Paul seemed to think that the most important thing young Timothy could do as he settled into ministry was focus his time and energy on teaching the Word and maintaining the purity church's doctrine.
The words "teach/teaching" are used 16 times in these 2 letters.
There are 6 times where Paul talks about "doctrine/sound words".
What's Paul's reasoning for all of this?
2 Timothy 4:3-4, "For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions, and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander off into myths."
Teaching is for the body of Christ so that we don't abandon the faith. I can resonate well with the 4th stanza of the hymn"Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing" as it says, "Prone to wander, Lord, I feel it, Prone to leave the God I love;"
Do you feel that tendency to leave God? One the safeguards God has in place the preaching and teaching of the Word on a regular basis. Make sure you're here every week to hear the Word of God!!!
Thursday, February 25, 2010
Tuesday, February 23, 2010
New Thru 30 - Day 23 - 1 & 2 Thess, Titus
A Personal Request from Your Pastor
I have a prayer request to ask of you that comes out of today's reading. In 1 Thess. 1:5 Paul is writing about the time when the gospel first came to the Thessalonians. In that verse he says, "...our gospel came to you not only in word, but also in power and in the Holy Spirit and with full conviction."
I think so much preaching is nothing but preaching in word only. The Bible is opened and some verses are read and the preacher speaks for 30 minutes telling the meaning of the text, throwing in some stories, etc.
But there's no power in the preaching, there's no Holy Spirit in the preaching, and there's no conviction in the preaching (either on behalf of the preacher or of the hearers).
So, here's my prayer request...Will you beg the mercies of God in my life as I prepare and preach, that the preaching of the Word here at First Baptist would never be only in word, but would always be with power and with the Spirit and with conviction?
Pray that for me and pray that with me as I pray it for myself, and may God be glorified in his church.
Monday, February 22, 2010
New Thru 30 - Day 22 - Eph & Col
The book of Ephesians is evenly divided into two parts: doctrinal (1-3) and practical (4-6)
In the doctrinal section Paul covers topics like predestination, salvation by grace alone, unity of the body of Christ, and the mystery of the gospel.
In the practical section Paul strings the metaphor of "walking" through his message.
In Eph. 4:1 (beginning of the practical section) Paul writes, "I...urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called" and then he goes on to describe what that looks like in verses 2-3.
How else does Paul describe our walk?
In Eph. 4:17 he tells us that we are not to walk in the futility of the mind (you need to think right and fill your mind with the right things.)
In Eph. 5:2 he says that we are to walk in love...actually the same kind of love with which Christ loved us.
In Eph. 5:8 we are told to walk as children of light, meaning that the way we live is to be pleasing to God and to be open for all to see that we live with integrity.
In Eph. 5:15 Paul says that we should be careful to make sure that we walk in wisdom.
So, how's your walk with Christ?
In the doctrinal section Paul covers topics like predestination, salvation by grace alone, unity of the body of Christ, and the mystery of the gospel.
In the practical section Paul strings the metaphor of "walking" through his message.
In Eph. 4:1 (beginning of the practical section) Paul writes, "I...urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called" and then he goes on to describe what that looks like in verses 2-3.
How else does Paul describe our walk?
In Eph. 4:17 he tells us that we are not to walk in the futility of the mind (you need to think right and fill your mind with the right things.)
In Eph. 5:2 he says that we are to walk in love...actually the same kind of love with which Christ loved us.
In Eph. 5:8 we are told to walk as children of light, meaning that the way we live is to be pleasing to God and to be open for all to see that we live with integrity.
In Eph. 5:15 Paul says that we should be careful to make sure that we walk in wisdom.
So, how's your walk with Christ?
- walking worthy of the gospel???
- thinking right???
- loving at all times???
- living a pleasing life before God with integrity???
- being wise???
Tuesday, February 16, 2010
New Thru 30 - Days 17-20 - I'm Out of Pocket
Hey folks...our baby is coming Wednesday morning/afternoon, so I won't be writing the blog for the rest of this week. I promise I'll be right there with you in reading the Scripture, but I won't have a blog for you.
See you back here on the blog on Monday, day 21 of NT30.
Blessings...
Pastor Mark
See you back here on the blog on Monday, day 21 of NT30.
Blessings...
Pastor Mark
New Thru 30 - Day 16 - Romans 9-16
What an awesome section of Scripture you had for today's reading. Chapters 9-11 can be very difficult to interpret. Then, starting with chapter 12, you get the practical outworking of our justification in everyday life.
I want to key in on one verse...Romans 14:13, "Let us not pass judgment on one another any longer, but rather decide never to put a stumbling block or hindrance in the way of a brother."
This is the third time in chapter 14 that Paul has written about passing judgment on other people (verses 4, 10, 13). So, what's the point of verse 13? You could summarize it this way...
Quit looking at everybody else and make sure you're living right!!!
The first part of the verse talks about not passing judgment on others. Paul immediately follows that up by telling us to put the focus on ourselves in making sure that we are living the way we are supposed to.
Isn't this our age old problem??? We want to look at other people's mistakes and judge them while we completely ignore the way we're living. That's not acceptable. Our job is to tend to the way we live and let God take care of the way other people live.
I want to key in on one verse...Romans 14:13, "Let us not pass judgment on one another any longer, but rather decide never to put a stumbling block or hindrance in the way of a brother."
This is the third time in chapter 14 that Paul has written about passing judgment on other people (verses 4, 10, 13). So, what's the point of verse 13? You could summarize it this way...
Quit looking at everybody else and make sure you're living right!!!
The first part of the verse talks about not passing judgment on others. Paul immediately follows that up by telling us to put the focus on ourselves in making sure that we are living the way we are supposed to.
Isn't this our age old problem??? We want to look at other people's mistakes and judge them while we completely ignore the way we're living. That's not acceptable. Our job is to tend to the way we live and let God take care of the way other people live.
Monday, February 15, 2010
New Thru 30 - Day 15 - Romans 1-8
If you're reading this post and you're up to date with your reading guide then you've made it halfway!!! Way to go; keep it up.
So we made it out of the narrative literature and into the epistles today.
John Piper title his sermon series on the book of Romans "The Greatest Letter Ever Written." I agree.
Buried in this treasure chest we call Romans is the following verse: "Do you presume on the riches of his kindness and forbearance and patience, not knowing that God's kindness is meant to lead you to repentance?" (Rom. 2:4)
I know I've written and spoken a lot about repentance lately, but I just feel the need for it personally as God is dealing with me. As I read the Bible more and more, I am seeing that repentance is a bigger and bigger theme. I don't want to ever come to the place where I presume on God's kindness and forbearance and patience.
Hasn't God been good to you??? I'm not talking about the fact that you have lots of money and live in a land of freedom, etc...
I mean hasn't he been good to you in that he hasn't destroyed you for your sin?
Look back at the verse. All of God's kindness, forbearance, and patience is designed for one thing in your life...
Repentance.
Come to him today and repent.
So we made it out of the narrative literature and into the epistles today.
John Piper title his sermon series on the book of Romans "The Greatest Letter Ever Written." I agree.
Buried in this treasure chest we call Romans is the following verse: "Do you presume on the riches of his kindness and forbearance and patience, not knowing that God's kindness is meant to lead you to repentance?" (Rom. 2:4)
I know I've written and spoken a lot about repentance lately, but I just feel the need for it personally as God is dealing with me. As I read the Bible more and more, I am seeing that repentance is a bigger and bigger theme. I don't want to ever come to the place where I presume on God's kindness and forbearance and patience.
Hasn't God been good to you??? I'm not talking about the fact that you have lots of money and live in a land of freedom, etc...
I mean hasn't he been good to you in that he hasn't destroyed you for your sin?
Look back at the verse. All of God's kindness, forbearance, and patience is designed for one thing in your life...
Repentance.
Come to him today and repent.
New Thru 30 - Day 13 - Acts 21-28
Today's reading really focused in on Paul as a person and though the reading spans over many years of his life, it all centers in on Paul's trial, imprisonment, journey to Rome, and ministry from the Roman prison.
As I read the end of Acts I was captured by Paul's passion to fulfill his God given mission.
In Acts 21:7-14 we see Paul and his companions as they have arrived in Caesarea. A prophet named Agabus comes and prophesies that the Jews will capture Paul when he goes to Jerusalem. (Paul, like Jesus, was often in conflict with the Jewish religious establishment)
I love the interchange in verses 12-14.
12 - Upon hearing this prophecy Paul's companions begged him not to go to Jerusalem.
13 - Paul proclaims his readiness to be killed for Jesus.
14 - Everybody sees his heart and says, "Let the will of the Lord be done."
Paul loved Jesus more than life itself because Jesus was his life.
As I read the end of Acts I was captured by Paul's passion to fulfill his God given mission.
In Acts 21:7-14 we see Paul and his companions as they have arrived in Caesarea. A prophet named Agabus comes and prophesies that the Jews will capture Paul when he goes to Jerusalem. (Paul, like Jesus, was often in conflict with the Jewish religious establishment)
I love the interchange in verses 12-14.
12 - Upon hearing this prophecy Paul's companions begged him not to go to Jerusalem.
13 - Paul proclaims his readiness to be killed for Jesus.
14 - Everybody sees his heart and says, "Let the will of the Lord be done."
Paul loved Jesus more than life itself because Jesus was his life.
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