From 2 Timothy 2:14-26

When Moses went to Pharaoh to demand Israel’s freedom, there were magicians who opposed him.  As God did miracles through Moses, Pharaoh’s magicians found ways to do similar things so that Pharaoh could justify continuing to disobey God and oppress His people.

In the time of Jesus, the disciples, and the early church, people were lovers of self, lovers of money, proud, arrogant, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, heartless, unappeasable, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not loving good, treacherous, reckless, swollen with conceit, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, having the appearance of godliness, but denying its power.

Today we look around us and see that people are lovers of self, lovers of money, proud, arrogant, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, heartless, unappeasable, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not loving good, treacherous, reckless, swollen with conceit, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, having the appearance of godliness, but denying its power.

When Paul warns Timothy and his congregation about the times of difficulties that will come in the last days, we understand that this will be the reality we have to deal with until Jesus’ return.  The wisdom that Timothy receives in the face of all these challenges?  Avoid such people.  Measure people against the standards laid out in Scripture and avoid those who profess to be godly but do not line up with the teachings of God. Do not follow them, no matter how pleasant or easy or desirable they might sound.  Our calling is to be faithful and to strive after the things of God, and that is not easy but it is worth doing.

Focus on God

We are reminded in these verses that God promises us a better future, free of the difficulties of these times.

Function in Our Lives

We are encouraged to pursue godliness and faithfulness and righteousness.

Topics to Pray About                                                               

• Thank God for the warnings that Scripture gives us.
• Confess to God the times where you are tempted to follow people who are doing the wrong things.
• Ask God to bless His church and its mission.

In His Service,

J. LeBorious

From 2 Timothy 2:14-26

We have an all-powerful God who is capable of using anyone and anything to bring faith to those who are lost. This is a true statement.  We need to be careful that it does not become an excuse for doing less than our best in pursuit of living according to the calling He has put on our lives.  For example, if I (as a pastor) would get up on Sunday without preparing for the message at all, did a cold read of a text, and talked about it for fifteen minutes, could God use that to build faith in someone?  Sure.  Would it be better for everyone if I did the prep, studied the text in advance, and carefully prepared a message?  Absolutely.

In these verses, we read that “if anyone cleanses himself from what is dishonorable, he will be a vessel for honorable use, set apart as holy, useful to the master of the house, ready for every good work.” (2 Timothy 2:21) When we get comfortable with our own weakness, our own inadequacy, or our own sinfulness there is a temptation to say “God can use me as I am.”  Sure He can, but we’re called to do our best, to give our best, to be our best for service to God.  So we strive to lead lives that reflect our shared calling to make disciples and witness to the world.

Focus on God

We are reminded in these verses that God can use anyone to bring others to faith.

Function in Our Lives

We are encouraged to strive for excellence and righteousness in all our vocations.

Topics to Pray About                                                               

• Thank God for the examples of faith that He has given to you.
• Confess to God the times where you are satisfied with giving Him less than your best.
• Ask God to bless His church and its mission.

In His Service,

J. LeBorious

From 2 Timothy 2:1-13

Sometimes we conflate ourselves, our way of doing things, or our preferences with the Gospel.  You might have heard people complain that because they don’t feel heard or because their church isn’t doing something the way that they would want that somehow the Gospel is being bound.  In these verses, Paul is in prison.  While he would probably prefer not to be in prison, he still writes to Timothy “the word of God is not bound!”

Sometimes we get an inflated sense of our own importance, so it is good to be reminded that while God might use you to spread His Gospel, God does not need you for anything.  The Gospel is not bound, there is nothing that anyone can do to keep the Holy Spirit from working.  As Paul says in Romans, “I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rules, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Romans 8:37-39)

Focus on God

We are reminded in these verses of the incredible power of the Gospel message.

Function in Our Lives

We are encouraged to have humility and be open to serving as a tool for the Holy Spirit.

Topics to Pray About                                                               

• Thank God for the freedom of the word of God as it has worked in your life.
• Confess to God the times where you think yourself as more important than you are.
• Ask God to bless His church and its mission.

In His Service,

J. LeBorious

From 2 Timothy 1

The transition from 1st Timothy to 2nd Timothy represents a second letter from Paul to Timothy.  Presumably, Timothy has served as a pastor for longer and Paul has more wisdom to share with him and with his congregation.  The letter begins, however, with a reminder of the most basic parts of our faith.  Paul reminds Timothy to be proud of the testimony of the Gospel and to stick to the calling he has received (as a Christian).  That Gospel is not because of anything they did, but because of the work of Jesus who “abolished death and brought life and immortality to light through the Gospel.”

We need this reminder just as much as Timothy did.  So often we can get caught up in all sort of things – work, family commitments, social happenings, even different church stuff.  It’s good to have a regular reminder of the foundation for our lives. It’s good to be reminded of the work of Jesus for us, what that means for us, and how we’re called to respond. And that need for a reminder is reflected in some of the things we do as a church.  It’s why Christian community is so critical, it’s why we say one of the creeds every week, and it’s why confession and absolution are included in our services so consistently.  The Gospel message is the foundation of everything we are, so it’s good to have so many reminders in our lives.

Focus on God

We are reminded in these verses of the gracious, saving work of Jesus.

Function in Our Lives

We are encouraged to share in suffering for the Gospel by the power of God.

Topics to Pray About                                                               

• Thank God for the work of Jesus and for the holy calling as a Christian you have received.
• Confess to God the times where you don’t put yourself in a position to be reminded about that faith.
• Ask God to bless His church and its mission.

In His Service,

J. LeBorious

From 1 Timothy 6:11-20

We strive to do what is right and good.  Sometimes that will be difficult, more often than not that will be difficult.  Our own nature will constantly be tempted to not do what is good, the things of our fallen world will constantly tempt us to not do what is good, the culture and society around us will tempt us to not do what is good, sometimes our friends and sometimes our enemies will tempt us to not do what is good . . .

It’s no wonder that Paul describes the effort to do what is right as a battle.

It is a battle worth fighting though, despite everything going on around us.  Strive to be righteous, to emulate God, to be faithful, loving, steadfast, and gentle.  Strive to cling to the faith that we share in Jesus Christ crucified and risen.

Focus on God

We are reminded in these verses that God graciously promises us an end to this conflict with Jesus’ return.

Function in Our Lives

We are encouraged to strive for the things of God.

Topics to Pray About                                                               

• Thank God for His guidance.
• Confess to God the times where you don’t struggle for good or righteousness in your own life.
• Ask God to bless His church and its mission.

In His Service,

J. LeBorious