Have you ever had an idea, or plans for something that you spent time putting together, but were not able to actually carry it out?
It might be because you don’t have the means, the talent, the time, but whatever the case, it can be disheartening, so I appreciate David’s example here on not being downtrodden about it but instead taking an opportunity to guide the nation and his son, directing them to serve God.
I also think it is pretty cool that despite David not being allowed to build the temple, we see an example of God’s Spirit working in David to come up with the plans. Just because he wasn’t allowed to build, didn’t mean that he wasn’t able to still do something for the LORD.
In this case, David wasn’t allowed to build because of being a warrior who had killed others, but it is also a reminder to me that there isn’t just one thing to do. God may call us differently or gift us differently to accomplish more things. God didn’t use David to build the temple because of David’s actions over the past. But in other cases, God is just using people in different ways – not because one thing is better than the other (thinking of Paul describing the body – each part needs the others to properly function), but because multiple things need to be done. We might sometimes feel saddened by being unable to do what we want, but that shouldn’t stop us from doing something. We are all able to serve, but that service might look different from how others serve depending on our skills, or physical abilities, or God-given direction.
And then as we continue reading, we see how things are generously donated to the building of the temple, and to keep us all in check, David offers this in 29:14 “But who am I, and who are my people, that we should be able to give as generously as this? Everything comes from you, and we have given you only what comes from your hand.”
In a world/culture that is heavily focused on earning what we have, sometimes we need that reminder that the only reason we have is because God has given us things. And that can fill us with gratefulness and love and inspire us to give as well.
~Stephanie Fletcher
Reflection Questions
Is there a job that you have wished God would chose you for, but He has not? What can you learn from David? What other jobs do you think God IS asking you to do? In what ways are God’s plans better than ours?
What has God given to you that you can use to serve Him?
Our Psalm today was written by Solomon and he wrote: “Unless the Lord builds the house, those who build it labor in vain.” (Psalm 127:1 ESV). What did Solomon learn from his dad? How can you apply these words to how you are building your house/life/family and how you are building/supporting/growing God’s house/church?
Then Moses called Joshua, and said to him in the sight of all Israel, “Be strong and courageous; for you will go with this people into the land that Yahweh has sworn to their fathers to give to them, and you will cause them to inherit it. Yahweh, it is he who goes before you; he will be with you, he will not leave you or forsake you. Do not be afraid, and do not be dismayed.”Deuteronomy 31:7-8 (REV)
In Deuteronomy 31, Moses begins to reflect on the fact that his life is about to come to an end and he will not be leading the Israelites into the promised land. We see Joshua enshrined as Moses’s successor, as God directed Moses (Numbers 27).
Succession plans are important as leadership changes are critical junctures for organizations. When a known change is coming, it is easier to start laying the groundwork for succession, but that can be short-sighted. There is wisdom in succession plans that consider the unknown. No one knows how many days they have left to live in this age. Illness can come on suddenly, and tragic accidents happen frequently. By the grace of God, you reader, will live many more years to serve God faithfully, but what if the unthinkable happens? Have you ordered your house? Have you, in your role as pastor, leader, director, or church volunteer, poured into those around you and prepared individuals to do the necessary ministry of the church if, for some reason, you must vacate your position, voluntary or otherwise?
In my first year at Atlanta Bible College, I took the course Principles of Ministry and Leadership (I think that was the correct class name) with Professor Jon Cheatwood. One of the books that we used was the 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership by John Maxwell. While I have not touched that book in nearly twenty years, I remember clearly one of the concepts in the book: Leaders should be training their replacements, figuratively working themselves out of the job. You should ensure that those under you or around you can take over the tasks and responsibilities you are responsible for. This is not to create job insecurity but to ensure stability for an organization or ministry if unexpected departures happen.
Just as Moses was chosen by God to lead his people out of Egypt, Joshua was chosen to lead them into the promised land. Moses publicly enshrines Joshua as leader, making clear the succession plan and avoiding a power vacuum with multiple individuals striving for the top spot or fearful individuals that pick up camp and head back to Egypt.
Several years ago, there was a TV show called Succession that was loosely based on real events from a power struggle within a powerful business. I am not recommending the show, but it showcases the chaos that surrounds an organization that does not have clear protocols and succession plans in place.
About 10 years ago, my church was thrust into unexpected changes in pastoral leadership. While not without bumps in the road, the leadership of the church was equipped enough to manage a very difficult period. Clearer succession plans certainly could have made some things easier and maybe would have created some different dynamics in leadership structures than what was implemented during the transition. While you may not be able to perfectly clone yourself as a leader (and you probably shouldn’t), you can pour into the next wave or generation of leaders and begin preparing them for the joys and difficulties of ministry and leadership. Whether you are a senior pastor, a volunteer coordinator, or somewhere else on the spectrum of ministry roles, we should always be working to ensure that the ministry of the Gospel is primed to continue in our organizations, with or without us.
-JJ Fletcher
Reflection Questions
Have you ever experienced a sudden change in leadership? Either as a member of leadership or someone that looked to leadership, what were some of the takeaways that you had from that experience? What could have been better in that situation?
How important do you think it was that Moses made a public showing of the transition of leadership from himself to Joshua?
What are some of the pitfalls of tight-fisted leadership that does not allow for the incremental growth and training of future leaders?
Does God choose leaders now like he did in the times of Moses and Joshua? What does leadership selection look like now?
Zechariah 9:9-10(NLT) Rejoice, O people of Zion! Shout in triumph, O people of Jerusalem! Look, your king is coming to you. He is righteous and victorious, yet he is humble, riding on a donkey— riding on a donkey’s colt. 10 I will remove the battle chariots from Israel and the warhorses from Jerusalem. I will destroy all the weapons used in battle, and your king will bring peace to the nations. His realm will stretch from sea to sea and from the Euphrates River to the ends of the earth.
Zechariah 10:2(NLT) Household gods give worthless advice, fortune-tellers predict only lies, and interpreters of dreams pronounce falsehoods that give no comfort. So my people are wandering like lost sheep; they are attacked because they have no shepherd.
Psalms 145:8-13 (NLT) The LORD is merciful and compassionate, slow to get angry and filled with unfailing love. 9 The LORD is good to everyone. He showers compassion on all his creation. 10 All of your works will thank you, LORD, and your faithful followers will praise you. 11 They will speak of the glory of your kingdom; they will give examples of your power. 12 They will tell about your mighty deeds and about the majesty and glory of your reign. 13 For your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom. You rule throughout all generations.
John 18:4-9(NKJV) Jesus therefore, knowing all things that would come upon Him, went forward and said to them, “Whom are you seeking?” 5 They answered Him, “Jesus of Nazareth.” Jesus said to them, “I am He.” And Judas, who betrayed Him, also stood with them. 6 Now when He said to them, “I am He,” they drew back and fell to the ground. 7 Then He asked them again, “Whom are you seeking?” And they said, “Jesus of Nazareth.” 8 Jesus answered, “I have told you that I am He. Therefore, if you seek Me, let these go their way,” 9 that the saying might be fulfilled which He spoke, “Of those whom You gave Me I have lost none.”
It is so amazing and uplifting to read the OT prophecies and then see those prophecies fulfilled in the NT record of the life of Christ. The sections we are reading this morning have a “golden nugget” of God’s Word shown to us. Zechariah says that our King will come to us riding a donkey’s colt. This prophecy is fulfilled in Matthew 21 as we read.
Matthew 21:1-5(NKJV) Now when they drew near Jerusalem, and came to Bethphage, at the Mount of Olives, then Jesus sent two disciples, 2 saying to them, “Go into the village opposite you, and immediately you will find a donkey tied, and a colt with her. Loose them and bring them to Me. 3 And if anyone says anything to you, you shall say, ‘The Lord has need of them,’ and immediately he will send them.” 4 All this was done that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, saying: 5 “Tell the daughter of Zion, ‘Behold, your King is coming to you, Lowly, and sitting on a donkey, A colt, the foal of a donkey.’ ”
Who is this king that is riding on a lowly donkey? Kings and rulers of that time rode the tallest, strongest horses that the country could provide for them. Why does God have Jesus ride into Jerusalem on a humble donkey and not a strong horse? The following verses 9:10-10:12 are a prophetic description of the second coming of Christ and the establishment of the millennial kingdom here on earth. The OT in many places show Christ’s first coming and his second coming as being one event and the Jews read it that way. That is why the disciples ask Jesus in the first chapter of Acts this question.
Acts 1:6(NLT) So when the apostles were with Jesus, they kept asking him, “Lord, has the time come for you to free Israel and restore our kingdom?”
Even after Christ’s resurrection and the time he spends instructing them on what is going to happen they still see the message of the kingdom through the lens of their OT understanding. This would definitely include this passage from Zechariah. God answers our questions about what is to occur in the future with the words from Acts 17:7 He replied, “The Father alone has the authority to set those dates and times, and they are not for you to know”. This truth is explained also in our reading from Psalms in verse 13 where the psalmist says “For your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom. You rule throughout all generations.”. We see this same truth when Jesus answers the question from Pilate in John.
John 18:36(NLT) Jesus answered, “My Kingdom is not an earthly kingdom. If it were, my followers would fight to keep me from being handed over to the Jewish leaders. But my Kingdom is not of this world.”
From the Revised English Version Bible commentary:
“Actually, there are many Scriptures in the Old Testament that speak of the coming of Christ and God’s vengeance on the wicked as if they were going to happen at the same time (cp. Isa. 9:6-7; 11:1-9; 61:1-3; Mic. 5:2; Zech. 9:9-10; Mal. 3:1-3; 4:1-3). Those many Scriptures, along with the fact that there are no clear Scriptures that portray the two comings of Christ, are the reason that at the time of Christ people did not think that Christ would die (cp. Matt. 16:21-22; Luke 18:31-34; 24:19-21, 44-46; John 12:34; 20:9).”
We are able to see now that God planned a time between the two comings of Christ and we know that this is the wonderful church of God that we are a part of today. The Bible calls this the revealing of the “mystery” or better translated as “sacred secret”. This is revealed to the apostle Paul, and he tells us what God has revealed to him in Ephesians.
Ephesians 3:1-6(NKJV) For this reason I, Paul, the prisoner of Christ Jesus for you Gentiles— 2 if indeed you have heard of the dispensation of the grace of God which was given to me for you, 3 how that by revelation He made known to me the mystery (as I have briefly written already, 4 by which, when you read, you may understand my knowledge in the mystery of Christ), 5 which in other ages was not made known to the sons of men, as it has now been revealed by the Spirit to His holy apostles and prophets: 6 that the Gentiles should be fellow heirs, of the same body, and partakers of His promise in Christ through the gospel,
Jesus Christ is king of our hearts today and coming king of all the earth in the future. We are part of this body of Christ church which is the mystery revealed and is no longer hidden to us. Our goals should be to live out the truth and grace of what we have received and to give this truth to others to draw them to our “sacred secret”. Have a great day walking in God’s grace and power!
-Tom Siderius
Reflection Questions
What changes the apostles from their OT understanding to the NT revelation?
What is the gospel (good news) that we can reveal to others?
Zechariah 6:12-13(NLT) Tell him, ‘This is what the LORD of Heaven’s Armies says: Here is the man called the Branch. He will branch out from where he is and build the Temple of the LORD. 13 Yes, he will build the Temple of the LORD. Then he will receive royal honor and will rule as king from his throne. He will also serve as priest from his throne, and there will be perfect harmony between his two roles.’
Psalms 144:12-13 (NLT) May our sons flourish in their youth like well-nurtured plants. May our daughters be like graceful pillars, carved to beautify a palace. 13 May our barns be filled with crops of every kind. May the flocks in our fields multiply by the thousands, even tens of thousands,
John 17:13-21 (NLT)“Now I am coming to you. I told them many things while I was with them in this world so they would be filled with my joy. 14 I have given them your word. And the world hates them because they do not belong to the world, just as I do not belong to the world. 15 I’m not asking you to take them out of the world, but to keep them safe from the evil one. 16 They do not belong to this world any more than I do. 17 Make them holy by your truth; teach them your word, which is truth. 18 Just as you sent me into the world, I am sending them into the world. 19 And I give myself as a holy sacrifice for them so they can be made holy by your truth. 20 “I am praying not only for these disciples but also for all who will ever believe in me through their message. 21 I pray that they will all be one, just as you and I are one—as you are in me, Father, and I am in you. And may they be in us so that the world will believe you sent me.
This is a wonderful story that we are a part of in the church today. We are called members of this wonderful church of the body of Christ where God has set us. We are called out from the world for a purpose and God is building a holy temple for us to be part of where God will dwell. To be called out from the world is the same as being made holy. When you build a structure out of stone the rocks must be cut or dressed to make them ready to be used in the construction of the structure. Look at these verses from Ephesians.
Ephesians 2:19-22 (NLT) So now you Gentiles are no longer strangers and foreigners. You are citizens along with all of God’s holy people. You are members of God’s family. 20 Together, we are his house, built on the foundation of the apostles and the prophets. And the cornerstone is Christ Jesus himself. 21 We are carefully joined together in him, becoming a holy temple for the Lord. 22 Through him you Gentiles are also being made part of this dwelling where God lives by his Spirit.
God has chosen you who were rocks with no shape and dressed you to become part of His holy temple. We have been separated from the world and given a purpose to be part of this great plan. We are carefully joined together making us part of each other as well as part of God’s dwelling place. Yesterday we looked at a different figure of the “Branch” who is Jesus Christ. This word would be better translated as “shoot” or “tree”. Israel is called the olive tree of God in the OT. Jesus is the new olive tree growing from the stump and roots of Jesse.
Jeremiah 11:16 16 I, the LORD, once called them a thriving olive tree, beautiful to see and full of good fruit.
This figure has the same meaning as the dressed stone from Ephesians. Both of the figures of the dressed stone and the grafted branch give us insight into God’s matchless grace and love for mankind. God is doing everything for His glory and the glory given to Christ Jesus His son. We are His masterpiece in Christ, another figure of His love for us. Live today as a wonderful child of God part of a present and future plan of deliverance for all heaven and earth.
-Tom Siderius
Reflection Questions:
Which figure of speech stands out the most in your mind?
How is God dressing (shaping) you for His service today?
Looking at some historical context of Smyrna is a bit harder than other churches, because it is only mentioned here in these verses. However, we do know that the church of Smyrna is the only church still thriving in the modern day. Reportedly, more Christians have lived in this area than any other Turkish city in the world. This is quite impressive, considering this region has experienced repeated wars, massacres, earthquakes, and plague since they first received this letter.
Smyrna was a very rich area, populated by Roman and Jewish-born people. Unfortunately, Christians were viewed as “cult followers” and often banned from being able to work, purchase needed items, and often faced social or physical persecution. This really highlights what Jesus was speaking of in verse 9 when he described their poverty and afflictions. So how could they possibly be rich? Well, because just like all of us who are baptized, they had the promise of life, and avoiding hurt in the second death (v. 10-11).
From historical records, it has been concluded that a pastor at the church in Smyrna by the name of Polycarp, refused to worship Caesar and renounce the name of Christ. Because of his choice, he was burned at the stake. From these records, it is reported that when commanded to reject Christ, he stated “Eighty-six years have I served Him, and in nothing hath He wronged me; and how, then, can I blaspheme my King, who saved me?”. From there, records indicate he was heard singing praises to the Son of God while being burned alive. It seems Polycarp truly took the words of Jesus to heart, not fearing what he was suffering, and being faithful to the point of death.
It’s hard to imagine even a fraction of the persecution that was experienced in Biblical times, living in modern day America. Even harder, we know that both social and physical persecution still exists around the world today. In a recent report from Open Doors (link below), it is estimated that 1 in 7, or 365 million, Christians worldwide faced persecution in 2023. Of those numbers, roughly 5,000 murders are recorded to be directly related to a person’s faith. Nearly 15,000 churches or Christian properties were attacked. From these reports, it has been determined that North Korea is the most dangerous place in the world to be a Christian. Despite this, Christianity continues to be the highest category across the global population, AND is projected to continue to grow even higher based on current trends. Even with the affliction and suffering, Jesus continues to touch the lives of billions around the world.
Smyrna was one of many churches to experience persecution, but because of their faith, they are considered rich and worthy of the victor’s crown. This message of reward was not meant just for them, but is for everyone who has ears to hear what the Spirit says (v.11). You will face trials in this life as a Christian, whether or not they may be as severe as others around the world. Will you remain faithful?
Reflection Questions:
Have you ever imagined yourself in the place of a Christian around the world? Contemplate how you would respond when faced with persecution. Pray today for those that experience this on a daily basis. For more information, check out the “World Watch List” found here: https://www.opendoors.org/en-US/persecution/countries/
In the passages in Jeremiah today, we see an example of God describing His restoration on earth, sharing the same promise that we also cling to in times of trials. Reading those chapters, what verse sticks out to you as most encouraging when you consider the perfect restoration we will get to experience?
What ways can you hold fast to your faith when you experience suffering in this life? What has worked for you in the past? How can you encourage and support a fellow believer who may be struggling right now?
Hello all! Although the other material is just as wonderful, we will be taking a focused look on the Revelation passages, exploring the Letters to the Churches. Let’s dive in!
Each letter has a general pattern of a greeting and introduction, praise for their behavior, a warning or correction, plus a reminder of what is to come (hint, it’s the Kingdom!)
For some context, the church in Ephesus was visited and established by Paul back in Acts 18 & 19. We know from these passages that the silversmith Demetrius, and his shrines or idols to the goddess Artemis, were popular opposers of the message of Jesus the Messiah. From the book of Ephesians, we know that Paul believed the Ephesians loved all of God’s people, but still needed guidance on how to daily live out the Christian walk. Knowing this can impact how we read the letter John transcribed to them in Revelation 2, and how we can take that message and apply it to our own churches and lives.
After greeting the church in Ephesus, through John, Jesus writes to the church of Ephesus and commends them on their hard work, perseverance, and holding fast to doctrinal truths diligently (v.2-3). But their correction is that they have forsaken the love they had at first (v.4). Some people debate the exact meaning this has, but personally, when paired with the information we have from Paul’s writing, I believe this means they have lost the love they had for God’s people.
Back in Paul’s time, they were a church in the middle of a dark, secular, perverse community. Yet, they were growing and evangelizing in a way that was drawing people away from worshiping other gods, and bringing them to repentance. Clearly they were doing something right at this time to be so appealing to people in such a community, so much so that those trying to make a profit off of sinful practices started a riot! And THAT is what I believe they lost.
This church seems to have swung the pendulum to the side of practicing truth without love. While we can only speculate, I do think this likely looked like church leaders who were so focused on ensuring their church stood out from the worldly crowds, they lost the compassion for those outside of their own doors. They lost the zeal and vigor for spreading the gospel, and became too heavily focused on trying to maintain the doctrinal ‘purity’ they had built.
Notice how Jesus doesn’t say in these verses they should stop holding fast to those important practices, but rather they should do them in combination with what they did at first, loving others in their community so well that they were attracted to the church. In fact, right after this reminder, he even says that he appreciates that they hate the same detestable practices he does! Jesus was never saying to disregard the importance of true and accurate teaching of the Gospel message. But he was challenging a church who had been a beacon of light to their community, to remember how they felt in those early days when they received the Holy Spirit, and go back to the same energy and passion for the people they were surrounded by.
Well-established churches or believers, especially those who hold tightly to doctrinal truths, must be on guard for this same loss of love in their own communities and hearts. Not compromising on the biblical truths they hold, but never losing sight of the greatest commandment, to LOVE one another. We all may have a bit more Ephesus in us than we think… which isn’t always a bad thing, but is something we must be cognizant of to make sure we are still remembering the love we must show, in order to have the opportunity to experience the “paradise of God” (v.7).
Reflection Questions:
Consider yourself and your church, have you lost your first love? If you have, what steps can you take to revitalize that passion?
Think of someone you care about deeply. Have you shared the truth of Jesus Christ with them in a loving way? If not, how can you start that conversation?
Reread Psalms 119:29-32 from today’s reading. Clearly we see throughout all Scripture the importance of holding fast to God’s commands, just like the church in Ephesus. Are you truly “setting your heart” on God’s laws as in these Psalms verses?
Revelation is a tricky book. I will admit that I struggle with it, as I’m sure others do. When meditating on this passage I actually sat down and tried to put myself in John’s place. He is receiving one intense vision, full of important messages, all of which he might not fully comprehend in his time.
This devotion is less of a devotion today and more of an invitation to join me in a practice of contemplation.
John introduces himself and tells the reader what he is writing and why he’s writing it. And the first part of this great message is actually a collection of letters to the seven great churches of the time.
Now these letters are laid out in chapters 2 and 3. However, I’m not actually going into those so I feel like I’m within my realm of Revelation 1 for this little exercise!
Join me, if you will, in constructing a letter to yourself and/or your church, written by Christ. This can be either written or mental. This devotion will primarily be reflection questions to give you some things to contemplate.
Reflection:
Take a few minutes with each of these questions to pray and evaluate:
Christ, seated at God’s side, knows your deeds. In looking at your current habits and practices, what does he lift up? What is he pleased with? Pray over these things and ask God to continue to help you to grow. Thank him for allowing you the circumstances that allow you to minister and please him. Thank him for the blessings he has given you.
What about in your church body? What does your church do well in God’s eyes? Pray over your church family now, thanking God for individuals that serve alongside you in the church body. Thank God for the blessings he has given your church family.
Now, what practices in your life are not pleasing? What do you struggle to turn away from? How would Christ address those? How would he advise you to take action? Pray over these, and ask for strength and guidance in those areas. Pray for mercy and forgiveness.
Are there practices within your home church that Christ would not be pleased with? Are there attitudes that need changing? Does your own attitude need adjustment? How would Jesus address your church in this regard? How would he encourage you to correct these behaviors and thoughts? Pray now over your church family. Pray for forgiveness and mercy. Pray that God will show you a way in which you can help be a positive force of change in your church body.
Dear father, I’m so thankful for my fellow believers in churches all over the world. I pray that we would be pleasing to you. I pray that we are able to seek out what we are doing wrong and right ourselves. Please show us the way and also show us great mercy. Thank you for the sacrifice that was made so that we could one day see Christ’s return and see your kingdom established forever here on a perfect earth. Grant us all guidance and strength until we see that great day. In your son’s name I pray, Amen. – Jenn Haynes
What is the best way to lead others in the church? What is the best way to follow church leadership?
At the end of 1 Peter, Peter gives some exhortations to leaders in the church and then to the general assembly. His exhortation to leadership, while brief, is powerfully meaningful:
1 Peter 5:2-3 (ESV)
2 shepherd the flock of God that is among you, exercising oversight, not under compulsion, but willingly, as God would have you; not for shameful gain, but eagerly;
3 not domineering over those in your charge, but being examples to the flock.
Leaders in the church are commanded to shepherd the flock not by abusing authority but by being examples. Peter is repeating what Jesus taught him years before (see Matthew 20:25-28). Jesus served others in love, showing everyone how to live a godly life. He did not collect taxes, lead an army, start a big corporation, or run for President (or Caesar, not that it was a democracy!), but even if he held a prominent worldly position, he would not have led through fear or domination.
How many times has this gone wrong in the history of the Christian church? How often are leaders tempted to lead this way? As a pastor, knowing how common this problem is leads me to greater personal reflection and humility. My job is to serve willingly and eagerly and to be a good example to the people in our congregation. That sounds simple and straightforward, but the other way is tempting. Leaders, we must keep the servant’s towel wrapped around our waist at all times!
Peter goes on to admonish the whole assembly to be humble, to cast anxieties to God, and to be watchful. Each of these dispositions is important. First, humility is a foundational Christian attribute. It’s like the key to the door of growth. Humility says, “I don’t know everything yet. I can still learn more.” Everyone in the church should be humble before God and before the Scriptures. There is always more to learn. There is always more to live.
Second, we are to cast our anxieties to God. This world is full of trouble and brokenness. All of us experience anxiety from time to time. We must remember that God cares about every aspect of our lives. What a crazy thing to believe, but it is true — the Creator of the Universe wants a relationship with you! God cares for you!
Finally, we are to be watchful. There are influences of darkness in the world around us (see: anxieties above). The powers of darkness, led by the adversary/devil, have built systems to damage our faith and lead us into temptation. Just as our Lord Jesus taught, we seek God instead. He will deliver us from evil, and the promise is, that as we resist, the devil will flee (see also James 4:7).
-Will Barlow
Reflection Questions:
(Leaders) How do you stay humble and focused on serving the people around you?
(Non-leaders) What can you do if you are concerned about your leaders and how they are behaving?
Are there things in your life that need more watchfulness or resisting the powers of darkness? What can you do to strengthen your resolve in those categories?
My name is Philip Kirkpatrick. I’m 17, live in Minnesota, and attend Pine Grove Bible Church. Some of you may have met me before and some of you may have no idea who I am. I share this for two reasons, the first is to give those who don’t know me a little bit of background on who’s writing, and the second is because it relates to what I’m writing about. As I was reading 1 Timothy 4, one of the verses stuck out to me. That is verse 12, the NIV version states:
‘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.’
Considering my age and youthfulness, this verse stuck out to me. Reading it over, it seems pretty straightforward to me. I’m going to break this up into two parts. The first part simply states that just because of someone’s young age, it doesn’t mean they should be looked down on. Looking back now, I can think of times that I surprised my parents by having an answer they didn’t expect me to get, or knowing a big word and casually dropping it in the middle of a sentence. Even today I find myself surprised at times by those younger than me when they find answers I didn’t expect or know things that I don’t. Something to keep in mind here is that just because someone is young doesn’t mean that person doesn’t have good ideas.
This also plays into something called a logical fallacy. A logical fallacy is an illogical argument in its simplest form. In this case, it’s an Ad Hominem fallacy. This logical fallacy can be used to state that someone who may typically not have good ideas, someone young and inexperienced in this case, can’t come up with good ideas. The Ad Hominem Fallacy in other words; it is an attack against the person, not the argument or idea they are proposing. So in the case of someone young, it’s saying you can’t dismiss it simply due to age.
The second part of this verse here tells us that we should set an example for others in 5 ways: speech, conduct, love, faith, and purity. I’m not going to dig into all those and explain them all. Overall it can be defined by how we act. We should act in a manner befitting a Christian.
To the younger: set an example to the older on how to act.
To the older: set an example to the younger on how to act.
And to all, don’t look down on someone because of their age, listen, and consider what they have to say.
-Philip Kirkpatrick
Reflection Questions
When have you taken notice of a good example set by someone young? Have you ever been guilty of looking down on someone just because of their age?
Consider each of the ways we are to set an example for believers: in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith and in purity. Think of times when you set an example in each of these areas. Are you strongest in one of those areas? Which ones could you work on more this week?
I sat down several times to work on this devotion today. Every time I distracted myself. I struggle, often, to stay on task, as I’m sure many people do. There are just so many different things I can focus on! I stopped again just now and distracted myself by recounting all the things I did this morning rather than write this.
Back to the topic at hand: Staying On Topic. The first chapter of Philippians (one of my FAVORITE books) is full of love and encouragement toward people that desperately need it. And Paul (who is imprisoned) gets right to the point: Their focus should be on spreading the gospel message.
Verses 1- 14: Paul loves these people. Carrying on in ministry is not a job one accomplishes alone. We draw on each other for strength and encouragement. He loves his brothers and sisters in Christ and prays over them.
Stop for a moment and pray over your brothers and sisters in Christ. Pray blessings over them, particularly the ones who might feel discouraged. Who can you reach out to encourage today as Paul is doing here?
Paul says his imprisonment is to be celebrated because he has been able to spread the message of Jesus Christ. In this he acknowledges that in all of our circumstances and trials, we are to use our lives as a testimony.
Ask yourself what trials or difficult circumstances you are experiencing at present. How can you use this as a testimony to others? How are you displaying Christ? How can you do it better?
Verses 15-26: Paul cuts to the heart of the matter, and asks that his friends ignore motives for just a moment. Who can judge the heart but God, after all? Their focus, and ours, should be on one important mission: that the gospel of Jesus Christ be spread. Nothing. Else. Matters.
Yes, the present life is difficult. Yes there are people out there trying to create harm, trying to make circumstances worse for Paul. But we must keep our focus on spreading the gospel. And any time the Good News is shared in ANY way, we are to rejoice!
“In every way, whether from false motives or true, Christ is preached. And because of this I rejoice.”
Do you get sidetracked, sometimes, worrying about the motives of others? I know I do. I’m frequently suspicious. And I must force myself to ask, as Paul does, “What does it matter?” So long as the gospel message is preached, I should rejoice.
Verses 27-30: Paul encourages the Philippian church to stay on track. No matter what happens, be concerned first that the gospel is preached in your words and in your actions. Don’t be distracted by those who oppose you or by those who may have false intentions. Live a life that glorifies Christ and spreads the message of the kingdom.
Are you distracted by the negative voices and actions in your life? Have you lost focus? The gospel of Christ is first! Are you conducting yourself “in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ”? What adjustments do you need to make in your life to be a better representative of the kingdom?
As your sister in Christ, I’m praying over you now that you find encouragement in whatever your situation is. I pray that you are able to defend and confirm the gospel in your actions and your words. I pray that you find support in your fellow believers to continue on in your important task of spreading Christ Jesus to others, and that you do so without distraction! Let’s continue to advance the gospel together. I love you!
-Jenn Haynes
Reflection Questions
See above – lots of great questions in Jenn’s devotion
Seek Grow Love 