching is some churches. How long has it been since someone talked to us about hell? Do we actually still believe that those who reject Jesus will spend eternity in destructive separation from God and will continually receive punishment? The apostle Paul believe it.

In this chapter he writes, "God's angels will be taking vengeance with flaming fire on those who don't know God and those who don't obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus." He goes on to write, "These will pay the penalty of eternal destruction from the Lord's presence and from His glorious strength…"

Jesus spoke of hell more than heaven. Why? Because God is serious about punishing all sin! He has provided forgiveness through Christ and anyone who rejects Christ will have to give an account to God for all of their sins. 

Fire and brimstone preaching might just be what we need more of. It is often the most loving kind of preaching because it sounds a clear warning for those who don't take Jesus seriously and for those who take their sin lightly. 

1Th5

Two verses. Four words. A lifetime of instruction. "Rejoice always! Pray constantly." These two verses though short are packed with challenge. So is the next verse, "Give thanks in everything, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus."

As I step back from these final instructions in this book and think about their meaning, it becomes pretty clear what kind of people we are to be. As christians we are to be joyful, prayerful and grateful. Always. Nothing that happens is outside of God's control and nothing that happens can do anything to take away our salvation.

Jesus is coming back. It won't be when we expect it. (Maybe today) It will be in a time just like today. It will be sudden and it will be final. Then we have eternity! Live for what matters forever today.

1Th4

"God has not called us to impurity but to sanctification." The struggle for purity is not new! Even in the first century one of the most gripping and defeating sins was the sin of sexual immorality. God is calling us to live pure lives.

So many lives are devastated by impurity. It begins with our thoughts and eventually becomes our lifestyles! From the beginning of time, God was calling His people to set a different pace. To have lives and relationships that are honoring to Him and each other.

Paul gave a strict warning to anyone who would reject the call to purity. "Anyone who rejects this is not rejecting man, but God, who gives us His Holy Spirit."

Live pure lives.

1Th3

The only thing better than hearing good reports about your children is hearing good reports about their faith!

Paul was always concerned for those he led to Christ because following Jesus is difficult. He took great delight is hearing that these young believers were doing well and growing. He said, "Now we really live, since you are standing firm in the Lord." 

It is one thing to share the good news with someone else and have them embrace it! That is really exciting and fun. It is even better news to hear months and years later that they are still growing and influencing others to follow Jesus. AND it is even better news if this reality is true of your children.

Something to pray for. Something to strive for.

1Th2

"We speak not to please men, but rather God, who examines our hearts." vs. 4  If this statement was true of us, how much would our conversations change? And what would be the tone and topic of those conversations?

It is pretty clear that Paul was consumed by the gospel! It was his life and reaching others with this message of truth was his primary motivation in life. But he was an "apostle". Practically, it was his job. But what about the average believer? How should we think about this message?

Honestly, I think there is a difference. For some of us sharing Christ is not only our privilege, it is our calling and job. For others, our calling and jobs are not to be oriented around spreading the gospel. But all of us have a responsibility to the gospel! It is to be the orienting center of all we do. The gospel should determine our conversation tone and topic. Every believer has a responsibility to be pleasing to God and a good representative of the gospel to others.

It is a high calling.

1Th1

What "message" is ringing out from our lives? I pray it is the gospel. So many people still don't know the best news of all!

Pray that we will have an opportunity to speak boldly for Christ today. Maybe we should pray that we would take the opportunities that present themselves almost daily. I am sure there are many things that happened this weekend that will be conversation worthy. Plan a way to introduce the gospel into those conversations.

The new believers in Thessalonica were not shy when it came to sharing with others. They were joyful and bold. Like them, we should be sharing with joy and boldness. Take courage from this chapter and share the good news today.

Col4

"Devote yourselves to prayer. Stay alert in prayer." These two commands are rarely obeyed by believers. Me included.

Prayer is essential to our faith. Prayer was the one thing the disciples asked Jesus to teach them. Paul prayed "often", "continuously", and "always" for those he loved. Epaphras was "always contending" for the Colossians in prayer.

Jesus told us to "fast and pray". My dad always says, "we like to pray fast! If at all." 

Being devoted and alert in prayer takes effort. It begins somewhere. I suggest we set aside some time today and pray for those in our family. Actually mention there names out loud to God. Listen, and then pray for them. Possibly turn off our radio on the way to work and make our commute time a time of prayer. Create a habit of prayer.

Maybe someone should create an app for our phones! We seem to be pretty devoted to them.

Col3

Accepting, forgiving and loving; these qualities are commanded by Paul for every believer. Not because others are deserving, but rather because this is what we have been give in Christ!

If Christ has accepted us, how can we not accept others? We should be less exclusive with the "who" we want to be in relationship with. We are "in"! We should want everyone we know to be "in" as well.

Forgiveness is not natural. It is supernatural. When someone hurts us, we feel justified to be bitter towards them. But when we consider the gospel we cannot justify bitterness. Christ has forgiven us! How can we not forgive those who have hurt us?

And finally, love. Love is not a feeling, it is a gift we have been given that we are to give to others. Paul writes, "put on love which is the perfect bond of unity." Jesus said that "love" is the greatest commandment. Love does what is best for others.

Following Jesus is a challenge. Following Jesus requires that we accept, forgive and love others. All others.

Col2

"God made you alive with Christ, for he forgave all our sins. He canceled the record of the charges against us and took it away by nailing it to the cross." What a powerful verse in today's chapter! Jesus took care of our sins once and for all. This is really good news!

Most people think they are not bad enough to deserve God's judgement, and therefore, are not very grateful for salvation. When we feel we deserve something, it is almost impossible to feel gratitude.

On the other hand, when we get something that we definitely don't deserve, OR even better, when we don't get punishment that we know we do deserve, then gratitude is overflowing!

Salvation is definitely cause for overflowing gratitude! We do not deserve it! We deserve eternal punishment. Instead we get eternal life and blessing!

This is good news.

Co1

"God has rescued us from the domain of darkness and transferred us into the kingdom of the Son He loves." 

Do we think about the fact that we have been "rescued"? God actually came and saved us from the dominion of darkness. We were lost and without hope in this world. Nothing to live for and even less to die for. Yet, we have been rescued!! That is really good news.

We also live among others who need to be rescued. Many people don't even realize they are lost. They are believing or pretending everything is fine and that all is well. God came on a rescue mission for us. We need to be on that same rescue mission for others.

Paul says,"live to please God."

Phl4

"Do what you have learned and received and heard and seen in me." This was Paul's encouragement. 

Leadership is teaching, giving, speaking and modeling. All of us should be living in a manner that we would want others to follow. All of us should be considering "who" is looking to us for a pattern to live by.

Paul learned the "secret" of contentment. Simply put, it was living to please Jesus and knowing that nothing could separate him from the love and relationship he had with God through him.

Model right living today.

Phl3

The focus of God's enemies is on "earthly things". The focus of all believers is to be on heavenly things.

It is so easy to get caught up in the temporal things of this earth. Our days are consumed and our time is often wasted on things that just don't matter. How can we make eternal things a greater focus in our lives? What can we do to make sure the right things are in focus?

One thing I know helps…a daily dose of scripture! Every day God calls us to be rightly focused through His word. As we read it, our heart and focus is directed toward the right things. Paul says today, "My goal is to know Jesus and the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of His sufferings". This is a great focus for us all.

No matter how much we know about Jesus, and no matter how long we have known Him, there is always more to discover and more to know and experience. I pray that today we will all experience the reality of Christ.

Phl2

God is working in us! Enabling us both to desire and to work out His good purposes. 

Our desire for God and our desire to do His will both come from Him. Apart from His work in us, we would not even have the desire to please Him. Without God's work in our lives, we would be totally selfish. Even wanting God to exist for us!

Later in this chapter, Paul writes that "all seek their own interest, not those of Jesus Christ." And this he wrote to believers. It is true that God in working in us. It is also true that often we still don't live as though this is true. Cooperating with God's work in us is a choice we have to make. It is not an easy choice.

Live to please God today. 

Phl1

God always gets his work completed…on time! Paul's confidence in believers was not in the individual believer. His confidence was in God who saved them!

I am glad that we cannot save ourselves! I am also grateful that we cannot complete God's work apart from His continued work in us. God always gets His work done. Paul was confident in this fact and took great comfort in it.

My dad always says, "ministry would be easy if it wasn't for the people!" By that he means that we all make poor choices at times AND those choices have consequences. Yet God is not put off by our poor choices. He called us to Himself and He can complete His work in us.

I pray my life reflects a total willingness to allow God to work. It is not a good idea to resist God.

Eph6

Fathers are to "train and instruct" their children in the Lord. When the next generation are untrained and ignorant in the ways of God, fathers are the reason. Dads, it is our job to train and instruct our kids. We will give an account for this stewardship.

How much do our children know, love and value the things of God? Likely they value Him on the same level that we do! It is not difficult to transfer true value to our children. What we truly love, they will likely love. What we really value, they will likely value. It is hard to fake it with our kids.

If we truly love our children, we will work to know, love and follow Jesus. This is the best formula for being a good parent. If we truly know, love and follow Jesus, our children will likely become followers of Him.

The challenge is before us; especially dads.