Tag: little escambia

Day 67: 1 Timothy 1-3 (NEW TESTAMENT 90)

On By pastorjonathanIn DevotionalLeave a comment

Today’s reading comes from 1 Timothy 1-3 follow the link provided here to read the ESV online.

1 Timothy is a pastoral epistle, meaning that Paul wrote it to another young pastor. When I first started at Little Escambia, I found it extremely helpful to read all the pastoral epistles over and over again during my first summer here. Paul shares keen spiritual truth as an apostle to a young man just beginning in ministry.

One of the things that jumps out at me when I read 1 Timothy is Paul’s warning about fables and endless genealogies (1:3-4).  Truth matters, but the things mentioned here tend to divide. Sometimes it is more important to know that the Lord is coming back (truth) than it is to worry and debate if some of the critters unleashed in Revelation 9 might actually be helicopters (I see how they would look that way to a generation returning from Vietnam… but in this generation, CRISPR kits are being sold to any adolescent with $450 who wants to learn how to “bio-hack” and so it is more and more conceivable that someone could bio-engineer those suckers into existence). The truth is, we don’t know exactly what those critters are and we could speculate for hours upon hours, but it wouldn’t get us any closer to Jesus, help us share our faith, or really encourage us in any real way and so it’s worth leaving those discussions behind to have a real one that will edify us in our faith.

Paul always remembered where he came from (1:15) and we would do well to follow his example of humility. Having faith and a good conscience are critical to ministering to people and Paul echoes this advice to Timothy (1:5 &19).  He solemnly states this in contradiction to those who have shipwrecked their faith (1:19-20).

In chapter two and three, Paul turns his attention to praying for those in governmental leadership and those who are qualified to be a pastor or deacon in the church. Different churches have different takes on these passages, but the reality is that these passages are there and they mean something. It is worth asking the question how do we honor the Lord in our churches according to these passages.

FATHER, thank you for your word that is truth and the sound doctrine that leads us to life everlasting in you through the blood of Jesus. We ask that you would guard us from being sidetracked by petty little side issues and that we would be focused on you. We pray for our leaders and ask for you to guide those who are an authority over us. We thank you for pastors and deacons. We pray that you would continue to call faithful individuals to the leadership of your church. Thank you for the grace of calling me to pastor at Little Escambia. I pray that you are glorified by your church. IN JESUS NAME, AMEN.

 

What did you take away from today’s reading? What are your thoughts or questions? Feel free to comment below and enter the discussion.

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Day 66: 2 Thessalonians (NEW TESTAMENT 90)

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Paul generally begins his letters with prayer as he does here in 2 Thessalonians. What seems to be different here is that he says, “we are ‘bound’ to thank God for you” (1:3, 2:13). The word bound would mean obligated. Paul felt a debt to the Thessalonians for how well they had received the gospel and endured under persecution (1:4).

Paul jumps right in to draw the line about the coming of God’s final judgement and glory. It seems as though that after Paul had left, someone had come in the church and was sewing seeds of discord about the return of Christ, claiming that he had already come back and they had missed it (2:1-3).  Paul sets the record straight and reminds them to go back to the sound doctrine (traditions) they had received from him in person or via his other letter written to them (2:15).

Paul wraps up this short epistle with a request for prayer and warning against idleness.  If Paul needed the prayer of the churches, we all need prayer.  There were some who were content to eat the bread from other’s labor, but Paul admonished them that each one is to work and eat their own bread (3:12). He reminds his readers that they are to not grow weary of doing good (3:13).

I imagine that growing weary in doing good is all in your perspective. If you see the good that God has called you too as an obligation, I see how it could become wearisome. However, if we see the opportunity to do good to others as a  gift, we will look for it more often and with zeal.

FATHER, We give thanks to you for your church. We are bound to give thanks for all the ways you have worked in the church and used the church in our own lives. We thank you for each and every gift. We rejoice in the encouragement we have drawn from one another. We pray that we would not be lead astray by false doctrine, but that we would cling to your word. Strengthen our hand that we would not be weary in doing good. Let our love for you be evident to all and may it abound. We pray for our church leaders that you would strengthen their hand and that they would glorify you. Thank you for the grace to shepherd your people. IN JESUS NAME, AMEN.

What did you take away from today’s reading? What are your thoughts or questions? Feel free to comment below and enter the discussion.

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Day 65: 1 Thessalonians 4-5 (NEW TESTAMENT 90)

On By pastorjonathanIn DevotionalLeave a comment

Today’s reading comes from 1 Thessalonians 4-5 follow the link provided here to read the ESV online.

Paul reminds the Thessalonian believers to maintain sexual purity as their calling in Christ. It is amazing how often the scripture speaks to a Christian sexual ethic and yet there are several in the church even who dismiss it or try to insist the scriptures teach something else. Paul reminds not only the Thessalonians, but those reading now as well, that we were called to holiness (4:7). We’ll be covering this issue this week at Little Escambia as we continue studying the Ten Commandments and study the command to not commit adultery.

Weeks before I was diagnosed with an infection inside of my heart I was inclined to believe that I was dying. I can’t explain why I thought or felt that way, only to say that I was very fatigued and sick. When I felt that way, I kept going back to I Thessalonians 5:9-10 and it brought me immense comfort in the middle of my physical trials.  Paul’s words here are comforting to the Thessalonian believers (4:18) in a similar way, as they had asked about those who had already died in Christ (4:13).

In 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 is the bread and butter of a daily walk with Christ. I can quite skeptical sometimes and I needed this reminder to “rejoice always” (5:16). God is always at work, even when I can’t see it and that is worth rejoicing over. We are to always be praying (5:17). I am continuing to develop a habit of praying for people as I see them and talk with them and engaging the Lord in Prayer all through the day. We are to give thanks in all things (5:18). I don’t know about you, but I constantly need this reminder. As I’ve said before, I can be quite the skeptic and negative in my head. One practice that has really helped me in the last few years is to reflect back about what I have to be thankful for and thank the Lord at the end of each day.

FATHER, We pray that we would live holy lives set apart to you. Help us to maintain ethical standards that you put forth in your word. I pray that we would believe that you know what is best and that we would stand firm in your word when the world attempts to convince us to abandon truth. We rejoice always, knowing that we have been given more in Christ than we can possibly celebrate. Teach us to pray without ceasing that ever thought would be taken captive and you would be exaulted even in our thoughts. Thanks you for the abundance of gifts big and small that are ours in Christ. Help us to find gratitude and be grateful even in the most trying times of life. Thank you for the grace to lead your people. IN JESUS NAME, AMEN.

What did you take away from today’s reading? What are your thoughts or questions? Feel free to comment below and enter the discussion.

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Day 64: 1 Thessalonians 1-3 (NEW TESTAMENT 90)

On By pastorjonathanIn DevotionalLeave a comment

Today’s reading comes from 1 Thessalonians 1-3 follow the link provided here to read the ESV online.

We find Paul caring for, and praying for, this church often (1:2-3, 2:13).  They had ministered to him after he had been run out of Phillipi ( 2:2) and they received the Word of God with zeal (2:13). Paul and his traveling companions weren’t able to stay there long and had wanted to come back and see the progress of the Thessalonian church (2:17-18). They had later encountered persecution and Paul was anxious to see how the young church was doing. He sent Timothy to check on the Thessalonian saints and encourage them. When Timothy returned back to Paul he had a great report to share about the progress of their faith (3:1-10).  

In 1 Thessalonians 2:8, the Apostle Paul writes, “We were ready to share with you not only the gospel of God but also our own selves, because you had become dear to us.”

I am reminded of the love and warmth that is shared between pastor and the flock. I have been blessed to serve three different congregations over the past 22 years. There comes a point as a pastor that the line between obligation and love is blurred.  There are moments, especially early on in ministry where I have labored to visit the sick, counsel the hurting, and minister among the broken, because it was an obligation (first to God and second to the people who had confirmed God’s call).  Then there came the moment when I showed up to the hospital for someone, not because it was an obligation (part of the job), but because of the genuine love and care for them. The sense of obligation has been replaced with a genuine love.

You can tell as you read though 1 Thessalonians that the Apostle Paul has a genuine affection for the people of this church.  He longs for their good. He wants to observe their faith firsthand and he writes to answer their questions and encourage them. A genuine love for God will always overflow into a love for his people.

FATHER, Thank you for the church. We are grateful for our brothers and sisters in Christ and how their walk with you encourages us. We are thankful that we get the benefit of ministering to one another, not just out of an obligation, but out of a sense of love. We rejoice to hear when others are doing well in the faith. Thank you for the grace of minister with a church that loves you and loves others well. Thank you for the grace of shepherding your flock. IN JESUS NAME, AMEN.

What did you take away from today’s reading? What are your thoughts or questions? Feel free to comment below and enter the discussion.

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Day 63: Colossians (NEW TESTAMENT 90)

On By pastorjonathanIn DevotionalLeave a comment

Today’s reading comes from Colossians follow the link provided here to read the ESV online.

Paul had not met the people this letter is addressed too (1:2). He had never been to Colosse. He heard about this church through through his friend Epaphras  who shared about the church and everything that was going on (1:7-8).  Paul wanted to make sure that the members of this church knew that even though he didn’t plant their church, he was praying for their church (1:3, 9). He was praying for their knowledge and fruitfulness of the gospel among them (1:9-10).

Most of Paul’s letters have a purpose behind them. Generally a church is dealing with an issue, or several issues, as in the case of Corinth, and Paul writes a letter to settle a doctrinal question or dispute. We can look through Colossians and see the issue addressed in this letter is the sufficiency of Christ. So the first half of the book is rich with doctrinal content explaining the preeminence of Christ in creation and as the head of the church. Observe the doctrinal richness and clarity in Colossians 1:15-18 and 2:9.

SIDE NOTE: I won’t spend too much time here, but my Thesis Paper for my Bachelor’s Degree was about Christology (the Study of Christ) in Colossians

Before we go much further it is worth highlighting Colossians 1:28, “Him we proclaim, warning everyone and teaching everyone with all wisdom, that we may present everyone mature in Christ.” The goal of the Christian life is to grow to maturity in Christ. Reading the word of God is helpful, but reading alone doesn’t bring maturity. We must apply his word to our lives, submit our character to Him and allow ourselves to be changed from the inside out. We should look more like Christ today than we did yesterday… to our spouses, to our children, to our bosses and to our workers (3:18-4:1)

When we were little we used to mark our height against different objects in the house to tell that we were growing. Tests were given in school to measure if we were growing in knowledge. But perhaps the most difficult measure was given to my parents as they trusted and tested me with responsibility to see if I was growing in maturity. And so it is with the Christian life. Mature believers recognize that they have a responsibility to help and encourage their younger brothers and sisters in Christ. That’s a good place to pause for meditation today. Am we growing in Christian maturity?

FATHER, Thank you for the honor we have to pray for others and even to pray for those we may have never met. We lift up our sister churches in our area and around the world and ask for knowledge of you and your will to abound. We pray for fruitful ministries filled with the power of the Holy Spirit. We thank you for the grace to grow more and more into the image of Christ and ask that we would be found faithful in yielding to you, Holy Spirit, and your word. We pray for maturity. Thank you for the grace of shepherding your flock. IN JESUS NAME, AMEN.

What did you take away from today’s reading? What are your thoughts or questions? Feel free to comment below and enter the discussion.

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Day 61: Ephesians 4-6 (NEW TESTAMENT 90)

On By pastorjonathanIn DevotionalLeave a comment

Today’s reading comes from Ephesians 4-6 follow the link provided here to read the ESV online.

Paul charges the Ephesian church to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace (4:3). Unity is one of those things that you need to fight to keep. Division is easy. We can drift into division. We can let small differences become big differences. Unity takes effort. Unity is what we are called too.

However, this unity, isn’t unity for unity sake. It is unity in Christ. It’s coming together with the same faith (4:13). It’s maturing in that knowledge of the faith as looked at yesterday. It’s working together. It’s “speaking the truth in love” (4:15, 25).

SIDE NOTE: To have this kind of unity. We have to be willing to tell one another the truth and we have to not be quick to let our feelings get hurt. I’m afraid that our culture, even in the church, is drifting so that we are more afraid of hurting feelings than we are of warning someone away from serious error. We must speak the truth in love.

Paul lays out in chapters five and six how this unity is to work. We are all to submit to one another (5:21). This pertains to marriage (5:22-33), children and parents (6:1-4), and workers and their bosses (6:5-9).  These are all places where it can be difficult to maintain unity of Spirit. In the flesh, we like to grumble about our boss, children love to rebel against their parents and marital strife abounds. Yet, if we are submitted to Christ, we will submit to one another to that God is glorified.

To strive for unity is spiritual warfare. Paul charges us to put on the whole armor of God Satan love to bring division and if we aren’t wearing our armor, we will fall for his attack every time (6:10-20).

SIDE NOTE: We like to think the battle is out there, but notice how much of this submission to one another is to take place in our everyday lives and especially at home. The questions I asked myself today from Ephesians 5 in the fight for unity are these: Do I love my wife like Christ loved the church? Am I raising my children in the fear and admonition of the Lord? Am I treating those above me or below me at work with respect and honor as people made in the image of God?

FATHER, Thank you for calling us to unity. We rejoice in our salvation and ask to continue to grow in the knowledge of our faith. We are grateful that you have given us all gifts and called us to be part of one body, unified but not uniform. We thank you for our spouses, families, and jobs. We pray that we would honor you in every aspect of our lives. We ask for grace to grow submitting to one another in a holy fear of you. Thank you for the grace to lead as a husband, a father, and a pastor. IN JESUS NAME, AMEN.

 

What did you take away from today’s reading? What are your thoughts or questions? Feel free to comment below and enter the discussion.

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Day 59: Galatians 4-6 (NEW TESTAMENT 90)

On By pastorjonathanIn DevotionalLeave a comment

oday’s reading comes from Galatians 4-6 follow the link provided here to read the ESV online.

In chapter four Paul continues to write with both passion and personality as he attempts to persuade the churches of Galatia ( Galatians 1:2) to reject the false gospel of salvation through Old Testament covenant law (specifically circumcision).  Paul continues to be very adamant that whoever has introduced this heresy to the churches in Galatia is in serious sin (5:10).  Just a few verses later, Paul uses a graphic double entendre (5:12). In one sense he means the grossest understanding of the text, in that those stirring up strife would physically emasculate themselves. In another sense, he has eluded to the fact that those who preach a false gospel will face the wrath of God (1:8-9, 5:10), and suggests that they would cut themselves away from the covenant people of God.

Paul presses the church in Galatia to ‘love their neighbor as themselves’ (5:14) and to walk by the Spirit (5:16). The deeds of the flesh flow out of a failure to love their neighbor (5:19-21). The result of walking in the Spirit (fruit of the spirit) is Love, which is what Paul commanded in verse 14. Since the word fruit isn’t necessarily plural and the context is ‘loving our neighbor’, it is reasonable to think the the fruit of the spirit is love, and from love, flows the rest of the attributes that are listed (5:22-23). It would read something like this: love is joyful, love seeks peace, love bares all things, love is kind, love is good to others, love is faithful, love is gentle, love demonstrates self-control. The bottom line is that you can’t love your neighbor without walking in the Spirit (5:25) 

We are reminded in chapter six that love looks out for others. It restores those who have fallen. Love causes a humble carefulness when we do restore others. Love causes us to share what we have learned from our teachers.

FATHER, we thank you for the gospel of Jesus Christ that sets us free from sin. We pray that you would guard our hearts from heresies. We ask that our love for you would be pure. We are grateful for the work of the Holy Spirit in our lives. We pay he would produce the fruit of love in all of it’s forms in our lives. We thank you that you work in us that which we cannot work in our selves. Thank you for the grace to lead your people. IN JESUS NAME, AMEN.

What did you take away from today’s reading? What are your thoughts or questions? Feel free to comment below and enter the discussion.

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Day 58: Galatians 1-3 (NEW TESTAMENT 90)

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Today’s reading comes from Galatians 1-3 follow the link provided here to read the ESV online.

Paul uses some very strong language in Galatians chapter one. He says if anyone preaches another gospel (a false gospel), let him be accursed (damned to Hell) (1:8-9). Believing a false gospel and never trusting the true gospel does lead to Hell. While Paul is harsh, he is honest. It’s worth noting that he writes with passion because this is not a small issue.

He even goes out of his way to say even if “we or an angel” speak a false gospel, let them be accursed (1:8). Coincidentally at least two religions (Islam and Mormonism) are based on accounts of angels visiting “prophets” to say that the gospel Paul preached was all wrong and shared their version of the gospel. We remember that from our reading just a few days ago that Satan himself masquerades as an angel of light (2 Cor. 11:14).

The false gospel and “work” of the Law at stake here was circumcision. The Jewish council had already ruled that converts to Christianity need not be circumcised to be saved (Recorded in Acts 15 which Paul recounts here in Galatians 2:1-10). Some people had come in behind Paul with the false doctrine of salvation by circumcision. All through Galatians, as we will see tomorrow, Paul defends the gospel against this heresy.

Side Note: Context is important. We read the phrase “works of the Law” (2:16) through western eyes and all we hear is the word, “works.” We don’t always take time to understand the “work of the Law” as used here, was related to Jewish rituals, specifically circumcision (5:1-6). If we aren’t careful, we create a false dichotomy between works (in general) and faith.  The specific issue at stake is that we cannot be saved by keeping the ceremonial law, but we can only be saved by faith. This is the way Abraham was saved (3:6). True faith manifests itself in good (not ceremonial) works (Ephesians 2:10, James 2:14).  As we will see near the end of chapter three in Galatians, the ceremonial law served the purpose of pointing us to Jesus for salvation (3:24-25).

I realize I’m a little wordy. To put it simpler: We are saved from our bad works (sin),  unto good works (the fruit of the Spirit), by the work of Jesus (Substitutionary Atonement), that we receive through faith (Believing God).  The rituals of Judaism (such as circumcision) pointed to our sin, but didn’t cover or remove our sin. To go back to Jewish rituals denies the power of the cross to forgive our sin, to reconcile us to God and fill us with His Spirit.

FATHER, We are grateful for salvation that comes through faith in Jesus Christ. We ask that we would live in the full power of our salvation. Keep us from idols and false gospels that would attempt to lure us away from hope we have found in you. I pray that you are glorified in our lives this week. Thank you for the grace to shepherd and lead your people. IN JESUS NAME, AMEN.

What did you take away from today’s reading? What are your thoughts or questions? Feel free to comment below and enter the discussion.

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Day 57: 2 Corinthians 13 (NEW TESTAMENT 90)

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Today’s reading comes from 2 Corinthians 13 follow the link provided here to read the ESV online.

There is no greater folly than to be self deceived. It’s one thing for someone to maliciously trick you and cause you to stumble. It’s another thing to trick yourself. Yet, it happens all the time even to the best of us.

I know for me, some one of the things I lie to myself about are thing pertaining to my weight. I tell myself that “It would be bad if I didn’t eat cake for their birthday party” or “I’ll burn it off on the elliptical later.” I’ll weigh and think, “well it’s just water weight” or “I’ deserve this high calorie food because I skipped breakfast today.” It’s not that I engage in the bad or destructive behavior concerning high calorie food, I flat out lie to myself about it. I rationalize it and make it seem as though I’m doing the right thing, when I’m actually doing the wrong thing as it concerns my goal of losing weight.

But that’s just food. What if we lie to ourselves about something infinitely greater than calories and pounds? What if we lied to ourselves about our relationship with God? What if we deceived ourselves into thinking we were true Christians, when we really weren’t?

Paul tells the Corinthians to examine their faith (13:5). They need to be sure that they are the real deal. They don’t want to get to the day of judgement and realize that they bought into a fake faith (Matthew 7:21-23). Faith that was all about what others saw, but wasn’t of any real substance. They were to examine their hearts and lives and look for the fruit of what it is to belong to God. Where we abide in him, fruit will abound (John 15:4). If we continue in immaturity and never seem to grow or produce the fruit of godliness in our lives, we should be concerned for the salvation of our souls.

FATHER, We ask that you would  examine our lives. Help us to see and know that we belong to you. Give us great grace to live godly lives and to demonstrate the power of the Holy Spirit alive in us. I pray that you would test us and if we fail the test that we would come to you for genuine, saving faith. Thank you for your grace in causing us to examine ourselves so that we might be absolutely sure that we belong to you. Thank you for the grace to shepherd your church. IN JESUS NAME, AMEN.

What did you take away from today’s reading? What are your thoughts or questions? Feel free to comment below and enter the discussion.

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Day 56: 2 Corinthians 10-12 (NEW TESTAMENT 90)

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Today’s reading comes from 2 Corinthians 10-12 follow the link provided here to read the ESV online.

In the reading today, the Apostle Paul brings up spiritual warfare. There were some in Corinth who were seeking to cause division, which Paul was compelled to address.  Some individuals mistook Paul’s directions and intentions as a personal attack, rather than a loving rebuke. Paul writes to reassure them that he’s not looking to start a fight, but that the church needs to be on guard against spiritual forces seeking to destroy it from within (10:3-4).

It’s not as though there is a demon lurking around every corner. Even if there were, you wouldn’t necessarily know it. One of the schemes of the devil is to blend in at church (11:14-15). Most often spiritual warfare begins with “stinkin’ thinkin'” (any thought that isn’t good and isn’t from God). Not every thought that pops into our head is a good thought or a true thought. Every thought needs the light of the gospel to examine it. Paul says, “take every thought captive” (10:5b).  We need to compare what we think to what we know to be true of Jesus.

I’m reminded of the movie, A beautiful mind. The main character begins to see people that were not real. When he interacts with them it becomes apparent that he is mentally ill. There comes a point, where he understands that he is having delusions and so he doubts and scrutinizes some of the people that seemed very real.  He used a metric to evaluate what he was experiencing. His delusions didn’t go away, but he was able to navigate life despite them because he put them in their place.

There are some thoughts that pop into our head that we should doubt. Thoughts that think the worst of others, rather than the best. Thoughts that seek to tear down and destroy. Thoughts that sow seeds of discord. Thoughts of hatred, envy, and bitterness. Thoughts of worthlessness. The list can go on and on… These thoughts should all be filtered by the gospel and brought to obedience in Christ (10:5b).

FATHER, Thank You for the Word of God. Thank you that we can evaluate thoughts that come through our mind and take captive those that would lead us away from you. Thank you for the Holy Spirit and the role He plays in guarding our hearts and helping us to discern truth from error. Help us to remember that we don’t fight against flesh and blood, but that we are waging a spiritual war. Help us to guard the battle ground of our minds. Thank you for the grace to lead your people. IN JESUS NAME, AMEN.

What did you take away from today’s reading? What are your thoughts or questions? Feel free to comment below and enter the discussion.

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