Focus!

If you point these things out to the believers, you will be a good servant of Christ Jesus who has been trained by the words of faith and the good teaching that you’ve carefully followed. But stay away from the godless myths that are passed down from the older women. Train yourself for a holy life! While physical training has some value, training in holy living is useful for everything. It has promise for this life now and the life to come. This saying is reliable and deserves complete acceptance. We work and struggle for this: “Our hope is set on the living God, who is the savior of all people, especially those who believe.” Command these things. Teach them. Don’t let anyone look down on you because you are young. Instead, set an example for the believers through your speech, behavior, love, faith, and by being sexually pure. Until I arrive, pay attention to public reading, preaching, and teaching. Don’t neglect the spiritual gift in you that was given through prophecy when the elders laid hands on you. Practice these things, and live by them so that your progress will be visible to all. Focus on working on your own development and on what you teach. If you do this, you will save yourself and those who hear you. (1 Timothy 4:6-16, CEB)

If you point out these things… This means we need to know what comes before this, and that was yesterday’s devotion; you can see that text here. And this is all about the teaching of demons and leading people away from faith. But if you help people see the real faith, they will have life.

Again, what is the real faith? People have told me that I do not follow God or really have ever read the bible because I say that all people are welcome and everyone is a beloved child of God, even though some who read the bible would say are damned to hell because of their sinful lives.

The thing that really sticks out to me about this passage is “But stay away from the godless myths that are passed down from the older women.” As if all older women only spread myths and lead people astray. We all have the ability to do this, so what was going on in the community where Timothy was?

Focus on God and following after Their love and give that away. That is what will lead to life.

turn away…

I hope to come to you quickly. But I’m writing these things to you so that if I’m delayed, you’ll know how you should behave in God’s household. It is the church of the living God and the backbone and support of the truth. Without question, the mystery of godliness is great: he was revealed as a human, declared righteous by the Spirit, seen by angels, preached throughout the nations, believed in around the world, and taken up in glory. The Spirit clearly says that in latter times some people will turn away from the faith. They will pay attention to spirits that deceive and to the teaching of demons. They will be controlled by the pretense of lying, and their own consciences will be seared. They will prohibit marriage and eating foods that God created—and he intended them to be accepted with thanksgiving by those who are faithful and have come to know the truth. Everything that has been created by God is good, and nothing that is received with thanksgiving should be rejected. These things are made holy by God’s word and prayer. (1 Timothy 3:14 — 4:5, CEB)

I always read these passages and wonder, are they talking about me? Have I turned away from the faith, and am I leading people away with a spirit that deceives and the teaching of demons? Or am I leading to faith and away from this?

I look at the next sentence and know in my heart that I am truthful to the understanding that I have, and I do not willfully lie to get someone to do something. Nor do I seek to control others, but only myself.

Today, we are seeing the workings of the US government in trying to stop marriage. They and state-level governments are working to take away the rights of people to be legally married, or to even exist as God created them. “Everything that has been created by God is good.” Everyone created by God is good and to deny anyone of their created being as a child of God is a spirit of evil and the teaching of demons.

So, who has turned away from God?

give up all

Large crowds were traveling with Jesus. Turning to them, he said, “Whoever comes to me and doesn’t hate father and mother, spouse and children, and brothers and sisters—yes, even one’s own life—cannot be my disciple. Whoever doesn’t carry their own cross and follow me cannot be my disciple. “If one of you wanted to build a tower, wouldn’t you first sit down and calculate the cost, to determine whether you have enough money to complete it? Otherwise, when you have laid the foundation but couldn’t finish the tower, all who see it will begin to belittle you. They will say, ‘Here’s the person who began construction and couldn’t complete it!’ Or what king would go to war against another king without first sitting down to consider whether his ten thousand soldiers could go up against the twenty thousand coming against him? And if he didn’t think he could win, he would send a representative to discuss terms of peace while his enemy was still a long way off. In the same way, none of you who are unwilling to give up all of your possessions can be my disciple. (Luke 14:25-33, CEB)

“None of you who are unwilling to give up all of your possessions can be my disciple.” What are you willing to give up for Jesus?

These passages always get me asking, did Jesus really mean we have to hate? Everywhere else, we are told to love. Love your enemies, love everyone, but then we hear if you do not hate father, mother, everyone else, you are not worthy to be called my disciple. Is not love the thing that shows we are disciples of Jesus?

The Matthew version of this text says, if you love them more than me, you are not worthy of me. So is it more than Jesus, or do we have to hate?

The question still stands: what are you willing to give up for Jesus?

give up your life…

“Don’t think that I’ve come to bring peace to the earth. I haven’t come to bring peace but a sword. I’ve come to turn a man against his father, a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law. People’s enemies are members of their own households. “Those who love father or mother more than me aren’t worthy of me. Those who love son or daughter more than me aren’t worthy of me. Those who don’t pick up their crosses and follow me aren’t worthy of me. Those who find their lives will lose them, and those who lose their lives because of me will find them. “Those who receive you are also receiving me, and those who receive me are receiving the one who sent me. Those who receive a prophet as a prophet will receive a prophet’s reward. Those who receive a righteous person as a righteous person will receive a righteous person’s reward. I assure you that everybody who gives even a cup of cold water to these little ones because they are my disciples will certainly be rewarded.” (Matthew 10:34-42, CEB)

When we encounter these statements, we wonder what Jesus was saying or meant. Did Jesus really mean he came to turn family members against each other? That we can not love our mother, or father, or siblings?

Well, actually, Jesus said if you love anyone more than Jesus, you are not worthy of Jesus. If we love our life more than doing what Jesus called us to do, then we are not worthy.

Actually, I think that is worse. I honestly have to say that sometimes I love the comfort of not being in the line of fire or risking my life to stand up for the last, lost, least, and little. I love comfort and safety. Jesus says if we do not risk losing everything, yes even our life, we are not worthy of Him.

We need to love Jesus so dearly that we are willing to give up everything, because that is what He did.

Take up your cross, the instrument of death, and know that what is to come and following Jesus is better than this life ever could be. Comfort and safety left in the hands of God.

Follow, and love Jesus more than anything else.

Community

Tychicus, our dearly loved brother, faithful minister, and fellow slave in the Lord, will inform you about everything that has happened to me. This is why I sent him to you, so that you’ll know all about us and so he can encourage your hearts. I sent him with Onesimus, our faithful and dearly loved brother, who is one of you. They will let you know about everything here. Aristarchus, my fellow prisoner, says hello to you. So does Mark, Barnabas’ cousin (you received instructions about him; if he comes to you, welcome him). Jesus, called Justus, also says hello. These are my only fellow workers for God’s kingdom who are Jewish converts. They have been an encouragement to me. Epaphras, who is one of you, says hello. He’s a slave of Christ Jesus who always wrestles for you in prayers so that you will stand firm and be fully mature and complete in the entire will of God. I can vouch for him that he has worked hard for you and for those in Laodicea and Hierapolis. Luke, the dearly loved physician, and Demas say hello. Say hello to the brothers and sisters in Laodicea, along with Nympha and the church that meets in her house. After this letter has been read to you publicly, make sure that the church in Laodicea reads it and that you read the one from Laodicea. And tell Archippus, “See to it that you complete the ministry that you received in the Lord.” (Colossians 4:7-17, CEB)

Here, the author of Colossians unfolds the community of saints that surrounds and lifts the Colossians in prayer and is united in the ministry with them.

We are never alone; God is always with us, and the great cloud of witnesses that surrounds us is possibly beyond our comprehension.

Some we know intimately, some we know as acquaintances, and some we will not know, but they are all there. Praying, helping, doing what we are doing.

The body of Christ is a force to be reckoned with when we realize the community we have in it. Let us be united in the love of God for the world and change the world into the kindom of God!

care

I think it is also necessary to send Epaphroditus to you. He is my brother, coworker, and fellow soldier; and he is your representative who serves my needs. He misses you all, and he was upset because you heard he was sick. In fact, he was so sick that he nearly died. But God had mercy on him—and not just on him but also on me, because his death would have caused me great sorrow. Therefore, I am sending him immediately so that when you see him again you can be glad and I won’t worry. So welcome him in the Lord with great joy and show great respect for people like him. He risked his life and almost died for the work of Christ, and he did this to make up for the help you couldn’t give me. (Philippians 2:25-30, CEB)

Here we see Paul writing, to the Philippians, about a shared friend, Epaphroditus. He was once part of the community Paul is writing to and was sent to Paul, probably with a letter. And at some point, Epaphroditus got sick, so sick he almost died. This would have caused great sorrow for the Philippians and Paul.

They cared for Epaphroditus. And so did Paul. If he had died, they would have felt that loss. They cared for him, as family. He was part of the community and would have been missed.

Do we care for others in our communities this way?

Would they be missed?

How can we better care for the members of our communities?

all are welcome

When one of the dinner guests heard Jesus’ remarks, he said to Jesus, “Happy are those who will feast in God’s kingdom.” Jesus replied, “A certain man hosted a large dinner and invited many people. When it was time for the dinner to begin, he sent his servant to tell the invited guests, ‘Come! The dinner is now ready.’ One by one, they all began to make excuses. The first one told him, ‘I bought a farm and must go and see it. Please excuse me.’ Another said, ‘I bought five teams of oxen, and I’m going to check on them. Please excuse me.’ Another said, ‘I just got married, so I can’t come.’ When he returned, the servant reported these excuses to his master. The master of the house became angry and said to his servant, ‘Go quickly to the city’s streets, the busy ones and the side streets, and bring the poor, crippled, blind, and lame.’ The servant said, ‘Master, your instructions have been followed and there is still room.’ The master said to the servant, ‘Go to the highways and back alleys and urge people to come in so that my house will be filled. I tell you, not one of those who were invited will taste my dinner.’” (Luke 14:15-24, CEB)

All are welcome. I am sure you have seen that on a church sign. Usually, this means you are welcome to come here as long as you are willing to change to adhere to the rules we have for who is in and who is not.

This rich person hosted a dinner, and those who were initially invited were those who were a part of the host’s status, well-to-do. But they loved their things more than the invitation, so when the time came, they asked to be excused to play with their new things, and the host became irritated and wanted people to fill the tables. So, the host instructed the servants to find people wherever they could to fill all the seats.

Is everyone really welcome? The host filled the seats, but that was his need for a full room, and those invited initially were only invited because sometime in the future they would invite the host to something.

We need to work on the premise of all are welcome, and know that it is not about quid pro quo, but about giving as was given to us.

In God’s kindom, all are welcome. Are we ready to step into that kindom and be a servant who helps all know they really do have a place at the table?

leaders

From Paul, a slave of God and an apostle of Jesus Christ. I’m sent to bring about the faith of God’s chosen people and a knowledge of the truth that agrees with godliness. Their faith and this knowledge are based on the hope of eternal life that God, who doesn’t lie, promised before time began. God revealed his message at the appropriate time through preaching, and I was trusted with preaching this message by the command of God our savior. To Titus, my true child in a common faith. Grace and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our savior. The reason I left you behind in Crete was to organize whatever needs to be done and to appoint elders in each city, as I told you. Elders should be without fault. They should be faithful to their spouse, and have faithful children who can’t be accused of self-indulgence or rebelliousness. This is because supervisors should be without fault as God’s managers: they shouldn’t be stubborn, irritable, addicted to alcohol, a bully, or greedy. Instead, they should show hospitality, love what is good, and be reasonable, ethical, godly, and self-controlled. They must pay attention to the reliable message as it has been taught to them so that they can encourage people with healthy instruction and refute those who speak against it. (Titus 1:1-9, CEB)

Who can be a leader, an elder in the church, and do these qualities apply only to leaders in the churc,h or should we apply these to leaders of society as well?

First and foremost these are leaders of the gathering of the church. They should be without fault, faithful to their spouse, have faithful children who can not be accused of self-indulgence or rebelliousness. So this effectively eliminates every person. No one is without fault, nor should the parents be judged by the actions of their children. It is not possible to control another human being, even if that person is your child. Leaders should also avoid being stubborn, which can sometimes be a good trait for leaders, irritable, addicted to alcohol, a bully, or greedy.

Leaders should show hospitality, love what is good, and be reasonable, ethical, godly, and self-controlled. These are all wonderful qualities for leaders in and out of the church. And these should be the things we look for in all of our leaders.

One thing that the author of Titus leaves out is power. Leaders should not be in love with power, and should guard their hearts against becoming drunk with power.

Power over people needs to be handled with kid gloves, and used to support all people, not our own needs or desires.

Leaders love all and show that through their guidance.

offer up

Remember your leaders who spoke God’s word to you. Imitate their faith as you consider the way their lives turned out. Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever! Don’t be misled by the many strange teachings out there. It’s a good thing for the heart to be strengthened by grace rather than by food. Food doesn’t help those who live in this context. We have an altar, and those who serve as priests in the meeting tent don’t have the right to eat from it. The blood of the animals is carried into the holy of holies by the high priest as an offering for sin, and their bodies are burned outside the camp. And so Jesus also suffered outside the city gate to make the people holy with his own blood. So now, let’s go to him outside the camp, bearing his shame. We don’t have a permanent city here, but rather we are looking for the city that is still to come. So let’s continually offer up a sacrifice of praise through him, which is the fruit from our lips that confess his name. Don’t forget to do good and to share what you have because God is pleased with these kinds of sacrifices. Rely on your leaders and defer to them, because they watch over your whole being as people who are going to be held responsible for you. They need to be able to do this with pleasure and not with complaints about you, because that wouldn’t help you. Pray for us. We’re sure that we have a good conscience, and we want to do the right thing in every way. I’m particularly asking you to do this so that I can be returned to you quickly. May the God of peace, who brought back the great shepherd of the sheep, our Lord Jesus, from the dead by the blood of the eternal covenant, equip you with every good thing to do his will, by developing in us what pleases him through Jesus Christ. To him be the glory forever and always. Amen. (Hebrews 13:7-21, CEB)

“So let’s continually offer up a sacrifice of praise through him, which is the fruit from our lips that confess his name.” The author of Hebrews says we need to go outside the city gates bearing His shame, proclaiming His name. We need to speak about Jesus and speak in a way that brings Him praise. How do we do this?

The author of Hebrews continues, “Don’t forget to do good and to share what you have because God is pleased with these kinds of sacrifices.” Share what we have. Do not amass resources for yourself, but make sure others have what they need. If you are using the name of Jesus to make wealth for yourself, you, my friend, are not doing what the author of Hebrews says to do. Regardless of how many bible verses you can quote ot times you say Jesus gave it to you, you are not doing what we are called to do, which is to love. Love all, share with all, give to all, and make sure all know they are loved.

Offer up what you have.

Love out Loud.

Assume…

One Sabbath, when Jesus went to share a meal in the home of one of the leaders of the Pharisees, they were watching him closely.
When Jesus noticed how the guests sought out the best seats at the table, he told them a parable. “When someone invites you to a wedding celebration, don’t take your seat in the place of honor. Someone more highly regarded than you could have been invited by your host. The host who invited both of you will come and say to you, ‘Give your seat to this other person.’ Embarrassed, you will take your seat in the least important place. Instead, when you receive an invitation, go and sit in the least important place. When your host approaches you, he will say, ‘Friend, move up here to a better seat.’ Then you will be honored in the presence of all your fellow guests. All who lift themselves up will be brought low, and those who make themselves low will be lifted up.” Then Jesus said to the person who had invited him, “When you host a lunch or dinner, don’t invite your friends, your brothers and sisters, your relatives, or rich neighbors. If you do, they will invite you in return and that will be your reward. Instead, when you give a banquet, invite the poor, crippled, lame, and blind. And you will be blessed because they can’t repay you. Instead, you will be repaid when the just are resurrected.” (Luke 14:1, 7-14, CEB)

Remember what happens when we assume. We make an ass out of you and me.

When we take a seat, we should not we will be embarrassed when we are asked to vacate it for someone else. So we should not think more highly of ourselves and let others lift us up.

You do not do things for those who can repay you. Do everything for those who need it, so your repayment will be treasure beyond your wildest imagination.

Love without limit and give grace freely.

Love out Loud.