Monthly Archives: July 2019

Bible, Busyness, Child Raising, Child Rearing, Commands, Direction, Disciplemaking, Encouragement, Faith, God's Will, Love, Obedience, Parenting, Prayer, Surrender

BULLS-EYE

1 TIMOTHY 4:5

“for it is sanctified by means of the word of God and prayer.”

I bought a new crossbow last year. I can no longer pull back and hold a bow due to a bad left shoulder. Now, the crossbow I bought came with a scope, but it still had to be sighted in. So, I took it out to a place where I could set a target and shoot lots of bolts (that’s what you call a crossbow arrow) until I had it zeroed in at 40 yards. It took a while, but I finally shot six bolts in a row at six different bulls-eyes on the target hitting all six dead center.

I was thinking about that when I looked at the Greek word for “prayer” in this verse. This particular word is only used twice in the New Testament, both times in 1 Timothy (the other being in 2:1). It literally means to hit the bulls-eye. I feel I have shot a lot of prayers up to God without ever coming close to the bulls-eye. In fact, there have been times when I have completely missed the target.

APPLICATION

Teaching our children to pray is quite a privilege. But watching them take off on their own prayer life is a whole different matter. When they learn to “hit the bulls-eye” in their prayer life, they will discover a deeper intimacy with God. When they are specific and focused in their prayer life, God will speak in ways that will reveal deeper and more meaningful insights into His very character.

I’ve said it before, but it bears repeating. You can pray for your children, but you can’t pray their prayers for them. They must do that themselves. Their prayer life is THEIR prayer life, not yours. And when they learn the power they have in Christ nothing can stop them.

Are you hitting the bulls-eye? Or are you shooting blindly, just hoping to hit something. Specific, detailed, bulls-eye centered prayer is the key to successful Christian living. Only by communicating directly with the Creator of it all can you discover who you are in Christ.

Lord, help me to talk to You intimately. I want to not only see the target, but I want to hit the bulls-eye each and every time I pray.

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IT’S ALL GOOD

1 TIMOTHY 4:4

“For everything created by God is good, and nothing is to be rejected if it is received with gratitude;”

No, I am not talking about spinach!  LOL. I am sure God didn’t make spinach. And I am also pretty sure He didn’t make red wasp. They had to come straight out of the pit of hell. Just kidding. God created all creatures and plants. I know that. But isn’t it funny how we love some things and hate others? I have never liked spinach and am not too fond of wasps (which, by the way, I was stung by yesterday).

Paul is simply saying, in response to the liars he just got through talking about, that we have no right to say what is and what is not good. That’s God’s business. He is the Master Creator and will let us know what is good for us. It’s not for man to say. After all, one day you hear that eggs are bad for you and the next day they are good for you. Eggs are eggs, yolks, I mean, folks.

APPLICATION

This may come in handy when you are trying to get little Johnny to eat his vegetables. The next time he declares that green beans are demonic, let him know that God made those green beans for him. The next time he refuses what God has declared good, read him this verse. It’s all about gratitude.

When I travel to Uganda and Kenya, I have the “privilege” to eat some foods that I normally do not and probably would not eat. But I am thankful for whatever is set before me. That’s the principle Paul is teaching here. We need to show thanks to God for everything He has placed in our lives, whether it’s spinach or ice cream.

Are you grateful? I know some people who are not grateful for anything. They would complain about their meal if they had a personal chef and ordered each meal at a time. You see, our gratitude is a heart issue. If our heart is not right with the Lord, nothing will make us thankful. Thankfulness comes from within when we realize just how blessed we are in Christ.

I thank You, Lord, for all You have provided. I ask Your forgiveness for not being thankful at times. I confess that as sin against You and Your gracious provision.

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THE WRONG ORDERS

1 TIMOTHY 4:3

“men who forbid marriage and advocate abstaining from foods which God has created to be gratefully shared in by those who believe and know the truth.”

Have you ever been told to do something that you just knew wasn’t right? Maybe you had a boss who wasn’t very honest, and he asked you to fudge the numbers on your report. Perhaps your older brother or sister made you promise to not tell Dad and Mom about the lamp they broke. Those are tough predicaments. What should you do?

Well, Paul called these people who are giving these wrong commands, these wrong orders, liars (look back in the previous verse). If they are liars, should we do anything they say? Of course, not.  Liars can’t be trusted. You can’t believe anything they say. And here they were telling people to not marry and to not eat certain foods, both of which God had blessed. 

APPLICATION

Children get this. They can usually spot a lie. Just try it. I’m serious. Deliberately tell them a bodacious lie. See if they want call you on it. We have to teach our children to recognize lies, but we do that by teaching them the truth. When they know the truth (God’s Word), they can easily see the lies.

They will be faced with similar situations that I mentioned in the first paragraph today. They may have a boss one day who asks them to lie. You have to teach them now to do the right thing. They may be exposed to false teaching once they leave home where you are not there to protect them. Teach them God’s principles and they will spot it right off.

But let me turn the tables. Are you the one spreading falsehoods? We do that, normally, to protect ourselves or make ourselves look better. If you are guilty of doing that, repent. Confess that as sin and ask the Lord to forgive you. Truth is the only way to go. All other avenues lead to destruction.

Lord God, You are Truth! I want to embody Your Truth. Help me today to only speak what is true.

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SEARED

1 TIMOTHY 4:2

“by means of the hypocrisy of liars seared in their own conscience as with a branding iron,”

I had to ask myself why the Holy Spirit instructed Paul to use this image. The phrase “seared…as with a branding iron” is one Greek word. It is used once right here in this verse and has the meaning of cauterizing or branding with a branding iron. You have probably seen pictures of cattle being branded. 

Well, besides leaving a permanent scar on the skin, what does branding do? It makes that spot totally unsensitive. The nerve endings are dead. They have been seared. In other words, Paul is using this word to show what false teaching will do to your soul. It will make you unsensitive to the reality of sin. You will begin to feel no remorse or guilt. 

APPLICATION

Have you or your child ever burned your finger on something hot? You move quickly to stop the burn with cold water or ice, don’t you? What a great way to talk about this verse with your child. Explain how the first time that spot is burned there is a lot pain and discomfort and you want to fix it. But if you keep burning the same spot, it will stop hurting. In fact, you won’t even know you’ve burned it again.

That’s how sin works. That’s how false teaching works. The more we let it touch us, the less bothered we are by it. Before we know it, sin just doesn’t bother us. We see it all around us today. What used to be called sin is called a person’s choice. What used to be unacceptable in society is now embraced as normal. We have been seared by a hot iron.

How about your life? Have you become numb to the discomfort of sin? Does it not bother you anymore? Ask the Lord to reveal your sins to you in a powerful way. Ask Him to let you see your sins as He sees them. Then you will see the horror in them. Then you will feel the “pain” of sin. Only then can you understand how far you have slipped. Return to Him and ask for healing.

I don’t want to not feel the pain of sin. I want to know the depth of Your forgiveness in my life which is only possible as I recognize the depravity of my sin. I thank You for healing me of my sin wounds.

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WRONG VIEW

1 TIMOTHY 4:1

“But the Spirit explicitly says that in later times some will fall away from the faith, paying attention to deceitful spirits and doctrines of demons,” 

I struggled with what to name this blog. It’s obvious what Paul is warning Timothy about. Some people, even believers, will listen to the wrong teachings. Perhaps unknowingly they will be led astray by deceitful spirits and demons. I mean, come on, who in the right mind would intentionally follow demons? Not many people.

So, I titled this “Wrong View” because I believe the problem is they started looking at the wrong thing. When our eyes remain on Jesus and His Word, there is less danger of this happening. If we are absorbing the truth of the Gospel daily, we can recognize deception when it comes creeping at our door. 

APPLICATION

How do we keep our children from falling away? All we can do is bathe them in God’s Word daily and pray. The ultimate decision is theirs. They must choose who they are going to follow. But God is faithful. I truly believe if we train our children in God’s Word, it will not be in vain. The seeds of the Gospel will be planted. We must trust the Lord to send others into their lives to water and harvest.

What do we do when our children “fall away”? Many God-fearing, Christian parents have faced this dilemma. First of all, if you have done your duty as a parent and taught them the truths of God’s Word, then don’t blame yourself. Secondly, pray daily for your prodigal child. Third, trust the Lord to bring them home. You can’t force it or demand it. 

The big question then is are you fulfilling your God-given responsibilities to raise your children in His Word? Are you? If you aren’t, start today. It’s not too late. Make the change personal. It has to begin with you. No one else can parent your children like you. 

Father, forgive me for not being a more insistent parent to speak Your truths into my children. Help me to plant one seed every day, no matter how they receive it. You have given me my children to give them back to You.

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DO YOU CONFESS?

1 TIMOTHY 3:16

“By common confession, great is the mystery of godliness: He who was revealed in the flesh, was vindicated in the Spirit, seen by angels, proclaimed among the nations, believed on in the world, taken up in glory.”

We have another one of those once used Greek words in today’s verse. “Common confession” is one Greek word, homologoumenós, which means “by consent of all, no controversy.” Basically, it means we all agree on this matter. That is proof enough that the early church didn’t have different denominations like Baptist and Methodist or Church of God. Lol

But the point of this verse is not that we all agree. The point is what we agree on. Just look at the verse. We agree that Jesus came in the flesh, was defended by the Spirit, was seen by angels, was proclaimed among the nations, was believed on in the world and was taken up in glory. Wow! If we can agree on those things, why argue over other points?

APPLICATION

Instead of pounding into your little Johnny and Susie how different they are from everyone else, how about focusing on the similarities? Just like them, their friends are in need of a Savior. Just like them, their friends need someone in their lives to guide them. Just like them, their friends need people in their lives to encourage them. We all have these needs in common.

So, if we are in the same boat, why can’t we focus on helping each other rather than tearing them down? Teach your children to look for ways to build up and encourage their friends. When they have a disagreement or fight with one of them, remind them of all they have in common. If they will do that, they will have many fellow believers to walk with on this journey called life.

Aren’t you tired of majoring on the minors, of making mountains out of mole hills? Why don’t you today decide to let the minor things remain minor? Love your neighbor. Show Christ’s love to a stranger. Allow the Holy Spirit to control your emotions and feelings and watch what happens.

Lord, I am incapable of loving some people, but You aren’t. Help me die to myself today so You can live through me. I want to join with others confessing You.

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PITCHING THE CHANGE UP

1 TIMOTHY 3:15

“but in case I am delayed, I write so that you will know how one ought to conduct himself in the household of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and support of the truth.”

Don’t you love to watch a good pitcher work the plate? He can throw various pitches to strike out the batter or try to force him to hit a grounder. Some have special pitches they are known for, but just about all will throw the “change up.” What is that you ask? A “change up” is an off-speed pitch thrown to look like a fast ball but arriving much slower to the plate. It’s also known as a slow pitch. It surprises the batter, normally getting him to swing and miss.

Why am I talking about baseball? Because the Greek word for “conduct” means to literally change up, behave, to overturn. Just like the batter that will recognize that pitch after it’s thrown, people should notice our behavior is different. There should be a noticeable difference in the way we talk and how we walk. We should live in such a way that our conduct will cause the devil to swing and miss when he tries to score on us.

APPLICATION

One way in which you can tell when your children really “get it” about Christ is a change in their behavior. A lot of kids will pray the sinner’s prayer but never “change up.” Their walk doesn’t change. They don’t show any kind of marked difference in how they respond to correction or direction from you. Now, they don’t have to be perfect, but there should be some change.

Teach your little Johnny what it means to conduct themselves in a manner that will surprise the world. When the world expects him to retaliate, forgive. When the devil puts an obstacle in his path, ask the Lord to remove it. When someone hurts his feelings, don’t respond in kind. Change up! 

Are you willing to “change up”? Is there a marked difference in the way you live your life now as a believer over how you lived as an unbeliever? There should be. Maybe it’s time you learn a new pitch. Surprise the devil! Surprise the world!

Father, I tend to keep throwing the fast ball and expecting the same result. Help me “change up.” I want to live my life in such a way that the world truly is surprised at my conduct.

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I SURE HOPE SO

1 TIMOTHY 3:14

“I am writing these things to you, hoping to come to you before long;”

Strong’s Concordance defines “hoping” as “actively waiting for God’s fulfillment about the faith He has inbirthed through the power of His love.” I really like that – actively waiting. If you are like me, I never considered waiting an active thing. Waiting for a movie to start is the worst. I really don’t like just sitting there and seeing all those commercials or previews. I came to see the movie, not that. Maybe I need to see that waiting as active also.

Paul was hoping to come to see Timothy there in Ephesus. He was longing to reunite with his apprentice, his child in the faith, his traveling buddy. And this hope was based on faith. Paul loved Timothy, and I am sure he missed him. Aren’t reunifications after long periods of time sweet?

APPLICATIONS

I bet your little Gertrude is hoping for something right now. It may be a new doll or a new dress. It may be a visit to or from someone special. Whatever it is, ask her why she wants that. Get her to explain why she is so passionate about it. She may find it hard to put into words but encourage her to do so. Hoping for something is not a bad thing. It can, in fact, build faith.

As believers, we are hoping for that glorious day of Christ’s return. We know He is coming. We just don’t know when. It could be today. Now explain to your child this hope. It’s like none other because we KNOW it will come to pass. No other hope is as sure. Hoping in Christ is a done deal. All we have to do is “actively” wait.

Are you actively waiting? Or are you like me at the movie theater waiting on that movie to start. Today as you sit in traffic or wait in line at a restaurant, try waiting actively. Take that time while you are waiting to recite some Scripture. Sing a hymn. Pray. Don’t let those moments slip by without using them to invest in God’s kingdom.

Help me, Lord, to redeem each moment given to me today. Help me use every second to help fulfill Your kingdom here on earth. My hope lies only in You.

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ONE STEP HIGHER

1 TIMOTHY 3:13

“For those who have served well as deacons obtain for themselves a high standing and great confidence in the faith that is in Christ Jesus.”

We find another one-time used word in today’s verse. The Greek word “standing” is only used right here in the Bible.  It literally means a step on the staircase, going one step higher. Figuratively, it implies someone who has made a higher rank or higher position. That may imply something that Paul never intended.

If you look at this verse in context of all the qualifications for a deacon, you will get an idea of Paul’s meaning here. Deacons who serve well will be given more important roles to serve the body. By serving well they have shown they are trustworthy and are ready to do even more. It may also imply they are worthy of being considered as elders, a higher “office” in the church.

APPLICATION

“Okay, Carl, tell me how to teach this verse to my children.” Glad you asked. Children need to earn the right to be trusted with some things. We don’t just give a five-year-old a laptop and set them free. We don’t give a thirteen-year-old the privilege of a cellphone unless we know we can trust them to use it wisely.

Some things are gained by being obedient in the small things. Jesus even taught that. By growing in our faith and experiencing trials, we learn how to help others going through similar times. Our children need to be taught that their small steps of faith now will prepare them for those “leaps of faith” that are coming. And by being proven trustworthy now, they can be given greater responsibilities in the future.

Do you clamor for more? Do you want to be recognized for your achievements? Then do it all for Jesus. By surrendering your will to His, the Lord may just bless you with opportunities. Remember what Joshua 1:8 says. “‘“This book of the law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it; for then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have success.’”

All I want is to please You, Lord. If that means I serve lower than the rest, that’s fine. If it means I am entrusted with greater responsibilities, so be it. My joy comes from serving You.

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JUST ONE WIFE

1 TIMOTHY 3:12

“Deacons must be husbands of only one wife, and good managers of their children and their own households.”

Most of us could not imagine a husband having more than one wife. But in some parts of the world, that is not an unusual custom. That undoubtedly was an issue where Timothy was or Paul would not have mentioned it here and back in verse 2 of this chapter. Paul would not have wasted words on this if it wasn’t an issue.

So, what does Paul say about this – that a deacon should only have one wife? He is specific – he said ONE. But why? So he could concentrate more on things of the Lord. If a man has multiple wives, he would not be able to focus on his responsibilities as a deacon. That’s all Paul is really trying to say.

APPLICATION

Now, I am not telling you to talk to your children about only having one husband or wife. That would be silly. So, how do you apply this verse to them? Let me ask you a question. Do you believe every verse of the Bible has meaning for everyone? Of course, it does. 

I believe our focus should be on teaching our children to not allow distractions to pull them away from their service to Christ. Whatever that might be should be removed or avoided. As believers, we cannot allow anything to tear us away from serving our Lord. Even the choice of a mate needs to be highly considered.

Are you single focused? Do you allow anything or anyone to distract you from serving Jesus? I can’t imagine having more than one wife. I would be torn who to love the most. I would be so concerned about them that I would be useless for my Master. Don’t you do that.

Thank You, Father, for working in and through me. Help me stay focused on You and eliminate things that pull me away. Staying focused is key.

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