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Today’s reading is 1 Tim 2

I love the instruction Paul writes to us in the first verse of this chapter. “I urge you, first of all, to pray for all people. Ask God to help them; intercede on their behalf, and give thanks for them.” He goes on to say that we should be praying for all who are in authority so that we can live at peace and be marked by godliness and dignity. God wants us to pray for everyone because He wants everyone to be saved and understand the truth. Jesus gave His life to reconcile God and humanity and to purchase freedom for everyone.

Pray for all people…what does that look like for me? Paul helps me out a bit more by giving some guidelines in these verses. Ask God to help others. I can do that. Intercede on others behalf when you know they are struggling to reach out to God for themselves, or if they don’t have a relationship with Him at all, I should go to God for them and ask Him to help them. That makes sense. God wants me to be thankful for others. He wants me to be grateful to Him for creating other people and allowing them to be in my life whether I enjoy them or not. This one might feel a bit tougher to do consistently, but sure helps me keep my heart centered on God instead of myself. God wants me to pray for my leaders. The ones in my family, at church, at my workplace, in my country, and in the world. God’s desire is that all people be saved, so if I pray for people to meet Jesus and to accept Him, this is good and pleases God. It’s pretty clear after reading these verses that God is not looking for a “daily blanket prayer” meant to cover all people. He wants us to pay attention to the people we encounter. He wants us to be aware of the people we meet, work with, shop with, sit at the kids swimming lessons with, make conference calls with, live next to, etc. If I have enough time to think about these people and notice them throughout my day, I have enough time to lift them to Jesus in prayer. I can thank God for them, ask Him to help them, and ask God to draw them to Him if they don’t have a relationship with Him, without even knowing very much about them. I can work on this. I can learn to pray for people I encounter instead of breezing right by without a second thought.

The next section of this chapter, vs 8-15 are a bit trickier to figure out. I had to drag out my commentaries again to get some help on culture and customs from this time period so I could grasp more of the heart of what Paul is trying to convey. It looks like the principle behind Paul’s instructions for women’s dress, hair style and jewelry was more about them emphasizing the internal over the external. Clothes, (as long as they are not sexually suggestive) jewelry and hairstyles are not wrong in themselves, but can take on too much importance in our hearts which shows us that we might be struggling with misplaced values. When our focus is on our hearts and being good to others, then our beauty is seen from the inside out. This is what Paul is asking women to aim at.

Verses 11-15, honestly, I wish were in someone else’s chapter to post on! Ugh!! Even the commentaries admit that this is one of the most difficult passages in the New Testament to interpret. Good, it’s not just me! I am not going to make a guess at explaining this. I would encourage you to look into some explanations and options written by much more studied persons than myself. Research some word studies on “quiet” and “submissive” in this biblical context. Ask God to speak to you on what He wants you to understand from this group of verses. Ask Him if He wants you to consider changing your thinking around this topic. (Maybe after trying to figure out the meaning of these last verses, Paul’s earlier command to pray for all people seems a little easier…)

 

Introduction to I Timothy

I am excited to start off this week and this book with you. This is the first time that I have had the privilege to introduce a book this year and I am excited to introduce I Timothy which is the beginning of the Pastoral Letters of Paul.   The assumed time period that I Timothy was written about AD 64 or 65, around the time after Paul’s first Roman imprisonment and during a time that he and Timothy revisited the church in Ephesus.   This is a letter of encouragement and instruction to Timothy as he beings to pastor of the Church in Ephesus. The main blueprint that Paul lays out is: instructions on the right belief, instructions for the church, and instruction for elders. The main themes can be further broken down to: Sound Doctrine, Public Worship, Church Leadership, Personal Discipline, and a Caring Church. (NIV Life Application study bible)

As I prayed and prepared for this introduction I found out some interesting facts of Timothy:

1. Was from Lystra and Derbe. This is the same place that in Acts Chapter 14 the people of the city actually stoned Paul and left him for dead. God has a plan for you and sometimes the place he sends you, you might not want to return.
   1. Acts 16: Paul came to Derbe and then to Lystra, where a disciple named Timothy lived, whose mother was Jewish and a believer but whose father was a Greek. ² The believers at Lystra and Iconium spoke well of him.
2. Was prepared for his role. Sometimes the preparation is necessary for the journey and allows others to see God’s work in you.
   1. Act 16: ³ Paul wanted to take him along on the journey; so he circumcised him because of the Jews who lived in that area, for they all knew that his father was a Greek.
3. Was raised and nurtured by his mother, Eunice, and grandmother, Lois. (II Timothy 1:5)
   1. This strikes a note with me because I was mainly raised by my mother and grandmother and they had and continually have an impact on my adult life, especially my Spiritual life. I am often reminded of the gentle and loving way that my grandmother would: sing hymns and read the bible and pray daily. I pray that I would have a portion of her dying devotion to the practice of spiritual living and giving.

As we prepare to enter into this lesson to Timothy, let us reflect on the words of Paul to Timothy :

 The goal of this command is love, which comes from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith.    I Timothy 1:5

Lord, as we continue our journey in the letters of Paul, allow us to remember that the purpose of this journey in faith is to recognize your LOVE for us and how we can share your love with others and listen for your direction in our lives. Amen

As I sit here in my chair looking out the window, it is 92 degrees and feels like 105 degrees. Since 8:00 am a moving truck and 3 workers have been loading up my neighbors belongings. They have taken much needed breaks and I see lots of water bottles around, but they are working hard getting everything loaded into that truck. Not once have I witnessed one of them sit down and be lazy in this scorching heat!

In todays reading of 2 Thessalonians chapter 3, Paul winds up his letter with final instructions about working hard and not giving in to idleness.

I can just imagine what would happen across the street if one of the movers sat down and got lazy while the others continued to carry heavy boxes and furniture from the house to the truck! I am pretty sure that a fight might break out or word would definitely get back to the boss about the one being lazy. This lazy worker would disrupt, discourage and could even embitter the whole group of movers. This is what Paul was seeing in Thessolonica. People were becoming idle as they were waiting for the Lord to return. As they were not busy, they became busybodies. They stirred up trouble with their gossipy, busybody behavior. The problem was unsettling the church. These people had so much time on their hands that they were meddling in others’ affairs and causing problems, rather than living quiet lives and providing for their families.

Idleness can be defined as a lack of pursuing spiritual things. Idleness is not just being a couch potato, laying on the sofa. You can be very busy at your daytime job, cleaning around the house, doing outdoor work or even volunteering in your community. But that business is not going to keep fiery darts from the evil one from hitting you, if your mind isn’t on Jesus, it is not being renewed. If you are not pursuing God, you will be pursued and overtaken by the thoughts of this world. This is the sin of idleness – a lack of pursuing god.

2 Thessalonians 3:3 reminds us, “But the Lord is faithful, who will establish you and guard you from the evil one.” He is true to His promises. He cannot lie or pull any punches. What He promises, He delivers. God will establish us and guard us from the evil one. God will also “guard” us. He is our defender. He stands guard for us.

When we are not idle and spend time in the Word of God, we put more truth in our souls. The more truth we hide in our hearts, the more stable we become because God is faithful to us. God’s faithfulness toward us inspires trust. Trust in God’s faithfulness gives us stability because we know that He will be true to His Word (Numbers 23:19). We have His support in any situation we face.

While we wait for the Lord’s return, just as they were doing in this passage, we are instructed to live as responsible members of our families, neighborhoods, and communities. We need to strive to represent Jesus well.

Today’s reading:  2 Thessalonians 2

Paul begins the second chapter of his second letter to the Thessalonian church addressing concerns about false teaching.  Specifically, some teachers of the day were asserting the second coming of Jesus Christ had already taken place.  Further, they claimed this message had come from Paul himself.   The Thessalonian Christfollowers were confused and were worried they had been left behind.

In his usual way, Paul addressed their concerns head on.  He reviewed the known facts around the second coming, helped the Thessalonian Christfollowers realize the account given by the false teachers didn’t line up, and reminded them false teaching is a product of Satan.  Paul spends a good part of 2 Thessalonians 2 describing the Anitchrist, who is coming to earth do the work of Satan.  Based on the timeline laid out in scripture, the Anitchrist must come and assert his influence BEFORE Jesus returns to overtake him and claim victory over evil forever.  I’ll be honest, verses 10-12 are pretty unnerving, especially when you get to verse 11.  God is going to allow people’s hearts to become hardened because they refuse to accept the truth.  Did this make your belly hurt?  It did mine.  Falling into the trap of false teaching has pretty serious consequences.

He will use every kind of evil deception to fool those on their way to destruction, because they refuse to love and accept the truth that would save them.  So God will cause them to be greatly deceived, and they will believe these lies. Then they will be condemned for enjoying evil rather than believing the truth (2 Thessalonians 2:10-12).

Have you ever encountered false teaching?  More importantly, are you positive your interpretation of Biblical passages is accurate?  How can you be confident you aren’t spreading false teaching?  In late 2015 when B.J. and friends launched the idea of biblejournal.net and asked me to be a writer, I had this concern.  I reminded him that I really didn’t have the credentials to be holding myself out as an expert on God’s word – I didn’t go to Bible College, I’m not a Biblical scholar, and I don’t really have a whole lot of experience.  In response to my concern (and the concerns of a few others), B.J. shared the Eastview Preaching/Teaching FILTER for us to use as a guide.  It is pretty straight forward to use – if the interpretation of God’s word doesn’t line up with all of these six tenets, it is likely false.  You need to study a little more and ask God to reveal his message to you more clearly before proceeding.  This guide helped us step into the biblejournal.net authorship journey with confidence.  May I share it with you?  This FILTER is a powerful tool you can use to sniff out false teaching and/or to give you confidence as you share Biblical truths with those around you.

(F) First Importance – Does the teaching affirm the Gospel message as of first importance?  For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures (1 Corinthians 5:3-4).

(I) Inspired Word – Does the teaching underscore the inspiration and authority of scripture? All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness (2 Timothy 3:16).

(L) Lordship of Christ – Does the teaching point to the supremacy and sufficiency of Jesus? He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him. And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together. And he is the head of the body, the church. He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in everything he might be preeminent (Colossians 1:15-18).

(T) Triune God – Does the teaching elevate the triune God?  He exists in three equal persons:  Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, perfectly, submissively, joyfully, and in full unity as One.  The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all (2 Corinthians 13:14).

(E) Essential Unity and Maturity in Christ – Does the teaching support the local church / body of believers?  We are shaped by the Triune God’s unity, the vision He has given us, and the ongoing spiritual growth He desires.  And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers, to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ (Ephesians 4:11-13).

(R) Respect for the Bride of Christ – Does the teaching respect the church by protecting her from division, corruption, and cultural seduction? 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 3:15).

As Christfollowers, we are called to share Jesus’ salvation message with all the world.  May you find the Eastview Preaching/Teaching FILTER a guide to help you along the way.

“Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you.  And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age” (Matthew 28:19-20).

Today’s Reading: 1 Thessalonians 3

“For when we were with you, we kept telling you beforehand that we were to suffer affliction, just as it has come to pass, and just as you know. For this reason, when I could bear it no longer, I sent to learn about your faith, for fear that somehow the tempter had tempted you and our labor would be in vain.” 1 Thessalonians 3:4-5

 I’m on my way to an electronic free vacation for 8 wonderful days. As I type the cell signal is waning and I’m aware that we’ll be cut off from the world in the Boundary Waters between Minnesota and Canada. We take this trip every year with our children and my parents and it’s always a beautiful time to deepen our relationship and truly be present with one another.  When I read 1 Thessalonians 3 today, I really connected with the Thessalonian people. There were no cell phones or face time for them to connect with Paul to seek counsel or encouragement.  Instead there was simply distance. Silence. As I head up north I’m aware that I’ll have the opportunity to experience that distance and silence in the next week. We’ve had some really difficult life circumstances leading up to this trip. We’ve had those moments of “why us, God” in fact the phrase we’ve heard most often lately is, “you guys just can’t catch a break can you!” But here is, right here from Christ’s apostle Paul: we kept telling you…we were to suffer affliction…and it has come to pass.  Sometimes, I think as Christian’s we have the attitude that we are not meant to suffer since we are His chosen ones. When things get dark in our lives, it’s easy to come undone and focus on the unfairness of it all. But Paul tells us here in verse 5 that it’s our tempter that encourages us to doubt God’s sovereignty in these moments.

This short chapter from Paul’s letter to the Thessalonians is a powerful reminder to us that our Father is all powerful, all knowing and loves us unconditionally. We can show Him our commitment and obedience to Him by honoring Him and trusting in Him in our darkest times. It’s not an easy task. But just as Paul rejoiced in the good news that Timothy brought, so will our Father rejoice in our unwavering faith. As I sit by the water and breathe in His stillness, I’ll pray for you and your dark hours. I’ll pray for all of you that your endurance in your faith and commitment to Him will stay strong even in the hardest times. I’m grateful to this community for giving me an opportunity to write so that I too may be strengthened by the knowledge that our faith multiplies when we are together and encouraging one another in our Christian journey.

Peace and love to you readers