Brothers and Sisters 😊

📖 In the concise but powerful single-chapter book of Philemon today we see a profound message of Gospel grace, as Paul appeals to his brother in the Lord (Philemon) to grant forgiveness and mercy, as mercy and forgiveness have been granted to him…

“Dearest Philemon, I am bold enough in Christ to command you to do what is required, yet for love’s sake I prefer to appeal to you for my child, Onesimus…I am sending him back to you, sending my very heart…as I preferred to do nothing without your consent in order that your goodness might not be by compulsion but of your own accord…that you might have him back forever as a beloved brother” (vs medley).

Q. Have you ever been in a position to demand from someone (as a parent, boss, coach, teacher, etc) but chose to appeal to them in love instead?

Q. Have you found that the Power of Grace is more effective and bears more fruit than intimidation or lording over people?

Q. How has Jesus appealed to you?

🙏 Heavenly Father thank you so much that you have sent both your Son and your Spirit to save us and compel us to be gracious to others as you have been gracious to us – Please help us to be first and foremost peacemakers, and transform us from the inside out by the reconciling power of your steadfast love and mercy…

✝️ “I thank my God always as I remember you in my prayers, because I hear of your love and of the faith that you have toward the Lord Jesus and for all the saints, and I pray that the sharing of your faith may become effective for the full knowledge of every good thing that is in us for the sake of Christ.”

‭‭Philemon‬ ‭1:4-6

Brothers and Sisters 😊

📖 In the final chapter of the book of Titus today, Paul reiterates once again the serious exhortation and inescapable call for Gospel driven GOOD WORKS, emphasizing the term no less than four times in the text…

“Be submissive and obedient to rulers and authorities, speak evil of no one, avoid quarreling, be gentle and show perfect courtesy toward all people, ready and willing for every good work” (vs 1-2).

Q. In light of the many direct commands and imperatives in this chapter, what is it about Titus 3 that calms, comforts, captures, and encourages even the most defiant and rebellious hearts (like mine), and draws us so affectionately close to the King of Glory?

🙏 Heavenly Father thank you so much that your acceptance, approval, right standing, and subsequent favor & salvation to us has never been based on our good works toward you – And although your insistence on our proactive pursuit of holiness is crystal clear, it is your abounding Gospel grace that remains our true hope, and peace, and assurance, and joy in this life and the life to come…

✝️ “But when the goodness and lovingkindness of God our Savior appeared, He saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to His own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit, whom He poured out on us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that being justified by His grace we might become heirs according to the hope of eternal life!”

Titus 3:4-7

Brothers and Sisters 😊

📖 In Titus chapter 2 today we see the good news of the Gospel changing hardened and self-serving hearts, and doing transformational work in all of its recipients…

“For the grace of God that brings salvation is training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in this present age” (vs 12).

Q. Could it be that the root of our sin isn’t as much about neglecting the letter of the law, as it is about misdirected love and desires for the world instead of Jesus?

Q. What does it mean to partner with the Spirit of God and “Adorn the doctrine of God our Savior”?

🙏 Heavenly Father thank you so much that because of your “Saving Grace”, we are being daily conformed to the image of Jesus through your “Training Grace”.

🙏 Lord Jesus we praise you today for your costly and atoning finished work at the cross – Thank you for lifting us up to repentance so that we can stand on high mountains, and walk on stormy seas by the strength of your Spirit and the power of your resurrection.

🙏 Holy Spirit please convict and convince us all to know and understand that the supreme purpose of our life in the here and now is to glorify God by finding our joy in Him above all else – Come Lord Jesus, our Savior and King 👑…

✝️ “We wait for our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, who gave Himself to redeem us from all lawlessness, and to purify for Himself a people for His own possession who are zealous for good works!”

Titus 2:13-14

Brothers and Sisters 😊

📖 In Titus chapter 1 today we see God’s disdain and sharp rebuke toward sin, hypocrisy, & double-mindedness…

“They profess to know God, but then deny Him with their works, being disobedient and detestable to Him” (vs 16).

Q. How can God (who hates sin) know everything about you (every secret sin), and still love you, and bless you, and favor you as if you had never sinned against Him?

A. #GoodNewsOfTheGospel!

🙏 Heavenly Father please forgive me for the countless times of hypocrisy, pride, and selfishness against you. You have shown me great mercy and kindness, and I have failed to worship you as I should.

🙏 Lord Jesus we praise you today for leaving the comfort of heaven, overcoming every temptation, being perfectly obedient to the Father, loving us to death on the cross, cleansing us from all past present and future sin with your precious blood, and imparting eternal righteousness to all who would put their hope and trust in you…

✝️ “For the sake of the faith of God’s elect and their knowledge of the truth, and their eternal life in Christ, which God, who never lies, promised before the ages began…Grace and peace to you from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Savior!”

Titus 1:1-4

Brothers and Sisters 😊

📖 In 2nd Timothy chapters 2, 3, & 4 today we see tremendous emphasis placed on the WORD of GOD, as Paul exhorts us to…

✝️ “Study the Scriptures and make it your aim to present yourself approved to God, a workman who has no need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the Word of Truth.” (2 Tim 2:15).

and that…

✝️ “All Scripture is given by inspiration of God and is profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the child of God may be complete, fully equipped for every good work.”

(2 Tim 3:16-17).

and again to…

✝️ “Stand as a ready messenger of God’s Word whenever the opportunity arises, in season or out of season, warn, exhort, and encourage, for the time is coming when people (having itchy ears) will listen to false teachers and be lured away from the truth.” (2Tim 4:2-4).

Q. In light of the Scriptures listed above, do you think it’s important to God whether you consistently make and spend time with Him in His Word and prayer?

Q. If studying Scripture is supremely glorifying to God, and extremely transformational for His people, what’s holding you back from doing it?

🙏 Heavenly Father I confess to you and ask your forgiveness for the many times of laziness, misguided priorities, idols of the heart, and lack of regard for your all-important Word of Truth.

🙏 Lord Jesus we praise you today that as we become more and more acquainted with your inerrant Scriptures, we can know and understand more and more about who you are, and how you have cleansed us from sin and given us new life in you – Thank you for the freedom and opportunity to hide your Word in our hearts, that we may not sin against you.

🙏 Holy Spirit please give us all a zealous desire to proactively seek out and dig for the infinite treasures contained in your Word, and help us to daily prioritize our time to feast often on the Sacred Writings of the Bible…which are able to make us wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus!

Brothers and Sisters 😊

📖 In 2nd Timothy chapter 1 today we see Paul’s instructions and encouragement for Timothy (and all believers) to follow in his footsteps with endurance and perseverance to the end…

“Fan into flame the gift that God has given you” (vs 6),

“Do not be ashamed to proclaim the Gospel of Christ” (vs 8)

“Follow the sound words that you have heard from me (vs 13), and

“Guard the good deposit that God has entrusted to you” (vs 14).

Q. What does the idea of “God’s footprints in the sand” mean to you?

A. Oh my precious child, it is I who will carry you.

🙏 Heavenly Father thank you so much that our ability to endure and persevere in this life is found fully in you, and is firmly rooted not in our own limited strength, but in your sovereign grace and power.

🙏 Holy Spirit we praise you today that you have not given us the spirit of fear, but of power and love and self control – Help us be disciplined in our walk, dependent upon you, and thankful that you will complete the good work that you began in us…

✝️ “God, who saved us and called us to a holy calling, not because of our works but because of His own purpose and grace which He gave us in Christ Jesus before the ages began, and which now have been manifested through the appearing of our Savior Christ Jesus…It was this Jesus, who for our sake abolished death, and brought life and immortality to light through the Gospel.”

‭‭2 Timothy‬ ‭1:9-10‬ ‭

Brothers and Sisters 😊

📖 In First Timothy chapter 6 today we see an exceedingly strong warning about the dangers of making idols out of worldly wealth and possessions…

“But we have brought nothing into this world, and we cannot take anything out of this world…those who desire to be rich fall into temptation, into a snare, into great harm that plunge people into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is the root of all kinds of evil, it is through this craving that some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many pains” (vs 9-10).

Q. Why did Jesus bring up the temptation of money so often throughout the course His ministry?

🙏 Heavenly Father please forgive me for the many times I’ve sought out and focused on earthly riches for my security instead of you.

🙏 Lord Jesus we praise you today for coming into this world and making yourself poor so that we could become spiritually and eternally rich – Help us all to be good stewards of the material things that you have given us, to work hard to provide for ourselves and our families, and to be consistently generous toward others as you have been generous to us. But God, above all things please keep us from the grievous error of worshiping fools gold and the dollar bill over and above you…

✝️ “As for those that have wealth, set not your hopes on the uncertainty of earthly riches, but on God, who richly provides us with everything to enjoy. Be rich in good works and be generous and ready to share, thus storing up treasure for yourself as a good foundation for the future so that you may take hold of that which is truly life.”

1 Timothy 6:17-19

✝️ “Let the elders who lead well be considered worthy of double honor, especially those who labor in preaching and teaching. For the Scripture says, “You shall not muzzle an ox when it treads out the grain,” and, “The laborer deserves his wages.”

‭‭1 Timothy‬ ‭5:17-18‬ ‭

Q. What does this verse mean, and what is its significance to you personally?

Brothers and Sisters 😊

📖 In First Timothy chapter 4 today Paul warns the church at Ephesus to beware of false teachers that water down the Gospel with irreverent silly myths, and instructs his young disciple Timothy to…

“Set an example for the believers in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith, and in purity…and do not neglect the gift that you have been given” (vs 12,14).

Q. What is the difference between…

1 – Training yourself in godly discipline to earn God’s favor and be accepted by Him…and

2 – Devoting yourself to love and good works because you are already accepted and favored by God through Christ?

A. Religion vs Gospel

🙏 Heavenly Father thank you so much for the gifts and talents you have given us in Christ – Please help us all to have wisdom and discernment, and to trust in your sanctifying work in our lives so that we may not be led astray by false teaching or a counterfeit Gospel, but instead let us be fully captivated by the finished work of your Son Jesus at the cross, so that we may be of full use to you…

✝️ “Practice these things, immerse yourself in them, so that all may see your progress. Keep a close watch on yourself and on the teaching. Persist in this, for by so doing you will bring salvation (by grace) to both yourself and your hearers.”

‭‭1 Timothy‬ ‭4:15-16‬ ‭

✝️ “Great indeed, we confess, is the mystery of godliness:

Jesus Christ was manifested in the flesh, vindicated by the Spirit, seen by angels, proclaimed among the nations, believed on in the world, taken up in glory.”

‭‭1 Timothy‬ ‭3:16‬ ‭