2 Thessalonians 1:1-4,11-12 Encouragement in the Face of Problems

Have you ever wished that someone had given you encouragement when you really needed it? A few words of encouragement can really make our day brighter. We see an example of this in the reading we heard from 2 Thessalonians 1:1-4,11-12.

 

Knowing that his words would fill the Thessalonian believers with the humble desire to do better, Paul praised them for their growing faith despite tremendous persecution. Earthly troubles can be great soil for the growth of faith. Paul reassures the Thessalonians that his giving thanks to them is both legitimate and necessary because of their misunderstanding of the Lord’s return. He gave thanks for their increasing faith and love in difficult circumstances. The Thessalonians have set an example for us as Christians to follow. Difficult circumstances are not excuses for us to lose faith. On the contrary, they are opportunities for our faith to grow.

The Thessalonians demonstrated patience. They endured in spite of hardships. They took their suffering and used it in positive, creative ways. In doing so, they showed love to each other. Paul also praised the Thessalonians for their abounding love toward each other. Rather than living according to their own self-interest, as suffering people often do, the Thessalonian believers had reached out to one another.

When Paul adds the word “tribulation” to the word “persecution,” he expands the meaning to include not only what people did to the Thessalonians but their everyday difficulties. Yet their persevering patience testified to God’s power and the reality of their faith---things that Paul could boast about to other churches. The word “boast” simply means that Paul could hold up the Thessalonian believers as good examples.  

Trials do not make us what we are: they reveal what we are. Some of the most compelling evidence of God at work in the Christian life comes when a person is overwhelmed by troubles and yet still serves Him, fulfilling the work of faith with power. God will deal with those who hurt us in his own time and in his own way. We have a spiritual obligation to thank God in prayer when He accomplishes great things through us.

In our spiritual walk we will face many challenges to our faith. We can prepare ourselves to face these challenges by studying the experiences of faith of those who have gone before us. That includes studying the Bible. Our calling from God on our lives won’t be easy. When God asks us to do something, he will give us the grace and strength we need to do his work and make it through any difficulties we face.

When we walk with God, we are united with fellow Christians. When we walk with God, we become worthy of the calling Jesus has given us. More important, however, is the fact that we will be worthy to enter the Kingdom.

We need both grace and peace to get to our God-given destinations. We are saved by God’s grace through faith. We don’t deserve God’s grace, but he still gives it do us. Grace opens the door to salvation, but it also gives us the strength we need to live the lives God has called us to live here on earth. Peace is just as powerful as grace. Peace means that we are one with God in thought, word and deed. We are settled relationally with God and with each other, and nothing can change that. God’s grace and peace allow us to grow n every area of our lives, including our love for others. Love is the greatest thing, and that’s all that matters in eternity.  

For the people to be worthy of God’s calling in their lives means they should live in harmony with their ultimate destiny. In other words, because they belong in Christ and are bound for heaven, they should act like it. That includes growing spiritually wherever we are in life. If we don’t grow spiritually, we will stagnate.

Jesus is glorified through His people’s response to adversity. As believers represent the Lord amid times of trouble, they will find their faith strengthened, their hope sharpened, and their love stimulated. We can glorify God when we live our lives to our very best. When we do the biggest thing even when the wrong things are happening all around us, that brings honour to God. He is glorified when we put him first in everything we do.

When we strive to please God and do His will by tapping into the Spirit’s power, we show that Jesus is Lord and infinitely worthy of our service. Those who have never heard or accepted the Gospel will suffer eternal separation from God. When Christ comes again, he will raise the faithful to be with Him. Christ’s goodness will be seen in them and their goodness will be seen in Him. This will be achieved through God’s grace-the same grace he offers to all of us today. All we have to do is reach out in faith and take it.

Bibliography

1.      Jeremiah, David: The Jeremiah Study Bible, New King James Version (Brentwood, TN: Worthy Publishing; 2013; pp. 1693)

2.      ESV Study Bible. Part of Wordsearch 11 Bible software package.

3.      Joel Osteen, “Grace and Peace to You.” Retrieved from www.joelosteen.com

4.      Joel Osteen, “Let Your Love Show.” Retrieved from www.joelosteen.com

5.      Steve Arterburn, “Calling.” Retrieved from Christianity.com@crosswalkmail.com

6.      Joel Osteen, “Glorified in You.” Retrieved from www.joelosteen.com

7.      Demarest, G.W. & Ogilvie, L.J.: The Preacher’s Commentary Series, Vol. 32: 1,2 Thessalonians/1,2 Timothy/Titus (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Inc.; 1984, pp. 108-111)

8.      MacArthur, J.F. Jr.: The MacArthur Study Bible, New American Standard Version (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Publishers, 2006)

9.      Stanley, C.F.; The Charles F. Stanley Life Principles Bible, New King James Version (Nashville, TN: Nelson Bibles, 2005)

10.  Dr. David Jeremiah, “Keep Growing!” Retrieved from turningpoint@davidjeremiah.org

 

2 Timothy 4:6-8,16-18 Final Thoughts

What would you say to someone if you knew you were speaking to them for the last time? What advice would you give?

These same questions were likely on Paul’s mind when he wrote his second letter to Timothy. Paul wrote this letter from a prison cell in Rome, and he knew that he would soon be put to death by Emperor Nero. The letter to Timothy, which we heard a part of earlier in this morning’s service, was a “passing of the torch.” In this letter Paul gave final instruction to his star pupil Timothy much like a school teacher gives final instructions to his or her students before they write a final exam.

It’s a good idea for us to reflect back on our spiritual lives once in awhile. It helps us live even better as we move forward. Our spiritual lives will face setbacks, hardships and difficulties. We can’t change something that happened in the past, but we can change how we do things form this moment forward.

The term, “At my first defense” speaks of Paul’s first imprisonment. This, his final imprisonment, was Paul’s Gethsemane. It was the end of his earthly journey and the beginning of his journey into eternal glory. He was delivered from danger.

Paul wanted to continue doing God’s work until the last possible moment, and he wanted to study God’s work until the last minute. In other words, he stayed focused on God until the last minute. He set a good example for us as Christians to follow. When we stay focused on Christ and study His word, we can withstand all of life’s challenges. Success eventually follows when we refuse to quit.  

Paul has completed the work God assigned him to do. God has given the same assignment to both Timothy and us. It was up to Timothy to continue this work, and it’s up to us to continue it as well. Paul is now prepared to receive the crown of righteousness that God gives to all believers. This is possible because of God’s grace. All true believers who hope for Christ’s return and persevere in doing His work will receive this crown. When we devote our lives to doing God’s work, we might not receive earthly rewards. The results of our work will last for eternity as long as we keep getting up and going when we fall.

Paul’s life has been a sacrificial offering. The word “departure” suggest the untying of a boat from its moorings. Paul’s exit from this life will mean a new life ahead in eternity. Paul, like most people who know that their life is coming to an end, looked backward before passing into his eternal reward. Staring death in the face can bring out the best in people. The real prospect of death forces us to focus on what is significant in our lives.

Paul had every reason to be resentful. He had no money, clothes or food. He was in prison. His morale was dwindling. The only familiar person who was there to encourage him was the apostle Luke. All of his other friends deserted him because in Rome at that time supporting a Christian at his/her trial would have led to a death sentence. Paul’s last words had no hint of bitterness, resentment or regret. His unbreakable spirit emerged. He was more concerned about others than he was about himself. He extended forgiveness to those who abandoned him, thereby following the examples of Jesus when he was on the cross and Stephen when he was stoned to death.

God also stood by Paul, and God will also stand by us. When we are tired, he will give us strength. When failure is inevitable, he steps in and helps us find the strength to finish the work he gave us to do. We need his strength because we are in a spiritual war. We are fighting against evil in this world, flesh that is corrupt and a devil that is busy. Like soldiers on the front line of a battle we are in a battle that is demanding and risky, but the prize is worth fighting for. Jesus will not be ashamed of His soldiers. In fact, he will be in the trenches leading us and fighting alongside us. When we win the fight, we will get a foretaste of the reward we will receive in heaven.

Paul has no regrets about his past. All three images-fight the good fight, finished the race, kept the faith-have involved sacrifice, labour and danger. Now they represent the successful completion of Paul’s earthly ministry. Paul accepted the reality of his situation. God gave Paul the strength he needed to spread the Gospel, and God also gave Paul the strength to face his upcoming death. God rescued Paul from his fate not by preventing his death but by taking him to heaven. Christian life and ministry is a commitment to run all the way to the finish line. 

Paul’s acceptance of his situation is a good example for us as Christians to follow. Things could be better, but they could also be worse. Our place in life can only be experienced by us. If we can change anything for the better, we must do so. If we are being blessed, we must share our blessings with gratitude with others. If we have any regrets, we need to address them now before they poison our spirit or ruin the rest of our lives. If we long for payback, we long for justice to show itself. When we fear payback, we become afraid that justice will show itself. We want our own efforts to matter. Complete justice rarely comes, and when it does come it rarely comes at the speed we want it to arrive at.

Those who are eager for Christ’s appearing are usually eager to fulfill His calling before He returns. They persevere because they know that their final salvation and righteousness are sure. Paul saw his upcoming death as a release from the toils of responsibility. He saw the hand of God moving to give him mercy and to spread the gospel among the people who were persecuting him. He saw his upcoming trial as another opportunity to spread the good news.

It’s important for us to look above what’s here on earth and to know where our treasures are. It’s also important for us to be true witnesses for God by showing others that we serve someone greater than us. When it comes to committing our resources in service to Jesus, we can only do what we can.  If we want to do well, we need to live well. If we want to live well, we need to figure out what our God-given purpose in life is and give it our best shot with God’s help.

Bibliography

1.      Jeremiah, David: The Jeremiah Study Bible, New King James Version (Brentwood, TN: Worthy Publishing; 2013; pp. 1723-1724)

2.      Swindoll, Charles R.: Swindoll’s Living Insights on 1&2 Timothy/Titus (Carol Stream, Illinois: Tyndale House Publishers Inc., 2016, pp. 232-239,247-249)

3.      ESV Study Bible. Part of Wordsearch 11 Bible software package.

4.      Demarest, G. & Ogilvie, L.J.: The Preacher’s Commentary Series, Vol. 32: 1,2 Thessalonians/1,2 Timothy/Titus (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Inc.; 1984)

5.      MacArthur, J.F. Jr.: The MacArthur Study Bible, New American Standard Version (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Publishers; 1986)

6.      Stanley, C.F.: The Charles F. Stanley Life Principles Bible, New King James Version (Nashville, TN: Nelson Bibles; 2005)

7.      Richard Inness, “Keeping the Faith.” Retrieved from www.actsweb.org

8.      Dr. David Jeremiah, “Famous Last Words.” Retrieved from turningpoint@davidjeremiah.org

9.      Dr. Harold Sala, “Quitting.” Retrieved from www.guidelines.org

10.  Ed Young, “Invest in Your Future.” Retrieved from www.edyoung.com

11.  Richard Inness, “What’s Your Purpose in Life?” Retrieved from www.actsweb.org

12.  Joni Eareckson Tada, “The Good Fight.” Retrieved from www.joniandfriends.org

13.  Alistair Begg, “His Kingdom.” Retrieved from Christianity.com@crosswalkmail.com

14.  Matt Skinner, “Commentary on 2 Timothy 4:6-8,16-18.” Retrieved from http://www.workingpreacher.org/preaching.aspx?commentary_id=1837

 

 

Luke 17:5-10 Big Things Come in Small Packages

A wealthy man died and went to heaven. He was met at the Pearly Gates by Saint Peter who led him down the streets of gold. They passed mansion after mansion until they came to the very end of the street. Saint Peter stopped the rich man in front of a little shack. “This belongs to you,” said Saint Peter. “Why do I get this ugly thing when there are so many mansions I could live in?” the man demanded. “We did the best we could with the money you sent us!” Saint Peter replied.

Have you ever noticed that some of the greatest or most beautiful things in life come from things  that are very small?

Let me give you an example. How many of you plant vegetables or flowers? Plants and flowers start as seeds. Once these seeds are planted, they slowly grow into plants and vegetables of different sizes. All you have to do is look at pumpkins that are entered into various weigh-ins at this time of year. Some of them weigh hundreds of pounds, but they all started from a small seed.

Faith is like a seed. It starts as something small and over time grows into something larger that allows us to do great things in Christ’s name. Many people believe they would be better equipped to live the Christian life if God wold only grant them more faith. Jesus focused not on the quantity of faith but its character. More faith does not equal greater ability to accomplish things, since God is the One who does the work. The Lord is able to accomplish great things with only a grain of genuine faith. Even an small amount of faith can lead to remarkable results if it is the result of a genuine trust in God.

When we ask for more faith like the disciples did in the reading we heard from Luke 17:5-10 earlier in this morning’s service, it’s often because we are facing difficulties in life and we fear that our faith will weaken or that it won’t match the trials we are facing.  Jesus tells both the disciples and us that the quantity of faith we have is not important. What matters is the quality of our faith. A small amount of faith will enable us to do great things for God. Having faith does not mean that we will have the power to perform crowd-pleasing miracles. Sometimes the simplest things done in faith can have huge impacts. Our response to the gift of faith is the desire and ability to do what Jesus asks us to do, including great things.

Jesus illustrated His teaching on faith by pointing to a nearby mulberry tree-a large, stout tree know for its longevity and deep root system. Our faith is to be like the mulberry tree-large, strong, long-lasting and deeply rooted in the love we have for God.

When we struggle against life’s injustices and wrongs, we are reminded that the good work we do is a gift from God. That gift is sufficient to enable us to do what needs to be done to further God’s dominion on earth. Faith is putting one foot in front of the other and walking toward a future we do not see but trust that God is working. Faith is heading out the door every day looking for opportunities to do God’s work in the world. 

Christ’s standards might seem to be too high, but they represent the minimum duties for a servant of Christ. When we obey Christ, we are not to think that our obedience is meritorious.  Servants are expected to do the will of their masters or employers; their work is not a favour but a required service. A servant of God seeks to obey God’s commands without question and without bargaining for a reward. When we follow Jesus’ teachings, we are doing what we are supposed to be doing. God owes us nothing, and we owe him everything, even our lives. We are not owed any special favours or rewards for our good works. We will be rewarded in heaven.

When it comes to obeying Jesus, full faith is needed. If we want to increase our faith, we must understand what faith is, and we must be rightly motivated in wanting to see our faith increase. These motives are:

1.      Wanting to please God.

2.      Wanting to do good works of love, which is a mark of a true Christian.

3.      An effective prayer life.

4.      Wanting to live by faith.

God wants to strengthen our faith through the hardships He allows into our lives. God works in all kinds of circumstances, among all types of people, in all kinds of situations. He is with us wherever there is even faith as small as a mustard seed. He is alive wherever we practice the faith we already have.

There are two ways to build our faith-repetition and impartation from God. Our faith builds as we see God working in our lives and we come to trust Him more and more because we see that He is faithful to us. When God imparts faith to us, it is for a specific purpose or task. This is the type of faith we received when we trusted God to save us. When we act in faith, we will grow in faith. Faith is like a muscle. The more we use it, the stronger it gets.

Faith isn’t a game plan for solving our problems. Faith does not mean understanding why things are the way they are. Faith isn’t about answers. It’s about the love of God through Jesus. It’s about being grasped by Jesus so that we know in our hearts and bones that our lives, his life and the world are mixed together. It’s about God working through us.

If we live our lives according to the pattern Jesus laid out for us, we should not expect any special commendations or rewards. Following His pattern is simply the way to live life. We are only doing what He expects us to do. It is the life we are expected to live by serving God. Faith is found in the ordinary, daily acts of doing what needs to be done, responding to the needs around us and caring for others.

Sometimes having faith means having our thoughts, feelings and actions transformed by God. It means being a “slave” to God and being wholly devoted to God’s purposes in the world. Faith is just doing our job, or our duty, not because of any sense of reward but simply because it needs doing.

God is gracious to us. Each day He gives us the faith we need to face whatever the day brings. We can grow weary, and we need to be waited on. That’s what God does for us. He has us sit around His banquet table. He serves us with a special chosen Word to encourage us. He gives us bread and wine to renew us with Jesus’ life. We are renewed and we can go back to everyday life.

 Bibliography

1.      Jeremiah, David: The Jeremiah Study Bible, New King James Version (Brentwood, TN: Worthy Publishing; 2013; pp. 1419-1420)

2.      ESV Study Bible. Part of Wordsearch 11 Bible software package.

3.      Jude Siciliano, O.P., “First Impressions, 27^th Sunday -C-.” Retrieved from www.preacherexchange.org

4.      Larsen, B. & Ogilvie, L.J.: The Preacher’s Commentary Series, Vol.26: Luke (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Inc.; 1983, pp.248-249)

5.      MacArthur, J.F. Jr.: The MacArthur Study Bible, New American Standard Version (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Publishers; 2006)

6.      T.M. Moore, “Why More Faith?” Retrieved from noreply@ailbe.org

 

7.      Lois Malcolm, “Commentary on Luke 17:5-10.” Retrieved from http://www.workingpreacher.org/preaching.aspx?commentary_id=1785

8.      David Lose, “Everyday Faith.” Retrieved from http://www.workingpreacher.org/craft.aspx?post=2773

9.      Bishop Kenneth Carter, “increase Our Faith.” Retrieved from www.day1.org

10.  The Rt. Rev. Porter Taylor, “Opening Up to Faith.” Retrieved from www.day1.org

11.  Preaching Magazine, Fall 2016 (Nashville, TN: Salem Publishing, pp. 67-68)

12.  Jude Siciliano, O.P., “First Impressions, 27^th Sunday -C-, October 2, 2016.” Retrieved from www.preacherexchange.org

13.  Richard Inness, “Exegesis for Luke 17:5-10.” Retrieved from www.sermonwriter.com

14.  Evangelectionary for Oct. 2, 2016. Retrieved from http://www.evangelismconnections.org/evangelectionary-for-october-2-2-16-worldwide-communion-sunday

15.  “Pentecost 20 C: Every Day Acts of Faith.” Retrieved from noreply+feedproxy@google.com

 

 

Hebrews 1:1-14 Messages from God

Do you know that God speaks to his people?

It’s true. He speaks to us today just like he spoke to his people in the past. God spoke at various times and in various ways. He spoke to people such as Adam, Noah, Abraham and Moses. He spoke through thunder; the sound of a trumpet; in a still, small voice or in visions and dreams; in human form and angelic visitations; through foreshadowing and parable and more.

 When God spoke to the people in Old Testament times, he pointed his final revelation in Jesus. Through Jesus, God provided the perfect vehicle of expression. He translated deity into humanity, and this revelation was absolute, infallible and authoritative. The world in its entirety was given to Christ as the heir of all things. As executor of the divine will, he will return one day to enforce all of its clauses.

In Christ we have God’s final message. He is the fullness of the Godhead. He is the Lord of everything. He is the eternal word of God. He came to earth to take away our sins. Before Jesus came to earth, the Jews had to have their sins taken away. 

Jesus is better than everything and anything because of his relationship with God. He is also better because he is royalty. He is the King of Kings and Lord of Lords. He is also better because of his reputation. His domain is never-ending. His delight is unequalled. He never changes. His reign is unchallenged. In fact, the only angle who has ever challenged his authority was Satan-and Satan was kicked out of heaven.

God’s very nature-his glory and the express image-is revealed perfectly in Jesus, because Jesus is God. The Son-who existed before time, was at the beginning of time, and will be at the end of time-is the One who upholds all things by the word of His power and thereby controls history. Jesus is God’s final, divine revelation of himself. Jesus is the Son of God, the agent of creation, the very glory of God and the one who saves us from our sins. He inherits all of creation from God. He is the imprint of God. Jesus is the mind of God in human form as illustrated by the Gospel of John. Because Jesus came to earth, God knows us and love us. He loves us just as much as Jesus does.

In Bible times, a person’s name was the outward expression of who they were, encompassing not only a person’s proper name but his or her identity-including rank, authority, fame and character. The more excellent name Jesus inherits is “Son”. He is the eternal Son of God. While Scriptures sometimes refer to angels as “the sons of God,” nowhere does God say of angels, “You are My Son, today I have begotten you.” Only to Jesus does the Father speak in such personal, familial terms.   

The title “firstborn” does not mean that Jesus was created but refers to His exalted status and authority as Ruler of all creation. His superiority to angels is also proven by the fact that all the angels of God worshipped Him at His birth and worship Him now at the throne of God. The angels are Christ’s ministers. Although angels are not superior to or equal to Jesus, they occupy an important role in the lives of believers today as “ministering spirits.”

The Jews believed angels were the highest beings next to God. To prove that Jesus is much better than the angels, the writer of Hebrews quotes several of Israel’s own Scriptures. The word “better” occurs 12 times in this book, indicating Jesus’ superiority to all of creation and to the Old Covenant. The job of angels is to worship God, and hence to worship Jesus by doing His will. Since only God is worthy of worship, this is evidence of Jesus’ full deity.

Angels work in hidden ways to carry out God’s will and protect God’s people. They are part of our lives even if we aren’t aware of them. They are part of an unseen army that is fighting Satan and his followers.

Jesus is supreme above any angels because:

1.      God speaks to us through His Son.

2.      Jesus is the heir of all things.

3.      God made all things through Jesus.

4.      Jesus is the express image of God the Father.

5.      He upholds all things with the word of His power.

6.      He purged our sins.

7.      Jesus is the Son of God, not a servant as are the angels.

8.      He is worthy of our worship.

9.      Jesus is God Himself.

When God the Father refers to Jesus as the eternal God, it is one of the Bible’s most irrefutable proofs of the deity of Christ.

One day the worlds God created will be folded up like a linen garment, but Christ will remain. He will be the same as He always has been, and His existence will never end.

Bibliography

1.      Jeremiah, David: The Jeremiah Study Bible, New King James Version (Brentwood, TN: Worthy Publishing; 2013; pp. 1744-1746)

2.      ESV Study Bible. Part of Wordsearch 11 Bible software package.

3.      MacArthur, J.F. Jr.: The MacArthur Study Bible, New American Standard Version (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Publishers; 2006)

4.      Stanley, C.F.: The Charles F. Stanley Life Principles Bible, New King James Version (Nashville, TN: Nelson Bibles; 2005)

5.      Lucado, M.: The Lucado Life Lessons Study Bible (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson; 2010; pp. 1689-1690)

6.      Joni Eareckson Tada, “Like Father, Like Son.” Retrieved from communications@joniandfriends.org

7.      Billy Graham, “What Do Angels Look Like?” retrieved from www.arcamax.com

8.      Berni Dymet, “A Picture of God.” Retrieved from Christianity.com@crosswalkmail.com

9.      Bayless Conley, “The Supremacy of Jesus.” Retrieved from Christianity.com@crosswalkmail.com

10.  Jeremiah, David: Hebrews: The Supremacy & The Sufficiency of Christ, Volume One (San Diego, CA: Turning Point for God, 2012, pp. 9-30)

1 Timothy 6:6-19 The Love of Money

How many of you have heard of the American Dream?

It’s not a dream that is limited to the United States. In fact, it’s a worldwide phenomenon. It is the desire to pursue prosperity, success and upward social mobility. While it is not wrong to be successful in life, the pursuit of the American Dream can work against us. It interferes with our ability to find contentment in what God provides for us. We seek more money, power, benefits and so on, and that often forces us to miss the opportunity to pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance and gentleness.

Since the dawn of history, man has tried to be independent of God. It’s in our nature to be self-sufficient and self-supporting. This does not bring us face to face with our need to depend on God every day. True godliness means that a person trusts God to provide for everything and learns to be content with what He gives. God is not opposed to our having good things. In fact, every good thing we enjoy comes as God’s gift. We must not confuse the gift with the Giver.

 

Growth in godliness does not necessarily lead to material gain or wealth. The idea that we are complete without having enough money or material goods is foreign to us. The world tells us to get as much money or other goods as possible.

Contrary to the popular saying, money is not the root of all evil. It is the love of money that is the problem. The pursuit of money or all the things it can buy is the problem. It shows that we are putting our faith, our sense of security and our hope for the future in material goods. Instead, we need to put our hope in God.

This does not mean that we should not save money for retirement or other emergencies. Accumulating wealth so that we are not a burden on others is a wise move. From a spiritual point of view, Jesus tells us in Matthew 6:25-34 that God will take care of our basic needs. God is our sole provider and if we focus on the necessities of life, we can be content. Those who want to get rich often fall into temptation. 

Paul tells Timothy and us in 1 Timothy 6:6-19 that true ministry is not motivated by greed but by the reality of eternal life and an awareness of accountability to God. True joy can only be found in a relationship with Christ. When we have faith, we are no longer slaves to our circumstances. When we combine our love for God with acceptance of His will for our lives, we will find great gain. When we rely on him alone, we will experience our greatest happiness and freedom.

The subtle (and sometimes not so subtle) temptation of any culture is to disregard eternal values for temporary gains. Yet no person takes his money with him when he dies. That’s why you never see a U-Haul behind a hearse in a funeral procession. This is why money is such a poor object for our affection and trust. It does not last beyond this life. A far better plan is to put it to good use here on earth by giving as much as possible to help others. Between this life and the next, believers must trust God to provide.

Most early believers were poor, but there were some rich believers. The rich were given four specific commands.;

1.      Don’t be haughty.

2.      Trust God, not wealth.

3.      Do good.

4.      Be rich in good works, giving and sharing

Godly people know what they flee from: the love of money. One of greed’s many dangers is its ability to make people err in the faith and become unfruitful. The rich are to give some of their money to the poor. The sense of accumulating wealth for personal security or comfort is foreign to Jesus. The unchecked desire for money leads to the love of money, and the love of money is the root of all evil. The love of money is called greed. This evil is one of many evils that we have to confront.

We don’t have all of the skills or knowledge to fight every evil. Our efforts are better spent focusing on only one or two issues. We are to fight evil, but we must also recognize when it is best to flee from evil. 

It’s not wrong for Christians to have money-even a great deal of money-as long as that money does not have them. According to Paul, the problem comes when accumulating wealth becomes the focus of our lives. When money begins to rule lives, people fall prey to greed. Greed is not only an obstacle to achieving godliness and contentment. It is a gateway to all kinds of evil.

It’s like the burglar who was caught in the act of breaking into a house. He was taken to court and found guilty. Before he passed sentence, the judge asked the burglar if he wanted to say anything in his own defense.

The burglar said, “Well, Your Honour, its like this. The more a man has, the more a man wants.” The judge replied, “Is that so. Well, I tell you what I’m going to do. I’m going to sentence you to fifteen years in jail. How many more would you like?”

The godly are known not just by what they flee from but by what they follow after, fight for and are faithful to. Paul used the active verbs pursue, fight, lay hold on and keep. Believers should strive for these qualities as long as they live.

Paul calls Timothy a man of God. This term is found only twice in the New Testament, but over 70 times in the Old Testament. It often refers to prophets-people who spoke for God. For believers today, a man or a woman of God is someone who belongs to God, is dedicated to God, finds true joy in God, and lives for the glory of God. In Paul’s eyes, Timothy was such a man.

The balance in a bank account does not determine a person’s ability to be rich toward God. Those who are good stewards in God’s economy make investments in eternity by sharing their earthly resources-whether many or few-with the church and those in need.  

Pride is one of the dangers of being wealthy. Wealth brings a sense of achievement. It also brings power and privilege. There is no room for pride in God’s kingdom. In fact, there are some Christians who are adopting a simpler, less expensive lifestyle in order to direct more money to helping the poor and spreading the Good News.

A willingness to share what we have with others is a mark of Christianity. When we share with others, it breaks materialism’s hold on us. If we focus on giving our resources (including giving tithes and offerings), the result leads to worship and praise. We can take the treasures we have been entrusted with in this life and invest them in the life to come. Jesus even tells us to store up treasures in heaven.

Where there is wealth, pride is often nearby. Believers can counter this temptation to haughtiness in three ways:

1.      By concentrating on good works.

2.      By giving generously.

3.      By trusting in the living God alone.

It is more difficult for people to take pride in earthly possessions when they realize that all they have comes from the Lord and is only temporary. Jesus wants us to use the money God has given us to bring people to Christ. Godliness will pay in both this life and in eternity. It makes sense to make the pursuit of godliness a priority.

Faith is a constant struggle that requires effort. We must always confess Jesus as Saviour and Lord all the time. Confessing means speaking out in faith. As Christians, we can enjoy life because our consciences are clear. We can enjoy life. We can have fun and laugh in church. We can enjoy friends and family. In the long run we are better off if we let the godliness of Christ within us and contentment give us the greatest gains of all, moment by moment.

 Bibliography

1.      Jeremiah, David: The Jeremiah Study Bible, New King James Version (Brentwood, TN: Worthy Publishing; 2013; pp. 1711-1712)

2.      Demarest, G.W. & Ogilvie, L.J.: The Preacher’s Commentary Series, Vol. 32: 1,2 Thessalonians/1,2, Timothy/Titus (Nashville, TN.: Thomas Nelson Inc.; 1984, pp. 223-232)

3.      MacArthur, J.F. Jr.: The MacArthur Study Bible, New American Standard Version (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Publishers; 2006)

4.      Stanley, C.F.: The Charles F. Stanley Life Principles Bible, New King James Version (Nashville, TN: Nelson Bibles, 2005)

5.      ESV Study Bible. Part of Wordsearch 11 Bible software package.

6.      Pastor David McGee, “Godly Contentment.” Retrieved from www.crossthebridge.com

7.      Selwyn Hughes, “God’s Four Purposes for Money.” Retrieved from Christianity.com@crosswalkmail.com

8.      Selwyn Hughes, “True Contentment.” Retrieved from Christianity.com@crosswalkmail.com

9.      Pastor Rick Warren, “The Best Financial Investment You Can Make.” Retrieved form connect@newsletter.purposedriven.com

10.  Bayless Conley, “The Reward of Godliness.” Retrieved from www.answersrbc.org

11.  Pastor Rick Warren, “How God Helps you Enjoy Life.” Retrieved form connect@newsletter.purposedriven.com

12.  Alan Smith, “Needing to Share.” Retrieved from thought-for-the-day@hub.xc.org

13.  Joan Walker Hahn, “Now That’s Priceless.” Retrieved from Christianity.com@crosswalkmail.com

14.  Pastor Jeff Schreve, “Are You experiencing Life Indeed?” Retrieved from pastorjeff@fromhisheart.org

15.  Katie Emery, “God Pause for Wednesday, 9/21/2016.” Retrieved from communic@luthersem.edu

 

16.  Sandra Hermann, “The Power of Money.” Retrieved from https://store.sermonsuite.com/printer.php?i=788040809