This is the third and final part of the devotional series Be Strong.

2 Timothy 2:6-9

Watch on YouTube

You then, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus. The Apostle Paul gives us three examples of ways to be strong, to be focused like a soldier, to compete according to the rules, to cross train like an athlete. And now he gives us one more example in verse six of Second Timothy, chapter two.

The hardworking farmer should be the first to receive a share of the crops. Reflect on what I am saying, for the Lord will give you insight into all this. (2 Timothy 2:6-7)

To be strong, Jesus gives us this encouragement. Work hard. And apply that to yourself. And as you do that, maybe just think about your Christian life and think about what would it look like if I was working harder? If I was working like a farmer who just needed to put in the time to be able to see the results? Now that can be a dangerous thing for us because, like all people, we want to put that pressure on to ourselves and say, if I just work a little bit harder then things will go better and I’ll accomplish more, and it can be absolutely exhausting. So we need to remember to stay strong in the grace that is in Jesus Christ.

The only way to have power to go out and work hard in our Christian life is to look at and be inspired by, and to know our Savior, Jesus, who came in and spread seeds of the gospel like a hard working farmer who went to the cross, even giving his life unto death to be able to forgive all of our sins who came and worked hard in this world so that we can work without pressure and work with joy, knowing that we’re doing that for the Lord. And then God gives us some promises first, and then some more encouragement after that, as we do that.

The hardworking farmer should be the first to receive a share of the crops. (2 Timothy 2:6)

There’s some neat blessings that happen when you go out and share Christ with people and share your lives with them. Sometimes you get to see the crops grow. There’s just incredible joy. As a pastor, I probably get to have a front row seat at this more than some people, but to be able to see the lights go on for somebody as they realize that, wait a second, there’s no hard work that I have to do to earn my salvation to get into God’s good grace? No, nothing. Jesus did it all for you. When you get to share the love of Christ with others and see them start to understand it, see them change their life, see them start working hard for Jesus too, that is an incredible blessing.

So how do we do that? Well, verse eight of this section is so beautiful. It says,

Remember Jesus Christ, raised from the dead, descended from David. This is my gospel, (2 Timothy 2:8)

Remember Jesus, remember who he is, your Savior, who took your place on the cross. Remember who he is. A true human descended from David, the King of the universe, descended from King David, raised from the dead. Did not stay dead, but rose again to prove that his victory is yours. To prove the heaven is yours. That’s the gospel. The good news for which I’m suffering. There’s there’s still going to be suffering in this world, even to the point of being chained like a criminal. The Apostle Paul is in prison at this time. But, listen up. God’s word is not chained. (2 Timothy 2:9)

You go out working hard like a farmer, casting seeds recklessly. And you know that God’s powerful word that you’re sharing is just that. It is not chained down. We just do the easy job of sharing his message. And God does the extraordinary, miraculous work of changing people’s hearts. So my prayer for myself and for you is let’s work hard, and by God’s grace, he’ll show us some exciting results.

(This is part 2 of a 3 part series titled Be Strong.)

2 Timothy 2:5

Watch on YouTube

God’s Word says, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus. In second Timothy, (2 Timothy 2:3-7) the Apostle Paul gives us three examples of ways to be strong, and he tells us to reflect on them. And the Lord will give you insight into all this. He talked about being a soldier. The next thing he says is in verse five he says.

Similarly, anyone who competes as an athlete does not receive the victor’s crown except by competing according to the rules. (2 Timothy 2:5)

So what does it look like to be strong? Well, it looks like following the rules of the race, of the athletic competition. The only way to win is to compete according to the rules. Otherwise, you can be disqualified. And without naming any particular names, I bet you can probably think of some high profile times when people have been excluded, disqualified from athletic events. You can think about baseball or swimming or cycling or gymnastics. And even though a person seems to perform well, if they don’t perform according to the rules, they’re out.

Dear Christian friend, I don’t want you to be disqualified from running this race and winning this race. So how do we do that? Well, first of all, if we want to compete according to the rules, we should have a good idea of what the guidelines are. So we’ll get to know our Bibles well, and we’ll see what God’s Word says to us. And God’s Word and his promises might even inspire some real changes in your life. If you see that I’m not competing according to the rules, and I’m on a dangerous track, that actually leads me away from Christ, it’s a beautiful thing when people repent and turn and change. And the only way that we can do that is by knowing how this race actually goes. What are the rules to this?

And as I reflect on that, the Christian faith is not all about Following rules. It’s about standing in the grace that comes from Jesus and the one who kept all the rules for us. In fact, the Christian faith really looks like you’re cheating because there’s actually no rules that you have to follow. You simply look to Jesus, who kept every rule, every stipulation, every commandment perfectly in your place. And you trust that he took all of your failures to the cross, and that he gives you his perfect life, that he’s actually carried you across the finish line, and that you’ve won the race and that God has taken away and doesn’t count any of your sins against you. You have the victory because Jesus won it for you.

That grace, that undeserved love, is the only thing that creates a desire for us to look at God’s rules and follow them with joy. So dear Christian compete as an athlete. You’ve won the victor’s crown.

This is part one of a Three Part Devotional called Be Strong. The next parts will be posted in the coming weeks.

2 Timothy 2:1,3-4,7

Watch on YouTube

This is part one of a Three Part Devotional called Be Strong. The next parts will be posted in the coming weeks.

How do you get strong? Now, if you look at me, I’m probably not the guy to answer that. I’m not doing a whole lot of weight lifting. But you’ll see that I am holding a Bible, and God’s Word gives us some encouragement on how to be strong. I want to just take a few devotions and look at Second Timothy chapter two, where the Apostle Paul writes to this young Christian, this young pastor Timothy, and he starts out by saying,

You then, my son, be strong… in Christ Jesus. (2 Timothy 2:1)

But that’s not all that he says. He says,

…be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus. (2 Timothy 2:1)

And that’s what we’ll see as we look at this. The way for a Christian to be strong is to dig deeper and deeper into the undeserved love of Jesus, and appropriate that to ourselves and live in God’s love. He’s going to give three different examples here of how a Christian can be strong. So today we’ll look at this first one. He says,

Join with me in suffering, like a good soldier of Christ Jesus. 4 No one serving as a soldier gets entangled in civilian affairs, but rather tries to please his commanding officer. (2 Timothy 2:3-4)

And at the end of each of these illustrations, he’s going to say,

Reflect on what I am saying, for the Lord will give you insight into all this. (2 Timothy 2:7)

So that’s what I want to do today, to reflect on that. What would it be like to be strong by serving like a soldier trying to please his commanding officer, not getting entangled in civilian affairs? I think what Paul is getting at here is that we have a single minded focus. What would it look like to have a single minded focus in your Christian life? To avoid being distracted by all kinds of other things that come up, whether it’s sinful temptations or just good things that take us away from really a focus on Christ and His grace and his forgiveness?

So we act like a soldier. And as we do that, we recognize that Jesus gives us the weapons, the armor, the means to do that. Back in Ephesians six, it talks about how as we go out as a soldier with a single minded focus on Christ, we’re struggling against not other people, but against Satan and against his demons. But he gives us the belt of truth, the breastplate of righteousness, feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace, the shield of faith, the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the spirit. Jesus has clothed you with his breastplate of his righteousness. He’s given you his perfect life as a gift. He sees you as holy and perfect, and he gives you one weapon. And it’s not political influence. It’s not weapons or guns, but it’s the sword of the spirit. He gives you his powerful word, that very grace that rescued you and focused your mind on him, is the thing that will rescue others.

So be strong and go into battle like a single minded, focused soldier of Christ.

1 Corinthians 4:2, 2 Timothy 2:13, Matthew 25:21

Watch on YouTube

My life has undergone a rather dramatic shift in the last couple months. In April, my primary occupation was student. I was worried about final exams and papers and a thesis defense. But now I’m a vicar engaged in the ministry of the word, and that brings with it an entirely different and greater set of stressors and responsibilities. Am I going to fumble a sermon or a Bible study? Will people like me? Will my work be successful?

Amidst all these struggles, I found a lot of comfort in First Corinthians 4:2.

It is required of stewards that they be found faithful. (1 Corinthians 4:2)

Now, in the context, Paul is writing against false teachers who were not faithful stewards of the mysteries of God. But even then, I think that there’s a lot of comfort to be found for what God requires from ministers of the Word. God doesn’t require perfection. He doesn’t require success. There’s no quota to be met, but he requires faithfulness. Doing what you can with what God has given you. And this is true not only for the ministry, but for all of our vocations as Christians. As a parent, spouse, or employee, God requires faithfulness. Doing what you can with what you have.

There’s no required level of performance. There’s no standard to be met simply to be faithful. And that takes the stress and the pressure off of us and onto God, because he’s the one who’s given us our gifts and the one who places us in the circumstances where he wants us to use those gifts. We aren’t perfectly faithful, but God does not require perfect faithfulness from us. Rather, he freely gives us the perfection of His Son.

If we are faithless, he remains faithful. (2 Timothy 2:13)

Jesus lived a perfect life on your behalf and died an innocent death in your place. All of your sins and all of your failings, all of your unfaithfulness has been forgiven in him. And when our faithfulness is rooted and grounded in Christ’s faithfulness. We can be confident that on the last day our master will say to us,

Well done, good and faithful servant! Enter into the joy of your master. (Matthew 25:21)

We don’t rely on our own performance or faithfulness, but on the mercy and grace of God. Amen.

2 Timothy 2:13

Watch on YouTube – Watch on Facebook

My favorite Bible passage. I’ve said for years that my favorite Bible passages from Second Timothy Chapter two, verse 13, and it says this

If we are faithless, he remains faithful because he cannot deny himself. (2 Timothy 2:13)

This is God’s Word. I love that Bible passage and I love a variety of Bible passages that make us look terrible and God look awesome. And you maybe say, That’s kind of strange, Pastor Moldstad. Why in the world would you like passages that maybe make you look terrible? Well, I treasure those passages because I think about for us as Christians, there are so many times tPhat we fail, right? We fail to be faithful to God in his word and we sin and we turn against God and we don’t do what we should do. And that’s the reality for us as sinful human beings. And so with those passages, there’s incredible comfort then for us, especially when we’re down on ourselves for the things that we’ve done wrong.

And look at our passage before us today if we are faith less. Right. How many times have you been faith less to God and to His Word? Maybe going contrary to the commandments, even when you knew something was wrong, you went ahead and did it anyway. Or at times where you haven’t been so faithful to coming to church and hearing God’s Word. It happens to all of us, really throughout our lives, this faithlessness. And yet, what comfort do we find in God’s Word? If we are faithless, he remains faithful because he cannot deny himself.

And that’s incredibly comforting, Right? So even if we do the wrong thing, even if we turn away from God, even if we are faithless, he remains faithful because he cannot deny himself. What that reminds us is that God can’t go back on his promises. So God can’t say, Well, you’ve screwed up too much or you’ve been too terrible, or you haven’t been faithful to me in my word. And so what I said about Jesus and him paying for your sin, well, I’m going to take that back. No, he can’t do that. He has to hold to his Word and to his promises because God can’t lie. And we can take his promises to the bank. And so therein lies the comfort for us as Christians, then, to know that even despite our sin and unfaithfulness, God’s promises remain.

And we think about God’s attitude towards us. That even when we sin and even when we turn away from him, he’s ready at all times to receive us back. And he wants us to come to him and to repent of our sins, to confess them to him, and to hear again the good news that he has sent someone to pay for your sin and that through faith in him, no matter what, no matter what sin you’ve committed, no matter how bad you think it is, no matter how faithless you’ve been, he is faithful and he has forgiven your sins. And he draws your attention again to his Son, Jesus. He paid the price for your sins, not just for your sins, but for the sins of the entire world. Treasure that. Hold on to that. Because God can’t go against his promises.

So that’s why I like second Timothy chapter two, verse 13, because it especially emphasizes God’s faithfulness to His promises and it gives us comfort, assurance and hope. Amen.

2 Timothy 3:15-16

Watch on YouTube – Watch on Facebook

A number of years ago, a man came into my office asking for me to share with him the teachings of our church. I looked over to my bookshelf and pulled off this very book, Luther’s Small Catechism, and I handed it to the man. The man held the book for a moment, and he said, well, Pastor, this doesn’t really tell me what I want to know. It simply tells me that you use this book all the time. After all, look at how worn and tattered it is. That’s true, even as you see it right now. This book has been thoroughly used.

Well, I went on, of course, to share with that man the teachings of the Holy Scriptures as taught by the Lutheran Church. The teachings that we hold to, God’s word of truth. You know, there’s some things that an old worn out book can tell people. Might wonder then about our own Bibles. What does your Bible look like? Is it thoroughly worn or is it in pristine condition?

Sometimes I wonder if we have such reverence for God’s Word that we almost don’t want to take that Bible off the shelf. It looks so good, so perfect. Like the day we received it as a gift on our confirmation day, or like the day we picked it up from the store, thinking that God would be pleased to see our perfect edition of the Holy Bible on our own shelves.

But what does God want us to do with the Bible? He doesn’t just merely want us to put it in a glass case and up on our bookshelves wants us to put it to good use. He wants us to wear out our Bibles. Because it’s only by reading his word that we see his truths. We learn from him. We learn things concerning our world, concerning our faith. Concerning him. Concerning how he would have us live.

Consider what the Apostle Paul wrote in second Timothy Chapter three verses 15 and 16.

The Holy Scriptures are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. All Scripture is God breathed[a] and is useful for teaching, for rebuking, for correcting, and for training in righteousness. (2 Timothy 3:15-16)

That passage or those passages tell us what God’s word is. It’s exactly that God’s word. It’s God breathed, and it’s useful for teaching and rebuking and correcting and training in righteousness. But the most important thing it’s useful for is making us wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. It is the greatest treasure this Bible has to offer. It shows us our Savior who in love came down from heaven to die in a cross for you and for me to suffer for our sins and to rise to life again from the dead so that we can know that his victory is our victory, and that one day we too shall rise to life from the dead.

So God invites us to put those Bibles to good use, to not just simply leave them up on our shelves or in a glass case, but wear them out. Wear them out reading what his words says. What else can we do with that word? He desires us not just to read it ourselves, but to read it so that we can share its message with other people. Just as that man came into my office wanting to know the teachings of the church, wanting to know the teachings of God’s Word. What an opportunity we have in our own lives. As others ask us, What does the Bible say? Well, reading the Bible regularly, we know what it says. We know what it tells us about our sin and about God’s grace in Christ. May God help us then to put the Bible to good use to wear out our Bibles. That we might know God’s love for us better. We also might share that love with one another. Amen.

2 Timothy 4:18

Watch on YouTube – Watch on Facebook

You’ve probably heard it said before, or maybe you yourself have said it, things can’t possibly get any worse than they are right now. Funny thing about that, is I’m sure people in previous generations said the exact same thing. I’m sure there were Christians back in the 1960s and 70s as they looked at the world as they saw and witnessed the free love movement, and the legalization of abortion, and all of the war protests. They probably said things can’t possibly get any worse than they are right now. The world is filled with so much evil.

But it did get worse as we went into the 1980s and 90s, as we think of the popularity of drug abuse that took place, especially among our youth. As we think about how commonplace homosexuality and live in relationships became. There were many also there who said things can’t possibly get any worse than they are right now.

But then when the 2000s came we had that big terrorist attack on 9-11 and further terrorist attack. There is multiple economic collapses just within one decade. Things couldn’t possibly get any worse, we said.

And even in the past decade, we think of all of the things that have happened. Legalization of homosexual marriage, as we think about the transgender movement, as we think about even more recently, the riots over racial issues, or police brutality, or even the COVID 19 pandemic. It seems very clear that as bad as we think things are right now, things can always get worse.

That maybe scares us a bit as Christians, as we maybe can feel like the world is completely against us and becoming increasingly so. So we feel like society is attacking us and attacking our faith, and we feel like even the government itself is doing this, maybe even our job too. Trying to convince us that biblical Christianity is only going to lead to bad things in this world. Seems like evil is winning on every side.

Because of this, we can get discouraged. But there’s hope for us. There’s comfort too. Think of the Apostle Paul some two thousand years ago, he experienced persecution in his faith from the world, from society, from even the government too. And yet he said this.

The Lord will rescue me from every evil work and will bring me safely into his heavenly kingdom. To him, be the glory forever and ever. Amen. (2 Timothy 4:18)

He gave those comforting words, in his second letter to Timothy to assure him that he was confident that despite all of these evil things happening in the world, despite all of these attacks, even on him, his ministry, and his faith, that God was going to win the victory. That God wins over evil. And that God was going to rescue him and bring him safely to heaven.

What a comfort that is for us as Christians, even in our world today, as things seem to continue to go from bad to worse as we’re attacked on every side for our faith. The place for us to turn is to God and to his word. Trust that the Lord is watching over us through it all. That the Lord will defend us and rescue us ultimately from every evil work. That he has a plan to bring us safely to be with him forever in heaven. That’s a comfort, no matter how bad the world gets. We have a comfort in Christ, our Savior Amen.

2 Timothy 2:13, Romans 4:5, Matthew 11:28

Watch on YouTube – Watch on Facebook

The passages that I personally find most comforting in the Bible are passages that make me look weak and small and that make God look great and powerful. I think of passages like 2 Timothy chapter 2 verse 13 which says

If we are faithless, he remains faithful, because he cannot deny himself. (2 Timothy 2:13)

Or a passage like Romans 4 verse 5 that says

But to the person who does not work but believes in the God who justifies the ungodly, his faith is credited to him as righteousness. (Romans 4:5)

I find so much comfort in those passages because so often I feel like I’m the one who has been faithless to God or I’m the one who has failed to do what God has required me to do or I’ve acted ungodly. Yet he comforts me that he is faithful to his promises. He comforts me that he justifies me not by my works but through faith.

You know another such passage that I find incredible comfort in is Jesus’ own words in Matthew chapter 11 verse 28 when he says this

“Come to me all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.” (Matthew 11:28)

Jesus doesn’t say “come to me all you heroic Christians who are so awesome at what you do. So awesome at living out your lives of faith and trusting in me.” No, instead he speaks to my heart. He says “come to me you who are weary and burdened.”

I feel like that a lot. Weary and burdened with the weight of guilt, of my sin, things that I’ve done wrong. How I’ve hurt people in tremendous ways and I play it back over again and again and again in my mind thinking about oh how I wish I could have done it differently. Oh how I’ve hurt that person. Jesus invites someone like me, someone who is burdened with that guilt, to come to him. He says that he gives me rest. Gives me rest because he’s the one who has born on himself the guilt of my sin. He’s the one that’s taken it to the cross and paid for it in full and reassured me that he is no longer angry with me for my sin, but instead he forgives me.

He speaks to me as well who has a huge to do list and I think about the ways in which I failed to live up to that list. Whether it’s being a good pastor, or a good father, a good spouse, or friend. I think about so often I failed to do all of those things that I should do. And Jesus invites me, you burdened by this huge massive list, come to me. Because I’ve done it all. I’ve done everything that you need to do. I’ve done it perfectly for you. You can find hope, peace, comfort, rest in me.

Yes, there are some pretty incredible passages in scripture. Like I said before though, the ones I like best are the ones that make me look small, weak and God look great and strong. Because it’s those that I especially need to hear when I am distressed over my sin, when I feel the weight of guilt or overwhelmed with the things in life. Jesus invites you today come to me all you who are weary and burdened and I will give you rest. Find your rest in Christ. Amen.

Malachi 3:6, 2 Timothy 2:13

Watch on YouTube – Watch on Facebook

In our series “What is God like?” Today we take up another attribute of God that he is unchanging. God’s Word for us today is from Malachi Chapter 3 verse 6.

Certainly I the Lord do not change.

Certainly I, the Lord, do not change. (Malachi 3:6)

When I present to my catechism class really the attributes of God, or the characteristics of God, I usually ask them the question: how does this thing about God scare you or how does this thing about God comfort you?

So I want you to think about that today concerning what I just read from Malachi Chapter 3. It says there that God does not change. It’s pretty scary if you think about it. Because it means that God’s Word, His truth, then also doesn’t change. What God had recorded 2000 or 3000 years ago even remains the same, remains true for us even today.

And this is very scary when we think about our own society and culture. That has really rewritten the rules concerning morality, concerning what is right, and what is wrong. Our society tells us well things that people considered wrong one hundred years ago or a thousand years ago, all that has changed. Get with the times man! It’s different.

God reminds us that His Word, His law doesn’t change. So what God called sin 2000 years ago or 3000 years ago and beyond are still sins today. And it certainly condemns us as we consider our own actions. But this truth about God, that he is unchanging, is also one that is very comforting to us.

It also means that God doesn’t change or take back His word concerning His promises. When God assures us that He forgives our sins, that He has forgiven them all for the sake of His Son, Jesus Christ. That too doesn’t change. It’s not like God all of a sudden says “ope, I guess I didn’t think of that sin.” Or “I didn’t think of how you would abuse this so terribly, I guess I’m going to take back my promise.”

But rather He brings comfort to us, assuring us that He is unchanging. In 2 Timothy chapter 2 verse 13 it says this.

If we are faithless, he remains faithful, because he cannot deny himself. (2 Timothy 2:13)

Reminds us that it doesn’t depend on us. That God’s faithfulness to His promises depend on Him and who He is. That’s so comforting to us because so many times we feel that we have failed God, maybe out of unbelief, maybe out of sin, that we don’t deserve to be called His child, we don’t deserve the forgiveness that He offers. Yet He reminds us that He is faithful to His promise and that will never change.

God is unchanging. It is scary when you think about His law. It certainly convicts us concerning our sin but also God being unchanging is a tremendous comfort to us knowing that His words of promise do not change. That He always forgives our sins for Jesus sake and through Him we have everlasting life. Amen.

2 Timothy 4:3, John 8:31-32

Watch on YouTube – Watch on Facebook

Which is more important doctrine or evangelism? It was a point of discussion that we had one evening with some friends. Especially wondering shouldn’t we be focusing so much on what God’s Word and what it says and holding to that Word? Or should we as a church be more focused on reaching other people even if it means doing things that are a little bit unorthodox and maybe not focusing so much in all the fine details of God’s Word?

Perhaps you’ve maybe heard people say this before concerning a very large church: ‘well they must be doing something right.’ As they see great numerical growth in a church they wonder well certainly whatever it is that they’re doing must be pleasing in God sight after all look how he has blessed that church. Is it true?

In 1 Timothy chapter 4 verse 3 the Apostle Paul writes this:

For there will come a time when people will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, because they have itching ears, they will accumulate for themselves teachers in line with their own desires.

Apostle Paul is saying there is that people aren’t always drawn to somebody who speaks the truth of God’s Word. Quite often people simply like preachers that tell them what they want to hear. And so numerical growth or lack of numerical growth isn’t a sign that you have God’s blessing.

So what is? How can we know that we are truly disciples of God and doing what is right? Jesus says this in John chapter 8 verse 31.

“If you remain in my word, you are really my disciples. You will also know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”

He talks about the importance of remaining in His Word holding to the doctrine of His Word. It says that we’ll also know the truth through that Word and the truth will set us free.

Sad to say there are many churches and groups of Christians that in their pursuit of trying to get so many more people to join them, join the group, join their church, they’ve gone astray. Not focusing so much on what God says concerning sin, maybe promoting a gospel that’s different than the true Gospel, saying that the message that the Bible has for you is to show you how to live a Christian life or how to be prosperous in this world. Neither of those things really brings comfort of the true Gospel.

Jesus says by remaining in His Word you will know the truth and the truth will set you free. Vitally it is important for us to hold steadfast to God’s Word, every detail of it, a Word that shows our sinfulness, but also for our savior Jesus Christ the one through whom we are set free. The one who has paid for all of our sins on the cross. So when that question came up with my friends they finally resolved and said I guess doctrine is most important because what other message can you share if it isn’t the truth of God’s Word?

How precious that message is for us as well. May God help us always to remain faithful to His Word and in His Word. Amen.

Watch on YouTube – Watch on Facebook

My favorite time of the day is when I get to be with my family at dinner. For us that’s where we get to tell stories about the day, we make up stories with the kids, or we crack jokes, we do trivia. All that is great. All that is fun and yet there is something even more important than that. It’s family devotion time.

This really is close to my heart. This is where we have the opportunity, my wife and I and my kids to go into the Word of the Lord and to learn what he has to teach us. A passage from 2 Timothy tells us in chapter 3 verse 16:

All Scripture is God breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting, and training in righteousness. (2 Timothy 3:16)

Now just think about this. You’re sitting at the table or whatever setting you you find yourself in for you and your family. But you are allowed to there learn from God’s Word. He encourages you so that you may be taught something, retaught something, learn something that guides you through this life.

It’s used for rebuking so that even mom or dad they can say you know I have something to learn here I’m sorry for how I’ve treated my family. Son or daughter whoever is there they too know that rebuke with the law they have sinned. Which gives then the opportunity at family devotion time to hear Christ forgiveness. Centered in that forgiveness the family grows. It is corrected. It grows together and not just as individuals.

And of course then we are trained and righteousness through scripture. Think about what that means. The family learns how to live how to act and treat one another and those outside of their family. Giving the opportunity to share God’s Word but especially to focus together and grow in the Word. Now this also offers some other opportunities. At family devotion time this is great, we can talk about subjects that you probably wouldn’t normally have with other people. Awkward conversations maybe taboo conversation but this is the place to discuss it. This is the opportunity for children for parents for grandparents whoever is there to learn what the Lord has to teach us and that even with knowing how maybe we view culture we know that God is guiding us through the Holy Spirit to live our life in Christ’s name.

So take some time to have family devotion. You’ll just be amazed how much you grow together and not only that how much you grow together in Christ.

Watch on YouTube

What comes to mind when you think of the word faithful? Maybe think of someone or something that is always there for you. Someone who is completely reliable someone who is always true to their word. Maybe it’s the family dog that’s waiting for you when you come home from work. Maybe it’s that parent that you know you can call them up anytime and they’ll take the kids for you. Maybe it’s the emergency services that you know that they’ll be there if something happens.

What about yourself? Do you think of yourself as someone who is faithful? I think most people would say they’d like to be. They try to keep their word. They try to do what they say. They try to be dependable and reliable, but things get busy. Things get complicated. Things change and we don’t.

What about when it comes to God be faithful to Him? Faithful to come to church every week, faithful to give a good offering to the Lord, faithful in following His commandments. Again, here too, we have excuses. Things get busy. Things get complicated. If I was as faithful as I should be I’d certainly be risking a lot. Cost me so much… I might lose so much…

So many times and in so many ways we are unfaithful. When it comes to family, friends, co-workers, and even God. And yet he reminds us of this truth in 2 Timothy chapter 2 verse 13.

If we are faithless, he remains faithful, because he cannot deny himself. (2 Timothy 2:13)

It’s talking about God there of course. That God is always faithful. He’s always dependable, reliable, he always keeps His word. And it doesn’t even depend on us and our faithfulness to Him, it depends on who he is. The almighty and perfect and loving God. What a comfort that is for us then. To know that even when we’ve turned our backs on God at times when we’ve broken our word when it comes to Him where we’ve failed to be reliable and dependable God remains faithful to us and faithful to his promises. As he welcomes us to come back again to repent of our sins that he might forgive us and shower his love on us more and more.

Yes when it comes to the fruit of the spirit of faithfulness we’re really inspired by our God who’s been incredibly faithful to us and will always be. Amen.