Category Archives: Mentoring

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GOOD WORKS

1 TIMOTHY 2:10

“but rather by means of good works, as is proper for women making a claim to godliness.” 

To properly understand this verse, you have to go back to verse 9. You know that is true of every verse in Scripture. You can’t just take the verse out of context. That’s what causes a lot of confusion and dissensions. Stick to the context.

And here, you have to go back to see Paul discussing how the ladies should adorn themselves. Paul is saying what you wear and how you look outwardly isn’t the important thing. The important thing is to let your walk match your talk. He is NOT saying good deeds is the mark of godliness. That would go against all his other teachings. He is saying that if you claim to love Jesus you will be about doing good works, not because you have to but because you want to.

APPLICATION

This is so important to teach our children. We do not want them thinking they have to “perform” to get our love or God’s love. It’s what is in the heart that matters. Their behavior or good deeds are merely an outpouring of their love for us and God. We obey and do because we are loved and because we love. We don’t have to do those things to be loved.

How can you teach this? The next time your little Johnny really blows it (and he will, lol) show him love. You may still have to discipline him in some manner but pull him close and hug him tight. Let him know that nothing he can do will ever diminish the love you have for him. He can’t earn it. It is just yours to give freely.

Are you trying to get God to love you more by doing stuff for Him? Stop it. Your godliness is not portrayed because of your good works. Your godliness is shown through submission to your holy God. Then as He tells you to do certain things, you do them to honor Him, not to get Him to love you back.  Isn’t that great? His love is freely given. 

Father, I desire to please you in all I do. Thank You I don’t have to earn Your love, though. Thank You for loving me despite me being me.

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YOU ARE NOT WEARING THAT

1 TIMOTHY 2:9

“Likewise, I want women to adorn themselves with proper clothing, modestly and discreetly, not with braided hair and gold or pearls or costly garments,” 

Modesty seems to be a thing of the past. Have you walked through a mall lately? The things people are wearing and the things the stores are selling can be very, should we say, revealing. I know, I know. Every generation screams this. There was a day when if a woman’s ankle showed below her dress she was horrible.

But modesty isn’t just about what we wear. It’s about so much more. This Greek word for “modesty” is only used right here in this verse. It actually refers to an act that precedes or prevents a shameful act. Hmmm, Paul is trying to encourage the women to do just that. Modesty, in other words, can help prevent wrong things from happening.

APPLICATION

Modesty isn’t just for girls, though. This is appropriate for all of us. We should not only dress modestly, but we should behave that way. We should never present ourselves in such a way that lures others to make bad choices.  As parents, we teach our children modesty to protect them. When they are toddlers, it is cute to see them run around the house naked. Not so much when they are 10 or 12 or 18, right? 

But we teach them also not to draw attention to themselves. Remember, as believers we should always be pointing others to Jesus. When we dress or behave in such a way that all attention is on us, then we have strayed from our mission – to lead others to Him. Modesty helps us achieve our goal.

Maybe you struggle with this issue. Perhaps you like to flirt or show yourself off. Will you examine your heart today and ask the Lord to reveal how you should display modesty? He wants you to never be ashamed. He died so that you would not feel that way ever again. He is the image of modesty. Follow Him.

Let my every action point to You, O Lord. Make me aware of anything that pushes people away from You. 

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I’M NOT LYING

1 TIMOTHY 2:7

“For this I was appointed a preacher and an apostle (I am telling the truth, I am not lying) as a teacher of the Gentiles in faith and truth.”

Boy, oh boy, how many times have you heard that as a parent after catching your child red-handed? They begin to lie to cover up their actions. One lie leads to another lie, and before they know it, they have dug themselves a very deep hole.

The meaning of the Greek word “lying” is to willfully misrepresent or mislead. You know exactly what you are doing, and you still do it. Paul is ensuring Timothy that he is NOT lying. He was simply telling the truth about his calling. As hard as it may seem to many, Paul was called to preach the gospel to the Gentiles.

APPLICATION

So, how do you teach your children not to lie? By holding them accountable for the lies they tell. Some people think little children telling fibs is cute. It is not. Little lies, if gotten away with, just leads to bigger lies later. Their little minds are thinking, “If I got away with this, what can I get away with later?” Don’t let them. No matter how small you think the lie is, confront it.

But don’t go to the extreme and try to catch them in a lie. Reward truth telling and discipline lying. Children respond to praise (so do we adults). When they tell the truth, praise them vehemently. Let them know how proud you are they told you the truth, even though it may have meant getting into trouble. Afterall, as believers we only have one choice – be truthful. 

Are you tempted to tell little half-lies? So many people are. They figure as long as it doesn’t hurt anyone else, it’s okay. Well, it’s not. Christ indwells us. Truth indwells us. Truth and falsehood can’t cohabitate. They just don’t get along. Tell the truth. Believe the truth. Celebrate the truth.

O God, You are Truth. All that is true is You. You cannot stand for falsehood in any form. Help me to remain true to You and Your Word.

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OUR GO BETWEEN

1 TIMOTHY 2:5

“For there is one God, and one mediator also between God and men, the man Christ Jesus,” 

Just what exactly is a “Go Between”? Well, that’s what a mediator is. It is someone who intervenes to restore the peace between two people or groups. You see it a lot in the legal field. In fact, you can get certified as an official mediator and make a very good living at it. Unfortunately, people are always fighting about something, so we need mediators.

And we have the perfect mediator, Jesus Christ, who mediates between God and us. He paid the price for our sins and continues to intervene on our behalf before His Father in heaven. He has mediated a new covenant, according to Hebrews 8:6; 9:15 and 12:24.  Aren’t you thankful for His mediation on your behalf?

APPLICATION

The next time you have to “mediate” between your children, remember this verse. I am sure if you have more than one child, there will an occasion shortly when you can apply this verse. You may have to come in and stop a fight or an argument. You will have to be the mediator.

After you have calmed the storm and returned the peace (at least for a while) share this verse with them. Explain that Jesus, not only mediated for us way back then, but He is still mediating for us now. Part of the mediator’s job is to guarantee “the performance of all the terms stipulated in a covenant (agreement).” In other words, He makes sure both people stick to the agreement. Sounds like parenting, huh?  

Christ Jesus is mediating for you this very moment. When Satan accuses you of your sins, He is right there at the Father to speak up for you. His blood has been used to mediate peace between you and our holy God. He is the ONLY ONE who can serve as this mediator. No one else is qualified. Give Him thanks today!

O Jesus, my mediator, I give You praise for interceding on my behalf. I thank You for continuing to mediate for me. I would be lost without You.

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GOD’S DESIRE

1 TIMOTHY 2:4

“who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.” 

Our holy and righteous God desires everyone to be saved. He is ready to act, to deliver them. But…God want force salvation on anyone. This verse reads “desires” for a reason. God wishes for their salvation. It is, in fact, His will that all men be saved. We have to decide to receive it.

And this verse goes on to say, “come to the knowledge of the truth.” You see, that is what convinces us. The truth of God’s Word convinces us that salvation is real and is for us. Faith comes by hearing the Word of God. So, perhaps the Lord wants to use you to share His good news with someone He is desiring to be saved (which is everyone).

APPLICATION

I pray you are teaching your little Susie and little Johnny to share the good news. Once they come to Christ and discover this truth for themselves, we need to prepare them to share it. Teach them the ABC’s of faith sharing. “A” is for Admit. Everyone must admit they are a sinner in need of a Savior. “B” is for Believe. They have to believe that Jesus was God’s Son who was sent to earth to die for those sins and satisfy God’s judgment. He was crucified, buried and rose again. “C” is for confess. Each person has to confess that belief with their own mouths and ask the Lord to save them and come into their lives.

I promise your kids, even the youngest, can remember those three things. I never cease to be amazed at how quickly children can memorize things. So, I am confident your children can learn to share the good news with their friends and family.

Do you know the knowledge of the truth? Have you acknowledged Jesus as your Savior and Lord? That’s exactly what God wants and wills for you. But don’t keep that to yourself. Shout it from the highest mountain top. Whisper it to your grandchildren or children. Tell total strangers about it. Just tell it.

I am the possessor of the greatest story ever told. Help me to share that with others all around me. Let me tell it with joy and excitement so they will see just what You have done for me.

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IN GOD’S EYE

1 TIMOTHY 2:3

“This is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior,”

When I travel to my other two home countries of Uganda and Kenya I am normally greeted by “You are most welcome.” That is to say my friends there are very glad to see me. I am very welcomed in their homes. I just love that. I know I can rest and enjoy my time there because I am welcomed just like I am part of the family.

The word “acceptable” comes from the verb form of the word which means just that. You see when we pray as Paul instructed in verses 1 and 2, we are welcomed into the very sight of God. In His eyes we are doing good, which inspires others. He is pleased. He is blessed by our prayer life. Did you read that right? Yes, God is blessed by our obedience to pray.

APPLICATION

How have your children blessed you? Have they done something you have instructed them to do lately without being reminded? That always blesses our hearts, doesn’t it? I will never forget the time my son mowed and trimmed our yard in Florida while I was away on a trip. When I returned home to see it done (and done well), I was blessed.

Explain to your little Elrod that God is blessed when He sees him doing what is expected. Willful obedience is so much better than forced obedience. Doing what we are asked or commanded to do in His Word is expected. We have clear instructions to follow. Teach your child to do as the Lord asks. They will see God’s response. He will be blessed and will also bless. 

Do you struggle to obey? Do you obey kicking and screaming? I have to admit that there are times when I do. I feel just like Paul in Romans 7 when he says he does what he doesn’t want to do and doesn’t do what he wants to do. I may eventually yield to the Spirit, but I am worn out in the process. Don’t do that. Surrender your will to His today. Do what is good and acceptable in His sight.

I want to be pleasing in Your sight today, O Father. I want to know that all I do is good and acceptable to You. Forgive me when I fail to obey.

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AN URGE TO PRAY

1 TIMOTHY 2:1

“First of all, then, I urge that entreaties and prayers, petitions and thanksgivings, be made on behalf of all men,…”

If you have ever had any doubts as to how you ought to pray, this verse should answer them. Paul spells out how to pray here in four unique and separate ways. Entreaties means “heart-felt petition, arising out of deep personal need coming from a sense of lack or want. Prayers literally means an “exchange of wishes.” You are swapping your desires for God’s desires. Petitions implies a “Spirit-directed intervention.” These are the prayers on behalf of others. And finally, Paul mentions thanksgivings which is “the giving of thanks for God’s grace.”

So, you are to let God know your needs (entreaties), pray His will (prayers), pray for others (petitions) and give Him thanks (thanksgivings). Pretty plain, huh? Are you still confused? Don’t be. Just start practicing these four things each day.

APPLICATION

Teaching our children to pray can be a real joy. Don’t cramp their style as they pray. Let them just talk to God. Don’t correct their theology during their prayers. That’s left for another time. Just let them pray. I truly believe the Lord bends His ear a little closer to the earth to hear the prayers of His little ones.

And may I encourage you to do something special? When your children are praying for a specific need they have or for something for someone else, make a note of that and the date they began praying for that. And then when (not if) God answers that prayer, bring out that note and show them. Children need to see answered prayers. God uses that to build their faith.

Do you believe in prayer? Do you have the urge to pray? I go through a daily, weekly and monthly prayer list each day. It keeps me in touch with my Master. I love talking to Him. Why? Because I now He is ALWAYS listening. He never tunes me out. As I pray and trust I rest in His sovereign timing to answer. Will you?

I am so thankful that You are listening to me, Lord. I know You care about my needs and the needs of others. Help me pray in such a way that all I desire is Your Will for my life.

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INTO SATAN’S HANDS

1 TIMOTHY 1:20

“Among these are Hymenaeus and Alexander, whom I have handed over to Satan, so that they will be taught not to blaspheme.”

How awful! How terrible! Handed over to Satan! What a way to have your name remembered! Hymenaeus was teaching false doctrine according to 2 Timothy 2:17-18. And Alexander may have been the same Alexander who was called the coppersmith who did great harm to the apostles and may have believed in the same false doctrines as Hymenaeus. 

Irregardless of their exact beliefs, they undoubtedly had blasphemed against our holy God. This was something which Paul could not tolerate. So, he had obviously withdrawn fellowship from them and was praying God to allow Satan to discipline. But even in this action, Satan is given an exact task which he couldn’t supersede.

APPLICATION

Children have to learn that choices have consequences. They may not experience the consequence immediately, but it will come. That is a truth you must teach your children. Some consequences are hard, like the one mentioned in today’s verse. Some may not seem so harsh. The bottom line is there will be consequences.

Direct disobedience can bring the harshest of consequences from God. Now, I am not telling you to teach your kids to watch out for God’s zaps from heaven. No, teach them to obey because they love the Lord, not because they fear His wrath. But obey they must.

Are you a Hymenaeus or Alexander? Are you thumbing your nose at God, not believing He is aware of your actions? Beware! He is. He knows all and sees all. He will hold you accountable. He has to because He is holy and just. Why not obey Him in all things? By doing that, you are pleasing the One who loves you dearly and longs to see you in His service.

Father, forgive me of failing You. I want to obey You willingly and joyfully. Thank You for holding me accountable.

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TIME TO FIGHT

1 TIMOTHY 1:18

“This command I entrust to you, Timothy, my son, in accordance with the prophecies previously made concerning you, that by them you fight the good fight,” 

If you aren’t aware, we are in a fight. It’s a real fight against a real enemy. I know we are told over and over that we shouldn’t fight. But this fight is not going away. This fight has eternal consequences. What fight am I talking about? The battle we fight daily against the devil. 

I know, I know. You are probably saying, “Carl, don’t talk about the devil. He is not concerned about me.” Keep thinking like that, and you are already defeated. The devil is real, and he is constantly revising his battle plans to defeat us. As believers, he can’t “unsave” us, but he can sure make our lives miserable and unfit for service.

APPLICATION

I am sure you teach your children that fighting is bad. You should. There is rarely a good reason to fight. We certainly shouldn’t be throwing the first punch. But all that has to do with people. I’m talking about a spiritual war. This is one in which we need to equip our children with every weapon available. They need to be trained as well as any Special Ops soldier.

How do you do that? The same way the military prepares their soldiers. You have to train them. They need daily time in God’s Word. They need to be taught how to study the Word for themselves. They need to be taught how to prepare. And then they need to be taken on some missions to apply those skills. We, as parents, need to be the ones who help our children use those spiritual warfare tactics.

Are you equipped for the fight? Are you strapping on your spiritual weapons each day? You need to. You can’t take off one day from this battle. The second you let your guard down, Satan will attack. He looks for our weak points and plans his attack. Be ready. Be diligent. Fight the good fight.

I am thankful, Lord, that I do not fight alone. I know You are my Commander-in-Chief. As long as I follow Your orders, I will be victorious over my enemies.

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I’M NUMBER ONE

1 TIMOTHY 1:15

“It is a trustworthy statement, deserving full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, among whom I am foremost of all.”  

Paul called himself the number one sinner. Why would anyone do that? That is not a title I want. But he was making a point. Jesus died for all sinners, even the worst sinner of all. Paul, obviously, was reflecting on his past actions before he came to Christ. He was a persecutor of the early church. He sanctioned murder of Christians. He was there when the first martyr, Stephen, fell. He was, in fact, eager to bring them all to justice.

So, how does this relate to us? We are just as bad. We may not have killed anyone or persecuted anyone, but our sins are just as wicked. Our sins, left unforgiven, will lead us directly to hell. There are no little sins. Sin is sin – period. We all vie for the title of number one sinner.

APPLICATION

If you are like most parents, you don’t want to see your little Johnny or Susie as a sinner. Sure, they misbehave at times, but to think they will spend eternity separated from a holy God breaks your heart. It is hard to accept. But it is the truth. Unless your little angel turns to Christ and surrenders their will to His, they will not see the glory of heaven.

Our number one job as parents is to do all we can to introduce them to Jesus. We must prepare the spiritual environment in our homes to allow them to know Him and accept Him. We can’t make them choose Christ, but we must do everything within our power to prepare the way. How are you doing with that?

And this responsibility doesn’t just apply to our household. We are commanded by God to share His good news to everyone. Are you sharing that? Will you share that today? Ask the Lord to send people into your life today with whom you can share the greatest story ever told. You won’t regret it. It will be the best part of your day.

O God, Savior of my soul, thank You for redeeming me. Thank You for not turning Your back on me when I came seeking You. I, like Paul, am the foremost of sinners.

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