NT: “But have nothing to do with pointless and silly myths. Rather, train yourself in godliness. For the training of the body has limited benefit, but godliness is beneficial in every way, since it holds promise for the present life and also for the life to come. This saying is trustworthy and deserves full acceptance. For this reason we labor and strive, because we have put our hope in the living God, who is the Savior of all people, especially of those who believe. Command and teach these things. Don’t let anyone despise your youth, but set an example for the believers in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith, and in purity. Until I come, give your attention to public reading, exhortation, and teaching. Don’t neglect the gift that is in you; it was given to you through prophecy, with the laying on of hands by the council of elders. Practice these things; be committed to them, so that your progress may be evident to all. Pay close attention to your life and your teaching; persevere in these things, for in doing this you will save both yourself and your hearers.” (‭‭1 Timothy‬ ‭4:7-16‬ ‭CSB)

For the past few weeks, the world has been engrossed in the 2020 Summer Olympic Games (delayed a year because of the COVID19 pandemic). Watching men and women, who have risen to the highest calibers of athleticism, compete on the world stage is incredibly inspiring. As inspiring as the performances are the back stories of the athletes. Many of the competitors have trained for years to reach the olympics, overcoming any number of setbacks and personal challenges, to eventually be named among the world’s best. The training, discipline and rigor benefit the athletes, but the result also benefits all those who watch and are inspired by their success.

Games, like the olympics, were a part of first-century Roman culture as well, and Paul used the analogy of training the body as an encouragement to Timothy (and to us) to put the same level of discipline and dedication to training in godliness. Exercising the body to good health is beneficial and should be done, but exercising our lives to godliness is much more beneficial. Good physical health and athletic prowess only lasts as long as your physical body is able to last. Godliness not only benefits you in this life, it benefits you for eternity in the life-to-come. Therefore, while laboring and striving for good health is a worthy activity, we should more so be willing to labor (expend effort) and strive (contend with adversaries to obtain a prize) by grace to live a godly life. We no longer live merely for this life because we have been given a great and sure hope by God through our Savior Jesus Christ.

How do we train ourselves in godliness? Paul answered that question throughout this passage. First of all, we are to have nothing to do with pointless and silly beliefs that distract and can even lead us away from faith in Christ. When I was younger, I used to be a long-distance runner. There were a couple of times when I even trained for and ran in a marathon. Whenever I was training, I rid myself of any foods that would hinder me from performing my best, and my life became very simple: eat, sleep, go to work and train. If I did all that to receive a participation medal at the end of the race, how much more should I rid myself and stay away from any unhealthy and dangerous beliefs and focus myself intently on what will mature me in Christ?

Paul also charged Timothy (and us) to pay close attention to his life and the things that he had been taught… and persevere in them. In paying close attention to his life, what things did that entail? Our lives in Christ involve these things: our speech (what we say), our conduct (what we do and how we live), our love (what motivates our speech and behavior), our faith (what we believe and hold on to), and our purity (remaining holy and set apart from the ways and beliefs of the world). Just as olympic athletes are examples to the whole world of physical health and ability, we are to be examples to the world of godliness – to the point that our godliness inspires others to godliness.

Finally, we need to steward the gifts that we have been given and practice the things we preach, so that we aren’t merely opinionated commentators on godliness, but are actually growing and progressing in godliness as the world watches on. And in the midst of our growing and progressing, we publicly read the word of truth, exhort and encourage others, and teach the things we have been taught and are learning. If we do that, not only will we succeed in godliness, but we will bring many others along with us.

Proverbs: “The Lord’s lamp sheds light on a person’s life, searching the innermost parts.” (‭‭Proverbs‬ ‭20:27‬ ‭CSB)

People are bad judges of themselves. Rarely do they see everything in their lives that needs correcting, and often when they do see it, they ignore it. It is for that reason that high-caliber athletes have coaches – to point out minor flaws in their form and performance and exhort them on to excellence. For us to truly pay attention to our lives, we can’t trust our own feedback. Only God, who can see even into the deepest and innermost parts of our lives, is able to give us the feedback and correction we need to live lives of godliness. In Christ, He does that through the Holy Spirit – either as the Holy Spirit convicts us, or leads other godly, trusted and Holy Spirit-filled people to speak to us. To grow in godliness, we need to be open to the Lord’s light.

Prayer: Lord, I thank You, that through faith in You, You have given me everything I need to live a life of godliness. However, You won’t live my life of godliness for me – I actually have to do the living part. That requires effort on my part by grace that I receive through faith as I exercise myself to godliness. Help me, through grace and the leading of the Holy Spirit, to train myself to godliness and to be an example of godliness to others. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.

OT: ““The Lord who made the earth, the Lord who forms it to establish it, the Lord is his name, says this: Call to me and I will answer you and tell you great and incomprehensible things you do not know… I will restore the fortunes of Judah and of Israel and will rebuild them as in former times. I will purify them from all the iniquity they have committed against me, and I will forgive all the iniquities they have committed against me, rebelling against me. This city will bear on my behalf a name of joy, praise, and glory before all the nations of the earth, who will hear of all the prosperity I will give them. They will tremble with awe because of all the good and all the peace I will bring about for them… “Look, the days are coming” — this is the Lord’s declaration — “when I will fulfill the good promise that I have spoken concerning the house of Israel and the house of Judah. In those days and at that time I will cause a Righteous Branch to sprout up for David, and he will administer justice and righteousness in the land. In those days Judah will be saved, and Jerusalem will dwell securely, and this is what she will be named: The Lord Is Our Righteousness… The word of the Lord came to Jeremiah: “This is what the Lord says: If you can break my covenant with the day and my covenant with the night so that day and night cease to come at their regular time, then also my covenant with my servant David may be broken. If that could happen, then he would not have a son reigning on his throne and the Levitical priests would not be my ministers.” (‭‭Jeremiah‬ ‭33:2-3, 7-9, 14-16, 19-21‬ ‭CSB)

The book of Jeremiah is often associated with “doom and gloom” and “turn or burn” prophecies where Jeremiah constantly warned the people of Judah and Jerusalem of all the horrible things that would happen if they didn’t repent. Yet, in God’s goodness and mercy – even in the midst of the bad news – He spoke promising words of hope to build up His people’s faith. Here in the 33rd chapter, as God was doubling down on the horrible things that were going to come, He also doubled down on the glorious future that awaited His people once they learned their lesson and returned to the Lord.

God had made a promise to King David – that David would never lack having an heir on the throne of Israel. Even though the people of Israel, Judah and Jerusalem were completely unfaithful to God, the ever-faithful God would not relent on His promise to David. Though, because of the people’s unfaithfulness, Jerusalem would be completely decimated; it would not remain decimated forever. The things that would happen in the coming days to Jerusalem, the City of David would be incomprehensible. But then the redemption that would be provided, the restoration that would occur, and the righteousness that would be established would be even more incomprehensible.

God’s promises will be fulfilled. No matter how unfaithful God’s people may become… no matter how many people the devil may lure away, God’s promises will be fulfilled and His will will be accomplished on the earth. Our unfaithfulness to God can no more stop God’s promises than a person can stop the rotation of the earth and prevent the sun from rising each morning. God is infinitely patient. He has no deadlines to meet. Everything that He has willed will come to pass in His time. If one generation fails to be faithful, then God will raise up another. The question isn’t around God’s faithfulness to His promise. The question is around our faithfulness to God. God’s promises will be fulfilled… will we be a part of their fulfilling? Will we listen to God’s words of promise and allow them to fuel our faith and galvanize our faithfulness? Or will we ignore God’s words, go our own way, and miss out on His promises?

NT: “Now the Spirit explicitly says that in later times some will depart from the faith, paying attention to deceitful spirits and the teachings of demons, through the hypocrisy of liars whose consciences are seared. They forbid marriage and demand abstinence from foods that God created to be received with gratitude by those who believe and know the truth. For everything created by God is good, and nothing is to be rejected if it is received with thanksgiving, since it is sanctified by the word of God and by prayer. If you point these things out to the brothers and sisters, you will be a good servant of Christ Jesus, nourished by the words of the faith and the good teaching that you have followed.” (‭‭1 Timothy‬ ‭4:1-6‬ ‭CSB)

In the latter days, as we grow closer and closer to the end of the age, people will depart from the faith. Not only did the Holy Spirit reveal that to Paul – but Jesus taught that to His disciples (Matthew 24:4-5, 10-13, 23-25). Unfortunately, that had already begun in the church at Ephesus, as false teachers had come into the church to lead people away from the freedom found in the truth of Christ. What could Timothy do put an end to the deception and prevent people from falling away?

First, Timothy needed to be able to recognize false teaching when it was given – so Paul reiterated some foundational truths of the gospel, so that Timothy would be able to recognize and confront the counterfeits. Secondly, Timothy needed to make sure that the community of believers in Ephesus was clear on the truth of the gospel and the great benefits of remaining in the faith. As Timothy was faithful to teach the things that he had been taught, his words of faith would not only nourish the believing community of Ephesus and help them ward off false and deceitful teaching, they would also nourish and build Timothy up as well.

Prayer: Lord, I thank You for the truth of Your word and the faithfulness of Your words. Your word is truth and You are always faithful to Your words. I know that as I believe Your words and place my faith in Your word, I will never be led astray and I will get to experience the fulfillment of all Your promises. Grace me to be faithful as I keep my trust in You. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.

NT: “I write these things to you, hoping to come to you soon. But if I should be delayed, I have written so that you will know how people ought to conduct themselves in God’s household, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and foundation of the truth. And most certainly, the mystery of godliness is great: He was manifested in the flesh, vindicated in the Spirit, seen by angels, preached among the nations, believed on in the world, taken up in glory.” (‭‭1 Timothy‬ ‭3:14-16‬ ‭CSB)

In the last half of 1 Timothy 2, Paul wrote about conduct and proper order in the church. Then, through most of chapter 3, he described the qualifications for leaders in the church. Paul explained that he wrote that content so that Timothy, the leader of the Ephesian church, would know how the people of God should conduct themselves. In our American culture, where we compartmentalize our lives, when we see the phrase ‘conduct ourselves,’ we think it refers to how we behave during a specific situation or activity. In this instance, most American’s would see this passage as Paul writing about how we are to behave when we are in church. Because of that, many American’s would believe that Paul’s instructions do not apply to behavior outside of a church gathering. However, the Greek word for ‘conduct themselves’ isn’t talking about a compartmentalized application. The word speaks to a wholistic approach to life… how we are to live, behave and conduct ourselves in every aspect of our lives.

First of all, we are God’s household. God’s household isn’t the building that we meet in on Sunday mornings. God’s household are the people that have come to saving faith in Christ. The word for household is the Greek word oikos, which refers to all of the people that make up a family and a home. We aren’t the oikos of God only when we gather on Sunday mornings. If we have been saved, redeemed and reconciled to God through Christ, we are always and forever the oikos of God, and no matter where we go or what we are doing, we need to conduct ourselves as such.

Secondly, we are the church of the living God. Church is the English translation of the Greek word ekklesia. Ekklesia literally means called out or called away from. Ekklesia is a group of people who have been called out and called away from the privacy of their homes into the public arena for a purpose. By nature of being the church of the living God, everything that we do and say is under public scrutiny, and how we conduct the whole of our lives testifies to the goodness of God and the veracity of the gospel of Christ.

Lastly, as members of God’s household and participants in His church, we are the pillar and foundation of the truth in the earth. Basically, what that means is that we are the supportive structure, both seen and unseen, of the truth. What is the truth? That Christ was “manifested in the flesh, vindicated in the Spirit, seen by angels, preached among the nations, believed on in the world, taken up in glory.” We are, through how we conduct our lives in every situation, the supportive structure that holds up the gospel. When we conduct ourselves in an ungodly way, we dismantle the true and effective communication of the gospel and give the gospel a shoddy reputation. We don’t make the gospel any less true – but we hinder other’s acceptance of that truth. When we conduct ourselves one way for an hour and a half within the four walls of a church building, and then conduct our lives in a completely different way the other 166 hours of the week, we portray the gospel as a lie. When we conduct ourselves as redeemed and righteous children of God by grace through faith all 168 hours of each week, we, through our conduct, hold up the gospel as truth.

Prayer: Lord, I thank You for the honor of being a part of Your household and Your church. My desire is to conduct myself always in a way that honors You and upholds the truth of the gospel. Grace me, equip me, and lead my by Your Holy Spirit as I endeavor to do that by faith. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.

OT: ““Look, the days are coming”  — this is the Lord’s declaration — “when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah. This one will not be like the covenant I made with their ancestors on the day I took them by the hand to lead them out of the land of Egypt — my covenant that they broke even though I am their master”  — the Lord’s declaration. “Instead, this is the covenant I will make with the house of Israel after those days” — the Lord’s declaration. “I will put my teaching within them and write it on their hearts. I will be their God, and they will be my people. No longer will one teach his neighbor or his brother, saying, ‘Know the Lord,’ for they will all know me, from the least to the greatest of them”  — this is the Lord’s declaration. “For I will forgive their iniquity and never again remember their sin. “This is what the Lord says: The one who gives the sun for light by day, the fixed order of moon and stars for light by night, who stirs up the sea and makes its waves roar  — the Lord of Armies is his name: If this fixed order departs from before me — this is the Lord’s declaration — only then will Israel’s descendants cease to be a nation before me forever.”” (‭‭Jeremiah‬ ‭31:31-36‬ ‭CSB)

Earlier in Jeremiah 17:9, Jeremiah stated his observation based on fact that “the heart is more deceitful than anything else, and incurable – who can understand it?” Then in Jeremiah 29:13, Jeremiah wrote that in order to find God one needs to seek Him with all their heart. Those two statements, considered together, pose quite a quandary and accurately illustrate the human condition. To search for God and find Him… to know God… to fully honor His word… to understand and walk in His ways… to fully obey and accomplish His will, a person must search for God with his whole heart. But how can he do that if his whole heart is incurably deceitful? The word for ‘deceitful’ in the original language means crooked, insidious, and polluted. Here in Jeremiah 31, God explained to Jeremiah the way that He was going to solve the impossible human condition. He was going to make a new covenant.

Unlike the external covenant made with Israel after the exodus that was based on meeting the requirements of the law, God’s new covenant with His people would be an internal covenant based on faith that would deal with the issue of the heart. Instead of trying to stay righteous from the outside-in, by this new covenant, God’s people would be made righteous from the inside-out. No longer would humanity be held in bondage by their incurably deceitful heart – for with this new covenant, God would replace hardened hearts of stone with new hearts of flesh that would be full of the word and knowledge of God. In this new covenant, people’s sins would no longer be held against them. Instead, their sins would be forgiven and forgotten – never to hold them in bondage again. This was not something that Jeremiah was making up… this was not a false prophecy uttered to give the people a false sense of security. This was the Lord’s declaration – and He staked His authority and reputation on it coming to pass. Just as God continues to cause the sun to rise in the morning and the moon and stars at night… just as the ocean tides continue to come in and go out – God’s promise to His people will come to pass. In other words, if you can stop the sun from rising, then you can stop God’s covenant with His people.

God was faithful to His promise. We now know that this new covenant is the covenant that Christ established on the cross. During Jesus’ last supper, just before He was arrested and crucified, He said, “This is my blood of the new covenant which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins. (Matthew 26:28)” When we place our faith on Christ’s life, death and resurrection, we enter into the new covenant that God described to Jeremiah so many years ago. Our hardened and deceitful hearts are crucified with Christ, we are forgiven of all our sins, we are given new hearts full of resurrection life, and we are declared righteous from the inside out. If that wasn’t enough, we are also filled with the Holy Spirit of God who reminds us of God’s word, teaches us God’s ways, and reveals and leads us in God’s will. As we follow Jesus Christ with all of our new and spiritually alive hearts, we are able to abide in Him as He abides in the Father and be united with God. Just as surely as the sun rises in the morning and the tides continue to ebb and flow with the rising and setting of the moon, God will honor His covenant and all the promises of God are “Yes” and “Amen” in Christ.

Prayer: Lord, I thank You for Your unrelenting faithfulness to Your word and Your unending covenantal love towards us – that even when I am unfaithful You are always faithful to me. I thank You for Your new covenant that has given me a new heart and has made me righteous from the inside out. When before, I was lost and unable to find You, now through faith in Christ and the power of the gospel, I am able to seek You with my wholly transformed heart, find You, and abide with You forever. Therefore, seek you wholly, I will. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.

OT: “Set up road markers for yourself; establish signposts! Keep the highway in mind, the way you have traveled. Return, Virgin Israel! Return to these cities of yours. How long will you turn here and there, faithless daughter? For the Lord creates something new in the land  — a female will shelter a man. This is what the Lord of Armies, the God of Israel, says: “When I restore their fortunes, they will once again speak this word in the land of Judah and in its cities: ‘May the Lord bless you, righteous settlement, holy mountain.’ Judah and all its cities will live in it together — also farmers and those who move with the flocks —  for I satisfy the thirsty person and feed all those who are weak.”” (‭‭Jeremiah‬ ‭31:21-25‬ ‭CSB)

Jeremiah 31 is an encouraging chapter where God gave Jeremiah dreams and visions of a future day when God’s unfaithful and rebellious children return back to Him. In this section of chapter 31, God spoke to His backsliding and faithless daughter Israel. He painted a picture of Israel as a fickle young daughter who has run away from home and is wandering from place to place as she tries to find satisfaction. To His “runaway” daughter, God said, “remember the markers in the road and the landmarks along he way so that you don’t lose the way back home.”

Unfortunately, children raised in faith that then backslide away from faith is a common occurrence. Communities of faith are far from perfect, and there are plenty of scenarios that the enemy uses to discredit genuine faith experiences and lead people into cynicism and faithlessness. I grew up in the church. During my formative years, my dad was a pastor. Pastors’ kids often times experience both the best and the worst of church life and I was no different. There were plenty of things that I experienced and witnessed first-hand to make me cynical, jaded, and at times skeptical. However, there were also genuine encounters with God that I could not deny. It was those few and far-between genuine encounters with God that kept me from straying completely away from the faith – and it was those genuine encounters with God that wooed me back from a time of self-seeking and aimless wandering.

God said, “set up road markers and establish signposts.” The word translated here as ‘road markers’ refers to monuments that are placed to remember significant people or events. The word translated as ‘signposts’ refers to high places or landmarks. Throughout the Bible narrative, whenever God did something significant, he told His people to set up a monument so that they wouldn’t forget His faithfulness. Through our journey of faith, there can be and will be difficult, unpleasant and even evil things that will challenge our faith… but there will also be genuine encounters with God and godly people that will be etched into our memories. For those who have gone astray, it is those “road markers and signposts” that will keep you from getting lost and will lead you back home.

The past year and a half has been extremely challenging. There are undoubtedly many who in times past have left the faith, and are now longing for the peace and security of home with the Lord. If that is you, remember those road markers and signposts that are etched in your memories… those times when you truly experienced the love and mercy of God… those times when God proved Himself to be real… those times when God healed you and gave you peace when you were afraid. Go back to those monuments and high places in your life, and allow them to lead you home to embrace your Father and your Savior once again.

Prayer: Lord, I thank You for the road markers and signposts in my life that prevented me from getting lost and led me back to a vibrant life of faith in You. I thank You that I continue to have milestone moments and high places of faith that I can mark in my memories to prevent me from getting lost as I go forward in faith with You. May my life continue to be a testimony of Your goodness and faithfulness as I live in worshipful surrender to You. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.

NT: “First of all, then, I urge that petitions, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for everyone, for kings and all those who are in authority, so that we may lead a tranquil and quiet life in all godliness and dignity. This is good, and it pleases God our Savior, who wants everyone to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. For there is one God and one mediator between God and mankind, the man Christ Jesus, who gave himself as a ransom for all, a testimony at the proper time. For this I was appointed a herald, an apostle (I am telling the truth; I am not lying), and a teacher of the Gentiles in faith and truth.” (‭‭1 Timothy‬ ‭2:1-7‬ ‭CSB)

I don’t believe that Timothy had to be convinced of this, but Paul said it anyway as a boost to his faith: There is one God. In the first century Roman world, that was not a popular idea. To the Romans, there were many Gods… even different Caesars were declared gods. Not only is there one God, there is only one way to the one God, and that is through His one Mediator, Christ Jesus. Thankfully, the one God loves His creation and desires for everyone to be saved and come to the knowledge of the Truth. For that reason, in a tremendous act of love and mercy, God sent his Son to save the world. Jesus Christ, the Son of God, gave His life to be the ransom for all, so that all who accept His ransom through faith can be reconciled to God and saved.

If God desires for everyone to be saved and come to the knowledge of the truth… and if God has done everything through His Son to make that possible, then it is of utmost importance that we as people of God and followers of Christ Jesus, do everything to introduce unsaved people to Jesus. Part of the everything that we are to do is pray. When Paul wrote, “First of all, I urge…” he was stating the primary importance of prayer in fighting the good fight of faith and introducing lost souls to Jesus. Paul urged that petitions be made for everyone. Petitioning involves asking and entreating God on the behalf of someone else. Paul urged that prayers be made for everyone. Praying involves worshipfully laying your life down before God – in this case on behalf of someone else. Paul said that intercessions should be made for everyone. Interceding involves a coming together, where you are actually bearing the burden of another before the Lord. Paul said that thanksgivings be made for everyone. Thanksgiving involves speaking words of gratitude about someone, which in some cases could be hard to do. When Paul said that we should pray for everyone, he wasn’t talking about cursory, “Lord, please bless John and Mary” prayers. He was talking about going to war for people’s souls in prayer. And when Paul said everyone – he wasn’t just talking about everyone you like. He was also talking about everyone you don’t like and all the people that are making life hard for you. I must admit, as I read this, I am convicted of not praying for everyone in that way.

An interesting result comes from earnestly and passionately praying for people – especially for those who position themselves as your enemies. Paul said praying for people like that is good and it pleases God, because in praying for people, we align our hearts with the heart of God who desires everyone to be saved. Paul also said that in praying for people, we position ourselves to lead a tranquil and quiet life that is full of godliness and dignity. In the midst of the rancor-filled years of 2020 and 2021, have Christians gained the reputation of leading tranquil, quiet, godly and dignified lives – or have they gained the reputation of the exact opposite? I’m sure that most Christians were praying over their own situations – but I wonder how much petitioning, praying, interceding and thanksgiving they were doing on behalf of the people who were on the opposite side of the political and social aisle? Remember… there is one God and one Mediator… and His desire is for everyone to be saved. Are our hearts as believers aligned with His?

Psalms: “Lord, there is no one like you among the gods, and there are no works like yours. All the nations you have made will come and bow down before you, Lord, and will honor your name. For you are great and perform wonders; you alone are God. Teach me your way, Lord, and I will live by your truth. Give me an undivided mind to fear your name. I will praise you with all my heart, Lord my God, and will honor your name forever. For your faithful love for me is great, and you rescue my life from the depths of Sheol.” (‭‭Psalms‬ ‭86:8-13‬ ‭CSB)

This psalm is attributed to King David. Just as it was in first-century Rome, the idea of one God was an unpopular belief. Surrounding Israel were nations that believed in and worshipped many gods… but David was able to say, “Lord, there is no one like You. No other god can compare to You… and no other god can do the things that You do.” Because David knew that the Lord God was the one God, he wanted to live according to God’s word, will and ways. He didn’t want his heart to be even remotely attracted to any other god, so he asked God to give him and undivided heart and mind that would honor God and only God forever.

Praying the way that Paul encouraged Timothy to pray develops in us an undivided heart and mind that is willing to walk in the ways of the Lord and is able to reverence and honor His name (His character, His reputation, and His desires). Do we truly believe that there is one God… and that there is only one Mediator to reconcile us to Him by faith? If so, are we willing to fully align our heart with His heart, and make His primary things primary in our lives through faith-filled, earnest and passionate prayer?

Prayer: Lord, you are the one God and You are the one Mediator through whom I can be reconciled to God. Just as David prayed, teach me Your ways and give me an undivided heart to honor You and everything You stand for completely. Give me the same desire You have to see everyone come to a saving knowledge of You – and in giving me that desire, remind me to pray earnestly and passionately for every unsaved soul that I know. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.

OT: “This is what the Lord of Armies, the God of Israel, says to all the exiles I deported from Jerusalem to Babylon: “Build houses and live in them. Plant gardens and eat their produce. Find wives for yourselves, and have sons and daughters. Find wives for your sons and give your daughters to men in marriage so that they may bear sons and daughters. Multiply there; do not decrease. Pursue the well-being of the city I have deported you to. Pray to the Lord on its behalf, for when it thrives, you will thrive.” For this is what the Lord of Armies, the God of Israel, says: “Don’t let your prophets who are among you and your diviners deceive you, and don’t listen to the dreams you elicit from them, for they are prophesying falsely to you in my name. I have not sent them.” This is the Lord’s declaration. For this is what the Lord says: “When seventy years for Babylon are complete, I will attend to you and will confirm my promise concerning you to restore you to this place. For I know the plans I have for you”  — this is the Lord’s declaration — “plans for your well-being, not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope. You will call to me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you search for me with all your heart.” (‭‭Jeremiah‬ ‭29:4-13‬ ‭CSB)

Jeremiah 29:11 is probably one of the most quoted passages of scripture in the Bible. It is an encouraging verse of scripture, and it was written to encourage the exiles in Babylon. However, that verse needs to be understood within the context of the full message that Jeremiah wrote, otherwise we risk missing its intended meaning and purpose.

There were false prophets among the Jewish exiles that were telling the people to not get settled, for God’s deliverance was coming soon. Within two years they would be back in the land of Judah and everything would be back to normal. Jeremiah wrote to the exiles to tell them that those prophecies were false. God was not going to deliver them within a couple of years. They were going to stay in exile for seventy years… an entire lifespan. Yes, God had promised to deliver them – but it wasn’t going to be soon. Jeremiah 29:11 was declared by God and written down for all to hear within that context. When God said, “I know the plans I have for you,” He was in essence saying this: “I’m pretty clear on what My plans are for you – and they aren’t what the false prophets are telling you. Do I have plans for you? Yes I do. Have I made promises to You? Yes I have. But the plans that I have are not your plans, and will not be rushed into prematurely fulfilling My promises. Listen to My words and do what I say, and you will flourish even in captivity –  and you will position yourselves to be a part of My plans and ready to receive the promise when it comes.”

God had good plans for His people – for out of His people would come the Messiah who would bring salvation to the entire world. God’s plan had always been to bless His people so that they could be a blessing to all the nations. However, to be a part of His plans, His people needed to honor and obey His word, will and ways. They needed to stop seeking their own will and ways, repent, and seek Him with all their heart. Being a part of God’s plan and entering into His promise of a good future is all contingent on seeking the Lord, submitting to the Lord and obeying His word, will and ways.

The truth of Jeremiah 29:11 is that God does have plans for His people and His plans are always for their good and for a bright and glorious future. That doesn’t mean that God is bound to honor our plans for our lives. God is also not bound to bless us if we are ignoring or rejecting His word, will and ways. Often times, God’s plans for our lives are extremely challenging to our flesh. Often times God’s plans for our lives do not look anything like our plans for our lives. God’s ways are not our ways, and God’s definition of success is much different that the word’s definition of success. To fully enter into God’s prophetic plans and fully experience the fulfillment of His prophetic promises, we need to lay aside our plans, submit to His timetable, and seek Him with all our hearts.

NT: “I give thanks to Christ Jesus our Lord who has strengthened me, because he considered me faithful, appointing me to the ministry… This saying is trustworthy and deserving of full acceptance: “Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners”  — and I am the worst of them. But I received mercy for this reason, so that in me, the worst of them, Christ Jesus might demonstrate his extraordinary patience as an example to those who would believe in him for eternal life. Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen. Timothy, my son, I am giving you this instruction in keeping with the prophecies previously made about you, so that by recalling them you may fight the good fight, having faith and a good conscience, which some have rejected and have shipwrecked the faith.” (‭‭1 Timothy‬ ‭1:12, 15-19‬ ‭CSB)

God had plans for Saul of Tarsus – but those plans ran completely contrary to Saul’s plans… so much so, that Saul vehemently and sometime violently opposed God’s plans… until Paul was arrested by the risen Lord Jesus Christ on his way to Damascus. It was there on the road to Damascus, after a lifetime of kicking against the goads, that Saul submitted fully to God’s plans and received God’s saving mercy and grace through faith. It was then that Saul and Saul’s plans died, and Paul entered into God’s glorious plan for his life. Part of God’s plan for Paul was to use Paul as a living testimony that God is willing and able to show mercy and save the most vilest of sinners, as long as they repent of their sin and place their faith fully on Him. Because Paul sought God and God’s plans with all his heart, countless numbers of people across the millennia have experienced God’s mercy and have been blessed with salvation.

Timothy had been given powerful prophetic promises over his life – but those promises would not be fulfilled if Timothy did not stand strong and fight the good fight of faith. Life in Ephesus for a submitted believer in Christ was extremely challenging. Ephesus was a pagan city given over to the worship of the Roman goddess Diana, goddess of wild animals and fertility. The temptation to compromise with the culture was strong, and some believers in the church had even shipwrecked their faith by capitulating to the pressure and ignoring their conscience. Undoubtedly, Timothy was discouraged – so Paul encouraged him to remember the promises that were spoken over him and continue fighting for the good hope that lay before him by faith.

God has good plans for our lives, and He has made many prophetic promises over our lives. But those plans and promises don’t just happen regardless of how we live our lives. We have to actively align our lives to God’s plans and actively fight for the fulfillment of God’s promises by grace through faith… and we do that by keeping our eyes on Christ and passionately seeking the Lord with all our hearts.

Prayer: Lord, I thank You that You have good and glorious plans for my life. I thank you that I have hope of a rich and glorious future in You. I realize that Your plans are not necessarily my plans… but Your plans are so much better and so much more fulfilling and satisfying than mine. What I have found over the years, is that as I lay down my plans and submit to Yours, You richly bless me with everything that I need and abundantly fill my life so that I can bless others. I gladly lay aside my plans and my preferences for the rich and satisfying plans that You have for me, and I trust that as things become challenging – as I remain faithful to You, You will be faithful to me and give me grace that is sufficient for every challenging thing. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.

NT: “Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the command of God our Savior and of Christ Jesus our hope: To Timothy, my true son in the faith. Grace, mercy, and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord. As I urged you when I went to Macedonia, remain in Ephesus so that you may instruct certain people not to teach false doctrine or to pay attention to myths and endless genealogies. These promote empty speculations rather than God’s plan, which operates by faith. Now the goal of our instruction is love that comes from a pure heart, a good conscience, and a sincere faith. Some have departed from these and turned aside to fruitless discussion. They want to be teachers of the law, although they don’t understand what they are saying or what they are insisting on. But we know that the law is good, provided one uses it legitimately. We know that the law is not meant for a righteous person, but for the lawless and rebellious, for the ungodly and sinful, for the unholy and irreverent…” (‭‭1 Timothy‬ ‭1:1-9a‬ ‭CSB)

The book of 1 Timothy was written after the events recorded in the book of Acts. The book of Acts ends with Paul finally making it to Rome, where he remained under house arrest for two years. After being released from his first Roman imprisonment, Paul visited  the church that he began in Ephesus. After he left Ephesus, he placed Timothy in charge of the church. The purpose of this letter was to encourage Timothy through the difficulties that he was facing in Ephesus and to instruct him in pastoral responsibilities and the qualifications and duties of church leadership. This epistle is classified as a pastoral epistle. It wasn’t written to a group of believers – it was written to encourage and instruct Timothy, who was pastoring a group of believers.

One of the difficulties that Timothy faced was the teaching of false doctrine. It appears that the false teachers were Jewish legalists that were trying to mix teachings on the law with the telling of fantastical, non-canonical myths and legends of people pulled from their genealogical records. There is nothing wrong with the law – but the law can only do what the law was designed to do. The law was established to convict sinners of sin and to bring them to the realization that they need a savior. The law cannot save. Only the gospel has the power of salvation. God’s plan of salvation operates by faith and is motivated by love. The goal of solid instruction and teaching is to see people respond to the gospel sincerely in faith and to be motivated by pure-hearted love.

Because the false teachers didn’t really understand the purpose of the law and didn’t really know what they were talking about, the teachings that they gave were empty and confusing. They knew how to throw a bunch of words together and sound like they were saying something profound – but their words were empty speculations and fruitless discussions. Paul, because he knew the word of God, and the God of the word, knew that their teachings were false. He knew what truth sounded like and he knew what to look for in a solid and life-giving teaching. There are plenty of preachers in our day that are really good about putting words together and sounding like they have profound things to  say – but actually do not know the word of God nor the God of the word. If we don’t understand the word, will and ways of God, then we risk being led astray by their empty speculations and fruitless discussions. But if we do know and understand the word, will and ways of the Lord, we will not be led astray by false teaching and will be able to recognize and receive good teaching when we hear it.

Prayer: Lord, I thank You for the powerful and salvational truth in Your gospel – and that You actually grace me to understand Your gospel that I may walk in it and explain it to others. Help me, as I endeavor to teach, to not become guilty of stringing together words that in the end are empty speculations and fruitless discussions. Help my words to be founded completely on Your gospel and delivered with love, a pure heart, a good conscience and sincere faith. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.

NT: “Now we command you, brothers and sisters, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, to keep away from every brother or sister who is idle and does not live according to the tradition received from us. For you yourselves know how you should imitate us: We were not idle among you; we did not eat anyone’s food free of charge; instead, we labored and toiled, working night and day, so that we would not be a burden to any of you. It is not that we don’t have the right to support, but we did it to make ourselves an example to you so that you would imitate us. In fact, when we were with you, this is what we commanded you: “If anyone isn’t willing to work, he should not eat.” For we hear that there are some among you who are idle. They are not busy but busybodies. Now we command and exhort such people by the Lord Jesus Christ to work quietly and provide for themselves. But as for you, brothers and sisters, do not grow weary in doing good. If anyone does not obey our instruction in this letter, take note of that person; don’t associate with him, so that he may be ashamed. Yet don’t consider him as an enemy, but warn him as a brother.” (‭‭2 Thessalonians‬ ‭3:6-15‬ ‭CSB)

To some, Paul’s command here may seem to be heavy-handed and harsh, but it was not intended in that way. In our culture, the word command can have a negative connotation… a word that feels very bossy and unloving. This command from Paul was not that at all. The Greek word for command had to do with a military order or directive that is transmitted from the commanding officer to the troops on the field. Paul was not claiming to be the commanding officer – he was transmitting orders from the Head of the Church… he was writing in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. In Matthew 18:15-17, Jesus taught that if a brother or sister is confronted and corrected, yet does not pay attention and repent, that person is to be excluded from fellowship. So Paul’s command actually came from the authority of Christ.

In 1 Thessalonians 4:11, Paul encouraged the believers to lead a quiet life, mind their own business, and work – so that they wouldn’t be dependent on anyone. Then in 1 Thessalonians 5:14, he exhorted the believers to warn those who were idle. That word idle means disorderly… a soldier who refuses to fall into rank and submit to the orders of the commanding officer. There were members of the Thessalonian church who refused to work and were living off the generosity of others. Paul warned those people, and the believers in Thessalonica warned those people. Those idle people did not heed the correction nor the warning, so the result of that, based on Jesus’ teaching, was a removal from fellowship until they humbled themselves and repented. In withholding fellowship, they were not to treat the idle people as enemies. The act of withholding fellowship was to be done out of love – that the offenders would become ashamed of their behavior, repent, and come back in line.

Some people believe that it was the idle busybodies that started the rumor that the Day of the Lord had already arrived – and they were using that as an excuse to not work. Whether that is true or not, the truth is that Christ has not returned yet. And until Christ returns, there is work to do. There will continue to be work to do – either until we die, or until Christ raptures us to meet Him upon His return. As Paul stated, as long as we are able-bodied, we are to work quietly and provide for our needs, and not become a burden to other people. Of course there are times and situations where that is not possible – but that is the exception. If we are able, we need to work. We need to work to provide, and we need to work towards fulfilling Christ’s Great Commission. And the work that we do is all by grace through faith. As long as we follow the commands of our Commanding Officer and receive the grace that He gives us through faith, we will not grow weary in doing good – and in the end, we will hear the words, “Well done good and faithful servant… Share in Your Master’s joy.”

Prayer: Lord, You are my Lord. I don’t live according to my preferences. I live according to Your word, Your will and Your ways. Are there times when I don’t want to comply with Your directions? Yes, there are. Are there times when I would rather do nothing than to engage in Your kingdom work? Yes, there are. But I thank You that when I repent from those preferences and choose to walk in Your ways, there is grace available to help in my weakness. My desire is to be a good and faithful servant, so I submit fully to You and Your work… until I die, or until You return and catch me up to be with You. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.

Psalms: “Happy are the people whose strength is in you, whose hearts are set on pilgrimage. As they pass through the Valley of Baca, they make it a source of spring water; even the autumn rain will cover it with blessings. They go from strength to strength; each appears before God in Zion. Lord God of Armies, hear my prayer; listen, God of Jacob. Selah Consider our shield, God; look on the face of your anointed one. Better a day in your courts than a thousand anywhere else. I would rather stand at the threshold of the house of my God than live in the tents of wicked people. For the Lord God is a sun and shield. The Lord grants favor and honor; he does not withhold the good from those who live with integrity. Happy is the person who trusts in you, Lord of Armies!” (‭‭Psalms‬ ‭84:5-12‬ ‭CSB)

During the time of the writing of this psalm, Jewish men were required to make pilgrimage from wherever they lived to Jerusalem – to present themselves before the Lord and worship Him. I imagine, for some, the journey was an inconvenience and a nuisance – where they had to stop their labors and spend time and money to make the journey. For others, the journey was an honor and a joy, and they looked forward to every opportunity they had to experience the Lord’s presence. On this side of the cross, people of God no longer have to make pilgrimage to a place to worship God and experience His presence. When Christ was crucified, the veil in the temple was ripped in two from top to bottom, the temple of God was turned on end, and a new and living way to the very throne room of God was opened through faith in the crucified and resurrected Lord. If we no longer have to go to a place to worship, what does it now mean to have our hearts set on pilgrimage?

There is a “place” where Jesus taught us to go to have deep and intimate fellowship with the Father. “But when you pray, go into your private room, shut your door, and pray to your Father who is in secret. And your Father who is in secret will reward you. (Matthew 6:6)” In my church family, we refer to this place as the Secret Place. It is a place of solitude, or a place where no one or nothing can distract you. It is a daily place of meeting with God. In the Secret Place, we listen, study and meditate on the scriptures, pray, praise and journal the things that the Lord reveals. The Secret Place is where we go to receive strength for each day and bright hope for tomorrow.

For some, making the time and effort to spend time with the Lord each day is an inconvenience and a perceived waste of time. For others (myself included) the Secret Place is a pleasurable never-ending spring of life and fountain-head of every spiritual blessing. The Valley of Baca (Valley of Tears) mentioned in this psalm may be a literal place, but it serves as a metaphor for difficult and painful places in life. For those whose strength is in the Lord and set their hearts on spending undistracted time with Him, those places of difficulty and pain become springs of life and showers of blessing as they receive grace for the time of need from the throne of God. They don’t burn out and fade away, but go from strength to strength as they submit their lives in faith to the Lord. If the psalmist claimed that a day in God’s courts was better than a thousand elsewhere, just think of how wonderful and refreshing a lifetime spent abiding with Christ and fellowshipping daily with God in the Secret Place will be. Happy is the person who trusts in God and sets his heart on pilgrimage.

Prayer: Lord, I thank You that through You I can boldly come before the throne of grace for help in the time of need – but I don’t have to limit my time with You to only times of need. I can come before You, worship You at Your feet, and receive any and everything I need from You at any time. You are my source of strength. You are my place of trust – so I set my heart on fellowshipping with You daily in the Secret Place. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.