1 Timothy 4:12 (Devotion)

Let no one despise you for your youth, but set the believers an example in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith, in purity.

You are never too young to be used by God. That was the instruction the apostle Paul gave to his #1 gun, Timothy, as he was charged to lead the church in Ephesus. And that is the reminder we all need to be cognizant of not only in how we minister, but how we allow others to minister to us. Based on the apprentice-type role Timothy held under Paul one would assume he was in his early twenties, but various commentaries calculate Timothy's age around thirty years old at the time of this letter, which is surprising compared to what many of us would have assumed. It is true that wisdom typically comes with age for Job 12:12 affirms, "Wisdom is with the aged, and understanding in length of days." However, it is imperative additional Scripture verses be considered when evaluating the correlation between age and wisdom. For example, Solomon was anointed king approximately at the age of twenty. And when given the opportunity to receive any gift God graciously agreed to bestow upon him, Solomon chose understanding (1 Kings 3:5-9). His youthful age was not a detriment to his decision-making capability, and he was subsequently blessed as a result. The greater emphasis Paul makes to Timothy centers around how he lives out his faith as pastor. Timothy's conduct is paramount to ensuring others do not look down upon him in a condescending way and leverage his age against him. The same is true for us. We are called to not only hear the Word of God but actively apply and implement it in our daily actions so as not to deceive ourselves (James 1:22). Therefore, age is not the primary focus of attention in Paul's instruction but the quality of his leadership by example. It is not surprising that the initial focus of Paul's attention is speech, for as the book of James warns, "The tongue is a fire, a world of unrighteousness. With it we bless our Lord and Father, and with it we curse people who are made in the likeness of God" (James 3:6,9). Therefore, we must guard the words which flow out from our mouths just as Jesus instructed His disciples. "It is not what goes into the mouth that defiles a person, but what comes out of the mouth; this defiles a person" (Matthew 15:11). In addition, we must choose our words carefully so we might encourage and build one another up (1 Thessalonians 5:11) rather than tear one's character and countenance down.

It is imperative to note that speech derives from the heart and that the purity Paul is instructing Timothy to exude comes from a heart which longs for righteousness. We do not want to fall into the same trap the prophet Isaiah warns about. "This people honors me with their lips, but their heart is far from me" (Isaiah 29:13). Therefore, we must ensure our motivations align with God's will, for only He is sovereign and can do all things according to His perfect plan. We must also allow the Holy Spirit to transform us from the inside out (Matthew 23:25-26) so our words and actions are pure and holy. They derive from the central location of our spirit (our heart) and therefore communication love, faith and purity if indeed we are born-again and sanctified in the image of Christ. This has been God's design from the beginning for Scripture reminds us, "Even a child makes himself known by his acts, by whether his conduct is pure and upright" (Proverbs 20:11). Consequently, Scripture exhorts God as our ultimate source of wisdom and understanding. "Your steadfast love, O Lord, extends to the heavens, your faithfulness to the clouds" (Psalm 36:5). Moreover, God provides the definition for what love truly is in 1 John 4:7-21 and then calls us to be examples of love to our world by adhering to the Great Commission (Matthew 28:18-20). In other words, if we do not believe by faith that Jesus died for our sins we will never know how to love, for love is from God and is God. And if we do not know how to love others through the love of Christ, our motives will impure, directly affecting our speech and actions. Therefore, what is the prescription for such an ailment? James 2:17 teaches, "Faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead," meaning our obedient display of works reflect an inward decision and commitment to righteousness by grace through faith in Jesus Christ (Ephesians 2:8). Therefore, in order to make the greatest impact for the kingdom of God, we must live out our faith by humbling ourselves and allowing our lives in Christ to speak for themselves. Age is not the issue to worry about as Paul reminds us. Rather, how we live our lives for Christ truly is. "By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another" (John 12:35).

Proverbs 31:30

"Charm is deceitful, and beauty is vain, but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised." I am blessed beyond measure. For reasons unbeknownst to me, God took it upon himself to grace me with the most extraordinary wife I could have ever dreamed of. I certainly do not deserve the gift of all she is because I fall painstakingly short of being all that God calls me to be as her husband. Nonetheless, he chose her for me and vice versa…and what a journey it has been for the time I have known her! When I first met my wife, Amber, I was struck immediately by four dominant characteristics: 1. Her Beauty; 2. Her Sweetness; 3. Her Sense of Humor; and 4. Her Honesty. In retrospect though, I am continually amazed about what most people admire the most about her, which undoubtedly is her faith in Jesus Christ. When I first met her, we discussed our mutual Christian faith. But as time progressed and we began getting to know one another better, all the things I loved about her became a distant second to her unshakeable faith and un-apologetic belief in the Word of God. God knew I needed a strong woman to share my life with, but I had no idea that He would use her more than anything or anyone else to sharpen my faith, hold me accountable, and mold me into the man of God that I am today (Proverbs 27:17). The issue of faith is paramount to the success of a marriage because love must be at the center. Scripture clarifies this point in 1 John 4:7: "Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God, and whoever loves has been born of God and knows God." This is crucial to understanding the role of God in marriage because in order to love your spouse, you must have the love of Christ within you. Otherwise, how would you know what self-sacrificing love is? God calls a man and woman (Genesis 2:24) in marriage to love like he loves. And the only way we can learn how to do that is to fill our minds with the wisdom of God’s Word and more importantly apply that understanding into every facet of our lives. That is the essence of Godliness highlighted in Proverbs 31:30 that the Bible considers greater that any other skill, talent or attribute a woman has. In a world filled with and consumed by outer beauty and adornment, the Bible defines in 1 Peter 3:4 what God expects out of his daughters: “But let your adorning be the hidden person of the heart with the imperishable beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which in God’s sight is very precious.” I am so thankful that God’s will for my life included Amber because as time passes, I cannot remember life without her and more importantly, through her example I experience the person of Jesus Christ on a daily basis.

Joel 2:25

"I will restore to you the years that the swarming locust has eaten."

There are extraordinary promises of God in Scripture which speak directly to the heart and soul. “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16) is arguably the most familiar example of such a promise. But perhaps one of the best verses in all of Scripture that speaks specifically to the restoration of a sinful person, made clean by God’s amazing grace and mercy, is found in the Old Testament: Joel 2:25. The context in which this verse is written comes in the midst of God bringing forth judgment in the form of a drought and locust infestation against Judah. According to The Expositor’s Bible Commentary: “The people had taken God and his blessings for granted. Faith had degenerated into an empty formalism and their lives into moral decadence. To Joel, the locust plague was a warning of a greater judgment that was coming unless the people repented and returned to fellowship with God. If they did, God would pardon them and restore the health of the land.”

How true of our lives today! We are a people who consistently and (if we are truly being honest with ourselves) un-apologetically take for granted the blessings and grace of God by choosing our sinful nature over God. I believe for the most part, those who have accepted Christ’s free gift of salvation do not intentionally conspire to sin against Him, but we are lulled to sleep by living a monotonous and mundane level of spiritual vigor which leaves us feeling incomplete and distant from God. Quality time with God through Bible study and prayer is often replaced with extracurricular activities, work responsibilities, etc. In other words, God has simply been squeezed out of our daily lives because a relationship with Him is often viewed as convicting and/or condemning rather than rewarding and fulfilling. We have believed the lie rather than killed the serpent! Why then should we be surprised by the lack of joy we feel in our soul based on the health of our spiritual relationship with Him? The true beauty of Joel 2:25 is that God was (and still is) merciful toward His people when we repent and turn back to Him. No doubt we, like Judah, do not deserve His grace based on how we respond to Him through our thoughts, words and actions. However, to those who willingly return to Him with broken and repentant hearts (Luke 15:17-21), He is willing and able to restore His eternal joy and blessings that once were traded for the pleasures of this world (Genesis 25:29-34).

When I reflect upon Joel 2:25, I am burdened with immense regret for the blessings I traded over the years by indulging in sin (particularly, pride and lust). Whether major or minor, I was and still am a habitual sinner in that I do not have my armor of God (Ephesians 6:10-17) securely fastened and prepared for battle at all times. Honestly, we all are habitual sinners because we commit sin against God every day of our lives in one way or another and continue to make those same mistakes. The real question is whether we have repented of our sins and more importantly, are actively pursuing God’s wisdom by eliminating those sins and temptations from our lives. God has promised to restore the years that locust has eaten, but we must do our part by choosing to accept His unmerited grace and mercy. It all comes down to a choice. Praise God He is merciful beyond measure and we have the power to accept this promise He has given, being made whole again through Jesus Christ!

2 Timothy 4:2-5

"Preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, and exhort, with complete patience and teaching. 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. As for you, always be sober-minded, endure suffering, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry." What an encouragement from the Word of God! When we stand up for God's truth and hold accountable false teachers and their doctrine, we are fulfilling the ministry He calls us to. I can personally attest that this act of faith is perhaps one of the hardest to apply because often it comes with some of the most ruthless persecution fathomable, both inside and outside the church walls. Therefore, it is encouraging that we are instructed to "endure suffering" for the sake of truth despite what the popular opinion of culture teaches. I have often believed that Christians are their own greatest asset to spreading the Good News of Christ and consequently their own worst enemy. Ultimately, we are held accountable to the very faith we publicly profess. If our doctrine is not pure and Biblically sound, it will collapse on all we have foolishly built our lives upon. I have learned the hard way that the only absolute truth available to mankind is Scripture (i.e. the Word of God, the Bible). For if we do not hold firm to the sound doctrine of the Word, we not only fool ourselves but those around us that our morals, values and belief systems are based on feelings, emotions and/or opinions rather than absolute truth. Without question, I am grieved the most these days by how many ministry and pastoral leaders are not willing to stand up for the truth of God's Word and more importantly apply what the Scriptures instruct. They are so focused on their own personal agendas that they water down the Gospel to suit their needs and justify their actions with half-truths that simply mask the selfishness and pride that has enveloped their spirits like cancer. Moreover, the audacity of many of these leaders to proclaim they are "one" in spirit with the living God while justifying their thoughts and actions without the exegetical truth of Scripture is perhaps the greatest sign of pride and arrogance the church has ever seen. I have unfortunately experienced firsthand pastors that refute the sound doctrine of God's Word when held accountable and consequently suffered immediate persecution for holding them Biblically accountable. The tragic fact is they surround themselves with people who are willing to support their ungodly passions and insulate themselves from true Biblical accountability. Consequently their hearts and minds never receive truth spoken in love. Rather than embracing direct messages from God that He is communicating to them, they unleash all their fury and anger by persecuting the messenger God has called. They choose to mask their personal agendas publicly, but underneath the surface their true identity resides in full display to Jesus Christ--and He will not idly turn his face from their sin and unrighteousness! For Jesus said, "I tell you, on the day of judgment people will give account for every careless word they speak, for by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned" (Matthew 12:36-37). On the flip side, the pandemic is just as dangerous as 2 Timothy warns. Not only will false teachers surround themselves with those who will justify their sin, but ordinary men and women will seek false teachers that will accept and justify their sinful passions in return. You need not look any further than the church down the street for proof of this truth! For example, the Lutheran Church just voted in favor (69%) of allowing practicing homosexuals to lead in ministry positions within the church. Not only is one of the most serious sins Scripture will ever address rampant in society, but now it is being welcomed and escorted in with open arms of acceptance and justification within a protestant denomination. Standing up for the truth is never easy. But if we never put our faith to the test and see if we are who we profess to be as Christians, we will never know the infinite blessings of God that come with being persecuted for Christ. The mark of Biblical persecution is learning to speak the truth in love (Ephesians 4:15) and willing to stand boldly and not apologize for the absolute truth of Scripture, regardless of the persecution that may come. For Jesus stated clearly, "Everyone who acknowledges me before men, I also will acknowledge before my Father who is in heaven, but whoever denies me before men, I also will deny before my Father who is in heaven" (Matthew 10:32-33).