Category Archives: Encouragement

Bible, Busyness, Child Bearing, Child Raising, Child Rearing, Direction, Disciplemaking, Encouragement, Eternity, Faith, Family, God's Will, Grace, Heaven, Obedience, Parenting, Service

AIN’T NOTHING YOU’VE DONE

2 TIMOTHY 1:9 

“who has saved us and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works, but according to His own purpose and grace which was granted us in Christ Jesus from all eternity,”  

We are all called as believers with a holy calling, but Paul makes it very plain here that it has nothing to do with what we have done. Nothing! It is totally dependent on His grace. What is funny is most people who come to Christ realize that, but then they almost immediately go about trying to keep their calling by their works. 

We don’t obey the Lord in serving our calling in order to maintain our calling. We obey the Lord by serving – period. Our calling is in tact and always will be. If we didn’t do anything to gain it, we can’t do anything to lose it. It’s that simple. Just serve because you love the Lord.  

APPLICATION 

Ask your child if they can ever stop being your child. They may say they will when they grow up. If they do, ask them does that mean you stop being their mom or dad. I am sure they will say that could never happen. Then ask them what they did to make you their mom or dad. You may get a puzzled look at this one but ask it anyway. 

When they think about it, they may get stumped. But you may have a smart child who says, “When I was born!” That is absolutely right, but even that act was not possible without them being conceived by you. All they did was grow in the womb and come out because you had started the process. The only way they became your child was through your act. In the same way, we become God’s child by His act of birthing us into His kingdom. 

Are you busy trying to earn your place in heaven? Are you worried about losing your spot? Stop it! God reserved your place at the moment of salvation. There is not a thing in the world you can do to cancel that reservation. It’s yours! So, start living here like you want to live there – praising Jesus and telling the world. That’s your calling. 

I want to follow You, Lord. Help me to get my eyes off here and on to now. Let me see those around me with Your holy eyes. 

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Affection, Child Raising, Child Rearing, Commands, Encouragement, Modeling, Obedience, Parenting, Suffering

CO-SUFFERER

2 TIMOTHY 1:8 

“Therefore do not be ashamed of the testimony of our Lord or of me His prisoner, but join with me in suffering for the gospel according to the power of God,”  

Everyone wants friends, right? We start choosing friends at a very early age. I have a childhood friend I’ve known my entire life. Other friends are relatively new. But we all want friends. What kind of friend do you want to have? How about the kind of friend Timothy was to Paul? 

The phrase “join with me in suffering” is really one Greek word which literally means “suffer with.” Okay, I don’t really want a friend who asks me to suffer with them, lol. I do want one I can ask to do that with me, though. It goes both ways. If we are willing to ask them to suffer with US, then we have to be willing to suffer with THEM. Are you? 

APPLICATION 

As parents, we have the responsibility to teach our children how to make friends, be a friend and maintain friendships. We even have the power to help choose our children’s friends when they are young. We can easily restrict contact with an undesirable friend, if we choose so.  

But ultimately, your child has to make his/her own friends. We want them to have friends who will stick with them and have their back, right. So, teach your child to do the same. And we teach that by modeling it. Be that kind of friend to someone. Your children will see it and learn. They always learn more from our actions than our words. 

Of all your friends, who can you call on right now if you needed someone to “join you in suffering”? Who do you think may call on you? Those are your real friends. Invest in them. Spend time with them. Jesus calls us to join with Him in suffering for His kingdom. Will you? 

I am thankful You call me to suffer for You, Lord. No one likes to suffer, but when it is for Your cause, it is worth it all. I love You, Jesus. 

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Bible, Child Raising, Child Rearing, Commands, Cowardice, Disciplemaking, Encouragement, Mentoring, Obedience, Parenting

DON’T BE A COWARD

2 TIMOTHY 1:7 

“For God has not given us a spirit of timidity, but of power and love and discipline.” 

Have you ever known a coward? I mean, someone who is frozen by fear and uncertainty? The word for “timidity” means that. It’s only used right here in 2 Timothy 1:7. It’s more than just being timid or shy. It’s more like coiling back and not responding. There is just no way you can live the Christian life that way. 

Something must have happened in Ephesus for Paul to write Timothy and tell him to not do this. Remember, he was a young man at the time. Perhaps some older men in the church were trying to intimidate him. As a young leader that is often the case. And without Paul around, they felt they could stir Timothy in their direction. We don’t know exactly what was going on, but we do know Timothy was dealing with something. 

APPLICATION 

You may have a very, shy child. That’s okay. Shyness isn’t sin. That is NOT what Paul is referring to. However, one of your roles as a parent is to build your child’s confidence and boldness. People who live in cowardice or timidity are easy prey for those who are brash and outgoing. You definitely don’t want that for your kids. 

And the best way to build that self-confidence is build them up in Christ. In Christ, there is no cowardice. We can take on the gates of hell with a water pistol when we are walking with Christ. In Christ, there is no need to shy away from a challenge because you are not the one doing the fighting. It’s Him. That’s how we prepare our kids to face life without cowardice. They do it all in Christ. 

How is your backbone today? Are you standing in the face of challenges that seem overwhelming? Good! Now you can let God handle them. Stand confident in the fact that He’s got this. There is no room for timidity or cowardice in your walk with Christ. Stand tall and proclaim victory. 

Lord, I know I am victorious only through You. My only hope for deliverance in the midst of a trial is stand and watch You work. I choose that today. 

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Advice, Child Raising, Child Rearing, Disciplemaking, Encouragement, Faith, Fatherhood, Gifts, Holy Spirit, Mentoring, Obedience, Parenting, Passion, Service

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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Advice, Bible, Child Raising, Child Rearing, Commands, Disciplemaking, Encouragement, Evangelism, Faith, Family, Fatherhood, Mentoring, Modeling, Motherhood, Obedience, Parenting, Scripture, Service, Witnessing

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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Advice, Bible, Child Raising, Child Rearing, Encouragement, Modeling, Obedience, Parenting, Promises

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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Advice, Child Rearing, Christ's Return, Direction, Disciplemaking, Encouragement, Mentoring, Modeling, Modesty, Obedience, Parenting

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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Child Raising, Child Rearing, Commands, Encouragement, Giving, Mentoring, Modeling, Obedience, Parenting

GIVE IT UP

1 TIMOTHY 6:18

“Instruct them to do good, to be rich in good works, to be generous and ready to share,”

I truly love to give. It gives me joy to be able to bless someone who has a need, especially if I can do that without them knowing. The Greek word for “to be generous” gives us a great picture of what this means. It means “spontaneous, willing giving and emphasizes being ready for outreach.” It “describes someone who ‘open-handedly’ (willingly) shares.”

God can use your grudgingly given gift, but you won’t feel blessed by it. Some people give to the church as if the preacher was holding a gun on them. And some preachers guilt people into giving as if their very souls depend on it. Neither is right. We give because Christ lives in us and works through us. Give for Him, not for you or anyone else.

APPLICATION

Begin teaching your children when they are young the importance of giving. If you give them an allowance, show them what the tithe would be for that. If you don’t do allowance, do the same for money they may earn doing chores for you or the neighbors. However they get the money, teach them the concept of giving. 

I have seen so many children who have the gift of giving. They willingly give up their birthday money for missions. They give their money for a needy family. If your child comes to you and asks if they can give like that, by all means, let them. In fact, pitch in with them.

Are you a giver? “But Carl, I don’t have enough to give.” Yes, you do. Give to your ability. We are not under law. We are under grace. Give as the Lord directs you. He will bless the rest.

Thank You, Lord, for all You give to me. Help me to be more generous with Your resources. I will follow Your promptings and give how You direct me.

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Affection, Bible, Child Raising, Child Rearing, Contentment, Encouragement, Gifts, Obedience, Parenting, Praise, Scripture, Thanksgiving

MY SUPPLIER

1 TIMOTHY 6:17

“Instruct those who are rich in this present world not to be conceited or to fix their hope on the uncertainty of riches, but on God, who richly supplies us with all things to enjoy.”

God is our only real and trusted source for everything. I love the way Paul wrote this to Timothy. He says God is the one “who richly supplies us with all things to enjoy.” The word “supplies” does not mean that God just gives us stuff. No! It means He gives or offers in a up close and personal way.

And the Lord gives it for us “to enjoy.” Wow! We are actually supposed to enjoy what He blesses us with. Do you enjoy God’s blessings? Do you feel guilty for what He has given you? Don’t! We are supposed to appreciate and enjoy them. Do you see this clearly? God wants us to be blessed and enjoy everything He carefully and personally gives us.

APPLICATION

Don’t you just love giving your children things? The next time you have the occasion to bless your children with a special gift (birthday, Christmas, special achievement), read them this verse. Talk about how you picked out this gift especially for them. Since you know them so well, you knew they would love this gift. You knew they would enjoy this gift.

Ask them how they would have felt if you had given them something that they didn’t like. What if you had given your son, who loves baseball, a hockey stick? What if you had given your daughter, who loves to cook, a set of barbells? Just like you know their desires, God knows them as well. He provides richly all things for them to enjoy. Don’t let them forget that.

Are you aware of just how much the Lord enjoys blessing you? Remember, each gift He gives has been hand-picked by Him especially for you. He knows the perfect gift for you. He knows just exactly what will meet your needs. Accept it and enjoy it.

You are the supplier of all my needs, Lord. I praise You that You know my deepest desires and needs. I will continually thank You.

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Bible, Child Raising, Child Rearing, Christ's Return, Encouragement, Glory, Heaven, Light, Parenting

DON’T GO THERE

1 TIMOTHY 6:16

“who alone possesses immortality and dwells in unapproachable light, whom no man has seen or can see. To Him be honor and eternal dominion! Amen.”

Unapproachable! Don’t even think about going there! The brilliance of our Lord will be blinding, yet we shall one day behold Him. This Greek word for “unapproachable” is only used right here in this verse. It literally means don’t go. Why? Why would the Lord dwell in unapproachable light? Why would He want to keep us away?

Because as mortal men, we cannot bear the glory of God. His holiness would instantly wipe us away. So, we are being protected. He is not trying to keep us away. He is trying to keep us safe. We will be bathed in the light. We just can’t go into it. We are not worthy. Only He can dwell in it.

APPLICATION

Do you have things in your home that are off limits? I bet you do. How about the fuse box? The power source for your house is in there. Your children can benefit from the power source, but they cannot approach the source itself. That’s a pretty close analogy for kids. 

There have to be boundaries for kids. There will be a day when they can have access to any area of the house. The limitations now are not meant to punish them. They are meant to protect them. As they mature, they will gain more and more access. In the same way, as we mature in our walk with Christ, He reveals more and more of Himself to us.

Are you ready for the unapproachable light? Boy, I am. I can’t wait to see Him. His glory will be amazing. But guess what? It is now. Don’t wait until eternity to be blown away. Let His brilliance amaze you.

O God of glory, Your light is ablaze. Let it shine through me so others can see You. One day I will dwell in Your light forever.

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