What does God really want from us? How do my sacrificial acts of service impact my experience of God’s favor? These are good questions. These thoughts came to mind when I read about Josiah today.

In 2 Chronicles 35:18-19 I was struck by the amazing description of King Josiah. Notice what it says,

“No Passover like it had been kept in Israel since the days of Samuel the prophet. None of the kings of Israel had kept such a Passover as was kept by Josiah, and the priests and the Levites, and all Judah and Israel who were present, and the inhabitants of Jerusalem. In the eighteenth year of the reign of Josiah this Passover was kept.”

This story of the Passover celebration is so impressive that the author says there had never been another celebration like it including during the time of David and Solomon! Wow, this must have been amazing to see and experience.

I must admit when I read that story I expected to see in the next verses God’s blessing in his life for the incredible Feast he put on for God! My subconscious thought was a good God would reward him for such sacrifice! But notice what the next verses say,

“After all this, when Josiah had prepared the temple, Neco king of Egypt went up to fight at Carchemish on the Euphrates, and Josiah went out to meet him. But he sent envoys to him, saying, ‘What have we to do with each other, king of Judah? I am not coming against you this day, but against the house with which I am at war. And God has commanded me to hurry. Cease opposing God, who is with me, lest he destroy you.’ Nevertheless, Josiah did not turn away from him, but disguised himself in order to fight with him. He did not listen to the words of Neco from the mouth of God, but came to fight in the plain of Megiddo. And the archers shot King Josiah. And the king said to his servants, ‘Take me away, for I am badly wounded.’ So his servants took him out of the chariot and carried him in his second chariot and brought him to Jerusalem. And he died and was buried in the tombs of his fathers. All Judah and Jerusalem mourned for Josiah.”

In the verses above, after a festival to celebrate Passover like never before in Israel, Josiah is killed! How is that fair? Didn’t he earn God’s favor for what he had done? The obvious answer is no. God does not think like we do. We cannot earn our standing before God. He desires obedience more than sacrifice. Josiah could not do enough good works to protect him from his sin of disobedience. Yes, God is fair and just and loving and holy and so many other things, but God is all of these things in unity and harmony without one aspect of his nature trumping the others.

Notice what Josiah forgot and was said by the prophet Samuel in 1 Sam. 15:22,

“Has the LORD as much delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices
As in obeying the voice of the LORD?
Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice,
And to heed than the fat of rams.”

It is so easy to loose sight of what God really wants from us. He doesn’t delight in our great works for him if we are not obedient. He wants our obedience more than our sacrifices for him. God does not “owe me” anything for my acts of service. Those should be done out of love for him without expectation of temporal blessing. If he rewards and blesses for our faithfulness, all the better. My job is to be faithful and obedient.

Following Jesus with you,

There are so many great heroes of the faith found in scripture. Today I was impressed with Titus. He is one of those significant contributors to our faith that we often do not think about. As I was reading the letter to Titus, Paul says this in Titus 1:4.

“To Titus, my true child in a common faith.”

First, Titus is mentioned as one of Paul’s converts. We see in Gal. 2:1-3, that Titus was a Gentile, who was uncircumcised and Paul used him as an example of how God was at work among those who were not of Jewish heritage. He was a miracle of God’s grace.

Second, we see that Titus had a “common” faith with Paul. The word “common” is koinē. This is the same word used when we say koinē Greek, the language of the New Testament. It was used for the New Testament because it was a language common to the Roman Empire. Louw and Nida explain the significance of its usage here when they say,

“ Since the emphasis in Tt 1:4 is upon the fact that Paul and Titus have the same faith, one may also translate as ‘… the faith that you and I have’ or ‘… the faith we both believe in.’”

Since Paul and Titus had the same common Faith, a Faith that they both shared, the same can be said of us today. We share the same Faith that the early apostles and Christians had. This is an amazing truth to remember.

As a result of God’s miraculous work in Titus, he was used for some hard tasks in the early church. Some of those tasks include:

1) We see God using him to help correct the errors in the church at Corinth (2 Cor. 7:6-9). Can you think of a harder church to be open to for God’s service?

2) He was also selected to be the person to complete the collection for the poor in Jerusalem (2 Cor. 8:6).

3) He was given the task of addressing the needs of the church on the island of Crete. This church was,

“Beset by a rise in false teaching and declining morality, Titus was told by Paul to strengthen the churches by teaching sound doctrine and good works, and by appointing elders in every city (Titus 1:5).” (Nelson’s New Illustrated Bible Dictionary)

4) As Paul awaits his execution, he mentions that Titus is not with him because he was out doing mission work in Dalmatia (modern Turkey). Titus was out furthering the mission of the Church as Paul anticipated his death. He was a hard worker.

Titus always seems up for the tough task.  Whether he was addressing tough problems in the church, risking his safety in delivering the offering to Jerusalem, teaching and appointing elders in the church at Crete, or taking the Gospel to the mission field, He is a great model for us to follow. I want to be like Titus.

Father, thank you for the example of Titus. A Gentile that was miraculously changed by the Gospel. He turned out to be a man that was dependable, reliable, courageous, hard-working and compassionate. Help me to be like Titus as you use me for the advance of the Kingdom.

Following Jesus with you,

In the Old Testament, David is a man praised for serving God with a “whole heart.” As I contemplated what that meant, I saw something that helped me understand this concept when I looked at the life of Solomon in contrast to the life of David.

As David was getting close to death, he prepared Solomon to reign without him and to build the Temple. Notice how this scene is described in 1 Chronicles 28:10,

“And you, Solomon my son, know the God of your father and serve him with a whole heart and with a willing mind, for the LORD searches all hearts and understands every plan and thought. aIf you seek him, he will be found by you, but if you forsake him, he will cast you off forever.”

David charges Solomon to serve God with a whole heart and a willing mind. The word for “whole” is talking about the concept of an “undivided” heart. Solomon is to have an undivided heart in relation to his loyalty toward God.

The word “willing” is describing the expectation of “delighting in,” or “taking pleasure in” serving God. Solomon was to willingly and gladly have an undivided heart toward God and take delight in knowing and serving him.

Notice how this need is further described by David’s comments to Solomon in 1 Kings 8:61 which says,

“Let your heart therefore be wholly true to the LORD our God, walking in his statutes and keeping his commandments, as at this day.”

David taught Solomon to have an undivided heart in relation to his allegiance to God.  David had a whole heart toward God and could say that to Solomon even though he made significant mistakes. How can that be? One other passage that shows a contrast between David and Solomon and helps to explain a “whole heart” is 1 Kings 11:1-4 which says,

“Now King Solomon loved many foreign women, along with the daughter of Pharaoh: Moabite, Ammonite, Edomite, Sidonian, and Hittite women, from the nations concerning which the LORD had said to the people of Israel, ‘You shall not enter into marriage with them, neither shall they with you, for surely they will turn away your heart after their gods.’ Solomon clung to these in love. He had 700 wives, who were princesses, and 300 concubines. And his wives turned away his heart. For when Solomon was old his wives turned away his heart after other gods, and his heart was not wholly true to the LORD his God, as was the heart of David his father.”

The concept of a “whole heart” specifically relates to allegiance to God above any other gods. God wants no competition for my allegiance or for my ultimate affection and obedience. David had a whole heart even with his shortcomings. He maintained a loyalty to God that never waned. Solomon, though, allowed his heart to be turned away from God to other gods because of his disobedience in marrying so many foreign women.

Father, above all else, help me to have a “whole heart” toward you. May my choices not lead me astray from my allegiance to you above anyone or anything else. By your grace, this is something that can be true of me throughout my life even though I fail and sin. Thank you for the encouragement of this concept of maintaining a “whole heart.”

Following Jesus with you,

As Paul nears the end of his life, he makes a simple but challenging statement summarizing his life. In 2 Timothy 4:7 he says,

“I have competed well; I have finished the race; I have kept the faith!”

Paul describes the Christian life in three ways. It is a competition, a race and something to which he pledged his loyalty.

In relation to the Christian life being a contest, the NET Bible makes this observation,

“The expression I have competed well (Greek “I have competed the good competition”) uses words that may refer to a race or to a boxing or wrestling match.”

As Eugene Minor observes, this wording,

“Describes the quality of fighting/contending Paul exhibited in the contest of life and is translated adverbially: ‘completed it well.’”

The word translated “well” can have the emphasis of “grand” or “noble.” Paul did his best as he competed in the great contest of the competition of the life of faith. Paul does not describe himself as perfect, or as fighting against other Christians, but as someone who competed well in the arena of life assigned to him. He did his best. He gave it his all and as a result is pleased with his effort as he reflects on life.

Paul also describes the Christian life as a “race.” Paul finished the contest. The emphasis can be that he “ran the full distance.” Paul did not take shortcuts, did not loaf; he did not quit when obedience was challenging, and he climbed the hills as they came.  He ran the whole race. He endured and he finished.

Finally, Paul describes the Faith as something he “kept.” Paul can say with a good conscience that he had “guarded” the Faith that had been entrusted to him. He was “loyal” to it to the end of life.  He now is trying to pass it on to his son in the Faith, Timothy.

Father, may I be able to say at the end of my life that I have competed well, I finished the whole race, and I guarded and was loyal to the Faith all my days.

Following Jesus with you,

When I look back on my life, I can see key passages, verses and even books outside of the Bible that God has used to encourage, challenge and train me for a life of following him. One of those passages I read this morning. In 2 Timothy 3:14, Paul says the following:

“You, however, continue in the things you have learned and become convinced of, knowing from whom you have learned them.”

In this section, Paul continues to prepare Timothy for his challenge of leading the Faith once Paul is gone. The letter of 2 Timothy is the last letter we have of Paul’s and was written during his second imprisonment as he awaits his execution. I have often wondered what I will say at that point in life myself. What is most on Paul’s mind is the continued faithfulness of his son in the faith Timothy and the pure teaching of the Gospel.

As Paul calls Timothy up to be the man God wants his to be, he reminds him of a couple of important things. I am impressed by:

1) “You, however.” Or, the ESV says, “But as for you.” Paul had been talking about his life of faithfulness and the cost he paid to follow Jesus. Paul doesn’t ask Timothy to experience all he had, but he does point out that there are some specific things he must do at this stage in his life.

2) The word “continue,” means to “remain faithful,” “stand firm,” or “be loyal to.” Timothy must understand that his obedience to Jesus goes beyond his loyalty to Paul.

3) Timothy has learned the faith from Paul and his grandmother Lois and his mother Eunice (2 Tim. 1:5). But, he must do more than “learn” the Faith.

4) In addition to learning the faith, he had to “become convinced of” it. Timothy is being commended for making that critical transition that we all must make–knowledge to ownership. The faith of his family and his mentor had become his own.

5) Timothy can also have high confidence in his spiritual heritage when the false teachers were trying to lead him astray. He could recall that he learned his faith from those who modeled it for him. He learned it from those who demonstrated character over a lifetime. His memories should give him confidence for his convictions in the midst of an evil world.

All of these observations should help Timothy step up to biblical manhood and contribute to lead the next generation of faith. We must do the same things Paul asked Timothy to do so that we can continue the Faith as designed by God.

Father, thank you for allowing us to have a Faith that is intellectually believable and yet needs to be owned by each of us. Help me to be like Paul and demonstrate my faith through good times and hard times. May I be able to call people to remember how I lived and may they be challenged to follow my path of obedience.

Following Jesus with you,

Recently the Kentucky Derby took place, and I am always impressed by the beauty and power of those thoroughbreds as they race. The grace of movement and the inevitable marks in the dirt left by the hooves of the horses is a site to behold. The hoof prints of the horses clearly show the path they had taken.

Paul says something interesting in 2 Timothy 1:13 which reminded me of those horses when he said,

“Hold on to the pattern of wholesome teaching you learned from me—a pattern shaped by the faith and love that you have in Christ Jesus.”

What struck me is the meaning of the word “pattern.” Wuest explains the significance of this word when he states that it,

“Means “a blow”; it was used of the beat of horses’ hoofs; it meant the impression left by a seal, the effect of a blow or pressure, an engraved mark, a pattern, a model. The word thus speaks of a pattern by which one can maintain the sameness of a thing. Paul exhorts Timothy to hold fast the pattern of the sound words committed to him.”

Paul had left a clear mark, pattern and model for Timothy to follow through his teaching. But it is also important to note that this pattern like the path of a horses hoof prints is shaped by the faith and love we have in Jesus Christ. Our faith is not a burden or legalism. It is a life of following the Master who loves us. It is a faith based upon a personal and loving relationship with Jesus.

Another thing that stood out to me is that Paul tells Timothy the model or pattern of his teaching is “wholesome.” The word means “healthy.” All other models of following Jesus are unhealthy if they do not match the model that Paul left.

Father, I want to thank you for the clear pattern and model of faith that Paul has laid out for us through the inspiration of your Spirit. This mark that I am to follow is healthy and based upon a love relationship with Jesus. May you enable me to follow this pattern and express love as Jesus expects. This is the way you designed the Faith to be lived, and it is healthy for me!

Following Jesus with you,

The Bible is such a practical book and addresses all of life. God, in his wisdom, has given us a guidebook for understanding how to live well. One of the areas the Bible is not afraid to discuss is money. We see Paul’s counsel to Timothy in 1 Timothy 6:9-10 which says,

“But those who desire to be rich fall into temptation, into a snare, into many senseless and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evils. It is through this craving that some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many pangs.”

Money is not bad, but the love of money is a serious problem.  As I was reading this passage, I see a progression here that could be summarized as follows:

Desire to be rich  ->  falling into temptation  ->  the love of money  ->  evil deeds  -> wandering away from the faith  -> causing yourself pain

Notice how the ESV Study Bible summarizes this text,

“What is condemned here is the desire to be rich, not material things per se when rightly used for the glory of God. The desire to be rich leads one to fall into temptation. This, in turn, results in the love of money, which Paul identifies as a root of all kinds of evils (v. 10). The connection between false teaching and the desire to be rich has been a problem from the church’s very beginning. .The warning is not simply that “love of money” is harmful but that this has led some to deny the faith, showing themselves to be unbelievers (cf. 1:19).”

What is the solution for our desire for wealth? The previous verses tell us. Paul said,

“But godliness with contentment is great gain, for we brought nothing into the world, and we cannot take anything out of the world. But if we have food and clothing, with these we will be content.”

Contentment is the answer to the love of money. We should be thankful and grateful for all that God has given us (see James 1:17). We should appreciate what we have rather than crave what we don’t. Paul tells us that this contentment should be the fruit of realizing how temporary riches are. We brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it either. Our focus needs to be on our eternal inheritance and God’s rewards for faithfulness.

Father, thank you again for how practical you Word is to us. Help me to keep the perspective of the temporary nature of earthly wealth, power and prestige. May you enable me to live a life of faithfulness focused on you and the eternal rewards of such effort.

Following Jesus with you,

When I was reading 1 Timothy 5:24-25, I was reminded of the old saying, “I have some good news and some bad news. What do you want to hear first?”

Notice what Paul tells Timothy,

“Remember, the sins of some people are obvious, leading them to certain judgment. But there are others whose sins will not be revealed until later. In the same way, the good deeds of some people are obvious. And the good deeds done in secret will someday come to light.”

The “bad news” is in verse 24. Some sins that we and others commit are very visible to all. But, some transgressions are not apparent and can seem as though they will never have consequences. This verse though tells us that even the hidden sins will one day be revealed.

This truth is important for believers to remember and should put a healthy dose of fear in all of us. Sin in the life of a believer may appear to have no consequences in the present if they remain hidden, but these actions will become obvious at the Bema Judgment (2 Corinthians 5:10) where all believers must give an account of their deeds to Christ. The Bema Judgement is not to determine if a person is saved, but to determine rewards or lack of rewards for faithfulness. Thus, all believers need to live lives of integrity even in the small things.

The “good news” in 1 Timothy though is found in verse 25. In that passage, we see a similar comparison where some good works are manifest to all, but some good works are unknown to all. Those secret actions of sacrifice for the benefit of others can almost make a Christian ask, “does anyone notice this?” We all should be encouraged because God sees everything. These good works will also be addressed at the Bema Judgment. God is so gracious that he even wants to reward me for seen and unseen acts of service!  What an amazing God!

Father, thank you for this reminder of the need for faithfulness in my life in both the big things and the little things.  I must not be duped into thinking that my good works which do not get recognized by others should no longer be done because you see it all and will reward acts of faithfulness even though they are hidden from others.  This truth also is a great reminder that I need to be faithful in the things that people see and the things that they don’t because you know and I will give an account of my service to you at the Bema Seat Judgment.  Thank you for loving me so!

Following Jesus with you,

Have you noticed in life that sometimes your heart can become bitter because of what you have experienced or seen in the world that you do not understand? And then, after some time, you realize that you were acting inappropriately and doubting God and his care for you?

There certainly have been times in my life where that has happened. I was encouraged to see that it is not only me that has gone through times like that. In fact, notice what it says in Ps. 73:21-22,

“Then I realized that my heart was bitter,
and I was all torn up inside.
I was so foolish and ignorant—
I must have seemed like a senseless animal to you.”

Asaph, the author of this Psalm, experienced these times as well. He was troubled by the prosperity of the wicked to the point that he became embittered. It did not seem right or fair. It caused him to act like a “senseless animal” toward God.

What I found so encouraging in this passage is found in the next couple of verses. It is there that Asaph realizes something very important. Notice what he says,

“Yet I still belong to you;
you hold my right hand.
You guide me with your counsel,
leading me to a glorious destiny.
Whom have I in heaven but you?
I desire you more than anything on earth.
My health may fail, and my spirit may grow weak,
but God remains the strength of my heart;
he is mine forever.”

Even though he had treated God inappropriately, God was still there holding his hand! God was still guiding him through his Word. As Asaph thought about this reality, he saw that his destiny is so much greater than the current prosperity of the wicked! As a result, he renewed his commitment to God and continued to pursue him above anything else in life.  He renewed his perspective based upon God’s promises.

Father, thank you for your patient love toward me even when I act inappropriately toward you. Your love for me never fails. Thank you that through faith in Christ, my destiny is something to look forward to even though circumstance in this present life can be unfair and hard to understand. Thank you for walking with me today and every day no matter what might come my way. You are my Rock that will never fail.

Following Jesus with you,

Most of us have struggled with the concept of contentment. Our culture is doing all it can to convince us that we should not be content. The world says that we have to have more stuff or better circumstances to be content. Webster defines the word “content” as “pleased and satisfied: not needing more.” How are you doing with being content right now where you are and with what you have?

In reading through Philippians, Paul’s words challenged me. Notice what he said in Phil. 4:11-13.

“Not that I am speaking of being in need, for I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content. I know how to be brought low, and I know how to abound. In any and every circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need. I can do all things through him who strengthens me.”

It is easy to forget that Paul spoke these words while in prison. He had experienced great need and abundance and in the process of life learned the valuable lesson of contentment. He could be content with little or much; in good circumstances or bad.

A biblical definition of the Greek word for contentment is “pertaining to being happy or content with what one has—‘content with the circumstances in which one exists.’” (Louw and Nida)

This definition points out that contentment can be found regardless of circumstances or the things we possess. Therefore, contentment is not found in stuff or circumstances. The solution is found in the last verse. It is found only in the Lord. Contentment comes from him and in my relationship to him. Circumstances and possessions come and go. I need to learn from Paul and find contentment now, not in the future or when things change.

I remember a quote by Chuck Swindoll that I memorized years ago which says, “the good life, the one that truly satisfies, exists only when you stop wanting a better one. It is the condition of savoring what is rather than longing for what might be.” I need to learn how to savor the present regardless of the circumstances!

Father, thank you that you are the one who brings contentment in life. It is my relationship with you that allows me to appreciate what I have now and enables me to say it is enough. For me, this comes from having a grateful heart. I need to think right and count my blessings. You have been so good to me in the past and are now as well I need to think on these things and trust you with the future and all that awaits me there. Help me to live in the moment with a grateful heart so that I can find contentment in you rather than my possessions or circumstances.

Following Jesus with you.