Twin Falls Church of the Nazarene

Who Cares?

“Do not rebuke an older man harshly, but exhort him as if he were your father. Treat younger men as brothers, older women as mothers, and younger women as sisters, with absolute purity.”

In February of 1988 this scripture passage became very real to me. At 61 years of age my dad lost his battle with cancer. I was only 24 years old. I miss him.

In my life since his passing I have been fortunate to know several godly men that have continued to speak into my life. I have learned from them and I trust their wisdom and I hold them in the highest honor. Many of them are unaware that I’m listening and paying attention. I probably should tell them.

I’m amazed at my mom and how she has progressed in life these past 23 years, alone. I was really afraid for her at the beginning but I saw God give her the strength to accomplish many things. She has traveled across the country by herself to visit her grandchildren. She has entertained missionaries in her home. She has been a member of the PLNU Women’s Auxiliary, and she has been a friend to a single mom as that mom prepares her son for her death.

My mom was to be at my house this past week but she spent several days last week in and out of the hospital. My mom has been relatively healthy, and so this is difficult to be so far away from her at this time. I’m glad that my two sisters live in the same town as my mom. They are watching her closely and taking care of her. I’m grateful.

In chapter 5 today, Paul is instructing Timothy how to treat the widows of the church. He explains that only those old enough and without any family members to care for them are to be cared for by the body of believers.

As I look around our church family I wonder how many of our widows desperately need help and we are unaware.  Is there something that I can do for them? What about you? Do you know of a need and wonder which person will step up and fill the gap? If God has shown you the need, I’m most positive that he wants you to supply it.

It’s not difficult to sense the need; our challenge is our obedience to serve the need.

Click here to read 1 Timothy chapter 5

Give them a Chance

No matter a man or woman’s physical age, appearance or background, when God breaks into their lives, we as a body of believers need to give them a chance to be heard; whether it is in music, preaching, or teaching.

Here in I Timothy 4 we are introduced to “Instructions for Timothy.” Timothy was one of Paul’s companions and fellow laborers in Christ.  We assume that Timothy is a young man at this time (around 30) and perhaps needs a pep talk from Paul.  His youth has in some way come into question as to how Timothy is able or mature enough to preach the Gospel to those in his care.

There are times when I have felt like Timothy, especially when I was younger and having a need to prove myself in different areas.  Frequently this verse in I Timothy would become my mantra.  Yet just because I was young didn’t give me the right to say or act however I pleased; as someone who has the call of God on their lives our first priority is… to please God.

No matter if you are 13, 30, or 60 the words that Paul shares with Timothy are important.  When we face conflict or come up against those who don’t want to hear what we have to say I Timothy 4 is a mantra but it’s also a recipe for holy living.  We need to set an example for all believers no matter our age “in speech, in life, in love, in faith, and in purity, devoting ourselves to reading the Scripture and preaching and teaching.”  With this encouragement in mind we then can use our God given gifts to multiply the Kingdom here on earth rather than by tearing it down in our own selfish desires and need to prove ourselves.  When we are walking the straight and narrow it leaves very little room for others to point fingers and hurl stones. 

And no matter if you are 13, 30, or 60; let us open up our ears and our hearts to hear what God has to say through youth, and older people, who desire to serve the Lord with all their heart, mind, and strength. 

Click here to read I Timothy 4

Worthy of Respect

Several times in this chapter, Paul talks about respect, proper respect, worthy of respect when he talks about people who are involved both in the work of the church but also in their homes.  One of the great gifts we give to some people in our lives is our respect.  It’s easy to do when we find them “worthy of respect”.  But if we see a side of the person’s life that reveals what seems to be to us something is not worthy of respect, that is another matter.

Psychologists tell us that when sons or daughters do not respect their parents it causes harm to them in their own family relationships for many years to come.  A daughter who sees her father being disrespectful to his wife is a picture that lingers throughout life.  A son who sees his mother being disrespectful to her husband gives a distorted picture of how husband and wife relate to each other that is hard to shake for years to come.  We are so greatly affected by the people who are in our lives that it really does matter, this business about respect.  One of the sad tales of life is that we so often become most like our parents in ways that we always thought we would be least likely to emulate.  Our parents were harsh and loud and demeaning to us as children.  We always said that wouldn’t happen in our homes in the future and yet here we are screaming at and demeaning our own children in ways that are terribly reminiscent of what we said we hated.

In this chapter Paul selects several people who are of critical importance in the development of the children who grow up in our homes:  their pastor, the church leaders, mothers and fathers.  And what is true of these highly visible people in our lives is also true of all of us.  These verses seem to be saying that we ought to respect these people no matter what.  However, the language has to do with the responsibility of these people, and more, to be “worthy” of respect.  If we are to do what Paul longs for here, it will be because the Holy Spirit lives in and through us.  Do your actions and manners and conversation engender respect from those people around you, in your most intimate circles?  Today, let’s think about what we say, how we say it, and think carefully about who we are in Christ and how our lives are impacting others.  This must be important, it’s right here in the Bible!

Click here to read 1 Timothy 3

Holiness Unto The Lord

Holiness is a concept that conjures up all kinds of thoughts in all kinds of minds.  For some people, it is an unattainable spiritual task that requires a human being to give up all rights to life in order to attain a level of spirituality that is unrealistic.  Because the person believes that holiness is unrealistic, he or she simply gives up the growth process and gives into the lie that we will never attain what God desires—so why try!?! 

For other people, holiness is attainable and they understand that because God does invite us to live a life of holiness we must be able to not only attain this spiritual lifestyle we must be able to live a lifestyle that is outside of the realm of sin.  

Confused yet—good!  I wanted to begin this devotional with a bit of confusion because this whole concept is confusing to anyone who is actually willing to admit just how conflicted they are in spirit when they discuss this high calling from the Lord. 

You see, God is inviting us to live a life of holiness so now we must figure out what that means—right?  Although I will not be able to afford a full exegetical thesis on this subject in this devotional, I pray that I can afford a bit of encouragement concerning the Lord’s invitation.  Paul wrote to Timothy and stated: “I urge, then, first of all, that petitions, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for all people— for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness. This is good, and pleases God our Savior…”

So, was Paul saying that through prayer, petition, intercession and thanksgiving we will understand what it means to be a person of holiness?  Is Paul insinuating that if we bow down to those in authority like, Kings and Presidents, that we will attain a lifestyle of holiness and godliness?  Is Paul proposing that if we live peaceful and quiet lives that somehow we will be transported from human vessels of pain and sin into spiritual beings living outside of agony and transgressions?  I don’t think so!  

I believe that Paul was telling Timothy (and us as well) that when we live our lives as people who are sold out to God and who desire nothing more in life than pleasing the Savior, we might have a pretty good grasp on what it means to live a life of Holiness Unto The Lord.  You see, deep holiness is nothing more than offering ourselves as a drink offering to a parched world and being willing to do as God desires; even if it that means dying to our own desires so God’s desire for our lives becomes the primary goal of our existence. 

Although this is far from a thesis on holiness, it is a great place to begin.  What’s your life goal?

Click here to read 1 Timothy 2

In 1 Timothy 1 Paul states “Here is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners—of whom I am the worst. But for that very reason I was shown mercy so that in me, the worst of sinners, Christ Jesus might display his immense patience as an example for those who would believe in him and receive eternal life.”

 Before encountering Christ, Paul was a Pharisee.  This means he was someone who considered himself separate from the masses because he was fully committed to following The Law to its most minuet degree.  For Paul to speak about himself in the way he does in 1 Timothy is a bit shocking.  

When Paul encounters the risen Christ, his perspective on his own life changes.  He now sees the areas in his life where there is blatant sin and can embrace Christ as his savior in a way he could not when he believed himself to be “separate” from everyone else.

Click here to read 1 Timothy 1

When Will You Ever Learn?

Paul sounds very exhausted and disappointed as he writes these “Final Warnings” to the church at Corinth. Having to deal with the same issue again and again would make anyone upset.

But then as you jump down to verses 11 and following, Paul appears to take on a different tone as he addresses the church; Rejoice, be restored, encourage others, be unified, live peacefully, and when you greet one another, give them a hug!

How is it possible that you can be so irritated with your brother and still pray for them and encourage them? Maturity and grace seem to be the theme that’s running through my head as I process this.

I’m sure you could think of a brother or sister that just seems to get under your skin. You spend too much time grumbling and complaining about how they irritate you. Hopefully, it’s just been to you.

Look now at verse 9 as Paul says, “We are glad whenever we are weak but you are strong; and our prayer is for your perfection.”

How many times have I prayed for someone’s perfection? I’ll admit my desire would be to pray for a small amount of suffering, not a lot, just a little. But you find that through all that was going on in Corinth, Paul still prays for them to grow and become mature in Christ.

Today’s challenge:

Pray that God would use your brother or sister in a mighty way.

Pray that God would bless their family.

Pray that God would use them to reach people that are out of your sphere of influence.

Pray that God would help them to experience joy as they serve him.

If we would earnestly pray these things over those that seem to annoy us, we will find help in changing from irritation to appreciation. I never said it was easy.

As I pray this prayer for others and my heart is softened, I’m reminded that someone is probably praying this pray for me as well. I sure hope so. Honestly, we should be praying this prayer for all believers.

Click here to read 2 Corinthians 13

He is Strong 

“Jesus loves me this I know

For the Bible tells me so.

 Little ones to Him belong

 They are weak but He is strong.” 

 The writer of this ever popular children’s song is Anna Bartlett Warner (1827-1915).  She and her sister Susan were the unmarried daughters of a New York lawyer who lost his fortune during the Great Depression. Talk about a time when one might need strength.

In 1862, William B. Bradbury stumbled across the song’s words and wrote his own tune, the one we sing today. He also added the chorus: “Yes, Jesus loves me, Yes, Jesus loves me.”

When I read 2 Corinthians 12:9 “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.”  I am reminded of this simple Children’s song.  It’s hard for me to imagine the Apostle Paul ever being weak, but here in 2 Corinthians he emphasizes that when he is weak, that is when Christ has the perfect opportunity to display his power in Paul’s life and ours.  That is when we are most like a little child and God wants to, and desires to – just love on us. 

It is hard to be weak and prideful all at the same time.  In my experiences with children I rarely see a small child who has false humility or an overactive pride issue.  However as adults I think this is something that can become quite a struggle within our own spiritual lives. 

What are you dealing with today that is a weakness?  Is it a “Thorn in your flesh” as it was in Paul’s?  Can you give it to God completely and with total faith that he will love you through it?

Let us then become as little children and acknowledge our weaknesses, glory in them as Paul did and  allow God to take those weaknesses and work great things in our lives.

Click here to read 2 Corinthians 12

 Scripture:  2 Corinthians 11:30

 Of What Shall I Boast?

 In this eleventh chapter of 2 Corinthians, Paul speaks of a very serious matter with the Corinthian Church.  Apparently there have been some people leading them astray spiritually.  Paul calls them “false apostles”. That is a sad and pitiful picture for a missionary.  He has lived and worked among them.  He has prayed for them, reasoned with them and done everything he could to encourage them in the true faith.  And now he discovers that there are some people living among them who are teaching false doctrines, leading them away from the true faith and denigrating Paul and his ministry among them.  This must have been one of Paul’s most painful  experiences in ministry.  For a minister/ missionary this is a full-blown tragedy.

Paul then tells his own story of sufferings. Piece by piece, Paul takes apart the arguments of the false prophets and compares their work with his own.  Anything they wish to boast about in themselves, it seems, Paul has had it “ten times worse” than any of them.  In every way he spells out the difference between his life and their lives.  Read the story of his sufferings in verses 21 – 29.  This is an amazing storyof Paul’s faithfulness and single-mindedness of devotion to Christ and the Gospel.  He tells them that when they look at the lives of those false prophets and do a fair comparison with his life, you can see the difference.  They are self-serving and he has given his “all” for them and the gospel.  He dismisses his own sufferings and tells them the pain he feels is their pain as he suffers on their behalf and out of love for them.  He sounds a little bit like a parent who is trying to help a wayward child see the truth after the child has accused the parent of never loving or caring for him/her.  Any parent would feel like saying “Let me tell you what I did for you through the years…” And they would sound like Paul in this passage. 

All of that is said so that I can give you one gem that shows up at the end of the passage, verse 30.  Paul says, “If I must boast, I will boast of the things that show my weakness.”  After all he has just said, why would he say this?  When we remember that Paul’s theology, his beliefs about the nature of God, stress that for anything he has accomplished, he gives God all the credit.  All of the sufferings, all of  his teachings, all of his life is an expression of the power of God at work through him. When we remember what God has done for us, it makes everything that makes us suffer seem ever so much smaller.  This “gem” puts everything into perspective.  It is our weakness that is the showcase for God’s power at work in us.  If we see what Paul is saying here, it can turn our day around.  It can make our frustrations and failures the very places where God can show Himself adequate in our lives.  Rethink those problems, give them to God.  Give him the opportunity to learn what Paul is teaching, your weakness is the very place where God can most show Himself to you today!

Click here to read 2 Corinthians 11

Qualifications

There is an old saying in the Church and in ministry circles that goes as follows: “God does not call the qualified; He qualifies the called!”  When I was reading our devotional chapter of Paul’s letter to the Corinthians for today, I was consumed by that thought.  It is obvious that a lot of comparison was happening and apparently a few accusations were being tossed about concerning Paul’s qualifications and his abilities as an Apostle.  Some people were apparently saying that his letters contained boldness that his personality did not possess.  Some people apparently accused him of being more persuasive with his faith than he truly was.  In fact, it is obvious in this text that some people were accusing him of being worldly when he should have been spiritual in his comments and instruction.  To these accusations Paul replied: “I beg you that when I come I may not have to be as bold as I expect to be toward some people who think that we live by the standards of this world.  For though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does. The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds.  We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.” 

Paul understood that his qualifications as a servant of the Lord were not based on human standards but rather by divine power.  Paul once lived as a Pharisee named Saul and he certainly realized that all of his great teaching and respect as a Pharisee could not come close to the divine calling of God to serve others in God’s great plan of redemption.  Paul realized that the way he was treated could not interfere with his calling.  But the most important lesson Paul ever learned was that we do not wage war against evil by our own power and knowledge.  

Have you ever questioned your ability to serve the Lord?  If you have, please allow me to encourage you to stop basing your success by worldly standards and begin accepting the fact that if God is calling you to do something for Him He will qualify you for His work and with His power you too can repeat Paul’s words from Philippians 4:13: “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.”

Click here to read 2 Corinthians 10

Give It Away …

In 2 Corinthians Chapter 9 Paul is encouraging the Corinthians for their readiness to give.  It is not made clear what they are giving, but Paul indicated that it is quite generous and that he is impressed by the act.  Paul ends 2 Corinthians 9 with this paragraph:

 10 Now He who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will supply and multiply your seed for sowing and increase the harvest of your righteousness; 11 you will be enriched in everything for all liberality, which through us is producing thanksgiving to God. 12 For the ministry of this service is not only fully supplying the needs of the saints, but is also overflowing through many thanksgivings to God. 13 Because of the proof given by this ministry, they will glorify God for your obedience to your confession of the gospel of Christ and for the liberality of your contribution to them and to all, 14 while they also, by prayer on your behalf, yearn for you because of the surpassing grace of God in you. 15 Thanks be to God for His indescribable gift! (2 Corinthians 9)

In this passage Paul makes the case that being faithful to giving can be a blessing to three different people.

The first is that it simply does something for someone in need.  Whether in the gift is monetary, quality time, words of encouragement, a present, a hug or even a smile the gift meets a need for the recipient.  Any of these kinds of gifts can seem like a miracle when someone is at the end of their rope and cannot see hope anywhere.  It gives them hope that people do indeed care for them and causes them to thank God for the blessing of God’s love in their life.

Being faithful in giving, as Paul instructs, brings a blessing to the giver.  The joy of blessing others through any kind of giving is a great benefit of being obedient to Jesus’ command to love each other.  There is nothing wrong with feeling good about doing something selfless for someone in need.

The final blessing goes to God.  When we are a blessing to others God is praised by the recipient, by the giver and by the body of Christ.  People see good deeds and praise not the giver, but The Giver of All.  Oftentimes it is when someone inexplicably blesses someone that his or her heart is softened and can become receptive to the Good News of Christ.

Click here to read 2 Corinthians 9.

Riches to Rags

For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sake he became poor, so that you through his poverty might become rich.               2 Corinthians 8:9

When I read this passage my thoughts went to a particular story that I’m sure many of you are familiar with, “Ragman”, written by Walter Wangerin, Jr. Its a rather lengthy story but it portrays a wonderful picture of what Christ has done for each of us. I’ll be back at the end of the story with more thoughts.

Ragman by Walter Wangerin, Jr.

I saw a strange sight. I stumbled upon a story most strange, like nothing my life, my street sense, my sly tongue had ever prepared me for.

Hush, child. Hush, now, and I will tell it to you.

Even before the dawn one Friday morning I noticed a young man, handsome and strong, walking the alleys of our City. He was pulling an old cart filled with clothes both bright and new, and he was calling in a clear, tenor voice: “Rags!” Ah, the air was foul and the first light filthy to be crossed by such sweet music.

“Rags! New rags for old! I take your tired rags! Rags!”

“Now, this is a wonder,” I thought to myself, for the man stood six-feet-four, and his arms were like tree limbs, hard and muscular, and his eyes flashed intelligence. Could he find no better job than this, to be a ragman in the inner city?

I followed him. My curiosity drove me. And I wasn’t disappointed.

Soon the Ragman saw a woman sitting on her back porch. She was sobbing into a handkerchief, sighing, and shedding a thousand tears. Her knees and elbows made a sad X. Her shoulders shook. Her heart was breaking.

The Ragman stopped his cart. Quietly, he walked to the woman, stepping round tin cans, dead toys, and Pampers.

“Give me your rag,” he said so gently, “and I’ll give you another.”

He slipped the handkerchief from her eyes. She looked up, and he laid across her palm a linen cloth so clean and new that it shined. She blinked from the gift to the giver.

Then, as he began to pull his cart again, the Ragman did a strange thing: he put her stained handkerchief to his own face; and then HE began to weep, to sob as grievously as she had done, his shoulders shaking. Yet she was left without a tear.

“This IS a wonder,” I breathed to myself, and I followed the sobbing Ragman like a child who cannot turn away from mystery.

“Rags! Rags! New rags for old!”

In a little while, when the sky showed grey behind the rooftops and I could see the shredded curtains hanging out black windows, the Ragman came upon a girl whose head was wrapped in a bandage, whose eyes were empty. Blood soaked her bandage. A single line of blood ran down her cheek.

Now the tall Ragman looked upon this child with pity, and he drew a lovely yellow bonnet from his cart.

“Give me your rag,” he said, tracing his own line on her cheek, “and I’ll give you mine.”

The child could only gaze at him while he loosened the bandage, removed it, and tied it to his own head. The bonnet he set on hers. And I gasped at what I saw: for with the bandage went the wound! Against his brow it ran a darker, more substantial blood – his own!

“Rags! Rags! I take old rags!” cried the sobbing, bleeding, strong, intelligent Ragman.

The sun hurt both the sky, now, and my eyes; the Ragman seemed more and more to hurry.

“Are you going to work?” he asked a man who leaned against a telephone pole. The man shook his head.

The Ragman pressed him: “Do you have a job?”

“Are you crazy?” sneered the other. He pulled away from the pole, revealing the right sleeve of his jacket – flat, the cuff stuffed into the pocket. He had no arm.

“So,” said the Ragman. “Give me your jacket, and I’ll give you mine.”

Such quiet authority in his voice!

The one-armed man took off his jacket. So did the Ragman – and I trembled at what I saw: for the Ragman’s arm stayed in its sleeve, and when the other put it on he had two good arms, thick as tree limbs; but the Ragman had only one.

“Go to work,” he said.

After that he found a drunk, lying unconscious beneath an army blanket, and old man, hunched, wizened, and sick. He took that blanket and wrapped it round himself, but for the drunk he left new clothes.

And now I had to run to keep up with the Ragman. Though he was weeping uncontrollably, and bleeding freely at the forehead, pulling his cart with one arm, stumbling for drunkenness, falling again and again, exhausted, old, old, and sick, yet he went with terrible speed. On spider’s legs he skittered through the alleys of the City, this mile and the next, until he came to its limits, and then he rushed beyond.

I wept to see the change in this man. I hurt to see his sorrow. And yet I needed to see where he was going in such haste, perhaps to know what drove him so.

The little old Ragman – he came to a landfill. He came to the garbage pits. And then I wanted to help him in what he did, but I hung back, hiding. He climbed a hill. With tormented labor he cleared a little space on that hill. Then he sighed. He lay down. He pillowed his head on a handkerchief and a jacket. He covered his bones with an army blanket. And he died.

Oh, how I cried to witness that death! I slumped in a junked car and wailed and mourned as one who has no hope – because I had come to love the Ragman. Every other face had faded in the wonder of this man, and I cherished him; but he died. I sobbed myself to sleep.

I did not know – how could I know? – that I slept through Friday night and Saturday and its night, too.

But then, on Sunday morning, I was wakened by a violence.

Light – pure, hard, demanding light – slammed against my sour face, and I blinked, and I looked, and I saw the last and the first wonder of all. There was the Ragman, folding the blanket most carefully, a scar on his forehead, but alive! And, besides that, healthy! There was no sign of sorrow nor of age, and all the rags that he had gathered shined for cleanliness.

Well, then I lowered my head and trembling for all that I had seen, I myself walked up to the Ragman. I told him my name with shame, for I was a sorry figure next to him. Then I took off all my clothes in that place, and I said to him with dear yearning in my voice: “Dress me.”

He dressed me. My Lord, he put new rags on me, and I am a wonder beside him. The Ragman, the Ragman, the Christ!

Riches to Rags song by Chris Machen, Robert Sterling and Gary Floyd

Several years ago this song appeared in a Christmas musical entitled, “We Beheld His Glory”. The story, scriptures and song show us God’s amazing transformation from riches to rags because of his deep love for us. The best part is how God transforms us from rags to his riches in glory.

Click here to read 2 Corinthians 8

Paul’s a Happy, Happy Man…

In 2 Corinthians chapter 7, we see Paul here doing a two-step.  It seems to me that he is saying that he has hurt some people over words, but in effect is glad because that hurt brought them to a better understanding of God’s will for them in their lives. 

That in a nutshell is the difference between Godly sorrow and worldly sorrow (v. 10).  Godly sorrow brings about repentance and worldly sorrow is just sad…

Have you ever had that type of moment?  You know the one where you really don’t want to hear what the other person is telling you, because it’s going to hurt and require you to take a hard look at your life and yourself.  It is a “ah-ha” moment only it us painful and it comes out more like AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH-ha!  Have you ever ripped a bandage off?   Yeah…kinda like that.

I know in my own life it is hard to hear correction from people.  I will admit that when anyone approaches me with, “Let me tell you something in love.”  I generally want to run.  So the lesson there is, when you decide to correct someone, make sure it is from the Holy Spirit and not just from a spirit of irritation or self-exultation. 

Most people who are on the receiving end of words of correction have a hard time hearing what they need to do different.  Yet when we can view those words in the light of God’s love and concern for us, from a trusted individual, the pain is short lived and we can act on those words to move towards a better relationship with God… and the person who God used to utter them. 

Who can you trust to help you see some changes you need to make, to grow closer to God?  Are you willing to let them speak into your life in Godly Sorrow and love? 

Click here to read 2 Corinthians 7