Tuesday, February 28, 2017
Humble, Gentle, and Persistent Correction When Necessary
241 - Today's Prime Time Devo comes from 2Ti 2:23-26, “ But avoid foolish and ignorant disputes, knowing that they generate strife. 24 And a servant of the Lord must not quarrel but be gentle to all, able to teach, patient, 25 in humility correcting those who are in opposition, if God perhaps will grant them repentance, so that they may know the truth, 26 and that they may come to their senses and escape the snare of the devil, having been taken captive by him to do his will.
Let's try to get a better understanding of these verses by using an example from the New Testament where Paul and others had to confront dangerous false teachings and practices in the fledgling congregations. These congregations began as people gladly received the gospel, but it wasn't long before bad teachings and practices crept back in. Mostly because the people lacked further instruction. Paul and the others had moved on to plant other churches and the vacuum was often filled by cleverly laid snares of the devil. In fact the letters of the New Testament were written in part to confront these various unhealthy teachings with a tone of gentleness and humility, seeking to patiently teach and correct any misguided notions! For example, sexual promiscuity had wriggled it's way into the church at Corinth, so much so that a man was guilty of incest and the members of the congregation were actually proud of their acceptance of such a sinner in their midst. By the way, don't use this example as a starting point for church discipline or correction. Sexual immorality needs to be addressed in ALL it's forms! All manner of fornication (sexual sin) had been given the green light in the church, mainly because the people were surrounded by it in their culture. (Sound familiar?) And this had to be corrected with humble gentle patient teaching from the Word of God. If left unchallenged it would be a snare that played right into the devil's hands who desires that all men be separated from God as he is! So Paul gently yet firmly teaches in 1Co 6:9-11, “Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived. Neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor homosexuals, nor sodomites, 10 nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners will inherit the kingdom of God.” Then he reminds them that as new creations in Christ they no longer have to be identified by these sins he says in v11, “And such were some of you. But you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God.” Friend, stop being overpowered by the influence of the world and start being overpowered by the Holy Spirit through the Word of God!
Monday, February 27, 2017
How To Handle Doctrinal Spats
240 - Today's Prime Time Devo comes from 2Ti 2:23-26, “ But avoid foolish and ignorant disputes, knowing that they generate strife. 24 And a servant of the Lord must not quarrel but be gentle to all, able to teach, patient, 25 in humility correcting those who are in opposition, if God perhaps will grant them repentance, so that they may know the truth, 26 and that they may come to their senses and escape the snare of the devil, having been taken captive by him to do his will.
(2 Tim 2:23-26)
Oh the battles that have been fought in congregations over the most absurd things! What color should the carpeting be? I have read stories on the internet about actual church splits over the spelling of alleluia! Some wanted it with an “H” others did not. Some have argued over what brand of coffee should be served! Another biggie is they style of worship. Should it be contemporary or traditional worship or a mix of both. And when you hear the words, “we've never done it that way before,” brace yourself, another battle is about to begin.
These preceding examples are silly of course, and Paul's advice to Timothy and us is to not get drawn into these silly battles, rather keep the main thing the main thing! I know of fewer things that can turn people off concerning the church than serving on a board where many of these arguments take place.
But I think Paul is talking about more than adiophora here because he uses the word ignorant, which means the uninstructed, and he speaks of the need of repentance unto salvation.
The uninstructed speaks of new believers, a little wet behind the ears, yet very zealous for the faith and what they believe. Many times in their healthy quest for knowledge, they will garner it from unhealthy sources. They'll read books and listen to teachings that seem really cool and plausible to them, and no one is going to tell them otherwise! These often spectacular speculations are nothing but straw, chaff that will be blown away under the careful instruction in the Word of God!
And this is Paul's encouragement to Timothy to fight these dangerous teachings. No need to quarrel with these troublemakers, rather continue to humbly and patiently teach the truth of God's Word and let the Holy Spirit do the rest!
Friday, February 24, 2017
How to Get Out of the Maze of Pursuing Youthful Lusts
239 - Today's Prime Time Devo comes from 2Ti 2:22, “Flee also youthful lusts; but pursue righteousness, faith, love, peace with those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart.”
How do we get out of the self-inflicted maze produced by following our youthful lusts? As we mentioned last time, the first step is to repent. Turn around! To keep entertaining these lusts just leads you deeper and deeper into the maze!
Once you have decided to turn around, start walking. As you walk, read God's Word with a humble heart that is open to instruction. Pay attention to those words that define right behavior and wrong behavior. (Righteousness and unrighteousness) As you seek to walk out of the maze, you will be faced with corners where you will have to make decisions about right behavior and wrong behavior. Pursue right!
As you continue walking out of the maze, you will be faced with opportunities to exercise faith. These are blind alleys that you choose to go down, by trusting the promises of God;'s Word. An example might be something from Mal 3:10 which says, “Bring all the tithes into the storehouse, That there may be food in My house, And try Me now in this," Says the LORD of hosts, "If I will not open for you the windows of heaven And pour out for you such blessing That there will not be room enough to receive it.” That's a faith building promise! Pursue faith!
And as you continue seeking your way out of the maze, you will also be faced with the choice of exercising love. Will you pursue love or will you walk on the other side of the road ignoring that person in the ditch? Pursue love!
Finally pursue peace (oneness) with those crazy born again Christians that you once disdained as you blindly pursued your youthful lusts. Connect with them
by finding a Bible believing church. A church that will help you discern right from wrong. A church that will challenge you to exercise faith, and a church that will give you opportunities to love on one another.
Be that kind of a righteousness, faith, and love pursuing church, and those millennials who have disappeared from the pews will have the opportunity to find their way back to the path of life they have been seeking.
Thursday, February 23, 2017
Help Me Out of This Maze
237 - Today's Prime Time Devo comes from 2Ti 2:22, “Flee also youthful lusts; but pursue righteousness, faith, love, peace with those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart.”
Flee those youthful lusts! Leave them in the dust! You know what they are! You understand the rebellion of the youth! You were there once yourself. David sums them up in his prayer from Ps 25:7, as he pleads with the Lord, “Do not remember the sins of my youth, nor my transgressions; According to Your mercy remember me, For Your goodness' sake, O LORD.”
There is much lamenting in the church today about the exodus of the young people from the pews. And this Psalm of David's provides useful instruction for us all in this regard. As I was reviewing this Psalm, I have a note that subtitles this Psalm “Help Me Out Of This Maze.”
The path of following youthful lusts inevitably leads to a life of distress, desolation, affliction and pain. See Ps 25:16-18! Picture this as being deep in the bowels of a maze, because the word “paths” shows up twice in this Psalm, and the word “way” shows up three times! Then we read phrases like this in this Psalm, “Show me,” “lead me,” “teach me,” “He teaches,” (twice) “teach in the way,” “He will show,” and finally, “bring me out.”
This young person (David) is lost in a maze and he desires to be led out of his distress, desolation, affliction, and pain. This is where we find many of the millennials today. They want out of this self-inflicted maze, but they don't know where to turn. They try returning to church for a while, but for some reason, in many cases there remains a disconnect. There may be a lot of generalities being preached, but general instructions won't get anyone out of a maze!
What millennials need, indeed, what we all need is specific instructions to find our way out of the maze. God promises that instruction to those who humbly admit they are sinners and plead for His mercy and grace which is a recurring theme of PS 25. Isa 30:19 says, “You shall weep no more. He will be very gracious to you at the sound of your cry; When He hears it, He will answer you. And in Isa 30:21 we read, “ 21 Your ears shall hear a word behind you, saying, "This is the way, walk in it," Whenever you turn to the right hand Or whenever you turn to the left. This is what the church needs to be steadfastly proclaiming. “This is the way!” “Thus saith the Lord!” Specifics, not generalities! Then in a spirit of humility and repentance, we and the millennials are ready for God's A Maze Ing grace!
Wednesday, February 22, 2017
Trouble With A Capital T
237 - Today's Prime Time Devo comes from 2Ti 2:22, “Flee also youthful lusts; but pursue righteousness, faith, love, peace with those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart.”
I think it's important to remind ourselves every now and then, that this is Paul's last letter. It's the last bit of information that the Holy Spirit passes on to us through Paul. Parting words have special emphasis. I can't help but think of the parting words of Jesus found in Jn 13 through Jn 17, and of course the gems He left with His disciples after His resurrection!
So Paul reminds young Timothy to first of all “flee youthful lusts.” Our first thought in this regard is sexual immorality, but hold on. If that's what the Holy Spirit meant, then He would've said it. Besides that's already a given for young and old alike! See 1 Cor 6:18
To paraphrase these three words in the Greek, it would read as follows: Run away from juvenile longings for what is forbidden.
Think back to your juvenile years. How many wrong ideas did you have about living? How many wrong ideas did you have about living the Christian life? How many wrong ideas did you have about God and the Bible? These wrong ideas were often fueled by a desire to taste of forbidden fruit that is inherent in our flesh. The devil is very active in these years, constantly using his age old tactic, “Did God really say?” And many of us fell for it to our own hurt and the hurt of others.
All those years under the iron fisted rule of your parents, and now you are starting to test the waters. You see others tasting of the fruit and they are having a grand time, why not you? Riotous living beckons the young person just as it beckoned the Prodigal son! Flee from it! And the trick to fleeing from anything is to turn heel and pursue something else. In this case, “righteousness, faith, love, peace”
Young people, take up the challenge early! Purpose in your heart to pursue these things! Don't fall for the devil's schemes. Be like the young people that John wrote about in 1Jo 2:14, “I have written to you, young men, Because you are strong, and the word of God abides in you, And you have overcome the wicked one.” Overcome the wicked one by relying on the Word of God and “flee those youthful lusts. Believe me, they are nothing but trouble with a capital T.
Tuesday, February 21, 2017
Their Love of Iniquity Gives Them Away
236 - Today's Prime Time Devo comes from 2Ti 2:19b, “The Lord knows those who are His," and, "Let everyone who names the name of Christ depart from iniquity." 20 But in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and silver, but also of wood and clay, some for honor and some for dishonor. 21 Therefore if anyone cleanses himself from the latter, he will be a vessel for honor, sanctified and useful for the Master, prepared for every good work.” (2 Tim 2:19b-21)
The word “but” in verse 20, ties the thought into the preceding verse which stated that the Lord knows those who are His. He knows His vessels of honor and likens them to the preciousness of gold and silver. These vessels have named Christ as their Lord and Savior and evidenced their faith by departing from iniquity.
The great house here is the church. In the church you will find both the precious saints of gold and silver, and the hypocrites of wood and clay. These vessels or persons are those who are common in that they lack the necessary refinement brought about by true faith and the indwelling Holy Spirit. These vessels may confess Christ with their lips, (they're in the house) but their love of iniquity gives them away. Jesus said in Mt 15:7,8 "Hypocrites! Well did Isaiah prophesy about you, saying: 8 'These people draw near to Me with their mouth, And honor Me with their lips, But their heart is far from Me. (Mt 5:7,8)
Is there hope for the hypocrite? Of course! “Therefore if anyone cleanses himself from the latter, he will be a vessel for honor, sanctified and useful for the Master, prepared for every good work.” The technique for cleansing is found in 1Jo 1:9 If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
Once cleansed of our sins, we are sanctified, (made holy) and fit for whatever task the Master puts before us. When do you break out the silver in your house? On special occasions of course! God saved you by grace through faith. He made you a vessel of silver and gold and He has prepared occasions especially for you. (See Eph 2:8-10) Be ready! Depart from iniquity, polish that gold and silver up on a regular basis through confession! Tarnished vessels are not fit for the kingdom of God!
Monday, February 20, 2017
The Matter of Cheap Grace
235 - Today's Prime Time Devo comes from 2Ti 2:19 Nevertheless the solid foundation of God stands, having this seal: "The Lord knows those who are His," and, "Let everyone who names the name of Christ depart from iniquity."
Well, this should take care of that gospel of cheap grace. If you are wondering what is meant by cheap grace, it simply means some people have the wrong notion that once you profess to be a Christian you can live as you please! No need to change or attempt to change, God is all love, all grace, and He certainly wouldn't send anyone to hell, especially one who says with their lips that they believe in God! But God's foundation is solid, it doesn't teeter, and it has a seal on it, and if you look at this seal, it says two things. (1) God knows who are truly His! He knows the heart! And a heart that has true saving faith will (2) seek to depart from iniquity! (Sin) Faith without works is dead! (James 2:17) Dietrich Bonhoeffer in his classic work, “The Cost of Discipleship” defined cheap grace as follows: Cheap grace is the grace we bestow on ourselves. Cheap grace is the preaching of forgiveness without requiring repentance, baptism without church discipline, communion without confession.....cheap grace is grace without discipleship, grace without the cross, grace without Jesus Christ living and incarnate.”
I would add here, “pick your cross up and start denying yourself the pleasures of sin! 1Jo 3:6 says, “Whoever abides in Him does not sin. Whoever sins has neither seen Him nor known Him.” It's not that the Christian is sinless, but the one who truly professes Christ, doesn't blow off his sin with cheap grace! Rather he has godly sorrow over his sins and desires to turn (repent) from them. There are many areas where this cheap grace shows up today, but it is especially evident in the sin of fornication. (living in a sexual relationship outside the bounds of marriage) Have you not heard 1Co 6:9,10? “Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived. Neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor homosexuals, nor sodomites, 10 nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners will inherit the kingdom of God.” It doesn't have to be that way! Look at the next verse! “ 11 And such were some of you. But you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God.”
Don't let these sins identify you! Be identified as a cross carrying child of God as you seek to turn from them and receive God's forgiveness through the blood bought expensive grace of the cross of Jesus!
Friday, February 17, 2017
Warning: It Will All Be Sorted Out In the End
234 - Today's Prime Time Devo comes from 2Ti 2:17-19, “And their message will spread like cancer. Hymenaeus and Philetus are of this sort, 18 who have strayed concerning the truth, saying that the resurrection is already past; and they overthrow the faith of some. 19 Nevertheless the solid foundation of God stands, having this seal: "The Lord knows those who are His," and, "Let everyone who names the name of Christ depart from iniquity." (2 Tim 2:17-19)
False teachers like Hymenaeus and Philetus will always be with us. We are to shun them whenever their false teachings become evident and they refuse to recant. Their brand of false teaching centered around denying the bodily resurrection, which is a foundational truth adhered to by those who profess to be Christians. Ro 10:9 says, “that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.”
Spiritualizing the resurrection is just one brand of false teaching there are others that also have the potential to “overthrow the faith of some.” Things like denying the virgin birth, denying the deity or humanity of Christ, and so forth.
That's why most churches and Christian organizations will often craft a “statement of faith.” This statement of faith is useful in sorting out what a church preaches, teaches, and believes about God! As useful as these statements can be, there is something even more useful and certain. The solid foundation of God, His true Church, and all it's teachings with Jesus as its head, stands. It will never teeter or fall. God knows the true members of His church, because God knows the heart! Jer 17:10 says, “I, the LORD, search the heart, I test the mind, Even to give every man according to his ways, According to the fruit of his doings.”
In the end, any hypocrites and false teachers will be weeded out and dealt with appropriately by God as we hear in these sobering words from Jesus in the parable of the wheat and the tares, where the hypocrite are labeled as tares: Mt 13:30 'Let both grow together until the harvest, and at the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, "First gather together the tares and bind them in bundles to burn them, but gather the wheat into my barn."'
So to the actors, (the hypocrites) I say, “You know who you are, God knows who you are! Repent, stop your acting! You say, “but I don't know how to stop?” I didn't either, until the day I simply prayed, “God, I'm tired of playing the hypocrite!” Believe me, that's a prayer He longs to hear and will answer in His perfect timing.
It is His desire that ALL come to repentance! (2 Pet 3:9)
Thursday, February 16, 2017
What To Do When the Door Knockers Come To Your House
233 - Today's Prime Time Devo comes from 2Ti 2:16-18, “ But shun profane and idle babblings, for they will increase to more ungodliness. 17 And their message will spread like cancer. Hymenaeus and Philetus are of this sort, 18 who have strayed concerning the truth, saying that the resurrection is already past; and they overthrow the faith of some.” (2 Tim 2:16-18)
Paul tells Timothy, and you and I to shun, or turn our backs on false teachings. They must not be allowed to co-exist with the true teachings of the church. You can't preach and teach certain truths of the gospel side by side with a false teaching such as Hymenaeus and Philetus were peddling, namely that there is no bodily resurrection.
This is the problem with the cults of today. They mix just enough truth (side by side) with lies in order to beguile others, in hopes of leading them away. There are cults even now who come knocking at our doors who “spiritualize” the bodily resurrection just as Hymenaeus and Philetus did. Some will also deny the very deity of Christ.
And once they have peaked your interest, they will continue the deadly potion of truth mixed with ever increasing lies, and this mix will spread like cancer and if not checked, it will be just as deadly, overthrowing the faith of some. False teaching is like a snowball hurtling down a mountain on it's way to hell, gathering more and more false teachings along the way. What to do? Paul says to Timothy, “shun them,” turn your back on them immediately.
We have this tendency to engage the door knockers in debate, thinking this is the Christian thing to do, but, this is not what the Bible tells us to do. 2Jo 1:9-11 gives us the following instructions. “ Whoever transgresses and does not abide in the doctrine of Christ does not have God. He who abides in the doctrine of Christ has both the Father and the Son. 10 If anyone comes to you and does not bring this doctrine, do not receive him into your house nor greet him; 11 for he who greets him shares in his evil deeds.”
Personally, I recommend typing these verses up on an index card and have it handy when they come knocking on your door. Don't engage in debate, just give them the card and let the Word of God contained in these three verses debate for you!
Wednesday, February 15, 2017
Beware of "thresholds" (profane babblings) They Are Gateways To Overthrown Faith
232 - Today's Prime Time Devo comes from 2Ti 2:16-18, “ But shun profane and idle babblings, for they will increase to more ungodliness. 17 And their message will spread like cancer. Hymenaeus and Philetus are of this sort, 18 who have strayed concerning the truth, saying that the resurrection is already past; and they overthrow the faith of some.” (2 Tim 2:16-18)
Paul tells Timothy, and you and I to shun, or turn our backs on “profane and idle babblings.” Okay, we know what babblings are. They are empty sounding words, and in this case fruitless as far as the satisfaction of mans need for salvation. Shun them! Turn away from them!
But what is a PROFANE babbling? The word “profane” means “threshold. What a strange synonym for profane! But the idea of thresholds in the Bible is they are gateways. These gateways are often associated with entrance-ways to the temples of idols. 1Sa 5:4 speaks of the threshold into the temple of the Philistine god Dagon, and in Eze 43:8 we read of the danger of allowing the threshold of idolatry to exist side by side with the threshold of the Temple of God! "When they set their threshold by My threshold, and their doorpost by My doorpost, with a wall between them and Me, they defiled My holy name by the abominations which they committed; therefore I have consumed them in My anger.
This was the issue with Hymenaeus and Philetus, who were teaching”side by side” with the gospel, that there is no such thing as a bodily resurrection. Such teachers and teachings are to be shunned because if they are allowed to continue they will overthrow the faith of some.
Beware of those who deny a bodily resurrection, it is part of the fundamental doctrine of Christ. Remember as Paul has stated in 2Ti 2:8, “that Jesus Christ, of the seed of David, was raised from the dead according to my gospel,” and in Ro 10:9 that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.
The bodily resurrection is the blessed hope of the follower of Christ, and if someone is going to even hint at denying it....well, that thing above the threshold is called a door. Don't let it hit you on your behind on the way out.
Tuesday, February 14, 2017
Pastors, Teachers, Be diligent!
231 - Today's Prime Time Devo comes from 2Ti 2:15 Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth. (2 Tim 2:15)
Paul challenges Timothy and all others who would teach and preach the Word of God, we must ever be conscious of the fact that we are not just preparing sermons and teachings for men, but we are also presenting ourselves to God in everything that we say and do in regard to His Word. We must come to the pulpit, the lectern, the microphone, confident that God will approve what we are about to proclaim or teach.
If we would keep that in mind, it might guard us against careless handling of the Word of God, sloppy preparation of material, arrogant opinions, and preaching for the sake of pleasing others. We are in this for no other reason than to please our Commanding Officer! As we read in 2 Tim 2:4, “ that he may please him who enlisted him as a soldier.”
Don't miss the fact that he uses the term “workers!” We are workers, we toil, in the Word just as the Apostles did as we read in Ac 6:4 "but we will give ourselves continually to prayer and to the ministry of the word." This study includes proper hermeneutics! Don't let that big word throw you, it concerns the matter of proper biblical interpretation. Context, style of writing, and of course Scripture interpreting Scripture are all important parts of proper interpretation and that takes work! Such workers who have prayerfully approached the Word of God, beseeching the Holy Spirit to guide their message or teaching, need not be ashamed.
The idea of rightly dividing the word of truth is to make a straight cut. Think in terms of a mason cutting a stone, or the work of a tailor, or perhaps a tentmaker like Paul. A straight cut in their line of work will ensure that the finished product will fit. For the preacher/teacher of the Word of God, a straight cut will ensure that the Word of God fits a given situation. Sometimes the gospel is needed, sometimes the Law! Stay true to the Word of God, for it is sharp and living on it's own and the Holy Spirit is able to use it to comfort the afflicted and afflict the comfortable!
Monday, February 13, 2017
Take These Teachings At Their Word
229 - Today's Prime Time Devo comes from 2Ti 2:14, “Remind them of these things, charging them before the Lord not to strive about words to no profit, to the ruin of the hearers.” (2 Tim 2:14)
What things? The things spoken of from verse 8 to verse 13, namely the things of the creed! The virgin birth of the promised Messiah through the lineage of David! The resurrection! And the portrayal of the truth of Mk 16:16 found in verses 11 through 13. “He who believes and is baptized shall be saved, but he who does not believe will be condemned.
These doctrinal issues are non-negotiable and the Holy Spirit makes that plain with very strong language! Timothy and those who would follow in his footsteps, (passing the faith along,) are to charge their disciples (students) before the Lord not to dispute these truths.
To charge before the Lord is to take an oath, (no small thing) testifying earnestly to the importance of these doctrines. Do not strive about words, do not strain the gnat with your teeth as you seek to justify any other doctrines than these. Such arguments profit nobody and only create confusion, a confusion that could be the ruin of others within earshot.
Be careful in handling these doctrines. Take them at their Word, lest you ruin the faith of others. The word “ruin” here is synonymous with apostasy, a turning away from the true faith!
Yes, sometimes these doctrines passed along by Paul are impossible to comprehend with our finite minds, but the Holy Spirit tells us concerning Paul in 2Pe 3:16-18 “as also in all his epistles, speaking in them of these things, in which are some things hard to understand, which untaught and unstable people twist to their own destruction, as they do also the rest of the Scriptures. 17 You therefore, beloved, since you know this beforehand, beware lest you also fall from your own steadfastness, being led away with the error of the wicked; 18 but grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To Him be the glory both now and forever. Amen.
Twisting the Word of God, leads to destruction. Rather than twisting it to fit your understanding, when uncertainty creeps in, cry out like the man in Mr 9:24 who said to Jesus, "Lord, I believe; help my unbelief!"
Friday, February 10, 2017
Be Teachable
229 - Today's Prime Time Devo comes from 2Ti 2:14, “Remind them of these things, charging them before the Lord not to strive about words to no profit, to the ruin of the hearers.” (2 Tim 2:14)
What things? Obviously the things that Paul has been speaking about in the preceding verses. The word “remind” here is interesting, it means, “to bring to remembrance quietly.” No need to get in a shouting match with others over these essential matters of doctrine. Pr 15:1,2 reminds us, “A soft answer turns away wrath, But a harsh word stirs up anger. 2 The tongue of the wise uses knowledge rightly, But the mouth of fools pours forth foolishness.” And in Pr 25:15 we read, “ a gentle tongue breaks a bone.”
There is an old saying that “he who raises his voice has lost the argument.” I like the quote from the Nobel peace prize winning Anglican bishop Desmond Tutu, who said “Don't raise your voice, improve your argument."...
Doctrinal arguments are improved by prayerful study of Scriptures. Pray before you open them up! Pray that the Holy Spirit would open them up to you! It's part of His job! Jesus said in Joh 14:26 "But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you.” And in Joh 16:13 "However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth; for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak; and He will tell you things to come.”
He won't teach you these things if you are not correctable! Be correctable! Don't you know that you will not know it all this side of heaven? Pr 12:1 says, “Whoever loves instruction loves knowledge, But he who hates correction is stupid.” There is a spiritual law at work connected to HOW we hear the Word of God. Jesus said in Lu 8:18 "Therefore take heed HOW you hear. For whoever has, to him more will be given; and whoever does not have, even what he seems to have will be taken from him."
The more teachable and correctable, you are in your approach to Scripture, the more light you will be given, the Bible becomes more and more an open Book and you will be amazed at how much you will see the concept of Scripture interpreting Scripture at work!
Thursday, February 9, 2017
The Fourth "If"
227 - Today's Prime Time Devo comes from 2Ti 2:11-13) This is a faithful saying: For if we died with Him, We shall also live with Him. 12 If we endure, We shall also reign with Him. If we deny Him, He also will deny us. 13 If we are faithless, He remains faithful; He cannot deny Himself. (2 Tim 2:11-13)
The use of the phrase “faithful saying” here tells us that this is important stuff. This is a saying that is jam-packed with truth. Truth that will be assuring for those who receive it! There are four “ifs” that “if” acted on will produce the accompanying results. The first “if”, as we have discussed, is linked to being crucified with Christ in the Christian act of baptism. (Rom 6:4-6, Col 2:12) The second “if” is linked to enduring faith. (Believing to the end) These two “ifs” are summarized in Mk 16:16a "He who believes and is baptized will be saved;” The third “if” has a negative result and is summarized in Mk 16:16b, “he who does not believe will be condemned.”
The fourth “if” really ought to get our attention. If we are faithless, He remains faithful. Though we may turn away from Him, and be faithless with our confession, there is no “shadow of turning in Him,” (Jas 1:17) Jesus Christ is the same, “yesterday, today, and forever!.” (Heb 13:8) He remains faithful to His Word! And He says in Joh 3:3, "Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God." And He commands us in Mt 28:19 "Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and in Mr 16:16 He says, “"He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned.”This is what Jesus says, there are no exceptions! We can do all sorts of mental gymnastics with His Word, twisting and turning it to our liking, But the word of the LORD endures forever." (1 Pet 1:25) The Good News is we also know that He doesn't give up in His pursuit of the faithless! 2Pe 3:9 says, “The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.” Have you played the prodigal, despising the faith of your youth, making your baptism of no avail? Well the Father is waiting for you to repent and return! Have you always resisted the grace of God and disavowed Jesus? Again the Father waits for you to repent and come to Him! Though you be faithless, He remains faithful in the promises of His Word! He who believes and is baptized shall be saved, he who believes not will be condemned!
Wednesday, February 8, 2017
The Third "If"
227 - Today's Prime Time Devo comes from 2Ti 2:11-13) This is a faithful saying: For if we died with Him, We shall also live with Him. 12 If we endure, We shall also reign with Him. If we deny Him, He also will deny us. 13 If we are faithless, He remains faithful; He cannot deny Himself. (2 Tim 2:11-13)
The use of the phrase “faithful saying” here tells us that this is important stuff. This is a saying that is jam-packed with truth. Truth that will be assuring for those who receive it! There are four “ifs” that “if” acted on will produce the accompanying results.
The first “if” as we have discussed is linked to being crucified with Christ in the Christian act of baptism. (Rom 6:4-6, Col 2:12)
The second “if” is linked to enduring faith. (Believing to the end) These two “ifs” are summarized in Mk 16:16a "He who believes and is baptized will be saved;”
The third “if” has a negative result. “If we deny Him, He also will deny us.” The word “deny” here means “disavow.” So the one who denies Jesus is one without faith in Jesus. This third “if” reflects the second part of Mark 16:16 which says, “but he who does not believe (disavows if you will) will be condemned.”
Understand what's being said here, understand what the Holy Spirit is speaking through Paul with these four “ifs” He is basically rephrasing Mr 16:16 "He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned.
Baptism has wonderful benefits to be sure, but baptism alone will not save you, it must be accompanied by God-given faith in Jesus Christ! Believe, be baptized, be saved, but believe not and you are condemned, baptized or not!
There are two errors typically made in this regard. One error is made by those who are relying solely on their baptism for salvation apart from necessary faith, and the other error is to devalue the importance of baptism. Seems to me, it would be wise to put the proper emphasis on the importance of both......eternity is at stake.
Tuesday, February 7, 2017
The Second "If"
225 - Today's Prime Time Devo comes from 2Ti 2:11-13) This is a faithful saying: For if we died with Him, We shall also live with Him. 12 If we endure, We shall also reign with Him. If we deny Him, He also will deny us. 13 If we are faithless, He remains faithful; He cannot deny Himself. (2 Tim 2:11-13)
The use of the phrase “faithful saying” here tells us that this is important stuff. This is a saying that is jam-packed with truth. Truth that will be assuring for those who receive it! There are four “ifs” that “if” acted on will produce the accompanying results.
The first “if” as we discussed last time is linked to the Christian act of baptism. The second “if” is linked to enduring. Enduring what? Enduring faith! Faith that clings to Jesus and the Gospel to the end! Jesus said in Mt 24:13 "But he who endures to the end shall be saved.”
And in Re 21:7 we read, "He who overcomes (prevails) shall inherit all things, and I will be his God and he shall be My son.
And in Heb 10:39, “ But we are not of those who draw back to perdition, but of those who believe to the saving of the soul.”
These two “ifs”, “For if we died with Him (in baptism) we shall also live with Him, and if we endure, (keep the faith until the end) we shall also reign with Him,
confirm the truth of Mr 16:16a "He who believes (endures in the faith) and is baptized (the act of being buried with Christ and raised to new life) will be saved;
What blessed promises! New life and enduring faith that allows us to co-reign with Christ! Eph 2:4-6 says, “ But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, 5 even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), 6 and raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus,”
Cling to these two promises given to those who believe and are baptized, for they are as Paul writes, “faithful sayings!” 1Jo 5:13 says, “These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life, and that you may continue to believe in the name of the Son of God.”
Monday, February 6, 2017
The First "If"
225 - Today's Prime Time Devo comes from 2Ti 2:11-13) This is a faithful saying: For if we died with Him, We shall also live with Him. 12 If we endure, We shall also reign with Him. If we deny Him, He also will deny us. 13 If we are faithless, He remains faithful; He cannot deny Himself. (2 Tim 2:11-13)
The use of the phrase “faithful saying” here tells us that this is important stuff. This is a saying that is jam-packed with truth. Truth that will be assuring for those who receive it! There are four “ifs” that “if” acted on will produce the accompanying results.
The first “if” is past tense. It speaks of something that has happened to an individual that produces a specific undeniable result! Here it is: “If we died with Him, We shall also live with Him!”
When does an individual “die with Him, so that they also shall live with Him? When did that happen in your life? When did that happen in my life? Ro 6:4-6, links this death and new life to baptism, “Therefore we were buried with Him through baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. 5 For if we have been united together in the likeness of His death, certainly we also shall be in the likeness of His resurrection, 6 knowing this, that our old man was crucified with Him, that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves of sin.”
Col 2:12, also makes the connection! “buried with Him in baptism, in which you also were raised with Him through faith in the working of God, who raised Him from the dead.” Christians have differences about the “when” and “hows” of baptism, but one thing stands out......we all baptize! We all agree that it is important! And this first “if” in 2 Tim, ought to tell us why. “For if we die with Him (as we do in baptism) we shall also live with Him! No wonder the Ethiopian eunuch commanded the chariot to stop after Phillip explained the Gospel to him and asked to be baptized! (Ac 8:36) He wanted some of that “new life!” This portion of Timothy is a faithful saying! And it could be paraphrased with Mr 16:16 "He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned.
Friday, February 3, 2017
The Four "Ifs"
224 - Today's Prime Time Devo comes from 2Ti 2:11-13) This is a faithful saying: For if we died with Him, We shall also live with Him. 12 If we endure, We shall also reign with Him. If we deny Him, He also will deny us. 13 If we are faithless, He remains faithful; He cannot deny Himself. (2 Tim 2:11-13)
This is important stuff and a beautifully reassuring portion of Scripture for some, not so much for others. The Holy Spirit starts out by underlying the veracity of what is about to be said. “This is a faithful saying. It is entirely trustworthy! You can bet your soul on what is about to be said! I would add that these three verses are “filled with matters of the faith” ...hence faith full!
There are four “ifs”. Four conditions that are sure to produce their associated results. Two of these conditions have positive results, and two have negative. Note too, that the first “if” speaks of something that happened in the past. The second “if” speaks of the present. The third “if” speaks of the future, and the fourth “if” knows no time restrictions.....”He remains faithful!”
This is vital stuff! So much spiritual truth squeezed into three little verses! Let's take a look at these “ifs” beginning with the first one. “If we died with Him, We shall also live with Him.”
The first thought one might have as they read this is a promise for all martyrs of the church. While I believe martyrs have a special place in the heart of God, (see Rev 6:9-11) to limit this “faithful” promise to violent martyrdom, ignores the promises found here for all followers of Christ!
Do you not know that all Christians are martyrs in the sense that we must “die to self?” Jesus said in Mt 16:24,25, “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me. 25 "For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it.” And in Ga 5:24, “those who are Christ's have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.”
Next time, we'll look at the matter of crucifying the flesh. Father, thank You for these beautiful promises, may they resonate with all who hear this word!
Thursday, February 2, 2017
Be Prepared
223 - Today's Prime Time Devo comes from 2Ti 2:9b,10, “but the word of God is not chained. Therefore I endure all things for the sake of the elect, that they also may obtain the salvation which is in Christ Jesus with eternal glory.” (2 Tim 2:9b,10)
The Word of God knows no chains. A great example of this is found in Php 1:12,13 when Paul talks about his imprisonment, “ But I want you to know, brethren, that the things which happened to me have actually turned out for the furtherance of the gospel, 13 so that it has become evident to the whole palace guard, and to all the rest, that my chains are in Christ;”
Though chained, the palace guards were exposed to the gospel through Paul, and so Paul gladly endures the chains on his physical body, knowing that his continued witnessing by word and deed, may bring more people to Christ for the salvation of their souls. It is through faith in Christ that God has elected men to be saved!
The Word of God is not chained! I wonder how this truth would alter are own approach to sharing the gospel. Knowing that the Word of God is not tied down to our own particular circumstances. We can be a witness for Christ any time and in any place. Paul was in jail and he shared Christ, others may be in a hospital, a nursing home, a restaurant, paying it forward at a drive through, or even at a gathering of a bunch of tax collectors watching a Super Bowl game.
It's not necessary to barge into such places and start blasting away with the Word of God, but 1Pe 3:15 says, “sanctify the Lord God in your hearts, and always be ready to give a defense to everyone who asks you a reason for the hope that is in you, with meekness and fear;”
Who knows what will happen when you are prepared to do this? The unchained Word of God is powerful! Heb 4:12 tells us: “the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.” and Rom 1:16 says, “ For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek.”
Be prepared! You never know how or when the Holy Spirit will help you lead someone to Christ!
Wednesday, February 1, 2017
The Unchained Word of God
220 - Today's Prime Time Devo comes from 2Ti 2:9b, “but the word of God is not chained.”
If something is chained, it is restricted, it can only go so far and no more. It has limits! I remember some neighbors of our several years back. They had a dog and he was kept on a chain in their backyard. You could clearly see the boundaries of how far that dog could go because the grass was worn down in a perfect semi-circle.
It's like the devil, he has been on a chain ever since Jesus arrived on the scene and began his ministry on earth. This chain restricts the devils activities to our world. He can go no farther! He no longer has access to heaven as he did in the days of Job. He no longer has God's ear! He rants, raves, accuses, torments, us here on earth, but God is not listening to his accusations because Jesus wiped the slate clean with his sacrificial death and subsequent resurrection! The devil knows his time is short and getting shorter every day and so he rages with ever increasing intensity.
But, here's the Good News, God's Word is not chained! It has free reign on earth and in heaven! It is as stated in Isa 55:11, “So shall My word be that goes forth from My mouth; It shall not return to Me void, But it shall accomplish what I please, And it shall prosper in the thing for which I sent it.”
God's will is done on earth as it is in heaven, because His Word, unlike the devil, is unfettered! It is this Word that Jesus used to put the devil in his place when he sought to tempt Jesus in the wilderness. Jesus replied three times with the unchained Word of God when He said, “It is written!”
Set your mind on things above beloved, for it is the Source of the unchained Word of God. This Word has the power to bind and loose as Jesus said in Mt 18:18 "Assuredly, I say to you, whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.'
The Word of God is not chained, and by taking it in and trusting it by faith, you will experience true freedom in this life and forevermore!
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