Category Archives: Commands

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ARE YOU TRUSTWORTHY?

1 TIMOTHY 4:9

“It is a trustworthy statement deserving full acceptance.”

This phrase is used twice by Paul in writing to Timothy in this letter. He doesn’t use the phrase anywhere else. I wonder why. Why is Paul saying what he is saying is trustworthy? Did someone accuse him of lying? Was Timothy hearing other reports from Paul’s enemies? We don’t know, but we do know the Holy Spirit told him to put these words down.

So, how do they apply to us? Let me ask you a question. Can you say this about all your statements? Are all your words worthy? The word “deserving” can also be translated as “worthy of.” The word means to be weighed in God’s scale of truth. That’s a higher level of trustworthiness, isn’t it?

APPLICATION

This is a simple truth to teach your children. We need to model this first, though. Can our children trust our words? Do we say what we mean and mean what we say? Can they rely on us to follow through with what we say? They learn this truth by watching and listening to us. Are we trustworthy in our words to our children?

Too many parents lie to their kids. Yes, I said lie. They tell them something, knowing it will never happen. They make promises they know they cannot keep. If you are one of those parents, stop! Make sure your yes means yes and your no means no. Stop confusing your children with wishy washy parenting. Remember, you are not raising children. You are raising child raisers. What you model and teach will be repeated.

Are you trustworthy in your statements? Can people trust what you say? One of the worst reputations you can have is to be known as a liar. I have known people whom you could say if their lips were moving, they were lying. Not good! Don’t be that person. If you are a believer in Christ, you have THE truth in you.

Forgive me Lord, when I tell untruths. Convict me of this sin. Let me never be guilty of leading others astray by my statements. I want my words to line up with Your Word.

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IS BODILY EXERCISE WORTH IT?

1 TIMOTHY 4:8

“for bodily discipline is only of little profit, but godliness is profitable for all things, since it holds promise for the present life and also for the life to come.”

It seems 1 Timothy is full of one-time used words. We have another one today. The Greek word for “discipline” is gumnasia. Does that look familiar? We get the word “gymnasium” from that. This verse is my proof that we only have so many good heart beats, and we shouldn’t waste them exercising, lol. 

Paul is NOT saying we shouldn’t exercise. But too many people spend hours and hours at the gym and neglect their spiritual bodies. Having a buff and trim physical body will NOT make you more godly. Only exercising your spirit will do that. And that is done through spiritual pushups in the Word, prayer and worship. 

APPLICATION

I bet your little Johnny or Susie does some kind of physical exercise. The next time you are with them when they are doing that, bring up this verse. Perhaps you are riding bikes. Compare the exercise their legs are getting with their spiritual walk with Christ. Maybe they are playing soccer. Compare that to controlling their feet as they maneuver to score a goal for God through righteous living.

You can find hundreds of ways to compare physical exercise and sports to the Christian life. There are literally thousands of books out there. The point is to make sure your children know that exercising their spiritual body is more important than exercising their physical body. This physical body will not see heaven, only the spiritual one will.

Are you obsessed with your physique? Are you so enamored with Cross Fit, yoga or P90x that you spend all your spare time in that? Try this for a week. Spend the same amount of time studying God’s Word as you do exercising. I promise you that you feel the difference spiritually.

Lord, I am guilty of not exercising enough physically. I know this body is the temple of the Holy Spirit. But Father, I want to exercise my spiritual body just as much. Help me keep in shape spiritually.

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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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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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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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THE QUALITIES OF A GODLY WOMAN

1 TIMOTHY 3:11

“Women must likewise be dignified, not malicious gossips, but temperate, faithful in all things.”

Okay, I didn’t write this verse. I am just reading the next verse in 1 Thessalonians 3. Paul wrote this to the women in the Thessalonian church, but it applies to all women who profess Christ as Savior. We see four qualities in the verse – dignified, not malicious gossips, temperate and faithful. We don’t have the time or space in this short devotion to go into each in depth, so let’s just look at one. How about not being malicious gossips? After all, men are just as bad about that.

So, what does that mean? It means someone who is a back-biter, who unjustly accuses to bring someone down. Not a very nice person. Do you know anyone like that? There are some people who are JUST like that. They are people to avoid at all costs. You can’t trust them because before you know it, they will spreading rumors about you or lying about you.

APPLICATION

You are going to have to deal with this, for sure. Children can be very cruel to each other. Now, I’m not saying your children are cruel (they may be) but they may be the victim of another child’s cruelty. We naturally want to make ourselves look better than others. Pride and arrogance are part of our fleshly nature. Children, therefore, will go that route if left unchecked.

How do we teach them to not gossip, to not tear down, to not put themselves over others? By showing them the model we have in Christ and by modeling it ourselves. They will never learn how to walk like Jesus unless they see you doing the same. They will watch you and learn how to treat others. They will watch you and learn how to speak only in kindness and truth. 

Will you do that? Will you only speak in kindness and truth? Will you cease gossiping? Will you only build up others? Do you remember the old saying, “What Would Jesus Do?” Then do it.

Help me, Lord, hold my tongue. Help me to say only things that build up. Let me see myself as second to everyone for the sake of seeing some come to Christ.

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