Posts from January 2021

2 Timothy, Day 1 2 Timothy 1 Introduction The letter of 2 Timothy was written by Paul to Timothy during Paul’s second imprisonment in Rome. Not long after the writing of this letter, Paul would be executed by the Roman government. Some commentaries believe Paul could sense this and that is why this letter has a sense of urgency.1 In this letter, you read Paul writing with a sense of compassion and care for Timothy while also making sure to…

1 Timothy, Day 5 1 Timothy 6:3 – 19 | Being a 4F Christian Soldier  In army-speak, “4F” means that a person has failed to meet the medical requirements — either mental or physical — for joining the army. It means one is unfit to be a soldier, even if one should don the uniform (which must have been acquired improperly). Fun fact: This dates back to the Civil War, when recruits who did not have 4 front teeth to…

1 Timothy, Day 4 | RELATIONSHIPS IN THE CHURCH Scripture Reading: I Timothy 5:1 – 6:2 The title of today’s devotional is, “Relationships in the Church.” But it would also be appropriate to add to that “and Family” after reading the Scripture passage for today. A lot of problems in our society today could be solved if we lived by the instructions included in our reading. We can start with the first 2 verses and glean much from them. We…

1 Timothy, Day 3 So, you want to be a pastor . . . (I Timothy 4)  “I always say to young fellows who consult me about the ministry, ‘Don’t be a minister if you can help it,’ because if the man can help it, God never called him. But if he cannot help it, and he must preach or die, then he is the man” (C.H. Spurgeon, 1834-1892). Nothing like a Spurgeon quote to begin a devotional focusing on…

1 Timothy, Day 2 Conduct for the Church (1 Timothy 2 – 3) “I hope to come to you soon, but I am writing these things to you so that, if I delay, you may know how one ought to behave in the household of God, which is the church of the living God, a pillar and buttress of the truth” (1 Timothy 3:14 – 15). This passage concludes with an explanation as to why Paul wrote these 2 chapters.…

1 Timothy, Day 1 THE GOSPEL LEADS TO PRACTICAL, VISIBLE CHANGE IN BELIEVERS’ LIVES “Introduction and Warning About False Teaching” 1 Timothy Chapter 1 1 Timothy is one of the four epistles that Paul wrote to individuals (1 Timothy, 2 Timothy, Titus, Philemon). The first three are typically called the “pastoral epistles.” All were written near the end of Paul’s life. Timothy was a young man who had a great passion for the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Timothy had a Jewish mother…

Colossians, Day 6 (Colossians 4:7 – 18) When I read Colossians 4:7 – 18, the thing that strikes me most is how we tend to overlook Paul’s support staff. Paul is viewed as a pillar in the Christian faith and rightly so, but he wasn’t alone in the work he was doing for Christ. Paul gets most of the credit, but he was not and could not have done it alone. He had friends who stayed with him when he…

Colossians, Day 5 Colossians 3:1 – 4:6 Avoiding the Religious Wardrobe Malfunction If you’ve been on many websites, you’ve probably seen those annoying ads at the bottom of some pages that advertise the equivalent of Barnum and Bailey freak shows. “The scene that took My Mother the Car off the air!” “What does Gary Coleman look like now?” “Wardrobe malfunctions that make Happy Days look like Woodstock!” There is always one that has to do with some weird, supposedly provocative…

Colossians Day 4 Exhortations to the Colossian Church What Are You Filled With Today? Colossians 2:6 – 23 “[A]nd you have been filled in him, who is the head of all rule and authority” (Colossians 2:10) Although a French physician (Anthelme Brillat-Savarin) stated in 1826 that “You are what you eat,” the idea that our health is defined by our diet has been around for thousands of years. This idea also applies to our spiritual health and strength, and our…

Colossians, Day 3 Rejoicing (Colossians 1:24 – 2:5) “Him we proclaim, warning everyone and teaching everyone with all wisdom, that we may present everyone mature in Christ. For this I toil, struggling with all his energy that he powerfully works within me” (Colossians 1:28 – 29). In this passage, Paul lets his readers know why he suffers so much for the cause of Christ. He is not doing it to gain recognition or to show others how “spiritual” he is.…