Advice, Bible, Child Raising, Child Rearing, Disciplemaking, Encouragement, Glory, Love, Mentoring, Modeling, Obedience, Parenting, Scripture, Service

WAITING TABLES

2 TIMOTHY 1:18 

“the Lord grant to him to find mercy from the Lord on that day—and you know very well what services he rendered at Ephesus.” 

Onesiphorus was a servant. How do I know that? By this verse. Paul continues to describe this saint by reminding Timothy how Onesiphorus served so willingly in Ephesus. The phrase “services he rendered” is one Greek word that literally means to wait tables. And the form of the verb means he did this himself. He wasn’t forced to do it.  

Whom are you willing to serve? Do you pick and choose whom you will serve so that they notice? That’s not what Paul is describing here. True service is serving for the joy of serving. When you willingly serve, you do it for the joy of the Lord. After all, it is He who gets all the glory for it. 

APPLICATION 

Okay, I have to let you off the hook today (kind of). You can’t teach this kind of service to your kids. You can’t make them want to serve. That comes from within. However, you can model this behavior for them with the hopes they will want to do it. True service is a heart thing. The desire only comes after encountering the King of kings and Lord of lords. 

Oh, the joy of watching our children serve. You can always tell when they are doing it out of love. The smile gives it away. When your child sees you smiling as you serve, they notice that. You can be doing the most mundane thing, but when you do it willingly and sacrificially, you can’t help but smile. 

Has the Lord burdened your heart to serve? Perhaps He has asked you a hard one. The person He is directing you to serve is someone you don’t like. That really doesn’t matter. Do it any way. God is the one you are honoring. He is the one who will get all the glory.  

I may not want to serve today, but Lord I choose to serve because of Your love for me. I choose to serve in order to show others. I choose to serve to honor You. 

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Child Raising, Child Rearing, Disciplemaking, Evangelism, Friends, God's Will, Parenting, Scripture, Surrender, Testimony, Witnessing

SEARCHING, SEARCHING

2 TIMOTHY 1:17 

“but when he was in Rome, he eagerly searched for me and found me—”  

Have you ever done a search for something? Of course, you have. It may have been your keys, your wallet, your purse, or, heaven forbid, your child. Sometimes the search can get frantic. You get nervous and run around like you are crazy. All you can think about is that lost item. 

Onesiphorus didn’t just look for Paul. He “eagerly searched” for him. This particular, Greek word for “eagerly” only occurs three times (Luke 7:4, here and Titus 3:13. It means to act speedingly or diligently. He didn’t waste any time. At this time, Paul was in his last imprisonment. Perhaps Onesiphorus knew time was short. He wanted to get to Paul before it was too late. 

APPLICATION 

I hate to sound like an alarmist, but time is short. We need to be searching for as many people as we can to bring them the Gospel. There is no time to waste. And as we are doing that, we need to be teaching our children to do the same. People, just like Paul, are in prison – the prison of sin. They are in chains.  

Just like Onesiphorus, we are to bring comfort and not be ashamed of those we reach out to. Is there someone in your family or your neighborhood for whom you are praying to receive Christ? Take your children with you to share the Gospel. Invite them over to dinner so they can see your family living out the Christ life.  But whatever you, don’t do nothing. 

Who reached out to you? Do you remember? Do you recall the joy you felt at hearing the good news for the first time? Don’t hold that to yourself. Seek out those around you are chained to sin with no hope of escape. Free them with the Gospel. 

Father God, You are the one who sends us to the lost. Show me whom You would have me go after. Give me the opportunity to to just be Jesus. 

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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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Advice, Blameless, Child Raising, Child Rearing, Commands, Contentment, Family, Gifts, Giving, Heaven, Obedience, Parenting, Treasures

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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Advice, Bible, Child Rearing, Christ's Return, Christianity, Comfort, Commands, Direction, Disciplemaking, Encouragement, Family, Forgiveness, Mentoring, Modeling, Obedience, Pastors, Resurrection

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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Bible, Child Raising, Child Rearing, Commands, Disciplemaking, Encouragement, Family, Grace, Light, Love

PREACHER MAN

2 TIMOTHY 1:11 

“for which I was appointed a preacher and an apostle and a teacher.”  

I’ve got a friend who calls me “Preacher Man.” He says it with love, and I receive it that way. I cherish that title. Do you know why? Because of what it means. The Greek word for “preacher” used here in today’s verse is only used three times in the New Testament. Isn’t that amazing? You would think “preacher” would be used a lot more. Paul uses it in 1 Timothy 2:7, here and it is used again in 2 Peter 2:5 where it refers to Noah as a preacher of righteousness. 

But what does the word mean? It means someone who proclaims Christ with passion and authority. Not too shabby, huh? So, I love being known as a preacher man. You could be one too. In fact, we should all be preachers, telling the world with passion and excitement about Christ. 

APPLICATION 

What are your children excited about? Will your son talk for days about the newest video game? How about your daughter? Is she enthralled with the latest fashions? Get them talking about their favorite stuff and see how jacked up they get. That’s passion! They are so glad to talk about the stuff that demands their time and attention. 

Now, ask them how excited they are about sharing their faith. Cold water! Most kids don’t get excited about witnessing. I understand that. It can be intimidating. But the Lord wants us just as excited sharing about Him as we are about our interests. Help your children get that passion to “preach” Jesus. There is big world out there that needs a Savior.  

Are you committed to “preach”? Are you sold out on loving Jesus and telling everyone you know about it? God surely smiles down on His children who are busy about His business. Ask the Lord for the opportunity to pass on the best story ever told AND watch what God does in and through you. 

Father, You are worthy of all my praise. Help me spread Your story everywhere I go.  

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Child Raising, Child Rearing, Comfort, Encouragement, Faith, Family, God's Will, Grace, Heaven, Light, Love, Parenting, Testimony

SPOTLIGHT

2 TIMOTHY 1:10 

“but now has been revealed by the appearing of our Savior Christ Jesus, who abolished death and brought life and immortality to light through the gospel,”  

I don’t know why, but every time I see the Greek word phaneroo in the New Testament I think of a spotlight. The phrase “has been revealed” in today’s verse is that word. It can be translated “manifested” as well. It means to make visible with light. 

People spotlight stuff all the time. They spotlight the preacher on the stage. They spotlight the front door at Christmas to show off the wreath or welcome sign. Some people spotlight their whole house. Whatever they decide to spotlight, it is to make sure others see it without a problem. You don’t spotlight something you are trying to hide. 

APPLICATION 

So, I said to myself, “Self, what is Paul telling us in this verse? What is God spotlighting?” I believe it is His grace. His grace is spotlighted through the resurrection of Jesus, which “abolished death and brought life and immortality to light through the gospel.”  How do you explain this to your children? 

Go into their room with a flashlight. Ask them to pick out something in their room which everyone needs to see to get out of that room (door, door handle). Now cut off the lights and look around the room with the flashlight until you see it. Turn on the lights and ask them if they think God wants everyone to find the door to heaven. That’s why He sent Jesus to die and rise again. He is the spotlighted door that leads to heaven. 

Now, that may sound super simplistic, but children need concrete, visible illustrations sometimes. I am sure someone could take that illustration and destroy it theologically if they tried. That’s okay. The truth still stands – God is not trying to hide the way to heaven. He has manifested it (spotlighted) for everyone to see. Will you shine for Him? 

I proudly shine my testimony which is a direct result of Your manifested power of grace in and through Jesus Christ. Help me to always get out of the way of that door to glory and let others see it clearly in You. 

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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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