Command of God

DEVOTION
1ST TIMOTHY
COMMAND OF GOD
1 Tim 1:1-2
1:1 Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the command of God our Savior and of Christ Jesus our hope, 2 To Timothy my true son in the faith: Grace, mercy and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord.
NIV
It appears to me there can be no true position of leadership unless it is commanded by God. He must call in order for any man to be in a position of spiritual responsibility for others. I have to be assured of this in my life otherwise I would be nothing more than a clanging symbol making a bunch of meaningless noise. When I consider how many years I have been in the service of my Lord teaching from his word and knowing who I am inside, I have to come to the conclusion I have been called and commanded by God to do what I am doing. I would think that ever person has some form of calling and command of God to be some part of the body of Christ. It is not just Paul who is an apostle by the command of God, but it is each and every person who is commanded to be something within the kingdom. Not one person is able to be just an appendage hanging on to the rest of the body with no purpose, no calling, and no function. Yet at the same time I cannot help thinking that if I were doing something within the Kingdom in my own physical abilities, in the flesh so to speak, that it would be such a miserable mistake and failure. To attempt to be a part of the body of Christ on my own strength and skill would be nothing more than mocking the faith. Yet I cannot help think there might be members of the body of Christ who are doing exactly that thing. They are getting themselves into positions of leadership either because of their success in worldly endeavors, or because of their human skills seeking to have influence over others for personal satisfaction. I know that sounds like either condemnation on my part, or judging, or maybe even jealousy. It is? I think not, rather I think it is discernment from the Spirit. Or maybe some are just simple willing to serve and are being used by an eager pastor to have free help in the workings of his church rather than seeking God to see if that person is truly called to that task. God must command it before it can be the right place and the right position. I know he has called me to the task I have because I have absolutely no worldly success or human skills at teaching, preaching and for writing, yet here I am and it can only be because of the Spirit of God. It is all him and none of me. He has to receive all the glory because I have no human training and thus no human skills in the position I am in. No, I have to come to the realization I am where I am because it is the command of God.

At Peace

DEVOTION
2 THESSALONIANS
AT PEACE
2 Thess 3:16-18
16 Now may the Lord of peace himself give you peace at all times and in every way. The Lord be with all of you. 17 I, Paul, write this greeting in my own hand, which is the distinguishing mark in all my letters. This is how I write. 18 The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all.
NIV
The last of this letter and it is leaving me with this incredible benediction. To have peace at all times is by far one of the greatest gifts God has ever bestowed on those who accept his provision for eternal life through is son Jesus Christ. This peace is the opposite of war but rather something far greater and exceeding better. Having this peace is knowing, of course, the tranquil state I have in my spirit because I am assured of my salvation through Christ, and so I fear nothing from God and I am completely content with my earthly lot, of whatsoever sort that is or will ever be. What more could I really ever desire in this life? Why would I ever consider filling my life with stress and strife over an attempt to acquire material goods far beyond what I could ever hope to use. Although I think I have enough and even more than I could ever use, at least in the material possessions department. I surely lack an abundance of store up funds, if fact, I lack any store up funds. Actually I owe more funds than I have. But what of that, should I get all tired up in knots? I think that would be opposed to this peace. Should I be aware of my situation? Of course so, I am firmly aware and do seek God for direction and provision. He has always been faithful in the past, and is being faithful now and I believe he will continue to be faithful because he is God. My trust is in him and that trust is a main ingredient of this peace. Knowing that Lord is with me even promotes this peace within my being all the more. How could I ever live my life alone? I could not even imagine how bad off I would be if I were to be living without the presence of my Lord in my life. Life would be a bitter pill to swallow if I had to live it all by myself. I am sure many people try to fill their lives with all sorts of things and even with other people, but that would still be empty if they did not include the Lord. I know that all the things I have and people who I love and who love me would be rather meaningless if the Lord was not with me. Oh sure, it would be enjoyable, for the moment, for my lifespan, but then it would be over, finished, complete, and perish with everything else. But because of the Lord being with me and with those I love and who love me, we all are going to continue to be together in the everlasting presence of our Lord and Savior. True maybe is a different environment and relationship, but nevertheless this peace, this presence, this having the Lord with us is for eternity. Yes, there are a few I love who have not yet decided to allow the Lord into their lives, but I still have this peace, knowing God is at work, he is in command, he is doing his part and having done my part, the rest is up to him. So I am at peace.

Pay Attention

DEVOTION
2 THESSALONIANS2
PAY ATTENTION
Thess 3:14-15
14 If anyone does not obey our instruction in this letter, take special note of him. Do not associate with him, in order that he may feel ashamed. 15 Yet do not regard him as an enemy, but warn him as a brother.
NIV
Alright then, I guess that is what I am supposed to do. But am I to go around looking for that one that is idle in order to take special note of him? How am I to know who is idle and who is not? How do I tell if someone is not earning his own bread and butter? I think again of the ministries that feed those who do not work, and may even be homeless. How does that fit into this concept? But closer to home I wonder if there are those how fit into this category? I mean after all within the church we all just say hello to each other passing in the foyer or hallway and never really know anything about each other’s life, whether we are or not obeying these instructions regarding not being busy but rather being a busybody. I know I need to that this message to my own heart but I also see here I have a responsibility to my fellow believers if I see them in violation of this instructions which precede this one. Not an easy task, although I do think my book serves as somewhat of a warning on certain issues. I also am not sure how I am supposed to not associate with anyone who does not obey those instructions. Should I just ignore them? Well, first I have to warn them then ignore them. Actually in order or ignore them I first must have been not ignoring them. That is not likely the case. I am not sure I actually involve myself with hardy anyone to start with. I pretty much already ignore most everyone. Sure I say hello, and even shake hands or give a hug, smile and converse about many mundane topics seeming trying to be interested, but that hardly constitutes the opposite of not associating with him. What does it mean to not associate with him? Does simply mean not to socialize with them and if so how do I treat him as a brother while not associating with him? I know I have spoken up rather boldly in some settings, and as a result was not invited back into that little group. Was I being the busybody or the warning brother who was rejected because I did warn, although it was not about this, but rather about something else? I just am not sure how this is all supposed to play out in the post modern church. What I do know is I will have to allow the Spirit to lead. I have to pay attention to the Spirit.

Doing Right

DEVOTION
2 THESSALONIANS
DOING RIGHT
2 Thess 3:11-13
11 We hear that some among you are idle. They are not busy; they are busybodies. 12 Such people we command and urge in the Lord Jesus Christ to settle down and earn the bread they eat. 13 And as for you, brothers, never tire of doing what is right.
NIV
Surely I am not one of those people who are idle or have nothing better to do then to meddle in other peoples affairs. Sometimes I wonder if some of the word is specific towards certain people and cannot be personalized by everyone. But I suppose I can be introspective asking if I have ever been like that. I would have to answer no. I am not a person who gets involved in other peoples affairs without an invitation. I do not even offer advice unless I am asked for it. The way I have it figured if someone wanted my opinion or advice about something they would seek me out as ask for it. Otherwise I simply go about my own business doing my daily thing, working at what I do and being who I am. I think I mind my own business fairly well. I try not to even gossip about anyone because I think that is another form of being a busybody. Oh sure I might slip up once and awhile getting catch up in the gossip when I am with believers who are getting it on in their chatter about someone. But I really try not to, it just isn’t any of my business, and besides I think it only serves to make me feel superior when I speak about someone else who is doing something dumb. No, I have to guard myself closer and make sure I do not get catch up in being a busybody, being a gossip in thought or word. I have enough trouble living my own life in a manner which pleases my Lord to be judging others if they are and then sharing that opinion of mine about them with someone else. Even in my preaching or teaching I must not declare problems people are involved with, but simply declare the word of God. I need to allow it to speak to the hearts of others, not me or my opinions or ideas about what someone might be doing or not doing. Pastor T always warned me about not preaching problems but preach the Word. So I think I should be more careful, and be more aware of going about my work in society and my ministry in the Kingdom. Doing what God desires of me and allowing him to work out his desire in others as he does in me is the way to go. Simply put, I should not grow weary of doing what is right.

Labor On

DEVOTION
2 THESSALONIANS
LABOR ON
2 Thess 3:7-10
7 For you yourselves know how you ought to follow our example. We were not idle when we were with you, 8 nor did we eat anyone's food without paying for it. On the contrary, we worked night and day, laboring and toiling so that we would not be a burden to any of you. 9 We did this, not because we do not have the right to such help, but in order to make ourselves a model for you to follow. 10 For even when we were with you, we gave you this rule: "If a man will not work, he shall not eat."
NIV
So what do I make of this dissertation? I certainly am not going to model myself after another man. Yet that is not all bad either. I know I hear my pastor express his lifestyle as a model. I think a lot of believers think their pastor should be a model of perfect Christianity. I think a lot of believers might think everyone else should be perfect too. I don’t know about this concept. I suppose I should be a model for others and they should be a model for me as well. It may well be right to be an example for others. I was sure my example was supposed to be Jesus. Is using another man as an example simply not lowering the bar? Maybe this has nothing to do with spiritual matters but rather simply being concerned about the physical condition of not being idle and looking to others for food, clothing, and housing. Maybe this is just about not being a burden on society, looking for a handout from the government or the church. Does this fly in the face of ministries which provide such assistance? Should the church being telling those homeless, jobless, drug dependent folks to work for their keep? I wonder if the church trots them out on display ever so often to show what a great thing we are doing, or to use them to raise support money. I think if we are to be examples working for our food, then we should be helping others find jobs so they can follow our example, not just feeding them. That sure sounds cruel. I know I have been on the receiving end a few times, but never admonished to go work. Now maybe that is because I was out looking for work, seeking a way to support my family. I never gave up. Now I am not in a place, I don’t think, to be that example for others who are not working, but eating from the hands of others. So I am still not sure about this. Yet I am sure I am to be working, trying to be out there working for my food which I know is a blessing from God and am thankful and thank him daily for each and every meal I have. Just being able to buy food is a blessing from God. He has provided me with every type of work I have done. He has given me a strong back to be able to labor, to physically toil with my hands. He has given me a fair mind to be able to work in certain ways. He has provided miracles one after another in providing so many things for me to have. How could I not know it is all him, yet I must work, if I am to eat. I cannot ever retire from work. Society may have the concept of retirement, but God does not. I labor on.

He Commands

DEVOTION
2 THESSALONIANS
HE COMMANDS
2 Thess 3:4-5
4 We have confidence in the Lord that you are doing and will continue to do the things we command. 5 May the Lord direct your hearts into God's love and Christ's perseverance.
NIV
I am not so sure of the correctness of the use of the word command here. As I approach this from the Greek, I see this word being defined more as transmitting a message alone from one to another. I do not think this is so much that Paul has commanded them as he has transmitted the commands of our Lord Jesus Christ onto them. Now I can deal with being told what God has said. I cannot deal with being told by some man as to how I am to behave or act. I cannot deal with the authority of a man who has set himself up as ruler over my spirit, my being, my free will. No, I submit only to the authority of my Lord Jesus Christ. Now do I listen to my pastor? Sure, for I am convinced he has been called by God to transmit the message or the commands of God. Yet he is not in authority of my being. I cannot simply obey his commands, but I can listen and discern his words thus digesting and assimilating those behaviors and actions into my being which are in accordance with the word of God. So I am not sure the translation of this Greek word is absolutely what God intents here, or at least the English word leaves it short. Nevertheless, I will do as he commands to the best of my ability. I fail a lot, I fall short a lot, I miss the mark a lot, but I think I am at least giving it the ole college try. I certainly would have to agree that my humanity gets in the way all too often. I would have to Jesus that my spirit may be willing but my body is weak. Yet I do desire to do what he commands of me. I hope and pray I can fulfill that desire. I surely need his grace, his divine influence, his guidance, his making straight my heart right into the love of God and that he would give me the patience to wait until my Lord Jesus Christ returns for me. It is not that I do not enjoy this life I have, I surely do. But I am also looking so forward to that day when my Jesus I shall see, when he takes me by the hand and leads me to that promised land, what I day, glories day that will be. But until then I shall continue to do the things he commands.

The Advantage

DEVOTION
2 THESSALONIANS
THE ADVANTAGE
2 Thess 3:2-3
2 And pray that we may be delivered from wicked and evil men, for not everyone has faith. 3 But the Lord is faithful, and he will strengthen and protect you from the evil one.
NIV
Some of my fellow believers, especially in other parts of the world may very well be, even in these days, persecuted by evil and wicked men. I should be praying for them. I certainly do not think I have much to worry about here in my country as far as me having to deal with being delivered from wicked and evil men. Yet there certainly are an awful lot of people who do not have faith. Could I assume then if someone does not have faith that person is evil and wicked and therefore maybe I do have to deal with that in my life? Maybe it is not that evil and wicked people would do me physical harm, but surely they might very well do me spiritual harm. If I were captured by their ideas, their thinking, their spiritual blindness, their ways of living life then I would surely need to be delivered from them. It may not even be that they are seeking me any harm, but simply that I would be drawn toward the concepts of this world in which they have citizenship. It has to be an either or situation. Either someone has faith or they don’t and those who do not have faith must be considered evil and wicked. Everyone has to serve somebody, either the Lord or Satan but you have to serve somebody. I have chosen to serve him who is faithful. I have chosen to serve him who has the ability and will strengthen and protect me from the evil one. I am so grateful for his strengthening. I know that without his faithfulness and his strengthening I would certainly not be able to withstand the assaults hurled at me from the evil one. God has provided me with a shield of faith to protect me from all his flaming arrows. It surely gives me the picture of battle lines between me and him, between me and wicked and evil people. Yet how am I to spread the message if I am on the battlefield? It is spiritual warfare, and although I must not allow them to infiltrate my thinking, I should do all I can in my power to infiltrate their thinking with the message, the good news of Jesus Christ, in an effort to win them over from their side of the battlefield to Gods side. As I am armed with all of the armor of God and the truth I have the advantage.