Keeping the Faith – with Help

I have kept the faith 2 Timothy 4:8

Nehemiah 3-4

Psalm 88

2 Timothy 4

-Devotion by Talon Paul (IN)

They say that “hindsight is 20/20”, which means that you see most clearly once it’s all over and you’re reflecting backwards. The apostle Paul is spending some time reflecting in his final letter to Timothy, and during this reflection he names multiple people that have influenced his ministry (for better and for worse). As Paul “finishes his race”, he wants Timothy to be aware of others that he can lean on once Paul is no longer around. We can gain much wisdom from this chapter that is unfortunately skipped over in most Bible reading plans.

The first piece of wisdom that this section has to share is that we should always be preparing the next generation well. Paul had been a mentor and a shining example to young Timothy throughout their time together, as it is written: “Brethren, join in following my example, and observe those who walk according to the pattern you have in us.” (Philippians 3:17) As a good mentor, he tries to set him up for success by warning Timothy about others who might betray him in the future, like Demas and Alexander.

Outside of warning Timothy about those who are dangerous to his ministry, Paul encourages Timothy about those who are helpful to him: Crescens, Titus, Luke, Mark, Tychicus, Carpus, Priscilla and Aquila, Onesiphorus, Erastus, Trophimus, Eubulus, Pudens, Linus, and Claudia. While we are very much unaware of what many of these people have done to help Paul’s ministry, it shows us two things that should motivate all of us in our Christian walk:

  1. The Christian walk and ministry are not supposed to be done alone: they are meant to be done in community with other believers (Luke 10:1; 1 Corinthians 12:13-14).
  1. We should recognize those who have made an impact in our lives, naming them specifically and rejoicing that God gave them to us (Galatians 6:6).

Questions

  1. Do you have a “Paul” in your life? An experienced, godly person to show you how to live in Christ, and who wants to set you up for success? If not, find someone in your church to invest in you.
  1. If you’re an experienced believer who has been a Christian for a while, do you have a “Timothy” in your life? An inexperienced believer who needs a mentor and guiding hand? If not, find someone in your church to invest in.
  1. Who are the people that have helped shape your spiritual life? Thank them personally and let them know how much they mean to you.

Prayer

Dear Father – You are worthy of all praise. Thank you for being a good God who has generously given the gifts of life, faith, salvation, Christian community, and ministry in many forms. Thank You for all those who have shared Your word and Your love with me and my family. I pray for Your strength and guidance as I in turn reach out to others with Your life-giving words. Help me to endure hardship, be committed to sound doctrine, and work with my Christian community well to raise up a next generation of believers who love and serve You with all their hearts, souls, and minds. I pray for Your Son’s return.

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Where Are You?

Nehemiah 1-2

Psalm 88

2 Timothy 3

-Devotion by Carla Hardy (MI)

Psalm 88 is a tough one. It is a psalm of lament, and the only one that doesn’t shift at the end towards a more hopeful or uplifting view. It’s tempting to read this psalm and feel…well, depressed. We can be fine in our feelings, as long as there is a light at the end of the tunnel. We can feel sad, as long as we know a happy ending is just around the corner. But let’s be real – that’s not always the case. Jesus never promised us a life free of heartache. He said there will be trouble. He doesn’t share specifics on what these troubles will be or how long they will last, but he guarantees we will all have them. 

I know there have been seasons in my life when heartache is the overarching theme. The writer of Psalm 88 could have been me. I don’t think I’m alone in this. Sometimes we call out to God, desperately, and we feel like we are calling out into the void. We wonder if He hears us, or if our prayers are in vain. We pray and we pray and we pray…and…we feel nothing.

The key word here, though, is “feel.” We may feel that our prayers are just echoing into the depths, but if we are rooted in the Word, and committed to prayer and seeking the very character of God, we can KNOW, not just feel. If we feel far away from God or that He’s not hearing us, we can always KNOW that He is near and that He does. 

All this being said, don’t disregard Psalm 88. It may not be a common one the songwriters go to to write the next Sunday morning worship song, but it’s important. It shows us that we will have seasons of great sorrow and distress. But don’t worry. Just as Jesus promises in the book of John that we will have troubles and tribulations, he also promises this: “But take heart, I have overcome the world.” 

Reflection Questions:

  1. Have you ever gone through a long season of heartache? Are you in one right now? (Take heart, my friend.) 
  2. I encourage you, if you are in a season of distress, to focus on who God is. Keep praying, keep seeking. He is there. He loves you, knows you, and hears you. Don’t give up. God’s got this! 

Prayer:

God, thank you for your word, even when it is not sugar-coated. Thank you for sending your son Jesus, as he lived a life and knew the deepest heartache…and truly gets us. Thank you for assuring us that although we have trouble, Jesus has overcome the world, and that our tribulations will have their end. Help us to remember this and to seek you and know you. Help us to keep talking to you and to never wonder if you hear us. Help us to know without a doubt that you hear us, always, even if in our feeble human hearts we feel hopeless. 

Amen.

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Mold Me, Use Me

Ezra 9-10

Psalm 87

2 Timothy 2

-devotion by Carla Hardy (MI)

In the “real” world, our status is so often measured by worldly things – your family, your job, your home, your car, your social circle, your financial reality…the list goes on. However, status in this sense means very little to God. It doesn’t matter what we are “made of.” It matters whether we are pure. 

Verse 20 in 2 Timothy 2 says, “Now in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and silver but also of wood and clay, some for honorable use, some for dishonorable.” If we looked at these materials from a worldly standpoint, we would obviously deem gold and silver as much more valuable, and wood and clay as more standard and unpolished. However, gold and silver can be impure.  They may look bright and shiny on the outside, but impurities can lurk, and often it takes more than just a skin-deep glance to determine this. On the other hand, raw wood is primitive and simple in nature, but can be pure in its constitution. The opposite can be true of each element, but the point is, outward status alone cannot determine something’s purity. 

In verse 21 Paul tells us that if we cleanse ourselves of dishonorable, impure things, we can be “set apart as holy, useful to the master of the house, ready for every good work.” Cleansing from impure things and setting our hearts and minds on the word of God and His heart and will makes us vessels that He can use for good. 

I am not someone who the world would look at and say “oh, she has made it!” My status in this life is pretty average. But, I am a child of God and my desire isn’t to be looked upon in envy by the world, but to be used by God as a vessel for His good. I want to have a pure heart and mind, so I can be God’s agent, out in the world, proclaiming His name and working as the hands and feet of Jesus. In this life, I’ll happily be the clay, a long as He is the potter. 

Reflection Questions:

  1. Do you look up to anyone who the world would consider a high-status person? Why? Why not?
  2. If you’re being honest with yourself, do you sometimes wish you could reach a certain worldly status? What would you consider that to be?
  3. How do you want to be used by God? What is holding you back?

Prayer:

God, thank you for seeing my heart. Thank you for not looking at my status in this world to determine my worth. Thank you for seeing me for who I am, and shaping me into someone who can be used for your good. Help me to cleanse myself of impurities so I can wholeheartedly serve you and honor you. Amen.

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Boldly Proclaim

Ezra 7-8

Psalm 87

2 Timothy 1

-Devotion by Carla Hardy (MI)

Paul mentions the word “ashamed” several times in 2 Timothy 1. He tells Timothy to not be ashamed of Jesus nor of himself (v. 8). In verse 12 he says he, Paul, is not ashamed. Lastly, in verse 16 he refers to Onesiphorus, commending him for not being ashamed of Paul’s chains.

Merriam-Webster defines the concept of being ashamed as “feeling shame, guilt or disgrace.” It also says if one is ashamed he is “reluctant or unwilling to do something because of shame or embarrassment.” 

This begs the questions: why would Timothy be ashamed of Jesus? Why would Paul be ashamed of himself, or why would anyone else? And the better question is: why would WE?

I’m sure we have all been ashamed of something about ourselves or our lives. Something we have done has caused us shame or perhaps someone in our family has embarrassed us. This, quite simply, is so human of us. But, to be ashamed of what Jesus has done, of who he is? Why would we? The sad answer is, there is a reason why Paul mentions this in 2 Timothy. We all are capable of this. Can we admit that? 

If we are honest with ourselves, there have likely been times where we don’t share the good news of Jesus with someone. There probably have been times when we just felt like it wasn’t the best environment to share it in or the best people to share it with. Maybe we have felt different and wanted to blend in with the crowd, so we didn’t outwardly show or voice who we were in Jesus. To acknowledge this reality hurts – but it is true. 

Sometimes we need these truths, though. I’m grateful we have Paul’s words here to remind us that we should never ever be ashamed of God, His son, or the saving grace we’ve all been given. 

Let us remember Romans 1:16 whenever we feel shame creeping in: “For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes…”

Reflection Questions:

  1. Can you recall a time when you were ashamed of the gospel? 
  2. When you feel like you could be inching towards being ashamed, what can you tangibly do, in that moment, to conquer this tactic of the enemy?

Prayer:

God, thank you for your word, and how you spoke through your saints, like Paul, to warn us about hard truths that we may fall prey to. Help us to always remember to not be ashamed. Help us to remember to feel and act upon the very opposite: that you are unapologetically worthy of our adoration and praise, whether we are alone or with others. Amen.

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I Exalt Thee

Ezra 5-6

Psalm 86

1 Timothy 6

-Devotion by Carla Hardy (MI)

The second part of Psalm 86 is full of verses where David exalts God.

As much as God wants us to come to him with our despair, worries & sadness, he also wants us to come to him with reverence. He is a holy God, worthy of our praise and adoration. 

David says to the Lord:

v. 8 “There is none like you…O Lord…”

v. 10 “For you are great and do wondrous things…”

v. 11 “…unite my heart to fear your name.”

v. 13 “For great is your steadfast love toward me…”

David knew the importance of praising the Lord. He knew that a relationship with the Lord is not a one-way street. God wants a relationship with us, and to have that requires mutuality. We cannot simply keep asking God for His favor, rescue and intervention in our lives without recognizing who He is and what He has done for us. He loves us and would give us anything – and indeed He has! – and for that we should desire to exalt His name in humble gratitude. 

Reflection Questions:

  1. Do you include praise to God in your prayers? If you don’t do that regularly, let me encourage you to do so. He is worthy! 

Prayer:

God, thank you for all you have done and will do for us. You are our creator, provider, hope and in Jesus, our salvation. We owe you everything. Help us to remember that and to acknowledge that before you always. We love you. Amen.

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Cry Out

Ezra 3-4

Psalm 86

1 Timothy 5

-Devotion by Carla Hardy (MI)

Psalm 86 is a desperate prayer of David, in a time of his great distress. He says in verse 7, “in the day of my trouble I call upon you, for you answer me.”

I don’t know what you are going through right now. You may be in a season of joy, or a season of despair, like David. You may even be living in some mixture of the two. Let me assure you – God didn’t abandon David, and He hasn’t abandoned you. In our times of joy and in our times of distress, calling upon the name of the Lord is never done in vain. He hears us, and Jesus, at His right hand, intercedes for us, even pleads for us. What a beautiful picture that is!

David calls on God, desperately so, throughout this psalm:

v. 1 “Incline your ear, O LORD, and answer me, for I am poor and needy.”

v . 2 “…save your servant, who trusts in you–you are my God.”

v. 6 “Give ear, O LORD, to my prayer; listen to my plea for grace.”

And, in verse 3 David says “…for to you do I cry all the day.” As a believer, I know how important setting aside intentional prayer time is. I encourage you to  make it a habit however you can – mark it on your calendar, set a reminder…and do so until it becomes second nature. 

Additionally, I also know how important constant prayer is. God is our Father (“…and I will be a father to you, and you shall be sons and daughters to me, says the Lord Almighty.” 2 Cor. 6:18) and Jesus is our Friend (“…but I have called you friends…” John 15:15). We should, also as habit, be in constant communication with them, from the time we open our eyes in the morning to the time we close them at night – and every time in between. We can call on God any time, for any reason. It should be natural, as talking to our spouse, our children, or our friends. The God of the universe is personal, Jesus is ALIVE, and they want to hear from you. 

Reflection Questions:

  1. What season are you at in your life right now? What is troubling you? What do you, or should you, cry out to God about these days?
  2. Do you set aside intentional time for daily prayer? Do you pray throughout the day? Do you do both?

Prayer:

God, thank you for being there for us, listening to us, whenever we call upon you. Thank you for the saving grace and gift of Jesus, who pleads on our behalf, and knows our suffering. Help us to seek you out in our joy and in our sorrow, and help us to lean on you and speak with you about every aspect of our lives, because there is nothing you do not know and nothing you do not care about. We ask for your ear, and we ask for you to speak to us, too. Amen.

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Still Small Voice

Ezra 1-2

Psalm 85

1 Timothy 4

-devotion by Carla Hardy (MI)

In 1 Timothy 4:1, Paul warns us that in the later days, some people will abandon the faith by following “deceitful spirits and teachings of demons…” Today, in our culture heavily saturated with constant voices, this has never rung more true.

We are surrounded by and bombarded with information, opinions and relentless noise all day. It’s on our TVs, radios and phones. No matter the time of day, we can be assured that someone, somewhere, is talking. The TV channels & radio stations are seemingly endless, and our phones are gateways to millions of apps, a great number of which are social media in nature. We live in such a time when we no longer need to wonder long about a topic all on our own – we can simply tune into someone else’s take on it. We are a click away from all kinds of answers. We no longer are left to discern our own thoughts and opinions – they are shaped by the interpretations of others. We are influenced by millions of people in so many different ways. The important question is, my fellow brothers & sisters…whose voice will you listen to?

I’m not saying that every voice is bad. I’m not saying everyone has evil intentions. But what I AM saying is that the FIRST voice we need to heed, as followers of Jesus, is God’s. He has given us His holy spirit, His very word, and the privilege of talking to Him anytime we want to. These are gifts, and they are gifts to be used for discernment. We can discern, through these gifts, what is true, holy, and of God, and refuse to listen to voices that are not these things. In this way, we will not be led astray. We will not be counted among the people Paul mentions who have abandoned their faith. 

Reflection Questions:

  1. Do you find yourself listening to other voices on a daily basis? Has this habit shaped your opinions and thoughts – has it shaped you as a person? 
  2. If you answered the above with a round of yeses, do you believe the voices you listen to are of God? Or do you think they have led you away from Him? 
  3. Using your discernment, what are your next steps? What can you do, tangibly, to reshape your habits? How can you reclaim the voice of God in your life?

Prayer:

God, thank you for the gift of your holy spirit, for your word, and for the honor of being able to talk to you, the very creator of everything, anytime we want to. Help us to listen to you above all else. Help us to drown out the constant noise around us, and to tune in only to you. Amen.

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How Are You?

Restore us again, God our Savior

2 Chronicles 35-36

Psalm 85

1 Timothy 3

-Devotion by Carla Hardy (MI)

You are probably asked countless times a day, “How are you?” And your answer probably varies between a polite “good” or “not too bad” to maybe a “tired” response. I know I have often replied with my share of “tired!” 

Being tired – physically, mentally & emotionally. We’ve all been there! This can be a good thing, though. Being physically fatigued means you worked hard, that you achieved something. You put your able body to good use. Mentally fatigued? You used your brain, gave thought, produced. Emotional fatigue can be positive – it means you experienced emotions – it’s good to love, it’s normal to feel – we are human after all, created with all sorts of complexities. 

While being tired can be good, it can also sway to the negative side if it’s in excess. Being overly tired can be taxing on us, affecting us negatively. Physical fatigue can wear us down if it’s habitual. We need rest & restoration because our bodies have limits. God created us that way, and has even designated a day for us to rest! We can get sick or hurt if we exceed our physical limits without taking time out. Mental fatigue can also affect us negatively if we don’t manage it well. If we don’t give our minds rest, it can impact our peace, and our thoughts can get out of control. Lastly, emotional fatigue, like mental fatigue, can wear us out. If we get too wrapped up and enmeshed in emotions, it can impact our overall health. 

All that being said, feeling tired – physically, mentally & emotionally so – can be good or bad. Tired tells us ‘good job’ and then ‘rest up.’ However, being spiritually tired? That is never good. It is never healthy for us to be spiritually fatigued. Our spiritual strength should never run out, because it isn’t even our own – it’s God working through us. If we feel spiritually tired, it’s a sign for us to seek revival. To seek the true source of strength. 

If we are spiritually tired, what can happen? Well, two pretty big things stand out:

-We can be caught unaware of the enemy and what he is doing. The enemy is always prowling, and we need to always be on alert. 

-We can miss what God has for us. We can fail to see and respond to His leading in our lives.

We want to be aware of both our Father and of our enemy, for two very different reasons. If we are spiritually tired, our awareness can fall short, and we can become victims of either spiritual attack or missed blessings.

What really stood out to me in Psalm 85 is the concept of revival. This psalm speaks of revival from God throughout the entirety of it:

v. 4 “Restore us again, O God of our salvation…”

v. 6 “Will you not revive us again, that your people may rejoice in you?”

v. 8 “Let me hear what God the Lord will speak, for he will speak peace to his people…”

v. 12 “Yes, the Lord will give what is good, and our land will yield its increase.”

Revival, restoration, peace – whatever you recognize it as, seek it out. Constantly. As followers of Jesus, we must keep ourselves in check, look for signs of spiritual exhaustion. When we see hints of exhaustion, we need to:

-get into the Word. It is healing, life-giving and gives us the tools we need.

-pray. Boldly ask God for revival and a renewed spiritual life.

-seek out others to help us. Others can provide a path to revival and renewal, too. We grow in community, and our brothers & sisters in Christ can pour into our spiritual lives simply by their presence, and their prayers. We need each other. 

Reflection Questions:

  1. Have you recently experienced spiritual exhaustion? What were the signs? What did you do? 
  2. Are you connected with a solid, Bible-believing church? Are there people in the church you feel like you can rely on – to pray for you, mentor you, hold you accountable, pour into your life?

Prayer:

God, thank you for our physical bodies. Thank you that you have enabled our bodies to perform and labor, that our bodies are so miraculously built. Thank you for our brains. Thank you that we can think, reason and create. Thank you for our emotions. Thank you that we can feel joy, love – and even the harder emotions, because it means we can use them to rely on you. Thank you for all of these things – and thank you for providing ways for restoration. We ask that when we are spiritually tired that you help us to recognize this and to act. We thank you that we can talk to you and ask for renewal, that your Word is accessible to us, that there are people after your own heart to help renew us when we need it. Amen.

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Dwell

2 Chronicles 33-34

Psalm 84

1 Timothy 2

-Devotion by Makenna Cisler (MN)

Key Passage:

“How lovely is your dwelling place, O Yahweh of Armies! My soul has longed and has even fainted for the courts of Yahweh. My heart and my flesh cry out for the living God.” Psalm 84:1-2 (REV)

Do you long to be in the presence of God? Do you view being in His presence better than anything else in the world?

It can be difficult to find the time in the busyness of life to spend time with God. Whether it’s sports, practice, homework, work, other family member’s activities, or even church events, our lives are constantly full to the brim with a packed calendar and full schedule. Margin is something we write over and utilize to fill the space and time more completely with television, social media, and other numbing time wasters that we coin as “entertainment”. We are left feeling alone, jealous for what others have, regrets, and spiritually empty. Sometimes we don’t even realize how much our souls are longing to be in the courts of God. 

When we reach those moments when the world feels overwhelming with its constant noise, we face two options. The first is to turn the noise up. Picking up our phones to open Tic Tok, Youtube, or Disney+. This numbs the brain and continues the vicious cycle of loneliness, anxiety, and despair. The second option is to turn off the noise by picking up our Bibles and setting aside time to pray both alone and with your church community. If you’re reading this, then you’re already taking the first steps towards seeking the presence of God. 

Psalm 84 displays the beautiful sense of belonging we can find in the presence of God. Seeking God’s presence each day combats loneliness, grants strength to face the world, and helps shield you from wickedness. Have you seen a shift in your life when you have rooted yourself deeply in the presence of God?

2 Chronicles 33 and 34 recount two kings of Judah. The first, Manasseh, did what was evil while the second, Josiah, did what was good. What was the difference between these two kings? The first made temples for Baal and used worldly means to do as he pleased while the second turned the focus back to God. Manasseh led the people away from the presence of God. In those days it was through temples to deities and spiritually evil practices. What in today’s society tries to lead you away from God’s dwelling like Manasseh?

1 Timothy 2 also encourages being in the presence of God. 1 Timothy 2 starts with “Now, above all, I urge you to make petitions, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgiving for all people” (1 Tim. 2:1 REV). Paul is encouraging people to pray for not only their needs or their family’s health but for all people. It is not to be used to preach at people saying “may God let billy bob see that he is wrong” it is to pray with thanksgiving and love like “thank you god that billy bob is in my life and you guide our friendship”. Our prayer life should prompt peaceful living rooted in Christ as our mediator. When you pray, what do you normally focus on?

Prayer builds our relationship with God. It’s a precious gift we have that Christ has provided a way for us to communicate with our heavenly Father. The moments of prayer both in quiet solitude and corporate worship, bring us closer to dwelling in God’s presence. 



THEOLOGICAL THOUGHTS

This passage might be difficult to understand as it describes how men and women pray and teach. It is one of the most difficult passages in scripture. Regarding 1 Timothy 2:8-10. In this section there is seemingly a difference of how men and women should pray. Men lift their hands without anger or arguing and women dress properly with modesty and devotion to God. That does not mean that men can wear whatever they please and women cannot raise their hands in prayer. Paul addresses issues that occur in churches speaking to issues that prevent our hearts to be fully devoted to God. This passage is encouraging purity in prayer. The examples shared are ones that might be a struggle for either gender. Women, it’s easy to buy into the culture of we can only be beautiful with makeup. That’s not God’s best for you. He doesn’t want you to find your identity in your beauty but in His presence. Men, it’s easy to go along with what the world says. Men should be strong, emotionless, and anger is the only feeling you can show. That’s not God’s best for you! He doesn’t desire you to be emotionally unavailable, straight laced and strong. He calls you to open yourself with emotions stepping outside of the social norms and comfort zones. God is calling both men and women to approach Him with hearts and hands wide open for Him to be the person’s identity and not what the world describes should identify an individual. 

Likewise the final section of 2 Timothy addresses a concern within the church. Since women had no social or political authority or standing, within the Roman empire women found their “power” from money and religion. The temples of Roman goddesses set women into positions where they would lord over men. Instead of being equals, Roman goddess Diana encouraged women to be better humans who were more valuable and had more power than men. There was also a teaching going around in Rome that man was the one to cause sin to enter the world and not the women. This was a big problem that needed to be addressed! Paul writes here to remind women that they are not a better, higher being and that the scripture is not to be used to assert that a woman is a better, higher being. Now this is not to say that women are lesser than men and can never teach. That would go against the fact that all humans are the image of God (Genesis 1:27), that through Christ all are set free from the hierarchy of society (Galatians 3:28), and all are equally gifted (Romans 12:6-8).


To both men and women, do not allow misunderstandings of this scripture to allow either gender to dominate over the other. Instead, allow it to shape your hearts to dwell equally with one another in the presence of God.

QUESTIONS TO PONDER

How can we be like Josiah, refocusing ourselves and our churches towards the presence of God?

What are some habits you can work on that help you dwell in the presence of God?

PRAYER TIME

Take time to pray today. Pray for God to use His word to teach and guide your life. Praise Him for His goodness. Ask Him to shape your view and understanding of the world and Scripture. Dwell quietly in His presence to tune yourself to the holy spirit, which He has so gifted you to provide understanding and guidance within your life. 

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Swallowing Your Pride

2 Chronicles 31-32

Psalm 84

1 Timothy 1

-Devotion by Makenna Landry (MN)

Key passage: “The goal of this command is love, which comes from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith.” 1 Timothy 1:5 (NIV)

Hezekiah was a great king guiding the people towards the LORD. Instead of simply giving the people instructions on what they should be doing, he served as an example of sacrifice, prayer, and worship. Can you think of someone in your own life who has served as a great example of this to you? I know I can think of many individuals who led with a steadfast love for God going to Him in trials, giving to Him generously, thanking for what He has done, and encouraging others to live in the same way. 

However, pride is easy to fall into. Hezekiah even in all his devotion to God, the victory and success he saw from God, still his pride blocked kindness and God’s healing work. It’s like in the movie Cars. My four year old is obsessed with this movie (but so is my brother). Lightning McQueen is talented and skilled. He has a lot of success but has a huge ego that not only is a problem in the first movie but even continues to be problematic in the third movie! Even after learning to lean on others and take advice, in Cars 3 McQueen once again faces his pride. It blocks him from seeing the opportunity in front of him of mentoring Cruz. Even though he had learned how to manage his pride it came right back in a difficult situation. Similar to Hezekiah who was so devoted then his pride came blinding him from God’s goodness. 

How have you struggled with pride in your life? What are ways that you avoid becoming prideful?

One way that we see pride within the church is pride in doctrine. It’s so amazing to have truth which we see in 1 Timothy, but we must be careful how we talk about truth and how we utilize 1 Timothy 1. Let’s take a moment to further understand what Paul is saying in today’s passage. 

Paul is facing an issue which seems very common in his letters: false teachers. Sometimes false teachers come in sheep’s clothing like in Matthew 7 while others confidently speak on things that are not true. In this passage, the false teachers are teaching false doctrine. Some Biblical unitarians might jump to the thought, “they are teaching the trinity! Run away!” But Paul makes clear what these false teachers are focusing on. That is myths and endless genealogies. Myths and endless genealogies were likely mythical or false stories built upon the genealogies we see in the Old Testament. These would be things similar to Paradise Lost. Paradise Lost is a book that speculates what it was like in the garden of Eden expanding on the account of Genesis 1-3. It would be as if we started teaching that the book Paradise Lost is biblical truth instead of being a fictional poetic expression of Genesis 1-3. 

We should not take pride when rebuking and guiding a false teacher back to the truth. Instead, it should be with an attitude of love, faith, patience, and mercy. We also need to remember that the person we are trying to guide toward a better understanding of truth also has their own pride. We see in Star Wars Episode II Attack of the Clones that Anakin Skywalker has an insane amount of pride. It not only attributes to his reckless abandon but to his inability to fall under the authority of the Jedi counsel. The Jedi counsel attempts to shape well with patience, wise counsel, and a heaping amount of grace and yet Anakin does not conquer his pride. Be careful my friends in how you interact with people. Do not have your own pride and continue to be aware that they too struggle with pride.

Questions to Ponder

How do you see pride within your own life? What is your response when someone points out your pride?

Take a minute to reflect on ways that God has provided that you may have not noticed. Consider how you can be more aware of God’s actions within your life and your response towards His workings. How can you rely on Him and praise His good deeds?

When someone is not teaching the truth, how can you be aware of your own pride and their pride when teaching them truth?

Prayer Time

Take five minutes to pray today. Thank God for His good works in your life. Thank Him for His Holy Scripture. Ask Him to guide you closer and closer towards truth each day and lean on Him to take away your pride. 

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