Dear Members and Friends of St. John,
This past Monday I was working outside in my yard and
went to lock the tongue of my trailer.
However, when I reached for the lock I was surprised to find only half
of the lock with the keys, and the other half was missing. I looked on the ground. I looked on the trailer and in the truck, but
I did not find the missing part of the lock.
Then, the third time I looked on the ground I examined the area more
closely. There was the missing piece of
lock, its dark color blending in with the dark brown color of the ground. When I looked more closely I saw something I
had previously missed.
As I read through 2 Timothy in my devotions this week, I
saw something I hadn’t seen before. I
remember the section of 2 Timothy that warns about ungodly behavior in the end
times. I have memorized the verses in 2 Timothy
3 about the purpose and the power of God’s Word. But I had somehow missed that these verse
were connected.
Listen with me to God’s warning to the people of Paul’s
day about the dangers of the last times.
1 But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days. 2 People
will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive,
disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, 3 without love, unforgiving,
slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good, 4
treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God-- 5
having a form of godliness but denying its power. Have nothing to do with them.
(2 Timothy 3:1-5)
Does that sound familiar?
Yes, people have always battled sinful desires. But it is my experience that in the last few
decades selfishness, greed, boastfulness, disobedience, unloving behavior, and loving
pleasure rather than loving God, has increased in the world around us. Such behaviors unfortunately have also increased
even among God’s people.
Now consider God’s solution to the troubles of these last
days.
14 But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have become
convinced of, because you know those from whom you learned it, 15 and how from infancy you have known the
holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in
Christ Jesus. 16 All Scripture is
God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in
righteousness, 17 so that the man of God
may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.
(2 Timothy 3:14-17)
Young pastor Timothy was facing some real challenges as
he sought to shepherd the people of God.
God does not point Timothy to some new program of that time as a
solution. The Lord uses Paul to remind
Timothy that it is in God’s Word that Christians find a foundation for their
faith and a foundation for their lives. Scripture
first of all points people to wisdom “for
salvation through faith in Christ Jesus.” In other words, God’s Word creates and grows faith in Jesus as our Savior
from sin and death. And, in
contrast to the evil direction of our selfish world, God speaks to Timothy
through Paul, and God points Timothy and his congregation to righteous lives, directed
by the sure word of truth found in Scripture.
I knew both of these verses from previous readings of God’s
Word. But, somehow I had not put them
together. It was sort of like having
only half of my lock for the trailer.
But, this past week when I read 2 Timothy in my morning devotions, I
found something, God revealed something, I had not seen before.
This experience teaches me, and perhaps it can be a
lesson to you. Time in God’s Word (and
time in prayer and in worship as well) is vital to the faith and life of the
Christian person. I have known that
truth. But, finding the connection
between these verses, was like finding the other half of my lock. This discovery re-affirmed what I knew.
Will you join me in regular daily time in God’s Word?
A Child of God, Thankful for Daily Faith and Direction
found in God’s Word,
Pastor Jonathan
P.S. In the past I
have alternated devotional studies every two years, but I will re-use this year’s
devotions so we can study and grow TOGETHER. I am encouraging you to join me in studying
God’s Word together by using the same devotional Bible I plan to use in the
next two years. I will use the “Today’s
Light Devotional Bible” from Concordia Publishing House (our church’s
publishing house) in 2019 and 2020. If
you want to buy one of these Bibles and study with me starting in January here
are links for the Bible.
·
From CPH for $26.39 + $7.00 shipping - https://www.cph.org/p-22950-todays-light-devotional-bible.aspx
·
From Amazon for $32.99 + free shipping - https://www.amazon.com/Todays-Light-Devotional-Bible-Fryar/dp/0758643519/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1540403689&sr=8-1&keywords=Today%27s+Light+Devotional+Bible
P.P.S. God acted
with grace through baptism in the lives of two of his children the last two
Sundays in early worship.
·
Here is a picture of the baptism of Walter Lee
Downing, October 14 https://photos.app.goo.gl/7M28LpwUBThwSM8v8
·
Here is a picture of the baptism of Lorrie Ann
Lutz, Sunday, October 21. https://photos.app.goo.gl/bwhvHtxmno7538pUA
P.P.P.S. Here are
2 pictures of confirmation students eating “snacks” Wednesday, October 17. https://photos.app.goo.gl/6UEj588g1Wx5u9Gt7
P.P.P.P.S. Here
are some pictures of those at the St. John Youth Dinner Auction. Ethan says we made about $3500 with this year’s
event. Money will go to help our St.
John Youth go to the National Youth Gathering in MN next July. https://photos.app.goo.gl/6Ubvg3wHQoH8hjio9
******
ABOUT ‘THOUGHTS FROM THE PASTOR’ - I am
sending these e-mail messages, hopefully weekly, to all St. John members and
friends whose e-mails I have. (I am regularly adding new names of friends
and members – in case you are just receiving this e-mail for the first
time.) However, if you do not want to receive this e-mail, please let me
know, and I’ll gladly leave your name off my list for this message.
******
No comments:
Post a Comment