Category Archives: Advice

Advice, Affection, Bible, Child Raising, Child Rearing, Encouragement, Friends, Modeling, Parenting, Scripture

TRUE FRIENDS

2 TIMOTHY 1:16 

“The Lord grant mercy to the house of Onesiphorus, for he often refreshed me and was not ashamed of my chains;”  

Quick! You wake up in jail with your best friend. What is the first four words out of your mouth? Mine would be, “What did you do?” LOL. Seriously, do you have friends who would stick with you through tough times like Paul. Undoubtedly, Onesiphorus was one of those kinds of friends. He showed love to Paul when others may have shunned him. 

Paul didn’t forget that. He makes a point to mention him by name in this letter to Timothy. Do you think Onesiphorus ever thought his actions for Paul would land him in God’s Word for eternity? I bet not. He just loved Paul and did what the Lord told him to do. Shouldn’t we do the same? 

APPLICATION 

I have mentioned the importance of teaching our children how to be good friends several times in my devotional blogs. It seems the Word brings that up from time to time. Why is that important? Because we can’t do this life alone. Our children need to be a friend to others as much as they need friends in their life.  

There is not much sadder than a child with no friends. You can’t create them for them, but you can create the environment where they can develop friendships with others. Invite neighbors over for dinner. Allow them to have sleepovers. Get to know their friends’ parents. Friends can be friends forever, especially those of the household of faith. 

Whom do you have in your life right now that you can call for anything at any time? We all need that. I pray you have someone that close who would drop everything to come running in your time of need. Are you that kind of friend yourself? Be an Onesiphorus. Think about others. 

O Lord, thank You for those in my life whom are a Onesiphorus. I praise You for putting them in my life to help me walk this path of faith. I need them. 

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Advice, Bible, Child Raising, Child Rearing, Deception, Holy Spirit, Lies, Obedience, Parenting, Scripture, Trust

WHO?

2 TIMOTHY 1:15 

“You are aware of the fact that all who are in Asia turned away from me, among whom are Phygelus and Hermogenes.”  

The only thing we know of Phygelus and Hermogenes is right here. All we know is they turned away from Paul. These were men who had seemingly embraced the Gospel, but then decided to go back to the world. How sad? To have it all and spurn it! 

There are many who make attempts at religion, only to find that religion doesn’t work. It takes too much effort. Even in the first century Christian church, individuals were faking it. It’s no wonder the church today is still full of people pretending to have faith. Times may change, but people remain the same. 

APPLICATION 

So, what’s the lesson for our children in this verse? Remember, every single word of Scripture is inspired by the Holy Spirit. That means even this seemingly unimportant verse about two men is God’s Word.  I believe the lesson for us is to ensure our faith is real and that we are walking with Christ. 

Why else would Paul mention these two men to Timothy. We need to warn our children that there will be those, even in the church, who will pretend to be believers. Some do it for themselves, while others do it to manipulate and deceive. How do our children guard against this? Simple! Walk with Jesus. He will reveal those individuals to them through the discernment of the Holy Spirit. 

Aren’t you grateful the Spirit speaks to you as you encounter individuals? Have you ever just known someone instantly because of your kindred spirits in Christ? That same Spirit speaks to us to warn us of danger. But we must listen. Trust the Spirit to show you who walks with you in your faith journey.  

O God, You are the revealer of all things. Show me those who would be worthy travel companions on my road to eternity. Protect me from those who would like to deceive me and take advantage of others. 

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ENTRUSTED

2 TIMOTHY 1:14 

“Guard, through the Holy Spirit who dwells in us, the treasure which has been entrusted to you.” 

What does that mean – entrusted? It means to assign something for safekeeping. What kind of things do you entrust to someone? I bet not much. We tend to hold on to our special stuff. But God gives us the most precious of gifts to hold for Him AND use it for His glory. His Gospel.  

Once we have received the Lord through the understanding and knowledge of the word, we are entrusted with it to care for it. It’s a special gift given only to those who have bowed their knees to the Father. God doesn’t entrust stuff to those whom He knows won’t keep it safe. 

APPLICATION 

We pass things down to our kids, don’t we? I passed down a knife my dad gave to me at twelve-years-old to my son when he turned twelve. I didn’t just give it to him. I took it and had it cleaned, sharpened and shined. It had a bone handle and german steel. I hope he still has it to pass on to his child one day.  

But that is trivial. The more important thing to pass on, to entrust to your children is your faith. You teach your children about your Lord with the hopes they will embrace that faith and make it their own. That special treasure of knowing the Lord as your Savior is something they can hold on to and pass along.  That’s truly a treasure worth finding, protecting, entrusting and sharing. 

Are you holding on to your own treasures of the gospel without sharing them with others? The beauty of this treasure is the more your share it, the more it grows. The more it grows, the more special it become. Don’t be a treasure hoarder. Entrust this special gift to all your come in contact with today. 

My treasure is in You, Lord. There is no other item in the world that means as much to me as knowing You and sharing You with others. Thank You for giving Yourself for me and to me. 

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BE AN EXAMPLE

2 TIMOTHY 1:13 

“Retain the standard of sound words which you have heard from me, in the faith and love which are in Christ Jesus.”  

Paul’s charge to Timothy in today’s verse still rings true for us today. We are to “retain the standard.” That literally means to keep the example. Better yet, we are to be the example. This is a command, not a suggestion. Timothy had to be the one in Ephesus to do so. He was the example of Christ in a pagan city. 

So are we! Our testimony is the starting point for each of us. However, we are asked of the Lord to represent Him from that point on. That can only be done through faith and love in Christ Jesus. He lives in and through us to point the way for a lost world.  

APPLICATION 

Preacher’s kids get a bum rap. People think they should be better than the other kids. That’s not fair to them. If you are in the ministry, don’t put that on your kids. However, we should hold our children to a higher standard once they accept Christ. Why? Because now they represent the king of kings. They bear His name. 

It’s hard to get some children to understand just how important their walk with Christ is for others. They may feel judged or pressured to conform or perform. No! We don’t want that. We want them to simply let Jesus live through them. All we want is for them to yield to Him. He will take care of them. Just be Jesus. 

So, what are you doing with this command? Are you retaining the standard? Are you a worthy example of what Christ can and will do with a surrendered life? If you are struggling putting something down, Jesus is talking with you. Put it in His hands. Don’t let anything come between you and following the Lord. He is faithful to see you through the hardest things life has to “offer.” 

Help me trust You completely, Lord, and allow you to hold me up as an example. Let anything in my life that is seen by others simply point them back to you. 

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Advice, Bible, Child Raising, Child Rearing, Comfort, Contentment, Disciplemaking, Encouragement, Faith, Family, Love, Mentoring, Modeling, Obedience, Parenting, Shame, Suffering, Trust

SHAMELESS

2 TIMOTHY 1:12 

“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.”  

“Shameless” may seem like a strange title for this verse today, but when I looked at the whole verse it made sense to me. Paul is not ashamed to suffer because he knows and is convinced of two things. He knows in whom he believes (Jesus Christ) and he is convinced Jesus is able – period. 

And when I read this verse, an old hymn popped into my head, “I Know Whom I Have Believed.” Here’s the link to the lyrics 

https://library.timelesstruths.org/music/I_Know_Whom_I_Have_Believed/. What a wonderful hymn reminding us of what we don’t know but also of what we do know. Just like Paul we know He is able. For that I will shamelessly suffer for Him. 

APPLICATION 

Children need assurances. They don’t do well when things are uncertain and unsettled. How do you assure your children that they are safe and secure in your home? You love them! Hugs, kisses and words of love are the bedrock of assurance for a child. Complete acceptance for who they are gives them that secure feeling they all desire. 

But as much as your love and affection does for them, it is NOT eternal. One day you will not be around. So, your job is to instill in them the love of the One whose love goes way past yours. Read them God’s Word and show them stories of faith. Let them see you trust the Lord in difficult times and explain to them how you completely rely on Him to protect you.  

Are you exemplifying the kind of shameless faith Paul is talking about in today’s verse? As someone has said, “Do you know that you know that you know?” Are you convinced He is able? Why? Then pass it on. Tell everyone why. Live it out. And the next time someone questions why you are willing to suffer for Jesus, tell them simply because He is able. 

“For I know whom I have believed and am persuaded that He is able to keep that which I have committed unto Him against that day.” 

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FIRE IT UP

2 TIMOTHY 1:6 

“For this reason I remind you to kindle afresh the gift of God which is in you through the laying on of my hands.”  

We have a great Greek word in today’s verse. It’s only used right here in this verse and comes from the combination of three Greek words – ana, zoon and pur. Now hold on and don’t glaze over on me. This is cool.  

Ana means upward, zoon means a living creature/beast, and pur means fire or flame. So, to kindle means to light up a flame or fire as if it is living. Isn’t that neat? Paul is telling Timothy to get fired up about his giftedness in Christ. Shouldn’t we all? 

APPPLICATION 

Moms and dads, we need to nurture and help develop our children’s natural gifts and abilities. You know their passions and desires. But those are not the gifts Paul is talking about. Once your child accepts Christ as their Savior and Lord, the Holy Spirit indwells them and gives them spiritual gifts to use in the kingdom. Those are the gifts we must nurture. 

Whether your child accepts Christ at age five or fifteen, those gifts are given for their lifetime. They now have a part in the kingdom of God, and He wants them to utilize those gifts to bring others to Christ. So, your job as parents is help them find ways to develop those gifts to do just that. You aren’t the gift giver, but you are the gift builder. 

How are you doing with that? Are you just happy that your child gets saved? There is so much more to it! It is such a joy to watch your children start to use their gifts of encouragement or service. When you see that, jump on the chance to help them. As a you help build their opportunities to exercise their gifts you help build their faith for years to come. 

Thank You Lord for giving us gifts to benefit the kingdom. Help me to guide my children to use their gifts as they grow in their walk with Christ.

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PASSING IT DOWN

2 TIMOTHY 1:5 

“For I am mindful of the sincere faith within you, which first dwelt in your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice, and I am sure that it is in you as well.”  

What a perfect verse to tell us the importance of passing our faith to the future generations. Timothy’s grandmother and mother had instructed him in the faith. But where was his father? We know from Acts 16:1 that his father was a Greek. Even though the Scriptures don’t say specifically, it seems he played no part in Timothy’s spiritual upbringing. 

But his Jewish mother and grandmother did. They had taught him the Scriptures. They taught him a love for God, which sprang into a love for the Savior when he heard the Gospel preached. And now Timothy is being used in ways that his mother and grandmother could probably not even have imagined.  

APPLICATION 

I think you can see the application here, right? As a believer in Christ, you have the responsibility to teach your children the Word of God and prepare their hearts to receive Jesus. There is not a more important role you play. I have said it time and time again. If you clothe, feed and educate your child without introducing them to Jesus, you have wasted your time. Salvation is THE key to parenting a child. 

They have to accept it themselves, but if you are modeling the Christ life and teaching them what that means, chances are much higher they will hear the calling of the Lord. Who knows? Your child could be another Timothy who shares with millions about Jesus. But it starts with you. 

Are you diligent about praying with and reading with your children? Are you as diligent about living it out in front of your children? The latter is so important. Children see what we do so much more clearly than what we say. Be Jesus to them. Let them see Him in you every day. 

Help me raise my children, Lord, to honor and serve You. I pray they come to know You at an early age and live a life of service and devotion to Your kingdom. 

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RELATIONSHIPS

2 TIMOTHY 1:2 

“To Timothy, my beloved son: Grace, mercy and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord.” 

This verse is almost the same words as 1 Timothy 1:2. He changes his description of Timothy slightly from “my true child in the faith” to “my beloved son.” I think I like this one better. There is just something about calling someone beloved that speaks of intimacy. 

There is no doubt Paul loved Timothy. He doesn’t call any of his other companions “beloved.” Timothy was special to him. He had invested years in his life to prepare him to lead. Even today when men mentor other men, it is often referred to as a Paul/Timothy relationship.  

APPLICATION 

As parents, we have the responsibility to see our children as a Timothy. We have approximately 18-20 years to prepare our children to face life. There is no better preparation than turning them into disciplemakers. If our children grow with the passion of Matthew 28:19-20 (look it up), they will have an entirely different worldview than the rest of the world. 

It is all about relationships. It begins with ours with the Lord. Then it goes to our family (spouse, children, grandchildren). As we invest our energy in the next generation, they learn to do the same. Will they always do that? No. Everyone has their free will and can choose to accept or deny. Our job is to try. 

In whom are you investing today? Do you have a Timothy? Are you being a Paul? Don’t let your faith experiences go left unshared. Don’t ignore that plea from another believer who wants to be mentored and taught how to face life challenges. Who knows, you may have a part in discipling the next great voice of the kingdom. 

I want to share my faith with others in order to help them walk with You. Show me those around me who need a Paul. Give me the courage to approach them and invite them into a disciplemaking relationship. 

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PROMISES, PROMISES

2 TIMOTHY 1:1 

“Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, according to the promise of life in Christ Jesus,” 

It is so easy to make promises, isn’t it? You say it sometimes before you actually think about. Maybe you are in the grocery checkout line and your little two-year-old is pitching a fit for one of those candy bars they place right at the cash register. So, before you know it you say, “Okay, if you will get quiet, I will get you the candy.” Promise made. 

That is NOT the kind of promise Paul is referring to here. Just about every time the word is used in the Bible it refers to God’s promises, which we know He will always keep. And almost every use of the word in the New Testament points back to an Old Testament, even this one. Our promise of life is found only in Jesus, whom we know was prophesied about through the Old Testament. 

APPLICATION 

 Do your children make promises they can’t keep? Little children tend to do that to get something they want. “Daddy, let me stay up and watch tv later tonight and I will clean my room tomorrow.” You know good and well that is not going to happen, lol. 

Promises are good, if they are the right one. A promise of purity is a beautiful thing. A promise to be faithful to our spouse is holy. A promise to… You get the picture. But promises should be made sparingly and thoughtfully. God’s promises are the ONLY promises that are a sure thing. Our children need to understand that. Others may break their promises, but God cannot and will not because He is perfect and holy. 

Are you a promise keeper? Do you make rash promises and then forget them? Stop it! The next time you begin a sentence with “I promise” stop and ask yourself what you are promising and if you have the ability to keep it. If not, don’t say it. God will be more honored by you not making that promise than making it and breaking it. 

Father, only You are the true promise keeper. I know I can trust You to fulfill every promise You have ever made. You are faithful.    

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NOT ON TARGET

1 TIMOTHY 6:21 

which some have professed and thus gone astray from the faith. Grace be with you. 

I have a crossbow which I use to hunt. I use it to hunt white-tail deer, turkey and even geese. There’s just something about using archery rather than a gun that seems more…well…natural. Don’t get me wrong, I still use a gun during gun season, but I like the challenge of the crossbow also. 

But you know what I have to do each year? I have to practice. I can’t lay my crossbow down and just pick it up the next season to hunt. I have to target shoot to make sure my crossbow is sighted correctly and so I know I can hit what I shoot at. And if you miss the target you are risk of losing that bolt (crossbow arrow).  

APPLICATION 

Buy and inexpensive bow and arrow kit from a toy or sporting store for your children. They will love shooting it. Set up some targets close, to begin with. Then keep moving the target out until they really have trouble hitting it. Then read them this verse. 

What a great way to explain this verse. If you don’t stay close to the Lord and continue to grow your faith, it is so easy to miss the mark, to miss the target. That’s what the phrase “gone astray” actually means. Literally it is “non target.”  Ask your children which they prefer – hitting the target or missing it. The same applies to our faith. 

Are you “on target”? Are you missing the mark? Make sure you stay focused. Make sure you stay sighted in. It takes practice. It takes determination. Will you commit to keeping your eyes on Jesus? If you do you will hit the mark He has set for you. 

O Father, my sights are on You. I want to hit the goal you have set for me. I will give you all the glory.  

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