Year: 2022

Our Response to a Corrupt World

2 Timothy 3

Tuesday, September 13, 2022

Though I’ve always struggled with anxiety, I can trace a lot of my childhood anxiety back to one source: the 5 o’clock news. I dreaded the hour-and-a-half each evening that my Dad would sit down in his recliner and turn on the television to hear the journalists report the sad and scary happenings of the day. I grew up near Dayton, Ohio, which has several times been on the “ten most dangerous cities (of its size) in the USA” list, so there were a lot of terrifying updates about local robberies and murders, not to mention domestic and global catastrophes, such as the Persian Gulf War and the Oklahoma City bombing. My tender heart had great difficulty accepting such chaos and pain in the world. 

Then as a sophomore in college, I witnessed a hit-and-run, a robbery gone awry that resulted in the vehicular homicide of a sweet man, beloved in his community. I was forced to relive that terrible day many times over the next several years as a prime subpoenaed witness, until a series of unfortunate mishaps with the trials resulted in the guilty suspects being released with a clean record. I was aghast that the lawyers could be so slimy as to defend people who were clearly guilty of theft and murder, and that such evil could exist in the first place. 

With all the terrible things in the world today, it causes me to wonder, how much worse could it actually have been back in Genesis 6 when God felt he needed to start again with godly people on Earth?

The world became corrupt again after Noah, and the wickedness in human hearts has continued for millenia. Paul warned Timothy, starting in verse 2, that in the final days, “people will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good, treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God— having a form of godliness but denying its power.” Paul reminds Timothy to stay away from such people. That list sure sounds like the tendencies of a lot of people in this world and on the news today… and if I’m being completely honest, it sounds a lot like me at times too, when I lose my Christ-focus. I, too, have been “such people.”  I am a sinner saved by grace, and I need to humbly remember how Jesus has saved me. I also need to be careful when I am in the world, to not be of it; it is important to not be influenced by people who are doing evil things, or I might sway to become a part of the sin and be pulled away from my relationship with God. Yes, we need to share the love of Jesus with everyone, but also have boundaries in those relationships.

Sometimes new Christians think that following Jesus should be The Easy Life, but the Bible is very clear that we will have difficulties as followers of Jesus. In verse 12, Paul promises that “everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted.” Jesus himself said that we will have trouble, but he has overcome the world! (John 16:33). So Paul reminds Timothy two verses later to keep focused on what he has learned, keep the legacy of faith alive. By focusing on what we knew in the good times, we can have the strength to make it through the difficult times. 

Then in verse 16, he reminds Timothy that the scripture is a guidebook for life, a manual for living. By following the God-breathed scriptures, we can have the training and correction we need to be ready to do good work for him, and (I would add) to fight any battle that we might face: “All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.” I believe that is true today as well. The scriptures have survived for thousands of years because God wanted us to have them as a roadmap for our journey in this life, His special guidance through which He still speaks to us. 

I’ll never forget how I beamed with pride as I sat in the front seat of our old red Dodge Omni hatchback, filled to the brim with camping supplies for our family’s annual vacation to the Hocking Hills KOA campground, with the Rand McNally road atlas sprawled over my 10-year-old lap. I was my Dad’s “navigator”; I had the very important job of following the criss-cross lines on the map (which my Dad had conveniently highlighted prior to our departure) to help us arrive at our vacation destination, leading the way for the rest of the clan in the car behind us. Until I was a young adult, I believed I was a good navigator. However, when my husband Dan and I got married and began to go on trips together (before smartphones were commonplace and while GPS car systems were still out of our price range), I realized that a modern Ferdinand Magellan I was not. As a directionally-challenged individual, my mis-reading of maps led us on many, shall we say, unplanned adventures. (Now, we reminisce about those frustrating adventures with a half-smile as we thank God for the invention of Google Maps and data plans.) It turns out that I wasn’t the navigator at all; my Dad had already highlighted the route and knew where he was going. He gave me the map and taught me how to read it at a basic level, but ultimately he was leading us the whole time. Likewise, God has given us a map (the Bible), and He shows us the best way to live. But we need to read His word, study His “map” and seek His ways for our lives through prayer and wise counsel. Then we will be better equipped to do His work. 

-Rachel Cain

Reflection questions: 

As a Christian, we are guaranteed persecution in this life. Think and pray about ways that you can prepare yourself to face those trials.

In what practical ways can you encourage and support other Believers who are facing trials? 

Look back on your life. How have you felt God’s leading through prayer and His word? How do you sense Him leading you today? (It’s a great idea to keep a journal of God’s faithfulness and answered prayers, which you can read again during difficult times!)

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Godless Chatter

2 Timothy 2

Monday, September 12, 2022

As a Special Education teacher, I usually chose to eat lunch in my classroom – not only so I could complete my work early and head for home the very second my duty hours concluded, but also to avoid all the gossip that was rampant in the teacher’s lounge. (There was much unwholesome chitchat among the teachers about problematic students and challenging parents, and I tried to avoid it; I would be lying if I said I had never joined in, but I tried to stay away also to avoid the temptation to gossip.) However, when my Special Education team decided through testing, observation, and collaboration that a certain student had progressed sufficiently and therefore no longer qualified for intervention services, his mother sought legal action to force the school district to continue his therapies. This led to innumerable meetings among his intervention team, which included oodles of hours to complain whenever the parent was not present. Though many of the staff’s grievances against her were legitimate, it was a very toxic and negative environment. I was especially disgusted by the way in which the atmosphere suddenly changed to small-talk chatter through seemingly-friendly smiles once the mother entered – the very same person who had been the source of much degrading talk just a moment before. Worst of all, whenever I was around such hostility, I felt that it negatively impacted my ability to be the loving, kind, student-focused teacher I wanted to be. It drained my energy, my love, my joy, my focus. 

Though I’m more than a decade removed from the teacher’s lounge now, I’ve discovered another rampant source of dissentive arguments: social media. I’ve learned the hard way that it is nearly impossible to change the mind of someone via a FaceBook thread, and that otherwise-kind folks can be exceptionally harsh and judgemental when they’re behind a screen rather than face-to-face. Most likely some of you have noticed this sad reality as well. 

In 2 Timothy 2:15-17,22-24, Paul reminds Timothy, “Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth. Avoid godless chatter, because those who indulge in it will become more and more ungodly. Their teaching will spread like gangrene… Flee the evil desires of youth and pursue righteousness, faith, love and peace, along with those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart. Don’t have anything to do with foolish and stupid arguments, because you know they produce quarrels. And the Lord’s servant must not be quarrelsome but must be kind to everyone, able to teach, not resentful…” Paul adds that this kind of quarrelsome, godless chatter is from the devil. 

We have a higher calling as followers of Jesus, and especially as leaders, to watch our mouths. We must conduct ourselves in such a way that there is nothing of which to be ashamed, living according to biblical principles. As representatives of Jesus, if we are engaging in negative talk, we are distracting from the message of Christ and even tearing down the body of Christ. Such behavior also takes away our joy and our focus on the task God has set before us. Though the sinful natures in us might want to join in with the crowd, we are called to flee those desires and instead seek after “righteousness, faith, and love” as we are “kind to everyone, able to teach, not resentful.”

In the earlier verses of this chapter (3-9), Paul is reminding Timothy to work hard and keep focused on the goal of serving his Savior. He compares this suffering and dedication to the steadfastness of a soldier, the drive of an athlete, the persistence of a farmer, and ultimately, the dedication of Jesus Christ. Though Paul is in chains, he reminds Timothy that the Word of God is NOT chained – the Good News still needs to be shared! Soldiers, athletes, farmers all have to work very hard to reach their goals. They can’t afford to be distracted by foolish talk, and neither can Timothy be chained to negative chatter or anything else that holds him back from fulfilling his calling. It is important for all of us to keep focused on the goal of serving Jesus in each decision and action, whether big or seemingly small. 

-Rachel Cain

Reflection questions: 

Think about your break room conversations or your social media behavior… would people know by your actions that you are a follower of Jesus? 

What are the “evil desires of youth” from which God has set you free?

What kinds of things do you need to stay away from or spend more time doing  in order to better focus on the work God has in store for you?

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Frozen by Fear. Let Loose by Love.

2 Timothy 1

Sunday, September 11, 2022

The pale princess cowered in the corner of her frigid room. Though she had been living a solitary life for many years for fear of people discovering her secret, Elsa was now summoned from her self-imposed prison for her coronation. 

“Conceal; don’t feel. Put on a show. Make one wrong move and everyone will know…”

If you’ve seen the movie Frozen, you know that Elsa had some sort of mystical power that could create and manipulate snow and ice. She had hidden it for a long time, but a stressful situation at the coronation event caused her to lose self-control, divulging her secret to her entire kingdom and initiating an eternal winter in her kingdom. Afraid that people might turn on her, Elsa abdicated her right to the throne by escaping to the mountains to “let it go”, seemingly embracing newfound freedom resulting from the revelation of her secret. The story continues with ups and downs, laughter and sadness; however, at the end of the movie, Elsa discovers that the way to control her powers is not fear, but rather love! 

What does this have to do with 2 Timothy 1, you ask?  Well, in this letter (which is believed by many scholars to be the last correspondence that Paul penned before his death), Paul is reaching out to his young protege, Timothy. He wants to remind Timothy of the gift of his salvation, and give him some warning and encouragement for the trials that are yet to come as a follower of Jesus.  

Paul begins by reminding Timothy where his salvation journey began, being taught by his grandmother and mother. Paul then reminds Timothy to “fan into flame the gift of God” (verse 6). Elsa squelched her gift, but that is not the way God wants us to live in regards to our salvation. God gave Timothy, and us, a free gift of salvation, and He desires for us to fan it into flame! God longs for us to embrace His gift, to share it with others. What happens to a fire when you fan it, blow on it, nurture it? The fire grows! If you want to have a fire to keep you warm while you’re camping, you have to tend to the fire: replenishing wood as it burns down, blowing oxygen into it to get the fire rolling again, etc. Likewise, we need to actively be nurturing our gift of salvation, tending to our relationship with God each day, and sharing that gift with others, rather than hiding our gift like Elsa did. 

At the conclusion of the movie, Elsa is elated to learn that love, rather than fear, is the best way to manage her powers. Verse 7 continues, “For God gave us a spirit not of fear, but of power and love and self-control.” God’s design does not include us living in a constant state of fear. When we accept His gift, we receive the power of the Holy Spirit to work in and through us. In fact, we normally think of hate being the opposite of love (and sometimes it is), but scripture also indicates that fear and love are opposites (“There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear.” I John 4:18). Paul wanted to remind Timothy to not focus on fear in the difficult times ahead, as God’s gift does not include fear; rather, focus on power (the Holy Spirit), love (God IS love – see I John 4:8), and self control (a fruit of the Spirit, along with love, that is produced in our lives when we are seeking Him).

In verse 8, Paul advises Timothy to not be ashamed to be a follower of Jesus, but to be ready to suffer for the gospel “by the power of God.” God’s power is promised to us even through the suffering, because we were saved and “called to a holy calling”. Just like Elsa’s powers had a purpose (which was further revealed in the sequel), God has a purpose for us, and He wants us to be strengthened and willing to partner with Him – through good times and bad – to fulfill our calling to His purpose. 

I’ll close with this 1883 hymn by Daniel Whittle that some of you might remember, which is based on verse 12: 

I know not why God’s wondrous grace
To me He hath made known,
Nor why, unworthy, Christ in love
Redeemed me for His own.


But “I know Whom I have believed,
And am persuaded that He is able
To keep that which I’ve committed
Unto Him against that day.”

I know not how this saving faith
To me He did impart,
Nor how believing in His Word
Wrought peace within my heart.

I know not how the Spirit moves,
Convincing men of sin,
Revealing Jesus through the Word,
Creating faith in Him.

I know not what of good or ill
May be reserved for me,
Of weary ways or golden days,
Before His face I see.

I know not when my Lord may come,

At night or noonday fair,

Nor if I walk the vale with Him,

Or meet Him in the air.

-Rachel Cain

Reflection questions: 

 – What are some practical steps you can take to “fan into flame the gift of God” in your life? 

– Reflect on some events in your life that led you to following Jesus. How can you use those experiences to encourage others to walk in faith and love instead of in fear? 

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Respect

1 Timothy 5

Saturday, September 10, 2022

When I first moved to Louisiana I had experienced culture shock. The food was different, the accents were different, and even the weather was different. All around, it has been quite interesting. I think the thing that stood out to me the most is the amount of respect everyone gave each other. Especially if someone was older than you were. When I first went to church and was introduced to some of the kids there they all had to call me “Mr. Jesse” which was quite weird to me because I had not lived with a prefix my whole life, unless it was something formal. Likewise, the amount of Yes sirs and No sirs, and yes ma’ams and no ma’ams was alarming. The only time I said those things growing up was when I was in trouble. However down here it is considered just respectful. Paul, In the first verse of 1 TImothy chapter five reminds me of this culture. “Do not sharply rebuke an older man, but rather appeal to him as a father, to the younger men as brothers, the older women as mothers, and the younger women as sisters, in all purity.” All of these things have to do with respect. Some people say “I’m not going to give respect unless I get respect.” However I would say Paul gives us good guidelines for this by saying Honor older men as fathers, and younger as brothers and women as mothers and sisters. This is how we should treat everyone, as if they were family. It can be difficult sometimes, families can be tricky.

-Jesse Allen

Application Questions

  1. Who has been a good example to you of showing respect to others? How do you think they do it?
  2. When do you have a hard time showing respect? What can you do to improve in this area?
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Want to Get Rich?

1 Timothy 6

(Today’s devotion will be on 1 Timothy 6. Tomorrow we will jump back to 1 Timothy 5. Thanks for being flexible with us!)

Friday, September 9, 2022

 “Hey Jesse are you going to buy a lottery ticket?” A group of my coworkers had been talking about the jackpot because the lottery had reached over a billion dollars. The conversation that followed that question was followed with speculation of what the group of us would buy or what we would do with the money. Many, if not all, said they would have quit their jobs and bought extravagant things. Some even said they would invest it and be smart with the money. And some said they would give most of it away and keep enough to live on for the rest of their life. My answer to the question was “No, I mean of course it would be nice to have that money but I know I would probably spend all of it and end up in debt, broke, or dead.”

I think the lottery is a good example of what the world reaches for but doesn’t understand. Money may be able to buy you a boat, a cool new car, house, vacation, or whatever. However those things are only temporary and don’t satisfy the one thing we all strive to achieve in our lives. CONTENTMENT. No, not fugitives selling wintergreen lifesavers out of a tent, but contentment. The understanding of knowing what you have right now is enough. Just read what Paul in 1 Timothy 5:6-9 says “But godliness actually is a means of great gain when accompanied by contentment. For we have brought nothing into the world, so we cannot take anything out of it either. If we have food and covering, with these we shall be content. But those who want to get rich fall into temptation and a snare and many foolish and harmful desires which plunge men into ruin and destruction.”

Money is not bad, however if you aren’t content without it, what makes you think you will be content with it? I can tell you from experience you won’t be,  unless you are trying to attain only to godliness first. Then everything else ordinarily falls into place and we become content. Something I struggle with, and I am sure you do as well, everyday. The understanding that God takes care of His people when they are seeking him is scattered all throughout the Bible. My favorite example and probably most prominent is Matthew 6:33 “Seek ye first the kingdom of god and his righteousness, and all these things shall be handed unto you.” (I recommend reading the whole chapter to get the gist of what “all these things” Jesus is speaking about. No the lottery isn’t one of those things.) Seeking God is where we find our ultimate contentment. With him we don’t have to worry about plunging ourselves into ruin and destruction as many of the past lottery winners have done. Instead, we live our lives knowing we are content.

-Jesse Allen

Application Questions

  1. What do you think Paul meant when he said, “But godliness with contentment is great gain.” (1 Timothy 6:6)?
  2. How does your contentment rank? Without ‘getting’ any more – how can you boost your contentment level with what you have right now?
  3. Explain how the Love of Money can be the root of all kinds of evil. Have you seen an example of this?
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Nourishment

1 Timothy 4

Thursday, September 8, 2022

“In pointing out these things to the brethren, you will be a good servant of Christ Jesus, constantly nourished on the words of the faith and of the sound doctrine which you have been following.” – 1 Timothy 4:6

One of my favorite parts of the year is camps, and retreats, and other various conferences. At these conferences I always love hearing other people’s stories of faith. Listening to the speakers everyday and overall being surrounded by people of faith and having a safe place to discuss, and weed through questions we often ask. These events we attend are crucial in spiritual development. But why do I feel differently when I get home? Similar to a feeling of hunger, if we do not surround ourselves with the nourishment of Godly things. The fact we feel hungry at home and not at these events, probably means we need to start being more diligent in reading and feeding ourself with spiritual truths, and people. If we did that we wouldn’t be as “hungry”. As Paul says, it’s just a part of “being a good servant of Christ Jesus.” That and it feels great to be close to God and his promises. Go, be nourished. I know I need it. 

-Jesse Allen

Application Questions

  1. When do you feel most spiritually nourished?
  2. What do you think God expects you to command and teach to others? (verse 11 and surrounding passage)
  3. Have you been watching your life and doctrine closely? Why do you think Paul mentions both? What is the result if you persevere in doing both well?
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Oversee Yourself First

1 Timothy 3

Wednesday, September 7, 2022

There are many concepts in the Bible about leadership. These verses in 1 Timothy 3 are no exception. “It is a trustworthy statement: if any man aspires to the office of overseer, it is a fine work he desires to do. An overseer, then, must be above reproach, the husband of one wife, temperate, prudent, respectable, hospitable, able to teach, not addicted to wine or pugnacious, but gentle, peaceable, free from the love of money. He must be one who manages his own household well, keeping his children under control with all dignity (but if a man does not know how to manage his own household, how will he take care of the church of God?)” 

Leadership is often confused with some form of management of other people. When in fact leadership is a very personal endeavor. People who are leaders are very rarely focused on what everyone else is doing. Rather they are focused on what they are doing and how they can better themselves.  If you don’t manage yourself first then why would anyone listen to you? Just in case you are actually asking yourself that question, I will give you the answer that I have learned from experience. They don’t. Not even a little bit. I’m sure you have heard the whole oxygen mask on a plane cliche so I’ll spare you the explanation.

These verses apply to anyone that considers themself a Christian not just elders and leaders that have been appointed. But rather I think Paul may have been alluding to the fact we are all carriers of the Gospel, therefore we all are responsible for representing it well, not just in our Church life, but in our personal life too. So if you are thinking about becoming a leader of some sort that’s great! Start now by improving yourself because when it comes down to it that’s what leadership is really about.

-Jesse Allen

Application Questions

  1. Look carefully at the list of qualifications for the overseer and deacon and deacon’s wife in 1 Timothy 3. Why do you think each quality was added to the list given by Paul to young Timothy?
  2. Are there any of these areas that you see as an opportunity for growth? Any that you have already been working on and seeing progress?
  3. According to 1 Timothy 3:13 what is the benefit to serving well? Who do you think of that has been a faithful Godly overseer in your life?
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Are You Good Looking?

1 Timothy 2

Tuesday, September 6, 2022

I love dressing sharp, and looking nice. Lots of people do, I even get stressed out about what I wear, and what others will think of me about what I am wearing. Seems a little conceited right? Well I’m sorry to be the bearer of bad news, we all have done this at one point in our lives. Whether it be clothes or shoes, perhaps new cars or something else, we like having nice things and showing them off. It feels good when someone complements us or the stuff we have. But I am here to tell you and myself, that these things are not what matters. See Paul in 1 Timothy 2:9-10, has to explain this to some of the women in the local community, but it applies to everyone!  “Likewise, I want women to adorn themselves with proper clothing, modestly and discreetly, not with braided hair and gold or pearls or costly garments, but rather by means of good works, as is proper for women making a claim to godliness.” We are known not by what we look like or by what we have. Rather by what we act like. Jesus doesn’t really care what fancy clothes we wear. Some may disagree but all I am saying is he wore a robe and sandals. When’s the last time you saw someone in church wear a robe with sandals? Yeah, I can’t remember either. Therefore, recognize the value of our actions over the way we look. I personally struggle with this concept probably more than anyone I know. But with God all things are possible. 

-Jesse Allen

Application Questions

  1. Who do you admire for true beauty? What makes them so?
  2. How concerned are you with your outward appearance? Do you pay more attention to doing good rather than looking good on the outside?
  3. What does Paul write to Timothy regarding prayer in 1 Timothy chapter 2. How well are you following the directions in verse 1? In verse 2? In verse 8?
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Grace Poured Out

1 Timothy 1

Monday, September 5

It is easy to make mistakes when you don’t know you are making them. My job is GIS mapping, and I create maps of construction permits, plans, and various other things. These maps usually take between 9-18 hours of work to complete and they are needed in order for us to move to another project. The other day I finished a project and went to start another one and accidentally switched the new project for the old one and rewrote and saved over my completed project! Before I could realize my mistake I had completed the next project in the same file, therefore losing my project all together. This is a big mistake that can delay a project by 1-2 days. Fortunately for me I am new and it was my first time doing this, so with that I was given a lot of grace, and was just asked to do the project again. A lot of mistakes come from doing something new and not knowing what we are doing.

Paul in 1 Timothy 1:12-14 admits that he had acted in ignorance when persecuting the Christians. He had no idea that he was in the wrong and kept going, similar to a botched project. He admits his fault and God gives him grace by placing him in charge of all those who he was persecuting. Paul says in verse 13 “. . . yet I was shown mercy because I acted in unbelief”. When he was persecuting the Christians he had no idea of God’s plan, he refused to admit he was wrong, but God shows him mercy through recognizing he may not understand what is going on. Many of us make mistakes without knowing they are mistakes until it is too late. This is true especially with God, God gives us mercy everyday when we are making mistakes. Even the big ones and even if we repeat the mistake God still is good and forgives us.

-Jesse Allen

Questions for Reflection and Discussion

  1. What spiritual truths or expectations were you once ignorant of?
  2. How did God get through to you – and show you grace for your past mistakes?
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Rapid Spread

2 Thessalonians 3

Sunday, September 4

There is no doubt the last couple years have been in disarray. Mainly because of the Coronavirus. One of, if not the fastest, spreading viruses that has existed in the modern era. Since its unveiling, the world has shut down, economies have crashed, people have died and overall the world has changed. All because of one rapidly spreading disease.

I realized something today as I read the passage for today, 2 Thessalonians 3, if something so negative could change the world so much, why couldn’t something good change it even more. The first verse of 2 Thessalonians 3 reads, “Finally, brethren, pray for us that the word of the Lord will spread rapidly and be glorified, just as it did also with you;”

Now you may see where I am going with this illustration. If a disease can be so impactful why would the Gospel not be even more impactful? Since Jesus was revealed to us by God as the Messiah, the world has changed but for the better, and people are finding more life than ever with his message. We have an opportunity to spread the Gospel, and I know that it is way more beneficial to the world than some dumb virus. With the power of God I hope that you will remember to spread the word just as fast if not even faster than any disease that exists. It is ultimately the Gospel that wins in the end.

-Jesse Allen

Application

  1. Even the great evangelistic missionary Paul asked for prayers in spreading the gospel. Who will you ask to be praying for your efforts to spread the gospel? Who will you be praying for?
  2. What value do you put on the gospel message?
  3. What other instructions did Paul leave with the Thessalonians in this chapter?What were they to do with believers who did not follow these directions?
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