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Memorize Scripture: 2 Timothy 2:19-21

This week’s passage is split across two images that Paul uses to convey to Timothy his role as a believer and as a minister. First, he wraps up his discussion of the image of a workman with a couple of quotes. And then he shifts to the image of a household utensil.

This passage is bit longer than usual. You can see it in 2 Timothy 2:19-21:

2 Timothy 2:19-21

As Paul works his way through this chapter, he has described ministry as several different images: He has used the image of a son (verses 1-2), a soldier (verses 3-4), an athlete (verse 5), a farmer (verses 6-13), and a workman (verses 14-19) so far. Now we will look at the illustration of a utensil (verses 20-23). There is one more image in this chapter to look at; the image of a servant (verses 24-27) will conclude the chapter.

First, however, Paul wraps up his discussion of the workman with two quotes. As Timothy addresses the false teaching that has infiltrated the church in Ephesus, Paul encourages him by stating that God’s foundation is solid. There is some speculation as to just what Paul is referring to with the idea of a foundation. There are five major options:

  • The church in general (see 1 Timothy 3:15)
  • The faithful believers in the Ephesian church
  • The faith in general
  • Christ specifically (see 1 Corinthians 3:10-12)
  • The apostles and prophets, with their messages

While any of these certainly fit here, the context seems to indicate that Paul is referring to something broad in the context. In essence, what Paul is saying is that God has accomplished something that is so solid that it cannot be shaken, regardless of what any false teachers may stir up.

A new idea is delicate. It can be killed by a sneer or a yawn; it can be stabbed to death by a quip and worried to death by a frown on the right man’s brow.

Charlie Brower
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Book Review – The Third Day

The Third Day - Affiliate Link: Amazon.comAs a kid, and even as an adult, I’ve had a fascination with graphic novels and comic books. When I was in high school and college, I collected several series, from Superman, to X-Men, to Batman comics of all varieties. I even collected Archie comics for a while.

I never really was interested in the “Christian” comics though. They were always too cheesy, and felt forced.

That has changed.

The Good Book Company has released a new graphic novel that is simply the Bible. The Third Day is the gospel of Luke, from chapters twenty-two through twenty-four.

The words are timeless. They are exactly what you find in the Bible, from the Holman Christian Standard Bible.

The artwork is all original, drawn specifically for this edition.

And it is well done.

If you are unfamiliar with the gospel of Luke, these three chapters cover the events of the of the life of Christ, from the betrayal of Jesus, through the trial, the crucifixion, the and the burial of Christ, culminating in the resurrection on the third day.

And the release of this book couldn’t have been timed any better. With Easter just a few days away, this graphic novel is poised to point people to Christ in a way that will reach many, many people.

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Personal Retreat Days (ESD)

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Creating margin in your life is important if you are going to grow in your faith. Taking the time to develop space for God to work on your spiritual growth is a key aspect to maintaining that growth throughout your life.

One of the best ways I’ve found to do this is through a series of Personal Retreat Days.

Bear Trap Ranch, Colorado Springs

Let me state this right up front. This is not my idea originally. I wish it was. I would love to be able to claim credit for something that has impacted my life so drastically. But I can’t. I took this idea straight out of Leading On Empty, by Wayne Cordeiro. If you haven’t read this book, I highly recommend it. It is easily on of the most influential books I’ve ever read. You can find more helpful tools based on this book at LifeJournal.cc.

The tenth chapter of Cordeiro’s book is perhaps the most important. This chapter is all about developing the intentional life. Beginning with the daily flow, the chapter gives some incredible insights for creating a cadence for your life. From there, Cordeiro turns to the weekly life, and how to practice Sabbath. Both of those could be examined closely and give a lot of benefit.

But the next section is what changed my life. Looking at life from a seasonal view, one of the main activities is a Personal Retreat Day. My purpose here isn’t to repeat everything Leading On Empty discusses. You can pick up the book and see what Cordeiro suggests on your own. What I would like to share is a brief overview, a look at how I use the day, and the benefits I’ve gained in my life.

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Coffee Break – 04.14.2014

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What Flavor Are You? – With all of the “quizzes” on Facebook to determine what color you are, or what time period you live in, or what character from some recent movie you would be, this post seems a bit more important. Maybe that’s because coffee is more important. I’m a mix of an Americano and a mocha. What are you?

Which Country Reads The Most? – As a reader, I found this very fascinating. The US made the list at number 22, which puts me waaaaay above average. What saddens me the most, though, are the white areas on the map, indicating either illiteracy, or a very low level of reading.

Advanced Finger Painting – I’m not too artistic. I can draw a bit, and I write, which is a form of art in itself, but not like this. I guess you could literally say this girl has more artistic talent in her finger than I have in my whole body. Literally. I kinda wish I could do this…

Prayer Is Ridiculous – Think about it. What could ever possess us to think that our prayers could actually make a difference to the Creator of the universe? But they do! It makes no sense, but is one of the basic tenets of our faith. And with good reason.

7 Thoughts On Pastors Writing Books – One of my life goals is to write a book, or maybe a few. I have a couple in the works right now. I’m praying over them as I write, hoping that they will be publishable, and helpful to others. This post by Kevin DeYoung made me stop and think about it from a different point of view.

The Grace Of Repenting To Your Kids – Most of my life as a child, I think I had the idea in my head that my parents did nothing wrong. Logically, I know that they did, but I placed them on a pedestal. Reading this article made me wonder if I’ve created the same scenario with my kids. If I am going to teach them to live a life in front of God, they will need to understand the importance of repentance. And the best way for them to learn is for me to show them.

When you approach a problem, strip yourself of preconceived opinions and prejudice, assemble and learn the facts of the situation, make the decision which seems to you to be the most honest, and then stick to it. – Chester Bowles, Former Governor, Congressman, Ambassador

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Memorize Scripture: 2 Timothy 2:16-18

After encouraging Timothy on what he should be doing as a minister in the church in Ephesus, Paul turns briefly to what he should not be doing, and gives the example of a couple of men who fit the description of the false teachers.

See this passage for yourself at 2 Timothy 2:16-18:

2 Timothy 2:16-18

Paul just spent the previous verses explaining to Timothy what he should be doing as a minister, as a believer. He now turns to what Timothy should avoid. This is a pretty strong contrast to what the description of a workman approved by God should look like.

Godless chatter

The first thing he mentions here is “godless chatter.” He has already spoken of this to Timothy, in 1 Timothy 6:20 (1 Timothy 1:6 and Titus 3:9 also convey this idea). Paul’s first word in this statement is the word “avoid.” This is a pretty strong command, telling Timothy that he should do whatever it takes to stay away from such a thing. But just what exactly is this? The Greek word literally means “profane and worthless, empty noise.” These false teachers are using a lot of empty speech to spread their teachings. Look at verse 18 for an example, referring to how the false teachers handled the resurrection. They said that it was already past. Such teaching is nothing more than empty speech. But behind this chatter, the philosophical implications were powerful, and once they were accepted, they robed the gospel of its power.