Yearning For The Day

300 - Today's Prime Time Devo comes from 2Ti 4:7,8, “ I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. 8 Finally, there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give to me on that Day, and not to me only but also to all who have loved His appearing. (2 Tim 4:7,8) Paul continues the illustration of our Christian walk likened to an athletic contest. A race and a fight that is run to the end. At the end of the race the ribbons are handed out to all finishers! In this race, it's finishing that counts. That crown of righteousness was laid up in heaven for Paul, the moment he became a believer and is bestowed if he endures to the end in the matter of keeping the faith. This crown is the announcement of “not guilty” by God the Father for all those who placed and kept their faith in His Son Jesus Christ. I think part of the beauty of this statement is we don't have to be a spiritual giant like the Apostle Paul to receive this crown, but this crown is for all who have “loved the appearing” of Jesus. It is for all who long for the Day that Jesus will return and make all things new. This longing for “the Day” is a mark of every believer. The problem we often struggle with is, our flesh wants to hang onto the earth and all that is associated with it. We need to let go of these earthly things. Jesus told us to “Remember Lot's wife! (Lu 17:32) She didn't want to let go and was turned into a pillar of salt! And in Lu 9:59-62 we read, Then He said to another, "Follow Me." But he said, "Lord, let me first go and bury my father." 60 Jesus said to him, "Let the dead bury their own dead, but you go and preach the kingdom of God." 61 And another also said, "Lord, I will follow You, but let me first go and bid them farewell who are at my house." 62 But Jesus said to him, "No one, having put his hand to the plow, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God." It is the fit who finish races! Friends, we need to learn to “let goods and kindred go, this mortal life also” and have hearts that long for the appearing of Christ our King! In these Last Days, let us pray earnestly for an awakening of this yearning in our souls. “Lord give us the heart of the psalmist who prayed: “My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. When shall I come and appear before God? (Ps 42:2) and in Ps 143:6, “I spread out my hands to You; My soul longs for You like a thirsty land. The rest of Creation yearns for the second coming with Christ, (see Rom 8:20-22) cannot we do the same?

Heaven Is My Home

298 - Today's Prime Time Devo comes from 2Ti 4:6 For I am already being poured out as a drink offering, and the time of my departure is at hand. (2 Tim 4:6) This may seem silly to some, but I want to spend another day on this passage and talk about Paul's “departure” which is at hand. The beauty of the original intent of the word “departure” is what has caught my attention. The word carries with it the idea of someone loosening the pegs on a tent as they prepare to break camp, or, if you like, the loosening of a ship's mooring, when weighing anchor. Most of us have experienced this camping or boating activity in our lifetime, but not many of us have associated it with the process of dying. What a beautiful picture of someone leaving God's good earth for heaven's shores, or letting go of the temporary abode, breaking camp and heading to one's true home! I think most of us have sat at the bedside of a dying loved one, telling them that it's okay to let go and go home. It's almost like they have been waiting for us to loosen the pegs or to cast off the lines that are holding them to earth. For Paul, this casting off of earthly lines was something he had been looking forward to for a long time. He knew he had work to do yet while he was on earth, but he longed for the better, namely to be in heaven with Christ: Php 1:23 For I am hard pressed between the two, having a desire to depart and be with Christ, which is far better. This loosening of the pegs comes to all of us, (death is our lot should the Lord tarry) and a great comfort for all of us is found in the classic hymn: “Heaven is My Home” “I'm but a stranger here, heaven is my home. Earth is a desert drear,  Heaven is my home; Danger and sorrow stand Round me on every hand; Heaven is my fatherland, Heaven is my home. What though the tempest rage, Heaven is my home; Short is my pilgrimage, Heaven is my home; And time’s wintry blast Soon shall be over past; I shall reach home at last, Heaven is my home. Therefore I murmur not, Heaven is my home; Whatever my earthly lot, Heaven is my home; And I shall surely stand  There at my Lord’s right hand. Heaven is my fatherland, Heaven is my home. I hope this picture of letting loose of the mooring lines, and loosening the tent pegs will help you at those times when you are saying goodbye to loved ones, or even a help for all of us as we near our own time of departure! For as Paul said, “to be with Christ is far better!”

Poured Out

297 - Today's Prime Time Devo comes from 2Ti 4:6, “For I am already being poured out as a drink offering, (2 TI 4:6) Paul's life is being poured out as a drink offering. Truth be known, the pouring out began on that road to Damascus when he met Jesus! Ac 9:6 says this about the encounter: “So he, trembling and astonished, said, "Lord, what do You want me to do?" Then the Lord said to him, "Arise and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do." Then in Acts 9:15 we read of further instructions concerning Paul: “he is a chosen vessel of Mine to bear My name before Gentiles, kings, and the children of Israel.” Did you catch the word “vessel?” Paul, now filled with Jesus would pour his life out bearing the name of Jesus to the world! He used the same terminology in Php 2:17 Yes, and if I am being poured out as a drink offering on the sacrifice and service of your faith, I am glad and rejoice with you all.” But now Paul, on trial and in prison is nearing the end of his cup, the contents almost all gone, the offering is nearly complete. He compares his life of ministry to the Lord as a drink offering described for us in Num 15:1-10. This offering was poured out next to the altar and is always described as a sweet savor ( a delightful aroma) to the Lord. This same sweet savor is spoken of when Noah offered an offering to God after the flood. But wait! This offering, this delightful aroma is not restricted to spiritual giants like Noah and Paul, but for all who are filled with Jesus! 2Co 2:14 Now thanks be to God who always leads us in triumph in Christ, and through us diffuses the fragrance of His knowledge in every place. 15 For we are to God the fragrance of Christ among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing. 16 To the one we are the aroma of death leading to death, and to the other the aroma of life leading to life. And who is sufficient for these things?” Let us make our lives a prayer to God by being vessels ready to serve Him today: Heed the words of Paul in Ro 12:1 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service.” Present your body a daily sacrifice to the Lord and then keep your eyes open for opportunities to pour out Christ to others in word and deed! Pray, using the words of Paul on the road to Damascus when he said, "Lord, what do You want me to do?" Then the Lord said to him, "Arise and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do." The act of pouring out is completed when we do what the Lord tells us to do, and His instructions are found in His Word!

The Blood of the Martyrs

296 - Today's Prime Time Devo comes from 2Ti 4:6-8, “For I am already being poured out as a drink offering, and the time of my departure is at hand. 7 I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. 8 Finally, there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give to me on that Day, and not to me only but also to all who have loved His appearing.” Paul adds to the urgency of his charges to young Timothy by reminding him that the ball will soon be in his court. One commentator sums up these noble words of Paul this way: “The sun is setting blood red, but it shot through with golden glory!” What a beautiful picture of the death of a martyr. Indeed, what a beautiful picture of all who die in Jesus! The blood red struggles of the flesh are finally over and the saint is ushered into the golden glory of heaven! It is as Jesus assured the thief on the cross in Lu 23:43, “Assuredly, I say to you, today you will be with Me in Paradise." Of course, all shedding of human blood is an abomination to the Lord (Prov 6:16,17) and it doesn't go unnoticed. Abel's blood cried out to Him from the ground. (Gen 4:10). But the blood of the martyrs gets special attention from God as we read in Rev 6:9-11, “When He opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of those who had been slain for the word of God and for the testimony which they held. 10 And they cried with a loud voice, saying, "How long, O Lord, holy and true, until You judge and avenge our blood on those who dwell on the earth?" 11 Then a white robe was given to each of them; and it was said to them that they should rest a little while longer, until both the number of their fellow servants and their brethren, who would be killed as they were, was completed.” God's keeping track of His martyrs, and every time a child of God is martyred, we are that much closer to the end. A time when the blood red sunsets of God's children are shot through with golden glory once and for all. In spite of the seriousness of the sin of shedding innocent blood, it is important to remember that there is no sin that Jesus did not die for on the cross. Paul, who became a martyr himself was guilty of the sin of spilling the blood of some of God's precious martyrs, proving anew that through faith in Jesus all our sins are forgiven. Even the shedding of innocent blood!

Preach the Full Gospel

294 - Today's Prime Time Devo comes from 2Ti 4:5 But you be watchful in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry. (2 Tim 4:5) Paul continues his final instructions to Timothy, reminding him again that as he stands on the Word against false teachers afflictions will come his way. But he is to stand on the Word anyway and endure what may come his way. Timothy is charged with doing the work of an evangelist and fulfill his ministry. What is the work of an evangelist? It is to preach the gospel. Let the full preaching of the gospel be your service (ministry) Let it be heard from your preaching! Let it be pointed out in your teaching, and let it be used in your counseling. In short, let it be at the heart of your calling because it is! Jesus said 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, 20 "teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age." Amen. I wonder some times if we, in our earnestness to have conversions, skip over some of the things included in the gospel. Things that were clearly present in the early “evangelists” messages. For example, what was Peter's first message? He did not “skip” pointing out their sin of crucifying the Son of God, and here's what happened next: Ac 2:37 Now when they heard this, they were cut to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, "Men and brethren, what shall we do?" 38 Then Peter said to them, "Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. Peter's “full gospel message” included the necessity of repentance, and baptism, which would result in the remission of their sins and the receiving of the Holy Spirit! Another example is Phillip evangelizing the Ethiopian Eunuch: Ac 8:35 Then Philip opened his mouth, and beginning at this Scripture, preached Jesus to him. 36 Now as they went down the road, they came to some water. And the eunuch said, "See, here is water. What hinders me from being baptized?" How did the eunuch know the urgent importance of repentance and baptism if Phillip had not included it in his “full” message of Jesus? I think we would do well to go back to this “full” preaching of the Gospel! It's what we were told to do in the great commission and illustrated wonderfully for us in the early church! Preach sin! Preach the antidote for sin! Preach Jesus, Preach repentance. Preach baptism, and preach the promise of remission and the gift of the Holy Spirit!

Exercise Discretion

294 - Today's Prime Time Devo comes from 2Ti 4:5 But you be watchful in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry. (2 Tim 4:5) The word “watchful” here literally means to abstain from wine. Well that can't be what Paul means here, because he instructs Timothy in 1 Tim 5:23 to take a little wine for his stomach ailment. This “watchfulness then, must be taken figuratively. In that sense, watchfulness is taken to mean discreet. If you've ever seen someone who has had too much wine, you know that discretion is not part of their M.O. In fact, that's the problem with alcohol, it shuts off that part of the brain that enables you to be discreet. So Timothy, and all others (pastors) that follow in his footsteps are to exercise discernment and good judgment in “all things” and that would include their conduct and in their ability to test the teaching of others. Discretion often brings affliction, because the one exercising it, is not jumping on the bandwagon of false teaching with others. So afflictions will come the way of the man of God and they are to be endured. When affliction comes for standing on the Word of God, Timothy and all men of God, are not to go off on a binge of indiscretion and error to ease the pain! Endure the pain! It comes with the territory for being a follower of Christ, and standing on the Word of God. Jesus reminds us all that in this world we will face tribulation, but we are to be of good cheer for He has overcome the world! ( Joh 16:33) He also said in Joh 15:20 "Remember the word that I said to you, 'A servant is not greater than his master.' If they persecuted Me, they will also persecute you. If they kept My word, they will keep yours also.. And in Joh 16:1-3, “These things I have spoken to you, that you should not be made to stumble. 2 "They will put you out of the synagogues; yes, the time is coming that whoever kills you will think that he offers God service. 3 "And these things they will do to you because they have not known the Father nor Me.” The man of God who stands on the Word can expect this kind of reception on occasion. Gird up your loins for it! Expect it, and know that you are in good company! For Jesus also said in Mt 5:1,12, “"Blessed are you when they revile and persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely for My sake. 12 "Rejoice and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you. Affliction will come dear pastor, be watchful, and preach the Word anyway!

The Great Apostasy

292 - Today's Prime Time Devo comes from 2Ti 4:3,4) For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, because they have itching ears, they will heap up for themselves teachers; 4 and they will turn their ears away from the truth, and be turned aside to fables. (2 Tim 4:3,4) “The time will come.” What a prophetic warning from Paul to Timothy and to all who will follow in Timothy's shoes. There will be a defining moment of apostasy in the church of Jesus Christ when healthy doctrine will not be endured by professing Christians. This time of apostasy is as necessary as the preaching of the gospel throughout the entire world before the Lord Jesus returns. It is as Jesus said in Mt 24:11 "Then many false prophets will rise up and deceive many. 12 "And because lawlessness will abound, the love of many will grow cold. 13 "But he who endures to the end shall be saved. 14 "And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world as a witness to all the nations, and then the end will come. Paul spoke of this apostasy in his second letter to the Thessalonians: 2Th 2:1-3, “Now, brethren, concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our gathering together to Him, we ask you, 2 not to be soon shaken in mind or troubled, either by spirit or by word or by letter, as if from us, as though the day of Christ had come. 3 Let no one deceive you by any means; for that Day will not come unless the falling away comes first, and the man of sin is revealed, the son of perdition, Some say this apostasy has already occurred, prompting the reformation, others say it is still to come. No matter what you believe about this time of apostasy, it's most frightening aspect is the sheer numbers of people that will be or have been taken in! The apostasy that Paul spoke of would or will be a cataclysmic event in world history. But ANY falling away by an individual to the wiles of false teaching is cataclysmic to the individual soul. That's why it is so important to guard against false teaching. Beware of those teachers who cater to the flesh by adding works to salvation (legalism) or who promote an an anything goes lifestyle of cheap grace. These are two things that have a strong attraction to our flesh, and we have seen it to varying degrees in the history of the church, and yes, don't fool yourself, we see it even now. This is why it is vital that we sit under the teaching of pastors who rightly proclaim the full counsel of God, as found in His God-breathed Scripture!

Doctrine Matters

291 - Today's Prime Time Devo comes from 2Ti 4:2, “ Preach the word! Be ready in season and out of season. Convince, rebuke, exhort, with all longsuffering and teaching.” (2 Tim 4:2) Pastors are to be proclaimers of the Word, and in that sense they are prophets. They are to stand on the Word much like Abraham, who in spite of the circumstances, believed God and it was accounted to him as righteousness, and like Peter and John who in the face of persecution said, “we must obey God rather than men!”, and even Martin Luther who said while on trial, “My conscience is captive to the Word of God. I cannot and will not recant anything, for to go against conscience is neither right nor safe. Here I stand, I cannot do otherwise, God help me Amen.” The Holy Spirit will use that proclaimed Word to convict, rebuke, and exhort the audience, whilst the man of God perseveres in the essentials of teaching, (the proper word here is doctrine!) Doctrine, by definition, is any adequate statement of a divine fact, and in that sense ALL Scripture, which is full of religious facts is doctrine, and of course is useful as stated in 2 Tim 3:16. But I think Paul is zeroing in on that specific doctrine which he has been speaking of throughout these two letters to Timothy, that doctrine which was stated in the creed found in 1Ti 3:16 “And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifested in the flesh, Justified in the Spirit, Seen by angels, Preached among the Gentiles, Believed on in the world, Received up in glory.” As we have said many times in these devos, this creed is the forerunner of the Creeds we use in the church today, and though not taken word for word from the Scripture, they are reliable summations of what the Bible teaches about Jesus, and they are the first defense against false teachers. Pastors then are to not grow weary in presenting this doctrine to the sheep. It's what we believe about Jesus. He is God in the flesh, who was crucified, dead, and buried, He rose from the dead as witnessed by the Apostles, who were given the great commission, and then he ascended into heaven from whence he will come to judge the living and the dead. So pastors, preach the Word, for it contains all the divine statements of fact, and pay special attention to what we are to believe about Jesus. Doctrine matters!

Convince! Rebuke! Exhort!

290 - Today's Prime Time Devo comes from 2Ti 4:2, “ Preach the word! Be ready in season and out of season. Convince, rebuke, exhort, with all longsuffering and teaching.” (2 Tim 4:2) Pastors are to be like town criers declaring the Scriptures! “Hear Ye Hear ye, thus saith the Lord!” They are to be ready to stand unwaveringly on the solid footing of this Word. They need not worry about the results of their preaching, just preach it with all longsuffering no matter the season. The pastor is also to convince, rebuke, and exhort, and here's where we can get off track. Sometimes we think that these three things require some sort of extra animation in the pulpit. A waving of the hands, a raising of the voice. We take on the role of a fleshly cheerleader as opposed to town crier. Please don't get me wrong here, it's okay to get excited while preaching, but don't let your excitement and exuberance distract your audience from the Word! Styles of preaching differ with every pastor and that's okay, just remember to preach and stand on the Word, allowing the Holy Spirit to do the rest. It is not your job to convince, rebuke, and exhort. The Holy Spirit does this through the Word of God! Jesus, speaking of the Holy Spirit said in Joh 16:8 "And when He has come, He will convict the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment:” He convicts through the proclaimed Word of God! The Holy Spirit speaking through the Word also rebukes! The word means an expression of sharp disapproval or criticism. The classic example is Peter's sermon on that first Pentecost of the New Testament church. As Peter proclaimed the law and the prophets and declared Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior, the Holy Spirit rebuked his audience as we read in Ac 2:37 Now when they heard this, they were cut to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, "Men and brethren, what shall we do?" Finally, the Holy Spirit uses the Word to exhort! An exhorter is one who comes alongside. Jesus referred to the Holy Spirit as the “Helper” which is another way of saying one who comes alongside. Joh 15:26 "But when the Helper comes, whom I shall send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth who proceeds from the Father, He will testify of Me.” And He testifies of Jesus in the proclaimed Word of God, most notably the gospel which He uses to call us near to Jesus! So you see, pastor, it doesn't matter your style, what matters is is the proclamation of God's Word! The casting of the seed of the Word of God and trusting the Holy Spirit. Preach it! Stand on it, with no regard to the season, then trust the Holy Spirit for the results!

Preach It In Season and Out

288 - Today's Prime Time Devo comes from 2Ti 4:2, “ Preach the word! Be ready in season and out of season. Convince, rebuke, exhort, with all longsuffering and teaching.” (2 Tim 4:2) Wow! Sounds like an awful lot of responsibility placed on the shoulder of Timothy and all other pastors who would follow in his footsteps. Preach! Be ready! Convince! Rebuke! Exhort! We've already covered preaching. Pastors are to be like town criers declaring messages from the Mayor of the universe....God Almighty! Next, pastors are to be ready, the word means, “to stand,” Pastors are to stand on this Word of God that they proclaim! It goes without saying that a pastor is to know the Scriptures. He must know what he is proclaiming and what he is standing on! Peter speaking of this word in 2 Peter 1:19 says, “We also have a more sure word!” When is the pastor supposed to preach and stand on this “more sure Word?” In season and out of season. Hmmm, that pretty much means always doesn't it? Now here is where I find myself asking, “why did the Holy Spirit choose to use the word season here? He could've said “always be ready to preach and stand,” and leave it at that, but He didn't. Seasons, speak of opportune times. Farmers know about seasons, it's when they make hay, so to speak! So the Holy Spirit is preparing Timothy, and all future pastors, for the fact that sometimes the Word is received (makes hay) and sometimes it falls on deaf ears. What a relief for the pastor to know! It's not on him! It's on the season of life that the hearer is experiencing at the moment, and what the Holy Spirit will do with that proclaimed Word! Some are ready to hear, (it is their opportune time) and some aren't ready to hear ( it is an inopportune time for them.) One of the traps the pastor can fall into is preparing his message with certain people in mind. He might be thinking, “oh, so and so will need to hear this word,” well maybe they do, but if it's not their season, they won't hear it anyway. Many times people will come up to me after I preach a message and tell me what they got out of it, and it was not anything that I intended as I prepared the message, and you know what? That's a good thing! That's the Holy Spirit working in the proclaimed Word and the season of someones life, a season that I was not aware of! And it serves as a reminder to me to simply preach the Word and stand on it. Let the arrows fly and let the Holy Spirit direct the message to HIS intended target.....not mine!

Stand On the Word

288 - Today's Prime Time Devo comes from 2Ti 4:2, “ Preach the word! Be ready in season and out of season. Convince, rebuke, exhort, with all longsuffering and teaching.” Wow! Sounds like an awful lot of responsibility placed on the shoulder of Timothy and all other pastors who would follow in his footsteps. Preach! Be ready! Convince! Rebuke! Exhort! To the pastor and prospective pastor I say, it IS a huge responsibility on your part but it is not as difficult as it may seem, when you learn to rely on the Helper....the Holy Spirit! Jesus promised the help of the Holy Spirit to His church 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. Your job is to first of all proclaim the Word as if it were from God Himself, because it is! Next you are to “be ready,” at first glance one would think that this word means to be prepared, (and you certainly should be prepared and become familiar with the Word of God) but the word actually means to stand upon! Pastors, stand on this Word! Whereas you and I are apt to crumble under pressure, this Word will not wobble, it will not fall or crumble! Trust it! Preach it and stand on it just as sure as you stand on the earth! Ps 119:89-91 says, “ O LORD, Your word is settled in heaven. 90 Your faithfulness endures to all generations; You established the earth, and it abides. 91 They continue this day according to Your ordinances, For all are Your servants. THEY continue, both the earth and God's Word continue in their role of servants of God!. Have you ever thought of God's Word as His servant? You should! It's why He reminds us in Isa 55:10,11, “as the rain comes down, and the snow from heaven, And do not return there, But water the earth, And make it bring forth and bud, That it may give seed to the sower And bread to the eater, 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. This is what a servant does for his master, he accomplishes what the master pleases! And this is what the proclaimed Word of God will do! So stand on it and it alone pastor, and you will do well!

Preach the Word part 2

287 - Today's Prime Time Devo comes from 2Ti 4:2, Preach the word! This then is the charge that Paul has passed down to Timothy, right from the mouth of God the Father and God the Son! This is the charge to all pastors who follow in the sandals of Timothy! Preach the Word! The word preach here is to be like a town crier, “Hear ye! Hear Ye! Hear ye what? Hear ye the Word, the logos, the Divine expression! Hear ye the message that God has given to the town crier to proclaim! That message is centered on Christ who is the Divine expression. To preach the Word is to preach Christ, for He is the Word! Joh 1:1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.! Therefore the town crier, the called preacher, must stick to the pages of Scripture, because you will find Christ in the text! Luther said this about preaching, “The word is not dead wisdom but is finally a personal word which must be personally preached and personally heard. Instead of thinking about casual connections we should think instead about the mystery of preaching, in which man (the preacher) and man (the audience) and God the speaker and God the enabler (namely the Holy Spirit) all work to make this miraculous event happen!” Isa 55:11, puts it this way, “ 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. Have you ever considered that right preaching is a miracle waiting to happen? How would that knowledge change the pastors approach to the pulpit. How would that knowledge affect the approach of the hearer of the sermon? Pastor, come to the pulpit expecting a miracle! People, come to church expecting the same! 1Pe 4:11 says, “ If anyone speaks, let it be as the words of God.” No wonder Luther once said, “O how frightened I was at the sight of the pulpit.” He understood the sacred charge given to Him! Don't preach ABOUT the Word, for God will soon become distant, rather present Christ as He is presented in these pages! Ever present and personal, ready to touch the heart of the listener where it needs to be touched! Ready to perform a miracle!

Preach the Word!

286 - Today's Prime Time Devo comes from 2Ti 4:1 I charge you therefore before God and the Lord Jesus Christ, who will judge the living and the dead at His appearing and His kingdom: 2 Preach the word! Be ready in season and out of season. Convince, rebuke, exhort, with all longsuffering and teaching. Bible interpretation 101 says, whenever you see the word “therefore,” you need to go back a verse or two to see what the therefore is there for. In this case, we can say that Paul is telling Timothy that BECAUSE all Scripture is God-breathed, and BECAUSE there will be a plethora of false teachers rising up in the church, and BECAUSE Jesus is coming again to judge every individual soul on how they respond to this Word, (as it says in Joh 12:48 "He who rejects Me, and does not receive My words, has that which judges him--the word that I have spoken will judge him in the last day.) Timothy and all that follow in his footsteps must preach the Word! This is life and death stuff people! Souls hang in the balance of eternal life and bliss with Jesus or eternal life in the pit of hell where there will be wailing and gnashing of teeth! Remember, these are Paul's last words to Timothy and they are strong! Very strong! He “charges” Timothy to do this “before God and the Lord Jesus Christ.” To put it another way, Paul is saying “as God and the Lord Jesus Christ are my witnesses I command you to preach the Word! Plain and simple, this is an oath! And oaths are very rare in the New Testament because Jesus told us in Mt 5:34 "But I say to you, do not swear at all: neither by heaven, for it is God's throne;” But this charge from Paul is so solemn and so certain a command that He received from God and the Lord Jesus Christ, that he is able to do it! Preach the Word! Paul could only adjure (swear to) Timothy on the strength of a direct revelation from both God and Jesus! By the way, the fact that Paul adjures in the name of God the Father AND the Lord Jesus Christ should settle the matter of the deity of Christ that so many false teachers attempt to bring into play! Pastor! Preach the Word!

Spiritually Refreshed

282 - Today's Prime Time Devo comes from 2Ti 3:16,17 “All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, 17 that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work. (2 Tim 3:16,17) We have established how vital it is for the follower of Christ to be convinced that the inspiration of ALL scripture comes from God. Now let's see the advantage of putting this word into practice in our lives! This “Word of God” is extremely helpful to the man of God, and the word man here is used for any human being. So this “Word” is valuable for all of those born of God through faith in Jesus Christ. This word is foolishness to all others: 1Co 2:14 But the natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; nor can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned. This “Word” helps the man of God to be complete, and that word means fresh! What an awesome thought! Spending time in God's Word and applying it, keeps one spiritually fresh! Ps 19:7 says, “The law of Jehovah is perfect, refreshing the soul, The testimonies of Jehovah are steadfast, Making wise the simple, What kind of air would you like around you? Stale or fresh! What kind of aroma do you give off around others? Stale or fresh? If you want fresh, get into the word and let the word get into you! This freshness is accompanied by a thorough equipping of the saint for all kingdom work that God may send their way. Eph 2:8 For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, 9 not of works, lest anyone should boast. 10 For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them. Know this, that as you walk in the light of God's Word , more light will be given! 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."

Instruction In Righgteousness

282 - Today's Prime Time Devo comes from 2Ti 3:16,17 “All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, 17 that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work. (2 Tim 3:16,17) We have established how vital it is for the follower of Christ to be convinced that the inspiration of ALL scripture comes from God. Now let's continue to look at some areas in which this inspired Word of God is useful for the believer. Today we come to the phrase. “instruction in righteousness” The idea here is summed up in training in Christian character. It is an ongoing process, where the disciple, the believer is trained in the ways of God. As we read the Scriptures and allow the Holy Spirit to speak to us through them and believe them to the point of acting on them, we start to characterize the qualities of Jesus in our day to day living. The Scriptures reinforce the fruit of the Spirit that is present in the life of believers: There indeed is such a thing as right and wrong and the Bible helps us to discern the difference. This difference for the Christian is evidenced in Ga 5:19-23, “ Now the works of the flesh are evident, which are: adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lewdness, 20 idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies, 21 envy, murders, drunkenness, revelries, and the like; of which I tell you beforehand, just as I also told you in time past, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. (The Word of God is useful in training us to break these habits of sin! And as we respond to it, the Word trains us in the areas of right living mentioned in Gal 5:22,23!) 22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law. The Ten Commandments, when used as a guide will help produce this fruit in the life of a Christian! Paul reiterated how useful the law was to him in training for righteousness in Ro 7:7 What shall we say then? Is the law sin? Certainly not! On the contrary, I would not have known sin except through the law. For I would not have known covetousness unless the law had said, "You shall not covet." Treasure God's Word! It is useful in your ongoing sanctification. Lord help me to be a willing student and be trained by Your Word!

Straightening Up

282 - Today's Prime Time Devo comes from 2Ti 3:16,17 “All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, 17 that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work. (2 Tim 3:16,17) We have established how vital it is for the follower of Christ to be convinced that the inspiration of ALL scripture comes from God. Now let's continue to look at some areas in which this inspired Word of God is useful for the believer. Today we come to the word “correction.” The word in the Greek means “a straightening up again.” This speaks of a necessity to be in the Word of God on a regular basis. I remember those days in my parents house when the phone would ring and the flurry of activity that followed when the pastor announced he would be dropping by, or maybe a long lost relative was in town and they want to pop in for a visit. Oh yes, we knew quite well what it means to “straighten up!” That bit of frenzied activity could have been avoided had we kept on top of the situation! If the dishes had been tackled right away there would be no need to shove them all in the oven! Pity the hoarder who let's it get away to the point of insurmountability! Let's talk about the dangers of not straightening up on a daily basis. Someone who gets lackadaisical in their walk with the Lord, will one day find themselves entangled in sin. A frenzied activity of repentance may follow but the dirty dishes are still in the oven, they are not where they are supposed to be! And the offender eventually winds up with the same mess when the next crisis of sin comes along. The hoarder, meanwhile runs the risk of just giving up this Christian life altogether! What's the use? He's in way too deep! But friend, it doesn't have to be that way! Jesus says, Re 3:20 "Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me.” Do you understand what HE is saying here? No need to clean up before you let Him in! Open the door and He will do the “straightening up”! He will make you presentable to the Father! And one of the ways He uses to help you straighten up is the correction found in His Word! So pick up that Bible that has been gathering dust in your house! It is profitable for helping you “straighten up.” Use it! Prayerfully open it and ask Jesus to help keep you on the straight and narrow!

Profitable For Reproof

282 - Today's Prime Time Devo comes from 2Ti 3:16,17 “All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, 17 that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work. (2 Tim 3:16,17) We have established how vital it is for the follower of Christ to be convinced that the inspiration of ALL scripture comes from God. Now let's look at some areas in which this inspired Word of God is useful for the believer. Today we come to the word “reproof.” The dictionary definition of reprove is “to scold or correct, usually gently or with kindly intent.” One might think of a gentle reprimand to a toddler who is touching things that can be harmful or scooting off into territory that is dangerous. The Scriptures are certainly useful in that regard as we often, like a toddler, dabble in behavior that is downright dangerous to our spiritual well-being. But I think more needs to be said about the word “reproof “in the biblical context. The word comes from a Greek word that means to overwhelm with argument. Plain and simple, the Scriptures are useful in convicting us of our sin. It is as Paul wrote in his letter to the Romans: Ro 7:7b, “I would not have known sin except through the law. For I would not have known covetousness unless the law had said, "You shall not covet."As we read the Scriptures honestly we have to admit what is written in Ro 3:23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, Furthermore, the word reproof speaks of proving again! The Ten Commandments ought to be enough to convince us of our sin, but if you want further proof, (reproof) look to the Sermon on the Mount. Why, did you know that just looking lustfully at another is adultery, and simple anger is murder! Yes, the Scriptures prove over and over again that we are all sinners in need of a Savior. Ro 3:19 says, “Now we know that whatever the law says, it says to those who are under the law, that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God. You and I are sinners and we have no leg to stand on before God! Still think you can make it to heaven on your own merit? Never forget, Jesus said, the standard for entrance into heaven is perfection! Mt 5:48 "Therefore you shall be perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect. There is only one way to be judged perfect and that is by being found in the perfect Son of God, Jesus Christ. Have you surrendered your life to Him! It is your only hope! Bow your knee to Him today, admit you are a sinner, accept the reproof of the Scriptures and receive His forgiveness and live!

Profitable For Doctrine

280 - Today's Prime Time Devo comes from 2Ti 3:16,17 “All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, 17 that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work. (2 Tim 3:16,17) We have established how vital it is for the follower of Christ to be convinced that the inspiration of ALL scripture comes from God. Now let's look at some areas in which this inspired Word of God is useful for the believer. First of all, it helps us get the matter of doctrine straightened out. Paul has been emphasizing the matter of doctrine throughout these letters to Timothy because it matters! What we believe about God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Ghost matters. It is our first defense against false teachers who will rise up in the church in these last days. Where does this “doctrine” come from? Jesus said in Joh 7:16, that His doctrine comes from the Father! “My doctrine is not Mine, but His who sent Me.” This doctrine was then handed down to the Apostles, who handed it down to the church as we read in Ac 2:42, “ And they continued steadfastly in the apostles' doctrine and fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and in prayers.” The problem that arises with doctrine, is the devil raises up blowhards who come out of the church and seek to blow the follower of Christ off course with their manifold doctrines of their own invention, that are far removed from the basis of Scripture. It is the God-inspired scriptures that aid the Christian in staying the course! Eph 4:14 says, “that we should no longer be children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting,” Be prepared to withstand these blowhards and set your sails to the wind of the words of the Holy Spirit that you will find in the Scriptures! Heed the Holy Spirit inspired advice from Isa 8:20 To the law and to the testimony! If they do not speak according to this word, it is because there is no light in them. All Scripture is profitable for doctrine, it's all there in black and white for you and I!

Speaking in Tongues

Our final day of the spring fundraiser at The Family and so I'm taking a break from the verse by verse exposition of Timothy to share some other devotional thoughts from my journal. (By the way, if you would like to support the ministry of The Family, you can do so at www.supportthefamily.net) Today's Prime Time Devo comes from a journal entry on January 16, 2009 and it contains some thoughts of “speaking in tongues.” The text is from 1Co 14:6-8, “ But now, brethren, if I come to you speaking with tongues, what shall I profit you unless I speak to you either by revelation, by knowledge, by prophesying, or by teaching? 7 Even things without life, whether flute or harp, when they make a sound, unless they make a distinction in the sounds, how will it be known what is piped or played? 8 For if the trumpet makes an uncertain sound, who will prepare himself for battle? This gift of the Spirit is quite a spectacular gift. The Apostle Paul had this gift and was quite thankful for it! He said in 1Co 14:18 I thank my God I speak with tongues more than you all; 19 yet in the church I would rather speak five words with my understanding, that I may teach others also, than ten thousand words in a tongue. He seemed to indicate here that he would rather use this gift in his prayer closet than in church. Paul was more interested in clarity in the public worship setting. Clarity that the Holy Spirit would use to bring revelation, knowledge, proclamation (thus saith the Lords) and teaching to all within earshot. He didn't want to be like the teacher in the Peanuts cartoon, that blathered on with “wah, wah, wa wa wah” and no one in the class was receiving what was being said. Better to speak with clarity. If tongues are used in the public worship setting, they must be accompanied with a clear interpretation for the benefit of all. This underlines the point that when the Holy Spirit speaks, He speaks with clarity! His revelations, His shared knowledge, His declarations, and His teachings are not muddled! They are meant to be crystal clear and not a collection of random vagueness. His clarity of speech brings revelation, knowledge, proclamation, and teaching into every situation, and is meant to edify, (build up) God's children!.

Forgive Others, It Is Vital

Another day of our spring fundraiser at The Family and so I'm taking a break from the verse by verse exposition of Timothy to share some other devotional thoughts from my journal. (By the way, if you would like to support the ministry of The Family, you can do so at www.supportthefamily.net) Today's Prime Time Devo comes from a journal entry on January 15, 2009 and it concerns the importance of forgiving others. The text is from what we have come to call the Lord's Prayer. Mt 6:9 "In this manner, therefore, pray: Our Father in heaven, Hallowed be Your name. 10 Your kingdom come. Your will be done On earth as it is in heaven. 11 Give us this day our daily bread. 12 And forgive us our debts, As we forgive our debtors. 13 And do not lead us into temptation, But deliver us from the evil one. For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen. 14 "For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. 15 "But if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses. We call this the Lord's Prayer but in reality it is our prayer because this is the prayer that Jesus gave us to pray. It's interesting that the only commentary H e gives on the prayer concerns forgiving others (v14,15) This one small part of the prayer (v12b) is pulled out and strongly reiterated! Why? Please note, all other parts of the prayer are about God. Who He is and what He is able and willing to do for us. There is just that one tiny element of the prayer that is about us and what we must be willing to do. We must forgive others! If we don't Jesus makes a stunning proclamation. We will not be forgiven ourselves!. God will not forgive our sins if we fail to forgive the sins of others and make no mistake about it, the unforgiven will not make it into sinless heaven, because their sins still cling to them. This element of forgiveness is so strong in this prayer, that I almost want to say that it is the temptation that we plead with God to not be led into. This is an evil that we need to be delivered from. “Father God, don't allow me to go down the path of unforgiveness. Deliver me from this evil because Jesus said, if I don't forgive others, I will not be forgiven, and consequently disqualified from entering heaven.” Is there any worse evil that can befall man?

On Life Support

Taking a break today from 2 Timothy because we are holding our Spring Fundraiser at The Family radio station for the next several days. If you would be interested in supporting the work of Christian radio at the family, you can make a donation at supportthefamily.net. I was going through an old journal of mine this morning and will share an entry from January 14, 2009: The text was from 1Co 1:8 “who will sustain you to the end, guiltless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ.” Life support. How we dread to hear those words when a loved one is hospitalized. It means that they are being kept alive by means outside themselves. Disconnect the life support, and unless there is a miracle, the person will likely die. In this passage from 1 Corinthians, we are reminded that Jesus is our life support. Disconnect from Him through disbelief and you will die an eternal death in the torment of hell. The verdict pronounced on all those who do not have Christ on the Last Day will be guilty! The one thing we need to enter heaven is to be free of sins, we need forgiveness, and that forgiveness only comes by grace through faith in the shed blood of the Lord Jesus Christ on the cross. Heb 9:22 says, “And according to the law almost all things are purified with blood, and without shedding of blood there is no remission.” Are you connected to the life support system of Jesus? Are you daily confessing and repenting of your sins, trusting in the promise of 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. Do you come to the Lord's table on a regular basis with faith in the power of His blood to forgive you of your sins and keep you guiltless? If you have wandered from this eternal life support connection and find yourself backslidden, come back to Jesus! Get hooked up again on His life support system and allow Him to keep you guiltless until the end!

It's Not Just A Book With Good Stories With Moral Lessons

280 - Today's Prime Time Devo comes from 2Ti 3:16,17 “All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, 17 that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work. (2 Tim 3:16,17) The one who receives Jesus as Lord and Savior receives the truth of these words in 2 Timothy. It is at this point that the redeemed person begins the discipleship process. The Holy Spirit begins to use the words found in Scripture to teach and correct the follower of Jesus. You must be born again in order to rightly receive this instruction or the book is nothing but a fable with good lessons on morality, but it will not help you on the Last Day!. Jesus said in Joh 12:48 "He who rejects Me, and does not receive My words, has that which judges him--the word that I have spoken will judge him in the last day.” What you do with Jesus and His Words determines your standing on Judgment Day. As long as you or I reject Jesus, we reject His Word. This is the lot of those who refuse to receive Jesus as their Savior and their Lord! At best they will pick and choose what they want to believe about themselves, their world, and God. As the Holy Spirit said speaking through the Apostle Paul in 1Co 2:14, “But the natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; nor can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.” The sad thing is some seminaries are no longer teaching that ALL Scripture is God-breathed. They are turning out pastors who believe and teach that the Bible contains some nice stories with good moral lessons but it is outdated as it concerns sexual behavior, marriage, divorce, etc. This foolish approach to Scripture poo poo's things like creation, a worldwide flood, and Jonah being swallowed by a great fish.....to quote Corinthians, these things are foolishness to them, and soon the virgin birth is doubted, the resurrection is questioned, hell is ignored, and of course “all roads lead to eternal life” because all that counts is morality, and we all do more good things than bad.....right? But Jesus said in this God-breathed Word, “I am the way, the truth, and the life, NO ONE comes to the Father except through Me!” Flee from such pastors and teachers! For they are the ones spoken of in 2Ti 3:13 But evil men and impostors will grow worse and worse, deceiving and being deceived. Find yourself a church that proclaims, and seeks to live the truth of 2 Tim 3:16...ALL Scripture is given by inspiration of God!