Believe Week 4: Correcting and Training…
Devotions this week based on the Message: “BELIEVE: Week 4: The Bible: God’s Inspired Word!”
(NOTE: This sermon series and devotional series is based on a book by Randy Frazee entitled, “BELIEVE.”
You may choose to download or purchase the book as a supplement to your worship and devotional emails.)
One of the first motorized cars I remember driving was the antique car ride at Disneyland in Anaheim, CA. I don’t remember how old I was, but I remember stepping on the gas and taking off. At that age, I embraced the challenge to keep the car from bumping on the center rail that guided you around the course.
This was fun when I was young, but as I got older, similar rides at other amusement parks began to be a bit boring and frustrating. Why? Because the car was too limiting. The speed would only go so fast…no matter how much you pressed on the accelerator. The car would only turn so far left or so far right before you would bump up against the rail.
But why wouldn’t they let me drive the car all over the park? Why couldn’t I go wherever I wanted?
“All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for…correction.”
The Scriptures provide the limits on faith and life where God says, “To this point you shall go and no further.”
We can look at that in two ways. Either we will appreciate the safety of limits or rebel and do all we can to get around, avoid, or run over the limits.
But like the ride in the park, it might seem fun, but will not end well.
The servant of God desires and welcomes correction. Giving correction is loving to protect our soul and our lives from unnecessary hurt and burdensome and eternal consequences.
Consider this wisdom of God through the pen of King Solomon: (Proverbs 12:1-3)
Whoever loves discipline loves knowledge,
but whoever hates correction is stupid.
2 Good people obtain favor from the Lord,
but he condemns those who devise wicked schemes.
3 No one can be established through wickedness,
but the righteous cannot be uprooted.
Want to be thoroughly equipped for every good work? Allow the Scripture to be the rails that guide you through life. Welcome the correction for it keeps you on track.
And finally, “All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for…training in righteousness.”
Training is intense. Ask any athlete who desires to perform at the top of their sport. Training takes commitment…daily. Training takes sacrifice. Training takes focus. Training is not easy. Training takes stamina. Training takes mental grit to not give up.
Now apply that to our lives of faith.
Do we approach it with the same intensity as athletics, or a passive hobby we engage in on weekends? I’m afraid it’s more the latter than the former (Forgive us Lord!).
The Apostle Paul put in this way:
1 Corinthians 9:24 Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize. 25 Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last, but we do it to get a crown that will last forever. 26 Therefore I do not run like someone running aimlessly; I do not fight like a boxer beating the air. 27 No, I strike a blow to my body and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize.
Satan is looking to devour us. The Spirit of God is looking to equip us. Choose the Spirit of God as your trainer! Accept his correction and daily spend time in the Scriptures…let God’s Spirit be your trainer in righteousness…so you might be thoroughly equipped for every good work.
Apply: Simply make a commitment to take in the Word of God daily to prepare you for the opportunities of the day and take another step in the lifelong training regimen to be a servant of the Lord God.
Prayer: Lord, thank you for calling me to serve you. Thank you for the correction your word of Truth gives and the training in righteousness you provide. AMEN.
Believe Week 4: Thank God for teachers of Scripture!
Devotions this week based on the Message: “BELIEVE: Week 4: The Bible: God’s Inspired Word!”
(NOTE: This sermon series and devotional series is based on a book by Randy Frazee entitled, “BELIEVE.”
You may choose to download or purchase the book as a supplement to your worship and devotional emails.)
It’s only once in a lifetime that you get to wish your dad a Happy 80th birthday…so today I will.
Happy Birthday, Dad!
Ironically the passage on Bible Gateway yesterday as I was writing this devotion was this:
Listen, my son, to your father’s instruction and do not forsake your mother’s teaching. They are a garland to grace your head and a chain to adorn your neck. (Proverbs 1:8-9)
King Solomon was inspired by God’s Spirit to acknowledge the value of a faithful dad and mom who gave instruction and training to their children. Although I don’t think they ever encouraged me to put a garland on my head or a necklace around my neck, they did give me teaching that has equipped me for life, especially a life of faith.
80 years comes with much wisdom and experience. For dad, it has been a lifetime of not just secular learning, but a dedication to daily training in the word of God. For 80 years, God has equipped him for the good works he prepared in eternity for him. I pray God has many more planned for him!
The Apostle Paul also understood the value of parents teaching the Scriptures to youth. Timothy had faithful mom and grandma who taught him.
2 Timothy 3:14 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.
From infancy, Timothy’s mother and grandmother were convinced the best training Timothy could receive was training in the Holy Scriptures. They knew that the Bible was the source of “salvation through faith in Christ Jesus.” So they dedicated time to bring those same Scriptures to Timothy.
Whether or not you have had faithful parents like Timothy and I have, the Scriptures are still your source for credible, solid training for life and eternity.
Paul continued, “All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, 17 so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work” (2 Timothy 3:16-17).
How does Scripture equip us for every good work?
First Scripture equips us when it is used for teaching.
Teaching is the imparting of knowledge from one person to another. It can be in a classroom, a conversation, or solving a challenge. We will never be equipped for life if a) we never allow our hearts and minds to be taught by the Word of God and b) if we never take time to allow the Scriptures to teach us.
I get it. We all had days we didn’t want to go to school and we are glad today that we don’t have to go to school. However, our days of learning should never stop. Parents – impart your knowledge and the Bible’s knowledge to your children. Adults, connect to a Bible teaching church and grow in Bible Studies or groups. Take personal time to read the Word of God.
I thank God today for a dad who took time personally and with us as a family to teach us the Scriptures to equip us for a life of following and serving Jesus.
Second the Scripture equips us when it rebukes us.
The idea of this use is it calls us out when we miss and break God’s standard. It calls sin, sin. It calls us to repent and change our mind and life direction away from sin and back to God. It never does it for the sake of ego or being judgmental, but always with a love for the soul of the individual and desire for it to remain close to Jesus.
Rebuke isn’t fun to give or receive. But we need to know the bumpers of God’s law so our lives stay in line with God’s heart and will and don’t wander where our sinful nature would love to go.
I thank God today for a dad who was willing to rebuke me, call out sin, and be oh so ready to extend God’s love grace and forgiveness.
God does the same for you – uses his Word to rebuke, call us to repent, and give us his forgiveness to cover all our wrongs.
Dad, Happy Birthday! I thank God for you, but more importantly I thank God for using you to bring the Scriptures to my heart and life and that of our family and many others. You understand the source of Scripture is credible and the power of its use is to equip us for every good work God has ordained for us. I pray he has many more for you and for all of us!
(Tomorrow…”correcting and training in righteousness”)
Apply: Are you learning from the Scripture? Commit today to personal Bible reading and to join a solid Bible teaching church or group to grow together in God’s Word! Take time today to thank a person that has taught the Scriptures to you!
Prayer: Lord thank you for my dad and many others like him who understand and trusted the Scripture as the source of your message of grace and salvation as well as the way you equip us for every good work you have planned for us. AMEN.
Believe Week 4: Is your source credible?
Devotions this week based on the Message: “BELIEVE: Week 4: The Bible: God’s Inspired Word!”
(NOTE: This sermon series and devotional series is based on a book by Randy Frazee entitled, “BELIEVE.”
You may choose to download or purchase the book as a supplement to your worship and devotional emails.)
Being prepared starts with learning from a credible source.
What would you trust as a credible source?
When I think about that question the most important is this:
The person giving the information is trustworthy.
So if we are looking to be thoroughly equipped and prepared for life as a Christian, we can find confidence in the credibility of the Bible. Some may challenge this, but consider the question, “Is the source of the information in the Bible trustworthy?”
The Apostle Peter gave this insight: 2 Peter 1:21 “For prophecy never had its origin in the human will, but prophets, though human, spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.”
Some suggest that the Bible is human stories with spiritual truths. Other discount that the Bible is any special book. There is much to be said about this, but simply consider Peter’s point. Scripture’s authors were human, but directed by the Holy Spirit. They were “inspired.” One key evidence of this is that if I were making up a story, I would not do or say things I didn’t want to do or say. Yet consider that what is recorded is men speaking and doing things they would not have spoken or done on their own.
Consider just three examples:
The prophet Jonah…he fled from the message the Lord gave him to speak: The word of the Lord came to Jonah son of Amittai: “Go to the great city of Nineveh and preach against it, because its wickedness has come up before me.” But Jonah ran away from the Lord and headed for Tarshish. (Jonah 1:1-3)
The prophet Isaiah…he was given a message the people would harden against (who would want to make enemies?): [The LORD] said, “Go and tell this people: “‘Be ever hearing, but never understanding; be ever seeing, but never perceiving.’
10 Make the heart of this people calloused; make their ears dull and close their eyes.
Otherwise they might see with their eyes, hear with their ears, understand with their hearts, and turn and be healed.”
11 Then I said, “For how long, Lord?”
And he answered: “Until the cities lie ruined and without inhabitant, until the houses are left deserted
and the fields ruined and ravaged, 12 until the Lord has sent everyone far away and the land is utterly forsaken. (6:9-12)
The prophet Ezekiel…told people wouldn’t listen to him (What preacher would preach on his own if no one would listen?): But the people of Israel are not willing to listen to you because they are not willing to listen to me, for all the Israelites are hardened and obstinate. (Ezekiel 3:7)
Do you think these men would have come up with these messages on their own? Do you think they would have faced the ridicule or hardship if they were coming up with a message for the people? These hard messages that the prophet’s spoke to the people were clearly God’s voice, not the voice of men. The voice of men downplayed sin, overlooked idolatry, and declared peace when there was no peace. God’s voice spoke and speaks truth…always.
The Bible we fully believe is the inspired words of the living true God, Father, Son & Holy Spirit. This truth gives us confidence then that what is preserved in the pages of the Bible IS the very words God wants us to know, believe and put into practice. He, through His Word, will equip us for the days of good works ahead!
Tomorrow we will see how!
Apply: What gives you confidence the Bible is the word of God? What causes questions? (Email me your questions at pastorgeiger@gmail.com)
Prayer: Lord, thank you for recording through the pens of men the very words you wanted us to learn, trust and believe. AMEN.
Believe Week 4: Are you prepared?
Devotions this week based on the Message: “BELIEVE: Week 4: The Bible: God’s Inspired Word!”
(NOTE: This sermon series and devotional series is based on a book by Randy Frazee entitled, “BELIEVE.”
You may choose to download or purchase the book as a supplement to your worship and devotional emails.)
“When opportunity comes, it’s too late to prepare” – John Wooden.
John Wooden was one of the most successful NCAA Division 1 basketball coaches the sport has ever seen. He worked not just to win games, but to develop young men in their personhood. He was relentless in his practices, emphasizing the basics of basketball, all the while developing the character of his players.
Coach Wooden knew a 60 second time-out was not enough time to teach, practice and implement a new play or strategy to take advantage of an opportunity in the game. He knew that it was the daily, dedicated practices that honed his players into individuals that could adjust, adapt and take advantage of a game situation and work it for their benefit.
Preparation must be done before the opportunity comes…thorough preparation.
Are you prepared?
“For what?” people in church asked when I posed that question yesterday.
Good point. If we don’t know for what we are preparing, we will not know how to prepare.
So, for what are we preparing?
As Christians, God told us last week in Ephesians 2:8-10:
8 For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— 9 not by works, so that no one can boast. 10 For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.
God, by his grace, brought you into his family to do the good works he has prepared in advance for us to do.
Do I know what opportunities he’s going to give you today? Do I know what opportunities he’s going to give me today?
I don’t.
But I know he wants me to be prepared for every good work opportunity he puts before me.
Will it be a person in distress that needs someone to listen? Is it a child that will challenge me as a parent? Is it a spouse that will need extra love? Is it a job that challenges my patience?
This is just a short list of possibilities.
So how will we be prepared?
God helps us with that. Our key passage this week is 2 Timothy 3:16-17: 16 All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, 17 so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.
So how will we be prepared, i.e. “thoroughly equipped”?
By connecting daily with the God-breathed words of Scripture. Through them God will prepare us…for every good work.
So when opportunity comes, we will be prepared!
Apply: How prepared do you feel for your day/life of good works? What small commitment will you make to start a “training” program today?
Prayer: Lord thank you for putting me on your team by grace shown to me in Jesus. Spirit of God, equip me through the words of Scripture you inspired to be thoroughly equipped for a life of following Jesus…starting today! AMEN.
Believe Week 3: Certainty of Grace!
Devotions this week based on the Message: “BELIEVE: Week 3: Salvation by Grace!”
(NOTE: This sermon series and devotional series is based on a book by Randy Frazee entitled, “BELIEVE.”
You may choose to download or purchase the book as a supplement to your worship and devotional emails.)
Have you ever received a gift that is so wonderful you think you have to give it back or you have trouble believing it is yours?
“Is this for me? Really? I don’t deserve this.”
“You shouldn’t have. I don’t deserve this.”
You are right. Our natural inclination is to measure our “worthiness” for God’s grace. I pray we simply accept the truth. You are NOT worthy of grace…never have been…never will be. That’s what makes grace so amazing…God gives it to you ANYWAY!
Here’s what makes grace so certain.
- It’s based on God’s heart of love for you.
John 3:16 “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only son that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.”
Whenever you question if God loves you and had you in mind when he chose to send Jesus and share his grace, ask yourself this: “Am I part of the world?” If so, God loves you. If yes, God sent his son for you!
- It’s based on the facts of Jesus’ life, death and resurrection.
Acts 4:12 Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to mankind by which we must be saved.”
Whenever I question whether I am saved or headed to heaven, I simply ask, “Did Jesus live a perfect life? Did Jesus die in my place on the cross? Did Jesus come out of the tomb alive?” YES to all of them. So my feelings don’t change the facts. I may not FEEL saved, but the facts remind me I AM saved!
Martin Luther put it this way as he explained the Second Article of the Apostles’ Creed:
“He has redeemed me, a lost and condemned creature, purchased and won me from all sins, from death and from the power of the devil, not with gold or silver, but with his holy, precious blood and with his innocent suffering and death. All this he did that I should be his own, and live under him in his kingdom, and serve him in everlasting righteousness, innocence and blessed ness, just as he has risen from death and lives and rules eternally.”
- It’s NOT based on your performance!
Ephesians 2:8 For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is NOT FROM YOURSELVES, it is the gift of God— 9 not by works, so that no one can boast.
Enjoy grace for all it is! God’s undeserved love for you! God’s gift of salvation for you!
Prayer: Lord, simply, thank you for grace! AMEN!