10/09/18 - 2Tim 4

Oct 9, 2018

But you, keep your head in all situations, endure hardship, do your job, fulfill your ministry. 2Tim 4:5

Don't let your life be controlled by feelings or circumstances, let it be controlled by God's purposes.

There is a difference between passions and feelings.  Passions are a calling toward something, feelings are a desire for something.  Both can be good things, but they don’t always make for healthy choices.

Golf carts, along with other vehicles, often have something called a “governor” built in to regulate how fast they go.  This device allows the engine to run as fast as the driver wants up to a limit, and then regulates the speed from going higher.  It is a safety feature so that the engine’s speed doesn’t exceed the safety level of the vehicle.  Some people remove this special device so that they can go faster, but by doing so create the risk of a crash.

Passions are a calling in your soul.  They were given to you by God and are as unique as you are.  Every person has at least one passion that serves as a marker to show we matter and we have a purpose.  But passions have a “governor” called character.  When our passions exceed our character, we tend to find breakdowns in ethics, which eventually slow down the passion.

Feelings operate a little differently.  Instead of being a calling to fulfill a purpose, they tend to propel our hearts toward a desire.  Feelings are not bad in themselves, but they can often cloud over the “governor” built into us called “our mind”.  When feelings exceed logic, they tend to create breakdowns in morality, which crash us into the wall of failure.

Paul warns young Timothy to handle both passions & feelings by staying true to character and logic.  Continue to pursue passions, but keep your head.  Pay attention to your feelings, but let logic endure over fears & frustrations.  Don’t dump your passion when things get hard, fulfill your ministry by being a man of character. 

Passions and feelings have great value in helping us along the course God planned for us, but they often need the “governors” of character and logic to keep them in line.   Keep those governors installed in your life, and your journey will continue forward on the road God has laid out for you.

10/08/18 - 2Tim 3

Oct 8, 2018

All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work. 2Tim 3:16-17

Only God's ways create lasting positive results --- become a student of His Word.

The Bible is an incredible book.  It is the oldest, most analyzed text of history.   It is more studied and tested than any document you have ever read, and has been quoted more than any text.  The resulting book of books is not only webbed together better than most single-author books, it applies to cultures for thousands of years better than any other book as well.

According to this passage, Paul believed every verse was more than just a story from history or a philosophy of the writer.  Paul recognized the hand of God orchestrating the entire work.  God not only dictated some of the writings, He coordinated the timing, led in the retelling, and protected it from destruction.  Paul fully believed that the end result we call the Bible was planned out and delivered by the breath of God, and is not just for mankind’s understanding of history, but for you and I to understand God’s heart so that we could change our lives!  Knowing that the text is compiled over 1000s of years for us today makes it the most impressive book of all time.

If you believe all this is true – that the Bible was orchestrated by God, created for each of us, and still applies today – why in the world are we so dispassionate in studying it?  If we believed the Bible is God’s Word and His whispers to us, we should value it like we value water, oxygen and sunlight.  Yet many Christians today put little discipline or effort into fully studying the Bible, and many even discount the instruction given from it by skipping church or bible studies.

So that must mean many people are not really believers of the Scriptures – they either feel like it’s not really from God’s heart, or mismanaged by men.  If you’re That Guy/Girl, then maybe it’s time to reconsider:

-          How come we continue to see Scripture’s stories be proved out in archeology?

-          How did all 400+ prophecies of Jesus come true after being written hundreds of years prior?

-          How is it that you can hear a good teaching from a few short verses, and it feels like the speaker had cameras in your house watching your life?

-          How is it that billions of people continue to seek the wisdom of the Scriptures, and have their lives changed, marriages rescued, and relationships reconciled by its words?

Before throwing out the Scriptures, take time to read them.  You might just discover like Paul that every Scripture has a point worth knowing.

10/05/18 - 2Tim 2

Oct 5, 2018

Flee the evil desires of youth and pursue righteousness, faith, love and peace. 2Tim 2:22

Human desires and Godly desires don't mix-- we have to flee one to find the other, so choose wisely.

Someone once said, youth is wasted on the young.  Maybe there’s a connection between that saying and this verse.

Many of our worst mistakes happened when we are young.  Insurance companies know that driving errors tend to happen more with young drivers than as they get older.  Certainly people are more prone to poor decisions in relationships, finances and lifestyle choices.  That’s not to say we don’t sin when we get older – there are many examples of “youthful thinking” in older people.  It just seems like the young are more prone to sin’s temptations. 

Paul says it’s because of our desires.   Being young means much less experience and exposure.   The young see life as a long road ahead instead of a fast-approaching dead end.  Many times, the desire to be autonomous and self-sufficient lead us into hurried choices.  Sometimes our physical desires and emotional passions exceed the level of maturity in our thinking, taking us away from wisdom.  Then there are the negative experiences that seem so devastating in our youth, which look much less formidable to people who have lived five or six decades.  If you want to see where our mistakes start, go back to the desires that drive our decisions.

Paul gives Timothy a simple secret to help fight off sin’s temptations.  Here’s his formula:

Ask a question before pursuing any desire:  will this solution bring me closer to righteousness, faith, love and peace, or send me farther away?

Look at those four factors:

Righteousness – the root of that word means to act with justice.  Would the method of answering your desire be the right answer (the just answer to God)?  This question deals with Truth from Scripture.

Faith – pursuing the answer of faith is about Time.  Is it the right timing for this decision, or is waiting a wiser option?  If you aren’t sure the answer is from God and is His timing, then Faith says to wait.

Love – love is about Others.  Does this decision solve my selfishness or help others’ needs?  Is this a decision that love people (or myself) the way God would love them (or me)?  Love does no evil.

Peace – sometimes the best way to know a decision was wrong is by the peace we have with God afterwards.  Most people know what guilt feels like.  Many come to recognize this as a lack of peace, and others use this to push out God.  But looking at a decision for the after-affects in our relationship with God will help us discern the right choice.  If a choice will rob us of peace, it’s not the right choice.

Age has little to do with sin, but age limits our exposure.  So when looking at our decisions, run them through the 2:22 Test.  Will this choice pass for righteousness, faith, love & peace?  If not, show some wisdom and change the youthful thinking into wise thinking.

10/04/18 - 2Tim 1

Oct 4, 2018

He has saved us and called us to a holy life-not because of anything we have done but because of his own purpose and grace. 2Tim 1:9

Jesus didn't just save us from something, he saved us TO something--to serve His Kingdom & draw others to it.

“I will never be like you!”     “I will never raise my kids like that!”

Common statements out of the mouth of teenagers (and some adults), when they have faced pain or trials.  Many people grow up wanting to Not be like someone.  But that’s a terrible target.  Too often, by trying to NOT be something, we end up steering ourselves hundreds of directions that end up becoming what we were trying to avoid.  Being Not like them is too vast of a target, and only keeps our focus on the past instead of looking toward where we should be going. 

The better plan is to discern what TO become, and focus on that.  So instead of trying NOT to be like your parent, discern a model of a person that you admire and choose TO become like them.  Or instead of NOT raising your kids in a certain way, examine the best principles of raising kids, and model after them.  Or if you are NOT wanting to live a marriage like your parents, discover what a healthy marriage looks like, and make that the target.

Jesus didn’t just save us from sin.  He saved us to righteousness.  That means He has a new target for us… Jesus rescued us with a plan for a new result.  If we just try to avoid a particular sin, we’ll be doomed to sin in many other ways.  But if we focus on that new model, there’s a much better chance for us to come closer to it, and avoid the sin that entangles us.

So what’s that new model?  Look at Jesus!  He is the model for how to live a righteous life.  His teachings help us become better parents & spouses.  Jesus’ lifestyle shows us how to live out our calling.  Model after Jesus, and become what God intended you to be. 

The Israelites were rescued from Egypt by Moses, and were taken out of bondage.  Their goal was to be free from bricklaying.  But they spent 40 years in the desert wandering in circles, because they did not have a clear target in their head of what they were called to become.  In fact, many wanted to return to Egypt because that’s all they knew.  That generation died in the desert, never arriving at what God was calling them to.

Don’t be like the Israelites.  Discover the calling you were given, and make a path to become THAT person.  You’ll get there much quicker, and by doing so avoid becoming what you left behind.  You were rescued To something, not just From something.

10/03/18 - 1Tim 6

Oct 3, 2018

But godliness with contentment is great gain.  1Tim 6:6

Having peace with God in your soul and spirit is a happier life than seeking power or money.

One of the least valued character qualities today is contentment.   Our culture values ‘discontent’.

Athletes are discontent with playing well, they want a championship.

Students (and parents) are discontent with ‘Bs’, they expect straight ‘As’.

Spouses don’t like their current marriage and dump it for a new one.

CEOs fudge the numbers to look better and gain more market share.

Even pastors want bigger churches.

(Note: It’s not all of them – but many hunger for improvement and remain discontent.)

Wanting to improve is not a bad thing, until it becomes the primary thing.  God is not looking for anything to become a god over Him.  When we lack contentment, it turns the target into an idol. 

You can see that today in all of those things.  Ethic & moral lines are crossed in sports so people can have an extra edge.  Many businesses and CEOs violate wise standards to gain temporary success.  Some politicians are not satisfied with the place they have been elected to, they want more power. 

Discontent can drive us to improve, but can also lead us to compromise.  When we lack contentment, we often create an idol in our lives that takes over.  Sooner or later, it will do more damage than help.

Paul tells Timothy that contentment creates the greatest gain.  If we maintain pursuit of godliness and trust God’s timing, we’ll not only live more joy-filled lives, we’ll also find lasting results.  God likes blessing us, He just wants lasting blessing.  God likes seeing us improve, He just wants lasting improvement.  God celebrates our victories, but prefers lasting impact.  You don’t find lasting results by living with discontentment, you find it by living in a spirit of contentment.

Contentment is a simple practice (simple, not easy):  Be thankful for what you have!  Be thankful for the skills you have, the money you have, the family you have, the marriage you have, the career you have, the ministry you have, the life you have.  Start with an attitude of gratitude.  Let God continue to grow you, but you remain thankful.

Go for the lasting results – by remaining content in the current ones.

10/02/18 - 1Tim 5

Oct 2, 2018

Do not be hasty empowering new leaders, and do not share in the sins of others. Keep yourself pure. 1Tim 5:22 

Purity is never found in speed or volume, but in patience and selectivity.

Nothing creates more pressure than a vacuum.

When starting a new company or church, you tend to lack just about everything.   You work to raise funds, attract visitors, obtain needed resources, cast vision, and find leaders.  Because it is so early in the process, every new person is a “key leader” in every ministry.  Whether they are qualified or not, a warm body tends to be the top requirements.

Inevitably, it’s not long before one of those “key leaders” is not really leading properly.  They may be misplaced, unequipped, or incapable – and the planter is stuck trying to figure out how to change the role.  Sometimes that happens naturally as they move into different roles, and other times it is a difficult (even painful) change.  Every new startup deals with this issue – usually by making compromises to create progress.  Sadly, it’s these compromises that lead to greater problems later (even damaging problems).

Paul tells Timothy and the church to be slow about these decisions.  In your efforts to move the group forward, be cautious about compromise.  Especially in an organization like the church, which is built on moral reputation, trying to advance with a misplaced leader can actually damage all areas of the ministry.  And compromises that lead to participation in sin can damage the credibility of the leader.

Paul, like all leaders, had learned this principle the hard way.  Paul had taken a young guy named John Mark with him on the first missionary journey, and it didn’t work out so well.  Maybe Paul was a bit naïve, or Mark was misplaced, but the failure hurt their efforts.  Paul learned to be more careful the next time, choosing and grooming leaders over time before adding them to the team.  He gave people time to learn, opportunities to serve, and chances to grow.  Paul learned to value purity over speed. 

Listen to the wise counsel of Paul – and of every leader who has started something.  Be patient & selective, because purity is never found in speed, but in careful examination.

10/01/18 - 1Tim 4

Oct 1, 2018

Don't let anyone look down on you because of your age, but set an example for the believers in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith and in purity. 1Tim 4:12 

Age doesn’t dictate our impact, behavior does.

I call it “paper pride”.  It happens when a person graduates college.  A student who has worked so hard and been taught so much, finishes college and is ready to go into a career as an ‘expert’.  Having the paper is thought to prove their wisdom and skill.  The new graduate interviews or gets positioned in their first career job, and is ready to impart their new-found wisdom on everyone (and sometimes, they impart it at home, with friends, and around everyone else in their life too!)

Then comes the problem.  Pretty soon, the expert graduate is disappointed when they get asked to do lower end work, or their opinion is not valued.  Some struggle to even find a job in their field, and others give up trying.  Often, this is the point when the graduate gets frustrated with the older generation, wanting the chance to prove themselves or be heard.  While the paper proves they graduated, it doesn’t always help them have an impact.

This is when one of the greatest lessons about life is learned.  It’s not a lesson that can be instructed.  It’s a lesson that must be learned through experience.  It’s the lesson on True Impact.  We often have to learn the hard way that education is key to our career, but behavior is key to our impact.  That’s why Paul tells young Timothy that his knowledge won’t create as much impact as his behavior.  Our example carries more weight and opens more doors than the degree. 

Paul gives five ways our behavior makes a difference:

1)      In Speech – our career is more impacted by our speech than any other element.  What we say carries incredible weight – things like making & completing commitments, building people up, talking truthfully, etc. 

2)      In Conduct – nothing hurts a young person more than poor behavior.  Knowledge & skill is often lost in bad judgment or failed character.  Don’t ruin your chances for advancement by regressing in character.

3)      In Love – No career is a solo act, it always takes a team.  Learning to love and care for your team has more impact on our future than being the smartest or the most skilled.

4)      In Faith – Often, our anxiety and impatience can lead to poor choices.  Faith helps us remember to be patient and wait on God’s Timing, because His timing is always better for our futures.

5)      In Purity – A person’s career can outpace their character.  When that happens, immorality often comes next.  Never choose career over character.  Live with purity first, and your career will last.

Don’t get stuck in “paper pride”.  Let your example do the talking, and God will do the rest.