Preparing for the “Iron Sharpens Iron” Conference (Emmaus May 25-28) Workshop #2 (con’t)

The theme this year of the “Iron Sharpens Iron” conference at Emmaus Bible College is ‘Training for Godliness” and the plenary sessions will be focusing on I Timothy 4-6.  My two workshop topics are:  “Guarding and Discarding: The Keys to Sound Theology (1 Timothy 6:20-21)” and “Sanctified Hedonism: The Case for “Worldly Saints” (1 Timothy 4:1-5).”

Let’s conclude our thinking about the second workshop this morning: “Sanctified Hedonism: The Case for “Worldly Saints” (1 Timothy 4:1-5).”
We read the following in I Timothy 4:

These false teaches are into forbidding — They forbid people to marry (which the Creator blessed in Genesis and the Lord Jesus in the gospels) and they restrict what people can eat!  These negative values actually express several ungodly attitudes:

(1) unthankfulness:  Both marriage and culinary variety were created by God to be enjoyed!

(2) a denial of the goodness of creation:  Everything God created is good.  Nothing (that is not sinful) is to be rejected IF it is received with thanksgiving!

But the material world (marriage and food) needs to be consecrated!  How does this happen?  By “the word of God and prayer.”  As we are into God’s Word (allowing Him to speak to us) and prayer (giving us the opportunity to speak to Him), these two disciplines cause us to receive His good gifts with thanksgiving.

In his article “The Problem of Pleasure,” Phillip Yancey quotes G.K. Chesterton as saying, “I felt in my bones, first that this world does not explain itself. . . . Second, I came to feel as if magic must have a meaning, and meaning must have some one to. mean it. There was something personal in the world, as in a work of art. . . . Third, I thought this purpose beautiful in its old design, in spite of its defects, such as dragons. Fourth, that the proper form of thanks to it is some form of humility and restraint: we should thank God for beer and Burgundy by not drinking too much of them. . . . And last, and strangest, there had come into my mind a vague and vast impression that in some way all good was a remnant to be stored and held sacred out of some primordial ruin. Man had saved his good as [Robinson] Crusoe saved his goods: he had saved them from a wreck. All this I felt and the age gave me no encouragement to feel it. And all this time I had not even thought of Christian theology.”

We know the God who gave us marriage and food and everything else!  Thank Him for His good gifts today!

 

Preparing for the “Iron Sharpens Iron” Conference (Emmaus May 25-28) Workshop #2 (con’t)

I’m in the preparation stages for the “Iron Sharpens Iron” conference at Emmaus Bible College.  I’ve been asked to give two workshops.  The theme this year is ‘Training for Godliness” and the plenary sessions will be focusing on I Timothy 4-6.  My two topics are:  “Guarding and Discarding: The Keys to Sound Theology (1 Timothy 6:20-21)” and “Sanctified Hedonism: The Case for “Worldly Saints” (1 Timothy 4:1-5).”

Let’s continue to think about the second workshop this morning: “Sanctified Hedonism: The Case for “Worldly Saints” (1 Timothy 4:1-5).”
We read the following in I Timothy 4:

These false teachers, these faith-abandoners, will be inspired by demons to teach their heresies.  Personally, they are characterized as being “hypocritical liars” with seared consciences!

In terms of their teaching, two categories of error are specified by Paul: (1) they will forbid God’s gift of marriage, and (2) they will order their followers to follow certain dietary restrictions.

Specifically, their commands about diet focus on abstention, not thanksgiving.  “Don’t eat that!” is their command.  Not, “Wow!  Isn’t God good to give us such delicacies!”  Refusing God’s good gifts is as bad a sin as gluttony.  It expresses a lack of thankfulness for what “God created to be received.” Finding a balance between restriction and liberty is a challenge at times, isn’t it?  We can fall into the trap of being gift-denyers and think that we have somehow become more spiritual.  (to be continued)

 

Preparing for the “Iron Sharpens Iron” Conference (Emmaus May 25-28) Workshop #2

The “Iron Sharpens Iron” conference at Emmaus Bible College is fast approaching — and I have two workshops to prepare!  The theme this year is ‘Training for Godliness” and I will be presenting two workshops:  “Guarding and Discarding: The Keys to Sound Theology (1 Timothy 6:20-21)” and “Sanctified Hedonism: The Case for “Worldly Saints” (1 Timothy 4:1-5).”

Let’s focus on the second workshop this morning: “Sanctified Hedonism: The Case for “Worldly Saints” (1 Timothy 4:1-5).”
We read the following in I Timothy 4:

A number of issues jump out at me from this text.  The passage is eschatological in tone.  That is, Paul is referring to “later times” and is warning Timothy about how some will abandon the faith and follow demonic doctrines.

The human avenue of these deceiving ideas will be “hypocritical liars” who have callous consciences.  Wow!  Paul isn’t pulling any punches as he refers to the sources of these wrong ideas.

But what about the ideas themselves?  Their errors fall into the categories of FORBIDDING MARRIAGE and DIETARY RESTRICTIONS.  Marriage was God’s idea in the Garden and was clearly affirmed by the Lord Jesus when He said, ⁶ “But at the beginning of creation God ‘made them male and female.’ ⁷ ‘For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, ⁸ and the two will become one flesh.’ So they are no longer two, but one flesh. ⁹ Therefore what God has joined together, let no one separate.” (Mk. 10).

These false teachers, the Spirit of God says, will forbid marriage.

We will look at their dietary prohibitions in our next post.  (to be continued)

 

 

Preparing for the “Iron Sharpens Iron” Conference (Emmaus May 25-28) Workshop #1 (con’t)

Emmaus Bible College’s “Iron Sharpens Iron” conference is coming up — and I have two workshops to prepare!  The theme this year is ‘Training for Godliness” and I will be presenting two workshops:  “Guarding and Discarding: The Keys to Sound Theology (1 Timothy 6:20-21)” and “Sanctified Hedonism: The Case for “Worldly Saints” (1 Timothy 4:1-5).”

Let’s focus on the first one this morning: “Guarding and Discarding: The Keys to Sound Theology (1 Timothy 6:20-21)”

As we read in I Timothy 6:20-21, we learn that God has entrusted to Timothy something.  God has given him the gospel — and he is to guard it.  Guarding does not mean we seal up the gospel, get it out of sight, hide it under a bushel (NO!).  We guard it by (1) knowing it clearly, and (2) sharing it faithfully.  The gospel is not meant to be locked in a vault and kept away from strangers.  As the Good News of God, the gospel is meant to be shared — and that means it will be available for challenge, criticism, rejection, consideration.

Guarding the gospel assumes that the gospel will be under attack.  But if it is not shared, it is in no danger of attack — and it is not available to save anyone!  Why do we not share the gospel?  Pastor Steve Brown once said, “When I share the gospel, I’m afraid of what people will think of Jesus and I’m afraid of what they will think about me.  But mostly, I’m afraid of what they will think about ME.”

Ready to guard the gospel today?  Then — share it with someone!  Sometimes we share only a small part of the gospel.

Please describe (in the Comments section) your experience of sharing the gospel with someone today, even if you only share a bit of the gospel.  (to be continued)

 

 

Preparing for the “Iron Sharpens Iron” Conference (Emmaus May 25-28) Workshop #1

I’m preparing for Emmaus Bible College’s “Iron Sharpens Iron” conference.  The theme this year is ‘Training for Godliness” and I will be presenting two workshops:  “Guarding and Discarding: The Keys to Sound Theology (1 Timothy 6:20-21)” and “Sanctified Hedonism: The Case for “Worldly Saints” (1 Timothy 4:1-5).”

Let’s think about the first one for the next few posts: “Guarding and Discarding: The Keys to Sound Theology (1 Timothy 6:20-21)”

Has it dawned on you that what we Christians don’t believe is almost as important as what we do believe?  For example, we don’t believe in reincarnation.  We don’t believe in a plurality of gods (as our Mormon friends do).  We don’t believe that Jesus was really Michael the archangel (as our Jehovah’s Witness friends do).  We don’t believe that every person without exception will be saved (as our Unitarian Universalist friends do).  Denials are as important as affirmations, aren’t they?

Let’s think about our main text in I Timothy 6.  Notice the verbs used in these two verses:

(1) GUARD  (2) TURN AWAY FROM

What is involved in GUARDING?  We guard what is valuable to us.  We protect it; we shield it; we put our own lives at risk for that object or person.  When I was working my way through graduate school, I worked at night (11 pm to 7 am) as a night watchman or security guard.  I had to make rounds both inside and outside the factory I was guarding.  I was the only one there.  I remember one wintry night (this was in NJ) making my outside round and having to go up several steps to punch my time clock to show I had actually walked around the perimeter of the building.  Coming down those ice-covered steps — I don’t remember what happened then.  I found myself in a pile on the concrete sidewalk.  I put my life in jeopardy for a soap factory!

I also got caught a time or two asleep at my post.  That did not go over well with management.  Sleeping on the job — a night watchman’s job — was not cool.

We need to be vigilant in guarding what has been “entrusted” to our care.  Prepared to be vigilant today? (to be continued)

 

Looking Forward to “Iron Sharpens Iron” Conference May 25-28!

I’ve been privileged over the last few years to participate in Emmaus Bible College’s conference for church leaders called “Iron Sharpens Iron.”  The theme this year is ‘Training for Godliness” and will feature several messages on I Timothy, chapters 4-6, as well as a number of elective workshops.

I will be presenting two workshops which I’ll briefly describe below.  Subsequent posts will allow me to work through some of the details of these two topics.

Guarding and Discarding: The Keys to Sound Theology (1 Timothy 6:20-21)
How do we practically protect and pass on the essential truths of the Christian faith? What does it mean that the faith has been given to us as a “trust”? Why do some fall into apostasy?

In this workshop I’ll be examining those two verses in I Timothy 6 which read: “20 Timothy, guard what has been entrusted to your care. Turn away from godless chatter and the opposing ideas of what is falsely called knowledge, 21 which some have professed and in so doing have departed from the faith.”

Sanctified Hedonism: The Case for “Worldly Saints” (1 Timothy 4:1-5)
How is the believer in Jesus to be a holy hedonist and how does 1 Timothy 4:1-5 relate to our living in this world?

I’m encouraged by books such as Michael Witmer’s Becoming Worldly Saints on this topic.  The five verses in I Timothy 4 which I will examine are:  “The Spirit clearly says that in later times some will abandon the faith and follow deceiving spirits and things taught by demons. 2 Such teachings come through hypocritical liars, whose consciences have been seared as with a hot iron. 3 They forbid people to marry and order them to abstain from certain foods, which God created to be received with thanksgiving by those who believe and who know the truth. 4 For everything God created is good, and nothing is to be rejected if it is received with thanksgiving, 5 because it is consecrated by the word of God and prayer.”

Would you consider praying for me as I prepare these two workshops?  Thank you!

 

TEN STEPS TO SPIRITUALITY (Step 10)

In our course, “The Integration of Theology and Psychology,” Dr. Allan McKechnie and I have been discussing the doctrine of salvation and its implications for counselors who are Christians.  One aspect of salvation is the continuing work of God the Holy Spirit in making us like Christ.  This doctrine is called SANCTIFICATION.  The word means “being set apart” or “being made holy.”

I believe I Timothy 4 presents us with ten very specific steps we may take to advance in our becoming like Christ.  Let’s look at that passage and continue investigating those ten steps.

I Timothy 4 says,

⁷ Have nothing to do with godless myths and old wives’ tales; rather, train yourself to be godly. ⁸ For physical training is of some value, but godliness has value for all things, holding promise for both the present life and the life to come. ⁹ This is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance. ¹⁰ That is why we labor and strive, because we have put our hope in the living God, who is the Savior of all people, and especially of those who believe.

¹¹ Command and teach these things. ¹² Don’t let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith and in purity. ¹³ Until I come, devote yourself to the public reading of Scripture, to preaching and to teaching. ¹⁴ Do not neglect your gift, which was given you through prophecy when the body of elders laid their hands on you.

¹⁵ Be diligent in these matters; give yourself wholly to them, so that everyone may see your progress. ¹⁶ Watch your life and doctrine closely. Persevere in them, because if you do, you will save both yourself and your hearers.

The FIRST STEP we saw in this text was simply:  PAY ATTENTION TO WHAT YOU AVOID (v. 7)

The SECOND STEP we notice is:  TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR YOUR OWN SPIRITUAL LIFE (v. 7)

The THIRD STEP we see is:  INVEST IN THIS LIFE AND THE NEXT (v. 8)

The FOURTH STEP here in this text is:  REST ON WHAT IS WORTHY OF YOUR TRUST (v. 9)

The FIFTH STEP we see in this passage is simply: WORK HARD IN YOUR LIFE OF FAITH IN THE LORD (v. 10)

The SIXTH STEP Paul gives us here is BOLDLY PROCLAIM THE TRUTH WITH YOUR WORDS AND LIFE (vv. 11-12)

The SEVENTH STEP which helps us to become spiritual is DEVOTE YOURSELF TO THE WORD OF GOD AND THE USE OF YOUR GIFT (vv. 13-14)

The EIGHTH STEP in moving on in our spirituality comes out of verse 15  where we are told to BE DILIGENT IN WHOLLY COMMITTING YOURSELF TO YOUR OWN SPIRITUAL GROWTH.

The NINTH STEP in advancing in our spiritual growth comes out of verse 16 and it is simply:  DON’T DIVORCE WHAT YOU BELIEVE FROM HOW YOU BEHAVE!

The TENTH STEP in pursuing spirituality also comes from verse 16 and it is this:  DON’T GIVE UP FOR YOUR SAKE OR THE SAKE OF OTHERS!  Verse 16 says, “Watch your life and doctrine closely. Persevere in them, because if you do, you will save both yourself and your hearers.”

There are so many forces which challenge the perseverance of the believer.  The tragedies of life, the questions raised by unbelievers, the pain of having our gospel witness rejected, the disappointments when God doesn’t behave the way we would like Him to — all of these can combine their forces to scream one message to us:  “GIVE UP!”

On October 29, 1941, United Kingdom (Great Britain) Prime Minister Winston Churchill visited Harrow School to to hear the traditional songs he had sung there as a youth, as well as to speak to the students. This became one of his most quoted speeches, due to distortions that evolved about what he actually said.

The myth is that Churchill stood before the students and said, “Never, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever, give in. Never give in. Never give in. Never give in.” Then he sat down. In reality, he made a complete speech that included words similar to what are often quoted. Also, some believe he said, “Never give up.” That too is incorrect.  At any rate, the message of NEVER GIVE UP needs to be heard and heeded by followers of Jesus!

Questions:

1.  Scripture says that “no man lives to himself and no man dies to himself.”  We affect each other by the way we live or don’t live.  List several people that your life impacts either positively or negatively.

2.  The Ten Steps that we have seen here in I Timothy 4 are not magic or instant.  They require commitment, steadfastness, determination, and a desire to not stay the same!  How is status quo spirituality overcome by the individual believer?

 

TEN STEPS TO SPIRITUALITY (Step 9)

In our course, “The Integration of Theology and Psychology,” Dr. Allan McKechnie and I have been discussing the doctrine of salvation and its implications for counselors who are Christians.  One aspect of salvation is the continuing work of God the Holy Spirit in making us like Christ.  This doctrine is called SANCTIFICATION.  The word means “being set apart” or “being made holy.”

I believe I Timothy 4 presents us with ten very specific steps we may take to advance in our becoming like Christ.  Let’s look at that passage and continue investigating those ten steps.

I Timothy 4 says,

⁷ Have nothing to do with godless myths and old wives’ tales; rather, train yourself to be godly. ⁸ For physical training is of some value, but godliness has value for all things, holding promise for both the present life and the life to come. ⁹ This is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance. ¹⁰ That is why we labor and strive, because we have put our hope in the living God, who is the Savior of all people, and especially of those who believe.

¹¹ Command and teach these things. ¹² Don’t let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith and in purity. ¹³ Until I come, devote yourself to the public reading of Scripture, to preaching and to teaching. ¹⁴ Do not neglect your gift, which was given you through prophecy when the body of elders laid their hands on you.

¹⁵ Be diligent in these matters; give yourself wholly to them, so that everyone may see your progress. ¹⁶ Watch your life and doctrine closely. Persevere in them, because if you do, you will save both yourself and your hearers.

The FIRST STEP we saw in this text was simply:  PAY ATTENTION TO WHAT YOU AVOID (v. 7)

The SECOND STEP we notice is:  TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR YOUR OWN SPIRITUAL LIFE (v. 7)

The THIRD STEP we see is:  INVEST IN THIS LIFE AND THE NEXT (v. 8)

The FOURTH STEP here in this text is:  REST ON WHAT IS WORTHY OF YOUR TRUST (v. 9)

The FIFTH STEP we see in this passage is simply: WORK HARD IN YOUR LIFE OF FAITH IN THE LORD (v. 10)

The SIXTH STEP Paul gives us here is BOLDLY PROCLAIM THE TRUTH WITH YOUR WORDS AND LIFE (vv. 11-12)

The SEVENTH STEP which helps us to become spiritual is DEVOTE YOURSELF TO THE WORD OF GOD AND THE USE OF YOUR GIFT (vv. 13-14)

The EIGHTH STEP in moving on in our spirituality comes out of verse 15  where we are told to BE DILIGENT IN WHOLLY COMMITTING YOURSELF TO YOUR OWN SPIRITUAL GROWTH.

The NINTH STEP in advancing in our spiritual growth comes out of verse 16 and it is simply:  DON’T DIVORCE WHAT YOU BELIEVE FROM HOW YOU BEHAVE!  We read in verse 16- ” Watch your life and doctrine closely. Persevere in them, because if you do, you will save both yourself and your hearers.”

Is it not the case that most of us BELIEVE far more than we BEHAVE?  Our life and our doctrine ought to match each other.  There should be a harmony between what we think and how we act.

When my family and I moved to Canada (where we lived for 9 years), we got skating and hockey lessons for our ten-year-old son before we moved there.  Someone has defined hockey as “a form of disorderly conduct in which the score is kept!”  People are keeping score on our lives — and we must behave ourselves for the sake of the gospel!

Questions:

1.  In what ways do we divorce what we believe from how we behave?  What verses do you find which teach that our behavior is critical to our witness?

2.  Have you recently found yourself apologizing for your failure in behavior before others?  Perhaps a big part of our apologetics ought to be our apologizing when our conduct does not match our creeds!

 

TEN STEPS TO SPIRITUALITY (Step 8)

In our course, “The Integration of Theology and Psychology,” Dr. Allan McKechnie and I have been discussing the doctrine of salvation and its implications for counselors who are Christians.  One aspect of salvation is the continuing work of God the Holy Spirit in making us like Christ.  This doctrine is called SANCTIFICATION.  The word means “being set apart” or “being made holy.”

I believe I Timothy 4 presents us with ten very specific steps we may take to advance in our becoming like Christ.  Let’s look at that passage and continue investigating those ten steps.

I Timothy 4 says,

⁷ Have nothing to do with godless myths and old wives’ tales; rather, train yourself to be godly. ⁸ For physical training is of some value, but godliness has value for all things, holding promise for both the present life and the life to come. ⁹ This is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance. ¹⁰ That is why we labor and strive, because we have put our hope in the living God, who is the Savior of all people, and especially of those who believe.

¹¹ Command and teach these things. ¹² Don’t let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith and in purity. ¹³ Until I come, devote yourself to the public reading of Scripture, to preaching and to teaching. ¹⁴ Do not neglect your gift, which was given you through prophecy when the body of elders laid their hands on you.

¹⁵ Be diligent in these matters; give yourself wholly to them, so that everyone may see your progress. ¹⁶ Watch your life and doctrine closely. Persevere in them, because if you do, you will save both yourself and your hearers.

The FIRST STEP we saw in this text was simply:  PAY ATTENTION TO WHAT YOU AVOID (v. 7)

The SECOND STEP we notice is:  TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR YOUR OWN SPIRITUAL LIFE (v. 7)

The THIRD STEP we see is:  INVEST IN THIS LIFE AND THE NEXT (v. 8)

The FOURTH STEP here in this text is:  REST ON WHAT IS WORTHY OF YOUR TRUST (v. 9)

The FIFTH STEP we see in this passage is simply: WORK HARD IN YOUR LIFE OF FAITH IN THE LORD (v. 10)

The SIXTH STEP Paul gives us here is BOLDLY PROCLAIM THE TRUTH WITH YOUR WORDS AND LIFE (vv. 11-12)

The SEVENTH STEP which helps us to become spiritual is DEVOTE YOURSELF TO THE WORD OF GOD AND THE USE OF YOUR GIFT (vv. 13-14)

The EIGHTH STEP in moving on in our spirituality comes out of verse 15  where we are told to BE DILIGENT IN WHOLLY COMMITTING YOURSELF TO YOUR OWN SPIRITUAL GROWTH.  That verse reads:  “Be diligent in these matters; give yourself wholly to them, so that everyone may see your progress.”  The matters about which Paul has been speaking involve turning away from foolish things, investing in God-honoring issues, and showing by our behavior that Christ is the central focus of our lives.

Several observations occur to me in this verse:

1.  One’s diligence can be measured!  The Christian life is not happenstance or haphazard or mystical.  It involves moving on in godliness, taking specific steps to become more like Christ!

2.  Giving oneself wholly to spiritual issues means there are no closed rooms to God’s invasive searching.  He has free reign to probe, look in our closets and under our beds, to encourage us to whole-hearted commitment to His truth!

3.  This godly diligence, this whole-self dedication, is not just for our individual benefit!  We should strive to live like Christ because others are watching!

Questions:

1.  On a scale of 1 to 10 (one being lousy and 10 being perfection), how would you gauge your spiritual commitment to the things of Christ?

2.  Are you bold enough to ask one of your close friends this question:  “Do you see me making progress in my Christian life?”

 

TEN STEPS TO SPIRITUALITY (Step 7)

In our course, “The Integration of Theology and Psychology,” Dr. Allan McKechnie and I have been discussing the doctrine of salvation and its implications for counselors who are Christians.  One aspect of salvation is the continuing work of God the Holy Spirit in making us like Christ.  This doctrine is called SANCTIFICATION.  The word means “being set apart” or “being made holy.”

I believe I Timothy 4 presents us with ten very specific steps we may take to advance in our becoming like Christ.  Let’s look at that passage and continue investigating those ten steps.

I Timothy 4 says,

⁷ Have nothing to do with godless myths and old wives’ tales; rather, train yourself to be godly. ⁸ For physical training is of some value, but godliness has value for all things, holding promise for both the present life and the life to come. ⁹ This is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance. ¹⁰ That is why we labor and strive, because we have put our hope in the living God, who is the Savior of all people, and especially of those who believe.

¹¹ Command and teach these things. ¹² Don’t let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith and in purity. ¹³ Until I come, devote yourself to the public reading of Scripture, to preaching and to teaching. ¹⁴ Do not neglect your gift, which was given you through prophecy when the body of elders laid their hands on you.

¹⁵ Be diligent in these matters; give yourself wholly to them, so that everyone may see your progress. ¹⁶ Watch your life and doctrine closely. Persevere in them, because if you do, you will save both yourself and your hearers.

The FIRST STEP we saw in this text was simply:  PAY ATTENTION TO WHAT YOU AVOID (v. 7)

The SECOND STEP we notice is:  TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR YOUR OWN SPIRITUAL LIFE (v. 7)

The THIRD STEP we see is:  INVEST IN THIS LIFE AND THE NEXT (v. 8)

The FOURTH STEP here in this text is:  REST ON WHAT IS WORTHY OF YOUR TRUST (v. 9)

The FIFTH STEP we see in this passage is simply: WORK HARD IN YOUR LIFE OF FAITH IN THE LORD (v. 10)

The SIXTH STEP Paul gives us here is BOLDLY PROCLAIM THE TRUTH WITH YOUR WORDS AND LIFE (vv. 11-12)

The SEVENTH STEP which helps us to become spiritual is DEVOTE YOURSELF TO THE WORD OF GOD AND THE USE OF YOUR GIFT (vv. 13-14)

We read in verses 13-14 the following:  ¹³ Until I come, devote yourself to the public reading of Scripture, to preaching and to teaching. ¹⁴ Do not neglect your gift, which was given you through prophecy when the body of elders laid their hands on you.

Devotion seems to be a rare commodity these days.  What do we mean when we say someone is “devoted”?  I think that they are determined, committed, single-minded, focused.  Paul admonishes Timothy to give his energies and attention to the TRUTH of the Scriptures, specifically to the public reading, preaching, and teaching of them.

I once served on a committee which judged high school students’ public reading of Scripture.  Their readings were excellent, emphasizing the tone and force of the various Bible passages they were each assigned.  We need to recover a thirst for hearing God’s Word read aloud to us!

Paul also exhorts Timothy to not neglect the spiritual gift which he received when the body of elders laid hands on him.  Spiritual gifts — those abilities to serve God and God’s people — are described in four places in the New Testament:  Romans 12, I Corinthians 12, Ephesians 4, and I Peter 4.  If you are a believer in Christ, do you know what your spiritual gift is?  If so, are you neglecting it?

Questions:

1.  What are some reasons that we don’t get excited about the public reading of the Scriptures?  What can you do practically to overcome that reluctance in your local church?

2.  Do you know what your spiritual gift is — and are you using it?