Category: First Things First Devotional

Paul, a slave of God and an apostle of Jesus Christ, to build up the faith of God’s elect and their knowledge of the truth that leads to godliness, in the hope of eternal life that God, who cannot lie, promised before time began. Titus 1:1-2 HCSB

I have been playing golf for 52 years and have never had the privilege to boast of a hole-in-one. I have come close a few times and have hit the ball in the hole from out in the fairway but never accomplished this much desired feat. My father made two in his lifetime and and my mother has made one. Some of my playing partners have also made holes-in-one. For me, making the elusive hole-in-one has become a life-long hope and challenge.

When Paul used the word “hope” in this verse he meant a lot more than a wish or a desire. Rather, he meant assurance and certainty of God’s promise of eternal life. Some people talk of the hope of one day seeing their loved ones in heaven. If someone admits he is a sinner, believes that Jesus is the Son of God who died for his sins and rose from the dead, and confesses Jesus as Lord of his life, he can be assured that God has forgiven his sins and given him eternal life.

Challenge: As a believer, you can have more than hope. God cannot lie and His Word says that whoever believes and confesses Jesus as Lord will be saved. Praise God that you have more than a hope; you have assurance of eternal life.

At my first defense, no one stood by me, but everyone deserted me. May it not be counted against them. But the Lord stood with me and strengthened me, so that the proclamation might be fully made through me and all the Gentiles might hear. So I was rescued from the lion’s mouth. 2 Timothy 4:16-17 HCSB

The associational youth camp had ended and it seemed everyone had left for home except me. It was my responsibility to put away the tables and chairs in the worship center to prepare for the next group. I felt as though I had been deserted. What a blessing it would have been if others had lingered to ask what they could do to help clean up and put things back in order.

Paul felt as though he had been deserted. When he went to trial there was no one there to support him and come to his defense. Even though Paul’s support was gone, God was with him and stood by him. Paul received strength from the Lord to face the difficult situation. With God’s strength Paul was able to boldly proclaim the message of Jesus Christ. The lion’s mouth was a metaphor that Paul used to denote death.

Challenge: Be assured that God is always with you and is willing to help as you strive to live for Him. God will stand with you when no one else will. Thank Him for his faithfulness to always be your strength and refuge. Read Psalm 46:1.

Make every effort to come to me soon, for Demas has deserted me, because he loved this present world, and has gone to Thessalonica. Crescens has gone to Galatia, Titus to Dalmatia. 2 Timothy 4:9-10 HCSB

Our culture tells us that if we are going to be successful we must have more money and power. I can remember as newlyweds my wife and I longed to have a nice home like others we knew. God was very good to us and provided a small parsonage at the first church we served in Orlando, Florida. The home had been freshly painted and new carpet installed but we still dreamed of the day we would have a larger home. Now that we are older and God has provided a very nice home, it does not seem as important as it once did. Our values are different. Our son, Jonathan, has made two mission trips to Africa. One time he spent nine weeks living in a thatched hut with a dirt floor. The other time he shared a room with another missionary and they had to gather rain water or go a long distance to get water. This has helped us keep in perspective how richly blessed we are as Americans. We all take so much for granted.

Demas had been a disciple and follower of Paul. He had been a companion and helper but evidently when Paul was arrested, he decided to leave him and return to Thessalonica. He loved the things of the world more than he did the things of God. Demas sought worldly pleasures and wanted more wealth, power, and material goods – even if gaining them meant hurting other people and neglecting the work God had given him to do.

Challenge: Do you love the things of the world more than the things of God? There is nothing wrong with desiring to have a nice home or enjoying some of life’s pleasures but the question is, “Have the things of the world become your main focus?” Are you willing to sacrifice the work of God to gain the things of the world? Where are your priorities?

I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. There is reserved for me in the future the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give me on that day, and not only to me, but to all those who have loved His appearing. 2 Timothy 4:7-8 HCSB

My wife and I were recently eating at a Burger King where bright yellow crowns decorated the windows in the restaurant. There was a small boy in one of the booths near us that asked his mother if he could have a crown. She retrieved one of the cardboard crowns and placed it gently on his head. He smiled from ear to ear. The little boy felt like a king and was proud to have a crown, even if it was only made of cardboard.

We typically think of a crown as being made of ornate gold and precious stones, much like the crown jewels that are securely guarded in London and only worn on special occasions by the queen or king of England. The crown represents power and authority. In the athletic realm the crown was usually made out of flowers, leaves, twigs, or even grass. The winner of an event would receive a crown in recognition of his achievement. The crowns of this earth will disappear and will have no value, but the crown of righteousness will never fade away. Just as an athlete who has victory receives a crown, believers have victory in Jesus and will receive the crown of righteousness someday.

Challenge: Thank God that as a believer you have won the race and will someday receive the crown of righteousness. Praise God that you have victory in Jesus. Listen to the old hymn, “Victory in Jesus” on YouTube at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_K7JiUEl23E

For the time will come when they will not tolerate sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, will multiply teachers for themselves because they have an itch to hear something new. They will turn away from hearing the truth and will turn aside to myths. 2 Timothy 4:3-4 HCSB

I have had chronic problems with my ears and have had difficulty hearing for years. As a child I had frequent ear infections. At the age of 21 I had my first ear operation. Since that time I have had three additional operations on my left ear to improve my hearing. If it were not for the hearing aids that I wear in both ears, I would not be able to hear very well. Some people have accused me of having “selective hearing” instead of “hard hearing,” indicating that instead of not hearing someone I select what I want to hear.

The concept of “selective hearing” was also prevalent in Paul’s day. He said that the people did not want to hear sound doctrine and teaching; instead they wanted to hear something that would make them feel good. In today’s culture we have some “feel good” or “prosperity” preachers who only preach what people want to hear. Crowds seem to flock to their churches because they are hearing what they desire and would like to believe.

Challenge: What are you iching to hear? Do you have “selective hearing?” Attend a church where the truth of God’s Word is properly taught and proclaimed. Look for ways to be a better listener and listen to the needs of those around you.

Note: Last week while my mother was in the hospital, my oldest son, Nathan, was kind enough to design and send out the daily devotions that my youngest son, Jonathan, wrote in my absence. Please continue to remember my mother in your prayers.

Proclaim the message; persist in it whether convenient or not; rebuke, correct, and encourage with great patience and teaching. 2 Timothy 4:2 HCSB

As a parent I have had to give instruction and correction to all four of my children over the years. At the same time all of my children also needed to hear encouraging words and praise. We all want to hear our parents say, “Good Job”. The same is true in the work force. As I have conducted annual reviews for employees, I have always tried to provide some positive words while also giving words of guidance if needed.

Paul encouraged Timothy to fulfill his ministry, to be persistent in proclaiming the message even when it was not easy. Timothy was to rebuke, correct, and teach the people with a spirit of patience and encouragement. There must be a balance between rebuking and and encouraging people who need direction. It is sometimes difficult to be patient when we understand what people should be doing and it appears they aren’t making the necessary effort to succeed. Paul admonishes that we are to have great patience.

Challenge – As a believer you should proclaim the Good News to those with whom you have contact every day. It should be done with gentleness and patience. If you must rebuke and correct, be sure to include a word of encouragement.

“All Scripture is inspired by God and is profitable for teaching, for rebuking, for correcting, for training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.” – 2 Timothy 3:16-17 HCSB Written words are amazing things and can be very powerful. All you are looking at right now is a series of pixels on a screen. These pixels are organized into understandable shapes that form letters. Even more interesting is that these shapes are in a very specific order. These once autonomous shapes form words or symbols that represent something. Finally, these words are placed into sentences that form thoughts and communicate ideas. Amazing isn’t it? These symbols have been organized in a specific way to articulate a particular message. Have you ever stopped and pondered why God has used written words to reveal Himself? It is astounding to think that God compiled letters, words, and sentences to communicate to us. He boldly walked onto the stage of
history and allowed people to write stories and events. God revealed himself in letters, words, and sentences that we can now read. It is simply amazing! Was God’s goal to merely to communicate to us? Communication was certainly part of His plan… But God had much more in mind when Moses dipped that first quill into ink… God desired to reveal Himself through Scripture so that those reading it would be transformed through encountering Him in the pages of Scripture. Scripture is more about transformation than it is about information. In these two verses we find Paul describing various ways God uses the Scriptures to bring about transformation. However, these functions hinge on Timothy understanding that all Scripture is God-breathed. It is only when one believes that Scripture is God-breathed that one can truly feel the weight of the words on its pages. This weightiness comes from something much deeper than letters, words, and sentences no matter how profound they
seem… this weight comes from the glory of God that has been packed into each letter. Words are truly amazing. However, the function and weightiness of a word is directly connected with its source. Paul helped Timothy see the source of the Scriptures. These are not merely ink strokes, letters, words, and sentences. These are the Words of the Infinitely Holy God that breathed all into existence! These Words are more than merely words… They are the glory of God that transforms people’s lives.
Challenge: May we always be filled with wonder that God chose to write the Word to us and for us. Feel the power of God’s Glory saturating every letter in His Book… For it is in this that we can allow His Word to have the authority it was always meant to have in our lives.
Note: This devotional was graciously written by guest writer Jonathan Moore, son of Ron Moore. Ron’s mother has been in the hospital this week but she is doing much better now. Thanks for your prayers and concern.

But as for you, continue in what you have learned and firmly believed. You know who taught you, and you know that from childhood you have known the sacred Scriptures, which are able to give you wisdom for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. 2 Timothy 3:14-15 HCSB

I was enjoying some authentic Turkish food while listening to a former Muslim – now Christian – speak on how to engage and witness to Muslims. About ten minutes into his presentation he said something that stopped me in my tracks. Addressing the crowd of Christians, the speaker said: “You are all people of the Book.” This statement may have seemed trivial to most, but for me it struck a very large chord in my heart.
Memories flooded my mind… Memories from when I had lived with a group of Muslims in Africa for over two months. I had watched “people of the book” live day to day life. Their devotion was unlike anything I had seen. Their devotion to the Koran and Muhammad dwarfed my own devotion to the Bible and Jesus. I felt a chasm in my heart between the devotion of these African Muslims to a false prophet and my own devotion to Jesus, the Son of God… a chasm God was about to erase. This speaker was not offering pious lip service by telling the audience they were “people of the Book.” No, this speaker meant it. He knew something I could never understand because of his upbringing as a Muslim. He knew what it was like to be on the opposite side of the chasm. He revealed that this chasm, in fact, does not exist. Christians are very much “people of the Book” – and this Book should define everything about us. The apostle Paul understood what it meant to be a “person of the Book.”
From childhood, he was trained in the sacred writings known as the Torah. Paul was fervently devoted to these sacred writings and followed every word meticulously. His zeal for following all of God’s laws drove Paul to kill Christians because he believed Christians were a threat to God’s laws. Devotion would be an understatement for Paul’s adherence to the Torah. Yes, Paul was most certainly a “person of the Book.” Paul wanted Timothy to understand that he too was a “person of the Book,” that he too was handed a sacred text (The Torah) that revealed the Truth about Jesus Christ. Paul exhorted Timothy to continue in the Truth that had been passed down to him, to cling to what he learned from these sacred writings. Timothy was to be different from the world and false teachers… He was to be a “person of the Book” – fiercely devoted to every letter of God’s Word.

Challenge: As “people of the Book,” may we be fiercely devoted to every letter of God’s Word.

Note: This devotional was written by guest writer Jonathan Moore.

But you have followed my teaching, conduct, purpose, faith, patience, love, and endurance, along with the persecutions and sufferings that came to me in Antioch, Iconium, and Lystra. What persecutions I endured! Yet the Lord rescued me from them all. In fact, all those who want to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted. 2 Timothy 3:10-12

“Allow me to become food for the wild beast, through whose instrumentality it will be granted to me to get to God. I am the wheat of God, and let me be ground up by the teeth of wild beast, that I may be found the pure bread of Christ…” – Ignatius, Bishop of Antioch, 117AD
Persecution is inevitable for the Church. The writers of the New Testament unanimously agree about the very real prospect of persecution. Even Jesus candidly revealed the impeding persecution his disciples would face after He was gone. Scripture seems emphatic that persecution is a norm for the Christian, not an exception. These verses do not deviate from the theme of persecution that seems to saturate the pages of the New Testament. Paul does not paint an endearing or romanticized view of persecution. Instead he employs memories of his own persecutions to draw Timothy’s distracted eyes back to the centralizing Truth of the Gospel that is worth any sacrifice. Paul put to use a similar approach that the risen Savior used to encourage and refocus his disciples after His death. Jesus appeared to a group of frightened and doubting disciples and encouraged them by showing them the holes in his hands, feet, and side. Through this, Jesus was encouraging his disciples, showing
them that following Him will be difficult, but the Truth of the Gospel is worth every bit of sacrifice and His scars prove this to be true.The blood that stains the pages of Scripture and Church history is proof that we possess something priceless… Something worth more than the very breath in our lungs. The quote which began this devotional was penned by Ignatius, Bishop of Antioch, as he was in transit to his impeding execution in Rome for failing to honor the emperor. May we be encouraged by the example of men and women like Ignatius who have carried the cross of persecution for our sake. For it is through their willingness to persevere through persecution that we now have the Truth.

Challenge: May we be encouraged in our faith by looking upon the wounds of our Savior and the saints that followed in His footsteps. May we be reminded that the Gospel we now possess has come to us at a great price. And may we also remember that we too may face fierce persecution.

Note: Today’s devotional was written by guest writer Jonathan Moore.

Just as Jannes and Jambres resisted Moses, so these also resist truth, men who are corrupt in mind, worthless in regard to the faith. 2 Timothy 3:8

We all resist change. Just evaluate our own behavior. Many of us sit at the same place around the dinner table for every meal and in the same location as we worship each Sunday in church. Consider the clothes in our closets. We typically wear a certain style of clothes and there are certain colors we prefer. More than likely there are certain forms of music we like and dislike. Generally speaking, we usually do not like to change.

When Paul talked about resistance in these verses he was talking about people resisting Moses and others resisting the truth of the new teachings of Jesus. They were unwilling to change or accept anything new. They were unwilling to believe. I have observed people who have gripped the back of the pew when invited to accept Jesus as Lord while resisting the prompting of the Holy Spirit. Today people still resist the message of Jesus Christ, but that should not deter us from sharing the God News with others.

Challenge: Are there changes in your life that you are resisting? Be open to change and doing things differently. Boldly share the message of Jesus with others even when you meet resistance.