To Timothy, my true child in the faith: Grace, mercy, and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord.

1 Timothy 1

To Timothy, my true child in the faith: Grace, mercy, and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord. 1 Timothy 1:2

I continue with my study of 1 and 2 Timothy leaning on DesiringGod.com's Look at the Book video series for these two books, this morning watching the video for 1 Timothy 1:1-2, Part 3. 

John Piper begins the video by examining, as the title of the video explicitly implies, 1 Timothy 1:2, and why Paul is referring to Timothy as his child. 

Excerpts from the video entitled How Is Timothy Paul's Child?:

• The word true in v2 is used because of how Timothy came to faith, due to Paul's work in missions and ministry.  In many senses, Paul feels that a Timothy is more truly an offspring of him than of Timothy's own biological father due to the faith relationship he has with Timothy and this relationship is deeper and eternal. See also Philemon 9-10, 1 Corinthians 4:15.
• 1 Peter 1:23 describes how the Word of God is causing someone to be born again, bringing you back into union with Jesus Christ.
• See Acts 16:1-3 for how Paul in his second missionary journey took Timothy under his wing having already been a believer and identified as someone with great promise as a church leader; see also Acts 14:5-6 where it is inferred that Timothy became a believer in Paul's first missionary journey to the same places Derbe and Lystra referred to in both Acts 16 and 14.
  
• 1 Corinthians 4:17 and Philippians 2:19-22 describe how Paul refers to Timothy as a trustworthy and extraordinary value as a man of faith.  Philippians in particular shares an endorsement where Paul states that he has "no one like him" and also once again as a son.  This says much considering others in Paul's company such as Luke and Barnabas. 

Incredible text about an apostle and a discipleship relationship this apostle has with someone under his tutelage.  This text offers incredible encouragement for young believers to seek discipleship relationships with older believers and for older believers to pour into younger believers (or other believers with less spiritual maturity).

Comment and discuss this post.

My Prayer: Lord Jesus You are an incredible God who serves as the ultimate disciple maker as You pour into me daily with grace and compassion that knows no limits.  Thank You Jesus!  I am not deserving of how You pour into me and how You place others in my life to pour into me.  My sin is great and it continues...daily.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Please give Lisa and myself wisdom, energy and strength.  Please continue to heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day. 

In Christ Jesus, then, I have reason to be proud of my work for God. For I will not venture to speak of anything except what Christ has accomplished through me to bring the Gentiles to obedience[.]

Romans 15

In Christ Jesus, then, I have reason to be proud of my work for God. For I will not venture to speak of anything except what Christ has accomplished through me to bring the Gentiles to obedience[.] Romans 15:17-18a

This morning, I continued my study of Romans.  Using my commentary - Exalting Jesus in Romans (eBook) - I continued with chapter nineteen Great Commission Christians, which covers Romans 15:14-15:33.  My focus today is v15:16-18, which my commentary refers to under the heading "See Life and Mission Through the Lens of Worship."  Building on my post yesterday, where Paul's focused on characteristics of a healthy gospel-centered church, in this morning's verses, Paul moves to describe his role in preaching the gospel to the Gentiles and how Paul attributes the growth of the church through the Gentiles to God working through him.

My commentary highlights how Paul's words describe a "priestly service" (v15:16) to the Gentiles. He was a Jesus "worshiper who sought to make more worshipers.  He was a living sacrifice who sought to see more living sacrifices."  We are encourages to "see our mission through this lens of worship." 

Comment and discuss this post here.

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an amazing God who has brought disciple makes into my life to develop me into more of a disciple - thank You Jesus!  I am not deserving of this and the many other blessings You pour out for me.  My sin of worry and other sins continue.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength. Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin. Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

I planted the seed, Apollos watered it, but God has been making it grow. So neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, but only God, who makes things grow.

Acts 16-17 and 1 Thessalonica 1-2

 I planted the seed, Apollos watered it, but God has been making it grow. So neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, but only God, who makes things grow. 1 Corinthians 3:6-7

I continue with my study of - Ten Men of the Bible: How God Used Imperfect People to Change the World - eBook by Max Lucado (for purchase). This morning, I continue with the story of "Paul: Never Too Far Gone for a Turnaround*".

*Title of lesson ten from the Max Lucado study.

Max Lucado's commentary* for day three focuses on Paul's first missionary journey, and the various converts made during this journey, including Lydia, Paul and Silas' jailer, and the Bereans. Lucado reminds us of how God and the Holy Spirit work - that we are not converting anyone but either planting or watering a seed but God is the one responsible for growing and harvesting the seed.  Lucado also wants us to keep in mind that we are never fully aware of the impact others have had on our lives and the impact we have had in others' lives yet we may come to more fully understand this impact when we reach Heaven. We are encouraged to plant and water seeds. 

Whatever our role in the Great Commission and in spreading the gospel, we all have a role and it is to be a light. 

Comment and discuss this post here.

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an amazing God and I am deeply grateful for the many brothers and sisters in Christ You placed in my life to plant and water seeds in my life for my faith.  Thank You Jesus!  I do hope that I can be that same blessings for others.  Yet I am undeserving of the many blessings You pour out for me - I worry and I am often harsh with others.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me. Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others. Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

Let no debt remain outstanding, except the continuing debt to love one another, for whoever loves others has fulfilled the law. The commandments, “You shall not commit adultery,” “You shall not murder,” “You shall not steal,” “You shall not covet,” and whatever other command there may be, are summed up in this one command: “Love your neighbor as yourself.” Love does no harm to a neighbor. Therefore love is the fulfillment of the law.

Romans 12-16

Let no debt remain outstanding, except the continuing debt to love one another, for whoever loves others has fulfilled the law. The commandments, “You shall not commit adultery,” “You shall not murder,” “You shall not steal,” “You shall not covet,” and whatever other command there may be, are summed up in this one command: “Love your neighbor as yourself.” Love does no harm to a neighbor. Therefore love is the fulfillment of the law. Romans 13:8-10

Day 342 of my chronological study of the Bible with The Daily Bible® - In Chronological Order (NIV®) (available by purchase through Amazon - author F. LaGard Smith) continues as I move further into the New Testament - this evening the focus is chapters 9-11 of Paul's letter to the believers in Rome. In these chapters, Paul starts but pointing us to "true and proper worship" by "offering our bodies as a living sacrifice" (vs empty ritualistic/ceremonial sacrifices - see also Hosea 6:6, Matthew 9:13). The implication here is that we are to develop healthy spiritual disciplines of daily Bible study, prayer, corporate worship, service, etc. and seek Him (see also recent post on daily renewal). Paul then moves on to how are to form the church through use of our different gifts and how these gifts mutually support each other.  We are instructed to love above all, including to our enemies.  We are to show respect and support to civil authorities as these are authorities placed above us by God.  We are to support those with weaker faiths by building them up (discipleship).

My Prayer: Jesus, You are an amazing God - the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords.  You came to earth to seek and save me...and You suffered a brutal and humbling death, even though You lived a sinless life.  Of course I am grateful but I am undeserving of all that You are and do for me. My sin continues...selfishness, etc.  Please forgive me and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You. Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others. Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

Start children off on the way they should go, and even when they are old they will not turn from it.

John 15-17

Start children off on the way they should go, and even when they are old they will not turn from it. Proverbs 22:6

Day 317 of my chronological study of the Bible with The Daily Bible® - In Chronological Order (NIV®) (available by purchase through Amazon - author F. LaGard Smith) continues as I move further into the New Testament - this morning focusing on what my commentary* refers to as The Final Discourse "with His chosen disciples...."Each word Jesus speaks reflects the burden which he feels in leaving these men to finish the work which he has begun. Jesus encourages them in their faith and promises that in his name they will perform great works. Again he calls them to mutual love in order to withstand the inevitable persecution which awaits them. Explaining the necessity of his going away, Jesus promises that they will not be left wholly on their own. Jesus reassures them that the Holy Spirit will be with them and will guide them in their mission....[Jesus also] prays for the 11 disciples, and finally for all his disciples, that they might love one another and thereby be a continuing witness to the world."

*Smith, F. LaGard. The Daily Bible® - In Chronological Order (NIV®). Harvest House Publishers. Kindle Edition. 

In this morning's scripture, Jesus begins with a discussion (John 15) of how it is important to "remain in Him" as "He is the Vine and [believers] are the branches" and God made us to bear fruit and to glorify Him. He warns us about persecution and how believers are not of this world (instead we are citizens of Heaven).  He encourages (John 16) us by letting us know that He will leave us with the Holy Spirit. He (John 17) then prays for the disciples and for all believers.

For anyone in a position of leadership that seeks to grow disciples to stand firm in their own faith, this is a powerful message.  As a Father, I think also of Solomon's words deposited into his children:

Start children off on the way they should go, and even when they are old they will not turn from it. Proverbs 22:6

This is certainly my prayer for Zach and Dustin.

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an awesome God who loves me and who gave me faith the Holy Spirit so that I could understand The Word and have You with me always to guide me and so much more.  Thank You Jesus!  I am not deserving of all the ways You bless me.  I worry and I have other sins.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith. Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin. Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

So the word of God spread. The number of disciples in Jerusalem increased rapidly, and a large number of priests became obedient to the faith.

Acts 6

So the word of God spread. The number of disciples in Jerusalem increased rapidly, and a large number of priests became obedient to the faith. v7

For the church, it's not just important to have faith but to GROW in your faith - the church needs to equip itself for growth, it needs believers to grow into leadership positions who can help push the church forward with the Great Commission (Matthew 28).  Here (Acts 6:1-6) we see the first church deacons named, including Stephen who is the first disciple to be martyred.  

In v7, we then see the result of discipleship - the making of not just disciples but the making of disciple makers.

We should continue to grow and mature in our faith.

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an amazing God who has grown in my heart and life - thank You Jesus!  I am grateful!  Yet I am undeserving of the blessings You pour out on me.  I worry and I have other sin.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

But Jesus called the children to him and said, Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. v16

Luke 18

But Jesus called the children to him and said, Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. v16

John Piper offers great teaching and encouragement on these verses in Luke 18 (v15-17).  I am reminded of my role as spiritual head of the household and that I should be taking time to instruct my sons on scripture.  I need to do more!

Jesus - please help me be effective as spiritual leader of my household!

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an awesome God and You are my Heavenly Father as well as my Lord and Savior.  Thank You for making time for me and for paving the way for me to have salvation, life to the full and so much more...! I am undeserving of such blessings.  I daily miss the mark.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others. Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

He told them, The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field.

Luke 10

He told them, The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field. v2

Here Jesus goes beyond the twelve disciples to send out seventy-two.  The essence of the plan is to create not just new believers but disciple makers who can in turn create new believers, and so on.

This post I believe is useful in pointing out a simple, three-point plan for disciple making - based on Luke 10:1-9.

Another broad implication is that we must grow ourselves so that we can equip others to be disciple-makers.

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are a great God, who has grown in my heart and life and I have seen the fruit myself - thank You Jesus!  Yet I know there is more growth - I am unfinished and further refinement and growth is due.  Please forgive me for letting my foot off the gas and for daily missing the mark.  Help me turn from such sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message or me today and every day.

Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.

Matthew 28

Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age. v19-20

Francis Chan tells us that making disciples is a core component of our relationship with Jesus and that if we want to experience God we have to bring others to God.

Jesus - help me get off my duff to bring others to God.

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an amazing God who loves me and who has transformed my heart and my life.  Thank You Jesus!  Yet, I am blessed beyond what I deserve - I often fail to do as You expect for me to lead others to You.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

Now when Jesus saw the crowds, he went up on a mountainside and sat down. His disciples came to him, and he began to teach them.

Matthew 5

Now when Jesus saw the crowds, he went up on a mountainside and sat down. His disciples came to him, and he began to teach them. v1-2 

As Jesus begins to preach, He first teaches His disciples.  God wants us to minister to those outside the church but He also wants us to minister within the church - the church must make not just disciples but also disciple makers.  See a few of John Piper's thoughts on this here and here.  The Sermon on the Mount is for everyone but it is also the start of Jesus' three-year effort to teach and build disciple-makers from the initial 12 disciples and other early leaders of the church.

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, what an amazing God You are that You are so full of grace, compassion and wisdom to spend time with me to help me understand Your Word for me.  Thank You Jesus.  I am not worth such love and care - I daily miss the mark.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

Better is one day in your courts than a thousand elsewhere; I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God than dwell in the tents of the wicked.

Psalm 84

Better is one day in your courts than a thousand elsewhere; I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God than dwell in the tents of the wicked. v10

We are told that we are foreigners in "this world" and at home and citizens of Heaven.

Since you call on a Father who judges each person’s work impartially, live out your time as foreigners here in reverent fear.  1 Peter 1:17

But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ[.] Philippians 3:20

As such we should not grow comfortable with this world and not "conform".

Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Romans 12:2

We should "[b]e holy because I, the Lord your God, am holy" (Leviticus 19:2).

God knows that we cannot do this alone - so He provides the Word, our brothers and sisters in Christ, the church, and of course Jesus Christ His Son through which we have the Holy Spirit - the same power the brought Jesus from the grave.

Our time here on earth is to be spent discipling others and bringing others to Him.

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an amazing God who has brought me out of the miry pit...again and again.  You always welcome me back with open arms - You free from the sting of sin and death and You put me on a path to live a life more like You.  Thank You Jesus!  Yet I am not worthy of such love.  I often do not obey and I worry.  Please forgive me Jesus!  Help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You do.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in your salvation, now that you have tasted that the Lord is good.

1 Peter 2

Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in your salvation, now that you have tasted that the Lord is good. v2-3

God wants us to be more like Him, and this is a maturation process.  Just as physically new babies grow, when we are born again we are spiritually babies and we must grow, and God both desires this and expects this of us.  We are to be disciple makers.

See also post here.

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an awesome God, fully God and fully human...who willingly surrendered Your life for me...knowing everything about me, including my sin.  Thank You Jesus for such an amazing gift.  I am not worth such a gift.  I am selfish, lazy, and I worry too much.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You do.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo. Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.