Category Archives: Holy Spirit

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YOU’VE GOT A GIFT

1 TIMOTHY 4:14

“Do not neglect the spiritual gift within you, which was bestowed on you through prophetic utterance with the laying on of hands by the presbytery.” 

Don’t you just love getting gifts? I mean, even the smallest of gifts can be so exciting, especially when they are unexpected. The old saying goes “It’s the thought that counts.” That may be true, but that gift counts too, lol.

As a believer in Christ, we receive spiritual gifts from the Father when we accept Christ as our Savior. Strong’s Concordance defines this word as “divinely empowers a believer to share God’s work with others, i.e. Spirit-empowered service to the Church to carry out His plan for His people.” So, these are gifts you receive for one purpose – to share with others.

APPLICATION

Try this with your little Johnny or Susie. Give them a gift but explain to them that they have to share it with their siblings. What kind of response to you think you will get? Depending on the gift, you may get a “Sure Dad, I’ll be glad to do that” or “What!? This is mine. They can get their own.”

It’s not about the sharing, though, with spiritual gifts. It’s about benefitting someone else. You see, our spiritual gifts actually help others grow spiritually. Our gifts never run out. We can’t exhaust them. They come from above, so the power source is eternal.

What is your gift? Are you sharing it? God wants you to use your gift (and if you are believer, you have one) to build the Body of Christ. He wants you to exercise that gift in a way that blesses the church and those in it. He wants you to enjoy using your gift. If you don’t know your gift, talk to your Pastor. He can help you find a good Spiritual Gifts Inventory to use to help you.

Father, thank You for the gifts You have empowered me with to help others grow. I do enjoy using those gifts. But more importantly I love pleasing You with my obedience.

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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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WE ALL NEED NOURISHMENT

1 TIMOTHY 4:6


“In pointing out these things to the brethren, you will be a good servant of Christ Jesus, constantly nourished on the words of the faith and of the sound doctrine which you have been following.”

We have ANOTHER one-time used word today. The Greek word for “nourishment” is only used right here.  It means to be “in the state (condition) of being nourished, to be trained by continuous instruction in the area of skill and practical knowledge. This happens by receiving God’s gift of faith which has lasting effects.”

That’s a long definition, I know, but I wanted you to see what this word really means, especially the “lasting effects” part. Proper nourishment, whether it’s physical food or spiritual food, should have lasting effects. It should sustain us. It should strengthen us. It should help us grow in our faith. Look at what  does it. Paul says “the words of faith” and “sound doctrine” are our nourishment.

APPLICATION

The next time you sit down at the family table for a meal, read your little Gertrude or Elrod this verse. Explain that just as important as good nutritious food is to their bodies, our spiritual life needs nourishment. Ask them what they think would happen to their bodies if all they ate was candy and colas. I am pretty sure they will have some great answers.

Then ask them what will happen to their walk with Christ if we put false teachings and other beliefs in our minds and hearts. And what will happen if we don’t feed our spirits at all? It will starve to death just as our bodies will without food. They really need to understand that is why you spend time with them in the Word and in prayer. You are feeding them spiritually.

How healthy is your spirit today? When is the last time you had a nice, nutritious spiritual meal? When is the last time you ate spiritually? Is your spirit starving? Turn to God’s Word. In it you will find all the sound doctrine and truths you need for healthy living.

O God, You feed me but only when I come to the table. You won’t force feed me, I know. I want to grow healthier in my daily walk with Christ.

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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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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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CLEAR CONSCIENCE

1 TIMOTHY 3:9

“but holding to the mystery of the faith with a clear conscience.”

Do you have a clear conscience? What does that really even mean? Well, let’s break it down. “Clear” here means “spiritually cleanbecause you are purified by God. You are free from the contaminating (soiling) influences of sin.” So, have you been purified by God?

“Conscience” is that connection between spiritual and moral. Strong’s Concordance says this, “Accordingly, all people have this God-given capacity to know right from wrong because each is a free moral agent.” A deacon has been cleansed by God from sin and walks with Him in such a way that he knows right from wrong.

APPLICATION

If you can’t see how to apply this verse to your kids, you might need to go back to parenting school, lol. Isn’t this exactly what we spend 90% of our time doing? We are constantly teaching our children right from wrong. We teach them to walk with our Lord and be purified from sin.

You see, that is the problem. WE are trying to teach them. Do you want to know why it is so hard to do that? It’s because it’s not our job.  Our job is to point them to the cross and let the Lord do the conviction. WE can’t teach them every right from wrong. Only the Spirit of God can show them that. We must continue to point out the right way and trust the Lord to direct their hearts as it is yielded to Him.

So, let me ask you again. Do you have a clear conscience? Are you allowing the Holy Spirit to have complete and total control of your thought life? How about your finances? How about your choice of careers? As you give it ALL to HIM, HE can purge you and cleanse you from the influence of sin. Only then will you have the clear conscience Paul speaks of here.

Cleanse my mind right now, Lord. Open my eyes to see everything Your way. I ask You to reveal the evil all around me that is just waiting to trip me up.

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HOUSEHOLD

1 TIMOTHY 3:4

“He must be one who manages his own household well, keeping his children under control with all dignity”

I bet when you read this verse you picture a man who keeps his children in line. He runs a tight ship. He doesn’t put up with backtalk and misbehavior. Well, the Greek word “manages” actually puts the responsibility on the man, not the children.  

This word “manages” has the idea of “influencing people byhaving a respected reputation. This happens by setting the example of excellence by living in faith.” In other words, he manages his household by setting the example, not by demanding obedience. His family WANTS to follow him.

APPLICATION

How do you get your children to mind you? Do you set a bunch of rules and demand they be followed? Well, that’s one way. But it is probably not the best one. When you set the example for your little Susie or Johnny, they will learn by watching you. Your behavior is much more influential than your words.

If you want your kids to clean their rooms, clean yours. If you want them pick up after themselves, do the same. If you want them to talk in a respectful manner, try it yourself. “Managing” is more about leading than pushing. Kids will follow you anywhere if they know they can trust you.

Are you a manager or a pusher? Ask the Lord to give you the ability to lead well. Your children’s future depends on you leading them in the areas that will affect them for life. They need to see you modeling what you expect from them. In other’s word, quoting “Do as I say, not as I do” just won’t cut it.

O Lord, help me lead well. Help me show others how to walk the walk. I want to be an example for others to follow.

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