Monthly Archives: August 2019

Advice, Bible, Child Raising, Child Rearing, Commands, Disciplemaking, Fighting, Mentoring, Modeling, Obedience, Parenting

NOW YOU’VE GONE TO MEDDLING

1 TIMOTHY 6:5

“and constant friction between men of depraved mind and deprived of the truth, who suppose that godliness is a means of gain.”

People who meddle in your business are quite annoying and aggravating, aren’t they? Paul knew that. It seemed from the moment of his conversion, others were constantly meddling in Paul’s business. He couldn’t go anywhere without some of these meddlers showing up. They would argue against anything Paul said and try to stir up trouble. Paul is warning Timothy of this. Of course, Timothy had witnessed first-hand some of this.

The Greek word for “constant friction” is only used right here in this verse. It means to constantly argue or to meddle. It’s that person who is always looking for a fight. They love to keep things stirred up. They can’t stand the calm and peace. No way!

APPLICATION

Do your kids like peace and quiet? Count your blessings. I am not sure if you can teach that. But YOU can provide the atmosphere for it. If you are one of those parents who constantly berates people, your children will have no clue how to be peaceful. They are watching you. Many times the way you behave determines how your children will behave.

Walking away from a fight or argument is smart. Teach your children to get up and get out of any room where people just want to argue and fuss. If they stay there, soon they will be joining. Teach them how to not be contentious. And when you see them making the right choice, praise them for it.

Do you stir up stuff? Are you a constant source of irritation to someone? Confess that and then pass that on to others. Be willing to make sacrifices for the other person. Will you confess? Will you?  He desires unity and will provide it, if you ask.

Father, we are grateful for giving me something to lubricate my spirit. Give me the ability to be the calming force for others.

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Advice, Bible, Child Raising, Child Rearing, Commands, Conceit, Disciplemaking, Modeling, Obedience, Parenting, Scripture

BLOWING SMOKE

1 TIMOTHY 6:4

“he is conceited and understands nothing; but he has a morbid interest in controversial questions and disputes about words, out of which arise envy, strife, abusive language, evil suspicions,” 

I have known a few people in my lifetime that were truly “smoke blowers.” They had the tendency to brag and throw up this great smokescreen around who they really were. The Greek word for “conceited” literally means to be puffed up, to blow smoke, to have “moral blindness resulting from poor judgment which brings further loss of spiritual perception.” Wow! That’s not good.

And the interesting thing to me is that word is only used three times in the Bible. All three times Paul uses it to write to Timothy (1 Timothy 3:6; 6:4; 2 Timothy 3:4). It almost appears he had someone in mind whom Timothy was dealing with there in Ephesus. Remember, Paul spent a good bit of time there. He knew the people.

APPLICATION

Do me a favor. Don’t let your kids get conceited. There is nothing wrong with having pride, as long as it does not become prideful. Do you understand that? We should take pride in our appearance, to look respectable. We should take pride in our community by picking up trash and keeping our streets clean. We should have pride in our schools we attend and churches where we worship. But when that pride takes over, we have troubles.

Pride should never seek to make you look better than others. Pride should never put others down. Pride should never cause you to do things that are unholy. Pride can be your downfall as quickly as apathy and despair. Teach your kids to be proud, but guard against conceit and “smoke blowing.”

Have you ever known a “smoke blower”? Are you one? Follow the example of Jesus. He was a proud follower of His Father, but He never came across as conceited or puffed up. He was humble and meek, but with great strength. He is the one to emulate. He is the one to use as your model.

I am so proud to be called Your child. Help me continue to bear Your image. Let others only see You in me.

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Advice, Bible, Child Raising, Child Rearing, Commands, Deception, Direction, Disciplemaking, Encouragement, Mentoring, Obedience, Parenting, Scripture

STICK WITH THE TRUTH

1 TIMOTHY 6:3

“If anyone advocates a different doctrine and does not agree with sound words, those of our Lord Jesus Christ, and with the doctrine conforming to godliness,” 

Sometimes you find an original word in Scripture (Greek, Hebrew or Aramaic) that is just different. In today’s verse, “advocates a different doctrine” is just one Greek word. It means to deviate from the truth or to teach something besides the truth. Now listen closely. Did you catch that? It may not necessarily be false. It’s just not THE truth. It’s the same word used back in 1 Timothy 1:3 where Paul warns Timothy to instruct certain men not to teach strange doctrine.

The trouble in many of our churches today is they have deviated from the truth. I remember one time years ago my wife and I visited a church. We had recently moved and were trying to find a new church home. The Pastor taught that night on psychiatric terms, not the Word. I literally had to hold my wife down in her seat. She was so upset that he was teaching this instead of God’s Word. That’s what Paul is referring to here. 

APPLICATION

How will our children know what is truth and what is not? We have to teach them to recognize it. And how do we do that? By focusing on God’s Word while they are with us. If we bathe them daily with the Scriptures, if we saturate their environment with His truth, anything else will stand out like a sore thumb. They will easily see it for what it really is – untruth.

Then the decision has to take place. What will they do with the information? They have to take a stand. Peer pressure is hard. Will they stand up for truth at the risk of being ostracized or made fun of? Will they stand, in many cases, with the minority? We have to teach them to stand for truth, no matter what. Pleasing God is our goal, not pleasing men.

Do you recognize truth? Do you know when someone deviates even slightly from it? Study God’s Word so you will know instantly. Let His holy Word permeate your mind and soul to the point that all you hear and see is it. Then you will e bsafeguarded against untruths.

I am thankful, Lord, for Your truth. I am grateful that Your Word always points me towards truth. After all, He is the way, the truth and the life.

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Advice, Bible, Bosses, Child Raising, Child Rearing, Commands, Family, Fatherhood, Friends, Mentoring, Ministry, Modeling, Motherhood, Obedience, Parenting, Scripture

DON’T TAKE ADVANTAGE

1 TIMOTHY 6:2

“Those who have believers as their masters must not be disrespectful to them because they are brethren, but must serve them all the more, because those who partake of the benefit are believers and beloved. Teach and preach these principles.”

This verse can be a little confusing. Let me try to break it down for you very simply. Paul is telling us that we should not disrespect our bosses by taking advantage of the fact they are believers. For instance, we shouldn’t use our common faith as an excuse to get special privileges. We shouldn’t show any less respect for them since we are “equals” in the eyes of the Lord.

You’ve seen people do that, I’m sure. I’ve even had people try to do that to me. It’s hard to keep that line between Christian brother and boss, especially if you are serving in full-time ministry. But God designed these roles for a reason. Being buddies with your boss may sound great, but it can lead to problems when he/she has to correct you.

APPLICATION

This is no more applicable than in our relationships with our children. We want to be close to our kids. We want them to consider us their friend and confidant. But we should never be their buddy. When we blur the lines between parent and friend, we open ourselves up to disrespect and misunderstandings. 

I’ve seen it too many times. Parents tell me they are best friends with their child. Your best friend should be our spouse, not your son or daughter. God designed the family to have roles. As parent, you are the authority over your child. Then you become an advocate and guide as they get older. But you are never designed to be their best friend. You can be a better friend by being a better parent.

You may disagree with me on this one. But the fact remains the same. We have God’s Word to guide us in all our relationships. So, don’t treat your boss like a buddy. That is disrespect. And don’t rely on your child for friendship. We are actually more than friends. We are family. That never ends.

I want to thank You, Lord, for allowing me to have close relationships with my parents. I also thank You for the friendships I have had in the workplace. Help me keep those relationships where they should be so we can follow Your guidelines.

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Advice, Bible, Bosses, Child Raising, Child Rearing, Commands, Disciplemaking, Encouragement, God's Will, Modeling, Obedience, Parenting, Surrender

RESPECT YOUR BOSS

1 TIMOTHY 6:1

“All who are under the yoke as slaves are to regard their own masters as worthy of all honor so that the name of God and our doctrine will not be spoken against.”

When the Scriptures talk about slavery, we don’t quite understand the context. In America, our mind jumps back to the 1800’s and the Civil War, in which our country fought each other about the issue of slavery and state’s rights. In other countries, slavery has another context. But for all of us, we can compare these passages in God’s Word to the modern day employer/employee relationship.

I hope you like your boss. Working for someone you don’t like can be miserable. However, in God’s design for your life, He has allowed you to come under the authority of that person. So, our goal is not to please our boss. Our objective is to please the Father. Look at the last part of the verse – “so that the name of God and our doctrine will not be spoken against.” We represent Christ to our bosses. Act like it.

APPLICATION

This won’t be fully taught to your little Johnny until he gets his first job. But you can start now by holding him accountable to every other adult in his life. We must teach our children to honor and respect all those God has placed over them. As a minister to children for the past 40+ years, I have seen so many disrespectful children. Most, if not all, were directly disrespectful to their own parents with no repercussions.

If we allow our children to get away with that, they will not respect their boss one day. That won’t be good. What do you think will happen? They will probably mouth off to them and get fired. Submission to authority is not a sign of weakness. It’s a sign of strength and maturity.

Are you a loyal and obedient employee? If you are working, do you show the respect to your boss that is due. Let me encourage you to do that today. Go out of your way to thank your boss. Give them a card thanking them for their leadership. Get them a gift card. Do something today to show your gratitude for God placing them in authority over you.

I am guilty many times, Lord, of complaining about my boss rather than praying for them. I pray today that You will give my boss wisdom to lead. Bless his/her family.

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Advice, Child Raising, Child Rearing, Commands, Deception, Direction, Disciplemaking, Encouragement, Forgiveness, Friends, Gossip, Lies, Mentoring, Modeling, Obedience

YOU JUST CAN’T HIDE IT

1 TIMOTHY 5:25

“Likewise also, deeds that are good are quite evident, and those which are otherwise cannot be concealed.”

Have you ever tried to conceal a wrong? You messed up, you know it and now you are trying to hide it. Most of us have. Paul knew about wrong deeds. Remember his past? He had sought out and persecuted the believers. I am sure there were some things he did he wished he could have hidden. But he also knew that truth was the only way.

Paul is also warning us of the same. Some people’s good works are so evident. They may or may not want the attention for doing them, but the fact remains that did them. On the other hand, there are many who appear as good, yet try to conceal their true actions and motives. Paul is saying they will come out. Give it time.

APPLICATION

Teaching your little one to do good is something I am sure you are doing. We don’t have to teach them how to do bad stuff, do we? That comes naturally. And we know they are going to mess up. That’s unavoidable. What we must do, however, is teach them to own up to their mistakes, to confess, to make it right. Concealment only leads to bigger problems.

I can deal with just about any problem, but when someone outright lies to me, that’s hard to stomach. Trust is broke. Your children need to know that. And you need to be quick to deal with deception from your children. Quick and natural consequences are the key. Why? We want them to be truthful, even if it means they may suffer a consequence. 

So, how do you handle this yourself? Are you tempted to cover up your bad behaviors? Do you make excuses for your failures? Be upfront. Be honest. Take responsibility. Little ones are watching and listening. Let your good deeds be quite evident. Don’t be the one trying to conceal your wrong deeds.

O Lord, help me to be open and honest at all times. I represent You and want to draw all to you. Help me confess my wrongdoings and accept whatever consequence may come.

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Advice, Bible, Child Raising, Child Rearing, Commands, Deception, Disciplemaking, Elders, Encouragement, Friends, Lies, Parenting, Patience, Wisdom

WAIT AND WATCH

1 TIMOTHY 5:24

“The sins of some men are quite evident, going before them to judgment; for others, their sins follow after.”

Context, context, context! We can’t forget the context of this verse. Taken out of context you could apply this incorrectly and use it to judge others unfairly. But Paul is talking to Timothy about choosing men to serve as Elders in the church. Basically, he is telling him some men are open books. Everyone knows their character, flaws and strengths. Others, however, play a good game. They hide their secret sins, but they will be revealed.

Have you ever met someone and thought they were awesome, only to find out later that you had been conned?  People do it all the time. Deception is their life. They present one way to the public, but privately they live a whole other life. Paul is telling us to wait and watch. Give it some time. Don’t be too hasty. Their true self will reveal itself.

APPLICATION

Oh, listen! This is so important to teach your children. And you can teach it when they are pretty young. I bet you they are going to want something at the local Walmart that you know is not going to last very long. The item is not well made, so you know it’s only going to last the weekend. Have you had this experience? But they are begging for it. They even say they will use their own money.

So, you let them buy the item. Sure enough, it breaks within 24 hours. Now you have a great object lesson. Tell them that people can be that way. What appears to be great on the outside can hold deceptive parts. People who seem like great people can be hiding some very bad motives. The object here is not to get them to not trust people. The object is for them to learn discernment and patience. God will reveal to them the truth or the falsehood in the person. (Now, give them their money back since you used this as an object lesson, lol.)

This devotional may seem like I am “negative Nancy.” I believe the Word teaches us wisdom. It shows us the way to avoid situations. This is one of them. Don’t rush to judgment on someone, good or bad. Wait and watch. Let the Lord reveal their character. It will come out. Just watch.

Father, give me Your eyes and ears to discern truth in others. Help me see them as You see them. Expose any deception before I am deceived.

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Advice, Affection, Bible, Caregiver, Child Raising, Child Rearing, Elders, Encouragement, Love, Mercy, Ministry, Modeling, Parenting, Scripture

GOOD MEDICINE

1 TIMOTHY 5:23

“No longer drink water exclusively, but use a little wine for the sake of your stomach and your frequent ailments.”

Don’t jump to the conclusion that Paul is saying to go out and buy some wine and start drinking. You’ve got to understand the culture of the day. It was common practice back then for young people (that was considered under 30) to not drink at all. It was actually frowned upon. Timothy was still a young man, although he was the leader of the church at Ephesus. Therefore, he probably abstained from any wine.

Undoubtedly, Timothy had some stomach issues which could be aided by the wine. They didn’t have Pepto Bismol or Tums back then. So, diluted wine was used to settle the stomach. Many times, the wine would be mixed with water (1 part wine, 2 parts water). Whatever you think about this verse, it is not a license to drink with liberality.

APPLICATION

This is one of those no-brainer verses. Of course, you are not going to teach your children to drink wine. That would be absurd. What you can do, however, is to teach then personal responsibility. That way, when they are older, they can make their own choice about this. The important thing to remember is their testimony is only as reputable as their conduct and behavior.

We don’t need wine to settle our stomach. We have medications now to do that. You can justify anything, but should you? There are some things that you are going to have to weigh against the entirety of God’s Word. Then you can make your decision. This is one of those things. So, teach your child well with this one.

This topic of drinking is so controversial in the church today. Don’t make this the hill you die on. Don’t judge others too quickly. Ask for wisdom and love each other. Paul was writing this letter to his child in the faith, Timothy, to encourage him to “take a little wine” to help his stomach. It was about his love for Timothy, not about the wine.

Father, thank You that You give us the wisdom to do as You lead us. Help me follow You as You direct. I want to please You, not man.

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Advice, Bible, Child Raising, Child Rearing, Elders, God's Will, Holy Spirit, Mentoring, Obedience, Parenting, Passion, Qualifications

CHOOSE WISELY

1 TIMOTHY 5:22

“Do not lay hands upon anyone too hastily and thereby share responsibility for the sins of others; keep yourself free from sin.”

If you read this verse by itself, you might think Paul is telling us not to grab someone, lol. Context is always key to any verse. Of course, this verse is in the context of Elders. Paul is warning Timothy not to ordain or appoint Elders too quickly. Every Elder who is placed in leadership bears the burden of caring for the flock. If someone is chosen who is not ready, they can do great harm to the body.

How many times have you seen people come to Christ and immediately get thrown into some kind of leadership role? That usually does not end well. People need to be discipled and prepared for these roles. Some are ready to lead. Others are not. Not choosing them now does not mean they can’t be chosen later.

APPLICATION

What are some tasks that your little Gertrude or Elrod can do now in your home? Can they do all the things you do? Of course not. There are some tasks they will be physically or mentally able to do later that just aren’t part of their makeup. For instance, some kids are really good at inside chores but really bad at outside tasks. Use their passions to direct their tasks.

Your child may be the perfect servant leader one day. Or they may be content to stay behind the scenes and work unnoticed. However they are gifted, teach them to serve. As believers we are all equipped through the Holy Spirit to serve somehow. Be very alert to observe where the Spirit is leading them.

Are you someone who is ready to serve? The Lord wants all His children engaged in the Body, but not before you are ready. Be honest enough to tell someone you aren’t ready. Let them know if you need to deal with some stuff first. But don’t just give an excuse. God wants to use you. Why don’t you let Him?

O God, help me identify those who are willing and able to serve. Help me disciple them so they can be used. And also help me to have the discernment about those who quite ready.

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Affection, Bible, Child Raising, Child Rearing, Commands, Disciplemaking, Encouragement, Family, Friends, Love, Mentoring, Modeling, Obedience, Parenting, Prejudice

NO BIAS

1 TIMOTHY 5:21

“I solemnly charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus and of His chosen angels, to maintain these principleswithout bias, doing nothing in a spirit of partiality.” 

Here we go again. Another one-time used word. Paul seems to like doing that in 1 Timothy. Today it’s the Greek word for “bias.” It literally means prejudging, to show prejudice. But we have to look at the context.

Paul is talking about Elders in these verses. We must hold even our Elders accountable for their actions and not show any partiality towards those we like better or have close relationships with. That’s hard. That’s why Paul gives us instructions. He wants us to be faithful and loyal to the Lord and not men.

APPLICATION

I bet, if your children are old enough, they have some bff’s. Right? My daughter had a lot of them. We all just hit it off with some people. There’s nothing wrong with that. We need bff’s. But what do you do when one of those bff’s does something that you know is wrong? Teach your children to do the right thing. They can’t overlook it just because they are friends.

Friends confront each other. Why? Because friends should make each other better. We don’t prejudice ourselves by pointing out the faults in other people and ignoring them in our friends. We need to teach our children to treat everyone the same. That’s what Jesus would do.

Are you guilty of showing favoritism? Do you prejudge others. Today let the Lord show you a different way. Let Him show you how to love and accept others whom you normally would not. And hold those closest to you accountable. Don’t let them slide down a slippery slope just because you are scared to confront them.

Father, it is hard to confront sometimes. It’s hard not to show favoritism to those we love. Lord, give me the wisdom and discernment to do what You expect.

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